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Ukraine crisis: FG may evacuate trapped Nigerians by road
- No evacuation by air until airports reopen, say Ukrainian authorities
Nigerians trapped Ukraine cannot leave until the country’s airports reopen, the Federal Government has been told by the authorities of Ukraine.
The Nigerian government is said to be considering the option of evacuating the affected citizens by road.
This was one of the outcomes of the meeting Nigeria had with the two envoys of Russia and Ukraine to Nigeria yesterday.
The Ambassador of Ukraine Kirdoda Valerii had said that his country’s air space was no longer safe for flying and that the airports had been closed.
Nigeria had summoned the Ambassador of Russia Alexei Shebarshin and Valerii following the escalating violence triggered by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on Thursday.
The minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who met with the envoys separately behind closed doors, told reporters that during his parley with the Russian envoy, he expressed the displeasure of the Nigerian government over the violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, a United Nations (UN) member state, and country with which Nigeria has diplomatic relations.
Onyeama also told Shebarshin that Nigeria wants Russia to revert to the status quo before the military action and to prioritise diplomacy and dialogue.
“This is really the position of the government. And also, that we have 5,600 Nigerians in Ukraine and we are very concerned about what we are hearing and what we are seeing regarding missiles and bombs about the safety of our Nigerian citizens there, that we would like to be able to evacuate them,” he said.
According to Onyeama, the Russian envoy promised to communicate the concern of the Nigerian government to his home country, adding that Russia considers Nigeria a friendly nation and would do nothing to harm her citizens. The envoy assured the minister that their action is targeted at military installations and not against civilian areas.
Onyeama said he also discussed with the Russian envoy about the practicalities of how Nigeria can get her citizens out of Ukraine, those who want to leave the country and what measures they could apply to facilitate to safeguard Nigerians in Ukraine, adding that hopefully, the war won’t last long.
On the question about the evacuation of Nigerians from Ukraine, the minister said the issue can only come up when the airports open.
Onyeama said the Russian envoy stated that they would also see some airports as military targets possibly.
The minister further discussed road travel as an alternative to facilitate the evacuation of Nigerians even though some Nigerians have been able to flee into the neighouring countries such as Poland.
The Russian envoy, however, told Onyeama that there might be risk involved, while also saying that Russia was mindful of the civilians from foreign countries and promised to take all the necessary measures to ensure their security.
“He was a lot more sanguine, optimistic that no harm will come to them, but we cannot take any risks,” Onyeama stated.
The minister, after his meeting with the Ukrainian envoy, expressed the sympathy of the Nigerian government to the country over the war imposed on the nation and its people that came under heavy bombardment, which has led to dozens of deaths and injuries and destruction of property.
The minister pointed out that Ukraine is a country that Nigeria has diplomatic relations, a member of the UN and cannot condone the violation of their sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also told the Ukrainian envoy that Nigeria has over 5,000 students and citizens in the country and was very concerned about their safety and welfare.
“And we certainly want the cooperation of the government of Ukraine to do whatever is possible to ensure their safety and security and to also seek advice as to how the evacuation can be facilitated,” Onyeama said.
According to the minister, the envoy said the Ukrainian government has given all the residents and civilians, specific instructions about how to stay safe and the measures to take.
He said the Nigerian Embassy in Ukraine will also act as a coordinating mechanism in reaching out to all Nigerians in Ukraine and ensure that they adhere to the advice and directives.
On his part, the Ukrainian envoy expressed gratitude to the government and people of Nigeria for their support.
“Right now, we are in a very difficult situation, but we are fighting against the aggression and we believe that we will all win,” the Ukrainian envoy said.
Valerii also said Nigerian students in Ukraine were in the same situation as anybody else in his country.
“Ukrainian government does not differentiate between people on the basis of their nationality and that is the best effort to protect everybody.
“Currently, the evacuation of Nigerian students is not possible because it is not safe to fly on the sky of Ukraine. As soon as it is safe to fly on the sky of Ukraine, we will join the Embassy of Nigeria in Ukraine and jointly with the Nigerian government, we will arrange for the evacuation of Nigerian students,” the envoy said.
On the reports that Nigerians are being conscripted into the Ukrainian army to fight, the envoy noted declared that it was optional.
The FG also raised concerns over the refusal by Poland to allow Nigerians fleeing the conflict in Ukraine into the country even when nationals of other African countries were reportedly being allowed into Poland.
Onyeama raised this issue on behalf of the government when he met with envoys of European Union countries in Abuja yesterday.
Onyeama said the government was receiving emergency calls from Nigerians who were going by road, evacuating Ukraine and a lot of them heading to Poland.
“We have had a number of calls, desperate calls and that there are cases of women and pregnant women and so forth,” Onyeama said.
The minister also said the government was informed that nationals of other African countries were being allowed into Poland and wondered why Nigerians were being denied entry into the country.
According to the minister, the Polish Ambassador to Nigeria, Joanna Tarnawska, has however, assured him to immediately check with the capital in order to address the situation.
Nigeria is preparing to host the president and first lady of Poland, and it appears to the government as an aberration that a situation that people fleeing a global crisis like what is taking place in Ukraine should be prevented from getting out to safety.
“So, we hope that also the European Union and others, and if that is indeed the case, will prevail on, not just necessarily Poland, but also any other border country to please share some sympathy and humanness to refugees fleeing this crisis, be they Nigerians or any other nationality,” Onyeama said.
Tarnawska, in her remarks, however said Poland was taking every necessary step to provide safety for those fleeing Ukraine.
News
FG Seals Plateau Mine After 37 Killed in Toxic Gas Tragedy
FG Seals Plateau Mine After 37 Killed in Toxic Gas Tragedy
The Federal Government has ordered the immediate closure of a mining site in Zuraq, Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, following the death of 37 miners in a suspected toxic gas exposure.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, directed that the site be sealed to prevent further casualties and pave the way for a comprehensive investigation into the tragedy.
According to local authorities, the victims were exposed to poisonous gaseous emissions in the early hours of Tuesday while working in an underground pit. At least 25 other miners are currently receiving treatment in hospital.
In a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, the minister disclosed that the affected site falls under Mining Licence 11810, operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited and owned by Abdullahi Dan-China.
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Alake said a high-level investigative team led by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Yusuf Yabo, has been deployed to the area to determine both the immediate and remote causes of the disaster and recommend appropriate sanctions. The team comprises mining engineers, environmental compliance officers and experts in artisanal mining operations.
Preliminary findings indicate that the licensed operator allegedly ceded the pit to members of the host community following agitation for economic empowerment. The area, reportedly an abandoned lead site, contained stored minerals capable of emitting sulphuric oxide — a hazardous substance.
Unaware of the danger, villagers engaged in mining activities and were exposed to the toxic fumes.
The minister described the incident as a tragic loss of innocent Nigerians striving to make a living and extended condolences to Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang and families of the victims.
He assured that further updates would be provided as investigations progress, stressing the government’s commitment to enforcing safety and environmental standards in the mining sector.
FG Seals Plateau Mine After 37 Killed in Toxic Gas Tragedy
News
Tinubu Ends NNPCL Oil Revenue Deductions, Orders Full FAAC Remittance
Tinubu Ends NNPCL Oil Revenue Deductions, Orders Full FAAC Remittance
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed a sweeping executive order mandating the direct remittance of all oil and gas revenues into the Federation Account Allocation Committee (Federation Account Allocation Committee), in what is regarded as one of the most significant fiscal reforms since the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The directive, announced by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, requires that all proceeds from royalty oil, tax oil, profit oil, and profit gas be paid in full into the federation account without deductions, before statutory distribution to the federal, state, and local governments.
A central element of the order strips Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) of its long-standing 30 per cent management fee on profit oil and profit gas, a deduction that has repeatedly drawn criticism for significantly reducing funds available for sharing among the three tiers of government. The presidency said the practice undermined constitutional revenue entitlements and weakened public finances.
In addition, the president directed that the 30 per cent Frontier Exploration Fund created under the PIA will no longer be retained or managed by NNPCL. Instead, all funds previously set aside under the arrangement will now flow directly into the federation account for FAAC distribution, altering the financing structure for frontier basin exploration activities.
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The executive order also affects the handling of gas flare penalties. Payments into the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund have been suspended, with all proceeds from gas flaring penalties now to be paid directly into the federation account. Officials said existing environmental remediation frameworks already cover such obligations, making the additional fund unnecessary.
According to the presidency, the reforms are aimed at blocking overlapping deductions, including management fees and profit retentions, which collectively divert more than two-thirds of potential oil and gas revenues before they reach FAAC. President Tinubu warned that shrinking net oil revenues pose serious risks to national budgeting, debt sustainability, and overall economic stability.
The president emphasised that the new framework will reposition NNPCL strictly as a commercially driven national oil company, removing quasi-fiscal responsibilities while strengthening transparency, accountability, and oversight in Nigeria’s oil and gas revenue management.
To ensure effective implementation, Tinubu approved the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee comprising senior officials from the economic management team, justice sector, and relevant regulatory agencies. The committee is expected to coordinate legal, financial, and operational steps required for immediate compliance.
The president also signalled plans for a broader review of the Petroleum Industry Act, indicating that further amendments may be pursued to address structural and fiscal concerns raised by stakeholders, particularly state governments.
With oil and gas revenues remaining central to Nigeria’s fiscal health, the executive order represents a decisive move to tighten revenue flows, strengthen FAAC allocations, and reinforce fiscal federalism across the country.
Tinubu Ends NNPCL Oil Revenue Deductions, Orders Full FAAC Remittance
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BREAKING: Tinubu Assents to 2026 Electoral Act, Sets Stage for 2027 Elections
BREAKING: Tinubu Assents to 2026 Electoral Act, Sets Stage for 2027 Elections
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the 2026 Electoral Act Amendment into law, setting the legal framework for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The signing ceremony took place on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas in attendance.
The new law, formally known as the 2026 Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, was recently harmonised and passed by both chambers of the National Assembly amid debate and opposition from minority lawmakers.
The legislative process leading to the signing saw intense deliberations in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Lawmakers constituted a joint conference committee to reconcile differences between their respective versions of the bill before transmitting the harmonised document to the President for assent. Earlier, Senate President Akpabio had indicated during an emergency plenary session that the President was expected to sign the amended bill before the end of February. That projection materialised within days.
One of the most significant changes introduced by the 2026 Electoral Act is the reduction of the mandatory notice period for general elections from 360 days to 300 days. Lawmakers explained that the adjustment is intended to give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) greater operational flexibility in planning and conducting elections without breaching statutory timelines.
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The issue of electronic transmission of election results generated considerable debate throughout the amendment process. Under the new law, electronic transmission is permitted, while manual collation remains legally recognised, particularly in areas where technical or connectivity challenges arise. INEC retains the authority to issue detailed regulations and guidelines governing how results are transmitted and managed. Supporters argue the compromise reflects operational realities, while critics maintain that the changes may weaken transparency safeguards introduced in previous reforms.
Beyond these headline issues, the amended Act also makes adjustments to party primary timelines, candidate nomination processes, and collation procedures. It includes technical corrections across multiple clauses to improve clarity, reduce ambiguities, and strengthen administrative consistency ahead of the 2027 polls.
With presidential assent now secured, the 2026 Electoral Act becomes the binding legal framework governing presidential, National Assembly, governorship, and state House of Assembly elections. INEC is expected to review and align its regulations and operational guidelines with the new provisions as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
The signing marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s democratic process, with political parties, civil society groups, and voters closely watching how the revised electoral framework will shape the next election cycle.
BREAKING: Tinubu Assents to 2026 Electoral Act, Sets Stage for 2027 Elections
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