“President Tinubu charged Abdulsalam with revitalising Ajaokuta Steel Company to drive industrial and economic activities that will support Nigeria’s ambition to become Africa’s leading industrial hub.

“The move is part of the administration’s broader Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasises economic diversification and industrialisation.”

The Ajaokuta Steel Company, often regarded as Nigeria’s most ambitious industrial project, has long been positioned as a key player in the nation’s economic transformation.

The Police Command in Benue State on Friday rescued 14 passengers of Benue Links, kidnapped by suspected gunmen on Thursday in the Otukpo Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Sewuese Anene, made this known in a statement, in Makurdi.

Ms Anene said that the bus was attacked on April 3, around Otukpo Burnt Bricks area, leading to the death of the driver and one passenger.

She said the armed kidnappers thereafter took away the remaining 14 other passengers to an unknown destination.

The PRO said the command, in collaboration with the state Civil Protection Guard, rushed to the scene and found the driver and a passenger with gunshot injuries in the vehicle, while others were whisked away by the kidnappers.

She said, “The injured were conveyed to the hospital where they were confirmed dead by a doctor. The team launched a search for the kidnapped victims within the nearby forest immediately. On April 4, at about 1500hrs, they sighted the bandits in the forest and engaged them in a gun duel. The superior fire power of the police subdued them and they took to their heels, abandoning their captives. Unfortunately, they had inflicted matchet cuts on two of the victims before the rescue. Fourteen victims were rescued and taken to the hospital, where one was confirmed dead and others are currently receiving treatment.’’

Ms Anene said that the Commissioner of Police, Steve Yabanet, commiserated with families of the deceased and pledged to bring the perpetrators to book.

She said that he enjoined the people of Otukpo to look out for suspects with gunshot injuries and report to the police, as many of the bandits sustained gunshot injuries during the exchange of fire.

President Donald Trump on Friday delayed the ban on Tik Tok in the United States.

Mr Trump in a statement on Truth Social said that he signed an executive order and his administration had made “tremendous progress” on an agreement to save TikTok, but needed more time to finalise it.

He wrote, “The deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed, which is why I am signing an Executive Order to keep TikTok up and running for an additional 75 days.’’

Mr Trump also said that China was unhappy with the tariffs posed by his administration and tagged the tariff as a “powerful economic tool” and crucial for national security.

He ended by saying “we do not want TikTok to go dark,” adding that his administration was looking forward to working with TikTok and China to close the deal.

The app was originally set to be banned in January, but the deadline was extended at the time by 75 days to give negotiators more time to reach an agreement, which meant that the app would be banned in April.

The app was to be banned on Saturday, however, the new 75-day extension effectively pushes the cut-off date further.

TikTok, owned by Chinese tech firm ByteDance, has faced scrutiny in the U.S. over national security concerns tied to data privacy and its links to the Chinese government.

In 2020, Mr Trump signed an executive order seeking to ban the app unless it was sold to an American company, citing the risk of user data being accessed by Beijing.

While the ban was later blocked in court and dropped under President Joe Biden, lawmakers from both parties continued to push for more control over TikTok.

A spokesperson for ByteDance in a statement said that they had been in discussion with the U.S. Government regarding a potential solution for TikTok to continue running in the U.S.

“An agreement has not been executed. There are key matters to be resolved. Any agreement will be subject to approval under Chinese law,” the statement read.

A Grade A Customary Court at Mapo in Ibadan has sentenced 18-year-old Zainab Adebayo to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour for stealing N800,000 from her neighbour’s bedroom.

Delivering the judgement, the court’s president, O.E. Owoseni, held that Ms Adebayo was convicted and sentenced based on her guilty plea and the evidence presented by the police prosecution.

Ms Owoseni held that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others with similar criminal tendencies.

She sentenced Ms Adebayo to six months’ imprisonment or six months of community service.

She was also given the option to pay a fine of N200,000.

Upon her arraignment on Friday, the convict confessed to the two-count charge of entering and stealing.

The prosecution, Ayodele Ayeni, had informed the court that the crime was committed on March 28 in the Ologuneru area in Ibadan.

Mr Ayeni explained that Ms Adebayo entered the bedroom of Temitope Musbau, the complainant, a businesswoman, and stole her piggy bank, popularly known as ‘kolo’, which contained N500,000 in cash.

The prosecutor further stated that Ms Adebayo stole an additional N150,000 in cash from the same room, which was kept outside a safe, along with various perfume bottles totalling N150,000.

South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol has been removed from office after the Constitutional Court upheld his impeachment on Friday.

On Dec. 3, Yoon declared martial law during a budget dispute with the opposition, plunging the country into crisis and leading to his impeachment by parliament.

Yoon justified his measure by accusing the opposition of acting against the state and being infiltrated by communists, though no evidence has been provided to support these claims.

The court, in a unanimous ruling, argued that Yoon’s imposition of martial law was not justified by a national crisis.

Likewise, Yoon violated the law when he sent soldiers to the National Assembly to prevent a lifting of martial law.

Acting court chief Moon Hyung Bae read the ruling, which was broadcast live.

“The negative effects on the constitutional order and the repercussions from the defendant’s violations of the law are grave, making the benefits of protecting the Constitution by dismissing the defendant larger than the national losses from dismissing the president by an overwhelming degree,” Moon said.

Yoon said he was sorry for failing to meet public expectations in a statement hours after the court’s decision, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

“I deeply regret not being able to live up to your hopes and expectations,” Yoon said in a statement, according to Yonhap.

“It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve our nation. I am sincerely grateful for your unwavering support and encouragement, even when I fell short.”

Yoon’s ruling People Power Party said it “humbly accepts” the court’s ruling, while the main opposition Democratic Party welcomed it as a “people’s victory,” Yonhap reported.

The ruling means new elections must be held within 60 days. Prime Minister Han Duck Soo will remain as acting president until then.

According to recent polls, opposition leader Lee Jae Myung is the early favourite to become the next president. He narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election.

Ahead of the ruling, the area around the court was cordoned off. More than 14,000 police officers were deployed in central Seoul to prevent violent riots.

For Yoon, the legal battles are not over, despite the latest verdict.

He is expected to stand trial on insurrection charges over his imposition of martial law.

If convicted, he could face a lengthy prison sentence.

U.S. President Donald Trump has presented a “Gold Card” that would give rich immigrants the right to stay in the United States indefinitely.

“For 5 million dollars this could be yours,” he said on Thursday on board the presidential aircraft Air Force One.

Several videos published in the U.S. media showed Trump holding out the golden card to reporters, which also carries an image of his face.

He also referred to it as the “Trump card.”

The cards would probably come out in less than two weeks, he said.

Trump previously presented his plans for the card in February.

The programme may be intended to replace the previous EB5 investor visa and also opens up a path to citizenship.

The card is aimed at wealthy people and those with special skills whose benefactors – be they companies or individuals – are prepared to pay for their visa.

A prominent Islamic cleric and Chief Imam of Dutsen Tanshi Jummaat Mosque in Bauchi,Dr. Idris Abdul’aziz Dutsen Tanshi has died after a prolonged illness.

He passed away in Bauchi shortly after returning from India where he had gone for medical treatment.

The cleric’s death was announced on an official Facebook page of Dutsen Tanshi Majlis Bauchi, noting his funeral would take place at Games Village Eid Ground, Bauchi by 10:00 am today.

The Nation reports that the the cleric, widely regarded for his dedication to Islamic scholarship, had been battling health issues for some time.

Dr. Abdul’aziz was known for his strong advocacy for the Sunnah and vocal opposition to religious innovations (Bid’ah) that lack foundation in the Qur’an and Hadith.

His teachings earned him the nickname “Dr. Tauhidi” among followers in recognition of his commitment to pure monotheism.

His absence during the last Ramadan and this year’s Eid prayers due to illness was deeply felt by his followers, who looked up to him for guidance through sermons and lectures in person and online.

Beyond his role as a preacher, Dr. Abdul’aziz was an outspoken advocate for Islamic education and reform.

He established several schools and institutions aimed at grooming future scholars and imams.

An inmate killed his wife as she visited him in a prison in eastern Germany, prosecutors said on Friday.

The Thursday incident occurred at the Burg prison in Magdeburg, west of Berlin.

The 37-year-old prisoner was reportedly alone with his 35-year-old wife in a room set up for visitors of long-term inmates.

The woman was subsequently found dead, with prosecutors investigating the incident on suspicion of homicide.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has barred parties in the suit filed by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and three others from granting press interviews on issues relating to the case.

Justice Binta Nyako issued the order on Friday following complaint by lawyer to Akpabio, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN) that the plaintiff was moving from one television house to another, granting press interviews on issues relating to her case, currently pending before the court.

Ruling, Justice Nyako said there shall be no press interviews by all parties and their lawyers as regard the subject matter of the case.

Justice Nyako also barred parties and their lawyers from engaging in streaming of proceedings in the case on social media.

Russian drone strikes killed at least four people and injured more than 30 in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, authorities said Friday.

Russia and Ukraine have stepped up aerial attacks even as US President Donald Trump pushes them to agree to a ceasefire after more than three years of costly fighting.

The attack late Thursday targeted residential and office buildings in Kharkiv, causing several blazes, Ukraine’s state emergency service said on Telegram.

“Russian drones attacked one of the districts of Kharkiv. As a result of strikes at residential buildings and an administrative building, four fires broke out,” the emergency service said.

The city’s mayor, Igor Terekhov, said on Telegram that as of Friday morning, “unfortunately, there are already four dead”, with a fourth body “unearthed from under the rubble” in addition to three earlier fatalities.

Ukraine’s state emergency service and Oleg Synegubov, governor of the wider Kharkiv region, said 35 people were wounded in the attack, while Terekhov put the figure at 32.

Six other people were injured in the Ukrainian regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv, according to local authorities who blamed Moscow.

Dnipropetrovsk regional governor Sergiy Lysak said on Telegram that 13 drones had been “destroyed” in the region.

“Due to the massive drone attack, there is damage in Dnipro and its suburbs,” he said

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said Friday that air defence alert systems intercepted and destroyed 107 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 34 over the Kursk region and 30 over the Oryol region.

An attack by Ukrainian drones in a village in the Bryansk region killed one and left another injured, governor Aleksandr Bogomaz said in a Telegram post on Friday.

“As a result of the attack by Ukrainian drones, two residents of the village received shrapnel wounds. Unfortunately, one man died,” he wrote.

The attacks came as Russia’s top economic negotiator visited Washington for talks on improving ties.

Trump is pushing for warmer relations with Moscow, reaching out to President Vladimir Putin and Russian officials in the hope of brokering a ceasefire in the three-year Ukraine war.

Washington had said last month that both Kyiv and Moscow agreed separately to “develop measures for implementing” a halt on strikes on energy infrastructure.

But attacks have continued and both sides have complained to the United States about strikes hitting their energy sites.

Kyiv called on Washington to strengthen sanctions on Moscow for “violating” agreements made at talks in Saudi Arabia last month.

Taiwan has on Thursday called the newly announced U.S. tariff measures “highly unreasonable,” vowing to engage in stern negotiations.

Responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariff policy, the cabinet, the Taiwanese government’s executive branch, said the 32 per cent tariff on Taiwan was “highly unreasonable.”

“The tariff rate does not accurately reflect the actual Taiwan-U.S. trade situation and is unfair to Taiwan,” Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee said in a statement.

“Premier Cho Jung-tai has ordered the Office of Trade Negotiations to review the tariff’s unfair aspects and seek an explanation from the U.S. Trade Representative,” Ms Lee said.

Taiwan imposed a 64 per cent tariff on U.S. imports.

Taiwan was the U.S. seventh-largest trading partner and sixth-largest deficit source.

In 2024, exports to the U.S. rose by 32.5 per cent.

Ms Lee said Mr Trump’s policy ignored the complementary nature of Taiwan-U.S. trade and Taiwan’s export surge stemmed from rising U.S. demand for semiconductors and AI products.

The National Space Research and Development Agency is set to commence the implementation of its space regulation and licensing mandate with a N20 billion take-off fund approved by President Bola Tinubu.

The director-general of NASRDA, Matthew Adepoju, said this on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Adepoju said the regulatory function of the agency as encapsulated in the NASDRA Act (2010) had remained unfulfilled since its establishment in 1999.

He spoke against the background of NASRDA stakeholders’ workshop on space regulation scheduled for April 8.

He said, on assumption of office, he raised a memo to Mr Tinubu on the need to enforce the regulatory functions of NASDRA.

According to him, this is in line with the provisions of Sections 6 and 9 of the laws establishing it, adding that Mr Tinubu eventually approved the take-off fund.

“When I raised that memo stating that our space can no longer be unregulated, Mr President graciously approved the take-off fund of N20 billion a few months ago. This is to enable us to commence the space regulation and spectrum management in Nigeria.

“Although times and lots of activities happen that have security implications, if we don’t take charge of our space sector, it will continue to be misused,’’ Mr Adepoju said.

Mr Adepoju said the agency had yet to access the N20 billion, adding that the release of funds was always subject to its availability.

“Within the framework of what is possible for us to do now, we’ve set up the platform and we are commencing our regulatory and licensing functions,” he said.

He explained that the space sector had three segments, the upstream, midstream and downstream.

He added, “We have the upstream, which is deep space, and the midstream, which is in between the space objects, such as satellites and the planet Earth. We have the downstream, which has to do with ground stations, activities and people who are utilising space products and services.

“In between these three sectors, there are activities that must be regulated; otherwise, Nigerians will be shortchanged. People have to be licensed and issued guidelines; the spectrum within Nigeria has to be monitored and the agency has been granted this power since 2010 and this has lots of benefits.”

Mr Adepoju said the platform for the licensing was ready and open to both public and private sector operators in the space arena.

The licensing, he said, was available for people using and providing space products and services.

He noted that the need for strict oversight of satellite image providers, geographic information system operators, and satellite-based telecommunication and broadcasting services, among others.

He also said if unregulated, geographical data intelligence could be exploited by non-state actors for illicit activities.

The director-general further explained that the initiative would enhance national security, economic diversification and local content development.

He said it would also generate revenue from sub-sectors such as oil and gas, shipping and telecommunications, which relied on space products for their operations.

The European Union says it is preparing countermeasures in response to new tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump but remained open to negotiations.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this on Thursday.

Speaking on the sidelines of a summit with Central Asian leaders in Uzbekistan, she called Mr Trump’s move a “major blow to businesses and consumers worldwide.”

She added that Europe was ready to respond and protect its interests.

She also mentioned that the tariffs would lead to millions of citizens facing higher grocery, medication and transportation costs while inflation would rise and hurt the most vulnerable citizens.

The EU is already finalising its first package of retaliatory measures and is now preparing additional steps to protect its businesses if talks with the U.S. fail, Ms Von der Leyen said.

Ms Von der Leyen urged EU citizens not to lose faith, reassuring them that Europe was equipped to weather the storm.

She had also announced talks with the automotive and pharmaceutical sectors, which were hit hardest by the tariffs.

Mr Trump on Wednesday announced new blanket tariffs of 10 per cent on most imports to the U.S., with higher penalties based on trade deficits for many countries.

According to Mr Trump, imports from the EU will face new tariffs of 20 per cent.

Beijing on Thursday threatened countermeasures after U.S. President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on Chinese goods, further escalating trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

The U.S. has already imposed 20 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports, prompting retaliation from Beijing.

The latest round, which Mr Trump announced on Wednesday, adds a 34 per cent tariff hike, raising total duties on many Chinese products to over 50 per cent.

China’s Ministry of Commerce said the tariffs violated international trade rules and were based on subjective and unilateral assessments by the U.S., calling them a typical act of bullying.

The ministry urged Washington to remove the measures and resolve disputes through dialogue, or it would take countermeasures to protect its rights and interests.

Mr Trump on Wednesday announced new blanket tariffs of 10 per cent on most U.S. imports, with higher penalties based on trade deficits.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has approved the recruitment of 34 resident doctors for a seven-year residency training to enhance health-care delivery in FCT.

Senior Special Assistant to the minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.

Mr Olayinka said that the 34 doctors would be the first batch of 60 medical doctors approved for residency training in eight specialities in FCT Administration hospitals.

He said that five out of the 34 doctors would work in the psychiatric department, four in internal medicine and one in general surgery.

Others, he said would comprise one in anesthesiology, eight in family medicine, six in ophthalmology and nine in obstetrics and gynaecology.

He stated, “This is the first time this is being done outside employees of the Health Management Board, thereby, giving doctors more opportunity and bringing more competent hands into healthcare delivery in the FCT.’’

The spokesman added that the remaining 26 doctors would be recruited in due course by the FCTA Civil Service Commission.

He said that the 26 doctors would comprise one for psychiatry department, four for internal medicine, eight for general surgery, five in anesthesiology, and eight paediatrics.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart for Paris, France, today on a short working visit.

During the visit, the President will appraise his administration’s midterm performance and assess key milestones.

He will also use the retreat to review the progress of ongoing reforms and engage in strategic planning ahead of his administration’s second anniversary.

This period of reflection will inform plans to deepen ongoing reforms and accelerate national development priorities in the coming year.

Recent economic strides reinforce the President’s commitment to these efforts, as evidenced by the Central Bank of Nigeria reporting a significant increase in net foreign exchange reserves to $23.11 billion—a testament to the administration’s fiscal reforms since 2023 when net reserves were $3.99 billion.

While away, President Tinubu will remain fully engaged with his team and continue to oversee governance activities.

He will return to Nigeria in about a fortnight.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

April 2, 2025

Music star 2baba Idibia has appeared at the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja with new partner, Natasha Osawaru.

Natasha represents Egor Constituency in the Edo House of Assembly and serves as the Deputy Majority Leader.

Their relationship has garnered significant attention since 2baba publicly announced a separation from wife, Annie Idibia, in January.

His subsequent proposal to Natasha in February has kept them in the spotlight.

Natasha’s recent update of her Instagram bio to include 2baba’s surname, Idibia, has further fueled public interest.

The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered and dismantled an illegal internet fraud training facility, known as a “Yahoo School,” in the Iju area of the state.

The command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement on Tuesday, stated that four principal suspects were arrested alongside six trainees.

According to him, among the trainees was an underaged boy identified as Minachi Udochukwu.

Hundeyin noted that preliminary investigations revealed that the principal suspects recruited the trainees from Anambra State, engaged them in internet fraud, and confiscated their earnings.

The statement read in part, “During the successful operations, the police detectives arrested four Yahoo experts who were running the notorious school, namely Chibuike Ihejika, 23; Stanley Ihejika, 22; Obiora Oyediba, 26; and Emmanuel Oyedibe, 25.

“The other six suspects are their criminal trainees, all of whom were undergoing training in cybercrime and fraud: Okorie Henry, Otoh Chisom, 20; Okeke Kwufrochikwu, 26; Uchenna Obeji, 26; Minachi Udochukwu, 12; and Chinedu Ukachukwu, 23.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the principal suspects of the facility recruited their trainees from Anambra State, engaged them to commit internet fraud and other related crimes.

“The proceeds from their fraudulent activities were being confiscated by the principal suspects.”

While the command warned the owner of the facility to turn himself in at the State Criminal Investigation Department, it assured all that all suspects would be charged to court for prosecution upon the conclusion of the investigation into the case.

The statement further revealed that Ugochukwu had been provided with medical care after healing marks of injury believed to have been sustained during the training was found on his body

“In line with due process of the law, the underage suspect among them, Minachi Ugochukwu, 12 years old, with healing marks of injuries on his body allegedly inflicted on him by the main principal suspect to compel him into the commission of the criminal acts, is being given medical attention and kept in protective custody till his relatives are identified and reunited with him,” Hundeyin stated.

The command also warned parents and guardians to monitor the activities of their children and wards to prevent them from being exploited, lured, or compelled into falling into criminal activities.

It, however, called on members of the public who have fallen victim to the fraudulent activities of the criminal syndicate to come forward to the SCID, Yaba, with their complaints.

“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, also commends the police personnel involved in this operation for their dedication and professionalism that resulted in this success.

“The CP Jimoh assures all Lagosians that the Command remains resolute and committed to combating all forms of crimes and criminalities, including cybercrime tagged ‘yahoo,’ etc.

“He urges residents to report every suspicious activity or incident to the police in their localities for prompt action,” the statement added.

Operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested a woman whose identity was not disclosed alongside an accomplice for allegedly trafficking young girls to Mauritania as commercial sex workers for N50,000.

The Zonal Public Relations Officer, Umma Ayuba, disclosed in a statement on Tuesday that the suspects were arrested at their hideout in the Meiran area of Lagos State on March 22.

She disclosed that the syndicate worked with other accomplices in Mauritania to traffic young ladies as commercial sex workers.

According to Ayuba, the suspects confessed to the crime upon their arrest and interrogation.

Ayuba stated, “Operatives of the Zonal Intelligence Response Squad led by SP Francis Kpoughul stormed their base where two suspects were apprehended.

“The first suspect said she was introduced to a woman based in Mauritania by another woman, who has been prosecuted for the same offence and is currently serving a jail term.”

The ZPRO added that the first suspect confessed that she received a sum of N50,000 for each person, and among her victims was her 19-year-old daughter.

“She said the woman in Mauritania contracted her to recruit young girls below the age of 22 to be used as sex workers there.

“She added that she received N50,000 as a commission for each girl sent to Mauritania.

“She confessed that, among the girls she recruited, was her 19-year-old daughter. She also admitted to receiving over N500,000 from the woman in Mauritania.”

The second suspect was said to have admitted that she was contracted by the first suspect to recruit girls as domestic staff in Mauritania, but when she sent one victim to the first suspect, she rejected it.

The second suspect told the police further that she became suspicious after the victim she sent to the first suspect was rejected, and upon further questioning, she realised that the victims were to be used as sex workers.

The ZPRO continued. “She said that, upon further questioning, she discovered the girls were to be used as sex workers and decided to withdraw from the business.

“She added that the only girl she sent to the first suspect was rejected due to her age and body size. That was when she realised something was wrong.”

Ayuba concluded that the suspects would be charged in court upon the conclusion of an ongoing investigation.