Video - 12 killed in Nigeria by suspected Boko Haram militants

Heavily armed assailants suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents randomly shot at people on Monday. Authorities launched investigations into the incident two weeks after bandits killed two people. Chibok is widely known for attacks and kidnappings, most notably the 2014 abduction of 276 teenage girls at a secondary school.

CGTN

Wilfred Ndidi out of Nigeria side for Cup of Nations

Midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has withdrawn from Nigeria’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations through injury and been replaced by Belgian-based Alhassan Yusuf, the country's football federation said on Wednesday.

Ndidi, 27, was injured during his club Leicester City’s 2-0 win at Cardiff City on Dec. 29, although details of the injury were not made clear by either his club or Nigeria.

Leicester team mate Kelechi Iheanacho is also struggling with injury but was still being assessed at Nigeria’s training camp in Abu Dhabi, the federation added in a statement.

Iheanacho, also 27, had missed the last two matches for his club, who are runaway leaders in the Championship in England.

The 23-year-old Yusuf is uncapped but helped Royal Antwerp to the Belgian league title last season and competed in all their Champions League group matches between September and December.

Nigeria open their Cup of Nations campaign on Jan. 14 with a Group A game against Equatorial Guinea. They also meet hosts Ivory Coast and Guinea Bissau in their group matches.

By Mark Gleeson, Reuters

Nigeria to begin passport application automation on January 8, 2024

The minister revealed this during an inspection of facilities of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) alongside the Comptroller General (CG) of the Service, Wura-Ola Adepoju.

Nigerians will now have the convenience of applying and completing their passport application online, eliminating the need for in-person interactions.

The minister had previously announced in December that the Federal Government was actively working towards the complete automation of the passport application system in the country.

During that announcement, the minister stated that the automated application system was "99% done," and it would encompass processes such as uploading passport photos and supporting documents.

What the minister said:

“We are good to go live. We are starting the training and on January 8, the solution will be live and direct for Nigerians to have a good feel, a sweet experience based on the Renewed Hope of Mr President,"

“We have been able to reduce human contact in passport acquisition to the minimum.”

He stressed that this initiative would enhance the country's security architecture by enabling swift detection of fake passport applications and reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks.

As part of this effort, he revealed the deployment of document verification officers across all local government areas in the country. These officers will play a crucial role in meticulously scrutinizing passport applications, ensuring a more secure and reliable application process.

The minister had earlier cleared the backlog of over 200,000 passports awaiting processing within Nigeria.

In a bid to address concerns raised by Nigerians living abroad regarding the slow pace of passport renewal and collection procedures, the Nigerian Government had unveiled plans to establish passport front offices in key cities across the United Kingdom.

This initiative, set to launch in February 2024, would streamline and expedite the passport renewal and collection processes for the Nigerian diaspora, particularly in cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, and Cardiff (Wales).

By Adekunle Agbetiloye, Business Insider

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Video - President of Nigeria says Plateau state attack planners will be apprehended

Attacks in Nigeria's central Plateau state left nearly 160 people dead after gunmen rounded several villages over the weekend. Authorities say the raids were senseless and unprovoked. 

CGTN

Related story: Video - Why has Nigeria failed to deal with violence in Plateau State?

Villagers missing in Nigeria two days after suspected nomadic herders kill 140

Video - Why has Nigeria failed to deal with violence in Plateau State?

The Nigerian government says at least 160 people were killed in attacks by armed groups on remote farming communities at the weekend. It's the worst violence in the central Plateau state in more than five years. No group has claimed responsibility but nomadic herders are believed to be responsible. Herders and farmers have been locked in a decades-long conflict over access to land and water. Why has the Nigerian government failed to prevent these attacks? And what does it mean for the country's wider security problem - as it faces challenges on multiple fronts?

Al Jazeera 

Related stories: Video - Over 100 kidnapped from four villages in Nigeria

Video - Is Nigeria's security crisis out of control?