The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says 13 passengers have died in a road accident along Owo-Ikare highway in Ondo state.

A statement on Saturday by Samuel Ibitoye, FRSC sector commander in Ondo state, said the accident involved a fabric-laden vehicle and a bus conveying 14 passengers.

“A total of 14 people were involved out of which 13 were burnt beyond recognition while only one was rescued alive with serious injuries,” the statement reads.

“Eyewitness accounts indicated that the bus coming from Ikare axis had a tyre burst which led to loss of control and a resultant head-on collision with the bus loaded with fabric coming from Owo axis. Immediately after the collision, the two buses went in flames.”

Ibitoye said FRSC personnel, police officers and firefighters “swiftly” arrived at the crash scene for rescue operations.

He said the injured victim was taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Owo.

The sector commander advised drivers to “exercise patience on the roads and passionately maintain their vehicles while passengers are encouraged to speak out against dangerous driving because road safety is a concern of all”.

Nigerian award-winning singer, Tiwa Savage, has hinted at quitting the music industry after the release of her next album.

Naija News reports that the 44-year-old singer gave a hint via her Instagram story on Saturday.

Tiwa Savage said she now feels tired, noting she has done her best.

However, the ‘Koroba’ crooner did not reveal the title and release date of the next album.

She wrote: “This might be my last studio album. I am tired, I don try.” 

Recall that Tiwa Savage rose to prominence after releasing her breakout single ‘Kele Kele Love’ in 2010.

She has since established herself as one of the most prominent names in the Nigerian music landscape. She has also earned global awards recognition.

Meanwhile, Tiwa Savage has spoken about the effects of the divorce from her ex-husband, Tunji Balogun, popularly known as TeeBillz.

Naija News recalls that TeeBillz announced their divorce in 2018 on social media.

However, in an interview with ‘The Receipts’ Podcast, Tiwa Savage accused TeeBillz of being responsible for the divorce, stating that she did not break up with him.

She explained that TeeBillz announced the divorce while she was still struggling with postpartum depression after the birth of their son.

Tiwa Savage also stated that it was heartbreaking how the public blamed her for the marriage breakup, adding she became ‘African Bad Girl’ afterwards.

The Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, has clarified Governor Chukwuma Soludo‘s recent declaration of war on native doctors, stating that the move targets only “fake” practitioners involved in criminal activities, not genuine traditional healers.

The clarification came on Saturday following reports of panic among native and traditional doctors in the state after Soludo’s pronouncement during a recent function.

The governor had condemned the role of some native doctors in aiding criminalities, such as preparing charms for kidnappers and gunmen.

In a press statement, Mefor said the governor’s stance aims to sanitize the practice and expose those using traditional medicine as a front for illegal activities.

He emphasized that genuine practitioners of traditional medicine have nothing to fear, as the government recognizes their contributions to society.

He said, “For the sake of the unsuspecting public, I want to address the recent disinformation generated in some desperate quarters over Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s stance on native doctors.

“To set the record straight, Soludo never declared war on all native doctors but rather on fake and devilish native doctors involved in criminal activities.

“Concerned individuals and organisations have been investigating native doctors in the South-East and uncovered shocking revelations that reflect what Soludo is saying.

“Some native doctors are involved in preparing charms for kidnappers and armed robbers and are believed to be involved in evil practices that may not exclude human sacrifices for money and protection.

“These diabolical rituals have given rise to ‘Ego Mbute’, ‘Oke-Ite’ and ‘Yahoo Plus’ as well as idolatry, making a speedy return to Igbo socio-cultural life, Soludo, out of a sense of responsibility and responsiveness, has moved to root such diabolical and evil practices out, which have nothing to do with genuine traditional medicine or native doctors who are truly serving God and humanity.”

The commissioner said the governor has, therefore, emphasised the need to expose and deal decisively with native doctors aiding criminality, those promoting some esoteric practices alien to the Igbo culture of integrity, hard work, morality, and fear of God.

He added, “His stance is not a blanket condemnation of traditional medicine or all native doctors, but a targeted effort to root out those using so-called spiritual powers for criminal activities. They are misleading the youths and will turn the state into a soulless society if not stopped.

“The way forward requires greater clarity and understanding. We must recognise that not all native doctors are involved in criminal activities and that traditional medicine has a rich cultural heritage.

“So those genuinely practising the trade have nothing to fear from Soludo’s declaration. However, as we also acknowledge that fake native doctors are involved in criminal activities, they must be exposed and brought to justice as a way of sanitising the practice, rooting our criminality and preserving the state.”

According to him, the governor implores Ndi Anambra to work together with the state government to root out criminality and promote and uphold the culture of respect for human life, integrity, morality, hard work, and fear of God for which Ndi Anambra in particular and Ndi Igbo, in general, are reputed.

“Security is everybody’s business and not that of government alone. So, if you see something, hear something, say something,” the statement added.

The National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) has released list of approved tour operators for the 2025 Hajj.

This was contained in a statement from the Commission’s Assistant Director Information and Publications Division, Fatima Sanda Usara, on Friday.

Usara advised all tour operators and members of the public to check the commission’s website. NAHCON spokesperson warned the general public against transacting business with unlicensed tour operators.

“Sequel to application and thorough screening of Tour Operator Companies that applied for the 2025 Hajj and Umrah Operations, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria is happy to announce the list of successful companies as approved by the Chairman Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman.

“After the screening, 118 Private Tour Operators qualified for the License. The 10 lead companies were selected along three zones namely four from Kano zone, three from FCT zone and three from Lagos. The ten lead companies are selected in compliance with Saudi Arabian directives,” the statement read.

The commission further advised Nigerians who will be traveling for the 2025 Hajj to observe all safety measures as directed.

“Always wear your identification, listen to announcements and obey the instructions of Police and security personnel to ensure safety.

“Follow designated pathways and time slots for rituals, particularly during the stoning of the Jamarat, to avoid stampedes, heatstrokes and dehydration.

“Stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water and rest under shaded areas to avoid heat-related illnesses.

“Know the locations of medical facilities, carry your medications, practice good hygiene and wear comfortable footwears to avoid injuries and strain due to long standing and walks.

“Avoid purchasing from street vendors and unidentified sources.

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Justice, has paid approximately N1.1bn as professional fees to prominent Nigerian lawyers, Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, and 23 other law firms over a period of three years.

This revelation emerged from an analysis of data provided by GovSpend, a civic tech platform that tracks and analyses the Federal Government’s expenditure.

The concept of professional services in legal practice encompasses various activities performed by lawyers within the scope of an attorney-client relationship. These include offering legal advice, drafting legal documents, and representing clients in legal matters.

Such services may also extend to transactional tasks like identifying potential legal risks in real estate or other business dealings, as well as negotiation, mediation, regulatory compliance, advocacy, lobbying, and risk management.

In July 2024, Babalola, Olanipekun and Dr. Alex Izinyon, SAN, collectively received N482.7m from the Federal Ministry of Justice.

A breakdown of the payments shows that Babalola was paid N372.9m on July 23 for representing the Federal Government in a court case registered FHC/ABJ/SC/8962/2023.

The other two senior lawyers, Olanipekun and Izinyon, were paid N103.6m and N6.2m, respectively, for providing similar services at different times. Olanipekun’s payment was made on July 26, while Izinyon received his fee three days later.

Further analysis of the Ministry of Justice’s records reveals that in 2022, no fewer than 17 lawyers received a cumulative sum of N359.7m as professional fees, while four lawyers were paid a total of N319.3m in 2021.

Among those who received payments in 2022 were Savannah Law Chambers, which was paid N17.4m; Lex Habitae, which received N21.8m; Rashida Mohammed & Co in Sokoto, which got N17.4m; and Abdullahi Haruna & Co, which also received N17.4m.

LDS Legal was paid N70.9m, while King’s Chambers and Iwuanyanwu & Co each received N15.7m. Sulaiman Salihu & Co was paid N31.4m in two tranches.

Other firms that benefited include Justice Solicitors & Attorneys, which was paid N15.7m; Pelican Legal, which received N15.7m; and Aderemi Olatubora & Co, which was paid N17.4m. Gboyega Oyewole of Lords and Temple Attorneys was paid N5.4m, while Savannah Law Chambers received an additional N29m.

Hanafi Mumini Ishola of Hanafi & Associates received N20.7m, Law Forte was paid N22.3m in two tranches, and Madyan Legal Consult received N24.8m in two tranches.

The 2021 payments included N174m to Mr. Chikwendu Madumere, N21.8m to LDS Legal, N21.8m to Olowolafe & Co, and N100.5m to Sulaiman Salihu & Co, disbursed in two tranches.

As part of their payments, Chief Afe Babalola paid a 7.5 per cent Value Added Tax amounting to N31m to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, while Wole Olanipekun paid N8.6m in VAT.

Both lawyers also paid a 10 per cent withholding tax of N41.4m and N11.5m, respectively, to the Ministry of Justice.

The Nigeria Police Force has announced that some policemen in Ogun State were arrested for demanding payment to facilitate the search for a missing seven-year-old girl, Mercy Akande.

The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi revealed this information on Saturday.

Mercy Akande is the daughter of a female Point-of-Sale operator who went missing after allegedly being taken by one of her mother’s customers.

The incident occurred on December 23 and was shared on the X platform by Miyakee on December 25.

“My cousin is missing. She was kidnapped by a stranger on the 23rd of December, 2024. The mom, my aunty, does POS business at Sango, Ogun State. She has a male customer who usually comes to withdraw money and buy recharge cards,”Miyakee stated.

“He doesn’t stay in the area. He became friends with the little girl and was always buying her food and gifting her money whenever he came to the store. On the morning of the 23rd, he came to the store and bought food for himself and the little girl as usual. The mom was busy attending to other customers.

“He sent the little girl (a seven-year-old girl) to go get pure water for him. On her way back, he approached her halfway to get the pure water from her. The mom saw this and wasn’t comfortable with it but was distracted by the attention of other customers.

“By the time she turned towards the daughter’s direction to check what was happening, the guy and her daughter were nowhere to be found. They searched everywhere for them but to no avail.”

Miyakee reported that the family took the matter to a police station in Sango but was met with a demand for N40,000 from a police officer to cover the reporting and tracking fees.

In an update, Adejobi assured that the Ogun State Police Command is actively working on the case and is committed to finding the girl as soon as possible.

“Also, the policemen who demanded money before they could attend to the case have been arrested and kept in detention for disciplinary action.

“We have condemned such an act, and we won’t tolerate it. It’s inhuman, apathetic, and unprofessional.

“We urge the family of the victim to work with the police on the case,” Adejobi said.

Nigerian actor, producer and director Afeez Olayiwola Abiodun who is professionally known as Afeez Owo has lost his father, Moshood Akanji Abiodun.

The movie star who is actress Mide Martin’s husband shared the heartbreaking news on Friday, December 27, revealing how saddened he is by the passing of his father.

Bidding him farewell in his post, Afeez Owo shared a bold photo of his father while eulogizing him. He wrote:

“Sad…. ????
Rest in peace Baba miii ??????.”

“ERIN WO ? ?
Rest On Moshood Akanji ABIODUN.
Eku Baba Afeez Sun Re ooooo.”

The actor’s colleagues have flooded the comments with condolences. See screenshot of Afeez Owo’s post and reactions to it below:

Seyi Edun wrote, “My condolences sir

Adeniyi Johnson wrote, “Eku oro eyan Sir

Fausat Balogun wrote, “Rest in peace Daddy Popsy Tiwa

Adekola Tijani wrote, “Innah lilahi wahinnah ilehi rojihun. Baba take heart, May Almighty Allah grant Baba Aljanna fridaos

Okiki Afolayan wrote, “Eni re looo

Yemi Solade wrote, “On behalf of myself and my family, I express sincere condolences on the passing of your Baba. May God forgive his sins and accept his soul to rest in eternal peace. May God grant you and other members of your family the strength to beat the irreparable loss. Amen”.

In the same vein, just hours ago, popular actress Lola Alao announced the passing of her mother, urging her to rest in peace.

While U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is getting ready to return to the White House, universities across the United States are cautioning international students, including Nigerians, to remain vigilant about potential executive orders on immigration that could impact their status in the country.

“During the first four years of the Trump administration, a travel ban was imposed that impacted multiple countries, and resulted in many/some international students encountering difficulties re-entering the US to resume classes,” the University of California-Berkeley recently posted on its International website.

“Whether such policies will be implemented again and/or blocked by the courts or via other means is unclear. Out of an abundance of caution, we are recommending a return to the United States prior to January 20.”

Cornell University's Office of Global Learning issued a similar warning to students of a travel ban that “is likely to go into effect soon after inauguration”.

“The ban is likely to include citizens of the countries targeted in the first Trump administration: Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen and Somalia,” a statement from the office said, adding that students, faculty and staff from these countries should be back in the US before the term begins on January 21.

Columbia University, the centre of the pro-Palestine protests that swept educational institutions across the USA in the spring also sent out a warning.

“As we do with administrative changes at all levels of government, Columbia is gathering relevant information on the incoming administration,” university spokeswoman Samantha Slater said in an email to the Columbia Spectator.

International students are advised to return to Columbia’s campus before this semester’s start date to avoid any potential travel delays”.

During his first term in office, Trump enacted a Muslim ban, which blocked citizens of some Muslim-majority countries from entering the US. Amid protests surrounding the Israel-Gaza war, he also vowed to revoke the visas of “radical anti-American and anti-Semitic foreigners” studying at US universities.

This, coupled with a growing level of anti-immigrant rhetoric from the Republican Party, has some international students concerned.

Mr Trump's platform on immigration, however, has focused primarily on stopping people from entering the country illegally. He said during a June interview with The All-In Podcast that international students “should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country”.

China’s central bank yesterday revealed that it has renewed a bilateral currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as part of efforts to boost trade between both countries.

The total value of the agreement was N3.28 trillion (15 billion yuan or about $2.09 billion), China’s Xinhua News quoted the People’s Bank of China to have revealed this in a statement on its website.

The agreement is valid for three years and could be renewed upon mutual consent, according to the statement.
It said that the renewal of the currency swap arrangement would strengthen financial cooperation between China and Nigeria, expand the use of the two currencies, and promote and facilitate bilateral trade and investment.

The currency swap agreement was signed by both countries in 2018, when Mr. Godwin Emefiele was the CBN Governor.

The transaction was aimed at providing adequate local currency liquidity to Nigerian and Chinese industrialists and other businesses, thereby reducing the difficulties encountered in the search for third currencies.  Among other benefits, the agreement was expected to provide naira liquidity to Chinese businesses and provide RMB liquidity to Nigerian businesses respectively, thereby improving the speed, convenience and volume of transactions between the two countries.

It was also expected to assist both countries in their foreign exchange reserves management, enhance financial stability and promote broader economic cooperation between the two countries.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima recently expressed satisfaction with the continuous increase in the volume of trade between Nigeria and China, saying it was one of the highest in Africa.

He had therefore called for constant improvement of relations between the two nations, maintaining that the two countries are friends that have sustained mutual respect and honour for each other.

Shettima made this known when he played host to a delegation from China led by the Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Mr. Zhang Qingwei, recently.

Expressing satisfaction with the volume of trade between Nigeria and China, the vice-president had said: “Last year in 2023, our trade relations with China got to $22.6 billion, one of the highest in Africa, if not the highest, and that trade relationship is growing by 33 percent every year.

“Mind you, the Nigerian economy is picking up but that did not stop our business relationship with China. So, I want to reassure you that we will support you in whatever way we can. We believe in you, we respect you and we cherish our relationship.”

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), yesterday said the coordinated onslaught against Lakurawa terrorists in Sokoto State by air and land components of operation Fansan Yamma were not responsible for the alleged civilian casualties.

The military said civilian casualties resulted from a secondary explosion, contrary to the erroneous media report that military airstrikes hit wrong location and killed no fewer than 10 armless and innocent citizens in a village in Sokoto state.

Also yesterday, the Nigerian military allayed fears of citizens over the acquisition of drones by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (BH/ISWAP) terrorists to attack troops’ locations.
On December 25, a coordinated joint operation was conducted between the air and land components of Operation Fansan Yamma to destroy Lakurawa terrorist groups in their hideouts at Gidan Bissah and Gidan Rotuwa in Jilukon Forest, in Sokoto State killing no fewer than 10 villagers.

Refuting the alleged killing of civilians during airstrikes in North-west operational theatre, the Director Defence Media Operations Major General Edward Buba, revealed that locals confirmed that the Lakurawa terrorists stayed in the village and used the area for the conduct of their operations.
Buba stated that intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance as well as human intelligence reports prior to the operation consistently indicated the hideout was a high concentration terrorist location.

According to him, “The air strikes at the end of the day had minor impact on the surrounding villages.

“The air strikes indeed hit logistic base of the terrorist which led to secondary explosions and it was these secondary explosions that led to some casualties that was earlier reported.
“The neutralised lakurawa terrorist combatants were burnt indeed beyond recognition because they were hit directly by the strikes”.

Buba noted that the terrorists are known to blend within the local populace.

“We knew about this and it is for this reason that we painstakingly made sure that we minimise civilian casualty in this strike and because the terrorists blend among the civil populace, it is often difficult to differentiate friend from foe.

“In summarising, I would say that troops target terrorists and not innocent citizens. Having said that, we must also remember that war is ugly and horrible in every sense. War is never beautiful and it is the worst human endeavor ever,” he stressed.

This, he said was the reason the military often explain what troops were doing in the field knowing that by so doing they have a better chance to deny the enemy to manipulate things and use it for their purposes or to their advantage.

Buba said every innocent soul lost in the course of their operation was a tragedy and they do sympathise with their loved ones and their families whenever such occurs.
“But we must be reminded that our troops are very professional in their actions and are indeed turning the tide against the insurgents and terrorists.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do it without their cooperation and the intel that they provided us. Thank you very much. The Armed Forces have to protect our citizens and it is for these reasons that we carry out our operations to make sure that citizens are protected and our territory and our territorial integrity is also secured.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian military yesterday allayed fear of citizens over the acquisition of drones by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (BH/ISWAP) terrorists to attack troops locations.

The military said there was no cause for alarm as the drones used by the terrorists are not military-graded unmanned aerial vehicles.

Buba, said this while fielding questions from journalists during a press briefing in Abuja yesterday.

Buba said the drones used by terrorists were “toys” to harass civilians.

“The report about the usage of drones. I don’t think that there’s need for any unnecessary panic about the usage of drones.
“We are in war against terrorists and against insurgents across our country and all you need to know is not far from what you see happening in Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Hamas and all that. The use of drones in the battlefield is not new.

“Now when we are talking of drones, we don’t want unnecessary panic because these are not professional drones, not military-grade drones.
“These are toys that they went to buy and found a way to put one or two things on board and use them. How effective were they? They were not effective. Are we doing something about it? Yes, we are.

“Since we now know that this is where their thinking and their thoughts are going, we have to take measures to control such attacks. I don’t call them really attacks, I call them harassments,” he said.

Buba further clarified that there was no foreign military base in Nigeria, adding that Nigeria has refused to be a ground for any proxy war.

According to him, “We don’t have any foreign military base. We said this more than one time, we do not have any foreign military base in Nigeria. “Anyone who is saying that is trying to be mischievous… trying to be misleading and definitely he has an agenda.
“There is no foreign military base in Nigeria to be a ground for proxy war. We don’t want our country to be a ground for proxy war. You accept one person, the enemy of that person will start to woo you. That is a proxy war. We don’t want that.

“So anywhere you hear anybody talking like that, I think they are doing that as a distraction.”