News
U.S President Biden announces $8bn arms sale to Israel

The administration of US President Joe Biden has notified Congress of a planned $8 billion arms sale to Israel, a source familiar with the plan said on Saturday.
The State Department “has informally notified Congress of an $8 billion proposed sale of munitions to support Israel’s long-term security by resupplying stocks of critical munitions and air defense capabilities,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The preliminary notification gives congressional committees an opportunity to scrutinize the proposed sale, ahead of a formal notification to Congress.
The weapons package includes medium-range air-to-air missiles to defend against aerial threats; Hellfire AGM-114 missiles; 155mm projectile artillery shells for long-range targeting; and 500-pound warheads, the official said.
The Biden administration has provided Israel with billions in arms aid since Israeli forces launched a massive attack on Hamas militants in Gaza response to their deadly October 7 surprise attack in southern Israel.
The outgoing US president has repeatedly vowed “ironclad” support for Israel.
But against the backdrop of a rising Palestinian death toll — now over 45,700, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza — and the increasingly dire conditions facing civilians, the US support has become a sensitive political issue.
Many Arab and Muslim Americans, joined by some progressives, vowed not to vote for Biden in the November presidential election unless he halted the weapons aid to Israel. Students on dozens of US campuses protested the aid.
But the official said Saturday that “the president has made clear Israel has a right to defend its citizens, consistent with international law and international humanitarian law, and to deter aggression from Iran and its proxy organizations. We will continue to provide the capabilities necessary for Israel’s defense.”
Donald Trump, an outspoken supporter of Israel, said during the US presidential campaign that if elected he would quickly end the Gaza war, although he did not explain how.
United Nations officials say as many as 70 percent of those killed in the Gaza hostilities have been women or children, and aid agencies have described harrowing conditions facing civilians.
The Biden administration has urged Israel to increase humanitarian aid, but after threatening to curb arms shipments if the aid situation did not improve, it declined in November to do so.
Recent Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed several dozen people, according to the Gaza health ministry.
AFP
National
Talata Mafara Resident Praises Tinubu, Matawalle For Eliminating Bandit Leaders Jijji, Kachallah Sagili

Residents of Talata Mafara Local Government Area in Zamfara State have expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, Minister of State for Defence Dr Bello Matawalle, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, and Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa for their roles in the elimination of two notorious bandit leaders
The operation, which targeted Jajji Ɗan Auta and Kachallah Sagili, has been hailed as a significant step towards restoring peace in the troubled region.
Yakubu Ibrahim Mafara, speaking on behalf of the Talata Mafara community, issued a statement on Friday commending the concerted efforts of the Nigerian government and security forces.
“We are very grateful to Matawalle, Tinubu, NSA, and others,” he said, reflecting the community’s relief and optimism following the operation.
The statement underscored the profound impact of the operation on the local population, which has long endured the terror inflicted by bandit groups in Zamfara State.
The operation took place on Thursday in Maikwanugga, a community within Talata Mafara Local Government Area, where security forces, alongside local vigilante groups, conducted targeted patrols along the Mafara axis.
According to the statement, reports indicate that Jijji Ɗan Auta and Kachallah Sagili, both feared bandit leaders responsible for numerous attacks, kidnappings, and extortion in the region, were neutralised during the operation.
” Their deaths have been described as a turning point for the community, which has suffered years of violence and insecurity.
“The killing of Jijji Ɗan Auta has brought relief and fresh air into our community,” Yakubu said, echoing the sentiments of residents who have lived under the shadow of banditry for years.
The operation is seen as a direct response to the escalating violence in Zamfara, where armed groups have terrorised rural communities, disrupted livelihoods, and displaced thousands.
The community’s gratitude reflects growing confidence in the government’s commitment to tackling insecurity in Nigeria’s northwest.
Meanwhile, the operation was a collaborative effort involving the Nigerian military and local vigilantes, who have increasingly played a critical role in intelligence-gathering and community defence.
The patrols in the Mafara axis were part of a broader strategy to dismantle bandit strongholds and restore normalcy to Zamfara, a state that has become a hotspot for banditry and kidnapping in recent years.
“The elimination of Jijji Ɗan Auta and Kachallah Sagili is expected to weaken the operational capacity of bandit groups in the region.”
Education
BREAKING: JAMB Release 2025 UTME Results, 39,834 Candidates’ Scores Withheld

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, on Friday announced the release of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, results.
Elanza news reported that over 1.9 million applicants participated in the just-concluded exercise.
The board also disclosed that 80 suspects across the country are currently under interrogation for examination fraud, with Anambra State leading the pack with 14 suspects.
The board said it is withholding the results of 39,834 candidates over issues relating to examination irregularities.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, stated this on Friday while officially releasing the 2025 UTME.
He also disclosed that while 467 underage candidates met the prescribed minimum score, 50 were engaged in cheating scandal.
A press conference to this effect is ongoing.
Details coming…
News
Oyo State Adviser Urges Stricter Fire Safety Measures After Factory Blaze

A massive fire razed a warehouse at Global Crystal Foam Nigeria Limited in Oko-Oba, Oyo State, on Thursday night, destroying property worth millions of naira, officials confirmed.
The blaze, which broke out along Akinmorin Road, prompted a rapid response from state and federal fire services, who managed to contain the inferno within 15 minutes.
Hon. Maroof Akinwande, Senior Adviser on Fire Service Reform to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, visited the scene and urged the company’s management to prioritise fire safety measures to prevent future incidents.
“The governor places immense value on the safety of lives and property,” Akinwande said, calling on the public to cooperate with firefighters during emergencies.
The Oyo State Fire Service Agency, led by General Manager Akinyemi Akinyinka, was alerted to the fire at 8:50 pm by a retired fire officer, Mr. M.O. Adewuyi.
“Upon arrival, we found the warehouse engulfed in flames,” Akinyinka said.
“Our team, supported by the Federal Fire Service, Oyo Command, applied firefighting chemicals to restrict the fire from spreading to other sections of the company.”
Akinyinka noted that the fire, caused by overheating foam blocks igniting nearby combustibles, had raged for an hour before the agency was notified by a passerby who spotted smoke.
Despite the delay, the coordinated response prevented the blaze from consuming the entire facility, saving property worth millions.
Security was provided by a team from the Oyo East Division of the Amotekun Corps, led by CFS Adeduntan, who ensured no looting occurred during the operation.