A High Court in Kogi State has sentenced a man, Jibrin Halilu, to death by hanging after convicting him of kidnapping and murder. The judgment was delivered on Tuesday by Justice Abdul Nicodemus Awulu, who ruled that the prosecution had successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The court heard that Halilu, alongside others still at large, abducted the owner of Everready Hotel in Obajana in March 2023 and demanded a ransom from his family. Although the victim’s family reportedly paid ₦2.5 million for his release, he was later killed by his abductors. During the trial, prosecutors told the court…
Author: National Update
The growing international recognition of Senator Neda Bernards Imasuen’s legislative contributions has received a major boost as the Edo South lawmaker has been selected for one of Africa’s most prestigious leadership honours. Senator Imasuen, who represents Edo South Senatorial District in Nigeria’s 10th Senate, will be honoured with the Distinguished Achievement in Legislative Excellence and Democratic Governance Award at the 2026 African Achievers Awards ceremony scheduled to hold at the historic House of Lords in London on July 22. The award, regarded as one of the continent’s foremost platforms for celebrating transformational leadership and public service, is reserved for individuals…
As the 2027 governorship race draws closer in Katsina State, insecurity and economic hardship have become defining issues shaping political discussions, with the candidacy of the Garba Yakubu Lado Danmarke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) increasingly gaining attention. A former Senator and House of Representatives member, Lado Danmarke has remained an influential political figure in the state for over two decades. Emerging as the PDP consensus candidate in 2026, he has anchored his campaign on restoring security, reviving livelihoods, and addressing unemployment and poverty. In a statement by Umar Sule, a member of the Fix PDP Fix Nigeria group,…
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has introduced a stringent new internal rule requiring all its candidates to execute indemnity-backed affidavits committing to surrender their elective mandates if they defect from the party after winning elections. The policy, announced in Abuja by the party’s National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, is aimed at tightening internal discipline and addressing what the party describes as an entrenched culture of political defections undermining Nigeria’s democratic stability. Speaking at the unveiling and signing ceremony, Zuwoghe said the initiative represents a decisive shift in political party management, stressing that elective mandates obtained on the NDC platform…
The Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC) has cleared the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of a disputed N62.2 billion under-remittance allegation, while ordering a comprehensive reconciliation of 76 other audit queries raised by the Auditor-General of the Federation. The decision followed an extensive investigative hearing into financial infractions contained in the 2019 and 2020 audit reports, during which Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, defended the agency’s revenue records before lawmakers. At the centre of the dispute was a claim that Customs collected N691.242 billion in 2017 but remitted only N629.23 billion to the Federation Account, leaving an alleged shortfall of…
The Senate Committee on Army has praised the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, and other security agencies for the successful rescue of Mrs Amina Abubakar, widow of the late Maj. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, during Operation Fansan Yamma in Katsina State. In a statement by the Committee Chairman, Sen. Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, the lawmakers said the operation reflects improved synergy, professionalism, and renewed commitment by security forces to dismantle bandit and terrorist networks in the North-West. The Committee described the rescue as a significant operational success and urged security agencies to sustain the momentum in ongoing counterterrorism and anti-kidnapping operations nationwide.…
Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has emerged as a leading voice against efforts to deregister political parties, warning that such a move could undermine Nigeria’s democratic foundations and weaken political pluralism. In a strongly worded statement posted on his X handle, Adebayo condemned attempts to remove legally registered political parties from the nation’s electoral landscape, describing the development as a direct threat to constitutional democracy and the rights of citizens to freely associate and participate in governance. The former presidential candidate argued that democracy thrives on competition, diversity of ideas and the existence of…
Kano’s vibrant film industry, Kannywood, has attracted international attention as diplomats from the European Union and several European countries visited the city to witness how the creative sector is generating employment, promoting education and shaping social values across northern Nigeria. The high-powered delegation, led by European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, toured Kano Film Village and engaged with filmmakers, actors, producers and regulators in a visit that highlighted the increasing recognition of Nigeria’s creative economy as a powerful driver of development. Joining Ambassador Mignot were ambassadors and senior diplomatic representatives from Denmark, Spain, Italy, France, Czechia, Finland,…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has launched a blistering attack on the Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of five political parties, warning that the ruling could undermine Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and fuel fresh concerns about judicial independence ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a strongly worded statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the civil rights group described the judgment as a dangerous development capable of reshaping the nation’s political landscape at a critical moment when political parties are already mobilising for the next electoral cycle. HURIWA expressed particular concern over reports that the judgment…
***Recalls ID Card Controversy A Senator representing Kano State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Kawu Sumaila, has cautioned against the use of ethnic narratives in Nigerian politics, warning that those who promote falsehoods against political actors for partisan gain risk moral and spiritual consequences. In a statement circulating online, the lawmaker said he would not remain silent over what he described as “deliberate ethnic propaganda” targeted at former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Sumaila reportedly dismissed claims that Obi is an ethnic bigot, insisting that such allegations are politically motivated and unsupported by facts.…