By Uhuru Adaji, Jalingo In a landmark ruling that underscores the judiciary’s zero tolerance for kidnapping in any form, a Taraba State High Court on Friday sentenced four individuals to life imprisonment for orchestrating a staged abduction scheme aimed at extorting millions from their families. Presided over by the State Chief Judge, Justice Joel Agya, the court found Prosper Paul, Samuel David, Nosiu Buba, and Samuel Kelvin guilty of attempted kidnapping under suit number TRSJ/75C/2021. The plot, according to the court, revolved around Paul’s deliberate plan to fake the abduction of his girlfriend and another woman in order to demand…
Author: National Update
Nigeria’s ambitious economic reform agenda received a major endorsement on Thursday as the World Bank pledged increased support to unlock private sector growth, describing the country as central to its Africa strategy. At a high-level meeting in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, hosted the Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of the World Bank, Ms. Anshula Kant, who led a senior delegation to engage on deepening economic reforms and scaling development finance. Ms. Kant commended the Nigerian government’s decisive steps—particularly the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market and the removal…
Stakeholders from across Kano State converged on Thursday for a one-day orientation workshop to chart new strategies for unlocking Nigeria’s demographic dividend—leveraging the country’s vast youth population to drive inclusive national development. Organized by the National Population Commission (NPC) in collaboration with the FCDO Lafiya Programme, the high-level dialogue brought together religious and traditional leaders, media professionals, civil society groups, and zonal information officers to deepen understanding of population dynamics and promote grassroots ownership of development planning. In his opening remarks, the Federal Commissioner of NPC in Kano, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Tsanyawa, described the workshop as a strategic step toward…
In a bold legislative stride toward a sustainable future, the House of Representatives has kick-started efforts to anchor Nigeria’s energy transition on inclusive green job creation, placing youth and women at the centre of the agenda. Speaking at the Africa Policy Dialogue Kick-off Workshop held Thursday at the National Assembly Complex, Chairman of the House Committee on Renewable Energy, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, unveiled plans for a landmark bill — the National Inclusive Green Jobs Act (NIGJA) — aimed at embedding equity in Nigeria’s shift to a low-carbon economy. “This is not just another policy dialogue,” Ogene declared. “It is…
Legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Yakubu A.H. Ruba, has warmly congratulated Professor Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe on his emergence as the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Professor Nentawe, currently serving as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, was unanimously elected by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on Thursday to succeed Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, who stepped down in June citing personal and health reasons. In a goodwill message, Ruba described the new party helmsman as a “brilliant mind, tested academic, and visionary leader,” expressing confidence that his wealth of experience would reinvigorate the APC and elevate its…
The leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has dissociated itself from a controversial National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled to hold in Abuja on Friday, July 25, describing it as illegal, unconstitutional, and not sanctioned by the party. In an official circular signed by the SDP National Secretary, Dr. Olu Agunloye, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) said the meeting, convened by a law firm identified as Probity Law Firm, lacks legitimacy and has no backing from the national leadership. “The NWC, at its meeting today, resolved to completely dissociate itself and the national leadership of our great party…
The case of the late Ayo took a darker turn on Wednesday as Adebayo Pelumi, the prime suspect in his killing, was found dead in an apparent suicide. Sources say Pelumi’s lifeless body was discovered in the room he had been staying, alongside a bottle of soft drink suspected to have been laced with poison, and a note believed to have been written in his hand. In the note, Pelumi reportedly pleaded, “My son shouldn’t be told of what I did. I suffered from impulse disease.” The chilling development has left many grappling with more questions than answers. While justice…
In a bold stride towards strengthening democratic accountability and digital innovation in journalism, The Parliament Diary is set to mark its fifth anniversary with a high-profile event in Abuja that will honour key players in Nigeria’s parliamentary landscape and unveil a state-of-the-art ₦250 million digital press platform. The commemorative event, scheduled for Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 1:00 PM, will take place at the NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja, drawing together lawmakers, media professionals, civil society leaders, and citizens committed to transparent governance. A major highlight of the celebration is a keynote lecture to be delivered by Professor Phillip Adeyinka Oyadiran,…
The Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barr. Oluwaseun Faleye, has called on employers participating in the ongoing workshop on Enhanced Occupational Safety and Health to actively apply the knowledge gained to improve workplace safety and save lives. Delivering his keynote address at the South East zonal session of the workshop in Enugu—represented by NSITF’s General Manager of Health, Safety, and Environment, Mr. Tony Eke—Faleye urged participants to fully engage, share experiences, and commit to real transformation. “The true success of this programme lies not just in what is taught, but in how it is applied…
The Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, has called on Nigerian employers to adopt data-driven solutions to enhance workplace safety and productivity. Speaking at the opening of a four-day training on Enhanced Occupational Safety and Health at Kakanfo Inn, Ibadan, Faleye—represented by the Fund’s General Manager of Health, Safety, and Environment, Mr. Tony Eke—emphasised that modern workplaces demand more than routine compliance. “We must move from reactive measures to proactive, automated strategies that not only boost productivity but also save lives,” he said. “This training marks a major step towards building safer, smarter,…