Category: News

Newly sworn-in Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has assured citizens that the Federal Government’s renewed security strategies will soon yield visible results across the country.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, affirmed the judgment that barred the Directorate of Road Traffic Services and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from confiscating or imposing fines on motorists.

President Bola Tinubu has submitted a new batch of ambassadorial nominees to the Nigerian Senate, including former Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas and ex-Chief of Army Staff Abdulrahman Dambazau. The move is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic corps.

Transmitted on Thursday, December 4, 2025, the nominations add four non-career ambassadors to a growing list of 65 candidates awaiting Senate confirmation—34 career diplomats and 31 non-career appointees.

Ibas, who recently served as the sole administrator of Rivers State, brings extensive military and administrative experience to the role.

This third submission follows earlier nominations that included figures such as Reno Omokri, Femi Fani-Kayode, and former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, which had sparked public debate. The presidency has defended the selections, noting that many non-career nominees have diverse backgrounds, including previous political opposition, emphasizing expertise and reconciliation over partisanship.

As the Senate continues screenings for earlier batches, observers note differing views, with some questioning the balance between political considerations and foreign policy priorities, while others see it as a step toward enhancing Nigeria’s international representation.

…Projects N1.3 Trn Capital Expenditure, N321 Billion Recurrent Expenditure

… Education gets 32.27% of total budget

…Economic Sector, Social Sector leads sectoral allocations with N825.9, N644.7bn, respectively

…Earmarks N20bn for gratuities

…Lauds Tinubu’s policies as Enugu exceeds projected FAAC inflow

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, on Tuesday, presented a record N1.62 trillion 2026 budget estimates to the Enugu State House of Assembly, saying the administration was moving from laying foundation to scaling transformation across every sector.

The figure represents a 66.5 per cent increase over the N971 billion revised 2025 budget.

Dubbed Budget of Renewed Momentum, Governor Mbah said the budget comprised a Capital Expenditure of N1,296,092,465,000, representing 80 per cent of the total budget, while the Recurrent Component stood at N321,305,000,000, representing 20 per cent of the budget totaling N1,617,397,465,000.

Mbah said the budget would be funded through a projected N870 billion Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, N387 billion would come from the Federal Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, while N329 billion is expected as Capital Receipts.

A sectoral breakdown of the budget shows that the Economic Sector would receive N825.9 billion, representing N51 per cent of the total budget, followed by the Social Sector (N644.7 billion), representing 40.1 per cent of the budget, while Administration Sector, Justice Sector and Regional Sector got N128 billion, N15.8 billion, and N2 billion, respectively.

“Allocating N825.9 billion to the Economic Sector is strategic and deliberate. When we invest in agriculture, industry, and trade, we create jobs, reduce poverty, and generate revenue that strengthens the entire economy. The performance of this sector remains central to our vision of achieving a seven-fold GDP growth in Enugu State,” the governor explained.

Highlights of the Economic Sector include Roads/Infrastructure Sector where the governor plans to construct 1,200 urban roads and a significant number of rural roads, while also completing the ongoing 40-kilometre Owo-Ubahu-Amankanu-Neke-Ikem dual carriageway, dualisation of the Abakpa Nike – Ugwogo Nike – Ekwegbe – Opi-Nsukka Road, and the 21.65-kilometre Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway.

Concerning Transportation, Mbah announced that the state would acquire 14 additional aircraft to bring Enugu Air’s fleet to 20, noting that three additional planes would arrive before the end of 2025.

The administration plans to build five more transport terminals in Emene, Udi, Awgu, Four-Corners (Ozalla) and Oboloafor. It equally set aside 15 per cent of the budget for providing 15,000 mass housing units, while ramping up infrastructural development at the New Enugu City.

In the Agricultural sector, he said the administration would, among others, step up the construction of 20-hectare Farm Estates in the 260 wards of the state, with some already underway.

In the Social Sector, education got the lion’s share of 32.27 per cent of the entire budget, following patterns of 2024 and 2024 budgets where it got over 30 per cent.

He said that with the 260 Smart Green Schools already completed or nearing completion, the state would focus on the construction of Smart Secondary Schools and Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) Colleges across the state in 2026.

“There are some, who might look at what we spend on education and cringe. But what we spend currently on education is largely insignificant weighed against the future social cost of having a disproportionate population of out-of-school children,” he explained.

He said his administration equally budgeted the sum of N20 billion to clear longstanding gratuities inherited by his administration, noting that “Our workers should not wait years to receive benefits they have earned.”

N11 billion was budgeted to, among others, fund the second phase of the administration’s security surveillance system, Health is to get 10 per cent of the total budget.

2025 Budget Performance

On the 2025 budget performance, Governor Mbah said the administration had so far spent about N806 billion.

“This means that we utilized 97.5 per cent of all the money that came into the state and achieved 83 per cent of the total budget implementation as against the revised budget of N871 billion,” he said.

On revenues performance, the governor said “The money coming into Enugu State has grown in ways we have never seen before.”

“Our internally generated revenue is set to exceed ₦400 billion by the end of the year. It is not yet where we ultimately want to be, but it is already the highest IGR in the history of Enugu State – a 221.6% increase over 2024,” he said.

He commended President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, saying it had revved up the FAAC allocations to Enugu State.

“Our FAAC inflow did not just meet expectations – it exceeded them by more than half. We projected about ₦150 billion but we received ₦230 billion – over 50 per cent above projection.

“This is not accidental. It reflects the impact of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bold economic reforms.

“The removal of fuel subsidies, unification of foreign exchange rate and other fiscal measures have strengthened key macro indicators – inflation has declined and continues to trend downwardly, interest rates have eased, and the exchange rate has stabilised. And our foreign reserve has continued to be strengthened, and recently hit the $46 billion mark,” he said.

The Enugu State Police Command, through operatives of the Nsukka Urban Division, with the support of Neighbourhood Watch Group, on 1st December 2025, arrested one Emeka Emmanuel Nwangwu (male, aged 51) for the gruesome murder of his maternal cousin sister, Loveth Uloma Nwangwu, aged 19. The suspect, a member of the Neighbourhood Security Watch Group, committed the crime at a pharmacy in Nsukka, where he was arrested.

The deceased had earlier reported a case of defilement, sexual abuse, abduction, and threat to life against the suspect on 28th November 2025 to Umabor Division. She alleged that she had been living with the suspect since 2019, at age 13, after the death of his wife, and that he had restricted her communication with family and friends and subjected her to sexual abuse.

After attempting to escape to her family home in Enugu-Ezike, Igbo-Eze North LGA, the suspect allegedly threatened her with a firearm, forcing her back to his residence in Ibeku-Opi, Nsukka LGA, where she was locked up in a room. She later escaped using a spare key and reported the incident to the police, who issued her a medical report form for examination. The suspect and family were invited to the station, where he confessed, sought forgiveness, and promised to return her property. The family, citing personal ties, initially chose not to prosecute the case but opted for spiritual cleansing due to the incestuous and abominable act against the victim.

Tragically, while receiving treatment at a pharmacy in Nsukka, the suspect forced his way in, assaulted her, and struck her head repeatedly on the floor, causing fatal injuries. The victim was taken to the hospital, where her death was confirmed and her remains deposited in the mortuary for preservation and autopsy. The suspect was rearrested and is in police custody.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, psc, condemned the crime and the cruel manner in which it was committed, consoling the family and assuring the public that justice will be served. He has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (State CID) to investigate the case meticulously and ensure that it is charged to court within record time.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa as the new Minister of Defence.

In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu conveyed General Musa’s nomination as the successor to Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday.

General Musa, 58, on December 25, is a distinguished soldier who served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025. He won the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.

Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa received his primary and secondary education there before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year, earning a Bachelor of Science degree upon graduation in 1991.

General Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and has since had a distinguished career. His appointments include General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative/Member, Training Team, HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.

In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole; and Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region.

In 2021, General Musa was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai. He later became Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before being appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Tinubu in 2023.

In the letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed confidence in General Musa’s ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.

The Enugu State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has announced that former Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Lawrence Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, will be formally inducted into the Union’s Hall of Fame in recognition of his unprecedented contributions to journalism development during his administration.

According to a statement signed by the Chairman of the Council, Comrade Obinna Ogbuka, the induction will take place during the 2025 NUJ Press Week scheduled for December 4, 2025, at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
This year’s Press Week has the theme: “National Unity and Good Governance: The Role of the Media.”

Comrade Ogbuka announced that the keynote lecture will be delivered by the President of the Senate, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, while former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Chief Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, will chair the event.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Benjamin Okezie Kalu, will serve as Special Guest of Honour, with the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, as Chief Host.

The NUJ noted that the former governor’s induction follows a comprehensive review of his contributions to journalism across Enugu State. During his two-term tenure from 2015 to 2023, Rt. Hon. Ugwuanyi implemented landmark interventions that fundamentally strengthened the media landscape in the state.

Among his notable achievements were the rehabilitation and modernization of the NUJ Press Centre in Enugu, a widely celebrated upgrade described by the Union as “the highest financial investment in NUJ infrastructure in the history of Enugu State.”

In addition, his administration provided a new bus to the Correspondents’ Chapel, sponsored several journalists on pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and supported numerous professionals through capacity-building trainings and workshops.

Equally transformative was his commitment to expanding media infrastructure beyond the state capital. Under his leadership, a brand-new Press Centre was constructed for journalists in Nsukka, offering practitioners in the zone a modern, conducive workspace. The NUJ said this decentralization effort reflected Ugwuanyi’s belief that “every journalist, regardless of location, deserves a dignified and professional environment.”

The statement added that the former governor’s humility, accessibility, and consistent respect for journalists helped nurture a positive relationship between the media and government during his administration.

“Throughout his tenure, Rt. Hon. Ugwuanyi demonstrated a deep appreciation of the press as a vital institution for democracy and development,” the Council noted.

“For his historic infrastructural support, unwavering commitment to press freedom and welfare, and a legacy of empowerment that continues to uplift the journalism community, the Enugu State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists hereby inducts him into its Hall of Fame this 4th day of December 2025.”

The NUJ further stated that other distinguished Nigerians who have excelled in their respective fields will also be honoured as part of the annual Press Week activities, a period when journalists assess leadership performance and review the Union’s work over the year.

The Council invited members of the public, media professionals, and stakeholders to attend the ceremony.

Three staff members attached to Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, were on Tuesday morning attacked by unidentified gunmen near the Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

The Kano State Government says it will “strictly enforce” its Motorcycling and Related Matters (Regulations) Law, 2013, which prohibits carrying passengers on motorcycles within the metropolis — a move coming amid a sharp rise in banditry across parts of the state.

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Maude, SAN, who announced the enforcement on Monday in Kano, said the law covers eight metropolitan LGAs: Kano Municipal, Gwale, Dala, Nassarawa, Tarauni, Ungogo, Dawakin Kudu (including Tamburawa, Gurjiya, and Jido Ward), Fagge, and Kumbotso.

He reminded residents that violators risk up to six months’ imprisonment, a ₦10,000 fine, and forfeiture of the motorcycle.

Maude explained that in LGAs where commercial motorcycling is allowed, operators must undergo mandatory documentation, including registration with the Ward Head, the Local Government Works Department, and the Divisional Police Officer. He said the process enhances security and helps authorities identify riders and track activities.

The renewed enforcement comes as banditry linked to motorcycle-riding gangs intensifies in Tsanyawa, Shanono, and Bagwai LGAs, where killings and kidnappings have been reported.

More than 25 people were abducted on Sunday night across three Shanono communities — a day after another group of bandits raided Yan Kamaye in Tsanyawa, kidnapping three persons and killing a 60-year-old woman.

Kano, long considered one of the more stable states in the North-west, is now grappling with a growing spillover of banditry from neighbouring Katsina State.

Defence Minister Badaru Abubakar has resigned from office, citing health concerns, in a development that comes amid mounting insecurity and President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a national security emergency.

His exit has triggered strong speculation that former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, may be tapped as his replacement, following a meeting with President Tinubu on Monday night.

Confirming the resignation, Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Badaru stepped down through a letter dated December 1.

“Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned his appointment, with immediate effect. In a letter dated December 1, sent to President Bola Tinubu, Abubakar said he was quitting on health grounds.

“President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked Abubakar for his services to the nation. President Tinubu will likely inform the Senate of Badaru’s successor later this week,” Onanuga said.

Badaru, 63, who previously served two terms as governor of Jigawa State, was appointed minister on August 21, 2023.

His resignation coincides with Tinubu’s move to outline the scope of the newly declared national security emergency.

Gen. Musa, appointed the 18th CDS on June 23, 2023, is widely noted for major reforms in military structure and modernization. Before that, he commanded Operation Hadin Kai in the North-east, where he pushed integrated security and humanitarian engagements.

His tenure as CDS ended on October 24, 2025, during a broad shake-up of the military hierarchy that brought in Gen. Olufemi Oluyede as his successor.

With Badaru’s resignation now official, attention shifts to the presidency as the nation awaits Tinubu’s announcement of a new defence minister.

The federal government has announced the promotion of 24,202 officers and personnel of four para-military agencies in the country.

…No hiding place for criminals – Enugu Security Trust Fund

…We understand the consequences to S’East if Enugu is left porous – Anglican Bishop

To further boost the security of lives and property, Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has inaugurated hi-tech security equipment and patrol vehicles procured by the Enugu State Security Trust Fund, ESSTF.

Items inaugurated were two state-of-the-art drones, 10 Hilux vehicles (4×4), 40 motorcycles, 400 bulletproof vests, and 400 bulletproof helmets.

Inaugurating the items at Government House, Enugu, on Monday, Governor Mbah thanked the Trustees of ESSTF for their commitment to strengthening security in the state, saying that the items would complement the administration’s existing investments in security, including the state-of-the-art Command and Control Centre, AI-enabled surveillance cameras across the state, and over 150 Distress Response Squad vehicles fitted with AI-embedded cameras.

He observed that the administration’s achievements and humongous vision would have come to naught without the security of lives and property, but assured that his government would not rest on its oars and would continue to cooperate with the President Bola Tinubu Administration, which he said was working tirelessly to make sure the country is safe and secure.

“The security challenges we are having are local, and at the state level, we must also play our own role to ensure our localities are safe. So, these items will be deployed to ensure Enugu State remains the safest state in this country.

“We can confidently say that violent crimes have been reduced by over 80 per cent in Enugu State today. But as you know, we are not resting on our laurels because the criminals and bad elements we are dealing with are not resting, but are looking for any opportunity to breach our security.

“Security is one sector you may have scored 90 per cent, but just one breach can undermine all the successes you have accomplished. That is why we must invest heavily in equipment and infrastructure that enable us to nip crime in the bud and act quickly when one has been committed. That is why today’s event is reinforcing,” Mbah stated.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of ESSTF, Ike Chioke, who was represented by a member of the ESSTF Board of Trustees, Nath Udeh, said there was no longer any hiding place for criminals, adding that the inaugurated items would boost the governor’s efforts to position Enugu as the safest state to live and invest in.

He assured that ESSTF would do more, noting that the drastic improvement in security under the Mbah Administration was visible in the number of visitors and businesses presently coming into the state.

“Despite the number of flights now coming into Enugu, if you do not book on time, you do not get a seat. That tells you the amount of traffic now coming into Enugu. Some companies also want to have their retreats and a couple of assignments here in Enugu. These are signs to show that there is something nice happening here,” he added.

Throwing more light on the security items, the Executive Secretary of ESSTF, Engr. Chinedu Ani, explained that the two Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) drones would enable operations in any kind of terrain, as they would not need a runway to take off.

“The drones also have a coverage and a range of 100km and as far as I know, from this spot (Command and Control Centre), which is where we normally take off, the longest air distance in Enugu here is 90km. So, it has the capability to go beyond Enugu State. And also, we can cruise at 120km per hour. They are quite fast.

“Each drone has several cameras, including thermal camera, night vision and daytime vision. Those cameras can zoom up to so many kilometres from the position of the drone. So, it is a very powerful equipment that has a lot of technologies. The cameras are also AI-equipped. So, they can do a lot of analysis. With the drones, we now have additional capability to track suspects, vehicles, and human beings anywhere within the state,” he explained.

A Trustee of ESSTF and the Anglican Bishop of Nike Diocese, Rt. Rev. Onyekachi Onyia, justified the heavy investment in security, highlighting the state’s strategic place in the security and stability of the entire South East and the defunct Eastern Region.

“We know the consequences of leaving Enugu porous. If terrorists are able to get through Enugu, the South East is finished. It will not end well,” he stated.