Category: Uncategorized

A governorship aspirant in Benue State, Prof Sebastine Hon, Tuesday, called on Gov Hyacinth Alia of Benue State to adopt all safety measures to tackle the activities of insurgents in some parts of the state or resign from office.

Prof Hon, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, made the call in a statement entitled “Stop the slaughter in Benue: Gov Alia must act now”, which was made available to THE WHISTLER. He was reacting to Sunday’s attack on Edikwu-Ankpali in Apa Local Government Area of the state where, according to him, “more than 10 sons and daughters of the community were gruesomely murdered by terrorists”.

The legal luminary, in the release signed by Dr Ngutor Anyam, Director General, Sebastine Hon Campaign Organisation, said it was not the first time, recalling that, “On Sunday 1 June 2025, the same community lost over 11 lives to the same bloodthirsty killers”.

Quoting him, “We wonder why it is always on Sunday. Why on a Holy Day when Christians gather to worship? Is this a calculated evil designed to maximize casualties and desecrate our faith?

“Why must pastoralists who graze on our land kill our people and still drive us from our ancestral homes For too long, Apa, Agatu, Gwer-West, Gwer-East, Guma, Logo, Ukum, Katsina-Ala, Kwande and even Makurdi LGAs have bled under relentless terror. For too long, the Benue State Government has watched in silence. No arrests. No justice. No protection. Just press statements and empty condolences. Benue people are tired of lamentations. We demand action. We demand accountability.”

He said Gov Alia must be called to task because “he swore to protect lives and property”. According to him, Alia must rise to the task of protecting Benue people “or admit he cannot and resign honourably”.

While praying for the repose of the souls of the victims, the release added, “We pledge that under our watch, no inch of Benue soil will be surrendered to terrorists and no Benue life will be wasted without consequences. Enough blood. Enough excuses. End the killings now.”

Benue Massacre: Guber Aspirant Urges Gov Alia To Act is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday alleged that opposition elements were sponsoring bombings and insecurity across parts of the country in a bid to distract President Bola Tinubu and weaken his administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Akpabio made the claim in Abuja during the inauguration of the new headquarters of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), where he praised Tinubu’s leadership and ongoing reforms.

According to the Senate President, recent security incidents were politically motivated and designed to create fear and discredit the government.

“You are seeing insecurity today. It is even increasing because election is coming,” Akpabio said.

“As soon as election is over, watch out. In the first two weeks, you will not hear any single bomb blast because people are sponsoring it to distract you. They don’t know what else to do.”

The Senate President did not name any individual, group or political party allegedly involved in the sponsorship of attacks, but insisted that some forces were uncomfortable with the growing political strength of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He argued that President Tinubu’s performance in office had made it difficult for the opposition to mount a strong challenge, leading some actors to resort to desperate tactics.

“They said this man is too good in many areas. If governors are attracted to him, it is because he is taking very good care of the states,” Akpabio said.

“He came in with less than 18 governors. Today he has almost 32 governors under his fold out of 36.”

Akpabio said the ruling party had continued to gain political momentum because of what he described as the administration’s achievements in infrastructure, fiscal reforms and support for sub-national governments.

He also took a swipe at opposition parties, saying many of them were battling internal crises and lacked clear structures ahead of the next election cycle.

“Today, no opposition political party is stable in this country. They have not been able to put their houses in order,” he said.

The Senate President further defended Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy, saying the decision had saved Nigeria from fiscal collapse.

“From day one, you said fuel subsidy is gone. I asked myself, does this man know what he is talking about?” Akpabio said.

“But today, we can see that entrenched corruption was feeding on subsidy. Nigeria was spending almost 90 per cent to 93 per cent of revenue on subsidy and debt servicing.”

He said prior to the reforms, successive governments had little fiscal space for capital projects because most revenues were used to service debts and fund recurrent obligations.

“There was no money for infrastructure. You cannot build something on nothing and expect it to stand,” he added.

Akpabio praised the President for what he described as visible transformation in the Federal Capital Territory, citing ongoing road projects and rehabilitation of previously abandoned infrastructure.

“As a resident of the FCT, I have been here for many years. I have witnessed the Federal Capital Territory change under your administration,” he said.

“There were roads and bridges abandoned for years. Some of us did not even know they existed until work resumed on them.”

The Senate President also commended Tinubu for appointing persons outside the ruling party into strategic positions, saying it reflected an inclusive style of governance.

“You did not bring somebody only from APC. You brought somebody from another party so nobody will say you are not carrying the country along,” he said.

Akpabio used the occasion to urge Nigerians to focus on the administration’s achievements rather than what he described as distractions from political opponents.

“We have serious issues in some places where people are dying, but some people gather on television to discuss trivial matters because they realise they cannot match performance,” he said.

Opposition Sponsoring Bombings To Distract Tinubu — Akpabio is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

The Opta SuperComputer has predicted the four teams that will qualify for the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

The second legs of the quarter-final fixtures will be played this midweek.

In the first leg played last week, Arsenal won 1-0 at Sporting, Real Madrid lost 2-1 at home to Bayern Munich, PSG claimed a 2-0 home win over Liverpool and Atletico Madrid stunned 10-man Barcelona 2-0 at the Nou Camp.

Opta has not given any of the losing teams from last week more than a 21.1% chance of overturning their deficit.

Arsenal have an 88% chance of making the final four, while Bayern have an 83.4% of qualifying.

PSG have been given an 85.6% chance and Atletico’s chances are rated 78.9%.

UCL: SuperComputer predicts four teams to qualify for semi-finals

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has announced that a total of 24,575 students, including 56 inmates from correctional centres nationwide, will graduate at its 15th convocation ceremony. The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Uduma Oji Uduma, disclosed this on Tuesday during a pre-convocation media briefing, describing the upcoming ceremony as a defining moment […]

Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat has kicked off a series of political engagements as he positions himself ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

On Monday, April 13, Hamzat convened a strategic session with members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), party chieftains, and other influential stakeholders during a visit to respected elder statesman, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, in Lagos.

Among prominent GAC figures at the gathering were Mutiu Are, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, and Alhaji Bode Oyedele.

The meeting forms part of a broader round of consultations taking place across the state, amid growing conversations and alignments ahead of the 2027 governorship contest.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Hamzat said: “Today, I began consultations with respected members of the Governance Advisory Council.

“We had honest, thoughtful conversations about the future of Lagos and the kind of leadership it requires.

“I value the experience and guidance shared. This is about listening, learning and working with others to build a stronger Lagos.”

The post I started consultations with GAC for future of Lagos – Hamzat appeared first on Vanguard News.

Guinness Nigeria Plc has achieved a landmark milestone, surpassing the N1 trillion mark in market capitalisation on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), underscoring strong investor confidence and a sustained track record of value creation. As of April 10, 2026, the company’s market capitalisation stood at approximately N1.01 trillion, with an enterprise value of N1.05 trillion. This […]

The National Youth Service Corps and the Nigeria Police have renewed their commitment to strengthen the existing synergy between both agencies towards enhancing the security of Corps Members nationwide.

The Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, stated this when he paid a courtesy visit on the Inspector General of Police, Mr Olatunji Disu, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

While congratulating Disu on his appointment, General Nafiu commended the IGP on the recent inauguration of his crack team.

The DG added that the Police has been instrumental to the success of NYSC activities and programmes since its inception.

Nafiu appealed to the Police for maximum security of Corps Members and NYSC officials within and outside the Orientation Camps.

He equally solicited protection of the properties of corps members including their lodges as the nation approached the 2027 general elections.

The DG said the NYSC Act stipulates that members of the Armed Forces and paramilitary agencies are exempted from National Service and so he would like to interface with the Management of the Police Academy to enable the NYSC issue certificates of exemption to graduates of the institution as is statutory.

In his response, the IGP said the Police would continue to secure the scheme, adding that the addresses of all the Corps Lodges were available with the Police to take appropriate action as occasion demands.

He said the issue of exemption certificates for graduates of the Nigeria Police Academy, was a welcome development, while he assured the DG of more cooperation from the Police to the NYSC.

NYSC, Police strengthen ties for improved corps security

The Federal Government says it is investigating the activities of some ‘sharp sharp’ loan operators over alleged violation of data privacy of customers.

The National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Mr Vincent Olatunji, said this on Tuesday.

‘Sharp Sharp’ loan operators, also known in some quarters as loan sharks, are private sector-based and largely unregulated loan vendors who advance immediate loans to soliciting, and sometimes, unsoliciting customers without collateral.

Olatunji, who spoke on the sidelines of the training for Data Protection Officers (DPOs) in Abuja, said the federal government was aware of some of the lenders breaching their customers’ data privacy in their desperate bid to recover their loans.

According to him, some of the violations include accessing borrowers’ phone contact lists and using them to reach their family members and friends as well as sharing images without consent and sending defamatory or threatening messages.

The national commissioner emphasised the need for increased public awareness, urging Nigerians to understand their rights and carefully review loan agreements before accepting offers.

Olatunji, however, said unethical data practices by loan operators remained a global concern.

“Many borrowers unknowingly expose their personal data due to failure to read loan agreements. This is not peculiar to Nigeria; it is common in every part of the world.

“Unfortunately, most of the information are from those who obtained loans without going through the agreement they signed before accessing the loans.

“Many operators function solely online, without physical offices. This makes regulations more complex. However, compliance with data protection laws remains mandatory.

“Before any digital loan giver operates in Nigeria, it is mandatory to look at the areas of privacy,” he told NAN.

Olatunji said that Nigeria had several consumer protection entities such as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) that takes the lead on consumer protection.

The NDPC boss listed other key agencies involved in regulating the space to include National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Police.

He said that any digital lender should obtain approval and licensing from the FCCPC, with strict requirements to uphold user privacy.

“Part of the requirements is to ensure provisions around privacy are complied with so they that they do not infringe on the rights of their customers.

“Any unauthorised access to people’s contacts is an offence and we will come after them,” he warned.

On the ongoing investigations of Sterling Bank, Remita and Temu, Olatunji said that the commission was adhering strictly to due process to ensure fairness and accountability.

“Investigations take time because we must follow laid-down procedures. We invite organisations, review their submissions, and give them the opportunity to defend themselves.

“For Sterling Bank, we have completed the process and issued our decision.

“For Temu, the process is ongoing, and they have requested an extension of time to appear before the commission, which has been granted.” he said.

Olatunji, however, reiterated that the NDPC’s priority remained ensuring accountability among data controllers and processors, as well as safeguarding the personal data of Nigerians.

FG Probes ‘Sharp Sharp’ Loan Operators is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Popular Nollywood actress, Doris Ogala, has raised alarm over the presence of armed policemen in her house.

Expressing fear, the actress who captured how the police surrounded her residence very early on Tuesday, stated that she was never invited.

While calling on the public to hold the founder of Grace Nation International Ministry, Pastor Chris Okafor responsible if they don’t hear from her again, she accused the clergy man of orchestrating yet another attempt to arrest and imprison her this morning without her legal representative.

“I have police people in my house. I don’t know how they entered my house. They said they’re from Lagos. Chris doesn’t want to leave me alone. He has carried me to three different courts and more than seven police stations.

“They have surrounded my house. If you people don’t see me again, please hold Chris Okafor responsible for my disappearance”, she said.

DAILY POST reports that the fight between her and her pastor began in late 2025, when a video of Chris Okafor’s engagement to Pearl Okafor went viral on social media.

Reacting to the engagement video, Doris called out the clergy man for dumping her to marry a younger lady after years of her sexual relationships with him.

Okafor who did not deny the allegations, allegedly paid Doris $10,000 for settlement.

Watch the video of the incident 

 

Doris Ogala raises alarm as Lagos police storm her residence without prior invitation

The Iranian Government has on Tuesday estimated that the cost of the war launched by the United States (U.S.) and Israel since February at $270bn.

The government spokeswoman, Fatemeh Mohajerani, told the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that the figure was a preliminary estimate.

According to Mohajerani, the first step in putting a more complete figure on the extent of the reparations will be to evaluate damage to buildings.

With this, the economic losses and lost tax revenues would be analysed.

She said that the Iranian government would seek compensation from U.S and Israel.

He added that the topic has been part of the negotiations with the U.S. during the landmark direct talks in Islamabad over the weekend.

Iran Puts Cost Of War At $270bn is first published on The Whistler Newspaper