President Bola Tinubu says his government is making sacrifices and working assidously to build a prosperous Nigeria.

Tinubu made this known on Wednesday in Abuja when he broke Ramadan fast with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and the leadership of the House.

He stated that there was light at the end of the tunnel, imploring the legislators not to forget their constituencies and to take advantage of the holy month of Ramadan to show love and support the less privileged in society

Tinubu, who expressed confidence in the ability of the National Assembly to uphold good governance, lauded the existing cordial relationship between the executive and the legislature.

He said the harmonious working relationship had resulted in the expeditious passage of several bills to improve the welfare of Nigerians.

”We are making sacrifices for the country, and we are assuring citizens that there is a very bright light at the end of the tunnel.

”We must have faith, and please do not forget your constituencies and remember what they are going through.

”I cannot thank you enough for what you are doing, but it is for our country. There is nothing personal about this. It is for Nigeria, and we have no other country but Nigeria,” the President stated.

On the recent dastardly killing of soldiers on national duty in Delta State, the President while expressing his heartfelt condolences to the families of the bereaved, pledged that the sacrifices of the fallen heroes would never be in vain.

The President announced that the officers would be given a befitting burial and national honours.

”In responding to distress calls, they met the end of their lives in a savage manner. Let us work to sympathize and symbolize the fact that they are worth the sacrifices they have made for Nigeria.

”We salute all our men and women in uniform, and we sympathize with them. I will soon make further pronouncements, but they must have a befitting burial and national honours,” the President said.

The Senate has proposed imposing sanctions on parents who fail to provide formal education for their children in Nigeria.

This proposal emerged during a session where Senator Adebule Idiat Oluranti (representing Lagos West) introduced a motion addressing the pressing issue of out-of-school children in the country.

Central to the discussion was the suggestion to establish mobile courts dedicated to enforcing the compulsory education mandate outlined in the Universal Basic Education Act.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, emphasized the need for all states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to adopt effective measures similar to those implemented during his tenure as governor of Akwa Ibom State. He referenced a policy that prescribed six months’ imprisonment for parents or guardians of school-age children found loitering during school hours.

Senator Ahmed Lawan (APC, Yobe North) underscored the severity of the out-of-school children crisis, labeling it both a social and security concern. With an estimated population exceeding 20 million, the issue presents a significant obstacle to national development and security.

Echoing Lawan’s sentiments, Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, expressed deep concern over the potential security implications posed by uneducated youth. He highlighted the disproportionate impact of the issue in certain states, particularly those in the northern region of Nigeria, and called for concerted efforts across all levels of government and society to address the problem.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) echoed the sentiment, urging relevant agencies to disclose state-by-state data on the prevalence of out-of-school children transparently. This transparency, he argued, would hold governors accountable for addressing the issue and safeguarding the future of Nigerian youth.

Singer Iyanya has explained why he has not responded to an allegation made by his former girlfriend, actress Yvonne Nelson that he cheated on her with their colleague, Tonto Dikeh.

Yvonne made the allegation in her explosive book I Am Not Yvonne Nelson launched in June 2023 in Ghana.

Iyanya’s romance with Yvonne hit the rocks in 2015 after the pair began dating in July 2012 and were spotted together at functions.

Responding to the actress’s claim, the musician said in a tweet that he would speak on it at a later date but not in a book. He however went silent on the matter.

But in a recent interview on The Beat 99.9 FM, Lagos, Iyanya said he endorsed the book without knowing the content.

The singer, who had promised to address Yvonne’s allegations last year when the book came out, stated that he is still not ready to respond to his ex-girlfriend’s infidelity allegations.

He noted that they are still on good terms and communicate regularly.

Iyanya said:

“I endorsed Yvonne Nelson’s book without knowing I was in the book. We were cool, we still talk to this day, so I didn’t know that I was in the book. When the book came out, everywhere was buzzing. People were telling me I am in the book. But I have not read it till now.

“I know I promised to address the allegations she made in her book, but I’m not ready to respond. I’m not going to respond to stuff like that, being me comes with a lot of madness.”

Sensational Nigerian songstress, Simisola Ogunleye-Kosoko, widely known as Simi globally, is making waves online after a viral video capturing her bold onstage call-out of her husband, singer Adekunle Gold, made the rounds.

Adekunle Gold, this month, March 2024, as part of his ‘Tequilla Ever After’ tour, made history by shutting down the 12k capacity OVO arena, Wembley, in London. Alongside his wife, Simi, the couple thrilled fans with captivating performances on stage, left the audience spellbound.

One of the standout moments captured at the event occurred when Simi, donning a dazzling pink ensemble, paused her performance to engage with her fans.

During this impromptu interaction, she wore a serious expression as she gestured towards her husband, Adekunle Gold, seated in the audience, and playfully called him out for the suggestive dance moves with his female dancers.

With a hint of teasing in her tone, she remarked that they would discuss the matter backstage after the show.

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Popular cross-dresser and controversial media personality Bobrisky has taken to his Instagram platform to share evidence of his ongoing transition into womanhood.

Posting a picture of himself promoting a cosmetic product, Bobrisky expressed satisfaction with the progress of his journey and revealed that he has encountered no health issues during the process.

In the Instagram post, Bobrisky appeared confident and radiant, cradling his augmented breasts while exuding beauty and elegance.

Alongside the photos, he conveyed gratitude to his medical team, both in Nigeria and abroad, who have played a crucial role in facilitating his transition.

She wrote;

“My journey transitioning into a woman has been going smooth, no health issue, everything is going smooth for me. I want to say thank you to all my doctor both home and abroad you all did an amazing job with my body. @blemiviv_skincare thank you also for keeping up with me on ur products to make sure everything is working well for me. Guys go check @blemiviv_skincare out.” 

Controversial Islamic cleric, Shiekh Ahmad Gumi has insisted that terrorists are financing themselves through proceeds from kidnappings.

Gumi faulted the list of terrorist financiers released by the Federal Government, which included his closed ally, Tukur Mamu.

The Nigerian Intelligence Financial Unit, NFIU, had released a list of 15 financiers of terrorism, including nine individuals and six Bureau De Change, BDC, operators.

The list was entitled ‘Designation of Individuals and Entities for March 18, 2024’.

However, Gumi said security agents had no right to name anyone as a terrorist financier.

Speaking during a Twitter Space organised by Daily Trust, the Islamic scholar said: “These people are financing themselves by taking our children for ransom.

“So, how can we say some people are financing terrorism because there is a misunderstanding between them?

“Now they are looking for N1 billion for these children (kidnap victims) to be released. They (terrorists) financed themselves by kidnapping. I think it’s rubbish to just frame your political opponents as financing terrorism.”

Super Eagles interim head coach, Finidi George has said the team’s objective is to get good results in their upcoming friendlies against Ghana and Mali.

Finidi said it is important for the team to maintain the high standard they set for themselves at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Eagles finished second at the competition losing 2-1 to hosts Cote d’Ivoire in the final.

“We finished in second place at the Africa Cup of Nations and everyone expects us to maintain that high rating and be even better in a short while. Our objective is to get good results in these two matches and stay positive ahead of the World Cup qualifiers,” Finidi told thenff.com.

“They call it friendly matches but there is really nothing friendly when you play, especially Ghana. I have been involved in matches against Ghana since the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal. Matches between our countries are serious duels and are always seen as battles by our people. The Black Stars did not perform that well at the recent Africa Cup of Nations and they will be keen to banish that memory.”

Friday’s match will be the 60th encounter between both countries, since a Jalco Cup match on 20th October 1951 ended 5-0 in favour of Nigeria. Twenty of the previous 59 duels have ended in draws, including their last two encounters (2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches) in March 2022.

Their last friendly match, in London on 11th October 2011, ended scoreless.

The Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja yesterday convicted and sentenced a man, Dennis Okubiat, to 20 years imprisonment for raping a 12-year-old church member for three months which led to urinary incontinence.

Justice Ismail Ijelu found the convict guilty after reviewing the victim’s evidence which colluded with that of the medical report.

The judge also held that the prosecuting counsel Babatunde Sunmonu, proved the one-count charge of child defilement brought against the convict beyond all reasonable doubt.

Sunmonu had told the court that the convict committed the offence on September 6, 2021, at about 10 am, in Tomoron Village Lagos Island, contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

The victim had told the judge during the trial that she went for evangelism and in the process, went to check on the convict, who had not been coming to church after the pastor of her church said they should visit members who have not been seen in church for a period of time.

But during the visit, she claimed that the convict offered her a meal of garri and groundnut, and after eating, she slept off.

“When I woke up, I saw a white substance in my private part, and I woke Okubiat up and asked him what happened to me; he said if I told anybody, he would kill me”.

In his defence, Okubiat said the victim came to his house because her mother was working in a hotel and she abandoned the victim and her other siblings and that he used to give the victim and her sister food whenever they were hungry.

He also testified that he had known the victim’s family since the time they came into the community.

In his judgment, Justice Ijelu held that Okubiat didn’t deny or challenge the victim’s testimony.

He said he knew the girl and that she was a 12-year-old child.

The judge therefore sentenced Okubiat to 20 years imprisonment.

Controversial Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has explained why he exhumed his mother’s body for reburial.

The ‘Zazu’ crooner recently exhumed his mother’s body and reburied her.

Speaking in a viral video trending on X platform, Portable explained that he exhumed her body because the land where she was buried was sold.

He said, “I lost my mother at the age of 13. I exhumed her body and reburied her because they sold the land where she was initially buried.”

He revealed that he wants to build a mansion at the place where he reburied his mother.

A Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said Niger Delta militants aren’t kidnapping their families and members of their communities because they are all armed in the creeks.

Gumi said bandits, who are mostly herdsmen, are kidnapping their families and members of their communities in the North because they believe that they are conspiring with security agents to fight them.

Speaking in a recent interview with Nigeria Info FM, the controversial cleric said bandits are marginalised Nigerians, who have no access to education, health, good water, or other social amenities.

Gumi said the federal government must grant bandits amnesty just like the Umaru Yar’Adua administration did for the militants in the Niger Delta region for peace to return to the North.

The controversial cleric reiterated that bandits are also fighting for a cause like militants who were angry because the government neglected their oil-rich region, where the country generates the bulk of its revenue.

Gumi said: “The reason is because they are all armed; they are all armed in the creeks.”