NEWS

The governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has said there is no going back on the order to shut down the Main Market in Onitsha, a decision that has generated tension in the state since it was made on Monday, following traders’ refusal to resume business on a sit-at home day. Soludo in a press briefing on Wednesday described the continual stay at home by traders in the market as economic sabotage and would not be allowed to continue. He insisted that even if it meant revoking the ownership of shops of those who failed to comply or even taking total possession of the market and demolishing it, he would do it to ensure that things are gotten aright. He said: “I want to say that the Monday sit at home is deliberate economic sabotage and would not be allowed to continue. Thr...

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating agricultural subsidies, intervention funds, grants and aids has summoned the Auditor-General of the Federation, alongside the Ministers of Finance and Agriculture, over what lawmakers described as serious lapses in accountability for funds released to the sector between 2015 and 2025. The decision followed a resumed hearing at the National Assembly, where the committee said documents submitted were inadequate and key audit records were missing. Chairman of the committee, Jamo Aminu, expressed dissatisfaction with the Office of the Auditor-General for failing to present comprehensive audit reports on several agricultural subsidy and intervention programmes spanning a decade. He said the probe was part of the House’s broader e...

Iran has executed a man convicted of spying for Israel, according to Mizan, the media arm of the country’s judiciary. The judiciary said Hamidreza Sabet Esmailpour was put to death by hanging at dawn on Wednesday after being found guilty of providing classified information to Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad. He was arrested on April 29, 2025, and later convicted of espionage and intelligence cooperation with a hostile foreign service. The sentence was carried out after it was upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court and all legal procedures were completed, Mizan reported. Human rights groups say Esmailpour is among at least 12 people executed on similar espionage-related charges following the outbreak of hostilities between Iran and Israel in June 2025. The execution comes at a time of...

Of this amount, ₦133 million was spent between October and December, representing a three-month period and the last quarter of the year. ASaharaReporters' review of the Kogi State budget performance document for the 2025 fiscal year has shown that a sum of ₦146million was spent on "burial expenses."  Of this amount, ₦133 million was spent between October and December, representing a three-month period and the last quarter of the year. Earlier, a SaharaReporters' review of the Kogi State budget performance document for the full year 2025 showed that a total of ₦2.6billion was spent on international travels by the administration led by Governor Usman Ododo. Half of this amount, representing ₦1.3 billion, was spent between October and December 2025 alone—a three-month period ...

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to deploy military veterans to help secure Nigeria’s ungoverned spaces as part of strategies to strengthen national security and drive economic activities in conflict-affected areas. This followed the inauguration of an 18-member committee by the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), tasked with reclaiming ungoverned spaces for economic viability and repositioning the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires and Veterans. A statement on Wednesday by the Ministry’s Deputy Director of Information, Enderline Chukwu unbehalf of the Director Information and Public Relations, said the committee was inaugurated on Tuesday at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, Abuja, with the minister represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Richar...

The Lagos Royal Family of the late Chief (Prince) Abdul Lasisi Ajayi Ojora has announced the death of its Olori-ebi, His Royal Highness Otunba (Dr) Adekunle Ojora, OFR, CON, JP—widely known as the Otunba of Lagos and the Lisa of Ife. In a statement released by the family, it was confirmed that the respected traditional leader passed on in the early hours of Wednesday, January 28, 2026. Born on June 13, 1932, Otunba Ojora held numerous prestigious traditional and family roles throughout his lifetime within the Lagos royal lineage. These included Chief Olori Omoba of Lagos, Head of the Oba Ologunkutere and Oba Adele Ajosun Royal Family, Head of the Ojora Royal Family, and Head of the Aiyeomosan Chieftaincy Family of Lagos. The family stated that burial arrangements will be announced...

More than 197 Nigerian women and girls lost their lives due to gender-related violence between January 1 and December 31, 2025, according to DOHS Cares Foundation’s fem!cide report. Details of the findings were published on the foundation’s tracker dashboard, which collates data on suspected femicide cases across the country. The figure for 2025 shows a sharp increase from 2024, when 133 Nigerian women and girls lost their lives to gender-based violence. According to the UN Women, fem!cide is defined as “the intentional k!lling of women and girls because of their gender,’ distinguishing it from hom!cide, where the motive may not be gender-related. The report by DOHS Cares Foundation documented 172 suspected fem!cide cases nationwide, which resulted in 197 de@ths during ...

An American lawyer d!ed after dozing off on her mother’s shoulder on a UK-bound Delta flight from Minnesota Minnesota attorney Rachel Green, 44, was on the flight to London to conduct research for a novel she was writing when she fell asleep on her mother’s shoulder on April 30, 2025, and tragically “never woke up,” a West London Coroners Court heard this week, per The Sun. Cabin crew attempted to wake Green and asked for a physician to help, but resuscitation attempts did not save her, the outlet reported. Green had a cocktail of prescription drugs in her system, including several antidepressants, melatonin, cannabinoids, and a low concentration of alcohol, officials revealed during the court hearing, the Daily Mail reported. She was also found to have a preexisting heart cond...

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has expressed deep concern over the escalating cost of food in Nigeria and the growing threat of hunger, calling for urgent, coordinated action to prevent a worsening food crisis. Speaking on Tuesday during the Senate’s first sitting after the Christmas and New Year recess, Akpabio described the situation as a serious challenge to national stability and the well-being of citizens. Citing recent United Nations projections, he warned that up to 35 million Nigerians could face hunger this year, characterizing the situation as a national emergency. He noted that soaring food prices are putting immense pressure on households, especially the most vulnerable, and stressed that addressing hunger must become a national priority. “This harsh reality require...

A routine political trip turned tragic on Wednesday when a private jet carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others crashed, killing all on board. The Learjet 45, traveling from Mumbai to Pawar’s hometown of Baramati in western India, reportedly crash-landed in an open field and burst into flames, leaving no survivors, aviation authorities confirmed. The 66-year-old Pawar, two members of his personal staff, and two crew members perished in the crash. Television footage showed the wreck engulfed in thick smoke, while rescue teams confirmed there was no chance of escape. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident. “All five occupants of the aircraft have died,” a DGCA spokes...