Author: Olaoluwa Vincent Ajayi

Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, has held a high-level technical session with a delegation from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). The meeting, led by UNOCHA’s Head of Office, Mr. Trond Jensen, took place on Wednesday at the Minister’s Conference Room in Abuja, during which officials reviewed the country’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) and assessed the implications of significant funding cuts by major international donors. According to a report made available to New Daily Prime, Dr. Doro praised the UN agency’s “longstanding partnership” and expressed concern…

West Africa is preparing for its most ambitious aviation reform in decades after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) approved sweeping measures to reduce the region’s  high air travel costs. The move, announced this week, will see member nations eliminate several taxes on air transport and reduce passenger and security charges by 25 per cent from 1 January 2026—a decision expected to transform mobility, trade, tourism and economic integration across the region. The ECOWAS Commission confirmed that Heads of State and Government adopted the measures during their December 2024 summit in Abuja, following years of stagnation in the…

Less than two days after members of the House of Representatives accused the Tinubu administration of poor implementation of the 2024–2025 budgets, and warned that they would not consider the 2026 Appropriation Bill until outstanding obligations were cleared, President Bola Tinubu has moved to address the growing crisis surrounding unpaid federal contractors. On Wednesday, after the Federal Executive Council meeting, Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga announced that the President had established a multi-ministerial committee to resolve the mounting debts owed to contractors, which now stand at about ₦1.5 trillion. According to him, Tinubu expressed strong dissatisfaction upon…

A new report has emerged that the leader of the Islamic State faction in Somalia, Abdul Qadir Mumin, has a wife and three children living in the United Kingdom, despite his long-standing ties to extremist activities in East Africa. Mumin, believed to be around 70 years old, lived in Britain between 2003 and 2010, during which he obtained UK citizenship and preached in several London mosques. His radical sermons drew the attention of MI5, prompting an investigation into his activities and alleged efforts to recruit followers for jihadist causes. Marriage in the UK Before Radical Shift During his time in…

An Afghan asylum seeker who repeatedly told British immigration officials “I don’t know” during questioning has been granted permission to remain in the United Kingdom until 2029, following a significant legal victory that also confirmed he was a minor at the time of his arrival. According to court documents, the migrant, whose name was withheld because he arrived as an unaccompanied child,  said “I don’t know” 158 times and “I can’t remember” 49 times during his screening interview with the UK Home Office. His inconsistent answers fuelled suspicion among immigration officers, who initially accused him of withholding information about his true age.…

A highly classified U.S. government assessment has concluded that China would defeat the United States in a military conflict over Taiwan, warning that Beijing’s rapidly expanding arsenal and mass-production capabilities have overtaken the Pentagon’s traditional technological advantage. The Telegraph reported that Beijing’s hypersonic missiles “could sink U.S. aircraft carriers within minutes.” The analysis, contained in a top-secret document known as the “Overmatch Brief”, states that China can manufacture weapons at a pace the US defence industry cannot match. While American strategy relies on sophisticated, high-cost platforms, Beijing is now capable of deploying cheaper alternatives in overwhelming numbers. The Telegraph  reported…

The opposition party in Benin – Communist Party of Benin (PCB) has openly criticised what it calls foreign military interference following the attempted coup d’état in Benin Republic on Sunday, December 7, 2025. In a statement released on Monday, the opposition party said the failed coup and the events that followed have raised serious concerns about Benin’s sovereignty, warning that the country is drifting into external control under the guise of “defending democracy.” According to the PCB, the attempt to overthrow President Patrice Talon was foiled largely through intervention by French forces stationed in Benin and airstrikes reportedly carried out by…

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…