Nigerians Demand Right To Bear Firearms The escalating terror crisis in Nigeria’s Middle Belt took centre stage on Saturday, April 26, 2025, as 77 civil society organisations, community leaders, religious figures, victims’ groups and concerned citizens gathered online for a Citizens’ Dialogue convened by Middle Belt Concern (MBC). At the conclusion of the dialogue, participants issued a forceful communiqué, warning that ongoing attacks, mass killings, and land seizures could spiral into full-scale genocide if immediate action is not taken. Held under the theme “Defeating Terror in the Middle Belt,” the dialogue brought together voices from across the region who described…
Author: Ibom Focus
Electricity, Telecom Tariffs Have Taken All Our Minimum Wage, Ajaero Cries Out Joe Ajaero, The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, has lamented the impact of inflation on the N70,000 minimum wage approved by the President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government. He shared his thoughts while speaking at the quadrennial delegates conference of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Abuja. While speaking, Ajaero lamented that electricity tariffs and taxes were well above the approved minimum wage. “This is a period where the tax on your salaries is almost higher than the minimum wage increase on the salaries. It is a period…
Nigerian Soldiers Who Extort Money From Farmers, Residents In Terror-Hit Kwara Communities Lands in Trouble The Nigerian Army has responded to the exclusive reports about widespread extortion allegedly carried out by its personnel stationed in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, vowing to launch a full-scale investigation into the matter. The 22 Armoured Brigade, based in Ilorin, issued a press statement following SaharaReporters’ April 22 report that exposed how troops deployed to border communities are more focused on extorting bribes from farmers and motorists than tackling the growing wave of terror attacks. The army, while denying the accuracy of…
27 Impersonators Arrested In Ongoing UTME, Hands Them To Police For Trial The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said it has arrested 27 impersonators in the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). JAMB noted the 27 impersonators apprehended have been handed over to the Nigerian police for immediate prosecution. The board also announced that it delisted four Computer-Based Test, CBT centres that had failed to meet the stringent technical standards required for the UTME. JAMB named the delisted centres as Adventure Associate, Behind Sheshe Supermarket, Off Hadejia Road, Kano, Kano State; Saadatu Rimi College of Education, Zaria Road,…
Tension In Labour Party As Top Members Set To Join APC There is serious tension in Labour Party (LP) following speculations of an impending mass defection of some of its high-profile members, including the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti. It was gathered that some of the members are waiting for a final pronouncement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the Supreme Court verdict on the leadership tussle before making their move. A top ranking party official familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter confided in this paper that…
Insincere Leaders Should Leave PDP Now; Saraki Blasts Defectors Following the development in the Delta State Chapter of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I have been inundated with phone calls from leaders and members of our party as well as various youths who have been active in promoting democracy and good governance in our country. Many of the callers want to know what my reaction is to the defection of top PDP leaders in Delta State and its impact on our party. My view is that those who want to leave the PDP should leave now and let…
Trump Sends Stroπg Warπing To Putin Over Attack On Ukraine The United States President, Donald Trump has warned his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to cease the attack on Ukraine. His comments came as Russia pounded Kyiv with missiles and drones overnight, killing at least 12 people in the biggest attack on the Ukrainian capital this year. Trump stated that the attack by Russia was unnecessary and of “very bad timing.” Ninety people were reported injured in the attack, with buildings destroyed and fires set off. Rescuers were still recovering bodies from the rubble more than 12 hours later. “I am…
Police Brutalise, Shav£, Extort Money From Travellers Over Dreadlocks Nigerian Police officers stationed at a checkpoint along the Minna-Paiko road in Pago, Niger State, have been accused of brutalising and extorting money from a team of photographers travelling from Abuja to Minna, for allegedly having dreadlocks. In a video, one of the photographers explained how they were en route to Minna for a job, and stopped by police officers who removed their caps, inspected their hairstyles, and then forcefully cut their hair. He added that the policemen assaulted them and asked them to pay a bribe before being released. The…
Nigerians To Plunge Into Poverty Under Tinubu’s Govt: World Bank The World Bank has predicted a grim future for Nigeria, stating that more Nigerians will be plunged into poverty under President Bola Tinubu’s watch. In its April 2025 Africa’s Pulse report, the World Bank projected a 3.6 percentage point increase in poverty in Nigeria by 2027, when Mr Tinubu is expected to complete his first tenure. “Poverty in resource-rich, fragile countries (which include large countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria) is expected to increase by 3.6 percentage points over 2022–27, being the only group in the region…
Chief Ifeanyi Odii Launches N150m Agric-Empowerment Scheme For Isuachara Community Chief Chukwuma Odii, The 2023 Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ebonyi State, has launched a N150 million agric-business empowerment scheme for his youths in his Isuechara community in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The empowerment scheme according to Chief Odii will henceforth become a revolving scheme that will cover training, and donation of equipment to the beneficiaries to enable them start the businesses. Chief Odii who announced the launch of the programme as a gran reception organised in his honour by the Isuechara community stated…