Author: Nnamdi Deborah

The United Kingdom will increase the minimum financial requirements for international students applying for study visas from November 30, 2026, requiring those intending to study in London to show at least £14,130 for living expenses. The revised requirements, introduced by the UK Home Office, will affect prospective international students, including Nigerians planning to pursue higher education in British institutions. Under the new rules, students studying in London will be required to demonstrate access to £1,570 monthly, up from the existing £1,529. For courses lasting nine months or longer, the minimum maintenance funds will rise from £13,761 to £14,130, representing an…

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced plans to curb alleged cases of students benefiting from its loan scheme while still relying on their parents to pay their tuition fees. The fund’s Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, said on Wednesday that a verification system would be introduced to enable parents to confirm whether NELFUND had paid their children’s school fees. Speaking during a press briefing, Sawyerr said the measure was aimed at ending the practice of beneficiaries allegedly collecting government-backed education loans while continuing to place the burden of tuition payments on their parents. “This comment is based on our…

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, running mate to Peter Obi on the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ticket, has joined TikTok as the party intensifies preparations for the 2027 general election. The former Kano State governor announced his arrival on the social media platform in a post on his X handle on Wednesday, inviting Nigerians to follow his account for updates, personal content and information about his activities. “I am on TikTok! I encourage you all to follow me there for authentic information, the latest updates, and exclusive contents directly related to my daily life,” Kwankwaso wrote, adding, “Nigeria will be OK. —…

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested five suspected kidnappers accused of using online dating platforms to lure unsuspecting victims into captivity, rescuing a 24-year-old woman allegedly abducted after travelling from Delta State to Port Harcourt. The suspects were reportedly arrested following an intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Diobu, after the police received a complaint about the victim’s abduction along the Igwuruta-Etche Road in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police Blessing Agabe, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on…

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has vowed to prosecute and imprison anyone found guilty of electoral fraud if he wins the 2027 presidential election. Obi made the pledge on Wednesday during an NDC town hall meeting in Nasarawa State, where he addressed party supporters on electoral integrity and the need to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral system. Responding to a question about election rigging, the former Anambra State governor said his party would not allow electoral manipulation to go unchallenged in the next general election. “You didn’t ask about what we are going to do if…

The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested a 50-year-old pastor, Ambros Mark, over the alleged sexual defilement of two underage girls, aged 13 and 14, in Yenagoa, the state capital. Mark, who reportedly leads Point of Redemption Church International, located behind the Amarata area of Yenagoa, was arrested following a complaint lodged with the police. The victims are said to be members of the church choir. One is a 13-year-old girl from Abia State, while the other is a 14-year-old indigene of Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The Police Public Relations Officer, Musa Mohammed, confirmed the arrest, explaining…

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 22-year-old convicted drug dealer and rescued a 14-year-old boy allegedly used to deliver illicit drugs to customers in the state. The police said the arrest followed an operation by operatives of the Violent Crimes Response Unit (VCRU) during a routine patrol, leading to the interception of the minor and the recovery of suspected methamphetamine and other controlled substances. The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday. According to Habib, the operatives, led by the officer in charge of the unit, intercepted the boy,…

Residents of Nuru Suraj Estate in the Millennium City area of Kaduna State have been thrown into panic after suspected kidnappers invaded the community in the early hours of Tuesday and reportedly abducted about six people. The attackers were said to have gained access to the estate through its second gate before breaking into the neighbourhood and carrying out the abductions. A resident, identified as Maman Hamid, whose house is close to those of the victims, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the incident triggered fear among residents. She said military personnel pursued the suspected kidnappers following the attack,…

A father in Gombe State, Mansir Adamu, has lost five of his children in a fatal road accident involving a tricycle conveying them to school and a water tanker. Three other children reportedly sustained injuries in the crash and are receiving medical treatment. The victims were identified as Maryam Mansir Adamu and Usman Mansir Adamu, both Primary Five pupils of Jekadafari Primary School; Hauwau Mansir Adamu of GJSS Jekadafari; Aliyu Mansir Adamu of GDSS Ahmadu Gombe; and Fatima Mansir Adamu, a student. Reacting to the tragedy, Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya expressed profound grief over the deaths, describing the…

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have killed 16 suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters during coordinated air and artillery strikes on three suspected terrorist enclaves in the Tunbunma area of South Lake Chad. The operation, conducted between 1am and 2am on Monday, October 26, 2026, followed intelligence reports indicating the presence of key terrorist leaders and fighters at the targeted locations. The Joint Task Force, which oversees Operation Hadin Kai, said the strikes formed part of sustained military offensives against terrorist networks operating in the Lake Chad Basin. According to the military, a battle damage assessment conducted after…