In Oyo State, at least 30 children lost their lives, with many injured, in a stampede that occurred during a children’s funfair in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Wednesday.
According to reports, the children’s funfair was organised by the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, Queen Naomi Ogunwusi, who planned to host 5,000 children at the Islamic High School, Bashorun. The event promised exciting prizes, scholarships, and other bountiful gifts before the tragedy struck.
The governor of the state, Seyi Makinde, has issued a statement saying that the organisers of the event have been taken into custody, and investigations into the incident have been initiated.
He also stated that measures have been put in place to prevent further deaths at the venue, including deploying security agents to restore order.
In Abia State, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) shut down 150 shops in Eziukwu Market, Aba.
The agency, in a post on X, stated that it uncovered a large-scale network involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit and expired goods, including beverages, wines, spirits, and revalidated food products like noodles and powdered milk.
The counterfeit items destroyed, according to the agency, were valued at ₦5 billion.
On Wednesday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented the 2025 Appropriation Bill of ₦49.7 trillion to a joint session of the 10th National Assembly in Abuja.
While concluding his presentation, the president mistakenly addressed the joint session as the 11th National Assembly. A lawmaker immediately corrected him following an uproar from the members.
Reacting to the lawmakers, President Tinubu said the error implies that members of the 10th Assembly had all been re-elected.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, during the budget presentation, praised President Tinubu’s administration for its achievements, claiming Abuja, the nation’s capital, now looks like London.
After the budget presentation in Abuja, President Tinubu arrived in Lagos to celebrate the Christmas holiday.
The president’s plane touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, where he was received by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, members of his cabinet, and a crowd of supporters.
Before boarding a helicopter to Dodan Barracks in Ikoyi, he spotted veteran actor Papa Ajasco and shook hands with him, amusing many onlookers.
President Tinubu’s arrival caused increased traffic congestion in the city, particularly along major routes where his convoy passed.
Several posts on social media highlighted the difficulties commuters faced due to road closures and heightened security measures.
In China, the country has executed a former official from Inner Mongolia, Li Jianping, for embezzling approximately 3 billion yuan ($412 million).
Li, who served as the party chief of an economic development zone in Hohhot city, was convicted of bribery, embezzlement, and collusion with criminal syndicates.
The execution underscores President Xi Jinping’s intensified anti-corruption campaign within the Communist Party, aimed at eliminating deep-seated graft among officials.
In Nigeria, former Oyo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adebayo, expressed concerns over Governor Ademola Adeleke’s recent pardon of a young man sentenced to death for stealing a fowl.
Adebayo criticized the move as an “unconstitutional intervention” and cautioned against actions that could compromise judicial independence and endanger judges. He, however, acknowledged the governor’s constitutional authority to grant pardons.
Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted that the country was nearing the completion of its cancer vaccine, bringing hope to those with a genetic predisposition to the disease.
Cancer is considered one of the most dangerous diseases worldwide. The mere mention of the disease often causes emotional and financial devastation for families due to the high cost of treatment and the lack of a definitive cure.
In a major breakthrough, Russia announced the development of a cancer vaccine, with plans to provide it free of charge to its citizens as early as 2025.
The General Director of the Radiology Medical Research Center under the Ministry of Health, Andrey Kaprin, shared the news during a broadcast on Russian radio. He stated that the vaccine is aimed at treating cancer patients rather than preventing the disease.
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