The Central District Court, London yesterday denied the Nigerian lawmaker and former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu bail in his pre-trial verdict, alleging that he may flee the country if granted bail. The Nigerian lawmaker and his wife Beatrice landed in the London police net on 23rd June and both were charged on criminal allegations of trafficking and organ harvesting as against the modern slavery Act 2015. Counsel to Ekwremadu, filed for bail application intimating the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and the Attorney General of the Federal had written to the court that the lawmaker was not a flight risk.

Abuja Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, has warned travellers to brace up for flight delays/cancellations amidst jet fuel scarcity. AON spokesperson, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, made this known in a statement made available to journalists today in Abuja. Okonkwo laments the persistence in scarcity of aviation fuel as suppliers have failed to meet the demands, in turn, threatening the airfare and delays to the general public.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has called on media practitioners to desist from landmine reportage that is too sensitive ahead of the 2023 general election. This was disclosed by the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye during a one-day capacity building for journalists on ‘Conflict Sensitive Reporting and the 2023 General Election’ held in Akure, the Capital of Ondo state. The program was organized by INEC for journalists in southwest Nigeria in collaboration with the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ.

A Shari'a Court sitting in Kano has sentenced an Islamic cleric, Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara, to death by hanging for making blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad (PUBH). This judgment was passed by the presiding judge, Ibrahim Sarki Yola, during a court session on 15th December 2022 which lasted over three hours. The defendant was arraigned on 16th July 2021 by the Kano State Government on four counts charge bordering on blasphemy on Prophet Muhammad PUBH. Sarki also ordered the state government to seize all the 189 books the defendant tendered as exhibits to be taken to Kano State Library for public use, relying on section 331 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) Kano 2019.

There was wide jubilation in the southeast by motorists following the temporary commissioning of the 2nd Niger bridge by president Buhari to ease traffic jams during the yuletide session as travellers rush in their numbers back home.m Buhari who opened the second Niger Bridge yesterday said he was worried as traffic is gradually building up on our major roads urging road users to be responsible while driving. He disclosed that most of the money used in the construction of the second Niger Bridge was looted monies recovered mostly from the United state of America by former Nigerian leaders.

The federal government has denied allegations that the Nigerian military was running a secret abortion scheme for its female officers. Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed stated this during a press conference in Abuja following a report by a foreign news agency that no fewer than 10,000 female military operatives were subjected to forced abortion in the military facility. Mr. Mohammed described the news as fake, and concocted and wondered how an agency that described itself as a news outlet will spew such a figure void of reference only claiming that they interviewed 33 persons while describing other sources as “unidentified”.