Author: Tribune Online

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially activated the JAMB 2026 reprint portal, allowing candidates nationwide to access and print their examination slips ahead of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). 

Demand for crude oil will likely see the biggest slump in the second quarter since the Covid pandemic slammed the global economy in 2020, the International Energy Agency said Tuesday.

Surging prices caused by the war in the Middle East will force many countries and industries to curb oil use, and “demand destruction will spread as scarcity and higher prices persist”, the agency said in its monthly report.

It noted that its forecasts assume a “base case” of oil shipments resuming in May through the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has effectively closed since the US and Israel began bombing Iran on February 28.

This would lead to a decline in demand of 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) in the second quarter, “the sharpest since Covid-19 slashed fuel consumption”, the IEA said.

Overall demand is forecast to have contracted by 800,000 bpd in March and is seen dropping by 2.3 million bpd in April.

But a “protracted case” if the strait remains closed could see oil demand plunge even further, the IEA said.

“In this case, energy markets and economies around the world need to brace for significant disruptions in the months to come,” it warned.

It also noted that a major beneficiary of the Mideast disruptions has been Russia, which nearly doubled its earnings from oil exports in March after the United States eased sanctions on Russian crude to help offset soaring energy prices.

Russia earned $19 billion last month as crude and oil product exports soared to 7.1 million barrels per day, an increase of 320,000 barrels a day from February, the IEA said.

The post Crude oil demand to see biggest quarterly plunge since Covid – IEA appeared first on Vanguard News.

Australian actress and model Ruby Rose Langenheim has publicly accused American singer Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, popularly known as Katy Perry, of

A High Court in Kano State has dismissed corruption charges against former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Murtala Sule Garo, and five others, saying the case was built on a flawed investigation and lacked proper legal backing.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Sanusi Ado Ma’aji at High Court No. 15 on Miller Road, bringing to an end the case marked K/133c/2024.

The case had been filed by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission against Garo and other defendants, including Mohd Sule Garo, Mustapha Sule Garo, Isah Musa Kera, MJ Multipurpose Services Ltd., and A.U. Future Investment Ltd.

In its decision, the court focused on two key questions; whether a prosecution can go ahead without proper investigation, and whether the commission has the legal authority to handle corruption cases.

On the first issue, the judge ruled clearly that no one can be prosecuted without an investigation. He stressed that investigation is a basic requirement in any criminal case.

“It is impossible to prosecute anybody for any crime without first conducting some form of investigation however slight,” the judge said, referring to the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2019.

The court concluded that the prosecution failed to meet this basic legal standard and ruled in favour of the defendants.
On the second issue, the judge examined whether the commission has the power to investigate corruption cases. Based on previous court decisions, he ruled that such powers fall under federal law, not state authorities.

“I hold that the complainant herein cannot investigate any issue that borders on corruption or corrupt practices,” the judge stated in the certified judgment dated February 4, 2026.

As a result, the court struck out the charges and discharged all the defendants.

The ruling comes amid growing political activity in Kano, where members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have recently put forward Garo as a top contender for the deputy governorship position following the resignation of Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo.

Court clears Kano Deputy Governor nominee, throws out corruption case

Nigerian gospel musician Moses Uyoh Enang, popularly known as Moses Bliss has recounted how his wife, Marie Bliss, battled an undiagnosed illness that left her struggling to

The member representing Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency of Gombe State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Isa Ali JC, the Minority Whip, has announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The resignation was contained in a letter addressed to the Chairman of PDP, Kindiyo Ward, Cham, Balanga Local Government Area, Gombe State, titled: Letter […]

The house of veteran Nollywood actor, Adeola Shoremi, popularly known as Lanko omo Oba Dubai’s house.

His ex-wife, actress Mama No Network made this known in a post shared on her Instagram page on Tuesday afternoon.

Announcing the sad incident Mama No Network prays for the recovery of his losses.

Sharing the video of the incident, the actress wrote “Lanko Omo Oba Dubai house got burnt. I pray may God will recover all his losses soon.”

DAILY POST reports that Mama No Network got married to Lanko in 2014 and remarried in 2023 after separation from the actor.

Watch the video 

 

BREAKING: Fire razes actor Lanko’s house [VIDEO]

…Dismisses Poverty Claims

By Olayinka Latona

LAGOS — The General Overseer of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, Lazarus Muoka, has cautioned Christians against what he described as deceptive end-time prophets, while also countering claims that members of his church are poor.

Speaking at the grand finale of the church’s annual Easter retreat crusade, themed “God’s Covenant of Peace and Blessing,” held at its Revival Ground International Headquarters in Ijesha, Lagos, Muoka emphasised that God remains faithful to His promises.

“God keeps to His covenant and does whatever He promises. He cannot lie because He is holy and without unrighteousness,” he told the congregation.

The cleric criticised what he described as “false prophets” who rely on eloquence rather than transformative teachings, insisting that true Christianity is rooted in the undiluted word of God.

Referencing a testimony shared during the crusade, Muoka said: “The false prophet’s grammar did not change her life. She went through various struggles and even contemplated taking her life. But when she came to Chosen, she was delivered and her life changed for the better.”

He added that true servants of God focus on salvation rather than theatrics. “My Master Jesus did not speak grammar. Apostle Peter did not speak grammar, but the undiluted word of God—which is what we preach,” he said.

Muoka further warned that some end-time preachers, despite being “specialists in prayer,” lack a genuine message of salvation.

“No one is truly born again in such gatherings. They are rooted in deception. But in Chosen, we magnify the word of God. That is why the Bible says: seek first the kingdom of God and every other thing shall be added unto you,” he stated.

Addressing widespread perceptions about his congregation, the cleric rejected claims that members of the church are poor, asserting that many are financially successful but choose modest lifestyles.

“We have some of the richest people who quietly contribute to society and the work of God in billions,” he said, challenging critics to match such levels of generosity.

Muoka argued that the perceived lack of flamboyance among his members is a deliberate reflection of their faith and values, rather than a sign of poverty.

He also attributed public ridicule of the church’s testimonies to what he described as limited spiritual understanding among critics.

The cleric urged Christians to live upright lives, stressing that true transformation is complete and not partial.

“There is nothing like half-transformation. It is either you are born again or not,” he said, adding that believers must reflect Christ in both private and public life.

Muoka concluded by expressing confidence that attendees of the crusade would experience visible transformation.

“People will see the change in their lives, and it will be evident that it is the work of God,” he said.

The post Beware of ‘Grammar-Preaching’ false prophets, Muoka warns appeared first on Vanguard News.

The Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has lauded the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, for his instrumental role in facilitating the landmark partnership between Hypercity and Carrefour. Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the franchise signing ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, Gbajabiamila […]

The Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Zacch Adedeji, on Tuesday said Nigeria’s petrol subsidy bill could have risen to between N38tn and N58tn annually if the Federal Government had failed to remove the subsidy amid current global oil market volatility.

Adedeji stated this during his address at the inauguration of the new headquarters of the Nigeria Revenue Service in Abuja, where he defended key economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu since assuming office.

He described the removal of petrol subsidy as a fiscal necessity rather than a policy choice, saying the decision saved the country from unsustainable spending pressures worsened by rising global crude oil prices.

“To put it in perspective, the removal of fuel subsidy was not a policy choice, but it was a fiscal necessity,” Adedeji said.

“If you had not taken that courageous decision on your first day in office, our subsidy budget today would have been between N38tn and ₦58tn per annum.”

According to him, retaining the subsidy would have consumed as much as 76 per cent of the country’s N68tn budget recently passed by the National Assembly, leaving little room for infrastructure, healthcare, education and other development priorities.

“People may not understand that figure. The total budget passed by the National Assembly is N68tn. Just imagine N52tn out of that going to subsidy. That means about 76 per cent of the total budget would have gone to wasteful spending,” he said.

Adedeji further argued that without the reform, Nigeria’s external reserves could have plunged below $2bn.

“Our external reserves today stand at $34bn. If that decision had not been taken, reserves would have been under $2bn,” he said.

He also said debt servicing obligations would have worsened significantly, placing more strain on government finances.

The NRS chairman used the occasion to defend the administration’s foreign exchange reforms, particularly the unification of the exchange rate system. He said the move had helped narrow the gap between the official and parallel markets and improved stability in the naira market.

“The second courageous decision was the unification of the exchange rate. If nothing had been done, the official rate would still be around N460 to N700, while the parallel market would have been between N3,000 and N4,500 per dollar,” he said.

“Today, the market has become more stable and even the parallel market is losing relevance because the gap has narrowed.”

On fuel supply, Adedeji said Nigeria had avoided prolonged scarcity and queues due to reforms that encouraged local refining and increased domestic supply.

“If those decisions had not been taken, petrol supply security today would have joined the queue. Not only would it be expensive, it would still not be available,” he said.

He maintained that despite recent price increases, petrol prices in Nigeria remain lower than in many countries.

“The price in Nigeria today is still lower than what obtains in many countries. In the United States it is higher, in India it is higher, in South Africa it is higher,” he added.

Adedeji also praised President Tinubu’s leadership, describing him as “the greatest gift bestowed on this republic by Almighty God.”

He said the newly commissioned headquarters building was a symbol of the administration’s reform agenda and Nigeria’s fiscal transformation.

“This headquarters stands today as one of the tangible expressions of that reform journey, a visible and enduring symbol that reform is not abstract, but real; not temporary, but structural; not theoretical, but implemented,” he said.

The project, which he noted began about 22 years ago, was completed through policy clarity, institutional collaboration and government support.

Adedeji thanked the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, the Minister of State for Finance, members of the National Assembly and other agencies for their contributions to the reform process and completion of the headquarters.

President Tinubu attended the event alongside senior government officials, lawmakers and stakeholders.

ENDS

US-Iran War Could Have Pushed Petrol Subsidy To N58tn — NRS is first published on The Whistler Newspaper