Headlines

Villagers from Old Kuyello village, under the Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State, have fled their homes following an outbreak of a clash between bandits and Ansaru militants in the area.

According to reports, the villagers fled as bandits took over the community on Sunday around 3 pm.

Local sources told Daily Trust that about five days ago, the bandits ambushed Ansaru militants operating in Old Kuyello and killed five of them.

The incident forced the Ansaru militants to retreat into the forest, allowing the bandits to invade the village and cart away foodstuffs belonging to the locals.

Hadi Kuyello, a resident of the area and a community leader, confirmed the incident, saying many bandits were also killed during the gunfight with the Ansaru militants in the forest.

“As we speak, men, women and children are fleeing to safer villages because the bandits have invaded Old Kuyello village, carting away foodstuff,” he said.

Ishaq Usman Kasai, the Chairman of Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressive Union, confirmed the incident.

Ewurama, the daughter of a former Ghanaian minister of education, Professor Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi, has passed on.

The deceased, who was a teacher, died in a tragic fire incident at the family’s residence in Techiman, Bono region.

Investigations suggest that an explosion in one of the rooms triggered the fire, causing extensive damage to the property.

She was reportedly treated in a hospital after sustaining severe burn injuries from the fire incident.

Before her demise, she was pursuing a law degree at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) was said to have responded to the incident, but the building was already engulfed in flames before they arrived.

Eyewitnesses say Ewurama, who the only person at home during the fire, attempted to escape but suffered severe burn injuries.

A FCT High Court sitting in Abuja has issued a garnishee order for the freezing of 10 commercial bank accounts operated by the Oyo State Government over N3.5 billion debt.

The order, issued by Justice Anitte Ebong, was initiated by former council chiefs in Oyo State who were sacked by Governor Seyi Makinde.

The former council of chiefs then got a N4.9 billion judgement against the governor and other officials and agencies of the state.

The garnishee proceeding is intended by the ex-council chiefs, led by Bashorun Majeed Ajuwon, to recover the balance of N3.5 billion which is outstanding from the actual judgement sum, from which Makinde paid only N1.5bn in 2022.

The banks in which the Oyo State Government’s accounts are blocked are Zenith Bank, United Bank of Africa (UBA), Wema Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Ecobank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, Polaris Bank, Jaiz Bank and Union Bank.

Justice Ebong ordered the banks to file affidavits and attend the court on the next adjourned date to show cause why the garnishee orders nisi hereby granted should not be made absolute.

The judge awarded N300,000.00 as a cost against the judgement debtors and ordered that a copy of the order be served on Makinde and others and adjourned till January 5 next year for hearing.

The Vatican has officially approved the possibility of offering blessings to same-sex couples.

The decision, sanctioned by Pope Francis, represents a significant shift in the Catholic Church’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues.

The new document, released by the Vatican’s doctrine office, emphasizes that individuals seeking God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subjected to an exhaustive moral analysis to receive blessings.

While maintaining marriage as a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman, the Vatican now permits non-liturgical blessings for same-sex couples under certain conditions.

The directive strictly forbids associating the blessings with civil unions or wedding ceremonies and underscores that such requests should not be categorically denied.

“Even when a person’s relationship with God is clouded by sin, he can always ask for a blessing, stretching out his hand to God,” the document said.

LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have hailed the move as a significant step toward greater inclusivity within the Church.

However, it has also sparked controversy among traditionalists, with some labelling the decision as heresy.

The FCT High Court sitting in Abuja has stopped former Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Pauline Tallen, from holding public in Nigeria.

Politics Nigeria recalls that the Federal High Court in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, had nullified the candidacy of Aishatu Dahiru (popularly known as Binani) as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the last general election.

In her reaction to the judgement, Tallen, a chieftain of the APC and former deputy governor of Plateau State, said the ruling “represented the marginalisation of women in Nigerian politics.”

The NBA president Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) had demanded an apology from Tallen over her comments, threatening to sue.

Tallen failed to apologize for her comments.

Delivering judgement on the case on Monday, December 18, the court described Tallen’s statement as “unconstitutional, careless, reckless, disparaging.”

The High Court condemned Tallen’s comments against the judiciary concerning a decision of the Federal High Court in Adamawa State last year.

The court said the former minister’s call to disobey the judgement of the court was “contemptuous of the Federal High Court of Nigeria.”

However, the court gave Tallen an option of escaping the consequences of her reckless comments if she apologised in two national dailies within 30 days.

The court also granted among other reliefs an injunction restraining Dame Pauline Tallen (the defendant) from holding any public office in Nigeria, “unless she purges herself of the ignoble conduct by publishing a personally signed apology letter to Nigerians and the Judiciary on a full page of the Punch and Guardian newspapers”.

The Court ordered that the injunction restraining the defendant from holding any public office in Nigeria “shall become perpetual if she fails to abide by the order directing her to publish an apology letter within 30 days”.

President Tinubu has directed all impeachment proceedings initiated against Governor Fubara by the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule to be dropped with immediate effect.

This follows the meeting with the governor and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), today in Aso Rock.

Former governor Peter Odili was among the attendees at the closed-door meeting.

The president has also directed the governor to recognise Martin Amaewhule as Speaker of the state assembly and the other 26 members who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as members of the assembly.

Tinubu reportedly instructed that their salaries be paid immediately.

The disagreement between Governor Fubara and Wike has led to factions in the state House of Assembly. This led to the defection of 27 lawmakers, allegedly loyal to Wike, to the opposition APC party. In a counter-move, lawmakers loyal to Fubara declared the seats of the defectors vacant.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has brokered an agreement between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the 27 Rivers lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC)..

This follows weeks of political tension in the state due to a face-off between the governor and his predecessor, who is the current minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The meeting, which was held at the instance of the president, saw both factions make concessions. Former governor Peter Odili was among the attendees at the closed-door meeting.

The following are the resolutions agreed:

After a meeting with all the stakeholders of Rivers State with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
The resolution are as follows

1. ALL matters instituted in the courts by the Governor of RiversState, Sir Fubara, and his team, in respect of the political crisis in Rivers State, shall be withdrawn IMMEDIATELY
2. ALL impeachment proceedings initiated against the Governor of Rivers State by the Rivers State House of Assembly should be dropped immediately
3. The leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly as led by the Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule shall be recognized alongside the 27 members who resigned from the PDP
4. The remunerations and benefits of ALL members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and their staff must be reinstated immediately and the Governor of Rivers State shall henceforth not interfere with the full funding of the Rivers State House of Assembly
5. The Rivers State House of Assembly shall choose where they want to sit and conduct their legislative business without interference and/or hindrance from the Executive arm of government
6. The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, shall re-present the state budget to a properly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly
7. The names of ALL commissioners in the Rivers State Executive Council who resigned their appointments because of the political crisis in the state should be resubmitted to the House of Assembly for approval
8. There should NOT be a caretaker committee for the local governments in Rivers State. The dissolution of the Local Government administration is null and void and shall not be recognized

Reports have emerged indicating that popular Juju artiste Omoba De Jumbo Beats and several members of his band have been abducted while en route from Abuja to Kogi State for a scheduled performance.

The incident came to light through an Instagram post by fellow musician Adeyinka Adeboye, known as Boyebest.

Adeboye shared the news on social media, expressing deep concern and soliciting prayers for the safe return of the abducted individuals.

In his Instagram update, Boyebest disclosed the abductors are seeking a ransom of N10 million for each captive.

His words:

He said, “A whole full band members kidnapped, Naija is f**k up I swear my prayers are with you guys. You all would come out alive.

“May God in His infinite mercy bring you guys back home in peace in Jesus name. GOD pls, bring these your children back home. This is so so scary. God have mercy.

“@omobadejumbobeats and his band men were kidnapped on their way to Kogi from Abuja for the performance yesterday (Sunday). Please, we need help as the kidnappers are demanding #10m ransom on each person.”

The Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has pledged to disburse the 13th-month salary to civil servants in the state ahead of the New Year.

Makinde made this announcement on Sunday night during the 2023 Christmas Carol Service with the theme “Unto Us a Child is Born” held at the Remembrance Arcade, Government House, Agodi, Ibadan

Taking to his verified X account, he shared, “Tonight, we celebrated the 2023 Festival of Carols and Nine Lessons under the theme ‘Unto Us a Child is Born.’ It provided us with another occasion to express gratitude to God for His mercies and faithfulness throughout this challenging year economically.”

Makinde reassured the civil servants in Oyo State, stating, “Consistent with our practice since 2019, I want to assure the civil servants in Oyo State that, once again, we will be disbursing the 13th-month salary before the close of this year.”

It’s noteworthy that Makinde’s administration has consistently implemented the payment of the 13th-month salary since 2019.