The Federal Government has announced plans to discontinue its Visa-on-Arrival policy, citing inefficiencies in the current system. In its place, the government will introduce landing and exit cards, which prospective visitors will be required to complete before entering the country.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Friday during the closing ceremony of a week-long capacity-building training on Advanced Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data for national security and law enforcement. The event was held at the headquarters of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Abuja.

Tunji-Ojo revealed that individuals of interest have been attempting to bypass the new systems implemented at Nigeria’s five international airports. Intelligence reports indicate that some of these individuals are now traveling to neighboring countries to enter Nigeria through its extensive land borders. In response, the minister stated that the ministry will collaborate with relevant partners to deploy the API/PNR system across land borders, emphasizing that Nigeria cannot become a haven for criminals.

At the event, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (CGIS), Kemi Nandap, noted that the initiative stemmed from discussions with the United Nations Office on Counter-Terrorism during a meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, last year. Nandap praised the NIS for its well-trained and patriotic personnel, who are committed to serving the nation.

Objective Profiling and Automation

The Interior Minister stressed that the API/PNR system is mandatory and marks a shift from subjective to objective profiling in immigration decisions. He explained that the current visa system is largely subjective, lacking the necessary rigor for effective migration management and security.

“The visa is not just an entry approval; it is a migration management and security tool,” Tunji-Ojo said. “The current system is too subjective, which is why we are automating the entire process end-to-end. We are working towards launching the e-visa solution by March 1, or at the latest, April 1. This system will integrate with Interpol and criminal records databases to ensure thorough background checks before visas are issued.”

He added that the new system will eliminate the practice of foreign attachés approving and issuing visas, ensuring that all applicants are thoroughly screened. “Nigeria cannot be a destination for wanted criminals. We are committed to making sure our country is not a safe haven for any criminal,” he stated.

Integrated Immigration Solutions

The minister also highlighted plans to integrate various immigration solutions into a centralized data center. This will enable seamless communication between different systems, ensuring that all immigration decisions are made with real-time input from Interpol, criminal records systems, and other background-checking agencies.

“We want to harmonize our databases and ensure that all solutions work together, rather than operating in silos,” Tunji-Ojo said. “For any immigration-related decision, it will be impossible to grant approvals without clearance from relevant security agencies. Security is not an area where you can afford to be 99.9% correct.”

Landing and Exit Cards

Under the new system, visitors will be required to fill out landing cards, which will be integrated with the visa and passport systems, as well as global background-checking databases. This data will be shared with other agencies worldwide to enhance security and streamline the immigration process.

Tunji-Ojo emphasized the need for accountability in immigration management. “It is unacceptable that the NIS cannot instantly provide the number of foreigners in Nigeria. It is unacceptable for someone to enter the country, disappear, and become untraceable. It is unacceptable for immigration policies to be abused, or for individuals to wait six months to regularize their residency. These practices are not tolerated anywhere in the world,” he said.

Reforms for National and International Security

The minister outlined that the reforms, set to take effect between March 1 and April 1, aim to safeguard Nigerians, uphold the country’s responsibilities in the international community, and contribute to global peace. “These reforms are necessary to protect our people, maintain our reputation among nations, and fulfill our role in promoting international security,” he concluded.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Oreshnik missile warheads withstand heat equal to Sun’s temperature — Putin

Warheads mounted on Russia’s Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missiles withstand heat equal to the temperature on the Sun’s surface, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

"The entire world talks about the Oreshnik. And what are the materials? The temperature on these warheads corresponds to the temperature of the Sun, the temperature on the Sun’s surface," Putin said at a plenary session of the Forum of Future Technologies.

"We understand this. We have been developing systems of the boost-glide vehicle that we called Avangard since the 1980s. It features comparable temperatures, slightly less than on the Sun’s surface," the head of state said.

Russian scientists thought about creating such systems back in the late 1980s, Putin recalled. "But they could not because there were no materials. That was the problem. It flies and melts like an ice cream. And the control signal goes through," the Russian president explained, stressing that the innovations "are the result of the work on new materials."

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainian soldiers dismiss Trump-Russia peace push

Peace talks this week between Russia and the U.S. aimed at ending three years of war in Ukraine have not impressed front-line Ukrainian troops, who see no quick end to the fighting if Kyiv is left out of negotiations.

Clutching an assault rifle, an infantryman who goes by the call sign "Rugbyist" recalled Ukraine's fierce resistance in the first weeks of Russia's February 2022 invasion, before Western support poured in, and suggested his country could do it again if needed.

In any case, he had not placed high hopes in U.S. President Donald Trump standing up for Ukraine: "You can't be betrayed by a person you didn't expect anything from."

Another soldier, known as "Pruzhynka", was equally dismissive of the Russian-U.S. talks held in Saudi Arabia and said he still plans to take the fight to the enemy when he returns to the front.

"Maybe they decided something over there - but that's their opinion," the 21-year-old, whose call sign means "spring", told Reuters at a training base in southeastern Ukraine.

"Ukrainians won't believe all that."

Trump's push for a quick peace with Moscow while sidelining Ukraine has caused fear among many Ukrainians and their allies.

But front-line troops say they are determined to fight on, citing three years of bitter sacrifices and the loss of tens of thousands of comrades-in-arms.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has dismissed any deals made behind Ukraine's back and has sought strong security guarantees from Kyiv's partners before agreeing to any settlement.

Trump envoy Keith Kellogg said on Friday that he had "extensive and positive" talks with Zelenskiy during a trip to Kyiv but offered no further information.

Also on Friday, the Kremlin hinted at a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin but said the details had yet to be worked out.

On the battlefield, meanwhile, outmanned and outgunned Ukrainian troops are struggling to hold back Russian advances along much of the sprawling eastern front.

Fighting has been particularly fierce near the embattled logistics hub of Pokrovsk, defended in part by troops from Ukraine's 68th Jaeger Brigade.

At their training ground, soldiers said they had little faith in the ongoing peace effort and saw no immediate end to the fighting.

"There are many patriots among us - we're descendants of the Cossacks," said "Alladin", who was training the troops.

"We will fight till the end."

Tass/Reuters

Nigerians have been falling over themselves eulogising two of the country’s elder statesmen who died in the last one week. It is as if there is a national essay competition to determine who will pen the most moving panegyric. Citizens have been regaled with heartfelt tributes that share memories, stories and achievements of Ayo Adebanjo and Edwin Clark.

To be sure, Adebanjo and Clark – two of a kind – were all that have been said about them, and even more. They were greatness, grace and patriotism personified. And their departure at such a critical time has created a gaping void because their big shoes will be difficult to fill.

But despite their incredible achievements, both men went to their graves with huge regrets at what Nigeria had become. As Adebanjo told me on the eve of his 95th birthday: “I am still in the trenches because the country is not what I fought for.” What he and fellow compatriots fought for was a country that will work for all. That remains an illusion. If anything, the prospect of Nigeria becoming a country where equity, fairness and justice prevail is still far-fetched.

Both men were blessed with longevity. In a country where life expectancy hovers in the 50s, it takes the grace of God to become a nonagenarian. Born on April 10, 1928, Adebanjo died on Friday, February 14, 2025, less than two months from his 97th birthday. Pa Clark, who also died at 97 was only eleven months older, having been born on May 25, 1927.

In the course of my journalistic odyssey, I encountered both men but I will talk about Adebanjo here, while I leave the story of Clark, a man who saved my life in 1997, for another day.

Adebanjo who was born barely six years after the Clifford Constitution and the first legislative elections in Nigeria, lived through the finest and ugliest moments of Nigeria’s history – the constitutional conferences, struggle for independence, party politics leading to independence, the civil war, military rule, return to democracy, the struggle for the protection of democracy, and the bigger struggle of ensuring the development of Nigeria. He joined the struggle early in 1943 as a Zikist, but in 1951, he became a member of the youth wing of the Action Group, and a mentee, political disciple of Obafemi Awolowo. That became the defining moment of his life.

As a young journalist at the Independent Communications Network Limited, ICNL – publishers of TheNews/TEMPO magazine, AM News and PM News – in 1996, I could not but appreciate the significance of the Western House building on 8-10 Broad Street, Lagos. TheNews was embedded in the pro-democracy struggle and Western House was the de facto headquarters of the foremost pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, and the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO.

Many of the chieftains of these two groups that were engaged in a mortal battle with the military junta of Sani Abacha, most of them lawyers, had their offices in that complex. It became a natural destination for journalists seeking for news. Ayo Adebanjo’s office was on the third floor. When you start from there and climb up to the offices of Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele – a lawyer, who also acquired a diploma in journalism in 1962 and worked as a journalist for the BBC and VON Magazine, before becoming a deputy governor in Lagos State, and Ganiyu Olawale Dawodu, popularly known as G.O.D. – your day would have been made.

In those days, I developed a strong liking for Adebanjo because he was an interviewer’s delight, shooting from the hip. I remember doing a story in the TEMPO tabloid titled, ‘June 12: The Saints and Villains’. He was one of the ‘saints’. Once when I went to his office, he gave me a ride back to Ogba.

When I left TheNews magazine for The Diet newspaper in 1997, I never met Adebanjo again until February 9, 2022 when I sat down, once again, with the now 93-year-old man in his Lagos home for a two-hour interview. Of course, at 93, a lot had changed physically: he was slower, one step at a time; hard of hearing, but still had a razor-sharp mind. There was a whiff of frustration and he spoke about death in a way he didn’t even in those days of thunder and trepidation.

Adebanjo insisted that Nigeria was at a crossroads and needed restructuring urgently. He dismissed the 1999 Constitution as a big fraud that is at the root of all the country’s woes. “Talk about any problem you can think of in this country today and you will find out that it has to do with this Constitution,” he intoned gravely.

Unless the Constitution was changed and the country restructured first, the 2023 election would be “an exercise in futility,” he said.

“Tell me that Ayo Adebanjo is talking nonsense, it does not concern me. When it will happen, I may have gone but you will be around and you will remember that I said it… I am pitying your generation because I am done. At 94, what I am expecting now is my funeral dirge. Baba rele! That is the song they sing for an old man they are going to bury.”

But when I sat down again with him one year after on February 13, 2023, a few days before the February 25, 2023 presidential election, Adebanjo had slightly moderated his position.

Apparently, he was taken in by the dubious promises of the INEC chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu. “I am hopeful,” he said. “So far, so good. I am hopeful because of the electoral law. If they keep to it, implement it and execute it, the elections will be free, fair and credible.”

A credible election will bequeath the country with a Peter Obi presidency, he told me. And when that happens: “The first thing that Obi will do when he gets into office is to call all the ethnic groups together and agree on a Constitution. Any other thing to the contrary, there will be chaos. I have said it before and I am repeating it without any element of doubt in my mind. If for any reason, the election is scuttled or manipulated, and Obi doesn’t win, I say emphatically, that is the end of Nigeria. If we don’t enthrone fairness, equity and justice which the Obi presidency will represent, all our problems will continue.”

When I asked him if he was being harassed by the Nigerian state because of his very strong views, he smiled: “They know that I am ready for them. Most governments in this country imprisoned me. I am a jailbird. I was involved in the Awolowo treasonable felony trial. Abacha imprisoned and detained me. You remember they arrested me, they said we killed Abiola’s wife. And when we were holding a reception for Ambassador Walter Carrington in my house, they came there and broke the place… I think they have given up on me. They must be telling themselves, that old man, he will soon go.”

Besides, Adebanjo said if someone like him cannot talk about Nigeria, who else will? “I have every reason to be grateful to God. My leader – Awolowo – was only 78 years when he died. Ajasin who followed him was only 88, Adesanya who followed him was 88. My friend and colleague, Olanihun Ajayi, was 92. I will be 95 years in April 2023. Why should I not thank God? It is only the funeral dirge that I am waiting for now. If I die now and my children say, oh, the devil has done his worst, will you not laugh at them? So, anybody who is trying to attack or kill me is just wasting his time.”

Adebanjo said if Nigerians failed to vote right on February 25, 2023, when the result would come, he would be enjoying himself in the grave. Those immortal words were uttered exactly two years to the day he died.

Since his death, Nigerians have been talking about how best to immortalise him. There are suggestions that national monuments be named after him. That will be great because he deserves every honour. But for a man who never aspired to any public office – elected or appointed – changing the name of ‘River Niger’ to ‘River Ayo Adebanjo’ or even ‘Aso Rock’ to ‘Ayo Adebanjo Villa’ is immaterial. The most enduring way to immortalise him is to enthrone equity, fairness and justice by restructuring Nigeria in a way that the country works for all. That is what he lived, fought and died for. That is what will make him happy wherever he is now.

Every year around this time, as stores fill up with red and pink gifts, I wonder what truly makes a relationship last, and how I can set myself up to be the best partner in a relationship. Mistakes are normal when you’re dating someone, but some can be more damaging to your relationship than others.

Couples therapist Rachel Glik has more than 30 years of experience, and she’s “seen partners repeat many of the same mistakes, often unknowingly,” she says.

Here are six common ones she suggests avoiding:

1 Winging it. Actively work on the skills that can make you a great partner, like being a good listener and dealing with conflict effectively.

2 Expecting your partner to be responsible for your happiness and well-being. Forming a positive relationship with yourself is an important step toward having a fulfilling connection with someone else.

3 Seeing conflict as a red flag. Periods of disconnection and reconnection are normal in long-lasting relationships.

4 Attempting to change your partner. Show them empathy when they do things that bother you, and avoid focusing too much on those things by appreciating more of what your partner does right.

5 Losing sight of what’s important. Plan date nights to strengthen your bond, and set aside time for honest conversations about your relationship.

6 Thinking too small. Sometimes zooming out beyond just your relationship can benefit you and your partner. Giving back to your community as a unit, and individually, can bring you closer together.

If you make any of these mistakes, don’t get discouraged, Glik says: “Simple changes, at any time, can go a long way to turn things around.”

CNBC

Nigeria’s former military president, Ibrahim Babangida (IBB), has expressed regret over the annulment of the 12 June 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as one of the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. In his newly released autobiography, “A Journey in Service”, Babangida blamed the late General Sani Abacha and other military officers for the annulment, which occurred 32 years ago. The book, presented to the public on Thursday in Abuja, also served as the platform for the launch of the IBB Presidential Library project, which garnered N17.5 billion in donations from Nigerian business elites.

Babangida, who officially announced the annulment in a national broadcast on 24 June 1993, acknowledged in his 420-page memoir that the election was “credible, free, and fair” and was won by Moshood Abiola, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Abiola defeated Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC) with 8,128,720 votes, securing a majority and the required geographical spread across 28 states, including Abuja. Despite initially doubting Abiola’s victory, Babangida now admits that the results clearly showed Abiola’s win.

However, Babangida revealed that the annulment was orchestrated by military officers led by Sani Abacha, his chief of defence staff, who later became head of state. He claimed the annulment was carried out “without his permission” but took full responsibility for the decision, stating, “I regret June 12. I accept full responsibility for the decisions taken, and June 12 happened under my watch. Mistakes and missteps happened in quick succession.”

The memoir details the events leading to the annulment, including a court injunction obtained by the Association to Better Nigeria (ABN) on 10 June, two days before the election. Babangida denied supporting ABN’s activities, despite its leader, Arthur Nzeribe, being close to him. He described the legal and political chaos that ensued, including conflicting court orders and intense debates within the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC). Despite his initial decision to proceed with the election, the results were abruptly suspended on 16 June, and the election was ultimately annulled on 23 June, a decision Babangida claims was made without his approval.

The annulment led to widespread political turmoil, culminating in Babangida’s resignation in August 1993 and the installation of an interim government led by Ernest Shonekan, which was later toppled by Abacha in November 1993.

At the book launch, Nigerian business leaders pledged significant donations to the IBB Presidential Library project. Billionaire industrialist Abdul Samad Rabiu donated N5 billion, while Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, contributed N2 billion and pledged an additional N2 billion annually for the next three years, totaling N8 billion. Former defence minister TY Danjuma pledged N3 billion, and businessman Arthur Eze donated N500 million. The library, described as a national institution, aims to preserve Nigeria’s political, military, and leadership history, particularly during Babangida’s eight-year rule.

The event was attended by prominent figures, including President Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who chaired the event, and former Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, who delivered the keynote address. Other attendees included former Nigerian leaders Yakubu Gowon, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and Goodluck Jonathan, as well as former vice presidents Atiku Abubakar and Yemi Osinbajo, who provided a detailed review of the book.

Babangida’s memoir offers rare insights into his tenure, including the controversial annulment of the June 12 election.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has held its benchmark lending rate steady at 27.50 percent, marking the first pause in rate adjustments in almost three years.

CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso announced the decision following a two-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja. This represents a significant shift in strategy, as the CBN had consistently increased rates since March 2022, when the benchmark stood at 11.5 percent.

The MPC unanimously agreed to maintain current rates, citing positive macroeconomic developments including stability in the foreign exchange market, appreciation of the naira, and gradual moderation in fuel prices. These factors are expected to favorably impact pricing trends in the near to medium term.

In addition to maintaining the benchmark rate, the committee retained the asymmetric corridor around the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at +500 to -100 basis points. The Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) remains at 50 percent for commercial banks and 16 percent for merchant banks, while the liquidity ratio stays at 30 percent.

This decision follows the National Bureau of Statistics' recent announcement that Nigeria's annual inflation rate was 24.48 percent in January, based on a rebased Consumer Price Index with 2024 as the new base year.

Despite implementing six interest rate hikes in 2024 totaling 875 basis points, inflation has remained high due to exchange rate fluctuations, subsidy removal, and supply chain disruptions. The committee acknowledged ongoing inflationary pressures, particularly from food prices.

Cardoso noted that as the federal government improves security in food-producing regions and implements measures to increase food supply, food prices are expected to moderate. The committee also highlighted the positive impact of external sector improvements on exchange rate stability and urged the bank to continue efforts to boost market liquidity.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Katsina State’s morality police, the Hisbah Board, has officially declared nightclubs illegal, ensuring that anyone daring to enjoy themselves after sunset is in for a rude awakening. Citing “Islamic principles” and a desperate need to police personal choices, Hisbah’s Commander-General, Aminu Usman (Abu Ammar), made the grand announcement on Wednesday.

In what can only be described as a crusade against enjoyment, Hisbah ordered nightclub owners to shut down their businesses immediately, warning that anyone caught defying the decree would face severe consequences. According to them, this is all in the name of “curbing immoral practices,” “protecting societal values,” and—of course—solving the state’s security issues. Because, apparently, criminals will now turn themselves in since there’s no music playing at night.

To ensure absolute obedience, Hisbah has enlisted the help of security agencies, turning them into enforcers of fun prohibition. The board even went as far as alerting the state’s Commissioner for Internal Security to make sure no dance floor remains untouched.

This latest moral campaign follows Hisbah’s previous bans on prostitution and gambling in 2024. Not satisfied with just that, the ever-watchful squad also declared war on “funny hairstyles,” promising to take “necessary actions” against anyone whose hair offends their delicate sensibilities.