NEWS

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has expressed deep concern over the escalating cost of food in Nigeria and the growing threat of hunger, calling for urgent, coordinated action to prevent a worsening food crisis. Speaking on Tuesday during the Senate’s first sitting after the Christmas and New Year recess, Akpabio described the situation as a serious challenge to national stability and the well-being of citizens. Citing recent United Nations projections, he warned that up to 35 million Nigerians could face hunger this year, characterizing the situation as a national emergency. He noted that soaring food prices are putting immense pressure on households, especially the most vulnerable, and stressed that addressing hunger must become a national priority. “This harsh reality require...

A routine political trip turned tragic on Wednesday when a private jet carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others crashed, killing all on board. The Learjet 45, traveling from Mumbai to Pawar’s hometown of Baramati in western India, reportedly crash-landed in an open field and burst into flames, leaving no survivors, aviation authorities confirmed. The 66-year-old Pawar, two members of his personal staff, and two crew members perished in the crash. Television footage showed the wreck engulfed in thick smoke, while rescue teams confirmed there was no chance of escape. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident. “All five occupants of the aircraft have died,” a DGCA spokes...

Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has addressed claims he made about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that his previous criticisms were mistaken and have since been publicly withdrawn. Omokri issued the statement on Wednesday, following questions raised during the trial of activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Sowore’s lawyer had asked why Omokri was cleared by the Department of State Services (DSS) for an ambassadorial role despite his earlier remarks against Tinubu. The issue arose during Sowore’s trial on a two-count amended cybercrime charge, when video clips from a 2023 interview surfaced in which Omokri referred to Tinubu as a “drug lord.” Responding, Omokri admitted making the statements but explained that he la...

President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve a bill seeking to amend the Court of Appeal Act to increase the number of justices from 70 to 110, as part of reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s appellate justice system. The request was conveyed in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and read at plenary on Tuesday. According to the President, the proposed amendments are intended to enhance the institutional capacity, efficiency and effectiveness of the Court of Appeal in line with constitutional provisions and emerging realities within the justice sector. He said the central feature of the bill is the expansion of the court’s bench to cope with rising caseloads and operational pressures. “The bill seeks to increase ...

Former Nigerian Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has denied multiple bribery charges filed against her at the Southwark Crown Court in London. Punch reports that Alison-Madueke appeared before the court on Tuesday, January 27, where she is standing trial for living a “life of luxury” funded by illicit payments.  At the opening of her trial yesterday, the British prosecutors told the court that the former Minister accepted bribes between 2011 and 2015 while in office.  The prosecutors alleged that the Alison-Madueke who also served as president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries from 2014 to 2015, received financial and other inducements from individuals seeking “lucrative oil and gas contracts” with Nigeria’s state-owned oil company, NNPC. Th...

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested a 28-year-old man suspected of internet fraud in connection with the death of his friend following a disagreement over a $1,000 transaction. Police confirmed that the incident occurred on January 21, 2026, in Agbarho community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state. The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Bright Edafe, said the suspect, identified as Oghenegare, is currently in custody at the State Command Headquarters in Asaba over the death of Mr Courage, who was said to be his childhood friend. According to Edafe, both men were allegedly involved in internet fraud and fell out over a disputed $1,000 online deal. He explained that an argument between the two escalated into a physical confrontation, during w...

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, is set to reassign the ₦212.8 billion asset forfeiture case involving former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to another judge. Naija News reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured an interim forfeiture order on January 7 against assets valued at ₦212.8 billion. The anti-graft agency alleged that the properties, located in Abuja, Kano, and Birnin Kebbi in Kebbi State, were acquired through proceeds of unlawful activities linked to Malami. Justice Emeka Nwite, who granted the interim forfeiture order, disclosed on Tuesday that he had returned the case file to the Chief Judge for reassignment to a judge who will conclude the matter. Earlier, Justice Nwite had ordered ...

The cybercrime trial of activist and former African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, continued on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja. During the proceedings, the court admitted a video exhibit showing former presidential aide Reno Omokri referring to President Bola Tinubu as a “drug lord.” Naija News reports that Sowore is facing trial over a social media post in which he labeled President Tinubu a “criminal,” an allegation the Federal Government says amounts to cyberstalking. Justice Mohammed Umar allowed the video evidence during cross-examination of the first prosecution witness, Cyril Nosike, an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS), despite objections from the prosecution. The video, submitted on a flash drive by Sowore’s cou...

The Court of Appeal in Akure, Ondo State, has temporarily halted a Federal High Court judgment concerning a case challenging Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility to run for a second term in 2028. Naija News reports that the appellate court also stayed proceedings in the suit filed by All Progressives Congress (APC) member Dr. Akin Egbuwalo at the Federal High Court. The lawsuit sought clarification on Section 137(3) of the Constitution to determine whether Aiyedatiwa, who has already served two terms in office, qualifies to contest again. Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke of the Federal High Court had set January 28 for the ruling, which would have addressed whether the governor—first sworn in on December 27, 2024, to complete the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s tenure, and again o...

Legal consultant to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, Aloy Ejimakor, has criticized the deployment of security forces to suppress peaceful protests at Onitsha Main Market by the Anambra State government. Naija News reports that Governor Charles Soludo ordered the market closed for a week after traders refused to open shops on Monday, in line with the ongoing sit-at-home directive by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The directive came despite repeated appeals by the government urging traders, market leaders, and residents to disregard the sit-at-home order, which officials insist lacks legal backing and continues to disrupt economic activities in the state. Reacting to the security deployment, Ejimakor described the presence of soldiers at the protest as unconstitutional and demanded...