The negotiations between U.S. and Russian delegations in Riyadh will be held in a closed format.

The negotiation had already started, Al Arabiya broadcaster reported earlier in the day.

The RIA Novosti correspondent confirmed that the Russian delegation had arrived at the negotiation venue at the Ritz-Carlton hotel.

Saudi Arabia’s state security service officers had asked journalists and others to leave the hotel’s premises and refrain from photo and video recording.

Security personnel in vehicles were stationed throughout the hotel grounds, and entry into the building was strictly prohibited.

The Russian delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Russia was represented at the meeting by Grigory Karasin, head of the Russian upper house’s foreign affairs committee, and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the director of the Federal Security Service.

The talks are expected to focus primarily on the nuances of a possible resumption of the initiative concerning the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.

It was discussed during the last phone call between the Russian and U.S. presidents.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered an immediate probe into the prison break at the Koton Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi.

This is contained in a statement by the minister’s special adviser on media, Babatunde Alao, on Monday in Abuja.

The minister described the incident as unfortunate and vowed to ensure all fleeing inmates are captured.

He said the ministry would leverage the service’s robust biometrics and already deployed technological solutions to ensure this.

Mr Tunji-Ojo also ordered the acting controller general of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Ndidi, to visit the facility.

He also directed Mr Ndidi to evaluate the situation and commence a comprehensive audit to unravel the events that led to the incident.

The minister assured that the ministry and security agencies were on top of the situation to maintain law and order.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, distributed 10,000 bags (25kg) of rice to religious leaders and Muslim groups in FCT as a Ramadan package.

Mr Wike explained during the distribution on Monday in Gwagwalada that the gesture was part of the FCT Administration’s annual support to Muslims in FCT.

The minister, represented by his chief of staff, Chidi Amadi, identified the beneficiaries as Muslim religious groups, associations and vulnerable groups in the FCT.

“The distribution of the 10,000 bags of rice is part of our efforts to identify with our Muslim brothers, the needy and the less privileged who really need such support.

“The minister, in his own little way, is trying to identify with the religious community in FCT,” he said.

Earlier, FCTA director of protocol Sani Daura said that other beneficiaries of the Ramadan package would include FCT-graded chiefs, religious leaders, and the FCT Welfare Association.

Mr Daura said that Mr Wike approved the procurement and distribution of the items in keeping with the FCT Administration’s long-standing tradition of catering to residents’ welfare, particularly during festive periods.

The beneficiaries thanked Mr Wike for the gesture, describing it as “thoughtful.”

One of them, the chief imam of the FCT Minister’s residence, Life Camp, Abuja, Lawal Mustapha, said the kind gesture would ease the food burden among vulnerable households.

Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has denied reports that she apologised to the Senate over the issue that led to her suspension.

Akpoti-Uduaghan in a statement on Monday, described the claims as “false and misleading,” insisting that she still stands by her position.

“The reports suggesting that I have apologized to the Senate and retracted my position are completely untrue. I stand firmly by my words and actions and have not issued any apology to the Senate or anyone regarding this matter,” she said.

She criticised those spreading the false reports, accusing them of trying to twist the truth and mislead the public.

The senator, who was suspended after a disagreement with Senate leadership, said she remains committed to defending the rights of her people. She also claimed that some individuals were trying to manipulate public opinion with fake statements.

“I urge the public to disregard these rumours and publications as they do not represent my position. My commitment remains to truth, justice, and the people I represent.”

She also expressed concern over what she called a planned effort to silence her voice in the National Assembly.

She stated, “This is not just about me; it is about the integrity of our democracy. I will not be intimidated or forced into submission through false narratives.”

She urged Nigerians to be careful of misinformation, adding that any official statement from her would come only from her verified channels.

“I appreciate the support and solidarity of my people. Rest assured, I will continue to fight for what is right and just.”

There have been calls for Akpoti-Uduaghan to be recalled following her suspension from the senate.

The push to recall her followed her suspension from the Senate, after a heated dispute with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over seating arrangements.

She also accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and has since taken her case before local and foreign media and the United Nations Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Earlier, the Independent National Electoral Commission disclosed that it had received the petition seeking the recall process of Akpoti-Uduaghan as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Secretary to the commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, received the petition on Monday.

Two ex-police officers have been arrested in Mexico for alleged links to a suspected drug cartel training ground where bones, shoes and clothing were found earlier this month, authorities said Sunday.

The discovery of human remains at what Human Rights Watch has called an “apparent mass killing site” has caused shock in a country where murders and kidnappings are daily occurrences.

One of the former officers is accused of kidnapping a man who was held at the Izaguirre Ranch in Teuchitlan in the western state of Jalisco, the state attorney general’s office said in a statement.

The former agent and colleagues detained the victim for a supposed search as he was riding a motorbike, before handing him over to a group who took him to the site, it said.

The man was later released from the ranch following an armed confrontation, the statement added.

Families searching for some of the more than 100,000 people missing in Mexico discovered bodies on March 5 at the site where forced recruits are thought to have been held.

Some 124,000 people are officially registered as missing in Mexico, mostly since 2006 when the government declared war on drug cartels.

The Guerreros Buscadores collective – a group dedicated to locating missing people – described the site as an “extermination center” with “clandestine crematoriums”.

The Mexican attorney general’s office, which is set to take over the investigation, said Sunday that a second former police officer had been arrested in connection to the case.

Both ex-officers belonged to a police force whose chief had already been detained.

Attorney General Alejandro Gertz promised Wednesday there would be no cover-up in the investigation, saying extensive evidence meant that the “truth will come out.”

He listed multiple flaws in the initial investigation overseen by the Jalisco state prosecutor’s office, including a failure to thoroughly search the site.

The chief judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, has created an Insolvency Unit for the court to ensure efficient service delivery.

The court’s chief registrar, Sulaiman Hassan, announced this in a statement on Sunday night.

Mr Hassan said the creation of the unit was done pursuant to the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020, and the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Act, 2019 (as amended).

He said the creation was also in line with the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Act, 2024, and the Bankruptcy Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.

“The functions of the Insolvency Unit are to oversee the effective implementation of the provisions of the above enactments as it relates to Company Voluntary Arrangements (CVA), administration, receivership, winding up and various forms of restructuring of companies.

“The unit is created in line with global best practices on insolvency and to also provide specialised and standardised services on insolvency matters. It also offers insolvency practitioners a dedicated channel for supervisory and enforcement services,” the statement said.

According to the statement, this is a milestone in the quest for modernisation and updating insolvency practices and proceedings in Nigeria.

It said the unit would also offer fast-track services required to implement its mandate.

South Korea’s Constitutional Court dismissed the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday, reinstating him as acting president — a role he took after the president was suspended for declaring martial law.

The court ruling is the latest development in South Korea’s complex and sprawling political crisis, which President Yoon Suk Yeol started with a short-lived attempt to subvert civilian rule in December.

Lawmakers defied armed soldiers at parliament to vote down Yoon’s December 3 martial law declaration and impeached him soon after, with Han stepping in as acting president.

But he was himself impeached by lawmakers just weeks later over his purported involvement in the martial law debacle, plus a dispute over judicial appointments.

“The Constitutional Court has rendered a decision to reject the impeachment trial request against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo,” the court said Monday in a statement.

The court ruled five-to-one against Han’s impeachment, with two judges arguing the case should not have made it to court as lawmakers did not have a super majority to impeach him in the first place.

Han’s actions while in office “cannot be seen as constituting a betrayal of the people’s trust indirectly granted through the President,” the court ruled.

The decision is effective immediately and cannot be appealed.

Han, who immediately resumed the acting presidency Monday, thanked the Constitutional Court for its “wise decision”.

“I believe that all citizens are clearly speaking out against the highly polarised political sphere. I think there is no place for division now. Our country’s priority is to move forward,” he added.

The court’s decision was closely watched as it comes ahead of a highly anticipated ruling on suspended President Yoon’s impeachment, the date of which has not yet been announced.

Despite experts predicting a verdict on that case by mid-March, the Constitutional Court has yet to rule, making Yoon’s case the longest deliberation in its history.

The leader of the opposition, Lee Jae-myung, said the verdict on Han should not be “disrespected” but urged the Constitutional Court to move more swiftly on Yoon’s case.

“The entire nation is losing sleep over Yoon Suk Yeol’s illegal military coup,” he said, adding it was “hard to fathom why the Constitutional Court continues to postpone the ruling date.”

“Every day, every hour, every minute, every second, the international trust in the Republic of Korea is being broken, the economic damage is mounting,” he added.

If Yoon’s impeachment is upheld, South Korea must hold fresh elections within 60 days of the verdict.

Monday’s ruling “does not have a direct legal correlation with the pending decision on Yoon’s impeachment,” Yoo Jung-hoon, attorney and political commentator, told AFP.

“The judges did not deliberate on the legality of martial law but rather on Han’s involvement in the case,” he said.

Yoon was suspended by parliament in December.

He was arrested in January in a dawn raid in connection to a separate criminal investigation on insurrection charges — which are not covered by presidential immunity.

Yoon is the first sitting South Korean president to stand trial in a criminal case.

He was released from detention in early March on procedural grounds — a move that has appeared to invigorate his supporters.

Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans took to the streets over the weekend, as rallies for and against Yoon intensified ahead of the court verdict.

Lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party told reporters at the National Assembly that Han’s reinstatement was welcome.

The opposition who impeached him should “apologise to the people for paralysing state affairs for 87 days with a hasty impeachment bid,” which was done for political purposes, Kweon added.

The South African ambassador who was expelled from the United States in a row with President Donald Trump’s government arrived home on Sunday to a raucous welcome and struck a defiant tone over the decision.

Ties between Washington and Pretoria have slumped since Trump cut financial aid to South Africa over what he alleges is its anti-white land policy, its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and other foreign policy clashes.

Former South African Ambassador to the United States Ebrahim Rasool (c) arrives at the Cape Town International Airport, in Cape Town, on March 23, 2025.

“It was not our choice to come home, but we come home with no regrets,” expelled ambassador Ebrahim Rasool said in Cape Town after he was ousted from Washington on accusations of being “a race-baiting politician” who hates Trump.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week Rasool was expelled after he described Trump’s Make America Great Again movement as a supremacist reaction to diversity in the United States.

Rasool was greeted with cheers and applause from hundreds of placard-waving supporters mostly clad in the green and yellow of the ruling African National Congress party at Cape Town International Airport.

Former South African Ambassador to the United States Ebrahim Rasool (c), greets relatives and supporters upon his arrival at the Cape Town International airport, in Cape Town, on March 23, 2025.

“I want to say that we would have liked to come back with a welcome like this if we could report to you that we had turned away the lies of a white genocide in South Africa, but we did not succeed in America with that,” he said with a megaphone after a more than 30-hour trip via Qatari capital Doha.

The former anti-apartheid campaigner defended his remarks about Trump’s policies, saying he had intended to analyse a political phenomenon and warn South Africans that the “old way of doing business with the US was not going to work”.

“Our language must change not only to transactionality but also a language that can penetrate a group that has clearly identified a fringe white community in South Africa as their constituency,” he said.

“The fact that what I said caught the attention of the president and the secretary of state and moved them enough to declare me persona non grata says that the message went to the highest office,” he added.

South Africa, the current president of the Group of 20 leading economies, this week said it considered improving its relationship with the United States a priority.

The United States is South Africa’s second-biggest trading partner and will take over the rotating G20 presidency next year.

Rasool is due to provide a report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday.

Pretoria should nonetheless not try to mend its ties with Washington “without sacrificing our values” Rasool said.

“The declaration of persona non grata is meant to humiliate you, but when you return to a crowd like this… I will wear my persona non grata as a badge of dignity, our values and that we have done the right thing,” he said.

Trump froze US aid to South Africa in February, citing a law in the country that he alleges allows land to be seized from white farmers.

Relations have also been strained by South Africa’s case against US ally Israel at the ICJ. Pretoria alleges Israel has committed genocidal acts against the Palestinians in its offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Trump further heightened tensions this month, saying South Africa’s farmers were welcome to settle in the United States after repeating his accusations — without providing evidence – that the government was “confiscating” land from white people.

Trump’s ally Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa under apartheid, has also accused Ramaphosa’s government of having “openly racist ownership laws”.

Ramaphosa said South Africa would seek to engage with the United States by dispatching envoys from the business community and government.

Ninety-three-year-old Hajiya Sarafa’u Umaru, mother of Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has died.

The death was announced in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Kaula-Mohammed, on Sunday in Katsina.

The statement stated, “With profound sadness, the Government of Katsina State announces the passing of Hajiya Safara’u Umaru Baribari, the beloved mother of Governor Dikko Radda.

Hajiya Safara’u departed this world last night at the blessed age of 93.

She was a woman of remarkable strength and dignity with wisdom flowed from decades of lived experience.”

Mr Kaula-Mohammed added that, beyond being the mother of Mr Radda, she nurtured generations of leaders and community pillars.

He added, “Her children include the current Village Head of Radda, Alhaji Kabir Umar-Radda, and Hajiya Hauwa Umar-Radda, former wife of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. A true Fulani matriarch, Hajiya Safara’u leaves behind a legacy that reaches far beyond her immediate family. Her values of integrity, perseverance, and community service continue to inspire all who knew her.’’

Mr Kaula-Mohammed said that the late matriarch would be laid to rest by 4:00 p.m., on Sunday in Radda village, Charanchi Local Government of the state.

Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, has granted automatic employment to 54 postgraduate students who benefitted from a foreign scholarship programme to study health-related courses in India.

This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Tofa, in Kano.

The statement stated that Mr Yusuf made the announcement during a reception and Iftar (Ramadan breaking of fast) organised for the students, who studied at Symbiosis International University in Pune, India, and returned to the state on Friday.

He said, “We have made all necessary arrangements to offer you automatic employment within the Kano State Civil Service. Your appointment letters will be issued shortly through the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Head of Service.

“You will also benefit from the newly implemented minimum wage of ₦71,000 in the state. We have improved allowances for healthcare workers to ensure a conducive working environment.’’

The governor expressed concern over individuals who received government-sponsored education but later left the state for employment elsewhere.

“I am surprised to see beneficiaries of government scholarships working outside Kano instead of contributing to the state’s development. We appeal to you to use your knowledge and expertise to improve the lives of our people, especially women, and address critical health issues such as maternal mortality and sickle cell anaemia,” he said.

According to him, the state’s investment in education and healthcare aims to strengthen service delivery within Kano, and retaining skilled professionals is key to achieving that goal.

Mr Yusuf reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to continuing the foreign scholarship programme initiated by former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.

“When we assumed office, we promised to sustain this initiative. Out of the 1,000 beneficiaries, 418 were sent to India and Uganda last year. All have graduated, while the remaining 68 students in India are expected to return by April,” he said.

Among the 54 returning scholar are 36 medical doctors, 11 pharmacists, two anatomists and a radiographer.

According to the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Scholarship Board, Kabiru Getso, some of the specialised courses studied by the students were the first of their kind in Kano and Northern Nigeria.

“Achieving this milestone puts the state in a strong position to improve healthcare services. All the students excelled academically, completing their programmes with impressive grades and no carryovers,” Mr Getso noted.

Speaking on behalf of the graduates, the group’s captain, Yusuf Abubakar, expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Kano State Government.

“Words are not enough to convey our gratitude. We are deeply thankful for this life-changing opportunity,” he said.

A joint operation among the Nigerian military, State Security Services, members of the Hunters’ Group, and led by the FCT Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit, has led to the rescue of a naval officer and two civilians, including the arrest of four suspected kidnappers.

The FCT Command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, in a statement on X, on Sunday, said the trio were kidnapped at about 07:35 p.m., on Friday, by heavily armed assailants who attacked Mamman Vatsa Estate Gate, blocked Mpape Road, and opened fire at moving vehicles.

Mrs Adeh said, “Shortly after the attack, the kidnappers contacted the victims’ families, demanding a ransom of ₦500 million for the naval officer and ₦200 million each for the two civilians.”

The spokesperson said the command’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Isyaku Sharu, upon receiving the distress report, collaborated with the other security outfits to conduct an intense search-and-rescue operation across Mpape, Gidan Bawa, Anguwan Mu’azu, and Yelwa Hills, covering areas in the FCT and Nasarawa State.

She said, “Acting on credible intelligence, between 2:00 am and 5:30 am on March 23, 2025, operatives traced the suspects to a Fulani resettlement in Anguwan Mu’azu and Yelwa Hills, Nasarawa State, where four (4) suspects were arrested, and the victims were rescued unharmed. Additionally, the sum of ₦3.2 million, suspected to be ransom money from previous kidnapping operations, was recovered from the suspects.”

Stating that the victims were in stable condition and receiving medical attention at the Nigerian Army Clinic, Mrs Adeh noted that efforts were ongoing to track and apprehend the remaining suspects currently at large. She assured that security deployments had also been reinforced in Mpape and surrounding areas to prevent future occurrences.

She therefore advised members of the public to go about their daily activities without any apprehension, urging them to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the police via the following emergency numbers: 08032003913, 08028940883, 07057337653; Complaint Response Unit: 08107314192.

Pope Francis left Rome’s Gemelli hospital Sunday, over five weeks after the 88-year-old was admitted on February 14 with breathing difficulties which turned into pneumonia.

The head of the Catholic Church left by car, waving from the closed window of the front seat as he drove past journalists, and could be seen wearing a cannula – a plastic tube tucked into his nostrils which delivers oxygen.

Pope Francis waves as he leaves by car the Gemelli hospital after a five weeks hospitalization.

Earlier, the Pope greeted and thanked the faithful from a balcony of the hospital on Sunday, the first time he has been seen in public since his admission.

People reflect on the window of the car as Pope Francis leaves by the Gemelli hospital after a five-week hospitalization for pneumonia, in Rome on March 23, 2025.

“Thank you, everyone,” a weak-sounding Francis said into a microphone, as he sat in a wheelchair waving gently to hundreds of people gathered below, doing a thumbs-up sign.

Credit: AFP

The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has announced the release of withheld local government allocations.

The former Chief of Naval Staff made this known during a meeting with Heads of Local Government Administrators on Friday in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Ibas stated that necessary steps would be taken to promptly pay workers’ salaries and also expressed concern over the delay in salary payments across local government areas, acknowledging the struggles of affected workers.

“I feel the pain of the workers,” he said, assuring them that the withheld allocations had been released and that his administration would ensure that salaries were paid without delay.

Ibas, who warned that financial accountability would be strictly enforced, directed all local government areas to submit their wage bills, supported by relevant documentation, through the office of the Head of Service.

He said his administration would not tolerate financial recklessness, vowing to scrutinise the handling of public funds and take action against any mismanagement.

Ibas said good governance is not just a slogan but a commitment to changing the negative narrative within the next six months.

“You must take the lead in ensuring security within your domains,” he urged local government administrators.

Responding, the President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees and Administrator of Port Harcourt Local Government Area, Clifford Paul, acknowledged the developmental strides made in the state despite political conflicts.

He commended the Federal Government for appointing the sole administrator, attributing the decision to his competence and leadership ability.

He pledged to support peace and stability while urging the administrator to prioritise workers’ welfare.

He explained that local government workers are currently owed two months’ salaries but are hopeful now that the withheld allocations have been released.

A chief magistrates’ court in Ikorodu, Lagos, on Friday remanded a 20-year-old man, Daniel Olojede, in a correctional centre for allegedly defiling a six-year-old girl.

Mr Olojede, whose address was not provided, is standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on defilement, indecent assault, child abuse and assault.

The chief magistrate, B.A. Sonuga did not take the defendant’s plea.

He remanded the defendant in a correctional facility and ordered that the file be sent to the office of the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.

Mr Sonuga adjourned the case until May 22, pending legal advice.

Earlier, the prosecuting counsel, ASP Aminu Isaac, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on March 14 at No. 31, Ajilo St., Oke-Oko, Agric area, Ikorodu.

He said the defendant also assaulted a four-year-old minor, the sibling of the girl, by touching him and chasing him out of his father’s room.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravene sections 137, 135, 135 and 170 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Nigeria Customs Service, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) command handed over $578,000 seized from a male passenger to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The comptroller in charge of the MMIA command, Effiong Harrison, handed over the foreign currency to the EFCC in Lagos on Friday and said the money was falsely declared by the passenger at the airport.

Mr Harrison, who handed over the intercepted currency following the directive of the comptroller-general of customs, Bashir Adeniyi, said the suspect’s action was in contravention of the provisions of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.

The command head said the passenger’s passport and other relevant documents were also handed over to the EFCC for necessary action.

He said, “The suspect (name withheld), a male passenger with passport number A13384205, arrived on board a South African Airways Flight SA60 from Johannesburg on Wednesday.

“He approached the currency declaration desk and declared a total of $279,000. Upon examination, an additional sum of $299,000 was discovered neatly concealed in different packages. Thereby bringing the total sum to $578,000. Also concealed was €100 and a counterfeit $250. This is in contravention of the provisions of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.

“This act stipulates that any currency or other forms of negotiable instruments where the value exceeds the $10,000 threshold or its equivalent must be properly declared for inbound and outbound passengers,” he said.

Mr Harrison said the command was committed to arresting and stopping unlawful activities that brought the country into disrepute.

He said customs was ready and continuously working as an organisation of the government to ensure that those who are engaged in money laundering do not use the international airport in Lagos for their criminal activities.

“We are working for the safety of all our financial institutions in this country. People are not comfortable with what is going on. The economic policies are not being adhered to, and we are losing revenue because of the activities of people like this. So, they are undermining the integrity of the financial institutions.

“The suspect should have told the truth and declared accordingly. But he did not, and so he has contravened the law. We have him to hand over to the relevant government agency, which is represented here today; hand over the money, his travelling documents and all other information that he has given us voluntarily to the EFCC for further investigation,” Mr Harrison said.

While receiving the suspect and the foreign currencies, the acting director of the Lagos Office 2 of the EFCC, Ahmed Ghali, commended the efforts of the comptroller and officers.

Mr Ghali urged members of the public to be wary of such acts, adding that the provision of the law was very clear on money declaration.

He explained that passengers were allowed to carry along $10,000, and any additional money would be declared.

Mr Ghali said that what the law required from the traveller was an honest declaration.

“Nobody will stop you from travelling with your cash in as much as you declare, no matter the amount,” he said.

President Bola Tinubu wished public health icon and administrator Ifejola Arowolo a happy 80th birthday on Friday.

“The president joins family, friends, and well-wishers in celebrating the life of a respected pharmacist whose career has spanned the public and private health sectors in Nigeria and the United States,” Bayo Onanuga, his spokesman, said in a statement.

The president commended Mr Arowolo’s service as the pioneer chairman of the National Drug Abuse Committee in Ondo State and former director of pharmaceutical services in the state.

Mr Tinubu lauded Mr Arowolo for his relentless fight against counterfeit drugs, his legacy of hard work, integrity and accountability in public service and for instilling these values in his children, including Olu Verheijen, the president’s special adviser on energy.

Mr Arowolo was recognised for pioneering efforts to integrate indigenous Nigerian medicine with Western practices, making healthcare more accessible and affordable for the average Nigerian.

Mr Tinubu described Mr Arowolo as an advocate for “education as a fundamental tool for poverty alleviation.”

He said the pharmacist’s unwavering commitment to civic duty and adherence to principled governance, rooted in his faith-based academic background, had earned him widespread admiration as a forthright and disciplined leader.

The president wished the octogenarian continued health, happiness, and fulfilment as he marked the significant milestone.

No fewer than 30 residents have been shot in a fresh communal clash between Ifon in Orolu local government and Ilobu in Irepodun council area of Osun State.

It was gathered many more, especially children and women, have been displaced in the ongoing land dispute.

Several houses and shops were also razed in the attack in the early hours of Friday.

It was learnt indigenes of the town communities have been attacking themselves in villages and disputed land in the area before the fresh clash on Friday.

In videos on social media, the residents of Ifon under the aegis of Concerned Youth of Ifon Osun, Orolu Kingdom stated: “We can’t keep looking and be watching Olobu & Ilobu people’s burning our shops and houses in the midnight any longer.

“We, the Youth of Ifon Osun Orolu Kingdom, call on the state Government of Osun to hasten their steps and actions to short things out , we have been patiently enduring the brutal attacks and destructive behavior of Ilobu hoodlums for far too long.

“Our peace-loving and law-abiding king, Oba Peter Oluwole Ipadeola Ilufemiloye Akinyooiye III, Olufon of Ifon Osun Orolu Kingdom, has been calming our youths and advising restraint, despite the ongoing aggression from Ilobu.

*However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to remain passive while our ancestral properties and farmlands are being destroyed and our people are being harmed.”

But the Otun Jagun of Ilobu, Chief Leke Ogunsola denied attacking residents of Ifon.

He alleged: “Since Tuesday, they have been attacking our people on their farmland like Agbere Onireke and Opapa. They attacked a chief with an attempt to kidnap him but he was rescued by farmers around.

“On Wednesday, they went to a farm at Gbere to attack on Nureni and Oseni Saluwudeen, burnt down two motorcycles which will reported at the police station in Ilobu.

“Yesterday, in the evening they went to a place called Oke-Ekutu, they destroyed all the houses and set one on fire. They went to Akipanroro, Ganga and Oke-Ayepe, they started burning and shooting our people. Mostly children and women were caught in this attack, they caught us unawares.

“Our children and women are displaced now, we are extracting bullets in the palace through local means, they have brought about 30 to palace for us to remove the bullets in their body, they are still bringing more. Children and women are mostly affected.”

Osun Police spokesperson , Akeem Adeoye, when contacted said: “We will get back to you soon.”

Dr. Aisha Achimugu’s Media Aide,. David Abakpa, has maintained that his Principal and Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FELAK Concept Group is not under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Abakpa insisted that Dr. Achimugu OFR has no score to settle with the EFCC amid social media reactions in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

The media aide said the EFCC is a reputable financial crime agency in Nigeria that would not toy with any serious matter on social media before investigating individuals or groups concerned.

He challenged the sponsored media campaigners to provide evidence of the purported investigation or warrant of arrest against his principal by the Commission while dismissing the media claim that Dr. Achimugu escaped EFCC arrest.

The statement reads in part: “It is petty that some mushroom media platforms known for clickbait are being used to propagate falsehood against patriotic Nigerian and global icon, Dr. Aisha Achimugu, who is earning and attracting a highly esteemed reputation for Nigeria and Nigerians internationally.

“The EFCC is known for its professionalism in handling financial crimes. EFCC doesn’t disclose information of arrest to newsmen until investigation is completed. So it is strange that masked EFCC officials under anonymity allegedly disclose to an online media platform of its plan to arrest a law abiding Nigerian.

“Let the media house publish the purported arrest warrant or the letter of invitation issued against Dr. Achimugu as claimed. Anybody on the EFCC watchlist cannot just fly out of the country without being arrested by security agents at the airport, in the first place.

“The media campaign is empty and the aim is defeated on arrival. Darkness cannot comprehend light just as falsehood cannot prevail over truth. Therefore, the sponsors of the fake news lack the coordination to dent the image of the award winning entrepreneur.

“OFR is not a child play national honour which Dr Aisha Achimugu has earned from the Federal Republic of Nigeria. She has given back to the economy in several ways through her legit businesses, hence, the recognition”.

“Dr. Aisha Achimugu is a hardworking businesswoman who is always tirelessly flying across the globe on business trips. It’s therefore laughable to say that she traveled out of the country to escape arrest”.

President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into the tanker explosion that caused multiple accidents and fatalities in Karu, Abuja, on Wednesday night.

In a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the president extended his condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones in the incident.

Mr Tinubu also instructed that the injured be given priority treatment at various medical facilities in the capital city.

He directed security agencies, particularly those responsible for road safety, to pay closer attention to traffic around the entry and exit points of the city.

The president prayed for the souls of the departed and for God’s comfort and strength for the families affected by the tragedy.

The Oyo State Government has dropped all charges against Naomi Silekunola, a former wife of the Ooni of Ife; Oriyomi Hamzat, owner of Agidigbo FM; and Abdullahi Fasasi, principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.

The trio had initially faced legal action following the tragic stampede at a children’s event in December 2024, which claimed the lives of at least 35 children.

Following Thursday’s court session, the defendants were seen visibly relieved, smiling, and exchanging pleasantries—a clear indication that the charges had been dismissed.

Oyo State Attorney General, Abiodun Aikomo, confirmed the development, explaining the rationale behind the court’s decision.

He said, “It was an unfortunate incident that led to the death of many. And you see, in law, whenever death occurs and the circumstances are not natural, the law will take its course. So the state responded by filing charges against the persons implicated in the investigation.

“In the course of doing that, we actually wanted to prosecute but the affected persons showed empathy. They showed compassion. And as far as human beings can do, they try to persuade the feelings of the affected parties. And the circumstance, we felt, the essence of prosecution is not to kill people or persecute them.

“It is in the interest of justice to discontinue these charges, and that is what happened today. So we withdrew the charge and it was struck out by the court. There is no charge against them again, so they are free.”