FEDERAL GOVERNMENT US REPORT ON NIGERIA COULD BOOST SECURITY COOPERATION 

The Federal Government of Nigeria has described a recent joint report by the US House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Appropriations Committee on Christian persecution in Nigeria as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral security cooperation.

The report, submitted to the White House on Monday, highlighted security challenges across Nigeria, including terrorism, banditry, and communal conflicts.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the government remains committed to protecting all Nigerians, regardless of religion or region.

Idris noted that the Federal Government remains deeply concerned about the loss of lives and destruction of property resulting from these criminal acts, and we extend our sympathies to all victims and their families, regardless of faith, ethnicity, or region.

The statement also emphasised that Nigeria does not have, and has never had, a state policy of religious persecution.

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NIGERIAN PRESIDENCY CONFIRMS REASON BEHIND RESIGNATION OF FORMER IGP EGBETOKUN

The Nigerian Presidency has confirmed the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun as the Inspector-General of Police.

It said the former police boss resigned from office, citing family issues that require his undivided attention.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a response to an inquiry by reporters saying, the IGP resigned in a letter on Tuesday, citing family issues which require his undivided attention.

However, multiple Presidency sources told reporters that Egbetokun was asked to step down during a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday evening.

Egbetokun, who was appointed IGP on June 19, 2023, has faced mounting criticism over the nation’s deteriorating security situation, particularly the wave of kidnappings, banditry, and terrorist attacks across multiple states.

Recent high-profile incidents include the abduction of nearly 300 schoolchildren from St. Mary’s boarding school in Niger State in November 2025, mass killings in Kwara State communities in February 2026, and persistent kidnappings along major highways.

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PRESIDENT TINUBU ACCEPTS EGBETOKUN’S RESIGNATION, NAMES TUNJI DISU ACTING IG

President Bola Tinubu has accepted the resignation of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and approved the appointment of Tunji Disu as Acting Inspector-General of Police with immediate effect.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President received the letter earlier on Tuesday and expressed appreciation for his service to the nation.

The statement also revealed that in view of the current security challenges confronting the nation, and acting in accordance with extant laws and legal guidance, President Tinubu has approved the appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu to serve as Acting Inspector-General of Police.

It added that in compliance with the provisions of the Police Act 2020, the President will soon convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to formally consider Disu’s appointment as substantive Inspector-General of Police, after which his name will be forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.

The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to enhancing national security, strengthening institutional capacity, and ensuring that the Nigeria Police Force remains professional, accountable, and fully equipped to discharge its constitutional responsibilities.

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FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FILES FRESH 12-COUNT CHARGE AGAINST LAWYER OZEKHOME

The Federal Government of Nigeria has filed a fresh 12-count charge against a Senior Advocate, Mike Ozekhome, and Ponfa Useni, also known as Tali Shani, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, over alleged conspiracy, forgery, personation and unlawful control of a property in the United Kingdom.

In the charge instituted by the Federal Ministry of Justice on behalf of the Federal government, on Tuesday, the prosecution accused the defendants of forging a Nigerian passport and other documents to support a claim to a property located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2.

According to the charge, the defendants allegedly conspired in 2020 in Abuja to procure a false Nigerian passport in the name Tali Shani, purportedly issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service, just as the late General Jeremiah Useni was named in several counts as a co-conspirator.

The prosecution also alleged that they intended to use the document to support their claim to the London property.

In counts 1 and 2, the government alleged that the defendants agreed to commit an illegal act by forging the passport and subsequently making the false document between May 30, 2020 and 2021, contrary to Sections 96 and 363 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under Section 364.

Count 3 accused them of conspiring in 2022 to use the alleged forged passport as genuine to facilitate their claim to the property, while Count 4 alleged that they dishonestly used the passport as genuine between 2023 and 2025.

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INEC DISMISSES CLAIMS OF RESULT MANIPULATION FOR FCT ELECTION

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has debunked claims of result manipulation at the Kuroko Health Centre polling unit in Yangoji Ward, Kwali Area Council, following the Saturday Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory.

In a statement on Tuesday signed by INEC FCT Office Resident Electoral Commissioner, Aminu Idris, the commission said the viral figure of 1,219 votes for a political party was incorrect and misleading.

The clarification followed reports suggesting that the polling unit, which has 345 registered voters and 213 accredited voters, produced a mathematically impossible figure.

According to the statement, the discrepancy arose from a simple human error by the presiding officer, stating that the officer recounted the ballots and initially entered 122 for the party, later correcting it to 121 after a recount in the open.

The commission stressed that technological safeguards within its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, and the INEC Result Viewing Portal make such manipulation impossible.

It also noted that any attempt to enter a figure like 1,219 would have been automatically flagged and rejected by the system.

INEC further assured the public that all results used for collation at the ward and area council levels were consistent with the BVAS data and that the FCT elections were conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.

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KEYAMO– FIRE-RAVAGED LAGOS AIRPORT OLD TERMINAL TO BE DEMOLISHED

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has inspected the level of destruction caused by Monday’s ravaging fire.

The minister said the fire was contained and no life was lost.

While speaking with reporters at the incident scene, Keyamo said victims who were hospitalised are now responding to treatment at a health facility in Lagos.

He said the terminal, which was slated for refurbishment, will be pulled down anyway, adding that a temporary terminal from where the few airlines operating from the facility will now operate has reached an advanced stage.

It will be recalled that a ravaging fire disrupted operations at the old terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday, triggering diversions, compounding travel delays and operational uncertainty across airlines.

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LAGOS STATE APPROVES 13% BRT FARE RISE 

Lagos State Government has approved a 13 per cent increase in fares across Bus Reform Initiative schemes, covering Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, and standard routes.

Head of Corporate Communication, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, LAMATA, Kolawole Ojelabi, disclosed this in a statement issued, noting that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu approved the increase after appeals from regulated operators over mounting economic pressures threatening operational sustainability.

He also explained that the adjustment was aimed at cushioning the impact of sustained economic challenges affecting public transport operations, just as he cited persistent inflationary trends, noting that Nigeria’s inflation rate closed 2025 at 15.2 per cent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

According to Head of Corporate Communication, Bus Operating Companies continue to grapple with rising maintenance costs, expensive spare parts and higher wage bills following the new national minimum wage, adding that the government remained committed to balancing affordability with safe, reliable and efficient public transport across the state.

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ANAMBRA STATE RELEASES TIMETABLE FOR SOLUDO’S SECOND TERM SWEARING-IN CEREMONY

The Anambra State government has released a programme timetable for the second term swearing-in ceremony of the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and his deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim.

According to the timetable released on Tuesday, signed by the state Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, Soludo and his deputy will be sworn in on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 10 am at Dr Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.

The schedule also revealed that the swearing-in ceremony will be preceded by an interdenominational service at the International Convention Centre, Awka, on March 15, 2026.

After the official swearing-in ceremony, a thanksgiving mass will be held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Awka, on March 22 at 10 am.

Recall that Governor Soludo, who polled a total of 422,664 votes, defeated his closest rival, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Nicholas Ukachukwu, who scored 99,445 votes, while the candidate of the Young Progressives Party, Sir Paul Chukwuma, came third with 37,753 votes.

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WHO PROBES HYDROCARBON EXPOSURE IN OGONILAND, SCREENS 4,000

The World Health Organisation, WHO, has begun a comprehensive health study of Ogoniland, Rivers State, to investigate the prevalence of ailments associated with long-term exposure to hydrocarbons.

Recall that the initiative aligns with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme report, which called for a follow-up health study to complement the environmental remediation of the oil-devastated area.

The health study is being conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an agency under WHO.

The Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, Nenibarini Zabbey, had in July 2025 stated that the agency commissioned WHO to carry out the study as part of the ongoing implementation of the UNEP report. #

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CBN REDUCES INTEREST RATE TO 26.50%

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has cut the interest rate by 50 basis points to 26.50 percent from 27 percent.

Nigeria’s apex bank announced this during its 304th Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday.

The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said all members of the MPC unanimously agreed upon the decision.

Cardoso stated that the liquidity ratio was maintained at 30 percent, and the standing facilities corridor was adjusted to +50 to -450 basis points around the monetary policy rate.

He said the committee retained the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 45 percent for commercial banks and 16 percent for merchant banks, while the 75 percent CRR on non-TSA public sector deposits was equally maintained.

The CBN uses the MPR, which works as the benchmark interest rate, to manage inflation, macroeconomic stability, and liquidity.

Last November, the MPC retained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 27.00 percent. The last time the apex bank cut interest rates was in September last year, from 27 percent to 27.50 percent.

The country’s interest rate dropped in January to 15.10 percent from 15.15 percent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

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PENGASSAN MEETS PRESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY, OVER EXECUTIVE ORDER

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria on Tuesday said it would meet the Presidential Implementation Committee on Wednesday as part of ongoing efforts to resolve concerns arising from President Bola Tinubu’s recent executive order on oil revenue remittance.

The committee was set up by the president to oversee and coordinate the effective implementation of the new directive on oil and gas revenue remittance.

The President of the union, Festus Osifo, disclosed this during his opening remarks at the National Executive Council meeting of the association held in Abuja, expressing optimism that the dialogue with government officials would yield a compromise.

Osifo said the union had already engaged government representatives over the weekend and on Monday, adding that the meeting with the presidential committee would further discussions aimed at protecting workers and ensuring stability in the oil and gas sector.

The union leader noted that discussions had begun to shift from legal interpretations to the practical impact of the directive on workers and the industry.

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SOUTH SUDAN ASSURES UNITED NATIONS OF HUMANITARIAN ACCESS AMID CLASHES

South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir, has assured the United Nations of his government’s commitment to granting humanitarian agencies unimpeded access to all affected areas across the country.

During a meeting with the Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief, Tom Fletcher, Kiir pledged to facilitate the swift delivery of relief supplies to communities in need nationwide.

Meanwhile, Fletcher, who arrived in South Sudan on Friday, said that the president reaffirmed his government’s willingness to ensure that humanitarian agencies have unrestricted activities in the country, a move he said is crucial in ensuring that urgent aid reaches displaced and flood-affected communities.

Albino Akol Atak, South Sudan’s minister of humanitarian affairs and disaster management said the president had directed the ministry to strengthen coordination with UN agencies and other humanitarian partners to address the current crisis.

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PSG DEFENDER HAKIMI TO FACE TRIAL OVER RAPE ALLEGATION

Paris Saint-Germain defender and Morocco national team captain Achraf Hakimi is set to face trial over an allegation of rape.

Multiple French media outlets, including France 24, reported this on Tuesday, citing confirmation from judicial sources and the player’s legal team.

The case stems from a complaint filed on February 26, 2023, by a then-24-year-old woman who alleged she was raped at Hakimi’s home in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, after the pair met via social media and she visited late on February 24.

Tuesday’s confirmation marks the end of the investigative phase, with the investigating judge having decided to proceed to trial.

Meanwhile, Hakimi has consistently denied the accusations, maintaining that the encounter was consensual. 

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