A Lagos High Court in Ikeja has ruled against social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), ordering him to pay ₦200,000 in fines. This follows the dismissal of his preliminary objections in a ₦1 billion defamation lawsuit filed by renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, popular musician Folarin Falana, also known as Falz.
The Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD), a prominent public procurement advocacy group in Nigeria, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for overhauling public procurement thresholds for Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The reform aims to enhance transparency, accountability, efficiency, and decentralisation in government contracting. According to a statement released on Friday by NEFGAD’s Country Head of Office, Mr Akingunola Omoniyi, in Abuja, the group praised the restructuring of contract approval thresholds across the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Ministerial and Parastatal Tenders Boards, and Accounting Officers.
President Bola Tinubu will travel from Abuja to Rome, Italy, on Saturday following an invitation from Pope Leo XIV. According to a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu will attend a solemn mass marking the beginning of the Pontificate of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church. The statement, titled ‘Pope Leo XIV invites President Tinubu to his inauguration on Sunday’, noted that the invitation was formally extended through Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of the President’s presence “at this moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and a world grappling with numerous tensions and conflicts.”
Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has signed into law the creation of five new autonomous communities in Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state, as a step to end the age-long communal crisis in the area, demarcation exercise, and a 25.5km boundary road between Effium and Alioma Ezekuna communities.
The House of Representatives on Thursday unveiled plans to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the failure of the Federal Government to pay contractors working with Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) since 2024. In the bid to address the concerns, the House resolved to invite the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu; Accountant-General of the Federation, Babatunde Ogun Jimi; Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Yemi Cardoso and Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr. Shaakaa Chira and any other relevant officials.
The Nigerian Chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI) today announced the removal of the name of the Executive Director, International Press Centre, Mr Lanre Arogundade, from the Department of State Security’s watchlist after about forty years. IPI Nigeria President, Mr. Musikilu Mojeed announced this in Abeokuta, Ogun State at the 3rd Nigerian Media Leaders’ Summit convened by Journalism Clinic led by veteran Journalist Taiwo Obe with media owners and top editors in attendance. Mr Mojeed said the Director-General of the DSS, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, informed IPI Nigeria of the development during a recent engagement with the Service.
