1. President Bola Tinubu and members of his cabinet, as well as 32 state governors and 8,453 delegates from across the country, are expected to participate in the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress scheduled for Friday (today) and Saturday in Abuja.
In addition, top party chieftains from the national, zonal, state and ward levels will also grace the convention, where new leaders of the party will emerge.
2. The Central Bank of Nigeria has officially restricted banking services for “chronic defaulters” and large-ticket obligors with non-performing loans. In a sweeping move to enforce credit discipline and safeguard the nation’s financial system, the apex bank issued a policy statement on Wednesday following remarks by CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso at the 4th Annual IMF/AFRITAC West 2 High-Level Executive Forum in Abuja
3. The Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the suspension of civil servants not on duty by 10 am during his surprise visit to the state secretariat in Awka, on Thursday. Soludo gave the order after conducting an on-the-spot assessment of workers’ punctuality across ministries and departments of the state.
5. A 34-year-old female drug convict, Tope Ayanwale, on Tuesday, collapsed in court shortly after she was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with an option of a N10m fine by a Federal High Court sitting in Benin, Edo State. Ayanwale was arraigned before the court presided over by Justice B. Quadiri on Charge No. FHC/B/21c/2026.
6. Factional PDP National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, has confirmed that he has appealed the bench warrant issued for his arrest by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory following his absence at a scheduled court hearing. The bench warrant, issued by Justice Peter Kekemeke, was prompted by Turaki’s failure to appear in court over a one-count charge of allegedly giving false information to the Inspector-General of Police in a petition he wrote in 2022.
7. The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, has warned that declining voter turnout in Nigeria is evolving from a civic issue into a matter of national security. At an event on Thursday Amupitan said despite the “peaceful conduct of the FCT council polls, where turnout improved from 9.4 percent to 15 percent, voter apathy remains a sobering challenge”.
8. The plan for state police being canvassed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is inching towards reality. Yesterday, a major step towards its realisation was taken by Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu. Chairman of the State Police panel set up by Disu on assumption of office last month, Prof. Olu Ogunsakin, submitted a 75-page proposal to Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.
9. Troops of Sector 2, Operation Fansan Yamma, have intensified operations against criminal and terrorist enclaves across Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi states, killing at least six suspected bandits and recovering arms and communication equipment in coordinated offensives conducted this week. In separate operations, security forces achieved significant rescues.
10. Hafsat Yusuf, the woman who gave birth to quintuplets at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, on Wednesday, has passed away. Her husband, Salisu Nafiu, confirmed the development on Thursday morning, stating that she passed away at the hospital around 1:00 a.m.
