President Bola Tinubu has called on the National Assembly (NASS) to summon the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to address some concerns and delays.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

Tinubu asked the federal lawmakers to invite the police chief to examine ways to ‘institute controls and prevent abuses, as it was a necessary step in the fight against terrorism and banditry.’

Speaking on Friday night, December 19, at the 15th national executive committee (NEC) meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, Tinubu insisted that state police is the way to go.

A statement shared on X on Friday, December 19, by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, obtained by Legit.ng, highlighted Tinubu’s stance, and reads as follows: “President Tinubu said that State Police is the way to go.

He called on the National Assembly to summon the Inspector General of Police to examine ways to ‘institute controls and prevent abuses’, as it was a necessary step in the fight against terrorism and banditry.”

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.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

The pupils were reportedly freed at a location between Agwara and Borgu local government areas of the state.

The spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the release but said the precise number was yet to be verified.

“It is confirmed, but we are still working to ascertain the exact number of those released,” Abiodun said.

The Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and Proprietor of the school, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, also confirmed the release of the remaining abducted schoolchildren.

He said Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, personally informed him of the development, noting that both the children and their teachers had regained their freedom.

According to the bishop, the exact number of those released was not disclosed to him.

However, he said the children were expected to arrive in Minna on Monday, where they would be formally received at the Government House by the state government.

A presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, also confirmed the release in a Facebook post.

He said, “The remaining 130 schoolchildren abducted by terrorists at St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, on November 21, have now been released.

“They are expected to arrive in Minna on Monday and rejoin their parents for the Christmas celebration.

“One hundred were released earlier by the terrorists, taking the total of freed students to 230. The freedom of the schoolchildren followed a military-intelligence-driven operation.”

The school was attacked on November 21 when armed men riding on motorcycles stormed the premises and abducted 315 persons, comprising 303 students and 12 teachers, in an operation that reportedly lasted several hours.

About 50 pupils managed to escape within the first 24 hours of the attack, leaving 265 abductees, including all 12 teachers, in captivity.

On December 7, the federal government secured the release of 100 students following sustained pressure on the abductors.

The United States’ Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, says the recent visa restrictions announced by the U.S. government are designed to strengthen security procedures and are not actions targeted at Nigerians.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

Mills gave the clarification at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja during the visit of a U.S. Congressional Delegation (CODEL) to Nigeria.

He said the presidential proclamation, which would take effect from Jan. 1, 2026, affecting certain visa categories, was part of broader measures to secure U.S. borders and protect American communities.

“The focus of the visa review is on ensuring proper vetting and credible information in the visa process, not on penalising Nigerians,” Mills said.

According to him, the proclamation clearly specifies the visa categories that may be affected, while also outlining exemptions for certain groups.

He listed the exemptions to include holders of official and diplomatic passports, as well as individuals travelling for religious work.

The ambassador urged visa applicants and members of the public to consult the U.S. Embassy’s official website for detailed information on the proclamation, affected visa categories and available exemptions.

He also urged those with specific enquiries to use the designated communication channels provided by the embassy for further guidance.

Also speaking, the leader of the U.S. Congressional Delegation, Rep. Bill Huizenga, said visa reviews and restrictions were routine tools used to encourage compliance and cooperation, rather than punitive actions targeting citizens.

Huizenga said the focus of such measures was primarily on government systems and processes, not on the Nigerian people, adding that similar reviews were routinely applied in different parts of the world.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the U.S. government had reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining strong people-to-people ties with Nigeria while announcing the visa reviews and restrictions.

It described the visa measures as part of a wider engagement aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation while addressing shared security concerns. (NAN)