NIGERIAN NOTCH

....... Commends his giant strides on infrastructural Development in Anambra In a heartfelt expression of pride and joy, the Chairman of Timber Market Nnewi, Mr. Chukwudi Anyaegbo, has on behalf of traders in the market extend his warmest congratulations to the Executive Governor of Anambra State, and the National Leader of APGA, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR, on the remarkable occasion of his two-year anniversary in office. This period marks a significant chapter in the annals of Anambra's journey towards achieving a livable and prosperous state, underpinned by the visionary leadership of Governor Soludo. Mr. Anyaegbo, further lauded Governor Soludo as an embodiment of the aspirations and prayers of the people of Anambra - a veritable angel sent to shepherd the state into an era of unprecedented growth and development and therefore called on Ndi Anambra to support his resolve to make Anambra great again. Reflecting on the two years of Governor Soludo's administ...

....... Commends his giant strides in infrastructural Development of Anambra The Chairman of Agbaedo Market Nnewi, Mr. Chukwudi on behalf of traders in the market extend his warmest congratulations to the Executive Governor of Anambra State, and the National Leader of APGA, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR, on the remarkable occasion of his two-year anniversary in office. This period he said marks a significant chapter in the annals of Anambra's journey towards achieving a prosperous state, under the visionary leadership of Governor Soludo. Mr. Ulasi further lauded Governor Soludo as an embodiment of the aspirations and prayers people of Anambra answered, and therefore called on Ndi Anambra to support his resolve to make Anambra great again. Reflecting on the two years of Governor Soludo's administration, Mr. Ulasi highlighted the governor's accomplishments in 2 years, as one that has significantly impacted on the socio-economic landscape of Anambra State throu...

The Edo State Police Command, on Saturday, commenced rescue operations following the kidnap of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman in the state, Tony Aziegbemi. Gunmen had on Friday abducted Aziegbemi shortly after a meeting with the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House in Benin City. After confirming the incident in a statement, the Edo State Government said it is working closely with security operatives to ensure the victim regains freedom. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Chidi Nwabuzor, called on Edo residents to avail the police of useful information that would lead to the timely rescue of the PDP Chairman. He said the state Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, received the report of the incident with shock. “The Commissioner of Police Edo State Command, CP Funsho Adegboye, mni who received the report of the incident with a shock immediately gave a marching order to the tactical team leaders to conduct a rescue party ...

It’s a mystery that has puzzled scientists for years, but one scientist believes he may finally know what’s behind the Bermuda Triangle disappearances. The Bermuda Triangle is an area of the North Atlantic ocean near Bermuda, where several ships have disappeared over the years. Some have claimed that there’s a whirlpool hidden there, while others suggest that aliens may be to blame for the disappearances. But one expert claims that rocks may explain the mystery. Speaking in a Channel 5 news documentary, Secrets of the Bermuda Triangle, Nick Hutchings, a mineral prospector, explained: “Bermuda’s basically a sea mountain, it’s an underwater volcano. 30 million years ago, it was sticking up above sea level. It has now eroded away and we’re left with the top of a volcano. We have a few core samples, which have magnetite in them. It’s the most magnetic naturally occurring material on Earth.” On the programme, Mr Hutchings then conducted an experiment using some of the rock and a...

A Brief Biography Of Dr. K.O Mbadiwe as written by Mazi Uche Ohia, Ph.D Remembering Dr. K O Mbadiwe By Mazi Uche Ohia, Ph.D If Dr. Kingsley Ozuomba Mbadiwe, the indefatigible Nigerian politician better known as “KO” or the “Man of Timber and Calibre” was to be alive today he would have found appropriate coinages to describe the absurdities unfolding on the national political firmament and no less so in Imo, his home state, where the noble art of sportsmanship in politics is being replaced with an ignoble politics of bitterness and animosity. But KO, the Agadagbachiriuzo of Arondizuogu, the Ononenyi of Orlu, the Maye of Lagos, the great eagle around whose name many legends are spun took the eternal bow on August 29, 1990. Since then no politician with the same vivacity and audacity has illuminated the Nigerian political landscape. Born at Oneh in Orumba on March 15, 1917 to Mbadiwe Odum of the wealthy Odum family of Ndianiche Uno, Arondizuogu in the present Ideato North...

By FEMI FALANA On 14th March 2024, the troops of the 181 Amphibious Batallion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, while on peace mission to Okuoma community in Delta State were surrounded by some irate community youths. In the unprovoked attack that ensued, the  Commanding Officer, 2 Majors, a Captain, and 12 Solders were reported to have been brutalised and murdered in a gruesome manner. We join the members of the civilised humanity in condemning the brutality meted out to the military officers and soldiers as they were deployed for peace keeping mission to resolve the crisis in  two warring communities in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta state. We are ,  however, pleased to note that the military remains focused and committed to its mandate of maintaining peace and security in the country.  Having regard to the massacre of innocent people when the military invaded Odi in Bayelsa State and Zaki Biam in Benue State in similar circumstances,...

…says action insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi has berated the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation for hosting a Workshop for State Commissioners of Finance in London. Obi said this action by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation smacks of its insensitivity to the worrisome situation in the country. The LP standard bearer said Nigerians must resist and denounce such recklessness. Writing on his X handle on Saturday Obi said “Nigerians must vehemently denounce and condemn the decision of Nigeria’s Accountant-General’s Office to hold a workshop in London. This decision is not only unacceptable but also deeply troubling on multiple levels. “Given the prevailing hardship in the country and the pitiable State of our national currency, any public function abroad amounts to insensitivity on the part of the government and any agency or individuals involv...

…NLC pass vote of no confidence on Abure …Resign your position to contest Chairmanship, party mocks NLC President …says Ajero desperate to replace Abure A crisis of confidence has broken out between the Nigeria Labour Congress and the leadership of the Labour Party. The NLC in a widely publicized letter passed a vote of no confidence on the LP National Chairman, Julius Abure and demanded his immediate resignation. The Labour Union also dissociated itself from the national convention scheduled for March 27, 2024. It said the convention which is being organised by the Comrade Julius Abure-led National Working Committee is illegal. In its response, The leadership of the Labour Party asked the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajero to resign his position to contest for the Chairmanship of the party since he appears desperate to replace Julius Abure. National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, said this in a statement, in Abuja, on Saturday. H...

..... launches ‘Ounje Eko’ discounted prices food markets  Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has inaugurated ‘Ounje Eko’ food markets to offer discounted prices of items to residents. He directed that the food markets should start operations from Sunday, March 17 across the state. The markets have been tasked with selling discounted food items across the five divisions. Here’s a full list of the produce prices at the food market: 5kg bag of rice – N5,325 1kg bag of rice – N1,065 5kg bag of Beans – N6,225 1kg bag of Beans – N1,245 5kg bag of Garri – N3,975 1kg bag of Garri – N795 2kg Tomatoes – N1,800 1kg Atarodo – N1,875 1kg Tatashe – N1,275 1kg Onions – N450 1 crate of eggs – N2,700 Bread – N750 Lagos govt’s statement Lagos State Government made the announcement in a statement by the Commissioner, Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho on Saturday. It noted that “In order to prevent sharp practices and ensure the foodstuff reaches a large number of Lagosians, a vo...

Artificial barriers have long blocked Europe's waterways. But as many of these structures age, a movement is growing to let rivers flow freely once again. Three years ago, when construction workers started demolishing a series of dams on the Hiitolanjoki River in Finland, they were greatly surprised to spot a run of salmon. Part of the country's last wild and landlocked population, the fish were returning to the river after years of absence. For Pauliina Louhi, it was a sign that the ecosystem's recovery had begun. "It was not only adults – there were many salmon juveniles," Louhi, an ecologist at Natural Resources Institute Finland, a Finnish research organisation, recounts enthusiastically. "They had already been spawning on the lowermost part of the river. When I saw how the site looked after the dam removal, I actually had tears in my eyes." The river used to be a key migration route for the endangered freshwater salmon from Lake Ladoga, ...

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), has explained why Ireti Kingibe is not in good terms with him.  Kingibe, the senator representing FCT, and the minister have not had a good work relationship since they both came to the office. In September 2023, Kingibe said Wike does not have the executive powers to make threats of demolition of “illegal” buildings” in the territory. In January, the lawmaker claimed that Wike had refused to respond to her letters and messages in the wake of the rising insecurity in Abuja. Speaking at a media parley on Thursday, Wike said Kingibe’s anger stems from his constant companionship with Philip Aduda, her predecessor in the senate. The minister said he could not be forced to befriend Kingibe. “Somebody wants to be your friend. I said I don’t want to be your friend. Is it by force? The problem is that she wanted to be chairman senate committee on FCT but the senate (Godswill) president said: I’m not giving you,” Wike...

As Nigerians continue to grapple under the burden of rising cost of living, the rate at which prices of goods and services in the country continues to rise has refused to abate with inflation rate rising to 31.7 per cent in February while food inflation rose to 37.92 per cent. Latest data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that, inflation, which shows the rate at which prices are rising, had crossed the 30 per cent mark to 31.7 per cent compared to 29.9 per cent which it was in January this year. The February 2024 headline inflation rate showed an increase of 1.80 percentage points when compared to the January 2024 headline inflation rate. On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 9.79 percentage points higher compared to the rate recorded in February 2023, which was 21.91 per cent. This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in the month of February 2024 when compared to February 2023. Furthermore, on a ...

....Says Nigeria’s treasury must be protected from looters  President Bola Tinubu said on Friday that his administration is determined to protect the national treasury from looters and other criminals. The president also said that he was aware that smugglers and those who benefited from the old subsidy regime in the country are also fighting back in the fight against corruption. This is as he has asked leaders at the grassroots level to encourage citizens to get their National Identification Number (NIN) for planning, structuring interventions, and achieving their full integration into various relief programmes. President Tinubu stated this when he received the Forum of State Chairmen of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said that his administration is deploying resources to critical sectors and areas with significant impact on the welfare of Nigerians, emphasizing that the nation’s treasury is sacrosanct and must not be abused. T...

Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, in collaboration with an Igbo social-cultural Organization, Odinala Cultural Heritage Foundation (OCHIE), has inaugurated committees in a bid to develop and Integrate a standard  curriculum for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) with Igbo as a language of instruction and evaluation across Schools in South East Nigeria. The Vice Chancellor of Unizik Prof Charles Esimone while inaugurating the committees at the ASUU Secretariat, said the programme is built around promoting the use of Igbo language in modern technology and development of students in the South East and beyond.  The Vice Chancellor however commended the foundation for initiating the wonderful idea geared towards integrating Igbo language in the school curriculum as he charged the committees to tackle their assignment with diligence and to look beyond mere translation of Igbo language but to look into scientific discoveries in Igboland from the cultur...

Indigent Nigerian students hoping to benefit from the current administration’s student loan scheme, especially in the face of the present economic hardship, may have to wait longer. This is because President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has written to the Senate and the House of Representatives, seeking the repeal the Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) Bill and enact a new one. The president’s letter conveying the repeal and re-enactment of the law was read on the floor of the House at plenary on Thursday by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. The new bill seeks to enhance the implementation of the Higher Education Student Loan Scheme by addressing challenges related to the management structure of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELF), applicant eligibility requirements, loan purpose, funding sources and disbursement and repayment procedures. Tinubu had signed the Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) Bill, 2019 into law barely two weeks in office. The legislation provides for the es...

Following the resignation of Senator Abdul Ningi as chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, the lawmakers replaced him with Sen  Abdulaziz Yar’adua (APC Katsina Central) as the new Chairman. In his acceptance speech to the members of the forum, Senator Yar’Adua said: “Esteemed Members of the Northern Senators Forum, I am deeply honored and humbled to communicate to you today my acceptance as the Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum. “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to my distinguished colleagues for this vote of confidence in me following the resignation of my distinguished elder brother Senator Abdul Ningi whom I hold in high esteem. “ I wish to acknowledge and commend the decent outing and the contributions he made during his tenure,” Yar’Adua said. According to him, “I am aware of the challenges facing the Northern region which Include: Security, agriculture,education, healthcare, drug abuse and human trafficking. Others are so numerous to mention.” Speaking furt...

Damage to at least three subsea cables off the West Coast of Africa on Thursday disrupted internet services in Nigeria, Ghana and other countries across the continent. Telecommunications subscribers and bank users were stranded for hours as the disruption paralysed digital transations and internet communications. According to one of the world’s leading financial news organisations, Bloomberg, the West Africa Cable System, MainOne and ACE sea cables — arteries for telecommunications data — were all affected on Thursday. ⚠️ Update: Live network data show today’s telecoms disruption in #Africa has intensified; the incident has high impact to West Africa with significant reductions in connectivity evident across the continent; operators report multiple subsea cable failures 📉 pic.twitter.com/U9PxSk7CbV — NetBlocks (@netblocks) March 14, 2024   According to data from internet analysis firms including NetBlocks, Kentik and Cloudflare, the cut triggered outages and connectivi...

Hundreds of protesting Aja-Osolo indigenes in Warri South council area of Delta State have shut down the operations of the Conoil OML 150 field over alleged non-recognition and implementation of the PIA provisions as it affects them as the main host. Speaking to newsmen at the flow station on Monday, the Osolo of Warri Kingdom, Billy Besigiwa said the community has written a series of letters to Conoil and all relevant authorities on the matter without any result thus forcing them into taking this action. The Aja-Osolo community head (Olara-aja) represented by Mr. Felix Onire; Mr. Felix Elete, Youth chairman; Madam Mercy Kikiarun, a women leader and a community leader, Mr. Johnson Onire who spoke on the matter, expressed regret that after providing Conoil the conducive working environment to operate smoothly they decided to reward their peaceful disposition with utter disregard and disdain. They vowed to remain in the company premises until Conoil grants their request, insi...

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, said his Administration has secured presidential approval to provide drones and other surveillance equipment to track kidnappers. Wike, who stated this in a television interview monitored in Abuja, also recalled his earlier disclosure in a media chat that security agencies in the territory lacked digital tracking tools. He said; “It is unfortunate to say this, that mostly the security agencies, in particular I will say, the Police here, are not adequately equipped. You cannot believe that the police command of the FCT does not even have an ordinary tracking device. ‘’Not only them, even the FCT command of the Department of State Services, DSS, do not even have. And the only one they have is at the headquarters. So, if there are things to do, they have to go to the headquarters, which is not supposed to be. ‘’Luckily, I told Mr President that look, we have to do something, and there must be the emergency procurement...