Category: PM News

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Federal Government to immediately declare a state of emergency on insecurity following the latest mass abduction of schoolchildren in Niger State.

Reacting to Friday’s attack on St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, Atiku said the wave of kidnappings across the country has reached a breaking point.

“Not again. This is truly heartbreaking,” Atiku wrote on X.

“How many more lives must be shattered before decisive action is taken? It is not too late for the government to finally declare a state of emergency on insecurity and confront this menace with the urgency it deserves,” he added.

unmen stormed the Catholic-owned school in the early hours of Friday, reportedly arriving in large numbers on over 60 motorcycles and with a van before escaping with an unconfirmed number of pupils.

The attack is the latest in a troubling chain of school kidnappings across the North. Less than a week ago, bandits abducted 26 students of Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State — an incident in which Vice Principal Hassan Makuku was killed while defending the students.

It also came days after at least 30 worshippers were seized during an attack on Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, in Kwara State, where three people were killed.

President Bola Tinubu had earlier condemned the worsening attacks and directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to visit affected families.

Cubana Chief Priest has reacted to the sentence given to Nnamdi Kanu after his trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The entrepreneur, on his Instagram page issued a warning to President Tinubu over the pronouncement, warning that he will lose majority of the support from the South-East.

“President @officialasiwajubat As long as MNK remains in jail you cannot and will never get up to 10,000 votes in South-East come 2027. I will not lie to you Papa. As a friend of your government I have no reason to whitewash you. MNK is the supreme leader of South-East his detention has caused us so much setback and I’m so surprised that all your useless ministers from South-East can’t even tell you the truth because they are all cowards. None of them has capacity and can do anything to make the people love and respect you. As for Governors they will all disappoint you because what will they tell us, absolute nothing. Only MNK release can save you,” he wrote.

Cubana Chief Priest in his lengthy post went on to criticise the ministers from the South-East. He advised Tinubu to reassess his allies. He also called on the governor of Imo state to do everything in his power to get Nnamdi Kanu out.

“To My Father @he_hopeuzodimma. You have done well but you will be a complete loser if you don’t get MNK out. Your legacies will be swept under the carpet if you don’t get it right. I believe your tactics but with MNK sentence I’m weak. His detention has messed up all your achievements, please governor general do it papa. Help our Asiwaju well. Without MNK Outside Everything Shall Fall Into Pieces. Asiwaju Gave Me Access To The Villa Gave Me My First Presidential Handshake and I Will Never Forget Talk More Of Watching Him Fail. Appeal This Judgement and Get It Right Or Get Ready To Check Out Of The Villa Come 2027. Southeast Belongs To MNK. This Is The Words Of the gods, Play With it At Your Own Risk,” he added.

Niger State security agencies have deployed police tactical units and military components to Papiri in Agwara Local Government Area following the abduction of students from St. Mary’s Private (Catholic) Secondary School.

ccording to the Niger State Police Command, the attack occurred around 2:00 a.m. on 21st November, when armed bandits stormed the school’s hostel and kidnapped an unspecified number of students.

Security forces have since launched a search operation, combing nearby forests in an effort to rescue the abducted pupils.

Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, assured that all efforts are being made to ensure the students are rescued unharmed. He also appealed to the public to remain calm and support ongoing security operations.

The police further warned that the school management would face investigation and possible sanctions for continuing academic activities despite prior state government directives suspending school operations in the area due to security threats.

The incident comes amid rising concerns over attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, following similar abductions in other states in recent weeks.

Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, wife of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, has condemned the life sentence handed to her husband by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, describing the ruling as illegal, biased, and void under Nigerian law.

In a statement, Uchechi said the court failed to determine whether it had the jurisdiction to try Kanu before proceeding with the trial, a fundamental requirement in criminal proceedings.

She accused Justice Omotosho of instructing her husband to consolidate all objections in a final written address, only to block the submission and deliver judgment without considering them, denying Kanu a fair hearing.

Uchechi further alleged that the judge refused to issue written rulings on several critical applications filed by Kanu, including challenges relating to illegal rendition, repealed laws, abuse of court process, double criminality, and invalid charges. She said the court forced Kanu to plead under the now-repealed Terrorism Act of 2013, ignoring the updated 2022 Act, rendering the charges invalid and the trial illegal.

She claimed the judgment included allegations and “facts” that were never presented in court, including assertions that Kanu had planned to bomb the United States and United Kingdom embassies during EndSARS protests.

ccording to Uchechi, no witness testified to such claims, making them fictitious and inadmissible. She criticized the reliance on a “savings clause” from the old law, stressing that no repealed law can override the Constitution.

Uchechi also said the court ignored the principle of double criminality, which requires that crimes alleged to have been committed abroad must be recognized as offences in the foreign jurisdiction. In Kanu’s case, no evidence, police reports, or witnesses from Kenya were presented, undermining the court’s authority to try him.

She concluded that the judgment is worthless, illegal, and cannot withstand appeal. She described Justice Omotosho’s handling of the case as judicial misconduct, noting that her husband’s right to defend himself was systematically blocked, and that the court relied on invented evidence to justify the conviction.

Uchechi stated that her legal team would challenge the verdict in higher courts, highlighting that the Nigerian government acted unlawfully by bringing Kanu from Kenya and trying him under a repealed law. She said the ruling exposes the presiding judge to potential disciplinary action.

The South West Arewa Community on Thursday gathered in Lagos to drum up support for the reelection of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Members of the group numbering over 1000 expressed that President Bola Tinubu had in the past supported the northerners politically and therefore deserves to be supported in 2027.

The Director General, South West Arewa Community for Asiwaju 2027, Alhaji Sheu Usman, said the Movement was to appreciate the huge investment of President Tinubu in the Northern part of the country, under his Renewed Hope Agenda.

“We are here to introduce the South West Arewa Community for the Asiwaju 2027 Movement. This movement started five months ago, and we have achieved tremendously. We are here to support Tinubu, who has shown love to the northerners. When he was governor, he ensured there was an Arewa community in all local governments.

In 2023, he sponsored Nuhu Ribadu to contest the presidency of the country. He did the same for Atiku and Muhammadu Buhari, so there is no reason any northerner will not work for him,” Usman said.

He added,”In the last four months, we have been able to secure land for 1000 farmers in Lagos State. We are also able to secure three appointments, two from the federal government and one in Lagos. Also we got appointments in Ondo and Ogun States.”

Usman, who is also the Chairman of Mile 12 International Food Market, further said that the federal government’s interventions in the agriculture sector have reduced prices of staple foods across markets, which has not happened in over twenty years.

While noting that Lagos remains one of the safest states in the country, the Director-General called for peaceful coexistence to reduce incidents of terrorism and killings in other States.

cting Secretary, Arewa Community for Asiwaju 2027, Lagos chapter, Mr Ibrahim Jagada, restated the loyalty of the northerners to the re-election of President Bola Tinubu as he urged members without Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) to register with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be able to cast their vote in 2027, noting that the Asiwaju 2027 campaign would be taken to other South West States.

Chairman of Agege Local Government, Abdulganiyu Obasa, assured the Arewa Community of President Tinubu’s commitment to addressing the insecurity challenges while making more reforms to better the lives of citizens.

While commending the Southwest Arewa Group for expressing their support to Asiwaju, he also encouraged all youth to rise up and embrace positive and developmental engagements worthy of growing the nation instead of getting involved in negative vices.

“Asiwaju is the father of the nation. He deserves the support of everybody at this point in our nation. Like he has changed the tide in our economy, he will succeed in solving the security problem of Nigeria.

“What the Southwest Arewa Community is doing is highly commendable, and it is a bold form of support Asiwaju needs at this point.

“I appreciate you all and promise to work with you in my council for the success of Agege,” he said.

Members of South West Arewa Community for Asiwaju 2027 dressed in black and white attire from Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos, promised to deliver over 10,000 votes, with a charge for more members to get their PVCs to exercise their franchise.

Dignitaries at the event included Hausa traditional and spiritual leaders in Lagos; Director General of the Grassroots Movement for Tinubu 2027, Hon. Bisi Yusuf; member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Femi Saheed from Kosofe Constituency, representative of the Commissioner for Local government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development among others.

Nigeria has recorded 177 fatalities from Lassa fever between January and early November 2025, according to new figures released on Thursday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

In its latest situation update, the agency reported that 966 confirmed infections have been detected so far in 21 states and 102 Local Government Areas, covering up to epidemiological Week 44, which ended on 2 November.

The Case Fatality Rate has climbed to 18.3 per cent, surpassing the 16.5 per cent documented during the same period last year. The rise suggests increasing challenges in curbing the spread and severity of the viral disease.

The NCDC reported a slight increase in new infections, rising from 11 cases in Week 43 to 12 in Week 44. The latest cases were recorded in Ondo, Edo and Benue.

Data shows that four states account for 87 per cent of the confirmed cases so far this year:

Ondo 36%

Bauchi 21%

Edo 17%

Taraba 13%

The remaining cases were spread across 17 other states.

The most affected age group is young adults aged 21 to 30, although patients as young as one and as old as 96 have been treated. The median patient age is 30, and the infection ratio stands at one male to every 0.8 females.

The centre noted that overall suspected and confirmed cases are slightly lower than those logged during the same timeframe in 2024. It also confirmed that no healthcare worker was newly infected in Week 44.

ccording to the NCDC, the national multi-partner, multi-sectoral Technical Working Group for Lassa fever continues to coordinate nationwide response efforts as the country battles one of its most persistent public health threats.

52 students of St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have reportedly been abducted by terrorists on Friday morning.

The attackers were said to have inavded the school and operated between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m.

This is coming five days after armed bandits attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi.

During the late-night attack, the Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Yakubu Makuku, was killed while trying to protect the students. 25 student were kidnapped in the attack.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to provide clear legal justification for his recent decision involving its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

In a statement issued by the group’s spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, IPOB said it intends to scrutinise the ruling and draw public attention to what it considers constitutional issues raised by the judgment.

The organisation maintained that throughout the court proceedings, no firearms, explosives, or related materials were tendered as evidence against Mr Kanu. It further claimed that no witness had directly accused him of committing any offence under Nigerian or international law. According to IPOB, its observations stem from the conduct of the trial and the legal submissions made in court.

Reaffirming its long-standing position, the group argued that the demand for self-determination is anchored in internationally recognised rights, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN covenants on civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.

Citing Section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulates that no individual may be convicted for an act not defined as an offence in written law, the group called on Justice Omotosho to identify the specific statute relied upon in reaching his decision and to clarify whether the law is currently valid.

IPOB said it would continue to review the judgment and raise what it regards as important constitutional and procedural questions, noting that the case has far-reaching implications for human rights, judicial integrity, and the rule of law in Nigeria.

The group restated its commitment to peaceful advocacy and said it will continue engaging international institutions in pursuit of its objectives through lawful and diplomatic means.

In a startling disclosure, Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris has called for an urgent investigation into why military personnel stationed at Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, withdrew from their post just one hour before bandits stormed the school and abducted 25 girls.

overnor Idris made the appeal while receiving the State Minister for Defense, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, at Government House, Birnin Kebbi, on Friday.

Matawalle had arrived in the state on directives from President Bola Tinubu to oversee and coordinate the rescue of the abducted students.

“Why did the military personnel stationed at the college withdraw from their duty post by 3:00 a.m., when intelligence clearly indicated an imminent attack, and the bandits struck at 4:00 a.m.?” Governor Idris asked.

The governor said the state government had received prior intelligence warning of a potential attack on the school, prompting an emergency security meeting that led to the deployment of security personnel at the institution.

“This withdrawal at such a critical time is deeply troubling. I am appealing to the Minister of Defense to thoroughly investigate the circumstances that led to this lapse,” Idris added.

Highlighting the state’s efforts to bolster security, the governor noted that his administration had distributed 100 Hilux vehicles and 1,000 motorcycles to various security agencies to support crime-fighting operations across Kebbi.

He urged citizens to intensify prayers for the safe return of the abducted girls and for enduring peace in the state and the nation.

Matawalle, speaking alongside the Theater Commander of Operation Fansan Yamma, Maj.-Gen. Idris Warrah, said their presence in Kebbi was mandated by the Commander-in-Chief to ensure a coordinated rescue operation.

“We are here to work with all security agencies and the community to secure the safe return of the girls. We are not here to sit idly or sleep. Every resource and strategy will be deployed to accomplish this mission,” he said.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Friday departed Abuja to represent President Bola Tinubu at the G20 Leaders’ Summit holding in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The G20 Summit will hold from Saturday, Nov. 22 to Sunday, Nov. 23, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Shettima’s trip to South Africa was necessitated by the decision of President Tinubu to stay back in Nigeria and attend to security concerns in the country, Mr Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice-President, said in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Nkwocha explained that Tinubu had postponed his earlier scheduled trip to Johannesburg, South Africa to await further security briefings on the recent security incidents in Kebbi and Kwara States.

ccording to the statement, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South African, who also serves as the current President of the G20 group had invited President Tinubu to participate in this year’s edition.

Nkwocha noted that the event will brings together leaders from the world’s top 20 economies, including the European Union, the African Union, financial institutions, among others.

He added that Shettima will return to Nigeria at the end of the engagements.