Author: Opalim Lifted

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has filed an appeal against the judgment delivered on May 5, 2026, by the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, which awarded ₦100 million in damages to officials of the Department of State Services over alleged defamation. SERAP described the ruling as “a travesty and a miscarriage of justice” and said the decision was legally flawed and procedurally defective. The appeal was filed on May 8, 2026, by senior advocate Tayo Oyetibo on behalf of the organisation. SERAP also filed an application seeking a stay of execution of the judgment pending the…

Former workers and pensioners of defunct Nigeria Airways have appealed to Bola Tinubu to intervene over the alleged omission of their outstanding N36 billion severance and pension entitlements from the 2026 budget. The retirees said many former staff members continue to face severe hardship and uncertainty years after the liquidation of the national carrier. In a letter dated May 7, 2026, addressed to the President, the ex-workers expressed shock that no provision was made for the payment in both the extended 2025 budget and the 2026 Appropriation Bill, despite what they described as earlier assurances that the debt would be…

Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Monday admitted newspaper publications tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, over the alleged unlawful redesign of the naira. During proceedings, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, while leading the eighth prosecution witness, Jegede Oluwasegun, presented certified copies of publications from The Punch, ThisDay, Vanguard, Daily Sun and The Nation newspapers. The documents reportedly contained reports relating to the alleged unlawful naira redesign, alongside payment receipts for the purchase of the newspapers.…

Ben Murray-Bruce has praised Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, following high-level security meetings in Washington involving top United States officials. In a Facebook post on Monday, Murray-Bruce described Ribadu as a long-time problem solver who has dedicated much of his life to tackling difficult national issues. He wrote that seeing Ribadu meet with US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and members of the US national security establishment reinforced his belief in Ribadu’s effectiveness. According to Murray-Bruce, the engagement went beyond a ceremonial visit, noting that Ribadu arrived in Washington with “a mandate, a brief,…

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Major General Adeyinka A. Famadewa (Rtd) as Special Adviser on Homeland Security. Famadewa’s appointment was announced on Monday in a statement electronically signed by Chris Ugwuegbulam, Head of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Ugwuegbulam explained that the appointment recognises Famadewa’s exceptional record of service, strategic expertise, and outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s national security architecture. “In a circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, which was issued by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Dr.…

The Oyo State government has warned residents to take precautionary measures against flash floods, thunderstorms, road overflows and rising temperatures as the rainy season sets in. Ademola Aderinto issued the advisory in a recent statement in Ibadan. Aderinto said the state could experience flash floods and thunderstorms due to high-intensity rainfall associated with the onset of the rainy season. According to him, the soil across the state remains relatively firm, limiting water infiltration and leading to heavy surface runoff on roads, drainage channels and in some communities. He urged residents not to panic, noting that most flooding incidents are expected…

Dozens of Nigerian fishermen are feared dead after the Chadian military conducted airstrikes on jihadist positions in Lake Chad, AFP reports. Quoting a civilian militia member and an official of a Lake Chad fishermen’s union, the news agency said Chadian fighter jets bombarded two islands believed to be controlled by Boko Haram militants. At least 40 Nigerian fishermen were reported missing and are feared drowned following the bombardment. The exact death toll remains unclear, as military operations across the vast waterways and marshlands shared by Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad were ongoing at the time of reporting. A militia member…

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has asked NNPC Limited to disclose full details of its refinery revamp agreement with two Chinese firms, warning against another failed rehabilitation exercise after years of costly refinery projects. The demand follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on April 30 between NNPC and Chinese firms Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited and Xinganchen (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co. Ltd for the completion and operation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries. In a statement issued on Sunday and titled “Enough of MoU Governance and Failed Revamps on Port Harcourt and Other…

Meta-owned Instagram has begun phasing out end-to-end encrypted direct messaging on the platform, meaning users will no longer be able to send fully private messages. The change took effect from May 8, 2026, according to an update quietly added to Instagram’s terms and conditions in March. “End-to-end encrypted messaging on Instagram will no longer be supported after 8 May 2026,” the notice states. The company also advised users with affected chats to download any messages or media they wished to keep before the feature was disabled. End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is regarded as one of the strongest forms of digital privacy…

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has warned telecommunications operators to improve service delivery or face regulatory sanctions from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Speaking in a recent statement , Tijani said telecom operators are now operating in a more stable environment after federal government reforms helped restore profitability across the sector. According to him, operators now have the financial capacity to address long-standing network problems affecting millions of Nigerians. “It is now the responsibility of telecom operators such as MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and T2 to take all necessary steps to resolve network challenges and…