Category Nigeria News

A chieftain of the African Democratic Party (ADC), Peter Obi, has criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) government after an attack by suspected gunmen.

Gunmen suspected to be political thugs attacked some chieftains of the ADC at the residence of the erstwhile APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, in Benin City, Edo State.

The incident was said to have occurred shortly after the chieftains returned from the ADC secretariat, where they formally welcomed Olumide Akpata into the party.

Reacting to the incident, Obi described the attack as an assault on democracy. He vowed to take up the matter with the relevant authorities to bring to book the perpetrators of the incident.

READ ALSO: INEC Recognises David Mark-Led ADC

“We will make a formal complaint, and I assure you that this cannot continue,” Obi told the party members in Benin City.

“We have a country, and we are part of the country. We cannot have terrorism terrorizing the country and have officials in government terrorizing citizens. It is unacceptable.”

Obi, a former Anambra State governor, also accused the APC-led Federal government of tampering with the nation’s democracy.

He specifically claimed, without providing evidence, that the current administration was destroying democracy.

According to him, more Nigerians are now in poverty under the APC government, a situation that has necessitated the ADC to rescue the nation.

“Those who claimed yesterday to be democratic are now destroying our democracy. All of us have come together to save our democracy for tomorrow because we cannot continue in this direction.

“The APC government, as of today, has killed governance, our democracy, the legislature, and the judiciary. Similar situation with our economy.

“We have more people today living in poverty. The highest rate of growth of people living in poverty was within the past two years,” he added.

Akpata, ADC Condemn Incident

Today’s attack on Mr. @PeterObi and other leaders of the of the African Democratic Congress (@ADCNig), is a grave and disturbing development, especially in light of the threats issued last year by the Governor of Edo State, warning Mr. Obi not to come to Edo State. We didn’t know… pic.twitter.com/tGotgYKBC8

Olumide Akpata, a former Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate for Edo, but now a member of the ADC, also condemned the incident.

Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the incident, saying it is a “disturbing development”.

“Let it be clearly understood: violence and intimidation are the weapons of those who fear the will of the people. Such actions stain our democracy and must be condemned by all who believe in freedom,” the party’s spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, said in a statement on Tuesday. 

The Federal Government has faulted the stance of the US Congress on “the persecution” of Christians.

Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

“It is important to state clearly that Nigeria does not have, and has never had, a state policy of religious persecution,” the minister said.

“The violence being confronted by our security agencies is not driven by government policy or religious bias, but by complex security threats, including terrorism, organised criminality, and longstanding communal tensions.”

READ ALSO: US Congress Submits Report On Nigeria, Recommends Sanctions Over ‘Christian Persecution’

On Monday, the United States House Committees on Appropriations and Foreign Affairs formally submitted a report to the White House outlining their findings and recommendations on the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

The submission follows President Donald Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.

The president subsequently directed Congressman Riley Moore and Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Tom Cole, to lead a comprehensive investigation into the reported persecution of Christian communities by terrorists, as well as the broader security challenges confronting Nigeria.

Moore stated that the US team now has what he described as a clear understanding of the security threats in Nigeria and the alleged persecution faced by Christians. He urged the Nigerian government to seize the opportunity to deepen and strengthen its relationship with the United States.

However, the Federal Government said while Nigeria battles insecurity, the country’s Constitution of the Federal “guarantees freedom of religion and freedom of worship for all citizens.

“The Federal Government remains firmly committed to upholding these constitutional protections and to ensuring equal protection under the law”.

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that his administration has made significant strides in the health sector in the past two and a half years.

Governor Fubara, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi, listed some of his achievements, including the employment of over 2,000 health workers to boost the manpower and efficiency of the sector.

The statement disclosed that the administration has revived and expanded several abandoned health facilities, including the Zonal Hospitals in Bori, Omoku, Ahoada, and Degema.

The Ahoada Zonal Hospital, the statement explained, is a 105-bed secondary facility that has the capacity to cater to the health needs of the people in its catchment area.

READ ALSO: Fubara Explains His ‘Non-Agressive’ Posture To Political Crisis In Rivers

The statement added that the Fubara administration has also paid very close attention to the Primary Healthcare Centres, especially those in the rural areas, have easy access to healthcare within their communities.

According to him, the administration approved the remodeling of 153 primary healthcare centres across the state to ensure their functionality.

“As an administration, we are very passionate about the health of every citizen and resident of Rivers State. When we realised that many people have been under stress as a result of economic hardship, we decided to introduce mental health services at the primary healthcare level.

“We are not just catering to those down with the common diseases such as malaria fever, we want to ensure that our people get the right attention to their mental health at the right time.

“At the tertiary level, we have also revamped the Intensive Care Unit of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and provided it with modern equipment, including monitors, ventilators, and scanners. Most of these innovations are massive and unprecedented,” the statement said.

On staff welfare, the statement said Governor Fubara also approved the promotion of over 400 staff of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and recruited an additional 500 staff.

Vice President Kashim Shettima says the naira would have appreciated to ₦1,000 in “weeks” if the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had not intervened in the foreign exchange (FX) market on Monday to ensure market stability.

Shettima said this on Tuesday at the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Renewed Hope Ambassadors Strategic Summit in Abuja.

“In fact, if not for the interventions by the Central Bank of Nigeria yesterday, the 1,000 Naira to a dollar we are going to attain in weeks, not in months. But for the purpose of market stability, the CBN generously intervened yesterday.

“So, for some of my friends, especially one of our party leaders who take delight in stockpiling dollars, it is a wake-up call,” the vice president said.

“Our economy is picking up. Of the seven major investment decisions made last year in Africa, five were done in Nigeria. That goes to show the strength, viability, and the promise of the Nigerian economy. And as we advance into 2026, our focus shifts from stabilization to acceleration.”

READ ALSO: Dangote Predicts Naira Will Hit ₦1,000 To $1 This Year, Backs FG’s Policies

Watch his speech below:

A security consultant, Charles Omole, has explained why President Bola Tinubu, made the right decision by appointing Tunji Disu, an Assistant Inspector General of Police, as the new Inspector General of Police.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Omole described Disu as a thoroughbred officer who has the requisite skills and combat experience to tackle the nation’s myriad of security challenges.

He expressed optimism that Nigerians would witness a decline in insecurity once Disu assumes duty, lauding the outgoing IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, for his performance in office.



“Acting IG Disu is quite frankly the best choice if Egbetokun is to leave. If the President had asked my opinion which he didn’t, Disu would have been the person I would choose.

“He is an operation guy, one of guys who goes to the bush to deal with the bad guys. I remember when he was the Principal Staff Officer to Egbetokun, one of the discussions I had with Disu at that time was the struggle of doing office based work, rather than being on the street doing what he knows how to do best.

“He just reminded me of Tafa Balogun. He is coming in that mode of somebody who has been an operation guy. Given the security challenges in Nigeria at the moment, the President couldn’t have made a better choice than Disu.

“He knows all the tactical terrains and the strategies needed to move the police to the next level. I’m certain that within the next few months, people will know a new sheriff is in town,” he stated.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Appoints Tunji Disu As Acting Inspector-General Of Police

In a shakeup of the police hierarchy in Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu appointed Tunji Disu as the acting Inspector General of Police.

Disu was appointed after Kayode Egbetokun resigned as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

“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 with immediate effect,” presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement on Tuesday evening.