The federal government has directed that candidates who are less than 18 years old should not be offered admission into tertiary institutions.


The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, gave the directive on Monday, April 22, during a monitoring exercise of the ongoing 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Bwari, Federal Capital Territory.

The minister said the 18-year benchmark is in line with the 6-3-3-4 education system.

He said: "The minimum age of entry into the university is 18, but we have seen students who are 15 or 16 years old going in for the entrance examination.

"Parents should be encouraged not to push their wards too much. Mostly, it is the pressure of parents that is causing this.

“We are going to look at this development because the candidates are too young to understand what the whole university education is all about.”

Eberechi Suzette Wike, wife of FCT minister Nyesom Wike, has been promoted from the Rivers High Court to the Court of Appeal.

Of the 89 judges nominated for promotion following the retirement of some senior jurists, only 22 judges were selected to fill available positions.

Chief Justice of Nigeria Kayode Ariwoola approved Mrs Wike’s name and 21 others on the priority list sent to President Tinubu for appointment. The document, which Mr Ariwoola signed on April 2, 2024, was marked FJSC/01/2024.

A fresh list obtained by The Gazette titled ‘Appointment of 22 justices to the Court of Appeal’ showed the new jurists were appointed from the pool of states and federal high court judges from all six geopolitical zones.

Justices Polycarp Tema Kwahar (Benue), Ruqayat Ayoola (Kogi), Eneche Eleojo (Kogi), Asmara Akanbi Yusuf (Kwara), Abdullahi Muhammad Liman (Nasarawa) and Abdu Dogo (FCT) were appointed North-Central.

Only Justice Fadahu Umaru, a Borno state indigene, was appointed from the North East.

For the North-West, approved justices are Ishaq Mohammed Sani (Kaduna), Zainab Bage Abubakar (Kebbi) and Abdulaziz M. Ankara (Zamfara).

Newly recommended judges from the South-East include Nnamdi Okwy Dimga Victoria (Abia) Toochukwu Nwoye (Anambra), Henry Aja-Onu Njoku (Ebonyi), Donatus Uwaezuoke Okorowo (Enugu) and Ngozika N Okaisabor (Imo).

For the South-South region, Justices Ntong Festus Ntong (Akwa-Ibom), Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi (Edo) and Ms Nyesom-Wike (Rivers) were recommended for promotion.

While justices Lateef Babajide Lawal-Akapo (Lagos), Abiodun Azeem Akinyemi (Ogun), Oyewumi Oyejoju Oyebiola (Oyo) and Bayo Ademola Taiwo (Oyo) were named for elevation in the South-West region.

A clip is currently going viral of a Uniport lecture who was caught on camera, s e x u a l l y harassing a female student in his office

He was observed making contact with a few female student’s body parts.

The man in the video was seen pulling the student toward him while the student attempted to stop the lecturer and maintain her distance.

Many people have reacted to the video shared while calling for his dismissal.


Watch the VIDEO

A lady who initially wanted to become a reverend sister has abandoned her plans after she fell in love and tied the knot.

The lady shared a photo of herself from her early days in the convent at the time when being a reverend sister was her aim.

However, she left the convent with no intention of returning back as she gets married to her Anambra heartthrob.

She shared a photo from her days as a reverend sister, and was seen posing alongside her colleagues who were all equally clothed in their nun outfits.

Sharing the video, she captioned …

“The plan was to become a reverend sister but there is this Anambra guy..”

See Reactions Below;


See VIDEO

Actor Yul Edochie and his second wife, Judy Austin, are in a celebratory mood as their second son turns one today April 22.

Yul revealed the name of their son as Pete Ndubuisi Yul-Edochie.

 

The excited father wrote;

‘’It's time to grant the world the privilege to meet our son.

From Isi Mmili Ji Ofor & Ijele Isi Mmili @judyaustin1

His name is Pete Ndubuisi Yul-Edochie.

Named after his two grandfathers.

Rejoice with us as he turns 1yr old.

Happy birthday, son.

You shall be 10 times greater than your parents.

May God lead you always & may your ancestors stand by you solidly.''

See more of his birthday photos below…

he will do well to donate beds, cos that will be highly needed there

Many Nigerian households already had a taste of the toughest hardships ever faced in more than 20 years after inflation jumped to 29.90 in January 2024. The cost of living has more than trippled in the last 10 months.

And with the recent electricity tariff hike which has been met with stiff opposition by Nigerians - many are now calling on President Bola Tinubu to sack Adelabu who they said his six months tenure as minister of power has ushered Nigerian homes and businesses into more 'darkness' in the absence of 'light' - electricity power supply

Controversial Nigerian reality TV star And Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) star Ijeoma Josephina Otabor, better known as Phyna recently sparked reactions after she posted some comments online about the renowned soft drink brand Pepsi

The  reality TV star had taken her Twitter handle to slam Pepsi for supplying her with expired soft drinks.

Phyna shared another post on her page apologising to the soft drink company for calling them out online

See her posts below:

In January 2024, Nigeria approved the commercial release of four TELA maize varieties, which have been genetically engineered for improved insect-resistance and drought-tolerance.

In addition to South Africa, Nigeria has become the second country in Africa to approve the commercialization of genetically engineered corn.

In marketing year 2022/2023, Nigeria produced an estimated 12.7 million metric tons (MMT) of corn, with an average yield of 2.2 tons per hectare. According to the African Agriculture Technology Foundation (AATF), yields of TELA maize could reach up to 10 tons per hectare if grown under good agronomic practices.

See some reactions below:

An yet to be identified man has lost his life after his wife convinced him to undergo a surgery in India to stop him from snoring.

 
Actor Ugezu Ugezu who shared the story online said the wife who was tired of her husband's snoring convinced him to go to India for a medical surgery. He said despite friends advising against it, the wife and her husband travelled to India for the procedure. Sadly, the man died in the process and is to be returned home as a corpse.


‘’Who killed him?'' Ugezu asked

His post below:

Officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Control NAFDAC recently carried out raids on popular supermarkets in the Wuse 2 and Gwarinpa area of Abuja, uncovering counterfeit products on display. The enforcement team also targeted markets in Garki, Wuse, Utako, Kugbo, Nyanya and Mararaba, seizing counterfeit cosmetics and drugs.

A statement from the agency says during the operation, counterfeit cosmetics were discovered and seized at Sahad Stores, H-Medix and various markets while fake drugs were confiscated at the Utako market. Counterfeit NIVEA products, cosmetics, Jik bleach, Harpic toilet cleaner, and Airwick room freshener were all confiscated. The total value of the seized goods amounted to ₦50 million, with fake NIVEA products alone valued at ₦45 million.

Embugushiki-Musa Godiya, Head of Investigation and Enforcement/Federal Taskforce, FCT, Abuja, expressed concern over the sale of substandard products, particularly counterfeit NIVEA cream which was being sold at higher prices than the approved products. He emphasised the health risks posed by such counterfeit goods, including the potential for cancer, kidney damage, and skin rashes.

NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to rooting out counterfeit syndicates and safeguarding the public health.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has warned travellers not to accept luggage from people without knowing its content.

The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, issued this warning in a statement via his X handle on Sunday.

Babafemi disclosed that two students, including a PhD student, ran into trouble beacuse bottles of codeine syrup were found in the luggage they were carrying for a female friend studying abroad.

He stated, “A PhD student and another student studying abroad got into custody because bottles of codeine syrup were found in the luggage they picked for their female friend abroad.

They’d have been jail if @ndlea_nigeria had not worked hard to ensure the owner was put on the next flight home.

“Reason why we warn you not to take any luggage you don’t know its content from anyone.”

Babafemi also shared a video showing how bags of opioids were concealed among spare parts coming from Onitsha heading to Mubi in Adamawa.

A Chinese supermarket in Abuja has come under fire after a Nigerian man was denied entry, with the management reportedly citing restrictions on Nigerian customers.

In the viral footage, the unidentified Nigerian man can be seen expressing his frustration and shock as he is turned away at the supermarket entrance.

In his statement captured in the video, the man lamented the situation, noting the inconvenience of having to seek out alternative shopping venues despite his interest in exploring Chinese cuisine and products

The video has sparked a wave of criticism, with many condemning the actions of the supermarket management and highlighting the irony of a Chinese-owned establishment in Nigeria excluding its host citizens


Watch the video below:

There’s a Chinese supermarket in Abuja that is strictly for Chinese people ? Nigerians are not allowed to enter or shop there pic.twitter.com/Is1wPXLFjB

— Oyindamola (@dammiedammie35) April 21, 2024

A middle-aged woman identified as Victoria Idowu reportedly committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan in the Magboro area of Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
 
It was gathered that the 49-year-old woman hung herself rom a ceiling fan in her bedroom on Sunday, April 21, 2024.
 
Spokesperson of the command, Omolola Odutola, who confirmed the incident to punch said the son of the deceased raised the alarm after returning from a church service and finding his mother reportedly hanged with a rope from the ceiling fan.
 
 
The PPRO added that upon receiving the report, police officers from the Ibafo Division visited the scene where the body of the deceased was found.
 
“According to the son, he came back from the church at about 1530 hours and discovered that his mother, one Mrs Idowu Victoria, ‘F’, aged 49 years of the same address, had committed suicide by hanging herself on the ceiling fan inside her room. The DPO immediately drafted men to the scene. No suicide note was found," she said.
 
The PPRO disclosed further that an investigation has commenced to unravel the circumstances behind the incident.
 
 
She, however, urged members of the public to always provide support to their loved ones who may be suffering from mental health challenges.
 
"Meanwhile, the investigation is still ongoing to unravel the circumstances behind the sad incident. Suicide is unlawful. Sufferers of mental health need more support from family members to prevent such fatality,” she added. 

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, said yesterday its official who directed a female candidate to remove her hijab before entering the examination hall in Lagos had been appropriately sanctioned.

It also said the conduct of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, which commenced on Friday, April 19, 2024, had been seamless as over 1.2 million candidates would have successfully taken the examination by today.

Report had emerged that a candidate donning hijab was asked to remove her headcover during the accreditation process before being allowed into the examination hall at Bafuto Institute, Ile-Iwe Bus Stop, Ejigbo, Lagos.

The development had been trailed by controversies, as some adherents of a particular religious faith rose against the action.

Reacting to the development in a statement yesterday, the board, which said such action was not in line with its rules, explained that the official was sanctioned to serve as a deterrent to others who might wish to toe the same line.

In the statement, tagged “Re: Lagos Centre Stops Hijab-wearing Candidates”, through its spokesman, Fabian Benjamin, JAMB expressed regret at the incident.

The statement read:  “The attention of the Board was drawn to an unfortunate incident at the Bafuto Institute, Ile-Iwe Bus Stop, Ejigbo, Lagos, where it was reported by Muslim News of Sunday,  April 21, 2024, and other platforms, that a candidate donning hijab was asked to remove her headcover during the accreditation process before being allowed into the examination hall.

“The Board deeply regretted the incident and on investigation, discovered that this particular incident or others in the past, is not linked to any of its examination guidelines but rather a product of the misplaced priority of some of the Board’s accredited partners or officials who claimed ignorance of the Board’s guidelines on accreditation, which ensures that all candidates are screened, allowing only female officials to screen female candidates before allowing them to gain entrance into the hall.

“This situation was instantly addressed by a senior official of the Board at the centre and the candidate in question allowed in after the usual checks with her hijab.

“However, since ignorance of the law is not an excuse, the officials have been appropriately sanctioned to serve as a deterrent to others, who might wish to toe the same line, going forward.”

and why have they not leveled Niger State ... they were fast to wipe out Delta community

the fear of EFCC is the beginning of sense

Veteran Nollywood actor, Zack Orji has provided an update on his failing health following a series of successful brain surgeries.

Zack Orji’s health ordeal began when he collapsed on December 31, 2023, and was subsequently hospitalized in the intensive care unit of the National Hospital in Abuja.

The 64-year-old actor underwent two successful brain surgeries and required additional evaluation overseas.


Unfortunately, amidst Zack Orji’s recovery, unfounded rumors of his death circulated on social media platforms.


The President of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas refuted these baseless claims, condemning those responsible for spreading such falsehoods.

Zack Orji departed Nigeria for a post-surgery evaluation in the United Kingdom (UK) on March 29, 2024, as confirmed by photos of him at the airport that circulated online.

In a recent interview with Channels TV, Zack Orji who is still in the UK for post-surgery assessment, spoke about his ongoing recovery process, saying that “I feel alright. My memories were back”.

Addressing the rumors surrounding his supposed death, Orji denounced the people who spread these “fake stories,” labeling them as originating from the “pit of hell.”

He highlighted the irresponsible nature of such actions, noting the unnecessary concern it generated among his colleagues and friends.

“I do not know who originated that lie. I call it a lie from the pit of hell that, not myself, they had passed away.

“I saw it and I started receiving all kinds of calls, even calls from people I had not heard from for years, most of them were just concerned. They wanted to find out if it was true and all of that.

“I can only say that sometimes social media has made people to be so reckless and callous to the point of spreading fake news just to grow their page. I believe that is what that person did.


“And it happened at a time when we lost some of our colleagues when somebody started spreading this lie about me.

Thank God that our lives are not with men. Our lives are with God. It is God that is the keeper and strength of our lives.

“I will just let it go because I have more important things to do with my time,” the actor said.

Reflecting on the challenges posed by his surgeries, Orji shared the difficulty he faced in recognizing visitors during his recuperation period.

Orji said due to the magnitude of the surgery, “it took quite a while to recover” and that he could not recognise the people who came to greet him on his sick bed.


He said his wife played a crucial role in helping him reconnect with reality, particularly when he regained awareness of the date during his hospital stay.

Immediately before the surgery, I could not recognise people. The people who came to the hospital to greet me, even though they came and we were talking, I could not remember them. It was my wife who told me that this person came, this person came.

“But immediately after the surgery, when they brought me out, the question I asked what day are we today? My wife said ‘New Year’s day’ and I started wishing everybody a happy New Year. She said that was when she knew that I was back.

“But because I needed some time to recover because there were stitches done all around here (head), bandages and stuff like that. So it took quite a while to recover. But I was feeling alright. My memories were back,” he added.

Zack Orji remained resolute, acknowledging the support of his loved ones and emphasizing the importance of focusing on his health and well-being amid such trials.

Nigerian chess grandmaster, Tunde Onakoya, has commended his American counterpart, Shawn Martinez for standing by him throughout the 60-hour duration of his world record-breaking quest.

Martinez, the United States national chess master, stood as Onakoya's opponent for the Guinness World Record feat at Times Square in New York City.

The two chess enthusiasts competed for 60 hours, surpassing the target of 58 hours set by the Nigerian to eclipse the previous world record.

Showing his appreciation in a Twitter post on Saturday, April 20, 2024, Onakoya said his achievement would have been impossible without Martinez's contributions.

He said the two chess heads trumped competition to show the world the meaning of true collaboration.

"Dear Shawn (@CoachShawnMar), there’s no world record without you. Together, for 60 hours, we showed the world what true collaboration means, trumping competition.

"We picked each other up during tough moments, both mentally and physically. And you did it with so much grace. This is a public acknowledgement and gratitude to you, my brother. Congratulations on our shared achievement," Onakoya wrote.

Onakoya hit the 58-hour mark around 2:30 am Nigerian time on Saturday to smash the previous record of 56 hours and 9 minutes set in 2018 by Norwegian duo, Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad.

The Chess in Slum Africa founder had embarked on the quest to raise $1m for underprivileged African children to access education.

Meanwhile, after meeting his target, the Nigerian decided to continue playing for an extra two hours to put some daylight between his time and the old record.

Nigerian singer, Davido has made a significant change as he partners with UnitedMasters to establish his new label, Nine+ Records.

According to the deal, Davido will lead artist development and A&R responsibilities for a lineup of Nigerian talents.

Consequently, his former record label, Davido Music Worldwide (DMW), has been officially dissolved.


Taking to his X page, Davido clarified that all artists currently under DMW will now be transferred to Nine+ Records.


He stated, “All DMW artists would be moved to Nine+ Records …. Clearing the air!”

All dmw artist would be moved to Nine + records …. Clearing the air !

— Davido (@davido) April 19, 2024

Some of the notable artists currently signed to DMW include Dremo, Yonda, Peruzzi, Idowest, DJ Ecool, Danagog, B-Red, Deekay, May D, Deinde, Ayanfe, Liya, Morravey, SayTheyCallMESG, and Logos Olori.