DAILYUPDATES

The Kogi State Government has suspended the Echane Festival in Ebiraland with immediate effect over security concerns. The government said the decision was informed by credible intelligence reports indicating that activities associated with the festival could threaten public peace, safety and security and potentially lead to a breakdown of law and order in parts of Kogi Central Senatorial District. The announcement was made in a statement issued  by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Kingsley Femi Fanwo. According to the statement, while the government recognizes and respects the cultural significance of traditional festivals and their role in preserving the rich heritage of the people, the protection of lives and property remains its foremost responsibility. The statement disclosed that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo approved the suspension in the interest of maintaining peace and public safety across the affected communities. "The Governor has direc...

By Abu Micheal  In a Nigeria where recognition often flows to the loudest voices and most visible political actors, it is refreshing when excellence is acknowledged purely on merit. That is exactly what makes the recent conferment of multiple prestigious awards on Barr. Ladi Ahmed Jatto, OON, so commendable. The Arise Igala Leadership Organisation, a platform renowned for integrity and a rigorous selection process, recently honoured Nigerians who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and impact. Among the recipients was Barr. Ladi Ahmed Jatto, OON, a Project Manager and a Lawyer. She received a Certificate of Honour, an Award of Leadership for Excellence, and the highly coveted Arise National Igala Leadership Award for Excellence. These honours add to a growing list of recognitions from credible platforms across Nigeria, including all three Senatorial districts of Kogi State. Her name has remained untainted for over three decades of service to the nation, a journey c...

Former Governor of Kogi State and APC Senatorial Candidate for Kogi Central, His Excellency Alh. Yahaya Adoza Bello, CON, on Saturday paid a Sallah homage to Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his Lagos residence as part of activities marking the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations. The visit provided an opportunity to engage in discussions on matters of national importance, governance, and the continued progress of the nation. Bello used the occasion to extend Sallah greetings to the President and commend his leadership and commitment to the development of Nigeria. The former governor reaffirmed his support for the administration’s efforts aimed at strengthening the economy, promoting national unity, and improving the welfare of Nigerians. He also expressed confidence in the President’s vision and ongoing reforms geared towards sustainable growth and development. The Sallah homage underscored the cordial relationship between the two and served as a platform for the exchange of ideas on political ...

...Urges Beneficiaries to Protect and Maintain Public Facilities Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has commenced the commissioning of micro-projects executed under the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) Programme, with the inauguration of a motorised borehole in Inipo Community, Obehira District of Okene Local Government Area. The water project, implemented through the Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency (KSCSDA), is designed to provide potable water to residents of Inipo and neighbouring communities, thereby improving access to clean water and enhancing public health. Represented at the event by the Executive Chairman of the Kogi State Local Government Service Commission, Alhaji Adams Adabenege, Governor Ododo said his administration remains committed to improving the living conditions of rural dwellers through the provision of essential infrastructure and social services. According to him, the state go...

By Lalage Obi The Kogi West people, of the olden days, were well cultured, well behaved, well mannered, and their integrity could be vouched for. But can same be said about the people of today? Such positive glowing tributes cannot be said about them today, as they have lost those values, norms, ethics and decorum. They are eroded or at best thrown to the winds.  Have the wise words of our elders lost their value and reverence in society? Once regarded as custodians of wisdom, respected for their age, experience and grey hair, elders now appear to command far less honour and influence.  Today, communities are witnessing a troubling decline in trust, unity and mutual understanding, as neighbours grow distant and people struggle to predict the actions of even those closest to them. The strong sense of cohesion, brotherhood and shared values that once defined society seems to be gradually fading away. Ostensibly, things have fallen apart, rogues, men of easy virtue no...

By Abiola Bashorun As Nigeria enters another peak rainy season, public warnings about flooding, blocked drainage systems, rising water levels, and environmental risks have once again dominated national conversations. While these warnings are necessary, an important question remains: should these realities still come as a surprise to us? Flooding in Nigeria is no longer an unpredictable occurrence. It has become a recurring environmental and infrastructural challenge that requires proactive governance rather than seasonal emergency reactions. Preparedness should begin during the dry season in anticipation of the rains, not during the peak of flooding when lives, homes, businesses, and public infrastructure are already under threat. Flood prevention is not an emergency-season activity; it is a planning-season responsibility. Across the country, states continue to experience avoidable flooding due to blocked drainage systems, poor environmental maintenance, illegal structures ...

The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Harvest Centre's Women of Zion on Thursday joined their counterparts across the Globe in a Fire Conference meant to spiritually transform families in Nigeria and the World over. Pst Mrs Abosede Adeoye,  APICP Admin. Nasarawa Province 1's Wife (RCCG Harvest Centre), who spoke through Dcns Patricia Charlie, Children's Coordinator, gave an insight into the 3-Day programme holding at the Harvest Centre Cathedral along Old Karu Road,  Karu LGA of Nasarawa State. The conference,  she said,  was one of the annual women programmes of the RCCG with Mother-In-Israel,  Mommy General Over (GO), Pst (Mrs) Folu Adeboye, as the Chief Host, and the main push in seeing women take their place in winning their families for Christ.  Pst Adeoye, the Zonal Mommy, disclosed that the Region 28 Mommy,  Provincial Mommy and other seasoned professionals were fully set to lead  various sessions of the conference that wo...

Former Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, CON, has congratulated Muslims across Nigeria and beyond on the occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, urging citizens to embrace peace, sacrifice, and love for one another. In a Sallah message released on Wednesday, the former governor described Eid-el-Kabir as a solemn period that reflects the virtues of faith, obedience, humility, and total submission to the will of Allah, as demonstrated by Prophet Ibrahim (AS). Bello called on Muslim faithful to sustain the spirit of sacrifice and compassion beyond the festive season, stressing the need for unity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians irrespective of religious or ethnic differences. “As Muslims celebrate Eid-el-Kabir, we must continue to uphold the values of sacrifice, tolerance, and kindness. These virtues are essential in building a stronger, united, and more peaceful society,” he said. The former governor also extended his greetings to the Pres...

***As Prof. John Emaimo Receives High-Powered Medical Delegation, Partnership Signals New Era of Academic, Research and Professional Collaboration In a significant move poised to deepen academic excellence and strengthen medical education in Nigeria, the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Allied Health Sciences Enugu, Prof. John Emaimo, on Tuesday received in audience a distinguished delegation from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria led by its President, Prof. Anthony N. Ikefuna. The visit, described as strategic and forward-looking, was aimed at formally inviting the Vice Chancellor to the forthcoming 20th Annual Scientific Conference and All Fellows’ Congress (ASCAF) of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria scheduled to hold from August 3 to August 7, 2026, at the International Conference Centre (ICC) and Amaedo Event Centre, Enugu. During the high-level engagement, the leadership of the Postgraduate Medical College expressed strong...

Working People United (WOPU) congratulates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) on his emphatic victory in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries, where he polled over 10 million votes to secure the party's ticket for the upcoming general election. In a statement released by the National Coordinator of WOPU, Comrade (Prince) Williams Eniredonana Akporeha, the movement described the outcome as a historic endorsement of the President's Renewed Hope Agenda. "The votes of 10.9 million Nigerians cannot be an error ; they were earned through policies that prioritise the welfare, productivity, and future of the people ," Comrade Akporeha said. "From our members in 8,809 wards to the 774 local government areas, the message is clear: working people trust President Tinubu to finish the good work he has started." The statement noted that the President's pro-people interventions, including the Student Loan Scheme, support for small busi...

By Abu Micheal  Introduction The recent decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja voiding portions of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) revised timetable for the 2027 general elections, and INEC’s subsequent appeal against that judgment, crystallizes a deeper constitutional question: what are the legal limits of INEC’s regulatory authority in a democracy governed by the rule of law? The suit, filed by the Youth Party, challenged INEC’s May 10, 2026 deadline for the submission of membership registers and its compression of other statutory timelines. Justice M.G. Umar’s judgment restored the Electoral Act 2026’s 120-day pre-election requirement for submission of candidates’ particulars and extended compliance to September 2026. INEC’s appeal, confirmed by a senior official of the Commission, signals that the contest is not over. This moment offers an opportunity to revisit the framework within which INEC operates, drawing on Professor Joash Ojo Amup...

  The Clerk of Kogi State House of Assembly, Alh Chogudo Ahmed Sule*, has felicitated with *His Excellency, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo*, the people of Kogi State, and the staff of Kogi State House of Assembly on the occasion of Eid -el- Kabir celebration. This was contained in  a statement released on Tuesday and signed by the Deputy Clerk Administration and General Service, Mr. Adebayo Michael Aka.  Alh Chogudo Ahmed congratulated Muslim faithful across the state and beyond on the successful celebration of the sacred season of sacrifice and devotion. The Clerk commended Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for his unwavering commitment to good governance, infrastructural development, and the security of lives and property in the state. “Under the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, Kogi State has witnessed deliberate efforts to strengthen security architecture, enhanced peace across communities, and executed policies that put the welfare of the pe...

Fresh details have continued to emerge from the controversial primary election of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, with party insiders alleging that an earlier plot to impose Olufemi Oyetola, son of former governor and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, as candidate for the Osun Central Senatorial District reportedly collapsed after resistance from influential party leaders and elders. The primary, which has continued to generate controversy across Osun APC, was described by several members as heavily manipulated and allegedly designed from the outset to favour certain preferred interests within the party hierarchy. According to reports circulating within APC circles, the alleged arrangement was expected to produce Femi Oyetola as consensus candidate for the senatorial district before opposition reportedly emerged from senior stakeholders who insisted that the party must respect earlier political understandings and presidential directi...

An alleged attempt to alter the outcome of the just-concluded APC Kogi West Senatorial primary election has been uncovered, according to party sources. Senator Sunday Karimi emerged winner of the primary, securing the All Progressives Congress ticket for Kogi West Senatorial District. The result was officially announced by the APC Kogi West Senatorial District Returning Officer, Haruna Isah, who stated that Karimi polled 51,665 votes to defeat four other aspirants. Isah also submitted the certified results to the Chairman of the APC Kogi State Senatorial Primary Election Committee. The official figures released are as follows: 1. Senator Sunday Karimi Steve – 51,665 votes   2. Samuel Aro – 620 votes   3. Smart Adeyemi – 571 votes   4. Alhaji Abubakar Zakari Ola – 414 votes   5. Elizabeth Adedoyin – 18 votes   The margin is said to reflect strong support for Karimi from delegates across the seven local government areas in the ...

The President of the Kogi Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture [KOCCIMA], Dr. Akerejola Demiloye, has again called on the Federal Government to complete the Lokoja-Abuja road, lamenting that Nigerians endure severe hardship on the route every festive season. Dr. Akerejola said KOCCIMA had earlier calculated the economic losses businesses suffer due to the persistent gridlock at Banda-Nataco. Just weeks ago, he noted, that the Easter period saw massive losses from traffic standstill, and the same situation has recurred days before the Eid El Kabir festival. “For how long will Nigerians suffer? For how long will businesses bear these losses?” he asked. “The time to declare a national disaster on the Lokoja-Abuja road cannot be better than now. What is the crime of businesses and motorists? The energy spent on politics and political rhetoric on the Abuja-Lokoja road should now be directed to action by the President.” KOCCIMA estimates that the gridlock costs bu...

The candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Idris Rufus Oluwafemi, has declared that the people of Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency and Kogi West Senatorial District have taken a bold and historic step towards political liberation, development, and people-oriented governance following the affirmation of the party’s candidates ahead of the forthcoming general elections. Speaking shortly after the successful affirmation exercise, Dr. Idris Rufus expressed profound appreciation to party stakeholders, faithful members, grassroots mobilizers, and constituents across the constituency for the overwhelming confidence reposed in the ADC leadership structure and its candidates. The ADC flagbearer, while acknowledging the affirmation of the party’s Senatorial candidate, Alhaji Musa Amodu, alongside the four State Assembly candidates for Kabba-Bunu I & II and Ijumu I & II constituencies, described the development as a clear signal that the people are determ...

The organisers of the annual Kogi Built Environment and Building Materials Exhibitions has congratulated the Chairman of the National Building and Road, Research Institute and the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Hon. Duro Meseko on his sixtieth birthday. In a release made available to media today in Lokoja, the group wished him good health and good opportunities in his new age. The release by the BEBM Exhibition’s Deputy Director-General of Programmes, Ogbeni Gbenga Lanre also announced the decision to host an annual essay competition with the theme, Building Smart Environment Using Made in Nigeria Building Materials in recognition of the contribution of the celebrant to the development of the society at large.  The exhibition is an annual platform for interactions between stakeholders in the built environment sector, investors, professionals and manufacturers of building/construction materials on issues, new ideas and the build env...

The membership of the All Progressive Congress in Ogori-Magongo has elected Hon. (Prince) Bode Ogunmola as the party’s flagbearer in the 2027 House of Assembly primary elections held today. It was all shout of his campaign slogan, Power belongs to God!  Power belongs to God!!, Power belongs to God!!! at the carnival-like primary election. Declaring him the winner, the APC returning officer said the election was peaceful and according to the party’s guidelines. Reacting to his victory, Hon. (Prince) Ogunmola stated that “the call to serve his people again just as his campaign slogan puts it, is divine.  He insisted that he has never nursed the ambition to run as a ranking member of the House of Assembly and that it is strictly a divine call which must come in through someone, saying God cannot come down to speak to him”. He thanked all those that voted for accepting to be used as vessels of God to pass the information.While assuring his people of better ...

Stakeholders in Yagba East Local Government Area are making the case for the return of Hon. Emmanuel Obaro to the Kogi State House of Assembly, arguing that continuity is needed to consolidate ongoing projects and legislative efforts. Obaro, who currently represents Yagba East in the Assembly on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, has been credited by constituents and party leaders for pushing initiatives in education, rural infrastructure, youth empowerment, and healthcare access during his tenure. Supporters say a second term would allow him to complete several capital projects already in motion, including classroom renovations in rural schools, grading of feeder roads, and facilitation of medical outreach programs. They argue that legislative work often requires more than one term to move from appropriation to full implementation and oversight. “Hon. Obaro has laid the groundwork. Changing representation now risks stalling projects that are halfway thro...

Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Shaibu Husseini, has challenged Nigerian filmmakers to prioritise proper script development, professionalism and attention to detail if the country’s movie industry hopes to attain greater global relevance and attract major international investment. Husseini gave the charge while speaking at the 2026 annual retreat of the The Golden Movie Ambassadors Association of Nigeria (TGMAAN), held at the prestigious Ilaji Resort in Ibadan, Oyo State. The retreat, themed “Breaking Ordinary Limits in Depiction (BOLD),” brought together actors, directors, producers, scriptwriters and other stakeholders in the Nigerian movie industry to deliberate on ways of repositioning Nollywood beyond conventional storytelling and technical limitations. Over the years, the TGMAAN annual retreat has evolved into one of the industry’s leading intellectual and networking platforms, aimed at fostering collaboration, mentorship and c...

At just 50, Matthew Tonlagha’s life has orbited the full cycle of human accomplishments. From general welfare, education support, healthcare provision, community development, youth empowerment, job and wealth creation, and security of lives and physical infrastructure. In case, you don’t know him, Tonlagha is the Chairman of Maton Engineering and vice chairman of Tantita Security Services.  He hit the golden age on February 8, this year. And it was a national celebration. A buzz full of substance and laden with significance. But the buzz was not for nothing. It was a testament to the impactful life of Tonlagha, especially in the oil and gas sector where his footprints are boldly expressed. The two enterprises he’s involved in play huge roles in oil exploration and security of oil and gas facilities especially in the difficult to navigate creeks of the oil-rich Niger Delta. What stands him out is that he’s a home-grown entrepreneur. A made-in-Nigeria solution provider. A...