General news

• Defect and lose your seat, NDC warns aspirants

  17-06-2026 14:59 via vanguardngr.com
  By Henry UmoruABUJA — Ahead of the 2027 presidential and general elections, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has introduced a mandatory indemnity and affidavit requirement for all its governorship and National Assembly candidates as part of efforts to curb political defections.The party said the policy is designed to preserve loyalty among elected officials and strengthen democratic institutions, warning that it would rely on the signed affidavits if any candidate defects to another
  
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• Over 92% of personal pension savings accounts remain unfunded

  18-06-2026 08:40 via vanguardngr.com
  By Rosemary IwunzeAmidst efforts by the National Pension Commission, PenCom, to include informal sector workers in the pension scheme, the Personal Pension Plan, PPP, which caters to the informal sector, has remained stagnant.While the PPP has 215,412 registered Retirement Savings Accounts, RSAs, only 17,320 of these RSAs, which represents 8.0 per cent, have received contributions. The remaining 198,092 RSAs, which represent 92.0 per cent, are dormant.PenCom, in its fourth quarter 2025 rep
  
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• ILC 114: Inside Nigeria’s jumbo delegation to Geneva

  18-06-2026 08:39 via vanguardngr.com
  • Conference may have cost over N2.4 billionBy Victor Ahiuma-YoungNigeria’s participation in the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference, ILC, in Geneva, Switzerland, has once again brought into sharp focus a long-standing question surrounding the country’s international engagements: when does representation become excess, and when does participation become performance?Read Also: Nigeria raises AI concerns at ILC With an estimated delegation of more
  
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• Kwara gov takes Saraki to court over free speech

  18-06-2026 08:38 via vanguardngr.com
  Kwara State governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has sued former governor of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki, over allegations that his social media post circulated on April 17, 2026, constituted criminal defamation and cyberbullying against him.
  Consequently, lawyers to Saraki, led by Mr Jimoh Mumini, SAN, appeared in Kwara State High Court to defend him
  Abdulkadir Abdulganiy, Press Officer on Local Matters, Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, said:
  
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• Incoming NIA Chairman outlines three-pronged agenda to deepen market

  18-06-2026 08:26 via vanguardngr.com
  By Rosemary IwunzeThe incoming Chairman of the Nigerian Insurers Association, NIA, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu, has unveiled a strategic blueprint anchored on collaboration, public trust, and regulatory compliance.Speaking at a pre-investiture press conference in Lagos, Nwachukwu who is the Managing Director of REX Insurance Company Limited said that she also targets transitioning insurance from a niche product into a mass-market essential.She said: “I do not come to office at an ordi
  
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• Dunamis terminal distances self from Ago Palace gridlock

  18-06-2026 08:22 via vanguardngr.com
  By Efe OnodjaeOfficials of Dunamis Inland Terminal have distanced the facility from the recurring gridlock along Ago Palace Way, insisting that the congestion is largely caused by the poor condition of the road and seasonal rainfall rather than truck operations linked to the terminal.The clarification comes on the heels of a recent Vanguard report highlighting the return of severe traffic congestion along the Ago Palace corridor, where residents, motorists and business owners lamented spending
  
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• NDC exempts Obi, Kwankwaso from anti-defection oath

  18-06-2026 08:21 via vanguardngr.com
  The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has exempted its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, from the party’s newly introduced anti-defection oath aimed at discouraging elected officials from abandoning the platform after winning elections.The National Secretary of the party, Ikenna Enekweizu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he defended the policy against criticisms that it
  
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• Enugu North Senatorial By-election: Mbah boosts APC’s chances with scorecard

  18-06-2026 08:19 via vanguardngr.com
  …Charges party supporters on door-to-door campaign…Asogwa: I won’t disappoint Enugu NorthGovernor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has boosted the senatorial bid of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the June 20, 2026 by-election for Enugu North Senatorial District, listing reasons the zone would overwhelming vote for the party.The seat, if won, would be APC’s first-ever electoral victory in the state. He described Asogwa as the best candidate, given his track recor
  
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• Telcos allay fears of tariff increase as NCC begins mobile termination rate review

  18-06-2026 08:16 via vanguardngr.com
  By Prince Osuagwu, Hi-Tech EditorTelecommunications operators in Nigeria has dismissed notions that the recent attempt by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, to commission a cost-based study to determine fresh mobile termination rates, will lead to increase in telecom tariffs in the country.
  The telcos said such assumptions would only wrongly preempt the outcome of the market study and throw the industry into baseless panic mode, when in several instances price could even drop, dependi
  
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• Truckers build database amid management inefficiencies in Lagos ports

  18-06-2026 08:15 via vanguardngr.com
  •As AMATO plans QR verification systemBy Godwin OritseThe Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) has upgraded its Members Web Application Database as part of efforts to strengthen professionalism, transparency, and operational efficiency within the maritime haulage sector particularly in Lagos ports.AMATO disclosed that the latest round of improvements was carried out entirely by its in-house technical team without the involvement of external software developers, a development i
  
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• No considerations for fuel, telecoms taxes, FG reply IMF

  18-06-2026 08:12 via vanguardngr.com
  By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau ChiefThe Federal Government has said it is not considering the imposition of fuel and telecommunications taxes.It was reacting to reports suggesting that it has adopted or is considering new taxes on telecommunications services and petroleum products following the recommendation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Article IV Consultation Report on Nigeria.The government position was contained in a statement by Efe Ovuakporie, Head of Information and Public R
  
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• PIPELINE OF APATHY: How South-East Devt Commission, stumbled into Abuja rent scandal

  18-06-2026 08:05 via vanguardngr.com
  By Chioma Gabriel, Editor Special Features & Steve OkoFor more than five decades, the loudest refrain from Nigeria’s South-East was one of neglect.
  From the ruins of the civil war to the gully erosion sites swallowing entire communities in Anambra and Imo States, from crumbling federal highways linking commercial hubs to the absence of major federal investments, many in the region nurtured a common grievance: that the South-East had been left behind.
  Successive administrations acknowl
  
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• Dollar to Naira exchange rate today, June 18, 2026

  18-06-2026 08:00 via vanguardngr.com
  The naira traded relatively stable against the United States dollar at the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) on Thursday, June 18, 2026, as traders continued to monitor foreign exchange liquidity and demand pressures across the market.Data published by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed the official exchange rate hovering around the ₦1,360 per dollar range in recent trading sessions at the NFEM window, reflecting the continued impact of ongoing foreign exchange reforms and imp
  
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• ‘Senate not performing its constitutional role’ — Ireti Kingibe criticises National Assembly

  18-06-2026 07:56 via vanguardngr.com
  Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the Senate, has criticised the National Assembly for what she described as its failure to effectively serve as a check on the Executive arm of government.Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday, Kingibe argued that the legislature has increasingly functioned as a “cooperating arm” of the Executive rather than an independent institution responsible for oversight and accountability.According to
  
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• We’ll continue to nurture nextgen innovators, industrial leaders — BIRD, DANGOTE MD

  18-06-2026 07:37 via vanguardngr.com
  By Udeme AkpanDangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing the next generation of African engineers, innovators, and industrial leaders, as it hosted outstanding students from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) on an educational tour of Africa’s largest refinery complex.
  The visit was in fulfilment of a promise made by the President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, during the university’s
  
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• Soludo calls on residents to support fight against fake pastors

  18-06-2026 07:34 via vanguardngr.com
  Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has called on citizens and residents to actively support the government’s drive against fake pastors operating in the state.
  The governor urged the public to provide credible information on individuals disguising themselves as clergymen while engaging in criminal activities.
  The appeal was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor.
  Mefor said the Soludo administration has pe
  
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• Alleged N1.3bn fraud: Mr P’s absence stalls trial

  18-06-2026 07:32 via vanguardngr.com
  By Innocent AnabaThe continued hearing in the trial of Jude Okoye, the manager of the defunct music group, P-Square, before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, was stalled, yesterday due to the absence of Peter (Mr. P), who was billed to be cross-examined by the defence team.
  Jude and his musical firm, Northside Music Limited company, are standing trial before the Justice Alexander Owoeye on alleged N1.3 billion and $1 million fraud.
  Both Jude and his company were arraigned before the court
  
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• One month later: Oriire school children, teachers still missing

  18-06-2026 07:29 via vanguardngr.com
  Timelines OF The Oriire school abduction crisis•May 15, 2026: Terrorists abduct pupils and teachers in Oriire
  •May 17, 2026: IGP visits affected communities.
  •May 18, 2026: Abducted teacher beheaded by kidnappers.
  •May 18, 2026: Tinubu condemns killing, orders intensified rescue efforts.
  •May 30, 2026: Makinde visits Oriire community.
  May 31, 2026: FG delegation visits Oriire.
  •June 1, 2026: Teachers embark on strike as protests erupt.
  •June 16, 2026: VeryDark
  
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• Lagos CP allays fears over terror threat at Pan-Atlantic University, deploys drones

  18-06-2026 04:49 via vanguardngr.com
  By Esther OnyegbulaThe Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, yesterday conducted an on-the-spot security assessment at Pan-Atlantic University, Lekki, following the circulation of a viral video showing two masked individuals emerging from a forest area adjoining the institution.The visit, carried out alongside operational personnel of the command, was part of efforts to evaluate the security situation around the university and
  
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• Naira down to N1,405/$ in parallel market

  18-06-2026 04:37 via vanguardngr.com
  By Elizabeth AdegbesanThe Naira yesterday depreciated to N1,405 per dollar in the parallel market from N1,389 per dollar on Tuesday.Similarly, the naira depreciated to N1,361.5 per dollar in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market, NFEM.Data  from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, showed that the indicative exchange rate for the market rose to N1,361.5 per dollar from N1,356.5 per dollar on Tuesday,   indicating N5 depreciation for the naira.  Consequently, the margin betw
  
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• Japa: Only 55,000 doctors left for 220m Nigerians

  18-06-2026 04:37 via vanguardngr.com
  —16,000 doctors emigrated in 5 years
  —It’s worsening Nigeria’s mental health crisis — ARD, FNPH Yaba
  —85% of Nigerians with mental disorders lack treatment accessBy Chioma ObinnaLAGOS — Medical doctors have raised alarm that the country’s healthcare system is facing a dangerous manpower crisis, with only about 55,000 doctors left to serve a population of more than 220 million people.They raised the alarm at the Ordina
  
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• General Rabe Abubakar’s death: Many questions, few answers, by Ikechukwu Amaechi

  18-06-2026 04:35 via vanguardngr.com
  When Major General Rabe Abubakar (Retd), former army spokesperson, died in captivity on Saturday, June 13, all hell broke loose. Understandably. He was not an ordinary Nigerian. But knowing the country well, all it takes to forget him is another high-profile abduction. And that nearly happened when news broke on Tuesday that terrorists attacked the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos, on Monday night killing two soldiers and a policeman.
  NIPSS is Nigeria&rsq
  
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• State police is not the answer, restructuring Nigeria is

  18-06-2026 04:31 via vanguardngr.com
  By OBIAGELI EZEKWESILIThe Tinubu administration’s renewed push for state police has reopened one of the most consequential public-policy debates in Nigeria’s democratic history. The proposal has gained momentum because it speaks directly to a painful reality confronting millions of Nigerians. The country’s security architecture is failing.
  Terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, violent extremism, communal conflicts, and organised criminality have overwhelmed the capacity of a c
  
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• Warri delineation: Our position, going forward —Ijaw, Urhobo leaders

  18-06-2026 04:00 via vanguardngr.com
  THE Ijaws and Urhobos of the Warri federal constituency, Delta State, have proposed the way forward in the implementation of the Supreme Court ordered delineation of Warri federal constituency by the  Independent National Electrical Commission, INEC.While they called on INEC, not to do any alteration to May 20, 2026 report on the Registration Areas/Electoral Wards in Warri South West Local Government Area, they also demanded the upload of the report of the registrations areas/polling
  
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• June 12: Nigeria’s annual ritual of glorifying a sham ‘democracy’, by Olu Fasan

  18-06-2026 03:08 via vanguardngr.com
  The decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to name June 12 as Nigeria’s “Democracy Day” was motivated by self-serving politics, not principled conviction. Before he became president in 2015, Buhari never once publicly condemned the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election. However, in 2018, as he prepared to seek re-election the following year and faced deepening unpopularity in the South-West, Buhari changed the annual “Democracy Day” from May 29
  
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• FirstHoldCo closes N45bn private placement at N44.06; further strengthening FirstBank’s capital base

  18-06-2026 02:59 via vanguardngr.com
  First HoldCo Plc (“FirstHoldCo” or “the Group”) hereby notifies the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), its shareholders, and the investing public that it has successfully completed the N45 billion second tranche of its ongoing N350 billion Private Placement programme, having secured all requisite approvals from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).The proceeds will be injected into First Bank of Nigeria Limited (“FirstBan
  
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• Federal tertiary hospitals in Lagos recount gains of health sector reforms

  18-06-2026 02:56 via vanguardngr.com
  By Chioma ObinnaFederal tertiary health institutions in Lagos yesterday highlighted major gains in healthcare delivery, infrastructure renewal, manpower development and specialist services, attributing the progress to sustained Federal Government reforms and investments in the sector.The institutions, including the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, and FMC Epe
  
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• African female judges unite in Abuja to strengthen justice systems

  18-06-2026 02:50 via vanguardngr.com
  By Ikechukwu NnochiriBound by a shared pursuit of judicial excellence, women judges from across Africa convened in Abuja to craft meaningful, actionable solutions.
  At the four-day conference held at the Body of Benchers Complex, Chief Justices and Heads of Courts from various countries agreed that the continent deserves a justice system anchored in impartiality, accessibility, and effectiveness.Participants broadly agreed that the degree to which citizens trust the rule of law tends to reflect
  
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• Crazy piloting near Asaba airport

  18-06-2026 02:29 via vanguardngr.com
  On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 7:43 a.m. a private jet departed Lagos bound for Asaba Airport in Delta State. What should have been a routine thirty-minute flight instead became a horrible aviation misadventure exposing how recklessness could endanger thousands. The aircraft attempted landing at Asaba but missed the runway, triggering a “missed approach” procedure.
  The pilot’s correct response demanded immediate execution of a “go-around”—climbing back, circ
  
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• Kogi Court imposes maximum penalty on man arrested by DSS for Kidnap, murder of neighbour

  18-06-2026 02:10 via vanguardngr.com
  Barely 24 hours after a Katsina State High Court sentenced to death a female arms courier arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS), a High Court of Kogi State has also imposed the death penalty on a man the DSS successfully prosecuted for kidnapping and murdering his neighbour, who ran a hotel in Obajana.
  The Katsina and Kogi sentences came less than two weeks after a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, imposed the death penalty on four men arrested by the DSS for their role in the J
  
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