The Minister of State for regional development, Uba Maigari, has refuted allegations that he diverted the sum of ₦16.5 billion meant for the reconstruction of the collapsed Namnai bridge in Gassol local government area of Taraba State.
Addressing journalists in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, the minister, who spoke through his lead counsel, Ibrahim Effiong, described the claims as baseless, deliberately crafted to mislead the public.
According to him, the minister has already instituted a legal action against the individual behind the accusations, a social media activist identified as Abdulmumuni Imam.
He insisted that, despite making weighty allegations, Imam had failed to provide any evidence and had instead gone into hiding.
The counsel revealed that making accusations without proof constitutes a serious offence under the Nigerian constitution and against cyber Cybercrime Act, and the decision to pursue legal action was necessary to provide a deterrent against the rising trend of unverified and malicious claims on social media.
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Abdulmumuni Imam had raised a distress alarm via his social media handle, alleging that the minister secretly procured a security order directing the police, DSS, and civil defence to arrest him over his criticism of government inaction on the collapsed Namnai bridge.
Former Nigerian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Eniola Ajayi, says President Bola Tinubu has the unquestionable constitutional authority to appoint whoever he deems fit as ambassador, noting that envoys first represent the president before representing the nation abroad.
Ajayi, who served as Nigeria’s envoy to The Hague between 2021 and 2023, stated this on Saturday while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise programme.
“The first thing that everybody has to understand is that the president has the right to choose the people that will represent him abroad. They first of all represent the president before they now represent the larger community called the nation, Nigeria. So the president has the prerogative to select whoever he deems appropriate to represent him.
“And the thing is for them to understand what the president requires of them and to do it. That’s the truth about representation. Anybody can be picked by the president of any country to be an ambassador,” she said.
Asked whether the personal history or controversies surrounding some nominees should matter in the selection process, Ajayi said such considerations are important, though she was not implying wrongdoing on the part of any specific nominee.
“Of course it matters. One of the things written on our letter of credence that you present to other countries is that this person has been found worthy in character and in everything to represent the president of the country and has the full authority of the president to execute orders on behalf of the country.
“That’s why an ambassador is called extraordinary and plenipotentiary, because you have the full backing. Apart from the president of countries, the only other group of people that they don’t take their biometrics at embassies when using diplomatic passports are ambassadors. They are recognised almost as if they are the president, because they represent the country in another country,” she said.
Ajayi added that Nigeria’s diplomatic gaps, including the long delay in filling ambassadorial postings, may have worsened recent tensions with the United States, especially following Nigeria’s designation under the CPC list.
“A lot of problems could have been averted, especially because there would have been somebody speaking on our behalf,” she said.
Her remarks come amid heated public debate over President Tinubu’s fresh ambassadorial list, submitted shortly after Nigeria was placed on the U.S. Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) list for alleged religious freedom violations, a move that attracted criticism of the government’s diplomatic posture.
Last week, President Tinubu transmitted 68 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
The nominations came in two batches.
The first batch, sent in November, comprised three non-career nominees, Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa) and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun), all of whom have already been screened.
The second batch, submitted on 4 December 2025, contains 65 names: 34 career diplomats and 31 non-career political appointees.
Prominent among the non-career nominees are former INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu; former ministers Reno Omokri and Femi Fani-Kayode; and former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Okezie Ikpeazu.
The Senate has referred the list to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, which is expected to submit its report within a week.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested five suspects behind the fabrication and circulation of a false kidnapping incident in Oron Local Government Area of the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing newsmen during a security meeting with youth presidents and leaders across the 31 Local Government Areas.
Azare described the suspects’ actions as reckless, dangerous, and capable of inciting panic and undermining public peace.
He said, “Five suspects who fabricated and circulated a false kidnapping incident involving students of Oron Secondary School have been arrested and were charged in court this morning. Their actions were reckless, dangerous and capable of inciting panic and undermining public confidence.”
The CP assured the public that the command would continue to take decisive action against anyone who spreads misinformation or attempts to destabilise the peace of the state.
He urged youth leaders to champion truth, promote responsible social media use, and counter false narratives that could disrupt public order.
While emphasising the need for stronger collaboration with Divisional Police Officers to ensure early detection of threats and swift resolution of emerging issues, Azare advised the youths to prioritise dialogue rather than confrontation in their engagements with contractors and investors in their communities.
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“I urge you to prioritise dialogue over confrontation, especially in engagements with investors, contractors, and development partners operating within your communities,” the commissioner said.
“Peaceful dialogue promotes development and fosters trust, while confrontational approaches undermine progress and tarnish community reputation.”
The CP also informed the youth leaders about the government’s directive confining masquerader activities strictly to village or town hall squares across the state.
He clarified that, in line with the law, any community wishing to hold masquerader activities must first seek formal permission from the CP, after which the command would provide adequate security to ensure peaceful and orderly conduct.
The commissioner warned that unauthorised masquerade outings would not be tolerated and urged youth leaders to sensitise their communities accordingly.
Azare also issued a strong warning against jungle justice, describing the act as unlawful, barbaric, and capable of triggering widespread violence. He stressed that no individual or group had the right to take the law into their own hands and warned that anyone involved in mob action would be arrested and prosecuted.
Responding, a representative of youth leaders from the Eket Senatorial District, Ulap Afahakan, appreciated the CP for his leadership in maintaining peace, order, and security in the state.
The Ogun State Government has announced that residents caught violating environmental laws especially dumping refuse on roads will henceforth be arrested, corrected with compassion, and assigned community service as punishment.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, disclosed this while briefing members of the Governor’s Elders Advisory Council during their fourth quarterly meeting at the Obas’ Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
“Under no condition should you dump refuse on the road. Ogun state waste management agency has the authority to arrest offenders, and those arrested will do community service.
“We will correct in love. You will sweep the road and collect refuse. When people see you doing that, they will understand the consequences, and you won’t return to the same habit,” the commissioner said.
Oresanya said that the law forbids dumping refuse on roadways, noting that streets are not designated as dump sites.
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The commissioner explained that residents are expected to place their refuse in front of their homes for Private Sector Participants to collect directly at their doorsteps.
He said that the state government is refining its enforcement strategy by shifting away from monetary fines to reduce financial pressure on citizens. Instead, offenders will be required to undertake community service.
According to him, Governor Dapo Abiodun remains deeply concerned about environmental management in the state and is investing significantly in new equipment to strengthen the Ministry of Environment’s operations.
Oresanya stated that Governor Abiodun has approved the procurement of brand-new trucks both for the state waste management agency and the private waste sector to improve waste management across the state.
Addressing the issue of noise pollution, the commissioner disclosed that the ministry has shut several religious centres and other facilities found to be violating noise regulations.
He encouraged residents to report such disturbances through the ministry’s dedicated helpline: 09010480056.
The commissioner emphasised that sanitation should be a daily responsibility rather than a once-a-month ritual. He noted that Section 6 of the Constitution empowers Local Government Health Officers to inspect homes, ensure bins are not overflowing, and prosecute erring households.
The National Chairman of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Dan Nwanyanwu, believes the country’s military has the capacity to crush bandits and terrorists attacking parts of the nation.
Nwanyanwu said this during his appearance on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“Let me tell you, I’ve said it here many times that Nigeria’s military – this is what I call a akamu [pap] case for them. It’s [banditry and terrorism] a simple thing for the Nigerian military to deal with,” Nwanyanwu said.
“There is no political way to direct the instructions. I’m not there, that’s my intel.”
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The ZLP chieftain referenced Nigeria’s military success in peacekeeping missions across Africa as a pointer that it can address insecurity in the West African country.
He said, “The Nigerian Army has had more serious encounters and wars outside Nigeria”.
The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) Acting Executive Chairman, Michael Ango, has been fired by the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Lere Olayinka, the senior special assistant to the minister of public communication and social media, made this known in a statement on Friday.
The FCT-IRS’s most senior official has also received an immediate order to take over the revenue agency’s operations.
The statement read, “Mr. Michael Ango, the acting executive chairman of the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS), has been fired,” according to the statement from the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
