Author: Chief Editor

Owo church killings ignite action Three-days mourning for Owo victims ‘Okada riders’ influx to be curtailed’ Governors of Southwest states are reorganising the security arrangement to stave off another terrorist attack. This follows the June 5 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State by those described by the Federal Government as aided by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP). After a virtual meeting at the weekend, governors of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states resolved to hold a physical meeting on a new plan to secure the Southwest from such invasion and killings. The…

Worried that their budgetary allocation has not increased for four years, Justices of the Supreme Court have protested to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice lbrahim Tanko Muhammad. In the protest conveyed to the head of the Judiciary via a letter, the Justices complained that poor welfare had hindered their job. The apex court has been receiving N110 billion yearly since 2018 despite the increase in its size and responsibilities. It was learnt that its annual budget was not always regularly cash-backed leading to non-provision of essential services for the Justices. Unable to bear this anymore, the Justices protested…

The Federal Government has resumed talks with representatives of unions in the nation’s universities, The PUNCH reports. The PUNCH reported last week that the Prof Nimi Briggs committee set up by the government to renegotiate the 2009 agreement was expected to end its three months’ timelines given on June 7, 2022. But investigations revealed that the committee would meet Academic Staff Union of Universities on Monday (today) while the Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and allied institutions would have their meeting on Friday. “We are meeting the FG committee in…

There are indications that the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, may unveil his running mate on Wednesday. The PUNCH learnt that Tinubu would conclude consultations with the party’s stakeholders, including governors on Tuesday and would announce his running mate on Wednesday. It was also learnt that the APC governors and other stakeholders had agreed that the North-East should produce the vice-presidential candidate of the party. Sunday PUNCH had reported that Tinubu, who emerged the APC presidential candidate at the party’s primary on Wednesday, might settle for a Muslim as his running mate. According to the report, those who are…

The All Progressives Congress, Ghana Chapter, has urged the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, to pick a female as his running mate. The Chairman of APC Ghana, Mr Oghenosa Micheletti, who made the appeal in a statement on Friday, recalled that Tinubu, who fielded a female running mate, Mrs Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele ((1999-2003), helped him run a successful government. Micheletti noted that Tinubu’s choice of a female as deputy led to the emergence of many women as deputy governors in Lagos State. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that apart from Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, who was deputy to former Lagos State…

French champions Paris Saint-Germain are near to reaching an agreement for Zinedine Zidane to replace Mauricio Pochettino as coach, French media reported on Friday. According to Europe 1, an agreement in principle is in place between the club and 49-year-old Zidane for the former Real Madrid boss to join ahead of the new season. RMC Sport claims sources at the Parc des Princes have refused to deny the reports. Later, a PSG source told AFP that such an agreement would have to be considered with caution. Pochettino has a year left on his contract and led the Qatari-backed side to…

An Islamic group, the Islamic Welfare Foundation (IWF), has called on the Government of Ondo State and security agencies in the county to use all resources within their disposal to fish out the mass murderers responsible for the bloodletting recently at the St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. This, the group said would go a long way to make them face the full wrath of the law. During the attack, about 40 persons have reportedly killed by the armed gunmen that invaded the church during the last Sunday church service. Well-meaning Nigerians and leaders have expressed dismayed over…

Former Leader of the Senate and Director-General of Rotimi Amaechi Campaign Organisation, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, has congratulated Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who won the presidential primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday. Ndume, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, also appealed to the former Lagos State governor to be magnanimous in victory. Ndume, in a statement  yesterday  promised to work for the success of the party in next year’s general elections. He, however, called on Tinubu to be magnanimous in victory and carry every member of the party along. He said as an advocate of power shift to the…

*NHRC condemns spate of killing across Nigeria The United States of America (USA) has condoled the Governor of Ondo State, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu over last Sunday’s terror attack at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State. A total of 40 persons out of the 127 involved in the attack were killed, leaving 61 survivors currently on admission in different hospitals and 26 already discharged. In a letter to governor Akeredolu, dated June 7, 2022 and signed by the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, the USA extended its heartfelt condolences to the people of the state and…

The Economic and social financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told an Ikeja Special Offences Court on Friday that the social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha (alias Mompha) flouted the court order and travelled to Dubai with a new international passport. Mompha is charged with N6 billion in money laundering by EFCC The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court had on March 28, ordered Mompha to submit his international passport to court after his bail sum was reduced from N200 million to N25 million EFCC, had on Jan.12, charged Mompha and his company, Ismalob Global Investment Ltd, with six billion…