Month: September 2025

SHOPRITE STORES STRUGGLE IN NIGERIA WITH SHRUNKEN SHELVES; SOME OUTLETS SHUT IN IBADAN, ILORIN, AND LAGOS

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The retail chain Shoprite, which once thrived in the country, is struggling for survival due to the challenging economy. This raises the question of whether the decline is a result of the South African parent company’s exit or the subsequent transfer of ownership. Previously, the retail chain was one of the market leaders in Nigeria. However, it is now clearly struggling, with several outlets experiencing dwindling customer traffic, empty shelves, and frequent operational disruptions due to power issues. Some are virtually empty and appear to be on the verge of…

IPPIS ACCOUNTANTS PLEAD GUILTY TO DIVERTING EX-STAFF SALARIES

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The Federal High Court in Lagos, on Wednesday, fixed September 18 for the review of facts in a charge against two staff members of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) over alleged corruption. The defendants, Shola Onasanya, a Chief Accountant, and Halimat Olalere, a Principal Executive Officer of accounts, are both staff members of the IPPIS Payroll Desk Office at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Ebute Meta, Lagos. They were dragged before Justice Ibrahim Kala by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) on an amended two-count charge related…

MILITARY NEUTRALIZES GUNMEN, RECOVERS ARMS AND MOTORCYCLES IN PLATEAU VILLAGE

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The troops of the Nigerian Army’s 3 Division and the Joint Task Force, Operation Enduring Peace (JTF OPEP), have intensified operations to curb bandit activities on the Plateau, neutralizing a suspected bandit and recovering arms and other items during recent raids. In a statement released by Major Samson Zhakom, Media Information Officer of JTF OPEP, the latest operation was carried out on Tuesday. “Acting on credible intelligence, troops launched an ambush along routes leading to the Odare Forest at Dutsen Zaki in Wase Local Government Area (LGA). The soldiers intercepted…

PRESIDENT TRUMP’s SECOND STATE VISIT TO BRITAIN

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President Trump is the first second-term U.S. leader to be invited for a second official state visit to the U.K. The trip will be marked by the trademark pomp and circumstance offered by the royal family, with a formal banquet hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla — but Mr. Trump will not be able to avoid the Epstein scandal that has dogged him in recent weeks.  He flew into the U.K. on Tuesday night, just days after Prime Minister Keir Starmer fired his Ambassador to the United States,…

16 HOSTAGES RELEASED IN KATSINA FOLLOWING BANDIT’s SURRENDER TO AUTHORITIES.

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As some communities are engaging the kidnap kingpin for negotiation, recently, Notorious bandit leaders have laid down their arms and released 16 hostages in exchange for amnesty in Katsina State. The Nigerian Army disclosed this in a statement on its official social media handles, saying the development followed a surrender and disengagement initiative led by the leadership of Operation Fagge Fasan Yamma in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. The terse statement read: “Several notorious terrorist kingpins operating in Dan Musa Local Government Area, identified as Kamulu Buzaru, Manore, Nagwaggo, Lalbi, Alhaji…

N46.9M PRESENTED TO FAMILIES OF 39 FALLEN OFFICERS IN A’IBOM, POLICE SAY

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The Nigeria Police Akwa Ibom State Police Command has presented N46.9m cheaques to 39 families of fallen officers who died in the line of duty in the state. The Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, presented the cheques in Ikot Akpan-Abia in Uyo on Wednesday, 16th September 2025. “In a move to support the families of fallen police officers and recognize the dedication of its personnel, the Akwa Police Command in Akwa Ibom, on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, disbursed a total of N46,995 million…

STRENGTHENING HUMANITARIAN COORDINATION IN BAUCHI STATE

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By; Bashir Hassan Abubakar  Bauchi State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management reaffirms its commitment to enhancing resilience and disaster response. The Honorable Commissioner, Hajiya Hajara Yakubu Wanka, represented the Ministry at a high-level Humanitarian Diplomacy Workshop organized by the Nigerian Red Cross Society. The workshop brought together stakeholders from government institutions, civil society, and humanitarian partners to discuss strategies for strengthening humanitarian coordination and protecting vulnerable populations. The Commissioner commended the Nigerian Red Cross for its dedication to humanitarian service and highlighted the importance of humanitarian diplomacy in…

WORLD SHIPPING COUNCIL ADOPTS AI PROGRAM TO COMBAT MISDECLARED DANGEROUS GOODS

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The World Shipping Council (WSC), liner shipping’s lobby group, has announced the launch of its Cargo Safety Program, an industry-led initiative to detect misdeclared and undeclared dangerous goods using artificial intelligence in order to prevent ship fires, protect crews, vessels, customers’ cargo, and the marine environment. The program is said to combines AI-powered cargo screening and common inspection standards to identify misdeclared and undeclared high-risk shipments before they are loaded. The World Shipping Council (WSC) has recently adopted an AI-powered Cargo Safety Program to address misdeclared and undeclared dangerous goods,…

US RECEIVES FIRST NIGERIA EXPORT GASOLINE

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The first Nigeria cargo of gasoline produced at the Dangote refinery has reportedly arrived at its destination in the United States. Reuters, citing unnamed sources in the know and ship-tracking data, said the gasoline cargo was arranged by Sunoco and commodity trader Vitol. VesselFinder reported that Gemini Pearl, a Panama-flagged oil product carrier, was currently located in the Port of New York, arriving there on Sunday. Most of the cargo, which stands at 320,000 barrels, was sold to Sunoco, with Vitol set to keep the rest for itself. Reuters further…

BAUCHI FORUM SLAMS ATBU PLAN TO SHUT FACULTIES

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By: Bashir Hassan Abubakar The Bauchi State Citizens Forum has condemned plans by the management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) to close some faculties and academic programmes, calling the move “a direct attack on the state’s educational aspirations.” Speaking at a press briefing in Bauchi, the forum’s leaders, Comrade Abdullahi Yalwa and Jibrin Sa’id Jibrin, said the proposed shutdown—reportedly affecting the Faculty of Management Sciences and other programmes—would deny thousands of prospective students access to higher education and “reverse years of progress.” They accused Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ibrahim Hassan Garba…