Troops of Operation Udoka have made significant arrests in the South-East, including a suspected founding member of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), as announced by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major Gen Edward Buba.

The arrests occurred in strategic operations across Orsu in Imo State and Amaruku and Arochukwu in Abia State.

During a bi-weekly briefing in Abuja, Major Gen Buba provided details of the military’s recent successes.

He highlighted a sting operation in Orsu, where troops apprehended Mr. Pius Iguh, described as a terrorist leader and a founding father of IPOB responsible for activities in the Orsu area.

In a separate raid in Amaruku, Abia State, security forces successfully detained another key figure, Emmanuel Onwugu, an IPOB commander operating in the Mbano Local Government Area.

This operation further demonstrates the military’s ongoing efforts to dismantle the operational capabilities of IPOB and its affiliated Eastern Security Network (ESN).

Additionally, the troops collaborated with other security agencies to arrest Ifeanyi Rock, a notorious cult leader, along with ten of his associates in Arochukwu Local Government Area.

This arrest underscores the security forces’ commitment to restoring peace and order by targeting not only separatist elements but also other groups contributing to regional instability.

These operations are part of a broader security initiative under Operation Udoka aimed at curtailing the activities of insurgent and criminal groups in the southeast to ensure the safety and security of the local populace.

The Senate has received a request from President Bola Tinubu for the confirmation of the appointments of seven ministerial nominees announced on Wednesday.

President Tinubu’s request seeking expeditious consideration of the requests was contained in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio who read it at the commencement of the plenary on Thursday.

Tinubu urged the Senate to consider and confirm the seven nominees for appointment as ministers.

The ministerial nominees for confirmation include Nentawe Yilwatda (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction), Muhammadu Dingyadi (Labour & Employment), Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu (State Foreign Affairs), and Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade and Investment).

Others are Idi Mukhtar Maiha (Livestock Development), Yusuf Ata (State, Housing and Urban Development), and Suwaiba Ahmad (State Education).

Akpabio referred the nominees to the Committee of the Whole for further legislative action as soon as possible.

A tanker loaded with fuel has fallen in Akamkpa, Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State with residents of the community trooping out to scoop the content which was flowing uncontrollably on the floor.

A viral video of the incident surfaced on social media on Thursday morning showing residents of the area scooping the content from the fallen tanker along the roadside.

Some of them carried buckets, others were with kegs taking fuel fuel from the tanker.

Though there is no official report from either the driver or community members on the cause of the accident, no lives were lost.

Authorities in the state have not also commented on the matter as of now.

The development has raised concerns, especially after the death of about 180 persons  –  who were scooping fuel from a fallen petrol tanker – in Jigawa.

That incident took place on October 15 at Majia in Taura Local Government of Jigawa State. It involved a petrol-laden truck going from Kano to Nguru in Yobe State.

The Super Eagles have moved up three places in the latest FIFA rankings, soaring to 36th in the global pecking order.

Nigeria who defeated Libya by a lone goal in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier earlier in the month are now fourth on the continental rankings. The return fixture in the North African country was moved following unsportsmanly behaviour by the Libyan authorities.

On the overall continental rankings, the Atlas Lions of Morocco led Africa. They are 13th in the world and followed by Senegal who are 20th.

Egypt (30th), Nigeria (36th), and Algeria (37th) complete the top five teams on the continent.

“There is further cause for celebration for Africa as two other CAF teams have climbed the most places (10) in this edition of the ranking, namely Comoros (108th) and Sudan (110th), who came out on top against Tunisia and Ghana, respectively, in their recent home-and-away duels as part of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 qualifiers,” FIFA wrote on its website while announcing the latest rankings on Thursday.

On the global scene, Argentina still occupy the top spot and are followed by France. Spain took the third position while England, Brazil, and Belgium make up the top six in that order.

Portugal are number seven, the Netherlands are eighth, Italy taking ninth and Colombia are 10th on the global rankings.

Some of the biggest movers in the latest rankings include Algeria (37th, up 4), Peru (38th, up 5) and Greece (42nd, up 6).

Cameroon also returned to the top 50, moving up four places to take the 49th position globally.

The October 2024 rankings came days after a busy month across the world with teams vying for places for the 2026 World Cup, and Africa Cup of Nations.

“Thirty-two qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 26, 47 for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025, 79 Nations League matches and 17 friendlies were played during the recent international window, making October 2024 a particularly busy month of football and one that has led to a number of changes in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking,” FIFA said.

The Minister of Defence, Mohammad Badaru, has ordered troops of Operation Fansar Yamma to arrest the notorious bandits’ leader, Bello Turji.

The Minister gave the order while addressing the troops at the One Brigade Headquarters in Gusau, Zamfara State.

He added that President Bola Tinubu has the following the activities of the troops in the past few months and has seen some levels of improvement in the operation against terrorists in the region, but the challenges are still there.

“He, therefore, urged me to thank you and to urge you to do more to end insecurity in these areas of operation and the country. He is ready to provide all you need to end insecurity in the Northwest and Nigeria.”

“I had some reassurances from the commander officer and was pleased, sure that we would reach the goal. Are you ready to finish with them? Are ready to end it? Please get me Turji.”

The Minister of Defence, Mohammad Badaru, has ordered troops of Operation Fansar Yamma to arrest the notorious bandits’ leader, Bello Turji.

The Minister gave the order while addressing the troops at the One Brigade Headquarters in Gusau, Zamfara State on Thursday.

He added that President Bola Tinubu has the following the activities of the troops in the past few months and has seen some levels of improvement in the operation against terrorists in the region, but the challenges are still there.

“He, therefore, urged me to thank you and to urge you to do more to end insecurity in these areas of operation and the country. He is ready to provide all you need to end insecurity in the Northwest and Nigeria.”

“I had some reassurances from the commander officer and was pleased, sure that we would reach the goal. Are you ready to finish with them? Are ready to end it? Please get me Turji.”

Defence Minister visited the Operation Fansar Yamma in Gusau to take briefings on military operations.

The Minister was received by the Commander, Joint Taskforce Northwest Operation Fansar Yamma, Major General Oluyinka Soyele, the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Mani Mumun,i among other dignitaries.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has stated that Nigerians’ perception played a key role in President Bola Tinubu’s decision to dismiss five ministers from his cabinet.

On Wednesday, Tinubu approved the reassignment of 10 ministers to new portfolios, relieved five of their duties, and nominated seven new individuals for Senate confirmation.

The President also renamed the Ministry of Niger Delta Development as the Ministry of Regional Development, scrapped the Ministry of Sports Development, and merged the Ministries of Tourism and Arts and Culture, forming the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy.

The ministers dismissed from their roles include the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye; Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John; Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman; Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim; and the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Gwarzo.

Providing more details on the cabinet reshuffle, Onanuga explained that the decision to remove these ministers was based on public perception and empirical data.

According to Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, introduced a technological system that allowed Nigerians to assess the performance of the ministers.

“It wasn’t done arbitrarily. Hadiza Bala Usman brought in technology, asking Nigerians to rate the ministers. So, the removal of these ministers was based on empirical facts, shaped by the public’s perception. The scorecards were filled out by the people, and the President acted on those results,” Onanuga said in an interview on Wednesday night.

“It wasn’t just about meeting the President’s expectations but also the public’s. A few weeks ago, during a cabinet meeting, the President urged the ministers to inform Nigerians of their accomplishments, because, according to him, there was a public perception that the government wasn’t performing. The government believed it was, but the ministers weren’t effectively communicating their work,” he added.

Onanuga further mentioned that in addition to dismissing the ministers, the administration is working to reduce the cost of governance.

“The President will soon announce measures to reduce government expenditure, starting with the ministers. I don’t want to pre-empt the details, but the cuts will be significant to demonstrate the government’s seriousness in reducing the cost of governance.”

“The government is aware of what’s required to address the country’s challenges. It’s not about the size of the government, but about having many competent hands to drive its agenda. You will hear announcements soon about how the government plans to cut the cost of running its affairs,” he concluded.

Veteran Nollywood actress, Sola Sobowale, has taken to social media to express excitement as one of her daughters is set to tie the knot.

The thespian announced the upcoming wedding in a post via her Instagram page, accompanied by pictures of the love birds.

Sola Sobowale said she had gained a son, adding that her daughter had found someone to spend the rest of her life with.

She wrote, “My baby found her forever person. My heart is overwhelmed with joy. I’ve gained a son. A wonderful inspiring young man. All the glory be to God. I love you both.”

Barr. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, a former Minister of Women Affairs, has expressed her gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, First Lady Remi Tinubu, and Nigerians for the opportunity to serve the country following her removal from the cabinet.

Kennedy-Ohanenye was among several ministers relieved of their duties on Wednesday, including Prof. Tahir Mamman (Education), Mohammed Gwarzo (State for Housing), Jamila Ibrahim (Youth Development), Lola Ade-John (Tourism), and suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, who was replaced.

In a statement released on Thursday, Kennedy-Ohanenye said: “I write to express my sincere gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity to serve as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It has been an honor and a privilege to contribute to the development of our nation.

“I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for her invaluable guidance and support during my tenure as Minister of Women Affairs. Her kindness and encouragement were instrumental to my success.

“To the people of Nigeria, I am deeply grateful for your unwavering support. Your trust and confidence in me have been a constant source of inspiration.

“I remain committed to serving my country and will continue to do my utmost to contribute to its progress and prosperity.”

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has acknowledged that Nigeria’s economy is weak.

The presidential aide stated that without the current reforms, Nigeria’s economy could have deteriorated to a state similar to that of Somalia, an East African country.

Naija News reports that Onanuga made these remarks on Thursday in response to the widespread public concern regarding the economic difficulties resulting from certain policies implemented by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

He noted that Nigerians have exhibited considerable impatience in awaiting the outcomes of the government’s reform initiatives.

While recognizing the fragility of the nation’s economy, Onanuga emphasized that the ongoing economic reforms present an opportunity for Nigeria to transition into a more productive economic landscape.

“Recently, I have been reading several reports about Vision 2010 and Vision 202.

“All those reports showed that our economy has been very efficient, very weak and if we don’t do what we are doing today, one day, we may end up like Somalia.

“Our economy is very weak and what the government is doing today through these reforms is to create an opportunity for us to be a productive economy. Nigerians have been consuming and the government has been subsidizing these consumptions”, Daily Post quoted Onanuga saying in a recent chat.

‘Petroleum Sector Not Doing Well, Tinubu Can Not Be Petroleum Minister’ – Aigbe

Meanwhile, following the recent reshuffle of President Bola Tinubu‘s cabinet, Austin Aigbe, Regional Advocacy Lead and ECOWAS Liaison Officer for the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network, has emphasized the critical need for the appointment of a substantive minister to lead Nigeria’s floundering petroleum sector.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, Aigbe discussed the implications of the cabinet changes, particularly for the vital energy sector.

Aigbe commended the president’s initiative to scrutinize and modify the cabinet structure, noting, “It’s good when you interrogate the system. You have to look at where the pitfalls are.”

He pointed out that the petroleum sector, a crucial component of Nigeria’s economy, currently lacks a dedicated minister to guide and rejuvenate its operations amidst ongoing challenges.

The advocacy leader stressed the importance of having a focused and competent leader at the petroleum ministry’s helm to navigate the industry’s complexities and spearhead necessary reforms.