The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 15 sacks of pangolin scales weighing 1,014.5kg with a Duty Paid Value of over N1.7 billion in Lagos. The Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) disclosed this in a media conference in Lagos, on Monday. Ali who was represented by the spokesperson of the Customs, DC Joseph Attah added that two suspects were arrested with the items. He noted that “this criminality was not essentially a Nigerian thing, sadly some foreigners with active connivance of few Nigerians are bent on using our dear country as a transit route for illegal wild…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The cost of governance in Nigeria is skyrocketing to high heaven; the tree is still growing with multiple branches. Let us ask pertinent questions; how much does it cost to govern Nigeria as a nation in a day, month, or year? Does Nigeria generate adequate income to meet its cost of governance annually? Nigeria’s leadership habitually outcries on the need to reduce the cost of governance but consistently fail to do so woefully, why? These are difficult questions to answer. The first question is the most difficult because the cost of governance includes expenditure on “security”, known and unknown salaries,…
The South-South governors in Nigeria are meeting in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers, hosted by the governor, Nyesom Wike. Chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, and his Edo state counterpart, Governor Godwin Obaseki, are part of those at the meeting. They arrived around 10:30am and were joined later by the governors of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, and his counterpart from Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel. The meeting is taking place a month before the meeting of the Southern Governors’ Forum, also scheduled to take place in Port Harcourt. Although the agenda of the South-South…
Airtel Africa has announced that its subsidiary, Airtel Networks Ltd., (Airtel Nigeria) has initiated a process to buy back 8.27 per cent minority shareholding at N55.81 per share. The Group Company Secretary, Mr Simon O’Hara, disclosed in a statement made available on Monday in Lagos. The statement noted that the total consideration was estimated to be N61.24 billion (using an exchange rate of N413.38) assuming all minority shareholders decide to tender their shares. “This represents an open offer to all shareholders. “A further announcement will be made in due course.” Airtel Africa is a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile…
President Muhammadu Buhari arrived in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, on Sunday, with the country’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, insisting on chauffeuring him to dinner. Buhari’s aircraft, Nigerian Air Force 001, touched down at the newly built VIP Terminal of Bole International Airport at 5:06 p.m (Nigerian time). The president was accorded a full guard of honour by the Ethiopian National Defense Force. After the airport ceremony, the prime minister gestured to him to join him in a waiting SUV, while the Ethiopian leader took control of the steering wheel himself. They arrived at the newly built Friendship Park…
Ethiopia’s incumbent Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed was sworn in on Monday for a new five-year term in office. The swearing-in ceremony was held as part of the first day of the Ethiopian House of Peoples’ Representatives (HoPR)’s new five-year term. Abiy’s ruling party Prosperity Party’s won a landslide victory in national elections held in June. He then was appointed by the HoPR and the lower house of the Ethiopian parliament as prime minister. Following his appointment, Ahmed is expected to form a new cabinet, which will form the new federal government structure. Ahmed was first appointed as the country’s prime…
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its strike, which entered the 64th day Sunday, beginning August 2, 2021. Its president, Dr Dare Ishaya confirmed on Monday that its members will resume work on Wednesday. NARD however gave the federal government a six-week window to fulfil its demands, to enable it convene National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to review the progress made. According to Ishaya, the basis of the suspension is the obvious efforts by the federal government to fulfil some of its minimum demands. These include the payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF); payment of…
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has agreed that the delegates conference scheduled to hold Abia state, can go on. The decision was arrived at during its emergency meeting convened online on Sunday. A statement by the National Secretary of the Union, Shuaibu Leman said the meeting, attended by 72 members, was convened “to douse tension occasioned by a purported court action and to further chart a way forward as it relates to the 7th Triennial Delegates Conference in Umuahia. “After a brief presentation by the National President, Chris Isiguzo, and the Chairman, Electoral…
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has observed that their is danger confronting Islamic studies and Arabic language in Yorubaland. This is contained in a press statement issued on Saturday, by the director and founder of the organisation, Prof Ishaq Akintola. According to him, various challenges ranging from lack of subject teachers to syllabus defect face the teaching of the two subjects in all the states of the South West. MURIC therefore called on the governments of the region to rise to the occasion as quickly as possible. “The teaching of Arabic language and Islamic Studies (IRK) is gradually disappearing in…
Kano state Executive Council has approved the ratification of contracts for the construction township roads network in the three Emirate Councils of Rano, Gaya and Karaye at the total cost of N3,942,564,267.77 billion. The state commissioner for information, Muhammad Garba addressed newsmen on the outcome of the council meeting, held at the Africa House, Government House, Kano. According to him, the projects are aimed at bringing about meaningful development, boost the general economic status of the state and further endear government to the teeming populace. He said the council also granted approval for the augmentation of the sum of N42,350,998.31…