IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

President Donald Trump has threatened the BRICS countries with 100% tariffs if they move away from using the US dollar for international transactions.

Trump issued the warning via his Truth Social platform, stating, “The idea that BRICS nations are trying to abandon the Dollar, while we stand by and watch, is over. We will demand a commitment from these countries to not create a new BRICS currency or back any alternative to the US dollar. If they refuse, they will face 100% tariffs and lose access to the US economy.”

BRICS, which consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded in early 2024 with the addition of Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the UAE, and Indonesia joined in January 2025. The group seeks to counterbalance the influence of the G7, the leading Western economic powers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized the US dollar’s dominance and is pushing for a new payment system within BRICS to lessen Russia’s dependence on the dollar, especially in light of Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

Trump, known for imposing tariffs during his first term from 2017 to 2021, emphasized that the US would not tolerate challenges to the dollar’s supremacy. 

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has called on Nigerians to report loan apps and businesses that engage in harassment over unpaid loans. The commission emphasized that no consumer should live in fear due to aggressive debt recovery tactics.  

This follows ongoing complaints about unethical practices by some digital lenders, including threats, blackmail, and unauthorized access to customers’ contacts. The FCCPC has been working to regulate online lending platforms and has previously sanctioned several operators for violating consumer protection laws.  

Nigerians facing harassment from loan apps are encouraged to report such cases to the FCCPC through official channels to ensure appropriate action is taken. 

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has intercepted 21 minors suspected to be victims of human trafficking at a checkpoint in Yobe State.  

The children, aged between 7 and 15, were found in a Toyota Hiace bus (registration number 10B-87GM) at the Geidam control point in Dunari, near the border with Niger Republic.  

According to an official NIS statement, the minors were being transported from Labule and Ibeto towns in Magama Local Government Area of Niger State to Maine Soroa in Niger Republic without valid travel documents or identification.  

Yobe State Comptroller, Mr. S.S. Jega, stated that the children had no knowledge of their destination, raising suspicions of human trafficking. He assured that they would be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation.  

Meanwhile, their guardian, Abubakar Saidu, a 28-year-old Islamic school teacher from Anaba, Magama Local Government Area, Niger State, was taken into custody.

The Nigeria Police have apprehended a 27-year-old dispatch rider in Abuja for allegedly transporting canisters of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas.  

Authorities suspect the substance was being distributed for recreational use, despite growing concerns over its abuse. The arrest comes as law enforcement intensifies efforts to curb the illegal circulation of psychoactive substances in the country.  

Further investigations are ongoing to determine the source and intended destination of the laughing gas. 

A heated dispute over eviction took a violent turn in Enugu as a female tenant allegedly attacked her landlord with a pestle, leaving him with severe head injuries.  

The altercation reportedly began after the landlord asked her to vacate the property. Witnesses say the disagreement escalated, leading the tenant to strike him with the heavy kitchen tool.  

The landlord has been rushed to the hospital for treatment, while authorities have taken the suspect into custody for further investigation.

The 81 Division of the Nigerian Army has said that a driver of a private vehicle “recklessly ran into troops” during its Bi-Annual Route March near Myhoung Barracks in Yaba, Lagos State, on Friday.

This resulted in the death of a soldier, with others sustaining various degrees of injuries, according to a statement signed by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Ayeni. He said that the deceased has been deposited in the mortuary while the injured are currently receiving medical care at 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Yaba, Lagos.

Lieutenant Colonel Ayeni said that the 81 Division Military Police and other relevant security agencies are conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to this incident. He added that the General Officer Commanding 81 Division NA, Major General Farouk Mijinyawa, expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased soldier while praying for the speedy recovery of the wounded.

The GOC also called for calm among the public as investigation into the sad occurrence has commenced. “The Division remains steadfast in its commitment to training and readiness to discharge its duties despite this devastating event.

“Furthermore, this tragic loss will not deter the Division’s dedication to safeguarding the lives and properties within its Area of Operations in accordance with the NA’s constitutional mandate,” the statement added.