Author: Vardiafrica

President Donald Trump announced he’s ending “all trade negotiations” with Canada because of a television ad sponsored by one of its provinces that used the words of former President Ronald Reagan to criticize U.S. tariffs — prompting the province’s leader to later pull the ad. The post on Trump’s social media site Thursday night ratcheted up tensions with the U.S.’s northern neighbor after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he plans to double his country’s exports to countries outside the U.S. because of the threat posed by Trump’s tariffs. White House officials said Trump’s reaction was a culmination of the administration’s long, pent-up frustration about Canada’s…

Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has announced his readiness to appear in court as a witness in the trial of the proscribed IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, should he be legally subpoenaed. Wike made the statement on Friday, October 24, during his monthly media parley in Abuja, monitored by Persecondnews. He explained that a court appearance requires a formal court order, not merely a news report, clarifying that an individual must be subpoenaed before they are required to testify. He said: “Nobody has served or subpoenaed me. So because I saw Wike listed I should…

President Bola Tinubu has approved sweeping changes in the nation’s military leadership. In a statement issued on Friday by Sunday Dare, special adviser to the president on media and public communication, Tinubu named Olufemi Oluyede, a lieutenant general, as the new chief of defence staff, replacing Christopher Musa. Oluyede was until now the army chief. Waidi Shaibu, a major general, is the new chief of army staff while Sunday Kelvin Aneke, an air vice marshal, takes over as air chief. Idi Abbas, a rear admiral, is the new naval chief but Emmanuel Akomaye Parker Undiandeye, a major general, remains unchanged…

Sources on the court premises said the incident occurred moments after the magistrate granted bail to Sowore and 13 others. Chaos erupted on Friday outside the Kuje Magistrate Court in Abuja after police officers punched and forcefully dragged human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, into a waiting vehicle despite the court granting him bail. Sources on the court premises said the incident occurred moments after the magistrate granted bail to Sowore and 13 others. While his legal team was in the process of perfecting his bail conditions, police officers, led by the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in…

In what signals a quiet but significant shift in Nigeria’s security management, state governors have resolved to strengthen real-time intelligence coordination with the Department of State Services (DSS) — a move observers say could redefine how threats are detected and defused before they erupt into crises. At the heart of the decision, reached during the fifth meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), lies a sobering realisation: the nation’s insecurity cannot be contained by federal agencies alone. With violent extremism spreading through new fault lines — from banditry in the North to kidnappings in the South — state executives now…

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has failed to open his defence in his ongoing alleged terrorism trial before a Federal High Court in Abuja. Kanu said he could not open his defence because he has not been handed the case file to enable him to familiarise himself with its content to enable him adequately prepare for his defence. Following his inability to commence his defence on Thursday after the withdrawal of his team of lawyers led by former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Kanu Agabi, Kanu prayed the court to grant him…

The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed as baseless and misleading the allegation by the Party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, that his signature was forged on a letter transmitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding the 2025 Elective National Convention. In a statement signed by the BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, the Party clarified that the said INEC notification letter was jointly signed by the National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, and Senator Anyanwu on August 25, 2025, during the 102nd meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Party.…

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan on Thursday formally assumed office, describing his appointment as a divine mandate to service. He expressed gratitude to God for a “divine assignment,” and vowed to uphold integrity, transparency, and discipline in the management of Nigeria’s electoral process. Amupitan, who was sworn in earlier by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, took over from May Agbamuche-Mbu, who had been serving as Acting Chairman of the Commission since the exit of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. Speaking during an interactive meeting with INEC Directors at the commission’s Headquarters…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied allegations that it is providing a cover for a former Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, after he defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The anti-graft agency, in a desperate attempt to salvage its fast-eroding credibility, insisted that its investigation into Okowa for the alleged looting of a staggering N1.3 trillion in oil derivation funds is still “active.” The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, made the clarification through his Director of Legal and Prosecution, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), during a press briefing to mark his second anniversary in office on Wednesday.…

Speaking during an inspection of the project, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, stated that the Commission was committed to enhancing the educational development in the Niger Delta region. Ogbuku, who inspected the project in the company of the Vice Chancellor of NDU, Professor Allen Agih, the NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Dr Victor Antai, and other Directors of the Commission, stated that it was part of the Commission’s efforts to build the capacity of universities in the Niger Delta region. He observed that the completion of the students’ hostel followed a directive from President Bola Tinubu to ensure that…