Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has reopened the controversy surrounding the late former Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy Governor, Dr Obadiah Mailafia, asking Nigerians to distinguish between an explosive allegation and facts established by evidence. Dalung said the controversy surrounding Mailafia’s 2020 claims should not be remembered without examining the more fundamental question of what was eventually established from the allegations. Mailafia had in August 2020 alleged that a serving governor in northern Nigeria was the commander of Boko Haram. He claimed that the information came from repentant bandit commanders whom he said he and others had…
Author: National Update
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is moving to transform its network of more than 900 filling stations into multi-energy hubs offering petrol, gas, electricity and digital services. The company plans to roll out between **50 and 70 smart stations within the next six months**, signalling a major shift in the way motorists and other energy consumers will access services at NNPC Retail outlets. The Executive Vice President, Downstream, NNPCL, Mumuni Dagazau, disclosed this in Abuja after the commissioning of a technology-driven smart station. He said about five smart stations had already been established in Abuja, with the wider…
Abia State is targeting about **N1.24 trillion in private capital** to finance major projects as Governor Alex Otti’s administration seeks to reduce reliance on public funds for infrastructure and economic expansion. The investment pipeline comprises about **N914 billion in joint ventures** and another **N327 billion through design-build-operate-transfer (DBOT) concessions),** with market development, power and energy among the sectors being targeted. Otti disclosed this in Lagos while speaking at the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce Meet the Governor Series. The governor said some of the projects would be flagged off soon, describing private capital as critical to expanding the state’s development beyond…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed September 19, 2026, for elections to fill five vacant legislative seats across four states. The by-elections will take place in Gombe, Bauchi, Delta and Kano states, giving political parties another major electoral contest less than a year before the 2027 general elections. The exercise will produce one new member of the House of Representatives and four members of various State Houses of Assembly. In Gombe, voters in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency will elect a new representative at the National Assembly. Bauchi will conduct elections in the Disina and Sakwa State Constituencies, while…
What began as online relationships allegedly ended with more than 100 women in the United States losing millions of dollars, with six Nigerian men now extradited from South Africa to face prosecution. The suspects, arrested in South Africa in 2021, are accused of using sophisticated online romance schemes to win the trust of their alleged victims before persuading them to part with money. The alleged victims reportedly included pensioners and businesspeople, with the losses put at more than R100 million by South African authorities. The six men are wanted in the United States over allegations of wire fraud and money…
The battle for the opposition camp ahead of the 2027 presidential election took a fresh turn on Thursday as Nigeria Democratic Congress Vice-Presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, urged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to abandon his presidential ambition. Kwankwaso, who is the running mate to NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi, made the appeal in Abuja while addressing members of the Fulani Farmers Association at his residence. The former Kano State governor appealed to Atiku to step aside, pointing to the former vice-president’s age and health. He also sought to reassure Atiku that his political relevance would not be threatened if he withdrew…
Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM), formally University of Agriculture Makurdi(UAM) has turned to some of its best graduates to strengthen its academic pipeline, with about 70 First-Class alumni recruited into the university system. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Itodo, said the initiative was designed to retain exceptional young talents and groom them for future roles as lecturers, researchers and university administrators. According to him, the recruitment was part of a broader human capital strategy aimed at ensuring that the university’s rapid expansion in infrastructure was matched by a strong and sustainable academic workforce. Itodo said his administration had increased the…
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Niger State, Jonathan Vatsa, has warned that the party could face a difficult 2027 governorship contest if an opposition party fields a Muslim-Christian ticket. Vatsa, a former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, said the religious composition of the governorship ticket could become a major electoral factor in the state. His warning came while reacting to Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago’s appointment of six commissioners-designate, including three Christians. Vatsa welcomed the appointments but said they fell short of addressing what he described as the marginalisation of Christians in the state. According to him,…
Peter Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate for the 2027 election, has said Nigeria must turn its painful history into a resource for national transformation rather than remain trapped by past tragedies. Obi said the 1966 coups, the civil war and other episodes of mass violence should serve as lessons for building a more united, stable and prosperous country. The former Anambra State governor made the statement while responding to concerns raised by some Nigerians after he was questioned about the 1966 coups during an interview with an Arise News anchor. Obi said he had received calls and messages…
The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, has backed Saudi Arabia’s proposed reform of Nigeria’s Hajj operations, including the planned migration to a Business-to-Business model. Mahmoud, however, called for a smooth and phased transition to prevent disruptions to pilgrims and other stakeholders. She spoke on Thursday during a policy engagement on the proposed reform, saying Nigeria would respect reforms introduced by the Saudi authorities while ensuring adequate arrangements were made for stakeholders to adjust to the new system. The minister welcomed the proposed transition period, saying a gradual implementation would help Nigeria adapt and ensure…