NEWS

Pope Leo XIV and Pastor Chris Oyakhilome Nigerian pastor and televangelist Chris Oyakhilome has condemned the stance of Pope Leo XIV on the Iran war. The Pope delivered a Palm Sunday homily in St. Peter’s Square, in which he described Christ as the “King of Peace” and said that God does not hear the prayers of leaders who wage war. He reflected on Jesus’ revelation of himself as the King of Peace, even as violence loomed around Him. “As Jesus walked the Way of the Cross, we walk with Him and contemplate His passion, which He bore for the sake of humanity as a gift of love. “He remains steadfast in meekness, while others are stirring up violence,” said the Pope. “He offers Himself to embrace humanity, even as others raise swords and clubs.” However, speaking live at the Gl...

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Professor Shu’aib Aliyu as the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund. Aliyu replaces Ahmed Aminu, who resigned his position to pursue the 2027 governorship election in Adamawa State. The President also approved the renewal of the appointment of Sule Abdulaziz as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria for a second and final term. The appointments take immediate effect. According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Aliyu is a seasoned academic and administrator with extensive experience in research and institutional leadership. “His appointment underscores the President’s commitment to ...

The Lagos State Task Force has launched an anti-crime patrol unit to combat criminal activities and environmental violation across the state. The launch followed the ban by the Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, on the agency’s enforcement of traffic violations in the state. The agency stated that the round-the-clock anti-crime patrol unit represented a strategic initiative designed to proactively detect, deter and neutralise criminal intent before it becomes a threat to public safety. Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, CSP Adetayo Akerele, emphasised that the establishment of the unit was necessary to eliminate criminal elements posing serious security threats to residents and visitors within the state. He said the new unit will function as a standby ...

Nancy Metayer Bowen, the vice chair of Florida’s Democratic Party, who was reportedly planning a run for Congress, has been found de@d in her home. According to the NY Post, the 38-year-old was found de@d on Wednesday morning, April 1, and her husband was arrested in connection with the suspected domestic violence incident. Her husband, 40-year-old Stephen Bowen, was arrested in what police are probing “as a domestic violence incident,” authorities said during a press conference later in the day. The exact manner of Metayer Bowen’s death is still unclear. Police have not released any further details. Metayer Bowen, a first-generation Haitian-American, showed prowess on the political stage even before her storied career in Florida. After graduating from Johns Hopkins ...

The United States on Wednesday, April 1,  lifted sanctions on Delcy Rodriguez, who assumed leadership after her predecessor, Nicolas Maduro, was removed in a January military operation. Her name was removed from the US Treasury’s sanctions list, signaling a major shift in Washington’s approach and recognition of her authority. Rodríguez welcomed the move, describing it as part of improving ties between the two nations. "We trust that this progress will allow for the lifting of the sanctions currently in force against our country, and make it possible to build and guarantee an effective binational cooperation agenda for the benefit of our peoples," she added. Relations between Washington and Caracas have improved since Maduro’s ouster, with Rodríguez working closely with Do...

The governor of Plateau state, Caleb Mutfwang, has stated that the identity of those who carried out the dastardly act in Angwam community in the state last Sunday, March 29, i yet to be ascertained. Governor Mutfwang disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, April 1. The governor said he came to brief President Tinubu on the development and the measures taken so far by the state government. “What happened on Sunday evening was quite unfortunate, but the situation has been brought under control now. We’ve been able to evacuate corpses to the mortuary. Some families have already buried their de@d ones.  We imposed a curfew, which we relaxed this morning (Wednesday) fr...

Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has indicated a possible path toward diplomacy in an open letter addressed to the American public, stating that continued confrontation is increasingly costly and ineffective. In the letter, released on Wednesday, Pezeshkian said “the path of confrontation is more costly and futile than ever before,” while suggesting that engagement could shape a better future. “Today, the world stands at a crossroads,” he wrote. “The choice between confrontation and engagement is both real and consequential; its outcome will shape the future for generations to come.” The message came just hours before US President Donald Trump was scheduled to address the nation with what he described as an important update on the ongoing war. Earlier, Trump had claimed th...

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has declared a 30-year-old man, Abdulazeez Mohammed, wanted in connection with kidnapping, assault, conspiracy and other offences. The National Public Relations Officer of the corps, Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. “The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has declared one ABDULAZEEZ MOHAMMED MUSA wanted in connection with alleged cases of kidnapping, conspiracy, causing grievous harm, unlawful confinement, and assault,” the statement read. "Members of the public are hereby advised to remain vigilant and provide any useful information that can assist in locating the suspect. “Anyone with credible information on his whereabouts should kindly report to the NSCDC Nationa...

An economics professor at Lagos Business School, Bongo Adi, has described President Bola Tinubu’s newly secured $6.9 billion foreign loan as part of efforts to combat poverty in Nigeria. Adi made the remarks on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, according to Naija News. The National Assembly had earlier approved the president’s request for the external borrowing, with a directive that 40 percent of the funds be invested in capital projects outlined in the 2025/2026 budgets. The approval followed a recommendation by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt, aimed at ensuring the loan supports infrastructure and development. Commenting on the move, Adi said the borrowing is intended to drive sectoral growth and ease pover...

US President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of NATO, describing the alliance as a “paper tiger” and suggesting the United States could withdraw from it. In an interview, Trump said NATO was “terrible” and claimed member states “weren’t there for us” following US military action involving Iran. He added: “I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.” Trump also questioned the value of US participation in the alliance, saying its membership was “beyond reconsideration,” while reiterating long-standing frustrations with allied contributions. His remarks came as Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the situation in the Middle East, reaffirming the UK’s commitment to NATO. Speaking shortly after Trump’s commen...