21-year-old female arrested in Nasarawa with 481 rounds of ammunition

The Nasarawa State Police Command has announced the arrest of a 21-year-old suspected female arms runner who was en route to supply ammunition to terrorists in local government areas known for terror activities.

Over 75% of Nigerian imports offloaded in Benin Republic – Speaker Abbas

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has raised alarm regarding reports that over 75% of Nigerian-bound imported goods are being offloaded in the Benin Republic.

The Speaker raised the alarm while addressing a delegation of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) at his office on Wednesday, according to a statement by his media aide, Musa Abdullahi Krishi.

He called for reforms in the Nigerian economy to address bottlenecks in the import and export chain in the maritime sector.

Speaker Abbas raised the alarm over reports that countries are avoiding shipment to Nigeria, noting that some reports indicate over 75 percent of imported goods offloaded in the Benin Republic are actually meant for Nigerian destinations,” the statement partly reads.

Import and Export Chain in Nigeria’s Maritime Sector 

At the meeting with PEBEC, the Speaker decried that Nigeria is losing huge revenue to neighboring West African countries due to administrative issues at the borders.

• Speaker Abbas assured PEBEC that the House will attend to the reforms sought by the council, particularly the enforcement of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) Act and the fate of investors in the Free Trade Zones under the Tax Reform Bills.

“I feel really sad that we in Nigeria, in some areas, are doing things differently. Even from our neighbours here in West Africa, I hear complaints about customs bureaucracy and clearance. I hear about the shipping industry and ports regulatory authorities. All these are taking so long to provide, and the costs of even bringing in products to Nigeria-in some instances doubling what they collect (as duty) in our neighbouring countries. 

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“I think those are serious and major areas that your agency (PEBEC) needs to actually pay attention to. There is so much you can do by looking at our regulatory bodies, particularly those responsible for international business and trade, and see what you can do to make the Nigerian environment more competitive,” the Speaker said.

• The Speaker recalled his recent visit to Morocco, where officials of the North African country criticized the bureaucracy and delays in the import and export chain between Nigeria and Morocco.
• He stated that addressing the issues in the shipping system will be a win-win for the Nigerian government and foreign investors.

“We will take action immediately,” the Speaker assured PEBEC.

• Speaker Abbas stated further that reviews would be conducted to enable Nigeria to respect previous agreements signed with foreign investors in the Free Trade Zones.

• He disclosed that he receives complaints “every day from the private sector and foreign investors complaining of bottlenecks” in every facet of Nigeria’s economic life.

Over 75% of Nigerian imports offloaded in Benin Republic – Speaker Abbas

Final-year Abia varsity student dies while playing football

A final-year student of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Nwachukwu Omiko, slumped and d!ed during a football training session.

 The tragic incident occurred at the San Siro Football Pitch within the university on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.

The Mechanical Engineering student, said to be asthmatic, was playing football with his mates when he suddenly collapsed.

Immediate efforts by fellow students to resuscitate him were unsuccessful, prompting them to alert the University Health Services.

According to a statement signed by the Chief Public Relations Officer of the university, Ubadire Agua, the student was rushed to the hospital but was confirmed d3ad by doctors on arrival.

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“He was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in the university’s oxygen-equipped ambulance at neck-breaking speed,” the statement read.

“Despite the swift intervention and medical efforts, the university expressed deep regret over the loss of the promising student.

“The university regrets that despite the efforts to keep Mr Omiko alive, it lost him to the cold hands of death.”

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, has also extended heartfelt condolences to Omiko’s family, the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, and the entire student community.

The university management appealed to all students to prioritise their health by checking their status with the university health services upon arrival on campus.

It also advised students with underlying health conditions to avoid engaging in strenuous physical activities.

Final-year Abia varsity student dies while playing football