Author: Adeniyi Daniel

The South East Renewed Hope Agenda (SERHA) has launched a scholarship scheme to cover Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) registration fees for 10,000 indigent students in Imo State, as part of a broader regional programme targeting 50,000 beneficiaries across the South-East. The initiative was flagged off on Thursday in Owerri by the National Coordinator of SERHA, Belusochukwu Enwere, at an event attended by hundreds of secondary school students, youths, and education stakeholders. Enwere said the programme was designed to eliminate financial barriers preventing underprivileged students from pursuing tertiary education, adding that successful candidates would also benefit from the Federal…

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has appointed Nollywood actress and philanthropist, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, as Special Adviser on Public Engagement and Advocacy, in a move aimed at strengthening communication between the government and residents. The appointment was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Musa Ikhilor. According to the statement, the governor approved the appointment as part of efforts to deepen citizen participation in governance and improve public awareness of state policies and programmes. “This is to inform the general public that Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved the appointment of…

The Senate was plunged into mourning on Thursday following the death of Senator Barinada Mpigi, the lawmaker representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works. A National Assembly source confirmed that Mpigi died on Thursday at the age of 64 after a brief illness. Until his death, Mpigi was a prominent figure in the 10th National Assembly, chairing the influential Committee on Works, which oversees federal road infrastructure and related national projects. News of his passing filtered into the Senate chamber during plenary and committee proceedings, casting a sombre mood over lawmakers who had gathered…

The Lagos State Government has intensified its digital health reforms with a dual strategy targeting malaria and tuberculosis elimination, digitising more than 500 private health providers and recording a malaria positivity rate of five per cent in the state. The Lagos State Ministry of Health announced the initiative on Wednesday during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Ikeja themed “Scaling Digital Health Innovations in Lagos – Leveraging Proven Private Sector Frameworks for National Health Security.” Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, said the initiative underscored the administration’s commitment to protecting residents and strengthening…

The Executive Chairman of Epe Local Government, Princess Surah Animashaun, has reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to supporting federal security agencies in enhancing community safety and internal security across the Epe Division. Animashaun gave the assurance on Thursday while receiving the Comptroller of the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Comptroller Olofinbiyi Christopher, during a courtesy and familiarisation visit to the Epe Local Government Secretariat. Welcoming the delegation, the council boss commended the Comptroller’s professionalism and strategic leadership, noting that the Nigeria Immigration Service has continued to play a crucial role in safeguarding the division and regulating migration…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) Bill into law, setting the stage for fresh debates over the legal framework governing the 2027 general elections, particularly the contentious issue of electronic transmission of election results. The President assented to the bill at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, in the presence of principal officers of the National Assembly, barely 24 hours after the National Assembly passed the legislation. The amendment comes just days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, slated for February 20…

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has issued a stern warning against vote-buying ahead of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections, saying the commission and its officials would not tolerate any form of electoral malpractice. Amupitan gave the warning on Wednesday during a high-level stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, ahead of the council polls scheduled for Saturday, February 21. “We will not tolerate vote-buying in any form. The commission and its officials are fully committed to enforcing the law and ensuring that the integrity of the electoral process is protected,” Amupitan said. He assured…

A four-year-old boy, his mother, and 12 other passengers narrowly escaped death in a lone road traffic accident involving a fully loaded Mazda commercial bus along Coaster Road, opposite Lafiaji inward Okun Ajah, Lagos. Confirming the incident, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) in a statement on Wednesday, describing the crash as severe and potentially fatal. “The ill-fated Mazda commercial bus with registration number AKD 509 XL abruptly lost stability, somersaulted, and landed on its side, trapping passengers inside the wreckage,” said Taofiq Adebayo, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment, LASTMA. Adebayo noted that the impact of the crash was severe,…

The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) has confirmed that the sexual assault allegation involving TikTok user Mirabel (@mirab351), who claimed she was raped by a stranger in her apartment, has been referred to the appropriate authorities in Ogun State. The agency disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, noting that the alleged incident occurred outside Lagos State and therefore falls beyond its jurisdiction. “Following our earlier statement and the widespread public response, we successfully established communication with a close friend of the survivor who confirmed that she had been discharged from the hospital,” the agency said. The…

The Lagos State Government has intensified its sanitation enforcement drive, arresting 10 individuals for open defecation in parts of Lagos Island, as authorities warn that the practice poses a serious threat to public health. The arrests were carried out in Ebute Ero, Apongbon, and Inner Marina as part of the state’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) agenda, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin. “Ten persons were apprehended for open defecation at Ebute Ero, Apongbon, and Inner Marina. They have been transferred for prosecution at the…