Author: Opalim Lifted

A new global study has found that 41 per cent of internet-enabled young adults are facing a global mind health crisis, but African countries including Nigeria are topping the world rankings for youth mental health. The findings come from the Global Mind Health in 2025 report released by Sapien Labs, a US-based nonprofit specialising in neuroscience and psychology research. Drawing on data from nearly one million people across 84 countries, the study reveals a sharp generational decline in cognitive, emotional, social and physical wellbeing among people aged 18–34. Ghana, Nigeria Top Global Rankings In a striking regional contrast, sub-Saharan African…

Violent campaigns by al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) have intensified sharply across the border triangle linking Benin, Niger and north-west Nigeria, according to new data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). Analysts comparing 2024 and 2025 figures found that conflict-related fatalities in the tri-border region surged by 262 per cent. Violent incidents across parts of Benin, Niger and Nigeria’s Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger and Kwara states rose by 86 per cent. Héni Nsaibia, ACLED’s senior West Africa analyst, said militant threats have “taken on new dimensions” as groups expand their…

Suspected Lakurawa terrorists have attacked a mosque in Dadinkowa, Maiyama LGA, killing four worshippers and injuring five others in a reprisal assault that has heightened tensions in Kebbi State. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday evening during prayers, saw gunmen storm the mosque and open fire indiscriminately on congregants. Counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama reported that the assault was retaliation for a failed ambush earlier in the week targeting troops under Operation FANSAN YANMA. Reprisal After Foiled Military Ambush According to security sources, troops had earlier “neutralised” five suspected Lakurawa members near Mayama Hill during an attempted ambush on a military…

President Bola Tinubu has called on the leadership of the 10th Senate to amend the constitution to create a legal framework for state police, declaring the reform vital to tackling Nigeria’s deepening insecurity. The president made the appeal on Wednesday during an interfaith breakfast with senators at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said decentralised policing is now “imperative” to confront terrorism, banditry and insurgency. “We are facing terrorism, banditry and insurgency. But we will never fail to make a right response,” Tinubu told lawmakers. He…

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has vowed to drag the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the ECOWAS Court of Justice over Tuesday’s alleged attack on Peter Obi and other party figures in Benin, Edo State. The opposition party described the incident as “an act of terrorism” and part of what it called a growing pattern of political intimidation across Nigeria. In a post on X, Yunusa Tanko, national coordinator of the Obidient Movement, said Obi and several ADC leaders were attacked at the residence of John Odigie-Oyegun, a senior party chieftain. According to Tanko, the incident occurred shortly after the…

More than 24 residents have been killed after gunmen stormed Kirchinga village in Madagali LGA of Adamawa State, in what rights groups describe as a “horrifying” assault. The attackers invaded the community on Tuesday, setting homes, shops and places of worship ablaze. Several residents were injured, while others remain missing hours after the violence. In a statement, Amnesty International condemned the killings, warning that the scale and pattern of the raid bear the hallmarks of Boko Haram, although the group has not claimed responsibility. The rights organisation said bodies were scattered across the village, with buildings still smouldering long after…

Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder has apologised to staff at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation over his past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling it a “huge mistake”. Speaking recently at a staff town hall, the Microsoft co-founder admitted he regretted spending time with Epstein and taking foundation executives to meetings with him. The development was first reported by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The renewed scrutiny follows the release of US justice department documents linked to Epstein, who died in custody in 2019. Among the records is an email in which Epstein claimed Gates had contracted a…

The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has urged all individual taxpayers in Lagos to file their annual tax returns for the 2026 year of assessment on or before March 31, 2026. The agency said the statutory requirement applies to all taxable persons, including self-employed individuals, business owners, professionals, informal sector operators and employees under the Pay-As-You-Earn scheme. According to LIRS, the directive aligns with Section 24(f) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Sections 13 and 14(3) of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025. Under the law, every individual earning taxable income must submit a…

President Bola Tinubu has approved a one-year extension of the ban on the export of raw shea nuts, now running from February 26, 2026, to February 25, 2027. The decision reinforces the administration’s commitment to industrial development, domestic value addition, and the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda. The ban aims to increase local processing, support livelihoods in shea-producing communities, and grow Nigeria’s export of value-added products. To achieve these goals, Tinubu directed the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Presidential Food Security Coordination Unit (PFSCU) to implement a unified, evidence-based national framework linking industrialisation, trade, and…

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday tasked Tunji Disu, the acting inspector-general of police (IGP), to lead with discipline and restore public trust in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Speaking at the State House during Disu’s decoration with his new rank, following the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun, Tinubu emphasised the need to confront rising threats of banditry, terrorism, and other crimes nationwide. “I expect you to strengthen discipline, enhance interagency collaboration, and restore public confidence in Nigeria police,” the president said. “Lead firmly but fairly, demand professionalism at every level, and ensure that safety of lives and property remains your highest…