General
Governors Not Visiting Buhari in London—FG
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, has refuted a media report alleging that Nigerian Governors are planning to send a delegation to confirm the health status of President Muhammadu Buhari in London, saying there is no need for such emissary since the President is in good shape.
Mr Mohammed made the rebuttal in Abuja on Thursday when he received members of the Presidential Committee on the Northeast Initiative’s Sub Committee on Economic Development.
He said, “I think it is very much in order to use this opportunity to debunk the report in a section of the press today (Thursday) that Governors are meeting in Abuja and they will at the end of the meeting send an emissary to London to see President Buhari.”
Furthermore, he said, “I want to say categorically and emphatically that there is no iota of truth in this. Governors are not meeting here in Abuja because there is no need for it and there is no plan to send any emissary to London to see the President. Again I want to say that the President is hale and hearty in London where he is observing his 10-day vacation.”
While speaking on the humanitarian crisis in the Northeast, Mr Mohammed said he fully appreciated the enormity of the challenge, having visited parts of Borno State, including the IDPs camps, upon his assumption of office in 2015.
He said the development had prompted him to launch a massive public sensitization campaign for Nigerians to take ownership of the war, thus complementing the efforts of the military, which has succeeded in decimating Boko Haram.
“We believe that until Nigerians take possession of the war, the full rehabilitation, reconstruction and resettlement will not take place.
“We are also aware that there is a bigger war to be won, and that is healing the psychological wounds that have been created by the insurgency,” the Minister said.
He promised to partner with the Committee in efforts to de-radicalize the youths, whose orientation has been affected by the warped ideology of Boko Haram, and equally change the narrative on the Northeast.
“On our part, we will assist you in any manner because we are very particular about the narrative and this is where your task becomes onerous. We must de-radicalize our people. We must ensure that the young ones don’t just hear one narrative,” Mr Mohammed said.
He decried how bad governance, poverty and hopelessness fuelled the insurgency in the Northeast and commended the Governors of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa for their efforts at reversing the ugly trend.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Committee, Mr Yusuf Buba, said because of the large-scale destruction of lives and property and the widespread displacement of people, President Buhari had itemized some salient initiatives towards the rebuilding of the social and economic lives of the people.
“President Buhari’s plan for long term economic development covers infrastructural development, agricultural revitalization, educational transformation, health sector reforms, entrepreneurship and job creation, trade and marketing development, safety and security, environmental protection, solid mineral development, good governance and regional strategic growth management,” he said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the latest United States airstrikes on Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) targets in northwest Nigeria were conducted at the request of the Nigerian government.
According to reports, the US struck at ISWAP targets in Jabo, Sokoto State, on Christmas night.
The ministry described the operation as a product of established counterterrorism cooperation between both countries.
In a press statement issued on Friday, the Ministry said the strikes were “undertaken following formal engagement and with the full knowledge and coordination of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
“The Government of Nigeria wishes to clarify that the airstrikes conducted by the United States against Islamic State elements in parts of northwest Nigeria were carried out at the request of Nigerian authorities and in line with existing bilateral security cooperation frameworks,” the statement said.
The Ministry stressed that Nigeria “remains firmly in control of all counterterrorism operations within its sovereign territory,” adding that international partners only provide support “where such assistance aligns with Nigeria’s national security objectives.”
According to the statement, the strikes form part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to “degrade terrorist capabilities, disrupt logistics networks, and protect civilian populations from violent extremist threats.”
The Foreign Ministry further emphasised that the federal government “will continue to work with trusted international partners to confront terrorism, banditry, and transnational criminal networks that threaten national and regional stability.”
Reacting to concerns around sovereignty, the Ministry said:
“At no time was Nigeria’s sovereignty compromised. All actions were conducted with due respect for Nigeria’s laws, institutions, and command structures.”
The statement also cautioned against mischaracterising Nigeria’s security challenges, noting that extremist violence “has affected communities across religious and ethnic lines and should not be framed in sectarian terms.”
Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to a multi-layered response combining military operations, intelligence sharing, community engagement, and socio-economic interventions, adding that counterterrorism efforts remain focused on protecting lives and restoring stability.
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the strikes were carried out in Sokoto State and that multiple militants were killed.
US President Donald Trump described the strikes as “powerful and deadly,” saying they were directed at Islamic State militants responsible for violent attacks on Christians in Nigeria.
The Nigerian government has clearly denied that only Christians are affected by the killings, saying the terror spread across all faiths.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that “more to come” as part of sustained efforts against extremist groups.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The United States government gave some terrorists in Nigeria a Christmas gift that sent many of them to the great beyond.
On Thursday, December 25, 2025, the United States President, Mr Donald Trump, directed his country’s military to launch air strikes on camps of members of the dreaded Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Sokoto State.
According to Mr Trump, the military action, which he threatened to carry out a few weeks ago if the Nigerian government does not stop the killing of Christians in the country, occurred on Thursday night.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.
“Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical islamic terrorism to prosper. May God bless our military, and Merry Christmas to all, including the dead terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
In a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Department of War of the United States posted the below video of the air strikes;
https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2004351717131903272
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidency has reacted to speculations that Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has been removed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
It was alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila has been replaced with the President’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Mr Muri-Okunola went to Abuja to take up this role after leaving as the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service.
Reacting to the reports on social media on the purported removal of Mr Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the presidency said no such change has been made.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, members of the public were advised to disregard the report as “there is absolutely no truth to this story.”
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” the statement said.
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