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Colombia: Senator Uribe Dies of Gun Shot Sustained at Campaign Rally

Ejiofor Ezeifeoma
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Colombia: Senator Uribe Dies of Gun Shot Sustained at Campaign Rally

Miguel Uribe Turbay, a Colombian senator and presidential hopeful who was hospitalized after being shot at a campaign event more than two months ago, has died, his wife announced on Monday.

Uribe, 39, a potential presidential candidate from the right-wing opposition, was shot in the head during a rally in Bogota, Colombia’s capital, on June 7.

The hospital where Uribe was being treated, the Santa Fe de Bogota Foundation, said the senator died in the early hours of Monday morning. On Saturday, it had warned that he was in “critical condition” due to a “hemorrhagic episode in the central nervous system.”

“I ask God to show me the way to learn to live without you,” Maria Claudia Tarazona, Uribe’s wife, wrote on social media. “Rest in peace… I will take care of our children.”

Ivan Duque Marquez, Colombia’s president from 2018 to 2022, paid tribute to Uribe, saying that “terrorism” had snatched from the country “an upright and transparent leader.”

“Colombia mourns, but it will not surrender to the criminals who took the life of an admirable young man,” said Duque, who led the Democratic Center party, which Uribe also represented.

Another former president, Alvaro Uribe, who is no relation to the senator, said: “Evil destroys everything; they killed hope. May Miguel’s struggle be a light that illuminates the right path for Colombia.”

Police have arrested six people in connection with Uribe’s shooting, including a 15-year-old boy who was charged with attempted homicide. Later, the prosecutor in the case claimed that the minor had become “immersed in a hitman network.” All of the accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

The killing of Uribe, who came from a prominent Colombian political family, is for many in Colombia a grisly echo of the country’s history of political violence.

Uribe’s mother, Diana Turbay, was a journalist kidnapped by drug traffickers from the Medellin cartel under Pablo Escobar. She was murdered during a rescue operation in 1991. Uribe was then raised by his father, a city councillor in Bogota.

Uribe, a Harvard graduate, began his career in local Bogota politics, before entering the Senate in 2022. Last year, at the site where his mother was murdered, Uribe announced his candidacy for the 2026 presidential elections.

“I could have grown up seeking revenge, but I decided to do the right thing: forgive, but never forget,” he said at the time.

 

 

Source:CNN/Ejiofor Ezeifeoma

Customs Seizes Goods Worth ₦33.99m in Adamawa, Taraba States

Mercy Chukwudiebere
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Customs Seizes Goods Worth ₦33.99m in Adamawa, Taraba States

The Adamawa/Taraba Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has seized goods worth ₦33,994,900 in just three weeks, in a renewed crackdown on smuggling across the two states.

Addressing journalists in Yola, the Area Controller, Garba Bashir, said 28 seizures were made through the collaborative efforts of operatives enforcing government fiscal policies.

The items intercepted included 36,435 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) stored in 1,194 jerrycans, two drums of PMS, and 115 jerrycans of AGO of various capacities

The items were allegedly destined for smuggling out of the country.

The operations were carried out in known smuggling flashpoints, including Likitatba–Gembu, Mubi–Sahuda, Malabu–Belel, Girei–Wuro Bokki, Ganye–Toungo, and Damare/Gurin–Fufore.

The seized petroleum products will be auctioned to the public in line with the Standard Operating Procedure, with proceeds remitted to the Federation Account.

In addition, the Command handed over eight drums (200 litres each) and 35 jerrycans (25 litres each) of dichloromethane, popularly known as “suck and die,” to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further action.

The chemicals are classified as dangerous and illegal.

The Controller also condemned recent mob attacks on Customs operatives, warning that such acts will be met with the “full weight of the law.”

Bashir stressed that attacking security personnel invites insecurity, insurgency, and economic decline.

“This fight is against illicit traders and economic saboteurs. Genuine traders and legitimate petroleum marketers can go about their business without fear of intimidation,” he assured.

The Command expressed gratitude to sister agencies and other Customs units for their collaboration, especially in intelligence sharing, which has strengthened border security and helped protect the economy.

 

 

Mercy Chukwudiebere

Cross River Confirms One Lassa Fever Death

Manomsi Mallum
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Cross River Confirms One Lassa Fever Death

The Cross River Health Management Board has reported one death from Lassa fever in the state between January and July 2025.

Dr Inyang Ekpenyong, the Chief Epidemiologist, revealed this in an interview in Calabar on Monday. She stated that one fatality occurred out of two confirmed cases during this period.

Additionally, 23 suspected cases were recorded in Obubra and Abi Local Government Areas.

“This figure is lower than the 90 suspected cases that were recorded in 2024. In 2024, we had no fewer than 90 suspected cases and eight deaths in the state,” Ekpenyong noted.

Read Also: Ondo Confirms 12 Mpox Cases, Eight LGAs Affected

She added that while the board does not anticipate a surge in cases for the remainder of 2025, it has prepared emergency response plans.

The board is also conducting widespread sensitisation campaigns across the state to educate residents on prevention techniques.

South Korea, Vietnam Leaders Affirm Closer Ties Amid U.S. Tariffs

Ejiofor Ezeifeoma
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0
South Korea, Vietnam Leaders Affirm Closer Ties Amid U.S. Tariffs

South Korea and Vietnam’s leaders pledged to deepen economic cooperation on Monday as their export-dependent countries try to shore up longstanding supply chains as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs shake up global trade.

There was no public discussion of the levies – 15% on South Korean products going to the U.S. and 20% for Vietnamese goods – as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung hosted Vietnam’s To Lam as his first state guest since taking office in June.

But Trump’s tariffs on products from Asian countries have increased uncertainty over future business commitments, with Vietnamese official data showing a slowdown in new investment.

Lam, the Vietnamese Communist Party general secretary, said they agreed to expand trade with each other to $150 billion by 2030 – from about $86.8 billion in 2024 – and that Vietnam welcomed an increase in investment by South Korean businesses.

“Our countries agreed that about 10,000 Korean companies operating in Vietnam contribute to Vietnam’s economic development and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries,” Lee said in a televised address.

“I asked for a continued interest in the stable economic activities of our companies in Vietnam,” Lam added.
Lam led a delegation of industry, trade, foreign and technology ministers and senior party and parliament members on the four-day state visit.

The countries signed 10 memoranda of understanding, pledging cooperation in areas including nuclear and renewable energy, monetary and financial policies, and science and technology, Lee’s office said.

In a speech at South Korea’s Yonsei University, Lam urged South Korean companies to keep investing in Vietnam and warned of the risk of fragmenting supply chains.

“Vietnam welcomes South Korean enterprises to expand their investments in the country, emphasising substantive cooperation in technology,” Lam said.

Lam said the countries should make it a top priority to jointly develop semiconductors and make breakthroughs in new materials, calling on Korea to keep nurturing Vietnamese talent in areas like AI, biotech and shipbuilding.

A number of major South Korean companies including Samsung Electronics have used Vietnam as an export hub, benefiting for years from lower labour costs, generous tax incentives and Hanoi’s numerous free trade pacts with dozens of countries.

 

 

 

Source:Reuters/Ejiofor Ezeifeoma

Australia to Recognise Palestinian State, Prime Minister Confirms

Chidimma Anikwenze
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Australia to Recognise Palestinian State, Prime Minister Confirms

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia will recognise a Palestinian state, joining the leaders of France, Britain and Canada in signalling they would do so.

This comes after weeks of urging from within his Cabinet and from many in Australia to recognise a Palestinian state and during growing criticism from officials in his government over suffering and starvation in Gaza.

Australia’s government has also criticised plans announced in recent days by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a fresh, sweeping military offensive in Gaza.

Albanese disclosed after a Cabinet meeting on Monday that Australia’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state will be formalised at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Those commitments included no role for Hamas in a Palestinian government, demilitarisation of Gaza and the holding of elections, he said.

Albanese had publicly said to Netanyahu that the “situation in Gaza has gone beyond the world’s worst fears.”

Ondo Confirms 12 Mpox Cases, Eight LGAs Affected

Manomsi Mallum
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0
Ondo Confirms 12 Mpox Cases, Eight LGAs Affected

The Ondo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (OSPHDA) has reported 12 cases of mpox across eight local government areas in the state.

Dr Victor Adefesoye, OSPHDA’s Director of Disease Control, announced this on Monday during a stakeholders’ meeting on mpox vaccination in Akure.

He noted that the disease, previously known as monkeypox and associated with monkeys, is now known to be transmitted by various animals. Given its contagious nature, Adefesoye stressed the importance of vaccination to curb its spread.

The affected local government areas are Akoko South-West, Akoko North-West, Akoko North-East, Owo, Akure South, Akure North, Ondo East, and Odigbo.

The vaccination campaign, which began on 11 August and will run until 21 August, targets individuals aged 18 and above, specifically those already infected, their close contacts, relatives, and healthcare workers who have treated them.

“This vaccination process is different from previous vaccinations because we know the targeted people, and we have contacted them,” Adefesoye said.

“They already have the disease, and we will also vaccinate their close relatives, contacts and health workers that have handled them. We anticipate that though we have contacted them, some may still feel reluctant to take it. We encourage you as stakeholders to encourage them and be vaccinated.”

Read Also: Kwara Governor Inspects Oluremi Tinubu Hospital Project

The vaccine will be administered in two injectable doses at different intervals. Adefesoye also urged residents to maintain personal and environmental hygiene to foster a healthier society.

Mrs Florence Fadiji, the State Immunisation Officer, explained that mpox spreads through contact with infected animals, people, or contaminated objects, with symptoms including body sores, rashes, fever, headaches, and body weakness.

She reassured us that the vaccine’s side effects are minimal compared to the disease’s impact.

Dr Francis Akanbiemu, OSPHDA’s Permanent Secretary, described stakeholders as the voice of the community and urged them to promote the vaccine’s uptake.

He emphasised that the vaccination drive should be taken seriously for the betterment of Ondo State’s public health.

Minister Urges Information, Security Officers to Safeguard National Unity

Hauwa Abubakar Anaja
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Minister Urges Information, Security Officers to Safeguard National Unity

The Nigerian Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, alongside the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, (NCTC) Major General Adamu Laka and the Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace have called for strengthened collaboration between information officers and security agencies.

This is to promote truth, counter extremist narratives, and preserve national unity.

This consensus was reached at a training workshop for Information Officers, organised by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Ogbodo Chinasa, highlighted the dangers posed by misinformation and divisive narratives, calling on journalists and security professionals alike to reject fake news and hate speech.

He urged all Nigerians to unite in telling the true Nigerian story, warning that without accurate information, fear and division will flourish, and without security, freedom of expression cannot thrive.

Alhaji Idris further stated that it is important to emphasise the inseparable link between security and information in Nigeria’s quest for peace and progress.

He described the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Federal Ministry of Information, as key players in government communication, responsible for delivering timely and factual information that supports national policies.

Strategic Move

The Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Ofice of the National Security Adviser ONSA, Major General Adamu Laka, echoed the sentiments of the information minister, describing the workshop’s theme, “Empowering the Messenger: Innovative Approaches to Public Information in the Face of Security Challenges,” as a strategic move to equip public information officers with the tools needed to navigate today’s complex communication environment.

He outlined the NCTC’s Whole-of-Government approach aimed at building a resilient nation through trusted communication.

General Laka also stressed the importance of the Strategic Communication Inter-Agency Policy Committee, which harmonises messaging among government agencies to counter violent extremism effectively.

The Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, drew on his 32 years of experience in military journalism to highlight the profound responsibility borne by information officers.

“We are guardians of the public trust,” he said, reminding journalists that their reports must uphold unity and national stability.

Ndace praised the NCTC’s efforts and reaffirmed Voice of Nigeria’s commitment to promoting transparent, accurate, and timely information.

He emphasised that responsible journalism involves not only telling the truth but also respecting security agencies, recognising their sacrifices, and avoiding reports that could weaken national institutions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hauwa Abu

Kwara Governor Inspects Oluremi Tinubu Hospital Project

Manomsi Mallum
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0
Kwara Governor Inspects Oluremi Tinubu Hospital Project

The Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has inspected the ongoing construction of the multi-storey Oluremi Tinubu Hospital in Ilorin, the state capital. The visit comes just days after he approved an additional ₦20 billion in funding for public school infrastructure across the state.

Speaking to reporters at the construction site, the governor described the hospital as one of his administration’s key investments in public health, education, road networks, and social welfare across diverse population groups.

Last Tuesday, Governor AbdulRazaq also toured several rural road projects in Asa Local Government Area, including the 23.23-kilometre Oko Olowo Express-Sokoto-Tafatafa-Elere-Owode Oja Baba Kudu-Akopari-Otte Oja road and the 17.7-kilometre Madi Peeke road.

He noted that numerous roads have been constructed both within and outside Ilorin, with many more currently underway.

The Governor further acknowledged that other states across the federation are also making significant progress in infrastructure development, citing large-scale hospital projects in Lagos, Kaduna, and several others.

He attributed the surge in such projects—particularly in the road, education, and health sectors—to increased allocations following the removal of fuel subsidies.

The Governor Commends President Tinubu’s Support

Governor AbdulRazaq expressed appreciation for President Bola Tinubu’s support for Kwara State.

He told reporters:

“The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was here six months ago to lay the foundation of this world-class hospital.

“And work has progressed tremendously. Hopefully, in the second quarter of next year, we’ll be done with it. The majority of the equipment have been ordered already: radiography machine, a CT scanner, MRI, PET scan machines, and all sorts of equipment have been ordered.”

He added that the administration is also undertaking other major projects in various parts of the state, including the International Conference Centre, ICT Centre Shonga, Patigi (Regatta) Motel, Sheabutter Factory in Kaiama, and Ibrahim Taiwo Road in Offa.

“This is not the only thing going on in the state. We have other major infrastructure projects ongoing, and this is not just in terms of healthcare all over Nigeria,” he said.

“A lot of infrastructural projects are also going on in different states of the federation. We were recently in Kaduna with the President to commission a hospital (built by the Kaduna State Government).

Read Also: UNICEF Confirms 150 Cholera Cases in Niger

“Lagos State is building a huge hospital (New Massey Clinic), I believe, children’s hospital. Katsina is doing the same. So, all over the country, healthcare has been improved by the sub-nationals. All this is due to the increased funding from the federal revenue.

“Work will continue in all other major aspects. What people see majorly is road infrastructure, but in terms of education, a lot of investments are going on.

“I have recently approved another N20bn spending on education infrastructure. Education is not part of what you call a low-hanging fruit. So people don’t quickly see investments in that. They mostly only see investments in roads.

“But a lot is going on in agriculture and other subsectors. And we’ll continue to do more and deepen investment in all these areas.

“For example, if you go to Kwara South, we’ve done the Oro to Arandun Road. Ajase-Ipo to Oke Ode is still ongoing, done in phases. We’ve done Omu-Aran to Oko.

“We have done Orisa Bridge along Oro-Ago. We are doing the road to Owu waterfall as well. We’ve done roads in Offa. We’re also about to do the Ilemona bypass, among others.”

 

 

African Development Bank Backs Ethiopia’s New Airport Project

Chidimma Anikwenze
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0
African Development Bank Backs Ethiopia’s New Airport Project

The African Development Bank will contribute $500 million to the financing of a new airport in Ethiopia, which is expected to be Africa’s largest when completed in 2029. This was disclosed on Monday, August 11, 2025.

State-owned Ethiopian Airlines has signed an agreement to design the four-runway airport near the town of Bishoftu, around 45 km (28 miles) southeast of the capital Addis Ababa. The airline has said it will provide 20% of the funding for the $10 billion project and the rest will come from creditors.

The development bank in a statement said, “The bank has itself earmarked up to $500 million, subject to board approval, to anchor the funding of this transformational regional integration project.”

Last week, it said it was leading an effort to raise $7.8 billion for the project, which will have the capacity to handle 100 million passengers per year.

 

Ibom Air Reaffirms Zero Tolerance for Unruly Passenger Behaviour

Mercy Chukwudiebere
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0
Ibom Air Reaffirms Zero Tolerance for Unruly Passenger Behaviour

Ibom Air Limited has reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on any form of unruly or violent behaviour that endangers the safety of passengers, crew members, or aircraft.

The airline warned that such conduct would attract the strongest possible sanctions, including legal action and permanent bans from its services.

In a press statement issued to journalists, the airline confirmed that an unruly passenger, captured in a viral video on August 10, 2025, was removed from an aircraft by its staff.

The incident occurred on a flight from Akwa Ibom State, in Nigeria’s South-South region, to Lagos, in the South-West. The passenger, identified as Ms. Comfort Emmanson, reportedly engaged in behaviour that posed a significant threat to the safety of the crew, other passengers, and the aircraft.

According to Airline, “before takeoff from Uyo, Ms. Emmanson was instructed to turn off her mobile phone under standard aviation safety procedures. She initially refused to comply until the Pilot-in-Command made an announcement. Following this, a fellow passenger sitting next to her took the phone and switched it off.”

“The situation was eventually calmed, and the flight departed as scheduled. After arrival in Lagos, Ms. Emmanson waited for all other passengers to disembark and proceeded to confront and attack the Purser, who had earlier instructed her to switch off her cellphone.

“She also attempted to forcibly remove a fire extinguisher to use as a weapon, an act that could have damaged and grounded the aircraft,” the Ibom Air said.

Upon arrival of Ibom Air, Security personnel did not deter the passenger, as she attacked them as well, lashing out violently at both Ibom Air and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria FAAN security.

The passenger was removed from the ramp and taken into custody by FAAN security and handed over to the Nigerian Police Force for further investigation.

Ibom Air has since submitted a report on the incident to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and placed a travel restriction on Ms. Emmanson, who will no longer be permitted to fly on any of their aircraft.

It said; “We commend the bravery and professionalism of our crew in handling this situation under extremely challenging circumstances, as well as the swift support from airport security and the Nigerian Police.

The Airline reiterated that safety remains its highest priority and urged all passengers to comply with crew instructions at all times to ensure the safety, security, and comfort of everyone on board.

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