Author: Samiat Yusuf Moshood

The pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has appealed for calm and restraint as the courts deliberate on the criminal defamation charges brought against rights activist, Mr. Dele Farotimi, based on a petition filed by legal luminary Chief Afe Babalola, SAN. The charges stem from alleged defamatory statements in Farotimi’s 104-page book, *Nigeria and its Criminal Justice*, which Babalola claims misrepresented him. The elder statesman, who resides in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, lodged his complaint with the police, leading to the current legal proceedings against Farotimi, who is based in Lagos. In a statement issued on Saturday, Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi,…

Tragedy struck on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos, on Saturday as a newly wedded couple returning from the Ikoyi Marriage Registry and 16 other passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries in a multi-vehicle collision. The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed the incident, attributing it to brake failure on a speeding LT commercial bus, which subsequently collided with a mini truck experiencing mechanical difficulties. According to Taofiq, the vehicles involved were identified as a mini truck with registration number **AGL 22 YE** and a commercial LT bus with registration number **BFG 204 XF**. The impact left…

The Benue State Government has announced plans to rename Benue State University, Makurdi, in honor of its founder, the late Rev. Fr. Moses Adasu. This was revealed by the state governor, Hyacinth Alia, during the university’s combined convocation ceremony on Saturday. The governor stated that an executive bill has already been sent to the state House of Assembly to rename the institution as **Reverend Father Moses Adasu University**. Rev. Fr. Moses Adasu, a Catholic priest and former governor of the state from 1991 to 1992, established the university, leaving an enduring legacy in the education sector. Governor Alia also disclosed…

The Federal Government has dismissed civil servants who obtained degrees from private universities in Benin Republic and Togo between 2017 and 2023. This decision follows investigations revealing widespread certificate racketeering by institutions in these countries. Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), confirmed the directive on Wednesday. In August, the government announced that only eight universities in the two countries had been accredited to award degrees to Nigerians. This came after a journalist from *Daily Nigerian* exposed how a degree from a Beninese university was obtained…

Nigerian-born UK pastor, Tobi Adegboyega, has responded to reports of his impending deportation to Nigeria following allegations of financial misconduct. The former leader of the Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church, which was shut down amid a £1.87 million fraud investigation, recently lost a legal battle against deportation. Despite his claims that the move would violate his human rights, an immigration tribunal has ruled that the 44-year-old pastor, a cousin of *Star Wars* actor John Boyega, be deported to Nigeria. According to *The Telegraph*, investigations revealed financial irregularities within his church, prompting the tribunal’s decision. Addressing the reports via his Instagram page,…

Kwara State, Nigeria – Teachers in North Central Nigeria are embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to modernize education as part of a groundbreaking initiative by the Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI). The workshop, themed *”Empowering Teachers for Inclusive Education through Digital Skills and Artificial Intelligence,”* equipped educators with digital tools to create more inclusive and effective classrooms. The event brought together teachers, AI experts, and policymakers to explore AI’s potential to personalize learning, simplify assessments, and boost productivity. BBYDI Global Director, Abideen Olasupo, emphasized that the program reflects the organization’s commitment to leveraging AI to tackle education challenges. During his…

Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central in the National Assembly, has launched a three-day empowerment program for Aso-Oke weavers in collaboration with the National Productivity Centre. The initiative, aimed at enhancing productivity and improving the livelihoods of traditional weavers, will run from Thursday, December 5, to Saturday, December 7, 2024. The program offers participants capacity-building training, modern weaving equipment, and capital support to help them compete effectively in the textile industry. In a statement shared by the Senator’s Media Assistant, Nasif Sholagberu, the initiative is designed to preserve cultural heritage while boosting economic opportunities in the Kwara Central Senatorial District.…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has linked the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to a sprawling estate comprising 753 duplexes and apartments in the Lokogoma District of Abuja. The property, spanning 150,500 square meters, is described as the agency’s largest single recovery in its fight against corruption since its inception in 2003. The EFCC disclosed this following a ruling by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the FCT High Court, Apo, on December 2, 2024. Court filings reveal the property was acquired using kickbacks and illicit funds obtained during Emefiele’s tenure as CBN governor.…

The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) ended last week on a negative note as the stock market reacted to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) latest interest rate hike. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBN increased the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 25 basis points to 27.5% from 27.25%, marking the sixth consecutive hike this year. This brings the total rate increase in 2024 to 875 basis points, compared to 225 basis points in 2023. Following the MPC decision, the NGX All-Share Index (ASI) declined by 0.3% week-on-week to close at 97,507.87 points, down from 97,829.02 points the previous…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has justified his administration’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy and unify exchange rates, emphasizing that these measures were critical to saving Nigeria from economic collapse. Speaking at the combined 34th and 35th convocation ceremonies of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) on Saturday, Tinubu, represented by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, said his government had to take decisive steps to secure the nation’s future. “As you are all aware, we took office at a time when the economy was nose-diving due to heavy debts from fuel and dollar…