Author: Naija Daily News

By Deborah Nnamdi The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has cautioned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against proceeding with its planned congresses and national convention without the commission’s supervision. Amupitan gave the warning during an interview on Arise TV on Friday, following the party’s insistence on going ahead with its convention despite INEC’s derecognition of a leadership faction linked to David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola. He explained that INEC’s decision was based on legal considerations, particularly an existing court order restraining actions that could affect ongoing proceedings. “So if they are going ahead with their…

At least 22 people were injured after a passenger train derailed in Russia’s Ulyanovsk region on Friday, authorities confirmed, with no fatalities reported. Seven carriages of the train came off the tracks in the region, located about 900 kilometres east of Moscow. The train was en route from Chelyabinsk in the Ural Mountains to the Russian capital. Regional governor Alexei Russkikh confirmed the incident, while Chelyabinsk governor Alexei Teksler said preliminary reports showed that two passengers sustained fractures, while about 20 others, including a child, suffered bruises. Images from the scene showed several train carriages lying on their side following…

By Deborah Nnamdi Microsoft on Friday announced plans to invest $10 billion in Japan over the next four years to build artificial intelligence data centres and related infrastructure, as global demand for AI services continues to surge. The announcement followed a meeting between Microsoft President Brad Smith and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo, where the investment was formally unveiled. Smith described the move as a response to Japan’s growing need for cloud computing and AI capabilities, as businesses in the world’s fourth-largest economy seek to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving tech landscape. Data centres — critical facilities…

United States President Donald Trump has warned that American forces may escalate attacks on Iran, saying key infrastructure targets such as bridges and power plants are under consideration. In a post on his Truth Social platform late Thursday, Trump said the US military had not yet begun fully “destroying what’s left in Iran,” despite ongoing hostilities between both countries. “The US military hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran. Bridges next, then electric power plants!” he wrote, hours after claiming that Iran’s tallest bridge had already been destroyed. The US president has consistently maintained that most of Iran’s major…

By Deborah Nnamdi The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has secured the conviction of a couple for baby trafficking in Cross River State, with a combined sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment. The convicts, Esther Ini Udo, 32, and Eyo Stephen Udo, 34, were sentenced by the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar to 15 years in prison each after being found guilty of multiple trafficking offences. According to a statement issued by NAPTIP on Thursday, the couple was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on the buying and selling of babies for exploitation, in violation…

By Deborah Nnamdi A housewife in Sokoto State has allegedly poured hot oil on her husband’s private organ after accusing him of speaking with another woman on the phone. The victim, Bello Abubakar, a resident of the Yar Gabas area of Sokoto metropolis, denied the allegation, insisting he was not involved in any inappropriate relationship. He attributed the incident to what he described as a recurring spiritual condition affecting his wife. Recounting the incident, Abubakar said the attack occurred shortly after he returned home from observing early morning prayers at a mosque. “I left home for the mosque to perform…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate deployment of over 5,000 networked surveillance cameras across Plateau State as part of efforts to curb insecurity and identify perpetrators of violence. The President gave the directive on Thursday during a town hall meeting with political and traditional leaders at Yakubu Gowon Airport, Heipang, near Jos, following the recent Palm Sunday attack in Angwan Rukuba that left 28 people dead. Tinubu said the camera network would enable law enforcement agencies to instantly identify “troublemakers” and respond swiftly to threats. He invited the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, to…

Photo: Senator Oluremi Tinubu Nigeria’s National Community Food Bank Programme secured pledges exceeding N66 billion at its launch on Thursday, as government and private sector leaders committed funds to tackle rising hunger and malnutrition. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, announced the total during the inauguration of the programme’s Board of Trustees at the State House Conference Centre, an event hosted by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu. Private sector contributions were led by the Aliko Dangote Foundation, which pledged N20 billion in-kind support over five years, followed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited with a N10…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to grant a final forfeiture order on 57 properties allegedly linked to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, arguing that they are proceeds of unlawful activities. The anti-graft agency, in a motion filed before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, said the respondents failed to provide sufficient evidence to overturn an earlier interim forfeiture order granted by the court. The application, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/20/2026, lists Malami alongside several individuals and companies as respondents. EFCC’s legal team, led by Jibrin Okutepa and Ekele Iheanacho,…

Suspected bandits attacked Achida town in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State late on Thursday, killing two people and abducting at least 25 others, residents said. The town, located about 20 kilometres from Sokoto metropolis, has become increasingly vulnerable to banditry spreading across parts of northwestern Nigeria. Eyewitnesses said the attackers stormed the community around 11 p.m. and operated for nearly an hour without resistance. The gunmen reportedly killed two residents and abducted several others, including women, a 10-year-old boy and members of the local vigilante group. A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the assailants first…