Author: Ogochukwu Ndubuisi

Soludo Sacks all Political Appointees Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra has directed all political appointees in the state to hand over their duties with immediate effect, barely 24 hours after his inauguration for a second term. The directive is contained in a circular issued on Wednesday by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG). The circular was signed by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Nwabufor Nwankwo. According to the circular, affected appointees are to hand over to Permanent Secretaries or, in their absence, the most senior civil servant in their…

Equity Investors Lose N900bn as Selloffs Shrinks NGX Index Nigerian stocks plunged amid sharp selling pressure, with equity investors losing more than N900 billion in their combined portfolios. The Exchange closed this week’s trading session in negative territory, as key performance indicators decreased by -0.69% ahead of Islamic holiday.  Activity of sell-side actors in some medium- and large-cap stocks triggered a market pullback. Notable decliners included ARADEL, PRESCO, GTCO, UBA, WEMABANK, and others across key market sectors. The Oil & Gas sector took the biggest hit today, declining by 4.58%. Specifically, the market index, or All-Share Index, fell by 1,402.72…

Iran Strikes Tel Aviv with Cluster Warheads in Retaliation for Killing of Security Chief Iran targeted Tel Aviv with missiles carrying cluster warheads in what it said was retaliation for Israel’s assassination of Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani, Iranian state television reported ​on Wednesday. The attack overnight on Tuesday killed two people in a neighbourhood close to densely populated Tel Aviv, where there are also key military facilities, bringing the death toll in Israel from the war to at least 14. A statement by Iran’s ‌Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps read on state TV said weapons used included Khorramshahr 4 and…

Nigeria Fall 81-73 to Germany Despite Spirited Fight at FIBA Qualifiers Nigeria women’s national basketball team lost 81-73 to Germany women’s national basketball team in a group phase game at the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in France. Nigeria showed resilience, briefly taking the lead in the second quarter, but struggled to sustain momentum against a disciplined German side. Theturning point came late in the third quarter after Nigeria led 49-46, before Germany responded with a decisive scoring run. Leonie Fiebich sparked the comeback, combining with Nyara Sabally to shift control of the game. Nigeria were restricted offensively during that stretch,…

Cuba’s President Fires Back at Trump Over Takeover Remarks Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has fired back at comments by U.S. President Donald Trump about a possible takeover of Cuba. On Monday, Trump told reporters he thinks he will have the “honour of taking Cuba.” “I do believe I’ll be … having the honour of taking Cuba. That would be good. That’s a big honour,” he said during an executive order signing at the White House. On Tuesday, Díaz-Canel said the U.S. would face “unbreakable resistance” if it attempted a takeover. In a post on X, Díaz-Canel said the U.S. publicly…

UAE Ambassador Calls on Iran to Halt Attacks Immediately The United Arab Emirates (UAE) called for de-escalation following Iranian airstrikes but insisted on its right to self-defence, according to the UAE ambassador to Germany Ahmed Alattar. The UAE would continue to work with the United States as a partner to prevent further escalation in the region, Alattar told the Handelsblatt newspaper in remarks published on Tuesday, adding that the UAE retained the full right to self-defence under international law. Iran has been attacking Gulf states since the start of the war around two and a half weeks ago, with the…

Trump Dimisses Possibility of Israeli Nuclear Strike on Iran The U.S. President, Donald Trump, on Tuesday dismissed speculations raised by one of his advisers that Israel might resort to using nuclear weapons against Iran in any conflict. Speaking to reporters, Trump responded to remarks made by adviser David Sacks, who had suggested in a podcast that Israel might escalate a war to the point of considering nuclear options. ”Israel wouldn’t do that. Israel will never do that,” Trump said. Israel has long maintained a policy of deliberate ambiguity regarding its nuclear capabilities, neither confirming nor denying possession of such weapons.…

Inflation: LCCI Cautions Against Complacency The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has stressed the need to guard against complacency in spite of the recent marginal decline in Nigeria’s inflation rate. It, however, warned that mounting risks could reverse the trend. The Director General, LCCI, Dr Chinyere Almona, gave the advice on Tuesday in Lagos in reaction to the February inflation figure of 15.06 per cent from 15.10 per cent in January. Almona noted that although headline inflation eased slightly to 15.06 per cent, the increase in month-on-month inflation to 2.01 per cent signalled that price pressures remained entrenched.…

Soludo Sworn-in as Governor of Anambra for Second Term Gov. Chukwuma Soludo was on Tuesday sworn in as the Governor of Anambra State for a second term. Soludo was sworn in at 11.55a.m., after his deputy, Dr Onyekachi Ibezim, was sworn in earlier by the Chief Judge of Anambra, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu. He arrived Ekwueme Square, with Vice-President Kashim Shettima, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former President Goodluck Jonathan, to a tumultuous reception. The incoming governor was decked in an orange attire, with a red cap to match. Soludo’s inauguration was witnessed by thousands of well-wishers, among whom were Chief…

Edun Participates in Nigeria–UK Investment Roundtable in London The Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, has joined senior government officials and international investors at a strategic Nigeria–United Kingdom investment roundtable convened by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) in partnership with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC). Held on the sidelines of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s State Visit to the United Kingdom, the roundtable focused on Nigeria’s next phase of economic reforms and the country’s renewed drive to attract long-term international investment. Discussions highlighted efforts to expand Nigeria–UK trade, currently estimated at…