Author: Vardiafrica

The 271 Nigerian nationals evacuated from South Africa by the Nigerian government have arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Friday, as authorities continue the ongoing voluntary repatriation exercise. According to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the evacuees arrived aboard an Air Peace flight following a special charter operation approved and funded by the Nigerian government. NiDCOM said the evacuation reflected the government’s commitment to the welfare and protection of Nigerians living abroad. The returnees were received by officials of the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa as well as representatives of NiDCOM, the National Emergency…

The US has withdrawn most of the military personnel it deployed to Nigeria earlier this year for a joint counterterrorism operation in the Lake Chad Basin, but will continue intelligence sharing and broader security cooperation. The announcement was made on Thursday by the Commander of US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson at a virtual briefing following the 2026 African Chiefs of Defense Conference. Anderson said the operation achieved its immediate objectives and that the majority of US troops assigned to the mission had departed Nigeria, emphasizing that they remain committed to supporting Nigeria’s fight against…

President Bola Tinubu has called on media organisations to exercise greater responsibility in reporting security issues, warning against giving publicity to terrorists and bandits through sensational coverage. The President made the appeal on Thursday while speaking at the maiden State House Press Corps Presidential Dinner held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Tinubu stressed that journalists have a critical role in supporting national security efforts by ensuring their reports do not inadvertently serve the interests of criminal groups. “The media must resist the temptation of becoming megaphones for terrorists and kidnappers,” the President said. He cautioned against reports capable of undermining…

The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has directed police officers nationwide to arrest motorists driving without number plates or deliberately covering their vehicle registration numbers. According to the police chief, the directive is part of ongoing efforts to curb criminal activities and end impunity across the country. Speaking during a recent meeting with guests in his office, Disu said many criminals have exploited covered number plates to evade detection while carrying out unlawful activities. He noted that the practice has become increasingly common, with some individuals even treating it as a status symbol. “A lot of crimes have been committed…

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has appointed Kenneth Okonkwo, Nollywood actor and politician, as his spokesperson for the 2027 presidential election campaign. A snapshot of the appointment letter, shared by Okonkwo on his X page on Thursday, said the appointment followed Atiku’s emergence as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the general election. “I am pleased to offer you an appointment as my Spokesperson for the 2027 General Elections in Nigeria, following my victory as the Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC),” the letter reads. The letter said the appointment reflected Atiku’s confidence in Okonkwo’s “competence, public…

Sixteen young graduates of engineering, the geosciences and related academic disciplines on Wednesday in Port Harcourt underwent opening formalities for the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited Nigerian Content Human Capital Development (NC-HCD) programme, on the back of provision of coiled tubing and nitrogen pumping services for oil and gas industry operations. The 12-month programme, designed to train the young graduates on how to deploy jointless steel pipes for cleaning, repairs and stimulation of oil and gas wells and in the use of specialised equipment for conversion of liquid nitrogen into high-pressure nitrogen gas, has…

Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has affirmed the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) headed by former Senate President David Mark, dismissing a suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide, for lacking merit. Delivering judgment, Justice Liman upheld the preliminary objections raised by the ADC, its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, Mark and the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola. The judge held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter because it bordered on the internal affairs of a political party, which he described as non-justiciable. Justice Liman also…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has launched Power Force, a new national initiative that will train 5,000 young Nigerians to support the accelerated deployment of smart electricity meters across the country, create employment opportunities, and strengthen ongoing power sector reforms. The programme, implemented through the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), a federation led initiative with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, is a practical intervention designed to close critical skills gaps in meter installation while expanding opportunities for young Nigerians to participate directly in national development. Power Force forms part of the administration’s broader effort to improve the performance and financial sustainability…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said the opening of the new headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States in Abuja will renew the commitment to regional integration, peace, industrialisation and shared prosperity across West Africa. He called the new building a symbol of renewal, of resilience, and of confidence in the future of ECOWAS and urged a shift from regional market to regional production base. Speaking at the commissioning of the new edifice on Thursday in Abuja, President Tinubu who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the new ECOWAS complex, described as the “Eye of Africa,”…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has reaffirmed its position at the forefront of Nigeria’s drive to develop indigenous engineering capacity, rewarding exceptional innovation and investing in a new generation of young Nigerians whose ideas are poised to shape the country’s industrial future. At the Grand Finale of the maiden Nigerian Engineering Olympiad, held on Monday and Tuesday, in Lagos, Team Mavericks of Modibbo Adama University, Yola, emerged overall champions with their “Sarafa Community Security Alert” innovation; a community-powered rapid alert system that connects households through low-cost devices to instantly notify neighbors and emergency responders during security incidents. For their…