National Assembly Blocks Senator Natasha’s resumption

The National Assembly says Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan cannot resume ooffice despite completing her 6-month suspension.

The Kogi Central senator had written to the National Assembly notifying it of her plans to resume her legislative duties after the expiration of her suspension by the house.

Although the National Assembly is still on recess, the Clerk of the National Assembly, in response to her letter, communicated that her suspension which took effect on March 6, 2025 is still a pending issue in court and so she cannot be allowed back into the upper chamber.

According to the letter, until the judicial process is completed and the senate reviews the court’s pronouncement, no decision can be taken

Part of the letter signed by the acting clerk to the National Assembly Yahaya Danzaria reads

“The subject matter of your suspension is presently before the Court of Appeal.

“The matter therefore remains subjudice and until the judicial process is completed, and the senate formally reviews the suspension in the light of the court’s pronouncement, no administrative action can be taken by this office to facilitate your resumption

“You will be duly notified of the senate’s decision on the matter  as soon as it is resolved”

Senator Natasha had earlier attempted to resume on July 12, following the Federal High Court’s judgment asking the senate to review her suspension. But she was denied access into the National Assembly

The Senator and the National Assembly had appealed portions of the judgment which is currently pending before the Court of Appeal.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended after her clash with the Senate President over seat allocation She later accused him of sexual harrassment and being victimized for refusing his sexu@l advances. 

House of Reps Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, raises alarm as Nigeria’s debt hits N149 trn

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has raised alarm over Nigeria’s escalating debt profile, warning that it has breached the nation’s statutory ceiling and posing a serious threat to fiscal sustainability.

Tajudeen raised the alarm while speaking at the opening of the 11th Annual Conference and General Assembly of the West Africa Association of Public Accounts Committees (WAAPAC) at the National Assembly, Abuja on Monday, September 8. 

He said Nigeria’s debt had reached “a critical point” and called for urgent reforms in borrowing practices and oversight.

“As at the first quarter of 2025, Nigeria’s total public debt stood at N149.39 trillion, equivalent to about US$97 billion. This represents a sharp rise from N121.7 trillion the previous year, underscoring how quickly the burden has grown. 

Even more concerning is the debt-to-GDP ratio, which now stands at roughly 52 percent, well above the statutory ceiling of 40 percent set by our own laws” Abbas said

He described the debt limit breach as “a signal of strain on fiscal sustainability,” stressing the need for “stronger oversight, transparent borrowing practices, and a collective resolve to ensure that tangible economic and social returns match every naira borrowed.”

Abbas warned that several countries across Africa were in dangerous debt-to-GDP territories, with governments spending more on servicing loans than on healthcare and essential services.

“This is not just a budgetary concern, but a structural crisis that demands urgent parliamentary attention and coordinated reform,” he said.

Abbas further warned against reckless debt, saying borrowing should be used to bridge critical infrastructural gaps.

“Borrowing should support infrastructure, health, education, and industries that create jobs and reduce poverty. Reckless debt that fuels consumption or corruption must be exposed and rejected. Oversight is not just about figures, but about the lives and futures behind those figures,” he said

The Speaker reiterated the 10th House’s commitment to accountability, saying that under its Open Parliament policy, major borrowing proposals would be subjected to public hearings, while simplified debt reports would be made available to citizens.

US Supreme Court backs Trump on aggressive Immigration raids

 

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday sided with US President Donald Trump’s administration, allowing federal agents to continue immigration raids in Southern California that critics say rely heavily on race, ethnicity, or language.

The decision puts on hold a lower court ruling that had restricted federal agents from stopping or detaining individuals without “reasonable suspicion” of being in the country illegally. The order, issued by Los Angeles-based District Judge Maame Frimpong in July, found that the raids likely violated the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

The Supreme Court’s brief order, issued without explanation, allows the administration to resume operations while the case proceeds. The court’s three liberal justices dissented sharply, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor warning that the policy risks treating “all Latinos, U.S. citizens or not, who work low-wage jobs” as targets for detention. “Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent,” she wrote.

Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh, concurring with the majority, argued that ethnicity alone cannot establish reasonable suspicion but could be considered alongside other factors. “If the officers learn that the individual they stopped is a U.S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States, they promptly let the individual go,” he noted.

The Justice Department defended the raids, saying they are based on a “reasonably broad profile” in regions where undocumented residents make up a significant portion of the population.

The ruling is the latest in a series of victories for Trump at the Supreme Court, which has a 6–3 conservative majority. Since returning to office last year, Trump has pledged record-level deportations, with his administration setting a goal of 3,000 daily arrests. The raids, often involving masked and armed federal agents, have sparked fear in immigrant communities, fueled protests, and triggered multiple lawsuits.

Japan City considers proposing ordinance to limit smartphone use to two hours daily

A Japanese city will urge all smartphone users to limit screen time to two hours a day outside work or school under a proposed ordinance that includes no penalties. 

The limit will be recommended for all residents in central Japan's Toyoake City. However, it will not be binding and there will be no penalties incurred for higher usage, according to the draft ordinance. 

The proposal aims "to prevent excessive use of devices causing physical and mental health issues... including sleep problems," mayor Masafumi Koki said in a statement on Friday, August 22. 

The draft urges elementary school students to avoid smartphones after 9:00 pm, and junior high students and older are advised not to use them after 10:00 pm. 

The move sparked backlash online, with many calling the plan unrealistic.
"I understand their intention, but the two-hour limit is impossible," one user wrote on social media platform X. 

"In two hours, I cannot even read a book or watch a movie (on my smartphone)," wrote another. 

Others said smartphone use should be a decision for families to make themselves. 

The angry response prompted the mayor to clarify that the two-hour limit was not mandatory, emphasising that the guidelines "acknowledge smartphones are useful and indipensable in daily life". 

The ordinance will be considered next week, and if passed, it will come into effect in October. 

In 2020, western Kagawa region issued a first-of-its kind ordinance calling for children to be limited to an hour a day of gaming during the week, and 90 minutes during school holidays. 

It also suggested children aged 12 to 15 should not be allowed to use smartphones later than 9:00 pm, with the limit rising to 10:00 pm for children between 15 and 18.

Japanese youth spend slightly over five hours on average a day online on weekdays, according to a survey published in March by the Children and Families Agency.

Police said I should pray the thieves get arrested - Nigerian doctor laments as he returns from work trip to find his house burglarized

A Nigerian doctor, Afolarin, has lamented after his house was burglarized while he was on a work trip. 

Bemoaning his fate, Afolarin said the thieves made away with household items, including freezer sound system, TV, 

According to the doctor, who disclosed this in a post on Tuesday, August 20, the police allegedly said he should pray the thieves get arrested. 

“Traveled out of state to hustle, came back home to pick some things only to realize my house has been forcefully broken into. TV, Freezer, fan, curtains, sound system and more gone. I've not even made half of this loss. May Nigeria never happen to you,” he wrote. 

“NB: My house is the only one in the compound, fenced with barb wire. Neighbours in surrounding houses said they heard nothing. In fact, they were so surprised. Police said I should pray the thieves get apprehended. I rest my case. Again, may Nigeria never happen to you.”

Deaths from substandard medicines and unsafe foods exceed the number of people k!lled by Boko Haram- NAFDAC official

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized over 10,000 cartons of unregistered tomato paste and cosmetic products at the Lagos Trade Fair Market.

The Director of Investigation and Enforcement in the agency, Dr. Martins Iluyomade, disclosed this to newsmen on Tuesday, August 12. He mentioned that de@ths from substandard medicines, cosmetics and unsafe foods exceed the number of people k!lled by Boko Haram. In his words

“We seized over 10,000 cartons of unregistered tomato paste, as well as cosmetics such as creams, soaps, body sprays, washes, air fresheners and toothpaste. We cannot guarantee the safety of these seized products because they have not undergone any regulatory scrutiny.

One way to safeguard public health is to remove harmful products from markets before they can kill unsuspecting Nigerians.

I can say authoritatively that deaths from substandard medicines, cosmetics and unsafe foods exceed the number of people killed by Boko Haram.

This is why the agency remains committed to ensuring Nigerians use only products that have passed regulatory processes, assuring safety and effectiveness. "he said

The Director said a newly inaugurated multi-agency task force would boost NAFDAC’s surveillance against substandard medicines and unsafe processed foods nationwide. He added that the agency’s partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service to strengthen border control was yielding results.

“We are working hard to prevent falsified and unregistered items from entering the country, hence our Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigeria Customs Service. The Nigeria Customs Service has handed over many seized fake products to us, and we have also transferred some to them,” he added

Keyamo orders release of Ibom air passenger from Kirikiri and life ban rescinded; orders charges against KWAM1 be dropped and he be made an ambassador

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, says he has conferred with Ibom Air to withdraw its case against one of its ‘’unruly'' passenger, Comfort Emmanson, paving the way for her release from Kirikiri prison.

In a statement released this morning August 13, Keyamo also disclosed that he has appealed to the Airline Operators of Nigeria AON to rescind its life-ban sanction imposed on Emmanson. 

He also mentioned that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will cut the  indefinite no-flight ban placed on Fuji star Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1, to one month and that the singer will now be made an ambassador for airport security protocol. According to him, the decision follows consultations with key stakeholders in the aviation sector over recent incidents involving unruly behaviour at airports.

He also added that the NCAA will restore the licenses of pilots involved in the KWAM 1 case after they complete a month-long suspension and mandatory professional reappraisal.

According to Keyamo, Emmanson, who was arrested after an incident aboard an Ibom Air flight on August 10, 2025, showed “great remorse” during police questioning in the presence of her lawyer. He said the withdrawal of Ibom Air’s complaint would allow the police to complete the process for her release from Kirikiri Prison this week.

His statement reads

‘’1. In the last 48 hours, I have been in consultation with critical stakeholders in the Aviation Sector and those involved in the unfortunate incidents regarding the unruly behaviours of certain individuals at our airports of recent.

2. Though regrettable, we think valuable lessons have been learnt by all sides to these incidents and airport security protocol, especially, have been well highlighted for the travelling public. If nothing at all, the episodes have undoubtedly helped to raise public awareness about appropriate conduct within the aviation space.

3. As highlighted in my previous statements on the last two incidents, clear wrongs were committed by both the offending passengers and staff of the airlines involved from all the evidence available to us and those available to the public. It is clear that all the actors involved cannot continue to highlight the injury or injustice done to them without acknowledging their own equal culpability.

5. Therefore, after reviewing the entire incidents, including appeals made by well-meaning individuals and remorse shown by the actors, the following decisions have been reached:

THE CASE OF IBOM AIRLINE AND MS. COMFORT EMMANSON

(a) In the case of the unruly passenger, Ms. Comfort Emmanson, on the Ibom Airline on Sunday, the 10th of August, 2025, I have conferred with Ibom Airline to withdraw the Complaint against her today. When the Police took her Statement in presence of her lawyer, she exhibited great remorse for her conduct.

(b) Subsequent to the withdrawal of the complaint by the Complainant, the CP of Airport Command and the Police Prosecutor will immediately take the remaining steps to facilitate her release from Kirikiri Prisons within this week.

(c) I have also conferred with the leadership of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and have appealed to them to lift the life-time flying ban imposed on her, to which they agreed. The details of the resolution will be made public by the AON subsequently.

THE CASE OF VALUEJET AND WASIU AYINDE MARSHALL (KWAM 1)

(d) In the case of KWAM 1, the NCAA is to reduce his flight ban to a one-month period. FAAN will also work with the music star with a view to engaging him as an ambassador for proper airport security protocol going forward.

(e) Having publicly demonstrated penitence, the NCAA is also to withdraw its criminal complaints against KWAM 1 earlier lodged with the Police.

(f) In the case of Captain Oluranti Ogoyi, and the co-pilot, First Officer Ivan Oloba of VALUEJET, the NCAA is to restore their licenses after the same period of one-month ban after undergoing some mandatory professional re-appraisal. The details will be announced by the NCAA.

AIRLINE OPERATORS, AVIATION AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

6. I have directed all relevant Aviation agencies in collaboration with other complementary agencies outside aviation to IMMEDIATELY begin a retreat NEXT WEEK to properly retrain and prepare our Aviation security personnel on how to deal with errant and disruptive passengers and how to deescalate potentially explosive situations. The retreat will be fully covered by the Press with the opportunity to ask all the relevant questions.

7. The Airlines will also have their own session when the conduct and attitude of their staff towards members of the travelling public will be in full focus.

FINAL COMMENTS

8. These above decisions were taken by Government and the airline operators purely on COMPASSIONATE grounds as Government will never pander to base sentiments, politically-motivated views or warped legal opinions when clear encroachment of our laws are involved.

9. We are also sending a CLEAR MESSAGE that we take safety and security in the aviation sector very seriously and we have decided to draw a line after these clemencies.

FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK)

Wednesday, August 13, 2025''

Cristiano Ronaldo's diamond engagement ring to Georgina Rodriguez is worth an eye-watering seven-figure sum

Cristiano Ronaldo's diamond engagement ring to his wife-to-be, Georgina Rodriguez, is worth an eye-watering seven-figure sum.

The celebrity couple announced their engagement on Monday, August 11, after almost a decade together, in an Instagram post.

Georgina shared the news with a picture of her rocking a dazzling rock on her finger, writing: “Yes I do. In this and in all my lives.”

Hunger, poverty in Nigeria beyond mere statistics — Peter Obi

The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has warned that hunger and poverty in Nigeria are no longer abstract numbers but a grim reality for millions.

In a post on his X handle, the former Anambra State governor said Nigeria was facing “acute food shortages and multi-dimensional poverty at a scale never before seen.”

“In our country today, hunger and poverty are not just distant statistics; they are the harsh reality that millions of our people face daily,” Obi wrote.

Citing United Nations data, he said about 34 million Nigerians risk acute food insecurity, while 63% of the population — roughly 133 million people — live in multidimensional poverty.

Obi noted that inflation, “even with suppressed statistics,” is near 30%, while unemployment and economic mismanagement have “nearly wiped out our once vibrant middle class.” Families once stable, he said, are “slipping into poverty” due to “incompetent leadership without capacity and compassion.”

Drawing a comparison with Argentina, Obi highlighted how the South American nation reduced poverty from 52% to 38.1% within two years under new leadership by cutting waste, prioritising economic stability, and restoring investor confidence.

“Both Argentina and the current Nigerian leadership assumed office in the same year,” Obi said. “Two years may not be enough to completely transform a nation, but it is enough to kickstart genuine change — if the leadership is honest, focused, and committed to the people.”

Obi urged Nigerian leaders to fight corruption, reduce the cost of governance, and invest in education, healthcare, and poverty reduction.

“Nigeria can work. We can reduce hunger and restore dignity to Nigerians,” he said. “A New Nigeria is POssible.”

Peter Obi never spent Labour Party funds on campaign – Ex-Treasurer

A former National Treasurer of the Labour Party (LP), Oluchi Oparah, has dismissed allegations that former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, used party funds to finance his campaign.

Speaking on Channels Television on Thursday night, August 7, Oparah described the claims — made by LP chieftain Abayomi Arabambi as “completely false,” stressing that Obi personally funded his campaign and even made financial contributions to the party.

“There was nothing of such. Mr. Obi never spent any money meant for the party,” Oparah said. “In fact, he lifted the party from zero level to where it is today.”

Oparah recalled that before Obi joined the Labour Party, it was in deep debt and could not pay staff salaries. She said the former governor met all financial obligations required of him and donated from his own resources to strengthen the party.

“Mr. Obi fulfilled every righteousness financially towards the Labour Party. There was never a time he asked for a dime from the party, unlike what happens in other political parties,” she stated.

She also explained that campaign financing for candidates was handled through separate accounts, distinct from the party’s official accounts, and that Obi personally covered the cost of several LP programmes.

“The Labour Party didn’t have a dime. Mr. Obi spent from his own money,” Oparah said.

Turning her attention to governance, Oparah criticised what she described as a lack of accountability under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and urged Nigerians to focus on holding the government to account instead of targeting Obi.

She challenged those making allegations to provide proof.

“Anyone making such claims should show us the particular account where the money was lodged,” she said.

Oparah praised Obi’s philanthropic record, describing it as an enduring part of his character long before his presidential bid.

“Anyone who knows Mr. Obi knows that his act of charity is like the air he breathes,” she added.