News Rider

FG Implements Cooking Gas Imports Tax, Price Jumps By 100% The federal government has implemented a 7.5 per cent tax on imported Liquefied Petroleum Gas, popularly called cooking gas, as the cost of the commodity leap by over 100 per cent within a period of eight months. It was gathered on Sunday that the government implemented the VAT on LPG imports about three weeks ago and some dealers were also mandated to pay the tax for commodities imported several months ago. Operators told our correspondent that Nigeria imports about 70 per cent of the commodity, while the rest was mainly supplied by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas company. It was also gathered that the cost of a 12.5kg of cooking gas that sold for about N3,500 in December 2020 had jumped to as high as N6,800 in parts of Abuja. A resident along the Lagos-Ibadan road said she bought the commodity on Sunday at N7,200 in Lagos, as dealers projected that the cost might hit N10,000 in December this year. Operators stat...

Insecurity: Zamfara Gov Orders Closure Of Markets     Matawalle The Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle has announced the closure of all weekly markets in the state as part of measures to address worsening security situation in the state. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Matawalle announced this after receiving 18 kidnapped students of the State’s College of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, Bakura. The Governor also said the state government banned the selling of petrol in jerrycans as part of the measures to stop supplying fuel to the bandits. He said, “Filling stations in the state should also sell only N10,000 fuel to each vehicle and should be vigilant of vehicles or motorcycles coming for repeat purchases immediately. “No commercial motorcycle riders are allowed to carry three persons at a time". “We also reduced the operations of commercial motorcycle and tricycles between 6:00am and 8:00pm in the state capital, while outside the state capital i...

Cubana, Ikegwuonwu, Others Honour Late Matriach, Nwabunike  BY CHIKA OKEKE, Anambra  Chairman of Cubana Group, Obinna Iyiegbu (M) and other guests at the funeral of late Mrs Maria Adaobi Nwabunike in Ozubulu yesterday. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE.  The Chairman of Cubana Group, Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana and Chairman/CEO of St. Aloy’s Oil and Gas Limited, High Chief Aloysius Nnamdi Ikegwuonu (Bishop Ozubulu) were part of the dignitaries that bid farewell to the late Matriach, Mrs Maria Adaobi Nwabunike (Iju Wagon) nee Chukwuma. The event attracted political associates, friends and well-wishers of Nwabunike's family yesterday in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo local government area of Anambra State. National President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Hon Iju Tony Nwabunike (2nd L) and other dignitaries at the funeral of late Mrs Maria Adaobi Nwabunike in Ozubulu yesterday. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE  Nwabunike, who is the mother...

EHORECON Seeks Tie With NCDC On Disease Control  BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja  R-L: Registrar of Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), Dr. Baba Yakubu Mohammed presenting an award to the Director-General, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu in Abuja, recently.  As part of its commitment towards addressing the scourge of communicable and non-communicable diseases, the Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) has requested for active collaboration with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) in ending cholera outbreak across the country.  Registrar of EHORECON, Dr. Baba Yakubu Mohammed stated this in Abuja yesterday during a courtesy visit to the headquarters of Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC).  Mohammed sought the establishment of environmental and public health department in NCDC for easy coordination of activities between the two agencies.  ...

Olu of Warri, Atuwatse III Reverses Grandfather’s Curse On Nigeria      Atuwatse III The 21st Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has reversed an ancestral curse placed on Nigeria by his grandfather, Olu Erejuwa II, as a result of alleged injustice meted to him. Erejuwa II was the paramount leader of the Itsekiri who was Olu of Warri from 1951 to 1964 and from 1966 to 1986. He was the 18th Olu of Warri Kingdom with the title Ogiame Erejuwa II. The new Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, reversed his grandfather’s curse on Saturday during his coronation. He said, “As the spiritual, cultural, political, and traditional ruler of this land, I, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the 21st Olu of Warri, the first son of Olu Atuwatse II, the grandson of and direct descendant of Olu Erejuwa II, who was offended on this throne, hereby reverse the curse placed over this land". Atuwatse III however blessed the federal government.  “In its place, I release forgiveness and healin...

Paul Okoye’s Wife, Anita Files For Divorce Anita Okoye, the wife of Nigerian singer, Paul Okoye aka Rude Boy, one half of the defunct music group P-Square, has filed for divorce. Anita requested the dissolution of her marriage with Paul, as per a partly redacted court document that surfaced and went viral on social media platforms yesterday. According to the petition filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Anita cited “irreconcilable difference” as her reason, asking her man to challenge it if he feels disgruntled. Anita first sparked divorce rumours in April when it was reported that she relocated with their three children to the United States of America. In 2019, she was accused by a popular aphrodisiac vendor of buying items to keep her marriage together. The vendor later took down the story from Instagram. The couple met in 2004 during their undergraduate days at the University of Abuja and got married on Saturday, March 22, 2014 in Port Ha...

Jonathan, Atiku Attend Buhari Son’s Wedding In Bichi Former President Goodluck Jonathan; former President of Niger Republic, Mahamadou Isoufou and President Muhammadu Buhari watch as the representative negotiate the Bride Price during the wedding of son of the President, Yusuf and daughter of Emir of Bichi, Zahra, in Bichi, Kano State yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN Yusuf, who is the Talban Daura, married Zahra Nasiru Bayero, daughter of the 2nd Emir of Bichi. The wedding ceremony was officiated by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, after the representative of the groom, Alhaji Mamman Daura, paid the sum of N500, 000 to the representative of the bride, Alhaji Aminu Dantata as dowry. The wedding ceremony, which took place at the Emir’s Palace in Bichi, attracted Governors, Ministers, traditional rulers, captains of industries, politicians as well as members of the diplomatic community. President Muhammadu Buhari congratulating his so...