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Geregu Power Plc has announced the full settlement of its outstanding bond obligations, as the company’s Chairman, Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, assuring investors and other stakeholders of the board’s commitment to meeting its financial obligations.

He described the development as an important step towards strengthening investor confidence and preserving shareholder value.

Speaking on the settlement, Yari said the board remained committed to meeting the company’s obligations to bondholders and trustees.

‘Our Board is fully committed to meeting Geregu’s financial obligations to its bondholders and trustees. I am pleased to confirm that payment has just been effected in line with our obligations,’ he said.

Yari assured bondholders and shareholders that the board would continue to take necessary measures to protect their interests while maintaining high standards of corporate governance.

The company also disclosed that it was working with relevant parties to resolve legacy administrative matters that predated the current board.

It said the issues would not affect its capacity to meet its bond obligations.

The Geregu chairman further reaffirmed the board’s support for the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly efforts to transform the power sector.

He said the company would continue to contribute to Nigeria’s power sector through reliable power generation.

Geregu Power said it would provide formal confirmation of the settlement upon completion of the payment process and continue to keep bondholders, trustees and other stakeholders informed of material developments.

The company added that it remained focused on sustainable and efficient power generation as part of its contribution to Nigeria’s economic growth and development.

Newly promoted Coventry City will launch their Premier League campaign tonight at the Emirates Stadium with new marquee signing Taiwo Awoniyi targeting a statement debut against defending champions Arsenal.

The former Nottingham Forest forward, who completed his move to Coventry to bolster Frank Lampard’s attack, is set to spearhead the Sky Blues’ frontline in their first top-flight fixture in 25 years.

Speaking at the club’s Ryton training ground ahead of the curtain-raiser, Awoniyi made no secret of his intentions for the campaign ahead:

I think for sure, goals. Like I said, goals. And hard work as well. To give everything for them,’ Awoniyi said.

The 29-year-old Nigerian international, who described himself as a ‘quiet dreamer’ inspired by his father, also shared light-hearted insight into his life offline. Asked to name the most high-profile contact stored in his phone, Awoniyi pointed to Super Eagles teammate and Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen.

‘Oh, Victor Osimhen. Of course, Osi-goal, number one!’ he laughed.

Reflecting on his career path, Awoniyi cited his FIFA U-17 World Cup title with Nigeria and his move into the Premier League as his crowning moments so far – a standard he hopes to build on when Coventry face Mikel Arteta’s side in London.

Arsenal enter the opener buoyed by a 3-0 Community Shield win over Manchester City, but Lampard’s side will be eager to write a new chapter on their top-flight comeback. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:00 WAT.

Traditional rulers from the South-West, led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, are set to hold a security meeting with Yoruba nation activist and founder of the Iru Ekun Security Network, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.

The meeting is scheduled to hold in Ijero Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Friday and will be hosted by the Owa Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adebayo Adewole.

According to a statement issued by Igboho’s media office, the meeting will focus on security in Yorubaland and measures to sustain peace and communal stability across the South-West.

The statement said monarchs from Oyo, Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun and parts of Kwara states are expected to attend the meeting.

It said the meeting would be presided over by Ogunwusi, who is Co-Chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) and Permanent Chairman of the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC).

The stakeholders are expected to discuss ways of strengthening security across the region and improving cooperation between traditional institutions and local security initiatives such as the Iru Ekun Security Network.

The statement said particular attention would be given to protecting rural communities and strengthening the role of traditional rulers in local security, given their proximity to communities and their roles in preventing and resolving conflicts.

The organisers commended the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies for their support for the Iru Ekun Security Network.

They also pledged continued cooperation with security stakeholders to sustain peace and safety across the South-West.

The statement specifically commended the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Musa (retd.); Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu; Director-General of the DSS, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi; and heads of other paramilitary agencies for their efforts in combating insecurity and criminality.

WAPTV has reached another ground breaking milestone, as it will be the first TV channel in Nigeria, to broadcast the smash hit Indian Romantic Drama, Rajjo.

The move, according to an official statement from the channel, is an effort to ensure the TV channel maintains its apex position in ensuring premium programming for its millions of viewers worldwide, in the ever rising competitive world of broadcasting.

The show revolves around the trials and tests of an aspiring athlete Rajjo from Uttarakhand. Her mother, Manorama, has a dark past, and hence is against Rajjo’s dreams of turning an athlete.

Rajjo is a family drama, fully dubbed and subtitled in English Language.

Wale Adenuga Jnr, Director WAPTV, excitedly announced; ‘after years of painstakingly pursuing the broadcast license of the hit show: Rajjo, we were delighted when we acquired the rights, as the series is tailor-fitted to our core values at WAPTV, to provide wholesome family friendly entertainment, that will keep our audiences glued to their screens, both TV and Mobile.’ Rajjo will start showing from September 7 between Mondays and Fridays on the WAPTV channels.

Actor and former WWE superstar Dave Bautista has been cast as Kratos in the upcoming God of War television series, replacing Ryan Hurst, who left the production after sustaining an injury.

Bautista confirmed the long-rumoured casting on Instagram, sharing an image of the iconic video game character, ending weeks of speculation over who would lead the adaptation of Sony’s popular PlayStation franchise.

According to Deadline, which first reported the development, production on the series will restart from scratch when filming begins later this year.

The God of War franchise has been one of Sony’s most successful gaming series since its debut on the PlayStation 2 in 2005. Initially inspired by Greek mythology, the action-adventure game gained a massive following for its cinematic storytelling, intense combat and the journey of its central character, Kratos, a Spartan warrior who rises to become a god.

The franchise underwent a major reboot in 2018 on PlayStation 4, shifting its storyline from Greek mythology to Norse mythology while introducing Kratos’ son, Atreus, as a central character.

Earlier this year, the first official images from the television adaptation featured Hurst as Kratos alongside Atreus before the actor’s departure from the project.

Prime Video said the series will closely follow the storyline of the 2018 game, with Kratos and Atreus embarking on a journey to fulfil the final wish of Kratos’ late wife by spreading her ashes.

‘Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human,’ the streaming platform said.

Bautista, 57, has established himself as a successful Hollywood actor since retiring from professional wrestling in 2019. He is widely recognised for portraying Drax in six Marvel Cinematic Universe films and has also appeared in Dune, Dune: Part Two, Spectre, Army of the Dead and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

Before transitioning to acting, Bautista spent two decades in professional wrestling, becoming one of WWE’s biggest stars and a multiple-time world champion.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of a suspected promoter of a fictitious Federal Government agency and the suspension of three permanent secretaries following fresh findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The directive followed the discovery by the anti-graft agency of another alleged fake government establishment, the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, which reportedly secured office accommodation within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) without presidential authorisation.

ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, disclosed the development on Friday after briefing President Tinubu on the commission’s widening investigation into fictitious government agencies and apparent vulnerabilities in public sector administrative processes.

Aliyu identified the alleged promoter of the purported agency as Prince George Buchi Nwabueze, who, according to the commission, operated under different variations of his name.

He said the names included George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Buchi Nwabueze.

According to the ICPC chairman, President Tinubu, after receiving a comprehensive briefing on the findings, directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze and the suspension of three permanent secretaries pending further investigation.

Aliyu named the affected permanent secretaries as M. S. Danjuma, Engr. Nadungu Gagare and Richard Pheelangwah.

The ICPC is expected to establish the roles, if any, played by the suspended officials and other individuals in the creation, accommodation and operation of the purported government agency.

The commission is also engaging relevant officials in the OSGF to determine how an unauthorised organisation obtained accommodation within government premises and operated in an environment capable of lending it an appearance of official legitimacy.

‘I have briefed Mr President comprehensively on these new developments. ICPC will continue with its investigation’, Aliyu said.

The fresh discovery emerged from the ICPC’s investigation into the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), which had earlier prompted Tinubu to order a wider probe into how unauthorised bodies could present themselves as agencies of the Federal Government.

The PFIPC controversy broke in July after the Presidency disowned the organisation, warning Nigerians and the international community that it had no connection whatsoever with the Federal Government.

The Presidency had said the body, which presented itself as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and claimed to operate under the Nigerian Presidency, was fictitious and had not been created or authorised by President Tinubu.

The organisation had reportedly paraded individuals as officials of the purported council, using titles and structures designed to create an impression of presidential authority.

Following the discovery, Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the emergence of the PFIPC, identify those behind it and establish whether serving or former public officials facilitated its operations.

The President also ordered a broader examination of the administrative processes through which entities are established within government, as concerns mounted that loopholes in the system could be exploited to create fictitious agencies or confer an appearance of official recognition on unauthorised organisations.

The PFIPC investigation subsequently expanded beyond identifying its promoters to examining institutional and administrative weaknesses that might have enabled the organisation to operate and portray itself as a government body.

It was in the course of that wider investigation that the ICPC uncovered the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, deepening concerns over the possible proliferation of unauthorised entities exploiting government structures and nomenclature.

The significance of the latest discovery, it was gathered, is that the purported office was allegedly able to secure physical accommodation within the OSGF premises despite having no authorisation from the President.

The ICPC is consequently probing the processes through which the office gained access to the government facility, those who approved or facilitated the arrangement and whether other officials were involved.

Aliyu said the development had reinforced the need for tighter administrative controls and closer scrutiny of government institutions and internal processes.

He also commended Tinubu for directing a policy audit of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and internal government procedures, saying the exercise would help expose weaknesses capable of being exploited by individuals seeking to operate outside established government structures.

‘President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, must be commended for the proactive step of directing the policy audit of MDAs and internal government processes towards strengthening government governance system’, the ICPC chairman said.

The latest discovery has significantly broadened the anti-graft commission’s investigation from the activities of one fictitious organisation to the processes within the Federal Government that could allow unauthorised entities to acquire the trappings of official agencies.

Investigators are expected to determine not only those behind the two purported bodies but also whether lapses, complicity or abuse of administrative procedures by public officials enabled their operations.

The suspension of the three permanent secretaries is expected to allow the ICPC to investigate their possible roles without interference while the search for Nwabueze and the examination of other individuals linked to the alleged scheme continue.

The commission said its investigation would continue as it seeks to unravel the circumstances surrounding the establishment and operation of the purported agencies and identify any further weaknesses within the public service that may have facilitated them.

The Imole Campaign Council, the Campaign Organisation of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, dismissed on Friday speculation that the governor’s visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was part of plans for his eventual defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Chairman of the Council’s Media and Publicity Committee and member of the House of Representatives, Bamidele Salam, said in a statement in Abuja that Governor Adeleke visited the President in line with custom and political tradition at the conclusion of the off-cycle elections in Nigeria.

He said, ‘Governor Adeleke, like every other Governor who emerged victorious in an off-cycle election, has a responsibility to show respect and appreciation to the office of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, whose charge in various pre-election speeches and statements was to the effect that the electoral umpire and Security agencies must allow for a free and fair election in Osun State.

‘The visit also afforded Mr President, as the father of the Nation, and the Osun State Governor a platform to discuss issues pertaining to peace, security and progress of Osun State after the tense election.

‘For the avoidance of doubt, the visit of Mr Governor and top members of his Campaign team had absolutely nothing to do with a plan to move from Accord to the All Progressives Congress, as being insinuated in certain quarters.

‘We wish to state unequivocally that at no stage during the visit to Mr President was the issue of decamping to the APC discussed’.

‘The Imole Campaign Council appreciates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity of the visit and assures all supporters of Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke of the Governor’s continued commitment to the service of the good people of Osun State who stood solidly by him in the recently concluded elections’.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency of Taraba State, Mukhtar Galadima, has commended the military and other security agencies for rescuing 18 kidnapped victims in Ibi Local Government Area of the state.

Galadima, in a statement reacting to the development, described the operation as a major boost to efforts to restore peace and confidence in communities threatened by kidnapping and other criminal activities.

He specifically praised troops of Sector 3 deployed in Ibi for their swift response to reports of kidnapping at Kwatan Bajji in the early hours of August 18, which led to the recovery of the victims.

The PDP candidate said the successful operation should reassure residents of Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency that the nation’s security forces remain committed to protecting lives and property and to confronting criminal elements operating in the area.

He congratulated the rescued victims and their families, urging security agencies not to relent until all criminal networks responsible for attacks in the area are identified and brought to justice.

Galadima, however, called for stronger collaboration among the military, police, and other security and intelligence agencies, particularly in intelligence gathering and information sharing.

According to him, effective intelligence remains critical to preventing attacks, tracking criminal networks, and disrupting their operations before they can unleash violence on communities.

He also advocated stronger legislative and institutional support for the Armed Forces and other security agencies to improve their operational and intelligence-gathering capabilities.

Galadima said the government must invest more in modern surveillance equipment, intelligence infrastructure, logistics, and the welfare of security personnel to enable them to confront emerging security threats effectively.

He stressed that security operations should move beyond responding to attacks after they occur to developing a proactive system capable of detecting criminal movements and preventing attacks before they happen.

The candidate also urged residents of Wukari/Ibi to support security agencies by providing timely and credible information on suspicious activities in their communities.

He appealed to traditional rulers, community leaders, youths, and other residents to strengthen cooperation with security agencies, noting that community-based intelligence could play a crucial role in preventing kidnapping and other crimes.

Galadima cautioned residents against withholding useful information out of fear, stressing that early reporting of suspicious movements could prevent crimes and save lives.

He also urged security agencies to protect the identities of credible informants and strengthen confidence in community intelligence networks.

While commending the Federal Government for supporting security operations, Galadima said that sustained investment in security personnel, equipment, intelligence and operational capacity remained essential to achieving lasting peace in Taraba State.

He expressed optimism that stronger inter-agency cooperation, improved legislation, community participation and sustained government support would significantly reduce kidnapping and other forms of crime across Wukari, Ibi and other vulnerable communities in the state.

AK Media Concepts Ltd is set to unveil its latest family drama series entitled The Family Man.

The Family Man is a compelling production exploring love, betrayal, family, crime, redemption and second chances.

According to a statement by the production company, the new series expands the company’s portfolio, which includes Family Ties, Face2Face, ‘Nowhere to Be Found,’ ‘City Buster,’ ‘Liberty Villa’ and ‘Oyinmomo,’ a magazine talk show.

The 30-minute drama-crime series centres on Banjo Balogun, a brilliant civil engineer played by Olarotimi Fakunle, who returns home after serving 10 years of a 21-year prison sentence following the governor’s prerogative of mercy. Expecting to reconnect with his wife and three children, Banjo discovers that his family has changed considerably during his years away.

His return is further complicated by his struggle to secure employment because of his criminal record. Once a respected engineer and provider, Banjo now finds himself struggling to get the attention of his family, especially his wife, Chioma, who has built a successful career and become the principal provider. The situation becomes more explosive when Chioma is revealed to be romantically involved with Iredia, Banjo’s best friend and marriage counsellor.

The series features a strong ensemble cast comprising Joy Nmezi, Nifemi Lawal, Jasmine Olarotimi, Eze Ukwa, Femi Branch, Akin Lewis, Kunle Dada, Modola Osifuwa, Kenny Ayanfe, Babaseun Faseru, Halimah Ganiyu and Chy Nwakama, alongside Fakunle.

The inclusion of established actors such as Branch and Lewis adds further depth and experience to the production.

Directed by Tunde Olaoye and executive-produced by Olajumoke Akindeju-Asekun, ‘The Family Man’ is set in contemporary Lagos.

Speaking on the project, the MD/CEO of AK Media Concepts Ltd, Mrs Olajumoke Akindeju-Asekun, described The Family Man as a multi-million-naira production designed to meet contemporary cinematic standards.

‘I want to assure our media partners, and the general public that our new series, The Family Man,’is a content designed to keep viewers glued to their screens. It is our biggest project in recent times, and we have produced it in line with today’s cinematic standards.

‘What we have come up with this time, is a big difference and a blockbuster to reckon with.’

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Olooye Adegboyega Adegoke, on Thursday held a closed-door meeting with a chieftain of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and grassroots politician, Alhaji Abdul-Rasheed Adebisi Olopoeyan, in Ibadan.

Adegoke was accompanied to the meeting at Olopoeyan’s residence in Basorun by the ADC Deputy National Women Leader (South-West), Alhaja Kafilat Omolabake Olayiwola, popularly known as Aje-Iya.

Details of the meeting were not disclosed, as both Adegoke and Olopoeyan declined to comment on the issues discussed.

However, sources said the meeting was likely connected with the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State.

Adegoke and Olopoeyan were political allies in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before moving to the APM and ADC respectively.

The meeting comes amid reported disagreements between Olopoeyan and Oyo State Governor and APM presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, over the emergence of candidates for the December 2026 local government elections.

It was gathered that Olopoeyan and Makinde are backing different candidates ahead of the local government poll, which is expected to shape political alignments ahead of the 2027 general election.