Category: PM News

$25bn Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project Gets New Company

The $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) project has taken a big step forward with the creation of a special company to handle it.

This new company means the project is moving from the planning stage to putting in place the systems and money needed for actual construction. International financiers like the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) are already showing interest in supporting the project.

When completed, the pipeline will carry up to 30 billion cubic meters of gas every year. It will stretch more than 6,000 kilometers, passing through about 12 West African countries, linking Nigeria’s gas to Morocco, and then to Europe. Nigeria, which has Africa’s largest proven gas reserves, wants to reduce dependence on its local market by selling more gas abroad.

For Morocco and other countries along the route, the pipeline will increase energy supply and boost their roles in the global gas market.

The creation of a project company is important because it puts all the responsibilities, financing, and management of the pipeline in one place.

This makes it easier for investors and financial institutions to trust the process.

The final investment decision, expected by the end of 2025, will determine if the project has enough funding to move fully into construction.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Jigawa Command, has confirmed the drowning of a 15-year-old boy, Sunusi Abubakar in a pond.

The Jigawa Police Command’s spokesperson, Badaruddeen Tijjani, confirmed the incident in a statement in Dutse, on Wednesday.

Tijjina said that Abubakar, a resident of Gabari village in Chamo district, drowned on Tuesday while swimming in a pond in the area.

He said that the deceased was discovered lifeless inside a pond locally referred to as ‘Mahayin gidan Toro’, located about 1.5 kilometers to the north of Gabari village.

‘Prior to the discovery, the shoes and trousers of the deceased were seen abandoned by the river bank.

‘And according to his father, the deceased went to swim in the pond at about 5p:m., but failed to return home.

‘A search was immediately initiated by the community until the body was eventually discovered this morning,’ he said.

The Jigawa NSCDC image maker added that the body of the deceased, which showed no trace of injury, was handed over to his parents for burial.

He urged parents, guardians and community leaders to warn children and youths against unsafe swimming practices in open water bodies in order to avert future occurrences.

He assured that corps remained committed to its mandate of safeguarding lives and property across the state.

Niger State is bracing for a major disaster as four hydro-electric dams, Kainji, Jebba, Shiroro, and Zungeru have begun discharging excess water, sparking fears of catastrophic flooding across riverine communities.

The warning came from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), following a notification from the dam operators and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency.

NSEMA’s Director General, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, in a statement on Thursday, urged communities along Rivers Niger and Kaduna to move to higher ground immediately. ‘The dams are releasing thousands of gallons of water per minute, and this could cause massive overflow. People must limit activities around river banks during this peak rainy season and relocate to safer grounds already identified,’ Arah warned. He added that NiMet’s latest forecast also predicts violent windstorms at the tail end of the rainy season, cautioning residents to avoid staying under trees during downpours and keep away from weak structures.

Already, parts of Niger State are reeling from the impact of the floods. Houses, farms, roads, and bridges have been washed away, with several local government areas – including Lavun, Magama, Rafi, Kontagora, Mokwa, Lapai, Katcha, Agaie, Suleja, Shiroro, Bida, and Bosso – badly affected.

NSEMA confirmed that lives have been lost in the disaster, though it did not disclose figures. Many families have also been displaced, while socio-economic activities in the affected communities have been paralysed.

‘This is beyond normal flooding. If people ignore the warnings, the consequences will be tragic,’ Arah said.

Galatasaray head coach, Okan Buruk, has shed light on why Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen was taken off during Tuesday night’s UEFA Champions League encounter against Liverpool in Instabul.

The Super Eagles forward was once again the hero for the Turkish giants as he netted the decisive goal in their narrow 1-0 triumph at RAMS Park. Osimhen, who has quickly become a fan favorite in Istanbul, showed his composure from the penalty spot in the 16th minute, calmly slotting home after Kerem Yilmaz was brought down in the box by Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai. The goal eventually proved enough to hand Galatasaray all three points against Arne Slot’s men.

However, Osimhen’s substitution later in the match raised eyebrows among fans and sparked fears of yet another injury setback for the powerful forward, who has had his fair share of fitness troubles in recent years.

He was replaced by Argentine striker Mauro Icardi with 19 minutes left on the clock. Coach Buruk was quick to allay those fears, explaining that the change was purely precautionary.

According to him, Osimhen was not injured but was only suffering from fatigue.

‘Osimhen was feeling tired and had a cramp in his foot, but we don’t think it’s anything serious,’ Buruk told the club’s official website. ‘There’s no negative information coming in at this time, so we expect him to be fine.’

The 26-year-old forward, whose energy and movement troubled Liverpool’s defense all night, was later named Man of the Match for his outstanding performance.

His decisive strike not only lifted Galatasaray’s Champions League hopes but also reaffirmed his status as one of the most lethal strikers in Europe.

For Galatasaray supporters, Buruk’s words will come as a huge relief, ensuring that their star man remains available for the crucial fixtures ahead in both domestic and European competitions.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed filed to challenge the state of emergency declared for Rivers State on 18 March 2025, by President Bola Tinubu.

Presiding Judge, Justice James Omotosho, while delivering his verdict in the case brought by Belema Briggs and four others, said the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to initiate the case.

Following a prolonged political tension in Rivers, Tinubu had declared emergency rule in Rivers State, citing a potential breakdown of law and order. The declaration entailed the suspension of the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Ngozi Odu; and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months. In their place, the president appointed a sole administrator to oversee the state’s governance during the emergency period.

Displeased with the move, the plaintiffs approached the court seeking to overturn the declaration and restore the suspended officials. However, the court held that none of the claimants had the legal authority to file the suit, noting that they did not represent any state institution or hold any office that would grant them such powers. But Justice Omotosho stated that the plaintiffs failed to contest the president’s rationale for imposing emergency rule, which was to avert an impending breakdown of law and order. He noted that the relevant provisions of the law were properly invoked by the president, and that no breach of fundamental rights could be established under the circumstances.

He further dismissed the claim that the lawsuit was brought on behalf of the people of Rivers State, stating that there was no evidence that the plaintiffs had obtained the mandate of the people, nor had they secured authorisation from the Attorney General of the state.

Describing the suit as ‘frivolous and baseless,’ the judge said none of the plaintiffs had suffered any special harm or injury beyond what might affect the general population of Rivers State.

Tinubu officially ended the emergency rule on 18 September 2025. In a speech, he revealed that over 40 legal challenges had been lodged in relation to the declaration, including a high-profile suit by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party currently pending before the Supreme Court.

Nigerian on-air personality and screenwriter, Dami Elebe, has opened up about a terrifying near-death experience she endured just weeks after giving birth to her first child.

In a post on her birthday, Thursday, October 2, 2025, Elebe expressed gratitude to God for sparing her life and allowing her to celebrate another year.

‘I’m I dying? That was the question I asked my husband and the ER staff just a few weeks after I had my baby. I was having a heart failure. My lungs were filled with fluid. My body was drowning me. simply because I had given birth,’ she recounted.

Elebe revealed that she was resuscitated, admitted to the ICU, and placed on a ventilator. Despite the harrowing experience, she remained focused on small signs of recovery.

‘When I asked a nurse what to do because I wanted to use the toilet, she told me to do it on the bed. I couldn’t speak, so I scribbled that she should play a worship playlist. I intensified my prayers – I asked God to just heal me enough so I could use the toilet myself. I just wanted to go home, to be with my husband and my baby, and to live,’ she wrote.

She expressed immense gratitude for the timely intervention of medical staff, the support of her family, and the prayers of friends.

‘Every little sign of progress, every moment I felt a bit better, I thanked God. I was thankful that we got to the ER at the right time. Thankful that the doctors diagnosed me quickly. Thankful to simply be alive. And today. I’m here. To celebrate a birthday. To be loved and cared for. I am truly blessed,’ she said.

An Igbo group from the southeast region of Nigeria under the National Igbo union, has demanded that a fair trial be held for Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal Government.

The demands, made in statement released on Thursday, stated that the government should put sentiments aside while dealing with the case.

The Admin Secretary of the Igbo union INU-W, Mazi Austin-Mary Ndukwu, also claimed that the Nigerian Government have been bias towards the trial. ‘It was a disheartening scenario on 26 September 2025 when the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Omotosho struck out the ‘no case submission’ brought by the legal team of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to the consternation of people with good conscience all over the world. By striking out the application of no case submission, the Nigerian Government at the centre and her security agencies had showcased their bias and intent over the trial of MNK who was illegally renditioned from Kenya in June 2021,’ he stated.

The secretary also questioned the freedom of Sunday Igboho and Bello Turji,, while stating that they were also charged with terrorism as Nnamdi Kanu.

‘Igbo National Union Worldwide once again urges for a fair and just trial for Kanu since the Nigerian Government has decided he has a case to answer. It will be counterproductive and also another ploy to jeopardize the works of MNK’s legal team led by Kanu Agabi, SAN. It could also be another excuse to get at Igbo youths by the security agencies. This time calls for a sober reflection by Ndigbo on who we are, our existence, and survival in Nigeria,’ the release added,’ the statement reads.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that 24 passengers were rescued and 4 bodies recovered after a boat mishap on the River Niger in Ibaji Local Government Area, Kogi State.

The agency, however, says 42 people remain missing.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, NEMA stated the incident occurred on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, and involved a boat carrying approximately 80 passengers travelling from Onugwa community to Olushi village in Ibaji. Boat accidents remain a persistent and serious issue in Nigeria, particularly in riverine regions, where water transport is a primary means of movement. Overcrowded vessels, poorly maintained boats, and weak enforcement of safety regulations have claimed numerous lives over the years.

NEMA said: ‘The incident occurred at about 5:40 p.m. on Tuesday, when a boat with around 80 passengers capsized en route to Olushi village after departing from Onugwa community in Ibaji LGA.’ Upon receiving the distress report, NEMA Director General, Mrs Zubaida Umar, activated the Agency’s Abuja Operations Office, which immediately deployed personnel to support local rescue efforts. The operation highlights NEMA’s commitment to timely intervention and effective coordination with both state and community responders.

The Search and Rescue (SAR) operation led to the rescue of 24 passengers, while 14 bodies have been recovered. 42 individuals are still unaccounted for, and rescue operations are ongoing, with local divers supporting the mission. NEMA also stated that multiple agencies are involved in the response, including: The Kogi State Emergency Management Agency, the Local Emergency Management Committee (Ibaji), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the National Inland Waterways Authority, the Fire Service, the Nigerian Red Cross Society and local divers and community volunteers

NEMA officials, led by Mr Zakari Abubakar, Head of Abuja Operations Office, visited Chief Patrick Arome, traditional ruler of Onugwa, to commiserate with the community.

Earlier reports had suggested 26 fatalities, but NEMA’s updated figure stands at 14 confirmed deaths.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and other activists and passengers have been detained by the Israeli military while intercepting boats sailing towards Gaza with aid.

The aid, sponsored by the the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) was making an attempt to break Israel’s 18-year blockade of Gaza. The Israeli foreign ministry on, X, revealed that the people detained were safe and healthy and were being transported to Israel. He further revealed that they plan to begin their deportation process to Europe once they get to Israel.

‘One last vessel of this provocation remains at a distance. If it approaches, its attempt to enter an active combat zone and breach the blockade will also be prevented.Greta and her friends are safe and healthy,’ he stated.

The Niger State Government has issued a warning to residents in certain areas of the state to relocate to safer areas of the state.

The warning was issued on Thursday by the Director-General of The Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah. He highlighted areas along the River Niger and River Kaduna while explaining that a flood might occur due to the discharge of water from four hydroelectric dams.

‘The Nigerian Hydrological Services has advised communities along the River Niger and Kaduna to relocate. The dams are releasing thousands of gallons of water per minute, which could lead to the overflow of these rivers. The state government hereby advises our communities to limit activities around river banks during this peak rainy season to avoid being flooded. People living in riverine areas should relocate to safer grounds already identified,’ the statement read in part. Baba-Arah also warned against incoming windstorms, advising residents to stay away from trees during rainfall.

‘NiMet’s latest prediction indicated that the end of the rainy season will be accompanied by violent windstorms. As such, people should avoid standing under trees during rainfall and also avoid substandard structures,’ he said.