Author: Opalim Lifted

The Edo State Government has ordered the immediate closure of three secondary schools in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area following intelligence reports of a planned kidnapping attack targeting students. Authorities said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to safeguard students, teachers, and other school personnel amid growing security concerns in the area. The affected schools have been directed to suspend academic activities pending further security assessments and the implementation of additional safety measures. Government officials reassured parents and guardians that the temporary closure was necessary to prevent any security breach and ensure the safety of students. Security agencies have…

Monday Okpebholo, Governor of Edo State, has accused opposition parties of deploying insecurity to tarnish the image of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Okpebholo spoke on Tuesday at the flag-off of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign for the local government elections in Edo South Senatorial District. The governor said promoting insecurity would not guarantee the opposition seats in the Senate, House of Representatives, or the presidency, insisting that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock. “There is no vacancy in Aso Rock. They can even kidnap all of us — yes, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock,” he said.…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has raised an alert to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps over an alleged plot by suspected bandits to abduct schoolchildren in Edo State. The warning was contained in a security advisory dated June 5, 2026, and addressed to the Edo State NSCDC command, with reference number S.66/A/3972. According to a security source who confirmed the document, the alert was part of routine intelligence sharing, though it reportedly leaked. “It is a routine security advisory from the Service. Don’t know how it leaked. But it is true, sir,” the source said. In the…

Ahead of the 2027 general election, users of Polymarket, a decentralised global prediction platform, have started staking money on the candidate likely to win Nigeria’s presidential race. Checks by Chronicle NG on the platform’s portal on Monday showed that President Bola Tinubu is currently leading the predictions. Tinubu holds a significant lead with a 68 per cent probability rating, recording over $14,823 in trading volume. He is followed by Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), who occupies second position with 25 per cent, representing $5,937 in trading volume. Tinubu clinched the All Progressives Congress (APC)…

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has reignited debate over Africa’s economic challenges after endorsing a social media post that questioned whether colonialism is the main reason for the continent’s poverty. Musk expressed his support on X after responding to a post by user @magattew, who compared the economic trajectories of Ethiopia and Vietnam. The post argued that Ethiopia, which largely avoided colonial rule throughout its history, remained one of Africa’s poorest nations for many years. By contrast, Vietnam experienced French colonialism and endured decades of war before emerging as one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies. According to the user, the experiences of…

In Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota has brought commercial and social activity in the area to a halt. One classroom is littered with abandoned shoes, school bags, and exercise books left behind by abducted pupils. In another, a blackboard bears a simple four-word sentence written three times in chalk: “I will be great.” It was a lesson in handwriting. A teacher had written the words for the children to copy and recite. They did. They repeated the sentence, traced each letter, and perhaps imagined the future it promised.…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged Nigeria to adopt a neutral fiscal stance in 2026, warning that poverty and food insecurity could worsen despite recent macroeconomic gains. In its 2026 Article IV consultation report, the IMF said reforms over the past three years have improved resilience and strengthened economic outcomes. However, it stressed that many households continue to face severe hardship, with poverty and hunger still widespread. “Strong reforms over the past three years have yielded improved macroeconomic outcomes and built resilience. Still, conditions for many Nigerians remain difficult. Poverty reached 63 percent (national poverty line) and 27 million…

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government, warning that industrial harmony in the health sector cannot be guaranteed if longstanding welfare and payment issues affecting doctors remain unresolved. The warning was contained in a communiqué released after the association’s Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) in Kano. The communiqué was signed by NARD President, Dr Mohammad Suleiman, Secretary-General, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim, and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim. NARD said the federal government had repeatedly failed to fulfil commitments made to doctors despite several engagements and assurances. “The association hereby declares…

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has urged traditional rulers across Yorubaland to deploy ancestral powers and spiritual heritage in the fight against rising banditry and kidnapping in the region. Oba Ogunwusi made the call at the grand finale of the 2026 Ifa Festival, where he expressed concern over worsening insecurity and stressed the need for stronger collaboration among monarchs, the government, and security agencies to restore peace and order. According to a recent statement issued by his spokesperson, Moses Olafare, the monarch charged traditional rulers to deepen cooperation within their domains and support national security efforts against criminal…

The air component of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) has killed at least nine suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and destroyed several vehicles during air strikes around Cross Kauwa and Ali Sherifti in northern Borno State. According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, the operation, which began on June 6, targeted terrorists attempting to regroup within the Lake Chad axis. Sources told the publication that the mission commenced after an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform detected suspicious activity at a suspected terrorist hideout in Cross Kauwa. Makama said aerial surveillance identified about 12 vehicles concealed under trees,…