Latest News from Wednesday, June 17th, 2026

Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria's former minister of petroleum resources, says her acquittal on bribery charges in the United Kingdom has brought to an end years of what she describes as unjust vilification.

The minority caucus in the House of Representatives has asked President Bola Tinubu to suspend all political activities tied to the 2027 elections and instead declare a six-month national security and economic recovery plan.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal filed by the National Broadcasting Commission against a judgment that bars the regulator from imposing fines on broadcast stations, the second such dismissal this year.

Stakeholders in child health, research and public policy have called for the institutionalisation of the Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin Among Children (SARMAAN) Project as a national child survival strategy in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Air Force (Nigerian Air Force (NAF)) has carried out the airlift of sensitive electoral materials for the upcoming 2026 Ekiti State governorship election and several federal and senatorial by-elections across the country.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has directed officers of the Kano State Police Command to step up operations against criminal groups across the state.

Real Madrid have completed the signing of former Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva on a free transfer after his contract with the English club expired at the end of last season.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has introduced a new anti-defection policy requiring all candidates seeking elective offices on its platform to sign legal documents committing to vacate their seats if they defect from the party after winning elections.

Nigeria and Cameroon have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on bilateral defence cooperation aimed at enhancing security along their shared southern border and improving maritime safety in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the release of original result slips for candidates who sat the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The Federal Government of Nigeria has dismissed reports suggesting it plans to introduce new taxes on telecommunications services and petroleum products following recommendations contained in the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) latest Article IV Consultation Report on Nigeria.

A High Court in Kogi State has sentenced a man arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) to death for kidnapping and murdering his neighbour, a hotel owner in Obajana.

Argentina captain Lionel Messi scored his first-ever FIFA World Cup hat-trick to lead the defending champions to a 3-0 victory over Algeria in their 2026 tournament opener.

Lionel Messi has equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record, while Kylian Mbappe continues to close in following their latest goal contributions at the 2026 tournament.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has welcomed the Court of Appeal’s decision to suspend the execution of the Federal High Court judgment seeking the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.

The Court of Appeal has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to suspend the execution of a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord, and three other political parties.

The Plateau State Police Command has confirmed the death of three security personnel following a security incident at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru-Jos.