Author: Safiu Kehinde

A Hong Kong court has sentenced key pro-democracy leaders to years in jail for subversion, following a controversial national security trial. Benny Tai and Joshua Wong were among the so-called Hong Kong 47 group of activists and lawmakers involved in a plan to pick opposition candidates for local elections. Tai received 10 years while Wong received more than four years. A total of 45 people were found guilty of conspiring to attempt subversion, after two people were acquitted. Their trial marked the largest use of the harsh national security law (NSL) which China imposed on Hong Kong shortly after the…

Agency Report The Cross River Government is planning to generate about 120MW from combined sources in a bid to ensure steady and reliable power supply across the state. The state Commissioner for Power, Mr Eka Wiliams, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Tuesday. The commissioner listed the sources of energy to include Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), hydro, windmill, biomass and solar. He said that the target would be realised within one year to two years. Williams said that the state already had two power plants with a combined installed capacity…

Agency Report The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Malam Shehu Mohammed has directed the immediate clampdown on the proliferation of fake diplomatic and other unauthorised number plates, as seen on some vehicles plying Nigerian roads. Mohammed said this in a statement issued by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO) Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide on Tuesday in Abuja. The FRSC boss said that the directive had become necessary in line with his administration’s proactive approach towards contributing to enhancing national security. He said that these identified number plates were fraudulently produced by suspected criminals, as they were neither produced by…

Safiu Kehinde The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command has nabbed a 33-year-old man for alleged vandalism and theft of an electronic road sign. RRS made this known in a post it shared on its X handle@rrsLagos767 on Monday night. According to the squad, the suspect was apprehended at about 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday at Oshodi area of the state while removing the installation. “The suspect was apprehended for stealing one of the electronic road signs installed on Five Star Bridge, Oshodi, to caution road users to slow down. “Vandals had, a week before, stolen the battery…

Safiu Kehinde Stakeholders in the maritime sector have condemned the bill to establish Nigerian Marine Corps, stressing that it will create more problems than solutions. The stakeholders voiced their rejection of the bill in Abuja on Monday at a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Navy. Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Police Force, the Staff Officer Marine Section, Supol. Nandom Vongjen said the bill was ill-advised. Vongjen said that it would result in the proliferation of maritime security outfits and a parallel unit of the armed forces of Nigeria. “The proposed Nigerian Marine Corps, while…

Safiu Kehinde The National Commission for Museum and Monuments (NCMM), has on Monday, marked the 75th anniversary for massacre of 21 coal miners at Iva Valley, Enugu by the colonial masters. The 21 coal miners were shot dead in Enugu on Nov. 18, 1949 by the colonial master for agitating for better working condition and improved welfare packages. The event was organised by NCMM in partnership with the Centre for Memories, Enugu, Awka Museum Foundation, International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS-Nigeria), Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Afri Archives and others. Speaking at the event, the Curator, National Museum…

Agency Report The Naira on Monday depreciated at the official market trading at N1,690.37 against the dollar. Data from the official trading platform of the FMDQ Exchange, revealed that the Naira lost N38.12. This represents a 2.3 per cent loss when compared to the previous trading date on Friday, November 15th when it exchanged at N1,652.25 a dollar. Also, the total daily turnover reduced to $173.14 million dollars on Monday down from $296.63 million dollars recorded on Friday. At the Investor’s and Exporter’s (I&E) window, the Naira traded between N1,699.00 and N1,633.52 against the dollar. NAN

Safiu Kehinde Oceania Oil and Gas CEO, Fatuyi Yemi Phillips, has been sentenced to 21 years imprisonment by an Ikeja Special Offences Court over N43.5 million fraud. This was confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). According to the statement, the EFCC, on the 5th of April 2022, arraigned Fatuyi alongside his firm on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N43,502,000.00. Fatuyi, who also doubled as Chairman, Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) was presented before Justice Mojisola Dada of the…

Safiu Kehinde Amid debates for and against the proposed Tax Reform Bills, the Parliamentary Monitoring Group (PMG), has, on Monday, called on the National Assembly to speedily pass the bill presented to it by President Bola Tinubu. President of PMG, Dr Adebayor Ogorry, in a statement in Abuja, called on both chambers of the National Assembly to give the Tax Reform Bills speedy passage as it was a matter of urgent national importance. According to him, President Tinubu means well for all segments of the country and that the Bills were designed to rescue the country from economic quagmire. Ogorry…

Safiu Kehinde Benue state governor, Hyacinth Alia, has approved a minimum wage of N75,000 for workers in the state. Alia announced the new wage in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, after he met with organised labour representatives on Monday in Makurdi. The governor said that the new minimum wage would take effect in November 2024. He stated that the remaining three months of the five-month backlog of salary arrears promised workers would be paid as budgeted in the 2024 budget. He stressed further that the arrears would be paid along with the new minimum wage.…