Author: Vardiafrica

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, yesterday said the persecution of Christians or members of any religion cannot and must not be tolerated, just as he stressed that Muslim militant displacement and attacks against Christians in Nigeria must end now. Netanyahu, who made this statement yesterday in a video posted on his handle on X, formerly known as Twitter, sent a strong Christmas message from the Holy Land, emphasising Israel’s commitment to protecting Christians in the Middle East and condemning religious persecution worldwide. He said: “From Jerusalem, I send warm greetings to our Christian friends around the world. I wish you…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the federal government to suspend the implementation of recently enacted tax laws until a widespread enlightenment campaign is conducted. In an interview with Arise Television, Benson Upah, NLC spokesperson, said while Nigerian workers are the largest tax-paying group in the country, they were not consulted in the processes that led to the passage and signing of the laws. He added that the failure to consult organised labour in the formation of the tax laws has led to resistance, not only from workers but from Nigerians at large. “We intend to make a push…

An airplane has, for the first time, automatically landed itself after an in-flight emergency, according to the system’s manufacturer. Two people emerged unscathed from the Beechcraft Super King Air 200 after it stopped on the runway at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport near Denver, according to video posted by emergency responders. The twin-engine turboprop landed under the control of Garmin’s Autoland system, which the company says is now installed on about 1,700 airplanes. “This was the first use of Autoland from start-to-finish in an actual emergency,” Garmin said in a statement. The operator of the plane, charter company Buffalo River Aviation, says…

Ekiti State, on Tuesday, emerged the first state in the Federation to domesticate the Nigeria Tax Administration Act with the signing into law of the Ekiti State Revenue Administration Law, 2025 by the Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji. Governor Oyebanji assented to the new revenue law, just as he signed the State’s 2026 Budget of N415,572,070,139.44 (Four hundred and fifteen billion, five hundred and seventy-two million, seventy thousand, one hundred and thirty-nine naira, forty-four kobo) at a brief ceremony held at the Executive Council Chamber, Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti. The signing of the laws was witnessed by the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs)…

The Federal Government has disclosed that Nigerian security agencies are collaborating with major social media companies to identify and shut down accounts used by terrorists and criminal gangs to publicise attacks, flaunt stolen items and raise funds. The Director-General of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, made this known on Tuesday during an end-of-year briefing in Abuja, revealing that platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and X have increasingly been exploited by terrorist groups operating across the country. According to Laka, security agencies have held several engagements with the social media companies to ensure that content…

The Federal Government has filed 16 alleged money laundering charges, to the tune of ₦1.014bn, against a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, before the Federal High Court in Abuja. Also listed as a co-defendant in the case is Hajia Bashir Asabe. According to the charge, the government is accusing Malami, his son, and others of being involved in the laundering and concealment of ₦1,014,848,500.00 (One Billion, Fourteen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty-Eight Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) allegedly traced to a commercial bank. In the 16 charges, the Nigerian…

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has directed federal road contractors to halt the closure of project sites, ordering them back to work. Umahi issued the directive at an emergency meeting with directors and contractors of the Federal Ministry of Works on Tuesday in Abuja, where he accused some contractors of abandoning sites under the guise of holidays despite worsening road conditions across the country. Umahi insisted that strategic highways and bridges must remain operational during the holiday season and afterwards. He also directed directors in the Federal Ministry of Works and Federal Controllers of Works across the country to…

Manchester City’s players face a Christmas Day weigh-in to check they have not over-indulged over the festive period — with Pep Guardiola warning they will be dropped if they have piled on the pounds. City enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 win over Premier League strugglers West Ham on Saturday to keep the pressure on leaders Arsenal. But Guardiola, who has won six league titles during his spell at the Etihad, is famously demanding, revealing his men had been weighed before their short break. “Every player makes a weight,” said the City boss. “They come back on the 25th and I will…

The political dynamics in Rivers State experienced a significant shift on Tuesday as two senators and six members of the House of Representatives formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). In the Senate, the lawmakers who switched allegiances are Senator Allwell Onyesoh, representing Rivers East, and Senator Barinada Mpigi, of Rivers South-East. Both are considered close allies of the Federal Capital Territory Minister and former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike. The defections were announced during plenary, with the Senate temporarily suspending its rules to allow APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, and other party…

As reports of his interest in the country’s presidency continues to gather steam, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says he is fit to lead Nigeria. Makinde made the comment when he fielded questions from a select group of journalists during a media parley in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday. The governor hinged this on his experience leading the South-West state and his work as an engineer over the past years. “Let me make this very clear: to serve this country at the highest level, I am qualified — I’m even overqualified,” Governor Makinde told the gathering. “I ran Oyo…