Author: Gbenga Olaleye

Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has asserted that the Nigerian military is incapable of defeating the country’s bandit groups solely through force, insisting that negotiations remain the only viable solution to escalating insecurity in the northwest and beyond. In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Gumi argued that modern militaries worldwide struggle against guerrilla fighters and that Nigeria is no exception. “But even the military says that in dealing with this civil unrest and criminality, only 25% is kinetic action; the rest depends on the government, politics, and local communities. The military cannot do everything. Where have you ever seen…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has defended First Lady Oluremi Tinubu following public criticism of her brief intervention during Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s speech at her coronation as Yeye Asiwaju Ile Oodua in Ile-Ife on Sunday. During the event, Mrs Tinubu reportedly gestured to Governor Adeleke and threatened to turn off the microphone as he sang, prompting widespread reactions on social media. Critics claimed the act was inappropriate, but the APC described her actions as measured, patriotic, and well-intentioned. In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by Lagos APC spokesperson Seye Oladejo, the party reaffirmed its support for…

At least seven governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State have withdrawn from the race and endorsed Bola Oyebamiji as the party’s consensus candidate ahead of the forthcoming primary election. Their decision followed a meeting convened by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The gathering was aimed at resolving internal disputes and unifying the party’s ranks in Osun ahead of the 2026 governorship contest. Notably absent from the meeting was former party secretary and aspirant, Iyiola Omisore, who had earlier dismissed his disqualification from the APC primary screening process as “a joke,”…

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday reaffirmed his directive ordering the withdrawal of police officers from VIP protection duties and redeploying them to core policing functions across the country. The President restated his stance minutes before presiding over the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja. Expressing frustration at what he described as the slow pace of compliance, Tinubu insisted that the directive must be fully implemented. “I honestly believe in what I said… It should be effected. If you have any problem because of the nature of your assignment, contact the IGP and get my clearance,” he…

Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has praised the Armed Forces for their rapid intervention during last Sunday’s attempted coup in the Republic of Benin, stating that their swift and coordinated response was instrumental to the collapse of the plot. Musa gave the commendation on Wednesday in Abuja during the decoration ceremony for newly promoted senior Army officers. He said the incident underscored the urgent need for Nigeria’s military to maintain a constant state of vigilance, fully prepared to confront emerging threats both within the country and across the West African sub-region. “Let me at this juncture commend…

A member of the House of Representatives, Raheem Ajuloopin, has introduced a bill seeking the creation of additional Local Government Areas in Kwara State, arguing that the move will bolster grassroots governance and reinforce national security. Ajuloopin, who represents the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency, announced the proposal in a statement released by his Special Assistant on New Media, Jamiu Balogun, and made available to New Daily Prime on Wednesday in Ilorin. According to the lawmaker, the legislation forms part of his wider efforts to bring government closer to the people, improve administrative efficiency and accelerate development across various communities. He revealed…

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has rejected criticism surrounding her brief interaction with Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, describing the public reactions as a “needless controversy.” In a statement posted on her Facebook page on Tuesday, Mrs Tinubu said minor issues were often exaggerated by critics seeking distractions. She wrote that those entrusted with leadership “understand their duties and how to steer the affairs of society,” adding that it was usually “followers and critics who scrutinise every step, amplify minor missteps, and turn them into needless controversy.” She concluded with the Yoruba phrase, “Ọṣun lè tèǹtẹ̀ – Osun is…

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing Nigeria–Thailand relations to the level of a fully fledged strategic partnership, encompassing political, economic and cultural cooperation. The minister made the declaration in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, following a series of bilateral engagements with his Thai counterpart, Sihasak Phuangketkeow. The talks took place on the margins of the relaunch of the Thailand–Africa Initiative in Bangkok. Tuggar congratulated Sihasak on his recent appointment and conveyed Nigeria’s condolences over Thailand’s recent national bereavements, including…

Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has urged President Bola Tinubu to exercise greater caution in matters of regional security, domestic governance and the deployment of state protection, particularly for individuals close to power. Speaking at the 20th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism Awards in Lagos on Tuesday, the playwright recounted a recent incident in Ikoyi that left him “astonished”. His comments were captured in a now-viral four-minute, 25-second video shared by #Nigeriastories on X on Tuesday night. Soyinka described witnessing what he called an excessively large security battalion escorting a young man later identified as Seyi Tinubu, the President’s…

Reps accuse the Tinubu government of poor implementation of the 2024–2025 budgets and vow not to consider the 2026 Appropriation Bill until the 2024–2025 budgets are fully implemented. The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, over what lawmakers described as the “embarrassingly poor” implementation of the capital components of the 2024 and 2025 federal budgets. Both ministers, along with the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, and the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, appeared before the House during a closed-door session…