By Bashir Hassan Abubakar The Convener/Chief Executive Officer of the African Health Budget Network (AHBN), Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba, was in Bauchi State on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, to engage media executives, executive directors of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and other key health sector stakeholders in a review of the Zero Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH) implementation in the state. The parley provided a platform for participants to assess progress recorded in 2025, identify implementation challenges, and jointly proffer solutions ahead of the 2026 programme year. Dr. Magashi commended the Bauchi State…
Year: 2025
6 Killed in Lagos Boat Mishap: LASWA, NIWA Tighten Enforcement of 7 PM Travel Ban
A year-end voyage turned fatal on Tuesday, December 30 as six passengers drowned following a boat accident along the Igbologun water channel. While first responders rescued four survivors, the bodies of six others were recovered from the scene near Nigerdock. The boat, owned by Savvy Marine, was returning from Ilashe Beach House when the incident occurred at approximately 8:35 p.m.—violating the state’s existing ban on night travel. In a joint statement confirming the incident, the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) detailed the swift…
Maiduguri Mosque Blast: Suspect Claims N100k Payment for Bombing
Following his arrest by troops of Operation Hadin Kai, suspected Boko Haram operative Ibrahim Mohammed admitted his role in the Gamboru Market bombing, stating he was paid ₦100,000 by group commanders. Recall, five worshippers were killed and 35 others injured when a suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) at the Gamboru Market Mosque in Maiduguri on Wednesday, December 24. However, troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OHK) have captured the suspects behind the recent blast. One of the suspects, Mohammed, is now cooperating with authorities, identifying his ringleaders as…
Borno Mosque Attack: Troops Arrest Two Suspects
In what is being hailed as a major operational success, the Nigerian Army has apprehended two suspects linked to the Christmas Eve suicide bombing at the Al-Adum Jummu’ah Mosque in Gamboru market, Maiduguri. The December 24, 2025 attack killed five people and injured 32 others after a suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) during evening prayers. According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the attack was reportedly coordinated by the JAS, Ansaru, and JNIM terrorist groups. According to him, intelligence sources, reported…
Dark Day for Journalism: Seven Lives Lost in Gombe Road Crash
By: Bashir Hassan Abubakar The management of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Gombe has announced the tragic death of several staff members who were also members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), NTA Chapel, following a fatal road accident along the Billiri–Kumo Road while returning from a colleague’s wedding in Kaltungo. Those who lost their lives include Zarah Umar, Manager News and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor in the Office of the First Lady; Manu Haruna Kwami, Manager Administration; Isa Lawan; Musa Tabra, a retired Manager News; Aminu…
Mexico Train Tragedy: 13 Dead, Nearly 100 Injured in Oaxaca Derailment.
At least 13 people were killed and 98 others injured after an Interoceanic Train derailed in southern Mexico on Sunday, authorities confirmed. The train, which was traveling through the state of Oaxaca with 250 people on board, jumped the tracks near the town of Nizanda, prompting a massive rescue operation by the Mexican Navy. The derailment occurred in Asunción Ixtaltepec, Oaxaca, on the train’s main line between Veracruz and Salina Cruz. According to CNN report, ” The navy said that 36 people required hospital care and the rest sustained minor…
Scores Feared Dead as Armed Assault Upends Peace in Shanga, Kebbi
A wave of terror gripped the Gebbe community in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State following a sudden, lethal assault by gunmen that left numerous residents dead and scores of others injured. Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants struck unexpectedly, firing sporadically and triggering a mass exodus as families fled into nearby bushes and neighbouring villages for safety. While the exact death toll remains unconfirmed due to the scale of the displacement, local sources describe the attack as “unprecedented” for the historically peaceful area. Confirming the attack, the Kebbi State…
Cartels Dismantled: NDLEA Seizes UK-Bound Cocaine; Wanted Kingpin for Tin Can Port ‘Loud’ and Ex-Fugitive Arrested. …….. Tactical Teams Seize Tons of Opioids, Skunk in Coordinated Raids Across the Country
In a major breakthrough, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has re-arrested notorious drug trafficker and ex-convict Nwobodo Chidiebere Basil. Basil, who was previously convicted in 2023 for dealing in 30.10kg of methamphetamine, was intercepted following the seizure of 75 cocaine parcels weighing 1.50kg. The illicit consignment was concealed in factory-sealed sachets of cold-water starch destined for the United Kingdom at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) export shed.Operatives first arrested three cargo agents—Jubrin Firdausi Hassana, Kuku Daniel Oluwasegun, and Igwe Chioma Jane—on Saturday, December 20, 2025. Their arrest…
Crude Oil Bunkering Crackdown: Tantita Security Intercepts MT Thor, Apprehends Suspects at Koko Port.
In a decisive blow to maritime crime, Delta State authorities confirmed on Saturday, December 27, 2025, the seizure of a vessel and the arrest of four suspects. The operation marks a significant milestone in the ongoing crackdown on large-scale crude oil theft within the region. The MT Thor, allegedly laden with stolen crude, was intercepted by Tantita security. Four suspects found on board face a high-stakes investigation by the Inter-Agency Task Force into charges of economic sabotage. However, in a significant move against maritime crime, Tantita Security (TSSNL) formally handed…
$400K Bust: Ghana-Nigeria Cyber Ring Smashed After Defrauding 200
As part of an INTERPOL-coordinated, continent-wide cybercrime operation, Ghanaian authorities have dismantled a major fraud network operating across Ghana and Nigeria. The syndicate defrauded more than 200 victims of over $400,000. Uncovered during Operation Sentinel, the investigation focused on business email compromise, digital extortion, and ransomware. These activities were identified as growing threats in the 2025 Africa Cyber Threat Assessment Report issued by INTERPOL. The syndicate employed sophisticated websites and mobile applications to impersonate well-known fast-food brands. They successfully collected online payments from unsuspecting customers but consistently failed to deliver…