A prosecution witness, PW17, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and Deputy Superintendent of the EFCC, DCE Ahmed Audu Abubakar, on Monday, February 9, 2026, narrated before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, how hundreds of millions of naira allegedly diverted from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account were used to acquire high-end properties in choice areas of the Federal Capital Territory. The EFCC is prosecuting Ali Bello, the Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, and a nephew of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, on a 16-count amended charge,…
Author: Newsdesk
The United Kingdom will increase the minimum stipend paid to PhD students from October 1, raising annual support to £21,805 for the next academic year. This is according to an announcement by UK Research and Innovation, the country’s national research funding body. The increase represents another above-inflation uplift and is aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures facing doctoral researchers across the UK. According to UK Research and Innovation, the new rate raises the minimum stipend from £20,780 to £21,805 for PhD students outside London. For students based in London, the minimum stipend will increase from £22,780 to £23,805, reflecting a 4.5% rise. UKRI…
Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has approved the appointment of 32 new permanent secretaries into the state civil service. This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Akure by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan. The new permanent secretaries are Mrs Tayo Ogundare, Mrs Morayo Bayo-Philip, Adeyemi Sule, Mrs Olufunso Tunji-Omoniyi, Olanrewaju Abiodun, Tope Lebile, Stephen Aworere, Omotayo Akeju, Olufemi Moyinolorun, Olakunle Ajibade, Mrs Oluwakemi Akinyemi, and Bamidele Daisi. Others are Akinluyi Omotola, Olumide Kinga, Mrs Ope Adetoye, Olusiji Olatunji, Mrs Oluseyi Odusola, Mrs Funke Adelayi, Dr Akindele Ige, Olanrewaju Akarakiri, Mrs Abike…
An agritech expert, Dr Juliana Mbede, says the application of digital tools such as precision agriculture, smart irrigation systems, and drones can help farmers optimize crop yields. Mbede made this known in an interview with reporters in Abuja on Monday. She noted that these tools provide real-time data on soil health, weather patterns, and crop conditions. “For example, a study found that the adoption of intelligent farming technologies like IoT and drones increased rice yields by about 15 per cent and reduced water usage by 25 per cent,” she said. IoT (Internet of Things) refers, in agriculture, to connected sensors…
Dangote Cement Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to making Africa fully self-sufficient in cement production, strengthening the continent’s industrial backbone and reducing reliance on imported construction materials. Speaking during a strategic briefing on the company’s expansion drive, Group Managing Director Mr Arvind Pathak emphasized that Dangote Cement is accelerating investments across African markets to close supply gaps and support infrastructural ambitions. “Our vision is clear: to ensure Africa produces enough cement to meet its own needs. Through continuous expansion, operational excellence, and a strong distribution network, we are positioning Dangote Cement to power growth across the continent. We are not…
The National Institute of Welding (NIW) has urged the Federal Government to continue investing in welding technology and skills development to strengthen industrial capacity and boost economic growth. NIW President, Mr Solomon Edebiri, made the appeal in an interview with reporters in Lagos on Monday. He said government attention is needed in the profession, as welding remains a critical driver of Nigeria’s infrastructural development and industrial growth. Edebiri noted that welding plays a central role in virtually all sectors of national development. He added that the institute continues to work with stakeholders to align welding standards in Nigeria with global…
The Kano State Government says it is intensifying efforts to modernize all motor parks in the metropolis to ensure safer and more efficient transportation services. Commissioner for Transportation, Haruna Dederi, disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Kano on Monday. Dederi said the initiative aims to reform and strengthen the sector, boost economic growth, and enhance public safety. READ ALSO: NiMet predicts 3-day sunshine cloudiness from Monday He explained that a task force has already been set up to stop the operations of illegal motor parks and enforce compliance with existing regulations, thereby reducing congestion and improving orderliness. According to him,…
The Kogi State Government has ordered the temporary closure of selected markets and motor parks across parts of the state as part of intensified security operations aimed at flushing out terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements. The decision was announced in a statement issued on Sunday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo. According to the statement, the closures affect selected markets and motor parks in parts of the Kogi West Senatorial District and adjoining areas, as security agencies intensify coordinated clearance operations. Fanwo said the move was designed to disrupt criminal logistics by restricting movement and cutting…
Ethiopia has formally launched OpenAgriNet, an ambitious digital public infrastructure (DPI) initiative designed to overhaul how farmers access advisory services, markets, climate information, finance and government programmes, officials announced at a high-level event this week. The nationwide platform — developed under the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) — aims to modernize the country’s agriculture sector by integrating fragmented data systems into a unified, interoperable network. At the heart of the initiative is a recognition that agriculture remains the backbone of Ethiopia’s economy, accounting for about 35 % of GDP and employing more than 60 % of the workforce, the majority of…
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos has called on stakeholders in the public and private sectors to sustain collaboration toward positioning the state as a global financial hub through the Lagos International Financial Centre (LIFC). The governor made the call at the launch of the LIFC Phase 1 Report in Lagos, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Gboyega Akosile, released on Sunday. Sanwo-Olu said the LIFC project, conceived about two years ago, was designed to attract international capital, deepen financial markets, and create sustainable economic opportunities for Nigeria. “The foundation we are laying today…