As the spate of banditry and kidnapping remains unabated in Kwara State and its environs, the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has announced the cancelation of this year’s Christmas Carol in the State.
The reason for the cancelation is to solidarize with Christian Families grieving loved ones killed in various attacks in the State.
Rev. Sunday Timothy Adewole, Chairman, CAN, Kwara State said that CAN cannot celebrate its annual Carol because communities are still mourning the recent attacks in Oke Ode, Eruku, Oreke, Babanla, Isapa and other Communities in the State where Christian Families are still grieving the killings and kidnap of their loved ones.
Adewole clarified that it does not stop Churches from going on with their Christmas Carols at their various worship centres, but as for CAN as a body, it has canceled the Carol Ceremony it usually host annually.
“As a body, we State that this Year’s Carol is canceled, this is a way of solidarizing, mourning and sharing in the pain of Families who have lost their loved ones. We are not legislating that Carol shouldn’t be held in various Churches in the State, but as the Primary body, we are saying we are not holding ours this Year”.
Echoing the concerns of Adewole, CAN’s Executive Secretary in the State, Sp.Apos. Shina Ibiyemi as urged Christians and Churches to heightened their level of security alertness as we enter the yuletide season.
He warned that intelligence reports has shown that Worship Centres could be a major target for this mischief makers and Bandits, urging Christians alike to be more vigilant.
“The current insecurity state of the nation calls for vigilance. This is why CAN is advising everyone to be more vigilant, watchful and be highly security sensitive.
“Intelligence reports have made us to know that this evil doers will be looking for soft targets to attack during this festive season, so there is need for us all to be extra vigilant”, Ibiyemi stated.
He further advised Churches to strengthen their security protocols, Cooperate with Local Authorities and also encourage Worshippers to report suspicious movements.
Olisa Metuh, a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has finally jolined the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, three years after he dumped his Party, and gave politics a wide berth.
He credits one man, President Bola Tinubu, for his decision. Metuh said that in his hour of need, nobody in his party, the PDP, nor the Party itself, cared or came to his help. When it mattered most, Metuh said at a Thanksgiving Service in Abuja, to mark his 60th birthday, help came from Tinubu, a man, who, as PDP Spokesperson, he abused and criticized everyday.
“When I had problems I did not see my Party; I did not see the people I suffered for.
“I was in the Court with my family. But in the midst of that, somebody who I criticised so much, there is no week, because President Tinubu was the head of the opposition then, every week we must find something to criticise him with.
“In the middle of my problem he sent the speaker of the House of Representatives then, Femi Gbajabiamila, to come and see me. He reached out to me; he comforted me and he did a lot of things for me then and this was someone who was my political enemy.
“So I say today, that it is really not where you sow that you will reap, it is where God said you will reap that you will reap. I wish PDP well, I gave my life to PDP. But I have moved on, and I wish them well.”
Metuh disclosed that he was invited several times by President Tinubu to join the ruling party but he refused.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
“It took me a long time to get involved in politics. I’ve been called several times. The president wanted to work with me. Even in 2015, when we lost the election, I didn’t bother. He reached out to me again.
“When I left politics in 2022, he called me to come into his party. And I refused. After he won the election, I went to see him. He called me to enter the party that he needed me. I refused because I stopped politics.
“Now that I’m in politics, I want to help. Maybe I could be a good voice on this side. To ensure that the polity is good. Like I explained to you, we need space in our democracy. We need to grow it. We need vibrant opposition. We need people to express their views. We need to do all sorts,” he added.
With the highest sense of loyalty, respect and patriotism, I am compelled to bring to your kind attention a matter that has caused deep anguish, disbelief and outrage among millions of your supporters across the country and in the diaspora: the reported inclusion of Mr. Reno Omokri on the latest ambassadorial nominees list.
Mr. President, no one doubts your large heart and your legendary capacity for forgiveness. You have demonstrated this virtue repeatedly. However, forgiveness is a personal virtue; the office you occupy today is not personal. You are no longer just Bola Ahmed Tinubu Tinubu, the man. You are now the embodiment of 220 million Nigerians — our pride, our voice, our face and our collective property. An injury to your person and office is an injury to the entire nation.
For several years, Mr. Reno Omokri used every available platform — books, television, television, radio, newspaper columns and social media — to launch the most vicious, sustained and malicious attacks ever directed at Your Excellency. He did not attack your policies; he attacked your person, your family and your integrity in the most despicable manner. Permit me to remind Your Excellency of just a few of his public statements:
– He repeatedly called you a “drug baron” and “narcotics kingpin” whose assets were forfeited to the United States because of proceeds of narcotics trafficking.
– He wrote and published a book titled “Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of Bola Tinubu’s Drug Case” solely to perpetuate this narrative globally.
– He openly celebrated and amplified every negative report about you in the international media, including the certificate and identity controversies.
– He described you as “the godfather of corruption in Nigeria” and claimed Lagos was built with looted funds.
– During the 2023 campaign, he said voting for you was voting for “a known drug dealer to become president.”
These were not private opinions. These were deliberate, calculated and widely circulated attacks designed to destroy your reputation at home and abroad.
Your Excellency, sending the same Reno Omokri as an ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the greatest insult that can ever be offered to the millions who defended you with their blood, sweat and resources. It is an insult to every Nigerian because:
1. It validates and internationalises every lie he told about you. The moment he presents his letter of credence in any capital, the first Google search about him will return headlines like “Tinubu appoints man who called him drug baron as ambassador.” That narrative will never die.
2. It hands a propaganda victory on a gold platter to your domestic and international detractors. Individuals like George Galloway (British politician with over 1 million followers) and others who have consistently pushed the “drug baron” narrative will celebrate this appointment as proof that their lies were true and that you are only “buying silence.”
3. It destroys the moral foundation of our young people. When children see that a man who spent years calling the President a drug dealer is rewarded with one of the highest diplomatic honours, what message are we sending? That principle, truth and decency no longer matter? That the fastest way to Aso Rock is to abuse the President and later beg for forgiveness? This single act risks eroding the moral fibre of an entire generation.
4. It tells every loyal supporter who stood by you in the rain and sun that loyalty is foolish, and that betrayal pays far better.
Your Excellency, ambassadors are not just representatives; they are the face and voice of Nigeria in foreign lands. We cannot send a man who told the whole world that Nigeria is led by a drug baron to now go and tell the same world that Nigeria is a decent, responsible nation. The contradiction is too glaring to ignore.
Mr. President, I humbly plead with you: withdraw this nomination. It is not too late. Let the Senate, in its wisdom, also rise to the occasion and save our collective future, particularly the moral future of our children. Political convenience must never be placed above national dignity and the moral health of our youth.
Your supporters are not asking for vengeance. We are asking for respect — respect for the office you occupy, respect for the sacrifices we made, and respect for the image of Nigeria.
May God continue to grant Your Excellency wisdom, courage and strength to lead this nation aright.
Yours in national service,
Denge.Josef Onoh
Onoh, an APC Stalwart, is a former Spokesman, South east, Tinubu/ Shetima Presidential Campaign
Short of what to say to this man who, tragically, is the Governor of Niger State, let me wish him a Happy Christmas. Christmas is about a month away, but I refuse to add “in advance” in extending that wish to him.
Let me explain.
I am following Governor Umar Bago’s footsteps. I only re-echoed him. I only wished him what he, insensitively, wished a broken State, a broken people, heartbroken parents, heartbroken families, and over 300 heartbroken, confused, helpless and hapless pupils, students and teachers who are in the custody of blood-thirsty terrorists, sharing spaces in the bush, in the forest with venomous snakes and other wild animals.
In saner societies where politicians have conscience, are in office for the people and not for themselves and their families, in societies where leaders are judged by their utterances, by their public behavior, by their carriage, this Governor could have been thrown out of office. He could have been forced to resign, or impeached from office. He could have been barred for life from holding any public office. But who is there to scold, or call him to order? Which House of Assembly would dare impeach him?
Except for about three Houses of Assembly, including Lagos, none of the others can hold their Governors accountable. No questions. Jellies, they shiver before the Governors who they should monitor and hold accountable.
So who would call Bago to order?
For the records, careless talks and embarrassing public behaviors are not exclusive to Bago. A number of Governors are guilty of same obnoxious behaviors. They get away with anything. Everything, especially, their careless talks.
There is this Governor who asked his State Executive Council Members to wear the signature President Bola Tinubu Cap during Executive Council Meetings, or lose their jobs. And just a couple of days ago, he swore he would resign from office if in 2027, President Tinubu fails to win in his State. Before that time, he had said people were hailing him for more accomplishments in his less than six months in office, than his predecessor’s eight years in office. Such delusion! But that’s how large his ego is. And that’s how large the egos of most Governors are. They are Emporors whose Aides hardly have access to, and when they do shiver before them, and answer “Yes Sir, yes Your Excellency”. Never disagree with anything.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State
However, Governor Bago holds the title of the most careless- talking and irresponsible Governor in this dispensation. The sad thing: this Governor is governing a State which produced two unforgettable former Nigerian Leaders, and still respected Elder Statesman – former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Sorry, I have since digressed, but here’s why I began by wishing Bago Happy Christmas.
In Bago’s Niger State, about 315 students, pupils and teachers of St Mary’s Catholic School, Papari, were abducted by terrorists on November 21, 2025. How the cursed devils managed to storm the school, undetected, should be one of the seven wonders of the World. To be able to abduct such large number of people, there must have been over 60 terrorists, each riding a motorcycle that would accommodate, at least, two other people each. Some reports say they also had a van. Each of them would have been well armed. They must have driven past highways. How nobody was able to detect the movement of such large number of people, is a miracle only Bago’s Government and security agencies and vigilante groups would explain.
So, they succeeded in abducting this large number of people from this school in Niger.
By that abduction, the terrorists added to our fears, the hell we have been going through these past weeks. We live in fear. Sleepless nights. Thumping hearts. Broad daylight is not better. The guys can strike anytime. But it has been worse recently. It has shaken us, and shaken the foundation of our country. We weep. We gnash our teeth. We mourn.
People have given up hope, to the extent that even some of the most patriotic Nigerians are yearning for foreign help. My heart skipped when I read former President Olusegun Obasanjo, sounding helpless, almost, and insisting that Nigerians have the right to ask for foreign intervention.
Our education system is in disarray. States are closing down Schools. They are sending students and pupils home. Even a couple of tertiary institutions closed down too. For fear of terrorists.
These terrorists must be throwing a party. They have forced us to our knees. Because of them, we closed down our schools. What a victory for them. It spells: “We surrender!”
Those who mocked the Goodluck Jonathan Administration during the abduction of Chibok girls must, by now, within them, realised how stupid they were. Things are so bad that we must count those days as glorious days. In some States in the North, terrorists and bandits (By the way, what’s the difference between them), are in charge in many Local Government Areas. They have established their own Government, and are collecting taxes. They have their own Courts. And are beheading women.
Months after Jonathan left office, I attended a function where former Minister for Information, the irrepressible Lai Mohammed, told his listeners, that before Muhammadu Buhari took office, 18 LGAs in Borno State, were under the full control of Boko Haram Terrorists. And yet, his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, said it won in all the LGAs in the State. In fact, the APC returned millions of votes. And I asked the then Minister: “Honourable Minister, if Boko Haram was in charge of 18 Local Government Areas, how then did your party win all the LGAs, and returned such huge number of votes.? Who conducted the election in terrorists-held areas, and who voted? Boko Haram terrorists? That was the propaganda then. It will be nice to ask him now: “Oga, how country? A classic example of when you are pointing one finger at one, four other fingers are pointing at you.
Those who played politics with the security situation, with Boko Haram, under Jonathan, have seen that it goes beyond that; that Nigeria was dealing with an ailment more serious than we thought; that it had nothing to do with the false much celebrated Jonathan’s “weakness and cluelessness.”
But again, I digressed. I was talking about Governor Bago. It was in the midst of our anguish over the abduction of the over 300 students and pupils, alongside 12 of their teachers, that Governor Bago, instead of expressing pain, instead of screaming blue murder, instead of calling for help, began by blaming the school authorities. Shamelessly, his first reaction was why the school was still in session when he had ordered all schools around that area closed. The school management has since put a lie to his claims. The school said it received no such order either orally, or in writing.
But as if acting under a curse which is pushing him to hurt his people by his pronouncements, he upped the antenna.
Addressing the people on the abduction at St Mary’s he, again, began with the disobedience by the school authorities, then he added that he has now closed down all schools. Everybody should go home, he said. Then, he dared add: “I have given you Christmas Holidays. Happy Christmas.”
My heart sank on hearing the Governor wish them “Happy Christmas”. The children were being forced home under such heartbreaking circumstances, and the Governor is wishing them Happy Christmas. The children are traumatized with the thought of their classmates and schoolmates and friends in the forest, and the Governor is wishing them a Happy Christmas. The children’s studies have been disrupted, and the Governor is wishing them a Happy Christmas. The children’s fate is unknown, they hardly know when classes would resume, and the Governor is wishing them a Happy Christmas. The children may not start school till January, and the Governor is wishing them a Happy Christmas. Parents are in anguish, pains, not knowing the fate of their children, and the Governor is wishing them a Happy Christmas. Members of the School Management are heartbroken over their abducted students, pupils and teachers, and the Governor is wishing them a Happy Christmas.
The State is in a state of shock and fear, and the Governor is wishing them a Happy Christmas.
So, is the Governor happy? Should the word “happy” be even uttered by him? How can he talk about happiness when his State is on edge, when his State is under siege, when all schools are closed, when his subjects are afraid to go to farm, when they are afraid to sleep at night?
But Bago, still on rampage, denied the number of those abducted. He played it down. He said it was an exaggeration by the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, that CAN lied, that most of the children were hiding in the bush, and would come out; that 51 of them had come back, and that 11 more were discovered in the forest where they took refuge. He warned CAN against spreading fake news. But look at Bago, more than one week after the horrible abduction, the children and their teachers are no where to the seen; they have not walked out of the bush/forest as assured by Bago; he has not also gone into the forest to personally ask them to come out. How could a Governor be that tactless, let me not say heartless or insensitive. And he has not apologized? What’s wrong with this Governor?
Since he assumed office as the Governor of Niger State, Governor Bago has been in the news, most of them negative.
The first time I took note of him, because I honestly don’t know the names of some of these Governors, was when, at one funeral rite in his State, he asked his aides to publicly flog a Cleric for daring to lead prayers. That was followed by Bago ordering security agencies to shave the hair of any youth spotting dreadlocks. When it was greeted by outrage, the efforts he made at clarifying what he meant cut no ice with anybody.
Next, he shut down a private Radio Station for criticizing his Government. He lied about paying graduates; he lied about paying workers their minimum wage; he sacked his cabinet in one fell swoop. And recently, publicly, this Governor publicly called his protocol officer a “fool”, and dismissed him as “stupid”. That’s his fellow man. The only difference: he is a Governor, thanks to however he was elected, and the people he now talks to anyhow, and feels nothing.
Here’s my opinion. Governor Bago talks before he thinks, and has a temper from hell. He needs to go to a finishing school. He needs to worry about more serious issues than talking irresponsibly, For instance, his State is fast becoming the headquarters and hiding place for terrorists, or, how come the female students kidnapped from Kebbi were “comfortably” kept in Niger State.
For the records, I’m not one of those who hold Governors fully responsible for the insecurity in their States. It is a federal matter. They have no control over the Military, Police, Civil Defence, or Paramilitary. This, even when they fund these people and take care of their logistics. Their powers end with the vigilante groups they establish. But they are giving security votes, millions of Naira, every month. What do they do with it? I agree they should do more.
But they spend so much on things that are of no priority. Every State wants to own an Airport, even when there are no passengers. That is the latest craze.
I don’t also believe that we have enough security operatives to guard all the schools in the Country. That’s not possible. Just as I don’t believe that the recruitment of thousands more into the military, police, DSS, will solve the problem. Millions of them, without funding, appropriate and enough weapons, and dare I say, weeding out saboteurs, will not work.
But back to Bago. He owes the parents whose children were abducted, and are still in custody, an apology for his insensitive comments. He also owes same apology to CAN and the children who are still in the forest.
For Bago, the way forward is easy. He should think before he talks. Control his temper. Get some polish.
And from me to this Governor, personally, may the type of Happy Christmas he wished his people who are in distress be his portion year after year till he learns how to exhibit some kindness when he talks. Too much intoxication with power is a disease that, atimes, needs psychiatrist attention. Ask!
–Writes NMDPRA, Engages Marketers To Stabilise Fuel Market
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced plans to supply one billion five hundred million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) monthly to the Nigerian market in December 2025 and January 2026, a move aimed at ensuring uninterrupted nationwide fuel availability through the festive season and into the New Year.
President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, disclosed the plans at the weekend, noting that the refinery will make available 50 million litres of PMS daily beginning December 1.
“In line with our commitment to national wellbeing, and consistent with our track record of ensuring a holiday season free of fuel scarcity, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery will supply 1.5 billion litres of PMS to the Nigerian market this month. This represents 50 million litres per day. We are formally notifying the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of this commitment. We will supply another 1.5 billion litres in January and increase to 1.7 billion litres in February, which translates to about 60 million litres per day,” Dangote said.
Speaking during a visit by the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to the refinery and the Dangote Fertiliser complex, he stated that the facility currently has adequate stock and is producing between 40 and 45 million litres of PMS daily. He added that the daily supply of 50 million litres should dispel long-standing claims that domestic refineries lack the capacity to meet national demand.
Dangote also revealed ongoing engagement with petroleum marketers to strengthen distribution systems, including expanding the use of CNG-powered haulage.
“Our priority is to ensure Nigeria receives the products it needs. This is not driven by profit motives; it is about guaranteeing the availability of essential energy products. It is similar to the transformation we delivered in the cement sector,” he added.
He further noted that the refinery is progressing with its expansion plan to reach a capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day. More than 100,000 workers are expected to be involved in the expansion of both the refinery and the fertiliser complex. Dangote emphasised that the Group remains committed to its vision, driven by the strong public support for the company’s role in shaping Nigeria’s economic development.
During the visit, the Managing Director of SSDC, Usoro Offiong Akpabio, commended Dangote’s leadership and his continued contribution to strengthening Nigeria’s industrial capability, national energy security and long-term economic competitiveness.
She described the South-South region as Nigeria’s natural energy corridor, with vast crude oil reserves, gas infrastructure, maritime assets, agro-industrial activity and emerging industrial clusters. She noted that deeper collaboration between the region and the Dangote Group could unlock opportunities in product distribution, CNG infrastructure, petrochemicals, agriculture, and employment creation.
Akpabio added that such partnerships would advance the Federal Government’s energy stability agenda and position the South-South as a strategic growth hub for the Dangote Group.
“As the statutory development body for the South-South, SSDC is mandated to drive regional economic development, infrastructure integration, human capital advancement, and private-sector–led growth. In this regard, we stand prepared to support State-level policy and regulatory support for Ease-of-doing-business across our six states. Enabling environments for Dangote Group’s expansion into strategic sectors such as gas processing, agro-industrial value chains, renewable energy, logistics, and export-oriented manufacturing,” she said.
In a letter from the refinery’s Managing Director, David Bird, to the Authority Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, the company reaffirmed its readiness to host NMDPRA officials onsite at the refinery from December 1st to verify and publish its daily supply volumes. The refinery also sought the Authority’s support to ensure unhindered importation of crude, feedstocks and blending components, as well as smooth vessel loading for product evacuation.
“In the spirit of full transparency to the public we are willing to publish our daily production and stock volumes (online and print media),” Bird stated. “We seek the full support of NMDPRA to allow Dangote refinery to import our crude, feedstocks and blending components unhindered as well as support the lifting of our products by vessel. We continue to experience delays in vessel clearance which impacts not only the refinery operations but also our customers, adding unnecessary costs and inefficiencies”.
First City Monument Bank, FCMB, has been named Nigeria’s Best SME Focused Bank for 2025 by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN. This recognition comes as FCMB holds a leading 24% share of the banking industry’s N1.8 trillion total SME disbursement for 2024. The award was presented at the 60th Annual Bankers Dinner in Lagos on November 28, 2025, highlighting First City Monument Bank’s strong role in supporting small and medium-sized businesses.
FCMB’s financing targets the true engines of the Nigerian economy. According to the November 2024Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Report Q3 2024, these investments align with the nation’s highest-performing sectors, including Crop Production (26.51%), Trade (14.78%), and Telecommunications (13.94%), alongside Real Estate (5.43%) and Food, Beverage and Tobacco (4.06%). The award selection was based on industry-wide lending data provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which monitors financial sector contributions to the enterprise ecosystem.
FCMB also supports entrepreneurs through training programs, advisory services, and partnerships that help them navigate business challenges and grow sustainably.
Yemisi Edun, First City Monument Bank’s Managing Director and CEO, was represented by Obaro Odeghe, Executive Director of Wholesale Banking at the Annual Banker’s Dinner. She said:
“We are truly honoured to be recognised by the CIBN, based on data from the Central Bank of Nigeria. This recognition affirms our purpose as an institution committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of Nigerian entrepreneurs, who are the backbone of our economy. We will continue to support SMEs with the accessible finance, technology, and expert advice they need to grow. By strengthening these businesses, we drive productivity and contribute directly to national development.”
Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, the main professional body for bankers in Nigeria, organised the awards to showcase progress and resilience in the country’s financial sector. FCMB’s achievement was also highlighted by Tooritsemoshe Ojei, a staff member, receiving the Next Generation Class of 2025 Award for outstanding performance and leadership potential in the banking industry.
FCMB, part of FCMB Group Plc, is committed to supporting inclusive growth by connecting people, capital, and markets in Nigeria and among Nigerians abroad. This new award adds to previous honours, such as the Excellence Award for Promoting Financial Inclusion for Grassroots Entrepreneurs in Nigeria (The Mastercard Foundation), SME Financier of the Year (Africa) from the Global SME Finance Forum/IFC, and Best Bank with the Highest Impact on MSMEs Accessing Credit for the First Time in Nigeria from the Development Bank of Nigeria.
Former Senator Leader, Teslim Folarin, has applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Florence Ajimobi, a former first Lady of Oyo state as an ambassador -nominee. The former senator described the nomination as a well deserved for the wife of late Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
The former First Lady was among the recently appointed ambassadors, who named have now been forwarded by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the Senate for approval.
In a statement signed by Folarin and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the former Senate Leader said he was not in doubt of the capacity and character of the former First Lady to function effectively if approved by the Nigerian Senate.
According to him, Mrs Ajimobi is well prepared to represent Nigeria wherever she sent to , saying President Tinubu made the right decision.
Folarin: “Her Excellency Florence Ajimobi is well-travelled, well-exposed, and richly equipped with the intellectual depth and diplomatic capacity needed for ambassadorial service.
“She is a woman of substance, grace, and unwavering commitment to public good. I sincerely thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for making such a right and deserving choice.”
President Bola Tinubu had on Saturday, nominated 32 Nigerians as Ambassadors and High Commissioners. He had, a few days ago, nominated three people whose names he forwarded to the Senate for confirmation. The new nominees bring the total to 35.
Among those nominated are Reno Omokri, a former Tinubu hater-turned-lover, Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Aviation Minister, former Peoples Democratic Party’s Governors of Abia and Enugu States, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ikpeazu, respectively, both loyalists of the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
In the list are 10 women. They include former First Ladies of Ekiti and Oyo States, Angela Adebayo and Florence Ajimobi six are non-career Ambassadors.
The Kano State Government has assured the people of the state to the effect that the state is not under imminent security threat, contrary to some reports in the media.
The Governor Abba Yusuf-led government had on Sunday held the State Security Council Meeting, where all the top security brass were present, to assess the security situation in the state, according to the state government, saying it was concluded at the meeting that the state is not under immediate security threat.
According to a statement issued on Monday by Director-General, Media and Publicity, Sunusi Dawakin-Tofa , the state government urged the residents to go about their duties, as there are no indications of threat to public peace, and that security agencies have been directed to neutralize any dangers posed by criminals elements.
“There is no valid or actionable information pointing to any significant security risk in Kano,” the statement said, stressing that the circulating claims were false, sensational and deliberately crafted to cause panic,” the statement said.
The state government’s assurance comes on the heels of last weekend’s bandits attack on Yankamaye village in Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State, killing an elderly woman and abducting three residents.
The incident had thrown the community into panic as many residents were asleep when the armed men stormed the area.
Confirming the attack, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said security agencies were already on the trail of the bandits who are currently on the run.
“We are doing everything possible to rescue the kidnapped victims and restore calm to the area,” Kiyawa said.
According to the details supplied by eyewitnesses, the gunmen reportedly arrived on motorcycles, parking at the outskirts of the village before proceeding on foot to avoid early detection.
The attackers, it was learnt also raided another house, abducting two women, including the sister-in-law of the ward councillor.
The state, however, experienced panic on Sunday after the bandits threatened to kill the 10 residents they kidnapped if their family failed to pay ransom.
Father of one of the victims told a local radio in Kano, yesterday, that the bandits were using him as a channel to reach other families, asking them to pay certain huge amount as ransom.
“They on daily basis call me thrice or even four times warning me to abide by their requests or they would kill our family members.
“I told them that the money they are asking for, we have never seen that kind of money, and what we only have is our farmlands with small animals,” he said.
He appealed to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to come to their rescue as any time from now they might lose their loved ones.
“We asked you our Governor, in the name of God, please help us, they are killing our sons,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, security operatives were said to be combing nearby forests in a bid to rescue the victims and apprehend the assailants.
Until recently, Kano state has managed to escape bandit attacks, while other neighbouring states were not so lucky.
But security experts insist that the crack among top political players in the state, for its soul may have opened the door for the bandits, who, from all indications are bent on making the state a nightmare for residents.
The Nigerian Presidency has faulted former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his remark that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has failed in its responsibilities to protect Nigerians from bandits and terrorists. The menace of banditry and terrorism was incubated under your watch as president, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, said in his posts on his verified X handle on Sunday.
Dare while responding to the former president harsh condemnation of the incumbent’s handling of the threat posed by terrorists and bandits to the country, said it was “reckless” and ironic that Obasanjo who failed to stop Boko Haram at its inception is now pontificating and condemning President Tinubu’s handling of the problem.
While speaking at the Plateau State Unity Christmas Carol and Praise Festival held in Jos, Palteau state last weekned, the former Nigerian leader accused President Tinubu of abdication of his duty to protect the country, saying the incumbent must seek external assistance because the matter seems to be beyond its capacity to handle.
Obansanjo had called on Tinubu to apologise to Nigerians and stop making excuses for its failures to rein in insecurity in the country, instead of negotiating and pacifying terrorists. .
“Our government must stop apologising and negotiating with terrorists. No matter what religion you belong to. No matter where you come from. No matter your profession, we Nigerians are being killed, and our government seems to be incapable of protecting us,’ Obasanjo said.
Reacting in a series of posts on his X, Dare said it’s a histortical fact that Boko Hram insurgency started under Obasanjo, who he said failed to nip it in the bud, allowing the terrorist to transform to a full blown insurgency that now threaten the peace of the country.
He said while Nigeria is opened to support from the United States and the International Community to combat the menace, she will not surrender its sovereignty to outsiders in trying to achieve this aim.
He said former President Obansanjo should owned up to his failure to contain terrorists while in power, adding that he has lost his position as a statesman by openly rebutting the Tinubu’s administration, which he said is committed to ending insecurity in the country.
“It is historical fact that the ideological foundations and early cells of Boko Haram were incubated during Obasanjo’s civilian presidency. While they recruited, indoctrinated, built camps, and flaunted authority, the state failed to act decisively,” Dare said.
“What began as a preventable extremist sect transformed into: a violent insurgency; across-border terrorist franchise; a regional menace aligned with global jihadist movements.
“For the leader under whom the first seeds of terrorism were allowed to germinate to now issue public lectures is not just ironic, it is reckless.”
“The suggestion that Nigeria should effectively subcontract its internal security to foreign governments is not statesmanship; it is capitulation. Before recommending surrender, the former President should reflect on what he failed to do when these terrorists first began organising under his watch.
“Nigeria will cooperate internationally, yes, but it will not outsource its security or raise a white flag because someone who once had the chance lost his nerve. Yes. Nigeria needs the support and understanding of the United States and that is already ongoing. And of course the collaboration of other allied nations.
“The crime at hand is transnational. Every ungoverned space must come under scrutiny.”
He urged the former president to use his international connections to assist the country instead of openly critising ongoing efforst to combat the menace of banditry and insurgency, assuring Nigerians that President Tinubu will not renege in his resolve to end the problem by bringing down the full weight of state power on the criminals.
He said: “If Obasanjo wishes to help, he should acknowledge the past failures that allowed terrorists to gain a foothold, and then support ongoing efforts, not undermine them. Let him put his position and connections at Nigeria’s disposal like he has done for other Countries. Not seek to put down an administration that is fully engaging in many fronts : Economic Turnaround, Providing Security and Building key Infrastructure.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to securing every inch of Nigeria by confronting terrorists with strength, unity, and a whole-of-government strategy. Let all patriots join hands now and not raise alarms.
“This administration will not be distracted by selective amnesia wrapped in elder-statesmanship, nor will it allow those who midwifed Nigeria’s early security failures to rewrite history.”
“When former leaders disparage the nation’s capacity, they hand psychological victories to the very terrorists murdering, kidnapping and extorting Nigerians – terrorising Nigerians in plain language. A real statesman offers support, not soundbites.”
The report that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) spent a humongous ₦17.5 trillion in just 12 months on “securing fuel pipelines and others” stands as one of the most brazen financial scandals in our nation’s history.
For clarity, Nigeria spent roughly ₦18 trillion on fuel subsidy over a period of twelve years — a national programme that directly cushioned millions of Nigerians, stabilised the transport sector, and helped keep food prices manageable.
Yet, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the country has now expended nearly the same amount in a single year on same subsidy and opaque pipeline security contracts awarded to private firms tied to associates and cronies of the President. Indeed, the action of the President is akin to robbing Peter (Nigerians) to pay Paul (cronies).
This is not governance. This is grand larceny dressed as public expenditure.
The Tinubu administration justified the removal of fuel subsidy by claiming the country could no longer afford it. Nigerians were told to tighten their belts, endure hardship, and “make sacrifices.” However, the same administration has now channelled ₦17.5 trillion — an amount that could transform Nigeria’s power sector, rebuild our refineries, or fund universal healthcare — into opaque security contracts whose beneficiaries are conveniently linked to those in power.
In some places in the country, a litre of PMS goes for over N1,000 and the justification for this by the Tinubu administration is the wholesome removal of subsidy, yet according to the records provided by the NNPCL, this same administration has spentN7.13tn on what it calls, “energy-security cost to keep petrol prices stable”; another N8.67tn on what it calls “under-recovery.” These two balablu nomenclatures: energy-cost and under-recovery are a new coinage of the Tinubu administration to deceive Nigerians on the government’s fraudulent claim that it was no longer paying subsidies on petroleum products.
This raises fundamental questions of public trust and national integrity:
*Who are the companies paid under these contracts?
*What specifically justifies a 38.7 percent rise in the amount of energy-cost from N6.25tn in 2024 to N8.67tn in 2025?
*Why is pipeline security now more expensive than a decade-long subsidy that served over 200 million Nigerians?
*Where are the audit reports, parliamentary oversight findings, and cost-validation documents?
No administration that presides over this level of fiscal recklessness has the moral authority to demand sacrifice from its people. The Nigerian public cannot continue to suffer crushing inflation, punitive fuel prices, an unending collapse of the naira, and widespread hunger — only for a select circle of political allies to pocket trillions under the guise of “pipeline security.”
This scandal confirms what Nigerians already know: the Tinubu administration did not end subsidy — it merely redirected public wealth from the entire nation to a privileged cartel anchored around the Presidency.
The government must, without delay:
Publish the full list of companies awarded these contracts;
Disclose the scope, deliverables, and duration of each contract;
Subject the entire ₦17.5 trillion expenditure to an independent forensic audit;
Halt further disbursement until accountability is established;
Explain to Nigerians how this expenditure aligns with national priorities at a time of unprecedented economic strangulation.
Nigerians deserve transparency, not deceit. They deserve leadership, not cronyism. And they deserve a government that places national interest above private enrichment.
This ₦17.5 trillion pipeline-security expenditure is not merely a financial anomaly — it is a moral indictment on the Tinubu administration and a clarion call for full accountability.
