Kunle Makinde Tokunbo (a.k.a. Dejo Tunfulu), a veteran comedian and actor, has died.
According to reports from his colleague, Kunle Afod, the deceased still had his picture posted a few days ago.
Kunle Afod, who shared his photos on Instagram, wrote: “You posted a few days ago. Dejo.
Haaaaaa! This is heartbreaking. I still can’t believe it, Pressy, Tunfulu, Daddy Junior.”
According to Nollywood veteran actor Pete Edochie, APC presidential candidate Bola Tinubu is too old and weak to run for president in 2023.
“Many people, including Tinubu, are far too old and frail to run for president.” In an interview with BBC Igbo, Mr Edochie stated, “He (Tinubu) has been in power for a long time before he was made the leader of the APC.”
“However, he should step down to make way for those who are younger and healthier.” “Let’s be honest,” the actor said in response to a question about Mr Tinubu’s presidential campaign in 2023.
The Nollywood star expressed his concerns about the political marginalization of Igbos in the interview.
“In Nigeria, the major ethnic groups are Igbo, Hausa, and Yorübá. “Only once in Nigeria’s history has an Igb person become the head of state,” he lamented. “During the military government, that was (former military head of state) Aguiyi Ironsi, and his reign was brief. Apart from Goodluck Jonathan, who isn’t even Igbo,” the North and the Yorübá have been sharing power between themselves since then.”
Mr Edochie described Igbos as tenacious, emphasizing the importance of their ingenuity and sound leadership to Nigeria.
He also claimed that an Igbo leader is the answer to Nigeria’s socioeconomic and political problems.
“Why hasn’t the Igb people regained power?” Is there a plot afoot among the political elites to put the South-East on the back burner? I grew up in the north. I am a Hausa speaker. “However, it is long past time for Nigeria to have a leader of Igbo descent,” he asserted.
“The problem in Nigeria is greed,” the Nollywood star continued. Northerners dominate the leadership, but 60 years after independence, we still haven’t solved the electricity crisis.”
On Friday, police in Imo successfully repelled a deadly attack on Mbieri Police Division by suspected members of the proscribed Eastern Security Network (ESN).
The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, when a group of gunmen attacked the station with explosive devices, according to police.
Mr Maman Giwa, the Acting Police Commissioner in Imo, made the announcement in a press statement signed by CSP Mike Abattam, the command’s spokesman.
According to him, the police facility was only slightly damaged, and no one was injured.
According to Giwa, the bandits were repelled by the ever-ready officers, who forced them to flee.
“On April 1, hoodlums suspected of being members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra/ Eastern Security Network’s militia wing attempted an attack on Mbieri Police Station, but were repulsed after stiff resistance from the division’s police operatives.
“The hoodlums who threw improvised explosive devices into the station and shot sporadically were overwhelmed by the combat-ready police operatives’ superior firepower, forcing them to flee in panic in their vehicles.”
“As a result of the gallant police officers’ quick response, only minor damage was done to a parked unserviceable vehicle and a few windows due to the explosive’s effect.”
“The operatives did not lose any lives or sustain any injuries, and no arms or ammunition were carted away,” he said.
According to Giwa, the investigation is still ongoing, and efforts are being made to apprehend the fleeing hoodlums.
While praising the officers’ bravery, he urged them to continue their fight against crime until all criminal elements and their accomplices are apprehended and made to face the full force of the law.
He also urged the public to continue to support and collaborate with security agencies, particularly the police, by providing accurate and timely information.
Following the announcement by the US government that it will release 180 million barrels of oil over six months, oil prices fell more than 5% to their lowest level in nearly two weeks on Monday.
A pandemic-related travel ban in China has also lowered demand.
Brent, the international oil benchmark, fell $5.77, or 5.1 percent, to $106.90 a barrel on Thursday, according to data, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell $6.32, or 5.8%, to $103.01.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, both benchmarks have risen by roughly 36% this year.
Meanwhile, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its Allies (OPEC+) agreed on Thursday to increase the group’s production by another 432,000 barrels per day in May, giving Nigeria another chance to boost its oil revenue.
Due to shifting baselines of five of its members, the quota of 400,000 barrels per day was increased by 32,000 barrels per day.
Saudi Arabia’s production quota has been increased to 10.549 million barrels per day, while Russia’s quota has also been increased. The UAE has a daily quota of 3.04 million barrels, Kuwait has a daily quota of 2.694 barrels, and Iraq has a daily quota of 4.461 million barrels.
OPEC+ has ignored calls from a number of other countries, including the United States, to increase production beyond what is planned, despite the fact that high gasoline prices are putting a strain on consumers.
The next OPEC+ meeting to agree on the June plan will take place on May 5.
Miscreants and scavengers’ camp in Nyanya, on the outskirts of Abuja, was demolished by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministerial Taskforce Team on City Sanitation.
Kaka Bello, the Head, Monitoring and Enforcement, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, who led the demolition team on Thursday, said the tents were removed due to numerous insecurity issues in the area.
He explained that the exercise was motivated by the need to keep the Federal Capital Territory, particularly the suburbs, sane.
He went on to say that the scavengers had been told to leave the area weeks before, but they refused to comply.
Bello, who described the area as a scavenger colony, added that despite the FCT administration’s tireless efforts to clear the area through the taskforce, the hoodlums still muster the courage to stay.
He expressed regret for the scavengers’ continued illegal activities in most of the suburbs and warned them to stay away from areas that are not designated for them.
Bello urged some of the residents who were coordinating with scavengers to stop because the situation would give them more courage.
“The exercise is about city sanitation and cleaning. We’ve removed this colony of scavengers several times, but they keep coming back, according to Bello.
The Abuja-Kaduna route has apparently been blocked by bandits.
Shehu Sani, a former Kaduna politician, revealed this on Thursday afternoon.
On Monday night, the Abuja-Kaduna train between Katari and Rigana axis was bombed.
The attackers had killed and abducted passengers aboard the train, injuring many more.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation also temporarily halted train services on that line (NRC).
Despite the danger, many chose to go by car.
Sani, who served in the 8th National Assembly as a member of the Kaduna Central District, claimed he had just received “a distress call that Bandits in big numbers had again blocked the Kaduna-Abuja route this afternoon.” In a tweet on Thursday afternoon, I said, “Travelers are rapidly going backwards.”
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has lost Ukraine a $2 billion agreement to repair the faltering Ajaokuta steel mill in Nigeria’s Kogi State.
President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the flow of cash to the Russian corporation since 2020, according to the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, but the contract was disrupted when the conflict broke out when they were about to mobilize to the site.
Currently, the Federal government has obtained a new commitment from a British company to help resuscitate the faltering Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited at no additional expense to the government.
Adegbite used the weekly briefings organized by the Presidential Media team to update the public on the project’s progress.
“In October 2019, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Sochi for the Russia-Africa Summit and decided to restart the unfinished Ajaokuta steel factory,” the Minister added.
He also mentioned that the project’s launch was delayed because to limits imposed by the worldwide epidemic of COVID-19.
Adegbite, on the other hand, was sparing with the name of the British business that would now undertake the project.
He went on to say that the deal with the Russian firm fell through because the contract was given to a company having both Russian and Ukrainian interests.
He revealed that the $2 billion is secure in a federal government account, adding that “the money hasn’t even been delivered to anyone, and the Russians can’t obtain any payment today with the way things are going in the globe.” All of their accounts have been disabled.
“So the $2 million is still with the federal government; the money was allocated for that reason by the President.” We had begun the acquisition procedure, but due to the conflict, we are no longer able to do so.
“By the grace of God, we have started an irreversible process,” the Minister said, adding that “a British business is willing to do it for us free immediately.” The issue with Ajaokuta is what we refer to as “force majeure.” Because the aim was to deliver Ajaokuta in 2022, no one thought of COVID.
However, the Minister expressed sadness that the steel firm may not be totally reformed as promised under the current administration.
“I’ve mentioned it before, when we returned from Russia, yeah, I went to the public and said, look, we’re going to deliver Ajaokuta before the conclusion of this tenure,” he remarked. And I hope that before I leave office, I will have the opportunity to apologize and explain what happened to the people.
” It is not due to our fault. Everyone was ready to go, when COVID arrived unexpectedly. As a result, it is a case of force majeure.”
Former Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has spoken out against the latest train attack in Kaduna by daring bandits.
Several people died, and the gunmen kidnapped an undetermined number of passengers.
Jonathan expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in a message posted on his social media website on Thursday, and urged Nigerians not to be scared.
“I express my condolences to the victims of Monday’s train attack between Abuja and Kaduna, as well as the families of the deceased and other Nigerians who have been impacted in some way by recent events in our nation, which have been fueled by the destructive acts of bandits and terrorists.”
“My prayers are with them, and I hope that all those who have been kidnapped will be found and reunited with their families soon.”
“I implore Nigerians to remain watchful and hopeful, rather than succumbing to pessimism and dread. I call on the security and intelligence agencies to step up their efforts to guarantee that those responsible for these heinous atrocities are brought to justice and that our country returns to normalcy,” the statement continued.
Mu’awiya Gambo, a Nigerian Customs Service official, and Felix Zakari, a Catholic priest, were among those kidnapped when robbers stormed the Kofar Gayan Low Cost and Gwangwaje neighborhoods of Zaria, Kaduna State.
According to many accounts, the bandits struck Kofar Gayan Low Cost just after 9 p.m. riding motorcycles.
After the intermittent firing, the criminals “completely armed with firearms and carried away the customs officer and his son, Khalifa,” according to Aminu Dogo, a resident of Zaria. Last year, they came to the same neighborhood and injured mothers and children.”
Mr Gambo, the abducted customs officer, has always been the criminals’ target, according to another neighbor, Musa Abdulmalik.
“I can’t say whether it was a random kidnapping or a premeditated kidnapping, but he had always been their target.” They went after him twice, but he fled each times. That’s why we keep claiming that these folks (the bandits) are surrounded by informants. Around 9 p.m., they arrived in the area and organized the attack,” he claimed.
Saifullahi Lawal, a local journalist who works for Queen FM radio, reported that among those kidnapped is a woman called Jamila Abbas.
“As soon as the soldiers arrived, the bandits reassembled and assaulted Gwargwaje, continuing their assault.” They assassinated one woman in her house there. I’ve emailed you a photo of her. She was killed by the bandits. He replied, “I was in the neighborhood when they came.”
According to Mr Lawal, the bandits kidnapped a number of individuals.
During the attack, the command spoa State and sectkesperson, Mohammed Jalige, did not reply to calls or SMS addressed to him.
Islamist gunmen have swarmed Kadunions of the North-West region, causing unparalleled mayhem in the communities. Hundreds of people have been murdered or injured by the gunman in the region. Several others have been kidnapped and held for ransom.
On Wednesday, 74 new COVID-19 infections were reported in Nigeria’s eight states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to the latest numbers issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Wednesday night, Nigeria’s infection toll has risen to 255,415 cases.
While the death toll remained at 3,142, the disease control center indicated that data for March 29 and 30, 2022 is included in the confirmed illnesses.
According to the NCDC, a total of 249,606 persons have been released across the country.
According to the breakdown of instances, Lagos State, which is the epicenter of the sickness in the country, is top on the list with 35 cases, followed by Bauchi State with 12 cases.
Infections were also detected in the FCT, Abia State in the south-east, and Kaduna and Kano States in the north-west, respectively.
Plateau State reported two occurrences, while Oyo and Rivers States each reported one.
The NCDC further stated that no instances were reported in five states: Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Sokoto.