By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Activities inside the Lagos State Broadcasting premises came to a standstill after staff of the radio and television stations shelved work to protest over the government decision to pay the workers N80,000 approved minimum wage.

The aggrieved staff involved in the three-day warning strike over the unpaid minimum wage were from the Lagos Television (LTV), Radio Lagos, Eko FM and Traffic FM.

Details later…

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The four airlines were selected out of the 11 companies that submitted applications to transport Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Muslim pilgrimage.

The Federal Government has approved four airlines as official air carriers for pilgrims of the 2025 Hajj.

A statement by the Executive Chairman, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Prof. Abdullahi Usman on Sunday, said the four airlines were selected out of the 11 companies that submitted applications to transport Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Muslim pilgrimage.

According to Usman, the four approved airlines are Air Peace Ltd., Fly-Nas, a Saudi Arabia-designated airline, Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Ltd.

He stated that the airlines were screened and shortlisted by a team of 32 members that were inaugurated by the NAHCON on Nov. 26, 2024.

Usman explained that the composition of the Aviation Screening Committee included representatives from State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, three members from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and one member each from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)

He also said that some members of the committee were drawn from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).

Similarly, Prof. Usman said that one member each was drawn from the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

Others, he listed, were NAHCON Board members representing each geo-political zone of the country, NAHCON Heads of Aviation, Procurement, Legal, Internal Audit, and Special Duties as well as Board Members representing the Aviation industry.

The NAHCON boss also disclosed that three excess cargo carriers were selected for the hajj operations.

He named them to include; Aglow Aviation Support Services Ltd, Cargozeal Technology Ltd and Qualla Investment Ltd.,

He congratulated the successful companies and urged them to fulfil their responsibilities as promised during the screening.

Meanwhile, Prof. Usman signed the 2025 Hajj Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on behalf of the Nigerian Government.

The signing ceremony held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to formalise this year’s Hajj engagements, saw the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represented by the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Abdulfatah Masahat.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

According to the police command in the state, the blast affected a newly completed building that had not yet been occupied.

The Imo State Police Command has confirmed an explosion that occurred last Sunday in Umuneke Community, Mbieri, within the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.

Speaking to Channels Television in a phone interview, the command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye, stated that although there were no casualties, an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the explosion.

According to him, the blast affected a newly completed building that had not yet been occupied.

Okoye further disclosed that the Deputy Commissioner of Police, along with the command’s Anti-Bomb Squad, had visited the scene to ensure the area was cleared of any remaining explosives.

He reassured the community that the command was committed to uncovering the root cause of the incident and bringing any responsible parties to justice. Residents were also urged to go about their lawful activities without fear, as the police are working diligently to maintain security.

Meanwhile, local villagers reported that the affected building had recently been completed by a couple who planned to move in by February. They recounted hearing a loud explosion in the middle of the night, and upon venturing out hours later, discovered that the house had been reduced to rubble.