….. It will foster a sense of unity and camaraderie within the school community.
Preparations are now in top gear for Kingsley Spring College, Shagari Boluwaji, Ibadan first ever Inter-House Sports Competition tagged Spring Athletics ’24. The event which will be held on Thursday, April 4th 2024 @ Lekan Salami Stadium,Adamasingba is billed to attract top officials and accomplished personalities from all over Nigeria.
This year’s inter-house sports competition is particularly special as it coincides with the unveiling of the school’s other activities.
According to the chairman of the inter house sport committee,Mr Peter Emmanuel said the activities provide a platform for students to showcase their talents and learn important life skills, and they foster a sense of unity and camaraderie within the school community.
“Sport is meant to teach an individual certain valuable lessons like leadership, communication, team spirit, discipline, courage and many other life skills required for a successful life” he said.
The students have been grouped according to their houses (Yellow (Emmanuel House), Green (Alarape House), Blue (Shittu House) and Purple (Omotayo House).
These activities include discuss, high jump, long jump, match past,Sack race and other track and field events . The winner of the Inter-house trophy is the House that has the most points at the end of the competition.
The event promises to be thrilling! Indeed our students, parents and staff and invited schools will come out to prove themselves to be champions in many ways! He concluded.
The Federal Government has declared Friday, March 29 and Monday, April 1, 2024 as public holidays to mark the 2024 Good Friday and Easter Monday celebrations, respectively.
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, made the declaration on behalf of the federal government in a statement by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Aishetu Ndayako, on Wednesday.
Tunji-Ojo urged Christians and all Nigerians to emulate the sacrifice and love displayed by Jesus Christ in dying for the redemption of man.
“Easter, beyond religious significance, promotes values of love, forgiveness, and compassion, which are essential for social cohesion and harmony,” the minister said.
He urged Nigerians to show acts of charity and generosity to help alleviate the material conditions of the less privileged amongst them.
Nollywood Actress and filmmaker, Eniola Ajao, has said that the Best Dressed Female Award given to cross-dresser, Bobrisky, was a joke.
In an interview with Arise TV host, Kachi, Ajao apologised to Nigeians, stating that the award was to drive publicity for her movie, ‘Ajakaju’.’
She said, “It was just all jokes, you know. We just want to have fun. We want people to talk because we need the film to be in the faces of people.
“I have been taking it upon myself to protect the image of a lot of people at the same time I have been doing it all alone, by myself, and I was not getting help. So, I said, “What can we do for people to talk about this film?” And we decided to give it to Bob, Bob is always a controversial person.
“At the end of the day, people started talking about it, but some people are not happy, and they are trying to come against Femi Adebayo. Adebayo was not aware of so many things that were going on, I only called him to help me announce it.
“I see people online saying we are not going to watch the film, I am begging you guys it was all jokes, and Femi Adebayo knows nothing about what happened at the premier.
“I was not seeing it from the angle of people are going to get upset that Bob is a male. I just want to say I am sorry, I love our culture, I love our tradition, I love women out there.”
Okuneye Idris, known as Bobrisky, contested among other women and won the award of Best Dressed Female at the premier of ‘Ajakaju,’ on Sunday, March 25, 2024.
The award, which was given immediately to Bobrisky with a cash prize, attracted a lot of controversies from Nigerians on social media.
Governor Ademola Adeleke has vowed to revive the abandoned upgrading project for the nine technical colleges in Osun state, requesting the consultant to mobilise to the state for the completion of the project.
The Governor made this declaration on Tuesday while on a courtesy visit to the office of the General Manager of the Innovation Hub, Mr Meir Dagan, who is the consultant for the project.
“We cannot afford to abandon such a lofty project. We need technical colleges more than ever before to address the increasing joblessness in the country.
“Why would an elected Governor abandon projects inherited from Aregbesola and others? It is sheer insensitivity. Is government not continuum? For me and my team, we are completing such projects even as we start our own. Let me declare here that technical colleges are back from now onward.
“Please send your team to Osun to revive the project. Many equipment that are locked up should not waste away. We need the technical colleges to be upgraded to meet the job needs of our teeming population”, Govermor Adeleke told the General Manager of the Innovation Hub, Mr Meir Dagan.
The Governor who was taken round the training facilities and equipment lamented that most equipment in use at the Hub are locked up in Osun for several years, expressing shock that a government for whatever reason could abandon a critical project like the technical college upgrade.
Briefing the Governor after a tour of the facilities, the General Manager, Mr Dagan said his firm is ready to resume the upgrade project as it would help job creation, entrepreneurship, self employment, economic vibrancy and wealth generation for the people of Osun state.
“We are ready to deploy to Osun state to complete the project. We really appreciate the committment of Mr Governor to the revival of the project. Your visitation today is a confirmation of your great leadership in Osun state”, Mr Dagan said.
The Governor was accompannied on the trip by the wife of the Governor, Chief(Mrs) Titi Adeleke, the Commissioner for Federal Affairs, Hon Adenike Adeleke and other state officials.
The Ogun State Community, Social Orientation and Safety Corps (aka So-Safe Corps) has arrested five suspects for alleged armed robbery and burglary.
The arrests, in two different operations, comprised a one-man armed robbery suspect, whose previous records of operations were carried out with a makeshift pistol, while the other gang of four specialized in the burgling of residential apartments.
The two incidents took place under the Agbara Area Command of the Corps, led by AC Adebesin Lukmon.
In the case of the suspected armed robber, Oluwatosin Ayinde, he had set out, as usual, on Friday, March 22, fully prepared for an operation, when the law of retribution caught with him
According to a press statement issued by the State Commander of So-Safe, Dr. Soji Ganzallo, through the Director of Information and Public Relations of the Corps, AC Commander, ACP Moruf Yusuf, the suspect’s cup of criminality got filled to the brim on the said day.
He was alleged of attempting to dispossess one Abiodun Ogunbiyi of his motorcycle at gunpoint, by flaunting a ‘pistol’, which was later discovered by the victim as a makeshift pistol, formed from a gas lighter, resulting in a physical combat between the duo on the victim’s motorcycle.
In the ensuing upheaval, during which they both fell off the bike, the victim raised an alarm that attracted officers of the Corps, who were very close to the scene.
The incident, according to the statement, occurred at Idanyin near Agbara at about 9:35pm on March 22. while officers of the Agbara Area Command of the Corps, led by AC Adebesin Lukmon, were on a routine patrol.
Ganzallo noted that, on sighting the officers, the suspect threw the gas lighter, which looked like a stainless pistol, into a nearby bush, adding that, “This tool he used to intimidate his victims into submission”.
On interrogation, the suspect, a resident of Idanyin in the Ado-Odo/Otta Local Government Area of Ogun State, confessed to the crime, and further owned up to his membership of Eiye Confraternity.
Recovered from him were a blue Honda motorbike, manually marked LSR 615 QM, two Techno Spark4 phones.
President Bola Tinubu has condemned the reprehensible acts perpetrated by kidnappers across the country, declaring that individuals involved in such despicable crimes must be treated as terrorists.
The President made the declaration on Tuesday at a Ramadan dinner with members of the Federal judiciary led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
Reiterating the government’s resolve to defeat banditry, the President said those who resort to kidnapping children are cowards, incapable of confronting the might of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
”We must treat kidnappers as terrorists. They are cowardly. They have been degraded. They look for soft targets. They go to schools kidnap children and cause disaffection. We must treat them equally as terrorists to get rid of them, and I promise you we will get rid of them,” the President said at the dinner attended by serving and retired judicial officers, including two former CJNs, Justice Mahmud Mohammed and Justice Walter Onnoghen.
On the review of the salaries of judicial officers, the President pledged that his administration would continue to implement necessary reforms to improve the welfare and working conditions of judicial officers.
”I recognize that the judiciary has one of the most unrewarded responsibilities. They are yet to modernize equipment and recordkeeping, and their progress towards improvement is slow.
”When you look at the career path of a judicial officer, they cannot practice the vocation for which they were trained after retirement.
”While the framers of the law may have their reasons, I perceive this differently and see this from a fair compensation angle that should benefit all,” the President stated.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the judiciary for their dedicated service to the nation, acknowledging their role in upholding the respectability of the judicial arm of government.
“We will continue to support one another and bring Nigeria to that glorious dawn,” the President concluded.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria commended the President for the honour of hosting judicial officers to a Ramadan dinner, his commitment to judicial reforms, and for improving the welfare of judicial officers in the country.
“May the Lord continue to bless you and your administration. Let your ship land and berth beautifully. We shall continue to pray for your administration because there are many good things in the pipeline for Nigerians,” he prayed.
Justice Ariwoola commended the administration for achieving a significant milestone by appointing a full complement of 21 justices to the Supreme Court, a feat he described as unprecedented.
Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice expressed gratitude to the President for forwarding the executive bill titled, “Judicial Office Holders, Salaries and Allowances, etc, Bill 2024” to the National Assembly.
Highlighting the stagnant state of judges’ salaries and emoluments since 2007, Fagbemi commended the President’s courage, determination, and compassion in taking decisive action.
”It takes a man with a great heart, determination, and consideration to do what the President did. More than 300.3 per cent increase has been given to the judges. The President has done his own part, never mind that the bill is still with the National Assembly.
”In my short stay as the Attorney-General, I have come to observe that anything that concerns the judiciary, you are very much interested in it, and I thank you for your abiding interest in the judiciary,” the Minister of Justice said.
Residents of Oke-Baale area of Osogbo, the Osun State capital have bee gripped with fear, following the murder of a middle-aged woman.
The woman, said to have been homeless for some months, was beheaded by suspected ritualists on Monday night, March 25, 2024.
Her headless body was discovered on a vacant land behind some shops directly opposite Osogbo Local Government Secretariat on Tuesday morning.
It was gathered that the assailants also cut off her two hands.
Following the gruesome murder, traders and shop owners in the vicinity refused to open their shops for business for fear of being arrested by the police.
It was further gathered that a teenage girl who was always seen with the woman was impregnated by an unknown person and had since been delivered a baby.
Meanwhile, residents of the area called on government and other relevant authorities to evacuate the corpse.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, Lawal Pedro (SAN), has expressed readiness for the establishment of state police, asserting that the state is fully prepared and only awaits the signal to commence the creation process.
Mr Pedro made this declaration during an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the 10th Ramadan lecture organized by the Anwar-ul Islam Old Students Association (ACAOSA) in Lagos on Saturday.
He mentioned his longstanding advocacy for state police dating back to 2001, emphasizing its potential to enhance state security.
“As far back as 2001, I have always maintained that the security of this country will be addressed by having state police or community police.
“We are talking about a police system that is indigenous to the people themselves.
“Lagos is over ready for the state police. I can assure you that because we have our own Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps already in place and fully kitted and ready with even body cameras.
“I think we are ready to go in Lagos. If any state is ready, I can confirm to you today from what Mr Governor – Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu – has done, Lagos State is ready.
“Just give the whistle and you see our police officers on the road,” Mr Pedro said.
Stressing the importance of having local police forces in each state, the legal expert highlighted that such law enforcement agencies would possess a deeper comprehension of the local environment, crime-prone areas, and potential escape routes used by criminals.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have launched massive raids across Lagos, Edo and Ondo state leading to the seizure of over 44,948.1 kilograms (44.9 tonnes) of illicit drugs and arrests of eight suspects as well as the seizure of 11 vehicles owned by the drug cartels.
While a total of 7, 687.8kg of cannabis was destroyed in a warehouse in Ala forest, Akure, Ondo state with another 670kg evacuated, on Saturday 23rd March 2024, no less than 14,310.8625kg of same psychoactive substance was razed on 5.7 hectares of farms in Ohosu/Ugbogui forest, Ovia South West LGA, Edo State on Tuesday 19th March, where five suspects including 67-year-old Sunday Otulugbu; Agbayeogor Joshua, 39; Kelvin Ofuasia,45; Williams Peter, 37; and Kamaru Onimisi, 44, were arrested.
In another operation in Uzebba/Avbiosi forest on Thursday 21st March, over 6,500kg cannabis was destroyed on 2.6 hectares of farms where three suspects: Kabiru Idris, 36; Alaba Jimoh, 40; and Lekan Asobere, 35, were arrested. In the same vein, 5,000kg of same substance was razed in a warehouse in Okpuje forest, Owan West LGA by NDLEA operatives with support from the military on Friday 22nd March.
In Lagos, a well-coordinated operation on Wednesday 20th March led to the seizure of 10,534 kilograms (10.534 tonnes) of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis in Ajah area of the state where 11 vehicles were seized from the drug cartel. The recovered vehicles include: Iveco truck marked KRD 522 YE; Toyota sienna marked AAA 338 GL; Toyota sienna marked AAA 308 EP; Toyota sienna marked FKJ 381 JC; Nissan bus marked EKY 846 YG; Mercedes bus marked EPE 743 XT; an unmarked Iveco J5 bus; Toyota sienna marked LSD 744 GP; Toyota highlander SUV marked KTU 280 FN; Toyota sienna marked AAA 333 GH and Toyota sienna marked FKJ 208 HV.
In another raid at Ago Palace way area of the state on Friday 22nd March, a suspect, Miracle Obi was arrested with 1,006 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 50 tablets of tramadol 225mg; 89 bottles of codeine syrup and 2,360 ampoules of Diazepam injection. Another suspect, Kareem Mustapha was earlier on Tuesday 19th March nabbed along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway with 25,000 pills of tramadol and 5,900 ampoules of pentazocine injection.
While 58kg cannabis was recovered at Jagindi village, Kafanchan LGA, Kaduna State on Friday 22nd March, Abdulqadir Muhammad, 34, was arrested with 45 kilograms of same substance by NDLEA operatives along Kaduna- Zaria expressway. In Borno state, Salisu Yusuf, 20, was nabbed with 30kg Arizona, a strain of cannabis at Njimtilo checkpoint on Saturday 23rd March, while another suspect, Rabiu Husseini, 27, was arrested with 34kg cannabis along Gwagwalada/Abuja highway on his way from Lagos to Katsina state on Wednesday 21st March. The following day, 22nd March, NDLEA officers on patrol along Gashua-Baymari road, Busari LGA, Yobe state arrested Haladu Hassan with 160 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 50kg.
In Kano state, a syndicate dealing in cocaine and heroin was successfully dismantled with the arrest of 42-year-old Onyeka Uba at Sabon Gari area of Kano where 1.805 kilograms and 7grams of the illicit substances were recovered from him on Monday 18th March. Another suspect, Ubale Sani, 49, was also arrested with 51.5kg cannabis at Chiromawa area of Kano. Operatives of a special operation unit of NDLEA also disrupted criminal activities of another cocaine syndicate in Abuja at the weekend with the arrest of three leaders of the group. While Nnajiofor Celestine Kenechukwu, 41, and Okoro Chigozie Christian, 35, were arrested On Friday 22nd March at Paint House Hotel, Umar Garba Benna Street, 21 Road, First Avenue, Gwarimpa Abuja with 718 grams of cocaine, a follow up operation at the residence of Okoro Chigozie at House 30, 69B Road 6th Avenue Gwarimpa, led to the recovery of 19 blocks of Arizona, a strain of cannabis weighing 9.823kg and monetary exhibits: N545,500 and $250, as well as property documents. Two vehicles: Toyota Camry 2007 marked BWR 94 BM and Toyota Camry 2012 marked RBC 154 BS were also recovered from them.
Another follow up operation to the residence of Nnajiofor Celestine Kenechukwu at 49 Mercy Orjiakor street, Becky Estate 11, Karu, Nasarawa state on Saturday 23rd March also led to the recovery of various quantities of Arizona and methamphetamine while his girlfriend and accomplice, Ifemenam Oge was arrested.
With the same vigour, the various commands of the Agency across the country continued with the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign in the past week. Some of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture for students and teachers of Government Day Secondary School, Damaturu, Yobe; Government Secondary School, Afaha Ukwa, Akwa Ibom; Total Child School, Awka, Anambra and Celestial Church of Christ High School Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Oyo state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of the Lagos, Edo, Ondo, Kano, Borno, Kaduna, and FCT Commands as well as the Special Operations unit of the Agency for their outstanding feats in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) equally applauded their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures in schools, markets, motor parks, worship centres and work places.
The Lagos State chapter of the Labour Party, LP, has asked the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, to resign to sustain the party’s integrity.
Rasheed Bamishe, the LP chairman in Lagos State, made the call at the party’s secretariat in Lagos on Saturday.
He urged the National Working Committee, members of the party Board of Trustees and other relevant stakeholders to prevent Abure from holding his proposed National Convention on March 27, 2024.
According to him, Abure should prioritize the party interest while a Caretaker National Chairman should be appointed to organize State Congresses before convening the National Convention.
“We urge Barrister Abure to leave the Party now because the litany of corrupt cases against him has done collateral damage to the image of the Labour Party.
“The Labour Party which was formed by the founding fathers to be a beckon of hope for millions of Nigerians is gradually being destroyed by Barrister Abure and this should not be allowed to continue,” he said.
Bamishe further stated that Abure was free to create his political party and manage its business but declared that the Labour Party, as a democratic organisation, cannot function as a one-man show.
He said that allegations of dishonesty, forgery, and fabrication of signatures have brought public shame and embarrassment to the Labour Party.
“Even if all these allegations are not true, the reasonable option open to the embattled Labour Party National Chairman is to step aside to pave the way for thorough investigations into the cases of alleged fraud against him.
“In a civilized clime, Barrister Abure should have exited office since the flurry of fraud cases against him became public knowledge but because of the culture of impunity in Nigeria, he is still clinging to power.
“Barrister Abure should tell the world where the National Convention of Labour Party in which he emerged as National Chairman was held.
“Barrister Abure is plotting to install himself again as the National Chairman of Labour Party through another illegal Convention and this should not be allowed to happen,” he stressed.
He emphasized the need for all stakeholders to unite to seek legitimate options including litigation to make sure Abure is removed from office to restore credibility, dignity, and integrity to the party.
