Day: August 17, 2025

Al-Qaeda affiliate leaders arrested in Nigeria

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The security personnel have detained two senior officials of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a Nigerian affiliate of Al-Qaeda. The self-proclaimed Emir of Ansaru, Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas, or Mukhtar, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, also known as Mallam Mamuda, were detained. The suspected terrorists were taken into custody after a months-long counterterrorism operation, according to National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, who made this announcement during a press briefing on Saturday at the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja. According to him,…

Nigeria’s debt to World Bank IDA hits $18.2bn – Report

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As of June 30, 2025, Nigeria still owes $18.2 billion, making it the third-largest debtor to the World Bank’s International Development Association. This is an increase of $1.7 billion, or around 10.3 percent, in just one year from $16.5 billion in June 2024. According to the most recent data from the IDA’s financial statements, Nigeria moved up from its prior standing as the fourth-largest borrower in 2023 to third place in 2024, where it remained until 2025. The World Bank Group’s concessional lending arm, the IDA, provides grants and loans…

INEC declares Zamfara by-election inconclusive

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The Zamfara by-election for the Kaura Namoda South State Constituency has been deemed inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission. Lawal Sa’Adu, a professor at Federal University Gusau and the INEC Returning Officer for the election, stated that the announcement came after several polling places in the Sakajiki and Kambarawa wards cancelled their results. According to Sa’adu, 3,265 Permanent Voter Cards were obtained in the impacted polling places, while 5,446 people were registered to vote overall. He clarified that there was a 1,662 vote difference between the All Progressives Congress’s…

Awujale stool: Family kicks over exclusion from royal lineage

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The Anikilaya dynasty’s Adeyemi ruling family has criticised their exclusion from the Anikilaya ruling house, which is one of the governing houses that produces candidates for the position of Awujale of Ijebuland in Ogun State’s Ijebu Ode district. Remember how the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, joined his forefathers last month as a product of the Anikilaya reigning house? In a statement signed by Adedeji Ademola Adeyemi and made public to reporters on Sunday, the family claimed that some members of the Anikilaya ruling house purposefully misrepresented…

APC wins federal constituency by-election in Jigawa

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The Babura/Garki federal constituency bye-election, which took place in Jigawa State on Saturday, August 16, was won by the All Progressives Congress. The results were announced on Sunday at the INEC collation facility, which is housed within the INEC Babura Office, by Professor Salihu Ibrahim, the Returning Officer for the Independent National Electoral Commission. Ibrahim declared, “The APC candidate, Mukhtar Rabi’u Garki, scored a total of 38,449 votes, making him the winner of this bye-election,” as he presented the final count. He went on to say that the election was…

EFCC Recovers Billions in Refinery Fraud, Ex-NNPCL Officials Prosecuted

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Over N5 billion and $10 million have been retrieved by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from government officials and contractors implicated in the fraud involving the turnaround maintenance of the country’s refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri. According to reliable information obtained , the anti-graft agency was attempting to recoup an additional N10 billion and $13 million that were purportedly embezzled through maintenance contractors. According to information obtained by our correspondent, Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the EFCC, personally oversaw the probe because he was unhappy with the…