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The Federal Government has declared Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20, 2026, as public holidays.This is to enable Muslim faithful to celebrate this year's Eid-ul-Fitr celebration.The announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who congratulated Muslim faithful across the country on the successful completion of the holy month of Ramadan.In a statement issued on Tuesday by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, on behalf of the Federal Government, the minister urged Muslims to uphold the core values of love, generosity, peace, tolerance, and sacrifice, which define the Ramadan period. He emphasized the need for Nigerians to reflect on these virtues beyond the fasting season as part of efforts to build a more harmonious soci...

​In a poignant reaction to the tragic bombings that have once again rocked Maiduguri, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of innocent lives in a city already scarred by years of conflict. The Speaker described the attacks as a "cruel contradiction" to the sanctity of the holy month of Ramadan—a period dedicated to mercy and devotion—lamenting that no grievance could ever justify such a senseless spilling of blood. His words underscored a profound sense of grief for the families of Borno State, as he offered prayers for the departed to be granted Aljannah Firdaus and for the injured to find swift healing. ​Standing firm against the shadow of terror, Tajudeen emphasized that Nigeria must refuse to succumb to fear or ...

An unspecified number of persons were feared killed, while many others sustained injuries following bomb explosions in Maiduguri, Borno State on Monday.The incident occurred around Monday Market in Maiduguri, and near a security post at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. It was gathered that the bombs detonated simultaneously at about 7.02 pm, hours after suspected Boko Haram terrorists launched simultaneous attacks on three military positions across the state. Confirming the Monday evening bomb explosion, Head of Operations of the Federal Fire Service in Borno State, Mohammed Kafaran, said the agency had deployed its personnel to the scene. He said, “Yes, there was a bomb explosion at the Monday Market area around Elkanemi. We have deployed our team there to asse...

Women have been urged to prioritise value creation, collaboration and mentorship as key pathways to leadership and sustained impact in the corporate sector. This call was made at the 2026 International Women’s Day celebration organised by the Firstbank Women Network. The event was held at the Balmoral Hall, Sheraton Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos. Delivering the keynote address, Non-Executive Director at FirstBank, Tope Omage described the FirstBank Women Network as a strategic platform designed to strengthen women’s leadership capacity within the institution and support their advancement through collaboration and mentorship. According to her, the network embodies what she described as “structured sisterhood,” where women support one another in navigating career growth and leadership ...

Some stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC have adopted The Renewed Hope Network TRN as a Special Purpose Vehicle to galvanize broad-based support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential elections.The stakeholders who are leaders of over 1,500 registered support groups of the party, said the decision was taken after a strategic meeting with the technical team of the TRN led by a seasoned APC mobilizer and a former Senior Special Assistant to the APC National Chairman on Civil Society and Support Groups, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi and diplomat, Prof. Tunji John Asaolu. Deputy Director General of the APC Support Groups Council, Dr. Ak Peters told Vanguard that the TRN is powered by a former Governor of Zamfara state and senator represe...

The Federal Government has said that the economic and governance reforms being implemented by the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu are strengthening global confidence in Nigeria.Besides, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris said the reforms are already creating new opportunities for trade, investment, and international cooperation, particularly with the United Kingdom. He stated this on Sunday in London during a world press conference held ahead of President Tinubu’s official visit to the United Kingdom at the invitation of King Charles III. Idris said the visit underscores the long-standing diplomatic, economic, and cultural relationship between both nations, describing the partnership as historic and strategic. “This visit highlights the histo...

As contained in the published All Progressives Congress (APC) 2026 Schedule of Nationwide Congresses, National Convention, and Related Activities, the existing zoning arrangement for National working Committee positions across states within the geo-political zones remains valid and applicable to the upcoming National Convention, the party said This was announced on Monday, 16 March 2026 through a press statement signed by Felix Morka, National Publicity Secretary. Accordingly, aspirants purchasing and submitting Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for national offices ahead of the National Convention are advised to be strictly guided by the existing zoning arrangement.

By Victor Okoye The Centre for School Health Education and Environmental Hygiene (CSHEEH) on Monday marked the 2026 World Oral Health Day in Abuja with awareness activities for pupils. The event, held at LEA Primary and Junior Secondary School, Sabon-Lugbe, was organised in collaboration with the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), FCT chapter, with support from Unilever and other partners. Executive Director of CSHEEH, Dr Folasade Olusola Momoh, said the programme was aimed at promoting oral hygiene awareness among pupils and encouraging healthy practices. Momoh said World Oral Health Day, marked annually on March 20, creates awareness on oral health and empowers people to adopt proper hygiene practices. She said the 2026 theme, “A Happy Mouth is a Happy Life,” highlig...

A 74-year-old man has been arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) uncovered 11 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden in his luggage, in what authorities described as part of a widening crackdown on drug trafficking networks operating across Nigeria. A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, stated that the suspect, identified as Ikwuakalom Emeka, was intercepted at the departure hall of the airport on Saturday while attempting to board a British Airways flight BA082 to London’s Heathrow Airport. He said the NDLEA officers discovered the large consignment of cocaine concealed inside food items, including ground dry pepper, carefully wrapped in foil papers ...

Babagana Umara Zulum, governor of Borno State, has been ranked among Nigeria’s top-performing governors in the 2025 Governance Accountability and Transparency Index (GATI), a report that evaluates how transparently and responsibly state governments manage public resources and public affairs. The report, unveiled in Abuja on March 13, 2026, recognised Zulum and nine other governors for demonstrating strong commitments to accountability, transparency and people-centred governance. The annual index is produced by Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers (GOMEP) Nigeria, an umbrella body of more than 75 online media editors and publishers across the country. It is designed to strengthen democratic governance by assessing the performance of Nigeria’s 36 state governments while re...

Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing gender equality on the global stage as the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development convened the second edition of the Nigerian Women’s Day celebration. The celebration was held during the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) in New York. The event, organised under the leadership of the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, brought together global leaders, diplomats, civil society groups and members of the Nigerian diaspora for dialogue and policy discussions. Among those in attendance was the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed, alongside ministers, gender advocates, entrepreneurs and artists. The gatherin...

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Renewed Hope Ambassadors to distribute rice across all states of the federation in support of citizens observing the ongoing Ramadan and Lenten seasons. The initiative, according to a statement issued by the Director-General, Renewed Hope Ambassadors and governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma explained that “under the directive, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors will coordinate the distribution through their nationwide grassroots network to ensure that families across Nigeria benefit from the intervention during this holy season when both Muslims and Christians are fasting.“It is worth noting that a similar intervention was carried out during the last Christmas season, when rice was also distributed to support Nigerians celebrating the festiv...

The Nigeria Labour Congress on Sunday demanded urgent intervention from the Federal Government to cushion the effects of the recent spike in petrol prices, as a result of the ongoing Gulf crisis.NLC urged the government to give workers a cost-of-living allowance, a wage award for workers, tax relief, and immediate steps to revive the country’s public refineries. The labour body said the sharp rise in fuel prices—now selling between N1,170 and N1,300 per litre—has worsened the economic hardship facing Nigerian workers and citizens, warning that the nation risks severe social unrest if urgent measures are not taken. The NLC also accused the government of leaving Nigerians at the mercy of volatile global oil prices triggered by the escalating Middle East crisis, noting that the sit...

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash O. Amupitan (SAN), has called for sustained collaboration between electoral authorities and security professionals.Amupitan said this is important so as to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy, emphasising that there is a strong link between credible elections and national security,Amupitan made the remarks on Monday in Abuja while receiving members of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies (AANISS), led by its President, Mike Ejiofor, during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters. The INEC Chairman described the visit as both an honour and an opportunity to deepen institutional cooperation between the electoral body and security experts trained by the institute...

Drone attacks from Iran have struck the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ), the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) biggest port and oil storage facility, sparking a fire. Fujairah sits on the UAE’s eastern coast, on the Gulf of Oman – rather than the Persian Gulf – and so vessels do not need to navigate the Strait of Hormuz to reach it.The UAE, which before the war began ​produced more than 3.4 million bpd of crude, operates a 1.5 million bpd ​pipeline that can transport some crude to bypass Hormuz. With the narrow sea passage controlled by Iran largely shut to exports, significant disruptions at Fujairah would force the large crude producer to shut ​down more production. Though Iran has repeatedly said it does not intend to attack its neighbouring countries, and only seeks to strike...

President Bola Tinubu has sworn-in Mr. Taiwo Oyedele as Minister of State for Finance.He replaces Doris Uzoka-Anite, who was recently redeployed to the ministry of budget and national planning as minister of state — her third portfolio under the Tinubu administration.The brief ceremony was held on Monday at the president’s office at the State House in Abuja.Oyedele’s swearing-in comes five days after the senate confirmed his nomination. The confirmation followed a screening session during which the tax expert pledged to pursue fiscal reforms aimed at improving government revenue, ensuring realistic budgeting, and strengthening Nigeria’s economic management framework. Tinubu had earlier forwarded Oyedele’s nomination to the senate in a letter dated March 3, 2026, in accordance wi...

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission prayer to access and analyse electronic devices recovered from the Abuja residence of a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted the order after hearing an ex parte application filed by counsel for the ICPC, Osuobeni Akponimisingha. Moving the motion, the lawyer urged the court to allow the commission to open and examine the devices for inspection, forensic examination and extraction of data as part of its ongoing investigation involving the former governor. The devices were among items recovered by ICPC operatives during a search conducted at El-Rufai’s residence in Abuja. In a ruling, Justice Abdulmalik autho...

A prosecution witness in the trial of a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello, on Thursday, March 12, 2026 narrated how a total sum of $760,910.84 was paid as advance school fees for children of the former governor at the American International School Abuja (AISA). The witness, Nicholas Okehone, an Internal Auditor with AISA and Prosecution Witness 14, PW14, made the disclosure while testifying before Maryanne Anineh, the presiding judge.Bello is standing trial at the FCT, High Court, Maitama, Abuja, alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of an alleged ₦110.4 billion. Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Okehone confirmed that the fi...

In preparation for the upcoming 2026 National Convention, the All Progressives Congress on Friday inaugurated its various sub-committees.The essence is to ensure a smooth and successful event, the party said.The Venue sub-committee, chaired by Governor Abiodun Adedapo Oluseun, along with other committees like Security led by Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), Protocol chaired by Governor Bassey Otu, and Transportation headed by H.E. David Umahi, have all held inaugural meetings. The National Convention Central Coordination Committee, chaired by former Governor of Katsina State and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, has also been inaugurated by the Party’s National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda .This committee is taske...

We could set for a decisive weekend in the Premier League, with a lot of key fixtures that would determine a lot at both ends of the table. The standout game will see Manchester United host Aston Villa as the battle for Champions League spots continue. But before that match on Sunday, there will a couple of important fixtures to look forward to on Saturday. So, what encounters can we expect upsets? Arsenal vs Everton: If Mikel Arteta’s men pick up three points in this game, they would open a 10-point gap ahead of Manchester City. But it might not be an easy and straightforward affair at the Emirates. Arsenal have not been playing well in recent weeks and Everton are one of the league’s best teams away from home. David Moyes’ men also don’t concede a lot from corner kicks....