Author: Vardiafrica

The Federal Government has arraigned former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, before Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court over an alleged ₦5 billion fraud. Oduah was docked on a five-count charge bordering on advance fee fraud and conspiracy, filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN). According to one of the charges, Oduah allegedly obtained ₦2.4 billion from the Federal Ministry of Aviation through Broad Waters Resources under the false claim that the funds were for technical supervision. The alleged offences were reportedly committed in January 2014. Other counts accuse her of fraudulently collecting an additional ₦1.6 billion and ₦839 million, allegedly in…

Tourists from dozens of countries including the UK could be asked to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry to the United States, under a new proposal unveiled by American officials. The new condition would affect people from dozens of countries who are eligible to visit the US for 90 days without a visa, as long as they have filled out an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form. Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has moved to toughen US borders more generally – citing national security as a key reason.…

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has announced that he has joined the Accord Party as a new platform to seek re-election in August next year. Adeleke made the announcement in a post on his verified X handle on Tuesday, just a few days after resigning from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The governor disclosed that he joined the Accord Party more than a month ago precisely 6th November, 2025, as a platform to seek re-election in 2026. He said the decision was after weeks of consultation and deliberations with stakeholders and opinion leaders. Governor Adeleke noted that he opted for the Accord…

Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Fubara announced his defection on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the government house in Port Harcourt, the state capital. Fubara said he joined the ruling APC as a “gesture of reciprocity” for the consistent support, cooperation, and encouragement his administration has received from President Bola Tinubu since the political crisis that rocked the state in late 2023. “We can’t support Mr President if we don’t fully identify with him; not backyard support,” the governor said. “So, we have taken that decision today…

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), spent Monday night in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as investigators intensified questioning over a raft of high-profile financial transactions linked to his time in office Malami was taken into custody on Monday evening and grilled by EFCC officials. By Monday night, Malami was reportedly working to meet bail conditions set by the EFCC. Malami was searching for two permanent secretaries on Monday night to serve as sureties in order to fulfill the bail requirements for his release. “EFCC arrested Abubakar Malami again;…

The senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin as part of a regional peace-stabilisation mission aimed at protecting democratic institutions and preventing an “unconstitutional seizure” of power. The approval was granted on Tuesday after Godswill Akpabio, the senate president, read a formal letter from Tinubu seeking the chamber’s consent in line with constitutional provisions. Shortly after the letter was presented, the senate dissolved into a committee of the whole to scrutinise the president’s request. During the closed-door deliberation, senators considered the broader security and humanitarian implications of the proposed mission — particularly the potential…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced a state of emergency across the region. Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, conveyed the declaration on Tuesday during the 55th session of the Mediation and Security Council at the ministerial level in Abuja. The meeting was convened in response to a series of coups and failed mutinies in the sub-region. Touray emphasized that the recent developments underscore the “imperative of serious introspection on the future of our democracy and the urgent need to invest in the security of our community.” Last month, military officers in Guinea-Bissau seized control…

The allied military-led nations of the Sahel denounced the emergency landing of a Nigerian military aircraft in Burkina Faso on Monday, while collectively threatening action against violations of their airspace. The Alliance of Sahel States — made up of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso — said in a joint statement that the aircraft had been carrying 11 military personnel and did not have permission to fly over Burkina Faso. “An aircraft belonging to the Air Force of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, type C-130, was forced to land today in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, following an in-flight emergency situation while…

Every match at the 2026 World Cup will have three-minute hydration breaks in each half. Fifa said the measure is being introduced to “prioritise player welfare” and will happen in matches regardless of the weather conditions “to ensure equal conditions for all teams, in all matches”. The referee will stop the game 22 minutes into each half to allow players to rehydrate. With the tournament taking place across the US, Canada and Mexico in June and July 2026, experts warn that high temperatures, wildfires and even hurricanes could affect teams, fans and stadium workers. The recent Pitches in Peril report…

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has issued a firm deadline of December 15 for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to appear before it and respond to allegations of revenue leakages running into trillions of naira. The committee’s chairman, Rep. Bamidele Salam, gave the order during a session on Monday in Abuja after the NNPCL management once again failed to honour its long-standing invitations. According to Salam, the company has ignored no fewer than seven separate summonses, each time citing various scheduling conflicts. In a letter addressed to the committee and read by Salam, the NNPCL…