News March 22, 2026 Chairman Moorex Group Ltd., Engr Chidi Amechi Bags Champion Newspaper Real Estate Personality

A real estate entrepreneur and Chairman of Moorex Group Limited, Engr. Chidi Charles Amechi, has been honoured as the 2025 Champion Newspapers Real Estate Personality of the Year.

The annual awards organised by Champion Newspapers have continued to stand as one of Nigeria’s most respected platforms for recognising excellence, hard work, and impactful contributions across various sectors. The event attracted a distinguished gathering of personalities from government, business, academia, traditional institutions, and the private sector.

Held on Saturday, March 14, at Eko Hotels and Suites, the ceremony celebrated notable achievers who have contributed significantly to national development.

Among other awardees was Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, who received the Governor of the Year Award for Youth Development and Security. Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also had members of his cabinet recognised with the Star Performance Award 2025.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mohamed Buba Marwa, who was represented by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, was honoured as Man of the Year. The NDLEA also emerged as the Most Innovative and Outstanding Public Agency of the Year.

Speaking through his representative Ejike Emmanuel Onwujiobi, Engr. Amechi expressed appreciation for the recognition, describing it as a motivation to further contribute to solving Nigeria’s housing challenges.

“I view this recognition beyond a personal achievement, I see it as a call to do more. At Moorex Group, we remain committed to delivering innovative and affordable housing solutions through Moorex Properties Ltd. that will positively impact lives and bridge the housing deficit in Nigeria,” he said.

Engr. Amechi has continued to attract positive attention in the media space for his contributions to the real estate sector. He recently featured on the cover of Attention Magazine, where his innovations in addressing housing needs, brand growth, and ambassadorial engagements were highlighted.

Earlier, he was among prominent Nigerians honoured at the 2024 edition of the Great Achievers Award for Human and Community Development, organised by the Great Achievers Initiative for Youth and Community Development. 

He also received the Real Estate Personality of the Year award at the Leadership Excellence (LEEX) Awards organised by Igbere TV.

Crime News March 21, 2026 Bandits abduct Kano LG secretary

 

Suspected bandits have kidnapped the Secretary of Kibiya Local Government Area in Kano State after storming his residence in Dinya town in the early hours of Saturday.

The leader of the local government council, Sabo  Usman, confirmed the incident to the BBC, stating that it took place late on Friday night.

“The incident happened around 1:00 a.m. while the secretary was asleep in his house,” he said.

He explained that the gunmen first woke the secretary’s son, who had been sleeping in the outer compound, and compelled him to knock on his father’s door under the guise of having a stomach ache.

“After he knocked, his father asked who it was, and he replied that it was his son. When asked what the problem was, he said he had a stomach ache. The father then opened the door, and the gunmen immediately seized him along with the son,” he said.

According to him, the assailants later freed the son but took the secretary away before security operatives could get to the scene.

Kibiya Local Government Area has generally been regarded as peaceful. However, nearby areas such as Tsanyawa and Shanono, which border Katsina State, have experienced repeated bandit attacks.

(DAILY TRUST)

News Others March 21, 2026 Troops observe Eid prayers in Ngoshe Mosque amid Boko Haram threats

Troops under Operation Hadin Kai have pushed back against terrorist threats by observing Eid-el-Fitr prayers in Ngoshe and Gwoza areas of Borno State, demonstrating renewed control and a return to normal life in the communities.

Security sources revealed that insurgents affiliated with Boko Haram had earlier circulated propaganda claiming plans to take over Ngoshe town and celebrate Sallah at the central mosque, in an apparent attempt to intimidate residents and assert dominance.

A report by security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagozola Makama, indicated that Nigerian Army troops operating under Operation Hadin Kai quickly reinforced the area after an earlier attack on March 4.

“The military response, supported by aerial surveillance and local intelligence, disrupted insurgent movements and led to the neutralisation of several fighters, effectively blunting the threat. On the day of Sallah, Ngoshe and nearby Gwoza remained calm, with residents freely observing prayers and engaging in celebrations without incident,” the report said.

In what observers described as a symbolic counter to the insurgents’ claims, troops were seen participating in Eid prayers at the Ngoshe central mosque, reinforcing government authority and challenging the narrative promoted by the terrorists.

“They boast that they will celebrate Sallah in Ngoshe. But here we are exposing their lies. No single Boko Haram is in Ngoshe,” the source said.

The military also praised residents for their cooperation and vigilance, noting that community support played a key role in the success of the operation.

Authorities further cautioned the public against sharing terrorist propaganda, warning that such actions could weaken ongoing national security efforts.

News March 21, 2026 Sokoto cleric knocks Tinubu’s record, says North not benefiting from 2023 Muslim-Muslim ticket strategy

 

A respected Islamic scholar based in Sokoto, Professor Mansur Ibrahim Sokoto, has alleged that President Bola  Tinubu has sidelined Muslims after benefiting from their support to win the 2023 presidential election.

The cleric made the remarks on Friday while delivering his Eid sermon in Sokoto, where he argued that the Muslim-Muslim ticket adopted during the election was primarily a tactic to secure victory.

He further claimed that both Muslims and the northern region have yet to see meaningful gains from the current administration.

According to him, “Tinubu won the election in 2023 using the Muslim-Muslim ticket, but presently Muslims are suffering under him. He is not after Muslims or Islam.

“The northern region which is predominantly Muslim is not his priority either. What he is only after is Lagos, and even in Lagos, his allies are the Christians,” Professor Ibrahim.

He also advised fellow Islamic clerics to avoid mobilising support for the president in future elections based on religious considerations, stressing the need to focus instead on measurable performance.

The scholar maintained that Nigerians should only rally behind the president if there is clear progress in key sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, business, the economy, and electricity supply.

“Whosoever will campaign for Tinubu should tell us what he did for us. But if there is nothing to campaign for him with, we should be allowed to try other candidates, maybe we can get relief,” he added.

Attempts to obtain a response from the Presidency were unsuccessful as of press time, with calls and messages sent to presidential spokespersons yet to receive a reply.

(DAILY TRUST)

News March 21, 2026 Top govt official slumps, dies suddenly

 

The Delta State Government has expressed grief over the sudden demise of Mr Sunny Kotor, who served as Senior Special Assistant on Protocol to the State Government.

Kotor, widely known for anchoring official state events as a Master of Ceremony, reportedly slumped and died on Friday.

In a statement issued on Saturday in Warri and signed by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza, the government described the death as “a profound loss; not only to his family, but to the Government and people of Delta State who benefited immensely from his professionalism, composure, and unmistakable presence at official engagements.

“He brought dignity, structure, and excellence to every function he handled, leaving behind a standard that will be difficult to forget,” the statement added.

Osuoza further noted that “every passing is indeed a sobering reminder of how fragile and fleeting life can be,” while extending condolences to the deceased’s family, colleagues, and associates who worked closely with him.

The government also prayed that God would grant them the strength to bear the irreparable loss.

News March 21, 2026 US deploys surveillance drones in Nigeria

 

The United States has stationed multiple MQ-9 drones in Nigeria alongside about 200 military personnel to assist with intelligence gathering and training as Nigerian forces battle Islamist insurgents across the north, according to U.S. and Nigerian officials.

Officials from both countries emphasised that the American troops are not embedded with Nigerian frontline units, while the drones are being used strictly for surveillance rather than conducting airstrikes.

The latest deployment follows U.S. airstrikes targeting militant groups in northwest Nigeria in late 2025 and signals a renewed American role in countering Islamic State and al Qaeda-linked insurgencies expanding across West Africa.

Previously, the U.S. maintained a $100 million drone base in neighbouring Niger, with roughly 1,000 troops monitoring militant activity across the Sahel. That facility was shut down in 2024 after Niger’s military government demanded the withdrawal of foreign forces, reflecting a wider regional pushback against Western military involvement.

A recent suicide bombing attack on a garrison town in northeastern Nigeria has underscored the enduring threat posed by a 17-year insurgency, which continues to reach urban centres.

At the same time, attacks have intensified in the northwest near the borders with Benin and Niger, where persistent banditry is increasingly intersecting with Islamist militant activity.

A U.S. defence official said the deployment was made at Nigeria’s request to enhance intelligence capabilities. “We see this as a shared security threat,” the official said.

Major General Samaila Uba, director of defence information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, confirmed that American assets are operating from Bauchi airfield in the northeast.

“This support builds on the newly established U.S.-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which continues to deliver actionable intelligence to our ‌field commanders,” ⁠he told Reuters. “Our U.S. partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities.”

Uba added that the duration of the U.S. mission would be jointly determined by both countries.

MQ-9 drones — often referred to as Reaper drones — are capable of flying at high altitude for more than 27 hours and can be used for both surveillance and strikes, though officials reiterated their current role is limited to intelligence gathering.

While neither side disclosed specific operations influenced by U.S. intelligence, Uba said the collaboration has enhanced Nigeria’s ability to “identify, track and respond to terrorist threats”.

It was earlier reported that U.S. aircraft operating from Ghana conducted intelligence flights over Nigeria late last year.

The United States, which has a longstanding defence partnership with Nigeria involving training and arms sales, said it carried out airstrikes in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day to prevent attacks on Christian communities.

However, Nigeria’s government and conflict analysts have rejected assertions of a coordinated anti-Christian campaign, arguing that such claims oversimplify a complex security situation.

Authorities are still investigating the March 16 attack on the garrison town, with no group immediately claiming responsibility.

Uba noted that both Boko Haram and ISWAP — an Islamic State-affiliated faction — remain active and continue to evolve their tactics.

“We continue to assess that these organisations will seek opportunistic targets and may attempt to demonstrate relevance through high-visibility attacks,” he said.

(REUTERS)

News Sport March 21, 2026 ‘Mum told me to do so’ – Morocco captain rejects AFCON title, backs Senegal

 

Captain of the Morocco national football team, Achraf Hakimi, has turned down the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, maintaining that Morocco did not merit the honour following their defeat.

The Paris Saint-Germain defender stated that neither he nor his teammates should accept the trophy, irrespective of any ruling by the Confederation of African Football.

Hakimi’s reaction comes after Morocco’s loss to the Senegal national football team in the tournament’s final.

“My mum told me to reject the AFCON trophy. I’m officially rejecting it and hope my teammates do same. We had a chance but failed to win,” Hakimi said.

He accepted the outcome of the match, emphasising that Senegal deserved their victory and warning against any move that could diminish their success.

“That’s football, sometimes you win and lose. Senegal beat us fairly and deserved it. It will be unfair to ruin their joy after the hardwork,” he said.

While acknowledging CAF’s decision, Hakimi reiterated his refusal to accept a title he believes Morocco did not win on the field of play.

“I respect the CAF decision but I’m officially rejecting the trophy. I didn’t win 2025 AFCON. Congratulations to Senegal once again,” he said.

The development marks an unusual episode in football, as a player publicly declines a major title in the interest of sporting integrity.

Morocco had entered the competition as one of the favourites but were ultimately defeated, while Senegal’s performance earned widespread recognition as deserving champions.

On March 17, 2026, the CAF Appeal Board ruled in favour of Morocco, citing Senegal’s walk-off as a forfeiture under tournament regulations and overturning the 1–0 result to 3–0.

The Senegalese Football Federation has announced plans to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.