Category: News

TEXT OF THE BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, DECLARING STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE ON TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2025

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.   With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to…

NSCIA debunks report attributed to Sultan of Sokoto on Islamizing Nigeria ….. Warns against misinformation

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has strongly refuted a viral claim on social media alleging that the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, made a statement about an agenda to Islamize Nigeria.   In a statement signed by Imam Haroun Muhammad Eze, Esq., Deputy National Legal Adviser of NSCIA, the council described the claim as baseless, malicious, and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.   “The spurious information is not only unfounded but also mischievous. The Sultan, who was falsely alleged to have…

Avocats Sans Frontières partners with NUJ to enhance Press Freedom, Digital Rights in Nigeria

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF) has announced a strategic partnership with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to promote press freedom and digital rights in Nigeria.   The partnership was disclosed during a courtesy visit by an ASF delegation, led by board member Ivan Paneff, to the NUJ National Secretariat on Monday. Paneff highlighted the objectives of the e-Rights Project, which aimed to establish mechanisms for independent and fair access to justice while protecting the fundamental rights of journalists. The project will also provide legal aid and assistance to victims of…

Tinubu appoints Bishop Kukah as Pro-Chancellor ,Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia

Lukman Laleye Babalola

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the newly established Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, Kaduna State.   The President also approved the appointment of key principal officers for the university. Prof. Qurix Williams Barnabas has been named Vice Chancellor, Sanusi Gambo Adamu as Registrar, Ibrahim Dalhat as Bursar, and Prof. Daniel Abubakar as University Librarian.   Additionally, the President appointed members of the Governing Council, including Mr. Thomas Etuh…

Edo Police arrests Kidnap, Armed Robbery suspects, recovers firearms and cash

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Edo State Police Command has made significant breakthroughs in its fight against crime, arrested multiple suspects linked to armed robbery and kidnapping across the state. Within the last 48 hours, operatives of the Command carried out successful operations, leading to the recovery of firearms, cash, and other incriminating items. According to a release signed by the Police Public Relations Officer ,Edo State Police Command, CSP Moses Joel Yamu, the arrests were made during separate operations conducted by police operatives in collaboration with vigilante groups. The statement revealed that on…

NPC DG Dan’Agundi Flags Off 4-Day Capacity Building Programme for Research Officers

Abubakar Yusuf

In a strategic move to enhance staff efficiency and productivity, the Director-General of the National Productivity Centre (NPC), Dr. Baffa Babba Dan’Agundi, has declared open a four-day capacity-building programme for research officers. The training aims to strengthen their knowledge, skills, and competencies in utilizing productivity tools and techniques.   The programme, which commenced on March 17, 2025, at the Anti-Corruption Academy in Keffi, is themed “Basic Productivity Improvement Tools and Techniques.”   While declaring the training open, Dr. Dan’Agundi reaffirmed the NPC’s commitment to driving the national productivity movement, monitoring…

FJSC appoints Kabir Eniola Akanbi as Acting Chief Registrar of Supreme Court

Emporium Reporters

The Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) has appointed Kabir Eniola Akanbi as the Acting Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.   A statement by the Supreme Court’s Director of Information, Dr. Festus Akande, confirmed his appointment in a letter dated March 14, 2025. Akanbi replaces Hajo Bello, who retired upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60.   Before this appointment, Akanbi served as the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of the Election Petition Tribunal Unit at the Court of Appeal headquarters in Abuja.   A graduate of…

Governors lobby Tinubu to retain control over local government allocations

Emporium Reporters

State governors are making fresh moves to delay the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy by opposing the direct disbursement of federal allocations to local councils.   During a recent meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, some governors expressed concerns about routing local government funds through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). They argued that local councils have outstanding debts that should be addressed before any direct disbursement.   Sources from the presidency revealed that the meeting, which followed an…

FG dismisses claims of targeted killings of Christians, calls for caution in reporting

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly refuted recent reports alleging targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria, describing them as misleading and aimed at influencing foreign perceptions, particularly in the United States.   In a statement, the Ministry expressed concern over the spread of misinformation, emphasized that Nigeria’s security challenges ranging from insurgency and banditry to communal clashes are not religiously motivated. It clarified that criminal activities in the predominantly Muslim northern region do not selectively target any religious group.   The government reiterated its commitment to safeguarding all citizens,…

MURIC accuses political saboteurs of undermining Yoruba muslim liberation, calls for Tinubu-El-Rufai reconciliation

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has alleged that political saboteurs undermined its efforts to secure the appointment of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, as a minister, thereby frustrating the group’s mission to liberate Yoruba Muslims from marginalization.   In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC disclosed that it had solicited El-Rufai’s support to mobilize the North for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election. The group claimed that El-Rufai played a crucial role in securing northern backing for Tinubu’s emergence.…