NIGERIAN NOTCH

Nigerian singer Burna Boy has hit hard at his colleague, Eedris Abdulkareem, over yet-to-be-released podcast comments he made about him. A clip of The Honest Bunch Podcast’s upcoming episode’s teaser, in which Abdulkareem lambasted Burna Boy for saying no Nigerian artist helped him, went viral on X on Saturday. “You hear someone like Burna Boy say no one helped him in Nigeria. That’s stupid talk,” Abdulkareem said in the viral clip. Reacting, Burna Boy, in a now-deleted post shared via his verified X handle, said he did not blame Abdulkareem for his comment but the people who donated money to settle his hospital bills when he underwent a kidney transplant in 2022. The ‘African Giant’ crooner, who is currently in the Bahamas for a show, said he wished Abdulkareem could be in such a place so that he would settle their scores physically. He wrote in Pidgin: “Abdul Kareem abi wettin dem dey call your papa, I no blame you. I blame people wey donate money for your hospital bills. And I wish ...

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 15 trucks containing food items in Sokoto State as part of its efforts to prevent smuggling which has aggravated the rising cost of commodities in the country. Mr Abubakar Chafe, Spokesperson, NCS, Sokoto Command, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that vehicles were arrested along Gwadabawa-Illela road.   Chafe said the interceptions were made due to the quantity of the farm produce the rucks were carrying. He said the trucks were presently in custody of the command and that investigation had commenced to ascertain the owners and destinations of the food items. He explained that the operation was carried out by a combined team of the NCS Sokoto Command, Officers of Federal Operation Unit and the Intelligent Unit of the Service. Chafe added that the operation became necessary with the prevailing inflation of food items in the country.  (NAN)

The  Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure has vowed to sue the party’s national treasurer, Oluchukwu Oparah for allegedly defaming his person, reputation and character. Abure made this vow in an interview with Arise Television, during his right of reply to the claims of Oparah.  The Labour Party chairman said Oparah only made the claims to mislead the public and destabilize the party. Abure said, “She has come to lie and to misinform members of the party in order to bring us and the party to disrepute. She was in this studio and said she never had access to the account and didn’t know how the account was run and so, I came here with these checks that she co-signed. “Those checks that were signed between February and march 2021 but these are public documents that you can get from the bank and so you can ask her to bring the evidence that those monies were withdrawn without her signature. “I must also state that beyond a right of reply, if not that there was an insistenc...

The  National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has congratulated the winner of the Edo State governorship primary election, Hon. Dennis Idahosa. Ganduje in a statement issued Saturday night by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, urged Idahosa to carry all aspirants along so as to deliver the party at the fourth governorship election in the State. He equally commended Governor Hope Uzodinma’s Election Committee, noting that its transparency in the conduct of the election is highly commendable. “I want to congratulate the winner of the Edo State governorship election, I want to equally commend and appreciate Governor Hope Uzodinma’s election committee for their hard work and the transparent manner in which the primary election was conducted. At this point, I want to call on all the aspirants to bury the hatchet and work for the interest of the party so that our party will emerge victorious”, he said.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite has expressed the need to work with the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) to boost diaspora investments in the Country. According to a statement issued by the Spokesman of NIDCOM, Abdur Rahman Balogun, the Minister made this known while speaking during a courtesy call by the Chairman/CEO, NIDCOM Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa in Abuja. The minister stressed that she will create a full department called “Catalytic Investment Unit” in the Ministry to accommodate all diaspora related matters. She also commended NIDCOM for partnering with the private sector-led Nigerian Diaspora Summit initiative (NDSI) to organise the Nigerian Diaspora Investment summit, which has provided a platform for Nigerians who want to invest. She said the Ministry would synergise with NIDCOM and NDSI to make the summit even stronger, in-line with the Ministry’s investment initiatives and policies. The Minister said “I have been charged by Mr P...

Only Nigerians will decide the fate of the parliamentary system of government being advocated in some quarters, the Senate has said. About 60 members in the House of Representatives have advocated for Nigeria’s return to the parliamentary system of government. Nigeria practiced parliamentary system of government in the first Republic – between 1960 and 1966. Since then Nigeria has been practicing the presidential system of government despite the military interventions. Senate spokesman, Yemi Adaramodu told reporters in Abuja that the senate would not just take a decision that is not from the majority of Nigerians. “Like I said, the language of the senate is the language of Nigeria because we are a vital part of the body. So we will speak the same language when that comes to us,” Adaramodu said of the yearnings for a return to the parliamentary system of government. “We look at the body language of Nigerians and then because we represent them, because we are part of the body that we spe...

●●●Pleads For Patience From Nigerians  President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has said that the economic situation inherited by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, which has caused the current economic harship in the country, could be likened to a mirage, just as he pleaded for patience from Nigerians. Akpabio stated this in his remarks at the thanksgiving service in honour of Senator Barinada Mpigi at St. Cyprian's Anglican Church Koroma Parish, Diocese of Ogoni, on Saturday.  A statement by the Special Assistant on Media, to the Senate President, Mr Jackson Udom quoted Akpabio, as saying," the crowd here proves that Senator Mpigi is truly, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator. In the 10th Senate, God has melted us together because we see ourselves as Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not of any political party. According to Akpabio, "the economic situation that President Bola Tinubu inherited on assumption of office was v...

The Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, (SEOF) in continuation of it's founder's 65th birthday, today at the Anambra Police Command, Awka, handed over 1,000 bags of rice and 200 wrappers to Police officers wives.    In his keynote address, at the handing over of the items, the Chief of staff to Sir Emeka Offor, Mr. Chris Ezike, eulogized him for his magnanimity, which he said, has been extended to the wives of police officers in the state. He stressed that Sir Emeka Offor, even after celebrating his birthday last week, has gone on to share with the people of Anambra state and is happy that POWA are partakers of his kind gesture today.  He stressed, that Sir Emeka Offor, as a humanitarian and Philanthropist, saw reason to also share this love with wives of police men in the state.    Sir Emeka Offor, also used the occasion of the visit, to express his love for the force, especially for their commitment at ensuring that citizens of Anambra state came back to t...

BY RAYMOND OZOJI As part of proactive measures to curb insecurity in Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has tasked the 36 state governors to support the activities and operations of Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) in their respective states.  Tinubu who made the appeal at a crucial meeting with governors of the 36 states at the State House Abuja, underscored the pivotal role of hunters in combing the forests,  stressing that they were veritable security alternatives that would complement the services of the Nigeria Police and other conventional security agencies in the country.  He noted that the activation of hunters in all the states of the federation would help a great deal to drastically reduce crimes especially forest related crimes.  Although the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service Establishment Bill awaited the assent of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he urged state governors to provide logistics as well as operational...

The Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, (SEOF) in continuation of it's founder's 65th birthday, yesterday at Oraifite, handed over palliatives to all correctional centers across Anambra state. In a brief event at the Blaze FM radio house, Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local government area of Anambra state, handed out 400 bags of rice, 1000 cartons of Indomie noodles, and 50 cartons of Izal disinfectant to the head of the correctional service in the state, Comptroller, Usifo Joseph Ehimeme, which will be distributed to  Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi, and Aguata correctional centers respectfully.  In his keynote address, the Chief of staff to Sir Emeka,  Mr. Chris Ezike eulogized Sir Emeka Offor, for his magnanimity, in seeing to it, that inmates in all the correctional centers in the the state were partakers of his kind gesture, as he turned 65th years recently.  He stressed, that Sir Emeka Offor, as a humanitarian and Philanthropist, saw reason why those that are incarcerated in co...