Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has pleaded not guilty to a six-count charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery, obtaining salaries under false pretences, and money laundering. Nnaji was arraigned on Monday before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). According to the charges, the former minister is accused of forging a degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate, which he allegedly submitted during his ministerial screening in 2023. The charges also…
Author: Ini Sam
The U.S. dollar strengthened on Monday as renewed military exchanges between the United States and Iran increased investor demand for safe-haven assets, while oil prices also climbed amid heightened geopolitical tensions. According to a Reuters report, the U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.1% to 101.13, after earlier touching its highest level since July 8. The latest gains followed a weekend of escalating hostilities between Washington and Tehran. Iranian forces launched strikes on U.S. facilities in Gulf states on Sunday and announced the renewed closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route for oil exports. The Japanese yen…
FIFA has appointed the match officials for the blockbuster 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final between France and Spain, with experienced Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton set to take charge of the encounter. The world football governing body announced the appointments in a post on its official X account on Monday. “The match officials for FIFA World Cup Match 101 have been appointed,” FIFA said. According to FIFA, Barton will officiate the highly anticipated semi-final at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday, July 14, with kick-off scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EDT. He will be assisted by fellow Salvadoran David Moran as Assistant Referee 1,…
Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has rejoined South African Premier Soccer League side Chippa United, five months after leaving the club by mutual consent. The club confirmed the Nigerian international’s return in a statement posted on its official X account on Sunday ahead of the 2026/2027 season. “Chippa United Football Club is delighted to welcome Stanley Nwabali back to the Chilli Boys,” the club said. “After taking time away, Stanley Nwabali returns to the Eastern Cape, and we are pleased to welcome him back to the club.” Nwabali, 30, has been without competitive club football since parting ways with Chippa…
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has debunked a social media document claiming that upkeep allowances under the Federal Government’s Student Loan Scheme for the 2025/2026 academic session have been suspended. A statement by the NELFUND says the document, dated July 10 and attributed to its Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, is fake and did not originate from the Fund. It urges beneficiaries and the public to disregard the misinformation and rely only on its official communication channels. The Fund further clarifies that neither the Federal Government nor NELFUND has announced any suspension of upkeep allowance payments, stressing that…
The Nigerian naira traded at ₦1,382.33 per United States dollar at the official Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) on Monday, July 13, 2026, according to the latest available market data. The official exchange rate serves as the benchmark for transactions in Nigeria’s formal foreign exchange market. Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s NFEM platform showed that the last published official rate before Monday’s trading closed at ₦1,379.62/$1 on Friday, July 10, indicating that the naira has remained relatively stable in recent trading sessions. In the parallel market, commonly referred to as the black market, the US dollar traded at…
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have killed an alleged cameraman for the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during a failed terrorist attack in Borno State, recovering a Sony camcorder containing footage of the group’s operations and propaganda activities. The Nigerian military said the terrorists attempted to infiltrate troops’ position at Cross Kauwa in Kukawa Local Government Area at about 10:20 p.m. on Friday, July 11, 2026, but were repelled after a fierce gun battle. According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Goni, vigilant troops detected the…
The Nigeria Police Force is set to arraign the self-acclaimed Director-General of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday over allegations of forgery, impersonation and other related offences. In a fresh charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, the police filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi and two other defendants, accusing them of forgery, impersonation and related offences. The charge was filed on November 27, 2025, by police prosecutor Wisdom Madaki. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that when the matter came up on June 16 for the defendants to enter…
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 38-year-old South African woman at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, after allegedly attempting to smuggle 5.75 kilograms of heroin concealed in her luggage. The agency disclosed that the suspect allegedly used her three-year-old son as a cover in an attempt to avoid suspicion and evade thorough security screening. According to a statement issued by the NDLEA on Sunday, the woman was arrested on Monday, July 6, during the inward clearance of passengers on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Abuja. The agency said the suspect…
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has instituted a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), asking the Federal High Court to compel the commission to investigate allegations that governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) diverted about ₦800 billion from Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations to finance political and campaign activities. In a statement issued by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said reports alleged that APC governors had been making monthly deductions from their FAAC allocations into a special fund reportedly established to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign. The…