Author: straightnewsng.com

The United States Congress has highly recommended targeted sanctions and visa bans on individuals and entities linked to persecution of Christians in the country. This was as the Congress decried Nigeria’s security crisis, describing the country as the “deadliest place in the world to be a Christian.” The Congress also urged sweeping policy measures that extend beyond religious violence to include concerns about Chinese ‘illegal’ mining operations which pay militias money for protection, and Russian military influence. The position is contained in a joint report delivered to the White House by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee and the House Foreign…

Aniefiok Christopher President Bola Tinubu has appointed Tunji Disu as acting Inspector-General of Police, following the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun. Disu brings experience and a strong operational background to the nation’s top police position./ 1:01 A veteran of the Nigeria Police Force, Disu joined the service on May 18, 1992, with more than three decades of experience in policing and leadership. He is well‑educated, holding a Bachelor’s degree in English Education from Lagos State University and two master’s degrees — one in Public Administration and another in Criminology, Security, and Legal Psychology. Also read IGP Egbetokun, PSC Flex muscles over…

Press Release  Akwa Ibom Police Command has busted suspected drug enclaves in Itu Local Government Area, arresting18 suspects in a major crackdown.  This was the Command’s decisive and uncompromising crackdown on criminal networks with arrest of 18 suspects and recovery of a substantial quantity of substances suspected to be cannabis and other hard drugs. ‘‘The operation, executed on 22nd February 2026 at about 2320 hours, followed credible intelligence indicating that certain locations in Oku Iboko Village and Mbak Community had become active drug distribution hubs fueling criminal activities within the area. Acting swiftly, operatives of the Command stormed the identified…

Akakan Umoh Arise Television news anchor, Rufai Oseni has queried the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for recording 1,219 votes in a polling unit with only 211 valid votes being cast from 213 accredited voters out of 345 registered voters. Rufai who raised the alarm in a post on his X handle on Monday following the local council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which was conducted on Saturday, condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over what he described as ‘‘manipulation in the election in favour of the APC.’’ The controversy surfaced after result sheets from the Idoro…

Aniefiok Christopher Professor Chidi Anselm Odinkalu has slammed the University of Ibadan (UI) for producing 58 First-Class Law graduates out of 146 in the 2024/2025 session, implying inflation of marks to the awardees. Odinkalu, who is a prominent Nigerian human rights lawyer,  Professor of Practice in International Human Rights Law at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, in his social media handle, questioned the rationality if they were “spectacularly geniuses” or if the grades were awarded like INEC, portraying a drop in standards. He wrote ‘‘So 58 out of 146 students in the law faculty at  @UniIbadan…

Etokowo Owoh There is a genuine concern that Akwa Ibom State has been unable to outgrow its dependence on the civil service as the primary source of livelihood for its ever-growing population. Over the last 25 years, the refrain on the lips of successive leaders in the state has been the need “to grow an alternative economy” as a means of leapfrogging out of the civil service–dominated system. How much of this has been achieved is evident for all to see. Recently, I spoke with a former ranking government official with responsibility for economic planning of the state. He said…

Abasifreke Effiong Another indigenous highlife music talent is rising in Akwa Ibom State. He is Prince PapaMighty, an emerging highlife musician and artist. From nowhere, his tribute song in honour of the late Sir Wilker Jackson has become a hit.  Last night, I stumbled on a few short videos on Facebook on the night of tributes for the late music icon, Sir Wilker Jackson and I was thrilled by the dirge rendered by PapaMighty, entitled:  Etua Nangedo. His lyric is insightful and consoling. The song is a traditional highlife masterpiece, even as a dirge. I am a lover of traditional…

Edi Umoh United States President, Mr. Donald Trump, on Saturday,  pushed the global duty on imports of his country to 15 per cent, doubling down on his promise to maintain his aggressive tariff policy a day after the Supreme Court ruled much of it illegal. Trump said on his Truth Social platform that after a thorough review of Friday’s “extraordinarily anti-American decision” by the court to rein in his tariff program, the administration was hiking the import levies “to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level.” Shortly after the court’s 6-3 ruling that rejected the President’s authority to impose…

Press Release The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately withdraw the Lawful Interception of Communications Regulations, 2019, as the Regulations are unconstitutional, unlawful, and entirely inconsistent with Nigeria’s international obligations.” SERAP further urged him “to direct Mr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to withdraw the law and to urgently initiate a transparent and inclusive legislative process to ensure that any lawful interception framework fully complies with constitutional safeguards, judicial oversight requirements, and Nigeria’s international obligations.” The request followed allegations by the former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai that the…

Aniefiok Christopher Akwa Ibom Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, and immediate past Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel ‘‘reunited’’ publicly at the funeral service of Rev (Dr) Emmanuel Ossom, months after their political disagreement and re-alignment. Eno officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Government House, Uyo on Friday, 6 June 2025. Eno described his defection as a response to the evolving political climate, stating: “We must be able to interpret the times, flow with them, and not swim against the tide. Having completed my consultations, I have now decided to align myself with the…