Day: April 13, 2026

APC Picks Solomon Adeola ‘Yayi’ as Consensus Candidate for 2027 Ogun Governorship Race

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Senator Solomon Adeola has emerged as the consensus governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 election in Ogun State. The announcement was made on Monday by Governor Dapo Abiodun during a stakeholders’ meeting, marking a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle. Speaking after his endorsement, Adeola popularly known as Yayi expressed appreciation to party leaders and members for the confidence reposed in him. He also commended fellow aspirants for their sacrifices and called for unity within the party. He pledged to build on…

Tinubu’s Economic Masterplan Targets Kano as Northern Commercial Hub — APC Chairman

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is executing a comprehensive economic strategy aimed at transforming Kano into Northern Nigeria’s leading commercial hub and a major gateway for trade across West Africa. Speaking in Abuja over the weekend, Yilwatda said the Federal Government’s ongoing infrastructure and industrial investments in Kano and the broader northern corridor are part of a deliberate and coordinated plan to reposition the state as a centre for commerce, manufacturing, logistics, and transnational…

DG Charges NYSC PRS Officers On Data Integrity, Performance

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Olakunle Nafiu, has tasked Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS) Schedule Officers of the Scheme to prioritise data integrity, strengthen monitoring systems, and improve evaluation frameworks. General Nafiu gave the charge at the 2026 edition of the NYSC Planning, Research and Statistics Schedule Officers’ Workshop held in Abuja, stressing that accurate and timely data are essential for sound policy formulation and effective decision-making within the Scheme. Represented by the Director of Reforms Coordination and Service Improvement, Chinwendu Chukwu, the Director-General described the…

IPCR Seals Strategic Partnerships With Five NGOs to Deepen Peacebuilding Efforts in Nigeria

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) has strengthened its commitment to advancing peacebuilding in Nigeria through the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with five non-governmental organizations. Director-General of the Institute, Joseph Ochogwu, described the development as a significant milestone in consolidating collective efforts to address the country’s complex and evolving conflict landscape. Speaking during the signing ceremony in Abuja, Ochogwu said the partnerships would enhance IPCR’s capacity to deliver impactful services through research, policy advocacy, direct interventions, and capacity development. He noted that the ever-changing dynamics of…

Commanding Officer, Six Soldiers Killed in IED Explosion After Repelling Terrorist Attack in Monguno

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Troops of Sector 3, Joint Task Force (North East), under Operation HADIN KAI, have repelled an isolated terrorist infiltration attack on their position at Charlie 13 location in Monguno, Borno State. According to a statement issued on Monday by the Media Information Officer of the operation, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the incident occurred in the late hours of April 12, 2026, when troops came under attack from terrorists. The troops engaged the assailants in a fierce gun battle, eventually forcing them to retreat while maintaining control of the location. However,…

AI-Driven Revenue: Nigeria Customs Launches Strategic Training to Plug Leakages, Enhance Accountability

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Nigeria Customs Service on Monday commenced a high-level training programme on AI-powered revenue generation, remittance, and reconciliation as part of efforts to strengthen transparency, efficiency, and accountability in public finance management. The training, held in Abuja on April 13, 2026, was formally declared open by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. It attracted top management staff of the Service, Comptrollers, personnel, members of the National Assembly, the media, and other key stakeholders. In his keynote address, Adeniyi emphasized the increasing relevance of artificial intelligence in modern governance, noting…

Police Smash Crime Networks, Arrest 50 Suspects, Seize Rifles, Anti-Aircraft Launcher

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Nigeria Police Force has recorded a major breakthrough in its sustained crackdown on violent crime, arresting 50 suspects and recovering a cache of dangerous weapons, including rifles and an anti-aircraft launcher, in coordinated operations across the country. Addressing journalists at the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) Headquarters in Guzape, Abuja, the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, said the achievements were recorded between January and April 2026 through intelligence-led operations targeting gunrunning syndicates, kidnappers, armed robbers, and other criminal elements. He disclosed that the operations led…

Nigeria Deepens Digital Sovereignty Agenda, Moves to Strengthen Local Tech Capacity

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Nigeria is accelerating efforts to reinforce its digital sovereignty by developing a robust national software infrastructure and strengthening regulatory frameworks aimed at safeguarding data and boosting indigenous technological capacity. The initiative, spearheaded by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), is designed to promote seamless digital integration while ensuring that critical national systems remain firmly under domestic control. Speaking during a high-level engagement with Ericsson at the GITEX Africa, NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi emphasized that Nigeria’s strategy is anchored on long-term technological independence rather than global geopolitical alignments. According…

ZINARIYAR MINNA: WHEN HONOUR FINDS A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE

Emporium Reporters

There are moments in public life when ceremony rises above spectacle and becomes something far more enduring a cultural statement, a moral endorsement, a recognition of quiet but far-reaching impact. Such was the atmosphere in Minna on April 11, 2026, when the ancient Emirate Council, under the revered leadership of His Royal Highness, Alhaji Dr. Umar Farooq Bahago, CON, conferred the historic title of Zinariyar Minna on Hajiya Sa’adatu Sani Musa. It was not merely another chieftaincy event. It was history, unfolding in real time. From the early hours of…

FG Launches Second Cohort of TVET Programme, Offers Skills Training and Stipends to Nigerian Youth

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Federal Government has opened applications for the second cohort of its flagship Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Programme, reinforced its commitment to equipping Nigerian youth with practical skills that support job creation, entrepreneurship, and national development. According to Boriowo Folasade, Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, the programme is designed to strengthen technical capacity and address unemployment among Nigerian youth. Applications for the new cohort commenced on Monday, 13 April 2026, inviting interested Nigerians to enrol in the nationwide skills development initiative. Honourable Minister…