Author: TheLagosianMagazine

By Peter Omopo The Senate on Tuesday took a major step toward overhauling Nigeria’s emergency response system as lawmakers debated the second reading of a bill seeking to establish a unified, toll-free national emergency number. The legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Emergency Toll Service (NETS),” proposes replacing the country’s numerous state-based helplines with a single, easy-to-remember three-digit number accessible to all Nigerians. Senators Push for Unified Emergency Line Leading the debate, sponsor of the bill, Senator Yar’adua Musa (Katsina Central), said the reform would consolidate scattered emergency numbers into one national platform, reducing confusion…

By Peter Omopo President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday convened a high-level security meeting with service chiefs and heads of major security agencies at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The closed-door session began shortly after 4:30 p.m., when the top military and intelligence officials were seen arriving at the forecourt of the Villa. The meeting comes less than three hours after Tinubu nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), as Minister of Defence. His nomination followed the sudden resignation of former Defence Minister Abubakar Badaru late Monday night, shortly after Musa was spotted at the State House. Top Security…

By The Lagosian Intelligence Desk Inside the General’s Profile, the Power Shift, and What This Means for Nigeria’s Security Future Nigeria’s security architecture entered a defining new chapter today as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.) as the nation’s new Minister of Defence, replacing Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned abruptly on Monday citing health grounds. The announcement—conveyed in a formal letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio—confirms widespread speculation following Musa’s closed-door meeting with the President at the State House last night. With insecurity escalating nationwide and a security emergency already declared, the move signals a decisive…

Depression and anxiety can feel like heavy shadows quiet, persistent, and draining. Yet even in the darkest moments, there is a truth that does not move: you are not alone, you are not forgotten, and you are stronger than you feel. Every sunrise reminds us that nothing stays dark forever. Your story is still being written and healing, though slow at times is possible. 1. Overcoming Depression and Anxiety Personally:You may feel tired, overwhelmed, or uncertain about tomorrow. But taking one small step at a time is enough. Healing rarely happens in leaps—it happens in inches. Allow yourself to breathe.…

A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has discharged and acquitted an MTN contractor, Mutairu Babatunde, and two former employees of MTN Nigeria, Victor Akintunde and Gani Mustapha, of allegations of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence involving an alleged ₦1 billion fraud. Justice Ismaila Ijelu, in a ruling delivered on Tuesday, dismissed the criminal charge against the defendants and their companies — Primavera Engineering and Construction Limited and Mabo Dredging Limited — after confirming that the matter had been fully resolved through a civil settlement. The court also ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately…

By Peter Omopo The father of a bride kidnapped alongside her friends in Chacho village, Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State, has confirmed that the abductors reached out to the community two days after the attack but made no ransom demand. Speaking on Monday, Malam Umaru Chacho said the gunmen, who seized 13 people—11 women and two men—during wedding preparations, insisted on speaking only with the village’s traditional ruler. “Yes, they have contacted us,” he said. “When they called, they said we should connect them with the traditional ruler of the town, but we refused. We asked them to…

By Peter Omopo Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing deepening crises within the party’s national leadership. The governor’s resignation was communicated in a letter addressed to the PDP Chairman of Ward 2, Sagba Abogunde, Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State. According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke formally withdrew from the party on November 4, 2025. Adeleke attributed his decision to the persistent turmoil engulfing the PDP at the national level, which has intensified in recent months. The governor expressed appreciation to the…

By Peter Omopo Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, has condemned the latest bandit attack in Kano State, which claimed the life of an elderly woman and led to the abduction of three others in Yankamaye village, Tsanyawa Local Government Area. The incident occurred late Saturday around 11 p.m., when most residents had gone to bed. Eyewitnesses told Arewa PUNCH that the attackers arrived on motorcycles but disembarked at the outskirts of the village, advancing on foot to evade detection. During the invasion, the gunmen reportedly shot an elderly woman after she begged them to spare her…

By Peter Omopo UMZA Air has described its maiden Abuja–Ilorin and Ilorin–Abuja commercial flights as a major milestone in the airline’s expansion plan, marking what it called “a flawless take-off” for its newest regional route. The inaugural flights, launched on Sunday, departed with full passenger loads and featured prominent officials including the Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Elder Kayode Alabi, and former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Arewa PUNCH, the Managing Director of UMZA Aviation Services Limited, Anachuna Henry, expressed satisfaction with the smooth execution of both flights—from passenger processing to on-time take-off and arrival. “We…

By Peter Omopo Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (retd.), on Monday visited President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, amid heightened national security concerns and ongoing counter-insurgency operations across the country. Musa, who arrived the State House at 7:03 p.m. dressed in dark-green traditional attire, was escorted into the President’s office wing by a senior security official. The visit marks his first public engagement with President Tinubu since his retirement on October 24, 2025. The purpose of the meeting, however, was not immediately disclosed. The visit comes at a time the Federal Government is implementing sweeping…