President Bola Tinubu has said he is not oblivious of the fact that Nigerians are experiencing pain and suffering at the moment following the removal of the fuel subsidy.

President Tinubu said he understands that the rise in the prices of commodities and the cost of living have made things more difficult for Nigerians.

The Nigerian leader stated this on Thursday while receiving All Progressives Congress (APC) national youth leaders from across the country at the State House in Abuja.

Tinubu said he feels the pains of citizens and assured them that the hardships of the moment will give way to a more “prosperous, equitable and inclusive economy.”

He said: “I make my pledge to the country that no decision will be difficult for this administration to take for the prosperity and unity of this country. Economic reforms could be slow. Be patient a little more.

“I can assure you that I understand the pains you are going through. It is not easy to get out of the monster of over 40 years called fuel subsidy.”

The president told the youths that his administration would include them in governance, and decision-making processes.

Tinubu added that the federal government would do everything necessary to widen the net in order to accommodate more women and youths.

He said this would be done by “liaising with our lending institutions to give micro-loans at a very low-interest rate for economic activities among the citizens”.

Also speaking at the meeting, the APC National Youth leader, Dayo Israel, told the president that the youths had come to congratulate him on the party’s victory at the polls.

Israel said they also came to seek inclusion in the appointments into the dissolved boards and agencies of government.

A Nigerian doctor based in the United Kingdom has lost custody of his 16-year-old son to the government after flogging him with a belt.

This was revealed by a child rights advocate known as pepstalk1 on her Instagram page on Wednesday.

She narrated that the Nigerian doctor flogged his son after he caught him and his friends invited over to study together watching an inappropriate video.

His friends reportedly informed the police and told them that while the father was beating his son with a belt, the doctor repeatedly said, “Is this how you want to become a doctor?”

She said, “Two friends of a Nigerian doctor’s son two months ago came over to the doctor’s residence to sleep over and study in preparation for their General Certificate of Secondary Education examination.

“At 3 am in the night, the doctor tip-toed into the boy’s room and caught them watching an improper video, the father got angry with his son and beat him with a belt in front of his friends.

“The two friends ran out of the scene to call the police and they came over and took the boy away. The case was later held in court and during the session, the friends said that they heard the father saying that “Is this how you want to become a doctor” while beating his son?

“The boy also said that his father was always beating him to study the subject that he doesn’t want and his father want him to study medicine at the university.

“The court later ruled that the doctor’s 16-year-old son be taken into custody care and can no longer go back to his father’s house.”

Former senator, Shehu Sani, has described the ministerial nomination of the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, by President Bola Tinubu, as a tragedy.

Naija News reported that Tinubu on Thursday finally submitted the list of his 28 ministerial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

Speaking on the development in an interview on Arise TV, Sani said it is saddening that El-Rufai is given another opportunity to serve the country, considering all he has done and said during his administration in Kaduna state.

According to the Senator, Tinubu rewarded those who betrayed their party and principal, but it was not the best time to please and appease former governors.

He noted that the list falls short of Nigerians’ expectations considering the time taken to reales the list, stressing that the ministerial list was a big disappointment.

Shehu Sani added that President Tinubu must prioritize pleasing Nigerians because the eight years of the past administration were a complete waste.

In his words, “With the nomination I have seen with the one which represents Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai is a tragedy that such a man is given an opportunity to serve this country again with all that he has done and said in office, and I don’t think that if President Tinubu means well.

“This is not the best time to please and appease former governors. It is the best time to appease Nigerians and to bring in competent hands that will deliver. As far as I am concerned, that list, to some extent, is a big disappointment, and it has not been able to meet the expectations of the people considering the time taken for those names to come out.

“I think the best thing for the president to do at this time is to know that the eight years of the last administration was a complete waste, and this is an opportunity for him to prove that he has the vision, the competence and the capacity to lead this country to a higher level than the way he met it. But with the kind of people he has now brought in close to him, I think there is going to be a problem.

“From what I know, there are people who were brought in because they betrayed their party, principal, and this is the time to composite them, and that should not be with a serious national position as this.”

Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on the authorities of federal universities across the country to suspend the increase in fees which the schools recently implemented.

In a statement issued by Tayo Soyemi on behalf of Falana and Falana Chambers on Thursday, the lawyer called on the schools to suspend the increase especially because of the financial effect that the recent fuel subsidy removal has had on Nigerians.

The statement read in part, “Since the federal government has not lifted the 1975 policy which abolished the payment of tuition fees in federal tertiary institutions, the federal universities lack the power to impose astronomical tuition fees on students.”

“The payment of school fees in junior secondary schools is illegal as Section 2 of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act and Section 15 of the Child’s Rights Act have imposed a legal obligation on the federal and state governments to provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every child from primary to junior secondary level.

“We have noted that the governments have not taken cognizance of the plight of physically challenged people in the implementation of the new education policy. It is pertinent to point out that it is illegal to collect school fees from physically challenged students.”

Federal Universities across the country have already increased their fees for new and returning students, some of them by as much as 400%, which has led to a public outcry among Nigerians. Members of the House Of Reps had moved against the strike, urging the FG to suspend the fee increments.

The effort yielded no positive result, however, as the fee hikes have already been implemented by respective universities.

Mohammed Bello el-Rufai, the son of the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and some children of former governors have been appointed as the Chairpersons of various standing committees of the House of Representatives.

Naija News reports that some of the children of former governors are first-timers in the lower chamber

Recall that the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, announced the constitution of 134 standing committees in the Green Chamber during the plenary session on Thursday.

A critical look at the list released by the Speaker shows that five children of former governors are among the lawmakers named to chair the various committees.

– Suenu Ibori (PDP) — Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) Committee

– Mohammed Bello el-Rufai (APC) — Banking Regulation Committee

– Adegboyega Adefarati (APC) — Labour, Employment and Productivity Committee

– Olamiju Akala (APC) — Youth in Parliament Committee

– Olumide Osoba (APC) — Justice Committee

Below are the names of the children of former governors.

Mohammed Bello- El-Rufai – son of former Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

Suenu Ibori – daughter of former governor of Delta State, James Ibori.

Adegboyega Adefarati – son of the late former governor of Ondo state, Adebayo Adefarati.

Olamiju Akala – son of the late former governor of Oyo state, Adebayo Akala.

Olumide Osoba – son of the former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba.

MaxAir Limited has said that its aircraft has been trapped in the Niger Republic in the wake of the unrest in the country.

The situation follows the military coup which took place on Wednesday ousting democratically elected President, Mohamed Bazoum.

Since the military coup, the country has witnessed severe unrest. The Nigerian airline said its aircraft has been temporarily trapped in Niamey.

MaxAir revealed that the incident occurred while dropping the last group of Niger pilgrims

MaxAir said, “One of our aircraft has been temporarily trapped in Niamey, Niger, after successfully dropping off the last group of Niger pilgrims. The safety of our crew and staff on board is assured, and we are actively seeking approval to depart as soon as possible.

“The situation is a result of ongoing unrest in the country. Our management team is in constant communication with local authorities and is working diligently to resolve the matter promptly.

“We extend our gratitude for the patience and understanding of our passengers and their families during this time. Updates will be provided regularly as the situation progresses.”

The airline said it prioritizes safety and remains committed to the well-being of its passengers and crew.

The General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has threatened to repatriate former security guards popularly known as Happie Boys back to Nigeria.

Naija News reports that the controversial clergyman made this known during a church service as he expressed displeasure over the boys’ entitlement attitude towards Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere.

Recall that the Rivers State-based pastor clashed with Happie Boys over their scholarship in Cyprus, with the latter accusing Apostle Chinyere of abandoning them.

However, Chinyere said he stopped sending them money because of the increase in Naira to the dollar rate.

Reacting to this, Suleman, during the church sermon, said such a level of entitlement stops philanthropists from helping other people.

According to him, he was almost moved to call Chinyere to take action against the boys after watching a video of them talking down on him.

Suleman added that he would bring the former security guards back to Nigeria if they make any attempt to respond to his criticism against them.

He said, “I read about the story of some boys who a man of God carried to Cyprus, Happie Boys or what do they call themselves, I also saw them doing a video against the pastor, your father and mother that gave birth to you didn’t carry you to abroad, a man of God out of the love of God carried you abroad and the man said, I don’t have money again because you are not the only one I am sponsoring, but they had the problem of entitlement.

“Sometimes I wonder about the generation that we are in, a generation that kills those that they love, people who open their hearts to help others are being stabbed. If this generation doesn’t take time, very soon, there will be no good man.

“I was also moved to calling Apostle Chinyere to do something, but I just held back my mind because I know Cyprus very well and know how to bring them back, and I am not joking. If they are watching me and I hear a word from them, I will bring them back. The worst thing that can happen to any good man is to help a bad person.”

Nigerian-born British heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua is convinced he will win his rematch with Dillian Whyte on August 12.

When questioned about their previous fight in 2015, which Joshua won by seventh-round knockout, the two-time world heavyweight champion recalled Whyte’s strong left hook.

AJ admitted that he missed the hook because he was too concentrated on assaulting Whyte to notice the counter. The thundering left hook stunned him to his core, leaving him with a memory that continues to motivate him to this day.

At the same time, Joshua understands the significance of the upcoming bout for his career, having lost two straight fights against Oleksandr Usyk before returning with a win over Jermaine Franklin in April.

Joshua’s supporters are anticipating this vital fight with bated breath, hoping that a winning performance will rekindle his old tenacity. Also, there is a strong notion that Joshua’s victory may pave the way for a blockbuster clash with Deontay Wilder.

The boxing world is anticipating Joshua and Whyte’s epic rematch, aptly billed ‘History of Violence,’ as two titans collide once more at the O2 Arena in what promises to be a thrilling clash.

Ahead of the clash, Anthony Joshua told DAZN that victory is certain for him. “It’s a huge night for my career. I’m gonna be victorious, 100 percent. That’s my goal, that’s my plan. And yeah, that’s my motivation. So yeah, I’m looking forward to it. Respect to the team. May the best man win,” Joshua said.

No fewer than seven women will be in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu as ministers, according to a list of 28 nominees for ministerial positions sent to Senate on Thursday.

The president of the senate Godswill Akpabio on Thursday unveiled the ministerial nominees and females represents 25 per cent of the total names submitted.

Women who made the list are Hannatu Musawa, Betta Chimaobim Edu, Nkiru Onyejiocha, Doris Anite Uzoka, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, Stella Okotete, and Imaan Suleiman Ibrahim.

President Tinubu said more ministerial nominees would be sent to the Senate, suggesting that more women could be added to the list.

Zainab Jaji, a public affairs commentator said she was impressed by the number and quality of women that would be in the cabinet.

“Glad to see many women on the team, because it will bring diversity and show progressive nature of Nigeria,” she said.

Below are the profiles of the six female minister designates:

Hannatu Musawa

Hannatu Musawa was born on 20 September 1973 amd hails from Katsina State.

She is a Nigerian lawyer, a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and a solicitor in England & Wales, UK.

She was the Deputy Spokesperson and the Deputy Director Public Affairs of the All progressives congress (APC).

Betta Chimaobim Edu

37-year-old Betta Chimaobim Edu is from Cross River State and was born on 27 October 1986.

Edu holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree from the University of Calabar, she is a Harvard certified, Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health, United Kingdom.

She was the former Cross River State commissioner for health from 2019 until her resignation in 2022. She is the incumbent APC National Women Leader.

Nkiru Onyejeocha

Nkiru Onyejiocha hails from Abia State and was born on 23 November 1969.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Imo State University.

From 2002 to 2003, she was the Commissioner for Resource Management and Manpower Development in Abia State and was the transition Executive Chairman of the Umunneochi Local Government Area of the state

In 2007, she was first elected a member of the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but later defected to APC.

In 2011, she was appointed chairman House Committee on Aviation

In 2013, Onyejiocha called for a holistic investigation and prosecution of officials who were involved in compromising aviation safety rules that led to the crash of a passenger plane– Dana Air Flight 992

Also In 2019, Onyejiocha ran for the speaker of the 9th House of Reps after she was re-elected to the House for a fourth term.

Doris Anite Uzoka

Doris Anite Uzoka is from Imo State, born on 13 December 1967.

She is a medical doctor and a chartered financial analyst. She was a former General Manager of Zenith Bank Plc and the incumbent Imo State Commissioner for Finance and Coordination of Economy.

Uju Kennedy Ohanenye

Uju Kennedy Ohanenye hails from Anambra State and was born on 23 December 1973

The 50 years old is a lawyer by training, and a businesswoman with stakes in real estate and education. .

Uju was the only female APC presidential aspirant in the 2023 presidential election.

She is married.

Stella Okotete

Stella Okotete is from Delta state, and was born on 4 January 1988

She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies from Benson Idahosa University, Benin City.

Okotete is currently the Executive Director, Business Development of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM).

Before her appointment into NEXIM, she was a focal person for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Delta State between 2011 and 2015.

She is an honorary senior member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

Imaan Ibrahim

Imaan Suleiman Ibrahim was born on April 1980 and hails from Keffi Nasarawa State.

Her father was S.K Danladi, an Abuja-based engineer and developer

Ibrahim graduated with a bachelor degree in sociology from the University of Abuja. At the age of 21, she received two master’s degrees, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Arts (MA) from Webster University.

She was the Diirector General of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), from 1 December 2020 till 27 May 2021.

And when former President Muhammadu Buhari announced a swap, she was redeployed as the honorable Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons.

No fewer than 1,200 Nigerian youths died last year in the Mediterranean Sea and deserts while attempting to enter Europe in search of greener pastures.

This was revealed by the acting Comptroller General of the NIS, Wuraola Adepoju, at the headquarters of the service.

Adepoju, at a meeting on the dangers of irregular migration in Abuja, said the “Japa Syndrome” amongst Nigerian youths was becoming worrisome and alarming as more young persons were being deceived daily to embark on irregular migration. 

Speaking at the commencement of the two-day sensitisation programme, which included road shows, street campaigns, distribution of pamphlets and visitations to Utako Motor Park, Wuse Market and Government Secondary School in Garki, Abuja, Adepoju said all hands should be on deck to arrest the trend, stressing that the NIS under her watch would not allow the problem to escalate. 

The NIS boss expressed sadness that Nigeria was losing her productive population to irregular migration. 

She said the sensitisation programme, which was organised by the Directorate of Migration in the NIS, was in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the service, holding from August 1 to 8, 2023.

Adepoju said the service found it imperative to encourage Nigerians, who desired to travel outside the country, to approach the NIS for advice, collection of passport, documents and visas, warning that passing through irregular routes has dangerous consequences. 

The Head of the Directorate of Migration and Deputy Comptroller-General of NIS, Kemi Nandap, explained that to curtail the global menace, the NIS was working with security agencies, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Nigeria Diaspora Commission, Justice Department and some international agencies.

[EagleOnline]