Headline

Police Confiscate Over 2000 Logs In Edo

Published

3 years ago

February 9, 2022

The Edo State Government’s drive to rid the state off illegal loggers got a boost on Wednesday as the state Police Command confiscated over 2000 logs at the Gelegelegbene river.

At the bank of the river, the state command Spokesperson, SP Bello Kontongs stated that the confiscation was done in line with the directives given to the police by the state government led by Governor Godwin Obaseki.

He said the criminals escaped by jumping into the river on sighting the Marine police who were saddled with the responsibility of checkmating the loggers’ illegal activities.

Kontongs also stated the the logs were being shipped to Lagos for onward transmission to other parts of the world.

He also said that the logs that were intercepted in Ondo State would be sent back to Edo.

He said: “At the sea port here is the log of woods seized from illegal loggers. The seizure was done after Governor Obaseki gave the order to the Commissioner of Police, Philip Ogbadu to arrest and check the activities of this criminals.

“The state government has banned the felling of three in the 49 forest reserves in the state. The woods are being taken illegally to all parts of the world which the state government is against. The forest reserves is for the benefit of all Edo People. The level of deforestation is high which is not to the benefit of everyone.

“Also, the illegal activities of the loggers is impacting negatively on wildlife, while the logs recovered will be handed over to the state government by the CP in due course.

“The seized logs are not just from Gelegele but from all the forests in the state. Some have already crossed to Ondo and we are working with the Marine Police in Ondo to recover the logs,” he stated.

He also warned criminal element to desist from their illegal activities as the state would be too hot for them to operate.

Headline

US Threatens Visa Overstayers With Lifetime Ban

Published

2 hours ago

July 14, 2025

Editor

The United States government has issued a severe warning to foreign nationals who overstay their visa validity.

The embassy also cautioned that such action could lead to deportation and a permanent ban from re-entering the country.

In a statement made available to the press on Monday, US immigration authorities reiterated their longstanding policy on visa compliance, saying, “If you remain in the United States beyond your authorised period of stay, you could be deported, and could face a permanent ban on traveling to the United States.”

This warning comes amid rising migration figures, especially among young Africans, many of whom travel to the United States in pursuit of better education and economic opportunity.

According to recent data from the US Department of Homeland Security, visa overstays represent a significant portion of immigration violations annually, prompting tighter enforcement measures and renewed public awareness campaigns by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

However, under US immigration law, individuals who remain in the country unlawfully for more than 180 days can face a three- or ten-year ban and, in some cases, a lifetime bar from returning.

For Nigerians seeking to relocate or study in the US, the warning serves as a reminder to comply strictly with immigration terms, especially as global scrutiny on migration grows fiercer.

Headline

US Will Send Ukraine Patriot Air Defense Systems

Published

9 hours ago

July 14, 2025

Editor

President Donald Trump on Sunday said the United States would send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine to help it fight off a Russian invasion, as his relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin soured.

“We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need,” Trump said, without specifying how many, just two weeks after Washington said it would pause some arms deliveries to Kyiv.

“I haven’t agreed on the number yet, but they’re going to have some because they do need protection,” he told reporters.

The weapons delivery will be part of a new deal which Trump says will involve NATO paying the United States for some of the weapons it sends to Ukraine.

“We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military and they’re going to pay us 100 percent for them,” Trump told reporters.

The US president repeated that he was “disappointed” in Putin.

When he first returned to the White House in January Trump insisted he could work with the Russian leader to end the war, but grew increasingly frustrated as Russian missiles continued with no ceasefire in sight.

“Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening,” said the disgruntled Trump.

US special envoy Keith Kellogg is due to begin his latest visit to Ukraine on Monday.

Trump also said he would meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday, when he previously said he would make a “major statement… on Russia.”

Headline

Canadian Province Quebec Stops New Sponsorships For Partners, Dependents Until 2026

Published

10 hours ago

July 14, 2025

Editor

The Quebec government, one of the 10 provinces in Canada, has suspended new applications under its family reunification program for spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, and dependent children aged 18 or over until June 25, 2026.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) on July 10, the province has reached its annual cap of 13,000 family sponsorship applications. Of these, 10,400 were allocated for immediate family members, while 2,600 slots were for parents, grandparents, and other eligible relatives.

The halt, effective from July 9, is aimed at aligning immigration levels with the province’s capacity to provide housing and public services. Quebec is currently grappling with a housing crunch, particularly in urban areas like Montreal.

Applications submitted after the cut-off will be returned unprocessed. However, exemptions apply for unmarried dependent children under 18, adopted children, orphaned minors, dependents with disabilities, and additions to ongoing applications.

MIFI advised potential sponsors to prepare in advance for the next intake and monitor updates ahead of the 2026 window.