Author: Opalim Lifted

The Presidency has clarified that the ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation involving President Bola Tinubu in a United States federal court is a civil records-disclosure dispute, not a criminal case. The clarification followed what the Presidency described as speculative reports and public commentary suggesting that proceedings before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia amounted to a criminal case or a judicial finding of wrongdoing against Tinubu. In a statement on Thursday, the Presidency stressed that the court had neither charged nor convicted the President of any criminal offence. It said the dispute centres on…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology systems and a mock presidential election ahead of the 2027 General Elections. The proposed measures are aimed at identifying weaknesses in the commission’s electoral technology and testing its readiness before the next general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this in Abuja while delivering the keynote address at the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN). Amupitan, who was represented by National Commissioner, Prof. Sanni Adam, said the proposed technology audit would examine system redundancy, penetration…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Mahmud Abubakar before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja over alleged retention and transfer of criminal proceeds totalling about N1.09 billion. Abubakar was arraigned on Wednesday before Justice Nwabulu Ngozika at the Maitama division of the FCT High Court on two counts bordering on alleged proceeds of crime. The EFCC alleged that Abubakar retained N795.36 million in an Access Bank account in his name between January and December 2024, knowing that the funds were proceeds of crime. He was also accused of transferring N303.616 million from the account to…

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has disowned a viral publication directing prospective constables to report for training on September 18, 2026, describing it as “fake”. The viral publication, which appeared online recently, directed newly recruited police constables to resume training on September 18 and come along with certain items. In a statement on Thursday, the police said the notice did not come from the force. The force asked prospective trainees to disregard the notice and rely only on information provided through their respective recruitment portals and the official communication channels of the police. “The Nigeria Police Force wishes to state…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned against assuming that Ervebo®, the only licensed Ebola vaccine, can protect people against the Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) responsible for the ongoing outbreak. In updated emergency guidance issued on August 31, WHO said animal, immunological and observational evidence indicates that Ervebo may provide some cross-protection against BDBV. However, the agency stressed that there is currently insufficient evidence to determine whether the vaccine offers meaningful protection in humans. WHO recommended that any use of Ervebo against BDBV should take place only under research protocols, particularly through a ring randomised controlled trial designed to generate reliable…

Uber’s decision to end its operations in Nigeria after 12 years has triggered mixed reactions, with industry stakeholders linking the move to intense competition, rising operating costs and Nigeria’s difficult economic environment. The ride-hailing giant announced that it would wind down operations in Nigeria and Uganda effective September 2, 2026, following what it described as a “thorough review” of its operations. “After a thorough review, we have taken the difficult decision to wind down operations in Nigeria and Uganda, effective September 2, 2026,” Uber said. The company said the decision would not affect its operations elsewhere in Africa. Uber also…

A frantic final two days of the window, which closed at 2200 GMT on Tuesday, pushed spending in the transfer window significantly beyond last season’s record of £3.14 billion. More than half of the clubs in the English top flight broke their transfer records, with multiple deals topping £100 million. Chelsea midfielder Fernandez, 25, signed for Enzo Maresca’s City late Tuesday for £125 million, matching the British record fee Liverpool paid 12 months ago for forward Alexander Isak. Argentina’s Fernandez will be part of a new-look City midfield alongside England’s Elliot Anderson, who arrived from Nottingham Forest shortly after the…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its focus on tracing and recovering the financial assets of drug traffickers, with its chairman, Brig Gen Buba Marwa (Rtd), saying arrests and drug seizures alone are no longer enough to defeat criminal networks. Marwa gave the charge on Wednesday, while declaring open an advanced capacity-building programme on financial investigations, asset tracing, forfeiture, recovery and management of proceeds and instrumentalities linked to narcotics trafficking and organised crime in Abuja. The NDLEA chairman said drug trafficking is fundamentally an economic enterprise sustained by financiers, facilitators, money launderers and professional enablers. “If we…

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the alleged fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has uncovered 58 bank accounts and 12 entities linked to its purported Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi. The committee’s preliminary report, released on Wednesday by its chairman, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, followed oral testimony, documentary evidence, financial records and submissions from several government agencies. The PFIPC came under scrutiny after it was included in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, prompting the House to establish the investigative panel. According to the committee, its investigation found that no valid Act of the National Assembly or presidential order established the…

The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) has released the results of the 2026 June/July National Business Certificate and National Technical Certificate examinations, with the pass rate rising to 81.24 per cent. NABTEB Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Aminu Mohammed, announced the results on Wednesday in Benin at a news conference. Mohammed said 79,503 candidates, representing 81.24 per cent of the 97,863 candidates graded, obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics. The figure marks a significant improvement from the 68.18 per cent recorded in the 2025 examination, when 61,104 candidates achieved the same benchmark. “The…