Tony Kanu's blog

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, has assured Nigerians that the ongoing reconstruction of the Ajebandele-Sagamu section of the Benin-Ore-Ofosu highway would soon be completed. Fashola stated this during the construction and asphalt underlay of the dual carriageway, Phase IV. He said the contract, which was awarded by the President Jonathan administration in 2014 was abandoned due to lack of fund. He said since President Buhari’s administration came on board, with the intervention of Sukuk fund in 2017, the progress of work has improved significantly towards the October 2018 completion date. The Minister, who was represented by the South West Director, Federal Highway, Engr. Emmanuel Adeoye, confirmed that about 17.3km has been completed from the 98.1km, representing 15.92 per cent of the job. He said about N18b has been released to the contractor from the N71,648,176,867.38 budgeted for the project, pointing out that the Federal Governm

Senior lawyers have expressed reservations on the new bill passed by the Senate on hate speech. The bill, if eventually assented to by President Buhari, stipulates that any person found guilty of any form of hate speech resulting in the death of another person shall die by hanging upon conviction. The bill also proposed a jail term not less than five years or a fine of not less than N10 million, or both for harassment on ethnic grounds or racial contempt. Some lawyers, including Chief Sebastine Hon and Kayode Ajulo, expressed concerns over what they described as extreme punishment for offenders. Hon contended that capital punishment is highhanded. He observed that in line with the provisions of the penal and criminal codes of other countries, death penalty, as proposed by the National Assembly, should be opposed by all Nigerians. He said: “I do not, with respect, support the anti-hate speech Bill recently passed by the National Assembly, especially the punishment proposed

Nigeria Info 99.3 has become the first FM station to introduce Visual Radio to the country’s broadcast landscape. Visual Radio is meant to afford listeners the opportunity to watch their favourite local FM radio presenters in action on computers and mobile devices. It’s a new dimension in radio broadcasting with interactive content and services for mobile radio listeners. With this new development, listeners can enjoy engaging and exciting contents, visuals, information and entertainment. They can also participate in the radio station’s promotions, polls, contests, and interact with the show hosts and their special guests. According to the radio network’s CEO, Serge Noujaim: “We now live in an instant and content-hungry world. Modern radio must compete with multiple attention-grabbing sources, to engage, maintain and grow audiences. This must not be at the expense of making great radio. It should be an addition to it. And we are proud to be the first in Nigeria to do so.”

The United States (US) Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, would visit Nigeria and four other African countries from March 6 to 13. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), spokesperson for the department, Ms. Heather Nauert, said Tillerson would also travel to Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Chad. During his visit to Abuja, Tillerson is expected to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and other top government functionaries. Nauert said: “On his first official trip to Africa, Tillerson will travel to N’Djamena (Chad); Djibouti (Djibouti); Addis Ababa (Ethiopia); Nairobi (Kenya) and Abuja (Nigeria), March 6 to 13. “Secretary Tillerson will meet with leadership in each country, as well as the leadership of the African Union Commission (AU), based in Addis Ababa. “This is to further our partnerships with the governments and people of Africa. “In particular, he plans to discuss ways we can work with our partners to counter terrorism, advance peace and security, promote

Hoodlums today invaded the venue of the empowerment programme, organised by Senator Ahmed Ogembe for women in Okene, Kogi state. The Afims Hotel venue was already filled up by guests , party members and the would-be-beneficiaries of the empowerment programme, when the hoodlums came calling, wielding dangerous weapons, attacking people and disrupting the seating arrangement for the event. The few security men at the hotel were said to have been overwhelmed by the thugs, who scattered tables and chairs and triggered a bedlam. The thugs said to be armed with dangerous weapons searched frantically for Ogembe who is representing Kogi Central Senatorial district but could not lay hands on him. Ogembe of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) was said to be a few meters away from the hotel when the thugs came. However, many guests, some political associates of Ogembe and beneficiaries of the empowerment programme were injured during the bedlam. Ogembe who later showed up at the ve

"Black Panther" will easily win the Oscar weekend box office again with an estimated third weekend total of $63 million. The Marvel movie added $16.3 million on its third Friday, pushing its domestic total past the $450 million mark. With this result, "Black Panther" has now passed the $448 million domestic haul for "The Dark Knight Rises," and today it will pass the $459 million made in North America by "Avengers: Age of Ultron" to become the third highest grossing superhero movie in domestic box office history. The record is held by "The Avengers" with $623 million, a total "Black Panther" is currently on pace to reach as it could pass the half-billion mark by the end of the weekend. In second place is 20th Century Fox/Chernin Entertainment's "Red Sparrow," which is currently on pace to fall short of tracker projections with a $15-17 million opening from 3,056 screens, with pre-weekend expectations set arou

Two Colombian police officers were killed Saturday when criminals bombed their car, then hurled grenades and strafed it with gunfire, local authorities said. The officers were near the town of Caldono, in southwestern Colombia, when their vehicle was "attacked with an explosive," the police said in a statement. Officers Jorge Andres Quintero, 31, and Jhoan Sebastian Rodriguez, 25, were on their way to pick up a man detained at a nearby police station. The statement added that guerrillas formerly with the FARC rebel group are active in the area, but did not directly assign blame. Cauca police commander Colonel Edgar Orlando Rodriguez said at a press conference said that after the bombing the car was hit by "rifles bursts and fragmentation grenades." President Juan Manuel Santos condemned the "cowardly murder" of the officers on Twitter, and vowed that "those responsible will pay." The 2016 peace deal between the Santos government and FARC

Rap luminaries offered their prayers to their colleague Rick Ross on Friday, after the rapper was reportedly hospitalized on Thursday. " I BELIEVE in the Power of Prayer Sending Prayers up for Rick Ross," wrote Missy Elliott. "These Things Happen" rapper G-Eazy:had a similar message on Friday, tweeting, "Prayers for rick ross." "God bless my brother Rick Ross," tweeted rapper/actor Fat Joe. "I'm praying to the highest level love you bro." Three 6 Mafia founding member Juicy J offered, "Prayers up for Rick Ross." Ross was reportedly hospitalized after a health scare at his Miami home Thursday morning. According to a police report published by The Blast, someone at Ross' home called 911 reporting a person at the residence as "unresponsive," "breathing heavy" and "slobbing out the mouth. Citing sources, TMZ reported Friday that Ross has been placed on "something called ECMO,&

Former Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo KANU, has raised an alarm that he is on the verge of losing his prized asset, Hardly Apartment, a hotel situated in Lagos to the Assets Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, under unclear circumstance. Papilo, as the former Arsenal of London and Inter Milan of Italy striker said his heart bleeds over the ordeal he is currently passing through since November 2015 when Hardley Apartment was put under the management of AMCON following an alleged indebtedness which he said is now a subject of litigation. Kanu said that the case is still ongoing in a Federal High Court, Lagos, and is billed for hearing next month. “It is now common knowledge that Hardley Apartment, which is a going concern in the hospitality industry was put under the temporary possession of AMCON since November 2015 by an exparte order of court on account of a purported indebtedness but which remains unproven till date,” KANU said in a statement which he personally signed and m

The Nigerian Army has disbursed N19 million to 95 widows of fallen heroes residing in Abakpa and Awkunanaw Barracks in Enugu State to ameliorate the hardship being faced by the women. Maj.- Gen. Adamu Abubakar, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division of the Nigerian Army said this in a statement issued by Col. Sagir Musa, Deputy Director of Army Public Relations of the Division on Saturday in Enugu. Musa, who explained that each of the widows received N200, 000, said that the money was presented to the widows at the division’s auditorium in Enugu on Friday. He said that Abubakar, on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, urged the beneficiaries to make use of the money judiciously. Musa also said that the GOC thanked Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his continuous support to the widows and the Division. NAN recalls that Ugwuanyi had during the 2018 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration pledged to empower the widows of fallen heroes of the Division