A fire incident was contained at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery located in the Lekki Free Zone, Lagos. The fire broke out at the refinery’s effluent treatment plant (ETP) early Wednesday morning, causing a cloud of thick smoke to billow into the sky. Anthony Chiejina, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of Dangote Group, confirmed the incident in a statement. He assured the public that the situation was under control and that there was no cause for alarm. “We have swiftly contained a minor fire incident at our effluent treatment plant (ETP) today, Wednesday, 26th of June,” Chiejina stated. Despite the fire…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
In a recent ActiVote poll conducted between June 5-21, former President Donald Trump has surged ahead of incumbent President Joe Biden among independent voters, showcasing a lead as the 2024 presidential election approaches. The poll, which surveyed 2,029 likely voters, revealed that in a two-way matchup, Trump commands 61 percent of the independent vote, while Biden trails at 39 percent. Even in a three-way scenario including independent candidate Robert D. Kennedy Jr., Trump maintains a strong lead with 47 percent of independents supporting him, compared to Biden’s 28 percent. This latest poll follows previous surveys indicating a competitive race between…
Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, has pleaded guilty to violating the Espionage Act in the U.S. territory of Saipan. Despite his plea, Assange maintained his stance as a journalist protected by the First Amendment. “Working as a journalist, I encouraged my source to provide information that was said to be classified in order to publish that information. I believe the First Amendment protected that,” Assange stated. He acknowledged the violation of an espionage statute but stated the difficulty of contesting the case. During the court proceedings, when asked if he was satisfied with the outcome, Assange responded, “It might…
The upcoming Biden-Trump debate, hosted by CNN on Thursday night, is set to be a defining moment in the neck-and-neck race for the White House. Historically, presidential debates have often been remembered for personality quirks and memorable gaffes rather than substantial policy discussions. However, this debate is different; it comes at a critical time for a nation deeply divided both internally and externally. The United States is currently navigating a host of challenges. Domestically, the country is contending with economic difficulties, including high prices and rising borrowing costs, along with ideological battles over reproductive rights and immigration policies. On the…
Finance Minister Wale Edun announced improvement in the country’s economic indicators, showcasing positive trends during a State House briefing. Edun, speaking after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu, highlighted key advancements in Nigeria’s financial health. Edun presented a memorandum on strengthening the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and addressed the volatile indices that previously clouded the economic outlook. He stated the administration had corrected practices that burdened the economy, leading to a notable 15% decrease in the country’s total debt stock in US dollar terms during the first quarter of 2024. This reduction, viewed as…
Ukraine has successfully destroyed columns of Russian soldiers using US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) after receiving permission from its allies to strike military targets across the border into Russia. Ukraine received the green light last month from its allies to use provided weapons for targeting Russian soil, reversing a previous restriction. According to a Ukrainian artillery commander with the call sign Hefastus, HIMARS units began their operations in the northern Kharkiv region as soon as the permission was granted. “The HIMARS were not silent for the whole day,” Hefastus stated. Hefastus reported that Ukrainian forces managed to destroy…
Five more police officers allegedly placed bets on the timing of the UK general election, a force spokesperson said Tuesday, as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak withdrew support from two Conservative candidates over the escalating scandal. The row has overshadowed the closing stretch of the election campaign as Sunak struggles to close his party’s 21-point average poll deficit to Keir Starmer’s Labour opposition before the July 4 vote. London’s Metropolitan Police said the Gambling Commission had informed it that five additional officers and a member of Sunak’s protection team were believed to have gambled on the election date. The protection officer…
Five people were shot dead and 31 wounded on Tuesday during protests in Kenya over proposed tax hikes, an NGO said. “At least five people have been shot dead while treating the injured. Thirty-one people have been injured,” the Kenya Medical Association said in a statement. According to reports, Kenyan police shot dead one protester near parliament Tuesday, a rights group said, with AFP journalists seeing three people lying motionless on the ground as crowds opposed to proposed tax hikes breached barricades to enter the parliamentary complex where a fire erupted. The mainly Gen-Z-led rallies, which began last week, have…
The Sokoto State House of Assembly has advanced the Sokoto Emirate Council Amendment Bill, passing it through the first and second readings. If enacted, this bill will curtail the authority of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, by stripping him of the power to appoint kingmakers and district heads without government approval. This legislative move follows recent concerns raised by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof. Isiaq Akintola, expressed alarm over an alleged plan by Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, to depose the Sultan. Prof. Akintola emphasized the Sultan’s dual role as both a traditional…
The Debt Management Office says the rise in Nigeria’s public debt stock from N97.34 trillion in December 2023 to N121.67 trillion in March is partly due to exchange rate fluctuations. The Director-General of DMO, Patience Oniha, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja. She was clarifying misconceptions about the recently released update of the country’s total debt profile. She said that the securitisation of N4.90 trillion as part of the securitisation of the N7.3 trillion Ways and Means Advances approved by the National Assembly was also responsible for the N24.33 trillion increase…
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been released from London’s Belmarsh High Security Prison after more than five years of detention. Assange, known for his role in publishing classified documents, including sensitive U.S. State Department cables, boarded a private jet and landed in Bangkok, Thailand, en route to the Northern Mariana Islands. Assange’s release follows a deal with U.S. prosecutors, under which he is expected to plead guilty to a single felony count, avoiding further prison time. This deal is a recent development in his long legal battle stemming from charges related to his collaboration with Chelsea Manning, who…
The Oyo State Assembly, under the leadership of Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin, is poised to suspend 11 lawmakers accused of disloyalty and defying directives from both the House leadership and Governor Seyi Makinde. The lawmakers facing suspension are Olorunpoto Oluwafemi Cephas (Oyo East/Oyo West), Olufunke Comforter (Ibadan North I), Abiodun Babalola (Ibadan Northeast I), Waheed Akintayo (Oluyole), Bisi Oluranti Micheal (Ogbomoso North), Ibraheem Shittu (Saki West), Abdulazeez Musbau (Kajola), Jimoh Lukman (Oorelope), Ayinde Waliu (Irepo/Olorunsogo), Olajide Operinde (Afijio), and Dauda Olalere (Ibadan North West). Most of these lawmakers are first-timers in the Assembly and have been branded as rebels by their…