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Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has again taken a swipe at his detractors, stating that some of them sent him congratulatory messages on his 65th birthday only because President Bola Tinubu did.
El-Rufai, a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, turned 65 on February 16, 2025.
“I want to thank everyone that sent me their prayers and best wishes, including those that didn’t want to until President Tinubu’s message shamed them into action,” the ex-governor, who has been critical of his party APC, wrote on X.
“May the Almighty God accept our prayers and continue to shower his blessings on us and our people.”
Expressing his appreciation, he stated, “It has been about a week since many friends, associates and admirers sent me various messages and prayers in commemoration of my 65th birthday.
“The prayers and good wishes were quite humbling and gratifying, but far too many and overwhelming for individual acknowledgement or response by me, hence this message.”
Speaking further, he also noted his efforts to acknowledge each message but admitted he may have missed some unintentionally.
“I have tried to repost, retweet and share all the birthday messages I received, but as an imperfect mortal, I am sure I couldn’t have done all. If I didn’t with yours, please forgive me. It is an omission of the head, not of the heart,” he pleaded.
El-Rufai prayed that he would continue to enjoy good health, happiness and prosperity “in a Nigeria that flourishes as a beacon of progressive governance, democracy and equal opportunity for all.”
[Vanguard]
Pastor Odumeje has declared himself as the strongest spiritual man in the world after prophet TB Joshua.
He made the declaration during a church service.
Odumeje noted that there are only two of them, and the other was TB Joshua who has gone back home.
He said:
“I am the strongest spiritual man I the world after the general, Emmanuel TB Joshua. We are not many. We are two and one have done the job and returned back home. And it remains the lion himself. Nobody can see my corpse. I don’t have much time to spend here. Our mission is to clear your doubt about Jesus Christ. And it’s one mission and one God and one power and that man is Jesus Christ.”
A fake police officer, Vincent Ojo has been arrested for alleged impersonation and being in possession of dry leaves suspected to be Indian Hemp.
Spokesperson of the Gombe State Police Command, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, February 23, 2025, said the 52-year-old suspect, is a resident of Old Rukuba Qtrs Area of Jos North LGA of Plateau State.
During a search, 495 kilograms of suspected Indian hemp with an estimated value of ₦12,652, 000, were recovered from the suspect.
“On 22/2/2025 at about 0900hrs, Police Officers attached to Operation Hattara, led by CSP Ali Madaki while on patrol at Jekadafari area of Gombe metropolis, during the State End of the month, General sanitation intercepted a Black Lexus vehicle with Registration number, GWA79CN Abuja, driven by the above-mentioned suspect who presented himself as a Police Officer serving at Force Headquarters Abuja,” the statement read.
"During the course of interrogation, the suspect could not present any Staff tag, his rank nor to mention the department he is attached too.
"And while searching the said vehicle, 495 kilograms of suspected Indian hemp was discovered loaded, with an estimated value at ₦12,652, 000 and additional Number plate BWR290AX was recovered as exhibit.”
"However, the suspect further confessed that he bought and transported the exhibit all the way from Ajegunle village of Ilesha LGA, Osun State to old Rukuba, Platuae State, thereafter he reloaded it with the intention to deliver it to Biu LGA Borno State,” he added.
"Investigation is ongoing, and the suspect will be charged in court for potential prosecution once the investigation is concluded.
“The command urges the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities promptly to ensure a quick response."
Nollywood actor Jude Chukwuka has revealed that some men attacked him on a movie set in Ikorodu, Lagos State over Mohbad’s death.
He made the revelation during a recent interview with Seun Oloketuyi on YouTube.
According to him, he was attacked because the young men thought he was Naira Marley’s father.
The assailants accused him of being the father of Naira Marley and that he was responsible for Mohbad’s untimely death.
The group, he said, was certain that Naira Marley—whom they had confused for his son—was behind the singer’s murder.
“ I understood from the beginning that blaming Naira Marley of Mohbad’s death was an attack on his personality,” Chukwuka said, recounting the incident.
“Because it was finally their chance, some people wanted to take advantage of the situation to become famous. Claiming that my son was responsible for Mohbad’s death, a group of men attacked me on a film set. “I am not the father of Naira Marley,” I informed them. I let him know that my home is Delta State and he’s from Abeokuta”
Watch the video below
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Liverpool legend, Jamie Carragher, has disregarded the Africa Cup of Nations as a major tournament.
Carragher argued this following the Liverpool’s 2-0 win at Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher suggested that Salah’s nationality and Egypt’s lack of success on the global stage could hinder the player’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or this year.
He said: “I think the problem [is] the fact he’s with Egypt, and he’s probably not playing in the major tournament as such or maybe got a great chance of winning.
“I think it’s either the Champions League or the major tournament.
“Normally, the player who excels in that, like Vini Jr and (Kylian) Mbappe right now, Real Madrid looking really good going for the Champions League.”
Former Manchester City defender, Micah Richards, hit back at Carragher saying, “Just to say, AFCON is a major tournament because a lot of people are at home saying ‘they aren’t taking it seriously’. AFCON is a big tournament, just so you know.”
Carragher responded by questioning if Egypt would be contenders for the World Cup, because according to him, only the biggest international competitions influence the Ballon d’Or race.
However, ex-England striker, Daniel Sturridge shut down the argument, saying, “If you win the Euros or Copa America, it’s deemed to be big, so the AFCON is on the same level.”
Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), says his refinery has over N600 billion worth of premium motor spirit (PMS) in storage that can sufficiently meet Nigeria’s needs.
Dangote was responding to a statement by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) that local refineries contributed less than 50 percent of the country’s daily petrol needs between January and February.
On January 19, the NMDPRA said it continued to grant import licences to oil marketers to prevent a nationwide petrol scarcity as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery cannot meet the national daily petroleum products sufficiency requirement.
Dangote had countered the agency’s position in court, requesting the industry regulator to stop issuing fuel import licences.
Speaking over the weekend during a tour of the plant with a Zambian government delegation, the billionaire said his refinery has more than half a billion litres of petroleum products, worth over N600 billion, in its tanks.
“As we speak right now, we have more than half a billion litres,” Dangote said.
“The refinery is producing enough refined products, like gasoline (petrol), diesel, and kerosene, to meet 100 percent of Nigeria’s requirements.”
The businessman said the refinery, like other projects in the past, is not for Nigeria alone.
“This refinery is not only for Nigeria; it is for Africa. We must sustain the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) deal,” he added.
“We are trying to see how we trade with other African countries.”
ZAMBIA SEEKS DANGOTE’S INVESTMENT IN ITS ENERGY SECTOR
On his part, Makozo Chikote, Zambia’s energy minister who led a delegation, expressed satisfaction and readiness to work with the African manufacturing giant.
“In Zambia, we created an environment for the private sector to participate in the growth and development of our country,” the minister said.
“Currently, 100 percent of our petroleum is done by the private sector.
“We are targeting increased productivity in mining, agriculture, and other sectors. Your presentation is an immediate solution to our energy needs.
“We are trying to promote competition among our private players.
“We are looking at Dangote coming on board, which would lead to efficient, reliable, quality, and competitive products, and we want these done like yesterday.
“Coming to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, we have learned so many advantages of bringing many players for competition, which has improved the lives of the citizens.”
Also speaking, Edwin Devakumar, the vice-president of Dangote Industries Limited, said the refinery produces the best quality products as its core business strategy.
“The project concept was to process the crude from Nigeria and add value. But we also wanted to provide some flexibility to process most of the African crudes and some of the Middle Eastern crudes,” Devakumar said.
“In another concept, what we did was maximum value extraction. That is a process where every barrel of crude which goes in, the value addition should be the best.”
The vice-president said the refinery can meet all of Nigeria’s fuel requirements with just 44 percent of its production while 56 percent would be exported.
“Every day, we produce 104 million litres; 57 million litres of petrol every day; 20 million litres of jet fuel; and 27 million litres of diesel production,” he said.
Devakumar also said local consumption is around 46 million litres, while the remaining 58 million litres are exported daily.
[TheCable]
The Trump administration has placed most United States Agency for International Development (USAID) employees back on administrative leave from midnight on Sunday and laid off hundreds more.
In addition to some 4,200 staff who are being placed on leave, at least 1,600 employees are being fired.
The move comes weeks after President Donald Trump's initial attempt to eliminate thousands of USAID employees was held up by a legal challenge.
A federal judge temporarily halted the administration's plan to gut America's foreign aid agency, but ruled on Friday that the pause would not be permanent. Founded in 1961, USAID employed around 10,000 staff until the recent cost-cutting began.
The notice to USAID employees on Sunday from the Office of the Administrator said that "designated personnel" responsible for critical functions or in leadership would be exempt from administrative leave.
It's not clear how many employees will be kept on, but USAID had previously deemed 611 personnel to be essential.
The email said USAID intended to fund voluntary return travel for overseas staff.
Around 4,200 employees will be placed on leave, according to the BBC's US news partner CBS.
The USAID website said there would be a "reduction-in-force" of an additional 1,600 personnel in the US.
That would amount to at least 5,800 USAID employees on administrative leave or laid off - or well over half the agency's workforce.
The development follows a ruling on Friday by Judge Carl Nichols in Washington DC that the Trump administration could press ahead with its plans to get rid of USAID employees.
Another federal judge said last week that the Trump administration was failing to abide by a ruling requiring the government to continue financing foreign aid already approved by Congress while legal challenges play out.
It is unclear whether those USAID staff being placed on leave will eventually be rehired, or have their positions eliminated, too.
The Trump administration is seeking to shrink the federal workforce and cut costs in a drive led by Elon Musk.
The billionaire Trump adviser asked millions of bureaucrats over the weekend to list their accomplishments from the past week.
On Saturday, from the stage at a conservative convention near Washington DC, Trump said: "We've also effectively ended the left-wing scam known as USAID.
"The agency's name has been removed from its former building, and that space will now house agents from Customs and Border Patrol."
Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), a US immigration-enforcement agency, is ready to move into the USAID building in the heart of the nation's capital.
"CBP has signed a licence agreement to occupy approximately 390,000 usable square feet in the USAID tower," a CBP spokesperson told Fox News.
Trump and Musk have been critical of America's sizable overseas spending, and USAID has become a lightning rod for their frustration. Trump and his allies have accused the agency of being too liberal and wasteful.
The cutbacks to USAID have already upended the global aid system. Hundreds of programmes have been frozen in countries around the world since the president announced his intentions in January.
The US is by far the biggest single provider of humanitarian aid around the world. It has bases in more than 60 countries and works in dozens of others, with much of its work carried out by its contractors.
Former USAID chief Gayle Smith previously told the BBC: "When you pull all of that out, you send some very dangerous messages.
"The US is signalling that we don't frankly care whether people live or die and that we're not a reliable partner."
[BBC]
Nigerian rapper and activist Michael Stephens, popularly known as Ruggedman, has spoken about not being a husband or father yet.
The 51-year-old revealed that he vowed not to have a child out of wedlock when he was much younger, and has kept his word since then.
Ruggedman recently disclosed this while featuring on the TVC programme Your View.
He asserted that he is unmarried because he has been jilted a few times and is yet to meet the right person. In his words:
“I am not married and do not have a child yet. When I was much younger, I vowed never to have a child out of wedlock. Sometimes, I wonder whether I made the right or wrong decision. But still, it takes a lot from both parties. You have to do it with someone you really love.”
“I have met some ladies I thought I would end up with, but it didn’t work out. There was a particular lady I was supposed to marry, but a wealthy man came into the picture, and her mother separated us.”
In a 2021 interview, Ruggedman revealed that his mother and other family members were not pressuring him about marriage despite being over 40 years of age. He added that he would get married when he was ready.
Everything Wunmi said about me and the nurse in interview was a lie – Mohbad’s dad clarifies
AFOLABI
Joseph Aloba, father of the late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, known as Mohbad, has broken his silence, fiercely challenged the claims made by his daughter-in-law, Omowunmi Aloba, in her recent tell-all interview about his son’s tragic death.
Wunmi had earlier, in her emotionally charged interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, shared unsettling claims about the events leading to her husband’s death.
She averred that a nurse had administered an injection that triggered a severe reaction in Mohbad. Wunmi alleged that Joseph Aloba was present on Mohbad’s final day, and that he thwarted attempts by her husband’s manager to have the nurse arrested, insisted on letting the nurse go after noticing the harm caused by the injection.
In a phone conversation with blogger Bukky Jesse, Mohbad’s father minced no words as he tore into Wunmi’s narrative.
According to him, he never once set eyes on the nurse whom Wunmi alleged played a role in Mohbad’s death. He painted a stark picture of exclusion, revealed how Wunmi, along with his estranged wife, Bose, and his younger son, Adura, orchestrated a wall of silence around him throughout Mohbad’s crisis, shut him out completely until the bitter end.
He disclosed that he and Wunmi had not been on speaking terms for a long time, even before Mohbad’s passing. The only interaction since his son’s death, he said, was a phone call filled with curses hurled at him by Wunmi.
Mohbad’s dad added that, aside from that turbulent call, the only person from Wunmi’s family he had spoken with in recent weeks was her father.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Monday declared that it wants an independent nation of Biafra and not additional states in the Southeast.
There have been moves to create an additional 31 new states in Nigeria, including five states from the Southeast.
The proposed states are Etiti State, Adada State, Urashi State, Orlu State, and Aba State.
However, IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, said the current states are bankrupt and not functioning properly.
In a statement he signed, Powerful said:
“Following the rumours that the Nigerian Government and the National Assembly proposed to create an additional 31 new states in Nigeria, we, the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) worldwide, wish to categorically state that Biafrans do not want the creation of new states. Instead of multiplying economically bankrupt states, the unworkable Nigerian unity should be dissolved.
“The IPOB movement is against the creation of new states because the existing states are bankrupt and not functioning properly. Creating more states is tantamount to creating more confusion, disunity, and insecurity. Nigerians are suffering because of the faulty foundations of the Nigerian state and the insurmountable corruption in the Nigerian government.
“Nigerian politicians are deep to their necks in corruption. Corruption has eaten into every fabric of Nigerian society. Hence, no amount of multiplication of states and security agencies will solve Nigerians’ monumental corruption, insecurity, and other problems. Nigeria is a country founded on fraud, sustained in fraud, and incapable of sustaining human and capital development. Any society built on fraud cannot stand. That is why IPOB and other rational indigenous minds in Nigeria are calling for the dissolution of Nigeria.
“At their flag independence given to them by the British in 1960, Nigeria had three major regions. Later, the Mid-Western Region was created after a referendum, making it the fourth region. These regions were progressive and competitive because they enjoyed constitutionally granted autonomy. However, Nigeria’s woes started when a genocidist, ‘Jack’ Gowon, and his clueless Supreme Military Council created 12 states in order to divide Biafrans and prevent them from fighting the war of 1967-1970 in unison. Gowon’s decision to divide and carve out some ethnic groups from one region to another was the beginning of ethnic tensions in Nigeria today. Such an ethnically bigoted decision destroyed the autonomy of the regions, leading to this useless federal system that has resulted in the country’s economic and security woes.
“To add salt to injury, a heartless murderer, Murtala Muhammad, created more states and increased Nigeria to 19 states, favoring the Northern Region with more states than the South. In the same way, Fulani military heads of state like Ibrahim Babangida and Abacha created even more states to continue favoring the Northern region. Today, the incessant state creation, inspired by the born-to-rule mentality of the Fulanis, has destroyed the progressive regions and resulted in useless states that depend on Abuja handouts in the name of allocation sharing to survive. Even if Tinubu’s government creates an additional 100 states, the political equation between the North, West, and East (previous regions) will never be balanced. The previous ethnically bigoted Northern military leaders have already created unfavorable political equations that are inimical to the unity of Nigeria. Postponing the division of Nigeria is embracing the evil days, which are already upon us.
“IPOB says NO to the new state creation proposal that will include the Biafra region. Our position is clear: we don’t want our region to be balkanized or broken down any further. Instead, Ndigbo need our Igbo brothers and sisters, villages, clans, and whole regions carved into Kogi, Benue, and Edo states back into Alaigbo. The Nigerian government can create more states to suit them in their Nigeria, while Ndigbo establish an independent state of Biafra. What Ndigbo want is an exit from Nigeria in a peaceful and democratic way. That is why IPOB is calling for a referendum date from the Nigerian government so that Biafrans can decide their fate—whether to remain in one delusional united Nigeria or to exit into an independent state of Biafra.”
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Over 30 unidentified bodies of suspected ritual killing victims have been found on Imo River in Oriendu autonomous community, Umuahia North local government area of Abia State since last year.
The traditional ruler of the community, HRH Eze Philip Ajomiwe, stated this while speaking with LEADERSHIP Sunday in his palace after the body of a woman was found
“The bodies, like the recent one, are either completely naked and without their private parts or in a bag. There’ve also been cases of two decomposing bodies seen beside the NNPC pipeline,” he said.
Explaining that there had not been any arrests since then by the security agents, he expressed concern that the situation was getting out of hand and had created fear in and around the community.
According to the monarch, efforts by the community’s vigilante group to arrest the suspects had failed too, because the group is not as equipped as the suspects are said to be.
“So, we’re appealing to the state government to empower the vigilante group with the necessary logistics and the wherewithal to enable it to match the suspects,” he said.
He argued that nobody ever embarks on such a mission with empty hands especially when the enemy is fully armed with sophisticated weapons and is ready to fight back.
He asserted that his complaints about the situation to the agents had been to no avail, noting that the latest was a letter to the speaker of the State House of Assembly on February 7.
The monarch, who appreciated the government’s upward review of monthly stipends of the traditional rulers, however, noted that the amount is not enough for them to handle insecurity.
He maintained that as the monarchs do not have security votes like the governor to equip their communities’ vigilante groups, the communities need the intervention of the government for peace and security.
Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North in the National Assembly, has vowed not to accept the offer of a Land Cruiser vehicle and N10million monthly from Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State.
Nwoko disclosed this at the weekend in Idumuje Ugboko, Anicha North local government area of the State.
LEADERSHIP reports that Nwoko, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing leadership crisis in his former party.
The businessman-turned-lawmaker said the offerings from the governor were not directly beneficial to his constituents.
He expressed his dissatisfaction with the offer, stating that the funds should be used for the people rather than for self-interest as he said his primary goal as a Senator was to improve the lives of his constituents.
“I am dissatisfied with the offer. I won’t accept the offer of a Land Cruiser and N10 million monthly from the governor. The funds should be used for the people rather than for self-interest. My primary goal as a Senator is to improve the lives of my constituents,” Nwoko stated.
The Senator lamented that the PDP in Delta State focused on self-perpetuation in power, which he said had deprived Delta of real political competition.
While declaring that the 25-year reign of the PDP in Delta State will come to an end in the 2027 general elections, he accused PDP leaders of prioritising their personal interests and power retention over the well-being of the people.
Expressing excitement about joining the APC, Nwoko criticised the PDP for allegedly holding Delta State “hostage” for a quarter of a century, claiming that the state had failed to experience the necessary development for meaningful economic growth.
Nwoko, who chairs the Senate Committee on Reparations and Repatriation and the Senate Ad-hoc Committee investigating Crude Oil Theft in the Niger Delta, stated that the PDP’s control of the state had left the people with no choice but to endure stagnation.
“Imagine 25 years of PDP in Delta; there has been no competition. For them, it’s business as usual,” he said.
Contrasting the situation with the political practices in the United States, where power alternates between parties to ensure progress. Nwoko vowed to end the “slavery” in Delta State, announcing that he had found an alternative platform in the APC.
Nwoko believed that establishing Anioma State will free Delta North from the constraints of PDP governance and bring greater autonomy and opportunities to the region.
He criticised the state government’s reluctance to support the creation of Anioma State, accusing PDP leaders of brainwashing the people and preventing open discussions on the matter.
Despite this, Nwoko expressed confidence that with the support of APC leaders at both state and federal levels, Anioma State would eventually be realised, ensuring freedom for Delta people.
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has asserted that President Bola Tinubu‘s message to him on his birthday last week shamed many people into wishing him a happy birthday.
Relationship between El-Rufai and Tinubu recently deteriorated as the former Governor has been critical of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration and policies, accusing those around the president of playing tribal politics.
Despite the criticism, Tinubu, in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday, February 16, 2025, hailed El-Rufai.
In a post via his ? handle on Monday, El-Rufai appreciated everyone who celebrated him. He noted that many people did not want to send their best wishes until President Tinubu’s message shamed them into action.
He wrote, “It has been about a week since many friends, associates and admirers sent me various messages and prayers in commemoration of my 65th birthday.
“The prayers and good wishes were quite humbling and gratifying, but far too many and overwhelming for individual acknowledgement or response by me, hence this message.
“I want to thank everyone that sent me their prayers and best wishes, including those that didn’t want to, until President Tinubu’s message shamed them into action. May the Almighty God accepts our prayers and continue to shower his blessings on us and our people.
“I have tried to repost, retweet and share all the birthday messages I received, but as an imperfect mortal, I am sure I couldn’t have done all. If I didn’t with yours, please forgive me. It is an omission of the head, not of the heart.
“May Almighty Allah grant us even longer life, in good health, happiness and prosperity, in a Nigeria that flourishes as a beacon of progressive governance, democracy and equal opportunity for all.”
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda, may step down from her position as part of ongoing political negotiations, with David Setonji or Wale Rauf emerging as potential successors.
This development follows high-level interventions from prominent figures, including former APC National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, ex-Ogun State Governor Aremo Olusegun Osoba, and Chief Pius Akinyelure, Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Meranda made history as the first female Speaker of the Lagos Assembly on January 13, 2025, after the controversial removal of Mudashiru Obasa, who was accused of corruption, abuse of office, and high-handedness.
However, Obasa has since challenged his removal in court, claiming that due process was not followed in the impeachment process.
Sources who spoke with Vanguard indicate that key political figures met with principal officers and lawmakers over the weekend, with another round of discussions expected in the coming days.
According to inside sources, as part of the negotiations, Meranda may be asked to return to her former position as Deputy Speaker, while the next Speaker could come from Lagos West.
This move is reportedly aimed at ensuring regional balance in state leadership, as both Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Speaker Meranda hail from Lagos Central, leaving Lagos West without a top-tier leadership position.
Setonji And Rauf Emerge As Frontrunners
Two lawmakers from Lagos West have emerged as front-runners for the Speakership position:
David Setonji (Badagry 2) – Currently the Chief Whip of the House, Setonji has been a lawmaker since 2015 and is seen as an experienced legislator with a strong grassroots following.
Wale Rauf (Amuwo Odofin 2) – Elected in 2019, Rauf has steadily built influence within the House and is considered a strong contender for the role.
Stakeholders believe that choosing a Speaker from Lagos West would maintain political stability and prevent further tensions within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Despite the push for her removal, Meranda received a vote of confidence from 36 out of 40 lawmakers on Monday, February 17, affirming their support for her continued leadership.
However, the House has since adjourned indefinitely, signalling that further negotiations are underway.