Street-pop artiste Habeeb Okikiola, widely known as Portable, has made an appeal to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), asking for forgiveness for his act of spraying money on his fans. This plea comes in the wake of crossdresser Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky, receiving a six-month jail term for a currency-related offense. Likewise, it follows the EFCC filing a three-count charge against Cubana Chief Priest, a nightlife promoter, for alleged misuse of Nigerian currency. During an Instagram live session on Tuesday, Portable urged his fans to open bank accounts, stating his intention to only make transfers in the future. He clarified that he did not deface the Naira and emphasized his assistance to many people. He appealed to the government for forgiveness, expressing his decision to cease the act of spraying money. Additionally, he encouraged his fans to embrace electronic transactions for financial dealings. The EFCC has disclosed ongoing investigations into severa...

                                         Image Credit - Luis Cont The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has halted the permit of three private jet operators for engaging in commercial flights. The Acting Director General of the NCAA, Chris Najomo, announced the suspension of the three private operators in a riot act read to all airlines on Tuesday. The NCAA boss said the Minister Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, gave  instructions  for the cessation of the use of private jets for commercial purposes in 2023 but the operators continued in such act. “Subsequently, in March 2024, the NCAA had issued a stern warning to holders of the permit for non commercial flights, PNCF, against engaging in the carriage of passenger cargo or mail for hire and reward,” Najomo stated. “The Authority had also deployed its officials to monitor activities of private jets...

  Israel’s armed forces chief has vowed to respond to Iran’s unprecedented attack against the country, even after appeals for restraint poured in from world leaders fearing wider regional conflict. During six months of war between Israel and Iran-backed militant group Hamas in Gaza, Iran’s proxies around the region have stepped up attacks on Israel and its allies, saying they are acting in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Tensions were already high before Iran launched its first-ever assault on Israeli territory, firing hundreds of missiles and drones in retaliation for a deadly April 1 strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. “This launch of so many (Iranian) missiles, cruise missiles, and UAVs into the territory of the State of Israel will be met with a response,” Israeli armed forces chief Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi said Monday, addressing troops at the Nevatim airbase, which was hit in Iran’s Saturday night barrage. The Israeli army has said the vast majority of the we...

         Image Courtesy - Omotayo Tajudeen In spite of Naira’s snap back, Nigeria’s inflation rate jumped to 33.20% in March 2024 compared to February 2024 headline inflation rate which was 31.70%. This was according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released on Monday. “Looking at the movement, the March 2024 headline inflation rate showed an increase of 1.50% points when compared to the February 2024 headline inflation rate,” said the NBS. “On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 11.16% points higher compared to the rate recorded in March 2023, which was 22.04%. “On a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in March 2024 was 3.02%, which was 0.10% lower than the rate recorded in February 2024 (3.12%). This means that in the month of March 2024, the rate of increase in the average price level is less than the rate of increase in the average price level in February 2024.” The inflation repor...

Pope Francis on Sunday made a “pressing appeal” against a “spiral of violence” after Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack on Israel, warning of a potential regional conflagration. Also, the United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called Sunday for “calm heads to prevail” “I make a pressing appeal for an end to any action which could fuel a spiral of violence that risks dragging the Middle East into an even greater conflict,” the Argentinian pontiff declared following his traditional Sunday prayer in Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican. “I am praying and following with concern, but also pain, the news that has come in recent hours about the worsening situation in Israel due to Iran’s intervention,” the pope told worshippers. “No one should threaten the existence of others. All countries must, however, side with peace and help Israelis and Palestinians to live in two states, side by side and in security,” he said. “That is their right,” Francis insisted as he once again repeat...

  Nigeria has become the first country in the world to validate a new meningitis vaccine (called Men5CV) recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in a historic move. According to WHO, this is especially important for countries like Nigeria where multiple serogroups are prevalent. The new vaccine uses the same technology as the meningitis A conjugate vaccine (MenAfriVac®), which wiped out meningococcal A epidemics in Nigeria. The vaccine and emergency vaccination activities are funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which funds the global meningitis vaccine stockpile and supports lower-income countries with routine vaccination against meningitis. WHO stated that the revolutionary new vaccine offers a powerful shield against the five major strains of the meningococcal bacteria (A, C, W, Y and X) in a single shot. All five strains cause meningitis and blood poisoning. This, it noted, provides broader protection than the current vaccine used in much of Africa, which is only ef...

  Police authorities in Anambra State have recovered three more bodies from a boat accident involving a movie cast. Nollywood star Junior Pope Odonwodo was part of the crew that drowned in the boat mishap two days back. While some crew members were yet to be found following the boat tragedy, the spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command Tochukwu Ikenga said three more bodies of members of the movie cast have been recovered. “Marine Police of Anambra State Command has recovered bodies of the three remaining victims of the unfortunate boat accident involving a movie cast,” he said in a Friday statement. “Two of the bodies were recovered yesterday 11th April, 2024 while the last was washed in by the tide this morning.” The bodies have been deposited at a morgue in Asaba, Delta State while authorities of the guild of actors have also been informed about the recovery. The spokesman quoted the state’s police commissioner Aderemi Adeoye as advising water commuters to be safety cons...