For years, Senator Ali Ndume’s appeals for federal intervention on the dilapidated Gombe-Biu highway appeared to fall on deaf ears. Successive engagements, presentations, and advocacy efforts yielded little progress as one of the Northeast’s most strategic road corridors continued to deteriorate. That long wait may finally be over. With the official flag-off of the N1.245 trillion reconstruction and dualisation of the 125-kilometre Gombe-Biu highway, the former Senate Leader says a major infrastructure battle he has fought for nearly a decade has finally been won. Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Minister of…
Author: National Update
A wave of pride swept across Imane community and the entire Igala nation on Tuesday as Very Rev. Fr. Prof. Nicholas Ojoajogwu Okpe etched his name into history by delivering the 20th Inaugural Lecture of Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, further cementing his status as the first Igala Reverend Father to attain the rank of Professor. The historic event attracted a large gathering of academics, clergy, traditional rulers, students, family members, and well-wishers who converged on the university to celebrate a man widely regarded as one of the most distinguished sons of Igalaland. For many attendees, the occasion transcended…
Residents of several communities in Kogi East have received a major infrastructure boost as Senator Isah Jibrin commenced the grading of selected rural roads across the senatorial district, beginning with the Ibobo–Emewe Ogane road in Biraidu District. The intervention, aimed at improving transportation and economic activities in the area, is expected to enhance connectivity among rural communities, ease the movement of people and goods, and open up access to markets, schools and healthcare facilities. Speaking at the flag-off ceremony on behalf of the senator, Alhaji Akpa Anana said the project reflects Echocho’s commitment to addressing the infrastructural challenges facing communities…
Nigeria Democratic Congress(NDC) presidential Candidate for 2027 Peter Obi has seized on the Federal Government’s reported approval of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State to launch a broader critique of President Bola Tinubu’s approach to governance, arguing that the initiative exposes what he described as the absence of a coordinated national security strategy. Rather than celebrating the move as a bold response to insecurity, Obi said the decision raises troubling questions about how security policies are being conceived and implemented at a time when virtually every region of the country is battling violent crime. The former Anambra State governor contended…
A dramatic court intervention has handed a temporary reprieve to several opposition political parties facing possible extinction, as the Federal High Court in Abuja suspended judgment in a suit seeking their deregistration. The case, which targets parties including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and others, has emerged as a critical test of political pluralism at a time when opposition forces are searching for viable platforms ahead of the next electoral cycle. What was expected to be a landmark judgment capable of reshaping Nigeria’s political landscape was abruptly…
The Federal Government has approved the relocation of the operational headquarters of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) from Abuja to Kano State, in a strategic move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s response to desertification and accelerating environmental restoration across the North. The announcement was made by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, who said the decision aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises efficiency in service delivery and closer alignment of federal institutions with their operational environments. According to the minister, relocating the agency to Kano will significantly improve coordination, monitoring, and…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja As Artificial Intelligence continues to reshape economies, institutions and everyday life across the globe, a leading Nigerian scholar has sounded a note of caution, warning that technological advancement must never come at the expense of human dignity. A Professor of Ethics and Values, Nicholas Ojoajogwu Okpe, has called on governments, technology companies, scientists and policymakers to place the sanctity of the human person at the center of the rapidly expanding AI ecosystem. Speaking at the 20th Inaugural Lecture of Prince Abubakar Audu University, the cleric-scholar argued that humanity is approaching a defining moment where machines are…
As preparations intensify for the upcoming FIFA World Cup across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, football’s global governing body has unveiled a strict list of prohibited items that fans will not be allowed to bring into stadiums, warning that violations could lead to confiscation, removal, detention, or prosecution. FIFA officials said the updated security policy forms part of a unified safety framework designed to ensure secure and orderly matchday environments across all tournament venues. According to the guidelines, stadium security personnel will confiscate all prohibited items at entry points, while possession of certain restricted goods—particularly illegal substances and prohibited…
By Abdulkarim Abdulmalik In a country where insecurity continues to test the capacity of governments at all levels, there are valuable lessons to be learned from leaders who confronted criminality with courage, intelligence, and decisive action. One such example is the security strategy deployed by former Kogi State Governor, , whose administration earned widespread attention for its aggressive and proactive response to insecurity. At a time when kidnappers, armed robbers, and criminal gangs were spreading fear across many parts of Nigeria, Kogi State stood out as one of the states that adopted an unconventional but highly effective approach to combating…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has launched a blistering attack on the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) over reports that thousands of candidates sitting for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) were forced to write examination papers late into the night, describing the development as a grave violation of students’ rights and a dangerous failure of educational administration. The rights group warned that the recurring spectacle of candidates stranded in examination centres until 10 p.m. and beyond has become a national embarrassment and raises serious questions about the capacity of authorities to protect the…