President Muhammadu Buhari Monday in Abuja pledged support to the resolutions of the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM) aimed at promoting peace and development in the continent. A statement by Femi Adesina said addressing the opening ceremony of the 9th General Assembly of the AFLPM, the President also urged African Leaders and other stakeholders to support the women in realising their core objective of building a peaceful society. The Nigerian leader expressed concern that peace has become an elusive subject that affects development in many regions of Africa. ”The activities of insurgents and bandits have led to more widespread…
Author: Merit Ugolo
Religious Freedom advocacy group, CSW has disclosed that a Muslim reformist thinker and lawyer Ahmad Abdou Maher was convicted of “contempt of religion and disturbing public peace” and sentenced to five years in prison by an exceptional court in Cairo, Egypt, on 17 November. The sentence is pending presidential ratification and Mr Maher is still free. Mr Maher, born in 1935, is a lawyer and former army officer and diplomat. His work has involved critical research into many controversial issues in Islamic history and theology, and he has been particularly critical of Islamic jurisprudence, the Islamic conquest and the slave…
A member of the Lagos State judicial panel on #EndSARS, Mr Ebun Adegboruwa, SAN has again raised an alarm that his life has been under threat since the submission of the panel’s report. In a post on Facebook Monday, Adegboruwa asked Nigerians to hold the government accountable if anything happens to him. “Since the submission of the report of the Lagos #EndSARS Panel, there have been lots of threats and attacks, by those suspected to be agents of the government, upon me, especially in the media. “I have not committed any crime beyond joining other eminent Nigerians with unblemished integrity,…
The Lagos State Government, over the weekend, called on residents to promote healthy sanitation practices as the State continues to implement improvement initiatives and increase the stock of available toilets. The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, made the call while addressing participants at the Y2021 World Toilet Day celebration in Alausa, maintaining that Lagos is setting the pace for others to emulate. He said that the State has constructed 345 public toilets in strategic locations across the metropolis, while 615 privately-owned toilets operators have also been registered, noting that the feats were the result of…
A depressed Nigerian woman has taken to the public to seek the advice of her online in-laws over an issue she is having in her marriage. In a post shared by social influencer Amanda Chisom, the woman said her husband has been keeping her at bay since she confronted him over his extramarital affairs. She wrote: Dear mandy, thank you for the good work you are doing. Please hide my identity. I would like your family to advise me on this issue because I’m dying slowly. I have been with my husband for the past 16 years and felt we…
A 20-year-old depressed Nigerian woman has threatened to kill herself due to the ill treatments she’s getting in her husband’s house. In a post shared by social influencer Amanda Chisom, the woman noted that she’s being subjected to various degrees of heinous treatments by her mother-in-law and her husband’s siblings who live with them. She’s currently seeking the counsel of the public since she doesn’t know what to do about her predicament. She wrote: Am 20 years old, I got married in march of this year. I met my husband on this blue app, we dated for few weeks and…
A bitter Nigerian man has taken to the public to ask his online in-laws to advice him on how to handle the issues of his marriage. In a post shared by social influencer Amanda Chisom, the troubled man averred that his wife is bossing him on what and what not to do and has even mandated him to stay away from some of his sisters. He wrote; I am a young man of 35 years, I met my wife on Facebook some years back, I knew her already right from her childhood because we were from the same village. I…
President Muhammadu Buhari has extended condolences to the family of Alhaji Ahmad Adamu, Dan Iyan Kazaure, whose death was reported on Friday. A statement by Garba Shehu said until his death, the late Dan Iya was a member of the Kazaure Emirate Council in Jigawa State, and had served variously in the Veterinary Division, in the government of the old Northern Region. He also worked at the Rural Development Agency, the Water Resources and Engineering Construction Agency (WRECA) and the State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority in Kano State. He also served as Director of the Tropical Commercial Bank and…
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has acknowledged the receipt of the sum of N19, 333,333,333.36 (Nineteen Billion, Three Hundred and Thirty-three Million, Three Hundred and Thirty-three Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty-three Naira, Thirty-six Kobo) recovered by the EFCC from the Kogi State Salary Bail-out account domiciled in Sterling Bank Plc. A statement by the commission’s Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren said “This effectively puts to rest the campaign of misinformation and unconscionable denials by the Kogi State Government that no fund was recovered from its bail out account. “The apex bank in a letter referenced, DFD/DIR/CON/EXT/01/099 and dated…
Two female journalists from the Indian state of Assam, both in their early 20s, were arrested by police in neighbouring Tripura state on 13 November for their reporting on anti-Muslim riots in Tripura for HW News Network, a statement by Religious Advocacy group, CSW has said. According to the group, on the evening of 13 November, the Tripura police detained Samriddi Sakunia and Swarna Jha at their hotel, accusing them of instigating communal disharmony. The journalists were held in custody until about noon on 14 November, after which they returned to Assam. They were arrested again hours later and brought…
An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has called on the Oyo State Government to set up a panel to investigate the incident of a female Muslim student of the Online Distance Learning of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, whose hijab was pulled off from behind by an official of the institution on Wednesday. In a statement by its director, Ishaq Akintola, MURIC condemned the incident, describing it as barbaric. The statement reads: “A female Muslim student of the Online Distance Learning (ODL) of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, had her…
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday disclosed that given the rising population and limited geographical space of the State, Lagos will require about $15 billion over the next five years for infrastructure. Speaking at the third Lagos Investors’ Roundtable and launching of Deal Book organised by the Office of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Investment, Governor Sanwo-Olu called on investors to optimise the advantages of the opportunities in Lagos State toward the goal of developing a 21st Century economy as projected by his administration. At the investment roundtable, which was attended by foreign diplomats, members of business…
The Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, on Thursday presented a budget proposal of One Hundred and Eighty Nine point Two billion naira (N189,237,459,798.27k) for the 2022 fiscal year to the Kebbi State House of Assembly. According to a statement by the Gogovernor’s media adviser, Yahaya Sarki, presenting the budget, Bagudu said One hundred and twenty-eight point two billion naira (N128,177,008,113.97) will be devoted for capital projects while sixty-one billion naira (N61,060,451,684.31) goes to recurrent expenditure. Bagudu said the 2022 budget is tagged “Budget of Economic Consolidation” . “The Governor told the honourable members of the legislature that…
Federal Government will allow the system to exhaust itself, and will, therefore, wait for pronouncements from state governments which set up panels to probe police brutality in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has said. A statement by Femi Adesina said the President spoke Thursday at State House, Abuja, while receiving in audience Mr Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State. “So many state governments are involved, and have given different terms of reference to the probe panels,” the President added. “We at the Federal have to wait for the steps taken by the states, and we have to allow the…
President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law two important bills passed by the National Assembly thereby making them to become part of the Laws of the Federation. A statement by Garba Shehu said “The Climate Change Act owes its origin to a bill sponsored by a member of the House of Representatives, Sam Onuigbo and provides for, among other things, the mainstreaming of climate change actions and the establishment of a National Council on Climate Change. “It also paves the way for environmental and economic accounting and a push for a net zero emission deadline plan in the country. “The…
The Lagos State Judicial Panel Of Inquiry On Restitution For Victims Of SARS Related Abuse And Other Matters on Monday submitted its report to the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. In case you missed the report, below are seven of the key recommendations of the panel: Nigeria Police Force should be adequately funded and its men effectively trained to enable them carry out their constitutional duty. The panel recommends disciplinary actions against Lt Col S.O Bello and Major General Godwin Umelo for refusing to honour the panel’s summons. Soldiers deployed to Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020, should also face…
The Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Mrs. Cecilia Bolaji Dada, has emphasised the need for continuous poverty alleviation strategies to curb the menace of insecurity in the country. Mrs. Dada stated this while speaking at an interactive session organised by the State Cabinet Office, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, for the participants of Senior Course 44 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) who are on a study tour of Lagos State. She asserted that empowerment is the bedrock of the socio-economic development in the State, saying “If women are financially…
An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has waded into the controversy surrounding the recent allegation of christianisation levelled against Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The group related what it knows about the Vice President and insists on truth, fairness and objectivity. MURIC’s opinion was expressed in a statement issued by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Wednesday. The group said, “A certain document alleging christianisation on the part of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was circulated last week and we decided to investigate. This is what the Glorious Qur’an 49:6 recommends for Muslims in such circumstances. We should…
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has advised state governments to cut down on waste and excess, and ensure that every unit of surviving expenditure delivers maximum value and impact, for the benefit of the populace. He said the ultimate goals must be value for money, and the enhancement of the quality and timeliness of service delivery. Speaking on Monday at the National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) Conference held at Marriott Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos, Sanwo-Olu said a robust Public Finance Management system is the critical pathway for the efficient and effective delivery of the dividends of…
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday set up a four-member committee led by Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) to raise a White Paper on the reports submitted by the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for victims of SARS related abuses and other matters. Other members of the committee are; Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, Mr. Segun Dawodu; Special Adviser, Works and Infrastructure, Engr. (Mrs) Aramide Adeyoye and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, Mrs. Tolani Oshodi. Governor Sanwo-Olu said the Committee would bring forward a White Paper within the next two weeks…
The panel set up by the Lagos State government to investigate the killings at the Lekki Toll Gate last year on October 20 have published their findings and they concluded that a Massacre took place that night. The panel said no less than 11 persons were killed and their names were also given. Another 48 were confirmed casualties in total and 96 dead bodies were identified with some of these coming from the Toll Gate incidence itself. Below is the list of the victims. It would be recalled that the Nigerian Government had denied that nobody was killed during the…
The 21st Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III and his wife, Olori Ivie Emiko are celebrating their wedding anniversary. This development was contained in a post made by Olori in a post on Instagram. Sharing their photos, she wrote “To many more fruitful years with you. To years of joy, laughter and love. To years of grace, passion and intimacy. Enabled by the Lord. Enacted by the Spirit. Ordained by the Father. Happy wedding anniversary my king.”
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Mr. Diego García-Sayán, UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, to “put pressure on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to conduct a credible, thorough, impartial, independent, transparent, and effective investigation into the vicious assault on Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili by rogue officials.” SERAP also urged him to “ask the Nigerian government to ensure that any investigation into the assault is based on human rights principles, and protected from undue influence. The outcome of the investigation must be made public, and the suspected perpetrators and their sponsors brought…
Oseloka H. Obaze, the immediate-past Secretary to the Government of Anambra State and the 2017 Governorship Candidate of the PDP, has warned that Nigeria faces the danger of creeping toward a one-party state. Obaze made this remarks in Enugu on Saturday when he presented a keynote speech at the maiden edition of the “Frontier Discourse” – an annual public lecture series and awards of the The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine. Speaking on the topic “Mental Power at the Mercy of Political Will: Nigerian Politics and its Conscious Play to Ignorance” the former United Nations diplomat said those in power and those…
The African Development Bank, in collaboration with the World Bank, has launched an initiative that will use real time data gathering tools to remotely compile digital data from projects in Central Africa via mobile phones and personal computers. A statement by the AfDB said the Remote Appraisal, Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation (RASME) project is a partnership of the African Development Bank’s IT Department (CHIS), its regional office for Central Africa on one hand and the World Bank’s Geo-Enabling initiative for Monitoring and Supervision and KoBoToolbox teams. The project will enhance the collection of data in inaccessible or remote areas, including…
Religious leaders across Cuba are being targeted by the government in an effort to dissuade them from participating or supporting peaceful protests planned for 15 November. A statement by a Religious Advocacy group, CSW said since October, Protestant and Catholic leaders have been issued with summons by police and State Security and have been subjected to interrogation focused on their position regarding the 15 November protests. Some freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) defenders have been placed under house arrest over the past week, while others have been interrogated regarding their opinion on the protests. “Reverend Jatniel Pérez Feria, president…
The founder and CEO of African Women Forum for Good governance (AWFG), a women empowerment and advocacy group dedicated to good governance and the socio-economic development of Africa through gender empowerment, Hon. Justice Chinwe Iyizoba, (JCA RTD) has commended Governor Obiano for recognizing and rewarding Mrs Eunice Ngozi Onuegbusi from Ukwulu, Dunukofia LGA for rejecting a bribe of N5000 and opting to vote her conscience. Hon. Justice Iyizoba opined that there are other exemplary women like Mrs Onuegbusi in Anambra and in Nigeria. She stated that one of the visions of her NGO is to identify such women, empower them…
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in continuation of its efforts to address the alarming rates of data privacy abuse by money lending operators, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). A statement by Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relation said “Section 17(a) of the FCCPA, 2019 empowers the Commission to administer and enforce provisions of every Nigerian law with respect to competition and protection of consumers. “NITDA has therefore found the FCCPC as a key stakeholder in its efforts to rein in the activities of some micro-money lenders who have…
Some social media users have demonstrated with street signs that so many relationships are not healthy – a clear indication that a lot need to be done to restore sanity to relationships. Womenworking.com had in a post on Facebook, urged people to use a street sign to describe their ex. “If your EX was a street sign, what would it READ?” Reacting to the post, some persons made the following comments: Tahsin Islam – Never ending narcissistic lane Äuhc Käth – do not enter the dragon the dragon is not fully vaccinated yet Integrity Joyce Onotseogbana Okiti – Danger ahead…
Popular Nigerian cross dresser, Bobrisky has disclosed that he will soon become a mother. He made the revelation in a post on Facebook. Bobrisky shared a video of himself holding and caressing his breast with the caption “Say hello to the soon to be mother”. Reacting to the post, some social media users made the following comments: Sani Garba Mohammed – This new baby will be your fans delight. Anxious to see the ‘belly’ but not artificial one oooooooo. The ‘mummy’ of Lagos. Raymond Youngkid – To be sincere, God created man and he rested…but since God created woman, neither…
