NIGERIA NEWS
Midnight fire razes residential building in Ibadan
A twin three-bedroom private residential building in Ibadan has been razed by a midnight fire
The incident occurred at No 2, Ebony Street, Oluwakeyin Alia, Airport Area in Ibadan.
Our correspondent gathered that the inferno occurred at exactly 12:23hrs on Sunday.
However, no casualty was recorded during the incident.
Chairman, Oyo State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande confirmed the incident to DAILY POST on Monday.
He said the fire was caused by electrical appliances plugged while not in use.
Akinwande in the statement said that the operation was successfully carried out with the support of men of the Federal Fire Service.
“Upon arrival, it was a twins three (3) bedrooms private residential building that was engulfed by fire.
“Our officers quickly swung into action and restricted the fire from spreading to nearby buildings and properties.
“The Federal Fire Service Ibadan Command later joined the Oyo State Fire Services and the fire was collectively extinguished. No casualty was recorded and the fire incident was as a result of electrical appliances plugged while not in use”.
By Abbanobi -Eku Onyeka
The Federal Government has declared December 25, 2025, December 26, 2025, and January 1, 2026, as public holidays to mark Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year celebrations, respectively, according to a statement from Dr Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, extended warm Christmas and New Year wishes to Nigerians, urging Christians to reflect on values like love, peace, and humility, promoting unity and harmony.
The Minister called on Nigerians to pray for peace, security, and progress, supporting the government’s development efforts. He emphasized the festive season as an opportunity to strengthen unity and compassion.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo also urged citizens to remain law-abiding and security-conscious, cooperating with agencies for a peaceful celebration.
The declaration aims to promote national cohesion and development.
- A young Nigerian man got many people talking on social media after he mistakenly transferred a large sum of money to the wrong account.
- He shared a screenshot of the transaction and asked his followers online for help on how to recover the money
- Shortly after posting, he explained the steps he took to get the money back almost immediately after realizing his mistake
A young Nigerian man got many people talking as he mistakenly sent a huge amount of 800k to the wrong account via his OPay.
The young man shared the story online, mentioning that he had recently visited a place in Ijebu Ode days ago to buy food. While trying to make a transfer to an individual, he mistakenly sent the money to the account of the food vendor in Ijebu Ode.
Nigerian man turns to social media after sending money to wrong account. Photo Source: Twitter/ifedayo_johnson
Source: Twitter
Man sends money to wrong account
His story caught the attention of many as he shared screenshots showing the amount he sent.
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The young man, @ifedayo_johnson, later shared an update with his followers about the amount he sent to the wrong account.
Speaking about the money, he said:
“I have just made an 800k transfer to a wrong account from my OPay.””I erroneously sent it to Mos Restaurant in Ijebu Ode Moniepoint account as I bought food from them a few days ago.””I’d appreciate it if there is anyone around Mos in Ijebu who can help pop in there tonight. Thanks so much.”
Man seeks help online after transferring money to wrong account. Photo Source: Twitter/ifedayo_johnson
Source: Twitter
How did OPay refund his 800k transfer?
Sharing an update later on how he got the money back, he said: “OPay has refunded it almost immediately, before I even made this tweet but I didn’t notice.”
He continued in the viral post:
“I logged it as a transfer made in error on the OPay app and they acted almost immediately. Commendable. “”Thank you @OPay_NG. I’m very impressed with this!”
Reactions as man recovers money
@realhighthee stressed:
“I think you should report to opay. They will reverse it. With proof.”
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@Oresanyaolumid1 shared:
“Bro my did a mistake yesterday sef moniepoint to zenith bank 533,000 . She refunded a customer their money . Then some hours later she mistakenly transferred to that same account and we don’t know the customer. We Dey wait till Monday like this.”
@marvellbaby noted:
“Thank God it was returned. It happened to one of my colleague they did not return her money they said she should rather use it to buy something maybe because the money was 5400 though.”
skjunior_001 said:
“How did you do yours. My friend sent 500k, reported and spoke to customer care they are asking for court order.”
@oyesinasalimon added:
“I’d like to know on what basis they reversed it; was there a court order or they asked for the consent to reverse it from the other acc? Cos if they just reversed it without any of these, then it’s very wrong, as pple can just buy something & get it reversed when they get home.”
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@FramesPhcity said:
“You’re lucky, if this was @ZenithBank You’ll have yourself to blame. No wonder I’m using opay and never looking back to those guys and their dotage services.”
Read the post below:
In a similar story, Legit.ng reported that a Nigerian lawyer shared his experience on social media after mistakenly sending ₦20,000 to the wrong account. The lawyer explained that a POS vendor identified the error, confirmed the transaction, and returned the money.
Nigerian man loses N100k to wrong account
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that a Nigerian man shared his distress on social media after accidentally sending N100,000 to the wrong Opay account. Despite reaching out to the recipient and even offering to let him keep half the money, the man reportedly refused to return it.
The money was intended for a house wiring project in Oyo, and the man explained that losing it would significantly affect his work.
Source: Legit.ng
Nigerian skit maker and live streamer Carter Efe has shared an unpleasant experience involving Grammy-winning singer Burna Boy during a recent public outing.
The entertainer said the incident happened when he sighted the Afro-fusion star in person and attempted to approach him.
Carter Efe narrates encounter during livestream
Speaking during a livestream with fans, Carter Efe claimed Burna Boy noticed him and appeared to be staring in his direction.
“Do you know I saw Burna Boy yesterday? I saw Burna Boy yesterday and he kept staring at me,” Carter Efe said.
He explained that the situation changed when he moved closer to greet the singer.
Security intervention sparks disappointment
According to Carter Efe, Burna Boy’s security aides stopped him abruptly from getting close to the artiste.
“But his bouncers bounced me when I tried to approach him,” he added.
The skit maker blamed the incident on what he described as extremely tight security around the Grammy winner.
“Their security is too tight,” he said, stressing that access was nearly impossible.
Mixed reactions trail online discussion
Reacting emotionally, Carter Efe admitted the encounter left him hurt.
“Ah God, I felt bad,” he concluded.
The story has since generated mixed reactions online, with some fans sympathising, while others cited celebrity security and public safety concerns.
A founding member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bisi Akande, has disclosed that late former President Muhammadu Buhari informed him that he never instigated ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to contest against now President Bola Tinubu in 2022.
During the APC primary election in 2022, Tinubu emerged as the party’s flagbearer while Osinbajo came a distant third.
Osinbajo is widely believed to be a political protege of Tinubu after he served under him as Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General while the now President was governor of Lagos State.
There are speculations that Tinubu was instrumental in Osinbajo’s emergence as Vice President to Buhari.
However, Akande while featuring on Edmund Obilo’s podcast, State Affairs, said Osinbajo never stepped down for Tinubu because it was his right to contest in the primary election.
Akande said: “I wanted everybody to be free to contest the election but I don’t want bitterness, I wanted them to talk on issues and not one to destroy another because I wanted one of them to emerge in the end, I wanted a Yoruba President.”
On convincing Osinbajo to step down for Tinubu, he said, “After several meetings, I told them we want only one and I want any of you to voluntarily step down.
“On the evening of the primary, some came to me that they were going to step down and they stepped down, it wasn’t too late.
“Osinbajo did not step down and I didn’t discuss it with Tinubu thereafter. Osinbajo has every right to contest and he did and I don’t blame anybody for contesting elections.”
On if Buhari was against Tinubu, Akande said: “He (Buhari) didn’t tell me so because I put many questions to him, he wanted me to see that he was not the one who instigated Osinbajo to contest against Tinubu and he made it clear that in his own culture when your mentor is interested in one position, you don’t contest with him but when Osinbajo came he was surprised and only wished him well.”
Akande’s claim is contrary to claims in Buhari’s biography, ‘From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammad Buhari’, authored by Dr Charles Omole, that the late former president didn’t support Osinbajo’s presidential ambition.
The book quoted Buhari as saying he never supported Osinbajo’s ambition in 2022 because he never knew him.
Buhari was said to have stated that he knew the ex-Vice President through Tinubu.
Key stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress APC in Oyo state have mobilised party members in Oyo Federal Constituency for the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate of the Party in the 2027 general elections.
The mobilisation followed a stakeholders’ meeting led by the State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Olayide Moshood Abas, in Ibadan, which stated that open endorsement meetings would be organised in each of the state’s 14 federal constituencies to garner grassroots support for Tinubu.
Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu at the event which held on Monday in Oyo Town, assured party faithful that the current atmosphere of peace and unity within the party in the state would be sustained.
“There was no alternative to love, unity and togetherness of the collective goals of leaders and members would be realised.
“We have all learned from the errors of the past, and we shall all work together this time in the interest of our great Party and the people of the state.”
In her remarks, former Oyo State First Lady and Ambassador-designate, Dr Florence Ajimobi, stated that the re-election of President Tinubu, as well as the victory of all the APC candidates in 2027, was a task that must be accomplished.
Ajimobi expressed her delight at the success of several reconciliation efforts undertaken by stakeholders since the completion of the last general elections in 2023.
For his part, Renewed Hope Ambassador for the state and former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, emphasised that all hands must be on deck to support Tinubu in his mission to reposition the country and deliver on his electioneering campaign promises.
He likened the current socio-economic situation in the country to the healing stage of a broken leg.
“In reality, there is no political party as vibrant and formidable as the APC in Nigeria today, and anybody parading himself or herself as an opposition to the broom party is wasting his or her time.
“All the discerning minds in the PDP and other opposition parties across the country are joining the APC in droves on a daily basis, and the task before us in Oyo State is that we must get ready to give President Tinubu the highest number of victory votes in 2027,” Folarin said.
Earlier in his welcome address, a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, told party faithful to leverage on the peace initiative of the gladiators and unite for the purpose of achieving an unprecedented electoral victory for the APC in the 2027 polls.
Other notable APC chieftains at the APC mobilisation in Oyo include Chief Moses Adeyemo, Senators Abdulfatai Buhari, Sarafadeen Alli, Yunus Akintunde, and Hosea Agboola.
Also at the event were Hon. Akeem Adeyemi, Engr. Idris Adeoye, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, Dr Kazeem Raji, Dr Abisoye Fagade, Hon. Olaide Mohammed and four serving members of the Oyo State House of Assembly.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has sworn in Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa as the substantive Chairman of Agege Local Government, marking a new phase in the council’s leadership.
The inauguration took place on Monday at Lagos House, Ikeja, where the governor also swore in Toyin Adejimiwa as a Permanent Secretary. The event drew senior government officials, party leaders and retired top civil servants.
During the ceremony, Sanwo-Olu charged the new council chairman to lead with fairness and restraint. He warned against actions that could divide residents, stressing that local government leadership must unite people at the grassroots.
The governor described local councils as the closest level of government to the people. He said chairmen must remain accessible, compassionate and responsive to community needs. According to him, development at that level should be people-focused and measurable.
Sanwo-Olu urged Obasa to avoid policies that could create tension in Agege. He advised him to focus on inclusive governance, teamwork and service delivery that directly improves the lives of residents.
The governor also reminded public office holders that discipline and performance remain key factors for growth within the Lagos State public service. He noted that leadership is judged by results, not position or background.
Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa is the son of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa. Before his formal inauguration, he had been serving as acting chairman of the council.
Sanwo-Olu also recognised retired permanent secretaries present at the event. He described them as dedicated public servants whose records of service continue to shape and inspire the state’s civil service.
Obasa’s emergence as chairman follows the resignation of former council boss, Hon. Tunde Azeez, who stepped down after taking medical leave shortly after assuming office. His exit paved the way for Obasa, then vice chairman, to fully assume leadership.
Explaining the decision at the time, the media aide to the former chairman said, “Tunde Azeez has been long sick and his decision to resign and devote his attention to his health rather than being weighed down by the responsibility of that office is the wise decision any sane person should take.”
He added, “The beneficiary of that excellent decision, Abdulganiyu Vinod Obasa is a visionary young man who in the last few months of Azeez’s absence has demonstrated uncommon capacity. I think Agege is lucky to have both guys.”
Despite these explanations, the transition has continued to attract criticism. Opposition parties have described the development as a “carefully scripted succession,” raising concerns over internal party processes.
They argue that resistance from some stakeholders during the local government election period suggested deep divisions within the ruling party at the council level.
Supporters of the new chairman, however, insist the process was lawful and driven purely by health considerations. They maintain that leadership passed from “a sick man who chose recovery over politics” to “a young leader prepared to serve.”
Human and vehicular traffic was brought to a standstill for several hours on Monday as residents of Idokpa Community in Aduduwawa blocked a major highway into and out of Benin, the Edo State capital.
The protesters, demonstrating against several weeks of power outages in the area, barricaded the bypass, causing severe gridlock.
Travellers heading to northern Nigeria were stranded, with residents insisting the road would remain closed until government officials and media representatives came to address their grievances.
A resident said that the outage had disrupted local businesses and that the protest was meant to draw attention to their plight.
“What is most painful is that the neighbouring community has a steady power supply while we remain in darkness,” she said.
She accused the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) of diverting electricity meant for their area.
“We are protesting because the power outage has crippled our businesses. We are sure blocking the road will make the authorities pay attention.
“We call on BEDC to restore our electricity,” Doris added.
Another resident, Gideon, said the road would remain blocked until senior government officials responded and the media reported on their complaints.
“We cannot continue to live in darkness while others enjoy electricity,” he said.
Some travellers, including Hassan, who was en route to Kaduna, criticised the timing of the protest, saying it caused unnecessary delays for long-distance commuters.
A BEDC official, denied that the outage was deliberate, explaining that a shortage of gas used to generate electricity had caused the disruption.
“The power outage being experienced in some parts of Edo is not deliberate; it is due to a shortage of gas used to generate power,” the official said.
The Nigerian All-Share Index rose by 401.7 points on Monday, 22 December 2025, to close at 152,459.1, holding firmly above the 152,000-mark.
This represents a 0.26% gain from Friday’s close of 152,045.9, achieved despite weaker market activity.
Trading volume declined to 451.5 million shares, down from 839 million shares recorded in the previous week.
Winners, losers, and market activity
Total equity capitalization rose to N97.1 trillion across 33,327 deals, up from N95.8 trillion in the previous session.
On the gainers’ chart, ALEX (Aluminum Extrusion Industries) and INTENEGINS led with gains of 9.72% and 9.69%, respectively.
On the flip side, CUSTODIAN and ABCTRANS each shed 10%.
In terms of trading activity, TANTALIZER and FIRSTHOLDCO topped the volume chart for the day.
Market summary
- Current ASI: 152,459.07
- Previous ASI: 152,045.9
- Day Change: +0.26%
- Year-to-Date Performance: +48.12%
- Volume Traded: 451.5 million shares
- Market Cap: N97.1 trillion.
Top 5 gainers
- ALEX: Up 9.72% to N13.55
- INTENEGINS: Up 9.69% to N2.49
- MECURE: Up 9.64% to N60.30
- ROYALEX: Up 9.60% to N1.94
- AUSTINLAZ: Up 9.50% to N2.65
Top 5 losers
- CUSTODIAN: Down 10.00% to N35.10
- ABCTRANS: Down 10.00% to N3.15
- PRESTIGE: Down 7.41% to N1.50
- GUINEAINS: Down 7.38% to N1.13
- ELLAHLAKES: Down 6.45% to N13.05
Trading volume
TANTALIZER led the activity chart with 50.1 million shares, setting the pace for the session.
FIRSTHOLDCO followed with 32.6 million shares, while ACCESSCORP ranked third at 27.3 million shares.
CUSTODIAN and CHAMS rounded out the top five, trading 22.0 million and 21.3 million shares, respectively.
Trading value
By transaction value, ARADEL dominated the session with trades worth N1.5 billion.
FIRSTHOLDCO followed closely at N1.4 billion, while ZENITHBANK recorded N1.14 billion.
CUSTODIAN posted trades worth N857.8 million, and WAPCO completed the top five at N782.1 million.
SWOOTs and FUGAZ
Stocks worth over one trillion naira (SWOOTs) reflected a bullish tone during the session.
- INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES gained 4.17%, while BUACEMENT advanced by 2.35%.
Among the FUGAZ names, FIRSTHOLDCO rose 2.35%, while UBA declined 2.5% and ZENITHBANK slipped 0.47%.
Market outlook
The All-Share Index has firmed above the 152,000-mark as bullish momentum returns to large-cap stocks.
If sustained buying interest spreads across more mid- and large-cap counters, the market could push higher, with eyes set on levels above 155,000 points.
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U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills has clarified that the recently announced U.S. visa restrictions are intended to enhance security vetting procedures and are not directed at Nigerians as a group.
The ambassador provided this explanation on Sunday in Abuja during a press briefing held as part of a visit by a U.S. Congressional Delegation (CODEL).
According to Ambassador Mills, the presidential proclamation, which takes effect on January 1, 2026, applies to specific visa categories as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen U.S. border security and safeguard American communities.
“The focus of the visa review is on ensuring proper vetting and credible information in the visa process, not on penalising Nigerians,” Mills said.
He emphasized that the proclamation clearly identifies the affected visa categories and includes specific exemptions.
Among those exempt are holders of official and diplomatic passports, as well as individuals traveling for religious purposes.
Ambassador Mills encouraged visa applicants and the public to consult the U.S. Embassy’s official website for complete details on the proclamation, the impacted visa categories, and the applicable exemptions.
He also advised anyone with specific questions to contact the embassy through its designated communication channels.
Rep. Bill Huizenga, who led the Congressional Delegation, described visa reviews and restrictions as standard, routine measures designed to promote compliance and cooperation rather than to punish individuals.
Huizenga noted that these measures primarily target government systems and processes, not the Nigerian people, and that similar reviews are regularly conducted in other countries around the world.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that, while announcing these visa measures, the U.S. government reaffirmed its strong commitment to maintaining robust people-to-people ties with Nigeria.
The measures were presented as part of broader efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation and address mutual security challenges.
The Federal Government has officially classified kidnappers and violent armed groups operating across the country as terrorists.
The development signaled a major escalation in Nigeria’s response to abductions, attacks on farmers and persistent community violence.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced the development during the Federal Government’s end-of-year press briefing in Abuja on Monday.
Idris said the new designation marks a clear departure from treating mass kidnappings and rural attacks as conventional criminal acts, noting that such groups will now be confronted using full counterterrorism measures.
“Henceforth, any armed group or individual that kidnaps our children, attacks our farmers, and terrorises our communities is officially classified and will be dealt with as a terrorist,” the minister said.
According to him, the policy ends years of what he described as unclear labels for violent groups terrorising communities across the country.
“Now, the era of ambiguous nomenclature is over. If you terrorise our people, whether you are a group or you are an individual, you are a terrorist and will be classified as such. There is no name hiding under this again,” Idris added.
He explained that the new approach would enhance intelligence sharing and improve operational coordination among security agencies, enabling quicker and more decisive action against perpetrators of violence.
The minister also spoke on Nigeria’s recent diplomatic tensions with the United States following comments by US President Donald Trump, who had threatened military intervention over allegations of killings of Christians in Nigeria.
Idris said the disagreement had been largely resolved through diplomatic engagement.
“The recent diplomatic spat with the United States has been largely resolved through a firm, respectful engagement culminating in a strengthened partnership between America and Nigeria,” he said.
Trump had, in October and November, claimed that Nigerian Christians faced an “existential threat” and described the situation as “genocide” amid the country’s multiple security crises.
While the remarks drew mixed reactions, with some welcoming international attention and others warning against inflaming religious tensions, Nigeria remains on Washington’s list of countries of “particular concern” over alleged religious freedom violations.
Last week, Nigeria was also among several countries affected by new visa and immigration restrictions announced by the Trump administration.
Vanguard News
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