• Bill for creation of sixth South-East state passes second reading in Senate
• Tinubu grants presidential pardon, national honours to Ken Saro-Wiwa, Ogoni Nine
• Tensions rise as Israeli strikes kill top Iranian commanders, Iran retaliates
• Abiola’s family demands clarity on alleged ₦45bn federal debt
• Keyamo orders probe into Oshiomhole-Air Peace airport dispute

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.

Bill for creation of sixth South-East state passes second reading in Senate

A bill proposing the creation of a sixth state in Nigeria’s South-East geopolitical zone has passed its second reading in the Senate.

The bill, now under review by the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review, aims to address the long-standing imbalance in the number of states across the country’s geopolitical zones. Currently, the South-East has five states, the least among the six zones, while the North-West has seven. The remaining zones each have six.

Senator Osita Izunaso, representing Imo West, revealed that details about the proposed state’s name and location will be disclosed in the course of further deliberations.

Tinubu grants presidential pardon, national honours to Ken Saro-Wiwa, Ogoni Nine

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted a posthumous presidential pardon and conferred national honours on the late Ken Saro-Wiwa and the eight others known as the Ogoni Nine.

The announcement was made during Tinubu’s address to a joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday, June 12, 2025, as part of Democracy Day celebrations.

Exercising his constitutional powers under the Prerogative of Mercy, Tinubu hailed the Ogoni Nine as “national heroes” who fought bravely for justice, equity, and environmental protection.

Tensions rise as Israeli strikes kill top Iranian commanders, Iran retaliates

World leaders have expressed deep concern over a potential regional crisis following Israel’s coordinated airstrikes on Iran, which killed several top military officials.

Among those confirmed dead are Iran’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Mohammad Bagheri, and the Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami.

In retaliation, Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles towards Israel on Friday, leaving at least seven Israelis injured. The developments mark a significant escalation in the long-standing hostilities between the two nations.

Abiola’s family demands clarity on alleged ₦45bn federal debt

The family of late Chief Moshood Abiola has called on the Federal Government to provide details regarding a reported ₦45 billion debt allegedly owed to the late business mogul.

Their request comes after former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to compensate Abiola’s heirs as a move toward national reconciliation.

Speaking at the May 2025 launch of his memoir Being True to Myself, Lamido claimed that Abiola’s firm, International Telephone & Telegraph, executed major communications contracts for the military government in the 1970s but was never fully compensated.

Keyamo orders probe into Oshiomhole-Air Peace airport dispute

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered a full investigation into the quarrel between Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Air Peace officials at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

The clash occurred on Wednesday after the airline claimed the Senator arrived late, missing his scheduled flight. Oshiomhole, however, alleged that he and other passengers were exploited by airline staff who resold their tickets at inflated prices.

Keyamo directed aviation agencies to get to the root of the matter, stressing the importance of transparency and accountability in the sector.