NEWS

Heavily armed bandits loyal to notorious kingpin, Bello Turji, on Wednesday launched a large-scale attack on Kyara community in Sabon-Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.  The bandits, numbering in the hundreds, killed seven residents, injured two others and made away with a substantial number of livestock, leaving the community in fear and devastation.  A conflict and crisis journalist, Bakatsine confirmed the incident on Thursday.  The development comes a day after Turji's bandits raided Gajit village, where they shot some residents and kidnapped at least 20 others. “Given the persistent and escalating nature of these attacks across Sokoto State, what concrete and intelligence-driven measures are being implemented by security agencies to prevent...

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for failing to attend this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day activities. The party made its position known in a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi. According to the ADC, Armed Forces Remembrance Day should go beyond symbolic ceremonies, stressing that national leaders must place the safety and welfare of Nigerians above image polishing, overseas trips, or political expediency. The party expressed concern over the President’s absence, noting that the physical and moral presence of the Commander-in-Chief at such an event is a powerful symbol of unity and support for military personnel and their families, particularly amid worsening security challenges. M...

London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Thursday, January 15, warned that advances in artificial intelligence could lead to “an era of mass unemployment”, saying the UK capital faced particular risks due to its job market dynamics. Khan’s comments will feature in a speech later on Thursday addressing both the opportunities and threats posed by AI. With London serving as a hub for finance, professional services, and creative industries, the mayor said the city was “at the sharpest edge of change”. Khan also highlighted the “huge potential benefits” of AI if used responsibly. Alongside the speech, he will announce a review into AI’s impact on London’s labour market and the rollout of free AI training for millions of Londoners. He will call for urgent action to harness the technology before i...

Nigeria has been taken off the European Union’s list of high-risk jurisdictions, a move expected to ease trade relations, cross-border payments, and investment flows between the country and Europe. According to a Business Insider report on Wednesday, the European Commission confirmed that Nigeria, along with South Africa, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique, and Tanzania, had made significant improvements to their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) systems. The commission said the countries no longer exhibit “strategic deficiencies” under EU evaluation criteria. The EU noted that the affected nations implemented critical reforms that brought their financial systems in line with global standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Nigeria’s delist...

A United States congressman, Riley Moore, has described Nigeria as the most perilous place in the world for Christians, pointing to persistent attacks, destruction of churches, and the displacement of millions of believers. Moore made the statement on Thursday while speaking at an event organised by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which examined global persecution of Christians, with Nigeria taking centre stage. According to the lawmaker, Christians in Nigeria are being deliberately targeted and killed because of their religious beliefs. “As many of us are aware, Nigeria is the most dangerous country in the world to be a Christian. It is the most dangerous place to openly profess faith in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ,” Moore said. ...

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested members of a criminal gang connected to an attack on the convoy of former Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, with two suspects losing their lives during a gun battle with security operatives. The police described the operation as a significant breakthrough in their ongoing efforts to eliminate criminal activities and safeguard lives and property across the state. According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, acting on credible intelligence, laid an ambush for a five-man gang at the Enugwu Agidi junction. Ikenga said the suspects, believed to be armed robbers and cultists with alleged links to a proscribed secessionist group, engage...

An Abuja High Court on Thursday struck out the criminal charges filed by the Federal Government against the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, effectively ending a closely watched legal case that generated widespread national debate. Court documents revealed that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation submitted a Notice of Discontinuance, leading the court to formally dismiss the criminal defamation and related charges earlier brought against the lawmaker. The case, which drew significant public attention, arose from comments Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly made during a televised interview. Her prosecution had sparked intense discussions around freedom of expression, political accountability and the proper use of prosecutorial authority in a democrat...

Students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, who were earlier arrested and remanded at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre following a recent protest, have been released along with other detainees. Their release was announced on Thursday in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, Patrick Ebojele. The students were among 52 individuals remanded by a Benin High Court on charges related to malicious damage and armed robbery. They had been arrested after a peaceful protest against insecurity in Ekpoma last Saturday was reportedly hijacked by hoodlums, leading to violence. According to reports, the protest was taken over by miscreants who attacked traders, set tyres on fire, and blocked major roads—incidents that were widely circulated on ...

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that Ukraine, rather than Russia, is slowing progress toward a peace agreement to end the war, a view that contrasts sharply with the position of many European allies who believe Moscow has little interest in ending the conflict. In an exclusive interview with Reuters at the Oval Office, Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to bring the nearly four-year war to an end, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy remains reluctant. “I think he’s ready to make a deal,” Trump said of Putin. “I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal.” Asked why U.S.-brokered talks have yet to end the largest land war in Europe since World War II, Trump responded bluntly: “Zelenskiy.” The comments reflect renewed frustration with the Ukr...