RoundReports

A Pakistani air strike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul killed at least 408 people on Monday, according to Afghan officials. The Taliban-led government said a further 265 people were injured when the strike hit the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in the Afghan capital.  Islamabad has rejected the claims of civilian casualties, maintaining that its forces targeted " military installations and terrorist support infrastructure ." A spokesperson for the Pakistani military said the operation was " precisely and carefully undertaken " to avoid collateral damage.  Pakistan has not verified the reported casualty figures in the incident that follows a month of the heaviest fighting between the two nations in years.  Tensions ignited in February when Pakistan launched air strikes inside Afghanistan against what it described as militant strongholds.  Kabul responded by branding the move a violation of its sovereignty and launched retaliatory operations. Over the last...

Prof Charles Soludo has been sworn in for a second term as Governor of Anambra State, following his re-election in the November 2025 governorship poll. The oath of office was administered on Tuesday at the newly renovated Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, the state capital.  Soludo was inaugurated alongside his deputy, Onyeka Ibezim in the ceremony that drew a high-profile audience, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, and Goodluck Jonathan. Also present were former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku, and several serving governors, among them Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier declared Soludo winner of the election held on 8 November 2025.  READ ALSO : FG Orders Security Chiefs to Maiduguri after Deadly Blasts According to the electoral body, the governor polled 422,664 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress ...

The federal government has ordered senior security chiefs to relocate temporarily to Maiduguri after a series of explosions killed at least 23 people in the north-eastern city, pledging to track down those responsible. President Bola Tinubu condemned the attacks, describing them as desperate attempts by criminal and terrorist groups to spread fear amid mounting pressure from security forces.  In a statement on Tuesday, Tinubu said he had directed the nation’s security leadership to take charge on the ground in Borno State, and instructed emergency agencies to ensure proper care for the injured. The President said security had been reinforced nationwide and warned that there would be no safe haven for those behind the violence, vowing that they would be located and defeated.  He also praised the “ courage and fighting spirit ” of troops who repelled coordinated attacks on military positions in the state, adding that additional equipment and operational support had recently bee...

Israel has said it carried out overnight airstrikes that killed Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, alongside Gholamreza Soleimani, in what it described as a targeted operation. Speaking on Tuesday, Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said both men had been eliminated, using incendiary language to underline the gravity of the strikes. Iran has not publicly confirmed the deaths. The claim follows a high-profile appearance by Larijani last Friday at a Quds Day rally in Tehran, where he marched with thousands of supporters and criticised the United States (US) president Donald Trump during a live interview. Separately, regional tensions intensified after an Iranian drone struck a key oil terminal in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday, triggering a second fire in as many days at the Fujairah complex.  READ ALSO : Nigeria’s Inflation Eases Slightly to 15.06% in February Oil loading operations had been temporarily suspended on Monday after an earlier blaze. Authorities said eme...

At least 23 people have died and 146 others injured after a series of explosions rocked Maiduguri on Monday night. The blasts struck multiple locations, including the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Monday Market, and the Post Office area, sparking panic across the city. Surajo Abdullahi of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said 169 victims were evacuated to hospitals.  Currently, 108 are receiving treatment at UMTH, 20 at Umaru Shehu Hospital, and 17 at Maiduguri Specialist Hospital. Residents described the attacks as a frightening return to the violent days the city had largely moved past.  READ ALSO : Navy Hands Over Alleged Impersonators to Police One resident, speaking anonymously with newsmen, said the explosions reignited fear and disturbing memories. The last similar incident in Maiduguri occurred in 2021, when suspected Boko Haram fighters launched mortar attacks, killing at least 10, followed by a suicide bombing at a m...

Veteran American actor Matt Clark, known for his role in Back to the Future Part III, has died at the age of 89. Clark passed away on Sunday morning at his home in Austin, Texas, after complications following back surgery. His death was announced publicly on Monday. He was best known to many audiences for playing Chester the bartender in the final instalment of the Back to the Future trilogy, starring Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd.  Though a minor role, his appearance became a memorable part of the 1990 film. Over a career spanning five decades, Clark built a reputation as a dependable character actor, appearing alongside major Hollywood figures including Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges and John Wayne. His film credits ranged widely, from early roles in Black Like Me and In the Heat of the Night to later appearances in titles such as The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension and A Million Ways to Die in the West.  READ ALSO :  Michael Jordan Wins First...

FIFA has handed sanctions to both the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Congolese Football Association (Congo DR) following disciplinary incidents during the African playoff final for the 2026 World Cup. The match, played on 16 November 2025 in Morocco, saw Nigeria penalised for crowd disturbances, including the throwing of objects onto the pitch.  The NFF was fined 1,000 Swiss Francs under Articles 17 and 17.2.b of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. DR Congo received a stiffer penalty after supporters were found to have used laser pointers and similar devices, in breach of Article 17.2.d, resulting in a 5,000 Swiss Franc fine.  READ ALSO : D’Tigress Rally Past Philippines in World Cup Qualifier FIFA has not yet commented on Nigeria’s protest regarding DR Congo allegedly fielding ineligible players during the playoff final. In a related development, the Jordan Football Association (JFA) has confirmed that the four-nation invitational tournament, initially scheduled for Amman,...

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to interfere in its leadership structure ahead of the 2027 presidential election, a claim rejected by the Presidency. In a statement issued in Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said there were efforts to pressure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe, an expelled member, as the party’s national chairman. The ADC said it would resist any such move, insisting there was no dispute over its leadership, maintaining that the party remains under the leadership of David Mark following a joint meeting of its National Working Committee and National Executive Committee in July 2025, which it said was observed by INEC officials. According to the statement, the alleged actions were aimed at creating internal divisions within the party ahead of the 2027 election cycle, which includes deadlines for submission of party members...

Nigeria has recorded 469 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and 109 deaths so far in 2026, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDCP). In its Week 9 epidemiological report, covering 23 February to 1 March, the agency said the fatality ratio stands at 23.2 per cent, up from 18.7 per cent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025. A total of 65 new confirmed infections were reported within the week, down from 77 cases logged in Week 8.  The latest cases were identified across seven states, including Benue State, Ondo State, Bauchi State, Taraba State, Edo State, Plateau State and Nasarawa State. Also, the report showed growing risks to frontline staff, with six healthcare workers infected during the week, bringing the cumulative total to 37 for the year. Between Weeks 1 and 9, Nigeria recorded 2,446 suspected cases of the disease, of which 469 were confirmed and four classified as probable.  The NCDC said 86 per cent of confirmed infections wer...

Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Apapa Area Command have intercepted two containers carrying thousands of cartons of codeine-based syrup concealed among household goods at Apapa Port in Lagos. The seizure, carried out in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), involved a total of 3,398 cartons, equivalent to 339,800 bottles, of codeine-containing syrup. According to a statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Isah Sulaiman, the illicit consignment has a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N3.398 billion. Sulaiman said one of the containers, identified as MRKU 3816476, was found to contain 1,700 cartons of codeine syrup hidden among 38 cartons of insulated casserole dishes.  A second container, TGBU 5399178, held 1,698 cartons concealed within 36 cartons of similar household items. Both shipments have since been seized in line with provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023. READ ALSO : Navy Destroys Illegal Refin...