1. The House of Representatives has approved far-reaching amendments to the Electoral Act, introducing stiffer penalties for vote buying and selling, including two years’ jail or a N5 million fine, or both, alongside a 10-year ban from contesting elections. The decision was taken during the clause-by-clause consideration of the report of the House Committee on Electoral Matters at the Committee of the Whole.
2. An Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Ogbon-Inu Taiwo Popoola, serving in the Ebonyi State Command, reportedly slumped and died during a management meeting at the command headquarters in Abakaliki.
Sources said the incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. during a meeting in the Commissioner of Police’s office.
3. Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, OPHK, have thwarted an early-morning attempt by terrorists from the Mandara Mountains to infiltrate Bitta, killing a notorious Boko Haram/ISWAP commander and several insurgents, in a major blow to their operational capability.
A military source, who spoke anonymously, revealed that the encounter occurred at about 0030 hours on 18 December 2025, with troops using advanced surveillance to detect the terrorists’ advance.
4. A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to grant the Labour Party, LP, access code to enable it to upload the names and particulars of its nominated candidates for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, area council election scheduled to hold in February 2026. Justice J. O. E. Adeyemi-Ajayi issued the orders while ruling on an ex parte motion for interim injunctions filed by the LP and moved by its lawyer, Christian Elom.
5. Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Thursday directed his loyalists to channel their support towards the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The governor made the call on Thursday while inaugurating the Ogbakiri Junction–Waterfront Road in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
6. The Federal Government has directed the reopening of the 47 Unity Colleges closed down over rising insecurity. The government announced the directive in a statement yesterday in Abuja by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Boriowo Folasade.
The government reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to safeguarding students and ensuring the continuity of education across the country.
7. The House of Representatives yesterday increased campaign spending limits for candidates contesting elective offices, raising the maximum presidential campaign expenditure from N5 billion to N10 billion; and governorships, from N1 billion to N3 billion. It also passed an amendment mandating the real-time electronic transmission of election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
8. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has destroyed over 618 tonnes of fake, counterfeit and expired drugs and other unwholesome regulated products worth N10,190,910,338 at the Kalibawa Destruction Site along the Kano-Daura highway. The substandard goods were seized from the seven North Western states of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara.
9. A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has upheld the continued detention of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Justice Babangida Hassan, on Thursday, dismissed a bail summons filed by Malami challenging his detention by the anti-graft agency.
10. A total of 149 companies currently enjoying pioneer status incentives will retain their tax holidays for at least two more years, despite Nigeria’s transition to a new tax regime scheduled to take effect from January 2026, the Federal Government has said.
The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission disclosed this on Thursday during a media parley in Abuja, noting that the existing beneficiaries would be protected under transitional provisions of the new tax framework.
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