Mile 2-Apapa expressway: Hold LASTMA, Police, others accountable — Truck drivers.   TANKERS and trucks for about a week running have blocked the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway from Second Rainbow bus stop to Tin Port following the inability of the joint task force on Apapa-Oshodi traffic gridlock, comprising Nigeria Police Force, Lagos Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA; and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, to manage the traffic situation. The drivers claimed that they have paid all the agencies concerned but the development has led to a total collapse of business activities along the stretch of the road. Vanguard observed that the joint task force had completely failed to curb the excesses of the tanker drivers for over one week running as the chaotic traffic situation worsened. The situation came to a height, yesterday, as motorists and other road users spent several hours on one spot due to the double parking and unruly driving by the driver...

Pyongyang’s Kim praises Putin, says Russia will win Ukraine war..  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un predicted a Russian victory in Moscow’s war against Ukraine, during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I am deeply convinced that the heroic Russian army and people will brilliantly adopt the tradition of victory and demonstrate their honour and glory on the special military operation fronts,’’ Kim said. This is according to the Interfax news agency on Wednesday. Moscow calls its full-scale invasion against Ukraine a special military operation. Details about possible arms deliveries from North Korea to Russia were not disclosed. Kim also said this would enable Russia to build a strong state. Russia is facing growing problems in its war, grappling with a Ukrainian counteroffensive. While Moscow still controls around 20 per cent of its neighbour including Crimea, illegally annexed in 2014, it has increasing problems supplying troops with weapons and ammuniti...

‘Imole finally at peace’, Mohbad’s management speaks on his death.  The management of late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as MohBad has released an official statement confirming his death. The management of late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as MohBad on Tuesday released an official statement confirming the death of the talented singer. Recall Vanguard reported that the singer died today at the age of 27 years. In the statement posted on both his Instagram and X handles said ” It is with great sadness that we confirm the passing of Promise Oladimeji Aloba PK/A Mohbad (Imole) today, the 12th of September, 2023. “Mohbad was light until the very end, and as we mourn the loss of the brightness he carried, the family thanks you for your love and prayers, and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time. #Aina Stephen 

ICPC, EFCC urged to investigate ‘controversial verdicts’ of election petition tribunals.  ABUJA – Citizens United for Democracy in Nigeria, a pro-good governance organization, has called upon the National Judicial Council (NJC) and other anti-corruption bodies to take immediate action and investigate what they allege to be corrupt verdicts by various election petition tribunals in the country. The group made the call in response to the recent judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal regarding the keenly contested National Assembly election in Plateau State. The legislative election, which took place on the 25th of February, 2023, has been the subject of significant controversy. The Tribunal’s verdict, which the group described as unjust and tainted by grave levels of corruption, is seen as a major setback for transparency, justice, and democracy in Nigeria. During a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Felix Ngutswen, National Coordinator of Citizens United for Democ...

$600m trapped funds: Tinubu directs CBN to meet foreign airlines.  President Bola Tinubu yesterday, directed the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to create a platform for quarterly reconciliatory meetings with foreign airlines to address the backlog of trapped funds in excess of $600 million. This came as leading aircraft manufacturer, Airbus Industrie, on the sidelines of the summit, predicted that Nigeria’s domestic air traffic was set to increase by five per cent annually for the next two decades. This is even as the International Air Transport Association, IATA, criticized Nigeria over multiple charges imposed on airlines operating in the country. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who disclosed news of the reconciliatory meeting yesterday at the ongoing African Aviation Summit in Abuja, noted that the development was one of the reasons President Tinubu travelled to the United Arab Emirates, UAE. He also unveiled three roadmap projects, whic...

One hundred days after Buhari.  Throughout these eight years, no bribery allegations against Muhammadu Buhari were ever made. One of the greatest achievements of the Buhari government has been that it has diversified the economy. The administration achieved self-sufficiency in rice and financed millions of small farmers in 23 different commodities, an effort that helped boost the export of agricultural commodities.  THIS week, President Muhammadu Buhari clocked 100 days away from office after completing two terms of four years each as President of Nigeria. He chose to stay in Daura to be far away from Abuja in order not to distract the new APC administration and in the hope that the distance would also make it possible for him to have a good rest and to care for his farm, which had not received as much attention as it needed while he was away. He goes to the farm four days a week and is upbeat about how well the crops and his animals are now doing. He gets a good m...