NEWS

As the Xenophobic attacks continue in South Africa, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has asked Nigerians residing in the country to shut their businesses and avoid confrontations. The advisory comes amid growing anti-foreigner protests across South Africa, where some of the indigenes have called for the expulsion of foreigners in their countries and the close of foreign businesses in their country. In a statement released, NiDCOM said the advisory follows a circular from the consulate-general of Nigeria in Johannesburg on Wednesday. According to the commission, protests in East London, Cape Town, Durban, and KwaZulu-Natal have turned violent, leading to looting, destruction of property, and injuries. NiDCOM said intelligence from the consulate indicates that fresh pro...

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Friday administered the oath of office to seven newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, urging them to prioritise performance and deliver tangible results across government ministries. The ceremony, held at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Alausa, also featured the inauguration of members of the Lagos State Health Service Commission, a step aimed at improving healthcare delivery through a merit-based recruitment system. Addressing the appointees, the governor stressed that the roles were not ceremonial, noting that expectations remain high in a state with a population exceeding 20 million and growing service demands. “Permanent Secretary is not a ceremonial title,” he said, describing the position as a vital link between p...

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested a 47-year-old Cameroonian national, Bekono Marc Eric, in Lagos over alleged involvement in a ₦1.5 billion credit card fraud. The suspect was apprehended in the Ikorodu area and is believed to be part of a cross-border syndicate known for carrying out financial crimes using stolen banking details. According to a statement by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, Eric was arrested on April 23, 2026, for allegedly defrauding a first-generation bank of the said amount. Investigations indicate that the group typically opens bank accounts in Nigeria, obtains ATM cards and PINs, and then travels to neighbouring countries where the cards are used to execute fraudulent transactions on accounts belonging to customers ...

Police in Edo State have successfully rescued passengers abducted during a recent attack on a GUO Transport bus along the Benin–Lagos Expressway, confirming that all victims were freed alive. The Edo State Police Command also secured the release of four additional victims who were kidnapped earlier in the month and held in the Imiegba forest in the Agenebode area. The development was disclosed in a statement by the command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, who noted that a total of nine victims were rescued across the two operations. According to the statement, the breakthrough followed the deployment of tactical teams, intelligence resources, and aerial surveillance ordered by the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, to the affected area. The police said sustained operation...

The Trump administration has frozen $344 million in cryptocurrency allegedly tied to Iran, marking a significant escalation in economic pressure on Tehran.  The move comes as diplomatic efforts to end regional conflict remain stalled and a tenuous ceasefire continues.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed on Friday that the agency "is sanctioning multiple wallets tied to Iran," adding, “We will follow the money that Tehran is desperately attempting to move outside of the country and target all financial lifelines tied to the regime.”Tether, the company facilitating the transactions, announced it had “supported the US government in freezing” the funds across two addresses following information shared “by several U.S. authorities about activity tied to unlawful conduct.”A US offi...

Former Lagos Labour Party governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has hit out at the planned reintroduction of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in the state. He has described the approach as “parochial” and lacking innovation. Rhodes-Vivour, in a post on X on Friday, reacted to an earlier announcement by the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who had urged residents to participate in the exercise. Wahab had announced that the sanitation exercise would hold between 6:30am and 8:30am, calling on residents to take responsibility for keeping their environment clean. “Tomorrow morning between 6:30am and 8:30am, we begin a new chapter in our collective journey toward a cleaner Lagos. The monthly environmental sanitation ex...

The Trump Justice Department announced on Friday, April 24, its intention to expand the application of the death penalty in federal capital cases, proposing the addition of firing squads, electrocution, and gas alongside lethal injection.Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche characterized the move as a return to law enforcement and victim advocacy, stating, “The prior administration failed in its duty to protect the American people by refusing to pursue and carry out the ultimate punishment against the most dangerous criminals, including terrorists, child murderers, and cop killers.”  Blanche emphasized that under President Donald Trump, “the Department of Justice is once again enforcing the law and standing with victims.”  This shift marks a stark reversal of the policies e...

Nigeria has been identified as one of the 10 countries most affected by the global food crisis, according to the 2026 Global Report on Food Crises released by a coalition of UN agencies, the European Union, and partners. The report revealed that Nigeria and nine other nations account for nearly two-thirds of people facing severe food insecurity worldwide. In total, about 266 million people across 47 countries experienced acute hunger in 2025—almost a quarter of those assessed and nearly double the figure recorded in 2016. Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, warned that food insecurity is no longer a temporary issue but a persistent and recurring global challenge. Earlier this year, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aff...

A Nigerian woman living in South Africa has raised concerns over the treatment of Nigerians, calling on the Nigerian government to intervene. In a video message, she alleged that Nigerians are facing repeated harassment and attacks, while receiving little or no support from officials. She also criticised the Nigerian consulate, saying it has remained silent despite the situation. According to her, the issue has gone beyond documentation, with some Nigerians allegedly being told to leave the country entirely. She shared personal experiences, stating that her children—born in South Africa—have been bullied and told to “go back to their country.” While noting that some may consider returning home, she questioned the reality of coming back to Nigeria, citing concerns about economic...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested businessman and former chairman of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, Tunde Ayeni, in connection with a suspected multi-billion naira fraud. Ayeni was reportedly apprehended in Abuja and remains in EFCC custody while investigations are ongoing. The anti-graft agency is probing allegations involving the diversion and mismanagement of funds totaling about N36.5 billion and $30 million. The funds are believed to have been sourced from Polaris Bank Plc through companies linked to him. More details are expected as the investigation unfolds.