ThisDay Nigeria

Laleye Dipo in Minna The Niger State Pilgrims Welfare Board has set September 20, this year for the payment of deposits by potential 2027 Hajj pilgrims. A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Board, Hajia Lubabatu Mohammed Kusherki, in Minna said the deadline followed a similar action taken by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). NAHCONs action, she said, is in line with a decision by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. Hajia Kusherki said the Saudi

• Seek stronger collaboration to tackle scourge  Francis Sardauna in Katsina  Security chiefs, Katsina State Government and other stakeholders have called for stronger synergy, intelligence sharing and coordinated operations among security agencies to defeat terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities threatening the North-west region of the country.  The call was made at the North-west Conference of State Directors of Security, held in Katsina on Thursday, with the

Michael Olugbode in Abuja The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a stark warning that escalating hate speech, intimidation, incitement and divisive political rhetoric could plunge Nigeria into violence and chaos ahead of the 2027 general election. The commission said on Thursday that inflammatory statements by political and public figures were increasingly threatening human dignity, peaceful coexistence and citizens’ right to participate freely in the democratic process.

Alleges 30 APC members killed within a month Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, Femi Fadahunsi, yesterday accused the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, of allegedly importing political violence and terrorism into the senatorial district ahead of Saturday’s governorship election. It would be recalled that Adeleke called for arrest of Fadahunsi over reported incitement against supporters of Accord Party. Meanwhile, Fadahunsi, who spoke at

Igbere traditional rulers in Bende Local Government of Abia State have thrown their weight behind the 2027 bid of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu to return to the parliament. Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers during Kalu’s courtesy call in the course of his “Meet Your Constituents” tour to the traditional rulers on Wednesday in Igbere, His Royal Majesty (HRM) Eze Joseph Ukaoha Anyanta applauded Kalu for his outstan

The highest-scoring candidate in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Daniella Owoeye, has credited Prep50, alongside disciplined study, concept-based learning and consistent revision, as one of the key resources that contributed to her outstanding score of 372. Speaking during an interview with Emeka Ejeziem, chief executive officer of Deacons Publishers Limited, publishers of the Prep50 series, Daniella said the study resource played a significant role in helping her

The statewide campaign of the All Progressives Congress flag-bearer for the coming Saturday, August 15, 2026, governorship poll in Osun State, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, offers the electorate an opportunity to critically interrogate his contrasting records, governance philosophies and development agendas that will define the next chapter in Osun’s political evolution. Writes Jonathan Eze. With the Osun gubernatorial election less than three days away, the State of the Living Spring is once ag

Chris Akinfosile writes on the need for President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the choice of the electorate is not tampered with as voters go to the poll on Saturday, August 15, 2026 to elect a governor for Osun state. A  combustible mix of local political desperation, international pop star clout, historical ghosts, and a White House already scrutinizing Nigerian affairs is converging on Osun State ahead of its next governorship election. At the centre of the storm is a president who, with one

• Says Oyinlola against his re-election out of jealousy, declares Friday work-free   •Osun is a test, don’t turn election into war, Atiku warns INEC, Tinubu • Senate Leader: voters, not federal might, will decide winner, urges peaceful poll  •Those inciting violence will end up in prison at The Hague, Olawepo-Hashim forewarns   •Accord appeals to EU to intervene in Osun poll over rising tension as ADC warns against planned arrest of Aregbesola Chuks Okocha

• Iran rejects claim, says waterway remains blocked until conditions are met   •Only eight vessels transited on Tuesday, down from 130 daily before war   • Six killed as Houthis strike ship in Bab el- Mandeb strait Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja US President Donald Trump yesterday claimed that the United States has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz, as shipping traffic through the strategic waterway fell to its lowest level in a week amid the continuing war with Ir

• Broadens OMO participation as individuals, corporates, non-bank financial institutions gain access to market through banks   •Resumes tenored repo operations of up to 90 days to deepen liquidity management  • Declares reforms designed to improve money market functioning, strengthen monetary policy transmission James Emejo in Abuja and Nume Ekeghe in Lagos Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), yesterday, announced the removal of restrictions preventing financial institutions

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has called on states to ensure full utilisation of available funds and prompt implementation of approved programmes to improve basic education delivery across Nigeria. The call was made during a courtesy visit to the Delta State Government, represented by Deputy Governor, Monday Onyeme, in Asaba, as part of the 30th Quarterly Meeting of UBEC Management with Executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUB

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has dismissed reports of a disagreement between the state executive and the Rivers State House of Assembly over the 2026 Appropriation Bill, describing the reports as unfounded and insisting that his administration is working closely with the lawmakers. The governor’s position was contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi, in response to reports alleging that the Executive and Legislative

Segun Awofadeji in Gombe Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has declared that the future of Gombe State must be shaped by its young people, stressing his administration’s commitment to creating the policies, opportunities and platforms required for them to thrive. Governor Inuwa Yahaya stated this on Wednesday in his goodwill message to mark the 2026 International Youth Day, coming shortly after the State Executive Council approved the Gombe State Youth Policy, a landmark

Ayodeji Ake The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), has commended the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for his swift intervention in the recent dispute involving the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), FCT Administration. NARD, in a statement, yesterday, said queries issued to members of the ARD FCTA executive were withdrawn following interventions by the Acting Head of Service, the Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister and the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Administrative M

• RHG chair says region must build integrated energy market Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja West Africa needs a $3 billion regional settlement facility, harmonised regulations and deeper cross-border integration to unlock a potential $3 trillion cumulative energy market by 2035, the Chairman of RHG Advisory, Suleiman Yahyah, has said. Yahyah, who spoke on the second day of the West African Refined Fuel Market (WARFM) conference in Abuja yesterday, said the region could no longer afford to appro

• Targets 60,000 sellers, 1,800 direct jobs, 100,000 sales agents • Funding to strengthen digital payments across 8 African markets Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Sunday Ehigiator in Lagos The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, has announced a $25 million equity investment in Jumia Technologies AG to support the expansion of digital commerce infrastructure across Africa. The investment, announced yesterday, is expected to help approx

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja Northern Senators Forum (NSF) called on the federal and Niger State governments to move beyond annual emergency responses and develop a permanent solution to recurring flooding in Shiroro, Minna, and other vulnerable communities in Niger State. The forum, in a statement by its Chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua, expressed deep sympathy for victims of the latest flooding in Minna, Chanchaga, Bosso, and Shiroro local government areas, saying the repeated destructi

Chuks Okocha in Abuja The African Democratic Congress (ADC), Tuesday, in Abuja unveiled a set of governance principles and ethical guidelines to regulate the conduct of public office holders elected on the platform of the party in the 2027 general election. The guidelines were contained in a document titled: “The Orange Book”, formally launched by the party as part of its efforts to establish standards of accountability for its elected representatives. In a joint statement issued by the

• I stand by my words, says cleric   •Listen to bishops, stop attacks on clerics, Kwankwaso National Network tells Tinubu  •Says bishops echoed pains of millions, urges dialogue not confrontation Boniface Okoro in Umuahia and Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano The vice presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has faulted comments by Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir advocating a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elec