Author: Vardiafrica

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed that the establishment of state police is unavoidable as part of efforts to strengthen security across the country. Speaking on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during a courtesy visit by a delegation of prominent Katsina indigenes led by Governor Dikko Radda, Tinubu said the federal government is committed to confronting insecurity head-on.The president directed security agencies to reassess their operations in Katsina State, which has witnessed a spike in banditry, and disclosed that advanced military equipment and surveillance technology would be deployed. He also revealed plans to enhance the capacity of newly recruited…

The Federal Government says several Nigerian diplomatic and consular missions abroad are facing financial and operational challenges, ranging from unpaid staff salaries to mounting debts owed to landlords and service providers. Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. He acknowledged that the difficulties have hindered the smooth running of embassies and consulates in different countries. “The ministry is not unaware of the restrictions that financial limitations have placed on the smooth running of the missions, including the inability to pay salaries of locally recruited staff, financial obligations to service providers, rent…

‎The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) on Tuesday confirmed that 12 people were injured out of the 583 passengers on board the Asham train that derailed in Abuja.‎‎The Director General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh, disclosed this while giving updates on the ongoing investigation into the remote cause of the derailment.‎‎He explained that an Investigator-in-Charge (IIC) has been appointed to lead the probe, working alongside relevant stakeholders, including the Nigerian Railway Corporation.‎‎According to him, the team has already taken evidence-protection measures, such as securing the site and preserving critical data, including CCTV footage and other materials that could help…

China is expected to unveil what it claims is “the most powerful laser air defence system in the world” during a major military parade in Beijing tomorrow to mark 80 years since the end of World War II. The highly anticipated event will be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, with lasers set to take centre stage in the showcase of new weapons by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Rehearsals in the Chinese capital revealed the system mounted on an eight-wheeled truck, covered under a green tarpaulin. Once revealed, it is expected to demonstrate…

Angola’s planned 30,000-barrel-per-day Cabinda oil refinery, the first to be built since independence a half-century ago, will begin producing fuel by year-end, the Southern African country’s oil and gas minister said on Monday. The project, which will be Angola’s second oil refinery, will help make sub-Saharan Africa’s No.2 crude producer less dependent on costly fuel imports amid government efforts to eliminate fuel subsidies that have triggered deadly protests. “Today we can confirm that the Cabinda refinery is entering its decisive phase and that by the end of the year, Angola will have the first commercial derivatives produced at this unit,”…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, in partnership with the TotalEnergies–Sapetro Consortium, has executed a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) for Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs) 2000 and 2001, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector as the first of such PSC to comprehensively cover both crude oil and natural gas exploration and production. The event, which took place at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) Headquarters in Abuja on Monday, signifies a major milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to harness Nigeria’s vast hydrocarbon resources responsibly and profitably. Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC…

Tens of thousands of foreign students are being contacted directly by the government and told they will be removed from the UK if they overstay their visas. The Home Office launched the new government campaign in response to what it has called an “alarming” spike in the number of international students arriving legally on student visas then claiming asylum when they expire. As part of the campaign, the Home Office has for the first time proactively contacted international students directly by text and email. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC some international students are claiming asylum “even when things…

Eminent leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have demanded that the party retain its 2021 convention’s zoning arrangements. This was as they insisted that the position of the National Chairman must remain in the North Central. The leaders loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, met in Abuja on Monday night under the auspices of Eminent Leaders and Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP. They called for the conduct of a fresh South-East Zonal Congress, congresses in Ebonyi and Anambra States, as well as a local government congress in Ekiti State. They also demanded that…

President Bola Tinubu has pledged swift action on agreements signed with Colombia, aimed at deepening bilateral ties in aviation, diplomacy, and other areas. Tinubu spoke while receiving Vice-President Francia Márquez of the Republic of Colombia at the state house in Abuja on Monday. According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said Márquez was accompanied by a delegation of senior government, business, and diplomatic officials from the South American country. He said Tinubu, receiving them, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships and aligning its foreign relations with evolving global trends in trade,…

The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), has sworn in the 23 newly elected Local Government Chairmen, hours after they were issued certificate of return by the State Independent Electoral Commission. In his address, Ibas reminded the new chairmen that public office is a sacred trust, not an opportunity for personal enrichment. He charged them to shun self-interest and embrace transparent, accountable, and reform-driven leadership. “This victory is not a prize to be enjoyed. It is a burden to be carried. It is not an entitlement, but a duty. It is not a call to self-interest, but…