Author: statereporter

Patience Umo Eno, the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, has died following an illness, the state’s commissioner for information, Ini Ememobong, confirmed in a statement issued early on Friday. According to the statement made available to Okay.ng, the first lady died peacefully on Thursday, September 26, 2024, in a hospital, surrounded by her family. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of the Wife of the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Her Excellency, Pastor Mrs. Patience Umo Eno, following an illness. She passed away peacefully at the hospital in the presence of her family,” the…

Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, has expressed readiness to face an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of bribery. The social media celebrity, who was released from prison in August after serving a six-month sentence for abusing the naira, found herself embroiled in controversy after Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, shared an audio recording online. In the recording, Bobrisky allegedly claimed to have bribed EFCC officials with ₦15 million to drop charges against her. Bobrisky swiftly denied the claims, calling the audio “fake” and insisting she did not pay any amount to the…

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said he did not sack Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi II, as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2013 for whistleblowing that $48.9 billion was missing from the government coffers. Jonathan said this at the launch of a book “Public Policy and Agent Interests: Perspectives from the Emerging World” in Abuja on Thursday edited by former Finance Minister, Shamsuddeen Usman. Jonathan was reacting to a contribution by the Emir of Kano in the book that was being launched. The former president said it was not true that such amount of money was missing.…

The Federal Government, on Thursday, suspended the officers in charge of the Maximum and Minimum Custodial Centres, Kirikiri, Lagos State. The decision was taken after an audio leak indicating that cross dresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky who was convicted of a crime and sentenced to six months in jail was given an apartment outside the custodial centre. Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, CDCFIB, Ja’afaru Ahmed disclosed this in a statement released in Abuja.1 Ahmed in the statement said the suspension of the officers is to allow for further investigation on the various…

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has presented certificates of return to the Edo State Governor-elect, Monday Okpebholo, and his Deputy, Dennis Idahosa. The certificates were presented to them by the INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Edo State, Rhoda Gumus, on Thursday, five days after Okpebholo and his deputy were declared the winner of the election. The presentation of certificates of return has officially confirmed Okpebholo and Idahosa as the governor and deputy governor of Edo State. Okpebholo will succeed Governor Godwin Obaseki, who will leave Osadebe House on November 11 after completing two terms in office. Okpebholo, the…

Justice Haleemah Salman of the Kwara State High Court has declared the five accused individuals responsible for the Offa robbery cases guilty of unlawful firearm possession, robbery with a weapon, and negligent manslaughter. Justice Salman gave the verdict on Thursday while presiding over the case. She sentenced the accused persons to death. State reporters recalls that the Offa robbery incident happened in 2018. Barely two years ago, a witness in the case, Shamsudeen Bada, accused men of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) led by embattled DCP Abba Kyari of torturing him. According to Baba, the police operatives tortured him to…

Authorities in the Benin Republic have announced the foiling of a suspected coup attempt planned for Friday, with two high-profile figures among those implicated in the plot. In a statement on Wednesday, Elonm Metonou, special prosecutor at Benin’s court for financial crimes and terrorism, revealed that former Sports Minister Oswald Homeky was apprehended on Tuesday night, handing over six bags containing 1.5 billion West African CFA francs (about $2.5 million) to Djimon Tevoedjre, commander of the republican guard and head of President Patrice Talon’s security. According to Metonou, Homeky and Olivier Boko, a businessman and longtime friend of President Talon,…

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, has ordered a thorough investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), following claims made by social media personality Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky. In a statement released on Wednesday by the Minister’s media aide, Babatunde Alao, Tunji-Ojo condemned the alleged misconduct and emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to upholding integrity, transparency, and accountability in the paramilitary services under its jurisdiction. “The Ministry will not tolerate any compromise on its core values of integrity, transparency, and accountability. We will leave no stone unturned in rooting out corruption and ensuring…

The Federal Government has approved a new monthly allowance of ₦77,000 for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, effective from July 2024. The increase, which is ₦7,000 above the new national minimum wage, was announced in a letter from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), dated September 25, 2024, and signed by the commission’s chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta. According to a press statement released by the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations of NYSC, Caroline Embu, the increment is in line with the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024, which sets the minimum wage at ₦70,000. The…

At Meta Connect 2024, Meta Platforms Inc. introduced several cutting-edge innovations in mixed reality and artificial intelligence (AI), including the Quest 3S headset, AI-powered Ray-Ban smart glasses, and updated AI models. The announcements underscore Meta’s ongoing commitment to pushing the boundaries of immersive experiences and AI-driven technology. The newly unveiled Quest 3S headset offers an affordable upgrade for mixed reality enthusiasts, priced at $299.99. While retaining key features from the Meta Quest 3, such as hand-tracking and touch controllers, the Quest 3S delivers improved resolution at 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye. It offers 2.5 hours of battery life and…