U.S. suspends visa processing for Nigeria, 74 others

The United States of America has announced an indefinite suspension of visa processing for Nigeria and 74 other countries with effect from Jan. 21, 2026.A State Department memo directed consular officers to refuse visas under existing law, while screening and vetting procedures are reassessed.

According to the memo, the pause begins on Jan. 21 and will continue indefinitely until the Department of State completes its reassessment of visa processing.

The State Department spokesperson, Tommy Piggott, said that “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while procedures are reassessed to prevent entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”

The United States and Nigeria operate visa reciprocity policies, which means that countries set visa rules based on how their citizens are treated abroad.

If U.S. citizens face limits or high fees, Nigeria may impose similar restrictions through reciprocity schedules.

The key aspects include fees, validity periods and permitted numbers of entries.

The affected countries include Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil and Burma.

Others listed are Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

The other countries include Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan and Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco and Nepal.

The list also includes Nicaragua, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia and Uganda Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

APA News

US introduces $15,000 visa bond for Nigerians

The United States has introduced new travel restrictions that could require Nigerians applying for B1/B2 visas to post bonds of up to $15,000.

According to information published on the US Department of State’s website, Travel.State.Gov, the payment of a bond does not guarantee visa issuance, adding that fees paid without the direction of a consular officer will not be refunded.

Of the listed Nations, African countries accounted for 24 of the 38, including Nigeria, in the updated list released by the US State Department on Tuesday.

Visa bonds are financial guarantees required by the US State Department for certain foreign nationals from countries classified as high-risk, who are applying for B1/B2 visas for business or tourism purposes.

The implementation dates vary by country, with Nigeria’s date set for January 21, 2026.

The Department of State said nationals from the listed countries have been identified as requiring visa bonds, with implementation dates shown in parentheses.

Countries affected include Algeria (21 January 2026), Angola (21 January 2026), Antigua and Barbuda (21 January 2026), Bangladesh (21 January 2026), Benin (21 January 2026), Bhutan (1 January 2026), Botswana (1 January 2026), Burundi (21 January 2026), Cabo Verde (21 January 2026), Central African Republic (1 January 2026), Côte d’Ivoire (21 January 2026), Cuba (21 January 2026), Djibouti (21 January 2026), Dominica (21 January 2026).

Others are; Fiji (21 January 2026), Gabon (21 January 2026), The Gambia (11 October 2025), Guinea (1 January 2026), Guinea-Bissau (1 January 2026), Kyrgyzstan (21 January 2026), Malawi (20 August 2025), Mauritania (23 October 2025), Namibia (1 January 2026), Nepal (21 January 2026).

The rest are; Nigeria (21 January 2026), São Tomé and Príncipe (23 October 2025), Senegal (21 January 2026), Tajikistan (21 January 2026), Tanzania (23 October 2025), Togo (21 January 2026), Tonga (21 January 2026), Turkmenistan (1 January 2026), Tuvalu (21 January 2026), Uganda (21 January 2026), Vanuatu (21 January 2026), Venezuela (21 January 2026), Zambia (20 August 2025), and Zimbabwe (21 January 2026).

The directive states that, “Any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is otherwise found eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The amount is determined during the visa interview.

“Applicants must also submit the Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352. Applicants must also agree to the terms of the bond through the US Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform, Pay.gov. This requirement applies regardless of the place of application.”

It added that Visa holders who post bonds must enter the United States through designated airports, including Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

Bonds will only be refunded when the Department of Homeland Security records the visa holder’s departure from the United States on or before the expiration of their authorised stay, when the applicant does not travel before the visa expires, or when a traveller applies for and is denied admission at a US port of entry.

This development follows the introduction of partial US travel restrictions on Nigeria a week earlier. Nigeria was among 15 mostly African countries, including Angola, Antigua, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia and others that were placed under partial travel suspensions by the US government on 16 December.

In Nigeria’s case, the US cited the presence and operations of radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in certain parts of the country, resulting in “substantial screening and vetting difficulties.”

An overstay rate of 5.56 per cent for B1/B2 visas and 11.90 per cent for F, M, and J visas was also cited as a justification for Nigeria’s inclusion. As a result, the travel suspension covered immigrant visas as well as non-immigrant categories, including B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.

By Deborah Musa, Punch

Video - Nigerian aviation industry reels from US travel ban

US travel restrictions are full effect for 26 African countries, including 12 full bans and 14 partial bans, with Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, among those affected. These restrictions come at a time when Africa’s aviation sector was seeing new growth. In Nigeria, however, industry operators report a decline in passenger traffic on Nigeria-US routes, as the country had already been subject to strict visa regulations.

CGTN Africa

Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership Pushes For Stronger Cooperation In Energy Development

The director-general of the Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has called for stronger cooperation between Nigeria and China in the coming year.

Tegbe, in his new year message, extended warm Christmas and New Year greetings to Christians in Nigeria and China as they celebrate the yuletide season.

He reaffirmed that the NCSP remains committed to translating Nigeria–China cooperation into tangible economic gains through strategic investments in agriculture, automotive manufacturing, mining, steel, and energy, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In the message, Tegbe described Christmas as a season that embodies the enduring values of love, peace, sacrifice, and unity, principles he noted remain fundamental to fostering harmony within societies and strengthening international partnerships.

He urged Christians of Nigerian and Chinese descent to draw inspiration from the birth and life of Jesus Christ, as enshrined in the Holy Scriptures, and to continue to uphold these values in promoting peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and shared progress.

Looking ahead to 2026, Tegbe expressed optimism that the coming year holds immense potential for deepening cooperation and advancing the broader objectives of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Nigeria and China, particularly as both countries continue to strengthen economic ties.

By Chika Izuora, Leadership

Related story: Nigeria attracts $1.3bn Chinese lithium investment amid push for clean energy value chains

Nigeria provided US with intelligence for strikes on Islamist militants, says foreign minister

Nigeria provided the US with intelligence on jihadists before the strikes that took place in the country on Christmas Day, its foreign ministry said on Friday.

On Thursday, the US president, Donald Trump, said the US military had carried out strikes against Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria, after spending weeks decrying the group for targeting Christians.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the president said: “Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!

“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.”

Now, Nigerian foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, has told broadcaster ChannelsTV that he was on the phone with the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and that Nigeria “provided” the intelligence.

“We spoke twice. We spoke for 19 minutes before the strike and then we spoke again for another five minutes before it went on,” Tuggar said.

He added that they spoke “extensively” and that President Bola Tinubu gave “the go-ahead” to launch the strikes.

Tuggar did not rule out further strikes, describing them as an “ongoing process” that would also involve other countries.

In an interview with the BBC, Tuggar insisted the strikes had “nothing to do with a particular religion”. He said the operation did not have “anything to do with Christmas, it could be any other day - it is to do with attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians”.

Trump has previously said he would launch a “guns-a-blazing” US military intervention in Nigeria, claiming that the country’s government has been inadequate in its efforts to prevent attacks on Christians by Islamist groups.

The Guardian

US ramps up intelligence flights over Nigeria amid Trump’s intervention threat

The United States has stepped up intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November, according to flight-tracking data and current and former US officials cited by Reuters, signalling a renewed focus on security cooperation in West Africa.

The surveillance missions come weeks after President Donald Trump threatened possible military intervention in Nigeria, accusing the government of failing to curb violence against Christian communities. While the precise intelligence being collected remains unclear, the timing has heightened scrutiny of Washington’s intentions in Africa’s most populous country.

Flight data reviewed by Reuters shows that contractor-operated aircraft have been taking off from Accra, Ghana, flying over Nigerian territory, and returning to the Ghanaian capital.

The operator is Tenax Aerospace, a Mississippi-based company that provides special-mission aircraft and works closely with the US military. The company did not respond to requests for comment.

Analysts say the flights underscore a strategic recalibration following the US military’s forced withdrawal from Niger last year. Niger ordered American troops to leave a newly built air base and subsequently turned to Russia for security assistance, weakening Washington’s intelligence footprint in the Sahel.

Liam Karr, Africa team lead at the American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project, described the flights as an early indication that the US is rebuilding its intelligence and surveillance capacity in the region. He noted that Accra has long served as a key logistics hub for US military operations in Africa.

“In recent weeks, we have seen a resumption of intelligence and surveillance flights in Nigeria,” Karr said, adding that the operational pattern suggested a deliberate effort to re-establish situational awareness after setbacks elsewhere in the Sahel.

A former US official told Reuters that the aircraft was among several assets repositioned to Ghana in November under the Trump administration.

According to the official, the missions include attempts to locate a US pilot kidnapped earlier this year in neighbouring Niger Republic, as well as broader intelligence collection on militant activity in Nigeria.

Nigeria continues to battle multiple armed groups, most notably Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province, both of which have carried out deadly attacks in the country’s north east and beyond. Persistent insecurity has strained Nigeria’s security forces and drawn increasing international concern.

For African observers, the renewed US surveillance raises questions about sovereignty and the long-term implications of foreign military involvement.

For global audiences, it highlights how shifting alliances in the Sahel, coupled with domestic political rhetoric in Washington, are reshaping US engagement across West Africa.

Related story: Trump recalls US envoy to Nigeria as part of “America First” diplomatic overhaul

By Segun Adeyemi, Business Insider Africa

Burkina Faso releases 11 Air Force personnel after high-level Nigerian delegation visit

 

Burkina Faso has released 11 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pilots and crew members nine days after their detention, following high-level diplomatic intervention by the Nigerian government, easing tensions that had threatened to escalate into a wider diplomatic dispute between the two West African neighbours.

The release came shortly after a Nigerian delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, concluded engagements in Ouagadougou, including talks with Burkina Faso’s military leader, President Ibrahim Traoré.

The delegation included senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence and NAF Headquarters, and was mandated to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue.

According to security analyst Zagazola Makama, who cited a senior official familiar with the mission, the talks focused on de-escalation, confidence-building and securing the release of the detained personnel, while reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to international aviation rules, military protocols and regional cooperation.

The official said the visit showed Nigeria’s preference for diplomacy and neighbourly engagement, describing it as a deliberate effort to strengthen trust and reaffirm shared responsibilities in addressing the Sahel’s complex security challenges.

Sahel insecurity raises diplomatic stakes

The incident unfolded against a fragile regional backdrop marked by rising insecurity and political instability across the Sahel.

Military juntas in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have withdrawn from ECOWAS to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), straining relations with countries like Nigeria that remain committed to the regional bloc.

Burkina Faso initially detained eleven military personnel who were all aboard the Nigerian Air Force C‑130 aircraft after it made an emergency landing in Bobo‑Dioulasso without prior airspace clearance, a move that Burkinabè authorities described as a violation of sovereignty.

The Nigerian Air Force said the landing was a precautionary emergency stop due to a technical issue and was conducted in accordance with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.

Tensions have been compounded by recent security scares, including a reported botched coup attempt in Benin, reflecting the volatiliy of the region.

Against this backdrop, the detention of Nigerian military personnel risked escalating into a diplomatic standoff, particularly given lingering frictions following the AES states’ exit from ECOWAS.

Speaking after the meeting, Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar said Nigeria and Burkina Faso shared longstanding ties and common security concerns, noting that the engagement was aimed at reinforcing mutual understanding and neighbourly relations.

“We exchanged views on cooperation in several sectors. We also discussed the Nigerian aircraft that made an emergency landing in Burkina Faso,” Tuggar said.

He acknowledged procedural irregularities in the authorisation process for the aircraft’s entry into Burkinabè airspace, expressing Nigeria’s regret over the incident while emphasising Abuja’s respect for Burkina Faso’s sovereignty and international aviation protocols.

The minister also distanced the Federal Government from remarks by a Nigerian political party official alleging maltreatment of Nigerian military personnel in Burkina Faso.

“We clearly dissociate ourselves from those comments and express our sincere regrets to the government of Burkina Faso,” Tuggar said.

Analysts say the swift diplomatic engagement helped defuse tensions and prevented the episode from becoming a flashpoint in Nigeria–Burkina Faso relations, noting the two countries’ history of cooperation on security and counterterrorism.

By Solomon Ekanem, Business Insider Africa

President Tinubu nominates new oil regulators after chiefs resign amid Dangote dispute

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to confirm two new heads for Nigeria's oil and gas regulators after their predecessors abruptly quit, amid a high stakes clash between one agency and Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote.

Tinubu's nominations follow the exit of Gbenga Komolafe, chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, and Farouk Ahmed, head of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

Dangote has accused Ahmed of allowing the entry of cut-price fuel imports that threaten local refineries, including his 650,000-barrel-per-day Lagos plant, Africa's largest.

Dangote on Wednesday submitted a petition against Ahmed with one of Nigeria's antigraft agencies - the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Komolafe, who recently launched an oil block auction, has clashed with Dangote over failure to enforce a law requiring producers to prioritize local refineries.

The shake-up comes at a critical moment for Africa's top oil producer, where regulatory uncertainty and supply fears have dominated headlines since Dangote lodged a formal petition against Ahmed, citing governance concerns and claims of personal spending beyond declared income.

Analysts say the resignations are unlikely to have a major impact on the sector. Komolafe’s proposed successor, Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan, a former NNPC executive, spent more than three decades at the state oil company, including heading one of its subsidiaries.

Farouk’s replacement, Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, was named today as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy. With over 37 years of experience, he previously led an NNPC division and helped draft Nigeria’s Gas Master Plan.

"I don't think in either case, these resignations would adversely affect investor confidence," said Ayodele Oni, an energy lawyer and partner at Lagos-based Bloomfield law firm.

By Camillus Eboh, Tife Owolabi and Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters

U.S. revokes 85,000 visas held by Nigerians and other foreign nationals

The U.S. State Department has revoked a record 85,000 visas belonging to foreign nationals, including some Nigerians, as the Trump administration intensifies scrutiny of visitors entering the United States.

According to officials, more than 8,000 of the revoked visas were student visas, a figure that is more than double the number recorded in 2024.

Officials say the visa revocations were driven by a range of security and criminal concerns, including DUIs, assault and theft, offences that together accounted for nearly half of all cancellations over the past year.

“These are people who pose a direct threat to our communities’ safety, and we do not want to have them in our country,” a U.S. official said.

The update comes as Trump, upon assuming office, vowed to lead the largest deportation drive and crackdown on illegal immigrants in the United States.

Criminal and security concerns

U.S. consular officers have been instructed to take a tougher approach to H-1B applications and deny visas to anyone found to have engaged in “censorship or attempted censorship” of protected speech in the United States.

In November, the Department of State cited assault, theft, and driving under the influence among the major reasons for the visa revocations.

Other reasons include terrorism, supporting terrorism, public safety threats, and overstaying visas.

The administration also moved to pause immigration from 19 countries already subject to partial or full travel restrictions.

Last week, the State Department announced a new visa-restriction policy targeting individuals accused of orchestrating anti-Christian violence in Nigeria and other parts of the world. The measure follows a series of deadly attacks in the West African nation.

By Adekunle Agbetiloye, Business Insider Africa

Nigeria jails separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu for life on ‘terrorism’ charges

A Nigerian court has sentenced separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu to life in prison after convicting him on seven charges related to “terrorism” in a years-long trial.

In his ruling on Thursday, Nigerian Judge James Omotosho said prosecutors proved that Kanu’s broadcasts and orders to his now-banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group incited deadly attacks on security forces and citizens in the southeast.

The violence was part of his push for an independent Biafra state for the ethnic Igbo-dominated region.

Omotosho told the court that the “right to self-determination is a political right”, but he added that: “Any self-determination not done according to the constitution of Nigeria is illegal.”

Prosecutors had sought the death penalty against Kanu, but Omotosho said he chose to show mercy.

“The death penalty is now being frowned upon by the international community. Consequently, in the interests of justice, I hereby sentence the convict to life imprisonment … instead of [the] death sentence,” Omotosho ruled.

Kanu has 90 days to appeal.

Kanu, who has been in custody since his controversial re-arrest in Kenya in 2021, shouted angrily in objection to the proceedings and was ejected from court ahead of the ruling. He had argued that his unlawful extradition from Kenya undermined any chance of a fair trial.

Kanu pleaded not guilty in 2021 to seven charges that included “terrorism”, treason and perpetuating falsehoods against Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Kanu was first arrested in 2015, but fled the country while on bail. His social media posts during his absence and his Radio Biafra broadcasts outraged the government, which said they encouraged attacks on security forces.

Ultimately, security agents brought Kanu to court in Abuja in June 2021 after detaining him in Kenya, where his lawyer alleged he was mistreated. Kenya has denied involvement.

In October 2021, Kanu’s lawyers argued that his statements on Radio Biafra shouldn’t be admissible in a Nigerian court since they were made in London.

“I can’t see how someone would make a statement in London and it becomes a triable offence in this country,” Kanu’s lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor told reporters at the time.

Kanu, a dual Nigerian-British citizen, started Radio Biafra – an obscure, London-based radio station – in 2009 after he left Nigeria to study economics and politics at the London Metropolitan University.

In one broadcast, Kanu said: “We have one thing in common, all of us that believe in Biafra, one thing we have in common, a pathological hatred for Nigeria. I cannot begin to put into words how much I hate Nigeria.”

IPOB wants a swathe of the southeast, the homeland of the Igbo ethnic group, to split from Nigeria. An attempt to secede in 1967 as the Republic of Biafra triggered a three-year civil war that killed more than one million people.

By Abby Rogers, Al Jazeera

China opposes Trump’s threat against Nigeria, declares support for Nigerian Government

China has officially declared its opposition to US threats of sanctions or military actions against Nigeria over allegations of mass slaughter of Christians.

The Chinese government made its position known on Tuesday when Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning addressed a press conference in Beijing.

“As Nigeria’s comprehensive strategic partner, China firmly supports the Nigerian government in leading its people on the development path suited to its national conditions. China firmly opposes any country using religion and human rights as an excuse to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, and threatening other countries with sanctions and force,” Ms Ning said, according to the transcript of the interview posted on the Chinese government’s website.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the threat by US President Donald Trump to either sanction Nigeria or use military action if the Nigerian government does not stop what US officials claim is a genocide against Nigerian Christians.

Mr Trump also designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and claimed that Christianity faces an existential threat in Nigeria, as radical Islamic groups were killing thousands of Christians.

This comes after weeks of campaigns and demands by some US lawmakers for the country to sanction Nigeria for allowing the “persecution of Christians.”

The officials had falsely accused the Nigerian government of facilitating an anti-Christian crusade in an attempt to rid the country of Christians.

The Nigerian government has, however, repeatedly denied the claims.

In a statement issued on Saturday, President Bola Tinubu rejected the assertion of an existential threat to the Nigerian Christian faith, noting that the country strictly upholds the constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.

He stated that the portrayals of Nigeria as facilitating Christian genocide “do not reflect our national reality.”

He emphasised that Nigeria “opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.”

Similarly, the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that Nigeria is committed to tackling the violent extremism “fueled by special interests who have helped drive such decay and division in countries across the intersecting West African and Sahel regions.”

“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so,” it said.

By Beloved John, Premium Times

Related story: Nigeria pushes back on Trump’s claims over Christian killings

Nigeria pushes back on Trump’s claims over Christian killings

The Nigerian government has dismissed claims made by US President Donald Trump about the persecution of Christians in the West African nation, insisting that religious freedom is fully protected under the country’s constitution.

Responding to a reporter’s question at a news conference in Berlin on Tuesday, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar held up a document whose cover read “Nigeria’s Constitutional Commitment to Religious Freedom and Rule of Law”.

“All the answers are in there. This is what guides us,” Tuggar said, speaking alongside Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. “It’s impossible for there to be religious persecution that can be supported in any way, shape or form by the government of Nigeria at any level.”

Tuggar’s comments come after Trump wrote on social media on Saturday that if the Nigerian government “continues to allow the killing of Christians”, the US would stop all aid to the country. Trump added that he had instructed the so-called Department of War “to prepare for possible action”.

And on Sunday, Trump doubled down, saying Washington could deploy troops or conduct air strikes. “They are killing a record number of Christians in Nigeria,” he said. “We are not gonna allow that to happen.”

The threats came after the US president had redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern – a label the US government gives to countries seen as responsible for severe violations of religious freedom.

Trump’s assertions echo claims that have gained traction among right-wing and Christian evangelical circles in the past months. US Senator Ted Cruz, a Trump ally, blamed Nigerian officials for what he called “Christian massacres” and introduced in September the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, which, he said, aims to hold officials who “facilitate Islamic Jihadist violence and the imposition of blasphemy laws” accountable.

While admitting a problem with security issues, Nigerian officials rebuked Trump’s claims, saying that people across all faiths, not just Christians, are victims of armed groups’ violence. “The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, a Muslim from southern Nigeria who is married to a Christian pastor.

About 238 million people live in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation. Around 46 percent of the population is Muslim, largely residing in the north, and about 46 percent are Christian, mostly located in the south, according to the Association of Religion Data Archives.

For more than a decade, Boko Haram and other armed groups have clashed in the northeast, forcing millions of people from their homes. Since Tinubu took power two years ago, pledging stronger security, more than 10,000 people have been killed there, according to Amnesty International.

In the centre, there are increasing attacks on predominantly Christian farming communities by herders from the rival Fulani pastoral ethnic group, which is predominantly Muslim. The attacks there are mostly over access to water and pasture.

By Virginia Pietromarchi, Al Jazeera

Video - Nigeria-US tensions rise over religious killings claims

US President Donald Trump has threatened military action against Nigeria, accusing the government of failing to protect Christians. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu rejected the claims, saying insecurity affects all Nigerians regardless of faith and that freedom of worship is guaranteed.

CGTN Africa

Video - Trump threatens to launch attacks in Nigeria over ‘killing of Christians’

US President Donald Trump is threatening to send military forces into Nigeria, unless the government stops what he called the killings of Christians by terrorists. A few hours before Trump’s threat, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu released a statement stressing that his government “continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions”. Bulama Bukarti, a Nigerian humanitarian lawyer and analyst on conflict and development, told Al Jazeera that President Trump's claims are not credible.

CGTN Africa

Security fears grow as bomb threat targets Nigerian lawmakers

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Internal Security, Garba Muhammad, on Tuesday, disclosed that the group received a bomb threat from a terrorist group.

He noted that the terrorists threatened to bomb the building of NASS, and as a result, called for increased security.

Speaking at an open session on a bill to set up the Legislative Security Directorate, the Chairman of NASS, as seen on Vanguard, claimed that the seat of Nigeria's democracy was increasingly facing serious security challenges, such as car and motorcycle theft, vandalism, fake identity cards, and infiltration by unregistered visitors.

What the National Assembly said

“We have received threats from terrorists to bomb the National Assembly complex and threats from protesters to lock up the National Assembly,” he stated.

“Legislators are exposed to threats from constituents and others who gain easy access into their offices without any formal appointment,” he added.

Continuing on the subject of safeguarding government officials, including senators, House of Representatives members, and other administrative workers, he stated, “It is obvious that with the ongoing security challenges, if proper measures are not taken, it will truncate the legislative activities in the National Assembly.”

He also noted that “If activities are thwarted, there will be no representation, no oversight, no annual budget, no plenary at all, and that will destabilise legislative procedure, democracy, and the stability of the system, and our nation at large.”

The legislator also called on state Houses of Assembly within the nation to follow suit to guarantee complete and extensive security across Nigeria.

“I also want to admonish our State Houses of Assembly to imbibe the same,” Muhammad added, wishing participants a “peaceful and fruitful hearing that will ultimately bring a turnaround in National Assembly security architecture.”

He pointed out that adopting the law would be a significant step in securing Nigeria's democratic institutions and urged everyone to be in support of it.

By Chinedu Okafor, Business Insider Africa

Nigeria’s Nobel-winning author Wole Soyinka says his US visa was revoked

 

Nobel Prize-winning author Wole Soyinka said on Tuesday that his non-resident visa to enter the United States had been rejected, adding that he believes it may be because he recently criticized U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Nigerian author, 91, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, becoming the first African to do so.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Soyinka said he believed it had little to do with him and was instead a product of the United States’ immigration policies. He said he was told to reapply if he wished to enter again.

“It’s not about me, I’m not really interested in going back to the United States,” he said. “But a principle is involved. Human beings deserve to be treated decently wherever they are.”

Soyinka, who has taught in the U.S. and previously held a green card, joked on Tuesday that his green card “had an accident” eight years ago and “fell between a pair of scissors.” In 2017, he destroyed his green card in protest of President Trump’s first inauguration.

The letter he received informing him of his visa revocation cites “additional information became available after the visa was issued,” as the reason for its revocation, but does not describe what that information was.

Soyinka believes it may be because he recently referred to Trump as a “white version of Idi Amin,” a reference to the dictator who ruled Uganda from 1971 until 1979.

The U.S. Consulate in Nigeria’s commercial hub, Lagos, directed all questions to the State Department press office in Washington, D.C., which did not respond to immediate requests for comment.

Soyinka jokingly referred to it as a “love letter” and said that while he did not blame the officials, he would not be applying for another visa.

“I have no visa. I am banned, obviously, from the United States, and if you want to see me, you know where to find me.”

By Wilson McMakin, AP

Video - Nigerian President Tinubu: Country is on economic recovery path

President Bola Tinubu says that Nigerians should brace for better days ahead following drastic and controversial reforms that have left millions struggling with rising costs. However, analysts disagree, saying the country of nearly 200 million people is struggling with a high unemployment rate.

CGTN Africa

Despite pervasive insecurity, Tinubu says his govt winning war against violent crimes

Despite the regular killing and kidnapping of Nigerians in different parts of the country by armed groups, President Bola Tinubu said security agencies in his administration “are winning the war against terrorism, banditry and other violent crimes.”

The Nigerian leader spoke Wednesday in a nationwide broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary.

PREMIUM TIMES has reported several cases of killings by armed groups in states like Niger, Kwara, Katsina, Zamfara, Anambra, and Borno. The killings have continued despite the efforts of security agencies.

Mr Tinubu, however, said victories achieved need to be celebrated.

“Peace has returned to hundreds of our liberated communities in North-West and North-East, and thousands of our people have returned safely to their homes,” he said.

Is Security Improving

The president’s words could pass as a political statement that does not reflect what millions of Nigerians are going through.

An analysis of Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a global data hub that collects real-time conflict-related data, showed that 7,472 people were killed while 12,584 were abducted in President Tinubu’s two years leadership. This data, based on attacks from 29 May 2023 to 19 May 2025, focuses exclusively on deaths and abductions perpetrated by terror groups.

Although the country has recorded some achievements against insecurity including the killings of over 15,000 insurgents in the North-east, the arrests of Ansaru leaders and the killings of bandits kingpins, the continued waves of violence put these feats to test.

Waves of violence

Terrorists continue to disrupt peace and stability in the three geopolitical zones in the north.

For the past few weeks, they have intensified attacks against civilians and security forces.

In Borno State, where Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have made a strong comeback, there is a resurgence of attacks and redisplacement of recently resettled communities.

Since January, insurgents have killed more than 130 people including in Borno. Some of the attacks as seen here, here, here, and here, targeted civilians and soldiers who were ambushed at their bases.

The North-east insurgency ravaging BAY (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe) states has lingered for 15 years, resulting in more than 40,000 deaths and around two million displacements.

In Niger State where bandits groups often collaborate with core terrorist groups like the Sadiku Boko Haram faction, abductions and killings have resurfaced.

Local residents told PREMIUM TIMES that armed gangs have laid siege to several communities in the northern senatorial district in the state. On Monday, the terrorists kidnapped many people from this area, including a former chairperson of Niger State Universal Basic Education Board.

A worse and similar pattern was witnessed in neighbouring Kwara State. At least 15 vigilantes and hunters were killed by terrorists in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area. Scores of villagers were also abducted during the raid.

In Patigi Local Government Area, where a pregnant woman and nine others were killed, several villages have been devastated by terrorists who specialise in cattle rustling and kidnapping for ransom.

Violence seemed to have simmered in Benue following the infamous Yelwata attack that claimed more than 200 lives, but attacks against security forces continue with the latest killing of nine police officers last month.

In Plateau, gunmen killed six people and abducted two others on 14 September in a village in Bokkos Local Government Area.

In the South-east, Amnesty International said at least 1,844 people were killed between January 2021 and June 2023. PREMIUM TIMES understands that the violence continues in remote areas.

The South-south region is also faced with a peculiar threat including waterway abductions, according to our analysis of the ACLED data. Cultism and other forms of violence remain the major threats in South-west.

By Yakubu Mohammed, Premium Times

President Tinubu says "worst is over" on independence day amid worsening hardship

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu declared on Wednesday that the “worst is over” following a series of painful economic reforms that have left millions struggling with rising costs and deepening poverty.

In a national address marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day, Tinubu defended his administration’s decision to scrap fuel subsidies and unify the foreign exchange rate - moves that triggered inflation and widespread public anger but, he said, were necessary to “reset” the economy.

“Less than three years later, the seeds of those difficult but necessary decisions are bearing fruit,” Tinubu said.

He cited second-quarter GDP growth of 4.23% - the fastest in four years - and a decline in inflation to 20.12% in August, the lowest in three years.

Tinubu also pointed to five consecutive quarters of trade surpluses, a rebound in oil production to 1.68 million barrels per day, and a rise in external reserves to $42.03 billion - the highest since 2019.

The president said the government had disbursed 330 billion naira ($222.90 million) to eight million vulnerable households under its social investment programme and was expanding infrastructure across rail, roads, airports, and seaports.

However, critics questioned the transparency of the cash transfer scheme. Two weeks ago, the finance minister announced the disbursement, sparking calls for a public register of beneficiaries.

Despite Tinubu’s upbeat tone, the IMF’s most recent Article IV assessment warned of persistently high inflation and worsening poverty.

Over 129 million Nigerians - more than half the population - live below the poverty line, while funding cuts by international donors have forced the World Food Programme to shut down 150 nutrition centres in the conflict-hit northeast.

“We are racing against time,” Tinubu said, even as critics including opposition party leader Peter Obi argue that his spending priorities have not matched the scale of the country’s humanitarian and economic challenges.

The speech comes amid growing labour unrest over the recent dismissal of 800 workers at the privately owned Dangote Oil Refinery for unionising.

The dispute has disrupted power supply and could threaten the oil production gains touted by Tinubu. ($1=1,480.4900 naira)

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters

Bill Maher calls out media for ignoring killing of Christians in Nigeria

 

Comedian and television host Bill Maher, known for his acerbic wit, is calling out the media for its silence on the ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

“If you don’t know what’s going on in Nigeria, your media sources suck. You are in a bubble. And, again, I’m not a Christian, but they are systematically killing the Christians in Nigeria,” Maher said on his show “Real Time with Bill Maher” on September 27.

“They’ve killed over 100,000 since 2009. They’ve burned 18,000 churches,” Maher said. “This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza. They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country. Where are the kids protesting this?”

Maher famously hosted the show “Politically Incorrect” and has said he is not beholden to any party or ideology. He often provides scathing sociopolitical commentary on his television show and podcast.

By Susie Pinto, News Nation