Author: Drum Africa Correspondent
Despite the political tension ahead of the Osun State local government election, the exercise commenced on Saturday morning, with Governor Ademola Adeleke casting his vote. Governor Adeleke cast his vote as early as 8am on Saturday morning at Unit 9, Ward 2 in Ede North Local Government Area (LGA). After casting his vote, the governor described the exercise as peaceful, encouraging the people of the state to come out and cast their votes and go back home peacefully. “The process has been very peaceful, I made a broadcast to my good people of Osun State that this election should be…
The Federal Government on Friday announced plans to cancel the visa-on-arrival policy. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the announcement during the closing ceremony of a weeklong capacity-building training for personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). The capacity building training is one of the measures being adopted by the NIS to document everyone visiting the country. Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration introduced the visa-on-arrival policy in 2020 as a short-stay visa issued at the point of entry. According to Tunji-Ojo, the Federal Government would introduce landing and exit cards, which prospective visitors will pre-fill before coming into the…
The Defence Headquarters has said troops on internal security operations across the country have killed 82 terrorists and arrested 198 criminals within one week. In a statement released on Friday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen Markus Kangye, said the troops also rescued 93 kidnap victims in one week and recovered 86 high-calibre weapons and 2,040 weapons across the theatres of operation in the country. According to the DHQ spokesman, 41 terrorists, comprising 10 males, 12 females, and 19 children, surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai in the North East. He said troops in the Niger Delta region…
Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday ordered the final forfeiture of $4.7m, N830m, and multiple properties linked to the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Godwin Emefiele. The judge who had earlier dismissed an application brought by an interested party seeking to stop the judgment, from being delivered granted the final forfeiture application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s counsel Bilkisu Buhari-Bala. The funds, forfeited to the federal government, were held in First Bank, Titan Bank, and Zenith Bank accounts managed by individuals and entities including Omoile Anita Joy, Deep…
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, has revealed that none of the 31 requests for state creation met the constitutional requirements. Kalu, who also serves as the Deputy Speaker of the House, made this known on Friday during a two-day retreat for committee members in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State. The retreat, held from February 20 to 23, 2025, provided a platform for reviewing pending amendment bills and strategizing about the next steps in the constitutional review process. The 10th House organized the event in collaboration with…
An Osun State High Court, sitting in Osogbo has ordered the State Independent Electoral Commission, OSIEC, to go ahead with the conduct of the of the local government election scheduled for Saturday (tomorrow). In an enrollment order brought before Justice A. Aderigbigbe on Friday by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP against OSIEC and Its Chairman, Hashim Abioye, the court states that there is vacancy in the 30 local government areas of the state as held by the judgement of the Federal High Court. The court found as a fact, that the election conducted by the 1st Defendant on 15th October,…
Media personality and talk show host, Chinedu Ani, popularly known as Nedu Wazobia, has addressed recent controversies surrounding his role on the Honest Bunch podcast. Speaking at a news conference on Thursday in Lagos, Nedu clarified that he was not fired but chose to step down due to mounting pressure and controversies. Nedu emphasised that everyone had the right to express their opinions and react to issues. However, he stressed that it ultimately boiled down to what the public wanted to believe. “Rather than engaging in petty fights, I have decided to clear the air by stepping away from the…
By Chinedu Omenma The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN) Aba and Convenor of the Forum of Southeast Professors (FOSEP), Professor Victor Ukaogo has urged his Kinsmen from Ozuitem in Bende Local Government in Abia State to emulate other communities around them and appreciate the good works being done by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu for the community. He was speaking to the press at the Princess Alexandra Auditorium, University of Nigeria Nsukka shortly after the morning session of the well attended international conference on Ethnicity…
Tensions flared during plenary on Monday as a dispute over seating arrangements led to a heated exchange between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the senate leadership. The controversy began when Senator Natasha’s seat was relocated upon resumption of the session, but she refused to comply with the change. The Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno, had raised a point of order, citing sections of the Senate rule book to justify the reassignment of seats. Monguno explained that the changes were necessary to accommodate shifts caused by some opposition members moving to the majority wing. The changes, he argued, are within the constitutional…
Controversial Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has been granted bail by the Isabo Magistrate Court in Abeokuta following his arraignment on charges of assault and obstruction of government officials. Portable, who had earlier surrendered himself to the police at the Lagos State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) on Wednesday after being declared wanted by the Ogun State Command, was transferred to the Ogun State Police Headquarters, Eleweran, before being presented in court on Thursday. The singer faced a five-count charge, including conspiracy, assault, restriction, being armed with cutlasses and guns, and conduct likely to cause harm. He pleaded…