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The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has explained the reason behind enlisting Nollywood superstar, Kate Henshaw as a UNICEF Ambassador saying it is principally to raise awareness on the need to invest in children.


This was disclosed by Rajat Madhok, Chief of Communications, UNICEF Nigeria, in a media parley held at the Bauchi Field Office, on Tuesday.


Henshaw was part of the UINCEF delegation to Bauchi to monitor the ongoing immunisation exercise in the state.


Madhok revealed that besides Henshaw, UNICEF also recruited other Hollywood celebrities like Ali Nuhu, Comhams, Waje to up the voice for children.


The UNICEF Chief of Communications revealed that the fund partners with a lot of celebrities globally to raise the conversation around immunization, education, birth registration, nutrition among others for child survival and growth. “UNICEF partners with influential people, people who have a voice,” he said.


He said the UN agency is in partnership with people that have respect in the community whose say matters.

“We want them to come to the community, we want them to talk to communities, we want them to talk to government, we want them to talk to people in power and convince them that it is important for us to be investing in children,” he added.


“And for someone like Ms Kate Henshaw, she has all the above attributes that we mentioned.

“She’s got influence, she’s got voice and most importantly she’s got a heart in the right place and these are champions that we as UNICEF work with around the world.

“That is why Kate is here (in Bauchi),”

“She is here because we are in the middle of immunization and she met with young mothers who vaccinated their children. She is also championing the cause of other issues like nutrition”.


In his remark, the Chief of Bauchi Field Office of UNICEF, Dr Tushar Rane, expressed gratitude to Kate Henshaw who travelled from Lagos to Bauchi to reach out to people in the state on immunization as a UNICEF Ambassador.

‘During her visit we had interaction with the governor of Bauchi State, His Excellency Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, the Emir of Dass and some of the care givers,”.

“UNICEF partners with influential people who have a voice”.

Rane thanked the media for the massive support to UNICEF’s activities in the country, particularly the Bauchi Field Office.

“We could not have done anything alone without your partnership which has helped us to amplify our efforts, amplify the request and call to all the women, children to come forward and avail the services.” he stated.

“I really thank the media because they are equal partners in this venture and we have worked together for a common good.

“Be rest assured that we rely on you for amplifying the call to the rights holders and the children which we owed a lot so that we do not not leave any child behind from the basic services”.

Speaking on her experiencing after interacting with women in some communities in Bauchi, Kate Henshaw described the on-going immunization in the state as successful.


“The Governor is very passionate about the health of the child and the mother,” Hensahw said.

“He was excited about what UNICEF is doing and directed for the release of counterpart funds for UNICEF interventions as they affect the immune system and nutrition.

“He is interested in giving protection to the children and their mothers through the right nutrition so that they will grow up properly.

“Today (Tuesday), I met with the Emir of Dass, Usman Bilyaminu Othman II, a very nice gentleman.

“He received us very warmly, and we went to the local government together, where we saw some of the women.


“I was shown the nutrition arrangement and told them to always take the correct nutritional food and give the children RUTF and the supplements that are needed for normal growth.

“We also reminded them of the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for six months to give the child a healthy foundation for a better tomorrow.


“We were also at Yelwa, where we saw many women who brought their children for immunisation, and we saw a lot of children already immunised. We give kudos to the field workers, community workers, health workers, and Mama2Mama; all of them are doing well towards giving a chance to live to the mother and the child.


“I want to thank UNICEF for giving me the opportunity to meet people and share an overview and insight into how this work is done. It is not easy; it has to come from a place of love, a place of care, and a place of advancement for people to have a chance to live.


“It starts with the woman when she takes in. It is very important that you amplify this message as often as you can in your reportage to communities and even yourselves so that the people will know, especially the women. The men also know that they are part of the process; they are partners in this work of advocacy because we all need each other in order to be able to make the story complete”.

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Tunde Onakoya, the founder of Chess-in-Slums, was enthusiastically welcomed back to Nigeria on Wednesday after setting the record for the longest-ever chess marathon, which lasted 60 hours.


He was received at the airport with a heartfelt ceremony that included singing and dancing.


Platinumpost reports that, Onakoya smashed the record set by Norwegian players Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad, who played for 56 hours and 9 minutes in 2018.


The Nigerian Chess Master on April 17 began his attempt to set a 58-hour chess marathon record at the Times Square in New York, United States.


The new record holder said he attempted to raise funds and awareness for providing educational opportunities to underprivileged children across Africa.


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On Wednesday, the Kaduna Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) sealed United Bank for Africa offices in the state capital over an alleged N14.3 million in unpaid taxes.


Speaking to reporters after the exercise, Hajiya Aysha Ahmad, the KADIRS Board Secretary/Legal Adviser, stated that the enforcement aimed to ensure tax compliance across the entire state in terms of withholding taxes and money agents.


“We sent so many demand notices to them. We have asked them to pay the money but they refused, we are left with no other option but to enforce,” she said.


Ahmad added that the service wants voluntary compliance of tax payment while lamenting that the defaulter had been recalcitrant.


She, however, said when the defaulters pay, the service would unseal the premises.


Speaking further, the board secretary said the enforcement was part of a process to achieve the N120 billion revenue target set by the Kaduna state government.


“To achieve a target, there is always a starting point. Sealing UBA branches in the state for tax default is our start. We are also going after all other defaulters to get what is due for the state government.


“We served them with demand notices. We have been communicating with their consultant and Headquarters. In fact, they even took us to court and the outcome was like a win-win situation at the tax appeal tribunal.


“The court gave us directives to review our assessment which we did and they did not still comply. It is on the reviewed assessment we are enforcing this morning,” she said.


Ahmad called on the people of the state to ensure voluntary tax compliance, describing it as a civic responsibility.



(NAN)

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A highly skilled and talented interior designer, Cindy Ijeoma Ogene has featured in the list of 100 Most Influential Young Africans 2024, an esteemed selection that features remarkable entrepreneurs, young activists, change-makers, and individuals who have demonstrated exceptional excellence in their respective fields of endeavour. 


Cindy Ogene prides herself as a visionary interior designer with a passion for creating spaces that enhance the lives of her clients. 


The 2024 edition of the 100 Most Influential Young Africans was organized by the Pan African Youth Leadership Foundation under the theme “Exceptional 2024”. Nominees came from all 52 African countries.


With over 5 years of experience in the industry, Cindy's journey began with a degree in Education English, which laid the foundation for her pursuit of excellence in interior design from Florence Design Academy, a renowned institute and Jsaid, Lagos. 


The latest award is seen as recognition of her sterling qualities and dedication to providing topnotch services to her clients, sprinkled with a touch of excellence. 

Inspired by her love for travel and her desire to make a positive impact, she has mentored and inspired other interior designers in the industry.


Her dedication and expertise have earned her a recognition as a recipient of the Top 100 CEO 2024 award, Member of Forbes black, Top 100 most influential Young Africans and Entrepreneur of the Year, and being featured on the cover page of the Nation’s newspaper magazine.


Borne out of her commitment to continuous learning and growth, Cindy is currently pursuing further education at the prestigious Lagos Business School. 


This is predicated on her conviction that new ways to elevate skills and expertise will further position her for more excellent service delivery, targeting the satisfaction of her clients.





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The management of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, has suspended a lecturer identified as Mr Mfonobong Udoudom, who was caught in a now-viral video allegedly harassing a female student.


The lecturer who was caught in a viral video wearing a pair of boxers is said to be a lecturer in the General Studies division of the university.


Although our correspondent could not independently ascertain the day the incident occurred, the University had confirmed it.


In a statement issued on Tuesday, signed by Acting Public Relations Officer, Chief Okwun Omeaku, the university said the randy lecturer has been suspended indefinitely while clarifying that he is not a professor.


His indefinite suspension, according to the statement, was to enable a thorough investigation into the incident by a disciplinary panel constituted by the University.


“The indefinite suspension is with immediate effect pending the outcome of a disciplinary panel constituted by the University to investigate the incident,” the statement noted.


“For the records, the University of Nigeria has zero tolerance for sexual misconduct involving our staff and students. UNN is among the few universities in the country that has a Sexual Harassment Policy, which guides the relationship between our staff and students in particular and among our male and female staff.


The university noted that they will investigate the matter, and appropriate sanctions will go to the accused if found guilty.


“As a university, we are committed to protecting our students from any form of abuse and exploitation, and the University Management will not hesitate to punish Mr Mfonobong David Udoudom, according to our rules, if he is found guilty by our disciplinary panel.”


In the viral video, seen by our correspondent, a voice was overheard saying, “We have been following this case from day one, we have tracks, all the voice notes, and everything.”


Another voice, supposedly, of a member of the task force was overheard saying in Igbo language, “If you want to ask questions, ask now; not when we have taken him out, people will start saying rubbish.”


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Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara has reshuffled his cabinet amidst the political crisis rocking the State.


The Governor, in a statement on Tuesday night by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, redeployed the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the state, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor to the Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s Office).


Fubara also sent the Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, to the Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment.


The Governor asked them to immediately hand over to their respective permanent secretaries.


He said: “They are to hand over to their respective permanent secretaries immediately as this deployment takes immediate effect. All had over processes must be completed immediately”.


(Nation)


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A 17-year-old Nigerian student, Oluwafemi Ositade, has secured full scholarships to multiple Ivy League universities in the United States, Canada and Qatar.


The teenager, a member of the Class of 2023 of The Ambassadors College, Ota, won scholarships over $3.5 million.


Ositade’s astounding success stems from his exceptional performance in the SAT where he achieved a perfect score in Maths (800/800) and a near-perfect score of 760 out of 800 in reading and writing and his CGPA of 4.04/4.0 from college.


Ositade received 14 scholarships from renowned institutions nine of which are full ride scholarships (covering tuition, accommodation, allowance and all other student’s expenses).


The universities that have given scholarship offers to Ositade are Harvard University, Brown University, Duke University, University of Toronto Lester B Pearson Scholarship, Wesleyan University, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, University of Miami, Howard University, Stetson University, Fisk University, University of Toronto, Mississauga Campus, University of Toronto St. George Campus, University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus and Drexel University.


In the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), he got a score of 358, and was ranked as the second best in Nigeria for the year 2023.


Also, in the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Ositade got eight A’s and one B2.


He wants to pursue a degree in Computational Physics, due to his passion for Quantum Computing and Mathematics.


 


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On Tuesday, a trigger-happy policeman known as Saheed SARS allegedly shot and killed a corps member named Iyanda Damilola in Ogbomoso Local Government Area, Oyo State.


According to reports, Saheed works for the Oyo State Police Command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad.


Saheed is well-known among Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso students for assaults, particularly against “Yahoo boys”.


In 2020, he was harshly ridiculed on social media sites after he allegedly posed with a white Mercedes-Benz automobile he claimed to have bought.


The deceased’s brother, Iyanda Oluwafemi, who graduated from LAUTECH, on Monday, said he sustained wounds from bullets shot by Saheed.


Speaking with our correspondent, Oluwafemi, a graduate of Accounting and Management Sciences from the institution, said the deceased was his brother and that he had attended his convocation, after which they headed for an after-party the same day where he was shot dead by the trigger-happy cop.


According to him, the late Damilola was serving in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.


He said, “Yesterday was our convocation, and we were at a lounge (name withheld) for a convocation party around 2am when we heard that some people were fighting outside. When we discovered that the place was getting rowdy, we stepped out only to see policemen dispersing the crowd and shooting directly at the people.


“I sustained bullet wounds, but my brother, who came for my convocation, was shot in the head. He was confirmed dead at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital and was taken to the mortuary this morning.


“As I speak with you, I am at the clinic for my treatment. The wounds are deep, and I can not but seek justice for my innocent brother.”


Asked if he could recognise the policemen who came for the operation, Oluwafemi said he was sure of Saheed SARS because he led them to the place to disperse the crowd.


“I saw him handling the gun; he was shooting with one hand until he shot my brother,” he added.


When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adewale Osifeso, said an investigation was ongoing on the matter and that updates would be provided accordingly.


“Investigation is ongoing. Updates would be provided accordingly, please,” he wrote in a text message.


 


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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has detained Hadi Sirika, former Minister of Aviation, in connection with an ongoing money laundering investigation of N8,069,176,864.00.


On Tuesday, about 1:00 p.m., the indicted former Minister of Aviation appeared at the Federal Capital Territory Command of the EFCC.


Our correspondent, who was at the Wuse office of the EFCC, saw the troubled former minister arrive at the anti-graft agency’s Abuja office.


Following his arrival at the command, Sirika is currently meeting with EFCC investigators to answer questions on alleged fraudulent contracts awarded by him to a company known as Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika.


Impeccable anti-graft sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity, because they were not authorised to speak, confirmed the development to our correspondent on Tuesday.


“Yes, that was Hadi Sirika who was taken into our FCT custody. He is currently meeting with EFCC investigators over the alleged N8,069,176,864.00 aviation ministry contract fraud,” a source revealed.


Another source noted, “The N8,069,176,864.00 aviation ministry contract fraud was carried out in connivance with his younger brother, Abubakar Sirika, through the latter’s company.”


Recall that in February, the EFCC was investigating the activities of the Aviation Ministry under former Minister Sirika for conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, and contract inflation.


A credible source who spoke with our correspondent on Tuesday revealed that the anti-graft commission is investigating the activities of the Aviation Ministry for conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, and contract inflation.


Others are criminal breaches of trust and money laundering amounting to N8,069,176,864.00 during Sirika’s tenure in office.


The sum is said to be for four aviation contracts from the former minister to a company known as Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika.


Apart from being listed as the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abubakar is said to be the sole signatory to the company’s two accounts, domiciled in Zenith and Union Banksy.


It was further revealed that the ex-minister’s younger brother, Abubakar Sirika, has been arrested and detained by the commission in connection with N3,212,258,930.18 paid to his company, Engirios Nigerian Limited’s, bank account by the former minister.


It was noted that there is no trace of work done on any of the contract items to date.


The source said Abubakar Sirika, who was arrested on Sunday, February 4, has since been assisting the commission in its probe of the Aviation Ministry’s financial expenditures during Mr Sirika’s tenure.


The EFCC investigator said, “We’re investigating an N8,069,176,864.00 money laundering case linked to former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika.


“Hadi awarded contracts to his brother Abubakar, knowing that the latter is a civil servant, a deputy director on Level 16 in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, where he has been working since 2000 till date.


“The first of the contracts from the former minister to Engirios Nigeria Limited was on August 18, 2022, for the construction of the Terminal Building in Katsina Airport, at a cost of N1,345,586,500.00. The second was awarded on November 3, 2022, for the establishment of the Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Center in Katsina Airport, valued at N3, 811,497,685.00.


“The third contract was on February 3, 2023, for the procurement and installation of lifts, air conditioners, and a power generator’s house in Aviation House, Abuja, at the cost of N615,195,275.000, while the fourth was awarded on May 5, 2023, for the procurement of Magnus aircraft and a simulator for the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, at the cost of N2, 296,897,404.00.


“Out of the total contract sum, the ex-minister paid out N3,212,258,930.18 to his younger brother’s Engirios Nigerian Limited, who, upon receipt of the payment, transferred it to different companies and individuals. There is no trace of work done on any of the contract items to date.


“Abubakar Sirika is currently in our custody at the Headquarters, and he is providing us with more useful information on the financial activities of the Aviation Ministry under the supervision of his older brother, Hadi Sirika.”


 


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Vice-President Kashim Shettima has revealed that President Bola Tinubu has approved that 20% of palliative food intervention go through religious and traditional institutions.


Mr Shettima made this known while delivering the keynote lecture at a High-Level Dialogue of Faith Leaders on Nutrition in Nigeria, which was hosted at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday.


“The Imam of Bayero University (BUK) mentioned about the exclusion of the traditional and religious leaders in the distribution of palliatives.


”The President has approved that 20 per cent of the palliative in terms of food intervention be routed through our religious organisations and the traditional institutions.


“The Tsangaya schools, the mission schools will be specially targeted for such intervention,” Mr Shettima said.


The Vice-President said that government was working out logistics through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to ensure smooth implementation of the intervention programme.


“This intervention will be anchored in the office of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, and he is going to anchor the programme.


“We are going to provide the overall supervision towards the implementation of the programme.


“Also 20 per cent of the funds for the School Feeding Programme is going to be channeled through the office of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning to the religious bodies.”


Mr Shettima stated that government had already commenced engagement and working out modalities for the intervention to ensure a very transparent disbursement, taken into cognisance of all tendencies in our system.


He added that the intervention would include Tsangaya and Mission schools.


 


(NAN)


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The management of Lead British International School in Abuja has shut down the institution due to a bullying incident that went viral on social media.


An X user, @mooyeeeeeee, posted two videos where the victim she identified as Maryam Hassan was repeatedly slapped by another female student.


The video generated thousands of comments by netizens who called on the school authorities to investigate the matter.


At a meeting on Tuesday, the school authorities announced a 3-day closure to enable them probe deeply into the matter.


A top member of staff said the decision to shut down the school temporarily was in the interest of all parties involved.


Daily Trust had reported how tempers flared at the meeting when a parent walked up to the student who bullied her colleague and gave her a slap.


The student, who has been severely criticised, was seen walking into the premises accompanied by elderly males.


A lady identified as one of the parents walked up to the student, asking her, “She is proud of what she did. You are proud of what you did! You are proud right? Someone’s child; innocent child, you beat her, did you give birth to her? I am asking you, did you give birth to her?”


The student was trying to walk away so as to avoid confrontation, but the angry parent shoved her, saying, “I’m asking you: did you give birth to her?” The student muttered some incoherent words and the angry parent responded with a slap, before other elderly person around moved in to douse tension.


The Lead British International School had earlier said it has launched investigation into the matter.


In a statement issued earlier on Monday, it said the counselling unit of the school is helping the victimised student overcome the emotional and psychological impact.


The statement read, “We are committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for all our students. Hence, upon learning of the incident, we initiated the process of reaching out to the victim and family with a view to providing support, including access to counselling services to help them cope with the emotional and psychological impact of the incident.


“Additionally, we will be working with the perpetrators and their families, offering counselling and disciplinary measures to address their behaviour which has no place in society.


“We have also immediately initiated an investigation, appointing a dedicated team to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter. The team has been gathering information, including reviewing video footage and interviewing witnesses, to understand the full scope of the incident and identify the immediate and remote causes.”


 


(DailyTrust)


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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced a $10,000 sale to each licensed Bureau De Change (BDC) operator nationwide.


The apex bank has made its second intervention this month.


The CBN detailed the action in a circular issued to the President of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators (ABCON).


BDCs can purchase dollars at a rate of N1,021 per dollar.


They are, therefore, authorized to sell this forex to eligible end users at a maximum spread of 1.5 percent above the purchase price, translating to a maximum selling price of N1,036.15 per dollar.


On the 8th of April 2024, the CBN sold $10,000 FX to each of the 1,588 participating BDCs at a fixed rate of N1101 per US dollar at a spread capped at 1.5 percent above the purchase price from the CBN (approximately N1,116.15 per dollar). This limited the potential profit BDCs could make on each transaction


The latest circular has instructed all eligible BDCs to commence immediate payment of the Naira equivalent for their allocated $10,000 into designated CBN Naira Deposit Accounts.


This deposit must be accompanied by the submission of necessary documentation to facilitate the disbursement of forex at respective CBN branches.


The latest intervention by the CBN is likely to be met with cautious optimism by market participants. The continued injection of US dollars into the BDC segment aims to improve access to forex for legitimate transactions, potentially alleviating some pressure on the parallel market.


However, the effectiveness of this strategy hinges on several factors: the extent to which the allocated amount meets the current demand for forex remains to be seen; strict adherence to the stipulated maximum selling price by BDCs is crucial for ensuring transparency and preventing market distortions; and while stop-gap measures like these can provide temporary relief, addressing the underlying causes of FX scarcity is essential for achieving long-term market stability.


The CBN’s recent actions since February 2024 highlight its ongoing efforts to manage forex liquidity and ensure the smooth functioning of the foreign exchange market.


The success of this strategy will depend on continued monitoring, adjustments as needed, and fostering a more market-driven approach to FX allocation in the long run.

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Emeka Ihedioha, a former governor of Imo State, has resigned as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.


His resignation was contained in a letter he submitted to the Chairman Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Mbutu Ward, Aboh Mbaise LGA, Imo State and obtained by platinumpost on Tuesday.


The former governor revealed that he is living the party because the party had toyed routes that are at variance to his beliefs and feels the it’s not strong enough as an opposition party.


His Letter reads: “Since 1998, I have contributed my quota to the development and transformation of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as one of the founding members. All these years, I have taken pride in the fact that the PDP is a party that will always look inward for internal reforms and provide credible leadership for the people, whether in power or outside power.


“I have had the benefit of serving and benefitting from the party at various levels. Regrettably, in recent times, the party has taken on a path that is at variance with my personal beliefs.


“Despite my attempt to offer counsel, the party is, sadly no longer able to carry out internal reforms, enforce its own rules or offer credible opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress.


“It is in the light of the foregoing, that I am compelled to offer my resignation from the People’s Democratic Party effective immediately. While this decision was difficult to take, I, however, believe that it is the right one.


“Despite this resignation, I will always be available to offer my services towards the deepening of democracy and good governance in Nigeria.”


In a similar event, platinumpost reports that about seven other members of PDP submitted their resignation letters as members of the party.


Some of the former members include: Chris Okewulonu, Hon. Onwubuariri Obinna Kingsley, Chief Stanley Ekezie, Kissinger Ikeokwu, Chukwuemeka Nwokeke Gregory, Obioma M. Iheduru, and John C. Nwiwu.

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On Tuesday, Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced a further reduction in diesel and aviation fuel prices to N940 and N980 per litre, respectively.


This follows its highly heralded price cut to N1,000 just two weeks ago.


Customers purchasing five million litres or more from the refinery would see a price increase of N940, while those purchasing one million litres or more will see a price increase of N970.


Speaking on the new development, the Head of Communication, Mr Anthony Chiejina, explained that the new price aligns with the company’s commitment to cushion the effect of economic hardship in Nigeria.


“I can confirm to you that Dangote Petroleum Refinery has entered a strategic partnership with MRS Oil and Gas stations, to ensure that consumers get to buy fuel at affordable prices, in all their stations be it Lagos or Maiduguri. You can buy as low as 1 litre of diesel at N1,050 and aviation fuel at N980 at all major airports where MRS operates.”


He further stated that the partnership would be extended to other major oil marketers. “The essence of this is to ensure that retail buyers do not buy at exorbitant prices.


“The Dangote Group is committed to ensuring that Nigerians have better welfare and as such, we are happy to announce these new prices and hope that it would go a long way to cushion the effect of economic challenges in the country.


It would be recalled that the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced a further reduction of the price of diesel from 1200 to 1,000 Naira per litre barely two weeks ago.


This marks the third major reduction in diesel price in less than three weeks when the product was sold at N1,700 to N1,200 and also a further reduction to N1,000 and now N940 for diesel and N980 for aviation fuel per litre.


President Bola Tinubu had also commended Dangote for the initial price reduction, describing it as an “enterprising feat.”


Reacting to the latest development, the Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr Ajayi Kadiri, said, “The decision of Dangote Refinery to first crash the price from about N1,750/litre to N1,200/litre, N1,000/litre and now N940 is an eloquent demonstration of the capacity of local industries to positively impact the fortunes of the national economy.”


He added “The trickledown effect of this singular intervention promises to change the dynamics in the energy cost equation of the country, amid inadequate and rising cost of electricity.


“The reduction will have far-reaching effects in critical sectors like industrial operations, transportation, logistics, and agriculture, contributing to easing the high inflation rate in the country; a lot of companies will be back in operation.”

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John Terry and Andrew Cole have been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

According to the League’s official website, their induction was based on a combination of Premier League Awards Panel and global fan voting, with the two chosen from a shortlist of 15 former players.

They became the 23rd and 24th inductees into the Premier League Hall of Fame, joining Ashley Cole, who received the League’s greatest distinction this year.

On Tuesday, a gathering will take place in London to recognize the three new inductees.

Cole scored 187 goals from 414 appearances, which includes just one penalty, which puts him fourth in the Premier League’s all-time highest-goal scorers’ list.

In his first Premier League season in 1993–94, he scored 34 goals for Newcastle United, earning him the Golden Boot.

Cole won five Premier League titles, including three in succession between 1998–1999 and 2000–2001, after joining Manchester United in 1995 for a then record British transfer fee.

Cole also scored important goals during United’s historic Treble-winning campaign.

Terry has captained Chelsea to five Premier League titles, making him the most successful captain in the club’s history.

With 492 top-flight appearances, he is the league’s all-time highest-scoring defender with 41 goals and he owns the record for the most Premier League clean sheets (214).

Terry guided the Blues to their first Premier League title in 50 years in 2004–05 and they went on to add another in the following season. In 2009–10, 2014–15, and 2016–17—Terry’s last season at Stamford Bridge—more titles were won.

Terry and Cole joined Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer, Steven Gerrard, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Eric Cantona, Sergio Aguero, Didier Drogba, Vincent Kompany, Wayne Rooney, Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and a host of other ex-footballers in the hall of fame exclusive list.

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Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to serve a copy of the charge against the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, on his lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohamed.

This follows the absence of Bello in court for his arraignment on Tuesday. He was absent from court for his arraignment on a 19-count charge of alleged money laundering to the tune of ₦84bn.

The judge relied on section 384 (4 and 5) of the Administrative and Criminal Justice Act 2015, directing the counsel to the immediate past governor, to receive a copy of the charge.

The court held that where it had become impossible to effect personal service of a legal process on a defendant, such could be done through substituted means.

Justice Nwite further held that it was clear that the former governor failed to appear in court for his arraignment.

Lead counsel to the anti-graft agency, Kemi Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, argued the application.

Although Bello’s lawyer, Mohammed, initially declined to accept the charges and proof of evidence, he was compelled to do so by Justice Nwite.

The judge rejected the plea by the senior lawyer that a junior lawyer in his team, AI Musa, be the one to accept the charges on behalf of the former governor.

Justice Nwite had last week issued a bench warrant against Bello following an application to that effect by EFCC.

The EFCC subsequently declared the former governor wanted for his persistent absence in court and for evading the criminal charges against him.


(Channels)

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Nigerians have expressed outrage over a viral video of a female student at Lead British International School Abuja being bullied by her classmates.

An X user @Omoyeeeeeee posted on her handle to call on Nigerians to make the ignoble act of the students go viral just as she demanded for justice for the girl in the video.

The post read “There’s a video I’m about to post. I need you guys to help me get justice for (sic). She was bullied in her school by her classmates at Lead British School, Abuja.

“Pls make it go viral so she can get justice,” the post read.

In one of the videos, the victim was seen being slapped repeatedly by another female student while asking “Who broke my heart?”.

In the second video, the female student was seen being interrogated and slapped repeatedly by her classmate.

Meanwhile, the video has generated a lot of reactions from Nigerians calling on the appropriate authorities to intervene with the view to get justice for the victim.

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A passenger whose name has not been revealed died in mid-air aboard Delta Air Lines’ flight from Atlanta, United States, to Lagos.

A press statement made by the airline acknowledged the incident, saying that the crew chose to divert the aircraft to Lome, Togo’s capital, due to inclement weather in Nigeria.

According to another passenger on the plane, the trip was delayed at Lome due to refueling and weather. The Delta Air Lines’ A330-200 aircraft carried 215 passengers.

However, the flight successfully landed in Lagos almost eight and a half hours after the scheduled time.

The flight was originally scheduled to arrive at 10am on Monday. It was learnt that the passengers were compensated.

Delta Air in a statement apologised for the inconveniences, adding that the airline regretted any difficulty or delays caused to its customers’ travel arrangements during the flight.

The statement read, “Delta flight 54 ATL-LOS has landed safely in LOS after an onboard customer medical situation and subsequent diversion to LFW due to weather. We sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience and delay in their travel plans.”

A Nigerian passenger inside the plane, @samson_Goddy also confirmed the incident on his X profile. He stated that his flight was delayed and that two medical emergencies occurred, including the death of a woman in midair.

He noted that the passengers were forced to make an emergency landing in a different country after the aircraft ran out of fuel.

He wrote, “My Delta flight from Atlanta to Lagos was scheduled to land at 10am, but arrived at 6pm or later.

“So we had two health emergencies: a lady died on the flight midair, we ran out of fuel and were forced to do an emergency landing in another country, and we were grounded for 5+ hours.”

Responding to questions on X about the incident he added, “Yes, oh, one woman died like that three hours after we left. I think it was a heart attack, because there was a doctor onboard. But I overheard something similar.”

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Dana Air’s aircraft skidded off the runway at the Lagos airport early Tuesday morning.

The aircraft operated by Dana Air veered off the runway at the Lagos airport on early hours of Tuesday.

Statepress reports that, there have been no confirmed casualties, although it remains unclear what transpired as of the time of filling this report.

The airline and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) have not commented or issued a statement on the matter.

More details to follow…

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The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) stated that vandals destroyed four towers along the Jos-Gombe transmission line, causing power outages in Adamawa, Gombe, and Taraba states.


TCN general manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, who reported this in a statement late Monday night, said the towers were vandalized at 3:32pm on Monday.


As a result, the bulk power supply to Gombe, Yola, and Jalingo Substations has been disrupted, affecting the bulk power supply to parts of Yola and Jos Electricity Distribution Companies’ franchise areas.


“The Transmission Company of Nigeria hereby states that four towers along the Jos – Gombe 330kV transmission line have been vandalised at about 3:32 pm today, 22nd April 2024.


“TCN notes that when the 330kV transmission line tripped, its operators attempted to restore it to service but it tripped again, prompting the dispatch of TCN lines men to trace the line to detect and rectify the fault.


“While fault tracing, TCN’s engineering crew discovered that towers 288, 289, 290, and 291 were vandalised and that some tower members were carted away. Also, the towers had equally collapsed as a result of the incident.



“Presently, bulk power supply to Gombe, Yola, and Jalingo Substations have been disrupted, affecting the bulk power supply to parts of Yola and Jos Electricity Distribution Companies’ franchise areas.


“To mitigate the effect of the incident on electricity consumers affected by the incident, TCN is trying to first back feed Gombe through its 132kV transmission line from Bauchi and subsequently Ashaka, Potiskum, Damaturu, and Billiri/ Savannah.


“We will do everything possible to restore supply to the affected areas while efforts are made to reconstruct the four vandalised towers,” the TCN spokesperson said.


Platinumpost reported that Abuja was thrown into darkness in February over the vandalisation of TCN towers.

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