News
Nigeria Ready to Host African Central Bank, Tinubu Assures AU Leaders

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured leaders at the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday that Nigeria is ready to host the African Central Bank in line with the vision of the Abuja Treaty.
President Tinubu said his administration will engage the African Union Commission in collaboration with member states to ensure that the bank takes off as scheduled in 2028.
The President affirmed that Africa’s success in conclusively addressing its challenges hinges on the firmness of its resolution, built on a foundation of deep-rooted solidarity, if it is to avoid perpetuating existing problems and creating new ones.
“As a continent and as individual nations, we face strong headwinds and difficult hurdles threatening to complicate our mission to bring qualitative democratic governance and economic development to our people. Many of these obstacles, such as climate change and unfair patterns of global trade, are largely not of our making. However, some of the pitfalls, including coup-birthed autocracies and the deleterious tinkering with constitutional tenure provisions, are developmental cancers we as Africans are giving to ourselves,” he stated.
Speaking on the military takeovers in the Republics of Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, and the exit of three of these nations from ECOWAS, the President said disagreements over the unconstitutional changes of government should not mean a permanent rupture of the abiding lines of regional affinity and cooperation.
“The drive for a peaceful, strong, and united West Africa is bigger than any one person or group of people. The bonds of history, culture, commerce, geography, and brotherhood hold deep meaning for our people. Thus, out of the dust and fog of misunderstanding and acrimony, we must seize the chance to create a new people-centric era of trust and accord.
“To all who care to listen, I declare that if you come to the table to discuss important matters in good faith, you will find Nigeria and ECOWAS already sitting there waiting to greet you as the brother that you are,” President Tinubu said.
On education, which is the theme of this year’s summit, the President said education is the core ingredient in the process of evolving creative solutions to the unique challenges long confronting the continent.
“In helping to achieve the Agenda 2063 objective of a peaceful, united and prosperous Africa, I consider African education, not only in the narrow context of the benign use of science and technology to improve the material standards of our people, but also in the nuanced appreciation of the fact that Africa must also become better educated in the humane art of democratic practice, diplomacy, and conflict resolution without violence.
“This year’s theme encourages us to remodel our educational systems to fit these goals. In Nigeria, my administration is devoting ample resources to education at all levels. From redesigning our school feeding programmes and academic curricula to making ourselves an Information and Communication Technology hub, through which we shall bring more youths into the classroom and furnish them with the tools required to flourish in the global economy of the 21st century,” he said.
The President used the occasion to extend invitation to the Africa Counter-Terrorism Summit scheduled to take place in April 2024, in Abuja, stating that the summit aims to expand discussions beyond military and law enforcement remedies to comprehensively tackle the root causes of violent extremism, such as poverty, inadequate political access, and the propagation of hateful ideologies.
News
Senate Approves N1.485 Trillion Rivers State 2025 Budget

The Nigerian Senate has officially approved the N1.485 trillion budget proposal submitted by the Rivers State government for the fiscal year 2025.
The approval, granted during today’s plenary session, marks a significant step in the state’s financial planning and development agenda.
The budget, which outlines the state’s projected revenue and expenditure for the upcoming year, will now pave the way for the implementation of various projects and initiatives across Rivers State.
Details of the budget’s allocation, including specific sectors and priorities, are expected to be released by the Rivers State government in the coming days.
The Senate’s approval underscores its commitment to supporting the economic growth and development of the states within the federation.
This action enables Rivers State to proceed with its plans for infrastructure, social services, and other key areas crucial for the well-being of its citizens.
Further updates and analysis of the approved budget are anticipated as the year progresses.
News
Lagos Alerts Motorists on 110-Day Ogudu/Ifako Bridge Repairs
The first to fourth phases, covering the stretch of Ogudu/Ifako Bridge inbound Alapere, will commence from Saturday, June 28 and end on Saturday, August 16 (50 days).

The Lagos State Government has released a diversion plan ahead of the repair of the Ogudu/Ifako Bridge, which will take 110 days.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, revealed this in a statement he signed and issued to newsmen on Tuesday in Lagos.
Osiyemi said that the repair, postponed earlier, would begin from June 28, 2025 and end on October 15, 2025.
The commissioner said that the repair was expected to be carried out in eight phases on both lanes.
He said: “The first to fourth phases, covering the stretch of Ogudu/Ifako Bridge inbound Alapere, will commence from Saturday, June 28 and end on Saturday, August 16 (50 days).
“Phases five to eight, covering the stretch of Ogudu/Ifako inbound Oworoshoki, will be fixed between Saturday, August 16 and Sunday, October 5 (51 days).”
Crime
BREAKING: Scores feared dead as daredevil terrorists engage Soldiers in Kaduna, Niger

Scores of daredevil terrorists and some military personnel have been killed following a gun battle in Niger and Kaduna States.
Nigerian Army Headquarters made the disclosure in a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday.
The statement said the operations were carried out in Kwanar Dutse Mairiga and Boka, Niger State, and Aungwan Turai, Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State.
The daredevil terrorists had launched an unprovoked attack on the aforementioned areas.
According to the statement, in response to the attacks, “land and air component troops launched several counter-attacks that eliminated scores of bandits in the encounters.
“Sadly, some gallant warriors paid the supreme price in the day-long battles, while four wounded in-action troops are currently receiving treatment for their gunshot wounds.
More updates later.”
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