News Roundup

The Federal Government, through the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, has fined British American Tobacco and its affiliate companies $110m. This is for alleged infringements of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, National Tobacco Control Act, and sundry legal instruments, the FCCPC said on Wednesday December 27, 2023 in a statement.

Acting Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, was on Wednesday sworn in as the substantive governor of the state following the death of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu earlier in the day. Akeredolu, aged 67, passed away on Wednesday morning while undergoing treatment for prostate cancer in a German hospital.

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 Persistent insecurity, armed conflict, and deteriorating livelihoods will continue to affect local government areas in Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara states, and the far north of Adamawa State in Nigeria until May 2024, the World Bank has predicted. This is as it disclosed that poor macroeconomic conditions are restricting access to agricultural inputs in the country.

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 President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, December 27, reassured Nigerians that their country is in good hands under his watch. President Tinubu gave the assurance at the State House in Marina, Lagos State, on Wednesday, during a town-hall meeting with traditional rulers, chairpersons of Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and other political-office holders in the state.

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 The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, has condemned the gruesome killing of over 150 innocent people in Plateau State, saying bandits are always a step ahead of the authorities. He called on security agencies to be more proactive against the bandits and other criminals.

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 Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas and the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, were among dignitaries who attended the funeral prayer and burial of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’abba in Kano on Wednesday evening.

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 Ondo State Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has declared three days of mourning in honour of his predecessor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who died on Wednesday. This was contained in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan, on Wednesday.

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 The Bishop of the Diocese on the Niger, Rt. Rev. Owen Nwokolo on Wednesday, expressed shock over non-release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, saying his continued detention is unsettling the South-East region and Nigeria. According to the bishop, Mazi Kanu’s case can better be resolved politically, rather than through the courts.

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 Four yet-to-be-identified persons sustained varying degrees of injuries in a fire incident that occurred at Fat Noble filling station opposite Torikoh, Badagry area of Lagos State. It was learnt that the incident happened at about 1 am on Wednesday while some residents in the area were dispensing petrol in jerry cans and polythene bags.

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