₦airaland Forum

Public servants under the aegis of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) say they will begin a three-day warning strike on Friday if the federal government fails to slash the price of petrol to N500 and approve a new wage award for workers.

In a statement on Tuesday, Gbenga Olowoyo, national secretary of JNPSNC and general secretary of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), said the September 30 ultimatum they had earlier handed to the government to address the rising cost of petrol and begin negotiations for a new national minimum wage remains sacrosanct.

He said the council has mobilised workers to embark on the industrial action should President Bola Tinubu fail to announce a drastic cut in petrol price and a new national minimum wage in his Independence Day speech.

“The three critical issues requiring urgent attention are as follows: reduction of fuel price to N500 per litre. The Federal Government should take urgent steps to bring down the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N500 per litre,” the statement reads.

“The Federal Government should urgently approve a wage award for Nigerian workers to cushion the effects of the prevailing harsh economic conditions being experienced by workers, their dependants, and vulnerable Nigerians.

“It is imperative to state clearly that the Independence Day address of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should adequately address these critical issues.

“Consequently, the council states that failure by the Federal Government to take the necessary steps to address these issues on or before 30th September 2026 will leave Nigerian workers with no option but to commence a three-day warning strike, with effect from Friday, 2nd October 2026, to press home their demands.”

Olowoyo said the council had on September 21 written a letter to Tinubu in which it made the three demands, including the commencement of negotiations for a minimum wage of not less than N500,000 from 2027, among others.

It, however, expressed displeasure that no visible action had been taken on the stated demands more than a week after the letter.

‘ADDRESS LANDING COSTS OF PETROL, SUPPORT OPERATORS’

The JNPSNC national secretary said reducing petrol price can be achieved through the provision of an intervention fund to address the landing costs of the commodity and support oil and gas operators.

“It is equally important for the Federal Government to ensure the sale of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery and operators of modular refineries at appropriate terms to facilitate increased domestic refining and help bring down the price of petroleum products,” Olowoyo said.

He argued that the current price of PMS, ranging from N1,450 to N2,000 and, in some locations outside major communities and cities, as high as N2,500 per litre, is unacceptable to Nigerian workers.

According to him, “the council maintains that the economic hardship occasioned by the high cost of fuel is placing the survival of Nigerian workers, their dependants and the general populace under severe pressure, making it increasingly difficult for Nigerians to live normal and dignified lives”.

He said the council believes that urgent action on the demands will further enable public servants to consolidate their loyalty, commitment and productivity within the public service ecosystem.

Olowoyo added that the workers are also asking the federal government to urgently establish a tripartite committee to facilitate negotiations for the new minimum wage.

"The Nigerian workers’ demand for the immediate constitution of the committee is informed by the need to avoid any administrative or procedural delay that could affect the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage once it is eventually negotiated and passed into law by the National Assembly,” he added.

The JNPSNC is made up of eight public sector unions with members including the NCSU, Medical and Health Workers Union, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives.

Others are the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees; Nigeria Union of Public Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers; National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers; and National Union of Agriculture and Allied Employees.

Biodun1929:
Na wa for you people and your complex. Andrew Garfield made 2 spiderman movies long before he said this...he was inspired by Fela's music while making those movies 12-14 years before this news you are posting.

timilehin007:
It’s just pure hatred and jealousy to Yoruba from that other region to always talk down on the legendary fela

wiseone28:
Before you get yourself angry Ghana is also losing after 2 goals lead. And cape verde too both at home

Reference:
At least we can take heart in our jollof brothers from another mother. Joined hip to hip in footy misery..

The Nigerian Consulate General in Johannesburg has reported the deaths of three more citizens in South Africa following a wave of xenophobic attacks in the country.

In a statement issued on Monday, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, consul-general, said the victims died in separate incidents across South Africa between September 18 and 21.

According to the consul-general, Kenechukwu Christopher Igwemadu allegedly jumped to his death on September 18 while trying to escape police harassment and brutality at Kenlin Court on Douglas street, Central Business District (CBD), Bloemfontein.

The second death occurred on September 20 at the Spanata Bar and Grills Night Club in Mamelodi east, Pretoria.

The consul-general said Olaniyi Olaleye Olatunde, who worked as a security guard at the bar, was killed by an unidentified South African customer after he tried to stop him from leaving the club with a cup belonging to the facility.

“This resulted in an altercation and the South African pulled out his firearm and shot OLATUNDE in his lower body part, leading to a serious injury and profuse loss of blood,” the statement reads.

“Upon noticing the grievous harm done, the shooter immediately fled the scene.”

Okey-Uche said the shooter also reportedly threatened to kill any witnesses who attempted to identify him to the police.

Olatunde was rushed to the hospital but died the following morning.

The consul-general said the third case involved Christian Hillary Nnaemeka, who died on September 21 following an alleged encounter with South African politician and investigative content creator Xolani Khumalo and members of his Sizok’thola team in Primrose, Ekurhuleni.

Nnaemeka was reportedly arrested and tortured by members of the team before he attempted to escape by jumping over a fence.

However, the Nigerian reportedly collapsed from exhaustion and injuries sustained during the incident and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

Khumalo, who is running for mayor of Ekurhuleni, had been previously accused of evading justice after his crew reportedly killed Emeza Uzor, another Nigerian, in February.

‘DEEPLY TROUBLING’ REPORTS

Okey-Uche said reports of the incidents were deeply troubling and “continue to raise numerous questions over the safety of Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa”.

“The recent deaths of the three (3) Nigerians, coming in quick succession, also raises questions about what seems to be a pattern of targeting Nigerians in South Africa,” the consul-general added.

Early this month, two Nigerians were reported killed in xenophobic attacks against foreigners in South Africa.

The reports came two months after two Nigerians were killed amid renewed anti-migrant tensions in the country.

Okey-Uche urged South African authorities to investigate the deaths.

She appealed to Nigerians to remain from violence and remain security conscious.

seppuku:
Majority of the indigenous muslims in the South AFrica are not of Arab stock.

seppuku:
You want to do history lesson with me on Southern Africa ba!

Many African ethnic groups that eventually settled in "SOUTH AFRICA" today came round about the same time the Muslims arrived the cape.

At least 27 dead after two mass shootings in South Africa as cops hunt gunmen ‘armed with AK-47s & pistols’

AT least 27 people have been killed and 26 are injured after two mass shootings just hours apart in South Africa.

An urgent manhunt has been launched for several suspects – with eight alleged gunmen from the first attack armed with AK-47s and pistols, police say.

The first assault unfolded at a bar in the Wedela township, southwest of Johannesburg, at 9.30pm local time on Saturday.

At least 17 were killed and 15 people were left injured, authorities said.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and pronounced 13 men and four women dead at the scene.

It is currently unclear what the motive behind the shooting is, South African police said on X, but they are currently looking for eight suspected gunmen.

Cops added: “Suspects were ​reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols.”

They also said the attackers allegedly searched some of the people inside and took their cellphones before fleeing in two vehicles.

The 15 injured victims have been rushed to hospital and are being treated for gunshot wounds.

No arrests have been made yet, authorities added.

The suspects allegedly targeted the tavern, opening fire on customers drinking outside.

The gunmen then entered the building before continuing to shoot bystanders, cops said.

It came just hours before another shooting broke out in Cape Town, South Africa’s second largest city.

At least 10 people were killed and 11 were injured after gunmen opened fire at an entertainment venue in Lwandle on Saturday night.

Local cops said five people were pronounced dead at the scene, while the other five succumbed to their injuries in hospital.

The deadly attack took place at around 11.45pm on the same night, just hours after the first shooting.

Images showed the aftermath of the attack, with emotional locals crowded round the building as cops took evidence.

The two attacks in South Africa bring the total death count to 27 in the space of just a few hours.

The country has been plagued by high rates of violent crime for years – with deadly shootings taking place often around major cities.

A total of 10 men have been jailed for a combined 130 years after setting fire to a home in a ‘revenge attack’ that severely injured a woman and a teenage girl.

On December 16, 2021, shortly before 11pm, a group of men smashed the downstairs windows of a house on Beverley Drive in Stoke-on-Trent and poured petrol into the hallway and outside the living room window.

A 31-year-old woman and a 13-year-old girl were inside at the time, both of whom had no choice but to jump out of an upstairs window.

Police confirmed that the mother had been struck on the head and set on fire; she suffered 65% burns, a broken pelvis, broken ribs, and a cut to her liver.

She spent two months in a coma and was not expected to survive, but she is now walking again and is predicted to need medical treatment for life.

The child suffered 15% burns to her arm, requiring skin grafts, in what Staffordshire Police’s major investigations department called a ‘truly shocking’ act of violence.

An 11-week trial followed at Nottingham Crown Court, which concluded in February, while several men entered guilty pleas prior to the trial.

Today, at Leicester Crown Court, seven men were sentenced, while three others had already been sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

On June 3, Bilal Ahmed, 27, of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, and Naveed Hussain, 32, of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, were sentenced.

Ahmed was given 15 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, as well as 100 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to violent disorder.

Hussain was sentenced to 22 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, after pleading guilty to violent disorder and possession of a knife blade or sharp pointed article in a public place.

On July 7, Kashif Ahmed, 26, of Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced to 48 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to violent disorder.

Sentenced today, Haris Mahmood, 22, of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, was given 24 years and nine months, having pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life.

Shakil Uddin, 23, of Oldham, was sentenced to 34 years after being convicted of one count of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life.

Ali Abbas, 23, of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, was jailed for 25 years after pleading guilty to numerous charges: two counts of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life, two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent, and possession of a knife or blade in a public place.

Riyadh Iqbal, 23, of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years after being found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent and arson with intent to endanger life.

Tayyeb Majeed, 24, of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, was jailed for 10-and-a-half years after a conviction for grievous bodily harm with intent.

Lukman Khan, 25, of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years after being found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent and arson with intent to endanger life.

Finally, Muhammad Sufyaan-Shah, 25, was sentenced to 11-and-a-half years in prison after being found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent.

All will serve two-thirds of their sentences, with the rest on licence.

The court heard how, at approximately 4pm on the day of the fire, a fight broke out between Hussain, Abbas, Bilal Ahmed, and Kashif Ahmed.

According to police, the brawl on Kildare Street, Longton, resulted in Kashif Ahmed sustaining a stab wound to his shoulder, for which he went to hospital.

Then, several hours later, a gang went to the two-bed property on Beverley Drive and demanded to speak to Hussain, at which point the revenge attack was carried out.

Hussain’s ex-partner was ‘relaxing in her home’ at the time, unaware that he had been in a street fight earlier on, while her teenage daughter was ‘on her phone upstairs’ when she heard the men breaking in, demanding to know where her stepdad was. It is believed Hussain visited his ex and her child at the house ‘periodically’.

Judge Mayo said it is ‘virtually impossible to imagine a more horrific scene’ than what the victims faced that night, with the girl having recalled hearing her mother screaming as her ‘hair, face, arms, and legs’ were on fire while she was unclothed.

The attack was described as ‘deliberate revenge for the relatively minor injury to Kashif Ahmed’, with prosecutor Siobhan Collins adding: ‘It is clear when that was put in motion the intended victim was Naveed Hussain.’

Commenting after the offenders were sentenced, Detective Constable Howard Davies said: ‘We hope these sentences send a strong message that this kind of violence will not be tolerated and that those responsible will be held to account.’

Mighty081:
Available As Seen..buy & enjoy

In the dead of night, a Ukrainian drone crossed the front line in northern Donetsk, one of a hundred or so to pass overhead that day.

But this was no ordinary drone: a second machine was hanging beneath it, a small robot on wheels, packed full of explosives.

The carrier drone flew on past the last Ukrainian positions, at least 10 miles into Russian-held territory, before dropping its cargo to the ground.

There, the remote-controlled vehicle sprang into action, tracking down Russian soldiers lying in wait to attack Ukraine, before detonating its payload.

The 3rd Army Corps had eliminated a deadly trap, but not one pair of boots had touched the ground.

The unit’s commander told The Telegraph that no other army had air-dropped ground robots behind enemy lines until now.

The feat – part of a top secret offensive known as Operation Vivaldi – had helped Ukraine kill 3,000 Russians in a matter of months, recovering 48 square miles of occupied Ukraine, the 3rd Army Corps said.

But the drop was the easy part: getting one machine over the line took jamming, artillery and darkness, a glimpse of how far Ukraine will go to keep its infantry off the ground.

“This drone, it has no fear, and unlike men, we are not afraid to lose it,” said Darwin, commander of the 2nd Mechanised Battalion of the 3rd Army Corps. “It makes the war safer for our soldiers.”

Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) are remote-controlled robots on wheels or tracks.

Most are unglamorous: small flatbed machines that carry ammunition, food, batteries and wounded men along routes too dangerous for people.

Others – such as the ones deployed by the 3rd Army Corps – are fitted with heavy machine guns, or packed with explosives and driven into Russian positions.

Getting the UGV – known as Gryphon to Ukrainian soldiers – over the line in Donetsk was the difficult part, Darwin explained.

A drone big enough to lift a robot is large enough for Russian troops to see, and a machine gun is enough to bring it down.

So Darwin’s team set about making it invisible.

Electronic warfare was used to jam Russian reconnaissance drones, so the crews watching that stretch of front could not see what was moving across it.

Ukrainian drones and artillery struck Russian infantry positions to force the men there into cover, where they could not shoot upwards. The flights went in under the cover of night.

“The most difficult part is to reach the point where you should lift the drone,” Darwin said. “We use radio electronic warfare to blind their drones, and they cannot see what we are doing any second.”

Darwin, commander of the 2nd Mechanised Battalion of the 3rd Army Corps, said the remote-controlled robots ‘make the war safer for our soldiers’
The difficulty is that almost nothing on this front moves unobserved.

“A man cannot disappear from the battlefield in any situation,” said Darwin.

Three or four Russian drones hang over Darwin’s positions at any given second, he added. Across a day, up to 100 pass over his battalion alone.

Some are shot down, but Russia replaces them immediately.

Ukraine fights back with electronic warfare, with drones and artillery hunting the Russian crews flying them, and with soldiers simply shooting upwards. “You can use your automatic weapon to fire at this drone, and it really works,” Darwin said.

When it works, the reward is not just territory but ordinary life.

“If there are no enemy drones over them, our soldiers can move,” he said. “They can move safely. They can hide. They can eat, even sleep, a rarity in this war.”

The robots went as far as 12 miles beyond the front line, deep enough that Russian commanders struggled to believe what had hit them, according to Darwin.

In one intercepted exchange, a Russian officer dismissed the idea that a Ukrainian machine could have reached his men at all.

“The distance was such that the commander did not believe it could have been our little machine,” said Mykola Zinkevych, another commander in the unit. “He said: ‘I’d sooner believe that our own guys drove up and hit you than that it was the khokhols’” – a slur for Ukrainians.

Once the robots had done their work, his men went forward on foot.

They took the position, dug in, and waited while artillery, drones and more robots worked over the next stretch of ground.

“We go forward, making a defence line, then waiting until artillery, flying drones and robots do their work, and then go in again,” Darwin said.

It is slow work, and it is not how the fighting looked when he first became a soldier.

Darwin joined the army in 2017, age 19, during what was then called the Anti-Terrorist Operation in eastern Ukraine.

He served three years on contract in what he called “the small war, the war before the big war started”, then signed up again when Russia invaded in 2022. He has been fighting for seven and a half years.

In that time, Ukraine has defined the future of modern warfare. Artillery can no longer fire as freely as it did, because the guns are watched, while battalions no longer move as battalions.

“If before we moved with big battalion groups with mechanised forces, now we should use only small groups because of drones,” he said.

The hardest part of the job, he said, is ordering men into something that may kill them.

“Sometimes you don’t know: is it worth the cost? Is it too risky to do, and should you just try?” he said. “When I was a soldier, I did the same. My commanders decided to do risky things for me, and I did it.”

He described one day when Russian forces counter-attacked across his sector at once, 10 to 20 separate engagements running at the same time, with not enough drones or artillery to cover them all.

“You cannot control every point of the battlefield at one moment,” he said. “And you never have enough forces to do it.”

Afterwards, he said: “You start to feel exhausted.”

Darwin believed the tactic of airdropping UGVs could be used anywhere along the front, and said his corps was already teaching it to other brigades.

But the conditions he set out for this to work are not trivial: money for the large carrier drones, trained operators, and a command structure “qualified enough as we are” to run an operation with that many moving parts.

Despite the odds, Darwin is resolute.

“I remember where we started, and I can see what we have now,” he said. “Maybe we will spend many years in this war, maybe not, maybe some months, but the victory is inevitable for Ukraine.”

Samstar4now:
Is this supposed to be news?

Manchester United have completed the signing of 16-year-old central midfielder David Eze from local rivals Manchester City. Despite attracting significant interest from major European clubs over the summer, the versatile England youth international has chosen to continue his development at Old Trafford.

United complete raid on City

United have officially announced the signing of talented central midfielder Eze from cross-town rivals City. The 16-year-old prospect has agreed a pre-professional contract, outlining that he will formally sign professional terms when he turns 17.

Eze was formally unveiled just two days after United confirmed the acquisition of Karrim Cassim from the Etihad system. The arrival of Eze completes an impressive double signing from their local rivals.

Official statement confirms youth arrival

United welcomed the youngster following the completion of his move across Manchester. Upon signing for the Red Devils, the 16-year-old was given a tour of Old Trafford, mirroring the welcome given to fellow new recruit Cassim.

"Talented youngster David Eze has joined Manchester United," the official club statement read. "The central midfielder has joined the club after leaving Manchester City.

"The 16-year-old, who progressed through the academy system at City, has also been capped by England at youth level. Everyone wishes David the best of luck at United and welcomes him to the club."

European interest rejected for Old Trafford

Eze was a player in high demand over the summer transfer window, attracting concrete interest from several major European clubs. Because he was born in Dublin, the midfielder holds a European passport, which granted him distinct legal options to complete a transfer abroad.

Despite those alternative routes across Europe, the youngster ultimately chose to continue his career at Old Trafford. Eze already boasts valuable international experience, having represented England at both Under-16 and Under-17 level during his progression through the junior ranks.

Strategic recruitment focus for United academy

Due to Brexit rules, the club's academy recruitment search is essentially limited to the United Kingdom. Because of these regulatory restrictions, United have been particularly proactive in adding top young players from neighbouring sides over the last few years. Eze will now begin his development at Carrington before officially signing his professional contract when he reaches his 17th birthday.

Russia is planning to launch seaborne drone attacks against Italy, Spain and France, according to the CIA.

Moscow intends to expand its focus from Eastern Europe and the Baltics to the Mediterranean and Western Europe.

Vladimir Putin’s regime intends to launch drones from container ships out at sea, hitting ports, airports and other infrastructure, according to El Mundo, the Spanish newspaper.

Drones launched from merchant ships could reach the entire eastern half of Spain, including Madrid and the holiday destinations of Andalucia, practically all of Italy aside from the country’s north-east, and most of southern France, including Toulouse and Marseille.

A Nato official told The Telegraph that European allies were preparing for a “step-up” in Russia’s hybrid campaign against the West, including aggressive messaging and violent attacks.

The CIA reportedly tipped off Paris, Madrid and Rome about the possible escalation of probing attacks against Nato countries on Europe’s southern flank.

“They will use drones launched from the sea, concealed in shipping containers; it is not difficult at all,” an unnamed source close to the Lithuanian ministry of defence told El Mundo.

Lithuanian authorities have reportedly been informed that the type of drone that Russia is planning to use would be a Gerbera, a relatively small aircraft that could be concealed inside merchant shipping containers and launched via a catapult.

The Gerbera is about 2m long and has a wingspan of 2.5m.

It can reach speeds of around 99 mph (160 km/h) and has a maximum range of around 373 miles (600km).

A merchant ship could carry several such drones, and they are easier to launch than Geran or Shahed drones.

The Gerbera’s small payload is insufficient to destroy a large facility, but it could cause considerable damage, temporarily shutting down a port or airport.

A senior Nato official told The Telegraph: “We believe that Russia is feeling a degree of pressure right now that is remarkably high, probably the highest at any point during the war and at any point during Vladimir Putin’s leadership positions in Russia.

“It seems that, from the Kremlin’s perspective, the best option that they have is to step up the hybrid campaign that they have been waging against the West. That includes more aggressive messaging and much more of the harder aspects of a hybrid campaign.”

The official said the “increase in the Russian sabotage and hybrid campaign” was the Kremlin’s reaction to “the fact that the Allies are doing more for their own defence as well as more in support of Ukraine”.

Vilnius and other European capitals have been aware of the warning about new drone attacks since shortly after CIA director John Ratcliffe’s mysterious trip to Moscow on Aug 25.

Media reports have suggested that Mr Ratcliffe went to warn Russia against any attack or provocation targeting Nato.

The Danish defence intelligence service said there was a growing risk of Russian military action against Nato countries and that while an outright invasion was “highly unlikely”, it could not be ruled out.

Nato is “ready” for Russian cyber attacks and other forms of hybrid warfare, the alliance’s secretary general insisted on Thursday.

“Russia is doing more and more when it comes to the cyber etc domain, but ... Nato is ready for this,” Mark Rutte said.

“We have all these response options in place ... when it comes to hybrids to make sure that we stay strong,” the Nato chief said, urging countries to provide “more support for Ukraine” if they “really want to give a signal to the Russians on every hybrid incident, hybrid attack”.

Russia’s objective in launching drone attacks on France, Spain or Italy would be to sow division and exploit domestic political differences over support for Ukraine.

All three countries will be holding elections next year.

In Italy, there are parties within the governing conservative coalition and the centre-Left opposition that are trenchantly opposed to sending more military and economic aid to Kyiv, believing that the support simply fuels the conflict.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a Left-wing leader in France, has blamed the intensification of Moscow’s threat in Europe on Ukraine’s “long-range attacks” on Russia.

Keir Giles, a British analyst specialising in Russian military strategy, said Spain’s distance from the Russian border offered no guarantee of safety.

“It is not necessarily the front-line countries that will be targeted. The target will be wherever Europe’s weakest point lies,” he told El Mundo.

Mr Giles said Spain, like the UK, was especially vulnerable because it had “not invested in integrated air and missile defence systems adequate to the Russian threat. Russia looks for where any given action will have the greatest impact based on a lack of resilience, civil defence and political fragility”.

The choice of target is driven by “a constantly changing equation”, said Mr Giles. Moscow calculates where it can achieve the greatest result relative to the risks and resources it is willing to commit.

Four Russian drones entered Moldova’s airspace on Thursday morning, highlighting Moscow’s escalating campaign of provocation.

“Russia’s massive attack on Ukraine reached Moldova again this morning. Four Russian drones violated our airspace, and at least one exploded in the north,” Maia Sandu, the president of Moldova, wrote on X. “Russia’s war endangers all of Europe.”

The report by El Mundo caused alarm in Italy. “The news of a possible attack by Russian drones against Italy requires an immediate clarification from the government,” said Lia Quartapelle, an MP from the main opposition force, the Democratic Party.

“Is it correct? And what is the government doing, along with other European countries, to protect us from these risks?”

Emmanuel Macron convened the French defence council on Sept 16 and summoned the leaders of all political parties and candidates for the 2027 presidential election to the Élysée Palace two days later.

He said: “The nature of Russian aggression and threats in Europe is changing. No one is safe.”

The Kremlin’s sabotage tactics, which until now have mainly targeted state or military assets, such as the drone attack on a cargo plane in Leipzig last month, now appear to be shifting toward targets that could result in civilian casualties.

Mr Macron ordered his government to prepare a plan to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive defence-industrial sites against drone and cyber attacks, warning that further Russian aggression would not go unanswered.

In an interview on Thursday evening, he said it was “plausible” Russia would launch an attack on Europe.

“It is clear that there have been several indications that Russia is preparing to do so,” he said during his interview with TF1 and France 2.

“What I can tell you is that Russia is stepping up its hostile and sometimes criminal acts against European countries,” he elaborated.

“Tensions are rising.”

The French president is expected to warn of the growing Russian threat to Europe and France’s energy crisis in a television interview on Thursday evening.

lawani:
Who is to blame for this?

I think it is the political parties in Nigeria who appear to have been bribed so that they will not challenge the governors who dont hold local government elections.
If there is democracy in the local governments then some of them will throw up real visionary leaders as chairmen
A local government with 150,000 population will have up to 50,000 buildings and tenement collection wil be around 2 billion naira per annum, adverts should be up to 100 million naira, produce tax if majority of workers are farmers will be in excess of 5 billion naira per annum. If they are not farmers then other taxes will be higher
But it can't happen when the governors don't hold elections and the non ruling political parties are ok with that

1 🟢 Abia
2 ⚫ Adamawa
3 🟤 Akwa Ibom
4 🟢 Anambra
5 🟤 Bayelsa
6 🟠 Benue
7 🟤 Delta
8 🟠 FCT
9 🔴 Kano
10 🟠 Nasarawa
11 🟣 Osun
12 🟣 Oyo
13 🟠 Plateau
14 🟤 Rivers
15 ⚫ Yobe
16 🔴 Zamfara

16 states (plus the FCT) recorded ₦0 in 2025

🟠NC ⚫NE 🔴NW 🟢SE 🟤SS 🟣SW

#Statisense
(NBS)

Pakistani air strikes on Afghanistan have killed at least four people, a spokesman for the Afghan Taliban government said, promising to deliver an “appropriate response”.

Pakistan said on Thursday it carried out air strikes on 10 locations in Afghanistan used to store and launch drones, some of which were used in cross-border attacks.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the air strikes targeted Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces.

A resident in Kandahar city told the AFP news agency that an air strike hit the city in southern Afghanistan. The resident said they heard a jet, then a large explosion, followed by a fire in the centre of Kandahar city, AFP reported.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said air strikes were “deliberate, precise, calibrated, and proportionate, and strictly limited to identified military objectives directly linked to the attempted attacks against Pakistan”.

He condemned a “deliberate and unlawful incursion into Pakistan by drones” on Wednesday.

“This constitutes a blatant violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and is a grave and unacceptable act of aggression,” he said.

Taliban officials denied that their government launched drones against Pakistan on Wednesday.

The air raids on Thursday were carried out as tensions grow between the former allies over attacks by armed groups in Pakistan, which triggered their worst fighting in years in February.

Islamabad accuses Kabul of harbouring fighters who stage cross-border attacks, but Afghanistan’s Taliban government denies harbouring anti-Pakistani armed groups and says the attacks are Pakistan’s internal problem.

An attack on a police facility in northwestern Pakistan last week that killed at least 21 people has reignited ⁠fighting between the countries after nearly three months of ⁠relative calm. A Pakistan Taliban faction claimed responsibility for the blast and subsequent gun battle.

On Monday, air raids targeting three locations in northeastern Afghanistan killed three civilians in the Nurgal district of Kunar province, Afghan officials said. Islamabad said it killed 28 “terrorists”.

The escalation threatens mediation efforts by China, Turkiye, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to broker a lasting peace between the two neighbours.

Relations between the former allies have been strained since the fighting in February, the worst for years.

Incognito403:
Whenever bigots post that laughing emoji on NL, just know they're dying inside.

May God save you.

02Kebreal:
Nobody studies Islam with a clean mind and won't convert to Islam.
Forget the propaganda, pick up a copy of the Qur'an, keep study it with open mind, make research, do your findings and let me see if you won't find out the truth about Islam and which Religion truly gives you salvation.
I invite you to Islam...
Without Islam U are going to hell ..
This is not me trying to argue with you, this is just me showing you I care about you and want to see you in Hannah.
May Allah guide everyone of you.

Mirasteel:
He's reciting the shahada in the video, the acceptance to join Islam.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a Nigerian-Mexican drug cartel operating a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Eziama community, Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

This is contained in a statement by NDLEA, Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi on Thursday in Abuja. Babafemi said that two kingpins were arrested in connection with the operation of the meth lab in partnership with a notorious Mexican drug cartel member based in Mexico City, Mexico. This, he said, was after several months of intelligence and surveillance on the syndicate.

“As a result, they were arraigned before Hon. Justice Mabel Segun-Bello of the Federal High Court, Enugu Judicial Division, on a five-count charge. This is bordering on conspiracy, the organisation, management and financing of a Drug Trafficking organisation, and unlawful possession of precursor chemicals used in methamphetamine production, contrary to the NDLEA Act. After their plea, Justice Segun-Bello has now scheduled their trial for October 21, following an application by the Agency for an accelerated hearing. Also named in the charge, and currently at large, are Uchenna, alias Uche; Celestine Iwuchukwu; and Rodriguez Villanueva, who is a notorious member of a Mexican drug cartel,” he said.

Babafemi said that investigations by a Special Operations Unit (SOU) of NDLEA revealed a sophisticated, transnational operation by the Nigerian-Mexican cartel.

He said that surveillance activities by NDLEA between Dec. 1 and Dec. 4, 2025, tracked the suspect movements between Lagos, Enugu and Anambra States.

This, he said, ultimately led operatives to a compound in Obeagu where a clandestine laboratory capable of producing methamphetamine in commercial quantities was uncovered.

“The lab, fitted with improvised reactors and distillation apparatus, mirrored similar facilities recently dismantled in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi. A search of the premises led to the recovery of vast quantities of precursor chemicals, including 690 litres of methylamine, 1,000 litres of isopropyl alcohol, 300 litres of hydrochloric acid. Others are 290 litres each of toluene and acetone, 400 litres of liquid sodium hydroxide, 125 kilograms of N-phenylacetamide, 414 kilograms of lead acetate, and 769.6 kilograms of tartaric acid. Among other controlled substances, a haul consistent with a high-potency, P2P-based methamphetamine manufacturing operation,” he said.

Babafemi said that a related search of the second suspect family residence yielded eight large fuel tanks, four commercial gas burners, four dehydrators, and 11 kilograms of ephedrine, further underscoring the scale of the cartel’s operations.

Reacting to the development, the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa reaffirmed the agency’s unwavering resolve to track down every fleeing suspect connected to the cartel, and ensure that they all face the full weight of the law.

Marwa commended all NDLEA officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and doggedness in cracking yet another international drug syndicate.

He described the Enugu lab bust as further proof that Nigeria would not be allowed to become a haven for transnational drug cartels.

He warned that the agency’s intelligence-driven operations and international partnerships would continue to close every loophole exploited by drug barons, whether local or foreign.

The NDLEA boss reiterated his charge to all NDLEA personnel to sustain the momentum of relentless enforcement until the nation was rid of the scourge of illicit drug production and trafficking.

VIDEO: NDLEA uncovers Nigerian-Mexican meth lab in Enugu, arrests kingpins pic.twitter.com/pq1RfVo16n

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