Author: starconnect
By SCM Staff Writer MUNCIE, Ind. — A public university in Indiana has agreed to pay $225,000 to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit brought by a former administrator who was abruptly fired last autumn after posting online commentary regarding the assassination of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, which represented the former employee, Suzanne Swierc, announced the finalized settlement. The agreement concludes a legal and political battle that put Ball State University at the center of national debates over the free speech rights of public sector workers, the boundaries of private social media…
Niger Delta Development: NDDC Ties Consultant Fees to Procurement of EIA Permits By Our Reporter PORT HARCOURT – In a decisive move to accelerate sustainable infrastructural delivery and ensure strict adherence to environmental best practices, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has intensified efforts to conclude all pending Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certification processes for 180 development projects spread across the Niger Delta region. The intervention represents a major breakthrough in the Commission’s quest to unlock critical infrastructure that has been stalled due to bureaucratic and regulatory bottlenecks. The affected projects span multiple intervention sectors and cut across the 2014,…
By SCM Staff Writer JOHANNESBURG — A South African community activist who sparked international outrage after a viral video showed him ordering foreign shop owners to pack up and leave the country in the peak of xenophobia has been brutally shot dead at his home. Thato Molosankwe, a prominent local campaigner from South Africa’s North West province, was executed in a hail of bullets in Mahikeng. According to local reports, the anti-migrant activist was shot at least five times in what bears all the hallmarks of a targeted assassination. Police have launched a manhunt for the killers, though authorities…
Admin I Wednesday, May 27. 26 PORT HARCOURT – The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has reaffirmed its commitment to human capacity development, particularly by equipping the staff of the Directorate of Project Monitoring and Supervision, PMS, with the skills and knowledge required for effective service delivery. Speaking during a two-day workshop for the staff, the Director of Project Monitoring and Supervision, Engr. Gbenga Omowanle, described the workshop as a refresher course and induction programme for old and new staff. He explained that the training was designed to acquaint participants with the fundamental principles of PMS operations and…
By SCM Reporter THE TERRORIST mastermind who helped coordinate the horrific October 7 massacres has been blown to pieces in a dramatic precision airstrike, the Israeli Defense Forces, IDF has said. Hamas is yet to confirm the killing even as three Palestinians were killed in the strike in densely populated area. Israeli forces said they tracked down and eliminated Mohammed Odeh—the newly appointed chief of Hamas’s military wing and the ruthless head of its global intelligence headquarters. Odeh, who had only been in his top military job for a fortnight after his predecessor was also wiped out,…
By SCM Energy Reporter ABUJA — In a major stride toward addressing its historic energy deficit and accelerating its transition to renewable energy, the Federal Government of Nigeria has officially signed a landmark $1.5 billion Concession Agreement for the development of the Grand Katsina-Ala Hydropower Project. The ambitious infrastructure project aims to inject 460 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity into the national grid, utilizing the flow of the Katsina-Ala River in the north-central state of Benue. According to an official statement released by the government, Maverick Energy Partners has been formally appointed as the preferred concessionaire. The firm will spearhead…
By Emmanuel Thomas ABUJA, Nigeria — A Federal High Court in Abuja has delivered a significant legal blow to Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ordering the electoral umpire to amend its newly revised timetable for the upcoming 2027 general elections. Presiding Justice James Omotosho ruled on Tuesday that INEC’s compressed election calendar directly contravened the statutory provisions established under the newly enacted Electoral Act 2026. The judgment followed a lawsuit brought against the commission by the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which argued that the electoral body had overstepped its administrative boundaries. The court’s decision marks the second time…
Admin I Wednesday, May 26.26 LAGOS, Nigeria – Fidelity Bank Plc recorded 37.9 per cent growth in gross earnings to N434.95 billion in first quarter 2026 as the international commercial bank continued to expand its core banking market share. Interim report and accounts of Fidelity Bank for the three months ended March 31, 2026 released at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) showed that gross earnings rose from N315.42 billion in first quarter 20025 to N434.95 billion in first quarter 2026, representing an increase of 37.9 per cent. The top-line performance was driven by impressive growth in the bank’s core business…
By SCM Correspondent PORT HARCOURT — A Nigerian federal court has issued an interim injunction restraining the state oil company and all commercial lenders within the West African nation from releasing funds to a Chinese logistics enterprise, escalating a commercial dispute tied to major domestic energy infrastructure. Justice Stephen Daylop Pam, presiding over the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, granted the sweeping Mareva injunction against Beijing Seajets International Forwarder Company Limited. The order effectively freezes the asset perimeter of the Chinese freight operator within Nigeria up to the value of $117,000, pending the final resolution of a debt-recovery…
By Admin I Tuesday, May 24, 2026 ABUJA, Nigeria – A remarkably under-strength Super Eagles took full command of the Charlton Athletic Stadium (The Valley) on Tuesday and handed a stinging 2-0 defeat to the Warriors of Zimbabwe in the first semi-final of this year’s Unity Cup Football Tournament. Coach Eric Chelle sent out a barely-recognizable squad in the first game in his defence of the trophy that he won with the three-time African champions a year ago, with goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, defender Chibueze Oputa and forward Femi Azeez earning their first caps for the country. Azeez, who plays…