The National Assembly (NASS) has said no administrative action can be taken on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s notification to resume legislative duties after the expiration of her six-month suspension. The Acting Clerk of the National Assembly, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, stated this in a letter addressed to the senator following her notification to resume duties on Sept. 4. Danzaria explained that the matter remains sub judice as it is still before the Court of Appeal. “I am directed to acknowledge receipt of your letter notifying this office of your intention to resume sitting and other legislative duties in the Senate on September…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) have renewed their commitment to deepen collaboration in promoting transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s extractive industries. NEITI’s Executive Secretary and management team paid a courtesy visit to CISLAC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, where they were received by CISLAC’s Executive Director and Head of Transparency International Nigeria. Welcoming the delegation, the CISLAC chief recalled the organization’s role in advocating for the establishment of EITI in Nigeria, which led to the enactment of the NEITI Act in 2007. He described NEITI as “not just another agency”…
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has uncovered massive use of digital tricks to compromise the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). A special panel on examination infractions revealed 4,251 cases of fingerprint manipulation—popularly called “finger blending”—and 192 cases of artificial intelligence-driven impersonation using image morphing technology. The committee also flagged 1,878 fake disability claims, multiple registrations with the same National Identification Number (NIN), forged documents, and collusion between candidates and exam syndicates. Growing Culture of Malpractice Committee chairman Dr. Jake Epelle described the findings as a disturbing sign of how malpractice is being normalised in Nigeria’s education system.…
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has issued a three-day notice to suspend lifting and dispensing of petroleum products from Tuesday, in solidarity with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG). PETROAN President, Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, said on Sunday that the move advocates fair competition in the downstream sector and opposes monopolistic practices linked to Dangote Refinery’s newly imported Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks for direct distribution. NUPENG had earlier announced a nationwide strike from Monday, Sept. 8, alleging anti-union labour practices tied to Dangote’s distribution strategy. Gillis-Harry warned that the refinery’s direct-to-market…
The Federal Government has appealed to the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to suspend its planned nationwide strike scheduled for Monday, September 8, 2025. Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, made the appeal in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, signed by the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Patience Onuobia. Dingyadi urged the union to reconsider its decision, warning that shutting down the petroleum sector would cripple the economy and deepen the hardship faced by Nigerians. “I have intervened in this matter and invited all parties for a conciliation meeting,” the minister said.…
The 2023 governorship candidate of the LP in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has declared that the last refuge of the incompetent in governance is violence. ASHENEWS reports that security forces, on Saturday, sealed off the original venue in Alimosho Local Government Area, where he would announce his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), despite organisers having secured the necessary approvals. The disruption forced Rhodes-Vivour and his supporters to relocate the event to another venue at the last minute. Reacting to the development on AriseTV, monitored by this medium on Sunday morning, Rhodes-Vivour said the act was a denial of…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has busted an international drug cartel operating between Nigeria, the UK, Brazil, Australia, and the UAE, arresting three of its leaders and seizing multi-billion-naira consignments of cocaine, codeine, and cannabis in nationwide operations. The breakthrough came on August 26 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, when officers intercepted 76 cartons of textile materials destined for Sydney, Australia. A search revealed 17.9kg of cocaine concealed in lace fabrics stuffed with charms. The drugs, valued at ₦5.3 billion, led to the arrest of a freight agent, Olashupo Michael Oladimeji. Follow-up investigations exposed other…
Omoyele Sowore, activist and former presidential candidate, has condemned the Department of State Services (DSS) over its reported letter to X (formerly Twitter) demanding that his account be suspended within 24 hours. In a strongly worded statement posted on his Facebook page Sunday, Sowore described the move as “a national disgrace, an assault on institutions, and common sense,” likening it to tactics previously used against him during the Buhari administration. According to him, the development followed protests allegedly staged by “hired DSS supporters” who demanded his arrest for criticizing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He added that he would not be…
Prominent journalist and rights activist, Agba Jalingo, has accused Nigerian authorities of using the Cybercrime Act as a tool of oppression against journalists and critics rather than targeting actual cybercriminals. Speaking in Abuja on Saturday, Jalingo said the law, especially Section 24, has become the government’s preferred weapon for clamping down on free speech. “The Cybercrime Act was enacted mainly to deal with journalists and dissenters on social media. Section 24 is what they are using to run after us everywhere,” he stated. Jalingo disclosed that under the current Inspector General of Police, more than 751 persons were arrested last…
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has given the green light for the listing of Eko Rice Classic Spot Contracts worth ₦23.4 billion on the Lagos Commodities and Futures Exchange (LCFE). The approval was announced at a pre-launch event that brought together regulators, investors, and key players across Nigeria’s agricultural and commodities value chains. Speaking at the event, LCFE’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Akin Akeredolu-Ale, described the development as a milestone for the nation’s commodities market. He said the listing would help build a more transparent and structured platform that aligns agriculture with capital markets. “The pre-launch is…