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You’re A Source of Inspiration – Tinubu Hails Wole Soyinka On 89th Birthday

Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Nobel Laureate and elder statesman Prof. Wole Soyinka on his 89th birthday.
In a message on Thursday, Tinubu said Soyinka is a veritable source of support, inspiration, and encouragement.
The President, who called Professor Soyinka a brother and comrade in the struggle to restore and entrench democracy and good governance in Nigeria, commended him for his immense contributions to the country’s development.
“Today, I celebrate Nobel Laureate, elder statesman, and pro-democracy activist, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on his attainment of 89.
 
“Renowned playwright, poet, novelist, Professor Wole Soyinka has done much for Nigeria. In the literary world, he remains a giant, an Iroko. Importantly, his contributions to the struggle for restoring and institutionalising democracy and good governance in Nigeria are indelible.
 
“Together, along with other activists, we fought for democracy under the aegis of NADECO at great risk to our personal lives.
 
“Professor Soyinka remains a beacon and a source of inspiration and support to many of us.
 
“As he attains 89 today, we pray that God Almighty grant him more years and strength so he can be around to witness the new Nigeria we are building in line with our Agenda for a Renewed Hope for the country, where security, prosperity, and economic development will reign supreme,” Tinubu stated.
Soyinka was born on July 13, 1939, in Abeokuta.
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Subsidy Removal: I’m Aware That Nigerians Are Suffering – President Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has stated that he is aware of the sufferings experienced by Nigerians following the removal of fuel subsidy.

He assured Nigerians that the decision was in the best interest of the country, especially in guaranteeing future prosperity.

The President stated this when he received the 18 governors who served with him, Class of 1999, at the Presidential Villa, on July 12. He assured Nigerians that the framework for palliatives to remedy the effects of fuel subsidy removal was being worked out.

Tinubu said the government will increase effort, speed up the process and ensure a full-proof social security structure that will not be compromised, especially in cash-transfer.

“I understand that our people are suffering yet there can be no childbirth without pain. The joy of childbirth is the relief that comes after the pain. Nigeria is reborn already with fuel subsidy removal. It is a rebirth of the country for the largest number over a few smugglers. Please tell the people to be a little patient.

The palliative is coming. I don’t want cash-transfer to fall into wrong hands. I know it pinches and it is difficult. In the end, we will rejoice in the prosperity of our country,’’ he told the governors, who were led by former Governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion.

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FEC Approves N59.78bn For Ogoni Cleanup Projects

The sum of N59.78 billion was been approved by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday, March 29, for the continuation of Ogoni cleanup exercise.

The council also approved two major contracts for the construction of a Centre of Excellence for environmental restoration Wiiyaakara in Kana council area of Rivers State and a 100-bed specialist hospital in Ogoni.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, said the projects were to facilitate efficient and cost-effective approaches to contamination management and environmental restoration while supporting the well-being and welfare of the people who had been impacted by the negative effects of contamination in those areas.

He said, “On behalf of the Ministry of Environment, HYPREP Project Office, I presented two memos one for the award of contract for the construction of Centre of Excellence for environmental restoration at Wiiyaakara, Bori in, in Khana local government area of River State, in favour of CCECC Nigeria Limited, in the sum of N41,472,263,848.60, with a completion period of 24 months.

“The second memo, which is equally approved, which is also in line with the UNEP Report on the level components, is the contract for the construction of Ogoni 100-bed specialist hospital in favour of Messrs Tannit Medical Engineering Limited, in the sum of N18,308,463,225.37, plus 7.5% of VAT, with a delivery period of 24 months.”

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BREAKING: Train collides with BRT bus in Lagos

A passenger train collides with a Lagos state government BRT staff bus at PWD junction in the Ikeja area of the state on Thursday morning.

The BRT, which was carrying government workers, was crossing the rail to connect with Ikeja GRA when it was hit by the train travelling from Agege. In a series of images from the accident making rounds on the internet, onlookers gathered to rescue victims of the bus-train crash.

The accident has caused heavy traffic on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway for motorists travelling from Oshodi around Shogunle to Ikeja-Along.

Pending an official statement from the Lagos State government, the number of casualties and names of victims remains unknown.

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Breaking: Veteran Yoruba actor, Fadeyi Oloro is dead

Nollywood actor, Ojo Arowosafe better known as Fadeyi Oloro is dead.

According to information reaching Kilamity, the veteran died after a protracted illness.

The news of his death is doubt a big blow to the movie industry especially the Yoruba movie industry.

Pastor Tobi Adegboyega helps ailing Yoruba actor Fadeyi Oloro with 3 million naira

Kilamity reported just days back that UK pastor had gifted the ailing actor three million naira for treatment.

This move was following a live video session between Daddy Freeze and Fadeyi Oloro on Instagram.

The live video session captured moments Fadeyi Oloro begged for the assistance of Nigerians to help him recover from his long-term illness.

Fadeyi Oloro begged Daddy Freeze to help him solicit funds from Nigerians and his fans in the diaspora.

Another live video session captured the moments Daddy Freeze introduced Fadeyi Oloro to Pastor Adegboyega.

The latter claimed to have known the veteran actor who blessed his childhood with lovely movies.

Pastor Adegboye pledged to assist the actor with the three million naira Daddy Freeze was planning to raise.

He also promised Fadeyi Oloro other goodies, with assurance of receiving the promised money soon.

Pastor Tobi Adegboyega redeems promise to veteran, Fadeyi Oloro

Keeping to his promise, Pastor Tobi Adegboyega has sent the money to the family of the actor.

Media personality, Daddy Freeze shared screenshots of the alert, as well as chats between him and the actor’s family member, who confirmed they had received the money.

“The N3 million @tobiadegboyega_ sent to Fadeyi Oloro has been remitted to the family, along with an additional N261,000 raised.

Thank you PT for being a friend and brother”, Daddy Freeze wrote.

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Naira Scarcity: Students Pay For Transport With Foodstuff In Lagos

Fresh reports show that the controversial cashless regime of the Federal Government has continued to take a toll on citizens across the country, including students.

The redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and insistence on the use of only new naira notes have starved millions of funds since January.

Last week, the Supreme Court nullified the enforcement of new notes, extending the validity of the old N200, N500, and N1,000 till December 31.

The apex court declared that President Muhammadu Buhari’s action was not only not permitted under democracy, it breached the Constitution and the rights of the citizens.

Though the CBN was directed to release the new notes immediately, they are yet to circulate as expected. Only a few banks and Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, have adequate cash.

In Lagos, some students say they have been paying for transport and other services with foodstuffs they took from home.

On Tuesday, two students of the Government Technical College in Odomola, Epe, narrated their experience to DAILY POST.

Ridwan, who studies Plumbing and Pipefitting, said he had to pay for his fare with rice while returning to school on Monday.

The teenager recalled how the drivers of the buses he entered initially got furious when he could not provide cash but eased after he offered food.

“As I was leaving in the morning, I could not get cash from the ATM or PoS, so I used the only cash with me to get to Chevron bus stop.

“It was rice that helped me get to school. The price from Chevron to Ajah is N300 but I gave the bus driver one derica of rice.

“Ajah to Epe is N1,000…I paid with another one derica. When I got to Epe, I explained to the okada man that I didn’t have cash but had food.

“He took me to my area near Landlord Association road and I gave him one derica instead of paying N300. That’s how my three derica finished,” he lamented.

Tunde, who studies Garment Making, revealed he used a loaf of bread in exchange for transport on Sunday, saying other colleagues do the same in recent times.

“No cash and we cannot withdraw for some weeks now. The foodstuff we take from home is small but we don’t have a choice other than use it to find our way.

“If you’re not ready to drop something, no car, bus, okada, or even keke will carry you except the ones that decide to assist because we are students,” he said.

Meanwhile, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has asked President Buhari to disclose how his government is obeying the court order.

Reacting to the judgement, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, said the Supreme Court displayed courage and rescued Nigerians from “the pangs of death, frustration and looming economic recession.”

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PDP Spent Over 400bn On Presidential Election – Dino Melaye

Senator Dino Melaye, the Chief Spokesperson for the Atiku-Okowa presidential council, has made a new revelation.

He said the Peoples Democratic Party presidential campaign council spent over N400billion on their campaigns.

The spokesperson disclosed this in a video obtained by the PUNCH on Monday night.

In the one minute 45 seconds video, the Melaye said that the whole concept of redesigning the naira was a deception.

This is coming hours after the PDP leadership led by Senator Iyorchia Ayu, and other party chieftains stormed the headquarters of INEC to protest the declaration of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, as the president-elect after the February 25, 2023 elections.

The PDP, Labour Party, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party rejected the election results describing the election as being marred by violence, rigging, lacking integrity by the non-uploading of the presidential results on the IRev portal in real time on the election day thereby calling for its cancellation among others.

The PDP had also lamented what it described as the irregularities recorded during the conduct of the elections.

Melaye further remarked that “to make sure that the mandate of the people given freely to Atiku Abubakar is retrieved, we spent over N400bn just for a caricature show. INEC deceived Nigerians.

On the naira redesign, the spokesperson alleged that “because money was given to Bola Tinubu, the APC shared new notes on Election Day across the country and the PDP was starved of funds. Naira redesign was a ploy by INEC to deceive Nigerians.

He also called on all PDP supporters, lovers of democracy all over the country not to allow this to stand.

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Bandits Kill DPO, Police Sergeant And Vigilante In Zamfara

SP Kazeem Raheem, a Divisional Police Officer, in Maru town, headquarters of Maru local government area of Zamfara state has been killed by bandits during a gun duel.

Raheem was killed alongside a vigilante identified as Shehu Chuka and a police sergeant, Rabiu Bagobiri, said to be an orderly to a former chairman of Maru LGA.

A resident, who craved anonymity, told Daily Trust that the bandits had invaded the town on Saturday night, March 4, 2023, to kidnap a businessman identified as Alhaji Iliyasu.

The gunmen had earlier abducted his brother who was reportedly freed after ransom was paid. They came again to kidnap him but he managed to escape, while they took his wife.

Upon getting the information, the DPO mobilized his men and some local vigilantes to repel the bandits but unfortunately lost his life in the gunfight.

“It was a terrible experience. I woke up at the sound of heavy gunfire around 2am. Maru town has been under constant attack by these criminals, several people were kidnapped in the past one year.” the source said.

Spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Mohammed Shehu, who confirmed the incident to Channels Television, said police authorities are currently in Maru for an on-the-spot assessment.

“We are currently in Maru, I will get back to you when we return to Gusau,” he added.

Meanwhile, another source from the local government said that an unspecified number of residents were also abducted in the attack.

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Newly Elected Senators, Reps To Receive Return Certificates March 7, 8

The candidates of political parties who ran and were elected into the Senate and House of Representatives during last Saturday’s election will receive their certificates of return next week.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said this at a meeting with the Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, and the Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, on Saturday.

According to Yakubu, Senators-elect would be given their certificates on March 7, while their House of Representatives counterparts would receive theirs on March 8.

The INEC Chairman also disclosed that winners had been declared for 423 legislative seats, adding that supplementary elections were indicated in 46 constituencies.

It was revealed that 98 out of the 109 Senate seats and 325 out of the 360 House of Representatives seats have also been declared.

Seven political parties won the senate seats; eight parties won the House of Representatives seats.

“Senators/House of Reps-elect to receive certificates on 7th, 8th March respectively,” the INEC boss said.

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Late Sani Abacha’s Son, Abdullahi Dies In His Sleep

Abdullahi, one of the sons of late military former Head of State, Sani Abacha, has passed on.

His demise was disclosed  on Saturday by his sister, Gumsu Sani Abacha.

Gumsu broke the sad news in a Twitter post.

According to her, Abdullahi died in the early hours of the day.

“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. I lost my younger brother Abdullahi Sani Abacha,” she wrote.

“May Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him jannatul firdous, Ameen. Please include him in your prayers,” she added.