Bayelsa State Governor,Duoye Diri has demanded from international oil companies (IOCs) US$12 billion over the course of 12 years for the repair, remediation and restoration of the environment and public health damage caused by oil and gas exploration and to lay the foundations for Bayelsa’s just transition towards renewable energy and opportunities for alternative livelihoods. The governor made the demand on Wednesday in Abuja at the International Oil Pollution and Just Transition Conference. He lamented that: “Not too many decades ago, we could cast nets into abundant waters, reaping enough catch to nourish entire families. However, the oil boom has…
Author: Abimbola Ogunaike
RFA Lyme Bay, a United Kingdom Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessel, has arrived in Premiere Port (Apapa Quays) Lagos, Nigeria, as part of a Defence Engagement programme across West African partner nations. The visit is part of the maritime co-operation agreed under the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership in February 2024. A statement on Wednesday said whilst in Nigeria, Lyme Bay, will conduct a variety of Defence Engagement activities including ship tours and the hosting of national dignitaries. Operationally, the ship will facilitate maritime capability training utilising embarked UK Royal Marines boarding and search teams to conduct drills and interoperability…
By Kunle Aremu The noise against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is deafening but the echoes are short-lived. Those who have skeletons in their cupboard are making so much noise to demonise the anti graft agency. Where their noise cannot reach, they contract it out and pay the pipers to blow it loud. Their voices collide and give sounds of irregular vibration on why the EFCC should not go after their corrupt friends. They hire lawyers, they pay their professed Civil Society groups to speak against the formation and operation of the EFCC. Of course their noise is loud,…
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has attributed the successful implementation of the 2024 budget to increase in funds due to the effective maximisation of more revenue areas and blockage of leakages in the system. The Governor stated this during the town hall meeting on the 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and 2025 Budget for Ogun West Senatorial District held at Ilaro on Tuesday. Represented by the Chief Chief Economic Adviser and Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, Prince Dapo Abiodun noted that the 2024 budget has already achieved 80 percent implementation, ascribing the success to the various reforms…
China has reiterated its commitment to be Nigeria’s great partner in the education sector, noting that the sector is key to the development of any country. The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, while stating that China is interested in Nigeria’s development at the launch of Chinese Corner and “Nihao China” Painting Competition Awards Ceremony, in Abuja, stressed that education is one key that is critical to the development of a nation. He said: “And among this very important consensus, one of them is to increase the high-level education exchanges between our two countries. So I would like to assure…
There was pandemonium at the Iriebe Community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on the morning of Tuesday, 29 October, 2024 when a three-storey building under construction collapsed. At the time of filing this report, no casualty had been reported but it was gathered that workers had resumed work on the site when the incident happened The Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA, Amb. Chijioke Ihunwo has visited the site of the collapsed building. According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the chairman, Ofonime Okon, it was not certain if there were human casualties under the rubble when…
The kidnapped University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, senior lecturer, Prof Oguejiofo Ujam has regained freedom from the hands of his abductors, thegazellenews.com reports. Ujam, kidnapped along the Ugwuogo-Opi Nsukka Road, in Enugu State reportedly escaped from his captors at the Ninth Mile axis of the state. This is also as the police foiled another kidnap attempt on the same road on Monday,28 October, 2024 barely 24 hours after the university don was abducted. The Enugu State Command Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe confirmed the developments through a statement signed and made available to newsmen on Tuesday, 29 October, 2024.…
A pastor, Ayorinde AdeBello, suspended by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has cried out, denying the allegations of homosexuality leveled against him. Thegazellenews.com reports that his suspension, along with another pastor, was announced in an RCCG letter dated 28 October, 2024. The letter, signed by Sunday Akande, RCCG’s national overseer, pointed out serious allegations of homosexuality and ordered a thorough investigation into the allegations. Reacting to the suspension, the embattled AdeBello in a post via his Instagram denied the allegations, stating, “I never engaged in sodomy with male teenagers”. Ade Bello said his prolonged silence was misconstrued as an…
A 20-year-old boy named Friday Akinmade have been arrested by the Operatives of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, otherwise known as Amotekun Corps for allegedly killing a 65-year-old woman in Owo, headquarters of the Owo Local Council Area of the state. Akinmade, was said to have allegedly hit the deceased with a plank on her head after accusing her of stealing N3,000 from his room. Parading the suspect along with other criminals at the headquarters of the corps in Akure, the state capital, the commander of the corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed that another 21-year-old suspect was arrested for…
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested about four suspected bank hackers in Abuja. The spokesperson of the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, who confirmed the arrest of the suspects through a statement issued on Tuesday, 29 October. According to Oyewale, the quartet were arrested for alleged conspiracy, unauthorised access to banks’ computer systems and fraudulent withdrawal of depositors’ funds. EFCC image -maker identified the suspects as Chima Anthony Nwigwe, alleged leader of banks’ hacking syndicate; Mohammed Bello Mahmud; Effiong Victor Emmanuel; The managing director, Downstone Ultimate Limited, Daminan Ali. According to him, the suspects were arrested…