NEWS

World Health Organization chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on Tuesday, May 12, that “our work is not over” to contain hantavirus following the evacuation of a cruise ship hit by a deadly outbreak.  The situation surrounding the MV Hondius has sparked international concern after three passengers died from the rare virus, which currently lacks specific vaccines or treatments. Despite the alarm, health officials have stressed that the global public health risk remains low and have rejected comparisons to the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking at a joint news conference in Madrid with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Tedros noted that there is no sign of a larger outbreak starting, though he cautioned that the situation could change. He explained that du...

May 12, 2026 10:00 am The Borno State Government has allayed the fears that many repentant terrorists reintegrated into society after the rehabilitation and deradicalisation programme will go back into terrorism. The state government noted that a key part of the programme is swearing by the Quran, a strategy considered strong enough to prevent them from taking up arms again. The state Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, stated this in an interview with Newscentral television, aired on Monday, saying that taking an oath with the holy book without adhering to it has implications. She said, “When they come to us through all the processes of the Borno model, the last thing they do is, they take an oath with the Quran. Once you swear by t...

Nigeria has emerged as the third-largest source of international students globally, accounting for five per cent of the world’s outbound student mobility in 2023. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation revealed this in its first Higher Education Global Trends Report released on Tuesday. Outbound student mobility in the study refers to where international students come from. The report shows that nearly half of all students studying abroad in 2023 originated from just 10 countries. China and India continue to dominate global outbound mobility, contributing 37 per cent and 29 per cent of international students respectively. At the third position, Nigeria is joined by Germany, which also recorded five per cent, while Viet Nam, Uzbekistan, the U...

By Solomon Odeniyi Discover more Video News Segments Politics Metro Plus Stories The United States has identified Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin as critical fronts in its 2026 counterterrorism strategy, warning that extremist groups operating across Africa remain a growing threat to global security. In the strategy document, the US government said parts of Africa, including West Africa, the Sahel region, the Lake Chad Basin, Mozambique, Sudan and Somalia, have witnessed a resurgence of terrorist activities following the collapse of ISIS strongholds in Iraq and Syria. The document noted that remnants of the Islamic State and affiliated jihadist groups had relocated to Africa and Central Asia, exploiting ungoverned spaces and weak security structures. “President...

A prominent chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former member of the House of Representatives from Jigawa State, Abba Anas Adamu, has d!ed in captivity after he was abducted by kidnappers.  Anas was kidnapped alongside another Jigawa politician, Ali Tukur Gantsa, while travelling from Kano to Abuja to attend an ADC congress last Wednesday.  Sources close to the family told The Guardian that the abductors initially demanded a ransom of N100 million but later accepted N50 million before releasing Gantsa and handing over Anas’s corpse to his relatives. According to the family source, the kidnappers reportedly took them into a bush around Jere area, where they demanded a huge ransom before negotiations led to a reduction in the amount. The source fu...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to deploy more than 1.4 million corps members as ad hoc personnel for the 2027 general elections. The disclosure was made on Monday by INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, during a strategic courtesy visit to the headquarters of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Abuja. Prof. Amupitan led a delegation comprising National Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, directors, and senior aides, where they were received by the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, alongside members of the scheme’s management team at Yakubu Gowon House. Speaking during the meeting, the INEC chairman highlighted the vital contributions of corps members to Nigeria’s electoral process, noti...

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned the case challenging the eligibility of former President, Goodluck Jonathan, to contest the 2027 presidential election. Naija News reports that Justice Peter Lifu fixed May 15, 2026, for further hearing after both the plaintiff and his lawyer failed to appear in court. The judge cautioned that punitive costs could be imposed on the plaintiff if there is another unexplained absence at the next sitting. At Monday’s proceedings, Jonathan’s lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), informed the court that the plaintiff was absent despite the matter previously being adjourned at the plaintiff’s request. Justice Lifu subsequently asked the court registrar whether any official communication had been received explaining the absence of the plaintiff...

Russia is reportedly stockpiling hundreds of thousands of fibre-optic drones amid fears the weapons could be used in a future confrontation with NATO and the Baltic States. According to reports citing Ukrainian and Russian intelligence sources, Vladimir Putin allegedly redirected large numbers of advanced first-person-view (FPV) drones away from the Ukrainian battlefield and into storage depots beginning in late 2025. \ The reports claim Russia may already possess around 130,000 fibre-optic drones, with estimates suggesting the stockpile could rise to 200,000 by the end of summer. Unlike traditional drones controlled by radio signals, fibre-optic FPV drones use ultra-thin cables for communication, making them significantly harder to disrupt with electronic jamming systems commo...

A California man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at a White House press gala last month has pleaded not guilty in federal court. Cole Allen, 31, entered the plea on Monday, May 11, during an appearance at a federal district court in Washington, according to US media reports. Allen reportedly appeared in court wearing an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs. He faces four federal charges linked to the April 25 incident at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, held at a downtown Washington hotel. If convicted, he could face life in prison. The charges include attempted assassination of the president, transporting firearms and ammunition across state lines with intent to commit a felony, using a firearm during a violent crime, and assaulting a federal off...

The Edo State Police Command has launched a manhunt for armed assailants who shot and killed one person and injured several others in a brazen attack near the University of Benin (UNIBEN) main campus gate on Sunday, May 10, 2026. According to police preliminary reports, the incident occurred around 1700hrs when an unidentified white Mercedes-Benz GLK intercepted another Mercedes-Benz carrying three occupants—identified as Onwuke Blessed, Alexander Omogiate, and Chinenye Christian Mbagwu—as they were driving out of the campus gate in Ugbowo. The attackers reportedly blocked the victims' vehicle, opened fire, and fled the scene. The attack also left a female passerby, identified as Dorathy Ubah, with gunshot wounds. The victimA were rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospita...