Author: Olaoluwa Vincent Ajayi

For more than ten years, Nigeria has experienced relentless insecurity, ranging from kidnappings to mass abductions and deadly attacks, that has shaken public confidence and intensified national anxiety. As these incidents grow more frequent and sophisticated, one question keeps resurfacing: Is the Nigerian government paying ransom to kidnappers? Successive administrations have consistently denied making ransom payments. Yet the patterns surrounding major abductions, particularly those involving schoolchildren, religious worshippers, and travellers, have deepened public suspicion. Victims often return home quietly and unexpectedly, without any clear explanation from officials, fuelling speculation that back-channel negotiations and ransom deals may be taking place. This…

An Afghan national accused of raping two 14-year-old girls in Bolton had been allowed to remain in the UK with his family after receiving indefinite leave to remain, a court has been told. Sultani Bakatash, 28, appeared before Manchester magistrates’ court on Tuesday following his arrest at the weekend. He is accused of carrying out the attacks at a flat in Greater Manchester last Saturday. Bakatash, who required a Dari interpreter during the brief hearing, listened as prosecutors outlined the allegations against him. The court heard that he had lived in Britain for two years and had been granted indefinite…

A British service member has died in Ukraine, prompting tributes across the UK political spectrum and renewed attention on Britain’s ongoing military support for Kyiv. Officials confirmed on Tuesday that the individual, whose identity has not yet been released, died earlier in the day. While investigations are continuing, the Press Association understands that the death is not being attributed to hostile fire, though the precise circumstances remain undisclosed. Defence Secretary John Healey expressed deep sorrow following the news, writing in a social media post that he was “devastated” by the loss. “My thoughts are with their family, friends and colleagues as…

New evidence has emerged showing that thousands of asylum seekers are being granted refugee status without attending face-to-face interviews, as the UK’s asylum system struggles with rising demand. New documents show that migrants from countries with high approval rates, including Eritrea, Sudan and Yemen, are being permitted to submit detailed questionnaires instead of undergoing traditional interviews with specialist caseworkers. Officials tell applicants that if their written account includes enough evidence to justify their claim, a decision may be made without meeting them. The policy, first introduced under the previous Conservative government to address a backlog of more than 100,000 applications,…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised the Nigerian Armed Forces for their rapid and coordinated intervention in the Republic of Benin following Sunday’s attempted coup that briefly disrupted national broadcasting and threatened the country’s 35-year-old democracy. Security sources confirmed that Nigeria deployed fighter aircraft and ground forces into Beninese territory after receiving two urgent requests from the Government of Benin, which warned that coup plotters had seized the national broadcaster and regrouped at a military camp in Cotonou. According to a Note Verbal from Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the country sought “immediate Nigerian air support  to safeguard the constitutional…

Nigeria has deployed fighter aircraft into Benin Republic’s airspace following Sunday’s attempted military coup to remove President Patrice Talon from power, multiple security sources confirmed. The move signals Abuja’s heightened vigilance as political instability unfolds in the neighbouring West African nation. The fighter aircraft, which took off earlier in the day from Lagos, were sighted conducting aerial operations over Beninese territory as Nigeria intensified surveillance in response to the rapidly evolving security situation. According to senior security officials, the deployment is part of a broader precautionary strategy aimed at assessing regional threats and protecting Nigeria’s national interests. The coup in…

Security forces loyal to President Patrice Talon have successfully foiled an attempted coup in Benin Republic, according to new details released by the government. Interior Minister Alassane Seidou confirmed on Saturday that the country’s armed forces had thwarted the plot and prevented the military takeover from gaining ground. Although initial reports suggested unrest in parts of the country, government officials later announced that the army had “regained control” and that the situation was “fully under control.” The attempted coup comes at a politically sensitive moment for Benin, just months before a presidential election scheduled for April. President Talon, who first…

A heated argument has broken out in the National Assembly as senators and leading opposition figures intensify calls for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withdraw the newly submitted list of ambassadorial nominees, citing alleged nepotism, imbalance, and violations of the Federal Character principle. The controversy erupted ahead of the Senate’s scheduled screening and confirmation of the nominees, with several lawmakers openly rejecting the list and urging the Presidency to reconsider its selections. Some senators faulted the composition of the nominees, insisting that it runs contrary to Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates equitable representation of Nigeria’s diverse geopolitical…

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Hon. Dr. Bernard Doro, has congratulated the newly appointed Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), as he officially resumed office. In a congratulatory message made available to The New Daily Prime, the Honourable Minister stated: “I extend my warmest congratulations to Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd) on his nomination, confirmation, and swearing-in as the Honourable Minister of Defence by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. This appointment is a clear reflection of the President’s keen ability to recognise exceptional talent and to place individuals in positions where their experience and character will…

The Nigerian woman who claimed asylum in November 2021 had her application refused by the Home Office in November 2023. She argued that because she coordinated and attended a demonstration aimed at shutting down the Nigerian government’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) , a federal police unit accused of widespread rights abuses, she would be at risk if returned home. She maintained that her life would be in danger in her home country. The unnamed woman lodged a human rights claim to remain in the UK, stating that her political activism, combined with her high profile as a “well-known model and…