Nigerian commercial banks have raised the transaction alert fee from ₦4 to ₦6, effective Thursday, May 1, 2025.

Naija News reports that this information was communicated to customers in a message sent early Wednesday morning.

The banks attributed this increase to a recent rise in telecom rates as announced by the telecommunication service providers.

It is worth noting that the federal government has authorised the telecommunications service providers to implement a general increase in their tariffs.

The commercial bank also noted that SMS alerts to international phone numbers are subject to higher charges.

“Dear Valued Customer, Please be informed that effective Thursday, May 1 2025, the SMS transaction alert fee will increase from ₦4 to ₦6 per message. This adjustment is due to a recent increase in telecom rates as communicated by the telecommunication service providers.

“Kindly note that transaction alerts are important and help you keep track and stay in control of activities on your account.

“If you prefer not to receive transaction alerts via SMS, you can update your preferences by completing the transaction alert form on our website and sending it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,” a message sent to Naija News correspondent by Guaranty Trust Bank reads.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, has said defection should be based on logical reason and ideology.

Naija News reports that Momodu said he was a member of the Labour Party before he defected to the National Conscience Party (NCP), then to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and settled with the PDP.

The former presidential aspirant of the PDP stated this on Wednesday in an interview with Arise News.

“There is nothing wrong… Anybody who knows me knows I am a democrat. I believe in freedom of speech, freedom of association and even freedom of movement. So you can move to wherever you like, but you must be able to defend your action,” he said.

According to him, in Labour Party, his presidential ambition reached a dead end, he had to consult with his political family to decide what he should do.

“I once moved from Labour Party to National Consicence Party. What happened? I was a fledgling presidential candidate. And when I felt a roadblock, I reached a dead end. I had to consult my people, where do we go? Let’s look for a party that is similar in ideology to the one we are leaving. That is why we opted for the National Consicence Party at the time. Then I contested and had about 26,000 votes nationwide,” he disclosed.

The Ovation Publisher stated that his defection to NCP and the total result he got after the election made him change his mind on contesting on smaller platforms.

“Then we learned a lesson that it would be difficult for any fringe political party to win a presidential election. You need platforms, you need so many things to be able to achieve your dream,” he stated.

Momodu said he joined APC and supported former President Muhammadu Buhari, but found out that APC was going in the wrong direction.

“We then isolated two main political parties in Nigeria. At the time that Buhari came, we all supported Buhari in 2014.

“Then I decided APC was going in the wrong direction. So the only option I had to actualize my dream was PDP, that is why I joined PDP,” he added.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has stated that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi does not require any coalition with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or support from political figures like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to win the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking in an interview with Punch, the Deputy President of the NLC Political Commission, Theophilus Ndubuaku insisted that Obi remains a formidable and widely accepted candidate.

He described the PDP as a “crisis-ridden and near-empty platform,” dismissing any speculations that Obi would rejoin the party.

He said, “Peter Obi doesn’t need any coalition to win the 2027 presidential election. He is a sellable candidate. If you recall, he was already coasting to victory in the 2023 elections before the controversial glitches. He even defeated Tinubu in his own stronghold in Lagos, which shows Nigerians want him in power.”

“For as long as INEC conducts a free and fair election, he will win. He can also leverage his local and international connections to make it happen.”

Ndubuaku insisted Obi commands nationwide acceptance across all six geopolitical zones and warned against any return to the PDP.

He said, “No serious candidate will consider the PDP as a viable platform at this point.

“Obi is a disciplined man. If people are suggesting he return to the PDP, on what basis? Compare the PDP’s issues with those of the Labour Party. While LP’s crisis—centering around Julius Abure—has been settled by the Supreme Court, the PDP is still battling a hydra-headed crisis. Moving from LP to PDP would be like jumping from frying pan to fire.”

He further noted that fears about zoning and power rotation are unfounded, especially in light of Obi’s reputation for performance.

The Federal Government has expressed worry at the heightened rates of emigration of Nigerians, mostly skilled workforce.

Naija News reports that the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Tanko Sununu, said 1.4 million citizens left the country.

Sununu stated this during validation of the 2025 policy and its Integrated Implementation Plan in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Minister assured that the government planned to reverse the trend through the National Migration Policy.

He explained that the National Migration Policy would make migration more beneficial to the country in terms of knowledge, economy and health.

Sununu, however, emphasized the role of good governance in discouraging brain drain affecting the country.

The Minister said: “As of today, the Nigerian Population Commission will agree with me that over 1.4 million Nigerians emigrated outside and a lot of them are highly skilled.

“Fifty one percent of the migrants that leave Nigeria have knowledge of tertiary level of education and most of them are also health workers. This is causing a brain drain in Nigeria.

“With the right policies in place and the right information, the issue of brain drain can be addressed, and we would, in turn, improve our skill, improve and promote brain circulation within the country.

“The revised National Migration Policy seeks to strengthen institutional coherence, mainstream international best practices, and reinforce national ownership of migration governance.

“The policy would make migration more beneficial to Nigerians, improve the rights of migrants and also derive much benefit to Nigeria in terms of knowledge, economy, health and others.

“The policy has been addressed in such a way that it has provided a lot of knowledge . With the knowledge embedded in the policy, Nigerians would know the dangers of irregular migration.

“We also have to get the commitment of security agents and work with them because the issue of irregular migration is connected with insecurity witnessed in some parts of the country.”

Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has expressed confidence that former Governor James Ibori will defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Oborevwori spoke on Tuesday during a vigil mass at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Otu-Jeremi in Ughelli South Local Government Area. 

The mass was held in honour of Amos Utuama, a former Deputy Governor, who died at 77.

Speaking at the event, Oborevwori emphasised the need for political unity within the state, saying the political family founded by Ibori had become scattered.

“We can only say the truth. If you are sentimental, the family will break, the centre cannot hold,” he said.

He revealed that he had directly asked Ibori when he plans to join the APC, expressing optimism that the former Governor would soon make the move.

“I asked him, ‘when are you going to join us?’ And I know he will join us very soon in the APC. I will receive our leader in Jesus’ name,” Oborevwori said.

Addressing Ibori directly, the Governor added, “You have created a big family and the family needs to be united.”

In December 2024, Ibori’s daughter, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, a member of the House of Representatives, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

Oborevwori, with other PDP heavyweights in Delta, joined the APC on April 23.

Aside from the Group Managing Directors of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS),  Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries that were relieved of their duties yesterday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has also asked over 200 staff with a year to retirement to quit.

A reliable insider source  in the NNPCL revealed to The Nation on Wednesday morning that the comprehensive list of the affected staff was not available yet.

He however noted that the affected ones know themselves. 

His words: “What happened is that apart from Bala Wunti and the three GMDs of the refineries, NNPCL asked staff who have just one year in service to retire.”

NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, didn’t pick calls from The Nation to confirm the report.

But speaking with The Nation on the condition of anonymity, the insider source in NNPCL said:  “Bala Wunti was not sacked but retired. He was also due to retire next year.” 

The NNPCL Chief Executive Officer Engr Bashir Bayo Ojulari was said to have sacked Wunti and Onoja in his reshuffling of the management of the company.

Ojulari had a few days after assumption of office made some similar changes.

On April 4,  he announced the appointment of an eight- man management team.

Troops of the 4 Brigade Nigerian Army led by the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Ebenezer Oduyebo, have uncovered a massive crime and ritual syndicate’s hideout in Benin City, Edo State. 

Acting on a tip-off, the troops stormed a building within First Bank Estate, called Awesome Garden, located along the Benin-Sapele By-Pass in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of the State, where they arrested 31 suspects and rescued victims of a bizarre cybercrime and ritual-related criminal enterprise. 

Those arrested were handed over to the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further interrogation and prosecution.

Items recovered from the scene included a Toyota model vehicle, several smartphones, laptop computers, cash, a pot, fetish materials, and other incriminating items linked to ritual and cybercrime activities.

Already, preliminary investigations revealed that many of the suspects were lured to the location by the syndicate’s leader, identified as Mr. Marvin Osabhuoyen, who is currently on the run.

He was said to have promised his victims lucrative job offers abroad, only to force them into a web of criminal operations, including kidnapping, armed robbery, and cyber fraud.

Many of the victims were are from different parts of the country and had been detained in the building for periods ranging between one and two years without freedom of movement, living under fear and manipulation.

Meanwhile, Brigadier General Oduyebo has commended the troops and other sister security agencies for their bravery, vigilance, and continued commitment to keeping Edo State free from criminal elements.

“The Brigade remains fully committed to its mission of ensuring safety and security for all residents of Edo State. This operation is a clear warning to criminal syndicates that their days are numbered,” he declared.

Former Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has expressed regret over his decision to run as the vice-presidential candidate alongside Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election, admitting it may have contradicted the wishes of his people.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, Okowa described his acceptance of the role as a misalignment with the prevailing sentiments in Delta State—an issue he said he has deeply reflected upon.

He offered insights into his political decisions, the internal shifts within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the growing support among Delta stakeholders for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

While defending his record in office, including infrastructure achievements, free maternal and child healthcare, and the performance of his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Okowa acknowledged that joining Atiku’s ticket in 2023 came at a significant political cost.

“Even when we were campaigning, I realised our people were not interested in having another northerner come into power.

“But the decision had already been taken at the federal level by the party, and I had been nominated. Still, in retrospect, I now believe I should have gone with the will of my people,” he declared.

He linked the PDP’s failure in Delta during the presidential poll to that sentiment, acknowledging that while he ran out of loyalty to his party, the south was interested in producing President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.

However, Okowa was quick to point out that the tide turned just three weeks later in the governorship election, where PDP triumphed in 21 out of the 25 local governments.

“That showed the people still believed in us, believed in me. They said you’ve done well, and we will support the governor you have chosen.’ And they did,” he said.

On insinuations that his defection was to have his ‘sins forgiven,’ Okowa maintained that there were no sins to be given as he had not committed any, adding that he was never arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but only honoured an invitation by the commission.

Okowa said: “I did well for the people of the state. Petitions can be written by anybody, but whatever petitions are written, the right of investigation is with the EFCC.

“So, there are no fears concerning that at all. And I have never spoken to Adams Oshiomole; we talked for the first time only yesterday because we are of different political parts and because we are of different political parts we were not friends perse.”Political party merchandise

He defended his defection not as a personal political maneuver but as the result of extensive consultations across Delta State, adding that continued opposition politics had placed the state at a disadvantage in terms of federal access and influence.

Addressing the moral arguments against his defection to the APC, after serving in multiple positions under PDP, Okowa said he owes no one an apology.

“Yes, I was a key player in the PDP from the formative stages, but the PDP of today is not the same party we built in 1998.

“When you find that the values and vision you once believed in are no longer there, then you step away,” he said.

The Presidency has debunked the widely circulated reports claiming that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had sacked three Ministers, describing the story as a fabrication with no basis in fact.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, in a post on his verified X handle, @aonanuga, on Tuesday night, expressed deep concern over the dangerous trend.

The erroneous reports, which quickly gained traction on social media, claimed that President Tinubu had dismissed the Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu; the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.  

Citing a non-existent statement allegedly issued by Onanuga, the reports misled the public and triggered widespread speculation.

Describing the development as not only irresponsible but dangerous to national stability, Onanuga called for decisive action against fake news merchants.

“Security agencies must urgently take action against fake news websites and platforms and the purveyors who fail to check the authenticity of the stories and make them go viral,” he said.

He emphasised that unchecked falsehoods pose a threat to democratic values and the integrity of the press, warning that freedoms must be exercised with responsibility.

“Press freedom and freedom of speech will not exist when some people can wake up and concoct their news and narratives without regard for truth.

“Fake news is simply licentiousness and must be criminalised,”Onanuga said.  

He urged media organisations to uphold the ethics of journalism by verifying information before publication and advised the public to rely on official sources for government-related updates.

As of the time of this report, all three ministers named in the false story continue to serve in their respective roles. 

The Presidency has made no official announcement regarding any cabinet reshuffle. 

The call for criminalising fake news is likely to spark national conversation about the balance between free expression and the regulation of harmful content online—a debate that continues to gain urgency in Nigeria’s evolving media landscape.

Former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has revealed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was on the verge of dumping the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), signalling a major realignment within Nigeria’s political landscape.

Speaking during a live interview on Arise News Channel on Tuesday morning, monitored by our correspondent, Okowa disclosed that the 2023 PDP presidential flagbearer was preparing to exit the party amidst ongoing disenchantment with its internal crises and lack of strategic direction.

“I discussed the coalition with Atiku, who is on his way out of the PDP, before we moved to the APC,” Okowa stated, confirming growing speculation about Atiku’s future with the opposition.

Okowa, who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and other key PDP stakeholders in the State, explained that the decision followed months of intense consultations and reflection on the party’s dwindling prospects.

“We had various levels of meetings with several stakeholders, and even consulted some of our leaders who are not politicians before we came to this decision,” he said. “It was not just a decision of the governor or myself. It was the consensus of a broader political family in Delta.”

He cited the PDP’s internal disarray marked by leadership tussles, lack of unity, and absence of a coherent electoral strategy as key reasons behind the mass defection.

“It does not seem that a viable vehicle has been confirmed for that coalition, nor does it appear that a coalition could build strength in such a short period,” he added, distancing himself from the proposed grand opposition alliance being spearheaded by Atiku.

The former governor also threw his weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s administration, advocating for a full eight-year tenure to maintain political balance and national stability.

“For the stability of this nation, it is best for us to have him complete his eight-year tenure. Then the presidency can move back to the North. I believe that is the right thing,” Okowa said.

Drawing from his time as a two-term opposition governor, Okowa noted the limitations faced when disconnected from federal power.

“We tried to do our best in the state. We could not lay our hands on a lot of things that would have benefited us at the federal level,” he said, justifying the move to the APC as a strategic effort to “reconnect Delta State with the corridors of power in Abuja” and attract federal investment and development opportunities.