Author: Vardiafrica

President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Esther Walson-Jack as head of the service (HoS) of the federation. She was sworn in before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday. The president had appointed Walson-Jack as the HoS in a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, the president spokesperson, on July 17. Ngelale said her appointment will take effect on August 14 — a day after Folasade Yemi-Esan, the current HoS, retires from the civil service. Tinubu asked Walson-Jack to serve the country with integrity and transparency. The president also commended Yemi-Esan for her dedication to duty, describing her tenure as exceptional. ”We…

President Bola Tinubu congratulates Ms. Rena Wakama, D’Tigress’ coach, on her recognition as the best coach of women’s basketball at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The Nigeria women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, put up a spectacular performance at the Olympics, becoming the first African basketball team to play in the quarter-finals at the Olympic Games. President Tinubu states that the recognition of Ms. Wakama, 32, by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), further accents her well-established leadership qualities and dedication to excellence. The President commends the team, the coach, and all those who played a part in the unprecedented feat at the Olympics,…

An explosion has rocked the Action Peoples Party (APP) secretariat in Rivers state. Grace Iringe-Koko, Rivers police command spokesperson, confirmed the incident to TheCable on Monday. Iringe-Koko said the command has deployed its bomb disposal team to the scene. “We have heard about the incident. We already sent our bomb disposal team to that place to ascertain what really happened,” she said. “I cannot say if it was bomb explosion yet. We have commenced investigation. The damage wasn’t that much.” She added that details would be made public after the conclusion of investigation. In June, an explosion occurred near the Hotel…

Iran’s Vice-President Mohammed Javad Zarif has resigned from President Massud Pezeshkian’s cabinet just 11 days after his appointment. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to explain his decision. “I am not satisfied with my work and regret that I have not been able to fulfill expectations,” he said on X. He also hinted that the selection of ministers for Pezeshkian ‘s new cabinet had been the reason for his decision. According to Mr Zarif, at least seven of the 19 ministers nominated were not his first choice Zarif was President Pezeshkian’s right-hand man during his presidential election campaign and, due…

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) is probing the destruction of the country’s passport by a lady and has also invited the woman for questioning. A viral video captured the female traveller identified as Favour Igiebor destroying the Nigerian Standard Passport – said to belong to her husband – at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. It was initially unclear the reason for her action but in a Monday statement, the NIS spokesman Kenneth Udo said the incident is a violation of the law. “The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched a formal investigation following the circulation of a…

In response to a new, more virulent strain of monkeypox (mpox) which has been discovered in some African countries, the Federal Government has implemented a stringent health screening protocol for incoming international travellers. This measure, announced by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention aims to curb the spread of the Clade Ib subclade of monkeypox, which has been increasingly impacting several African nations. The new variant of monkeypox started ravaging African countries especially DR Congo in September 2024. Nine days ago, the World Health Organisation said it was considering…

The Organized Labour has firmly rejected the explanation provided by the Nigerian Police regarding what it describes as an “invasion” of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters. The rejection follows a police statement on Friday, August 9, claiming that their operation was not targeted at the NLC but rather focused on apprehending a foreign national linked to criminal activities across Nigeria and other African countries. The police maintained that the operation, which took place within the NLC headquarters building, was legally sanctioned and aimed at a rented shop within the premises that was being used by the suspect as a…

Amidst the clamour for good governance and reduction in the cost of living in the country, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo has asserted the Federal Government’s firm determination to advance the nation’s gas resources as the surest pathway to economic prosperity. The Minister stated this in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Wednesday when he visited the facilities and projects of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), where he serves as the co-chair of the Governing Council. He stated that Nigeria is endowed with vast natural gas resources of about 209 trillion cubic feet…

Nigeria’s head coach Rena Wakama has been honoured as the Best Coach at the Paris 2024 Olympics, despite the D’Tigress not advancing to the final four. Wakama’s leadership was instrumental in guiding Nigeria’s senior women’s national basketball team, known as the D’Tigress, to a historic performance at the tournament. Under his guidance, the team achieved several milestones, making a significant impact on the competition. Wakama, who is 32 years old, led the D’Tigress to notable victories, including their opening-day win over Australia. This victory marked Nigeria’s first-ever success in a Group phase match at the Olympics. The team continued to…

Rwanda’s all-powerful President Paul Kagame was sworn in Sunday for a fourth term, saying regional peace was a “priority” in the face of ongoing conflict in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. Kagame swept to victory in elections last month with a staggering 99.18 percent of the vote, giving him another five years in office. Several dozen heads of state and other dignitaries from African nations joined the inauguration ceremony at a packed 45,000-seat stadium in Kigali, where many were dressed in the green, yellow and blue colours of the Rwandan national flag. The outcome of the July 15 poll…