The Zamfara State Government on Tuesday announced that there were no plans to dialogue or negotiate with terrorists or any other criminal group but would wage war against them until they were banned from the state. The Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Nakwada stated this while addressing journalists about the activities of the present administration of Governor Dauda Lawal and that of his immediate predecessor, Bello Matawalle. Matawalle’s government had initiated a peace dialogue with the bandits which was later stopped in September 2021 due to persistent bandit attacks on rural communities in the state. Nakwada however stated that the current administration had no plan to initiate any reconciliation efforts or have discussions with the terrorists. Rather, the SSG said the mission of Lawal’s government is to go after the such criminals wherever they may be hiding to flush them out of the state and restore order and peace. He expressed the administration’s commitment to ens...

  The World Bank has clarified that the 800 million dollar loan from the bank was approved as of December 2021, a time when the government of Muhammadu Buhari contemplated the removal of fuel subsidy. Its Nigerian Country Director, Dr Shubham Chaudhuri, made this known on Tuesday. at an event organised by the World Bank to assess the nation’s economy in the last six months. Chaudhuri explained that the fund is a loan and not a grant as speculated. He said that the funds will be channelled into ameliorating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable owing to the removal of the fuel subsidy.

T he Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Hassan Abubakar has approved the redeployment of 98 officers of air rank. Prominent among the new appointees are Branch Chiefs, Air Officers Commanding (AOCs), Commandants of Tri-Service Establishments, and Nigerian Air Force (NAF) institutions, according to a statement by NAF spokesperson, AK Famuyiwa. The newly appointed senior officers are expected to assume office not later than Monday, July 3, 2023. The newly reappointed senior officers comprise 52 AVMs and 46 Air Commodores (Air Cdres), among whom are the former Commandant Air Force War College (AWC), AVM Abraham Adole now the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans (CDPP) at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ); while AVM Nkem Aguiyi takes over as the Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation (CDTI) at the DHQ; and AVM Ahmed Shinkafi becomes the Chief of Defence Space Administration (CDSA). At the NAF Headquarters (HQ NAF), former Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command (...

  Sub operator, OceanGate says all five people onboard a missing submersible near the wreck of the Titanic have been lost. “We now believe that our CEO Stockton Rush, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet, have sadly been lost,” the company said in a pensive statement on Thursday. The company said the “men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world’s oceans” while sending condolences to “every member of their families during this tragic time”. “We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew. This is an extremely sad time for our dedicated employees who are exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss. “This is a very sad time for the entire explorer community, and for each of the family members of those lost at sea. “We respectfully ask that the privacy of these families be respected during this most painful time,” OceanGate solemnly sa...

President Bola Tinubu has arrived at the Palais Brongniart in Paris, the venue of New Global Financing Pact summit. Upon his arrival in the company of his Aide-de-Camp, Nurudeen Yusuf, the Nigerian leader was received by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and Europe, Catherine Colonna. Having departed Abuja for France on Tuesday, President Tinubu will also use the opportunity of the summit to hold bilateral meetings with various countries including officials of France, US and Switzerland to discuss possible ways of attracting foreign direct investments. The financial summit which is hosted by France seeks to establish a system that will be more responsive, just and inclusive. It also seeks to fight inequalities, finance the climate transition, and biodiversity protection, and move closer to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). About 39 heads of state from around the world are expected to be part of the summit. Also expected to be in attendance are seve...

  Cristiano Ronaldo scored a last-minute winner on his historic night as he became the first men's player to win 200 international caps in their Euro 2024 qualifying win over Iceland. The 38-year-old turned home Goncalo Inacio's header from close range. The goal was initially ruled out for an Inacio offside but was awarded by the video assistant referee. That was Ronaldo's 123rd international goal, extending his world record. Al-Nassr's Ronaldo broke Kuwait forward Bader Al-Mutawa's 196-cap record in March - and was given a certificate by Guinness World Records before kick-off to mark this latest landmark. "For me it's an unbelievable achievement, it's amazing," he said after the match. "And, of course to score the winning goal, it's even more special. "We didn't play so well but sometimes football is like that but we scored a goal and, in my opinion, we deserved it. I'm so happy because of 200 caps, but this is even more spec...

  Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has been taken into the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Ortom was invited for questioning by the anti-graft agency for alleged misappropriation of funds, a month after leaving office. Channels Television reports that the ex-Benue governor arrived at the Abuja office of the EFCC on Tuesday morning and was sighted walking into the building of the anti-graft agency. Benue State is said to have a debt profile of N187.7 billion.