General news

• Almajiri commission says controversial projects in 2026 budget are NASS constituency interventions

  07-07-2026 13:56 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Joseph ErunkeThe National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education, NCAOOSCE, has clarified that projects included in its 2026 Appropriation Act that appear to fall outside its statutory responsibilities are National Assembly constituency projects assigned to the Commission for implementation.The commission said the clarification became necessary following growing public interest and concerns over the inclusion of projects considered unrelated to its core mandate
  
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• NDLEA arrests South African woman for heroin trafficking

  12-07-2026 13:58 via vanguardngr.com
  
  .. says she used son as coverBy Kingsley OmonobiThe National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 38-year-old South African woman, Ms. Will Jessica Ann, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 5.75 kilogrammes of heroin into Nigeria while using her three-year-old son as cover.According to the agency, the suspect was arrested on Monday, July 6, 2026, during the inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight QR1433 from
  
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• Lagos court jails 67-year-old lawyer for environmental offences

  12-07-2026 13:53 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Olasunkanmi AkoniA Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile) Court has sentenced a 67-year-old lawyer, Taiwo Abidemi, to seven months’ imprisonment for violating the state’s environmental laws.Abidemi was convicted after pleading guilty to a three-count charge bordering on breach of peace, indiscriminate dumping of refuse at an unauthorised location and failure to engage the services of an approved Private Sector Participant (PSP) waste operator.According to a statement by the Head o
  
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• Oyo abduction: CAN celebrates rescue of kidnapped Oriire pupils, teachers

  12-07-2026 13:45 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed gratitude to God and security agencies for the safe rescue of pupils and teachers abducted from schools in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State  after 56 days in captivity.​In a statement signed on Sunday by its National President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the association described the victims’ safe return as a day of profound gratitude for the affected families and the nation.​Okoh commended President Bola
  
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• Nine family members, two-month-old baby killed in fresh Plateau attack

  12-07-2026 13:39 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Golok NanmwaJOS  – No fewer than nine members of the same family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed in a fresh attack by suspected gunmen on Kum and Wereng-Camp communities in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State late Saturday night.The attack, according to residents, began at about 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and lasted for more than one hour, leaving the village head of the community critically injured after he was allegedly attacked by the assailants.A resident, Pr
  
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• Full List: 10 US Companies Sponsoring H-1B Work Visas for Nigerians in 2026

  12-07-2026 13:30 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Nigerian professionals hoping to secure employment in the United States in 2026 may improve their chances by targeting companies with a strong record of sponsoring H-1B work visas.
  The H-1B visa programme allows US employers to hire foreign professionals for specialised positions requiring advanced knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree.
  Despite intense competition for the limited number of visas issued annually, several American companies consistently sponsor thousands of skilled wor
  
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• Borno students, groups rally behind security agencies in fight against terrorism

  12-07-2026 13:29 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Ndahi Marama, MaiduguriStudents from tertiary institutions across Borno State, alongside civil society organisations, youth groups and community leaders, on Sunday staged a peaceful solidarity rally in support of Nigeria’s security agencies in the fight against Boko Haram, ISWAP, banditry and other violent criminal groups.The rally, held at the Post Office Roundabout in Maiduguri, attracted students from the University of Maiduguri, Borno State University, Ramat Polytechnic, Mohammed L
  
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• Under Makinde, Oyo is now more economically competitive in good governance – Aduwo

  12-07-2026 13:23 via vanguardngr.com
  
  As Governor ‘Seyi Makinde’s two-term tenure in Oyo State, enters its final phase, national and international observers are assessing the true weight of his administration’s legacy. In this exclusive interview, Mr. Olufemi Aduwo, Permanent Representative of the Centre for Convention on Democratic Integrity (CCDI) to the United Nations ECOSOC and Chairman of the World Bank CSO, African Countries Group, delivers a rigorous, data-driven assessment of Oyo State’s seven-year e
  
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• Police arrest 43 suspects, rescue six kidnap victims in nationwide operations

  12-07-2026 13:16 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Kingsley OmonobiThe Nigeria Police Force has arrested 43 suspected criminals and rescued six kidnapped victims in coordinated operations carried out across the country within the last 24 hours.The Force Headquarters said the operations, conducted in collaboration with other security agencies, also led to the recovery of firearms, suspected stolen property, illicit substances and rustled livestock in Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, Gombe, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Bauchi and Zamfara states.
  
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• NDLEA intercepts 100 wraps of meth from okada rider, seizes N10.3bn cannabis at Lagos port

  12-07-2026 12:57 via vanguardngr.com
  
  …Agency arrests South African woman for alleged heroin trafficking with son as coverBy Kingsley OmonobiOperatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a 48-year-old commercial motorcycle rider, Onyechere Daniel Chinadufor, for allegedly ingesting 100 wraps of methamphetamine following his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.The suspect was arrested at the Terminal 2 Arrival Hall of the airport after arriving from Madagascar
  
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• Obi to Diaspora Africans: Your voices matter when things go wrong

  12-07-2026 12:26 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr. Peter Obi, has urged Africans in the diaspora to remain actively involved in shaping the continent’s future, saying their voices are important whenever things go wrong in Africa.Obi made the call while delivering a keynote address at Mandela Hall, African Union Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations in New York, on Friday, July 10, 2026, during a discussion on “The Role of the Diaspora African in Susta
  
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• Iran announces closure of Strait of Hormuz after strikes on US targets in Middle East

  12-07-2026 12:04 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Iran has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following a naval confrontation involving its forces and fresh strikes targeting US interests in the Middle East.The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it fired a naval cruise missile at a vessel it accused of using an unauthorised route through the strategic waterway.According to reports by the BBC, the IRGC said the vessel was struck with warning fire after allegedly ignoring repeated instructions to change course.Following the
  
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• 99 drowned in June as heatwave stifles Germany

  12-07-2026 12:03 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Ninety-nine people drowned in Germany last month, the most since a record heatwave swept Europe in 2003, according to official figures.Germany was among the nations hit by a stifling June heatwave in western Europe, which set temperature records in several places across the country as the mercury rose as high as 41.7C.The country “had not registered this many drownings since the heatwave of June 2003, when 107 people died”, the national lifeguarding federation (DLRG) said Sunday in a
  
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• England, Argentina to renew bitter rivalry in World Cup semi-final

  12-07-2026 11:56 via vanguardngr.com
  
  England and Argentina will meet on Wednesday in a blockbuster World Cup semi-final infused with decades of bitter rivalry after they battled past Norway and Switzerland respectively in the quarter-finals.The South Americans and their talisman Lionel Messi must defeat England in Atlanta to keep alive their hopes of becoming the first team to win back-to-back World Cups since Brazil in 1962.England and their key partnership of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane must win to have any hope of ending a 6
  
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• Ukraine sets Russian refinery ablaze in fresh drone attack

  12-07-2026 11:52 via vanguardngr.com
  
  A man was killed and three other people, including a child, were injured in Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia’s Volga region of Samara, regional Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said on Sunday.Residential buildings and an industrial facility were damaged in the attacks, Fedorishchev said on Telegram, without providing further details.The independent Russian news outlet Astra, citing images and videos circulating on social media, reported that the industrial site was the Syzran oil refiner
  
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• Nigeria mourns Qatar’s Father Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani

  12-07-2026 11:52 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Favour Ulebor, AbujaThe Federal Government has expressed condolences to the Government and people of Qatar over the death of the country’s Father Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.In a statement issued on Sunday by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, Nigeria extended its sympathies to the Qatari leadership, the Al Thani family and the people of Qatar.Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who served as Emir of Qatar from 1995 to 2013, was d
  
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• Rising costs of school graduations put parents under pressure

  12-07-2026 11:11 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The excitement that usually comes with school graduations is increasingly being overshadowed by rising costs, as many Nigerian parents say celebrations have become a measure of financial strength rather than academic accomplishment.In Lagos, July marks more than the end of school. Families are scrambling to cover graduation levies, costly outfits, tailoring fees and lavish parties, even amid the country’s prevailing economic challenges.A survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reveals
  
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• TikTokers Jarvis, Peller announce wedding date

  12-07-2026 11:03 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Jarvis and Peller, popular Nigerian TikTok content creators, have announced that they will tie the knot on Aug. 1.The announcement was made through a cinematic video shared on their social media platforms, ending with the inscription “Jarvis & Peller 01-08-2026.”The video has since gone viral, generating widespread reactions from fans and followers, many of whom congratulated the couple and commended the creativity of the announcement.Jarvis and Peller are among Nigeria’s
  
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• Oyo rescue shows Tinubu’s security strategy yielding results, says Kekemeke

  12-07-2026 10:21 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Commends troops, urges citizens’ support for security agenciesBy John AlechenuABUJA — All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Duerimini Kekemeke, has said the successful rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State demonstrates that President Bola Tinubu’s security strategy is producing positive results.Kekemeke, who is the APC senatorial candidate for Ondo South in the 2027 election, stated this in Abuja on Saturday while reacting to the rescue operation.He describe
  
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• US Senator Lindsey Graham dies at 71

  12-07-2026 10:15 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Prominent United States Senator Lindsey Graham, a key ally of President Donald Trump, has died at the age of 71 following a “brief and sudden illness,” his office has announced.The Republican senator from South Carolina’s office said in a statement on his official X account that Graham died on the evening of Saturday, July 11.“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement
  
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• Marwa calls for girl-child protection, seeks traditional rulers’ support against drug abuse

  12-07-2026 10:05 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Emir of Zazzau expresses hope for positive change at book launchBy Kingsley OmonobiChairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), has called for stronger protection of the girl-child, saying addressing poverty, abuse and lack of education is critical to preventing drug abuse and exploitation among women and young people.Marwa made the call on Saturday in Kaduna during the public presentation of In the Shadow of th
  
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• SERAP sues INEC over ‘failure to probe alleged N800 billion FAAC diversion for campaign funding’

  12-07-2026 10:00 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “over the failure to investigate the allegations that governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) diverted N800 billion for political and campaign purposes.”According to reports, APC governors are allegedly making monthly contributions from their Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations to a dedicated campaign fund to suppor
  
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• Oriire pupils’ rescue: Collaboration key to tackling insecurity, says Gani Adams

  12-07-2026 09:53 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Commends FG, Oyo government, security agencies
  Calls for greater investment in intelligence gatheringBy Dapo AkinrefonThe Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has commended the collaborative efforts of the Federal Government, Oyo State Government, security agencies and local security groups that led to the rescue of abducted teachers and pupils from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.The teachers and pupils, who were abducted by armed assailants from three schools in the Ahoro
  
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• Soludo appoints Prof. Chinelo Animalu special assistant on HIV diaspora coordination

  12-07-2026 09:30 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Vincent UjumaduAnambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has appointed United States-based infectious disease specialist, Prof. Chinelo Ngozi Animalu, as Special Assistant on State HIV Diaspora Coordination and Development.The appointment was announced in a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Aburime, who said it reflects the administration’s commitment to leveraging global partnerships to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.According to
  
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• Orire pupils’ rescue reflects Tinubu’s commitment to security, says Sanwo-Olu

  12-07-2026 09:22 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Olasunkanmi AkoniLagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has described the rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State as evidence of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to tackling insecurity and protecting the lives of Nigerians.In a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, Sanwo-Olu commended President Tinubu and security agencies for the successful operation, which secured the v
  
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• ADC chieftain urges Tinubu to resign over insecurity

  12-07-2026 09:17 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Demola AkinyemiILORIN — A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kwara State and former Nigerian Ambassador to Japan, Prof. Gana Isa, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign, alleging that the administration has failed in its constitutional responsibility to protect the lives and property of Nigerians.Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday, Isa said the Federal Government should relinquish power if it could no longer effectively address the country&
  
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• Igbo Leaders of Thought warn against weakening opposition, urge judiciary to safeguard democracy

  12-07-2026 09:15 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Anayo OkoliENUGU — The Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT), a socio-political group comprising intellectuals, traditional rulers and other stakeholders from the South-East, has expressed concern over what it described as the weakening of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that a vibrant opposition is essential for democratic governance.In a statement signed by its President, Prof. Elochukwu Amucheazi, and Secretary, Prof. Jerry Chukwuokolo, the group cautioned th
  
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• Candidates’ List: INEC extends deadline to July 14

  12-07-2026 08:59 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Omeiza AjayiABUJA: The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has extended the deadline for submission of lists of candidates for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly Elections by political parties, moving the cut-off from Saturday, July 11, 2026, to midnight on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.In a statement issued by the National Commissioner and Chair, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, on Sunday, the Commission said the deadline in the Revised Timetable
  
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• FG increases WAEC, NECO registration fees to N50,000

  12-07-2026 08:57 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Adesina WahabThe federal government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, has given approval for the National Examinations Council, NECO and the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, to increase the registration fee for their Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, SSCE, to N50,000 per candidate beginning from 2027.
  The examinations are conducted for internal candidates who are finishing their Senior Secondary School education. WAEC just finished this year’s exam a few weeks
  
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• Military confirms death of Army lieutenant in rescue of abducted Oyo pupils, teachers

  12-07-2026 08:55 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Kingsley OmonobiMilitary sources have confirmed the death of an Army officer, Lieutenant F.A. Isaac, during the operation that rescued 44 abducted pupils and teachers from the Old Oyo National Park.The victims were rescued on July 10, 2026, in a coordinated operation involving security agencies after spending several days in captivity.According to the sources, Lieutenant Isaac was killed in the line of duty during the rescue mission and was buried the same day.Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde
  
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