Author: Atoyebi Adenike

By Atoyebi Nike Catastrophic flooding across Nigeria has emerged as one of the most urgent threats to national stability this year, with the tragic Mokwa incident serving as a brutal reminder of the cost of environmental neglect and climate inaction. In the final days of May, floods in Mokwa, Niger State, swept through dozens of communities, killing more than 500 people and displacing thousands. The deluge, which unfolded between May 28 and 29, obliterated over 4,000 homes, submerged vital croplands, and crippled roads and bridges. Local farmers describe total devastation crops drowned, livestock lost, and a future uncertain. The National…

By Atoyebi Nike In a renewed effort to strengthen economic ties with Africa, United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday welcomed the Presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal to the White House, where discussions centered on unlocking business potential and forming strategic investment partnerships. The leaders gathered at a luncheon in the State Dining Room, where President Trump highlighted Africa’s vast wealth in natural resources and its importance to U.S. foreign policy. “You come from very vibrant places with valuable land, great minerals, oil deposits, and wonderful people,” Trump said. He also noted the continent’s internal tensions but…

By Ibrahim Babangida Lawal In a bid to strengthen agricultural productivity and empower civil servants to contribute directly to food security, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has approved a temporary restructuring of the official work schedule during the 2025 wet farming season. According to a circular issued by the Permanent Secretary of the General Administration Department, Alhaji Adamu Gambaki, the policy will take effect from July 10 through November 10, 2025, covering both state and local government employees. Under the new arrangement, civil servants on Grade Levels 01 to 12 will enjoy work-free Thursdays and Fridays, while senior…

By Sani Danaudi Mohammed The ADC coalition’s emergence has sparked debate about whether Nigerians can trust this new alliance, with some questioning if it’s just “same faces, new platform.” History has shown that similar coalitions, like the APC’s merger of CPC, ACN, and ANPP, can be successful, but others have faltered due to underlying tensions and mistrust. Can the ADC coalition prove itself different, or will it succumb to the same challenges that have plagued previous alliances? The formation of coalitions in Nigerian politics has been a recurring theme, with various political parties and heavyweight politicians coming together to achieve…

By Ibrahim Babangida Lawal, North Journals In a landmark ruling delivered yesterday at the Bwari Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Hon. Justice M. A. Madugu has declared the suspension of key executives of the Nigerian Fruits Sellers Association, FCT Abuja Branch, as unconstitutional, null and void. The suit, filed by Ibrahim M. Talba, the Registered Trustees of the Nigerian Fruits Sellers Association, Yusuf Nadabo, and Sarki Hasan (the Claimants), challenged their suspension by the Gwagwalada Area Council and the subsequent installation of a caretaker committee comprising Alhaji Lararan Abubakar, Shafiu M. Yahaya, Nura Haruna,…

By Ibrahim Babangida Lawal This is not just another news report—it is a desperate cry from mothers who can no longer sleep, fathers who roam the streets at dawn searching for shadows of their missing children, and siblings who clutch empty beds at night praying for a miracle that may never come. Once a quiet refuge in the Federal Capital Territory, Gwagwalada has become a terrifying hunting ground for soulless predators who rip children from the arms of their families without mercy or remorse. In the space of just seven days, six children each with a name, a laugh, a…

By Aminu Adamu Throughout Nigeria’s democratic experience, few issues have become as glaringly disquieting as the degeneration of political dialogue into uncouth exchanges, character assassination, and brazenly uncivil rhetoric. The political space, particularly during electioneering periods, has morphed into a theater of insult-laden vitriol, where ideological debates are eclipsed by personal denigrations and tribalist undertones. This trend, if left unchecked, portends grave implications for the health of Nigeria’s democratic culture and the very soul of her national cohesion. Nigeria is historically a society steeped in norms of respect, oratory finesse, and elder reverence—values enshrined in every cultural enclave, from the…

By Ibrahim Babangida Lawal The Federal Government of Nigeria has registered profound disquiet over the United States Government’s recent decision to substantially curtail the validity of certain non-immigrant visas granted to Nigerian citizens. In an official communique issued on Wednesday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government disclosed that the United States has unilaterally revised its visa reciprocity framework for Nigerian nationals, truncating the duration of B1/B2 (business and tourist), F (student), and J (exchange visitor) visas to a mere three months, restricting holders to a single entry. The Federal Government characterised this development as deeply disconcerting, emphasising that…

By Atoyebi Nike Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport have intercepted ₦654 million worth of undeclared foreign currency hidden inside cartons of clothing. The seizure was disclosed during a press briefing on Tuesday at the Customs Command headquarters in Bompai, Kano. Dalhatu Abubakar, Comptroller of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command, said the operation followed actionable intelligence and led to the arrest of a suspect, Ahmed Salisu, who arrived aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Saudi Arabia. According to Abubakar, Salisu, a Ghanaian passport holder, was selected for further screening upon arrival. During baggage inspection,…

By Atoyebi Nike Operatives of the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested nine individuals suspected of engaging in illegal mining activities in Kaniyan Village, Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State. The suspects include five Chinese nationals—Wu Ping, Xu XianLiang, Xu Aimin, Xeu Cihuo, and Liu Changhua as well as four Nigerians identified as Ibrahim Abdullahi, Sunday Oladele, Destiny John, and Bulus Samuel. According to the EFCC, the arrests followed actionable intelligence that prompted a targeted operation at the mining site. The operatives recovered a massive haul of equipment used in illegal mining…