The Nigerian Navy (NN) personnel of Naval Security Station (NSS) 023 deployed along Cawthorne Channel in Rivers State rescued over 250 passengers who were onboard a capsized passenger boat at about 10pm local time on 28 April 2024. The water taxi, MV PRECIOUS EMMANUEL cast off from a local market in Sangana area of Bayelsa State and was making way to Rivers State when it encountered stormy waters and hit a wreck which damaged its hull causing it to capsize. Notably, the locally made, 3-deck wooden vessel popularly known as “Large Cotonou Boat” was overborne, had no lifesaving equipment onboard and none of its passengers wore a lifejacket. It was the vigilant eyes and professional response of NN personnel who swiftly undertook a rescue mission that ensured no life was lost. In a statement signed by the Director of Naval Information Commodore Adams-Aliu, the rescue effort is in line with the Strategic Directive of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla whi...

       Godwin Emefiele The Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has adjourned until  the end of trial, its ruling on the application filed by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, opposing the might of the court to try him on the charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Through his lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olalekan Ojo, Emefiele submitted that he cannot be tried in the high court of any state in Nigeria for alleged acts of abuse of his office as this raises issues of constitutionality and legality. The former CBN governor also noted that counts 1-4 of the 26 counts charge filed by the EFCC against him are unconstitutional as they are not contained in any law in Nigeria. His counsel asked the court to make an order striking out counts one to four of the charge on the grounds that: i. the Honourable Court has no jurisdiction to try the offence of abuse of office in relation to ...

Chelsea defender Thiago Silva will leave the club at the end of the season. The Brazilian, who joined the Blues on a free transfer from Paris St-Germain in 2020, has made 151 appearances for the Blues. He has won three trophies in that time, including the 2020-21 Champions League. Silva, 39, says his love for the club is "indescribable". "Chelsea means a lot to me. I came here with the intention of only staying for a year and it ended up being four years," he said. "It is already hard saying goodbye in the most normal of circumstances but when there is a mutual love, it’s even harder. But once a Blue, always a Blue." Silva joined the club when Frank Lampard was manager and has since also played under Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino. He has made 34 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea this season, including 25 starts in the Premier League.

President Bola Tinubu President Bola Tinubu has justified his administration’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy in order to prevent the country from going bankrupt. Tinubu announced the removal of subsidy on petrol on the very day he was inaugurated into office with the popular “subsidy is gone” speech. The action, however, made prices of commodities to rise to the roofs, increasing hardship in the country which has made some of his critics condemn the subsidy removal as a policy not well thought out. But speaking as one of the panelists at the ongoing World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this morning, Tinubu justified the petrol subsidy removal, maintaining that it was needed to reset the economy. “For Nigeria, we are immensely consistent with belief that the economic collaboration and inclusiveness is necessary to engender stability in the rest of the world. “Concerning the question of the subsidy removal, there is no doubt that it was a necessary action for my...

Leicester City have been promoted to the Premier League after Leeds United were boxed by Queens Park Rangers. The 4-0 defeat at Loftus Road means Daniel Farke's side stay four points behind Championship leaders Leicester with only one game left. The Foxes remain on track to amass 100 points on their way back to the top flight following their relegation last season. Leicester can now claim the Championship title on Monday with victory at Preston if third-placed Ipswich fail to beat Hull City on Saturday. Ipswich can join Leicester in the Premier League next season if they pick up five points from their remaining three matches.

Arne Slot is set to become Liverpool's next manager following a payoff deal worth up to £9.4m with Feyenoord. The Dutchman is poised to succeed Jurgen Klopp, who announced in January he would leave Anfield at the end of the 2023-24 season. The Reds will now take steps to agree a contract with the 45-year-old before he is officially appointed. Liverpool have agreed to pay Feyenoord £7.7m (9m euros) plus a possible £1.7m (2m euros) in add-ons. Slot led Feyenoord to the 2022-23 Eredivisie title, while this season they have won the Dutch Cup and are set to finish second in their league. It is believed that the attacking style of Slot's teams, his personality and his ability to develop players are key factors in making him Liverpool's choice for the job.

Image Courtesy - ekaterinabelinskaya The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) says logistics issues were responsible for the resurfacing of fuel queues in some parts of the country. But it says the issues have been resolved, according to a statement by its spokesperson Olufemi Soneye. “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) wishes to clarify that the tightness in the supply of Premium Motor Spirit currently being experienced in some areas across the country is as a result of logistics issues and that they have been resolved,” the Thursday evening statement read. “It also wishes to reiterate that the prices of petroleum products are not changing.” NNPCL is therefore calling on Nigerians to “avoid panic buying as there is a sufficiency of products in the country”.

The Chinese internet  technology company,  ByteDance has said it has no plans to sell TikTok after a new US law put it on a deadline to divest from the hugely popular video platform or have it banned in the United States. US lawmakers set the nine-month deadline on national security grounds, alleging that TikTok can be used by the Chinese government for espionage and propaganda as long as it is owned by ByteDance. The Information, a tech-focused US news site, reported that ByteDance was looking at scenarios for selling TikTok without the powerful secret algorithm that recommends videos to its more than one billion users around the world. ByteDance denied it was considering a sale. “Foreign media reports about ByteDance exploring the sale of TikTok are untrue,” the company posted Thursday on Toutiao, a Chinese-language platform it owns. “ByteDance does not have any plans to sell TikTok.” TikTok has been a political and diplomatic hot potato for years, first finding itself in th...

                                                       Image Courtesy - Camcasey About 119 inmates have escaped from the old Suleja Correctional Centre in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State following a rainstorm that destroyed a part of the facility’s fence on Wednesday night. The storm accompanied by heavy rain around 9 pm destroyed parts of the old Suleja custodial centre, a development that led to many of the inmates escaping from the facility. The rainstorm destroyed parts of the building and exposed the facility’s inner fence protecting one of the cells where inmates were kept. A resident of Suleja town Babangida Turaki said the incident occurred at night during the rains which pulled down a part of the fence undergoing repairs. The combined team of security agents has been sent to some strategic outlets and black spots of Suleja town ...

  The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has commanded the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to suspend Dana Air, a day after one of the airline’s planes skidded off the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos runway. The minister also ordered a comprehensive audit of the airline. The audit will encompass all aspects of safety protocols, maintenance procedures, and financial health to ensure full compliance with the aviation sector’s regulations. In a letter to the NCAA Director-General titled ‘Immediate Suspension of Dana Air Pending Safety and Financial Health Audit’, the minister said the move was necessary to ensure safety and regulatory compliance. “As the supervisor overseeing our nation’s aviation safety and regulatory compliance, it has come to the Honourable Minister’s attention that recent incidents involving Dana Airline have raised serious concerns regarding both the safety and financial viability of their operations,” read part of the letter signed by the Permanent Se...

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said it has re-opened the runway 18L/36R at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos for flight operations. The runway was temporary closed following the skidding off of a Dana Air plane on it on Tuesday. The reopening was revealed by Mrs Obiageli Orah, Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, FAAN, via a statement. According to her, prompt actions were taken by FAAN’s emergency response team to evacuate and recover the aircraft from the site. Subsequently, comprehensive clearing operations were conducted to ensure the runway was free of any Foreign Object Debris (FOD) that could impede flight safety. She added that the FAAN Operations Division and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) had jointly conducted a thorough inspection of the runway surface and deemed it safe for the resumption of operations. Also, an appropriate Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) has been issued in this regard. “We acknowledge the area affected by the...

  The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) authorized fresh and direct sales of US dollars at N1,021 per dollar to Bureau De Change operators. Nigeria’s apex bank disclosed this in a circular signed by its Director of Trade and Exchange Department Hassan Mahmud. “We write to inform you of the sale of $10,000 by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to BDCs at the rate of N1,021/$1. The BDCs are in turn to sell to eligible end users at a spread of NOT MORE THAN 1.5 percent above the purchase price,” the circular posted on its website read. “ALL eligible BDCs are therefore directed to commence payment of the Naira deposit to the underlisted CBN Naira Deposit Account Numbers from today, Monday, April 22, 2024, and submit confirmation of payment, with other necessary documentations, for disbursement of FX at the respective CBN Branches.” CBN’s move is coming as the naira is recording a slight deprecation against the dollar after weeks of gains. In late March, the bank also sold $10,000 to each of...

  The men's FA Cup final between Manchester City and Manchester United will kick off at 15:00 BST. For the repeat of last year’s final between the same teams, the match has been bought forward from 17:30 BST. The Football Association said the kick-off time was moved after being agreed with “the clubs, local authority, members of the safety advisory group and broadcasters". City and United will meet at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 25 May. Last year’s final between the two was the first all-Manchester FA Cup final, with Pep Guardiola's side winning 2-1. The kick-off in 2023 was also moved to 15:00 BST following police advice, the first final to take place at that time for 12 years. Video link https://youtu.be/5NcNKV-kdes

    Kayode Egbetokun Vice President Kashim Shettima; former President Goodluck Jonathan and elder statesman Abdulsalami Abubakar are among dignitaries attending a dialogue on state police. The event holding in Abuja is organised by the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives with the theme Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria. While speaking at the event, the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun said the country is not ripe for state police. The police chief represented by AIG Ben Okolo cited abuse by those who want to score political points. He argued that some governors may likely use state police against perceived opponents, leading to rights abuses. He also told the gathering that state police would lead to multiple structures in states. Apart from abuse, he also fears that many states lack the funds to bankroll state police.

  President Bola Tinubu has recited the call for the establishment of a regional standby force that will serve as a rapid deployment tool to combat both existing threats and the ones that could emerge. It will also serve as a strong deterrence to large-scale weapon smuggling. The President gave the call at the opening ceremony of the African Counter-Terrorism Summit in Abuja on Monday. According to him, terrorism must be banished, as the menace threatens farmers from their farms, children from their schools, and businesswomen from their sources of livelihood, thereby putting society and government into confusion and disarray. He added that the fight against terrorism required a collective approach and that the root causes must be addressed. Speaking earlier, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, said Nigeria had resumed the prosecution of all Boko Haram detainees in Kainji. According to him, Nigeria is also gathering intelligence on the activities of Boko Haram and the ...

  Forty communities in Ogun State have been plunged into darkness following a rainstorm on Sunday. The downpour which began around midday, destroyed electricity facilities in some parts of the state, leading to a blackout. “Due to broken poles occasioned by the heavy downpour at Ota and Mowe, customers in the following communities: lyana lyesi, Osuke Town, Egan Road, lyana Ilogbo, Ijaba, Ijagba, Itele, Lafenwa, Singer, Joju, Alishiba, Oju Ore, Tollgate, Eledi, Akeja, Abebi, Osi Round About, Ota Town, Ota Industrial Estate, Igberen, lju, Atan, Onipanu, Obasanjo, Lusada, Arigba, Odugbe, Ado-Odo, Igbesa, Owode,” the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) said in a statement late Sunday. “Olokuta, Hanushi, Bamtish Camp Lufiwape, Eltees Farm, August Engineering, Spark Cear Soap Ayetoro, Amazing Grace Oil, Christopher University, Royal Garden Estate, Pentagon Estate, and environs are experiencing power outages”. It called on residents of the areas to avoid “contact with the brok...

  The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) on Friday shared a total sum of N1.123 trillion March 2024 Federation Account Revenue to the three tiers of government after its April meeting in Abuja. A statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation Bawa Mokwa indicated that in March 2024, import duty, value-added tax, (VAT) Gas Royalty, companies’ income tax (CIT), and others increased considerably while excise duty, oil royalty, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) and CET Levies recorded decreases. FAAC in a communique at the end of the April meeting, revealed that the N1,123,391,000,000 total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N311.233 billion, distributable VAT revenue of N511. 879 billion, EMTL revenue of N14.754 billion, and exchange difference revenue of N285.525 billion. The communique further revealed that total revenue of N1,867,808,000,000...

       Tunde Onakoya Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya has whipped the previous 56-hour chess marathon record and is now striving for a 60-hour landmark. Onakoya announced the achievement on his social media, expressing his determination to reach the 60-hour mark to support the education of African children. “We have done it,” read a post on his X handle. “We’re pushing to 60 hours guys. We’re not stopping yet. Let’s keep going. “We have a fundraising goal to meet for the education of African children around the world. This is our why – the reason we are doing this. “Let’s demonstrate to the world the incredible power of love. Together, we can make this happen. Onakoya’s effort not only sets a new Guinness World Record but also serves as a $1m fundraising campaign for his non-profit organisation Chess in Slums Africa. The initiative aims to distribute one million chess sets to impoverished communities, in partnership with the US non-profit ‘The Gift of Chess’. The ...

  Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says Cole Palmer was asking to leave the club for two years before he eventually joined Chelsea. City pitched Palmer, 21, to Chelsea for £42.5m on deadline day in September. Palmer has gone on to score 20 top-flight goals and is level with City's Erling Haaland at the top of the Premier League Golden Boot standings. "In pre-season I said stay because Riyad [Mahrez] has gone and he said 'no, I want to leave'," said Guardiola. "After two seasons, what could I say?" Palmer scored four goals against Everton on 15 April to take his league tally to 20 for the season and is set to face his former side in their FA Cup semi-final on Saturday. He is being tipped to win the PFA Player of the Year award and also make England manager Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad. His exploits have raised questions about Guardiola's wisdom in letting Palmer go. The City boss claims the reality of the situation meant it was impossib...

Oil prices briefly surged and stock markets slid Friday on reports Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes against Iran. Iran’s state media reported explosions in the central province of Isfahan on Friday, as US media quoted officials saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes against its arch-rival. “Asian markets bore the brunt of the breaking news of a retaliatory attack on Iran by Israel, also sending Dow futures sharply lower and resulting in further spikes in gold and oil prices,” noted Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor. “US markets will not have the opportunity to react directly to the developments until later, but the escalation will put pressure on the main indices, which were already lining up for a weekly drop.” Crude oil prices dropped, having briefly surged as much as four percent on worries about supplies from the oil-rich region. The rush for safety also saw the yen rally against the dollar and gold jump back past $2,400 per ounce, while t...

Yahaya Bello The Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, has withdrawn all police officers attached to the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello. The order for the withdrawal is contained in a police wireless document with reference number: “CB:4001/DOPS/PMF/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.48/ 34 which reads in part, “IG has ordered the withdrawal of all policemen attached to His Excellency and former Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. “Acknowledge compliance and treat with utmost importance. Please, above, for your information and strict compliance.” The Nigerian Immigration Service also placed the former governor on its watchlist, after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), declared him wanted in connection to an alleged case of money laundering to the tune of N80.2bn. The NIS circular dated April 18, 2024, was signed by Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, DS Umar, for the Comptroller-General, Kemi Nandap. The service detailed the former go...

                                                     Image Courtesy - Max Avans Unusual rainstorm has swept across the United Arab Emirates, flooding roads, homes, and even Dubai International Airport’s runway. Cloud seeding is being cited as the cause of this phenomenon. Within a span of just 12 hours, the desert city received a year’s worth of rain, with over 5.59 inches (142mm) soaking the landscape by the end of Tuesday. This downpour far exceeds the average yearly rainfall of 3.73 inches (86mm). Described by the state-run WAM news agency as a “historic weather event,” this rainfall surpasses any recorded since data collection began in 1949. Experts are speculating that this extraordinary downpour might be linked, at least partially, to “cloud seeding.” But what exactly is cloud seeding? Cloud Seeding Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique...