Author: Vardiafrica

The Federal Government has instituted a suit against the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, over alleged defamatory remarks made on live television. The suit filed before the Federal Capital Territory High Court on May 16, 2025, has Akpoti-Uduaghan as the sole defendant. The government accused the senator of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person”, citing Section 391 of the penal code, CAP 89, laws of the federation, 1990. The offence is punishable under Section 392 of the same law. The list of witnesses shows that the Senate…

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday transmitted a budget proposal of N1.48 trillion for the Rivers State Government to the National Assembly for consideration and passage. The President in a letter to the Senate read to the Lawmakers by the Senate, Senator Godswilll Akpabio, said the budget proposal became necessary because of the nullification of the 2025 budget of the state by the Supreme Court and the fact that the state is currently under emergency rule. The President said that ₦324bn of the amount will be expended on infrastructure, ₦166bn on health, ₦75.6bn on education and ₦31.4bn on agriculture. He added…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a fresh cut in the pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) nationwide.  The new rates now range from ₦875 to ₦905 per litre, depending on location. A breakdown of the revised prices shows, Lagos:₦875, South-West ₦885, North-East: ₦905, North-West & Central: ₦895, and South-South & South-East: ₦905 Prices indicate a ₦15 reduction per litre across all regions and partner retail outlets, applying to all major fuel marketers in partnership with the refinery, including MRS, Ardova, Heyden, Optima Energy, Techno Oil, and Hyde Energy. Before the new price template, Lagos residents paid ₦890 per…

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has denied allegations linking him to a covert meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Rome and a purported ₦225 billion debt crisis involving Fidelity Bank. Obi was responding to a report suggesting that his May 9 trip to Rome was not ceremonial but rather a political manoeuvre intended to secure the financial future of Fidelity Bank. The report, published by Sahara Reporters, claimed Obi was in Rome to meet President Tinubu privately in a bid to address Fidelity Bank’s mounting liabilities, allegedly approaching ₦225 billion, as awarded in various court judgements. “Peter Obi’s visit…

North Korean supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, was left raging at a launch ceremony after a new North Korean naval destroyer capsized and sank in front of him. According to Mail Online, Kim watched on in horror as the 5,000-ton ship was severely damaged after failing to launch properly. He declared the mishap a ‘criminal act caused by absolute carelessness’ that ‘could not be tolerated’. Kim has ordered the destroyer to be restored before a June party meeting, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The outlet confirmed that during the ceremony on Wednesday, ‘a serious accident occurred’. In a…

Works Minister Umahi says 80% of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Section 1 is complete, with tolling set for December 2025. The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has announced that a key section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will be tolled by December 2025, as part of a strategy to ensure returns on the multi-billion-naira infrastructure investment. Speaking in a feature interview for an upcoming State House documentary marking President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office, Umahi disclosed that over 80 percent of Section 1 of the highway—stretching 47.47 kilometres from Ahmadu Bello Way to the Lekki Deep Sea Port and…

Brennan Johnson’s scrambled goal ended a 17-year Tottenham trophy drought with a battling 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final on Wednesday. Spurs, who had not won European silverware since 1984, will play in next season’s Champions League, while failing to qualify for it is a severe financial set-back for Manchester United. Despite their triumph in Bilbao, manager Ange Postecoglou’s future is still on the line following a shambolic domestic campaign, with Spurs sitting a place below United in the lower reaches of the Premier League table. The Australian furiously insisted he was “not a clown” on the eve of the final and had the last…

The Senate has called for the immediate establishment of a military base in Hong Local Government area of Adamawa State, following a resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in the area and other parts of the North East. The resolution came during plenary on Wednesday in a matter of urgent national importance, after lawmakers debated a motion highlighting the rising insecurity in Hong and Gombi LGAs, where multiple coordinated attacks by Boko Haram insurgents have left dozens dead and thousands displaced. While lawmakers commended the efforts of the Nigerian Army and other security operatives, the Senate underscored the need to reinforce…

President Donald Trump ambushed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday by playing him a video that he claimed proved genocide is being committed against white people, driving farmers to flee to the United States The unexpected stunt turned the usually staid diplomatic setting of the Oval Office into a stage for Trump’s contention that white South Africans are being persecuted. With the media standing by and Ramaphosa at times unable to get a word in, Trump had staff put the video on a large screen, saying it showed black South Africans discussing genocide. “They’re white farmers, and they’re fleeing…

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has announced a cash reward of N5 million for any individual who provides information leading to the recapture of inmates who escaped from the Medium Custodial Centre in Ilesha, Osun State. The inmates escaped on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 after the facility’s old perimeter wall collapsed following an overnight rainfall.  The Deputy Controller of Corrections and Public Relations Officer for the NCoS, Umar Abubakar, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, May 21. NCoS urged members of the public to report any information they may have regarding the whereabouts of the fleeing inmates to the nearest security…