Author: Naija Daily News

Microsoft founder and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, has said that Nigeria should be a net exporter of food given its vast arable and its huge population. He said Africa’s most populous country has no business importing when it can double its food production and earn foreign exchange with the right support to farmers in the form of credit facilities, soil surveys and farm inputs, among others. Gates made the remake today in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, at the Nutrivision 2024, a pan-African youth dialogue on nutrition in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja. He said, “In…

By Deborah Nnamdi NIGERIA: The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has uncovered an illegal bunkering operation in the forest of Umuedeokwara Community, Etche Local Government Area, Rivers State. The Corps spokesperson, Afolabi Babawale, in a statement on Tuesday, said the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad discovered it while conducting an operation to combat oil theft in the region. The CG’s SIS Commander, Deputy Commandant Appolos Dandaura, revealed that the operation was predicated on intelligence inputs indicating the establishment of an illicit refinery on the site. “The criminals were siphoning crude oil from international oil pipelines using constructed and galvanized…

Prices of foodstuffs, transportation, others to go up Tuesday’s increase in the pump price of PMS across the country by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, could trigger another civil unrest, an investigation by NDN has revealed. The NNPCL adjusted pump prices by up to 80% across its outlets across the country with petrol prices reaching up to N1,300 in some parts of the country, infuriating labour unions and civil society groups. The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr Heineken Lokpobiri, had denied giving the state-owned petroleum company the nod to increase prices, but many Nigerians are unimpressed by the…

Africa’s richest man, Mr Aliko Dangote, on Tuesday, announced that the much-awaited Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from his 650,000 barrels per day refinery will hit the market within 48 hours. The announcement by the Dangote Refinery CEO came amidst Tuesday’s adjustment of pump price by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL. NNPC increased PMS pumped price by nearly 50% from N591 per litre to N855, raising speculations that the two incidents were related, especially as Dangote linked supplies from the refinery to the completion of “arrangement with NNPC”. It would be recalled that there had been speculations about the…

NIGERIA: A businesswoman whose driver and two policemen were killed on Monday in Effurun, Delta State, has been rescued from her abductors. Sources said the victim a foodstuffs and farm produce dealer around MTN, Effurun/Sapele Road, was found after the getaway car used by the criminals broke down somewhere around Okoloba in Effurun, Uvwie LGA. “Thanks to God. The car stopped at the curve of Okoloba Road so the kidnappers ran away leaving their victim behind.” “She is presently in the hospital for medical care,” a source said on Tuesday. It would be recalled that the city was thrown into…

Motorists in Port Harcourt, Benin City and Lagos woke up to a further increase in pump prices at the official outlets of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation of up to N885 per litre. Till the recent petrol scarcity, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) sold at N591 per litre at the NNPC outlets, while independent markets sold for as high as N900/l Sources from NNPC outlets in Port Harcourt’s Aba Road said the official marketer had increased the pump price by N294, about a 50% increment. Sources in Lagos said the price is fixed at N855/litre in the commercial hub of the…

By Deborah Nnamdi NIGERIA: Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has emphasized the need to strengthen the relationship between the State and the Canadian Government to attract more investments, drive economic growth, and enhance healthcare services in the State. According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Nelson Chukwudi, this was the focus of a meeting between Governor Fubara and the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr James Christoff, at Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday. The discussion, held behind closed doors, explored ways to deepen cooperation between Rivers State and Canada in areas of mutual…

By Deborah Nnamdi The troubles are piling up for the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, whos a former Rivers State governor, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, as he faces calls for suspension from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Obio-Akpor wings of the party. The Caretaker Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State, Chijioke Ihunwo, called for Wike’s immediate suspension, just hours after the party disclosed that the former governor was facing disciplinary action. The PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, disclosed on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s programme that Wike had been summoned to appear…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Director General and CEO of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Engineer Chukwuemeka Woke has put oil companies on notice, tasking them to comply with environmental regulations or face the full force of the law. He spoke during a familiarization visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal headquarters in Rivers State on Monday. Reacting to challenges faced by the Agency in the Zone, he said as an agency established by Act of law, NOSDRA represents the Federal Government and has a sacred mandate to regulate the oil industry’s environmental impact and will not tolerate…

By Deborah Nnamdi NIGERIA: The Rivers State Police Command has detained a suspect, simply identified as Honest, for being part of the gang that raped a 14-year-old girl in the Erima community of Ogba-Ndoni-Egbema Local Government Area of Rivers State The spokesperson of the Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the development to newsmen in Port Harcourt. Iringe-Koko said the suspect committed the crime with his brother, Okwukwe, who is currently at large. She said the arrest followed a report made by the victim’s mother to local vigilantes in the community. The Superintendent of Police said: “The suspect has been transferred to…