General news

• US Embassy Abuja stops routine visa processing, directs applicants to Lagos

  08-09-2026 12:29 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The US Embassy in Abuja has stopped processing routine visa applications, directing applicants to the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.According to the latest visa advisory, the change took effect on August 1, 2026, with routine visa services now available only at the Consulate General in Lagos.The embassy said applicants who already had appointments scheduled in Abuja would still be attended to, although some appointments may have been rescheduled.Applicants with appointments in Abuja have been
  
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• 68 Nigerians awarded 2026 Chevening, Commonwealth scholarships

  09-09-2026 16:25 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The UK Government has awarded 68 Nigerians the Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships to study a wide range of master’s degrees and PhD programmes in the UK in 2026.In a statement on Wednesday, the British High Commission said pre-departure ceremonies were held in honour of the scholars in Abuja and Lagos.According to the mission, 12 scholars received Chevening scholarships, while 56 scholars have been awarded the Commonwealth scholarship so far. Chargée d’Affaires, Bri
  
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• The Way Nigerians Save, Spend and Borrow is Changing with DigitvantPay

  09-09-2026 16:14 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Nigeria is rapidly transforming how its people manage money. Driven by multiple pressures, including inflation that steadily erodes purchasing power, the naira’s persistent struggle against foreign currencies, and the lingering memory of cash scarcity in 2023, Nigerians are actively embracing digital platforms that promise convenience and reliability. One standout in this space is DigitvantPay, a fintech company redefining how Nigerians save, spend, and borrow.The cashless policy, as orch
  
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• 2027: Rivers ADP flags off campaign, promises 500,000 jobs

  09-09-2026 16:14 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Denies membership of Rainbow CoalitionBy Daniel AbiaPORT HARCOURT — The Rivers State chapter of the Action Democratic Party, ADP, has formally flagged off its 2027 governorship campaign, with its candidate, Angel Lawson, promising to create 500,000 direct and indirect jobs within the first year of his administration if elected.Speaking at the campaign flag-off in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Lawson said he joined the governorship race to make a difference and provide Rivers people with gre
  
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• Police officer killed, teachers kidnapped in Cameroon attack

  09-09-2026 16:09 via vanguardngr.com
  
  A police officer was killed and five teachers kidnapped in an attack on a teacher training centre in Cameroon, local authorities said on Wednesday, in the latest violence to hit the country’s English-speaking west.A deadly conflict between government forces and separatist groups has gripped the two anglophone regions of Cameroon, which is predominantly French-speaking, for nearly a decade.A group of armed individuals “infiltrated” a teacher training centre in the town of Wum,
  
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• Canada tightens student intake, prioritises master’s, PhD candidates

  09-09-2026 16:06 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Canada has announced plans to further reduce the number of international students entering the country at lower levels of study, while increasing its focus on attracting highly skilled students pursuing master’s and PhD programmes.The Canadian government said the shift is part of a broader effort to align immigration levels with the capacity of communities while continuing to attract highly skilled talent from around the world.According to the latest figures released by the government, Ca
  
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• Gridlock worsens as Kara Bridge repairs begin

  09-09-2026 15:35 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Two-week repair works on the Kara Bridge have triggered heavy gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, leaving motorists stranded for several hours.The Federal Government began the replacement of damaged expansion joints on the bridge on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, after the project was earlier suspended to allow for traffic management planning.The repairs have caused severe congestion along the corridor, with the gridlock stretching from the Kara Bridge in Ogun State to the 7Up Junction in Lag
  
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• Obi demonstrated power of restraint in Benue – NDC’s Moses Paul

  09-09-2026 15:33 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Sekinat OsundijiOne of the youth leaders of the Obidient Movement, Dr. Paul Moses, has said the controversy surrounding Peter Obi’s recent visit to Benue State should not be reduced to a political disagreement, insisting that the focus should be on the lives of Nigerians affected by violence in the state.Moses made the remarks during an interview on ARISE News on Wednesday while speaking about the incident that prevented Obi from reaching Yelwata, where he had planned to meet victims of t
  
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• Colombia lifts decade-long gun-carrying restrictions

  09-09-2026 15:32 via vanguardngr.com
  
  BOGOTA — Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has signed a decree lifting a decade-long restriction on the public carrying of legally owned firearms, fulfilling a campaign promise to adopt a tougher approach to crime.According to the BBC on Wednesday, the new decree allows Colombians who hold valid permits to carry registered firearms to take their weapons outside their homes without obtaining additional authorisation.Defending the measure, De la Espriella said law-abiding citizen
  
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• Nollywood producers may leave YouTube if naira strengthens against dollar – Kunle Afolayan

  09-09-2026 15:19 via vanguardngr.com
  
   ​‌‍‍‍‍⁠⁠Ace filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has said Nollywood producers may leave YouTube as a distribution platform if the Naira strengthens significantly against the U.S. Dollar.Afolayan stated this in an interview with former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, on the Nidacity Podcast, while discussing the increasing migration of Nollywood filmmakers to digital platforms.According to him, most filmmakers who have migrated to YouTube will abandon the plat
  
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• Cost of living crisis: Northwest ADC candidates demand fuel subsidy return

  09-09-2026 15:09 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Omeiza AjayiABUJA — Governorship candidates of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in the seven Northwest states have called on President Bola Tinubu to reverse the removal of fuel subsidy, saying the policy has worsened the cost of living crisis in the region.The candidates from Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara and Jigawa states made the demand on Tuesday in Abuja while signing the Northwest ADC Governorship Candidates’ Compact 2027–2031.The document was pre
  
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• 2027: I never threatened Northerners with suffering if Tinubu loses — Akpabio

  09-09-2026 15:01 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Henry UmoruABUJA — President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has denied saying that Northerners would be made to suffer between January and May if President Bola Tinubu loses the 2027 presidential election.Akpabio described the statement attributed to him as a “complete fabrication”, challenging those circulating the claim to produce evidence of where and when he allegedly made the statement.In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Pub
  
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• NAFDAC raises alarm over local production of fake products

  09-09-2026 14:48 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has raised the alarm over the activities of alleged Chinese counterfeit syndicates that have shifted from importing fake products into Nigeria to establishing local manufacturing and distribution networks.The agency’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, disclosed this while speaking on recent intelligence gathered by NAFDAC on the counterfeit trade.Iluyomade said investigations showed that
  
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• Dangote drove my mom home from hospital after my birth – Davido

  09-09-2026 14:36 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Afrobeats star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has revealed billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote’s longstanding relationship with his family.The artiste made the revelation while speaking about his relationship with Dangote during a recent interview in Lagos.According to him, Dangote had maintained a close relationship with his family for decades and had continued to offer him financial advice from childhood.“Aliko Dangote drove my mom home from the hospital when she gav
  
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• Nwifuru reinstates two traditional rulers, receives interim report

  09-09-2026 14:33 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Jeff Agbodo, AbakalikiABAKALIKI — Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has reinstated the traditional rulers of Ndukwe and Amasiri communities who were dethroned following the communal crisis between Amasiri in Afikpo North Local Government Area and Oso-Edda in Edda Local Government Area of the state.Nwifuru announced the reinstatement while receiving the interim report of the Amasiri-Edda Boundary Adjustment and Demarcation Committee at his office in Ochoudo Centenary City, Abakali
  
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• FG, Austria plan Vienna-listed bond to fund investors in Nigeria

  09-09-2026 14:27 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Federal Government is working with Austrian authorities and the Vienna Stock Exchange to establish a bond vehicle to raise capital for foreign companies investing in projects in Nigeria.Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, disclosed this while addressing the GPF Global Vienna meeting in Vienna, Austria, on Tuesday via a video message posted on X.Bagudu said the vehicle, known as the Esme Bond, was developed after about 18 months of engagement involving Nigerian and Austri
  
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• Reps probe N432bn oil revenue debt

  09-09-2026 14:24 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Gift ChapiOdekina, AbujaABUJA — The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee, PAC, has commenced an investigation into outstanding debts owed to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, and oil companies, with the liabilities put at N432.07 billion.The investigation followed findings contained in the Auditor-General’s annual audit reports on unpaid regulatory and petroleum-re
  
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• FG moves to end ‘make-believe’ accreditation in tertiary institutions

  09-09-2026 14:20 via vanguardngr.com
  
  …Plans digital tracking of lecturers, equipment, facilitiesBy Joseph Erunke, AbujaABUJA — The Federal Government has moved to overhaul the accreditation system for Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, warning institutions against presenting a false or temporary picture of their academic and infrastructural capacity during accreditation exercises.The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, gave the warning in Abuja on Tuesday while inaugurating a Ministeria
  
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• Four suits against Adeola’s Ogun 2027 candidacy discontinued — aide

  09-09-2026 14:16 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Henry UmoruABUJA — Four court cases challenging the candidacy of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Adeola, have been discontinued by the respective litigants.Adeola, who chairs the Senate Committee on Appropriations, is seeking the APC ticket ahead of the 2027 governorship election in the state.His Media Adviser, Kayode Odunaro, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, describing the development as coming at the commencement of
  
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• Army appoints Ajose Theatre Commander, Osifo Pensions Board chairman

  09-09-2026 14:10 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Kingsley OmonobiABUJA — The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has approved the redeployment of senior officers to key command, operational and staff appointments across the Nigerian Army as part of efforts to enhance operational effectiveness.Under the new postings, Maj. Gen. Ibikunle Ajose has been appointed Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, while Maj. Gen. JE Osifo becomes Chairman of the Military Pensions Board.Acting Director, Army Publi
  
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• Sachet alcohol ‘became uncontrollable’, encourages banditry – NAFDAC

  09-09-2026 14:00 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Adesewa AdewaleThe National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has linked the indiscriminate consumption of alcohol to banditry in Nigeria, warning that excessive alcohol use can also damage vital organs of the human body.NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, made the disclosure during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.Adeyeye said alcohol poses serious risks to organs, including the brain, kidneys and liver. She n
  
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• Nothing must happen to Obi – Kwankwaso group demands probe of Benue attack

  09-09-2026 13:54 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Steve OkoThe Kwankwaso National Network, KNN, South-East zone, has warned that “nothing must happen” to the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, following the reported obstruction of his convoy in Benue State.The group also demanded an immediate and transparent investigation into Tuesday’s incident, warning that any attempt to trivialise the development could have serious implications for Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 gene
  
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• NDLEA arrests fugitive kingpin linked to 49.7kg heroin shipment

  09-09-2026 13:52 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Kingsley OmonobiThe National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested and repatriated Festus Ibewuike, also known as Chidibest Ibewuike, a suspected drug kingpin who had been on the run for more than two years following the interception of 49.70kg of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos.The NDLEA disclosed this on Wednesday, saying Ibewuike was one of three suspects declared wanted and charged in absentia following the interception of what the agency desc
  
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• Benin-Asaba Road: Umahi breaks concession deadlock, orders emergency repairs

  09-09-2026 13:49 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Egufe YafugborhiASABA — Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has ordered the immediate mobilisation of major contractors to all three sections of the troubled Benin-Asaba Road, saying public interest must take precedence over the existing concession agreement.Umahi, in a statement on Wednesday, said the condition of the highway had reached a stage where contractual constraints could no longer frustrate urgent government intervention.According to him, “The Benin-Asaba Road situ
  
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• Ebonyi govt condemns Abuja protest against Nwifuru

  09-09-2026 13:46 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Jeff Agbodo, AbakalikiThe Ebonyi State Government has condemned a reported protest in Abuja against Governor Francis Nwifuru, describing the demonstration and narratives surrounding it as politically motivated.The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Ikeuwah Omebeh, stated this while briefing journalists at his office at the Old Government House, Abakaliki.Omebeh said although the Nwifuru administration remained open to criticism, such criticism should be based on facts and ev
  
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• Iran condemns US attacks on tankers as threat to regional security

  09-09-2026 13:43 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Iran’s foreign ministry on Wednesday strongly condemned US strikes on its oil tankers, describing the attacks the previous day as a threat to regional security.“The aggressive actions by the United States against Iranian commercial vessels not only increase the dangers of tensions in the region but are also considered an overt threat to regional and international peace and security,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that Iranian forces had targeted US military faciliti
  
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• Alia seized 23 vehicles allocated to him, court ordered their return — Ortom alleges

  09-09-2026 13:43 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has alleged that his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia, seized 23 vehicles that had been allocated to him by the state government after he left office.Ortom, who disclosed this on Tuesday during an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show, said he challenged the seizure in court and secured a judgment ordering the state government to return the vehicles and pay him N5 million in damages.According to him, the vehicles were legitimately alloca
  
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• 2027: Malami flags off campaign, pledges issue-based campaigns

  09-09-2026 13:36 via vanguardngr.com
  
  ….improved healthcare in KebbiBy Haruna Aliyu, Birnin KebbiThe governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Kebbi State, Abubakar Chika Malami, has formally flagged off his campaign for the 2027 election, pledging to run an issue-based campaign and prioritise healthcare and other critical sectors if elected.The Director-General of the ADC Campaign Council in the state, Alhaji Sani Tadurga, disclosed this on Wednesday at a press conference held at Asbir Hotel, Birnin
  
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• ‘We can’t boast of $100k in savings’, Nigerian woman laments struggles in US

  09-09-2026 13:35 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Sekinat OsundijiA Nigerian woman living in the United States has expressed frustration over the financial and immigration challenges facing some immigrants in the country, saying many who have spent decades in America may still struggle to build substantial savings.The woman, who shared her concerns in a viral video on social media, said she was “tired of America” because of what she described as the worsening situation for immigrants.
  “I am tired of America, the situation
  
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• Patronising roadside traders risks six months’ jail — LAWMA

  09-09-2026 13:27 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Olasunkanmi AkoniThe Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has warned residents against patronising traders operating illegally on roads, medians, setbacks, walkways and other unauthorised public spaces, saying offenders risk arrest and prosecution.The Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, gave the warning on Tuesday at the authority’s headquarters in Lagos, saying enforcement would commence next week.He said the measure was part of a renewed enforcement strategy aimed a
  
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