Author: Vardiafrica

The Federal Government has formally withdrawn the forgery charge filed against senior lawyer Mike Ozekhome, bringing an abrupt pause to a case that had drawn public attention. The charge was originally instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).It followed a judgment delivered by a London court over a property linked to the late former FCT minister, Jeremiah Useni. In January, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation took over the matter from the ICPC for what it described as effective prosecution. However, proceedings took a new turn on Tuesday at the FCT High Court.…

President Bola Tinubu, on Monday in Abuja, urged Muslim and Christian leaders in the country to show greater compassion for the poor and underprivileged by pursuing policies that cater to the needs of the majority in the grassroots. The President, who hosted governors for the breaking of an interfaith fast at the Presidential Villa, said the simultaneous periods of abstinence and penitence for both religions underscore a common humanity. President Tinubu noted that Ramadan and Lent provide opportunities for leaders in both religions to reflect further on the plight of others and to design programmes that will directly impact the…

The National Assembly has announced a postponement of its plenary resumption, moving the schedule from Tuesday, February 24, 2026, to Thursday, March 5, 2026. The decision was communicated on Monday through a statement signed by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana. The postponement is intended to allow committees sufficient time to complete ongoing budget defence sessions with ministries, departments, and agencies. The statement read in part, “This is to inform Distinguished Senators and Honourable Members of the National Assembly that the plenary session earlier scheduled for Tuesday, 24th February 2026 has been postponed to enable committees to conclude…

Players who receive treatment for an injury could be forced to stay off the field for one minute under proposals from FIFA It is one of a number of measures to tackle tempo disruption and time lost which are set to be approved at the International Football Association Board (IFAB) annual general meeting on Saturday. At present there is no stipulation in the laws over how long injured players have to remain on the sidelines. Leagues have the right to set their own guidelines, with the Premier League adopting a 30-second rule since the 2023-24 season. FIFA held its own trials…

The Peoples Democratic Party has inaugurated a special legal team to handle election petitions arising from the February 21, 2026, Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory. This comes as the opposition party congratulated its candidates, who emerged winners in the chairmanship and councilor elections. PUNCH Online reports that the elections were held on Saturday, February 21, 2026, across all six FCT area councils, including Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali. Results announced so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) show that the All Progressives Congress (APC) won in Abaji, Kwali, AMAC, and Bwari Area Councils,…

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has filed a ₦1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over the alleged unlawful invasion of his Abuja residence. El-Rufai, through his team of lawyers led by Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, is challenging the validity of a search warrant issued on February 4 by the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate’s Court of the FCT, listed as the 2nd respondent in the suit. In the originating motion on notice, the former governor sued ICPC as the 1st respondent, while the Chief Magistrate, Magistrate’s Court of the…

The Mexican army announced Sunday that it had killed powerful drug lord Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera in an operation that sparked a wave of violence in various parts of the country. Oseguera, the 59-year-old leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was wounded in a clash with soldiers in the town of Tapalpa, in Jalisco state, and died while being flown to Mexico City, the army said in a statement. He had a $15 million US bounty on his head. Gunmen retaliating for the raid blocked more than 20 roads in western Jalisco state, burning cars and trucks. As violence…

Cristiano Ronaldo has finally broken his silence on his silence on his future after deciding to end his Saudi strike. The 41-year-old returned to action last week for Al-Nassr and scored a brace in their 4-0 victory over Al-Hazem on Saturday. Ronaldo, who earns £488,000-a-day, had been furious with what he perceived to be a lack of transfer backing for Al-Nassr from PIF compared to their rivals.The situation escalated further when Karim Benzema was granted a transfer to Al-Hilal and Ronaldo went on strike for three games. His behaviour led to serious questions over his future in the league. But…

Japan and South Korea have moved to tighten aviation safety rules, introducing nationwide restrictions on the use of power banks aboard aircraft amid growing concerns over in-flight battery fires. Starting Monday 23 February, T’way Air became the last of South Korea’s 11 airlines to prohibit passengers from using power banks to charge electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops or cameras on board any flight. Korean Air and four Hanjin Group airlines – Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul – had announced similar policies earlier in January. Passengers may still bring carry banks into the cabin, but the…

The Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Education, has partnered with Guinness World Record holder Oluwasheyi Anifowoshe to host a 200,000-capacity teachers’ conference aimed at advancing the teaching profession nationwide. During a courtesy visit by the record holder in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa affirmed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that the 2026 “Let There Be Teachers” conference initiative is successfully realised. “With the conference that you’ve proposed, we will collaborate with you; we’ll support you because the more mobilisation, advocacy, conferences, and opportunities we provide to teachers, and the more we enlighten society about them, the better it…