Author: NPO Admin II

A candidate in Ecuador’s forthcoming presidential election who campaigned against corruption and gangs has been shot dead at a campaign rally. Fernando Villavicencio, a member of the country’s national assembly, was attacked as he left the event in the capital, Quito, on Wednesday. He is one of the few candidates to allege links between organised crime and government officials in Ecuador. A criminal gang called Los Lobos (The Wolves) has claimed responsibility. Los Lobos is the second-largest gang in Ecuador with some 8,000 members, many of whom are behind bars. The gang has been involved in a number of recent…

By Kamil Opeyemi With various stakeholders in Africa and beyond seeking solutions to the Niger crisis, coup leaders on Thursday announced they have formed their new government. The coup leaders stated this while reading out a decree on the country’s national television on Thursday. Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine will lead the 21-member government, with generals from the new military governing council heading the defence and interior ministries. This was just as top diplomats from the United Nations, African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States will Thursday (today) storm Abuja, the nation’s capital, to take major…

By Halimah Olamide A yet-to-be identified man who jumped into the lagoon through the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge has been recovered. His remains, which has been subject of an intensified search since Tuesday was said to have been recovered Thursday morning. The Lagos State Emergency and Rescue team made the discovery. After finding the remains it was reportedly bagged and transported to the morgue of the Lagos state government. As at the time of filing this report, the emergency and rescue team had not made official statement to give details of the search. Details later…

By Halimah Olamide Nigeria’s advocacy group Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project on Thursday hinted of its plan to drag to court the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio. SERAP said it has concluded plans to sue Akpabio over his public announcement of ‘tokens’ for members of the Upper chamber of the National Assembly to enjoy their holidays. The organization, known for its anti corruption campaigns and weekly challenges to authorities via many court actions, said this via its X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday. “We’re suing the Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the alleged payments of “holiday allowances” by the Clerk…

Gunmen have struck in the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State. It was learnt that the gunmen carried out the attack in Heipang community of the LGA in the early hours of Thursday. A member of the community who claimed that 17 people were killed said his brother and wife are some of the victims. Meanwhile , Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has inaugurated a Security and Information Centre aimed at facilitating public access to convey security-related information to the relevant authorities for prompt action. In a statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang…

Ekiti on Wednesday approved palliatives to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal. Tagged “Ekiti State Subsidy Relief Programme’’, the government approved consequential adjustment of the minimum wage to civil servants on Grade level 14 to Grade Level 17. It approved the payment of leave bonuses for 2017 and the implementation and payment of 2020 and 2021 promotion arrears to its civil servants. The government also approved the payment of N5,000 monthly conditional cash transfer to 10,000 poor and most vulnerable households from August to December 2023. The conditional transfer focuses on the aged; while another 10,000 residents and especially…

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has expressed worry over the recent trend of relocation and divestment of businesses, saying it was unfortunate. The Director-General, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos. He said that such trend was a major reason why the rate of unemployment continued to soar perpetually with consequential rise in crime and other security issues. “When businesses cease operations, divest or move to other profitable and hospitable environments, large number of Nigerians become unemployed. “Inadvertently, the country loses income from taxes, social investment is hindered and poverty holds sway, “ he…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the number of COVID-19 reported cases, hospitalisations and deaths globally has continued to decline. Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said this during an online media conference. “Three months ago, I declared an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency, although I said that it remains a global health threat. “Since then, the number of reported cases, hospitalisations and deaths globally has continued to decline. “”However, the number of countries reporting data to WHO has also declined significantly,” Ghebreyesus said. He said that in the past month, only 25 per cent of countries and…

By Kamil Opeyemi Mary Peter-Odili, a retired justice of the supreme court, has denied the allegation that she is currently negotiating with judges of the court of appeal and the apex court to ensure that President Bola Tinubu gets a favourable judgment at the election petition tribunal. Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Peter Obi, flagbearer of the Labour Party (LP) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) are currently at the tribunal challenging the outcome of the February 25 poll which was won by Tinubu. One Jackson Ude, a Twitter user, had alleged that Peter-Odili is…

By Kamil Opeyemi Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Olukayode Egbetokun has approved the reappointment of Mr Olumuyiwa Adejobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police as the Force Public Relations Officer. An Administrative Officer in the Force Public Relations Department, SP Anjuguri Manza made this known in a statement he issued on Wednesday in Abuja. He stated that Adejobi’s reappointment followed his recent promotion from the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police to that of ACP. Manza stated that Egbetokun charged Adejobi to consolidate his achievements, particularly in entrenching citizen-focused public relations through the media and other specialised community engagements. Adejobi is…