Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, has congratulated Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the Rivers State Task Force on Primary Health Care for winning the Primary Health Care Leadership Challenge in the South-South zone and placing second nationally.

Prof. Odu spoke on Monday during the 2025 fourth-quarter meeting of the State Task Force on Primary Health Care, held at Government House, Port Harcourt.

Describing the feat as remarkable, the Deputy Governor noted that securing the award for the third time, despite prevailing challenges, underscored the dedication, resilience and teamwork of the task force.
She urged members to protect the hard-earned achievement and remain focused on sustaining excellence, not only within the South-South region but across the country.
“Frankly, I had almost lost hope. I felt that if we didn’t get it, so be it. Even the Commissioner was somewhat sceptical. But God enabled you to bridge the gaps, outperform other states and keep Rivers on top. This means we must now guard the achievement jealously and aspire to be number one nationally by God’s grace,” she said.

Prof. Odu encouraged the team to take pride in the state’s health sector and to sustain its strong performance in both primary and secondary healthcare delivery.

She also commended the effective demonstration of the telemedicine component during the Ahoada commissioning, describing it as a milestone in service delivery.

According to her, the Rivers State Government, under Governor Fubara, alongside the people of the state, deeply appreciates the task force for its consistent and outstanding contributions to strengthening the healthcare system.

Electricity supply has been restored across the country following Monday’s partial collapse of the national grid, with the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) earning commendation for its prompt and coordinated response to the incident.

The system disturbance, which occurred at exactly 2:01 p.m. on Monday, December 29, 2025, led to a temporary disruption of power supply in several parts of the country. Data indicated that national power generation, which had peaked at about 4,800 megawatts earlier in the day, dropped sharply to 139 megawatts by about 3:00 p.m.

In a statement issued Monday night, NISO said the disturbance triggered the tripping of multiple power generation units and critical 330kV transmission lines, compounding the fragility of the national grid.

Despite the scale of the setback, the operator said it swiftly activated emergency response measures in line with established operational procedures.

A key highlight of the recovery effort was the successful isolation of the Delta generation complex, which continued operations in island mode at the 132kV sub-transmission level. This ensured uninterrupted electricity supply to Oghara, Amukpe, Benin and Efunrun substations, with a total of 114 megawatts delivered from four units at the Delta Thermal Power Station.

NISO attributed the grid’s vulnerability in part to lingering gas supply challenges arising from the vandalisation of the Escravos–Lagos gas pipeline earlier in December, which constrained thermal generation nationwide.

However, the operator said hours of coordinated system recovery efforts restored supply fully and normalised grid stability across the country.
Investigations into the precise cause of the disturbance are ongoing, NISO said, assuring that corrective measures would be implemented to prevent a recurrence.

Reaffirming its commitment to proactive grid management, NISO pledged continued application of best operational practices to ensure a stable and reliable national electricity supply, underscoring its growing role in strengthening confidence in Nigeria’s power system.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow upon receiving news of the fatal auto accident involving world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua.

The tragic incident occurred on Monday along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Makun, Ogun State.

Reacting to the devastating news, President Tinubu sent a personal message of sympathy to Joshua, acknowledging the heavy emotional toll of the incident during the festive season and praying for his recovery.

​He wrote:

​“AJ, ​I extend my deep sympathies to you following the tragic accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which claimed two precious lives and caused you injuries.

“​This immense tragedy casts a deep shadow on this season. I sympathise with you and your family as you bear the emotional weight of this unfortunate incident.

“​As a sportsman, you have always shown courage, discipline, and unwavering love for our country. These are qualities that have made you a source of national pride.

“​In moments like this, we must encourage one another as brothers and sisters with a shared destiny.

“​I pray for strength, wisdom, and grace for you during this painful period. May God grant you a speedy recovery and repose to the souls of the departed,” President Tinubu said.

While the boxing star survived with reported minor injuries, the crash claimed the lives of two other individuals.

Reports detail that Joshua’s Lexus SUV collided with a stationary truck. Although investigations are ongoing, preliminary findings suggest that high speed and wrongful overtaking may have been contributing factors.

In a heartbreaking development, it has been confirmed that one of the deceased was Joshua’s personal trainer, known as Latz. The trainer had arrived in Nigeria barely 24 hours before the accident occurred.

Fellow boxing champion Badou Jack confirmed Latz’s passing in a shocked Instagram post.

Nigerians were once again plunged into frustration and hardship on Monday afternoon as the national electricity grid collapsed, throwing homes, businesses and public services across the country into darkness.

The sudden outage, which occurred around 3:12 p.m. on December 29, 2025, brought economic activities to a near standstill in many cities, compounding the daily struggles of millions already burdened by rising living costs. For households, the blackout meant sweltering heat, disrupted domestic routines and renewed dependence on candles, lanterns and costly generators. For small businesses—barbershops, welders, tailors, cold-room operators and cybercafés—it translated into lost income and wasted goods, particularly perishable items.

Figures released by the Distribution Companies (DisCos) painted a grim picture of the collapse. Only two DisCos received any power at all: Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company got 30 megawatts (MW), while Abuja Electricity Distribution Company received just 20 MW. Every other DisCo—including Benin, Eko, Enugu, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt and Yola—recorded zero allocation, underscoring the nationwide scale of the outage.

With total electricity distributed at a paltry 50 MW, far below what is required to power a country of over 200 million people, hospitals, water facilities and telecoms operators were forced to rely heavily on generators, further driving up operational costs and straining limited resources.

For many Nigerians, the latest grid collapse is not just a technical failure but a painful reminder of years of unreliable power supply and unfulfilled promises. The repeated blackouts have continued to erode public confidence in the nation’s power sector and deepen social and economic suffering.

While the Nigerian National Grid said restoration efforts were ongoing, there was no official explanation from the Transmission Company of Nigeria or the Federal Ministry of Power on what caused the collapse or when normal supply would be restored—leaving Nigerians once again in the dark, both literally and figuratively.

Ogun State Police Command has confirmed that Nigeria-born British former world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, has been rushed to hospital following a serious road accident on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.

The crash occurred on Monday at the Makun area, in front of Sinoma and before Danco, along the busy highway in Ogun State.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Babaseyi Oluseyi, said Joshua was travelling in a vehicle involved in the accident, which claimed the lives of two occupants who died instantly.

“The Ogun State Police Command confirms a road traffic accident today in front of Sinoma, before Danco, along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway,” the statement read.

“Anthony Joshua and other injured persons have been rushed to the hospital for medical attention. Further updates will be communicated,” the police spokesperson added.

Details surrounding the cause of the crash and Joshua’s medical condition are yet to be officially disclosed, as investigations are ongoing.

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, has described the building of a place of worship as a rare privilege and honour bestowed by Almighty God, drawing parallels with the biblical account of King David and King Solomon.

Prof. Odu stated this on Sunday, December 28, 2025, during the dedication service of the newly completed Assemblies of God Church auditorium at Akabuka in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA).

Commending the vision and sacrifice behind the project, the Deputy Governor praised Dr. Andrew Igwe for solely acquiring the land and constructing the church edifice. She also lauded his broader contributions to community development, particularly his scholarship programmes and support to hundreds of beneficiaries across the area.

Prof. Odu urged Christians to emulate Dr. Igwe’s generosity, stressing that no contribution to God’s work is too small to attract divine reward.

She described the new auditorium as more than a physical structure, noting that it represents hope, unity, spiritual renewal, healing, and a lasting source of inspiration for the Akabuka community.

She expressed appreciation to the clergy and charged the congregation to take collective ownership of the church by protecting and preserving it for future generations.

In his sermon titled “God Will Honour Those Who Honour Him,” drawn from 1 Samuel 2:30, the National Treasurer of the Assemblies of God Church, Rev. Gabriel Michael, underscored the principle that God honours those who revere Him and rejects those who treat Him with contempt. He lamented that some individuals, including leaders and politicians, choose to deploy resources toward ungodly pursuits rather than the things of God.

Rev. Michael commended Dr. Igwe for honouring God through the acquisition of land and the construction of a modern church building dedicated exclusively to divine worship.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Andrew Igwe, CEO and Founder of the Dr. Andrew A. Igwe Care Foundation, revealed that the project was a divine mandate received last year and completed within 19 months. He attributed the successful completion of the church to God’s faithfulness and provision, expressing gratitude for the grace to witness and accomplish what he described as a remarkable miracle.

Excitement swept across ministries, departments and agencies in Rivers State on Tuesday as Governor Siminalayi Fubara approved and disbursed a ₦100,000 Christmas bonus—popularly described as a 13th-month salary—to civil servants, public sector workers and pensioners in the state.

The bonus, which has already been paid, is intended to ease the financial burden of the festive season and ensure that workers and senior citizens celebrate Christmas and the approaching New Year with renewed hope and dignity.

Many beneficiaries expressed delight at the gesture, describing it as timely and unprecedented. Civil servants in Port Harcourt and other parts of the state said the payment had lifted morale and brought palpable cheer to workplaces, while pensioners hailed their full inclusion in the scheme as a rare demonstration of empathy and responsive leadership.

The state government said the ₦100,000 bonus per beneficiary exceeds the national minimum wage and underscores Governor Fubara’s commitment to prioritising workers’ welfare. The gesture also marks the second consecutive year the administration has implemented the Christmas bonus policy, further entrenching it as a hallmark of the government’s people-centred approach.

Governor Fubara, while reiterating his call for peace, unity and love among residents, noted that the bonus aligns with broader efforts to improve living standards in the face of prevailing economic challenges.
Organised labour unions and other stakeholders have welcomed the development, commending the governor for strengthening the financial security and confidence of workers and pensioners. They described the move as consistent with the administration’s “Rivers First” agenda, which places the wellbeing and happiness of the people at the heart of governance.

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its resolve to commence full implementation of the new tax reform laws on January 1, 2026, insisting that the reforms are designed to drive inclusive economic growth and shared prosperity for Nigerians.

Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, disclosed this on Friday in Lagos after presenting an update on the reforms to President Bola Tinubu.

Oyedele, who was accompanied by the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacchaeus Adedeji, and the Chairman of the National Tax Policy Implementation Committee, Joseph Tegbe, said the government remains committed to the reform timeline despite ongoing engagements with the National Assembly.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Oyedele noted that four tax reform laws were enacted, two of which—the Nigerian Revenue Service Establishment Act and the Joint Revenue Service Establishment Act—came into effect in June 2025. He said the remaining two—the Nigerian Tax Act and the Nigerian Tax Administration Act—are scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026.
He welcomed the House of Representatives’ ongoing work on allegations of alterations to the laws, stressing that the Federal Government is open to collaborating with the National Assembly should any corrective action be required.

“The plan to commence the new laws on January 1, 2026 will go ahead as scheduled, because these reforms are designed to provide relief to the Nigerian people,” Oyedele said.

According to him, the tax reform bills spent nine months at the National Assembly between October 2024 and June 2025, while preparations for implementation began immediately and have continued over the past six months through capacity building, system upgrades and stakeholder sensitisation.

He described the reforms as a work in progress, noting that institutional readiness was a key reason some of the laws took effect earlier. He cited the establishment of new structures such as the Tax Ombuds Office, which requires time to become fully operational.

Oyedele emphasised that the reforms are not aimed at immediate revenue generation but at expanding the tax base through economic growth, improved compliance and fairness.

“Revenue will come from growth, not from higher tax rates. When more people participate in the economy and comply with tax obligations, you get fairness and sustainable revenue,” he said.

He added that the reforms would eliminate wasteful and distortionary incentives, strengthen tax culture and enhance compliance over time, expressing optimism that the country is well positioned for the January 2026 rollout.

United States President Donald Trump has warned that American forces will launch further military strikes if Islamic State (ISIS) militants continue attacks against Christians in Nigeria.

Trump said he personally authorised recent U.S. airstrikes against ISIS elements operating in Nigeria’s North-West, describing the operation as decisive and lethal. The President disclosed this on Thursday via his Truth Social account, where he confirmed that American forces carried out what he called “numerous perfect strikes” against the terror group.

“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorist scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even centuries,”

Trump wrote.
He said the strikes followed earlier warnings to the group, stressing that Washington would not tolerate continued violence against Christians.

“I have previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” he added.

Trump noted that the operation was executed by the U.S. Department of War, reaffirming America’s commitment to combating radical Islamic terrorism.

“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical Islamic terrorism to prosper,” he stated.

In a Christmas message reinforcing his warning, the U.S. President said further military action would follow if the killings persist.
“May God bless our military, and Merry Christmas to all, including the dead terrorists—of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,” Trump said.
Reacting to the development, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation sent a strong message to ISIS, while acknowledging Nigeria’s cooperation.
“The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end,”

Hegseth wrote on X. “The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight—on Christmas. Grateful for Nigerian government support and cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
Meanwhile, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that several ISIS fighters were killed in the operation, which took place in Sokoto State.

“At the direction of the President of the United States and the Secretary of War, and in coordination with Nigerian authorities, U.S. Africa Command conducted strikes against ISIS terrorists in Nigeria on Dec. 25, 2025, in Sokoto State,” AFRICOM said in a statement posted on X.
The latest strikes mark a significant escalation in U.S. military action against ISIS-linked groups in Nigeria, amid deepening security cooperation between American forces and Nigerian authorities.