Author: Terhemen Mbachirin
Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has hailed President Bola Tinubu for supplying the Nigerian Army with advanced weaponry to combat nationwide security challenges. Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu at the Government House in Makurdi on Thursday, Governor Alia praised the Federal Government’s backing for the entire Armed Forces. He said “The provision of sophisticated weapons will strengthen the military’s capacity to address emerging security threats, particularly in Benue and other affected regions.” Governor Alia has also described the visit as “timely and reassuring” amid calls for intensified measures, welcoming extra…
President Bola Tinubu has tasked newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) with a “solemn charge” to confront the country’s escalating security threats, emphasising courage, integrity and constitutional fidelity. “Your decoration today is not simply a conferrment of rank, but a solemn charge to serve Nigeria with courage, integrity and unwavering commitment to the Constitution,” Tinubu told acting IGP Disu during his decoration at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The President praised IGP Olatunji Disu for a proven record observed during his own tenure as Lagos State Governor. President Tinubu called for strengthened discipline, enhanced inter-agency collaboration and restored public confidence…
President Bola Tinubu, has sworn in Olatunji Disu as acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), challenging him to rebuild public trust in a force dogged by accusations of brutality and corruption. Disu, recently promoted to Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), on Wednesday described the appointment as an “unexpected honour” during an interview with State House Correspondents moments after his decoration at the presidential villa in Abuja. He pledged an immediate end to impunity, vowing to drill human rights compliance into officers and enforce zero tolerance for misconduct. “My top priority—one of the first lectures I am going to have…
Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to inclusive governance, rejecting as “baseless” suggestions that he shuns election rivals or key stakeholders. Governor Alia’s remarks in coming barely hours after Vice President Kashim Shettima urged him and his ‘perceived godfather’ – the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume to bury their political hatchet and unity ahead of the 2027 general election. In a statement on Wednesday by his Technical Adviser on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communication Solomon Iorpev, Governor Alia dismissed misinformation portraying him as unwelcoming to those who challenged him in last…
Vice President Kashim Shettima has left Abuja for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 2026 African Union summit. The event is the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, set for February 14-15, 2026, following the 30th General Assembly. NewsQuest reports that the summit has the theme, “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” and targets water management, sanitation, and long-term continental development. Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the Vice President Stanley Nkwocha said Shettima will attend high-level side…
Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to restoring peace, declaring it ‘not optional’ but ‘most essential’ for the future citizens. Speaking recently to mark the celebration of Benue at 50, Governor Alia explained that his administration’s reinforced collaboration with federal security agencies, community leaders, traditional institutions, and local peace-building initiatives is the bedrock of progress in the State’s drive to tackle insecurity. He said “Security is the foundation of development.” According to him, “Bearing this at the back of our minds, we have strengthened collaborations with Federal security agencies, Community leaders and traditional institutions, Local security…
African countries and farming leaders have sealed a bold 10-point pact to supercharge “smart farming”, blending machines, drones and AI to transform the continent’s agrifood systems and lift millions from drudgery. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), convened the Africa Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization, which drew over 500 in-person delegates—governments, farmers’ groups, youth activists, women leaders, private firms and donors—plus 1,000 online viewers. The summit was hosted by Tanzania. A statement by the FAO said amid Tanzania’s bustling commercial hub, they ditched vague promises for concrete steps: tailored finance, shared mechanisation services, youth-led digital hubs and demand-driven innovation…
The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Bayo Ojulari on Wednesday said that Nigeria’s state-owned oil refineries were draining billions in public funds with no path to profitability, explaining why his team pulled the plug on operations. Ojulari laid bare the dire finances during a fireside chat at the Nigeria International Energy Summit 2026 in Abuja. Speaking on “Securing Nigeria’s Energy Future”, he described a stark reality: refineries running at 50-55% capacity despite monthly crude injections, churning out low-value products while racking up huge operational costs. “Nigerians were angry. A lot of money has been…
Former governor of Benue state and ex-senator, Gabriel Suswam, has dramatically resigned from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), blaming “persistent internal crises” and a lack of unity. In a letter dated 4 February 2026 and addressed to the PDP chairman in Mbagber council ward, Logo local government area of Benue state, Suswam cited the party’s failure to resolve longstanding conflicts over leadership, structure, discipline and ideological direction. The resignation letter was shared on Facebook by his chief of staff, Moses Ukeyima. Suswam, who served as Benue governor from 2007 to 2015 and later as a senator, becomes the…
The Benue State Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Denis Iyaghigba, has expressed deep concern about the continued discharge of untreated effluent (liquid waste) into the River Benue in Makurdi by a privately owned ethanol plant. NewsQuest reports that the major ethanol plant, which uses cassava as its raw material to produce ethanol for industrial, medicinal, and energy purposes, has been sealed twice—once in April 2023 and again in April 2024—due to similar complaints about non-compliance with safety and environmental standards. Welcoming a team of investors from Engelie Ltd who arrived in the ‘Food Basket’ state to explore potential areas…