Author: Festus Adeloye

An officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Kano State Command, sustained injuries during a violent confrontation with two suspects in Bebeji Local Government Area, Kano State. The suspects, identified as Musa Usman, 25, and Buhari Ya’u Bashir, 24, were apprehended during a targeted operation at Rahama Roundabout on January 20, 2025. The NDLEA’s Public Relations Officer in Kano, Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday. According to Maigatari, the operation led to the recovery of various quantities of illicit substances, including 1.1 kilograms of cannabis sativa, eight grams (38 tablets) of diazepam, and 59…

The Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU) has proposed a review of the draft policy on sanctions for airlines to the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Bala Usman, who disclosed this on the CRDCU’s Twitter handle, made this recommendation during the Q1–Q3 2024 Performance Assessment Report on implementing presidential priorities and ministerial deliverables. She noted that given the increasing number of flight delays and cancellations and their impact on affected passengers, revisiting the policy was necessary. Usman also recommended revising the current…

China on Wednesday vowed to defend its “national interests” after US President Donald Trump said that a 10 percent duty on Chinese imports could come as soon as February 1. “We have always believed that there are no winners in a trade war or a tariff war,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, adding China was “firmly committed to safeguarding national interests”.

Donald Trump on Wednesday called a Washington bishop “nasty” and demanded an apology, after she told the US president from the pulpit that he was sowing fear among the country’s immigrants and LGBTQ people. “The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart,” wrote Trump, after attending a service at the Washington National Cathedral given by Bishop…

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has rejected the Federal Government’s move to increase Value Added Tax (VAT) from the current 7.5% to 10%, 12.5% and finally to 15% as proposed in one of the tax reform bills. In a statement on Tuesday, TUC President Festus Osifo said “allowing VAT rate to remain at 7.5% is in the best interest of the nation, as increasing it would place an additional financial burden on Nigerians, many of whom are already struggling with economic challenges”. “At a time when inflation, unemployment, and the cost of living are rising, imposing higher taxes would further…

President Bola Tinubu has said his administration has been targeting the financial backbone of terrorist groups in the country. Tinubu added that over 100 terrorist financiers had been convicted in the last two years. Speaking at the opening of the 2025 National Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation (AML/CFT/CPF) Summit in Abuja on Tuesday, Tinubu who did not disclose names of any of the convicted financiers stated that the strategy was meant to prevent the terrorists from terrorizing the citizens. Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, Tinubu said, “We have made progress to…

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, on Tuesday, assigned portfolios to six newly sworn-in commissioners, urging them to immediately resume their duties to accelerate development in the state. The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government,  Musa Ikhilor, which detailed the appointments and emphasized the importance of their swift assumption of office. The statement read, “It is hereby announced for the information of the general public that the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has sworn in six commissioners into the State Executive Council. “The newly sworn-in commissioners and their portfolios are, Paul…

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday criticised Donald Trump’s “unacceptable” pledge to seize the Panama Canal, which the returning US president repeated in his inaugural address. Baerbock was asked in an interview about Trump’s comments Monday on the waterway and on his desire to control Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. “Any threat against a NATO member or other states is of course completely unacceptable,” Baerbock told German broadcaster RBB. Baerbock however said that Germany needed to “play it smart”, when responding to the president’s statements. “It’s not about how President Trump says something… but we should…

The National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS) has announced plans to sue the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the recently approved 50 percent tariff hike. On January 20, the NCC approved the request by telecommunications companies (telcos) to increase tariffs. The adjustment followed concerns raised by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), which had called on the NCC to review call tariffs upwards. Karl Toriola, the chief executive officer (CEO) of MTN Nigeria, revealed that telcos had initially requested a 100 percent increase in tariffs. However, the NCC…

The World Health Organisation has expressed regret over the announcement that the United States intends to withdraw from the organisation. The global health body urged the US to reconsider the decision. WHO made this known in a statement on its X account on Tuesday, emphasising its crucial role in protecting global health, including that of Americans. The organisation highlighted its work in addressing the root causes of diseases, strengthening health systems, and responding to health emergencies, often in challenging environments where others cannot operate. On Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from…