Author: Friday Omosola

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has dismissed claims that the Federal Government has neglected the state amid relentless attacks by armed assailants. Speaking during an appearance on The Morning Brief aired by Channels Television on Monday, Mr Alia said government intervention significantly reduced the scale of violence in the region. According to the governor, “If President Bola Tinubu had no grasp of the situation, he wouldn’t be offering us such strong backing.” READ ALSO: Bashir Ahmad slams Benue killings, calls attackers terrorists He revealed that 17 of Benue’s 23 local government areas had once come under heavy assault but credited federal…

The House of Representatives Constitution Review Committee is set to hold a major legislative forum on national security architecture today, in partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). Titled “Nigeria’s Peace and Security: The Constitutional Imperatives,” the high-level dialogue will be hosted at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja, under the auspices of the ONSA. In a statement issued yesterday, the House spokesperson Akin Rotimi, said the event would bring together senior figures from the country’s security sector, including the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; Inspector-General of Police, Kayode…

President Bola Tinubu has issued fresh directives to security chiefs to implement his earlier instructions aimed at restoring peace and stability in Benue State, following renewed violence that has claimed several lives. In a statement by Bayo Onanuga, his Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Mr Tinubu reiterated his commitment to ending the cycle of bloodshed in the state, describing the killings as ‘inhuman and anti-progress.’ In response to the latest reprisal attacks, security and intelligence agencies, including the police and military, have been deployed to the state to coordinate operations and stabilise affected communities. READ ALSO: CAN to Tinubu: Declare…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has unveiled a new initiative that will see petrol and diesel delivered at no cost to fuel marketers, distributors, and major consumers throughout Nigeria. The refinery, located in Lagos, confirmed in a statement on Sunday that the programme is set to launch on 15 August 2025. To facilitate the scheme, the company has acquired 4,000 newly manufactured tankers powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). READ ALSO: Nigerians currently buying petrol cheaper than others in West Africa — Dangote “In addition, the refinery will offer a credit facility to those purchasing a minimum of 500,000 litres—allowing them to…

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike met with President Bola Tinubu yesterday evening accompanied by three former governors from the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The meeting, which took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, featured Wike’s political allies and members of the now-defunct G5 —a faction that distanced itself from PDP leadership in the lead-up to the 2023 elections. Among those present were former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose, ex-Benue governor Samuel Ortom, and Okezie Ikpeazu, who previously governed Abia State. Although details of the discussions were not made public, the engagement is widely regarded as part of strategic efforts…

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has finalised plans to construct a new head office for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. The proposed structure will be located in the Maitama area of the capital city. Lere Olayinka, senior special assistant on public communications to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike confirmed this in an interview with journalists. He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu is expected to commence the building project next week. READ ALSO: FIRS slams FCTA over office closure, denies 25-year ground rent debt Back in May, Mr Wike announced that Mr Tinubu would commission already completed developments and…

The Lagos State Government has issued a fresh warning to residents, particularly those living in low-lying areas, to remain alert as intense rainfall continues to batter the state, raising the risk of flash floods in several communities. In a statement released yesterday, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, revealed that forecasts from the state’s weather stations indicated the presence of thunderstorms and widespread convective rainfall with dense cloud cover, as seen in geostationary imagery for today and the coming days. READ ALSO: Sanwo-Olu: Lagos tackling housing challenges with innovative solutions Wahab explained that the weather imagery translates…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to establish a presidential panel of enquiry to investigate the unlawful annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election and identify those responsible for what it described as ‘deliberate violations of Nigerians’ democratic freedoms.’ In a letter dated 14 June 2025 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP urged Mr Tinubu to demonstrate political will by holding perpetrators of the annulment accountable and enacting electoral and human rights reforms to fulfil his Democracy Day commitments. SERAP specifically asked the President to direct the Attorney General…

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has backtracked on its earlier directive for staff to engage in prayer and fasting as a means to address the nation’s worsening hunger crisis. Just days earlier, a leaked internal memo dated June 11, 2025, had instructed ministry personnel, including top officials such as directors, deputy directors, assistant directors, and value chain desk officers, to gather for weekly spiritual exercises at the ministry’s Abuja headquarters. The circular, issued by Mrs Adedayo Modupe, Director of Human Resource Management, called on employees to observe fasting and take part in a spiritual programme titled “Divine…

In a bid to seek spiritual support for Nigeria’s ongoing battle with food insecurity, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has called on its staff to engage in a series of fasting and prayer sessions. An internal memo dated June 11, 2025, signed by the ministry’s Director of Human Resource Management, Mrs Adedayo Modupe, was shared via the ministry’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Saturday. READ ALSO: NEC wants states to key into food security initiative The directive urged personnel across various ranks to take part in the religious observance. The notice extends the invitation to directors, deputy…