Headlines

Finnish prosecutors on Friday announced that Nigerian separatist leader Simon Ekpa has been charged with inciting terrorism through online platforms.

In a statement, Finland’s National Prosecution Authority confirmed it had charged “a Finnish individual in a case involving suspected public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent and participation in the activities of a terrorist group.”

The alleged offences were committed in the city of Lahti between 2021 and 2024, and are linked to efforts aimed at securing the independence of Nigeria’s Biafra region.

While the prosecution authority did not name the individual, Finnish public broadcaster YLE identified the suspect as Simon Ekpa, who claims to head the Biafra Republic Government in Exile.

Ekpa was detained in November and, according to authorities, remains in custody. He has denied all charges.

President Bola Tinubu on Friday received the newly crowned Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The visit marked the monarch’s first official audience with the President since his coronation on April 12, 2025.

Oba Owoade arrived at the Villa shortly after Jumaat prayers and was received following Tinubu’s closed-door meeting with service chiefs and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

During the monarch’s coronation ceremony in Oyo town, Tinubu—represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima—had charged the new Alaafin to promote unity among the Yoruba people and contribute to national cohesion.

Details later

Troops of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army and Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), in collaboration with personnel of Operation Safe Haven, have neutralized two suspected bandits and recovered approximately 1,000 stolen cattle during a joint operation in Taraba and Plateau States.

The successful operation followed actionable intelligence that armed bandits, riding in a convoy of about 30 motorcycles, had crossed from Plateau into Taraba State to carry out a cattle rustling attack on a Fulani settlement near Jebjeb Village in Karim Lamido Local Government Area.

According to a statement issued by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade, Captain Olubodunde Oni, the operation was part of the ongoing security initiative code-named Operation Lafiya Jama’a, aimed at bolstering efforts to combat criminal activity across Taraba and its surrounding states.

Responding swiftly, troops of 6 Brigade in Taraba coordinated with their counterparts from Operation Safe Haven in the Kampani axis of Wase Local Government Area, Plateau State. The combined forces pursued the fleeing assailants into Komodoro village, where they were intercepted in Daji Madam Forest.

A fierce exchange of gunfire ensued during which two bandits were neutralized, and the troops succeeded in recovering roughly 1,000 rustled cattle.

The recovered animals were safely returned to the Jebjeb community in Karim Lamido LGA, where local authorities have taken custody.

The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the fight against banditry and ensuring peace and security in the region.

The South-East Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned it may review its relationship with the party if its recommendation of Sunday Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary is not honoured.

The threat was issued in a communique released on Wednesday at the end of the committee’s meeting held at the Government House in Enugu, the Enugu State capital.

Reading the communique, ZEC Chairman, Ali Odefa, emphasized the South-East’s unwavering loyalty to the PDP since its formation, noting that the zone has remained steadfast even as members in other regions continue to defect from the party.

The zonal leadership called on the National Working Committee (NWC) to respect its earlier decision, urging that the Deputy National Secretary immediately assume the role of Acting National Secretary pending the formal ratification of a substantive secretary by the National Executive Committee (NEC), in line with recommendations from the PDP Governors’ Forum as adopted by the NWC.

“The South East ZEC exhaustively deliberated on the directive of the NWC and came to the conclusion that it offered a sure pathway to peace, unity, stability, and progress of our party,” the statement read. “Consequently, the ZEC unanimously recommended Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the candidate to complete the term of office of the National Secretary.”

The South-East PDP warned that further delay in honouring its position could force it to reconsider its place within the party.

“The South East has consistently served as a stronghold of the PDP from inception. In PDP’s near three-decade existence, we have given our loyalty and all to the party,” the caucus stated.

It noted that, while the PDP continues to lose members following the 2023 general elections, the South-East has remained proactive in strengthening the party, citing recent high-profile defections into the PDP from the Labour Party in Enugu.

The zonal leadership appealed to the national leadership to act swiftly on the matter, saying that prompt resolution would put an end to the “needless lingering dispute.”

President Bola Tinubu has submitted the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) 2025 Appropriation Bill to the Senate for consideration and approval.

The request was conveyed in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read during plenary on Wednesday.

Citing Section 299 of the Constitution, which vests legislative authority over the FCT in the National Assembly, Tinubu presented the N1.7 trillion budget proposal for the 2025 fiscal year.

According to the letter, the proposed budget focuses on key sectors including healthcare services, job creation, youth empowerment, social welfare, educational infrastructure, and agricultural productivity.

The President stated that the budget is designed to alleviate poverty and improve living standards in the FCT. He noted that 85 percent of the capital expenditure is allocated to the completion of ongoing projects, while the remaining 15 percent is set aside for new initiatives.

“This is to sustain the ongoing efforts at providing basic infrastructure and social amenities in the FCT,” Tinubu said.

He expressed confidence that the Senate would give the proposal prompt consideration and ensure its timely passage.