Headlines
Italians Celebrate Wide over Winning Euro 2020 Title
Italians wildly celebrated the Euro 2020 title of their national team who will be received by Prime Minister Mario Draghi later on Monday.
Thousands took to the streets across the country after Italy beat England 3-2 on penalty kicks to win the trophy at Wembley late Sunday for their second continental title.
Flares were lit in celebration and people were singing and dancing after goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had saved the final kick.
Many fans had gathered in front of the Colosseum and at the Piazza del Populo in Rome to watch the game on big screens.
A government statement said that Draghi wanted to to thank the team, coach Roberto Mancini and his staff.
It said the team had shown “an extraordinary game and a special team spirit in addition to great individuality.”
The Italian team which are now undefeated in 34 matches were to return home from London during the night.
(NAN)
The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), on Friday, disclosed that the recently re-streamed Warri refinery has been shut down for routine maintenance, and would be back soon.
The company, through a statement by its Chief Communications Officer, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, clarified that there was no explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), describing any report suggesting otherwise as “completely false”.
Soneye said: “On January 25, 2025, operations at WRPC Area 1 were intentionally curtailed to carry out necessary intervention works on select equipment, including field instruments that were impacting sustainable and steady operations.
“These intervention works are essential to ensure the production of on-specification finished and intermediate products, particularly Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Kerosene (Kero).
“The routine maintenance is progressing as planned, and Area 1 will be back in operation within the next few days. Despite ongoing interventions, over the past 11 days, AGO loading has been maintained at an average of eight trucks per day, with a sufficient supply available to sustain ongoing truck load-out operations.
“NNPC Ltd remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted product supply and appreciates the patience and cooperation of all stakeholders as it completes these essential maintenance activities”.
The 125,000 barrels per day refinery was re-steamed just before the new year after over 10 years in comatose with NNPC saying it was operating at 60 percent capacity.
The Federal Executive Council, in August 2021, approved the contract for the rehabilitation of the Warri and Kaduna refineries at the sum of $1.48 billion.
The House of Representatives Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution has proposed the creation of 31 additional states in the country.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who presided over plenary on Thursday read a letter from the committee containing the proposed states.
If approved, this will increase the number of states in Nigeria to 67.
The letter read: “This is to inform members that the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), has received legislative proposals for the creation of states and local governments in the following order:
NORTH CENTRAL
1. BENUE ALA STATE from the present Benue State.
2. OKUN STATE from the present Kogi State
3. OKURA STATE from the present Kogi State
4. CONFLUENCE STATE from the present Kogi State
5. APA-AGBA STATE from Benue South Senatorial District
6. APA STATE from the present Benue State.
7. A 37th state, namely FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA
NORTH EAST
8. AMANA STATE from the present Adamawa State.
9. KATAGUM STATE from the present Bauchi State.
10. SAVANNAH STATE from the present Borno State.
11. MURI STATE from the present Taraba State.
NORTH WEST
12. NEW KADUNA STATE and GURARA STATE from the present Kaduna State.
13. TIGA STATE from the present Kano State.
14. KAINJI STATE from the present Kebbi State.
15. GHARI STATE from the present Kano State
SOUTH EAST
16. ETITI STATE as the sixth (6th) state in the South East geopolitical zone.
17. ADADA STATE from the present Enugu State of Nigeria.
18. URASHI STATE as the sixth (6th) state in the South East geopolitical zone.
19. ORLU STATE from the South Eastern Region of Nigeria.
20. ABA STATE from the South Eastern Region of Nigeria.
SOUTH SOUTH
21. OGOJA STATE from the present Cross River State.
22. WARRI STATE from the present Delta State.
23. BORI STATE from the present Rivers State
24. OBOLO STATE from the present Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.
SOUTH WEST
25. TORU-EBE STATE from the present Delta, Edo, and Ondo States.
26. IBADAN STATE from the present Oyo State.
27. LAGOON STATE from the present Lagos State.
28. IJEBU STATE from the present Ogun State.
29. LAGOON STATE from the present Lagos State and Ogun State
30. IBADAN STATE from the present Oyo State.
31. OKE-OGUN and IFE-IJESHA STATES from the Present-day Ogun, Oyo, and Osun states.
The request for states’ creation can only materialise if at least “the third majority of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives (National Assembly) and the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and the Local Government Council in respect of the area is received by the National Assembly.”
In what seems a sweeping overhaul aimed at strengthening governance and academic excellence, President Bola Tinubu has announced significant leadership changes at several federal universities across the country.
The changes, effective immediately, are part of a broader effort to revitalise Nigeria’s higher education sector.
The changes were conveyed through a statement on Thursday by presidential spokesman, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.
At the University of Abuja, now renamed Yakubu Gowon University, Tinubu dissolved the entire governing council and sacked Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi from office as Vice Chancellor.
In her place, Professor Lar Patricia Manko has been appointed acting Vice-Chancellor for a six-month term. However, Manko will not be eligible to apply for the permanent Vice Chancellor position once it becomes available.
Senator Lanre Tejuoso, currently the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, has been appointed Pro-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University.
Senator Tejuoso’s appointment follows the resignation of the entire governing council, marking a significant shift in leadership.
Senator Joy Emordi, previously Pro-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, will now assume the same role at Alvan Ikoku University of Education.
Further leadership adjustments were made at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), where Tinubu removed Professor Polycarp Emeka Chigbu from his position as acting Vice-Chancellor.
Chigbu was due to finish his term on February 14, 2025.
Professor Oguejiofu T. Ujam has been appointed as acting Vice-Chancellor at UNN for a six-month period, with the understanding that he will not be eligible for the permanent position.
The shake-up at UNN extends to the Pro-Chancellor role, with General Ike Nwachukwu re-assigned to the University of Uyo.
Engineer Olubunmi Kayode Ojo, previously Pro-Chancellor at both the Federal University of Lokoja and the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, has now been appointed Pro-Chancellor of UNN.
At the Federal University of Lokoja, Professor Zubairu Tajo Abdullahi, formerly Pro-Chancellor of the University of Uyo, will take over from Ojo.
Senator Sani Stores, a council member at UNN, has been named Pro-Chancellor of Alvan Ikoku University of Education, succeeding Senator Emordi.
In another notable appointment, Barrister Olugbenga Kukoyi, a council member at UNN, has been named the new Pro-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State.
