An explosion rocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday, causing significant damage to the building and its surroundings .

The blast, suspected to have been caused by dynamite, shattered the secretariat’s gate, doors, and windows, and also destroyed other properties.

This is the second attack on the APC secretariat this year, and it comes at a time when the local government elections are set to hold in the state.

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The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission has confirmed that all sensitive materials have been distributed to the various local government area.

A viral video of the incident has been circulating, showing workers assessing the damage to the secretariat.

The police have not yet commented on the incident, but the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, has promised to investigate and provide updates.

The APC has not made any official statement on the incident, but the attack has raised concerns about the safety and security of political parties and their properties in the state.

The incident is currently under investigation, and more details are expected to emerge in the coming days.

In a rare Friday sermon delivered in Arabic, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei strongly defended Iran’s recent missile attack on Israel, stoking fears of an expanding regional conflict.

Addressing tens of thousands of supporters at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla mosque, Khamenei praised the resolve of Iran-aligned militant groups in the Middle East, including Hezbollah and Hamas, and vowed that resistance against Israel would continue unabated.

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Khamenei condemned the recent Israeli killings of militant leaders, asserting that these “martyrdoms” would only strengthen the so-called “axis of resistance” led by Iran.

“The resistance in the region will not back down,” Khamenei said, hailing the actions of armed groups as “logical and legitimate.”

This sermon, Khamenei’s first in nearly five years, took place amid a dramatic escalation of violence in the region.

Tensions soared after Israel’s recent assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and Revolutionary Guards commander Abbas Nilforoushan in southern Beirut, as well as a previous attack that killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Iran responded with a salvo of missiles against Israel earlier this week, marking only the second time it has directly targeted the U.S.-backed country.

“What our armed forces did was the minimum punishment for the crimes of the usurping Zionist regime,” Khamenei declared, referring to the missile strikes.

He dismissed criticism of the attacks and accused Israel of being a “malicious regime” propped up solely by American support. “It will not last long,” he predicted.

The sermon also commemorated the one-year anniversary of the Gaza war, sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.

Khamenei reiterated Tehran’s support for Hamas, calling their assault “logical and legal.” While Iran denies direct involvement in the Gaza conflict, it has been a key backer of Palestinian groups opposed to Israel since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Tensions between Iran and Israel have been simmering for years, with several proxy battles erupting across the region.

In April, Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel following an Israeli strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus.

The latest round of missile fire, however, underscores the escalating hostilities as the region teeters on the brink of wider war.

Despite Israel’s claim that its defense systems intercepted most of the missiles, the attacks represent a significant escalation in Iran’s direct military involvement.

Khamenei’s defiant rhetoric signals a continued hardening of Iran’s stance toward Israel and its allies, further entrenching the polarized dynamics in the region. As armed groups aligned with Tehran remain steadfast, the risk of broader conflict grows with each retaliatory strike.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to intensify surveillance operations on the nation’s inland waterways in response to a tragic boat accident in Niger State that resulted in multiple casualties.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday night, involved a boat carrying approximately 300 passengers, primarily women and children, that capsized while sailing on the Gbajibo River from the Mundi community.

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In a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu expressed his condolences to the Government and people of Niger State.

He conveyed his sympathy to the families of the victims, stating, “President Tinubu commiserates with the families of the victims and prays for the repose of the souls of the dead.”

The latest reports indicate that at least 150 individuals were rescued from the scene of the accident, while 25 bodies have been recovered so far.

The President thanked emergency workers and local divers for their efforts in searching for the remaining missing persons.

In light of the incident, President Tinubu has instructed NIWA to investigate the rise in boat accidents across Niger State and the nation.

He emphasized the need to develop strategies to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Moreover, the President ordered NIWA to expand its surveillance capabilities to ensure public safety on inland waters and to prosecute ferry operators who violate the existing ban on night sailing.