Author: News Room
The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), said point-of-sale (POS) operators are facilitating ransom payments meant for terrorists and other criminal networks. The National Coordinator of the Centre, Adamu Laka, disclosed this on Tuesday during an end-of-the-year media parley in Abuja. Mr Laka, a major general in the Nigerian Army, said this amid the resurgence of kidnapping-for-ransom. Terror groups have recently stepped up attacks in northern Nigeria, kidnapping soft targets such as schoolchildren and worshippers. In November, Nigeria recorded two separate school abductions in Kebbi and Niger states. However, the captives were…
The United States of America has been the world’s only superpower since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Cold War and the demise of the Soviet empire by the dawn of the 1990s. Also, the US is the largest economy in the world, notwithstanding the economic surge of China in recent decades. Most crucially, America boasts the strongest military in the world today. Like it or not, the US calls the shots in global governance! Given its global preeminence, the US is respected, if not feared, all over the world, even by its fiercest adversaries. As…
No fewer than 10 persons have been killed in a road crash along the Jos–Bauchi Road in Plateau State. PUNCH Metro learnt that the accident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, around 12:12 a.m., and involved four vehicles: two trailers and two Ford Galaxy minibuses. Eyewitnesses said 10 people died on the spot, while several others sustained injuries and were evacuated to hospitals for treatment. Confirming the incident, the Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Plateau State, Peter Longsan, said 10 adult men lost their lives in the crash. In a statement, the FRSC…
Organised labour has called on state governments and local government authorities to take greater responsibility for tackling Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, warning that the failure to act decisively is draining household incomes and restricting citizens’ freedom of movement. The call follows nationwide protests staged last week by labour unions and civil society groups in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country to draw attention to rising kidnappings, banditry and violent crime, which labour leaders say have become a permanent feature of daily life in many communities. Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Lagos Chapter, Comrade Funmi Sessi, said insecurity had…
Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson scored a brace on Tuesday to inspire the Teranga Lions to a comfortable 3–0 win over Botswana in Group D of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, taking an early lead in the tournament’s Golden Boot race, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The goals marked Jackson’s first competitive international brace, as the 2021 champions began their AFCON campaign in emphatic fashion in Tangier. Senegal started on the front foot and were close to taking an early lead on several occasions, but Botswana goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko produced a series of fine saves to deny Jackson, Sadio…
Nikon has officially launched its highly anticipated ZR cinema camera in Lagos, describing the device as a revolutionary leap in accessibility, creativity, and technological capability for filmmakers, content creators, and visual storytellers across Africa. The unveiling, held before a full house of industry professionals last Thursday, featured live screenings and technical demonstrations that underscored the company’s renewed commitment to Africa’s growing creative economy. Nikon representatives said Nigeria was chosen as a launch destination because it is “not just a market but a boundless source of inspiration,” citing the vibrancy of Lagos, the global rise of Afrobeats, and the enduring strength…
Digital asset manager Amplify has launched two exchange-traded funds tracking blockchain projects across stablecoins and tokenization. The company said on Tuesday that its Amplify Stablecoin Technology ETF (STBQ) and Amplify Tokenization Technology ETF (TKNQ) both went live on the NYSE Arca exchange.Both funds track a diversified index of companies working on products or infrastructure, along with projects that generate revenue from tokenization and stablecoins.“These new ETFs expand Amplify’s lineup at a time when the infrastructure behind stablecoins and the growth of tokenization are shaping the next phase of digital finance,” the company said. Source: Amplify ETFs Stablecoins and tokenization have been…
Members of the U.K. public give members of the royal family gifts during their Christmas walkabout — but what happens to the presents? Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, are traditionally the royal family members who receive gifts from the public on Christmas. As it turns out, Buckingham Palace does actually have an official gift policy for the royal family. In order for the kids to keep what’s given to them, some specific criteria needs to be met. Hello! Magazine previously reported that royal protocol states the royal family “are not permitted to keep particular gifts,…
A petrol tanker on Sunday rammed into the convoy of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, killing a dispatch rider, Ibrahim Hussaini. Mr Akpabio disclosed the incident during plenary on Tuesday, where he condoled with the family of the deceased. Dispatch riders are police officers who ride motorcycles as part of the security convoy of prominent public office holders. The senate president has about four dispatch riders attached to his convoy. Although Mr Akpabio did not disclose the exact location of the incident, he said it occurred in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, after members of his convoy picked him up…
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has assented to the 2026 Appropriation bill of N939 billion passed by the State House of Assembly. DAILY POST reports that the budget tagged ‘Budget of Hope and Growth’ was presented to the House by the governor on December 17, 2025, and passed by the House on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. The House passed the total amount of the budget as presented by Okpebholo. Presenting the budget to the governor for signing, Blessing Agbebaku, the Speaker of the House, said important sectors of the economy benefitted from the budget. Agbebaku listed some of the sectors…
