Vice-President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians to voice their concerns about the current economic challenges maturely and responsibly.
During the 29th pre-Ramadan lecture hosted by the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni in Lagos, Shettima emphasized that the economic policies in place bring about difficulties, particularly affecting the less privileged.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the Vice-President, also acknowledged that the upcoming Ramadan would pose severe challenges for many citizens.
In light of recent nationwide protests highlighting Nigerians’ hardships, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reassured the populace, emphasizing optimism for the future.
Tinubu criticized the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for declaring a strike in the early stages of the administration, deeming it unacceptable.
Echoing the sentiments, Vice-President Shettima reiterated that while reforms may present challenges, the government’s aim is not to inflict hardship on its citizens.
He stated, “President Tinubu’s leadership acknowledges the forthcoming Ramadan will bring severe challenges. Our journey has been fraught with missed opportunities and failures, resulting in the current realities of rising living costs and economic uncertainty.
“However, we cannot continue on this path. Change is imperative, albeit difficult, especially for the disadvantaged. We have explored alternative options, but none offer a painless solution.
“Our administration is committed to improving the lives of Nigerians without deception. We recognize the need for Nigerian-centric solutions, guided by our unique context and not dictated by external interests.
“As alumni of this esteemed institution, I implore you to provide constructive criticism. Let us express our concerns maturely and responsibly. In times of hardship, let us turn to faith and prayer for guidance and perseverance.
“May Allah grant us the strength to endure and the wisdom to navigate these challenges during Ramadan.”
The Minister of Works, David Umahi has shared his thoughts on the reason the Southeast will not protest against President Bola Tinubu’s administration despite the economic hardship in the country.
Umahi asserted that Tinubu has resolved the incessant farmers/herders clashes in the region.
He stated this while addressing newsmen at his Uburu hometown in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
According to him, the clashes contributed to the insecurity in the area and affected food production, leading to hunger in the land.
The Minister argued that the high cost of living was a ripple effect from the past administrations’ actions and inactions.
He, however, explained that the President has started resolving the situation.
The Minister said Tinubu’s administration has favoured the Southeast greatly through appointments to key positions, including himself, the first Minister of Works from the Southeast.
He said the administration has been doing many projects in the region, adding that with all these, the Southeast has no moral justification to join those protesting against the President over the high cost of living in the land.
Umahi urged residents of the region not to be lured by any group or other regions to join any protest against the President.
According to him, “The present hunger that everybody is talking about didn’t start today. It’s a built-up to a number of factors. Before the past administration and present administration, we had been having a build-up of insecurity. We had farmers/herders clashes over a number of years.
“At a time, I was the Chairman of NEC committee on resolving farmers/herders clashes. So, I went through a number of states, especially the northern states, settling the farmers/herders clashes, and it yielded a number of fruits.
“That problem dealt a huge blow to food production. The issue of kidnapping and the issue of insecurity prevented farmers from going to their farms because here we are talking about hunger.
“And so, you expect the administration of President Tinubu to fix all those things within nine months? It’s not possible. It’s a cumulative effect of the past, like I have mentioned. We should be asking ourselves: how do we solve these problems? That’s what the President has started doing. When something has got to the climax, you don’t expect to resolve it overnight.
“If you check very well, especially in the Southeast, you will know that we no longer have incessant farmers/herders clashes. So, why should we join the protest when the President has solved our major problem? The problem we now have in the Southeast is self-inflicted. That is the issue of unknown but known gunmen.
“So, if we are protesting, who are we protesting against? We are protesting against a President that has solved herders/farmers clashes. If you remove the issue of unknown gunmen, the Southeast will be completely safe and farmers can work. So, we can’t go and join anybody to protest.”
A group of Muslims in Zaria, Kaduna State, worried by the disturbing economic hardship in Nigeria, have organized a unique prayer session to seek Allah’s help in alleviating the current challenges.
Naija News understands that the special prayer took place at Mallawa Eid praying ground in Zaria and was attended by both men and women from various parts of the town.
During the prayer, the Chief Imam of Bakin Kasuwa Jumaat Mosque (Tudun Wada), Mallam Muhammadu Sani Labudda, emphasized the severity of the present challenges and the urgent need for Allah’s intervention.
The cleric highlighted the critical situation in the country, stressing the importance of collective prayers, especially as the prices of essential goods continue to rise, with the holy month of Ramadan approaching.
“This is the time when people should come together to strengthen their faith and improve on their worship so that Allah can bring succour to the populace,” Daily Trust quoted the Head of Islamiyya Schools association in Zaria, Suleiman Ibrahim, to have said shortly after the prayer session.
Suleiman also emphasized the significance of Muslims prioritizing charitable giving to the less fortunate and those in need while abstaining from committing any sins as a means of seeking forgiveness.
Speaking on the situation earlier, Sheikh Muhammadu Dan Tine Habibi and Umar Dikko Mai shinkafa of Fitiyanul Islam Zaria, highlighted the wisdom and importance of offering special prayers during times when the society encounters unresolved difficulties.
They urged Muslims to constantly have the fear of Allah in their actions and to seek repentance for their sins as an additional method of invoking divine intervention.
See more photos from the prayer session below:
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According to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Super Eagles goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, is reportedly attracting interest from English Championship club Queens Park Rangers (QPR) and Saudi Arabian outfit Al Ettifaq.
Nwabali, who currently plies his trade for South African Premier Soccer League side Chippa United as their first-choice goalkeeper, emerged as one of the standout performers during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.
Despite making his competitive debut for the Eagles against Equatorial Guinea, Nwabali impressed by keeping four consecutive clean sheets. His remarkable performance included crucial saves in the semi-final clash against South Africa, helping Jose Peseiro’s team advance to the final. However, they ultimately fell short and lost 2-1 to Côte d’Ivoire.
Following his standout displays at the AFCON, Nwabali has reportedly garnered interest from various clubs within and outside of Africa. Romano revealed via Facebook on Sunday morning that both QPR and Al Ettifaq have expressed interest in the 27-year-old goalkeeper.
“Nigeria GK Stanley Nwabali is attracting attention from different clubs, with Al Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia and Queens Park Rangers in the UK expressing interest in signing him. His South African club Chippa United will assess his future options in the coming months,” Romano wrote.
Popular Nigerian singer, Harrysong's estranged wife, Alexer Peres Harry, has finally spoken about her failed marriage.
Recall that Alexer had in a post on her Instagram page last year, announced separation from the singer and pleaded with God for assistance.
She wrote: “I’m Done officially, God help me.”
However, speaking in a viral interview with popular media personality, Daddy Freeze, Alexer claimed that Harrysong had always told her that he never loved her.
“He said I would not do any business or make use of social media. I have not been on social media for the past three years.
“He said he married me out of pity and not love”, Alexer reveals.
Watch her interview below:
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Jide Kosoko, the veteran Nollywood actor, has postponed his 70th birthday celebration due to the economic hardship in Nigeria.
Kosoko, who turned 70 on January 12, said he appreciates his colleagues and fans who came up with the idea of celebrating his contributions to the industry while he was still alive.
However, he said he is but “putting it (celebration) on hold because of the masses, of which I am part of”.
The thespian in an Instagram post on Sunday, said he was sure that “very soon, the challenges facing the country will be over and we will all be happy about it”
He wrote: I want to use this opportunity to offer my sincere appreciation to my colleagues who came up with the idea of celebrating me for my contributions to industry growth and development our industry while I am still alive and kicking. This also falls within the year of my 70th birthday.
It is my sincere prayer that they will all remain relevant in all areas of human endeavours they find themselves in.
I have discussed with them, and they reasoned, that the celebration should be put on hold, basically because of the current situation in the country and what the people are going through.
I am very sure that very soon, the challenges facing the country will be over and we will all be happy for it.
I am putting it on hold because of the masses, of which I am part of.
Thank you all for your understanding!.
Recall that fuji icon, Wasiu Ayinde, aka K1 De Ultimate, also recently cancelled his birthday celebration due to the current economic hardship in the country.
View this post on Instagram
Marie Wiseborn, the wife of Moses Bliss, has advised young ladies trying to copy her dance steps that led to her marriage to the gospel singer.
Bliss and Marie tied the knot over the weekend in Ghana.
Last week, the lovebirds held their court, traditional, and church weddings including a praise concert in Accra, Ghana’s capital city.
During his performance, Bliss invited his wife to the stage wherein she revealed how they met on Instagram.
Wiseborn said she was reluctant to give the singer a response after he had watched her dancing video and sent her a message.
The Ghanaian-born, British-trained lawyer said she gave in to Bliss’ proposal after she was “convinced by the Holy Spirit”.
She also cautioned single ladies who think copying her dance would get them husbands.
“I remember when God said to me go ‘back and message him’. I remember saying God why? How can I go back and message him? I was dragging my leg. So I did not know that all this while he had been praying,” she said.
“One thing that I want you all to take away is that I see a lot of people doing the same dance I do on Instagram. As soon as I posted, everybody wants to post their dance, but one thing God dropped in my spirit was that people were too focused on the vehicle and not the driver. So one thing I want us to leave with is that all of us came to this destination with different vehicles.
“So ultimately is not about that if you do my dance you will get married too, if you want to get the same result it shows that the right driver is going to drive us here.”
Bliss engaged Wiseborn in January. He also spoke about how he met the lawyer on Instagram.
According to him, she posted a video of herself dancing to ‘Miracle No Dey Tire Jesus’, one of his hit songs, about a year ago.
[TheCable]
Former Super Falcons goalkeeper, Bidemi Aluko-Olaseni, has passed on.
Naija New reports that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed the sad news on its X handle on Saturday.
According to the terse statement, Aluko died after battling with breast cancer for eight years.
NFF wrote, “We are sad to hear of the passing of former Super Falcons goalkeeper Bidemi Aluko-Olaseni after an eight-year battle with cancer.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. May her gentle soul rest in peace.”
Aluko was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2017 and was given the all-clear a year later after undergoing treatment and a mastectomy.
However, she was again diagnosed with the disease in January 2019 and underwent 10 chemotherapy sessions.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said its operatives on Saturday, 2 March 2024 intercepted a 40-year-old businessman, Ejike Chibuke Solomon with 1.45 kilograms of cocaine concealed in his luggage while attempting to board an Ethiopia Airlines flight number 950 to Vietnam via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja.
According to the Agency, Ejike was arrested at the Abuja airport on Sunday after NDLEA officers subjected him to a thorough search, and “in the process, discovered the illicit substance concealed, factory fitted, in his bag”.
“In his statement, the suspect claimed he was on a business trip to Vietnam”.
“In another operation, operatives of a special unit of the Agency on Friday 1st March swooped on members of a syndicate that deals in methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin in their hideouts in parts of Lagos.
“The operatives assigned for the operation raided the home of Esimone Amachukwu Christopher at 14 Arochukwu street, Ejigbo, where 10.012 kilograms of methamphetamine was found in possession of his associate, 40-year-old Evelyn Nneka Okem. Esimone is currently at large.
“While the Ejigbo operation was going on, another set of officers were simultaneously busy in the residence of another member of the syndicate, 45-year-old Ebele Edwin Iwuegbunam, located at Plot 1604 Close D, 4th Avenue, Festac town, Lagos where they arrested him and recovered 429.5grams of cocaine and 7 kilograms of heroin”.
In Kogi state, NDLEA officers on a stop and search operation along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway on Friday 1st March intercepted a commercial bus marked GRM 347XA (Borno) conveying 28 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 11kg; 100 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup and 500 tablets of diazepam.
They were all concealed in three plastic drums covered with cattle fats, heading to Jos Plateau state.
In Ogun state on Thursday 29th February, operatives recovered 169kg consignment of cannabis abandoned in a truck at Sagamu tollgate, their counterparts in Lagos seized 25 cartons of tramadol containing 325,000 pills in Ikeja the previous day Wednesday 28th Feb.
Same day, a suspect, Abdullahi Garba Khalil, 42, and 2,745,000 capsules of pregabalin recovered from him at Singer market, Sabon Gari area of Kano were handed over to the Kano state command of NDLEA by the Department of State Security, DSS.
In the same vein, the 243 Recce Battalion, Nigerian Army, Badagry on Saturday 2nd March transferred 27 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 1,110kg recovered at a coastal community, Ajido by soldiers, to the Seme Special Area Command of NDLEA.
A suspect, Hassan Muhammad, 34, was on Saturday 2nd March arrested with 44,950 pills of tramadol at Moranti area of Borno state by NDLEA operatives.
In Abia state, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 28th Feb raided a drug joint at Cemetery Barracks, Aba, where Ifeanyi Uche, 37, was arrested with different quantities of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
Another raid was carried out at the abandoned Eyimba Hotel, Ogbor Hill, Aba, where illicit substances were seized and suspects arrested on Friday 1st March.
With the same zeal, the various commands of the Agency across the country continued with the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign in the past week including WADA sensitisation lecture for students and teachers of Fobin Primary and Secondary School, Idiroko, Seme, Lagos.
Others were at Army Barracks Grammar School, Mokola, Ibadan, Oyo state; State Model Secondary School, Awka, Anambra state; and Government Girls Secondary School, Okumgba-Ama, Ogoloma, Okrika, Rivers state.
There was also WADA advocacy campaign to leaders and residents of Lapan community, Gombe state, among others.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of the NAIA, Abia, Ogun, Kogi, Lagos, Seme, Borno and Kano Commands of the Agency as well as those of the Special Unit for their outstanding feats in the past week.
He equally applauded them and their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures.
One Nonso Nwobodo, 39, has been arrested by operatives of the Nigerian Police Force in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, for allegedly repackaging local rice into bags labelled as foreign rice.
The trader was said to have been involved in the act in a bid to maximize profits.
Naija News understands that Nwobodo was arrested on Saturday at around 4:15 pm in the Durumi area of the FCT, specifically at Plot 740 centenary credentials.
A government source who confirmed the development to journalists said Nonso was discovered to be packing locally produced rice into printed bags that were made to resemble foreign rice bags.
According to him, this deceptive act aimed to mislead the public into believing that the rice was imported. As a result of the operation, a total of 160 bags of rice, varying in size from 5kg to 50kg, were seized as evidence.
“Nonso Nwobodo was re-packaging local rice to a different designed foreign bags of rice with an attempt to sell them as foreign rice.
“He was arrested with 160 bags of different sizes of rice ranging from 5kg to 50kg already rebagged to look like foreign rice. 53 empty bags of local rice that had already been rebagged to foreign bags were recovered.
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“While 590 new empty foreign bags of rice that are yet to be filled with rice were also recovered at the scene. Police have confiscated the rice,” SaharaReporters quoted the source as saying.
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A government storage facility in Gwagwa town, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), fell victim to a brazen act of looting on Sunday morning, with large quantities of food items stolen.
Eyewitnesses reported to Daily Trust that a crowd of youths forcefully entered the warehouse around the Tasha area of the community at approximately 7 am, making away with bags of maize and grain.
According to Jaafar Aminu, a local resident, the looting spree went unchecked for about two hours until 9 am.
The incident attracted individuals from nearby Jiwa and Karmo towns, exacerbating the chaos and resulting in significant traffic congestion along the Gwagwa-Karmo road, which connects to the Dei-Dei and Jabi axes.
Aminu, who suffered bruises in the turmoil, described a scene of desperation as people from various areas converged on the site, hoping to partake in the looting.
Another resident, Christopher Agbo, noted that the looters were indiscriminate in their plunder, taking not only food items but also any other materials they found useful, including protectors initially set up to secure the site.
This incident marks the second time the warehouse has been targeted, recalling a similar episode during the Covid-19 lockdown when grains and pumping machines intended for relief efforts were stolen.
Following the raid on the government facility, the mob proceeded to Idu Industrial Estate, targeting additional warehouses owned by both individuals and the government.
At the time of reporting, there was an alarming absence of security personnel at the scene.
However, FCT police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, assured that police forces were mobilized and working to restore order amidst the ongoing crisis.
Popular Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw has lost her mother.
This comes on the same day John Okafor, aka Mr Ibu, was confirmed to have died of cardiac arrest.
The President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, Emeka Rollas made the announcement in a post on his official Instagram page on Saturday.
Rollas, in his post, described the passage of Henshaw’s mother as a “sad day” for the AGN.
He wrote; “Sad Day for Actors Guild of Nigeria. Kate Henshaw lost her mother earlier today.”
Kate Henshaw’s illustrious career spans two and a half decades, and she has established herself as one of Nollywood’s most revered characters.
Henshaw sprang to fame after playing a notable role in the 1993 film ‘When the Sun Sets,’ and has since become a household name, capturing audiences with her talent and flexibility on screen.
Aside from her acting skills, Henshaw is well-known as a fitness devotee who exudes perseverance and discipline both on and off film.
Her enduring career in the Nigerian film industry is distinguished by countless prizes and accolades, a testimony to her indelible imprint on the cinematic landscape.
The Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft on Operation Delta Sanity has intercepted a vessel, Motor Tanker SWEET MIRI suspected to have been involved in crude oil theft.
The navy said on Saturday evening that the vessel had 13 crew; one Ghanaian and 12 Nigerians.
While briefing newsmen onboard the vessel, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral MB Hassan stated that the vessel had been a vessel of interest to the Nigerian Navy and she is being arrested on suspicion of crude oil theft.
He added that, on 25 February 2024, the vessel was observed to have switched off its Automatic Identification System to avoid detection. The vessel was arrested 174 nautical miles of the coast of Nigeria, approximately 320 kilometers, heading to Benin Republic.
“This necessitated the deployment of Nigerian Navy Ship ABA to investigate the vessel. Subsequently, she was found carrying products suspected to be crude oil. Thereafter, NNS SOKOTO was deployed to double up the search and interdict the vessel. On arrival, it was discovered that she was carrying about 2 million liters of suspected product without approval.
“The FOC further disclosed that, in line with the directive of Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral EI Ogalla, the ship is opened for other agencies to come and take samples and carry out their own independent investigations to find out the culpability of the vessel. Also speaking, the FOC said that, the vessel is owned by a Ghanian and registered in Ghana by a Ghanian company.
“In the same vein, while giving update on the earlier arrested Motor Tanker VINNALARIS, the FOC said that, the CNS has instructed that the investigations of all arrested vessels should be conducted beyond the level of crew. In this regard, the FOC has extended the investigation to uncover the kingpins. He finally appreciated the efforts of DSS for assisting the Nigerian Navy in conducting investigations when matters of crude oil theft are brought to them,” the release by Lieutenant Hussaini Ibrahim, the Base Information Officer, read.
FG Investigators Supervise Former CBN Governor Emefiele’s Departure From Lagos Official Residence
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Embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele is moving out of the apex bank Governors’ quarters in Lagos.
Emefiele was accompanied to the quarters by a team led by the CBN Special Investigator, Jim Obazee.
The former CBN’s helsman is moving his personal effects from the building located on Glover Road, Ikoyi.
The Federal Government filed 14 fresh charges against Emefiele following a report submitted by the CBN special investigator.
Emefiele was accused of criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to conduct forgery, procurement fraud and conspiracy to commit a felony in the amendment.
He is facing accusations for charges relating to financial crimes after President Bola Tinubu removed him from his position as CBN Governor in June 2023.
The Senate also resolved to probe how the N30tn Ways and Means loans of the CBN was obtained and spent by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The senate stated that the reckless spending of the loan collected from the CBN under Emefiele largely accounted for the food and security crises in the nation.