Author: Tahir Ahmed

President Bola Tinubu has submitted his All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form and retained Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election. Ibrahim Masari, the president’s special adviser on political affairs, announced the development on Tinubu’s behalf. Masari submitted the nomination forms for Tinubu and Shettima during a brief event attended by APC leaders at the Continental Hotel in Abuja. More to follow…

European champions Spain are on a World Cup collision course with Kylian Mbappe’s France if they can beat Belgium in a quarter-final on Friday at the spectacular SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The Belgians face the daunting task of breaking through a Spanish defence that has yet to concede a goal in the tournament. If Spain win, they will head to Texas next Tuesday for a mouth-watering semi-final against France that many observers are already describing as the final before the final. First though, Spain need to find goals against a Belgium team who started the World Cup slowly but…

By Abubakar Ojima-ojo The Federal High Court in Abuja has again affirmed the statutory authority of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate consumer complaints relating to airline ticket pricing, dismissing a suit filed by Air Peace Limited challenging the Commission’s powers. In a judgment delivered on June 29, 2026, Justice B.F.M. Nyako ruled that the FCCPC acted within its investigative powers under Sections 17, 32 and 33 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), 2018, when it sought information from Air Peace following widespread consumer complaints over significant increases in domestic airfares in December…

By Abubakar Ojima-ojo The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to modernising Nigeria’s aviation sector through the acquisition of newer, safer and more fuel-efficient aircraft, while strengthening collaboration among aircraft manufacturers, financiers, lessors and indigenous airline operators.F Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, reiterated the commitment during a working visit to Bombardier’s Laurent Beaudoin Completion Centre (LBCC) in Montréal, Canada, where he led a delegation of Nigerian airline operators and senior aviation officials. A statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, said the visit marked the conclusion of the Federal Government’s strategic…

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Friday presented a proposed N1.854 trillion budget for the 2026 fiscal year to the Rivers State House of Assembly, with the lion’s share of the spending plan dedicated to capital projects aimed at infrastructure development, education, healthcare and economic growth. Tagged “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” the appropriation bill projects a total expenditure of N1,854,248,734,475.76, comprising N413.1 billion for recurrent expenditure and N1.405 trillion for capital expenditure. The budget presentation came two weeks after the House approved the state’s 2026-2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), which serves as the fiscal blueprint for the…

By Abubakar Ojima-ojo Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd), has said Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of N100,000 following a recent review of their welfare by the Federal Government. Meanwhile, the Senate has approved N403.1 billion for theNigerian Police Trust Fund to strengthen policing and support the fight against security challenges nationwide for two consecutive years. This was as President Bola Tinubu forwarded a landmark criminal justice reform bill to the Senate, seeking the repeal of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015 and its replacement with a new Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2026,…

By Abubakar Ojima-ojo Senator Ali Ndume on Thursday threw his weight behind the Federal Government’s hardline approach against terrorism and banditry, declaring that sustained military pressure, not negotiations or concessions, remains the surest path to ending insecurity in Nigeria. Speaking after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Borno South senator endorsed the position of the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), who has repeatedly ruled out negotiations or ransom payments to terrorists and bandits, insisting that those who aid criminal groups should be treated as accomplices. Ndume argued that recent military successes across…

By Abubakar Ojima-ojo The Nigerian Army says its troops have intercepted a female Chadian national transporting illicit drugs, alcoholic beverages and other prohibited substances to terrorists operating in the Lake Chad Islands. In a statement on Friday, Mohammed Goni, acting military information officer, headquarters joint task force (north-east), Operation Hadin Kai, said the suspect was arrested on Thursday during an intensive search operation along the Maiduguri–Monguno road in Borno state. He said troops intercepted a suspicious vehicle travelling towards Kwatan Doron Baga in Kukawa LGA in the state. “The suspect, identified as Mrs Rachael Samuel (48), a Chadian national from…

By Amina Mohammed, Lafia Muslim women leaders have called on politicians to view leadership as amanah — a sacred trust — as Nigeria approaches another election cycle. The appeal was made at the 19th Annual National Conference of Women in Da’awah, held at Ta’al Conference Hall in Lafia, Nasarawa State. The gathering drew Muslim women leaders and scholars from across the country to discuss justice, politics, and leadership in contemporary society. National President of Women in Da’awah, Hajiya Maryam Idris Othman, said the conference theme was chosen to reflect the urgency of political education for women ahead of the polls.…

By Abubakar Ojima-ojo The founder of Lorien Academy, Isi Adenike Adeeko, has said academic certificates alone are no longer sufficient to secure employment, stressing the need for practical, industry-relevant skills to thrive in today’s competitive labour market. Adeeko stated this in a statement issued on Thursday to announce the opening of applications for a new intake into the academy’s professional and vocational programmes. She said many graduates continue to struggle to secure meaningful employment because they leave school without the practical competencies employers and businesses require. According to her, Lorien Academy was established to bridge the gap between classroom education…