POLICE INVITE CATHOLIC NUNS, ONYE EZE JESUS RELEASED BY KIDNAPPERS FOR INFORMATION Police in Anambra State have invited two Catholic nuns recently released by kidnappers to share their experiences, expressing willingness to work with them to stop insecurity. The police also called on Mr Onyebuchi Okocha, who claims to be a religious leader and popularly known as Onye Eze Jesus, …

SIMON EKPA’S ARREST REDUCES TENSION IN SOUTHEAST – CHIEF OF of DEFENCE STAFF MUSA Tension in the Southeast has greatly reduced since the arrest of Finland-based Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa. This was disclosed by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, while appearing before the House of Representatives Committee on Defence to defend the 2025 budget on Tuesday. Musa …

VEHICLE FLEEING KIDNAPPERS PLUNGES INTO RIVER, EXPATRIATE, OTHERS MISSING A Hilux Van carrying two company workers, including an expatriate, has plunged into the Okulu river in Rivers State. The incident happened while the driver was reportedly trying to escape from kidnappers who targeted the van along the Eleme section of the East-West Road. Our reporter learnt that the vehicle lost …

NERC GIVES ENUGU, THREE OTHER STATES GET NOD TO COMMENCE ELECTRICITY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has confirmed the readiness of four state governments, including Enugu, Ekiti, Ondo and Imo to take over the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in the state, as it conclude the transfer of regulatory oversight to the states. Announcing the …

$225M DEBT: FIRST BANK SPEAKS ON LEGAL TUSSLE WITH OBAIGBENA’S GHL The management of First Bank of Nigeria Limited on Tuesday said media reports alleging that it abused court processes in the ongoing legal battles with General Hydrocarbons Limited are misleading and incorrect. The bank said it performed its obligations under the loan agreements but trouble started when it demanded …

CBN FINES NINE BANKS N150M EACH FOR FAILING TO DISPENSE CASH VIA ATMS The Central Bank of Nigeria has sanctioned nine Deposit Money Banks with fines totalling N1.35bn for failing to ensure cash availability via Automated Teller Machines during the festive season. Each of the banks was fined N150m following spot checks that revealed non-compliance with the apex bank’s cash …

JANUARY 15 1966: A MORNING OF MURDER, MAYHEM AND CARNAGEBy Femi Fani-Kayode In the early hours of the morning of January 15th 1966 a coup d’etat took place in Nigeria which resulted in the murder of a number of leading political figures and senior army officers. This was the first coup in the history of our country and 98 per …

WE’LL PRIORITIZE PASSAGE OF TAX REFORM BILLS – SPEAKER, ABBAS The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen has said the priority of the House is to ensure the passage of the Appropriation Bill and the Tax Reform Bills. The Deputy Speaker, Ben Kalu, while delivering a speech on the resumption of the House from the Christmas and new …

19 WEDDING GUESTS DIE IN ROAD CRASH IN PLATEAU No fewer than 19 wedding guests died and 11 others were injured in a road accident in the Kwana Maciji area of Pankshin Local Government Area, Plateau State. The Chairman of the Pankshin Local Government Area Emergency Management Committee, John Dasar, confirmed the incident. Dasar said the guests, who came from …

UZODINMA HAPPY WITH REMOVAL OF OIL SUBSIDY, SAYS STATES NOW GET MORE MONEY Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has declared that state government are currently getting more funds under the President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Uzodinma said the fuel subsidy removal is responsible for the current development. Speaking during the inspection of some projects to celebrate the first year of …

POLICE DEMAND APOLOGY FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL OVER PROTEST REPORT The Nigeria Police Force said it has written and demanded an immediate retraction and public apology regarding a publication titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on and Bad Governance Protests” written to Amnesty International. A Tuesday statement by the Force’s Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumiyiwa Adejobi said the letter was …

HOW YAHOO BOY BEHEADED ABUJA CORPS MEMBER, PACKED DISMEMBERED BODY IN BAG – POLICE Operatives of the Nasarawa State Police Command have arrested a suspected Yahoo boy, internet fraudster, identified as Ajayi for allegedly killing his girlfriend, Salome Enejo for rituals. The suspect was caught with a fresh human head in Agwan Sarki, Orozo, a boundary area between Nasarawa State …

ABDUCTED ANAMBRA REVEREND SISTERS REGAIN FREEDOM The two abducted reverend sisters, identified as Vincentia Nwankwo and Grace Okoli, have regained freedom after spending about six days with their captors. The reverend sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ, were kidnapped on Tuesday, along the Ufuma Road in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state, on their …

MARKETERS RAISE PETROL PRICES BY 4.75% AT DEPOTS The loading cost of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) and other refined petroleum products at the depots increased on Monday. The PUNCH gathered that marketers raised petrol and diesel prices at depots by N43 or 4.74 per cent due to the rising crude oil prices. Recall that the cost of Brent, the global …

THE MANY SINS THAT COST FORMER LAGOS SPEAKER, OBASA HIS SEAT Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa had his eyes on the governorship seat of Lagos when his colleagues booted him out of office on Monday. Reports on Obasa’s interest in the coveted seat were discarded as mere rumour in some quarters, but the message became clearer after the Archbishop of Methodist Church …