News

How I Escaped Assassination, Atiku’s Rivers Campaign DG Narrates

Published

3 years ago

February 12, 2023

Editor

Abiye Sekibo, Atiku's Rivers Campaign DG

The Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, who escaped an assassination attempt by the whiskers Thursday midnight, said he never knew “it was so easy to die”.

Sekibo, who spoke on Arise TV on Sunday, narrated how he was attacked while going to a rally venue after receiving information that the venue was on fire.

“We thank God for His mercy. I never knew it was so easy to just die like that.

“Late in the night on Thursday, I got the message that the venue for the PDP presidential campaign rally was on fire. I said ‘how is this possible?”, he stated.

The campaign DG said he decided to go to the venue of the incident, saying when he stopped and saw from a distance, “I could see Hilux vehicles parked on the right side of the road and fire coming out of the proposed (rally) venue, and I drove past.”

“As I drove past, I told the driver to turn around; by this time, the persons in those vehicles had come out; people in police uniforms.

“As we were coming back, the next thing (I noticed) was a rain of bullets and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” the DG narrated.

Narrating how he escaped being killed, Sekibo said he and his driver had to stop when they got to a place where people queued at a filling station.

He said after some five minutes, those Hilux vehicles sped past them.

The PUNCH reports that the governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, while reacting to the incident said he never sponsored any assassination attempt on anybody.

“Let me use this opportunity to debunk an allegation that some persons may have made that one Abiye Sekibo said that I sponsored an attempted assassination on his life.

“I want to state categorically clear; all of us from Rivers State know who is who. We know who has killed so many people in this state,” Wike said during a rally at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.