Author: Opalim Lifted

Air Canada has announced plans to begin scheduled flights to Lagos in 2027 following the expansion of the air transport agreement between Nigeria and Canada. The airline said it welcomed the Canadian government’s announcement of the revised agreement and has started seeking the regulatory approvals required to commence commercial operations to Nigeria. Mary-Jane Lorette, Air Canada’s vice-president of revenue management, partnerships and international affairs, said the carrier is preparing to launch the new route next year. “We welcome this expanded Air Transport Agreement and look forward to obtaining the necessary government approvals to begin service to Lagos, Nigeria in the…

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to direct the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to release former Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufai. Atiku’s demand follows President Tinubu’s directive to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to return to court and vacate the order freezing the Osun State Government’s bank accounts ahead of the August 15 governorship election. El-Rufai has remained in ICPC custody since February 19 over allegations of financial impropriety during his tenure as Kaduna governor between 2015 and 2023. On April 13, the…

President Bola Tinubu personally informed Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke that he had directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to lift the restriction placed on the state’s bank accounts, according to the presidency. Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, said Tinubu conveyed the decision during a telephone conversation with Adeleke on Thursday. “President Tinubu in a phone conversation with Governor Ademola Adeleke on Thursday informed him about his directive to the EFCC to lift the court order on the Osun State Government account,” Onanuga said. The development followed Tinubu’s earlier directive ordering the EFCC…

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has removed the officer in charge of the Ibara Medium Custodial Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State, along with two other principal officers, following a viral TikTok live stream by an inmate on death row. The service confirmed that the inmate was in unlawful possession of a prohibited mobile phone, which has since been recovered during a search operation and secured as evidence. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, described the incident as a “serious breach of custodial security.” The service disclosed that the inmate had been transferred to…

A 47-year-old man, Ugochukwu Eze, has been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly hacking into the server of SunTrust Bank Plc and fraudulently diverting N800 million into several accounts. Eze, also known as Amazon, was arraigned on Thursday before Justice Friday Ogazi following his prosecution by the Department of State Services (DSS). Counsel for the DSS, M. Bajela, told the court that the defendant and others still at large conspired between 2023 and 2026 to unlawfully and seriously hinder the operation of SunTrust Bank Plc’s computer system (server), allegedly diverting more than N800 million belonging to…

Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the 2027 federal and state elections on the same day. Dasuki said a single election day would reduce the financial burden on the government, minimise disruption to economic activities and limit the movement of voters, electoral officials, politicians and security personnel. The lawmaker made the call at the weekend while receiving youths of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who visited him to congratulate him on his emergence as deputy minority leader. He urged INEC to consider holding the combined elections…

Colombia has become the first country in Latin America to outlaw female genital mutilation (FGM), following the unanimous passage of a landmark law aimed at ending the harmful practice in parts of the country’s Indigenous communities. The legislation, approved by Colombia’s Congress last week, comes after years of advocacy by survivors, Indigenous leaders, healthcare professionals and lawmakers seeking to end a practice that has left generations of girls with lifelong physical and emotional trauma. According to reports by Reuters, one of the campaigners, Carla Quiñonez, whose identity has been protected, said her daughter was only six months old when the…

The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that applications are now open for the 2027 batch of the ECOWAS Young Professional Immersion Programme (YPIP). In a Wednesday statement signed by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja. The one-year, fully funded programme is open to young citizens of ECOWAS member states seeking practical experience within regional institutions while contributing to regional integration initiatives. The programme is designed to equip participants with technical and professional skills through hands-on experience under the guidance of experienced experts. To be eligible, applicants must be 32 years old or younger…

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately vacate the court order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, describing the timing of the action as inappropriate ahead of the August 15 governorship election. In a personally signed statement issued on Thursday, the President said that while the EFCC acted within its statutory powers by obtaining a court order, carrying out the action just days before the election risked creating the wrong impression. “It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained a court order on…

The federal government has activated enhanced seismic monitoring after an earth tremor shook parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The recent tremor was recorded by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA). Reacting to the incident, Dele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, directed the agency to provide hourly updates on seismic developments around the country’s capital. In a statement issued on Wednesday by Lara Owoeye-Wise, special assistant on media to Alake, the minister urged residents to remain calm and go about their normal activities without anxiety. He said the NGSA had also been directed to intensify surveillance of seismic…