BREAKING NEWS

The operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, have stormed the palace of Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, as rumours of imminent deposition of the Emir thicken. This is coming at a time when Kano State Assembly passed the Kano State Emirates Council Amendment Law (repeal bill), 2024. Journalists who visited the palace around 11am, saw some DSS operatives stationed in the palace. Though the Emir of Kano was said to be in Ogun State on a private visit to Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the security operatives were seen at the entrance of the palace waiting for any eventuality.

  Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will face off in a historic clash billed as the fight of a generation on Saturday. Victory for either Usyk or Fury today will create the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the world in 24 years. nitially scheduled for February, the bout was postponed due to Fury’s facial injury.Fury holds the  WBC  belt, while Usyk took Joshua’s IBF, WBA, and WBO titles in 2021, winning their rematch in Jeddah a year later. Boxing has recognised four major belts since the 2000s.Both fighters have impeccable records—Fury is 34-0-1 with 24 knockouts, Usyk 21-0 with 14 KOs — and engrossing backstories.Ahead of the bout, Fury weighed in at 262 pounds (118.8 kilos), more than 15lb lighter than his last outing, while Usyk was 233.5lb, significantly heavier than his customary 221lb. Opinions are split over the outcome, with some tipping the rangy, street-smart “Gypsy King” Fury and others backing the supreme skills and fitness of Usyk. British-Nigerian boxer...

  Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has disclosed that he will support the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, if the Peoples Democratic Party decides that it is the turn of the South-East in 2027. Atiku, the presidential flag bearer of the PDP in the 2023 general election, said he will throw his weight behind Obi if he is picked by his party. The former vice president disclosed this during a recent interview with BBC Hausa Service, adding that he vied to be president last year because the race was thrown open. “I have said repeatedly and I even said it before the 2023 general elections that if the PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it,” Atiku said. “As long as it’s the decision of the party, I will abide by it. But I contested the 2023 presidential ticket because it was thrown open to all members of the party. “If the party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi is ch...

  Elsie Okpocha, the estranged wife of Nigerian comedian Bright Okpocha, popularly called Basketmouth, has criticized people interfering in her private life.    Basketmouth, who was married to Elsie for 12 years, broke the news of their separation in an Instagram post in December 2022.  In a video posted on her Instagram page on Friday, May 16, 2024, she mentioned that some people have been leaving negative comments under posts, insinuating that she isn't happy and should go back to her husband's house.    She further said that people don't want to see a woman happy after a failed marriage and would rather they grieve and languish in sadness.   “Guys, I don't know why a woman would post a photo and a video of her living her life and you go under the comment section and you are saying things like ”go back to your husband's life, I know you are not happy, I know you are just pretending". How do you know that?" she queried.   "Why would you thin...

  The funeral of Nollywood actor, Junior Pope, is currently holding at his hometown Ukehe, in Nsukka, igboetiti LGA of Enugu State. The actor died alongside four other crew members i n a boat mishap in Anam river on April 10.

  Some British media personalities have gotten quite salty over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s visit to Nigeria.    During a recent show focused on Harry and Meghan’s visit to Nigeria, a British media personality Kevin O’Sullivan described Nigeria as a lawless country where female gender mutilation is rife, where women have no rights at all and where children are being kidnapped by Islamic terrorists.   He also claimed that Harry and Meghan are making Nigeria look good when it doesn’t deserve it. According to him, Nigeria is not a country that should be endorsed by anyone, and the British royal family members will never set foot there.    This was backed by Michael Cole, a royal commentator who claimed that Nigeria vies with Johannesburg as the murder capital of Africa. Cole also claimed that Nigerians defraud British women seeking love and nothing is being done about it.   It is however interesting to note that the media company which shares all its...

  Following the directive of President Bola Tinubu that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs should begin the  mandatory procurement of compressed natural gas-powered vehicles, the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative PCNGI has announced a series of activities leading to a nationwide deployment on May 29. Programme Director and Chief Executive of the Initiative, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja. According to him, President Tinubu will between May 15 and 22 embarked on the virtual commissioning of critical gas supply projects at NNPCL He said; “As part of our commitment to fostering sustainable energy solutions and reducing carbon emissions, PCNGI is embarking on an extensive pre-launch itinerary aimed at engaging stakeholders, showcasing critical gas supply projects, and facilitating the conversion and refueling infrastructure across the nation”. According to him, the PCNGI would engage stakeholders from Oyo, Ogun and Lagos on M...

  A Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court sitting in Maitama has granted former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, a N300 million bail.   This comes following his arraignment on a four-count charge bordering on printing new Naira notes without observing due process. It was earlier reported that Emefiele pleaded not guilty when the charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was read in court today, May 15.   Other conditions attached to the bail include that he should produce two sureties who must each possess titled property within the Maitama area of the FCT. Justice Anenih ordered the defendant to deposit his travel documents with the court, adding that he should not travel outside the country without the permission of the court.   The judge adopted the conditions attached to a similar bail earlier granted Emefiele by Justice Hamza Muazu (another judge of the FCT High Court), before whom he is ...

  Chinonso Arubayi  Rachel Okonkwo  Laycon Idia Aisien  Toke Makinwa \ Osas Ighodaro Tacha

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended a reception hosted by the Chief of Defense Staff.   This was after they attended a volleyball game earlier in the day.   During the reception, which held at the Armed Forces Officers Mess & Suites in Abuja, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex received asho oke gifts from Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).   The couple also danced with Dabiri-Erewa.   The purpose of the visit was to introduce the royal couple to Nigeria's rich socio-cultural heritage and provide an opportunity for the Duchess of Sussex to explore her Nigerian lineage.

  The management of Deeper Life High School have taken to social media to celebrate the exploits of 174 of their students who scored 300 marks and above in this year’s  Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination , UTME. The said students scored between 300 and 362 marks out of possible 400. The feat was disclosed in a Facebook post by the school on Friday, May 10, 2024. “Despite JAMB’s announcement that only around 0.5% of candidates nationwide scored 300 and above in the 2024 UTME, an astounding one hundred and seventy-four (174) students of DLHS exceeded expectations with flying colours by scoring 300 and aboIn another post, the school shared a video with the caption, “Behold the DLHS 2024 UTME heroes and heroines; one hundred and seventy four (174) students who scored 300 and above! Congratulations to the Champions.” According to information from the school’s Facebook page, this year’s highest scorer, Ayeyemi Godsgift Ibukunoluwa, achieved a total score of 362 out of a poss...

  A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has barred the Speaker of the state Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, and the other 24 lawmakers from parading as members of the  Rivers State House of Assembly . Justice Charles N. Wali gave this order in a case in suit number PHC/1512/CS/2024, filled by Victor Oko Jumbo (Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly) Sokari Goodboy, Orubienimigha Timothy, members of the Assembly. The suit is against Martin Amaewhule and 24 others, the Governor of Rivers State, the Attorney General of the state, and the Chief Judge of the state. Wali, following the motion  ex parte , and after hearing from Sammie A. Somiari, SAN with B. N. Owunabo, Esq, and others for the claimants/applicants, entered that Amaewhule should stop acting as lawmakers. Recall that Amaewhule and the other 24 of his colleagues had defected from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, on which they were elected to the...

 

  A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Osita Chidoka, has asked President Bola Tinubu to suspend the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project.  Chidoka made this call while speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. The former Aviation minister said President Tinubu should suspend the project and subject it to further public conversations.  He said the government should rather improve Nigeria’s inland waterways and build small seaports across the coastal areas to move goods from one coastal city to another by ship.  Chidoka said if he was the President, he would stop the project, considering the controversy it has generated. He said, “Stop it now and subject it to public conversation because the financiers cannot raise finance for this project except if they use budgetary funds to fund it. Nobody can raise finance if they know they had no competitive bidding.” According to him, the award of the contract for the coastal road did not follo...

  Barely 24 hours after the emergence of a factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor Siminalayi Fubara yesterday paid an unscheduled visit to the House of Assembly quarters located off Aba Road in Port Harcourt. The development comes barely 72 hours after the governor described the Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led House as non-existent. The Amaewhule-led House has been using the multi-purpose hall of the quarters as their sitting venue following the demolition of a section of the House of Assembly complex located along Moscow Road in Port Harcourt late last year. Speaking to newsmen, Fubara explained that his visit to the residential quarters of the State House of Assembly was to undertake an on-the-spot assessment of condition of the structures for a possible rehabilitation work to restore its status and make it liveable. The governor said: “Is the Assembly quarters not part of my property? Is there anything wrong in going to check how things are going on the...

  The   final of the 2024 Europa League could see three Nigerians chasing glory at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin in Ireland come May 22, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. On Thursday (today), Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella will be in action when high-flying German champions Bayer Leverkusen host Roma at BayArena for the second leg of the semi-finals of the Europa League. For the second season running the two clubs are meeting in the semi-finals, but events in the first leg make the new German champions favourites to overturn last year’s result. Leverkusen took a giant stride towards meeting either Marseille or Atalanta in the final by running out 2-0 winners at Stadio Olimpico.With one foot in the Europa League final, Leverkusen will hope to preserve their 48-game unbeaten runs and set a new record for the longest unbeaten streak. Benfica’s longstanding European record – set between December 1963 and February 1965 – has now been matched, so keeping Roma at bay would cement their place...

  The Federal and Lagos State Governments through the Renewed Hope Housing initiative is set to provide over 2,000 home units to residents in Ipaja and Ibeju Lekki, as part of efforts at bridging accommodation deficit in Lagos.  Meanwhile, the Lagos Mortgage Board had allocated a total of 4,096 affordable home units through mortgage or rent to own in the past nine years of existence.  Also, the state government through Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority, LASRERA, had recovered the sum of N78, 134,000 and 18 properties on behalf of third parties through mediation process between tenants, land buyers, and fraudulent estate agents, lands vendors and developers. The state government also disclosed plans to commence allocation of some of housing schemes through the ballot process.  The state Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, made the remarks on Thursday, during the Ministerial Briefing to commemorate the first anniversary of the second term in offi...