Compilations of Top 10 Key Latest Updates You Need To Know This Wednesday Morning, 3rd December, 2025
Nigerian Senate Set To Screen Defence Minister Nominee, Christopher Musa
The Senate will on Wednesday screen the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, following his nomination by President Bola Tinubu as the new Minister of Defence.
The announcement was made by the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, in a statement.
He stressed that the screening is a critical step in strengthening the country’s internal peace and stability amid escalating security challenges.
Musa’s nomination comes after the resignation of the former Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, who stepped down citing health concerns
Sowore’s Lawyer, Abubakar Marshal Lambasts Tinubu Govt For Prosecuting Innocent Nigerians Who Demand Accountability
Abubakar Marshal, the lawyer to human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has accused the President Bola Tinubu-led government of deliberately shrinking Nigeria’s civic space by prosecuting citizens who demand accountability from those in power.
Speaking after a court session in Abuja on Tuesday, the defence counsel criticised the Nigerian government for what he described as a misplaced priority, adding that authorities were more interested in silencing critics than addressing worsening insecurity across the country.
He noted that despite widespread attacks by bandits who “share sovereignty with the government,” kidnap citizens openly and even post videos on social media, the federal authorities had chosen to focus on prosecuting individuals who merely demand good governance.
Dollar to Naira exchange rate today, December 3, 2025
The Nigerian Naira continued its run of stability against the US Dollar on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, maintaining a tight convergence between the official Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) and the parallel market.
Data from the FMDQ Securities Exchange reveals that the Naira opened trading at the official window at ₦1,448.43 per dollar.
Market sentiment remains cautiously optimistic as the local currency has hovered steadily around the ₦1,450 mark throughout the week.
This stability follows a close of ₦1,450.01 recorded earlier in the week, reflecting the sustained liquidity injection and improved transparency reforms championed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
In the parallel market, often referred to as the black market, the exchange rate showed little deviation from the official figures, trading between ₦1,455 and ₦1,460 to the dollar in Lagos and Abuja.
This near-convergence—a gap of less than ₦15—marks a significant victory for the CBN’s “willing buyer, willing seller” policy, effectively reducing the arbitrage opportunities that previously plagued the forex ecosystem.
‘Disarm The Militias, Bring Them To Justice’ – US Lawmakers Warn Nigerian Government, Condemn Slow Action
Some United States lawmakers have warned that the US must sustain pressure on the Nigerian government, accusing Abuja of inaction as insecurity and targeted killings continue to escalate across the country.
Speaking at the United States House Appropriations Committee’s joint congressional briefing on alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, the lawmakers said the situation had deteriorated to the point where stronger American intervention was necessary.
They said this was especially in the wake of President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern and his threat of military action.
Congressman, Chris Smith, said the Nigerian authorities were failing in their most basic duty.
Yuletide: Local flights break N300,000 mark
One-way airfare on some domestic routes has jumped by about 150 per cent, crossing N300,000, as travellers now experience an astronomical rise in air ticket rates due to the high passenger volume associated with the Yuletide, among others.
Checks by The PUNCH showed that the hike in airfares was particularly on the South-South and South-East routes.
These routes have high patronage, as most domestic air movements during the festive period are to these areas.
Usually, during the Yuletide rush, airfares are raised due to the high demand for tickets.
But this season, passengers say prices of air tickets are out of reach following various economic challenges.
Operators told our correspondent that the shortage of aircraft further compounded the airfare hike.
Before the festive period, air tickets on domestic routes hovered around N120,000.
But an analysis of domestic airfares on the websites of airlines on Tuesday showed that ticket costs, particularly to the South-South and South-East regions, have increased by about 150 per cent compared to what the prices were before the Yuletide.
Adeleke shuns Osun PDP primary as Adebayo emerges gov candidate
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and other key leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state were absent on Tuesday as the party held its governorship primary, where Adedamola Adebayo emerged as the PDP candidate for the 2026 Osun governorship election.
Adebayo polled 919 votes out of the 957 accredited delegates who participated in the exercise held in Osogbo.
Declaring the result, the chairman of the primary election committee, Humphrey Abba, said, “Void votes, 20.
We told you earlier that one of the aspirants withdrew.
The candidate that got the remaining votes is Adebayo Adedamola with 919 votes and stands elected and returned.”
Shortly after the exercise ended, the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, led some lawmakers to the venue and confronted individuals still on the premises.
A fracas ensued during which a man believed to be a staff member of the Independent National Electoral Commission was assaulted by a suspected hoodlum.
Marital dispute: Edo Assembly summons 2Baba’s wife
The Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday summoned the member representing Egor Constituency, Natasha Irobosa, to appear before its Ethics and Privileges Committee within one week.
The Assembly said she was invited to defend herself over allegations of misconduct leveled against her.
According to PUNCH Metro, the development comes amid growing controversy surrounding the lawmaker’s relationship with music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba.
Speaking during plenary, the Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, said Irobosa must explain why her conduct had dragged the name of the Assembly “in the mud.”
He said,
“Hon. Natasha Irobosa has been summoned to appear before the Ethics and Privilege Committee of the Assembly due to her recent conduct which has been trending online.
“This conduct drags the name of the House into the mud, and it is the responsibility of members of the Assembly to conduct themselves well.
“This House has cerebral minds and educated people who have been dragged in the mud for too long by our colleague, Hon. Natasha.
She has been trending on social media and television for the wrong reason.
Akwa Ibom bans masquerade street displays, orders arrest, prosecution
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has signed an Executive Order banning masquerade displays on streets and major highways across the state.
The move, according to the governor, follows rising incidents of harassment, extortion and public disturbances linked to masquerade activities in several communities.
According to a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday, Eno, who announced the proscription last week, reaffirmed the ban while signing the order at Government House, Uyo, on Tuesday.
He directed the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to enforce full compliance.
By my office as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, I am issuing an order that anyone caught will be arrested and prosecuted. They have used it to cause havoc in some local governments.
”As the chief security officer of the State, I am directing the commissioner of police and other security agencies to arrest and prosecute masquerades
Let it stop terrorising people, and let people have peace,” Eno stated.
The governor stressed that while he respects the state’s cultural heritage, no tradition should cause harm or infringe on the rights of citizens.
Anti-Tinubu post: Sowore arraigned, released on self-recognition
Former presidential candidate and publisher Omoyele Sowore was on Tuesday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja by the Department of State Services over alleged cybercrime offences, bordering on his social media post in which he described President Bola Tinubu “a criminal”.
Sowore faces five counts of criminal defamation.
Joined as co-defendants in the case are Meta (Facebook) Inc. and X Corporation (formerly Twitter).
The DSS alleged that Sowore, via posts on his verified social media accounts, published false and defamatory statements against President Tinubu, referring to him as “a criminal” on X and Facebook.
The charge invokes the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
“The real queen” – Mercy Johnson, others show love to Annie Macaulay as she shares lovely photos with her daughters and mother amid 2baba’s marital drama
Nollywood actress Annie Macaulay appears not to be paying attention to her ex-husband, 2Baba’s marital drama.
The former wife of the singer, via her Instagram page, shared photos of herself with their two daughters, Isabella and Olivia, and her mother, in Durban.
In her caption, she gushed over her girls, declaring them her best friends and hailing her mother as the best grandmother ever.
Annie noted how her girls thought they were on vacation, but for her, it was about work.
My besties @isabelidibiaaa @officialoliviaidibia AND the best Grandma Everrrrrrr.
For them, it was a beautiful vacation.For me ??? na work ooooooo!
