By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 14, 2026 Former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate of the National Democratic Coalition (NDC), Peter Obi, has indicated that the 2027 general election may be his last attempt to become Nigeria's president. Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Obi said the possibility of returning to the ballot in 2031 is "very slim," citing Nigeria's informal North South power sharing arrangement. According to him, if he fails to win the 2027 election, the presidency is expected to rotate away from the South for another political cycle, making it difficult for him to contest again. Obi noted that by the time power is expected to return to the South, he would be about 78 years old, a factor he said makes another presidential ambition unlikely. "I told a secondary school student that my chances of contesting in 2031 are very slim," Obi said during the interview. He, however, left the ...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 14, 2026 Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested Adeniyi Adeyemi, also known as Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, over allegations of operating a fictitious government agency and impersonating a senior federal official. Adeyemi, who allegedly presented himself as the Director General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), was apprehended in Osun State by members of the Police Intelligence Response Team following a bench warrant issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja. Justice Mohammed Umar ordered his arrest after he failed to appear in court for his scheduled arraignment. The suspect is facing an eight count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation, obtaining by false pretence and the use of forged government documents. Investigators alleged that Adeyemi operated the non existent agency from the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, where he reportedly portrayed himself as a top government off...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 15, 2026 President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that Nigeria will no longer rely on exporting raw cocoa beans while importing finished chocolate, unveiling a new policy aimed at transforming the country's cocoa industry through local processing and value addition. Speaking at the Cocoa Value Addition Summit 2026 in Abuja through the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, the President said the era of exporting Nigeria's wealth in its raw form must come to an end. He said the Federal Government is shifting its focus from raw commodity exports to domestic processing, insisting that cocoa produced in Nigeria should be processed, packaged and marketed locally before reaching the international market. "We will grind our beans at home, produce our cocoa butter at home, manufacture our chocolate at home, brand it in Nigeria and sell it to the world on our own terms," Tinubu said. Accor...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Otukpo | July 14, 2026 Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has reassured residents of the state's commitment to protecting lives and defending communities from renewed attacks by suspected armed herders. The governor gave the assurance on Tuesday during a visit to Otukpo Local Government Area, where he commiserated with residents of Akpachi and Otukpo Nobi communities following the recent attacks. Addressing community members, Alia urged residents to remain alert and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies, saying timely information would strengthen efforts to prevent further attacks. He said his administration has continued to provide operational support and logistics to security agencies, stressing that the government would sustain its offensive against criminal elements until peace is fully restored across the state. During the visit, the governor also met victims receiving trea...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 14, 2026 The House of Representatives has suspended consideration of its own State Police Bill and resolved to adopt the framework proposed by President Bola Tinubu as the basis for creating state police across Nigeria. The decision, reached during plenary, is aimed at harmonising legislative efforts and avoiding multiple bills on the same subject as the National Assembly pushes ahead with one of the country's most significant security reforms. The House had earlier introduced separate legislation on state policing but agreed that working with the President's proposal would streamline the process and accelerate its passage. Tinubu's proposal sets out the structure for state police commands, including their powers, funding, operational guidelines and the relationship between state police formations and federal security agencies. The move is widely seen as a major step toward decentralising policing in response to r...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Ankpa | July 14, 2026 The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for Kogi East Senatorial District, Idris Husseini Kabba (HK), has announced the official flag off of his privately funded rural electrification project for Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro Local Government Areas. The project follows the recent delivery of electricity poles, fulfilling a promise HK made to extend electricity to communities across the area. In a statement inviting residents to the ceremony, HK described the initiative as one of the biggest privately funded development projects ever undertaken in Igala land, saying it was conceived to improve the lives of the people. He maintained that leadership is about service and not merely occupying public office. «"I have never believed that public service begins only after winning an election. For me, leadership is a commitment to humanity, and my greatest satisfaction has always come from putting...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 14, 2026 The leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under Senator David Mark has called for the prosecution of Nafiu Gombe and members of his faction over claims that they were granted access to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination portal. The demand follows Gombe's announcement that his faction had successfully uploaded the party's candidates for the 2027 general elections on the INEC portal, a claim that sparked fresh controversy over the party's leadership. However, INEC dismissed the claim, maintaining that it recognises only the David Mark led National Executive Committee as the legitimate leadership of the ADC and that no access was granted to any other faction. Reacting to the development, the Mark led leadership accused Gombe and his associates of attempting to mislead the public, party members and the electoral commission through what it described as false and fraud...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 13, 2026 Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, of working to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a statement issued on Monday through his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku alleged that the INEC chairman was appointed to create internal crises within opposition parties instead of safeguarding Nigeria's democratic process. The allegation followed claims by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who identifies himself as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, that his faction had successfully uploaded the party's candidates to INEC's nomination portal. Atiku argued that access to the nomination portal can only be granted through official codes issued by INEC and questioned how the Bala Gombe faction allegedly obtained access when the commission had recognised the Senator David Mark led leadership o...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 13, 2026 Police in Ghana's Northern Regional Command have arrested two Nigerian nationals, Daniel Victor Eze and David Oko Ewa , over the alleged murder of their compatriot, Nkemujika Uzorchuku Eze , 36, in Tamale . According to a statement by the Ghana Police Service, the victim's body was discovered on Saturday, July 11 , inside his bedroom at Sanzirigu , lying in a pool of blood with a deep cut on his forehead and a towel stuffed in his mouth. Police said the room had also been ransacked. Investigators recovered a wooden pestle , believed to have been used in the attack. The deceased reportedly lived in a three-bedroom apartment with his wife, Peace Uzorchuku , the two suspects and another Nigerian identified as Godwin Nwafor . Police said the suspects were arrested the same day at Tatale while allegedly attempting to flee into neighbouring Togo . They were later handed over to the Tamale District Criminal...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 13, 2026 Nollywood actress Doris Ogala has formally declared her ambition to contest the 2027 Abia State governorship election, insisting that the people of the state have "no choice" but to elect her. Speaking in a viral video that has sparked widespread reactions online, the African Action Congress (AAC) governorship hopeful expressed confidence in her chances, declaring: «"Abia has no choice. I'll be your governor."» Ogala said her decision to join the race was driven by her desire to offer a new direction for the state, promising purposeful leadership if elected. Her declaration has since generated mixed reactions on social media. While some praised her confidence and encouraged her to pursue her political ambition, others questioned her bold claim that Abia voters had no alternative. The actress is among a growing number of Nigerian entertainers seeking elective office ahead of the 202...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 13, 2026 The Court of Appeal has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or participating in congresses and other official activities organised by the David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). In its ruling, the appellate court dismissed the appeal filed by former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, describing it as lacking merit. The court affirmed the earlier decision of the Federal High Court, effectively preventing INEC from recognising the Mark-led leadership for party congresses, candidate nominations and other electoral processes. The Appeal Court also awarded ₦10 million in costs against David Mark and Aregbesola. The judgment marks the latest development in the protracted leadership crisis within the ADC, where rival factions have been battling for control of the party...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 13, 2026 The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed allegations by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that it granted access to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate nomination portal to a rival faction of the party. In a statement issued on July 12, Atiku alleged that INEC had given the party's nomination portal to Nafiu Bala Gombe, despite the unresolved leadership crisis within the ADC. The former presidential candidate questioned why the electoral commission would allegedly allow one faction access to the portal while the party's internal dispute remained unsettled, describing the development as capable of undermining fairness in the political process. However, INEC rejected the allegation, insisting that the claim was false. The commission said it did not grant access to the nomination portal to the Nafiu Bala Gombe-led faction and reiterated that it recognizes only the David M...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 13, 2026 A man believed to be from Ajiyolo in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State has reportedly gone into hiding after he was allegedly caught in a hotel with a married woman in Anyigba. According to reports, the suspect allegedly arranged to meet the woman at the hotel. Their presence there was reportedly discovered by a friend of the woman's husband, who immediately alerted him. The development is said to have sparked a confrontation, prompting the suspect to flee. His whereabouts remain unknown. Sources also claimed the man had allegedly been involved in similar incidents in the past, accusing him of habitually pursuing married women, particularly those considered attractive, in an attempt to establish intimate relationships with them. Neither the identities of the man nor the woman had been officially disclosed as of the time of filing this report, while the police are yet to issue a statement on the alleged i...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 13, 2026 A domestic dispute over food ended in tragedy in Nasarawa State after a man allegedly beat his wife to death during a violent altercation. The Nasarawa State Police Command confirmed the arrest of the suspect, who is currently in custody. According to the police, the disagreement escalated into violence, during which the husband allegedly assaulted his wife. She later died from the injuries sustained. The deceased's body has been deposited in a mortuary for an autopsy, while detectives continue their investigation. Police said the suspect will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations and urged residents to resolve domestic disagreements peacefully rather than resort to violence. The identities of the couple and the exact location of the incident have yet to be disclosed. #Nasarawa #DomesticViolence #Crime #DigitalJournalist #OrionReports

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 13, 2026 An advocacy group in Kogi State has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to investigate former Governor Yahaya Bello over remarks in which he allegedly urged the state government to arrest and prosecute opposition politicians he described as "political criminals." The group, Advocacy for Peace, Justice and Order, Say No to Violence in Ebiraland, made the demand in a statement signed by its spokesman, Alhaji O.A. Mamman, warning that the alleged comments could inflame political tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections. According to the group, Bello's alleged remarks were reckless and capable of encouraging political persecution. «"Such rhetoric is reckless, inflammatory and capable of inciting political persecution and violence," the statement said.» The group also referenced another statement allegedly made by Bello before the 2023 general elections,...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 13, 2026 The leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took a new turn on Sunday after the faction led by Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe announced that it has successfully uploaded its Presidential, Vice Presidential, Senate and House of Representatives candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Candidate Nomination Portal ahead of the 2027 general elections. The development is expected to further intensify the internal battle for control of the party, with the rival bloc aligned to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also claiming legitimacy. In a statement released after the exercise, Nafiu Bala described the successful upload as a significant milestone for his faction, saying it reinforces the party's commitment to due process and the protection of its founding members. «"This achievement demonstrates our party's firm commitment to safeg...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 12, 2026 The Och'Otukpo, His Royal Highness John Eimonye Odu, has ordered Fulani herdsmen to vacate Otukpo Kingdom with immediate effect following the recent wave of deadly attacks that claimed several lives in parts of Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. The royal directive comes days after suspected armed herdsmen launched separate attacks on Akpachi Village in Ugboju Community and Otukpo Nobi Community, leaving at least 10 people dead and several others injured. The attacks triggered widespread outrage, with angry youths carrying the bodies of some victims to the Och'Idoma Palace in protest while demanding urgent action to halt the killings. Reacting to the deteriorating security situation, the Och'Otukpo directed Fulani herdsmen to leave the kingdom, saying the continued presence of armed herders had become a serious threat to the lives and livelihoods of his people. The monarch's order is the lat...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 12, 2026 A routine shift handover at the Iju Police Division in Lagos State turned bloody on Sunday after a police constable allegedly shot his superior officer in the face following a heated argument. The victim, Inspector Aminu Nuhu, suffered severe injuries to his mouth and right cheek after he was allegedly shot at close range with a riot gun by Constable Lateef Afeez. The incident reportedly occurred around 9:00 a.m., shortly after Inspector Nuhu completed his night duty while Constable Afeez was taking over the morning shift. According to reports, a disagreement between the two officers escalated when the inspector allegedly threw stones at the constable. In response, Constable Afeez allegedly used a riot gun issued to him for guard duty and fired at the inspector. Inspector Nuhu was initially rushed to the General Hospital, Ifako, before doctors referred him to the Lagos State University Teachin...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 12, 2026 Councillor Elect for Ward 9, Anegbete, Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State, Comrade Musa Danjuma, has expressed profound appreciation to residents for their overwhelming support at the polls, promising not to disappoint the confidence reposed in him. In a heartfelt thank you message to the people of Ward 9, Danjuma gave glory to God for a peaceful electoral process and thanked his family for their prayers, sacrifices and unwavering support throughout the campaign. He also appreciated the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), from his polling unit and ward executives to the local government leadership led by Captain Philip Itsede (Rtd.), as well as the Edo State APC leadership under Emperor Jarret Tenebe, for their support. The councillor elect further acknowledged the contributions of traditional rulers, community elders, opinion leaders, youths, women, volunteers, support group...

By Opaluwa Oguche | Orion Reports | Abuja | July 12, 2026 The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a South African woman at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after she was allegedly caught attempting to smuggle 5.75 kilograms of heroin into Nigeria. The suspect was intercepted during a routine screening at the airport as part of the agency's ongoing crackdown on international drug trafficking. The seized heroin has been taken into custody, while the suspect is undergoing further investigation. The latest arrest is one of several recent drug interceptions by the NDLEA as the agency intensifies efforts to dismantle international narcotics networks operating through Nigeria's airports. #NDLEA #AbujaAirport #DrugTrafficking #OrionReports