Author: Damilola

Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shi’ites, staged a rally in Bauchi on Sunday in support of Iran, urging Muslims to live according to Islamic teachings. The call was made by Zeenatuddeen Zakzaky, wife of IMN leader Ibraheem Zakzaky, during the 5th International Conference on Islamic Thought themed “The State of Affairs and the Way Out.” The conference, organised by the Sisters and Academic Fora under Zakzaky’s leadership, focused on reinforcing adherence to the Qur’an and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. “Muslims must live their lives according to how Allah enjoined us in the Qur’an…

Donald Trump has announced plans to dispatch a delegation to Pakistan for renewed negotiations with Iran, while warning of severe consequences if no agreement is reached. In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, the US president struck a combative tone, declaring, “NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” and cautioning that failure to secure a deal could trigger devastating action. “Without a deal, we’re going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran,” he said. The move comes just days before the expiration of a fragile two-week ceasefire involving the United States, Iran, and Israel an…

Former Kano State Governor, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, has formally resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing a strategic political shift ahead of a likely move to another party. In a resignation letter dated April 19, 2026, addressed to the PDP chairman of Giginyu Ward in Nassarawa LGA of Kano State, Shekarau said his decision takes immediate effect. “Accept this letter please as notice of my resignation from my position as member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with effect from today,” he wrote. The former minister explained that the move followed extensive consultations within his political circle,…

The federal government has prohibited the importation of several goods—including poultry products, cement, pharmaceuticals, and key agricultural items—from countries outside the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The directive was contained in a circular issued by the federal ministry of finance and signed by Wale Edun, dated April 1, 2026. According to the document, the affected goods form part of a revised import prohibition list covering 17 items, specifically targeting products originating from non-ECOWAS member states. “Import Prohibition list (Trade), applicable only to certain goods originating from non-ECOWAS Member States. It consists of 17 items,” the circular stated. The…

Donald Trump is set to participate in a public Bible reading this week as his administration continues to incorporate Christian themes into official activities. According to organisers, the president will deliver a video message from the Oval Office during the “America Reads The Bible” event, scheduled for April 21. The initiative is part of a weeklong programme focused on scripture readings. READ RELATED STORY Trump sends delegation to Pakistan for Iran talks, issues fresh threats Trump claims China has agreed not to supply weapons to Iran after Xi talks Trump’s AI image as Jesus fuels clash with Pope Leo XIV…

Snap Inc. has laid off about 1,000 employees, saying rapid advances in artificial intelligence are helping the company streamline operations and improve efficiency as it pushes toward profitability. Chief Executive Evan Spiegel disclosed the decision in a memo, noting that the cuts represent roughly 16 percent of Snap’s full-time workforce, alongside the removal of more than 300 vacant roles. “We believe that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence enable our teams to reduce repetitive work, increase velocity and better support our community, partners and advertisers,” Spiegel wrote. He added that smaller teams are already using AI tools to accelerate work across…

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Showunmi, has formally announced his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State. He made the declaration on Friday during a courtesy visit to the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) secretariat in Abeokuta, where he called for a more open and competitive political process ahead of the polls. “I will be running for governor in the 2027 governorship election. I have come to plead with you to set up a small committee among yourselves to determine how we can collaborate to make this happen,” he said. Showunmi criticised what he…

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has said he will publicly announce his preferred candidate for the 2027 governorship election before the end of the first week of May. In a newsletter released on Saturday, the governor said he has been consulting widely with elders, religious leaders, and key stakeholders, noting that several aspirants have already emerged as frontrunners. “We are approaching that point of decision. I have been consulting widely with our elders, fathers of faith, and other critical stakeholders, and I remain fully aware of the responsibility that this decision carries,” he said. Makinde stressed that he has not…

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) says it had no role in the decision by World Athletics to block Favour Ofili’s request to switch nationality to Turkey. Speaking to TheCable, AFN spokesperson, Maxwell Kumoye dismissed claims that the federation influenced the outcome, insisting the ruling was based on independent findings by World Athletics. On Thursday, World Athletics’ national review panel rejected Ofili’s application to represent the Turkish Athletics Federation (TAF). She was among 11 foreign athletes whose allegiance-switch requests were submitted by Turkey — all of which were denied. Kumoye said Ofili’s case was not singled out, noting that the…

The planned defection of Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has collapsed following disagreements over a proposed power-sharing formula. Consultations between the governor, his Turaki-led PDP faction, and the APC leadership ended in a deadlock after the ruling party reportedly rejected a 60–40 arrangement for control of party structure in Bauchi State. Despite the setback, Mohammed and his supporters have signalled openness to aligning with other political parties, noting that fresh options for possible defection from ward to state level are being considered. Addressing journalists on Saturday, Sama’ila Burga,…