Author: Opalim Lifted

President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with the newly appointed service chiefs at the State House. Last Friday, Tinubu sacked the former service chiefs in a major shake-up of the nation’s military leadership. The president named Olufemi Oluyede, a lieutenant general, as the new chief of defence staff, replacing Christopher Musa. Prior to the appointment, Oluyede was the chief of army staff. Waidi Shaibu, a major general, was named the new chief of army staff, while Sunday Kelvin Aneke, an air vice marshal, was appointed as air chief. Idi Abbas, a rear admiral, was named the mew naval chief, while…

Former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, is under fire after posting and swiftly deleting a congratulatory letter to the new Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, written on the official Kogi State Government letterhead despite being out of office. The letter, which carried the state coat of arms and Bello’s signature as “Executive Governor,” sparked outrage after it surfaced on social media, with critics accusing him of clinging to power and overstepping official boundaries. Bello’s message to the Army Chief included a contentious line: “It gives me renewed hope that my worthy successor, His Excellency, Governor Ahmed Usman…

A troubling contradiction is emerging across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas (LGAs). Despite receiving more than N8.9 trillion in federal allocations between 2023 and 2025, fewer than one per cent of them have a functional website. The absence of a digital presence exposes a glaring accountability gap in the nation’s third tier of government. While LGAs collectively pocket nearly N3 trillion annually from the Federation Account, most operate in near-total digital silence. Experts say the digital blackout reflects poor governance rather than a lack of funds. “Maintaining a website costs a fraction of what councils receive monthly,” said telecoms analyst…

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has regained his freedom after spending four days in Kuje Prison, Abuja. Sowore confirmed his release in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, writing: “Leaving Kuje Prison in Abuja after being detained there illegally for four days by @officialABAT illegal IGP, Kayode Egbetokun. #FreeNnamdiKanuNow.” He was arrested alongside Aloy Ejimakor, special counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as well as Emmanuel Kanu, Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother, and 11 others during a #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja last week. The 14 were arraigned…

Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline, has officially begun direct flight services between Abuja and London Heathrow, expanding its international network and strengthening Nigeria’s aviation footprint. The inaugural flight departed from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Sunday, marking Air Peace’s second direct London route following the successful launch of its Lagos–London service in March 2024. Allen Onyema, the airline’s chief executive officer, praised the federal government’s support, describing the achievement as “a product of listening to the people’s aspirations.” He commended Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo for policies that have eased the challenges facing local carriers. “It’s not just about Air…

Senator Ned Nwoko has declared that peace will continue to evade Nigeria’s South-East until the federal government addresses the region’s long-standing sense of marginalisation. Speaking on Sunday Politics on Channels TV, the lawmaker representing Delta North said the unrest in the region stems from “perceived injustice by successive governments”. Nwoko urged the creation of Anioma State and the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as crucial steps towards ending insecurity and restoring calm. “The problem in the South-East has to do with perceived injustice. What needs to be done is the creation of a…

Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, has proposed the Fly Nigerian Act, a bill that would require all government officials to use Nigerian airlines on international routes. Keyamo announced the plan on Sunday during the ceremonial send-off of Air Peace’s inaugural direct flight from Abuja to London Heathrow. The event was attended by Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, and Allen Onyema, chairman of Air Peace. He explained that the proposed law would mandate every public official travelling abroad to patronise a Nigerian airline if it operates that route. Only when no local carrier serves…

Several months after halting operations, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced the resumption of commercial train services on the Warri-Itakpe route from Tuesday, October 29. The service was suspended in April after a train broke down mid-journey, leaving passengers stranded for hours before they were rescued. In a weekend statement, NRC’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, said the suspension allowed for essential repairs, maintenance, and system checks to ensure safer and more reliable operations. He confirmed that the online booking platform would reopen by 12 noon on Monday, October 27, at https://nrc-fane.ng, urging passengers to book early or…

Nigeria has been selected among 11 countries to benefit from the new Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Integrated Programme, a global initiative that aligns climate and biodiversity goals through innovation, capacity building and shared knowledge. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) launched the $800 million programme in partnership with the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Other beneficiaries include Chile, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Indonesia, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam. With $100 million in GEF funding and $700 million in co-financing, the initiative seeks to…

A new report by Cowrywise has revealed that young Nigerian couples now spend an average of ₦13 million to organise a wedding. The report titled Simplified Issue 12: The Cost of “Yes, I Do”, released on October 12, 2025, examined financial spending across the proposal, traditional wedding and white wedding stages among young working couples in the country. According to the document, there is no fixed average cost of a Nigerian wedding, as spending ranges from ₦200,000 for small, intimate events to ₦20 million and above for luxury celebrations. The report stated, “There is no fixed ‘average’ cost of a…