Author: Yunusa Umar

A former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to dismiss criminal charges filed against him by the Department of State Services (DSS), describing the case as unconstitutional, speculative and a gross abuse of court process. El-Rufai, in a motion on notice dated February 17, 2026, urged the court to quash Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026 filed by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, acting through the DSS. He also asked the court to award N2 billion in costs against the security agency for what he termed “egregious, reckless and unconstitutional misuse of the criminal justice…

President Bola Tinubu has urged state governors and religious leaders to place the needs of the poor and underprivileged at the centre of governance, stressing that compassion and development must cut across religion, ethnicity, and social status. The statement was issued on Monday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, while holding interfaith breaking of fasting at the state house. READ MORE: Kogi youths raise N100m to secure Tinubu’s 2027 presidential nomination form CDS Oluyede launches operation Savannah shield to tackle insecurity in Kwara, Niger The Muslims holy month of Ramadan coincides with the Christian…

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, has announced the launch of a new joint military operation, Operation Savannah Shield, aimed at curbing insecurity and criminal activities in Kwara State and neighbouring Niger State. Speaking during a visit to the Kwara State Government House, the CDS said the operation was designed to address the recent spate of insecurity that has claimed lives and disrupted communities in the region. He commiserated with the state government and residents over the casualties recorded in recent attacks, assuring them of the Armed Forces’ resolve to checkmate criminal elements. General Oluyede explained…

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Mohammed Umaru Bago, Governor of Niger State, on the occasion of his birthday, commending his courage, diligence, and commitment to the development of the state. The statement was signed by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on February 23, 2026, saying Niger governor’s birthday offered opportunity for reflection and renewed dedication to service to the people of Niger State and the nation at large. READ MORE:Wike says APC poll victories reflect rising confidence in Tinubu’s policies Tinubu mourns former UBA chairman, Israel Ogbue The President joined Governor Bago’s family,…

Former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, has said the deaths of about 40 people at the Kampani Zurak mining site in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State were entirely preventable, blaming the tragedy on a failure to sustain earlier enforcement actions against illegal mining. In a statement issued on his Facebook page on Sunday, the ex-minister expressed concern over the death of 40 miners in Kampani Zurak, adding that the tragedy is preventable. READ MORE:Fayemi denies reports of private meeting with Kwankwaso Ekiti 2026: Fayemi charges APC to shun complacency, urges resounding victory for Oyebanji “I…

President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the death of former Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Chief Israel Ogbue, who passed away at the age of 99. In a statement issued on Sunday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the President condoled with the family, friends, and associates of the late banker. He described him as a man of dignity, integrity, and strategic foresight who played a key role in the growth of the bank. Ogbue, who had a distinguished career in the Federal Civil Service, the National Insurance Corporation…

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly condemned the movement of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, around polling units in Abuja during ongoing elections, describing it as undue interference in the electoral process. In a statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said Wike’s tour of polling units, which the minister described as “monitoring,” was inappropriate and unconstitutional. “Wike’s so-called monitoring exercise, coming after the unilateral imposition of a curfew on potential voters, amounts to direct interference in the election,” Abdullahi said. “He is not a registered voter in…

At least 323 people have been killed in a series of violent attacks on rural communities across Benue, Katsina, Kwara, Kebbi, Niger and Zamfara states within the first 20 days of February, according to documentation by Amnesty International. Amnesty International said the escalating death toll highlights what it described as the federal government’s failure to develop and implement an effective strategy to end years of mass atrocities by armed groups operating across northern Nigeria. READ MORE: Amnesty International calls for DSS probe over killing of two men in Abuja “The rising death toll clearly shows that President Bola Tinubu and…

In Erena town, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, deforestation has quietly crept into the classroom. At dawn, children aged 10 to 16 embark on hours-long treks along dusty footpaths into depleted forest in search of firewood — a daily routine that often leaves them late for school or absent altogether. “We sell the woods that we get from the bush”, Muhammadu Ibrahim, a 14-year old boy told New Daily Prime. “In every piece of logging that we get from the bush, we sell them at the rate of  N2000 or N25000.” Ibrahim spent nearly four years away from…

Saraki calls for probe as Plateau mining death toll rises to 47 Former Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has described the mining tragedy in Kampani Zurak Community of Wase Local Government Area as a “gut punch,” following reports that the death toll has risen to 47. Saraki, in a statement issued on Friday, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday and was reportedly caused by carbon monoxide exposure at an illegal mining site. “The news of the mining tragedy that occurred in Kampani Zurak Community of Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State…