Category: Uncategorized

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Sunday said it has taken note of reports alleging that an air strike conducted on Saturday, April 11, 2026, may have affected a local market in Jilli, resulting in civilian casualties.

Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, in a statement, said the NAF treats all reports of possible civilian harm with the utmost seriousness and empathy, as the protection of innocent lives remains central to all its operations.

According to the statement, in line with its commitment, the Chief of the Air Staff has directed an immediate activation of the Civilian Harm Accident and Investigation Cell to immediately proceed to the location on a fact-finding mission regarding the allegation.

“The NAF remains firmly committed to professionalism, accountability, and transparency in the conduct of its missions and will work closely with relevant authorities and community representatives to establish the facts,” it stated.

The statement urged the public and the media to refrain from speculation and allow the review to proceed without prejudice.

It further reassured all citizens of its steadfast resolve to protect both national security and civilian lives while ensuring that every credible concern is addressed with the diligence and seriousness it deserves.

Nigerian Air Force orders probe of Jilli air strike civilian casualties

The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his political acumen, describing him as a master strategist ahead of the 2027 general election.

In a post shared on X on Sunday, Keyamo said Tinubu’s experience as a former opposition figure gives him a decisive edge over current opposition leaders.

“The very unique thing about President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT is that he fought from the deep end of opposition to become President of Nigeria and today, he has totally flipped the script on the PDP,” he wrote.

Keyamo recalled Tinubu’s political trajectory, particularly his role as the only surviving opposition governor in the South-West after the 2007 elections, noting that the experience shaped his understanding of opposition politics.

The very unique thing about President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT is that he fought from the deep end of opposition to become President of Nigeria and today, he has totally flipped the script on the PDP which could not outfox him as the only surviving opposition…

— Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK) (@fkeyamo) April 12, 2026

He argued that opposition parties are now relying on strategies originally developed by Tinubu, making it difficult for them to outmaneuver him.

“Therefore, every step the opposition takes today and every strategy they adopt is from the playbook of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He knows and understands every single step against him before they even conceive it,” the minister said.

Keyamo added that Tinubu’s deep knowledge of political strategy places him far ahead of his rivals in the build-up to the next election cycle.

“You cannot beat the master at his own game; you cannot outfox the man who taught almost all of us how to play opposition politics; he is 100 steps ahead of all of them,” he said.

His remarks come amid increasing political activity and realignments among opposition parties positioning themselves for the 2027 elections.

The post You can’t outfox him — Keyamo hails Tinubu as master strategist ahead of 2027 appeared first on Vanguard News.

Saudi Arabia summoned Iraq’s ambassador to Riyadh on Sunday in a significant diplomatic move, holding Baghdad responsible for ongoing drone threats and attacks against the Kingdom and other Gulf states launched from within Iraqi territory.

The Saudi foreign ministry announced it had summoned Iraq’s ambassador, saying it had “emphasised the importance of Iraq dealing responsibly with these threats and attacks.”

Saudi Arabia accused armed groups of launching drones from Iraqi territory towards the kingdom and other Gulf states, raising formal concerns through the diplomatic channel.

The summons signals growing Saudi frustration with Baghdad’s inability or unwillingness to rein in Iran-aligned militia groups operating on its soil that have increasingly targeted Gulf infrastructure amid the wider U.S.-Iran war.

The development fits into a rapidly deteriorating regional picture.

Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry confirmed that its east-west oil pipeline and other energy infrastructure damaged by earlier attacks have now been restored and have regained operational capacity.

The episode underscores how the conflict ignited by the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February has spread far beyond Iran’s borders, drawing Gulf neighbours into an increasingly dangerous regional confrontation.

Iraq occupies a uniquely difficult position in this crisis , it hosts both U.S. military forces and powerful Iran-backed armed factions such as Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, which operate with significant autonomy and have long targeted American and Gulf assets from Iraqi soil.

Baghdad’s government has repeatedly found itself caught between its constitutional obligations and the political reality of powerful armed groups it cannot fully control.

The Saudi summons of Iraq’s envoy is among the strongest diplomatic signals Riyadh has sent Baghdad in recent memory and is likely to add further pressure on Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani’s government to take concrete action against the militia networks responsible for the drone launches.

Saudi Arabia Summons Iraq’s Ambassador Over Drones Launched From Territory is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Manchester City ignited the Premier League title race with a second-half blitz that sealed a 3-0 win against Chelsea as they closed the gap on leaders Arsenal on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola’s side produced a devastating spell immediately after half-time, with Nico O’Reilly and Marc Guehi scoring in the space of six minutes at Stamford Bridge.

Jeremy Doku wrapped up a statement victory to ensure City took advantage of Arsenal’s shock 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Second-placed City are now only six points behind Arsenal with a game in hand, setting up a seismic showdown against the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium on April 19.

Having beaten Arsenal in the League Cup final and thrashed Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals, City are hitting form at just the right time.

Their bid for a seventh English title under Guardiola appeared to be fading after successive draws with strugglers West Ham and Nottingham Forest in their previous two league matches.

A disjointed first half against Chelsea suggested City might waste a golden opportunity to pile pressure on Arsenal.

But Guardiola’s half-time team-talk had the desired effect and City can now target next weekend’s do-or-die visit from Mikel Arteta’s spluttering team.

If City win that blockbuster clash, they will be within three points of Arsenal, who blew substantial leads in the 2023 and 2024 title races, allowing Guardiola’s men to pip them to the trophy.

Arteta said the defeat to Bournemouth was a “punch in the face” and City’s success in west London was another body blow for the Spaniard.

City have won 29 of their 32 league games in the month of April in recent seasons, underlining their ability to thrive when the title pressure mounts.

After winning their first four league matches following Liam Rosenior’s arrival from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca, Chelsea have won just one of their last seven, losing three in a row to leave the Blues boss facing some difficult questions.

Chelsea, who haven’t beaten City since the 2021 Champions League final, were again without Enzo Fernandez after Rosenior’s controversial decision to drop the Argentine midfielder for hinting he might leave in the summer.

– Cherki sparkles –

Sixth-placed Chelsea looked subdued without Fernandez and they trail four points behind Liverpool in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top-five finish.

Lacking energy and cohesion in a sloppy start, City were fortunate not to fall behind when Marc Cucurella’s clinical finish was disallowed for a tight offside.

City also let Pedro Neto in far too easily for a stinging strike that forced Gianluigi Donnarumma to save at his near post.

It took City 35 minutes to mount an incisive raid as Bernardo Silva stretched to meet O’Reilly’s cross, but Robert Sanchez made a fine save from the midfielder’s close-range effort.

But City stepped up after the interval and O’Reilly made the breakthrough in the 51st minute.

Rayan Cherki whipped an in-swinging cross towards O’Reilly and the City left-back reprised his League Cup final heroics with another clinical header from close range.

Six minutes later, Cherki again showed the creative genius that has won over Guardiola despite some impetuous moments in his first season in Manchester.

The France playmaker glided past a gaggle of Chelsea players on the edge of the area before threading a sublime pass to Guehi, who looked more like a forward than a centre-back as he smashed a perfect strike into the far corner from 12 yards.

City benefitted from wretched Chelsea defending for their third goal in the 68th minute.

Sanchez rolled the ball to Moises Caicedo even though the Chelsea midfielder was surrounded by three City players and Doku pounced, racing into the area to drill home as Guardiola celebrated a priceless result.

Vanguard News

The post Man City thrash Chelsea 3-0 to close gap on leaders Arsenal appeared first on Vanguard News.

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, has commended the Chairman of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, on the sustained peace and development in the Niger Delta and the entire Nigeria.  Otuaro described Tompolo as a foremost Niger Delta freedom fighter, […]

Experts say that internalised stress, often tied to cultural expectations and life experiences, may quietly influence memory decline over time in ageing populations…

The United States has praised Nigeria for a landmark mass terrorism trial that concluded this past week, in which 386 suspected militants linked to Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) were convicted in just four days.

U.S. Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos posted the commendation on X on Sunday, stating: “The United States commends the Nigerian government for its strong commitment to expediting trials addressing terrorism and related crimes.

We welcome the convictions of 386 Islamist militants in cases that had previously faced significant delays in the courts, and we recognize this as an important step toward accountability and justice.” Boulos emphasised the importance of efficient and transparent judicial processes in tackling insecurity and strengthening public confidence in the legal system.

The trial, which marked the ninth phase of Nigeria’s mass terrorism trial exercise, commenced on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, and concluded on Friday, April 10.

Defendants were arraigned before 10 judges of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, despite the Easter vacation period that commenced on the same day.

A total of 508 defendants were brought before the courts. Of those, 386 were convicted and sentenced to various jail terms ranging from five years to life imprisonment based on the gravity of the charges and their courtroom confessions.

Eight defendants were discharged while two were acquitted. A batch of 112 suspects whose cases could not be concluded will be arraigned in the next phase scheduled for June 15 to 18, 2026.

Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, commended the ten Federal High Court judges for sacrificing their Easter holiday to serve in the special courts, calling their efforts a demonstration of commitment to justice and national security.

He also noted that Amnesty International, the Nigerian Bar Association, the National Human Rights Commission, and other civil society groups monitored the proceedings to ensure transparency and adherence to due process.

Beyond punishment, courts also ordered rehabilitation and de-radicalisation for many of the convicts, aimed at reintegrating them into society and preventing future violence.

The convictions mark a significant milestone in Nigeria’s long-running battle against insurgency in the northeast, which has displaced millions of people over the past decade.

U.S. Commends Nigeria For Convicting 386 ‘Islamist Militants’ is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has criticised supporters of Peter Obi, describing them as “monsters” and warning that they could undermine his political ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a series of posts on X on Sunday, Dabiri-Erewa said the former Labour Party presidential candidate bears responsibility for the conduct of his supporters, popularly known as Obidients.

“@PeterObi has actually raised monsters. By God’s grace @officialABAT will win the 2027 elections. When it’s the turn of the south east and who knows, if the lot falls on him, I hope he knows that these obingos/ Obi-dients will ironically be his downfall. He needs to call them to order,” she wrote.

The NiDCOM chairman doubled down on her position in subsequent posts, insisting that the behaviour of Obi’s supporters could ultimately harm his political prospects if not addressed.

“They will eventually be Peter Obi’s downfall if he does not call them to order,” she added in response to another user’s comment.

Dabiri-Erewa also defended her decision to engage critics online, rejecting the notion that her role as a public official should prevent her from responding to attacks.

“This is my personal account. You can hack it again if you so wish. So because I’m a public official, I should keep quiet to Rada Rada rede rede of @PeterObi’s toxic obidients??” she wrote.

Her remarks followed the reactions of Obi’s supporters to her earlier post about her meeting with Nigerians in Silicon Valley, California.

“While in Silicon Valley, California, I met with incredible Nigerian professionals with a passion to contributing to Nigeria’s growth . I could not leave Silicon Valley without a ride in a driverless car .Special thanks to Kunle Adeyemo for the ride and the tour,” she tweeted.

The post Peter Obi raised monsters, Obidients will be his downfall - Abike Dabiri appeared first on Vanguard News.

Former President of the African Development Bank Group, Akinwumi Adesina, has declared that his service to Africa remains “a mission for life,” as he dedicated his…

Nigeria’s mutual fund market posted strong gains in the first quarter of 2026, with several