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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday released a list of 11 members expelled by the party’s national convention which was held in Abuja on Tuesday, April 14.

Those expelled, according to the party leadership are Mr. Leke Abejide, Nafiu Bala Gombe, Mr. Kingsley Temitope Ogga, Mr. Don Norman Obinna, Mr. Kennedy Odion, Mr. Clement Ehigiator, Mrs. Stella Chukwuma, Patrick Ambut, Johny Tovie Derek, Duke Dick, and Elias Adikwu.

In a statement signed by the ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, said the expulsion of the members followed resolutions reached at the convention.

The party said the decision was taken after the adoption of a disciplinary motion against members found to have acted contrary to its constitution and values.

“The affected individuals have ceased to be members of the party with immediate effect and are now free to explore other political platforms,” adding that any party willing to receive them is at liberty to do so.

The party reiterated its commitment to discipline, internal democracy, and the rule of law.

The statement emphasised that the decision followed the consideration and adoption of a motion on the discipline of erring members, duly presented and ratified by delegates at the convention.

“The ADC will continue to uphold the highest standards of accountability as it consolidates its position as a credible and viable alternative for Nigerians,” the statement said.

ADC Releases List Of Expelled Members is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

When Hajia Sofuratu Seghosime emerged as the 62nd President-Elect of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), the reactions from the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS) were more personal than formal. Having spent 40 years of her career in tax and finance, her election was seen as a natural progression for one of the agency’s most seasoned veterans.

Seghosime spent 26 years in senior roles at the Federal Inland Revenue Service, now Nigerian Revenue Service, including as Coordinating Director for Compliance and Enforcement.

She currently runs Quebaan Professional Services as CEO and Head of Advisory Services. Her work covers finance, management, tax, governance, strategy, audits, and dispute resolution. She’s helped public and private organisations meet their tax obligation.

She joined ICAN’s Council in 2014 and climbed through various positions. She’s also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru.

Seghosime also sits as a Commissioner on the Tax Appeal Tribunal and once served on the Nigerian Accounting Standards Board, now the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, and has represented Nigeria at the OECD and the Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators.

Otunba Tobi Abiola, the NRS Regional Administrator in charge of Ogun, Oyo, and Osun States, has lauded her election as a win for integrity.

Abiola described Seghosime as a “woman of high wisdom” and someone who “embodies immense talent and unwavering integrity, substance, and keen intelligence, whose benevolent leadership signals great potential to influence positive change in ICAN.”

He added, “In recognizing her nomination, we acknowledge a character marked by honesty, ethical steadfastness, and an enduring commitment to the public good. She demonstrates principled decision-making, respectfully engaging diverse perspectives while upholding core values, and maintains transparency and accountability in all endeavors.

“Her professional excellence is evident in competence, diligence, and strategic vision; she applies deep expertise to guide informed choices, balances tradition with innovative approaches, and commits to lifelong learning and mentorship.

“As a leader and servant, she leads with empathy and inclusivity, prioritizes community welfare and sustainable outcomes, and fosters collaboration across sectors and generations.

“Her impact and potential are poised to drive meaningful progress and lasting benefit, as she builds networks that empower communities, advocates for equitable opportunities and integrity in governance, and serves as a role model for aspiring leaders through decisive action and sustained service.”

ICAN’s President-Elect Seghosime Hailed As Woman Of Wisdom, Integrity is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Troops of 8 Division Garrison have successfully repelled a terrorist attack in Tara village, Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The development was contained in a post shared on X on Tuesday by security analyst Zagazola Makama, who monitors security incidents across the country.

According to him, the incident reportedly occurred around 11:50 pm on April 11, when soldiers at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Gatawa responded to reports of terrorist movement in the area.

“On arrival, the troops engaged the attackers in a gun battle and forced them to retreat,” Makama wrote.

Security sources said the soldiers used superior firepower to repel the attackers, who fled the scene after the exchange. No official casualty figure has been confirmed at the time of reporting.

He noted that troops have continued heightened patrols and surveillance in the area to prevent further attacks.

Troops repel terrorist attack in Sokoto village

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says Nigeria is recording a rising Lassa fever fatality rate.

This is in spite of a decline in weekly confirmed cases, raising fresh concerns over disease management nationwide.

The agency disclosed on Wednesday in its Epidemiological Week 14 report for 2026 that confirmed cases dropped from 26 in the previous week to 22, while the case fatality rate rose significantly.

It said the Case Fatality Rate increased to 24.8 per cent, compared to 18.8 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025, indicating worsening outcomes in spite of fewer infections. It said cumulatively, Nigeria had recorded 170 deaths from Lassa fever in 2026, underscoring persistent challenges related to early detection, timely treatment, and health-seeking behaviour across affected communities nationwide.

The report showed that 22 states and 94 Local Government Areas had reported confirmed cases in 2026, with five states accounting for about 84 per cent of total infections recorded.

It said the states included Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo, and Benue, which continued to bear the highest burden of the disease, reflecting regional concentration of infections and transmission patterns.

The agency said Bauchi recorded the highest burden with 27 per cent of confirmed cases, followed by Ondo with 22 per cent, Taraba with 18 per cent, Edo with nine per cent, and Benue.

Other affected states included Plateau, Ebonyi, and Kogi, among others, highlighting the continued geographic spread of Lassa fever across multiple regions in spite of ongoing surveillance and response efforts nationwide.

The NCDC said that the predominant age group affected was between 21 and 30 years, with cases ranging from one to 90 years and a median age of 30 years.

It added that the male-to-female ratio among confirmed cases stood at 1:0.9, indicating relatively similar infection rates between genders, although slightly higher among males in the current reporting period.

The report also confirmed infections among healthcare workers during the reporting week, raising concerns about infection prevention and control compliance in treatment centres and frontline health facilities managing cases.

According to the agency, while suspected cases have declined, confirmed cases remain higher compared to the same period in 2025, suggesting sustained community transmission and gaps in containment measures.

The NCDC, in collaboration with partners including World Health Organization, UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières, and the US CDC, had activated a national response framework.

It said a multi-sectoral Incident Management System had been deployed to coordinate response efforts, improve surveillance, and strengthen interventions aimed at reducing transmission and fatalities across affected states.

The agency said interventions included infection prevention training for health workers, distribution of personal protective equipment, active case search, contact tracing, and community sensitisation campaigns in high-burden areas nationwide.

The agency added that rapid response teams had been deployed to seven high-burden states, while treatment centres continued receiving essential medical supplies including Ribavirin and protective equipment for case management.

In spite of these efforts, the NCDC highlighted ongoing challenges such as late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behaviour due to high treatment costs, inadequate sanitation, and low public awareness in affected communities.

It urged state governments to strengthen community engagement, while advising healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever and strictly adhere to infection prevention protocols.

The agency emphasised that sustained multi-sectoral collaboration remained critical to reducing transmission, improving treatment outcomes, and lowering the number of deaths associated with Lassa fever across the country.

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness transmitted through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rodents.

Nigeria’s Lassa Fever Cases Fall But Fatality Rises is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra Sector Command, has rescued an unconscious middle-aged man along

Late Brigadier General Omo Braimah, Captain Ismail, and other soldiers killed in active service were on Wednesday laid to rest with full military honours at the Maimalari Cantonment Cemetery in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The solemn ceremony, held on Wednesday, brought together senior government and military officials, grieving families, and fellow soldiers to pay their final respects to the fallen heroes.

In attendance were Borno State Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, Minister of Defence General Christopher Musa (rtd), the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and other senior military officers.

In their tributes, the officials described the deceased as true patriots who stood firm in the face of danger and made the ultimate sacrifice so that others could live in safety.

They said the courage and dedication of the fallen soldiers would continue to inspire generations and remain etched in the nation’s history.

Citations detailing the service and sacrifice of each soldier were read before their next of kin, as prayers were offered for the repose of their souls.

The visible grief of their families underscored the profound human cost of Nigeria’s ongoing security operations in the North-East.

Brigadier General Braimah and his colleagues were among the soldiers killed in the line of duty during military operations in the region.

PHOTOS: Brigadier General Braimah, Other Fallen Soldiers Buried in Maiduguri is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, on Wednesday in Abuja, inaugurated a 10-member board of the Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), charging the board to adhere strictly to technical and safety standards in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). Adelabu charged the Ikechi Nwosu-led board to approach their assignments with a high sense of […]

The former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Dumebi Kachikwu, has explained why the just-concluded Congresses and National Convention of the opposition party led by the ex-senate president’s leadership are illegal.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Kachikwu said a Federal High Court in Abuja had, on April 14, 2026, ordered all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum in a suit involving ADC state chairmen and the opposing faction. He explained that the order effectively barred the conduct of any congresses or national conventions pending the determination of the case.

Despite the court directive, he alleged that the Mark-led ADC went ahead to organize a convention under the party’s name, an action he described as unlawful and destabilizing.

Kachikwu questioned the intentions of the organizers, arguing that individuals who disregard court orders could not be acting in the interest of either the ADC or Nigeria. He accused them of attempting to provoke disorder within the political system, insisting their actions were aimed at undermining both the party and democratic institutions.

According to him, the convention was marked by criticism of President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), without offering alternative policies or solutions. He argued that a credible opposition should focus on presenting ideas and policy options rather than engaging in rhetoric.

He warned that Nigeria’s fragile state, weakened by insecurity, economic strain, and corruption, could not withstand further political destabilization. He also cautioned that attempts to incite unrest could have far-reaching consequences, even for those allegedly behind such moves.

Kachikwu added that the “real ADC” would proceed with its activities, including its convention, strictly within the confines of the law.

“The order said to maintain the status quo ante bellum. This means no congresses or conventions until the matter before the court is adjudicated.

“Can men who continue to flout court orders mean well for the ADC or Nigeria? The simple answer is no.”

“They have one agenda and one agenda only, and that is to instigate a complete breakdown of law and order in the country through political gangsterism,” he said.

Why Mark-led ADC national convention illegal — Kachikwu

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has expressed concern over the unauthorised circulation of a publication presenting state-by-state HIV figures for January to March 2026.

The agency said the publication was shared across social media platforms nationwide without official approval or verification.

Dr Temitope Ilori, Director-General, NANCA said in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja that the publication failed to follow established procedures for requesting, validating, and disseminating HIV-related data. She said the document therefore remained unauthorised.

Ilori emphasised that HIV data could not be independently extracted and published without due process, noting that clearly defined protocols existed to ensure proper analysis, contextualisation, and accurate communication to the public.

She warned that failure to adhere to those procedures could lead to misinterpretation and misuse of sensitive public health information, potentially undermining public confidence in national HIV response systems.

Ilori said that although the figures appeared sourced from the National Data Repository dashboard, they only reflected HIV positivity from routine health facility testing and did not represent the true burden of HIV.

According to her, HIV positivity alone is not a valid measure of HIV prevalence or incidence and cannot be used to determine or rank the burden of the disease across states.

“HIV positivity alone is not a valid measure of HIV prevalence or incidence and, as such, cannot be used to determine or rank the burden of HIV. Variations in such figures may be influenced by factors including population size, differences in the scale and intensity of testing programmes, as well as disparities in data reporting completeness and timeliness.

“Accordingly, any comparison or ranking of states based solely on these figures is misleading, inaccurate, and invalid,” she said.

She added that such variations were influenced by differences in population size, testing coverage, programme intensity, and inconsistencies in data reporting completeness and timeliness across health facilities nationwide.

The NACA boss therefore, emphasised that any comparison or ranking of states based solely on those figures remained misleading, inaccurate, and invalid within accepted public health data interpretation standards.

She also reiterated that responsibility for generating, interpreting, and disseminating HIV data and related estimates rested strictly with authorised government health institutions with the required mandate and technical expertise.

“The responsibility for generating, interpreting, and disseminating HIV data and related estimates rests with authorised government health institutions with the requisite mandate and technical expertise.

“Members of the public, as well as organisations seeking HIV-related data, are advised to follow due process by submitting formal requests to the agency,” she added.

The agency therefore, urged members of the public and organisations seeking HIV-related data to adhere strictly to due process by submitting formal requests through official channels for accurate information access.

NACA Disowns Unauthorised HIV Data On Social Media is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that China has agreed not to supply weapons to Iran amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran following recent regional conflict linked to the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump made the claim via his Truth Social platform and later repeated it in an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, stating that Chinese President Xi Jinping had provided written assurance that Beijing was “essentially” not supplying arms to Iran.

According to Trump, he had previously sent a letter to Xi Jinping after receiving reports suggesting possible Chinese military support for Iran.

He said Xi responded in writing, denying the allegations in principle.

Trump further commented on the Strait of Hormuz situation, describing it as a key strategic and economic concern, while also suggesting that China welcomed efforts to stabilize the waterway due to its importance in global oil supply chains.

China remains Iran’s largest trading partner and a major buyer of its oil, making its role sensitive amid US sanctions and the current geopolitical standoff.

The claim comes as a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran continues to hold following earlier clashes this month.

The development also comes ahead of a planned US-China summit scheduled for May 14–15 in Beijing, where both trade and security issues are expected to be discussed, alongside wider regional tensions involving the Middle East.

No official response has yet been issued by Chinese authorities confirming Trump’s account of the alleged agreement.

Trump Claims China Agreed Not To Supply Weapons To Iran is first published on The Whistler Newspaper