Nearly seven decades after Shell drilled and abandoned oil wells in parts of Akwa Ibom State, communities in Ikono and Ibiono Ibom Local Government Areas are demanding that the company and government authorities account for the environmental damage and livelihoods they say have been left behind. The communities say the wells may have ceased to have commercial value for the oil company after being declared unviable, but their environmental consequences have remained a daily reality for residents. They reported declining agricultural yields, dying economic trees, disappearing fish and snails, polluted streams, deteriorating property, insecurity and loss of livelihoods linked to…
Author: Abimbola Ogunaike
Read More
The latest report by the National Bureau of Statistics(NBS), on Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) at state level for 2025 disclosed that 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, generated a combined N5.15 trillion as revenue, representing a 40.93 per cent increase from the N3.65 trillion recorded in 2024, reports thegazellenews.com. According to NBS, Lagos State topped the ranking with N1.77 trillion generated during the year, accounting for more than a third of the total IGR generated by the states and FCT. Rivers State came second with N428.42 billion, while Enugu State ranked third with N406.77 billion. The…
Super Eagles of Nigeria survived a scare to edge Madagascar 2-1 in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on Friday, 25 September, 2026. Nigeria, shock non-qualifiers for the past two World Cups, fell behind at home to Madagascar when Ehsan Kari scored after 16 minutes in Uyo. A Super Eagles side lacking injured star striker Victor Osimhen were then rescued by two international debutants. Saudi Arabia-based 20-year-old George Ilenikhena burst through to equalise in first-half added time and substitute Moses Usor from Austrian champions LASK snatched the 65th-minute winner.
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has announced plans to inaugurate and lead campaign teams in the FCT and Rivers State for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. Wike made the announcement on Friday, 25th September, 2026 in Abuja after inspecting the ongoing Kuje-Gwagwalada road dualisation project, saying supporters of the President from different political platforms had already put their campaign machinery in place. He said the All Progressives Congress was also preparing for what he described as an aggressive campaign, while supporters outside the party were mobilising separately in support of Tinubu. “Very…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola Youths from Ososo, Ojah, Ijiranmi and other communities in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State have demanded urgent intervention to end an eight-month power outage which they said had crippled businesses and stalled development in the area. The protesters made the demand on Thursday, 24 September, 2026 when they marched to the Edo State Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of Power in Benin, carrying placards to draw attention to the prolonged blackout and hardship faced by residents. Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Bernard Gomina said the affected communities had been without electricity for…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola Pope Leo XIV has warned against allowing artificial intelligence to undermine human values and dignity, cautioning that society must not lose its humanity “amid a paradise of machines.” The pontiff gave the warning during his four-day visit to France, where he addressed Church and state officials at the Élysée Palace in Paris after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. As reported by the BBC on Thursday, 24 September, 2026 Pope Leo’s remarks focused on the growing influence of artificial intelligence and the need to ensure that technological advancement remains centred on human values. The warning came…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola A total of 105 Nigerians have been repatriated from South Africa under a humanitarian intervention funded by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), marking the first batch of at least 500 Nigerians expected to return under the initiative. The General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, welcomed the returnees in a post on his X handle on Friday, 25 September, 2026, thanking God for their safe journey home. “Welcome home beloved 105 citizens of Nigeria who have just safely arrived from South Africa,” he wrote. The development followed the arrival of the first batch…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu will soon transmit two Executive Bills to the National Assembly seeking special legislative seats for women and representation for persons with disabilities at the national and sub-national levels. Abbas made the disclosure while hosting the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr Ike Neliaku, the President of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, Prof Justin Green, and other board members on a visit to the National Assembly. Briefing his guests on the legislative initiatives of the…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola Anyone found soliciting or collecting money in connection with jobs, contracts or other opportunities purportedly linked to the Lagos State House of Assembly will be reported to law enforcement authorities for investigation and possible prosecution, the Assembly has warned. The warning was contained in a public disclaimer posted on the Assembly’s official X handle on Thursday, 24 September, 2026, signed by the Clerk of the House, cautioning job seekers, contractors and prospective vendors against fraudsters demanding money in exchange for employment, appointments, contracts and other opportunities. The Assembly stressed that it neither requests nor accepts payments,…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima has warned world leaders against assuming that distant wars carry no costs for countries geographically removed from them, insisting that conflict anywhere in the world could disrupt trade, deepen humanitarian pressures and generate wider economic and security shocks. Shettima issued the warning while delivering President Bola Tinubu’s national statement at the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday, 24 September, 2026, during the 81st General Debate, where he spoke fourth during the afternoon session on its third day. Drawing from Nigeria’s prolonged battle against Boko Haram, ISWAP…