NEWS

A grieving mother, Mrs Favour Ayuba, has stirred widespread emotion after a video surfaced online showing her final farewell to her son, Promise Ayuba, who was killed in a recent attack in Jos, Plateau State. In the viral clip shared on Friday, the heartbroken woman is seen tearfully speaking beside her son’s coffin, expressing the deep pain of losing him during the violent incident. She revealed that she had not eaten since the Palm Sunday attack on March 29, which claimed the lives of her son and several others in the Angwan Rukuba area of Jos North Local Government Area. The assault reportedly left at least 24 people dead and many others injured, marking yet another episode in the ongoing violence in Plateau communities. Overcome with grief, Mrs Ayuba, speaking in Hausa, addres...

Panic gripped parts of Lagos in the early hours of Saturday following a fire outbreak at a market in the Yaba area of the state. The incident, which reportedly started around 3 a.m., affected shops within the market, with eyewitnesses alleging that several goods were destroyed in the blaze. Videos and posts shared on social media showed thick smoke and flames engulfing parts of the market, while traders and residents scrambled to salvage belongings. An eyewitness in a TikTok livestream monitored by PUNCH Online, identified as Lugar Feliz, said firefighters were already at the scene, adding that the incident occurred around the Popo part of the Market in Yaba. Only Our Mother Could Tell Us Apart - Lagos Triplets 0:00 / 1:01 Several users on X (formerly Twitter) also ra...

The Christian Association of Nigeria, on Thursday, said Christians in the northern part of the country must take proactive steps to defend themselves against persistent attacks. The declaration followed the Palm Sunday attack on Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State. The incident, which occurred around 8pm, left more than 20 people dead and several others injured. Following the attack, the Defence Headquarters placed troops on nationwide alert ahead of the Easter celebrations, assuring Nigerians of tightened security. Addressing journalists during the end-of-the-month briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Michael Onoja, assured citizens of heightened vigilance by troops during the Easter celeb...

The Nigerian Navy has successfully rescued a kidnapped victim, Mr Benedict Eze, in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, following sustained security operations by personnel of Forward Operating Base (FOB) BONNY.  Navy Captain AA Folorunsho, Director Naval Information, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, April 3, 2026.  "The victim, who was abducted on 23 March 2026 at Aganya Community, was rescued by naval personnel at Coconut Jetty after he was abandoned by his captors around the Opuoma waterside due to intensified operational pressure since the incident was first reported with sustained intelligence-led patrols,technological enablers, as well as coordinated action on land and around the creeks to block any possible escape routes," the statement read. ...

A Nigerian woman was arrested with 7.5 gram of cocaine, worth approximately Rs 2.35 lakh, in India.  The accused identified as James Tesling Yamyunal, was nabbed by the Drugs Task Force (DTF) in Secunderabad on Friday, April 3, 2026 after she was caught carrying the drugs which she had brought from Mumbai. Yamyunal, was intercepted near Sunshine Hospital in the Paradise area of Secunderabad after the DTF received a tip-off that a Nigerian national was travelling from Mumbai to Hyderabad with drugs. Investigation revealed that the accused had procured the cocaine in Mumbai at Rs 15,000 per gram and was planning to sell it in Hyderabad at Rs 30,000 per gram, double the purchase price. The accused was handed over to the Secunderabad Excise Station for further proceedi...

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has disclosed that the assailants responsible for the recent deadly attack in Jos posed as operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to infiltrate the community before launching their assault. The attack, which took place in Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area on Sunday, left at least 28 people dead and several others injured. The governor noted that no arrests have been made so far in connection with the incident. During a condolence visit on Thursday, Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with grieving families, traditional leaders, and government officials, and directed security agencies to apprehend those behind the killings. The incident has triggered widespread outrage across Nigeria, with growing calls for urgent mea...

US President Donald Trump has requested $1.5 trillion in defense spending for the fiscal year 2027, representing an approximate 40% increase over 2026 levels. The proposal, released Friday, March 3, allocates $1.1 trillion directly to the Department of Defense, while an additional $350 billion would be pursued through Congress’s budget reconciliation process for key administration priorities, including expanded munitions production and strengthening the defense industrial base. The plan also references the president’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system. Prepared by White House budget director Russell Vought, the request comes as the US enters the fifth week of its ongoing conflict with Iran. Although the president has expressed confidence the war will conclude in the comin...

Seven people have been injured after a two-storey building under construction collapsed in Abuja. The building, situated in Jikwoyi, within the Abuja Municipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), collapsed at about 11:00am on Friday, April 3. Construction workers who were on site at the time of the collapse were said to be among those injured. According to a statement issued by the Head of Public Affairs of the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), Nkechi Isa, rescue operations were immediately activated to ensure that no victims remained trapped beneath the rubble. FEMD’s Search and Rescue Team reported that 17 workers were on the upper floor of the building when it gave way. Five of the workers sustained injuries, while a male at the ground level ...

On Saturday morning, April 3, the Cuban government announced plans to free 2,010 prisoners, describing the move as a “humanitarian gesture” amid growing pressure from the United States. The Cuban Embassy in the US shared the announcement on social media, framing the decision as part of Holy Week observances rather than explicitly linking it to tensions with Washington. Authorities said the release would include foreign nationals, Cuban citizens living abroad, young people, women, and older adults. The decision was reportedly based on factors such as good behavior, time already served, the nature of the offenses, and the health conditions of the inmates. No timeline was provided for the release, and officials did not specify the crimes committed by those affected. It remains unclea...

All Catholic masses in Dubai have been put on hold due to rising security concerns linked to escalating tensions in the Middle East, with church authorities citing the safety of parishioners as the primary reason. St. Francis of Assisi Church in Jebel Ali announced that all services are cancelled until further notice, in line with government directives. The area has reportedly been affected by missile and drone activity connected to the ongoing conflict. Church officials have advised parishioners to avoid visiting church premises, emphasizing the need to prioritize safety and community wellbeing. Similarly, St. Mary’s Catholic Church confirmed the suspension of its services, noting that the Good Friday mass will be streamed online to allow worshippers to participate remotely. The ...