The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) on Wednesday sounded the alarm over the latest bloodbath in Southern Kaduna, declaring that the massacre in Kauru Local Government Area is part of a calculated campaign by terrorists to shatter the fragile peace returning to the state and plunge it back into years of sectarian violence. The group said the attack on Naridon Village—where scores of residents were reportedly butchered, homes razed and several people abducted—goes beyond an isolated act of terror, warning that it bears the hallmarks of a deliberate attempt to undermine reconciliation, destroy public confidence and provoke fresh…
Author: National Update
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Esther Walson-Jack, on Wednesday admitted that her office failed to carry out adequate due diligence before approving the staffing structure and recruitment waiver for the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), whose establishment documents have since been declared fake. Appearing before the House of Representatives committee investigating the alleged fraudulent agency and the N1.3 billion earmarked for it in the 2026 Appropriation Act, Walson-Jack acknowledged that the Office of the Head of Service should have subjected the documents presented by the promoters of the council to stricter verification. She explained…
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has described the recent building collapses in Anambra and Ogun states as more than isolated accidents, warning that the recurring disasters reflect systemic failures in Nigeria’s building regulatory regime. Reacting to the tragedies on Tuesday, Obi said the loss of lives in both states should compel governments at all levels to move beyond expressions of sympathy and embrace stricter enforcement of building standards to prevent future catastrophes. His intervention followed the collapse of a building at Amaokpala in Anambra State, reportedly occupied by tenants, including some students of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko. Although…
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress(NDC), Peter Obi has unexpectedly shifted public attention from politics to personal character after extending warm birthday wishes to Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, despite the governor’s failure to publicly acknowledge Obi’s own birthday just days earlier. What ordinarily would have passed as a routine goodwill message quickly evolved into a wider conversation about political maturity, forgiveness and the place of civility in an increasingly polarised political environment. In his message, Obi wished Soludo good health, wisdom and divine guidance, praying that the governor’s new year would bring peace, fulfilment and abundant…
The lawmakers, however, cautioned that the success of the expansion would depend on sustained investment in modern equipment, logistics, intelligence assets and the welfare of military personnel. They also urged residents to work closely with security agencies by providing credible and timely intelligence capable of preventing attacks before they occur, insisting that community partnership remains a critical component of national security. The Forum further called on the Federal Government to ensure that those responsible for the killings are swiftly apprehended and prosecuted, while victims and displaced families receive adequate humanitarian assistance. Reaffirming its commitment to a peaceful and secure Nigeria,…
The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) has officially confirmed the killing of one of its most senior intelligence officers, Col. Abdulsalam Ude, who was fatally shot during an attack by unidentified gunmen at his residence in Abuja. The killing has sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s security community, with the Agency describing the incident as a painful national loss and vowing that those responsible would be tracked down and prosecuted. In a statement issued by its Acting Assistant Director of Protocol, Capt. J.E. Oti, the DIA disclosed that the attack occurred at the officer’s residence in Phase 5, Army Housing Estate, Kurudu, Abuja.…
Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the reported assault on a campaigner for President Bola Tinubu in Delta State, describing the incident as a dangerous affront to democratic values and political tolerance. The victim, Mr. Tempo Mudi, said to be a Protocol Officer to the Governor of Delta State, was reportedly attacked by some youths while campaigning for President Tinubu’s re-election at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre in Effurun, Warri. Reacting in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku…
The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) has criticised the judgment of the National Industrial Court dismissing the suit filed by whistleblower Yisa Usman against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), warning that the ruling raises far-reaching concerns about whistleblower protection, due process, disability rights and accountability in Nigeria’s public service. In a statement signed by its Programme Manager, Godwin Onyeacholem, AFRICMIL said its concerns extended beyond the employment dispute, describing the case as one with significant implications for labour justice, public administration and anti-corruption efforts. Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae of the National Industrial Court had, on July…
By Tunde Olusunle You catch a glimpse of a golden mace hoisted high in the distant sky to the right, on the expansive _Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Way_, as you drive past the “City Gate” in Abuja toward the airport. It reminds you of a larger, more dominant version that sits regally at the central approach to the nation’s parliament, in the “Three Arms Zone” at the heart of the nation’s power nexus. You are never quite sure if the insignia you fleetingly see en route to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, is an annex of the National Assembly Complex.…
With barely weeks to the August 15 governorship election in Osun State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, have raised fresh concerns over escalating political tension, warning that violence, misinformation and electoral malpractice must not be allowed to undermine the democratic process. The caution came on Tuesday as INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, flagged off a five-day operational assessment of the election with a courtesy visit to the Ooni’s palace in Ile-Ife. The election will involve 2,339,233 registered voters across 3,763 polling units, 332 registration areas and the state’s 30 local…