Mr Trump said the airstrikes were launched against Islamic State militants “who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians”. “Terrorist violence in any form, whether directed at Christians, Muslims or other communities, remains an affront to Nigeria’s values and to international peace and security,” Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Mr Trump ordered the Pentagon last month to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria to try and curb the so-called Christian persecution. US forces likely would have to be drawn from other parts of the world for any larger-scale military intervention in Nigeria. Mr Trump has nonetheless kept up the pressure as Nigeria faced a series of attacks on schools and churches in violence that experts and residents say targets both Christians and Muslims.

Nigeria, which is battling multiple armed groups, said the US strikes were part of an exchange of intelligence and strategic co-ordination between the two countries. That coup resulted in fractured relations between Nigeria and Niger, and affected their multinational military operations along the porous border. Lakurawa controls territories in Sokoto and Kebbi states, and has become known for killings, kidnapping, rape and armed robbery, Mr Samuel said. But some of the attacks blamed on Lakurawa are by the Islamic State Sahel Province, which has expanded from Niger’s Dosso region to northwestern Nigeria, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. In states such as Sokoto, the military often carries out airstrikes targeting militant hideouts and Nigeria has embarked on mass recruitment of security forces.

In an enterprise where 24 hours is a long time, the Supreme Court’s nine-month delay has needlessly altered the democratic and federalist landscape in Nigeria. The Supreme Court reserved judgement in the case after hearing it on 21 October and pronounced judgement on December 15. The Rivers emergency rule issue is a sensitive national matter that holds precedent for the country’s democracy and federalism. For instance, when Tinubu took the centre to court for seizing LG funds in Lagos, the Supreme Court ruled that the centre was wrong and ordered that the seized allocations be released. The Supreme Court has just stamped the anomaly with its judicial imprimatur.

The Armed Forces of Nigeria, in conjunction with the United States of America, has conducted precision strike operations against identified foreign ISIS-linked elements operating in parts of Northwest Nigeria. Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, confirmed this in a statement in the early hours of Friday. “The strike followed credible intelligence and careful operational planning aimed at degrading the capability of the targeted elements while minimising collateral damage. Recall that United States’ President, Donald Trump, had on Thursday night said American forces carried out air strikes against Islamic State elements operating in north-western Nigeria. He said the strikes were carried out by what he described as the “Department of War”, adding that it “executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing”.

Dr. Chris Okafor, senior pastor of the Mountain of Liberation and Miracle Ministries, has issued an immediate ultimatum to one Ms. Chi Okafor, who alleges to be his daughter, to present herself for a DNA test to prove her claims. Pastor Okafor also asked the alleged daughter to retract all publications, which he said falsely associated him with her claims of paternity or abandonment, and to issue a public apology for attempting to tarnish his reputation by portraying falsehoods against him. She has been making false, misleading, and defamatory claims regarding his personal life and family relationships, including allegations of abandonment and neglect of paternal responsibilities. “Immediate cessation and desistance from further presenting or implying any familial relationship with our Client and immediate removal of all content that falsely associates our Client with claims of paternity or abandonment. “This statement is issued to clarify the facts, prevent further dissemination of falsehoods, and reaffirm our Client’s unwavering commitment to truth, dignity, and fairness.” the lawyer added.

United States President Donald Trump said US forces conducted deadly strikes against Islamic State terrorists in northwestern Nigeria, and vowed more attacks if the militants keep killing Christians. He described terrorist groups operating in Nigeria as “cancerous cells” and emphasised that their attacks do not target a single religious group. “The narrative that the evil terrorists only target one faith remains absolutely false and misleading,” he added. I was on the phone yesterday for 19 minutes with Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the United States. We spoke extensively, and we agreed that I was going to speak with President Tinubu for President Tinubu to give the go-ahead,” he said.

Donald Trump has launched “powerful and deadly” strikes on Christmas Day against Islamic State militants in Nigeria, weeks after the US president warned against any systemic assault on Christians in the country. Here are the day’s top Trump administration stories at a glance. US launches Christmas Day strikes on IS targets in Nigeria The US military’s Africa Command said the attack on Islamic State militants was carried out in Sokoto state in north-western Nigeria in coordination with the Nigerian authorities. Read the full story What else we read today: When Donald Trump addressed supporters in Pennsylvania early this month, he asked: “Susie Trump – do you know Susie Trump? The bombshell article raised questions over Wiles’s motivations, her ideological alignment with Trump and her future as the linchpin of his administrationCatching up?

So far, 34 governors have laid their 2026 budget proposals before lawmakers. The analysis reveals thatAnambra tops education funding nationwide with46.9 per cent of N757bn allocated to education. Enugu State follows, allocating N522bn out of its N1.62tn 2026 budget to the sector, representing 32.3 per cent. Enugu has maintained this strong commitment, having consistently earmarked over 30 per cent of its total budget for education in both 2024 and 2025. In some states, education funding is subsumed under a broader social services heading, which also covers health, social welfare and protection, housing, and community services.

The United States military has, in collaboration with the Nigerian government, launched airstrikes against terrorists belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group in north-western Nigeria. This was disclosed by the US President Donald Trump who said the “perfect” airstrikes followed his directive to the US War Department, targeting “terrorist scum” which he accused of “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians”. According to Trump, the US military “executed numerous perfect strikes”, while the US Africa Command (Africom) later reported that Thursday’s attack was carried out in co-ordination with Nigeria in the Sokoto state. Trump, in his post on Truth Social late on Thursday, said that “under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper”. This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West.

The reshuffle of the senior officers may not be unconnected with allegations of inefficiency and compromised oversight in the agency’s Directorate of Airworthiness Standards. This comes as the Nigeria Safety Investigation Board, on December 14, 2025, and December 16, 2025, respectively, issued reports indicating major aircraft incidents involving unscheduled aircraft. Keyamo vowed to launch an investigation into the allegations and said he would make the results of the investigation public. The Directorate of Airworthiness Standards in the NCAA is a powerhouse through which the agency ensures civil aircraft are safe and meet high standards. The allegations gained urgency following a series of aircraft incidents investigated by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Board.

Preliminary findings from security investigations indicate that the unfortunate incident was caused by excessive speed, as the tanker driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle while attempting to overtake another road user. The vehicle subsequently crashed and erupted into a raging inferno, tragically trapping and claiming the lives of the driver and an adult female occupant. The LASTMA operatives prevented members of the public who had converged on the scene with containers from scooping the spilt diesel. This timely intervention effectively averted a potential escalation of the tragedy before the arrival of other emergency and security agencies. He described the incident as deeply painful and entirely avoidable, reaffirming the Authority’s steadfast commitment to road safety and the sanctity of human life.

Seven passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries on Christmas Eve when the bus they were travelling in somersaulted due to a tyre burst around the Eledumare area of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State. Spokesperson of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps(TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed this to newsmen in a statement in Abeokuta on Thursday. Akinbiyi said that operatives of the TRACE and Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) were on the ground to rescue the injured victims. Akinbiyi added that traffic was not affected during the rescue operation and that it flowed freely on the road. This timely intervention effectively averted a potential escalation of the tragedy before the arrival of other emergency and security agencies.

In the latest development on Tinubu minister resignations, the Honourable Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, on Monday resigned his appointment, citing health reasons. Following his resignation, Tinubu nominated the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, as the new Minister of Defence. However, Badaru was not the first minister to resign or be sacked under the present administration. Tinubu minister resignations and sacking have occurred on multiple occasions since the president assumed office in May 2023. In this article, Tribune Online takes a look at other ministers who have resigned their appointments or sacked under Tinubu.

It was gathered that a detached section of the plaza collapsed, trapping some traders in the process. He had already evacuated almost all his goods when the fire spread and went back to retrieve the remaining items. “That’s how containers come here almost every day with goods for traders,” a resident, Sunkanmi Taofeek, said. It was further gathered that five adjoining buildings were affected—two partially and three severely—including the old Lagos Central Mosque. Fire incidents have become frequent in Lagos Island markets, with goods worth millions of naira destroyed annually.

According to Reuters, the strike was confirmed on Thursday by both U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. military. Trump said the operation targeted ISIS militants he accused of attacking Christian communities in the region, framing the action as a decisive response to what he has described as an escalating threat to Christianity in Nigeria. Reuters previously reported that the United States had been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November, suggesting preparations for possible military action. Still, it has agreed to deepen cooperation with the United States to strengthen its fight against militant groups. Trump announced the strike on Christmas Day while spending the holiday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.