Author: TheScrutinyNG

The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under the office of the National Security Adviser at a recently concluded Multi-Agency Kidnap Fusion Cell (MAAKFC) launched in Abuja said Nigerians will feel safer in 2025. The national security adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu said the federal government has in a short while of less than two years, achieved 80 percent successes in the fight against kidnapping in the country despite report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that Nigerians paid ransom of over N2.2trn in the year 2024. According to the report, 2.2m Nigerians were kidnapped while 614,937 were killed in the…

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has signed the N750 billion 2025 Abia State budget into law, with praises for the members of the state House of Assembly for giving the bill an accelerated hearing and passage. Speaking after appending his signature, Otti said the budget would give his government the impetus to continue to deliver on its promises to Abians. “This budget that was passed is a budget that will give us the impetus to continue to fire on all cylinders to ensure that our people are living a good life. “I want to thank specially, the House members…

Joe Biden and Donald Trump have led tributes to former US President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter, who has died aged 100. Carter, who lived longer than any president in history, died on Sunday afternoon at his home in Plains, Georgia. Biden described him as “a man of principle, faith and humility,” while Trump said all Americans owe Carter a “debt of gratitude”. Carter rose from a peanut farmer to become president in 1977, before being forced out of the White House after just one four-year term when Ronald Reagan stormed to victory in the next election. After…

VeryDarkMan, social media influencer and critic, has disclosed that N78 million out of the N180 million allegedly stolen from his NGO account has been recovered. The revelation comes days after he took to Instagram on Friday to raise an alarm about the hacking of his organization’s account, claiming N180 million was missing. However, his statement sparked skepticism, with many questioning the credibility of his claims. Providing an update on the recovery process via Instagram on Sunday, Verydarkman expressed gratitude and shared the next steps in the investigation. “Thanks to the people who called to check up on me. I also…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has fired back at the former governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili, saying that “an elder statesman should not be a trader and a sycophant all the time.” Wike, who was speaking at the Special Thanksgiving Service organised by Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, at the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Oro-Igwe/Eliogbolo Archdeaconry Church of the Holy Spirit, Eliozu Parish, Port Harcourt on Sunday, said it was unfortunate that somebody who is supposed to be seen as an elder statesman and called a…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed seized products with a street value of over N120 billion between October and December 2024 during a period of renewed enforcement in the six geopolitical zones and FCT. The Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, also warned that persons who exploit Nigerians’ trust by compromising the quality of essential goods like food and medicine will face consequences in the coming year. In a statement, she said the Agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate (I&E), Pharmacovigilance (PV) Directorate, and Post-Marketing Surveillance (PMS) Directorate are jointly on the field…

The Oluwo of Iwo, Osun State, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has voiced his support for the proposal to implement Sharia law in the South-West, stating that its practice has long been part of Yoruba tradition. His remarks followed plans by an Islamic organization to inaugurate a Sharia council on January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre on Oba Adeyemi High School Road, Mobolaje Area, Oyo, Oyo State. However, the event has been postponed indefinitely due to widespread public opposition. Critics argued that the predominantly Yoruba South-West differs significantly from the northern region, where Muslims form the majority. Speaking with…

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has apologised to the president of neighbouring Azerbaijan for the downing of a commercial airliner in Russian airspace, in which 38 people were killed, but stopped short of saying Russia was responsible. In his first comments on the Christmas Day crash, Putin said the “tragic incident” had occurred when Russian air defence systems were actively repelling Ukrainian drones. Ukraine’s President Volodymr Zelensky said Russia must “stop spreading disinformation” about the strike. The plane reportedly came under fire from Russian air defence systems as it tried to land in Chechnya – forcing it to divert across the…

A Brightline train collided with a fire truck on Saturday morning in Delray Beach, Florida, injuring three firefighters and 12 train passengers, according to city officials. The three injured firefighters from Delray Beach were transported to a local hospital, where they are currently in stable condition. Although two of the firefighters were initially listed in critical condition, their status has since improved. In addition to the firefighters, 12 passengers from the train were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, assisted by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Fortunately, there have been no reported fatalities. The accident occurred around 10:45 a.m.…

A devastating plane crash in South Korea has resulted in at least 120 confirmed deaths, with dozens more reported missing. The incident occurred on Sunday morning when Jeju Air Flight 2216, a Boeing 737-800, crashed while attempting to land at Muan International Airport. The flight was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, all of whom were returning from Bangkok, Thailand. Eyewitnesses reported hearing loud bangs before the aircraft skidded off the runway and struck a perimeter wall, subsequently bursting into flames. Initial investigations suggest that the landing gear may have malfunctioned, potentially due to a bird strike, as images…