Category: PM News

Reality TV star Bella Okagbue has been thrown into mourning following the heartbreaking loss of her triplet nieces , Zion, Zoe, and Ziva, who passed away shortly after birth.

The Big Brother Naija star took to her Instagram page to share the devastating news, penning an emotional tribute to the infants who, according to her, brought immense love and joy within their brief time on earth.

In her post, Bella wrote:

‘Dear Zion, Zoe, and Ziva, you were here for such a brief moment, but the love you brought into our lives will last forever. Never have I prayed so passionately like I did for you three. Though our time was short, it was filled with love and hope. I love you more than words can say. Rest peacefully, little ones.’

The reality star also sent a touching message to her sister, commending her for showing extraordinary strength amid the tragic loss.

‘To my sister, your strength during this tough time is nothing short of inspiring. You have truly inspired me by your courage, and I love you more than words can say,’ she added.

Former Presidential aide to the late Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has hinted that two governors from the northern region are on the verge of defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ahmad, who served as Buhari’s Special Assistant on New Media, made the disclosure in a post on X on Wednesday, suggesting that the official announcement could happen within days.

‘In just a matter of days, the Governor of Taraba State and another Governor from the North West will officially join our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC),’ Ahmad wrote.

The revelation has sparked intense political discussions, with observers describing it as a strategic boost for the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

If confirmed, the defection of the Taraba State Governor-currently a PDP stronghold-would mark a major political win for the APC in the North East, while the yet-to-be-identified North-West Governor could further tilt the regional balance in favour of the ruling party.

While the APC leadership has yet to make an official statement, party insiders say the move aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing strategy to strengthen the party’s grip across key northern states.

The Nigeria Police Force has graduated 10,000 newly trained constables from various training institutions across the country, marking another major step in efforts to strengthen internal security and enhance policing capacity nationwide.

The Passing Out Parade, held simultaneously across all police colleges and training schools on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, comes as part of the Force’s strategic manpower development plan aimed at boosting operational effectiveness and public safety.

Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, Ph.D., while addressing the new officers, commended their commitment and resilience during months of rigorous training. He urged them to uphold the values of honour, diligence, and patriotism as they officially begin their duties.

Egbetokun noted that the new constables were trained under a modern policing curriculum that emphasised intelligence-led operations, community engagement, respect for human rights, and professional conduct in line with global standards.

He assured that the Force remains committed to continuous training, welfare improvement, and institutional reforms designed to build a more professional and trusted police service.

‘This exercise is part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen the manpower base of the Nigeria Police Force. We are building a modern, efficient, and people-oriented institution capable of meeting the complex security demands of our society,’ the IGP said.

Earlier in January, another batch of 10,000 constables graduated from various police training institutions, bringing the total number of new officers deployed under the current recruitment drive to 20,000.

Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement, said the new constables will be deployed across the country to improve security visibility, enhance response capacity, and reinforce law and order.

The Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District, Sen. Kelvin Chukwu, has attributed his defection from Labour Party (LP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) to internal wrangling, leadership crises, lack of cohesion and direction in his former party.

Chukwu stated this in the letter of defection read by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, during plenary on Wednesday.

The senator said that his decision to move to APC was reached after extensive consultations with his constituents in his senatorial district, political associates and stakeholders across various levels in Enugu State.

‘It is a reflection of my commitment to aligning with a platform that works and I believe I’ll do better and represent the collective interest of my people better.

‘I’ll bring more dividends of democracy; I’ll meet the aspirations of the good people of Enugu East Senatorial District and Nigerians at large,’ he said.

Chukwu said that recent developments, including internal wrangling, leadership crises, policy disagreements, lack of cohesion, direction and focus at both the state and national levels had made it increasingly difficult for him to effectively discharge his duties as lawmaker.

‘These challenges have undermined the core values and principles upon which the Labour Party was initially founded,’ he said.

The senator said that convinced that APC provides more stable, progressive, inclusive platform for achieving the shared goals of economic growth, good governance, national unity, national cohesion, social development and progress for Nigeria.

He expressed his renewed committed to serving the people of his senatorial district and Nigerians in general with integrity, diligence and patriotism.

Reacting to the development, the Senate Leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, congratulated Akpabio as Chairman of the National Assembly, President Bola Tinubu and APC lawmakers in the National Assembly on the gale of defections across the country.

‘I am congratulating all of us because what is happening is not just by an accident of history. What is happening is in direct response to the new things happening to Nigeria.

‘The APC-led government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is working, and regardless of what anyone would have thought a year or two years ago, it is becoming obvious to Nigerians that we are making a difference.

‘The economy has risen from the floor where it had been; the economy is improving by the day, home and abroad. The prices of goods in the market are showing that this government is working,’ he said.

In his remarks, Akpabio said: ‘I have always worried about the left side of the aisle, but I’m no longer worried. If they like, let them all move here.

‘I want a strong and vibrant opposition in Nigeria but where they are not able to organise themselves and all the political parties are in tatters, then the right thing for them to do is to join me and join Mr President.

‘We are not going to have one-party system and that is why INEC is registering more parties.

‘Please put your house in order. I have been looking at the way you are getting depleted on a daily basis and I am in total sympathy with what is going on.

‘The PDP is on the ground; the umbrella is torn, the Labour Party is scattered,’ Akpabio said.

However, the Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, in his reaction, said: ‘With due respect and without prejudice to some achievements that Mr President has made, I want to say that no matter the number that are here (the opposition), we are capable of holding our own.

‘You said all politics are local. Those who are gravitating towards the majority side are exercising their rights.

‘But my brother and friend, Kelvin, who has just left the third row here to go to the last row there, I wish him good luck.

‘Mr President, when it was announced that he was going, and he said he had made adequate consultations, I asked the question: who have you consulted because he didn’t talk to me.

‘And I do know that because our politics are local, my brother came here on the ‘Obedient Movement’; he came here on the sympathy vote because an accident happened. That is a story for another day,’ Moro said.

With Chukwu’s defection, APC now has 73 senators in the Red Chamber.

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria has raised serious concern over the growing number of HIV infections among young women worldwide, revealing that about 4,000 girls aged 15 to 24 contract HIV every week.

This was disclosed in a statement by AHF Nigeria’s Senior Advocacy and Marketing Manager, Steve Aborishade, on Wednesday in Lokoja, as part of activities marking the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child.

According to the statement, adolescent girls and young women continue to bear a disproportionate burden of HIV infections, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

‘Globally, adolescent girls and young women face a disproportionate HIV burden. In spite of progress, the numbers remain alarming,’ AHF said.

The foundation revealed that over 3,300 of the 4,000 weekly HIV infections occur in sub-Saharan Africa, while 1.9 million adolescent girls and young women were living with HIV in 2023, compared to 1.2 million boys and young men in the same age range – exposing a troubling gender disparity.

AHF further highlighted education as a critical factor in the fight against HIV, noting that 133 million girls worldwide remain out of school, depriving them of vital knowledge and opportunities for health and self-reliance.

The organisation called for increased investment in HIV and STI prevention, testing, and treatment, and greater attention to the issues of period poverty, gender-based violence, child marriage, and lack of comprehensive sexuality education, which it identified as key drivers of health inequality.

AHF Nigeria announced plans to commemorate this year’s International Day of the Girl with an educational event on October 10 at the Community Commercial Secondary School, Ikot Oku, Ubo, Offort, and Uyo in Akwa Ibom State.

The event will feature menstrual hygiene education, leadership sessions, and innovation presentations by young girls, alongside free sanitary pad distribution and mentorship opportunities.

AHF Nigeria Country Programme Director, Dr. Echey Ijezie, expressed concern about persistent challenges such as limited access to reproductive healthcare, gender-based violence, and menstrual health neglect.

He said the foundation would continue to empower girls through education, leadership, and access to healthcare.

‘We must ensure that every girl has the opportunity to thrive, learn, and lead without fear or barriers,’ Ijezie stated.

AHF, the world’s largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare provider, delivers medical care and advocacy to over 2.5 million people across 50 countries, including Nigeria.

A 47-year-old man identified as Adetayo Adewodun, disguising as an officer of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), has reportedly confessed that he and members of his gang make an average of N65, 000 daily extorting unsuspecting motorists.

The fake LASTMA officer was arrested after extorting N7,800 from a motorist identified as Mr Stephen Ayano for making a wrong turn.

This was disclosed by Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, General Manager, LASTMA, in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.

Bakare-Oki said that that the suspect was arrested on Tuesday, near the Itire Junction axis of the state.

According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, posing as an operative of LASTMA, accosted one Mr Stephen Ayano, the victim and demanded for the sum of ?80,000 from him for allegedly making an unlawful turn at the junction.

‘The suspect told his victim that the amount is the penalty for the traffic violation.

‘Unable to meet the outrageous demand, the victim pleaded and eventually parted with the only cash (N7, 800) in his possession and handed it to the fake officer.’

The LASTMA general manager noted that shortly after the transaction, the victim became suspicious of the suspect’s demeanor and promptly contacted the agency through its toll-free hotline (0800-00-LASTMA / 0800-005-27862) to verify the authenticity of the alleged officer.

He said that acting on the distress report, LASTMA’s Surveillance and Intelligence Unit, was swiftly mobilised to the location.

He said that on sighting the approaching enforcement team, the suspect attempted to flee but was pursued and apprehended and immediately conveyed to the LASTMA headquarters for interrogation.

‘During interrogation, the suspect confessed to being a member of a three-man criminal syndicate that routinely parade themselves as LASTMA personnel around the Itire axis.

‘He also said that the gang operates across several road intersections and makes an average of N65, 000 daily,’ Bakare-Oki.

The LASTMA boss commended the vigilance and prompt report made by the victim, describing it as a demonstration of civic responsibility.

He reaffirmed the agency’s unwavering dedication to integrity, professionalism, and transparency in traffic management operations in the state.

Bakare-Oki also reiterated the agency’s zero-tolerance policy towards impersonation and fraudulent practices.

He emphasised that all authentic LASTMA officers could be distinctly identified by their official uniforms, personalised name tags, and unique service identification numbers.

‘I can assure the public that the suspect will be arraigned before a Mobile Court.

‘This is to serve as a deterrent to other unscrupulous elements who habitually disguise as LASTMA officials to extort innocent members of the public,’ he said.

The General Manager further reaffirmed that LASTMA remains resolute in its mandate to entrench order, discipline, and sanity on Lagos roads, while safeguarding law-abiding motorists from fraudulent exploitation.

Afrobeats singer Slimcase has voiced his frustration over what he describes as the growing saturation of the Nigerian music industry, saying that artistes are now under immense pressure to release new songs and albums almost every week.

The ‘Oshozondi’ crooner took to his Instagram story to express concern that the constant flood of new projects is making Afrobeats lose its originality and excitement.

He wrote:

‘Too many songs, too many albums. Una too dey put una self for pressure for this Niger sha. Take a chill pill and be like Rihanna. Do other things and come back give us a fresh vibe.

Your sounds are getting boring cus dem be coming too much in a year. I owe dem a song this year and that’s it. It’s only God that is new every morning. Everyday every second singles and albums dey kiii Afrobeats gradually – it’s not fun anymore.’

Egypt secured its spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a convincing 3-0 victory over Djibouti in Casablanca on Wednesday, booking top position in Group A with one match to spare.

In the match, Mohamed Salah scored twice while Ibrahim Adel added the third, sealing Egypt’s qualification as the third African side after Morocco and Tunisia to punch a ticket to next year’s finals in North America.

The Pharaohs, who had already dominated their group, entered the game leading comfortably. With this win, Egypt finished their qualification campaign unbeaten in Group A, amassing an unassailable 23 points.

Salah, who has been pivotal throughout the qualifiers, further cemented his status as a talisman for the national team.

The win comes amid Africa’s expanded qualifying process, in which nine CAF nations will directly qualify for the World Cup.

Egypt’s success lifts the pressure off their remaining fixtures, allowing them to approach their final group match with less urgency.

As the 2026 World Cup draws closer, Egypt now joins Morocco and Tunisia as confirmed African representatives, and will await the official draw for the global tournament.

Africa is confronting unprecedented threats from violent conflicts and the continent needs conflict prevention to achieve peace and security, UN Special Representative to the African Union (AU), Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, has said.

Onanga-Anyanga was speaking at a Security Council meeting focused on the key issues faced by Africa and cooperation between the UN and the AU.

The UN envoy also said conflicts in Africa cannot be solved through military solutions.

According to him, peace and security on the continent ‘demands a proactive preventative’ approach.

He warned that ‘concerns remain in some parts of the continent about the number and complexity of conflicts.’

He said these conflicts were often worsened by ‘weak or ineffective state authority, violent extremism conducive to terrorist activities and the inequitable management of natural resources’.

The other reasons fuelling violent conflicts, he said, are ‘organised crime, the impact of climate change, acute food insecurity and, in some cases, denial of fundamental human rights’.

Conflicts in the Horn of Africa, Sudan, South Sudan and the Great Lakes region, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have caused widespread displacement and multiple humanitarian emergencies.

‘No military solution whatsoever can resolve underlying causes of the conflict in the DRC or elsewhere in Africa,’ Onanga-Anyanga said.

‘I call upon this Council to continue to leverage its influence towards peaceful settlement of outstanding issues between the parties.’

The Special Representative highlighted two critical conflict-related issues to Council members: climate change as a conflict multiplier and the challenges faced by women and girls in battle-scarred regions.

He noted the consistent spillover effects of climate-induced insecurity across all these crises.

Speaking for the AU, Amb. Mohamed Edrees told the Council that ‘Africa is facing an unprecedented wave of threats to its security’.

The AU envoy added that ‘solutions are needed to achieve greater stability.’

The UN and the AU have long collaborated on issues affecting the continent.

According to the UN Special Representative, ‘significant progress has been made, particularly in supporting recent free, fair and credible elections across the continent.

Onanga-Anyanga said that fostering consensus was more important than ever.

‘The strong and enduring partnership between the United Nations and the African Union, as well as with other regional organisations, constitutes the foundation of effective and networked multilateralism.

He added that the partnership was ‘essential to address today’s complex, evolving and interconnected threats to peace, security, development and human rights, particularly in Africa’.

In December 2023, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution (2719) to enhance cooperation between the UN and AU.

Addressing the Council, Martha Pobee, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, said that the resolution was conceived ‘as a means to address a longstanding gap in the African Union’s peace and security architecture’.

Pobee added that the resolution aimed ‘to better respond to armed conflicts on the African continent, with the support of the broader international community, and this Council in particular.’

The efforts ‘seek to ensure that our collaboration is grounded both in strategic vision and in operational practicality,’ Pobee said.

Earlier in the year, the UN outlined financial rules for AU-led missions, now under legislative review.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has screened 176 exceptional underage candidates who scored very high marks in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The screening, meant to assess talented students below 16 years old for possible university admission for the 2025/2026 academic session, was held in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri.

According to Professor Taoheed Adedoja, Chairman of the Abuja screening centre and former Minister of Sports, the process included a written test, oral interviews, and face-to-face interactions with the candidates.

He said 22 candidates were screened in Abuja, and 176 nationwide, adding that JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, would decide when the results would be released.

Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, praised JAMB for giving gifted underage students a chance to prove their abilities.

He said it was necessary to test their maturity and readiness for university life, stressing that only those who perform well should be allowed to proceed.

Also, Hon. Oboku Oforji, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, commended the students for their impressive performance, saying it showed the strength of Nigeria’s education system.

In Owerri, Professor Paulinus Okwelle, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), led the screening for the South-East and South-South zones.

He expressed satisfaction with the candidates’ conduct and confirmed that the process followed JAMB’s strict guidelines.

In Nigeria, the official minimum age for university admission is 16, though most students are 18 or older when they gain entry.

Out of over 41,000 underage applicants for the 2025 UTME, only 599 scored 80 percent and above. After further checks, just 176 met all requirements and were selected for final assessment.

The screening panel included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), Vice Chancellors, and the Gifted Schools that produced the applicants undergoing the screening.