Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Ukraine And US Sign Preliminary Minerals Deal As Economic Partnership Progresses. Ukraine’s government has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Intent with the United States, laying the foundation for a broader economic partnership and a future investment fund to support the country’s reconstruction. Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed the development via social media platform X, stating that the agreement marked a significant step forward in Ukraine’s post-war recovery and economic revitalisation efforts. The deal is expected to grant the United States access to Ukraine’s critical mineral resources, as well as its oil and gas reserves. “We are…

Two Dead, Six Injured In Florida State University Shooting Involving Officer’s Son. A tragic shooting at Florida State University (FSU) has left two people dead and six others injured, after a 20-year-old student opened fire near the campus student union. Authorities have identified the suspect as Phoenix Ikner, a current FSU student and the son of a long-serving Leon County police officer. The incident occurred around midday in Tallahassee, with witnesses describing scenes of panic as multiple gunshots rang out. Students and staff were urged to seek shelter as police responded to the active shooter alert. Campus authorities…

US Military Destroys Fuel Terminal In Yemen Amid Ongoing Strikes On Houthi Targets. The United States military has confirmed the destruction of a fuel terminal in Yemen’s Red Sea port of Ras Isa, in its latest strike targeting the Iranian-backed Houthi movement. According to the US, the operation aimed to disrupt vital fuel supplies and financial resources used by the Houthis, who have carried out repeated attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since the onset of the Israel-Gaza conflict in October 2023. The Houthis, however, claim that Thursday’s airstrike resulted in the…

Kano Lawmaker Cautions Local Hunters Against Southern Operations, Donates N5 Million To Bereaved Families. A member of the House of Representatives from Kano State, Alhassan Kabiru Rirum, has urged local hunters from his constituency to refrain from undertaking hunting expeditions in southern Nigeria, warning that such actions could provoke tension and violence. Rirum, who represents the Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya Federal Constituency, gave the advice on Thursday during a condolence visit to Torankawa village in Bunkure Local Government Area, where he met with the families of 16 hunters recently killed in Uromi, Edo State. The lawmaker, a former Speaker of the…

House Of Representatives Postpones Interactive Session With Rivers State Sole Administrator. The House of Representatives ad-hoc committee overseeing developments in Rivers State has postponed its scheduled interactive session with the Sole Administrator of the state, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas. The session, which was initially slated for Thursday, was intended to allow for a comprehensive engagement with Ibas following the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the indefinite postponement of the session was confirmed in a statement issued on Thursday by the House Spokesperson, Honourable…

EFCC Questions Delta State Acting Accountant General And Deputy over Alleged N1.3 Trillion Misappropriation. Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have reportedly questioned the acting Accountant General of Delta State, Vincent Okubor, along with his deputy, in connection with the alleged misappropriation of N1.3 trillion during the administration of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. This latest development is part of a broader investigation by the anti-graft agency, which had earlier arrested former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa—who was the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections—as well as the immediate past Accountant General,…

IMF Warns Trade War Threatens Global Growth And Fuels Inflation. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has issued a stark warning that rising global protectionism, spearheaded by President Donald Trump’s trade policies, is likely to weaken global economic growth and push inflation higher in the months ahead. Speaking ahead of the IMF and World Bank spring meetings in Washington, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva revealed that the Fund’s latest projections, due for release next week, will show a marked slowdown in global output, though not yet a recession. “Our new growth projections will include notable markdowns, but not recession,”…

Nigerian Army Set To Appoint First Female Acting Director of Public Relations. The Nigerian Army is poised to make history with the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anaele as the first female Acting Director of Army Public Relations. According to The Guardian, the groundbreaking appointment will take effect from 22 April 2025. Lieutenant Colonel Anaele will assume the role following the departure of the outgoing Director, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, shortly after the Easter break. Major General Nwachukwu, who has served as the Army’s image maker under three different Chiefs of Army Staff—Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya (Rtd), the late…

Army Urges More South-East Youths To Participate In Ongoing Recruitment Exercise Following Low Turnout In Registration. The Nigerian Army has raised concern over the low number of applicants from the South-East in its ongoing recruitment exercise, revealing that only 200 youths from the region have registered so far. This was disclosed by Brigadier-General Chima Ekeator, leader of the Army Force Headquarters Recruitment Sensitisation Team, during a sensitisation programme held for youth leaders and President-Generals (P-Gs) of various communities in Anambra State. According to Ekeator, the figure falls far below expectations, especially when compared with other regions where individual…

Court Orders Forfeiture Of £5m In Shares And Funds Linked To LivingTrust Mortgage Bank Plc And Its subsidiaries Over Ponzi Scheme Scandal. In a significant victory for victims of financial fraud, Justice F. N. Ogazi of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, 15 April 2025, ordered the final forfeiture of assets worth over N6.7 billion (£5 million) linked to a Ponzi scheme operated by Cititrust Holdings Plc and its subsidiaries. The ruling marks a major step in addressing fraudulent financial practices in Nigeria. The court’s decision includes the forfeiture of 2,041,087,747 shares of Livingtrust Mortgage Bank…

Nigeria Slashes Electricity Subsidies By 35% With Tariff Reform, Easing Financial Strain. Nigeria has achieved a remarkable 35% reduction in electricity subsidies following a targeted tariff increase implemented last year, Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu announced on Thursday, 17 April 2025. The reform has alleviated significant pressure on public finances in Africa’s most populous nation, marking a step forward in addressing the country’s chronic power sector challenges. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, Adelabu revealed that the tariff adjustment, which eliminated subsidies for the 15% of customers classified as heavier users—such as households and businesses with high electricity consumption—has…

Viral Kid In Peter Obi’s Campaign Picture Released From Prison Following False Crime Charges Levelled Against Him. A 17-year-old teenager, Quadri Yusuf Alabi, who gained public attention in 2023 for standing in front of Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi’s convoy, has been released from Kirikiri Medium Security Custodial Centre, his lawyer announced on 17 April 2025. The release follows months of detention on what his legal team described as a fabricated armed robbery charge orchestrated by officers at Amukoko Divisional Police Headquarters in Lagos. According to a statement by Quadri’s lead counsel, Inibehe Effiong, the teenager was…