Author: Safiu Kehinde

Safiu Kehinde The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has reserved its ruling on the alleged N27 billion fraud as former governor of Taraba, Darius Ishaku challenged the court’s jurisdiction. Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Darius alongside a former permanent secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Bello Yero. They were arraigned before the court on a 15-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds to the tune of N27 billion. However, the ruling, presided over by Justice Sylvanus Oriji, was reserved after listening to…

Safiu Kehinde The Director-General of ECOWAS Food and Cultural Festival (EFCF), Amb. Felix Ihonre, has urged Nigeria President and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Bola Tinubu, to ensure three square meals a day for every citizen of the community and family in the next five years. Ihnonre made the call at the Post-Festival Stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja. According to reports the EFCF, a body that is geared towards having a zero hunger tolerance within the ECOWAS countries held the food and cultural festival in Uyo, Akwa Ibom between Oct. 6 and 11, 2024. Ihonre…

Agency Report Three men, Kunle Ojofeyitimi, Joseph Fasemire and Oladipo Ilesanmi, on Wednesday appeared before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court, for alleged contempt of court and breach of peace. The defendants, Ojofeyitimi, 52, Fasemire, 38 and Ilesanmi, 52, are standing trial on a four-count charge of conspiracy, damage, breach of peace and contempt of court The prosecutor, Cpl. Akeem Akinloye, told the court that the defendants allegedly conspired and committed the offences on Nov. 4, at Akota Estate off Elebu area of Ibadan. He said that the defendants disrespected court judgment in suit number I/ 671/1969, by forcibly entering a…

Safiu Kehinde Oyo state governor, Seyi Makinde, has, on Wednesday, presented a budget of N678.06 billion for the 2025 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly for approval. The 2025 buget tagged “Budget of Stabilisation” contained N343 billion allocation for capital expenditure which represents 50.6 per cent of the total budget while the recurrent expenditure is N335 billion, representing 49.4 per cent of the budget. Makinde said that infrastructure development would take the largest allocation of N152 billion, representing 22.4 per cent of the budget. He stated that N145 billion was earmarked for the education sector, being 21 per…

Agency Report The Edo House of Assembly, on Wednesday in Benin, confirmed the nomination of Dr Samson Osagie, as the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Monday Okpebholo, made the announcement shortly after taking the oath of office as governor of the state. Okpebholo, in a letter addressed to the Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, requested the House to confirm the nominee. The governor also, requested the House to consider and pass the year 2024 supplementary budget to ensure the smooth running of the government. Confirming the nominee, Agbebaku informed the House that…

Safiu Kehinde Popular Fitness Hub in Abuja, Eco Fitness Centre, was engulfed in fire on Wednesday. The incident, as confirmed in a post on the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) X handle, occured at 6th Avenue in Gwarimpa area of Abuja on Wednesday. While the cause of the inferno is currently unknown, NEMA had, alongside the Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service, and FEMA swiftly responded to the fire alert. According to the post, no live was lost in the incident. “Earlier today, a fire broke out at Eco Fitness Centre on 6th Avenue in Gwarimpa. Upon receiving the alert,…

Safiu Kehinde Lagos State Taskforce has, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation, arrested 94 illegal squatters during midnight raid of Rail-Track corridors. This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the state’s Commissioner of Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi. According to the statement, the state government had, in response to safety concerns along the rail-track corridors, embarked on midnight raid which spanned five kilometres from Pen-Cinema under the bridge to Fagba Junction. The raid led to the arrest of the 94 suspected illegal squatters. In the course of their arrest, a locally fabricated gun, illicit substances, charms, and a…

Safiu Kehinde A group of unknown gunmen, have destroyed military checkpoint in Abia while warning the state’s governor, Alex Otti, against trespassing. As seen in a now viral video on X, the gunmen cladded in black outfits sporadically fired shots at the deserted checkpoint. The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday morning at Umuopara, Ekenobizi area of Umuahia South Local Government Area of the state. While dismantling the checkpoint, one of the armed men could be heard threatening Alex Otti. “We are removing it, Alex Chioma Otti, we are removing it. Alex we are giving you people order. We say we…

Approves Dissolution of Executive Board Safiu Kehinde In the wake of his inauguration as new Edo state governor, Monday Okpebholo has, on Wednesday, sacked all permanent secretaries appointed outside the state’s civil service as well every political appointees of his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki. This is coming hours after he released his first-ever appointment list which he is set to submit to the Edo state House of Assembly for confirmation. As contained in a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, in Benin, all the permanent secretaries appointed from outside the public and civil service have been relieved…

India’s Supreme Court has said that authorities cannot demolish homes merely because a person has been accused of a crime and has laid down strict guidelines for any such action. The ruling comes in response to a number of petitions seeking action against authorities using demolition as a punitive measure against those accused or convicted of crimes. “The executive [the government] cannot become a judge and demolish properties. The chilling sight of a bulldozer demolishing a building reminds one of lawlessness where might was right,” the Supreme Court said on Wednesday. It also directed authorities to give sufficient time to…