Author: Vardiafrica

The U.S. State Department said Wednesday it is restarting the suspended process for foreigners applying for student visas but all applicants will now be required to unlock their social media accounts for government review. The department said consular officers will be on the lookout for posts and messages that could be deemed hostile to the United States, its government, culture, institutions or founding principles. In a notice made public Wednesday, the department said it had rescinded its May suspension of student visa processing but said new applicants who refuse to set their social media accounts to “public” and allow them…

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has commissioned its new State Office Complex in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The office complex was commissioned by the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, with the support of the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri. Speaking during the ceremony, Governor Diri commended the NDDC for acquiring and upgrading the building to provide a conducive working environment for its staff. He stated: “We are happy to have this befitting edifice in Yenagoa, acquired by the NDDC as a cosy working environment for its staff and for all who…

Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed into law two bills sponsored by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, establishing Federal College of Education, Bende, Abia State and the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Item Bende, Abia State into law. The President equally signed into law a bill for the act to establish a Federal University Okigwe, Imo State. Whereas Kalu sponsored the two bills for the establishment of Federal College of Education, Bende, Abia State and the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Item Bende, Abia State, he lobbied for the…

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Aliyu Wadada, has raised serious alarm over discrepancies involving trillions of naira in the audited financial statements of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), describing the revelations as mind-boggling and worrisome. During the investigative session on Wednesday, where the Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, appeared before the committee, the absence of detailed records justifying massive legal and auditing fees was flagged, as well as contradictions in receivables reportedly worth over N210 trillion between 2017 and 2023. The panel said, “Legal fees were accrued without any explanation or documentation regarding the legal…

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that he rejected an offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin to mediate in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Trump advised Putin to focus on resolving Russia’s own issues first. In a statement made on Wednesday, June 18, Trump explained that during a recent conversation with Putin, the Russian leader had proposed to help broker peace in the Middle East. However, Trump asserted that he urged Putin to concentrate on stabilising his own country, especially given the ongoing war in Ukraine. “I spoke to Putin yesterday, and he actually offered to help mediate,”…

Governors from across Nigeria are currently gathered in Abuja for an emergency meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), amid growing concerns over national security. The meeting, which is taking place at the Forum’s secretariat in Abuja, has in attendance several state governors and deputy governors from all 36 states of the federation.. Although the official agenda of the meeting has not been disclosed, the presence of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, strongly indicates that pressing security issues are at the heart of the discussions. The emergency session comes at a time…

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed a total sum of ₦1.659 trillion as revenue generated in May 2025 to the Federal Government, state, and local government councils. The disbursement followed the FAAC meeting held in Abuja for the month of June 2025. A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting indicated that the total distributable revenue comprised ₦863.895 billion from statutory sources, ₦691.714 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT), ₦27.667 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and ₦76.614 billion from Exchange Difference. Out of the ₦1.659 trillion shared, the Federal Government received ₦538.004 billion, states…

Amidst growing security concerns in the country, the Progressive Governors’ Forum is throwing its weight behind President Bola Tinubu to address the nation’s security challenges, just as it is asking governors to protect their states through community policing. Addressing journalists in Abuja after a three-hour meeting held behind closed doors on Wednesday, the chairman of the forum and governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, says the governors are equally considering the issue of state police in line with the proposal of Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State. Governor Uzodimma added that the forum will continue to support President Tinubu to…

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, to immediately arrest killer herders who perpetrated the heinous killing of over 100 people in Yelewata community in Benue State. President Tinubu gave the directive while addressing stakeholders at the Government House, Markudi. The meeting included the Secretary to the Federal Government, George Akume, Traditional Rulers, and former Governors of the state. The governors of Kwara, Imo, Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, and Nasarawa also attended the meeting. President Tinubu called out the Inspector General of Police to know why arrests have…

Construction work at the long-awaited Oloibiri Museum and Research Centre (OMPRC), Otuabagi, in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State is set to begin as the project promoters on Tuesday handed over the project site to Messers Julius Berger Plc, a renowned construction company, at a well-attended ceremony at the Otuabagi community town hall.   The event marked the completion of formalities and alignment of all key stakeholders, thus ensuring that the project would proceed without hitches at the exact location where oil production began in Nigeria in 1957. Elated at the development, the project lead and Executive Secretary of the…