Author: Vincent Osuwo

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has stated that no amount of blackmail will bring peace to Rivers State. For peace to prevail in the state, Wike stated that all important players, including National Assembly members, must be involved with sincerity of purpose. He argued that the declaration of emergency rule prevented disasters in the state. Wike, the state’s former governor, made the statement while addressing a Thanksgiving ceremony in Port Harcourt on Friday to commemorate the 70th birthday of a former federal politician named Ken Chikere. According to the FCT minister, the state’s numerous protests would…

Rev. Fr Ibrahim Amos, a Catholic priest abducted on April 24, 2024, from St Gerald Quasi Parish in Kurmin Risga, Kauru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, has been released. On Friday, the Diocese of Kafanchan issued a statement confirming his liberation, signed by its Chancellor, Rev. Fr Dr Jacob Shanet. He said, “Fr Amos was released unharmed, bringing relief to the Catholic community and his family after weeks of uncertainty and emotional distress. “The outpouring of concern and solidarity from people of goodwill, both online and offline—including members of various faith communities, security agencies, local vigilantes, the police, and the…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other members of Nigeria’s official delegation have arrived the Vatican City for Pope Francis’ burial, which will take place on Saturday. Akpabio is leading a five-member delegation appointed by President Bola Tinubu to represent Nigeria at the late pontiff’s funeral, who was the head of the Roman Catholic Church. The high-level Nigerian delegation includes Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu; President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji; Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah; and Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Ignatius Ayua Kaigama. Sharing pictures on X…

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Board of Trustees member Chief Bode George has expressed confidence that the PDP will recover and emerge stronger following its upcoming National Executive Committee meeting on May 15. George made the statement amid growing concerns about mass defections from the party, including high-profile departures in Delta State. On Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, George expressed alarm about the recent mass evacuation of party members from Delta State, including former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and all 25 local government chairmen. Despite what some observers have dubbed a “tsunami,” George insisted that the…

No fewer than seven people have been killed in a fresh attack on the Agbo Vengav Udam community in the Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State by suspected armed herders. Residents told the press that the assailants stormed the village around 7 pm on Thursday and opened fire indiscriminately, killing seven on the spot and abducting three others. According to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity, the attackers entered the community through a border village in Otukpo LGA of Benue state. “They passed through the border village of Otukpo, and, entering into Agbo, they shot their…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio is leading a high-profile Nigerian delegation to the funeral of Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, in Vatican City on Saturday. Bayo Onanuga, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, stated this in a statement issued on Friday. Tinubu sent the five-member Nigerian delegation, which also includes the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu; President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji; Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Archbishop Matthew Hassan Kukah; and Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama. The statement added, “The…

Pan-Yoruba groups affiliated with the Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements (AYDM) have raised concern about the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) proposed ward boundaries in Itsekiri areas. The 130-strong groups called President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to intervene quickly to ensure justice and fair play for the Itsekiri people. Speaking to reporters in Lagos on behalf of the groups, Mr Poopola Ajayi urged anti-crime agencies to investigate Professor Rhoda Gumus and other INEC officials involved in the case. He said, “This is as simple as obeying all the Supreme Court decisions for the past 50…

Former Senate President Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki has dismissed recent high-profile defections from the Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claiming there is no need for concern and that the party is entering a period of rebirth and reconstruction. In a statement on his X, Saraki said, “Following the development in the Delta State Chapter of our party, I have been inundated with phone calls from leaders and members of our party as well as various youths who have been active in promoting democracy and good governance in our country.” Speaking directly on the defection of top…

THE Lagos State government, on Thursday, disclosed that 31,596 students from public secondary schools failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, sparking concern over the state of education in the state. The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun, announced this during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing in Alausa, Ikeja. The commissioner presented the education sector’s scorecard of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, stating that the government spent ¦ 1,577,794,000 to cover examination fees for 58,188 eligible pupils under its free education scheme. Despite this significant investment, more than half of the sponsored candidates failed…

The Kano State Police Command has arrested at least two suspected drug traffickers; Muntari Shu’aibu and Imrana Rabi’u. In a statement issued on Thursday, Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Bakori revealed that the suspects were found in possession of six bales of suspected illicit drugs, Tramadol, worth more than $92,000 (approximately N150 million). Bakori said, “The Command, in a skilfully coordinated intelligence-led sting operation, apprehended the suspects with the substance, following a tip-off.” He disclosed that the arrest was part of ongoing efforts to tackle the root causes of violent crimes in the state. He stated, “The operation followed efforts of…