News

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A fighter aircraft believed to be operated by the United States has crashed near a major American military installation in Kuwait amid Iranian missile attacks, deepening tensions across the Middle East.

Online footage that surfaced on Monday shows a military jet on fire before it descended rapidly and crashed in a desert area near the U.S. Ali Al Salem Air Base. The images show flames trailing from the aircraft as it lost altitude.

The video, later geolocated by CNN, indicates the aircraft went down roughly 10 kilometres from the facility.

Clips recorded by witnesses appear to show the jet losing stability in the air. Fire trailed from one of its engines before it entered a tailspin and fell toward the ground.

Initial reviews suggest the aircraft looks like either an F-15E Strike Eagle or an F/A-18 fighter jet. Authorities have not confirmed the exact type or ownership of the aircraft, according to CNN and The Telegraph.

Reports state that the pilot ejected safely and later received help from civilians at the crash site. There has been no official information on the condition of the weapons systems officer, who usually occupies the second seat in such jets.

Military authorities have not established the cause of the crash. Sources indicate that the aircraft may have been struck by an Iranian missile. Other possibilities include accidental fire from allied air defence systems or mechanical failure during combat operations.

The crash occurred at a time when Iran launched missile strikes against U.S. military targets in the region. The attacks marked a sharp escalation after recent confrontations involving American and Israeli forces.

U.S. officials have confirmed the first American deaths connected to the conflict. Three service members lost their lives, while five others sustained injuries in operations that started over the weekend.

President Donald Trump reacted to the fatalities and promised a response. He also warned that more casualties could occur as hostilities intensify.

Tensions increased further after Israel carried out strikes in Lebanon. Israeli authorities said the action followed cross-border attacks by Hezbollah after reports of the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

Officials in Washington and Kuwait have not issued a detailed statement on the aircraft incident. Investigations into the crash are ongoing.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Young Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has reacted to the passing of Iran’s top religious figure, Ali Khamenei, with a message of condolence.

The footballer shared a brief statement in which he expressed support for the people of Iran and others affected by the loss.

“Heartfelt condolences to the Iranian people and all those grieving the loss of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Wishing you strength and peace in these sorrowful days. 🙏❤️”

The message has joined a growing number of reactions from public figures across the globe, as tributes continue to pour in following the reported death of the Iranian leader.

By Kamal Alkasim

Hauwa Salisu Fagge, a 100-level student of the Department of Mass Communication at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), has passed away.

Her death was announced on Sunday by the President of the Mass Communication Students’ Association, Mustapha Ukkasha Abubakar, who described the loss as painful and heartbreaking for the department and the wider university community.

Hauwa was actively involved in campus media activities and worked with BUK FM, where she contributed to the morning news programme. She was widely regarded by her colleagues as a passionate and dedicated media enthusiast.

“Her demise is a painful loss to the Department of Mass Communication, her family, friends, and the entire university community,” the MACOSA president said while extending condolences to her loved ones.

The association prayed that Almighty Allah forgive her shortcomings, grant her Jannatul Firdaus, and give her family and friends the strength to bear the irreparable loss.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have successfully repelled a series of coordinated attacks by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on multiple military positions in Borno State, inflicting heavy casualties and recovering a significant cache of arms and ammunition.

The failed assaults, which targeted Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in the towns of Mayanti, Gajigana, and Gajiram, took place between the late hours of February 28 and the early morning of March 1, 2026. Military authorities described the wave of attacks as a sign of desperation from terrorist groups whose enclaves and supply routes are under sustained pressure from ongoing offensives.

The most intense fighting occurred at FOB Mayanti late on February 28, where a large number of terrorists armed with heavy weapons attempted to overrun the position. Troops held their ground under heavy fire, and reinforcements successfully fought their way through ambushes and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to rout the attackers. A subsequent sweep of the area revealed the bodies of five terrorists. Troops also recovered three PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns, two RPG-7 tubes, four AK-47 rifles, two FN rifles, and a large quantity of ammunition. Military sources confirmed blood trails indicated more terrorists were wounded and evacuated. One officer was killed in action during the fierce encounter.

Hours later, at approximately 1:15 a.m. on March 1, terrorists armed with PKT machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and armed drones launched a coordinated assault on FOB Gajiram. The attack was repelled by determined troops supported by Nigerian Air Force assets. Three terrorist bodies were recovered along their withdrawal route. Items abandoned by the fleeing fighters included four AK-47 rifles, five anti-tank bombs, three locally made mortar bombs, and one armed drone. Other recovered items ranged from barbed wire cutters and specialized ammunition to poisoned arrows. One wounded soldier was airlifted by a Nigerian Army Aviation helicopter for advanced medical care.

In related offensive operations under Sector 2, troops ambushed terrorist elements around Bulturam Corner and Dadingel in Gujba Local Government Area, neutralizing two fighters and recovering two AK-47 rifles. Separate patrols also led to the destruction of terrorist life-support structures in Kayawa Village and the arrest of two confessed ISWAP logistics suppliers. Items seized in those operations included motorcycles, drugs, and medical supplies intended for treating wounded terrorists.

Military authorities confirmed that all locations are firmly under control. The large scale of weapons recovered and the number of confirmed enemy losses are seen as further evidence of the degrading combat capability of ISWAP in the region.

By Uzair Adam

The Ummah Movement has condemned what it described as an unprovoked and premeditated joint military attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran by the United States and Israel, warning that the action could trigger a wider regional and global conflict.

In a statement signed by its National Amir, Prof. Muhammad Babangida, on Sunday, the group expressed shock over the reported simultaneous strikes carried out on Saturday, 28th February 2026.

The movement said it was saddened that U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allegedly chose the holy month of Ramadan to launch what it termed “criminal aggression” against Iran.

It also referenced the ongoing war in Gaza, claiming that more than 70,000 lives had been lost in previous joint military actions.

According to the group, the attack on Iran was launched despite what it described as ongoing negotiations in Geneva, which it alleged were used as a cover for regime change.

The Ummah Movement said the action was capable of igniting a broader regional confrontation with “unlimited disastrous consequences.”

The statement further condemned what it called the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Kharana’i, and other senior officials.

“This is a cowardly act which sets a dangerous precedence in conflicts between nations,” the group stated, accusing the United States and Israel of disregarding international laws and conventions in pursuit of expansionist goals.

The movement called on the Nigerian Federal Government to publicly denounce the strikes and review any existing military agreements with the United States and Israel.

It also urged Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East to shut down U.S. military bases within their territories and expel American troops as a step toward restoring peace in the region.

The group warned that failure by Muslim countries to act promptly could lead to a wider global confrontation, potentially drawing in Russia and China on the side of Iran, particularly if the conflict disrupts global fuel supplies in the Gulf.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The presidency has dismissed reports circulating online that kitchen workers at the Presidential Villa attempted to poison Bola Ahmed Tinubu or were arrested over such an incident.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, rejected the allegation in a post shared on his X account on Sunday. He described the report as false and urged the public to disregard it.

The claim had alleged that some staff working in the kitchen at Aso Rock were involved in a poisoning attempt targeting the president.

Reacting to the development, Onanuga said:
“No Aso Rock kitchen staff arrested. No Aso Rock kitchen staff attempted to poison President Tinubu. Please ignore this fake news being disseminated by this video,”

He maintained that the story lacked any basis and should not be taken seriously.

Further details are expected as the situation develops.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The presidency has dismissed reports circulating online that kitchen workers at the Presidential Villa attempted to poison Bola Ahmed Tinubu or were arrested over such an incident.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, rejected the allegation in a post shared on his X account on Sunday. He described the report as false and urged the public to disregard it.

The claim had alleged that some staff working in the kitchen at Aso Rock were involved in a poisoning attempt targeting the president.

Reacting to the development, Onanuga said:
“No Aso Rock kitchen staff arrested. No Aso Rock kitchen staff attempted to poison President Tinubu. Please ignore this fake news being disseminated by this video,”

He maintained that the story lacked any basis and should not be taken seriously.

Further details are expected as the situation develops.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Prominent Nigerian Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has reacted to the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, describing him as “a lucky soul.”

In a Facebook post, Gumi said Khamenei died in what he described as a jihad against those killing innocent women and children in Gaza and other places.

He stated that Khamenei’s blood would inspire change within the Muslim ummah, adding that the late leader stood firmly for justice and did not hide in bunkers.

Gumi also warned those he accused of being involved in Khamenei’s killing, saying time would reveal what they would live to witness in this world.

His remarks come amid ongoing global reactions following the reported death of Khamenei, which has sparked debate across political and religious circles.

By Anas Abbas

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has died, Iranian state media confirmed early Sunday following an unprecedented military offensive by the United States and Israel.

The joint strikes, which targeted key leadership and strategic sites across Iran, mark an escalation in the long-standing tensions between Tehran and its Western and Israeli adversaries.

Iran’s state television and official news agencies reported the 86-year-old leader’s death and announced 40 days of national mourning along with seven days of public holidays as the nation comes to terms with the loss.

Reports confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier stated that Khamenei was killed in coordinated military action, describing the outcome in stark terms on social media. Israeli officials also indicated that Khamenei’s compound in Tehran had been destroyed during the strikes.

Reports from Iranian media further indicate that members of Khamenei’s immediate family, including his daughter, son-in-law, and a grandchild, were also killed in the attack.

Khamenei had led the Islamic Republic since 1989, succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and guiding Iran’s hardline theocratic system for more than three decades. As supreme leader, he exercised ultimate authority over the country’s political, military and religious institutions and was a defining figure in shaping Tehran’s domestic and foreign policies.

The strikes have prompted swift retaliatory action by Iranian forces, with missile and drone launches directed at U.S. and allied positions across the region. Analysts warn that the developments could trigger broader instability across the Middle East.

Under Iran’s constitution, a transitional council composed of senior officials including the president, the judiciary chief and a Guardian Council cleric will temporarily oversee state affairs while the Assembly of Experts, a body of clerics, convenes to select a new supreme leader.

Observers say the power vacuum left by Khamenei’s death and the sweeping geopolitical fallout from the U.S. Israeli military operation will have far-reaching consequences for Iran and the wider region in the weeks and months ahead.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.07% in the fourth quarter of 2025, marking the second time in a decade, excluding the post-pandemic rebound, that quarterly growth has surpassed the 4% threshold, according to new data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, welcomed the figures on Tuesday, framing them as evidence that the economic reforms initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration are gaining traction.

The Q4 performance builds on the momentum of the 4.23% growth recorded in the second quarter of 2025 and represents a significant uptick from the 3.76% growth reported in the third quarter of 2024. It also surpasses the 3.52% growth recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The growth in the final quarter of the year was driven by expansion across Nigeria’s three main economic sectors.

1· The Agriculture sector grew by 4.0%, a sharp rise from 2.54% in Q4 2024. The ministry attributed this improvement to enhanced security in food-producing regions and better access to essential inputs for farmers.

2· The Industrial sector expanded by 3.88%, compared to 2.49% in the same period of the previous year. Officials cited improved foreign exchange liquidity, ongoing energy sector reforms, and a rebound in investor confidence as key drivers.

3· The Services sector, the largest contributor to the economy, recorded a growth rate of 4.15%, fueled by continued expansion in finance, telecommunications, trade, and other technology-driven activities.

The ministry highlighted the breadth of the expansion, noting that approximately 30 sub-sectors across the economy recorded growth rates above 3%.


For the full year 2025, Nigeria’s real GDP growth stood at 3.87%, an improvement from the 3.38% recorded in 2024. The nominal size of the economy also increased significantly, rising to ₦441.5 trillion from ₦372.8 trillion in the prior year.

In his remarks, Minister Edun stated that the latest figures reinforce confidence among both domestic and international investors. He reiterated the Ministry of Finance’s commitment to sustaining the implementation of structural reforms, maintaining disciplined expenditure management, and improving revenue mobilization to ensure macroeconomic stability continues to strengthen.