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19 Dead 8 Injured in Kogi Highway Crash Involving Truck and Bus

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago02 mins

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed a tragic accident along the Lokoja-Obajana highway in Kogi State that claimed 19 lives and left eight others injured. According to a statement released by the Kogi Sector Commander, Mr. Kumar Tsukwam, the crash occurred around 4 pm on Sunday at the Gadabiu community in Lokoja Local Government Area. The victims were traveling in a Toyota Hummer bus heading towards Abuja when it collided head-on with an articulated truck, resulting in a deadly inferno that killed five children among the deceased. The FRSC explained that the accident was caused by speeding and wrongful overtaking, as the bus, in an attempt to overtake another truck, crashed into an oncoming articulated vehicle. Tsukwam revealed that the injured victims suffered various degrees of injuries, including cuts, fractures, and burns, and were rushed to Fisayo Hospital, Obajana for treatment. The rescue operation involved both FRSC personnel and the police. Tsukwam urged motorists to exercise caution on the roads, emphasizing that highways are not racetracks and that reckless driving, speeding, and dangerous overtaking lead to needless loss of lives. He appealed to drivers to adhere strictly to traffic regulations to prevent further tragedies on Nigerian roads.

Trump Calls Putin Crazy: After Russia Launches Record Drone Barrage on Ukraine

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago05 mins

Kyiv, Ukraine | May 27, 2025 – Russia unleashed its largest drone and missile assault on Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump described Vladimir Putin as “crazy” and accused him of “needlessly killing a lot of people.” Trump’s remarks, made on Truth Social and during a press event in New Jersey on Sunday, have sparked diplomatic ripples, with the Kremlin calling the comments a reflection of “emotional overload.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov defended the Russian president’s actions as “necessary for Russia’s security.” Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks, saying only “a sense of total impunity” could allow such strikes to continue and escalate. Wave of Attacks Leaves Dozens Dead At least 13 people were killed and dozens injured between Saturday night and Sunday, as Russia launched 367 drones and missiles across Ukraine. Hours later, between Sunday evening and Monday morning, Kyiv’s air force reported 355 drones and nine cruise missiles targeting Ukrainian cities, marking the largest drone-only attack to date. Air raid sirens sounded across multiple regions of Ukraine early Monday, with additional casualties reported. Russia’s defence ministry claimed its air defence systems intercepted 20 Ukrainian drones targeting several Russian regions. Peskov said Moscow’s strikes were in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian “social infrastructure.” Trump-Putin Relations in Focus President Trump, who has maintained a personal rapport with Putin over the years, voiced strong criticism on Sunday, saying: “I’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.” He also hinted at tougher U.S. sanctions against Russia, though no new measures have been enacted yet. In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump doubled down, saying: “I’ve always said that he wants all of Ukraine, not just a piece of it… but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” Trump also took aim at Zelensky, warning that his rhetoric “causes problems” and “better stop.” Talks of Ceasefire Amid Escalation Despite the escalation, Trump claimed that his recent two-hour phone call with Putin on a proposed ceasefire went “very well,” adding that Ukraine and Russia would “immediately start” negotiations toward a peace deal. Ukraine has publicly agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, while Putin has proposed crafting a “memorandum” on a “possible future peace”—a move Kyiv and its European allies view as a stalling tactic. The first direct Ukraine-Russia talks since 2022 took place on May 16 in Istanbul, Turkey. However, beyond a major prisoner exchange last week, progress remains limited. Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014. Global Response European allies of Kyiv are preparing additional sanctions against Moscow, while the U.S. says it will continue brokering peace talks but could “walk away” if no progress is made. Peskov expressed “gratitude” to Trump and the U.S. for their role in facilitating talks, saying: “We are truly grateful to the Americans and personally to President Trump for their help in organising and launching this negotiation process.” The situation remains fluid as Ukraine braces for further attacks and the world watches for diplomatic breakthroughs.

EFCC Arrests 49 Suspected Internet Fraudsters, Recovers Loaded Pistol

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago21 mins

Officers of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 49 suspected internet fraudsters in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital. They were arrested between Saturday, May 24, 2025 and Sunday, May 25, 2025, following actionable intelligence that linked them to fraudulent internet activities. The operations targeted multiple hideouts across the city with an unlicenced loaded pistol recovered from one of the suspects, who claimed during preliminary interrogation that he was a former cult member. Other items recovered from the suspects include high-end smartphones, laptop computers and two luxury vehicles. They will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigations.

Speaker Abbas Withdraws Bill on Compulsory Voting in Nigeria

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago22 mins

Abuja, Nigeria – May 26, 2025 | The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has officially withdrawn the bill seeking to make voting mandatory in Nigeria. The proposed legislation, co-sponsored by Abbas and Hon. Daniel Ago (Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, Plateau State), aimed to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to compel Nigerians to vote during elections. The bill passed its second reading on May 15, sparking widespread debate on its implications for voter participation and civic rights. During the debate, Ago argued that mandatory voting would address the issue of low voter turnout, increase civic engagement, and transform voting from a personal choice into a legal obligation. He also suggested that the bill could help reduce voter apathy, curb vote buying, and foster a more politically conscious society. However, Speaker Abbas has now withdrawn the bill. As of the time of this report, no official reason for the withdrawal has been provided.

NCC Orders Telecom Operators to Notify Nigerians of Major Service Outages, Offers Compensation Guidelines

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago34 mins

Abuja, Nigeria – May 26, 2025 | The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications operators to notify consumers of major service outages, including their causes, affected areas, and estimated downtimes, using media platforms. The directive, which took effect on Sunday, also mandates that customers must be informed at least seven days ahead of any planned service disruptions. The policy applies to all mobile network operators (MNOs), internet service providers (ISPs), and other last-mile service providers. This was contained in a statement signed by the Commission’s Acting Head of Public Affairs, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, and follows NCC’s efforts to improve transparency and consumer protection in the telecoms sector. Under the new rules, operators must compensate customers — for example, by extending service validity — if an outage lasts more than 24 hours, in line with the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations. The NCC defines a “major outage” in three categories: Operators are required to report major outages through the NCC’s Major Outage Reporting Portal, available via the Commission’s website, www.ncc.gov.ng. The portal will also disclose the identity of any saboteurs involved in the disruption. NCC’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Engr. Edoyemi Ogor, said the portal has been tested with operators over the past few months, aligning with broader efforts to improve transparency and hold saboteurs accountable. “By providing consumers and stakeholders with timely and transparent information on network outages, we are entrenching a culture of accountability,” Ogor said. “This also reinforces the need to protect telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), in line with the Executive Order signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.” Ogor emphasized that safeguarding telecom assets is essential for national security, economic stability, and the daily lives of Nigerians

SERAP urges NASS to reject bill punishing non-voters.

SERAP Sues CBN Over Failure To Disclose LG Allocations

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago511 mins

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) “over the failure to disclose the details of any direct payments to the 774 local government councils in Nigeria including the amounts sent to each council.” SERAP’s suit followed a landmark judgment by the Supreme Court last July, which held that allocations from the Federation Account with the CBN must be paid directly to democratically elected local government councils, and that no governor has the power to keep, control or use the money meant for the councils. In the suit number FHC/L/MSC/521/2025 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP is asking the court to “direct and compel the CBN to disclose the details of any direct payments to the 774 local government councils in Nigeria including the amounts sent to each council since the Supreme Court judgment.” SERAP is also asking the court to “direct and compel the CBN to disclose whether any direct payment has been made from the Federation Account with the CBN to the local government councils in Rivers State and to explain the rationale for any such payment. In the suit, SERAP is arguing that, “The CBN should make it possible for citizens to have access to the details of any direct payments to the 774 local government councils to ensure transparency and accountability, and judge whether the CBN and other agencies are complying with the Supreme Court judgment.” SERAP is also arguing that “Granting the reliefs sought would go a long way in promoting the values and principles that underlie the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and are inherent characteristics of an open democratic society.” According to SERAP, “State governors are starving local governments of funds and putting them in peril, despite the Supreme Court’s binding orders. State governors’ blatant disregard for the Supreme Court’s orders undermines the integrity of the court and poses a direct challenge to the rule of law.” SERAP is also arguing that, “The CBN ought to act in the public interest to ensure that the 774 councils in the country directly get their own money from the Federation Account, as ordered by the Supreme Court.” SERAP is arguing that, “The CBN also has the constitutional and statutory duty to ensure that no part of the Federation is governed contrary to the Nigerian Constitution or by anybody that is not constitutionally empowered to do so.” The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Oluwakemi Oni, read in part: “The CBN should be facilitating compliance with the Supreme Court’s orders. If state governors get away with ignoring the court, it will undermine the ability of the bank to credibly perform its statutory duties. “States and the FCT have continued to undermine and endanger the existence of local governments and their ability to effectively function as the third tier of government as envisioned under the Nigerian Constitution. “The CBN has a constitutional and statutory duty to protect the allocations in the Federation Account and the public funds disbursed from that Account directly to each of the constitutionally recognized three tiers of government. “The CBN also has the constitutional and statutory duty to protect any tier of the federal governance structure from going extinct or being destroyed. “Local government councils are legitimate owners of their allocations from the Federation Account. “Ensuring that all restrictions against direct disbursement of allocations from the Federation Account to the 774 councils will comply with the orders by the Supreme Court and stop states and the Federal Capital Territory from tampering with the allocations ahead of the 2027 general elections. “States and the FCT no longer have the right to retain the allocations for local governments in the Federation Account as they have persistently failed to use the allocations for the benefit of the local government councils and Nigerians. “The disbursement of the allocations meant for the 774 councils to states would be at the expense of poor Nigerians and continue to undermine the rights and well-being of those at the bottom of the economy and exacerbate the growing poverty in the country. “The CBN could play an important role in revitalising the 774 councils in the country and improving opportunities for Nigerians who reside in those councils. The CBN should not allow states to act in breach of the Supreme Court judgment and do whatever they like with the public funds meant for local government councils. “The CBN has a responsibility to comply with the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international human rights and anticorruption obligations in the exercise of its statutory powers and functions “Local government councils are entitled to a direct payment from the Federation Account of the amount standing to its credit in the said Federation Account. States should not be collecting, receiving, spending or tampering with the local government council funds from the Federation Account meant for the benefit of the councils. “The Supreme Court in a groundbreaking judgment declared that the Freedom of Information Act ‘is applicable and applies to the public records in the Federation’, including those kept by the CBN. “By the combined reading of the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the Freedom of Information Act 2011 and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, applicable throughout Nigeria, there are transparency obligations imposed on the CBN to widely disclose the information sought by SERAP. “The Nigerian Constitution, Freedom of Information Act, and the country’s anti-corruption and human rights obligations rest on the principle that citizens should have access to information regarding their public institutions’ activities. “Nigeria’s Supreme Court in the July 2024 judgment declared unconstitutional and unlawful the retaining and using by the 36 state governors and FCT minister of allocations in the Federation Account meant for the 774 local governments in the country. “Following the judgment, the 774 local governments have reportedly opened dedicated accounts with CBN for the direct disbursement of allocations to them from the Federation Account. “Former president Muhammadu…

Peter Obi: I’m Not Desperate to Be President Just Desperate to See Nigeria Work

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago23 mins

Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has declared that he is not desperate to become Nigeria’s president, but rather driven by a desire to see the country function effectively for its citizens. Speaking at a special anniversary service marking Governor Alex Otti’s two years in office, Obi emphasized the need for integrity and accountability in leadership. At the event held at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Umuahia, Abia State, on Saturday, Obi urged Nigerians to consistently pray for their leaders, stressing that governance is a difficult task, especially for those determined to do the right thing. “It is difficult to govern Nigeria or any of its states, especially when you are determined to do the right thing,” Obi noted. “When I say I am not desperate to be President, I am desperate to see Nigeria work.” He also commended Governor Otti’s administration for what he described as “two years with a difference,” stating that transformational leadership does not necessarily require an extended tenure.“People always say they need eight years, ten years, or even twenty years to make an impact. But I have always said that one day can make a difference. What is happening in Abia today, we want to see it happen everywhere in Nigeria,” Obi said. Governor Alex Otti, in response, attributed the achievements of his administration to divine guidance and strength from God. He expressed gratitude to Obi for his unwavering support and thanked the Abia State legislature, judiciary, and members of the church for their prayers and encouragement. Obi’s remarks have sparked renewed conversations around leadership and the future of Nigeria as the country approaches another election cycle.

BREAKING: NDLEA Busts International Drug Syndicate at Lagos Airport Seizes 51kg of Loud and Millions in Cash

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago13 mins

In a major breakthrough, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled an international drug syndicate operating through Lagos, arresting two British nationals and two Nigerians in a sting operation at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja. The suspects — Mhizha Jordan Alexander Tatendra, Ayedipe Andrew Adejuwon (both British nationals), along with Shonowo Oluwaseun Imole and Ofuoma Omokaro Ayobami (Nigerians) — were caught red-handed with 92 bags of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 51.10kg. According to a statement released by the NDLEA’s Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the arrests followed an intelligence-led operation on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Alexander arrived on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha, where NDLEA operatives allowed him to pass security while monitoring his movements. He was intercepted at the airport car park, where Adejuwon, Shonowo, and Ayobami were waiting in an SUV to collect the consignment. The suspects were arrested while attempting to leave the airport, with the drugs concealed in the vehicle. Alexander confessed that he had been recruited during a recent vacation and was promised £1,300 for the delivery. Adejuwon, identified as the ringleader, admitted that he had flown into Nigeria via South Africa and Ghana a day before. A subsequent raid on their apartment in Lekki led to the recovery of ₦3.81 million in cash, an Apple laptop, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and four canisters of laughing gas (Nitrous Oxide). Additionally, ₦93,000 and 17,200 South African Rand were found on Adejuwon during his arrest. The NDLEA has vowed to continue its crackdown on international drug trafficking networks, warning that no syndicate will escape the long arm of the law.