In a move that is sending ripples across the global economy, Saudi Arabia has announced a significant cut in oil production. The decision, which aims to stabilize oil markets, has already caused a sharp spike in global oil prices, raising concerns about its impact on consumers and industries worldwide. As one of the world’s largest oil producers, Saudi Arabia’s decision carries immense weight. The oil production cut is part of a broader strategy to manage supply and demand in the face of global economic uncertainties. However, the immediate effect has been a surge in oil prices, placing additional strain on…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
The people of Idi and Ranbadawa, two small towns in the eastern Sokoto, are living a nightmare. Day by day, they feel more abandoned and trapped under the oppressive control of Kallamu, a feared bandit leader and close ally of the infamous Bello Turji. Most communities in the eastern part of Sokoto State, have been occupied by the bandits, with attacks taking place almost on daily basis. Kallamu’s presence is a shadow that looms over their lives. To them, he is not just a criminal but a self-imposed ruler who has crushed their sense of safety. “He walks through our…
Nigeria’s fiscal deficit soared to N7.05 trillion by the end of the third quarter of 2024, as revealed by President Bola Tinubu during the presentation of the 2025 Budget of Restoration to the National Assembly on December 18, 2024. This widening gap underscores the government’s persistent reliance on borrowing to fund ambitious spending plans amid revenue shortfalls. President Tinubu outlined a 2024 budget of N47.9 trillion, backed by a projected revenue of N34.8 trillion, leaving a fiscal deficit of N13.1 trillion—the largest in Nigeria’s history. The figures align with projections from the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) presented by the Finance…
Elder statesman Bode George has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent media chat, describing it as lacking empathy and humanity. George accused Tinubu of being indifferent to the plight of Nigerians, who are grappling with worsening hunger and poverty under his administration. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today program on Tuesday, George highlighted the gravity of the situation by referencing three food queue stampedes last week that claimed 67 lives. “There is hunger and anger in the land,” he said. “We are not feeling the so-called reforms; it’s getting worse by the day. Hunger doesn’t believe in your talk — you…
Former federal lawmaker Shehu Sani has criticized President Bola Tinubu for his refusal to investigate military spending under his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari. Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, argued that Tinubu’s stance contradicted his ongoing probe into the activities of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under suspended apex bank governor Godwin Emefiele. During a media chat on Monday, Tinubu stated that he was not interested in scrutinizing military expenditures under Buhari. Responding on Channels Television’s Politics Today program on Tuesday, Sani described this approach as effectively “rewarding larceny and corruption.” “When you find…
The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has rejected a petition from Chief Afe Babalola SAN’s law firm, Emmanuel Chambers, seeking to revoke the practicing license of lawyer and author Tomilola Titus Farotimi, popularly known as Dele Farotimi. The petition accused Farotimi of criminal defamation and professional misconduct stemming from statements made in his book, Nigeria and Criminal Justice System. The petition, authored by Mr. Ola Faro of Emmanuel Chambers, alleged that Farotimi made defamatory claims against the Supreme Court and the legal profession. Specifically, it referenced his remarks concerning suit number SC/146/2006 between Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu and HRH Oba…
Dele Farotimi, the human rights lawyer accused of defamation by senior lawyer Afe Babalola, has been released from prison in Ekiti. Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), announced this in a post on his official X handle on Tuesday. ALSO READ [OPINION] Afe Babalola and Dele Farotimi: On Justice, a Just Society and the Nigerian State “I am pleased to report that Dele Farotimi is no longer being held at the prison yards in Ekiti State and is now returning home to Lagos,” Sowore wrote.
Legal practitioner and former Labour Party chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo has attributed the recent stampedes during food distribution events in Nigeria to widespread hunger and desperation. Over the weekend, tragic incidents in Anambra State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) claimed numerous lives and left several others injured, casting a pall of mourning across the nation. While President Bola Tinubu and others blamed the stampedes on poor organization and indiscipline, Okonkwo argued that the root cause is the acute hunger Nigerians are experiencing. Speaking during Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, he said: “This president shifted all the responsibility to…
Former Minister of Communications, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd), has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of his close friend and colleague, Major General Godwin Osagie Abbe (Rtd), a former Military Governor of Akwa Ibom and Rivers States. This is contained in a statement by the Media Office of Maj-Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd), a former Minister of Communications, Member Provisional Ruling Council (PRC), and GOC 3 Division Nigerian Army. General Abbe, who also served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division Nigerian Army, Minister of the Interior, and Minister of Defence, died on Saturday, December 21, 2024, in Abuja…
The Sokoto State Government has flagged off the distribution of 69,630 bags of fertilizers and various seeds to farmers for the 2024 dry season, reiterating its commitment to ensuring food security and economic growth. Speaking at the distribution event, Governor Ahmed Aliyu emphasized the government’s dedication to empowering farmers, including women and youths, through the provision of free agricultural inputs. “The sole aim is to ensure a bumper harvest and promote food security by the special grace of Allah,” he stated. The inputs being distributed include 69,630 bags of fertilizers, which will be shared equally among the state’s 23 local…