Author: Damilola

The government of the United Kingdom has announced the official schedule for the upcoming state visit of Nigeria’s president, Bola Tinubu, set to take place from March 17 to 19. According to the programme, the visit will be centred at Windsor Castle and will feature ceremonial activities, bilateral meetings, and interactions with members of the Nigerian diaspora in the UK. Preparatory activities will begin on March 17. These include security sweeps, road closures, and rehearsals for the presidential procession ahead of Tinubu’s arrival. The president is expected to arrive on March 18, where he will be welcomed by Prince William…

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, says the period he spent outside the state following his removal from the throne helped shield him from possible humiliation and gave him the opportunity to pursue further academic studies. He said this while speaking on resilience during difficult times at the Fola Adeola annual Ramadan lecture. Reflecting on his personal experiences, the monarch said people often place too much importance on individuals, forgetting that circumstances ultimately change by the will of God. Drawing from his own life, he said faith helped him navigate the difficult moments surrounding his suspension as governor of…

Pope Leo XIV has renewed his call for peace in the Middle East, urging an immediate end to ongoing hostilities and the restoration of dialogue among the parties involved. Speaking during his weekly Angelus prayer at the Vatican on Sunday, the pontiff lamented the humanitarian toll of the conflict, which he said has caused immense suffering across the region. “Dear brothers and sisters, for two weeks the peoples of the Middle East have suffered the atrocious violence of war,” the US pontiff said at his weekly Angelus prayer at the Vatican. “Thousands of innocent people have been killed, and countless…

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have reportedly killed a senior commander of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), identified as Bako Gorgore. According to security analyst Zagazola Makama, Gorgore — also known as Abou Mustapha — died during a confrontation with troops in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. His death was reportedly verified through intelligence sources after security operatives intercepted communications among ISWAP fighters confirming the development. Gorgore, believed to be around 60 years old, was considered one of the longest-serving members within the insurgent organisation. Over time, he held several strategic roles in the group, including membership…

Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has criticised Peter Obi, over his comments regarding the recent increase in fuel prices in Nigeria. Olusegun’s reaction followed a statement released by Obi on Thursday, where the former governor of Anambra State argued that Nigeria’s vulnerability to global oil price shocks stems from the absence of a strategic petroleum reserve and inadequate government planning. Posting on X on Saturday, the presidential aide dismissed Obi’s position, describing it as misleading and inaccurate. Earlier, Obi had observed that petrol prices, which sold below N1,000 per litre weeks ago, had…

The Lagos State Government has announced plans to reintroduce the monthly environmental sanitation exercise beginning April 25. The Commissioner of Environment Tokunbo Wahab disclosed the decision on Saturday shortly after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and deputy Obafemi Hamzat carried out a symbolic street cleaning to mark the return of the programme. The statewide exercise, which involves residents cleaning their surroundings, is being reinstated nine years after it was halted in November 2016. The suspension followed a judgment by the Court of Appeal (Nigeria) which ruled that restricting movement during sanitation hours violated citizens’ rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement.…

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has alerted Nigerians to a heightened risk of fire outbreaks and heat-related illnesses as temperatures rise across several parts of the country. The warning was issued on Saturday in a statement by NEMA Head of Press and Public Relations, Manzo Ezekiel, on behalf of the Director-General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar. According to the agency, the current heatwave conditions could increase the likelihood of fire incidents and pose health threats to residents, prompting a call for precautionary measures. “Following the recent rise in daily temperatures and heatwave conditions across parts of the country, the National Emergency…

Health authorities in Canada have launched an investigation into the deaths of two plasma donors — one of them a Nigerian international student — following donations at private plasma collection centres in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Plasma, the liquid component of blood, accounts for slightly more than half of the body’s total blood volume. Health Canada confirmed it received two reports of fatal adverse reactions linked to plasma donation procedures — the first in October 2025 and the second on January 30, 2026. Both incidents occurred at clinics run by Grifols, a Spanish healthcare firm that operates several plasma collection facilities across…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took over a fragile economy when he assumed office in 2023. Akpabio made the remark on Friday in Abuja during the inauguration of the convention sub-committee on programmes and events of the All Progressives Congress (APC). His comments were contained in a statement issued by Mr. Jackson Udom, his special assistant on media. The senate president, who previously served as a minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari, said the National Assembly of Nigeria would continue to back the reform programmes of the current administration. “The National Assembly will continue…

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) says it distributed N1.89 trillion as revenue for February among the federal government, states, and local government councils. The allocation was announced after the committee’s March 2026 meeting held in Abuja on Friday. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy. In a statement issued by the ministry, FAAC said the total gross revenue available for the month stood at N2.23 trillion before deductions. From the N1.89 trillion distributable revenue, the federal government received N675.08 billion, states were allocated N651.52 billion, while local government councils…