‎P anic broke out Saturday night in Washington, D.C. after gunshots were heard near the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, forcing security agents to rush President Donald Trump and other top officials to safety. ‎ ‎Government Executive reported that the shooting happened at the Washington Hilton, where journalists, government leaders, and guests had gathered for the yearly event hosted by the White House Correspondents’ Association. According to the U.S. Secret Service, the gunfire came from near the main security checkpoint as people were entering the hotel. ‎ Agents quickly drew their weapons and locked down the area. Government officials confirmed that one person was arrested, but police had not shared the suspect’s name or motive when Government Executive filed its report. ‎ ‎People at the scene described chaos after hearing several loud bangs. Officers shouted warnings and moved guests away from the danger. Reporter Jacqui Heinrich said everyone was told to stay put while...

F ormer Nigeria international Michael Eneramo died on Friday after collapsing during a friendly match. The 40-year-old forward reportedly suffered a suspected cardiac arrest five minutes into the second half, according to early reports from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Friday's game was played in the morning in Ungwan Yelwa, Kaduna. Eneramo played the entire first half before the incident occurred. NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi said the news came as a shock. “This is devastating. I am short of words at this moment,” he stated. Eneramo played 10 games for Nigeria. He chose Nigeria over Tunisia, even though he spent many years playing in Tunisia and once considered taking Tunisian citizenship. Fans of Esperance Sportive de Tunis nicknamed him “The Tank” for his strength and key role in helping the club win multiple trophies. He also played in Turkey for Sivasspor, Besiktas, and Basaksehir, among other clubs. Eneramo made his Nigeria debut in February 2009 in a frien...

  T he Federal Government has approved the review of allowances and welfare packages for civil servants, in a move aimed at lifting morale and improving conditions across the public service. Speaking at a press briefing on Friday in Abuja, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, said the adjustments will cover workers under the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure, CONPSS, and the Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure, CONRAISS. She explained that the goal is to ensure the benefits reach all categories of staff, from junior to senior levels. Walson-Jack said the Federal Executive Council signed off on the reforms, which include revised peculiar allowances structured to deliver higher take-home pay for every grade level. Key allowances such as Duty Tour Allowance, estacode, and book allowance have also been reviewed upward. According to her, nearly every allowance captured in the Public Service Rules is undergoing revision....

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday arraigned six men accused of trying to topple the Nigerian government. The men are facing 13 counts covering treason, terrorism, and money laundering. Those charged are retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani. They all pleaded not guilty in court. Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi led the government’s lawyers. He asked the court to keep the accused in DSS custody and to fast-track the case. Defence counsel Mohammed Ndayako, SAN, told the judge they had filed a bail application for Gana and needed time to argue it. The lawyers also said they had struggled to see their clients since the arrest. In response, Fagbemi said, “I can assure you that your right to speak with your clients will not be denied.” Justice Abdulmalik approved an accelerated hearing. However, he sent the six men to prison ins...

P resident Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration's unwavering commitment to infrastructural development, identifying it as the backbone of Nigeria's economic growth.  ‎During a meeting at the State House yesterday with stakeholders from Enugu State, led by the State Governor, Peter Mbah, President Tinubu specifically announced plans to construct a rail line connecting Port Harcourt to Enugu. ‎Addressing the delegation, President Tinubu highlighted the progress of his ongoing reforms, emphasizing that they are already yielding tangible outcomes.  ‎"On the matter you raised, the rail from Port Harcourt to Enugu, the power sector reforms, the infrastructure that is a backbone of economic development of our country I have noted. We will do more," the President stated. ‎The President praised Governor Mbah and his team for their dedication to the progress of Enugu State, describing them as transformative leaders. ‎"The work you are doing is extremely, extremely...

T he Lagos State Ministry of Housing has reminded people living in state owned estates that they must get permission before they change the outside of their buildings or install solar panels. Permanent Secretary Abdulhafis Toriola gave the reminder in a statement released on Wednesday, April 22nd,  through the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Ganiu Lawal. Toriola said the rule is not new. It is written in the Letter of Allocation and Allottees Guide that every homeowner receives when they buy a flat. He explained that the approval is needed to protect shared parts of the buildings, like rooftops, walls, and water systems. It also helps stop dangers such as fire from badly installed solar panels. The ministry brought in clear guidelines after facing more problems with solar panel installations on government estates. “In recent times, the ministry had to repair leaking rooftops and deal with fire incidents caused by residents who installed solar panels the wrong way,” Toriola s...

T he Cross River State Government has confirmed a new case of COVID-19, the first recorded in the state since 2022. State Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, announced the case on Tuesday during a press briefing in Calabar. He said the patient is a Chinese national who works with Lafarge. The man arrived in Nigeria from China on March 17 and fell ill weeks later. According to Dr Ayuk, the patient’s condition worsened at his company’s clinic before he was moved to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. Samples were taken and tested following standard protocol. Results confirmed he had COVID-19. Officials say he is now responding to treatment and “doing well.” The Health Ministry said it is ready to handle the situation. “There is no cause for alarm,” Dr Ayuk stated. “The state has improved its surveillance and outbreak response systems. We will contain this.” Contact tracing has already started. The state epidemiologist noted that the Chinese national only showed symptoms on A...

O n Monday, retired police officers and their families blocked Gate 8 of the Presidential Villa in Abuja. They want President Tinubu to sign the Police Exit Bill. The bill would remove the police from the Contributory Pension Scheme. The National Assembly passed it in December 2025 and sent it to the President in March 2026. He has not signed it. Protest leader CSP Raphael Irowainu (retd.) said retirees live in poverty under the CPS, with many retiring sick or with bullet wounds. He warned they would use their votes against Tinubu if the bill stalls. The group said the military, SSS, and other agencies have already left the CPS, but the police remain. A letter they submitted showed an Inspector gets only N1m lump sum and N20,000 monthly. A wife of a retiree said her husband gets N30,000 monthly after 35 years of service. The retirees threatened an indefinite nationwide protest if Tinubu doesn’t act. They held a similar protest in September 2025. Background Reporting: Punch Newspapers

T he Council of Legal Education has announced the results of the December 2025 Bar Final Examination, with 79.1 percent of the 7,602 candidates who sat for the exam recording a pass. The notice was signed and issued on April 20, 2026, by the Secretary to the Council and Director of Administration of the Nigerian Law School in Bwari, Abuja. A breakdown of the results shows that 212 candidates obtained First Class honours. Another 1,216 candidates earned Second Class Upper division, while 2,961 candidates were awarded Second Class Lower division. A total of 1,622 candidates received a Pass. The Council also stated that 314 candidates had a Conditional Pass. In addition, 1,067 candidates failed the examination, and 210 candidates were absent. Information on the screening process and the schedule for the Call to the Bar ceremony will be sent to candidates through their individual portals on the Nigerian Law School website, the Council said. It noted that the released figures reflect the pe...

T he Ondo State Police Command has confirmed the death of a middle-aged woman, Oluwasola Victoria Adebayo, who collapsed on Monday at a JAMB examination centre in Ilara-Mokin, Ifedore Local Government Area. Mrs Adebayo slumped while accompanying her daughter to write the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Police spokesperson Jimoh Abayomi disclosed the incident in a short statement issued in Akure. He said the Command received a report of the death and immediately deployed officers to the examination centre in Ilara-Mokin. According to Abayomi, Mrs Adebayo was waiting with her daughter when she suddenly collapsed. The police added that the remains of the deceased have been released to her son, Apapa Olamilekan, who identified himself at the scene as an officer of the Nigeria Legion, Akure. “The family of the deceased has since been contacted and upon thorough checks, the remains have been released to one Mr Apapa Olamilekan, who identified himself as her son and an...

T he Lagos State Government will restart its monthly environmental sanitation exercise on Saturday, April 25, 2026, nearly a decade after the programme was suspended. The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) confirmed the return of the exercise on Monday through a statement on its official X account. The agency said the statewide clean-up will take place from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. During the two-hour period, residents are expected to clean their homes and surroundings and dispose of waste properly. LAWMA said the effort is aimed at improving hygiene across the state. “Monthly sanitation exercise commences on Saturday 25th April from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. across the state,” the statement read. “This is a reminder that sanitation is everyone’s responsibility. Residents are encouraged to clean their surroundings, dispose waste properly, and support efforts to keep our environment clean and safe. Together, we can achieve a cleaner and more livable Lagos.” The return of the exercise w...

N igerian wrestling star Oba Femi says his journey from Lagos to World Wrestling Entertainment was never planned, but every step was intentional. The 27-year-old, born Isaac Odugbesan, spoke about his rise in an exclusive chat with Larry Madowo on CNN’s African Voices Playmakers. Once a shot put champion studying Visual Arts in Lagos, he earned a scholarship to the University of Alabama after dominating track and field. “I had dreams of the World Championships and the Olympics,” Odugbesan said. “I chased those goals and did well in everything I tried.” Wrestling came by surprise. WWE reached out through an Instagram message. He had no wrestling background, but his size, power, and throwing videos caught their eye. “They saw the package,” he said. “When they asked if I wanted to try wrestling, I said yes. The rest is history.” His ring name, Oba Femi, is rooted in Yoruba. “Oba” means king, and “Femi” means loves me. Put together, it means “the King loves me.” For him, the name is more t...

T he Lagos State Government has launched a new cybersecurity guide to improve digital safety for businesses, public offices, and residents across the state, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, announced via X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, April 19th, 2026. The move comes as Lagos continues to grow as Africa’s fastest tech hub, with thousands of companies now operating online. But that growth has also raised the state’s risk of cyber attacks. Recent figures from the National Information Technology Development Agency show Nigeria loses over $500 million, about ₦250 billion, to cybercrime every year. The state government says this makes a stronger, joint approach to digital security urgent. The new guide is meant to help Lagos keep its “SMART City” status while protecting its systems and people from rising online threats. Government officials explained that the document is not a strict law but a practical toolkit. It gives small businesses, large companies, and gove...

T he Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has published the results of candidates who took the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination on Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18, 2026. The update was shared on Sunday in Abuja in a statement signed by the board’s Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin. So far, JAMB has made public the results of 1,897,692 candidates since the exam started on April 16, 2026. The board noted that 632,752 results were first released on Friday evening for candidates who wrote the exam on Thursday, April 16, 2026. The new batch covers 1,264,940 candidates who sat for the exam on April 17 and April 18. Those results are now available. Candidates can check their scores by texting 'UTMERESULT' to 55019 or 66019. They must use the phone number they provided during 2026 UTME registration. In summary, the released results include 632,752 from Thursday, April 16, and 1,264,940 from Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18. That brings ...

T he National Universities Commission (NUC) will re-examine the policy that stops graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) from taking part in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). NUC Executive Secretary Abdullahi Ribadu announced the plan after the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, raised concerns about the rule. The Oba, who also serves as NOUN’s chancellor, described the exclusion as unfair to the university’s graduates. According to NAN, the traditional ruler called for a policy review to allow qualified NOUN graduates to serve. He noted that the current ban puts them at a disadvantage compared to other university graduates. Responding to the issue, Ribadu said the NUC will hold talks with NYSC management to look at the mobilisation guidelines again. “I have heard the chancellor’s concerns about NOUN graduates not being mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps,” Ribadu said. He added: “I want to assure you that at NUC, we will engage with NYSC to see what policy...