Tobi Amusan has made Nigerians proud again as she qualified for the 100-meter hurdles semi-finals in the ongoing 2024 Olympics in Paris on Wednesday.

Naija News understands that the track and field athlete specialises in the 100-metre hurdles

Amusan, the reigning world record holder, outpaced the USA’s Alaysha Johnson, who finished second with a time of 12.61 seconds, and Janeek Brown, who clocked in at 12.84 seconds in Heat 1.

This performance positions Amusan as the second-fastest qualifier overall, trailing only the defending Olympic champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn from Puerto Rico.

It is noteworthy that Nigeria has not yet secured a medal in this year’s Olympic Games.

Naija News reports that the semi-finals are scheduled to take place on Friday, August 9, with the final event planned for the second-to-last day of the athletics competition, Saturday, August 10.

The 27-year-old athlete has demonstrated exceptional performance leading up to the sporting event, achieving a season-best and world-leading time of 12.40 seconds (0.9) at the Jamaican Athletics Invitational held in Kingston in May.

Prior to this, she established the indoor record for the African 60m hurdles on two occasions in January and February.

In March, she secured her third consecutive title at the African Games in Ghana, while also contributing to the women’s 4x100m relay team that won gold in Accra, in addition to her victory at the African Championships in Cameroon three months later.

Throughout this season, Amusan has participated in 17 competitions, which encompass the 60m, 100m, 100m hurdles, and the 4x100m relay.

Amusan, a three-time consecutive Diamond League champion, two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, two-time African champion, and three-time African Games gold medalist, has represented her country in two Olympic Games (Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020)

The Dangote Refinery is reportedly set to divest a 12.7 per cent stake in 2024 to facilitate loan servicing.

This development was disclosed in a recent report published by Fitch Ratings, a credit rating agency.

Fitch noted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had previously intended to purchase a 20 per cent stake in the refinery.

Nevertheless, the agency pointed out that the national oil company’s choice not to pursue its option of acquiring an additional 12.75 per cent by June 2024 could adversely affect the group’s capacity to manage its loan obligations.

In 2021, the NNPC secured a 7.25 per cent stake in the refinery for $1.0 billion, with the option to acquire the remaining 12.75 per cent by June 2024. However, the national oil company has since withdrawn from this commitment.

“Since the option has not been exercised, the group plans to divest a 12.75 per cent stake in DORC in 2024.

“The group intends to service its significant syndicated loan maturing in August 2024 from the equity divestment. However, timely divestment and meeting the imminent maturity are highly uncertain in our view,” Fitch said.

Naija News recalls that in July, the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, revealed that the NNPC holds only a 7.2 per cent stake in the refinery, contrary to the common belief among many Nigerians that it possesses a 20 per cent stake.

Dangote said: “The agreement was actually 20 per cent which we had with NNPC, and they did not pay the balance of the money up till last year; then we gave them another extension up till June (2024), and they said that they would remain where they have already paid, which is 7.2 per cent. So NNPC owns only 7.2 per cent, not 20 per cent.”

In a subsequent statement, the NNPC revealed that it has decided not to invest further in the refinery.

“NNPC Limited periodically assesses its investment portfolio to ensure alignment with the company’s strategic goals.

“The decision to cap its equity participation at the paid-up sum was made and communicated to Dangote Refinery several months ago,” the NNPC said in a statement by its spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye.

In the meantime, Nigeria’s former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has advocated for an independent audit to investigate the reasons behind the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s decision to limit its investment in the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to 7.2 per cent, rather than the initial intended 20 per cent.

“Did the Nigerian government not tell us it borrowed $3.3bn from Afriexim-Bank to take a stake in the Dangote refinery?” Ezekwesili asked, calling on President Bola Tinubu to immediately launch an independent audit of the Dangote refinery-NNPC transaction to offer the public the true state of play.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) said it has accepted the apology of former Senate Chief Whip Ali Ndume, who was stripped of his position for speaking out against hardship in the country.

The Senate removed Ndume (Borno South) from the position on July 17 for criticising Tinubu’s administration and replaced him with Senator Tahir Monguno (Borno North), following a letter from APC national chairman, Dr

Abdullahi Ganduje, and the party’s national secretary, Bashir Ajibola, in that regard.
However, after addressing journalists at a meeting of the APC National Working Committee and the lawmakers, Ganduje said the party’s administrative organ is writing to the Senate about the outcome of the interface so that the Red Chamber can review its earlier position.

He said, “We are pretty satisfied with his apology. Like he said, we invited him, and you know the party is the father of everybody. As a party, we are free to ask legislators, members of the executive, and even all the appointed party members in the government.

So, that is why we decided to come. It is a family issue, and we need to resolve it.
“We are writing to the National Assembly to let you know what has happened between Senator Ndume and the party. You know, he apologised to the party, and we conveyed the same issue to the National Assembly, that we hope they can review their position.”

On his part, Ndume insisted that he did not insult the President or say anything against the party. He only left the party out when expressing his concerns and admitted his mistake of not talking to the party as a last point.

“Yesterday, I was invited to a party, and here I am to discuss family matters. The national chairman is not just a national chairman to me but a father. With what has happened, which you are all aware of, it is not surprising that I am invited to hear my side, and we had family discussions. I accepted the mistake of not talking to the party as a last point. I promised the party that all my observations as a senior family member should have terminated or ended with the party.

“I will move forward on that, but whatever I said or did was out of patriotism. Those issues may be said to be strong, but they are true. Then I should have talked to the party at the last bus stop.”The President and the

Senate have nothing to do with this; the President did not take offence, I didn’t insult the President, I didn’t say anything against the party, but I left the party out of reaching on issues, and so, please I think that is all I can say,” Ndume maintained.

He emphasized that he remains the party leader in the state

Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has dismissed reports of his suspension from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking through his media aide, Terver Akase, Ortom declared the suspension null and void, emphasizing that he remains the party leader in the state.

“Ortom has not been suspended. He is the leader of the party in the state, and any meeting that is called or going on without his consent is null and void,” Akase stated.

Ortom asserted that Benue PDP Chairman, John Ngbede, who announced his suspension, had himself been suspended for one month and therefore had no authority to convene such a meeting.

However, Ngbede, speaking to journalists at the party’s secretariat in Makurdi, confirmed Ortom’s suspension, accusing the former governor of attempting to hijack the party’s leadership and revert to old practices of malpractice.

Ngbede said, “It’s true that the former governor was suspended by the State Working Committee of the party because we will not allow anyone who thinks he can take the leadership of the party by force. The party belongs to the people, and we should allow people to feel the impact of the congress.”

Ngbede insisted that he remains the Benue PDP Chairman, noting that while his tenure technically expires on August 4, he awaits directives from the national secretariat. “It’s only the state executive committee of the party that can suspend me by virtue of my position as a member of the national executive,” he added.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has said the shooting of unarmed civilians by security operatives, especially soldiers, is a crime against humanity.

He said this in reaction to the shooting and summary execution of some protesters by security operatives during the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest across the country.

Atiku told the military hierarchy that those sanctioning the use of excessive force against peaceful civilian protesters would not be shielded or exonerated by the passage of time.

He said those culpable of such abhorrent act would be held responsible for committing crimes against humanity even years after they might have left service.

He noted that the right of the citizens to protest is explicitly enshrined in the constitution and it’s the duty of the government to guarantee such rights.

In a statement on Tuesday, Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate in the last election said, “I wish to convey a stern caution to the distinguished service chiefs and military commanders of Nigeria’s armed forces that those who authorise the use of lethal force against peaceful civilian protesters will be held responsible for committing crimes against humanity, even in the years following their retirement from service.

“The constitutional right to engage in protest is firmly established within our supreme law and reinforced by the judiciary. It is the solemn duty of the government and security agencies to ensure a safe and protected environment for individuals exercising their right to peaceful protest.”

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South) apologised to the All Progressives Congress (APC) for criticising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration on rising hunger and food insecurity without consulting the party.

This comes as the party’s national chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, announced that another letter would be transmitted to the party’s Senate Caucus, potentially paving the way for Ndume’s reinstatement as Chief Whip.

Recently, Ndume was stripped of his position as Chief Whip after the party’s leadership requested his removal due to his critical views on the APC-led government. Senator Tahir Monguno (Borno North) replaced him and also assumed Ndume’s previous role as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

Since then, Ndume’s supporters have been protesting and calling on the Senate and the APC to reinstate him as the Chief Whip.

Addressing newsmen after a closed-door meeting at the party’s secretariat, Ndume said, “With what has happened, of which you are all aware, it is not surprising that I am invited to hear my own side. We had family discussions, and I accepted the mistake of not talking to the party as a last point.

“I promised the party that all my observations as a senior member of the family should have terminated or ended with the party. That is something that, moving forward, I would do, but whatever I said or whatever I did was out of patriotism, and those issues may be said strongly, but they are true. But then I should have talked to the party as the last bus stop.”

When asked if he would also apologise to the President and the Senate, Ndume said, “The President and the Senate have nothing to do with this. The president did not take offence. I didn’t insult the President; I didn’t say anything against the party, but I left the party out of reach on issues, and so, please, I think that is all I can say.”

On his part, Ganduje expressed satisfaction with Ndume’s apology.

“We are quite satisfied with his apology. The party is the father of everyone. We are free to invite legislators, members of the executive, and appointed party members in government. It is a family issue; we need to resolve it,” Ganduje stated.

Ganduje added that the party would convey Ndume’s apology to the National Assembly, hoping they would review their position on his removal.

Rena Wakama, head coach of Nigeria’s Senior National Women’s Basketball Team, D’Tigress, has expressed confidence in their quarterfinal match against the United States in the ongoing Paris Olympics.

Speaking virtually from Paris, France, Wakama shared the team’s excitement about facing the nine-time gold medallists in today’s clash.

“We are really excited because we want to play the best of the best. We believe that everything happened for a reason. We met them already in Belgium but did not play our best, so we look forward to meeting them again on Wednesday (today),” Wakama said.

Reflecting on their previous encounter, she noted, “I think the first game we played with them was an eye-opener. We were able to watch the game and break down what we did wrong, what we did well and I think now that our girls have the experience of playing against them, it would help a lot.”

Wakama also highlighted the team’s preparation, stating, “We’ve also played about five games now; we have three friendlies and three matches here, so we are going into the game confidently. We are playing well, and we have a great addition to the team (Ezinne) who brings another level of intensity and experience to us.”

She emphasized that the USA would be facing a different team this time. “So I think the USA has not played against this team before because the team they played against in Belgium differs from this team. So we are looking forward to doing what we do and do it well,” she added.

D’Tigress have already made history in Paris, becoming the first African team, men’s or women’s, to reach the quarterfinals in Olympic basketball. Ending the United States’ 58-match winning streak and seven consecutive gold medals would rank among the greatest upsets in sports history.

The U.S. and Nigeria have met only once at the Olympics in women’s basketball, a group-stage game in Tokyo four years ago, where Team USA won 81-72, despite taking a 20-point lead into the fourth quarter. The two sides have also met twice previously at the FIBA World Cup, with the U.S. winning a group-stage game in 2006 and a quarterfinal in 2018.

Four family members have lost their lives after reportedly eating amala, a staple food, in Kwara state.

The food was suspected to have contained poisonous substances.

They were said to have become sick after consuming the staple and were rushed to university of Ilorin where they gave up the ghost.

Dr Amina El-Imam, the Kwara State Commissioner for Health, who made this known during a news conference on Tuesday in Ilorin, said the incident happened in Eruda, a community in Ilorin, the state capital.

According to her, the health team of the ministry visited the community after a report of a family that lost a number of its relatives after consumption of amala.

“On getting there, the claim was that there was an instance of food poisoning where the 70-year-old woman fell ill and died after consuming Amala.

“Unfortunately, her son and grandkids also consumed the same food, fell ill and died. They were taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, where they passed away,” she said.

El-Imam stated that the amala made from Lafun (cassava) could have been responsible for the death since those who consumed amala made from yam flour were fine.

The commissioner disclosed that several others are recuperating well in the hospitals where they are receiving treatment.

“Some are doing well and hopefully, following intensive medical treatment, they will be able to recover fully. It was observed that the residence was in a location where personal and environmental hygiene was not really optimal,” she said.

El-Imam stated that this is a case of chemical food poisoning, potentially due to underprocessed cassava used in the production of Lafun.

“We have another four cases recovering at the moment, in addition, of course, to the four that we unfortunately lost,” she lamented.

Maverick entertainer, Charles Oputa popularly known as Charly Boy has called on Nigerian youths to intensify the ongoing EndBadGovernance protests across the country.

The popular activist, who made the call on Tuesday in a post on his official X handle, said the fight for good governance is a fight for life.

He said, “My dear Nigerian Youths, I trust that by now you all know what we’re up against. We can never make an omelet without breaking eggs. The powers that be are demonically entrenched.

“We are led by people who are thieves, dishonest, insane, intolerable and don’t give a damn if we live or die. This is the fight of our lives and you guys are my bragging right.

“We can defeat this monster that has befallen us, we need to get louder and go pro max”.

DAILY POST reports that the protest against high cost of living which began on Thursday last week is expected to last for at least ten days.

Despite President Bola Tinubu’s appeal in his nationwide broadcast on Sunday, protesters on Monday stormed the streets in many states demanding immediate action to crash price of fuel, food and other essential commodities.

The exercise, however, witnessed a very low turnout across the country on Tuesday after demonstrators were allegedly suppressed by security operatives on Monday.

The Nigeria Police Force says protesters flying the Russian flag have committed a capital offence, stating that over 90 persons have already been arrested in that regard.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians participating in the ongoing EndBadGovernance protests, were caught with Russian flag, calling for military rule in Nigeria.

In viral video clips, the protesters in Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna and Katsina States were seen calling on the Nigerian army to take over power from President Bola Tinubu.

However, police in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi said such actions are categorized as treasonable felonies under Nigerian law.

Adejobi said investigations reveal that protest organizers in the northern states “are luring innocent children into participating in these unpatriotic and criminal acts.

“Over ninety suspects have been arrested, including tailors who sewed the flags and their sponsors. Efforts are underway to apprehend others who sponsored the production of the flags and fuelled these treasonable acts”.

According to the statement, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun directed Deputy Inspectors General of Police for the Northwest and Northeast zones, DIGs Bala Ciroma, psc, and Bello Makwashi, to “take charge of operations in the states within the two geo-political zones where subversive campaigns are ongoing under the guise of protests.

“They are tasked with stabilizing the situation and preventing further violence in the affected states”.