The intensifying military confrontation involving the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran has triggered swift reactions from major global powers and multilateral institutions, including China, Russia, the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union. The diplomatic responses follow a sharp escalation in hostilities after the United States joined Israel in launching strikes on Iran, reportedly targeting facilities linked to Tehran’s alleged nuclear weapons programme. Iran subsequently retaliated with missile attacks across the region, deepening fears of a broader Middle East conflict. Russia condemns “unprovoked aggression” In a strongly worded statement, Russia’s Foreign Ministry described…
Author: Editor
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy has confirmed that some operational units at the Ras Tanura Refinery were temporarily shut down on Monday following a drone attack that sparked a fire at the facility. The refinery, situated along the kingdom’s eastern Gulf coast, is one of the largest in the Middle East and a vital component of Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure. It has a refining capacity of about 550,000 barrels per day and also functions as one of the world’s largest oil export terminals. In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, an official source from the Ministry of Energy…
As a deliberate intellectual choice, I often refrain from discussing the Middle Eastern crisis in the “open market” of social media commentary. From my vantage point as a trained political scientist, with sustained engagement in the dynamics of global power politics and the generational oscillations of the region’s conflicts, I am acutely aware of how easily complex geopolitical realities are reduced to emotive, sectarian, and ideologically rigid exchanges masquerading as discourse. Serious engagement on this subject demands historical literacy, conceptual discipline, and analytical sobriety. Where I intervene, it is usually within informed academic circles, spaces where arguments may be intense…
Students of Northwest University Sokoto (NWUS) have developed a mini-web-based application using WordPress and other related applications following their industrial attachment at the Management Information Systems (MIS) unit. A statement by the University’s Director of Communications, Public Affairs and Protocol, Abdullahi el-Kurebe, said the application, https://siwes-portfolio-m6yc.onrender.com/, which was created with computer codes by the members of the institution’s SIWES team, serves as a digital documentation platform. “The application captures their Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) journey. The project showcases the knowledge, technical skills and professional experiences acquired during their period of industrial training.” According to one of the students,…
US President Donald Trump on Saturday declared a sweeping military offensive against Iran, pledging to dismantle the country’s missile capabilities, wipe out its naval assets, and encourage Iranians to overthrow their leadership. In a video message released on his Truth Social platform after the United States and Israel began coordinated airstrikes on Iranian targets, Trump outlined what he described as a mission to cripple the Islamic Republic’s military infrastructure and remove the authorities in power since the 1979 revolution. “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally obliterated. We’re…
My column today simply outlines the call of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria for governance to be based on the search for the common good. This was articulated in a communique issued this week following their annual conference. They pointed out that the season of Lent this year coincides with the Ramadan, the Muslim period of fasting. They considered this not as a mere coincidence but God’s invitation to work and live together in harmony and mutual respect as Nigerians use the opportunity to intensify their prayer life, works of charity, refrain from sin, and repent, all contributing to good…
Nigeria’s public space is becoming increasingly volatile, and much of that volatility is being fueled online. In recent days, I came across comments by social media commentators, including Godwin Onoghokere and others, describing a letter from the Muslim Youth Council of Nigeria as “violence” rather than peaceful advocacy. The letter reportedly demanded respect for Islamic religious sensitivities following remarks attributed to a local government chairman in Nasarawa State. What concerns me is not disagreement itself—debate is healthy in any democracy—but the speed with which religious expression is branded as extremism. When Muslims assert that their faith, including adherence to Shari’ah,…
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has signed the 2026 Hajj Airlift Agreement with designated airlines, stressing strict adherence to operational standards and timelines for the pilgrimage. NAHCON Chairman, Ambassador Ismail Yusuf Abba, described the signing as a major step in preparations for the 2026 Hajj, noting that airlift operations remain one of the most critical components of the pilgrimage exercise. According to a statement signed by Shafi Mohammed on behalf of the Commission’s Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations, the agreement was sealed on Wednesday in Abuja. Abba emphasised that the exercise must be handled with “utmost professionalism,…
The naira strengthened in the parallel market on Wednesday after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reduced its benchmark interest rate, the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), by 50 basis points. Data from street foreign exchange traders showed the naira appreciated by N10, with the dollar quoted at N1,390 on Wednesday morning, compared to N1,400 on Tuesday — a 0.7 percent gain in the black market. The rebound followed two days of losses in the parallel segment and five consecutive sessions of decline at the official window. The recent pressure had been linked to weaker weekly FX inflows, which tightened liquidity…
The [now former] Police Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun said during a security chiefs’ media briefing last year that rather than reporting on the alleged genocide of Christians in Nigeria, newspapers should be reporting on “genocide of policemen,” since policemen are being killed by criminals in many parts of the country on a daily basis. On Tuesday evening, the Presidency announced that Egbetokun had resigned “on personal grounds.” Assistant Inspector General [AIG] Tunji Disu was appointed as Acting IG pending his expected confirmation by the Police Council and National Assembly. In a highly seniority conscious organization like the Police, a genocide…