Month: April 2025

‘Fabricated,’ NUPRC Speaks On Report of Alleged Racket In 2024 Oil Bid Round

ADEOLA YUSUF

    + Everything Chairman, 2024 Bid Round Committee, Mr Bashiru Indabawa, said   The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has dismissed a report insinuating some underhand dealings in the allocation of oil blocks during the 2024 oil licensing bid round. Platforms Africa reports that the NUPRC dismissed the report in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Chairman, 2024 Bid Round Committee, Mr Bashiru Indabawa. He explained that the fabricated article published recently in an online news blog, was intended to generate unnecessary controversy, as there have been…

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‘Wahala Wahala,’ Portable Dares Anthony Joshua

Ganiyu Amodu

  Controversial street-pop musician Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable has declared his intention to fight former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua following his victory over Speed Darlington in their celebrity boxing match. “Now that I’ve beaten Speed Darlington, it is only Anthony Joshua I can fight now,” a report by PUNCH Sports Extra quoted Portable to have said. ‘I Will Do My Own Juju,’ Speed Darlington Calls For Rematch After Losing To Portable ‘Not Colon Cancer, Not Infection,’ How Pope Francis Died Why Men Are Afraid Of ‘Omugwo’, By…

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Delta Gov’s Aide, Shimite Bello, Is Dead

Ganiyu Amodu

Chief Love Shimite Bello, the Special Adviser to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Trade and Export, has passed away. She died in the early hours of Easter Monday after what sources described as a brief illness. The circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear as of the time of filing this report. Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Command, Mr. Bright Edafe, said Shimite was confirmed dead at the hospital where she was taken. Edafe also revealed that her husband has been placed in…

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‘I Will Do My Own Juju,’ Speed Darlington Calls For Rematch After Losing To Portable

Ganiyu Amodu

Grammy-winning singer Burna Boy has gifted controversial musician Portable N20 million following his victory over Speed Darlington in their celebrity boxing match, while the defeated American-based Nigerian artiste has demanded a rematch, claiming his opponent used “juju” to secure the win. The “Chaos In The Ring” bout, which took place on April 18, 2025, at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Lagos, ended abruptly in the second round when Speed Darlington was unable to continue after claiming he suffered a dislocated shoulder. “20 million from @burnaboygram. If you wanna be like…

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‘Ajuwaya,’ NDLEA Seeks Mandatory Drug Tests For Corps Members

Abibat Babalola

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has called for mandatory drug testing for all prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), in a renewed effort to combat rising drug abuse among Nigerian youths. The call was made by the agency’s Chairman, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), during a three-day Drug Prevention Treatment and Care (DPTC) training held in Abuja on Sunday, April 20. The event was organized in collaboration with the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM). Marwa, represented by NDLEA Director of Drug Demand Reduction,…

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Nigeria, UK Deepen Ties To Boost Gas Sector Regulatory Framework

Abibat Babalola

The Federal Government has taken a significant step towards strengthening its gas sector regulatory framework through a strategic partnership with the United Kingdom’s Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem). The partnership was sealed during a high-level meeting in London between the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, and officials from Ofgem and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). A statement by Ekpo’s spokesperson, Louis Ibah, said the collaboration aims to enhance regulatory innovation and capacity development in Nigeria’s gas sector, with a…

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Killings: Shettima Visits Plateau Today, Danjuma Calls For Self-Defence

Abibat Babalola

Amid renewed violence in Plateau and Benue states that has claimed over 100 lives in recent weeks, Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected to visit Plateau State today (Monday) as part of federal efforts to stem the tide of attacks and foster lasting peace. The visit comes days after gunmen launched deadly attacks on Bokkos and Bassa communities in Plateau, attracting public outrage and deepening calls for urgent government intervention. Confirming the Vice President’s visit, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, disclosed during a tour…

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‘Not Colon Cancer, Not Infection,’ How Pope Francis Died

Ganiyu Amodu

The 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, passed away on Monday morning, the Vatican has announced. Pope Francis, the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church and the first from the Americas, has died aged 88, the Vatican confirmed on Monday morning. The Pope had battled various health issues in recent years, including surgery on his colon in 2021 and recurring respiratory infections. In an emotional announcement from St Peter’s Basilica, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo responsible for administering the Church between papacies, said the Pope had…

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Petroleum Ministers, Key Officials Endorse New Book On Local Content

Ganiyu Amodu

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and his Gas counterpart, Rt. Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, have hailed the dexterity and courage of a management staff of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, Dr Obinna Ezeobi, to write a book chronicling an account of how deft communication initiatives, skillful stakeholders management strategies and effective collaboration among key players in the oil sector played pivotal roles in propagating and advancing Nigeria’s local content policy in the last 15 years. Also, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix…

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‘64-Hour Marathon,’ Again, Tunde Onakoya Breaks World Chess Record

Ganiyu Amodu

Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya, has officially received the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon after completing a 64-hour session in New York City’s Times Square. Onakoya attained the feat alongside US chess player, Shawn Martinez, during the marathon, which ran between April 17 and 20, 2025. He had in April 2024, played for 60 hours, surpassing a previous record before it was reclaimed two months later, by Norwegian duo, Odin Blikra Vea and Askild Bryn, with a record of 61 hours, 3 minutes, and 34 seconds. ‘Comeback,’…

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