Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has appealed to the Federal Government to deploy decisive strategies that would ensure that Marte town does not fall to Boko Haram insurgents.
Zulum made the plea while speaking to journalists on Sunday, emphasising that his visit to Marte was to foster community cooperation, resilience and continuous support to the security agencies.
“Marte was resettled about 4 years ago, but unfortunately, over the last three days, it was ransacked and was displaced again”, he said.
According to the Governor, about 20,000 people left Marte for Dikwa, noting that the huge number was a threat, as allowing them to stay in the camp may make most of the younger ones become vulnerable to recruitment by the insurgents.
“Alhamdulillah, we returned to Marte yesterday and spent the night with the support of the Nigerian Army and our volunteers.
“The community is now resettled for the second time. Still, my prayers to the federal government of Nigeria and the Nigerian Army are that we do everything possible to keep this town on the ground.
“Hitherto, Marte Local Government comprises over 300 towns and villages, now we have only one standing, if we cannot maintain this one, then we will lose the whole Local Government to the insurgents, which will be very obnoxious, and I think we will not allow this to happen. “Therefore, I am calling on the federal government and the Nigerian Army so that we can put heads together and hold our ground for this single town in this LGA to remain” Zulum said.
The governor reiterated his commitment to supporting security agencies in attaining lasting peace in Borno State.
Oba Joseph Olugbenga Oluwafunminiyi Oloyede Latimogun I is the traditional ruler of Ipetumodu, a town in Osun state, in the southwestern area of Nigeria. The town is the headquarters of the Ife North local government area. The king’s title is Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, which translates “one who killed an antelope for sacrificial purposes for Odu”.
Oloyede, the 27th king and traditional ruler of Ipetumodu ascended the throne in November 2019 after his appointment was approved by the Osun state government in October of same year. This followed the demise of the Oba James Adedokun Adegoke. Adegoke’s demise was in November 2017.
The late Apetumodu, Oba Adedokun Adegoke
How old is Joseph Oloyede?
While we cannot authoritatively confirm the date of birth of Joseph Oloyede, we gathered he was born either in 1962 or 1963. The king is currently 62 years old.
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Tribe and state of origin
Oba Oloyede holds an American citizenship. In Nigeria, he is from Ipetumodu, a town in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun state.
He is of the Yoruba tribe.
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Parents
Father: Peter Olalekan Oloyede; he hails from the Latimogun Compound of Ipetumodu
Mother: Florence Aderiyike Oloyede (née Akinleye); she hails from the Jagun Alagbe Compound of Ipetumodu
Grandfather: James Odeyemi Oloyede
Grandmother: Eunice Oloyede
Family: Wife and children
Oba Joseph Oloyede is married to Olori Tejumade Adetola Oloyede.
Olori Tejumade Adetola Oloyede
Education
Joseph Oloyede attended primary school Christ Church II and C & S Modern Commercial Secondary School for his elementary and secondary education in Ipetumodu. He had his first tertiary education at The Polytechnic Ibadan (TPI) where he obtained a National Diploma in Accountancy.
He would later further his education to obtain a Master of Business Administration (MBA, Banking & Finance) from Enugu State University of Science and Technology and another MBA in International Business Management from the University of Sarasota, Florida. He later completed a Doctorate in Business Administration at Argosy University, Florida.
Summary of Joseph Oloyede’s education
Primary school – Christ Church School II, Ipetumodu
Secondary school – Cherubim and Seraphim Modern Commercial Secondary School and Catholic Technical College, Ile-Ife
National Diploma in Accountancy – The Polytechnic, Ibadan
MBA in Banking & Finance (1995-1997) – Enugu State University
MBA in International Business (1998 – 1999) – Argosy University Sarasota*
Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) in Accounting (2002-2011) – Argosy University Sarasota*
*Argosy University-Sarasota was one of the campuses of Argosy University, a private university that closed in 2019. Argosy University was a private for-profit university with campuses throughout the United States owned by Dream Center Education Holdings (DCEH), LLC. it shut down after the U.S. Department of Education announced it no longer would provide financial aid to the private university because it had failed to properly administer the money in what the department called “a grievous breach” of the university’s responsibility.
Career
Joseph Oloyede is a tax consultant. He worked as the Assistant Vice President – Financial Planning & Analysis at Key Bank, an American Commercial & Institutional Bank between March 2001 and September 2007, according to his LinkedIn profile. The profile also stated that he worked as Associate Faculty at the University of Phoenix from April 2004 until December 2018; concurrently, he worked as Assistant Professor of Accounting at Indiana Wesleyan University from January 2003 until May 2021.
He is a member of Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria, Member American Accounting Association, Member Institue of Mangement Accountants and Member Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
He has worked at John Holt Financial Marchant Bank, First Bank of Nigeria (Merchant Bank).
He ascended the throne as the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu in November 2019.
One of his acts as the king of Ipetumodu include conferring the traditional title of the Oluomo of Ipetumodu on Femi Adesina, a former presidential spokesman.
Despite being a traditional ruler, Oba Joseph Oloyede prefers the title of a pastor.
Net worth
Joseph Oloyede is considerably wealthy, however, his FBI case has made the source of his wealth questionable.
Controversy
Selection as Oba
Oba Joseph Oloyede was accused of favoritism by other candidates for the throne. In an interview with the Guardian, a contestant, Prince Biodun Oloyede claimed “the person who is the head of the four Afobaje (kingmakers), Chief Sunday Adedeji, had a certain candidate in mind he wanted enthroned as the next Oba of Ipetumodu. He did everything to favour this particular candidate, whose name is Gbenga Joseph Oloyede”.
“It was the considered opinion of the four other candidates that Chief Adedeji rigged the selection in favour of his preferred candidate, who comes from the same compound with him (the Latimogun Compound.)
“Immediately after the so-called selection or nomination, the other four compounds held a meeting and rejected the candidate’s selection. This was the situation until one of us went to court.”
FBI case
Since he ascended the throne Oba Oloyede frequently travel to the United States where he is also a citizen for “royal and personal engagements”. Before his ascension, Oloyede was primarily based in Cleveland, United States.
However, he mysteriously went missing in March 2024 raising concerns among indigenes of Ipetumodu after his throne was vacant for nearly a year. He reportedly missed three major traditional festivals, including the annual ‘egungun festival and Edi celebration’.
Surprisingly, he was in February 2025 found in the custody of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
A statement issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Ohio said a federal grand jury indicted Oloyede and one Edward Oluwasanmi for conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering.
According to the indictment, from in or around April 2020, and continuing through on or about February 28, 2022, Oloyede and Oluwasanmi devised a scheme to defraud the SBA and financial institutions by obtaining COVID-19 relief funds from the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under false pretenses.
The indictment states that Oloyede and Oluwasanmi submitted PPP and EIDL loan applications containing false information for entities under their control and submitted falsified tax and wage documents to support these applications.
The indictment alleges that they obtained approximately $1.2 million in SBA funds for Oluwasanmi’s entities and $1.7 million for Oloyede’s entities. Oloyede is also alleged to have submitted falsified PPP and EIDL loan applications in the names of other co-conspirators and confederate borrowers and their businesses, obtaining approximately $1.3 through those applications, for a total of at least $4.2 million obtained through the fraud.
After about one year in court, Oloyede pleaded guilty to some of the 13 fraud charges against him. The US court his expected to rule on the matter July 2, 2025.
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Disclaimer
The information in this article was curated from online sources. NewsWireNGR or its editorial team cannot independently verify all details.
Always visit NewsWireNGR for the latest Naija news and updated Naija breaking news.
An elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, says at the moment, nobody has better chances of defeating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Mr Yakasai stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.
He also said that as a key member of Arewa Consultative Forum, he was not aware of any forum where a position was taken by the north supporting a candidate from the zone for the 2027 presidential election.
“I haven’t heard anybody making any proposition about the 2027 presidential election from Arewa Consultative Forum.
“What is tagged the Arewa Consultative Forum or Northern Elders Forum’s position is mere individual opinions, because all sections of the north have not taken a stand on this,” he said.
Mr Yakasai said that Nigerians should wait until the northerners meet and officially take a position.
”In Nigeria today, Bola Tinubu is the president. He has his ministers and governors who are backing him.
“Who else has all what it takes to move into the contest with the kind of stamina and strength to be more successful comparatively with Tinubu?,” he asked.
Mr Yakasai said that aside the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, controlling majority of states, there are some other governors from the opposition parties still supporting Tinubu.
“We should all wait and see if the picture will change drastically, otherwise for now, the odds are in his (Tinubu’s) favour because I have not seen anything that will prevent him from winning the next election. “He hasn’t done anything against the north in my understanding and the north alone cannot decide who becomes the president of the country,” he said.
According to him, the crisis rocking some of the major opposition parties has further softened the grounds for Tinubu to win in 2027. In terms of assessment of the administration in the last two years, Yakasai said that he would not do so, for now. He, however, advised Nigerian politicians to always have the interest of the masses at the centre of their actions and plans. “Our politicians should see politics as a dynamic game and what I will advise is for them to play the game on the basis of ideology and programmes. “Let them envision the way they want the country to be and not targeting to be ministers, governors and president.
“”After becoming all these and nothing is done in the interest of the country, we will not get better.
“”They should eschew politics of ethnicity and religion because not making our country the focal point of our politics has held us down for so long,” he said.
On the factors he could attribute his longevity to, Mr Yakasai who would turn 100 years in December said it was a gift from God.
He said that his father died at the age of 107 years and that his mother died at almost 100 years, adding that the combined effects of the two might have equally contributed to his longevity.
“My children, grandchildren and great grand children are more than 80 and still expanding. I give glory to God for these,” he said.
Justice John Tsoho, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court on Sunday, announced the redeployment of some judges.
Justice Tsoho, in a statement by FHC’s Director of Information, Dr Catherine Christopher, directed Justice M. G. Umar from Enugu Judicial Division to take over cases earlier presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo of Court 5 in Abuja division.
“The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice John Tsoho, KSS, OFR, FCIArb. (UK) has effected the redeployment of some judges of the court.
“The general public is hereby notified that all cases pending before Court No. 5 in the Abuja Judicial Division will be attended to by the judge who has been moved to Abuja for that purpose. “Consequently, there is no need for litigants and /or counsel to apply to the Hon. Chief Judge for re-assignment of cases that have been pending before the court,” the statement said.
Justice Tijjani Garba Ringim from Gombe division was transferred to Yola division, while Justice M. T. Segun-Bello from Abakaliki division was moved to Enugu division.
Also, Justice Bala Khalifa-Mohammed Usman from Yola division was redeployed to Awka division and Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed from Awka division transferred to Gombe division.
According to the statement, the redeployments take immediate effect. “The affected judges are to make their best endeavour to deliver all pending judgements in their current stations within the shortest possible time.
“The judges currently resident in the Abakaliki and Katsina Judicial Divisions shall take responsibility for all the cases already pending or newly instituted in their respective Divisions, until otherwise instructed,” it concluded.
Nigeria were hoping to finish strong after missing out on the final spot, however, Egypt’s Osama Omar struck early in the third minute to unsettle Aliyi Zubairu’s men.
But Bidemi Amole restored parity for Nigeria shortly after the restart from a precise through ball from Divine Oliseh.
The Flying Eagles pushed for a winner, with substitute Tahir Maigana and Kparobo Arierhi adding energy in attack. Egypt, however, nearly snatched victory in stoppage time as Mohamed El Sayed struck the bar and Mohamed Haitham hit the post in a frantic finale.
Three adult males sustained varying degrees of injuries after a one-storey building under construction collapsed in the Mushin area of Lagos State.
The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon at 96 Ishaga Road, directly opposite the Idi Araba Central Mosque.
According to a statement signed by the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, a distress call was received at approximately 3:30 p.m.
The three injured individuals were rescued and received immediate attention at the scene before being transferred to a hospital for further treatment by the Lagos State Ambulance Service.
Responding agencies included the Isolo Fire Station of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, the Lagos State Ambulance Service, and the Nigeria Police.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has said that poverty and economic exclusion are the root causes of insecurity in northern Nigeria, warning that unless they are addressed holistically, the region will continue to face unrest.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, the governor stated, “I came from the trenches. I fought successive governments in the past, during the military era. I went to detention a few times, fighting for justice and equality”.
Sani said his administration began with a data-driven focus on poverty and underdevelopment, drawing on his experience as a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking.
“When I came in as governor, what I did was to look at the poverty index, not only in the state but of the entire North. I was the chairman of the Committee on Banking. I had the data, the statistics from the Development Department of the Central Bank, from the SDG. I can tell you, sitting here, the poverty index as of 2023, when we came in, was alarming,” he explained.
According to him, more than 60 to 65 per cent of people in the northern region — especially in the North-West — were financially excluded when he assumed office. This, he said, made many young people vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups.
“This problem of insecurity, I can tell you, is largely an economic issue — poverty, unemployment. That is the reasonwhy our people can easily be recruited by these bandits,” he said.
Former US president Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, and is reviewing treatment options, a statement from his office said Sunday.
On Friday, the 82-year-old Democrat was diagnosed with the cancer after he experienced increasing urinary symptoms and was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule, the statement said. “While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management. The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians,” it continued. Cancer cells are commonly found in the prostates of men of Biden’s age, though in most cases they grow slowly. Hormone therapy is a common treatment that can shrink tumors and slow cancer growth, but is not a cure. According to the statement, Biden’s cancer was found to have “a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5).”
Prostate cancer that looks “very abnormal” is assigned the highest rating, Grade 5, according to the American Cancer Society. The Gleason Score often indicates the sum of the grades from the two areas in the prostate that make up most of the cancer, but can also be calculated other ways. Biden left office in January this year as the oldest serving US president in history, and was dogged by questions over his health and age for much of his presidency.
For years he had faced questions, including from Democratic voters, over whether he was too old — lacking in mental acuity or physical endurance — for a job as trying as the presidency.
Mele Kyari’s full name is Mele Kolo Kyari. He is a former Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
How old is Mele Kyari?
Kyari was born on January 8, 1965. He is currently 60 years old.
Birth sign
His birth sign is Capricorn. Capricorns are known for their traits of responsibility, tact, and simplicity. They do not hold grudges; they approach life pragmatically and can be superstitious in nature. They are sometimes referred to as missionaries on a hunt for faith.
Tribe and state of origin
Mele K. Kyari was born in Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno state.
Family: Wife and children
Children
Muhammad (son)
Sadiya (daughter)
Fatima (late daughter)
Is Mele Kyari related to Abba Kyari?
Mele Kyari is not related to Abba Kyari.
Education
Kyari attended Government Secondary School, Biu in Borno State between 1977 and 1982 for his secondary school education. He would proceed to the University of Maiduguri, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Geology and Earth Science.
Career
Before career success
Mele Kyari is a former pupil of the Almajiri (Tsangaya) school. In a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) page in celebration of his 60th birthday wrote; “Allah, by his grace, spared my life to this exceptional day, making it my 60th year from birth, even much earlier on the Hijri calendar. I am profoundly grateful to my country for giving me the opportunity to grow from an Almajiri (Tsangaya) school pupil to become the CEO of Africa’s largest energy company. Even more particular, I deeply appreciate the exceptional privilege given to me by Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Ahmed Tinubu to serve as the last GMD of the NNPC and the pioneer CEO of the NNPC Ltd. Reflecting backwards alone can’t account for the profoundly eventful life I spent to this date, walking through good and bad times, travails and triumphs, pains and happiness, fails and successes and many more that only the sufficiency of Allah will explain. At this milestone, I feel the obligation to serve with even greater conviction and with elevated expectation of eternal recompense so deeply pleasing. I am hugely indebted to my family for being nearly absent for most of my later years serving our nation and the common good. My deep appreciation to my family, friends and associates, my colleagues at work and my teachers (western and of Almajiri extractions), and many unmentioned people who account for many of my accomplishments, unconditional support and my overall wellbeing. This is a turning point, and I seek forgiveness from anyone I might have hurt unintentionally or unavoidably.”
Career journey
After his graduation in 1987, Mele Kyari, during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, worked as a Well Site Geologist with the Directorate of Foods, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI) between 1987 and 1988.
Upon completion of his NYSC service, Kyari worked at the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency between 1988 and 1991 before joining NNPC as a Seismic Data Processing Geophysicist in the Data Processing Department of Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL) in 1992.
He would later serve as the NNPC Group Chairman of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) from 1997 to 1999. In 1998, he was appointed as the Exploration Geophysicist, Production Sharing Contract (PSC), at the National Petroleum Investments Management Services (NAPIMS) and later the Head of NAPIMS Operations in Abuja in 2004.
In 2006, he was appointed the Supervisor PSC, Crude Oil Marketing Department (COMD) of the NNPC, from where he rose to the position of Head, and later Manager of Production Contracts Management of the COMD between 2007 and 2014.
Kyari was appointed General Manager Oil Stock Management, COMD, where he worked till 2015 when he was appointed Group General Manager, COMD, and later Nigeria’s National Representative at OPEC.
He was the secretary of the FG inter-agency team that coordinated the creation of the basis of the fiscal and regulatory framework of the PIB.
In June 2019, Kyari was appointed as the 19th Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC by the administration of ex-president Muhammadu Buhari. He succeeded the incumbent GMD, Maikanti Baru, who was due for retirement the next month.
PHOTO Credit: @MKKyari/X (formerly Twitter).
In April 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu sacked Kyari as the CEO of NNPC Limited and replaced him with Bayo Ojulari.
PHOTO Credit: @nnpclimited/X (formerly Twitter).
Pius Akinyelure, an alleged close ally of Kyari and the chairman of the NNPC board, was also affected by the shake-up. Akinyelure was replaced by Musa Ahmadu-Kida.
Mele Kyari career summary
1988 – Nigerian Geological Survey Agency
1991 – Integrated Data Services Limited (NNPC subsidiary) – Seismic Data Processing Geophysicist
1998 – National Petroleum Investments Management Services (NAPIMS) – Exploration Geophysicist Production Sharing Contract (PSC)
2006 – Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) – Supervisor PSC, Crude Oil Marketing Department (COMD)
2007 – Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) – Head PSC, Crude Oil Marketing Department (COMD)
2014 – Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) – Manager, Production Contracts Management, Crude Oil Marketing Department (COMD)
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) – General Manager Oil Stock Management, Crude Oil Marketing Department (COMD)
2015 – Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) – Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Department (COMD)
2018 – National Representative to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
2019 – Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
In total, Mele Kyari worked for the NNPC and NNPCL for 34 years. He spent 17 of those years in managerial roles and 5 years and 9 months as the head of the organisation.
Awards and recognition
Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), a national honor conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2022
Outstanding Employer of The Year 2022 Award presented to him by the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) in April 2023.
Net worth
There is no publicly available data from any reputable platform that estimates Kyari’s net worth. Some platforms considers him as one of the richest men in the oil & gas industry considering his years of service in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp.
Meanwhile, the NNPCL in 2023 spent N583.797 billion on staff salaries, wages, and other benefits. A report claimed Kyari, alongside the chief financial officer (CFO), Umar Ajiya, and other executives of the organisation received about N3.051 billion as emoluments.
Few days after his sack by President Tinubu, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) initiated an investigation into alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of funds by former top officials of the NNPC Ltd, including Mele Kyari.
A letter, with reference number CR:3000/EFCC/ABJ/HQ/SDC.2/NNPC/VOL.1/698, dated 28 April, addressed to the NNPC Managing Director, showed that the EFCC is seeking certified records of salaries and allowances paid to 14 officials, including those who have retired.
Disclaimer
The information in this article was curated from online sources. NewsWireNGR or its editorial team cannot independently verify all details.
Always visit NewsWireNGR for the latest Naija news and updated Naija breaking news.
Felines are unarguably one of the most widespread human favourite companions. It has been estimated that more than 370 million cats are kept as pets worldwide.
It is estimated that of the over one billion pets worldwide, more than 370 million are cats. Surprisingly, cats are more popular pets among men than women, with 52% of men owning cats compared to 48% of women.
If you are looking at getting one of this furry human friends and confused on the best breed for you, this article will guide you on how to choose from the most popular breeds find in many humans’ home; but first, let us discuss their history.
History of how feline became domesticated
Cats (Felis cactus) are the only domesticated species in the Felidae family. Felidae, also called cats, is a family of mammals, including cheetahs, tigers, lions, leopards, and caracals.
There is no definite documentation of how cats became domesticated by humans. However, some records showed there are two lineages of the Felis cactus, the Felis silvestris silvestris and another. The Felis silvestris silvestris appeared in Asia more than 6,000 years ago and dispersed into Europe. The other lineage appeared in Egypt around the same time and spread throughout the Mediterranean. The two lineages were reported to breed with the African wild cat Felis silvestris lybica during their dispersals.
The Felis silvestris lybica is presumed to have preyed on rodents on farms, after which they decided to stick around the agricultural community. Over the years, they evolved to become Felis cactus, a good companion of humans and also a killer of rodents.
Today, there are about 60 cat breeds across the world.
Most popular feline breeds worldwide
There are about 60 cat breeds across the world. Here are the most popular;
Sphynx
The sphynx is a distinct cat breed well known for its hairless skin. They hailed from Canada in the 1960s and were initially called Canadian hairless.
They are medium-sized, weigh 6 to 12 pounds, and have an average lifespan of 8 to 14 years.
Sphynx is very social and active, with a dog-like appearance.
Siamese
PHOTO Credit: Flutter_97321/Getty Images
Siamese cats are known for being highly intelligent. They are most often cream-colored and also bred in other colors and patterns.
This breed is originally from Thailand and is originally known as Siam.
Male Siamese can weigh up to 14 pounds and are about 12 inches tall. They can live up to 15 years.
Persian
PHOTO Credit: Vetsy
Persian cats are considered one of the oldest feline breeds. Although yet proven, their ancestors are presumed to have been imported into Italy from Khorasan in the 1600s.
They are medium-sized cats that can grow as much as 15 inches tall and weigh 7 to 12 pounds.
This breed is known for being snuggly and can be aggressive when feeling territorial.
Himalayan
PHOTO Credit: Holistapet
There are debates in the feline community about whether Himalayans are sub-breed or should be classified as a breed on their own.
They are a breed from the crossing of Persians and Siamese. These long-haired cats look more like Persians but differ in color as they instead have blue eyes and color points derived from the crossing with Siamese.
Himalayan adults can weigh up to 12 pounds with an average lifespan of 9 to 15 years.
Maine Coon
PHOTO Credit: Getty Images
The Maine Coon breed has a distinctive large stature and wild appearance. It is one of the oldest natural breeds in North America. It originated from Maine and is the official state cat.
The males can grow up to 40 inches in height and weigh as large as 18 pounds. Maine Coon lifespan is about 12 to 15 years.
American Shorthair
Credit: Getty Images
American Shorthair is an all-American breed with superb rat-catching skills. This intelligent cat breed has a round face with short ears.
Despite their powerful builds, they are playful and have a gentle nature. They are generally medium-sized and can grow 10 inches tall.
The breed is healthy but also prone to heart disease. Their life span is between 15 to 20 years.
Russian Blue
Credit: Adobe
Russian Blues are gentle and may hide when you have a large gathering. They are, however, friendlier and more playful with the family.
The breed originated from Arkhangelsk, Russia. They can grow up to 10 inches in height and weigh between 7 to 15 pounds.
A Russian Blue can be expected to live up to 15 to 20 years.
Bengal
Almost everything about the Bengal screams wild! From their looks to their markings which may have rosettes like the markings on leopards, jaguars, and ocelots.
These felines are talkative. Nevertheless, they are bred with different personalities. Their height is between 8 to 10 inches, and they can weigh between 8 to 15 pounds.
Bengal lifespan is between 9 to 15 years.
Disclaimer
The information in this article was curated from online sources. NewsWireNGR or its editorial team cannot independently verify all details.
Always visit NewsWireNGR for the latest Naija news and updated Naija breaking news.
The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure has issued a strong challenge to the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi and other former aspirants, demanding that they provide evidence of financial support made to him or the party during the general elections. Speaking in a video broadcast by Symfoni on Tuesday, Abure categorically denied receiving any funds for personal use from any candidate, including Obi.
He cautioned that if provoked further, he would expose those in the opposing faction, claiming they would be left “reeking like rotten eggs.”
Addressing party members in the Federal Capital Territory, Abure said: “I want to challenge all of them. I saw some of them on television talking about corruption. Let any of them from Peter Obi down come forward and publicly declare what they personally gave to me or the party.
“Who brought the money? Who was it given to? Where was it sent? I challenge them today to come out boldly with or without evidence and say it. Otherwise, let them forever remain silent.” Abure also announced his intention to convene a world press conference to address the allegations and internal tensions that have recently rocked the party.
He claimed that his silence until now was driven by a desire for peace and reconciliation within the party.
“As a leader, I kept quiet thinking they were making mistakes and would eventually come around.
“When issues about election agents and funds came up, I said nothing because I believed I should accept the good, the bad, and the ugly within our fold,” he said.
“But now that some have crossed the line, I have no choice. If they provoke me further, I will reveal everything. When I open my mouth, they will stink like rotten eggs no one wants to touch,” he said.
Turning his criticism toward Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, the Labour Party’s only governor, Abure accused him of contributing nothing to the party’s coffers during the election. “That governor who is jumping like a cricket from one point to another, we did not collect a dime from him. If he gave money to anyone, let him come forward and say so.
“When we met at Transcorp, he asked me, ‘Chairman, what do I do for you?’ I told him, ‘Nothing. Use your money for your campaign.’” He said. Abure insisted that the party had received no financial support from Otti or other elected representatives, apart from a few exceptions. He also denied all corruption allegations, claiming the leadership turned down billions in bribes and withstood immense political pressure during and after the 2023 elections.
“We rejected offers despite the influence of those who made them. But today, those same individuals are leading the campaign to oust us,” he said.
The Labour Party has been dealing with internal conflicts, transparency and leadership concerns since after the 2023 election.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested Fred Ajudua, a Lagos-based socialite and businessman.
Ajudua was arrested on Tuesday in Abuja in connection with an alleged $1.43 million fraud.
The arrest followed a Supreme Court order issued on Friday, 5th May 2025, which revoked his bail and directed that he be remanded in the Correctional Service.
Vanguard reports that a highly placed source at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja informed it of the development on Tuesday.
“Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Lagos-based socialite and businessman Fred Ajudua, pending his re-arraignment for an alleged $1.43 million fraud. He was arrested in Abuja on Tuesday and is currently in EFCC custody,” the source said.
The arrest marks the latest chapter in a legal battle spanning decades between Ajudua and the anti-corruption agency.
Ajudua had faced numerous allegations of advance-fee fraud since the 1990s.
The Supreme Court’s decision to revoke his bail followed an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, which had granted him bail. The apex court’s ruling reflects the judiciary’s resolve to uphold accountability in high-profile fraud cases.
However, there are indications that Ajudua may have absconded prior to his arrest, raising concerns about the enforcement of judicial orders and the effectiveness of compliance mechanisms.
Ajudua’s legal troubles date back to 1993, when he was accused of defrauding a German businessman of $1.43 million.
The EFCC in 2016 filed a 28-count charge against him for conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretences.
The case has been bedeviled by repeated delays, health-related bail applications, and a failed arrest attempt in 2007.
