Author: Opalim Lifted

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed that his administration’s wide-ranging economic and institutional reforms are geared towards securing a brighter, more competitive future for Nigeria’s young people. Hosting the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, at the State House in Abuja on Monday, Tinubu stressed that youth remain the driving force of his economic agenda, saying their active ownership of ongoing reforms will help push the country towards long-term prosperity. Prince Edward, who chairs the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, was in Nigeria to brief the President on the upcoming global award ceremony set to take place in Lagos. Tinubu said…

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Waidi Shaibu has directed troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA to leave no stone unturned in the ongoing search-and-rescue mission for abducted students. The pupils were kidnapped on Monday from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS), Maga, in Kebbi state. During the attack, the gunmen killed Hassan Yakubu Makuku, the vice-principal, and abducted 25 students. Speaking during a visit to the state, Shaibu ordered soldiers to intensify day-and-night operations until all the abducted schoolgirls are safely rescued. According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, the army chief arrived in the state with a delegation of…

President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to move swiftly in rescuing the 25 female students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State. The students were seized on Monday morning when armed men stormed the school. The attackers killed the vice principal, Hassan Makuku, during the raid, while a security guard, Ali Shehu, was shot in the hand. Mohammed Idris, the minister of information, condemned the assault in a statement and said Tinubu remains firm in his commitment to protecting every Nigerian — especially schoolchildren. According to Idris, the president has issued “clear directives” to security and…

President Bola Tinubu has warned that no judicial reform will succeed unless the courts confront corruption head-on, insisting that integrity is the backbone of Nigeria’s democracy. Speaking on Monday at the opening of the 2025 All Nigerian Judges’ Conference of the Superior Courts in Abuja, Tinubu praised the judiciary as the nation’s most dependable stabilising force in difficult times. “Whenever Nigeria has faced moments of uncertainty, the Judiciary stood firm as the stabilising force of our national life,” he said, noting that judges’ courage had repeatedly restrained tyranny and protected constitutional order. But he cautioned that public trust in the…

President Bola Tinubu has urged the Super Eagles to recover their lost glory by winning the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. Tinubu gave the charge on Monday in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said the president commended the Super Eagles for putting in their best efforts toward qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite their playoff loss on Sunday. According to Onanuga, the president encouraged the team to put behind them the defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo and focus fully on the AFCON, scheduled to…

In a dramatic reversal, Donald Trump has publicly backed a vote in the United States House of Representatives to release previously withheld documents connected to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Just days ago Trump appeared opposed to opening up the files—raising accusations that he was trying to stifle disclosures that might implicate him. But in a post on his platform (Truth Social) he declared: “House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide.” The shift comes as critics accuse Trump of earlier seeking to block the vote in order to avoid revelations about…

Nigeria’s 2026 budget is mired in delay, sparking serious concern across markets and within government circles about fiscal instability, weak planning, and chaotic spending, The Guardian reports.  With less than two months to the start of the new fiscal year, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has yet to approve the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), crucial documents that guide budget planning. Compounding the delay, the Senate’s Committee on Finance is demanding a full performance report on the 2024 budget, as well as projected capital spending for 2025 — before it considers next year’s fiscal proposals. Senator…

Emadeb Petroleum Exploration & Production Company (E&P) Limited says it has achieved its first oil from the Ibom field. In a recent statement, the company said drilling from the field, also called petroleum prospecting licence (PPL) 236, represents another milestone in Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas industry. Emadeb said the achievement resulted from sustained investment, technical rigour and collaborative effort. The company added that Emadeb has “commenced commercial production from Ibom Field”. “This achievement underscores Emadeb E&P’s emergence as a fully integrated energy player and highlights the pivotal role of indigenous operators in advancing Nigeria’s energy security and economic diversification,”…

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Abdulrahman Mohammed has summoned an emergency meeting of its national executive committee (NEC) and board of trustees (BoT) for Tuesday. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the PDP national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja. A notice signed by Samuel Anyanwu, an ally of Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), stated that the BoT will convene at 11am. The NEC session has been fixed for 2pm at the same venue. The party said attendance is compulsory because “crucial matters” will be considered. The invitation marks the 103rd…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says the persistent bloodshed in Plateau State leaves him in tears, stressing that no community should endure such relentless loss. Speaking at the APC’s mega rally at the Jos Polo Field, where the party welcomed a wave of high-profile defectors, Akpabio said the killings in Plateau have become a personal burden. The event drew top northern APC leaders, including National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, Senator Simon Lalong, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, and the governors of Nasarawa and Benue. Akpabio lamented the devastation caused by years of attacks, insisting Plateau urgently needs lasting peace. “Too many lives have…