News
Insecurity: Put Nigeria First, FG Tells Media
The Federal Government has tasked the media to put Nigeria first in the reportage of the country’s activities, particularly the fight against insecurity.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the call in Abuja during the ceremony of the renaming of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Headquarters Building after the former Managing Director and Board Chairman of NAN, late Wada Maida.
Mohammed said it may seem obvious and trite, but for any professional, including a journalist in Nigeria to be able to carry out his or her responsibility at all, the nation must first exist, in peace.
“In other words, if the country goes down, all professionals and everybody go down. It is that stark, and this is why I want to use this platform to appeal to our media to put Nigeria first”, Mohammed said.
Speaking further, the minister said if one picked up most newspapers, watched most television stations or listened to most radio stations in the country, one will be right to think Nigeria is a country at war.
While acknowledging that there were challenges in the country, especially in the area of security, Mohammed, however, said the Buhari administration had not only acknowledged the challenges, it is earnestly tackling the challenges.
“A good example is the decisive manner in which our gallant troops are tackling the banditry in the North-West or the way they are combating the terrorists in the North-East. Our security agencies have also successfully tackled the separatists in the South-East and South-West and the militants in the South-South. Unfortunately, these efforts have only been perfunctorily reflected in the reportage of the security challenges that we face. This is not only unfair, especially to those who are sacrificing their lives to keep us safe, it is unpatriotic.
“To illustrate the damage this non-acknowledgement of the efforts of the security agencies pose to the country, let me tell you what transpired when I recently hosted some members of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) UK Chapter, who visited me in my office here in Abuja. They said some of their colleagues who would have come to Nigeria for their programme tagged,‘A Week in and For Nigeria’ during the month of July, did not come out of fear of the security situation in Nigeria. However, those who made the trip said they travelled to their hometowns across the country and returned to Abuja safely. If Nigerians in the diaspora can be afraid to come to their country, imagine how foreigners, including investors and tourists, will feel about coming to the country.
“Whatever image problem Nigeria is suffering from today is mostly due to the unflattering portrayal of the country by the country’s media.
“Even when some media organisations report fake news, they never have the decency to retract such stories and apologise. They simply move on as if nothing has happened.
“We are not saying the media should not report on the security challenges we face. All we are saying is: Be fair and report accurately the efforts being made by the state and federal governments to tackle the challenges. Even if you don’t want to encourage the men and women in uniform fighting to keep us safe, please don’t discourage them with negative reporting. The security challenges we face today will be successfully tackled and Nigeria will not cease to exist, despite the antics of naysayers”, Mohammed added.
Mohammed congratulated the family, friends and associates of the late Maida for the great and much-deserved honour done to him.
He commended the management and staff of the NAN for coming up with the idea to immortalise the late Maida.
“The Federal Government’s decision to approve the proposal was not difficult, upon realising the role played by Alhaji Wada in making NAN the respectable agency that it is today. A man who was everything from Zonal Editor to Foreign Correspondent to Editor-in-Chief to Managing Director to Board Chairman, a man who built this glistening NAN headquarters edifice deserves to be immortalised by the organisation he served so well in his lifetime”, Mohammed stated.
Mohammed prayed that God will continue to comfort and strengthen the family of Maida, even as he prayed that the soul of the departed continues to rest in peace.
President Bola Tinubu has expressed confidence that the country would win the fight against insecurity.
The President gave the assurance at the Argungu International Fishing Festival in Argungu town, Kebbi State, on Saturday.
He noted that the relative peace currently being enjoyed in Kebbi and neighbouring states was the result of sustained investments in security intelligence, coordination among security agencies, and community engagement.
Tinubu assured farmers and fishermen of sustained federal support to guarantee food security and safety across the country.
“The peace we are witnessing today is not accidental. It is the outcome of deliberate and sustained efforts. I assure you that the fight against banditry, insurgency, and insecurity will be won.
“Our farmers, fishermen, traders, and families will go about their lawful activities without fear,” he assured.
The President commended the organisers of the festival for sustaining the cultural event for decades, noting that it had endured for 83 years despite social and security challenges.
Describing the Argungu festival as a powerful symbol of unity, resilience, and peaceful coexistence, Tinubu stated that it reflects the richness of the country’s culture and the opportunities to harness its natural and human resources for national growth.
He said, “Today, this festival stands as a powerful symbol of unity, resilience, and peaceful coexistence among our people.
“It reflects the richness of our culture, the strength of our traditions, and the opportunities inherent in harnessing our natural and human resources for national development.”
The President was received by a large crowd of residents, traditional rulers, fishermen, tourists, and government officials from across the country.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth and women empowerment, irrigation development, rural electrification, and agricultural productivity.
Earlier, the Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, said his administration was determined to elevate the Argungu Fishing Festival to full international standards while pursuing aggressive development across critical sectors of the state.
The United States Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed today, in observance of Presidents’ Day.
The mission made this known in a notice shared on its official X page, yesterday.
“The U.S. Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2026, in observance of Presidents’ Day,” the post read.
According to the embassy, Presidents’ Day was originally established to honour the birthday of the former US President, George Washington, but has evolved into a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents and their leadership in shaping the country’s history.
The embassy noted that the holiday also recognises the influence of U.S. presidents on global affairs.
In a related message, the mission highlighted that Washington created the first “Badge of Military Merit,” which later became the Purple Heart. The medal still bears Washington’s image today.
Presidents’ Day is observed on the third Monday of February annually in the United States as a federal holiday.
News
Guterres Backs Nigeria’s Bid For UN Security Council Seat …Hails Tinubu’s Reforms, Regional Security Role
United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has charged Nigeria with spearheading Africa’s quest for a restructured global order, describing the country as uniquely positioned to lead the continent toward superpower status.
Guterres, who backed Nigeria’s bid for the world body’s security council seat, also praised the economic reforms of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration as well as Nigeria’s leadership in stabilising the Sahel and ECOWAS regions, despite facing its own security challenges.
The UN scribe made the remarks last Friday night during a high-level bilateral meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima on the sidelines of the 39th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Speaking during the meeting, Guterres said Nigeria’s large population, sustained democratic governance, vast natural and human resources, and longstanding commitment to multilateralism placed it in a unique position to lead Africa in the evolving global order.
“Given Nigeria’s demographic strength, democratic continuity and deep resource base, the country stands a real chance of leading Africa to becoming the next superpower in the evolving global architecture,” he said.
The UN Secretary-General and the vice president discussed key developments in Nigeria and the country’s expanding leadership role in promoting regional stability across West Africa and the Sahel.
Guterres commended the remarkable and outstanding reforms of the administration of President Tinubu, noting that Nigeria’s bold economic restructuring and security commitments have strengthened its continental standing.
The meeting focused on strengthening Nigeria–UN collaboration to advance global economic growth, peace and security, sustainable development, and a coordinated humanitarian response across Africa.
In his remarks, Shettima thanked the UN Secretary-General for his leadership in advancing global peace, noting that Africa has benefited immensely from his tenure, even as the United Nations undergoes internal restructuring.
“We remain committed to multilateralism and to deepening our partnerships with the United Nations and other global institutions,” the vice president said.
Shettima also reiterated Nigeria’s longstanding call for comprehensive reform of the United Nations system to reflect evolving global realities.
He emphasised that Africa must have stronger representation in global decision-making structures and declared that Nigeria deserves a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Both leaders pledged to deepen cooperation, with Guterres reaffirming the UN’s support for Nigeria’s reform agenda and its growing leadership role in advancing peace, security, and development across Africa.