News Rider

As part of expanded cooperation between Washington and Abuja, the United States has dispatched troops to Nigeria for counter-terrorism operations and other related security threats. This followed the December 25, 2025, deadly airstrikes launched by the US Military against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) hotspot In Northwest Nigeria over the incessant attacks on Christians.  United States President, Donald J. Trump who disclosed the airstrikes via his verified social media handle on Christmas Day, informed that the action was taken on his direct orders as Commander in Chief. According to Reuters, Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) General Dagvin R.M. Anderson said on Tuesday, February 4, 2026, that Nigeria and the United States agreed on the need for closer military collaboration to address the lingering insecurity.  Anderson did not disclose the exact size and mission details of the deployed team, but described it as a small continge...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja  The Federal Government has sought for coordinated actions among stakeholders in the environment sector to whittle down risks associated with Greenhouse Gas (GhG) emissions in the environment and public health space.  This was even as the Federal Government listed rapid urbanisation, industrial expansion, rising energy demand, and intensified transportation as major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. The need for partnership was highlighted at the National Stakeholders’ Engagement on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and the Declaration of a Public Health Emergency on Environmental-Related Diseases on Monday in Abuja.  It was organised by the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) with support from the Federal Ministry of Environment, NNPC, ACReSAL, National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), NESREA, and NetZence. Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal promised that the ministry would provide policy leadership and stren...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja         Singer Ifunanya Nwangene  Fresh facts have emerged on how dangerous snakes penetrated late singer, Ifunanya Nwangene's home in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.  Nwangene, a soprano singer with the Abuja Metropolitan Music Society (Amemuso) Choir died of complications from snake bite and insufficient antivenom at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja on Saturday.  Sources pointed out that the snakes penetrated her home through the plumbing system, as the house was connected to a central sewage system, making it easy for reptiles to enter through drainage pipes. It was also revealed that the snake identified as a cobra emerged from one of the toilets and bit her while she was lying down on a bed in her room. Amemuso Choir Reacts  The Music Director of Amemuso Choir, Sam Ezugwu provided insight into the death of Nwangene. A statement on Amemuso's Facebook page on Sunday, February 1 read: "We regret to announ...

BY CHIKA OKEKE The prolonged sit-at-home ended on Monday, February 2, as traders at Onitsha Main Market, the commercial city of Anambra State resumed for normal business activities, following a one-week shutdown by Anambra State Government.  This was even as the traders defied warnings from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to remain at home on Monday's, a situation that heightened fears in the state.  Recall that the Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo had on Monday, January 26, 2026, ordered the immediate closure of Onitsha Main Market for one week over the traders’ continued compliance with IPOB's forced sit-at-home.  Shortly after inspecting the market, the governor noted that the shutdown was a direct response to the failure of the market leadership to open on Mondays against the government’s directive. He warned that if traders failed to open at the expiration of the one-week shutdown, the market would be closed for another week and subs...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) has strengthened Nigeria's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with the unveiling of national response initiative, meant to cripple diseases traceable to Greenhouse Gas (GhG) emissions nationwide.  This formed the crux of discuss on Monday at the National Stakeholders’ Engagement on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and the Declaration of a Public Health Emergency on Environmental-Related Diseases.  The National Emergency Response Initiative on Environmental Public Health Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (NERI-EPHIGGE) was designed to strengthen Environmental Health Service (EHS) delivery, promote climate responsive public health interventions and enhance the professional capacity of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) across the country to mitigate GhG emissions.  Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) Dr Yakubu Baba said that the i...

BY CHIKA OKEKE The Anambra State Government has directed the reopening of Onitsha Main Market on Monday, an order that signaled the end of sit-at-home.  This followed the directive issued by the Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo on Monday, January 26, 2026, ordering the immediate closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week over the traders’ continued compliance with IPOB's forced sit-at-home.  Shortly after inspecting the market, the governor noted that the shutdown was a direct response to the failure of the market leadership to open on Mondays against the government’s directive. Soludo warned that if traders failed to open at the expiration of the one-week shutdown, the market would be closed for another week and subsequently for longer periods. The development heightened tension in the State on Tuesday, January 27, as traders staged a protest over the closure of Onitsha Main Market by the state government.  News Rider reports that the trad...