Good morning, Nigeria. Welcome to your Gossip News Now roundup of the major stories making headlines today, Thursday, 27th November 2025.

1. Tinubu Sends Three Ambassadorial Nominees to Senate for Confirmation

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted the names of three individuals nominated for ambassadorial appointments to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio revealed the development during Wednesday’s plenary session.

The nominees are:

• Kayode Are – Ogun State
• Aminu Dalhatu – Jigawa State
• Ayodele Oke – Oyo State

Akpabio noted that the list currently contains three names, adding that additional nominations are expected.

In a post on Wednesday, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that the nominees are designated as non-career ambassadors for three key countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.

The final postings will be confirmed after the Senate completes its screening process.

2. ‘We Will Be the Next Targets’ — Senator Warns Tinubu Against Withdrawing Police from VIPs

Senator Aliyu Wamakko, representing Sokoto North Senatorial District, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider his directive withdrawing police protection from Very Important Personalities (VIPs).

Addressing colleagues during Wednesday’s plenary, Wamakko argued that removing police escorts from VIPs would expose them to increased danger, making them prime targets for criminal elements.

His remarks follow President Tinubu’s recent order directing the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to VIPs nationwide as part of a major restructuring of security deployments.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the directive emerged from a high-level security meeting with Service Chiefs and is aimed at restoring the Police to their “core duties” and strengthening community security.

Under the new policy, VIPs requiring armed escorts must now apply through the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

However, Wamakko—who is also a former governor of Sokoto State—insisted that stripping VIPs of police protection creates new risks and urged the President to suspend or review the directive.

3. State Police Inevitable as 35 Governors Already in Support — Governor Sule

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has reiterated the need for the creation of state police, warning that Nigeria may face worsening insecurity unless critical structural reforms are implemented.

Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, Sule disclosed that the vast majority of state governors had already endorsed the idea well before the recent escalation in kidnappings nationwide.

“Over six months ago, 35 out of the 36 governors agreed that Nigeria needs state police,” he said.

The governor stressed that the issue is no longer solely the responsibility of the Federal Government or the governors, emphasising that lawmakers must also support the initiative for it to become reality.

Sule noted that while some geopolitical zones have only recently begun to push more aggressively for decentralised policing, the proposal has long been before the National Assembly awaiting decisive action.

4. Nigerian Afro-Gospel Singer Gaise Baba Loses Father

Prince (Hon.) Ezekiel Gbadebo Ibuoye, father of Nigerian Afro-gospel singer and songwriter Akinade Ibuoye—popularly known as Gaise Baba—has passed away.

The ‘No Turning Back’ singer announced his father’s death in a statement shared on his social media pages on Wednesday. He disclosed that Prince Ibuoye, the Ààrẹ Apọ́nlẹ́sẹ̀ of Okemesi Ekiti in Ekiti State, died on Saturday, November 22, at exactly 7:31 p.m.

Gaise Baba noted that the loss came just seven months and seven days after the death of his mother, describing the emotional toll on the family as heavy. Despite the back-to-back bereavements, he said the family continues to draw strength from their faith.

5. Why Benjamin Frederick Will Miss the 2025 AFCON With the Super Eagles

The Super Eagles have suffered a major setback ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, as highly rated young defender Benjamin Frederick has been ruled out due to a knee injury.

The 20-year-old, on loan from Brentford, missed FCV Dender’s 2–1 victory over Royal Antwerp at the weekend, sparking initial speculation about his condition. It has now been confirmed that the injury is serious enough to keep him out of the continental tournament.

According to journalist Oluwashina Okeleji, Frederick will be sidelined for the entirety of Nigeria’s AFCON campaign as he focuses on recovery.

Frederick’s absence is a significant blow. Since earning his first senior call-up in May, the defender has risen rapidly through the ranks. He impressed during the Unity Cup at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, where coach Eric Chelle handed him his international debut — a chance he seized with maturity beyond his years.

6. Chelsea Legend Slams FIFA for Clearing Cristiano Ronaldo for 2026 World Cup Opener

Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley has criticised FIFA for allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to feature in Portugal’s opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ronaldo had initially been handed a straight red card during Portugal’s 2-0 defeat to Ireland after elbowing Dara O’Shea off the ball — an offence that typically attracts a three-match suspension for violent conduct.

He went on to miss Portugal’s final qualifier against Armenia, but FIFA later reduced the suspension to just one match. The adjustment means the 39-year-old striker will now be eligible for Portugal’s first game of the World Cup.

Burley condemned the decision, accusing FIFA of bending their disciplinary rules to favour one of the sport’s biggest global icons.

7. ‘No Child Support From Her Father, Yet Our Daughter Lacks Nothing’ — Sophia Momodu Speaks on Imade’s Absence at Adeleke Wedding

Sophia Momodu, mother of Davido’s first daughter, Imade, has addressed allegations that she prevented the child from attending a recent Adeleke family wedding in the United States.

Over the weekend, the Adelekes held a major family ceremony, which Davido’s second daughter, Hailey, attended. Imade’s absence, however, drew criticism online, with some social media users accusing Sophia of keeping the child away from her father’s family.

Responding via Instagram on Wednesday, Sophia said she woke up to a wave of attacks directed at her and her daughter. She insisted that Imade is a “healthy, happy child,” and anyone who sees her can attest to that.

Sophia revealed she has been Imade’s primary caregiver for the past five years, covering all of her needs except school fees, which have been paid by the child’s paternal grandparents for the last three years.

She further stated that Davido has not provided any child support but made it clear that their daughter “knows no lack.”

8. ‘No Serious Government Congratulates Itself for Negotiating With Terrorists’ — Atiku Blasts Tinubu Administration

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Tinubu administration over comments made by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga regarding the rescue of kidnapped citizens.

Recall that 24 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, were rescued on Tuesday. President Bola Tinubu, through a statement issued by Onanuga, praised the coordinated efforts of security agencies that led to their release.

However, during an appearance on Arise Television on Monday, Onanuga revealed that DSS operatives and the military had direct communication with the bandits who kidnapped 38 worshippers from the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, in the Ekiti LGA of Kwara State. He said the security agencies contacted the attackers shortly after the abduction and demanded the immediate release of the victims, adding that the bandits complied because they understood the “consequences of not listening to government demands.”

Atiku, in a statement issued through his media office on Wednesday, described Onanuga’s remarks as “shameful,” questioning why the government, after establishing communication with the criminals, failed to arrest or neutralise them.

He said the government’s willingness to negotiate with terrorists signals dangerous precedent—one in which criminals now operate openly, dictate terms, and walk away unpunished while the administration publicly applauds itself.

The former Vice President and ADC chieftain condemned what he termed “irresponsible propaganda,” saying no credible government should boast about negotiating with terrorists or allow them to return to the forests without consequence.

9. Wase Alleges Boko Haram Names Found on Army Recruitment List

Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, on Wednesday claimed that the names of Boko Haram members were previously discovered on a Nigerian Army recruitment list—warning that such infiltration is “undermining the country’s security architecture.”

Speaking during a special House plenary convened to address Nigeria’s escalating insecurity, Wase said the discovery could be verified by former House Committee on Defence Chairman, Muktar Betara.

In a forceful presentation, he recounted how the alleged infiltration was detected and urged political leaders to exercise greater caution when making security-related recommendations.

Wase criticised the national recruitment system, which he said has allowed individuals with questionable backgrounds to slip into critical security institutions without adequate checks.

He added that the presence of criminals within the security sector helps explain the continued resilience of terror groups despite sustained military operations, attributing the problem to leadership failures and systemic loopholes.

10. Tinubu Declares National Security Emergency, Orders Massive Security Recruitment

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a national security emergency and directed an extensive recruitment drive across the Police and Armed Forces.

In a statement personally signed on Wednesday, the President unveiled a series of urgent measures aimed at curbing the rising wave of insecurity nationwide.

Key directives include:

• Immediate additional recruitment into the Armed Forces and the Nigerian Police Force.
• The Police to enlist 20,000 more officers, increasing the planned intake to 50,000.
• NYSC orientation camps to be converted into temporary police training centers.
• Officers assigned to VIP protection to undergo expedited retraining and be redeployed to high-risk areas.
• The DSS instructed to deploy all trained forest guards and recruit additional personnel to clear terrorists and bandits from forests nationwide.
• Commendation of recent rescue operations involving 24 abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi and 38 worshippers in Kwara, with assurances of continued efforts to free remaining hostages.
• Full federal backing for state-level security outfits.
• A call on the National Assembly to amend existing laws to enable states that are willing to establish their own police forces.
• An appeal to states to reconsider operating boarding schools in remote or insecure locations, and for religious centres to maintain constant security vigilance.
• A reaffirmation of commitment to ending farmer–herder clashes through the newly created Ministry of Livestock, urging herders to embrace ranching, abandon open grazing, and surrender illegal weapons.
• Tributes to fallen soldiers, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba, and sympathies to families affected by recent attacks across multiple states.
• A stern warning to criminals that government restraint must not be mistaken for weakness.

President Tinubu also called for unity, vigilance, and public cooperation with security agencies, stressing that, “We are in this fight together, and together we shall win.”

That wraps up today’s top Nigerian newspaper headlines. For more breaking stories and updates, visit Gossip News Now . Join us again tomorrow for another roundup.