NIGERIA NEWS
Ibaji Community Speaks Out Against KOSOPADEC Law Amendment, Accuses Kogi Government of Injustice
The people of Ibaji Local Government Area in Kogi State, has vehemently rejected the amended Kogi State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (KOSOPADEC) Law of July 2025, which they claim is “repugnant, oppressive, and unjust” and denies them their rightful representation and benefits.
In a statement signed by Ogah Mark Okpanachi, a stakeholder and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ibaji, the community accused the Kogi State Government and the State House of Assembly of ignoring their concerns and perpetuating marginalization.
“We, the people of Ibaji, have followed all democratic and lawful channels to express our discontent with the amended law, but our voices have been ignored,” the statement read. “We have written letters, held consultations, addressed the press, and participated in stakeholder meetings, but our people continue to be taken for granted, while our loyalty is repaid with exclusion, oppression, and the removal of what rightfully belongs to us as host oil-producing communities.”
The community is demanding the repeal of the amended law and a return to the principal KOSOPADEC Law of December 2023, which they claim aligns with equity, inclusivity, due process, social justice, and the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
“Ibaji people have followed all democratic and lawful channels. We have written letters, held consultations, addressed the press, and participated in stakeholder meetings as directed. Yet, our people continue to be taken for granted, while our loyalty is repaid with exclusion, oppression, and the removal of what rightfully belongs to us as host oil-producing communities,” the statement emphasized.
The community has appealed to Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo to intervene and facilitate the reversal of the amended law, assuring him of their continued support.
“We will not fold our arms and watch our collective interest eroded through silence and inaction. We call on His Excellency, Governor Alhaji Usman Ahmed Ododo, and the Kogi State House of Assembly to urgently do the needful by repealing the amended KOSOPADEC Law of July 2025 and restoring the principal law of December 2023,” the statement concluded.
NIGERIA NEWS
Lady Speaks after She Was Chased Out of Church Because of Her Dress, Video Gets Attention
- A Nigerian lady has shared a video on TikTok showing the dress she wore to church, which was deemed inappropriate
- In the video, she disclosed that she was asked to leave the church for wearing a sleeveless native dress with her right shoulder exposed
- The video sparked mixed reactions on the platform, with some people supporting the church’s decision while others criticised it
A Nigerian lady recently sparked debate on TikTok after sharing a video of herself wearing a dress to church that was considered inappropriate.
According to her, she was asked to leave the service, as the attire did not conform to the dress expectations of the ‘Catholic church’.
Nigerian lady shares why she was asked to leave Catholic church.
Photo credit: Ebere Happiness/TikTok, COPYRIGHT, Jong-Won Heo/ Getty Images.
Source: TikTok
Lady kicked out of church over inappropriate dress
The video quickly attracted attention online, with users expressing varied opinions about the incident.
Identified as Ebere Happiness on X, the lady displayed herself in the dress, turning to show both the front and back for viewers to see the outfit clearly.
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Nigerian lady almost in tears as she forgets international passport on day of relocation, Video goes viral
She explained that the sleeveless native dress, which left her right shoulder exposed, caused church officials to ask her to step outside.
“I got kicked out of the Catholic Church in Nigeria because my dress was inappropriate,” she captioned the post.
Nigerian lady asked to leave Catholic church service because of her dress.
Photo credit: Ebere Happiness/TikTok.
Source: TikTok
Reactions as lady displays dress deemed ‘inappropriate’
TikTok users formed their own judgments on whether the attire was appropriate for a Catholic service in Nigeria.
Reactions on social media were divided, with some people agreeing with the church’s stance on maintaining decent dress codes for congregants.
Supporters of the decision argued that religious spaces often require adherence to modest clothing guidelines, and that the request for her to leave was a way of enforcing these norms.
Others, however, criticised the action, stating that it was overly strict or outdated.
@Belicious Foods NG reacted:
“Can you wear this to an interview? If your answer is No, then why wear it to church?”
@Jessica said:
“But Catholic Churches are one of the churches that doesn’t care about what you wear and I’m saying this as someone who had been a catholic since I was born.”
Read also
Corps member breaks silence after getting sacked from PPA: “I didn’t know”
@Tiana said:
“If the church doesn’t accept your dress they have no rights to send her out, it’s the house of God not anyone’s house. The ushers should have given a scarf or wrapper to wrap up then address her about it.”
@stnuresluchi said:
“I’m a catholic and was once sent out of the church to sit outside because of my dress and I wasn’t offended rather was ashamed because I know the dressing code. I later went home and attended a different mass, so if she was a catholic she wouldn’t be offended. Know the rules and keep to it.”
@cassia added:
“For those saying wearing it to work, an office space, you know there’s a difference between church attire and official fits, let’s be honest with ourselves and stop trying to pull people down indirectly, apart from maybe her shoulder being exposed what else is wrong with it, the length is good everything, plus in some offices, African wear is used for Friday so it’s good anyways, just a coat.”
Read also
Family calls meeting as wife reports husband over nonchalance: “Nothing ever bothers him”
See the post below:
Lady stopped from entering church over dress
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a Nigerian lady publicly expressed her displeasure after she was barred from entering a Catholic church due to her outfit.
She was astonished that in 2025, the church attendant did not allow her into the church because her arms were exposed, and nothing else.
Source: Legit.ng
Drama broke out at a wedding venue after an event planner reportedly stopped a bride from heading to her wedding ceremony over unpaid bills.
In a viral video shared by @Teniola on X, the bride was seen seated in a car, fully dressed and ready to leave for the church, when the event planner blocked her, insisting that outstanding payments must be settled first.
Wedding attendees at the venue could be heard pleading with the planner, urging her to allow the bride proceed to the church and return afterward to complete the payment.
“Allow her, let her go to church and come back. She will pay you. Please allow her,” some voices pleaded.
However, the event planner stood her ground and refused to budge. In response, she was heard saying:
“You aren’t going anywhere. My canopy, the tent, decoration and wedding clothes — she is not going anywhere.”
The confrontation reportedly caused tension and confusion at the venue, with guests divided over who was right and who was wrong.
The incident has since sparked mixed reactions online. One commentator wrote, “How will you render a service without collecting payment?” while another said, “Is it by force to do wedding? I shame for you people.”
Watch video below…
See the embarrvssing moment an Event Planner stopped a bride from going to her wedding because of unpaid bills 👀 pic.twitter.com/N3MDMRUsQC
— TENIOLA (@Teeniiola) December 18, 2025
Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State has disclosed that he was never a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Fubara also claimed that PDP caused 90 percent of the political crisis he passed through.
He spoke while addressing journalists on Wednesday night after visiting the All Progressives Congress, APC, National Secretariat in Abuja.
“If I have to be honest, was I really a member of the PDP? I wasn’t. Whatever I suffered during the political crisis, 90 per cent of it was imposed on me by the party.
“I was in my former party, just there. During the crisis, you can’t associate me with any group. I was just, let me say, at the balcony, I wasn’t inside the house; I was outside, at the balcony,” he said.
The governor, who recently joined the APC, said his visit was to familiarize himself with the party’s structure and leadership.
“I can’t belong to a house without first coming into the house and understanding how it is arranged. I felt it would be proper for me to visit the National Secretariat today to familiarise myself with the members and the operations. This way, when I come here next time, it won’t feel as if I am a new person,” he added.
The Senate has confirmed the appointment of the remaining 64 ambassadorial nominees.
Of these, 34 are career diplomats, while the other 30 are non-career appointees.
Among the career ambassadors are Arewa Esther (Oyo State), Adeola-Ibrahim Mopelola (Ogun), Ramat Omonbolale (Lagos), Monica Okechukwu Enebechi (Anambra), Adams Jane Basset (Cross River), Mohammed Lele (Bauchi), and Muhammad Dahiru (Kaduna).
The non-career ambassadors include Ajimobi Florence (Oyo), Sulola Akande (Oyo), Uguwanyi Ifeanyi (Enugu), Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom), Femi Fani-Kayode (Osun), Jerry Manwe (Taraba), Reno Omokri (Delta), Ibas Ibok-Ette (Cross River), Abdulrahman Dambazzau (Kano), and Abas Braimah (Edo).
The Senate had previously confirmed three other non-career ambassadors, bringing the total number of confirmed nominees to 67.
The House of Representatives has kicked off a sweeping review of all bilateral and multilateral treaties, protocols, agreements, and foreign-assisted contracts signed by Nigeria, in a move aimed at protecting the country’s sovereignty and national assets.
The announcement came from the Chairman of the Committee on Treaties, Protocols & Agreements, Rabiu Yusuf, who briefed House Correspondents in Abuja.
The initiative aims to safeguard national interests and ensure that international commitments do not compromise the country’s sovereignty.
What he said
Rabiu stated that the process is intended to strengthen constitutional oversight, protect national assets, and mitigate financial, legal, or security risks linked to Nigeria’s international agreements.
“We have to stand as legislators to ensure checks and balances, as provided by the Constitution, by supervising and monitoring all agreements entered into on behalf of Nigeria.
“Our mandate is to examine all bilateral and multilateral treaties, protocols, agreements and foreign-funded contracts, and determine whether they protect or endanger our national interest,” Yusuf said.
The chairman stressed that the investigation is not political, but a necessary preventive and corrective measure.
- Yusuf explained that over the years, Nigeria has signed numerous treaties and contracts without adequate parliamentary oversight, domestication, or continuous monitoring.
- He highlighted that some of these agreements contain “hidden obligations, sovereignty waivers, unfavourable arbitration clauses or financial risks” that Nigerians are largely unaware of.
- Foreign-funded infrastructure projects will come under particular scrutiny, including the terms of loans, value for money, compliance with local content, labor and environmental standards, and overall contract performance.
“Nigeria cannot afford to enter into a treaty that weakens our legal authority, compromises national assets or burdens future generations with unsustainable liabilities,” he warned.
Constitutional powers invoked
The review is also meant to ensure full compliance with Section 12 of the 1999 Constitution, which requires National Assembly approval and domestication of treaties before they become legally binding in Nigeria.
The committee warned that agencies or stakeholders failing to cooperate would face sanctions, citing Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution, which empower the National Assembly to enforce compliance.
What you should know
Nigeria’s engagement in international agreements has been robust across multiple fronts. In August, the federal government secured the return of Petrobras to Nigeria and signed agreements with Brazil focused on boosting trade and energy collaboration, marking one of the high‑profile foreign arrangements aimed at strengthening ties and investment in the energy sector.
- Around the same time, the government and Brazilian counterparts finalised a bilateral air services agreement with Trinidad and Tobago, closing a negotiation that had been pending for over two decades and unlocking new routes and aviation cooperation opportunities.
- Nigeria also advanced energy diplomacy by signing agreements with Algeria and Niger to support the Trans‑Saharan Gas Pipeline, positioning the country at the heart of regional energy infrastructure projects that reach into European markets.
Meanwhile, a high‑profile tax cooperation memorandum of understanding signed between the Federal Inland Revenue Service and France’s Direction Générale des Finances Publiques has become a focal point in national debate, with critics and civil society calling for greater transparency and raising questions about data sovereignty and the implications of foreign technical assistance in tax administration.
Nigeria’s Presidency has said Tinubu anti-corruption stance remains firm, confirming that President Bola Tinubu will not interfere with agencies investigating corruption allegations.
The statement followed claims against Farouk Ahmed, former NMDPRA chief, who resigned amid accusations raised by Dangote Group chairman Aliko Dangote.
Presidency explains agency independence
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said on X that ICPC and EFCC are autonomous institutions.
He added that the ball is now in their courts to carry out their mandates, stressing that Mr President will not tell them what to do.
His remarks came in response to public criticism over the absence of arrests or formal investigations following Ahmed’s resignation.
An X user, @OurFavOnlineDoc, questioned the lack of accountability, writing: “No prosecution. No arrest. No investigation. No proper accountability.
“Just allegation of stealing public funds, followed by a quiet resignation, and everybody can move on. This is not how to build a sane country with trust, integrity, and respect before the world. What a shame.”
Onanuga dismissed the criticism as uninformed, explaining: “This is how we get things wrong through uninformed criticism. ICPC and EFCC are autonomous institutions.
“The ball is now in their courts to carry out their mandates. Mr President will not tell them what to do.”
He emphasised that Tinubu anti-corruption stance respects due process, stressing: “The President cannot dictate how the EFCC or ICPC handle such matters.”
According to Onanuga, the responsibility now lies with the agencies to investigate or prosecute independently, reinforcing that “Mr President will not tell them what to do.”
A senior police officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Ogbon-Inu Taiwo Popoola, has died while in active service in Ebonyi State.
The incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday during a management meeting at the office of the Commissioner of Police in Abakaliki, the state capital.
Until his sudden death, ACP Popoola was the officer in charge of the State Intelligence Department (SID).
Sources said he suddenly developed breathing difficulties and began gasping for breath during the meeting.
He was immediately rushed to the Police Medical Centre at the Police Headquarters in Abakaliki, where he was promptly attended to by medical personnel.
Despite efforts to resuscitate him, he was confirmed dead by doctors.
Preliminary medical findings indicated that the cause of death was cardiac arrest, secondary to hypertensive heart disease.
His remains have been deposited at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital (AE-FUTHA 1) mortuary in Abakaliki.
The Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the death on Thursday.
He said, “Yes, one of them 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,” he added.
Ukandu described the late ACP Popoola as a dedicated officer who served the Force with commitment and professionalism.
He conveyed the condolences of the Police Commissioner and the entire Police Command in the state to the late Police Officer’s family.
Barcelona could face a Women’s Champions League quarter-final with fierce rivals Real Madrid, while Chelsea could meet holders Arsenal after the knockout stage draw for the tournament was made on Thursday.
Barca and English champions Chelsea finished in the top four in the league phase and qualified directly for the quarter-finals, alongside Bayern Munich and record eight-time winners Lyon.
To set up the mouthwatering encounters, Real Madrid must first beat Paris FC in the knockout play-offs, while Arsenal face a rematch with Belgians OH Leuven, who they beat 3-0 in the final league phase matchday on Wednesday.
In the other knockout ties, Manchester United will face Atletico Madrid with the victors set to meet Bayern Munich, and Wolfsburg take on Juventus for the right to play Lyon in the last eight.
The two-legged knockouts will take place between February 11-19, with the quarter-finals scheduled for March 24 to April 2.
Draw:
Knockout play-offs:
Real Madrid (ESP) v Paris FC (FRA)
Manchester United (ENG) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Juventus (ITA) v Wolfsburg (GER)
Arsenal (ENG) v OH Leuven (BEL)
Quarter-finals:
Real Madrid or Paris FC v Barcelona (ESP)
Manchester United ou Atletico v Bayern Munich (GER)
Juventus or Wolfsburg v Lyon (FRA)
Arsenal or OH Leuven v Chelsea (ENG)
Semi-finals:
Real Madrid or Paris FC or Barcelona v Manchester Utd or Atletico or Bayern
Juventus or Wolfsburg or Lyon v Arsenal or OH Leuven or Chelsea
The post Barcelona face potential El Clasico in Women’s Champions League appeared first on Vanguard News.
Boko Haram terror group has abducted the Vice Chairman and two councillors of the Biu Local Council in the Kamuya-Buni/Yadi axis in Borno and Yobe states.
Alhaji Saidu and the two councillors, representing Zarawuyaku and Miringa wards, were elected in last Saturday’s Local Government Elections.
Confirming the incident on Thursday in Maiduguri, a credible security operative source revealed: “Besides the kidnapping of three new council officials, an unspecified number of persons were also abducted on Wednesday evening in a Hisbah bus along the same road, while travelling from Potiskum to Biu.”
The source added: “Yesterday’s abduction by the suspected terrorists along the 130km Damaturu-Biu road occurred on Wednesday, when the elected politicians were travelling from Biu, the council headquarters, to Maiduguri.”
The source further revealed that one of the kidnapped councillors was the former vice chairman of Biu council.
An anonymous Miringa community leader has appealed to the Borno State government, military, and other security agencies to intensify their efforts in the rescue of over a dozen captives from Sambisa Forest.
Relatedly, the Buni/Yadi-Miringa axis continued to remain a death trap, as many motorists, commuters, and farmers were kidnapped and killed by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in the last seven years.
In other news, a suicide bomber struck a military position in northeastern Nigeria near the border with Cameroon, killing at least five soldiers, security and local defence sources said.
The attacker targeted a military position in Firgi near the town of Pulka in Borno state on Sunday, sources told AFP on Monday night and Tuesday morning.
Militants have intensified raids on military bases in the northeast this year, as a years-long jihadist insurgency grinds on.
“I counted five bodies lying in blood at the back of my house,” said Umar Sa’idu, a member of a community government-sponsored militia group, who helped transport the victims to hospital.
“After some hours, medical personnel at UMTH (University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital) confirmed that all five victims we gave escort to had died,” he told AFP by phone.
Suicide bombings, one of the defining tactics of Boko Haram at the height of the insurgency more than a decade ago, have become less frequent in recent years as the military has made inroads against the group.
Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the military’s spokesman in the northeast, confirmed the attack but not the deaths.
“Our gallant soldiers shot the attacker when he attempted to carry out the bombing in their own position,” Uba told AFP.
NIGERIA NEWS
Lai Mohammed says suspending Twitter one of his toughest decisions, gives reasons – Tribune Online
Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said that suspending Twitter in 2021 was one of the most toughest decisions he took while in office, explaining that he was fully aware of the impact it would have on Nigerians.
Mohammed stated this in Chapter 14 of his 601-page book titled “Silencing the Bird: The Story of Nigeria’s Twitter Suspension.”
In the chapter, he explained that the decision was tough for two major reasons.
“The decision to suspend Twitter (now X) was one of the toughest decisions I made as a minister,” Mohammed wrote.
“First, the impact it would have on Nigerians who used the platform to advertise their goods and services or as influencers.
ALSO READ: Why FG suspended Twitter in 2021 — Lai Mohammed
“Second, the optics it would project regarding government’s commitment to freedom of expression and the opening up of the democratic space.
However, he maintained that these concerns did not outweigh what he described as the threat to national security posed by the “careless and irresponsible use” of social media platforms, especially Twitter.
He added that in governance, public interest must always come before individual interest.
Commenting on public reaction to the decision, Mohammed said he was not surprised by the backlash that followed.
“I was under no illusion that the decision would be popular. The condemnations were fast and furious,” he said.
He added that many Twitter users stormed the official handle of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (@FMINONigeria) to express their anger, using different means to voice their displeasure over the suspension.