ONE WORD

About 100 people said to be victims of kidnappers who terrorised communities around Kogi-Nasarawa boundary and travellers who passed through that area for over eight years, have been rescued by troops. The kidnap victims who are mostly women and children were rescued from Darusalam by troops of the 177 battalion and the army records, Lokoja. According to Mohammed Onogwu, the chief press secretary to Governor Yahaya Bello, the camp located at Ittu is home to about 2,000 kidnappers and some Boko Haram members. The statement read; “Between last Saturday and Wednesday, about 100 persons, mostly women and children, were rescued and taken to Lafia, while yesterday at Achara in Tawari Ward of Kogi LGA, about 180 family members of Darusalam were captured. “One of the suspects was shot dead while attempting to escape during the military clearing operations. “The logistics support of the Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, to the Nigerian Army helped in no small measure in the success recorded by...

  Ghanaian authorities have responded to several allegations made by the Nigerian government through information minister Lai Mohammed, over the treatment of Nigerian citizens in the country. Mr Mohammed had on Friday accused the Ghanaian government of sabotaging its diplomatic relations with Nigeria. In  the statement published by PREMIUM TIMES , the Nigerian information minister accused the country of supporting incessant arrest and deportation of its citizens. He mentioned the closure of shops belonging to Nigerians and cases of harassment which generated furore recently. “Closure of shops belonging to Nigerians; over 300 Nigerians’ shops were locked for four months in Kumasi in 2018; over 600 Nigerians’ shops were locked in 2019 and, currently, over 250 Nigerians’ shops have been locked.” He decried the residency permit requirements, for which the Ghana Immigration Service has placed huge fees, far higher than the fees charged by the  Nigerian Immigration Service . “T...

The invitation to the wedding fatiha between President Buhari's youngest daughter, Hanan, and Turad Sha’aban has been sent out. The marriage is billed to take place on Friday, September 4, 2020. The venue for the wedding is the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock. This is the first-ever wedding to take place in the Aso Rock Villa. The groom is the son of a former lawmaker, Alhaji Mahmud Sani Sha'aban, who represented Zaria in the House of Representatives from May 2003 to May 2007. Sha'aban is also a former governorship candidate in Kaduna State under the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria. See the wedding IVs below.

  See the names of 11 politicians from South East that Igbo group says are qualified to be president of Nigeria in 2023 An Igbo group, Igbo for President Solidarity Group, headed by a Yoruba man, Dr. Olukayode Oshiariyo, has suggested 11 politicians from the South-Eastern states that are “qualified to be presented as presidential candidates in 2023 general elections”. Announcing the names of the Igbo politicians on Friday August 28, in Abuja after the group's meeting, the president , Dr. Olukayode Oshiariyo, said the time has come for the country to produce a president from the Igbo tribe. “IPSC has come to the conclusion that in 2023, a man or woman of Igbo extraction will become the president of Nigeria. “IPSC will engage in consultations across the six geo-political zones, visitation to Emirs, Obas, Eze, Obi and chiefs, to discuss and examine the characters and integrity of the eleven persons suggested,’’ he said. Names suggested by the group include Dr Ogbonaya Onu, Peter Obi, ...

The World Mourns The Loss Of Black Panther Star Chadwick Boseman Chadwick Boseman who played a major role in Marvel’s “Black Panther” has died at age 43 after a 4-year battle with colon cancer. The world is currently mourning the loss of a hero. Chadwick Aaron Boseman has portrayed several real-life historical figures, such as Jackie Robinson in 42, James Brown in Get on Up, and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall The actor’s family released a statement to the press saying “It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman. Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV.” They admitted that it was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.” “He died in his home, with his wife and family by his side” Boseman star caused stir online back in April after pictures of him looking skinny and unhealthy surfaced on the internet. His health sparked a major c...

President Muhammadu Buhari on August 28, 2020 commiserated with the families of the victims of a helicopter that crashed in Lagos State.   President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the families of the victims of the helicopter that crashed in the Opebi area of Lagos State. The President’s condolence was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina. According to the statement, President Buhari said the nation awaits the report of the investigation into the accident by the aviation regulatory agencies. While praying that God will console the families of the victims and grant peace to the souls of the dead, the President wished the injured a speedy recovery. The President’s reaction comes hours after the aircraft crashed into a private residence, killing two crew members and critically injured one person. The helicopter, a Bell 206, with registration number 5N BQW is said to belong to Quorum Aviation and came in from Port Harcourt, the R...

  Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Thursday endorsed death sentence passed on 22-year-old Yahaya Sharif-Aminu by upper Shari’a court for blaspheming. Sharif-Aminu, a resident of Sharifai quarters in Kano municipal, was sued for “insulting religious creed, contrary to section 382 (b) of Kano State Shari’a Penal Code Law 2000.” According to the litigation, he committed blasphemy against the prophet in a song he circulated that went viral via WhatsApp in March 2020. The Shari’a court, presided by Khadi Aliyu Muhammad Kani, found him guilty of the charge and orderd he should be hanged until he dies. Ganduje applauded the judgment while speaking at Africa House, Government House, Kano, in a “Special Meeting” with Muslim Ulamahs. Leaders of the Ulamahs, who represented the three major sects of Islam: Izalah, Tijjaniyya and Kadiriyya, unanimously hailed the judgment. The meeting also had in attendance the Commissioner of Police, Director State Security Service (DSS), Represen...

  The deceased, Miss Vera Uwaila The police Wednesday evening paraded six persons believed to have been involved in the killing of 100 level University of Benin Student, Vera Uwaila Omozuwa. She was attacked in a church in May where she had gone to read. She later died in the hospital. Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo Identified the suspects as Nelson Ogbebor, Akato Valentine, Mrs. Tina Samuel, Mrs. Mary Ade, Nosa Osabohien and Collins Ulegbe. He said “The matter was a great concern to the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Muhammed Adamu who sent to us here in Benin, Homicide experts to work with our policemen at the state criminal investigation department. “What we are seeing today, is a result of the uniting efforts of the police to get at the root of the crime and today, I announce to you and making public through this medium that the perpetrators have been arrested. “The postmortem results had actually confirmed that she was raped”, he said. The Police Commissioner, Mr Jo...

  Front view of the exotic cars GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike on Tuesday overwhelmed Rivers lawmakers in the National Assembly (NASS) with car gifts, charging them to defend Rivers state interests at all time in the discharge of their duties. Wike, through Amb Desmond Akawor, Rivers Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presented 15 Land Cruiser Prado VX and TXL jeeps to the Rivers NASS members at Government House, Port Harcourt. The Governor, in a statement released on the event by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paulinus Nsirim, said, “The gesture would ease their movement and enable them to discharge their legislative duties effectively. He urged the all PDP recipients to keep faith with the Party so they can collectively recover what was lost at the national during the forthcoming 2023 general election. Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, George Thompson Sekibo noted on behalf of his colleagues that despite challenges posed by COVID-19 on the s...

  Emergency responders and fire fighters at the location to combat the Access Bank raging fire. A fire outbreak has occurred at a branch of  Access Bank Plc  located at Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The fire outbreak, which started around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, was yet to be put out at the time of this report. The fire was attributed to a diesel truck discharging fuel at the bank. Access Bank confirmed the incident in a tweet, saying no one was harmed and safety protocols have been activated. “There has been a fire incident at our Adetokunbo Ademola branch this morning. Thankfully, no one was harmed. “Our fire protocol has been activated and all personnel have been moved to safety. “Cause of the fire was a diesel truck discharging fuel, we advise you to avoid that area,” the tweet reads. Emergency responders and firefighters are at the location, to combat the raging fire.

  Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi, has told the club to terminate his contract, so he can leave as a free agent, Marca reports. Messi is understood to have told the Catalans, to activate a clause in his contract, which allows him to leave the club at the end of the season. However, both parties have disagreed over when the season actually finished. Barca feel the clause could only be activated by the end of June, while Messi feels the campaign ends in August. According to Spanish football expert, Guillem Balague, this is likely to result in a standoff and Messi refusing to undergo preseason tests or training. Balague tweeted: “He has no intention to do the preseason tests or start the training sessions with Ronald Koeman. He had told the coach already that he saw himself ‘closer to leave than to stay’.” Daily post 

In this picture taken on August 24, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari presides over a meeting attended by UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, and others at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.   President Muhammadu Buhari has again condemned the attack on the office of the United Nations (UN) by Boko Haram terrorists in 2011. Speaking on Monday in Abuja when he received a delegation led by the UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, the President noted that the attack by the terrorists was regrettable. He, however, said the reconstruction of the UN building by the government was in full appreciation of the work of the international organisation. “Thank you for what you have been doing in the country, especially for women and children. I am glad you have put together a dedicated team to work with us,” the President was quoted as saying in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu. He also welcome...

  Ajax’s Donny van de Beek is ready to snub Barcelona to join Man United, according to reports from Spain. Quoting Sky Sports,  Fichajes.com   reports that despite being at the top of the Blaugrana’s transfer shopping list, the Dutchman has his heart set on a Premier League move and that United are the team leading the chase. The multifaceted central midfielder scored 10 goals and provided 11 assists in 37 games across all competitions last season. Whilst primarily an attacking midfielder, he can also play in the holding role and from box-to-box. Barcelona’s new coach Ronald Koeman knows the player well, having coached him for the Netherlands national side, for whom the 23-year-old has nine full caps. ‘In that sense, one of the players who has completely dazzled Koeman is Donny van de Beek, who seems to have made the decision to leave Ajax Amsterdam,’ Fichajes reports. ‘However, Sky Sports comments that the Netherlands international would prefer to try his luck away from ...