Author: David Great

The federal government says it has suspended Tajudeen Balogun, the Acting Director, Administration at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), Ile-Ife, Osun State, over his involvement in a job racketeering saga in the institution. The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare spokesperson, Patricia Deworitshe, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. According to her, the former chief medical director, Olumuyiwa Owojuyigbe, appointed in an acting capacity in March and involved in the saga, has absconded from his duty post since July. Ms Deworitshe said the ministry was forced to wade into the issue of the unrest…

A Court of Appeal in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital has sacked Governor Caleb Muftwang of Plateau State and declared Dr Nentawe Yilwatda as the 2023 Plateau Governorship election winner. Muftwang, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the March 18 governorship election was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission but the Yilwatda and the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenged his victory. In their appeal at the election tribunal, Muftwang was upheld as Plateau State governor but Yilwatda appealed the verdict and the appellate court upturned it. The Plateau State governor is expected to take his case to the Supreme…

The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Ohanenye, instituted a suit against a couple, Ifeanyi Enwelum and Christabel Enwelum, on Thursday in Enugu over the breach of rights and defilement of their nine-year-old daughter. Counsel to the minister, Chuma Oguejiofor, told journalists on Saturday that the suit, number E/987/2023, was filed at the Enugu State High Court to enforce the fundamental rights of the minor. Mr. Enwelum reportedly had carnal knowledge of the minor between January 2022 and June 10, 2023, at his 13/15 Onoh Crescent, GRA, Enugu, residence in Enugu North Local Government Area. Mr Oguejiofor said the suit sought…

By Farooq A. Kperogi In a predictable, premeditated, and carefully choreographed judicial charade, the Court of Appeal on Friday upheld the verdict of the Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that reversed the electoral triumph of NNPP’s Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State. I sincerely hope this assault on justice isn’t the spark that ignites an inferno in Kano—and in the country. The signs had been evident since early October that a predetermination had been made that irrespective of the facts, the flawed, preplanned judgment of the election petition tribunal must be preserved at all costs. For example, on October…

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has urged road users to prioritise safety as they ply the road before, during, and after the yuletide. The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is a week-long event commemorated on the third Sunday of November each year. The Delta State FRSC Sector Commander, Bassey Eshiet, gave the advice during a visit to road crash victims at the Federal Medical Centre Asaba on Saturday in Asaba. Mr Eshiet described road traffic crashes and fatalities as a public health crisis that requires urgent, concise, and dedicated action. “For me, road traffic crashes and…

Police in Anambra have smashed a suspected gun-running syndicate and recovered arms and ammunition. DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, the Command spokesman in the state, stated on Saturday that 23 automatic pump action guns and 625 live cartridges were recovered in the process. “Three suspected members of the syndicate were arrested in Onitsha while an investigation is being expanded,’’ Mr Ikenga stated. He added that the breakthrough followed weeks of intensive surveillance of the syndicate. NAN

An official of the Hamas-run health ministry in the Gaza Strip said more than 80 people were killed on Saturday in double Israeli strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp. “At least 50 people” were killed in an Israeli strike at dawn on the UN-run Al-Fakhura school in the camp, which had been converted into a shelter for displaced Palestinians, the official told AFP. Social media videos — which AFP was not able to verify — showed bodies covered in blood and dust on the floor of a building, where mattresses had been wedged under school tables. A separate strike on…

NEMA distributed relief materials to 2,900 persons in Birniwa Local Government Area of Jigawa on Thursday. Nura Abdullahi, coordinator, Kano territorial office, told journalists on Saturday. Beneficiaries were those affected by the 2022 floods in the area, he said. The flood victims, spread across 13 communities in the local government area, got foodstuff, blankets, women’s and children’s clothes, mats, cooking oil, roofing sheets, nails and cement, among others. Flood kills 45, displaces over 171,000 in 13 states – NEMA Mr Abdullahi explained that the intervention was provided to ease the hardship of the victims and to enable them to rebuild…

The Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako, has emphasised that climate change action is pivotal to realising the eight presidential priorities outlined by the current administration. Salako stated this on Saturday in Abuja during the launch of a project mapping climate change impacts and policies across Nigeria’s 36 states. He noted that managing environmental issues and climate successfully requires full participation from sub-national governments and all citizens. “Managing our environment and addressing issues around climate change successfully needs the full buy-in of sub-national governments and, in fact, every Nigerian,” he said. The mapping project “aimed to map the…

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has lauded the show of statesmanship by Liberian president, George Weah, in the just concluded presidential election for accepting defeat to opposition leader, Joseph Boakai. Liberia’s electoral commission reported that Boakai polled 50.89 per cent after tallying the ballots from more than 99 per cent of polling stations, while Weah had 49.11 per cent. In a statement via his X (formerly twitter), the former Nigerian leader commended Weah for accepting defeat and congratulating his opponent ahead of the official declaration. “I am also particularly grateful to the outgoing President, His Excellency George Weah, who has just…