Headline

Buhari Presides Over Council Of State Meeting In Aso Rock

Published

3 years ago

February 10, 2023

Photo: file copy

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently presiding over the Council of State meeting to find a lasting solution to the cash crunch occasioned by the cash swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The meeting will mainly discuss some issues affecting the country, including petrol and naira scarcity, insecurity and others, ahead of the general elections.

The hybrid meeting, which started at 10:12 am with the rendition of the national anthem, is taking place at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Former heads of state and presidents in attendance are Yakubu Gowon (retd), Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Goodluck Jonathan.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo joined online. Others who joined online are Sokoto governor and chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Aminu Tambuwal; Kebbi State Governor and Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, Abubakar Bagudu; Plateau governor and chairman of Northern Governors Forum, Simon Lalong; Ebonyi, David Umahi; Kogi, Yahaya Bello; Osun, Ademola Adeleke; Jigawa, Abubakar Badaru; and Ogun, Dapo Abiodun.

Others are Benue State Deputy Governor Benson Abounu, Deputy Governor of Nasarawa, Emmanuel Akabe; and Enugu Deputy Governor.

Two former Chief Justice of the Federation, Alfa Belgore and Mahmud Muhammad, were also in attendance.

Those physically attending the meeting are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; and Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan.

Governors physically attending are Taraba, Dairus Ishaku; Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai; Borno, Babagana Zulum; Gombe, Inuawa Yahaya; Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Kwara, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak; and Deputy Governor Bauchi, Baba Talla.

Also present and awaiting their turn to brief the council are, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmood Yakubu; Inspector General of Police, IGP, Alkali Baba; Commandant-General, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Hammed Audi; and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele on the preparation for the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections as well as March 11 governorship and state houses of assembly polls and new Naira notes respectively.

The National Council of State is an organ of the Nigerian government whose functions include advising the executive on policy making.

Membership of the Council comprises the President, Vice President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, former presidents, former heads of state, former chief justices of Nigeria, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Governors of the 36 states of the federation and the Attorney General of the Federation.

Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

36 minutes ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

1 hour ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

Headline

US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

1 hour ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.