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The federal government has renamed the University of Abuja, which is now to be known as Yakubu Gowon University.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed the decision to journalists at the State House on Monday, following a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu.

The renaming is in honour of Nigeria’s former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday.

Idris stated that the proposal will be forwarded to the National Assembly for formal approval.

Details shortly…

The Presidency has dismissed recent comments made by Kemi Badenoch, the newly elected leader of the United Kingdom Conservative Party, about her upbringing in Nigeria, describing them as a “cock and bull story.”.

In a statement on Monday, President Bola Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, accused Badenoch of fabricating claims about her childhood in Nigeria.

Badenoch had alleged that her upbringing in Nigeria was overshadowed by fear and insecurity, attributing this to widespread corruption in the country. Following her election as UK Conservative Party leader in November 2024, efforts by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) to reach out to her reportedly went unanswered.

Reacting to her remarks, Ajayi criticized Badenoch in a post on X, saying: “You are Kemi Badenoch, an opposition leader and a future Prime Minister of the UK. A journalist asked you about the state of the police in the country you hope to govern. Instead of addressing the question, you shared an inane cock and bull story of how policemen stole your brother’s shoe in Nigeria.”

Ajayi further alleged that Badenoch’s comments were inconsistent with her privileged background. “Her story of carrying a desk and chair to sit in class at ISL didn’t add up. Her claim of having no clean water to drink was complete baloney for a girl who grew up in an upper-middle-class family—her mother a university professor and her father a successful medical doctor who ran a private hospital with a rich clientele,” he wrote.

The Presidency questioned the credibility of Badenoch’s statements, alleging that they were fabricated to enhance her political image. Ajayi also expressed doubts about her claims of a negative experience with Nigerian police, suggesting they might have been exaggerated or entirely false.

The remarks have sparked debate, with critics accusing Badenoch of misrepresenting her Nigerian upbringing, while supporters argue that she may have been highlighting broader systemic issues.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the Independent Corrupt Practices (ICPC) and Other Related Offences can freeze suspicious bank accounts for a maximum of 72 hours without court approval, reducing the one-year period provided in the ICPC Act.

Delivering the judgment in a case filed by the Lawyers Network Against Corruption (LNAC), Justice James Omotosho declared that freezing accounts for up to one year was “totally unreasonable” and could lead to abuse of power. The court held that such prolonged freezing infringes on the rights to property and fair hearing guaranteed by the Constitution.

The suit, filed by LNAC through lawyer Ezenwa Anumnu, challenged the ICPC’s practice of directing banks to freeze accounts without court orders. LNAC argued that this practice caused undue hardship and violated constitutional provisions, asking the court to declare Section 45(1) of the ICPC Act invalid and to restrain the ICPC from issuing such directives.

Justice Omotosho acknowledged the ICPC’s authority to freeze accounts under investigation but stressed the need to balance this with the constitutional rights of individuals. He ruled that the ICPC must seek court approval for any freeze order exceeding 72 hours, emphasizing the risk of injustice if account holders were left without access to their funds for extended periods.

The judge noted that while enforcement agencies require powers to seize suspected criminal proceeds for thorough investigations, the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to fair hearing. He explained that freezing accounts without judicial oversight undermines this right and could cripple personal or commercial interests.

Citing concerns about potential abuse of power, Justice Omotosho rejected the ICPC’s argument that its chairman could vary freeze orders within 12 months, describing the timeframe as excessive and detrimental to account holders. He affirmed the importance of fighting corruption but insisted that investigations must respect constitutional safeguards.

The court ruled that ICPC freeze orders are valid for 72 hours, after which they must be extended by a court.

Kemi Badenoch, controversial leader of the British Conservative Party, has opened up about her faith.

Badenoch in a now-viral interview with The Free Press, a US media outfit, revealed that she no longer believes in God.

According to her, the most important factor is what individuals do with their belief or lack of belief.

“I don’t believe in God anymore. But I am not an atheist, I am agnostic. I used to believe in God very much but now I describe myself as a cultural Christian.

“I don’t think it matters if people believe in God or not. What matters is what they do with the belief or the lack of it,” she said.

Born Olukemi Adegoke to Nigerian Yoruba parents in the UK, Badenoch’s last name changed after she married a Scottish banker.

She returned to Nigeria, where she grew up, and finally departed for the UK when she turned 16.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has reduced the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, across its retail outlets nationwide.

The price of petrol at NNPC retail outlets has dropped from N1,060 per litre to N1,040 per litre in Abuja, a reduction of N20 per litre.

The price change took effect on Saturday morning.

However, prices at independently-owned filling stations remain higher, ranging from N1,115 per litre to N1,120 per litre, depending on location.

It is the belief of stakeholders that local production from the Port Harcourt and Dangote refineries will lead to more competitive fuel pricing in the near future.

Production from the Port Harcourt refinery, which began in November has joined Dangote’s 650,000 barrels per day refinery, which earlier began supplying products into the Nigerian and foreign markets.

A tragic accident involving a J5 Ford bus (FKJ 724 YC) and a Mercedes truck (FKJ 746 YC) at Ilubirin, inward Sura, along the Lagos Third Mainland Bridge, has claimed one life and left four others injured.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday, signed by Adebayo Taofiq, Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment.

According to the statement, LASTMA officials, led by the General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, arrived promptly at the scene and coordinated rescue operations. Five victims were extricated from the wreckage, but one succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash, while the other four sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the J5 Ford bus, carrying pepper and other perishable goods, experienced brake failure while traveling at high speed, leading to the collision with the Mercedes truck.

Emergency response teams, including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Response Unit, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Police Force, and Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), worked alongside LASTMA to manage the situation and ensure the victims received immediate medical attention at the General Hospital on Lagos Island.

In a bid to restore normalcy, LASTMA officials cleared the accident site, removing the damaged vehicles and scattered goods to ease traffic flow along the bridge.

While expressing condolences to the family of the deceased, Bakare-Oki emphasized the importance of road safety, especially during the festive season. He urged drivers, particularly operators of heavy-duty vehicles, to avoid speeding and ensure their vehicles, especially braking systems, are in optimal condition before embarking on any journey.

LASTMA reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of road users and pledged continued collaboration with relevant agencies to prevent avoidable accidents on Lagos roads.