Category: News

Ojukwu, Stakeholders Back NHRC Repeal Bill, Seek Stronger Protection for Rights Defenders

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Tony Ojukwu, has declared that the proposed review of the Commission’s Act would significantly strengthen its capacity to protect the rights of Nigerians. Ojukwu made this known on Wednesday during a public hearing at the House of Representatives on the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill, 2024 (HB.1867) and the National Human Rights Commission Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2025 (HB.2376). According to him, the repeal and re-enactment bill is designed to deepen the Commission’s independence and enhance its operational…

Nigerian Navy Intercepts 281.8kg of Cannabis in Abia, Hands Over to NDLEA

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Nigerian Navy has reinforced its inter-agency security collaboration following the successful interception of 281.8 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa in Abia State, further strengthening national counter-narcotics efforts. The illicit consignment, packaged in 24 bags, was seized on 2 March 2026 by the patrol team of the Nigerian Navy College of Account and Finance (NNCAF) during a routine security operation along the Aba–Owerri Expressway. The confiscated drugs were formally handed over on 3 March 2026 to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution. Speaking at the…

IGP Disu inaugurates Committee on State Police, seeks Framework to Strengthen National Security

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunju Rilwan Disu, has formally inaugurated a Steering Committee on the Establishment of State Police, described the move as a critical step toward strengthening Nigeria’s internal security architecture and enhancing community-based policing. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the IGP said the task before the committee was both “significant and timely,” as Nigeria continues to grapple with evolving security challenges that demand innovative thinking, strategic collaboration and bold reforms. According to him, the concept of State Police is being carefully examined as part of broader national efforts…

IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu Declares Zero Tolerance for Misconduct, Unveils Sweeping Reforms Ahead of 2027 Polls

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has unveiled a far-reaching reform agenda for the Nigeria Police Force, declared zero tolerance for misconduct and vowing to reposition the Force as a professional, accountable and technology-driven institution ahead of the 2027 General Elections. Speaking at the inaugural conference with Strategic Police Managers at the Peacekeeping Conference Centre, Abuja, on Wednesday, the IGP described the meeting as the beginning of a defining chapter in the history of the Force following his assumption of office. He stressed that leadership within the Police…

NDLEA Arrests Fugitive Drug Lord Wanted in UK After 15 Years on the Run

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 58-year-old fugitive drug lord, Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya, who had been on the wanted list of Nigerian and British authorities for over 15 years. Ilomuanya was apprehended in Lagos on Monday, February 23, 2026, following a high-level, coordinated operation by officers of the Agency’s Special Operations Unit. His arrest mark the end of a prolonged manhunt spanning multiple jurisdictions, linked to his involvement in drug trafficking activities in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom. According to the NDLEA, Ilomuanya was first…

FG Flags Off Presidential Food, Nutrition Support for 35,000 Vulnerable Persons in Adamawa

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has commenced the distribution of Presidential Emergency Food and Nutrition Assistance to vulnerable households in Adamawa State, targeting thousands of families affected by insurgency, displacement, flooding and climate-related shocks. The intervention, flagged off in Yola on Tuesday, was led by the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, as part of efforts to transition emergency relief into structured social protection and sustainable poverty-exit pathways. Describing Adamawa as a state with complex humanitarian challenges, the minister said…

FG Suspends Christian Pilgrimage to Israel Over Escalating Iran–Israel Conflict

Emporium Reporters

The Federal Government has announced the immediate suspension of all Christian pilgrimages to Israel following the worsening security situation in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. The decision was disclosed on Tuesday by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Bishop Stephen Adegbite, during a press briefing in Lagos shortly after about 500 pilgrims returned to the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport from the 2025 Main Pilgrimage exercise. Adegbite explained that although the 2025 pilgrimage, which commenced on December 29,…

WMORTC Seeks Strategic Partnership with NAFRC to Deepen Research , Capacity Development

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The World Meteorological Organization Regional Training Centre (WMORTC) has intensified efforts to strengthen institutional collaboration with the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC) following a courtesy visit to the Centre’s headquarters on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. The Director of WMORTC, Professor Peter Ojugo, was represented during the visit by the Head of Training School, Mr. Aremu A.O., who led the delegation to engage the Commandant of NAFRC, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ignatius Ilo. The visit, he explained, was aimed at fostering mutual cooperation in key areas such as research, professional…

Tinubu Approves New Space Centre, Staff Reforms as Shettima Chairs National Space Council

Lukman Laleye Babalola

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the development of a new space centre and key institutional reforms for Nigeria’s space sector, following a meeting of the National Space Council chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The approvals mark a significant milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to reposition Nigeria’s space programme for greater technological advancement and economic impact. Foremost among the decisions is the approval for the development and operationalisation of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Space Centre for Transport and Propulsion in Epe, Lagos State.…

Tinubu Nominates Taiwo Oyedele as Minister of State for Finance, Redeploys Doris Anite-Uzoka

Emporium Reporters

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated renowned fiscal policy expert, Taiwo Oyedele, as Minister of State for Finance, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The nomination was conveyed in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and announced in a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Oyedele replaced Doris Anite-Uzoka, who has been redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning as Minister of State her third ministerial assignment under the current administration. Until his nomination, Oyedele served as…