Author: Gbenga Olaleye

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has urged retired military personnel to embrace skills acquisition as a pathway to improved living standards, financial stability, and post-service resilience. He appealed on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of a three-day skills acquisition programme in Yola. Oluyede explained that the initiative is designed to equip ex-service members with practical, income-generating skills, particularly within the agricultural value chain. The programme, he said, aligns with the broader poverty alleviation and economic empowerment goals of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. “The training is a strategic initiative by Defence Headquarters, aimed at enhancing the well-being of…

Nigeria’s Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy, Sunday Dare, has emphasised that the country cannot defeat terrorism in isolation, calling for strengthened international cooperation—particularly with the United States—amid heightened security concerns. Dare’s remarks follow the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, an incident that has once again drawn global attention to Nigeria’s prolonged battle against insurgency and armed extremism. In a Wednesday post on X (formerly Twitter), Dare stressed that Nigeria’s security challenges require a collective global response. “Nigeria does not pretend it can win this war alone,…

The Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee has confirmed that virtual currencies will be subject to taxation under Nigeria’s new tax reform framework. The committee’s chairman, Taiwo Oyedele, disclosed during an online public lecture hosted on Wednesday by the Capital Market Academics of Nigeria. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, virtual currency refers to a digital or electronic representation of value that exists solely online and has no physical form. These currencies are typically created and managed by private developers or digital communities. While some forms are used only within closed networks, others—such as cryptocurrencies—can be exchanged for…

A group of serving and former members of the Kano State House of Assembly have endorsed the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, as their preferred candidate for the 2027 governorship election in Kano State. The lawmakers, drawn from various Assemblies from 1999 to date and led by a former Speaker, Abdulaziz G. Gafasa, paid a courtesy visit to Senator Barau recently to declare their support. Their endorsement was contained in a statement issued by the senator’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, and made available to New Daily Prime on Wednesday. The group described Barau as…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has condemned a call by the factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Turaki, SAN, urging United States President Donald Trump to intervene in Nigeria’s political affairs. Wike described the appeal as reckless, inflammatory, and a threat to national security, insisting that Nigeria’s democracy remains stable. Wike made the remarks on Wednesday while receiving board members of the South-South Development Commission, led by Chairman Chibudom Nwuche, at his office in Abuja. Turaki had on Tuesday addressed journalists following the clash between rival PDP factions at the party’s national secretariat…

Security forces have taken control of the Eruku community in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State following a violent bandit attack on worshippers at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Oke-Isegun on Tuesday, which left three people dead and several others abducted. The development comes after a disturbing video of the attack went viral, showing bandits storming the church, firing shots repeatedly as worshippers, both elderly and young, fled for safety. In the footage, some victims were pursued into smaller rooms within the church, while other attackers were seen collecting handbags left behind on the pews. Community spokesman Ayeni…

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has praised the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, describing him as a detribalised leader devoted to religious tolerance, harmony, and peaceful coexistence across Nigeria. The remarks were made on Tuesday during a courtesy and solidarity visit by the Sultan and his delegation to the Olubadan Palace, Oke Aremo, in Ibadan, Oyo State, according to a statement issued by Ladoja’s Chief Press Secretary, Chief Ayoade Olugbemiga. Oba Ladoja commended the Sultan’s record as a military officer, diplomat, and religious leader, all of which were groomed in Ibadan. He urged other spiritual leaders to…

The Senate on Tuesday intensified calls for a decisive overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture, urging President Bola Tinubu to immediately authorise the recruitment of 100,000 additional military personnel to confront worsening insurgency, banditry, and the renewed wave of school abductions. This followed the recent attack on Government Girls School, Maga, in Kebbi State, where gunmen killed the vice principal and reportedly abducted 25 students. The incident sparked outrage among lawmakers, prompting demands for accountability and urgent reforms. The motion gained momentum after additional prayers by Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North), sparking a heated debate over rising insecurity across the country.…

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has called for decisive political action, deeper socio-cultural reforms, women’s empowerment, and strengthened health systems to tackle Nigeria’s persistently high rates of maternal and neonatal mortality. The appeal was made on Wednesday during the 66th National Council on Health meeting in Calabar, themed “My health, my right: Accelerating universal health coverage through equity, resilience, and innovation.” Speaking on the topic “The critical missing link in crashing maternal and neonatal mortality in Nigeria,” UNFPA Nigeria’s Technical Specialist for Reproductive and Maternal Health, Lordfred Achu, warned that structural and societal barriers continue to obstruct progress. These,…

The Oyo State Mobilisation Agency for Socio-Economic Development (OYMASED) has appealed to residents affected by the 500-metre Circular Road corridor to embrace dialogue and avoid actions that may hinder the progress of the state’s flagship infrastructure project. The appeal was made in a statement issued on Tuesday by the agency’s Director-General, Dr Morohunkola Thomas, in Ibadan. Describing the Circular Road as a transformative project, Thomas said it was designed to ease traffic congestion, expand economic opportunities, improve transportation, and enhance the overall quality of life across Oyo State. “The Circular Road is a major infrastructure project which aims to ease…