Author: Naija Daily News

By Deborah Nnamdi Tension flared in Benin City, Edo State, on Tuesday following a reported armed attack on supporters of former presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Edo State governor John Odigie-Oyegun, raising fresh concerns over political violence. In a video circulating online, suspected hoodlums were said to have stormed the premises, firing sporadically. The footage showed visible bullet holes on the gates and extensive damage to vehicles parked within the compound. “Hoodlums came, shooting. If you look at the gates, everything — you can see the bullets at the gates. You can see it. They damaged everything. That is…

The administration of President Bola Tinubu allegedly paid billions of naira in ransom and released two senior Boko Haram commanders to secure the freedom of pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State, according to a report by Agence France-Presse. More than 300 pupils and staff were kidnapped in November when gunmen stormed St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, triggering national outrage and renewed concerns over mass abductions across the country. In its report published on Monday, AFP alleged that the Nigerian government paid Boko Haram militants a “huge” ransom amounting to millions of dollars to secure the…

All weather forecasting equipment belonging to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) was destroyed in Monday’s fire outbreak that engulfed the old terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. The Federal Government has also reiterated plans to pull down the entire structure following the incident. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this on Tuesday during an inspection of the burnt terminal in Lagos. The fire, which broke out around 3:30 p.m., did not claim any lives, but at least six persons sustained serious injuries. No fewer than 12 Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) and other airport…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned that the current administration will be held accountable if anything happens to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following reports that he suffered a nosebleed while in detention. Atiku described the development as deeply troubling and unacceptable in a democratic setting, stressing that El-Rufai’s health and welfare are matters of grave concern to his family, friends and associates. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the former vice president said the Federal Government owes Nigerians clarity regarding the circumstances of the former governor’s detention. He called on authorities to clearly state which agency is…

No fewer than six final-year nursing students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) have been confirmed dead in a tragic road accident while travelling to sit for their final examinations. The victims, all 500-level candidates in the institution’s Open and Distance Learning Bachelor of Nursing Science programme, were reportedly on their way to Ogbomoso, Oyo State, for what was meant to be the final phase of their academic journey when the fatal crash occurred. Among those who lost their lives was a student said to be heavily pregnant at the time of the accident, further deepening the grief surrounding…

Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) has been forced to resign from office, prompting the immediate appointment of a successor by the federal government. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Presidency confirmed that the resignation takes immediate effect and thanked the outgoing police chief for his service to the nation. However, Naija Daily News learnt that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu invited Egbetokun to the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, and directed him to resign immediately. The statement did not elaborate on the reasons for the resignation but noted that the decision was taken in the interest of the Nigeria Police…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Central Bank of Nigeria has reduced the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 50 basis points to 26.5 per cent, signaling a shift in its monetary stance. Governor Olayemi Cardoso announced the decision on Tuesday at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja. In addition to lowering the benchmark interest rate, the committee retained the standing facilities corridor at +50 to -450 basis points around the MPR. The apex bank also left the Cash Reserve Requirements unchanged, maintaining 45 per cent for deposit money banks, 16 per cent for merchant banks, and 75…

A major fire outbreak on Monday afternoon disrupted flight operations at the international wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, forcing several foreign airlines to divert their inbound flights to Abuja and airports in neighbouring countries. The inferno, which affected Terminal 1 of the country’s premier aviation gateway, led to the diversion of flights operated by British Airways, Lufthansa, and Emirates. The fire also triggered the temporary evacuation of 12 air traffic controllers stationed at the airport’s control tower. They were safely evacuated using cranes and other specialised equipment as emergency responders battled thick smoke and intense heat that engulfed…

A speeding truck killed a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officer and a pedestrian on Monday in the Badagry area of Lagos, the agency said on Tuesday. The accident occurred at the Badagry Roundabout inward Seme and involved a fully loaded SHACMAN truck owned by the Dangote Group, LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki said in a statement. According to the agency, the truck driver failed to brake while approaching the roundabout, striking the traffic officer who was on duty before hitting a pedestrian. The vehicle continued for about 200 metres after the initial impact, killing another individual before coming…

Former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi on Tuesday warned that Nigeria’s rising debt burden could worsen the country’s economic challenges if loans are not channelled into productive sectors. Obi’s comments followed recent World Bank data showing Nigeria as the institution’s third-largest debtor, with outstanding obligations estimated at $18.7 billion. Bangladesh ranks first at about $23 billion. “There’s nothing inherently wrong with borrowing,” Obi wrote on X. “Nations borrow to improve productivity and stimulate growth. Debt becomes a problem only when it finances consumption, inefficiency, or corruption rather than investment.” He argued that the sustainability of…