A routine shopping trip turned into a celebratory event on Monday evening when a pregnant woman unexpectedly went into labour and safely delivered a baby boy inside the bustling Gbagi Market. The woman had visited the popular market to purchase final essentials for her unborn child. Instead, she began experiencing sharp, sudden labour pains mid-purchase. Recognising the urgency, local traders and market women sprang into action. They quickly cleared out a nearby shop, transforming it into a makeshift delivery room to ensure her privacy. Using their collective experience, the market women successfully assisted the mother through childbirth before emergency medical transit could be arranged. Both mother and her newborn son were reported to be in stable condition before being moved to a healthcare facility for routine post-delivery checkups. The successful birth drew a massive, cheerful crowd of shoppers and vendors. Onlookers highly praised the market women for their rapid response, resourcefulness, and calm composure under pressure.

The Senate on Wednesday rejected a sweeping motion seeking a comprehensive legislative probe into the budgetary allocation, operations, and rising controversies surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). The decision has sparked intense debates across the nation`s political landscape regarding the limits of parliamentary oversight on executive matters. The move to investigate the council was initiated by Senator Suleiman Kawu, the lawmaker representing Kano South, who raised a critical point of order during the plenary session. Kawu sought the immediate intervention of the upper legislative chamber to uncover the operational framework of the purported agency and address public anxiety over its funds. Citing Order 9 and Rule 9(c) of the Senate Standing Orders (2026), Kawu presented a formal motion titled, ‘Urgent Need to Investigate the Budgetary Allocation, Operations and Controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) to safeguard the Integrity of the Senate and the Federal Government’. He argued that a transparent legislative inquiry was necessary to preserve public trust in national governance. In his lead argument, the Kano South lawmaker expressed deep worries over the mystery surrounding the creation and financing of the council, which has recently dominated national discourse. According to him, the public space has been heavily inundated with allegations, controversies, accusations, and counter-accusations concerning the true nature of the PFIPC entity. However, the momentum for a legislative showdown was abruptly halted by the leadership of the upper house during the presentation. The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary session, ruled against opening the floor for a general debate on the matter, effectively stepping down the motion. Defending his ruling, Jibrin explained to the lawmakers that the Executive arm of government had already taken decisive steps to address the irregularities trailing the council. He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has officially directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to launch a full-scale investigation into the matter. Concluding his remarks, the Deputy Senate President urged his colleagues to exercise patience and allow the anti-graft agency to finish its work without legislative interference. He maintained that the Senate would monitor the situation closely, ensuring that the executive-led probe remains thorough, fair, and transparent to all Nigerians.

The embattled Director General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, has broken his silence regarding the establishment of the now-defunct agency. Speaking from an undisclosed location on Wednesday, Matthew defended his actions, stating that the creation of the council was driven entirely by patriotism. He strongly denied setting up the body for personal financial gain or fraudulent purposes. The development follows an intense public outcry after the council appeared as a beneficiary in the newly passed 2026 Appropriation Act. The Presidency swiftly distanced itself from the agency, declaring it completely fake and non-existent. President Bola Tinubu has since ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate how the unrecognized body bypassed security to secure federal funding. THENEWSCREDIT reports that In a video call with social media critic Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, Matthew explained that his primary goal was to market Nigeria to global investors. He noted that he was desperate to serve the country and change its international outlook. According to him, he even went as far as self-funding early administrative processes to ensure Nigeria became a preferred destination for foreign capital. Addressing the mystery of the agency`s funding, Matthew claimed complete ignorance of how its financial allocations were drafted. He revealed that he was physically absent during the critical period when the 2026 national budget was prepared and defended before lawmakers. He questioned how an agency disowned by the executive branch could successfully navigate the rigorous National Assembly budget defense process without official backing. Matthew further disclosed that his legal troubles began after he contacted law enforcement to verify his position. He stated that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, invited him to explain his appointment letters, which were reportedly linked to the Chief of Staff to the President. Following that meeting, Matthew was detained for 23 days between October and November, during which time the controversial budget insertion allegedly took place. The embattled official revealed that by the time he was released from police custody on November 19, his assigned office space had already been reallocated to another government official. He maintained that he has not stepped foot into the agency`s office since late October. He also faces ongoing formal charges in court bordering on forgery, impersonation, and related federal offenses. The case took a darker turn as Matthew revealed that a key figure in the agency`s formation has passed away. He claimed that his close friend, Dolapo Tanimola, who allegedly provided the initial financial backing to establish the council`s operations, recently died in a tragic hotel fire accident in the Utako district of Abuja. Tanimola was also the intermediary who allegedly facilitated phone conversations between Matthew and the Chief of Staff, THENEWSCREDIT reports. Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has firmly denied any legitimate connection to Matthew or the council. Gbajabiamila has petitioned security agencies, accusing Matthew of high-level impersonation and the forgery of presidency documents. The petition triggered the initial police crackdown and the subsequent freeze on the council`s operations. Despite the heavy allegations, Matthew maintains his innocence and insists that all official documents in his possession are authentic. He announced his readiness to cooperate fully with ongoing security investigations to clear his name. He promised to voluntarily walk into the headquarters of the police and the Department of State Services to hand over his complete file of evidence. The unfolding budget padding scandal continues to raise serious questions about the integrity of the federal appropriation process. With President Tinubu demanding the immediate identification and prosecution of everyone involved in the illegal budget insertion, security agencies are under pressure to uncover how a rogue agency nearly secured millions in taxpayers` money. President Tinubu ordered a 30-day ICPC probe into a fictitious agency`s insertion into the 2026 budget. Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, currently on police bail for forgery and impersonation, is scheduled to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 27, 2026. The Senate has distanced itself from the scandal, rejecting accusations of bypassing screening and deferring action until the investigation is complete.

The Federal Government has ordered the immediate suspension of all newly issued regulations, guidelines, and codes targeting internet platforms and digital intermediaries. The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, issued the directive following a strategic meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC). Under the new directive, these agencies will temporarily defer the enforcement of recently issued directives currently undergoing inter-agency policy harmonisation. Minister Tijani explained that the rapid evolution of Nigeria’s digital economy has created areas where the responsibilities of sector regulators increasingly overlap. He noted that the convergence of telecommunications, digital platforms, artificial intelligence, online safety, and data governance now requires a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to policy development. The Minister emphasized that maintaining the regulatory status quo is fundamental to preserving legal certainty for investors and operators while promoting innovation and consumer confidence. According to the Ministry, improved regulatory coordination will ultimately strengthen Nigeria’s long-term competitiveness as Africa’s leading digital economy. The freeze is specifically designed to eliminate compliance confusion for businesses operating within the country`s fast-growing tech ecosystem. To ensure a smooth transition, the Ministry clarified that the directive does not diminish or affect the statutory responsibilities of the respective agencies. All other provisions of existing regulations and codes that fall squarely within the express mandates of the NCC, NITDA, and NDPC under extant laws remain fully operational. They must, however, align consistently with the overarching policy direction issued by the Minister. As part of the implementation strategy, Dr. Tijani announced the immediate establishment of a joint technical coordination committee. This committee features representatives from the three regulatory bodies who are tasked with coordinating extensive stakeholder consultations. Their primary mandate is to develop actionable recommendations for a harmonised national policy and governance framework moving forward. Once finalized, this new framework will clearly define the specific boundaries and responsibilities of the NCC, NITDA, and NDPC. The government expects the joint framework to drastically reduce regulatory overlap, protect consumer rights, and provide a predictable environment for international tech investments. The Ministry reiterated that the ongoing exercise is strictly aimed at driving institutional synergy rather than stripping agencies of their legal powers. This policy freeze comes less than 24 hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to launch an investigation into major technology companies and generative artificial intelligence platforms. The presidential probe targets allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unauthorized exploitation of Nigerian media content. The newly formed harmonisation committee is expected to factor these pressing market challenges into their unified regulatory framework.

Heavily armed security operatives have raided the Oyo State residence of Pa Adetunji Ajayi Adeniyi, detaining him in a bid to force the surrender of his son, Prince Mathew Adebayo Adeniyi. The younger Adeniyi is currently wanted by federal authorities for allegedly operating two fraudulent presidency agencies. The dramatic operation follows a high-stakes, public feud between the suspect and the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, over the legitimacy of the organizations. The security crackdown began with a terrifying midnight raid at the family’s residence in the Technical College area of Ogbomoso. Operatives scaled the perimeter fencing, cut through defensive barbed wires, and smashed gate padlocks to gain entry into the compound. After forcing their way inside, the officers subjected the terrified family to an aggressive room-by-room search, breaking open wardrobes and temporarily confiscating mobile phones before withdrawing. Unsatisfied with their initial findings, a large detachment of police officers returned to the building on Monday morning in a three-vehicle convoy. The massive deployment triggered widespread panic among neighborhood residents as officers surrounded the house for a second time. It was during this second operation that the elderly patriarch was officially taken into custody after failing to produce his embattled son. THENEWSCREDIT reports that Pa Adeniyi was subsequently whisked away to the Sunsun Divisional Police Headquarters, where he was held for nearly six hours under intense interrogation. Detectives questioned the elderly man extensively about his son`s residential addresses, daily routines, and associates in Abuja. While the patriarch maintained that he was completely unaware of his son’s exact location, investigators expressed deep skepticism over his claims. The high-profile manhunt stems from a whistleblowing directive issued by the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The Presidency had issued an official disclaimer exposing the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) as entirely fictitious entities. The fraudulent setups were uncovered after officials at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council complained that a rogue agency was illegally duplicating their statutory functions. In a defiant response to the presidency`s disclaimer, Prince Adeniyi had earlier organized a press conference to insist that his organizations were legally established arms of the federal government. During the broadcast, the suspect leveled several scandalous and unverified allegations against the Chief of Staff, escalating the bureaucratic dispute into a highly sensitive criminal investigation. The messy public confrontation has since generated intense debate across the country. Speaking to journalists following his release from police custody, Pa Adeniyi confirmed that while he was not physically assaulted by the operatives, the psychological toll of the raids was severe. He explained that his son had briefly visited Ogbomoso before returning to the Federal Capital Territory days before the police arrived. The elderly father stated that he genuinely believed his son was a legitimate federal official, describing him as a peaceful and gentle individual since childhood. Top security sources have confirmed that federal intelligence agencies have now been fully activated to track down Prince Adeniyi in Abuja. Law enforcement administrators have warned that family members harboring the suspect will face severe legal consequences for obstructing justice. Security monitoring around the Ogbomoso family home remains highly reinforced as the police intensify their efforts to bring the alleged fraudulent director-general to book.

The Federal Government has commenced the full enforcement of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026, officially establishing the National Identification Number (NIN) as Nigeria’s only legally recognized means of identification. This statutory shift mandates a single-identity framework across the country, making the NIN the primary benchmark for verifying the identity of all citizens and legal residents. The policy shift was heavily reinforced during a strategic meeting held in Abuja on Monday between the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, and the NIMC Director-General, Dr. Abisoye Odusote. Speaking on the development, Bagudu described the new legislation as a landmark reform designed to radically strengthen Nigeria’s digital identity architecture, optimize national governance, and support evidence-based policymaking. Bagudu noted that the 2026 Act provides a significantly stronger, modernized legal framework capable of hosting a secure, trusted, and inclusive national identity system. However, the Minister stressed that the ultimate success of this legislative milestone relies entirely on aggressive, effective implementation and its ultimate ability to deliver tangible economic and social benefits to regular citizens. To achieve seamless integration, the Minister called for immediate and deep collaboration among federal, state, and local government authorities. He emphasized that all tiers of government must work together to eliminate scattered, multiple identity databases across various agencies, thereby building total public confidence in the country’s unified identity management framework. According to Bagudu, a single, comprehensive national identity database is critical for the country`s future survival and economic growth. He explained that a harmonized system provides the accurate demographic and socio-economic data desperately needed for long-term development planning, efficient resource allocation, and targeted public service delivery. As Nigeria rapidly expands its digital footprint, the Minister also stressed that the government is prioritizing the safety of citizens` personal information. He maintained that strict data privacy protocols, heightened cybersecurity infrastructure, and stronger legal safeguards are being deployed concurrently to protect the expanding digital identity ecosystem from external breaches. Earlier in the briefing, NIMC Director-General Dr. Abisoye Odusote explained that the newly enacted 2026 legislation completely repeals the outdated 2007 framework. She confirmed that the law legally solidifies the NIN as the nation`s foundational identifier under a strict “one person, one identity” policy, backed by heavily upgraded digital infrastructure and enhanced data protection provisions.

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to launch an investigation into global tech giants and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms over anti-competitive practices and the unlawful exploitation of Nigerian media content. The probe targets major tech conglomerates including Meta, Alphabet (Google), X (formerly Twitter), and various AI firms operating within the country. The presidential directive follows a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO). The NPO is an umbrella body comprising the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP). The directive was formally conveyed to the FCCPC through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris. According to a statement issued on Monday by the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the investigation will focus heavily on market dominance, unauthorized content scraping, and the ingestion of copyrighted news articles and broadcast materials used to train Generative AI models. Local publishers have long complained about declining revenues, alleging they are denied meaningful opportunities to negotiate fair compensation while tech platforms freely monetise their original journalism. The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, assured stakeholders that the commission will conduct an independent, transparent, and evidence-based inquiry. "Our responsibility is to objectively determine the facts and ensure that competition within the digital ecosystem remains fair, transparent, and consistent with Nigerian law," Bello stated, clarifying that the inquiry does not presume wrongdoing ahead of the findings. The FCCPC will determine if these tech practices violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) of 2018. This development mirrors a global shift toward digital platform regulation. Recently, the South African Competition Commission secured an agreement where Google committed to paying South African news media R688 million ($40 million) annually. The Nigerian probe also comes on the heels of a landmark $220 million penalty imposed by the FCCPC on Meta for data privacy breaches, a decision the tech giant is currently appealing.

Men of the Oyo State Police Command have arrested a prominent masquerade following the gruesome murder of a 24-year-old man in the Labiran area of Ibadan, directly flouting strict peace orders from the Olubadan of Ibadanland. The deceased, identified as Mr. Sefiu Kehinde, was reportedly hacked to death on Sunday afternoon by the masquerade and a mob of his followers using axes and cutlasses. The command’s Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed the incident in a statement released on Monday morning, revealing that the primary suspect is now in custody while a manhunt has been launched for four fleeing accomplices. According to police manifestoes, the bloody encounter occurred at approximately 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, 2026. A distress call from a family member alerted authorities to the Mapo Divisional Police Headquarters. "The masquerade, identified as the Asoleke, and its followers were parading through Labiran when they allegedly attacked Kehinde," Ayanlade stated. "The victim sustained severe injuries across various parts of his body from weapons including axes and cutlasses." A rapid response team led by the Mapo Divisional Police Officer mobilised to the scene and evacuated the heavily bleeding victim to a nearby hospital. Doctors on duty confirmed Kehinde dead on arrival. The killing comes as a direct violation of safety directives issued by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasidi Ladoja. Prior to the annual cultural festivities, the monarch had explicitly warned all masquerades and traditional adherents against weapon-wielding, cult clashes, and general violence. Oba Ladoja emphasized that the festival must not be weaponised to settle old scores, wage supremacy battles, or orchestrate retaliatory attacks against rival groups. While the Asoleke masquerade remains detained for interrogation, detectives are actively pursuing the remaining members of the gang. The Oyo State Police Command has launched a comprehensive investigation into the murder, assuring the public that all perpetrators involved in the lawlessness will be brought to face swift justice.

The Presidency has declared that the ultimate responsibility for eradicating poverty lies with local governments because they are the closest tier of administration to the grassroots. Tofe Fasua, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Economic Affairs, made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. He emphasized that President Tinubu`s strong push for local government autonomy and direct funding is strategically designed to empower grassroots leaders to directly address the financial struggles of the vulnerable. "Fixing poverty is certainly a local government’s thing because local governments are the closest to the people," Fasua stated, underscoring that solutions to local hardships must originate locally rather than relying solely on the federal government. Fasua pointed out that financial devolution is already yielding tangible results, contrasting the improved current situation with historical issues of unpaid workers and pensioners. He referenced past successes—such as the operational framework of local administrations in Lagos in 1999—to illustrate how chairmen effectively managed and settled the daily financial needs of constituents in their communities. The Presidency maintains that granting financial and administrative autonomy to the third tier of government is the most viable path to restoring grassroots welfare and driving sustainable economic development nationwide.

Popular cleric and founder of Agape Christian Ministries, Pastor Funke Adejumo, has cautioned married men against destroying their health and peace of mind in an impossible bid to satisfy their wives. In a sermon that went viral over the weekend, the prominent clergywoman explicitly stated that no man possesses the capacity to completely please a woman. She urged husbands to shed the unnecessary pressure of trying to meet every shifting expectation. Addressing the congregation, Adejumo argued that women are naturally wired to constantly seek change and improvement. She humorously pointed to modern female beauty standards and grooming routines as definitive proof of this restless trait. "God gave us natural nails, we cut them and put on artificial ones," Adejumo observed. "He gave us natural hair, we remove it and wear wigs. If God cannot please us completely, who are you to think you can?" While she strongly advocated for husbands to maintain a culture of deep love, care, and provision for their partners, she drew a firm line at self-sabotage. The cleric concluded by warning men that exhausting themselves for marital perfection is a futile pursuit. She advised couples to instead build their unions on realistic expectations, mutual understanding, and sustainable affection.