Author: Safiu Kehinde

Agency Report  Israel says its forces have recovered the bodies of six hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the bodies were located on Saturday in an underground tunnel in the Rafah area. The IDF named the hostages as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Master Sgt Ori Danino. Spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari said an initial assessment was they were “brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them”. After the death of Mr Goldberg-Polin – an American citizen – was confirmed, US…

Agency Report  A building has collapsed in Nigeria’s megacity, Lagos, once every two weeks on average so far this year. Whereas the commercial cost can be calculated, a figure can never be put on the value of the lives lost underneath the rubble. The gaps among the buildings, replaced by piles of debris, represent a failure of governance as well as giving rise to allegations of contractors trying to cut corners to save money. There are regulations, there are maintenance schedules, there are inspectors – but the system does not work. Those responsible are never held to account, and so…

Agency Report  The Nasarawa State Government says it has intensified sensitisation to flood-prone local government areas to mitigate flood disasters in the state. Mr Yakubu Kwanta, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, said this during the Monthly Sanitation on Saturday in Lafia. Kwanta, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Garba-Rosha Mohammed, said that the ministry had gone to flood-prone communities to sensitise them to the need for early evacuation, in the event of flooding. He said that Nasarawa State was among the states that the Federal Government, in the administration of President Bola Tinubu, graciously gave N3…

 Agency Report The Federal Government on Saturday warned youths against getting involved in illicit drugs, as it is dangerous and inimical to human survival. The Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jamila Ibrahim, gave the warning in Ado-Ekiti, at the end of a two-day sensitisation on the elimination of drug and substance abuse for young boys and girls in the southern zone of the country. Ibrahim, represented by a Director in the ministry, Alhaji Alu Mohammed, said that the government would leave no stone unturned in eradicating the menace of hard drugs in the country. “This event is apt, coming at…

Safiu Kehinde  The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has explained the importance of birth registration and National Identification Number (NIN). This was disclosed by the NIMC Director General, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, at the Launch of the Renewed Hope initiative to accelerate birth registration in Abuja. As contained in a statement issued by the Commission’s Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, and made available to NPO Reports, the NIMC DG stressed that birth registration and NIN are essential for development of the nation and shaping Nigeria’s digital identity. She said digital birth and NIN registration will scale up access to government education,…

Safiu Kehinde  The Federal Government has ordered immediate relocation of the Chief of Defense Staff, and other military heads to Sokoto. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Minister of State Defence, Bello Matawalle. According to the statement, the military heads are to relocate to the General Officer Commanding that oversees Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, and Kebbi states on account of a significant operation set to be launched in Sokoto with the aim of eliminating bandits in the North West. Matawalle condemned the surge of banditry in the region, narrating how some bandits had confidently stormed a Military Armoured…

Safiu Kehinde  Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has threatened to put fire in the states of governors backing Fubara. He made this disclosure while addressing the delegates of Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP), Rivers state chapter at their congress held in Port Harcourt yesterday. In response to PDP’s governors from other state who drummed support for Rivers state governor, Siminalyi Fubara, Wike warned them against interfering in the affairs of Rivers while threatening to throw their states into political crisis if they fail to back off. “Not While we live will anybody take away the structure of PDP from us.…

Safiu Kehinde  Chidimma Adetshina, has emerged winner of Miss Universe Nigeria 2024. The model, who who represented Taraba State, was crowned as the new Miss Universe Nigeria tonight. This was revealed in a video on X by Africa Fact Zone with a caption that confirmed her emergence. “Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina has emerged as Miss Universe Nigeria 2024,” it posted Meanwhile, a South African based media outlet, Pop Pox revealed in a post on X that Chidinma will now represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe Grand Finale. “She’ll be representing Nigeria at the Miss Universe grand finale in Mexico this November.…

Safiu Kehinde  The 2024/2025 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) begins with a stalemate as El-Kanemi Warriors held defending champions, Enugu Rangers in 0-0 draw at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium today. El-Kanemi Warriors travelled to Enugu for the league openers against the 2023/2024 season champions. Both sides endured a frustrating first half as they failed to find the back of the net. The game progress to second-half where El-Kanemi’s Jacob Jonathan came close to put the visitors on the lead in the 66th minute. His effort was blocked by the Flying Antelopes’ goalkeeper, Japhet Opubo. Rangers substitute, Bashir Usman, tried to…

Trains 150 Nigerian Human Rights Volunteers •Safiu Kehinde  Amnesty International, a human rights organisation, has harped on the need for more Nigerians engagement and participation in fight for change as it trained 150 human rights volunteers in Nigeria to build their capacity to mobilize for human rights advocacy within their communities. This was made known by Country Director, Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, at the training tagged: “In Conversation with Amnesty International Nigeria,” on Saturday in Abuja. The training with the theme: “Mobilising for Impact; Building a Unified Force for Human Rights Advocacy, was designed to strengthen and empower a…