Nelson Ugwuagbo

The United States government under President Donald Trump has reportedly revoked the visa of Nobel Laureate and renowned playwright, Professor Wole Soyinka.

Soyinka made the revelation on Tuesday during a press briefing at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, where he addressed journalists on the matter.

Expressing surprise over the development, the literary icon said he was unaware of any wrongdoing that could have prompted the U.S. authorities to take such action.

“It is necessary for me to hold this conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for this event or that event do not waste their time,” Soyinka stated.

He further disclosed that he had received a formal notification of the visa withdrawal from the U.S. Consulate, effectively preventing him from travelling to the country.

“I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me,” he said.

According to Soyinka, the letter from the consulate did not specify any reason for the revocation. He, however, hinted that the move could be politically motivated.

“I’m still looking into my past history. I don’t have any past criminal record or even a felony or misdemeanour to qualify for the revocation,” he added.

President Bola Tinubu has appointed General Olufemi Oluyede as new Chief of Defence Staff.

He is to replace General Christopher Musa.

Tinubu has also sacked other service chiefs and made changes in the hierarchy of the Service Chiefs in furtherance of the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria to strengthen the national security architecture.

The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Bashiru, has declared that no opposition can gaslight the ruling party with claims that it plans to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.

Bashiru made the remark while revealing that the APC intends to bring all senators and members of the House of Representatives into the party.

He disclosed this during the APC Stakeholders Forum held in Lagos on Tuesday, where the state chapter of the party endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term.

According to Bashiru, “Some people are trying to gaslight our party, saying that we are moving towards a one-party state in Nigeria, and at the same time, they said they want to chase our leader out of Aso Rock Villa. This is mutually contradictory.

“We should not allow anybody to gaslight us. Let it be that all the seats in the Senate are members of the APC; 360 should be APC; all the State Houses of Assembly should be APC. It’s part of democracy.

“We must continue to mobilize, conscientize, sensitize, and ensure that the APC is the bulwark for electoral victory in all elections.”

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its two-week warning strike, granting the Federal Government a one-month window to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement and resolve other lingering issues affecting the nation’s universities.

ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced the decision on Wednesday during a press briefing in Abuja, noting that the suspension followed “fruitful engagements” with government officials and key interventions by the National Assembly.

Piwuna recalled that the union declared the warning strike on October 13, 2025, in protest against what it described as the government’s continued neglect of previous commitments, including the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement and the welfare demands of university lecturers.

He expressed optimism that the government would utilize the one-month grace period to address the outstanding issues and prevent further industrial action in the university system.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has nullified the July 2024 local government and councillorship elections that produced the state’s 13 council chairmen and their councillors.

Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice H.I.O. Oshomah ruled that the polls conducted by the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, rendering the exercise invalid.

The court consequently voided the elections and restrained EBSIEC and the state government from conducting further local government polls unless they strictly adhere to the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act.

The ruling followed a suit filed by Mr. Samuel Udeogu and Mr. Isu Amaechi, represented by counsels Hamilton Ogbodo and Chief Mudi Erhenede, respectively.

Reacting to the judgment, Ogbodo said the decision effectively removed all serving local government chairmen and councillors in the state.

“So, in effect, the local government election conducted in July 2024 in Ebonyi State is no more; it has been cancelled by this Federal High Court today,” he said.

He urged the state government to comply with the court’s directive or risk contempt proceedings once the window for appeal closes.

The Nigerian Senate has approved a bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Mines Rangers Service, a specialized agency designed to combat illegal mining and enhance security in mining communities across the country.

The approval followed the adoption of a report presented by the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, chaired by Senator Ekong Samson, during Tuesday’s plenary session.

Presenting the committee’s findings, Senator Samson said the proposed agency would provide “a structured framework to monitor mining activities, enforce environmental and safety laws, and ensure sustainable mining practices.”

Sponsored by Senator Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo, the bill aims to safeguard mining sites, regulate operations, and protect host communities affected by illegal mining.

Lawmakers who spoke in support of the bill described the creation of the Mines Rangers Service as a timely intervention to address the rising cases of illegal mining and insecurity in mineral-rich areas.

Presiding over the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the initiative, noting that the new agency would strengthen existing mining laws and bring order to the sector.

“This bill, when signed into law, will help protect our natural resources, create jobs, and improve government revenue,” Akpabio said.

The proposed legislation now awaits further legislative processes before transmission to the President for assent.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has launched a new digital platform designed to streamline its drug integrity test and visa clearance processes, making them more efficient, accessible, and effective in combating substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking across Nigeria.

The initiative, known as the Drug Integrity Test and Visa E-Administration System (DITViCAS), was officially unveiled during a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), described the launch as “a paradigm shift in our fight against the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking — a moment where enforcement meets efficiency, and commitment merges with cutting-edge technology.”

Marwa, represented by the Agency’s Secretary, Shadrach Haruna, emphasized that the project aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He noted that the NDLEA remains committed to an aggressive, balanced, and uncompromising approach in addressing drug-related issues, focusing on two critical areas: Drug Supply Reduction and Drug Demand Reduction.