By Umar Muhammed, Lafia The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested nine suspects and recovered 4,264 rounds of ammunition in a series of operations across the state’s 13 local government areas. Commissioner of Police Shetima Mohammed announced the breakthrough at a press briefing in Lafia, revealing that on September 7, operatives intercepted suspected gun runners in Keana LGA. “Based on credible intelligence, we stormed a forest near Kadarko where the suspects, believed to be from Benue State, were offloading arms. On sighting the police, they abandoned their luggage and fled,” Mohammed said. Recovered items include four AK-49 rifles, three AK-47…
Author: National Update
Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has called on professional accountants—especially women—to take a stand against what he described as waste, misappropriation, and mismanagement of Nigeria’s scarce resources, warning that unchecked recklessness is deepening poverty and unemployment. Speaking in Lagos on Wednesday as guest speaker at the investiture of Mrs. Blessing Ngozi Osakwe as the 12th President of the Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN), Obi urged members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) to leverage their expertise to hold public officials accountable. “I urge you as a body to ensure your…
A leading Gambian legislator, Hon. Fatoumatta Njai, has urged Nigeria’s Senate to immediately reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, warning that her prolonged suspension defies a court ruling and undermines West Africa’s democratic standards. In a letter dated September 9, NjaiChair of The Gambia’s Gender and Children’s Welfare Committee and a Pan-African Parliament member—condemned the Senate’s refusal to admit Akpoti-Uduaghan despite a July 4 court judgment overturning her six-month suspension. “The Senate should obey the courts. In law, one must comply first, then challenge,” Njai wrote, calling the continued exclusion a “total affront to the rule of law” and a threat to…
By Umar Muhammed, Lafia The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) has teamed up with ActionAid Nigeria, AGRA, GIZ, and Care International to put women, youths, and persons with disabilities at the heart of Nigeria’s agricultural transformation for 2025–2030. At a high-level North-Central consultative forum in Lafia, FMAFS Director of Special Duties, Kachalla Damaturu, said the updated National Gender Policy in Agriculture and Strategic Plan of Action will ensure that grassroots voices directly shape the nation’s agricultural priorities. “This process isn’t just paperwork—it’s about embedding inclusivity, fairness, and opportunity into the core of Nigeria’s food system,” Damaturu declared,…
The Nigerian Senate has indicated it will not bow to public pressure or sentiment in the standoff over Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, declaring that any matter before the courts is off-limits, even as criticism mounts over her blocked return to the chamber. At a heated capacity-building workshop on “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities” on Wednesday, Senate spokesman Yemi Adaramodu delivered a pointed message: “Standing Order 40(1) says any matter that is in court shall not be entertained. Our Standing Orders are constitutional, Section 60 empowers each House to regulate its own procedure. Rules are rules. If you are supposed…
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on African leaders to transform the $48.3 billion in trade and investment deals sealed at the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025 into long-term partnerships that drive industrialisation, digital transformation, and cross-border trade. Speaking at the fair’s closing ceremony in Algiers, Algeria, Obasanjo hailed the event as a catalyst for economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) but warned that its impact would be measured by sustained collaboration, not just headline figures. “The relationships and networks formed must not end here,” Obasanjo said. “Africa’s future depends on turning shared ideas into…
A Nigerian lawyer, Emmanuel Agi, writing from Glasgow, Scotland, has expressed concern over the continued suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan despite a subsisting court judgment declaring the sanction excessive and fully spent. In a letter addressed to Senator Adeniyi Adegbomerie, SAN, Mr. Agi acknowledged the Senator’s emergence as a respected voice in the National Assembly but raised questions about the Senate’s handling of the matter. He noted that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, which reviewed the case earlier in March, proceeded in a manner that, in his view, contradicted the judicial order. According to him, the…
Former presidential adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, has accused National Assembly committees of abusing their oversight powers by summoning and probing private companies—actions he warned threaten Nigeria’s democracy and judicial authority. Speaking at a workshop on “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities” organized by the Senate Press Corps in Abuja, Enang cited landmark court rulings—including DHL International Nigeria Ltd v. Senate and NECA v. Attorney General of the Federation—that limit legislative oversight strictly to government-funded entities. “It is an abuse of power when committees descend into the arena of the executive or the private sector,” he said,…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja Tension gripped Kogi State on Wednesday after unknown gunmen ambushed and killed three police officers at a checkpoint in Egbe, a border town with Kwara State. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP William Ovye Aya, confirmed the attack, describing it as a cowardly assault that occurred in the early hours along the Egbe–Okunran Road. On receiving the report, Commissioner of Police Miller Dantawaye deployed a tactical squad to the area. Aya said the team, working with other security agencies, is tracking the attackers. “Three of our officers on duty were killed today in Egbe,” Aya stated.…
Young Progressives Party (YPP) governorship hopeful, Paul Chukwuma, has taken a swipe at Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, accusing him of “trivializing governance” while insecurity and decaying infrastructure plague the state. In a sharp statement on Thursday, Chukwuma said the governor’s recent public remarks can be likened to a comedy routine rather than serious leadership. “Anambra is bleeding from bandit attacks, broken infrastructure, and a collapsing social fabric,” Chukwuma declared. “The time for jokes is over. Ndi Anambra deserve accountability, vision, and results—not theatrics.” With the election looming, Chukwuma positioned himself as the credible alternative. Highlighting his track record of…