Headlines

Popular music director and cinematographer, ThankGod Omori Smith, better known as TG Omori, has shared a personal health update, revealing a failed kidney transplant.

In an earlier post on X, the 29-year-old shared that his only brother had volunteered one of his kidneys for the transplant, writing, “Yesterday my only brother gave me one of his kidneys so I could live again.”

TG Omori also shared pictures of himself on a hospital bed receiving oxygen on his Instagram story, captioning them, “keep my spirit alive. I don’t wanna die.”

However, in a recent update, TG Omori revealed that the transplant was unsuccessful, sharing the news on X and urging the public to pray for him during this challenging time.

He wrote, “One year after my kidney crashed I just had a failed transplant at St. Nicolas Lagos. Pray for me,”

His fans on social media have been replying with kind words and prayers for his health

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Kirikasamma local government in Jigawa State, Yahuza Umar Labbo, has passed away.

His death was confirmed by the state party chairman, Aminu Gumel, who announced that Yahuza Umar Labbo died at the age of 55 after a brief illness.

He is survived by three wives and fifteen children, who will deeply feel his loss.

Governor Umar Namadi offered his condolences to the family and the entire Muslim Ummah, praying for the Almighty Allah to grant Yahuza Umar Labbo eternal rest.

The Governor also prayed for fortitude for the family to bear the loss, acknowledging the significant impact of Yahuza Umar Labbo’s passing.

The Jigawa State Local Government election, in which Yahuza Umar Labbo was a candidate, is scheduled to take place on October 5, 2024.

The Correctional Officers Pencom Retirees Association of Nigeria (COPRAN) has submitted a petition to President Bola Tinubu, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minister of Labour, and Human Rights Commission, among others, regarding the challenges faced by retirees under the contributory Pension Commission (PenCom) scheme.

According to COPRAN, retirees are being deprived of their funds by PenCom after retirement, leading to untold hardship and inability to provide for their basic needs.

The association’s president, Mr. Anthony Ayiwulu, expressed frustration that after 35 years of dedicated service, retirees are only owed gratuities and are unable to cater to their families’ needs.

Ayiwulu cited the example of the Nigerian Army, which opted out of the PenCom scheme, and emphasized the need for a policy change or review to benefit retirees.

He highlighted the challenges retirees face in the current economic situation, including high living costs and healthcare expenses, and urged the government to prioritize fairness in its dealings with citizens.

Ayiwulu specifically called for prompt payment of civil and public servants’ retirement benefits to help them cope with retirement.

COPRAN also lamented that senior citizens under PenCom have yet to receive any palliative to mitigate the hard economic situation in the country, despite submitting their information through their Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).

The petition serves as a reminder of the plight of retirees in Nigeria, who often struggle with limited resources, and urges the government to take immediate action to address their concerns.

Pastor Johnson Suleman, senior pastor and general overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, has urged Nigerians to focus on addressing bad leadership and lawlessness in the country, rather than blaming religion or the church.

In a video shared on social media, Suleman emphasized that the church is not the problem and that Nigerians should stop the hate against the church and ‘men of God’.

He noted that many countries more religious than Nigeria are developing rapidly due to good leadership and a lack of lawlessness, highlighting the importance of ensuring law and order in the country.

Suleman believes that the church is under attack as part of a broader trend, with selective outrage directed specifically at Christianity, while other religions or traditional practices are overlooked.

He argued that the root of Nigeria’s problems lies in bad leadership and lawlessness, not religion, and that people who have left the church should be indifferent rather than channeling their energy into hating the church.

Suleman acknowledged that while there are fake pastors, there are also many sincere men of God, and that critics often highlight flaws within the church while overlooking the good.

He urged Nigerians to shift their focus away from anger towards the church, stating that constant attacks won’t solve anything and may even cause health problems.

Suleman concluded that the church will continue to thrive despite individual opinions and that it’s more constructive to change mindsets and focus on solutions that benefit the country.

Kabir Ibrahim, President of All Farmers Association, has expressed concern that Nigerian farmers can no longer afford fertilizers due to their high cost.

Ibrahim attributed the affordability of fertilizers during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure (2017-2020) to the Presidential Farmers Initiative (PFI), which made fertilizers widely available at a cheap rate of ₦5,500.

He noted that after the pandemic, an additional subsidy of ₦500 was introduced, reducing the price to ₦5,000, making it even more accessible to farmers.

However, since 2021, the situation has changed, and farmers can no longer afford fertilizers due to the high cost, which Ibrahim blamed on the decline in the value of the naira and the subsequent increase in import costs.

Ibrahim explained that the country had a pact with Morocco to import fertilizers at a reasonable price, but since then, imports have been sourced from other places at prevailing market rates, leading to higher costs.

He also highlighted the impact of flooding on farmers, which washes away the little fertilizer they can afford, and appealed to the federal government to restore the fertilizer subsidy to make it affordable for farmers.

Ibrahim emphasized that affordable fertilizers are crucial for cheap food production, and farmers should be able to buy fertilizers at cheap rates like in 2017.

He concluded by stressing that the high cost of inputs like fertilizers, insecticides, and labor is affecting farmers’ ability to recoup their investments, leading to increased prices for consumers.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, has reaffirmed the military’s commitment to democracy, stating that it will not succumb to calls for the overthrow of President Bola Tinubu’s government.

Lagbaja made this declaration at the opening ceremony of the COAS Combined 2nd and 3rd Quarters Conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Tuesday. He attributed the calls for military intervention to young Nigerians who did not experience the era of Nigeria’s extensive military rule.

The Nigerian Army has built a new prestige over the past 25 years by allowing safe democratic rule, Lagbaja said. He emphasized that the Army will not allow itself to be used to undemocratically bring certain interests to power.

Lagbaja highlighted the government’s support for the military, citing the recent purchase of two Bell UH-1 Huey helicopters equipped with advanced sensors and enablers. He also mentioned the welfare of widows and family members of fallen heroes, which remains on course.

The Army Chief addressed the recent nationwide hunger protest, stating that it was an eye-opener that food and social security issues can snowball into physical security challenges. He pledged the Army’s resolve to review its agricultural policy and provide security cover for farmers in critical farming communities.

Lagbaja revealed that the Nigerian Army has acquired other combat enablers, such as Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles, rifles, and ammunition, to strengthen operations and security across the country.

The United Igbo Elders Council (UNIEC) has called on the Federal Government to unconditionally release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, along with all political prisoners.

The elders also demanded an immediate end to unlawful arrests, detentions, and extrajudicial killings across the country, as well as the lifting of economic blockades against Eastern Nigeria.

The group’s demands were conveyed in a statement released on Saturday by Prof. Obasi Igwe, Director of Media and Publicity, and Alpha Justice, Coordinator-General of UNIEC.

The statement emphasized the need for peace and stability through restructuring, regionalism, and a referendum, urging the government to adopt these measures as a foundation for meaningful development in Nigeria.

The elders also stressed the importance of reopening the Eastern ports to stimulate economic growth and development in the region and beyond.

It read: “It is an indisputable fact that by mid-2015, there was not a single insurgency or war to overthrow the Federal Government or procure a Biafra anywhere in Igbo society and none today, except the one manufactured by a tyrant that made sure that such a war existed, with shoot-to-kill or shoot-at-sight orders openly issued against promising innocent youngsters in full view of all the world, in part to punish the Igbo for their sundry sins.

We, therefore, demand for the unconditional release of all political prisoners, including the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and his colleagues, with an immediate end to all manner of unlawful, hooded, night and secret arrests, detentions and extrajudicial killings.