Gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday, 25 February, 2026 abducted five worshippers at a branch of Celestial Church of Christ in Uso, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, reports thegazellenews.com. The latest church attack comes almost four years after the terror attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, in which 41 people were killed and 140 others injured in Ondo State. It was gathered that the armed men stormed the church at about 1:00 a.m. while a service was ongoing, abducted the worshippers and took them to an unknown destination. Ondo State Police Command Public Relations officer, DSP Abayomi…
Author: Abimbola Ogunaike
A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik has fixed April 23 for the arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged cybercrime and communication law violations, reports thegazellenews.com. Thegazellenews.com recalled that the Federal Government was unable to arraign El-Rufai on Tuesday, 24 February, 2026 because he was not present in court. He is expected to take his plea — whether guilty or not guilty when he appears. A lawyer representing the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), told the court that El-Rufai was still with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related…
The Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Miriam Morales Palmero, has commended Nigeria and the African Union for their consistent opposition to the decades-long United States economic blockade against Cuba, describing the sanctions regime as an “unjust system of coercion” that has inflicted prolonged hardship on the Cuban people. Speaking at the Conference of the Solidarity Movement with Cuba in Nigeria, Palmero expressed gratitude for Nigeria’s repeated votes at the United Nations General Assembly in favour of resolutions calling for an end to the US embargo. “Nigeria is one of the countries which has voted at the United Nations General Assembly in…
By Yarima Haruna, Birnin Kebbi Kebbi State Governor, Dr Nasir Idris has made significant strides in revamping the state’s education sector, fulfilling people’s expectations, as a professionally trained teacher and former National President of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT). According to Abdulllahi Idris Zuru Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, the Governor on assumption of office, undertook a holistic analysis of the education sector with a view to have a comprehensive situation of the various sub-sectors of the system. He added that the Governor discovered an alarming situation anchored on inadequate structures and facilities as well as the dilapidated…
The Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Miriam Morales Palmero, has commended Nigeria and the African Union for their consistent opposition to the decades-long United States economic blockade against Cuba, describing the sanctions regime as an “unjust system of coercion” that has inflicted prolonged hardship on the Cuban people. Speaking at the Conference of the Solidarity Movement with Cuba in Nigeria, Palmero expressed gratitude for Nigeria’s repeated votes at the United Nations General Assembly in favour of resolutions calling for an end to the US embargo. “Nigeria is one of the countries which has voted at the United Nations General Assembly in…
By Wale Joseph The Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) has concluded plans for the 2026 Commonwealth Games trials. Unveiling the full programme of activities for the trial, the federation infomed that the maiden National Boxing Week would hold in March. The event will take place from Sunday, 1 March, to Friday, 6 March, 2026, at the Brai Ayonote Boxing Complex, situated within the National Stadium in Lagos. A key highlight of the week-long programme will be the National Open Trials, which will determine the boxers to represent Nigeria at the boxing event of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Participation…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola Placard-carrying petroleum tanker drivers on Tuesday, 24 February, 2026 converged at the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Office in Ejigbo, Lagos, chanting solidarity songs and demanding the release of four detained colleagues, as the Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA) accused sections of the union leadership and the police of alleged complicity and abuse of power. The protest, held at the PTD office in Ejigbo, followed a petition and press release issued by HURMA, which claimed that a protracted intra-union crisis within the PTD Ejigbo Unit had culminated in arrests, court proceedings and the continued detention of four…
The President of the Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF), Dr. Musa Oshodi, has congratulated Tunji Disu on his appointment as the Acting Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), describing the development as a strong affirmation of professionalism, competence, and integrity in national service. Dr. Oshodi noted that Disu’s elevation reflects his distinguished record of service and leadership within the Force, as well as his broader contributions to national development. “On behalf of the Board and entire family of the Nigeria Judo Federation, I warmly congratulate Mr. Disu, who also served meritoriously as a member of our immediate past board,…
The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has approved a 13 per cent increase in fares for buses under the Bus Reform Initiative, including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and standard routes, reports thegazellenews.com The Head of Corporate Communication of LAMATA, Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi, who announced this through a statement issued on Monday, 23 February, 2026, said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu approved the fare increase after bus operators complained about rising costs affecting their operations. Ojelabi, who disclosed that the new fares will begin on Monday, March 2026 , explained that the increase is meant to help bus…
Immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to quash the charges filed against him by the Department of State Services, DSS for allegedly tapping the telephone lines of National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. He also asked the court to order payment of N2 billion as costs against the DSS (acting through its prosecuting counsel) for alleged abuse and misuse of the court process, and the egregious, reckless, and unconstitutional misuse of the criminal justice system to harass, embarrass, and publicly victimize him. Recall that DSS had last week filed…