Author: Opalim Lifted

Akin Rotimi, spokesperson of the house of representatives, said President Bola Tinubu consulted the national assembly before announcing a state of emergency in Rivers state. On Tuesday, the president declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political crisis in the south-south state. Tinubu also suspended Fubara, his deputy, and the members of the state assembly. The president nominated Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice-admiral, as the administrator of Rivers state. In a statement, Rotimi said the national assembly “was duly consulted” by the president before reaching the decision. He said Tinubu met with the leadership of the national…

The senate has advanced a bill requiring international social media platforms to establish physical offices within the country. The proposed legislation, sponsored by Ned Nwoko, senator representing Delta north, scaled second reading on Tuesday. The bill seeks to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, to enforce compliance among social media companies operating within Nigeria’s borders. The bill also seeks to regulate bloggers, mandating them to establish verifiable offices in any state capital. The legislation proposes that bloggers keep proper employee records and be part of a harmonised national body with its headquarters in Abuja. House of Representatives approve Tinubu’s…

The defence team of Oba Otudeko and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are exploring an out-of-court settlement over alleged loan fraud trial. Wole Olanipekun, the defence counsel, revealed the settlement talk while appearing before a federal high court in Lagos on Monday. EFCC had filed a 13-count charge against Otudeko and three others over an alleged N30 billion loan fraud. On February 13, the court adjourned its ruling on the defence counsel’s various applications challenging its jurisdiction. Delivering a ruling on Monday, Chukwuekwu Aneke, the presiding judge, insisted that Otudeko must take a plea in the court before…

Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has created his personal account on TikTok. In a video shared on the page on Tuesday, the former Anambra state governor assured that it was his “official and only” TikTok account. He also enjoined users to follow him towards building a “new Nigeria”. “This is my official and only TikTok page. Kindly join me towards building a new Nigeria that is possible,” he said. Obi’s TikTok debut comes a few days after Nasir el-Rufai, the former Kaduna governor, joined the content creation platform. The former Kaduna governor has raked in…

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), has revoked the land occupancy rights of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat in Abuja. In a letter dated March 13 and addressed to the PDP national chairman, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, director of land administration at the FCT administration, said the revocation was due to “non-payment” of ground rent. Ground rent is a yearly fee land owners pay for the right to occupy and use their property. Nwankwoeze said the PDP has failed to pay the annual ground rents due on the property from January 1, 2006 to January 1, 2025.…

Operatives of the Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested popular TikTok influencer, Murja Kunya, for allegedly abusing and mutilating the Naira. Kunya was arrested for allegedly spraying naira notes for fun during her stay in a hotel room at Tahir Guest Palace in Kano. The arrest followed her diligent pursuit by EFCC operatives after she jumped an administrative bail granted her by the Commission over one month ago. She was initially arrested in January 2025 for violating the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Act, which prohibits the abuse and mutilation of the Naira.…

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has responded to recent allegations aired on national television regarding the administration of expatriate quotas in Nigeria’s oil sector. The minister emphasised that he is taking these allegations seriously and has implemented proactive measures to address the concerns raised. Previously, the ministry announced a review of the approving authority for Expatriate Quota (EQ) and Citizenship applications, as stated in a circular dated February 12, 2025. Under the new framework, all approvals are now handled by the minister and the permanent secretary, replacing the previous system where directors in the ministry were responsible. The…

Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former minister of petroleum resources, has asked a federal high court in Abuja to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from auctioning all the properties seized from her. In an amended application filed by her lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, before Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, Diezani also requested an order directing the EFCC to retrieve from persons (natural or corporate) to whom it had sold any of the properties. Diezani submitted that the EFCC breached her fundamental rights to a fair hearing with a public auction of her assets. The former minister argued that despite EFCC’s…

Corps member Rita Uguamaye who went viral on social media last week for her scathing criticism of the government has apologised for “talking down” on Lagos. Uguamaye, a serving corps member in Lagos, made headlines when she posted a video criticising government policies. The video shows her calling Tinubu a “terrible leader” and questioning the government’s commitment to tackling the biting economy. She lamented the poor living conditions in Lagos and argued that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme is not “beneficial”. Her outburst led to mixed reactions from government circles, the NYSC, and Nigerians living in Lagos state.…

The Lagos State Government has slammed the member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Ushie Uguamaye, for stating that “Lagos is smelling.” In a chat with our correspondent, the Director, Public Affairs of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adesina, stated that despite seeing Lagos as smelly, the corps member still goes about enjoying the night life the city has to provide as seen in her TikTok videos. He said those who hold such view are actually the ones who troop into Lagos in droves to put undue pressure on the infrastructure in the…