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Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, commonly known as Sunday Igboho, expressed his concerns about the lack of security in Nigerian airports, arguing that this situation supports the need for the country to divide. In a video shared on Thursday, Igboho was shown at an airport in the UK. He stated that ongoing insecurity is a reason for the different ethnic groups in Nigeria—Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, and others—to seek independence. He added that the various issues facing Nigeria contribute to a lack of pride among citizens in identifying as Nigerians, noting, “There is no security even inside the airport.” They can take your possessions from your bag (at Nigerian airports). All of these factors discourage people from feeling proud of Nigeria. “Such issues make us feel unhappy to identify as Nigerians.” This is the reason we support separation. “If Nigeria is not functioning as a nation, it’s preferable for us to part ways,” he stated. Igboho has long been a proponent of Nigeria’s separation. Remember that in April 2024, Igboho and others sent a strong letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to create a negotiation team to discuss the Yoruba people’s departure from Nigeria. Meanwhile, in previous years, Nnamdi Kanu, head of the Indigenous People of Biafra, a separatist organization, has remained in detention by the Nigerian government despite demands for his release.

The Senior Magistrate, Aminu Sani, who is overseeing Magistrate Court II in Gusau, Zamfara State, has authorized the arrest of two personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) who failed to appear in court. This decision came after a request from the plaintiff’s attorney, Barrister Surajo Garba Gusau, who pointed out that the absence of the officers was obstructing the trial’s progress. The two officers are among five individuals charged with burglary and theft of property belonging to the plaintiff, Yusha’u Aliyu. Barrister Gusau dismissed the defense’s motion to have the case thrown out, stating that civil servants are not above the law in Nigeria, with the exception of certain high-ranking officials like the President, Vice President, Governors, and their Deputies. The case, which also involves personnel from the Zamfara Urban and Regional Planning (ZUREP), has been postponed until January 15 for further decisions regarding the defense’s motion.

The Middle Belt Forum, Kaduna State, has expressed dismay over an editorial by a media house discouraging the Federal Government from seeing the takeoff of the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia.

A statement issued by the Forum’s chairman, Luka Binniyat alleged that the motive behind the editorial is to discourage the Federal Government from approving the takeoff of the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia.

“The Middle Belt and indeed, Southern Kaduna has powerful foes that can go to any extent to ensure we are tied to one place.

“If not so, is the Editorial not aware that a university is not merely a place of learning? That a university is an economy and a development hub of its own with accompanied value chains that could dramatically spark unprecedented prosperity to its area of location and environs?”

He added, “Well we have no issues whatsoever with the observations and facts churned out by the Editorial Board of Punch regarding the poor funding of Federal Universities and other associated matters raised in the Editorial, we feel that had the Editors been armed with the shocking marginalization that Southern Kaduna has suffered in allocation of federal institutions in Kaduna State, they would have written its Editorial from a rather sympathetic perspective.

“They would not have set out in that Editorial to discourage the Federal Government from concluding a development that has stirred so much joy and emotions among the people of SK and indeed all residents members of the Middle Belt in Kaduna State.”

The forum noted that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who represents Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna state, secured the approval and funds for the establishment and immediate construction of four new tertiary institutions in Zaria town, including a university.

Binniyat stated that at the flag-off of the construction of one of the schools in Zaria, on the 15th of December 2024, Abbas announced to the media that the sum of N80 billion had been approved for the construction of the schools.

He said Southern Kaduna is a geo-socio/cultural zone made up of no less than 60 ethnic nationalities that made up of 12 LGAs out of the 23 LGAs of Kaduna State and wondered why an editorial condemned the creation of new federal universities when Zaria town, which is already saturated with 11 Federal Tertiary Schools, got additional four new ones at a go.

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, stated that nearly 80 percent of the recently hired secondary school teachers in the state were employed illegally and are unable to even write an acceptance letter. He asserted that his administration would not accept those hired through improper means by the suspended Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) and promised a thorough investigation into the illegal hiring practices. Governor Sule made these comments during a visit from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) coalition at the Government House, where he addressed a request from Nasarawa State CAN Chairman, Very Reverend Dr. Sunday Emma, to consider integrating those unlawfully hired by the TSC. He clarified that it would be unfeasible to accept such individuals because they do not possess the necessary teaching qualifications. “You request that I include them, but consider it from both perspectives.” I’m not trying to cause any issues for anyone. I’ve been informed that some of these people, who reportedly paid between 600,000 and 700,000 naira for their roles, do not have the qualifications to teach. “And, keep in mind, they would earn under 100,000 naira,” the Governor stated. I’ve also heard that 80 percent of them can’t even write acceptance letters. Bringing them in won’t benefit our education system; it would disrupt our reform efforts. Governor Sule mentioned that after he took office in 2019, he assembled a team of education experts to evaluate the condition of schools.

Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has reaffirmed his dedication to the welfare of retirees with the launch of the third phase of pension payments totaling N5 billion. This initiative brings the total amount dispensed to pensioners under his administration to an impressive N16 billion over the past year and a half. In a statement from his spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor indicated that this new phase aims to ease the hardships of retirees who have dedicated many years of service to the state. In the first phase, Governor Yusuf allocated N6 billion to the Kano State Pension Trust Fund, focusing on retirees below Grade Level 10. The second phase provided an additional N5 billion to pensioners who had served the state for 35 years. Commenting on this development, Governor Yusuf reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to clearing all outstanding pension and gratuity payments owed to retirees in Kano. He assured that all retirees would receive their benefits promptly, stressing that their sacrifices and contributions to the state would be remembered. “This administration is dedicated to tackling the issues faced by our retirees,” he stated. We will maintain our focus on their well-being and guarantee that all pending benefits are completely disbursed. “Every retiree will receive their payments promptly and transparently,” the governor promised. The third round of payments marks an important step in Governor Yusuf’s mission to rebuild trust in the state’s pension system and enhance the welfare of retired individuals in Kano. The State Head of Service, Abdullahi Musa, stated that a substantial N16 billion has already been allocated for retiree and death benefits. “We have increased pension allowances from N5,000 to N20,000.” The governor believes that regularly paying salaries demonstrates his commitment to the State’s welfare.

The Petroleum Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has expressed concerns about the slow progress on the Eleme section of the East-West Road, a project managed by Reynolds Construction Company (RCC). PETROAN’s National President, Billy Gillis Harry, accused RCC of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to facilitate the distribution of petroleum from the newly opened Port Harcourt refinery, despite the company receiving 33 billion naira from the Federal Ministry of Works. In a statement by its National Public Relations Officer, Joseph Obele, PETROAN highlighted the negative effects of the construction on approximately 60 retail outlets along the road and called for fair compensation for the impacted station owners. Obele also noted the frustration of Minister of Works, David Umahi, with RCC’s sluggish progress, mentioning that the minister had given RCC a 7-day ultimatum following a previous press conference. He cautioned that any further delays could hinder the transportation of petroleum products by thousands of trucks from the new refinery. The Eleme section of the East-West Road, which connects to the Port Harcourt refineries, has long been a concern for petroleum marketers and local residents due to its poor condition. Marketers have consistently urged for urgent repairs to avoid supply chain disruptions. Additionally, members of the Ogoni ethnic group have protested over the road’s bad state, which is vital for connecting Rivers and Akwa Ibom states. The safety of transporting petroleum products on the damaged road remains a significant issue, with stakeholders calling on the government to hasten the construction to reduce risks and ensure the efficient movement of goods and services. PETROAN stated, “The road’s poor condition poses a serious risk to trucks carrying petroleum products, potentially leading to disastrous accidents and environmental emergencies.” PETROAN urged President Tinubu to assess the current contract with RCC according to the scheduled timeline, stating that this would support his renewed hope agenda by facilitating the prompt completion of the Eleme East-West Road project. PETROAN also urged the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to expedite the contract evaluation process and take strong steps to tackle the slow progress of work by RCC.

Richard Ozobu, a leader in the top Igbo cultural organization Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called the upcoming January 10 election for the President-General and other officials illegal. He stated that this election violates the organization’s constitution. The chair of the Ohanaeze parallel electoral committee mentioned that an election on January 6 resulted in the election of Chief Jackson Omenazu as President-General and Okechukwu Isiguzoro as deputy. In his statement, Ozobu asserted that no legitimate election can occur in Ohanaeze after midnight on January 9. He emphasized, “Anyone or committee claiming to conduct the Ohanaeze election on January 10 is acting unlawfully.” No legitimate election in Ohanaeze can occur after midnight on January 9. The executive committee that established the electoral committee will have its tenure end at that time. A valid election took place on January 6, resulting in the election of a new President General and deputy, Chief Jackson Omenazu and Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, respectively. Any election held tomorrow, January 10, would be considered illegal according to the Ohanaeze Ndigbo constitution. Ohanaeze Ndigbo is comprised of seven states as stated in its constitution. These 7 states have a constitutional arrangement for sharing executive roles on a rotational basis. Currently, it is Rivers State’s turn to select the PG. A group that is claiming to hold an election tomorrow, January 10, opposes this arrangement. However, we announced our election schedule and maintained that it is Rivers State’s turn to nominate the next PG, and the election has already taken place. It is against the law to claim that there will be an election tomorrow; we have already elected a PG and his deputy. “The regulations are straightforward.” According to the Ohanaeze constitution, a delegate election for registered members took place in Enugu, featuring representatives from the seven Igbo-speaking states.

On Thursday, the Chinese government reported five cases of a new Mpox strain, indicating that the outbreak has been effectively managed. Mpox is a viral infection transmitted from animals to humans and can also spread through close physical contact between people, leading to symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and large boil-like skin lesions, which can be fatal. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency regarding the virus in August and extended it in November due to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it has resulted in at least 1,000 deaths. Two days after the WHO’s declaration, China announced it would conduct screenings for Mpox on incoming travelers for the next six months. On Thursday, Chinese health authorities reported a cluster of Mpox strain Clade 1b infections, tracing the source to an individual who previously lived in the DRC. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention stated that four individuals who had close contact with the infected person tested positive for the strain and exhibited relatively mild symptoms like rashes and blisters. “The individuals who are infected and those at risk are receiving medical care and health monitoring, and the outbreak has been successfully managed,” it stated. As of now, no cases have been identified among other contacts, according to the health authority. Since 2022, the WHO has reported Mpox cases in over 120 countries.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the captain of Al-Nassr, has called on the club to acquire his former teammate Casemiro from Manchester United. Ronaldo and Casemiro previously played together at both Real Madrid and Manchester United. As for Ronaldo’s future at Al-Nassr, it is currently unclear as he has not yet agreed to a new contract with the Saudi Pro League team. His existing deal, valued at £177 million per year, is set to expire this summer, potentially allowing him to leave as a free agent. Although Al-Nassr is willing to retain Ronaldo, reports suggest that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner desires significant team improvements to compete with rivals Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal for the league title. Additionally, Ronaldo specifically wants Casemiro to be signed. Casemiro made a £70 million move to Manchester United from Real Madrid in 2022, but the club is now looking to reduce his £350,000-a-week salary to generate more funds for new signings under manager Ruben Amorim. It remains uncertain whether the 32-year-old Brazilian will make the switch to Al-Nassr.