Author: Vardiafrica

The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, who chairs the Presidential Committee on Population and Housing Census, assured the President that the committee will deliver its report within the three-week deadline. The minister recalled President Tinubu’s advice to ministers during their retreat in 2003, urging them to think creatively and work with the resources available, even under harsh economic conditions. Bagudu noted that despite global economic challenges, Nigeria is making steady progress under President Tinubu’s leadership, citing improved foreign exchange stability and a positive growth trajectory. He said the committee will recommend practical solutions, including strategies for…

The United Kingdom’s Supreme Court has ruled that the legal definition of “woman” under the Equality Act 2010 refers specifically to biological sex, effectively excluding trans women from this classification in key areas of the law.In a unanimous judgment, the court held that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act refer to biological women, sparking celebration among gender-critical campaigners and deep concern among trans rights advocates.The case, brought by campaign group For Women Scotland, challenged Scottish government guidance that included trans women with Gender Recognition Certificates (GRCs) under the legal definition of women. The group argued this interpretation…

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has deployed over 200 mobile court operations nationwide to prosecute traffic offenders as part of its special patrol activities during the 2025 Easter celebrations. This was disclosed by the Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Corps Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide. The operation, which began Thursday, April 10, and will run through April 23, is aimed at ensuring a safe and seamless Easter holiday for Nigerians. Mohammed noted that the mobile courts would serve as a critical enforcement tool to address dangerous driving behaviours on…

US President, Donald Trump has offered to give money and an airplane ticket to any illegal migrant who chooses to ‘self-deport’ to help solve the border crisis in the US. Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to carry out mass deportations, said in a taped interview with Fox Noticias that his administration is focused right now on getting ‘murderers’ out of the country. As for others in the US illegally, he said, he´s going to implement ‘a self-deportation program.’ Trump said the US government would provide immigrants airfare and a stipend. ‘We´re going to give them a stipend. We´re going to give them…

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend his ongoing retreat in France and urgently return to Nigeria to address the deteriorating security situation, particularly in Plateau and Benue states In a post shared via his official X handle on Wednesday, the 63-year-old criticised the President’s absence amid worsening violence and insecurity across the country. “Mr President, domestic problems beckon,” Obi wrote. “I am compelled at this time in our lives as a nation to call on our retreating President’s attention to the security challenges at home, which entail that he immediately suspend…

The governor of Plateau state, Caleb Mutfwang, has apologized to residents of Zikke and Kimakpa communities in Bassa local government area after recent bandit attacks claimed over 50 lives. The attack comes barely two weeks after gunmen invaded and killed many residents in five communities in Bokkos and Mangu LGAs, on April 2. Speaking on Tuesday during his visit to Ronku Aka, the paramount ruler of Irigwe land, Mutfwang said the government has failed in its duty of protecting the lives of its citizens. “I will tell you the truth — I have been crying since yesterday because I had…

The Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru has held an operational briefing with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) alongside the Service Chiefs at the Ministry of Defence in Abuja on Tuesday 15th April 2025. The high-level meeting was convened to provide the Minister with a comprehensive appraisal of the prevailing security landscape across the country. The briefing focused on the operational engagements, challenges, and strategic efforts of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in combating insecurity and restoring peace to troubled regions. In particular, the Minister was briefed on the current security situation in the North East, Plateau State, North West,…

The House of Representatives has inaugurated an Ad-Hoc Committee to oversee the administration of Rivers State during the ongoing State of Emergency. The inauguration reaffirms the National Assembly’s commitment to constitutional governance, transparency, and national unity. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Tajudeen Abbas, inaugurated the committee which has the Leader of the House, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, as chairman. Mr. Abbas said that the members of the Committee have been selected with meticulous care by the House leadership based on their integrity, experience, and steadfast dedication to the national interest. ” You have been entrusted with the heavy…

IGP Kayode Egbetokun visits Plateau State on Tuesday after 51 persons were gunned down early Monday in the Zikke community of the Bassa LGA. The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has disclosed that those responsible for the heinous killings in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State will be surprised. Fifty-one persons were gunned down early Monday in the Zikke community of the LGA, with houses razed and many displaced about two weeks after a similar attack led to the killing of scores of persons in Bokkos Local Government Area.During his third official visit to the State on Tuesday,…

The United Nations’ emergency and disaster response agency will reduce its global workforce by 20% and scale back operations in nine countries, as it confronts a severe funding crisis and escalating global needs, it announced on Friday. In a letter to staff shared on the agency’s website, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) head Tom Fletcher outlined “brutal cuts” driven by a nearly $60 million funding shortfall for 2025, compounded by rising humanitarian demands. OCHA will withdraw from or adjust operations in Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey, and Zimbabwe, and aim to prioritize “dynamic and full…