Author: Naija Daily News

Fresh disclosures before the Rivers State High Court have revealed that over ₦302 billion was allegedly spent within six months by the administration of former Rivers sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd). The revelations emerged in a Freedom of Information suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which is seeking transparency over funds managed during the emergency rule period between March and August 2025. The case, marked PHC/4153/CS/2025, is being heard by Justice S.H. Aprioku. In a counter-affidavit dated March 10, 2026, the Rivers State Accountant-General and the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning disclosed that…

The remains of Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, mother of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, were on Sunday laid to rest in Abuja following her death in Cairo, Egypt, after a brief illness. Her grandson, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, confirmed the arrival of the body and burial arrangements in a statement posted on X, noting that the Janazah prayer was held at the National Mosque Abuja before interment at Gudu Cemetery. Hajiya Umma El-Rufai had reportedly been living with her son in Cairo, where she passed away on Friday while receiving treatment for an age-related illness. The burial drew several prominent Nigerians,…

At least three persons are feared dead, while several journalists sustained injuries in a tragic auto crash along the notorious Onyeama Hills axis of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway on Saturday morning. The accident reportedly involved multiple vehicles, including a black Toyota Sienna bus conveying journalists on an official assignment to Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State. Some of the occupants, including crew members from the African Independent Television and the Nigerian Television Authority, suffered varying degrees of injuries. Among those affected are NTA reporter and Chairman of the NTA Chapel, Chimaroke Ugwu, his cameraman Jerry, as well as AIT reporter…

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 46-year-old woman, Omolade Abigail Jolayemi, popularly known as “Iya Ghana,” over her alleged role in a drug distribution network in Lagos. The agency disclosed the development in a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, noting that the arrest is part of ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking operations within and beyond Nigeria. Jolayemi was apprehended during a raid carried out by a Special Operations Unit at her residence on Carter Street, Yaba, where she was arrested alongside her sales assistant, 31-year-old Sarah Zainab Agbabiaka. According…

A fire outbreak has destroyed the cold storage facility of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health, wiping out vaccines and critical medical equipment valued at hundreds of millions of naira. The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday at Block 5, Centenary City in Abakaliki, dealing a major blow to the state’s immunisation infrastructure. During an on-the-spot assessment, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, lamented the scale of the destruction, noting that the facility housed essential immunisation materials and solar-powered systems used for preserving vaccines. Items lost in the blaze include vaccines, vaccine carriers, cold-chain boxes, laptops,…

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday criticised the widening gap between the rich and the poor as he visited Monaco, marking the first Western European trip of his papacy. The pontiff arrived by helicopter from Rome and was received at Monte Carlo’s heliport by Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene under bright sunshine. Shortly after arriving in the wealthy Mediterranean principality, Leo condemned what he described as growing “chasms between the poor and the rich.” Speaking in French from the balcony of the Prince’s Palace, he denounced “unjust configurations of power” and “structures of sin” that deepen divisions between privileged and…

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said he would not oppose Bola Ahmed Tinubu if he decides to seek the All Progressives Congress ticket for re-election in 2027. Otti made the declaration during his monthly media chat for March held at the Government House in Umuahia on Friday night, stating that he had no basis to challenge the president’s candidacy since he is focused on securing a second term as governor. “I am not in a position to oppose President Tinubu’s candidacy. I have no basis to challenge his re-election, as I am not contesting for the presidency but seeking…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has elected a new set of national officers during its 4th Elective National Convention held at Eagle Square, Abuja. Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda was returned as the party’s National Chairman, while Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru emerged as National Secretary. Their emergence, along with other members of the National Working Committee, was announced by the Convention Election Committee under a consensus arrangement. The convention, held on Friday night, drew the attendance of key party leaders, including President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, among…

At least six health workers were abducted in the early hours of Saturday when suspected gunmen attacked a Primary Healthcare Centre in Akure, Ondo State. The assailants reportedly stormed the facility located in the Oke Ijebu area of the state capital at about 2:00 a.m., catching both medical personnel and patients off guard. Eyewitnesses said the gunmen arrived in a vehicle, forced their way into the premises, and rounded up health workers who were on night duty, including nurses, interns, and other essential medical staff. A patient who managed to escape the attack said some of the interns on duty…

Photo: Late Herbert Wigwe A new investigation by UK publication The Londoner has linked the late Herbert Wigwe to 106 properties across London, placing him among the top foreign owners of real estate in the British capital. The report, which examined 32,611 London properties owned by overseas entities, traced ownership through shell companies and offshore structures following a 2022 UK law requiring foreign property owners to disclose their beneficial ownership. It, however, stressed that the findings do not suggest any wrongdoing, noting that it only documents ownership patterns. Wigwe, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, died in…