The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Monday released the results of the 2025 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Lagos.
This school-based examination, conducted over eight weeks and one day, was mired in controversy as many Nigerians called for the cancellation of the English Language paper, in particular, after numerous candidates were forced to write the exam at night due to delays.
A total of 1,969,313 candidates sat for the examination, but only 754,545 (representing 38.32%) obtained credits and above in at least five mandatory subjects, including English Language and Mathematics. This represents a sharp drop of 33.8% from last year’s pass rate of 72.12%, making it the worst performance in recent history for this WAEC-conducted school exam.
Of the total candidates, 976,787 (49.60%) were male, while 992,526 (50.40%) were female—indicating that more females participated in the exam.
WAEC also announced that candidates sponsored by state governments whose examination fees remain unpaid will not have their results released until the outstanding fees are fully settled by their sponsors.=
Meanwhile, candidates can begin checking their results online within the next 12 hours and download digital copies of their certificates via the council’s website. Physical copies of the certificates will also be sent to the respective schools at a later date.
The Head of the National Office of WAEC Nigeria, Dr Amos Dangut, made this announcement and provided key statistics at a press briefing held at the council’s national office in Yaba, Lagos.
In addition, WAEC disclosed that the results of 192,089 candidates (representing 9.75% of the total) are being withheld due to various cases of exam malpractice. These cases are currently under investigation to determine whether the affected results will be released or cancelled. This malpractice rate is 2.17% lower than last year’s 11.92%, a decline largely attributed to the introduction of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) in some subjects, including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, and Economics.
Dr Dangut also noted that the cost of conducting both school-based and private candidate exams has risen significantly, primarily due to inflation, high fuel prices, and increased cost of materials.
While expressing concern over the decline in candidate performance, Dangut highlighted the growing incidence of exam malpractice, which he attributed to multiple factors. According to him, many students now fail to adequately prepare, relying instead on so-called “expo,” which often does not exist, and on the actions of rogue website operators and social media platform owners who leak question papers online shortly after the commencement of exams. He also decried the use of mobile phones in exam halls, despite a strict ban on such devices.
He assured that WAEC would continue to sanction all cases of malpractice, including those involving schools, administrators, invigilators, and supervisors, to rid the system of sharp practices.
On a positive note, Dr Dangut confirmed that the results of all 12,178 candidates with special needs—including 112 visually impaired, 615 hearing impaired, 37 physically challenged, and 52 others—have been released alongside the general results.
He reiterated that candidates could check their results by visiting www.waecdirect.org and access their digital certificates on www.waec.org using the Smart Identity Cards they used during the exams. He explained that candidates can also share their digital certificates online with institutions and have them verified by any organization using the same platform.
Dr Dangut expressed appreciation to all stakeholders, including the Federal Government, security agencies, and examination officials, for their support during the conduct of the exams.
Fascinating. It is the embryo which eventually develops into the foetus 8 weeks after conception.
But that development can be suspended, and the embryo can be cryogenically preserved indefinitely until such future date as the parents are ready to have the child.
But the process of cryogenic preservation is very expensive which is why only the wealthy are doing it.
9ice, the Nigerian singer, says he once battled a mysterious illness that made him vomit blood for six months.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Nancy Isime Show, the ‘Gongo Aso’ hit maker recounted what he described as a spiritual attack that nearly ended his life around 2009 and 2010.
According to the singer, the illness defied medical treatment and only subsided after he turned to Ifa, the traditional Yoruba belief system.
9ice revealed that the incident became his turning point and led him to embrace traditional African spirituality. He added that he has since become a babaláwo, an Ifa priest.
“When I was vomiting blood for about six months in my own house. I had to leave my house. It happened in 2009/2010. It was not a medical condition,” he said.
“I am not a Christian or a Muslim, I am a Babalawo. I am an African. I am a traditionalist. The first time I experienced ifa was when I was vomiting blood. Someone referred me to ifa. I just wished that I had known ifa at the beginning.”
He referenced Fela Kuti, the late Afrobeat pioneer, as someone who was ahead of his time for embracing traditional practices despite being mocked.
“Fela used to go to Ogun and people were mocking him, but now, I understand,” he added.
The singer also hinted that he has encountered multiple spiritual battles over the course of his career.
9ice shot to fame in 2008 following the release of his album ‘Gongo Aso’.
The project earned him four awards at the 2009 Hip Hop World Awards, including Album of the Year and Artiste of the Year.
The Ondo State Police Command on Sunday, in Akure, the state capital, said it had arrested no fewer than 10 nationals of the Republic of Benin over an illegal human trafficking business in the state.
According to the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Lawal Adebowale, who spoke with journalists on the development, the suspects were Atouh Joel, Mohamed Amidou, Saibou Akateliwe, Abdul Jahao, and Ndah Severin.
Others include Kumpori Ruth, Kumpori Martin, Tatiana Dianne, Martias Sossa and Ndapola Oba Giov.
The CP said, “On July 31, 2025, at about 20.30 pm, operatives of the command apprehended 10 foreign nationals at their respective residences along Oda Road, Akure. These individuals were discovered to have illegally smuggled themselves into Nigeria from the Republic of Benin. Some of them had expired passports, while others had no valid travel documents whatsoever.
“Investigations revealed that these suspects criminally conspired to bring one Nzaou Yelica Christ-Olse (male, 29 years, Congolese) into Nigeria without his consent. The victim was deceived under the pretence of receiving assistance to start an online business.”
He was later abandoned by the group upon arrival.”
Related NewsAtiku, Obi merger can’t unseat Tinubu in 2027 – FGNEMA recommends contingency plans for states to tackle floodingBabcock graduate died inside hostel – Police
The police boss noted that the offence allegedly committed by the suspects constituted a clear violation of Nigeria’s immigration and anti-trafficking laws.
“The case has since been transferred to the relevant departments, including the Nigeria Immigration Service and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for further investigation and prosecution.
“The victim is safe, in the custody of the authorities, and receiving appropriate support,” Adebowale stressed.
The CP urged the people of the state to field the command with useful information that could assist it in the fight against crimes and criminality across the state.
“The command will continue to count on the support, vigilance, and credible information from the good people of Ondo State. We reaffirm our resolve to provide a safe and secure environment for all residents through lawful, ethical, and responsive policing.”
Rapper NBA YoungBoy is expecting his 13th and 14th children at age 25
NBA YoungBoy has been busy since he was granted a presidential pardon by Donald Trump in May. The 25-year-old rapper is expecting his 13th and 14th children, according to reports.
YoungBoy is expecting his second child with Floyd Mayweather’s daughter, Yaya Mayweather, and his 3rd child by his wife, Jazlyn Mychelle.
In a verse from his song “If You Need Me,” the rapper said his 23-year-old wife was “on our 3rd kid.”
According to the blogs, Iyanna “Yaya” Mayweather, 25, is also pregnant but she has not confirmed the rumor. She hasn’t denied the rumor either.
YoungBoy welcomed his first son, Kayden, when he was still a teenager in high school. He welcomed his 12th child, Kiori, with his 10th baby mama, Hailey, in 2024.
Hailey took to social media to dispute reports that she leaked the information about her baby for sympathy or attention.
“Loud & wrong but carry on,” she wrote. “def not looking for sympathy that post was made last year when I was going through [postpartum depression] & I wasn’t alone I felt alone b/c of how sick I was during my pregnancy : throwing up everyday was just hard/draining tf.”
YoungBoy also has 2 children by his current wife, Jazlyn Mychelle. Friends say she tolerates him keeping a harem of women because he takes good care of her and their minor children.
A planned August 1 boycott of African-owned businesses by Black Americans especially braiding salons, is set to begin August 1, 2025. The movement, led by TikTok creator Shea Shelf (@shea_thecreator), emerged from frustrations about poor service and cultural tension in these salons.
Shea’s passionate video urged Black Americans to stop patronizing African braiders and instead support Black American stylists and small businesses.
“Black Americans, come here, come here. This is a message for y’all, especially my Black American women. Come here, listen. I think it’s time for us to show how strong and how powerful the Black American dollar is, since they don’t believe us. I think it’s time to boycott the braiding shops.”
Shea cited complaints about unprofessionalism, tight braiding causing hair damage, and braiders speaking in native languages about clients. Her call struck a chord, gaining momentum on TikTok and sparking conversations on platforms like Lipstick Alley about economic power and respect within the Black community.
Nadine Djuiko, owner of Nadine’s Hair Braiding in Bowie, Maryland, responded with an emotional apology on TikTok . Her salon, famous for its fast and affordable braiding services, employs over 400 braiders, many of whom are Cameroonian refugees or asylum seekers. Djuiko admitted shortcomings in service and urged African immigrants to treat Black American clients with greater respect.
“I’m here today because deep inside me, my whole soul wants to say, ‘I’m sorry.’ This is a wake-up call for all African immigrants in America. We need to do better.”
Djuiko’s salon gained attention in 2021 after a viral TikTok showcased its 24/7 operations and “factory-style” braiding system, which allows multiple braiders to work on a single client in under 3 hours. However, it has also faced criticism over inconsistent quality and even lawsuits related to poor service, issues that fueled its inclusion in boycott discussions.
Social Media Split Over Boycott and Apology
The boycott and Djuiko’s response ignited strong reactions online. Supporters like TikToker @ray.bandz4 pushed for a “total blackout” of African businesses, arguing that Black Americans should leverage their spending power. They pointed to long-standing tensions over perceived disrespect and poor customer treatment.
African Shops are not Black Businesses / via X
Others called the boycott xenophobic, highlighting that not all African businesses provide poor service. X user @Larry2nuts praised Djuiko’s sincerity, noting her salon’s importance as a major employer for African women. Critics warned that targeting immigrant-run businesses could harm vulnerable workers and strain community relations further.
Some discussions also raised concerns about unintended consequences, such as drawing unwanted scrutiny from authorities like ICE or shifting clientele toward non-Black customers. The debate underscored deeper cultural misunderstandings between Black Americans and African immigrants.
Deeper Cultural Tensions Fueling the Controversy
The boycott has brought diaspora tensions to the forefront. Many Black Americans argue they often face disrespect in African-owned salons, while African immigrants stress the pressures of building businesses while supporting families abroad. This cultural divide has become a recurring topic in online forums and social media debates.
Experts note that such divisions distract from larger systemic issues affecting both communities. Outlets like Black Enterprise and Chicbeauty have urged collaboration rather than conflict, advocating for better communication and mutual support between Black Americans and African immigrants.
While it remains unclear whether the boycott will continue past August 1, it has already sparked meaningful conversations about respect, service quality, and economic solidarity within the Black diaspora. The conversation is far from over, and its outcome could shape future business and cultural interactions.
President Donald Trump announced Friday he is ordering two nuclear submarines to be positioned near Russia after "provocative statements" from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
"Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that," Trump wrote on his Truth Social page. "Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
After Trump on Monday said he was reducing a deadline for Russia to agree to a Ukraine peace settlement from 50 days to 10 or 12 days, Medvedev wrote on X that Trump was playing "the ultimatum game" and that such an approach could lead to war.
Medvedev said in a post on the Telegram platform Thursday cautioned Trump to keep in mind "his favorite films about the 'walking dead,'" and referred to the Soviet Union’s system for launching a last-ditch, automatic nuclear strike. It was not clear whether his comment referred to the apocalyptic American TV show "The Walking Dead."
The Pentagon typically doesn't announce the deployment of nuclear submarines because they are often on secret missions surveilling Russian and Chinese submarines, Politico reported.
Trump did not say whether he is positioning submarines that are capable of launching nuclear strikes.
Two teenage girls identified as Ajuma Simon, and Omojo Shuaibu, have been killed in Igalamela/Odolu local government area of Kogi State.
The incident was said to have happened about 7.pm on Wednesday when the teenagers were trekking along a bush path leading to their village.
The deceased were reportedly returning from a local market at Ega in the community.
Some residents said they heard the victims screaming and calling for help during the attack.
“They only came to the scene to meet the victims already dismembered. As at the time we got to the scene, one of the victims was still breathing. She told us that the armed men came with the intention to rape or kidnap them.”
“They started running to escape, but their assailants chased them for about 300 meters before they caught up with them, macheted and butchered the girls beyond recognition.
“I know the girls; one of them, Omojo Shuaibu, was my ex-student at the UEC Secondary School Ogbogbo. Very brilliant and dedicated; she was the assistant head girl,” said Yahaya Edibo, a teacher and resident of the community.
However, the local security and youths mobilised to the scene, on Thursday, reportedly evacuated their bodies to a morgue in Idah local government of Kogi state
The Igalamela chapter of Ukomu Igala socio-cultural organization has expressed deep concern over the rising cases of armed men terrorizing the community, urging the state government to come to their aid.
Confirming the murder of the teenagers, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Kogi Police Command, SP William Aya, said operatives had been deployed to the community over the incident.
About 1.4 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in northeastern Nigeria are at the risk of starvation following the withdrawal of humanitarian funding by the United Nations (UN).
The Cadre Harmonisé Food and Nutrition Insecurity Analysis, led by the government of Nigeria, with support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and other partners, had earlier projected that 33.1 million Nigerians would face high levels of food insecurity during the June–August 2025 lean season.
This brings to 34.7 million, the number of Nigerians at the risk of hunger.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in its report entitled ‘Nigeria 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan’, detailed the humanitarian challenges in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, confirming that 1.8 million children are at risk of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).
The report attributed the situation to the record inflation in Nigeria, with food inflation reaching 40.9 per cent in June 2024.
It also linked it to currency devaluation, climate shocks and conflict in the northeast.
UN funding cut
The reduction of funding, in recent months, had forced the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) to ration its support, and now it has completely run out, according to the BBC.
It reported that one Aisha Abubakar had lost more than half her family because of attacks on her village in Borno State as well as illness. She is among close to 1.4 million displaced people in the North East who are fully dependent on humanitarian aid for survival.
She spoke to the BBC after taking her youngest child to the aid distribution centre at Gwoza. She rocked the baby while waiting for her turn at the registration centre, holding her blue debit card.
The support for the month was credited onto the card, and the amount depends on the holder’s family size. Ms Abubakar received $20 (£15) and with it, she bought a sack of maize and other food items.
She said she was grateful, but that it was not enough to sustain her family for a month.
Trust Mlambo, head of operations in the area for WFP, told the BBC that “We don’t have any more to give after this [month’s] cycle.”
“Our warehouses are empty and we are desperate for any generous donations.”
The US State Department acknowledged that its recent reorganisation of humanitarian assistance programmes had resulted in some cuts in line with President Donald Trump’s America First Policy.
“The United States continues to be the most generous nation in the world, and we urge other nations to increase their humanitarian efforts,” a senior State Department official told the BBC.
It had said previously that 80 per cent of the United States’ government’s support to the WFP had not been affected.
On the ground in Nigeria, the lower support from all donors to the WFP this year has resulted in a spike in malnutrition rates, it was gathered.
More than 150 donor-funded clinics that have been treating malnutrition in the North East of the country are also facing imminent closure.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said the number of children with the most severe and deadly form of malnutrition more than doubled in the first half of the year.
“Six hundred and fifty two children have already died in our facilities since the beginning of 2025 due to lack of timely access to care,” the medical charity said.
The true scale of the crisis exceeded all expectations, MSF’s country representative for Nigeria, Ahmed Aldikhari, said in a statement.
He added that 2024 had “marked a turning point in northern Nigeria’s nutritional crisis”, as major donors, including the US, UK and the European Union had scaled down or halted their support altogether.
‘We can’t go to our farms’
The situation is compounded by the fact that many people cannot go to their farms due to attacks. Already, there have been reports of attacks on farmers in the region. In Gwoza, a mother of two, 25-year-old Hauwa Badamasi, said she had been unable to go to her family’s farm near her home village for years because of insecurity.
She lamented her situation after learning that her first child, Amina, was malnourished despite her best efforts to provide healthy food.
“The aid has stopped, and people are being killed on the farm. What are we going to do with our lives?” she asked while speaking to the BBC.
“We will be in a dire situation with no food and no medicine,” said Ms Badamasi. Our survival depends on these essentials,” she added.
‘Rise in recruitment by terrorists imminent’
Aid agencies have warned that the drastic cuts to humanitarian aid in the North East could push more displaced people into the arms of Boko Haram terrorists.
“It will be much easier for militants to lure youths to join them and spiral insecurity across the whole region,” Trust Mlambo, head of operations in the area for WFP, told the BBC.
Boko Haram has been classified as one of the world’s deadliest jihadist groups, and a splinter group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2015.
Mlambo offered a bleak assessment of things to come, suggesting that the lack of food could push desperate people back into the hands of the militants.
“If people here feel that their livelihood [is gone], they can’t even have the next meal, for sure, they will be pushed to go just across the [hills] to enroll,” said Mlambo.
'Borno ready to mitigate effects of aid cuts’
The Borno State Government yesterday said it was well prepared for the challenges ahead, citing strategic policies designed to take care of the vulnerable indigenes in the state.
Speaking to Daily Trust, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof Usman Tar, said: “In response to these challenges, the governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has proactively established policies and programmes to mitigate the adverse effects of these funding cuts”.
Recognising the phenomenon of donor fatigue even before the funding reductions, he said the governor had directed the agency for coordination to ensure that all government-led interventions were effectively managed.
“This has led to a strategic approach where interventions are collaboratively planned, incorporating sustainability components into the programmes.
“Moreover, the Borno State Development Plan, coupled with a comprehensive 10-year strategic transformation initiative, reflects the government’s commitment to addressing chronic issues head-on.
“The prioritisation of resource allocation to areas with the greatest need underpins the state’s current strategy, emphasising a structured and long-term approach to development amidst fiscal adversity,” he said.
‘Reliance on foreign aid has made many lazy’
In an interview with one of our correspondents last night, a security and intelligence expert, Abdullahi Garba, described the withdrawal of the funding “as a blessing in disguise”.
He alleged that reliance on foreign aid in the North had made many people lazy.
Garba, who explained that its benefits outweigh its negative implications, noted that the insurgents and terrorists might be starved of funding as well.
“I’m not saying that the international organisations are funding the terrorists with part of the aid to IDPs, but if you look at it critically, the insurgency in the North East has refused to go away in that region despite the intervention.
“Let me say that it has both positive and negative implications, but one, positive aspect outweighs the other in the sense that those in IDPs would now have to rethink how to survive,” he said.
When reminded that the terrorists might want to recruit the IDPs into their fold, the expert said the terrorists might not have the financial strength to recruit them.
“Why is it that it is only in the North that we have IDPs’ camps because of insurgency? Go to the South West, you won’t see IDP camps because of insecurity, because everybody faces his or her business squarely.
“If you see any IDP camp in the South, it would either be because of a natural disaster like a flood, not because of man-made insecurity.
“In fact, such camps won’t last in the South because everyone wants to be independent.
“The culture of relying on foreign aid in the North has made so many people lazy. It is that laziness that made some people fall for the antics of the terrorists when they are recruiting.
“I will advise that we look inwards in the North, push away adversaries in our domain if the government cannot help and face our business.
“What our government needs to do now is to ensure that it cuts off funding of these enemies by taming terrorism financing by all means,” the security expert stated.
When contacted yesterday, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Mrs Rhoda Illya, declined comment.
She urged our reporter to visit the office and speak to relevant authorities to get the information needed.
Also, the Director-General of the North East Governors’ Forum, Umar Musa Gulani, declined to speak on the efforts of the state governors in the zone to fill the funding gaps, saying, “I am not in the position to tell you anything”.
UNICEF Nigeria Representative, Cristian Munduate, had, earlier this year, said nearly 5.4 million under-five children in the North West and North East were suffering from acute malnutrition, with projections indicating an additional one million cases by April 2025.
The UNICEF representative had called on the Nigerian government to scale up nutrition interventions and promote child spacing initiatives to tackle the underlying challenge of rapid population growth.
In 2024, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said its teams treated about 357,000 children suffering from malnutrition in the North.
“This is an increase of 35 per cent compared to the 265,500 children treated in 2023. Among those treated in 2024, 75,000 required inpatient care, while 282,000 received outpatient treatment. In 2024, the surge in malnutrition cases began as early as March, well before the usual peak season in July, and extended through November, a time when cases are typically expected to decline. This situation raises fears that the severity of malnutrition in 2025 could exceed that of previous years,” MSF said in a statement in March.
Its international president, Christos Christou, had said the numbers in 2022 and 2023 were already critically high, adding that between January to August 2024, MSF saw a 51 percent increase in admissions of children with severe malnutrition, compared to the same period the previous year.
He said MSF also treated 52,725 children with severe malnutrition, a life-threatening condition across North in the first eight months of last year.
Speaking after his visit to MSF treatment centres in Maiduguri, Borno State, he said: “Unvaccinated children are particularly vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, which elevate the risk of acute malnutrition.
In May this year, the Head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Nigeria, (UN-OCHA), Trond Jensen, was reported to have said the number of severely acutely malnourished children in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states had doubled from 500,000 last year to 1,000,000 this year.
He said this was as a result of to the United States’ funding cut which decreased the capacity of the apex humanitarian agency to address the situation.
He said the UN’s capacity to deal with malnutrition in the Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States had halved due to the funding cut.
Jensen spoke during a meeting with Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni to discuss the funding challenges and the way forward.
He had stated: “We are facing a profound crisis; 60 percent of the funding that was provided for humanitarian purpose here in Nigeria came from the US and that unfortunately is now history.
“What we have also seen is that many of our other supporters such as the UK have reduced their support by 40 per cent, Netherlands 50 per cent, same with the Germans.
“That underlines the need for government, the international community and local partners and civil society organisations, (CSOs) to work ever closer to resolve some of these issues.”
FG’s recent comment on malnutrition
Two weeks ago, Vice President Kashim Shettima said malnutrition had deprived 40 per cent of Nigerian children under five their full physical and cognitive potential.
He had also promised that the government would tackle it.
The statement followed the inauguration, last month, of a nutrition board, which the vice president described as a “war room to battle malnutrition in every corner of the country”.
But beyond the rallying call, the question is how fast and how far it can act to halt and reverse the staggering levels of under nutrition amid the sweeping and sudden cuts to funding that much of the region relied on for years.
Olufemi Oluyede, chief of army staff (COAS), says the Nigerian Army lacks the funds to accommodate new recruits.
According to Punch, Oluyede spoke in Abuja on Thursday during a visit by the senate committee on army to the army headquarters.
He commended the committee for supporting the military but noted that current funding mechanisms, particularly the envelope budgeting system, are inadequate to meet the army’s needs.
He urged the committee to create special funding provisions for the army outside the envelope budgeting structure to enable it to provide the required combat support and welfare infrastructure.
“As we speak, the army is still challenged in terms of operational efficiency. This year alone, we are expecting about 13,000 new personnel, but there are no corresponding resources to provide accommodation for them,” the army chief said.
“We still have soldiers not being accommodated, and that number will continue to grow.
“We are not only looking at maybe insecurity within, but what if someday we are challenged from outside?
“So, I want to pray that you please look at that, and at the same time, look at how we can get special funds to provide accommodation for our soldiers. It’s very critical.”
Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, chairman of the senate committee, acknowledged the army’s funding constraints and said the panel is committed to advocating for improved budgetary allocations.
“The Nigerian Army and Armed Forces should be removed from the envelope budgeting system so they have more funds to carry out their mandate. We’ve seen the need during our oversight visits,” Yar’Adua said.
“We want to assure the chief of army staff of our continued support and collaboration with the executive to ensure the army is adequately funded.”
The lawmaker said the committee had split into two groups to inspect army formations in Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Lagos states.
He said the exercise is conducted in line with the constitution and senate rules, ensuring effective use of appropriated funds.
Unprecedented move as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt urge terror group to disband to enable a Palestinian state.
The Arab world has told Hamas to disarm and surrender control of Gaza.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt called for the Palestinian terror group to disband on Tuesday, the first time they have done so.
They joined 14 other countries, including Britain and France, in signing a statement that also condemned the Oct 7 terror attacks and told Hamas to give up power.
It is the first time Arab countries have condemned the group and demanded it play no part in the future governance of Palestine.
“In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with international engagement and support, in line with the objective of a sovereign and independent Palestinian State,” reads the declaration, which was produced after a conference at the United Nations.
Jean-Noel Barrot, France’s foreign minister, said the declaration was “both historic and unprecedented”.
“For the first time, Arab countries and those in the Middle East condemn Hamas, condemn October 7, call for the disarmament of Hamas, call for its exclusion from Palestinian governance, and clearly express their intention to normalise relations with Israel in the future,” he said.
David Lammy backed the statement when he addressed the UN Assembly on Tuesday.
"Hamas must never be rewarded for the monstrous attack on Oct 7,” the Foreign Secretary said. “It must immediately release the hostages, agree to an immediate ceasefire, accept it will have no role in governing Gaza and commit to disarmament.”
He was speaking after Sir Keir Starmer said Britain would recognise Palestine as a state unless Israel met a series of conditions, including ending the “appalling” situation in Gaza.
The Prime Minister’s announcement prompted condemnation from the United States, Israel and Jewish groups.
By signing the statement, the Arab nations also demanded the release of all remaining Israeli hostages.
“Only by ending the war in Gaza, releasing all hostages, ending occupation, rejecting violence and terror, realising an independent, sovereign, and democratic Palestinian State, ending the occupation of all Arab territories and providing solid security guarantees for Israel and Palestine, can normal relations and coexistence among the region’s peoples and States be achieved,” it reads.
The text, which was also signed by Canada and other Western nations, also supports a two-state solution and the deployment of foreign forces to Gaza when the war ends.
“We supported the deployment of a temporary international stabilisation mission upon invitation by the Palestinian Authority and under the aegis of the United Nations and in line with UN principles, building on existing UN capacities, to be mandated by the UN Security Council, with appropriate regional and international support,” it reads.
The statement calls on Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders to “issue a clear public commitment to the two-state solution, including a sovereign and viable Palestinian State”.
Israel and the United States boycotted the conference and did not sign the declaration.
Earlier this month, Hamas sources told Saudi media that the group would consider laying down its arms as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel.
Emmanuel Macron announced last week that France would recognise Palestinian statehood.
For decades, most UN members have supported a two-state solution with Israel and a Palestinian state existing side by side.
But Antonio Guterres, the UN’s secretary general, said at a meeting on Monday that “the two-state solution is farther than ever before”.
Inasmuch as I despise the incompetence and greed of the current administration, I can assure the opposition parties that Tinubu and his band of merry thieves won't be losing any sleep over these kind of poorly conceived outbursts.
Fortunes of the health sector are set to dim yet again as nurses in Federal health institutions commence a 7-day nationwide warning strike from midnight today, Tuesday, 29th July, 2025, following the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum issued to the government by the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).
Emerging indicators show that during the strike skeletal services would not be operated as there would be a total shutdown of nursing services in all federal health institutions including Teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres across the country.
The notice for the commencement of the warning strike was issued through a circular to the chairmen/secretaries of all Federal Health Institutions to call out their members to withdraw their services following the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC) at an emergency meeting held at National Hospital, Abuja on 10th July, 2025.
The notice signed by the NANNM National Secretary, Comrade Enya Agatha Osinachi, reads: “Following the decision taken by the National Executive Council of the Sector during the Emergency Meeting held at National Hospital, Abuja on 10th July, 2025 and subsequent to the directive of the National headquarters of the association, you are hereby directed to embark on 7-day warning strike commencing from 12:00 midnight of Tuesday 29th of July, 2025.
“This is as a result of failure of the Federal government of Nigeria/Federal Ministry of Health to take proactive measures to address our concerns and avert this industrial action despite the 15-day ultimatum given from Monday 14th July, 2025.
“This strike action is total and there should not be any skeletal nursing services in any of the Federal health Institutions across the country. Thank you in anticipation as we expect full compliance from all members.”
Earlier in July, the National Chairman of the NANNM, Comrade Morakinyo Rilwan, had expressed disappointment over the recent allowances review for nurses as it failed to address the key concerns and welfare of members and the government had been given an ultimatum to effect a review to meet the demands.
The NANNM expressed dissatisfaction over the allowances, which were tagged insufficient for night shifts and weekend shifts, and also frowned on the inadequacy of call duty allowances, noting that nurses on call often have to sacrifice personal time to be on duty and to respond to emergencies.
Among its demands, the association is seeking creation of the department of nursing at the Federal Ministry of Health, an upward review of shift duty allowances, special allowance for specialist nurses, secure and conducive work environment for nurses, and well equipped hospitals with modern equipment to curb medical tourism abroad.
With nurses delivering the majority of hospital services, there are fears that the strike may cripple emergency care, surgeries, maternal health, and chronic disease management, even as the resulting delays may result in preventable deaths, especially in critical units like ICUs and maternity wards.
Nigeria is already facing a massive shortfall of nurses with over 75,000 nurses and midwives emigrating since 2019, and a prolonged nurses strike could accelerate the collapse of public healthcare delivery.
Nurses and midwives are the largest workforce reportedly making up about 60 percent of the national healthcare strength with the Federal hospitals including Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres being the largest employers of nurses in the country.
Two-year-old treated in hospital after eating part of venomous snake in India
A toddler in India bit a venomous cobra so hard that he killed it.
Two-year-old Govinda Kumar was playing in his home in Bankatwa, a village in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, when he spotted the three-foot snake and grabbed it.
The snake then coiled itself around the toddler’s tiny hands, but instead of screaming, the child put the snake’s head in its mouth and clenched his jaw, according to Mateshwari Devi, the boy’s grandmother.
Govinda was knocked unconscious after ingesting some of the venom, but was treated in hospital and has since been discharged.
The snake died on the spot.
Ms Devi said: “I was moving firewood near the house and the cobra came out. The child perhaps saw the snake moving and caught hold of it.
“We rushed towards the boy and saw he had taken the cobra’s head into his mouth. We then separated the cobra from his mouth and hands.”
She added: “The cobra died on the spot, while the child fell unconscious.”
The family rushed him to a nearby health centre for treatment. He was later transferred to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Bettiah for specialist care.
Doctors at the paediatrics department of the GMCH Bettiah said they receive five to six snake bite cases every month during the rainy season but this was the first time they have seen such a “highly unusual case” where a child has bitten and eaten part of the cobra.
Cobras are highly venomous snakes, with their bites capable of causing severe tissue damage and potentially death.
Dr Saurab Kumar, associate professor in the GMCH Bettiah’s pediatrics department, told The Telegraph: “I received the child active and alert but his mouth and face was swollen because of the reaction to the venom in the oral cavity.”
“We were surprised and cross-checked with his parents multiple times to ensure the child was not bitten by the cobra to rule out that venom had not gone into his bloodstream. They told us he bit the cobra and the snake died on the spot.”
He continued: “The child had eaten a part of the cobra and the venom had gone into his digestive tract, unlike in the cases where the cobra bites the person and venom goes into blood and triggers neurotoxicity.
“We gave him anti-allergy medicine and kept him under watch. As he didn’t develop any symptoms for 48 hours, we discharged the child on Saturday.”
Dr Kumar said the cobra had died apparently because of the trauma to the head and mouth from the child’s bite.
Panic has gripped thousands of Nigerians working in the United Kingdom on Certificate of Sponsorship or Skilled Worker visas over the new regulations announced by the British government.
The UK government, in its efforts to control immigration, has removed over 100 jobs, including skilled worker roles, from CoS eligibility, while the salary thresholds for other jobs on the scheme have also been increased by at least 30 per cent.
The government removed lower-skilled roles (previously at RQF Level 3–5) from CoS eligibility unless they appear on a newly created Temporary Shortage Occupation List.
Some of the delisted jobs include managers and proprietors in agriculture, forestry, hospitality, and logistics (SOC 1211–1258); health, community and welfare roles such as dispensing opticians, pharmaceutical technicians, youth and community workers, and counsellors (SOC 3211–3224); protective service roles like police officers (sergeant and below), fire service officers, and prison officers (SOC 3312–3314); as well as creative and performing arts professionals, including artists, authors, translators, actors, dancers, photographers, and interior or fashion designers (SOC 3411–3429), among others.
The regulations, which took effect on July 22, 2025, affect various visa routes, including the Skilled Worker and Health and Care visas, along with the requirements for sponsoring foreign workers.
The new regulations increased the general Skilled Worker salary threshold to £41,700 or higher depending on the role, while health and care roles remained at £25,600.
However, employers in health and care roles must show the salary after all deductions, including accommodation or transport, meaning that the £25,600 is the minimum amount to be received by any of their employees after all deductions.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that many roles previously eligible for the CoS, such as entry-level IT and customer service, no longer qualify unless employers raise pay substantially in line with the new regulations.
The UK government has also increased the minimum skill level to Level 6 (Bachelor’s degree level), while the previously eligible Level 3–5 roles (some admin, technical support, care supervisors) may now be excluded.
Findings revealed that the new regulations have sent jitters down the spine of thousands of Nigerians who are clearly going to be affected by the new rules.
Explaining the new regulations, a UK-based travel agent, Kayode Alabi, said Nigerians and other nationals on CoS visas secured with the delisted jobs might be stranded at the end of the expiration of their agreement with their sponsors.
Alabi, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Phika Travels and Tours, said the affected individuals would not be able to renew their visas upon completion of their current sponsorship, which he said usually lasts between one and five years.
He said, “No Nigerians have been sacked because of the new regulations, but their fate will hang in the balance because at the end of their current sponsorship, those whose jobs have been removed from CoS eligibility will not be able to find a new job in that category, and their visa will not be renewed. If you don’t have a valid visa, you become an illegal immigrant.
“Another challenge those whose jobs were retained under the new regulations will face is that their employers may not be able to pay the new salary threshold, which has risen to £41,700 from £24,000, £25,000 or £26,000 per annum.
“If you are not on any of the delisted job roles, you will still be earning the salary you were earning when you received sponsorship, which is usually between one and five years. By the time that sponsorship expires, will your company be able to pay the new salary threshold? That is the issue.”
He confirmed that many Nigerians were already panicking as a result of the new rules.
“We can say there is panic among our people. Yes, there is. People don’t know what will become their fate at the expiration of their sponsorship, especially when the eligibility criteria for other jobs have been increased. People are afraid,” he said.
Our correspondents gathered that the fear of returning home has gripped affected Nigerians.
A Nigerian in the UK, Banjo Fola, confirmed to Saturday PUNCH that many Nigerians, including himself, were affected by the new regulations.
Fola, who didn’t disclose his job, said, “My visa with this current job will expire in some months, and my employer has said he cannot afford the new salary threshold. It is very hard. I don’t even know what to do.”
Another Nigerian on a CoS visa in the country, who requested anonymity, expressed fear that she might return home at the expiration of her sponsorship next month because of the new rules.
Also, a Nigerian caregiver in the United Kingdom raised concerns over the recent changes to the UK’s Skilled Worker visa scheme, revealing that she may be forced to return home due to the new salary threshold and job delisting.
She said, “My sponsorship will expire in August, and the new regulation has made it impossible to get a new job because of the salary threshold. I may likely return home.”
Expressing similar fears, another Nigerian who spoke on condition of anonymity said he and many others were unsure of their future in the UK.
“Things are not easy. The new rules have cut short our plans to stay longer here. But our current jobs have been removed, meaning that we will be jobless in the next one year. I came here (UK) in February 2023 on a Certificate of Sponsorship. My sponsorship is for three years, so I have less than a year to find another job, which is not even there because of the new salary threshold,” he said.
Commenting on the development, the Chief Executive Officer of Cardinal E-School and Edu Services, Mr Sulaimon Okewole, said over 10,000 Nigerians might be forced to return home as a result of the new rules.
He said it was disheartening that the regulations were affecting many Nigerians who had made long-term career plans in the UK.
Okewole said, “While the UK government’s goal of reducing net migration is understandable, the impact on Nigerians, a community known for its immense contribution to the UK’s workforce, demands some discussions.
“The most immediate concern is the sharp rise in salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visas. For many Nigerians, especially those in sectors like healthcare and IT, this could mean fewer job offers unless UK employers adjust pay scales. This may be a tough task in an economy already dealing with inflation.”
He added that professionals who previously saw the UK as a viable destination may now find their options limited unless they secure roles that meet the higher salary bands.
“It is no doubt that over 10,000 Nigerians will be affected by this new regulation, as they will probably return home or find another destination,” he said.
He also predicted that more Nigerians seeking foreign employment would likely begin exploring opportunities in other countries, as the UK becomes increasingly unfavourable.
A student of the University of Ibadan, Eniola, whose mother works as a caregiver in the UK, also expressed concern.
She said her mother was already grappling with the implications of the new regulation.
“She has practically lost her job because the sponsorship will come to an end in November. She has been there since 2023. She informed me that her job has been delisted, and she is not sure she will find a fresh sponsor or new job. I can tell from our conversation that she is afraid,” Eniola said.
According to data from the UK Home Office, 10,245 Nigerians were issued Skilled Worker visas in 2021. That figure dropped slightly to 8,491 in 2022, before rising to 26,715 in 2023.
However, for 2024, recent data shows that work visa grants for Nigerians are beginning to decline, with fewer Health and Care Worker visas issued in the first half of the year compared to 2023.
Foremost entrepreneur and founder of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote has announced his retirement as a Director and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective July 25, 2025. He is relinquishing his position as chairman and retiring from the board so as to focus more attention on the Refinery, Petrochemicals, Fertiliser and Government Relations, in order to drive the company’s five-year business trajectory to a superlative height.
The board of Dangote Cement Plc has therefore announced the appointment of Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, an independent non-executive director, as the new Chairman, Board of Directors. In the same vein, Hajiya Mariya Aliko Dangote was also appointed to the Board of Directors of the Company while Prof. Dorothy Ufot retired from the Board.
Reputed as Africa’s leading investor, Aliko Dangote leaves giant footprints as he retires from the board. His vision and tenacity redefined not just a company, but the entire cement industry landscape by becoming Africa’s largest cement producer and largest exporter of cement and clinker in Sub Saharan Africa.
Aliko Dangote’s journey with cement began with a bold dream: to make Nigeria and Africa self-sufficient in cement production. Through strategic investments in state-of-the-art plants, and a commitment to local content, he not only met that goal but exceeded it.
Dangote Cement Plc has 52.0Mta capacity across African continent with Nigeria accounting for 35.25Mta. Currently, additional greenfield plants are coming up in Cote Ivoire (3.0Mta) and Itori, Nigeria (6.0 Mta) and on completion this year will push total capacity to 61.0Mta.
Under his visionary leadership, Dangote Cement Plc recorded the highest revenue and Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) in the history of the company. According to the unaudited results for the six months ending 30th June 2025, the group revenue went up by 17.7 percent, from N1,760 billion at the same period in 2024 to N2,071.6 billion, representing the highest revenue in the history of the company.
Group Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) grew by 41.8 percent to N944.900 billion from N666.22 billion. EBITDA (Nigeria Operations) grew by 82.4 percent to N845.4 billion. Profit before tax went up from N292.96 billion to N730 billion indicating 149 percent increase while profit after tax surged by 174.1 percent to ₦520.5 billion, in contrast to N189.90 billion in the same period at the preceding period. In the six months, export volumes from Nigeria increased by 18.2 percent, with 18 successful clinker shipments made to Ghana and Cameroon.
Aliko Dangote’s legacy will be counted in the millions of jobs created, the infrastructure built, and the confidence restored in African industrial potential. He has proven that Africa can produce, compete, and lead on the global stage. It is on record that subsidiaries under Dangote Group paid over N402 billion in taxes in 2024, making it the highest taxpayer in the country.
The new Chairman of the Board of the Company, Emmauel Ikazoboh in his acceptance speech, said he is truly honored to accept the role of Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc while pledging to uphold the highest standards of leadership and dedication in this role.
He described the company as a beacon of African enterprise, which has consistently demonstrated resilience, innovation, and a commitment to excellence. Over the years, Dangote Cement Plc has not only become the continent’s leading cement producer but has also played a vital role in driving economic growth and development across numerous African nations.
Giving an insight into what his tenure holds for the company, he said, “my vision for Dangote Cement Plc is built upon a foundation of sustainable growth, operational efficiency, and unwavering commitment to our core values. We will continue to focus on the following key priorities, Operational Excellence, Strategic Expansion, Sustainability, Innovation and Community Engagement.
Part of the strategies he intends to introduce include driving down costs through the implementation of robust cost-reduction strategies to navigate inflationary pressures and enhance competitiveness. The company he stated will accelerate efforts to adopt alternative fuels and technologies, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and contributing to a more sustainable future.
Regarding staff welfare, he promised that the company will continue to invest in training and development, fostering a culture of excellence and empowering employees to reach their full potential.
Emmanuel Ikazoboh was previously the Group Chairman of Ecobank Transnational Inc., the Pan-African banking group. He started his professional career at Akintola Williams Deloitte. He first became the Managing Partner for francophone offices in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire and later became the Managing Partner of the Deloitte firm in West and Central Africa until 2009. In 2010 he was appointed by the Securities and Exchange (SEC) as an Interim Administrator to carry out capital market reforms of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Central Securities Clearing System Plc. (CSCS).
Ohanaeze Ndigbo has pleaded with the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the last general election, Peter Obi, for the sake of equity, national integration and peace, to drop his 2027 presidential ambition and support President Bola Tinubu’s second term bid.
This was as LP sank deeper into internal strife, with rival factions trading accusations over the interpretation of the Supreme Court’s April 4 judgment and the party’s stance on Obi.
Meanwhile, the party’s vice presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Dr Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has admitted that Julius Abure remains the national chairman of the party following the Supreme Court ruling.
In a statement in Abakaliki, the Deputy National President of the Ohanaeze faction, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, told Obi that wresting power from the incumbent President Tinubu would prove exceedingly challenging, reminding him that only the South-East would not make him president.
Isiguzoro maintained that the present political climate, marked by a lack of unity among opposition leaders and the inordinate ambition of Atiku Abubakar – who, at the age of 81, seeks the presidency – poses a significant risk.
He further noted that Obi and Atiku would share the opposition vote, which will ultimately pave the way for Tinubu’s re-election, and should the scenario unfold, the repercussions would undoubtedly fall heavily upon the South-East, pleading with Obi to support Tinubu’s second bid.
The statement reads: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo fully acknowledges Obi’s constitutional right to contest the presidency in 2027.However, we must confront the stark reality that, despite his considerable social media following, the potential for betrayal looms large.
‘Such betrayal could yield dire consequences, with the Igbo people once again bearing the repercussions, as we did in the elections of 2019 and 2023. In 2019, Mr. Obi was the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, and the joint ticket ultimately cost the South-East an additional sixth state, a promise made by former President Muhammadu Buhari to Igbo leaders contingent upon their support.”
However, Senator Nenadi Usman’s faction, which claims legitimacy following the court ruling, dismissed reports of an alleged plot to expel Obi as false and mischievous.
APC govs meet Tinubu, to announce key decisions todayWhy Tinubu must restructure Nigeria before leaving office, by OkonkwoAs Nigeria considers fresh onslaught against illicit financial flows
Her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Eluma, Asogwa, accused “political jesters” and “impostors” of spreading disinformation to undermine Obi’s coalition-building efforts.
“Their antics are laughable, illegal and desperate,” he said, stressing that only communications from the Acting National Chairman’s office should be trusted.
Asogwa reiterated that Obi’s coalition activities have the full support of the party’s leadership, referencing a May 25 statement backing his efforts to forge alliances.
But the Abure-led faction fired back, accusing Usman of misrepresenting the Supreme Court judgment. In a counter-statement by National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh, the group argued that the ruling merely reaffirmed that the judiciary lacks jurisdiction over internal party affairs, and did not endorse any leadership.
It dismissed Usman’s claim to leadership and insisted the party had moved beyond court drama to focus on the 2027 elections. “Serious aspirants are already engaging with us,” Ifoh said. “Let the wailers keep wailing; we’re moving forward.”
Datti, while appearing as a guest on ‘The Morning Brief’, a Channels Television programme, yesterday, said: “When INEC raised issues about the tenure of Abure that necessitated the responses in Umuahia, Abia State, and we did so clearly and legitimately, and I was part of it.
“The Supreme Court gave a ruling which we interpreted again in favour of the Usman group. Afterwards, INEC continued to relate with the Abure faction. We are law-abiding citizens. Members of LP are being remote-controlled and played with by some powerful forces out there. But they can’t continue to do this forever. Very soon it will end, and what you see going on now is what the authorities at that time said.”
On Monday, Datti attended the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Abure-led faction of the LP in Abuja, where he announced his interest in contesting the 2027 presidential election.
He also said Obi was free to seek the party’s presidential ticket for the 2027 elections, whether or not he returns as his running mate.
“There are two key individuals I have tremendous respect for; one is Peter Obi. I welcome him openly. LP welcomes him to come and retain the ticket and contest in 2027 with or without me. And the ADC is welcome to adopt a southern candidate,” he added.
Hakeem Baba-Ahmed says President Bola Tinubu ought to have publicly dismissed claims that he plans to replace Vice-President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 elections.
There is growing speculation about an alleged plan to drop Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate as the president prepares for re-election.
In June, the All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ summit in Gombe descended into chaos after some speakers endorsed Tinubu for a second term without mentioning Shettima.
However, Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, dismissed the claims as a “non-issue”.
Onanuga said Tinubu would choose his 2027 running mate after the next convention of the ruling party, adding that in a presidential system, the candidate is nominated before selecting a running mate.
He added that claims of a rift between Tinubu and Shettima—which surfaced even before the current endorsement debate—were unfounded.
But speaking on Wednesday during an interview on ‘Politics Today,’ a Channels TV programme, Baba-Ahmed said Tinubu should have addressed the matter directly if it truly held no weight.
“I would be very curious to find out what it is that makes all these stories about dropping him (Shettima),” he said.
“I think, somewhere along the line, to be honest, the president should have done something a long time ago.
“If all these stories about dropping the vice-president for somebody else—another northern vice-president, maybe a Christian, maybe from somewhere else—have absolutely no iota of truth, it would have taken just one thing: the president directly and personally saying, ‘Stop this nonsense’.
“I have confidence in my vice-president, I work well with him, I am happy with him, and I want this nonsense about me dropping him now or in the future.
“I will take a decision on who my running mate is in 2027 when we get there. In the meantime, we have work to do. But he didn’t say that. His people didn’t say that.”
He said Tinubu’s silence on the matter is unsettling.
“It’s worrying; let me just say it is worrying,” he said.
“If what I have said is exactly what the president thinks, he should have said it.
“If he doesn’t say it the way I have, he should have found a way, but it should come from him—it should be direct, and it must be emphatic.”
Baba-Ahmed, a former spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), recently resigned as special adviser on political affairs in the office of the vice-president.
Adamu Garba, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says sycophants around President Bola Tinubu are misleading him about the state of the country and the party.
The former senator spoke on Tuesday during his appearance on ‘Politics Today,’ a programme on Channels Television.
Garba said Abdullahi Ganduje’s resignation as the national chairman of the APC has exposed the party to attacks from a coalition of opposition elements under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He described the coalition as “vultures” seeking to exploit the ruling party’s internal challenges.
“They (ADC coalition) hope for our loss, and that is why we need to be serious,” the former senator said.
“That is the more reason why we need to be very sincere with ourselves and make sure that the leadership of the party is somebody that is truthful and capable of listening to criticisms and accepting the facts without any flattery, without any sycophancy, because I believe there are a lot of sycophants around the president; people are telling him that things are okay—things are not okay.”
Garba said APC’s popularity in the north started dwindling after the late former President Muhammadu Buhari left office in 2023.
“Naturally, there is going to be this kind of tension,” he said.
“Buhari left the presidency in 2023, and when you look at the outcome of the 2023 elections, the APC had only 5.5 million votes in the north. Where were the 12 million votes?
“But yet we won the election based on the system that was established, the structures in place, and the strategies deployed.
“What we need now is to re-engineer our strategies again now with his absence.”
John Olubobokun, a former director of a private Christian school in Canada, has been found guilty of nine counts of assault with a weapon, following shocking revelations that he used a wooden paddle to discipline students.
Olubobokun, who is of Nigerian descent, worked at the Saskatoon-based Christian Centre Academy—later renamed Legacy Christian Academy—between 2003 and 2007. In Nigeria, corporal punishment with paddles is common, but Canadian law bans such practices in schools.
The court heard disturbing testimonies from nine former students, describing how they were forced to bend over desks and repeatedly struck. Some were left bruised, while one victim recounted how the paddle broke mid-punishment.
The courtroom erupted in tears of relief as the verdict was delivered, with survivors calling the decision “healing and validating.” Prosecutors argued that using a wooden object negated any defence under Canada’s Section 43 law, which allows only reasonable and non-injurious correction by teachers or parents.
Olubobokun now awaits sentencing, as many former students view the verdict as justice long overdue.
The federal high court in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of digital assets worth $222,729 in USDT seized from some Chinese nationals.
Alexander Owoeye, the trial judge, on Monday, ordered the final forfeiture of the digital assets after an application moved by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The anti-graft agency said the digital wallet assets were recovered from the syndicate of 792 suspected fraudsters arrested for cryptocurrency and romance scams.
In February, the court ordered the interim forfeiture of the digital assets to the federal government.
The court had also ordered the EFCC to publish the notice in a national newspaper to allow anyone with an interest in the assets 14 days to appear before the court and explain why they should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
During the court proceedings on Monday, Zeenat Atiku, EFCC counsel, told the court that the application for final forfeiture was supported by an affidavit deposed by Muazu Abdulrahman, an investigating officer of the EFCC.
The EFCC counsel said Abdulrahman discovered that the syndicate financed its operations through Genting International Co. Limited (GICL), a Nigerian-registered company.
“Over the course of its activities, this company’s Union Bank account 0225100403 received a staggering sum of over N2,268,839,161 (Two Billion, Two Hundred and Sixty-Eight Million, Eight Hundred Thirty-Nine Thousand, One Hundred Sixty-One Naira) from April 12, 2024 to December 23, 2024,” the affidavit reads.
“An analysis of the company’s bank statement revealed that the primary inflows into the account originated from two cryptocurrency vendors: Chukwuemeka Okeke and Alhassan Aminu Garba.
“Furthermore, Okeke and Garba were invited for questioning and they willingly provided their statements under caution.
“They reported that they received a total USDT valued at $2,386,642 from the syndicates, resulting from USDT purchased through peer-to-peer trading.
“They also identified the wallet addresses utilized by the group for transferring funds (USDTs).”
After the application was moved, Owoeye ordered the final forfeiture of the digital assets to the federal government.
Chidi Nwagbo, a Nigerian facing a US immigration crackdown, has narrated how he lost many fingers to frostbite while trying to flee deportation to Canada from the American authorities.
Nwagbo, 57, had been in the US since 1988, but when was re-elected in January, he felt he had no choice but to flee to Canada with the help of human smugglers.
The Nigerian said the smugglers lied to him about the dangers of the journey that almost killed him along the borderlands between New York in the US and Quebec in Canada in February.
He added that he made a “stupid” decision to pay human smugglers to get him into Canada, which in turn left him permanently scarred. The failed plan also left him in the hands of the same US immigration authorities he was trying to flee from.
He paid $2,000 in cash to a human smuggling organisation in New Jersey to escape the immigration raids sweeping through the US.
“If I had known that this would have been the outcome, I don’t think I would have done it,” said Nwagbo.
Nwagbo said he felt he had no choice but to flee to Canada after Trump’s election victory in November. To carry out his relocation plan, a friend gave him a phone number linked to a WhatsApp account run by human smugglers from New Jersey.
After establishing contact with the smugglers, he and a few other immigrants who also wanted to flee the US were eventually taken towards the border between New York and Quebec.
At a point, the smugglers instructed Nwagbo and other fleeing immigrants to alight from the vehicle transporting them and run into the bush. They were assured that someone would be waiting to pick them up on the other side.
“As soon as I took a few steps, I knew I made a mistake,” Nwagbo said.
Nwagbo said he felt he would freeze to death as he walked through deep snow in the forest for hours.
A woman from Guinea who walked with him kept losing her shoes in the snow until finally, she left them and continued in her socks. Two women from Haiti struggled behind them, one carrying an 11-month-old baby.
As Nwagbo walked through thick snow, he lost his gloves, exposing his fingers to the cold, and found it difficult to answer calls from the smugglers trying to direct their movements.
“These people (the smugglers) will call me and say, ‘Just keep going, you only have 10 minutes’,” said Nwagbo.
“It was supposed to be a 30 to 40 minutes walk.”
Exhausted and numb from temperatures that dipped to -28 C overnight, the fleeing immigrants called 911 for help. At that point, Nwagbo said, he was no longer sure where he was along the border and feared apprehension by US Border Patrol agents.
“When I found out that it was Canadian (police), then it was a big relief,” said the Nigerian.
In the end, the frostbite Nwagbo suffered from the journey led to the amputation of his little, ring and middle fingers along with the top of his thumb on his left hand, and the loss of the top of his middle and ring fingers on his right hand.
Nwagbo and 98 other fleeing immigrants were eventually intercepted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in February at the Quebec-US border.
The Nigerian said he chose to use human smugglers because he believed he needed to go through US customs to reach a Canadian port of entry.
“I didn’t have all the information that I needed to make the right decision,” Nwagbo said.
The Nigerian, who is still awaiting word about when he will be deported, regrets his decision to use smugglers to flee to Canada.
“Don’t do it. It’s risky,” Nwagbo said.
“Smugglers only care about money. They don’t care about your safety.”
The Nigerian has five US-born children from two marriages. He received a bravery award in 2014 from the Columbus, Ohio, fire department, after saving a 10-year-old girl from drowning.
In 2021, he failed to get US citizenship after missing an appearance at an immigration hearing. His lawyer blamed the incident on a “scheduling error”. This led to him facing a removal order.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Who Played Son Theo on 'The Cosby Show,' Dies at 54 After Drowning on Family Trip
Malcolm-Jamal Warner has died at 54, PEOPLE confirms.
According to a source, the actor was on a family trip and drowned while swimming.
He was best known for playing Bill Cosby's son Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show
Malcolm-Jamal Warner has died. He was 54.
The actor was in Costa Rica on a family vacation and drowned while swimming, a source confirms to PEOPLE.
A rep for Warner did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Warner's career began with his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show.
The actor played the only son of Bill Cosby's character, Heathcliff Huxtable, in the sitcom from 1984 to 1992.
In 2023, Warner told PEOPLE of the show, "I know I can speak for all the cast when I say The Cosby Show is something that we are all still very proud of."
"We share a unique experience that keeps us lovingly bonded no matter how much time goes between seeing or hearing from each other."
Warner did, of course, acknowledge how the show's legacy had changed given the allegations made against Cosby, 88, who was convicted of sexual assault in 2018 but later had the charge overturned in 2021, only for five more women to accuse him of sexual assault.
"Regardless of how some people may feel about the show now, I'm still proud of the legacy and having been a part of such an iconic show that had such a profound impact on — first and foremost, Black culture — but also American culture," Warner said.
Following The Cosby Show, Warner went on to star in several other successful TV shows and movies.
He and Eddie Griffin led the sitcom Malcolm & Eddie from 1996 to 2000, and Warner was also well known for his role as Alex Reed on Reed Between the Lines, which he starred in alongside Tracee Ellis Ross from 2011 to 2015.
More recently, Warner had starred in Major Crimes as Chuck Cooper, as Julius Rowe in Suits and as AJ Austin in The Resident.
9-1-1 and Alert: Missing Persons Unit were his most recent credits.
His latest venture was a podcast, Not All Hood, that he launched with two others as a means of breaking down barriers to mental health in the Black community.
Last June, he launched the podcast with cohosts Weusi Baraka and Candace Kelley, and he told PEOPLE it was a space where he could be his “most vulnerable.”
“It's been an interesting experience for me, because it's a place where I feel safe enough to be able to be as vulnerable as I allow myself to be,” he said.
“When we talk about the Black community, we tend to speak of it as a monolith when the reality is there are so many different facets of the Black community, and we wanted to have a space where we can really explore, discuss, and acknowledge all of those different aspects," he said at the time.
Warner is survived by a wife and daughter, whose identities he opted to keep private.
Education › Only 38.32% Passed English, Maths As WAEC Releases 2025 WASSCE Results by DiamondsAreFore(op): 4:40pm On Aug 04, 2025
