General news

• Editors raise concerns over harassment, intimidation, prosecution of journalists

  16-09-2026 07:17 via vanguardngr.com
  
  THE Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, has raised concerns over the increasing harassment, intimidation and prosecution of journalists by security agencies, warning that such actions could undermine press freedom and legitimate journalistic practice.The Guild also called on the federal government and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure a level playing field for all political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.In a communiqué signed by Eze A
  
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• NSCDC orders probe as illegal miners die in custody

  17-09-2026 22:34 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Omeiza AjayiThe Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has ordered a probe into the death of some suspected illegal miners who were arrested during enforcement operations conducted in parts of Niger State on September 15 and 16, 2026.National Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, ACC Babawale Afolabi, in a statement on Thursday, said the suspects were arrested during a coordinated operation by the Niger State Command in the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis as part of ongoing efforts to c
  
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• Akume, Tambuwal, others visit Yari in Zamfara over aunt’s death

  17-09-2026 22:23 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Omeiza AjayiA cross-section of Nigeria’s political class, cutting across party lines, converged on Talata Mafara, Zamfara State, on Thursday to condole with the Director General of the All Progressives Congress APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, following the death of his mother’s immediate younger sister, Hajia Rukiya Jibril.Heading the Federal Government’s delegation was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Senator George Akume, w
  
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• 20 feared dead as illegal mining pit collapses in Taraba

  17-09-2026 22:09 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Femi BolajiNo fewer than 20 persons including women and children, are feared killed or trapped after an illegal mining pit collapsed on Thursday afternoon at Mayo-Kam community in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State.The disaster occurred while artisanal miners were carrying out excavation activities at the site, triggering widespread panic and grief across the rural community.A resident of Bali, Saidu Baba Bali, who confirmed the incident to Vanguard, said the collapsed pit buried the
  
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• 2027: Catholic Church declares December 8 national prayer, fasting day

  17-09-2026 22:00 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Shina AbubakarAs the nation prepares for the 2027 general elections, the Catholic Church has declared December 8 as national day for prayer and fasting for the successful and peaceful conduct of the poll.The church, in a communique issued at the end of the Second Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) held at Our Lady and St. Kizito Pastoral Centre, Oke-Gada, Ede, Osogbo Diocese, Osun State, 10 – 18 September 2026 and read to newsmen in Osogbo by the Presi
  
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• ‘Our children are safe’ – IGP flags off Safe School Programme nationwide

  17-09-2026 21:48 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Kingsley OmonobiThe Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has assured parents that the Nigeria Police Force has taken responsibility for strengthening the security of schools across the country and that Nigerian children are safe, as the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) formally flagged off its Safe School Programme in Abuja.The programme which flagged off at LEA Primary School, Maitama, FCT, is aimed at strengthening security around schools through enhanced police-commu
  
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• Mining marshals arrest 600 illegal miners, recover 100 sites

  17-09-2026 21:20 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Evelyn Usman
  The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has disclosed that its Mining Marshals have arrested over 600 suspected illegal miners, recovered more than 100 illegal mining sites and commenced prosecution of over 500 suspects since the specialised unit was established in March 2024.Read Also: Don’t sell homes or spend school fees on Dangote shares, Emir Sanusi tells investorsCommander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant Attah Onoja, disclosed this yesterday
  
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• US grants Iran delegation visas to attend UN assembly

  17-09-2026 21:14 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The United States is allowing an Iranian delegation to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, a State Department spokesman said Thursday, despite a war that has entered its seventh month.A source familiar with the matter confirmed this would cover Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.“Consistent with our host country obligations, the core delegation from the Iranian regime will be able to attend UN General Assembly High Level Week,” the State Department spo
  
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• English FA calls for Infantino to release World Cup sell-off documents

  17-09-2026 21:07 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The chair of the English Football Association has called on FIFA president Gianni Infantino to release all the documentation relating to the abandoned plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors.Infantino’s proposal was short-lived after a fierce backlash from across the sport, with European governing body UEFA threatening to boycott all FIFA competitions until it was shelved.FA chair Debbie Hewitt, who is also a FIFA vice-president and a member of the FIFA Council, has wri
  
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• 2027: Obi, Kwankwaso Movement unveils 59-member presidential campaign council

  17-09-2026 20:59 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Henry HenryABUJA- The OK Movement, a political platform established to mobilise support for the joint ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, has put in place a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council comprising zonal and state coordinators.The group has also unveiled  directors for mobilisation, women affairs, strategy, security, legal affairs and other key areas ahead of the 2027 general elections.The OK Mo
  
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• NASS urges FG to review monetisation policy

  17-09-2026 20:56 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Henry UmoruABUJA — The National Assembly has appealed to the Federal Government to review its monetisation policy, particularly the non-provision of official accommodation for civil and public servants.The appeal was made by the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Kamoru Ogunlana, while delivering his closing remarks at the end of a one-month training programme for legislative aides.Ogunlana said the policy had created accommodation challenges for lawmakers and their aides, with some
  
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• Archbishop ‘withdraws’ award given to Muslim cleric who praised bin Laden

  17-09-2026 20:55 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury on Thursday withdrew an interfaith award given this September 11 to a Muslim cleric who praised Osama bin Laden, after the decision sparked backlash.Sarah Mullally, the head of the Church of England, last week handed awards to faith leaders including Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, for “reconciliation and interfaith cooperation”.Ashrafi is the chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, a prominent body of religious scholars.In 2007, he t
  
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• Full list: Osimhen makes Super Eagles 24-man squad for AFCON qualifiers

  17-09-2026 20:52 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle has released the squad lists for the upcoming 2026 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, as well as an international friendly against Russia.Nigeria will face Madagascar on September 25 before taking on Guinea-Bissau on September 29, while the Super Eagles are scheduled to play Russia in a friendly on October 6.Ola Aina makes his return after missing recent international action, while Benjamin Fredricks is back aft
  
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• FTH Owerri: We didn’t shut down, disruption due to system upgrade

  17-09-2026 20:36 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Emmanuel IheakaOWERRI — The management of the Federal Teaching Hospital Owerri has said the disruption of some of its services in the last 48 hours was caused by a scheduled upgrade of its Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system.The hospital, in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Ikechukwu Anyaegbu, said the upgrade to a newer and more advanced version was part of its efforts to improve the efficiency, accessibility, security and overall quality of healthcare services.A
  
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• Dickson restates commitment to multi-party democracy

  17-09-2026 20:16 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Henry UmoruABUJA — National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has reiterated his commitment to multi-party democracy and a peaceful political process ahead of the 2027 general elections.Dickson spoke when the management of LEADERSHIP Newspaper, led by its Vice Chairman, Mr Michael Okpere, paid him a formal visit at his Abuja residence to present notification of his selection as the newspaper’s Politician of the Year 2026.LEADERSHIP had
  
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• 3 Samsung phones that can compete with iPhone 18 Pro

  17-09-2026 20:13 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Apple has raised the bar with the new iPhone 18 Pro, but Samsung has several flagship smartphones capable of going head-to-head with Apple’s latest Pro model.The iPhone 18 Pro comes with Apple’s new A20 Pro chip, a 6.3-inch OLED display, a 48MP triple-camera system and a new variable-aperture main camera. Apple has also introduced improvements to battery life, video recording and sustained performance.However, Samsung’s 2026 smartphone lineup offers alternatives with powerful
  
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• Hardship: Bagudu’s admission vindicates us — APM

  17-09-2026 20:07 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Luminous JannamikeABUJA — The Allied Peoples Movement, APM, said Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Senator Abubakar Bagudu’s admission that the Tinubu administration failed to anticipate the scale of economic turbulence confronting Nigeria vindicated its earlier warnings about the government’s policies.The party said the admission was coming as Nigerians grapple with rising living costs, business closures, unemployment and worsening poverty, which it attributed to th
  
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• Anambra auto makers hail FG local vehicle policy

  17-09-2026 19:57 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Vincent UjumaduTwo automobile manufacturers in Anambra State, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM), Nnewi, and Jojo Motors Auto Assembly, Umunya, have welcomed the Federal Government’s new policy making it mandatory for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to patronise locally manufactured vehicles.Officials of the two companies spoke during a visit by members of the board of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) to their facilities in Anambra.They said t
  
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• Adebutu dares Yayi to go to court over Ekiti indigene claim

  17-09-2026 19:46 via vanguardngr.com
  
  …says Ogun APC in panic mode over PDP’s growing strengthBy James Ogunnaike, AbeokutaThe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State for the 2027 election, Oladipupo Adebutu, has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, to institute legal action against him over claims concerning the senator’s alleged indigene status.Adebutu, a former federal lawmaker, said he was prepared to
  
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• Chelsea ambition ‘very clear’ after end of Boehly era – Xabi Alonso

  17-09-2026 19:31 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Xabi Alonso said Chelsea’s ambition was “very clear” after Clearlake Capital took full control of the Premier League club, ending Todd Boehly’s chairmanship.Chelsea announced late Wednesday that Clearlake, led by co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano, would acquire the stakes of Boehly and director Mark Walter.US billionaires Boehly and Walter partnered with Clearlake to buy the club from Roman Abramovich in May 2022 in a sale mandated by the British governmen
  
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• No development without security in North Central – NCDC

  17-09-2026 19:21 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Luminous JannamikeABUJA — The North Central Development Commission (NCDC) has declared that the region cannot achieve meaningful development without treating security as part of its core infrastructure.The warning came as stakeholders unveiled a 20-year development blueprint designed to turn the region’s agricultural land, mineral resources, strategic location and human capital into jobs, investment and better living standards.Prof. Mohammed Nuhu presented the communique adopted
  
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• Presidential Candidate: Meet Sunday Adenuga of BOOT Party – Because Of Our Tomorrow

  17-09-2026 18:58 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Gabriel EwepuThe presidential candidate of of BOOT Party – Because Of Our Tomorrow – in the 2027 general elections is Sunday Adenuga.Read Also:https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/09/why-aisha-buhari-visited-me-atiku/Sonny Adenuga is a distinguished Nigerian technocrat, governance reform advocate, project management professional, and technology leader and risk expert with over two decades of international experience in leadership, information technology governance and organisational
  
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• FAAC shares N2.338trn to FG, states, LGs

  17-09-2026 18:54 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau ChiefThe Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared N2.338 trillion among the Federal Government, state governments and the 774 local government councils.The allocation was approved at the FAAC meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, according to a communiqué issued by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.The amount represents a decline of about N699 billion from the over N3 trillion shared among the three tiers of government in the p
  
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• Why Aisha Buhari visited me — Atiku

  17-09-2026 18:40 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Olayinka AjayiFormer Vice-President and 2027 African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said the visit of former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, highlighted the need to build a better Nigeria.Atiku disclosed this in a post on his X handle on Wednesday, following a meeting with the former First Lady.He said the visit was a reminder of the responsibility of those seeking a better country to prioritise the welfare and dignity of Nigerians.
  “I was deligh
  
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• Police repatriate Chinese fugitive wanted over rosewood smuggling

  17-09-2026 18:20 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Kingsley OmonobiThe Nigeria Police Force, through the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, has repatriated a Chinese national, Zhang Shijie, to Guangzhou, China, following his arrest in Nigeria over alleged large-scale smuggling of endangered African Rosewood.Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Aniete Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.According to Iniedu, Zhang was wanted by the Yangpu Sub-Bureau of the Anti-Smuggling Bureau of Haikou Customs District in China over
  
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• Don’t mistake Nigerians’ patience for acceptance of hardship — Northern Christian Elders tell Tinubu

  17-09-2026 18:06 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Luminous JannamikeABUJA — The Northern States Christian Elders Forum, NOSCEF, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reverse the latest increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, warning that Nigerians’ patience with worsening economic hardship should not be mistaken for acceptance.For households already struggling to keep up with food prices, transport fares and other basic expenses, the elders said another petrol-price increase would only tighten the squeeze, fu
  
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• 2027: Why Natasha deserves second term — Haroon

  17-09-2026 17:53 via vanguardngr.com
  
  …says she leads, APC followsBy John Alechenu, AbujaPublic affairs analyst, Bashir Haroon, has said Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan deserves a second term in office, citing what he described as her record of representation and constituency projects in Kogi Central.Haroon stated this in Abuja on Thursday while assessing the lawmaker’s performance since she assumed office as representative of Kogi Central in the Senate.Akpoti-Uduaghan was sworn in as Kogi Central senator in November 2
  
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• Dangote refinery offer will boost investment — ADP VP candidate

  17-09-2026 17:42 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Johnbosco AgbakwuruABUJA — The Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Action Democratic Party, ADP, for the 2027 election, Chinazam Ike, has described the Dangote Refinery public offer as an opportunity for Nigerians to participate in the ownership of a major Nigerian industrial enterprise.In a statement signed by Desmond Ehis on behalf of Ike, the ADP candidate said the offer could broaden investment participation and encourage greater interest in productive enterprises.Ike also commended
  
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• Don’t sell homes or spend school fees on Dangote shares, Emir Sanusi tells investors

  17-09-2026 17:40 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has advised prospective investors against risking essential funds, such as their children’s school fees or primary residences, to purchase shares.Speaking on Thursday at the Dangote Refinery IPO investor roadshow in Kano, the traditional ruler urged residents to invest only disposable income they can afford to lock away for the long term.He recommended modest, manageable sums such as ₦10,000, ₦20,000, or ₦30,000 rather than seeking
  
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• Makinde faults Tinubu’s legacy roads projects

  17-09-2026 17:39 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Unveils APM NASS candidates in OsunBy Shina Abubakar, OsogboThe presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has criticised the Federal Government’s ongoing legacy road projects, arguing that greater attention should be given to rehabilitating existing major roads across the country.Makinde spoke at the unveiling of the party’s National Assembly candidates in Osun State. He was represented at the event by a member of the APM Elder
  
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