NIGERIA NEWS
“I was misled” – Tinubu cancels controversial ADC’s Brigadier General promotion after heavy backlash
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reversed the controversial promotion of his Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Colonel Nurudeen Alowonle Yusuf, to the rank of Brigadier General, following strong objections within the Nigerian Army over procedure and morale.
The decision came after days of internal discontent and high-level consultations involving military authorities and the Presidency.
Army Officers Kick Against Special Promotion
The promotion had sparked anger among officers, especially those who have completed required military courses and spent the stipulated years in rank.
A senior military source said the move created tension within the ranks, as many officers viewed it as a breach of established promotion standards.
Presidency Steps In After Consultations
According to sources, the reversal followed consultations “at the highest levels of the military and the presidency regarding morale and promotion procedures.”
President Tinubu reportedly acted after being briefed on the wider implications of the promotion on discipline and hierarchy within the armed forces.
Relief Sweeps Through Armed Forces
Sources described widespread relief after the decision was announced, with officers welcoming the reversal.
A military source said:
“The decision to promote Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Brigadier General was rescinded yesterday (Monday). The Commander-in-Chief was misled but thank God he did the needful. The armed forces are celebrating Tinubu right now.”
The Presidency also confirmed that the President acted appropriately as Commander-in-Chief.
Decoration Ceremony Cancelled at Last Minute
Before the reversal, preparations for the promotion ceremony had already been concluded.
The ADC had reportedly invited family members and other guests for the decoration.
A source explained:
“The Aide-de-Camp (ADC) had already arranged for his decoration yesterday and his family members were even prepared for the event. Messages were even sent notifying everybody for the investiture to Brigadier General (Brig Gen). Tinubu had to listen to the voice of General Alani Akinrinade (retired), former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) who also intervened.”
COAS Summoned Over Morale Concerns
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who was attending a conference in Lagos, was summoned to Abuja to brief the President.
According to the source:
“The COAS, who was in Lagos for the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) conference, was summoned to Abuja by Mr President yesterday. He had an audience with the Commander-in-Chief on the heavily demoralised soldiers over the unwarranted promotion of the Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Brigadier General (Brig Gen) and other issues.”
The source further claimed:
“Mr President realized he was misadvised by Nuhu Ribadu and quickly disapproved of it.”
Security Team Under Review
Beyond the promotion issue, the Presidency is reportedly reviewing the structure and ranks within the President’s security detail.
A source said:
“Meanwhile, Mr President needs to remove the Chief Detail (CD), Mr Adegboyega Fasasi and Mr Usman Shugaba, the Chief Personal Security Officer (CSPSO), they have outranked these positions.”
Concerns were also raised about their current roles and ranks.
Questions Over DSS and Police Appointments
Further allegations questioned the suitability of some security appointments.
A source claimed:
“Fasasi, the Chief Detail (CD) to the President, is a Department of State Services (DSS) officer and a Director of Intelligence Services (DIS) in rank, which is very wrong. The new Director-General (DG) of DSS withdrew him to correct the anomaly, but Mr Fasasi used his connections to refuse the transfer.”
On the Chief Personal Security Officer, the source added:
“The Chief Personal Security Officer (CSPSO) to the President is supposed to be an officer on the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) at most, an unnecessary position that was formed for Jonathan’s Aide-de-Camp (ADC) as Vice President after losing his position of Aide-de-Camp (ADC) on Jonathan’s ascension to the presidency.”
The source further alleged:
“The current occupier, Mr Usman Shugaba, is also a notorious lobbyist, who shot himself up to the position of Commissioner of Police (CP). His mates are still on Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).”
Questions Over Promotion Standards Persist
Earlier reports had already flagged concerns over the special promotion, with officers questioning qualifications, precedent, and adherence to established military promotion procedures.
Bhutan said Wednesday it will invest $1 billion from national cryptocurrency reserves to develop a “Mindfulness City”, which it hopes will become an economic hub for the tiny Himalayan nation.
Buddhist-majority Bhutan, squeezed between giants India and China, champions a policy of prioritising “Gross National Happiness” over growth.
But that has not helped the government deal with widespread unemployment, forcing thousands of young people to leave the country.
As part of broader efforts to reverse that trend by soliciting foreign investment, the landlocked kingdom in 2023 announced much-hyped plans for its “Gelephu Mindfulness City” (GMC), a special economic zone close to the Indian border.
Carbon-negative Bhutan has also aggressively promoted hydropower projects, earning substantial revenue by exporting electricity to energy-hungry India.
At the same time it has utilised the cheap power for its own drive to mine cryptocurrency, especially bitcoin.
“I must ensure that every Bhutanese is a custodian, stakeholder, and beneficiary of GMC,” King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck announced Wednesday in a speech to mark the country’s national day.
“To support this policy, I am announcing today the allocation of up to 10,000 BTC (bitcoin), valued at approximately $1 billion. This commitment is for our people, our youth, and our nation.”
The king in 2023 said Gelephu will be a “Mindfulness City, encompassing conscious and sustainable businesses, inspired by Buddhist spiritual heritage”.
Bhutan’s GDP per capita is around $3,718, according to the World Bank.
Its state-run Druk Holding and Investments (DHI) invested $539 million — nearly a fifth of the total GDP — to establish cryptocurrency operations in 2021-2022, according to the World Bank.
It has since developed sizeable crypto holdings, although the exact value is not public.
The post Bhutan pledges $1 bn cryptocurrency for ‘mindfulness’ city appeared first on Vanguard News.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has obtained an order of the Federal High Court in Lagos to detain a ship, its captain, and 20 crew members in connection with the seizure of 25.5 kilograms of cocaine.
The drug was discovered in the hatch of a merchant vessel, MV San Anthonio, which arrived from Brazil at the Apapa Seaport on December 6, 2025.
Director of Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement that acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives located the cocaine aboard the vessel after the complete discharge of its cargo.
The crew members, who hail from various countries including Russia, the Philippines, Ukraine and Azerbaijan, are currently in NDLEA custody alongside the seized drugs.
The agency noted that the seizure followed a similar interception on November 16, 2025, when NDLEA officers seized 20 kilograms of cocaine from another vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, also conveying cargo from the port of Santos, Brazil.
In line with international legal protocols, the NDLEA said it filed an ex-parte application before Justice Frida Nkemakonam Ogazi of the Federal High Court, seeking the detention of MV San Anthonio and its crew pending the conclusion of investigations and the filing of charges.
Ruling on the application, Justice Ogazi said: “An order of court is hereby made extending the detention of the vessel MV San Antonio being investigated by the applicant, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), for fourteen days in the first instance pending the conclusion of investigation and/or filing of criminal charge and prosecution.”
The matter was adjourned until December 29, 2025.
Reacting to the development, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd), said the seizure reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to block Nigeria from being used as a hub for illicit drugs.
He said: “This latest seizure reinforces my earlier warning to international drug cartels and their local collaborators that they will never get a foothold in Nigeria.”
According to him, “This is no doubt a testament to NDLEA’s heightened capacity and unwavering resolve to frustrate the drug syndicates targeting the West African sub-region, especially Nigeria.”
Marwa affirmed that the agency would continue to collaborate with local and international partners to achieve zero tolerance for substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country.
In related news, the NDLEA has raised concern over Nigeria’s worsening drug abuse crisis that threatens its workforce, public safety, and economic stability, citing disturbing national and state-level indicators.
Commander of the NDLEA in Delta State, Halilu Hamidu, disclosed at a briefing in Ogwashi Uku that the latest report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows that 14.4 per cent of Nigerians aged between 15 and 64, the country’s most economically productive population, use drugs without medical supervision.
Hamidu said the report indicated that 10.4 per cent of the population consumed psychoactive substances, with one in every four users being female, underscoring the widening social spread of drug abuse.
He said that Delta State mirrors this troubling national trend, with many communities battling a high level of drug use that goes beyond individual addiction to destabilise families, neighbourhoods, and the wider society.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has dismissed allegations linking the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to banditry, describing the claims as baseless, unfounded and politically motivated.
The student body said the minister was being unfairly targeted at a time when the country required unity and collective resolve to address Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the President of the Senate, NANS Headquarters, Comrade Usman Adamu Nagwaza, said the allegations against Matawalle were part of a deliberate attempt to politicise national security for selfish interests.
Nagwaza said that following consultations and internal reviews, NANS had passed a vote of confidence on the minister, insisting that he was a victim of media blackmail and political persecution.
He explained that claims alleging the minister’s links with terrorist commanders and the provision of support to bandits had been thoroughly investigated and found to be without merit.
ALSO READ: ‘Shameless and nauseating’, Fani-Kayode condemns calls for Matawalle’s dismissal
According to him, NANS, working alongside independent investigators and journalists, established that the accusations lacked credible evidence and were driven largely by political motives.
“NANS does not represent barbarism or criminality. Our concern is Nigeria, especially students, who are directly affected by insecurity,” the statement read.
The association urged President Bola Tinubu to continue to support the Minister of State for Defence and protect him from what it described as campaigns of calumny by “charlatans.”
It also called on the President to declare a state of emergency on insecurity and further empower the armed forces to intensify operations against criminal elements across the country.
NANS appealed to Nigerians to rally behind the Ministry of Defence and reject what it termed the politics of character assassination, stressing that such actions undermine national efforts to restore peace and stability.
The group maintained that Matawalle remained a dedicated public servant and warned that Nigeria could not afford to lose “its best hands” to political battles at a critical time in the nation’s fight against insecurity.
The Nasarawa State Government and the Anglan Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on agriculture, mining and education.
Governor Abdullahi Sule and Bengo Province Governor, Dr Maria Antonia, signed the MoU at an elaborate event held in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, on Wednesday.
Speaking shortly while signing the documents, Abdullahi Sule said that the MoU would benefit the two states, and as well, cement ties between the two states.
Sule explained that the state had identified agriculture as its area of interest, stating that Nasarawa state and Angola Bengo Province shared similar interests in agriculture, hence the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU.
” I sincerely appreciate the technical teams that have worked very hard during this period. Indeed, we identified the various areas of interest when we realised the commonalities we have between the state of Belgium, the province of Bengo, and the state of Nasarawa State.
” As Her Excellency has mentioned, the state of Belgium was actually completely consumed early on because of the presence of Luanda being the national capital. The same issue we have with Nasarawa State is because of our proximity to the FCT.
“Because of the areas of our comparative advantages, areas of mining, agriculture, oil and gas, education and health, we decided to enter into one of these areas for this cooperation,” he said.
The governor said that Nasarawa State has realised a lot of areas where Bengo has advantages over Nasarawa State in the area of agriculture.
He further added that they have also identified areas where Nasarawa State has more advantages than Bengo in the same area of agriculture.
Also speaking during the event. The governor of Bengo Province, Dr Maria Antonia, said that they were in Nasarawa State to sign an agreement with Nasarawa State on key sectors of the economy.
Dr Maria, who described the signing of an agreement as a historic day for the two states, said necessary steps would be taken to implement the agreement and to promote the bilateral relationship between her state and Nasarawa state.
She said that the agreement would impact the two states in the areas of economics, environment and social development.
The signature of this agreement does not only stand for itself on the contrary, but it also reflects the brotherhood and solidarity of the peoples of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Angola.
“This agreement expresses our bilateral cooperation because we are two countries that are brothers and we move forward to achieve our goals,” she said.
New Telegraph reports that the visit of the Angola Bengo Province, Dr Maria Antonia, to Nasarawa state climaxed with the inauguration of the Investment Centre and Multi-Door Court in Lafia.
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The Enugu State Government has announced that it will commence the deregistration of all unregistered and unapproved estate developments across the state.
This was made known by the Managing Director of the Enugu State Geographic Information System Service (ENGIS), Mr. Chiwetalu Nwatu, during a joint stakeholders’ meeting involving the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) and the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP).
The meeting was convened to address accumulated challenges in estate development, land administration, and physical planning in Enugu State.
Nwatu stated that the measures formed part of the government’s resolve to sanitise the real estate and land development sector and restore order to land administration in the state.
He emphasised that only properly registered and duly approved developers will be permitted to operate in Enugu State, noting that the decision is aimed at protecting members of the public, eliminating land-related fraud, and enforcing planning and development standards.
The ENGIS Managing Director also disclosed that the state government has directed an immediate halt to the advertisement and promotion of all unregistered and unapproved estates, warning that developers and advertising platforms found promoting unapproved estates would face sanctions.
According to him, the unchecked advertising of unregistered estates has continued to mislead unsuspecting members of the public, exposing them to fraudulent schemes and avoidable losses.
He explained that the stakeholders’ engagement was aimed at harmonising concerns, strengthening compliance, and proposing sustainable solutions to support the development of a comprehensive master plan to guide Enugu State’s growth.
Nwatu commended the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, for his commitment to institutional reforms and orderly urban development, describing the establishment of ENGIS as a critical intervention that has strengthened regulation, transparency, and accountability in the land sector.
He expressed confidence that the collaboration between ENGIS, REDAN, and NITP would deepen professionalism, improve compliance, and deliver a more organised, secure, and investor-friendly real estate environment across Enugu State.
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A Magistrate Court sitting in Owerri has convicted three persons, Ikechukwu Nwosu, Ogechi Osuji and Edwin Iheanato for indiscriminate disposal of waste at the Hardel Orji District Owerri.
The court found the defendants guilty of violating existing waste management and sanitation regulations within the district.
During the proceedings, all three defendants pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them, following due legal processes as stipulated under the Eastern Waste Management Corporation Law No. 2 of 2025 and other relevant sanitation laws governing waste disposal in the state.
Consequently, the defendants were convicted and sentenced by the court to three months’ imprisonment or a fine of ₦50,000 each, as ordered by the Magistrate.
Suspected kidnappers disguised in military uniforms have killed a serving soldier and abducted 13 passengers during coordinated attacks on two commercial vehicles along the Okene–Auchi Federal Highway.
According to security sources who spoke with security expert, Zagazola Makama, the incident occurred at about 5:35 p.m. on December 16 when unknown gunmen intercepted a green Toyota Sienna conveying nine passengers from Abuja to Delta State.
The source said six passengers were abducted from the vehicle, while three others were rescued.
The source added that the attackers also stopped a white Toyota Hiace bus, conveying 11 passengers from Delta State to Abuja, as part of the same operation.
“Seven passengers were abducted from the Hiace bus, while four were rescued,” the source said.
Tragically, a serving Non‑Commissioned Officer of the Nigerian Army who was among the passengers and had identified himself as a soldier was shot by the attackers.
“He sustained gunshot injuries to his legs and thighs and was later confirmed dead,” the source added.
The corpse of the deceased soldier was deposited at the Okengwe General Hospital mortuary for autopsy.
Both vehicles were recovered and towed to a police station for safekeeping. At the scene, security operatives recovered five empty shells of 7.62mm ammunition, suspected to be from an AK‑47 rifle, as exhibits.
Statements were also obtained from the rescued victims to aid the investigation.
It was gathered that troops have launched joint rescue operations, including bush combing and intensified surveillance along the highway, with a view to rescuing the abducted passengers and arresting the perpetrators.
Authorities have assured motorists that measures are being stepped up to secure the Okene–Auchi corridor and prevent further attacks.
- A Nigerian solar installer’s apprentice accidentally fell through a client’s roof and into a toilet after stepping on a weak part of an asbestos sheet.
- The viral TikTok video sparked safety concerns, with experts warning against poor training and improper solar panel installation.
A TikTok video shared by @solidelectricalcompany has gone viral after capturing a shocking accident involving a Nigerian solar installer’s apprentice who crashed through a client’s roof and landed inside a toilet.
The incident occurred when the apprentice mistakenly stepped on the wrong section of an asbestos roof while working. Instead of placing his weight on the wooden beams designed to support movement, he stepped on the middle of a fragile roofing sheet, which immediately gave way under his weight.
Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in the fall. The apprentice reportedly accepted responsibility for the mishap and purchased a new roofing sheet to repair the damage caused.
The video has since drawn reactions from professionals in the solar installation industry. Experts noted that such accidents are common when installers lack proper training and safety awareness.
In other news…..Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has expressed her excitement following the remarkable success of her latest film, Behind The Scenes.
The movie has reportedly shattered box office records both in Nigeria and internationally. Taking to Instagram, Akindele celebrated the impressive turnout in cinemas, describing it as a testament to the power of persistence and consistency.
Early reports indicate that Behind The Scenes earned over N200 million in Nigerian cinemas and £42,000 in the UK and Ireland during its opening weekend.
In a heartfelt message, the actress, who recently visited colleague Eniola Badmus, thanked her fans for their unwavering support over the years.
She wrote:
“We’re showing up and not giving up! Big ups, Naija! Huge thank you for coming out to support Behind The Scenes at the cinemas! We broke another record, the biggest opening in 2025!”
Akindele also acknowledged her fans in the UK and Ireland, highlighting that they helped achieve what she called the largest Nollywood opening weekend in those regions.
“A massive shoutout to our UK and Ireland fans, you guys made it the biggest Nollywood opening weekend EVER!” she added.
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has challenged the federal and state governments to wake up to their duty of securing the nation and the people.
The NLC, leading affiliate unions in a street protest in Adamawa State on Wednesday, said no Nigerian is safe anywhere.
President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Comrade Muhammad Ibrahim, who represented the NLC President at the Yola protest, said, “Our students are not safe; our farmers are not secured; we can’t sleep in our homes.”
He added that while many families lose their loved ones to kidnappers because they have no money for ransom, some other families sell all they possess to pay ransom and then slip into greater socio-economic vulnerability in a country where the level of poverty is already very high.
He stressed that the scourge of insecurity is tearing the nation apart, adding, “Government at all levels must wake up to their primary responsibility of securing our people.”
A staff member of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has given details of the plane crash that occured at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, SMICA, Owerri, Imo State.
Naija News reports that a chartered aircraft, with call sign, ASR, registration number 5N-SKR, a C-172 aircraft operated by Sky Power Kaduna, crashed at about 8pm Tuesday night.
Speaking to Vanguard on strict grounds of anonymity, the NCAA staff said “the plane was on its way to Port Harcourt from Kaduna, made a crash landing at the threshold of Runway 17.”
The source also disclosed that “only four persons were in the aircraft and two of them were in very critical conditions and quickly rushed to the Nigerian Air Force Hospital, close to the airport.”
In a statement, the Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Nigerian Safety and Investigation Bureau, Mrs Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, said: “The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has been notified of an accident involving a Cessna 172 aircraft, with nationality and registration marks 5N-ASR, operated by Skypower Express.
“The occurrence took place today (yesterday) around 20:00 hours local time at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State.
“The aircraft was originally en route from Kaduna International Airport to Port Harcourt International Airport when the crew declared an emergency, necessitating a diversion to Owerri.
“The aircraft subsequently crashed in the approach area of Runway 17. There were four people on board at the time of the accident, with no fatalities reported so far.
“Following the occurrence, airport emergency services were successfully activated and arrived on site promptly. Reports indicate that there was no post-crash fire, and the runway remains active for flight operations, with other aircraft taking off safely after the incident.
“Efforts are currently underway to coordinate the recovery and evacuation of the distressed aircraft from the crash site to allow for a detailed wreckage examination. The NSIB has officially activated its protocols in accordance with its mandate.”