Foreign / International / News

US Mission Nigeria announces Mandela Washington Fellows + Full list

The United States Mission Nigeria has selected 56 recipients for the Mandela Washington Fellowship for 2022.

It has also selected 16 alumni from the MWF cohort from 2021 to participate in this year’s Alumni Enrichment Institute.

Launched in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship exchange program of the US Government-sponsored Young African Leaders Initiative created to further the United States’ commitment to investing in the future of Africa.

Each year, US Missions across Sub-Saharan Africa select accomplished leaders, who have established records of promoting innovation and positive impact in their countries. This summer, the Fellows will travel to the United States to participate in six-week Leadership Institutes studying Business, Civic Engagement, or Public Management at US colleges and universities.

At the conclusion of the Leadership Institutes, the Fellows will attend the annual Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit, where Fellows, US Government officials and representatives from businesses and organizations with interest in Africa engage in high-level sessions and workshops.

After completing the Leadership Institutes and Summit, Fellows are eligible to participate in several MWF alumni opportunities such as the Alumni Enrichment Institute that build the on skills and connections developed during their summer exchange program.

Since 2014, over 5,000 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa have participated in the MWF with 456 Fellows hailing from Nigeria.

Thus far, Nigeria remains the largest contributor of Fellows each year.

Commenting on the significance of the MWF, Ambassador Mary Leonard, stated: “The United States is dedicated to investing in the next generation of young Nigerian leaders reinforcing the strong partnership between both nations.

“The vision, courage, and drive to innovate of Mandela Washington Fellows will help shape the future of Nigeria for many generations to come.”

US Mission Nigeria congratulates the following recipients of the Mandela Washington Fellowship and participants of the Alumni Enrichment Institute for 2022.

 

First Name

Last Name

Track

Abidemi

Ojo

Leadership in Business

Abubakar

Idris

Leadership in Public Management

Ahmad

Abdulsamad

Leadership in Public Management

Aisha

Yahaya

Leadership in Civic Engagement

Akintunde

Babatunde

…
News / politics

APC rakes in N2.63b from presidential forms

The All Progressives Congress, APC, on Tuesday, ended its sale of nomination and expression of interest forms, with no fewer than 25 aspirants jostling for its presidential ticket.

Although, the directorate of organization was still computing the figures of aspirants including those who picked forms in their states as of press time, Vanguard gathered that there are no fewer than 105 governorship aspirants, nearly a thousand National Assembly aspirants and more than 1,500 aspirants for states Houses of Assembly.

A revised timetable issued the National Organizing Secretary, Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, fixed the last day for submission of completed forms and accompanying documents is now set for today, May 11, 2022.

“Also, Congresses to elect Local Government Area (LGA), State and National Delegates will now be held from Thursday,  May 12 to Saturday, May 14, 2022”.  27 presidential aspirants

  1. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
  2. Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello
  3. Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi
  4. Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba
  5. Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi
  6. Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio
  7. Madam Uju Kennedy – N30m
  8. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
  9. Former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole
  10. Former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun
  11. Former National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole
  12. Former Governor of Zamfara State, Ahmed Sani
  13. Jigawa State Governor, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar
  14. Labour and Employment Minister, Senator Chris Ngige
  15. Senator Rochas Okorocha
  16. Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade
  17. Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi
  18. Mr Tein Jack-Rich
  19. CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele
  20. Science and Technology Minister, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu
  21. Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva
  22. Former President Goodluck Jonathan
  23. Dr Akinwumi Adesina
  24. Senator Robert Ajayi Borroffice
  25. Pastor Tunde Bakare
  26. Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo
  27. Senator Ken Nnamani
    • Total = N2.630 billion

    Why APC should cede presidency to South-West, says Sanwo-Olu

    Submitting his forms on Tuesday at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urged stakeholders to cede the APC presidential ticket to the South-West.

    On why the recent meeting of some South-West APC

…
Drugs / Fraud / Law / News

N22b tramadol: Businessman sues NDLEA, demands N200m, apology

A businessman, Ukatu Afamefuna Mallinson, has filed a fundamental rights suit asking the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to order the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to release him “forthwith” and “unconditionally” or upon such terms as the court may deem fit.

Ukatu is the Managing Director of Mallinson & Partners Ltd, whom the NDLEA alleged imported two containers containing 1,284 cartons of Tramadol worth N22b in 2019 and also claimed was behind a N3b shipment of Tramadol linked to the disgraced police chief, Abba Kyari.

But Ukatu, asides protesting his innocence, also averred that the NDLEA not only failed to arraign him in court, despite there being a Federal High Court within a 40km radius of where he is being held, but had also failed to grant him administrative bail since his arrest on April 13, 2022.

He prayed the court to declare that his arrest by the NDLEA on April 13, at the Murtala Muhammed local Airport Terminal, Ikeja, Lagos, and continued detention in its cell at the NDLEA office at NAHCO Compound, International Airport Road, was “without reasonable cause or upon reasonable suspicion” of a crime,” and violates his fundamental rights. He further prayed for an order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the NDLEA from “re-arresting, further re-detaining, further re-incarcerating” him contrary to his fundamental rights to liberty and freedom as enshrined in Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) among other laws.

The applicant made the prayers in his originating summons in Suit FHC/L/CS/796/2022 before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, filed by his counsel Victor Opara, SAN, of Victor Opara’s Chambers.

In the alternative, the businessman prayed for an order admitting him to bail on the most liberal terms pending the conclusion of NDLEA’s investigation and/or his arraignment.

He further sought an order directing the NDLEA to tender a public apology to him for the “unlawful arrest and unlawful detention” to be published in three national newspapers to wit: Punch, The Nation, Vanguard.

The applicant further prayed for an order directing the NDLEA to pay him, …

Entertainment / Movies / Music / News

Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra bring baby home after 100 days in intensive care

The couple released a joint statement via their Instagram pages on Sunday, May 8, 2022, as part of activities to mark Mothers Day. “On this Mother’s Day we can’t help but reflect on these last few months and the rollercoaster we’ve been on, which we now know, so many people have also experienced. After 100 plus days in the NICU, our little girl is finally home,” part of the statement read.

“Every family’s journey is unique and requires a certain level of faith, and while ours was a challenging few months, what becomes abundantly clear, in retrospect, is how precious and perfect every moment is.”

The couple expressed joy over their daughter’s journey home for the first time since her birth.

“We are overjoyed that our little girl is finally home, and just want to thank every doctor, nurse and specialist at Rady Children’s La Jolla and Cedar Sinai, Los Angeles, who were there selflessly every step of the way,” they added.

“Our next chapter begins now, and our baby is truly a badass. Let’s get it MM! Mommy and Daddy love you. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers and caretakers in my life and out there. You make it look so easy. Thank you. Also… there is no one I’d rather do this with than you. Thank you for making me a mama @nickjonas I love you ❤️.”

The couple welcomed their first child together back in January 2022.

Priyanka and Nick started dating in early 2018. By July of that same year, Nick proposed to the actress.

They went on to wed in a lavish three-day celebration in December 2018 and hosted four more wedding

…
Entertainment / Movies / Music / News

YouTube Go is shutting down this August

The streaming platform made the announcement in a blogpost shared last week.

According to the company, the new move will enable users enjoy improvements made to the main app.

“When we launched YouTube Go in 2016, it was designed for viewers in locations where connectivity, data prices, and low-end devices prevented us from delivering the best experience in the main YouTube app. Since then, YouTube has invested in improvements to the main YouTube app that make it perform better in these environments, while also delivering a better user experience which is inclusive of our entire community,” an excerpt from the post reads.

Mainly available to android users, YouTube Go was first introduced in areas like India and Indonesia where users struggled to access the main app due to slow network and high data prices. The lite version allowed users download videos to view offline as well as the ability to reduce the quality of videos by adjusting the MB.

YouTube has over the years improved on the main app. Users are now able to efficiently run the app slower networks with plans already in motion to help people with limited data.

…
Education / News / politics

ASUU Executive Committee announces extension of strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has extended its ongoing strike by 12 weeks.

The decision, announced on in the early hours of Monday, was taken at an emergency National Executive Council meeting held at ASUU Secretariat in Abuja.

The President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, confirmed the development on Monday.

Osodeke said the Federal Government was not sincere with the union and its officials were yet to meet with it. The emergency meeting, which had in attendance principal officers and branch chairmen, started on Sunday and ended early Monday morning.

The initial warning strike was declared on March 14, 2022.

ASUU’s demands include the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Action signed with the Federal Government in December 2020 on funding for revitalisation of public universities (both federal and states) and renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement.

Others are earned academic allowances, state universities, promotion arrears, withheld salaries, non-remittance of third-party deductions and rejection of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution that ASUU technical team developed to replace the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System.…

Drugs / News

Senior Police Officer accused of running fraud syndicate in Lagos

A Lagos State-based businesswoman, Osuji Onyedikanne, has accused an unknown Senior Police Officer of running a fraud syndicate in Lagos State and assisting suspected members of such syndicates to evade justice.

This much was contained in a petitioned addressed to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi.

The CP, who is aware of the incident following the petition, appeared to be helpless as it has become apparent that an unknown Senior Police Officer is calling the shot.

It was alleged that this officer, immediately suspected syndicate members are arrested, would call and the Investigating Police Officers would start running and scampering about in fright and obeisance and before one could say Jack Robison, these members would saunter out of the police station. In the petition dated April 8, 2022, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, Onyedikanne, who  runs a travels and tours company, alleged that the unfortunate incident which led going to her going to the police, seeking for justice and closure, started in February 2022.

This was the period when one Mrs. Stephens colluded with others to defraud her in the guise of involving her in her business.

Onyedikanne said that she met Stephens at an event in Lagos in 2019 and they had chatted and had since remained in communication.

In April 2022, Stephens came to her with four men, including a self-proclaimed lawyer, identified simply as Emeka, and lured her into funding a business which she was meant to believe she would be part of.

They used the name of a dubious company given as Golden Knights Ltd/Golden Knights International Sports Ltd, and claimed that they use the company to recruit upcoming football stars for trial in Spain.

They printed and distributed fliers and made claims of collaborating with the Nasarawa State Government as well as the Embassy of Spain, for which they tendered several documents that made her feel convinced about the genuineness of the business.

They collected from her the initial sum of N6 million and seeing that they had …

Music / News

Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5 ( King Lascombo’s Review )

Kendrick is back!!!

This amazing, mouthwatering, piece of work has so many notables but the highlight of the visual has to be the facing of Top Black Entertainers ( Dead and Alive ). People like Will Smith, Kanye West, OJ Simpson, Jussie Smollett, Kobe Bryant and Nipsy Hussle. With the Album expected to drop on the 13th of May ( Mr Morale & Big Stepper ), it will be his first Studio album since 2017 ( Damn ) and we are all raging to get this Album into our ear drums.

The Breakdown

Kendrick started the song with what we could call a message to all his fans to let them ( us ) know that he is grateful and we should expect something a bit different from Kdot TDE….. but a new style from him and PgLang ( his Label )

Kendrick started off with a vivid reminder to us that he is still an Activist for Gang Violence with the first line of the song. He continues with that energy all through the song and the amazing part was how he switched between various faces, rapping about related issues in order to maybe walk us through these celebrities shoes. The vibe sounded like his deliverance on ” The Blacker The Berry ” off the Grammy Award Album ” To Pimp a Butterfly “.

To finalize the song, he spoke like he was Nipsy Hussle and dropped some deep, strong messages to Family, Friends and Community as a whole.

The visual was simple but really creative and I must say well done and Welcome back to Kendrick Lamar.

…

Entertainment / Music / News

Drake strikes a layered deal with Universal Music Group

On May 4, 2022, Sir Lucian Grainge, the Chief Executive Officer of Universal Music Group confirmed that an expansive, multi-faceted deal has been struck with world-renowned musician, Drake.

The deal includes recordings, publishing, merchandise, and visual media projects. In some sections of the media, this resembles a 360 deal.

According to Grainge’s remarks during today’s Universal Music Group Q1 earnings call, the “expanded portfolios” span multiple creative lanes and revenue streams. Variety reports that the deal is worth $400 million or more. The number of years that the deal governs, has not been revealed by any of the parties.

In the last decade, Drake was the No. 1 streaming artist, a position that he attained in 2016 and never fell to No. 2. The news also puts any notion to bed, any notions that Drake could become an independent artist.

Universal, which is home to Drake and Taylor Swift, two of the biggest artists in the world, has been referenced in several verses by Drake.

On ‘BB King Freestyle,’ Drake even bragged that he single-handedly keeps the lights on at Universal.

…
Comedy / Entertainment / News

Dave Chappelle attacked while performing onstage at Hollywood Bowl

The ugly incident took place on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in Los Angeles.

According to several reports, the attacker had a knife shaped like a gun when arrested.

In a video that has since gone viral, a young man is seen rushing onto the stage and attacking the performer to the ground during the Netflix is a Joke comedy festival.

The attacker then gets up and tries to run off-stage before he is caught and tackled by what appears to be security personnel and members of Chappelle’s team. According to several reports, an investigation into the matter has already begun.

…
Entertainment / News

Ray J claims Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner were in on s*x tape leak

The reality TV star made this known during an explosive interview with Daily Mail. “I’ve never leaked anything. I have never leaked a sex tape in my life. It has never been a leak. It’s always been a deal and a partnership between Kris Jenner and Kim and me, and we’ve always been partners since the beginning of this thing,” he said.

He said he advised Kim to release the sex tape after seeing how her close friend Paris Hilton’s career blossomed following the leak of her sex tape.

Ray J said Kardashian got her mom to give the tape to Vivid Entertainment and he and Kardashian signed a contract for three tapes.

“I’ve sat in the shadows for over 14 years, allowing the Kardashians to use my name, to abuse my name, make billions of dollars over a decade-and-a-half talking about a topic I’ve never really spoken about,” he said. “Once I pitched the idea to her [Kardashian], just playing around a little bit, that’s when she jumped on the idea, talked to her mom and it was out of my hands from there,” he claimed.

The singer said he never had any of the sex tapes in his possession.

He also revealed that the rumors of him leaking the sex tapes were the biggest lies in the entertainment industry.

“I never had a single one at my house — she had them at her house. She’s always had all the tapes in a Nike shoebox under her bed.”

Ray J dated Kardashian between 2003 and 2006.

…
Education / News / Religion

MURIC kicks against NOUN holding exam during prayer

The Muslim Rights Concern has kicked against the examination timetable of the National Open University for the year 2022.

This was made known in a press statement by the Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Thursday.

The human rights organization accused NOUN of preparing an examination timetable that leaves no room for Jumu‘ah prayer, thereby forcing Muslim candidates to write under duress and compelling Muslim invigilators to work in a dehumanizing and despiritualizing condition.

The group described the examination timetable as anti-Muslim and neo-imperialist. The statement said: “The timetable of the 2022 POP Final Examination Timetable released by the National Open University (NOUN) has revealed that Muslim students and Muslim staff of the institution were forced to write the aforementioned examination and invigilate same respectively during the period of the Jumu‘ah prayer from Tuesday 19th April to Tuesday, 17th May, 2022.

“The infringements on Allah-given fundamental rights of the Muslim students and staff occurred on Friday 22nd and 29th April, 2022. Unless adequate steps are taken by the authorities of NOUN to correct the anomaly, it is most likely to continue on Friday, 6th and 13th May, 2022.

“For those who may be wondering what is wrong if Muslim students and staff are made to write and invigilate examinations during the Jumu‘ah period on Friday, it is akin to compelling Christian students and staff to write examinations and to invigilate on Sunday mornings.

“This cannot be acceptable to Nigerian Christians and it is for the same reason that it is a taboo among Muslims and anybody who forces them to do it is regarded as standing between them and their freedom to worship Almighty Allah, their Supreme Creator. It is not only outrageous, repulsive and detestable, it is also anti-Muslim and neo-imperialist. It smacks of articulated religious fanaticism.

“Already, the NOUN authorities have infringed upon Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslim students and staff involved in the examination exercise on two different Jumu‘ah service days, namely, Friday 22nd April and Friday 29th April, 2022.

“Why do you hate Muslims …

Entertainment / Foreign / Music / News

Post Malone expecting 1st child with longtime girlfriend

The rapper made the big news known during a chat with the “Circles.”

“I’m excited for this next chapter in my life. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and for since I could remember I was sad,” he told the publication.

“Time to take care of my body and my family and friends, and spread as much love as we can every day.”

According to sources close to the rapper, a party was held with close family members over the weekend to celebrate the big news.

In a recent chat with Billboard, the rapper revealed why he decided to move away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles to Salt Lake City. People wanted me to stay in LA — that’s where the work gets done — but I was fed up. There’s always something to do, and someone always wants something from ya — and I didn’t want to go crazy,” he said.

“The move to Utah has made things a lot better for my mental health. It’s been very, very good,” he continued. “It’s something I had to do because LA was kicking my ass. So it is tough, but it is worth it.”

Austin Richard Post, known professionally as Post Malone, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter.

Known for his introspective songwriting and variegated vocal styles, Malone has gained acclaim for blending genres and subgenres of pop, hip hop, R&B, and trap.

…
Awards / Entertainment / News

AMVCA 8: Bonang Matheba to co-host award show with IK Osakioduwa

Africa Magic unveiled the South African star on Wednesday, alongside longstanding host IK Osakioduwa ahead of the ceremony slated for May 14.

Confirming the awards’ hosts, Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels, MultiChoice Nigeria, Busola Tejumola, said: “We are excited to have Bonang join IK as co-host for the eighth edition of the AMVCAs.

“They are both extremely talented and have attained continental acclaim, having hosted some of Africa’s biggest shows. Together, they will keep the crowd entertained on the biggest night to celebrate African film and TV stars.”

This will be Matheba’s first time on the AMVCA stage as she takes over from Minnie Dlamini who cohosted the show from 2016 until 2018.

Reacting to Africa Magic’s announcement, the award-winning media personality said: “It’s always such an honor to host live productions, and I think after Covid, we haven’t had the opportunity to be outside to have these big, big productions with live studio audiences.

“So, it’s lovely to have all of that back. It’s also an honor. Any single stage I get to step on is an honor.”

The eighth AMVCA returns after a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The awards will kick off with an eight-day event starting May 7.

…
News / politics

Southern Presidency inevitable, North has more to gain – Ndume

The Senator representing Borno South in the red chamber, Ali Ndume, has said that the Northern region of Nigeria has more to gain from a Southern Presidency, which he described as “inevitable”.

Ndume, who is a former leader of the Northern Caucus of the All Progressives Congress, insisted that the ruling matter must zone its 2023 Presidency to the Southern region comprising the South-West, South-East and South-South geopolitical zones.

The Senator spoke on Tuesday when he featured as a guest on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programs. Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, on Tuesday, said the APC would ignite self-inflicted crises if it refused to unequivocally zone the 2023 Presidency to the South. Speaking on Tuesday, Ndume said, “I am a Nigerian, I am from the north and I believe in justice, equity and fairness. What Akeredolu said is my advice to the party. Even if they delayed it a bit, it doesn’t change the position; it is an inevitable one because the national chairman, in principle, not in writing was agreed from the north after the south has been the chairman. And as you can see, nobody contested the chairmanship of the APC from the south. “In 2015, when it was also agreed in principle that the presidency should come from the north, nobody from the South-West, South-South went into the contest. It’s not because there were no capable hands here but (it was) based on this principle. So, this time around, I don’t think that should change.

“The principle of federal character is a constitutional matter. In fact, federal character is more encompassing than zoning; you zone based on federal character.

“If APC zones it and it should zone it to the south, then other parties can zone it to wherever they want and it is Nigerians that would choose whoever they want.

“Personally, I feel we will be better of with a President coming from the South. The current President comes from the North and if you look at it analytically, …

News / politics

Lagos 2023: Ambode may pick APC governorship nomination form — Source

Baring any last-minute changes, former governor of Lagos State,  Akinwunmi Ambode, may pick the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, on Friday, to contest the 2023 governorship race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Ambode was governor of Lagos state for one term. He lost the APC ticket in the build-up to the 2019 elections to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, current governor of the state.

But a close ally of Ambode told Vanguard that the former governor has concluded plans to pick the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms to contest on the APC platform, this week.

The source, who spoke in confidence, said: “I am talking to you as a friend that he (Ambode) may likely come out this week on the platform of the APC. From what I know, he may likely contest against Sanwo-Olu at the governorship primary.

“Before the close of the sale of forms, oga (Ambode) will pick the Nomination and Expression of Interest Form. There is a likelihood that he will buy the forms on Friday.”

Similarly, a former Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources and Chairman of the Akinwunmi Ambode Campaign Group, Olawale Oluwo, said the former governor’s intentions will be revealed soon.

Oluwo, who spoke to ARISE News about Ambode’s intentions for the upcoming election, noted that structures are in place to challenge Governor Sanwo-Olu for the APC governorship ticket.

The Chairman of the Akinwunmi Ambode Campaign Group said that Ambode will “announce his political ambitions by Friday”.

He also dismissed reports that the Ambode campaign group has been banned.

“Governor Ambode will announce his plans within the week. I think the closing for the sale of forms is Friday.

“Even the president of Nigeria, can he ban an association? When the constitution of Nigeria says that there is freedom of association, we are all members of the party (APC).

“To be able to ban an association, there is a process and there must be probable cause that the association is engaging in criminality or treason or bad things that threaten …

Foreign / Music / News

Here are the top 10 trending moments from Burna Boy’s show at the Madison Square Garden

A few hours ago, New York City’s Madison Square Garden was packed to capacity as Burna Boy, the African Giant, set a new record. Burna Boy was the first African artist to sell out the Garden of Eden, performing in front of over 20,000 people. Busta Rhymes, the legendary rapper, introduced the singer. Here are the top 10 trending moments from Burna Boy’s show at the Madison Square Garden.

1. Fans gave Burna Boy bras as gift

2. Performing ‘Sungba remix’

3. Performing an unreleased song off his upcoming album

4. Transition from ‘Kilometer’ to ‘Killin Dem’

5. Performing ‘Way Too Big’

6. Burna Boy’s family vibing to his performance

7. The African Giant’s entrance to the MSG

8. Performing ‘Second Sermon remix,

9. Performing ‘Bank on It’

10. Transition from ‘Sponono’ to ‘Sungba’

…

Foreign / Military / News

North Korean Leader charges military to reinforce to check foe

North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un has charged the Asian country’s military to “bolster up their strength in every way to annihilate the enemy’’.

Kim made the remarks during photo sessions with troops, state media broadcasters and others, involved in a massive military parade staged Monday, which marked the 90th anniversary of the country army.

Photos released by state media showed Kim perched on a white horse and wearing a white, military-style tunic with gold trim as he reviewed the troops.

Monday’s parade had featured several of the North’s latest missiles, including its largest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-17 and a recently tested hypersonic missile. “The display demonstrated the modernity, heroism and radical development of the armed forces of the Republic and their matchless military and technological superiority,’’ Kim told troops at the photo session, state news agency KCNA reported.

North Korea says it opposes war and that its weapons are for self-defense, but at Monday’s parade, Kim said the mission of its nuclear force goes beyond deterring war to also include defending the nation’s “fundamental interests”.

Last month, North Korea resumed testing its largest ICBMs and there are signs it could soon test a nuclear weapon for the first time since 2017.

“Current satellite imagery indicates that preparations are well underway and should not be discounted as insignificant activity,’’ the U.S.-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in a report on Thursday.

Analysts and South Korean as well as the U.S. officials have alleged that the North appears to be restoring Tunnel No. 3 at its Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site, used for underground nuclear blasts before it was closed in 2018 amid denuclearization talks with Washington and Seoul.

Kim has since declared the country is no longer bound by that self-imposed moratorium on tests, but North Korea has not commented on the work or confirmed its purpose.

Commercial satellite imagery from Monday shows construction of new buildings, movement of lumber and an increase in equipment and supplies immediately outside the new entrance to Tunnel No. 3, …

News / Oil & Gas / politics

IPMAN urges government to clamp down on illegal refineries operators

IPMAN’s President, Chinedu Okoronkwo, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Friday in Lagos.

Okoronkwo said the recent explosion at one of the illegal refineries at Abaezi forest in Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State had again brought to the forefront the dangers of engaging in such nefarious activities.

He said: “IPMAN as a body commiserates with the government and people of Imo over the deaths and injuries recorded in the incident.

“We are, therefore, calling on the local, state and federal governments to intensify efforts to check the operations of these illegal refineries within their domains.”

Okoronkwo said Nigeria was losing billions of naira to crude oil thieves, a conduct he lamented was affecting the nation’s economy negatively.

He added that the environmental degradation being caused by their activities could not be overemphasized, especially in the Niger Delta region.

Okoronkwo urged other state governors to emulate Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Woke, who had taken the campaign against oil bunkering in the state very seriously.

He said on its part, IPMAN would continue to work with the government, security agencies and other stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the challenges confronting the oil and gas industry.

“We believe that part of the ways we can reduce their activities is for governments to begin the establishment of modular refineries in some of these areas.

“If these people are positively engaged, the pro…

News / politics

Insecurity threatens Nigeria’s foundations of nationhood – Gbajabiamila

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has said that the current security challenges in Nigeria are a threat to the foundations of the country’s nationhood.

The Speaker, however, noted that the Nigerian Government has responded to the challenges by taking certain measures such as increasing funding for the police and the military, recruiting personnel for security agencies, among others.

Gbajabiamila spoke when he delivered a paper titled ‘Democracy in Challenging Times: The Role of African Parliaments in Safeguarding and Delivering on the Dividends of Democracy’ at the School of Oriental Studies, London on Wednesday as part of his ongoing official visit to the UK.

Speaking on the challenges facing Nigeria, Gbajabiamila said: “The most pressing of these challenges today is the national security crisis that threatens the foundations of our nationhood and portends great danger for Africa and the world if it persists. The Speaker, however, said: “First, to address present challenges and then to build resilient institutions that can withstand uncertainty in troubled times, more than anything else, our focus must remain on the young and vibrant youth of Nigeria and Africa who have so much to offer the world and who have proven that they can thrive under challenging circumstances given half a chance.

“However we cannot do this for as long as our present national security challenges persist.

“The government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has responded to the reality of our present challenges by increasing funding provisions for the police and armed forces, accelerating recruitment and training to put more boots on the ground and also acquiring weapons systems designed to give the security agencies an advantage.”

The Speaker said upon the resumption of the 9th House, “the scope of our challenges was evident, matched only by our confidence that we would do what was required to overcome those difficulties and deliver the dividends of democracy for our people.

“Now the topic of this paper speaks to ‘dividends of democracy,’ a term that has been loosely and broadly interpreted to mean different …