The Qatari Ministry of Interior has dismissed claims that it introduced new visa restrictions on Nigerian passport holders.

A ministry official told BBC Pidgin on Wednesday that there are no such restrictions, contrary to viral social media reports.

The reports had alleged that Qatari authorities barred male applicants from entering the country unless they were travelling with family, while women and families were allegedly required to show proof of a five-star hotel booking and a return flight ticket before applying for a visa.

According to the BBC, Hayya, Qatar’s digital platform for e-visa services, clarified that the visa process remains unchanged.

“There has been no suspension or changes to the current procedures. If any updates are to be made, they will be announced on our official platforms,” Hayya said.

Qatar has witnessed a rise in Nigerian visitors in recent years, partly due to the visa restrictions and flight suspensions imposed by the United Arab Emirates during a diplomatic row with Nigeria between 2021 and 2024.

A federal high court in Abuja has refused bail to five suspects accused of killing more than 40 worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo state.

Delivering ruling on Wednesday, Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, held that the charges are capital offences and therefore not bailable.

Nwite agreed with the Department of State Services (DSS) that the defendants belong to a terrorist organisation capable of intimidating witnesses and obstructing trial.

The judge said the weight of evidence against the suspects, coupled with the absence of credible sureties, reinforced the DSS’s argument that they posed a flight risk.

He ruled that granting bail would amount to “judicial risk” and ordered accelerated hearing, fixing October 19 for the next sitting.

The suspects — Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar — were arraigned on August 11 on a nine-count charge filed by the attorney-general of the federation.

They are accused of joining the Al-Shabaab terrorist group, plotting the June 2022 Owo attack, and detonating improvised explosive devices (IEDs) inside the church, killing at least 40 people and injuring over 100.

The federal government also alleged that the group held meetings in Kogi and Ondo to plan the assault, carried out with IEDs and AK-47 rifles.

The offences, according to prosecutors, contravene sections 25(1) and 42(a)(ii) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Nigeria was thrown into widespread blackout on Wednesday morning after the national electricity grid collapsed.

Data from the Independent System Operator (ISO) seen by TheCable showed that power generation plummeted from 2,917 megawatts (MW) to just 1.5MW between 11am and 12pm.

Confirming the incident, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) said the collapse occurred at 11:23am and disrupted supply across its coverage areas.

“Please be informed that the power outage currently being experienced is due to a loss of supply from the national grid… affecting electricity supply across our franchise areas,” the company wrote on X. “Rest assured, we are working closely with the relevant stakeholders to ensure restoration once the grid is stabilised.”

This is the latest in a series of grid disturbances. On February 12, parts of the country were plunged into darkness after a system failure, while the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) denied reports of multiple collapses that same day.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) also stated in July that no grid collapse was recorded in the first quarter of 2025. It said efforts were ongoing to strengthen system operations.

Nigeria’s grid remains fragile despite repeated interventions. In 2024 alone, it suffered at least 11 collapses, each resulting in nationwide outages.

More to come…