News

By Abdullahi Khairalla

The Borno State police command has commenced an urgent investigation into the death of the state’s commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR), Engr Ibrahim Idriss Garba, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau, has confirmed.  

The state commissioner of police was at the house where Engr Ibrahim died in Maiduguri on Saturday.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum received the news with intense shock and profound grief. The Governor mourns alongside the late commissioner’s family, other loved ones, friends, associates, and state executive council members. 

Late Engr Ibrahim Idriss Garba was the Governor’s Special Adviser on Special Projects before he was elevated and appointed commissioner of RRR at the commencement of Zulum’s ongoing second term. 

It is rumoured in some quarters that the deceased was poisoned, which led to his untimely death.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Three inspectors from the Ogun State Police Command were caught on camera extorting money from commercial motorcyclists. 

The officers involved were identified as Inspector Ikhanorba Lucky, Inspector Paul Sunday, and Inspector Edwin Ekeogu. 

The incident occurred on October 19 at the Maawu bus stop in the Agbado area of the state during their visibility policing duty.

The officers’ inappropriate actions were captured on camera and shared on social media platforms, leading to public outrage. 

Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, condemned the officers’ behaviour, stating, “These officers were caught on camera flagrantly extorting money from commercial motorcyclists in contravention of the Police Act and Regulations.”

She emphasised that such actions tarnish the image of the police force. 

The State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, strongly condemned the unprofessional conduct of the three inspectors.

In response to the incident, the commissioner activated immediate disciplinary measures against the erring personnel.

He affirmed his commitment to maintaining professional standards within the force, ensuring quality service delivery to citizens, and upholding public trust and confidence in the Nigeria Police Force. 

The Ogun State Police Command has taken swift action to hold the officers accountable for their misconduct.

This decisive response serves as a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated within the force and aims to deter other officers from engaging in similar misconduct.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Adewale Adeniyi (MFR) as the new Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, effective October 19, 2023.

Adeniyi’s appointment is in line with the Public Service Rules.

President Tinubu has entrusted him with the responsibility to lead the Customs Service, emphasising his wealth of experience.

By Sabiu Abdullahi Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has approved the release of N3.1 billion to provide financial relief to retirees and families of deceased workers.

The funds, allocated for gratuity payments and death benefits under various pension schemes, reflect the state government’s commitment to supporting its elderly citizens.

Governor Sani emphasised the importance of timely access to these benefits for retired workers who have diligently served the state.

The State Pension Bureau will oversee the distribution, with details of beneficiaries to be released shortly.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Armed bandits stormed Bagega, a peaceful mining village in Zamfara State, on Tuesday, leaving at least three people dead and 51 others, including the district head, kidnapped. 

Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants arrived in the village and opened fire indiscriminately, resulting in the tragic loss of three innocent lives.

The bandits then abducted the district head and dozens of other villagers before fleeing the scene. 

Despite attempts to contact the police for official statements, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yazid Abubakar, remained unreachable. 

The community is left in shock and fear as the search for the missing villagers and the district head intensifies.

Authorities are urged to take swift action to ensure the safe return of the kidnapped individuals and bring the perpetrators to justice.

 By Sabiu Abdullahi 

A woman in Rivers State, Nigeria, has been arrested for pouring hot oil on her husband.

The woman, Favour Nweke, said she did this because she found out he had been involved in a fraudulent scheme. 

According to the woman, her husband had not told her about the scheme, and she felt betrayed when she found out.

She said she poured the hot oil on him in a fit of anger and now regrets her actions. 

The woman’s husband is currently in the hospital, receiving treatment for his burns.

The police are investigating the incident, and the woman is expected to be charged with assault.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Kano State Government has revealed plan to provide additional infrastructure to improve the learning atmosphere at the School of Environmental Studies, Gwarzo.

A statement issued and signed by Aminu Bello Sani, the Information Officer, Ministry of Information, disclosed this on Wednesday.

According to the statement, Professor Auwalu Halliru Arzai, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Higher Education, unveiled the plan during a familiarization visit to the college on Monday.

Arzai stated that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration prioritizes education at all levels as categorically stated by his government campaign blueprint.

The statement read in part, “Professor Auwalu Arzai emphasized that the state government, under the leadership of Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, places high importance on entrepreneurship courses to combat youth unemployment in the state.

“He stressed that the Governor is dedicated to improving and revitalizing education at all levels.

“He added that the college offers a variety of courses that can empower young people to be self-reliant, reducing their dependence on the government or the private sector.

“Bldr. Tijjani Yahaya Abubakar, the Director of the School of Environmental Studies, expressed his delight at the visit. He also requested the government to expedite the construction of hostels approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the college.

“In addition, he highlighted challenges faced by the school, such as a lack of operational vehicles and a need for a larger hall to accommodate a larger number of students.

“He said despite the rising unemployment rate, graduates of the college are not only self-employed but also employers themselves, offering hope in the face of joblessness.

“The Director urged parents to consider sending their children to the school, which he described as the best institution for entrepreneurial education in the state,” the statement added.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

An 11-year-old boy, Friday Oshodi, was buried alive at Apamisede community in Lokoja, Kogi State, by his elder brother, Goodness Oshodi, for allegedly stealing N1000.

Goodness Oshodi buried his younger brother on Tuesday afternoon at the community, located after the army barracks in Lokoja.

According to a witness, the elder brother dug a hole and pushed the boy into it, covering him with sand up to his head.

A passerby was said to have spotted the boy in his predicament and raised the alarm, which attracted other people to the scene.

The witness said the boy was rescued on the verge of unconsciousness.

The Daily Reality gathered that the police were involved in the matter, and Goodness Oshodi is now in the custody of the police.

While he buried his younger brother alive, the suspect said his brother stole N1000, and his mother instructed him to punish him.

“He stole money. I don’t know the exact amount. It was said to be N1000. My mother told me to punish him for the act,” he said.

The Kogi State Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP William Aya, confirmed the incident, saying the suspect had been arrested and was undergoing interrogation.

He said it was alleged that the boy stole compulsively, which had even made him run away from home for almost two months recently.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The BUA Group, despite recently slashing cement prices, has quietly increased the prices of sugar, flour, and spaghetti products, according to a recent market survey conducted in Kano.

Previously, a bag of sugar was sold at N44,000, spaghetti at N8,100 per carton, and flour at N32,500 per bag.

These prices have surged to N47,500, N9,000, and N34,500, respectively. 

Local shop owners confirmed the sudden price hikes, indicating that the increases followed the company’s announcement of reduced cement prices.

A BUA Foods dealer revealed, “They notified us about the increase this week. All these prices are company prices.” 

This unexpected shift has left consumers puzzled, as they had anticipated lower living costs after the cement price cut.

The BUA Group has not commented on the situation, leaving many awaiting an official response to understand the reasoning behind these price adjustments.

Mele Kyari, the head of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), revealed that the corporation has once again become the exclusive importer of petrol in the country.

Kyari stated that private companies are unable to import petrol due to difficulties in accessing foreign currency caused by shortages. 

“We are the only company importing petrol into the country. None of them can do it today. For them, access to foreign exchange is difficult. We create foreign exchange (FX), therefore we have access to FX, while their access to FX is limited,” Kyari said. 

This revelation has sparked discussions among experts, with oil and gas analyst Kayode Oluwadare unofficially confirming the return of the petrol subsidy in Nigeria.

Oluwadare highlighted that the move contradicts the initial purpose of deregulation, which aimed to enable independent marketers to import petrol independently. 

Oluwadare explained, “The government is gradually bringing back the conditions of the fuel subsidy regime. We are now back to the status quo. In the coming days, the petrol pump price will remain the same. We may also see the petrol pump price slightly coming down, with the current global trend, we are not likely to see an increase in petrol pump prices.” 

This development marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s energy landscape, raising concerns about the country’s economic stability and the implications for consumers in the face of global fuel market dynamics.