The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, Mr. Bitrus Giwa, has urged churches to adopt proactive security measures to protect worshippers, property, and their core mission.

Mr Giwa made the call at a security awareness seminar organised by the Anglican Diocese of Enugu at Christ Anglican Church, Uwani, Enugu. His lecture, titled “Safeguarding the Church Community, Property, and Purpose Through Vigilance and Faith,” was delivered by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Daniel Ndukwe.

Addressing members of the Diocese’s Security Network, the police chief said churches must complement spiritual efforts with practical and structured security strategies.

He noted that effective protection of worship centres requires a combination of faith-based principles and deliberate safety mechanisms, stressing the need for vigilance among congregants.

Citing Matthew 26:41, which admonishes believers to “watch and pray,” Mr Giwa emphasised the importance of alertness and shared responsibility in preventing security breaches.

He identified key concerns to include the protection of worshippers especially vulnerable individuals the safeguarding of church assets, and the preservation of the church’s mandates of worship, evangelism, and service.

The commissioner also called for improved monitoring of church facilities, heightened vigilance during services, and stronger accountability in managing church resources.

He urged churches to collaborate closely with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies by providing timely and credible information, noting that such partnerships are critical to crime prevention and rapid response.

Mr Giwa reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-led and community-based policing, while encouraging residents to remain law-abiding and security-conscious.

The seminar is part of ongoing stakeholder engagement efforts by the Enugu State Police Command to strengthen community participation in security management.

Crude oil prices have surged to above $112 per barrel as the
Iran-United States-Israel war escalation entered day 21 on Saturday amid a
surge in domestic petrol prices in Nigeria.

Brent crude rose by 3.26 percent on a day-to-day basis to
$112.2 per barrel, and West Texas Intermediate crude blend increased by 2.80
percent to $98.23 per barrel as of filing the report.

The crude oil price upsurge comes as the US, Israel, and
Iran have not been able to agree on a ceasefire deal.

Trump, in a post on his Truth Social, had hinted at ‘winding
down’ its military actions in the Middle East.

Unperturbed about Trump’s disposition, Iran on Saturday
fired missiles at the Chagos Islands, a remote British overseas territory
located more than 2,000 miles from Tehran, Iran’s semiofficial Mehr news agency
reports.

This comes after the United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir
Starmer hgave the US approval to use its bases for strikes against Iran.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi
warned PM Starmer that his actions were putting British lives in danger.

Part of the direct effect of the Iran-US-Israel war is a
hike in the domestic price of petrol. On Friday Dangote Refinery, which is
Africa’s largest plant, increased its gantry fuel price for the fourth time in
March 2026 to $1,245 per liter. The decision had caused some petroleum
marketers and filling station owners in Nigeria to hike their petrol pump price
to between N1,331 and N1,430 per liter in Abuja.

Aprokorepublic

Charles Soludo, Anambra state governor, says his
administration’s clampdown on native doctors is to curb criminal practices.

In a media briefing in Akwa, the state capital, on Friday,
Soludo said he is not against traditional religion, but he’s only targeting
criminals who operate under the guise of traditional worship.

Soludo said his administration respects and supports freedom
of religion and gives free rein to residents to practice their religion if it
is devoid of criminality.

“We have made this very clear over and over again that we
understand traditional religion,” the governor said.

“We also understand the difference between the traditional
religion and criminal idolatry. We support freedom of worship, freedom of
religion. Anybody can worship the way you want, provided you realise that your
own right ends where the other person’s own starts.

“Where your own practices and preaching now breed
criminality, that is where we come in. Traditional religion is a purist
religion.”

The governor said some native doctors were involved in
preparing charms for kidnappers and armed robbers.

Soludo said it is the duty of the state government to stop
diabolical rituals that have given rise to evil practices such as ‘Ego Mbute,’
‘Oke-Ite,’ ‘Yahoo Plus,’ and idolatry.

The state government had recently arrested and prosecuted
some native doctors for alleged violations.

Recall that a high court in Awka, Anambra, sentenced
Chidozie Nwangwu, the popular native doctor known as Akwa Okuko, to 11 months’
imprisonment over money ritual-related offences.

The native doctor was apprehended in February 2025 by
operatives of Agunechemba security outfit on allegations of aiding and abetting
kidnapping and money rituals, among others.

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‎The federal government says it has stepped up high-level
discussions with stakeholders on a proposed $20 billion transcontinental gas
pipeline aimed at delivering its vast natural gas to European markets.

The Trans-Sahara gas pipeline (TSGP) is a proposed 4,128 km
pipeline intended to transport up to 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas
annually from Nigeria, through Niger and Algeria, to European markets.

In a statement on Thursday, Louis Mbah, spokesperson to
‎Ekperikpe Ekpo, minister of state for petroleum resources (gas), said the
project aims to boost energy security and create sustainable economic benefits
over time.

‎The statement noted that the TSGP, described as a
transformative gas corridor, is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic
metres of gas annually from Nigeria’s southern reserves through Chad and Libya,
before extending subsea to Sicily, Italy, and into the broader European market.

‎”The proposed pipeline, still at an early development
stage, is being advanced by a consortium of global industry players and will be
subject to extensive technical, commercial and regulatory processes, with
stakeholders expressing optimism that it could redefine Nigeria’s role in the
global energy market while deepening ties with Europe,” the statement reads.

Ekpo, who joined key industry stakeholders in London, United
Kingdom (UK), for discussions on the proposed pipeline, described the
engagement as both timely and historic.

‎“Nigeria is set for investors to take advantage of this
natural gas. With the Petroleum Industry Act and the Executive orders by Mr.
President for the petroleum sector has set a conducive environment to attract
investments to the sector,” he said.

“We must be intentional in the utilisation of our resources,
so long as we have these reserves, we must take adlvantage of them and better
the lives of those in the region.”

‎‎With appropriate financial backing in place, the minister
said he sees no obstacle to the project coming to fruition.

‎‎Also speaking, Olalekan Ogunleye, executive
vice-president, gas, power & new energies at NNPC, reaffirmed Nigeria’s
policy alignment and readiness for investment.

“The NNPCL as the national oil company of Nigeria, has a
clear Gas Master Plan and Mr President’s gas-led initiatives are designed to
drive investments across the value chain,” he said.

“NNPC’s strategy is firmly aligned with the President’s
agenda, and we are focused on creating investable opportunities, removing
bottlenecks, and partnering with credible investors. Simply put, NNPCL is ready
for business.”

‎Roger Tamraz, founder and chief executive officer of Netoil
Inc., who is spearheading the project, described the pipeline as both
commercially viable and strategically important for Europe’s energy future,
citing strong demand and accessible financing options.

‎Alain Bolo, chief executive officer (CEO) of Unicorn Energy
Resources, emphasised the project’s potential to reduce gas flaring and
strengthen Nigeria’s position as a leading gas supplier to Europe.

On February 12, 2025, Algeria, Nigeria, and Niger endorsed
the steering committee resolutions for the Trans-Sahara gas pipeline project.

The federal government is also building the Nigeria-Morocco
gas pipeline (NMGP) project, which will traverse 13 West African countries and
Morocco before reaching Europe.

Aprokorepublic

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has directed all
shipping lines and their agencies to immediately suspend the implementation of
recently approved tariffs.

The directive, issued by the council’s management and made
available to journalists in Lagos on Friday, follows ongoing consultations with
key stakeholders about the new charges.

According to the NSC, the engagements were aimed at
addressing concerns regarding the timing, structure and potential impact of the
tariffs on port users and logistics operations.

“In order to safeguard fair competition, transparency, and
sectoral stability, the Council considers it necessary to halt further
implementation.

“We want to ensure that all operators and stakeholders are
aligned before any new tariff structure is enforced,” the statement read.

The council directed that all affected operators revert to,
and strictly apply, the previous tariff regime.

“Any deviation from the previous tariff structure will be
treated as a breach of compliance and will attract sanctions under the law,”
the NSC warned.

A spokesperson for the council emphasized, “Our priority is
to protect cargo interests and maintain an efficient and equitable maritime
transport system for all stakeholders.”

The NSC also pledged to communicate a definitive position
once the consultations and internal reviews are completed. Operators have been
urged to ensure strict and immediate compliance.

The suspension will remain in effect until the conclusion of
the consultations and a comprehensive regulatory review.

NAN

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Peter Okoye, the Nigerian singer, has threatened legal
action against a social media user over comments made about his late mother.

The confrontation began after the user posted a picture of
Josephine Okoye, the singer’s late mother, on X with an accusatory caption.

The X user claimed that the singer’s mother “fought
bitterly” to stop her son from marrying “a Yoruba woman”.

In a fiery response to the post, Okoye described the tweet
as “unacceptable and deeply hurtful.”

He ordered the post taken down and threatened legal action
if the X user did not comply.

“This post about my late mother is unacceptable and deeply
hurtful,” he wrote.

“You’ve crossed the line. Take it down and apologise
immediately, or I will take legal action. This madness on social media must
stop.”

Okoye is one-half of the now-defunct music duo P-Square,
alongside Paul, his twin brother. He remains one of the prominent figures in
Nigeria’s music industry.

Okoye married Lola Omotayo in 2013 after dating for seven
years.

Okoye’s mother died in 2012 after a heart surgery in an
Indian hospital.

Aprokorepublic

The police command in Delta says it has arrested 11 more
suspects over the alleged rape and assault of young women during a festival in
the Ozoro community.

There was an outrage on social media on Thursday after
multiple videos emerged on X showing men tearing the clothes of young women
during the ‘Alue-Do’ festival.

In one of the viral clips, men were seen groping the women
in a manner widely described as animalistic and despicable.

A young woman was seen in the video sobbing and clutching
her ripped clothes while being violently harassed by several men.

Following the incident, the police command in Delta said its
operatives had arrested Omorede Sunday, a community leader, and four other
suspects over allegations of rape and assault.

Providing an update in a statement on Saturday, Bright
Edafe, police spokesperson in Delta, said the commissioner of police special
assignment team (CP-SAT) conducted a thorough analysis of available video
evidence of the incident.

Edafe said 15 suspects have so far been arrested over the
incident.

He identified some of those arrested as Samson Atukpodo,
Steven Ovie, Ugbevo Samson, Afoke Akporobaro, Evidence Oguname, and six others.

“These latest arrests bring the total number of suspects
currently in police custody in connection with the incident to fifteen,” the
statement reads.

“The command reiterates that preliminary findings indicate
that the unfortunate incident was perpetrated by criminal elements who
exploited the situation to engage in acts of s*xual violence, which are in no
way representative of any legitimate cultural practice.

“The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Aina
Adesola, condemns these acts in totality and reassures the public that the
command remains resolute in its determination to ensure that all those involved
are identified, arrested, and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

“Members of the public, particularly victims and witnesses,
are once again encouraged to come forward with credible information that will
aid ongoing investigations.

“The command assures that all information provided will be
treated with strict confidentiality.”

Aprokorepublic

Canada has set targets to stabilise the country’s
immigration levels, a new plan that would affect temporary workers and foreign
students.

New temporary resident arrivals have been set at 385,000 in
2026; and 370,000 in 2027 and 2028.

“These figures represent new temporary worker and student
arrivals to Canada,” the country’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
department (IRCC) said, adding that the move would “support a return to
sustainable immigration levels”.

“Overall permanent resident admissions will stabilize at
380,000 from 2026 to 2028″.

The plan was first released last November.

The IRCC said the Canadian government will also accelerate
the transition of up to 33,000 temporary workers to permanent residency in 2026
and 2027.

The initiative will target workers who have established
strong roots in their communities, are paying taxes and are helping to build
the country’s economy.

Despite the move to curb immigration levels, foreign workers
account for almost 100 percent of Canada’s labour force growth, according to
the IRGC.

Last month, new categories were introduced for skilled
workers via the Canadian express entry system.

“Canada’s future depends on a workforce ready to meet the
challenges of a changing economy,” Lena Diab, immigration minister, said.

The expanded categories include researchers and senior
managers with Canadian work experience; candidates with work experience in
transport occupations, including pilots, aircraft mechanics and inspectors; and
highly skilled foreign military applicants recruited by the Canadian armed
forces in key roles such as military doctors, nurses and pilots.

Foreign medical doctors with Canadian work experience will
also be prioritised.

In 2025, health care and social services, such as nurse
practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and chiropractors; and
trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and machinists were prioritised in the
express system.

The targets are a continuation of the country’s immigration
reduction plans set in 2024.

In the same year, the IRCC noted that 71,459 Nigerians
obtained Canadian citizenship between 2025 – 2024.

Aprokorepublic

Toyosi Adesanya, the Nollywood actress, is finally a
mother.

In a post shared on Saturday by Biola Adebayo, a
close colleague and friend, Adesanya welcomed her first child through a
surrogate mother.

Announcing the birth, Adebayo revealed that she has been
named the child’s godmother.

Adesanya first opened up about
her infertility struggle in 2024 when she recounted undergoing a laparoscopy
and two failed IVF attempts in 2009 and 2011.

She narrated that she sold her valuables to afford the
procedures, which cost N900,000–N1 million at the time.

The actress then added that she lost three other pregnancies
due to various medical issues.

“I got married in 2007, and I was already pregnant during
our wedding ceremony,” she said.

“Two months after we travelled back to Akure, where my
husband stays, I saw blood in my dream and also when I woke up. I told my
husband (now ex), and he said I might have lost the pregnancy due to stress.

“Meanwhile, I have not gone to any location; the one I had
to go to was still in December 2007, and I already lost the pregnancy in
September 2007.

“In 2008, Fathia Balogun encouraged me to try for pregnancy
again and introduced me to a woman.

“I went to the woman, she gave me some herbal medications,
and I got pregnant again. After a while, I lost the pregnancy.”

Adesanya started her acting career in the Yoruba film
industry over thirty years ago.

She has starred in films like ‘Alagogo Ide’, ‘Oru’, ‘Iwo’
and ‘Adeda’. She has also been recognised for her talent.

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