The Nigerian Army has confirmed that troops of the 25 Task Force Brigade came under a fierce ambush by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in Borno State, leaving two soldiers and two Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) operatives dead. The attack unfolded on Friday evening near Sabon Gari along the perilous Damboa–Biu highway—an area long stalked by insurgent violence. In a statement, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Appolonia Anele, said the troops were returning from a successful clearance operation in Sambisa Forest and had been conducting a routine patrol around Wajiroko in Azir Multe when the terrorists…
Author: National Update
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, will on Monday formally receive former Governor Capt. Idris Ichalla Wada into the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking one of the most significant political defections in the state in recent years. According to a statement by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Ismaila Isah, the decamping ceremony will take place at the Muhammadu Buhari Square in Lokoja, with top state and national APC leaders expected to attend. Capt. Wada, who governed Kogi State from 2012 to 2016 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will join the ruling party alongside several other prominent political figures.…
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has announced that civil construction works on the proposed Zariagi International Airport will officially commence in 2026. The disclosure came during the 2025 AKK Business Development Roadshow and the strategic launch of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, held at the Government House in Lokoja. Governor Ododo explained that the airport’s design phase took eight months to complete and is currently undergoing stakeholder review to ensure compliance with technical and regulatory standards. He emphasized that the project has already attracted interest from several local and international investors willing to support the infrastructure phase of the…
The Obidient Movement has downplayed the recent resignation of some of its interim appointees, describing the departures as a natural phase in the evolution of a fast-growing citizens’ platform. In a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, the movement said it appreciates the service rendered by the former appointees, noting that participation in the organisation is strictly voluntary and open to individuals willing to contribute to its mission of “rescuing Nigeria from bankrupt politics.” Tanko, who acknowledged the difficulty of sustaining leadership roles in a “popular, revolutionary movement,” said the resignations were understandable and posed no threat…
The atmosphere at the Peoples Democratic Party’s elective convention in Ibadan turned electric on Saturday as a wave of Goodluck Jonathan loyalists stormed the venue, boldly signaling what many have whispered for months — the former president may indeed be preparing a political rebirth. Supporters marched across the precinct hoisting flags emblazoned with Jonathan’s portrait, but it was the second face on those banners that deepened the intrigue: that of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed — showcased unmistakably as Jonathan’s preferred vice-presidential partner for 2027. Their presence reignited the growing speculation surrounding Jonathan’s rumoured comeback bid. Though the former leader…
A major confrontation is brewing in Nigeria’s oil sector as two powerful civic groups — the Yoruba Council Worldwide (YCW) and the Nigeria Coalition Group (NCG) — have openly rejected the Federal Government’s suspension of the 15% import duty on petroleum products The groups accussed entrenched oil importation cabals of orchestrating the move to protect their multibillion-naira empire. In the strongly worded declaration — signed by Aare Oladotun Hassan, Esq., President and Convener the groups alleged that the suspension—announced by the Presidency and affirmed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA)—was not prompted by any public panic…
By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse Nutrition International (NI), in collaboration with the Jigawa State Government, is set to roll out a new Behaviour Change Intervention (BCI) pilot aimed at increasing antenatal care (ANC) attendance and reducing maternal deaths in the state. The pilot will be implemented in Birninkudu and Buji Local Government Areas. The initiative was announced during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Manpower Development Institute (MDI), Dutse, where the Country Director of Nutrition International Nigeria, Dr. Osita, represented by Senior Programme Officer Ajodele Gbemileke, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to improving maternal and child nutrition in Jigawa. According to him,…
Nigeria and Poland are moving to strengthen economic cooperation and expand strategic investment opportunities, following high-level talks in Abuja between the Federal Ministry of Finance and a visiting Polish delegation. The discussions were led by Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Africa, Wojciech Zajączkowski. The meeting focused on enhancing bilateral trade and investment partnerships, with Minister Edun welcoming Poland’s growing engagement in Nigeria’s economy. He highlighted Nigeria’s improved economic outlook, driven by ongoing reforms, rising investor confidence, and strengthening macroeconomic indicators. Edun encouraged Polish investors to explore…
By Stacey Ukaobasi TACEY For a long time, Nigeria has been trapped in a cycle of insecurity, fear, and corruption. Terrorists negotiate freely with politicians; they storm classrooms, abduct schoolgirls, and take them into the forest to do unimaginable things to them. Some of these girls escape — often with children born from their captors — while the rest never make it out alive. Their voices are silenced forever, their dreams buried in shallow graves deep in the forests. The world once cried out for the Chibok girls, but that cry faded. Many of them are still missing. Some returned…
Nigeria’s notorious drug barons are reportedly on edge, as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reappoints Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd.) for a second term as Executive Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Civil rights group HURIWA hailed the move as a decisive boost to the country’s fight against narcotics trafficking and abuse. HURIWA said intelligence reaching its offices indicates that several hardened drug kingpins are already planning to evade law enforcement following signals that Marwa will take the counter-narcotics war to “even greater strategic heights.” The rights group described the reappointment as a clear message: “No tolerance…