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I’m a red cap chief in Igboland — Ezekwesili shouldn’t ask me to shut up, says Nwaebonyi

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Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, deputy chief whip of the senate, says he will report Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of education, to Igbo traditional leaders for asking him to “shut up his mouth” in public.

Nwaebonyi, who represents Ebonyi north, spoke on Monday on ‘Kaakaki’, an AIT breakfast programme.

Nwaebonyi and Ezekwesili had a heated exchange on March 25 at the hearing of the senate committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions.

The hearing was on a fresh petition from Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Kogi central senator, who has repeatedly accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexually harassing her.

Ezekwesili joined Abiola Akiode, counsel to Akpoti-Uduaghan; and the petitioner, Zubairu Yakubu; at the senate committee hearing as a witness.

Nwaebonyi, who appeared as a witness for Akpabio, repeatedly interrupted the former minister during the hearing.

Ezekwesili then asked the senator to “compose himself and stop making noise” and said “please, will you shut up?” — a remark that instantly provoked an outburst from Nwaebonyi.

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Nwaebonyi said the former minister’s public rebuke was “unacceptable”.

“As a person, I can’t talk to my wife like that in public. I can’t talk to my driver like that in public. I can’t talk to any woman like that, I have never done that in my life. I respect women,” he said.

“I am one of the people that has been championing the rights and privileges of women.

“As a legal practitioner, I won so many cases for women that were denied their rights of inheriting their father’s properties because their father had no male child.

“I won so many cases pro bono. The facts are there. If you go to Ebonyi, you would see them.

“I am one of the leaders from the south-east that has a programme for building houses for widows, sponsoring their children in school. I have over 300 of them. All these are to show the respect, and regard, and love I have for women.

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“But, for a woman to get up in public, and tell me to shut up my mouth and call me a hooligan, a red cap chief in Igboland that has made his mark…

“I have made my contribution. I stood for election, I had the votes of over 500 people to be in the senate.

“And for somebody who has never won a ward councillor to come to my office and tell me to shut up my mouth and call me a hooligan… this is unacceptable.

“I am going to take her up within the Igbo traditional leadership because it has never happened.”

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Tinubu returns to Nigeria after state visit to UK

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President Bola Tinubu arrived in Lagos early on Friday following a two-day historic visit to the United Kingdom.

The president is expected to join Muslim faithful later in the day to mark the celebration of Eid-el-Fitr.

Tinubu and his wife, the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, touched down at about 1:15 a.m. at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.

They were received on arrival by top government officials and party members, including Lagos State Deputy Governor Femi Hamzat and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, alongside other All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts.

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Tinubu departs UK for Nigeria after historic state visit

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has departed the the United Kingdom for Nigeria following a high-profile state visit.

This was disclosed on Friday morning by the President’s Special Adviser, Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

“President Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu depart London for Nigeria. President Tinubu and his wife are heading to Lagos for the Eid-el-Fitr celebration,” Onanuga wrote on his Facebook page.

The visit was marked by royal engagements, economic discussions and renewed diplomatic ties.

Tinubu was first received by King Charles III at Windsor Castle, where both leaders held talks aimed at strengthening relations between Nigeria and the UK. The visit featured ceremonial honours, including a carriage procession and a state banquet attended by senior members of the royal family.

At the banquet, Tinubu emphasised the importance of stronger cooperation between both countries. “Nigeria remains ready to deepen its partnership with the United Kingdom in trade, investment and shared prosperity,” he said. “We are committed to creating an environment that supports investors and drives sustainable growth,” Tinubu said.

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On his part, King Charles highlighted the enduring relationship between the two nations. “The United Kingdom and Nigeria share deep and enduring ties. Our countries are bound not only by history, but by a shared commitment to opportunity, enterprise and cultural exchange,” the monarch said.

Beyond the royal engagements, Tinubu also took part in meetings with UK officials, including discussions linked to the government of Keir Starmer, focusing on economic collaboration and investment opportunities.

Speaking on the outcomes of the visit, Tinubu said: “This visit has opened new pathways for cooperation, particularly in infrastructure and trade. We look forward to translating these discussions into tangible benefits for our people.”

A key development from the trip was progress on an agreement involving the rehabilitation of Nigerian ports, valued at hundreds of millions of pounds. According to officials, the project is expected to boost maritime capacity and support economic growth.

Tinubu also acknowledged the significance of the visit, noting that it comes at a crucial time for Nigeria’s economy. “We are determined to reposition our economy through strategic partnerships such as this,” he said.

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Good morning! Nigerian Newspapers Headlines: 2027 gov poll: Succession firestorm heats up in 10 states

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1. The simmering build-up to the 2027 general elections is rapidly giving way to an expansive and high-stakes succession season in at least 10 states, as governors in their final terms prepare to exit and a new generation of political actors moves to take their place.

Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara) are in the final lap of their constitutionally permitted two-term, four-year tenures, and the battle for their successors has begun across the states


2. President Bola Tinubu on Thursday night departed London after a two-day historic visit at the instance of the royal family. He is expected to land in Abuja on Friday morning.


3. The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on the Nigerian military to adopt a more proactive strategy against terrorist groups in the wake of deadly bombings in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Abubakar made the appeal on Wednesday evening while declaring Friday as Eid-el-Fitr, marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.


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4. Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State says the time of Boko Haram informants and their sympathizers is up, vowing that they would be tracked and made to face the full wrath of the law. The governor gave the warning during a state-wide broadcast on Thursday.


5. There was panic at St. Matthias Catholic Church, Agulu, in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, after a fully loaded lorry crashed into the church premises and caught fire. The incident, which occurred late on Wednesday along the Agulu Lake–Golden Tulip Hotel Road, caused gridlock as motorists slowed down while emergency responders battled to contain the blaze.



6. Nigeria has entered into a fresh agreement with the United Kingdom that will enable British authorities to repatriate thousands of failed asylum seekers and convicted offenders to the West African nation. The deal was formalised by Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood during President Bola Tinubu’s official visit to Britain.


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7. Combined security operatives have arrested three suspected bandits linked to the February 3, 2026 attack on Woro village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. The arrest was disclosed on Thursday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Ibraheem Abdullateef, in a Facebook post.



8. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Kano Strategic Command, has arrested a suspect and recovered 510 blocks of cannabis sativa in a major pre–Eid-el-Fitr operation. The State Commander, D.Y. Lawal, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics, Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari.


9. Nigeria has been ranked the fourth most terrorized country in the world, according to the Global Terrorism Index, 2026, released by the Institute for Economics & Peace, a non-profit think tank headquartered in Sydney, Australia. The report showed that 750 Nigerians lost their lives to terrorism in 2025, representing a 46 per cent increase compared to the previous year.



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10. The Police Command in Enugu State has detained three suspects in coordinated crime prevention operations across the state, recovering a firearm, ammunition and a tricycle. The command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Enugu. Ndukwe said that on March 15, about 9 a.m., operatives on patrol along Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway intercepted an unregistered tricycle.

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