Author: Drum Africa Correspondent
Magistrate court in Ekiti State has granted human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi ₦30 million bail. The court ordered him to provide two responsible sureties with a landed property in Ekiti State. He was told to refrain from media interview and to submit his international passport. The case has been adjourned till 13th February 2025. His bail conditions were set after the magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, had at the last sitting, reserved ruling till December 20 on the bail application and ordered that the activist be remanded in prison. Farotimi is facing a 14-count charge of alleged defamation against a Senior Advocate…
Nigeria’s Police Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has warned that raining curses on someone online is considered cyberbullying and a criminal offense punishable by law. According to Adejobi, such an act is cyber bullying which goes beyond the freedom of expression or criticism. He wrote, “Raining direct curses on someone online is cyber bullying, not expression of freedom or criticism. “And cyberbullying, which is even different from defamation, is a criminal offence and punishable. Be guided.” Questioning Adejobi’s post on X, Felix Abayomi, tweeting as #felabayomi, wrote, “When does raining curses become a crime? I look forward to the…
The Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Deinde Dipeolu, has ordered the final forfeiture of a warehouse built on a 1.925-hectare property along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Magboro, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. Justice Dipeolu also ordered the permanent forfeiture of 54 general-purpose steel containers. The court issued the order for the final forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, filed an application for the forfeiture, as no individual or organisation came forward to claim the assets. On November 28, the judge had previously ordered the…
The House of Representatives on Thursday announced plans to submit the sum of N704.91m for the use of vulnerable Nigerians owing to the economic hardship occasioned by the removal of subsidy from petrol on December 31, 2024, to President Tinubu. Recall that on July 18, the House resolved to slash 50 per cent of their salaries for six months to address the challenges faced by ordinary Nigerians, following the adoption of a motion moved during a plenary session. Addressing his colleagues during Thursday’s plenary, Mr Speaker said, “If you recall, about five months ago, we decided to contribute half of…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ogun Command, has successfully destroyed a six-hectare hemp farmland in Alaka village, Ogun. The agency’s state commandant, Mr Tijani Rabe, revealed the tactical operation at a news conference organised in Abeokuta on Thursday while presenting the agency’s 2024 scorecard. Rabe said four persons were arrested and being investigated in connection with the hemp farming. He said the command also recorded other significant success stories in its efforts to curb the hard drug trade. According to him, the command arrested 675 drug offenders with 9.7 tons and 537.81 litres of liquid-base illicit drugs. He…
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revoked the ownership of 762 plots of land in the Maitama 1 District of Abuja due to the non-payment of statutory fees. This revocation by the minister comes months after he made several pleas to residents of the FCT, particularly those residing in hybrid areas of the nation’s capital, to pay outstanding fees owed to the FCTA or risk revocation of their lands. “The Federal Capital Territory Administration wishes to inform the allottee(s)/title holder(s) of plots of land in Maitama 1 who have failed to make payment for their…
The Ekiti State Government has called on residents to dismiss circulating claims about a N25,000 Christmas cash grant allegedly being distributed by Governor Biodun Oyebanji. In a statement released on Thursday, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, described the information as baseless and cautioned the public against falling prey to fraudulent schemes. The statement read: “This is to inform the general public that the information circulating regarding a ₦25,000 Christmas cash grant from the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, is false and should be disregarded. “The governor does not engage in any form of cash grant…
In a bid to offer Nigerians some relief as the holiday season approaches, Dangote Refinery has announced a reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit to N899.50 per litre. This was contained in a statement issued by the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, on Thursday. The latest reduction aims to ease transportation costs during the festive period, a time when Nigerians often face increased travel expenses. Announcing the special purchase offer, Chiejina said consumers can now buy an additional litre of fuel on credit for every litre purchased in cash, provided they secure…
The National Assembly has extended the implementation of the 2024 Budget by six months, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said on Wednesday during the 2025 Budget presentation by President Bola Tinubu. “We shall continue on the part of nationalism and service to our country,” Akpabio said before a joint sitting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. “Your Excellency, we have noted the 2024 Budget performance. “Given this great achievement, we have deemed it necessary to extend the life span of the 2024 Budget to June 30th, 2025. “The enabling law for this extension will soon be placed before you…
President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Lagos State to spend the Christmas and New Year holidays. Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the deputy governor, Obafemi Hamzat, and cabinet members received the President at the Presidential Wing of Murtala Mohammed International Airport. Before his departure to Lagos, President Tinubu presented the 2025 budget, totalling N47.9trn, before a joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja.