The Department of State Services (DSS) has freed two Jay 101.9 FM journalists in Jos, Plateau State, after their wrongful arrest during President Bola Tinubu’s condolence visit on Saturday. Reporters Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang were picked up by operatives while covering events linked to the burial of the mother of APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe. Once briefed, DSS Director-General Oluwatosin Ajayi reportedly ordered their immediate release and personally reached out to the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to apologise. “The DG made it clear that such overzealous conduct is unacceptable under his leadership,” a security source confirmed.…
Author: National Update
Nearly ten years after his sudden death shook Kogi State’s political landscape, the government has set machinery in motion to immortalize the late Prince Abubakar Audu, the state’s first civilian governor and one of its most iconic political figures. On Friday, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, represented by the APC State Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, inaugurated a 13-member committee to organize a 10th-year memorial programme in Audu’s honour. The committee is chaired by Deputy Governor Comrade Joel Salifu, with Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barr. Ozigi Mamodu Deedat, as secretary. Other members include politicians, technocrats, family representatives, and academics,…
Kano came alive on Saturday as thousands of worshippers thronged the city for the 75th Maukibi, the annual Maulud celebrating Sheikh Abdulkadir Jailani, founder of the Qadiriyya Sufi Order. Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the grand event, Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, CON, mni, delivered a goodwill message to the Qadiriyya community, praising its enduring contributions to peace, tolerance, and spiritual growth in Nigeria and across Africa. This year’s gathering carried added significance as it also marked the 30th anniversary of Sheikh Karibullah Nasiru Kabara’s leadership of the Qadiriyya movement across the continent. Badaru assured that the Tinubu…
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has called on the Abia State Government and the South-East to give due recognition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for releasing funds that have enabled states to execute key development projects. Speaking on Friday at the commissioning of projects in Aba, Abia State, Kalu commended Governor Alex Otti for his infrastructural drive but insisted that the President deserved credit for ensuring resources reached the states following the removal of fuel subsidy. “As a federal lawmaker and a leader in this country, I want us to be very vocal…
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed as false and misleading reports suggesting he accused the late President Muhammadu Buhari of having ties to Boko Haram. In a statement on Saturday, Jonathan’s media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, said the former president’s remarks at the public presentation of a book by retired Defence Chief, General Lucky Irabor, were deliberately twisted by some sections of the press. Jonathan clarified that he was referring to a documented episode in which Boko Haram, in its early years, falsely named respected Nigerians as potential mediators—a ploy meant to cause confusion and weaken trust in government. “At no…
President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his respect for religious freedom, saying he has never attempted to convert his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, from Christianity to Islam. Tinubu made the remarks on Saturday in Jos at the funeral service of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda. “I inherited Islam from my family, but my wife is a pastor who prays for me always. I have never sought to convince or convert her. I believe strongly in the freedom of religion,” the president said. Calling for unity, he urged Nigerians to rise above ethnic and religious divides:…
President Bola Tinubu on Friday failed to make a scheduled visit to Abia State, with Minister of Works David Umahi explaining that his absence was due to the funeral of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda. Tinubu had been expected in Abia to commission a series of projects completed by Governor Alex Otti, but instead sent Umahi to represent him. The development sparked reactions from opposition supporters, who took to social media to celebrate the President’s no-show. Speaking on behalf of the President, Umahi assured residents that Tinubu’s visit had only been…
President Bola Tinubu on Saturday joined worshippers at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Jos, Plateau State, where he attended the funeral service of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, late mother of All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Prof. Nantewe Yilwatda Goshwe. Tinubu, a Muslim, was accompanied by his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, a Christian and ordained Assistant Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). Their presence underscored the President’s message of unity across faith lines. The service, which drew top political and community leaders, was both a solemn tribute to the late matriarch and a moment of solidarity…
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has warned that his administration will no longer tolerate the collection of levies from petty traders in Anambra State, declaring that offenders will be arrested. Speaking at a campaign rally in Ekwulọbịa, Aguata Local Government Area, Soludo said his attention was drawn during a visit to Eke market in Awgbu where officials were still collecting fees from traders with less than ₦100,000 in capital — in defiance of government’s directive. “Don’t collect from them anymore. We will arrest anybody that goes ahead to disregard this,” he warned, stressing his commitment to protecting the livelihoods of small-scale…
Panic has swept through Oke-Ode, a community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, after fresh bandit attacks forced scores of residents to abandon their homes. Families were seen arriving in Ilorin, the state capital, carrying bags and household items, seeking shelter with relatives and vowing not to return until peace is restored. The latest assault, which occurred on Sunday, September 28, claimed 13 lives, left many injured, and saw five residents kidnapped. The tragedy has renewed calls for decisive action against insecurity in the state. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who visited the community during the week, described the killings…