President Muhammadu Buhari has unveiled the new identity and logo for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), which is now a limited liability company.

The unveiling took place at the presidential banquet hall in Abuja.

Buhari, who was accompanied by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila among other dignitaries at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, described the NNPC Limited as the largest national oil company in Africa.

“We are transforming our petroleum industry to strengthen the growth today July 19, 2022.

“NNPC Limited now will operate as a commercial oil company with over 200 million shareholders with integrity and excellence”, the President said at the event.

According to the President, NNPC Limited will sustainably deliver value to its over 200 million shareholders and the global energy community; operate without relying on government funding, and be free from institutional regulations such as the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

He assured stakeholders in the industry that Africa’s largest NOC will adhere to its fundamental corporate values of Integrity, Excellence, and Sustainability while operating as a commercial, independent, and viable NOC at par with its peers around the world.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, remarked that the unveiling of NNPC Limited was a new dawn in the quest for the growth and development of the Nigerian oil and gas industry, opening new vintages for partnerships.

He also thanked the President for his unparalleled leadership, steadfastness, and unalloyed support for ensuring that the country’s oil and gas industry is on a sound footing.

“We are setting all these woes behind us, and a clear path for the survival and growth of our petroleum industry is now before us. With the PIA assuring international and local oil companies of adequate protection for their investments, the nation’s petroleum industry is no longer rudderless”, Sylva said

He said the NNPC Limited will operate as a profitable commercial entity and declare dividends to its shareholders.

“I have no doubt that the leadership of this brand new Limited Liability Company is super-charged to meet the high expectations,” he said.

Read » Buhari unveils NNPC Limited on YNaija

• INEC proposes life ban for politicians, parties involved in vote buying
• Cholera outbreak kills 5 in Kano
• CBN raises interest rate for the second time in 2022
• APC to officially unveil Shettima as VP candidate today
• ASUU strike: Buhari issues ultimatum to minister to resolve university disputes

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn‘t miss:

INEC proposes life ban for politicians, parties involved in vote buying

The Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, has proposed a life ban for any politician or political party caught in the act of vote buying.

Returning Electoral Commissioner, Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini said “assume the level of an epidemic and it is the greatest thing that we need to deal with”, in a reference to vote buying.

“We have traveled to many parts of the world. In 2013, when we traveled to Kenya, we were there for the 5th of March election.

“On that day, we were monitoring, a campaign manager of a senatorial candidate was caught with different envelopes containing money, that he was using to induce buy voters.

“He was arrested that same day, he was charged to court, the second day he was convicted to three years imprisonment. So why is it that people who have been arrested over time do nothing about them?

“The only way you can make that impact is to quickly arraign them. In the United State of America, over 400 cases were arraigned before the 2020 election, they were all determined before the take-off of that election”, the Electoral Commissioner said.

Cholera outbreak kills 5 in Kano

Kano State government, yesterday, reported that 5 persons have died, following a cholera outbreak in the state.

Commissioner of Health, Dr. Aminu Tsanyawa, who confirmed the outbreak to newsmen at a briefing on the Cholera outbreak, said the state recorded a total of 189 cases, out of which five lost their lives.

According to him, “On April 16, 2022, a case of watery diarrhea and vomiting, suspected to be due to cholera, was reported in Dambatta, which was promptly investigated. Since then, we had a total of 189 cases in 20 LGAs, out of which 184 have fully recovered, zero active cases, and five deaths.

“It will interest you to know that last year, at this time, we recorded 12,116 cases across the state with 329 deaths. This is unconnected with the prompt and multi-sectoral collaborative response by the state.

“The Kano State government, under the leadership of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, is fully committed to providing adequate and qualitative healthcare services to the good people of the state in order to eliminate cholera outbreak and other diseases in the state.”

CBN raises interest rate for the second time in 2022

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has raised its key interest rate from 13% to 14%.

CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele made the announcement while addressing reporters after a committee meeting at CBN headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.

Emefiele said a rate hike would help Nigeria deal with rising inflation.

MPR represents the base rate at which all other loan rates revolve.

In an attempt to combat inflation, new developments have forced the central bank to raise rates for the second time in 2022.

“Committee thus voted unanimously to raise the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR),” Mr. Emefiele said.

“One member voted to increase the MPR by 150 basis points, six members by 100 basis points, one member by 75 basis points, and three members by 50 basis points.

“Consequently, Committee resolved to increase the MPR by 100 basis points from 13 percent to 14 percent. In summary, MPC voted as follows: Increase MPR to 14% from 13, retain the Asymmetric Corridor at +100 and -700 basis points around the MPR, retain the CRR at 27.5 percent and retain liquidity ratio at 30 percent.”

APC to officially unveil Shettima as VP candidate today

Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will unveil Kashim Shettima as presidential running mate to Bola Tinubu on Wednesday.

The party, in a statement posted on its verified Twitter handle on Tuesday, said Mr. Shettima will be formally unveiled at the Shehu Yar’adua Centre in Abuja at 11 am.

Tinubu had, on July 10, announced the former governor of Borno State as his running mate, following the resignation of Ibrahim Masari, who served as a ‘placeholder”.

The spokesman of the Tinubu Campaign Organization, Bayo Onanuga, noted that the team has followed the heated debate that the choice of Shettima has generated in the country.

“The TCO restates that religion or ethnicity was far from the calculations of the All Progressives Congress and its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in picking his running mate”, he stated.

According to him, if Asiwaju intended to cash in on ethnicity, “he would have picked a running mate from the North Western part of Nigeria, which has the highest number of registered voters”.

He said to now succumb to the base ends of identity, by further straining Nigeria’s already difficult ethnic and religious cleavages, is a great disservice to the country and to citizens who had no choice about their parentage, ethnicity, or religion at birth.

ASUU strike: Buhari issues ultimatum to minister to resolve university disputes

President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly directed the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to resolve the ongoing strike by university lecturers, ASUU, and other university staffers.

The President reportedly gave the directive on Tuesday after he received briefings from the relevant government ministries, departments, and agencies involved in resolving the face-off with the university unions.

ASUU has been on strike since February while other workers’ unions in the universities later commenced their own strike.

Tuesday’s meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja was held so that officials involved in the negotiation with the university workers could brief the president.

Those at the meeting with the president were the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu; the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; Mr. Ngige; the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami; the Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan; the Chairman of National Salaries Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, and the Director-General Budget Office, Ben Akabueze.

It was reported that the president, after hearing from the relevant MDAs, ordered the Minister of Education to ensure that the impasse was resolved within two weeks and to report back to him.

Read » INEC proposes life ban for politicians, parties involved in vote buying; APC to officially unveil Shettima as VP candidate today | 5 Things That Should Matter Today on YNaija

Dr. Ifalade Oyekan, the General Manager of Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency, has disclosed that the agency will introduce a crime data bank and bodywork cameras for officers as part of efforts to rebrand the agency and equip it to secure the entire metropolis of the state.

Oyekan stated this on Tuesday during a media briefing at the Lagos State Multi-Agency Centre, in Oshodi, adding that the LNSA is prepared for a state police status.

Oekan also noted some efforts to improve the agency’s work, including the introduction of professional services through specialized departments, the development of new training and retraining modules for officers, restructuring of agency activities, and rapid response to security calls.

He said, “The agency is exploring the option of collaboration and cooperation, logistics and technology, engagement and enlightenment of the populace, creation of crime data bank, the introduction of bodywork cameras, among other initiatives, to bring the agency at par with what obtains across the globe.

“Officers of the agency now complement the efforts of traffic management officers in the state as a proactive measure to nip insecurity in the bud, explaining that security concerns are more pronounced when there is a traffic situation.

“I enjoin Lagosians to be security conscious and join hands with the government to sanitize the entire metropolis by offering useful security information to the agency and I also urge the media to be thorough in their reportage because the task of securing Lagos is a herculean task such that demands understanding and commendation for the selfless sacrifices being paid by the officers.”

Read » Lagos state set to introduce crime data bank, body cameras on YNaija

As Netflix has estimated that more than 100 million homes are using the service for free, it plans to charge accounts extra for password sharing.

Netflix reported a drop of nearly 1 million subscribers in the second quarter of this year and shared details of its planned subscription changes.

The streaming service says it will ask subscribers in five Latin American countries to pay an additional $2.99 ​​(£2.50) per month to add a “second home” to their account.

The company also warned that the password-sharing ban would apply globally.

The streaming giant “underestimated” its subscriber losses, warning investors in April that it expects to lose 2 million subscribers.

This is the company’s first loss of subscribers in more than a decade after the company lost about 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter.

This is a dramatic turning point for a company that has achieved unstoppable growth over the years, revolutionizing the way people around the world consume entertainment and shaking up traditional TV and cinema businesses.

Its position as a global mogul was solidified when the 2020 pandemic hit, and people flocked to its shows while locked in a house with few other entertainment options.

But with the return of pre-pandemic habits, Netflix is ​​struggling to attract new subscribers and maintain the loyalty of existing ones.

Netflix says its short-term goal is to “reaccelerate revenue growth” through improved monetization capabilities.

To that end, Netflix shared new details about its ad-supported tier which the company announced earlier this month. This cheaper subscription tier is planned for early 2023.

It is unclear how families will respond to the streaming giant’s request for more money for shared accounts.

Netflix said it plans to experiment with different methods of presenting these charges before rolling them out globally later this year.

Read » Netflix will start charging $2.99 for password sharing on YNaija

Hundreds of protesters stormed the Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday morning, expressing their dissatisfaction with the party’s position on the controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket

Protests took place almost coincidentally with APC leadership’s unveiling of Vice Presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua in Abuja.

The demonstration was led by several party members under the auspices of the APC Hausa-Fulani Youth Forum.

Protesters arrived at the Secretariat in six luxury buses and several cars, holding various banners and singing songs of solidarity.

Some of the banners read ‘A cry for justice’, ‘Drop Shettima and give the slot to our Christian brothers’, ‘Discrimination and mutual suspicion in our country’ among others.

Convener of Forum, Abdullahi Bilal Mohamadu said the protests will not stop until the party does the right thing.

As to why protesters took to the streets on the day the party announced its vice-presidential nominee, Mohamadu said it was a deliberate move to express their displeasure and to get the attention of the appropriate authorities.

In a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Mohamadu stated that they saw the selection of Senator Kashim Shettima as an aberration that should be corrected immediately by the leadership of the party.

The letter read, “We write to your good office in light of the prevailing circumstances arising from the decision of our Presidential candidate to select a Northern Muslim as his vice presidential candidate.

“While it must be stated that there is a right to make decisions, however, such decisions must not be made to the collective detriment of the sensibilities of the people that make up the country of Nigeria, especially at a time of mutual suspicion amongst the Christians and Muslims in the northern part of the country.

“As concerned stakeholders of the APC and those who constitute the voting strength of our party, we find it worrisome that such a decision could be taken without recourse to its implication on the electoral chances of the party and the attendant uproar such a decision could bring about in the country.

“In our opinion, this is insensitive and a gross display of a lack of respect for our Christian brothers and sisters especially the Middle Belt minority who have given all their best to us as one northern Nigeria. Picking another Muslim from the northeastern part of the country as his running mate is politically and morally indefensible.

“In Northern Nigeria, there are credible candidates with rich credentials and with massive grassroots following that can complement the presidential ticket of the APC in the presidential elections. As such, the Hausa – Fulani Youths Forum sees the selection of Senator Kashim Shettima as an aberration that should be corrected with immediate effect by the relevant authorities within the party.

“The implication of non-action in this regard can only be imagined, so much so that the majority of the eligible voters in Northern Nigeria have elected to boycott the APC in protest of the disrespect and disregard to our Northern Christian brothers, whose population and relevance in the scheme of things in the region cannot be overemphasized.

“If our party is desirous of recording electoral success in the 2023 presidential elections, it must retrace its steps by selecting a Christian from the Middle Belt as its vice presidential candidate. The party must not be perceived as promoting a religious agenda by fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“We consequently say no to a Muslim-Muslim ticket by the APC. We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to kindly intervene to save the party from an electoral crisis. We urge Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to emulate the example of President Muhammadu Buhari in the choice of his running mate in the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections.

“Our Christian brothers and sisters deserve a place in the scheme of things, and our party must not be seen as a religiously insensitive party. The time to act is now.”

Read » Protesting APC members storm party secretariat during unveiling of Vice Presidential candidate on YNaija

• Controversy as ‘Fake Bishops’ attend Shettima’s unveiling as Tinubu’s running mate
• National grid collapses for 6th time in 2022
• NCAA suspends Dana Airlines operations
• 11 Zamfara, Katsina emirs, district heads sacked, suspended for allegedly abetting terrorists
• Reps cry out over terrorist killings in Taraba state

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn‘t miss:

Controversy as ‘Fake Bishops’ attend Shettima’s unveiling as Tinubu’s running mate

Several men dressed in cassocks were present on Wednesday when Kashima Shetima was announced as the Vice Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential election.

The affiliation of men in the different priest attires representing different Christian denominations remains unclear.

The presence of the cassocked participants was meant to indicate the support of some Christian leaders for the Muslim-Muslim APC presidential ticket despite opposition from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

However, CAN quickly denied these people, claiming they were scammers hired by APC to deceive Christians and garner their support for the APC candidates.

A spokesperson for the association, Bayo Oladeji, in a statement said the priests at the venue were ‘fake’. He did not say how he determined that the men were not genuine.

He accused the Tinibu Campaign Organisation of consistently peddling lies to justify the choice of the Vice Presidential candidate.

“They are fake,” Mr. Oladeji said. “They are not our members. CAN was not represented there. Anybody can wear a cassock, anybody can buy it in the market and claim to be anything.

“Were you not in this country, when they exhumed a four-year-old interview, published it in Trust (Daily Trust), claiming that was the Chairman of CAN in Borno endorsing Shettima? Were you not in this country when they presented a photograph from 2017 saying ‘CAN officials’ visited Shettima?

“Were you not in this country when they said Baba Adeboye has endorsed Muslim/Muslim ticket. The Redeemed Christian Church of God had to come out to say no? CAN was not there. Is that how to introduce CAN? The media should have asked them questions, not me,” Mr. Oladeji said.

National grid collapses for 6th time in 2022

Major Nigerian cities, including the Federal Capital Territory, fell into darkness after power outages on Wednesday, when the country’s electricity grid collapsed.

Electricity distribution companies announced on Wednesday that the collapse occurred at about 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday’s incident is the sixth reported collapse in 2022.

The government blames poor management and low gas supply as the major causes of the repeated grid breakdown, which is managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The electricity distribution companies across Nigeria get their electricity supply from the national grid.

The Eko Electricity Distribution Plc informed its customers of the grid collapse via Facebook.

“Dear Customers, we regret to inform you of a system collapse on the National grid at precisely 11:27 am today, Wednesday, July 20th. We are in talks with the Transmission Company of Nigeria to ascertain the cause of the collapse and a possible restoration timeline. We will keep you updated on the situation,” it wrote.

Since the government privatised the distribution companies in 2013, they have not been efficient causing both citizens and businesses to groan.

NCAA suspends Dana Airlines operations

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Wednesday suspended the Air Transport Licence (ATL) and Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Dana Airlines indefinitely.

The NCAA Director-General, Musa Nuhu, announced this in a statement Wednesday night.

This was shortly after an aircraft belonging to the airline made an emergency landing in Abuja after allegedly developing an engine problem mid-air on Tuesday.

Mr. Nuhu stated that the suspension of the operations of the airline would take effect from Wednesday.

He added that the decision was the outcome of a financial and economic health audit carried out on the airline by the regulatory authority.

According to him, the findings of an investigation conducted on the airline’s flight operations revealed that Dana Airlines was no longer in a position to meet its financial obligations and conduct safe flight operations.

“The NCAA acknowledges the negative effect this pre-emptive decision will have on the airline’s passengers and the traveling public and seeks their understanding, as the safety of flight operations takes priority over all other considerations,” the statement said.

Dana Airlines in a statement Wednesday confirmed the suspension.

“Our operations have been suspended as advised by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) in order to undergo a full operational audit with effect from midnight 20th July 2022,” the statement said.

11 Zamfara, Katsina emirs, district heads sacked, suspended for allegedly abetting terrorists

The Emir of Yandoton Daji, Aliyu Marafa, in Zamfara State, was on Sunday suspended after
he conferred a traditional title on the wanted terrorist, Mr. Aleru.

He is not the first traditional ruler in the state to be heavily scrutinized for helping a terrorist gang.

Since 2019, the Governor has accused the state’s traditional rulers of working with terrorist gangs and working with them to target the state’s communities, schools, and government agencies. These gunmen also specialize in kidnapping travelers for ransom.

Subsequently, the governor fired some of the Emirs on charges of aiding a terrorist gang. However, none of those who were removed from office were charged with misconduct.

Some of the traditional rulers suspended or deposed for allegedly supporting the terrorists in the state include Emir of Maru, Abubakar Cika; Emir of Zurmi, Atiku Abubakar; Emir of Dansadau, Hussaini Umar; District Head of Kanoma in Maru emirate, Lawali Ahmad; District head of Nasarawa Mailaya, in Zurmi council area, Bello Wakkala, among others.

Reps cry out over terrorist killings in Taraba state

The House of Representatives has called for the intervention of the Nigerian Armed Forces as terrorists overrun two local government areas of Taraba State, killing “over 30” within one week.

At the plenary on Wednesday, the House urged the military to deploy more troops to the LGAs to dislodge the terrorists and restore normalcy.

The lawmakers also urged the intelligence and operational security agencies to identify the routes and camps of the terrorists and their local collaborators to bring them to book.

A member of the House, Rimamnde Kwewum, who is representing Takum/Donga/Ussa/Yangtu SDA Federal Constituency in Taraba State, had moved a motion of urgent public importance titled, “Urgent Need to Prevent Terrorists Overrunning Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State.”

According to Kwewum, the terrorists who murdered six soldiers of the 93rd Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Takum LGA of Taraba State have continued the “unabated destruction of settlements in Takum and Ussa Local Government Areas of Taraba State.”

The lawmaker said in the last week – July 5 to 12, 2022 – “well over 30 people have been killed.”

Kwewum lamented that the attacks kept occurring “without any strong, coordinated and consistent intervention from the security agencies,” especially since the soldiers were killed by the bandits and the Commanding Officer of the 93rd Battalion was abducted.

The lawmaker stressed the urgent need to deploy more security agents to the LGAs to dislodge the terrorists and bring normalcy to the areas, “as the citizens are becoming despondent and losing confidence in the government.”

Read » Controversy as ‘Fake Bishops’ attend Shettima’s unveiling as Tinubu’s running mate; National grid collapses for 6th time in 2022 | 5 Things That Should Matter Today on YNaija

Nigerian singer and songwriter Temilade Openiyi popularly known as Tems has been listed as one of the songwriters on Beyonce’s upcoming album ‘Renaissance’.

A track list of Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance’ was posted on social media on Thursday, 20th July 2022, and Tems was credited as one of the songwriters on track 10 ‘Move’.

Tems has had a great year so far. She was featured in Future’s ‘Wait For You’ which reached the number one position on Billboards Hot 100.

At the 2022 BET Awards, Tems was nominated for the Best New Act and Best International Act. She also won the award for Best Collaboration with Wizkid’s Essence.

The international superstar made history at the 2022 BET Awards when she became the first African female artist to win a BET award.

Tems is currently on tour in the UK. The tour was initially postponed as the artist was diagnosed with Reflux Laryngitis.

Tems is however back on stage after taking weeks away from stage performances. Her latest show at Koko in London had a massive turnout with the audience vibing and singing along to her songs.

Her appearance on Beyonce’s album as a songwriter is definitely a big win for the artist.

Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance’ is set to be released on July 29th, 2022 and fans will be able to listen to Tems’ contributions on ‘Move’.

Read » Tems credited as a songwriter on Beyonce’s upcoming album, Renaissance on YNaija

For Ibrahim Kamardeen, getting accepted to the University of Reading’s Henley Business School was surreal. Enrolling at the triple-accredited elite school for a degree in Management Accounting was a no-brainer — the Business School is a pedestal that Ibrahim knew would catapult him into a lofty career in Accounting. 

According to him, “Getting a Management Accounting degree at the Henley Business School comes highly recommended. And rightfully so, as the school offered me a lucrative option of a placement — which made the prospect of pursuing the degree at the school very appealing to me.” Added to this enticing feature was the self-paced mode of learning, as well as the possible professional course exemptions that studying at the school offered.

Sharing on this, as well as the relative ease of the course Ibrahim said: “Initially, my intention was just to get all the possible exemptions from my professional exams, but as the course went on, I started signing up for other modules that I felt I would enjoy and started to really enjoy the whole university experience. The course gave me so much freedom to choose how my learning panned out; it gave me such a broad knowledge of accounting and management.”

With Henley Business School proudly setting its students on the right career track via its effective career advisors, Ibrahim’s case was a career-defining moment. “When I went to the careers advisor in my first year, we had a conversation which kickstarted my journey. It was really inspiring; I told him what I wanted to achieve and he laid out a road map for me. Without him, I don’t think I would have progressed as far as I have. Throughout the course he helped me to navigate to where I want to be. I also enjoyed meeting lots of different kinds of people in and around the university because you never know who might be helpful to you in the future.”

Ibrahim eventually achieved his aim of getting a placement in a global tech firm. “I had applied to a number of organisations and had several interviews. One day, I received a call from VMware saying that, although they were not able to offer me a role in the finance team, they liked me so much that they wanted me to go there in another role. The interviewer accepted that I wanted to be in finance but said: ‘just get into the company, and find your way from there.’ So I took the placement, and gradually worked my way across to the revenue team”

“I really enjoyed the networking and had long conversations with my Manager and the company’s CFO, who eventually mentored me throughout the duration of my placement. The placement definitely changed my view, not only to my working life but to education generally. And it has all worked out well because I’ve been offered a permanent job here at VMware when I graduate.”

Ibrahim currently works part-time with VMware amid his professional exams in Management Accounts.

Offering his two cents to prospective undergraduates, Ibrahim noted: “Be open-minded. Be prepared to try new things. Speak to the career advisors and take advantage of whatever life at Henley Business School offers you. There are no boxes.”

Karmadeen’s advice couldn’t have come at a better time as Henley Business School is currently offering Nigerians a chance to experience world-class learning in a conducive and career-supported environment through its Alumni Africa Scholarship. This scholarship is worth £5,000 and is aimed at supporting Nigerian students who enrol for the September 2022 academic session in any of the following courses:

• MSc Management
• MSc Management (International Business)
• MSc Finance
• MSc Investment Management
• MSc Real Estate.

The scholarship is offered once students receive conditional offers for the September 2022 start date. No other conditions are required to be met.

Applications for the September 2022 academic session are currently ongoing and will close on the 22nd of August, 2022.

For more inquiries on how to take advantage of this scholarship opportunity, send an email to oeribake@oxfordinternational.com or call/Whatsapp the number +234 916 919 9177.

Additional information can be accessed via:

https://live.henley.ac.uk/page/henley-business-school-alumni-africa-scholarship

Read » How I Landed My Dream Job After Getting Henley Business School Degree on YNaija

According to a listing on Aboki Forex, a website that provides users with information about the exchange rates at which various currencies are traded on both official and unofficial markets, the naira, which on Monday and Wednesday traded for N620 and N630, respectively, against the dollar, has dropped to N645 as of Thursday afternoon.

The pressure on demand from end users who were unable to buy dollars from the banks due to shortages led to the depreciation of the naira.

Despite all the foreign exchange measures put in place by the monetary authority to stem the flow, Nigerian economists/analysts claim there are no immediate remedies to the naira devaluation.

“For those taking money from banks to buy dollars, it is illegal to do so. If the security agencies hold you, you will know the implication of that,” Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor, said Tuesday at the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Lagos.

Mr. Emefiele encouraged Nigerians who were illegally converting naira for dollars to desist, saying that the apex bank would look into the matter and prohibit individuals found guilty from using Nigerian banks for financial operations.

Mr. Emefiele revealed the central bank’s oversight of clients and financial institutions while announcing that it would punish banks found engaging in illicit activity.

The warning came as a result of the central bank’s efforts to stop further declines in the value of the naira and the state of the nation’s economy.

The CBN also stopped conducting foreign exchange business with bureaux de change in July 2021.

As a result of the CBN’s strict forex restrictions, several deposit money banks decreased the overseas spending limit on naira cards to $20 per month, making it harder for citizens to undertake foreign transactions.

The parallel market, according to the apex bank, does not fairly represent the nation’s exchange rate economy.

However, the naira’s decline from N588 to N645 versus the dollar from May to today has continued to drive up the cost of goods and services all around the nation.

Read » Naira falls to N645 per dollar on YNaija

The governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, gave each player of the state-owned team, Rivers United a cash prize of $20,000 (over 12 million naira), for winning the Nigerian Professional Football League.

Wike made the announcement at a grand reception for the team on Thursday in Port Harcourt.

The Port Harcourt Dwellers won the championship for the first time after defeating Plateau United.

Governor Wike praised the group for its commitment and labor of love in bringing home the win.

He pointed out that their victory was the result of their diligence, which also stopped any machinations that may have prevented them from winning.

“You know in this country, anything happens. If you did not win with a wide margin, if you had won with 3 points, they probably would have told you one team has withdrawn, or two teams withdrew, and then, disqualify you. But with the wide gap, it was difficult for them to manipulate,” Wike stated.

However, Wike pushed the players to mentally and physically prepare for the CAF Champions League. He reminded them that they would be competing on behalf of Nigeria.

Governor Wike also stated that the players and managers will receive the Governors Medal Service (GMS) award from the State government.

He added that the squad will receive financial support from the state government to travel to Madrid, Spain, for two weeks of training for the CAF competition.

In addition to promising a cash prize of $20,000 to each player, Governor Wike also pledged to double the sum if they advanced to the CAF Champions League group stage.

Wike also pledged that the state would do everything in its power to aid the squad in the upcoming season.

Read » Wike awards each Rivers United player N12 million for winning the NPFL on YNaija

• Court grants the request for Tinubu to stand trial for alleged perjury
• Lagos state unveils upgraded smart multipurpose identity card
• Oshoala sets CAF record with 5th win
• Jamb sets a new cut-off mark for 2022 admissions
• Nigeria has inaugurated the first fiber optic cable facility in West Africa

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn‘t miss:

Court grants the request for Tinubu to stand trial for alleged perjury

The Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday set November 1 as the start date for the hearing on a lawsuit that aims to compel Usman Baba, the IGP, to file a perjury charge against Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the candidate for president of the governing All Progressives Congress, APC.

In a decision written by Justice Inyang Ekwo, the court authorized the Incorporated Trustees of the Center for Reform and Public Advocacy, a Civil Society Organization, CSO, to request an order of mandamus to compel the IGP to file charges against the APC flag-bearer in accordance with Sections 31 and 32 of the Police Act and Section 3 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2015, in response to a claim that he lied under oath.

The group had informed the court through its team of attorneys, led by Mr. Ugo Nwofor, that the IGP’s failure to act on its petition against the APC’s presidential candidate over an offense it claimed was established by a report of an investigation conducted by the Lagos State House of Assembly in 1999 was the reason for the suit.

The group informed the court that it had previously sent a petition to the police, requesting that they take further action on the aforementioned investigative report.

Lagos state unveils upgraded smart multipurpose identity card

An updated smart and multi-purpose resident identity card for a comprehensive database of inhabitants was introduced by the Lagos State Government on Wednesday.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos revealed the smart card and stated that the upgrading was necessary to adapt to change and follow best practices throughout the world.

At the same time, the upgrading took place in Epe, Badagry, Ikorodu, and Lagos Island.

According to Mr. Sanwo-Olu, the first Lagos State Residents Card was a simple plastic card designed solely for identification.

He said that the new “smart,” “multi-purpose” card included biometric identification along with other features and advantages that covered security, financial services, mobility, and access to amenities and services provided by the government.

He claims that the administration’s dedication to the Smart City goal, which aims to incorporate and embed cutting-edge technology into daily interactions with the government and public services, is evidenced by the upgrading of the ID card.

Oshoala sets CAF record with 5th win

Asisat Oshoala, a striker for the Super Falcons and Barcelona Femeni, became the first player, male or female, to win the CAF Player of the Year award five times when she was named the winner on Thursday. With four, only Perpetua Nkwocha, Yaya Toure, and Samuel Eto are close.

She won the prize ahead of Zambia international Grace Chanda (Zambia and BIIK Kazygurt) and Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon and Inter Milan).

She joins Mercy Akide (2001), Nkwocha (2004, 2005, 2010 & 2011), and Cynthia Uwak (2006 & 2007) as the fourth female Nigerians to win the most prestigious continental football honor.

Jamb sets a new cut-off mark for 2022 admissions

The cut-off mark for admission to universities across the nation in 2022–2023 is 140 or higher, according to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

This information was presented during the 2022 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions and Awards on Thursday in Abuja by the board’s Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede.

Oloyede stated that the cutoff level for admission to polytechnics and monotechnics is 100, while it is 80 for colleges of education.

The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, clarified that while the aforementioned items are the minimum, colleges are not required to fully comply.

Nigeria has inaugurated the first fiber optic cable facility in West Africa

Just as state governor Dapo Abiodun promised a port channel to facilitate export, Coleman Technical Industries Limited (CTIL), opened the first fiber optic cable facility in West Africa and the sixth in Africa in Ogun State.

Abiodun authorized the firm to start construction on a larger factory next month while speaking at the commissioning event.

In his own words: “I understand that Coleman Industries will start construction on a new facility in the coming month that will be three times as big as the current one. I have heard rumors that they could need property from the state government for this. I can confirm that you already have permission to use the land.”

In his welcome address, Mr. George Onafowokan, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Coleman Technical Industries Limited, stated that the factory was built in response to President Mohammadu Buhari’s call for rapid development of digitalization penetration in the Nigerian economy, as well as the drive for local content development in country capacity building led by the Local Content Board, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB.

He went on to say that the company’s investment was motivated by Ogun State’s encouragement in the form of incentives.

Read » Court grants the request for Tinubu to stand trial for alleged perjury; Nigeria has inaugurated the first fiber optic cable facility in West Africa | 5 Things That Should Matter Today on YNaija

Ahmed Idris, the former Accountant-General of the Federation, was placed on remand on Friday by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, due to allegations of N109 billion fraud.

This came after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Mr. Idris together with Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Usman, and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.

Following his failure to accept the EFCC’s invitation about an alleged fraud probe, Mr. Idris was captured in Kano.

In a letter dated May 18, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, subsequently informed Mr. Idris of his suspension.

The Minister of Finance said that the suspension was in accordance with the Public Service Rules and was necessary to allow for a thorough and unimpeded inquiry.

At the hearing before trial judge O A. Adeyemi-Ajayi, Ahmed and the others charged, all entered not-guilty pleas to the 14 accusations that were read to them.

Before the defendants entered a plea, the prosecution’s attorney, Rotimi Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), requested permission from the court to file a criminal charge against the defendants under section 109 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (2015) (ACJA).

The application was approved by the judge, Ms. Adeyemi-Ajayi.

Trial Justice A.O. Adeyemi Ajayi who remanded the suspended AGF and other defendants in the matter, said they would remain in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service till Wednesday when their bail applications would be heard.

Read » Court sends former Accountant-General Ahmed Idris, others to prison over alleged N109bn Fraud on YNaija

Chocolate city’s superstar rapper, MI Abaga has released a new single called ‘The Guy’.

The single is off his upcoming album ‘The Guy’ which is set for release on August 19th, 2022.

M.I also now goes by ‘The Guy’. He released his new stage name weeks after he took to his social media timeline to reveal his plans to retire ‘Mr. Incredible’.

His latest song, ‘The Guy’, which has lyrics and a delivery akin to a head honcho, shows off his rise to legendary status.

The second, but unquestionably more important, single from the eagerly awaited album, ‘The Guy’, beckons all music enthusiasts with its mid-tempo drill-leaning rhythm and radio-friendly sound.

The song amply demonstrates M.I ‘The Guy’ Abaga’s undeniable versatility with its distinctive lyrics and hook.

The Nigerian rapper guided one of Africa’s oldest indigenous record labels into their currently flourishing international label relationship.

He also identified and developed some of Nigeria’s most exceptional talent.

Here are some social media reactions to the rapper’s latest single.

Read » MI Abaga releases new single ‘The Guy’ on YNaija

Five police officers and three villagers were killed in a gunman attack on Gatakawa on Wednesday evening in Katsina State’s Kankara Local Government Area.

The event was reported on Thursday night by Gambo Isa, a spokesperson for the Katsina State Police Command.

He claimed that after the attack, the neighborhood was abandoned.

“They killed three of our elderly people in the area because they couldn’t run away from the bandits. They shot them dead.

“We can’t say how many people have been wounded or even dead because most of us have not returned to the community but I was told that some of our people are in the hospital in Kankara town. Several people have not seen relatives and parents,” he said.

He claimed that one of the slain officers was a mobile police officer who was stationed nearby.

The dead police officers were reportedly on special duty in the state, according to the police spokesperson, Mr. Isa.

“The terrorists were over three hundred (300) and they were fully armed. The five policemen are from Kano State and they were on special duty at Gatikawa. The terrorists attacked them at 6.45 p.m.

“The terrorists also killed three civilians. An investigation is already in progress over the matter by the Katsina State Police Command to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident,” he said.

Thousands of people have had their lives impacted by terrorist gangs. Numerous farmers have been slain, and still, more have been prevented from cultivating crops. Additionally, they have targeted students and kidnapped them from their schools.

One of the biggest humanitarian crises in the nation’s history has resulted from these constant attacks on towns in the country’s northwest, which have killed or displaced thousands of people.

Read » Attack in Katsina results in the deaths of five police officers and others on YNaija

• Big Brother Naija Begins today
• Tertiary institutions to determine deadline for 2022 admissions
• Court Rejects Governor Umahi’s Senatorial candidacy
• Nigeria loses to Zambia at WAFCON 2022
• Costs for subsidies rise by 370 percent as debt increases

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn‘t miss:

Big Brother Naija Begins today

Today will mark the beginning of a new season for what is arguably Africa’s biggest TV event. However, before diving into 72 days of what promises to be dramatic, intelligent, and downright entertaining material, the show will start with the two-part premiere weekend.

The housemates will be vying for prizes worth a whopping N100 million, the most of any African reality TV program. The prize money for this year’s BBNaija event is N10 million more than it was for last year.

The 24/7 Big Brother Naija channel on DStv, 198 and GOtv channel 29, as well as Showmax, will also broadcast the show.

Because some pre-COVID game components, like the Ninjas and a live studio audience, are returning this season, fans of the show are sure to have a good time. Fans of BBNaija may anticipate a lineup of more interesting missions, unexpected turns, and Big Brother’s incredible wit.

Tertiary institutions to determine deadline for 2022 admissions

Due to the status of the 2021 admissions, tertiary institutions have been granted the right to choose the timetable for the 2022 admissions.

The decision was made following the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board JAMB 2022 Policy Meeting and 2020 National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit Award Program, held in Abuja.

Some vice-chancellors made the suggestion that each university set the deadline for 2022 admissions into the institution providing universities that still had 2021 admissions still finish the process.

Even if the ASUU strike might end soon, according to Prof. Ishaya Tanko, vice chancellor of the University of Jos, arrangements must be made to accommodate and deal with pending admissions in some universities.

In addition, Tanko added that the admissions for 2022 might not be finished by December 31 because certain tertiary schools had not completed their admissions for the year 2021 and students were waiting for these admissions.

Court Rejects Governor Umahi’s Senatorial candidacy

Governor Umahi, who had previously lost in the APC presidential primary, might not succeed in his bid to run for senator.

On Friday, the Federal High Court’s Abakaliki Division dismissed a lawsuit filed by Governor David Umahi to be recognized as the APC’s candidate for the Ebonyi South Senatorial District (APC).

After the winner of the first primary withdrew from the campaign, the court determined that the APC erred by holding a second primary without including the name of the runner-up.

The governor, through his counsel, Roy Umahi, had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and asked the court to compel the commission to recognize the governor as the authentic candidate for Ebonyi South Senatorial District.

But Princess Agom-Eze, who came second in the first primary, on Tuesday, approached the court and urged it not to recognize Governor Umahi as the APC candidate.

When INEC released the names of the state’s senatorial candidates, it omitted the contender for the Ebonyi South Senatorial District.

The court rejected the governor’s arguments on Friday.

Nigeria loses to Zambia at WAFCON 2022

Zambia defeated Nigeria’s Super Falcons 0-1 in the third-place playoff on Friday, putting an unfortunate end to their Women’s African Cup of Nations, WAFCON, season.

The difference between the two was determined by Chiamaka Nnadozie, the goalkeeper for Nigeria, who scored an own goal in the first half following a fierce strike from outside the area by Katongo.

The Copper Queens put on a strong performance that evening, fending off the Super Falcons for 90 minutes to secure their first victory over the Super Falcons in three tries.

As a result, the Super Falcons of Nigeria finished fourth at WAFCON for the first time in the competition’s history.

A stunning performance by Zambia results in their first-ever victory over Nigeria and golden bronze, both firsts in their history

Costs for subsidies rise by 370 percent as debt increases

The cost of fuel subsidies is anticipated to rise by 369.93% between 2021 and 2023.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation said that gasoline subsidies consumed N1.43 trillion in 2021, despite the fact that there was no evidence of under-recovery in January.

At the presentation of the 2023-2035 Medium Term Expenditure Framework & Fiscal Strategy Paper on Thursday in Abuja, the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, stated that the Federal Government anticipated spending N6.72 trillion on fuel subsidy payments in 2023.

However, Ahmed said that the prediction for subsidy payments was based on two scenarios: the first involved spending the full predicted N6.72 trillion and the second involved eliminating the subsidy by June 2023 while only spending N3.36 trillion.

She added that all scenarios had effects on expected deficit levels and net accretion to the federation account.

In response to threats of protest from the Nigerian Labour Congress and other interest groups, the Federal Government decided in January of this year to keep the contentious fuel subsidy in place for an additional 18 months.

The International Monetary Fund recently stated that the removal of the fuel subsidy in Nigeria was being hampered by political pushback fears, pervasive corruption, and pressure from interested parties.

Nigeria spent N1.27 trillion on fuel subsidies in the first five months, with a goal of N4 trillion this year.

Additionally, it was revealed that Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, a for-profit company that no longer sends any money to the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee for monthly distribution to the three tiers of government, would continue to fund the N4.19 trillion in fuel subsidies on behalf of the federation for the 2022 fiscal year.

It is anticipated that the rising cost of gasoline subsidies will continue in the face of dwindling income and mounting debt.

Read » Big Brother Naija Begins today; Nigeria loses to Zambia at WAFCON 2022 | 5 Things That Should Matter Today on YNaija

Do you agree with the saying that “what a man can do, a woman can do better”? Of course, this rings true in most cases, but ultimately, we can agree that with the right effort, both genders can do exceedingly well in any area of life. Roles Reversed is a movie that x-rays gender roles in family.

The short film tells the story of Deina (Omowunmi Dada) and Preye (Deyemi Okanlawon) a regular Nigerian couple who go about their everyday life until Deina had to take a break and in an instant Preye is left to take up Deina’s role. Can Preye walk an inch in Deina’s shoes? Does he have what it takes to fill Deina’s shoes? How will he cope? So many questions.

Don’t worry, be part of the millions of Nigerians to watch the premiere of Roles Reversed on Saturday 23rd July 2022. Before then, lets tell you a very short story about this short movie. Smartphone giant, TECNO recently launched the Camon 19 series and as always, the brand is Stopping at Nothing to show the world that these devices can do a whole lot more especially for people in the creativity industry.

Directed by award-winning director Kayode Kasum, this movie has a lot for everyone to learn from. Don’t miss the premiere and be sure to watch the trailer here.

• SOUNDCITY (DStv ch327 and GoTV Ch 75) Time: 7PM
• OnTV (DStv ch257 and GoTV Ch 96) Time: 8:30PM – 9:00PM
• AIT (DStv ch253 and GoTV Ch 93) Time: 9:00PM – 9:30PM

If roles were to be reversed, would you be able to handle the pressure? 

Read » IN THE WORLD OF A WOMAN HOW WOULD A MAN COPE? WATCH ROLES RESERVED – A SHORT MOVIE FILMED ON THE TECNO CAMON 19 PRO. PREMIERES THIS SATURDAY. on YNaija

For the 2023 Population and Housing Census, the National Population Commission (NPC) has launched the Census Dashboard and Device Management System.

The census dashboard and device management system were introduced by Nasir Isa Kwarra, Executive Chairman of NPC, on Friday in Abuja. He described it as a monitoring tool to improve the quality of data being collected during the census across the nation in real-time.

The launch of the integrated Census Dashboard and Mobile Device Management System for monitoring the inflow and quality check of data from the field during the 2023 Census, according to Kwarra, who was represented by the Federal Commissioner representing Bayelsa State, Mrs. Gloria Izonfuo, stated that it is yet another significant step that underscores the Commission’s commitment to providing trustworthy and credible demographic data for national planning.

He expressed confidence that setting up the monitoring system, dashboard, and Mobile Device Management System will help the Commission reach its intended goal of providing a very viable, verifiable, acceptable, and reliable census.

The NPC director gave the following explanation of the dashboard’s functionality: “The dashboard displays the real-time performance of census data that National Bureau of Statistics, National Population Commission, and external users can use to preventatively identify and address potential performance issues during household and population enumeration.

“For management reporting and trend analysis, the performance data may also be preserved.

“It is an information management tool for tracking the enumeration process for the 2023 census by monitoring, analyzing, and providing a visual display of the key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics, and significant data selected.

“The census dashboard was created using CSPro data from an enumeration area or hamlet. In order to facilitate processing and visualization, it retrieves data from CSPro (.csdb) storage and stores it in a MySQL database.”

In addition, Kwarra applauded the technical assistance provided by the development partners in achieving the accomplishment and expressed gratitude to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) for their outstanding assistance to the Commission.

He gave Nigerians comfort by assuring them that the Commission is prepared to conduct a credible and reliable census that would be well received by Nigerians.

Ulla Mueller, the UNFPA Resident Representative in Nigeria, stated in her remarks that the dashboard will guarantee quality.

According to Mueller, the Commission is prepared to undertake the first legitimate and reputable digital census.

As a result, she reiterated UNFPA’s commitment to helping Nigeria perform its population and housing census in 2023.

Mr. Semiu Adeniran, the Statistician General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of the National Bureau of Statistics, also spoke and praised the Commission’s preparation for the census, calling it unmatched in Nigerian history.

Adeniran stated that the Commission would be able to monitor fieldwork activities from its headquarters thanks to the dashboard and mobile device management system setup.

He pledged the National Bureau of Statistics’ cooperation and help in order to make the 2023 census a success.

Read » NPC launches census dashboard, mobile device management system on YNaija

The Gray Man, which is currently available on Netflix, is a solid action film that follows a streak of hugely successful but subpar ones (Red Notice, Extraction).

The Russo brothers’ raucous and star-studded spy comedy pits Ryan Gosling against Chris Evans in a head-to-head competition.

There are so many events happening in The Gray Man. Finger drives. A missing niece. The true villains are bureaucrats. Body armored squads walking over airfields in the rain. Action scenes cut to panicked analysts in front of screens lining entire walls. Skyscraper phone calls that are tense. Rooftop helipads, security checks, and men forcing bullets from guns to exit the chamber before the other man can fire at them.

The film has swagger to burn, from the opening sequence in which Ryan Gosling enters combat in a sharp red suit while twirling a water gun to his silent silhouette, disposing of a platoon of bodyguards with whatever cutlery is at hand.

Contrary to the title, the beautiful cinematography, fluid camerawork, and fun music are anything but gray. The Gray Man is on par with stylish films like Atomic Blonde and might compete with John Wick.

Finally, The Gray Man’s humor is among its best features. The same comedic elements that the Russo brothers infused into their Marvel movies can be anticipated in The Gray Man.

The Gray Man, which features a wealth of skilled actors and Hollywood magic to keep the plot going along, will more than satisfy your need for a mindless weekend action flick.

Read » Netflix’s The Gray Man: A must-watch this weekend on YNaija

Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president of Nigeria, claimed on Saturday that everything about him, including his ascension to the positions of military Head of State and Nigerian President, came about by coincidence.

Before being elected as a civilian President in 1999, Obasanjo served as the Head of State of the military. He claimed that he chose to be a farmer rather than becoming one by accident.

Obasanjo said he was always proud to be referred to as a farmer during a live radio interview with Segun Odegbami on Eagles7 Sports 103.7 FM, Abeokuta, on Saturday.

“I don’t like the word you used, ‘romance with farming’. I am a farmer. What do you mean by romance? Everything I have done in my life is by accident. The only thing that is not accidental is farming. Every other thing that I’ve been is by accident. And you called that romance? No! What do you mean by romance?

“You know my beginning. I was born and bred in a village. I went to school by accident. My father just said, ‘won’t you do something different?’ So I went into farming”, the ex-president said.

“When you look at countries that have made it, they developed on agriculture. First, for the purpose of food security; second, for the purpose of processing what they get from their farms, which is the beginning of industrialisation. Third, to give it out as export, which is for the purpose of foreign exchange; and fourth, as a means of generating employment for the youth”, Obasanjo said.

Obasanjo pushed Nigerian youths to assume leadership roles immediately.

Young people shouldn’t let anyone refer to them as the leaders of tomorrow, according to Obasanjo, because that day may never arrive.

He stated that if the younger generation doesn’t stand up and take control of their destiny, some corrupt leaders would sabotage the so-called tomorrow.

He said, “My advice for Nigerian youths is that never let anybody tell you that you are the leaders of tomorrow. If you wait for tomorrow before you take over leadership, that tomorrow may not come. They will destroy it.

“This is the time, youths get up and make it happen.”

Read » I accidentally became the president of Nigeria, Obasanjo says on YNaija

• Tobi Amusan wins the 100-meter hurdles final at the world championships, sets new record
• Internal strife at INEC threatens upcoming elections
• Ogun declares Tuesday work-free for PVC registration
• Kaduna Train Attack: New video shows terrorists flogging captives
• 74 isolated COVID-19 cases in Ekiti as the government tightens protocols

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn‘t miss:

Tobi Amusan wins the 100-meter hurdles final at the world championships, sets new record

Tobi Amusan of Nigeria received a $100,000 cheque after taking home the gold in the women’s 100-meter hurdles final in Eugene, Oregon, where she also broke her own record that she had established in the semi-final.

Amusan finished in a wind-assisted time of 12.06 seconds, faster than her semifinal time of 12.12 seconds. The time was later determined to be invalid because the wind speed was too high.

Amusan, the reigning Commonwealth champion, finished ahead of third-place finisher Jasmine Camacho-Quinn from Cuba and second-place finisher Britany Anderson of Jamaica.

World Athletics on its Twitter handles wrote: “Continuing to put our pledges towards greater gender equality into practice. #WeGrowAthletics by proudly funding the women’s world record programme at #WorldAthleticsChamps.”

Internal strife at INEC threatens upcoming elections

The All Progressives Congress, APC, leadership’s persistent efforts to secure the participation of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and Godswill Akpabio in the senatorial elections for the Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North West districts in 2023 have created palpable tension within the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC.

This has not gone down well with some Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

In fact, some of the monitoring committees’ reports are being altered or ignored, which has lowered the morale of INEC workers at some of the state offices.

Due to this, INEC has encouraged and started numerous lawsuits in numerous federal high courts nationwide.

The commission stated that, as of the most recent count, it is a party to over 300 judicial cases.

Also, under the supervision and control of INEC leadership, the Election and Political Parties Monitoring, EPM, and Legal Departments of the Commission have developed into theaters of intrigue as politicians take advantage of both departments to hone their shady strategies.

Ogun declares Tuesday work-free for PVC registration

Tuesday has been deemed a work-free day in Ogun State by Governor Dapo Abiodun as the registration period for voters in the general elections of 2023 draws to a close.

The governor made this announcement in a press release released by his chief press secretary, Kunle Somorin, on Sunday in Abeokuta.

Abiodun said, the “one-day public holiday is to provide a window for all workers in the state, who have either lost their cards, not registered or who might need to travel to their wards, local government areas and constituencies to perfect their Permanent Voters Registration or transfer their cards, where necessary, to enable them to participate in the next general elections”.

“As an inclusive, participatory, and accountable government, the role of PVCs to the citizens cannot be overemphasised”, the governor said

The governor, therefore, urged all eligible adults to seize the opportunity of the holiday to go home to their different wards and constituencies to search for their Registered Voter Cards, fill out the claims and objections forms and transfer the PVCs where necessary.

Kaduna Train Attack: New video shows terrorists flogging captives

The terrorists who ambushed a train in Kaduna and abducted numerous passengers have made another video of their victims available online.

In the new footage, the terrorists can be seen whipping some of the victims with sticks and manhandling others as they sob and beg for aid.

Ali and Abdullahi, two of the terrorists who were there, were urged to cease touching the victims by one of the terrorists who appeared to be dissatisfied with the situation.

One of the kidnapped passengers then made an appearance on video to describe how they were taken and to express regret that the Nigerian government had failed to achieve their release.

Also, a female captive cried and called the Nigerian government ‘wicked.’

In the process, one of the terrorists said the Nigerian government should be blamed for what is happening to the captives because they refused to do the needful.

“We know your plan (Nigerian government) is to rescue the captives with force. Know that this is little of what we can do to them (beating the captives) as we said earlier, if you (the government) did not reach our demand, this place will be a slaughterhouse,” the terrorist said.

The individual, who appeared to be the group’s leader, promised to abduct important senators, legislators, and government officials.

Idris Garba, the son of a former military governor of Kano state, his wife, and their children are among the 43 hostages who are still being held captive.

74 isolated COVID-19 cases in Ekiti as the government tightens protocols

The Ekiti State Government has reinstated the use of face masks, handwashing, and sanitization after 74 people were segregated owing to the infection last week.

In order to stop the virus from spreading, the state administration also insisted on social distance in public settings.

After 364 new cases of the virus were detected in the state as of July 23, the administration reacted.

619 new cases were reported by the NCDC, with Ekiti State leading the way.

Like other states, Ekiti State participated in the fight against COVID-19, but from November 2021 onward, it started to lose ground.

Since the disease first appeared, Ekiti State has lost 28 people to it.

A total of 2,010 confirmed cases have been reported in the state, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

According to the NCDC, Lagos had 62 new cases, Rivers had 58, Delta had 27, FCT had 22, Oyo had 19, Cross River had 16, Abia had 14, Kano had 12, Bayelsa had 11, Nasarawa had 8, Gombe had 3, Plateau had 2, and Bauchi had 1.

So far, a total of 260,339 confirmed cases have been reported in the nation. While 253,566 patients have been discharged, 3,147 deaths have been reported.

Read » Tobi Amusan wins the 100-meter hurdles final at the world championships, sets new record; Kaduna Train Attack: New video shows terrorists flogging captives | 5 Things That Should Matter Today on YNaija