Mohammed Idris, the minister of information and national orientation, has expressed condolences to the Maduagwu family after Somtochukwu Maduagwu, an Arise News anchor, passed away.
The minister described her passing as a terrible loss for both the Nigerian media and the country, as well as her family and the Arise News team.
Read more about how Kogi Police Recover The Body of A Murdered Photojournalist.
In a letter of condolence he signed and addressed to the Chairman of the Arise News channel, Nduka Obaigbena, he stated, “We express our deep condolences to you and the entire ARISE News family on the shocking and untimely death of your beloved anchor, Ms. Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu,” he wrote in a letter of condolence.
The minister expressed his sadness over the “heinous incident that cut down a promising young journalist in her prime.”
He continued, “Ms. Somtochukwu’s tragic death is a grievous loss to the Nigerian media fraternity, and indeed the nation,” adding: “Not only to the ARISE News family, but also to the media fraternity.”
The minister promised a “swift investigation” to find the causes of the late news anchor’s death.
Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist, is set to be detained by the Federal Government on a five-count charge of fabricating statements against President Bola Tinubu in order to undermine international law and order.
READ MORE: X, Meta, DSS Sues Sowore, OVER POST About Tinubu.
On Tuesday, Sowore was spotted at Abuja’s Federal High Court.
Two additional defendants are named in the charges: X. Incorporation and Meta (Facebook).
On Tuesday, Sowore (left) was spotted at Abuja’s Federal High Court.
He was charged with fabricating offensive posts using his official X handle.
According to the Federal High Court, the alleged offending post, which is said to be against Section 24 (2) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2024, was made on August 25.
If their outstanding salaries are not paid, the academic staff at the Ondo State-owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), have threatened to obstruct the planned resumption of classes and the upcoming convocation.
READ MORE: ASUU Issues 14-Day Ultimatum To FG Threatens Indefinite Strike;
The university’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members went on strike last month over the non-payment of their salary arrears, which has since caused academic activities on campus to become inaccessible.
Boluwaji Oshodi, the head of the university’s branch of ASUU, claimed that the lecturers had had enough patience with the alleged government’s refusal to address their situation.
We’ve been patient and tolerant for a while, but we won’t be doing it again. The population of our country has been pushed against the wall.
We don’t see any efforts that can indicate that the state government is ready to act responsibly, Oshodi said.
The union’s meeting with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was unsuccessful, according to the ASUU chairman, adding that lecturers had endured “urgent conditions,” including taking exams “on an empty stomach,” due to the union’s efforts.
Igbekele Ajibefun, the state’s commissioner for education, science, and technology, refuted claims that the government had abandoned the institution while responding to ASUU’s threat.
The commissioner made it clear that the state government had been working with the squabbling lecturers to resolve the conflict and that it would be resolved quickly.
On Monday, the man charged with killing right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk appeared in court in the US and requested more time to examine the extensive evidence.
This month, Kirk was shot dead on a Utah campus, causing conservatives to express grief and have President Donald Trump threaten to crack down on the “radical left.”
The following day, Tyler Robinson, 22, was detained. If found guilty of aggravated murder, he could receive the death penalty.
On September 16, 2025, Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the murder of political activist Charlie Kirk, appears in court while he is awaiting trial from his jail cell before Judge Tony Graf of the 4th District Court in Provo, Utah.
Robinson was physically present for the hearing on Monday at the jail in Utah.
The state appointed lawyer Kathryn Nester to defend Robinson last week, and the judge requested more time to review the “voluminous” evidence that the investigation has produced.
According to what I understand from our meeting today, there will be a lot of digital (evidence) coming, she said.
A court gavel
Also read: Charlie Kirk’s Widow Acquiesces to Turning Point USA
The next hearing, scheduled for October 30 and scheduled for Robinson’s personal appearance, was scheduled by Judge Tony Graf.
We must carry out our duties with integrity, civility, and diligence, he said, regardless of who is watching, whether it is the entire nation or just one person.
The fair and impartial administration of justice is what neither Mr. Robinson nor the Utahn people deserve.
Kirk’s views allegedly led to Robinson shooting him from a rooftop across Utah Valley University’s campus.
On December 22, 2024, US-based activist Charlie Kirk (R) addresses President Donald Trump at America Fest 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP)
They cited text messages exchanges between his roommate, who they described as a “biological male who was transitioning genders.”
The roommate, who was unnamed, inquired to Robinson about Kirk’s death during one exchange.
Robinson is alleged to have written that “I had enough of his hatred.” Some hate cannot be negotiated out, he says.
Kirk, a father of two, used his audiences on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to bolster conservative viewpoints, including the transgender rights movement’s staunch opposition.
A number of people have lost their jobs following the murder after conservatives criticised what people posted or said about Kirk in public.
The National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) is reportedly used by over 500 000 Nigerian students.
More than 500, 000 students from tertiary institutions, universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education already benefit from NELFUND, according to the minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, in a press conference held in Abuja to mark Nigeria’s 65th anniversary.
Idris called the program “unprecedented in our history” and claimed it covers both tuition and upkeep costs.
He claimed that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was promoting growth and stability through reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Idris praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a steadfast, courageous, and visionary leader who is dismantling stubborn cogs in our nation’s progress.
He noted that the administration was putting the foundation stone of a new nation by investing in education, health, infrastructure, agriculture, energy, and youth development.
READ ALSO: FG Declares Wednesday as a Public Holiday for Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary
Following the passage of the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act on April 3, 2024, President Bola Tinubu officially launched the Nigerian Student Loan Scheme on July 17, 2024.
Interest-free loans are offered to eligible students through the scheme, which is run by NELFUND. The goal of the initiative is to make young Nigerians more affordable and have access to education.
Mohammed Idris, the minister of information and national orientation, is in the photo.
Reforming the economy
The minister emphasized the impact of economic reforms.
He stated that “our trade surplus is growing as the non-oil sector contributes more and more,” adding.
He continued, “The decline in inflation, a strengthening currency, falling food prices, and growing external reserves are all eloquent indications that we are on the right track.”
The Federal Government will start enacting new tax laws starting in 2026 that will increase revenue, make collection easier, and reduce taxes on citizens.
Energy and Infrastructure Developments
Idris also cited significant projects, including those involving railroad and road construction.
He cited the 1, 068-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which are the country’s flagship initiatives, as well as the 750-kilometer Lagos-Badagry Superhighway, as well as the 1, 068-kilometer Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.
He claimed that the government had revived the 255MW Kaduna Power Plant and was working toward a seven million smart meters by 2027 goal in Nigeria.
More than 17.5 million Nigerians would receive off-grid electricity thanks to the World Bank-supported Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up project, he added.
Call for Unity
Idris urged people to unite behind the government’s reforms as they marked the country’s 65th anniversary.
All Hands on Deck, the anniversary’s theme, appeals to all Nigerians and our partners to back these important reforms. Let us keep believing in Nigeria because, together, we can make it better than ever,” he said.
He promised Nigerians that the recent sacrifices would soon bring about positive outcomes.
Idris stated, “This administration is working for you, listening to you, and committed to making sure no Nigerian is forgotten.”
Idris praised the government’s commitment to promote inclusive development in all sectors.
On security and economic issues, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal on Monday asked governors of the 11 northern states to speak with one voice.
The governor made the request at the Abuja Continental Hotel during the Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialization Summit.
Sulaiman Bala Idris, the governor’s representative, stated in a statement that Lawal presided over the summit’s opening day.
He disclosed that Professor Ango Abdullahi, the head of Professor Ango Abdullahi’s Northern Elders Forum, organized the investment summit, citing the fact that it attracted all relevant parties from the northern region of Nigeria.
Governor Lawal praised the Northern Elders Forum for its ongoing commitment to the development of the Northern region in his remarks.
Also, READ: False, Divisive, and Attempts Of Religious Genocide in Nigeria.
You have once more demonstrated a clear-eyed focus on our collective future by convening this gathering under the theme of “Unlocking Strategic Opportunities,” he said.
The combination of sectors—mining, agriculture, and power—is not accidental. It is an objective assessment of the foundational pillars of Northern Nigeria’s prosperity. We are aware of the paradox that surrounds Zamfara: despite having vast arable land and immense mineral wealth, our people still haven’t fully benefited from these endowments.
The key question for leaders is not what needs to be done, but how can we can turn potential into prosperity. We must adopt a new form of collaboration and move beyond rhetoric in order to attract the investment needed to industrialize our region for the benefit of the nation. ”
A safe North is a bankable North, according to Governor Lawal, and leaders from the 19 Northern States must work together beyond politics.
We must secure investments and people as a whole. Any meaningful development must first be secured in order to be meaningful. Investors are not philanthropists, both domestically and internationally; They believe in reality. They won’t invest in areas that are unsafe. To create a secure and predictable environment, we must integrate our security architectures, share intelligence in real-time, and encourage more community policing.
Our commitment to Zamfara is unwavering. In the mining industry, formalization, regulation, and value addition are the key components of our transition from the past, which was of informality and illegality. By promoting agro-processing, mechanization, and credit access, we are revitalizing our agricultural sector. And we’re creating the foundation of everything: a secure, stable environment.
