Blog

El-Rufai Says He is Returning To The Private Sector After Leaving Active Politics

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna state, has stated his desire to exit politics and go back to work in the private sector.

El-Rufai, a certified quantity surveyor, announced on X on Monday that he planned to create Afri-Venture Capital Company Limited. In the first quarter of 2024, the company plans to begin operations in Abuja.

He claims that the company’s goal is to assist and develop African and Nigerian entrepreneurs in order to shape the upcoming generation of renowned businesspeople.

This project will be led by El-Rufai, who will work with distinguished directors Jimi Lawal, Hafiz Bayero, Eyo Ekpo, and Kabir Yabo to develop and mentor the next generation of business leaders, who may become Dangote Group acolytes in the process.

Men lack common sense—Moet Abebe explains why, at 34, she is still unmarried

Actress and media personality Moet Abebe, from Nollywood, has disclosed her 34-year-old single status.

Weeping that most men “do not have sense,” Moet said she has not yet found a “sensible man.”

The Nollywood actor Etim Effiong was a guest on a recent episode of the Bahd and Boujee Podcast, which she co-hosted with reality star Tolanibaj. She made this statement.

Effiong questioned her about her continued single status during the session. Effiong had known Moet since he was unmarried six years prior.

“You already know my reservations,” Moet retorted. I am over repeating this after each episode.

“More needs to be done by your gender.” The thing about men that bothers me is that they lack common sense.

“I have problems with men, which is why I am still single. Men do not have sense, and that is my problem with them.

Staff Member of Zenith Bank Kidnapped Passes Away After Family Supposedly Paid N11 Million Ransom

It is reported that Austin Ilom, a Zenith Bank employee at the Suleja Branch, passed away after his family paid an astounding N11 million to have him released. 

One of his friends shared this on social media. 

“Sad news, a young man’s tragic end.

Three weeks ago, a staff member of Zenith Bank’s Suleja branch was abducted from his Kubwa residence.

His brother-in-law is a senator currently serving; he simply stated that he will not do anything until the bank brings their own contribution for his release. They demanded a N50 million ransom, and the bank declined to help him because he was abducted at home and not while on duty.

In the end, he brought only 3 million, while his coworkers and friends raised a total of 11.5 million.

A few days later, the kidnappers called to say they should come pick him up after taking the 11 million and instructing them to go get the remaining amount.

They took a half-dead man and brought him to Bwari hospital in Abuja. He asked for water and gave up before they could bring it to him.

 Suleja’s best marketing personnel

A military helicopter crashes in Port Harcourt

On Friday, at the NAF Base in Port Harcourt, a Nigerian Air Force helicopter crashed and burst into pieces.

The incident happened about 7.50 am, despite the fact that the cause of the crash could not be immediately determined.

“I was inside my apartment when I heard this thunderous sound at the NAF Base,” the source stated.

“A thick flame was the next thing I saw.” I am unable to get too close to the scene right now, so I am not sure if there are any casualties. 

However, I heard a blast twice.

Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, the Director of Public Relations and Information for the NAF, confirmed the crash in a statement, stating that the NAF MI-35P had taken off to begin an operation against oil thieves in Rivers State.

Adding that five of the passengers had only minor wounds, he said

Three people killed, 13 injured as Hamas gunmen attack Jerusalem.

Hamas gunmen have killed three people while 13 were injured in the attack they launched at a bus stop in Jerusalem during rush hour on Thursday.

The Palestinian group disclosed its militants carried out a shooting in Jerusalem today, despite the extension for a day of a truce in Gaza and to release at least 10 more Israeli hostages.

The Telegraph said an off-duty soldier reportedly intervened and shot and killed the attackers, who arrived in a vehicle and opened fire with an M-16 rifle and a handgun. In a statement, the terror group said, “This operation is a natural response to the unprecedented crimes of the occupier in the Gaza Strip and against children in Jenin.”

70-year-old woman finally gives birth to twins after years of barrenness.

In what a mother would call a miracle, a doctor reports today that a Ugandan woman, 70 years of age has given birth to twins.

Safina Namukwaya described her joy at the arrival of the twins who were born at a medical facility in the capital Kampala, where she had received fertility treatment.

The mother and babies, a boy and a girl were still in the care of the Women’s Hospital and were in good health also.

Namukwaya said she previously gave birth to a girl in 2020, after being mocked as “cursed woman” who had previously failed to produce a child.

Fire Destroys Singer Orezi’s Lagos Home 

Orezi, a singer, has expressed regret over a fire that destroyed his house in the Lekki neighborhood of Lagos State. 

On his Instagram story on Tuesday, Orezi posted images and a video of his burned-out home. 

“Last night was really hectic,” he wrote in his letter. It is taking me a while to process everything that transpired. 

“I ask myself, why me, as I sit here. It is true that God is merciful. I am so grateful to God. 

“My neighbor Bobrisky called me last night at 11:48 p.m. to tell me that my house was on fire while I was at a meeting in Lekki County. At first, I thought this was a joke.

“How come Bob Dey gave me this kind of yeye joke? I hurried over to my house right away.

I was broken by what I saw.”

Why Angela Okorie’s marriage failed

According to Nollywood actress Angela Okorie, she left her estranged husband Chukwuma Orizu because she “fell out of love.”

The single mother claimed that pressure from her husband’s family members, who were always pleading with her to give up entertainment, was the reason she outgrew her marriage.

In a recent podcast interview, Okorie discussed her thoughts, her coworker Iyabo Ojo served as the host.

“I will not advise anybody to be in a marriage when you are not in love with the man,” the woman declared. That, in my opinion, is the main cause of many women cheating. There are far too many married women who cheat in this Lekki.

“I lost interest in love, personally. My ex-husband was a good man. I loved him. His family’s actions caused me to fall out of love. They were against my acting career. They were against me doing any acting. They said, “You will quit doing entertainment if we are going to marry you.” I will be like, “Even my mother can not stop me,” at that point. That is how I live. You know how long it took me, how many years?

“He [my ex-husband] was rooting for me,” Though the entire story made me feel as though I was in a place where nobody even understood my vision, he does not even cause me stress. They have no idea what I am trying to accomplish. Let us go after it together, please. Your wife desires this. I can not let my dream die. I have spent so many years working toward this to get here. 

You cannot, therefore, wake up and decide to give up on your dreams just because you want to marry me.

President Bola Tinubu seeks Senate’s approval to get fresh $8.6bn, and €100 loan

President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve a fresh loan of $8.6 billion and €100 million earmarked for the execution of vital projects in various sectors of the economy.

Mr. President made this known in a request letter read at the start of plenary today by the President of Senate Godswill Akpabio.

The president indicated in the letter that his request was part of the federal government’s 2022-2024 external borrowing plan approved by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

He added that projects to be funded with the loans were determined based on economic evaluation and the expected contribution to the country’s development.

13 People injured today in Lagos-Ibadan expressway multiple crash.

The Spokesperson, Federal Road Safety Corps in Ogun, Mrs Florence Okpe, confirmed an ugly incident to newsmen in Abeokuta that no fewer than 13 persons sustained injuries in a multiple accident today at Car Park C on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Okpe explained that the incident occurred at 4:55 am, adding that it was caused by speeding and involved five vehicles and 22 people, while adding that the injured victims were taken tofor medical attention.

She reported that the state Sector Commander, Anthony Uga, had advised motorists to always apply caution while driving and also drive defensively.

A Catholic Priest has been Detained in Anambra for allegedly raping and Impregnating Teenager

One Rev. Fr. Nwaigwe Stephen, a Catholic Priest in Anambra state, has been remanded for allegedly raping and impregnating a teenager.

An Awka Chief Magistrates’ Court on Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court , Anambra State remanded the priest in prison till December 6, 2023. The prosecutor is charged to transmit the original case file to the office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Anambra State.

The priest was also accused of forcefully taking the pregnant minor to Benin City, Edo State, where she delivered her baby, but police investigation revealed that nobody seem to know where the baby is right now.

The offence of having sexual intercourse with a minor, is punishable under section 34(2) of the Child’s Rights Law of Anambra State, 2004 Constitution.

Heavy Security In Kano As APC and NNPP planned Rally and Protest.

There has been presence of heavy security across the metropolis of Kano State today owing to the planned rally and protest by the supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the State.

However, update reaching us is that the two political parties and their supporters had shelved their agenda as no one could be sighted on the streets for the protest.

Earlier before the heavy security was noticed, the Director-General of the Campaign Organisation, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, who led other stakeholders consisting of members of the Kano State House of Assembly, former commissioners, ex-special advisers and others of the APC in the state said while the NNPP would be staging a mass protest in Kano today, the APC would organize a mass rally still today.

Tribunal Grants Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party, Access To Kogi Election Materials

The Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja has granted counsels to the first applicant in the case of the governorship election petition, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the leave of the Court to allow access to materials and all documents used in the conduct of November 11 gubernatorial election.

Justice Yusuf Ado Birnin-Kudu gave the order today, compelling the first respondent in the petition, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to comply within 24hours.

The order followed an application filled by a counsel to the plaintiff, who expressed his inability to access the documents, mainly 42 items, to proceed with his case.

According to the complaint, all efforts to access the documents at INEC offices in Abuja and Lokoja had earlier proved abortive.

Nigeria Union of Journalists, laments alleged humiliation of commuters at military checkpoints in SouthEast .

The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Abia State Council, has expressed worry over the continued humiliation of passengers at military checkpoints across South East geo-political zone.

NUJ in a communique after its monthly congress in Umuahia, strongly condemned the practice, and demanded its immediate stoppage, saying it is not a good public image for the military.

Some National Assembly members including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, among others, had variously called for an end to the practice but it has continued.

NUJ in the 12-point communique jointly signed by the Chairman of the Council, the Secretary, and Chairman of Communique-Drafting Committee, queried the rationale behind forcing passengers to disembark at military check-points and trek across even without any search on their vehicles.

NUJ further called for the immediate removal of sandbags and other objects at roadblocks that is long

Iran hangs 17-year-old for commiting murder.

Today, Iran had been reported to have executed a 17-year-old convicted of murder. This follows other related acts showing that the Islamic Republic continues to hang people for crimes committed as minors.

Iran Human Rights (IHR) groups said in separate statements that Hamidreza Azari was executed in prison in the eastern town of Sabzevar in Razavi Khorasan province, the Norway-based Hengaw.

Further reports indicates that Azari was the only child in his family and despite his age had already a few years ago started working as a scrap worker.

The rights groups said the execution marked another violation by Iran of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which defines a child as any person under the age of 18.