Author: Opalim Lifted

A notorious drug kingpin, Reginald Peter Chidiebere, has been apprehended by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following a large seizure of cocaine and heroin linked to him at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos. Chidiebere was first arrested in 2013 for his involvement in a cocaine shipment into Nigeria and was subsequently charged before Justice Ayokunle Faji at the Federal High Court. However, he jumped bail after being granted release and evaded capture for over a decade. According to a statement by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, “He (Chidiebere)…

One person has been confirmed dead and 11 others injured after Iranian missiles struck airports in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Iran launched the attacks on Saturday night in response to what it described as a massive and ongoing assault on the country by the United States and Israel. Abu Dhabi Airports confirmed the incident in a statement posted on X on Sunday. “Authorities in Abu Dhabi are responding to an incident resulting from the interception of a drone that targeted Zayed International Airport. The interception led to falling debris, which resulted in the death of an Asian national and seven…

Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, has dismissed claims circulating online that kitchen staff at Aso Rock were arrested or attempted to poison President Bola Tinubu. In a terse post on his Facebook account on Sunday, Onanuga described the report as fake. “No Aso Rock kitchen staff arrested. No Aso Rock kitchen staff attempted to poison President Tinubu. Please ignore this fake news being disseminated by this video,” Onanuga said. The rumour, which gained traction on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, earlier on Sunday, was fueled by a 90-second video which had become viral.…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to urgently investigate major global technology companies over alleged abuses affecting Nigeria’s digital economy, media freedom, privacy rights and democratic integrity. In a complaint dated February 28, 2026, and addressed to FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Mr Tunji Bello, SERAP accused companies including Google, Meta (Facebook), Apple, Microsoft (Bing), X, TikTok, Amazon and YouTube of deploying opaque algorithms and leveraging market dominance in ways that allegedly undermine Nigerian media organisations, businesses and citizens’ rights. The complaint, signed by SERAP Deputy Director…

At least 53 people have died after an Israeli airstrike hit an elementary girls’ school in Minab, Hormozgan province, southern Iran, on Saturday. State media reports that rescue workers are still clearing debris, with 63 more injured in the devastating attack. The strike is part of ongoing military operations by the US and Israel across Iran, which have sharply escalated regional tensions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shared a photo of the destroyed school on X, expressing grief over the loss of “innocent children” and warning that “these crimes against the Iranian people will not go unanswered.” Russia Condemns the…

The Federal Government has issued a travel advisory for Nigerians in Iran and Gulf countries following fresh military strikes across the Middle East. In the early hours of Saturday, the United States and Israel launched coordinated missile strikes on Iran. Tehran later responded with retaliatory attacks in parts of the Gulf region, raising fears of a broader conflict. In a statement signed by Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government said it is closely monitoring the “evolving and volatile situation” in the Middle East. Heightened Tension Triggers Warning According to the ministry, the advisory became necessary…

US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Tehran, saying Iran “better not” attack the United States or face a military response “with a force that has never been seen before.” Trump made the statement on his Truth Social platform amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran following coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. The warning comes as the Middle East faces heightened instability after Israel described its recent military action as “pre-emptive”. Iran has vowed retaliation, fuelling fears of a broader regional conflict. In his message, Trump stressed that any attack on American personnel, assets…

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has insisted that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian are still alive, dismissing widespread speculation following recent military strikes on Iranian territory. Speaking amid heightened regional tensions, Araghchi said both leaders remain “alive and safe,” countering claims circulating in some international media and political circles that the Supreme Leader may have been killed. The statement comes after coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel on key Iranian targets, an escalation that has fuelled uncertainty over the status of Tehran’s top leadership. Speculation intensified over the weekend as conflicting reports emerged about casualties…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed there are “many signs” that Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, may no longer be alive following coordinated missile strikes by Israel and the United States. The strikes, launched on Saturday, targeted key Iranian sites in Tehran. Israeli officials described the operation as “pre-emptive”, saying it was aimed at neutralising imminent threats. Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said the military action was designed to “remove threats against the State of Israel”. Iranian state-linked locations, including areas near Khamenei’s compound in Tehran, were reportedly hit. The Israeli government claimed several senior Iranian officials were eliminated…

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has explained that the recent escalation in attacks and killings by terrorists across various theatres in the North is a result of sustained pressure mounted on them by troops through aggressive operations. The Director of Defence Media Operations (DMO), Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed this during a recent news briefing while responding to questions on the incessant attacks, killings and kidnappings by terrorists. Onoja, however, said scores of terrorists were being killed across the country, assuring that their decimation is ongoing. “You know, one of the things with terrorists is that when you put pressure on them,…