Author: Opalim Lifted

The Federal High Court in Lagos has restrained the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from sanctioning broadcasters who express personal opinions as facts. Daniel Osiagor, the presiding judge, on Monday restrained the NBC from enforcing its recently issued “formal notice” to broadcasters. Osiagor barred the NBC, its officers, and agents from enforcing or imposing sanctions on broadcast stations based on the disputed provisions of the NBC code, pending the determination of a motion on notice. “It is hereby ordered as follows: THAT AN ORDER OF INTERIM INJUNCTION is granted restraining the Defendant, its officers, agents, privies, assigns, associates, or any other…

Former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello’s ongoing money laundering trial resumed on Wednesday with a prosecution witness telling the Federal High Court in Abuja that a Maitama property was purchased for ₦550 million using United States dollar cash. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Bello over an alleged ₦80.2 billion money laundering case before Justice Emeka Nwite at the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja. Testifying as Prosecution Witness 14, Shehu Bello, a real estate agent and commodity trader, told the court that the property located at No. 1 Ikogosi Spring Close, Maitama, Abuja, was bought on behalf of…

President Bola Tinubu has declined assent to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Establishment Bill, 2026. The President cited legal inconsistencies, drafting lapses, and structural defects in the proposed legislation. Tinubu invoked Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria to convey his decision. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who read the President’s letter during Tuesday’s plenary, quoted Tinubu as saying that although the bill was correctly drafted in parts, it contained several structural defects and omitted critical provisions necessary for clarity and effective implementation. One of the key issues raised by the President relates to the long title of the…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will resume for its third and final phase on Monday, May 11, 2026. INEC’s Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said in a statement on Tuesday that the exercise, which was earlier suspended on April 17, 2026, will run until July 10, 2026. INEC explained that the suspension of the second phase was necessary to enable it to clean up the voter register following its publication for claims and objections by registrants. The commission urged eligible Nigerians who have…

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned proceedings to May 28 for a hearing in a suit seeking to compel the Nigeria Police Force to reopen the investigation into the death of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad. The judge fixed the date after the applicant informed the court that all respondents had been served with the processes in the suit. The respondents are the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command. The suit was instituted by a non-governmental organisation, the Registered Trustees of Break…

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has raised fresh concerns over what it describes as a growing flood of counterfeit and toxic consumables across the country, warning that millions of Nigerians may be at risk. The group accused key regulators, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) of failing in their core duties, alleging that weak enforcement has turned markets into hubs for fake and substandard goods. According to HURIWA, major cities including Abuja are witnessing a surge in counterfeit wines, adulterated beverages and substandard processed foods.…

Thirteen young travellers from Cross River State abducted on their way to a Christian conference in Abuja have reportedly been starved and brutalised by their captors, as kidnappers demand N10 million ransom for each victim. The group was seized eight days ago in Aloma Village, Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, while travelling from Calabar to attend an international conference organised by the Holiness Revival Movement Worldwide in Kwali. What began as a religious journey has turned into a distressing ordeal, with families describing worsening conditions in captivity and growing fears for the victims’ survival. Among those abducted is…

Amnesty International has raised alarm over a Federal Capital Territory High Court ruling involving Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and officials of the Department of State Services, warning it could shrink civic space in Nigeria. The case stems from a 9 September 2024 incident when DSS officials visited SERAP’s Abuja office without prior written notice, questioned staff, and reportedly stationed operatives outside the premises. SERAP later described the encounter as intimidation and harassment. Following the incident, two DSS officials filed a defamation suit against the organisation — a move widely described as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP),…

As the world marks World Asthma Day, experts are warning that Nigeria’s asthma burden is worsening due to poor diagnosis, rising inhaler costs and increasing environmental pollution. An estimated 13 to 15 million adults in Nigeria live with asthma, a chronic respiratory condition that requires lifelong management. Yet access to essential treatment remains a major challenge. At the centre of modern asthma care are preventive inhalers, particularly those recommended by the Global Initiative for Asthma, which combine inhaled corticosteroids with long-acting bronchodilators. These medications help control airway inflammation and prevent severe attacks. However, findings from a market survey show that…

Former Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, has withdrawn from the Cross River North senatorial race following what he described as a request from President Bola Tinubu. In a statement released on Monday, Ayade said he returned to Abuja for a high-level consultation with the presidency, during which he was asked to step down his senatorial ambition. He said he complied with the request despite expressing disappointment over the outcome. “From the sequence of events that followed my return, Mr President wants me to withhold my Senate ambition. I yield to his request even as I pour tears of ill…