Regional News

Trump announces US strikes against Daesh targets in Nigeria – TRT Afrika The US has carried out strikes against Daesh targets in northwest Nigeria, President Donald Trump said, claiming the group has been targeting Christians. “Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States

5 Killed, 35 Injured In Borno Mosque Bombing – Daily Trust Five worshippers were reported killed and 35 others injured Wednesday when a suicide bomber detonated explosives at Gamboru Juma’at Mosque in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. Officials of the mosque said the building has the capacity to accommodate between 50 and 60 people, and that the explosion killed many worshippers inside.

Sahel Alliance leaders meet in Bamako to deepen break with ECOWAS | Africanews The Alliance of Sahel States is taking its next steps toward regional autonomy, with the military leaders of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso holding high-level talks in Bamako. The second edition of the AES summit aims to strengthen cooperation within the alliance and reduce reliance on the West African regional bloc ECOWAS. It focuses on defence and security, development, communication and counterterrorism efforts across the three states.

Nigeria signs healthcare deal with US under new global health framework | Africanews Nigeria has become the latest African nation to agree to a deal with the United States to strengthen the country’s healthcare system.It’s aimed at replacing previous agreements under the now-dismantled US Agency for International Development (USAID). Under the five-year deal, Nigeria needs to raise $2.9 billion to boost priority health services and will receive $2 billion from the US. “We’re here because there’s a moment in time when we need to close on the

Remaining 130 Abducted Niger Students Released – Daily Trust The remaining 130 schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State have been released. The pupils were reportedly freed at a location between Agwara and Borgu local government areas of the state.

Exclusive: US conducting surveillance flights over Nigeria after Trump intervention threat | Reuters Dec 22 (Reuters) – The U.S. has been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November, according to flight tracking data and current and former U.S. officials, in a sign of increased security

Christmas: DHQ tightens security nationwide, deploys troops, air assets – Yerwa Express News The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, as assured Nigerians of heightened security nationwide during the Christmas festivities, announcing the deployment of additional troops, special forces and air assets to prevent attacks and ensure a peaceful celebration.

UN decries targeted abductions of students in Nigeria The United Nations has expressed concern over the spate of indiscriminate abductions of civilians by bandits in Nigeria. The Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Mr Stéphane Dujarric, said during a daily briefing on Monday that the continued attacks on civilians by bandits were unacceptable. “We are very much concerned at the fact that so many other students,

AFCON now to be played every four years – Daily Post Nigeria The Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, will now take place every four years from 2028. This was revealed by Patrice Motsepe, the president of the Confederation of African Football, CAF, on Saturday. Since 1968, the tournament has been played every two years. There was, however, a one-year gap between the 2012 and 2013 editions. But after the 2027 edition in East Africa and the next one in 2028, it will switch to a four-year cycle.

Troops repel terrorist attack on Maiduguri–Damboa road – Vanguard News Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), on Monday repelled a coordinated terrorist attack along the Maiduguri–Damboa Main Supply Route (MSR) in Borno. A credible military source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the attack occurred at about 3:10 pm on Dec. 22.

28 travellers kidnapped in Plateau community Gunmen have abducted 28 travellers in Zak community, Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State. A youth leader in Wase, Sapi’i Sambo, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview on Monday, saying the victims included men, women and children. Another resident of Bashar town, Ibrahim Musa, also confirmed the abduction, noting that the whereabouts of the victims remain unknown as of the time of the interview.

Pushback Over Nigeria-US $5bn Health Deal For Christians – Daily Trust The five-year pro-Christian health agreement Nigeria signed with the United States (US) is facing a push back, with Muslim groups describing the deal as discriminatory, unjust and divisive. The US announced on Saturday that it had signed a five-year bilateral health Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nigeria to strengthen the country’s health system with a strong focus on supporting Christian faith-based healthcare providers.

Abuja celebrates the sound of peace and unity with “Reggae” | Africanews As the rest of the world prepares for the end of the year festive period, Reggae fans and artists gathered in Abuja, Nigeria to celebrate Reggae festival 2025. With its signature rhythm and beats, the genre has reached far beyond its Caribbean origins, becoming a global phenomenon that transcends cultural and geographic boundaries. Reggae Artist, Christman, says Reggae music is used to preach love, peace, unity and humanity.

Nigerian Firm Partners Benin Republic To Launch EPass – Daily Trust Seamfix, a Nigerian digital identity and biometric solutions provider, has partnered with the Government of the Republic of Benin to launch ePass, a self-service digital passport renewal platform designed for Beninese citizens living in the diaspora. Powered by Seamfix’s government digital identity and service delivery platform, GovSmart, the ePass

JUST IN: US suspends visa issuance to Nigerians from January – SolaceBase The U.S. Mission in Nigeria made the announcement on Monday in a statement on its official X account, saying the suspension is under Presidential Proclamation 10998, affecting B-1/B-2 visitor, F/M/J student/exchange, and most immigrant visas while exempting persecuted minorities, dual nationals, and certain special cases. “Effective January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998 on “Restricting and Limiting the

Nigeria reopens 47 unity schools after security beef-up | Africanews The Federal Government of Nigeria has reopened all 47 Federal Unity Schools that were closed last month amid rising insecurity and a spate of mass abductions targeting students in several states. In a statement issued on Thursday by the Ministry of Education, academic activities have now fully resumed at the affected campuses after authorities strengthened security measures within and around the schools. According to the ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo,

Escorts withdrawal may stop us from visiting our communities THE National Assembly has expressed fears that President Bola Tinubu’s recent withdrawal of police escorts from VIPs might not allow its members to return to their homes and constituencies.  Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, disclosed this at the presentation of 2026 Appropriation Bill by Tinubu on Friday, December 19.

Army eliminates 21 terrorists, intercepts logistics in Borno The Nigerian Army troops, under Operation Hadin Kai, have neutralised more than 21 terrorists in a fierce encounter in Sojiri and Kayamla villages along the Damboa–Maiduguri Road in Borno. This operation was carried out in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF). A credible source at Army Headquarters told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday. The source said the encounter, which occurred around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday,

Peace and Security

UN condemns deadly Borno mosque bombing in Nigeria The United Nations has condemned a deadly suicide bombing at a mosque in Gamboru Market, Maiduguri, Borno State, describing it as an attack on civilians and freedom of worship. The explosion occurred on Wednesday evening while worshippers were observing prayers, killing several people and injuring many others.

What JNIM’s Entry into Nigeria Means for Security in the Sahel – HumAngle On the morning of Oct. 31, a short propaganda message began circulating across jihadist-aligned online channels. Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), the al-Qaeda-linked coalition that has spent the past decade reshaping conflict dynamics in the central Sahel, claimed responsibility for an attack inside Nigeria.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger launch Sahel regional force | Africanews At an airforce base in Bamako, Mali’s army ruler General Assimi Goita presided over a ceremony marking the creation of a unified force for the Sahel countries. The force is the latest in a series of measures by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to achieve closer integration. The three countries are all led by juntas and are beset by an Islamist insurgency. In January, Niger’s defence minister said that the 5000-strong force would ‘intervene together’ to counter security threats in the region.

Kidnappers Collected N2.57bn Ransom In 1 Year – Report – Daily Trust Kidnappers collected at least N2.57 billion as ransom from their victims between July 2024 and June 2025, according to a new report by SBM Intelligence. The report, titled “The Year Ahead at an Inflexion Point”, which was released on December 19, 2025, analysed key economic and political developments shaping Africa in 2025 and found that kidnappers demanded an estimated N48 billion in ransom during the 12-month period,

DSS arrests suspected ISWAP members in Lagos, heightening security concerns | Daily News Precise LAGOS, South-West, Nigeria — Tension rose in Lagos on Sunday after security operatives arrested two men suspected to be fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), raising fresh concerns about the militant group’s alleged attempts to extend its reach beyond Nigeria’s North-east. Security sources told Premium Times that operatives of the Department of State

FG Designates Kidnappers, Bandits As Terrorists – Daily Trust The federal government has officially designated kidnappers and violent armed groups operating across Nigeria as terrorists, marking a significant escalation in the country’s response to persistent insecurity. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced the decision on Monday during the federal government’s end-of-year press briefing in Abuja.

POS operators facilitating ransom payments to terrorists – Nigerian govt The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), said point-of-sale (POS) operators are facilitating ransom payments meant for terrorists and other criminal networks. The National Coordinator of the Centre, Adamu Laka, disclosed this on Tuesday during an end-of-the-year media parley in Abuja.

Nigeria Deletes Terrorist Social Media Accounts, Says FG The Federal Government has disclosed that Nigerian security agencies are working with major social media companies to identify and take down accounts used by terrorist and criminal groups to promote their activities and raise funds. Speaking at an end-of-year briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, the

What Nigerian govt is doing to free citizen on death row in Saudi Arabia – NIDCOM The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has provided clarification on the case of Suleimon Olufemi, a Nigerian man who has spent more than 20 years on death row in Saudi Arabia, following an open letter by Amnesty International urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene. In an open letter to Mr Tinubu on Monday, the global rights group said Suliamon Olufemi received an unfair trial and has been languishing in prison in Saudi Arabia since 2002 and maintains his innocence.

Trump recalls US ambassadors from Nigeria, 29 other countries The United States President, Donald Trump, has recalled nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and other senior embassy postings, including Nigeria, in a move aimed at reshaping Washington’s diplomatic posture in line with his “America First” priorities. The ambassadorial recalls were first reported by Politico and have reportedly sparked concern among some US

Humanitarian

From darkness to determination: How Light Up EDU Naija is restoring hope for displaced students in Borno – Lake Chad Times | Lake Chad Times For many displaced children in Borno State, learning has meant squinting into darkness while hoping education would still lead somewhere. That darkness briefly lifted on Tuesday at Mai Deribe Memorial Government Secondary School in Jere with the official launch of the Light Up EDU Naija Project. The initiative was launched by the Borno State Ministry of Education, Science,

NAF Compensates Victims Of Sokoto Airstrike – Daily Trust The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has paid compensation to victims and families affected by the accidental air strike that occurred on Dec. 25, 2024, in Sokoto State. The victims are residents of Gidan Bisa and Rumtuwa villages of Silame Local Government Area of the state.

Nigerian Amputees Struggle With Prosthetics Not Made for Them – HumAngle When Wura Hope paints her nails, she paints her prosthesis too. Pink glows on her dark skin like fine art. But her right foot is pale, yellowish-tan, the generic colour of many imported prosthetics. It contrasts with her melanin-rich skin and does not offer the aesthetics she desires. Wura is a model, fashion designer, and vendor of Ankara fabrics. She also interns at a bank.

Christmas: Zulum extends support for vulnerable celebrants – Yerwa Express News Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, the Governor of Borno, has provided food items to Christian faithfuls at the Wulari Internally Displaced Persons Camp to support their end-of-the-year celebrations. YERWA EXPRESS NEWS reported that Gov. Zulum launched free transport last Sunday for the

Mobilization and economic development

Afreximbank, Heirs Energies seal $750 million financing deal to boost Nigeria’s oil and gas output | Reuters ABUJA, Dec 22 (Reuters) – African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Heirs Energies Ltd have signed a $750 million financing agreement to strengthen the energy firm’s capital structure and fund its field development programme in Nigeria, the companies said on Monday. The dual-tranche senior secured reserve-based lending facility, arranged by Afreximbank, will provide

Dangote Releases Hotline To Report Stations Selling PMS Above N739 – Daily Trust Dangote Petroleum Refinery has introduced a nationwide hotline for reporting filling stations selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) above the approved price of N739 per litre at MRS stations nationwide. The refinery, which recently began selling PMS at N739 per litre across Nigeria, urged citizens to report violations via 0800 123 5264.

Security gets N9.3% as Tinubu presents N58.18trn budget proposal SECURITY will gulp N5.41 trillion of the N58.18 trillion 2026 budget proposal submitted before the National Assembly on Friday, December 19. The amount is more than the allocations for education, infrastructure and health. Tinubu told the lawmakers that national security remained the foundation of

Naira gains against dollar at official market The Naira opened the trading week on Monday on a stronger note, appreciating against the dollar at the official market to trade at N1,456.56. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that, according to data released on the website of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Naira gained N7.93. This represents a 0.5 per cent gain compared to Friday, 19 Dec, when the local currency traded at N1,464.49 per dollar.