10 Things in the News Today Across Nigeria

Good morning. Here are the 10 top stories making headlines in Nigeria this Thursday, March 5, 2026.

1. President Bola Tinubu has ordered the suspension of the newly introduced cashless payment system at Nigerian airports after complaints that it caused severe traffic gridlock and hardship for travellers. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo announced this after the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja.

2. Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has said he is ready to work toward the realisation of state police, assuring officers that the creation of state police will not threaten their jobs.

3. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has denied authoring any “notice of death” circulating on social media, particularly WhatsApp. Speaking at his 89th birthday colloquium in Abeokuta, Ogun State, he described those behind it as “never-do-well.”

4. The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, has announced the immediate suspension of all pilgrimages to Israel due to the security situation in the Middle East. The NCPC Executive Secretary, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, confirmed this in a statement.

5. Central Bank Governor Olayemi Cardoso says Nigeria’s net external reserves rose by 50.5% year-on-year to $34.8 billion in 2025, from $23.11 billion in 2024, attributing the increase to stronger external sector fundamentals and sustained policy reforms.

6. The naira depreciated to ₦1,380 per dollar in the parallel market on Wednesday, compared with ₦1,376 on Tuesday. In the official Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market, it strengthened to ₦1,382.65 per dollar, its first appreciation in over two weeks.

7. INEC has warned that recurring leadership tussles and prolonged intra-party disputes are distracting the commission from core election planning and contributing to voter apathy ahead of the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), raised the concern at a three-day technical review workshop in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.

8. Newly sworn-in IGP, Tunji Disu, has inaugurated a committee to review the framework for state police, saying the panel will examine the concept as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security architecture and improve community-based policing.

9. Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, has taken over the prosecution of former AGF Abubakar Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, over alleged terrorism-related offences and unlawful possession of firearms. The update emerged at the Federal High Court in Abuja through the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

10. Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal is reportedly considering joining the ruling APC, amid claims that party leaders in Abuja have been courting him with the offer of an automatic ticket to contest the governorship in 2027.