Author: Opalim Lifted

The Federal Government of Nigeria has ended the plan to subsidize 50 kg bags of rice for N40,000 to civil servants. The decision was made in a circular titled ‘Withdrawal of Internal Circular on Sale of Subsidized Rice to Public Servants’, signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs (Human Resources Management Department). The circular was addressed to Directors and Heads of Departments. “I am directed to refer to our internal circular in the Ministry (Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs) of 1st August, 2024 on the above subject matter and to…

The Vienna leg of a tour by American mega-star Taylor Swift has been cancelled after Austria arrested a man in connection with an Islamist attack plot, the organisers said Wednesday. Authorities had earlier confirmed the arrest of a 19-year-old Islamic State (IS) group sympathiser for allegedly planning an Islamist attack in the Vienna region, warning he had a “focus” on Swift’s three upcoming shows. “With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” Barracuda Music said on Instagram. The organisers added…

The Department of States Service (DSS) has refuted reports claiming that its officers had raided the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja. The denial comes following Wednesday’s allegations by NLC, that the Service had sent armed men to its office, and that they had carted away some documents. According to the union, the operatives stormed the Labour House around 8:30 pm. “They broke in and ransacked the bookshop on the 2nd floor carting away hundreds of books and other publications,” NLC’s PRO, Benson Upah, disclosed in a statement. “The invading troop claimed that they were looking for…

Heavily armed security personnel stormed and raided the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja on Thursday, the union said. According to the union, the operatives stormed the Labour House around 8:30 p.m., NLC’s PRO, Benson Upah, disclosed in a statement. “They broke in and ransacked the bookshop on the 2nd floor, carting away hundreds of books and other publications,” the statement reads. “The invading troop claimed that they were looking for seditious materials used for the #EndBadGoveranance Protests.” The Nigeria Labour Congress is not immediately able to ascertain all the things taken away from its offices. NLC…

The Ukrainian embassy in Mexico on Wednesday urged the Mexican government to arrest Russian leader Vladimir Putin if he attends the inauguration that he was invited to of president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum. Kyiv’s delegation, which called Putin a “war criminal,” also thanked Mexico for extending an invitation to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky for the ceremony on October 1. “We are confident that the Mexican government would comply in any case with the international arrest warrant by handing over the aforementioned (Putin) to the United Nations judicial body in The Hague,” the Ukrainian embassy said in a statement. In March 2023, the…

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, has assured Nigerians in the UK of their safety following anti-immigration riots. Montgomery gave the assurance on Wednesday while meeting with the CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in Abuja. The High Commissioner and envoy indicated that 12 British towns were affected by the riots. Protests first broke out late last month, after an anti-immigrant misinformation campaign stoked outrage over a stabbing attack that left three children dead in Southport, northern England. The riots were triggered by the death of three school girls, aged between six and nine,…

South African actress, Connie Chiume known for her role in Marvel’s “Black Panther,” has died at the age of 72, her family announced. Connie gained widespread recognition for her role as Mining Tribe Elder in the 2019 Grammy Award-winning movie The actress’ family shared the heartbreaking news on Tuesday afternoon, stating that she died in a Johannesburg hospital announcing her passing through a touching post on her Instagram account. The family also requested privacy during this difficult time. They assured that further details would be communicated in due course. Born on June 5, 1952, in Welkom, South Africa, Chiume began…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has announced plans to identify and disclose the names of those sponsoring foreign-flag-waving protesters to incite insurrection. DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya stated that the sponsors identities will be made public soon. Speaking at a joint press conference in Abuja, Afunanya urged Nigerians to be patient with the Federal Government. He explained that the DSS is investigating the display of foreign flags during the protest and will reveal more information about the sponsors in due course. He said, “Now, people have started exhibiting behaviours that are detrimental to the security, welfare, and orderliness of society.…

The Department of State Service (DSS) disclosed that it is currently investigating seven Polish nationals arrested in connection with the violent #EndBadGovernance protests. Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesperson, revealed this when the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, held a meeting with members of the Diplomatic Corps on Wednesday. Reacting to questions, the DSS spokesman explained that the Polish nationals were picked up over the display of foreign flags during the protests in Northern Nigeria. According to him, those picked up are being investigated, further assuring that their arrest was not a targeted attempt on Polish nationals. The meeting was attended…

President Bola Tinubu has pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with his administration, assuring the country is about to enter a new dawn. Tinubu, in an official video released by the State House on Wednesday, acknowledged the hardship Nigerians are going through as a result of fuel subsidy removal. The President also admitted that an “avoidable lag” between subsidy removal and his “good and helpful plans” compounded Nigerians’ pains. He said, “Fellow Nigerians, this period may be hard on us and there’s no doubt that it is tough on us but I urge you all to look beyond the present…