By Ayodele Oni
Nigeria has joined other 17 African countries which are tagged as high risks areas, urging its citizens to avoid travelling to the country.
Other African countries on the lists are Somalia, Sudan, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, Niger,
Canada’s latest high-risk travel advisories, issued between “November 13 and 15, 2025, mark one of its most extensive reassessments of security risks in Africa, covering 17 countries across the continent.”
During the three-day update, Global Affairs Canada “reaffirmed high-risk advisories for 34 countries worldwide, citing escalating instability, fragile governance, and rising cross-border security threats.”
The development “aligns with a broader global trend of tightening mobility, security, and immigration policies, particularly among Western nations increasingly adjusting to evolving geopolitical risks.”
This “also mirrors the hard-line posture of the United States under President Donald Trump, whose administration has prioritised stricter border controls and heightened monitoring of high-risk travel routes.”
According to Canadian authorities, the expanded advisories “reflect a combination of armed conflict, extremist violence, unstable political transitions, and rapidly changing local conditions that could endanger travellers.”
Countries such as “Somalia, Sudan, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso continue to experience active insurgencies and fragmented territorial control.”
“Ethiopia and Nigeria, meanwhile, are grappling with volatile political climates, mass protests, and frequent outbreaks of communal violence.”
The advisories advised Nationals to avoid non-essential travel: Travellers “are urged to carefully evaluate whether their trip is necessary for business, family, or personal reasons.
“Those already on the ground are advised to assess the importance of remaining and consider leaving if conditions worsen.
“Travel to these countries “is strongly discouraged because of extreme risks to personal safety.
“Residents and foreign nationals in these areas are encouraged to make safe departure arrangements where possible.
“Avoid Non-Essential Travel (with regional advisories): Madagascar, Ethiopia, Burundi, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa), Eritrea, Mauritania, Nigeria, and Tanzania.”
By Akinwale Kasali
Olufemi Ajadi Omotoyinbo, a former Ogun State Governorship Candidate under the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, who recently joined the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has declared his intention to contest for the 2027 Oyo State Governorship Election and succeed Governor Seyi Makinde.
He made these declarations when he visited the PDP Secretariat in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Tuesday.
His declaration was attended by PDP Chairman in the state, Dayo Ogungbenro, Deputy Chairman, Wasiu Adeleke and Secretary, Yemi Oyelami among others.
Ajadi stated that he has come home to occupy the highest office in the state.
He maintained that as an indigene of Oyo State, he has the capacity to succeed the current Governor who is completing his second term in office on May 2027.
He said, “Today, I am here to officially declare my ambition to contest as governor of Oyo State in 2027.
“So, I am here to inform you that I will be your governor in Oyo State in 2027”.
Ogungbenro, the PDP Chairman in the State noted that the aspirant has done the needful thing by informing the Party about his ambition.
He said, “What we are doing today is expected at this time, particularly as the 2027 elections approach. We are fast approaching 2027 and many people will come here to declare their ambitions.
“What we are witnessing today is an indication that he is an aspirant to reckon with”.
By Ayodele Oni
As part of his strategy to showcase achievements of the present administration, President Bola Tinubu has appointed Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State as Renewed Hope Ambassador.
This is coming ahead of the national launch of the Federal Government’s Ward Development Programme,
In his role as Ambassador, he will double as the Director-General for Party Outreach, Engagement and Mobilisation.
With the appointment, which takes immediate effect, Governor Uzodimma will be responsible, in collaboration with the All Progressives Congress, (APC) leadership and the governors, for evangelising the Tinubu administration’s programme.
As Renewed Hope Ambassador, Governor Uzodimma, who also chairs the Progressive Governors Forum, will ensure harmony, inclusiveness and strategic coordination across all levels of the party. He will also be involved in mobilising and engaging people.
He will work with the APC governors, who will also be Ambassadors of Hope.
President Tinubu expects Governor Uzodimma and his colleagues to promote and disseminate the party’s achievements and milestones since 2023, thereby reinforcing the message of Renewed Hope nationwide.
In a message to the Renewed Hope Ambassador, President Tinubu asked Governor Uzodimma to ensure that Nigerians are aware of and understand the administration’s achievements.
By Valentine Obienyem
Recently, my attention was drawn to a barrage of invectives from the Prof’s underfed minions. I understand they have even begun serialising my long exchanges with Prof. Okey Ndibe. I recall those days with clarity: we crossed swords with the hatred of two enemies meeting face-to-face in war. It was so intense that the Management of The Sun resolved that nothing Ndibe wrote against Mr. Peter Obi, nor anything I wrote against Ndibe, would be published again.
Those serialising it today should, at least in faithfulness to objectivity, publish the exchanges side by side. Anything short of that is pure mischief. What they are doing now is a classic case of “nwoke nuchaa ogu, nwaanyị enweru akụkụ.” Let them go on.
I have also seen their desperate attempts to compare Mr. Peter Obi with Prof. Charles Soludo. Why waste time on such irrelevancies? When Obi said he governed as a trader and that our brother should govern as the professor he claims to be, was that the voice of a man seeking comparison? Obi is far too mature for that sort of nonsense. Following in his footsteps, let the little-minded continue to throw tantrums. May they not infect great minds like Dr. Mefor.
We reiterate that Obi is now playing in the Champions (Presidential) League, having left the lower league (Gubernatorial League) over thirteen years ago. This is an existential fact that cannot be controverted by any known logic.
If the professor is anxious to be proclaimed the best among Nigerians, we have no problem with that. But he should at least find credible voices to make such proclamations – voices that command respect. When your heralds are men who are themselves demented, such as Ejimofor, Adichie, Machi, Paji, and other little demons without respect for holy water, how seriously can their announcements be taken? A man is not crowned by jesters and expect his crown to shine.
Let me explain myself with an image from antiquity. When Alexander the Great visited the tomb of Achilles, he placed a wreath upon it and exclaimed: “O fortunate youth, to have found Homer as the herald of your victories!”
Achilles was a warrior of unmatched prowess, the central figure in the war against Troy. Yet his greatest fortune was not merely his triumphs in battle; it was that Homer – the most credible voice of his age, a poet incapable of announcing false victories – was the one who proclaimed them. Achilles’ deeds endure because they were sung by a man whose word carried truth, majesty, and immortal authority.
So when those I earlier mentioned- “achikota Ekwe onu”- take it upon themselves to compare, to proclaim, or to dress a man in borrowed robes, their verdicts cannot be taken seriously. Their praise diminishes. Their words confer no honour; they only dilute it. Their rants are made far worse when characters like Mrs. Ethel Obiakor, ever an unserious mind, are the ones cheering them up.
In the same vein, the simpletons who malign Mr. Peter Obi and his aides behave exactly as I recounted of those who once hurled abuse at Buddha. When a fool insulted the Enlightened One, Buddha listened in silence. When the man had finished, Buddha asked:
“If a man declined to accept a present made to him, to whom would it belong?”
The fool answered, “To him who offered it.” Buddha replied, “I decline to accept your abuse, and request you to keep it for yourself.”
So it is with Obi’s detractors. Their foul words, their petty invectives, their desperate attempts to demean, are theirs alone. They cannot touch a man whose character, actions, and intellect stand beyond their reach. Just as Buddha declined to accept the simpleton’s abuse, so too does Obi and his aides refuse to be dragged down by the vulgarities of the Prof.’s simpletons. Let them keep their anger, their envy, and their foolishness; it is theirs, not theirs to impose upon greatness.
Contrast this with Obi. Those who speak of his character and his leadership are the Okonjos, the Achebes, the bishops, the imams, the Obasanjos, the Jonathans, etc.
What does that tell you?
Obienyem, a Lawyer, writes from Awka, Anambra State
By Akinwale Kasali
Grief, panic, fear and wailing have gripped Isapa community in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State. Bandits invaded the community late Monday night and abducted a pregnant woman, 10 children, two nursing mothers and several others.
It was gathered from eyewitness who gave a vivid account of the incident that between 20 and 30 armed bandits stormed Isapa, advancing with a large herd of cattle while firing sporadically.
It was gathered that an
elderly woman was reportedly hit by a stray bullet during the assault.
Bullet-ridden walls and doors were seen hours after the attack, while spent AK-47 shells littered several parts of the town.
Community leaders confirmed that 11 residents were abducted in the attack, including seven members of one family.
Among the kidnapped victims are a pregnant woman, two nursing mothers, and several young children.
The abductees were identified as: Talatu Kabiru, Magaji, Kande, Hadiza, Mariam, Saima, Habibat (a housewife), Fatima Yusufu (a housewife), Sarah Sunday (pregnant woman), Lami Fidelis (a nursing mother), and Haja Na Allah.
This is coming less than a week after Bandits invaded a Christ Gospel Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, abducting over 30 congregants.
They were released by their captors last Sunday following the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led Federal Government and the Governor Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman of Kwara State.
By Adesina Soyooye
Any kidnapper who dares touch any member of Salvation Ministry Church, Port Harcourt, is headed to the casket and six-foot below.
This declaration was made by the General Overseer of the Church, Pastor David Ibiyeomi while placing curses on kidnappers and others of their ilk.
The Televangelist, said in a video he posted on his official Facebook page that the time has come for all men and women of God in Nigeria to pray and bring down the wrath of God on the evil men and women who abduct innocent people.
He then dared them: ”Kidnap my Church member, die within seven days.
His words: Enough is enough. May the judgement of God swiftly come upon every force of wickedness, kidnappers, assassins, hoodlums, ritualists and all who perpetrate evil. Their evil shall not stand. God’s judgment will prevail.”
To his Church members, he assured: “Any kidnapper who dares you will die within seven days. Any kidnapper that dares your life, before, between now till Sunday, I declare them dead.
“Anyone that dares any member of Salvation Ministry or any of our loved ones, by Sunday this week, I pronounce them dead. Anyone planning our downfall, falls in the name of Jesus.”
The charismatic gospel preacher did not, however, say if the curse remains effective after Sunday.
By Akinwale Kasali
Following the spate of Banditry, Insecurity and abduction of School Students and attacks of Worship Centres, the Lagos State Police Commissioner, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has said the Command has intensified deployments to schools, worship centres and other public places to prevent security breaches.
Jimoh gave this assurance at the State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, while fielding questions from Journalists about the state of security in the State.
He assured residents of in the State to avoid panic, but should remain safe, adding that the new development would be carried out throughout the Ember months into the New Year.
“We want the general public to know that Lagos is safe and secure. We have made additional deployments to all schools, places of worship, religious centres and other locations frequently visited by people to ensure all worshippers are safe.
“This will continue into the New Year and beyond to ensure the safety of all Lagosians and other Nigerians coming into the state. We don’t have any concern to be worried about; we are beefing up security throughout the state.”
The Lagos CP further added that efforts were ongoing to increase the police tactical squad across the local councils in the state.
The need to keep Lagosians abreast of the State’s current security situation was necessary following the present security breaches in some parts of the country, leading to a series of abductions recorded recently in Kwara, Kebbi and Niger states.
The Police boss also disclosed that newly employed drivers and car wash attendants were behind the new wave of stolen vehicles in the State.
He said, “I want to emphasise that the onslaughts on the men of the underworld have been yielding results. And that is why behind me there are 10 exotic cars that I’m parading before you today. These vehicles are mostly those that were taken by the drivers who were in charge of such vehicles. Because the complaints we have about stolen vehicles in Lagos were that drivers who were just employed took the vehicles away. And we equally have instances where vehicles that were taken to a car wash were being driven away by the attendants.”
He, however, urged residents to adopt stricter security measures and avoid leaving their car keys carelessly with strangers or newly engaged workers.
“So, we should be more security conscious by ensuring that when we take our vehicle to a car wash, we don’t leave the key of the car with the car wash attendant. We should ensure this security measure so that we don’t get our vehicle stolen,” he added.
Among the recovered vehicles were a white Toyota Hilux, a white Range Rover SUV, a black Land Cruiser, a silver Lexus GX460 SUV, a silver Honda CR-V, a grey Toyota Corolla SM3, and another Toyota Corolla with registration number JJJ 887.
A Boxer Bajaj motorcycle used during a robbery attempt was also recovered.
By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The North Central All Progressive Congress APC Forum on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, expressed serious concern over what it described as a dangerous gang-up by some major party stakeholders in the state, led by the National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, to frustrate Governor Caleb Mutfwang from joining the party.
The Source reports that there have been exchange of political manoeuvring and brickbats among Plateau State political gladiators over the speculated plan by the Governor to dump his beleaguered Peoples Democratic party PDP for the APC.
Some forces loyal to the APC National Chairman are believed to be strongly aversed to Governor Mutfwang crossing over to the APC for fear of losing the party’s structure.
Only on Monday, November, 24, 2025, the Plateau State Chapter of the Forum of Former Elected Councilors registered its opposition to any move to railroad the Governor into the APC.
At a media briefing in Jos , Chairman of the group, John Dashe, condemned and dismissed the Coalition of Concerned Former APC Councilors and Grassroots Mobilizers, CFACGZM, over its alleged attempt to smuggle Governor Mutfwang into the APC through the back door.
The CFCGM had, in a statement issued on Tuesday November 18, urged the Governor to consider a move to the ruling party at the centre, noting that he will be an invaluable asset.
However, the Dashe-led former Councilors while describing the CFCGM as a non-existent body and faceless, noted that its move smacks of desperation on the part of the Governor and his paid agents.
“In the first place ,we urge the general public to note that the group-CFCAGM does not represent the interest of either the former or the present Councilors in Plateau state.
“This group, CFACGZM, has called on Governor Caleb Mutfwang to join the APC. We view this as a desperate attempt by the Governor and his agents to smuggle him into the party through the back door.
“The Governor has consistently stated that there is no APC in Plateau state, and has no intention of joining a party on the verge of collapse. His recent desperation to join the APC is, therefore, puzzling
“We still want to remind the Governor that our party is still the Muslim-Muslim ticket he demonized in 2023. His desperation to join the APC raises suspicion about his motives. We believe that accepting him would be a self-infliction on our party”, Dashe stated .
Dashe and his group of former Councilors are said to be loyal to the APC National Chairman Professor Yilwatda, who is believed to be uncomfortable with the plan move of the Governor to the party.
But in a statement on Tuesday November 25, from its Chairman Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, the North Central APC Forum which has been at the forefront of the campaign for Governor Mutfwang to join the APC, insisted that the party’s National Chairman has no right and powers to prevent him or any other persons from pitching tent with the party.
The Forum accused the APC National Chairman of sponsoring some people to protest against the planned defection of the Governor.
It, however, expressed the optimism that no amount of sponsored agitations will stop Governor Mutfwang from joining the APC whenever he makes up his mind to do so.
The APC North Central Forum also alleged that Prof Nentawe has been threatening to revoke its certificate of registration as an affiliate body of the party due to its resoluteness in having the Governor in APC .
The group reminded Prof Nentawe that it was its agitations that resulted in the position of National Chairman being returned from the North West to the North Central, with him now as the beneficiary.
“The National Chairman of the APC has no role to play in bringing Governor Caleb Mutfwang to the APC. It is only Governor Mutfwang’s ward in Mangu that has the right to admit him as a member of the party.
“The National Chairman should stop sponsoring groups to go to the media and be staging protests just to stop the Governor from joining the APC..
“He is disgracing himself and the party because this shows that he does not know the role of a party’s National Chairman. He should be made to understand that he has no role to play in bringing the Governor to the party. If Governor Mutfwang joins APC today, automatically he becomes the leader of the party in Plateau state
“The fact of the matter is that the National Chairman has no right to stop Governor Mutfwang from joining the APC .
“He is just sponsoring people to protest and do or say things that will discourage the Governor from joining APC which is even against the Constitution of the party that made him who he is today
“But the actions of those he is sponsoring cannot stop Governor Mutfwang if he makes up his mind today
“We are, therefore, calling on the leadership and members of the APC in the Governor’s ward to come out and urge him to join the party.
“The leaders of Plateau state are with Governor Mutfwang. What the people of Plateau state need is what we want. Prof Nentawe is trying to revoke our certificate of registration, but it was that same certificate that gave us the right to agitate for the position of National Chairman to return to North Central which led to his appointment .He is using his position to try to silence us ,but we are not going to be intimidated” the APC Forum stated .
The Source further reports that the APC National Chairman was the gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2023 general elections, but was defeated by Governor Mutfwang.
It is widely believed that Prof Nentawe is strongly still nursing the ambition to govern Plateau State, and, therefore, perceiving the planned defection of Governor Mutfwang to the APC as a potential stumbling block.
By Adesina Soyooye
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday, took a hard look at the eight-year tenure of Rotimi Amaechi as Minister for Transportation, and dismissed it as uneventful.
Oshiomhole, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today, described Amaechi as “terrible”. He also accused him of misplaced priorities and poor judgment during his tenure.
Oshiomhole, also, had no good word to say about Amaechi’s eight-year tenure as the Governor of Rivers State.
Criticizing Amaechi’s language each time the former Minister spoke, Oshiomhole said: “Rotimi Amaechi is the most terrible. Look at the choice of language. A guy who shut down Rivers Judiciary because he wanted to appoint his own personal favorite as Chief Judge of Rivers State. Once he couldn’t have his way, the Rivers State Judiciary was shut down for almost two years.”
He also tackled Amaechi for the State of Railway system in Nigeria and mocked his much criticized construction of rail to Niger Republic.
Oshiomhole: “Look at the railway system that he superintendent over for eight unbroken years. He was unable to get priorities right, playing to the gallery. Now, he rather constructed a rail, not to Kano, not to Port Harcourt where he came from, but to Niger Republic.
“Which goods are we sending to Niger Republic? He was a Minister, and if you were a Minister under Buhari, you will be fair to him, life or death, that Buhari gave anyone he appointed free hand to do the job the job he assigned to you. That is what Buhari was.”
