The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has launched a rigorous campaign against the extortion and illicit activities of touts at Nigerian airports, as announced by FAAN Managing Director, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, during a press briefing on Saturday. Addressing the press in her Lagos office, Kuku stated the persistent issue of touts harassing and extorting unsuspecting passengers at various airports across the country. She vowed to eradicate these illegal activities, reinforcing her commitment to providing a seamless and pleasant experience for travelers. Kuku appointed Henry Agbebire, FAAN’s Director of Special Duties, to head a dedicated committee tasked with combating these…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
The Defence Headquarters says operational adjustments have been made by the military to prioritise protection for farmers to ensure successful rainy season farming. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this known on Friday in Abuja while giving updates on the operations of the armed forces. Buba said the armed forces had intensified intelligence collection efforts targeted at hunting terrorists and striking them where they may be hiding and hibernating./ 1:00 He said the aim was to eliminate the terrorists and the infrastructure that supports their activities. According to him, troops will continue to employ significant firepower to…
Iran’s supreme court has overturned a death sentence against popular rapper Toomaj Salehi who was jailed for backing nationwide protests sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death, his lawyer said Saturday. “Salehi’s death sentence was overturned,” the rapper’s lawyer Amir Raisian said in a post on X, adding that the Islamic Republic’s top court had ordered a retrial. In April, an Iranian court sentenced Salehi to death for the capital offence of “corruption on earth”, Raisian said at the time. The rapper was also found guilty of “assistance in sedition, assembly and collusion, propaganda against the state and calling for riots”, the…
Russian strikes on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Saturday killed two people and wounded 15, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said. Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is close to the Russian border and has been severely damaged in repeated attacks. Russia launched a fresh offensive in the Kharkiv region in May, making the most significant territorial gains for 18 months. Synegubov wrote on Telegram that Russian soldiers “hit a residential building with guided bombs” on Saturday afternoon. “According to initial information from emergency medics, two people were killed. The number of wounded from the occupier’s strikes has risen to…
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has issued three Executive Orders in the state which include the creation of two new agencies and a ban on traditional rulers from engaging in mining agreements. The newly established agencies are the Ogun State Mineral Resources Development Agency and the Ogun State Landscaping and Recreation Agency. These initiatives are part of the governor’s broader strategy to responsibly manage the state’s rich mineral resources and to promote sustainable development. According to a statement from Abiodun’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, these executive orders are effective immediately. Governor Abiodun stated…
The Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM) has endorsed the Federal Government’s Trade Modernisation Project, citing its potential to expedite cargo clearance at Nigerian ports and enhance revenue generation. Speaking to journalists on Thursday, NAMM President Captain Tajudeen Alao stated the project’s usefulness in advancing Nigeria’s technological capabilities and global trade visibility. Alao noted that the shift from traditional customs methods to a fully automated system would streamline operations and align Nigeria with global best practices. “The world has moved beyond conventional methods of doing business,” Alao stated. “More than 30 years ago, Singapore transitioned from a third-world to…
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced the approval of N21 billion for 11 electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to provide meters for customers. This announcement was made in NERC’s ORDER NO: NERC/2024/072 on the Operationalization of “Tranche A” of the Presidential Metering Initiative Under the Framework of Meter Acquisition Fund. ”The order signed by NERC Chairman, Mr Sanusi Garba and Commissioner Legal, Dafe Akpeneye, shall become effective from June 2024 and may be amended or revoked by subsequent orders issued by the commission./ 1:00 “The commission hereby approves the sum of N21 billion apportioned pro rata to contribution by…
The World Bank has supported the Oyo State Government with an N3.5 billion grant for the renovation of 105 selected public primary schools across the state. The state governor, Seyi Makinde, made the disclosure on Friday in Ibadan during a symbolic presentation of cheques to representatives of some of the beneficiary schools. Makinde, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Bayo Lawal said the grant was meant for the renovation of primary schools with critical attention. The governor explained that the works would commence simultaneously in all the 105 schools selected across the three senatorial districts of the state. He…
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has pledged $1.58 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, over the next five years. The pledge, unveiled by USAID Administrator Samantha Power on June 20, 2024, aims to vaccinate half a billion children globally and fortify international health security. Building on a 24-year partnership that has already immunized over one billion children and saved 17 million lives, the U.S. is increasing its support by eight percent compared to the previous five-year period. This pledge, made at Gavi’s replenishment launch in Paris, is the U.S.’s first-ever five-year commitment to Gavi and signals a…
Torrential rains across Central America have left at least 27 dead in landslides and flooding over the past week, mainly in El Salvador, but also in Guatemala and Honduras, officials said Friday. El Salvador’s Environment Minister Fernando Lopez said the deluge was a result of low pressure over the Pacific Ocean, with indirect influence from tropical storm Alberto which left four people dead in Mexico. “Unfortunately, the death toll has now reached 19, a very regrettable event,” said El Salvador civil protection boss Luis Amaya, in a television interview. Among those killed were two girls whose home was buried by…
A Swiss court handed jail sentences to four members of Britain’s richest family on Friday for exploiting Indian staff at their Geneva mansion. The Hindujas — who were not present in court — were acquitted of human trafficking, but convicted on other charges in a stunning verdict for the family whose fortune is estimated at 37 billion pounds ($47 billion). Prakash Hinduja and his wife Kamal Hinduja each got four years and six months, while their son Ajay and his wife Namrata received four-year terms, the presiding judge in Geneva ruled. The cases stem from the family’s practice of bringing…
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has inaugurated the N62.8 billion Gusau International Airport project to enhance agricultural, tourism, and educational opportunities in Zamfara state. Speaking at the ceremony, Keyamo stated the strategic importance of the Gusau International Airport in bridging the gap left by the lack of air transport facilities in the state, which has long lagged behind other North-Western states in Nigeria. “Zamfara stands out as the food basket of the entire North-West,” Keyamo remarked. “This airport will not only provide logistical support for agricultural processes but also place Zamfara on the map as a hub of agro-business…