Author: Vincent Osuwo

Mr. Abdul Muhammed (SAN) and other counsel defending the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero, in the ongoing Kano emirship dispute have withdrawn their legal representation before the State High Court.  The applicants in this case are Kano State’s Attorney General, the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, and the Kano State House of Assembly. The petitioners’ counsel, Ibrahim Isah-Wangida, submitted an ex parte motion on May 27. They are asking the court to prevent Ado-Bayero and four other deposed emirs of Bichi, Rano, Gaya, and Karaye from acting as emirs. The respondents are Ado-Bayero, Alhaji Nasiru Ado-Bayero…

Twenty-five soldiers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s army have been sentenced to death after escaping fighting against the renowned M23 rebels in the country’s conflict-torn east. A military trial also found the soldiers guilty of theft for stealing products from businesses in a nearby village after departing their positions, according to an army official. The military court acquitted four of the soldiers’ wives of receiving looted property from their husbands. In March, the government overturned a more than 20-year ban on the death penalty after the justice minister highlighted the necessity to remove “traitors” from the army. A…

France and Portugal continue their European Championship rivalry on Friday in a quarter-final match that will centre almost entirely on the two leaders, Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo.  The last-eight match in Hamburg pits two of the most anticipated nations for Euro 2024 against two teams that have yet to fully impress in Germany. Despite the fact that none of their players have scored a goal in open play, France has advanced to the sixth quarterfinal in the previous seven major events. Les Bleus have scored only three goals in four games, one of which was a penalty by Mbappe…

Kidnappers have released Kaduna judge Janet Gimba, who was kidnapped along with her four children on Sunday. However, the judge’s husband, Dr. Musa Gimba, who confirmed the release, stated that the children are still being held by the kidnappers. Gimba, a medical practitioner, stated that the kidnappers are seeking a ransom of N150 million for the release of the remaining children within three days, threatening to kill them if they do not pay. Mansir Hassan ASP, the Public Relations Officer of the Kaduna State Police Command, stated that the bandits murdered the judge’s 14-year-old eldest son, Victor. He stated that…

Nigerian Grammy-winning singer Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, has recounted difficulties living without his late mother, Mrs. Jane Dolapo Balogun. While celebrating her posthumous birthday in a statement on Thursday, Wizkid lamented that “nothing makes sense without you, mama. Life is empty without you.” The singer, who mentioned that his heart is broken forever, stated that his late mother’s smile is all a memory he will never forget.” The Chronicle NG reported that Mrs. Balogun died at around 1.30 a.m. on August 18, 2023. Mrs. Balogun would have been a year older today, July 4, 2024. Eulogising her in…

Some clerics, rights activists, and civil society organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria are outraged by the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government’s decision to join the contentious Samoa Agreement.  The deal allegedly includes stipulations requiring impoverished and developing countries to assist the agitations of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) population for recognition in exchange for financial and other benefits from advanced societies. The pact, named after the Pacific Island of Samoa, where it was signed on November 15, 2023, is progressively gaining traction despite opposition from several countries that hold Islamic and Christian principles, as well as cultural sensitivity. Information…

Brenda Biya, the daughter of Cameroon’s long-serving President Paul Biya, has sparked outrage in her home country by posting an image of herself kissing another woman on Instagram.  The viral post shows Biya, 26, embracing Brazilian model Layyons Valença. “I’m crazy about you, and I want the world to know,” Biya wrote, accompanying the caption with a love heart emoji. Her father, Paul Biya, 91, has held power since 1982, making him one of Africa’s longest-serving dictators. Same-sex relationships are prohibited in Cameroon, and individuals who engage in them face up to five years in prison. Although Ms. Biya, a…

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State suspended his Senior Special Assistant, SSA, on Civil Societies, Mr. Emmanuel Adebisi, yesterday for the alleged diversion of 70 bags of rice.  The civil society coalition in the state, through its secretary, Mr. Olowu Emmanuel, said that the bags of rice gathered in their name were never delivered. Emmanuel said: “There has never been a time since the coming of this administration that anything meant for civil society was delivered. Not even palliative meant to alleviate suffering or the people of the state.” Emmanuel said, “There has never been a time since the coming…

At least two people have been killed and three houses burned as a result of a clash between herders and farmers in the Birnin Kudu Local Government Area of Jigawa State on Tuesday. This was announced by the state police command in a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Lawan Shiisu, in Dutse on Wednesday. The incident reportedly occurred after suspected herdsmen from Katsina State, allegedly invited by local herdsmen, invaded and destroyed farmlands in Safa and Gaurakai villages in the area. “On Tuesday, at about 1600 hrs, the command received information from reliable sources that herders with…

The House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee will on Thursday grill Ibrahim Lamuwa, the suspended Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who has been accused of sexual harassment. A few weeks ago, Simisola Ajayi filed a suit with the Office of the Head of Service to the Federation, accusing the Permanent Secretary of sexual harassment. Ajayi works as an advisor to Mr. Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs. The HoS, Folasade Yemi-Esan, established a probe panel after receiving the petition against the permanent secretary, and she suspended Lamuwa pending the conclusion of the investigation. On Wednesday, Hon. Oluwole…