Author: Naija Daily News

File photo: 2Baba and Natasha Osawaru during their traditional marriage By Deborah Nnamdi Veteran Nigerian musician Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, and his wife, Edo State lawmaker Natasha Osawaru, have welcomed a baby boy. Osawaru announced the birth on her Facebook page on Sunday, expressing joy over the arrival of their child. “Congratulations to Mr & Mrs Idibia. We joyfully welcome our bouncy baby boy into the world. May this precious little one bring endless laughter, happiness, and blessings to our beautiful family,” she wrote. “With love, strength, and unforgettable moments as we begin this wonderful new chapter. Welcome,…

By Deborah Nnamdi Two communities in Delta State have demanded 50 billion naira ($32.5 million) in compensation and a halt to operations in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 40 over what they say are years of unchecked oil spills and improper waste disposal by Nigeria Exploration and Production Ltd (NEPL) and its partner, Elcrest. The Opuama and Polobubo (Tsekelewu) communities are also asking for immediate clean-up and remediation within three months, according to a statement issued by the Warri-based NGO Save the Earth and Secure the Future (SESF). The group accused the companies of repeated spills and the dumping of drilling…

By Deborah Nnamdi Fifty of the more than 300 children kidnapped from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwarra Local Government Area of Niger State, have escaped from their captors. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, announced the development in a statement on Sunday, explaining that the children found their way to safety between Friday and Saturday. “We have received some good news as fifty pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents,” said Daniel Atori, media aide to CAN Chairman in Niger State, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who is also the Catholic…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a major breakthrough in its intensified war against drug trafficking, dismantling six criminal syndicates, arresting nine suspected drug kingpins, and seizing large quantities of illicit substances in a sweeping series of intelligence-led operations across the country. NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed the development in a detailed statement on Sunday, said the operations were part of a coordinated nationwide offensive targeting drug networks ahead of the festive season — a period the agency says traffickers often exploit to increase their activities. According to Babafemi, one of the operations saw NDLEA operatives…

Troops of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, under Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have arrested a wanted kidnapping suspect in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State. The operation, carried out as part of the newly launched OPERATION ZAFIN WUTA, followed credible intelligence that led to the apprehension of Umar Musa Geyi at Jandei-Kulamu in Wukari. According to a statement by the Brigade’s Public Relations Officer, Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, Geyi has long been on the radar of security agencies and is believed to be a key member of a notorious kidnapping syndicate responsible for terrorising several communities in…

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has withdrawn a corps member, Oyaje Daniel, from his Place of Primary Assignment (PPA) at Judeen International School, Annex Section, Mando, Kaduna State, after a controversial comment he made about teenage female students went viral online. Daniel, serving in Igabi Local Government Area, was immediately summoned by the NYSC State Disciplinary Committee, where he appeared alongside his CDS President. He was later accompanied to the NYSC Headquarters by the Alumni President of his college, Comrade Philip Ayuba Bobai, and activist John Adesogan, who both noted that he appeared “sober and remorseful,” visibly shaken by…

By Dina Aboughazala I just came back from Nigeria and it was an eye-opener! As someone who works in the media and who launched a media venture to challenge stereotypes and counter dominant narratives, I didn’t think I would be affected by all the negative talk that preceded my trip. But, sadly, I did. The moment my friends and family learnt I was travelling to Abuja, I was bombarded by advice to “be careful”, “don’t walk on your own”, “avoid strangers”, etc. These phrases would have been ok, had they been the same ones I would hear when announcing I…

By Deborah Nnamdi Amnesty International has decried the rising wave of violent attacks and mass abductions targeting schools across northern Nigeria, accusing the government of failing to protect vulnerable children. The organisation’s statement followed confirmation by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that 315 students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwarra Local Government Area of Niger State were abducted. Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, said more than 230 children were abducted this week alone in two major attacks, prompting the shutdown of hundreds of schools in Katsina, Plateau, and several other…

File photo : unrelated photo of an explosion By Deborah Nnamdi Several people were killed on Friday night when a gas explosion tore through the Bioku-Alaadun area of Ibadan, in the Ona Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State. The blast occurred as a tanker was discharging gas into a retail outlet. Among the casualties were the shop owner and others who were nearby when the explosion happened. General Manager of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Yemi Akinyinka, confirmed the incident, saying emergency responders were already on the ground working to contain the situation. He noted that while fatalities…

By Deborah Nnamdi Abia State Governor Alex Otti has vowed to intensify efforts toward securing the release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, following the life imprisonment sentence handed down by the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 20, 2025. In a statement on Saturday, Otti revealed that a strategy earlier initiated during Kanu’s trial had been reactivated in response to the judgment. He assured the public that the plan—developed in consultation with federal authorities—remains on track. “While Mazi Nnamdi Kanu can appeal his conviction, I want to assure the public that I have activated and…