Author: Damilola Olufemi

Rivers Assembly

Nigeria’s Senate has started vetting General Christopher Musa for the role of Minister of Defence, following his nomination by President Bola Tinubu to lead the security-critical ministry. The senate fast-tracked Musa’s entry into the chamber after Senate President Godswill Akpabio invoked a suspension of standing rules during plenary on Wednesday. Akpabio told lawmakers the screening was necessary to “consider and approve the ex-CDS” as successor to former minister Mohammed Badaru, who resigned this week over medical grounds. Tinubu’s request, sent to the senate on Tuesday, described Musa as capable of “strengthen Nigeria’s security framework” and steer the ministry at a…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has increased cash withdrawal limits on all channels to N500,000 weekly for individuals and N5 million for corporates. This was announced in a circular on Tuesday as the apex bank pegged automated teller machine (ATM) withdrawals at N100,000 daily, with a weekly cumulative withdrawal of N500,000. The CBN said the cash-policy update is part of a broader push to lower cash-handling costs, improve public safety, and reduce financial crimes fueled by high cash dependency. It explained that earlier directives were designed to discourage physical cash transactions and fast-track digital payments, but evolving economic and…

US lawmakers convened in Washington DC on Tuesday for a joint briefing to examine Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, mass abductions, and allegations of systemic religious persecution. The session followed a directive from US President Donald Trump, who on October 31 asked Congress to investigate claims of large-scale killings of Christians in Nigeria and deliver recommendations to the White House. The briefing united two congressional panels, the House Appropriations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, with the hearing anchored by Vice Chair Mario Díaz-Balart. Religious-freedom experts and civil-rights advocates provided testimonies documenting kidnappings, forced conversions, and deadly attacks, particularly across the…

Adedamola polled a total of 919 votes to emerge victorious at the party’s primary held on Tuesday at Adolak Hall in Osogbo, the Osun state capital.

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke is set to officially join a new political party before December 13, 2025, according to the state’s Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi. The development follows Adeleke’s exit from the Peoples Democratic Party, with his resignation submitted on November 4, 2025, to party leaders in Sagba Abogunde, Ward 2, Ede North Local Government. Speaking on a political show on Rave FM in Osogbo on Tuesday, Alimi attributed the decision to lingering internal divisions within the PDP. He said: “The governor of Osun State and the Asiwaju of Ede has formally resigned his membership from the Peoples…

The Minister of Defence in Nigeria, Mohammed Badaru, has resigned his appointment over health conditions. In a letter sent to President Bola Tinubu on December 1, the resignation of the 63-year-old takes immediate effect “President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked Abubakar for his services to the nation,” a statement by president’s aide, Bayo Onanuga said on Monday. It adde that “Tinubu will likely inform the Senate of Badaru’s successor later this week. His resignation comes amid President Tinubu’s declaration of a national security emergency, with plans to elaborate on its scope in due course.” Badaru was a two-term…

The global fight against HIV prevention is nearing a critical breaking point, with 3.3 million extra infections projected by 2030 if immediate steps are not taken to halt disruptions undermining existing programmes, the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) cautioned on Monday. The UN agency said sweeping funding reductions are exposing millions of people in high-risk communities to growing vulnerability, reversing long-standing gains made in lowering new HIV infections. The warning was issued by UNFPA’s Executive Director, Diene Keita, during an official statement to mark the 2025 World AIDS Day, an annual global advocacy campaign led by the United Nations Population…

The Federal Government has proposed a 40% salary increase for university lecturers in ongoing talks with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The offer was tabled during a National Executive Council meeting attended by ASUU leaders on Sunday, where the union agreed to continue discussions with the government team led by chief negotiator Yayale Ahmed. ASUU’s resumed engagement will be handled by a government delegation chaired by Yayale Ahmed alongside representatives from the education and labour ministries. “They made a proposal of a 40% salary increment. Branch leaders will go back and update members on the situation. As it…

Tinubu further spotlighted economic interventions aimed at transforming historically sensitive sectors, including livestock production.