NEWS

The Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) has suspended the commencement of voting in the 2026 NBA national elections following an alleged cyberattack on its electronic voting platform. Voting was initially scheduled to begin at midnight on Saturday, July 18, but the exercise was halted after the committee said the system came under a coordinated attempt to disrupt the electoral process. In a statement issued early Saturday, the ECNBA apologised to candidates, voters, election agents, consultants and observers for the unexpected delay. According to the committee, the electronic voting infrastructure was targeted by a "deliberate, coordinated and sustained cyberattack" shortly before voting was due to commence. It disclosed that cybersecurity experts, worki...

A former Mississippi Teacher of the Year has been arrested over allegations that she engaged in s3x with a student while working at Ocean Springs Middle School. Olivia Marie Smith, who was named Teacher of the Year in 2022 and was recently promoted to assistant principal at Oak Park Elementary School, was arrested on Thursday following a tip-off that prompted a police investigation. Smith has been charged with s3xual battery and enticement of a  child to meet for s3xual purposes. Under Mississippi law, the s3xual battery charge carries a potential prison sentence of up to 30 years because of her position of authority. According to investigators, Ocean Springs School District officials alerted the Ocean Springs Police Department and Mississippi Child Protective Servi...

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecast a mix of sunshine, cloud cover and rainfall across Nigeria from Saturday through Monday, with thunderstorms expected in several parts of the country.  NigerianSecurity Information In its weather outlook released on Friday, July 17, in Abuja, NiMet said the northern region will experience predominantly sunny conditions on Saturday, with a few patches of cloud across the area. The agency also predicted isolated thunderstorms accompanied by light to moderate rainfall over parts of Taraba State later in the day. For the North Central region, NiMet forecast cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine throughout Saturday, July 18. In the southern region, the agency predicted cloudy conditions with periods of sunshine and a cha...

Under the new framework, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will chair the Virtual Asset Council, while the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will serve as vice-chairmen. Other members include the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). President Bola Tinubu has signed the Presidential Executive Order on Virtual Assets Coordination, 2026, introducing a coordinated framework to regulate Nigeria’s fast-growing virtual assets sector, combat fraud and strengthen oversight without creating a new regulatory agency. Africans & Diaspora The Executive Order, which took immediate effect, establishes a Virtual Asset Council to harmonise the activities of financial, revenue and capi...

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has ordered the final forfeiture of properties belonging to former Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, Governor, Godwin Emefiele. The apex  court overturned an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal which had ordered a retrial of the case. A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, unanimously allowed the appeal and set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, which had nullified the forfeiture order made by the Federal High Court in Lagos. The apex court’s decision effectively restores the final forfeiture of the assets, bringing to an end the legal challenge mounted by Emefiele against the Federal High Court’s order. The forfeited properties include two fully detached duplexes at 17B Hakeem Od...

France has moved a step closer to legalising assisted dying after parliament approved legislation granting eligible adults with incurable illnesses the right to seek medical assistance to end their lives, fulfilling a key social reform pledge by President Emmanuel Macron. The measure, adopted by the National Assembly, would make France one of a small number of countries to permit assisted dying, pending approval by the Constitutional Council. Reacting to the vote, Macron said the legislation fulfilled a commitment he made during his 2022 re-election campaign. "In 2022, I made a commitment to open this path with the French people," Macron wrote on X. "With seriousness, humility, and in full respect of our democracy, that commitment has been honoured." Under the proposed law, as...

UK Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch has backed a FIFA investigation into Argentina's display of a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" after their World Cup semi-final victory over England, insisting the Falkland Islands are "British."​ Argentina's players held up the banner after their 2-1 win, reigniting the long-running sovereignty dispute. FIFA confirmed its disciplinary committee is assessing whether Argentina breached rules prohibiting political messages. Reacting in a video posted on X on Friday, Badenoch said, “The Falkland Islands are British. The Conservatives will always defend them. We know that political messaging and slogans are banned by FIFA, so they absolutely should investigate. It was a very silly banner. “The fact is the Falkland Islands are ...

The Senate has reopened deliberations on the Proceeds of Crime Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, after withdrawing its earlier approval of the proposed legislation over concerns about significant legal, policy and drafting deficiencies. Lawmakers unanimously agreed during Thursday's plenary to reverse the bill's passage, which had been approved on July 9, following a motion sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele. Presenting the motion, Bamidele said a post-passage review uncovered several issues that require further legislative attention before the bill can proceed. "Drafting, legal and policy issues requiring further legislative scrutiny and refinement were identified," he said. He warned that allowing the legislation to proceed without addressing the concerns could create impleme...

American rapper Desiigner has been arrested on multiple charges following allegations that he assaulted the mother of his child during a domestic dispute and caused extensive damage to property.  FamilyLaw According to a police report, the incident began after an argument between the rapper and the woman at their shared residence. She told investigators the confrontation started after Desiigner removed televisions mounted on the walls inside the home. The woman alleged that the rapper became physically aggressive and used a hammer to destroy her two mobile phones, preventing her from calling emergency services. She told police she fled the house carrying their child and shouted for help. After initially attempting to seek refuge at a neighbour's home where no one was present,...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering conducting a mock presidential election and a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology as part of efforts to strengthen preparations for the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), disclosed the proposal in Abuja while receiving the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, during a courtesy visit to the commission's headquarters.  History Amupitan said the proposed initiatives were informed by concerns raised following the 2023 general elections, particularly over the reliability and performance of election technology. According to him, the commission is considering organising a mock presidential election to test the readiness of its electoral processes a...