Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

President Tinubu Declines Signing Into Law NDLEA Amendment Bill Over Transparency Concerns. President Bola Tinubu has withheld his assent to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Amendment Bill, 2025, citing concerns over its provisions and their incompatibility with Nigeria’s existing legal framework. The decision was announced in a letter read during the House of Representatives plenary session on Thursday by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. The bill, recently passed by the National Assembly, proposed granting the NDLEA the authority to retain a portion of proceeds from drug-related crimes, a move that Tinubu argued would contravene established financial regulations. Invoking Section…

Kenyans Rally For Justice: Nationwide Protests Mark Anniversary Of 2024 Uprising. Nairobi, Kenya – June 26, 2025 – Thousands of Kenyans took to the streets across the country on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, to commemorate the first anniversary of the 2024 anti-government protests, which saw young Kenyans, dubbed the “Gen Z movement,” storm parliament in opposition to a controversial finance bill. The latest demonstrations, sparked by ongoing grievances over police brutality, corruption, and governance, have reignited public calls for accountability and reform, though they were marred by violence, with at least 16 deaths and over 400 injuries reported. The…

Global Cocaine Trade Reaches Record Highs, UN Warns. The global cocaine market has surged to unprecedented levels, with production, seizures, and usage all hitting record highs in recent times, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The agency’s annual World Drug Report, published on 26 June 2025, identifies cocaine as the world’s fastest-growing illicit drug market, driven largely by a boom in production in Colombia and rising demand in Europe, North America, and South America. The report reveals that global cocaine production soared to 3,708 tonnes in 2023, a staggering 34% increase from 2022 and…

Nigeria Leads West Africa In Intra-African Trade With £14.5 Billion In 2024, Afreximbank Reports. In a remarkable achievement for Nigeria’s economy, the country has emerged as West Africa’s leader in intra-African trade, recording a staggering $18.4 billion (£14.5 billion) in trade volume for 2024, according to the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). The announcement, shared via posts on X on 26 June 2025, underscores Nigeria’s pivotal role in driving regional economic integration and highlights the growing momentum of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The Afreximbank’s African Trade and Economic Outlook Report 2025: African Resilience in a Changing World…

One Killed, Five Injured In Tragic Landmine Explosion At Imo Market. A devastating landmine explosion rocked Eke Ubaheze Market Square in Awo-Idemili, Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria, on Tuesday, 23 June 2025, claiming the life of a market woman and leaving five others injured. The incident, which occurred around 2:40 pm during bustling trading activities, has sent shockwaves through the community, raising concerns about security in the region. The victim, identified as Mrs Ngozi Umeh from Ubaheze village, was critically injured after stepping on a landmine suspected to have been planted by members of the proscribed…

Court Sentences Killer To Death By Hanging For Murder Of NYSC Member Salome Adaidu In Abuja. In a landmark ruling, the Nasarawa State High Court in Lafia has sentenced Timileyin Ajayi, a former gospel singer, to death by hanging for the brutal murder and dismemberment of 24-year-old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member Salome Adaidu. The judgment, delivered by Justice Simon Aboki on June 26, 2025, brings closure to a high-profile case that has gripped the nation since the horrific crime came to light in January 2025. The Crime That Shocked Nigeria Salome Adaidu, a young NYSC member serving…

Nigerian Star Israel Adesanya Inducted Into UFC Hall Of Fame For Epic 2019 Clash. Nigerian-born UFC fighter Israel Adesanya has been immortalised in the UFC Hall of Fame today, as his thrilling 2019 interim middleweight title fight against Kelvin Gastelum is inducted into the prestigious Fight Wing. The ceremony, held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas during UFC International Fight Week, marks a monumental achievement for the former two-time UFC middleweight champion, celebrated as the first African fighter to receive this honour. The announcement, first made during the UFC 312 broadcast in Sydney on 9 February 2025, recognised the…

Niger State Governor Orders Immediate Closure Of IBB University Over Security Concerns. Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has ordered the immediate closure of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU) in Lapai until further notice. The directive, announced on Wednesday, follows a series of disturbing security breaches, including the tragic killing of a 300-level student, which has sparked widespread concern within the university community. The announcement was made through a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, in Minna. According to Usman, the closure was prompted by recent incidents, notably the fatal stabbing of a student…

PDP Crisis Deepens As NWC Rejects Acting Chairman’s Move To Reinstate National Secretary. The ongoing internal strife within Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has intensified, with 11 members of the National Working Committee (NWC) publicly opposing the reinstatement of the embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu. The controversy erupted following a press briefing by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, on Wednesday, 25 June 2025, where he announced Anyanwu’s return to the position. Damagum described the decision as necessary but challenging, aiming to restore stability within the party. However, the move has sparked fierce…

NADF, NOVA Bank, And Flour Mills Launch N1.5bn Pilot To Boost Farming In Kaduna. The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), in partnership with NOVA Bank and Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) Agro, has launched a N1.5 billion pilot programme aimed at supporting 1,500 small-scale maize farmers in Kaduna State. The initiative, part of the National Agricultural Development Programme (NADP-1), was officially unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday, 25 June 2025. The programme, which will develop 1,500 hectares of agricultural land, is designed to scale up to reach 10,000 farmers by the end of this year’s rainy season. It aligns with…

NEPZA, FG, And Dangote Refinery Join Forces To Slash Petrol Prices In Nigeria. As part of efforts to bolster Nigeria’s energy security and economic growth, the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), the Federal Government’s One-Stop-Shop Committee on the Sale of Crude in Naira, and the Dangote Refinery & Petrochemicals Free Zone Enterprises have forged a strategic partnership to implement a presidential directive aimed at reducing domestic petrol prices. This landmark collaboration was announced following a courtesy visit by the committee to NEPZA’s Managing Director, Dr Olufemi Ogunyemi, in Abuja on Tuesday, 24 June 2025. The initiative focuses on…

President Tinubu To Sign Transformative Tax Reform Bills Into Law. In a move set to reshape Nigeria’s fiscal landscape, President Bola Tinubu will sign four groundbreaking tax reform bills into law on Thursday, 26 June 2025, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The signing ceremony, a historic moment for Nigeria’s economy, will be attended by key figures, including the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Majority Leader, the House Majority Leader, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, and his House counterpart. Also present will be the Chairman of the Governors Forum, the Chairman…