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The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has reiterated its commitment to upholding high labour standards and promoting staff welfare, stressing that its effectiveness as a regulatory body depends on the well-being and professionalism of its workforce.

In a statement on Monday, the Commission said it has continued to implement measures to improve working conditions and strengthen internal processes since the current leadership assumed office.

It noted that these efforts are designed to foster a supportive work environment anchored on fairness, productivity, mutual respect, and accountability.

NAICOM highlighted progress made in staff welfare, including training and capacity development, career growth opportunities, workplace improvements, and performance-based advancement.

According to the Commission, these initiatives are part of a broader strategy to build a skilled and motivated workforce aligned with its institutional goals.

The Commission also emphasized that its human resource system operates on transparency and merit, in full compliance with public service rules and regulatory frameworks. It stated that promotions are conducted based on clear and objective criteria, with equal opportunities provided to all staff without favouritism or bias.

Reaffirming its commitment to discipline and integrity, NAICOM said it continues to promote positive working relationships and a culture of equity, transparency, and non-discrimination across all levels.

The Commission further encouraged staff to utilise established internal communication and dispute resolution channels, noting that constructive engagement remains key to maintaining stability and public confidence.

Addressing a recent incident, NAICOM disclosed that there was an attempt by certain individuals to undermine the credibility of its leadership through external actors.

However, the Commission said the effort was rejected by staff and has since been resolved, with normal operations fully restored.

NAICOM assured stakeholders of its continued dedication to staff welfare, professional development, and institutional excellence, as it works to strengthen Nigeria’s insurance industry.

NAICOM Defends Regulatory Credibility Amid Internal Tensions is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

A court has adjourned the hearing of the bail application filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in his ongoing fraud case.

The case is being heard at the Federal High Court, where El-Rufai is facing charges related to alleged financial misconduct during his time in office.

During the latest proceedings, the court postponed consideration of the bail request to allow for further legal processes, including responses from the prosecution and proper review of submissions by both parties.

Legal representatives on both sides are expected to present detailed arguments at the next hearing, which will determine whether El-Rufai will be granted bail pending the continuation of the trial.

The adjournment means the former governor will have to wait longer for a ruling on his bail status, as the case continues to attract national attention.

Observers say the decision highlights the complex legal nature of high-profile corruption cases, where courts often take additional time to ensure due process is followed.

A U.S. federal judge has thrown out President Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamationlawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch, ruling that the president failed to meet the high legal standard required for public figures to prove defamation.

U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles, sitting in Miami, dismissed the case without prejudice on Monday. This means Trump’s legal team can file an amended complaint by 27 April if they choose to refile.

The lawsuit, filed last summer, accused The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, Murdoch and two of its reporters of publishing a false and malicious story about Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

The article referenced a “bawdy” birthday greeting letter bearing Trump’s signature that was included in a 2002/2003 album presented to Epstein for his 50th birthday. Trump’s lawyers claimed the reporting caused him massive reputational and financial harm.

In his ruling, Judge Gayles stated that Trump had not “plausibly alleged” that the newspaper published the story with actual malice, the legal threshold public figures must prove, meaning the media either knew the information was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.

“Because President Trump has not plausibly alleged that Defendants published the Article with actual malice, both Counts must be dismissed,” Gayles wrote.

The Wall Street Journal welcomed the decision.

This is the latest in a series of high-profile legal battles Trump has launched against major media organisations over their coverage of his past associations.

The original The Wall Street Journal story was published in July 2025, shortly after Epstein-related documents were released by Congress.

Trump’s team has not yet commented publicly on whether they will amend and refile the suit.

Judge Dismisses Trump’s $10bn Lawsuit Against WSJ Over Epstein Reporting is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Kaduna State High Court on Monday adjourned till Tuesday, April 14, for ruling on the bail application involving former Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, after

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that any faction within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was denied the usage of the Eagle Square for its national convention.

A former spokesperson of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, has earlier on Monday, alleged that “24 hours to the @ADCNig National Convention, the Nigerian-aligned political party is yet to be issued a venue.”

According to him, the party had written to the office of the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike,, seeking permission to use Eagle Square, but although the letter was acknowledged, no official response had been received.

Ologbodiyan added that the party also approached officials of the ministry of sports development for the use of the velodrome at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, but the request was declined.

He further alleged that several privately owned event centres in Abuja turned down the party’s requests over fears of possible government backlash.

Despite the challenges, the party insisted that the convention would proceed as scheduled in the federal capital territory.

A letter dated April 7 and signed by Chinedu Idigo showed that the party had formally applied for the use of Eagle Square for what it described as a non-elective convention.

Idigo said the event is expected to attract delegates, stakeholders, and observers from across the 36 states and the FCT, noting that Eagle Square was selected for its capacity, accessibility, and security arrangements.

“I assure you that all necessary protocols will be strictly adhered to, including compliance with security guidelines, facility management rules, and restoration of the venue to its original condition after use,” the letter reads.

He also stated that the party was ready to meet all financial obligations required for the use of the facility.

However, the request was declined, although reasons for the decision were not disclosed.

Subsequently, the ADC announced that the convention would now be held at Rainbow Event Center in Abuja, describing it as a central and accessible alternative venue for participants expected from across the country.

However, Wike, while addressing journalists during an inspection of ongoing projects in Abuja on Monday, insisted that no formal application was submitted.

“Who denied them? I am not aware of any such development, and I don’t even know which party you are referring to. If it is the African Democratic Congress (ADC), such claims are their usual attempt to gain public sympathy,” Wike said.

He explained that the use of Eagle Square is subject to due process, which includes a formal application through the Abuja Investments Company Limited, which is in charge of the facility and payment of required fees.

The Minister also pointed out that the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Velodrome is not under the Federal Capital Territory Administration, but the Sports Commission.

“As we speak, no formal application has been submitted to the Abuja Investments Company Limited. When the APC used the venue, and the PDP used the Stadium Velodrome, they complied with the process. We do not deny anyone access if the rules are followed,” he added.

Wike, during the inspection of ongoing projects, further expressed satisfaction with the level of work done, noting that key road projects would be completed by May 15.

“The contractors have assured us that road works will be completed by May 15, while streetlight installations will be finalised before the end of May,” he said.

The minister also disclosed that at Gaduwa, he had directed the installation of protective mesh to prevent encroachment on road corridors, while works on streetlights were progressing.

At Wassa, Wike said the administration was set to relocate informal sector operators, particularly Apo Mechanic Village Traders, to a new facility equipped with necessary infrastructure.

“This project is aimed at improving the working conditions of artisans and fulfilling long-standing promises to the informal sector,” he stated.

On reports of the windstorm that affected the roof of the Kugbo Bus Terminal, the minister said it was a natural disaster that no one had control over, explaining that only roofing sheets were affected, and the damage is already being fixed.

“The terminal did not collapse. The structure is intact. What happened was that strong winds blew off parts of the roof. Repairs are ongoing,” Wike said, noting that no lives were lost.

He attributed the steady progress of projects in the FCT to effective collaboration between the government and contractors, supported by prompt payment of contractual obligations.

Convention: I’m Not Aware ADC Was Denied Venue — Wike is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

President Donald Trump said US forces would destroy any Iranian “fast attack ships” that approach the American naval blockade of Iranian ports that came into effect on Monday.

“Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED,” Trump said on his Truth Social network, adding that the rest of Iran’s navy had been “completely obliterated.”

The US military would be “using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea,” the president said, referring to air strikes on alleged narcotics boats off the coast of Venezuela.

The post Trump warns Iran boats breaching US blockade will be ‘eliminated’ appeared first on Vanguard News.

President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran’s naval forces have been “completely obliterated,” alleging that 158 Iranian ships have been destroyed, while issuing a fresh warning that any remaining vessels approaching the U.S. naval blockade “will be immediately eliminated.”

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that Iran’s navy was “laying at the bottom of the sea,” adding that only a small number of fast-attack boats remain.

He warned that any such vessels nearing the blockade zone would be “immediately ELIMINATED.”

The United States military began enforcing a full naval blockade at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time targeting all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal waters.

United States Central Command confirmed that the operation covers the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and approaches to the Strait of Hormuz.

Officials said the blockade follows the collapse of weekend negotiations in Pakistan, where US and Iranian representatives failed to reach an agreement aimed at de-escalation.

The measures are intended to restrict Iran’s oil exports and increase pressure over its nuclear programme and regional activities.

CENTCOM stated that enforcement will apply to all vessels attempting to access Iranian ports, regardless of flag, while allowing neutral transits through key international shipping lanes such as the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s remarks combined a renewed claim of heavy Iranian naval losses with an explicit warning to any surviving fast-attack craft that might challenge U.S. forces enforcing the blockade.

Global oil markets reacted sharply, with prices reportedly surging above $100 per barrel amid growing fears of disruption to Middle East shipping routes.

Iran has not yet issued an official response to the blockade or Trump’s latest statements.

The situation remains highly fluid, with military enforcement ongoing and further developments expected.

Trump Says Iranian Navy ‘Obliterated’, Warns Ships Near U.S. Blockade is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

A Norwegian man has been effectively cured of HIV after receiving a stem cell transplant from his brother, doctors announced on Monday.

The patient’s brother happened to carry a rare, virus-blocking genetic mutation.

The 63-year-old man, dubbed the “Oslo patient”, is the latest in around 10 people worldwide who have gone into long-term remission from HIV after receiving a transplant to treat unrelated blood cancer.

The high-risk procedure normally requires a donor to have a specific mutation of their CCR5 gene, which blocks HIV from entering the body’s cells.

Only around one percent of people in northern Europe have the necessary mutation.

The Oslo patient, who had been living with HIV since 2006, was diagnosed with a fatal blood cancer called myelodysplastic syndrome in 2017.

His doctors searched for a donor who would help treat both. When they couldn’t find one, they chose the man’s elder brother.

However, on the day of the transplant in 2020, the doctors were stunned to discover that the brother carried the CCR5 mutation.

“We had no idea… That was amazing,” doctor Anders Eivind Myhre of the Oslo University Hospital told AFP.

‘Winning the lottery twice’

The patient said “it was like winning the lottery twice”, added Myhre, who was also the lead author of a study describing the case in Nature Microbiology.

Two years after the transplant, the patient stopped taking the anti-retroviral drugs which had been reducing the level of HIV in his body.

The researchers found no trace of the virus in samples of the man’s blood, gut and bone marrow.

“For all practical purposes, we are quite certain that he is cured,” Myhre said.

Now the Oslo patient, whose name was not revealed, is “having a great time” and has more energy than he knows what to do with, Myhre said.

The painful and potentially dangerous transplant procedure is for people who have both HIV and deadly blood cancer so is not a feasible option for the millions of people living with the virus across the world.

However, researchers believe that studying these rare cases will reveal more about how HIV works in the hope of finding a cure for all patients.

‘No longer a patient’

The Oslo patient is the first person to receive a transplant from a family member.

The patient’s immune system had been “completely replaced” by the donor’s, sqaid study co-author Marius Troseid of the University of Oslo.

It was the first time this had been observed in a cured patient’s bone marrow and gut, he told AFP.

Even before the researchers found out the brother had a CCR5 mutation, they had some hope that the Oslo patient’s HIV could be cured.

That is because in 2024 it was revealed that the so-called “next Berlin patient” entered long-term remission despite receiving a transplant that did not have two copies of the mutated gene.

The original Berlin patient, Timothy Ray Brown, was the first person declared cured of HIV back in 2008. Patients in London, New York, Geneva, Duesseldorf and elsewhere followed.

Given the Oslo patient’s robust health, Troseid suggested that his nickname was no longer suitable.

“The Oslo patient is perhaps no longer a patient. At least he doesn’t feel like it,” Troseid said.

Vanguard Newsz

The post How transplant from brother cured Norwegian man of HIV appeared first on Vanguard News.

By Henry Ojelu

Twelve years after the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State, parents of the victims have renewed calls for urgent and coordinated global action to secure the release of those still in captivity.

In an open letter issued at the weekend, the parents appealed to the federal government, the international community and the United Nations to intensify efforts towards rescuing the remaining girls, noting that 87 of them are still unaccounted for.

The statement, signed by Yana Galang and Zanna Lawan on behalf of the parents of the missing girls, described the continued absence of the victims as a painful reminder of promises yet to be fulfilled since the April 14, 2014, abduction.

The Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, which sparked global outrage and advocacy for the protection of girls’ education, remains one of the most defining incidents of insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East.

While acknowledging that some of the girls have been released or rescued over the years, the parents lamented that progress has been slow and incomplete.

“For the families, this is not a past tragedy but an ongoing reality,” the statement read, stressing that the passage of time has done little to ease the anguish and uncertainty surrounding the fate of their daughters.

They urged the Nigerian government to not only sustain but strengthen ongoing efforts to locate the missing girls, insisting on the need for accountability in the rescue process.

“We want to once again passionately call on the Nigerian government to sustain and strengthen efforts to locate the missing girls and to ensure accountability,” the parents said.

The group also called on the United Nations and other international partners to keep the Chibok case on the global agenda and support initiatives aimed at protecting children, particularly girls, in conflict-affected regions.

Describing the incident as more than a national concern, the parents said it represents “a test of global resolve”, warning that the responsibility to act must not diminish with time.

They further demanded coordinated and transparent actions, including sustained search operations and broader strategies to guarantee safe access to education, especially for girls in vulnerable communities.

The parents cautioned against allowing the Chibok abduction to fade into obscurity, insisting that the missing girls must not become “a symbol without consequence”.

They maintained that the crisis remains unresolved until all the abducted girls are accounted for, urging sustained commitment from all stakeholders to bring closure to affected families.

The post 12 years on, parents renew call for rescue of 87 Chibok girls appeared first on Vanguard News.

The Executive Chairman of the Jigawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Professor Haruna Musa, has reassured teachers that the ongoing teachers’ assessment test is aimed at reforming the system, not fault-finding.

He stated this on Sunday while addressing teachers at the assessment test centre in Dutse.

He said the exercise is part of the state government’s efforts to reform the education sector, not to engage in witch-hunting or fault-finding.

Prof. Musa emphasised that the board’s primary objective is to work collaboratively with educators to identify practical ways of improving the quality of basic education in the state.

He noted that teachers remain critical partners in the reform process, stressing that their experiences, challenges and suggestions are essential in shaping policies that will deliver meaningful and lasting impact.

“Our collective mission is not to look for faults or shortcomings among you. Rather, our focus is to work hand-in-hand with you to strengthen and reform our basic education system,” he stated.

He further urged teachers to remain committed to their duties by continuing to inspire and nurture pupils, while also embracing innovation and positive change in their classrooms.

Musa expressed confidence that, with sustained collaboration and mutual trust, Jigawa State would achieve significant progress in its basic education system.

He also commended teachers for their dedication and unwavering service, wishing them a productive and fulfilling week ahead.

Jigawa SUBEB assures teachers assessment test not for fault-finding