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  • Top 10 News Updates You Should Know Today

    1. Death Toll Rises to Nine in Lagos Building Collapse

    The death toll from the collapse of a three-storey shopping and residential building in the Alakija area of Satellite Town, Lagos, has risen to nine. Emergency responders have rescued 26 people alive as search operations continue at the site along Old Ojo Road.

    The rescue effort involves LASEMA, NEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the police and local volunteers. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the collapse, while the incident has renewed concerns about compliance with building regulations across Lagos.

    2. FG Hands Over Enugu International Airport to Private Operator

    The Federal Government has officially handed over the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu to Aero Alliance Limited under a public-private partnership arrangement aimed at modernising the airport.

    The concession covers the financing, rehabilitation, expansion, operation and management of the airport. Officials say the project is expected to improve passenger experience, create jobs and strengthen economic activities in the South-East while serving as a model for future airport concessions across Nigeria.

    3. Nigeria Sanctions Six Individuals, Three Entities Over Terrorism Financing

    Nigeria has placed six individuals and three organisations on its terrorism financing sanctions list as part of efforts to disrupt funding channels linked to terrorist activities. The action includes the freezing of affected accounts and stricter monitoring by financial institutions.

    Authorities say the sanctions form part of broader counter-terrorism measures designed to strengthen national security and comply with international financial regulations. Investigations are continuing, with further enforcement actions expected where necessary.

    4. Oyo Extends Curfew in 10 LGAs

    The Oyo State Government has extended by 24 hours the curfew imposed in 10 local government areas following recent security incidents around communities bordering the Old Oyo National Park.

    Residents have been urged to comply with the restriction as security agencies intensify operations across the affected areas. The government says the measure is necessary to restore normalcy and support ongoing efforts to rescue abducted victims and prevent further attacks.

    5. Tinubu Assures Families of Abducted Oyo Pupils

    President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that security agencies are working to secure the safe return of teachers and pupils abducted in Oyo State, promising that those responsible will be brought to justice.

    The President said security operations have been intensified in collaboration with state authorities. His assurance comes amid growing public concern over school security and renewed calls for stronger protection of rural communities.

    6. Lagos Issues Fresh Ebola Advisory

    The Lagos State Government has urged residents of Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki and Epe local government areas to remain vigilant against Ebola, despite no confirmed outbreak in the state.

    Health officials have stepped up surveillance, public awareness campaigns and emergency preparedness measures. Residents have also been advised to maintain proper hygiene, report suspected symptoms early and cooperate with health authorities as preventive measures continue.

    7. Six Nigerians Selected in 2026 NBA Draft

    Nigeria recorded another milestone in international basketball after six players of Nigerian origin were selected during the 2026 NBA Draft. The selections further highlight the country’s growing influence in global basketball development.

    Sports stakeholders have described the achievement as a boost for Nigerian basketball and a strong case for greater investment in grassroots talent development. The players are expected to begin their professional careers with their respective NBA franchises.

    8. Intra-African Trade Continues to Grow

    Intra-African trade increased to an estimated $213.8 billion in 2025, according to the latest African Trade Report, with Nigeria expected to benefit from expanding opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

    Analysts say improvements in infrastructure, export promotion and regional integration could further strengthen Nigeria’s position in continental trade. Businesses are also expected to benefit from easier access to new African markets as implementation of AfCFTA continues.

    9. NCDC Reports Rising Lassa Fever Deaths

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has reported an increase in Lassa fever fatalities as health authorities continue to respond to outbreaks in affected states.

    Officials have intensified surveillance, treatment and public sensitisation campaigns while urging Nigerians to seek medical attention immediately after noticing symptoms. Health experts say early diagnosis remains one of the most effective ways to reduce fatalities.

    10. Court Fixes June 30 for Sowore Bail Ruling

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 30 to rule on Omoyele Sowore’s application seeking the restoration of his bail and the setting aside of a bench warrant previously issued against him.

    The case continues to attract attention from legal practitioners, civil society organisations and political observers. The court’s decision is expected to determine the next phase of the proceedings and could have broader implications for similar high-profile cases.

  • NCDC Warns Nigeria Only 59% Prepared for Possible Ebola Outbreak

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised concerns over the country’s preparedness for a possible Ebola outbreak, disclosing that Nigeria currently stands at about 59 per cent readiness. The warning comes amid renewed Ebola cases in parts of Africa, including Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    NCDC Flags Preparedness Gaps

    The Director-General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, made the disclosure during an interview on Arise Television on Monday, noting that a recent nationwide assessment exposed significant gaps in Nigeria’s emergency response capacity.

    He explained that the evaluation examined critical health systems, including isolation centres, emergency operations units, and available medical stockpiles needed in the event of an outbreak.

    “Our latest assessment puts Nigeria’s preparedness level at about 59 per cent. But preparedness is dynamic; you can never be 100 per cent prepared because situations keep changing,” he said.

    State and National Response Efforts

    Idris said teams were deployed across the country to assess readiness levels in collaboration with state health authorities and provide guidance on urgent areas of improvement.

    He noted that while some progress has been made, Nigeria is still not fully prepared to handle a major Ebola outbreak if it occurs.

    “We sent advisers to work with state commissioners and assess their level of preparedness. We are looking at infrastructure, isolation facilities, emergency operations centres, and available stockpiles,” he said.

    Border Security and Entry Point Concerns

    A key concern raised by the NCDC is the vulnerability of Nigeria’s entry points, particularly airports and land borders, which remain potential routes for disease importation.

    According to Idris, the Federal Ministry of Health has issued new protocols to strengthen screening and monitoring at points of entry.

    “Our primary objective is to prevent the disease from entering Nigeria,” he said.

    He added that states with international airports have been classified as high-risk areas due to increased travel flow.

    Porous Borders Remain Major Challenge

    Idris also warned that Nigeria’s porous land borders continue to pose a major risk, as many travellers enter the country through unofficial routes that are difficult to monitor.

    “The biggest challenge remains our porous borders. Not everyone enters Nigeria by air. Many people travel across borders by road and through informal routes,” he said.

    Health officials say ongoing surveillance and preparedness measures remain critical as the country works to strengthen its response systems against infectious disease threats.

  • NCDC Lists Lagos, FCT, Rivers Among High-Risk States Over Ebola Outbreak

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, and Adamawa as states facing high risk of Ebola importation following the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

    The agency said the classification was based on increased international travel, porous borders, regional population movement, and uncertainty surrounding the scale of the outbreak in affected countries.

    NCDC Raises Fresh Ebola Alert

    In a public health advisory issued on Thursday in Abuja, NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed that 1,077 suspected Ebola cases and 247 deaths had already been recorded in the DRC and Uganda.

    According to him, the outbreak currently has a case fatality rate of up to 24.6 per cent, with the most affected age group between 14 and 45 years.

    He added that suspected cases had also been reported in India, while Canada recently suspended travel applications from residents of the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan over the outbreak.

    Uganda has also reportedly announced border closure measures.

    States Categorised By Risk Level

    The NCDC explained that the high-risk states were identified because they serve as major trade and travel hubs with international airports, seaports, porous borders, and active ground crossings.

    The agency also classified Ogun, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Plateau, Kogi, Niger, Jigawa, Katsina, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Abia, and Bayelsa as moderate-risk states.

    It stressed that all states and the FCT must remain prepared for possible Ebola cases, but noted that preparedness levels should reflect each state’s specific risk exposure.

    No Approved Vaccine For Current Ebola Strain

    Idris stated that the current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus disease, which currently has no licensed vaccine or approved targeted treatment.

    “The current Bundibugyo virus outbreak has no licensed vaccines or approved targeted therapeutics,” he said.

    He explained that existing Ebola vaccines and monoclonal antibody treatments were mainly designed for the Zaire ebolavirus strain and may not be effective against the current outbreak.

    According to the NCDC boss, rapid detection, isolation, contact tracing, safe burials, surveillance, and aggressive supportive care remain the major tools for controlling the outbreak.

    Nigeria Yet To Record Confirmed Case

    Despite the alert, the NCDC confirmed that Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed Ebola case linked to the current outbreak.

    However, the agency warned that the risk of importation remains high because of regional transmission, international travel, and similarities between Ebola symptoms and other diseases such as malaria and Lassa fever.

    The agency said it had activated its National Emergency Operations Centre in alert mode to coordinate preparedness efforts nationwide.

    States Asked To Activate Emergency Measures

    The NCDC directed state governments and health commissioners to immediately strengthen preparedness across public and private health facilities.

    States were asked to activate public health coordination systems, conduct rapid risk assessments around points of entry and densely populated areas, and ensure healthcare workers can quickly identify and report suspected cases.

    The agency also instructed states to designate at least one functional isolation centre and establish proper referral systems for managing suspected Ebola patients safely.

    The development comes amid growing concerns over regional disease outbreaks and cross-border health threats across West Africa.

     

  • US Warns DR Congo Team Over Ebola Ahead of World Cup

    Democratic Republic of the Congo have insisted they will not alter their World Cup preparations despite a warning from the United States over the country’s ongoing Ebola outbreak.

    According to reports by The Guardian, US officials directed the DR Congo national team to remain isolated in a training bubble in Belgium for 21 days before travelling to the United States for the tournament.

    US Issues Strict Warning

    Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, said American authorities had already informed FIFA and the Congolese government about the restriction.

    “We’ve been very clear to Congo that they should maintain the integrity of their bubble for 21 days before they can then come to Houston on June 11th,” Giuliani said.

    “We want to make sure there is nothing that’s going to come in or near our borders,” he added.

    The US Department of Homeland Security also stated that the move was necessary to protect players, officials and millions of fans expected at the tournament.

    DR Congo Refuses To Change Schedule

    Despite the warning, officials of the Congolese team said there were no plans to alter their training schedule.

    A spokesperson for the team reportedly confirmed that all players were currently based in Europe and had not recently travelled from Congo.

    “We have kept our training programme. No player in the squad has come from DRC,” the official said.

    The team is expected to play friendly matches against Denmark in Liège on June 3 and Chile in Cádiz on June 9.

    However, a planned three-day visit to Kinshasa as part of their World Cup send-off has now been cancelled.

    WHO Raises Ebola Alarm

    The development comes after the World Health Organization raised the Ebola outbreak risk in DR Congo to “very high.”

    According to the organisation, the rare Bundibugyo strain currently spreading in parts of the country has no approved vaccine or treatment.

    The WHO disclosed that there are currently 82 confirmed Ebola cases and seven confirmed deaths in DR Congo, alongside hundreds of suspected infections and fatalities.

    Historic World Cup Return

    DR Congo qualified for the FIFA World Cup for only the second time in history after previously appearing in 1974 when the country competed as Zaire.

    The team is expected to camp in Houston during the tournament and will begin their Group K campaign against Portugal on June 17.

  • WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak Global Health Emergency As Cases Spread To Congo And Uganda

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the spread of Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a “public health emergency of international concern,” following a sharp rise in confirmed cases and suspected deaths across affected regions.

    The outbreak, first detected in Ituri Province in northeastern Congo, has now been confirmed in both Kinshasa and Kampala, raising global concern over wider transmission.

    Cases Spread Across Borders

    According to WHO data, at least 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths have been recorded in Ituri Province, although only a small number have been confirmed through laboratory testing.

    The organisation said eight cases have so far been scientifically confirmed, while broader assessments suggest the outbreak could be more widespread than currently documented.

    Emergency Declaration Raises Global Alarm

    The WHO’s emergency declaration signals a coordinated international response to contain the outbreak, improve surveillance, and accelerate access to vaccines, treatments and health resources.

    The agency warned that significant uncertainties remain about the true scale and geographic spread of the virus.

    “There are significant uncertainties about the true number of infected people and the geographic spread associated with this event,” the WHO said.

    Urban Spread Raises Concern

    Health officials confirmed that cases have now been detected in Kampala and Kinshasa, both major capital cities, increasing fears of rapid transmission due to high population density and cross-border movement.

    One of the confirmed cases in Uganda reportedly resulted in death, while others were linked to travellers moving from Congo’s affected regions.

    Response And Challenges

    The outbreak has been linked to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no licensed vaccine or treatment currently exists.

    WHO said ongoing humanitarian challenges, population movement, and weak health systems in affected areas could complicate containment efforts.

    Public health experts have also raised concerns that early detection may have come late in the outbreak cycle, making response efforts more difficult.

    As the situation develops, global health authorities are expected to intensify monitoring, contact tracing and emergency response operations across Central and East Africa.