Author: Naija Daily News

By Deborah Nnamdi The Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, arraigned Aondona Mkor, Special Adviser to the Governor of Benue State, before the Federal High Court in Lafia on a five-count charge. Mkor was arrested on June 20, 2025, in Makurdi over allegations of sextortion and cyberbullying, following complaints by several female students who accused him of engaging in sexual exploitation, cyber harassment, and blackmail. At Wednesday’s proceedings, the court granted Mkor bail in the sum of N30 million, with two sureties who must each own landed property and provide…

By Deborah Nnamdi In a significant breakthrough in the fight against armed banditry in North-Central Nigeria, the Nigeria Police Force has dismantled a notorious arms trafficking network believed to be the main supplier of weapons to criminal gangs behind deadly attacks in Benue State and surrounding areas. The operation, conducted by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department – Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), led to multiple arrests and the recovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition in Benue and Nasarawa States between June 21 and July 17, 2025. The police team launched a major operation on June 21 after…

An operative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), identified only as Jide, has been shot and killed by suspected drug traffickers during a raid in Ondo State. The incident occurred on Tuesday in the Ita’nla area of Ondo town, during an early-morning operation by officers from the Ondo Command of the NDLEA. According to sources, the team was acting on intelligence about illicit drugs hidden in the ceiling of a residential apartment. A witness familiar with the operation said the NDLEA operatives were met with gunfire shortly after storming the building. “They got a tip-off that drugs were…

By Deborah Nnamdi Dame Judith Amaechi, wife of former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has strongly denied allegations made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that she received N4 billion monthly from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for empowerment programmes. In a statement released Tuesday through her media aide, Dike Bekwele, Mrs Amaechi described the claims as “baseless, false, and politically motivated,” aimed solely at damaging her reputation. Wike, in a recent television interview, alleged that Mrs Amaechi received monthly payments from the NDDC which were mismanaged. He also urged President…

By Deborah Nnamdi Nigeria’s Super Falcons secured a dramatic 2-1 win over defending champions South Africa on Tuesday night, earning their spot in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final. Michelle Alozie was the hero, netting a stunning 94th-minute winner in a tense semifinal clash in Casablanca. The match started with Nigeria on the front foot, pressing aggressively and forcing early errors from Banyana Banyana. They nearly took advantage of a mishandled free kick by Alozie, setting the tone for a high-intensity battle. The breakthrough came just before halftime. South Africa’s Bambanani Mbane was penalized for a handball in…

By Deborah Nnamdi The House of Representatives has passed for first reading a bill seeking to ban public and civil servants—and their immediate families—from using private schools and healthcare facilities in Nigeria. Titled the “Private Institutions and Health Care Service Providers (Prohibition) Bill, 2025”, the legislation was sponsored by Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, who represents Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia State. Speaking after the bill’s introduction on the House floor, Ogah described it as “a turning point in the history of our nation,” saying it aims to rebuild public confidence in government institutions and eliminate conflicts of interest in public…

By Deborah Nnamdi The United States announced on Tuesday that it has withdrawn from UNESCO, the United Nations’ cultural and education agency known for designating World Heritage sites. The decision was attributed to the organization’s alleged bias against Israel and its promotion of what the U.S. called “divisive” causes. “Continued involvement in UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States,” said State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. She criticized the agency for advancing “globalist, ideological” sustainability goals and for taking positions that the U.S. views as hostile to Israel. Bruce specifically cited UNESCO’s 2011 decision to admit Palestine…

By Deborah Nnamdi Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has revealed that at least 3,160 people have been displaced in Yelwata community, Benue State, due to recent violent attacks. Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, the minister described the situation in Yelwata as one of several humanitarian crises currently confronting the federal government. Others include widespread flooding, insurgency, and rising child malnutrition, particularly in northern Nigeria. “Recently, we experienced the Mokwa flood, killings in Plateau and Benue, and the ongoing crisis in Borno,” Professor Yilwatda noted. “Malnutrition among displaced children has…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has maintained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 27.5%, alongside all other key policy parameters. CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso announced the decision at the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) briefing held in Abuja on Monday. The asymmetric corridor remains at +500/-100 basis points around the MPR, while the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) for Deposit Money Banks stays at 50%, and the Liquidity Ratio at 30%. Cardoso said the decision to hold the rate steady is aimed at sustaining the current disinflation trend and reinforcing efforts to bring down inflation. He also revealed…

By Deborah Nnamdi Barely a month after officially resigning from the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is preparing to address his supporters in Rivers State regarding his next political steps. Amaechi, who recently attended the funeral of former President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State, had hinted at an imminent address to his supporters on the current political climate in the country. According to a reliable source, Amaechi is expected to meet with his supporters on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, where he may formally announce his defection…