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The Ondo State Police Command said it had arrested and prosecuted no fewer than 30 confirmed kidnap suspects while hundreds of armed robbery and other criminal suspects were nabbed in the first half of 2025. According to a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Olayinka Ayanlade, on Sunday, the period under review was under the leadership of the outgoing Commissioner of Police, Mr Wilfred Afolabi. Afolabi, the statement confirmed, has been redeployed from the state following the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. “If anything, his (Afolabi’s) tenure in Ondo State has been marked by notable achievements, including the arrest and prosecution of over 30 confirmed kidnappers, the dismantling of 83 cult gangs, and the apprehension of numerous armed robbers and car snatchers. These successes are a testament to his dedication, effectiveness, and leadership,” the PPRO stated. He however denied a report that Afolabi was removed following the ‘...

A t least two people were killed when firefighters tackling a blaze were ambushed by an unknown number of gunmen in an ongoing standoff in the northwestern US state of Idaho on Sunday, the local sheriff said. The blaze was still raging on the mountainside in Kootenai County as law enforcement exchanged gunfire with the shooter or shooters, Sheriff Robert Norris told reporters. “We now have two deaths. We have an unknown amount of casualties. We still have civilians that are coming off of that mountain… We are actively taking sniper fire as we speak,” he said at a press conference. The shooter showed “no evidence of wanting to surrender,” he continued, adding: “As soon as somebody has a clear shot, I encourage them to take that shot to neutralize the threat.” He said authorities believed the two people who were killed were firemen. Earlier, local fire chief Pat Riley described himself as “heartbroken” by the attack.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he believed the war between Iran and Israel was finished, as both sides were keen to end the fight. Asked why he was confident the conflict was over, Trump told reporters: “I dealt with both and they’re both tired, exhausted.” “They fought very, very hard and very viciously, very violently, and they were both satisfied to go home and get out,” said Trump. VANGUARD NEWS

Again, the Senate has issued a 10 day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited NNPCL to respond to 11 critical financial queries related to discrepancies in its audited financial statements, warning that failure to comply could attract serious constitutional consequences. The Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Aliyu Wadada, SDP, Nasarawa West at a resumed hearing yesterday however rejected a written request from the NNPCL seeking a two-month extension to compile responses and documents. Recall that last week, the Committee had expressed outrage over what it described as mind-boggling and unacceptable, financial irregularities uncovered in NNPC’s books, including over 200 trillion naira in unexplained receivables and undocumented legal and audit fees spanning the years 2017 to 2023. The disputed figures, comprising ₦103 trillion in “accrued expenses” and another ₦107 trillion listed as “receivables” were uncovered during the committee’s review of NNPCL’s financia...

The gruesome killing of a local farmer, Rabiat Atere, by suspected armed bandits at Oka Akoko, in Akoko South West Local Government Area of   Ondo State , has sparked outrage. Atere was reportedly attacked on her farm in Oka on Monday evening. The deceased, who hailed from Uba in Oka-Akoko, was said to have invested heavily on the farm before she was violently killed. A source who spoke to The Nation on Wednesday said the middle-aged woman whose corpse had already been deposited at the hospital morgue in Iwaro Oka was tilting on her farmland when the bandits struck. “It is a sad incident, but her lifeless body was discovered, and she was taken to a mortuary in Iwaro,” said, after pleading anonymously. Condemning the dastardly attack in strong terms, the bereaved youths of the community have called on the security agencies to smoke out the suspected marauders and perpetrators to face prosecution. The youths, under the aegis of Akoko Youth Forum (AYF), claimed that the killing of At...

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu   will on Thursday sign into law four historic tax reform bills set to overhaul Nigeria’s fiscal landscape, streamline tax administration, and boost investor confidence. The four bills — the Nigeria Tax Bill, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill — were recently passed by the National Assembly following extensive stakeholder consultations and technical reviews. The ceremonial signing is scheduled to take place at the State House, Abuja. A statement on Wednesday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the legislation as a major step forward in President Tinubu’s economic reform agenda, with the new legal framework expected to simplify tax compliance, enhance revenue generation, and improve the overall ease of doing business in Nigeria. “These laws will significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading ...

T he Federal Government on Tuesday commenced the implementation of bachelor’s degree programmes across 15 approved Federal Colleges of Education in Nigeria . This move follows President Bola Tinubu’s recent assent to the legislation empowering Federal Colleges of Education to award both the Nigeria Certificate in Education and Bachelor’s Degrees in Education. Speaking at a one-day sensitisation programme in Abuja, on ministerial deliverables and the education sector roadmap, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, announced the development. Enitan, represented by the Director of Educational Planning, Julie Uzor, noted that the dual certification model is aimed at revitalising teacher education and addressing dwindling enrollment. “This policy allows Colleges of Education to concurrently award the NCE and Bachelor’s Degrees in Education. As outlined in the Federal Colleges of Education Act, 2023, this dual mode enhances access, improves quali...

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun , said no fewer than 53 suspects have been arrested in connection with the recent wave of deadly attacks in Benue and Plateau states that claimed dozens of lives and left several others injured or displaced. Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Egbetokun described the June 13 massacre in Yelewata community in Benue State as a “coordinated attack of terror.” Egbetokun said 26 were arrested for the attack in Yelewata, 22 suspects in connection with the Plateau attacks and another five in Benue for a more recent attack. He stated that 47 persons were killed and 27 were injured in the Yelewata attack, adding that two general-purpose machine guns and eight AK-47 rifles used in the attack were recovered.

  Afrobeats star Lil Kesh has revealed that his breakout hit “Efejoku” was nearly given away to producer   Young Jonn   because he initially didn’t recognise the song’s full potential. Speaking on the song’s backstory, Lil Kesh admitted he was more focused on melody-driven tracks at the time and didn’t think “Efejoku” fit his musical direction, saying that he offered it to Young Jonn. However, after playing the track for music executive Olamide, popularly known as Baddo, and receiving an enthusiastic response, Lil Kesh said he had a change of heart and quickly moved to reclaim the song from the producer. The song eventually became one of his biggest hits, cementing his place in the Nigerian music scene. In a recent interview: “One of the songs that I’ve made in the past. I can’t really think of any right now but I can tell you for a fact, ‘Efejoku’, which is one of the songs that I will forever be grateful for that I ever recorded. I dashed it out. I know, crazy right? I...

Eredivisie side PSV have reportedly been offered Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson in a surprising transfer saga. The 20-year-old Irishman spent the last six months on loan at  West Ham , but only managed to play 151 minutes and grab one start for the Hammers. According to  Football Insider ,  Brighton  have now offered the former Manchester United target to Eredivisie champions PSV in an attempt to revamp the young striker's career. Brighton are open to a temporary and permanent moves for Ferguson, but would prefer a season-long loan. PSV could be about to lose American ace Ricardo Pepi, with Fulham, Juventus, and Real Betis reportedly all chasing the €30 million-rated striker. Captain Luuk de Jong, now 34 years old, hasn't extended his expiring contract at PSV yet either. The 20-time Republic of Ireland international is under contract until 2029 at Brighton & Hove Albion.

  President Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, expressed his displeasure over the inability of the standby force to be activated, despite commitments from the Authority of Heads of State of the  Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS . He regretted that it had failed to move from concept to reality in the collective fight against terrorism and transnational crimes under his leadership as chairman of the regional bloc. The President raised the concern in his opening speech at the 67th ECOWAS Authority’s Ordinary Session in Abuja, one of his final acts as chairman of the 50-year-old regional economic bloc. He emphasised the urgency of operationalising the force in the face of escalating insecurity across the sub-region, noting that, “The ECOWAS Standby Force must move from concept to operational reality. I am a little bit worried about the slow pace of its activation, which is taking longer than desired.” The Nigerian leader noted that threats confronting the region are transnat...

A Benue Links commercial bus was attacked on Sunday evening by suspected gunmen at Eke, along the Otukpo-Otukpa road in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State. The assailants reportedly robbed the passengers before whisking them into the surrounding bush. DAILY POST gathered that the vehicle, bearing registration number 14B-143BN, was ferrying travellers when it came under attack around 6:30 pm. The attackers ambushed the bus, dispossessed the passengers of their belongings, and then forcibly took them into the nearby forest. Comrade Austin Agada, Benue APC chairman, who passed by shortly after the incident, played a critical role in triggering an immediate response. He alerted military and police personnel, who swiftly mobilised to the scene to commence search-and-rescue operations. Efforts are currently underway to rescue the abducted passengers.

The French Senate passed a bill late on Wednesday that includes lack of consent in the country’s criminal definition of rape , paving the way for its official adoption in the coming months. The vote comes several months after a court in Avignon found a French man guilty of drugging his wife so he and strangers could rape her. The case drew renewed attention to the widespread crime of rape and the issue of consent. The bill passed this week redefines all sexual assaults — including rape — as “any non-consensual act”. France’s lower house of parliament approved a slightly different version of the bill in April. Wednesday’s vote is not the final legislative hurdle. A joint committee of senators and lower-house MPs is expected to draft a joint text prior to the final adoption of the law in both houses. “Consent is not saying no,” said Equality Minister Aurore Berge, but “saying yes, an explicit yes, freely, without constraint or ambiguity”. The vote is a “decisive step towards a genuine cu...

The Court of Appeal in Lagos has nullified the 2014 judgment of a Federal High Court that allowed Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank) to take possession of a sprawling N30 billion, 44-room mansion in Ikoyi, Lagos, belonging to Alhaji Agboola Abiola, son of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola. In a unanimous decision, Justices Paul Bassi, Polycarp Kwahar, and Abdulaziz Anka declared the foreclosure invalid, citing serious irregularities in the legal mortgage upon which GTBank had based its claim to the property. Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Bassi ruled that the Federal High Court erred by failing to address credible allegations of forgery and document manipulation raised by the appellants. He stated that the bank’s mortgage documents were riddled with discrepancies that undermined their validity. The appeal, marked CA/L/888/2014, challenged the June 20, 2014 judgment of the lower court which had granted GTBank the right to enforce the foreclosure. The appeal was filed by the appellants,...

Reality TV star,  Angela Simmons  has confirmed breakup rumors with renowned rapper,  Yo Gotti. Angela confirmed the split on an episode of the “Angie Martinez IRL” podcast on June 18, 2025, stating she ended the relationship. She expressed respect for Yo Gotti despite their breakup, cherishing the “great, beautiful memories” they shared. Angela declined to discuss the reasons behind their breakup, stating,  “some stuff is just better left unsaid”. According to reports, the breakup stems from Yo Gotti’s busy schedule and growing business demands. Rumors have also circulated about Yo Gotti’s alleged closeness to his artist  GloRilla , but neither party has addressed the speculation.

Juventus swept Al Ain aside to record a 5-0 victory in their first-ever FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) match, doing so against a side who had conceded just one goal in their previous seven games. The  Bianconeri  looked bright from the very beginning and established a lead just 11 minutes into proceedings, when a lovely passage of play culminated in  Randal Kolo Muani  rising to head  Alberto Costa ’s cross past  Rui Patricio . While  Al Ain  had shown intent of their own, they struggled to stretch  Michele Di Gregorio  and conceded again when  Francisco Conceicao  jinked his way across the six-yard box and hit a shot that deflected in off  Ramy Rabia .  Shortly after  Khéphren Thuram  saw a shot blocked, the Frenchman offloaded the ball to  Kenan Yildiz , who worked enough space to hit an audacious shot from range that went in off the post just after the half-hour mark. Al Ain showed that they would continu...

A ctress and filmmaker   Omoni Oboli   has said that the Nigerian film industry possesses original stories that can stand shoulder to shoulder with those from Hollywood. In a video shared online, Oboli addressed criticisms of predictability in Nollywood films, noting that the true magic lies in the storytelling journey, not necessarily in an unexpected ending. “A story can be predictable, but if it’s well told, people will still watch it and enjoy it,” she said, emphasising the power of strong narrative and character development. Oboli also pointed to the global appeal of Nollywood, revealing that YouTube analytics show diverse international viewership. “It’s not just Nigerians or Africans watching. People from all over the world are tuning in to enjoy our stories,” she added. Oboli said, “Stories have never really been our problem. I feel like in this part of the world, we have actually more original stories than outside of Nigeria. I dare say that Nollywood has more original...

T he Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has recommended tough penalties for 11  Computer Based Test (CBT) centres for their alleged involvement in fingerprint irregularities during registration for this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Also to be penalised are registration centres that had  more than 50 candidates with fingerprint irregularities. The sanctions are, however, subject to approval by Education Minister Tunji Alausa. Registrar/Chief Executive of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, made this known after a stakeholder meeting on examination infractions in Abuja yesterday. Oloyede explained that the penalties are intended to protect the integrity of the examination process. Oloyede said: “The leadership of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, with some critical stakeholders here, recommends as follows: That any registrant who has registered more than 50 candidates (with infractions) should be dismissed from participating in any ...

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has announced a drop in Nigeria’s headline inflation rate from 23.71 per cent in April 2025 to 22.97 per cent in May 2025. Ironically, food inflation rose to 21.14%, up by 0.12% when compared to 2.06% recorded the previous month. The Bureau made these known in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released on Monday, June 16, 2025 in Abuja. “On a year-on-year basis, the Headline inflation rate was 10.98% lower than the rate recorded in May 2024 (33.95%),” NBS said. “Furthermore, on a month-on-month basis, the Headline inflation rate in May 2025 was 1.53%, which was 0.33% lower than the rate recorded in April 2025 (1.86%). “This means that in May 2025, the rate of increase in the average price level is lower than the rate of increase in the average price level in April 2025.” The statistics body said the headline inflation rate was driven by the cost of food, accommodation and transport services. The statistics firm said the food inflation rate i...

The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) , has decried the unending wave of “banditry, terrorism and barbaric killing” going on across different parts of the country, with a call for the federal government to put an end to them. In a statement issued on Monday by the National Chairman of the party, Falalu Bello, OFR, the PRP strongly condemned the recent attacks in the Yelewata and Daudu communities of Benue and Nassarawa States where hundreds of lives were lost. The statement reads: “The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) unequivocally condemns the heinous and tragic attacks that have claimed the lives of over 100 innocent citizens in Yelewata and Daudu communities and the innocent motorists along Lafiya – Makurdi corridor of Benue and Nassarawa States. “These barbaric acts exemplify the deepening insecurity crisis that continues to ravage Nigeria with devastating consequences. “It is profoundly disheartening that while our people are being slaughtered, villages razed, and livelihoods destroyed...

F rench President   Emmanuel Macron   touched down in Greenland on Sunday, for an official visit designed to bolster European support for the Danish territory, which is still batting away advances from the Trump administration to   acquire it for the United States . Macron is the first foreign leader to visit the resource-rich island since US President   Donald Trump   began his campaign to buy or annex Greenland, which he insists the US needs for national security purposes. Asked about Trump’s ambitions as he arrived in Greenland, Macron is cited by Reuters as saying: “I don’t think that’s what allies do… it’s important that Denmark and the Europeans commit themselves to this territory, which has very high strategic stakes and whose territorial integrity must be respected.” A source at the Élysée Palace said ahead of the visit that the French president’s trip had a “dimension of European solidarity and one of strengthening sovereignty and territorial integrity,...

Principal Special Assistant to the governor of Benue State on Youth and Media Mobilization, Hon. Atu Terver Joseph has sacked his Chief of Staff and Chief Press Secretary, Mr. John Ukeyima and Mr Lubem Terkula, respectively, for protesting the wanton killings going on in the state. Terver made the disclosure on Sunday night in a letter addressed to the two aides, accusing them of working against the state government. The letter reads, “This letter serves as formal notification of your immediate and indefinite suspensions from your position as Chief of Staff and Chief press secretary, effective today, June 14, 2025. “This decision has been made due to your actions that have been deemed as working against the explicit directives of your Principal. “Such conduct is a serious breach of your duties and the trust placed in your office. “During the period of this indefinite suspension, you are to refrain from all official duties and responsibilities, and you are not permitted to represent thi...

T wo Nigerian companies’ stocks propelled the Nigerian Exchange Limited to a N405 billion gain on Wednesday. The two companies with the highest gains were ABC Transport and Beta Glass. Interestingly, Wednesday’s rally was not driven by the banking sector. The market performance indices rose by 0.56 per cent, spurred by increased interest in major stocks. Accordingly, market capitalisation rose by N405 billion to close at N72.302 trillion, compared with N71.897 trillion on Tuesday. Similarly, the All-Share Index increased by 641.63 points, or 0.56 per cent, to settle at 114,659.11. Consequently, market breadth also closed positively, with 32 gainers and 28 losers. On the gainers’ table, ABC Transport rose by 10 per cent to close at N2.64, while Beta Glass also appreciated by 10 per cent, settling at N231.10 per share. Berger Paints gained 9.98 per cent, finishing at N24.80, and Fidson Healthcare rose by 9.91 per cent, closing at N34.95 per share. Similarly, Legend Internet Plc advanced...

The chairman of the Board of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc , Aliko Dangote, has announced his retirement, bringing an end to a 20-year leadership of the company. In a statement released by Company Secretary Temitope Hassan on Wednesday, it was stated that his retirement will take effect from June 16, 2025. Since assuming leadership in 2005, Dangote has been recognised as a key figure in transforming Dangote Sugar into a market leader in Nigeria’s sugar industry, overseeing significant expansion projects and strengthening corporate governance. “In line with the principles of good corporate governance and succession planning, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc hereby announces the retirement of our esteemed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON, effective June 16, 2025,” the statement read. The statement also noted that during his tenure, the company launched major backward integration projects in Adamawa, Taraba, and Nasarawa States, aimed at boosting local ...

  Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja , on Wednesday, granted bail to one Veronica Ekeh, who is standing trial for alleged human trafficking. She, however, remanded the woman’s husband in a correctional centre in Abuja. The judge, in her ruling on the bail application filed by the couple’s lawyer, Mr. J. Obanwudeh, said the woman was granted bail because she was pregnant. Ekeh was granted bail in the sum of N10 million and two sureties in like sum. Nyako said: “The gravity of this offence is serious, but I have noted the medical condition of the wife, and so I have to grant her bail. “Bail is set in the sum of N10 million and two sureties in like sum and one of the sureties must be resident in Abuja and must have a verifiable means of employment.” She also ordered that the defendant must not leave Abuja without permission from the court. She adjourned the matter till June 26 for further hearing. Earlier, Obanwudeh had urged the court to admit his clients to bail on...