Author: Atoyebi Adenike

By Atoyebi Nike A group advocating good governance in Oyo State, the Concerned Youths Movement (CYM), has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate members of the Oyo State House of Assembly over the approval of a N300 billion loan for Governor Seyi Makinde. The call follows reports last week that the Assembly had granted approval for the loan, a decision which has since sparked controversy across the state. In a statement signed by its Chairman, Pastor Tayo Adigun, and Secretary, Alhaji Olaide Kobomoje, CYM alleged that the approval was illegal because only 13 out of the…

By Atoyebi Nike Vice President Kashim Shettima has described the visit of his Colombian counterpart, Francia Márquez, as the beginning of a new era in Nigeria-Colombia relations. Márquez arrived in Abuja on Saturday for a three-day official visit, accompanied by her spouse, Mr. Rafael Yerney Pinillo Ocoró, cabinet ministers, senior officials, and business leaders. The delegation is scheduled to engage with Nigerian counterparts across key sectors to boost diplomatic and economic cooperation. Speaking at a gala dinner in her honour at the Presidential Villa on Sunday night, Shettima said the visit signalled both nations’ commitment to deepening strategic ties. He…

By Atoyebi Nike The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has warned of thunderstorms and moderate to heavy rainfall across several parts of the country between Monday, September 1 and Wednesday, September 3, 2025. In its Weather Outlook issued by the Central Forecast Office on Sunday, August 31, NiMet advised residents, farmers, motorists, and airline operators to take precautionary measures to avoid the impact of the expected weather conditions. Monday, September 1 Northern Region: Thunderstorms with moderate rains in Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Gombe, Borno and Yobe in the morning; spreading to Bauchi, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Adamawa, Taraba, and Borno in…

By Atoyebi Nike The pioneer Head of the Civil Service of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mrs Grace Adayilo, has died. Adayilo reportedly passed away in the early hours of Monday, September 1, 2025. No further details about the circumstances surrounding her death have been made public at this time. President Bola Tinubu had appointed Adayilo as the FCT Head of the Civil Service on October 6, 2024. Her appointment, which took immediate effect, made her both the pioneer and the first female to hold the position. Prior to becoming HoS, she served as Permanent Secretary of the Agriculture and…

By Atoyebi Nike The Federal Fire Service (FFS) has issued flood safety guidelines as heavy rains intensify across Nigeria and other parts of West Africa. In a public notice on its official X account on Monday, the agency urged citizens to remain alert during the peak of the rainy season and take precautions to safeguard lives and property. The FFS advised the public to avoid flood-prone areas, never attempt to cross rivers or streams above knee level, and steer clear of submerged roads and bridges. It also warned against swimming or boating in swollen rivers. After flooding, residents are encouraged…

By Atoyebi Nike The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun Command, has urged motorists to reduce speed and obey traffic rules during the ember months to prevent avoidable road crashes. Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, the FRSC Commander in charge of the Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway, Nasir Mohammed, said speeding remains the leading cause of fatal accidents in Nigeria. “Speed is sweet, but it kills faster than any deadly disease,” Mohammed warned, advising motorists to respect road signs and maintain average speed limits. He further cautioned against night travel, reckless driving, wrongful overtaking, and…

By Atoyebi Nike Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has approved a new minimum wage of N104,000 for civil servants in the state, making Imo one of the highest-paying states in Nigeria. The announcement came Tuesday night during a meeting with labour union leaders at the Government House, Owerri. The wage review raises the previous minimum of N76,000 to N104,000, while doctors’ salaries climbed from N215,000 to N503,000 and lecturers’ pay rose from N119,000 to N222,000. Uzodimma said the decision reflects his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare despite years of challenges, including insecurity, COVID-19, and subsidy removal. “When workers are paid…

By Atoyebi Nike The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit Zone A, Ikeja, has handed over three trucks loaded with expired pharmaceutical products valued at N3.7 billion to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). The handover took place on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by NAFDAC’s new Director of Enforcement and Investigation, Dr. Martin Iluyomade, to the unit. Customs Area Controller, Mohammed Shuaibu, said the transfer was part of the service’s commitment to enforcing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with NAFDAC in the fight against counterfeit and expired drugs. “What we are witnessing…

By Atoyebi Nike Management consulting firm, Sydani Group, says it has vaccinated 238,158 individuals against HPV, Mpox, polio, and other diseases between January and June 2025. The firm disclosed this during a media roundtable in Abuja on Tuesday to mark its seventh anniversary. Sydani, which works in health system strengthening, agriculture, education, and socio-economic development, said it has also developed several knowledge products and supported research projects, with 30 articles published in high-impact journals in less than two years. Highlighting its intervention in Niger State, the organisation said it targeted the high burden of zero-dose children under the Strengthening Routine…

By Atoyebi Nike The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has opened an investigation into Tuesday’s derailment of a Kaduna-bound train between Kubwa and Asham stations, around KM 49. The incident, which occurred at about 11:09 a.m., left six passengers injured, though no fatalities were recorded, according to a statement by NSIB spokesperson Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji. A “go-team” of investigators has been dispatched to the site to gather evidence, liaise with stakeholders, and determine the cause of the derailment. NSIB Director General, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., expressed sympathy to those affected and reassured the public of the Bureau’s commitment to…