Author: Safiu Kehinde

Safiu Kehinde The Federal Government has given an estimate of over N16 trillion needed for the completion of inherited road projects. This was disclosed by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, while addressing the press in Abuja yesterday on the achievement of the ministry under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Umahi, who alongside other ministers marked their one year in office earlier this week, recalled the contracts and unfinished road projects inherited when their administration came to power. He revealed that the present administration inherited a total of 18,932.50 kilometres of ongoing road projects, with a…

Safiu Kehinde A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has, today, discharged six #EndSARS protesters detained since 2020. The six protesters identified as Daniel Joyinbo, Adigun Sodiq, Kehinde Shola, Salaudeen Kamilu, Sodiq Useni, and Azeez Isiaka, were discharged having found guilty by Magistrate, Mrs. Bola Osunsanmi. They were arrested and charged with breach of public peace during the 2020 #EndSARS protests. According to the Director for Public Prosecution, Babajide Martins, the convicts committed the offence on the 23rd of November, 2020 at Ebute-Metta area of Lagos. The defendants pleaded guilty of the single count charge in a plea bargain agreement…

Safiu Kehinde First Bank Group and the Nigerian Conservative Foundation (NCF) have extended their tree planting project to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The tree planting initiative, as contained in a statement issued by First Bank earlier today, is part of the banks 2024 Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability week, which began on Monday. Leading the tree planting exercise in Abuja, Aishatu Bubaram, the Group Executive, Commercial Banking, North, emphasized the bank’s commitment to planting 50,000 trees nationwide in an effort to promote environmental conservation. “The essence of planting these trees is environmental conservation. These are economic trees that we believe…

Safiu Kehinde The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, has disclosed N12 billion loss by ginger famers to epidemic disease in 2023. Abdullahi made this disclosure at the Agricultural Insurance train – the – trainer workshop held today in Abuja. The disease identified as ginger blight left Kaduna ginger farmers counting their loss following its outbreak in 2023. Narrating the 2023 experience, Abdullahi said that the farmers lost over 90 per cent of their total harvest for the season while only few of the farmers who registered with the ministry’s insurance protection scheme were awarded monetary…

Safiu Kehinde Justice Oluwakayode Ariwoola has retired as the Chief Justice of Nigeria. Having reach the mandatory 70 years retirement age, Ariwoola bowed out of the judicial seat today, bringing to an end his 43 years law career. Ariwoola was appointed as the new CJN on 27th June 2022, following the retirement of his predecessor Tanko Muhammed. He is, however, set to be succeeded by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun who was nominated for the position last week. Ariwoola retired as the 22nd Chief Justice of Nigeria. He was called to bar in July 1981. Prior to his rise to the position…

Safiu Kehinde Suspected Bandits who killed Emir of Gobir, Isa Bawa, has released his son after collecting N60 million ransom. The late Sokoto Monarch’s son, Surajo Isa, confirmed the release of his brother who was abducted alongside father last month. According to Surajo, the bandits demanded and received a ransom of ₦60 million along with five motorcycles before releasing his brother. “He came back from the bandits’ den around 8:30 pm,” Surajo said. Meanwhile, the released son of the deceased monarch, disclosed that his father was buried in the forest by the bandits after his death. The District Head’s murder…

Agency Report Justice Sylvanus Oriji of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has adjourned hearing in the FCT minister ‘s motion on the restriction order on participants of the hunger protest until Sept. 4. The adjournment came after counsel to the FCT minister (claimant), Moses Ebute, SAN told the court that he served the motion on notice on the respondents. The counsel to 1st to 4th respondents, Dr S.M Oyeghe did not oppose but asked for the motion to be served on them in the court. The other respondents were not present in court nor legally represented. Justice Oriji,…

Agency Report Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, says the 2025 budget for State House agencies will be based on needs assessment. He said this was to ensure that funding allocated to agencies were based on actual requirements. Gbajabiamila spoke to the newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, following a one-day fact finding tour of some government agencies under the supervision of the State House. “In any country in the world, resources are limited. For us it is about prioritising. Where are we so far? What have the agencies done? “How have they measured up to their mandates…

Toheeb Olalere Sequel to the death of the Emir of Gobir, Isa Bawa, former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the Federal Government of its failure in addressing the spate of insecurity in the country. In a condolence message to the deceased family posted on his X handle today, Atiku said the FG’s lack of concern and poor security strategies has amounted to an increase in distressing events such as the death of the Emir at kidnappers’ den. “The heinous act of violence perpetrated by bandits resulting in the untimely demise of such a revered leader is a stark…

Agency Report In 2018, India’s top court legalised gay sex in a landmark ruling – but the country still doesn’t allow transgender people and gay and bisexual men to donate blood. People from the LGBT community say the decades-old ban is “discriminatory” and have gone to court to challenge it. When Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli’s mother was on her deathbed battling advanced Parkinson’s, she needed regular blood transfusions. But Ms Mogli, a trans woman based in the southern city of Hyderabad, couldn’t donate blood despite being her mother’s sole caregiver. “I had to keep posting [requests for blood donors] on WhatsApp…