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Operatives of the Niger State Police Command have killed a suspected armed robber during a gun duel.The police said other suspects escaped with gunshot wounds.The incident occurred on Monday along the Abuja-Kaduna Road.The operatives, who were on routine patrol with some soldiers, intercepted the suspected robbers and engaged them in a gun battle.One of the suspected robbers was gunned down in the process.Confirming the report, the spokesperson for the Niger Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, said the other suspects are believed to have escaped with gunshot wounds.The body of the slain suspect was deposited at the Sabon-Wuse General Hospital morgue.A wooden carved gun resembling an AK-47 rifle was recovered from the scene.Abiodun stated: “On 16th June 2025, at about 5:30am, based on credible ...

The growing speculation over the fate of Vice President Kashim Shettima in the 2027 presidential race has continued to trigger chaos and outrage in the party.The rumour that President Bola Tinubu may consider replacing Shettima as his running mate ahead of the 2027 general elections reached a boiling point on Sunday at the APC North-East stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe.The meeting which was meant to be a show of unity, descended into chaos.Eyewitnesses reported that tensions flared when Mustapha Salihu, APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), concluded his remarks endorsing Tinubu for a second term—without once mentioning Vice President Shettima.His omission sparked fury among party delegates. In a now-viral video, enraged attendees began chanting “Shettima! Shettima!!” before chaos erupt...

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced time-bound measures for a small number of banks still completing their transition from the temporary regulatory support provided, mostly in response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.This step is part of the CBN’s broader, sequenced strategy to implement the recapitalisation programme announced in 2023.The programme, designed to align with Nigeria’s long-term growth ambitions, has already led to significant capital inflows and balance sheet strengthening across the sector.Most banks have either completed or are on track to meet the new capital requirements well before the final implementation deadline of March 31, 2026.The measures announced apply only to a limited number of banks. These include temporary restrictions on capit...

The Lagos APC on Tuesday officially presented party flags to its 57 chairmanship and 376 councillorship candidates for the 12 July Local Government Elections.The party also launched its campaign for the council at an event held at the APC State Secretariat, Ogba.Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Mrs Abimbola Salu Hundeyin, the Secretary to the State Government, assuring the candidates of the government’s support.“The love I have for this party is unquantifiable. I am with all the candidates; this is not just an official flag-off, it symbolises the beginning of hard work and dedication. “We are solidly behind every aspirant, we are in this together, and all will be successful by God’s grace. “As we raise these flags today, we are proud and ...

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer The Federal Government has called on the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers  (GOCOP) to expose and checkmate the activities of peddlers of fake news in the country. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, made the call during his remarks at the book launch and fundraiser for GOCOP Media Centre on Tuesday in Abuja. The 11-chapter book, “Nigeria Media Renaissance, GOCOP Perspectives on Online Publishing”, was collectively written by some members of the Guild. According to Idris, one of the major challenges of present time, and one that is very relevant to online publishing, is the alarming spread of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation. He explained that these are not harmless errors, adding that th...

Nasarawa State University, Keffi, on Tuesday 17th June 2025 received a delegation from the UNDP Africa Regional Office. In the delegation were Mr. Gift Ntuli, Head of Experimentation, UNDP Timbuktoo UniPods; Ms. Deborah Naatujuna, Innovation Specialist, UNDP Regional Bureau of Africa; Dr. Arepa Iorwa, Advisor, Resources Mobilization UNDP Nigeria; and Mr. Toyin Bamidele, Digital Innovation Officer, UNDP Nigeria. The delegation's mission was to study the conceptualization and plans towards activating the UniPod at NSUK, with the aim of strengthening the general framework for UniPods. The team was received by the Acting Director of UniPod, Dr. Aisha A. Kana, the Deputy Director, Dr. Vincent Paul, Prof. N. G. Goki, Mr. M. A. Modibbo, Mr. D. M. Omame, and Mr. A. O. Shadrach. The visit...

By Joan Nwagwu The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has urged the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to enforce a transparent pump pricing template. President of the union, Mr Festus Osifo, made the call at a World News Conference in Abuja on Monday. Osifo said the call became necessary seeing that petroleum marketers have continued to exploit Nigerians through inflated fuel prices even with the decrease in the price of crude oil. According to him, at the time crude oil was being sold at 60 dollars per barrel, petrol pump prices remained high at between N850 and N900 per litre, leaving consumers at a loss. “The unjustifiable pricing is due to NMDPRA not being able to carry out its oversight duti...

By NAN Erudite Growth and Advancement Foundation (ERGAF Africa), in collaboration with Mee and Cee Development Foundation, on Monday, 16th June 2025, commemorated the World International Day of the African Child with a powerful outreach to three Secondary Schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The theme of the 2025 commemoration, “Child Rights-Based Budgeting in Nigeria: The Role of Policy Makers,” inspired a series of impactful activities that reached over 300 students across Junior Secondary School (JSS) Tunda Wanda, Government Secondary School (GSS) Tunda Wanda, and Raberto School, Wuse, Abuja. Ms. Chy Ogamba, founder of Mee and Cee Development Foundation, shared her reflections during the event. She emphasized the importance of empowering children with policy knowle...

Long queues may soon begin to surface at the filling stations, as Petroleum tanker drivers on Monday carried out their threat to down tools if Lagos State government fails to withdraw its imposed N12 500 parking fees.The fees was introduced by the government through the Electronic Call-up Systems Company.The drivers were joined by other truckers to include lifters of petroleum products from the Dangote refinery, as well as transporters of cargoes from the Lekki Deep Seaport. Following the protest, cargoes were trapped at the Lekki port.The Lagos State Government seems unperturbed by the strike as it insisted that there was no going back in the implementation of the E-Call Up system on Monday.The state government accused the unions of collecting up to N41,000 from drivers without any se...

A 44 year-old businessman, Ezemokwe Chukwuebuka has been arrested for ingesting 53 wraps of cocaine while on his way to Tehran Khomeini, Islamic Republic of Iran.The suspect was arrested by the operatives of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) anotherThis is barely two weeks after a 60-year-old businessman Chinedu Okigbo heading to Iran with 65 pellets of cocaine in his stomach was caught at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano. The spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said Ezemokwe was arrested on Saturday 7th June while trying to board Qatar Airways flight QR1434 flying to Tehran Khomeini in Iran via Doha. After a body scan proved positive to ingestion of illicit drug, he was placed on excretion observation during w...

The House of Representatives Joint Committees on Public Accounts and Public Assets have summoned the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, to appear before them on Monday, June 16, 2025.The duo were invited to clear the air on the issue of non-compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007 and concerns raised in the 2021 audit report from the Office of the Auditor General for the Federation.The report highlighted serious internal control weaknesses.In a letter jointly signed by the Chairmen of the Committees—Bamidele Salam (Public Accounts) and Ademorin Kuye (Public Assets)—the lawmakers requested that the officials present details regarding the remittance of operating surpluses to the Federation Account by the CBN, as man...

Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, the first female president of Nicaragua, died early Saturday morning in Costa Rica at the age of 95, her family announced in a statement.Chamorro, an unlikely leader whose rise to power was fueled by her husband’s murder, served as president from 1990-1997.She championed regional development and peace after years of a violent civil war, but her presidency was hampered by runaway inflation and economic hardship.After suffering a stroke in 2018, Chamorro left public life due to a tumor and subsequent ailments. In October 2023, under constant medical care, she moved to Costa Rica, where two of her exiled children reside: Cristiana and Carlos Fernando Chamorro Barrios. A son, Pedro Joaquín, and daughter, Claudia Lucia live in the U.S."Doña Violeta passed away peac...

The Israeli government has issued a stern warning to Iran on its attacks on the civilian population. According to Times of Israel, the Israeli government warning to Iran, promising an "unbearably heavy price" for what it described as missile attacks targeting civilian areas. The pronouncement comes as Hebrew media widely reported Israel's vow to strike back following the recent Iranian aggression. A high-level Israeli political source, speaking to Channel 12, explicitly stated that "Iran will pay an unbearably heavy price for its fire at civilian areas." While the exact nature of this retaliation remains unconfirmed by official Israeli channels, The Times of Israel newspaper suggested that the remark likely alludes to potential Israeli strikes on critical Iranian energy and infra...

The Delta State government has recently approved the extension of electricity supply and installation of six transformers in the Orugbo, Ode-Itsekiri, Ajigba, Inorin, Usele, and Ugbodede communities, all situated in the Warri South Local Government Area. This is in addition to approval for road constructions and rehabilitation in all the three senatorial zones of the state. The Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, made the disclosure shortly after the state executive meeting held in the government house, Asaba. According to him, the approval is part of the ongoing effort by the Sheriff administration to uplift infrastructure within the state and improve road connectivity both in urban and rural areas. According to Aniagwu, the road ...

After nearly a decade of legal contention, the Supreme Court has delivered a landmark judgment in favour of the Ikot Ansa community (Nkonib) in Calabar Municipality, Cross River, affirming their ownership of a disputed parcel of land. In Appeal No. SC/CV/295/2021, the apex court unanimously dismissed the appeal filed by Ntoe Ededem Okon Ayito, bringing finality to a protracted land tussle that has passed through all levels of Nigeria’s judicial system. The panel of Justice including Uwani Musa Abba Aji (Lead Justice), Mohammed Salawa, Stephen Adah, and Abubakar Sadik Umar, upheld the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal, which found that the appellant, Ayito, failed to sufficiently prove his title to the land based on traditional history as originally pleaded. The Supreme Cour...

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer The President of Albinism Association of Nigeria (AAN), Dr Bisi Bamishe has urged government and stakeholders to expedite efforts to include skin screening and treatment into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).Bamishe made the call in her address of welcome at the event to celebrate the International Albinism Awareness Day (IAAD) in Abuja.The celebration with the theme, “IAAD 2025: Demanding Our Rights: Protect Our Skin, Preserve Our Lives,” is organised by AAN.She described the theme as a powerful call for urgent action, adding that including skin screening and treatment into NHIS will go a long way to address challenges facing persons with albinism.“The theme highlights the critical need to raise awareness about the severe health challenges, especial...

Four foreigners and seven Nigerians have been jailed for cyberterrorism and internet fraud.The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, June 13, 2025, secured the conviction and sentence of the eleven suspects which comprises of four Filipinos and seven Nigerians.Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos gave the judgment.The Filipino convicts are: Reyna Mae Eriba, Chyna Samonte, Zara Fabian and Dominique Medina, while the Nigerians are: Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan and Oghomienor Jotham.They were prosecuted on separate charges bordering on cyberterrorism and internet fraud.Samonte charges reads: “That you, Chynna Samonte, sometime ...