Author: Aminu Imam

‘Nigerians face long bans for US visa overstays’ – Embassy cautions

Aminu Imam
US visa overstays

The United States Mission in Nigeria has warned Nigerian travellers to strictly follow the terms of their visas, stressing that overstaying could result in long-term entry bans. In a statement posted yesterday on its official X handle, the Mission said violating visa conditions may damage future chances of travelling to the U.S. “It’s important to use your U.S. visa according to its terms. Misusing it, for example, by overstaying, may affect your ability to travel to the U.S. in the future”, it stated. The caution comes amid heightened scrutiny of…

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New NTA appointments: Tinubu makes U-turn, returns erstwhile DG

Aminu Imam
Tinubu on NTA

Tinubu has directed the recall of Salihu Abdullahi Dembos as Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, (NTA), and Ayo Adewuyi as Executive Director (News). The decision, conveyed in a statement yesterday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, effectively restores the two senior executives to their tenures, which were briefly disrupted by changes in NTA management.

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FG reportedly increase CNG price, now ₦380/scm

Aminu Imam
FG on CNG price

Motorists across Nigeria have expressed mixed feelings following Monday’s increase in the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), which rose from ₦230 to ₦380 per Standard Cubic Metre (scm) at several independent filling stations. According to reports, major filling stations, including NIPCO CNG and Mobil, raised their pump prices from ₦230 to ₦380 on Monday. Hakeem Idris, a ride-hailing driver, described the development as discouraging. “Many Bolt drivers spend up to 10 hours in queues or drive long distances just to refill. Now with this sudden increase, the whole idea…

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Hate Speech: “Declare el-Rufa’i global persona-non-grata” – Rights group urges USA, UK

Aminu Imam
Group urges USA, UK

A human rights advocacy group, the Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN), has appealed to United Nations (UN) and world powers to declare former Kaduna state Governor, Nasir el-Rufa’i global ‘persona non grata’.  The group also called on the international community to slam the former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, with entry denial into their countries, describing him as a ‘merchant of hate’, whose actions and utterances threaten peace and humanity. In an open letter addressed to the UN Secretary-General, Ambassadors and High Commissioners of the United Kingdom, the United…

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Presidency slams Daily Trust, el-Rufa’i, Obi, Amaechi in fierce defence of Tinubu

Aminu Imam
Presidency slams

The Presidency has intensified its defence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, taking aim at both sections of the media and leading opposition figures. In separate posts on his verified X handle, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accused Daily Trust newspaper of peddling “malicious fiction” and denounced former governors Nasir el-Rufa’i, Peter Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi as “political laggards”. Onanuga said Daily Trust newspaper had become “a source not to be trusted”, alleging it consistently distorts facts, fuels regional and religious tensions, and sacrifices…

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FG announces updated curriculum for Basic, Secondary, Tertiary education

Aminu Imam
FG announces

The Federal Government has unveiled revised curricula for basic, senior secondary, and technical education, setting new subject limits to ease content overload and improve learning outcomes. Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, who announced the development on behalf of the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the review was undertaken in collaboration with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), UBEC, NSSEC, NBTE, and other key stakeholders. The new framework, which takes effect from the 2025/2026 academic session, seeks to strike a balance between…

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Tinubu’s X handle spreads falsehoods on national infrastructure projects

Aminu Imam
Tinubu’s X handle

…Inflates N’West projects, lists non-existing Kano Northern Bypass, among others The official X account of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come under intense criticism for disseminating misleading information about Federal Government infrastructure projects across Nigeria. Analysts and observers say the post contains multiple inaccuracies, including inflated project figures, misattributed locations, and misrepresented funding. In the North-West, the post reportedly included projects from the North-Central and North-East, such as the Bama-Dikwa Road, Damaturu-Maiduguri Road, Lokoja-Okene Road, and roads in Benue, presenting them as North-West projects in a bid to exaggerate the…

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“My backing of Muslim-Muslim ticket was political” – El-Rufa’i

Aminu Imam
El Rufa'i Asiwaju

…Says Tinubu’ll crash out in 2027 Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufa’i, has defended his support for the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential election, describing it as a purely political strategy — while at the same time predicting that President Bola Tinubu will fare poorly in the 2027 polls. Speaking on a television programme on Sunday, el-Rufai said the pairing of Tinubu and Kashim Shettima had “nothing to do with religion”, but was designed solely to secure electoral victory. According to him,  “It was…

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MURIC condemns mob killing of woman in Niger

Aminu Imam
MURIC condemns

The Muslim Rights Concern, (MURIC), has condemned the lynching of a woman, identified only as Amaye, over alleged blasphemous statement in Kasuwan-Garba town, Mariga local government area of Niger State. The organisation, in an issued statement signed by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Is’haq Akintola, yesterday, described the attack as “extra-judicial, barbaric, and un-Islamic” and urged immediate Police action. According to Akintola, Amaye, a food vendor, was accused of making blasphemous remarks about the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) during an exchange with a customer. Recall that the incident occurred on…

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ONSA dismisses el-Rufa’i’s claims of ransom payments to bandits

Aminu Imam
ONSA dismisses el Rufa'i

The Office of the National Security Adviser, (ONSA), has rejected allegations by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufa’i, that the Federal Government offers payments and incentives to bandits. A press statement issued yesterday in Abuja, signed by Zakari Mijinyawa on behalf of the Office of the National Security Adviser, (ONSA), described the claims made by el-Rufa’i during a television interview at the weekend as “baseless” and contrary to verifiable facts. “At no time has the ONSA, or any arm of government under this administration, engaged in ransom payments or inducements…

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