News

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

In a significant shift from global norms, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has ordered that all mobile phones and portable electronic devices must be completely switched off, not just on flight mode – during take-off and landing on all flights within Nigeria.

The directive was announced by the NCAA Director General, Capt. Chris Najomo, on Tuesday at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja.

The move ends the long-standing practice where passengers were permitted to use devices in airplane mode throughout a flight.

“All mobile phones, I repeat, all mobile phones and other portable electronic devices should be switched off during at least the critical phase of flight on all Nigerian airlines. Switched off,” Najomo stated.

“There’s nothing like anything like flight mode any longer. Must be switched off.”

The new rule requires Nigerian airlines to immediately amend their operations manuals to reflect this change and submit them to the NCAA for approval.

The phone ban is part of a broader crackdown on the growing trend of disruptive passenger behaviour at Nigerian airports. Najomo declared that the era of “business as usual” is over, warning that unruly passengers will face strict consequences.

He announced plans for public enlightenment campaigns, including radio and TV jingles, to educate travellers on their responsibilities.

The NCAA will also compel airlines to provide adequate training for their staff in conflict resolution.

“If you’re unruly, you’re unruly… It will not be as business as usual. I can assure you that,” Najomo emphasized.

Highlighting the security risks, Najomo announced that the NCAA will conduct mock response exercises next week at the Lagos and Abuja airports to test readiness.

The results of these drills will be made public.

“Aviation security personnel and law enforcement must be reinforced with training, professionalism, and clearly defined rules of engagement,” he said.

Supporting the DG’s stance, the Director of Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, noted that Nigeria’s handling of unruly passengers is already more humane than in many other countries, where such behaviour is “treated with extreme prejudice.”

He also referenced recent high-profile incidents, involving figures like Fuji musician KWAM1 and actress Comfort, stating that while the parties involved had learned their lessons, the events revealed systemic gaps that need urgent addressing.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

 A 44-year-old Tanzanian man seeking treatment for pus discharge from his right nipple was stunned to learn he had been living with a large knife embedded in his chest for nearly a decade, doctors revealed in a recent medical report.  

The patient, who had no major health complaints apart from the infection, recalled being stabbed multiple times during a violent altercation eight years ago. At the time, doctors sutured his wounds but lacked the equipment to conduct an X-ray. Since he reported no pain afterwards, further investigation was never pursued.  

However, when the man visited Muhimbili National Hospital recently, an X-ray uncovered an astonishing sight—an 8-inch knife lodged near his ribcage. Miraculously, the blade had missed all vital organs.  

Surgeons successfully removed the knife along with dead tissue and pus. The patient recovered well after a brief ICU stay and was discharged within 10 days.  

Doctors described the case as “extremely rare,” noting that the body had formed a protective layer around the blade, preventing severe complications. The findings were published in the National Library of Medicine, highlighting the importance of thorough trauma assessments.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has approved a sweeping reorganization of the Nigerian Army’s leadership, appointing new commanders to key positions in a bid to enhance operational effectiveness.

Senior officers have been reassigned to critical roles, including Principal Staff Officers at the Army Headquarters, General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Corps Commanders, and heads of training institutions.

Among the changes, Major General AA Adeyinka moves to the Department of Army Logistics as Chief of Logistics, while Major General ASM Wase takes command of 1 Division, overseeing counterterrorism operations in the North West.

Other notable appointments include Major General CR Nnebeife as GOC 2 Division and Major General MO Erebulu as Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police.

Several officers have also been named as commandants of training schools, including the Nigerian Army College of Logistics and Management.

The COAS charged the newly appointed leaders to intensify efforts in the fight against insurgency and terrorism, emphasizing the importance of troop welfare in achieving operational success.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Abdullahi-Ata, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the Bagwai/Shanono State Assembly by-election, citing widespread violence and electoral malpractice.

Speaking to journalists on Sunday in Kano, Abdullahi-Ata alleged that armed thugs were mobilized from within and outside the state to disrupt Saturday’s poll, preventing voters from exercising their rights.

He claimed that thugs invaded polling units as early as 5 a.m., wielding weapons and intimidating residents.

The minister also accused attackers of targeting the residence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate. Despite early warnings to security agencies, the violence persisted, disenfranchising voters awaiting the by-election since the death of their former representative, Hon. Halilu Ibrahim-Kundila, in April.

Abdullahi-Ata urged INEC to reschedule the election for a free and fair process and called for the prosecution of arrested suspects.

He appealed for calm among APC supporters, stressing that democracy depends on safe and credible elections.

“An election marred by violence is no election at all,” he said.

The Emir of Zuru in Kebbi State, retired Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Sani Sami, has died on Saturday night at the age of 81.

This was announced in a statement issued in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday by Alhaji Ahmed Idris, Chief Press Secretary to the Kebbi State Governor.

According to the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Garba Umar-Dutsinmari, the monarch passed away in a London hospital after an illness.

He is survived by four wives and seven children.

“The Kebbi Government extends its heartfelt condolences to his immediate family, the Zuru Emirate Council, the people of Zuru, and the entire people of Kebbi State.

“May the Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Jannatul Firdaus,” the commissioner said, adding that burial arrangements would be communicated later.

Maj.-Gen. Sami joined the Nigerian Army on December 10, 1962, and was commissioned after training at Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, England, on July 25, 1963.

He rose through the ranks and served in various capacities, including Military Administrator of Bauchi State (1984–1985), Commanding Officer of the 82nd Division, and General Officer Commanding 1 Mechanised Division in 1988.

In 1995, he was appointed Emir of Zuru, a position he held until his death.

By Uzair Adam

The Kano State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 288 people suspected of attempting to trigger violence during the ongoing by-election for the Shanono/Bagwai State Constituency in Kano.

The disclosure was made by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, through his verified Facebook account.

He explained that the suspects were arrested with dangerous weapons and are currently under investigation.

According to him, the arrests formed part of a wider operation to forestall any breakdown of law and order throughout the election.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a suspected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agent, Shehu Fatange, with N30 million allegedly meant for vote-buying ahead of Saturday’s bye-elections in Kaduna State.

Fatange was apprehended Friday evening at a hotel in Kaduna, where he was reportedly coordinating the distribution of cash to influence voters in the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency election.

Security sources confirmed the suspect was caught with a large sum of money intended to compromise the electoral process.

The Kaduna Police Command also verified the arrest, stating that investigations were ongoing.

The incident comes amid rising tensions, with political parties trading accusations of vote-buying and electoral malpractice ahead of the polls.

Authorities have urged the public to remain calm and turn out peacefully to vote.

Muhammad Isah Zng

A former lecturer at Al-Qalam University, Malam Mubarak Ibrahim Lawan, stated that education is dead in Nigeria in a post he shared last week on his popular Facebook account.

“Our youth are no longer interested in education at all. They preferred to be celebrities rather than teachers or lecturers because it’s a quick way to be rich, not education.”

“The majority of Nigerian university students are after certificates; they are curious to graduate and leave their schools because the government gives more attention to celebrities than teachers and lecturers,” he said. 

“But there’s still hope for government, if it considers these: First, it should give full attention to the welfare of teachers and lecturers by paying them their allowances on time”, he added.

Malam Mubarak called on the government to make a concerted effort to renovate laboratories and libraries to alleviate the learning difficulties faced by students.

Finally, he advised that the government should also continue providing scholarships to lecturers and teachers to enhance their professional development.

Malam Mubarak resigned from his position at the university a few years ago. Since then, he has been involved in real estate businesses in Kano and beyond.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed media reports claiming that a Canadian court declared the party a terrorist organization, describing the reports as “patently erroneous and misleading.”

In a press statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the APC clarified that the ruling in question involved a case between Douglas Egharevba and Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, which centered on Egharevba’s immigration status.

The court had dismissed Egharevba’s application for judicial review, citing his membership in Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its alleged involvement in subversive acts during elections.

The APC noted that the only mention of the party in the 16-page judgment was in reference to Egharevba’s false claim of being an APC member as far back as 2007—years before the party was officially formed in 2013.

Morka noted that the court explicitly avoided ruling on terrorism, stating: “Having found that the IAD’s analysis on subversion was reasonable, this is sufficient to dismiss the application for review. I will therefore refrain from analyzing the IAD’s findings on terrorism.”

The APC urged its members and the public to disregard the misleading reports, stressing that the court made no such declaration against the party.

“Such a decision would have been an unjustifiable overreach and a breach of due process, as the APC was not a party to the proceedings,” Morka added.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s newly appointed Controller General (CG) of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, was officially decorated with his new rank today in Abuja.

The ceremony was performed by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, at the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) Hall.

The Minister praised the outgoing CG, Engr. Jaji O. Abdulganiyu, for his outstanding service, while the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene N. Ajani, urged the new CG to uphold national interest and work within the law.

In his response, CG Adeyemi thanked President Tinubu and other officials for their trust, promising to reposition the agency for greater efficiency.

The event was attended by top government officials, lawmakers, past FFS leaders, and heads of sister security agencies.

A reception followed at the FFS headquarters, marking the occasion with celebration and unity.

The CDCFIB expressed hope that the new CG would justify the confidence reposed in him by the President and Nigerians.