Author: Vincent Osuwo

Kidnappers have demanded a N450 million ransom for the release of a Kwara traditional ruler, his son, and other abducted citizens of the Ifelodun Local Government Area in the state. The abductors are demanding N150 million for the release of Aafin’s Oniwo, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, and his son, Olaolu, a National Youth Service Corps member, as well as N300 million for the release of eight people kidnapped in Adanla-Irese, an Igbaja suburb. A family source for the monarch, who talked to the press on Friday on the condition of anonymity, said that the kidnappers contacted him earlier in the day.…

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has officially joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr. Rufus Bature, the chairman of the party in the state, presented the membership card of the party to the governor on Friday in Jos. Mutfwang stated at the ceremony that his decision to defect to the APC was in the state’s best interests. Despite the party transition, the governor promised an all-inclusive system and urged the state’s people to be united at all times. “The journey we are embarking on is a journey of faith, and I believe that Plateau will reap the dividends…

The Kebbi State Government has mandated the reopening of all public and private primary and secondary schools throughout the state for the second term of the 2025/2026 academic session, starting Monday, January 5, 2026. The directive was released on Friday via distinct statements co-signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Kebbi State Universal Basic Education Board, Isah Ibrahim, and the Deputy Director (Academics) of the Ministry for Basic and Secondary Education, Aliyu Bagarawa. Remember that the state government, in response to the kidnapping of 25 Maga students in Zuru by armed individuals believed to be bandits, subsequently commanded the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed allegations by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed that the commission is being used by political opponents to persecute him and officials of his administration. In a statement on its official X handle on Friday, the anti-graft agency described the governor’s claims as “wild” and “far-fetched,” insisting that it operates independently and without political influence. The EFCC was responding to comments credited to the Bauchi governor, in which he alleged that the commission was being deployed by political interests, particularly the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to target him…

The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled January 7 to make a decision on the bail applications submitted by former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, SAN, along with his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz, and his wife, Bashir Asabe. Justice Emeka Nwite announced the date following the adoption of their processes and arguments by the defense counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN. The EFCC, in case number FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, charged the former minister, his spouse, and their son as the first, second, and third defendants in a money laundering case. The anti-corruption…

Dr. Ladan Salihu, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has urged political economist Professor Pat Utomi and supporters of former Anambra State governor Peter Obi to keep calm despite escalating controversy over the party’s 2027 presidential ticket. Salihu made the request in response to recent comments by Utomi, who stated that he would withdraw his support for Obi if the former governor accepted a vice-presidential position in the forming opposition alliance following his defection to the ADC. The ADC chairman recommended prudence and a focus on party building rather than early contests for the party’s presidential nomination. “Pat…

Rising discontent in Iran is said to have resulted in more fatalities on the fifth day of demonstrations regarding the escalating cost of living. The semi-official Fars news agency and the human rights organization Hengaw reported that two individuals were killed during confrontations between demonstrators and security personnel in the city of Lordegan, located in southwestern Iran. Fars reported that three additional individuals were killed in Azna and one in Kouhdasht, all located in the western region of the country. On Thursday, social media videos displayed vehicles ablaze amid ongoing clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement. Numerous demonstrators have urged…

No fewer than 40 people have died and 115 people injured after a fire ripped through a bar in a ski resort in southern Switzerland, police have said. A The fire broke out at around 01:30 (00:30 GMT) during New Year celebrations in a bar called Le Constellation in Crans-Montana. Investigators examining the incident have not established any cause but have firmly excluded the possibility of an attack. Individuals from various nations have been impacted. Regional police chief Frédéric Gisler stated that the main focus in the upcoming days was to identify the deceased “so that their remains can be…

A fire outbreak on Wednesday razed several shops in a storey building beside the Ikotun Roundabout area of Lagos State. Chronicle NG gathered that the shops comprise electronics worth millions of naira. The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, however, acknowledged the occurrence in a statement issued by its Controller General, Margret Adeseye, on Thursday. She stated that the agency received the distress call about 12:22 a.m., and firemen arrived on the site around 12:32 a.m. The statement partly read, “It is a fire involving a storey building shopping complex consisting of 24 shops of varying sizes. The affected shops…

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has reacted to allegations of terrorism financing linked to his administration, describing the move by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as persecution and an attempt to criminalize him for refusing to defect to the ruling party. Speaking on Wednesday in Bauchi while receiving an award as Safety Ambassador from the Safety Institute of Nigeria, Mohammed expressed concern that despite his constitutional immunity, his name was mentioned in court filings relating to the alleged offenses. The EFCC on Wednesday arraigned Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, alongside three others—Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed…