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Mohammed Sadis Buba of Kaduna State has concluded the All Progressives Congress, APC, screening to contest for the Sabon Gari Zaria Federal Constituency primary election.

The stunted man told the screening committee that the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani was aware of his intention.

Asked what inspired him to join the race, Baba said “it not about me, it my people that called me to serve”.

The 30-year-old aspirant noted that he is contesting the party’s ticket against an incumbent, who would not want to step down for him.

“My people called my to come and serve and I am ready to serve. We are only two running for the APC ticket. My opponent is a serving member”, he said.

Video

‘My gov is aware’ – Stunted man, Buba concludes APC screening for House of Reps [VIDEO]

A militia attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri province has killed at least 69 people, local and security sources told AFP on Saturday, with the full scale of the killings only emerging days after the assault due to an ongoing security lockdown in the affected area.

Armed men affiliated with the Codeco militia carried out attacks in several villages on April 28, following an earlier assault by another armed group, the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CRP), on positions held by the Congolese army near the locality of Pimbo.

The continued presence of Codeco fighters in the zone delayed the recovery of bodies for several days.

Civil society leader Dieudonne Losa told AFP that more than 70 people had been killed, while two security sources who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed a toll of at least 69, including 19 militia members and soldiers. Only 25 bodies had been buried as of Saturday, with several sets of remains yet to be recovered.

A humanitarian source described bodies strewn on the ground near the village of Bassa, one of the areas targeted.

The UN mission in DR Congo, MONUSCO, warned on Saturday of a deadly wave of attacks targeting civilians in the country’s restive east, saying dozens of civilians had been killed in recent days across the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.

The Codeco militia claims to defend the rights of the mainly farming Lendu community against the mainly pastoral Hema community, while the CRP says it fights for the Hema.

They are just two of several armed groups active in the area, which also include the Allied Democratic Forces, a group formed by former Ugandan rebels that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.

Since early 2025, Ituri has seen a resurgence of the CRP, a group founded by convicted Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga, who was found guilty in 2012 by the International Criminal Court for recruiting child soldiers and released in 2020 after completing his sentence.

Eastern DRC has been a battleground for various armed groups for more than three decades, with the province of Ituri plunged into a humanitarian crisis affecting nearly one million internally displaced people, according to the United Nations.

Militia Attack Kills At Least 69 In DR Congo is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Bayero University, Kano (BUK) has announced a fresh window for students to apply for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) for the 2025/2026 academic session.

The development was made known in a special bulletin issued on Saturday in Kano and signed on behalf of the Registrar by the university’s Director of Public Affairs, Lamara Garba.

Garba explained that the decision to reopen the application portal followed a request by the university management, giving eligible students another opportunity to benefit from the scheme.

According to him, “the reopening of the NELFUND portal provides a final opportunity for eligible students who have completed their screening to commence and complete their applications.”

He said the application window will run from May 8 to May 29, urging students to take the process seriously.

“This reopening provides the final opportunity for eligible students who have completed their screening to visit the official NELFUND portal to commence and complete applications for both institutional charges and upkeep,” he said.

Garba stressed that applicants must follow all instructions carefully and upload the required documents to avoid delays or disqualification.

“Applications for institutional charges and upkeep must be submitted simultaneously, as separate applications may not be processed,” he added.

He also warned students against using microfinance wallet accounts.

“Applicants should ensure their email addresses are accurate and accessible. Passwords must be securely kept and remembered, as they will be needed to access the portal and track application status,” he said.

The university urged all eligible students to take advantage of the fresh window and complete their applications before the May 29 deadline.

 BUK announces fresh window for NELFUND applications

The Lagos Waste Management Authority has arrested three individuals for allegedly engaging in illegal waste disposal during an overnight enforcement operation carried out in the Ketu-Alapere area of Lagos State.

The development was disclosed in a statement released on Sunday by the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, through his verified X handle.

According to the statement, the operation was conducted by the LAWMA Waste Infractions Surveillance and Investigation Team between May 8 and May 9, 2026, as part of ongoing efforts by the state government to curb indiscriminate waste dumping across Lagos.

The commissioner stated that the suspects were apprehended while illegally disposing of refuse at unauthorised locations within the Ketu-Alapere axis.

“As part of ongoing efforts to eliminate illegal waste dumping within the state, the LAWMA Waste Infractions Surveillance and Investigation Team conducted an overnight surveillance operation from May 8 to 9, 2026, in the Ketu Alapere axis,” the statement read.

Wahab added that the suspects were traced to their residences during investigations aimed at identifying the reasons behind their actions and preventing further environmental violations.

According to him, findings from the investigation revealed that the affected properties lacked proper waste storage facilities and had not been registered with approved Private Sector Participant operators responsible for waste collection.

He further disclosed that all affected properties had been documented and forwarded to the LAWMA legal department for necessary legal action.

The commissioner also stated that blackspots identified during the operation were cleared as part of efforts to maintain environmental cleanliness within the area.

LAWMA arrests three for illegal waste dumping in Lagos

Veteran Nigerian movie stars, Kanayo O. Kanayo and Sola Sobowale, have won Industry Merit Award at the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, AMVCA.

The duo were honored with the awards on Saturday night during the 12th edition of the AMVCA awards ceremony held at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos state.

The awards recognised their decades-long contributions to the Nigerian movie industry and their impact as two of Nollywood’s most respected screen icons.

Receiving the award, Shola Shobowale, who appreciated the organisers and her fans, specially appreciated her children for making motherhood an easy journey for her and her career.

“I want to specially thank God Almighty for keeping till this day to have this. I thank my children. Thank you to all my colleagues. I thank my fans because without you ‘Ko si Shola’ (there’s no Shola) It truly is an honour”, she said

On his part, Kanayo O. Kanayo used the moment to speak against xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

AMVCA 2026: Sola Sobowale, Kanayo O. Kanayo wins Industry Merit Awards

Chad declared three days of national mourning after a new attack by Boko Haram jihadists Wednesday killed two generals in the volatile Lake Chad Basin.

On Monday evening, an attack on the Barka Tolorom military base on the Chadian shore of Lake Chad left at least 24 soldiers dead and several wounded, according to a military source.

On Wednesday afternoon, security and defence force boats patrolling the lake’s island area “fell into a Boko Haram ambush,” an officer from the General Staff told AFP, adding that two generals were killed.

The government in a statement declared national mourning “from Wednesday, May 6 at midnight to Saturday, May 9 at midnight…in memory of the martyrs who fell in the field of honour during the attacks by terrorist groups that occurred on May 4 and 6.”

During this period, flags will be flown at half-mast and all festive activities are banned throughout the country, it said.

“We will continue the fight with renewed determination until this threat is completely eradicated,” Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno said after Monday’s attack.

Chadian soldiers are frequently targeted by Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region, a vast expanse of water and marshland dotted with islands, located between Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad.

Since 2009, it has become a jihadist stronghold sheltering both Boko Haram fighters and its rival, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Recent months have seen a resurgence in attacks by JAS, one of the Boko Haram factions, involving kidnappings and assaults on forward security positions.

In October 2024, a deadly Boko Haram attack on a military base in the Lake Chad basin left around 40 Chadian soldiers dead.

In response, President Deby launched Operation Haskanite to “destroy Boko Haram’s capacity to cause harm.”

The Chadian army completed its counteroffensive in February 2025, asserting that the jihadist group no longer had “any sanctuary on Chadian territory.”

Nigerian influencer, Priscilla Ojo has revealed that her husband, Juma Jux, a Tanzanian singer, was presumed impotent in his country because he didn’t have a child at 35 despite his fame and wealth. 

She said the suspicion stirred from the fact that his friends and fellow musicians all have children but he didn’t have at that time despite dating multiple women. 

Priscilla disclosed this during a candid interview with media personality Chude Jidenowo while recounting the challenges she and her husband went through before welcoming their first child in August 2025.

She said even after the birth of their child, the suspicions did not end as many still speculated that their child was through surrogacy or implantation. 

“In his country Tanzania, people thought he was impotent because he did not have a child or babymama like his many of his friends and colleagues. They were like, ‘Why he is not having kids like his friends?’ Because obviously, he has been in past relationships. 

“They were questions but he knew when it was time. He is very disciplined. He knew what he wanted. You can roll with certain people and not be like them,” she added. 

Priscilla and Juma Jux held their civil wedding in Tanzania in February 2025 before moving to Lagos, Nigeria for traditional and white weddings in April 2025.

The couple welcomed their first child, a boy named Prince Rakeem Ayomide Mkambala, in Canada in August 2025.

‘People thought my husband was impotent’ – Priscilla Ojo

 The President of Nigerian Bar Association Mr Afam Osigwe has sent a passionate appeal to the Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu to assist in locating a female law who went missing in Abuja 

This was a statement posted on his verified social media handle 

“RELEASE EUNICE AMEH NOW!

When a young lawyer goes missing, the pain is not distant to the Nigerian Bar Association, it is personal. We are more than a professional body; we are a community bound by shared sacrifice, shared dreams, and a collective duty to stand for one another. 

The disappearance of Miss Eunice Ameh, our dear colleague and a young Nigerian serving her country through the NYSC scheme, has therefore deeply shaken the entire legal community.

Behind every missing person report is a family unable to sleep, friends clinging to hope, and colleagues praying for safe return. No young Nigerian who answered the call to national service should disappear without an immediate, coordinated, and determined response from our security agencies.

We therefore call on the Inspector General of Police to urgently deploy all necessary tactical and intelligence resources toward securing Eunice’s safe release and ensuring that anyone connected to her disappearance is swiftly brought to justice.

This is not a moment for routine assurances. Every passing hour matters, and every effort must count.

We stand firmly with her family, friends, and colleagues in this painful time, and we urge anyone with useful information to cooperate with the authorities so that Eunice Ameh can safely return home.

Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN

President, Nigerian Bar Association

Peter Obi’s statement after NDC National Convention in Abuja 

“Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others change their principles for the sake of their party.” Winston Churchill 

Today, May 9th, I attended the 1st convention of my latest party, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Abuja, Nigeria. The convention was successful and continued to show the resilience of Nigerians to change 

I express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to the NDC family, led by the distinguished Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, for inviting us and for the generosity of spirit with which they have accommodated us at this critical moment in our national journey.

I also wish to express profound gratitude to the African Democratic Congress(ADC), particularly Distinguished Senator David Mark, for providing a democratic platform and showing uncommon understanding when the ongoing litigation forced us out of the Labour Party and the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP respectively. That spirit of solidarity must remain the foundation upon which a better Nigeria will be built.

Today, the most painful aspect of our political existence is that many who once benefited from democratic governance have now become willing accessories to the destruction of democracy itself. Those who once fought for justice now openly celebrate electoral injustice. Those who once spoke against impunity now defend coercion, manipulation, intimidation, and outright political gangsterism, especially against opposition voices. What we are witnessing is not politics; it is a systematic assault on democracy and the will of the people.

Nigeria today stands at a dangerous crossroads. Our democracy is under severe threat. Our nation is drifting without direction, and our people are passing through immense suffering. Across the world, Nigeria is increasingly described as a failing and disgraced nation. This is not the destiny God ordained for our great country. It was not always so, and it must never be allowed to remain so.

Across virtually every recognised indicator of good governance – accountability, political stability, rule of law, control of corruption, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, and the separation of powers – Nigeria continues to record alarming failures. The institutions that should protect the people are weakening daily, while the burden on ordinary citizens grows heavier with each passing moment.

Today, over 140 million Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty. Tens of millions of young people remain unemployed or underemployed. Inflation continues to crush families. Businesses are shutting down. Farmers can no longer safely access their farms. Communities live in fear. In this month alone, hundreds of innocent Nigerians have lost their lives to insecurity, while many others have been kidnapped, displaced, or thrown deeper into poverty.

The most heartbreaking question confronting us is this: Who consoles the grieving mother whose child was abducted on the way to school? Who speaks for the father who can no longer feed his family despite working every day? Who defends the young Nigerian whose dreams have been destroyed by a nation that rewards connections over competence and corruption over character?

Our present tragedy is not accidental. It is the direct consequence of years of deliberate sabotage by a political class that prospers by dividing the people and weakening the nation. Nigeria is not a poor country; rather, we are being looted into poverty. We have abundant human and natural resources, yet we remain trapped in deprivation because leadership has failed to place the common good above personal interest.

Our choice as a people is therefore clear: whether to surrender to despair and national decline, or to summon the courage to rescue our country and rebuild it on the foundations of unity, equity,  justice, competence, and productivity.

Where we are, national unity is no longer optional; it is a national necessity. We must rise above ethnicity, religion, region, and political divisions to recover the soul of our nation. 

With unity and effective leadership, Nigeria can become a productive and prosperous nation once again. We must deliberately support agriculture and manufacturing so they become the highest contributors to our Gross Domestic Product. Special strategic attention must be given to unlocking the enormous agricultural potential of Northern Nigeria and connecting it to industrial production across the federation. We must move decisively from a nation of consumption to a nation of production.

We can no longer afford policies that foreclose our youth.

With competent,  compassionate and transformative leadership, we can defeat insecurity, reduce corruption, create jobs, tame inflation, improve education, and restore hope to millions of Nigerians. Our youths must no longer be viewed as problems to manage, but as assets to empower. Our women must no longer be neglected, but included as equal partners in nation-building.

I remain convinced that a new Nigeria is possible, a Nigeria that is united, secure, productive, inclusive, and governed by justice and fairness. Let us therefore move forward with courage, with unity, and with our collective resolve.

– PO

For many Nigerians living in South Africa, daily life has become a troubling mix of fear, uncertainty, and survival.

As anti-foreigner protests spread across parts of Johannesburg, Durban, and Pretoria in recent weeks, many Nigerians say they now live in constant anxiety, afraid not only of protesters on the streets, but also of law enforcement officials they accuse of harassment and extortion.

Some have abandoned their homes and businesses. Others remain indoors, waiting for an opportunity to return to Nigeria after years of struggling abroad.

While South African authorities insist the situation has not escalated into widespread violence in many areas, the memories of previous xenophobic attacks, which claimed lives and destroyed businesses, continue to haunt foreign nationals, especially Nigerians.

For Oriyomi Philip, a Nigerian resident in Rosettenville, Johannesburg South, the tension forced his family into hiding for days.

“I’m a Nigerian living in South Africa and I’ve been here over a decade,” he said. “For the whole of last week, we couldn’t go out to do anything because of the tension and the ‘foreigners must go’ protest.”

According to him, many Nigerians obeyed an advisory from the Nigerian Consulate General urging citizens to remain indoors for safety.

“My family and I stayed indoors throughout that period. We were safe, but people were afraid,” he said.

Though his shop escaped destruction, Philip said life in South Africa had become increasingly unbearable for many undocumented Nigerians struggling to survive.

“Here in South Africa, we create our own businesses ourselves. Nobody wants to employ foreigners,” he explained. “Most of us don’t even have proper documents because we cannot afford to renew passports or secure permits.”

He described how undocumented migrants constantly live under fear of arrest.

Police group

“There is a police group called Amapoisa. Once they suspect you are a foreigner and you cannot speak their language, they arrest you. Sometimes they demand money. If you cannot pay at least 1,000 or 1,500 rand, they take you to court.”

Philip said the worsening climate of fear pushed him to register for the Federal Government’s planned voluntary evacuation programme.

“When I heard about the repatriation arrangement, I quickly registered myself and my family,” he said. “Most people want to go home, but the problem is where do they start from? Some of us have stayed here for 10 or 15 years.”

He appealed to the Nigerian government to support returnees financially. “If government can help us with small money to start business again in Nigeria, many people will gladly return. That is the major reason many are still here despite suffering.”

Another Nigerian identified simply as David said he lost virtually everything during the unrest.

“My business place was attacked and I was chased out because I’m Nigerian,” he said. “They didn’t even allow me collect my pay.”

David said protesters destroyed and burnt his vehicle while he narrowly escaped death.

“They burnt my car and I sustained injury on my head. Right now, I don’t even know where to start from,” he lamented.

Currently squatting in a friend’s apartment, he said neither the Nigerian government nor any organisation had offered assistance.

“The only help I got came from good Samaritans,” he said. “Not even from Nigerians.”

David also accused the South African police of worsening the situation.

“We are running from protesters and at the same time running from the police because sometimes they are even worse,” he said.

Like many others, he pleaded for evacuation support and reintegration assistance back home.

“If the Nigerian government can help us return and support us to start something small, we will appreciate it,” he added.

For Temitayo, another Nigerian resident in Johannesburg, the fear has become deeply psychological. “This is not life,” he said quietly.

He recalled how her family remained indoors throughout the protests after receiving security warnings.

“Honestly, things have been difficult,” he said. “I registered immediately when I heard the Nigerian government wanted to bring people home.”

According to him, fear has become part of everyday existence.

“Even if you have your documents, police will still disturb you once they realise you cannot understand their language,” he said. “If you don’t have money to give them, you may end up in jail.”

He said many Nigerians no longer feel protected. “You would think the police would help matters, but they are adding fuel to the fire,” he said. “We need help to come home safely and live freely again.”

Despite the growing fears, leaders of the Nigerian community in South Africa insist the protests have not spread nationwide.

Hon. Ekos Akpokabayen, Board of Trustees Chairman of the Nigeria Union South Africa, NUSA, said the situation, though worrying, remained relatively calm compared to previous xenophobic outbreaks.

“South Africa has nine provinces and so far the protests have mainly been in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and parts of Eastern Cape,” he explained.

According to him, the demonstrations were largely driven by complaints from South Africans over illegal migration, unemployment, and crime.

“They believe foreigners are taking jobs and committing crimes, but you cannot generalise everybody,” he said.

Akpokabayen noted that many Nigerians voluntarily shut their businesses to avoid attacks whenever protesters approached their areas.

“What worries us is the possibility of escalation because previous xenophobic attacks led to killings, looting, and destruction,” he said.

He disclosed that over 200 Nigerians and their families had already registered with the Nigerian mission for possible return to Nigeria.

“We have been working closely with the Nigerian Consulate and also engaging South African authorities and community leaders to calm tensions,” he stated.

He urged the Nigerian government to provide stronger diplomatic intervention and financial support for stranded citizens.

“We need the Nigerian government to send a strong delegation here,” he said. “Not everybody can leave immediately. Some are students, professionals, lecturers, doctors, and legitimate business people.”

Akpokabayen also appealed for support for vulnerable Nigerians willing to return home.

“Those who cannot afford tickets should be assisted,” he said. “It will show Nigerians abroad that their country has not abandoned them.”

 Concerns 

 Concerns over the safety of Nigerians have also attracted reactions from advocacy groups in Nigeria.

Executive Director of Patriotic Citizen Initiatives, PCI, Osita Osemene, said distressed Nigerians in South Africa had been reaching out desperately for intervention.

“Many Nigerians there have contacted us seeking help to reach the government,” he said.

According to him, the organisation had raised concerns through migration management platforms involving officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and refugee agencies.

While acknowledging reports of evacuation plans, Osemene criticised suggestions that stranded Nigerians might fund their own return.

“In emergency situations like this, you cannot expect citizens to start sourcing money for evacuation,” he warned. “Government has a constitutional responsibility to protect Nigerians anywhere they are.”

He further warned that the threats facing Nigerians were serious. “There is a high level of threat to life.  Government should urgently move to rescue stranded Nigerians and help them reintegrate back home”, he urged.

Investigation 

 The Federal Government recently demanded a thorough investigation into the deaths of two Nigerians in South Africa, identified as Nnaemeka Matthew Andrew Ekpeyong and Kelvin Chidiebere Amaramiro, who reportedly died after sustaining injuries in the custody of South African security agencies.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed concern over growing anti-foreigner protests and confirmed ongoing diplomatic engagements with South African authorities.

Officials said Nigeria and South Africa were working to fast-track an Early Warning Mechanism aimed at preventing xenophobic violence and improving responses to threats against foreign nationals.

For thousands of Nigerians living in South Africa, however, diplomacy alone may not calm the fears that now define their everyday reality.

Many say they are exhausted, stranded, and desperate for a safe way home. “We sleep with fear every day,” one of them said. “We just want to come home.”

Vanguard