Daily Digest Online

A brief moment of confusion occurred at Nigeria's Presidential Villa when the country's former national anthem was accidentally played during a major political meeting. The incident happened on Thursday night at an All Progressives Congress (APC) national caucus gathering in Abuja. As officials stood for the protocol observance, the band began playing "Arise, O Compatriots," the anthem that was replaced earlier this year. President Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, and other top leaders were present when the error was made. The musicians quickly stopped and switched to the correct anthem, "Nigeria, We Hail Thee," which was reinstated by President Tinubu in May. The meeting was the first national caucus chaired by the APC's new national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda. It was attended by several state governors who recently defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), highlighting the APC's expanding...

In a triumphant political declaration, former Aviation Minister and APC chieftain Femi Fani-Kayode has proclaimed that the ruling All Progressives Congress has made history by gaining full control of Nigeria's North Central and South-South geopolitical zones for the first time ever. This watershed moment, according to Fani-Kayode, follows the recent defection of Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang to the APC, completing the party's dominance over two regions traditionally seen as Nigeria's "minority belts." Fani-Kayode's Blueprint of Unprecedented Dominance In a detailed social media post, Fani-Kayode laid out the party's commanding position, crediting President Bola Tinubu with a historic unification. "President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has united the so-called minorities of the North and the so-called minorities of the South and put them all in one party," Fani-Kayode declared. "No President or leader has EVE...

President Bola Tinubu's promotion of his personal Aide-De-Camp (ADC), Colonel Nurudeen Yusuf, to the rank of Brigadier-General has triggered significant internal concern within the Nigerian Army, with senior officers describing the move as an unusual breach of military tradition. The promotion, approved in a letter signed by National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu on December 12, 2025, marks Yusuf's second elevation in less than a year. He was decorated as a Colonel in January 2025 after being appointed ADC in May 2023. "Rupture with Tradition" Sparking Quiet Resentment Military sources speaking to journalists expressed deep unease, framing the promotion as a departure from established institutional norms. One officer directly questioned the precedent, stating that while junior officers can be promoted for exceptional performance, "elevating an officer to Brigadier-General by executive approval sets a troubling precedent." ...

Chabi Yayi, the son of former Beninese President and current opposition leader Thomas Boni Yayi, was arrested at his home early Sunday morning, a week after a failed coup attempt shook the West African nation. The arrest was confirmed by sources, although the exact reasons for his detention were not officially stated at the time. A member of the Democrats Party, the main opposition party led by Yayi, told local media, **“We don’t know if it is linked to the events of last Sunday.”** Widespread Arrests Following the Attempted Putsch The arrest is part of a broader wave of detentions by authorities in response to the December 7 coup attempt. Among those already in custody are: *   Alleged participants in the plot. *   Candide Azannai, a key opposition figure, who was placed in police custody for "conspiracy against the authority of the State and incitement to rebellion." *   The country's former Minister of Defence. Additionally, Benin has issued ...

In an unusual move, Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at a crucial ECOWAS summit in Abuja on Sunday, December 14, as President Bola Tinubu was notably absent from the gathering of West African leaders. The 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government was convened to address pressing regional security challenges, primarily the aftermath of the December 7 coup attempt in the Republic of Benin. A Significant Absence The meeting marked the first time Vice President Shettima has headed Nigeria's delegation at an ECOWAS summit held within the country while the president remained in Nigeria. No official reason was provided for President Tinubu's absence. Tinubu, who served as the chairman of the regional bloc from July 2023 to July 2025, delegated the responsibility to his deputy for this session. Regional Leaders Convene on Instability The summit, chaired by the current ECOWAS chair, President Juli...

Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, the alleged mastermind behind last week's failed coup in Benin Republic, has been granted political asylum by Burkina Faso, officials confirmed Friday. The decision by the Burkinabè government marks a significant escalation in regional tensions, delivering a direct snub to Benin's demand for extradition. The dramatic development follows the soldier's stealthy, multi-country escape from Cotonou, where he had led an attempt to seize control of state broadcasters. The Disappearance and the Getaway According to detailed intelligence reports, the escape was swift and pre-planned. In the final moments before the coup attempt was foiled by Beninese forces with Nigerian support, Tigri reportedly told his fellow soldiers he needed to use the restroom. Instead, he slipped out a backdoor of the broadcast station, sensing the imminent collapse of the operation. Under cover of darkness, the fugitive lieutenant-colonel ...

In a notable political gesture, former President Olusegun Obasanjo visited the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, December 12, 2025—marking his first appearance at the seat of power since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May. Obasanjo, who has been publicly critical of the current administration and had previously abstained from official functions including Council of State meetings, attended the 2025 Service of Nine Lessons and Carols hosted by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu. A Service of Scripture and Symbolism At the annual Christmas event, a tradition fostering unity and reflection, Obasanjo participated by reading the **Second Lesson** from the Book of Genesis (22:15-18), a passage focusing on God's covenant of blessing. Other notable figures present included former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon, who read the First Lesson, and the First Lady herself, who read the Ninth Lesson from the Gospel of John. Diplomatic Context of t...

The Nigerian Presidency has categorically dismissed a warning from a foreign group predicting mass terror attacks in northern states on Christmas Day, labeling the report as a potential attempt to incite panic and internal crisis within the country. The alert was issued by a U.S.-based organization called "Equipping The Persecuted," which claimed terrorists were regrouping to launch attacks in Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Benue states on December 25. In a strong rebuke, President Bola Tinubu's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, questioned the motives behind the alarm. "We should be very careful how we digest and process some of these doubtful reports by external organisations who are setting a stage for internal crisis in our country," Ajayi told Saturday Punch. "We should not be providing oxygen for reports that heighten a sense of insecurity." Questioning Motives and Timing Ajayi exp...

In a startling revelation that exposes a critical vulnerability in Nigeria's security strategy, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has detailed how criminal gangs use sophisticated communication tricks to operate with impunity in the country's vast unconnected areas. The federal government, now aware of this gap, is responding with a massive infrastructure project aimed at literally connecting the dots to combat insecurity. The "Tower Hopping" Tactic During an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today, Minister Tijani explained that the common assumption—that bandits use unregistered SIM cards—is not the primary issue. Instead, these criminal networks have adopted a more technical method to avoid detection. "They were not using the normal towers; they bounce calls off multiple towers," Tijani stated. This technique, effectively "hopping" a signal across several cell tow...

A contingent of eleven Nigerian military personnel remains in detention in Burkina Faso as a tense diplomatic incident unfolds, with conflicting narratives emerging from the two nations over an unscheduled military aircraft landing. Eleven Nigerian officers, including two pilots, are still being held in Burkina Faso days after their Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft made an emergency landing in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso on Monday, December 8. The situation has sparked a diplomatic dispute, with Nigeria attributing the landing to a technical fault and Burkina Faso, backed by its regional allies, decrying it as a violation of its airspace. Conflicting Stories Behind the Landing Officials from Nigeria and Burkina Faso have presented starkly different accounts of the event: *   Nigeria's Position: The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Air Force maintain the aircraft was on a routine ferry mission to Portugal when it developed a technical issue. The...

A senior Israeli official has issued a blistering accusation against Qatar, alleging the Gulf state is engaged in a deliberate campaign to "destroy the relationship between Israel and the Trump administration from the ground up" . According to a report by The Times of Israel, the official went so far as to state that Qatar is engaged "in jihad," highlighting the extreme depth of distrust in a critical regional relationship . These explosive charges come at a moment of high tension and complex diplomacy. The U.S. is actively working to implement the second phase of President Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan, an effort that critically depends on coordination between Israel, Qatar, and the United States . The allegations suggest that beneath the surface of diplomatic talks, a fierce behind-the-scenes battle for influence is raging. The Flashpoint: A Shocking Strike in Doha The current crisis traces directly back to September 9, 2025, ...

A political bombshell has detonated within Nigeria's security establishment, with a former state official making on-camera allegations that the country's Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, personally financed and supplied notorious terrorist commanders with cash and vehicles while he was Governor of Zamfara State. Musa Muhammad Kamara, who served as a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) under Matawalle, confirmed long-standing media reports in a viral video interview. He stated that he personally handled transactions that directly benefited high-value terror targets like Bello Turji, Kachalla Halilu, and Ado Aleru. Allegations of Direct Support to Terrorists In a detailed Hausa-language confession, Kamara outlined the alleged scheme: *   Provision of Vehicles: "Vehicles were given to Kachalla Halilu, Turji, Ado Aleru; those motorcycles were truly bought and given out." *   Cash Settlements : Kamara confessed to being a bene...

Nigerian soldiers who were on board a military aircraft that made a forced landing in Burkina Faso last week remain in the West African country, according to Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar. The incident occurred on Monday, December 8, when the Confederation of Sahel States (AES)—a bloc comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic—accused a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft of violating its airspace. The AES, which has broken away from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), authorized its members to "neutralize" any aircraft violating its territory. Conflicting Narratives and Regional Tensions The aircraft was carrying 11 Nigerian soldiers at the time. The Nigerian Air Force stated the plane was on a "ferry mission to Portugal" and suggested the landing was forced due to a technical issue. However, authorities from the AES, particularly Mali's junta leader Assimi Goita, described t...