Fresh fears over the worsening security situation around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have emerged after a retired Nigerian Army officer was shot in the chest and left for dead by suspected terrorists during a midnight raid on Karshi, one of Abuja’s satellite communities. The victim, Master Warrant Officer (MWO) Michael Eneware, a retired public relations officer who last served at the Nigerian Army War College, Abuja, narrowly escaped death after the attackers abandoned him in a bush, believing he had died from the gunshot wound. The July 29 attack also resulted in the abduction of one of Eneware’s neighbours,…
Author: National Update
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving salary increases of between 30 and 80 per cent for members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, describing the move as a landmark intervention that should herald a new era of sustainable welfare reforms for military personnel. The civil rights organisation, however, urged the Federal Government to go beyond the pay raise by putting in place enduring legal and institutional mechanisms that would guarantee the welfare of serving and retired military personnel. In a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko,…
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has introduced a stringent new verification requirement for prospective corps members, declaring that no graduate will be mobilised for the mandatory one-year national service without clearance from the National Electronic Registration Database (NERD). The directive, announced in a public notice on the scheme’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, marks a significant tightening of the NYSC’s mobilisation process as authorities move to enhance the credibility and integrity of the national service programme. “This is to inform Prospective Corps Members (PCMs) that without NERD clearance, there will be no NYSC. Get your NERD clearance early. Avoid…
A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jonathan Vatsa, has openly challenged the Presidency’s handling of criticism from the Catholic Church, warning that attacks on senior Christian clerics could exact a heavy political cost on President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election. In a rare rebuke from within the ruling party, the former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism urged presidential spokespersons Daniel Bwala and Bayo Onanuga to stop what he described as attempts to discredit Catholic bishops whose observations on hunger, insecurity and economic hardship reflected the daily realities confronting millions of Nigerians.…
Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Coalition (NDC), Peter Obi, has challenged Nigerian youths to take greater responsibility for the country’s future by embracing leadership, active citizenship and good governance. Obi made the call on Tuesday while delivering the keynote address at the Babcock International Model United Nations (BIMUN 2026) hosted by Babcock University, Ogun State, where he said Africa’s youthful population must become the driving force behind peace, development and democratic progress. Speaking on the theme, “Better Together: A Decade of BIMUN Advancing the United Nations Vision for Peace, Development, and Human Rights,” Obi urged students to prepare themselves…
In a move to heal cracks exposed by its recently concluded primary elections, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has constituted a high-powered National Reconciliation Committee headed by political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, with veteran politician Engr. Buba Galadima serving as Co-Chairman. The intervention comes as the opposition party moves to consolidate its ranks following post-primary grievances in several states, with the leadership determined to prevent internal disputes from undermining preparations for the 2027 general elections. The committee was unveiled in a statement jointly signed on Wednesday by the NDC National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses, and the National Secretary, Mr. Ikenna…
By Lamara Garba The Kano State League of Veteran Journalists has thrown its support behind the Special Task Force Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking inaugurated by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, saying the initiative could mark a turning point in the fight against substance abuse in the state if backed by sustained public participation. The League’s Interim Chairman, Alhaji Aminu Mahmud, made the position known in a statement, describing drug abuse as a growing threat to public safety, youth development and social stability. He called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations, parents and the media to join hands with…
By: Lamara Garba In every generation, society is blessed with individuals who understand that true greatness is measured not by what one possesses but by what one gives. Dr. Salamatu Garba, the visionary founder and Director of Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN), has continued to demonstrate that development is most meaningful when it uplifts institutions and communities alike. Through the Sibline Integrated Farms and Innovation Limited (SIBLINE) Project, her interventions have strengthened Bayero University, Kano by providing modern agricultural equipment worth millions of naira, supporting practical training for students, sponsoring senior management staff to the United Kingdom for advanced training…
The Nigeria Police Force has launched an internal investigation into corruption allegations made against Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Abubakar Jimoh by controversial social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), while insisting that due process—not social media pressure—will determine the outcome. In a statement, the Force Headquarters said disciplinary proceedings against any police officer are strictly governed by the Constitution, the Police Act 2020, Police Regulations, Force Orders and other extant administrative procedures. The police reaffirmed the right of Nigerians to hold public institutions accountable but cautioned that such rights must be exercised responsibly. “The Force affirms…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja The Initiative for Grassroot Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA) has challenged the Kogi State Government to translate its long-term development agenda into visible improvements in the lives of residents by investing in affordable mass transit, reliable public water supply and environmental sanitation. The civil society organisation said the true measure of governance is not the number of policy documents or development plans unveiled but the availability of basic public services that directly impact citizens’ daily lives. In a statement issued on Tuesday in Lokoja by its Executive Director, Hamza Aliyu, INGRA urged Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s administration…