Author: Vardiafrica

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on anti-corruption agencies to probe the National Assembly over allegations that lawmakers pay up to ₦3 million to present bills, motions, and petitions. The call comes amid an allegation by a House of Representatives member, Ibrahim Auro, that federal lawmakers pay between ₦1 million and ₦3 million each to present bills, motions, and petitions at the National Assembly. In a letter by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the group wants the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to identify the…

The Federal Government has announced the arrest of two top leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria. The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who disclosed this at a press briefing held at the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja on Saturday, August 16, 2025, said the arrest was made following a months-long counter-terrorism operation. Ribadu said the intelligence-led operation was carried out between May and July 2025 in collaboration with security and intelligence agencies. Those arrested are Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas or Mukhtar, identified as the self-styled Emir…

US President Donald Trump handed Vladimir Putin a special item at their Alaska summit: a letter written by his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, pleading for the Russian leader to make peace in the name of children. The first lady’s office on Saturday reposted a Fox News article on X containing the short letter, a day after Trump and Putin failed to find a breakthrough at their high-stakes meeting. Putin read the “peace letter” immediately after Trump handed it to him, while delegations from both sides looked on, according to Fox News. “In today’s world, some children are forced to…

The World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) have launched a $50 million Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, with Nigeria named as one of four pilot countries alongside Jordan, Mongolia, and the Dominican Republic. The programme, unveiled in Abuja by WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, aims to help women entrepreneurs compete in the fast-growing digital economy through funding, training, and market access. The WTO DG said Nigeria is among four countries chosen as pilot nations, with 146 Nigerian women selected to receive grants for expanding their digital economy businesses “Nigeria is one of 4 countries…

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has ordered a comprehensive institutional review of the 128-page report recently published by Amnesty International, titled “A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in South-East Nigeria.” The report alleges a pattern of extrajudicial killings and human rights violations by the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies in the South-East.‎‎In line with his unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and operational professionalism, the IGP has directed relevant departments and affected field formations to undertake a meticulous line-by-line assessment of the report. This process will involve cross-referencing the allegations with internal…

US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a high-stakes summit meeting in Alaska on Friday. But they came away with no deal on a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. After the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will visit Washington on Monday. The face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin took place at a US military base. It was their first since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. The two leaders met with reporters after the talks. Putin said Russia is sincerely interested in putting an end to the fighting in Ukraine,…

Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke on Friday laid the foundation for Africa’s first Artificial Intelligence University in Modakeke. The institution, Curators University, is to offer diverse courses in Artificial Intelligence relating to Machine Learning Specialisation, Computer Hardware Engineering, Data Analytics and Database Administration, Arbitration and conflict resolution, 3D printing and polymer science among other disciplines. Adeleke, joined by the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Toriola, said the proposed institution is in tandem with his five point agenda for the state especially to boost education and youth empowerment. The Governor, who was represented by Commissioner for Education, Hon. Dipo Eluwole, said: “The establishment…

In a major boost for Nigeria’s telecom sector, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced that its recent return to a market-driven pricing regime has already spurred over $1 billion in fresh infrastructure investments within the first half of 2025 alone. The disclosure was made by the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, during an interactive session with journalists held on Friday in Lagos. Maida described the development as a significant milestone for a sector that had been struggling under outdated pricing models and chronic underinvestment. According to Maida, the pricing policy — which came into effect…

President Bola Tinubu has embarked on a two-nation tour of Japan and Brazil, starting with a stopover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The President’s first major engagement will be at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan, from August 20 to 22. During the TICAD9 summit, President Tinubu will participate in discussions focused on Africa’s economic transformation and development. The conference provides a platform for African leaders to engage with international partners on key issues affecting the continent. Following the summit, President Tinubu will travel to Brasilia, Brazil, for a two-day state visit from August…

Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, former Governor of Sokoto State, has recounted his recent encounter with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Reports indicated that the agency detained him in Abuja over allegations of a fraudulent cash withdrawal amounting to N189 billion. Speaking to his supporters on Thursday, the 14th of August, 2025, after returning to Sokoto, Tambuwal explained that he had been invited by the EFCC and went to their office voluntarily on on the 6th of August. He stated that after initial questioning, he was allowed to leave but was directed to return on August 10 and 11 for further…