Author: The Editor

LAGOS/ABUJA— Tensions between Nigeria and South Africa have reached a critical juncture following a renewed wave of xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals across several South African provinces. The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has issued an urgent alert, describing the situation as “deteriorating” and warning that Nigerian citizens face increasing threats to their safety and livelihoods The Current Trend: Violence, Fear, and Economic Disruption Reports from Johannesburg, Pretoria, and KwaZulu-Natal indicate a disturbing pattern: foreign-owned shops looted, verbal harassment at checkpoints, and physical assaults on migrants—many of whom are Nigerian, Ghanaian, Zimbabwean, and other African nationals. According to NiDCOM, “pupils…

Benin City- Tragedy struck the University of Benin (UNIBEN) community on Sunday evening, May 10, 2026, when a part-time final-year Political Science student was shot dead inside his Mercedes GLK SUV at the Ugbowo campus main gate, shortly after completing his semester examinations. According to eyewitness accounts and graphic videos circulating widely on social media, the victim – yet to be publicly named – was slumped in the driver’s seat with a gunshot wound to the forehead. Bullets had pierced the windscreen. Reports indicate he was not alone in the vehicle; at least two others (a female and another male…

ABUJA — Nigeria’s economy is projected to grow by 4.3% by the end of 2026, according to a joint report released Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the World Bank. The figure marks a significant rebound from the 2.9% growth recorded in previous cycles and comes as the administration heralds what it calls the “Great Stabilization” — a term officials have used to describe the impact of fiscal reforms implemented over the past two years. Those reforms included the complete removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of the exchange rate, both of which triggered widespread public…

ABUJA, Nigeria — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially declared the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, wanted. This development marks a dramatic turning point in a multi-billion naira investigation that has gripped the nation for months. The Commission took the step after the former minister failed to appear for a scheduled interrogation for the fourth consecutive time. Detectives are investigating the alleged laundering of ₦37,170,855,753—funds meant for Nigeria’s poorest citizens under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP). The Trail of the Missing Billions According to a source within the…

LAGOS, Nigeria — The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has escalated its campaign for transparency in the telecommunications sector, formally demanding that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu initiate a high-level probe into the alleged diversion of ₦26.9 billion from the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF). The demand follows a damning audit report from the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, which flagged “gross financial irregularities” and a lack of accountability within the fund. The USPF, established under the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, is funded by a portion of the annual turnover of telecommunications operators. Its primary mandate is to…

The 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) lit up Lagos on May 9, 2026, transforming the Exhibition Center of the Eko Hotel and Suites into a cathedral of African storytelling. For one night, the continent’s finest filmmakers, actors, and technicians gathered not just to collect trophies, but to bear witness to an industry that has matured into a global cultural force. This year’s ceremony marked several watershed moments: the expansion of indigenous language categories to include North and Central Africa, the coronation of new acting royalty, and a subtle but significant shift in how African cinema…

In a decisive move to restore credibility to Nigeria’s higher education system, the Federal Government has launched a comprehensive crackdown on the abuse of honorary degrees, effectively ending decades of unchecked conferment and title misuse that has seen politicians, business elites, and public figures parade unearned academic distinctions. The announcement, made via the Presidency’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on May 9, 2026, declared: “FG Cracks Down on Honourary Degree Abuse, Restores Integrity to University Honours System.” The Policy Framework: What Changed? The new regulatory framework, approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and effective from April 20, 2026, introduces…

ABUJA — May 9, 2026 The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has formally zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, restricting the slot to a single four-year term and reserving the 2031 ticket for the North. The decision was ratified on Saturday at the party’s maiden National Convention held at the Light House Conference Centre in Abuja, where delegates also approved amendments to the party constitution and elected new national executives . Strategic Power-Sharing Formula The zoning resolution represents a calculated effort to balance regional equity with electoral strategy. By limiting the 2027 candidacy to one term, the party has…

Governor Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo has taken decisive steps to resolve the protracted Eze Uzu traditional stool crisis in Awka, announcing plans for a befitting central palace for the legitimate monarch and warning against the illegal parading of parallel traditional rulers. The Governor made the disclosures on Thursday during a high-level consultative meeting with members of the Ozo Awka Society at the Light House, the new Government House complex in Awka. Commission of Inquiry Findings Upheld Citing the report of a Commission of Inquiry chaired by retired Justice Paul Obidigwe, Governor Soludo affirmed that Obi Gibson Nwosu (Eze Uzu II)…

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been named the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Men’s Footballer of the Year for the 2025/26 season, the English football media’s most prestigious individual honour. The 31-year-old Portuguese international edged out Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice by just 28 votes, securing 45 per cent of the ballot from the FWA’s 900-plus members. Manchester City striker Erling Haaland finished third. No other United player received a single vote, while Arsenal’s support was split among Rice, David Raya, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Magalhães. It marks the first time a Red Devils player has claimed the award since Wayne…