Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

How Novice Nigerians got killed in Ukraine-Russia war Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate has confirmed the deaths of two Nigerian citizens who were killed while serving in the Russian military during the ongoing Ukraine conflict. In a statement released Thursday, the intelligence agency identified the deceased as Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole, born April 3, 1983, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, born January 7, 1988. Both men died in late November during a drone strike in the Luhansk region as Russian forces attempted to storm Ukrainian positions. According to the statement, titled “Nigerians in a meat assault — the number of identified dead Russian…

INEC picks February 20, 2027 for presidential election The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced that the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on February 20, 2027, with governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls scheduled for March 6, 2027. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed the election timetable at a news conference in Abuja on Friday. The announcement comes amid growing concerns over the delayed passage of the amended Electoral Act currently before the National Assembly. INEC had on February 4 indicated that it had completed work on the election timetable and schedule of activities…

IKEDC Announces Feb 20 Deadline For Customer Tax Details The Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company has asked all its customers to submit valid identification details on or before February 20, 2026, to avoid disruption of electricity services. The company made this known in a public notice issued in Lagos on Wednesday. It said the request is in line with the Nigeria Tax Act (2025), which took effect on January 1, 2026. Under the new law, every invoice issued in the country, including electricity bills, must contain at least one approved identification detail. According to IKEDC, customers are expected to provide either…

50th anniversary lecture: Tinubu lauds Murtala’s legacy By Elegbede Abiodun File: Late General Murtala Muhammed … implements a transition programme to return Nigeria to presidential democracy. President Bola Tinubu has paid tribute to the late Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, describing him as a military officer with democratic credentials whose leadership left a lasting mark on Nigeria’s political evolution and Africa’s liberation struggle. The President spoke on Thursday at the 50th Murtala Mohammed International Lecture and Leadership Conference held in honour of the late leader. Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume,…

Nigeria unable to perform up to OPEC oil quota target for six months File photo: Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries • Expectations are that Nigeria will meet up with its crude production, especially as the Dangote refinery announced it has reached its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. Nigeria underperformed with its crude oil production quota of 1.5 million barrels per day approved by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in the first month of 2026, extending its streak of underperformance to six consecutive months. According to OPEC’s Monthly Oil Market Report, Nigeria produced about 1.46 million…

Ogazi shines as third University of Alabama student-athlete to win SEC Runner of the Week File photo: Ogazi Credit: Olympic Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi has been announced the Southeastern Conference Men’s Runner of the Week, marking the junior’s first conference weekly award of the season, the league office announced on Tuesday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Ogazi becomes the third University of Alabama student-athlete to earn weekly conference recognition in as many weeks. Ogazi won the men’s 400m title in his event-season debut at last weekend’s New Mexico Collegiate Classic, clocking a personal-best 44.85s (44.96a) to break the facility record. The 19-year-old’s…

At the launching of New League of Imams, Alfas to foster growth in North By Elegbede Abiodun At the inauguration of new League of Imams for South West, Edo and Delta States in Iwo, Osun State. Photo: Press Secretary to the Grand Mufti. •  The League of Imams and Alfas in Yorubaland oversaw issues relating to Islam in the South-West, Edo, and Delta States in the past. A new League of Imams and Alfas in Yorubaland, Edo, and Delta states has been launched in Iwo, with a promise to work with Muslims in the North for the propagation of Islam.…

NACLFON To Unite Christian Leaders For Political Reformation, Hosts Landmark South-West Summit In Lagos Elegbede Abiodun The National APC Christian Leaders Forum of Nigeria (NACLFON) has made an announcement of its forthcoming South-West Summit, a strategic gathering designed to bridge the gap between spiritual stewardship and transformative governance. The event, scheduled for February 24, 2026, at the Nigeria Police College, Ikeja, Lagos, will convene prominent Christian leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders under the theme: ”Divine Mandate for Political Reformation of Renewed Hope Agenda.” The summit represents a significant milestone in NACLFON’s ongoing mission to mobilize Christian leaders within the All…

Court Has Dismissed Shell’s Tertiary Education Tax Suits Against FIRS By Elegbede Abiodun … says court held that the FIRS acted lawfully in assessing the company. A Federal High Court, Lagos, has dismissed suit filed by Shell Nigeria Oil Products Limited and its four sister companies, challenging the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) application of a 3 percent Tertiary Education Tax (TET) rate to its 2023 financial year profits. In dismissing the suits in its entirety, Justice Daniel Osiagor, who presided over the court held that the FIRS acted lawfully in assessing the company at the 3 percent rate…

UBA Unveils New Aggregator Framework to Expand Financial Access Through RedPay Network Elegbede Abiodun United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has introduced a revamped Aggregator Sales Structure for its RedPay POS terminals and agency banking operations, marking a significant advancement in the bank’s drive to expand financial inclusion across Nigeria. The enhanced framework was launched at the inaugural UBA Aggregator Engagement Session held at the bank’s Lagos headquarters on Tuesday. Under the theme “POS-itive Impact: Connecting Agents, Merchants, and Customers,” the event brought together industry aggregators, POS partners, and network managers to align strategies for scaling the UBAMONI Agency…