Author: Damilola

A political support group backing Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso has called for a joint presidential ticket featuring the former Kano governor and ex-Anambra State Governor Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general election. The Kwankwaso Support Group 2027 made the proposal on Friday in Kano, where its leader, Abba Gwale, urged Nigerians to rally behind an Obi–Kwankwaso alliance, describing it as a viable path to addressing the country’s growing challenges. Gwale said the group, as committed supporters of Kwankwaso, decided to openly back the proposed partnership in any political party, arguing that shifting political sentiments across the country favour such an…

A member of the United States House of Representatives, Riley Moore, has warned that any attempts to strengthen separatist movements seeking Nigeria’s break-up would ultimately put Christians at greater risk. Moore visited Nigeria in December on what he described as a “fact-finding mission” to assess claims of a Christian genocide, following remarks by US President Donald Trump, who had threatened to deploy troops to Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” to confront alleged perpetrators. During the visit, the lawmaker held talks with Nigeria’s national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and travelled to Benue State, where he met Governor Hyacinth Alia, as well as religious and…

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has delivered the condolences of President Bola Tinubu to the people and government of Kwara State following the deadly attacks on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaima Local Government Area. The communities were reportedly attacked on February 3 by suspected members of an Islamist group known as Lakurawa, leaving several residents dead and properties destroyed. Speaking on Saturday during a condolence visit to the state, Shettima described the killings as tragic and deeply disturbing, noting that the victims were law-abiding citizens going about their legitimate means of livelihood. He said the affected communities had long been known…

Syria and Saudi Arabia have signed a fresh set of investment agreements covering aviation, telecommunications, water projects and infrastructure, as Damascus intensifies efforts to rebuild after more than a decade of war. The deals were signed on Saturday, with Saudi Arabia emerging as one of the strongest supporters of Syria’s new Islamist-led authorities, who came to power after the overthrow of former president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Syrian Investment Authority chief Talal al-Hilali said the agreements included the launch of “a low-cost Syrian-Saudi airline aimed at strengthening regional and international air links”. He added…

The Nigeria Police Force says it has opened steps to investigate allegations linking Nzube Henry Ikeji, a Nigerian socialite, to a $2.5 million romance and investment scam. Director of the National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC), Ifeanyi Uche, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing, stressing that the matter would be handled thoroughly. Uche said the police are already reviewing publicly available information and will engage the platform that published the investigation in order to gather verified details. “This morning, I was able to summon my people for us to properly conduct an analysis of the facts that we have seen,”…

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced Roberts Orya, a former managing director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), to a combined 490 years in prison over a N2.4 billion fraud. Justice F. E. Messiri delivered the judgment on Thursday, February 5, 2026, after finding Orya guilty on all 49 counts filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Orya, who was first arraigned in 2021, faced charges including obtaining money by false pretences, forgery, and advance fee fraud. The offences were linked to his time as managing director of NEXIM…

US President Donald Trump has drawn widespread criticism after posting a video on social media that depicts former president Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, as monkeys. In the early hours of Friday, Trump shared two posts on his Truth Social account reviving allegations of irregularities in the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Joe Biden. Biden previously served as Obama’s vice-president between 2009 and 2017. Trump, who defeated Hillary Clinton to win the presidency in 2017, was denied a second term after losing the 2020 election to Biden. The one-minute video features Phil Waldron, identified as a cybersecurity…

The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on John Odigie-Oyegun, a former national chairman of the party and ex-governor of Edo, to repay what it described as outstanding loans and unpaid membership dues amounting to more than N150 million. The party said the alleged financial obligations were accumulated during Odigie-Oyegun’s years in the APC, including the period he served as the party’s pioneer national chairman. Odigie-Oyegun, who headed the APC between 2014 and 2018, recently defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as part of a broader opposition alliance preparing for the 2027 general election.…

The United States has denounced the deadly assault on communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, as varying casualty figures from the incident continue to fuel outrage at home and abroad. Although the Nigerian Police Force said 75 people were confirmed killed in the attack on Woro and Nuku communities, local accounts and international observers have suggested the number of victims may be far higher. In a statement posted on X on Friday, the US Mission in Nigeria described the violence as “horrific,” noting that more than 160 people were feared dead, with many others still missing. “The…

A former British building contractor has told a London court how his company renovated and managed high-end properties allegedly used by Nigeria’s former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, as her bribery trial continues at the Southwark Crown Court. Alison-Madueke is standing trial alongside Olatimbo Ayinde, an oil executive, and Doye Agama, her brother, on five counts related to the alleged receipt of bribes. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty. On the fifth day of proceedings, Tony Mulcahy, a former director of Bear Rock Construction Ltd, gave evidence that his firm undertook extensive refurbishment work between 2011 and 2014…