News

Our migration deal with UK –FG

Published

3 months ago

March 21, 2026

The Exclusives

The Presidency on Friday explained the recent migration deal he had with the United Kingdom.

There had been hues and cries about what the migration deal entailed.

Some argued that Nigeria had agreed to accept foreign deportees under a newly signed migration agreement with the United Kingdom.

But the Federal government has faulted the claim, explaining that there was no such clause, insisting that the deal strictly covers Nigerian citizens residing illegally in the UK.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said the clarification became necessary amid what he described as widespread misinformation surrounding the agreement.

In a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, @TheTope_Ajayi, Ajayi explained that the pact, signed during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent State visit to the UK, is limited in scope and does not oblige Nigeria to receive non-citizens.

He stated that the agreement, executed by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on behalf of Nigeria, and the UK Home Secretary, Rt. Hon. Shabana Mahmood, for the British government, focuses solely on the return of Nigerians without legal residency status in the UK.

“For clarity, it is important to state that the agreement only relates to Nigerians who do not have legal status to live and remain in the UK,” Ajayi said.

He stressed that Nigeria would not accept deportees who are not its nationals, adding that the UK government is also not imposing such a condition.

“Nigeria is not taking back non-Nigerians. The UK government is not compelling Nigeria to take those who are not our citizens,” he added.

Ajayi noted that the clarification was prompted by the circulation of misleading narratives suggesting that Nigeria had entered into a broader deportation arrangement with the UK.

He further assured that the agreement provides guarantees for the humane treatment of returnees, in line with Nigerian laws and international standards.

According to him, Nigerians returned under the framework would retain the opportunity to reapply for entry into the UK in the future, subject to meeting immigration requirements.

Corroborating the Presidency’s position, the Ministry of Interior said the agreement establishes a structured system for the “dignified return and reintegration of Nigerians who do not have the legal right to remain in the UK.”

In a statement shared on social media, the ministry outlined key features of the arrangement, including the use of secure travel documentation, thorough identity verification on a case-by-case basis, and special protections for vulnerable persons, particularly victims of human trafficking.

The ministry also highlighted provisions for enhanced cooperation between Nigeria and the UK in areas such as information sharing, capacity building, training, and joint research on migration management and border security.

The Federal Government maintained that the agreement reflects a balanced and lawful approach to migration issues, while safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty and the rights of its citizens.

News

Edo cracks down on cultists, kidnappers

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2026

The Exclusives

Monday Okpebholo

Edo State Government has established a Special Criminal Court to expedite the prosecution of cultists, kidnappers and other criminal offenders as part of efforts to tackle rising insecurity in the state.

The Chief Registrar of the Edo State Judiciary, Benson Osawaru, disclosed on Friday that the court was established at the request of Governor Monday Okpebholo.

According to Osawaru, the Special Criminal Court will handle cases relating to cultism, kidnapping and other matters that may be assigned by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Daniel Okungbowa.

He said the initiative was aimed at ensuring speedy dispensation of justice and curbing the growing wave of cult-related violence and abductions across the state.

“The move is expected to address the rising cases of cult-related violence and kidnappings by ensuring quick prosecution of offenders and serving as a deterrent to criminal elements,” Osawaru stated.

Edo State has in recent months witnessed a surge in violent crimes, particularly incidents of kidnapping and cult clashes in several communities.
Meanwhile, Governor Okpebholo has reiterated his administration’s commitment to eliminating kidnapping, banditry and other forms of criminality from the state.

Speaking at the flag-off of the All Progressives Congress (APC) local government election campaign for the Edo Central Senatorial District at the Uromi Town Hall in the Esan North-East Local Government Area, the governor assured residents that decisive measures were being taken to restore security and public confidence.

He said efforts were underway to create a safe environment that would enable farmers displaced by insecurity to return to their farmlands without fear.

The governor stressed that criminal elements terrorising communities would be made to face the full weight of the law.
“Governors are ready to fight insecurity across the nation. The perpetrators will be exposed, and they will run away from the country. In Edo State, there will be security, and our farmers will be able to return to their farms,” he said.
Okpebholo added that his administration would not allow kidnappers and bandits to find refuge in the state.

“I am determined to ensure that kidnappers and bandits do not find a haven in Edo State. Our decisive action against criminals will serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.

The governor further declared that tough measures against convicted criminals would discourage others from engaging in crime.

“I am serious about the fight against insecurity. By the time we execute one, two, three and more of these criminals, others will run away from Edo State,” he stated.

News

Why insecurity persists in the north, by Nasarawa governor

Published

3 days ago

June 26, 2026

The Exclusives

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has identified some of the reasons for the incidences of insecurity and out-of-school crisis in the northern part of Nigeria.

Speaking at a Summit on enhancing human capital development in Northern Nigeria in Abuja, Sule said the Almajiri system is “the single largest structural contributor” to Nigeria’s education emergency.

The Almajiri is a traditional system of Islamic education prevalent in northern Nigeria, where young boys leave their families to study the Quran under the guidance of religious teachers (Mallams). Originally a respected scholarship tradition, it has devolved into a socio-economic crisis, leaving millions of out-of-school children vulnerable to destitution and exploitation.

The country has an estimated 18.3 million out-of-school children, and recent data shows Almajiri children make up roughly 72% to 81% of that total, concentrated in the North.

He, therefore, urged the National Assembly to permanently outlaw the Almajiri system.
“Many minors recruited into banditry graduated from the Almajiri system,” Sule said.

Nasarawa accounts for about 430,000 out-of-school children.

At the event, the governor recalled the 2020 mass repatriation of Almajiri children by Nasarawa and Kaduna states but said enforcement alone isn’t enough without alternatives.

He is proposing a total ban on the Almajiri system, replaced with mandatory formal education and skills acquisition.
Sule is seeking total collaboration of the Northern intelligentsia, the political class, and the traditional system.

He urged Northern leaders to turn summit discussions into actionable draft bills, arguing that “policy changes are the only way to defeat regional poverty.”