President Bola Tinubu on Thursday announced national honours for dozens of Nigerians as part of events marking democracy day.

He made this announcement at the National Assembly during his State of the Nation address.

Among the notable honorees are the late Kudirat Abiola, who received a posthumous Commander of the Federal Republic title, and Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, who was conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger.

Also honoured posthumously were Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Ken Saro-Wiwa and other members of the Ogoni Nine.

Tinubu also granted them a presidential pardon.

Below is the full list of the awardees as announced by President Tinubu:

READ ALSO: June 12 Protest: Security Operatives Barricade N’Assembly Gate

Kudirat Abiola – CFR

Shehu Musa Yar’Adua – GCFR

Prof. Humphrey Nwosu – CON

Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu – CON

Alhaji Balarabe Musa – CFR

Pa Alfred Rewane – CFR

Bagauda Kaltho – OON

Chima Ubani – OON

Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti – CON

Alao Aka Bashorun – CON

Chief Frank Kokori – CON

Emma Ezeazu – OON

Bamidele Aturu – OON

Fredrick Fasehun – CON

Prof. Festus Iyayi – CON

Dr. John Yima Sen – OON

Alhaja Sawaba Gambo – CON

Dr. Edwin Madunagu – CON

Dr. Alex Ibru – CON

Chief Bola Ige – CFR

Pa Reuben Fasoranti – CFR

Senator Ayo Fasanmi – CON

Senator Polycarp Nwite – CON

Dr. Nurudeen Olowopopo – CON

Prof. Wole Soyinka – GCON

Prof. Olatunji Dare – CON

Kunle Ajibade – OON

Nosa Igiebor – OON

Dapo Olorunyomi – OON

Bayo Onanuga – CON

Ayo Obe – OON

Dare Babarinsa – CON

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah – CON

READ ALSO: Democracy Day: Gov. Mohammed Advocates Unity, Good Governance

Senator Shehu Sani – CON

Governor Uba Sani – CON

Barrister Femi Falana, SAN – CON

Prof. Shafideen Amuwo – CON

Barrister Luke Aghanenu – OON

Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi – CON

Hon. Labaran Maku – OON

Dr. Tunji Alausa – CON

Mr Nick Dazang – OON

Hon Abdul Oroh – OON

Odia Ofeimun – CON

Seye Kehinde – OON

Barrister Felix Morka – CON

Barrister Ledum Mitee – CON

Hon. Olawale Osun – CON

Dr. Amos Akingba – CON

Prof. Segun Gbadegesin – CON

Mobolaji Akinyemi – CFR

Dr. Kayode Shonoiki – CON

Prof. Julius Ihonvbere – CON

Prof. Bayo Williams – CON

Senator Abu Ibrahim – CFR

Senator Ame Ebute – CFR

Uncle Sam Amuka Pemu – CON

Ken Saro-Wiwa – CON

Saturday Dobee – OON

Nordu Eawo – OON

Daniel Gbooko – OON

Paul Levera – OON

Felix Nuate – OON

Baribor Bera – OON

Barinem Kiobel – OON

John Kpuine – OON

“I shall also be exercising my powers under the prerogative of mercy to grant these national heroes a full pardon, together with others whose names shall be announced later in conjunction with the National Council of State,” the President added.

A US- and Israeli-backed charity operating in Gaza accused Palestinian militant group Hamas of attacking aid workers en route to a distribution centre on Wednesday, saying at least five people were killed.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said a bus carrying its staff to a distribution site near Khan Yunis in the south was “brutally attacked by Hamas” around 10:00 pm (1900 GMT).

“We are still gathering facts, but what we know is devastating: there are at least five fatalities, multiple injuries, and fear that some of our team members may have been taken hostage,” GHF said in a statement.

In an email to AFP, the group added that all five of the people killed were Palestinian aid workers for GHF.

“These were aid workers. Humanitarians. Fathers, brothers, sons, and friends, who were risking their lives every day to help others,” the group said in its statement condemning the attack.

The distribution of food and basic supplies in the besieged Gaza Strip has become increasingly fraught and perilous, exacerbating the territory’s deep hunger crisis.

READ ALSO: 17 Palestinians Killed In Israeli Strikes Near Gaza Aid Site

Dozens of Palestinians have been killed while trying to reach distribution points since late May, according to Gaza’s civil defence.

It said Israeli forces killed 31 people waiting for aid on Wednesday.

The Israeli army did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment about the incident.

– ‘Died while waiting’ –

The GHF, an officially private effort with opaque funding, began operating on May 26 after Israel completely cut off supplies into Gaza for more than two months, sparking international outcry and warnings of imminent famine.

During its first week of operations, the GHF said it distributed more than seven million meals’ worth of food, but its operations were heavily criticised even before the string of deadly incidents near its sites.

The United Nations and major aid groups have refused to work with the GHF, citing concerns over its practices and neutrality.

READ ALSO: June 12 Protest: Security Operatives Barricade N’Assembly Gate

The amount of aid being allowed back into the territory, meanwhile, has been described as only a trickle.

Gaza’s medics have said hospitals were being inundated with people attacked while trying to obtain food.

Al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat Camp said early Thursday that four people were killed and 100 wounded in an overnight Israeli drone attack on a gathering at an aid distribution site close to a key checkpoint along the road to northern Gaza.

At Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital, the emergency room said it had started receiving dozens of victims who had been waiting for aid, including 200 in a single day.

“Many Gazans went to the Nabulsi and Netzarim areas to receive aid and were shot at and shelled with tanks,” said Mutaz Harara, head of Al-Shifa’s emergency department.

READ ALSO: Israel Threatens To Do To Iran What It Has Done To Hamas

But with few medical supplies and no operating rooms, “many patients died while waiting for their turn”, he said.

– Convoys through Egypt? –

To combat the widespread shortages, two activist convoys are attempting to transport supplies to the Gaza border themselves.

The Soumoud convoy — meaning steadfastness in Arabic — left Tunis in buses and cars on Monday, hoping to pass through divided Libya and Egypt.

The Global March to Gaza, which is coordinating with Soumoud, said it is organising a separate mobilisation starting in Cairo on Friday.

The plan entails participants marching through the heavily securitised Sinai Peninsula on foot and camping on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing.

Israel’s defence minister objected to the mobilisation and said he expects Egyptian authorities to prevent the arrival of jihadist protesters at the Egypt-Israel border.

READ ALSO: Gaza Talks: Pick A Side Between Us Or Hamas — Israeli PM Tells Qatar

Such actions “would endanger the safety of (Israeli) soldiers and will not be allowed,” Defence Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday.

Egypt said that while it backs efforts to put “pressure on Israel” to lift its blockade on Gaza, any foreign delegations seeking to visit the border area must receive prior approval.

With international and domestic pressure on the Israeli government mounting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu survived the latest challenge to his right-wing coalition early Thursday.

A bill to dissolve parliament — which could have led to snap polls — was narrowly defeated, with 61 members of the Knesset voting against it, and 53 in favour.

The opposition had hoped to leverage dissatisfaction with Netanyahu over proposals to enlist ultra-Orthodox men typically exempt from the military draft. But ultimately, the ultra-Orthodox parties did not back the effort.

The Gaza war was sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says the retaliatory Israeli military offensive has killed at least 55,104 people, the majority civilians. The United Nations considers these figures to be reliable.

Out of 251 taken hostage during the Hamas attack, 54 are still held in Gaza, including 32, the Israeli military says, are dead.
AFP

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has predicted thunderstorms and rain from Wednesday to Friday across the country.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Tuesday in Abuja envisaged  early morning thunderstorms on Wednesday  over parts of Taraba,

Kaduna and Adamawa in the northern region.

It anticipated thunderstorms with rain over parts of Kebbi, Taraba, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, Gombe and Bauchi states later in the day.

According to it, early morning thunderstorms are expected over parts of Benue, Kwara, Niger, the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa States in the North central region.

“Later in the day, thunderstorms with rains are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kogi and Plateau states.

READ ALSO: NiMet Forecasts 3-day Sunshine, Cloudiness In Some States Starting Sunday

“In the southern region, a cloudy atmosphere is expected with chances of morning rain over parts of Ondo, Ekiti and Edo states.

“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms with rain are anticipated over parts of Imo, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Anambra, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers  during the afternoon or evening hours,” it said

NiMet envisaged prospects of morning thunderstorms on Thursday over parts of Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara, Adamawa and Taraba in the northern region.

“Later in the day, thunderstorms with rain are anticipated over parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Kebbi, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kano, Gombe and Bauchi states.

READ ALSO: NiMet Predicts 3-day Rains, Thunderstorms Across Nigeria From Sunday

“In the North-central region, patches of clouds with sunshine intervals are expected with prospects of early morning thunderstorms to affect parts of Niger, Nasarawa, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory.

“Later in the day, thunderstorms with rain are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kogi, Benue and Plateau states,” it  said.

According to NiMet, morning thunderstorms are expected over parts of Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states in the southern region.

It envisaged isolated thunderstorms with rain over most parts of Imo, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Edo, Lagos, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states later in the day.

“On Friday, prospects of morning thunderstorms are expected over parts of Jigawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Adamawa and Taraba  in the northern region.

READ ALSO:NiMet Predicts Three-day Haziness, Thunderstorms From Tuesday

“Later in the day, thunderstorms with rains are anticipated over parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Kano, Kaduna and Bauchi states.

“In the North-central region, patches of clouds with sunshine intervals are expected with prospects of thunderstorms with rain over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Kwara and Niger,” it said.

NiMet forecast thunderstorms over parts of Kwara, Benue and Kogi  in the  afternoon or evening hours.

According to it, cloudy atmosphere is expected in the southern region with chances of morning rain over parts of Oyo, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom and Cross River.

It predicted isolated thunderstorms with rain over most parts of the region later in the day.

“Strong winds may precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur. The public should take adequate precautions and ensure that loose objects are fastened to avoid collision.

“Driving under heavy rain should be avoided. Disconnect electrical appliances from electrical sockets.

“Stay away from tall trees to avoid impact from falling branches and broken trees.

“Airline operators are advised to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.

“Residents are advised to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet. Visit our website www.nimet.gov.ng,” it said.

NAN