Author: Safiu Kehinde

Safiu Kehinde Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charge against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over his involvement in an alleged N110 billion fraud. Yahaya made the plea at the ongoing hearing of his alleged money laundering suit before the Federal High Court, Abuja. NPO reported that ex-governor finally appeared at the court after several refusal. He was, yesterday, detained by the EFCC after presenting himself at the Commission’s headquarters.

Safiu Kehinde A yet-to-be identified woman created scene with her challenge of Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, over his housing plans. As seen in a now viral video on Instagram, the woman had stepped on the stage to ask the governor her question at a recent event. Sanwo-Olu initially urged his security aides to permit her as she approached the stage. In demand for answer, she made aggressive approach towards the governor who was visibly stepping back as the woman shoved the mic towards him. The security aides would eventually step in to take the woman off the stage.

Agency Report CSP Adetayo Akerele, the Chairman, Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit (Taskforce), says its operatives have apprehended 53 suspected criminals in the Gowon Estate area of the state. Akerele made this known in a statement, signed by the agency’s Director, Press and Public Affairs, Mr Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, on Tuesday in Lagos. He said that the agency carried out the operation to enhance safety, security of lives, property and environmental decorum in the area. “The agency apprehended drug peddlers, addicts; miscreants; street urchins; illegal street traders and people of shady business dealings. “We found several mix of…

Safiu Kehinde No fewer than 400,000 passengers in 7,000 flights has been recorded since the commencement of commercial flight operations at the Chinua Achebe International Airport, Umueri Anambra. The airport’s Managing Director, Martins Nwafor, said this on Tuesday while hosting Dr Law Mefor, Commissioner for Information in Anambra. Addressing the Commissioner while taking him and his team on a tour of the facility, Nwafor said only two commercial airlines were using the airport since the commencement of its commercial flight in December 2021, but that talks were on to bring more airlines on board. According to him, operations are largely…

Safiu Kehinde The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has harped on the need for Nigeria to be more intentional in its health system approaches to tackle health challenges. He stated this at the Society for Family Health’s (SFH) 40th-anniversary celebration and book presentation in Abuja on Tuesday. Pate, represented by Chinedu Moghalu, highlighted the importance of proactive and strategic actions to ensure the health of all Nigerians. He stressed that global health challenges, such as pandemics and healthcare inequities, required more intentional approaches. “This is not the time for reactive measures; instead, we must take…

Agency Report The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has attributed the 3.46 per cent growth in Nigeria’s GDP in the third quarter to the efficacy of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms/policies. TMSG Chairman, Mr Emeka Nwankpa, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. Nwankpa said that the figure was a reflection of progressive economic growth since the beginning of 2024. He said the group was excited by the latest GDP data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which showed that that the country’s economy grew by 3.46 per cent in the third quarter of 2024.…

Safiu Kehinde The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, has called on the Federal Government to release the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu. The wife of the late Odumegwu Ojukwu made the call in a speech at the 13th Memorial Anniversary of her husband held on Tuesday in Owerri. Kanu, who has been in the DSS custody since 2021, is being tried for alleged treason. Speaking at the event themed“Unifying the Igbo Race”, Bianca advised the people of the South-East to look inwards and appraise the Igbo race that made them who…

Agency Report The Minister of Livestock Development, Mr Idi Maiha says the livestock sector can add N33 trillion to the economy if well harnessed. Maiha made this known at a meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on Livestock Development, on Tuesday in Abuja. He said that Nigerian businessmen had already indicated interest to go into ranching and dairy farming. The minister also urged state governments to emulate President Bola Tinubu and create Ministries of Livestock at the sun regional level, for coordination with the centre. “At the moment, we are taking stock of those state governments that have external ministry of…

Safiu Kehinde The African Development Bank (AfDB) has expressed high hope in the Abidjan-Lagos corridor highway project becoming a powerful economic and industrial hub. Mike Salawou, Director of the Infrastructure and Urban Development Department at the AfDB, said this in a statement. The work on the 1,028km transnational coastal motorway is due to begin in 2026 courtesy AfDB’s Spatial Development Initiative and is earmarked for completion by 2030. The highway connects Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria while crossing through Ghana, Togo and Benin. “Under the AfDB’s leadership, feasibility studies, financing options for the motorway and institutional arrangements for getting the Abidjan-Lagos…

Safiu Kehinde Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, is set to appear in court today following his detention at the holding facilities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abuja on Tuesday. NPO reported that Bello, who was declared wanted by the anti-graft agency in April over an alleged N110bn fraud, presented himself at the EFCC headquarters yesterday. The anti-graft agency finally detained him ahead of his re-arraignment slated for today. Since filing the charges against the former Kogi governor, the commission has not been able to bring him to court for arraignment. The embattled former Kogi governor…