Author: Opalim Lifted

A missile struck a helipad inside the United States embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraqi security officials said. Two security officials confirmed the incident, according to a report by the Associated Press. Footage from the Associated Press showed a column of smoke rising over the compound on Saturday morning. The sprawling complex is one of the largest US diplomatic facilities in the world. The facility has repeatedly been targeted by rockets and drones fired by Iran-aligned militias. Images circulating online also showed smoke and dust rising above the embassy after the strike. NATO forces shoot down third Iranian ballistic missile There…

President Bola Tinubu has urged the Nigerian media to extend scrutiny beyond the federal government and hold state and local governments accountable for how they spend their allocations. Tinubu made the call on Friday during an interfaith breaking of fast with media proprietors and executives at the State House in Abuja. The president said the media should pay closer attention to how funds distributed from the federation account are utilised at sub-national levels. According to him, recent economic reforms implemented by his administration — particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy — have significantly increased the funds available to states…

The Lagos State Government has reintroduced the monthly environmental sanitation exercise as part of renewed efforts to maintain a cleaner and healthier city. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced that the exercise will begin on Saturday, April 25, 2026, and will take place on the last Saturday of every month between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. The announcement was made during a sensitisation programme organised by the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources along the Mushin–Agege Motor Road corridor. No restriction of movement The sanitation exercise was suspended in 2016 after a court ruling nullified the compulsory restriction of…

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has summoned Air Peace for an urgent meeting on Monday over a series of unexplained flight disruptions and passenger complaints. The Authority said the decision followed reports from passengers on the Heathrow–Abuja flight who were allegedly rerouted through Gatwick–Lagos–Abuja and left stranded in Lagos. According to the NCAA, the incident, along with other complaints relating to delayed refunds, compensation, and the provision of basic passenger care, has prompted the activation of its Consumer Protection Department. The regulator stated that it would not tolerate any situation in which paying passengers are abandoned by airline operators.…

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) says it distributed N1.89 trillion in February to the federal government, states, and local government councils. The revenue was shared during the March 2026 FAAC meeting held in Abuja on Friday, chaired by Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. As of the time of filing this report, the finance ministry had not responded to newsmen enquiry on the January allocation. According to a statement by the ministry, the committee said the total gross revenue available in February stood at N2.23 trillion before deductions were made. From the N1.89 trillion…

Air Peace has clarified the circumstances surrounding the disruption of its Abuja–London service on March 13, 2026, dismissing reports that passengers were abandoned after the aircraft returned to base. The airline said the claims circulating in parts of the media were inaccurate, stressing that no passenger was stranded during the incident. According to Air Peace, the aircraft operating the Abuja–London (Heathrow) flight made an air return after the flight crew detected a crack on the windshield, which was suspected to have been caused by a bird strike. The airline explained that the decision to return to Abuja was taken in…

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has released a preliminary report detailing extensive damage to an Arik Air aircraft following an in-flight engine anomaly. On February 11, an Arik Air Boeing 737-700 aircraft operating a Lagos–Port Harcourt flight diverted to Benin Airport after the crew “heard a loud bang from the left engine.” The aircraft, operating flight W3-740 with registration 5N-MJF, was descending into Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, when the incident occurred. The aircraft had seven crew members and 80 passengers on board, bringing the total number of occupants to 87. According to the report, the aircraft was climbing…

Millions of Nigerians are grappling with the harsh economic impact of a fresh petrol price hike, as transport fares surge and households struggle to keep up with rising living costs. The increase follows a decision by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to raise the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, from ₦1,075 to ₦1,175 per litre. Across cities such as Lagos and Abuja, commuters and transport operators say the adjustment is already hitting their pockets. Commercial bus driver Abdulrahman Oyedele in Igando said operators had little choice but to increase fares to avoid operating at a…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued new rules to strengthen security and improve customer control over instant payment services, including mobile and internet banking. The guidelines, which will take effect on July 1, were contained in a circular dated March 12 and signed by Musa Jimoh, director of the payments system policy department at the CBN. In the circular addressed to all banks and payment service providers, the CBN said the measures are aimed at reducing fraud and giving customers greater control over how they transact digitally. Under the new framework, all financial institutions offering instant payments must…

President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a presidential petroleum reform and value optimisation task force to design and sequence the next phase of structural reforms in the petroleum sector. In a statement on Friday, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said Fola Adeola, co-founder of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) and founder and chairman of the Fate Foundation, will serve as the chairman of the task force. As chairman, the presidency said Adeola will oversee the group’s work and ensure the timely delivery of its mandate. Other members of the task force include Ademola…