National President of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, BYM, Barr. Solomon Dalyop Mwantiri has charged youths in crisis-prone communities, especially in the Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau State, to rise up and defend their people by all means whenever Fulani bandits and terrorists launch attacks on them.

Mwantiri, who gave the charge in a fiery speech during the mass burial of the 12 miners who were gruesomely murdered by gunmen at a mining site at Ratoso community in Fann District of the council on Friday, said since the federal and state governments as well as security agencies have failed to protect the people, it would be foolhardy for them to sit back and expect help and protection from any quarter.

The BYM President said since “terror begets terror”, the only option is for the youths to match the terrorists’ venom for venom.

While addressing the crowd, which consisted of the grieving families of the victims, community leaders, clergymen, and political figures, Mwantiri said the era of gathering to bury young people should come to an end as the silence of the authorities seems to be encouraging the terrorists to do more harm.

“We are here again witnessing the mass burial of our very own young people that I believe had very bright futures, people that were not beggars, people that were living independently feeding their families.

“Today, they have been pushed by terrorist elements to the land beyond. Nobody came to console us. We are forced to console ourselves. What a country! What a season we are in!

“I call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, the Executive Chairman of Barkin Ladi local government area, all the security agencies working within and without, that we have been pushed to the wall and we will no longer take this. We will no longer tolerate this. It must end. Enough is enough,” he declared.

The BYM President noted that since the only language the attackers understand is violence, the youths should also resolve to give it back to them in equal measure.

Continuing, Mwantiri said that if the government or security agencies continue to fail in their duties, they will have no option but to take any measure to defend themselves if they are to survive.

“Two things are involved here: one, either the government rises up to the occasion and flushes out these Fulani terrorist elements that have invaded the state and made it their place of abode, or we will be left with no option but to maximally defend ourselves.

“Terror begets terror, so if we must live, the last option is that we must also subscribe to terrorism so that the government can come in to settle two terror actors that are fighting each other. And may God forbid the last option.

“But of course, if the silence on the part of the government is an encouragement to terrorism, then we have no option but to go the same way for us to live,” he said.

Addressing the clergymen and politicians who were present at the mass burial, Mwantiri said:

“Our parents in the Lord, you only climb the pulpit to preach but Today you are here to conduct the funeral service for your loved ones who were members of your church.

“To you politicians, this is not the time to play politics; it is time for our survival, and if we must survive, I beg you, bury whatever political affiliations and sentiments you have and let us unite.

“The terrorists don’t know if you are a member of the PDP, APC, APGA, or ADC. All they know is that you don’t deserve to live, and some of us have been marked to be eliminated, but we will not stop telling the truth, for the Bible says thou shalt know the truth and speak the truth, as that is what will set you free.

“And since God is the truth and He’s here with us, and witnessing this, I tell you my brethren, we must rise up.

“I wouldn’t mind if all of us came out en masse to hold a peaceful procession telling the world what is happening to us within our general area. Our fathers in the Lord, I appeal to you to champion this cause. This is not the time to play political correctness.

“To our security agents, I believe that if these dead bodies we are about to bury were Fulani people, our traditional rulers would have been arrested; our father, Rev. Dachomo, would have been invited by the presidency.

“Our people, we must rise up. And my appeal to President Donald Trump, who has offered to support Nigeria flush out these terrorist elements and the enclaves that have been established, especially on the Plateau, he should hasten the military action; otherwise, there will be no right-thinking person who will survive in Nigeria,” Mwantiri concluded.

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President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has blamed high taxes and heavy regulatory burdens for making cement produced by his company more expensive in Nigeria than in foreign markets.

Dangote said the price difference was largely due to multiple levies and charges imposed on local production.

According to Vanguard, the billionaire industrialist said exporting the product allows his company to avoid several taxes that significantly raise production costs at home.

He said the cumulative effect of taxes, fees and regulatory requirements within Nigeria adds substantially to the final retail price of cement.

He said: “When you look at my invoice, the cement I export is cheaper than the one I’m selling domestically, because that’s how exports work. In export I’m saving a lot of money, I’m not paying 30% income tax, I’m not paying 2%, education, I’m not paying 1% health, I’m not paying 7.5% VAT, and I’m not paying 10% withholding tax.

“So when you reduce all these taxes, I can afford to go and compete with the international market, with the likes of Turkey, Russia, and China.”

The billionaire industrialist has consistently stressed local manufacturing as a means of achieving economic self-sufficiency.

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The Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) has assured that Nigerian banks are safe and healthy with none shutting down because of recapitalisation as being speculated on social media.

The association gave the assurance on Sunday in a joint statement by its President, Rasheed Bolarinwa, and the General Secretary, ‘Jide Sipe.

The statement referred to an Instagram video claiming that 12 banks would be shut down by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) by March 2026.

The association said the video intended to mislead the public, stoke unnecessary panic and exploit alarmist misinformation for personal gain while advertising some wares.

“The content creator demonstrated a fundamental lack of understanding of banking recapitalisation, making several erroneous and misleading assertions that are easily disprovable by anyone with basic knowledge of the Nigerian banking sector.

“As repeatedly explained by the CBN, the recapitalisation exercise is a forward-looking, proactive policy designed to strengthen the banking system and position it to support the Federal Government’s aspiration of a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

“It is not a crisis response, nor is it an indication of distress. Rather, it is a patriotic call for banks to scale up their capacity to drive economic growth and development,” the association noted.

The association explained that contrary to the false claims the nation’s banks are currently safe, sound and adequately capitalised, with strong capital adequacy buffers sufficient to meet both customer obligations and regulatory requirements.

According to ACAMB, the recapitalisation initiative focuses specifically on strengthening core ownership capital—namely share capital and share premium—rather than total shareholders’ funds or other capital instruments such as bonds and preference shares.

“The CBN has consistently emphasised that the exercise is aimed at growth and stability, not forced consolidation.

“All banks have a fair and realistic chance of meeting their recapitalisation targets, with more than one-third already having met theirs and most others at advanced stages of implementation.

“All banks submitted recapitalisation plans to the CBN in 2024, which were vetted and approved for feasibility before execution commenced.
“In its most recent assessment, the CBN publicly expressed satisfaction with the progress made and reaffirmed that banks are on track to meet the stipulated deadlines,” the association said.

The statement insisted that the misinformation is baseless and appears driven by mischief, ignorance and a reckless disregard for the economic consequences of false narratives.

The statement said that ACAMB will draw the attention of relevant law enforcement agencies to the video and similar content, particularly where it borders on false representation, economic sabotage and violations of the Cybercrime Act.

It further said while freedom of expression is guaranteed, it carries corresponding responsibilities of truthfulness, accuracy and fairness.

The association said specific claims against certain banks deserve clarification.

It explained, “FirstBank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Fidelity Bank and FCMB are international banks that have made significant progress in their recapitalisation programmes and are well positioned to complete them ahead of schedule.

“They have exceeded the capital thresholds for national banks and face no risk of undercapitalisation.

“Citibank Nigeria and Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria remain strong subsidiaries of their respective global parents, while Sterling Bank has completed key phases of its recapitalisation, including private placement and rights issues.

“Polaris Bank and other institutions mentioned also have clear recapitalisation pathways and remain operationally sound, with no indication of financial distress.”

ALSO READ: Nigerian banks remain safe, sound – CBN

The association recalĺed that the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, stated at his November briefing that the recapitalisation exercise “is progressing in an orderly manner and in line with regulatory expectations.

The association explained that the nation currently has 44 deposit-taking banks across various licence categories, all operating under strict regulatory oversight.

According to the body, Nigerians remain the ultimate beneficiaries of a resilient and well-regulated banking system, and the public is urged to continue their banking activities with confidence and without fear.

ACAMB also cautioned content creators and media organisations against chasing click-bait, trends or sensationalism around reputable financial institutions.

“Accurate, responsible reporting is welcome and protected; however, deliberate misinformation or panic-inducing narratives around the banking sector will be reported to the appropriate authorities in the interest of financial stability and public trust,” it said. (NAN)

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By John Silas

The two-day Food and Drink Festival titled GTCO Food & Drink Festival has ended on high tempo and commendations from the attendees.

GTCO Food & Drink Festival, which took place at GTCentre in Victoria between December 20 and 21, 2025, is an annual culinary event in Lagos, Nigeria, hosted by Guaranty Trust Holding, showcasing diverse food entrepreneurs, street food, masterclasses, and local cuisine, with free entry for all to enjoy family-friendly fun and support local businesses.

The 2025 edition was the first-ever Holiday Edition, with over 200 vendors, kids’ play areas, and live DJs. 

Lots of fun seekers who visited the arena were thrilled and could not hide their experience. According to Mr Nwafor, “I think the organisation is nice, I just arrived but I know it is good here. There are quite a lot of vendors. It is well organized, we were here last year as well. There are a lot of variety, so we are going to go and check it out. This year, I must confess, there are lots of improvement.”

For Prince Orji, who adequately prepared for the GTCO festival, made enough special provision by loading enough money into his ATM and handing it over to his children to ensure they had maximum fun, “What GTB is doing is something quite commendable, GTB is trying, everything here is perfect and in order.”

Responding to the question if the food and drink at the festival were affordable, he answered, “Well I don’t really know, it is my children that are spending. I handed my ATM to them and they are buying what they like, I don’t even know how much they have spent.”

Jeneth Anet said, “I am always here, it is a very good initiative, I was here in May, I am happy to be here. I think they need to put out more chairs, so that people can sit if they want to do so.”

Speaking on her relationship with GTB, she said, “I am a proud user, I use GT, no issues.”

Fatima Mohammed from MiniLoaf Heaven, was one of the vendors at the food festival and she has amazing testimonials to make about GTCO Food and Drink Festival. “As one of the vendors, it is so amazing, MiniLoaf Heaven is the name of my cake company.
It is so amazing, we have been selling cakes, yesterday was so amazing, we sold out and today, we are going to sell too, I believe. We have MiniLoaf size cakes, they are so moist and so delicious, when you get one, you will come back for more. Everything we do here is more than standard. We have a variety of flavours from vannila to chocolate, carrot, lemon, so many flavours. It is something edible, so no matter the situation people will come and buy.”

She added that GTB is the best bank so far, adding that their customer service and and all their service offerings are topnotch.

The festival continues to underline GTCO’s commitment to SME empowerment by providing zero-cost participation for selected vendors, giving small businesses a premium platform for visibility, revenue generation and growth during the festive season.

For Temitayo Edun, founder of Squeeze Culture, the festival represents both opportunity and learning.

A native of Ikorodu, Edun runs a no-sugar drinks brand that allows customers to choose their preferred fruits for freshly made juices.

Drawing from over 20 years of experience and exposure to high production standards in England, as well as six years in the banking sector, he said the festival has given him a valuable chance to showcase his brand to a wider audience for the first time.

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A viral video has sparked widespread concern after former Nickelodeon actor Tylor Chase was seen living on the streets of Riverside, California.

Chase, now 36, is best known for his role as Martin Qwerly on the popular teen series Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, which aired between 2004 and 2007.

Taylor Chase’s old photo.

The footage, first shared online in September, shows the former child star looking visibly unkempt as he spoke briefly with a fan who recognised him.

During the interaction, Chase confirmed his identity and recalled his time on the Nickelodeon show, correcting the fan who initially thought he appeared on Disney Channel.

Taylor Chase’s recent self.

The clip has since circulated widely on social media, prompting emotional reactions from viewers.

“This actually breaks my heart,” one fan tweeted in response to the troubling clip.

“This made me so sad,” someone else said.

Another person wrote, “The Hollywood industry is sick.”

Other internet users criticised the fellow who filmed Chase.

“Why would you record him unless it’s to try and get him help? Shame on you,” an X user tweeted.

Watch the video below …

🇺🇸 FROM CHILD STAR TO HOMELESS IN CALIFORNIA – THE TYLER CHASE STORY

Tyler Chase, who played Martin on Nickelodeon’s Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, was recently spotted homeless in California.

In a viral street clip, he calmly explains he was on Nickelodeon and even… pic.twitter.com/ArPzugXqA0

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 21, 2025

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The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has deepened, with the Kabiru Turaki (SAN)-led faction heading to court over the continued sealing of the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

In a suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the faction is seeking an order compelling the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force to immediately unseal and vacate the PDP national headquarters, as well as all other party offices across the country.

Court filings show that the request is contained in a Motion on Notice brought by the plaintiffs through their lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN).

The application asked the court to issue a mandatory injunction directing the police to remove all barricades and withdraw from the party’s offices without delay.

The PDP national secretariat was sealed in November following violent clashes between two rival factions of the party one led by Turaki and the other aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Tension escalated after both factions fixed meetings at the headquarters on the same day, prompting police intervention.

Tear gas was reportedly deployed before the premises were locked and cordoned off with barbed wire.

As a result of the closure, the Turaki-led National Working Committee was unable to hold its postponed inaugural meeting at the secretariat.

Turaki had emerged as national chairman at the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November.

However, the Wike-aligned faction rejected the convention, arguing that it breached existing court orders restraining the PDP from holding the exercise.

Ahead of the convention, Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had issued orders stopping the PDP from conducting its scheduled November 15 and 16, 2025 convention.

Despite this, a High Court in Ibadan later granted an ex parte order allowing the party to proceed.

At the Ibadan convention, the party announced the expulsion of Wike, the embattled national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, the factional chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman, and eight others over alleged anti-party activities.

In the fresh suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/252/2025, the PDP, alongside Turaki and the chairman of its Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, asked the court to restrain the police from further interference in the party’s affairs.

The Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force are listed as defendants.

The plaintiffs specifically sought an order compelling the police to immediately remove all barricades, unseal and vacate the PDP national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, and its annex, Legacy House in Maitama, pending the determination of the suit.

They also requested an order restraining the police from sealing, occupying or restricting access to any PDP office nationwide during the pendency of the case.

In their arguments, the plaintiffs contended that the police acted without lawful authority when they sealed and occupied the party’s offices from November 18, 2025, and have remained there since.

They maintained that Turaki and Wabara are principal officers charged with the party’s administration and management.

An affidavit in support of the motion was sworn to by the PDP national secretary, Taofik Arapaja, who stated that the party held its elective national convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025, where new officers, including Turaki as national chairman, were elected.

He added that the Independent National Electoral Commission was duly notified of the outcome on November 17, 2025.

Arapaja explained that the party merely informed security agencies, including the police and the Department of State Services, of an emergency stakeholders’ meeting scheduled for November 18, 2025, and requested security coverage.

Instead, he alleged, a large contingent of police officers led by the FCT Commissioner of Police stormed the secretariat, fired over 200 tear gas canisters and sealed the premises.

He further claimed that party officials, staff and visiting governors, including those of Bauchi and Oyo states, were denied access to the building.

According to the affidavit, the police action was taken without any valid court order and amounted to an unlawful occupation of PDP property.

The party argued that the prolonged closure of its secretariat has severely disrupted its operations, including administrative coordination, policy formulation, membership management and preparations for future elections.

The plaintiffs also insisted that the police, as an institution established under the Nigeria Police Act 2020, must not act in a partisan manner.

They urged the court to grant the application, arguing that the balance of convenience favours the PDP and that monetary compensation would not adequately remedy the damage if the reliefs are refused.

Granting the application, they maintained, would serve the interest of justice and dispel any perception that the court is endorsing the police action. action is being endorsed by the court.

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The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party has taken another turn as the Kabiru Turaki (SAN)-led faction moved to court over the continued sealing of the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

The faction has filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, asking the court to order the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force to immediately unseal and vacate the PDP national headquarters and other party offices nationwide.

According to court documents, the request is contained in a Motion on Notice filed by the plaintiffs through their lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN).

The application seeks a mandatory injunction directing the police to remove all barricades and withdraw from the party’s offices without delay.

However, the PDP national secretariat was sealed in November following violent tensions between two rival factions of the party. One faction is led by Turaki, while the other is aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The standoff occurred after both factions scheduled meetings at the party headquarters on the same day. The situation escalated, prompting police intervention. Tear gas was reportedly fired during the operation, after which the premises were locked and barricaded with barbed wire.

As a result, the Turaki-led National Working Committee was unable to hold its postponed inaugural meeting at the secretariat.

Turaki had emerged as the party’s national chairman at a national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November. However, the Wike-aligned faction rejected the convention, insisting it violated existing court orders restraining the PDP from holding the exercise.

Before the convention, Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had issued orders stopping the PDP from conducting its national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2025. Despite this, a High Court in Ibadan later granted an ex parte order permitting the party to proceed with the convention.

At the Ibadan gathering, the party announced the expulsion of Wike, the embattled national secretary Samuel Anyanwu, the Wike-aligned factional chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman, and eight others. They were accused of anti-party activities.

In the fresh suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/252/2025, the PDP, alongside Turaki and the chairman of its Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, asked the court to restrain the police from further interference with the party’s operations.

The defendants in the suit are the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force.

Specifically, the plaintiffs prayed the court for “an order of mandatory injunction directing the defendants to immediately remove all barricades, unseal and vacate forthwith from the 1st plaintiff’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Plot 1970 Michael Okpara Way, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, including its annex, ‘Legacy House’, at Plot 2774 Shehu Shagari Way, Maitama, Abuja, pending the determination of this suit.”

They also sought “an order restraining the defendants, whether by themselves, their officers, agents, servants or howsoever, from invading, breaking into, sealing, occupying or in any manner whatsoever restricting the plaintiffs’ access to, use or occupation of any of the 1st plaintiff’s offices in the 36 states of the federation, including its national secretariat and annex, pending the determination of this suit.”

In their supporting arguments, the plaintiffs claimed that the police acted without lawful authority when they sealed and occupied the party’s secretariat and annex from November 18, 2025, and have remained there since.

They stressed that Turaki and Wabara are principal officers of the party, responsible for its administration and overall management.

An affidavit supporting the motion was sworn to by the PDP national secretary, Taofik Arapaja. He stated that the party conducted its elective national convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025, where new national officers were elected, including Turaki as national chairman.

Arapaja added that the Independent National Electoral Commission was formally informed of the outcome through a letter dated November 17, 2025.

He explained that the party only notified security agencies, including the police and the Department of State Services, about an emergency stakeholders’ meeting scheduled for November 18, 2025, and requested security support.

According to him, instead of providing security, a large contingent of police officers led by the Commissioner of Police, FCT, stormed the secretariat, fired over 200 tear gas canisters and sealed the premises.

He said party officials, staff and visiting governors, including those of Bauchi and Oyo states, were denied access.

The affidavit claimed that the police action was carried out without any valid court order and amounted to an unlawful occupation of PDP property.

The party further argued that the continued closure of the secretariat has crippled its daily operations. These include administrative coordination, policy planning, membership management and preparations for future elections.

The plaintiffs maintained that the police, as a statutory institution under the Nigeria Police Act 2020, must not act in a partisan manner.

They urged the court to grant the application, insisting that the balance of convenience favours the PDP. They argued that financial compensation would not adequately address the damage caused if the reliefs are denied.

According to them, granting the application would serve the interest of justice and prevent the impression that the police action is being endorsed by the court.

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United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, has clarified the reasons behind the recent visa restrictions on Nigerians, stressing that the measures form part of broader security procedures and are not targeted at Nigerian citizens.

Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday in Abuja during the visit of a U.S. Congressional Delegation (CODEL), Mills explained that the restrictions are intended to reinforce security checks and ensure more rigorous vetting for visa applicants.

According to him, the presidential proclamation, which takes effect on 1 January 2026 and affects specific visa categories, aims to guarantee proper verification and credible information in the visa process rather than punish Nigerians.

Mills noted that the directive clearly outlines the categories that may be affected and provides exemptions for certain groups, including holders of official and diplomatic passports and individuals travelling for religious purposes.

He advised applicants and members of the public to visit the U.S. Embassy’s official website for full details on the proclamation, the affected visa classes, and available exemptions.

He also encouraged anyone with specific concerns to use the embassy’s designated communication channels for clarification.

Also speaking, U.S. Congressman and leader of the delegation, Bill Huizenga, said visa reviews and restrictions are routine procedures designed to promote compliance and cooperation rather than punitive actions against citizens.

He added that such measures typically focus on government systems and processes and are applied routinely in different countries across the world.

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Canada has announced a major overhaul of its business immigration framework, pausing key elements of its Start-Up Visa (SUV) program as it prepares to roll out a new, more targeted entrepreneur pilot in 2026.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed that it will stop accepting new Start-Up Visa commitment certificates after December 31, 2025.

Even more immediately, the agency has halted new applications for SUV-linked work permits, effectively closing the door to most new entrants under the program.

The decision comes amid mounting backlogs and growing pressure on Canada’s immigration system.

According to IRCC, the pause is designed to help the government better manage existing applications while laying the groundwork for a new pilot program aimed at attracting what officials describe as the “right kind” of international entrepreneurs those with stronger business models, clearer funding pathways and a higher likelihood of long-term economic impact.

What the new policy rule means 

Under the new rules, only individuals already in Canada who hold an SUV-specific work permit will be allowed to apply for extensions.

These applicants will also receive higher processing priority, provided they fall within Canada’s annual immigration targets. The policy shift reflects a broader effort to fast-track permanent residency for founders who are already contributing to the Canadian economy.

The timeline is clear for new applicants: Canada will stop accepting fresh Start-Up Visa applications after December 31, 2025. There is, however, a narrow exception. Entrepreneurs who receive a commitment certificate from a designated organisation before the end of 2025 but have not yet submitted their application will still be allowed to apply. For everyone else, the program will effectively be closed.

• IRCC has also maintained its suspension of the Self-Employed Persons Program, meaning no new applications are being accepted under that stream either.
• The changes align with Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, which aims to rebalance the number of temporary residents and create more predictable, sustainable pathways to permanent residency.
• Officials say the existing SUV program had grown unwieldy, with long processing times and uneven outcomes.

Alternative pathways for foreign entrepreneurs 

In the meantime, foreign entrepreneurs still have alternative pathways.

• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) entrepreneur streams remain open in several provinces, typically requiring founders to invest, operate or acquire businesses locally.
• Others may explore intra-company transfer routes by expanding existing businesses into Canada, or enter through work permits tied to job offers, including the Global Talent Stream.
• Some founders also choose the study pathway, using education as a bridge to permanent residency.

What you should know 

The pause of Canada’s Start-Up Visa programme comes amid a broader tightening of immigration and temporary residency controls. Ottawa had earlier announced a reduction in study permit allocations for 2026, introducing provincial and territorial quotas to better manage application volumes.

The international student cap, first introduced in 2024, limits the number of study permit applications Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepts each year.

According to IRCC, the policy has reduced the number of study permit holders from over one million in January 2024 to about 725,000 by September 2025.

In a related move, the Canadian government has also raised financial thresholds for skilled migrants. As previously reported by Nairametrics, applicants under the Express Entry system’s Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program must now show at least CAD 15,263 in settlement funds as of July 7, 2025, an increase of more than CAD 500 signalling a continued shift toward tighter, more selective immigration pathways.

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All students abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School in the Papiri community of Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State, have regained their freedom after weeks in captivity.

The final group of abducted children regained their freedom on Sunday, concluding the rescue of about 265 students who were taken during the attack.

Their release ends a traumatic ordeal that lasted for nearly a month.

Abduction described as one of Nigeria’s largest school kidnappings

The incident occurred in the early hours of November 21, 2025, when armed gunmen stormed the boarding school and abducted 303 students along with 12 teachers, making it one of the most significant mass school abductions recorded in recent Nigerian history.

The attack triggered nationwide outrage and renewed concerns over the safety of educational institutions, particularly boarding schools in vulnerable communities.

Escapes, phased releases and security intervention

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, about 50 students managed to escape on their own, while another 100 students were released on December 8 following sustained security operations.

The release of the remaining 115 students marked the final phase of the rescue efforts and has been widely described as a major breakthrough by security agencies involved in the operation.

Families of the rescued children have expressed deep relief, as authorities continue to face growing calls to strengthen school security and prevent future attacks on learning institutions.

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