Author: Vardiafrica

A hotel housing over 480 Nigerian pilgrims in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, was engulfed by fire on Saturday, June 7, but all affected pilgrims are confirmed to be safe, according to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). The fire broke out at the Imaratus Sanan Hotel, located in the Sharamansur area of the holy city. The incident occurred around 12 p.m. local time, while most of the pilgrims were away in Mina performing the symbolic stoning of the devil ritual, a key rite of the Hajj pilgrimage. In a statement issued by Fatima Sanda Usara, Assistant Director of the Information…

US President Donald Trump warned of “very serious consequences” if billionaire Elon Musk finances Democratic candidates against Republicans who support the Republican Party’s broad budget legislation. “He’ll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that,” Trump told NBC News in a phone interview on Saturday, while declining to elaborate about what the consequences would be. The US president noted that he has no interest in mending his relationship with Musk following their recent public fallout, responding with “no” when asked if he hoped to reconcile. “I would assume so, yeah,” said Trump when asked about whether he thought…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Thursday in Yenagoa got the thumbs-up from the Senate Committee on Local Content and a firm assurance that the Senate would provide adequate legislative support to drive the local content development initiatives of the Board. The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Joel Onowakpo Thomas who spoke after an oversight visit on the Board facilities and projects sities within Bayelsa State commended the Board for how it has implemented its enabling statute, the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010. He said NCDMB has demonstrated the requisite capacity for…

The governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, has declared that the state is under siege from terrorists and bandits, saying that the recent attacks that have claimed several lives are beyond a herders-farmers clash. There has been a surge in attacks in the North-Central state in recent weeks, with several local government areas experiencing violent onslaughts that have claimed numerous lives. Governor Alia, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, said that the attacks were well-planned and executed by terrorists. “We are under siege,” Alia exclaimed on the programme when asked if he thinks the state is under terror attack.…

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has called for a single term of six years for elected political office holders in Nigeria, arguing it would promote better governance by eliminating the distractions that come with re-election campaigns. He made the remark on Friday in Ibadan, shortly after observing the Eid-el-Kabir prayers. A delegation of Muslim faithful and political stakeholders, including his deputy, Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal, and the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, visited the governor’s residence to celebrate the Islamic festival. Also present were former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman Taofeek Arapaja, Hazeem Gbolarumi, Hamid Gbadamosi,…

President Bola Tinubu and Bill Gates, the American businessman and co-founder, visited the $20 billion Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant, according to Femi Otedola, the chairman of First HoldCo. Otedola was also present at the refinery, along with Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Group, and his long-time business rival, Abdul Samad Rabiu, chairman of BUA Group. In a post on his X page on Friday, Otedola described the gathering as historic, saying the refinery is the “eighth wonder of the modern era”. “Today, I witnessed history. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our visionary leader, visited the $20 billion Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant, the…

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has organized a special Sallah luncheon for the troops assigned to North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA, which took place at the Giginya Cantonment in Sokoto State. Addressing the troops, Lieutenant General Oluyede assured improved welfare for personnel and their families serving at different formations across the country. The COAS represented by the Commander Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare, Major General Adeleke Ayannuga, commended personnel resilience, and doggedness and assured them that their sacrifices would not go in vain. He emphasised that the security of lives and property in Nigerians was the…

Governor Siminalayi Fubara has sent Sallah message to Muslims in the state. This is as the Rivers State governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to stabilising governance and reviving the state’s economy, amid ongoing political challenges and economic strain. In a statement marking the Eid-al-Adha celebration, delivered through his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, Fubara called on Muslims in Rivers and beyond to reflect on the values of sacrifice, obedience, and faith. The governor acknowledged the sacrifices made by the people of Rivers State and recognised that many aspirations remain unmet due to political tensions. However, he insisted that progress is…

Chad has suspended the issuance of visas to United States citizens, in a retaliatory move against the travel ban imposed by US President Donald Trump. President Mahamat Idriss Itno made the announcement on Thursday, June 5, via a Facebook post, instructing his government to enforce the new restriction in line with the principle of reciprocity. “I instructed the government to act in accordance with the principles of reciprocity and suspend the issuance of visas to citizens of the United States of America,” Itno wrote. “Chad has no planes to offer, no billions of dollars to give but Chad has his…

Elon Musk’s net worth dropped by $34 billion on Thursday, June 5, one of the worst single-day wipeouts of his personal wealth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The massive loss in net worth followed a series of tweets from Musk, claiming that President Trump had ties to Jeffrey Epstein and suggesting he that he played an important role in helping Trump win the 2024 election. In response, Trump threatened to cut federal contracts with Musk’s companies and take away his EV (electrical vehicle) mandate which was introduced as a tax credit under former President JoeBiden’s administration under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act offering…