Author: Amina Mohammed

The Federal Government has said all visa applications will go online before March 1. Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Monday when he was hosted on ‘X Spaces’ by an influencer, Dr Segun Awosanya. According to him, there is also now a centralised visa approval centre that has merged the visa regime to ensure uniformity, enhance national security, and reduce corruption. “The visa approval centre is also an achievement for this administration because we also now have a centralised visa approval centre. “This will stem corruption, ensure national security, and merge the visa regime to ensure uniformity.…

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, received the newly appointed Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda, and pledged to work harmoniously with her to deliver policies that will benefit Lagosians. The speaker and other principal officers of the House were received by the governor and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, shortly before the commencement of the weekly State Executive Council meeting. Meranda became Speaker last Monday when her predecessor, Mudashiru Obasa, was removed by members of the House over allegations of misconduct and financial misappropriations. Meranda presided over her first sitting on Friday, setting up new…

President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organisation (WHO), a body he has repeatedly criticized over its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking at the White House hours after his inauguration, Trump said the United States was paying far more to the UN body compared to China, adding: “World Health ripped us off.” The United States, the largest donor to the Geneva-based organization, provides substantial financial support that is vital to the WHO’s operations. Its withdrawal is expected to trigger a significant restructuring of the institution and could…

The US Supreme Court on Friday upheld a law that will ban TikTok in the United States, potentially denying the video-sharing app to 170 million users in two days. In a major defeat for TikTok, the court ruled that the law does not violate free speech rights and that the US government had demonstrated legitimate national security concerns about a Chinese company owning the app. The Supreme Court last week heard arguments from the company, ByteDance, that the law should be stopped because it was a violation of free speech. “There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million…

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has reserved till a later date its ruling on a move by General Hydrocarbons Limited (GHL) seeking to vacate the order freezing its assets, accounts and related entities. Through its counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Victor Ogude, First Bank of Nigeria Limited opposed the move and asked Justice Deinde Dipeolu to uphold his order freezing the assets, pending the outcome of a substantive suit aimed at recovering a loan of $225.8 million extended to the oil company. The bank made the application today while responding to an application filed by GHL seeking to…

Power supply has been disrupted to some parts of the Presidential Villa, Maitama, Wuse, Jabi, Lifecamp, Asokoro, Utako, and Mabushi, following vandalism of the 132kV transmission line and carting away of underground cable supplying bulk electricity to the Central Area transmission substation in Katampe. The vandals also carted away a 40-meter 1x500mm XLPE conductor. Ndidi Mbah, Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, revealed in a statement on Friday. According to her, the incident impacted eight distribution feeders supplying the Central Area, leading to the disruption of over 60 per cent of Abuja’s power supply. Mbah expressed…

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has ruled that Julius Abure remains the National Chairman of the Labour Party. A three-member panel of the appellate court, in a judgment delivered on Friday by Justice Hamma Barka, upheld its earlier judgment of November 13, 2024, which recognises Abure as National Chairman. The court confirmed that this decision has not been overturned by any other court. Justice Barka made this declaration in the ruling on two separate appeals filed by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, the caretaker committee, and the Independent National Electoral Commission. The Court of Appeal stated that it did not…

Three Nigerians in the US have been sentenced for their involvement in a fraud scheme that frequently targeted elderly victims, according to authorities. Fatai Okunola, 38, of Kalamazoo, received a prison sentence of just over 10 years for his role in the conspiracy and was ordered to pay more than $730,000 in restitution. Okunola was sentenced to five years for making false statements during naturalization and 10 years for money laundering, with all sentences to run concurrently. Two residents of Dallas were also sentenced. Oluwaseyi Adeola, 34, was sentenced to nearly three years in prison and ordered to pay approximately…

Erling Haaland has signed a new 9.5-year deal at Manchester City that will keep him at the Etihad until 2034, the Premier League champions announced on Friday. The 24-year-old striker’s existing deal was due to expire in June 2027 but he has now committed his future to the club for the next decade. The Norwegian joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 and has scored 111 goals in 126 games for the club. “I am really happy to have signed my new contract and to be able to look forward to spending even more time at this great club,” said…

A heated exchange erupted in the National Assembly on Thursday during the 2025 budget defence session as Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, presented the Nigeria Police budget. Tensions rose when two lawmakers raised concerns that the IGP’s presentation did not align with the documents they had received. The committee chairman’s attempt to allow the IGP to continue while the issue was resolved met strong resistance, leading to a heated shouting session. The dispute escalated, prompting a senator to stage a walkout. Order was eventually restored, and the IGP resumed his presentation, reiterating his longstanding call for the NPF to be…