🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
Former Inspector-General of Police Suleiman Abba defects from APC to PDP in Jigawa State
via Punch Nigeria8 min read
Suleiman Abba, the former Inspector-General of Police, has officially joined the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Jigawa State, defecting from the All Progressives Congress APC. Abba announced his move at a rally in Bamaina, the hometown of former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, stating his intention to represent Jigawa South-West Senatorial District in the National Assembly. He emphasized that the PDP platform would enable him to deliver effective representation, focusing on security, agriculture, and youth employment. Lamido welcomed Abba's defection, calling it a significant boost for the PDP and expressing optimism about strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 general election. The Jigawa State PDP Chairman, Babandi Gumel, and the PDP governorship candidate, Mustapha Lamido, also highlighted the positive impact of Abba's entry on the party's prospects in the state.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
The Bank of Industry's 2025 Development Impact Report indicates that its investments in power and rural infrastructure led to the electrification of more than 100 communities and connected 11,777 new customers to electricity. The report highlights the bank's role in addressing Nigeria’s energy access challenges, with the power and utilities sector emerging as a strong performer, supporting eight businesses in rural electrification and mini-grid deployment. Beyond power, BOI's interventions created and retained 1.68 million jobs, linked 47,508 smallholder farmers to processing facilities, and supported thousands of businesses across various sectors. The bank linked 47,508 smallholder farmers to value chains in agriculture and food processing, while the agro-processing sector created 2,491 jobs. In manufacturing, N4.6bn was invested to modernize six factories, supporting 6,178 jobs. The transport and logistics sector received N10bn in financing, creating 516 net jobs, and the pharmaceutical sector introduced nine new product lines and hired 182 women. BOI also mobilized €210m from international funding partners in 2025, with €125m for healthcare and €85m for agriculture and food security. The bank managed N73bn in matching funds for state governments and institutional partners and served as the lead implementation agency for the Federal Government’s N200bn MSME Industrialisation Fund, achieving over 95% disbursement. The Rural Area Programme on Investment for Development disbur
Must ReadArchbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy See's Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, indicated a potential future visit by Pope Leo XIV to Nigeria. This statement followed a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja. President Tinubu expressed his anticipation for the Pope's visit, highlighting the need for his spiritual engagement for peace and acknowledging the Catholic Church's significant contributions to education, health, and humanitarian efforts in Nigeria. Archbishop Gallagher's visit is part of engagements leading up to the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the Holy See. He noted the strong bilateral relationship, evidenced by Nigeria's recent deployment of Paul Adikwu as ambassador-designate to the Holy See. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, emphasized Nigeria's substantial Catholic population and the Church's broad impact beyond worship, including education, healthcare, and interfaith dialogue. President Tinubu also addressed Nigeria's security challenges, stating that conflicts are not religiously driven and his administration is committed to promoting religious harmony and investing in youth to prevent radicalization.
Must ReadMore than 3.5 million people have been forcibly displaced across the Lake Chad Basin due to escalating insecurity, affecting Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR reported that 8.2 million people now require humanitarian assistance in the region. Security incidents increased by 80 percent between January 2024 and April 2026, with nearly 1,800 incidents and over 5,700 fatalities recorded from September 2025 to May 2026. Borno State in northeastern Nigeria is identified as the crisis epicenter, with violence spreading to the North-West and parts of the Middle Belt. Since January 2026, over 77,500 people have been displaced, including 16,000 refugees from Nigeria who fled to Niger's Diffa region. Violence is increasingly spilling across national borders, with attacks in one country triggering displacement in neighboring states. Civilians bear the brunt, with one in five households feeling unsafe and women and girls facing increased risks of violence. The proportion of people knowing violence survivors rose from 19 percent in 2025 to 27 percent in 2026. Children are severely affected, with about half out of school in the worst-hit areas, and one in four respondents reporting separated or unaccompanied children in their communities. Andrew Wyllie, UNHCR Deputy Director for the West and Central Africa Bureau, commended governments for keeping borders open and supporting displaced communities. UNHCR and partners urgently need $29