Nigerian telecom subscribers are expressing widespread frustration following the suspension of the popular airtime borrowing service (*303#), triggered by a regulatory directive from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

The service, which allows users to borrow airtime and data for emergency calls and internet access, has been unavailable for several days, leaving many, especially low-income earners, struggling with communication needs.

The suspension stems from a directive issued by the FCCPC on April 2, 2026, ordering telecom operators to immediately halt services related to the Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations (DEON) 2025.

The Commission accused operators of failing to engage only FCCPC-approved lending service providers.Subscribers have taken to social media to voice their displeasure, describing the service as a vital lifeline.A Lagos-based banker, Segun Olabode, said:

“This service has been very helpful, especially when you don’t have cash for airtime. Suspending it will only add more pressure on ordinary Nigerians.”

In Port Harcourt, trader Alice Obiateru called the service a “lifesaver” and questioned the sudden ban, saying many people rely on it for daily communication and emergencies.

Similarly, Abuja-based bureau de change operator Nasiru Mohammed noted that the service had become essential for business operations and urged regulators to reconsider.

Meanwhile, the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN) has obtained a court injunction against the FCCPC. In Suit No. FHC/L/CS/760/2026, Justice A.

Lewis-Allagoa restrained the Commission from enforcing the DEON regulations pending the hearing of the substantive suit.Despite the court order, the airtime borrowing service remains suspended as of Friday, leaving millions of subscribers in uncertainty.

Industry observers are calling for urgent dialogue between the FCCPC, telecom operators, and other stakeholders to resolve the impasse and restore the service.

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President Bola Tinubu has declared that no amount of pressure or intimidation will distract him from pursuing his vision for Nigeria.

Tinubu made the assertion while addressing the 36 state coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA) during a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He charged them to uphold integrity and work collectively toward rebuilding the country.

Tinubu emphasized the importance of inspiring hope among Nigerians, particularly among leaders and supporters entrusted with advancing
his administration’s agenda.

“You must give them that hope, but try as much as possible, men and women of integrity that are here in this room, to build a Nigeria,” he said.

Dismissing any notion of fear or retreat, the President stated, “Me? They want to scare me off? It’s a lie. I am Jagaban. I have been through this path before, and if I have to come back over and over again, I will do the same thing.”

He further stressed that Nigeria remains the best place for its citizens, urging collective responsibility in shaping the nation’s future.

“There’s no better place than your own country, and no one can build it except you,” he added.

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has secured the conviction of one Remilekun Temitope Balogun-Okedeyi for forging employment documents of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, to facilitate a fraudulent visa application.

ICPC said the conviction followed investigations into a visa fraud scheme in which the defendant falsely presented herself as an employee of NAFDAC, using forged employment and promotion letters, an identity card, and an introduction letter purportedly issued by the agency.

The case, filed under Charge No. ID/27346C/2025 (FRN v. Remilekun Temitope Balogun-Okedeyi), originated from a petition by the British Deputy High Commission that exposed a visa racketeering syndicate allegedly led by Olusegun Ojo Adigun.

Further investigations, according to ICPC, revealed that the syndicate was linked to at least sixteen visa applications and specialised in facilitating travel to the United Kingdom using falsified supporting documents.

“At the centre of the case was the defendant’s deliberate misrepresentation of her employment status,” the Commission said.

ICPC said that its findings established that Balogun-Okedeyi was never employed by NAFDAC, rendering all documents attributed to the agency, false and misleading.

In addition to the forged NAFDAC documents, the defendant also submitted a falsified bank statement allegedly issued by Chanelle Microfinance Bank for the period of January to July 2025. Investigations, however, confirmed that she did not operate any account with the bank.

Following the investigation, the defendant was charged with a six-count charge bordering on forgery and provision of false information, contrary to Sections 13 and 17 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The matter was heard before Honourable Justice Mojisola Dada of the Ikeja Special Offences Court, Court 13.

During proceedings, the defendant, through her counsel, Grace Adenubi (Esq.), sought a plea bargain arrangement, which was agreed to by the Commission.

The charge was subsequently amended to a one-count information, to which she pleaded guilty.

The prosecution team—Yvonne William-Mbata, Roseline Eze, and Oluwayemisi Pereira—presented evidence through an investigator, Onyemauchechukwu Ezike, who tendered documentary exhibits before the court.

In her judgment, Justice Dada sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment, with an option of a fine of N500,000 payable to the Federal Government within seven days.

The court further ordered two days of community service to be carried out outside the court premises and directed the defendant to enter into a bond of good behaviour to be recorded in the Lagos State Judiciary database.

The conviction highlights the Commission’s resolve to clamp down on the falsification of official documents, particularly the impersonation of government institutions such as NAFDAC for fraudulent purposes.

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US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire starting on Thursday, though there was no indication if Iran-backed Hezbollah was on board.

Trump said the truce followed “excellent” conversations with
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, taking place two days after Israel and Lebanon held peace talks in Washington.

“These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.

Trump said he had directed US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and top US military officer Dan Caine to work with the two countries “to achieve a Lasting PEACE.”

“It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let’s, GET IT DONE!” said Trump, who launched the war on Iran alongside Israel on February 28.

Hezbollah then pulled Lebanon into the Middle East war, firing rockets at Israel in support of its backer Tehran.

Since then, Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than one million, and Israeli ground forces have invaded the country’s south.

Trump said late Wednesday that Aoun and Netanyahu were due to speak on Thursday, but there was no confirmation that any such call had
happened.

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Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidency of attempting to subvert democratic principles
and silence opposition voices ahead of 2027 general elections.

Phrank Shaibu, spokesperson to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, made this known in a statement on X on Thursday.

Recall that a presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, who, while reacting to a live interview granted by Atiku Abubakar on Arise TV, insisted that President Tinubu “must complete eight years” in office in line with the North-South power rotation arrangement.

Onanuga had argued that having succeeded a northern president who served two terms, it is now the South’s turn to retain power until 2031—an assertion that has since sparked a fierce backlash from opposition figures who describe it as unconstitutional and fundamentally undemocratic.

In response, Atiku’s spokesperson, Shaibu, wrote: “Dear @aonanuga1956, let me tell you clearly: no presidential aide, no matter how loud or reckless, has the authority to rewrite the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or reduce democracy to a regional entitlement scheme. Power rotation is a political convention, not a constitutional decree and certainly not a tool to silence credible opposition.

“This tired attempt to bully @atiku out of the race reeks of fear, not principle. The same people who shredded zoning within their own party when it suited them now pretend to be its custodians. Hypocrisy has never worn such a cheap costume,” he stated.

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President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with the 36 state coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors at the Presidential Villa.

Others in attendance at the meeting include Vice President Shettima, APC governors, APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, and
other party leaders.

On November 25th, 2025, President Tinubu established the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA) appointing Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State
as the Renewed Hope Ambassador.

The RHA was established to promote Tinubu policies and support his bid for re-election in 2027.

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Ahead of the forthcoming legislative elections, the Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has unequivocally condemned and refuted what it termed the “malicious publication” alleging a so-called plot to impose candidates.

APC Lagos State Chairman, Pastor, Cornelius Ojelabi, made the remark on Thursday, following wide spread speculations by done groups on planned imposition.

According to Ojelabi, the report, purportedly based on claims by a faceless and self-styled group of “concerned and vigilant members,” eas nothing more than a desperate fabrication, a reckless exercise in mischief, and a calculated attempt to inflame passions within the ruling party.

“We state without equivocation that there is no plot, no clandestine meetings, and no predetermined list of candidates as falsely alleged. These claims are baseless, mischievous, and designed solely to create the false impression of crisis where none exists.

“It is deeply unfortunate that certain elements, unable to advance their ambitions through legitimate party channels, have now resorted to the tired tactics of propaganda, blackmail, and anonymous media sensationalism.

“Such antics will neither intimidate the leadership of the party nor derail our established democratic processes.

“The Lagos APC is by this statement formally putting security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and all relevant democratic stakeholders on notice regarding the activities of fifth columnists and political mischief-makers who are engaged in clandestine moves aimed at unnecessarily destabilizing and overheating the polity.

“These actors, through orchestrated falsehoods and deliberate attempts to manufacture tension, seek to create an atmosphere of distrust and apprehension where none should exist. Their actions are clearly designed to undermine public confidence in the party’s transparent processes and to provoke avoidable political anxiety.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Electoral Act as amended is crystal clear on the lawful process for the emergence of candidates for the coming elections.

“The Lagos APC remains fully guided by the provisions of the law, the constitution of our party, and the duly issued guidelines of the national leadership.

“We have made our position abundantly clear: where consensus cannot be reached through broad consultation and mutual agreement, there shall be direct primaries. This position is settled, lawful, and non-negotiable. Absolutely nothing will change that.

“No amount of sponsored misinformation, subtle blackmail, media propaganda, or clandestine scheming will alter the party’s firm commitment to due process and internal democracy.

“The Lagos APC remains a disciplined and institution-driven political family founded on consultation, inclusiveness, and respect for democratic norms. The voice of duly registered party members remains supreme, and that voice shall find full expression through duly sanctioned democratic mechanisms,” he stated.

Ojelabi, therefore, urged loyal members and the general public to disregard the antics of faceless groups and political opportunists whose stock-in-trade is false alarm and manufactured controversy.

“Let it be clearly understood that internal democracy will prevail, due process will be upheld, and the collective will of our members shall remain the ultimate determinant of candidate emergence,” he urged.

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The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, branding him a habitual election contestant with nothing to show for his repeated bids and predicting the opposition figure will be back on the campaign trail come 2031 despite promises to the contrary.

The minister unleashed the broadside on Thursday while conducting an inspection tour of ongoing road construction projects across Abuja.

Wike used the occasion to fire back at Atiku’s claims that the present administration has delivered no meaningful gains for ordinary Nigerians.

He said, “Atiku is a serial failure. He is a serial contestant and loser, and I am sure that in 2031, he will still contest.
Nigerians would be laughing at such a person making that kind of statement that nothing positive has been done.”

Far from backing down, the minister threw down a direct challenge, daring his critic to hold the FCT’s current state up against its condition during the years Atiku served as vice president.

“Let him compare the FCT now and when he was vice president.
Can he honestly say what we have now is the same as then?” Wike queried.

The minister also turned his attention to allegations from the African Democratic Congress ADC that FCT officials had attempted to sabotage its convention by targeting the Rainbow Event Centre.

“I don’t even know where that place is. There was no interference from anybody. These people should just stop looking for sympathy,” he said.

He made clear the administration would not be drawn into political distractions, drawing a line between electioneering and governance.

“The election will come, but people must work. Contractors
are not part of the election,” he declared.

On infrastructure, Wike offered concrete timelines for projects that residents in satellite communities have long awaited. He disclosed that work on the Airport-Kuje corridor is in its final stretch, with
a partial opening of the bridge imminent.

“From Airport Junction to Kuje, one part of the bridge is almost completed. Before the end of May, the entire job will be handed over,” he said.

On the Kuje-Gwagwalada route, the minister confirmed the first phase of the dualisation — covering roughly seven kilometres — is equally on course for completion within the same window.

“I am happy with the progress. We are satisfied with the quality of jobs being delivered,” he added.

Wike painted an optimistic picture of what these road links would mean for Kuje, forecasting its transformation from a peripheral satellite town into a thriving residential and commercial destination capable of relieving strain on central Abuja.

“Very soon, Kuje will no longer be a satellite town. People will move there and build houses, and the pressure on the city will reduce,” he
said.

He challenged the party to produce any written correspondence with the office responsible for Eagle Squar management, arguing that proper procedure had simply not been followed.

Wike reaffirmed that political activity would not blunt the pace of construction, disclosing that upwards of 80 per cent of planned works are on track for completion before January.

“Our focus is clear — deliver projects, improve lives, and keep Abuja moving,” he said.

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Unidentified gunmen have reportedly kidnapped at least 14 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, candidates in Benue State.

The candidates were reportedly abducted during an attack on
a commercial bus travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo in the state.

According to reports, the victims, largely young adults, were travelling to Otukpo, where they were scheduled to sit for their examinations on Thursday.

Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, who confirmed the incident to journalists in Makurdi, said the victims were heading to the town for their examinations when the attackers struck.

“The victims are young people coming to Otukpo to write JAMB. Security agents have been deployed and efforts are ongoing to rescue them,” Ogiri said.

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