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  The Bayelsa State Government has invited the parents of a four-year-old girl and the 54-year-old man allegedly involved in a marriage in Akeddei community in the Sagbama Local Government Area of the state. The government’s intervention came after media reports of a December 26 marriage between the “bride” and the 54- year-old man. The government in a statement issued on Saturday, jointly signed by Dr Dise Ogbise-Goddy, Chairman, Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT) and Mr Paniebi Jacob, Director, Child Development in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Social Development, described the alleged marriage as illegal. The state government, which frowned at the development, also expressed concern over the “illegal marriage” based on tradition and customs, saying it was repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience. According to the statement, the Ministry of Women, Children Affairs and Social Development and GRIT have acknowledged the receipt of a formal complaint...

  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the past six months, has been rolling back a number of policies initiated by his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari. Even though both Messers Tinubu and Buhari are of the same political parties, there have been glaring contrasts between them, especially on the economic policy side. Tinubu, a former Governor of Lagos State, is more towards the liberal economic side, while Buhari, a former military leader, is more protectionist. In 2013, both came together to form a united Front against former President Goodluck Jonathan. For eight years, Bola Tinubu was quiet on the policies of the government and only spoke up when a policy appeared to be targeted at him during the election. During the election, Mr Tinubu openly disagreed with the former administration on the implementation of the Naira redesigning policy. With his emergence, Mr Tinubu has continued to strip some of the policies embarked on by former President Buhari. TOP 5 POLICIES REVERSED BY PRESIDENT...

  The Calas Vegas Band has emerged as the overall winner of the Carnival Calabar competitive events. The winning band is led by the former Minister for Culture and Tourism and former Cross River Commissioner for Tourism, Chief Edem Duke. The band, which was one of the newest, performed energetically and thrilled the revellers with their beautifully decorated costumes and theatrical materials. Calas Vegas performance exhibited the glory of Cross River’s greenery environment, enticing tourism destinations and more. Passion 4 band, the band with the most wins in the history of the carnival,  came second, and was led by Chief Chris Akigbe while Seagull band led by  Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, came third. Other competing bands in the carnival included Bayside band, Diamond band, Freedom band and Master Blaster band. In the Children’s Carnival Category, Passion 4 emerged winner, Seagull Band came second, while Calas Vegas secured the third position. For the Local Government...

Former Big Brother Naija reality show housemate, Chioma Ndubueze better known as Chomzy, has tied the knot with her lover, Henry Chinonso. The ceremony took place on Thursday, 28 December, in Imo State. The trending video of the event captured the couple in traditional Igbo outfits complemented by red beads. Taking to his Instagram page on Friday to share their first pictures as husband and wife, the groom expressed gratitude to God for his “angel in woman form”. “ Thank God for giving me the most beautiful angel in a woman form, babe I sincerely found love and peace of mind when I found you and I love you forever. I’m proud to call you my wife. I love you,” he wrote. Recall that Chomzy became famous after participating in the 2022 season of the BBNaija show. She has since transitioned into the entertainment industry as an entrepreneur and influencer.

  A family of eight travelling home for the New Year celebration has died in an auto crash at the Amanwozuzu junction in the Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State. It was gathered that the incident happened about 3 pm on Friday, December 29, when the father of the family who conveyed his wife and children in a Sienna vehicle ran into a stationary truck carrying an iron rod. It was also gathered that some residents and policemen broke the vehicle to recover the bodies of the family members and deposited their corpses at a morgue. Confirming the incident, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Ikeduru LGA, Lucky Ahiole, a Chief Superintendent of Police, noted that the stationary truck was parked at the roadside when the driver of the Sienna vehicle ran into it. The DPO said, “Eight died and we have taken them to a morgue. We had to break the Sienna vehicle to bring out the dead bodies. The rod pierced their eyes and bodies and even the children died.”

C ultural troupes from Ghana, Cameroon and 15 states in Nigeria were among those that shone at the 2023 Calabar Cultural Carnival on Wednesday, December 27. The event, which witnessed cultural performances from the 18 Local Government Areas of Cross River, had different cultural groups in colourful cultural attire. Declaring the event open, the Deputy Governor, Mr Peter Odey, said it was “one of its kind as it is happening in the season of sweetness.’’ In his remarks, Chairman, Cross River Carnival Commission, Gabe Onah, said that out of the 22 states that expressed interest, 15 had arrived at the time of the inauguration of the cultural carnival. Mr Onah listed states that were on ground to include Enugu, Kebbi, Edo, Rivers, Kaduna, Kwara, Yobe, Ondo, Ekiti and Akwa Ibom. He said, “Today marks the bedrock of our tomorrow. Culture is what unites us. It is our true strength. We are live with over 15 million viewers on DSTV and other platforms.” The leader of the Akwa Ibom contingent, Ab...

Former Big Brother Naija reality show winner, Ijeoma Josephina Otabor popularly known as Phyna has revealed that she lost 17 brand deals over her social media controversies. She stated this while speaking about the impact of social media in her life since she became famous in 2022. Phyna an interview on Doyin’s Corner, narrated how one of the brands rejected working with her and tagged her ‘abuser’. She said this came after the blogs accused her of slapping her ex-boyfriend, Groovy because he went behind her to make a deal that was meant for both of them. She said, “ Two weeks ago, my manager and I did a calculation of how many deals I lost from last year till now. We counted 17 deals. “A  big brand told me that the reason for not working with me is because I’m an abuser. “They said they can’t work with an abuser, and this was coming at the period that bloggers accused me of slapping someone.”

  Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, is dead. The Ondo governor died at the age of 67. According to reports, Akeredolu passed away on Wednesday at around 2 a.m. while undergoing treatment in a German hospital. He passed away after battling prostate cancer and leukemia, two conditions that had kept him unable to move for several months. Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), won his re-election as the state governor in October 2020 and was sworn in for a second term in office in February 2021. The governor’s second term, which started in January 2023, was plagued with difficulties ever since he went on medical leave overseas in June. After spending months abroad, the 67-year-old politician came back to Nigeria in September and settled in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State. On Wednesday, December 13, Akeredolu proceeded on another medical leave. He wrote a notice formally transferring power to his deputy, Lucky Aiy...

A policeman attached to the Imo State Police Command, Cosmas Ugwu, has been shot dead by his girlfriend. Ugwu was shot dead on Tuesday by his 23-year-old lover, who was identified as Amanda Uchechi Ugo, a native of Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. It was gathered from reliable sources that the incident occurred around 6:30pm on Boxing Day at the Ezinihitte Area Command. Officers on counter duty were said to have heard three gunshots from the room being occupied by the deceased officer. “ When police officers ran into the room to see what was going on, they found Corporal Ugwu lying in a pool of his blood. The girl shot him three times on his chest and his left hand. He was rushed immediately to Evergreen Hospital in Ezinihitte, where he was pronounced dead by the doctor on duty,” a source told newsmen in a chat on Wednesday. It was also gathered that the deceased had a serious fight with his girlfriend, and in the course of the altercation, the girl reached for his rif...

  A United States import ban on Apple smartwatch models took effect on Tuesday after President Joe Biden’s administration opted not to veto a ruling on patent infringements. In October, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) banned Apple Watch models over a patented technology for detecting blood oxygen levels. However, Apple had appealed, arguing that the ITC finding was in error and should be reversed. But last week, it paused its US sales of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The order to ban certain Apple Watch models stemmed from a complaint to the commission in mid-2021 accusing Apple of infringing on medical device maker Masimo Corp’s “light-based oximetry functionality.” “ After careful consultations, Ambassador (Katherine) Tai decided not to reverse the determination, and the ITC’s decision became final on December 26, 2023,” the President’s executive office said in a statement on Tuesday. Apple has firmed up fitness and health features with each...

  Kanye West has issued an apology in Hebrew to the Jewish community on social media for previous antisemitic comments - saying he “regrets any pain” he may have caused. The 46-year-old rapper, who changed his name to Ye in 2021, made a series of antisemitic remarks last year which led to his Twitter (now X) account being suspended. He had shared an image of a swastika entwined with a Star of David on the social media site and accused fellow musician Sean “Diddy” Combs of being controlled by “the Jewish people”. And in an interview for Infowars, the far-right conspiracy theory website owned by Alex Jones, Ye had praised Adolf Hitler. The apology posted on X and Instagram today read: “I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any unplanned outburst. “It was not my intent to hurt or disrespect, and I very much regret any pain I may have caused.” The message continued: “I am committed to begin with myself and to learn from this experience in order to ensure greater sensitivity...

  Nigerian actress, Iniobong Edo Ekim, popularly known as Ini Edo has explained why she still single at 41 years. She gave this explanation in an interview posted on social media. Ini Edo pointed out that she needs a man that can really love her. When asked she if she had not found love before, the thespian who began her film career in 2000, pointed out that there is different between being loved and being committed with the relationship. She added that it is not all about money but about how a man can manage a situation and the people around him. Ini Edo said, “I’m single because I just want somebody that can really love me. That’s all. I’m not asking for too much. “You can love someone and not ready to be committed. They two different things. Maybe that’s why I’m still single. I can’t be in a toxic relationship if you can’t give that protective energy that allows me to respect you. “How can I be with a man I can’t respect? If you can’t earn my respect, then we can’t be together b...

  About three worshippers have reportedly been killed by unknown gunmen who invaded Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Nkweagu, in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. It was gathered that the gunmen attacked the church at about 11:30 pm on Sunday. They had earlier called one of the victims, a popular POS operator at Nkwuagu market, on the phone to come out from the church. As soon as he stepped out, they shot and killed him. It was also gathered that the killings of the three victims threw the whole community into mourning and paralyzed economic activities, especially on Christmas Day, at the popular Nkwuagu market located along the Abakaliki/Afikpo express road. Recall that one person, a student, was recently killed at Nkwuagu community as a result of cult clashes, and now, three more people were killed again, making it four. Investigation revealed that the killings of these three worshippers at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church may be connected with cult-rela...

  The Lagos Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) found 258 cartons of codeine-based cough syrup and eight cartons of codeine tablets inside two shops - Chex Mat Global Link Limited - at the Trade Fair complex in the Ojo area of Lagos. The narcotics agency said it busted the shops for illegal drugs on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, during a search operation. According to the agency, the cartons contain 49,200 bottles of codeine syrup and 46,200 tablets of the same opioid. It added that on Thursday (December 21), the following day, NDLEA personnel raided a house in the Mushin area of Lagos where a 70-year-old grandma, Selifat Funke Cole and her son, Babajide Ayorinde Cole were arrested with 117.900kg of cannabis sativa. It also said it thwarted desperate attempts by transnational criminal organisations to flood Nigerian communities with large quantities of assorted illicit drugs during the Yuletide. A statement signed by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy,...

  Michael Ike, the first son of veteran Nollywood actor Emeka Ike, has expressed how much he dislikes his father. This came after Emeka Ike accused his ex-wife, Suzanne Emma, of various offenses, including lying about assault. He claimed to have lost his school and children because of her actions, leaving him in despair. In response, Suzanne countered by stating that Emeka was aggressive and had nearly paralyzed her in a violent attack. Michael Ike also shared his sentiments during an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, revealing that his father's behaviour was so harsh that he developed a strong dislike for him. He expressed, “When I met my mum, the first thing I said was I really hate my father.” On his displeasure with the way his father was talking about their private affairs, Michael said, “I told him we need to talk. I added that I’m not happy about the way you’re talking about our private affairs. Can you just stop it? And I had to tell him the disrespect he le...

  Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has been released from the Kuje Correctional Centre after meeting up with his bail conditions. It was gathered that Godwin Emefiele was released on Friday, December 22 2023. The spokesperson for the Kuje Correctional Centre, FCT, Adamu Duza, confirmed the development to the newsmen on Saturday. “I can confirm to you that he (Emefiele) has met his bail conditions, hence he has no reason to remain in our facility. The Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja, had granted N300 Million bail to Emefiele, who is being prosecuted for alleged procurement fraud. Justice Hamza Muazu granted the bail with two sureties in like sum. The judge said the sureties must have certificates of occupancy and titles of properties within the Maitama District of Abuja. He also ordered Emefiele to deposit all his travel documents with the registrar of the court, adding that he must remain within the Abuja Municipal Area Council. The j...

  Suzanne Emma, the estranged wife of Nollywood actor Emeka Ike, has responded to her ex-husband’s recent claims that her allegations of domestic violence against him were false and led to significant losses on his part. In a recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Emma maintained that Ike had subjected her to abuse throughout their 17-year marriage. She recounted a specific incident at the hospital when their child was seriously ill, describing how Ike verbally berated her and physically assaulted her. “ There was a time we went to the hospital; my child was sick. We didn’t have money. And I was trying to negotiate with the hospital to treat the child, and we would pay later. It was taking a little bit of time, and he [Emeka Ike] just came in and started yelling at me, ‘You’re a fool. You don’t know how to do things. What’s all this? You can’t even talk to them. Who are they? They’re beneath you, and you’re allowing them to do this and all that.’ “ And I got upset ...

  The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has changed its stance on crypto assets in the country and asked banks to disregard its earlier ban on crypto transactions. This is according to a circular dated December 22, 2023, with reference number FPR/DIR/PUB/CIR/002/003, and signed by the apex bank’s Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Haruna Mustafa. The circular is titled ‘Circular to all Banks and other Financial Institutions Guidelines on Operations of Bank Accounts for Virtual Assets Service Providers (VASPS).’ The apex bank stated that current trends globally have shown the need for crypto regulation. It said, “ The CBN, in February 2021  issued a circular restricting banks and other financial institutions from operating accounts for cryptocurrency service providers in view of the money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF) risks and vulnerabilities inherent in their operations as well as the absence of regulations and consumer protection measures. “ Howev...

  Nigerian singer, Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk better known as Iyanya, has announced that the second piece of jewelry belonging to another artiste, Adewale Mayowa Emmanuel popularly known as Mayorkun, which was reportedly stolen, has been recovered. In a post on his X account on Thursday, Iyanya announced the news while also acknowledging the efforts of individuals who helped in the recovery. He also stated that the pendant has been handed over to Hon. Effiong Ekpenyong, Special Adviser, Events Management, Governor’s Office, Calabar, after being received by Mr. Duke Emmanuel at Hit FM Calabar. His words: “Thank you to my Calabar people for doing what’s right. #Mayorkun’s second pendant has been found. “This morning we got a call that it was returned to #HitFMCalabar and was received by Mr. Duke Emmanuel, who later transferred the pendant to Hon. Effiong Ekpenyong MNIPR, FCAI Special Adviser Events Management, Governor’s Office, Calabar. “We are and will remain a peaceful and hospitable stat...

  Popular American actor, Vin Diesel, has been dragged to court by a former assistant over claims of sexual battery which allegedly occurred in 2010. In filings obtained by Variety, the plaintiff Asta Jonasson stated that the traumatic incident occurred while she worked for Diesel on the set of “Fast Five” in Atlanta. According to Jonasson, Diesel invited her into his suit at the Regis Hotel and forced her into his bed. When she tried to escape, Jonasson claimed the movie star forced her back into the room, pinned her to the wall, and began to grope her even when she continually screamed for him to stop. The assault allegedly continued when Diesel forced her to touch his privates. Seeing that she is unable to escape him, Jonasson said she “closed her eyes, scared of angering Vin Diesel by rejecting him”, tried to dissociate, and wished the assault would end. Aside from sexual battery, Jonasson is also suing for unlawful termination because she had allegedly been fired by Diese...

  The Federal Government, on Wednesday, said it has slashed public transport fares for Nigerians by 50 per cent. This was disclosed by the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, during a press conference on the presidential intervention in public transportation to celebrate the Yuletide season in Abuja, the nation’s capital. According to Alake, the intervention will commence on Thursday, December 21 and end on January 4, 2024. “It is in this wise that the Federal Government is announcing, beginning from Thursday (today), a special discounted holiday season fare on road transport and zero-fare by rail across Nigeria. “ What this means is that from Thursday (today), Nigerians willing to travel can board public transport via luxury buses at a 50% discount of current cost and all our train services on the routes the trains currently serve at zero cost to-and-fro on their travels this holiday season.” However, the minister said air travel was excluded from the initiative because the in...

  The police in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, have arrested two persons in possession of fake drinks. Although the details of the arrest are still sketchy, the Command's spokesperson SP Benjamin Hundeyin who disclosed the arrest in a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, gave the names of the suspects as Imo Lawrence ‘m’ aged 35 and Magnus Nwonka ‘m’ aged 42. Hundeyin said that the suspects were arrested by officers of the Ojo Division of the command on Wednesday. “ The police spokesperson said in the course of the investigation, the suspects led detectives to their inconspicuous, multi-room ‘factory’, adding that “investigation is ongoing”. It was also gathered that on Monday, December 18, that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) uncovered a large haul of fake wine and soft drinks in Abia State. The agency which disclosed this in a statement said it discovered major brands cloned by the arrested syndicate in an operation that involved ov...