NIGERIA NEWS
Gov Ododo Clarifies Executive Proclamation, Says Measures Not State of Emergency
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has explained that the recently announced Executive Proclamation on security protocols does not amount to a declaration of a state of emergency but represents strategic steps designed to strengthen the state’s security framework and flush out criminal elements across Kogi State.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Hon. Ismaila Isah, who noted that the proclamation is a lawful constitutional action targeted at improving security coordination while safeguarding lives and property throughout the state.
Governor Ododo emphasized that the proclamation falls within his constitutional responsibilities as the Chief Security Officer of the state, as provided under Section 14 subsection 2(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
According to him, the measures are intended to boost cooperation among security agencies and do not involve the suspension of constitutional rights nor the imposition of a state of emergency.
The Governor explained that the security protocols include verification of security operatives, compulsory identification checks, and the prosecution of individuals who aid or abet criminal activities, including banditry and terrorism.
He further stated that the initiative is aimed at addressing the growing menace of fake security personnel while strengthening the overall security architecture of Kogi State.
Governor Ododo warned that any individual or organization found supporting criminal activities would be regarded as enemies of the state and prosecuted in line with existing laws.
He also stressed that properties used in the execution of criminal acts would be confiscated and forfeited to the Kogi State Government.
The action, he noted, is supported by relevant constitutional provisions as well as the Kogi State Anti-Kidnapping, Robbery and Terrorism Law of 2016, which grants the state government the authority to seize assets linked to violent crimes anywhere within the state.
The Governor expressed appreciation to security agencies for their commitment and efforts, while reassuring residents of his administration’s determination to maintain peace and security across Kogi State.
Recall that Governor Ododo announced the security protocols on Tuesday following the recovery of a large cache of weapons by security agencies acting on intelligence reports within the state.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the bail summons filed by Abubakar Malami, former Attorney-General of the Federation and minister of justice, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Babangida Hassan of the Federal High Court, held that Malami’s detention by the EFCC was lawful.
Malami, through his counsel, Suliaman Hassan, had asked the court to grant him bail, arguing that his detention by the commission in the course of an ongoing investigation was illegal.
Jubrin Okutepa, counsel to the EFCC, told the court that the commission was holding Malami pursuant to a valid remand order issued by Sylvanus Oriji of the FCT High Court.
In his ruling, Hassan cited section 35 of the constitution and provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to hold that Malami was lawfully detained under a subsisting remand order.
“Asking this court to grant this application is tantamount to inviting the court to sit as an appellate court over an application made by a court of coordinate jurisdiction, which the court has no power to do,” the judge said.
The EFCC had earlier dismissed claims of political bias, insisting that its operations are apolitical.
The commission was responding to allegations by Malami that his bail was revoked over his alleged attendance at a political gathering in Kebbi state.
Malami, who is under investigation by the commission, is facing 18 allegations bordering on money laundering, abuse of office and terrorism financing.
The Inspector-General of Police has approved the demobilisation of officers attached to No. 24 police mobile force (PMF) presidential escort at the State House in Abuja, with immediate redeployment to state commands nationwide.
A police signal dated December 16, 2025, and referenced CH:5660/WEL/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.96, directed senior formations to effect the movement of the affected officers without delay.
The signal was issued by the department of finance and administration (welfare) at force headquarters, Abuja.
It was addressed to the deputy inspector-general of police in charge of operations, assistant inspectors-general overseeing PMF and zonal commands, and commissioners of police across the country.
The directive confirmed that the officers affected were those deployed for close protection duties at the presidential villa.
The officers are to return from Abuja to their respective state commands, including Adamawa, Kebbi, Kaduna, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, and the federal capital territory.
Other commands receiving redeployed officers include Imo, Jigawa, Kogi, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe.
The signal also indicated redeployments to police zones, including zones 1 (Kano), 3 (Yola), and 7 (Abuja).
Copies of the directive were sent to the chief personal security officer to the president, the commander of No. 24 PMF Abuja, and police formations across several state capitals.
The redeployment follows President Bola Tinubu’s directive in November ordering the withdrawal of police officers from VIP escort and guard duties.
Tinubu had directed that the officers be reassigned to core policing duties amid rising insecurity across the country.
The directive has triggered enforcement measures, including the deployment of special police teams to monitor compliance and the assignment of civil defence officers to replace withdrawn escorts.
Nigeria’s drug and food regulator has destroyed more than 600 tons of counterfeit, expired and substandard products valued at over N10 billion in Kano, in one of the agency’s largest public enforcement actions in recent years.
The exercise, carried out by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), involved the burning of 618 tons of regulated products seized from markets and warehouses across Kano and neighboring states. Officials said the destroyed items posed serious risks to public health and safety and ranged from fake medicines to contaminated food products and hazardous cosmetics.
Speaking at the site of the destruction, NAFDAC’s director general, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the action showed the government’s determination to curb the circulation of dangerous products and to hold offenders accountable. She was represented at the event by Fraden Nantim-Mullah, the agency’s director for Nigeria’s North-West zone.
What they are saying
Among the destroyed items were counterfeit and substandard medicines, including antibiotics, antimalarial drugs, blood pressure medications, painkillers, herbal preparations and controlled psychoactive substances.
- “Our mandate is unequivocal: to ensure that every regulated product available to Nigerians meets stringent standards of safety and quality.
- “Today’s exercise demonstrates our unwavering commitment to executing this mandate without compromise,” Adeyeye said.
Officials said the seizures also included adulterated vegetable oils, contaminated beverages, unsafe sachet water, falsified tomato paste and substandard food condiments.
NAFDAC also destroyed cosmetic products containing hazardous chemical compounds, fake agrochemicals such as insecticides and pesticides that threaten food production, and counterfeit medical devices, including compromised diagnostic kits and infusion equipment. Each category, Ms. Adeyeye said, represented a direct threat to public health.
- “Each of these categories represents a deliberate assault on public health. Those involved are not just breaking regulations; they are endangering lives and undermining Nigeria’s health security,” she said.
What you should know
Nigeria has long struggled with the circulation of fake and substandard medicines, particularly in large commercial hubs like Kano, which serves as a major distribution center for northern Nigeria and parts of West Africa. Public health experts say such products contribute to drug resistance, treatment failures and preventable deaths.
- Ms. Adeyeye noted that the destruction exercise came as Nigeria recently attained the World Health Organization’s Maturity Level 3 status, a benchmark indicating a stable and well-functioning regulatory system.
- She said NAFDAC was working toward Level 4, the highest global standard, with the backing of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
- Removing falsified and substandard products from circulation, she added, would also have economic benefits by lowering healthcare costs and improving productivity.
The Kano exercise follows similar large-scale actions by the agency in recent months. In October 2025, NAFDAC destroyed unwholesome, falsified and expired medical products valued at more than N15 billion at the Moniya dumpsite in Ibadan, in southwestern Oyo State. That operation was led by Ms. Adeyeye and carried out to prevent seized products from re-entering circulation, according to the agency.
Nigeria has struggled for decades with the widespread availability of fake medicines, particularly in major commercial hubs like Kano, which serves as a key distribution point for northern Nigeria and parts of West Africa.
US travel ban has sparked fresh concerns after an American travel content creator said the policy has trapped families in painful and unexpected legal uncertainty.
The US travel ban followed a new Proclamation signed by President Donald Trump, expanding entry restrictions to more countries, including Nigeria.
American citizen raises alarm over policy
Chris Joondeph, a United States citizen married to a Nigerian woman, shared his concerns in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
Joondeph said the US travel ban has left him and his wife stuck in a situation with no clear legal solution.
He explained that the Proclamation was signed by President Trump on Tuesday and immediately affected families like his.
Nigeria added to restricted countries
President Trump signed the Proclamation restricting entry for nationals from countries described as high-risk to U.S. security and public safety.
The US travel ban added 15 more countries under partial restrictions, with Nigeria included among them.
Authorities said the countries listed have persistent deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information sharing.
Wife now has “no path” to enter US
In a video shared online, Joondeph said his wife, Adenike, currently has “no path” to enter the United States.
He said they have been waiting for her visa interview since May 2024, forcing them to live apart.
“It is now extremely unlikely that my wife will be able to visit the United States anytime soon,” Joondeph said.
“I’ve been married to my beautiful wife, Adenike, for the past year and a half.”
“We have been waiting for her visa interview to come to the United States since May 2024.”
“With the new presidential travel ban, she currently has no path to come to the United States.”
“This means that, as it stands as of yesterday evening, as a US citizen, I cannot bring my spouse to the United States.”
“Not even to visit.”
Family separation concerns grow
Joondeph said the US travel ban has deepened emotional strain for families already separated by lengthy visa processes.
He noted that his wife has never visited the United States or met most of his relatives.
“We have known each other for five years, and my wife has never been able to come to the United States,” he said.
“My wife has never met the majority of my relatives.”
“She has never set foot in my home country of the United States.”
Immigrant visas now affected
According to Joondeph, the US travel ban goes further than earlier restrictions.
He said previous bans mainly affected non-immigrant visas like tourist, student, and business visas.
“As of the presidential proclamation yesterday, the U.S. will no longer issue immigrant visas to Nigerian spouses,” he said.
“Previously, people petitioning for their spouses or children were exempt. This is no longer the case.”
White House defends decision
Reports state that the Proclamation maintains full restrictions on 12 previously listed high-risk countries.
It also adds full restrictions on five additional countries and partial restrictions on 15 more, including Nigeria.
The fact sheet notes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, diplomats, athletes, and cases serving U.S. national interests.
It adds that family-based immigrant visa carve-outs with “demonstrated fraud risks” have been narrowed. Case-by-case waivers are still possible.
The White House said the US travel ban is needed to protect national security and enforce immigration laws.
Watch the video here…
𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐟𝐞
An American travel content creator, Chris Joondeph, has lamented the cost of the newly signed United States presidential travel ban,… pic.twitter.com/x792BZmJqV
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) December 18, 2025
Alex Enumah in Abuja
Justice Maryam Hassan of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Thursday, granted bail to former Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige, arraigned on corruption charges.
Justice Hassan, who adopted the administrative bail earlier granted Ngige by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), held that the offence for which the former Anambra governor was charged with is a bail-able offence.
Nigige, who was minister for eight years in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, was last week Friday arraigned on an eight-count charge of corrupt practices.
He was then remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, till Monday for hearing in his bail application.
However, the judge adjourned till Thursday for ruling, shortly after the application was moved by his lawyer and same opposed by the prosecution.
Delivering ruling on Thursday, Justice Hassan besides stating that the offence is a bail-able one, remarked that courts need not impose outlandish, excessive, harsh and stringent bail conditions on defendants, as doing so could amount to refusal of bail in the first instance.
She subsequently admitted Ngige to bail on the same terms earlier granted the defendant by the EFCC, adding that Ngige should produce a surety who must be a Director in a Federal Government employment.
The Director must have landed property in the FCT with Certificate of Occupancy and must deposit the original copy of the certificate with the court.
Besides, the Director must deposit his international travel passport with the court registrar, which would then be returned to him, after the defendant has obtained his new international passport to be deposited with the court.
Ngige, who spent eight years as labour minister was specifically charged with conferring unfair advantage on his associates in the award of several contracts when he held office as minister, between 2015 and 2023.
He was also accused of corruptly accepting gifts of several millions of naira through his organizations, while he was in office.
He however pleaded not guilty to all the eighth-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In the charge marked: FCT/HC/CR/726/2025, the former minister in count one was alleged to have used his position as Minister of Labour and Employment and the Supervising Minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), “to confer an unfair advantage upon Cezimo Nigeria Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles is your associate, by the award of Seven different contracts for consultancy, training and supply by the NSITF to the said company to the tune of N366,470,920.68”.
In count two, the former minister was alleged to have used his position to confer an unfair advantage “upon Zitacom Nigeria Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles is your associate, by the award of eight different contracts for supply, training and consultancy, with the NSITF, to the said company to the tune of N583,682,686.00”.
In count six, the anti-graft agency alleged that Ngige had sometime between May 2022 and June 2022 in Abuja, “did corruptly accept a gift, to wit: the sum of N38,650,000 only through your organization called Senator (Dr) Chris Nwabueze Ngige Campaign Organization from Cezimo Nigeria Limited (Zenith Bank Account Number 1011901119), a contractor with the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), while performing your official act as Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 17(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 179(c) of the same Act”.
Three loyalists of Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and a member of the Labour Party, on Thursday, announced their defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing the prolonged crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The members who defected from the PDP to the APC are Boniface Emerengwa, Boma Goodhead, and Awaji Nombet Abiante from the PDP and Manuchin Umezuruike from the Labour Party to the APC.
The letters of defection of the four lawmakers were read at plenary on Thursday by the Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen.
Abiante and the other two members, who are close associates of Rivers state Governor, said they were leaving the PDP to join the APC as a result of the protracted and unresolved crisis in the PDP.
Umezuruike, on his part, said he was leaving the Labour Party due to the lingering litigations, adding that it is not as a result of personal interest, but the interest of his people.
This will bring the number of members on the APC platform to about 250
French lawmakers on Thursday unanimously approved a bill exonerating women punished for abortion before it was legalised in 1975, a moved praised by feminist groups as a stand for reproductive rights.
A unanimous vote in parliament’s lower house, the National Assembly, finalised the adoption of a proposal that was accepted by the Senate in March and backed by the government.
Its text recognises that enforcement of previous laws “criminalising the use of, practice of, access to, and information about abortion” constituted “an infringement of the protection of women’s health, of sexual and reproductive autonomy”, as well as “of women’s rights”.
The pre-1975 laws led to “numerous deaths” and caused “physical and moral suffering”, it adds.
This “is an act of justice toward those thousands of lives shattered by unjust laws”, said Aurore Berge, the minister-delegate for gender equality, during a speech in which she spoke of an abortion her mother had.
“We have a responsibility to make amends, but above all we have a duty to sound the alarm,” she added, highlighting attacks on women’s rights “all around the world”.
Between 1870 and 1975, more than 11,660 people were convicted for performing or seeking an abortion, according to official estimates.
The law does not provide for reparations but stipulates the creation of a commission tasked with helping collect and share memories of women forced into secret abortions and of those who helped them.
On Thursday, lawmakers welcomed the presence in the gallery of Claudine Monteil, one of 343 women who in 1971 signed an open letter saying that they had had abortions and calling for legalisation.
France decriminalised the voluntary termination of a pregnancy with the 1975 Veil Law, named after women’s rights champion and health minister Simone Veil, who championed legalising abortion.
Last year it became the first country in the world to enshrine the right to terminate a pregnancy in its constitution.
Abortion remains a hot-button political issue in many countries, with some including the United States rolling back reproductive rights in recent years.
“France is sending a clear message, at home and abroad: no one should ever be convicted for having an abortion,” the Women’s Foundation, a feminist group, said in a statement.
The European Parliament adopted a text this week urging the European Union to facilitate access to “safe” abortions for all women on the continent, where access varies markedly from one country to another.
The post France exonerates women convicted over abortions before legalisation appeared first on Vanguard News.
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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