Top 10 Stories in Nigeria You Need to Know This Wednesday Morning

These are the top stories in Nigeria you need to know today:

1. Nigeria’s Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has raised alarm over the country’s porous borders and inadequate funding for security agencies, warning that both factors pose serious threats to national security. He revealed that the Nigerian Immigration Service received only ₦10 billion in the 2025 budget to secure over 4,000 square kilometres of border territory, an amount he described as grossly insufficient. 

2. Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has declared Wednesday, June 18, 2025, a public holiday to honour President Bola Tinubu’s visit following deadly attacks in Guma LGA, where over 100 residents were killed. The holiday is intended to allow residents to participate in the official welcome, a move that many have described as insensitive and psychopathic.

3. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has delivered essential relief materials to support those displaced and affected by the Benue killings. According to the agency, the intervention followed a rapid needs assessment carried out in collaboration with the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Nigerian Red Cross Society, and relevant security agencies.

4. Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has firmly ruled out self-defence in response to the recent deadly attacks in the region, cautioning that emotionally driven vigilantism would increase residents’ vulnerability and not solve the security crisis. Instead, he advocates for a structured community policing model that leverages local knowledge and grassroots intelligence gathering.

5. Lagos State Police have confirmed that Pastor Paul Adefarasin of House on the Rock Church voluntarily reported to the Ikeja Command headquarters following a viral video in which he appeared to brandish a gun while confronting another driver. Police spokesperson CSP Benjamin Hundeyin clarified that the object recovered was not a firearm but a prohibited stun gun, an anti-riot device, and that the pastor has since been granted bail as formal investigations continue, highlighting the ongoing scrutiny over public figures and non-lethal weapons in Nigeria.

6. A U.S. federal court has handed a combined 159-year prison sentence to five Nigerian nationals – Damilola Kumapayi, Sandra and Edgal Iribhogbe, Chidindu Okeke, and Chiagoziem Okeke – after they admitted to orchestrating a $17 million fraud scheme that defrauded more than 100 victims, including elderly individuals, companies, and government bodies. The defendants were involved in a transnational criminal network that used tactics like romance scams on elderly victims via dating websites, then laundered the proceeds through bank accounts across Africa and Asia.

7. Dangote Refinery says it plans to begin a nationwide fuel distribution on August 15, 2025, and will create an estimated 8,000 jobs. The refinery intends to deploy 4,000 CNG-powered tankers and provide free logistics to streamline fuel delivery across Nigeria, thereby reducing inflationary pressure.

8. Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) is set to deduct the ₦6.98 USSD fee directly from customers’ mobile airtime instead of their bank accounts, starting June 18, 2025.  This change aligns with directives from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank, which aim to implement an end-user billing model to resolve a long-standing ₦250 billion dispute over unpaid USSD charges by banks.

9. The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has announced that, starting August 1, 2025, it will raise several of its service fees following a comprehensive review of operational costs and stakeholder feedback. The adjustments, described as “modest, competitive and aligned” with economic realities, aim to enhance its digital processes, improve efficiency, and safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s corporate registry.

10. Nigeria’s former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has sharply criticised President Bola Tinubu, claiming his key policy moves, such as the removal of fuel subsidies and the devaluation of the naira, were implemented without adequate groundwork, pushing Nigerians into severe hardship and insecurity. Dalung warned that these decisions have set Tinubu on a collision course with the populace, suggesting that a barrage of political endorsements in 2027 won’t shield him from public disapproval.