Author: Vardiafrica

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has granted an accelerated hearing in the trial of six suspects accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The court fixed April 29, April 30, May 4, and May 5 for the commencement of trial proceedings and the hearing of bail applications filed by the defendants During proceedings, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, informed the court that the prosecution had witnesses available, subject to the convenience of the court. Counsel for the first defendant, Mohammed Ilayepo, indicated that his client’s bail application was due for…

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will make his ring return following a fatal car crash against unheralded Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia in July. Two of Joshua’s close friends were killed in the crash in Nigeria in December, just over a week after his last fight, a fifth round knock-out of YouTube star Jake Paul. The 36-year-old Briton has been in talks to face his great domestic rival, Tyson Fury later this year in a bout that many observers feel is at least five years overdue. “It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready…

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has endorsed his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, as his preferred successor in the 2027 governorship election, signalling an early political alignment within the All Progressives Congress (APC). The endorsement took place on Monday during a closed-door meeting at Lagos House, Marina, where Hamzat officially declared his intention to contest for the governorship position. The meeting was attended by members of the State Executive Council, party leaders, and the Governor’s Advisory Council, including former Minister of State for Defence Musiliu Obanikoro and former Senator Ganiyu Solomon. Speaking after the meeting, Sanwo-Olu said the decision was reached unanimously…

The Federal Government announces the introduction of a National Textbook Ranking System for Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary Schools across the country as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen quality assurance and standardisation in Nigeria’s education sector. The initiative is designed to address the growing proliferation of textbooks in schools and ensure that only high-quality, curriculum-compliant learning materials are approved for classroom use. This was disclosed by the Honourable Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, alongside the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suiwaba Sai’d Ahmad, who stated that under the new system, the Nigerian Educational Research and…

Yousef bin Mohammed Al-Balawi, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Nigeria, has met with Aliko Dangote, chairman of the Dangote Group, to discuss investment opportunities in energy and infrastructure. According to NAN, the meeting, meant to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, was held on Friday at the ambassador’s residence in the diplomatic quarter in Abuja. Speaking during the meeting, the envoy said the engagement reflects growing momentum in Saudi-Nigerian economic relations and a shared commitment to deepen cooperation across key sectors, including energy, industry, and infrastructure. Al-Balawi said the discussions highlighted the evolving economic partnership between both countries, with…

Mali’s junta says that armed militants have staged simultaneous and coordinated attacks at several locations across the country involving multiple groups. On Saturday morning, the army said it was fighting what it described as “terrorists” that had attacked the main army barracks in Bamako and other areas. Explosions and sustained gunfire were heard across the city including near the main ‌military base in Kati just outside the capital. The town is the home of the country’s military ruler, General Assimi Goïta, who first seized power when the army overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar in August 2020. Military officials said fighting was…

President Donald Trump was swiftly escorted off the stage by Secret Service after possible shots were fired at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, DC, on Saturday. Vice President JD Vance and several members of Trump’s Cabinet who were also in attendance were also rushed out. A source told CNN that Trump is safe, while two sources said Vance is safely out of the dinner. According to an administration official, Cabinet members are OK as well. Several US Secret Service agents yelled, “shots fired” during the event, which is being held at the Washington Hilton, according to pool reports.…

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its planned indefinite nationwide strike following fresh commitments by the federal government to address key welfare concerns, including the reinstatement of the reviewed Professional Allowance Table (PAT). The decision was reached at an emergency virtual meeting of the association’s National Executive Council (NEC), held Saturday, where members assessed recent high-level interventions by top government officials and critical stakeholders in the health sector. NARD had earlier resolved to embark on a total and indefinite strike over the federal government’s reversal of the reviewed PAT and other lingering welfare issues. However, the NEC…

The award was conferred on Ogbuku at the 2025 Vanguard Personality of the Year Awards at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, in recognition of his transformational leadership and NDDC’s impactful interventions across the Niger Delta region. In his opening remarks at the ceremony, the former Minister of State Petroleum Resources, and Chairman of the occasion, Mr Odein Ajomugobia, said: “Tonight, we gather to recognise individuals and organisations whose contributions have, in different ways, shaped our society and influenced the course of our national life. In a citation for Ogbuku and the NDDC, the Vanguard Award Committee…

Political leaders from the opposition have resolved to present a united front in the 2027 general elections, agreeing to field a single presidential candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The decision was one of the major highlights of a National Summit of Opposition Political Leaders held on Saturday in Ibadan, Oyo State, where participants gathered to fashion the way out of the current challenges facing the country. They also warned that Nigeria’s democracy is under increasing strain and requires urgent collective action to safeguard it. The summit, themed “Safeguarding Nigeria’s Democracy: A National…