Author: Binta Agboola

Hoodlums have taken advantage of the ongoing #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests to loot and set fire to the newly built Nigeria Communication Commission Industrial Park in Kano State. The vandals targeted the Kano Information and Communication Technology Centre, just days before its scheduled launch, making off with valuable equipment and leaving a trail of destruction. Photos circulating online show youths leaving the scene with looted items, including computers, furniture, and electronics. The incident is one of several reported cases of violence and vandalism amidst the nationwide protests, which have seen citizens express frustration over Nigeria’s economic hardship. While many demonstrations have remained…

Following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) new guidelines on dormant accounts, many bank customers rushed to their banks on Tuesday to reactivate their accounts and avoid losing their savings. The guidelines aim to identify dormant accounts with balances that have remained with financial institutions for 10 years and beyond, and reunite them with their beneficial owners. Customers, including relatives of deceased account holders, flocked to banks to submit requests to re-activate inactive accounts or withdraw amounts left in them. A bank official confirmed the surge in customers seeking to reactivate their accounts, saying, “Yes, we have seen customers coming…

Controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, is set to regain freedom from the Kirikiri Correctional Centre on August 5, 2024, after serving a six-month sentence for abusing the naira. According to a prison source and confirmed by Bobrisky’s lawyer, Ayo Olumofin, the cross-dresser will be released without any special ceremony. Olumofin stated, “Yes, it’s about that time for him to be released. There is nothing specific that would be done during his release. I might not go. I’m engaged outside Lagos. Maybe other lawyers will go.” Bobrisky was sentenced to six months imprisonment on April 12, 2024, for…

In a shocking turn of events, Team Beta, comprising Tjay and Ben, has emerged victorious in the nomination challenge, saving themselves and the Ndi Nne pair from this week’s eviction. However, their win has put 24 other housemates at risk of being evicted from the Big Brother house. The arena game, which tasked housemates with transferring ping pong balls between baskets, saw Team Beta come out on top with seven balls. This triumph has significant implications, as Biggie’s new twist has abolished the immunity previously enjoyed by the Head of House (HoH). The Mbadiwe Twins, who won the first HoH…

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has expressed concerns over the rising political tension in Edo State ahead of the September 21 governorship election. Speaking at a quarterly meeting with political party leaders in Abuja, Yakubu called attention to the recent attack on the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Edo State, which resulted in the death of a security officer. With 53 days to the election, Yakubu noted that some political parties had yet to submit the list of their polling and collation agents, warning that the portal would close on Tuesday. He…

Youths in Niger State took to the streets on Monday, protesting the economic hardship in Nigeria despite efforts by the government to appease them. The protesters, who marched through the streets, chanted anti-government songs and carried placards with messages such as ‘Enough is Enough’, ‘Stop Anti-Masses Policies’, and ‘Hardship Is Unbearable’. Their demands included the reinstatement of fuel subsidies and an end to policies perceived as anti-people. This comes after Governor Mohammed Bago’s attempts to prevent the protest by announcing a N20,000 wage allowance for civil servants and the release of 50,000 metric tonnes of grains at subsidized rates. The…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has released a document clarifying its guidelines on dormant accounts and unclaimed balances, stating that only accounts inactive for over 10 years are eligible for classification as dormant. The apex bank will create a dedicated office to manage these accounts and invest the funds in Nigerian Treasury Bills and government securities, refunding principal and interest to beneficiaries within 10 working days of receiving a reclaim request. According to the CBN, dormant accounts include current, savings, term deposits, and other accounts that have remained inactive for 10 years or more. Financial institutions are required to…

Renowned Nollywood actor Jide Kosoko has expressed his unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that he has no regrets voting for him. In a recent interview on “Curiosity Made Me Ask” with Bae U Barbie, Kosoko praised President Tinubu’s efforts, saying, “He is doing well. If only you know how repairing things are, you will understand that he is doing very well.” When asked if those who voted for Tinubu should be bullied, Kosoko replied, “That is their own business… I am entitled to my opinion. I love the man I voted for. And I know he is…

Former Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea is in advanced talks to join Italian Serie A side Genoa on a free transfer, according to reports. The 33-year-old Spanish shot-stopper has been without a club since leaving Manchester United in the summer of 2023 after failing to agree on a new contract. De Gea is now poised to sign for Genoa, who finished 11th in the Italian top flight last season, after attracting interest from clubs in Italy, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and an unnamed English club. The move to Genoa will mark a new chapter in De Gea’s career,…

The US Justice Department has responded to TikTok’s civil suit, arguing that the law aimed at forcing the app to be sold or face a US ban addresses national security concerns, not free speech. The government claims that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, could comply with Chinese government demands for data about US users or yield to pressure to censor or promote content. Senior Justice Department officials expressed concerns that China can “weaponize” mobile apps, citing efforts to collect large datasets of Americans through various means, including malicious cyber activity. The response argues that the law’s focus on foreign ownership…