Author: Naija Daily News

By Deborah Nnamdi Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a wanted 59-year-old international drug baron, Ogbonnaya Jeff. He was apprehended at his hideout in the Ojo area of Lagos after 17 years of evading authorities. Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), said the agency’s Special Operations Unit had been tracking Ogbonnaya following an Interpol Red Notice against him and intelligence from the National Intelligence Service of South Korea. He stated that the agency had gathered incontrovertible evidence of Ogbonnaya’s activities, including his recruitment of…

By Didimoko A. Didimoko The crisis at the Lagos State House of Assembly took a dramatic twist on Monday when the deposed Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa staged a defiant comeback as Speaker, after the resignation of Mojisola Meranda, who stepped down with immediate effect. Obasa was impeached by the lawmakers in January over several allegations, including poor leadership, lateness to sessions, abuse of power, and intimidation of his colleagues. Over 90% of the lawmakers supported his impeachment. It was gathered that the stage for Obasa’s dramatic return was set last when he stormed the assembly in Alausa, Ikeja, backed by a…

By Deborah Nnamdi A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has granted Jude Okoye, the elder brother and former manager of the now-defunct music group P-Square, bail in the amount of N100 million as he faces trial for alleged fraud. Okoye was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with laundering N1.38 billion, $1 million, and £34,537.59. He pleaded not guilty and was initially placed in the Ikoyi Correctional Facility by Justice Alexander Owoeye. His lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, had requested that Okoye be held in EFCC custody instead, but this request was opposed by the prosecution, represented by…

Photo: Rt Hon Martins Amaehule, Speaker, Rivers Assembly By Deborah Sunday Buoyed by last week’s Supreme Court judgment affirming its legitimacy as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Martins Amaehule, reconvened the assembly on Monday morning and immediately issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2025 appropriation bill to the house for consideration. It would be recalled that Fubara had been locked in a political tussle with Amaehule and 26 of the 31-member assembly over the leadership of the house. The 27 lawmakers are loyal to Fubara’s estranged godfather, Nyesom Wike, who…

By Deborah Nnamdi Tension has gripped the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa, Ikeja, and other parts of the state, as armed security forces have taken control of the area ahead of an emergency session on Monday, March 3, 2025. The situation is part of a growing political tension resulting from a series of internal disputes and power struggles that have plagued the Assembly in recent weeks. The security presence around the Assembly complex has been increased since 7 a.m. on Monday. While security has been tight for about two weeks, it was significantly stepped up ahead of what…

VFS Global, in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, has commenced Japan visa application services for residents of Nigeria in Abuja and Lagos. The Japan Visa Application Centres in Abuja and Lagos officially began operations today, March 3, 2025, providing a dedicated platform for processing visa applications. The new initiative aims to enhance the visa application experience by offering a streamlined process for Nigerian travelers looking to visit Japan. Applicants will be able to submit their documents for both short-term and long-term visas by appointment only, making the application process more efficient and organized. VFS Global will offer…

Popular Nigerian pastor and senior pastor at Trinity House, Ituah Ighodalo, has debunked his rumoured planned wedding with famous Nollywood star and celebrity, Kate Henshaw. The rumour mill had been on overdrive with the alleged wedding plan with the best friend of his late wife, Ibidunni Ighodalo, who died in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, barely weeks to her 40th birthday. The speculations about the purported wedding gained momentum a week ago with the revelation that the official attire (aso-ebi) for the wedding had been released to a selected group of friends and well-wishers. Speaking to the Osayuwamen Saleh’s UpgradeTV, Pastor…

The ruling All Progressive Party, APC, was rattled at the weekend following a high-powered meeting hosted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo with key opposition figures in the country. The meeting, which was held at a popular hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, was held ahead of the former president’s 88th birthday. The presence of some opposition figures, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, reportedly got APC leaders jittery. Attendees were those working to dislodge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, while the host is a long-time adversary of the president. Former…

At the start of the year, the world’s wealthiest individuals were seeing their fortunes grow at an astonishing rate, with an estimated $10 billion in daily gains throughout January. But just a month later, the rally has reversed, with a combined $138 billion erased from the net worths of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Larry Ellison.The downturn marks a sharp shift for billionaire investors, particularly in the tech sector, where many saw their valuations soar to record highs in early 2024. But as market volatility increases, fueled in part by the rise of a disruptive new AI company,…

Israel said Sunday it has stopped the entry of all aid into Gaza, amid an escalating standoff over the future of a ceasefire deal with Hamas. The first phase of the ceasefire, which halted fighting for six weeks and brought several exchanges of Israeli hostages for detained Palestinians, expired Saturday, and Israel and Hamas have not agreed on a second phase. In a statement overnight, Israel said that it would adopt a U.S.-proposed “temporary ceasefire” spanning the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover, but that Hamas has refused to do so. Ramadan began Friday, and…