NIGERIA NEWS
Federal Government Secures Release of 100 Abducted Pupils in Niger State — Akelicious
The Federal Government has reportedly secured the release of 100 schoolchildren who were abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
Akelicious gathered that armed bandits attacked the school on November 21, 2025, in the remote Papiri community. The assailants, who arrived on motorbikes around 2 a.m., allegedly overpowered local security and stormed the dormitories for nearly three hours.
During the raid, the gunmen abducted 315 people comprising 303 students and 12 teachers.
Following the attack, security forces alongside local hunters were deployed to comb surrounding forests, tracking the movement of the abductors and working to secure the hostages’ release.
Akelicious recalls that in the first 24 hours after the incident, 50 pupils managed to escape and were later reunited with their families. This left 265 individuals including 253 children and the 12 teachers still in captivity.
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Hong Kong election records low turnout as residents blame authorities for fatal fire – Tribune Online
Hong Kong recorded one of its lowest election turnouts on Sunday as anger over the city’s deadliest fire in decades overshadowed voting, despite officials extending voting hours and opening additional polling stations to boost participation.
The Legislative Council poll, limited to candidates approved as “patriots” saw a turnout of 31.9%, slightly higher than the 30.2% recorded in 2021, the lowest since the territory returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
However, officials confirmed that the total number of ballots cast was lower than four years ago.
Under Hong Kong’s election system, only 20 of the 90 seats are directly elected. The remaining seats are filled by an election committee dominated by Beijing loyalists along with special interest and professional groups.
David Lok, chairman of the Election Commission, said the recent tragedy had altered the “social atmosphere, making it a very difficult election for us to organise.”
Security presence was heavy in Tai Po, near the mainland China border, where a fire on November 26 ripped through seven residential towers, killing at least 159 people. Police maintained a strong patrol around Wang Fuk Court, the site of the blaze.
Residents remain furious over the disaster, which took nearly two days to extinguish. Authorities say the rapid spread of the fire was fuelled by substandard building materials used during renovation works at the housing estate.
Hong Kong leader John Lee said his administration would work with the new legislature to “drive institutional reform” following the tragedy, as calls grow for greater accountability and stronger regulation of the construction sector.
In a bid to manage public outrage, authorities have launched both criminal and corruption investigations into the cause of the fire.
The city’s anti-corruption agency also announced the arrest of four men accused of using social media to urge people not to vote or to spoil their ballots. An arrest warrant was issued for a fifth suspect.
Inciting a vote boycott has been a criminal offense since electoral changes that sidelined pro-democracy voices. Many pro-democracy supporters who once made up the majority of voters have continued to avoid the polls.
Late Sunday, authorities removed flowers and offerings from a small memorial in a park near the burned-out buildings, a move observers say reflects official concern over rising public anger.
China’s national security office in Hong Kong has warned against any attempts to use the fire to “disrupt Hong Kong” and cautioned foreign media editors against spreading “false information” about the government’s handling of the disaster.
For many residents, trust remains low. A 79-year-old man who lives near the affected estate said he chose not to vote.
“I’m very upset by the great fire,” he said, declining to give his full name. “I won’t vote to support those pro-establishment politicians who failed us.”
Registered voters for the election dropped to 4.13 million, continuing a four-year decline from a peak of 4.47 million in 2021.
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National President of the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), Belusochukwu Enwere, has congratulated First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on her installation as the Yeye Asiwaju Gbogbo Ile Oodua, describing the honour as one that affirms her character, leadership and service to the nation.
Senator Tinubu received the prestigious Yoruba chieftaincy title on Saturday during the grand celebration of the 10th Coronation Anniversary of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in Ile-Ife.
The ceremony drew some of Nigeria’s most prominent political and cultural leaders, underscoring the significance of the recognition.
Among the dignitaries present were former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan; Governors Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos); former Ogun State governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun; the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III; and the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima.
They joined the Ooni in honouring the First Lady for what palace officials described as her “commitment to peaceful coexistence, cultural preservation and motherly roles to the nation.”
In a congratulatory message issued on Monday, Enwere said the First Lady’s new title carries deep cultural and moral significance, praising her consistent display of humility, compassion and integrity in public life.
He said: “On behalf of the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria, I heartily congratulate our mother, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on her installation as Yeye Asiwaju Gbogbo Ile Oodua.
“This recognition reflects her unwavering dedication to the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria. It also speaks to her exemplary leadership as a First Lady committed to youth development, family values and the upliftment of vulnerable groups.”
He added that the honour would further inspire young Nigerians, especially within Christian communities, to uphold cultural harmony and national cohesion.
Enwere also commended the Ooni of Ife for what he described as a “historic gesture that strengthens inter-ethnic unity and reinforces the importance of cultural diplomacy.”
The CAN youth leader expressed confidence that Senator Tinubu will continue to champion initiatives that promote moral fortitude, responsible citizenship and interfaith collaboration across the country.
“As Yeye Asiwaju, we believe she will deepen her motherly guidance to the nation and serve as a bridge-builder at a time Nigeria greatly needs unity,” he added.
The installation formed part of activities marking the Ooni’s week-long 10th coronation anniversary, which has continued to draw cultural leaders, policymakers and traditional institutions from across Nigeria.
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Two separate road accidents in Lagos claimed two lives and left two others injured in the early hours of Monday.
Eyewitnesses said the crashes occurred around midnight after the vehicles involved reportedly lost control, resulting in the fatalities and injuries.
Emergency responders evacuated the victims, with the injured taken to nearby hospitals and the bodies of the deceased recovered from the scenes.
Confirming the incidents, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, disclosed that the first crash happened on Otedola Bridge, inward Berger, while the second occurred on the Third Mainland Bridge, heading toward the UNILAG waterfront.
LASTMA’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, explained that both deaths were from the Otedola Bridge accident along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Preliminary findings indicated that an unregistered vehicle carrying two occupants, including the driver, was speeding when it rammed into a moving, heavily loaded trailer at about 2:30 a.m.
He said the collision was fatal, killing both occupants instantly.
“In a disturbing development, the operator of the trailer involved fled the scene with the articulated vehicle,” Bakare-Oki said.
He noted that LASTMA’s Night-Gang Teams, deployed for midnight surveillance and traffic management, arrived promptly at the scene. The bodies were cleared from the main carriageway to prevent further accidents, and the wrecked vehicle was removed from the expressway.
Police officers from the Isheri Division provided security backup, while officials of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit, SHEMU, handled the formal evacuation of the remains.
In a second incident around 5:00 a.m. on the Third Mainland Bridge near the UNILAG waterfront, a collision involving an empty tanker and a pure-water distribution van (plate number SMK 67 XH) resulted in severe injuries to two people.
The Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS, administered first aid before the victims were transported to a nearby medical facility.
Bakare-Oki added that despite the tragic incidents, LASTMA officers maintained steady traffic management on both corridors to protect motorists and avert further risks.
He also extended condolences to the families of the deceased, warning that excessive speeding and disregard for traffic regulations continue to claim innocent lives.
He reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to enforcing speed limits, stressing that compliance remains crucial to preventing needless tragedies.
Tension has gripped the Lilu community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State after armed assailants attacked St. Andrews Anglican Church, Isiokwe, killing two persons, including the wife of the presiding priest, and setting parts of the church ablaze.
When Punch visited the scene on Monday, the premises were deserted, with burnt vehicles, destroyed structures and scattered belongings bearing witness to the early Sunday morning violence.
Residents told stated that the heavily armed attackers invaded the church just as worshippers were preparing for service.
One eyewitness said, “A brutal attack occurred at the St. Andrews Anglican Church, Isiokwe in the early hours of Sunday. The hoodlums invaded the church… started shooting, setting properties on the church premises ablaze.
“Unfortunately, they brutally murdered the wife of the church priest and one other person. They also injured many others, razed down the priest’s house to ashes, burnt down some church vehicles and other church properties, including a part of the main church building.”
He lamented that such a wicked act on a holy day had not received sufficient public attention.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, had ordered intensified security operations in the area.
“The Commissioner of Police… has condemned in the strongest terms the attack, which resulted in the death of one person,” Ikenga said, noting that others suffered serious injuries and part of the church building was burnt.
He described the incident as “a grave affront to our shared values of peace, sanctity of life, and freedom of worship.”
Ikenga added, “The Police shall relentlessly hunt down the perpetrators of this crime. No community should be subjected to such brutality. The command will not allow criminals to instill fear or destabilize the peace we are working tirelessly to maintain.”
According to Ikenga, the command has deployed a Joint Security Team and strengthened surveillance across Ihiala and neighbouring communities.
“Police operatives are following every lead, and no resource will be spared in ensuring that those responsible are apprehended and made to face the full weight of the law,” he said.
The command urged residents to remain calm and support investigators with credible information.
Lilu, a border town between Anambra and Imo states, has been under persistent attacks by armed groups for months, with residents repeatedly lamenting the deteriorating security situation.
© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]
- Nigerian media personality Rita has criticized women who date men solely for financial gain, urging them to maintain consistent standards in relationships.
- In a post on X, she argued that if a man is not a woman’s “type,” his money should not be either.
- Rita condemned the practice of keeping a man around just to pay bills, warning that such manipulative behavior could end badly.
- She concluded by advising women not to take money from men they do not genuinely like.
Nigerian media personality Rita has strongly criticized women who engage in relationships solely to exploit men financially, urging them to be consistent in their standards for potential partners.
In a concise message posted on her X account, Rita challenged the idea of separating a man’s personality or compatibility from his resources.
She wrote:
“If a man is not your type, class, or spec, his money shouldn’t be your type, class, or spec either.”
Rita specifically targeted the mindset of keeping a man around just for monetary support:
“‘I don’t like him like that, he is not the type of guy I want, let me just keep him to sort my bills’”
The post served as a warning, suggesting that such manipulative behavior could backfire dramatically:
“Not everyone you can play games with, your eyes will first blurrrrrrr when he starts dealing with you.”
She concluded by delivering a direct piece of advice: “If you don’t like him, don’t like his money.”
In other news….. A young man from Plateau State, identified as Nengak, has reportedly been beaten to de@th by a mob in Lagos after he was allegedly found in a compromising situation with his employer’s wife.
According to a friend of the deceased, Bitrus Idi, who spoke to Daily Post, Nengak, a security guard, worked for a family in the upscale Victoria Garden City (VGC) in Lagos.
Nengak, who was in his early 20s, reportedly performed various household duties, including cooking, washing cars, and taking the couple’s children to school.
Idi revealed that the household’s husband was often away on international trips, leaving Nengak and his employer’s wife alone in the house.
“Being a handsome, strong, and hardworking young guy, his master’s wife had a crush on him and began inviting him for other duties outside what he was employed to do,” Idi said.
According to Idi, the affair had reportedly been going on for months, but it came to light when the husband installed a CCTV camera after hearing rumours about his wife’s infidelity.
“The man had pretended to be travelling outside Lagos. Unbeknownst to Nengak, the man had installed CCTV and had gotten enough evidence,” Idi explained.
On the day of the incident, the employer reportedly told his wife he was travelling but had secretly arranged for a group of local thugs to wait around the house. When the wife called Nengak to the master bedroom as usual, the husband and his gang burst in and caught the pair in the act.
“They beat Nengak to de@th, and till now, the case is still to be filed as we have nobody to fight for him,” Idi said. He also revealed that the police had demanded payment for the autopsy and other related expenses before they would proceed with the case.
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Niger State chapter, said it has not received any official confirmation regarding reports that 100 of the students abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri have been released.
In a statement issued on Monday, the state chairman of CAN, Bishop Bulus Yohanna, said the association and affected communities have not been formally notified of any release.
“It will be a thing of joy if some of our children have been released. We have been praying and waiting for their return,” Yohanna said.
“If it is true, then it is cheering news. However, we are not officially aware and have not been duly notified. We hope and pray it’s true and look forward to when the remaining will be released,” he added.
DAILY POST recalls that the abduction occurred on November 21, 2025, when bandits attacked the school and kidnapped 315 people, including 303 students and 12 teachers.
However, about 50 pupils escaped within the first 24 hours and were reunited with their families.
Last week, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, visited the school and assured parents that the remaining abductees were safe and would soon return home.
Reacting to reports of the release during a Channels Television programme on Sunday, former Director of Media Operations at the Defence Headquarters, Major General John Enenche (retd.), commended the Federal Government and security agencies for what he described as a significant breakthrough.
“My take is that the government and the security agencies have done a lot, and I believe that Nigerians will be happy for this.
“I can tell you that it is not easy, whichever way or means were used to get these children out,” Enenche said.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has issued a fresh advisory warning Nigerians about newly discovered vulnerabilities in ChatGPT that could expose users to data leakage and manipulation attacks.
According to the agency, researchers identified seven vulnerabilities affecting GPT-4o and GPT-5 models, enabling attackers to exploit ChatGPT through indirect prompt injection.,
In the advisory released on Monday, December 8, 2025, NITDA explained that malicious actors can embed hidden instructions inside webpages, comments, or URLs, which ChatGPT may unknowingly execute during regular browsing or summarisation tasks.
“By embedding hidden instructions in webpages, comments, or crafted URLs, attackers can cause ChatGPT to execute unintended commands simply through normal browsing, summarisation, or search actions,” the agency stated.
The warning comes amid rising concerns over AI tools interacting with unsafe online content, as well as the increasing reliance on ChatGPT for business, research, and government operations.
The agency said some of the vulnerabilities allow attackers to bypass safety systems by masking harmful commands behind legitimate-looking domains.
It added that other weaknesses exploit markdown-rendering bugs, making malicious instructions invisible to users but readable by the AI model.
In severe cases, attackers can poison ChatGPT’s memory, forcing the system to retain harmful instructions that may influence future conversations.
While OpenAI has reportedly addressed parts of the issue, NITDA said LLMs still struggle to reliably distinguish between genuine user input and malicious prompts.
According to the advisory, the vulnerabilities could result in several cybersecurity threats, including:
- Unauthorised actions carried out by the model
- Unintended exposure of user information
- Manipulated or misleading outputs
- Long-term behavioural changes from memory poisoning
CERRT.NG further warned that users may unknowingly trigger attacks without clicking or interacting with anything, especially when ChatGPT processes webpages or search results containing hidden malicious commands.
To mitigate risks, the agency advised Nigerians, businesses, and government institutions to adopt stricter safety practices, including:
- Limiting or disabling browsing and summarisation of untrusted websites in enterprise environments
- Enabling features like browsing or memory only when necessary
- Ensuring regular updates and patches for GPT-4o and GPT-5 deployments
The agency stressed that proactive cybersecurity measures are essential as AI tools become more deeply integrated into public and private-sector operations.
© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]
As Senate President, Godswill Akpabio celebrates his 63rd birthday, Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora have hailed the contributions of the former governor of Akwa Ibom State to the nation’s development and to the stability of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government over the last two years.
The professionals in a statement to celebrate Akpabio at 63 said the Senate President has been a pillar of support to Tinubu’s administration and has made a significant impact in the nation’s polity since 1999, when the present democratic dispensation began.
The Coordinator of the Nigerian professionals in Diaspora, Princess Diana Akinmoyo, said that since Akpabio has embarked on the journey of nation-building in 1999, he has continued to work assiduously to make Nigeria much better in all ramifications through courage, hard work, sense of duty, tenacity, determination, and belief in Nigeria’s greatness and prosperity at all times.
According to her, Akpabio served his people of Akwa Ibom State excellently as a Commissioner for eight years, Governor for eight years, Senate Minority leader for four years, and later as a Minister in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and as the President of the 10th Nigerian Senate since June 2023.
Akinmoyo said in all these positions, Akpabio has shown that leadership is service, not privilege, even in the face of immense challenges.
Her words “You modernised your state and made Akwa Ibomites very proud of their environment. The International Stadium you built has remained a very good testimony and the best not only in this country but also in Africa.
”Your current services to Nigeria, fueled by your passion for democracy, good governance, and economic development, have been even more visible and remarkable.
“We deeply appreciate your vibrancy, loyalty, partnership, good leadership strategy as the head of the second arm of the federal government, and support for President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is visible and very appropriate.
“You have confirmed that your choice as the Senate President is not only divine, but based on your antecedents, competence, and other qualities that Nigeria could depend on and be proud of in this progressive administration.
“Every day, as the Senate President, you have provided leadership and justified that your election is to strengthen national progress, peace, and build a very virile, vibrant, and creative economy. Your dedication to your sacred duties further reassures us that you will always work towards *leaving good footprints on the sands of time
“Together with President Tinubu, you have begun to lay the foundations to devolve more powers to the federating units of Nigeria. From securing new global partnerships across the Atlantic to driving food security and investment reforms at home, your partnership has been integral to our national growth and development.
“In the years ahead, as the government strategises to secure Nigerians from untimely deaths and to also secure our properties, unlock new trade corridors and deliver more schools, hospitals, and create viable jobs, we, your admirers in the Diaspora, would soon shift to return to Nigeria as a very peaceful and vibrant nation.”
The Nigerian professionals in Diaspora wished the Senate President renewed vitality, good health, strength, happiness, wisdom, and more years of prosperity.
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Family faults government response as Kwara traditional ruler spends nine days in captivity
The family of the Ojibara of Bayagan-Ile, Kamilu Abdul-Salami, who was abducted on 29 November in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, has accused the state government and security agencies of failing to show meaningful engagement since the incident occurred.
In an interview published by SaharaReporters, a senior member of the royal family, Rafiu Lawal, stated that the family had received no official communication from state authorities or the police.
He added that the family had been left to raise funds on its own after kidnappers demanded what he described as an overwhelming ransom.
According to his account, the abductors allow intermittent calls between the monarch and his relatives, during which the traditional ruler appeals for help.
Mr Lawal said the family has sold farmlands and personal belongings in an effort to meet the demand.
He appealed to the Kwara State Government, security agencies and members of the public to intervene, noting that the community lacks the resources to secure the monarch’s freedom.
The incident adds to a series of security breaches affecting rural communities across Patigi, Kaiama, Ekiti, Ifelodun and neighbouring areas in recent weeks.
PREMIUM TIMES has reported multiple cases of abductions targeting farmers, worshippers and road users along forested corridors of the state.
Earlier this month, two Chinese construction workers were seized by armed men along the Bode Saadu–Kaiama road.
In separate operations, security agencies also intercepted an arms courier along the Gbugbu–Patigi road and arrested a medical doctor who, according to the State Security Service, was transporting medical supplies to kidnapping groups operating in parts of the state.
READ ALSO: Police arrest suspected arms courier in Kwara
Residents and community leaders say the pattern of attacks reflects the activities of armed groups moving between forest zones that link several local government areas.
Despite recent recruitment and training of forest guards by the state, many communities have continued to report kidnappings and attempted raids.
PREMIUM TIMES contacted senior government and police officials on Monday for an update on efforts to rescue the abducted monarch. Calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, were unanswered.
The state Commissioner for Information, Bola Olukoju, did not respond to multiple attempts for comment. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, acknowledged the contact but referred inquiries to the police, stating that they are the appropriate agency to speak on operational matters.
The abducted monarch remains in captivity.
From John Silas, Lagos
Leader of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Pastor Evelyn Joshua, has called on members and Nigerians across the country to embrace the coming year with steadfast faith and absolute trust in God.
She gave the charge during the church’s annual thanksgiving service held on Sunday at its headquarters in Lagos.
“As you live to the coming year, I encourage you all, hold onto God with absolute trust,” she said. “Walk with Him boldly, expectantly, and joyfully. For the path of the righteous is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter onto the perfect day. We know that in this ministry, better is not good enough. The best is yet to come.”
Joshua expressed deep gratitude to God for His faithfulness throughout the year, saying, “My heart overflows with gratitude to God Almighty, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and of Prophet TB Joshua.
He is the God who speaks, who leads, and never fails. Give thanks to God, for He is good; His mercy endures forever.”
He is the God who speaks, who leads, and never fails. Give thanks to God, for He is good; His mercy endures forever.”
Reflecting on the church’s journey in the outgoing year, she said it had unfolded just as revealed by the Holy Spirit — a “forward-looking year” marked by testimonies.
She noted that God had moved His people “from sickness to healing, from lack to abundance, and from disappointment to divine appointments,” while also highlighting the church’s spiritual and physical growth, describing Psalm 105 as a testament to God’s blessings upon the ministry.