Author: Naija Daily News

Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the no-case submission filed by activist Omoyele Sowore in his ongoing trial over alleged cyberbullying of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services over allegations that he described the president as a “criminal” on his X social media account. In his ruling, Justice Umar held that Sowore has a case to answer, stating that the prosecution had established a prima facie case requiring the defendant to provide explanations on issues raised during trial. The court also noted that evidence presented…

The Rivers State Police Command has dismantled an illegal security outfit operating under the name “Civilian Joint Taskforce” in Tai Local Government Area of the state, arresting five suspects, including three women, and recovering three locally fabricated pump-action rifles. The command said the operation followed the recent directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, ordering a nationwide crackdown on illegal arms and criminal groups. In a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Blessing Agabe, said operatives of the State Intelligence Department acted on credible intelligence and carried out a…

Fresh tragedy has struck Plateau State following a deadly attack by suspected gunmen on the Ngbra Zongo community in Kwall District of Bassa Local Government Area, where no fewer than 13 persons were reportedly killed in the early hours of Friday. The attack, which left several other residents with varying degrees of injuries, threw the community into panic as survivors fled for safety. A resident, Mr. Philip Alanga, said the assailants stormed the community around midnight, opening fire indiscriminately before attacking residents with machetes and other dangerous weapons. According to him, the attackers moved from house to house, targeting innocent…

A devastating windstorm has swept through several communities in Niger State, destroying more than 1,000 houses and leaving scores of residents displaced across multiple local government areas. The Niger State Emergency Management Agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its Director-General, Abdullahi Baba-Arah, who said the disaster affected communities in Mokwa, Bida, and other parts of the state. According to Baba-Arah, the agency has commenced a rapid assessment of the affected areas in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and local government authorities to determine the full extent of the destruction and the humanitarian needs of victims. He said…

The Senate on Thursday rescinded controversial amendments made to its 2026 Standing Orders following concerns that some of the newly introduced provisions were inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution. The decision came just days after the upper chamber amended sections of its rules, a move that sparked controversy and heated exchanges among lawmakers. Moving the motion during plenary, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, said a fresh legislative and constitutional review revealed that certain provisions introduced under Order 2 Subsection 2 and Order 3 Subsection 1 could create constitutional inconsistencies, particularly with Section 52 of the Constitution. He explained that after further…

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has warned that 19 states across the country may experience flash flooding in the coming days following forecasts of heavy early rainfall. In an advisory issued on Thursday, the agency explained that the risk of flooding is expected to be higher due to dry and hardened soil conditions in many areas, which could limit water absorption and trigger increased surface runoff. According to NiMet, the states likely to be affected include Zamfara, Nasarawa, Kwara, Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Delta, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Edo, Ondo, Bayelsa, and other vulnerable locations. The…

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has confirmed his redeployment as Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to South Africa, saying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the change following his personal request. Fani-Kayode disclosed this in a statement posted on his official X account, where he explained that his reassignment from Germany to South Africa came after he formally requested a change in posting for personal reasons. His redeployment comes amid renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa, a development that has heightened diplomatic concerns and drawn strong reactions from the Nigerian government. According to Fani-Kayode, shortly after his initial posting to Germany…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in collaboration with international law enforcement agencies, has dismantled a transnational criminal syndicate allegedly involved in laundering drug proceeds worth hundreds of billions of naira across Europe and Nigeria. The agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in Abuja. According to the NDLEA, the operation led to the arrest of an alleged billionaire drug baron, Amadi Simon, in Switzerland, alongside two suspected female kingpins in Nigeria, while multiple assets, bank accounts, and cryptocurrency wallets linked to the network were identified and blocked.…

Nollywood actress Blessing Onwukwe has revealed that she earned more than N1 million for her role in the second part of the viral movie Monica, as the actress opened up on how she brought the now-famous “Mama Monica” character to life. Speaking during an interview with Yanga FM, Onwukwe, whose portrayal of Monica’s manipulative mother has sparked widespread conversations online, said the commercial success of the movie was reflected in her pay. “Monica passed one million. It passed one million for Monica II. I don’t want to call any other amount, but it’s more than one million,” she said. Onwukwe…

A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, in a 12-count amended money laundering case filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission involving N33 billion. Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment on Thursday and adjourned sentencing to a later date. Mamman, who was absent when the judgment was delivered, had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges, leading to a full trial. In his judgment, Justice Omotosho said the key issues for determination were whether the defendant’s right to a fair hearing had been breached and whether the prosecution had proved…