***Police Escorts sustain injuries By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse The Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin, narrowly escaped death on Monday when his convoy was involved in a serious accident on the Dutse–Gumel–Maigatari highway. Sources said the convoy was en route to Maigatari for a state-organized political rally, “Gwamnati da Jumaa” (Government and the People), when one of the vehicles lost control. Eyewitnesses told National Update that the Speaker’s escort vehicle—a Toyota Hilux pickup carrying police officers—somersaulted several times, ejecting its occupants onto the roadside. Other drivers in the convoy, including the Speaker’s driver,…
Author: National Update
A fresh wave of fear swept through Kogi State over the weekend as heavily armed gunmen kidnapped Rev. Fr. Wilfred Ezemba of St. Paul Parish, Agaliga-Efabo, in Olamaboro Local Government Area—underscoring a disturbing spike in abductions across the state. Fr. Ezemba was ambushed on Saturday along the Imane–Ogugu Road, a notorious hotspot for highway kidnappings. Eyewitnesses said other unsuspecting commuters may have also been whisked away during the attack. Three days on, the abductors have made no ransom demands, heightening anxiety among parishioners and residents. “We are devastated,” said a visibly shaken Fr. Michael, a colleague of the kidnapped priest.…
By Ehichioya Ezomon All things being equal (ceteris paribus), the suspended democratic institutions in Rivers State – the executive and legislative arms of government – will be restored by Thursday, September 18, 2025, exactly six months after President Bola Tinubu declared a near-marshall rule over the state. In nature, however, all things aren’t equal, especially when human beings and their affairs, like politics, are involved, such as in Nigeria, to define and dictate the immediate and unearned sources of power, wealth, influence and fame that the possessors wield recklessly over the people they’re supposed to serve. These were (and still…
By Ineye Baritor In the intricate theatre of public administration, governance resembles a symphony — a layered performance that demands coordination, harmony, and an unwavering sense of purpose. Like every successful orchestra, it needs a conductor who understands tempo, mediates discord, and guides various instruments toward a unifying and uplifting melody. In the case of Rivers State during a turbulent political interregnum, that conductor has been Ibok Ette Ibas, the Sole Administrator. Appointed under extraordinary conditions, Ibas stepped into a vacuum not of his making. Rivers State was engulfed in a complex crisis. Political hostilities had rendered institutions dysfunctional, public…
It was a bittersweet Sunday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Karshi as family, friends, colleagues, and parishioners gathered to give thanks for the life of Dr. Leon Usigbe, the veteran journalist and Abuja Bureau Chief of Nigerian Tribune, whose passing on July 25 left a deep void in Nigeria’s media community. The atmosphere was a blend of grief and gratitude—grief for a beloved husband, father, and mentor now gone, and gratitude for a life that touched so many. Speaking after the Thanksgiving Mass, Dr. Usigbe’s eldest son, Leroy, fought back emotion as he reflected on the impact of his…
What began as a routine gathering of Catholic bishops on Saturday transformed into a moment of national reflection and reassurance as Senate President Godswill Akpabio and representatives of President Bola Tinubu appealed for patience and collective effort to steer Nigeria through turbulent reforms. Addressing the Second Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Akpabio likened Nigeria’s current struggles to the scaffolding of a great cathedral under construction. “Do not despair when the winds blow strong or the scaffolding shakes,” he urged. “A nation is not raised overnight but stone by stone, prayer by prayer, hand by hand.” Akpabio,…
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Wednesday intensified its clampdown on illegal developments at the controversial River Park Estate in Lugbe, halting construction, demolishing more than 30 building foundations, and arresting 15 workers accused of defying a subsisting court order and ministerial directive. The dramatic operation, led by the Ministerial Task Force on City Sanitation under Director of Development Control Mukhtar Galadima, comes after weeks of growing tension between estate developers and FCT authorities over ownership and development rights. Despite an Abuja High Court’s order to maintain the status quo, intelligence reports revealed that some developers were rushing work…
On the historic occasion of Pope Leo XIV’s 70th birthday, Nigerian statesman and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, joined millions of Catholics and admirers worldwide to celebrate the Pontiff’s remarkable life of faith and service. In a moving tribute titled “Seventy Years of Grace,” Obi described the Holy Father as “a living witness to God’s grace,” whose humility, courage, and steadfast faith have inspired generations within and beyond the Catholic Church. Obi underscored the symbolic weight of the day, noting that the Pope’s milestone birthday falls on the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross—a day that transforms…
Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has declared that Nigeria’s greatest challenge is not a lack of policies or strategies, but the absence of disciplined execution powered by competent and ethical leadership. Obi, who delivered the keynote address at the inaugural Lagos Business School All-MBA Students Conference—also attended by visiting MBA students from Cambridge University’s Judge Business School—spoke on the theme “Execution as a Competitive Edge.” “Plans and strategies mean nothing without execution,” Obi asserted. “Execution is the bridge between ideas and impact. And to succeed, it must be anchored on leaders with capacity, compassion,…
Political activist and former APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Timi Frank, has issued a stark warning to Nigeria’s electoral, judicial, and security institutions: act with integrity ahead of the 2027 general elections or risk plunging the nation into turmoil similar to Nepal’s recent protests. In a strongly worded statement from Abuja, Frank—who also serves as the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East—praised INEC for recognizing the David Mark-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) leadership. He called the move “a bold step toward restoring credibility” but said it must be matched by…