Year: 2025

Unidentified gunmen have attacked the Faruruwa community in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, abducting the son of a prominent trader during a Thursday evening raid.

 

The incident occurred around 7pm when the assailants stormed the community and reportedly shot sporadically to instil fear among residents.

 

According to a witness, Ibrahim Faruruwa, the attackers targeted Alhaji Haruna Halilu, a wealthy trader in the area, but he was not present at his shop during the attack.

 

“When they couldn’t get Alhaji Haruna, they abducted his son, Mas’ud,” Ibrahim said.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Kano State Police Command, Abdullahi Kiyawa, said the police are aware of the attack and have commenced an investigation.

 

He assured that full details of the incident will be made available once the inquiry is concluded.

 

Details regarding casualties or the number of abductees remain unclear as of the time of filing this report.

Market women in Warri, Delta State, on Friday, reportedly staged a surprise birthday celebration for a female police officer, identified as Mercy Uche, while she was on duty.

 

A video from the event showed the officer visibly emotional as drums and music filled the air, with traders dancing around her and spraying her with money in appreciation.

 

The celebration took place at a busy yet-to-be-identified road location, where Officer Uche was seen maintaining her post even as the festivities unfolded.

 

The celebration has drawn attention online, with many Nigerians taking to social media to commend the officer’s character and the traders’ kind gesture.

#MamaAfrica737 wrote, “The only thing we Nigerians need from our police force is to be kind to us and this woman was so kind to the people where she serve every day… She won’t be celebrated this way if she was bad to them.”

 

#DJKentSounds noted, “A very nice policewoman at Main Market, along NPA. She’s really good at her job along that busy road.”

 

Others praised the show of community love from the Warri traders.

 

“Warri no dey disappoint, lovely,” #TrueYarnTV tweeted.

 

Some viewers even said they found the video more uplifting than other viral content.

“I prefer watching this video from morning to night than watching Iyabo Ojo’s daughter wedding video,” #OluwadareSeun15 commented.

 

Many also called for official recognition of the officer’s dedication.

 

“I pray for her promotion to follow, Inshallah,” #OkunowoGbola wrote.

 

Fuji musician, Alhaji Taye Adebisi, popularly known as Taye Currency, has recounted how he lost N10 million to an alleged Ponzi scheme operated by Crypto Bridge Exchange, popularly called CBEX.

 

In a viral video circulating on social media, the singer recounted the ordeal during a stage performance.

 

He disclosed that he was introduced to the scheme by some of his close associates.

 

The fuji star said, “On April 1, Sodiq came to my house and said Lateef, the brand manager, had collected some money and also introduced Alaba and Small London had also collected their money, and Brother Muca

 

“Alaba used N1.2 million he stole from the stage to invest in CBEX. Brother Muca also put in his work fee of N500,000. Sodiq used the money he was saving in the band, N850,000. Lateef invested N1.4 million.”

 

The singer revealed that it was the success of his associates in the scheme that made him invest in it too.

 

“Lateef said he used N200k to collect N600k, and I got motivated. I withdrew the money I had saved with insurance, see my life in the open. I invested N10m in CBEX on April 1, but everything vanished,” he lamented.

In the footage, a visibly upset Currency lashed out at those who introduced the scheme to him, saying: “If they die well, they won’t rest well, because I was on my own before you took me to CBEX.”

 

Currency’s recent lamentation comes amid growing outrage over the collapse of CBEX, which has reportedly defrauded numerous Nigerians who were lured by promises of high returns through digital investment offerings.

 

PUNCH Online reports that the digital investment platform CBEX collapsed, with reports indicating losses amounting to over N1.3 trillion incurred by investors.

 

The platform became inaccessible after users experienced persistent withdrawal failures, followed by sudden account balance wipes.

 

The incident has sparked widespread reactions, particularly on social media, where users have expressed frustration, criticism, and concern over the situation.

 

Reacting to the incident, the Securities and Exchange Commission stated that CBEX is not registered to operate as a digital assets exchange in Nigeria and warned the investing public against transacting with the platform.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has explained why he did not support the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during the 2023 general elections.

 

Speaking in a press briefing on Friday in Abuja, Wike stated that he did not believe Obi had a realistic chance of winning the presidential contest, describing him as a “social media candidate.”

 

“No, he has no chance to win election,” Wike said. “I don’t go to where you see people like this kind of social media candidates. I don’t do social media candidate.”

 

Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, emphasised that as a politician, he focuses on analysing candidates with the capacity to win, rather than those perceived to be popular online.

 

“I said I see that as a politician, and I analyse the candidate who is likely to win,” he said.

 

According to Wike, winning elections in Nigeria involves more than just being the most qualified or popular on social media platforms.

 

“In politics, it’s not always the right that oh, this is the best candidate. No, no, no,” he said. “You see Nigerians today, in politics, so many factors come in.”

He also referenced the challenges faced during the 2023 elections, including the naira redesign policy and fuel scarcity, which he said created a turbulent environment.

 

“It was very very turbulent for Tinubu to get to that election,” Wike stated. “It is one party administration. You could see people don’t want to speak the truth before that election.”

 

Wike commended the eventual winner of the election, President Bola Tinubu, for navigating the difficulties imposed by administration policies at the time.

 

“No party in government would at that time bring some policy when you know you’re running an election,” he said. “But everything was done and he survived. he survived it.”

 

He concluded by acknowledging the political experience and strategy that helped Tinubu emerge victorious.

 

“So that’s how you know that there are people, first of all, God is on their side. Two, they also know this game. You must give it to them.”

Officials in the Trump administration could face criminal contempt charges for ignoring a US judge’s order that stopped the deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members.

 

The judge said the government showed a “willful disregard” for his March 15 ruling, which stopped the deportations to El Salvador under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.

 

Many lawyers and families of the migrants say those deported are not gang members and never had a chance to challenge the government’s claim that they were.

 

On Wednesday, US District Judge James Boasberg said there was enough reason to hold officials in contempt for not following his order.

 

This ruling is the closest any court has come to punishing the Trump administration since it returned to office in January. It also increases the conflict between the judicial and executive branches.

 

The U.S. Justice Department has appealed the decision to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

 

Boasberg said the administration could avoid contempt charges if it allowed the migrants to challenge their deportations in court.

 

He gave them until April 23 to explain how they plan to follow the ruling or to identify the officials who ignored the order so they can be prosecuted.

 

The judge also mentioned a tweet from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele shared a news story about the judge’s order and said, “Oopsie…Too late.” Boasberg said this tweet suggested the officials had deliberately ignored the court’s order.

 

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said the administration would seek an immediate appeal.

 

A Justice Department spokesperson called the judge’s actions a “power grab” and said they would fight it.

 

The Trump administration is facing over 150 legal challenges to its policies. Some legal experts say the government is ignoring court orders, which raises concerns about its willingness to defy the judicial branch.

In Maryland, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis is investigating whether the administration violated another order to return a man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador.

 

The Justice Department has also appealed that ruling.

Boasberg’s order goes further. If the administration doesn’t fix the issue, he may require officials to give sworn statements or face questioning under oath. He could also assign a government prosecutor or appoint someone else to act as a prosecutor if the government refuses.

 

“This is a strong rebuke to the administration,” said Professor Jonathan Hafetz from Seton Hall University School of Law.

 

Trump has called for Boasberg’s impeachment for blocking the deportations, but U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts said disagreements with court orders should be handled by appeals, not impeachment.

 

The Trump administration has also targeted other independent institutions like universities and law firms.

 

The case is related to Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, which was famously used during World War II to deport Japanese, German, and Italian Americans. Some were U.S. citizens.

 

Lawyers for the deported migrants said they haven’t been able to contact or find out what’s happened to their clients.

 

“Today’s decision shows the government’s actions are unlawful and a threat to our Constitution,” said Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward, a group representing the migrants.

 

It’s uncertain whether the threat of contempt charges will force the administration to follow the judge’s order, but usually, government officials comply when faced with such threats. However, the president has the power to pardon those convicted of criminal contempt.

 

In 2017, Trump pardoned Joe Arpaio, a former Arizona sheriff convicted of criminal contempt for ignoring a court order in a racial profiling case.

 

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has uncovered five illegal crude oil dumps in the Jahi/Katampe axis of Abuja.

 

This is contained in a statement issued by the NSCDC Spokesperson, Afolabi Babawale, on Thursday in Abuja.

 

The corps also confirmed the arrest of seven suspects linked to the illegal crude oil production and distribution.

 

The NSCDC said the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad also recovered trucks loaded with stolen Automotive Gas Oil from the suspects.

 

The corps said one white truck with three compartments fully loaded with 45,000 litres of AGO with an unverifiable waybill seen at the illegal dump, four Mercedes-Benz short peddler trucks, and several other vehicles were impounded.

Pumping machines, different-sized hoses, Mikano generator, approximately 23 surface metallic constructed tanks with some containing large quantities of suspected AGO, a container shelter amongst other exhibits, were also impounded.

 

The NSCDC said that the arrests made by the CG’s SIS showcased the dedication of the corps to relentlessly crack down on crude oil thieves across the federation.

 

He said that the suspects would be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to other criminals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A touching video of Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo praying for her daughter, Priscilla, is warming hearts across social media as the young bride prepares for her traditional wedding to Tanzanian musician Juma Jux today, April 17.

 

In the now-viral clip, Priscilla is seen kneeling before her mother, holding her hand while Iyabo offers heartfelt prayers. The intimate moment, filled with emotion, beautifully captures the sacred bond between mother and daughter on one of life’s most significant days.

 

The video comes just days after Priscilla and Juma shared their stunning pre-wedding portraits — five captivating photos that lit up the internet.

 

The couple described their union as “two hearts united as one soul, on a mission to forever.”

 

Their love story has been nothing short of magical. In February, the pair held a private wedding introduction in Tanzania, attended only by close family and friends.

 

Then, just two days before Valentine’s Day, Juma Jux proposed to Priscilla again — this time with a ring twice the size of the first. The romantic moment, captured in a video shared online, showed Juma reaffirming his love and commitment in the presence of her loved ones.

The following day, the couple sealed their love with a civil wedding ceremony, graced by celebrity guests including Toyin Abraham, Chioma Good Hair, and her best friend, Enioluwa

The President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has called on African nations to put an end to the export of raw materials if the continent is to overcome poverty and underdevelopment.

 

According to data from the Office of US Trade Representative and other multilateral institutions, Africa accounts for less than 2 per cent of global manufacturing.

 

In a post shared on Thursday via his official X handle, Adesina stressed the need for Africa to shift from being a supplier of unprocessed commodities to a producer of value-added goods.

 

“Africa must end the exports of its raw materials. The export of raw materials is the door to poverty. The export of value-added products is the highway to wealth. And Africa is tired of being poor,” he wrote.

Despite Africa being home to the world’s most sought-after raw materials, its share of global trade remains under 3%. Efforts to change this narrative have gained momentum in recent years. Initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area are designed to enhance intra-African trade, boost manufacturing, and encourage value addition across sectors.

Adesina has consistently advocated for policies that promote agro-industrialisation, energy expansion, and improved infrastructure as a foundation for transforming Africa’s economies.

 

Last week, Adesina criticised the disproportionate allocation of the International Monetary Fund’s Special Drawing Rights, revealing that Africa received just $33 billion, only 4.5 per cent of the $650 billion issued globally.

 

The AfDB president stressed that the distribution model of the SDRs failed to reflect the urgent financial needs of Africa, which bore some of the deepest economic scars from the pandemic, with limited fiscal capacity to implement a robust recovery plan.

 

To address this imbalance, Adesina disclosed that the AfDB, in partnership with the African Union, spearheaded efforts to rechannel unused SDRs from wealthier nations to African economies. Leveraging the AfDB’s AAA credit rating, a new framework co-developed with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has now been approved by the IMF Board.