Author: Vardiafrica

Bandits have reportedly abducted 25 students from the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, Kebbi State. It was gathered that the girls were whisked away during an attack by the gunmen on Sunday night at the school located in the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of the state. According to sources, the attackers killed the school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, before abducting several schoolgirls. Witnesses said the bandits operated without resistance and caused widespread panic, throwing the entire region into deep fear and mourning. Makuku was reportedly shot while attempting to protect the students during the invasion.…

Eric Chelle, Super Eagles head coach, has accused the DR Congo team of “doing voodoo” during the penalty shootouts of the African World Cup playoffs final. The Super Eagles will miss the 2026 World Cup after losing to DR Congo 4-3 on penalties. The match had ended 1-1 after extra time. Calvin Bassey, Moses Simon and Semi Ajayi all missed their penalties, and Chancel Mbemba scored the winning kick for the Congolese to send them into the intercontinental playoffs. After the winning penalty, Chelle was seen confronting the DR Congo bench, and he had to be held back before the…

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has threatened a nationwide shutdown, following an alleged attack on the staff of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). A statement by its Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, said the decision became necessary after workers on duty at Egbu 132/33kV Transmission Substation, Imo State, were allegedly beaten, held hostage at gunpoint, and some were abducted by armed police officers, said to be acting on the orders of the state. The police officers reportedly entered the substation’s control rooms by force, vandalising equipment and disrupting operations. Workers on duty were allegedly held at gunpoint,…

Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup were shattered on Sunday night after the Super Eagles fell 4–3 on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in a tense CAF World Cup qualification playoff final in Rabat, Morocco. The match had ended 1–1 after extra time. The heartbreaking defeat means Nigeria will miss a second consecutive World Cup, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar. The result sends the DRC’s Leopards into the intercontinental playoffs in March, keeping their World Cup aspirations alive. The Super Eagles made the perfect start, taking the lead…

The Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, on Thursday commended Tamrose Limited, a leading indigenous marine logistics and offshore support company, for utilizing the loan facility from the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund to grow its fleet and expand operations to Angola in Southern Africa and elsewhere on the continent. Speaking at the Nigerian Content Tower (NCT), Swali, Yenagoa, the Minister expressed happiness that the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) through its US$350 million Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCIF), has been part of the success story of Tamrose. The company had accessed a US$10…

The 9th Award and Prize-giving Ceremony of the NCDMB Annual National Undergraduate Essay Competition came to a close on Friday at the Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa, with 16-year-old Miss Josephine Oyinkansola Akande, of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, emerging overall winner. The 200-level medical student, who hails from Osun State, defeated nine other finalists to clinch the first prize of N1 million (one million naira) and an HP Laptop, among other items. The first runner-up, 23-year-old Mr. Sonuga Sultan Opeyemi, also a 200-level medical student of Federal University of Technology, Akure, received N700,000 and an HP Laptop, while the second runner-up,…

Following his election as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the party’s National Convention in Ibadan on Saturday, Kabiru Turaki has promised to live up to the expectations of party faithful and Nigerians at large. Turaki emerged as the new chairman at the convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, where delegates from 17 states across the country cast their votes to choose national officers. The former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs scored 1,516 votes at the exercise held at the Lekan Salami Stadium. Senator Ben Obi, who supervised the election, announced that Senator Yakubu Danmarke came…

Two state governors, who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have rejected the expulsion of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, from the party. Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State and Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State made their stance known in separate statements on Saturday evening, a few hours after the PDP expelled Mr Wike and 10 others during its national convention, ongoing in Ibadan. In his statement posted on X, Mr Fintiri said Mr Wike’s expulsion was not taken in the best interest of the party and, for that reason, he would not…

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) has warned drug barons, traffickers and their cartels to quit the criminal trade or face more hard time during his second tenure. Marwa who was reappointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second tenure of five years on Friday 14th November 2025 told jubilating management staff, officers, men and women of the Agency who gathered to welcome him at its National Headquarters in Abuja following the presidential announcement that his second tenure will be hell and bleak for those who fail to…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expelled the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, from the party, for anti-party activities. The party also expelled the National Secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu, and eight others. The decision was taken at the national convention of the party in Ibadan, Oyo State. The party unanimously voted to expel them for anti-party activities and fostering disunity with a series of litigation against the interests of the party. The national convention, which is currently being held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, has…