No fewer than 34 lawyers nominated for appointment as Judges of the Federal High Court of Nigeria (FHC) have failed the integrity test for appointment as judicial officers in Nigeria and have been dropped from the race. The 34 legal practitioners were part of the 62 applicants nominated for the bench of the High Court but were knocked out by various petitions against them during the integrity test. The publication of nominees’ names on 17 September 2025 invited members of the public to submit feedback on nominees’ integrity, reputation, and suitability for judicial appointment. Our correspondent gathered that the 28 nominees would be presented to the NJC at its meeting scheduled for January 2026. “You are all aware, like the general public too, that transparency and judicial integrity have remained a top priority for the Kekere-Ekun-led administration.

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested two men alleged to be key members of the gang responsible for the 2023 abduction and killing of Professor Ekanem Philip Ephraim, a neurologist in Calabar, Cross River State. Security sources said the suspects were arrested on December 27, 2025, during an operation in Cross River State, where they were allegedly planning another kidnapping targeting a medical practitioner. The suspects were arrested at a medical facility in the state, where operatives reportedly moved in after receiving intelligence on their movements. Professor Ephraim, a neurologist, was abducted on July 13, 2023, when gunmen reportedly entered her clinic disguised as patients. Her disappearance triggered widespread outrage across Cross River State, particularly within the medical community.

A clash between security operatives and youths suspected of being social miscreants has left three people dead and several others injured in the Katsina State metropolitan area. The situation was said to have resulted in a violent clash. During the chaos, one of the police officers fired a shot that hit Uzairu, who later succumbed to his injuries. The next day, December 29, another violent clash occurred between police officers and the youths at the graveyard where Uzairu was being laid to rest. During the clash, the youths set fire to an outpost belonging to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and were almost successful in doing the same to a police outpost in the area.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Olufemi Oluyede, alongside the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Waidi Shaibu, on Thursday, December 26, 2025, feted frontline troops of Operation Fansan Yamma at a special Christmas luncheon held at Giginya Cantonment, Sokoto State. The operational visit to the Headquarters Joint Task Force (North West), Operation Fansan Yamma, was aimed at boosting morale, appreciating the sacrifices of troops and reinforcing strategic directives for ongoing operations across the North West. Oluyede praised the operational gains recorded under Operation Fansan Yamma, noting that the efforts of the troops have contributed significantly to restoring public confidence and stabilising the North West geopolitical zone and adjoining states. He also charged the troops to maintain heightened vigilance during the festive period, warning that criminal elements often exploit such occasions to undermine security. “It gives me a deep sense of fulfilment to celebrate Christmas with you, our gallant troops of Operation Fansan Yamma, alongside the Chief of Defence Staff.

About 1,000 widows across three local councils in Rivers State have benefited from Christmas palliatives distributed by the Tekena ThankGod Ikpaki Foundation. The distribution covered the nine clans of the Kirikese nation in Ogu/Bolo, Okrika and parts of Port Harcourt City local councils. Ikpaki said his passion for charity, especially supporting widows, motivated the initiative, adding that his actions were guided by biblical principles. What I’m doing today is my heartbeat and I do it every day. One of the beneficiaries, Tamunoboma Aberemieka, thanked the foundation for sponsoring the cataract surgery that restored her sight after years of blindness, saying she was identified during a previous widows’ outreach by Ikpaki.

The legendary feats of the 19th-century Amazon, Madam Efunroye Tinubu, were the focal point at the Civic Centre in Lagos on Wednesday night. It was the 138th anniversary remembrance of Madam Tinubu, blending history, heritage and a fierce demand for justice. Chief Akindele Akinfolabi Adamakin, Sole Administrator of the late Madam Tinubu’s estate and Chairman of the group, delivered a compelling address, urging the Federal Government to bestow a posthumous national honour on the iconic figure. Madam Tinubu, he noted, traded with the Portuguese before British annexation, a brainy powerhouse predating modern institutions. Adamakin affirmed that the President’s surname traces to Madam Efunroye herself, yet a 1945 rift divides the Lagos and Abeokuta branches.

The New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) has distanced itself from the plan by Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf of Kano State to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Besides, the party reaffirmed its strong loyalty to its national leader and founder of the Kwankwasiyya movement and former governor of Kano State, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Addressing journalists on Monday, State NNPP Chairman, Hon. Hashim Dungurawa, insisted that Yusuf’s plan to defect to the APC was a gross betrayal of the party’s trust and added that Kwankwaso would remain in NNPP. “It is important to make clear that the Kano State party, the national party, and our national leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, together with other leaders, do not approve of what is happening.

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Barring any last-minute decision, Governor Yusuf will join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to secure his ambition for a second term, The Guardian reliably gathered. Hashim Dungurawa, said that Kwankwaso is not part of Governor Yusuf’s decision to join APC. Dungurawa warned all party leaders not to join any move to endorse or sign any document that would signal a defection from NNPP to APC. However, some strong loyalists of the governor have mobilised party members to front the official defection of Yusuf to the APC. At engagements across their constituencies on Sunday, aides to the governor declared their readiness to join the APC.

Wike made the comments during his monthly media live chat at his country home in Port Harcourt on Monday. The PUNCH reports that Fubara defected from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling APC in early December, following a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja. Speaking at a meeting with government officials at the Government House after the presidential meeting, Fubara said he made the move to offer “full support” to the President ahead of the 2027 general elections. I have been accused; so many governors have accused me that I’m working for Bola Tinubu, APC, to be able to destroy the PDP. “He saw that all the council chairmen left for APC.

British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua was injured in a car crash in Nigeria on Monday morning that killed two people, local police said. Show Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'. If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version. In the Guardian app, tap the Profile settings button at the top right, then select Notifications. Joshua, seated in the rear of the vehicle, sustained minor injuries and is receiving medical attention with another injured person.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said in a statement on Monday that the airstrikes were conducted on Sunday based on credible multi-source intelligence. Ejodame explained that the strikes targeted key bandit enclaves linked to recent attacks in the North-West, with NAF air assets deployed to degrade the criminal elements’ combat capabilities and deny them safe havens. According to him, the first strike at Turba Hill, a confirmed bandit hideout, destroyed a zinc-roofed structure central to the enclave’s operations. “The second mission hit Kachalla Dogo Sule’s Camp, a notorious IED manufacturing and operational hub linked to recent attacks along the Dan Sadau–Magami axis. Ejodame added that the strikes dealt a significant blow to bandit networks in Zamfara, particularly their ability to manufacture and deploy improvised explosive devices.

The British heavyweight boxer, 36, sustained minor injuries in the crash on the Ogun–Lagos state expressway. Nigerian authorities say Anthony Joshua has been involved in a car crash on the Ogun–Lagos state expressway. Local media reports say two people died in the crash. Police confirm to the BBC that Joshua had minor injuries but is "fine". He shared: "Joshua was seated behind the driver, with another person beside him.

Manchester City have opened talks with Bournemouth over the potential signing of winger Antoine Semenyo, whose £65 million release clause is set to become active from January 1 to January 10. According to Sky Sports on Monday, the 25-year-old’s representatives are expected to travel to Manchester this week to finalise personal terms and agree on a long-term contract at the Etihad Stadium. “City are currently the only club to have formally contacted Bournemouth regarding the clause, despite earlier interest from Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea before Christmas. “Reports suggest that Chelsea decided not to pursue the transfer, while Spurs have moved on to other targets. City are now expected to move quickly to conclude the deal once the January transfer window opens,” Sky Sports reportedThe potential signing of Semenyo would give Manchester City an additional attacking option ahead of the second half of the season as Pep Guardiola looks to bolster his squad.

In the heart of West Africa, the city of Lagos is emerging not just as Nigeria’s commercial powerhouse but as a global cultural magnet. Unlike those location-bound festivals, Detty December involves the entire city of Lagos, from the upscale beaches of Victoria Island to the bustling streets of Lekki and the mainland neighborhoods of Ikeja. A 2025 Lagos Economic Development Update from the state’s Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget estimates that tourism, hospitality, and entertainment sectors, Detty December’s core, contributed over 5% to Lagos’ GDP growth in 2024. If harnessed, Detty December could model how festivals drive inclusive urbanism in the Global South, turning cultural assets into economic engines. Investing in Lagos’ Festival FutureDetty December is more than a party; it’s a blueprint for urban transformation in emerging economies.