Blog

President Bola Tinubu has extended warm felicitations to Africa’s leading industrialist, and chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, on his birthday on Friday.

In a statement by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu praised Dangote’s contributions to Nigeria and Africa’s economic growth and industrial development.

Tinubu commended the businessman’s entrepreneurial vision, resilience, and commitment to excellence, noting that his investments have transformed key sectors of the economy. He identified the Dangote Refinery, Petrochemical Company and cement factories across Africa as milestones that have positioned Nigeria as a major hub for petrochemical and cement production.

He also lauded Dangote’s role in job creation, infrastructure development, and his sustained confidence in the Nigerian economy.

“Aliko’s entrepreneurial vision, resilience, innovation, and commitment to excellence have transformed industries and positioned Nigeria as a hub for large-scale petrochemical and cement production through his establishment of the multi-billion-dollar Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company and cement factories across Africa.

“I salute Aliko for his conglomerate’s role in job creation, infrastructure development, and unwavering belief in the Nigerian economy and its potential. Dangote remains a shining example of African enterprise, whose achievements continue to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs across the continent,” the president said.

He further commended the industrialist’s philanthropic interventions through the Dangote Foundation, particularly in the areas of health, education, and poverty alleviation.

“I also applaud Aliko’s philanthropic efforts, particularly through the Dangote Foundation, which have significantly impacted lives in health, education, and poverty alleviation,” Tinubu said.

He prayed for continued good health, wisdom, and greater accomplishments for the business mogul in the years ahead.

Tinubu Felicitates Dangote On Birthday is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Winner of Big Brother Naija Season 7, Phyna Otabor, has added a new chapter to her public image after revealing she has undergone cosmetic surgery.

The reality star, who is also known as an actress, model, filmmaker and fashion enthusiast, shared her experience on social media, posting clips and comments after her first post-surgery massage.

Her decision comes just weeks after the death of socialite Elena Jessica, who reportedly died from complications following a second Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) procedure. The incident had sparked fresh conversations about the risks of cosmetic surgery in Nigeria.

In her post, Phyna said she had no regrets about the procedure and described her experience with excitement, noting changes in her body after surgery.

“First massage. Now I understand why people don’t shut up about it… Finally did it. No regrets,” she wrote.

She also reacted to her new appearance, saying her body felt more “snatched” and joking about her flat stomach transformation.

@unusual_phyna Day 3 — this recovery is not for the weak trusting the process. @cgehealthcare #virals #foryoupagе #trendin #fy #foryou ♬ Sunset Chill Vibes – Ausku Studio

“This is my first massage… my belly snatched sha. Everybody should go and hide,” she said in one of the clips.

Phyna, who had previously criticised fellow reality star Chichi over cosmetic procedures, also reflected on her gym experience, suggesting that workouts no longer deliver the same results compared to surgery.

In another post, she described waking up after her first post-op massage as intense but worth it, saying she was happy with what she saw in the mirror.

Cosmetic surgery, especially Brazilian Butt Lift procedures, has become increasingly popular in Nigeria.

The procedure involves removing fat from parts of the body such as the stomach or thighs and transferring it to the buttocks for a fuller shape.

The trend has continued to grow in the country’s entertainment industry, with several celebrities reportedly undergoing similar procedures.

Vanguard News

The post Video: BBNaija star Phyna shares new look three days post-BBL surgery appeared first on Vanguard News.

Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has made a bold public offer to send 100,000 Ugandan soldiers to Israel, declaring he would personally command the force to defend “the Holy Land” and “the land of Jesus Christ our God.”

In a post on X on Friday evening, Gen. Muhoozi wrote: “I’m ready to deploy 100,000 Ugandan soldiers in Israel. Under my command. To protect the Holy Land. The land of Jesus Christ our God!”

The statement comes from the account of Uganda’s top military officer, who is also the son of long-serving President Yoweri Museveni.

It marks another strong expression of personal and religious support for Israel from the Ugandan general, who has previously vowed that Uganda would enter any major war on Israel’s side if the Jewish state faced existential threats.

Gen. Muhoozi has been vocal in recent weeks about Uganda’s alignment with Israel, citing both Christian faith and historical gratitude.

He has referenced Israel’s past support for Uganda in the 1980s and 1990s, including assistance during regional conflicts.

His earlier posts suggested Uganda could intervene militarily if Israel were at risk of being “destroyed or defeated,” framing the stance in biblical and messianic terms.

However, the latest declaration goes further by specifying a massive troop deployment of 100,000 soldiers, a figure that would represent a significant portion of Uganda’s military capacity.

The Uganda People’s Defence Force has an estimated active strength of around 45,000 personnel, with additional reserves.

Any large-scale overseas deployment would require approval from the Ugandan government and President Museveni, as well as substantial logistical planning and international coordination.

There has been no immediate official comment from the Ugandan presidency or government confirming the offer as national policy. So far, the statement appears to be Gen. Muhoozi’s personal declaration on social media.

Israeli officials have not yet publicly responded to the latest statement.

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba serves as both Chief of Defence Forces and Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations.

He is widely viewed as a potential successor to his father, President Museveni, and is known in Uganda as the “Tweeting General” due to his frequent and often provocative social media posts on military, political, and religious matters.

This latest post continues a pattern of dramatic, faith-driven statements from the Ugandan military chief amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

Uganda’s Army Chief Offers 100,000 Troops To Defend ‘Holy Land’ Israel is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Lawmaker representing the Ikeja Federal Constituency, Lagos State in the 10th House of Representatives, James Faleke has tagged Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat as next governor of Lagos State.

Hamzat, who is currently the deputy governor of the state, is aspiring for the All Progressives Congress, APC ticket to contest the election.

In a post on his X handle on Friday, the lawmaker appealed to stakeholders and supporters of the ruling party in his constituency to support Hamzat in the primary election.

He wrote, “Good evening all. As we prepare for Party primaries next month, I urge all our supporters in ikeja Federal Constituency and Lagos State to support Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat as the next Governor of Lagos State from 2027-2035 IJN”.

Meanwhile, a former Lagos State governorship candidate, Funso Doherty on Friday declared intention to contest the 2027 Lagos gubernatorial election.

Doherty would in 2027 contest the election under the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

The declaration was made at an ADC meeting and announced by ADC Vanguard, the coalition mobilization wing of the party, on X.

2027: Obafemi Hamzat tagged next Lagos Governor

Vice president of the United States of America, JD Vance has issued a warning to Iran, advising them not to ‘play’ the US as he embarks on a journey abroad for negotiations aimed at resolving their conflict.

Vance, who has consistently expressed skepticism regarding foreign military interventions and has been vocal about the potential of deploying troops into protracted conflicts, departed on Friday to spearhead mediated discussions with Iran in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

As he boarded Air Force Two en route to Pakistan, the Vice President said, “We are optimistic about the negotiations. I believe it will yield positive outcomes. We will, of course, see how it unfolds.”

He referenced Trump, stating: “If the Iranians are prepared to negotiate sincerely, we are certainly ready to offer an open hand.”

However, he cautioned: “If they intend to manipulate us, they will discover that the negotiating team is not particularly accommodating.”

Vance also mentioned that Trump “provided us with some quite clear directives” regarding the conduct of the talks, although he did not provide further details.

The Vice President refrained from answering questions posed by reporters accompanying him.

War: ‘Don’t play us’ – VP Vance warns Iran as he departs to Pakistan

The management of Abia State Homeland Security has suspended one of its personnel, DDL Tochi Oluobube over her alleged involvement in vandalism of government property in Osisioma LGA.

The Abia State homeland security agency which said this on Friday, explained that the action was in reaction to public concern regarding her alleged involvement in the alleged vandalism.

The official statement suspending DDL Tochi Oluobube was signed by Ezinwanne Alili, the Public Relations Officer of Abia State Homeland Security Agency.

“The agency has zero tolerance for acts of indiscipline perpetrated by any personnel. This act of vandalism allegedly involving the named personnel will therefore not be an exception.

“The officer in question is currently suspended pending a full investigation with the Nigerian Police Force.

“She will be dealt with in line with the extant Code of Conduct for personnel of the agency once the police concludes their investigation”, the PRO, Ezinwanne Alili.

He assured the public that investigation into the matter would be thorough, transparent, and impartial, adding that the investigation would be done in liaison with relevant authorities to ensure that the matter is resolved swiftly and justice is served.

” Actions inimical to the agency’s mission to protect and serve the people of Abia State, in line with the mandate of his Excellency, the Executive Governor of the state, Dr Alex Chioma Otti OFR, will not be tolerated” the Abia State Homeland Security Agency concluded.

Abia homeland security suspends female staff over alleged involvement in vandalism

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced the postponement of the proposed nationwide voter revalidation exercise.

This follows a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, on Friday, April 10.

Following deliberations, the Commission resolved to postpone the exercise until after the 2027 General Election.

A statement signed by INEC’s National Commissioner, Chairman, Informationa and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said: “the voter revalidation exercise is a critical component of the Commission’s mandate to maintain a credible and up-to-date National Register of Voters.

“It is designed to verify and review existing voter records, ensure the accuracy of personal data, eliminate duplicate and ineligible entries, and strengthen the overall integrity of the voter register.

“The exercise also aims to provide an opportunity for registered voters to confirm their details and make necessary corrections where required.

“INEC remains committed to the conduct of free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections.”

BREAKING: INEC postpones nationwide voter revalidation exercise

A Nigerian migrant who twice failed his UK driving test killed a pensioner in a horror crash after exploiting a learner licence loophole, an inquest has heard.

Timothy Kusemi, 41, was driving unsupervised on a provisional licence when he hit 70-year-old Susan Whittles in 2023. She died at the scene and her husband was seriously injured.

Kusemi admitted causing death by dangerous driving last month and was jailed for six years.

The case exposed a legal loophole allowing some overseas drivers to remain on UK roads while holding foreign or provisional licences.

Coroner Lorraine Harris said: “If a national of a non-designated country fails any number of driving tests within the 12-month period, they are still able to revert and rely on their 12-month limit to drive on their foreign/international licence in the UK, despite not meeting the safety standards.”

She warned there was no system to stop repeat test failures from continuing to drive unsupervised and called for urgent law changes.

Kusemi arrived in the UK in 2022 and failed his driving tests twice before the fatal crash, the inquest heard.

He later went on to fail more tests before eventually getting a UK licence in 2025.

Vanguard News

The post Nigerian migrant who failed UK driving tests kills pensioner in car crash appeared first on Vanguard News.

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has launched a Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) platform in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to promote environmental sustainability and reduce carbon emissions in Nigeria.

The launch, held in collaboration with the Africa Carbon Management Technology & Innovation Centre of Excellence (ACMTI) and the Clean Energy Ministerial Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage Initiative (CEM-CCUS Initiative), brought together stakeholders from government, academia, industry, and development partners.

In his keynote address at the occasion, the Director General of NESREA, Prof. Innocent Barikor described the project as an important milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and industrial transformation.

He said the solution offered by CCSU provides an economically viable pathway for industrial decarbonization, enabling effective management and deployment of carbon to areas of need, such as production of beverages, cement manufacturing, production of chemicals and fuels, enhanced oil recovery and Agriculture.

Barikor stated, “We need to reduce the carbon in the atmosphere to beneficiary levels, so carbon capture and utilization give us opportunity to capture carbon in storage and use it in other spheres for industrial purposes. We are building a circular economy, turning challenges into economic opportunities in line with regulatory provisions.”

He disclosed that the CCUS Platform is a collaborative ecosystem designed to integrate all stakeholders including government institutions, industry leaders in key sectors, the academia, technology developers, development partners and investors.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Owunari Georgewill in his remarks, commended NESREA for the initiative, which he said represents a practical mechanism for coordination, innovation, and action toward Nigeria’s 2035 targets and wider energy transition aspirations.

He said UNIPORT was well positioned to host the CCUS Initiative, noting that the Energy Technology Institute in the school had built credible expertise in energy transition-related areas that are directly relevant to the success of CCUS in Nigeria.

Coordinator of the ACMTI and facilitator of the CTIP, Dr. Richard Victor Osu said the vision was to position Nigeria as a regional leader in carbon management technologies while contributing meaningfully to Africa’s climate commitments and global decarbonization efforts.

He said the choice of Portharcourt stems from the identification of the city as one of the potential CCUS hubs in the country, adding that the Platform would focus on advancing research and innovation in CCUS technologies, supporting capacity building and technical expertise, encouraging public–private partnerships, promoting investment opportunities and facilitating collaboration with international research and technology partners.

Juho Lipponen, the Coordinator of CEM CCUS Initiative, said his organization would assist Nigeria prioritize CCUS in ministerial clean energy conversations and improve carbon management deployment programmes.

The Hybrid event had speakers from the United States, Paris, Brazil, Canada, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, who shared insights on the project.

The launch had key stakeholders in attendance, including the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Rivers State Ministry of Environment, the academia, the private sector and development partners.

NESREA Launches Carbon Capture Initiative To Reduce Emissions is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Popular Nigerian social media critic, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as Verydarkman, VDM has lamented the unfortunate death of three Brigadier-Generals of the Nigerian Army killed by terrorists from 2021 till date.

DAILY POST recalls that Brigadier-General Dzarma Zirkushu was killed in November 2021 during an ambush by, Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP in Borno State.

Similarly, Brigadier-General Musa Uba was in November 2025, ambushed and killed by terrorist in Borno State.

In another sad incident, Boko Haram fighters on Thursday killed Brigadier-General O. Braimah, Commander of the 29 Task Force Brigade, alongside several soldiers.

Reacting, VDM in a video post on his Facebook called on President Bola Tinubu to resign, alleging that the security crisis deteriorated in his tenure.

In the video he captioned “President Bola Tinubu does not have the solution, he should resign”,

VDM insinuated that there could be a political undertone regarding the lingering security crisis.

He said, “From 2021 till now, we have lost three Brigadier-General trying to protect our lives. All they know how to do is to drop press statements after the incident.

“We have been facing these security problems for a very long time now. Every year, Boko Haram gets more strength. Nigerians are in a big mess.

“Right now in Kwara State, there a lot of homes have been abandoned. Niger State as of yesterday, I saw people crossing rivers, abandoning their homes. The same issues in Nasarawa and Borno State.

“You don’t even know when and where they will attack next. Don’t let anybody fool you, the Nigerian Army doesn’t have more people than those men.

“At the end of the day, everything boils down to politics and the question is why? President Bola Tinubu attacked Goodluck Jonathan over the insecurity and it has gotten worse since he came.

“You don’t even need any campaign for 2027, you have done four years already and there is no solution”.

Terrorism: VDM laments death of three Brigadier-Generals, urges Tinubu to resign