NIGERIA NEWS
Ogun lawmaker Kashamu dumps PDP for APC
A member representing Ijebu North State Constituency and former Minority Whip of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Rasheed Kashamu, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing irreconcilable differences and deep divisions within the party at both state and national levels.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide announced Kashamu’s defection on the floor of the Assembly on Tuesday while reading a letter formally notifying the House of his resignation from the PDP and his decision to join the APC.
According to the Speaker, the lawmaker attributed his decision to persistent factional disputes at the national level and leadership tussles within the party in Ogun State.
In his letter, Kashamu said his defection was in line with the decision of his leaders and supporters in Ijebu North to align with progressive forces in the state and to support the policies and programmes of Governor Dapo Abiodun under the ISEYA Agenda, as well as the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He explained that after reviewing the unresolved crises rocking the PDP nationally and considering the mandate and support of his constituents in Ijebu North I, he resolved to move en masse with his supporters into the APC to strengthen the party and contribute to its success in the constituency.
Kashamu informed the House that he had officially joined the APC at his Oke-Sopen Ward in Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area, alongside numerous supporters drawn from across the constituency.
His defection was formally acknowledged at the Assembly Complex in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, where his colleagues, led by the Speaker, welcomed him into the APC fold. His wife, uncle and other well-wishers were also present.
Meanwhile, the House also acknowledged a letter from Governor Dapo Abiodun requesting the confirmation of Mr. Abdul Najeem Olayinka as the new Auditor-General for Local Governments, following the retirement of the former Auditor-General, Mr. Lamidi Mulero.
The Speaker directed the nominee to appear before the House on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 12 noon, and to submit 30 copies each of his curriculum vitae and other relevant credentials.
NIGERIA NEWS
Tinubu Holds Closed-Door Meeting With Service Chiefs Amid Security Concerns — Akelicious
President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with all the Service Chiefs at the State House, Abuja.
The high-level closed-door security meeting is taking place amid rising concerns over the country’s internal security situation.
The security chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede,
arrived at the forecourt early in the evening and were promptly ushered into the first floor officeof the President.
The meeting which began at about 6:45pm, will be the first time President Tinubu will be meeting with the military high command after the recent changes in the nation’s defence leadership.
The engagement followed the swearing-in of General Christopher Musa (rtd) as the new Minister of Defence on December 4, 2025, a move that signalled a fresh approach to Nigeria’s security architecture.
While the agenda of the meeting has not been officially disclosed, it is coming at a critical time when over 100 students abducted from a Catholic boarding school in Niger state last November are still being held by their captors, sparking nationwide concern and renewed calls for decisive government action.
The meeting also followed President Tinubu’s declaration of a national security emergency last month during which he ordered the immediate recruitment of new personnel into the nation’s security agencies.
He also directed the withdrawal of police officers attached to VIPs as part of efforts to strengthen internal security operations.
In addition, the closed-door talks are taking place just days after the Senate approved the President’s request to deploy Nigerian troops to Benin Republic.
The deployment was linked to an attempted coup in the neighbouring country, raising regional security concerns.
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A Kebbi State High Court sitting in Birnin Kebbi has convicted Ibrahim Isah, a resident of Rikoto Area in Zuru Local Government but employed in Birnin Kebbi, for attempting to rape a young girl identified as Zainab Muhammad.
Presiding Justice Maryam Abubakar Kaoje found Isah guilty of attempting to commit rape, an offence punishable under Section 58 of the Kebbi State Penal Code Law, 2021.
Isah had initially faced charges on two counts of rape and gross indecency, under Sections 259 and 261 of the state’s Penal Code Law.
During the trial, the prosecution, led by Lawal Hudu Garba, and the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, of the Ministry of Justice, presented five witnesses and tendered three exhibits, including Isah’s statements in both English and Hausa, and a medical report of the victim.
The defence, led by Barrister S.M. DanYaro, called only the defendant as a witness.
In its ruling, the court noted that while the confessional statement did not establish rape or gross indecency, it proved the attempt to commit the offence.
Justice Kaoje said, “The facts disclosed in the confessional statement did not prove the offence of rape and act of gross indecency, but rather, it proved the offence of an attempt to commit an offence to wit; rape, contrary to Section 58 of the Kebbi State Penal Code Law, 2021.”
Ibrahim Isah was sentenced to five years imprisonment and fined N50,000. In default of payment, he will serve an additional year in prison.
The Delta State Police Command has reported wide-ranging successes in crime control and public safety operations carried out across the state from January 2025 to mid-December 2025.
Naija News reports that the update was made public on December 15, 2025, during a press briefing in Asaba by the Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda S. Olufemi, who reviewed the command’s activities and security outcomes within the period.
According to the police, the command relied on intelligence-based and community-focused policing, working closely with other security agencies, vigilante groups, anti-cult volunteers, traditional rulers, and civil groups to tackle criminal activities and protect residents.
One of the major cases involved the killing of retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu at her home on November 24, 2025.
Police operatives from the State Criminal Investigation Department arrested a 25-year-old security guard attached to the residence on December 6, 2025.
A mobile phone belonging to the deceased was found with him.
Further investigation led to the arrest of another suspect, while a third person linked to the case remains on the run.
One of the stolen phones was later recovered at Ogbogonogo Market in Asaba, and investigations are continuing.
In another operation on December 1, 2025, officers from the State Anti-Cult Unit, working with community volunteers, moved into a forest area in Obiaruku following intelligence on kidnapping activities.
During the encounter, one suspect lost his life, while others fled into the forest.
An AK-47 rifle, forty-two rounds of ammunition, mobile phones, and charms were recovered from the scene.
On December 6, 2025, police operatives attached to the Commissioner’s Special Assignment Team carried out a search operation in Abraka.
A 67-year-old suspect was arrested at his residence in Umeghe community, where two pump-action guns and thirty-nine live cartridges were recovered.
The suspect remains in custody as investigations continue into possible links with criminal groups.
Between November 28 and 29, 2025, coordinated operations were conducted in Ughelli, Oghara, and Sapele.
Three suspects linked to armed robbery and cult activities were arrested during the operations.
Police recovered two stolen tricycles, a locally made shotgun, a locally fabricated pistol, and ammunition from the suspects.
The command also carried out a major operation against drug-related activities.
On December 10, 2025, officers led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations raided a known drug hideout in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area.
A total of 161 suspects, including both men and women, were arrested.
Various illicit substances were recovered during the raid.
Three days later, another operation led to the interception of a commercial bus along the Asaba-Onitsha route, where large quantities of codeine and tramadol were found and suspects arrested.
Over the course of the year, the Delta State Police Command recovered 144 firearms, including assault rifles, pistols, locally made guns, and pump-action weapons.
A total of 6,930 rounds of ammunition were also seized, along with thirty-six million naira recovered as ransom.
The police recorded the arrest of 627 suspects linked to armed robbery, kidnapping, murder, cultism, rape, and defilement.
Eighteen kidnapped victims were rescued, while twenty-eight stolen vehicles were recovered.
The Commissioner of Police praised officers of the command for their commitment and dedication, and also acknowledged the support of the media, traditional rulers, community leaders, and residents of the state.
As the festive season approaches, members of the public were urged to remain alert, obey the law, and provide useful information to security agencies.
Emergency contact numbers were made available to residents as the command assured its readiness to ensure a peaceful Christmas and New Year period across Delta State.
Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, has explained that it carried out a partial demolition of a storey-building on Oladele Odusanya Street, off Ademulegun Street, Ireakari Estate, Oshodi-Isolo, after residents repeatedly disregarded safety warnings issued over several months.
The agency’s clarification followed public speculation surrounding the enforcement action.
In a statement released on Monday and signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Adu Ademuyiwa, LASBCA said the structure had been under sustained surveillance due to signs of severe structural distress.
According to the agency, engineers first raised the alarm after an inspection conducted on March 3, 2025, which established that the building posed a significant risk to its occupants and adjoining properties.
As a result, evacuation notices were issued and subsequently reinforced with several reminders.
The statement explained that one of the critical defects identified was a ruptured water pipe that persistently soaked the building’s major support columns, gradually compromising their strength and overall stability.
LASBCA said that despite multiple evacuation notices and follow-up engagements spanning about nine months, occupants failed to comply with directives to vacate the premises.
The agency stressed that the warnings were intended to prevent potential loss of lives and property, in line with the Lagos State Government’s policy of enforcing building safety regulations proactively.
It added that the decision to partially demolish the structure was taken only after the building’s condition further deteriorated and all efforts to achieve voluntary compliance proved unsuccessful.
‘The partial demolition became inevitable as the risk level increased and residents continued to ignore evacuation orders, leaving the agency with no alternative but to act in the interest of public safety,” the statement noted.
LASBCA also disclosed that all statutory notices, engineering reports and photographic evidence of the building’s compromised state were properly documented to demonstrate adherence to due process.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property and urged residents across Lagos State to promptly comply with safety and evacuation directives, warning that ignoring such notices could result in preventable disasters.
The controversy surrounding former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, has intensified, with human rights activist Deji Adeyanju urging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ignore the former minister’s claims of persecution and prosecute him fully.
In a rebuke of Malami’s statement, which accused the EFCC leadership of “deep-seated historical animosity” and “personal vendetta” following his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Adeyanju branded the former AGF’s counter-attack as “unfortunate.”
Adeyanju insisted the EFCC has a clear duty to investigate Malami’s stewardship, particularly concerning the handling of recovered public funds.
“The EFCC should proceed without hesitation to investigate Mr. Malami, particularly in relation to his stewardship while in office of all issues surrounding the Abacha loot,” Adeyanju stated.
He reminded Malami that public service demands accountability, saying: “Public office is a trust, and all past and present public officials must be prepared to give a full account of how that trust was exercised.”
Adeyanju pointed to Malami’s own record to dismiss his current posture of victimisation, arguing that Malami showed no restraint in his use of state power against others while he held office.
“Malami showed no restraint while in government and wielded state power against everyone including members of the opposition. Having subjected others to prosecution, he cannot now escape from the same process,” Adeyanju added.
The activist’s statement came just hours after Malami demanded that the EFCC either arraign him within 24 hours or release him, citing constitutional provisions against unlawful detention.
Malami had earlier called for the immediate recusal of the EFCC Chairman from the ongoing investigation, alleging his probe – which has included “illegal detention, media harassment and procedural abuse” – was political persecution linked to his recent defection.
Malami claimed the investigation stems from an old grudge linked to the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry, which investigated the EFCC while Malami was AGF.
”I have been clearly pre-judged and cannot receive a fair, objective or lawful investigation under the current leadership of the EFCC,” Malami had said.
The EFCC had earlier detained Malami for failing to meet his administrative bail conditions but denied the claims of political persecution, insisting its actions are guided strictly by law.
By Ochuko Akuopha
ASABA—DELTA State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olufemi Abaniwonda, yesterday, said a total of 627 murder, kidnap, armed robbery and suspects of other crimes were arrested between January 2025 to date.
Abaniwonda disclosed this in Asaba, when he addressed newsmen on operational achievements and progress recorded by the command in the year, saying a total of N36 million ransom was recovered.
Suspected armed robbers arrested, according to him, were140; suspected kidnappers, 113; murder suspects, 125; suspects cultists, 187 and rape/defilement suspects, 62.
Abaniwonda said 18 kidnap victims were rescued while 28 vehicles and 144 arms were recovered respectively.
The Commissioner of Police said the successes recorded were as a result of proactive, intelligence-driven and community-centred policing strategy adopted by the command.
He said the command had worked “with sister security agencies and community stakeholders (vigilante, anti-cult volunteers, PCRC, CSOs, traditional rulers, etc) to sustain targeted operations against criminal networks.”
On a recent breakthrough of the command, Abaniwonda said: “Following the murder of Justice Ifeoma Okogwu (retd), which occurred November 24, 2025, at her residence, acting on credible intelligence, on December 6, 2025, operatives of the Homicide Section, State CID, Asaba, arrested one Godwin Mngumi, male, 25 years old, who is security guard attached to the residence of the deceased.
“The suspect was found in possession of one of the late Justice’s mobile phones. Upon interrogation, he made a voluntary confession and admitted to inviting his accomplice, one Nnaji Obalum, male, 21 years old to perpetrate the crime. “
“The suspects confessed that on November 23, 2025, about 2130hrs, they, alongside a third suspect currently at large, entered the home of the deceased, tied her with a rope and cloth, and murdered her.
“They, thereafter, stole her valuables, including two phones and a wristwatch, which they disposed of for a meagre sum. One of the stolen phones has been recovered in Ogbogonogo market, Asaba. Investigation is ongoing.”
The post Police in Delta arrest 627 murder, kidnap, other suspects appeared first on Vanguard News.
Operatives of the Imo State Police Command have arrested Vitalis Nwoko, 58, over alleged murder of his wife, Uloma. The Command’s Spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, in a statement, said that the deceased’s sister lodged a complaint at the Ahiazu Mbaise Divisional Headquarters of the Command, alleging a domestic violent assault by the man against his wife during which she was rushed to a hospital within the area where she was confirmed dead.
He stated: “Operatives of the Ahiazu Mbaise Divisional Headquarters have arrested Vitalis Nwokoof Umuagba, Ahiazu Mbaise Local Council, for the alleged murder of his wife, Uloma.
“The arrest followed a report lodged at the Division by the deceased’s sister, who alleged that the suspect violently assaulted his wife during a domestic dispute. Acting promptly on the report, operatives of the Division arrested the suspect.”
Okoye informed how a preliminary investigation revealed more facts, saying: “During preliminary investigation, the suspect stated that a misunderstanding between him and his wife on December 11, 2025, escalated into a physical altercation, during which the victim collapsed.
“She was rushed to Cecilia Hospital, Ogbe, where she was confirmed dead by a medical doctor.” He disclosed that the suspect had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Owerri, for further investigation.
“The suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Owerri, for thorough investigation and prosecution,” he said.
The Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has urged the public to report promptly such domestic issues, assuring prompt attention and dealing decisively with the culprits.
He asked residents to promptly report cases of domestic violence, assuring the public of the Command’s resolve to deal decisively with perpetrators.
Boniface Okoro in Aba
Postponement of the 13 convocation ceremony of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) in Abia State, has continued to cause ripples as some graduates of the institution have called on the federal government to intervene in the alleged power play between the university’s Pro-chancellor, Fidelis Edeh, and the Vice Chancellor, Professor Maduebibisi Iwe, which has stalled their convocation ceremony.
The fate of the fresh graduates now hangs in the air following the Pro-Chancellor’s alleged refusal to approve the budget for the convocation ceremony in a bid to settle scores with the vice chancellor.
Preparations had reached advanced stage for the ceremony scheduled for December 12, 2025, as all the statutory organs had given the go-ahead for the event, only for the Pro-Chancellor to deliberately stall the process by withholding the budget in a bid to frustrate the convocation and spite the vice chancellor, whose tenure is due on March 1, 2026.
Recall that on December 10, the university announced the postponement of the 13th convocation ceremony, which was earlier approved to hold from December 10 to 13 on the university’s campus in Umudike.
In the statement signed by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Iwe, the university apologised to the Chancellor and Chairman of convocation, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar IV, regretting the inconveniences the postponement must have caused him and the graduands of the institution.
Part of the statement captioned: ‘Notice of Postponement of 13th Convocation Ceremony’, read: “The Senate of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, wishes to notify the public that the 13th convocation ceremony of the university approved earlier to hold from December 10 to 13, 2025, has been put on hold until further notice.”
Iwe, who is also the chairman of the university’s Senate, also used the opportunity to apologise to the convocation lecturer, Dr. Simeon Ehui, the director-general of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, “for the disruptions, which this postponement must have caused him.”
The university assured all concerned that a new date for the 13th convocation ceremony will be announced later, even as newsmen gathered that the pro-chancellor has sworn that the event would not hold under Iwe’s watch, despite the graduands’ insistence that academic tradition of universities specify that convocation ceremonies are the exclusive responsibility of the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor.
One of the distraught graduands lamented the interruption, regretting that he and his parents had incurred much cost preparing for the ceremony only to be informed at the eleventh-hour of a postponement.
“It is not fair or proper. We know that it is all politics. The Pro-Chancellor is merely pursuing vendetta on behalf of his benefactor, former Science and Technology Minister, Chief Geoffrey Nnaji, who nominated him for the position. The Pro-Chancellor has not forgiven the VC for serving as the INEC returning officer that announced Governor Peter Mbah as winner of the 2023 Enugu State governorship election instead of Chief Geoffrey Nnaji.
“Why should innocent students be made to suffer from this needless power play? Some of us have planned to travel outside the country for our masters. We pray that President Bola Tinubu should intervene through the Minister of Agriculture and save our souls,” the graduating student stated.
The university Public Relations Officer (PRO), Dr. Ubadire Agua, disputed the claims that an alleged faceoff between the Pro-Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor led to the postponement of the scheduled convocation.
In a statement dated December 6, 2025, Uba said: “The Vice-Chancellor held an emergency meeting of Senate on December 4, 2025, and reported to members of Senate that the chairman of the Governing Council had put all activities of the 13th convocation ceremony on hold, pending when the Governing Council meets to consider the budget and decide on new dates for the event.”
He added: “Although the directive of the Chairman of Council was received in the Senate with mixed feelings, Prof. Iwe cautioned that it should not create disaffection or cause any form of distractions in the university, especially as his administration transits to a new one.”
On the issue of the Enugu State election, the university spokesman maintained that Prof. Iwe discharged his responsibilities excellently, adding that the VC has not recruited any person to speak on his behalf on the issue.
In a telephone interview yesterday, the Pro-Chancellor explained that the postponement of the convocation ceremony was not a personal but a collective decision, emphasizing that he has no such power to unilaterally stop the programme.
“Stopping the convocation cannot be a personal decision. Pro-Chancellor is the chairman of council and there is no power vested in the chairman to stop a convocation; it is be possible, because the Governing Council will first feel slighted, Senate will feel slighted, the Chancellor of the university who will preside over the convocation, will feel slighted and the Minister of Education will feel slighted; even the President, the Visitor I am representing too.
“People should not personalize the postponement of the convocation. This is an institution, and convocation is the highest ceremony of the university and that convocation is vested in the Senate. What the council does is to approve the process, including funding.
So if the convocation could not hold, it means there is something fundamentally wrong with it, It cannot be the chairman that stopped it,” he said.
He also dismissed allegations of vendetta against the VC, saying: “Even if the chairman has vendetta as people are alleging, he can’t bring it into the convocation issue,” stressing that he could only be accused of vendetta if he was trying to probe or remove the VC.
“Convocation is in the Act establishing the university. It is not possible that an individual can stop it. It will be easy to remove the chairman than for him to stop the convocation. If I am not affected, I will dismiss it if anyone brings such story to me.
“The university has reacted to the postponement of the convocation and there is no indication in that reaction that it was unilaterally stopped by an individual.
“As to the reasons while the convocation was topped, that is an internal matter, which by the time it is sorted out, and in the course of putting a new date, it will be explained.
“If the institutions of the university: the Governing Council and the management, presided over by the VC, have not faulted the postponement of the convocation, every other rumour or allegation is inconsequential,” he said.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has expressed concerns over the growing trend of reckless road use among celebrities, content creators and social media influencers, warning that such behaviour endangers lives and weakens road safety efforts.
The traffic agency was reacting to the reckless driving by popular TikTok streamer, Habeeb Hamzat, better known as Peller, who was involved in a road crash blamed on distracted driving.
According to a statement signed by the corps spokesperson, Olusegun Ogungbemide, Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed ordered the prosecution of Pelle, following a widely circulated video showing him engaging in a live video stream while driving, an act that reportedly resulted in a crash.
Mohammed described the incident as unlawful and dangerous, noting that it could have led to loss of lives. He said the incident “serves as a grim reminder that fame does not confer immunity from the law, nor does it excuse dangerous behaviour on public roads.”
Mohammed stated that “live streaming, content creation, recording or engaging in any activity that distracts a driver while driving is a direct violation of established road traffic regulations and poses grave danger not only to the driver but to other innocent road users.” He added that such actions undermine efforts to reduce road crashes and fatalities across the country.
Consequently, the corps marshal directed the Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC to commence prosecution of the individual involved.
According to him, the charges would include “reckless driving, use of phone while driving, and distracted driving, in accordance with extant traffic laws.”
Mohammed also called on professional bodies within the entertainment industry to take responsibility for the conduct of their members. He urged actors’ guilds, entertainment associations, influencer networks and content creator communities to rein in their members and promote responsible behaviour on Nigerian roads.
Noting the influence celebrities wield, especially among young Nigerians, he warned that they “must be seen as ambassadors of safety, not symbols of recklessness.”
Issuing a warning on enforcement, Mohammed said the FRSC “will not hesitate to apply the full weight of the law against any individual, celebrity or otherwise, found engaging in distracted or reckless driving.”
He stressed that “no social media content, online trend or momentary clout is worth a human life” and further reminded motorists that “public roads are not studios, stages or streaming platforms,” describing them as shared spaces governed by laws designed to preserve lives.
Recall that another TikToker, Ademola Abiodun, also known as DJ Chicken, was recently involved in multiple car crashes in Lagos.
The Ekiti State government has called on farmers to intensify efforts toward sustainable and environmentally friendly palm oil production.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade, made the call during the opening of a three-day training programme for smallholder farmers in Ado-Ekiti.
Boluwade reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting palm oil production through policies and legal frameworks that encourage the planting of palm trees and enhance processing capacity across the state.
He described sustainable palm oil production as key to boosting food security, job creation and economic growth.
The training, sponsored by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), was organised in collaboration with the Ekiti Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative and Propcom+ UK International Development.
With the theme: “Enhancing Stakeholders’ Knowledge on RSPO Standards to Facilitate Responsible Production, Environmental Safeguards, Sustainable Land Use Planning, and Supply Chain Traceability in Ekiti State,” the workshop aims to deepen farmers’ understanding of global standards for sustainable palm oil production.
Speaking at the event, the state Project Coordinator, Dr. Yemi Akinyugha, and the leader of the Propcom+ team, Mr. Abib Ibrahim, stressed the need for farmers to adopt practices that protect the environment.
They noted that the training would equip participants with modern skills while exposing them to partnership opportunities with national and international development agencies.
The Ekiti State Chairman of the National Palm Production Association, Adebabo Oluwagbemigun, commended the initiative, describing it as timely and capable of increasing the state’s internally generated revenue.
Resource persons at the programme took participants through improved techniques and partnership models aimed at strengthening palm oil production in Ekiti State and beyond.