Day: May 20, 2026

Botswana Seeks to Replicate NiDCOM’s Diaspora Engagement Model

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Government of Botswana has expressed interest in adopting the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) model of diaspora engagement, describing it as a benchmark for strengthening ties with citizens living abroad and leveraging them for national development. Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stated that effective diaspora engagement must be built on intentionality, trust, communication and strategic planning. She made this known while receiving a Botswana delegation led by Mr. Dikgang Phillip Makgalemele during a study tour of the Commission in Abuja. Represented by the Secretary to the Commission, Dr. Sule…

DICAN Conference: Ex President Jonathan, Chinese Envoy Rally Media Against Fake News, Information Warfare

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs have called for stronger collaboration among the media, diplomats and intelligence stakeholders to combat fake news, disinformation and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), warning that information warfare poses increasing threats to democracy, peace, trade and global security. The call was made on Wednesday at the 2026 Diplomatic, Security, Trade and Investment International Conference organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria (DICAN) at the Rotunda Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja.…

Sanya Omirin Clinches APC Reps Ticket for Second Term Bid in Osun

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Hon. Sanya Omirin has emerged as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Atakunmosa East/West–Ilesa East/West Federal Constituency seat ahead of the 2027 general elections. Omirin secured victory at the party’s House of Representatives primary election held in Osun State, earning the confidence of accredited delegates and stakeholders across the constituency to fly the party’s flag in the forthcoming National Assembly poll. The outcome officially confirms the lawmaker as the APC standard-bearer for the federal constituency and positions him for a second-term bid at the Green Chamber…

Tunji-Ojo Declares War on Bureaucracy, Demands Results-Driven Public Service

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transformative reforms aimed at improving efficiency, strengthening internal security, and ensuring results-driven governance across public institutions. Speaking at the International Civil Service Conference themed “Reforms, Resilience and Results,” Tunji-Ojo said excessive bureaucracy and redundant procedures remain major obstacles to progress in the public sector, stressed that simplifying government processes is essential to unlocking innovation and improving service delivery. According to the minister, “complexity is the enemy of progress,” noting that citizens now expect tangible outcomes from government…

FG Assures Nigerians of Ebola Preparedness Amid Regional Outbreaks

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that there is no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country, while announcing intensified nationwide preparedness measures to prevent any possible outbreak. Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, said the government had activated enhanced surveillance and response mechanisms following recent Ebola outbreaks reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. According to the minister, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, working through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control…

NHRC Raises Alarm Over Insecurity, Extra-Judicial Killings, Threats to Civic Space

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed deep concern over worsening insecurity, rising cases of extra-judicial killings, and increasing threats to civic freedoms in Nigeria, calling for stronger accountability and protection of citizens’ rights. Speaking during the presentation of the Commission’s April 2026 Human Rights Situation Dashboard and the signing of the Advisory on Protecting Civic Space and Human Rights, Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, said the country continues to face serious human rights challenges. According to him, the Commission received a total of 266,787 complaints across…

NAF Airstrikes Destroy Terrorist Hideouts in Southern Tumbuns, Mandara Mountains

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Nigerian Air Force has intensified its counterterrorism campaign in the North-East, carrying out precision airstrikes that destroyed terrorist strongholds in Bukar Meram in the Southern Tumbuns and Chikide in the Mandara Mountains. According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the operations were conducted on May 19, 2026, by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI following credible intelligence and confirmatory Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The statement said the airstrikes targeted terrorist logistics hubs, structures and…

APC Primary: Senate Spokesman Adaramodu Defeats Olujimi, Faparusi to Clinch Ekiti South Ticket

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The spokesperson of the Nigerian Senate, Yemi Adaramodu, has emerged victorious in the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election for Ekiti South Senatorial District after polling 12,200 votes to secure the party’s ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections. Adaramodu recorded victory in what political observers described as a keenly contested and high-profile primary, defeating two prominent figures within the party. Former Senate Minority Leader, Biodun Olujimi, came second with 7,420 votes, while former member of the House of Representatives, Bamidele Faparusi, polled 5,502 votes. The exercise, held across…

NDLEA Smashes Nigerian-Mexican Meth Cartel, Arrests Baron, 3 Mexicans, 6 Others ….. Recovers N480bn Meth, Precursors from Massive Ogun Forest Lab

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has dismantled what authorities described as a sophisticated Nigerian-Mexican methamphetamine production syndicate, arrested a suspected drug baron, three Mexican nationals and six Nigerian collaborators during coordinated operations in Ogun and Lagos states. The operation also led to the discovery and shutdown of what the agency described as the largest clandestine methamphetamine laboratory ever uncovered in Nigeria, hidden deep inside a forest in Ogun State. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, disclosed this during a media briefing at the agency’s…

The man who saw tomorrow: Senator Akpabio and the uncommon politics of certainty By Hon Eseme Eyiboh

Emporium Reporters

Let us begin with a confession. There is something unsettling about a politician who no longer appears to struggle.   In the turbulent theatre of Nigerian politics, where noise is often mistaken for relevance, where primaries resemble wrestling contests and delegate management demands the instincts of a hostage negotiator, a man who walks in unopposed does not merely win. He transforms the entire contest into a rehearsal.   On Monday, May 18, 2026, at Methodist Primary School, Ukana, in Essien Udim Local Government Area, Senator Godswill Akpabio did exactly that.…