Author: Vardiafrica

The Senate has dissolved its standing committees on Air Force, national security and intelligence with immediate effect. It also said that new committees would be reconstituted within one week. The decision came after the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, expressed dissatisfaction with the committees’ oversight performance so far. It further directed chairmen of its standing committees on army, navy, defence, interior and police affairs to brief the senate within one week, during a closed-door session, on their ongoing efforts to reduce insecurity across the country and to justify their continued existence. The upper chamber also began a probe into the…

Military officers in Guinea-Bissau have taken control of the government, suspended the country’s electoral process and declared they will be in control “until further notice”. On Monday, President Umaro Embaló, who is seeking to re-election, and Fernando Dias, his main opponent, both declared victory in the country’s election even though the electoral commission had not released official results. As the country awaited official results, both sides claimed that their contenders exceeded the 50 percent threshold needed to win outright, eliminating the need for a run-off. In a statement on Wednesday, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) noted that…

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the names of three non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation The nominees are Kayode Aare (Ogun State), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa State), and Ayodele Oke (Oyo State). The letter was read during plenary by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. Akpabio has, therefore, directed the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs to review the nominations and report back to the chamber within one week. This is the first list of ambassadorial nominees sent to the Senate by Tinubu since he became the President on May 29, 2023. Ambassadorial Appointments, ‘Not Patronage’ There had been calls on…

Seventeen governors from the southern region of Nigeria are meeting in Iperu Remo, Ogun State, amid the rising insecurity across the country. The meeting is being held at the private residence of Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, who also chairs the Southern Governors’ Forum. Abiodun disclosed this in a post on his X handle. The governor said there will also be a combined engagement with the Southern Traditional Rulers Council to promote cooperation between traditional and political leadership and offer a chance to discuss issues of common regional interest. “As we prepare to host the Southern Governors’ Forum meeting today,…

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo Tuesday disclosed that the federal government may go after the assets of Dana Air to refund trapped funds of passengers and airline travel agents. This is even as he said he would direct the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to probe why funds trapped by the airline are yet to be refunded. Keyamo, speaking on why the Authority suspended the operations of the airline, he revealed that the suspension was a choice between safety and disaster. The Minister, disclosed this in Abuja at the Ministry’s fourth quarter stakeholders’ engagement to enhance…

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the upgrade and renovation of facilities at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Rivers State. Governor Fubara gave the approval on Tuesday while receiving the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, on a working visit to Government House, Port Harcourt. The governor said Rivers State remains peaceful and hospitable, noting that he was not surprised by reports that many graduates and parents prefer the state for national service. He said the state’s stability reflects the core duty of government to protect lives and property and provide basic amenities.…

Twenty-four schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls’ Day Secondary School, Maga, in Sokoto/Kebbi border axis, have regained their freedom following coordinated security operations. The students were kidnapped on November 17 when gunmen invaded their school community in Sakaba LGA of Kebbi State. Confirming their release on Tuesday, an official source said the girls were rescued in the early hours of the day through joint efforts of security agencies and local volunteers. Details of the operation were not immediately disclosed for security reasons. The source added that the girls are currently receiving medical evaluation before being reunited with their families. The rescue…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued new directives to the Nigerian Armed Forces, ordering a comprehensive security cordon around forests in Kwara, Kebbi, and parts of Niger State in response to the surge in kidnappings and terrorist activities in the affected areas. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Chief Sunday Dare, announced the directive on Tuesday in a post on his verified X handle, @SundayDareSD. He stated that “the President had ordered the Nigerian Air Force to intensify and expand air surveillance across the innermost parts of the forests where criminal groups are believed to be…

Visitors from 85 countries that currently enjoy visa-free entry to the UK – including the US, Canada and France – will be required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) from Feb.25, 2026, the UK government announced on Monday. The move is described as a major step in the country’s plan to digitize its immigration system and introduce a contactless border in the future. Once implemented, all travelers will need digital permission to enter the UK, either through an ETA or an eVisa, and carriers will be required to check passengers before they travel. ETA was first launched in October…

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has retained the country’s monetary policy rate at 27 per cent. The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, announced this at a press conference during the Committee’s 303rd meeting in Abuja. The MPR serves as the baseline interest rate in an economy; other interest rates used within the economy are built on it. The Monetary Policy Committee also committed to maintaining a tight monetary stance. The MPC pegged the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 45% for commercial banks, 16% for merchant banks, and 75% on non-TSA public sector deposits. It also…