NIGERIA NEWS
Current Production Level Below Annual Estimate of 3.6m Metric Tons, Oyetola Laments – THISDAYLIVE
Kasim Sumaina in Abuja
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Wednesday in Abuja said that despite rise in local fish production from 1.1 million to 1.4 million metric tons in year, 2025, the current production level remains below Nigeria’s annual consumption estimate of 3.6 million metric tons.
He disclosed that, though the estimate reflects efforts to boost domestic output, reduce imports, and enhance food security, there’s need to boost local fish production, reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports, and strengthen food security.
The Minister, stated this while speaking at the 4th Quarter 2025 Citizens/Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting of the ministry.
Oyetola reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to repositioning fisheries and aquaculture as key drivers of economic diversification, job creation, and food security under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to him, “The growth recorded in the fisheries and aquaculture subsector reflects targeted interventions by the federal government aimed at strengthening local capacity, improving coordination, deploying appropriate technologies, and enhancing sectoral planning.
“In the area of fisheries and aquaculture, we are working deliberately and with unique agency to boost local fish production, reduce our dependence on imports, and strengthen food security. I’m pleased to report that local fish production has increased from 1.1 million metric tons to 1.4 million metric tons so far this year.”
To further accelerate growth, he explained the ministry has commenced engagements with relevant financial institutions to provide single-digit interest loans to fish farmers nationwide.
While acknowledging the current production level remains below Nigeria’s annual consumption estimate of 3.6 million metric tons, the progress achieved demonstrates growing momentum in the sector and a clear pathway toward self-sufficiency.
Oyetola stressed further that the initiative is designed to improve access to affordable finance, empower artisanal and industrial operators, boost productivity, and support efforts to curb illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in Nigerian waters.
He, however assured stakeholders that the ministry would continue to deepen reforms, strengthen institutions, and create an enabling environment for sustained private sector participation across the marine and blue economy value chain.
In his goodwill message, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) Pius Akutah, said the federal government’s commitment to positioning Nigeria’s marine and blue economy for increased investment, innovation and expansion, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to him, the meeting’s theme – Positioning Nigerian Marine and Blue Economy for Investment, Innovation and Expansion – reflects the administration’s determination to move the sector to the next level following the adoption of key policies.
The NSC ED, opined the participation of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) at the meeting is a strategic move to deepen Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in the sector, adding, “such collaborations are critical to attracting investment and accelerating growth.”
He maintained that as the year draws to a close, stakeholders are renewing efforts to strengthen the marine and blue economy as a viable alternative to Nigeria’s long-standing dependence on oil revenues.
He referenced encouraging performance indicators shared by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), as well as Nigeria’s readmission into the global maritime community, as signs of renewed confidence in the sector.
He added the developments demonstrate the Minister’s preparedness for even greater achievements in the coming year.
Commending stakeholders for their commitment throughout the year, he stated the leadership of the ministry has also spurred innovation within the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, which he said would further enhance the Council’s effectiveness and contribute to the overall success of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akuta however described the engagement meeting as evidence of the consistency of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and his team in implementing the president’s directives and advancing sector-wide reforms.
From Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi, Jos (18/12/25)
The death toll of 12 people who were killed in the Foron community of the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State on Tuesday night has risen to 14.
They were attacked by people suspected to be Fulani terrorists, with 12 cruelly murdered and five others seriously injured.
Confirming the latest two casualties to The Guardian on Thursday, Mr Dung Pam said that he had just come from the hospital, where two of those admitted were confirmed dead by the physicians.
Meanwhile, Senator Pam Mwadkon Dachungyang, representing Jos North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, has decried the attack on the villagers, where more than ten people lost their lives, and several others were injured.
He noted, “I cannot understand why people who are going about their normal business will be surrounded and shot at sporadically using what eyewitnesses described as sophisticated weapons.
“From all indications, the herders that have been terrorising our land are still around us and armed with the intent of destabilising our people and creating an atmosphere of fear among the populations.
“I honestly do not understand how the peaceful and accommodating disposition of our people has become a problem. We accept everybody in the spirit of live and let’s live, so when has that become a problem in recent times?”
Dachungyang, therefore, called on the intelligence and security agencies to not only arrest the perpetrators but ensure that they pay in full for the havoc they have visited on affected families, communities, and the state as a whole.
He emphasised that he is ever ready to assist in any way possible to ensure that the violence visited on the people of the zone is brought to a halt without any further delays.
He also used the opportunity to condole with the affected families while praying to God to grant the injured a speedy recovery.
On its part, the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM) has also received with deep shock, grief, and indignation the brutal attack, best described as “genocide and mass atrocity”, on Atoso village in Fan District of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, which occurred on Tuesday night at about 9:00 pm at a mining site by a terrorist group known as Fulani militants.
“The tragic incident claimed the lives of twelve (12) innocent persons, with three (3) others abducted and taken alive, while five (5) are currently hospitalised with varying degrees of injuries. This horrifying act has plunged the entire Atoso community and the Berom nation into mourning,” BYM added.
The President of the BYM, Barrister Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, who personally visited the scene of the incident alongside members of the association’s leadership, described the scene as a “heartbreaking incident” that followed the gruesome murder of four children at Dorong village of Foron District in the same Local Government Area, “where a rain of terror has continued to render humanity of the Berom ethnic nationality and other Nigerians a ‘soft target’ at the mercy of the attackers. This is therefore condemned in the strongest terms.”
The BYM expressed profound sympathy to the bereaved families and noted that the repeated killing of innocent citizens in their ancestral land is unacceptable and must not be allowed to continue despite the early warning alerts and signals always sent to the authorities concerned.
… seeks more federal presence
Ogbia Kingdom in Bayelsa and Rivers states on Wednesday formally pledged support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead forthcoming general elections.
They premised their support on tangible presence in the Niger Delta region and his inclusive governance.
On the delegation which met President Tinubu at the State House were Obanobhan Ogbia 111, His Royal Majesty Dumaro Charles Owaba; Obanobhan Emeyal, His Royal Majesty Wapabiama Amakiri and Olalebhu Abureni, His Royal Majesty, Collins Daniel.
Also on the entourage was the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.
2027: Tinubu will win massively in South-East, Ikonne replies Abaribe
King Collins Daniel, who spoke on behalf of others pledged the unalloyed support of its people for the success of the President’s efforts at building a greater Nigeria, lauding him for his commitment to inclusive development.
“In light of the above, it is our firm belief that Mr President has done us well and as such we cannot help but to reciprocate your kind gesture by inviting Mr President to contest the next Presidential election.
“You have the full support of the Ogbia Kingdom. Mr President, we are behind you”, King Daniel said.
Also speaking, the MD of the NDDC said the delegation had come to express appreciation for President Tinubu’s leadership style and the confidence he had reposed in sons and daughters of Ogbia through key national appointments, which it said had rekindled hope and reinforced faith in his administration.
“We have come first and foremost to express our heartfelt appreciation for your inclusive leadership and the confidence you have reposed in our sons and daughters through their recent appointments and re-appointments into key national positions,” he said.
The Ogbia leaders singled out the performance of the NDDC under Dr Ogbuku, noting that since his appointment on August 29, 2023, communities across Ogbia Kingdom and the wider Niger Delta had witnessed “unprecedented infrastructural and human capital development.”
“Suffice it to say that virtually every community in Ogbia Kingdom and in the Niger Delta now enjoy solar lights at night, which has significantly illuminated the Niger Delta and boosted economic activities,” the delegation said, adding that the interventions had “to a large extent curbed insecurity in the Kingdom and the entire region.”
They listed road construction, ecological projects, upgraded health facilities and youth empowerment programmes such as Project HOPE in technology, agriculture, arts and green energy as part of the NDDC’s achievements, describing President Tinubu’s choice of Dr Ogbuku as “not misplaced.”
“Your appointment of Dr Samuel Ogbuku sends a clear message of your confidence in indigenous leadership and reinforces the trust of the Niger Delta people in your Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The delegation concluded by assuring President Tinubu of its “unalloyed loyalty and support,” inviting him to visit Ogbia Kingdom and praying for wisdom and strength as he leads the country.
“May God Almighty continue to grant you wisdom, strength and good health as you steer the affairs of our great nation,” the delegation said.
Responding, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assured the delegation that his administration would work closely with Niger Delta indigenes serving in government, particularly the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, to deepen development efforts in the region.
“We cannot excuse the neglect of the past, but living in the past will do us no good, except take it and run with it now, carefully,” Tinubu said.
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has clinched four awards at the 19th Annual SERVICOM Awards, highlighting its dedication to citizen-centred service delivery.
At the Abuja ceremony, NSITF’s Managing Director/CEO, Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, received the 2025 SERVICOM Award for Support and Commitment to Citizen-Centred Service Delivery.
The award recognised his pragmatic leadership, which has enhanced the Fund’s service excellence.
The Fund also won the SERVICOM Special Recognition Award (“Servicomworkshere”) for positively impacting lives through quality service. Additionally, Mrs. Gertrude Biosah, Head of the Fund’s SERVICOM Department, was named Second Best Performing Nodal Officer (Parastatal), while the NSITF Parastatal SERVICOM Unit (PSU) Team C received the Second Best Performing Parastatal SERVICOM Unit award.
The awards, presented by Mr. Anthony Olugbenga Oshun, Acting National Coordinator and CEO of SERVICOM, aim to foster service excellence, accountability, and best practices across government agencies.
The ceremony drew representatives from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of the Civil Service, and 29 other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
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The Federal Government has officially reopened all 47 previously closed Federal Unity Colleges nationwide, emphasizing its commitment to student safety and the uninterrupted delivery of quality education.
The reopening follows the strengthening of security measures within and around the affected schools, allowing academic activities to fully resume.
In a statement signed by Mrs. Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, the ministry confirmed that students have safely returned to their campuses. Many have completed their December academic programmes, while others have concluded their examinations.
“The safety, welfare, and well-being of students remain our highest priority,” the statement read, assuring parents, guardians, and the public that the government continues to collaborate with relevant security agencies to maintain stability in school environments across the country.
The ministry reiterated the government’s resolve to protect every Nigerian child and uphold their fundamental right to education in a safe and secure environment, highlighting that education remains a key pillar of national growth and development.
According to the statement, the safe return of students and the successful conduct of examinations in several Unity Colleges demonstrate the government’s determination to prevent disruptions to the academic calendar despite prevailing security challenges.
The ministry also expressed appreciation to parents, school administrators, and students for their cooperation and patience, reaffirming its commitment to sustaining a secure, stable, and uninterrupted education system nationwide.
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NIGERIA NEWS
Ebonyi Police ACP Ogbon-Inu Popoola Slumps, Dies During Management Meeting — Akelicious
Ebonyi State Police Command Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Ogbon-Inu Taiwo Popoola, has reportedly died after he slumped during a management meeting at the office of the Commissioner of Police on Tuesday.
He was immediately rushed to the Police Medical Centre at the command’s Headquarters in Abakaliki. Despite all efforts, however, he was confirmed dead by doctors.
Preliminary medical findings indicated that the cause of death was cardiac arrest, secondary to hypertensive heart disease.
The Command’s spokesperson, Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the death on Thursday.
He said, “He had a crisis during a meeting and was rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, he didn’t survive. He was not sick before the incident. If he were sick, he wouldn’t have attended the meeting”
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The Kwara State Police Command has arrested three suspected kidnappers and recovered 54 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition during a security operation in the state.
The development was contained in a post shared on X on Thursday by security analyst, Zagazola Makama.
According to Makama, the arrests followed an intelligence-led patrol carried out by local vigilantes in the Bani area of Kwara State at about 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Makama disclosed that vigilante operatives, led by their commander in Bani, Taiye Abubakar, were on routine patrol when they spotted two men riding a Bajaj motorcycle and attempted to stop them.
“One of the suspects reportedly fled, while the other was arrested on the spot,” Makama wrote.
A search conducted on the arrested suspect led to the recovery of 54 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition in his possession.
The suspects were identified as Gero Mahamadu and Lawale Falike, both from communities around the Bani and Jebba axis.
During interrogation, the arrested suspect allegedly confessed that the ammunition was supplied by two other individuals and was meant to be delivered to another accomplice for a planned kidnapping operation.
Following the confession, security operatives arrested another suspect linked to the case, while efforts are ongoing to track down the remaining suspects who are currently on the run.
NIGERIA NEWS
Drama Erupts As Event Planner Blocks Bride From Attending Wedding Over Outstanding Payment
- Chaos occurred at a wedding venue when an event planner stopped a bride from leaving for her church ceremony.
- The incident was captured in a viral video shared on X by user @Teniola.
- The bride was dressed and seated in a car, ready to depart when the planner intervened.
Chaos erupted at a wedding venue when an event planner allegedly prevented a bride from leaving for her church ceremony due to unpaid service fees.
A viral video posted on X by user @Teniola showed the bride already dressed in her wedding attire and seated inside a car, ready to depart for the church. However, the event planner blocked her from leaving, insisting that all outstanding payments had to be cleared before she could proceed.
Guests at the venue were heard appealing to the planner, asking her to allow the bride attend the church service first and return later to settle the balance.
“Please let her go to the church and come back to pay. Allow her,” some attendees pleaded.
Despite the appeals, the event planner refused to relent, stressing that her services had not been fully paid for.
“She’s not going anywhere. My canopy, tent, decorations and wedding outfits are here — she is not leaving,” she reportedly said.
The standoff created confusion and tension at the venue, with guests split over the issue and debates breaking out over who was at fault.
The incident has also triggered varied reactions on social media. While some users questioned why services were rendered without full payment, others criticised the situation entirely, with one commenter saying, “Is marriage by force? This is shameful.”
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Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has assured public servants in the state that his administration will no longer allow delays in the payment of benefits owed to workers who have completed their service.
The governor gave the assurance while overseeing the disbursement of severance gratuities, accommodation, and leave allowances to 1,371 former local government councillors who served between 2021 and 2024.
The event, held on Wednesday at the Coronation Hall of the Government House in Kano, marked the payment of the final batch of outstanding entitlements, which amounted to N8.26 billion.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Yusuf said workers who devoted years of service to the state should not be made to suffer after leaving office.
“Our administration will no longer tolerate situations where public servants are kept waiting endlessly for benefits they are legally entitled to,” the governor said.
He explained that the payment was part of deliberate efforts by his government to clear inherited liabilities and restore confidence in the public service.
Governor Yusuf added that reforms have been introduced within the system to stop the accumulation of arrears and ensure that benefits are processed and paid on time.
“We are putting structures in place to ensure transparency, accountability, and proper management of workers’ entitlements,” he said.
The governor also restated his commitment to people-centred governance.
The statement noted that Kano belongs to everyone and must be managed with fairness and responsibility.
Former spokesman for the South-East to President Bola Tinubu, Josef Onoh, has urged the former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, to submit himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Onoh made the call in a statement on Wednesday while reacting to Malami’s call for the Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, to recuse himself from his investigations.
He accused Malami of hypocrisy and a blatant disregard for the rule of law.
According to him, Malami’s claims of political persecution were inconsistent with his record as AGF, during which he alleged that court orders were repeatedly disobeyed and prosecutions politicised.
On the handling of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, Onoh said actions taken during Malami’s tenure were widely criticised for violating court orders.
He dismissed Malami’s reliance on the Justice Ayo Salami panel report as grounds for demanding Olukoyede’s recusal, arguing that the EFCC chairman’s previous role as secretary to the panel does not preclude him from overseeing investigations.
Onoh maintained that the EFCC should be allowed to carry out its statutory duties without interference, stressing that no former public office holder is immune from investigation.
He further challenged Malami to submit himself to due process and defend his actions in court if he believes he has no case to answer.
- FIFA has announced a record-breaking $727 million prize pool for the 2026 World Cup, with $655 million to be distributed among the 48 participating teams.
- The tournament winners will earn $50 million, the highest payout in World Cup history, while all qualified teams will also receive $1.5 million each to support pre-tournament preparations.
FIFA has confirmed a total prize pool of $727 million for the 2026 World Cup, with $655 million set to be shared among the 48 participating nations. This marks a significant increase in payouts for the tournament.
The eventual champions will take home $50 million, the largest payout in the history of the competition.
Prize Money Breakdown:
Winners: $50 million
Runners-up: $33 million
3rd Place: $29 million
4th Place: $27 million
5th – 8th Place (Quarter-finalists): $19 million each
Round of 16: $15 million each
Group Stage: $9 million each
In addition to these earnings, every qualifying team will be reimbursed $1.5 million to help cover their preparation costs before the tournament begins.
In other news…. A Nigerian banker, known on TikTok as @ikenga, has shared a viral warning from a customer who is clearly not taking the upcoming 2026 tax reform lightly.
The new law, which starts on January 1, 2026, is actually designed to help many workers by making the first ₦800,000 of annual income tax-free, meaning those earning around ₦100,000 a month won’t pay PAYE tax.
Despite the potential benefits for many, the customer sent a direct and stern message to the banker to ensure his own balance remains untouched.
The message read: “Good evening Mr Ikenga, I hope this new I’m hearing about this tax won’t affect my account. If I find one naira from my account eh, your name go be sorry. No even try near estate gate that whole week. Thank you.”
The post has sparked a wave of funny reactions from people who related to the customer’s protective energy over his money.
One TikTok user, @heissamiey, teased the banker by saying, “He don warn you like that , you go think say Na play 😂,”
@Dammysola & Mum warned, “You better no let it reach his account😂.”
Another commenter, @Better_in_Data, jokingly sided with the customer, adding, “I support your customer no sha near Estate gate😂😂.”
