The Nigerian entertainment industry is in mourning following the untimely death of popular Nollywood actress and producer, Sharon Okpamen. The actress, who was also a dedicated entrepreneur and humanitarian, passed away on Sunday, nearly a month after giving birth to her second child. Her passing has left a deep void in both the film industry and the hearts of her fans and colleagues. Sharon Okpamen, widely admired for her talent and contributions to Nollywood, was a prominent figure in the Nigerian film industry, particularly within the Edo State entertainment scene. Her work as an actress and producer earned her widespread…
Author: Ifeanyi N.
The Kaduna State Police Command has successfully detained two cattle rustlers, two notorious gunrunners, and three kidnapping suspects in a series of coordinated operations. This significant breakthrough was confirmed by the Command’s spokesperson, ASP Mansir Hassan, in a statement released on Sunday in Kaduna. According to the statement, on Thursday, police operatives, acting on credible intelligence, launched a targeted raid on a hideout notorious for harbouring criminals involved in cattle rustling. The operation took place in the Kasuwa Magani area of Kujama, Kaduna State, where a well-organised syndicate had been preying on local farmers, stealing their livestock and causing widespread…
Tragedy struck again in Benue State as at least six people lost their lives, and several others were injured following two separate attacks by armed herdsmen on the Iwari and Olegagbane communities in Agatu Local Government Area. These latest incidents underscore the ongoing violence and instability plaguing the region. The attacks, which occurred on Friday evening, have left the local communities reeling. According to a local source, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns, the first attack took place in the Iwari community, where one person was killed and several others sustained injuries. Shortly after, the Olegagbane community was also…
Prominent activist and politician Omoyele Sowore has launched a scathing criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, labelling it as “evil” following the covert detention of 75 peaceful protesters. These individuals, who participated in the EndBadGovernanceInNigeria movement, have been accused of attempting to overthrow the government. The controversy stems from the events following a series of protests against the policies of the Tinubu administration. For ten days, Nigerians took to the streets to express their discontent with rising hunger and economic hardship under Tinubu’s leadership. Among those who protested were several young individuals, with some as young as 15 and 16…
In a significant legal development, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has nullified the earlier judgment delivered by the Federal High Court, which had mandated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to permit the involvement of 381 ad-hoc delegates in its primary election scheduled for February 22, 2024. This primary election, which has already taken place, resulted in the selection of Asue Ighodalo as the PDP’s candidate for the upcoming governorship election in Edo State, slated for September 21, 2024. The decision by the Court of Appeal now casts doubt on the validity of the previous ruling and has raised important…
Point of Sale (PoS) operators in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, were subjected to a harrowing experience as armed robbers launched coordinated attacks on their businesses on Sunday. The incidents, which occurred in broad daylight, left the city’s residents in shock and highlighted the increasing vulnerability of small business operators in the region. The first attack took place along Uzuakoli Road, a bustling area of the city known for its commercial activity. According to eyewitnesses, the robbers arrived on the scene in a tricycle, a common mode of transportation in the area, but one that has increasingly been used…
The Anambra State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has officially ended the indefinite strike action initiated in response to the abduction of Dr. Stephen Ezeh, a prominent medical practitioner based in Ihiala. The strike, which significantly disrupted healthcare services across the state, was called off after Dr. Ezeh’s safe release on Saturday. In a statement issued on Sunday, the NMA announced that its members would be resuming their duties with immediate effect. The statement was jointly signed by the Chairman, Dr. Princeston Okam, and the Secretary, Dr. Ifeanyi Obiaeli, both of whom expressed relief over the resolution of…
The political landscape of Enugu State’s All Progressives Congress (APC) has recently been rocked by a series of internal conflicts, culminating in the suspension of 20 party members by the faction led by Barrister Ugochukwu Agballah. This decision, announced on Saturday, follows the suspension of Agballah and other party officials by a rival faction earlier in the week. The Agballah-led group, following a stakeholders’ meeting at the party’s secretariat, moved decisively to counter what they see as an illegitimate attempt to oust their leadership. The meeting was attended by prominent APC figures, including the Deputy National Chairman for the South,…
In a series of blistering statements, former Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has once again taken aim at the current state of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a party he once served with great loyalty. On Sunday, Melaye expressed his deep disappointment, lamenting that the founding fathers of the PDP—esteemed figures such as Alex Ekwueme, Solomon Lar, Sunday Awoniyi, Adamu Chiroma, Tony Anenih, and Abubakar Rimi—would be distraught over the direction in which the party is heading under its present leadership. Melaye’s criticism was particularly targeted at the PDP’s acting National Chairman, Iliya Damagum, along with key figures such as…
As the Edo State governorship election scheduled for 21st September 2024 approaches, the political atmosphere is becoming increasingly charged. The Asue-Ogie Campaign Management Council has made a strong appeal to the citizens of Edo State, urging them not to compromise their future by electing an unqualified candidate. The call to action was made public during a press conference held in Benin City, the state capital, on Sunday. The council, led by its Deputy Director-General for Media, Olu Martins, addressed the press, responding to recent allegations made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole. Oshiomhole, a prominent figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC),…
A 42-year-old man, Lasisi Ismail, has been apprehended for allegedly selling a piece of land that did not belong to him in Ilori-Agbedu, Ede, Osun State. The fraudulent transaction, which involved selling the land for N800,000, was conducted using falsified documents, leaving the unsuspecting buyer, Mrs Afolabi, in possession of what turned out to be a worthless piece of paper. The incident came to light when Mrs Afolabi, realising that she had been deceived, reported the matter to the Osun Amotekun Corps. Upon receiving the complaint, the Corps immediately launched an investigation into the activities of Ismail, who had reportedly…
The Osun State Amotekun Corps recently apprehended three individuals in Ode-Omu, Ayedaade Local Government Area, on charges of stealing vehicle parts. Suspects, identified as Sodiq Oyedokun (21), Ojoko Ayomiposi (21), and Busari Ayomide (24), were detained while attempting to sell the stolen items to a scrap dealer in the area. The arrest was announced in a statement released on Friday by the spokesperson for the Corps, Yusuf Idowu. According to the statement, the trio was caught in the act when they tried to offload the stolen vehicle components to a local scrap dealer, known only as Malam, who operates within…
The ongoing turmoil within the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Nigeria has escalated further with the recent arrest of Zimbabwean Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatiwa, who had travelled to Nigeria to oversee the election of a new bishop following the resignation of the former bishop, John Wesley Yohanna. The arrest, which occurred in Yola, Adamawa State, and the subsequent transfer of Bishop Nhiwatiwa to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja, has deepened the existing rift within the church and raised concerns about the involvement of external forces in the church’s internal affairs. Bishop Nhiwatiwa, a prominent figure within the…
Activist and politician Omoyele Sowore has alleged that Ahmed Abubakar, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), resigned due to his unwillingness to participate in human rights abuses allegedly planned by President Bola Tinubu’s administration. This accusation comes amid increasing concerns over the actions of Nigeria’s security agencies under the current government. Sowore, a vocal critic of Nigeria’s political establishment, made these claims on Sunday in response to the arrest of investigative journalist Adejuwon Soyinka. According to reports, Soyinka, the Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa, was detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) shortly after arriving at…
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a prominent figure within the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former National Publicity Secretary of the now-defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), has responded to recent comments made by Tony Okocha, the ousted Chairman of the Rivers APC Committee. Okocha had suggested that former Minister Chibuike Amaechi harboured ambitions to use the APC machinery to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. In a statement released on Sunday, Chief Eze strongly refuted Okocha’s claims, advising him to desist from what he described as using Amaechi’s name for personal gain. According to Eze, Okocha’s…
The Adamawa State Government has commenced the payment of a new minimum wage of N70,000 to its civil servants, delivering on a key promise made by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri. The new wage was first reflected in the salaries paid on Friday, August 23, 2024, adhering to the state’s usual payroll schedule. Governor Fintiri had pledged that the revised minimum wage would be effective from August, and the timely implementation of this commitment is a notable achievement for his administration. The 23rd of each month is traditionally when employees on the state government payroll receive their salaries, and this month’s payment…
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has categorically denied any connection between the state government and the donation of N1 billion to the Cherubim and Seraphim Church by his elder brother, Deji Adeleke. The governor clarified that the substantial donation, which has sparked controversy, was a private philanthropic gesture by his brother, a well-known business magnate, and had no ties to the state’s finances. In response to accusations from the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Adeleke, through his spokesperson, firmly refuted allegations that the donation was made by him or funded by the state’s treasury.…
The Delta State Government has taken a firm stance against illegal constructions that obstruct waterways, as part of its broader strategy to mitigate the persistent flooding issues in the region. Among the most notable actions is the recent condemnation and planned demolition of properties belonging to Hon. Victor Egbo, the Delta State Commissioner representing the Isoko ethnic nation at the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC). Chief Frank Omare, the Director of Special Duties to the State Government and Chairman of the Task Force on the Removal of Illegal Structures and Recovery of Government Lands, disclosed that the…
The North Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has vehemently rejected the recent dissolution of the Benue State party executives by the National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje. The Forum, expressing its strong disapproval, has labelled the action as unjustified and unacceptable, raising concerns over the legitimacy and motives behind this decision. Alhaji Saleh Mandung Zazzaga, the Chairman of the North Central APC Forum, addressed journalists on Saturday in Jos, the Plateau State capital. During his address, Zazzaga, who also served as a member of the Presidential Campaign Council in the last general election, criticised Ganduje’s decision, arguing that it lacked a…
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has issued a plea to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State, urging him not to target or ostracise any political parties in the state following the conclusion of the legal challenge to his election victory. The appeal came in the wake of the Supreme Court’s judgement, which affirmed Ododo as the legitimate winner of the 11th November 2023 governorship election. In a statement released on Saturday, the Kogi State Chairman of CNPP, Comrade Mohammed Kabir Abdullahi, expressed his thoughts on the matter, emphasising the importance of moving beyond political rivalries for the…