Category Nigeria News

During the Anambra State Command’s November 8, 2025, governorship election, the Police Commissioner, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to protecting lives. &nbsp, &nbsp,

As part of his ongoing security engagements ahead of the election, CP Orutugu made the commitment by traveling to Aguata and Otuocha Area Commands to speak with security officials, officers, and personnel from the Command.

During the interactive sessions, the police public relations officer from Anambra State Police Command, Awka, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, and CP Orutugu all reiterated that the Nigeria Police Force remained a purely impartial and non-partisan institution.

He emphasized that the Police are not concerned with the outcome of the election, but rather that it is about ensuring that there is no violence before, during, and after the polls.

In light of the rise in political activity, CP Orutugu instructed Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), Tactical Commanders, and operational teams to demonstrate professionalism, discipline, courtesy, and firmness. He emphasized that police officers must adhere strictly to the Electoral Act, the Police Code of Conduct, and Standard Operating Procedures.

Traditional rulers, religious leaders, town union executives, youth and women’s organizations, local vigilante organizations, and other community security organizations were also a part of the Commissioner’s stakeholder engagements.

The dialogue sought to improve voter intimidation, stop electoral violence, promote peaceful civic participation, and increase local intelligence sharing.

The CP praised communities in the area for engaging in dialogue and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) over past communal clashes, while acknowledging the area’s relative calm.

He urged communities to form internal peace committees to resolve disputes involving civil rights and land-related issues, stressing that they should not be turned into criminal cases and should not be turned over to the police.

READ ALSO: Governor Lawal appoints subcommittees prior to the PDP convention

The CP urged Anambra residents to engage in peaceful political activity while ensuring that adequate deployments, intelligence monitoring, and response units are already in place to protect the state during the election campaign.

He urged political leaders and members of the community to refrain from making uprising statements or inflammatory statements that could endanger the state’s current state of peace.

In preparation for the Peoples Democratic Party’s convention, Dauda Lawal, the governor of Zamfara State, inaugurated the Accreditation and Special Duties subcommittees.

The 2025 Elective National Convention, which will take place in Ibadan, Oyo State’s capital, will be held on November 15 and 16 under the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The accreditation subcommittee was established at the Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja, according to a statement from the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris.

Governor Lawal described the accreditation subcommittee as the most important component of the national convention, according to the statement.

I extend a special welcome to the men and women who were chosen for this subcommittee, he said. You were chosen for one of the most crucial tasks in our democratic process, not one for a routine task. Your efforts will form the foundation of a credible, transparent, and prosperous convention.

The committee’s task is an honor and burden, ladies and gentlemen. Your responsibilities include organizing, accrediting, and ensuring the welfare of all delegates and dignitaries, as well as producing the official Delegate’s list, booklets, and tags for all participants and observers as well as for the Board of Trustees.

This is not merely a bureaucratic task. A sacred trust is involved. You are responsible for maintaining the integrity of our convention. You will be the first to welcome each and every participant, and by doing so, you will set the tone for the entire event.

We must keep in mind the larger context as we begin this crucial internal journey. Our party is navigating a complex and contentious political landscape. I want to make a sincere appeal in these circumstances.

READ ALSO: The National Assembly Reviews Proposals for 278 Councils and 55 New States.

Governor Lawal made a point about the Special Duties subcommittee’s responsibility for protecting the most important aspect of the National Convention at the opening ceremony of Wadata Plaza.

He stated, “I congratulate you on behalf of the honorable committee members.” You were chosen for your commitment, fiscal prudence, and moral character. Your job is to empower each committee while other committees perform specific tasks. You control the convention’s central nervous system, making sure that every organ has the necessary resources.

Your portfolio precisely satisfies the requirements for a seamless convention, including coordinating subcommittee financial activities, collecting and approving budgets, raising funds, managing payments in a transparent manner, and carrying out other responsibilities as assigned by the chairman of the National Convention Organising Committee.

Two people were killed by Israeli airstrikes on Friday in southern Lebanon, according to state media and the ministry of health, while Israel’s military claimed that they had targeted Hezbollah members.

One man was “targeted by an Israeli drone with a guided missile while he was driving” along the road to the village of Toul, not far from Nabatieh, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA).

Abbas Hassan Karky was the slain persona, according to the report.

The Israeli army referred to Karky as the logistics head of Hezbollah’s Southern Front headquarters in a statement released by the Israeli army.

Following last year’s conflict with Israel, Karky claimed to have led efforts to “rebuild Hezbollah’s combat capabilities” and that he had also been in charge of “managing the transfer and storage of weapons in southern Lebanon.”

Later, the health ministry learned that another “Israeli strike targeting a car” had resulted in the death of one person and the injury of another, both close to Nabatieh.

A “terrorist who was involved in efforts to reestablish Hezbollah’s military capabilities,” the Israeli military announced a strike in the same area.

Despite the truce in November 2024, which sought to end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, which led to two months of open war, Israel has repeatedly bombed Lebanon.

The most recent attacks come a day after an elderly woman was killed in Israeli airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon.

The Israeli army reported on Thursday that it had “struck a number of terrorist targets,” including a Hezbollah training facility.

Hezbollah was to withdraw from southern Lebanon as part of the ceasefire agreement, and Hezbollah was to retreat north of the Litani River, and destroy any military installations in the south.

The Lebanese government has begun disarming Hezbollah, a plan the movement and its allies oppose under US pressure and fearing an increase in Israeli strikes.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated at a meeting on Thursday with US General Joseph Clearfield, the group’s head, that Lebanon is “committed to completing the arms monopoly process south of the Litani River by the end of the year.”

He pleaded in return that Israel “to fulfill its obligations to withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory and stop its ongoing attacks.”

Israel has maintained troops in five strategic border locations despite the truce’s terms.

General Olufemi Oluyede was replaced as the Chief of Defence Staff by President Bola Tinubu, who made a significant change to the military hierarchy of Nigeria on Friday.

Additionally, Tinubu appointed Rear Admiral I. Abbas as the new Chief of Naval Staff, S. K. Aneke, Air Vice Marshall as the new Chief of Air Staff, and Major-General W. Shaibu as the new commander of the Army Staff.

Major-General E. A. P. Undiendeye, the head of defense intelligence, has kept his position.

Read more about Tinubu’s removal of Musa and others as Oluyede Appoints New CDS.

The President’s Special Adviser, Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, made the change known in a statement.

He claimed that the development supports the Federal Government of Nigeria’s efforts to improve the security system.

The newly appointed service chiefs’ profiles are presented in this table.

General Olufemi Oluyede

Oluyede served as the Chief of Army Staff prior to his appointment as the new CDS.

Additionally, he had previously held the position of 56th Commander of the elite Nigerian Army’s Jaji, Kaduna, base.

The 39th&nbsp, Regular Course, is home to the 56-year-old Oluyede.

Beginning in 1987, he was made a second lieutenant.

In September 2020, he became the commander-in-chief.

Oluyede has been a member of numerous commands since becoming a police officer.

He served as the 65th Battalions’ Platoon Commander and Adjutant, the 177th Guards Brigade, the Staff Officer Guards Brigade, and the Commandant of the Amphibious Training School.

In addition to leading the 27th Task Force Brigade in the North East of the operation, General Oluyede also commanded the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission in Liberia.

Oluyede’s meritorious service to various operational fields has garnered him numerous awards.

These include a National Institute membership, passing the Staff Course, and the Corps Medal of Honor.

Major-General W. Shaibu

The appointment of Major General Waidi Shaibu as the 25th Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Nigerian Army has been approved by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, the newly appointed Army Chief, is described as a seasoned commander, strategic thinker, and a reputable decorated officer.

The appointment of Major General Shaibu marks a pivotal moment in the Nigerian Army’s ongoing transformation, requiring greater operational readiness, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Major General Waidi Shaibu, who was a member of the 41 Regular Course in Kogi State on December 18, 1971, was commissioned into the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps on September 17, 1994. He was born in the Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State on December 18, 1991.

He graduated from the NDA, Kaduna with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

General Shaibu is the recipient of several advanced degrees, including a Master’s in Public Administration (University of Calabar), a Master’s in Strategic Studies (University of Ibadan), and a Master’s in Security and Strategic Studies (National Defense University, Washington D.C., USA), as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.

Major General Shaibu has held a number of strategic positions, including commander of Sector 1, Operation Hadin Kai, Maiduguri, Brigade Commander, 21 Special Armoured Brigade, Bama, and commander of training at Army Headquarters.

His operational responsibilities include those of Operations HARMONY, BOYONA, ZAMAN LAFIYA, LAFIYA DOLE, TURA TAKAIBANGO, HADIN KAI, DESERT SANITY, and LAKE SANITY, both domestically and internationally.

He and Hajia Safiyyah Hassan have two children together and are blessed with them.

S. K. Aneke, Air Vice Marshall

The family of Air Warrant Officer Sylvester and Mrs. Ngozi Aneke, both of whom were Air Vice Marshals, was Sunday Kelvin Aneke, who was born on February 20, 1972, in Makurdi, Benue State.

He is a native of Enugu State’s Udi Local Government Area.

The new naval chief began his military career on September 10, 1988, when he enlisted as a member of the 40th Regular Course and received his first school leave certificate and West African school certificate.

In response, he was commissioned as a pilot officer for the Nigerian Air Force on September 10, 1993.

He is a graduate of the University of Calabar, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics, a postgraduate diploma in management, a master’s degree in international relations and diplomacy, a master’s degree in political economy and developmental studies from the University of Abuja, and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the Air War College, Alabama’s Montgomery Air Force Air University.

Command Operations Officer, Tactical Air Command Makurdi, Director of Safety Headquarters Nigerian Air Force Abuja, Deputy Director Operations Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, and Director of Policy Headquarters Nigerian Air Force are just a few of Aneke’s other appointments in the country.

Prior to his appointment, he served as the NDA’s Deputy Commandant.

Aneke has flown the following types of aircraft: the Hawker 4000, Dornier 222, Citation 222, Falcon 900, Gulfstream V, Gulf Stream 550, and Air Beetle 18 Extended Version.

He and his wife, Enderline Aneke, have three sons.

Rear Admiral I. Abbas

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas was born on September 20, 1969, and is a Kano State native from Nassarawa LGA.

He was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant on September 10, 1993, while enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry on September 12, 1987.

The newly appointed Chief of the Naval Staff is an AWW specialist officer with experience in both domestic and international military courses, including the Sub-Lieutenant Technical Course at NNS Quora in 1994 and the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, respectively, in 2001 and 2005.

The Nigerian Navy recently appointed the CNS, for which there have been numerous appointments.

He served as the Commander Task Group (CTG) of NN Operation Tsare-Teku in 2015 and the Maritime Guard Commander (MGC) of NIMASA in 2017.

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas steadily rose through the ranks of appointments at Central Naval Command between 2018 and 2022, beginning with his appointment as the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC CNC) of Central Naval Command. In addition, he also served as Commander NNS VICTORY, Calabar in 2020.

He was appointed at NHQ in July 2023 as the Chief of Naval Safety and Standard (CNASS), and in February 2024 he was appointed the Chief of Defense Civil Military Relations (CDCMR) and Defence Headquarters (DHQ).

Rear Admiral Abbas became a Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Army Heritage Centre in January 2025, a position he held prior to becoming the 25th Chief of Naval Staff, Nigerian Navy.

Sanae Takaichi, the first woman to lead Japan in history, was honored with honors by President Bola Tinubu, who described her as a milestone accomplishment that reflects her long-standing contributions to Japanese politics and governance.

After overcoming a decades-long gender barrier in the leadership of the world’s fourth-largest economy, Takaichi, a veteran politician and former minister of internal affairs and communications, won majority support in Japan’s parliament.

The President reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic, economic, and strategic ties with Japan under Takaichi’s administration in a statement released on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President’s representative on Information and Strategy.

READ MORE: The New Japan PM plans to “take New Heights” with Trump.

He wished the Nigerian government and people well, while highlighting the shared values that govern Japan-Nigeria relations.

Tinubu claimed that her victory demonstrated both the support for her political party and the legitimacy of her victory.

The President congratulated her on becoming the first woman to serve as prime minister of Japan, “on behalf of the people and government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Your victory as the Liberal Democratic Party’s leader and, ultimately, as Japan’s Prime Minister, is a remarkable testament to the good people of Japan’s confidence in you.

Your election as Japan’s first female prime minister also demonstrates how much you have contributed to the development of your political party and administration.

Tinubu also reaffirmed Nigeria’s desire to grow bilaterally. Under her leadership, he expressed hope that both nations’ economic and diplomatic ties would grow.

You can be assured of Nigeria’s continued goodwill and support for Japan as you assume this position.

Over the years, Nigeria and Japan have developed a strong, productive, and strategic relationship that covers a number of areas of bilateral cooperation.

I have faith in our partnership to advance the foundation that has been laid, as well as to strengthen and enhance our bilateral relations.

Therefore, I look forward to meeting with you as soon as possible to discuss these options.

Nigeria’s inclusion on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list has been welcomed by President Bola Tinubu.

After the FATF identified strategic flaws in its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) systems, Nigeria was placed on the grey list in February 2023.

Following the country’s successful implementation of a 19-point action plan to strengthen its (AML/CFT) framework, the FATF removed Nigeria from the list more than two years later.

In a statement released on Friday, Tinubu referred to the development as “a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward economic reform, institutional integrity, and global credibility.”

NFIU: Nigeria No Longer On the Global Financial Watch List

This was stated in a statement from Bayo Onanuga, the president’s spokesman.

Onanuga stated that Tinubu applauded the vital support of the National Assembly and the Judiciary as well as the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Defense, the Minister for Defense, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of State for Finance, the National Security Advisor, and the Secretary to the Federation for Government.

The President praised Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, the country’s director/chief executive officer, and the staff for their diligence in ensuring the country’s Action Plan’s complete and timely implementation, according to the statement.

He noted that the international community has recognized the progress Nigeria has made in strengthening its measures to combat serious crimes as a result of the NFIU’s work.

“Our success could not have been possible without their hard work and sacrifice,” they said. President Tinubu praised their efforts, and urged other parties to uphold their standards.

Tinubu also praised all ministries, agencies, their heads, and private sector leaders for their active AML/CFT participation in the National Task Force.