News
Rwanda closes 4,000 churches in safety crackdown
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
More than 4,000 churches have been closed down over the last month in Rwanda for failing to comply with health and safety regulations, including not being properly soundproofed.
It has affected mostly small Pentecostal churches and a few mosques – some of them operating out of caves or on the banks of rivers.
“This is not being done to prevent people from praying but to ensure the safety and tranquillity of worshipers,” Minister of Local Government Jean Claude Musabyimana told state media.
It is the first major crackdown since a law came in five years ago to regulate the proliferation of places of worship.
It requires them to operate in an organised way and in safe environment as well as outlawing their use of loud public address systems.
The legislation also compels all preachers to have theological training before opening a church.
When the law was adopted in 2018 about 700 churches were initially closed.
At the time, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said the country did not need many houses of worship, maintaining that such a high number was only fit for more developed economies with the means to sustain them.
Mr Kagame, who has just been sworn in for a fourth term in office with 99% of the vote, rules over a tightly controlled society where his critics say there is little freedom of speech.
The ongoing operation targeting churches is being carried out by local urban authorities in partnership with the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB).
The authorities say they are taking a tough line as churches have had five years to fully comply with the regulations.
“The government has taken a stance against proliferation in the houses of worship. We still see cases of dilapidated [structures] and unhygienic conditions,” RGB chief Usta Kayitesi told the New Times news website.
Some of the churches that had been shut down operated in tents, exposing worshipers to risks, Mr Musabyimana said.
So far 4,223 places of worship have been closed, with 427 of those being in caves, reports privately owned Kinyarwande language Igihe news site.
The vast majority of Rwandans are Christians but many also follow traditional practices.
Pentecostal churches, often run by charismatic preachers claiming to be able to perform miracles, have grown rapidly in many parts of Africa in recent years.
Some are massive, attracting thousands of worshipers each Sunday, but others are tiny structures built without planning permission.
Finally, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu has resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu, Adelabu said the decision would take effect from April 30, 2026, to allow for a smooth transition.
The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”
He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”
Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.
He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.
It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”
By Gloria Ikibah
As part of efforts to strengthen the country’s security architecture, President Bola Tinubu, has sent a formal communication to the House of Representatives on seeking legislative approval for the repeal and re-enactment of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund (NPTF) Establishment Act, 2025.
The request which was transmitted to the House for consideration and passage on Wednesday at plenary, underscores the need to improve the management and administration of the fund, enhance police training, and provide modern equipment for the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the letter,, the proposed amendment is aimed at boosting the operational capacity, accountability, and sustainability of the Police Trust Fund in line with current security challenges.
The President urged lawmakers to give the bill expeditious consideration, as the said the reform will improve the welfare of police personnel and support skill development across the force.
In another development, the House Committee on Rules and Business has moved to tighten legislative discipline, directing all standing and ad hoc committees to submit reports on bills and motions within set timelines in line with House procedures.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Francis Uwaive, reminded all committee chairmen to treat all assigned matters within 30 days, with the risk of losing such assignments after 60 days if no progress is made, except where a short extension is granted.
A firm deadline has also been set for all outstanding reports, with the end of April 2026 as the cut-off point, and non-compliance attracting automatic discharge.
Amid the formal proceedings, lawmakers briefly paused to celebrate two members marking their birthdays, acknowledging their contributions to public service and national development.
The mood later shifted as the House paid tribute to a former member of the Fifth Assembly, observing a minute’s silence in his honour following his passing after a prolonged illness.
He was remembered for his dedication and service to his constituents in Benue State, with colleagues noting that his death represents a significant loss to the legislature and the country.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday that their naval forces stopped two ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz and directed them to the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic.
“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval force this morning identified and stopped in the Strait of Hormuz two violating ships,” the Guards said in a statement.
“The two offending ships… were seized by the IRGC’s naval forces and directed to the Iranian coast.”
They identified one ship as “MSC-FRANCESCA”, which they said belonged “to the Zionist regime” in reference to Israel, and the other as “EPAMINONDAS”, which they said was “tampering with navigation systems and jeopardising maritime security.”
The Guards further warned against any action against the regulations imposed by the Islamic republic in the strait “as well as activities contrary to the safe passage” through the waterway.
Tehran has said vessels must seek permission to leave of enter the Gulf through Hormuz, through a route that in peacetime accounts for a fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports along with other vital commodities.
Source: AFP
BREAKING: Finally, Power Minister, Adelabu resigns from Tinubu’s cabinet
Reps Begin Review of Police Trust Fund Law, Tighten Timeline for Committee Work
Iran Seizes Two Ships attempting to cross Strait of Hormuz
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