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The federal government’s fourth evacuation flight from South Africa has arrived at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos. The Air Peace flight arrived last night with 282 returnees. This brings the total number of Nigerians repatriated from South Africa since the evacuation flights began on June 11 to 1,141. Over 1,000 Nigerians were said to have indicated interest to return. Last week, ahead of Thursday’s flight arrival, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, minister of foreign affairs, asked Nigerians to take advantage of the ongoing exercise to return home. Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s call came as two more Nigerians were reported dead in South Africa bringing…
Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned a former employee of a new-generation bank, Chinonso Akujobi, before Justice I.O. Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja over an alleged theft of N294,595,992. Akujobi was brought before the court on Thursday, July 9, 2026, on a five-count charge bordering on stealing and unlawful conversion of bank funds amounting to N294.5 million. According to one of the charges, the defendant, while employed by Access Bank Plc, allegedly diverted funds from the bank’s general ledger into Access Bank account number 0036668871, bearing the…
Travellers in the United States who require Nigerian visas will now submit their applications directly to the Nigerian embassy and consulates after the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) disengaged its third-party visa application service provider. Previously, Online Integrated Solution (OIS SERVICES) functioned as the operator of Nigeria’s visa application and submission centres in the US. However, a statement issued Thursday by Akinsola Akinlabi, NIS public relations officer, said the operator has been disengaged effective immediately. Akinlabi did not state why. Travellers seeking Nigerian visas are now required to submit their applications directly at the embassy of Nigeria in Washington, DC, or…
Some Nigerian filling stations have shut down over speculation of an increase in premium motor spirit price. The national president of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, on the situation, he said genuine petrol retailers will not close their outlets over fuel price speculation. He, however, told Newsmen that the association will monitor the situation. “It is not possible for a genuine petrol retailer to shut a station over price speculation, because price can change to their disfavor. However, we are going to monitor the situation,” he added This comes amid the resurgence of hikes…
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday remanded former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, Danladi Umar, in Kuje Correctional Centre after he was arraigned by the Federal Government on a four-count charge bordering on alleged corruption and abuse of office. Justice Peter Kekemeke ordered Umar’s remand after he pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against him. The Federal Government alleged that Umar abused his office by receiving illicit payments from contractors while serving as chairman of the tribunal. According to the prosecution, Umar allegedly used his wife’s bank…
The Senate on Wednesday approved the 2026 budget proposal of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), endorsing a revenue target of N11.074 trillion and a total expenditure of N1.295 trillion for the 2026 fiscal year. The approval followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariffs, chaired by Isah Jibrin (APC-Kogi), during plenary. Presenting the report, Mr Jibrin said the committee assessed the agency’s 2025 budget implementation before examining the 2026 estimates. He disclosed that the Customs Service exceeded its 2025 revenue target of N6.5 trillion, generating about N7.2 trillion, representing a performance of 110.53…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned former managing director of Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC), Ahmed Dikko, for money laundering. Mr Dikko appeared before Judge Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja to face 12 charges of money laundering. The EFCC arraigned him alongside Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited. The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Judge Ekwo subsequently granted him bail in the sum of N150 million with one surety and fixed 12, 13 and 14 October for the commencement of trial. In the charges filed on 22 June by…
The Nigerian Presidency has rejected claims by the presidential candidate of the New Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, that he is being targeted by the state and systematically refrained from attending social events due to official pressure. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, described Obi’s recent allegations as unfounded, misleading, and part of a fabricated narrative aimed at gaining cheap political sympathy. Onanuga was reacting to Obi’s complaints regarding a recent incident involving his vehicle at an airport, noting that the occurrence was simply the result…
Gunmen have released eight national officers of the Scripture Union (SU) abducted in Imo State, Nigeria’s South-east. The victims were abducted while returning from a SU national conference held at the Camp of Faith in Okigwe Area of the state. The incident happened on 14 June along Orlu-Mgbidi Road while the victims were travelling from Okigwe to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. SU is a global, interdenominational Christian movement primarily committed to nurturing children and youth. The kidnap victims were three adult females and five males. The three female victims were Oluwatomisin Abolarin, Ebenezer Ige and Ola Ige. The five…
The House of Representatives on Wednesday descended into a heated and rowdy session as lawmakers clashed over an attempt to summon President Bola Tinubu to explain the poor implementation of the 2025 budget, the delayed release of appropriated funds, and worsening funding gaps affecting ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). The controversy began when Benedict Etanabene, who represents Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency of Delta State, raised the issue under a matter of personal explanation, calling on the House to invite President Tinubu to account for the persistent failure to implement budgets despite trillions of naira approved by the National Assembly. However, the…