BEIJING – In a major geopolitical shift, China has expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to negotiate a peace deal with Russia to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. The announcement came during the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in South Africa on Thursday, where U.S. allies reaffirmed their backing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Less than a month into his presidency, Trump has drastically altered U.S. policy on…

A three-man delegation from the World Bank has concluded a five-day visit to the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency (LASPPA) to evaluate the state’s electronic procurement system. The delegation, led by Procurement Specialist Akin Onimole, was following up on a previous visit by the Bank’s Regional Manager last year, during which the agency requested the World Bank’s support. Onimole, a former General Manager of LASPPA, expressed his admiration for the…

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has urged Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to call off Saturday’s local government elections, warning that the poll would be unconstitutional and invalid. In a statement issued on Thursday, Fagbemi emphasised that conducting the election would breach the Constitution, as the tenure of the allegedly sacked local government officials remains valid according to a recent Court…

President Bola Tinubu has assented to two separate bills establishing the Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies in Iragbiji, Osun State and the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State. The Special Adviser to the President, Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga in a statement on Thursday said President Tinubu noted that the specialised institutions would address the educational needs of the populace while driving research…

Renowned constitutional lawyer and human rights advocate, Professor Mike Ozekhome (SAN), has called for fresh local government elections in Osun State to resolve the ongoing dispute that has sparked violence and political tension across the region. In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, Ozekhome described new elections as the only viable solution to avoid “needless orchestrated violence” and restore peace to the state. He emphasised that the Court of…

Former military president, retired General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has denied involvement in the death of veteran journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine, Dele Giwa, expressing the hope that one day, the “truth” about the person(s) responsible for the October 19, 1986 assassination would be uncovered. Giwa, a fearless journalist and a vocal critic of Babangida’s military government was killed by a bomb sent in a parcel bearing the official…

The Lagos State Government has announced the commencement of the public display and inspection of the Draft Ibeju-Lekki Model City Plan (2024–2044).  The initiative, led by the Office of Physical Planning, aims to make the plan’s proposals accessible to the public and gather feedback from residents in line with the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law (2019, as amended). The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development,…

The House of Representatives has set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Nigeria, following allegations made by US Congressman Scot Perry that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is funding global terrorism, including Boko Haram. The investigation, spurred by a motion from Gombe lawmaker Inuwa Garba, aims to uncover the identities, sources of funding, and expenditures of NGOs operating in…

After a violent attack that claimed 20 lives in Mbaa community, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has withdrawn corps members from the area. The attack was suspected to have been perpetrated by herders. On Thursday in a statement released in Makurdi, the NYSC’s Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations in Benue State, Yahuza Adamu, confirmed the evacuation. Due to the security…

Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), has for the first time publicly acknowledged that the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential election, but described its annulment as the “most difficult decision” of his life. Babangida made the revelation in his newly launched autobiography, A Journey in Service, unveiled in Abuja on Thursday, February 120. The book offers a deep dive into pivotal moments…

The Department for Combating Illegal Migration (DCIM) in Libya has successfully deported 48 Nigerian women and two children with support from Nigeria’s consular services and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The repatriation was carried out on Wednesday via Mitiga International Airport, ensuring the safe return of the migrants to Nigeria. This effort forms part of broader initiatives aimed at assisting Nigerian nationals who are facing hardships abroad, especially in…

The Federal Ministry of Transportation has refuted reports circulating on online platforms regarding the imminent launch of a high-speed bullet train between Lagos and Abuja, which was claimed to reduce travel time between the two cities from 12 hours to just two to three hours. In a statement issued on Thursday, February 20, the Ministry described the claims as “fake and unfounded,” stressing that they were based on inaccurate information…