By Ayomide Otitoju The rising food inflation in Nigeria has driven up the average cost of cooking a pot of jollof rice by 5.1%, from ₦20,274 in June to ₦21,300 in September, according to the Q3 2024 SBM Jollof Index report titled “Crisis on the Menu.” The report highlights that while the prices of key…
By Ayomide Otitoju A massive fire swept through the Idumota spare parts market in Lagos State on Friday night, destroying properties worth hundreds of millions of naira. In a statement released on Saturday, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident. Preliminary investigations revealed that multiple…
Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has outlined a series of measures to address the country’s worsening fuel crisis and food insecurity while denouncing a rise in political violence. The announcements come as the southern African nation grapples with a series of economic and social challenges. In a televised address on Wednesday, Chakwera emphasized the urgent need…
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday described a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine as Moscow’s response to Kyiv’s use of Western-supplied long-range weapons against Russian territory. Speaking during a visit to Kazakhstan, Putin said the operation was a reaction to Ukraine’s deployment of U.S.-made ATACMS missiles in strikes on Russia. “We carried out…
By Ayomide Otitoju Grassroots democracy in Abeokuta North Local Government suffered a major setback on Thursday when suspected political thugs violently disrupted the inaugural session of the legislative arm of the council. Reports indicate that tensions flared among some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the local government over the election of principal…
By Ayomide Otitoju The Lagos High Court in Ikeja continued its hearing on Thursday in the case against former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, with the seventh prosecution witness, Mr. John Adetola, testifying about a $400,000 transaction involving the former CBN Governor. Adetola, who served as Executive Assistant to Emefiele,…
By Ayomide Otitoju Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been reappointed as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), reaffirming her trailblazing role as the first woman and first African to lead the global trade body. Known for her no-nonsense approach and ability to navigate complex international negotiations, Okonjo-Iweala has committed to breaking deadlocks within the 166-member…
By Ayomide Otitoju The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos has overturned the life imprisonment sentence handed to Dr. Olufemi Olaleye, Medical Director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, for allegedly defiling his wife’s 16-year-old niece. Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Olukayode Bada, supported by Justices Mohammed Ibrahim Sirajo and Folasade Ayodeji Ojo, acquitted and discharged…
By Ayomide Otitoju The arraignment of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello at the Federal High Court in Abuja was postponed on Friday due to the absence of his legal team. Bello, who faces a 19-count charge of money laundering amounting to ₦80.2 billion brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), appeared before…
