NEWS

The Presidency has clarified the controversy surrounding the ₦3.3 trillion debt settlement plan approved by President Bola Tinubu for power generation companies, insisting the initiative is a structured reform effort rather than a reward for unverified claims. In a statement, the Presidency said: “The Federal Government of Nigeria is implementing a structured and balanced reform programme to address longstanding financial challenges in the power sector.” It added: “At the core of this effort is a market-based settlement mechanism designed to restore the sector, not reward accumulated claims that extend beyond verifiable service delivery. The objective is to ensure fairness to operators while also protecting the interest of the Nigerian public.” The clarification followed concerns ...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recorded more than 3.4 million new voters in the ongoing second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise across the country. In its week 13 update released on Wednesday in Abuja, the commission disclosed that a total of 3,441,121 registrations had been completed as of April 3, covering both online pre-registrations and in-person enrolment. According to INEC, 2,068,384 applicants registered through its online platform, while 1,372,737 others completed the process physically at designated centres nationwide. A breakdown by state showed that Jigawa led with 201,047 registrants, representing 5.84 percent of the total. Lagos followed with 181,095, while Kano ranked third with 177,681 registrations. Young peopl...

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, promised a hike in wages during a televised address on Wednesday night, April 8, addressing a workforce hit by years of hyperinflation and economic collapse. The current minimum hourly wage in Venezuela is equivalent to roughly 27 US cents, while annual inflation continues to exceed 600%. While state-provided bonuses can bring monthly earnings up to $150, the cost of basic food necessities for a family is estimated at $645. “I announce that on May 1st, we will implement an increase, and that this increase, as we have indicated, will be a responsible one,” Rodríguez stated, though she did not provide specific figures. Rodríguez, who has been in power since January, declared that past economic "mistakes" must be "corrected." Her ad...

The US Department of State has directed its non-emergency US government employees and their family members to leave the US Embassy in Abuja. They cited the rising insecurity across Nigeria. This was contained in an updated travel advisory issued on Wednesday. The department noted that, starting April 8, 2026, Americans are advised to reconsider travel to the country due to crime, terrorism, kidnapping, and civil unrest. The advisory classified the overall travel advisory for Nigeria as “Level 3: Reconsider Travel,” while some states are at “Level 4: Do Not Travel.” The department also added Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba states to the list of “Do Not Travel” areas, bringing the total to 23 states where travel is strongly discouraged. “On April 8, 2026, the Depa...

Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu Hassan has reduced her convoy and ordered government officials to travel in a single bus during official trips to reduce fuel consumption amid shortages caused by the war between the US, Israel, and Iran. Speaking at a swearing-in ceremony for officials on Wednesday, April 8. Hassan said that during her official trips, only her core convoy, including her escort, police, and a backup vehicle, would remain in the official motorcade. Hassan’s presidential entourage normally comprises more than 30 vehicles, including luxury SUVs and police outriders, often bringing traffic to a standstill. “From now on, wherever I go, all officials will travel together in one bus… to cut fuel consumption,” Hassan said. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz b...

A Christian pastor, Cheryl Bartley, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter following the death of Robert Smith during a baptism ceremony in Erdington, West Midlands. Smith, 61, who reportedly suffered from Parkinson’s disease, died on October 8, 2023, after drowning in a paddling pool during the ceremony at a private address on Slade Road. Bartley, 48, associated with Life Changing Ministries, is accused of causing his death through gross negligence during the baptism. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that she has been formally charged and is due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on May 14. Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said prosecutors determined there was sufficient evidence and that pursuing the case was in the public...

Donald Trump has said any country that supplied weapons to Iran would face 50 percent tariffs “without exemptions”. The US President Trump made this known in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, April 8,  after the ceasefire agreement reached between the US and Iran last night. Trump wrote: “A country supplying military weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed on any and all goods sold to the United States of America, 50%, effective immediately. “There will be no exclusions or exemptions!” Also, on Wednesday, Trump said there will be no enrichment of uranium by Iran, and that the countries will work together to “dig up and remove” nuclear material buried by US strikes last year. “The United States will work closely with Iran, which we have determined has gone...

A Palestinian man working for the UN Health body, the World Health Organization was killed by Israeli gunfire in Gaza on Monday, April 6, according to his colleagues and a doctor who received his body. According to Dr. Fathi Al-Loulou, Majdi Aslan, 54, was driving an “internationally assigned vehicle with international markings” along Salah al-Din Road, the main north-south street in Gaza, when it came under fire.Another WHO employee, Raed Aslan, told CNN that the vehicle was on its way to evacuate patients when it was struck. He revealed that the vehicle was marked with the World Health Organization logo “from all sides”.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in a statement, did not acknowledge the death, giving a differing account of the incident.It said its troops “identified an unmarked v...

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced the timetable for the 2026 Batch ‘A’ Stream II orientation programme. According to the scheme, the 21-day exercise will take place simultaneously across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. In a statement issued by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, the NYSC revealed that the orientation programme will begin with the reception and registration of prospective corps members on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. The registration process is expected to continue until midnight on Friday, April 24, 2026. The scheme added that the swearing-in ceremony—marking the official induction of corps members into national service—will also take place on Friday, April 24, 2026. The orientation course is sched...

A massive cybersecurity breach has exposed approximately 7.7 terabytes of sensitive records belonging to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), raising serious concerns about data security and the protection of confidential information within one of the largest police departments in the United States. Hackers reportedly accessed sensitive data, including personal information of officers, Internal Affairs records, and other confidential files, during a breach involving a major Los Angeles city office tied to the Los Angeles Police Department. A trove of sensitive data was leaked in a hack last month involving the LA City Attorney’s office, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to The Post. “LAPD is aware of an incident within the LA City Attorney’s Office, where unauth...