General news

• [Updated] Delayed access to rescued Oriire victims due to routine military checks — Source

  11-07-2026 12:44 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Adeola BadruA government source has explained that the delay in granting an Oyo State Government delegation access to the rescued victims of the Oriire Local Government abduction at the 2 Division Medical Centre, Military Hospital, Ibadan, was due to routine military security and profiling procedures.The source, who spoke with Vanguard, said the delay was not a denial of access but part of the standard security protocol observed by military authorities for everyone seeking to see the victims
  
  Read more

• Atiku to Tinubu: Reverse WAEC, NECO fees hike or risk explosion in out-of-school children

  12-07-2026 15:37 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Omeiza AjayiABUJA: Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Federal Government’s continued escalation of the cost of public education, describing the recent increase in fees for Federal Unity Colleges and the reported approval of a uniform ₦50,000 examination fee for West African Examinations Council WAEC and National Examinations Council NECO candidates from 2027 as cruel.Noting that the policy is economically insensitive and fundamentally incompatible with governm
  
  Read more

• Soyinka’s life reflects Nigeria’s tempestuous history — Odumakin

  12-07-2026 15:27 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Henry ObettaHuman rights activist, Dr Joe Odumakin, has congratulated Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on his 92nd birthday, describing his life as a reflection of Nigeria’s turbulent history.In a goodwill message issued on Sunday, Odumakin said Soyinka’s journey represented a commitment to the ideals Nigeria has pursued over the years.She described the literary icon as Nigeria’s “permanent ambassador plenipotentiary,” noting his global reputation and con
  
  Read more

• NSITF becomes West Africa’s social security reference point

  12-07-2026 15:23 via vanguardngr.com
  
  …As Nigeria exports scheme expertise to GambiaBy Victor Ahiuma-YoungThe Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, has reaffirmed its growing role as a regional leader in social security administration, pledging sustained technical support to The Gambia as part of efforts to deepen workers’ protection and strengthen social security systems across West Africa.
  The commitment came at the close of a one-week study tour by the Board of the Industrial Injuries Compensation Fund, IICF,
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Umahi demands autopsy on late physiotherapist’s body

  12-07-2026 15:21 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Jeff Agbodo, AbakalikiMinister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has called for an autopsy to determine the cause of death of a physiotherapist, Miss Mary Habila, who died in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.Habila and Miss Anita Baski are employees of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUS), Uburu, and had been on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works, Abuja, as physiotherapists for the past three years before Habila’s death.The call follo
  
  Read more

• Opposition lawmaker praises Tinubu, security chiefs over rescue of Oyo kidnapped victims

  12-07-2026 15:18 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has praised President Bola Tinubu and the nation’s security chiefs over the rescue of all teachers and pupils abducted from schools in Oriire LGA of Oyo State, describing the operation as a defining moment in Nigeria’s campaign against insecurity.Addressing journalists in Abuja on Sunday, the Labour Party lawmaker said the successful rescue had restored public confidence in the country’s security architecture a
  
  Read more

• Ebonyi CSOs threaten legal action against EEDC over alleged overbilling, disconnections

  12-07-2026 15:17 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Jeff Agbodo, AbakalikiA coalition of civil society organisations in Ebonyi State has threatened legal action against the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) over alleged illegal billing practices, indiscriminate disconnections and other complaints by electricity consumers.The coalition, led by the Human Rights Volunteer Corps (HRVC), Ebonyi State Chapter, made the threat during a briefing with journalists in Abakaliki.Other members of the group include the Human Rights Action Group
  
  Read more

• 3% NIMASA levy should fund trucks, barges for indigenous operators

  12-07-2026 15:10 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Efe OnodjaeThe Federal Government has been urged to direct the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to utilise the 3 per cent freight levy collected from international inbound and outbound cargo to provide revolving loans for indigenous maritime transport operators and licensed customs agents.National President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, Mr. Lucky Amiwero, made the call in a policy statement, arguing that the Maritime Fund
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• LG poll: APC wins 18 chairmanship, 192 councillorship seats in Edo

  12-07-2026 15:09 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Edo Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) has declared candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winners of the chairmanship election in the 18 local government areas of the state, held on Saturday.Mr Jonathan Aifuobhokhan, Chairman of the Commission, announced this at  a news conference on Sunday in Benin.Aifuobhokhan said the party also won all 192 councillorship seats in the election.The chairman said the election was successfully conducted across the 18 local government
  
  Read more

• Oyo rescue rekindles hope for safer Nigeria — Oyintiloye

  12-07-2026 14:59 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Dapo AkinrefonA chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has said the successful rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State has renewed public confidence in the government’s efforts to tackle insecurity and strengthened hope for national stability.Oyintiloye, who spoke with journalists in Osogbo on Sunday, said the operation had also frustrated attempts to politicise the abduction, describing the rescue as a demonstration of Ni
  
  Read more

• Troops intercept truck with illicit drugs along Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road

  12-07-2026 14:56 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Kingsley OmonobiTroops of the Nigerian Army’s 65 Battalion have intercepted a truck conveying a large consignment of illicit drugs along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road following credible intelligence.Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the operation was conducted on July 9, 2026.He said the intelligence-led operation resulted in the interception of the vehicle and the arrest of the driver.“
  
  Read more

• 2027: Corruption, not govt, Nigeria’s biggest problem — Anglican Bishop

  12-07-2026 14:53 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Luminous JannamikeABUJA — The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese on the Niger, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Owen Nwokolo, has blamed Nigeria’s persistent leadership crisis on entrenched corruption rather than the government of the day, declaring ahead of the 2027 general elections that he expects ‘nothing wonderful’ from the current administration.With preparations for the next general elections gradually gathering momentum, Nwokolo said Nigerians should not assume that another chang
  
  Read more

• PFIPC Allegations: Archbishop Borokini calls for prosecution, fund recovery

  12-07-2026 14:28 via vanguardngr.com
  
  —Backs state police, urges Christians into politicsBy Dayo Johnson AkureThe Archbishop of Ondo Province and Bishop of Akure Diocese, Most Rev. Simeon Borokini, has called for the prosecution of all persons involved in the alleged financial mismanagement at the Presidential Intervention and Promotion Council, PFIPC.Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Second Session of the 15th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Akure at the Cathedral Church of St. David, Akure, Borokini said corr
  
  Read more

• I thought it was a scam until I got ₦200,000 alert — ABSU student

  12-07-2026 14:18 via vanguardngr.com
  
  …Says no Abia Central student should quit school over poverty
  …Explains PDP exit, defection to ADCBy Steve OkoUMUAHIA — A 400-level Medicine and Surgery student of Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, Godswill Ezennwa, has described as “uncommon” the education grant programme of Senator Austin Akobundu after receiving an instant ₦200,000 bank alert.Ezennwa was among over 200 students from Abia Central Senatorial District who benefited from the senator&rsquo
  
  Read more

• FIFA to consider expanding 2030 World Cup to 64 teams

  12-07-2026 14:08 via vanguardngr.com
  
  FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that world football’s governing body will examine a proposal to expand the FIFA World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 edition following the conclusion of the ongoing 2026 tournament.The current World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is the first to feature 48 teams after the competition was expanded from the previous 32-team format used between 1998 and 2022.Speaking to Swiss media outlet Bluewin, Infantino said the pr
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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.
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

• 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
  
  Read more

Follow @GeneralNews_NGR on Twitter!