Author: Kwara Reporters

The House of Representatives yesterday called on the federal government to urgently take steps to tackle the rising cost of living with devastating effects on Nigerians. The lawmakers made the call during the appearance of the Ministers of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso and the Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, before the House. The session was part of the second edition of the Sectoral Debate/Dialogue, which was introduced by the House to interact with heads of ministries, departments…

President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday night, returned to Nigeria after a two-week private visit to Paris, France.The presidential jet, NAF 001, touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at about 9 pm.The President was received by top government officials, including his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.Also on the receiving line were the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri; the Director-General of the Department…

A legal practitioner and women right activist, Barr. Titilope Anifowoshe, has described godfatherism as the root cause of underdevelopment of Kwara state. Anifowoshe, a former state publicity secretary of the Young People’s Party (YPP) said the menace of godfatherism has stunted the growth and progress of the state since the state’s creation.According to Anifowoshe, Kwara’s history has been marred by the stifling grip of godfatherism, which has significantly contributed to the state’s lapse in progressiveness. She pointed out that the upcoming transition of power presents a crucial opportunity for Kwara to break free from the shackles of absolute godfatherism. “The smooth and transparent…

Crystal Group, a company owned by APC Stalwart, Mashood Mustapha, has urged the Kwara state government to prioritize indigenous contractors in the award of the Kwara Hotel remodelling contract.Crystal Group said this while turning down the offer of the Kwara State Government to take over the renovation of Kwara Hotels from Craneburg Construction Company for the sum of N3 billion. The company also urged the state government to review the contract sum from N17.8 billion and channel the remaining balance towards other productive ventures that will benefit the state. The company pointed out that Craneburg Construction company has already commenced work…

Against the backdrop of the abduction wave across the country, the demand for bulletproof vehicles by Very Important Persons and other wealthy Nigerians has increased, The PUNCH can report.Armoured vehicle dealers, who spoke to The PUNCH, confirmed they had been recording increased sales of customised bulletproof Sport Utility Vehicles since the kidnapping epidemic worsened.In recent weeks, armed gangs operating from various forests have infiltrated major cities and urban centres carrying out abductions of citizens and demanding outrageous ransoms.The situation has compelled victims and families of abductees to crowd-fund for ransom from families, associates and social media in disregard of the…

Three persons, on Tuesday, died after a truck fell off from an overhead bridge in Jos, Plateau State capital.It was learnt that the three persons were trapped under the vehicle and died afterwards while three others were also injured.Residents who gathered at the scene along Zaria Road confirmed the accident to PUNCH Online in Jos on Tuesday, saying about 45 cows were also killed in the crash that occurred between 4 am and 5am.One of the eesidents, Timothy Garuba, who spoke with our correspondent, said the accident happened when the truck was climbing the flyover bridge situated within Gada Biu…

Statutory allocations from the Federal Account Allocation Committee to the 36 states and 774 local government areas from July to December 2023, increased to N3.34tn post-fuel subsidy era.Figures obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics indicate an increase of N545bn or 19.5 per cent from the N2.79trn distributed to states and local government areas in the first half of the year (January-June).Amid the worsening hardship, Nigerians, including the organised Labour leaders, in separate interviews with The PUNCH on Monday, urged state governors to justify the increased allocations by ending the hardship among the masses.President Bola Tinubu in his inaugural speech…

The Kwara State Joint Security team have arrested those who killed Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole, Olukoro of Koro-Ekiti in the Ekiti Local Government Area.The Security team also arrested the leader of kidnap syndicate terrorising Ekiti, Kogi and Kwara states, one Pa Olowofela in Ekiti State and also freed the monarch’s wife and those abducted with her.Olowofela, an octogenarian, is based in Igbara Odo, Ekiti State with a chain of business enterprise cutting across the state, including a sawmill in Irele, the axis where the nefarious activities of the abductors is most pronounced..He was arrested by a combine team of security apparatus…

More revelations have emerged on the driver of Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, Emure-Ekiti, Ekiti State, who was abducted last week, but never made it out from the forest.Daily Trust had reported how all the abducted victims were released but the driver was killed in the forest.In a now viral clip, the freed pupils and their teachers sat on the floor, looking tired as a mother lamented the condition of her child in the background.The kidnappers, however, reportedly killed and burnt the driver of the school bus, identified as Taiwo Olugbaye, in the forest.One of the parents of the victims…

…Condemns advert of propaganda over payment of percentage as arrearsThe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has berated Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s recent propaganda amplifying payment of paltry 24% and 21% of October 2016 and June 2017, out of an outstanding of 161% and 75% salary arrears owed to local government, SUBEB workers and pensioners in the state when more than N10bn was left in the state’s treasury in 2019 by the Abdulfatah Ahmed administration, which is sufficient to clear all outstanding arrears long before now.In a statement issued on Tuesday in Ilorin by the PDP State Publicity Secretary in…