Gunmen invade Abuja estate, kill army general

Some armed persons attacked Sunshine Homes estate in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, during which they killed a retired brigadier general, Uwem Udokwere, the police have announced.

Abuja police spokesperson Josephine Adeh said the attack occurred at about 3 a.m. on Saturday.

“In response to the tragic and unprecedented attack at Sunshine homes estate by armed robbers, resulting in the untimely demise of one Brigadier General Uwem Harold Udokwere (rtd.) on June 22, 2024, at approximately 03:00 a.m, the Commissioner of Police, FCT, Benneth Igweh has promptly ordered a thorough and discreet investigation into the circumstances surrounding this regrettable event.

“Expressing profound condolences to the bereaved family, CP Benneth Igweh assures the family and the public of swift justice, with every effort in conduit to ensure the perpetrators of the atrocious act are apprehended and brought to justice,” Ms Adeh, a superintendent of police, wrote.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Sunshine estate is in the Lokogoma area of Abuja, close to the city centre. It is largely occupied by middle-class people including senior government officials.

The latest incident adds to the concerns about insecurity in the Nigerian capital where there have been cases of kidnappings in different communities.

By Ademola Popoola, Premium Times

Seven dead, 100 kidnapped after attack in northern Nigeria

At least seven people were killed and 100 kidnapped on Saturday night when gunmen attacked a rural community in Nigeria’s northwestern Katsina state, residents and police said on Sunday, in the latest attack against residents in the north of the country.

State police spokesperson Abubakar Aliyu Sadiq confirmed the attack and the seven deaths, but would not say whether anyone was missing. He said police were investigating.

“The remaining men who did not flee are living in fear … and waiting to hear news about their abducted loved ones,” said Muhammad Sani, whose sister was abducted.

Residents said gunmen on motorbikes arrived in Maidabino village in the Danmusa local government area of Katsina, and started shooting sporadically, forcing residents to flee.

Hassan Aliyu told Reuters news agency by phone that the attack took residents by surprise and dozens of women and children were confirmed missing.

“They killed seven people, including burning two children,” Aliyu said. “They spent more than six hours destroying our properties.”

Auwalu Ismail, another resident, said the gunmen first blocked all roads leading to Maidabino before the attack.

“They burned down our shops, vehicles, and took away our livestock. They also kidnapped my wife and more than 100 women and children,” he said.

In recent years, such abductions have been concentrated in Nigeria’s northwest and central regions, where dozens of armed groups often target villagers and travellers for large ransoms.

In March, gunmen attacked a school in the northwestern state of Kaduna and kidnapped dozens of pupils as they were about to start the schoolday, according to local residents and authorities.

Last year, gunmen took more than 80 students in a raid on a school in the northwestern state of Kebbi. 

Al Jazeera

Nigeria oil licence auction attracts huge interest

Nigeria is expanding the number of oil blocks slated for auction in its 2024 licensing round as well as extending the deadline for ending the exercise amid keen interest in the offer, the oil regulator told Reuters on Thursday.

Nigeria opened a licensing round in April offering a total of 19 onshore and deepwater oil blocks to investors. This has now been expanded to include an additional 17 deep offshore blocks to the 2024 licensing round.

"We have undertaken more exploratory activities and as a result acquired more data to expand the offer and extend the deadline. This has given rise to tremendous interest from investors," Gbenga Komolafe, head of Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said.

Komolafe said that registration, which had been slated to close on June 25, has been extended by 10 days. Bid submissions would open on July 8 and close on Nov. 29.

The oil regulator is seeking to deepen exploitation of the country's estimated 37.5 billion barrels of crude oil and 209.26 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves.

It has tried to sweeten the offer by cutting entry fees called signature bonus from around $200 million per field to $10 million, promised a fair and transparent process and allowed online submissions through its website. Bidders also have the option to lease single units of oil blocks or in clusters.

Nigeria is seeking to halt the flow of investments to African rivals Angola and Namibia by improving the ease of acquiring oil blocks.

Nigeria, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), has seen its oil production decline from around 2 million barrels a decade ago to just over 1.4 million barrels per day.

Oil majors are leaving onshore fields - prone to sabotage and frequent claims to compensation for spills - to focus on deepwater fields where disruptions are less common. 

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters

Super Eagles drop eight places in FIFA ranking

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have dropped eight places in the FIFA rankings since the last update on 4 April. During this period, the Eagles struggled in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, drawing 1-1 with South Africa on 7 June and losing 1-2 to Benin on 10 June.

Following these setbacks, their new manager, Finidi George, resigned after the Nigeria Football Federation announced its intention to hire a new foreign technical adviser.

In Africa, Morocco, Egypt, and Cote d’Ivoire each improved one spot, while Senegal dropped one spot.


The Atlas Lions are the highest-ranked African team at No. 12, followed by Senegal’s Teranga Lions at 18, Egypt’s Pharaohs at 36, the African champions Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire at 37, and the Super Eagles rounding out Africa’s top five at 38.

According to the FIFA release, “the top three, however, remain unshakeable. Argentina (1st) retains their place at the summit, with France (2nd) and Belgium (3rd) hot on their heels. But there is movement behind them, as Brazil (4th, up 1) and England (5th, down 1) swap places.

“Meanwhile, Portugal (6th), the Netherlands (7th), and Spain (8th) consolidate their spots in the top ten, while Croatia (9th, up 1) overtake Italy (10th, down 1), who nonetheless hold onto a place among the leading pack.”

These rankings are expected to change further this month, with the Euro Championship and Copa America taking place.

By Jide Alaka, Premium Times

NASRDA Signs MoU with SERA to Launch First Astronaut to Space from Nigeria

In a news report released by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), the space agency has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) in Abuja, to put the first Nigerian Astronaut in space.

Chief Uche Nnaji, the Minister of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology (FMIST), stated that Nigeria is on track to make history in Africa by carrying out its first human space flight. He emphasised that the human space flight, which will be at no cost to the Federal Government of Nigeria, is a key objective of the nation’s space programme, initially scheduled for 2018. Nnaji added that the partnership with SERA will help address past delays and align the programme with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Furthermore, the Minister congratulated the Director General of NASRDA, Dr Matthew Adepoju and his team, stating that this marks an excellent start to his tenure and validates the President’s wise decision to appoint the DG to lead the Agency at this crucial time. He acknowledged the critical role of Dr Ann Agi from the Learn Space Foundation in facilitating the collaboration and emphasised that the private sector involvement will significantly contribute to achieving the nation’s aspirations and enhancing its international reputation.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Esuabana Asanye, provided a brief history of the meeting between the former President of the United States, John F Kennedy, and the then Nigerian Head of State, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa. The meeting centred on the goal of sending the first American and Nigerian to space before the end of the 1960s. She noted that both leaders were assassinated before this dream could be realised. However, America succeeded in sending its first astronaut into space by 1969, while Nigeria has yet to achieve the same milestone. She expressed her gratitude for the collaboration between NASRDA and SERA, which is helping to make this long-held dream a reality. Mrs Asanye also commended the teams involved and urged them to continue their excellent work as the nation eagerly anticipates having its first Nigerian in space.

In his remarks, Dr Matthew Adepoju, expressed his gratitude to the Minister for his support, stating that the agency takes pride in being Africa’s premier space agency—not just as a mere claim, but as a fact. He highlighted that the collaboration with SERA signifies the beginning of NASRDA’s efforts to achieve its dream of human space flight, a key objective of the National Space Policy and Programme. Dr Adepoju emphasised SERA’s crucial role in providing this collaborative opportunity and praised their mission to democratise space exploration and exploitation for all nations as a noble endeavour. He assured that NASRDA is committed to doing everything necessary to send the first Nigerian into space through this partnership.

Furthermore, Sam Hutchinson, Co-founder of SERA, remarked that the Human Space Flight Programme with NASRDA is part of a broader mission to allow six astronauts from different nations, who have never been to space, to make their debut. He explained that SERA is dedicated to democratising space so that anyone can become an astronaut. According to Hutchinson, the Nigerian populace will select a candidate through an open democratic process managed by SERA. He added that Nigeria was chosen for this initiative because of its strong interest in space exploration and its reputation as a nation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.

Joshua Skurla, the Co-founder of SERA, praised the event as a milestone for the African continent and assured that his team is committed to putting the first Nigerian astronaut in space. Speaking at the event, Victor Hespenia, the first SERA astronaut, emphasised that a trip to space could significantly impact young Nigerians by inspiring them to dream big and create space-based inventions valuable for the country’s growth. He stressed the importance of exposing young people to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to ensure Nigeria’s bright future in space. The partnership acknowledges and appreciates Nigeria’s achievements in space science and technology. 

By Deborah Faboade, Space in Africa

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