NEWS

Qatar has intercepted and destroyed two Iranian military aircraft while halting liquefied natural gas (LNG) production after drone strikes targeted critical energy infrastructure. Reports indicate that Tehran widened its retaliatory operations across the Gulf, heightening concerns over the possibility of a broader regional conflict. In a statement on Monday, Qatar’s defence ministry confirmed that the Qatar Emiri Air Force shot down two Sukhoi Su-24 bombers belonging to Iran. The development marks the first known instance of a Gulf nation directly engaging and downing Iranian aircraft since Tehran initiated coordinated strikes in the region. “Qatar Emiri Air Force successfully shot down two (Su-24) aircraft coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the ministry announced, without...

The Federal Government has approved the allocation of ₦4 billion each to 12 selected universities for the rehabilitation of engineering and technology workshops, laboratory upgrades and the installation of modern equipment. The government also inaugurated a Ministerial Monitoring, Evaluation and Implementation Committee to oversee the TETFund Special High-Impact Intervention Project aimed at revitalising engineering and technology education nationwide. Inaugurating the committee in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Maruf Olatunji Alausa, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to repositioning engineering and technology education as a catalyst for national development. He described the intervention as a strategic investment to bridge the gap between theory and practice, promote in...

Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda  The United States has imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and four of its top commanders, accusing them of providing direct operational support to the March 23 Movement (M23) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The move comes less than three months after the signing of the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, a US-backed agreement aimed at reducing tensions and fostering cooperation in the Great Lakes region. Announcing the measures in Washington, US officials said the sanctions were triggered by M23’s seizure of Uvira shortly after the December 4, 2025 signing of the accords — an action described as a direct breach of the peace dealAccording to Thomas Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson, Rwanda’s continue...

A 27-year old landlord’s son, Quozeem Awe, allegedly st@bbed a nursing mother to d3ath during a dispute over unpaid house rent in Ore, headquarters of Odigbo Local Government area of Ondo State.  The suspect was said to have fatally st@bbed the deceased, identified as Deborah Adeleye, and also injured her husband, Mathew Adeleye, as well as their daughter during the attack. The shocking incident reportedly occurred around 5:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at the Ore Alaba area. Eyewitnesses who spoke with Ondo State owned publication, Hope Newspapwe, said the violence was allegedly triggered by an argument over unpaid house rent between the landlord’s son and the deceased’s husband, who is one of the tenants in the building owned by the suspect’s father. The dis...

The Kogi State Government has confirmed that a rescued kidnap victim has safely delivered twin girls at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp in the state. The State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, March 2, 2026 stated that the identity of the mother is being withheld for security reasons. According to the Commissioner, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has directed the State Security Adviser and the Commissioner for Health to immediately transfer the mother and her newborn babies to the State Specialist Hospital for comprehensive medical attention and postnatal care.  He assured that both the mother and the twin girls are in good condition. It would be recalled that the State Governm...

Lebanon’s government has taken the unprecedented step of banning the military and security operations of Hezbollah, declaring all armed activities carried out outside state authority illegal.  The decision was announced Monday after an emergency cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Authorities said the move was necessary to assert state control over weapons and prevent further escalation with Israel.  “The Lebanese state declares its absolute and unequivocal rejection of any military or security actions launched from Lebanese territory outside the framework of its legitimate institutions,” Salam said. He added that Hezbollah’s armed activities must cease immediately and that the group is required to hand over its weapons.  The ban came just hou...

Saudi Arabia has raised its military readiness to full alert after multiple attacks attributed to Iran, as tensions across the Gulf continue to escalate. A source close to the Saudi army told AFP on Monday, March 2, “The Saudi army has raised its readiness to full alert,” following drone strikes that targeted key energy infrastructure. The vast Ras Tanura Refinery on the kingdom’s Gulf coast went into partial shutdown after drones struck the facility three days into the widening Middle East conflict. The complex, operated by state oil giant Saudi Aramco, is one of the largest refineries in the region and a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s energy sector, with a production capacity of 550,000 barrels per day. It also serves as one of the world’s biggest oil export terminals. Earlie...

Saudi Arabia has halted some operations at its vast Ras Tanura Refinery following a drone attack that sparked a fire at the key energy facility, the kingdom’s energy ministry confirmed on Monday, March 2. The refinery, located along Saudi Arabia’s eastern Gulf coast, is one of the largest in the Middle East and a cornerstone of the country’s energy sector, with a production capacity of 550,000 barrels per day. The complex also functions as one of the world’s largest oil export terminals. In a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency, an official source at the ministry said: “Some operational units at the refinery were shut down as a precautionary measure, without any impact on the supply of petroleum products to local markets.” Earlier, a source familiar with the incident tol...

The Department of State Services have arrested a suspect named Udeme Sunday Stephen, in connection with the February 24 attack on the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and some chieftains of the African Democratic Congress in Benin, the Edo State capital. Channels Television reports that the secret agency arrested the suspect after a thorough investigation. The g&n-wielding hoodlums attacked Obi and other party chieftains during a visit to former Governor of Edo state, John Oyegun. A video that circulated online showed the aftermath, with vehicles and the estate gate riddled with b&llets. Peter Obi who spoke in the video, said the attack took place shortly after they departed the ADC headquarters in the state.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the commencement of sales of application forms for the 2026 Direct Entry programme. In a statement shared on its official 𝕏 handle on Monday, the examination body confirmed that eligible candidates can now begin the registration process. According to JAMB, registration started on Monday, March 2, 2026, and will close on Saturday, April 25, 2026. The board stressed that the registration exercise will be conducted strictly through its designated centres nationwide. It added that the purchase of e-PINs and application documents is limited exclusively to its accredited state and zonal offices across the country. JAMB explained that the measure is intended to enhance transparency and eliminate irregularities often lin...