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El-Rufai Officially Joins ADC

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  Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has officially joined the African Democratic Congress, months after leaving the All Progressives Congress. The former governor registered with the ADC and collected his membership card at the party office in U/Sarki Ward, Kaduna State. The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory was accompanied by his loyal supporters, including former appointees and local government chairmen. Recall that on March 10, El-Rufai cited a widening disconnect between his personal values and the current direction of the APC as the primary reason for his defection. In his resignation letter, El-Rufai openly criticised the APC’s leadership, accusing the party of abandoning the progressive ideals upon which it was founded. “Developments in the last two years confirm that there is no desire on the part of those who currently control and run the APC to acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation of the party,” he had stated. He revealed that he had repeatedly raised concerns about the party’s trajectory, both privately and publicly, over the past two years, but his warnings were ignored by the APC leadership. El-Rufai, who was instrumental in the 2013 merger of opposition parties that led to the formation of the APC, lamented that the party had lost its original vision. More to come…

Islamic Scholar Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi is dead

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  The prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, is dead. News of his death started circulating early Thursday morning. A former presidential aide to late President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, in a post on X confirmed the death of the revered Islamic scholar. “It is with a heavy heart and complete submission to the will of Allah (SAW) that we receive the news of the passing of our revered leader, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, one of the leaders of the Tijjaniyya order in Nigeria,” he wrote. He also prayed for the deceased. His brief post concluded, “May Allah forgive his shortcomings, accept his noble deeds and grant him Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen.” The deceased’s son, Sayyadi Ali Dahiru Usman Bauchi, also confirmed his death to Daily Trust. “It is confirmed. Sheikh has returned to his creator. We are all from Allah and to Him we shall all return. “It is time for Sheikh to rest. We thank Almighty Allah. Allah has done everything for us to spare the life of Sheikh till this time. Sheikh’s life was well spent. Alhamdulillah. “I’m right now in Madinah, so I cannot confirm to you where the remains of the Sheikh will be buried; maybe in Abuja or Bauchi,” he said. Meanwhile, PUNCH Online reports that the family and the Bauchi State Government have yet to make an official announcement. Sheikh’s humanitarian activities The renowned preacher also made a name through humanitarian actions in the north and nationwide. In October 2025, no fewer than 117 beneficiaries from northern Nigeria have departed for Algeria to pursue various academic programmes under a fully funded study scholarship facilitated by the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation. Speaking during a send-forth and orientation ceremony organised for the beneficiaries in Bauchi, the Chairman of the Foundation, Sayyadi Aliyu, explained that the scholarship was secured through the Tariqa Tijjaniyya Islamic Sect in collaboration with the Algerian Government. His family, marriage The Sheikh, who was also the Deputy Chairman, Fatwa Committee (Islamic Scholars’ Committee of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in Nigeria) told our correspondent in an interview in 2019 that he married his first wife in 1948, and as at then blessed with about 70 children and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of whom are competent in Quranic education. The then-92 years old Sheikh when asked, what more do he want from life at that age, responded, “No matter what you enjoy in life when you get to my age, all you do is manage life. I see myself as someone who has put his loads at the park and is waiting for a car to come so that he can put the loads inside. “When it’s time to pray, he goes to pray, when it’s time to eat, he eats and returns to where he kept his things which he would take on his journey to the great beyond.” Buhari hosts Sheikh In 2021, former and late President Muhammadu Buhari received the leader of the Tijaniyya sect at the State House in Abuja. Photos from their meeting were shared on Facebook by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina. The revered scholar in 2018 lend his voice to the farmer-herder crisis. There he emphasised that it was wrong to accuse the Fulani of the killings in some parts of the country. Dahiru, who was fielding questions from newsmen in Bauchi, also said the killings had no religious colouration. He was quoted to have said, “Fulani are not new and they are not visitors in Nigeria, they are well known as one of the respected tribes. If they are killers, they could have started these killings hundreds of years back, not now. “The real killers disguise themselves and hide with the intention of painting the Fulani black. Fulani are known to carry sticks and bows and arrows but you are saying the killers have guns. Who gave the Fulani herdsmen guns?”

Father of Three Abducted Niger Schoolchildren Dies of Heart Attack – CAN Chairman

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  The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the Northern Region and the FCT, Rev. John Hayab, has revealed that a parent died of a heart attack following the abduction of his three children at St Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State. Speaking to ARISE News on Tuesday, Hayab described the trauma faced by families whose children were kidnapped in Kebbi, Kwara, and Niger states over the past week. He said the man, simply identified as Mr Anthony, was overwhelmed by the shock of losing his children. “People want to see concrete action. Imagine a mother or a father whose daughter… one of the parents (Mr Anthony) of these girls picked in the school, died yesterday of a heart attack because three of his children are victims,” he said. PUNCH Online has not been able to independently verify his claim. But he added, “People don’t understand that when you tell it as it is, you’re not speaking against anybody; you are only trying to state the problem. “The pains and the trauma are still very fresh. We tried speaking to the parents today, and they were scared of speaking to us.” PUNCH Online reported that parents of the dozens of children abducted from the Catholic school in Niger State are growing increasingly desperate. Speaking to the leadership of the church in Kontagora, Hayab said, “It was a very sad thing. You can imagine a man in shock because three children… he would not know what to explain, what is happening to them.” “People don’t understand this. These children have not slept, they have not bathed, and their parents cannot even explain where they are,” he stressed. Hayab also revealed that reports from locals in Niger State showed no visible security presence, stating that Nigerians want action, not statements. “The onus is now on the Nigerian security agencies to ensure that we don’t speak about this on television. People want to see concrete action,” he said. He added that 50 senior students returned on their own after fleeing into the bush during the bandit attack, but over 265 students remain unaccounted for, most aged between nine and 14. On November 23, the Niger State Chairman of CAN revealed that 50 of the abducted pupils have reportedly escaped from their captors and reunited with their parents. Hayab welcomed the release of 24 schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, but warned that the situation has left families “traumatised” and exposed longstanding failures in Nigeria’s security system. The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed their release in a statement issued on Tuesday. “Everybody is worried, everybody is angry, everybody needs a stop. It has been a traumatic week for parents, for leaders and for our security men,” he said. Despite the scale of insecurity, Hayab maintained that Nigeria has the manpower to defeat terrorists if resources are properly allocated. “A large chunk of those who are supposed to secure Nigerians are securing VIPs. Many police officers are guarding banks. Banks should recruit their own security, but they are taking advantage of what is going on,” he said. “When proper deployment is done, we will be able to get rid of these things. We have what it takes, but we are not deploying it,” he added. However, the Special Protection Unit of the Nigeria Police Force has ordered all officers attached to VIPs and beats nationwide to return to their bases. This followed a directive issued on November 23 by President Bola Tinubu, who ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to VIP security across the country.

‘I Will Kill Any Terrorist Who Enters P’Harcourt,’ Says Asari-Dokubo

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  Former militant leader and Niger Delta activist, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, has warned Boko Haram fighters not to enter Port Harcourt, saying he will not hesitate to confront and kill any terrorist who attempts to operate in the city. In a viral video reacting to the rising cases of killings and kidnappings across Nigeria on Tuesday, Asari-Dokubo said his faith as a Muslim will not stop him from fighting back if attacked. He said, “If Boko Haram comes to Port Harcourt, you know sey my business na to kill them. I dey Zamfara dey kill them, I dey Plateau dey kill them, I dey Niger dey kill them. If they come to Port Harcourt, my business is to kill them. “This thing I’m telling you is raw. I’m not like those people who do sisi sisi, this and that, apologetic. I am a Muslim. If you come to fight me, I will kill you. That one is no compromise.” His comments sparked fresh debate over his growing influence in security matters and his long history of armed activity in the Niger Delta.  

BREAKING: CBN Retains Interest Rate at 27%

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  The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria has maintained the benchmark interest rate at 27 per cent, extending its pause on monetary tightening. The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, announced the decision on Tuesday at the end of the committee’s 303rd meeting in Abuja. Cardoso said, “The Committee decided by a majority vote to maintain the monetary policy stance,” indicating that members were not yet convinced that current economic conditions warranted another reduction. The move follows the 50-basis-point cut implemented in September 2025, the only rate reduction since the tightening cycle began under the current CBN leadership. It also marks the fourth consecutive hold this year. The PUNCH observed that the MPC had raised rates six times in 2024 amid surging inflation and currency pressures. More details shortly…

Pregnant Woman, Children, Others Feared Kidnapped in Fresh Kwara Attack

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  Barely one week after 38 worshippers of the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, Eruku, were abducted and later released, another wave of terror has hit Kwara State, as at least 11 residents were reportedly kidnapped on Monday evening in Isapa, a neighbouring community in Ekiti Local Government Area. The PUNCH gathered that the latest attack occurred around 6pm when between 20 and 30 bandits stormed the quiet agrarian settlement with a large herd of cattle, shooting indiscriminately as residents fled for safety. Our correspondent gathered that the attackers moved through several parts of the town, firing shots into homes.q Bullet holes were reportedly found in walls, windows and wooden doors, confirming the intensity of the gunfire. A community leader, who spoke to PUNCH under strict anonymity, confirmed that 11 persons were abducted, with seven of them belonging to a single family. According to him, the kidnapped victims include a pregnant woman, two nursing mothers and children. He listed the abductees as, Talatu Kabiru, six-year-old Magaji, Kande (5 years), 10-year-old Hadiza and Mariam, who is also 6 years old. Others are 5-year-old Saima, Habibat (housewife), Fatima Yusufu, 22-year-old pregnant woman identified as Sarah Sunday, Lami Fidelis and Haja Na Allah (nursing mother). “This is the worst attack we have seen in recent times, Seven members of the same family were taken. People are terrified. We don’t even know what to expect next. “People are now living in fear. This is too much. Eleven people just disappeared into the bush. We don’t know what tomorrow holds,” he said. A highly placed security official confirmed the incident to PUNCH on Tuesday, saying that operatives had already begun combing the forest linking Isapa, Eruku and other surrounding villages. “Yes, 11 people were abducted from what we have gathered. Our men are in that area now to ascertain the exact number and identify those responsible,” he said. He added that despite the presence of federal security reinforcements deployed after the Eruku church kidnapping, the vastness of the forest and the presence of multiple settlements make surveillance difficult. “Security agencies from Abuja are still around that axis, but you know that forest is vast. There are many villages around there, and it’s hard to be everywhere at the same time. But we are combing the area to rescue the victims,” he said. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the command was still verifying details and would provide an update later. As of the time of filing this report, no official statement has been issued by the police or the state government. The attack has sparked fresh panic in Isapa, Eruku and neighbouring communities, with many residents expressing fear that bandits may be attempting to establish dominance in the area. Local vigilantes have intensified night patrols, while some religious centres have scaled back evening activities. The Isapa attack is the third major assault on Ekiti LGA communities in less than a month. Three weeks ago, 18 residents were kidnapped in Eruku but later rescued. Last week, 38 worshippers were abducted inside a church in Eruku during a thanksgiving service and were also later released.  

UN Urges Nigeria to Take ‘all Lawful Measures’ to Stop Kidnappings

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  The United Nations on Tuesday condemned a surge in mass kidnappings in north-central Nigeria, calling on the authorities to take urgent steps to halt the attacks and bring perpetrators to justice. “We are shocked at the recent surge in mass abductions in north-central Nigeria,” UN rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters in Geneva. “We urge the Nigerian authorities — at all levels — to take all lawful measures to ensure such vile attacks are halted and to hold those responsible to account.” His comments came as the recent abduction of hundreds of Nigerians, including almost 350 schoolchildren, in just a matter of days, has reignited a pressing debate about the persistent security crisis gripping the country. “At least 402 people, most of them schoolchildren, have been abducted in the states of Niger, Kebbi, Kwara, and Borno since 17 November,” Kheetan said, adding that “only 88 of them have reportedly been freed or have escaped from their captors”. He called on “Nigerian authorities to ensure the safe return of all those still in captivity to their families, and to prevent further abductions”. “They must also hold prompt, impartial, and effective investigations into abductions and bring those responsible to justice.” Mounting security fears in Africa’s most populous nation have sparked a wave of school closures across some parts of the country. Since Islamist militants kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls from Chibok town in northeast Borno State more than a decade ago, Nigeria has struggled with a spate of mass kidnappings, mostly carried out by criminal gangs looking for ransom payments. Borno State is also the centre of a long-running Islamist insurgency that has killed more than 40,000 people since 2009. AFP

Aare Segelu Receives Anglican Church Honour, Calls for National Unity, Stronger Security and Spiritual Resilience

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Aare Segelu Receives Anglican Church Honour, Calls for National Unity, Stronger Security and Spiritual Resilience

  A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Oyo State gubernatorial hopeful, Chief Olayinka Segelu Akintola Oladimeji, was on Sunday honoured by the Anglican Christian Fellowship of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Ayekale, Ibadan. Aare Segelu, who was represented at the event by Dr. Kehinde Akinpelu, delivered a message of gratitude, reflection, and hope, urging the church and the wider community to remain steadfast in the face of Nigeria’s growing security challenges. In his address, the PDP stalwart expressed deep appreciation to the church for the recognition, describing the honour as “a privilege received with humility and gratitude.” He noted that the celebration was not just a gathering of faith but a symbol of unity, strength, and shared purpose among the people. Aare Segelu used the platform to comment on the recent wave of attacks on churches, including the kidnapping of pastors and worshippers in Kwara State and other parts of the country. He said the incidents had “shaken many homes and communities,” reaffirming his solidarity with affected families. “These acts must be condemned. We pray for the safe rescue of those still in captivity. Security must remain the highest priority of leadership at all levels. Every Nigerian, Christian, Muslim, or traditional worshipper deserves to live free from fear,” he said. He stressed that the insecurity ravaging the country transcends religious boundaries, describing it as “a human issue that concerns us all.” While briefly touching on his political aspirations,Aare Segelu clarified that the church event was not a platform for campaigning. However, he acknowledged his “public journey” and intention to offer himself for service in 2027, pledging a commitment to a safer, more prosperous Oyo State. “I humbly ask for your prayers, goodwill, and moral support, so that whatever God has planned for Oyo State, through any of us will come to pass in peace, unity, and wisdom,” he added. Aare Segelu praised St. Andrew’s Anglican Church for its longstanding influence in nurturing values, shaping families, and guiding generations in Ibadan. He described the Anglican Christian Fellowship as a model of discipline, mentorship, and service. He commended the church for remaining steadfast despite socioeconomic and security challenges, emphasising that such resilience strengthens the moral fabric of society. As Father of the Day, Aare Segelu also extended a “modest token of support” to the Anglican Christian Fellowship. He instructed his representative to present the gift without fanfare or public announcement, describing it as a personal gesture to support their ongoing work. Aare Segelu concluded his speech with a call for unity across religious lines, urging all residents of Oyo State Christians, Muslims, and people of goodwill to work together toward a more secure and prosperous society. “Let us remain united as one community. May God bless this church, the Anglican Christian Fellowship, and every household represented here today,” he said.

Makinde Presents N892bn Budget Proposal for 2026

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  Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Monday proposed a N891.99 billion appropriation bill for the 2026 fiscal year, up from the N684 billion approved by the House of Assembly for 2025. The governor made the proposal on the floor of the state House of Assembly in Ibadan, the state capital. The presentation ceremony was attended by prominent traditional rulers, including the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, among others. In his presentation, Makinde said, “Out of this proposed figure, N389.34bn is for recurrent expenditure and N502.65bn for capital expenditure.” In the sectoral breakdown, he stated, “The Infrastructure sector takes the lead with N210.02bn; the Education sector, N155.21bn; the Health sector, N70.81bn; and the Agricultural sector, N19.99bn, while other multisectoral allocations amount to N435.9bn.”   Details later…

JUST IN: Atiku Officially Joins ADC, Registers With Party in Adamawa

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  Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has officially registered as a member of the African Democratic Congress in Adamawa State, signalling a major development in Nigeria’s opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections. The registration took place on Monday, following Atiku’s announcement to ADC supporters and stakeholders in Adamawa over the weekend. Abdul Rasheeth, an aide to the former vice president, had confirmed the development in a statement obtained by PUNCH Online. Videos and photos from the event showed Atiku’s convoy arriving in the town to the cheers of supporters, who beat drums, sang, and carried placards with his image. Atiku waved and greeted well-wishers from his vehicle as he received his ADC membership card. In a brief X (Formerly Twitter) post on his handle shorty after his registration, Atiku wrote,” It’s official. -AA” This move formalises Atiku’s association with the coalition party, which he had previously endorsed in July as a platform for opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Babachir Lawal, to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027. Until now, Atiku and other opposition leaders had delayed their formal registration with the ADC. The former vice president’s registration is expected to strengthen the party’s profile and consolidate the opposition ahead of the next general election.

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