NIGERIA NEWS
At Least Nine Missing In Fresh Kogi Gunmen Attack
Gunmen wielding high-calibre weapons reportedly struck in the early hours of Friday, December 19, abducting no fewer than nine residents in Inele-Ugoh ward, Igah Ikeje, located in the Olomaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Naija News learnt that among the victims were a woman and her three children who were travelling to a nearby community to attend a burial ceremony.
Other victims were said to be local farmers, seized from their individual farmlands as they went about their daily activities.
According to The Nation, residents told journalists that a series of distress calls were placed to troops stationed at a military checkpoint manned by the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army. However, the abductors had reportedly vanished into the dense forest before help could arrive.
“These groups of bandits are going about in large numbers. They could be up to 200, and they split into two groups,” a community source said.
“They don’t stay in one location; they keep moving their captives from one location to another.”
The source added that the assailants’ ability to move freely within the forest terrain has made it difficult for ground troops to confront them without aerial support.
“Troops can only succeed when there is support from the airspace. So, a drone or a police helicopter is required to root out these criminals from our community. We will not enjoy Christmas if these criminals remain in our forests,” the resident lamented.
Another source described the attackers as “desperate and audacious”, operating brazenly both day and night.
“These are bandits. We need more deployment and air surveillance by the state and Federal Government to curtail the menace of these criminals,” the source said.
However, the Kogi State Police Command has not issued any official statement on the development as of the time of filing this report.
Naija News reports that the incident adds to the growing list of abductions in rural parts of Kogi, with locals now fearing increased insecurity ahead of the Yuletide season.
- A Nigerian lady has taken to social media to search for her husband, Luqman Jajah, who allegedly disappeared and blocked her after she insisted on being introduced to his family.
- The couple reportedly married while Abiba was abroad, and despite returning to Ghana at his request, she claims she has never met any of his relatives nearly a year into the marriage.
- Her emotional post, issuing an ultimatum for clarity or divorce, has sparked widespread debate online about secret marriages and warning signs in relationships.
A lady identified as Abiba Ibrahim has turned to social media to launch a desperate search for her husband, Luqman Jajah, who reportedly disappeared and blocked her after a disagreement.
Abiba shared that the conflict began when she pressured Luqman to introduce her to his family members. According to her post, the couple married while she was working abroad. Upon his request, she moved back to Ghana, where he rented an apartment for her in a neighborhood known as Ablekuma Canada.
Despite their marriage approaching its one-year anniversary this coming Ramadan, Abiba claims she has never met any of his relatives. She expressed her frustration and heartbreak online, stating:
“My husband has been missing for weeks now and he blocked me… This happened because I asked him to take me to meet his family members and we had a little misunderstanding. Later, he told me to inform my family so that his family could come and celebrate with me… but I have never met his family members.”
In a final ultimatum, Abiba challenged her husband to be honest about his intentions, saying: “If he doesn’t want the marriage, he should come and divorce me and get out.” The post has since gone viral, with many users debating the red flags of secret marriages and the sudden disappearance of partners.
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said President Bola Tinubu’s allocation of N5.41 trillion to security in the 2026 Appropriation Bill will decisively weaken criminal and terrorist networks threatening Nigeria’s unity.
Seye Oladejo, the spokesman of the party in the state, said the deliberate and unprecedented commitment once again underscores a government that is clear-eyed about Nigeria’s present realities and firmly focused on securing its future.
In a statement signed by Oladejo, he said Tinubu has accorded security, the foremost responsibility of government, the attention it deserves.
According to Oladejo, “Beyond intent, the objectives of the 2026 Budget are practical and measurable:
“To decisively weaken criminal and terrorist networks that threaten national unity and economic activity.
“To restore investor confidence, knowing that capital flows to stable and secure environments.
“To deepen economic reforms, ensuring that gains in fiscal discipline are not undermined by insecurity.
“To reinforce social stability, allowing citizens to pursue livelihoods without fear.”
Oladejo said the primary intent of the 2026 budget is clearly to consolidate national security gains, protect lives and property, and create a stable environment for economic recovery and sustainable growth.
“The President’s proposal recognises that no meaningful development can thrive in the absence of peace and safety.
“By committing N5.41 trillion to security, the Tinubu administration is addressing capacity enhancement for the Armed Forces and security agencies; improved intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration; modernisation of equipment and operational logistics; and the welfare and motivation of personnel who daily put their lives on the line,” he added.
The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has dismissed claims that his recent visit to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in Sokoto Correctional Centre was politically motivated, saying the trip was aimed at dialogue and peace, not advancing any political ambition.
Otti spoke on Friday when he received members of the Abia Diaspora Commission and the medical team of the Abia Global Medical Mission 2025 at the Government House, Umuahia.
The governor was reacting to a video circulating on social media in which a man criticised his visit to the IPOB leader. Otti defended the trip, insisting it was anchored on the need for constructive dialogue and peaceful engagement.
He also stressed that differing opinions, like those expressed in the video, are part of a democratic society.
Addressing speculation about his post‑governorship plans, Otti made it clear that he has no interest in contesting any office after completing his tenure.
Otti said, “One of the issues he raised in the video was my ambition after serving as governor.
“I have said this before, sometime in October, when we received representatives of the President, and I will say it again today. By the time I complete my tenure as governor, I will retire from public office.
“I have no presidential ambition, no vice‑presidential ambition, and no senatorial ambition.
“I came into this office on a mission, and when I deliver that mission, I will step aside and give room to younger people.”
Otti dismissed the suggestion that his actions were linked to an “Igbo presidency,” calling such arguments unfounded.
“If his argument is based on that assumption, then it has already collapsed, because you will not see my name on any ballot, but my children can contest, and your children can contest,” he said.
On the issue of Kanu, Otti said his engagement was part of longer‑standing efforts aimed at resolving complex issues involving the IPOB leader.
He said, “The second issue concerns Nnamdi Kanu, and I do not want to put too much into the public space so as not to jeopardise ongoing discussions.
“The truth is that exactly 24 months ago, I initiated discussions at the highest level regarding Nnamdi Kanu, so visiting him was the right thing to do because he is from my state and indeed, from Umuahia North Local Government Area.”
Governor Condemns Past Military Operations, Urges Legal Process
Otti reiterated his condemnation of Operation Python Dance, noting he had criticised the military operation in previous writings.
He said that while Kanu’s case is before the courts, there remains room for administrative intervention and dialogue, which does not equate to supporting disintegration.
Otti said, “When an issue has been approached legally, there is also an administrative window, and that is where I am coming from.
“I am not competent to challenge the judiciary. I am not a lawyer.
“If the court has sentenced him, that is the decision of a court of first instance. There is still room for appeal and even a possible journey to the Supreme Court.”
Otti stated that he has always opposed violent agitation and believes conflicts are best resolved through negotiation.
“I have never seen a war that did not end in negotiation. So, why start a war when you will still end up talking?” he asked.
He described himself as “an apostle of dialogue, not war,” emphasising that efforts should focus on peaceful resolution.
On the broader security situation, Otti warned that ongoing insecurity across the country has been exploited by criminal elements to target innocent people.
He said, “We will continue to do everything possible to ensure peace in this state.
“There are parts of this country where you cannot come out freely at this time of day, and that is not acceptable.
“I also know that some people take advantage of the current situation to unleash violence on our people.
“As I have told those I am negotiating with, if we have peace here and anyone brings violence, we will meet them firmly. But we must act responsibly as a government.”
Otti reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring safety and stability in Abia, stressing that peace is essential for the growth of businesses and wellbeing of residents.
He urged stakeholders to support dialogue‑driven solutions, adding that development and progress in the state depend on a secure environment.
The Recording Academy has announced Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti as a Special Merit Awards honoree at the 2026 Grammy Awards, nearly three decades after his death.
Fela, who died on 2 August 1997, will be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award alongside other legends, including Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Cher, and Paul Simon.
The Special Merit Awards, many of which are posthumous, are scheduled to take place on 31 January 2026. This will be followed by the 68th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony on Sunday, 1 February 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.
Special Merit Award
Announcing the awards in an Instagram Post on Friday, the Recording Academy stated that Fela is being honoured posthumously for his lifetime influence in shaping modern Nigerian Afrobeats and inspiring many global singers.
Beyond music, the Grammy Awards organisers praised the late singer for the legacy he left behind, citing cultural monuments like the Kalakuta Museum and the New Afrika Shrine.
“An architect of Afrobeat, honoured for a lifetime of influence. Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician, producer, arranger, political radical, activist, and the father of Afrobeat. In the 1960s, he pioneered the genre by blending funk, jazz, salsa, calypso, and traditional Nigerian rhythms.
“His influence spans generations, shaping modern Nigerian Afrobeats and inspiring global artists such as Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, and Thom Yorke. His legacy continues to live on not only through music but also through his family, the Kalakuta Museum, and the New Afrika Shrine.
“On January 31, 2026, we are honouring this year’s Special Merit Award recipients, including Fela Kuti, with a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award,” the statement read.
Fela Kuti
Although Fela did not receive Grammy Awards during his lifetime, the 2026 Grammy honour will be his second recognition by the Recording Academy within six months. In June, Fela’s 1976 socio-political album, ‘Zombie’, was inducted into the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame.
Over the decades following his death, numerous awards have been bestowed in his name, with most of them being received by his sons, Femi Kuti and Seun Kuti.
READ ALSO: Afrobeat Rebellion: Art meets activism in Lagos exhibition honouring Fela Kuti
The ‘Zombie’ singer’s songs have also been sampled and referenced by some of the world’s top artistes, including Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Beyoncé.
Meanwhile, the recipients of the 2025 Special Merit Awards included Prince, The Clash, Frankie Beverly, Roxanne Shanté, Frankie Valli, Dr Bobby Jones, and Taj Mahal.
By Felix Khanoba
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) on Wednesday emerged as one of the biggest winners at the 2025 SERVICOM Awards and Recognition Ceremony, clinching multiple honours at the event organised by the SERVICOM Office, Presidency.
Among the awards won by the agency were the Special Recognition Award, #SERVICOMWORKSHERE, for sustained efforts in connecting government to citizens through quality service delivery, and Best Performing Parastatal Service Unit (PSU), Team C.
TETFund also ranked second nationwide among high-performing agencies, recognised for consistently demonstrating exceptional performance, efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.
At the ceremony, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono, received an award in recognition of his support and commitment to citizen-centred service delivery.
In addition, TETFund’s SERVICOM Nodal Officer, Dr Ebere Nwobu, clinched the Best Performing Nodal Officer Award (Parastatal, Team C).
Speaking at the event, the Acting National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of SERVICOM, Mr Anthony Olugbenga Oshin, said the ceremony was organised to celebrate excellence, dedication and commitment to citizen-focused service delivery across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“We are gathered here to reflect on our milestones through dint of hard work, passion and zeal. We are here to celebrate our success stories against all odds,” Oshin said.
He noted that 2025 had been a particularly challenging year due to limited funding, but said MDAs continued to record significant achievements despite the constraints.
“Regardless of these challenges and through our team spirit, we have been able to scale new heights and surmount the challenges we face on a daily basis,” he said.
Oshin commended SERVICOM Nodal and Focal Officers for their roles in driving service delivery initiatives, noting that their commitment and resilience contributed significantly to improved performance across MDAs.
The SERVICOM boss explained that the awards form part of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation’s Recognition and Rewards Scheme, designed to promote a culture of service excellence, encourage healthy competition and improve customer satisfaction.
According to him, deserving MDAs and officers were selected through a structured assessment process based on SERVICOM principles and annual work plans.
The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of plaques to award recipients.
- A Nigerian lady cried out in a viral video after she discovered that her hair flew off her head without her knowledge
- According to the lady, she was putting on a wig but only realised it was gone when she wanted to make a video
- In the video she posted, she was shocked when she saw herself in the video without her wig on her head
A Nigerian lady stirred a lot of reactions on social media after saying she lost her wig without her knowledge.
The video sparked reactions and netizens were wondering how someone could lose her wig without knowing.
A Nigerian lady said her wig flew off her head without her knowledge. Photo credit: TikTok/@lolo247maxy.
Source: TikTok
The short clip posted by @lolo247maxy suggests the wig flew off from her head when she was driving.
According to Lolo, she only realised the wig was gone when she brought out her phone to make a video.
She shouted when she saw herself in the video and discovered that there is no wig on her head.
Read also
Nigerian lady tells mother she’s working out, posts her unexpected epic response: “Very hurtful”
“Took my phone to make a beauty video and realised my wig was gone. My wig was gone. Don’t even know where and how. Maybe this is a sign.”
However, some of her followers wondered how the wig could have left her head without she feeling the breeze. Some went ahead to accuse her of acting.
Lolo responded:
“You can imagine people saying I am faking it .The other lady is my sister and the shock hits us quick. She had 3 of her kids in the car too. It wasn’t even my car. I offered to drive us back cos her last child was crying and I asked her to move to passengers seat to pacify him. It was a long drive. I only realized cos I wanted to make a video as we stopped to get something from a local market.”
A Nigerian lady shared a video showing when she realised her wig was missing. Photo credit: TikTok/@lolo247maxy.
Source: TikTok
Watch the video below:
Reactions as woman loses her wig
@Godflakes said:
“You later see the hair?”
@NAILTECH IN EBUTTE IKD said:
“She was looking for the hair in the video.”
@NRC_23 said:
“The fastest reflex ever discovered by the world.”
Read also
“Finally mine”: Nigerian lady rejoices as man who broke up with her returns and proposes marriage
@SIRIXCOBA said:
“Nah once she cut video B4 she enter the real lamenting.”
@am.mar1o said:
“How did she not feel the breeze.”
@Nompumelelo Makhanya said:
“Ewoooo!!! That needs to be sound please abeg.”
@Jane said:
“Her friends reaction just finished me.”
@tifaTashatalia said:
“Your hair is on your head mom!? ………… it wasnt your.”
@kiki said:
“How come were you sleeping. That your fine wig way i dey eye since abeg go fine am oh.”
@7\ Siya said:
“The one screaming definitely knows what happened to it.”
Man begs his sister for wig
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a Nigerian lady shared the interesting conversation she had with her younger brother who asked her for an unusual gift.
According to the lady, her younger brother sent her a message on Whatsapp requesting that she give him her wig.
The young man said if he gets the wig, he was going to give it to his girlfriend, sparking mixed reactions on social media.
Source: Legit.ng
NIGERIA NEWS
Lady sold her phone to bail boyfriend who used money to propose to another woman, embarks on vacation
A fresh controversy erupts online after a lady sold her phone to bail her boyfriend, who used the money to propose to another woman and went on vacation with her.
The heartbreaking incident was shared by @lifesochard, a user on X (formerly Twitter), who posted a series of texts the lady received from her ex-boyfriend who betrayed her.
Details Of The Text
In the text, that has left social media buzzing, the man, who remains unidentified, vowed not to apologize to his ex-girlfriend for what he had put her through.
Describing himself as a ‘principled’ man, he stated that in his tribal traditions, a man who bows loses his crown.
“Life is not an African magic babe. You are not the main character. I will still meet someone better that will still spend on me”, He firmly stated.
His Perspective About Relationships
Sharing his perspective on relationships, he stated relationships aren’t about comfort and are meant for modelling.
The man further concluded the chat by stating he was sent to his ex-girlfriend to make her strong.
“You think relationship are for comfort?. No, they are for molding. If you couldn’t handle the fire, you shouldn’t have walked into the palace. I wasn’t sent to make you smile, I was sent to make you stronger”, He added.
See below…..
Ajuji Ahmed, the National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has criticized former party members who left to join other political parties.
Ahmed said those who left the NNPP would experience rough road and challenges in their new parties.
He made these comments during the party’s 10th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.
He described the ex-members as “renegades” while noting that although the NNPP may not be large, it is stronger and more united than many other parties.
Ahmed urged party members to ignore those who defected, saying their decision would only bring them hardship.
He added that leaving a peaceful party for troubled ones was a poor choice.
He also took a swipe at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the NNPP has remained stable despite efforts by outsiders to create problems.
According to Ahmed, the NNPP has no internal divisions and is not controlled by any individual.
He stressed that the party is not split into factions or weakened by external influence, but remains united and committed to its goals and guiding principles.
Ahmed said: “I call upon you to please forget entirely the antics of renegades who call themselves defectors.
“May their road continue to be rough.
“If a man or some men decided to jump from calm waters only to land in not just a frying pan but directly into a burning fire, we wish them a safe journey.
“We are not fragmented into three parts with two party chairmen. We have not been captured and broken and made ineffective by a single omnipotent external force, we are NNPP. We are united.”
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has spoken publicly on the reasons behind his recent visit to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, held in Sokoto prison.
The governor said the visit was not politically motivated and had nothing to do with any future ambition.
He described the engagement as a personal effort aimed at encouraging dialogue, calm, and peace at a time of rising tensions and public speculation.
Otti made the clarification on Friday at the Government House in Umuahia. He spoke while receiving members of the Abia Diaspora Commission alongside the medical team attached to the state’s Global Medical Mission 2025.
His remarks followed the circulation of a video on social media. In the video, a man openly criticised the governor’s visit to the IPOB leader and questioned his intentions.
Responding to the criticism, Otti said differing views were normal in a democracy. He explained that disagreement did not automatically invalidate the intentions or actions of others.
According to him, the video reflected personal opinions, which citizens were entitled to express.
The governor stressed that his decision to visit Kanu was driven by the need for dialogue and understanding, not politics.
He said meaningful conversations remained essential in addressing sensitive national issues and reducing tension across the country.
Otti also used the opportunity to restate his position on his political future. He said he had no plans to seek any elective office after completing his tenure as governor of Abia State.
“One of the issues he raised in the video was my ambition after serving as governor.
“I have said this before, sometime in October, when we received representatives of the President, and I will say it again today. By the time I complete my tenure as governor, I will retire from public office,” he said.
The governor added that public service should not always be viewed through the lens of political ambition.
He maintained that leaders must sometimes act in the interest of peace and unity, even when such actions are misunderstood.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) says it has unsealed the Ikeja Electric Plc’s headquarters after the company signed a binding undertaking to comply with remedial measures addressing consumer rights violations.
This was contained in a statement by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu.
The headquarters had been sealed on December 11, 2025, after Ikeja Electric failed to comply with a directive from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to unbundle a Maximum Demand account into 20 individual accounts for a customer who had been without power for over two and a half years.
What FCCP is saying
FCCPC confirmed that the electricity distribution company pledged to resolve all consumer complaints referred to it within agreed timelines.
The Commission warned that “any breach of the undertaking would expose it to renewed and escalated enforcement action under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act.”
Reacting to the development, FCCPC’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the Commission’s intervention was necessary to enforce the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) of 2018.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that consumers are treated fairly and that service providers comply with lawful decisions and directives. Enforcement is not an end in itself. Where compliance is achieved and credible commitments are made, the Commission will respond appropriately,” Bello stated.
He emphasized that the Commission’s actions were guided by the need to protect consumers and ensure accountability within regulated industries.
Balanced approach to regulation
Clarifying further, Bello said the outcome reflects FCCPC’s balanced approach to regulation.
“We intervene decisively where consumer harm persists, and we de-escalate where enforceable compliance is secured. What remains constant is our duty to protect consumers and uphold regulatory accountability,” he explained.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to ensuring that electricity consumers and other service users across Nigeria are treated fairly, while warning that future breaches of compliance undertakings would attract stronger enforcement measures.
What you should know
Last week, FCCPC’s Director of Surveillance and Investigation, Bola Adeyinka, said the move to seal the facility was in line with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.
- She said sealing the facility is a proportionate enforcement measure taken only after repeated engagement and several opportunities for voluntary compliance.
- Last year, in November, the FCCPC as part of its regulatory oversight in the power sector, had threatened to penalize IKEDC and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDP) if they flout its directive to immediately halt the replacement of Unistar prepaid meters.