Author: Binta Kabir

A NIGERIAN-AUSTRALIAN woman, Binta Abubakar, has been arrested by the Australian Federal Police for allegedly trafficking students from Papua New Guinea and forcing them into unpaid labour on farms across Queensland under the guise of educational scholarships. Abubakar, 56, was arrested on Wednesday at the Brisbane Airport upon arrival from Papua New Guinea, where she was primarily based. Her arrest follows a two-year investigation by the AFP’s Northern Command Human Trafficking Team, which launched a probe into her activities in July 2022 after receiving a tip-off from Queensland Police. According to the AFP, “A group of PNG nationals who had…

THE Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has notified electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) serving the six states in the North East that there will be blackout in the region while some places will witness significant drop in the supply of electricity. A letter sent to one of the DisCos and signed by TCN’s Regional Operations Manager, Bauchi Region, Engr J.O Joseph, said the reduction in supply is due to the erection of 330kV Turn-In and Turn-Out towers at the new Bauchi 330kV Substation transmission lines. The notice said the outage which will start on June 10 and end on June 14…

THE Federal Government has launched an investigation into a viral video showing alleged neglect of accident victims at the Emergency Unit of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja. The video, which circulated widely on social media, showed victims of a road accident reportedly left unattended by hospital staff members after being brought in by a good Samaritan. The good Samaritan, who recorded the footage, claimed he found the victims on the road and transported them to the hospital for urgent care. He alleged that hospital staff refused to provide immediate assistance, with one citing a lack of gloves. However,…

THE Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted thunderstorms and rains from Sunday to Tuesday across the country. NiMet’s weather outlook released on Saturday in Abuja envisaged morning thunderstorms on Sunday with moderate rains over parts of Taraba and Adamawa in the northern region. “In the afternoon/evening hours, there are prospects of thunderstorms with rains over parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Katsina, Kano, Zamfara, Kaduna, Jigawa, Borno, Gombe and Bauchi. “In the North-Central region, cloudy morning is expected over the region. “Later in the day, thunderstorms with rains are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kogi, Benue…

THE Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has expressed deep grief over the death of renowned scholar, elder statesman, and diplomat, Professor Jibril Aminu, who died on Thursday at the age of 85. A statement issued by Ismaila Uba Misilli, Spokesman to Chairman of the forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, described the late Professor as an iconic figure whose remarkable legacy in public service, diplomacy, and academia will be remembered for generations. “Professor Aminu was a man of uncommon intellect, integrity, and service. His contributions to Nigeria spanned decades of diligent and patriotic service. From his tenure…

THE Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) on Tuesday suspended its strike, which started on Monday. JUSUN announced the suspension in a communiqué issued after it met with the representatives of the Chief Judge of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. The communique signed by all shareholders present, said this was after long deliberations on issues that led to the declaration of the industrial action by the union. According to the communique, the following agreement was reached; that the JUSUN oblige the intervention of CJN, Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, NLC and other Stakeholders one month for negotiations. ”Engage…

THE Federal Government has declared Friday, June 6, and Monday, June 9, 2025, as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-ul-Adha celebrations. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government on Monday in a statement by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Magdalene Ajani. Tunji-Ojo congratulated all Muslim Ummah both at home and in the Diaspora on this occasion. He called on the Muslim Ummah to continue to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice and faith as exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon Him) and to also use the period to pray for a peaceful…

THE Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, has directed its members in all federal courts nationwide and other judicial institutions to withdraw their services from June 2. Mustapha Laminu, National Vice President, North Central said this in a statement signed and issued on Friday in Abuja. Laminu said the strike had become imperative to press home its demands as their members were yet to receive the one month wage award recently paid by government. According to him, this action is to protest against the non payment of five months arrears of wage award, non implementation of N70.000 national minimum wage…

THE death toll in the Niger State flooding rose to at least 150 on Saturday, according to National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). A spokesman for the agency, Ibrahim Husseini, told this newspaper that the sharp increase from the previous death toll of 115 came as bodies were recovered nearly 10 kilometres (6 miles) away from the town of Mokwa, the epicentre of the floods. A total of 3,000 persons have also been displaced, levelling more than 250 homes and washing away two bridges. The update comes as President Bola Tinubu said he had directed the activation of the National Emergency…

THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has weighed in on the explosion that occurred on Monday afternoon in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This newspaper had reported how the explosion occurred in front of the popular Mogadishu Army Cantonment, Abuja, along the Abuja-Nyanya road. Witnesses disclosed to our correspondent that a suspected suicide bomber was reportedly killed when the explosion happened. It was learnt the development led many passers-by, bystanders and other road users to scamper for safety during the incident. In a statement on Tuesday, NEMA said the incident occurred when an individual wearing an Improvised Explosive Device (IED)…

AS Nigeria marks the 2025 edition of Children’s Day, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, has called on leaders at all levels to intensify efforts towards securing a better future for children by tackling illiteracy, promoting peace, and creating a safe and enabling environment for all children to thrive. In a statement released to commemorate the Day by her Special Assistant on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communications, Desmond Utomwen, the presidential aide declared that the well-being of children remains central to Nigeria’s development agenda and the achievement of the Sustainable Development…

THE Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has disclosed that the federal government has turned back eight foreigners last week for attempting to enter Nigeria without valid visas. The minister made this known during an interview on TVC News on Sunday night. He stated that the ministry will no longer tolerate the entry of foreigners without proper documentation. Tunji-Ojo revealed that he met with the Airline Operators of Nigeria on Friday to discuss new enforcement measures concerning the entry and exit of individuals into the country. He said, “Just as I told the Airline Operators of Nigeria on Friday, the…

SUSPENDED Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has told the BBC that she only learnt that the federal government was suing her “on the news” and that she was “shocked” by the action taken against her. The federal government filed defamation charges against Akpoti-Uduaghan after she accused the country’s top politicians of plotting to kill her. In April, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello wanted to “eliminate” her. Both have denied this accusation. She had previously accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her – an allegation he has also denied. After learning of the…

THE United States granted citizenship to 34,289 Nigerians between 2020 and 2022, the latest Naturalisations Annual Flow Report from the US Department of Homeland Security shows. Compiled by the Office of Homeland Security Statistics, the report pulls its numbers from Form N-400 — the application form every would-be American files. The data is also drawn from the electronic case files that US Citizenship and Immigration Services use to track each applicant from fingerprinting to the oath ceremony. Figures obtained by this newspaper indicated that 8,930 Nigerians became naturalised citizens between October 2019 and September 2020. That period included an 11-week…

THE Federal Government says Nigeria has so far lost more than N1.3 billion to the outbreak of Tuta absoluta, commonly known as the tomato leaf miner or “Tomato Ebola” in three states. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said this at the ongoing four-day capacity-building workshop for financial institutions on Wednesday in Abuja. The workshop is organised by HortiNigeria in collaboration with the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending Plc. Kyari said the outbreak had consequently led to the surge of a 50-kilogramme basket of tomatoes from N5,000 to N10,000 and approximately N30,000, thereby…

THE immediate past chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, visited former President Muhammadu Buhari in London, on Wednesday. The purpose of the visit was not disclosed, but coincidentally Bawa turned 45 the very day he visited the former president. Bawa goes into history as the youngest person to have led the anti-graft agency. As of 2021 when he was appointed, he was 41 years old. He is also the first non-police officer to head the agency.

THE Honourable Minister of State for Works, Muhammad Bello Goronyo, Esq., warmly received a delegation from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Sokoto Branch, and the NBA Women’s Forum in his office on Tuesday, 29th April, 2025. In his welcome remarks, the Honourable Minister commended the Association for its unwavering commitment to justice, legal excellence and national development. Describing the NBA Sokoto Branch as his “first family,” he expressed his appreciation for the visit and reiterated the Federal Government’s dedication to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He emphasised the administration’s focus on the rule of law, gender inclusion and…

THE Federal Government has declared Thursday, May 1, 2025, as a public holiday to mark this year’s Workers’ Day Celebration. The government reiterated the need for peace to drive industrialisation and economic growth. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this in a statement released on Tuesday on behalf of the Federal Government. Tunji-Ojo commended workers for their diligence and sacrifice, noting that workers’ efforts are largely responsible for the greatness of the country and the respect Nigeria commands in the comity of nations. ”There is dignity in labour; the dedication and commitment to the work we do is vital…

THE Federal Government has directed the West African Examinations Council and the National Examinations Council to adopt full Computer-Based Testing for all their examinations by 2026. The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during the monitoring of the ongoing exams alongside JAMB officials, in Bwari on Monday. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that more than 2 million candidates registered for the ongoing examination in more than 800 centres across the country. Alausa revealed that both the WAEC and NECO would start administering their objective papers via CBT, effective this November. According to him, the full adoption of…

THE Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III will on Friday, 25th April, 2025 commission the Katampe Extension Jumu’at Mosque in Abuja. A statement issued by the organising committee for the ceremony said that, among other activities, the Sultan will unveil a plaque and cut a ribbon to symbolise the opening of the mosque after he has delivered a Nasiha (counsel) during the event. Before the unveiling of the plaque by the Sultan, the translated version of the Khutba (sermon) for that day’s prayer, which is to…