…Soludo marks 10,000 shops for demolitionCommercial activities resumed on Monday in Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of Anambra State, as traders in the Onitsha Main Market and other markets opened their shops, with heavily armed security agents deployed to provide security. During the order, traders and other commercial centres usually locked up their stores in compliance, thereby paralysing the economic life of the zone, with the Onitsha Main Market said to have lost billions of naira. ALSO READ: Onitsha main market reopens amid tight securityIrked by the order, Governor Charles Soludo had last week shut down the Onitsha Main Market for one week, with a threat to extend the same measure to other markets where traders complied with the IPOB directive. The Chairman of the Onitsha Main Market, Chijioke Okpalaugo, denied rumours that some non-state actors had threatened him to shut down the market. Mrs Nwada Chinyere, a trader at the Emeka Ofor Plaza within the Onitsha Main Market, lauded the presence of the police, army and state-owned security outfits, Agunechemba and Udogachi.

The Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) has moved to strengthen livestock development in Sokoto State, convening key stakeholders to identify priorities and tackle potential implementation risks. At the engagement on Monday, the State Project Coordinator, Sirajo Abubakar, said the meeting was aimed at sharpening project outcomes and aligning interventions with on-the-ground realities. “L-PRES is a six-year, World Bank–supported project focused on improving productivity, commercialisation and resilience across selected livestock value chains,” Abubakar said. Earlier, the Chairman of the Sokoto State Butchers Association, Malam Abdullahi Mujinyawa, welcomed the initiative, saying it provided a platform to address long-standing challenges confronting actors across the livestock value chain. The engagement signals a renewed push by L-PRES to deliver targeted, inclusive and resilient livestock interventions in Sokoto and beyond.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has raided a popular, highly rated hotel (name withheld) located around the famous 33 areas of Onitsha, Anambra State, arrested four suspected traffickers, and rescued 17 alleged victims of human trafficking as part of the renewed onslaught on the activities of some human traffickers across the country. Four of the victims were said to be infected with HIV and are currently being counselled by a team of caregivers from NAPTIP and volunteers from the Anambra State Aids Control Agency (ANSACA). During interrogation, the victims disclosed that they were recruited from Benue, Imo, Ebonyi and Akwa Ibom States and trafficked to Onitsha for alleged prostitution. “The Agency has also invited the owner of the hotel for interrogation with a view to determining the next sanction on the facility. “As said a few weeks ago, NAPTIP shall continue to double its efforts and scale up activities to ensure a good chase for the human trafficking criminal elements in the country,” the NAPTIP Director General stated.

The Lagos State Government has restated its commitment to regenerate the Makoko community in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area, insisting that it has no intention of demolishing homes or displacing residents. According to him, the action was taken in the interest of public safety, noting that the structures posed a serious risk to lives. He spoke alongside the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, and the General Manager of the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA), Mr Saheed Animashaun. He added that all urban renewal projects being undertaken by the state are designed with a human face and are not intended to displace communities. The state government further clarified that the core Makoko fishing settlement was not affected by the demolitions, which were limited to structures under high-tension electricity cables.

I am also interested in all the happenings in Oyo State PDP. He dismissed claims that party members were being intimidated, arguing that recent court cases had weakened such threats. They have no option but to recognise the Caretaker Committee,” Wike stated. Despite the challenges facing the PDP, Wike maintained that the party remains a strong political force capable of recovery. The announcement followed the faction’s 105th meeting of the PDP National Executive Committee held on Monday in Abuja.

Anne O’Brien saw her son leave for a holiday on a Greek island, only to return home in a coffin. For more than four years, the family of Niall O’Brien (21) have sought justice. Last Tuesday, a Trinity College Dublin law graduate was found guilty of causing the death of Niall, a University of Limerick student, after a confrontation on the island of Ios. “My son went to Ios to have the holiday of a lifetime and he came home to me in a coffin,” Mrs O’Brien told the court. Today on The Indo Daily, Ciaran Dunbar is joined by Sunday Independent journalist Mark Tighe, to discuss the trial, the witness testimony, and both families' strong reaction from the case.

00:00 a lot of our reaction have ensued asking the question is nigeria becoming a one-party state00:05 we are as well asking the same question is it is this not dangerous for democracy00:10 that we you know supposedly following and what do you think this means for the 2027 general00:19 election and for peter the obedience movement also did made it clear that they are supporting00:26 peter as president not as vice president now we have a lot of questions again to ask00:33 there is no automatic ticket waiting in the camp of the adc for peter of course it's going to have00:38 to do the primaries with notable uh contestant we've got the former vice president atikwa00:44 bubaka we've got a former kaduna uh governor herrify also in contention we've got a lot of them as well00:51 as our former governor of delta state i wrote me amici all of them are now in the ranks of the00:56 adc and every one of them at some point you know in the past i've shown interest in also contesting01:02 in 2027 meanwhile you have to keep in mind that we have only one ticket from the adc now as things01:09 stands for pdp uh pdp looks more like a sinking ship when you look of things we've got a lot of01:16 defections right from you know last year even prior before last year till now currently we have 28 states01:24 there are apc states you want to say that out of 36 it's more like what is the future you know01:31 for opposition parties here in nigeria and uh i will be asking these questions from our viewers at01:38 home do you think that the defection of peter b to the adc gives us a credible opposition against the01:47 ruling party apc and do you think that peter b can successfully you know knew the ticket in the01:55 primaries for the adc so many things to discuss about on the political matters of nigeria but of02:00 course it's still in the early stages just barely a year to go and this year we'll be having two02:04 governorship election one of course in in ocean state and the other one in a kitty state two governorship02:11 elections to look out for uh you know in the year 2026 thank you for being part of our world here that02:16 will be the size of our package today on guardian talks i wish we could you know get the discussion02:21 on going but of course time is not always a friend on the show and until next time where we'll come02:27 again with topical discussions to talk about most importantly in the political space i am olu kaiode02:35 and uh it's been a pleasure to be your host today until next time i come your way again

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State on Monday said that Ogun, the Gateway State, is on the path of progress with the quantum of developmental strides it has recorded over the past 50 years. Gov Abiodun said Ogun State had recorded remarkable progress over the past five decades, particularly in education, housing, healthcare, agriculture, and other key sectors of the economy. He commended Governor Abiodun for giving attention to all sectors of the economy. Former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo lauded past and present administrators of Ogun State for their effort in building a virile state. He said, “Ogun State, created in 1976, has been lucky to be administered by selfless leaders who believed in its future.

The EFCC is prosecuting the former AGoF on a nine-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of N868,465,000. When the lawyer asked him if he knows Chief Jerry Nwachukwu, Nwabuoku, who is the 1st defence witness (DW1), responded in affirmative. He is a contractor, a registered contractor in the Ministry of Defence, even before I became director in the ministry,” he said. “My lord, I want the court to discharge and acquit me in respect of this suit,” the ex-AGof said. The anti-graft agency closed its case after calling nine witnesses to establish its case against Nwabuoku.

Eight-year-old American singer, Aura Valentina, popularly known as Aura V, made history at the 68th Grammy Awards on Sunday by becoming the youngest individually credited Grammy winner ever. She won ‘Best Children’s Music Album’ for ‘Harmony’ alongside her father, Harold Simmons, popularly known as Fyütch, in the duo FYÜTCH & Aura V.Aura V broke the record previously held by Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s daughter, Blue Ivy, who won her first Grammy at age nine in 2021. Modeling things like harmony, community, and self-love.”Aura V had a shout-out of her own: “Shout-out to Laufey,” she said. “I just saw her on the red carpet, and I got to talk to her for a little bit. And I know that she just won a Grammy, too, so congratulations to her.”

Senior government officials, scientists, and global research leaders have called for a decisive shift from basic scientific discovery to real-world health solutions, as Nigeria hosted the SPARK Translational Research Boot Camp and Conference 2026 in Abuja. He said Nigeria and Africa are navigating multiple transitions at once, including demographic, epidemiological, economic, technological, and political shifts. He also highlighted what he described as Africa’s paradox: a population of about 1.4 billion people that accounts for only a tiny fraction of global research spending. He rejected the notion that successful translational research was only possible in places like Silicon Valley, citing SPARK’s expansion to Taiwan. If we ignore that, we fail patients.”He also expressed concern over declining global support for health research.

The exchange, which occurred on Sunday, was triggered by a report on alleged vandalism of rehabilitation work on the Ilesha–Ibadan Expressway. Reacting to the report, Onanuga, via his X handle @aoanuga1956, condemned the act and called for severe punishment for those involved. Hours later, Shaibu responded through his handle, @phrankangel, faulting the statement and describing it as inappropriate for a government official. Shaibu responded with a detailed explanation, maintaining that “shoot on sight” is a fixed idiom in English and should not be altered. As of the time of filing this report, Onanuga had not responded to Shaibu’s latest remarks.

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, has raised concerns over the persistent killings in different parts of Nigeria, calling on Nigerians to unite and put an end to the bloodshed. Also speaking at the event, former Senate President and ex-Kwara State Governor, Dr Bukola Saraki, who was the guest speaker, urged Nigerians to prioritise competence and leadership qualities over political affiliation. “APC is moving from Rivers, Plateau, Taraba and Kano states, and our next destination is Adamawa State. “In 2023, we saw treachery; we saw assault; we saw the moral compromise of a bankrupt elite masked as patriots. He urged Nigerians not to wait for the justice system alone to deal with such individuals.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that persons with disabilities (PWDs) will receive free application documents for the 2026/2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. As done in previous years, the Board said the free application documents would be processed through the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group for eligible candidates with disabilities who intend to sit the examination. He restated the Board’s commitment to the welfare of persons with disabilities through its free application documents initiative. According to Oloyede, beneficiaries of the scheme include, but are not limited to, persons living with Down syndrome, autism, dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). “To support persons living with disabilities, JAMB will issue free application documents to all categories of persons living with disabilities.

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has completed and commissioned a 100 kWp solar mini-grid in Damau, a rural community in the Kubau Local Government Area of Kaduna State, marking another milestone in the Agency’s mandate to expand sustainable energy access and improve socio-economic growth in underserved and underserved communities across Nigeria. The MD/CEO, REA, Dr Abba Abubakar Aliyu, while speaking on the intervention, said the Damau project reflects the Agency’s evolving approach to rural electrification, which deliberately integrates energy access with social infrastructure and community needs rather than deploying power in isolation. “The ongoing energy access scale-up effort of the Federal Government is a clear example of how decentralised renewable energy can transform rural communities,” the REA boss said. ALSO READ: Kogi govt issues mini-grid permit to investorsThe Damau mini-grid, delivered through the Federal Government’s Capital Subvention, is one of several renewable energy infrastructure projects being deployed by the REA. The community borehole, powered by the mini-grid and designed as part of the Agency’s intervention, has significantly reduced the burden of water scarcity, particularly for women and children who traditionally travel long distances in search of water.