In a dramatic early morning assault, the Republic of Benin Military force have launched a coup d’état, successfully removing President Patrice Talon from power, according to statements from the armed forces themselves. The unfolding crisis began in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, when soldiers attacked the official residence of President Patrice Talon in the administrative capital, Porto-Novo. Lt. Col. Tigri’s Faction Seizes Benin Broadcast HQ Following the initial attack, a faction of the military, led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, seized control of the national television and radio broadcasting headquarters. Lt. Col. Tigri read a brief statement from the state…
Author: Ofonime Honesty
Senator Aniekan Bassey reviewed ECOWAS Parliament progress during 2025 Second Ordinary Session commencement marking 25th anniversary. ECOWAS Parliament press release confirmed Senator Bassey’s statements, session dates, budget adoption directly from Abuja yesterday. Sixth legislature member detailed Nigeria’s positions on security, democracy during televised opening ceremony broadcast regionally. Delegate statements cross-checking official records exposing regional integration failures brutally hidden. 25th Anniversary Milestone or Farce? ECOWAS Parliament celebrates 25 years amid coups, insecurity questioning relevance after quarter century wasted regionally. Second Ordinary Session runs December 1-13 supposedly advancing democracy integration West Africa desperately needs urgently. Senator Bassey claims progress review ignores Nigeria’s abandoned…
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Senator Aniekan Bassey, PhD, has called for deeper global partnerships and stronger diplomatic engagement to safeguard the interests of Nigerians living in different parts of the world. Speaking during a Committee strategy session, Senator Bassey emphasized that Nigeria cannot afford to operate in isolation. Especially at a time when migration, global security, foreign employment, cross-border education, and irregular mobility are becoming more complex. He stated that Nigerians abroad contribute significantly to the nation’s economy through remittances. Also, investments, professional networks, and knowledge transfer, and must therefore be protected…
Senior officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have expressed strong satisfaction with the pace and quality of work at the ongoing construction of the Commission’s state headquarters in Uyo. The assurance was given on Wednesday during a joint inspection visit by the Akwa Ibom State Representative on the NDDC Board, Apostle Abasiandikan Nkono, and the State Director, Engr. Evong Evong. Following a comprehensive tour of the facility. Apostle Nkono Hails NDDC’s Sustainable Infrastructure Focus Apostle Nkono hailed the project as evidence of the Commission’s renewed focus on delivering tangible and sustainable infrastructure in the State. “What we are…
Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, Comrade Nsibiet John, has dismissed allegations of media repression in the State, describing a report by Mr. Mojeed Misikilu of International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria as “false, unfounded and inconsistent with reality.” Comrade John was speaking in Uyo on Wednesday at a media symposium to mark this year’s Press Week of Akwa Ibom State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ. Comrade John Rejects IPI Allegations After Careful Review In a reaction to the claim, Comrade John said he had carefully reviewed the concerns raised by IPI, but found…
Ace producer Lemmy Jackson has described his induction into the AMAN Hall of Fame as the true hallmark of his remarkable career, saying the honour has renewed his commitment to reposition Nigeria’s creative industry. He was also decorated with the AMAN Special Icon Award by the Artist Management Association in Nigeria (AMAN) for championing Nigeria’s golden era of music revolution. Jackson Award Validates Pioneering Afro-Reggae Fusion The recognition, presented by the association, formed part of AMAN’s 30-year anniversary celebrations. Jackson said the award validates the pioneering experiment he initiated years ago, fusing Afro music with a distinct African reggae flavour.…
By Ofonime Honesty The Akwa Ibom State Government has issued a rebuttal against the International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria, dismissing allegations of media repression in the state as “false, unfounded, and completely inconsistent” with the established facts of its relationship with the press. The government, in a press release signed by the Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Umanah, was responding to a report credited to Mr. Mojeed Misikilu of the IPI Nigeria and Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, which alleged a climate of media repression and claimed to have blacklisted the state’s Governor, Pastor Umo Eno. Describing the claim as…
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Aniekan Umanah, has dismissed as “baseless, misleading, and utterly infantile” the article authored by Ekemini Simon, alleging that the State Government is withholding the 2025 Supplementary Budget from the public. Speaking with journalists at the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Complex ahead of the Governor’s presentation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill, Dr. Umanah said government is fully aware of the writer’s “intent and purpose”, describing his consistent attempts to run down the administration as nothing more than a bid to justify funds collected from donor organisations under the guise of “investigative journalism.”…
The Government of Canada has issued a new advisory urging citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Nigeria, including the capital city, Abuja, citing an increasingly unpredictable security environment marked by terrorism, crime, armed attacks, and kidnappings. The advisory, released on Monday, highlights that while the entire country faces elevated risks, certain regions are considered so dangerous that Canadians are urged to avoid all travel. The only exceptions to the broader warning are the cities of Lagos and Calabar, where travellers are advised to exercise a high degree of caution rather than avoid travel altogether. According to the travel advice,…
A total of N1,390,000,000,000 (One Trillion, Three Hundred and Ninety Billion Naira) budget has been proposed for the 2026 Financial Year in Akwa Ibom State. Of this amount, N354.867 billion or 25% of total budget is for Recurrent Expenditure, while N1,035 Trn representing 75% of the budget goes for Capital Expenditure. Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pst. Umo Eno,PhD, who proposed these 2026 budget estimates before the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly on Tuesday. Explained that the budget represents a decrease of N260bn or 16percent from the revised 2025 budget. The 2026 budget christened, “The People’s Budget of Expansion and…