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Experts in the development sector have provided context on how kidnap for ransom business is thriving in Nigeria especially in Northern Nigeria. They gave the insights on the heels of a recent report by SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence, a geopolitical research firm, which recently declared that kidnappers demanded over N48 billion from victims and their families between July 2024 and …

2027: TINUBU WILL BE VOTED OUT IF HARDSHIP, INSECURITY PERSIST – ADEBAYO The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Adewole Adebayo, said that if conditions remain the same in 2027, President Bola Tinubu will be voted out. Adebayo made the statement on Wednesday during an appearance on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television. He argued that …

PETER OBI IS TOOL FOR INCLUSION – EX-AIDE REACTS TO PDP ZONING ARRANGEMENT The camp of the former Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has reacted to the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Executive Committee, NEC, to zone its presidential ticket to the South. During its 102nd NEC meeting at its National Secretariat in Abuja, PDP …

NIGERIAN IMMIGRATION ANNOUNCES UPWARD REVIEW OF PASSPORT FEES The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on Thursday, August 28, announced an upward review of the standard passport fees. The service said the decision to review the fees for obtaining a standard passport stems from the need to uphold the quality and integrity of the Nigerian passport. In a statement signed by ACI …

COURT ORDERS 6 BANKS TO FURNISH IGP WITH ACCOUNT DETAILS LINKED TO SOWORE The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered six banks to furnish the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police with details of account documents and all transactions, including inflows and outflows, linked to Omoyele Sowore from January 2024 to date. Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after I-G …

POLICEMAN ESCORTING ILLEGAL MINING TRUCK SHOOTS ARMY OFFICER DEAD A soldier of the Nigerian Army has been shot dead by a mobile police inspector during an operation to intercept a truck allegedly transporting solid minerals from an illegal mining site in Futuk, Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State. The incident occurred on Monday, 25 August, at about 7:50 p.m. …

TINUBU GOVT RETRACTS FALSE CLAIM THAT JAPAN PROPOSED SPECIAL VISAS FOR SKILLED NIGERIANS The Nigerian government, under Bola Tinubu, has retracted its claims that Japan will create a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians who wish to move to Kisarazu to live and work. In a statement signed on Wednesday by Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of …

FIVE TOP ISSUES THAT MAY SHAPE ADC ZONING POLICY The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Nigeria is navigating a complex political landscape as it prepares for the 2027 elections, particularly with its zoning strategy for selecting candidates, especially for the presidential ticket. 1. Pressure to Balance Regional Representation2. Ethnic Sensitivities and National Unity3. Zoning vs. Merit-Based Selection4. Weak Institutional Capacity5. …

CATHOLIC LAWYERS CELEBRATE HOLY MASS TO BEGIN NBA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING IN ENUGU The National Association of Catholic Lawyers (NACL) held its 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday, August 26, with a solemn Holy Mass and other activities at the Amadeo Event Center, Enugu. The event coincided with the ongoing Annual General Conference (AGC) of the Nigerian Bar Association …

KIDNAPPERS ABDUCT 4,722 PEOPLE ACROSS NIGERIA IN ONE YEAR, DEMANDED N48BN RANSOM, N2.56BN PAID – REPORT Kidnappers across Nigeria demanded a total of N48 billion in ransom between July 2024 and June 2025, a new report by SB Morgen Intelligence has revealed. The report, titled “Economics of Nigeria’s Kidnap Industry,” revealed that kidnappers have grown increasingly audacious this year, demanding …