Author: Nigeriabrief

Emergency responders are still battling a massive fire that broke out at the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House on Martins Street, Lagos Island on Christmas Eve, more than 10 hours after it broke out. Punch Online has learned that the fire, which broke out around 5pm on Wednesday, spread to at least four adjacent buildings, causing widespread damage in one of the city’s busiest commercial centres. The fire reportedly broke out on the fourth or fifth floor of the high-rise building, which is primarily used for clothing storage, before spreading to other floors. Video footage from the scene shared by…

Nigerians, Pakistanis and Sri Lankans applying to work or study in the UK face Home Office restrictions on suspicion they are most likely to overstay or apply for asylum, Whitehall officials have claimed.The Government is working with the National Crime Agency to develop a model for profiling potential asylum seekers from these countries.The success of such plans will depend on the strength of the models and the intelligence they work with, one transition expert said.At one point last year, nearly 10,000 asylum seekers who arrived in the UK legally on work or study visas were living in taxpayer-funded accommodation such…

newYou can now listen to Fox News articles. The U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa held a hearing Thursday on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Subcommittee Chairman Chris Smith (RN.J.) described the persecution as “systematic and accelerating violence against Nigeria’s Christian-majority communities.”Lawmakers from both parties questioned government officials and outside experts amid testimony about the breakdown in security, mass killings, kidnappings and impunity that have turned Africa’s most populous country into what one lawmaker called “the most dangerous place on Earth for Christians.”Smith, who has long sounded the alarm about the persecution of Christians in the country, described…

March 5, 20256 minutes readNigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tugar, has explained the country’s position on several foreign affairs issues concerning the deportation of Nigerians by the United States, sexual extortion cases by Nigerians, and the Binance scandal.Speaking in an exclusive internal interview with the BBC, Ogah Tagah said that while some of the policies are by no means new, Nigeria does not count on many Nigerians in the long term.US deports Nigerian immigrants On the issue of deportation of Nigerians by the United States, the Foreign Minister said the deportation process had begun even before the Trump administration…

In his Christmas homily, the archbishop-elect of Canterbury warned that “the national conversation on immigration continues to divide us, when our common humanity should unite us”.Dame Sarah Mulally, in her current role as Bishop of London, said at St Paul’s Cathedral:“There is room in our homes, there is space in our churches, there is space in our public conversations and attitudes, and joy asks us to allow our lives to be interrupted by the needs of others, just as the people of Bethlehem were interrupted.””This insight is important because our society is fraught with uncertainty that is draining us. Many…

Vice President Kassim Shettima has condemned the bombing that killed about five people and injured several others at a mosque in Gamboru Market in Maiduguri, Borno State on the eve of Christmas.He described the incident as a despicable attack on innocent citizens and the peace of the nation.The accusation was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications.Shettima assured Nigerians that the Federal Government is taking immediate steps to arrest those responsible and strengthen security in the region.what the president is saying The Vice President stressed that President…

Rabat – Nigeria and Gabon meet Today at the new Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat. Both teams are just two wins away from keeping their hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup alive. This CAF playoff semi-final will determine who will advance to Sunday’s final and remain in contention for a World Cup spot. Nigeria, who have played in the last six World Cups, missed out on qualifying for the 2022 edition in Qatar and must avoid missing consecutive tournaments. Gabon are chasing history as they aim to qualify for the World Cup for the first time. Match…

US President Donald Trump signaled a major shift in US immigration policy, announcing plans to permanently halt immigration from “Third World countries.”Third World countries is a term used to refer to developing countries, especially those in Africa. Speaking at a Thanksgiving service, the president said the decades-old immigration framework has weakened national security and strained public services.Sponsored ads He said the foreign-born population of the United States has reached 53 million and that “failed states, prisons, mental hospitals, gangs and drug cartels” are contributing to the increase in immigration.”America has been divided, disrupted, divided, murdered, beaten, robbed and ridiculed,” he…

The streets of Calabar have served as the center of African tourism for decades. But after the unprecedented global shutdown of 2020, that rhythm was temporarily interrupted. As the city currently prepares for the landmark 20th anniversary of its flagship event, the Executive Chairman of the Cross River State Carnival Committee, Mr. Gabe Onah, has declared that Carnival Calabar 2025 will be a “microcosm” of the state’s socio-economic recovery. Traces of time: 20 years of evolution The theme of the 2025 edition, “Trace of Time,” is more than just a poetic reflection. It is a strategic re-establishment of the nation’s…

It’s been two years since Jehan Trazi last celebrated Christmas.But now that a ceasefire has been reached in Gaza, children like Toraj can finally decorate the Holy Family Church. The Church of the Holy Family was the only Catholic church in Gaza and remained largely intact despite two years of brutal war.”This is the first holiday we’ve celebrated in two years. I’m glad the war is over,” 11-year-old Toraj told an NBC News camera crew.“We want to celebrate the glorious birth of Jesus.”Israel’s war against Hamas has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians in the war-torn Gaza Strip, where the small…