Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has approved the immediate employment of Mr. Chinonso Oparaji and Mrs. Chipuruime Udeh, two indigenes of the state who made First Class in Law at the Imo State University and the Nigerian Law School.

He gave the approval when the duo, in the company of the Vice Chancellor of Imo State University, Prof. Uchefula Chukwumaeze, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Chimezie Okorie and the Chief Judge of Imo State, Hon. Theresa Chikeka, paid a courtesy call on him at the Government House, Owerri on Monday.

A statement by Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Governor, Oguwike Nwachuku, noted that the governor was delighted with the news of the two Law graduates who made First Class at the Law School, adding that it was a joyful thing that needed to be appreciated.

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He noted that having distinguished themselves with excellent results worthy of emulation, he was happy to encourage them further with approval for their immediate employment.

Uzodimma said appreciating the duo was to encourage other students of Imo extraction that hard work pays.

He praised Chukwumaeze, and staff of IMSU for bringing back hope to the university “in this period of Renewed Hope Agenda.”

He congratulated the graduates and urged them to correct the ills in the system and society.

Oparaji and Udeh, who were accompanied by their relatives, expressed joy at the governor’s gesture, describing it as reward for hard work.

They encouraged other students reading Law and those in the university to always put in their best if they want to achieve the best.

The International Monetary Fund, IMF, has revealed that financial institutions worldwide lost $12 billion to cyberattacks in the last 20 years.

IMF disclosed this in its recent April 2024 Global Financial Stability Report.

The report stated that out of the $12 billion, a whopping $2.5 billion was lost between 2020 and the first quarter of 2024.

Accordingly, the IMF raised concern over the rising incidents of cyberattacks on financial institutions globally, which may affect confidence in the economic system and destabilize economies.

“Financial firms have reported significant direct losses, totalling almost $12 billion since 2004 and $2.5 billion since 2020,” the IMF stated.

“Attacks on financial firms account for nearly one-fifth of the total, of which banks are the most exposed. Incidents in the financial sector could threaten financial and economic stability if they erode confidence in the financial system, disrupt critical services, or cause spillovers to other institutions.

“Cyber incidents that disrupt critical services like payment networks could also severely affect economic activity.

“For example, a December attack at the Central Bank of Lesotho disrupted the national payment system, preventing transactions by domestic banks,” IMF stated.

“Financial institutions in advanced economies, particularly in the United States, have been more exposed to cyber incidents than firms in emerging markets and developing economies,” it added.

Citing JPMorgan Chase as an example, the IMF said the largest US bank recently reported experiencing 45 billion cyber events daily, while spending $15 billion on technology every year and employing 62,000 technologists – many focused on cybersecurity.

IMF added that cyber incidents are a key operational risk that could threaten financial institutions’ operational resilience and adversely affect overall macro-financial stability.

The Africa Democratic Congress is planning a merger with other political parties in the country with a view to creating a formidable front to dislodge the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, from power in 2027.

The National Chairman of the ADC, Chief Ralphs Nwosu, made the disclosure at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

Nwosu said the APC had failed Nigerians and rated the government low on all fronts.

He added that the opposition would not sit idle and watch the downward spiral of the nation.

“The state of the nation is nothing to talk about. It is saddening and arouses morbid fear.

“Therefore, instead of wasting our time engaging in futile debates with those in government, we should continue to strategise on ways to develop a new political system and come together to create a collaborative, value-driven ecosystem that prioritises our people and country.

“We certainly need a new beginning. Pointing fingers of recrimination is not what transformational leaders do,” he said, adding that 22 political parties had joined hands with the ADC to build a new mega party.

“We have resolved to work with all political leaders that appreciate the need for coming together for a new Nigeria.

We discriminate against none; our commitment is a new Nigeria that will lead our dear continent out of its present abyss,” he said.

He pointed out that the APC, which dislodged the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from power in 2015, is a product of a merger of opposition forces.

Following the notable impact of major opposition parties like the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, and the New Nigeria People’s Party in the last election, observers contend that a united opposition before the election could have ousted the APC.

Consequently, Prof. Pat Utomi, and more recently, the ADC, had contemplated the formation of a mega party to dislodge the APC in 2027.

Bandits in Zamfara State have released a new video showing its members celebrating the recent Eid-el-Fitr festival in Munhaye community in the state.

This was disclosed on Thursday by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in Lake Chad, in a post on his X handle.

DAILY POST reported that Muslims in Nigeria joined their counterparts in other countries on Wednesday to mark Eid-El-Fitr, signalling the end of the one-month Ramadan fast.

The Federal Government also declared Tuesday and Wednesday public holidays and later extended the public holiday for the Eid-El-Fitr celebration to Thursday.

The Federal Government has disclosed that Nigerians who plan to ply the Lagos-Calabar coastal road when completed will have to pay N3,000 on average per toll gate.

Nigeria’s Minister of Works Dave Umahi made the disclosure on Thursday when he was featured on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

Umahi stated that an average of 50,000 vehicles were expected to use the road daily and pass through the toll gate when the monumental project was completed.

He explained that tolling the road was a way of recouping the money spent the project in the shortest possible time.

“Let me leave out the infrastructure along the corridor. Let me just concentrate on the tolls and I put 50,000 vehicles as an average passage on these toll points per day,” Umahi said on the breakfast show.

“I put N3,000 as an average cost. N3,000 because the cars could be like N1,500, and the big trucks could be like N5,000,” he said. “So, we put an average”.

“In 15 years, you make back the money,” he said, dismissing calls that the cost budgeted for the road was high

The road project has sparked controversy in some quarter, with many saying the details of the project, especially how the contract was awarded, are shrouded in secrecy.

Former Vice president, Atiku Abubakar, had called out the federal government and presidency on the vagueness and opaqueness of the contractual agreement of the project, saying important information regarding such project of national significance shouldn’t be shrouded in secrecy.

He implored the Tinubu government to be transparent, forthright and come clean to Nigerians on the cost, design, contractor and other sundry details of the road construction.

The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has banned the shooting of movies in riverine areas and also suspended filmmaker Adanma Luke following the death of actor Junior Pope Odonwodo.

Junior Pope was among the persons who drowned while returning from a shoot for a movie called “Another Side of Life” which was being produced by Adanma. Their boat capsized around Cable Point at the waterside of River Niger in Asaba, Delta State.

While there were initial claims that Junior Pope was revived, the AGN said the actor is dead, prompting its suspension of shoots involving riverine areas and boat rides.

“Following the tragic incident of boat mishap that claimed the life of Mr John Paul Odonwodo aka Junior Pope and four other crew members at the waterside of River Niger Cable point Asaba on 10 April 2024 on a movie set titled ‘The other side of Life’ produced by Adanma Luke,” the AGN president Emeka Rollas said in a statement on Thursday.

“The leadership of the Guild has taken the following decisions: (1) All films that involve riverine areas and boat riding are at this moment suspended indefinitely, (2) no shoot on all locations Nationwide on Thursday, 11 April 2024.

“(3)The film titled ‘Another Side of Life’ is suspended indefinitely (4) No actor is allowed to work with Adamma Luke as a producer till further notice. (5) While we keep searching for the bodies of the remaining persons, may their souls rest in peace.”

The move is coming after the AGN president said the actor was alive after initially confirming Junior Pope’s death. But hours later, he deleted the post on his Instagram handle, posting another one where he said reconfirmed the actor’s death.

“It’s so so sad that our joy was shortlived. My first post was out of excitement when we noticed his tingling fingers. Two notable hospitals tried their best to revive him but to no avail. God knows the best,” he said.

“We finally lost him. Mr Friday’s corpse has been identified but three other corpses are yet to be found.”

Investigators from Lagos and Kano states have initiated a search for a 36-year-old Bureau De Change operator named Abubakar Mannir. He is accused of fleeing with $737,015.00 belonging to an Indian national, Manas Das, in Kano.

The suspect is believed to have fled from Kano to Lagos after the theft, and authorities have extended their search efforts accordingly.

Police spokespersons in both Kano and Lagos have confirmed that a manhunt is underway for the suspect in connection with the theft.

The victim, identified as the Chief Executive Officer of Allkraft Technology and Industries Limited, had contacted Mannir for the purchase of $900,000.

Mr Das transferred the naira equivalent from his company’s Zenith Bank account to the BDC operator in December 2023.

However, trouble arose when Mannir allegedly paid only $162,985 through Emirates Booth, his firm, and then disappeared without settling the remaining balance of $737,015.00.

Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Haruna, stated that investigations are ongoing, with efforts expanded to track down the suspect in Lagos.

The General Manager of Allkraft Technology and Industries Limited, Abdulrahman Abubakar, provided further details, mentioning a scheduled meeting that never occurred, leading to suspicion and subsequent reporting of the case to the police.

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that the command is searching for the fugitive Bureau De Change operator.

An eyewitness has spoken about the cause of the boat accident which led to the unfortunate demise of popular actor, John Paul Odonwodo popularly known as Junior Pope on Wednesday, April 10.

The actor lost his life after drowning while on a boat on his way back from the movie set.

According to the eyewitness, the boat carrying Jnr Pope hit another boat carrying other passengers resulting in the collapse of both boats in the river. 

The eyewitness said the rider of the boat Jnr Pope was on, failed to see an oncoming boat on time, hence the clash. Unfortunately there were no divers around to help rescue the victims.

The witness also claimed that some of the victims held unto the rope of a boat after it capsized and later rested on the boat while waiting for help. Fortunately, help arrived on time as people on another boat spotted them and rescued them.

So far, three bodies including Jnr Pope's have reportedly been recovered, while a search is ongoing to recover the bodies of other victims .

Athletics has become the first sport to offer prize money to Olympic champions, announcing that the 48 gold medallists in Paris this year will earn $50,000 each to end a 128-year tradition.

Although the concept of purely amateur competition has long since disappeared from the modern Olympics with athletes often receiving payments from sponsors and professionals taking part for years, the World Athletics (WA) decision is a major shift.

WA President, Sebastian Coe, said there had been no discussion with the International Olympic Committee, only that his organisation had given the IOC a heads-up shortly before announcing the $2.4 million prize pot.

“While it is impossible to put a marketable value on winning an Olympic medal, or on the commitment and focus it takes to even represent your country at an Olympic Games, it is important we make sure some of the revenues generated by our athletes are directly returned to those who make the Games the global spectacle that it is,” Coe told reporters.

“I don’t believe this is remotely at variance with the concept that the IOC often talks about, which is recognising the efforts that our competitors make for the overall success of the Games.”

Norway’s Olympic 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm welcomed the news.

“I think it’s good so I want to salute them for it,” Warholm said in an interview. “It doesn’t change my motivation to win because for the Olympics I’m not in it for the money. The gold medal is worth a lot more to me personally.”

The IOC said it was up to each International Federation (IF) and National Olympic Committee (NOC) to determine how to best serve their athletes and the development of their sports.

“The IOC redistributes 90% of all its income, in particular to the NOCs and IFs. This means that, every day, the equivalent of $4.2 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world,” the ruling body said.

A total of $540 million was allocated to the 28 sports at the Tokyo Games, with World Athletics receiving the most at $40 million.

According to Tana River County Commander Ali Ndiema, the 51 people on board the Umma Express bus were travelling from Garissa to Nairobi at 11:30pm when the bus was swept away by floods at Lager Areli.

Mr Ndiema notes that the driver of the bus, Hassan Rage, dared to cross the flooded section against the advice of other drivers, only for the bus to be swept away by the heavy waters 50 metres off the road.

"He took the risk and risked the lives of more than 50 people, which is an offence punishable by law," he said.

However, the district police commander has confirmed that most of the passengers escaped unhurt and a rescue operation was underway for those stuck on the roof of the bus.

Mr Ndiema has called on drivers plying the Garissa-Nairobi route to be alert and avoid driving on flooded sections to avoid killing their passengers.

"These are sections that were broken during the El Niño and should be avoided at all costs when they are flooded so that we do not lose lives on this road," he said.

The Kenya National Highways Authority has since issued a warning to commuters along the Garissa-Nairobi highway (A3) due to flooding in the Mororo area between Madogo and the Tana River Bridge.

According to KenHa, the flooding has affected one lane of the road, posing a high safety risk to road users.

Other roads currently being monitored by KenHa include the Garissa-Mombasa highway at Bilbil and Charidende in Tana River County, which were washed away by the El Niño floods.