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Air Peace confirms flight turbulence mid-air en route Benin-Abuja

Ehime ALEX
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Air Peace confirms flight turbulence mid-air en route Benin-Abuja

AIR Peace has confirmed that one of its flights encountered turbulence mid-air en route Benin-Abuja on Friday, April 25.

The airline confirmed this in a statement on Saturday, April 26, by its head of corporate communications, Ejike Ndiulo.

He said the aircraft, flight P47171, was delayed in the air on Friday while heading from Benin to Abuja.

Ndiulo explained that during the aircraft’s descent into Abuja, the flight encountered turbulence due to adverse weather conditions, including thunderstorms.

“In line with global aviation safety standards, our crew activated appropriate safety protocols and held in a holding pattern until weather conditions improved,” Ndiulo said.

Recall,social media users had complained on Saturday that the aircraft hung in the air longer than necessary before landing.

Ndiulo, noted in a clarification response that no casualty was recorded while addressing the incident.

“We are pleased to confirm that the aircraft landed safely and the passengers disembarked normally. Air Peace is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring the highest standards of safety across all our operations,” he added.

The ICIR can report that when an aircraft is held in a holding pattern, it means the plane was instructed to fly a specific course around a designated point while waiting for permission from the control tower to proceed with its planned route, approach, or landing.

This is often due to factors like traffic congestion at the given airport, weather delays, or other operational issues that could result in an incident or accident if the aircraft had landed against instructions.

Air Peace,it would be noted had on Wednesday, April 23, suspended all its flight operations nationwide following a strike action embarked upon by workers of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

According to the airline, it is unsafe to fly without the availability of ‘QNH’ (hazardous weather) reports from NiMet, which is required for safe landings.

As a result, it suspended all its flight operations nationwide till the strike was called off on Thursday, April 24, stressing that the safety of passengers and its equipment were top priorities.

Flights to resume at Enugu Airport as FG announces re-opening date

Ehime ALEX
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Flights to resume at Enugu Airport as FG announces re-opening date

THE Nigerian government has announced the reopening of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu State for flight operations on Monday, April 28.

The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Obiageli Orah, announced this in a statement on Saturday, April 26.

She said the airport would be reopened following the completion of emergency runway repairs.

“The work was scheduled to begin on April 22nd and conclude before reopening on May 6th, 2025. However, rehabilitation works on the runway have been completed, and the runway is cleared for landings and takeoffs by the engineers working with FAAN,” Orah said.

While appreciating airport users for their understanding and cooperation during the period of runway repairs, she added, “The authority sincerely apologises for the inconvenience but assures the public that all actions were taken in the interest of safety.”

The ICIR had reported that the authorities of FAAN temporarily shut down the airport on April 19 to enable urgent repairs on a damaged part of the runway.

FAAN earlier planned that the emergency repairs would be conducted on the portion of the runway from April 22 to May 6, as a result, normal operations have been halted since then.

A few days after the shutdown of the airport, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, refuted some media reports that the Federal Government had agreed to a lengthy concession period for the Enugu airport. The ICIR had also reported.

He described the reports as untrue, explaining that though the federal government is considering proposals for the concession of five major airports, the report that it had agreed to a lengthy period of concession of the Enugu airport was “utterly baseless and untrue.”

Fake doctors, unlicensed hospitals face shutdown in FCT – Wike 

Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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Fake doctors, unlicensed hospitals face shutdown in FCT – Wike 

THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered a complete crackdown on unregistered hospitals and quack medical practitioners operating within the FCT.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the minister, Lere Olayinka, on Saturday, April 26.

Olayinka revealed that the minister issued the directive in response to the tragic death of a pregnant woman after undergoing a caesarean section at a private health facility in Durumi, Abuja.

The minister recounted that on Friday, April 25, 35-year-old Chekwube Chinagorom was brought to Asokoro District Hospital already dead.

According to him, she passed away after undergoing a caesarean section at an unregistered private hospital in Durumi, Abuja, which was operating under substandard and unsafe conditions.

He added that the baby was delivered alive and had been transferred to the Asokoro District Hospital for proper care.

He further revealed that an investigation conducted by the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee (PHERMC) revealed that the hospital was not duly registered.

“At the time of inspection, only one staff member, Simon Godiya, who identified himself as a Junior Community Health Extension Worker, was on duty,” the minister noted in the statement.

He further said that Godiya reported that the surgical operation was performed by one Murtala Jumma in conjunction with another unidentified individual.

The minister expressed regret that despite the free registration of pregnant women under the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), many were still not taking advantage of the opportunity.

“In the FCT, vulnerable persons, including pregnant women, enjoy free enrollment into the FHIS.

“This allows them free access to all services covered in the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services, through the Primary Health Care centres,” he noted.

He further warned that anyone caught running an illegal facility or working in an unregistered health centre would be arrested and prosecuted.

“Also, in alignment with the Federal Government’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ and the Wike-led FCTA’s zero tolerance for maternal mortality, several hospitals in the FCT, including Gwarinpa, Nyanya, Abaji, and Kuje General Hospitals, have been designated as Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care centres.

“These facilities also offer cesarean sections free of charge,” he said.

He advised pregnant women to make use of the free health insurance scheme and avoid seeking care from quack medical personnel and unregistered health facilities.

He further said that the case had been handed over to the police for further investigation.

“The Nigeria Police is currently assisting in identifying the individuals responsible for the surgery, verifying their qualifications, and investigating the circumstances that led to the death of Chekwube Chinagorom,” he said.

 

Trump, Zelensky meet on sidelines at Pope Francis’ funeral

Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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Trump, Zelensky meet on sidelines at Pope Francis’ funeral

PRESIDENT Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday, marking their first physical encounter since a tense White House meeting in February.

A spokesman for the Ukrainian presidency, Sergiy Nykyforov, said the two leaders met briefly on the sidelines before the funeral mass began.

“The meeting took place and is already over,” Nykyforov told journalists without providing further details.

White House communications director, Steven Cheung, also confirmed the meeting, describing it as “a very productive discussion,” noting that more details would be provided later.

The ICIR reports that tensions have remained high since February 28, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticised Zelensky in the Oval Office, accusing him of being ungrateful for the billions of dollars in US military aid provided since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

However,  Trump and Zelensky agreed to collaborate and end the war with Russia in a phone conversation for the first time after the Oval Office clash.

While urging President Vladimir Putin to halt Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, Trump has recently blamed Zelensky for the war and the ongoing bloodshed.

Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 sparked a conflict not seen in Europe for decades.

Trump has also pressured Zelensky to accept once-unacceptable concessions, such as recognising that Crimea, which Moscow seized from Ukraine in 2014, will remain under Russian control as part of any deal to end the conflict.

Arriving in Rome late Friday, Trump called for a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, citing what he described as progress in talks.

“They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off’,” he posted on his Truth Social platform. “Most of the major points are agreed upon.” 

On Friday, Putin discussed the “possibility” of direct talks with Ukraine during a meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff.

However, Zelensky once again rejected suggestions that Ukraine surrender Crimea.

Witkoff’s meeting with Putin took place shortly after a top Russian general was killed in a car bomb attack outside Moscow.

An increasingly frustrated Trump threatened last week to abandon peace efforts if he did not see progress toward a ceasefire.

Last year, Trump promised to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours if elected president, though he clarified in a Time magazine interview this week that he was speaking “in jest.”

World leaders, thousands of mourners pay last respect at Pope Francis’ funeral

Ehime ALEX
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World leaders, thousands of mourners pay last respect at Pope Francis’ funeral

WORLD leaders and thousands of mourners are in attendance as the funeral ceremony of the late Pope Francis concludes at the Vatican on Saturday, April 26.

As of the time of filing this report, the body has been taken over the River Tiber to be buried in a tomb in Rome’s Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.

Thousands of people had gathered at the funeral, which took place in St. Peter’s Square and lasted about two hours. It was punctuated with an elaborate set of rituals at the square, six days after the first Latin American pontiff made his final public appearance for Easter.

Among the world leaders that graced the funeral are the United States President Donald Trump and his Ukraine counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky.

Also at the funeral were Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Germany’s outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The ICIR earlier reported that Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, led the Nigerian delegation to honour the ceremony.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, one of the most senior figures in the Catholic Church, conducted the funeral mass celebration.

In his sermon at the funeral mass, the  91-year-old Italian Cardinal honoured Francis’s ability to lead with “an open heart towards everyone” describing him as a “pope among the people,” CNN reported.

Following his funeral at St Peter’s Square on Saturday, Pope Francis’s coffin was taken to the Vatican on a white popemobile.

Thousands of people lined the streets along the route as the coffin was driven across Rome to its final resting place at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica.

The Argentine pontiff, who died on Monday aged 88, sought to steer the centuries-old Church into a more inclusive direction during his 12-year papacy.

The ICIR reported on Monday, April 21, that the Vatican announced the passing of the latter Pope Francis on Monday while the global Christian community continued the 2025 Easter celebration.

The Vatican’s Cardinal Kevin Farrell, while announcing his death in a statement, said, “Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis.

“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His whole life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalised.

“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the Triune God.”

Trump restores visas for foreign students after legal backlash  

Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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Trump restores visas for foreign students after legal backlash  

THE Trump administration has begun to restore visas for hundreds of foreign students whose legal status had been suddenly revoked.

Government officials confirmed the development on Friday, noting that the decision comes after more than 100 lawsuits were filed by students who had lost their legal right to study at U.S. universities.

The ICIR reported that the United States revoked the visas of hundreds of international students and carried out arrests over alleged support for Hamas.

The Secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said that about 300 students were targeted as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown titled, “Catch and Revoke.” 

According to Rubio, the programme utilises artificial intelligence to monitor and flag individuals engaged in activism perceived as supporting extremist groups.

The visa terminations triggered panic on US campuses, prompting some students to leave the country preemptively to avoid possible detention or deportation.

“Losing their SEVIS records left students vulnerable to immigration actions — and possible detention and deportation,” said Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School.

However, the Justice Department announced on Friday, April 25, that student records would be reinstated in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which tracks foreign students’ visa compliance. 

A BBC report on Friday revealed that Justice Department attorney Elizabeth Kurlan told a federal court in California that immigration officials are creating a new system for reviewing and terminating visas for international students. 

Kurlan emphasised that Immigration and Customs Enforcement still holds the authority to terminate SEVIS records for other reasons.

“If a student fails to maintain his or her nonimmigrant status after the record is reactivated, or engages in other unlawful activity that would render him or her removable from the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act,” Kurlan told the court.

According to Inside Higher Education, the policy change follows the impact on an estimated 1,800 students and 280 universities.

Meanwhile, attorneys representing students across the country reported that their clients’ SEVIS records have been restored in recent days. 

Despite these reinstatements, legal advocates maintain that the revocations violated students’ rights and disrupted their educational pursuits.

 

Why US tariffs will have minimal impact on Africa – Okonjo-Iweala 

Ehime ALEX
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Why US tariffs will have minimal impact on Africa – Okonjo-Iweala 

THE Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said that United States President Donald Trump’s tariff tension would minimally affect African countries.

She said this while addressing Nigerian journalists at the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C., on Friday, April 25.

She noted that African trade exposure to the US was relatively small, limiting the direct economic impact of the US tariffs.

Okonjo-Iweala pointed out that only 6.5 per cent of Africa’s exports go to the US, while 4.4 per cent of its imports come from the US; as such, the impact of the tariff tension on the African continent would be minimal.

“The trade of the continent is minimal with the USA. We have done the analysis, and the impact on the continent as a whole is not significant,” Okonjo-Iweala said.

Citing Lesotho as an example, she said Africa must strengthen internal trade.

She stressed that despite Lesotho exporting $200 million worth of textiles to the US, the country faced challenges due to the shrinking US market.

Okonjo-Iweala further noted that Africa spent $7 billion annually on importing textiles, suggesting that Lesotho should instead focus on selling textiles within African markets.

Adding that Africa’s low level of trade with the US is not ideal and points to deeper structural challenges facing the continent, Okonjo-Iweala, therefore, called on African governments and policymakers to look inward by strengthening regional and intra-African trade.

She pointed out that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is critical to achieving the goal.

“We cannot trade more externally, where our share is only 3 per cent of global trade, or internally, where intra-African trade remains at 16 to 20 per cent at best,” she warned.

The WTO director-general also called for increased investment in Africa, pointing out that aid flows are declining, and the continent must build resilience through self-sustained growth.

She appealed to the US government to take into account the effects of its tariff policies on least-developed countries (LDCs), many of which are in Africa.

She also urged the US government to reassess reciprocal tariff arrangements for LDCs to avoid worsening their economic vulnerabilities.

The ICIR earlier reported that Okonjo-Iweala has expressed serious concern about the growing trade tensions between the US and China.

She had warned that the tensions could dramatically reduce the trade volume by 80 per cent between the two countries.

The Federal Government of Nigeria also has decried the US tariff imposition on the country, saying it would adversely impact its oil and non-oil export businesses.

It could also potentially disrupt trade relations and affect the competitiveness of Nigerian products in the US market, especially in sectors reliant on market access and price competitiveness, the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, expressed.

EFCC releases names, photos of wanted suspects in CBEX scam

Bankole ABE
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EFCC releases names, photos of wanted suspects in CBEX scam

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released names and photos of four wanted suspects in the Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) scam.

The commission also declared the four individuals wanted over the alleged fraud perpetrated in the CBEX, a trading platform.

The four suspects are Adefowora Olanipekun, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko, and Seyi Oloyede.

The EFCC, in a statement on Friday, April 25, published the notice across its social media platforms.

“The public is hereby notified that the persons whose photographs appear above are wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX),” the commission stated.

Recall that the Federal High Court in Abuja gave the EFCC a nod to arrest and detain six CBEX promoters over an allegation of $1 billion investment fraud.

The presiding judge, Emeka Nwite, gave the order following an ex parte application filed by counsel to the EFCC, Fadila Yusuf.

In the application filed by the EFCC, the six suspects named were Avwerosuo Otorudo, Emmanuel Uko, Seyi Oloyede, Chukwuebuka Ehirim, and Olanipekun Oluwanisola.

The EFCC informed the court that the investigation revealed that the suspects, “using their company, ST Technologies International Limited, publicised another company, CBEX, by making advertisements and deceived unsuspecting members of the public into investing in the investment platform.”

The EFCC said the defendants promised an unachievable return of 100 per cent on investments.

The ICIR reported that the EFCC confirmed that it has launched an investigation into the controversial cryptocurrency trading platform.

CBEX, an AI-powered crypto platform that promised users “100% monthly returns,” crashed in April, locking investors out of their accounts.

The sudden shutdown triggered outrage among users, leading to chaotic scenes at the CBEX offices. In Ibadan, angry investors stormed the premises, and the protest reportedly escalated into looting.

Speaking with The ICIR, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that the commission had begun investigating the matter.

“We have commenced investigation into CBEX,” Oyewale said. “The investors will get back their money. It might not be immediately, but they will get back their money. It is not an assurance.

“I am telling you that operationally, we are working, and because we are working, we will ensure that investors get back their money,” Oyewale stated.

On the existence of CBEX offices in Nigeria, Oyewale clarified that the platform operated strictly online and had no practical physical presence in the country.

 

 

 

 

Atiku defends defectors, says realignments part of democracy

Mustapha USMAN
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Atiku defends defectors, says realignments part of democracy

FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said he bore no grudges against members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)

He described political realignments as a normal feature of democracy.

Atiku made the remarks on Friday, April 25, in a statement addressing concerns raised over the recent wave of defections from the PDP and criticisms trailing his recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna State.

The ICIR reported that the Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, and all PDP members in the state defected from the PDP to the APC on Wednesday, April 23. 

Oborevwori announced the defection through his Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu.


Reacting to this, Abubakar said freedom of association is a fundamental democratic right and should not be weaponised for political attacks.

The former vice president, who was the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, said he had received numerous inquiries from concerned Nigerians regarding the defections of PDP leaders in Delta State and the intent behind his visit to Buhari.

He said the concerns raised also included his recent alliance with former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufa’i and the visit of the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 poll, Peter Obi, to his hometown of Yola, Adamawa State. 

“Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy — they are fundamental rights. Alongside these stand the pillars of a just and functional democratic society: the people, the rule of law, credible elections, and accountability. Undermine any of these, and democracy itself begins to crumble.

“As someone who holds fast to these values, I bear no grudges against anyone for exercising their right to political alignment. Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics. We’ve seen them before, and we’ll see them again,” he said.

While also reacting to insinuations that the visits signalled a possible alliance or betrayal of his party, Abubakar described such reactions as hypocritical and politically motivated. 

He accused some critics of double standards, saying they had no issues when PDP leaders held meetings with President Bola Tinubu, but attacked him for engaging with opposition figures.

“When PDP leaders are busy sipping tea and brokering power deals with President Tinubu, it’s called a strategic alliance. But the moment I greet Peter Obi, el-Rufai, or visit Buhari, it becomes a national emergency. Hypocrisy and the politics of selective outrage have never been this fashionable!

“Let us be clear: the coming political battle is not APC versus PDP, or LP versus APC. It is Nigerians versus an administration that has plunged the nation into untold suffering. The economy is in freefall. Inflation is choking the masses. Jobs are vanishing. Youth restiveness is surging to terrifying levels. Nigerians are not just tired — they are angry, and rightfully so,” he added.

While criticising Tinubu’s administration, Abubakar accused it of failing to address the economic crisis and rising public discontent.

He said the country was experiencing a worsening cost-of-living crisis, high inflation, and growing youth unemployment, which created widespread frustration across the country.

“The Tinubu administration has no achievements to stand on, no credible record to defend. Its only strategy is chaos and division, because that’s the last refuge of the incompetent. And make no mistake— an incompetent captain does not only wreck his ship; he endangers the lives of everyone on board,” he added.

His statement came barely a day after former Senate President Bukola Saraki, another PDP party leader, slammed the defectors, saying they are fake party members.

He said the defections merely exposed long-standing insincerity among people who had already checked out of the party in spirit.

Saraki had urged those leaving the PDP to ‘go now,’ insisting that the defections simply cleared the air and offered the party an opportunity to rebuild with loyal members.

He added that those leaving were making space for genuine party members to step forward and refocus the PDP into a viable, people-centred opposition. 

He urged members to remain calm, focused, and committed to the rebuilding of the party, describing the recent developments as an opportunity for the PDP to redefine itself.

Battling sexual harassment at home, Akpabio leads Nigerian delegation to Pope’s funeral

Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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1
Battling sexual harassment at home, Akpabio leads Nigerian delegation to Pope’s funeral

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appointed Senate President Godswill Akpabio to lead Nigerian delegation to the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City.

Akpabio leads Nigerian delegation that comprises Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop too Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese; and Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama of the Abuja Diocese to the funeral amid his ongoing struggle with sexual harassment allegations levelled  against him by a fellow senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central.

As part of Tinubu’s delegation, Akpabio is expected to formally deliver a letter to the acting head of the Vatican, conveying the president’s condolences.

The ICIR reported that Pope Francis passed away on Monday, April 21, aged 88. He will be laid to rest on Saturday, April 26.

In a statement released on Friday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced that the Senate President would lead a five-member delegation to the funeral.

The ICIR reports  that since February, Akpabio has been in the spotlight over sexual harassment allegation against him by Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The female lawmaker submitted a petition before the Senate against Akpabio in March.

Before the allegation, Akpoti-Uduaghan had had a face-off with Akpabio over seating arrangement in the Senate.

The altercation led to the Senate President ordering the sergeant-at-arm to walk the female lawmaker out of the Senate Chamber.

She was subsequently suspended for six months.

The decision sparked public outrage as many Nigerians have since been demanding for a thorough investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against Senate President.

Meanwhile, the Senate President has repeatedly denied the allegation, and the matter is currently in court.

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