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U.S. Congressman,  Moore Accuses President Tinubu Over Alleged  Persecution Of Christian   Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin  The U.S. House Appropriations Committee has advanced a State Department funding bill that would impose strict conditions on security assistance to Nigeria, citing ongoing violence against Christian communities. U.S. Congressman Riley Moore accused the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of failing to address what he described as escalating persecution, particularly in the Middle Belt where attacks have been linked to ethnic militias, criminal gangs, and jihadist terrorist groups. “This bill takes serious steps to address this crisis,” Moore said, adding that the United States “will not turn a blind eye to the brutal persecution of our Nigerian brothers and sisters in Christ.” The legislation requires Nigeria to show measurable progress in tackling violence, prosecuting perpetrators, and supporting displaced communities before aid is released...

PDP Faction Loses As Supreme Court Cancels Ibadan Convention The Supreme Court on Thursday, April 30 has canceled the national convention the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025. The convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025, produced the Tanimu Turaki, SAN-led factional national executives of the party. The Ibadan convention had been the subject of protracted legal disputes prior to the Supreme Court’s verdict. More so, the exercise was conducted amid subsisting court orders restraining the party from proceeding with the gathering. A Federal High Court had earlier barred the convention, citing breaches of the party’s constitution and the failure to comply with due process, including unresolved disputes arising from state congresses. The court also noted that certain aspirants were excluded from the process, rendering it defective. Despite the order, the convention went ahead, prompting further litiga...

Ibrahim Kabir Masari: The Quiet Force Powering Stability, Loyalty, And Grassroots Strength In Nigeria’s Politics By Engr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat, PhD In politics, the most consequential figures are not always the most visible. Some operate beyond the glare of headlines, shaping outcomes through trust, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to results. Alhaji Ibrahim Kabir Masari belongs to this rare class, a quiet force whose influence within the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) is both significant and steadily consequential. From his vantage point within Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Masari has built a reputation as a dependable operator, trusted with sensitive assignments and known for delivering them with precision, honesty, and without distortion. In a political environment where competing interests can easily blur intent, such reliability is not just valuable; it is indispensable. This trust is rooted in more than pr...

Ibrahim Kabir Masari: The Quiet Force Powering Stability, Loyalty, and Grassroots Strength In Nigeria’s Politics By Engr. Abdullahi Garba Ramat, PhD In politics, the most consequential figures are not always the most visible. Some operate beyond the glare of headlines, shaping outcomes through trust, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to results. Alhaji Ibrahim Kabir Masari belongs to this rare class, a quiet force whose influence within the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) is both significant and steadily consequential. From his vantage point within Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Masari has built a reputation as a dependable operator, trusted with sensitive assignments and known for delivering them with precision, honesty, and without distortion. In a political environment where competing interests can easily blur intent, such reliability is not just valuable; it is indispensable. This trust is rooted in more than pr...

Delta Police Arrest Two Suspects Over Alleged Removal Of 19-Year-Old Girl’s Womb By Editor  The police have arrested two suspected human trafficking operatives in connection with the alleged removal of the womb of a 19-year-old girl in a disturbing case of gender-based violence and organ trafficking. Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, made the disclosure on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, during the Command’s first quarter press briefing, where he outlined operational achievements from February to date. According to a report filed on April 3, 2026, at about 5:30pm., a woman from Ekpan community in Uvwie local government area raised alarm after her teenage daughter returned home in a visibly deteriorated state of health. The victim, who had been residing with her father in Okpaka, reportedly visited her mother in Ekpan, where concerns about her condition prompted questioning. In her account, the 19-year-old said that in September 2025, she and two friends were introduced ...

High Court Orders MTN, Airtel To Restore Airtime Lending Services  Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin     The Federal High Court has issued interim injunctions to MTN and Airtel to restore airtime lending services and restraining the enforcement of the contentious regulations introduced by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). The FCCPC had introduced the controversial Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional (DEON) Consumer Lending Regulations in 2025, prompting the legal action.   The rulings, delivered in Lagos and Abuja, restored services relied upon by millions of Nigerians and offered relief to licensed Value Added Service providers caught in the dispute. In Lagos, Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa, on April 15, 2026, granted four interim injunctions in suit marked FHC/L/CS/760/2026, filed by the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPA) against the FCCPC.   The court restrained the commission, i...

IPC Faults NBC Against Censoring Broadcasters, Suppress Journalistic Interpretation Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin  The International Press Centre (IPC) has raised fresh concerns over what it describes as restrictive provisions in the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Code, warning that recent directives to broadcasters could weaken press freedom and democratic accountability in Nigeria. This follows a statement issued in Lagos on April 28, 2026, IPC criticised an April 17 notice by NBC accusing broadcasters of breaching provisions relating to news, current affairs, and political programming. The notice reportedly focused on presenter professionalism and the alleged misuse of broadcast platforms by political actors, while placing media organisations on formal notice of strict enforcement and possible sanctions for violations. IPC expressed particular concern over Section 1.10.3 of the NBC Code, which prohibits presenters and anchors from expressing personal opinions on ai...

Gov Okpebholo Leads Rescue of Trafficked Edo Citizens From Burkina Faso   Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin  The Edo State Government, through its Migration Agency, has rescued three trafficked Nigerians from Burkina Faso, reaffirming its commitment to protecting vulnerable citizens and tackling human trafficking. The victims, two women and a man, were received at the Benin Airport by the Director General of the agency, Lucky Agazuma, who said the successful rescue underscores the proactive leadership and humanitarian focus of Governor Monday Okpebholo. One of the female victims, identified as Precious, reportedly became visually impaired during her ordeal in Burkina Faso, while another, Peace, suffered physical assault. The male victim, Evans Enwata, was also rescued after enduring difficult conditions. Addressing journalists, Agazuma disclosed that the Okpebholo-led administration has put in place strong mechanisms not only to rescue victims but also to ensure their full r...

‎ Edo FA Cup:Bendel Insurance FC Team Visits Injured Itoro Promise After Successful Surgery  By Editor  ‎ ‎ ‎It was a moment of joy with a sense of belonging for injured Center back Itoro Promise as his Bendel Insurance Football Club teammates, coaches and other officials of the club, today,paid him a solidarity visit at the Specialist Hospital in Benin where he is currently recovering after a successful surgery. ‎ ‎The Benin Arsenals's defense strongman Itoro Promise suffered a simple fracture on his left leg on Wednesday ,April 22,2026  during the semifinals match of Edo FA Cup with ST. Andrews FC which Insurance FC won 3-0 at the Crescent Sports Club field. ‎ ‎Following the result of the scan on Itoro 's left leg,the medical team of Bendel Insurance FC recommended surgery which was successfully carried out on Friday, April 24,2026 at the Benin Specialists Hospital. ‎ ‎The Benin Arsenals' visiting team led by the General Manager Charles Ohimekpen and Technic...

Court Orders EFCC, Fidelity Bank To Produce CCTV In Alleged N1m Fraud Trial By Editor  Justice Ismail Ijelu of the Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has adjourned the trial of a Fidelity Bank staff member, Nweke Chukwuebuka, to enable the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Fidelity Bank produce documents and video evidence requested by the defence in a case involving alleged unauthorised access to a customer’s account. The adjournment followed the opening of the defence by the defendant, who denied involvement in the alleged fraudulent withdrawal of one million naira from a customer’s account and claimed he was being wrongly implicated. The EFCC had charged Nweke before the court in Charge No. ID/26820C/2025 for alleged unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate further offences, contrary to Section 386(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. According to the amended information before the court, the defendant alleged...

Gov Okpebholo Reaffirms Federal Partnership To Boost Water Infrastructure, Enhance Security In Edo The Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo has reaffirmed Edo State’s commitment to deepening collaboration with the Federal Government to accelerate water infrastructure, improve security around critical assets, and deliver tangible benefits to residents. The governor made this known on Tuesday at the Government House in Benin City while receiving the Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Terlumun Utsev, who led a delegation from the Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority (BORBDA) on a courtesy visit. Responding to the minister’s remarks, Okpebholo stressed that federal-state partnership remains crucial to sustainable development, particularly in the water sector.  He disclosed that he had personally visited some of the facilities under the authority and expressed concern over reported cases of vandalism and wastage of p...

TUESDAY FLAT OUT OPINION:Wetie, Òsá Eleye And 2027 Warnings By Suyi Ayodele (Published in the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday, April 28, 2026) https://tribuneonlineng.com/wetie-osa-eleye-and-2027-warnings/   What Nigerians saw in Ibadan on Saturday and the reaction from Abuja were settled by Ifá, very long ago. An Odù Ifá— Ogbè Ìresà, which, through ellipsis, can also take the morphological realisation of Ogbè’Sá.—speaks to it. You won't have here every line of the Odù Ifá (Ifá Corpus), but I will make its essence clear through the Ese Ifá (Ifá Verse), Òsá Eleye. Leaders of opposition political parties gathered in Ibadan last Saturday under the hosting of Governor Seyi Makinde. At the end of the meeting, they took a far-reaching decision: for the 2027 general elections, they would field a single presidential candidate against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). I called an elderly friend of the government to discuss the development, drawing h...

Setting The Record Straight: No Solar Tax By President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Only NEMSA Safety Guidelines.  By Editor  The incessant fire outbreak has been attributed to poorly installed rooftop solar systems, affecting both private residences and public spaces. The statement, signed by the agency’s Managing Director, who also serves as the Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, comes in response to the rising number of fire outbreaks. Last week, the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), pursuant to Sections 176(m) and 184(8) of the Electricity Act 2023, issued new regulatory guidelines for solar installations across Nigeria.   There is growing concern that several recent fire incidents in markets and commercial centres are directly or indirectly linked to substandard solar installations, often handled by unqualified personnel without adherence to basic safety standards. The issue is not solar energy itself. It is the quality of ins...

Edo Gov Recruits 1,000 Civil Servants, 3,000 Appointments Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin  Edo State government has asserted that the government had recruited over 1,000 civil servants and made more than 3,000 appointments across ministries, departments and agencies, while also restoring long-delayed promotions in the civil service in the state. Making this know to the public, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, stated this during a media briefing in Benin, where he highlighted ongoing infrastructure projects, civil service reforms, security interventions and investment drives across the state. He also distanced itself from alleged threats against opposition figures by an aide to Gov. Monday Okpebholo, Emmanuel Egogo. Alertnews reported that Egogo, a Senior Special Assistant and self acclaimed hypeman to the governor, was captured in a video now viral on social media addressing the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Monday Agbonika. In the vi...

Edo NDLEA Intercepts 748kg Of Tramadol In Edo  Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin  The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday said it intercepted controlled pharmaceutical drugs, including tramadol worth 748.02kg on the Benin-Lagos Expressway. The NDLEA Edo State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju stated this in a statement, while presenting the latest operational breakthrough to journalists in Benin. He said, “On Thursday, April 23, 2026, the command’s ongoing painstaking efforts to combat drug trafficking culminated in the interception of a Mercedes-Benz truck branded with the Nigeria Labour Congress insignia and bearing the registration number Federal Capital Territory NLC 146 FC. “The truck was found with 95 cartons 1.196 million of capsules and tablets of psychotropic substances en route from Lagos to Onitsha, Anambra State. “Two suspected members of the drug cartel, Osagie Igbinibo, aged 43, and Omijie Malik, aged 44, were also apprehen...

High Court Bars Journalists From Covering Suspected Coup Plotters’ Trial  The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja was on Monday barred journalists from covering the bail proceedings of six defendants accused of plotting a coup against President Bola Tinubu’s government.   Court officials, backed by operatives of the Department of State Services, directed reporters to vacate the courtroom shortly before the trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, took her seat.   A court official, who did not disclose his name, told journalists that the directive came from the judge, while an SSS operative said he would explain later. The journalists, however, complied and exited the courtroom shortly after.   Correspondents from various media houses had arrived at the court as early as 8:00 a.m. but were forced to leave at about 9:07 a.m. following the order.   Recall that the development comes amid heightened public interest in the trial of the six defendants, who we...

‎Bendel Insurance Retain Edo FA Cup After Beating Westgate FC 2-0 By Editor  ‎ ‎ ‎Bendel Insurance Football Club, Sunday, April 26,2026 defeated Westgate FC 2-0 to emerge champions of this year's Edo State President Federation Cup. ‎ ‎Alex Oweifaleya and Kayode Oke scored in the 10th and 88th minutes to give the Benin Arsenals the deserved victory against the new comers. Yazid Adamu's assist from his trademark curled cross from the left flank found well positioned Alex Oweifaleya for the clinical header. ‎ ‎The little known opponents however showed class and why they got to the finals as they staged a good fight with compact teamwork but the defending champions Bendel Insurance players proved tough and difficult for rookies to disgrace. ‎ ‎Westgate FC gained numerical strength in the 81st minute when Insurance captain Efe Enabulele was sent off for petulance. Against all expectations that Westgate FC would have upper hand and capitalize on. the decimated Insurance s...

Monday Lines  OPINION: Ibadan, Makinde and Tinubu   By Lasisi Olagunju (Published in the Nigerian Tribune on Monday, 27 April, 2026).   “Where you have a warrior culture, you have heroes.” That is how the unusual character of Ibadan is explained on page 856 of Professor Toyin Falola’s 1,012-page 'Ibadan', a history of the city. My eyes caught the line as I watched Saturday’s opposition political summit in the city. Opposition politics in Nigeria is post-apocalyptic, its script reads like 'The Last Man on Earth'. The virus of power has thinned the ranks. In a hall full of heavyweights, only one serving governor showed up. He was also the host—Seyi Makinde. Someone called him “the last governor standing.” Twenty-three years ago, there was a Yoruba president in Abuja—Olusegun Obasanjo. The last governor standing in defiance of that presidency was another Yoruba man, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Today, Tinubu occupies that same seat, and, in a neat irony of history, he...