Sri Lanka’s Office of the Commissioner-General of Essential Services has directed local government authorities to switch off street lights
during unnecessary hours as the South Asian country grapples with energy
shortage triggered by the Middle Eastern conflict.

Guidelines were issued Tuesday on how to conserve energy,
including maximising natural lighting, reducing the use of air conditioning by
relying more on electric fans, and limiting elevator use by encouraging people
to take the stairs.

The commissioner-general’s office advised officials to avoid
using individual vehicles to commute to work and instead use public transport
or group transport whenever possible.

Authorities were also asked to switch off neon signs, and
billboard lighting, and to turn off street lights after 9pm except in high risk
areas.

The commissioner-general’s office issued a set of guidelines
to government institutions on the prudent use of fuel and energy amid possible
disruptions to fuel imports caused by escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The guidelines, issued to ministry secretaries, provincial
and district secretaries, and heads of government and statutory institutions,
called for measures to reduce fuel and electricity consumption across the
public sector.

The document also urged heads of institutions to allow staff
to work remotely where technological facilities are available instead of
requiring physical attendance.

This directive is asides the four-day work week introduced
last week to reduce pressure on the transport network.

In addition, government institutions were instructed to
prepare daily transport plans to reduce the number of vehicles used for field
duties.

The office urged all public officials to act responsibly,
set an example for the public, and extend maximum support to national energy
conservation and security efforts.

The Strait of Hormuz, a sea passage controlled by Iran where
about 20 percent of the world’s crude oil is shipped through, has been
increasingly risky for ships to sail owing to attacks from the ongoing conflict
between Iran and Israel-United States.

Sri Lanka has raised fuel prices by a third since the war
began last month.

Sri Lanka

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Instagram has introduced a new feature that lets users reorder photos and videos in carousel posts after publication, giving creators greater control over how their content is displayed.

The update was confirmed by Instagram’s Creators account on
Monday.

Users can now edit a carousel post by tapping the three-dot
menu, selecting Edit, long-pressing the photo or video they want to move,
dragging it to the desired position, and tapping Done to save the changes.

Photos and videos can be rearranged multiple times without
affecting likes, comments, shares, or other engagement metrics.

However, the feature is limited to newly uploaded carousel
posts. Older posts cannot be reordered, though users can still delete slides.

Adding new media to an existing carousel remains impossible,
requiring the creation of a new post.

The update is being rolled out gradually, and Instagram
users who do not see the option immediately are advised to update the app and
check back in the coming days.

According to Instagram, carousel posts typically generate
around 12% more engagement than single-image posts.

The ability to reorder media after publishing is expected to
help creators optimise their posts and maintain engagement without having to
start from scratch.

“This feature gives users the flexibility to ensure their
posts reflect their creative vision at any time.

“You can now keep the conversation going and your engagement
intact, without deleting and re-uploading content,” the Creators account said.

This change comes as Instagram continues to expand tools
aimed at helping content creators manage and optimise their presence on the
platform.

Aprokorepublic

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Commission (ICPC) on Tuesday arraigned former Kaduna State
Governor Nasir El-Rufai for alleged severance pay corruption and
years-long fraudulent dollar-denominated cash deposits in his bank account.

The commission arraigned him before the Federal High Court
in Kaduna on 10 charges, accusing him of violating Nigeria’s anti-money
laundering law.

He and his co-defendant, Joel Adoga, pleaded not guilty to
the charges.

Following the defendants’ pleas of not guilty, the trial
judge, Ridwan Aikawa, ordered their remand in the custody of ICPC, where Mr
El-Rufai had been held for over one month.

The charges involve alleged inflated severance payments of N579.7 million and years-long fraudulent deposits totalling $817,900 that Mr El-Rufai allegedly
received.

They both pleaded not guilty to the charges read to them
during the arraignment, which took place amid tight security on
Tuesday.

Here are all the 10 charges below.

Court: Federal High Court of Nigeria, Kaduna Judicial
Division

Charge number:t FHC/KD/73C/2026

Filed on 18 March 2026

Prosecution: Federal Republic of Nigeria (ICPC)

Defendants: Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai (M) and Joel Adoga (M)

COUNT 1

That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M) sometime in
September 2020 or thereabout at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court, while being a public officer as the elected Executive
Governor of Kaduna State, directly took possession of the sum of
N289,826,998.12 (Two Hundred and Eighty-Nine Million, Eight Hundred and
Twenty-Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Eight Naira, Twelve Kobo) as
severance allowance over and above your legitimately entitled sum of
N20,013,245.00 (Twenty Million, Thirteen Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty-Five
Naira) which represents 300% of your annual basic salary which you reasonably
ought to have known that such fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful
act, to wit: corruption and you thereby committed an offence contrary to
Section 18(2}(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition} Act, 2022.

COUNT 2

That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M), sometime in
January 2023 or thereabout at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court, while being a public officer as the elected Executive
Governor of Kaduna State, directly took possession of the sum of
N289,826,998.12 (Two Hundred and Eighty-Nine Million, Eight Hundred and
Twenty-Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Eight Naira, Twelve Kobo) as
severance allowance over and above your legitimately entitled sum of
N20,013,245.00 (Twenty Million, Thirteen Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty-Five
Naira) which represents 300% of your annual basic salary which you reasonably
ought to have known that such fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful
act, to wit: corruption and you thereby committed an offence contrary to
Section 18(2}(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act.

COUNT 3

That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M) sometime between
September 2017 and March 2023 or thereabout at Kaduna and Abuja respectively,
within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while being a public officer
as the elected Executive Governor of Kaduna State, directly took control of the
total sum of $320,800 (Three Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Eight Hundred
Dollars) deposited into your Guaranty Trust Bank domiciliary account number:
0023824985 in different tranches by one Joel Adoga, when you reasonably ought
to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act,
to wit: corruption and fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to
Section 18(2}(d) and punishable under Section 18{3) of the Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT 4

That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M) sometime in May
2022 or thereabout at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court,
while being a public officer as the elected Executive Governor of Kaduna State,
directly took possession of the sum of $155,800 (One Hundred and Fifty-Five
Thousand, Eight Hundred Dollars) deposited into your Guaranty Trust Bank
domiciliary account number: 0023824985 by one Peter Akagu Jones (now at large),
when you reasonably ought to have known that such fund formed part of the
proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: corruption and fraud and you thereby
committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2}(d) and punishable under Section
18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT 5

That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M) sometime in May
2022 or thereabout at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court,
while being a public officer as the elected Executive Governor of Kaduna State,
directly took possession of the sum of $305,300 (Three Hundred and Five
Thousand, Three Hundred Dollars) deposited into your Guaranty Trust Bank
(domiciliary) account number: 0023824985 by one Ajayi Ayodele (now at large),
when you reasonably ought to have known that such fund formed part of the
proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: corruption and fraud and you thereby
committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section
18(3)of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT 6

That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M) sometime in April,
2016 or thereabout at Asokoro, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court, while being a public officer as the elected Executive
Governor of Kaduna State, directly took possession of the sum of $5,000.00
(Seven Thousand Dollars), deposited into your Guaranty Trust Bank domiciliary
account number: 0023824985 by one Umar Farouq (now at large) when you
reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of
an unlawful act, to wit: corruption and fraud and you thereby committed an
offence contrary to Section 18(2}{d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the
Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT 7

That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M) sometime in June
2016 or thereabout at Asokoro, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court, while being a public officer as the elected Executive
Governor of Kaduna State, directly took possession of the sum of $5,000.00
(Five Thousand Dollars), deposited into your Guaranty Trust Bank domiciliary
account number: 0023824985 by one Umar Saleh (now at large) when you reasonably
ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful
act, to wit: corruption and fraud and you thereby committed and offence
contrary to Section 18(2)(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money
Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT 8

That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M) sometime in
December 2016 or thereabout at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court, while being a public officer as the elected Executive
Governor of Kaduna State. directly took possession of the sum of $4,000.00
(Four Thousand Dollars), deposited into your Guaranty Trust Bank domiciliary
account number: 0023824985 by one Umar Farouk Saleh (now at large) when you
reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of
an unlawful act, to wit: corruption and fraud and you thereby committed an
offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the
Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT 9

That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M) sometime in October
2017 or thereabout at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court,
while being a public officer as the elected Executive Governor of Kaduna State,
directly took possession of the sum of $10,000.00 (Ten Thousand Dollars),
deposited into your Guaranty Trust Bank (domiciliary) account number:
0023824985 by one Umar Farouq (now at large) when you reasonably ought to have
known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit:
corruption and fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section
18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention
and Prohibition) Act. 2022.

COUNT 10

That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M), JOEL ADOGA (M)
sometime in July 2019 or thereabout at Wuse, Abuja within the – jurisdiction of
this Honourable Court, did conspire to disguise the origin of $10,000.00 (Ten
Thousand Dollars) which sum was deposited into the Guaranty Trust Bank
domiciliary account number: 0023824985 belonging to Mallam Nasir Ahmad
El-Rufai, when you reasonably ought to have known that such fund formed part of
the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: corruption and fraud and you thereby
committed an offence contrary to Sections 21 and 18(2){a}) and punishable under
Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Aprokorepublic

The All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN) has threatened to stage a protest at the All Progressives Congress (APC) national convention in Abuja if the federal government fails to release N150 billion owed to its members within 48 hours.

Jackson Nwosu, national president of AICAN, issued the warning on Tuesday in Abuja during a resumed protest by the association’s members over delayed payments for government contracts executed in 2024 and 2025.

“For AICAN members, the government has only paid N21 billion between this period in question; what is remaining to be paid is over N1 trillion, but what we are discussing as the immediate payment is N150 billion,” Nwosu said.“

Our immediate demand is for the payment to be made between now and the next two days.”Seun Babatunde, national secretary of AICAN, added that many members are facing severe hardship, with some even losing their lives due to the unpaid debts.“

“A lot of our members are dying as a result of the debt the federal government owes them,” Babatunde said, citing the case of a member who died of prostate cancer because he could not afford surgery after being owed over N100 million.

The contractors noted that while the 2026 appropriation bill allocated N1.7 trillion for verified contractors’ liabilities in 2024 and N100 billion for other local contractors’ debts, actual disbursements have been slow due to verification processes.

President Bola Tinubu had earlier directed government officials to prioritise payments to indigenous contractors, and the Ministry of Finance has been engaging with AICAN on the matter.

AICAN members have staged multiple protests in Abuja in recent months over the backlog, which they say is crippling their businesses, preventing loan repayments, and threatening project sustainability.

The group warned that failure to meet the 48-hour deadline could see them disrupt activities at the APC national convention scheduled for March 27 and 28 at Eagle Square in Abuja.

Aprokorepublic

Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume said Nigeria is at risk of
losing Borno and North East territorial sovereignty to terrorists.

This comes as Ndume urged the federal government to ensure
that the Nigerian Army is fully equipped to win the battle against insurgency
and banditry.

The senator representing Borno South made the call on
Tuesday.

Recall that in recent weeks, the Boko Haram sect, in
conjunction with the Islamic State–West Africa Province (ISWAP), carried out
coordinated attacks in the Ngoshe community in the Gwoza Local Government Area
of Borno State, killing some soldiers, the village head, and several community
elders, including a woman.

After visiting the affected Ngoshe and Pulka communities in
the company of the Borno State Government, Governor Professor Babagana Zulum,
and Ndume expressed grave concern over the insecurity situation in the region.

According to him, the military was initially overwhelmed by
the superior firepower of the terrorist groups.

He said, “I am calling on the federal government to double
its efforts in equipping the Army with sophisticated arms and ammunition.

“I gathered that our soldiers lacked adequate ammunition,
and they retreated from Ngoshe and Pulka because the terrorists overwhelmed
them. It was only days after reinforcements arrived that they regained control.
Nothing was left standing in Ngoshe and Pulka by the terrorists.

“I have visited Ngoshe; it isn’t something you can describe.
For someone who has seen it, the town has been brought down to ground zero.

“That’s what I witnessed. The destruction is complete. There
is nothing left standing except one small mosque. The people are resilient, the
governor is determined to rebuild Ngoshe, and there is an urgent need for
federal government intervention.

“I will talk with my colleagues at the National Assembly,
and we will collectively, in both Houses, move a motion. But before then, we
expect the federal government to intervene. This is necessary because the
people are still resilient. I have interacted with them, they are determined;
some even refused to go into the cities, wanting to return home. Since they
have that determination, the government must rebuild the place.

“I must commend the Nigerian Army for retaking Ngoshe. After
we returned, the Governor spent a night in Pulka, and I must commend him. I see
the psychological impact of that, and we want to thank him on behalf of my
people. It is something we will never forget,” he added.

Aprokorepublic

Aprokorepublic

A community leader from the Mushere Chiefdom in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State has recounted a devastating attack by Fulani bandits that displaced his entire village, resulting in deaths, land seizure, and the desecration of a local church.

Amos Gyang shared his harrowing experience during a charity event organized by the Plateau Unite Foundation in Jos on Sunday. He described how the attackers, whom he referred to as terrorists, stormed the community in September 2025 in an unprovoked assault despite years of peaceful coexistence with some Fulani residents who had integrated into village life, even speaking the local language.

According to Gyang, the armed bandits killed more than 10 people and forced survivors to flee their ancestral homes. The invaders then occupied the fertile farmlands, seized livestock, renamed the village, and converted the community church into a mosque, a symbolic act that he said caused particular pain.

Gyang lamented the ongoing hardship faced by his people, many of whom now live in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps under dire conditions, while others have resorted to begging to survive. He emphasized that the once self-sufficient farming community has been reduced to desperation, with their land now controlled by the Fulani occupiers.

“We were living in peace, going about our businesses because most of our people are farmers. But in September of 2025, we experienced the worst when Fulani bandits suddenly attacked our village,” Gyang said.

“Those terrorists who attacked our village were armed with deadly weapons and killed over 10 people while forcing everyone to flee for safety. They took over our land, farms, livestock, and most painfully, changed the name of the village and turned our church into a mosque.”

He further stated: “As I stand here before you, many of our people are living in IDP camps facing horrendous conditions while our fertile land is being occupied by the Fulani.

We have now become beggars just to feed our families.”Gyang criticized the lack of government response, noting repeated appeals for help that have gone unanswered. “We have called on the government several times to come to our aid but all our pleas have fallen on deaf ears because we do not have anyone to fight for us,” he said.

“But we believe that one day, our prayers will be answered and we will go back to our ancestral land.”

Aprokorepublic

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has corrected earlier media reports claiming that 30 people died in a recent road traffic crash in Kano State, confirming instead that seven persons lost their lives in the incident.

In an official statement, Corps Public Education Officer Segun Ogungbemide explained that the accurate death toll was determined through on-the-spot assessments and verified rescue operations conducted by FRSC operatives.

The Corps urged the public and media outlets to depend solely on official sources for information to prevent the spread of misinformation and unnecessary public alarm.

The crash, which occurred on Sunday, February 8, 2026, along Hadejia Road at Kwanar Danja in Gezawa Local Government Area, involved a commercial DAF trailer (registration number KTG 467 YG) carrying 105 passengers and goods.

A total of 105 individuals were involved: seven died, 70 sustained various degrees of injuries (55 males and 15 females), and the remaining 28 escaped unhurt.Preliminary investigations by the FRSC attributed the accident to speed violation, which resulted in loss of control.

The situation was worsened by the unsafe practice of conveying passengers alongside goods in the vehicle.The clarification follows initial reports and eyewitness accounts that suggested a much higher fatality figure, prompting swift response from authorities, including directives from the Kano State government for free medical treatment for the injured.

The FRSC emphasized the importance of adhering to road safety rules to curb such preventable tragedies.

Aprokorepublic

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismissed claims circulating on social media that Amoxicillin has been secretly banned in Nigeria, describing the reports as false and misleading.

In a statement posted on its X handle on Monday, the agency said its attention was drawn to a viral video alleging that Amoxicillin, a widely used antibiotic, had been banned across the country.

NAFDAC clarified that no such ban exists.

According to the Agency, while it routinely issues safety alerts, recalls, or regulatory actions on specific substandard or affected batches of medicines, there has been no blanket ban on Amoxicillin in Nigeria.

“NAFDAC has not banned Amoxicillin in Nigeria, either secretly or openly. As a responsible regulatory authority, the Agency publicly notifies Nigerians of any regulatory actions through official channels. NAFDAC alerts the public through its Recalls, Safety Alerts, Blacklists, and other safety notices of any substandard, falsified, or affected products requiring regulatory action.

“These safety communications clearly outline the specific product names, batch numbers, manufacturers, and the necessary measures to be taken. They provide critical information that may impact treatment and diagnostic decisions for healthcare providers and patients. Blacklisting, where applicable, involves prohibiting specific companies from the sale, distribution, or use of their products due to safety concerns, regulatory violations, or unethical practices.

“In recent months, NAFDAC issued targeted safety alerts on certain brands and batches of Amoxicillin. In August 2025, Public Alert No. 24/2025 announced the recall of Amoxivue (Amoxicillin) 500mg capsules due to low Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) content. In October 2025, Public Alert No. 34/2025 addressed substandard batches of Astamocil and Astamentin suspensions, while Public Alert No. 35/2025 notified the public of substandard batches of Annmox and Jawamox suspensions. These actions were specific to identified products and do not constitute a ban on Amoxicillin,” the post read.

NAFDAC urged members of the public, healthcare professionals, and other stakeholders to disregard the misinformation and avoid spreading unverified claims that could cause unnecessary panic.

The agency also advised Nigerians to rely solely on official updates and announcements released through NAFDAC’s verified communication channels for accurate information regarding medicines and public health issues.

Aprokorepublic