Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Police Arrest Syndicate For Trafficking Girls To Mauritania. The Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, has arrested a syndicate allegedly involved in the trafficking of young girls from Nigeria to Mauritania for prostitution and sexual exploitation. The Zonal Public Relations Officer (ZPRO), CSP Umma Ayuba, confirmed the arrest in a statement released in Lagos yesterday. She revealed that the operation took place on March 22 in the Meiran area of the state, where officers apprehended two suspects. According to Ayuba, operatives of the Zonal Intelligence Response Squad (ZIRS), led by SP Francis Kpoughul, raided the syndicate’s base, leading…

FG Pledges End To Era Of Unemployable Graduates. The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to producing employable graduates by urging tertiary institutions to align academic programmes with local economic, social, and environmental needs. This initiative aims to address Nigeria’s challenges of unemployment and climate change. Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made this call during an interactive session with Rectors of Federal Polytechnics and Provosts of Federal Colleges of Education. He emphasised the need for institutions to ensure that graduates acquire industry-relevant skills essential for the nation’s industrialisation and sustainable development. To strengthen technical education, the government…

Barcelona And Real Madrid Set Up Thrilling El Clasico In Copa del Rey Final. Barcelona secured their place in the Copa del Rey final with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night, paving the way for a mouth-watering “El Clasico” showdown against arch-rivals Real Madrid. The triumph marks Barcelona’s first appearance in the final of Spain’s oldest football competition in four seasons, reigniting one of the sport’s fiercest rivalries. Ferran Torres proved the hero for the Catalan giants, scoring the decisive goal in the first half at the Metropolitano Stadium. The strike ensured Barcelona progressed with…

EU Demand Over Serbian Deputy PM Labelled As “Shameless Interference”. Serbia has branded the EU’s call to exclude Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin from the country’s new cabinet as an “unacceptable, gross, and shameless interference” in its sovereign affairs. The statement, which has ignited diplomatic tensions, comes amid ongoing discussions about Serbia’s political future and its complex relationship with the EU. The controversy erupted when EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos publicly stated that Vulin, a prominent figure known for his pro-Russian stance, should not be part of Serbia’s incoming government. Kos argued that his inclusion would undermine Serbia’s path…

Court Strikes Out Suit Challenging Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road Project. The Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Akintayo Aluko, has struck out a lawsuit challenging the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project. The suit, filed by some indigenes of the Okun-Ajah community and other concerned property owners in Lagos State’s Eti-Osa Local Government Area, was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. Delivering his ruling on 24th March, Justice Aluko ordered that the case, marked FHC/L/CS/1488/2024, be transferred to the Lagos State High Court, which he deemed the appropriate forum for adjudication. The plaintiffs in the suit,…

Edo PDP Rejects Tribunal Verdict, Vows To Challenge Ruling. The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly rejected the ruling of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which upheld the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a statement issued on Thursday, the PDP insisted that its candidate, Asuerinme Ighodalo, was the rightful winner of the 21st September governorship election and vowed to pursue all legal avenues to challenge the tribunal’s decision. Edo State PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, reaffirmed the party’s commitment to the democratic…

INEC Declares Petition To Recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Invalid. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ruled that the petition seeking to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, has failed to meet constitutional requirements. In a statement released on its official X handle on Thursday, INEC cited Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which stipulates the conditions necessary for recalling a lawmaker. The commission confirmed that the petition did not satisfy the required criteria, effectively halting the recall process. “The petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial…

NNPC Raises Petrol Price To N950 Per Litre Amid Leadership Changes. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has increased the price of premium motor spirit (petrol) to N925 per litre in Lagos and N950 per litre in Abuja, just hours after a major administrative shake-up within the organisation. The latest price hike sees an increase from the previous N880 per litre. In Lagos, petrol prices at NNPC retail stations in locations such as Fadeyi, Ago Palace Way, and Second Rainbow rose from N860 to N925 per litre on Wednesday. Similarly, NNPC outlets in Federal Housing, Kubwa, raised prices…

NLC Urges Workers To Resist Harsh Economic Policies. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on workers to stand against the government’s harsh economic policies, citing concerns over reneged agreements, rising tariffs, and a lack of meaningful social dialogue. Speaking at the sixth quadrennial delegates’ conference of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) in Lagos, NLC President Joe Ajaero criticised recent economic measures, including arbitrary increases in telecom and electricity tariffs. He described these policies as attacks on workers and the broader society. Ajaero also condemned inconsistencies in the implementation of the national minimum wage, alleging that…

Hungary Withdraws From ICC As Netanyahu Receives Warm Welcome In Budapest. In a bold and controversial move, Hungary announced on Thursday that it would withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), a decision revealed mere hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed in the country for an official visit. The announcement has sparked international debate, particularly as Netanyahu faces an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes. Hungary’s government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, had already signalled its intent to disregard the ICC’s authority in this matter. Despite being a signatory to the 1998 Rome Statute, which…

Ancelotti Denies Tax Fraud Allegations As Trial Begins. Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has denied any wrongdoing in his ongoing tax fraud trial in Spain, insisting he never intended to evade taxes. On Wednesday, the 65-year-old Italian appeared before the High Court of Justice in Madrid, where prosecutors accused him of failing to declare more than €1 million (£860,000) in earnings from image rights during his first spell at Real Madrid in 2014 and 2015. Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of four years and nine months, arguing that Ancelotti used a complex network of shell companies to hide…

Trump Imposes 14% Tariff On Nigerian Exports As US Trade Policy Heats Up. In a dramatic escalation of his administration’s trade policy, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a 14% tariff on all Nigerian exports to the United States, effective immediately. The decision, unveiled during a White House Rose Garden address dubbed “Liberation Day” on 2 April, forms part of a broader strategy to address what Trump calls “unfair trade practices” and to bolster American industry. The tariff targets Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest economies, which exported goods worth ₦931 billion (£1.7 billion) to the U.S. in 2024, with…