Author: Naija Daily News

By Deborah Nnamdi The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has acknowledged making mistakes in its earlier statement about the ongoing probe into the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme. In a press release issued on Thursday, the commission clarified that the error had unintentionally given the impression that irregularities had already been confirmed in the management of the student loan program. “Unintentionally, the word “NOT” was missing in the second to the last paragraph of our earlier press release in respect of an ongoing investigation regarding the Student Loan Scheme. The missing word created an erroneous…

By Deborah Nnamdi President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to enhancing the welfare of Nigerian workers in a message shared Thursday on his official X account, in celebration of the 2025 Workers’ Day. He recognized the vital contributions of workers to the nation’s progress and development. “To every Nigerian worker, Happy Workers’ Day. You are the engine of our economy and the secret to our nation’s growth. Our administration has and will continue to prioritize workers’ welfare. Together, we will make Nigeria great again. “Here’s to everyone – young and old, entrepreneur or employee, in the private or public…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has initiated an in-depth investigation into suspected mismanagement in the disbursement of student loans under the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). In a statement issued on Thursday, May 1, 2025, ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare revealed that out of the N100 billion allocated by the Federal Government for student loans, only N28.8 billion was disbursed to students in tertiary institutions. The probe was prompted by media reports implicating 51 tertiary institutions in unauthorized deductions from students’ institutional charges, ranging from N3,500 to N30,000, despite the costs being covered…

By Deborah Nnamdi During Thursday’s May Day celebration at Eagle Square in Abuja, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero called on the federal government to increase the retirement age for all civil servants to 65 years or 40 years of service—matching provisions already in place for certain sectors—as part of the union’s key demands. “It is imperative to extend the revised retirement age of 65 years or 40 years of service currently enjoyed by teachers, health professionals, and judges to all public servants,” Ajaero stated. He emphasised that equal treatment across all categories of civil servants would promote fairness,…

By Deborah Nnamdi Inah Canabarro Lucas, a Brazilian nun recognized as the world’s oldest living person, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 116. Known for surviving a fragile infancy, Lucas credited her extraordinary longevity to her faith in God and dedication to her religious order, according to longevity trackers LongeviQuest and the US-based Gerontological Research Group (GRG). With her passing, the title of the world’s oldest person now goes to 115-year-old Ethel Caterham of Surrey, England, according to both databases. Born on June 8, 1908, Lucas became the world’s oldest person after the January death of Japan’s Tomiko…

By Didimoko A. Didimoko Disaster was averted on the Bukuma River in Rivers State on Tuesday as the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Pathfinder, rescued 99 traders from a local market boat during a collision with a barge in Degema Local Government Area of the state. Eyewitness accounts of the incident indicated that but for the swift intervention of the military personnel, the dozens of victims would have died. The boat, known as ‘Blood of Jesus,’ was making its usual journey from Port Harcourt to Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, carrying both passengers and valuable wares when the collision occurred. Our source…

Foreign ministers of the member states of the BRICS bloc have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in three areas: politics and security, economy and finance, and cultural and humanitarian exchanges. A statement published on the official website of Brazil’s BRICS Presidency indicated that the ministers reaffirmed their commitment at a two-day BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro with the participation of the BRICS member states. The meeting, the statement further indicated, was held in an expanded format with representatives of the BRICS partner countries in attendance. The ministers emphasised the key role of BRICS as the…

By Douglas Maha In a major crackdown on international vehicle trafficking, INTERPOL has led a successful two-week operation that exposed a network funnelling stolen cars from Europe and Canada into West Africa. The operation, dubbed Safe Wheels, resulted in the identification of approximately 150 stolen vehicles, with over half of them seized on the spot. The operation, carried out in March 2025, was the result of close cooperation between INTERPOL and law enforcement agencies across 12 West African nations, including Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire, among others. Together, these countries set up daily checkpoints—averaging 46 per day—and inspected…

Photo: Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, DG WTO By Gabriel Efe Human resilience is astonishing—not for its brilliance, but for its persistence in the face of constant absurdity. We weathered COVID, rewired systems on the fly, and momentarily reminded ourselves that survival demands innovation. Just when it seemed like we’d turned a corner, here comes another spectacle: a trade war masquerading as industrial policy. This isn’t a strategy. It’s performance art—clumsy, costly, and hollow. There’s been little consideration for how everyday people are supposed to navigate the fallout. No real reckoning with the global repercussions. Just a political reflex to “act,” even…

Photo: Gov Umo Eno likens PDP to a faulty plane By Didimoko A. Didimoko Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno hints at a potential defection from the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections, with his recent comments and cabinet shakeup fueling speculation of a switch to the APC. Speaking during a constituency outreach event in Ikot Akpankuk, Ukanafun Local Government Area, the governor compared the PDP to a faulty aircraft, implying he is open to boarding a more “reliable” political vehicle—an analogy widely interpreted as a nod to the All Progressives Congress (APC). “If you were set to travel with…