Author: straightnewsng.com

Jackson Udom He epitomises excellence in service, and is a firm believer of quality delivery and human capacity development. Born 59 years ago, Godswill Akpabio, fondly called Uncommon Transformer, is the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. Before now, he was the governor of Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2015. Thus, his tenure as the state chief executive witnessed transformation of the state in an unprecedented fashion, which earned him the tag: The Uncommon Transformer. In recognition of his landmark achievements as the state governor, his people in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District sent him as their representative to the Senate.…

Despite the existence of 67 illegal universities, satellite campuses and study centres in the country, National Universities Commission (NUC) is yet to clamp down on the institutions. Executive Secretary of the Commission, Abubakar Rasheed, who spoke at the 11th convocation of Al-Hikmah University held in Ilorin on Saturday affirmed existence of the unaccredited institutions. This was as the Founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, had knocked NUC for its inability to sanction illegal universities in the country. Speaking at the ABUAD in Ado Ekiti during the university’s 9th convocation on November 22, Babalola also expressed disappointment with…

Forbes listed Rihanna, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift the 100 Most Powerful Women in 2021, alongside Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey and others. The business magazine’s list features CEOs, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, artists, politicians, and media personalities. While Rihanna is ranked 68 on the list, Beyoncé ranked 76 and Taylor Swift stood at 78. Kamala Harris took the 2nd spot, with Melinda French Gates on the 5th spot. Oprah Winfrey is at the 23rd spot on the list of 100 most powerful women, and Reese Witherspoon is at the 74th spot. Queen Elizabeth has also been featured on the list and sits at the 70th spot.…

Gunmen ambushed a vehicle and burnt to death 21 passengers travelling from Sabon Birni Local Government Area in Sokoto State on Monday. Some of the passengers including children who were traveling from Sabon Birni to Isa near the Nigerian border with Niger were burnt to death. Sokoto Police spokesperson, Sanusi Abubakar said several others are being treated in a hospital for severe burns. Although another account suggests the number of those killed is around 30 but police are yet to state casualty figures. Some reports said the attackers deliberately set the vehicle on fire burning the occupants alive while another…

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has bowed out after 16 years in power, following the election of Olaf Scholz by German parliament as the next leader of the Europe’s biggest economy. Merkel formally handed over the reins to her successor on Wednesday afternoon, in a bittersweet goodbye. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier formally appointed Scholz as Merkel’s successor on Wednesday after the parliament elected him chancellor. “It will be a new beginning for our country. In any case, I will do everything to work towards that,” the 63-year-old said as he took his oath of office in an official handover ceremony in the…

One person survived as General Bipin Rawat, his wife, Madhulika and 11 others on board an Indian Air Force helicopter died in a crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. They were en route from an air force base to a hillside military college in the southern state of Tamil Nadu when the Russian-made Mi-17V5 helicopter came down near the town of Coonoor. Local television footage showed rescuers and army personnel carrying bodies up steep slopes from the mangled wreckage. Only one of the 14 people on board survived and was in hospital with injuries. “With deep regret, it…

Tears flowed Tuesday afternoon at Grammar School Bus stop, along Ogba-ojodu Berger Road Lagos when a delivery truck rammed killing some students and injuring others. The truck was chased by officials of Lagos State Traffic Management Agency LASTMA when the truck driver who attempted to escape from the officials crushed the students and injured others. After the accident, according to an eyewitness, the truck driver fled the scene but was caught at Ogba close to Excellence Hotel, where irate commuters set the truck ablaze. Read also Outrage As Accidental Discharge By NSCDC Official Hits Teenager In Akwa Ibom  Two Women…

Five students and three staffers of Dowen College now police custody are being quizzed over the death of the 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu,has stated. At first Odumosu said two other students of the school linked with the assault, were at large, but another police source has confirmed arrest of eight now in police custody helping the Command to determine the cause of the boy’s death. Oromoni’s death has sparked outrage from many Nigerians, with the Lagos State government announcing the closure and sealing off of the school last week. The Lagos police boss also said that the…

A former Nigerian Ambassador to Russian Federation and Belarus, Chief Assam Assam, SAN, has declared that Nigeria is yet to have political parties geared towards ideological leaning and principles to better the lots of the electorate. Assam who was the Chairman of occasion at the 2021 Press Week by Akwa Ibom Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Monday, December 6 said he was not oblivious of more than 100 political parties in Nigeria that took part in the 2019 General Elections in the country. However, the Ambassador who is a Peoples Democratic Party chief in Akwa Ibom said political parties…

The Executive Director of International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Dayo Aiyetan has opened up on the reason his organisation rejected grant from a foreign body. Aiyetan who was the lead discussant at the Press Week of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council on the theme: National Unity, General elections: The role of Journalism on Monday hinted how he rejected a $200,000 grant from a foreign body after the application had been approved for what he perceived as  ‘undue editorial interference.’ According to him, the organization wanted him to always send any investigative story done by his organisation…