NEWS

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities linked to Abubakar Malami, a former minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation. Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order after an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through its counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN. The properties, described as multi-billion naira assets, are spread across Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna states. In his ruling, Justice Nwite said: “It is hereby ordered that an interim order of this honourable court is hereby made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the properties described in Schedule 1 below, which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activi...

Babcock University has introduced stricter guidelines on student appearance and grooming ahead of its forthcoming examinations. In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by the Vice President for Student Development, Olanivi Arije, the university announced the immediate cancellation of all existing hair-pass permits. The management clarified that hair-pass tags, previously issued as exemptions for certain hairstyles, are invalid and confer no legitimate right to wear unapproved hairstyles on any of the university’s campuses. It declared that the use, circulation or recognition of hair-pass documents in any form is now prohibited. The new rules will take effect from the start of the second semester in January and will be enforced across all campuses. Students currently holdin...

The Lagos State Government has confirmed that all public and private schools in the state will resume on Monday, January 12, 2026, ahead of the second term of the 2025/2026 academic session. This was contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Kayode Sutton, and dated January 7, 2026. The announcement also covers government-owned technical colleges. According to the government, schools are expected to begin full academic and administrative activities immediately upon resumption to ensure the seamless continuation of the school year. The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, called on school proprietors and administrators to strictly observe all approved public health and safet...

The United States has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker connected to Venezuela following a weeks-long chase across the Atlantic, according to officials. The vessel, formerly known as Bella 1 and later renamed Marinera, was taken under a federal court warrant over allegations that it transported oil in breach of U.S. sanctions. Authorities said the tanker was part of efforts to evade restrictions on shipments linked to Venezuela. U.S. agencies, including the Coast Guard and military units, tracked the ship for more than two weeks after an initial attempt to intercept it near Venezuelan waters failed. During the pursuit, the crew reportedly painted a Russian flag on the hull and re-registered the ship under Russian authority in a bid to avoid seizure. Despite this, U.S. officials cla...

‎The Yobe State Independent Electoral Commission has scheduled Saturday, June 6, 2026, for elections across the 17 local government areas of the state.‎‎The announcement was made on Wednesday in Damaturu by Permanent Member I of YBSIEC, Mohammed Nguru, during a stakeholders’ meeting attended by security chiefs, political party leaders under the Inter-Party Advisory Council, and members of the media.‎‎Nguru said the timetable has Governor Mai Mala Buni’s approval and highlighted that the exercise aims to strengthen democratic governance at the grassroots.‎‎“This stakeholders’ meeting is critical to the success of the forthcoming elections. We have brought together security agencies, political parties under the Inter-Party Advisory Council, and the media because the conduct of a credible ele...

Iran's military chief, Gen. Amir Hatami has warned that Iran will not remain passive in the face of external threats, following vocal support for anti-government protests by the United States and Israel. “The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the escalation of hostile rhetoric against the Iranian nation a threat and will not tolerate its continuation without responding,” Hatami said, according to Iran’s Fars news agency. He added that “if the enemy makes a mistake,” Iran’s response would be “more robust” than during last June’s 12-day conflict with Israel. The warning comes amid growing unrest sparked by economic hardship, soaring prices and the collapse of the rial. On December 28, merchants in Tehran staged protests over inflation, triggering similar demonstrations in several ...

The United States has introduced new travel restrictions that may require Nigerians applying for B1/B2 visas to post bonds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. The exact amount will be determined during the visa interview, according to a notice from the US State Department. Applicants must also complete additional steps, including submitting Department of Homeland Security Form I-352 and agreeing to the bond terms via the Treasury’s Pay.gov online platform. The notice emphasized that paying a bond without instructions from a consular officer does not guarantee visa approval, and fees paid without authorization are non-refundable. For Nigerians, the policy takes effect on January 21 and applies to all application locations. Visa holders who post bonds must enter the US through specific air...

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday granted former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abdulaziz Malami, his wife and son bail of ₦500 million each, with strict conditions including the submission of landed property documents and travelling papers. As reported by Channels TV, the Judge ruled that each defendant must provide two sureties in like sum, and the sureties must own landed property in Asokoro, Maitama, or Gwarinpa. He added that they must submit their travel documents to the court. The documents of the properties are to be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court, while the sureties are also to depose to an affidavit of means. Malami was also ordered to deposit his travel documents with the court and must not tra...

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted haze and sunshine from Wednesday to Friday across the country. ‎NiMet’s weather outlook released on Tuesday in Abuja envisaged sunny and hazy skies over the northern region throughout the forecast period. According to the agency, sunny and hazy skies are anticipated over the region throughout the forecast period. ‎It anticipated sunny skies over the southern region with patches of clouds over the region and chances of isolated thunderstorms accompanied with light rains over parts of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states later in the day. ‎”For Thursday, sunny and hazy skies are expected over the northern and central regions during the forecast period while sunny skies with patches of clouds are antici...

Andre Yarham, believed to be the UK’s youngest dementia patient, has died aged 24 after battling a rare and aggressive form of the disease. Andre, from Dereham, passed away on December 27 at a hospice, just days after Christmas. He was diagnosed at 22 with frontotemporal dementia, a rare condition caused by a protein mutation that affects only a small fraction of dementia patients. His family first raised concerns after noticing changes in his movement, speech and awareness. An MRI scan later revealed that Andre’s brain resembled that of a 70-year-old, shortly before his 23rd birthday. Paying tribute, his mother, Sam Fairburn, described him as having “a heart of gold” and said the family made the decision to donate his brain to science to help advance research into the diseas...