THE GOLDEN TIMES

  A member of the House of Representatives, Abdullahi Salame Friday midnight, braved up to kill one of gunmen, who attacked his Bado area residence of Sokoto around 3am. According to Salame, who represents Gwadabawa/Illela federal constituency, he killed one of the assailants. “I was attacked in my house in Sokoto by armed robbers. But by Allah’s powers, I was able to shoot and kill one, and injured some”, he said. Confirming the incident, and the Sokoto State Police Command said the robbery attempt was thwarted by the swift response of the joint metropolitan Police Patrol. The spokesperson, ASP Muhammad Sadiq said that the command had commenced investigation. “The command also calls for calm and enjoins residents of Sokoto to promptly tender any useful information that could speed up the arrest of the perpetrators or help the ongoing investigation”, he said.

FIFA has cleared eight new players for the Super Eagles. Fulham’s forward Ademola Lookman is on top of the list. Others on the list include: * Jordan Torunarigha Hertha BSC * Nathan Tella Southampton FC * Tosin Adarabioyo Fulham FC * Ovie Ejaria Reading FC * Noni Madueke PSV * Sheyi Ojo Cardiff City * Ike Ugbo Cercle Brugge.

Death has been announced of the pioneer Grand Khadi of Kwara State and the Sarkin Malamai Ilorin; Hon Justice AbdulKadir Orire (rtd). He died this evening while Janazah prayers will be held tomorrow morning, in shaa Allah. * * May Allah accept his return and grant him eternal rest in Jannatul Firdaos, Amin. *

  President Muhammadu Buhari has accepted the immediate resignation of the Service Chiefs, and their retirement from service. Those involved are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar. President Buhari thanks the outgoing Service Chiefs for what he calls their “overwhelming achievements in our efforts at bringing enduring peace to our dear country,” wishing them well in their future endeavours. The new Service Chiefs are: Major-General Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao, Chief of Air Staff. The President congratulates the new Service Chiefs, and urges them to be loyal and dedicated in the discharge of their responsibilities. Femi Adesina Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) Janua...

O peratives of the Oyo State chapter of the Western Nigeria Security Network, more commonly known as Amotekun, have intercepted a truck loaded with gunmen suspected to be herdsmen heading to Igangan community in the recently troubled Ibarapa area of the state.   The truck, with registration number TUR30ZY, is registered with Kebbi State and the Amotekun officials found 25 guns and 10 dogs in the truck alongside the suspects. The Golden Times was told that the suspects had been handed over to the police authorities in Ido for more profiling. “The Oyo State Amotekun, Ido unit led by Gbenga Olanrewaju made the arrest. They are suspected herdsmen in possession of about 25 dane guns and 10 dogs. They have been handed over to the police for further interrogation,” an official said. There has been unrest in Igangan in Ibarapa recently due to worsening insecurity - kidnappings and killings.  This escalated when a pan-Oduduwa nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, more popularly k...

  In a strange story, Mohammed Ahmadu, a notorious kidnapper was kidnapped by another gang of kidnappers he had gone to do business with. Mohammed Ahmadu, otherwise known as ‘Confirm,’ is a notorious kidnapper who had been terrorising travellers on the Abuja-Kaduna and Abuja-Lokoja highways. He has been abducting people for ransom until he recently got a taste of his own medicine when he was kidnapped and forced to pay N1.5 million in ransom by one Umar, leader of another kidnap gang, to regain his freedom. This became known when the kidnapped kidnapper and his abductors were both arrested by the Special Tactical Squad (STS) of the Inspector-General of Police. Following his arrest, Ahmadu, told journalists when he was paraded alongside other suspects by the Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba, in Abuja, that he was kidnapped when he visited another kidnap gang to sell ammunition to them. “I had been involved in more kidnap operations than I can remember,” Ahmadu said. One ...

  Finally, the end is here for Donald J. Trump. After weeks of stonewalling, Trump has quit office in a blaze of ingloriousness. Trump has been in desperate shape since he lost his reelection bid last November,  but that desperation gets more ominous as Trump limps out of the White House, lonely and naked, into a cold hostile world at noon on Wednesday, January 20. For one, Trump has been undergoing a series of political, financial, and legal setbacks long before the cataclysm that came with November 6. His business empire has been crashing as scared and bewildered partners who barely tolerated Trump’s toxic ways, have been in flight long before his political dreams blew in his face. Now that the legal impunity which shrouded Trump since 2016 is gone, the floodgate will now be open for prosecutors to begin to knock on his door. Trump’s desperation since he lost his reelection bid is understandable. Last May, then candidate Joe Biden had pledged that, if elected president, he w...

  Kwara State Government has received a total inflow of N3,576,113,211:84 (net) as federal allocation for the month of January, a statement has said.   The allocation comprises  statutory revenue allocation SRA (Gross) of N2,255,681,423:03; deductions (loans) of  N311,433,452:27; Value Added Tax (VAT) of N1,573,032,994:62; Exchange Gain Difference of N21,194,766:68; and Forex Equalization fund of N37,637,479.78.    The figure is higher by N171,429,665:67 when compared with last month, while N776,799:59 was deducted at source in Abuja from State fund as the first tranche of 12 for payment of FAAC Disbursement Software, the statement added.    The statement said the 16 local government areas also received a total sum of N2,310,296,927:17 (net) as federal allocation for the month of January.   The figures comprise SRA (Gross) 1,487,774,799:00; Deductions N106,965,494:08; SRA (Net) N1,380,809,304:92; VAT 890,683,767:79; Exchange Gain Difference N...

As the University of Ilorin begins its phased physical resumption of academic activities this Monday (January 25, 2021), the management has announced the reopening of hostels for on-campus students. According to the four-phased resumption schedule, students with outstanding 1st Semester examinations are expected to resume on January 25, 2021 for the completion of their outstanding examinations. Final year and postgraduate students are expected to come into campus on Monday, February 1, 2021 while 100 level students will resume on February 15, 2021. And on March 1, 2021, all other students are expected to come into campus. The Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. L.T. Ajibade, in a chat with Unilorin Bulletin last Wednesday (January 20, 2021), said that adequate arrangements have been made to reopen the hostels beginning from Sunday, January 24, 2021 for “hostelites” and assured them of good times. It would be recalled that the Student Affairs Unit had earlier released guidelines for all host...

  On January 8, social media platform, Twitter, in an unprecedented move suspended the United States former President Donald Trump’s account, @realDonaldTrump, for tweets it deemed offensive. The decision shocked the world and silenced the garrulous leader notorious for his controversial and often misleading tweets. The firm hinted that the Republican leader was using its platform to spread lies and incite violence. This was a big blow to Trump’s ego and a chokehold on his social media voice followed by some 88.7 million people. The President was also suspended from Facebook and Instagram. The company said the suspension would be reviewed after the transition of power to Joe Biden on January 20. The social network had originally imposed a 24-hour ban after the attack on the US Capitol by Trump loyalists in which five persons died. But before Twitter wielded the big stick, Trump had used the platform to disparage the November presidential election, which he claimed to have...

 The Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) on Friday confirmed the sack of 65 primary school teachers. They were allegedly recruited illegally in Sanga Local Government Area of the state. SUBEB’s Auditor, Mr Tandat Katuma, who served as the secretary of the investigation committee confirmed the development to Newsmen in Kaduna. The council Chairman, Mr Charles Danladi, had on Wednesday announced the sack of the teachers to journalists in Gwantu, the Council headquarters. Danladi alleged that the anomaly was detected through the over-bloated wage bill of the teachers, which kept increasing every month without new employment. To this effect, an alarm was raised. He said Danladi raised the alarm during the state’s Joint Account Committee Meeting, being chaired by the Deputy Governor and that SUBEB was asked to investigate the allegation.

  The Federal Government on Tuesday said about 24.3 million poor Nigerians would get N5,000 each for a period of six months. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, disclosed this at the inauguration of the Federal Government’s emergency intervention database for the urban poor. A statement issued in Abuja by her aide, Nneka Anibeze, said the intervention would serve as cushion for those further impoverished by the COVID-19 pandemic. The statement read in part, “According to records, about 24.3 million poor and vulnerable individuals were identified at the end of 2020 and registered into the National Social Register. “Each beneficiary will receive N5,000 for a period of six months.” Farouq said the intervention database was needed to develop the capacity for rapid response to any emergency including natural or man-made disasters. The minister said the Rapid Response Register was designed to rapidly identify, register and provide ...

 Congresswoman Marjorie Greene has filed an Article of Impeachment for Joe Biden After one day under a new administration, a Georgia Republican congresswoman has filed the article of impeachment against President Biden on "abuse of power."

  No fewer than 127 soldiers have exited the Nigerian Army following a formal approval by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.  Their resignation came a few days after Buratai told recruits undergoing training in Falgore forest camp in Kano that they would be deployed to Sambisa forest. A top military officer confirmed the development to The Golden Times. Also, a memo signed by Brig. Gen. T.A Gagariga directed all the 127 soldiers to submit all military properties in their possession. The exiting soldiers, according to the memo, cut across various formations of the Nigerian Army across the country. The list of resigning soldiers did not distinguish between those embarking on voluntary retirement and those leaving the army on medical grounds. The personnel consist of 1 Master Warrant Officer, 3 Warrant Officers, 22 Staff Sergeants, 29 Sergeants, 64 Corporals, 7 Lance Corporals and 1 Private, who will finally be disengaged in May. The memo read, “In compliance with t...

  Former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Gambo Jimeta is dead. A younger brother of the deceased former police chief, Abdulrahman Adamu, confirmed Jimeta’s death to The Golden Times. Adamu, a former minister of interior, said Jimeta’s funeral will take place on Friday after the Friday prayers at the National Mosque, Abuja. Born on April 15, 1937, Jimeta was appointed IGP in 1986 to succeed Etim Inyang and was succeeded by Aliyu Attah in 1990. He was also a National Security Adviser to former head of state, Ibrahim Babangida.

 The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) on Wednesday shared to the three tiers of government N619.343 billion as Federation allocation for December, 2020.

  SEARCH   The Federal Government has extended the deadline for Nigerians to register and link their National Identification Number (NIN) to their SIM cards before February 9, 2021. The Golden Times  gathered that This information was posted on the official Twitter handle of the NIMC. The NIMC had initially given a January 19 deadline for those with NIN and February 9 for those without NIN. The tweet reads: “All Nigerians and legal residents are advised to enroll for their national identification number (NIN) and link them before February 9th, 2021. Enroll for your national identification NUMBER (NIN) today!!! “Please remember, NIN enrollment is FREE.” Earlier on Tuesday, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) released a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde. Adinde said at the end of a review meeting on January 18, 2021, the Technical Implementation Committee reported significant progress in the ongoing NIN-SIM linkage exercise. A...