By Sabiu Abdullahi

Canada has announced plans to impose fresh tariffs on selected goods from the United States after Washington introduced a 50 per cent levy on about $20 billion worth of Canadian products.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the decision in Ottawa on Saturday, saying the new measures would affect US steel, dairy products, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, electronics and other goods.

The tariffs are expected to take effect on September 8.

“Canada will match Washington’s new tariffs dollar for dollar in order to protect Canadian workers, farmers, families, and businesses,” Carney told reporters.

The decision followed the collapse of trade negotiations between the two countries after several days of discussions. Carney said the United States had presented conditions that Canada could not accept.

“In recent days, the United States proposed new terms that were uneconomic, unfair and undermined the net benefits for Canada, and called into question the reliability of any deal,” Carney said, adding these demands included curtailing Canada’s ability to forge new trade deals.

“We cannot accept what they’ve offered, and we will not give what they’ve asked.”

Carney also accused US negotiators of making unacceptable “threats” concerning the French language and “Quebec culture”.

The latest US tariffs affect several Canadian exports, including wine, furniture, dairy products, cement, clothing, fishing rods and hockey equipment. The affected goods represent about 5.5 per cent of Canada’s exports to the US.

Reacting to Carney’s announcement, US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, “Canada wants the benefits of being a State, without being one!!!”

Trump also claimed that Canada had imposed “massive amounts” of tariffs on US farmers for years and added, “No more!!!”

Carney said Canada would also introduce support measures for industries affected by the new US duties. He said the government would provide more details on the retaliatory measures in the coming days.

The trade dispute is expected to put additional pressure on the Canadian economy. Al Jazeera correspondent David Mercer said the tariffs could lead to higher costs, increased prices and rising unemployment.

“Costs are going to go up, prices are going to go up, unemployment is going to go up as well,” Mercer said. “And it’s been warned that business owners – small [and] medium-sized businesses – some of those will have to declare bankruptcy.”

Mercer said Carney was also using the dispute as an opportunity to expand Canada’s economic links with countries outside the United States.

“He’s been around the world, he’s been talking to countries in Asia, in Europe, shoring up new trade relationships, wanting to diversify Canada’s economy and Canada’s trade relationships with other countries around the world just to get away from that dependency that Canada has traditionally had on the United States,” he said.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford supported the Canadian government’s decision to retaliate against the US tariffs.

“I’m glad he didn’t sign that deal because it was a bad deal. It was a bad deal for Ontario. It was a bad deal for the auto sector, the steel sector, and manufacturing sector,” Ford told reporters on Saturday.

Some Canadians have expressed concern about the possible impact of the trade dispute on household expenses.

“I think probably the gas will go up even more, and all products, from food to, I don’t know, wood, everything else,” said Pamela Coulis, a resident of Fort Erie.

Another resident, Stuart Edwards of Port Colborne, said the trade dispute would “hurt everybody” and described the situation as “just sad”.

“We have a bully in Washington, and he’s just hitting us all with the big stick all the time,” he said. “And we’re not going to put up with it; Canada isn’t. We’ll fight back.”

Diamond Isinger, a former special adviser to ex-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said both countries would face economic difficulties as the dispute continues.

“It’s going to cause pain and challenge for Canadians and Americans alike – in terms of the actions that, unfortunately, the US has taken as well as Canada’s retaliation. But ultimately this was the way forward; this was the only realistic next step,” she said.

“Because the US administration responds best, of all the responses that they could have, to all the actions that a government like Canada could take, to strength,” Isinger added.

“So, we could not simply accept 50 percent tariffs going forward. We had to move forward with our own retaliatory package.”

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said no fresh negotiations had been scheduled with Canada.

“We’re moving forward with measures that respond to Canadian retaliation,” Greer said. “They’ve always had the best deal, and they still would have an even better deal, but they didn’t want that.”

The escalating dispute has also drawn criticism from some US Democratic lawmakers and governors, who accused Trump of increasing economic pressure on American businesses and families.

“Needlessly picking fights with our allies and raising prices here at home. That’s Trump’s economic policy in a nutshell,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul posted on X.

The Business Roundtable, which represents about 200 chief executives of major US companies, also warned that the new tariffs “risk raising costs for American businesses and families” and called on Canada and the United States to return to negotiations.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Iran has warned countries against supporting or joining US sanctions, with a senior security official saying Tehran will regard any state that participates as an enemy.

Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, said countries that join the US pressure campaign against Tehran should expect retaliation against their interests.

The warning comes as Iran faces increasing economic and military pressure from the United States.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country is “in a full-scale economic, military and security war”, while accusing Washington of wrongly predicting that Iran would eventually become another Venezuela.

The latest warning from Tehran also comes amid heightened tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a major global shipping route.

US President Donald Trump reposted a map on his Truth Social account that labelled the Strait of Hormuz as “NEW US Territory”.

Trump shared the map a day after he told supporters at a rally that he regarded the strategic waterway as “American territory”.

The development has added to concerns over the future of the strait, which is a crucial route for international oil shipments.

Meanwhile, tensions have also risen in neighbouring Syria after an Israeli drone strike hit a truck in the village of Beit Jinn in southwestern Syria.

Several civilians were injured in the attack, according to Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

The latest developments come as regional tensions remain high, with Iran’s warnings against countries that support US sanctions adding another layer to the confrontation between Tehran and Washington.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation to release any disclosable records concerning President Bola Tinubu, arguing that the agency’s invocation of “danger to lives” as justification for withholding information rings hollow amid widespread suffering in Nigeria.

Atiku, who ran for president under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, that millions of Nigerians are already facing severe economic hardship and insecurity.

“The FBI says disclosure could endanger lives. Which lives? Nigerians are already dying,” Atiku stated.

The former vice president pointed to the three and a half years since Tinubu assumed office, citing economic policies that have intensified hardship across the country.

“In the past three and a half years since Tinubu became Nigeria’s President, he has pursued economic policies that have made his government a threat to the daily survival of ordinary Nigerians,” he said.

Atiku highlighted the impact of the fuel subsidy removal, describing it as “senseless” and carried out without a credible plan to protect ordinary citizens.

“Families that once managed three meals now struggle for one. Parents cannot afford medicines for sick children. Breadwinners are buckling under debt and unbearable economic pressure. This is the human cost of Tinubu’s senseless removal of fuel subsidy,” he added.

The former vice president questioned the administration’s celebration of the policy, asking: “When Tinubu boasts that subsidy is gone, Nigerians should ask him what exactly he is celebrating: the empty cooking pots, abandoned medical prescriptions, unaffordable transport fares or businesses struggling to survive?”

While clarifying that he did not seek disclosure of sensitive information that could compromise legitimate American law-enforcement operations, Atiku maintained that the FBI should not use safety concerns as a “bulletproof vest for Tinubu.”

“Protect your agents. Protect your sources. Protect legitimate investigative methods. Redact whatever American law genuinely requires you to redact,” he said. “But do not stretch those protections until they become a bulletproof vest for Tinubu.”

Atiku framed his demand as a humanitarian and democratic appeal rather than an attempt to interfere in Nigeria’s political affairs.

“Nigerians have a democratic right to know the history and character of the man who occupies their country’s highest office. Where information relevant to that legitimate public interest rests with American law enforcement and can lawfully be disclosed, the principles of openness and democratic accountability demand that it should not be unnecessarily hidden,” he stated.

The former vice president concluded: “Nigerians are not asking America to conduct our democracy for us. We are saying that American secrecy laws must not inadvertently become a sanctuary from accountability in Nigeria.”

Atiku reiterated his commitment to transparency, insisting that “if information can lawfully be released without endangering investigators, confidential sources or legitimate law-enforcement operations, release it.”

The FBI has not yet responded to Atiku’s latest comments.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

The Voice of Concerned Teachers (VCT) Forum has raised concerns over the conduct of elections into the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Kano State, alleging that no election was held in 42 of the state’s 44 local government areas.

In a press briefing, the forum’s chairman, Comrade Abbas Adamu, alleged that elections were conducted only in Nasarawa and Ungogo Local Government Areas.

“Apart from these two local governments, all the remaining 42 local governments’ NUT officials refused to consider any teacher as a contestant,” Malam Abbas Adamu alleged.

The forum further claimed that rather than conducting elections, NUT officials in the affected local government areas declared themselves winners unopposed.

The VCT Forum described the alleged development as a cause for concern, highlighted what it said were irregularities in the process, and called on the Kano State Government and other stakeholders to intervene.

The Daily Reality could not independently verify the allegations. Efforts to reach NUT officials for a response were also unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

NUT officials have not yet publicly responded to the allegations.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said he is determined to keep opposition politicians under pressure as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.

Wike made the statement on Friday while speaking with journalists during an inspection of infrastructure projects across the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The minister, who addressed the political situation ahead of the elections, said the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party had weakened the opposition and made it difficult to identify a dominant opposition party.

According to him, the PDP would ordinarily be regarded as the leading opposition party, but its internal problems had affected its ability to play that role effectively.

He said, “I’ve told you there is no position. What do you have people who are not trying to see whether they can be relevant? Who’s the opposition leader now? Ordinarily, it would have been PDP, but because of the crisis we have had, and so you can’t see a formidable party that you call a leading opposition party.

“So, whatever they feel, it’s none of my business. I don’t want them to feel well. It’s not my wish that they should feel well.

“My business is to make them not to feel well all the days. Because they will be having high blood pressure. Yes, that’s my job.

“To make them to have high blood pressure. I am not here to make them to feel good, no. You see, when you are having a contest with somebody, your business is not to make him feel well.

“Your business is to make sure you beat him thoroughly. So that he will be sick all through. And that’s what we are doing to them.”

Wike, a former Rivers State governor and a member of the PDP, has been involved in a prolonged political dispute with several opposition figures amid the party’s internal crisis.

The FCT Minister also played down concerns about how former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, might respond to the unfolding political developments.

He said their reactions would not affect his approach to the political contest.

He added, “So how Atiku feels, how Obi feels, it does not give any headache. If I know how they feel now, I will add more crisis for them.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has recounted the unusual reaction of a retired soldier whose university-student son was arrested for cultism in Ogun State.

Disu said the retired soldier initially demanded that the police kill his son after his arrest, but returned to the police station the next morning with food for the detainee.

The IGP shared the experience on Thursday at the National Youth Leadership and Security Dialogue organised by the Nigeria Police Force at the Police Resource Centre in Jabi, Abuja.

The three-day event, which ended on Saturday, was held as part of activities to mark International Youth Day 2026. It focused on youth leadership, security, responsibility and the need to discourage violence and thuggery.

Disu said the incident happened when he was serving as a Divisional Police Officer in Ago Iwoye, Ogun State.

According to him, the retired soldier went to his office after learning that his son, a university student, had been arrested for cultism. The man asked about his son and, after learning that he was in detention, demanded that the police kill him.

“And he said, DPO, where is the boy? I said, he’s detained. He said, very good. I want you to help me to kill him.

“Kill him! That was what he said. That you must kill him. He doesn’t want him at home,” he said,

The retired soldier reportedly remained at the police station from morning until almost night, insisting that his son should be killed.

Disu said he eventually persuaded the man to go home and assured him that the police would handle the matter.

However, the father returned early the following morning with food for his son.

“And he left. The following morning, very early in the morning, he started calling me. He has brought food for his son. He brought food for his son,” Disu said.

The IGP said he intentionally waited until the afternoon before meeting the man, despite repeated calls from him.

When the retired soldier eventually entered his office, he explained that he had come to give food to his detained son.

Disu said the development made him reflect on what could have happened if the police had acted on the man’s earlier demand.

“What if I’ve killed this boy since yesterday? That is a parent for you.”

The IGP said the experience demonstrated the complex emotions that parents can experience when dealing with the misconduct of their children.

He also stressed the importance of parental responsibility in the upbringing and discipline of young people.

Disu had previously shared the same experience in a March 2025 reflection titled The First Lawmakers: My Reflection on Home, Discipline, and Duty, when he was Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory.

According to the IGP, the young man later completed his education, got married and became a father himself.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Multiple people have died after a collision involving a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat on a major road in northern England.

The incident occurred at about 3:39am on Saturday along the A66 at South Bank, near Middlesbrough in Teesside, according to reports by the BBC.

Cleveland Police said its vehicle was involved in the crash, while the North East Ambulance Service confirmed that three vehicles were involved in the incident.

A police spokesman said: “Sadly, the collision has resulted in multiple fatalities. We are working to identify the victims and contact their families.”

The police said the A66 remained closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane. The closure was expected to last “for some time” as emergency personnel continued operations at the scene.

The force described the situation as “quickly evolving” and appealed to members of the public to “respectfully avoid speculation” while investigations continued.

The North East Ambulance Service said 14 ambulances were dispatched to the scene. The service added: “Sadly, despite the best efforts of everyone attending, a number of patients died at the scene.”

It further stated: “We send condolences to all of those affected by such a tragic event and thank everyone for all they did to help.”

Authorities were yet to release the identities of those who died, while investigations continued to establish the circumstances that led to the collision.

The public was advised to avoid the affected section of the road and use alternative routes as emergency services remained at the scene.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially inaugurated the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, naming former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari as Director-General and Governor Hope Uzodimma as Secretary.

The announcement, made on Saturday, August 22, 2026, establishes a comprehensive structure to steer the party’s re-election bid in the January 2027 presidential elections. President Tinubu will serve as Chairman of the council, with Vice President Kashim Shettima as Vice Chairman.

The campaign council’s leadership includes Party Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda as Vice Chairman, while APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Bashiru and Hadiza Bala-Usman have been appointed as Deputy and Assistant Secretaries respectively.

A distinguished body of advisers will guide the Chairman’s office, comprising Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and Senator Florence Ita Giwa.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abass, and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni have been assigned as Deputy Director-Generals for the campaign in the southern and northern zones. They will work alongside Senator Bamidele Opeyemi and Senator Jibril Barau in their respective regions.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole will serve as Deputy Director-General for Mobilisation, while the President’s Chief of Staff has been appointed as Deputy Director-General for Administration.

James Abiodun Faleke, who played a pivotal role in the 2022/2023 campaign, returns as Deputy Director-General for Election Planning, Coordination and Monitoring. He will work with zonal directors across the six geopolitical zones:

1· South West: Senator Olushola Adeyeye

2· South South: Dr Ngozi Olejeme

3· South East: Senator Uche Ekwunife

4· North West: Muntaqha Rabe

5· North Central: Ahmed Muhammed Ketso

6· North East: Senator Sani Danladi

Ms Stella Okotete, Engineer Abdullahi Garba Ramat, and Audu Maikori will serve as secretaries of the election planning directorate.

Muiz Adeyemi Banire will lead the legal directorate as Director, with Dr Liman Hassan and Babatunde Ogala as deputies. Other members include Prince Lateef Fagbemi, former Governor Ibrahim Shema, Worgu Boms, and Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, will serve as Coordinating Director for Media and Strategic Communication, working alongside Dele Alake, Bayo Onanuga, and Lanre Issa-Onilu. The media directorate also includes Tunde Rahman, Sunday Dare, Daniel Bwala, and Felix Morka as coordinating deputy directors.

Abdulaziz AbdulAziz will work with Temitope Ajayi, Arabinrin Aderonke, and Frederick Nwabufor as coordinating secretaries of the media directorate. Segun Dada returns as Director of New Media, with Solomon Arowolo serving as Secretary of New Media.

The campaign has appointed five spokespersons, led by Dele Alake. Other spokespersons are Alwan Hassan, Ayobami Oyalowo, Kemi Asekun-Shittu, and Adamu Fanda.

President Tinubu has charged all council members to work tirelessly to deliver victory for the party in the January 2027 elections. He has also encouraged leaders of the various directorates to reach out to other party members who may not have been formally listed to join their crucial efforts.

“We have delivered on our campaign promises and set our country on a path of economic progress. We are definitely out of the dark tunnel and are now at the cusp of reaping the benefits of a prosperous economy that will benefit all Nigerians,” President Tinubu stated.

“As we march into the campaign season, we have many achievements to trumpet—let us confidently showcase our record and inspire hope in every corner of our nation. Let us soundly defeat all those forces who plan to take our country backwards.”

The announcement signals the formal commencement of APC’s campaign machinery ahead of the 2027 general elections, with a structure that blends experienced political operatives with strategic administrative personnel.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has honoured the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Human Resource and Development, DCG Tijanni Abe, following his retirement after 35 years of service to the nation.

The retirement ceremony was held on August 19, 2026, at the NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, with members of the Service’s Management Team in attendance.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, led tributes to the retiring officer and described him as a man whose career was built on faith, composure and strong integrity.

Adeniyi also highlighted Abe’s consistent expression of gratitude throughout his years in the Service, noting that the quality reflected his character.

“You are a man of integrity and integrity pays. May God increase you in wisdom and happiness, and may your years ahead be even more pleasurable. We are all very proud of you, and we wish you well,” he said.

The CGC added that the relationships and bonds developed within the Customs Service would remain beyond Abe’s retirement.

Other senior officers who spoke at the ceremony praised the retiring DCG for his leadership style, humility and kindness. They recalled his courage, sacrifices and willingness to support colleagues throughout his career.

Several officers described Abe not only as a senior officer but also as a mentor whose conduct had influenced those who worked with him.

In his response, Abe expressed appreciation for the tributes and thanked the Almighty, the Comptroller-General and members of the Management Team for their support.

He also acknowledged the confidence placed in him by his colleagues and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve the Nigeria Customs Service and the nation for three and a half decades.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate arrest of George Nwabueze over allegations that he operated a fake government agency within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

The directive followed fresh findings from an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) into alleged fake government agencies and weaknesses in public service procedures.

The President also ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries in connection with the latest findings from the investigation.

The development forms part of ongoing efforts to address alleged irregularities within government offices and strengthen accountability in the public service.

According to the report, the investigation uncovered concerns linked to the alleged operation of a fictitious government agency within the OSGF premises.

Further details on the identities of the suspended permanent secretaries and the specific findings against them were not provided in the report.

TheCable said more information would follow as further details emerge.