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 Three Casualties After Lagos High-Rise Fire Three bodies have been recovered three days after the fire at the Great Nigeria Insurance building on Martin Street, Lagos Island. According to a casualty report released by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the deceased include one adult female and two males, who were recovered from the collapsed structure. Eight males, including a firefighter, sustained varying degrees of injuries. They were released after treatment at the hospital. Additionally, three males and two females with minor injuries who received first aid at the scene of the fire incident were subsequently released. Search and Rescue efforts involving LASEMA Response Teams, NEMA, Red Cross and LASG Fire and Rescue Service are still ongoing, to locate other reportedly trapped victims in the affected building.

  PRESS RELEASE FG GRADUATES OVER 7,000 FOREST GUARDS, SET FOR IMMEDIATE DEPLOYMENT The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), has announced the graduation of over 7,000 newly recruited Forest Guards drawn from seven frontline states, following the successful completion of an intensive three-month training programme under the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative launched by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in May 2025. The initiative represents a coordinated Federal–State security intervention aimed at reclaiming Nigeria’s forests from criminal exploitation. The graduation ceremonies were held on 27 December 2025 across Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi States. The programme is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security architecture by denying terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal groups sanctuary within forested and hard-to-reach terrains. The training programme was deliberately intensive, struc...

 Ex-convict, 3 others arrested over UK-bound cocaine consignment in liquid starch sachets . NDLEA recovers tons of skunk, opioids in Ekiti, Edo, Cross River, Gombe, Taraba, FCT, Lagos raids; nabs wanted businessman linked to Tincan port ‘Loud’ shipment A notorious drug trafficker Nwobodo Chidiebere Basil previously convicted of dealing in 30.10kg methamphetamine in 2023 has again been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following the seizure of 75 parcels of cocaine weighing 1.50 kilograms concealed in factory sealed sachets of cold-water starch heading to the United Kingdom at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos. Three cargo agents: Jubrin Firdausi Hassana; Kuku Daniel Oluwasegun; and Igwe Chioma Jane involved in the attempt to export the consignment to the UK were swiftly arrested on Saturday 20th December 2025 before further investigations unraveled 37-year-old Nwobodo Chidiebere Basil as the mas...

 Sudan conflict: Women, children among over 200 killed in fresh ethnic killings in Darfur - medics More than 200 people, including women and children, were killed in ethnically motivated attacks carried out by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in parts of Darfur, according to a statement released Saturday by the Sudan Doctors Network. Citing testimonies from survivors who arrived at displacement camps in Tina, near the Sudan-Chad border, the network said civilians were targeted and killed on an ethnic basis in the areas of Ambro and Abu Qamra in North Darfur and Sirba in West Darfur after RSF forces attacked the locations. “The victims included children, women and men who were deliberately targeted and killed on ethnic grounds,” the statement said, describing the assaults as a gross violation of international humanitarian and human rights law. The reported killings came amid intensified fighting in North Darfur. The Joint Force of Armed Movements, which is allied with...

 Guinea votes in presidential election expected to cement Doumbouya's rule Guinea votes on Sunday in a presidential election widely expected to hand Mamady Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup, a seven-year mandate, completing the West African nation’s transition back to civilian rule. The former special forces commander, believed to be in his early 40s, faces eight other candidates in a fragmented field with no strong challenger. Ousted president Alpha Conde and longtime opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo remain in exile. Guinea holds the world's largest bauxite reserves and the richest untapped iron ore deposit at Simandou, officially launched last month after years of delay. Doumbouya has claimed credit for pushing the project forward and ensuring Guinea benefits from its output. His government this year also revoked EGA subsidiary Guinea Alumina Corporation's license after a refinery dispute, transferring its assets to a state-owned firm. The turn toward resou...

 UK secures migrant return deal with Angola, Namibia; DRC faces visa curbs Angola and Namibia have agreed to accept the return of illegal migrants and criminals after the British government threatened visa penalties for countries refusing to cooperate, the UK Home Office said late on Saturday. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been stripped of fast-track visa services and preferential treatment for VIPs and decision-makers after failing to meet Britain's requirements to improve cooperation, the Home Office said. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Britain could escalate measures to a complete halting of visas for the DRC unless "co-operation rapidly improves." "We expect countries to play by the rules. If one of their citizens has no right to be here, they must take them back," the Home Secretary added, Reuters reported. The agreements mark the first major change under reforms announced last month to make refugee status temporary and speed up the deportat...

 Burundian Troops Deployed in DRC Will Remain in Country Until Threats Are Eliminated: President The security of the DRC is Burundi's security, and the eastern regions of this neighboring country constitute Burundi's forward line of defense, declared Évariste Ndayishimiye during his end-of-year review, Sputnik reported. Burundian forces are operating in coordination with the Congolese army against armed groups threatening both countries, he emphasized, noting the RED-Tabara rebellion, which, according to him, uses South Kivu as a base to attack Burundi. Deployed since 2023 at Kinshasa's request, the Burundian contingent is mainly positioned in South Kivu province. It recently participated in fighting against the M23, suffering losses.