Author: Atoyebi Adenike

By Atoyebi Nike The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has congratulated members of the 2024 Batch ‘B’ Stream II on completing their mandatory one-year national service. In a farewell address, the DG praised the corps members for their hard work, dedication, and contributions to national development, noting that their efforts had not gone unnoticed. “As you step into a new chapter, I urge you to meet life’s challenges with courage and purpose,” he said. “Be the leaders Nigeria truly needs bold, innovative, and committed to positive change.” He also encouraged them to remain proud ambassadors of the…

By Atoyebi Nike Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has demanded a retraction and public apology from the online newspaper People’s Gazette following a report accusing him of abducting the Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, and coercing him into resignation. The controversial report, published on August 2, alleged that Olukoyede and the DSS Director-General Adeola Ajayi forced Ojulari to resign at a secret meeting in Abuja, acting on the supposed orders of British-Nigerian oil magnate Olatimbo Ayinde, described in the story as a powerful influence in President…

By Atoyebi Nike The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is under renewed scrutiny after temporarily shutting down its result portal due to “technical issues.” The crash follows public outrage over the poor performance in the 2025 WASSCE, where only 38.32% of candidates earned credits in five subjects, including English and Mathematics. Many students and parents, especially on social media, have linked the mass failure in English to logistical lapses during the exams, including late-night sittings and inadequate exam time. Several users shared screenshots showing strong performance in other subjects but failure in English, demanding WAEC review the grading process. Calls…

By Atoyebi Nike Retired police officers under Nigeria’s Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) have insisted on complete removal from the system, despite new welfare measures announced by President Bola Tinubu aimed at improving their conditions. On Wednesday, President Tinubu directed the immediate rollout of free healthcare for low-income retirees under the CPS and ordered long-delayed pension increases. He also instructed the Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Omolola Oloworaran, to urgently resolve pension-related challenges affecting the police. “The men and women who served and protected our country deserve to retire with dignity and peace of mind,” Tinubu said, according…

By Atoyebi Nike Amnesty International Nigeria has condemned the detention of journalist and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, describing it as arbitrary and politically motivated. The rights group is demanding his immediate and unconditional release. Sowore, who is also the publisher of Sahara Reporters, was detained on Wednesday after he arrived at the Force Headquarters in Abuja to honour a police invitation. The Nigeria Police Force is reportedly investigating him over allegations of “forgery and inciting disturbance,” through its Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit. In a statement posted late Wednesday on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, Amnesty International…

By Atoyebi Nike A surge of chikungunya virus infections has hit southern China, with over 7,000 confirmed cases centred in the Shunde district of Foshan. The outbreak has prompted authorities to enforce strict mosquito-control measures and expand isolation capacity in hospitals. The World Health Organization warned in July that chikungunya risked becoming a global epidemic, citing climate change as a factor driving the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Chinese health officials are now doubling mosquito-proof hospital beds and fining households for allowing stagnant water key mosquito breeding sites. Chikungunya is transmitted through the bites of infected dengue and Asian tiger mosquitoes.…

By Atoyebi Nike President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate rollout of free healthcare for low-income retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) as part of a broader effort to protect vulnerable Nigerians in retirement. According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu issued the directive following a briefing from the Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Omolola Oloworaran, at the State House on Wednesday. The President also ordered the implementation of overdue pension increases and the enforcement of a minimum pension guarantee, offering a vital safety net to…

By Atoyebi Nike The number of people who have died from starvation in Gaza has climbed to 193, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. Officials confirmed five additional hunger-related deaths in the last 24 hours, underscoring the worsening humanitarian crisis triggered by Israel’s ongoing military operations and the blockade of essential supplies. Human rights groups and aid agencies have repeatedly warned of famine-like conditions in parts of Gaza due to the restricted access to food, water, and medical aid. The situation remains dire as international calls grow louder for urgent humanitarian relief and a ceasefire to prevent further civilian suffering.…

By Atoyebi Nike President Bola Tinubu has congratulated three Nigerian students for their outstanding victories at the 2025 TeenEagle Global competition in London. Seventeen-year-old Nafisa Abdullahi Aminu was named overall best in English language skills, 15-year-old Rukayya Muhammad Fema won best in debate, and Hadiza Kashim Kalli clinched gold in the outstanding talent category. In a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu described the students’ triumph as evidence of Nigeria’s promising future and the quality of its education system. “These accomplishments are a testament to the quality and potential of Nigeria’s education system,” he said, reaffirming his administration’s commitment…

By Atoyebi Nike The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, has praised President Bola Tinubu for signing the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Bill into law. Now officially the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act, 2025 (NIIRA), the law repeals outdated insurance legislation and introduces a unified legal framework aimed at innovation, regulation, and policyholder protection. Abiru, who led the sponsorship of the bill, described it as one of the most comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s insurance history and key to achieving the government’s $1 trillion economic ambition. He noted that the Act would…