Author: Musab Sulaimon

The management of the Kwara United football club has expressed its readiness to resume proper activities following the Federal Government’s decision to lift the ban on contact sports on Thursday. Sporting activities had been on halt in Nigeria since March due to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. Jimoh Bashir, Kwara United media officer, disclosed that the club would be adhereing strictly to the FG and NCDC COVID-19 protocols and guidelines. “We congratulate everyone in football in Nigeria for the latest development as we are equally sending our appreciation to the Government for lifting the ban on football. “We must also…

Kwara State House of Assembly Speaker, Yakubu Danladi Salihu, on Tuesday met with labour leaders in the state following the ongoing industrial action over non-payment of the new national minimum wage. Danladi-Salihu, together with the principal officers and members of the Assembly, appealed to the organized labour to call off the strike action. He reiterated the commitment of the 9th Kwara legislature to welfare of the State’s workforce and particularly the implementation of the minimum wage. “This government has so far been highly sensitive to the plights of the State’s workforce, the prompt payment of full monthly salaries of workers…

The organised labour unions in Kwara state have asked members to prepare for industrial action which will commence on Monday, October 12. The labour leaders rejected another round of workers’ verification and audit by the Government as condition for payment of minimum wage to the workers. This is contained in a statement jointly issued by the state Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Aliyu Issa Ore, Acting state Chairman Trade Union Congress (TUC) Ezekiel Adegoke, and state Chairman, Joint Negotiating Council (JNC-TUS), Saliu Suleiman, made available to newsmen in Ilorin, the state capital. The labour leaders had on September 28…

Some secondary school teachers in Kwara state have signified their intention to formally terminate their membership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers due to the difference in their aspirations. The teachers, under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) also hinged their action on the basis of different employers. The chairman of the association, Jimoh Daudu, made this announcement at a lecture organised to mark the 2020 World Teachers Day on Monday in Ilorin. Daudu said, their membership of the NUT was “a marriage of inconvenience’’, hence the need to split out to better agitate and make…

Kwara United have unveiled Brazilian winger, Lucas Alves ahead of the forthcoming Nigerian Professional Football League. This was made known during an unveiling ceremony that took place on Monday morning, October 5, at the Kwara United office inside the Stadium Complex in Ilorin. Lucas Alves who last played for Seahorses LA expressed happiness joining the team and promised to give his best performance for Kwara United in the coming season. “I am happy joining Kwara United and I’m here to help the club achieve the goals and targets for the coming League season.” “The environment here is cool and thanks…

The Kwara State Government, on Thursday, said it would partner the Nigerian Navy to strengthen security in the state. Modupe Joel, the Deputy Governor’s spokesperson, in a statement, said the Governor, represented by his deputy, Kayode Alabi, stated this while receiving the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Training Command, Rear Admiral F.F. Ogu in Ilorin, the state capital. According to the statement, the deputy governor promised to partner with the Navy on innovative ways of boosting the security of lives and property in Kwara. For his part, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Training Command, Rear Admiral Frederick Ogu extended…

The Kwara state government, on Wednesday, told the state High Court sitting in Ilorin, that it will restrain from building any structure on the disputed Ile Arugbo pending the determination of the case at the court. However, Asa Investments Limited said there is no guarantee that the government would not tamper with the property in question. Asa Investments Limited had January this year secured an interim injunction restraining the state government from tampering with the property shortly after the state affected the demolition of the structure on the disputed land. Earlier, an Ilorin State High Court presided over by Justice…

The Ilorin zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested twenty-eight suspects and two lecturers of the Kwara State College of Health Technology, Offa – Abdulahi Opashola and Adebisi Ademola, over their alleged internet fraud. The suspects are – Kingsley Essien, Tobiloba Adenuga, Tope Ayodele, Rasheed Mujib, Oladipo Opeyemi, Saadu Muktar, Oladejo Hammed, Hammed Tope, Ameachi Umenyi, Salauden Adam and Afolabi Gafar. Others are – Oladimeji Timi, Remilekun Adeolu, Audu John, David Momodu, Abdulkareem Samad, Adebiyi Sodiq, Dawodu Olusoji Yusuf Amoo, Kehinde Olarenwaju, Philip Mike, Ademola Adebukola and Adeniyi Olamilekan, Adeyemi Adedeji, Ajayi Teslem, Olawale Oladayo,…

The Chairman of Sobi 101.9FM, Lukman Mustapha, on Sunday, hosted no fewer than 80 Kwara young entrepreneurs, professionals and innovators to a cocktail interactive session. The session, held at The Sydney in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, gave the budding entrepreneurs platform to closely engage with the business mogul and garner ideas from his experience as one of the top bankers in the country. Speaking after the event, the SOBI FM boss said the gathering was initially meant to create a platform for teaming youth to interact, network and get the needed push, but however ended up revealing the abundance…

A 35-year-old man, Akinola Babatunde, was on Monday remanded in prison custody by a Kwara State magistrates’ court sitting in Ilorin for alleged attack on Odo-Owa community in Oke-Ero council area of the state. Babatunde had been on the police wanted list for his alleged role in the attack on community, leading to the death of three persons. The suspect was alleged to have led some hoodlums to attack the community during the 2019 Egungun festival celebration. Babatunde was arraigned in court for criminal conspiracy, mischief, rioting, being armed with deadly weapons, and culpable homicide. Police said the suspect alongside…

The Kwara State Police Command recorded 23 rape cases between February and August, an official said on Saturday. The Kwara police spokesperson, Sp Ajayi Okasanmi, told newsmen in Ilorin on the sideline of a round-table meeting organised by the International Women Communication Centre (IWCC). Okasanmi said that the command is not handling cases of rape with levity. The police spokesman, who presented a paper on the role of security agencies in the prevention of Gender Based Violence (GBV), told newmen that the command was rated high in the country handling of sexual offences. He said, “I can tell you that…

The Katsina State Government has directed all tertiary institutions in the state not to reopen as part of safety measures to curtail further spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was made known by the Commissioner of Information AbdulKareem Sirika, while briefing newsmen of the latest development on the war against the pandemic in the state. Sirika said, “The institutions have students who would be returning form different part of the country with different COVID-19 status, so we allowing them to return to school may escalate the situation, so for us to be on a safer side, it is best they…

The Federal Government has scheduled a meeting with the representatives of Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, their affiliates, and other civil society organizations to look for a lasting solution to incessant industrial actions by workers. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige disclosed this in an interview with State House correspondents after a meeting he held with the President, Muhammad Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Ngige said the meeting which is slated to hold on Saturday is meant to disclose the true state of the financial account of the government to the labour leaders in order to…

At a semi-virtual cabinet meeting held Thursday evening, the State Executive Council approved the award of contract for the design and implementation of a new master plan and subsequent training of relevant government agencies and students in the state-owned schools to a world class firm Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants Ltd at the cost of N600m for a duration of 15 months. This is coming decades after the only master plan of the city was designed by the former military regime of the late Brigadier-General David Bamigboye. In a statement signed by the state commissioner for information, Harriet Afolabi-oshatimehin, the plan is necessitated…

The Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been named as the chairman of the National Project Steering and Deployment Committee (NPSDC). The committee’s mandate includes strengthening smallholder farmers’ capabilities towards productive land restoration amid COVID-19 in Nigeria. The committee work also includes building resilient communities and ensuring food security in the nation. The committee was set up as part of the national strategy to drive growth and accelerate the implementation of innovative projects to improve smallholder farmers’ capabilities in accordance with the National Development Plan of Nigeria. It would also ensure the application of a multi-sectoral approach for the deployment…

The Magaji Ngeri constituency’s All Progressive Congress has felicitated with a renowned Lawyer and chieftain of the party, Barr. Kunle Sulyman on the occasion of his 76th birthday. In a statement issued by two party stalwarts, Alhaji Kawu Fada and Engineer Laaro Uthman Hassan, they described the veteran politician as a selfless political figure whose lifestyle is worthy of emulation. The group described the astute politician as a father figure and a lawyer of high repute, who has the development of the state at heart. The statement reads in part, “For everyone close to him, It has always been pleasurable…

The wife of the Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Mrs Abieyuwa Alabi, has tested negative to the COVID-19 virus following repeated tests to confirm her status. Mrs Alabi contracted the virus after her husband, Kayode Alabi who is also the Chairman of the Kwara State Technical Committee on Coronavirus test positive to the virus about four weeks ago. The deputy governor had since tested negative to the virus last week. According to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor and spokesperson of the state COVID-19 technical committee, Rafiu Ajakaye, Mrs Alabi tested negative after a second test to ascertain her…

The Federal Government has approved the full reopening of schools and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps nationwide. THE INFORMANT247 had in March reported the closure of educational institutions across the country as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease. However, the Federal Government announced the resumption of exit class effective from August 4, 2020, to write the West African Senior School Certificate Examination from August 17, 2020, through September 12, 2020. While addressing the media at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, said…

The Kogi State Government, on Tuesday, announced that schools in the state will reopen on September 14. The State’s Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Mr. Wemi Jones, in a press conference said the resumption includes primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions in the state. According to Jones, the State Government arrived at the decision after a series of interactions with the relevant stakeholders in the educational sector. “Subsequently, upon the directive of the Federal Ministry of Education, exit classes were opened for Primary 6, JSS3 and SS3 in Kogi on August 10, to particularly allow the SS3 classes to prepare…

Osun State Government has announced September 21 as the resumption date for schools in the state. The Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode, disclosed this after the State Executive Council meeting on Monday. Egbemode also said stakeholders in the educational sector are expected to continue to put in place necessary protocols towards the reopening of schools according to the guidelines set by the Federal Ministry of Education. According to her, all schools in the state are set to resume in phases with effect from September 21 for an abridged third term of the 2019/2020 academic session. The…

A Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin, has sentenced a 400 level student of the University of Ilorin, Akinsanya Rilwan to 3 months community service over romance scam. In his judgement, the presiding judge, Justice Sikiru Oyinloye found the accused guilty based on exhibits and proof of evidence tendered before the court. The service requires him to clear the drainage at Bekind filing Station near Tipper Garage, Tanke up to the gate of the University of Ilorin for Three Months commencing from September 2, 2020. Ridwan got the jail term on Monday, August 31, 2020 after being arraigned on…

The Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun has made it known that resumption of students into the institution would be in batches. Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had on Saturday announced that tertiary institutions will be allowed to open from September 14th, 2020, while primary and secondary schools may be reopened on September 21. Fagbohun, while addressing questions during a radio programme on Eko 89.7 fm, explained that students in 400, 500 and 600 levels would resume before others. The VC also noted that students would be receiving lectures between 9am and 3pm on the university campus however…

Celebrities and stakeholders in the entertainment sector have faulted the Federal Government’s decision to shutdown cinemas. Rapper and actor, Folarin ‘Falz’ Falana said many celebrities have gone broke for several months due to the suspension of the industry. Falana, however, said thousands of people have been left to their fates without any financial and economic alternative for several months. In addition, Falz said, “Presently, the government is contributing almost nothing to it’s creative sector and it continues to attempt to stifle the sector in every way. The entertainment industry must be allowed to gradually get back in business! Let’s start…

The Minister of State for Transportation, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki, on Saturday, assured APM Terminals of the Federal Government’s dedication to make ports services in Nigeria meet international standards. The minister, made the disclosure while receiving the new head of APM, Klaus Laursen at a courtesy call in Abuja. The Minister of State while appreciating APM for the visit, called for harmonious working relationship between the government and terminal operators. She emphasized that economic growth and development of the terminal sector would only be possible if each party decides to work together. While appreciating the fact that every business man needs…

An All Progressive Congress cheiftain, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, on Saturday described Sheikh Abdulrahman Yusuf Maiyaki – the late Grand Khalifah of Tijjaniyah in Kwara State – as a giant who left a vacuum that is hard to fill in Ilorin. Mustapha, speaking at the 8th day Firdau prayers for the late Islamic scholar in Ilorin, said he will greatly miss the fatherly company and advices of the late Sheikh which the latter rendered freely and constantly to him. Meanwhile, Mustapha made a donation of several hundreds of copies of the glorious Qur’an to be distributed to mosques and Madrasa (Islamic…

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his dissatisfaction at what he described as the “terribly slow pace” of justice administration in the Nigerian courts. Buhari, on Wednesday, gave the charge that judicial system needs an urgent reform, recalling how his election petitions in previous years took longer time for it to be decided. He suggested that the judiciary should put a time limit of 12-month on the hearing of criminal cases from the high court to the Supreme Court, while all civil cases should be concluded within 15 months. Buhari who was represented by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo (SAN)…

Former Nasarawa United defender, Bashiru Olawale has expressed delight over his successful move from Lafia to Kwara United ahead of the 2020/21 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season. Though no specific date has been chosen yet for the resumption of the new NPFL season, most teams are leaving no stone unturned in preparation for the new season and have been busy in the transfer market. One of the teams that have shown great intent towards the new season is Kwara United, going by the quality additions they have made into the team in the transfer window. Bashiru, one of the…