Nelly's SmartBriefs

The 2023 Rivers State governorship candidate of Accord Party, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, has withdrawn his appeal at the Supreme Court against the outcome of the governorship election, and the victory of Sir Siminalayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  A statement signed by Lulu-Briggs' Senior Special Assistant (Media), Nia'Bari Fakae, on Sunday, December 31, 2023, in Port Harcourt, said that this was contained in Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs' 2024 New Year message to Rivers people.  The Kalabari High Chief said that the gesture was his contribution at reducing tension in an overheated Rivers polity, saying that it was a token of his commitment to a peaceful Rivers State. Lulu-Briggs lamented that 2023 was a very difficult year for many Rivers people during which their livelihoods and security were compromised.  He said the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State if not halted, would further worsen the lot of the people.  He, however, commended  Rivers people for stand

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Mr Karim A. A. Khan, KC, Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC) “to urgently issue a formal ‘preventative statement’ in relation to the ongoing violence, unlawful killings, crimes against children and other violations of international law in Plateau State of Nigeria.” SERAP also urged Khan “to undertake preliminary examination into the situation in Plateau State and to open an investigation or extend any current investigations to cover the ongoing situation in the state.” SERAP urged Khan “to visit Plateau State to show the commitment by your Office to deliver meaningful accountability and justice for the victims of the Plateau attacks and to deploy resources from the Trust Fund that your Office has established in order to ensure access of victims to effective remedies including reparations.” More than 190 people are reportedly dead and hundreds injured while several people are missing.  The Nigerian Red Cross h

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has revealed intercepting a Qatar-based businessman, Agu Amobi, and one other, Uchegbu Obi, with consignments of psychoactive substances at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. This was contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, December 31. Babafemi revealed that while Amobi was arrested on Saturday, December 39, at the departure point of terminal 2 of the MMIA on his way to Doha, Qatar, on a Qatar Airways flight, Obi was taken into custody the same day following the seizure of a consignment of 72,000 pills of tramadol 225mg, which he attempted shipping to Kano on a local flight. He noted that Amobi, who claimed he has been living and working in Doha, Qatar, for over 10 years, was caught with 1.30kg cannabis sativa concealed in a bag of foodstuff. According to the statement, the suspect claimed he bought the substance in Enugu to deliver in Doha to enable him to ra

Two persons were killed in another attack by assailants in Durbi village of Shere district, Jos East local government area. The attack is coming when the state is yet to recover from the death of over one hundred ninety persons in the Christmas Eve attacks on Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi local government areas of the state. Transition Implementation Committee Chairman, Markus Nyam, confirmed this on Sunday revealing that the attackers invaded the village on Saturday night and killed a father and his son. Nyam also said that the efforts of the vigilantes in the community who engaged the assailants resulted in the death of one of the attackers as others fled. The Joint Security Task Force Operation Safe Haven personnel also responded to the community’s distress call, preventing the attackers from causing more damage. Shortly afterwards, the service chiefs led by Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa alongside the trio of Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Air Staff

A steep decline in the figure of study visas issued by the United Kingdom to Nigerians and other international students for the January 2024 intake has raised concerns about how British universities would grapple with declining admissions and revenues from foreign students, following the implementation of the dependant visa ban policy. The latest data from Enroly Data Insights representing a cross-section of UK universities and based on 58,000 students, highlighted a substantial downturn in key metrics including deposit payments, and confirmation of acceptance for studies, among others for the January 2024 enrolment. In contrast to January 2023 figures, deposit payments, a critical indicator, have plummeted ahead of the January 2024 enrolment by 52 per cent, Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) issuance by 64 per cent, and visa issuance has seen even more drastic decline by 71 per cent. The stark figures, the data said, are driven by a collapse in the Nigerian market, witnessin

As part of Nigeria’s 2022–2024 borrowing plan, the Senate has granted President Bola Tinubu’s request to borrow $7.8billion and €100million. The request was approved after the Senate considered and adopted the report of its committee on Local and Foreign Debt during Saturday’s plenary. Recall that Tinubu had disclosed that the administration of Muhammadu Buhari had approved the loan facility on May 15, 2023 to finance infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, insecurity and other sectors. He further explained that the foreign loan became necessary to bridge the financial gap and return the economic activities of the country to normalcy. According to Tinubu, the funds would be used to develop infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, water supply, security and employment as well as financial management reforms. Similarly, the Red Chamber approved Tinubu’s request to securitise the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) ₦7.3trillion Ways and Means advances to the Federal Government. T

President Bola Tinubu will on Monday, January 1, 2024 address Nigerians on the occasion of the New Year day celebration. A statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said President Tinubu will broadcasting from 7am on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). The statement, however, advised other broadcast and other electronic media houses to link up with NTA and FRCN for coverage. The statement readd: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will make a New Year’s Day broadcast to the nation on Monday, January 1, 2024, at 7 am. “Television, radio stations, and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigeria Television Authority and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria for the broadcast.”

The 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, has decorated five colonels with their new ranks of Brigadier General on Friday. The newly decorated brigadier generals are: Chiedozie Amorha, Adamu Kitchener, Kingsley Iyang, Effiong Nse, and Ibrahim Gambari. Addressing the newly-promoted officers at the division’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Maj.-Gen. Jamaal Abdussalam, urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them. He stated that the officers were part of the successful candidates who were promoted in the 2023 promotion exercise announced recently. “The officers were deemed worthy and selected from many to be promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. “Therefore, the promoted officers must align with the command philosophy of the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, when performing their duties. “Lagbaja’s philosophy focuses on providing effective administration centred on the welfare, training, equipment, and high motivation

The Senate and the House of Representatives have passed the 2024 budget of N28.7trillion. The budget was passed on Saturday, December 30, 2023, following a voice vote by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. The Senate had earlier increased the 2024 Appropriation Bill by N1.2trillion, moving the budget from N27.5trillion to N28.7trillion. President Bola Tinubu had, on November 29, presented N27.5trillion before the joint session of the National Assembly. The House of Representatives, on Saturday, also passed the sum of N28.7trillion 2024 budget, following a report by the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Hon Abubakar Bichi. The House Speaker, Hon Tajudeen Abbas, who read the breakdown of the report during plenary gave the National Judicial Council (NJC) the highest allocation of N341.626billion under statutory transfer. The breakdown of the N28.777trillion approved budget showed that the sum of N1.743trillion is for statutory transfers and N8.271trillion is for debt s

Nigeria’s Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Abbas Tajudeen, has lauded the performance of the 10th House in the first six months with 962 bills since its inauguration on June 13, 2003. Abbas administering his speech at the vacation session/plenary on Saturday on the Green Chamber, he commended his colleagues for availing Nigerians their expertise, experience and energy in the past six months. The Speaker stated that the legislative outputs in the last six months are remarkable.  The House received and considered 962 bills, five 500 motions, and one hundred and 153 petitions.  "Of these numbers, 120 bills have passed the Second Reading stage. They are currently undergoing further review and refinement to address some of the concerns raised during the debates,” he said. He further noted that another 120 bills have been referred to committees for in-depth analysis,adding that “We have also successfully passed many other bills, which have been transmitted to the Senate for

The Senate has summoned has summoned service chiefs and others over Christmas Eve killings in Plateau State. Those summoned include the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar; the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; Director General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi; as well as the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. This move was occasioned by a motion raised by Senator Adams Oshiomhole during plenary on Saturday. He said they have to give adequate explanation on the inadequate intelligence, asserting that Nigerians are angry with them, hence the need to invite the security chiefs to brief the Senate on the exact situation in a closed session. The motion was seconded by Senator Sumaila Kawu. The Senate lamented the incessant attacks by criminals on communities in Plateau State, raising the need for a national security summit.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja, Nigeria, has confirmed that troops recovered 100,316,600 litres of crude oil, 60,339,426 litres of Automative Gasoline Oil (diesel), 3,465,450 litres of DPK (kerosene), and 3,544,990 litres of PMS (petrol) in 2023 alone. The military has also neutralized no fewer than 6,886 terrorists, and other criminal elements across the country. The Director of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Major General Edward Buba, revealed this at the end of year media briefing held on Friday in Abuja. Among other exploits recorded by troops, according to Buba, include the arrest of 6,970 suspected terrorists, rescue of 4,488 kidnapped hostages as well as recovery of 3,320 assorted weapons and 39,075 assorted ammunition. The DDMO noted that the major security threats within the year 2023 were terrorism, armed banditry, kidnapping, oil theft, secessionist agitations and farmers-herders clashes.  According to him, the threat dynamics were however  defined along geo-polit

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Maj-Gen. Edward Buba, has said that Nigerian troops are in dominant position against terrorism, banditry, and other forms of criminalities in the country. Buba, who made the assertion while briefing newsmen on Friday in Abuja, noted that the security situation in the year 2023 has remained fluid, complex and dynamic with the threat morphing in form and scale. According to him, this unpredictable nature of the threat and the attendant demands for stability have continued to pose significant challenges for security forces. He said despite the challenges that the military is winning the war against terrorists, and other criminal elements across the country. He said, "Consequently, various forces have continued to evolve Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTP) to professionally respond to these threats.  “The  armed forces has been developing the desired enablers to overcome the country’s numerous threats.  “Notabl

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), on Friday, decorated 22 newly promoted Air Vice Marshals and 16 Air Commodores with their new ranks following their recent elevation by the Air Force Council. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the council had on December 21, approved the promotion of 22 Air Commodores to the rank of AVM and 16 Group Captains to the rank of Air Commodore. The Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru, who was represented by the Minister of State, Bello Matawalle, said that attaining general rank in any military worldwide was an enviable feat. Badaru said the promotion, especially to air rank, was highly desirable, motivating, rewarding and most importantly demanding. According to him, it is demanding because, as officers of air rank, the service expects you to lead from a more holistic and strategic perspective, having garnered experience and an enormous amount of training. He said the service and indeed, the entire nation, relied on the new crop of officers to utili

At least, 30 people have been killed in what Ukraine has said is Russia’s biggest missile bombardment since the war began almost two years ago. More than 160 people were injured as Russia hit Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Lviv in the early hours of Friday morning. Russia “used nearly every type of weapon in its arsenal”, with homes and a maternity hospital hit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Ukraine’s air force said it had never seen so many missiles launched at once. Kyiv’s air defences have drastically improved in recent months, but on Friday, they were overwhelmed. An Air Force spokesperson said Russia used hypersonic, cruise and ballistic missiles, including X-22 type, which are difficult to intercept.  “We’ve never seen so many targets hit simultaneously,” he added. The Air Force said 114 of 158 missiles and drones had been shot down. Black smoke billowed from the different blast sites.  We headed to one which was a 200-metre-long warehouse in Kyiv’s Podil

The Defence Headquarters has confirmed that troops intervened in 19 out of the 36 villages in Plateau State after receiving distress calls from villagers about attacks by gunmen on December 24. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this in Abuja on Friday, December 29. Buba said that the gunmen carried out simultaneous attacks on the villages from various fronts. He said the intervention of the troops in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State forced some of the militants to withdraw after wreaking havoc on the villagers. He said: “Sadly, events turned gloomy with the attack on Bokkos LGA and some part of Barkin Ladi LGA on December 23. “It should be noted that Bokkos and Barkin Ladi LGAs span about 2,315 Square kilometres with over 350 villages, mostly dispersed. “The distance between some of these villages and troops’ locations is over 90 kilometres and sometimes difficult to access because of the rugged terrain which are most

The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi) says the Federal Government plans to put one million gas-powered vehicles on the road by 2027. PCNGi’s Chief Executive Officer and Project Director, Mr Michael Oluwagbemi, made this known in a statement on Friday, after hosting the first-ever Compressed Natural Gas Stakeholders and Investors’ forum. Oluwagbemi, who spoke on “A Comprehensive Overview of Nigeria’s CNG Ecosystem”, highlighted specific milestones among the bold vision and objectives of the CNG initiative. “The Federal Government’s ambitious plan to put one million gas-powered vehicles on the road by 2027 means an average annual rate of 250,000 vehicle conversions per year. “Other plans include the establishment of 40,000 auto gas conversion workshops and the creation of 750,000 jobs by 2027, across the emerging CNG value chain,” he said. He said that the forum reinforced Nigeria’s suitability and commitment to transiting to a more efficient and sustainable gas-powe