Author: Vardiafrica

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin-Can Island Command, has intercepted some arms and ammunition allegedly being smuggled into the country by some criminals A source within the service told Channels Television that other items recovered were military camouflage, and substances suspected to be illicit drugs. He added that the arms recovered were automatic single-barrel rifles and pump action guns Though details of the interception are still sketchy, the recoveries were made during an inspection of consignments imported into the country. However, the source could not confirm if any arrests were made. This interception is coming barely eight months after the…

The Port Harcourt refinery will resume operations in April, according to the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.  In a statement, the NNPCL chief explained that mechanical works have been completed on the facility which has received over 450,000 barrels of crude following delivery from active lines. He also said repair works at the Kaduna and Warri refineries are near completion. According to him, the Kaduna refinery is expected to commence operations in December Meanwhile, the Senate has dismissed an alleged report of fraud in the turnaround maintenance (TAM) of the nation’s refineries…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says service providers are working on restoring internet connectivity after it was disrupted on Thursday.  Thursday’s submarine cable cuts had left several African internet service providers with outages. Telecommunications subscribers and bank users were stranded for hours as the disruption paralysed digital transactions and internet communications. But early Friday, the NCC said the issue is being resolved. “Operators of these cables have commenced repairs already, and services are gradually being restored,” the NCC Director of Public Affairs Reuben Muoka Director said in a statement. “They have promised to work round the clock to ensure that…

Against the backdrop of the rising cases of kidnapping and abduction in the country, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has convened a meeting with the Northern Governors’ Forum and Service Chiefs, including the Inspector General of Police and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The meeting which was held behind closed doors on Thursday in Abuja, lasted for over four hours and after the meeting, the chairman of the forum, Governor Inuwa Yahaya Of Gombe State, spoke on the outcome of the meeting. He announced plans by the forum to consider alternative options to…

President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, approved the appointment of Dennis Otuaro as Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP). In a statement, the President’s spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said, “The President anticipates that the new Administrator will bring his requisite experience and know-how to this role to revamp the Amnesty Programme and advance the realization of its founding purpose and vision.” “Otuaro holds a PhD in Comparative Politics & Development Studies; an MSc in Public Administration, and a BSc in Education. “He had previously served as a top-level executive of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with a surfeit of experience…

President Bola Tinubu has called on state governors to set aside political differences and collaborate with the federal government to build the nation. Speaking during the breaking of Ramadan fast with governors at the State House in Abuja, on Thursday, President Tinubu emphasized the importance of transitioning from politics to governance, noting the need for unity and cooperation among all stakeholders. ”Since we recognize the need to build our nation together, the time for politics is over. It is now time for governance. ”We are of the same family and parents; living in the same house, but sleeping in different…

UTM Offshore Limited, promoters of Nigeria’s first Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) facility has requested the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to invest equity in the project and to accelerate key approvals that would fast-track the project’s development. The request was made on Wednesday at the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State when the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe hosted the management of UTM Offshore Limited led by the Group Managing Director, Mr. Julius Rone.The target completion date of the FLNG project is 2028 and it hopes to contribute about 450,000 tonnes of liquified…

Damage to at least three subsea cables off the West Coast of Africa on Thursday disrupted internet services in Nigeria, Ghana and other countries across the continent. Telecommunications subscribers and bank users were stranded for hours as the disruption paralysed digital transations and internet communications. According to one of the world’s leading financial news organisations, Bloomberg, the West Africa Cable System, MainOne and ACE sea cables — arteries for telecommunications data — were all affected on Thursday According to data from internet analysis firms including NetBlocks, Kentik and Cloudflare, the cut triggered outages and connectivity issues for mobile operators and internet service…

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Temitope Ilori as the new director-general (DG) of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA). In a statement on Thursday, Toyin Aderibigbe, NACA head of public relations, said Ilori’s initial term of four years began on February 22. She takes over from Gambo Aliyu, who was the DG of the agency, from June 2019 till February 2024. Ilori is the first female to be appointed as the director-general of the agency “Up until her appointment, Dr. Ilori was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Community Medicine, University of Ibadan, and a Consultant…

The Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor, Alli Bello, and one Daudu Suleiman have been re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly diverting about N100 billion belonging to the state government in September 2015. The immediate past governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, was also indicted in the fraud allegation said to have been committed months before he assumed office as governor. However, Bello and Suleman pleaded not guilty to the 17 counts amended charge before Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Earlier, Bello’s counsel, Abubakar Aliyu, had objected to the reading…