The Independent National Electoral Commission has approved the promotion of 2,339 personnel in its 2025 Senior Staff Promotion Exercise, underscoring its commitment to career progression, institutional continuity and organisational stability. Of this number, 18 will continue in active service, while 27 are due for retirement shortly after their promotion, in line with public service regulations. The promotion exercise also affected 2,121 intermediate officers on GL 07–13 across various departments of the commission. “In all, the promotions cut across multiple cadres and were conducted in accordance with established guidelines and extant public service rules,” the statement said. It congratulated the newly promoted officers and urged them to redouble their commitment to professionalism, integrity and impartial service in the discharge of their responsibilities.

The Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel has suspended three doctors following a prima facie finding of medical negligence in the care of 21-month-old Nkanu Adichie-Esege. Those suspended are the Medical Director of Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, Dr. Tunde Majekodunmi, along with anesthesiologist Dr. Titus Ogundare and Atlantis Pediatric Hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Atinuke Uwajeh. Nkanu, the son of renowned Nigeria…

He’s the rejected monkey who has become the internet’s adopted animal baby. But while you cannot take Punch home, you can curl up with his companion — if you can find one in stock, that is. Video Ad Feedback “Punch” the baby monkey and his plushie mom Abandoned at birth in Ichikawa Zoo in Japan, this 6‑month‑old monkey found comfort in a stuffed orangutan - and won thousands of hearts online. Only one of Japan’s 12 IKEA outlets showed the toy in stock, with the majority of UK stores either almost or entirely out of the product. The small Ichikawa zoo, roughly 15 minutes from the center of Tokyo by train, is also dealing with a spike in attention.

The Rivers State House of Assembly has confirmed receipt of a list of commissioner-nominees from Governor Siminalayi Fubara and invited nine of them for screening and confirmation. PUNCH Online had earlier reported that Fubara forwarded names of nominees to the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly to serve as members of the State Executive Council upon clearance. The statement read, “The Rivers State House of Assembly hereby invites nominees for appointment as commissioners and members of the Rivers State Executive Council to submit forty (40) sets of their curriculum vitae, photocopies of credentials and evidence of compliance with tax obligations. “All documents should be forwarded to the office of the Clerk of the House at the Rivers State House of Assembly Quarters.”None of the recently sacked commissioners was included in the latest list forwarded to the lawmakers. More nominees are expected, as Rivers State has 23 local government areas.

The All Progressives Congress on Tuesday conducted state congresses in Enugu and Bayelsa states, electing new executive committees through consensus arrangements amid declarations of unity and party consolidation. In Enugu State, the congress held at Okpara Square saw the emergence of a new State Executive Committee through the affirmation of former Peoples Democratic Party state executives led by Dr. Martin Chukwunwike, who emerged as substantive chairman of the party in the state. He added that over 6,000 executives had emerged across wards and local governments before the state congress. In Bayelsa State, the congress held at the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre in Yenagoa produced a 37-member executive committee led by Hon. With the new executives in place in both states, party leaders expressed confidence that the APC would consolidate its structure and strengthen its electoral prospects in upcoming polls

CopyPunch Brothers have announced an extensive spring and summer US tour. Pre-sale and VIP tickets for most newly announced shows begins this Wednesday, March 4, at 10am local time via punchbrothers.com. Punch Brothers' latest album, 2022's Hell on Church Street, is the band's reimagining of, and homage to, the late bluegrass great Tony Rice’s landmark solo album Church Street Blues, featuring an inspired collection of songs by Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Bill Monroe, and others. Recorded in November 2020, Hell on Church Street had been intended as both its own work of art and a gift to Rice, who died later that year. Chris Thile is currently touring Europe solo with music from his new album, Bach: Sonatas and Partitas, Vol.

The figure was disclosed in the Sectorial Distribution of VAT Q3 2025 report published on the NBS website on Tuesday. The report shows that, on a year-on-year basis, VAT collections in Q3 2025 increased by 28.10% from Q3 2024. The breakdown shows local VAT payments dominating at N1.12 trillion, foreign VAT payments contributing N680.23 billion, and import VAT adding N479.79 billion. “Value Added Tax (VAT) in Q3 2025 was N2.28 trillion, showing an increase of 10.66% on a quarter-on-quarter basis from N2.06 trillion in Q2 2025. “Local payments stood at N1.12 trillion, foreign VAT payments were N680.23 billion, while import VAT contributed N479.79 billion in Q3 2025,” the report said.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on Monday disclosed details of documents and electronic devices allegedly recovered from the Abuja residence of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. The ICPC said the materials would undergo forensic examination as part of ongoing investigations into alleged corruption and asset concealment. Reacting in a statement on Monday, El-Rufai’s family accused the commission of attempting to criminalise his silence during interrogation. No equipment other than old discarded personal mobile phones… storage devices like flash drives and laptops… were seized from the property,” the statement read. The ICPC maintained that its actions were lawful and in line with its statutory mandate to investigate corruption and related offences.

The spokesperson of the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Tuesday said the party had corrected observed anomalies on its digital membership registration platform following widespread reports of fake entries. Please check back later.”PUNCH Online had earlier reported that netizens began registering fake names, National Identification Numbers and incorrect pictures within 24 hours of the portal’s unveiling. Membership cards bearing the names of President Bola Tinubu, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, United States President Donald Trump and other prominent figures circulated on social media. However, former Lagos governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, dismissed the mockery, stating that the online process was only the first step. When this was pointed out to him, Abdullahi replied, “Thank you, I will pass this on to the technical team”

He is deeply committed to promoting... Nicholas Vincent is a passionate environmentalist and freelance writer. He is deeply committed to promoting sustainability and finding solutions to the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Read more about Nicholas Vincent Read MoreA baby macaque named Punch has gone viral for a heartbreaking reason. In Australia, visitors once adored Mollie the orangutan at Melbourne Zoo, partly because she was encouraged to copy people. Support stronger animal welfare rules, and live in ways that protect the Earth we share.

Five security officers have been arrested and are set to face prosecution over their alleged involvement in a security breach at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on February 12, 2026, in an incident authorities say involved former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. In a statement made available to Punch Online on Tuesday, authorities confirmed that the arrests followed a joint investigation into what was described as a serious compromise of airport security protocols. “At the end of a joint investigation by DSS, NIS, NCS and the Federal Ministry of Aviation, five officers have been detained,” the statement read. It added that other personnel from the NIS and NCS whose involvement was deemed non-criminal would still face consequences. On February 12, 2026, security operatives reportedly attempted to arrest him upon his arrival from Cairo at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The Catholic Diocese of Jalingo has launched an initiative aimed at curbing electoral irregularities and strengthening democratic credibility ahead of the 2027 general elections in Taraba State. “While there is a clear constitutional separation between Church and State, both institutions can collaborate to promote peaceful coexistence and meaningful development. According to him, the Church seeks to ensure that both the processes leading to elections and the post-election environment in Taraba are credible, fair and just. He urged collaboration between religious institutions, electoral bodies, security agencies and civil society groups to strengthen electoral transparency without compromising the church’s independence. With the 2027 elections gradually approaching, the Church’s intervention signals a growing push by faith-based institutions to reclaim the moral ground of Nigeria’s democratic journey in Taraba State.

Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), says Nigeria’s net foreign exchange reserves (NEFR) at the end of 2025 were $34.80 billion — exceeding the country’s total gross reserves recorded in 2023. According to a statement on Monday, Cardoso disclosed the figure over the weekend. The figure also represents 50.58 percent or $11.69 billion increase compared to the net reserves of $23.11 billion recorded in 2024 and 772.18…

Two suspected cultists, identified simply as Monday and Efe, have been shot dead in a fresh wave of cult-related violence in the Ojo area of Lagos State. A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the incident, said the victims were discovered with gunshot wounds. Reacting to the incident on X, a user, Roland Inuedo, expressed concern over the spate of violence in Ojo and surrounding areas. As of the time of filing this report, the Lagos State Police Command had yet to officially confirm the incident. Cult-related violence has persisted in parts of Lagos despite ongoing efforts by security agencies to curb the menace.

A 300-level medical student of the University of Ibadan (name withheld) has died after consuming an insecticide on Sunday night, according to authorities at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. A fellow student reportedly found him on the ground floor of Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall, foaming at the mouth and disoriented. The victim reportedly admitted to ingesting the insecticide, identified as Sniper, before losing consciousness. The student was brought in based on the report that he consumed Sniper, and the UCH responded accordingly. Recent weeks have seen an upswing in reckless content promoting death by suicide, sometimes even linking brands to the act.”