Author: Atoyebi Adenike

By Atoyebi Nike Over 1,200 individuals formerly aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) have officially joined the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), marking a significant political development in Kano South Senatorial District. The new party loyalists, who hail from Albasu and Sumaila Local Government Areas, were previously affiliated with the Waraka political group led by Senator Kawu Sumaila. Their defection was formally announced during a political meeting held on Sunday, which drew high-ranking figures from the NNPP. The National Leader of the NNPP and former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who was present at the event, described…

BY NWADUBA GERALD Tottenham Hotspur have sacked manager Ante Postecoglou just weeks after winning the Europa League in Bilbao. Club chairman Daniel Levy made the decision yesterday in an official statement. Daniel Levy had previously sacked Mauricio Poccettino months after reaching the UEFA Champions League final and Portuguese legendary coach Jose Mourinho six days to a league cup final with Postecoglou being the latest victim of Levy’s sacking spree. Despite winning the UEFA Europa League last month Tottenham had a woeful premier league season finishing just one place above relegation in 17th. In his official statement Postecoglou said “When I…

By Atoyebi Nike Thirty-five Nigerian nationals, including five minors and nine women, have been repatriated from Ireland in a government-led deportation exercise described as the first African-bound charter flight operation of the year. The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), which oversaw the removal, confirmed that the children involved were part of family units. The group was flown out of Dublin Airport on the night of Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in a chartered aircraft that later landed in Nigeria after making an unplanned stop to address a medical situation on board. This marks the third deportation operation involving chartered flights since…

By Atoyebi Nike Ijebu-Ode, a historic town in Ogun State, is bracing for a cultural extravaganza as it prepares to host the 2025 edition of the Ojude Oba Festival on June 8. This year’s celebration is projected to draw more than 100 million participants and viewers globally, highlighting the rich cultural tapestry of the Yoruba people. Renowned for its regal horse-riding processions, elaborate fashion displays, and deep-rooted traditional homage to the Awujale of Ijebuland, the festival has evolved into one of Nigeria’s most iconic cultural gatherings. Families, cultural age-grade groups (regberegbes), dignitaries, and tourists converge annually to honor the monarch…

By Atoyebi Nike The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has launched targeted aerial missions in Borno State, eliminating extremists and demolishing strategic supply centers in two major insurgent zones. The operation, executed under the military’s Operation HADIN KAI framework, took place on June 5 and 6 in remote parts of the Lake Chad axis, specifically within Tumbumma Baba and Chiralia communities. These areas have long served as operational grounds for violent extremist factions. Acting on surveillance findings, NAF combat jets struck critical installations reportedly used for stockpiling weapons and coordinating operations. The strikes reportedly disrupted planned attacks and neutralized multiple hostile…

By Atoyebi Nike With less than 300 days remaining before the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) deadline for commercial banks to meet new capital requirements, Nigeria’s financial sector is undergoing a dramatic transformation. The directive, which mandates a significant increase in capital thresholds, is shaping up to be the most far-reaching reform in the industry in over a decade. Banks are now confronting a moment of reckoning—either scale up quickly or risk losing relevance in an increasingly competitive financial system. The new capital structure, introduced in 2024, demands that banks with international authorization hold a minimum capital of N500 billion.…

By Atoyebi Nike A coalition of professionals affiliated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sharply criticized the reported defection of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as a serious misstep that has eroded his public image and weakened his political standing. In a strongly worded statement issued on Friday, the Protem National Coordinator of the Conference of Professionals in PDP (CP-PDP), Barrister Obinna Nwachukwu, described the governor’s decision as regrettable and damaging, particularly given the values he was once seen to represent. “Governor Eno began his tenure with a…

By Atoyebi Nike Health professionals and policy leaders have called for expanded financial commitment to maternal and child health services during a stakeholder dialogue and policy workshop focused on primary healthcare (PHC) financing in Nigeria. The event, hosted by Development Governance International (DGI) Consult with support from UNICEF, took place in Abuja and brought together stakeholders from government and civil society. Dr. Gafar Alawode, Chief Executive Officer of DGI Consult, said the event aimed to share findings from a detailed public health spending review and rally stakeholders around evidence-driven recommendations. He stressed the importance of prioritizing strategic investments at the…

By Ibrahim Babangida Lawal Today, we gather our thoughts and summon words to honour the memory of a colossus whose existence was indelibly inscribed upon the intellectual, political, and diplomatic annals of our nation — Professor Jibrin Aminu. He was not merely a scholar; he was a custodian of wisdom, a paragon of civic virtue, and an unwavering patriot whose fidelity to Nigeria’s progress was as profound as it was enduring. Born in the serene environs of Song, Adamawa State, in August 1939, Professor Aminu’s trajectory from modest beginnings to the apex of national service exemplifies the quintessential Nigerian dream…

By Atoyebi Nike Frogs, salamanders, and other amphibians around the world face mounting threats from a devastating fungus, climate change, habitat loss—and road mortality. Among these, roads pose a uniquely immediate danger by cutting through critical migration corridors, allowing vehicles to crush millions of animals each year. Now, a new, first-of-its-kind study offers powerful evidence that a simple intervention—wildlife underpass tunnels—can dramatically reduce these amphibian deaths and help preserve ecosystems. In research spanning more than a decade, scientists and citizens from the University of Vermont, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, and the local community assessed the effectiveness of two…