Author: News Room

Mohammed Ma’aji, a colonel in the Nigerian Army, has been identified by military investigators as the major leader of the botched coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Apart from being the architect of the coup, the infantry officer is believed by investigators to have bankrolled the process. In late September 2025, military authorities started arresting senior officers suspected of involvement in the coup, including Mr Ma’aji. By early October of that year, 16 officers had been arrested and detained in connection with the coup plot. Initially, military authorities were reluctant to admit the coup plot, claiming that the officers…

Nigeria cannot build stability on a justice system that works only for the few. Economic development cannot flourish where everyday disputes are unresolved. Security cannot be sustained where grievances fester unanswered… A justice system that starts with the people’s lived realities is an indispensable infrastructure of a stable and prosperous Nigeria.  For decades, our national conversation about justice has been stubbornly state-centric. We debate the independence of the bench, the number of new courts built, and the process of appointing senior advocates amongst other institutional issues. These issues matter. But they also mask a deeper and more troubling reality: for…

The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has blamed the federal government for the prolonged strike by health workers, accusing the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of bias and lack of genuine engagement. The union’s national chairman, Kabiru Minjibir, told PREMIUM TIMES in an interview that repeated attempts to resolve the dispute through dialogue yielded no result, forcing the union to sustain its ongoing industrial action. The industrial action, which began on 15 November 2025, has paralysed public hospitals across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and several states, with most facilities operating skeletal services. Salary structure dispute Mr Minjibir…

Traders at the Onitsha Main Market have pledged to end compliance with the Monday sit-at-home, declaring their readiness to resume full business activities in line with the directive of the Anambra State Government. The pledge was made on Thursday during an interactive session between Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo and market leaders from across the state. The meeting followed the recent closure of the Onitsha Main Market and the prolonged Monday shutdown that has crippled commercial activities in the South-East. Speaking on behalf of the traders, the Chairman of Onitsha Main Market, Mr. Chijioke Okpalugo, said traders were prepared to commence…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State have exchanged accusations following the arrest of a social media influencer, Bashir Isah Gusau. The APC accused Governor Dauda Lawal of using security personnel attached to the Government House to harass and intimidate opposition members. In a statement, the party’s spokesperson, Alhaji Yusuf Idris, claimed the governor had repeatedly used security operatives to target APC members in an effort to weaken the party ahead of the 2027 elections. Idris said the party was disturbed by the arrest of Gusau, an APC supporter also known as “Ambassador,”…

The Kano State Fire Service has confirmed that at least five separate fire incidents were recorded across different parts of the Kano metropolis within a 24-hour period, between January 27 and 28, 2026. The incidents, which occurred in Nassarawa, Fagge and Kano Municipal local government areas, were contained by fire service personnel, preventing what officials described as potentially devastating losses. In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, the Fire Service said distress calls were received from multiple locations, prompting the rapid deployment of firefighters from various stations across the…

Real Madrid forward, Kylian Mbappe has criticized himself and his teammates following their UEFA Champions League defeat to Benfica on Wednesday. Mbappe said the Los Blancos were too inconsistent against Jose Mourinho’s side, adding that they deserved to lose the encounter. Benfica defeated Real Madrid at home 4-2 as Mbappe’s brace was not enough against the Portuguese club. “We deserved to lose. It was not a good performance. We are too inconsistent,” Mbappe said after the match as quoted by Fabrizio Romano. “We can’t keep being this inconsistent. We can’t keep doing this day on, day off thing, it’s not…

President Bola Tinubu has expressed his deepest sympathies to Super Eagles forward Samuel Chukwueze, following the passing of his mother, Mrs. Sarah Chukwueze. In a statement released on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President extended his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased, who passed away today (Thursday). The President described the loss as a significant blow, especially coming at a time when the Nigerian football community is already reeling from a similar tragedy involving another national star. “The passing of Mrs. Chukwueze, the mother of one…

The Ogun State Police Command has dismantled an organised child trafficking and illegal surrogacy syndicate operating under the guise of an orphanage. The breakthrough was achieved by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department following the transfer of the case from Idanyin Divisional Headquarters, Agbara, to Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area. During the operation, seven children were rescued, and five principal suspects were arrested. Police also uncovered a planned sale of babies at ₦1.5 million per child. The state police spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi disclosed this on Thursday in a statement released to journalists. Babaseyi said the case began…

The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has accused Governor Dauda Lawal of repeatedly using security personnel attached to the Government House to arrest and intimidate opposition members in the state. In a statement released on Thursday, the party’s spokesman, Yusuf Idris, alleged that the governor had on several occasions deployed Government House security operatives to persecute APC members as part of efforts to weaken the party ahead of the 2027 elections. According to Idris, no amount of intimidation or political persecution would prevent the APC from reclaiming power from the Peoples Democratic Party in the state in…