The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed an amended nine-count charge against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, bordering on alleged fraud, abuse of office, and corruption. Counsel to the former governor, Ukpong Abang, disclosed to journalists after proceedings at the Kaduna State High Court on Monday that the prosecution had dropped one of the earlier defendants, leaving El-Rufai as the sole accused. The court took the defendant’s plea and heard his bail application, but the matter could not proceed further as the defence said it had just been served with the amended charges. “The…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
Former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has declared his intention to contest for a senatorial seat ahead of the 2027 general elections. Okowa made the declaration on Monday as political activities begin to gather momentum across the country. The former governor, who was the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, said he would contest under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The senatorial seat is currently occupied by businessman and lawmaker, Ned Nwoko. Okowa served as governor of Delta State from 2015 to 2023.
The Edo State Police Command has arrested an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Bonny Paul Onajite, and four other officers over alleged harassment, abduction, and extortion of residents in the state. Other officers arrested include Inspectors Ehubarieme Wisdom and Arebame God’s Power, as well as Corporals Mordi Philip and Okon Elvis. Additional suspects apprehended in connection with the alleged crimes are Destiny Emmanuel, a dismissed police corporal, Goodluck Jaja, a Point of Sale (POS) operator, Samuel Nicholas, and Etim Bright, both minibus drivers. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Benin City.…
Concerns are mounting over the preparedness for the August 15, 2026 governorship election in Osun State amid reports of resignations and defections within political circles. Attention has increasingly shifted to Governor Ademola Adeleke, with observers citing what they describe as slow campaign coordination and limited visible political activity ahead of the polls. Despite signals from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicating the commencement of campaigns, the governor is yet to appoint a Director General for his re-election bid, raising concerns among stakeholders. Reacting to the development, the Convener of the Osun Accord Liberation Movement, Yusuf Adegboye, said the situation…
The Nigeria Police have unsealed the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wadata Plaza in Abuja, granting access to a faction of the party aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The development was confirmed by the factional National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, in a statement issued on Saturday through the National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed. According to the statement, the unsealing of both the party’s national secretariat and its presidential campaign office, Legacy House in Maitama, followed duly issued court orders. Mohammed said the properties have now been handed over to the faction’s National…
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has affirmed the death sentences of two men convicted in separate murder cases in Jigawa State, dismissing their appeals and bringing the protracted legal battles to a close. In a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday, the apex court struck out the appeals marked SC/CR/2020/69 and SC/CR/70/2020, thereby upholding earlier rulings of the Jigawa State High Court and the Court of Appeal of Nigeria. The convicts, Abdulmajid Hassan and Adamu Audu, were found guilty in separate incidents involving fatal stabbings. With the Supreme Court’s decision, all legal avenues available to the defendants have been exhausted, effectively…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano State has arrested 21 suspects and seized various illicit drugs during a coordinated operation across the state. In a statement issued on Saturday, the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari, said the raids were conducted on April 11, 2026, under the leadership of the State Commander, D. Y. Lawal. According to the statement, operatives targeted major drug hotspots, including Filin Idi, Hotoro, Mariri, Fagge, and Farm Centre along Zaria Road. Items recovered during the operation include cannabis, pregabalin, codeine-based cough syrup, and rubber solution used as an inhalant. The agency…
The Kano State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has agreed to allocate 60 per cent of its leadership positions to former governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and his supporters. The decision was reached during a stakeholders’ meeting where party members deliberated on and adopted a new leadership structure. The state chairman of the party, Musa Ungogo, confirmed the arrangement, stating that Kwankwaso’s camp would take the larger share, while the remaining 40 per cent would be distributed among existing members and other groups that recently joined the party. Ungogo explained that no specific slot was reserved for former Deputy…
The Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has refuted claims that it has approved or directed the commencement of zoning arrangements ahead of its primaries and the 2027 general elections. In a statement issued on Saturday, the State Publicity Secretary, Benedict Yawe, urged party stakeholders to suspend any zoning-related activities currently ongoing in some local government areas. He said such moves should be halted pending an official position from the state secretariat. “The State Working Committee of the APC in Benue State wishes to clarify that it has not issued any directive for the commencement of zoning…
Activist Aisha Yesufu has joined growing calls for the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan. Yesufu, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said it has become necessary for Amupitan to step down over what she described as his alleged partisan conduct. She made the call in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, noting that Nigerians are becoming increasingly active in demanding accountability. “I love how active Nigerians have become! #ActiveCitizens. I always focus on the little wins. They snowball into the big wins,” she wrote. The activist added…
Operatives of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun Corps, have arrested two suspected kidnappers and armed robbers in the state. The Corps Commander, Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this while parading the suspects at the agency’s headquarters in Alagbaka, Akure. Adeleye said the suspects were apprehended in Owo, headquarters of Owo Local Government Area, adding that other arrests were made within the Oloko axis of Akure metropolis during a week-long clearance operation. He noted that the arrests were carried out through joint operations involving various security agencies in the state. According to him, a total of 164 suspects…
The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed an attack on a Police Mobile Force (PMF) camp at Nuku Village via Kaiama in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi, disclosed this in a statement issued in Ilorin on Friday. According to her, the attack occurred in the early hours of April 10, 2026, at about 03:45hrs, when armed bandits launched a coordinated assault on the facility. She said five members of the National Forest Guards were killed during the нападение, while a patrol vehicle belonging to the police was extensively damaged. “At…
The Taraba State chapter of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) has announced a shift in its political ideology, pledging to abandon godfatherism in favour of a system anchored on service, merit, and accountability. The declaration was made on Saturday during the official unveiling of the party’s secretariat in Jalingo, the state capital. Speaking at the event, the party’s state chairman, Sahadu Hassan Abubakar, said the new direction reflects the party’s commitment to transparent governance and competence-driven leadership. According to him, the move is aimed at restoring public confidence in the political process and ensuring that leadership positions are attained through…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, on the occasion of his 69th birthday. The congratulatory message was conveyed in a statement issued on Friday by the President’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga. Tinubu described Dangote as a shining example of enterprise, noting that his contributions continue to inspire generations of entrepreneurs. “I salute Aliko Dangote for his conglomerate’s role in job creation, infrastructure development, and unwavering belief in the Nigerian economy and its potential,” the president said. He added, “As you mark another year, I pray for his continued good health, wisdom, and greater accomplishments…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the postponement of the proposed nationwide voter revalidation exercise. The decision was taken following a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) held on Friday, April 10. According to the Commission, the exercise has been deferred until after the 2027 general elections. In a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC described the voter revalidation exercise as a critical component of its mandate to maintain a credible and up-to-date National Register of Voters. “The voter revalidation exercise is designed to verify…
Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have dismissed reports circulating on social media alleging that 17 soldiers, including a Brigade Commander, were killed during a clash with insurgents in Benisheikh, Borno State. The military described the claims as false and a deliberate attempt to discredit its operations in the North-East. In a statement, the Media Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Sani Uba, clarified that only two officers and two soldiers lost their lives during the engagement. “OPHK categorically refutes the claim, noting that the official and verified report, as earlier released through Defence…
The Yobe State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammad Gadaka, has declared that the ruling party will remain in power for the next 100 years. Gadaka made the assertion during the Yobe Leadership and Innovation Summit 2026 held in Damaturu, expressing confidence in the party’s long-term political dominance. The event, organised by the Centre for Leadership and Good Governance–Yobe, brought together stakeholders to discuss governance and development in the state. Speaking through the State Party Youth Leader, Muhammad Musa Gulani, Gadaka said the APC is committed to sustaining governance at the federal, state, and local levels for decades.…
The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a former 2015 senatorial candidate in Borno State, Babagana Habeeb, to 10 years imprisonment for selling petrol to Boko Haram terrorists. Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Peter Odo Lifu convicted Habeeb on a one-count charge of aiding and abetting terrorism brought against him by the Federal Government. The convict, a fuel dealer based in Maiduguri, had pleaded guilty to the charge upon arraignment, admitting to selling fuel to the insurgents. However, he claimed that his station attendants may have been responsible for the transactions. During the proceedings, Habeeb pleaded for leniency, stating…
Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a Boko Haram victim, Ali Kolo, to nine years imprisonment for failing to report the activities of the terrorist group. Kolo, who was shot in the right leg by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State, was found guilty on Thursday after pleading to a one-count charge of concealment of information. He was initially arraigned by the Federal Government on a four-count charge but admitted to failing to relay information about the terrorists to security agencies, contrary to the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2013. The prosecution, led…
The leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by David Mark has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to overturn the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which derecognised the party’s leadership. In a motion on notice dated April 7 and filed by his counsel, Sulaiman Usman, Mark urged Justice Emeka Nwite to grant a mandatory injunction setting aside INEC’s refusal to monitor the party’s congresses and convention, pending the determination of the suit. He also sought an order compelling INEC to immediately restore and maintain the names of members of the party’s National Working…