RoundReports

Nigerian singer Adekunle Kosoko, better known as Adekunle Gold, has revealed plans for a long-awaited collaboration with his former label boss, Olamide.   The announcement came via Adekunle Gold’s Instagram page, where he shared a teaser suggesting their first official track will arrive on 9 April. “ First time, me and @olamide Formation. April 9 ,” he wrote. Adekunle Gold was signed to Olamide’s YBNL Nation label in the mid-2010s, a period that shaped his early career.  His breakout single Sade introduced his unique fusion of highlife and Afrobeats, but despite their close working relationship, the two never released a joint track.   READ ALSO : Omah Lay Flags Risks of Afrobeats Losing Artistic Depth After leaving YBNL in 2016, Adekunle Gold carved out a successful independent career, evolving his sound into a more global Afrobeats style and earning international recognition.  Olamide, meanwhile, expanded YBNL into one of Nigeria’s most influential labels,...

China is tightening its grip on the world’s clean energy supply chains as the war in Iran sends shockwaves through oil and gas markets, forcing governments to accelerate their shift to renewables.   The country already produces the bulk of the world’s solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles.  Now, with fossil fuel supplies disrupted by US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, Chinese exports of green technologies are surging.   Shares in battery giant CATL have soared, while electric car maker BYD reported a 65 per cent jump in overseas sales in March.  Solar manufacturer Jinko Solar also confirmed rising exports since the conflict began.   Beijing is capitalising on the moment as Washington retreats from clean energy.  The Trump administration recently blocked offshore wind projects and cut tax support for renewables, while China pledged to raise its share of non-fossil fuel consumption to 25 per cent by 2030. ...

A community group in Kaduna State has dismissed reports that 31 worshippers abducted during an Easter Sunday attack in Ariko community, Kachia Local Government Area (LGA), have been rescued by the Nigerian Army. The Kuturmi Unity Development Association described the reports as false and misleading, saying all those taken during the attack remain in captivity. Recall that the denial follows earlier claims that troops had successfully freed victims kidnapped when suspected bandits stormed Ariko in the early hours of Easter, attacking two Christian worship centres.  The assault left several worshippers dead and others abducted, reigniting concerns over persistent insecurity in Southern Kaduna. In a statement dated 6 April 2026, the association’s president, JD Ariko, said the community was alarmed by the circulation of what he called inaccurate information. “ Our attention has been drawn to reports alleging that the Nigerian Army has successfully rescued 31 persons abducted during the...

The Independent Broadcast Association of Nigeria (IBAN) has called on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, to issue a public apology over a remark he made about Channels Television anchor Seun Okinbaloye. In a statement on Monday, IBAN’s chairman, Ahmed Ramalan, and acting general secretary, Fidelis Duker, said the minister should retract a comment made during a media interaction which they described as inappropriate and unbecoming of a public office holder. The association said the remark followed a broadcast of Channels Television’s political programme Politics Today, during which Okinbaloye voiced his views on the state of Nigeria’s democracy.  Wike later told journalists that he was angered by the commentary and added that, " If there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him ." IBAN said such language, even when used figuratively, was unacceptable and risked undermining the safety and professionalism of broadcast journalists. READ ALSO ...

The Obidient Movement says preparations are under way for a nationwide protest against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing the electoral body of actions that are deepening divisions within the opposition. Yunusa Tanko, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide disclosed this at the weekend, stating that supporters across Nigeria and in the diaspora were mobilising for what he described as a peaceful demonstration. Tanko alleged that INEC had become partisan and was allowing itself to be used to advance the interests of the ruling party, rather than acting as an impartial referee in the democratic process. He said members of the Obidient Movement intended to communicate their dissatisfaction through lawful protests, insisting that growing public anger could no longer be ignored. According to him, the movement’s core grievance is what it sees as INEC’s role in fomenting discord among opposition parties, warning that continued silence could hav...

Seun Okinbaloye has said he is neither afraid nor intimidated amid controversy sparked by comments from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, while thanking Nigerians and organisations for what he described as overwhelming support. Speaking during a broadcast on Sunday, Okinbaloye acknowledged solidarity from civil society groups, viewers, and both local and international organisations, saying the response reaffirmed public commitment to truth and accountability. He warned that democratic space could be narrowed if dissenting voices were silenced, arguing that democracy was at risk if elections and political debate became “ one-way traffic .” The journalist stressed that his comments were not aimed at any political party but at Nigerians broadly, saying the issues raised cut across partisan lines and were about national development. Okinbaloye disclosed that he had received reassurances regarding his safety, citing ongoing communication from the Department ...

Nigerian troops have thwarted a terrorist attack on a church in southern Kaduna, rescuing 31 worshippers abducted during an Easter service in Ariko village, Kachia Local Government Area (LGA). According to a statement from the Nigerian Army, soldiers moved swiftly after receiving a distress call about gunmen who stormed an ECWA Church during Sunday worship.  The Army said the attackers  seized congregants before fleeing the area, and troops, guided by local residents, pursued the assailants. After engaging them in a gun battle, the kidnappers were forced to abandon their captives and thirty-one civilians were freed, including one injured person who is receiving medical care. " The pressure mounted by the advancing troops forced the terrorists to abandon 31 hostages, including one injured victim who is currently receiving medical attention . READ ALSO : Building Collapse Injures Seven in Abuja " Regrettably, the remains of five victims already killed by the terrorists were als...

The Borno State Police Command on Sunday buried four police officers killed while repelling a terrorist assault on Nganzai Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. Those laid to rest were two inspectors and two constables, Samuel Ezekiel of Nganzai Division; Sanusi Mohammed of 58 Police Mobile Force, Lafiya; Bitrus Luka of the Crack Squad, Borno State; and Shaibu Bukar of the Crack Squad, Borno State. In a statement, the command’s spokesperson, Nahum Daso, said the officers were interred on 5 April 2026 at the Kawar Maila Burial Ground and the Maximum Prison Burial Ground in Maiduguri, in line with religious rites. The burial was attended by the Commissioner of Police, Naziru Abdulmajid, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations), Jawi A Mohammed, and members of the command’s management team. Funeral prayers were led by officers of the Command Chaplaincies, Imam CSP Bukar Gajibo and Chaplain CSP Theophilus Mutum. Daso said the officers were killed during coordinated attacks on ...

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has called on residents to turn out in large numbers ahead of the scheduled visit of President Bola Tinubu on April 10, 2026, describing the occasion as a defining moment for the state. Diri made the appeal on Easter Sunday during a church service at St Peter’s Anglican Church in Sampou, his hometown in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area (LGA).  He said the presidential visit would provide an opportunity for Bayelsans to demonstrate their hospitality while drawing national attention to key development projects nearing completion. According to the governor, the projects lined up for inauguration during the one-day visit are central to Bayelsa’s economic growth and long-term transformation.  He urged residents to maintain peace and unity before, during and after the visit, stressing that harmony remained a core value of the Ijaw people. Addressing the congregation, Diri said the state’s culture of warmth and peaceful coexistence sho...

Nigeria’s long-running failure to revive its state-owned refineries has come under fresh scrutiny, with the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) warning that the delays are intensifying economic hardship for millions of citizens. PETROAN said the prolonged inactivity at the Port Harcourt Refinery, Warri Refinery and Kaduna Refinery has left Africa’s largest oil producer heavily dependent on imported petroleum products. According to the accommodation, this dependence continues to expose the economy to foreign exchange volatility, unstable pump prices and recurring supply disruptions. In a statement, the group said Nigerians are feeling the impact daily through rising fuel costs, higher transport fares and a broader increase in the prices of goods and services.  It argued that without functional local refineries, attempts to stabilise the downstream sector would remain limited. PETROAN’s National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, described the situat...