The Federal Government’s push to strip Very Important Persons (VIPs) of taxpayer-funded police escorts is more than a policy tweak, it marks a sharp break from decades of entrenched entitlement that has left ordinary Nigerians dangerously exposed. At the heart of the reform, announced by Hadiza Bala-Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, lies a simple but radical principle: public security is not for sale, and private privilege must no longer drain national protection. For years, convoys of politicians and tycoons trailed by gun-wielding police have been a familiar sight on Nigerian roads. Behind the tinted glass…
Author: National Update
The Kaduna State Government has dismissed a report ranking the state among the highest in kidnapping cases nationwide, describing it as “false, mischievous and irresponsible.” In a statement issued Thursday by the Ministry of Information and signed by Commissioner-Designate, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, the government faulted an SB Morgen report which alleged that 629 people were abducted in Kaduna between July 2024 and June 2025. “The publication is nothing but a figment of the authors’ imagination, designed to discredit the Kaduna Peace Model that has been widely acknowledged by security agencies and international partners,” the statement said. According to the government,…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja The Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) has scaled up its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to N3 billion monthly, with new measures in place to push the figures higher. Executive Chairman of KGIRS, Alhaji Sule Salihu Enehe, announced the milestone at the Stewardship Accountability Forum organized by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Lokoja on Thursday. Enehe credited the feat to a committed management team and a seamless tax administration system, noting that the service had already surpassed its half-year revenue target. “We will not allow this figure to drop but…
The Jigawa State Open Government Partnership (OGP) Non-State Actors has hailed the decision of Governor Umar Namadi’s administration to formally include civil society input in the performance bond signed by all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). In a statement in Dutse, OGP Co-chair Comrade Isah Mustapha described the move as “bold and progressive,” saying it will make government policies more transparent, accountable, and people-driven. He noted that by making civil society engagement a standard requirement, the government is ensuring that citizens’ voices and evidence-based contributions shape policies and projects. Mustapha urged CSOs to sharpen their focus, play to their strengths,…
By Ben Adaji, Jalingo An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and former governorship aspirant, Chief David Sabo Kente (DSK), has commended the growing role of the private sector in Taraba State, even as he called for greater infrastructural investment by government. Speaking in Jalingo on Tuesday as Taraba marked its 34th anniversary, Kente noted that while hotels, schools, and shopping malls are springing up across the state, the absence of major road projects remains a concern. He urged the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to extend more interventions to Taraba, especially in road construction, as it has done in other…
A pro-democracy group, Turn by Turn Initiatives (TBTI), has asked President Bola Tinubu to urgently review his economic policies, warning that the current path is deepening hunger and hardship across Nigeria. In a statement on Wednesday, the group’s National Convener, Comrade Ben Nworie, said the removal of fuel subsidy was “reckless and hasty,” leaving Nigerians exposed to harsh economic realities without any effective safety nets. He criticized Tinubu’s recent remarks directing citizens to question their governors over increased federal allocations, describing it as “inciting” and capable of sparking youth restiveness similar to the #EndSARS protests. “Rather than pumping excess funds…
By Victoria Gbemisola Across the waterways of Opobo and the bustling inland towns of Rivers State, one truth is constant. Women hold society together. They manage homes, run small businesses, care for the elderly, and educate the next generation. Yet, when the decisions that affect their daily lives are made, their voices are too often left out. This silence, however, is beginning to fade. Under the leadership of Ibok-Ette Ibas, Rivers State is experiencing a quiet but powerful revolution in the way women are engaged. Emergency governance is often seen as a stopgap, but this administration is showing that it…
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has signaled it won’t be dragged into the usual zoning battles or early-race noise as the 2027 presidential race gathers steam. Instead, the party says it will first push for a consensus candidate but is fully prepared to stage a hotly contested primary if talks break down. ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, made the declaration on Arise TV Thursday, stressing that the party’s immediate priority is not who runs, but building a structure strong enough to compete nationwide. “Atiku says he will run, Obi says he will run, Amaechi says he will run —…
The apex Igbo socio-cultural body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has distanced itself from earlier claims by a splinter faction urging Igbos not to contest the 2027 presidential election in deference to President Bola Tinubu. In a statement issued Wednesday, President-General of Ohanaeze, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, clarified that every Igbo man or woman who belongs to a political party and desires to run for president is free to do so. He described as “fake news” any publication suggesting that Ohanaeze had endorsed a no-contest posture, stressing that the group is neither a political party nor in a position to dictate electoral choices.…
Lokoja was thrown into mourning on Tuesday after a final-year student of Kogi State Polytechnic, Miss Dorcas Omotosho, reportedly lost her life following complications from an attempted abortion. The 26-year-old, according to sources, had sought to terminate a six-month pregnancy at a private facility, Al-Hassan Clinic and Maternity, located in the Sarkin Noma area of Lokoja. Though the procedure was carried out, medical staff allegedly struggled to control severe bleeding, which eventually proved fatal. Witnesses said police operatives arrived at the clinic shortly after the incident, documenting the scene before the student’s remains were conveyed to the Federal Teaching Hospital,…