Author: Kwara Reporters

Many people were feared killed on Tuesday night during a shootout between gunmen and some soldiers in Imo State.The attack occurred at about 9 p.m. at the Headquarters of Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state, residents told PREMIUM TIMES. A resident, Henry Chukwuma, told this newspaper that the gunmen attacked the soldiers at their camp within the council secretariat.Mr Chukwuma said the attackers were believed to be pro-Biafra gunmen enraged about the alleged establishment of an Internally Displaced Persons Camp and training centre for former Boko Haram terrorists in the area.“The gunmen were saying that they don’t want any…

Thirteen ex-fighters of the Jama’tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JASDJ), popularly known as Boko Haram, have escaped with rifles and motorcycles given to them by the Borno State government, which co-opted them to join military operatives in the fight against the insurgents in the state.The 13 are among thousands of former Boko Haram fighters and their families who had surrendered to the government.Last year, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum revealed that more than 160,000 Boko Haram members and their families had voluntarily surrendered to the military amid a sustained military onslaught.The “repentant” Boko Haram members and their families are being…

Leaders of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clashed in Abuja over those responsible for the lingering crisis in the party.The PDP has been engulfed in crisis since the conduct of the Presidential primary of the last election won.The crisis also contributed to the defeat of the party by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last election.Speaking at a conference entitled “Fix PDP To Fix Nigeria” on Tuesday in Abuja, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, blamed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as been responsible for the impasse…

The Special Assistant on Forestry (Central Senatorial District) to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Mr. Adeboye Taofiq Ewenla, has been sacked for allegedly demanding N30m bribe from timber merchants.Ewenla was reportedly caught on tape demanding the money before the Ondo timber merchants be allowed to operate.Government sources said the telephone conversation was sent to Governor Aiyedatiwa after the merchants opted for a showdown.In the conversation with a timber merchant, the source said Ewenla was heard telling the traders not to begin any operation in forest without paying the money.Aiyedatiwa swears in six new high court judgesA statement by Chief Press Secretary to…

The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said that Nigeria needs to stop mortgaging crude oil to ensure the availability of feedstock for local refineries.Dangote, who spoke at a summit organised by the Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria in Lagos, said it was unfortunate that while countries like Norway are putting oil proceeds into a future fund through their national wealth funds, Nigeria and African countries are spending oil proceeds from the future.“To ensure sufficient feedstock availability we will need to stop mortgaging crude. It is unfortunate that while countries like Norway are putting oil proceeds into…

NNPC Report Shows Port Harcourt Refinery Will Produce Petrol By September – MinisterMinister of State, Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, on Channels Television’s May 29 Special programme on the first anniversary of President Bola Tinubu The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri has said he did not direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to stop running its refineries.The clarification came following reports that Engr. Kamoru Busari, Director of Upstream in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, who represented him at an event in Lagos, said that he directed the company to focus on equity participation in other…

By Abubakar S. AjetunmobiI’m bewildered with the eerie silence that followed the brazen electoral malfeasance that marred the recent local government elections in Kwara State. The scale of the manipulation, the audacity with which it was executed, and the emptiness of the promises that surrounded it should have been enough to spark outrage from every corner of Ilorin. But instead, there was a deafening silence, a collective submission that left me bewildered.Ilorin is a city with a rich history of resistance and courage. From the days of colonial rule, when voices rose against foreign domination, to the more recent political…

Reports have emerged that Paul Biya, Cameroon’s longest-serving president, has passed away. He was said to have died at a military hospital in Paris, France, after being moved from Geneva, Switzerland, due to a medical emergency.Biya has been at the helm of Cameroon since 1982, making him the second-longest-ruling president in Africa and the oldest head of state in the world. His presidency has been marked by controversy, with allegations of authoritarianism and electoral fraud.Biya has been at the helm of Cameroon since 1982, making him the second-longest-ruling president in Africa and the oldest head of state in the worldDuring…

The demolition of Crystal Place Mall, Ilorin, owned by former House of Representatives member, Moshood Mustapha, has raised dust in Kwara State.The development has further widened the rift between Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Mustapha who are of same party.The property was allegedly pulled down on Sunday night with the police providing security.Occupiers of the complex claimed the the Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KW-GIS) served them a 3-hour vacation notice on Friday, citing violations.But the chairman of KW-GIS, Suleiman Abdulkareem, explained that the land was originally allocated to Mustapha for a commercial car park.“But he went on to erect a…

By Abubakar Abdullahi The recent demolition exercise undertaken by the administration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (AA) in Kwara State reeks of something more sinister than just urban renewal. For many, it is hard to ignore the political undertones of these actions, which appear to be driven by vengeance rather than a genuine desire for development. The state’s resources and energies are being funneled into tearing down structures linked to past regimes—actions that have only stoked division among Kwarans. Instead of wasting precious resources on an apparent vendetta, the governor should focus on improving the livelihoods of the people of Kwara,…