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The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia has clarified reports about the visa cancellation and deportation of some Nigerians upon entry into the Kingdom.
The Saudi Arabian government had on Monday, November 13, cancelled the visa of 177 passengers airlifted by Nigeria’s major carrier, Air Peace, on arrival at the country from Kano, insisting that they be returned to Nigeria.
Consequently, 177 passengers were made to return on the same flight back to Nigeria while 87 passengers were cleared by Saudi immigration and allowed entry into Jeddah.
The Federal Government through the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Tuesday, urged all affected passengers of Air Peace who had their visas cancelled and subsequently deported from Saudi Arabia to remain calm as it has launched an investigation into the matter.
However, in a statement, Saudi authorities stated that the visas of the 177 Air Peace passengers from Nigeria upon Arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia were cancelled for violating the country’s entry rules.
“The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Abuja would like to make a clarification about the media reports and social media releases concerning the deportation of Nigerian citizens at the point of entry into the Kingdom.
“The passengers, who were denied entry, and subsequently deported to their initial destinations, did not fulfill the entry conditions and requirements in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the Kingdom, as they submitted incorrect information to obtain a category of visa that does not apply to them, which was discovered upon their arrival.’’
The Royal Embassy stressed the importance of following the procedures and laws enacted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all visitors.
It stated, “The Royal Embassy would like to stress the importance of following the procedures and laws enacted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all visitors.
“Furthermore, all passengers should review all the documents to determine their conformity with the conditions before departing from their countries to the Kingdom.
“This procedure was not limited to Nigerian citizens only, but rather to citizens of other countries.’’
[NationalDaily]
Former BBNaija housemate, Venita Akpofure has opened up on how she misses being intimate and having someone close to talk to.
She said the connection that comes with having a partner is lacking.
The mother of two revealed this in her latest interview with Aura magazine while discussing her personal life.
Speaking about the emotions associated with her relationship history, Venita noted that she misses the intimacy that comes with having a man in her life.
The actress also talked about raising her kids as a single mother
“I do miss the intimacy of having someone to talk to about everything.
” However, the children’s father hasn’t significantly contributed to their lives. So, whether he’s present or not, it wouldn’t affect what the children need,” she said.
[TheNation]
The senator for Edo North and former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday, recounted a moment of assault at the hands of Department of State Services (DSS) operatives during his tenure as the labour leader between 1999 and 2007.
Oshiomhole, who appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today, narrated his experience in light of the recent assault on current NLC president Joe Ajaero in Imo State, prompting an indefinite nationwide strike which began on Tuesday.
“I had a similar experience… I was on my way to Delta State and I went to the airport,” he said.
“The then director of SSS ordered that I should be arrested and stopped from travelling because we had given an ultimatum to the then Federal Government headed by President Olusegun Obasanjo.”
According to him, the ultimatum had to do with resisting the attempt to withdraw fuel subsidy because of our fears of the consequential increase in the cost of living.
“They dragged me on the tarmac and I had my cuts all over the place. They forcefully prevented me from flying and took me back to the DSS director general’s office — then Col. [Kayode] Are,” the former labour leader stated.
“He offered to take me to their own hospital and I said, ‘No, I can’t even trust a government that has inflicted this kind of wound on me to treat me. They might as well poison my blood.’ I said I wasn’t going to do that.”
Oshiomhole added that he ended up in detention after being “taken away” for two days.
“[For] at least 48 hours, the NLC couldn’t locate me. When eventually I was let out, the bandage on my arm with the blood and all that, I told my colleagues, ‘This blood would rather reinforce and whet my appetite for the struggle for justice,’” he said.
Nollywood actress, Etinosa Idemudia has disclosed that she will be doing a surgery soon to take off her womb.
Etinosa who disclosed this while responding to a follower's comment on her earlier tweet on “life being the primary cause of death”, stated that she's taking off her womb so her children won't have to come to this world to wait for death.
Controversial cleric Anthony Kahura Mwangi alias Pastor T who raised eyebrows when he claimed that he slept with HIV-positive women and still remained HIV-negative, has offered a clarification.
Pastor T had claimed earlier that his confession was misinterpreted. He also disclosed that the incident happened while he was in a secondary school. The cleric also said that his wife is not bothered by the conversation on social media in regard to his confession as she already knew about his past.
He said;
"That was a story that happened while still in high school. I have a problem with bloggers picking certain bits from my teachings just to get views. I have children and the context of the message I was delivering was misinterpreted because they just uploaded a small video and not the whole message.
“She already knows my past, and she understands my story. We decide what to check on social media."
APC chieftain, Joe Igbokwe, has advised Nigerian graduates who are yet to secure a job to to go and learn skills like painting, laying ties, laying irons and others. Igbokwe gave the advise on his Facebook page today November 15.
He said that if graduates are waiting for paid jobs, they may wait till the “end of age.”
Read his post below…
‘Superhero Omo Adugbo’, a new album, by the late rapper Oladipupo Oladimeji, popularly known as Oladips, is set for release.
The album is scheduled for release on November 16, two days after his death.
A search on the music streaming platform, Apple Music, showed that the 17-track album features the late Dagrin’s brother TROD and, according to the ‘Chache’ crooner in an interview with Naija FM in October, the late Mohbad.
Oladips died on Tuesday, November 14, at 28.
Before his demise, the ‘Chache’ crooner founded his label ‘Dipsciples Music,’ where he released an array of street bops.
The Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Command has said its operatives have arrested a suspected robber, simply identified as Ali, on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the Command’s spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the suspect was arrested while carrying out nefarious activities on Tuesday.
According to Benjamin, preliminary investigation has revealed that the suspect usually disguises as a beggar in the area to perpetrate crime.
He said the suspect has been terrorizing unsuspecting motorists and robbing them of their cash and valuables under the threat of violence.
The police spokesman said the suspect will be arraigned upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.
The statement reads, “A notorious traffic robber, one Ali ‘m’, has been arrested in the Ikate area of Lekki, Lagos State.
“The suspect was arrested while carrying out his nefarious activities on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, through the combined efforts of residents and the police.
“Preliminary investigation so far reveals that the suspect who posed as a beggar on Lekki-Epe Expressway, terrorized unsuspecting motorists and robbed them of their cash and valuables under the threat of violence”.
The three opposition presidential candidates in the 2023 general elections have been charged by a former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, to come together to form a strong opposition against the All Progressives Congress (APC).
George, during an interview on Arise TV, said Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) need to form a stronger force against President Bola Tinubu.
He said, “We, as the opposition, must go back and recognize ourselves. Let us get back to the constitution of the party, everybody should bury the hatchet and tell ourselves the truth about power and reconfigure the party. Where was Atiku from? PDP. What about Kwankwaso? PDP. What about Obi? PDP.
“It’s time to come back and let us revisit the constitution as written by the founding fathers. We deviated from it and became a divided house. And a divided house will always be a defeated house. We should forget about personal ambition and let us be the base. What did we do that was not right on all sides? Let’s restart the way it started and reorganize and avoid these mistakes in the future.
“Before we went to the 2023 general elections, we had some problems. Some of us explained, cajoled, and tried to convince but it didn’t work. Now, if you look at the figures of the election results, if those three were all in the same party, which party would be in the villa by now?
“So let us now decide. And we will decide by the grace of the Almighty God. We will sit together and remove the differences and sort things out so we can be one and get back to where we were. So that we will be able to give a solid opposition.”
Renowned Fuji musician, Akorede Babatunde Okunola, better known as Saheed Osupa or King Saheed Osupa, has graduated from the University of Ibadan (UI).
The 54-year-old bagged a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science with second-class upper.
The elated musician confirmed this via his Facebook account on Wednesday, noting that he graduated with Second Class honours.
He wrote: “It is official. Today, I attended the Convocation Ceremony of the University Of Ibadan, where I graduated, bagging a Bachelor of Science degree (B.Sc) in Political Science with Second Class Honour, Upper Division.
“The public should be aware that King (Dr.) Saheed Osupa Akorede is a graduate of the prestigious University Of Ibadan, Class 21.’ Alhamdulilahi.”
The University of Ibadan held her 2023 Convocation and 75th Foundation Day Ceremonies from Wednesday, November 1, to Saturday, November 17.
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Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has been thrown into mourning following the death of a 52-year-old lecturer at the Faculty of Education, Dr Ayo Ojediran.
Naija News learnt that the deceased slumped and died in his office last week Thursday.
The Public Relations Officer of the University, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, said the death of the lecturer was an unpalatable incident and devastating to students and colleagues of Ojediran.
One of the close friends of the deceased, Ayodeji Obisesan, in a post via Facebook, described Ojediran’s death as a great loss.
He wrote: “Dr Ayo Ojediran, a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education at OAU, slumped and died in his office today.
“Such a nice and humble man to the core. Always willing to help. My namesake, for sure.
“May God grant us, your students, friends, colleagues, associates, and family members, the fortitude to bear this great loss. May your soul rest in perfect peace, Dr. Ojediran Isaac Ayodele.”
Some of his students also lamented the death of the lecturer and prayed to God to give his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
The industrial action embarked upon by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) at the Federal Capital Territory High Court branch, has stalled the arraignment of the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Naija News understands that JUSUN directed its members to join the industrial action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
NLC and TUC had declared the strike over an assault on NLC President Joe Ajaero in Imo State on November 1, 2023.
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi had last week granted Emefiele bail.
He ordered that he should be released immediately to his lawyers, who are charged with the responsibility of producing him in court for his arraignment today (Wednesday) or on any other day.
The travails of the former CBN Governor started when President Bola Tinubu suspended him as the apex bank chief on June 9, 2023.
A day after, the Department of State Services (DSS) confirmed that the embattled and suspended CBN Governor was in its custody.
After several legal fireworks by Emefiele’s counsel challenging his prolonged detention by the DSS, the secret police bowed to pressure on July 13, 2023, and announced that the suspended apex bank chief had been charged to court.
Emefiele was brought to a Lagos court by DSS operatives in a Hilux vehicle on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
Appearing before Justice Oweibo, Emefiele, 61, pleaded “not guilty” to the two counts of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition filed against him by the Federal Government.
The DSS in August withdrew its charges against Emefiele.
The secret police freed the embattled ex-bank chief on October 26, just as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained him the same day.
The EFCC had failed to produce Emefiele in court last Monday, but bowed to the court’s order and produced the former CBN chief court last Wednesday for the hearing of his bail application.
The judge granted Emefiele bail last week, and was expected to be in court today to take his plea.
Former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Muhammad Sanusi II, has said the apex bank’s lending to the federal government under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari through Ways and Means triggered inflationary pressure in Nigeria and weakened the value of the Naira.
The CBN’s loan to the federal government hit N22.7 trillion, an amount the CBN said had been securitised not to dampen its balance sheet. Ways and Means is a way in which the federal government raises funds by borrowing from the CBN.
The 14th Emir of Kano also said the central bank had embarked on aggressive monetary tightening through various liquidity control instruments, including open market operations, Open Buy Back (OBB) and high T-bills rates, an indication that the bank was sticking to its core mandate of financial systems stability and inflation control.
“I am optimistic, especially in the short term. We’ve had eight years of rapid expansion of the central bank’s balance sheet through ways and means. And that has fueled inflation and weakened the currency. And that is the fact,” Sanusi II said yesterday at MTN Capital Markets Day, an event organised by MTN Group to provide updates and insights to the financial community, including investors, analysts, and stakeholders.
Current governor of the CBN Olayemi Cardoso had said the bank would return to its primary role of price stability.
Acknowledging that the central bank can use different instruments to mop up excess money in circulation, Sanusi said it needs to do it in a manner that minimizes the cost to both the central bank and the government’s balance sheet, and that’s why it has to rely a little more on non-conventional instruments.
“If you look at OMO Bills and OBB rates in the last few weeks, I can see that the central bank has started a process of aggressive tightening. OBB rates are beginning to approach what they should be. And I think that’s what the market needs to look at; that the central bank is taking this role of tightening money and fighting inflation as a primary focus,” he stated at the event.
He urged the audience to show understanding with the fact that those new monetary policies take time to manifest.
“For the short term, I don’t think we have a problem. I think the central bank is doing the right thing – tightening money, clearing the backlog, trying to fund the market, and I think we will have stability.”
Earlier, CBN’s director in charge of the research department, Dr Omolara Duke, who represented Cardoso at the event said: “The Ways and Means will no longer be more than five percent, going forward. The period for the government to access Ways and Means is over.”
She also disclosed that the central bank is looking at how to drive down the cost of remittances to increase the inflow and move them away from the informal sector into the formal.
[Leadership]
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says the old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes are to remain legal tender indefinitely.
While new currency notes were introduced last year with the old ones set to cease as legal tender, the apex bank on Tuesday extended “the legal tender status deadline of the old design of N200, N500 and N1,000 denominations, ad infinitum”.
It explained that the move is in line with international best practices and “to forestall a repeat of earlier experiences.
“Thus, all banknotes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in accordance with Section 20(5) of the CBN Act 2007, will continue to remain legal tender, ad infinitum, even beyond the initial December 31, 2023, deadline. The Central Bank of Nigeria is working with the relevant authorities to vacate the subsisting court ruling on the same subject.”
In a statement, the bank’s Director of Corporate Communications Isa AbdulMumin said CBN will continue to issue and accept all denominations of the bank notes, old and redesigned, to and from deposit money banks (DMBs).
[NaijaTimes]