NEWS

Niger State Governor Umar Bago has said his government is ready to confront bandits and their informants. The governor made this known on Thursday in a video clip published by Gaskiya News Hausa, in which he warned bandits, informants and those harbouring them to reveal their identities to the security agencies. PUNCH Online learnt that the governor visited Borgu Local Government Area in Niger State where he had a chat with the Emir over the bandits’ disruption of schooling and farming activities. Bago disclosed that his government had received support from the federal government and foreign partners to strengthen operations against the terrorists. He stressed the impact of insecurity on education and agriculture in the state, saying banditry had disrupted schooling and...

The United States has introduced stricter immigration measures by expanding its visa bond policy, requiring travellers from 50 countries, including Nigeria, to deposit up to $15,000 before entry. The policy, announced by the U.S. Department of State, is scheduled to take effect on April 2, 2026, and will apply to applicants seeking B1/B2 visas for business and tourism purposes. Under the new arrangement, affected travellers must pay a refundable bond, which will only be returned if they comply with visa conditions, including leaving the United States before the expiration of their permitted stay. The initiative is part of Washington’s effort to tackle visa overstays, a persistent challenge in the country’s immigration system. Officials indicated that the programme has already s...

The administration of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has dismissed reports alleging plans to sell the state-owned Ibom Power Company, describing the claims as false, malicious, and entirely unfounded. In a statement issued in Uyo, the Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, refuted a publication by a local tabloid, insisting that the government has no intention of disposing of the power facility. He urged the public to disregard the report, labelling it a fabrication aimed at misleading residents and undermining ongoing reforms in the state’s power sector. Umanah clarified that at no point has the government approved the sale of Ibom Power Company, either as an operational asset or otherwise, stressing that such claims exist only in the imagination of mischief-makers. ...

The Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Council Manager, Bakare Olakunle Olanrewaju, has died in India following a prolonged battle with a cancer-related illness. His passing was confirmed through a condolence message shared on social media by a close associate, Duke Olabode Sakirudeen. According to Sakirudeen, the late administrator, believed to be in his late 50s, had been undergoing medical treatment in India before he passed away a few days ago. He described Bakare as a committed public servant who earned widespread respect during his career. “Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Council Manager, Mr. Bakare, has died after a prolonged illness. He passed away in India from a cancer-related condition,” he stated. Sakirudeen further paid tribute to him as a calm, intelligent, and profes...

USA Secretary of State, Marco Rubio has denied reports that the United States is pushing for the removal of Miguel Díaz-Canel. In a late-night post on X, Rubio dismissed a report by The New York Times as “fake,” accusing it of relying on “charlatans and liars claiming to be in the know.” The newspaper had reported that officials under Donald Trump urged Cuba to remove Díaz-Canel, but stopped short of calling for the overthrow of the country’s communist government. Rubio did not clarify whether he was rejecting the entire report or only parts of it. The reason so many in US media keep putting out fake stories like this one is because they continue to rely on charlatans & liars claiming to be in the know as their sources. https://t.co/mfzZbeO9UT — Marco Rubio (@m...

A Nigerian woman, Nihinlolawa Agoro and two of her children, Temiloluwa and Isaac, were k!lled in a deadly crash in Texas, United States with multiple other people rushed to the hospital for injuries. According to the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a two-vehicle crash on US-90A between Harlem Road and Pitts Road at about 9 a.m. on Sunday, March 15, 2026. Officials said an SUV was driving eastbound with five people inside when a truck traveling westbound went through the median, lost control, and hit the SUV head-on.  The truck rolled over and caught fire, according to authorities. According to officials, three people inside the SUV were pronounced dead at the scene, including an 18-year-old woman, a 22-year-old woman, and a 44-year-old wom...

Australia has confirmed that an Iranian strike landed near a military airbase in the United Arab Emirates where its troops are stationed.  Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the incident occurred close to the Al Minhad base, which hosts more than 100 Australian military personnel.  According to Albanese, the strike caused a fire that damaged parts of an accommodation block and a medical facility within the base. However, he confirmed that no Australian personnel were injured. An Iranian projectile reportedly hit a nearby road, though authorities are yet to determine whether it was a missile or a drone. Albanese said it remains unclear whether the base was deliberately targeted, while stressing that Australia is not at war.  “The Iranian regime is conducting indiscrimina...

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has warned that the global consequences of the current war "will affect everyone.”The minister stated on Wednesday, March 18, that all individuals, regardless of race, religion, or economic status, will be impacted by the conflict. He made this remark while advocating for increased resistance from western officials against the war.  “[A] wave of global consequences has only commenced and will affect all – irrespective of wealth, religion, or race,” Abbas Araghchi shared on X. His post included a copy of the resignation letter from Joe Kent, the director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, which was submitted on Tuesday, March 17. In his resignation letter, Kent expressed that he could not “in good conscience” endorse the ongoing war in Iran,...

The Trump administration has placed all US embassy and consular posts on alert as Washington braces for retaliatory strikes by Iran. In a directive sent on Tuesday, March 17, the State Department instructed that 'ALL posts worldwide' must urgently reassess their security posture, a rare move that underscores the growing concern that the conflict could spill far beyond the region. The cable warned of 'the ongoing and developing situation in the Middle East and the potential for spill-over effects,' signaling that US officials now see the threat as global and not confined to traditional hotspots. Signed by Rubio and issued under the authority of Undersecretary for Management Jason Evans, the directive orders every diplomatic mission to convene Emergency Action Committees - specializ...

A federal high court in Warri, Delta state, has ruled that Nigerians can record police officers during stop-and-search operations in public spaces. Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, the presiding judge, made the ruling on Tuesday,  March 17, following an enforcement of the fundamental rights suit filed by Maxwell Nosakhare Uwaifo, a lawyer. The lawyer also sought judicial pronouncement on the constitutionality of police officers conducting stop-and-search operations without visible name tags and force numbers, and the right of citizens to record them. Other defendants are the inspector-general of police, Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Police Service Commission (PSC), and attorney-general of the federation (AGF). The lawyer told the court that he filed the suit because of his encou...