Headlines

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday met with the nation’s service chiefs, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, at the Aso Villa in Abuja.

Also in attendance were the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; and the Director General of the Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi.

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and Senate Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, later joined the meeting, which was held in the president’s office. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and his deputy, Ben Kalu, were also present.

While the agenda of the meeting was not disclosed as of press time, it is believed to be related to the country’s security situation.

The Nigerian Senate has established an ad-hoc committee to investigate the alleged annexation of the country’s mangrove islands and maritime territories by Cameroon. The committee is expected to submit its findings and recommendations within two months.

In its resolutions, the Senate urged President Bola Tinubu to take immediate steps to secure Nigeria’s territorial waters, including the protection of over 2,560 oil wells located within the disputed mangrove islands in Akwa Ibom State. Senate leaders also committed to engaging directly with President Tinubu to explore diplomatic solutions to the issue.

During plenary on Tuesday, lawmakers emphasized the need for urgent action to prevent further escalation, describing the situation as a “provocation by the Republic of Cameroon.”

The motion, sponsored by Senator Aniekan Bassey under Orders 41 and 51, raised concerns over the economic and territorial implications of Cameroon’s alleged encroachment. Senator Bassey noted that the affected islands in Efiat, Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, were not part of the territories ceded to Cameroon under the 1913 Anglo-German treaties or the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling of October 2002.

He further alleged that Cameroonian security forces, known as the Gendarmes, had imposed foreign laws on Nigerians residing in 16 ancestral villages within the disputed area, calling the development a “monumental national embarrassment.”

Lawmakers argued that the reported annexation violates multiple international agreements and called for a review of the ICJ judgment. They also urged the federal government to escalate the matter to the United Nations Convention.

In a stunning move, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has officially revoked the land allocation for the new Secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Central Area of Abuja. The decision, announced earlier today, is expected to have significant political and administrative repercussions.

Political analysts have suggested that the move could signal a deepening rift between the ruling administration and the opposition party, especially as the 2027 general elections approach. It remains unclear what legal recourse the PDP will pursue, but the political landscape in Abuja is likely to be further complicated by this latest development.

The FCT Administration has yet to confirm any plans for the reallocation of the land, but sources within the government suggest that the site may be repurposed for other public or developmental use.

As the situation unfolds, all eyes will be on the PDP’s next move, as well as the political implications of Wike’s decision on the upcoming electoral cycle.

According to a statement released by the FCT Administration, the land allocation for the PDP’s proposed new headquarters, which had been a subject of controversy since its approval, has now been rescinded. The Minister cited “inconsistent documentation and non-compliance with regulatory procedures” as primary reasons for the revocation.

Wike, who has been at the forefront of several administrative reforms in the FCT, emphasized that the move aligns with his administration’s commitment to transparency and the enforcement of land-use policies in the capital. “The decision was taken in the interest of the public good and to uphold the integrity of our land administration system,” Wike said in a brief statement to the press.

The revocation of the PDP’s new Secretariat land comes as a surprise to many, considering the proximity of the land to the heart of Abuja’s political and commercial districts. The PDP had previously lauded the land allocation as a major step toward consolidating its administrative presence in the nation’s capital.
In response, the PDP condemned the action, describing it as politically motivated and an attempt to undermine the party’s growth and operations. “This decision is an outright attack on the PDP and an attempt to stifle the opposition in the country,” the party said in a statement, vowing to challenge the revocation in court.

A fire outbreak has destroyed properties worth millions of naira at the Wurukum rice mill market near the River Benue bridge in Makurdi.

The fire, which started in the early hours of Monday, was quickly contained by firefighters, preventing it from spreading to other shops. However, several shops were affected, with processed and unprocessed rice, milling machines, and other goods completely destroyed.

One of the victims, Mercy Hanmaikyur, said she lost about N10 million in the fire. “I opened this shop last December after investing about N10 million. I had three machines—a de-stoning machine, a rice polishing machine—and many bags of processed and unprocessed rice. Everything was burnt,” she said.

Another victim, Iorwa Jeremiah, also lamented his loss. “I got a call in the early hours of today. By the time I arrived, I saw other shop owners with firefighters who were trying to put out the fire. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done,” he said.

Chairman of the Wurukum rice mill market, Terva Igyar, confirmed that a few shops were burnt, along with a motorcycle, about six milling machines, and several bags of rice.

He added that he had spoken with officials of Makurdi Local Government and other stakeholders, who promised to visit the market to assess the damage before estimating the total loss.

The traders ruled out electricity as the cause of the fire, stating that their shops were not connected to any power supply.

Victims of the incident have appealed to Governor Hyacinth Alia for assistance to help them recover from their losses.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote has revealed that the Dangote Cement Plant in Itori, Ogun State, was demolished twice under former Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s administration, causing significant setbacks to the project.

Speaking after a meeting with Governor Dapo Abiodun, Dangote stated that the repeated demolitions disrupted progress and deterred investment in the state. However, he credited Governor Abiodun’s intervention and pro-business policies for restoring investor confidence, enabling the revival of the cement plant.

The Itori Cement Plant, now back on track, is set to become Dangote Cement’s fourth greenfield project in Nigeria. It is expected to boost local production, generate employment, and further solidify Ogun State’s position as a leading industrial hub.

A newly surfaced CCTV footage has confirmed the violent attack by uniformed military officers at the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IE) headquarters in Alausa, Lagos.

The video captures armed officers storming the premises, kicking down doors, and forcefully entering offices. Some officers, fully kitted in military gear and wielding whips, were seen barging in without permission. A female employee was captured on camera fleeing toward the stairs.

The attack, which occurred on March 6, was carried out by personnel from the Sam Ethan Air Force Base in Ikeja following the disconnection of their facility from the power grid over unpaid electricity bills amounting to millions of naira.

An IE staff member, speaking anonymously, recounted the incident: “Military officers from the Air Force Base came to our office and assaulted our staff because power supply to their base was disconnected. They seized employees’ phones and locked some inside. They also blocked the road, preventing access to the office.”

The assault extended beyond the Alausa headquarters to an Ikeja Electric office on Ago Palace Way, Okota, Isolo, where employees were forced to kneel and physically assaulted.

Reports indicate that the Air Force Base had agreed to pay ₦60 million monthly for a daily electricity supply of 10 to 12 hours. However, outstanding debts led to the disconnection.

The Nigerian military has yet to release an official statement on the incident, while Ikeja Electric has also not issued a formal response to the footage.

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered Oba Otudeko, chairman of Honeywell Group, to appear before it over an alleged ₦30 billion loan fraud.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke issued the order on Monday, following Otudeko’s failure to appear in court for over a month.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 13-count charge against Otudeko and three others in January 2024. However, he failed to appear in court in February.

The Abia State Police Command has killed six suspected kidnappers and rescued four abducted individuals unhurt in Osokwa, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area.

According to the command’s spokesperson, Maureen Chinaka, the operation followed a report of the victims’ abduction while traveling in a Toyota RAV4 along New Umuahia Road, Obingwa, on March 9, 2025.

Acting on credible intelligence, police operatives traced the kidnappers’ hideout to a three-bedroom bungalow in Osokwa on March 14. Upon arrival, the officers encountered heavy gunfire from the suspects but overpowered them, neutralizing six members of the gang and rescuing the victims unharmed.

The rescued individuals were taken to the police hospital for medical evaluation. Security operatives also recovered two AK-47 rifles, six magazines, and 34 rounds of live ammunition from the scene.

Efforts are underway to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang who escaped with gunshot wounds.

The Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, Danladi Isa, urged residents to report anyone with gunshot injuries to the nearest police station. He also reassured the public of the command’s commitment to combating crime and bringing perpetrators to justice.