₦airaland Forum

The South African High Commission in Nigeria has shut down operations.

This was reported on Thursday by eNCA, a South African media house.

It quoted the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s Lunga Ngqengelele, as saying the decision was out of concern for the safety of employees of the embassy.

“We have been in communication with the Nigerian government and we have been assured of the protection of the businesses belonging to SA.

“Nigerian police quelled the uprising from the Nigerians attacking SA business, we understand that arrests were made. We are pleased that there was no loss of life,” he said.

There have been reprisal attacks in Nigeria over the xenophobia in South Africa.



See more here https://thickmatch.com/xenophobia-south-africa-embassy-nigeria-shuts/

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has called on the Federal Government to set up a Commission of Inquiry into the lingering conflict between Jukun and Tiv people of Taraba State.

Ortom made the call yesterday during a security meeting between Benue and Taraba States along with stakeholders at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

The governor stated that if constituted, the Commission of Inquiry would help to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the prolonged conflict to complement efforts already made by both states to nip the violence in the bud.

Ortom who decried the spate of crimes in the affected communities in Taraba State and the possible escalation of the conflict into Benue, called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the attacks on innocent people.

He said Nigerians must at all times, adhere to the country’s Constitution which provides a guide to lawful conduct of affairs and commended President Buhari for wading into conflict.

The communique which was presented at the end of the meeting by Governor Ortom read that proactive measures would be taken to curb further crisis between Jukun and Tiv in Taraba State.

It added that Governors of the two states would visit the affected areas to ascertain the level of damage while military personnel should be deployed to the warring communities.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Taraba State Governor, Dickson Ishaku promised to cooperate with his Benue counterpart in any way possible to permanently end the conflict.

Ishaku called for the amendment of certain sections of the Nigerian constitution to conform to the needs and peculiarities of states.

President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha said the Federal Government would facilitate the implementation of whatever resolutions reached at the end of the meeting for permanent peace to return to the affected communities.

Those who spoke during the meeting included the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse, the Aku Uka of Wukari, Senators Iyorchia Ayu and David Mark, as as well as Professor Iyorwuese Hagher who all called on the Federal Government to deploy security personnel to Taraba State to end the conflict.

Earlier, Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume said the Tiv and Jukun by history, are one indivisible entity who should not take up arms against themselves for whatever reason, expressing hope that the security meeting would yield fruitful result.




See more here https://thickmatch.com/tiv-jukun-crisis-ortom-tells-buhari-govt-end-benue-taraba-crisis/

Five Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirants in Kogi State have stepped down, ahead of the party’s forthcoming primary election.

The five aspirants from Kogi East stepped down for the immediate past Governor of the State, Capt. Idris Wada (rtd).

The decision of the aspirants to step down was disclosed by the Vice-Chairman, Kogi East Elders Council (KEEC) and former Minister of State for Health, Arch. Gabriel Aduku, while addressing journalists in Lokoja, the state capital, on Tuesday.

According to Aduku, the decision to ‘prevail on the other aspirants to collapse their structure into Wada was in the overall interest of the party and the state.”

Aduku listed those who stepped down to include: Mrs. Grace Iye Adejoh, AVM Saliu Atawodi (retd.), Dr Victor Adoji, Mohammed Tetes and Emmanuel Omebije.



See more here https://thickmatch.com/kogi-guber-pdp-gives-reasons-five-governorship-aspirants-stepped-wada/

A former member of the House of Representatives and Senator representing Kano Central, Rufai Hanga, has told the North to shelve the idea of remaining in power after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.

According to him, the power should return to the South and precisely, the Southwest because they will turn things around, adding that it is not because of their (Southwest) loyalty to the North, but because they have done it before and we have seen it.

The Kano-born politician also said that Igbo cannot produce next president by threats, adding that the South East and South South have little or no chance at all.

He said “To me, I wouldn’t want to say that power should remain in the North or rotate to the South, ” he told Sun.

“To me, if I were to be candid, I will rather say power should to go to the South because it is safer and more dignifying for Nigerian politicians.

“At the beginning of the present democratic dispensation, we promised zoning. The South had it, the North had it, the South should have it next.

“That one I am comfortable with. Whether it is suitable or not, that is a different question. For me, I will rather want it to go round.

“That is why I felt we should start from somewhere and begin to search for competence.

“We should give it a trial so that everything will not boil down to ethnic politics. Left for me, I will support the Southwest.

“But if I do that, people will begin to say it is selfishness because I am close to this man or that man. For me, based on competence, I will want someone from that zone to be the next man because I know they will turn things around.

“If given to them, I know they will turn things around. I am doing this for myself or anybody, but for Nigeria. If you want to change things in Nigeria, give it to them. With those I have in mind, I am sure they will turn things around. Nigeria will be better for it. I believe so. But if another person has it, so be it.

“It is not because of their loyalty to the North, it is because they are Nigerians. Two, they have done it and we have seen it.

“Tell me anywhere else in this country that is transformed to the best place in Africa other than Southwest. No other section of this country did it than the Southwest.

“We started together, and each region was ruling itself. Which region can boast of the best performer other than the Southwest?

“That is why I believe if you get a South westerner, he will do for Nigeria what they did for Southwest. I am not saying this because of their loyalty to the North, I am saying because of their competence.

“This man is competent, he can do it is different from this man is competent he has done it before.

“That I have heard from the section 15 to 20 years. And like I said, we just cannot do things in a particular way because someone has threatened this or that.

“If some applicants come to you for interview and one of them says, if you don’t employ me, your company will crash down, another person says to you, employ me, I will do what I did for the other company to grow and the third one says, try me, I will do my best and you will certainly be happy that you have tried me, who among the three would you employ?

“The most assuring is that applicant than that says, ‘I have done it, and I can do it again.’ That I will do it is different from I have done it before.

“The one threatening to scatter everything already had his fate sealed. One man cannot come and say it is either me or never. It is impossible. This is 21st Century; nobody can threaten anybody that rain will fall. Nothing will happen.

“With Southwest alliance with the Northwest, it is a sure banker the Southwest will get it. Whether they score 2/3 majority or not, they will still get it because when there is no clear winner, there will be a rerun.

“When there is a rerun, what they need to win is simple majority. And where is the majority coming from? Northwest and Southwest. Volume of votes from Kano alone is almost equivalent of votes for about seven or eight states from Southeast or South-south.

“The voting strength from Southwest alone is equivalent of the votes from eight states in the Southeast and South-south. With Southwest and Northwest, I don’t think there is anything that will stop them from getting the president.

“They will have total grip of the Northwest. If they form a strong alliance with the Northwest, I think they may make it. But how do you think they can make it with that alliance?

“Who and who from Southeast will penetrate the North to come and make such alliance? I think the Southwest came early to the Northwest even though they still have some areas they have not touched and which they need to touch. If the Southeast is smart enough to go and tap into these areas, I am sure they will make it.”

See more here https://thickmatch.com/2023-senator-hanga-reveals-region-produce-next-president-gives-reasons/

The former senate president shared the photo and wrote, 'just getting to the Emirates stadium to watch the NLD (Arsenal vs Tottenham) with my sons, Seni and Niyi. Feels so refreshing to be able to watch the match of great rivals especially with family'.


After the match, he wrote, 'what was a great game to watch. Arsenal showed a lot of heart coming down from two goals down. Like Arsenal showed us, determination is key to turning things around. It is never too late to turn things around. Wishing you all a great week ahead'.




See more photos https://thickmatch.com/bukola-saraki-sons-watch-arsenal-vs-tottenham-match-emirates-stadium/

Evicted housemate Esther is presently finding it very hard to describe who Frodd is to her as she could not answer Ebuka’s question on stage during live Eviction. When asked who Frodd is to her. the 22 year old replied saying ” Frodd is sweet”.

According to Esther, Nelson is her G while Frodd is an amazing person.

Esther kept mute most of the times Ebuka asked questions about her relationship with Frodd. Frodd on the other hand has been seen shedding uncontrollable tears since Esther was evicted.

See video below:


https://thickmatch.com/bbnaija-esthers-reply-ebuka-asked-frodd-will-shock/

The crisis between the governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun and the Labour Party in the state took a new dimension as the party accused Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of “cooking up a fake letter of disqualification purportedly from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the view to undermining Labour Party pleadings before the highest court.”

The Labour Party revealed this in a letter by his Chairman in Ogun, Abayomi Arabambi, and made available to Us weekend in Abeokuta.

Arabambi accused Gov Abiodun of allegedly manufacturing a letter indicating that the INEC, before the 2019 governorship election, sent a disqualification letter to the LP for its failure to nominate a deputy governorship candidate.

According to Arabambi, no such letter existed before the election, challenging Abiodun to, “produce the purported acknowledged letter from INEC before the Supreme court”; adding that ” the LP will not be blackmailed, hoodwinked or intimidated by any individual, group of persons or institution.”

The statement reads: “It has come to our attention that as a result of service of proceedings from the Supreme court, Gov. Dapo Abiodun and APC have cooked up a fake letter of disqualification purportedly from INEC with the view to undermine our pleadings before the highest court of the land.

“No such “acknowledged letter” existed before the commencement of this case nor during. To suddenly manufacture such is not only laughable but criminal. Forgery is a serious offence under our criminal justice system.

“The LP hereby dares Gov. Dapo Abiodun and the APC to produce the purported acknowledged letter from INEC before the Supreme court. Our prayers are simple, (1). the election that produce Gov. Dapo Abiodun is Null & void and should be thrown out. (2). Another election should be ordered in the interest of justice.

“The LP will not be blackmailed, hoodwinked or intimidated by any individual, group of persons or institution. All we seek is justice.”

Efforts to get Gov Abiodun’s reaction through his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, was unsuccessful as a phone call made to him by our correspondent was aborted due to poor network signal.

In the same vein, a message sent to him more than two hours before filing this report was not replied.

Ogun Chapter of the Labour Party and its governorship candidate, Ms Modupeola Sanyaolu had on Friday dragged the governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun to the Supreme Court in Abuja

The party approached the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, dismissed its applications against the judgment of the Ogun State governorship election petition tribunal delivered on June 21, 2019.




Read more here https://thickmatch.com/gov-abiodun-forged-fake-inec-document-blackmail-us-supreme-court-labour/

lalasticlala mynd44 oam4j

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested one Fatai Nafiu of No 9, Adetoke Street, Bariga, for forcefully having unlawful sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl (name withheld).

This was contained in a statement signed by the Lagos Command Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana and made available to newsmen in Lagos.
Eklana stated that a team of detectives from the Family Support Unit, arrested the suspect who confessed to the crime.

“The victim has been taken to hospital for medical treatment and forensic examination. The suspect will be charged to court,” he said.
Elkana also said that one Taiwo Sheuases, 34, defiled a teenage girl of about 15 years in Bariga Market square.
“The suspect has been arrested by detectives from the Family Support Unit and he confessed to the commission of the crime.
“The victim has been taken to hospital for medical treatment and forensic examination. The suspect will be charged to court,” NAN quoted the spokesman as saying .





See more here https://thickmatch.com/police-arrest-men-allegedly-raping-underage-girls-lagos/

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday assured international investors that bureaucratic bottlenecks militating against business in Nigeria are now being removed by his administration.

Buhari, speaking at a meeting with top officials of Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and Toyota Group, on the sidelines of  the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 7), in Yokohama, Japan, said Japanese investors should give Nigeria a trial.

Led by its Deputy Governor, Mr Nobumitsu Hayashi, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation indicated its interest in supporting projects in which Japanese companies are involved in Nigeria.

The bank said it had lots of resources dedicated for that purpose, and would be interested in oil and gas and investments in infrastructure.

Buhari, according to his Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, welcomed the bank, and drew attention to the Ease of Doing Business introduced by government to provide a conducive environment for businesses to operate.

At a bilateral meeting with Toyota Tsusho, a part of the Toyota conglomerate, President/CEO of the group, Ichiro Kashitani, indicated interest in sectors like energy, healthcare and automobiles, saying Toyota would be delighted to have presence all over Nigeria.

Kashitani spoke of Toyota Tsusho’s interest in building  an advanced medical diagnostics centre, which would foreclose need for foreign travel to obtain cutting edge medical diagnosis.

President Buhari urged the group to also consider setting up a car assembly plant, noting that Nigeria had the capacity to absorb the investment for positive returns.

At another meeting with the Prime Minister of Algeria, Noureddine Bedoui, President Buhari counseled that the political programme in the country be faithfully executed, which would lead to general elections as soon as possible.




See more here https://thickmatch.com/buhari-welcomes-investments-japan-bank-toyota/

President Buhari meets Prime Minister of Japan Abe Shinzo in Yokohama, Japan pictures below



See more pictures: https://thickmatch.com/president-buhari-prime-minister-japan-abe-shinzo-yokohama-japan/

Police special anti kidnapping squad led by Abba Kyari are now on their way to the troubled Abuja Kaduna expressway besieged by criminals in the last 48 hours




See more here https://thickmatch.com/police-special-forces-led-abba-kyari-troubled-criminalspix/

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Yokohama, Japan, sought the support of the Asian government in combating piracy in the Gulf of Guinea as well as illegal fishing in that region.

The President made the request during a bilateral meeting between the Nigerian delegation and Japanese officials led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, on the margins of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7).

The Nigerian leader, who commended Mr. Abe for the invitation extended to him to attend the triennial Forum, also thanked the Japanese government for attending the pioneer celebration of June 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria.

In his remarks, Prime Minister Abe, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, welcomed President Buhari’s participation at TICAD7 and the country’s signing of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.

Commending the Buhari administration for taking Nigeria to the Next Level, Mr Abe pledged a $300,000 support for Nigeria’s Defence College as well as 12 million Yen for the country’s public health sector.

He also pledged his country’s support for Nigeria’s Presidency of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, while seeking Nigeria’s support for Japan’s bid to occupy some global positions.

Also on Thursday in Yokohama, Nigeria and the European Union signed a €50 million Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support humanitarian and development efforts in the country’s North East region.

The cooperation agreement which was signed by Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama and EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Mr. Neven Mimica, would bring the total EU support to the country to €562million for 2014-2020.

President Buhari, who thanked the EU member states for their support especially for the North East, described as “pathetic the situation in internally displaced camps.”

He also called for further assistance to improve youth education in the region to take them out of poverty.

Commissioner Mimica said Nigeria’s request for enhanced assistance would be given priority consideration since it had come at the time that the EU was in the process of preparing its seven-year budget


See more here https://thickmatch.com/buhari-seeks-japanese-support-fight-piracy-gulf-guinea/

Video of Muslim clerics also known as Alfa dancing SOAPY by popular Nigerian musician Naira Marley have surfaced on the internet. In the video, the clerics dressed in their customized regal was seen doing the popular SOAPY dance at an event.

The video of Alfa’s dancing SOAPY has generated lots of funny comments from Nigerians on social media. See some comments below:

“Inside life…na the alfas wey dey do work for yahoo boys be this”

“Don’t take life too serious…. enjoy life”
“I hear u o , shey make alfa no gbadun nii ”

“The song Na virus , you go forget home training”
“Dem be human being with manhood na inside life, don’t be scammed with religion

“Song of the year the last time I played it my ancestors rose from the dead and started dancing soapy I fainted”

Recall that few days after the dance-style was released by controversial rapper, Naira Marley, popular dance queen, Kaffy blasted the singer over ‘Soapy’ dance, she called the dance ‘immoral’.




watch video below
https://thickmatch.com/video-islamic-clerics-dancing-soapy-goes-viral/

Nigerian citizens applying for United States’ visas will be required to pay a visa issuance fee, or reciprocity fee, with effect from August 29.

The reciprocity fee will be charged in addition to the non-immigrant visa application fee, also known as the Machine Readable Visa fee, which all applicants pay at the time of application.

The reciprocity fee is applicable for all approved applications for non-immigrant visas in B, F, H1B, I, L, and R visa classifications, the US embassy said in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

It said Nigerians whose applications for a non-immigrant visa were denied would, however, not be charged the new reciprocity fee.

The mission explained that both reciprocity and MRV fees were non-refundable, and their amounts vary based on visa classification.

An explanation on the Department of State website, travel.state.gov stated that non-immigrant visa applicants from certain countries might be required to pay a visa issuance fee after the approval of their application.

The statement said, “These fees are based on the principle of reciprocity: when a foreign government imposes fees on the US citizens for certain types of visas, the United States will impose a reciprocal fee on citizens of that country or area of authority for similar types of visas.

“Nationals of a number of countries worldwide are currently required to pay this type of fee after their non-immigrant visa application is approved.

“Since early 2018, the US government has engaged the Nigerian government to request that the Nigerian government change the fees charged US citizens for certain visa categories.

“After 18 months of review and consultations, the government of Nigeria has not changed its fee structure for US citizen visa applicants, requiring the US Department of State to enact new reciprocity fees in accordance with our visa laws.”

The US further stated that reciprocity fee would be required for all Nigerian citizens worldwide, regardless of where they were applying for a non-immigrant visa to the United States.

“The fee can only be paid at the US Embassy or the US Consulate General. The reciprocity fee cannot be paid at banks or any other location,” the mission added.

Applicants are required to pay $110 for B1, B2, B1/B2; F1 and F2 while H1B and H4 visas attract $180. I visa applicants will pay $210 while L1,L2 applicants will pay $303 and R1 and R2 $80.



See more here https://thickmatch.com/hiked-nigerian-applicants-visa-fees-us/

A video of an assault on a woman and her son by officials of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Edo State is presently trending on social media.

The video shows two SARS officials violently pushing the mother aside in their quest to drag the son away.

The incidence is said to have occurred at Ring road, Oredo Local Government area of Edo State.

Reports have it that this is simply because the boy refused to hand over his phone to the officials.

See video below:


https://thickmatch.com/sars-officials-violently-assault-mum-edo-state-video/

A Nigerian mother has caught a teenage boy of 19-year old, John Elijah, fornicating with her 15-year-old daughter at their apartment in Ajao Estate at the middle of the night in Lagos.

According to P.M.EXPRESS, Elijah was caught red-handed and was forced to remove his joystick from the victim’s private part and thereafter handed over to the Police by the parents of the victim. The incident was said to have happened at Sholanke Street in Ajao Estate, Lagos, where he resides with the victim’s parents.

It was also gathered that Elijah sneaked into the victim’s apartment at about 12 midnight while she was sleeping and engaged her in sxx romp without the victim raising any alarm.

However, in the middle of the act, Elijah was caught and handed to the police for proper investigation. During interrogation at the Police Station, Elijah denied raping the victim and told the Police that both of them had consented to engage in the romp. But the parents of the victim insisted that their girl was still under aged and that it was a sxxual assault on the victim.

The police found the suspect, Elijah, culpable and charged him before the Ogba Magistrates court for sxxual assault which is statutory rape. He pleaded not guilty.



See more here https://thickmatch.com/mother-catches-man-fornicating-teenage-daughter-night-lagos/