News

By Muhammadu Sabiu
 
French football sensation Kylian Mbappé has reportedly rejected Paris Saint-Germain’s latest attempt to extend his contract.
 
The club’s offer included a guaranteed sale clause scheduled for the summer of 2024.
 
Mbappé, who has previously declined offers, remains resolute in his decision to part ways with PSG.
 
Despite the new proposal, he has no intention of accepting any deal that would tie him down to the French club.
 
Rumours suggest that Mbappé’s heart is set on a move to Real Madrid. PSG, on the other hand, remains adamant in their belief that the star forward is determined to secure a transfer to the Spanish capital, but they are pushing for the transfer to happen in the summer of 2024 on a free deal.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Nigerian Senate has turned down the request of President Bola Ahmad Tinubu, to send Nigerian troops to Niger Republic.

President Tinubu, who also doubled as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS), had sought the approval of the Nigerian Senate for military intervention in Niger Republic.

The Senate condemned the coup d’etat in Niger, but advised the President and ECOWAS to explore other options in bringing peace to the country.

The Senate while condemning the Niger coup in totality, commended President Bola Tinubu and other Heads of State of the other States of ECOWAS for their prompt response and the positions taken on the unfortunate development in Niger Republic.

While turning down the request of the president after the meeting, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said that.

“The Senate recognises that President Tinubu via his correspondence has not asked for the approval of the parliament of this Senate to go to war as erroneously suggested in some quarters.

“Rather Mr President has expressed a wish to respectfully solicit the support of the National Assembly in the successful implementation of the resolutions of the ECOWAS as outlined in the said communication.

The Senate calls on the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the chairman of ECOWAS to further encourage other leaders of ECOWAS to strengthen political and diplomatic options and other means intending to resolve the political compass in Niger Republic.”

By Muhammad Sabiu

In response to the recent political developments in the Republic of Niger, the National Council of Ulama, comprising Islamic scholars from Nigeria, has issued a crucial statement calling for peace and diplomacy in the region.
 
In a communiqué signed by Aminu Inuwa Muhammad and Engr. Basheer Adamu Aliyu, the council expressed deep concern over the coup d’état in Niger and its potential implications for regional stability.
 
The Ulama emphasised the importance of denouncing such actions and protecting democracy and peace in the Sahel region.
 
They asserted that the restoration of democracy in Niger is the right of its people, and any external interference undermines this democratic process.
 
Furthermore, the Council voiced opposition to the use of military force by ECOWAS in resolving the crisis, fearing that armed conflict could exacerbate existing security challenges and lead to devastating consequences for the people of both nations.
 
They called for a peaceful and civilised approach, urging the Nigerian government and ECOWAS to support Niger in returning to the path of democracy through diplomatic means.
 
The Ulama also called on religious groups to promote peace and respect between Nigeria and Niger, emphasising the importance of maintaining strong neighbourly relations.
 
They urged the Muslim community to seek divine intervention through prayer, seeking guidance for the leaders to heed wise counsel and avoid falling into enemy traps.
 
The Council also applauded diplomatic measures and called for continued dialogue with the military leaders in Niger to find a peaceful solution.
 

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

A total of 1,205,888 applicants have enrolled for the current 2023 Senior School Certificate Examination, or SSCE, which is being administered by the National Examinations Council (NECO). 

The Head of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, revealed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja. 

In Jos, while observing the administration of the exam in various schools, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, the NECO registrar, was quoted by Mr. Sani as having stated that 601,074 of the candidates were male and 584,814 were female. 

Based on information gathered from around the nation, he expressed satisfaction with the SSCE’s overall performance in 2023. 

The registrar noted that the 2023 SSCE, which will be finished next week, was the best organised in recent years.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Chelsea Football Club has secured the services of Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sánchez for a reported £25 million package.

The news comes as a delightful surprise for fans and football enthusiasts, signalling the club’s intent to bolster their squad for the upcoming season.

The 24-year-old shot-stopper has shown immense promise and potential during his time with Brighton & Hove Albion, gaining recognition for his shot-stopping abilities and excellent distribution skills.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

President Bola Ahmad Tinubu has reportedly withdrawn the nomination of Maryam Ibrahim Shettima as a minister in his government. 

According to reports, the 44 -year-old Kano lady, popularly known as Maryam Shetty, has been yanked off the lists of ministerial nominees. 

Maryam Shetty, a famous political and social activist and social media personality, was nominated the President Tinubu on Wednesday.

Sources confirmed that she was told her name was removed from the list upon her arrival for screening in the Senate. 

The reasons for withdrawing Maryam Shetty’s nomination have not been made public. However, former Nigerian Minister of Labour, Festus Keyamo, was added to the new list sent to the red chamber.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president of Nigeria, has cautioned the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) against using military hostilities to resolve the Niger Republic’s leadership obstacle.

Following coups in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, President Mohamed Bazoum of the Niger Republic was deposed on July 26 by his own guard in the third putsch in the region in as many years.

After the coup in Niger, the regional economic bloc threatened military action.

Atiku criticised the strategy in a tweet on Thursday night, stating that deploying military techniques may make the situation worse.

He contends that the situation calls for diplomatic efforts, which implies that open lines of communication are essential.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Nigerians have been advised against visiting the Niger Republic by Mustapha Sani, the NIS Comptroller in Charge of the Jibia Special Border Command, Katsina State.

This is because the Niger Republic is currently experiencing a crisis as a result of a coup d’état. Sanctions have been imposed on West Africa as a result of the event.

On Thursday, he addressed a joint celebration for the NIS’s Katsina State Command and the 60th anniversary of the service.

“Nigerians should stay at home and not attempt to go to the Niger Republic until the embargo is lifted. And we are determined to return any Nigerien we catch who is planning to come to this country,” he said.

He noted that the Service is deploying its officers to take care of the Katsina border to help curtail illegal movement from the Niger Republic.

“Despite the fact that we are divided by colonial masters, we share certain things in common like religion and culture, and that doesn’t guarantee them to enter Nigeria without valid documents,” he added.

“We have already put our officers on alert, and we have already deployed some to go and man the orthodox routes through which some of the foreigners use to enter into Nigeria and from what we have on the ground, we know it will be impossible for them to enter into Nigeria.”

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Abdulsalami Abubakar, a former military leader of Nigeria, has been picked by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to lead a mission to Niger for mediation.

He will be accompanied by Muhammadu Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, who commands great sway over the Muslim population both inside and outside of Nigeria.

Alieu Touray, the head of the ECOWAS Commission, is also a member of the group.

Patrice Talon, the president of Benin, and Mahamat Déby, the president of Chad, had previously been sent to Niger by the sub-regional bloc to meet with the coup plotters.

On Sunday, ECOWAS slapped sanctions on Niger, including a travel ban and a blockade, until President Mohamed Bazoum, who was overthrown by the military on July 26th, was reinstated.

Meanwhile, it summoned the sub-region’s defence commanders and threatened to deploy force.

A meeting of the defence chiefs reportedly took place in Abuja. Mali, Niger, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso, and Guinea were not present, though.

The restrictions are already in place, as Nigeria started cutting power to Niger on Wednesday.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

In a recent development, President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has forwarded a second list of 19 ministerial nominees to the Nigerian Senate for confirmation. 

The list, presented by Femi Gbajamiabila, Chief of Staff and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, includes notable candidates such as Adegboyega Oyetola, Bosun Tijani, Bello Mattawale, and Dr. Isiak Salako. 

The chamber’s protocols were momentarily put on hold at 3:15 p.m. to accommodate the Chief of Staff’s entrance into the revered Red Chamber. 

Among the other nominees are Sen. Sabi Abdullahi, Dr. Mariam Shetti, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, and Uba Maigari Ahmadu. 

This comes after the Senate’s reception of the first list earlier this week, which included prominent figures like former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasiru Ahmad El-Rufai, former Rivers Governor, Nyeson Wike, and health specialist Prof. Ali Pate, among others.