Headlines

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday convened an emergency meeting at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, following a string of high-profile defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The closed-door meeting comes in the wake of the defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, to the ruling APC. Okowa was also the PDP’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.

The defections dealt a major blow to the PDP’s presence in Delta State, as Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme, several state commissioners, local government chairmen, and the broader grassroots political structure also moved to the APC.

Governor Oborevwori justified the switch, stating that it was in the best interest of the state to align with the party controlling the Federal Government.

Party officials have yet to comment publicly on the outcome of the ongoing meeting, which is expected to address the growing crisis and chart a way forward for the embattled opposition party.

Businesswoman Aisha Achimugu was on Wednesday presented before the Federal High Court in Abuja by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in compliance with a court order.

The EFCC had declared Achimugu wanted in March on allegations of criminal conspiracy and money laundering. She was arrested upon her arrival in Nigeria on Monday.

Justice I.E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court had, on Tuesday, ordered that Achimugu be produced before the commission. The directive followed the ongoing investigation into the allegations leveled against her.

However, her legal counsel, Chief Chikaosolu Ojukwu, condemned the arrest, arguing that it contravened a valid court order. He maintained that the manner of her apprehension undermined due process.

The court proceedings are expected to continue as the EFCC advances its investigation.

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has likened the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to a faulty aircraft, sparking fresh speculation about his political future beyond 2027 and the possibility of defection from the party.

Speaking on Tuesday during a constituency outreach meeting in Ikot Akpankuk, Ukanafun Local Government Area, Eno questioned the viability of the PDP as a platform for his continued political journey. He used the metaphor of an airline with technical issues to illustrate his growing doubts.

“If you wanted to travel with Ibom Airline, and on the verge of taking off, it developed a fault that won’t enable it to fly, won’t you board the next available plane to take you to your destination?” he asked the crowd at the Ukanafun/Oruk Anam federal constituency town hall.

The analogy, widely interpreted as a thinly veiled hint at a possible defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), comes amid increasing turbulence within the PDP, including high-profile defections such as that of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to the ruling party.

While Governor Eno expressed concerns over the PDP’s internal disunity and direction, he urged his supporters to remain focused on the development goals of his administration. He emphasized that his immediate priority is delivering on campaign promises rather than engaging in partisan politics.

As part of the outreach, the governor distributed various empowerment packages to over 400 constituents. These included grants for 154 traders, support for 116 farmers, N5 million each to four individuals for business development, and equipment support for 131 beneficiaries.

Eno advised recipients to invest the funds wisely and avoid risky ventures such as Ponzi schemes. “We need to meet with the people from time to time. Governance doesn’t end at elections,” he said.

He noted that the engagement exercise had so far reached four of the state’s ten federal constituencies and pledged to complete all visits in time to incorporate constituents’ feedback into the 2026 state budget.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has directed all banks in Nigeria to immediately identify and close any tax or levy collection accounts not authorised through its TaxPro Max platform.

The directive was issued in a public notice titled “Directive to Close Unauthorised FIRS Tax Collection Accounts”, signed by the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, and released to journalists on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media, Dare Adekanmbi.

According to the FIRS, the move is part of broader efforts to enhance operational efficiency, ensure transparency in tax administration, and standardize tax collection and reconciliation processes nationwide.

“Effective immediately, all tax and levy collections on behalf of FIRS must be processed exclusively pursuant to an assessment raised on the TaxPro Max platform,” the notice stated.

The agency further instructed all banks involved in its Collection, Remittance, and Reconciliation Scheme to comply with the directive within the stipulated timeframe.

Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has stated that the emerging coalition of opposition parties does not require the support of state governors to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

El-Rufai made the declaration during a media chat with journalists in Kano on Monday. The former governor, who recently left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), emphasized that the coalition’s focus is on grassroots mobilisation rather than political endorsements from officeholders.

“We are trying to offer Nigerians a real alternative — something different from what they have seen before,” El-Rufai said.

He further noted, “A governor has only one vote. Nigerians have many more votes than one governor or even 36 governors combined.”

El-Rufai’s remarks signal a growing shift in strategy among opposition figures as the political landscape begins to take shape ahead of the 2027 elections.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos Operations Office, in collaboration with other relevant agencies, on Monday received 203 vulnerable Nigerian returnees from Libya.

The agency disclosed the development in a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday.

According to NEMA, the returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Cargo Terminal, Lagos, at 7:00 p.m. aboard a chartered Al Buraq Airlines flight with registration number 5A-BAC.

The group comprised 50 adult males, 96 adult females, 29 children, and 28 infants. NEMA stated that the return was facilitated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), with support from several Nigerian agencies, including the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Department of State Services, Port Health Services, and the Nigeria Police Force.

Two of the returnees reportedly had medical conditions and were immediately transferred to New Ikeja Hospitals for treatment.

Following their arrival, the returnees underwent profiling and biometric registration before being relocated to the Igando Internally Displaced Persons Resettlement Centre for further reintegration support.

The atmosphere at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Yikpata, turned joyful on Thursday, April 24, 2025, as Corps Member Ijaseun Omotosho Bukola (KW/25A/0251) safely delivered a baby boy during the ongoing Batch ‘A’ Stream 1 Orientation Course.

Labour reportedly began at midnight, prompting camp officials to swiftly transport her to Share General Hospital, Edu Local Government Area. The delivery was managed by a medical consultant from the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), and both mother and child are said to be in stable and excellent condition.

The NYSC Kwara State Coordinator, Mr. Onifade Olaoluwa Joshua, expressed gratitude for the safe birth and praised the rapid response of the camp medical team and UITH personnel for their professionalism and care.

Meanwhile, the orientation camp recorded another milestone on the same day with the official commencement of its first morning meditation session for the 2025 Batch ‘A’ Stream 1 Corps Members.

The mindfulness session, held in the early hours of Thursday, was immediately followed by the Camp Director’s welcome address. In his speech, the Director emphasized the significance of discipline, patriotism, and full engagement throughout the three-week orientation period.

He urged Corps Members to embrace the values and responsibilities of the NYSC scheme, stating, “Your experience here sets the tone for your entire service year. Commitment, discipline, and a positive attitude will be your guiding tools.”

Following the address, Corps Members moved to the parade ground for drill exercises, officially beginning the day’s camp activities.

At least 30 people, including women and children, were killed on Monday in separate Boko Haram attacks in Chibok and Kala Balge local government areas of Borno State.

In Chibok, suspected Boko Haram terrorists opened fire on a group of mourners gathered for the third-day prayer of a late community leader around 6:00 p.m., killing seven men on the spot. Local sources said the attackers stormed the venue and began shooting indiscriminately. Several others sustained gunshot injuries during the attack.

An update on Tuesday revealed that additional bodies were recovered, bringing the total number of deaths in Chibok to 14. The attackers also reportedly set several houses ablaze before fleeing the area.

In a separate incident, an improvised explosive device (IED) believed to have been planted by Boko Haram exploded near Rann, the headquarters of Kala Balge Local Government Area, on Monday morning.

The device detonated when vehicles traveling to Gamboru Ngala ran over it approximately 11 kilometers from Rann, close to the Lake Chad border region. The blast killed at least four women, six children, and an unspecified number of men, according to members of the civilian Joint Task Force (JTF).

Three other passengers — a woman, a man, and a child — sustained injuries and were evacuated to medical facilities in Gamboru Ngala and Rann for treatment.

The explosion brought the total death toll in the Kala Balge attack to 16.