Author: Atoyebi Adenike
By Atoyebi Nike The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday declined to grant Nnamdi Kanu’s ex parte motion requesting a transfer from the Sokoto Correctional Centre to a facility closer to the Federal Capital Territory. Justice James Omotosho ruled that the application, filed by Legal Aid Council lawyer Demdoo Asan, could not proceed without notifying the respondents, including the Federal Government and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS). The IPOB leader, sentenced to life imprisonment on November 20 for terrorism-related offences, had proposed Suleja or Keffi custodial centres as alternatives. The judge struck out the part of Kanu’s motion seeking…
By Atoyebi Nike The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has called on the Federal Government to fully reopen all Nigerian land borders to ease the movement of people and goods under the ECOWAS trade liberalization framework. Ladoja made the appeal on Sunday during a farewell visit by the outgoing Controller of Customs, Oyo/Osun Area Command, Compt. Gambo Aliyu, at his Bodija residence in Ibadan. He noted that following the fuel subsidy removal on May 29, 2023, there was no justification for keeping the remaining borders closed. While commending the Customs Service for anti-smuggling efforts, the Olubadan urged enhanced policing…
By Atoyebi Nike President Bola Tinubu and French President Emmanuel Macron held a telephone discussion on Sunday focusing on Nigeria’s worsening security situation and measures to protect vulnerable communities. The talks came as Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, hosted a visiting United States delegation led by Ambassador Richard Mills and senior congressional members. Macron assured Tinubu of France’s solidarity amid escalating terrorist threats, pledging intensified support for Nigerian authorities and affected populations. “We call on all our partners to step up their engagement. No one can remain a spectator,” Macron wrote on X. The meetings coincided with rising attacks…
By Atoyebi Nike Former presidential adviser Hakeem Baba-Ahmed has urged President Bola Tinubu to consider stepping aside, arguing that it may be in Nigeria’s best interest. Speaking on Arise TV’s Daybreak programme on Monday, Baba-Ahmed said Tinubu’s two and a half years in office have fallen short of public expectations, with a gap between government reports and citizens’ experiences of rising poverty, hardship, and insecurity. “There’s a wide discrepancy between what he says he’s doing and what people say they are living,” he said, criticizing the President’s handling of security. “President Buhari left a terrible security situation and Tinubu doesn’t…
By Atoyebi Nike The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) has restored 450 megawatts of generation capacity to Nigeria’s national grid following scheduled maintenance at the Geregu National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) plant in Kogi State. The four-week inspection, conducted by Siemens Energy, aimed to enhance reliability, efficiency and extend the plant’s operational life. NDPHC’s Managing Director, Jennifer Adighije, described the milestone as part of the company’s broader drive to revive dormant power assets and strengthen the electricity supply chain. Over the past year, six previously idle gas turbines across NDPHC plants including Calabar, Omotosho II, Benin, Sapele, and Alaoji…
By Atoyebi Nike Nigeria earned $62 million from airline ticket taxes in 2024, according to new figures released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The amount formed part of the $1.97 billion collected across Africa and the $60.3 billion generated worldwide. IATA’s data showed that although Africa contributed a small fraction of global ticket-tax revenue, countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco and Kenya played important roles due to their busy international hubs. South Africa led the continent with an estimated $410 million, followed by Egypt with $360 million and Ethiopia with $310 million. Africa’s average tax…
By Atoyebi Nike The Adamawa State Government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Lamurde Local Government Area after a new round of communal violence erupted on Sunday evening. Governor Ahmadu Fintiri announced the measure through a statement issued on Monday by Hussaini Hammangabdo, press secretary to the deputy governor. The directive mandates security agencies to move into the affected communities and stabilize the situation without delay. According to the statement, the governor acted on reports of escalating tensions and instructed security operatives to take full control of the area. The government noted that the curfew took effect immediately to prevent…
By Atoyebi Nike The Adamawa State Police Command has opened an investigation into the death of a 27-year-old law student, Ojajuni Ayomiposi, at the Nigerian Law School, Yola Campus. Police spokesman SP Suleiman Nguroje said in a statement on Sunday that the student, an indigene of Ondo State, was discovered unconscious after jumping over the school fence. According to the command, Ayomiposi returned to campus around 11:30 a.m. on December 6, 2025, in a tricycle. Witnesses said he appeared to be staggering before he leaped over the fence into the hostel area. A security guard later found him vomiting and…
By Atoyebi Nike Nigeria has acknowledged that its armed forces entered the Republic of Benin on Sunday to help foil a coup attempt against President Patrice Talon. The confirmation came through a late-night statement from Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu. According to the presidency, Benin submitted two formal requests asking Nigeria to provide immediate military assistance. The first appeal sought emergency air support to dislodge soldiers who seized the national broadcaster and regrouped at a military facility. Onanuga said President Tinubu ordered Nigerian Air Force fighter jets to secure Benin’s airspace and assist loyalist units confronting the…
By Atoyebi Nike Edo State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, says Governor Monday Okpebholo has surprised critics with visible development projects across the state. He noted that public debate has shifted from doubts about the governor’s capability to questions about how he is financing the breadth of capital investments, including new schools, rehabilitated facilities, security infrastructure, water projects and agricultural support. Afegbua said the previous administration paid EdoBEST consultants N160 million monthly while many schools deteriorated. Okpebholo, he added, has redirected resources to strengthen tertiary institutions. Ambrose Alli University’s subvention has risen from N41 million to N500…