You're 100% right, but don't you find it embarrassing that our corrupt politicians can visit the United States, but our only Nobel Prize winner cannot?
Racoon: Seem this fellas thinks the US cares about your social or governmental status. Do anyhow you go collect wotoporously
Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has expressed shock after the United States revoked his visa, making it impossible for him to travel to the country for now.
Soyinka disclosed this on Tuesday during a media parley held at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island.
He explained that the revocation came as a surprise since he was unaware of any wrongdoing that could have warranted such action.
“It is necessary for me to hold this conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for this event or that event do not waste their time,” he said.
“I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me,” he added.
According to the renowned writer, the US Consulate in Lagos informed him of the revocation in a letter dated October 23, 2025.
The letter, issued by the Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Section of the Consulate, stated: “This letter serves as official notification by the United States Consulate General in Lagos that the nonimmigrant visa listed below has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in U.S. Department of State regulations.”
Soyinka, however, said he was still trying to understand the reason behind the decision, noting that he has no criminal record or history of misconduct in the US or anywhere else.
“I’m still looking into my past history. I don’t have any past criminal record or even a felony or misdemeanour to qualify for the revocation,” he said.
“I’ve started looking back have I ever misbehaved toward the United States of America? Do I have a history? Have I been convicted? Have I gone against the law anywhere?” he added, expressing confusion over the move.
Nigerian seaports are currently missing from the 2025 global Top 100 ranking, with only four African ports making it into Lloyd’s List.
According to a recent ranking released by Lloyd’s Register, Port of Tanger Med, Morocco, Egypt follows with Port Said and Alexandria and Togo’s Lomé Port.
The reports stated that Morocco’s Tanger Med remains the continent’s strongest performer, ranking 17th globally after handling over 10.2 million TEUs in 2024 – an 18.9 per cent surge that reinforces its role as a major transhipment gateway.
Egypt followed with Port Said at 53rd position, although its 3.9 million TEUs represented a slight decline due to disruptions in the Red Sea. Alexandria showed stronger momentum, climbing to 2.2 million TEUs and posting one of the region’s fastest throughput gains.
Togo’s Lomé Port completes Africa’s presence, ranking 92nd with more than 2 million TEUs, maintaining its growing influence in West Africa’s shipping corridors.
Maritime experts have attributed Nigeria’s absence to infrastructure and logistical constraints.
They further argued that enhanced investment in infrastructure, automation, and connectivity is essential for Africa to boost maritime trade competitiveness.
African ports face infrastructure and logistical limitations, contributing to lagging global container handling capacity. This reveals the continent’s ongoing struggle to expand its maritime capacity despite rising trade volumes.
The findings highlight the continent’s ongoing infrastructure and logistical constraints despite notable improvements in select terminals.
Lloyd’s List’s latest assessment shows that global container traffic is rebounding strongly. Worldwide throughput reached 743.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in 2024, an 8.1 per cent increase from a year earlier, signalling recovery from several years of suppressed volumes driven by pandemic-era disruptions and geopolitical tensions.
Asia continues to dominate global trade flows, with Chinese ports responsible for over 40 per cent of total container throughput.
North America and Europe also gained momentum, supported by shifting supply chains, stronger consumer spending and strategic inventory replenishment.
The continent’s shipping performance continues to suffer severe global and regional disruptions.
Lloyd’s List’s latest assessment shows that global container traffic is rebounding strongly, with worldwide throughput hitting 743.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in 2024
The ongoing security crisis in the Red Sea has rerouted major shipping lines away from key African gateways, causing delays, higher insurance costs, and reduced vessel calls to Eastern and Northern African ports.
Meanwhile, major Western carriers have scaled back operations on some West African routes due to lower freight demand and capacity constraints.
At a structural level, limited port automation, capacity bottlenecks, slow cargo clearance processes and a lack of rail connectivity continue to dampen competitiveness. Many African economies remain heavily import-dependent, offering less incentive for large-scale transhipment investments.
However, speaking on the development, a maritime analyst, Emmanuel Onyema, said ageing berths, limited container yards, inadequate dredging and terminal space create queues and long dwell times that deter carriers.
Onyema also identifies that poor hinterland connectivity, fueled by weak or unreliable road/rail links to industrial and consumption centres, forces cargo to sit in port longer or be trucked inefficiently, thereby increasing time-in-port a nd transport costs.
“The Lekki Deep Sea Port example underscores that a new port alone won’t work without rail/road links. Also, fragmented documentation and manual processes create delays; where single-window automation is missing or partial, turnaround is slower.
Conversely, where automation has been implemented it has cut processing time dramatically,” Onyema stated.
Also speaking, Chinedu Ogbonna, said even though West Africa is a large trade market, port inefficiencies make Nigerian ports relatively unattractive to shippers and investors.
“Infrastructure creates capacity, automation converts capacity to reliable performance, and connectivity ensures goods flow to and from the ports efficiently.
Without all three, new docks or cranes alone will not restore Nigeria’s competitiveness or stop “absence” from regional maritime value chains.
“Also, those absences don’t come from lack of demand; West Africa is a large trade market, but they come from inefficiencies that make Nigerian ports relatively unattractive to shippers and investors, Ogbonna stated.
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, has launched Grokipedia, a new online encyclopedia designed to compete with Wikipedia, which the billionaire has long accused of political bias.
The site, branded version 0.1, went live on Monday with more than 885,000 articles — far fewer than Wikipedia’s seven million English-language entries, but already drawing global attention. Musk promised an upgraded version 1.0 would be “10X better,” declaring that Grokipedia already surpasses its established rival.
“The goal of Grok and Grokipedia.com is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” Musk wrote on X, pledging to avoid ideological slant.
Originally set for release in September, Grokipedia was delayed to “purge out the propaganda,” according to Musk. The entrepreneur, who has often criticised Wikipedia for being “controlled by far-left activists,” insists his platform will prioritise factual accuracy powered by AI and the generative assistant Grok.
A Grokipedia entry about Musk describes him as influencing debates on “technological progress, demographic decline, and institutional biases,” while noting “systemic left-leaning tilts” in media coverage.
By contrast, Wikipedia founded in 2001 and maintained by volunteers, maintains a “neutral point of view” and relies largely on donations to remain free.
Wikipedia traffic dips amid AI rise
In a related development, the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) reported an 8% decline in human pageviews on Wikipedia compared to last year. The organisation linked the drop to generative AI tools and evolving search habits that deliver information directly to users without visiting source pages.
Marshall Miller, WMF’s Senior Director of Product, said the change reflects how AI is reshaping online information discovery, noting that many search results now quote Wikipedia content without crediting or directing traffic back to the site.
The decline also followed updates to WMF’s bot detection system, which reclassified certain visits previously mistaken for human traffic.
First woman in France sentenced to life without parole for rape and murder of a schoolgirl
Dahbia Benkired has been sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for raping, torturing, and killing 12-year-old Lola Daviet in 2022, the first time such a sentence has ever been handed down to a woman in France.
A Paris court handed down the maximum sentence to 27-year-old Dahbia Benkired on Friday, following her conviction for the rape, torture, and murder of Lola Daviet, whose body was found in a plastic trunk outside her home in northeastern Paris.
Lola's mother and brother embraced and broke down in tears as the verdict was read. Lola's father died in 2024 following his daughter's death.
Throughout the trial, Dahbia Benkired remained largely emotionless and showed no reaction during the reading of the verdict.
The crime horrified France and sparked political debate after it emerged that Benkired, born in Algeria, was undocumented and had been ordered to leave the country two months before the murder.
A case that shocked France
Lola's body was found stuffed inside a plastic trunk on a Paris street near her home.
The 12-year-old had returned from school on 14 October 2022 to the building in the northeast of the French capital where her parents worked as door attendants.
Surveillance footage showed Benkired, who was homeless and unemployed but staying at her sister's apartment in the same building, meeting the child shortly after 3 pm.
When Lola failed to return home, her parents raised the alarm. An hour and a half later, Benkired was seen on camera again in the building’s entrance hall, surrounded by suitcases, including the large trunk where the girl's body would later be found.
Benkrired was arrested shortly afterwards and, following multiple psychiatric evaluations, deemed fit to stand trial. She has been held at Fresnes prison, south of Paris, for the past three years.
"I'm indifferent"
At the Paris court on Friday, after an hour-long closing statement, the attorney general requested an irreducible life sentence. Only a handful of such sentences have been handed down since it was introduced in 1994.
The punishment, sometimes referred to as "real life imprisonment," means there is no possibility of early release or a reduction in the length of the sentence.
However, French law allows a review after 30 years, upon request by the convicted person. A special panel of five judges from the Court of Cassation, the country's highest court, may authorise release, but only if it poses no serious threat to public order and after consulting victims' families.
A troubled background and chilling detachment
Experts told the court on Thursday that Benkired is criminally responsible for her actions.
They found no sign of mental illness or impaired judgement, describing her as of "normal intelligence" and free of any "psychiatric pathology."
One psychiatric report described her as "cold, passive-aggressive, with contradictory and fantastical speech," exhibiting "pathological narcissism," antisocial behaviour and "a very high risk of reoffending."
A second evaluation found "no depressive, anxious or post-traumatic symptoms" and noted her "very low empathy."
Her emotional detachment has been noted since her arrest. "At no moment did she show any sign of regret, to the point that it made me doubt her guilt despite all the evidence pointing to her. The facts were so horrific that I expected her to break down," a police officer testified.
When shown photos of the tortured victim, Benkired said: "I feel indifferent."
The court also examined Benkired’s past: a childhood marked by violence in Algeria, alleged sexual abuse and early cannabis use after arriving in France at 16.
Unable to find social or professional stability, she claimed that she drifted into sex work.
In her final words to the court before the jury retired to deliberate, Benkired said: "I ask for forgiveness, it's horrible what I did, and that’s all I have to say."
During the hearing, Benkired sat in the dock with a blank stare, never showing emotion.
Members of Lola's family wore matching T-shirts bearing a drawing of the young girl and the words "You will be the sun of our lives and the star of our nights."
Peter Obi calls for port diversification beyond Lagos amid $1 billion Apapa and TinCan upgrade
Peter Obi, former governor and presidential candidate, has called on the Federal Government to diversify port development beyond Lagos, following the approval of $1 billion (approx. N1.5 trillion) for the modernisation of the Apapa and TinCan Island Ports.
Obi made the call via a statement on his official X account on Friday, stressing the need for equitable infrastructure investment across Nigeria’s maritime sector.
While acknowledging that modernising Lagos ports is commendable, Obi warned that the country’s heavy concentration of port activities in Lagos creates chronic congestion, high demurrage costs, and environmental pressures that undermine trade efficiency.
He argued that other strategic ports, including Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne, remain underdeveloped, despite their potential to stimulate regional economies, create jobs, and reduce pressure on Lagos.
“I have noted the Federal Government’s recent approval of $1 billion (N1.5 trillion) for the modernisation of the Apapa and TinCan Island Ports in Lagos. While any effort to improve efficiency and embrace technology in our maritime sector is commendable, such an initiative must be guided by accountability, transparency, and equity for all Nigerians. However, this development once again exposes a longstanding concentration of our port development only in Lagos
“Nigeria’s infrastructure investment remains excessively concentrated in Lagos, often at the expense of other strategic ports such as Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne. If fully developed, these ports could enhance productivity, drive trade, create jobs, and open new economic corridors that would lift millions out of poverty across the federation,” the statement read in part.
More insights
Obi highlighted global examples of decentralised port systems, citing Vietnam’s 300 ports, Indonesia’s 111 commercial ports, and South Africa’s eight major seaports, noting that these countries benefit from nationwide connectivity, improved logistics, and balanced economic growth. Even Ghana, with only two major ports, ensures they are geographically spread to maximise efficiency.
He further stressed that beyond physical infrastructure, reforms must tackle corruption, reduce bureaucracy, and embrace technology to create a seamless, paperless port system that improves turnaround times and global competitiveness. Obi emphasized that if prudently managed, the Lagos modernisation could serve as a model for broader maritime transformation across the nation. He also called for fairness and equity in Nigeria’s infrastructure planning, arguing that a truly national blue economy must involve every region and shift the country from one driven by consumption to one focused on production and shared prosperity.
What you should know
The Apapa and TinCan Island ports, two of Nigeria’s busiest seaports, recently received Federal Government approval of $1 billion for modernisation.
According to Marine and Blue Economy Minister Adegboyega Oyetola, the upgrades aimed to improve cargo handling, expand capacity to meet global standards, and introduce a paperless, technology-driven port system to enhance efficiency, reduce turnaround time, and curb corruption.
He added that the government had begun the procurement process for similar modernisation projects at ports outside Lagos, highlighting that the Lagos upgrades formed part of the ministry’s 10-year marine and blue economy strategy.
Earlier, in April 2024, the Nigerian Ports Authority announced it was set to receive a $700 million loan from Citibank, funded by UK Export Finance, to revamp the Apapa and TinCan Island ports. NPA Managing Director Mohammed Bello-Koko shared on his official X account that he had signed the Mandate Letter and Term Sheet for the loan.
The funds were intended to rehabilitate the quay wall for landside operations, improve other infrastructure, and deepen the draft to 16.5 meters to accommodate larger vessels. Implementation was to follow approvals from the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, the Minister of Finance, and the Debt Management Office. However, it has not been explicitly stated whether the recent $1 billion federal approval for Apapa and TinCan Island port modernisation is connected to this earlier $700 million loan.
MOSCOW and Beijing are unleashing a new kind of warfare on the West – and it’s waged not with bullets, but with bedsheets.
US intelligence insiders say Russian and Chinese operatives are flooding America’s tech heartlands with a wave of seductive spies to steal state secrets and high-tech innovations through lust and lies.
Experts say this “sex war” is about more than secrets. It’s psychological warfare — exploiting human weakness to penetrate the West’s defences.
Jeff Stoff, a former US national security analyst, warns that America’s rivals are operating in plain sight: “The Chinese understand our system and they know how to work within it with virtual impunity.
“China is targeting our startups, our academic institutions, our innovators, our DoD-funded research projects.
“It’s all intertwined as part of China’s economic warfare strategy — and we’ve not even entered the battlefield.”
James Mulvenon, chief intelligence officer at Pamir Consulting, told The Times: “It’s the Wild West out there.”
He said he’s been bombarded with LinkedIn requests from “the same type of attractive young Chinese woman” – all too eager to connect.
When two “glamorous” Chinese women tried to crash his Virginia conference on investment risks, he said: “We didn’t let them in… It is a phenomenon. And I will tell you: it is weird.”
Counterintelligence experts added that Beijing‘s “sex warfare” is exploding – and it’s proving devastatingly effective.
America’s moral scruples mean the US doesn’t play this game.
“They have an asymmetric advantage when it comes to sex warfare,” Mulvenon admitted.
It’s not just flirty spies, but full-blown operations.
One former official told of a “beautiful” Russian woman who married an American aerospace worker after graduating from a “Russian soft-power school”.
She now moves in crypto and defence-tech circles, while her husband remains “totally oblivious”.
The official said: “Showing up, marrying a target, having kids with a target — and conducting a lifelong collection operation.
“It’s very uncomfortable to think about but it’s so prevalent.”
China’s whole-of-society espionage
US investigators say Beijing has turned its entire population into potential operatives.
Investors, students, businesspeople — all can be used to extract secrets from Western tech.
“We’re not chasing a KGB agent in a smoky guesthouse anymore,” said one senior counterintelligence official.
“Our adversaries — particularly the Chinese — are using a whole-of-society approach.”
And the stakes are huge.
The theft of American trade secrets costs US taxpayers up to $600 billion a year, with China leading the charge.
In one case, Klaus Pflugbeil tried to sell Tesla’s stolen tech blueprints for $15 million to undercover agents in Las Vegas.
Prosecutors said the stolen data could have boosted China’s dominance in electric vehicles.
US Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen said: “Pflugbeil’s actions stood to benefit the PRC in a critical industry with national security implications.”
Beijing’s honeytraps aren’t only romantic. They’re economic.
US officials warn that Chinese “pitch competitions” lure startups into revealing their business plans — or worse, their intellectual property.
Some contests even record participants and demand access to personal data.
“It’s a counterintelligence risk,” said one official.
“They may simply take your idea, exploit it and patent it, stealing your financial future.”
The China (Shenzhen) Innovation and Entrepreneurship International Competition, held this year in cities from Boston to Tokyo, raised red flags after participants were shadowed by officials and wired with microphones.
One biotech CEO said: “They would record everything I would say, do and then ask questions like a reporter would.”
When his firm won $50,000, the organisers wired the prize straight to his personal bank account.
Weeks later, federal funding for his firm was frozen.
Moscow, meanwhile, is doubling down on its old-school seduction operations.
Russia’s “red-haired temptress” Anna Chapman — once the face of Putin’s 2010 spy ring — is reportedly back under a new alias, Anna Romanova, fronting a Kremlin-linked intelligence museum in Moscow.
Her return to the espionage stage comes after years of boasting that her “sex appeal worked like magic” on male targets.
Another infamous “sex spy”, Aliia Roza, once claimed she was taught “sex techniques” and “how to make men fall in love” at a Russian military academy.
"Sex is a very important part of the relationship,” she said.
“It’s probably 80 per cent where the person only feels like trusting you according to that sex experience.”
In London, two Bulgarian women — Cvetelina Gencheva and Tsvetanka Doncheva — were recently exposed as part of a Russian “honeytrap” ring that spied on Putin’s opponents.
They worked inside a “highly sophisticated” espionage cell run by Orlin Roussev, a former tech worker, who allegedly deployed seduction and surveillance to infiltrate Western networks.
One target, journalist Roman Dobrokhotov, was followed onto a plane, where spies watched him type in his phone PIN.
Police say the group’s honeytrap missions put lives at risk.
China’s espionage tactics also have a familiar face.
Fang Fang, the “honeytrap” who infiltrated US politics between 2011 and 2015, seducing two mayors and cultivating links to rising Democrats, including Rep. Eric Swalwell.
FBI surveillance caught her in sexual encounters with U.S. officials before she fled to China.
Her mission was to charm her way into political circles, raise campaign cash, and funnel influence back to Beijing.
Israeli defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will supply the German army with Spike anti-tank missiles in a deal worth approximately €2 billion, one of the largest agreements signed by Israeli defense industries in Europe in recent years. The contract is especially notable given the arms embargo imposed on Israel earlier this year by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, following the Israeli cabinet’s controversial decision to extend the war in Gaza.
The deal will be executed through EuroSpike GmbH, a joint venture owned by Rafael (20%) and German defense firms Rheinmetall (40%) and Diehl Defense (40%), which markets the Spike missile family across Europe. Production will take place at Eurospike’s facilities in Germany.
The Spike missile is Rafael’s best-selling weapon system globally, known for its operational simplicity and compatibility with a wide range of launch platforms. To date, Rafael has sold Spike missiles to more than 40 countries, about half of which are NATO members.
In contrast to Germany’s approval, other European countries have moved in the opposite direction. Citing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Spain recently canceled a planned purchase of 1,700 Spike missiles and 170 launchers from Rafael, valued at roughly ₪1 billion (about €250 million).
Industry sources suggest that the European ownership structure of EuroSpike helped make the German deal possible, allowing Berlin to move forward despite the diplomatic fallout surrounding Israel.
"We must stay ahead of the enemy. The IDF has to know how to respond, and the last war showed that it can"
Germany remains Israel’s second-largest defense partner after the United States and a longstanding customer of its military industries.
Just before the October 7 war, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) finalized the €3.3 billion Arrow 3 missile defense deal with Germany, the largest defense export contract in Israel’s history. IAI is expected to deliver the first Arrow 3 interceptors by the end of this year, and Berlin is reportedly considering a future purchase of the Arrow 4, which is still under development.
While Germany has previously acquired Rafael’s Spike missiles, this new agreement through EuroSpike represents its largest procurement of the system to date. Rafael declined to comment on the deal.
Meanwhile, Israel Aerospace Industries, Rafael’s domestic rival, is intensifying competition in the anti-tank missile market. The company has unveiled a new version of its long-running Lahat missile, originally developed over three decades ago. The upgraded model, dubbed “Lahat Alpha,” can reportedly strike targets at ranges of more than 20 kilometers, twice the reach of earlier versions.
According to IAI, the missile is guided by laser rather than GPS, enabling accurate engagement even in environments where electronic jamming is prevalent. The new system is designed to offer long-range precision without requiring a direct line of sight between the operator and the target.
If he's paying back as he's borrowing, why is the debt still rising rapidly?
loffyloffy: Even without looking deep, you can see how senseless Rufai Oseni is.
If Nigeria's total debt is 152 Trillion, is it reasonable to ask that has it not all been borrowed under Tinubu?
The mumu also knows that fx adjustment means our debt in Naira terms went up, while in Dollar terms it has been stable or even going down.
Lastly the fool knows that govt generaly borrows to meet up with budget and payback as revenue flows in. Tinubu has the biggest budget ever and will continue to borrow to execute. He also have the buggest revenue ever, meaning he is paying back as he is borrowing.
This shirt term borrowing keeps the economy rolling
Then why didn't 2 rakat of fajr make the money for him? And the beggars lining the streets, why isn't 2 rakat of fajr helping them out of their poverty?
seyicodes: As a Muslim , just 2 rakat of Fajr is far greater than that
Imagine committing a criminal offence on October 7th 2023 and crying because you were made to face the consequences of your offence.
What a world we live in where honesty and intelligence no longer matter
Idaytesj29: What you said is true 💯. But you are also culpable. Didn't you rejoice, happy and defend the murder of innocent women and children in Palestine under the Israeli Occupying Army led by Lucifer Satanyahu himself? Believing it's God will or prophecy or some sort of Christian Jihad?
The Bible warned us that in the end times, we would praise sin as holy and celebrate evil. Today it is unfolding before our eyes
Emmy000seun: If not for some religion extremist, and politician trying to break us through religious line, interreligious relationship has been so good in Nigeria except the northerners.. imagine alfa dancing with his Quran..but let his other extremist brother saw the video now, dey will claim it's Aram..
You have a rich sense of humour. You'd make a better comedian than a historian because you are hopelessly out of your intellectual depth when it comes to history.
Toruibestate: The Rise of Ijaw Identity Under My Leadership
By General Ditari (Ditari Ijaw)
Under my leadership that is fast taking over in everything Ijaw, our culture must be honored and restored to its rightful place of pride. The Ijaw nation is vast, ancient, and powerful — a people whose influence stretches far beyond what many imagine.
Tompolo, Asari, Ateke, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ), Omoyele Sowore, even Governor Fubara of Rivers and Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa — they all know me. The name General Ditari or Ditari Ijaw has become a symbol of awakening among our people.
Many think the Igbos are larger than the Ijaw, but that is a misconception. The Ijaw nation spreads uninterrupted from Ore on the way to Lagos, all the way to Calabar — from Furupagha in Odigbo-Ore to Ibaka in Obolo-Oro, Calabar.
These are the Ijaws many do not know, yet they exist in their millions, carrying our heritage across regions.
Notable Ijaws You May Not Know
Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zikiowei): Born to an Agbere father from present-day Sagbama LGA Bayelsa and an Onitsha mother. His father never lawfully married the mother, who took him to her place and added the name Nnamdi. Despite the popularity of Nnamdi Azikiwe in Nigeria, Have you ever wondered why the name Azikiwe isn’t as common among the Igbos as Emeka or Okoro?
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu (Burna Boy): His father hails from Ogbogolo Kingdom in Ahoada West, Rivers State — true Ijaw blood. His mother is Yoruba.
Late Majekodunmi Fasheki (Majek Fashek): A proud son of Odoni in Bayelsa State.
Omoyele Sowore: From Apoi West Kingdom in Ondo State. The Apoi Kingdom is historically and culturally Ijaw. There is also Apoi Kingdom in Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa. We call that one Apoi East to differentiate it from the other half in Ondo same Apoi.
Arogbo in Ondo is also in Bayelsa. Same Gbaran. Same sets of Communities. Most Ijaw Kingdoms of Ondo, Edo, Delta have same names with the ones in Bayelsa. Sowore himself knows his Ijaw roots well.
Dandizzy: Darius Tuwotamuno Isaiah from Opobo, same Community with Rivers State Governor is being mistaken for Igbo many at times.
The Ijaw story is deep and far-reaching. We are everywhere — in culture, politics, art, and leadership. Under my leadership, the Ijaw identity will no longer be hidden. It will be celebrated, honored, and recognized for what it truly is — the foundation of greatness in the Niger Delta and beyond.
General Ditari (Ditari Ijaw) Movement for Cultural Reawakening.
It would do you a world of good if you went back to school and asked for a refund of whatever your parents wasted on your education because it clearly hasn't done you any good.
I didn't even say anything that controversial or difficult to comprehend.
FreeStuffsNG: If you devote the time you use to insult people to getting real education, you will benefit greatly. You are completely ignorant about national debt in relation to deficit/surplus.
Below is the history of their national debt and surplus. Obama who came right in the middle of crash and ruled for 8 years added $9 trillion while Trump who ruled for 4 years added almost same amount of a whopping $7 trillion! On deficit, USA, reached its worst deficit under same Trump. For 4 years, he was practically borrowing and adding almost zilch to their economy!
And in just few months and less than 1 year, he has added $2 trillion to the debt he inherited.
You're either ignorant or dishonest. I'm trying to figure out which is which.
The Democrats have currently shut down the government because Trump won't allow them to pad the Federal budget with all kinds of wasteful benefits for undocumented immigrants who they want to fast track into citizenship so they can benefit from the votes of these undocumented immigrants.
All the massive and reckless social benefit spending under the Biden and Obama regimes is responsible for America's current debt deficit and they want it to continue for purely selfish reasons
FreeStuffsNG: The move followed similar downgrades by rating agencies Fitch and Standard & Poor’s in 2011 and 2023, respectively.
In less than 1 year in office, Trump raised it by a whopping $2 trillion and Biden, as pitiable as his time in office was, inherited trillions of debt ballooned by same Trump during his first term in office.
There's something fundamentally wrong and it probably predates even Trump’s first term.
Yet in the midst of this, Trump still keep sending weapons to its middle east proxy Israel to continue the genocide in Gaza. Smh
Most of the debt was acquired under Biden and the Democrat controlled Congress when a lot of money was printed needlessly.
FreeStuffsNG: It's obvious that you are confused with those economic terms.
This is why education is good and it's not a scam. USA has been minting dollars and selling debts at a pace that human history has never recorded and you cannot decipher it.
I wasn't aware that "Lamidi" has now become an insulting name to call someone you don't like😂
DomPerignon: In response to Lamidi Kanu ranting at Justice Omotosho that his court had no jurisdiction to carry on with the trial, Justice Omotosho replied thus:
The presiding judge, justice James Omotosho ruled that the defendant should open his defence as jurisdictional issues and all others can be challenged at the court of appeal or included in his final written address.
From the statement above, I am sure the Judge has already reached both a verdict and his patience .
The response by Omotosho states clearly that Lamidi should include jurisprudence or lack of in preparing his appeal.
Lamidi madness suddenly disappear.
He thought he could intimidate Justice Omotosho in his own court.
Last minute firing of his legal team who I am sure had advised him to look into entering a plea bargain after Justice Omotosho overruled the ''No case submission '' entered by the defense.
Lamidi thought he will turn the court room to a podium to air his political ideology based on hate and lies .
He thought his monologue sessions on Radio Biafra were he gets instant validation from his extremist semi illiterate followers through SM likes and accolades can be replicated in a court of law .
See as he humble for the very first time.[url][/url]
DANGOTE PRESS STATEMENT DANGOTE GROUP REFUTES OWNERSHIP OF TRUCK IN AKUNGBA-AKOKO ACCIDENT
Dangote Group has refuted reports circulating on social media and in some online platforms linking it to a truck involved in a road accident in Akungba-Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The company wishes to make it categorically clear that the truck involved in the unfortunate incident does not belong to Dangote Group or any of its subsidiaries.
Verified vehicle registration details confirm that the truck with Plate No. JJJ 365 XB, is owned and operated by an independent logistics company with no affiliation to Dangote Group. For the avoidance of doubt, the truck was not conveying any Dangote products but was transporting crushed stones in reused sacks bearing various brand names.
Dangote Industries maintains a strict policy on fleet management and vehicle identification, ensuring that all its trucks are properly branded, tracked, and operated by trained personnel under rigorous safety and compliance standards.
For clarity, all genuine Dangote trucks carry distinct company markings and fleet numbers, making them easily identifiable.
While the company deeply sympathises with all those affected by the incident, it urges members of the public and the media to verify information before attributing ownership or involvement to Dangote Group.
The company also advises media organisations to refrain from using images of Dangote-branded trucks in connection with accidents or incidents unrelated to its operations.
Dangote Industries remains steadfast in its commitment to road safety, regulatory compliance, and responsible corporate citizenship across all its operations in Nigeria and beyond.
Dangote group has refuted claims linking it to the truck involved in the recent Akungba-Akoko accident.
According to the company, verified records show the vehicle (Plate No. JJJ 365 XB) belongs to an independent logistics operator, not Dangote or any of its subsidiaries.
The Group emphasized that all its trucks are branded, tracked, and operated under strict safety and compliance protocols.
Paddy Adenuga, son of billionaire Mike Adenuga, has taken to social media to announce his engagement.
The Instagram post on Wednesday featured a photo of his hand clasped with his partner’s and her finger adorned with a sparkling ring.
While the identity of his fiancée remains a mystery, Adenuga’s caption overflowed with gratitude and joy.
“My faith in God never waivered… and in return He blessed me with YOU. My forever love ️,” the 41-year-old wrote.
The announcement arrives over five years after Adenuga opened up about his past romantic disappointments.
He revealed that he had been engaged twice before— in 2010 and 2012 — but neither engagement culminated in marriage.
At the time, he reflected that those experiences, while painful, were “filled with valuable lessons”.
“I have been engaged twice (2010, 2012) but didn’t get married on either occasion… painful both times but a lot of lessons learned,” he wrote via X.
“I cant force God’s time and God’s will… in the meantime i am just taking it one day at a time.”
In 2013, he recalled how he was introduced to a 20-year-old lady for a possible relationship. He hinted that he turned down the opportunity of dating the lady because he felt she “was a little too young for me”.
Paddy was born on June 21, 1984, in London, United Kingdom. He graduated in 2002 with a bachelor degree in business management.
From 2002 to 2006, he worked at Mike Adenuga Group as the executive director of global communications limited.
He was also the executive director of ConOil Producing. In 2009, he became the co-CEO of GLO and ConOil Producing.
In 2016, Paddy founded Pegasus Capital Investments Limited – a company with a specific focus on food and beverage investments in the UK and Netherlands.
The billionaire’s son has also been a screenwriter since the age of fifteen.
After mooting a significant shift in Nigeria’s electoral calendar to reduce post-election disputes by conducting the next presidential and governorship elections in November 2026, six months before the incumbent’s tenure, the Senate was silent yesterday on the draft proposal when it passed for second reading the bill seeking to repeal the Electoral Act 2022 and enact a new Electoral Bill 2025.
The proposed Electoral Act 2025 introduces reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s electoral governance, enhancing the independence of INEC, and promoting greater transparency and accountability across political and electoral processes.
The new provisions address key areas, including funding, candidate qualifications, voter registration, political party operations, campaign financing, and electoral offences.
Some major amendments include Section 3(3), which mandates the early release of INEC funds to ensure the timely preparation and execution of electoral activities.
Section 5 requires INEC to submit audited financial statements within six months after the end of each financial year; Section 10(2)(c): adds the National Identification Number (NIN) as part of the requirements for voter registration; Sections 12(1)(d) and 12(2) seek to recognise the voting rights of inmates, provided that the INEC makes the necessary arrangements for their registration and participation in elections.
Section 27(5–7) prescribes clear notice and timetables for elections, mandating that presidential and gubernatorial elections be held no later than 185 days before the expiration of the incumbent’s tenure; Section 44 introduces provisions for mandatory early voting, while Section 60(5) makes electronic transmission of results compulsory to enhance transparency and reduce electoral malpractice.
It also passed a bill seeking to amend the National Health Act, 2014, to raise the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) from one per cent to two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba, stated that the President Bola Tinubu administration’s target of a $1 trillion economy will be unattainable without fundamental reforms, particularly the adoption of a new Constitution.
The Senate proposal, contained in deliberations on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, represents a fundamental shift in Nigeria’s electoral jurisprudence.
Sen Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West) described the process in which aggrieved candidates must prove irregularities as “unfair and illogical,” arguing that the Commission, as the custodian of election materials and data, should bear the evidential burden.
“If our electoral system fails, democracy will exist only in name,” Dickson warned. “INEC conducts elections, appoints ad hoc officials, collates and announces results. It must therefore show that its conduct was lawful.”
Dickson urged the Senate to seize the moment to modernise the electoral system by authorising wider use of technology, reforming party primaries, and guaranteeing adequate funding and autonomy for INEC.
“Political parties have become the greatest threat to democracy,” he said. “We must regulate their conduct to entrench internal democracy.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio endorsed the proposal, describing it as a necessary correction to an “imbalanced” system that unduly burdens citizens seeking justice.
“INEC should be held responsible because it conducts the elections, controls the materials, and manages the logistics,” Akpabio said. “It should carry the burden of proving that its actions reflected the will of the people.”
While acknowledging that the 2022 Electoral Act improved transparency through electronic result transmission, Akpabio stressed that the law “must evolve towards a near-perfect framework for 2027.”
In his closing remarks, Akpabio summed up the chamber’s mood: “Our democracy must move from electoral legality to electoral legitimacy.” The proposed health amendment, sponsored by the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, Ipalibo Harry, aims to ensure sustainable financing for frontline health services and protect Nigerians from the effects of dwindling donor support.
If passed, the measure is expected to improve access to quality, affordable healthcare, reduce catastrophic out-of-pocket spending, enhance epidemic preparedness, and safeguard essential services, such as immunisation and maternal healthcare.
Leading the debate on the bill, Harry said the proposed amendment was both a “legal and moral imperative” to ensure that the government fulfils its constitutional duty to guarantee the welfare of citizens.
Harry explained that the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), established under Section 11 of the National Health Act, was Nigeria’s first statutory mechanism for sustainable health financing, designed to ensure a minimum package of care for citizens, particularly those in underserved communities.
She noted that the present one per cent allocation had become grossly inadequate amid rising health costs, stagnating donor aid, and Nigeria’s transition away from major global funding platforms.
Nigeria’s gradual exit from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the reduction in U.S. government support for health programmes, she warned, could soon leave the country with the full financial burden of immunisation, maternal health and epidemic control services.
AKPABIO announced the second reading passage at yesterday’s plenary after a majority of senators supported it through a voice vote.
The bill was, thereafter, referred to the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters for further deliberation and a public hearing, after which the committee was directed to report back within two weeks.
Sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South), the bill seeks to strengthen the legal framework governing elections in Nigeria.
Initially presented for second reading last Thursday, the bill was, however, stepped down to allow for wider consultation. It resurfaced during yesterday’s session, where lawmakers extensively debated its general principles.
During debate on the bill, lawmakers argued that the law’s position, which placed the burden of proof on the petitioner, was unfair and undermined electoral justice. They proposed that INEC, as the body responsible for conducting elections, should bear the responsibility of proving that the elections were credible.
Senators also raised concerns over the growing threat posed by political actors to democratic institutions and called for greater support and funding for INEC to enable it to deploy more technology in future elections.
Akpabio applauded the improvements in Nigeria’s electoral system, stating that “elections have improved in the country since the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) left power, we have had improvements, but we are not yet there.”
SPEAKING at a briefing in Lagos yesterday, tagged ‘Devolution is the Solution: Foundational Reform Agenda for Nigeria’s Transformation’, Agbakoba lamented that discussions about constitutional reform had been ongoing for 25 years without any tangible progress.
He expressed disappointment that the onus of constitutional amendments or the creation of a new constitution has been shifted to the National Assembly, describing this as a dereliction of duty on the part of the President.
The SAN emphasised devolution of power as crucial to Nigeria’s development, noting that the present structure was hindering progress. He also expressed concern that despite the emphasis on restructuring by presidential candidates in the last election, there had been a deafening silence from the current administration on the issue.
“History will judge this generation by one criterion: Did we have the courage to restructure Nigeria when we had the chance, or did we squander the opportunity and leave our children to inherit the whirlwind? The answer must be written in the ballot box of 2027 and inscribed in a new constitution by 2030.”
As women water vegetables and uproot weeds in a rural corner of north-eastern Nigeria, men in uniform stand guard nearby holding huge rifles.
They are Agro Rangers - a special security unit set up by the government to defend farmers from militants from jihadist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap), who can strike farms in Borno state at any time.
"There is fear - we fear for our souls," Aisha Isa, 50, tells the BBC as she tends to her crops.
Because it is no longer safe for her family to live in the home they fled 11 years ago, she and many others like her are bussed into Dalwa village from a pick-up point in the state capital, Maiduguri, early in the morning. It is less than an hour's drive away.
She now lives in temporary housing, and growing beans and maize remains the only way for her to feed her family, she says.
"We will take the risk and come even if the rangers are not coming."
Here, the military has marked out a stretch of land, surrounded by clearly defined trenches, where people can plant their crops. If they venture beyond that border, the threat of Boko Haram looms large.
"We have been hearing people are being kidnapped," says 42-year-old Mustapha Musa. "Some are killed. That is why I'm scared and don't want to come without security protection."
The father of 10 says he left his village, Konduga, 13 years ago and will not resettle there until the government brings about lasting security.
In the 15 years since the Islamist insurgency began in north-eastern Nigeria, thousands of people have died and millions have been forced from their homes.
The number of people killed in targeted attacks on farmers this year has more than doubled since 2024, according to research by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (Acled) monitoring group.
Yet the governor of Borno state is speeding up the reintegration of displaced people from camps back onto the land - as part of his stabilisation agenda, and to counter disruptions in food production.
Nigeria's government says it plans to expand the Agro Rangers scheme Almost four million people face food insecurity across conflict zones in Nigeria's north-east, the UN warns. But some aid agencies say move to relocate farmers to boost agriculture has moved too fast.
International Crisis Group, a non-profit organisation focused on resolving deadly conflict, says the policy is putting internally displaced people in danger -highlighting that militant groups extort farmers in areas that it controls to raise funds for its violent extremism.
Kidnapped along with nine other farmers and still terrified long after the ordeal, Abba Mustapha Muhammed has seen first-hand what happens when victims do not pay up.
"There was one that got killed because he couldn't pay the ransom. His family could not meet the time given," says Mr Muhammed. "He was killed and thrown away. They asked the family to come and take the dead body."
Being held captive in dense forest for three days was "unbearable", he says. "The small meals they prepared often left us feeling hungry and gave us diarrhoea. There was no clean drinking water."
The father-of-three tells the BBC he is too afraid to return to subsistence farming because "the insurgents are still lurking. Just yesterday, they abducted over 10 people".
Despite stories like these, Mohammed Hassan Agalama, the commander who leads the Agro Rangers scheme in Borno, insists that the guards deter militants from staging violent assaults.
"We have not encountered more terrorists coming to attack the farmers because they know that we are fully on ground at the time of farming season," says Cdt Agalama, who operates under the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
James Bulus, a spokesperson for the NSCDC, argues that the government is making gains in its fight against the insurgents, telling the BBC: "The harvest alone is there to tell you that normalcy has returned, and farmers are doing their normal businesses in the farm."
However, he admits that resources are inadequate.
Agro Rangers is a small-scale project and not a long-term solution for widespread regional insecurity.
"We cannot be everywhere. We are not spirits. Can 600 armed Agro Rangers cover the whole of farms in Maiduguri? No."
For this reason, Nigeria's federal government says it plans to expand the Agro Rangers scheme.
Acled's senior Africa analyst Ladd Serwat says this year has seen a surge in the number of reported civilian fatalities due to targeted attacks on farmers by armed groups.
Furthermore, during the first half of 2025 reported killings by Boko Haram and Iswap reached their highest level in five years.
Over in Maiduguri's city centre, a group of farmers gather in the home of Adam Goni, the chair of the Borno branch of the National Association of Sorghum Producers, Processors and Marketers.
The men sit on rugs beneath the wide boughs of a tree, while two women sit on mats in the shade of a nearby veranda, as goats and chickens roam the compound.
The entire group has had their lives irrevocably changed by violence.
Among them is Baba Modu, whose 30-year-old nephew was gunned down on his farm by Boko Haram.
"It pains me so much," he says. "They killed humans like an ant, without remorse. The killings we've experienced have been devastating, but this year is the worst. When I go out to farm, there's a constant threat of being killed. I don't have peace of mind even at home - I often sleep with my eyes open, feeling like we might be attacked."
Mr Modu sinks into his chair at times, pausing in deep contemplation. He says the constant insecurity weighs heavily on him and the community.
"Even if you are starving and food is scarce, you can't go to the farm. When we try, they chase us away or even kill us. At first, they would demand a ransom when they abducted someone, but now they collect the money and still kill the person they have kidnapped."
Many farmers, like Mr Modu, say the militants can outnumber and overpower the Nigerian army when they attack.
"Sometimes even the security operatives run away when they see the insurgents," he adds.
On one side of the compound, Mr Goni tends to a potato patch.
He tells the BBC that he has 10 hectares (24 acres) of land ready to be harvested 8km (5 miles) away, but he is terrified to gather his crops.
The owner of the neighbouring farm was killed on his land only weeks ago.
"There's no safety. We are just taking risks to go there, because when you go to farm these Boko Haram people are there," he says. "If you are not lucky, they will kill you."
Mr Goni believes the military could do more to end the conflict.
"We are very angry. We are unhappy with what is happening. If the government is serious, within a month, Boko Haram will end in Nigeria."
Meanwhile, the NSCDC's Mr Bulus says the military is addressing the wider conflict.
"Peace is gradual. You cannot do it in one day. It has to undergo so many processes."
But the process has taken too long for these farmers. More than 15 years on, insecurity continues to plague every aspect of people's lives.
The BBC asked the Nigerian military about the farming community's claims that it has not done enough to protect them, but it has not yet responded.
She dressed the way she wanted to dress. Given her background, she could have chosen the Islamic dress code, but she very publicly rejected it without suffering any consequences. That should give you room for sober reflection
Iranian leader who led hijab crackdown slammed after daughter’s 'strapless' wedding dress goes viral: 'Display of hypocrisy'
A video showing the daughter of a senior aide to Iran's Supreme Leader wearing a strapless dress at a wedding in Tehran has stirred a major row. Critics are accusing the regime of hypocrisy over its strict hijab laws.
The footage was reportedly leaked on X on October 17, according to Daily Mail. The video shows Ali Shamkhani, a top ranking advisor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and former secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, escorting his daughter Fatemeh into the Espinas Palace Hotel. Guests can be seen cheering as the bride walks in wearing a white strapless gown with a low neckline
The Western-style ceremony has been condemned on Iranian social media as a contrast to the modesty and hijab rules that ordinary women are forced to follow. Shamkhani, who once led the government’s harsh crackdown on anti-hijab protests, is now being accused of hypocrisy.
'Lavish wedding in a strapless dress'
“The daughter of Ali Shamkhani, one of the Islamic Republic’s top enforcers, had a lavish wedding in a strapless dress. Meanwhile, women in Iran are beaten for showing their hair and young people can’t afford to marry,” wrote exiled activist Masih Alinejad on X.
“They preach ‘modesty’ while their own daughters parade in designer dresses. The message couldn’t be clearer: the rules are for you, not for them," they added.
'She is free because her father has power'
Swedish-Iranian MP Alireza Akhondi also criticised the display, calling it “a display of hypocrisy, corruption, and fear.” He added, “The daughter of one of the most corrupt and repressive officials of the Islamic Republic is getting married in a lavish celebration, dressed freely. She is free because her father has power. This is no longer religion.”
New hijab rules?
Reports by Iran International claimed the wedding took place in April 2024, with several members of Iran’s political elite in attendance. The backlash comes as authorities prepare to deploy 80,000 new morality police officers in Tehran to enforce hijab rules.
Who is Ali Shamkhani?
Shamkhani, 70, is a long-time ally of Khamenei and served as defence minister and senior military commander before leading the Supreme National Security Council from 2013 to 2023. During his tenure, the regime launched a violent crackdown on protests that erupted following the 2022 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being detained for allegedly violating hijab rules.
According to Human Rights Watch, more than 500 people, including 68 children, were killed during the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, with over 20,000 arrested. A UN fact-finding mission later found that the Iranian government had committed “extensive, sustained and continuing” human rights violations against women and girls.
Shamkhani had previously survived an Israeli air strike on his Tehran residence in June.
Politics › Re: ‘I'm Still Searching My Past For Any Offence’ Soyinka Reacts As US Revokes Visa by BlackViper(op): 9:49am On Oct 29, 2025
