Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a surprise three-day ceasefire from May 8-10, coinciding with Moscow’s World War II Victory Day commemorations, the Kremlin said Monday.

Moscow said it expected Kyiv to issue a similar order, and that it stood ready to respond to any violations of the possible halt in fighting.

Putin made a similar order to stop combat over Easter — a truce that both sides accused the other of violating hundreds of times but did lead to a temporary reduction in fighting.

“The Russian side is declaring a ceasefire during the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, from midnight on May 7-8 to midnight on May 10-11. All combat operations will be suspended during this period,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

“Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example. In the event of violations of the truce by the Ukrainian side, the Russian armed forces will give an adequate and effective response,” it added.

Putin last month rejected a US proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire that had been accepted by Ukraine.

Kyiv and its European backers accused Putin of announcing the 30-hour Easter truce as a PR exercise and said he had little desire for peace.

Since launching its Ukraine offensive in February 2022, Russia has seized large parts of four Ukrainian regions and claimed them as its own, in addition to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

– ‘Tapping me along’ –

Putin’s order of a ceasefire comes at the beginning of what the United States indicated would be a crucial week for the chances of a ceasefire that could determine how long Washington keeps trying to broker a deal.

After a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, Donald Trump questioned whether the Russian leader was serious about peace.

“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along,” Trump had said on Truth Social.

Russian missiles have killed dozens of civilians over the last month in large-scale strikes on Zelensky’s home city of Kryvyi Rig, the northeastern city of Sumy, and the capital Kyiv.

Russia had earlier on Monday said it was ready to negotiate directly with Ukraine, but that recognition of its claims over five Ukrainian regions including Crimea were “imperative” to resolving the conflict.

Ukraine has denounced the annexations as an illegal land grab and says it will never recognise them, while European officials have warned that accepting Moscow’s demands set a dangerous precedent that could lead to future Russian aggression.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with Brazilian newspaper O Globo published Monday that “we remain open to negotiations.”

“But the ball is not in our court. So far, Kyiv has not demonstrated its ability to negotiate,” he said, adding Moscow’s position on the conflict was “well-known”.

“International recognition of Russia’s ownership of Crimea, Sevastopol, the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Lugansk People’s Republic, the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions is imperative,” he said, using the Kremlin’s names for the Ukrainian regions.

Zelensky said last Friday that Ukraine would “not legally recognise any temporarily occupied territories”, and has previously called the demilitarisation demand “incomprehensible”.

– Kursk retaken –

Trump, who boasted before his inauguration he could halt Russia’s assault on Ukraine within “24 hours”, launched a diplomatic offensive to stop the fighting after taking office in January.

But the White House has voiced frustration with both sides, as the conflict that has devastated swathes of eastern Ukraine and killed tens of thousands of people drags on.

Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks on the fighting since the start of Moscow’s offensive in 2022.

Early Monday, a Russian attack on a Ukrainian village near the frontline city of Pokrovsk killed a married couple and another local resident, regional prosecutors said.

Meanwhile, Russia over the weekend announced it had taken full control of its Kursk region with the help of North Korean troops, more than eight months after Kyiv launched a cross-border ground assault.

Putin thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday for help with the operation, which has denied Kyiv a key bargaining chip in future talks with Moscow.

The Russian army said Monday it had taken control of the village of Kamianka in the northeastern Kharkiv region, in its latest battlefield advance.

AFP

Justice Nwosu-Iheme of a FCT High Court Wuse Zone 2 in Abuja on Monday sentenced the husband of late gospel singer, Osinachi, Peter Nwachukwu, to death by hanging.

Nwachukwu was found guilty of culpable homicide resulting in the death of the deceased ( his wife) on April 8, 2022.

The judge held that the prosecution had proven the burden of proof placed on it by the law and subsequently found the defendant guilty.

Nwachukwu was arraigned on June 3, 2022 by the Office of Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), on behalf of the Federal Government, on a 23-count charge .

The charge was on culpable homicide punishable with death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, criminal intimidation of children, spousal battery, among others.

In the course of trial, the prosecution called 17 witnesses, including two children of the late Osinachi, who testified as fourth prosecution and fifth prosecution witnesses, PW4 and PW5 respectively.

The prosecution also tendered 25 documents as exhibits before the court.

The defendant testified for the defence and further called four other witnesses and tendered four exhibits in his defence.

Shortly before sentencing, the defendant, counsel , Reginald Nwali, in his allocutus pleaded with the court to be lenient in its judgment.

Similarly, the prosecution counsel, Mrs Aderonke Imala, urged the court to give force to the law as stipulated.

Justice Nwosu-Iheme subsequently sentenced Nwachukwu to death by hanging on Count 1, while he was sentenced to two years imprisonment each on Counts 2, 3, 8,9, 12, 13, and 18.

The court sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment on Count 10, three years imrisonment in Count 11, while he was fined the sum of N500,000 and N200,000 respectively on Counts 6 and 7 respectively.

(NAN)

Nasir Idris, governor of Kebbi, says he remains committed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has no plans to defect.

A viral message had claimed that Idris and four other APC governors were finalising plans to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the 2027 elections.

This follows growing coalition talks among opposition politicians seeking to wrest power from the ruling APC.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has been at the forefront of “strategic meetings” around the proposed coalition.

In a statement on Sunday, Ahmed Idris, the governor’s spokesperson, described the report linking his principal and four other governors to a new political alliance as “ridiculously malicious”.

The spokesperson dismissed the claim as “a huge joke” crafted by “the most uninteresting political comedians”.

“His Excellency would have chosen to ignore the report as a dance of mad fellows dancing naked in the marketplace, but for the avoidance of doubt, Governor Idris wishes to state categorically that he is not a political prostitute,” the statement reads.

“This report is not only false, but it is a huge joke cracked by the most uninteresting political comedians.

“He is made in APC by APC and for APC. He will be the last person to leave his reliable and formidable party for any coalition, no matter who the architects and builders are.

“Comrade Nasir Idris is a leader who loves his people. The people of Kebbi State love him with a passion and beyond comment.

“The people of Kebbi state are completely in APC, and he can therefore not afford to abandon his people and embrace strangers.

“According to the KAURAN GWANDU, “I’m completely focused on making Kebbi State better and consolidating the gains and successes of our party and our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“If they tell you again that Kaura is likely to leave his APC, tell them I will be the last man standing.”

The governor added that his administration remains committed to the welfare of the people and to the continued growth of the state under the APC.

[TheCable]

Before 2015, Muhammadu Buhari had already attained near-mythical status in northern Nigeria. His name was a household one, his presence commanding spontaneous crowds wherever he went. Unlike the orchestrated gatherings of today, pre-APC Buhari rallies were largely organic — a stark contrast to the “crowd-renting” culture now thriving in the harsh realities of hunger and desperation. The hunger has created an entire ecosystem where crowds are hired for pittances, their purpose often forgotten mid-chant. But let’s move past that: “Ebi kii wo inu, ki oro mi wo” — when hunger bites, reason flees. “The crowd industry” is topic for another day.

The much-cited “12 million votes” that followed Buhari is no myth. In 2003, he secured 32% of the national votes against a sitting President, Olusegun Obasanjo. He replicated similar figures three times, each time consistently delivering over 12 million votes, except in 2007 when another northerner, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, momentarily dampened his dominance. Yet even against fellow northerners like Atiku Abubakar, Buhari’s pull remained formidable.

In 2015, Buhari commanded an unwavering core northern loyalty, backed by a voter population exceeding 30 million. His support base displayed a cult-like devotion — fierce, unexplainable, and at times, almost desperate for affirmation.

To many, Buhari embodies the ideal northern Muslim leader — an image crafted around perceived virtues of integrity, simplicity, and frugality, resonating strongly with the large poor population. His portrayal as incorruptible finds its roots in 2001 when Buhari openly championed the adoption of Sharia law across northern states. After President Obasanjo made remarks hinting at a possible halt to Sharia implementation, Buhari countered boldly, declaring that Sharia would “sweep across the country”. That stance, controversial as it was, boosted his reputation among northern faithful and later became a campaign liability in 2015 — one he overcame spectacularly, losing only three northern states.

Curiously, many analysts argue that Buhari himself is not a deeply religious individual and that his presidency showed little sign of any intent to “Islamise” Nigeria. His 2001 pronouncements were likely astute political moves, calculated to anchor his political fortunes in the conservative North. Regardless, his popularity has not waned. After eight years in office, he returned to Katsina State to a hero’s welcome, and more recently, was similarly celebrated in Kaduna — the place he fondly calls home.

In Working with Buhari, Femi Adesina, the president’s spokesman, recounts in Chapter 4 (“The Wailing Wailers”) how Buhari’s popularity in the north endured despite harsh criticisms and oppositions. Large crowds continued to welcome him enthusiastically during visits — a testament to his resilient support base.

Similarly, the seasoned journalist, Farooq Kperogi, put it succinctly: “Given the oversized influence of Islamic clerics in shaping public opinion in Muslim Northern Nigeria, no amount of logic, evidence-based reasoning, economic hardship, etc., will make the littlest dent on Buhari’s popularity in the Muslim North.”

Buhari’s silence, often criticised elsewhere, remains a language well understood by his northern followers.

In the 2023 elections, he was accused of not vigorously supporting his party’s candidate, Bola Tinubu. Though Buhari made a symbolic display by flashing his voter’s slip after casting his ballot for the APC, the damage had been done. Tinubu lost several strongholds, and whispers persist that Buhari subtly leaned toward Atiku during the election.

Yet Atiku is hardly Buhari. For all his attempts, Atiku remains an impostor in the quest for the northern crown. Winning national elections in Nigeria demands strategic galvanising — something Atiku has never mastered. Unlike Buhari, who inspired a mass movement, Atiku’s political fortunes lean heavily on deep pockets rather than organic followership.

In 2015, it was Tinubu and his ACN-led coalition that provided Buhari the national machinery to convert his 12 million cult following into presidential victory. In 2023, it was Nasir el-Rufai in the north and Nyesom Wike with his G5 friends in the south that oiled Tinubu’s path to Aso Rock.

Atiku’s weakness remains glaring: he has neither invested in people nor built structures. A political nomad at heart, he has no crop of protégés who can swear by him. His restlessness — hopping from one party to another — has made it difficult to birth genuine loyalty. Even the likes of Kwankwaso and Zulum stand taller today among the northern political elite.

However, as long as Nigeria’s electorate remains intentionally impoverished, the currency of election-day handouts will continue to purchase loyalty — albeit temporarily. Poverty remains the most potent voter mobiliser in our polity.

One wonders if the recent flurry of political visits to Kaduna — with Atiku among them — signals a growing acknowledgment of who still holds the North’s heart. Is the kingmaker role being courted again?

Buhari has been vilified, even by members of his own party, who accuse him of presiding over Nigeria’s worst economic decline. The numbers are unforgiving: Nigeria’s GDP shrank from nearly $600 billion in 2014 (pre-Buhari) to around $360 billion by 2023.

Critics are right — Buhari did not deliver on his economic promises. The naira weakened disastrously, and rather than creating jobs, his administration presided over record job losses. His heavy use of “ways and means” borrowing left a debt burden that future generations will carry.

Yet, despite his monumental failures, Buhari’s mystique in the north remains untouched. He has publicly declined invitations to support any political coalition, maintaining a surface-level loyalty to Tinubu. His careful aloofness signals a quiet acknowledgment of the old alliance — but it is his personal bond with the North that still speaks the loudest.

Karl Marx famously said that “history repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.”

In Buhari’s case, however, history appears stubbornly stuck in its first act. Despite criticisms, economic hardship, and unmet expectations, northern Nigeria’s affection for Buhari remains remarkably undiluted. As 2027 approaches, it is not a farcical imitation of past glories that inspires the region, but a genuine, almost nostalgic yearning for the man they still see as their champion. In a political landscape quick to discard old heroes, Buhari’s bond with the north defies Marx’s cynical progression — refusing to slip into farce.

As 2027 draws nearer, Buhari’s posture — whether active or silent — will matter. His perceived leanings could shape alliances, tilt balances, and ultimately decide who emerges victorious. Despite Tinubu’s tireless efforts to consolidate the south, he needs no reminder that no politician becomes President of Nigeria by losing the North by a wide margin.

And that is exactly where Buhari steps back into the centre of the story.

Who is visiting Buhari next? Goodluck Jonathan? Or PO himself?

At this point, Nigerian politicians have lost their ability to surprise me.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, has described inflation as the most significant threat to the economic welfare of Nigerians, pledging the CBN’s commitment to reducing inflation to single digits over the medium term.

Speaking at the conclusion of the 2025 IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C., Cardoso emphasized the urgency of tackling inflation to stabilize household incomes and improve the cost of living across the country.

“Inflation remains the most disruptive force against the economic welfare of Nigerians. Our focus is to bring it down to single digits over the medium term,” Cardoso said.

Rising Inflation Rates and Economic Pressures 

In March 2025, Nigeria’s headline inflation rate surged to 24.23%, up from 23.18% in February, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

This sharp increase reflects persistent pressures on food prices, essential goods, and the broader cost of living, exacerbating economic challenges for millions of Nigerians.

The NBS report attributes the inflationary trend to rising prices of both food and non-food items, highlighting the need for sustainable monetary interventions.

Meanwhile, the IMF projects Nigeria’s inflation rate to average 26.5% in 2025, following the recent rebasing of the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Although this marks a decline from 33.2% in 2024, inflation is expected to spike again to 37.0% by 2026, underlining the volatility of Nigeria’s economic landscape.

Investment and Reform Momentum 

Despite these challenges, Cardoso pointed to growing investor confidence in Nigeria’s reform agenda.

He referenced the country’s recent high-level investment forum at the Nasdaq Market Site in New York.

The event showcased Nigeria’s economic reforms and attracted interest from global investors and the diaspora, signaling optimism for the nation’s future economic trajectory.

Federal Government’s Economic Strategy 

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, echoed Cardoso’s sentiments, emphasizing the government’s focus on economic growth and job creation.

• Speaking at the same IMF and World Bank meetings, Edun outlined Nigeria’s ambitious target of achieving 7% economic growth, supported by investments in critical infrastructure such as digital connectivity, data access, and fibre optic networks.
• Edun highlighted the government’s strategy to mobilize domestic revenue and crowd in private sector investments, creating an environment conducive to business growth.

“By stabilizing the economy and driving private sector participation, we are creating sustainable jobs for young Nigerians and fostering inclusive growth,” Edun stated.

He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline, noting that Nigeria’s reform programme—spanning fiscal, monetary, and structural policies—has been recognized by international partners as being on the right track.

“Despite global uncertainty, Nigeria is poised for resilient, inclusive growth,” Edun added.

Pragmatic Fiscal Planning 

Edun emphasized the importance of flexible fiscal planning, stating, “A budget is a statement of intent; it must be continually recalibrated to reflect on-ground realities and available resources.”  

This approach emphasized the government’s focus on adapting to economic challenges while maintaining a clear vision for growth and stability.

As Nigeria navigates its economic challenges, the combined efforts of the CBN, the Federal Government, and international partners aim to address inflation, foster investment, and create a sustainable path toward economic prosperity.

What you should know  

In January 2025, the NBS updated the CPI base year from 2009 to 2024 to reflect more current household spending patterns.

• As a result, inflation figures were recalibrated, with the January rate easing to 24.48% from 34.80% in December 2024.
• The moderation continued in February, falling to 23.18%, before inching back up to 24.23% in March, indicating persistent cost-of-living pressures.

[Nairametrics]

The Federal Government has expressed worry over the increasing number of citizens falling victim to cyber slavery.

Naija News reports that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maitama Tuggar, said most young Nigerians were lured out of the country under the promise of lucrative jobs, particularly in crypto-related operations..

In a statement on Sunday by the Ministry’s spokesman, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, Tuggar noted that victims of the fake job promoters online are being subjected to inhumane conditions and slavery.

He assured that the government was working with international partners to arrest the culprits.

Tuggar advised Nigerians to verify all employment offers through official channels and report suspicious cases to relevant authorities for necessary investigation and action to curtail the activities of the perpetrators.

It read: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes with grave concern the alarming rise of cyber slavery across parts of West Africa, targeting Nigerian citizens, particularly vulnerable youths. Many young Nigerians, including underage teenagers, are lured out of the country under the false promise of lucrative employment opportunities abroad, particularly in crypto-related operations.

“In reality, these individuals are trafficked into sophisticated scam operations and enslaved to work in criminal ‘call centres’ — often referred to as ‘419 cyber-scam factories’. There, they are forced under coercive and inhumane conditions to send thousands of fraudulent emails, text messages, and calls aimed at defrauding victims worldwide.

“The Ministry notes with dismay a recent incident where the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) in Accra, Ghana rescued and detained a group of Nigerians forced to engage in cybercrime activities under inhumane conditions. This incident highlights the severe exploitation and abuse associated with cybercrime operations. It also underscores the need for enhanced efforts to combat such multibillion-dollar criminal networks and mitigate the susceptibility of victims.

“The Ministry strongly warns all Nigerians, especially the youths and parents, to exercise the utmost caution when presented with job offers, particularly those promising easy money, overseas travel, or remote work involving cryptocurrencies. Nigerians are therefore advised to verify all employment offers through official channels and report suspicious cases to relevant authorities for necessary investigation and action to curtail the activities of the perpetrators.

“The Ministry wishes to assure the general public that, as a precautionary measure to address this unfortunate situation, the Federal Government is working closely with regional partners, law enforcement agencies, and international organizations to tackle this heinous crime, rescue victims, and bring perpetrators to justice.

“The Ministry remains committed to protecting Nigerian citizens at home and abroad and will continue to raise awareness about emerging threats to the welfare and dignity of our people.”

[NaijaNews]

Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has disclosed that he was on the verge of joining Nottingham Forest in 2023.

The Nigerian international, who is having a brilliant season with Fulham, bagged an assist to help his team defeat Southampton 2-1 in Saturday’s Premier League.

Speaking with Fulham Fan News, the former Arsenal star stated that he got a phone call from Super Eagles defender Ola Aina to join Nottingham Forest, but he decided to pitch tent with Fulham.

“There was interest, the main interest came from Nottingham Forest,” Aina said, per Fulham Fan News.

“The manager at the time called me, and he asked what I was thinking about joining. Ten minutes later, Ola (Aina) has called me, and he’s like, ‘Alex, you’re coming to Nottingham Forest; the manager just called me and said, persuade Alex’.

“I could have been linking up with Ola, but eventually they didn’t put in a bid, and only Fulham did, so that was that.”