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Folarin Kehinde

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Air Peace shuts flight operations nationwide

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Nigeria’s airline, Air Peace, has announced the immediate suspension of all its flight operations across Nigeria following an ongoing strike by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet.

The airline disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

Air Peace said the decision was taken in the interest of passenger safety, as NiMet’s weather updates, particularly the Current Nowcast of Hazardous Weather, CNH, reports, are essential for safe flight landings during the rainy season.

The statement read, “We regret to inform you that due to the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Air Peace is suspending all flight operations nationwide with immediate effect.

“This decision is necessary because NiMet is the agency responsible for issuing CNH (Current Nowcast of Hazardous Weather) reports, which are critical for safe landings, especially during this season of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. Without these reports from the control tower, flight safety cannot be guaranteed.

“As a safety-first airline, we have chosen to act responsibly by suspending operations until NiMet resumes full service.

“We understand this may cause inconvenience, and we sincerely apologise. Passengers will be contacted with updates and options for rescheduling.”

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Tinubu to Security Chiefs: End the Bloodshed Now

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

President Bola Tinubu has issued marching order to security agencies to tackle insecurity within the country.

Tinubu, while ordering a complete overhaul of Nigeria’s security strategy, said “enough is enough.”

He issued the directive during a meeting with security chiefs on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja and was contained in a statement signed by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.

There have been killings in Borno, Benue, Plateau and Kwara states.

However, the statement said the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu while addressing State House Correspondents after the meeting, said Tinubu directed a new approach to tackling insecurity across the country.

Ribadu said, “Mr President gave us the chance to come and brief him again. It lasted very long. We gave him an update on what was going on.”

He explained that while the President was on official visits to Paris and London, he remained actively involved and continued to issue instructions to security agencies.

“Today, we had the opportunity to come and brief him again, and it lasted hours. It was a very detailed briefing, and it was exhaustive.

“The issue of insecurity often is not just at the higher levels. It involves the subunits. They are the ones who are directly with the people, especially when some of the challenges border on community problems.

“We need to work with the communities. We need to work with the local governments, and we need to work with the governors.

“The President directed that we work more with governors,” he said.

Ribadu noted that the President was “very worried and concerned” at the meeting.

“He said, ‘Enough is enough’. We are working to ensure that we restore peace and security.”

“We were all at the meeting with the President, armed forces, police, and intelligence community,” Ribadu added.

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Former Gov Okowa defects to APC

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Former Governor of Delta State and Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ifeanyi Okowa, has defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

This was disclosed on Wednesday shortly after a meeting at the Delta State Government House, Asaba.

Okowa, before the announcement, said in his dialect, while addressing the people, that he would take the best decision.

“Be assured that we will not go in the wrong direction. We will take the best direction, the best path for our people,” Okowa said.

Details shortly…..

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2face bags Political appointment in Benue

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has appointed singer Innocent Idibia, widely known as 2Baba, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.

The appointment was disclosed in a video that trended on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.

2Baba hails from Benue State.

Alia commended 2Baba’s enduring influence and commitment to Benue State, saying: “Let me thank you very deeply for supporting my administration and for preparing me for 2027.

“I feel it will not be out of place at all because you are a guru of entertainment. Once you say 2Face, people start dancing, even without the song.

“So, we are happy you’re here on behalf of the Benue State government and our very good people who want to give you more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advisement as well.

“So, I’m pleased to announce that we would make you a technical adviser to the governor on entertainment and community outreach.”

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BREAKING: Delta Governor Oborevwori dumps PDP for APC

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.

The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, who confirmed the decision said the decision was reached after “wide consultations with political stakeholders and in the interest of Delta’s long-term development.”

Oborevwori, who emerged victorious in the 2023 gubernatorial election under the PDP platform, was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with significant implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Details shortly….

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Group Hosts Dinner in Honour of Ganduje, APC Excos

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, CON and other members of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC will on Friday, 2nd, May, 2025 attend a Special Appreciation Dinner organized by an Abuja based socio-political group, Coalition of Ganduje Support Groups, CGSG-Abuja.

The event, according to the Convener of C-GSG-Abuja, Dr. Aliyu Ibrahim, MFR is to appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Dr. Ganduje and other NWC members into various boards of the nation’s institutions.

“CGSG-ABUJA has concluded plans to host our performing and result oriented National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, members of the National Working Committee, NWC and political associates and friends of the Chairman in a colourful dinner to appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership style”, Dr. Aliyu noted.

The CGSG-ABUJA Convener also added that the occasion will be used to rally support for the Ganduje led NWC and pray for the success of President Tinubu in his bid to revamp the economy of country.

The Dinner, proudly supported by The Progressive Institute, TPI; APC Intellectual Resource Center, Architect Kabir Ida; a frontline business morgul and notable allies of APC, will commence by 7:pm at the Abuja Intercontinental Hotel, formerly Sheraton hotel, Abuja.

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Tinubu to meet service chiefs over rising killings

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

President Bola Tinubu is planning to meet with the service chiefs to discuss the rising killings in Plateau, Benue and other parts of the country on his return to Abuja from his two-week working visit to Paris, the French capital.

Tinubu returned to Abuja on Monday night after spending 18 days on a working visit and retreat in Paris and London.

The Air Force 001 aircraft conveying the President landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at 09:50pm on Monday, the State House media office announced.

Since April 2, when he travelled, more than 120 locals have been killed by armed assailants.

Several homes have been burnt and 3,000 persons displaced despite the deployment of security forces.

On Monday, a top functionary privy to the development confirmed to The PUNCH that the security meeting would review the rising violence and the measures to contain it.

“The President will certainly meet the service chiefs to review the security situation across the country and the flash point of Plateau, Benue and Borno. He has been getting security briefings while away and giving directives to the security chiefs. So, he will meet his security chiefs and ministers too,’’ he affirmed.

This came as the Presidency blamed state governors for the mounting cases of killings nationwide, especially the recent incidences in Plateau, Benue and Enugu States.

It cited the governors’ poor funding of security outfits in their states despite receiving humongous security votes.

Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, stated this when he appeared on TVC’s Beyond the Headlines show with Nifemi Oguntoye Monday evening.

Bwala said, “What we are finding, very sadly, is that there are some states where the governors give N20m to the SSS, N20m to the police, and N20m to the army as monthly allocation for fighting insecurity. And you hear their security vote is between N1bn, N2bn and N3bn. Where are we going?”

A cross-section of stakeholders in Plateau agreed that self-defence is a necessary measure given the current security situation.

A security officer, Jackson Dauda, stated, “I believe that self-defence is a legitimate means of protecting lives and property. There is no better time to apply this than now in Plateau State, given the number of lives we have lost through attacks.

“This is important, especially given the rise of terrorist groups like Mahmuda, which has been terrorising rural communities in the North Central region. So, what is left is for the government to give the needed support to the local communities to enable them to defend themselves against any form of terrorism.”

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Vatican Reveals Date for Pope Francis’ Final Burial

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The funeral of Pope Francis will take place on Saturday at 10:00am (0800 GMT) in the square in front of St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican announced on Tuesday.

The coffin of the Argentine pontiff, who died on Monday aged 88, will then be taken inside the church and from there taken to the Rome basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial.

Recall that the Vatican confirmed that the pontiff passed away on Easter Monday at his residence in the Casa Santa Marta within Vatican City.

Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta on Monday morning.

Farrel said the Pope died at exactly 7.35 am.

AFP

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FG Launches New Payroll Audit to Eliminate Ghost Workers

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Federal Government, through the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation , has begun a personnel audit aimed at identifying and removing ‘ghost workers’ from the federal civil service payroll.

This move comes amid growing concerns over the mass exodus of civil servants—popularly known as japa—many of whom reportedly continue to receive government salaries after relocating abroad.

The development was disclosed in a memo signed by the Director of Administration, OAGF, Dauda Abdulhamid.

The circular, addressed to all Directors of Finance, Audit, and Federal Pay Offices across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, announced the commencement of a Service-wide Nominal Roll Update and a comprehensive personnel audit.

The memo reads in part: “Following the Service-wide Nominal Roll Update for officers under the pool of the OAGF and in line with the Accountant-General’s commitment to establishing a standardised and reliable personnel record, the AGF has approved the conduct of a Personnel Audit Exercise across the Headquarters, Federal Pay Offices, and all MDAs under the pool of the OAGF.

“To facilitate this process, all affected MDAs are required to complete the attached template accurately and in full. All desk officers must ensure compliance with the referenced circular before submitting the duly completed template by the deadline to avoid being classified as ghost workers.”

It added that completed templates, in Excel format alongside a scanned authentication sheet, should be submitted via email to the Office of the Director of Administration (director.administration@oagf.gov.ng) on or before May 2, 2025.

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Shock as Okpebholo Dethrones Agenebode Monarch Over Kidnappings, Killings in Edo

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Governor Monday Okpebholo yesterday placed the Okumagbe of Uwano Kingdom, Agenebode, in Estako East Local Government Area of Edo State, Dr. George Oshiapi Egabor, on indefinite suspension.

The monarch was suspended over cases of incessant kidnapping and killings in his domain.

A statement by Okpebholo’s Chief Press Secretary Fred Itua said the monarch’s Secretary, Chief Peter Omiogbemhi, has since been arrested following the death of a palace chief, the late John Ikhamate.

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