NEWS

Pope Leo has condemned the living conditions in Equatorial Guinea prisons during his four-nation African tour.  Speaking before a vast crowd of around 100,000 worshippers on Wednesday, April 22,  the pontiff turned his attention to the plight of inmates in the oil-rich Central African state. 'My thoughts go to the poorest, to families experiencing difficulty and to prisoners who are often forced to live in troubling, hygienic and sanitary conditions,' he said. "To be effective, however, it must always promote the dignity of every person," the pontiff told hundreds of inmates gathered in the prison courtyard, encouraging them not to despair. "You are not alone," the pontiff said."Your families love you and are waiting for you. Many people outside these walls are pr...

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned a former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai, before a Federal High Court in Abuja over his alleged involvement in the bugging of the telephone line of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu. El-Rufai pleaded not guilty when a  five-count amended charge, marked:FHC/ABJ/99/2026 was read to him before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik. Proceedings however, got stalled midway into the hearing of the defendant’s bail application when the judge noted that a document referred to by the defence lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), was not in the court’s file. Upon request by Iyamu, which was not opposed by the prosecuting lawyer, Oluwole Aladeloye (SAN), the judge stood down the case for the defence lawyer to ensure that the documen...

Ted Cruz, a United States senator, has claimed that Nigerian government officials are involved in attacks against Christians in the country. Cruz made the allegation during a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing focused on the United States counterterrorism strategy in Africa on Tuesday, April 21. Speaking at the hearing, Cruz claimed that Nigeria records the highest number of Christians k!lled because of their faith anywhere in the world. He said since 2009, more than 50,000 Christians had been k!lled, while over 20,000 churches, schools and other religious buildings had been destroyed. “Nigerian officials had been, unfortunately, complicit in facilitating these atrocities,” Cruz said. He linked part of the violence to the operation of Sharia law in ...

President Bola Tinubu has submitted a formal request to the Senate seeking approval for a fresh loan of $516,333,070. The request was contained in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read during Thursday’s plenary session. According to the President, the loan is to be obtained from Deutsche Bank and is specifically intended to finance the construction of the Sokoto-Badagry 1,000-kilometer Super Highway. This project is a key component of the administration's legacy infrastructure agenda, aimed at enhancing connectivity between the northern and southern regions of the country. about:blank In the letter, President Tinubu urged the lawmakers to grant the request an expeditious passage to ensure the project remains on schedule. Following the reading, Sena...

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, has revealed that he accepted the leadership role after receiving what he described as a strong spiritual conviction that God would support him. He made this known in Abuja during an end-of-tenure thanksgiving service organised by the Nigerian Baptist Convention for its outgoing president, Israel Akanji, and his wife, Victoria. Amupitan said he would not have taken up the position without that conviction, noting that he drew strength from what he described as a clear divine message before accepting the appointment. According to him, the assurance he received—that God would strengthen and uphold him—has remained central to his leadership, even in the face of the challenges that come with overseeing elections...

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has warned students and the public to remain vigilant against rising scams targeting its interest-free student loan programme. The warning follows the circulation of a fraudulent notice claiming the existence of a new 2026 registration portal. In a post on its X handle on Thursday, the Fund urged Nigerians to verify all links and rely exclusively on its verified channels to avoid falling victim to misinformation and potential scams. “Please ensure you verify all links and rely only on our official channels for accurate information. Remain vigilant against misinformation, fake news, and potential scams,” NELFUND wrote. The suspicious notice claimed that, due to constraints faced by students, President Bola Tinubu directed the opening of the p...

Operatives of the Inspector General of Police Safe School Initiative under the Anambra State Police Command have apprehended a suspect, Eric Nwombu, over alleged impersonation and illegal possession of examination materials belonging to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The development was confirmed in Awka through a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga. According to the statement, officers recovered eight JAMB examination slips from the suspect, along with a notebook containing students’ names and examination numbers. He reportedly failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for how he obtained the documents. The suspect was arrested following a tip-off from a cyber café in Atani, where he had been collecting 2026 JAMB ex...

Australia is experiencing a significant decline in international student interest, with visa applications falling by 32% between 2023 and 2025, according to a report by ICEF Monitor. The report, cited by the Economic Times, points to mounting challenges within Australia’s international education sector, driven by rising study costs, tighter visa regulations, and increasing rejection rates. It noted that these pressures are already impacting student enrolments across major source markets and could alter the country’s education pipeline in the years ahead. Particularly affected are English-language programmes (ELICOS) and vocational education and training (VET), while universities that rely heavily on foreign students are also beginning to feel the strain. ICEF Monitor warned tha...

Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that efforts to end the war with Russia cannot be delayed until tensions in Iran are resolved, stressing the urgency of ongoing negotiations. In a new interview with CNN, Zelensky said he is open to a ceasefire with Russia but does not expect progress soon, as US attention has shifted toward the Middle East. Speaking with journalist Christiane Amanpour, Zelensky said he does not “see the opportunity” for meaningful talks until the situation involving Iran is “closed” or a broader ceasefire is reached between the United States, Israel and Iran. He described it as a major challenge that the same US negotiating team—led by envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, is handling both the Iran conflict and Ukraine negotiations. While...

The Edo State Government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, has uncovered an alleged adoption scam following the closure of an illegal orphanage, Uwadia Children Home, in Afuze, Owan East Local Government Area. The development also led to the arrest of the proprietress, an elderly woman, Mrs Grace Efe Uwadia who has been handed over to the Aideyan Police Station in Benin City for further investigation and prosecution. Providing further insight into the case, the Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development revealed that the incident was triggered by a formal complaint from an alleged victim, Mr Monday Akpaduma who had approached the ministry after encountering irregularities in an adoption process. According to the Commissioner, ...