Author: David Great

President Bola Tinubu has approved an increase in the retirement age for doctors and other healthcare workers from 60 to 65 years. The National Publicity Secretary, Nigerian Medical Association, Dr Mannir Bature, made the disclosure in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos. Bature said the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has been directed to formally present the approval to the Council on Establishment through the Office of the Head of Service for finalisation. He said Pate conveyed the policy shift during a high-level meeting with the NMA President, Prof. Bala Audu, and key stakeholders in…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned 11 Chinese nationals and a company, Genting International Co. Ltd., before Justice C.J. Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, over allegations of cyber-terrorism and internet fraud. The defendants, identified as Liu Ke Fan, Huang Hai Tao, Zhang Kian Feng, Wua Wang, Xiao Xin, Wang Hong Lin, Wu Yong An (a.k.a Zenga Niu), Chen Yuan (a.k.a Xiao Doa), Chen Dong Dong (a.k.a Cun Zhao), Weng Mao Rong (a.k.a A Xiang and Wang), and Xiong Wei (a.k.a Xiao Bai), were arrested on December 10, 2024, during a surprise operation…

Tottenham Hotspur have secured the loan signing of 19-year-old French forward Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich until the end of the season, the Premier League club confirmed on Monday. Mathys Tel, who joined Bayern from Stade Rennes in 2022, signed a contract extension until 2029 last year but has struggled to secure a regular starting spot. Despite scoring 16 goals in 83 appearances for the German side, he has yet to find the net this season, having started just two Bundesliga matches and made six substitute appearances. Reports suggest Spurs have an option to make the deal permanent in the…

Manchester City have secured the signing of Spanish midfielder Nico Gonzalez from Portuguese side FC Porto on a four-and-a-half-year deal, the Premier League club announced on Monday. The 23-year-old, a product of Barcelona’s youth academy, joins City for a fee of €60 million ($62.06 million), according to a club source. Gonzalez previously made 37 appearances for Barcelona before moving to Porto in 2023, where he featured 68 times, contributing nine goals and nine assists. He has also represented Spain at the under-21 level. City’s Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain, acknowledged the challenges in securing the deal, highlighting Gonzalez’s impact at…

The Trump administration said it would lock U.S. Agency for International Development workers out of their headquarters in downtown Washington DC for a second day on Tuesday as it moved to shutter the agency, prompting two Democratic senators to vow to block confirmations of State Department nominees in protest. Monday’s lockout added to the chaos that has consumed the agency, which distributes billions of dollars of humanitarian aid around the world, since Trump ordered a freeze on most U.S. foreign aid hours after taking office on Jan. 20. USAID has been targeted for closure by billionaire Elon Musk, who has…

U.S. President Donald Trump suspended his threat of steep tariffs on Mexico and Canada on Monday, agreeing to a 30-day pause in return for concessions on border and crime enforcement with the two neighboring countries. U.S. tariffs on China are still due to take effect within hours. Both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said they had agreed to bolster border enforcement efforts in response to Trump’s demand to crack down on immigration and drug smuggling. That would pause 25% tariffs due to take effect on Tuesday for 30 days. Canada agreed to deploy new technology…

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has dismissed reports suggesting that it issued a directive for the immediate retirement of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. Last Friday, the commission ordered police officers who had either reached the age of 60 or served for 35 years to proceed with immediate retirement. The directive sparked debates over the IG’s tenure, as he turned 60 last year. Despite clarifications from the police and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, concerns over Egbetokun’s status have persisted. However, in a statement on Monday, PSC’s Head of Media, Ikechukwu Ani, clarified that the IG was…

Amegu Nkalagha community in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State was attacked by gunmen early Sunday morning, resulting in the deaths of several residents and the destruction of numerous buildings. Reports indicate that the attack was a reprisal following the alleged killing of cattle belonging to herdsmen in the area. Confirming the incident, Professor Ndubuisi Idenyi, a community member, told journalists that the assailants stormed the village in the early hours, unleashing violence that led to loss of lives and widespread destruction. “I don’t have the number of casualties right now. We are still tracking and bringing out the…

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have successfully saved the life of a 59-year-old businessman, Chijioke Igbokwe, after he underwent emergency surgery to remove 57 out of 81 cocaine pellets lodged in his stomach. The surgery, an exploratory laparotomy, was performed after Igbokwe spent seven days struggling to excrete the illicit substance, which he had ingested in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In a statement released on Sunday, the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, revealed that Igbokwe was arrested on January 26, 2025, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, during the inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.…

Canada will hit back at United States tariffs with 25 per cent levies on select American goods, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday. “Canada will be responding to the US trade action with 25 per cent tariffs against Can$155 billion ($106 billion) worth of American goods,” he said in a dramatic tone as he warned of a fracture in longstanding Canada-US ties. The first round of tariffs would target Can$30 billion worth of US goods on Tuesday followed by further tariffs on Can$125 billion worth of products in three weeks. “We’re certainly not looking to escalate. But we will stand…