Author: starconnect
Admin I Wednesday, Sept 09, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – On a quiet Monday morning, the proprietor of a growing private school walks through her compound before the first bell rings.-; The classrooms are freshly painted, teachers are preparing their lessons, and parents are arriving with children eager to begin another academic year. Behind the excitement of the new session is a list of urgent financial decisions. The school needs more desks to accommodate increasing enrolment. Some computers in the ICT laboratory must be replaced. The school bus requires repairs, additional teachers must be recruited, and suppliers are waiting…
Admin I Wednesday, Sept 09,2026 ILE-IFE – This month between September 19 to 28, the ancient and revered Yoruba city of Ile-Ife will play host to the global community of cultural enthusiasts as they converge for the annual Olojo Festival. A cultural event that has become a rallying point for men and women from all walks of life who gather to learn about the culture and people of Ile-Ife and Yoruba at large, this year edition of the festival will witness a unique programme on Sunday the 27th with the formal launch of a first of its kind book…
L-R: The NDDC Director, Youth Sports, Culture and Women Affairs, Mrs Imoni Ahunna; the NDDC Director, Akwa Ibom State Office, Engr. Evong Evong, and the Special Assistant to the Akwa Ibom State Government on Persons with Disabilities, Hon. Nene Bassey (back row), during the empowerment programme for Persons Living with Disabilities in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State By Emmanuel Thomas l Wednesday, Sept 09, 2026 UYO — The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has presented empowerment materials and capacity-building resources to Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) in Akwa Ibom State, reaffirming its dedication to fostering social and economic inclusion across…
By SCM Correspondent l Wednesday, Sept 09, 2026 MAKURDI— Former Vice President and presidential candidate, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, has strongly condemned the violent attack and blockade launched against His Excellency Peter Obi, who was forcibly prevented from visiting the crisis-torn Yelwata community in Benue State. Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), was on his way to offer his condolences and humanitarian support to families mourning victims of persistent terrorist attacks when armed thugs intercepted his convoy. In a official press statement issued by his spokesman, Kenneth Okonkwo, Atiku described the disruption as “unacceptable,…
By SCM Reporter I Wednesday, Sept 09, 2026 MANGU — Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr. Peter Obi, has made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to urgently restore security to beleaguered communities across the Middle Belt, declaring that as long as one Nigerian remains displaced, every citizen suffers the same fate. Obi made the call on September 8 during an assessment visit to an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp housing over 500 victims of violence in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State. The visit followed a frustrating turn of events earlier in…
By SCM International Desk I Wednesday, Sept 09, 2026 TEHRAN — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Wednesday that its forces launched a heavy ballistic missile barrage against a base housing American military personnel in Jordan, alleging that the strike destroyed critical maintenance hangars and fighter aircraft. In a formal statement issued by its public relations division, labeled “Announcement No. 13,” the paramilitary organization stated that its Aerospace Force carried out operation “Ya Haidar Karrar” against the site—identified in the statement as the “Al-Azraq” base. According to the IRGC statement, the strike utilized a combination of…
By SCM Correspondent l Tuesday, Sept. 08 MAKURDI, Nigeria — Senior political figures in Nigeria issued sharp condemnations on Tuesday after a group of youths blocked the convoy of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), preventing him from traveling to aid victims of violence in Benue State. The incident occurred near the state capital of Makurdi as Mr. Obi attempted to travel to Yelewata, a community devastated by recent violent attacks. According to eyewitness accounts and local party officials, a crowd of protesters mounted a roadblock along the highway, chanting slogans against the candidate and…
…Commends HALILU for Speedy Commercialization of Agency’s Research results Admin I Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026 ABUJA, Nigeria – Following the successful conclusion of the maiden NASENI Innovation Assessment and Awards (NIAA), the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, has formally presented the top six winners from both the Inter-Agency and Intra-Agency categories to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume, CON. The NIAA, organized under the theme “Driving Innovation, Accelerating Industrialization, Transforming Nigeria,” awarded a total of ₦140 million…
By SCM Reporter I Tuesday, Sept 08, 2026 ABUJA, Nigeria — A Nigerian appellate court has upheld the fraud conviction and 10-year prison sentence of Robert Orya, the former managing director of the state-backed Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), affirming a ruling tied to the illicit diversion of N2.4 billion (roughly $1.5 million) in public development funds. The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja dismissed Mr. Orya’s appeal for lack of merit, confirming the initial verdict delivered earlier this year by Justice F.E. Messiri of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. Mr. Orya was convicted on 49 criminal counts, including…
By SCM International Desk I Tuesday, Sept 08, 2026 JERUSALEM — Relations between Israel and the United Kingdom descended into a sharp diplomatic crisis on Tuesday after the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced a series of unprecedented countermeasures in response to sweeping trade restrictions on West Bank settlements introduced by Britain’s Labour government. The announcement was made by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar with the approval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel confirmed it will close the British Consulate in East Jerusalem—a historic diplomatic post through which London has long maintained relations with the Palestinian Authority. In addition…