Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has criticised the current chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, alleging that the All Progressives Congress would not have been registered or won the 2015 general elections if Yakubu had been in charge at the time.
Speaking on Arise TV on Tuesday night, Amaechi praised former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for ensuring a transparent electoral process that led to the APC’s registration and eventual victory in 2015.
He said, “The current chairman of INEC, if he was the chairman of INEC in 2015, we would not have won. That’s an important point. May God bless (Attahiru) Jega. Because the ground rules were clear. The current chairman of INEC can only be compared to Iwu.
“When we were to register APC, Jega opened the door and we complied with the registration requirements. He got APC registered. The current man, if you comply with all these, he would not register you.”
He further alleged that INEC under Yakubu is already showing signs of bias.
“Already, INEC is biased. So, the only thing I can tell you now is that, looking at the way Nigeria has run the election, even the Option A4 led us forward. At least a lot of transparency. You were sure of what was going on. Then we came back to meet people like Iwu and others and the current one and things got worse.
“So, you don’t know whether to say we are progressing or we are regressing. There’s a state capture using the electoral institution as a machine.”
Streaming giant, Netflix, has increased subscription prices in Nigeria for the third time in less than a year.
This most recent rise is the first one for 2025.
Updates on the company’s website seen by PUNCH Online show the new pricing.
Under the new price, Netflix’s Premium plan now costs ₦8,500 a month, up from ₦7,000.
The Standard plan jumped to ₦6,500 from ₦5,500.
The Basic plan rose to ₦4,000 from ₦3,500, and the Mobile plan is for ₦2,500, up from ₦2,200.
This follows two earlier price hikes by Netflix in April and July 2024.
Nigeria currently faces challenges of rising living expenses, a falling naira, and record inflation.
This follows the recent hike in tariffs by Nigerian telecom providers by as much as 50 per cent.
The parent company of DStv and GOtv, MultiChoice, announced new prices that took effect on March 1, 2025.
MultiChoice announced that the price of the DStv Compact bouquet was increased from ₦15,700 to ₦19,000, reflecting a 25 per cent increase.
The price of the Compact Plus package increased from ₦25,000 to ₦30,000, and the premium DStv package saw a rise from ₦37,000 to ₦44,500.
For GOtv subscribers, the Jinja package increased from ₦3,600 to ₦3,900, and Jolli from ₦4,850 to ₦5,800. The GOtv Max plan rose to ₦8,500 from ₦7,200, Supa climbed to ₦11,400 from ₦9,600, and Supa Plus increased to ₦16,800, up from ₦15,700.
Netflix has yet to release an official statement regarding the recent price hikes in Nigeria.
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has debunked claims that he consulted a native doctor regarding his re-election prospects ahead of the state governorship election on November 8, 2025.
Some reports and video clips have circulated online claiming that the governor consulted a native doctor to “brighten” his chances of re-election.
However, in a press statement released by his Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, on Tuesday, the governor described the allegations as “totally false.”
He said the video clip being circulated and misrepresented, as evidence of native doctor consultation, was taken during a recent official government meeting with Anambra-based content creators.
The statement read in part, “The attention of Anambra State Government has been drawn to a malicious and deliberately fabricated online publication and social media comments making spurious claims that the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, consulted a native doctor regarding his re-election prospects.
“The state government hereby debunks the allegations as totally false. For the interest of the general public, the video clip being maliciously circulated and misrepresented, as evidence of native doctor consultation, was taken during a recent official government meeting with Anambra-based content creators.
“The session, facilitated by the Special Senior Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, was organised to strengthen the partnership between the state government and the creative industry as part of Soludo’s commitment in encouraging and supporting Anambra’s creative economy.”
Aburime said during the interactive session, content creators were encouraged to showcase their talents, ask questions, and share their concerns about the creative industry in the state.
According to him, as part of the presentations, one of the content creators performed a native doctor skit, a common comic genre in Nigerian entertainment, to demonstrate their creative abilities to the governor and other officials present.
“This was purely an entertainment performance by a content creator, not a consultation session. “The state government thus found it deeply disappointing that critics and political opponents would stoop so low as to deliberately fabricate malicious narratives from an innocent entertainment performance and spread misinformation to mislead the public.
“Rather than engage in frivolous consultations, Soludo has consistently demonstrated his commitment to developing Anambra’s creative economy through investment plans as part of the state’s economic diversification strategy.
“The recently commissioned Solution Fun City project is part of such investment plans. The state government also clarified that Soludo does not need consultations with any native doctor to win reelection, as he relies solely on the support of Ndi Anambra based on his impressive performance and focus on delivering the ‘solution agenda’ by transforming Anambra State into a livable and prosperous homeland,” he added.
The governor, therefore, called on Ndi Anambra, media channels and social media users to disregard the misinformation concerning the circulated video clip.
“The public is also urged to always verify information before sharing or amplifying content and reject malicious stories sponsored to mislead the public.
Workers of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, staged a protest on Wednesday against the Ondo State Police Command over its alleged refusal to comply with a court order concerning a vehicle belonging to their union.
The protesters, members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, FUTA chapter, claimed that a Chief Magistrate Court in January 2025 ordered the police to return the vehicle to the union — a directive they allege has been ignored.
During the demonstration on campus, the aggrieved workers carried placards bearing slogans such as: “Enough is enough, Ondo police should leave NASU FUTA,” “Ondo State Police has become an agent of crisis,” and “Federal Government should save us, Ondo State police want to kill us.”
Speaking at the protest, NASU FUTA Chairman Mr Adebayo Aladerotohun accused the police of interfering in union affairs and disregarding the court’s directive.
“We are voicing our grievances over the Ondo State Police Command’s intrusion into our union matters,” he said. “It is well known that issues of association fall outside the jurisdiction of the Nigerian Police.”
Aladerotohun explained that the police seized the union’s vehicle in June 2024 following a dispute involving a faction claiming to have taken over the union.
“Some unidentified individuals approached the police, claiming ownership of the union’s property. We informed the police that this was unlawful and that only the court could adjudicate such matters,” he added.
He further stated that the union later obtained a court order directing the police to park the vehicle in front of NASU’s Secretariat, but the police allegedly defied this order by handing the vehicle over to unknown persons.
“We still held the keys and vehicle documents, yet the police proceeded to give the car to individuals unknown to us, in blatant disregard of the court order,” he said.
The union has called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene and compel the Ondo State Police Command to comply with the court order.
However, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Olayinka Alayande, denied the allegations, insisting that the police complied with the court’s directive.
“The court ordered that the vehicle be released to the Secretariat, and that was done. It was not handed over to any individual,” Alayande stated.
He advised, “If the protesters are dissatisfied with the situation, they should follow the appropriate legal channels. I urge them to remain peaceful and avoid any actions that could disrupt law and order, as the command will not tolerate such behaviour.”
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has deployed 2,900 personnel across Kwara State ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations to ensure a peaceful and secure festive period.
State Commandant, Mohammed Umar, said officers and men have been strategically positioned in all 16 local government areas to safeguard prayer grounds, recreational centres, critical infrastructure, and other public spaces.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the command’s spokesman, Ayoola Michael, the NSCDC said Area Commanders, Divisional Officers, and Tactical Units have been directed to remain on high alert and sustain community engagement throughout the celebration.
“Our presence will be visible, coordinated, and reassuring. We have assessed the risk areas, identified critical points, and implemented a multi-layered approach to ensure a safe and peaceful celebration,” he stated
The command also warned individuals or groups against using the festive atmosphere to incite unrest, vandalise infrastructure, or engage in criminal acts, stressing that any such behaviour would attract swift legal consequences.
While congratulating Muslims on the Eid celebration, Umar urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies.
Following the recent attack on its Semegu office in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State, the Kano State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has provided an explanation for the incident.
This was outlined in a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Abdullahi, a copy of which was made available to PUNCH Online on Wednesday.
The statement read, “On Monday, 2 June 2025, at approximately 8 pm, two hoodlums armed with knives attempted to snatch a phone at Gwazaye, Kumbotso Local Government Area. One of the assailants confronted a local resident who was making a phone call, attempting to rob him of his handset. The hoodlums approached him, with one wrestling the resident and holding a knife to snatch the phone.”
“According to eyewitnesses, a member of the local vigilante group intervened. While the thug was trying to seize the phone, he was overpowered by the victim, and in the process, the assailant (now deceased) was stabbed in the neck.”
“The victim, along with three neighbours, promptly reported the incident to the Civil Defence Outpost at Semegu, Kumbotso Local Government.”
“Regrettably, criminal elements armed with dangerous weapons regrouped and attacked our office, mistakenly believing those involved in the incident were our personnel.”
The statement further clarified that no Corps personnel were involved in the altercation.
“For the avoidance of doubt, none of the civil defence personnel participated in the incident. It is clear that those who came to report the phone robbery to our office were violently attacked alongside our staff,” Abdullahi said.
He also refuted rumours circulating in some quarters that NSCDC personnel had killed a suspected thug.
“The NSCDC neither maimed nor killed any suspected thug in the area. For transparency and fairness, the case is currently under discreet investigation by the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Kano, with further action pending,” he added.
Cancer care specialists in Nigeria have issued an urgent call for coordinated efforts to improve access, training, and innovation in gynaecological brachytherapy.
This appeal was made in a statement released on Monday by MEDSERVE-LUTH Cancer Centre during a stakeholders’ gathering in Lagos for the third Brachytherapy Summit hosted by the Centre.
Under the theme, “Advancing Gynaecological Brachytherapy in Nigeria: Bridging Gaps Through Innovation, Collaboration, and Skill Enhancement,” the summit highlighted the critical need to address persistent treatment gaps that continue to undermine the survival rates and quality of life of women battling gynaecological cancers in the country.
Chief Clinical Coordinator at MLCC, Dr Muhammad Habeebu, delivering the opening address, described the summit as more than a professional meeting — it was a call to action.
“Innovation must be more than a buzzword; it must be practical, applied, and life-saving. Collaboration must move beyond intention to action. And skill enhancement must become a sustained commitment across our institutions,” he said.
Dr Habeebu emphasised the importance of the recent hands-on training on 3D brachytherapy conducted at the centre, which provided clinicians with practical experience and demonstrated the transformative impact of capacity building.
He also highlighted the conference’s subtheme on survivorship care, stressing the importance of addressing the psychological and sexual health needs of cancer survivors.
“Survivorship is not merely about life after treatment; it is about living well after cancer. We must ensure survivors are treated with dignity, sensitivity, and clinical excellence.
“Every idea we share today could resonate in the life of a patient tomorrow,” Dr Habeebu added.
Consultant Clinical and Radiation Oncologist and Head of the Brachytherapy Unit at NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre, Dr Bolanle Adegboyega, underscored the summit’s strategic significance.
“The third Brachytherapy Summit represents a pivotal moment in our collective effort to transform cancer care in Nigeria and other low- and middle-income countries,” she said.
“Access, awareness, and training gaps continue to limit the reach and impact of this essential treatment. This year’s summit, focused on overcoming barriers to access, is not just a professional gathering—it is a movement to close the inequity gap in gynaecological cancer care.”
Dr Adegboyega further urged stakeholders to strive for a future where brachytherapy is not a privilege but a guaranteed right for all women who need it.
The statement noted that the summit attracted oncologists, medical physicists, gynaecologists, nurses, researchers, and policy advocates from Nigeria and abroad.
It added that a panel discussion addressed systemic barriers to treatment access, with delegates recommitting to translate dialogue into action by advocating for improved infrastructure, expanded local training programmes, and policies prioritising equitable cancer care.
Partners acknowledged during the event included TANIT Medical Engineering and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, whose support was instrumental to the summit’s success.
South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung pledged to reach out to the nuclear-armed North and “heal wounds” as he assumed office on Wednesday, following a decisive victory in a snap election triggered by his predecessor’s controversial martial law declaration.
The centre-left leader also warned that “rising protectionism and supply chain restructuring” pose an existential threat to Asia’s export-dependent fourth-largest economy, which has been unsettled by global trade disruptions, notably under former US President Donald Trump.
Lee secured a commanding 49.4 per cent of the vote, defeating conservative Kim Moon-soo, who garnered 41.2 per cent. Kim conceded defeat after being hampered by internal party divisions and a third-party candidate splitting the right-wing vote. Lee’s term began immediately after the official certification of the results on Wednesday.
Upon taking office, Lee spoke with South Korea’s top military commander and formally assumed operational control of the armed forces, urging vigilance amid potential provocations from Pyongyang. However, in his first public remarks, he emphasised his readiness for dialogue.
“We will heal the wounds of division and war and establish a future of peace and prosperity,” he said. “No matter how costly, peace is better than war.”
Lee vowed that Seoul would “deter North Korean nuclear and military provocations while opening communication channels and pursuing dialogue and cooperation to build peace on the Korean Peninsula.”
His inauguration came just hours before US tariffs on steel and aluminium were set to take effect, imposing a 50 per cent levy on key South Korean exports.
“The rapid changes in the global order, such as rising protectionism and supply chain restructuring, pose a threat to our very survival,” Lee warned.
Markets responded positively to the election outcome, with the benchmark KOSPI index and the South Korean won both rising on Wednesday.
A Significant Shift
Lee’s approach to North Korea marks a “significant departure” from his hawkish predecessor, as he did not immediately impose preconditions for dialogue, said Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification. This signals “his desire to resolve disagreements through talks,” Hong told AFP.
Lee held a modest inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly — the same venue where his predecessor deployed armed troops during an attempted suspension of civilian rule.
He also announced key appointments, including long-time adviser Kim Min-seok as prime minister and former unification minister Lee Jong-seok as head of intelligence.
Lee’s first day in office is expected to conclude with a series of congratulatory calls from world leaders, with US President Donald Trump likely to be among the first.
Trump’s top diplomat, Marco Rubio, swiftly congratulated Lee and expressed hope for cooperation, despite Lee’s previous calls for greater distance from the United States.
US Secretary of State emphasised that the Washington-Seoul alliance remains “ironclad,” citing “shared values and deep economic ties.”
The White House described the election as “free and fair” but expressed concerns about “Chinese interference and influence in democracies around the world.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Lee, highlighting the “great importance” of China-South Korea relations and expressing willingness to “firmly maintain the direction of good-neighbourly friendship” based on mutual benefit.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed a desire to “energise cooperation” between Seoul and Tokyo, South Korea’s former colonial ruler.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Lee on social media, expressing hopes to “strengthen” ties with South Korea.
A Positive Outlook
Lee assumes power with his party holding a parliamentary majority secure for the next three years, positioning him well to advance his legislative agenda.
On the streets of Seoul, citizens welcomed Lee’s conciliatory stance towards the North.
“Since our economy and many other aspects of society are closely linked to inter-Korean relations, I hope we can take a long-term perspective and move in a more positive direction,” said Choi Ki-ho, 55.
Lee Ju-yeon, a 42-year-old public sector employee, expressed hope that Lee “will devote himself to uniting our divided nation.”
The Katsina State Police Command has announced the deployment of comprehensive security arrangements to safeguard lives and property during and after the forthcoming Eid El-Kabir celebrations across the state.
This was disclosed in a statement released by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Katsina.
The statement reads: “Under the able leadership of Commissioner of Police Bello Shehu, psc, fdc, MNIM, the Katsina State Police Command is pleased to announce that, in anticipation of the upcoming Eid El-Kabir festival, adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure a peaceful and incident-free celebration throughout the state. To this end, the command has deployed sufficient personnel and resources to strategic locations across Katsina.
“In furtherance of our commitment to protecting lives and property, we urge the good people of the state to cooperate fully with the police and other security agencies deployed for the Sallah special duty. We call on parents and guardians to caution their children and wards against engaging in activities that contravene the law. Specifically, we warn against reckless and unlawful horse riding, dangerous driving, unlawful gatherings, substance abuse, and other behaviours that may cause disorder and endanger lives.
“Furthermore, individuals or miscreants harbouring malicious intentions are hereby advised to abandon their plans, as the Command is prepared to take decisive action against anyone attempting to disrupt the peace and tranquillity of the state before, during, or after the festivities. In case of emergencies, the public is encouraged to use the following Command emergency numbers: 08156977777, 09022209690, 07072722539 for prompt reporting of incidents or unlawful activities, ensuring swift response.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Shehu, psc, fdc, MNIM, takes this opportunity to wish all Muslim faithful in the state a happy Sallah celebration and assures them of the Command’s unwavering commitment to their safety and security,” the statement concluded.
A man and woman were publicly flogged 100 times each in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province on Wednesday after they were found guilty of sex outside marriage by a court operating under strict Islamic law.
Sexual relations between an unmarried couple is outlawed in Aceh, which imposes a version of sharia, the Islamic legal code.
Indonesia banned sex outside of marriage in its latest criminal code in 2022 but that law will not come into force until next year.
The two were lashed in sets of 10 with a rattan stick as a small crowd watched on at a park in the provincial capital Banda Aceh, and the female suspect was lashed by a woman, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.
Three other suspects were caned a combined 49 times for alleged gambling and alcohol consumption.
A member of the sharia police holds a rattan stick during a public caning in Banda Aceh on June 4, 2025. A man and woman were publicly flogged 100 times each in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province on June 4 after they were found guilty of sex outside marriage by a court operating under strict Islamic law. (Photo by CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN / AFP)
”Today we are carrying out flogging punishment for perpetrators of adultery, alcohol consumption, and online gambling,” Banda Aceh Mayor Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal told reporters.
”This becomes a moral lesson for the community at large. This flogging punishment becomes a gateway to repentance for them.”
Medical services were on standby for all of those convicted.
Rights groups have condemned the punishment as draconian.
Yet caning retains strong support among Aceh’s population as a common punishment for a range of offences including gambling, drinking alcohol and adultery.
In February two men were publicly flogged more than 150 times after being found guilty of sexual relations. Gay sex is outlawed in Aceh.
The region started using religious law after it was granted special autonomy in 2001, an attempt by the central government to quell a long-running separatist insurgency.
