Day: January 4, 2026

34 Artillery Brigade celebrates WASA 2025, hails Troops’ Professionalism , Unity

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Headquarters 34 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army on Friday, 3 January 2025, hosted the West African Social Activities (WASA) 2025 at the Obinze Barracks Parade Ground, Imo State, in a colourful ceremony that highlighted unity, cultural diversity, and professionalism within the Army. Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour, the Commander 511 Quick Response Group (QRG), Owerri, Air Commodore D.E. Bello, described the Nigerian Army as a strong unifying institution that continues to bring together people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds in service to the nation. According…

Troops neutralise five terrorists, rescue hostages in Borno

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have neutralised five terrorists and rescued three abducted civilians during a coordinated military operation in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State. The operation, carried out in the early hours of Saturday, 4 January 2026, was conducted in collaboration with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF). The troops engaged the terrorists at a known crossing point along the Sojiri axis, where the insurgents were reportedly attempting to move with their captives. According to military sources, the encounter led to the neutralisation of…

Tinubu orders security agencies to hunt down terrorists behind Kasuwan Daji attack

Lukman Laleye Babalola

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the military, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Department of State Services (DSS) to track down and apprehend the terrorists responsible for the deadly attack on Kasuwan Daji community in Niger State. According to a statement issued on Sunday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the directive was given to the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the DSS, with clear instructions to ensure the perpetrators…

Rev. Idowu inspires congregation on Faith, Obedience, and Divine Dignity

Emporium Reporters

By Dr. Afolabi Olajuwon The first Sunday of the new year witnessed an atmosphere of deep reverence and spiritual intensity as worshippers gathered for a solemn yet uplifting service themed “Divine Honour and Dignity.” The service set the tone for 2026, drawing congregants into reflection on God’s faithfulness and the enduring rewards of a life anchored in obedience. Rev. Babatunde Idowu delivered a resonant message titled “Divinely Obtaining A Lasting Reputable Name,” captivating congregants who are passing through various life challenges. Anchored in the scriptural passages from Nehemiah 9:7-15 and…

Nigerian Army foils Bandits’ movements, arrests suspected logistics supplier in Kogi

Emporium Reporters

Troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, on Saturday, 3 January 2026, scored another operational success following coordinated patrols and ambushes in Kabba Bunu and Yagba West Local Government Areas. Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 12 Brigade, said troops, acted on credible intelligence of bandits moving from Adankolo towards Agbadu Bunu in Kabba Bunu, swiftly deployed and laid an ambush at a suspected crossing point. The bandits ran into the ambush, resulting in the neutralization of two and the recovery of an AK-47 rifle.  …

NITDA DG engages stakeholders at North-West Innovation Roundtable to strengthen regional ecosystem

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has engaged innovators, policymakers, founders, and ecosystem leaders at the Future Map Foundation Roundtable 1.0 (North-West Edition) as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem. The engagement provided a platform for open and constructive dialogue on strengthening regional innovation policies, fostering effective public-private partnerships, and creating clear pathways for scaling local innovations beyond their immediate communities. Speaking at the roundtable, Abdullahi emphasised NITDA’s commitment to enabling innovation that is people-driven, locally relevant, and globally…

TINUBUNOMICS AND THE ARITHMETIC OF ILLUSION By Tanimu Yakubu

Emporium Reporters

A striking feature of Nigeria’s current economic debate is the enthusiasm with which huge numbers are circulated and the casualness with which they are assembled. Tax collections are added to oil receipts; oil receipts are added again under customs or “subsidy savings”; borrowing is treated as income; and the resulting total is presented as proof of incompetence or theft. This is not an economic analysis. It is an arithmetic illusion. At the core of most viral critiques of Tinubunomics lies a fundamental failure to distinguish between revenue, cash, and financing,…

Trending Events Amidst Governor Buni’s Yobe Achievements (2), by Hassan Gimba

Emporium Reporters

Barely after the first edition of the write-up with the above caption, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated a Committee on Strategy, Conflict Resolution, and Mobilisation to resolve conflicts within the All Progressives Congress, APC. He tasked the committee with strengthening party cohesion, resolving lingering disputes, and crafting a unified mobilisation strategy to sustain APC’s dominance at the polls. He deemed it appropriate to appoint Governor Mai Mala Buni as its chairman.   Governor Buni was the first elected national secretary of the APC and served for five years. He left…

Distinguishing between Federal Government Revenue and the Federation Account By Temitope Ajayi

Emporium Reporters

Public debate on government finances in Nigeria is once again clouded by confusion, little knowledge, and deliberate misrepresentation. At the centre of the current controversy is a misunderstanding of the distinction between total revenue generated by government agencies and the portion that actually belongs to the federal government.   The confusion has been amplified by commentators who should know better and by a media ecosystem increasingly driven by noise rather than nuance. As a result, statements by President Bola Tinubu on revenue performance and remarks by the Minister of Finance…

NDLEA intercepts drugs hidden in coffee sachets, detains 22 Indians over 31.5kg cocaine shipment

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of illicit drugs concealed in sachets of coffee mix and arrested 22 Indian crew members of a merchant vessel linked to the seizure of 31.5 kilograms of cocaine at the Apapa Port, Lagos. The Agency said the drugs comprising ketamine, ecstasy and tramadol pills were recovered at a courier company in Lagos on December 24 and 29, 2025, with the consignments disguised as coffee sachets and book parcels heading to Zambia and the United Kingdom. According to the…