The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has strongly cautioned politicians and their supporters against dragging the name of Jesus Christ into partisan political debates. The apex Christian body issued this directive as political activities intensify ahead of the crucial 2027 general elections. The warning follows a public controversy triggered by remarks from Precious Oruche, a popular political commentator known as "Mama Pee." In her viral commentary, Oruche explicitly referenced Jesus Christ while making a political case for the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi. Reacting to the development, the National President of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, stated that the association felt compelled to intervene. He noted that while robust political discourse is expected, a sacred line has been crossed by citizens seeking to validate their choices. According to THENEWSCREDIT,Archbishop Okoh emphasised that the name of Christ must never be weaponised for electoral gains. The cleric reminded the public that Jesus Christ is not a political candidate, a campaign slogan, or a tool to advance one politician against another. The association further declared that no human leader, regardless of their popularity or achievements, should be elevated to a place that belongs to God alone. CAN stressed that intense political loyalty must not diminish the absolute reverence due to the Christian faith. While clarifying its stance on civic participation, the apex body noted that Nigerians remain fully free to support or criticise any candidate. It explicitly named prominent leaders like Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and President Bola Tinubu as figures citizens can openly evaluate. However,THENEWSCREDIT reports that the council urged voters to shift their focus away from religious sentiments and concentrate on tangible governance metrics. Supporters were advised to channel their passion into debates about competence, policy frameworks, character, and track records. Concluding the statement, Archbishop Okoh reminded the nation that no politician is a messiah, and no electoral victory is worth compromising sacred honors. He urged all political actors to conduct their upcoming campaigns with the utmost responsibility, restraint, and mutual respect.

Panic has gripped residents of Kebbe town in the Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State following an audacious N40 million levy demanded by suspected bandits. The terrorists have threatened to slaughter residents and burn the entire community to the ground if the deadline is missed. The criminal syndicate delivered their ultimatum through a local farmer, forcing him to hand over a mobile phone directly to the District Head of Kebbe, Mallam Lawal Labbo. According to updates tracking the situation, the bandits initially gave the town five days to produce the cash but extended it to seven days after desperate pleas from community leaders. The mobile device has since been handed over to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area. However, the gunmen issued a chilling warning that the phone must remain switched on, charged, and answered at all times, stating that any missed call would trigger an immediate, bloody invasion. The Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed the high-stakes threat. Command Spokesperson, DSP Ahmed Rufai, stated that strategic countermeasures are already underway. "We are aware of the information, and we, together with our Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU), are already working on the information," Rufai assured, confirming the reality of the multi-million naira ultimatum. As the countdown to the deadline ticks away, tension remains at a breaking point across Kebbe, with locals desperately calling for heavy military reinforcement to avert a catastrophe.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has placed a strict media embargo on lawyers involved in the legal battle challenging President Bola Tinubu’s eligibility for the 2027 presidential election. Presiding Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, issued the stern warning on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, cautioning counsel against debating the substantive details of the case across traditional or social media platforms. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, was instituted jointly by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The plaintiffs are seeking Tinubu’s disqualification from the 2027 polls over allegations that he submitted a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Expressing displeasure over potential media trials, Justice Ekwo emphasized that the temple of justice remains the only appropriate venue to argue the merits of the case. “This case is to be conducted in court and not in the media, whether it is regular or social,” Justice Ekwo warned. “If this case is discussed on social media, I will hold counsel for the party responsible, and I will take very drastic action.” The day`s proceedings hit a procedural snag when counsel to Atiku, Joseph Onu, informed the court that the plaintiffs had been unable to serve President Tinubu with the originating court documents. Onu requested the court to grant an order for personal service on the President or, alternatively, allow for substituted service via public publication, citing the high national importance of the suit. However, counsel to INEC, Alex Iziyon (SAN), opposed the application for personal service. Iziyon argued that the physical appearance of Omosanya Popoola in court as Tinubu’s legal representative proved that the President was already aware of the litigation. INEC’s legal team further urged the court to fast-track the proceedings, pointing out that 17 days had already elapsed since the suit was officially filed. Iziyon noted that the electoral umpire was fully prepared to file its formal defence within 10 days to avoid unnecessary delays. Declining to dictate the litigation strategy to the plaintiffs, Justice Ekwo noted that the court could not micro-manage how the petitioners handle their case files. The matter has been adjourned until September 28, 2026, for mention.

The Federal Government has unveiled a strategic blueprint to transform Nigeria into a premier global hub for talent and services exports, aiming to generate one million export-linked jobs over the next five years. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, disclosed this during a press conference in Abuja, declaring that the future of Nigeria`s economy will increasingly depend on the intellect, creativity, and skills of its citizens rather than traditional physical commodities. For decades, Nigeria`s export conversations have strictly revolved around oil, solid minerals, and agricultural products. However, Idris noted that the dynamics of the global economy have fundamentally shifted. Digital infrastructure now allows knowledge, professional services, and creative skills to cross international borders seamlessly. Nigeria possesses distinct structural advantages that position the nation to lead the 21st-century global digital economy. Key drivers of this potential include a large youthful demographic, strong English-language proficiency, and a strategic geographic time zone advantageous for international commerce. Addressing the popular trend of youth emigration, the Minister emphasized that geography is no longer a barrier to financial success. He stressed that with the government’s new infrastructure and market access strategies, young Nigerians can earn competitive foreign currency right from home. "A young Nigerian does not have to leave the country to participate in the global economy," Idris maintained. "With the right skills and professional standards, our youth can live here and service global clients, allowing the nation to retain talent while benefiting from foreign exchange inflows and a robust tax base." To ensure the success of this economic transition, the Ministry of Information is launching an aggressive media campaign to build international confidence in Nigerian businesses. Idris asserted that having raw talent is insufficient if the global market remains unaware of its quality. Concluding his address, the Minister sent a definitive message to the international community: "Nigeria is ready to compete on the global stage. Our talent is ready to work, and it is time for the world to look to Nigeria."

Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has strongly challenged the federal government over the total removal of petrol subsidy. He declared that citizens are dying while waiting for the promised economic relief under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s flagship program, Sunday Politics, the legal luminary raised serious concerns about the true impact of the policy. He noted that despite the massive increase in revenues flowing into public coffers, ordinary Nigerians are yet to see any meaningful improvements in their daily lives. Falana called on citizens across the country to aggressively demand transparency from all three tiers of government. He emphasized that the national, state, and local governments must provide clear, undeniable proof of how the post-subsidy revenues are being utilized for public good. The senior lawyer specifically questioned why these surging funds have not been deployed to aggressively fix Nigeria’s decaying infrastructure. He argued that the current state of critical sectors, especially transportation and public infrastructure, does not reflect the trillions of nairas reportedly saved from the policy. Drawing historical parallels, Falana lamented the collapse of collaborative governance in infrastructural development. He pointed out that state governments previously possessed the initiative to repair failing federal roads within their domains and successfully seek financial refunds from the central government later. The human rights advocate warned strongly against slipping back into what he described as the dark "era of the fuel subsidy scam." He insisted that the only way to prevent past systemic corruption from repeating itself is through absolute openness regarding the administration of the savings. Dismissing official government appeals for continued patience, Falana categorized such rhetoric as a dangerous delusion. He stressed that prolonged economic hardship has pushed millions of citizens to the absolute brink, making further delays completely unacceptable. "If you say we are making more money, we don’t want to go back to the era of the fuel subsidy scam. Where are the benefits? It’s a fallacy being told to wait and wait and wait. People are dying," Falana declared.

The Founder and Presiding Pastor of Salvation Ministries, David Ibiyeomie, has urged Christian clerics and evangelists to shift their focus from fire-and-brimstone preaching to messages of love and compassion, noting that Nigerians are already enduring hellish economic conditions. Speaking on Sunday during a sermon titled "The Power of Compassion," Ibiyeomie argued that threatening impoverished and struggling citizens with hellfire is ineffective for soul-winning. Instead, he emphasized that evangelism in times of severe economic hardship must offer hope and practical support. "You can imagine preaching hell to Nigerians; they are already in hell," the cleric said. "There is no way you will preach hell to Nigerians and anybody will be born again. Just tell them God loves you; He can change your story." The cleric noted that citizens grappling with basic survival, skyrocketing petrol prices, and food inflation cannot connect with fear-based evangelism. "The man will say he has not even seen food to eat, he has not bought petrol; already, he is in hell," Ibiyeomie remarked, using popular pidgin phrasing to illustrate the mindset of ordinary citizens: "The suffering wey I dey suffer now, na wetin e be?" He maintained that messages centered strictly on judgment fail to resonate with people who are already at their breaking point. Quoting Psalm 103:8 and Ephesians 4:32, the pastor defined compassion as the ultimate expression of God’s nature. He explained that genuine compassion requires more than just feeling pity for the distressed, breaking it down into three distinct operational steps: Seeing a person`s desperate situation clearly. Caring deeply about their plight. Taking concrete action to alleviate their suffering. While acknowledging the severe financial strain across the country, Ibiyeomie clarified that acts of compassion should not be limited to monetary hand-outs. Citing Acts 3:6, he explained that believers can also support the vulnerable through steadfast faith, emotional solidarity, and other forms of practical assistance. He concluded by challenging the Church to become a refuge of mercy and kindness, reminding Christians that experiencing God`s compassion binds them to extend the same grace to others without judgment.

The Presiding Bishop, Bishop Akintayo Asamu, has charged Christians worldwide to urgently discover and correctly utilize their God-given spiritual authority to unlock destinies and liberate their generations from systemic stagnation. Delivering a powerful, soul-stirring sermon titled "The Master’s Key" on Sunday, August 30, 2026, the cleric emphasized that a lack of spiritual understanding remains the greatest barrier to human fulfillment. The message was delivered during the widely followed Niwaju-Oluwa interdenominational service, broadcast live via Brave 91.1 FM, Ogbomoso. Drawing extensive insights from the holy scriptures, Bishop Asamu explained that keys in the spiritual realm are absolute symbols of authority, access, and governance. He noted that while Jesus Christ delegated the keys of the kingdom of heaven to the Church, many contemporary believers suffer because they either do not realize they possess these keys, or they completely lack the knowledge of how to operate them. He warned that possessing a key without knowing how to use it leaves a person as helpless as someone locked outside in the dark. The cleric referenced the dramatic encounter in 1 Kings 17, where the Prophet Elijah held the prophetic key over the elements, locking the skies against rain until he spoke. He highlighted that when a believer walks closely with God, their words carry the power to shift physical realities. According to the Bishop, even when God shuts a door—such as drying up the Brook Cherith—He instantly unlocks an unexpected portal of preservation, just as He directed Elijah to the widow of Zarephath. God, he noted, holds the ultimate master key to human survival during harsh economic climates and seasons of severe national hardship. Expounding further on the administrative dimensions of divine power using Isaiah 22, the Bishop contrasted the downfall of the wicked official, Shebna, with the promotion of the faithful servant, Eliakim. He revealed that when God places the "Key of the House of David" upon a person`s shoulder, it signifies an irrevocable mandate of leadership and governmental responsibility. Bishop Asamu declared that this ancient prophecy culminates in the absolute sovereignty of Jesus Christ, meaning that when the Almighty opens a door of blessing or position for a believer, no human conspiracy, political opposition, or demonic entity can shut it. Turning his focus to the contemporary Church, the respected minister referenced Christ’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia in Revelation 3. He reminded the congregation that holding fast to God`s word ensures an open door of breakthrough and salvation that no enemy can close. However, he sounded a stern note of warning, admonishing the body of Christ to jealously guard their spiritual inheritance so that no one takes their crown, as continuous faithfulness is the only condition required to keep divine access active. Bishop Asamu deeply lamented how many individuals have squandered rare opportunities and misused divine grace, thereby extending generational poverty and spiritual bondage within their families. He drew a sobering parallel to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, reminding listeners that after they were driven out of the Garden of Eden, the opportunity to return to that paradise was permanently revoked. He cautioned that grace has an expiry date, and continuous negligence of spiritual privileges can lead to irreversible losses. To reverse these generational failures, the cleric explicitly directed the global audience to return unconditionally to the Master, Jesus Christ. Citing Philippians 2:9-11, he reminded the people that God has highly exalted Jesus and given Him a name above every other name, at which every knee must bow. He stressed that total submission to Christ is the foundational step to recovering lost keys of victory, knowledge, and life. In his concluding remarks, Bishop Asamu challenged Christians not to leave the service as passive listeners but as active executors of divine authority. He prayed for the restoration of lost virtues and urged everyone to guard their spiritual portals with unwavering vigilance. The Niwaju-Oluwa service ended with intense sessions of prayers, with thousands of listeners across the airwaves committing to a renewed walk of faith and spiritual responsibility.

A stern warning has gone out to Nigerian parents over the systemic collapse of family values caused by the aggressive pursuit of professional and financial success. THENEWSCREDIT reports that Professor Hannah Edim Etta, a Professor of Genetics and Biotechnology at the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), raised the alarm while delivering the institution’s 12th Inaugural Lecture at the Mass Communication Auditorium. Speaking on the theme, “Links, Linkages and Missing Links: From DNA Backbone to Social Cohesion,” the academic argued that the modern rat race for promotions, multiple jobs, and side hustles has created severe "missing links" in child upbringing. According to Prof. Etta, the economic pressure on parents has forced them to outsource their foundational duties to caregivers, schools, and social media. This lack of emotional support and discipline, she noted, is directly driving the surge in juvenile delinquency, drug abuse, and youth mental health crises across the country. "We are in a race where everyone is chasing titles and money, but losing their homes in the process," Etta lamented. "The family is the first school of the child. When parents are not there, we create a vacuum that the streets and social media will fill." She further cautioned that many parents only realize the gravity of their neglect when the damage has already become irreversible. To avert a total societal breakdown, the don urged the government to implement urgent policies supporting work-life balance, such as flexible working hours and robust parental leave provisions. She also called on religious and community institutions to champion family cohesion over materialism, declaring: "No career achievement can compensate for a broken home."

The wife of embattled Delta State content creator, Ifeanyi Ogbonna, popularly known as "Odogwu of Asaba," has publicly defended her husband against allegations of raping and assaulting 20-year-old Favour Agbro, claiming the duo only had a consensual affair. Ogbonna, 40, is currently in police custody following the death of Agbro, a rising content creator who reportedly ingested a toxic substance after accusing him of rape and physical assault in an Asaba hotel room. Breaking her silence in a video uploaded to the comedian`s official page on Wednesday, the mother of four, who has been married to Ogbonna for eight years, vehemently rejected the criminal charges against her husband. “Odogwu Asaba did not kill anybody. I know my husband,” she stated. “Odogwu Asaba did not rape Favour. Odogwu Asaba only had an affair with the girl. He cannot rape, he has never. Even when he did not have fame, he did not rape anybody, is it now?” The wife emphasized that her initial silence was out of respect for the deceased, but maintained she will not abandon her partner. “I want to let you people know that no matter what happened, he is my husband and I stand with him 100%. I’m not going to turn my back on him,” she declared, adding that the public should wait for the legal system rather than passing judgment online. “Social media is not a courtroom. You people should bear that in mind.” According to the Delta State Police Command, the tragedy began on June 1, 2026, when Agbro travelled to Asaba after Ogbonna allegedly offered to train her on how to monetise her TikTok and Facebook pages. Police reports indicate that Agbro returned home highly distressed, narrated an ordeal of sexual and physical abuse to her parents, and recorded a video detailing the incident. She subsequently drank a poisonous substance and died while receiving medical treatment. The police arrested Ogbonna following a formal petition by the deceased’s family. Investigators have confirmed that the suspect will be formally charged to court once investigations are fully concluded. Under Nigerian law, Ogbonna remains innocent until proven guilty in a court of competent jurisdiction.

Popular relationship coach and lead pastor of David’s Christian Centre, Kingsley Okonkwo, has officially unveiled a premium Christian matchmaking platform named Mentor To Marry. The digital initiative is designed specifically for single Christians aged 25 and older who are seeking intentional, faith-based marriages. The platform introduces a tiered annual subscription system structured to cater to different levels of marital preparation and matching services. Membership fees range from an entry-level Regular plan priced at N70,000 to a Premium package at N350,000, maxing out at a top-tier VIP plan costing N700,000 annually. According to the organizers, Mentor To Marry strictly prioritizes marital education and personal readiness over casual dating. Before gaining access to any matching pools, all registered members must undergo a mandatory eight-week phase consisting of mentoring classes, psychological assessments, and guided reflections. The base Regular package offers subscribers access to limited profiles, five weekly chats, and a localized country-based matching pool. Meanwhile, the N350,000 Premium plan upgrades users to unlimited profile browsing, monthly recommendations, and access to a global network of single Christians. For affluent singles, the N700,000 VIP package provides highly personalized services, including a dedicated matchmaker and relationship coach. VIP members also enjoy direct priority access to the platform`s founders, off-platform introductions, 15 weekly chats, and an exclusive profile protection feature. Pastor Okonkwo revealed that the platform was inspired by the growing commercialization of modern romance, which he claims hinders young men from finding genuine love. He lamented that dating has shifted from exchanging phone numbers to demanding bank account numbers, with men expected to fund rents and school fees before being taken seriously. However, the cleric clarified that the platform does not paint all women with the same financial brush, asserting that thousands of godly women desire genuine connections. He emphasized that the community aims to filter out financial exploiters, catfishes, and fraudsters by enforcing strict behavioral guidelines and identity verification. Operated by Love, Dating and Marriage Ministries, the platform is co-founded by Pastor Kingsley and his wife, Pastor Mildred Okonkwo. Management explicitly stated that while the system instills accountability, purchasing a high-end membership does not legally guarantee mutual interest or marriage.