Compilations of top 10 key latest updates that you need to know this Thursday morning, 25th December, 2025
Christmas messages: Tinubu, govs preach unity, NLC rejects unfair taxation
As the Christian faithful mark the birth of Jesus Christ today, President Bola Tinubu and state governors have admonished Nigerians to embrace peace.
The President reaffirmed his commitment to religious tolerance, declaring that no Nigerian would be made to suffer or die because of their religious beliefs, just as the Nigeria Labour Congress demanded tax justice.
In his Christmas message to Nigerians released on Wednesday, the President stressed that religious tolerance remains a core national value that binds the country together despite its diversity.
“No one, regardless of ethnicity or belief, should be made to suffer for professing and practising his faith,” Tinubu said.
“The love for God and the love for humanity are at the heart of all great faiths.
These shared values must continue to bind us together as one indivisible and resilient people of our blessed country,” he added in the message personally signed by him.
Corruption masking God’s blessings on Nigeria – EFCC chair
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has said corruption is masking God’s abundant blessings on Nigeria and continues to hold the country back from attaining its full potential.
Olukoyede made the remarks in Abuja on Wednesday in his Christmas message to Nigerians, where he urged citizens to unite against corruption in order to unlock national prosperity and strength.
According to him, corruption remains a major obstacle to Nigeria’s progress, preventing the manifestation of the abundant life God intends for the nation.
“Let’s join hands together to make our nation greater, stronger and richer. Corruption is a drawback.
We should confront it more fiercely to allow the abundant life of God manifest in our nation,” the EFCC chairman said.
He called on Nigerians to collectively resist corrupt practices and work together to build a country that is stronger, more prosperous and more respected among the comity of nations.
MDAs underfunded by N15tn in three years
Capital spending by Federal Government ministries, departments, and agencies has remained severely constrained over the last three fiscal years, even as retained revenues expanded and debt service absorbed an overwhelming share of available resources, according to findings by The PUNCH.
An analysis of data from the Budget Office of the Federation’s Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper reports covering 2023, 2024, and the January–July period of 2025 showed that MDAs’ capital expenditure votes were persistently underfunded, leaving a cumulative gap of N15.21tn over the three-year period.
Despite successive increases in headline capital budgets, actual releases and spending failed to keep pace, reflecting deep structural pressure on public finances, largely driven by rising debt service obligations.
Over the three years, capital expenditure under the category “Capital Expenditure (MDAs + Others)” totalled N27.33tn when measured on a comparable basis that includes the 2025 pro rata.
Actual capital expenditure traceable to those votes amounted to N12.13tn, leaving a shortfall of N15.21tn.
Japa: Nigerian nurses practising in UK hit over 16,000
No fewer than 16,156 Nigerian-trained nurses and midwives have been licensed to practise in the United Kingdom between 2017 and September 30, 2025, The PUNCH reports.
This figure is based on the latest data from the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council register, obtained exclusively by our correspondent on Wednesday.
The figure highlights a significant trend in the brain drain of the healthcare workforce trained in Nigeria, a trend now known as japa, seeing skilled professionals leaving for countries that offer better remuneration, career advancement, and working conditions.
The migration of healthcare workers poses a serious challenge to Nigeria’s healthcare system, particularly in underserved areas, and underscores the need for urgent policies to retain healthcare workers and strengthen domestic capacity.
The NMC is the regulatory body in the UK responsible for registering qualified professionals and investigating concerns related to nurses, midwives, and nursing associates.
In an email correspondence with our correspondent, the NMC stated, “As on 30 September 2025, there were 16,156 nurses on the register who were educated in Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, as of March 31, 2025, the number of Nigerian-trained nurses was 15,421, representing a 4.8 per cent rise over the six months.
CITN warns over discrepancies in 2025 tax laws, urges probe
The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria has warned of risks to which the country may be exposed following alleged discrepancies between tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions eventually gazetted.
In a position paper signed and released on Wednesday by its 17th President and Chairman-in-Council, Innocent Ohagwa, the Institute said such developments pose serious risks to governance, legal certainty and public confidence.T
The allegations of alterations in the new tax reform laws have sparked calls for a probe into the alleged illegal changes.
The tax laws, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, were signed recently by President Bola Tinubu.
Some lawmakers, led by a Sokoto lawmaker, Abdussamad Dasuki, alleged discrepancies between the harmonised bills passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and the versions gazetted.
In response, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, constituted a seven-member committee chaired by the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Mukhtar Betara, to investigate the allegations.
According to the Institute, the integrity of the legislative process is fundamental to the rule of law, good governance and public confidence in democratic institutions.
Aliyu unveils new security strategy to end banditry in Sokoto
Sokoto State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu, has rolled out new initiatives to intensify the fight against banditry, saying his administration is determined to make the menace a thing of the past.
The governor disclosed this on Wednesday while declaring open the 17th regular State Executive Council meeting in Sokoto, described as the last council session for the year 2025.
Banditry has been a major cause of rural insecurity in Sokoto, characterised by violent attacks, mass displacement of villagers, livestock rustling, kidnappings for ransom, and disruption of socio-economic activities.
Aliyu said the new measures, which complement ongoing security efforts, are designed to strengthen intelligence gathering and improve coordination with security agencies, noting that existing strategies were already yielding positive results.
Mohammed takes over as NMDPRA chief
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority on Tuesday completed a leadership transition as its outgoing Authority Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed, formally handed over to the incoming chief executive, Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, in a ceremony, underscoring continuity and accountability.
The Authority disclosed this in a post on its official X handle, where it said the ceremony underscored its commitment to institutional continuity, accountability, and effective leadership.
According to the post, the formal handover ceremony brought together the Authority’s Executive Directors, senior management, and staff, and culminated in the symbolic transfer of official documents and responsibilities from Ahmed to Mohammed.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority on Tuesday held a formal Handover Ceremony marking the transition between the outgoing Authority Chief Executive, Engr. Farouk Ahmed and the incoming Authority Chief Executive, Engr. Saidu Aliyu Mohammed.
The event underscored the Authority’s commitment to institutional continuity, accountability, and effective leadership.
Christmas: Police deploy 1,000 officers across Borno after mosque bomb blast
The Borno State Police Command has deployed over 1,000 officers across major streets, flashpoints and churches as Christians celebrate Christmas, following a bomb blast that killed five people and injured 35 others at a mosque on Wednesday evening.
The blast occurred around 6pm when worshippers had gathered at the Al-Adum Mosque for prayers in Gamboru Market, Maiduguri.
Speaking exclusively to our correspondent on Thursday morning, the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, Nahum Daso, said that although security measures were already in place, Wednesday’s incident necessitated heightened security arrangements.
Daso said the police, in collaboration with other security agencies, would dominate all worship centres and recreational facilities, while urging residents to go about their lawful activities.
PDP condemns Maiduguri mosque bombing, accuses Tinubu govt of failing on security
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned Wednesday’s bomb explosion at a mosque in Maiduguri, Borno State, describing the attack as unacceptable and blaming the administration of President Bola Tinubu for what it called a failure to protect the lives and property of Nigerians
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the opposition party said the incident was a grim reminder of the worsening security situation across the country.
“The news of an explosion at a mosque in Gamboru Market, Maiduguri, is another sad reminder of the rising insecurity that has become the unfortunate contemporary reality Nigerians face,” the party said.
“The news of an explosion at a mosque in Gamboru Market, Maiduguri, is another sad reminder of the rising insecurity that has become the unfortunate contemporary reality Nigerians face,” the party said
Describing the attack as “totally unacceptable,” the PDP argued that the primary responsibility of any government is the protection of citizens.“
The irreducible minimum the government should offer its people is the protection of lives and property.
This administration has failed woefully in this respect and should rise to the occasion rather than resort to rhetoric and playing politics with security,” the statement added.
The PDP also commiserated with families of those who lost their loved ones in the attack, stressing that no Nigerian should be killed while worshipping.
“I thought I was ending the year single but God said No” – Nkechi Blessing writes as she shares lovely photos with her new man
Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing isn’t ending the Year in the single club.
The mother of one, via her Instagram page, shared photos of her in matching pyjamas outfit with a mystery man, revealing that she thought she would end the year single, but God said No
Wishing her fans and family Merry Christmas, she prayed that they have the best of celebration.
I tot I was ending the year single, but God said NO
Merry Christmas from me and mine. Wishing you all the very best of celebration.
