News
FG Evacuates 258 Nigerians from South Africa, Signs Prisoner Transfer Deal for 98 Inmates in Ethiopia
The Federal Government has intensified its citizen diplomacy policy with two major interventions aimed at protecting Nigerians abroad, including the evacuation of citizens from South Africa amid rising xenophobic attacks and the signing of a prisoner transfer agreement with Ethiopia to facilitate the return of Nigerian inmates.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said the initiatives underscore President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that no Nigerian is abandoned, regardless of where they reside.
According to the Minister’s Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Dr. Magnus Eze, about 1,000 Nigerians have so far registered for voluntary evacuation from South Africa ahead of the June 30 deadline set by the Nigerian government.
The first batch of 258 returnees was airlifted to Nigeria and received at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos on June 11, 2026, by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.
Speaking on the situation in South Africa, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the Renewed Hope Administration had directed that Nigerians facing threats to their safety and wishing to return home should do so before the expiration of the evacuation window.
She strongly condemned the wave of xenophobic attacks reportedly carried out by anti-migrant vigilante groups, accusing them of looting businesses, invading homes, and intimidating foreign nationals.
“This xenophobic action is causing reputational damage,” the minister said, lamenting that the violence undermines the Pan-African ideals championed by South Africa’s late anti-apartheid icon, Nelson Mandela.
“The late Madiba worked so hard to project South Africa as a bastion of Pan-Africanism, and these actions have severely damaged that legacy,” she stated.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu highlighted the human impact of the attacks, noting that many Nigerians have built families and businesses in South Africa, with some children knowing no other home.
She also disclosed that South Africa had set aside a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding signed with Nigeria in October 2025 on early warning mechanisms against xenophobic violence, reportedly arguing that those who signed the agreement lacked the authority to do so.
The minister noted that several African countries, including Ghana, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, have also commenced evacuating their citizens from South Africa.
On the economic implications of the crisis, Odumegwu-Ojukwu pointed out that more than 120 South African companies currently operate freely in Nigeria, including MTN Nigeria�, MultiChoice Nigeria�, Stanbic IBTC� and Protea Hotels�.
She questioned why Nigerians in South Africa were facing hostility despite the cordial business environment enjoyed by South African firms in Nigeria, adding that the government may be compelled to review its options if the situation persists.
The minister stressed that Nigeria remains committed to diplomacy and the rule of law, explaining that any retaliatory measures would have to follow constitutional processes involving the National Assembly.
Nigeria, Ethiopia Sign Prisoner Transfer Agreement
In a separate development, the Federal Government has signed a Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement with Ethiopia, paving the way for 98 Nigerians currently serving prison terms in Ethiopia to complete their sentences in Nigeria.
The inmates are being held at the Kaliti and Aba Samuel maximum-security prisons in Ethiopia.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the agreement followed years of engagement after concerns were raised over the inmates’ living conditions, including poor feeding, inadequate healthcare, restricted visitation rights, limited legal assistance, and language barriers.
She revealed that four Nigerian inmates died while negotiations for the agreement were ongoing.
The minister dismissed as false a viral report claiming that 136 Nigerians were incarcerated in Ethiopian prisons, insisting that the agreement specifically covers 98 inmates.
She also rejected suggestions that the prisoners came from a particular ethnic group or region of the country.
“A lot of them are from the Southeast. There are also those from the Southwest and the South-South. Crime has no ethnicity,” she said.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu further clarified that the transfer does not amount to a pardon, noting that a key provision of the agreement prevents Nigeria from granting amnesty or presidential pardon to any transferred inmate without the consent of the Ethiopian government.
“The government is determined to bring the inmates home to serve their sentences with dignity without exposing them to inhuman conditions,” she added.
The minister said both the evacuation exercise and the prisoner transfer arrangement reflect the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad and promoting a citizen-centred foreign policy, adding that efforts are ongoing to assist other Nigerians facing challenges in different parts of the world.
By Chinedu Sabastine
ENUGU — Umuchigbo Iji Nike Autonomous Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State has fixed Sunday, September 13, 2026, for its annual New Yam Festival.
The cultural celebration, which is scheduled to commence at 3 p.m., is being organised under the leadership of the Executive Chairman of Umuchigbo, Hon. Chief Afam Joseph Ogbene, popularly known as Akirika Chioku 1, Na Nike Kingdom.
The festival is expected to showcase the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the people of Umuchigbo and Umuenwene in Iji Nike Autonomous Community, while promoting unity and communal bonding.
Ogbene, in an invitation to the festival, described the celebration as an opportunity for the people to preserve their cultural heritage, strengthen community ties and give thanks for the year’s harvest.
He said, “Our New Yam Festival is more than a cultural celebration. It is a time for us to come together as one people, appreciate our heritage and give thanks for the blessings of the year.”
According to him, the event will also provide an opportunity for sons and daughters of the community, as well as friends and well-wishers, to reconnect and celebrate together.
“We are inviting everyone to come and celebrate with us. It is a celebration of our culture, our community and thanksgiving for the new yam season,” he added.
According to the invitation, activities will commence at Ogbene’s residence on Akirika Chioku Avenue, Nome Ogba Aniji Road, Umuchigbo, before proceeding to Obodoeze Iji Village Square, Odangene, for the New Yam rites and masquerade display.
The event will also feature traditional cuisine, music and other forms of cultural entertainment.
The organisers urged sons and daughters of Umuchigbo, friends, well-wishers and members of the public to join the community in celebrating the festival.
The Nigerian Army has announced a major reshuffle of senior officers, with several major generals and brigadier generals redeployed to key command, operational and administrative positions.
The changes, approved by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, are aimed at strengthening the Army’s operational effectiveness.
Major General IA Ajose has been appointed the new Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI. He moves from the Department of Army Operations at Army Headquarters to take charge of military operations against insurgency in the North-East.
Other notable appointments include:
Major General AE Abubakar — Dean, Faculty of Operational Research, Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre.
Major General AM Alechenu — Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre.
Major General RT Utsaha — Commander, Defence Headquarters Garrison.
Major General AM Umar — Commandant, Army War College Nigeria.
Major General UM Alkali — Director, Department of Civil-Military Affairs.
Major General GS Muhammed — Director General, Nigerian Army Finance Corporation.
Major General JE Osifo — Chairman, Military Pension Board.
Major General IE Ekpenyong — Director of Engineering Services, Defence Logistics, Defence Headquarters.
The reshuffle also affects several brigadier generals, including Brigadier General AA Bello, Brigadier General MS Adamu, Brigadier General MS Sule, Brigadier General I Sule, Brigadier General E Azenda and Brigadier General AS Bugaje, who have all been assigned to new command or administrative roles.
The Chief of Army Staff directed the newly posted officers to carry out their responsibilities with professionalism, dedication and a strong sense of duty.
More than 24 feared dead in suspected poisoning incident in Ondo
More than 24 people have reportedly died following a suspected poisoning incident in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The deaths were recorded in Araromi-Obu, Orita New Town and Odigbo communities, while several other residents affected by the incident are receiving treatment at various hospitals.
The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, confirmed the incident but said he could not provide further details until medical experts conduct a professional assessment and determine the cause of the deaths and illnesses.
As a precaution, the local government has restricted the sale and consumption of sachet herbal concoctions and similar drinks being hawked in the affected communities.
Residents have been advised to avoid suspicious herbal mixtures, unverified sachet products and other substances of uncertain origin pending the outcome of medical examinations and laboratory tests.
Authorities are expected to carry out further investigations to establish the source of the suspected poisoning and confirm the exact cause of the deaths.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Residents of Umudimishi Village, Umuoru, in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, have petitioned Governor Chukwuma Soludo over the worsening menace of gully erosion allegedly caused by illegal and unregulated sand mining activities in the community.
The villagers said about 120 buildings are currently threatened by the expanding gully, with some residents already making arrangements to relocate for fear of losing their homes to the erosion.
In the petition addressed to Governor Soludo and copied to the state Ministries of Environment and Works, the villagers alleged that the activities of sand miners posed a serious threat to human lives, property and the continued existence of the community.
The petition, signed by the Chairman of Umudimishi Development Union, Nze Ibeabuchi Umeugochukwu, stated that several homes in the area were located only a few metres from the mining sites and had consequently become vulnerable to erosion.
The villagers said: “Many homesteads in Umudimishi are close to and along the line of mining by few metres and, as a result, stand eroded in the course of this ecological problem fueled by unregulated sand mining.”
They further alleged that the erosion menace was largely triggered by human activities, particularly unregulated sand mining along the Aguata-Orumba axis, where they said the soil structure was highly susceptible to erosion.
According to them, “Erosion menace is being triggered by human factor of unregulated sand mining, especially as it is in Aguata-Orumba Axis where the sand structure is prone to erosion, which is the major environmental hazard in the region.”
The community also claimed that sand mining had become the major source of environmental crises affecting Umudimishi Quarter, Umuoru Village and Uga generally.
Beyond the environmental consequences, the villagers expressed concern that the availability of quick money from sand mining was discouraging youths from learning vocational skills.
They said many youths now preferred sand mining to acquiring skills, while the worsening erosion had also discouraged residents and prospective investors from establishing businesses in the area.
The villagers therefore appealed to Governor Soludo to permanently shut down the mining sites in Umudimishi to prevent further deterioration of the already deplorable environmental situation.
They also urged the governor to direct the appropriate agency of the Anambra State Government to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the erosion sites and produce a comprehensive report with recommendations on how to tackle the problem and reclaim lands already lost to erosion.
The petitioners said urgent intervention by the state government was necessary to protect lives, homes and the remaining land in the community from further destruction.
News
Major Generals to Receive Up to ₦25.91m Yearly as Tinubu Approves New Military Pension Structure
The Federal Government has approved a new pensionable salary structure for personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force, effective September 1, 2026.
The approval was communicated in a circular issued on September 3 by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
Under the new structure, the highest-ranking officers—Generals, Admirals and Air Chief Marshals—have annual pensionable salaries ranging from ₦21.9 million to ₦29.75 million, depending on their salary steps. The highest figure is equivalent to about ₦2.48 million monthly when divided by 12.
Other approved pensionable salary ranges include:
Lieutenant Generals, Vice Admirals and Air Marshals: ₦16.99m–₦25.91m annually.
Major Generals, Rear Admirals and Air Vice Marshals: ₦14.98m–₦23.9m.
Brigadier Generals, Commodores and Air Commodores: ₦13.86m–₦16.39m.
Colonels, Captains and Group Captains: ₦8.31m–₦9.49m.
Lieutenant Colonels, Commanders and Wing Commanders: ₦7.55m–₦8.74m.
Majors, Lieutenant Commanders and Squadron Leaders: ₦5.99m–₦7.01m.
Captains, Lieutenants and Flight Lieutenants: ₦5.28m–₦6.42m.
Second Lieutenants, Midshipmen and Pilot Officers: ₦4.92m–₦5.59m.
The new schedule also covers non-commissioned personnel. Warrant Officers have pensionable salaries ranging from ₦4.53 million to ₦5.17 million annually, while Privates, Ordinary Seamen and Aircraftmen fall within the range of ₦2.28 million to ₦2.49 million.
The government, however, clarified that the figures are pensionable salaries used to calculate retirement benefits and should not be interpreted as the actual monthly salaries or take-home pay of serving military personnel.
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