The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has assured the government of Qatar that the FCT Administration will address concerns surrounding land allocated to the country for its embassy in Abuja.

Wike gave the assurance on Tuesday when he received Qatar’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Yousef Mohammed Ahmed Al-Hail, in Abuja for discussions on diplomatic relations, investment opportunities and cooperation in urban development.

The ambassador had raised concerns over a court letter challenging Qatar’s ownership of its allocated embassy land, estimated at 8,000 square metres, and appealed to the FCT Administration to clarify the matter to allow the country to proceed with its development plans.

Responding, Wike pledged that the administration would take the necessary steps to resolve the issue.

“Be assured that nothing will happen. We want to assure you that whatever the issue is, we will take action on it,” he said.

The minister also called for stronger cooperation between Abuja and Doha, particularly in urban planning, infrastructure development and the establishment of modern cities.

He commended Qatar’s investments in urban infrastructure and its experience in hosting major international events, noting that Nigeria could draw valuable lessons from the Gulf country’s development model.

Wike expressed the FCT Administration’s readiness to send a delegation to Qatar to study its urban planning strategies, transportation systems and other initiatives that could be adapted to Abuja.

“We want to partner with you. We will come and see how we can visit Qatar and see what they have done in terms of developing new cities. Planning and the concepts are very key,” he said.

He added that the administration would provide the necessary support to strengthen cooperation and ensure that Qatar’s legitimate business and investment interests in Abuja were not obstructed.

Wike also proposed discussions with Qatar Charity to explore opportunities for expanding its development projects in the FCT, particularly in education, healthcare, housing and community infrastructure.

He said partnerships with development organisations could complement ongoing government efforts to improve infrastructure and social services across the territory.

Earlier, Al-Hail expressed Qatar’s interest in deepening its relationship with Nigeria, with particular emphasis on Abuja’s urban development and investment prospects.

The ambassador proposed a formal partnership between Abuja and Doha to facilitate the exchange of expertise in city planning, infrastructure, transportation and investment.

He noted that Qatar had developed extensive urban infrastructure, including modern transport networks, educational facilities and aviation infrastructure, which could offer useful lessons for Abuja.

Al-Hail called for discussions on a cooperation agreement between the relevant authorities in both cities and expressed readiness to review a draft agreement and advance plans for a possible visit by FCT officials to Qatar.

He also highlighted investment opportunities for Nigerians in Qatar, citing reforms introduced to attract foreign investors and expand participation in the property and business sectors.

On air connectivity, the ambassador said Qatar Airways operated flights connecting Doha with Abuja and Lagos, adding that the airline planned to increase capacity to meet rising passenger demand.

He said stronger diplomatic and economic ties could create opportunities for trade, tourism, investment and people-to-people exchanges between both countries.

The meeting highlighted prospects for expanded Nigeria-Qatar cooperation in urban development, investment and social infrastructure, alongside efforts to address the concerns surrounding Qatar’s embassy land in Abuja.

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Speaking during his annual address at the agency’s headquarters in London, McCallum described Russia as the leading state-based threat to the UK, revealing that hostile activities linked to foreign states had quadrupled over the past decade.

He said MI5 was now devoting more resources to countering state threats than at any point during the Cold War, with operations against terrorism and hostile states almost equal in scale.

On Russia, McCallum accused Moscow of waging hybrid warfare against Britain and other European countries, seeking to destabilise them while avoiding direct military confrontation with NATO.

He said the expulsion of nearly 1,000 Russian officials and suspected spies since the invasion of Ukraine had severely weakened the Kremlin’s intelligence network, forcing it to rely increasingly on criminal networks and paid proxies to carry out hostile activities.

Despite the setbacks, McCallum warned that Russia remained a significant threat, although he said Moscow would be unwise to cross the threshold into direct military confrontation with NATO.

Turning to Iran, the MI5 chief disclosed that 50 arrests had been made in the UK over Iran-linked activities in the past year. He said the threats had targeted Jewish communities and sensitive sites, including military installations.

McCallum also warned of the continuing danger posed by extreme right-wing terrorism, alongside the growing possibility of terrorist groups exploiting artificial intelligence to plan and execute attacks.

He said MI5 had identified terrorists attempting to use AI to improve reconnaissance and attack methods, including through AI-enabled drones. He also raised concerns about the potential use of the technology to develop biological weapons, warning that it could amplify existing security risks.

Although he said the biological weapons threat had not yet materialised, McCallum stressed that British intelligence agencies were working with the country’s AI Security Institute to assess and counter emerging dangers.

As part of those efforts, he announced the establishment of an AI Threat Assessment Centre to evaluate potential risks and distinguish credible threats from exaggerated claims.

McCallum added that the UK’s National Security Act 2023 was being used to address threats linked to China, Russia and Iran.

His warning underscores the expanding challenges facing British intelligence agencies as they confront foreign interference, state-sponsored hostility, terrorism and the security implications of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence.

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The codes will be accessible through the commission’s official website and social media platforms, allowing voters to scan and identify where to collect their cards.

Speaking at a press conference at INEC’s headquarters in Lagos on Tuesday, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Ayobami Salami, urged eligible voters to collect their PVCs, verify their registration details and rely on official channels for election-related information.

Beyond voter registration services, Salami said preparations for the 2027 elections were progressing, with efforts underway to procure and test voter accreditation devices, improve electronic results transmission, strengthen logistics, and recruit and train election personnel.

Meanwhile, INEC has revised the timetable for the 2027 general elections following the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, which introduced changes to statutory timelines for electoral activities.

Under the revised schedule, the presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 2027.

The commission said the revised timetable was designed to ensure compliance with the new legal framework governing the elections.

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The resolution followed a motion sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Air Force, Senator Osita Ngwu, who raised concerns over recurring military aircraft accidents and the need to strengthen safety standards.

Presenting the motion at plenary on Tuesday, Ngwu recalled that a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area, on October 5, 2026.

The aircraft was reportedly on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when the incident occurred.

Expressing concern over the recurring loss of military personnel in aircraft accidents, the Senate questioned the state of aircraft maintenance, the condition of ageing fleets and compliance with operational safety standards.

Lawmakers stressed that the airworthiness and operational readiness of military aircraft were critical to national security, intelligence gathering and defence operations.

They warned that failure to conduct a transparent and comprehensive investigation into the crash could undermine efforts to prevent similar tragedies.

Consequently, the Senate urged the Federal Government to prioritise funding for regular aircraft maintenance and the replacement of ageing military aircraft to improve operational safety and protect military personnel.

It also mandated its committees on Air Force and Aviation to visit the crash site, engage with Nigerian Air Force authorities and conduct a comprehensive audit of the serviceability and airworthiness of aircraft in the presidential and military fleets.

The Senate further called on the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to investigate both the immediate and underlying causes of the crash and make their findings public.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has also resolved to investigate the incident, signalling a broader legislative push to address concerns over military aviation safety.

Following a motion by the Chairman of the House Committee on Air Force, Kabiru Rurum, the House resolved to audit aircraft in the Nigerian Air Force fleet and called for improved funding to ensure proper maintenance.

The investigations are expected to examine aircraft maintenance, funding and operational safety as lawmakers seek measures to prevent further loss of lives in military aviation accidents.

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The 71-year-old pope’s hospitalisation marks his first since becoming head of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025. According to the Vatican, the operation was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Leo disclosed the discovery of the nodule during his Angelus address in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, revealing that doctors had detected the small growth in his lung at an early stage during recent medical examinations.

“The doctors believe it would be right to intervene,” the pope said.

Despite concerns surrounding the procedure, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, told the ANSA news agency that Leo had remained “very calm” when they met on Monday.

Japanese Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi also described the pope as “very relaxed, as he always is, and jokey, as usual”, in comments to the Italian daily _La Repubblica_.

The pope waved to well-wishers as he departed the Vatican by car and later smiled and waved at crowds gathered outside the Gemelli Hospital before entering the facility.

The Vatican said the procedure would be carried out by the hospital’s thoracic surgery team, led by Stefano Margaritora. His recovery is expected to take approximately one week, while his audiences have been cancelled until October 20.

The Vatican has traditionally maintained strict confidentiality regarding the health of pontiffs. However, greater transparency emerged during the final years of Pope Francis, Leo’s predecessor, who frequently spoke publicly about his medical conditions.

Gemelli Hospital has long served as the principal medical facility for popes, who traditionally occupy a dedicated suite on the 10th floor equipped with a chapel, kitchen, bathroom and meeting room.

However, as the papal suite is currently undergoing renovation, Leo is expected to stay in an alternative suite on the same floor under heightened security arrangements.

He may also be accompanied by his personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, who cared for Pope Francis during several hospital stays before his death last year.

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Wike made the declaration during a media chat with selected journalists in Abuja, where he defended his decision to support candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) despite being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The minister maintained that his political commitment was to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid and not to any state governor.

“What I’ve said to Nigerians and to Almighty God is, ‘I’m going to support Tinubu for him to realise his second-term ambition.’ I did not promise any governor. And two, let me tell you, no governor can say Wike has come to him for this and this,” he said.

Wike explained that he had supported some APC governors politically, citing Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as an example. He challenged anyone with grievances against him to address the issue directly rather than using the Rainbow Coalition as a basis for criticism.

“Some of the governors there, I supported him, but I gave this example now about Hope \[Uzodimma of Imo State\], so you know that people cannot just come and accuse you. I don’t do that. If you have any problem with me, come out back and face Wike. Don’t go on under the Rainbow Coalition. For the Rainbow Coalition, it has come. It will stay. There’s nothing anybody can do about it,” the minister stated.

His comments come amid growing pressure from some APC governors, who have called on Wike to clarify his political allegiance by either joining the ruling party or remaining firmly within the PDP.

The governors have criticised the Rainbow Coalition, arguing that Wike cannot maintain membership of the opposition PDP while simultaneously mobilising support for the APC.

Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal reiterated this position during an interview with _Inside Sources_, insisting that political actors should openly declare their allegiance.

“Our message is very very clear: be on one side. You can’t be on two sides. If you are in APC, please come out and support the APC, not you are supporting APC here, and you are supporting some other political parties somewhere else,” Lawal said.

He added that the governors remained committed to supporting the APC, stressing that their position on party loyalty had not changed.

“We maintain our stand, and the message is very clear. He can speak; he can say whatever he wants to say, but our position has been very clear: APC all the way from head to toe,” he said.

The Rainbow Coalition is a cross-party political platform established to mobilise support for President Tinubu’s anticipated 2027 re-election campaign.

However, Wike has maintained that his support is specifically directed at the president’s second-term ambition, while insisting that the coalition will continue despite criticism from APC governors.

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El-Rufai arrived at the court at about 11:59 a.m. on Tuesday, accompanied by the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate, Isah Ashiru, amid tight security.

His appearance follows an order by the presiding judge, Justice Darius Khobo, directing the ICPC to produce him in court for the resumed proceedings.

The case was adjourned on Monday after El-Rufai failed to appear, following information that he had requested to consult his personal medical doctor to review his medical test results.

At Monday’s sitting, ICPC lead counsel, Ayodeji Adedipe, told the court that the prosecution had expected the former governor to be present despite a request by lead defence counsel, Paul Erokoro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, for an adjournment to attend the swearing-in ceremony of newly conferred Senior Advocates at the Supreme Court.

Adedipe said he had communicated with the defence team on the scheduling of the proceedings and agreed to an adjournment until Monday, while proposing that the trial continue on Tuesday.

The resumed hearing is expected to advance the substantive case, which involves allegations of corruption and other financial offences linked to transactions and decisions during El-Rufai’s tenure as governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023.

The proceedings come days after the Court of Appeal in Kaduna dismissed El-Rufai’s appeal challenging the state high court’s refusal to grant him bail.

In a judgment delivered on October 9, a three-member panel unanimously held that the former governor had failed to establish fresh facts or special circumstances warranting the appellate court’s intervention.

The lead judgment, delivered by Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi, affirmed the Kaduna State High Court’s June 10 decision refusing El-Rufai’s second bail application.

The appellate court also struck out a reply brief filed by the former governor on September 29, ruling that it was incompetent.

During the appeal, Erokoro argued that the offences alleged against his client were bailable and did not attract the death penalty. He maintained that continued detention was affecting El-Rufai’s ability to prepare adequately for his defence.

The defence further argued that detention was restricting access to lawyers and witnesses and could undermine confidential communication between the former governor and his legal team.

The ICPC opposed the appeal, insisting that the trial court had properly exercised its discretion and that El-Rufai had failed to present sufficient grounds for overturning the bail decision.

The Court of Appeal ultimately dismissed the appeal for lacking merit.

El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18, 2026, as the case continues amid successive adjournments and legal challenges.

Tuesday’s proceedings are expected to determine the next stage of the trial as the court continues hearing the allegations against the former governor.

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Pate stressed that the responsible use of antibiotics in animals could help reduce the pressure that drives antimicrobial resistance, which poses a threat to human health.

He made this known on Monday in Abuja during a joint One Health ministerial briefing ahead of the fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR.

Highlighting the importance of a multi-sectoral approach to tackling the growing threat, the minister identified antibiotic use in livestock as a significant factor in the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance.

“The livestock sector uses more antibiotics than the human health sector. So if they are used better, then there’s less pressure for antimicrobial resistance to develop that can affect people,” he said.

Pate explained that antimicrobial resistance can spread across humans, animals and the environment, making collaboration among relevant sectors essential to addressing the challenge.

He also noted that zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance can be transmitted from animals to humans, emphasising that the use of antimicrobial drugs in both animal and human health can have far-reaching consequences for the wider population.

The minister called attention to the need for coordinated action across the health, livestock and environmental sectors to promote responsible antimicrobial use and curb the spread of resistance.

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The bills, conveyed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, are to be considered in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Among the proposals is the NDLEA Bill 2026, which seeks to establish a consolidated legal framework for the operations of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. The proposed legislation is expected to strengthen the agency’s powers, including its capacity to investigate persons suspected of involvement in illicit drug-related activities.

Also transmitted is the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Amendment Bill 2026, which seeks to amend the existing 2022 Act, strengthen the bureau’s independence and expand its mandate. The proposal also provides for changes to its administrative structure and the transfer of supervisory oversight to the Presidency.

In another major reform, President Tinubu has forwarded the National School of Government Bill 2026, which seeks to repeal the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria Act and establish a National School of Government.

The proposed institution is expected to serve as a national centre for governance training, public sector capacity development and institutional strengthening.

Beyond these institutional reforms, the President has also transmitted a bill seeking to domesticate the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their two Additional Protocols of 1977, which establish protections for victims of armed conflict.

The proposal also seeks to domesticate the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which provides the legal framework for the prosecution of individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.

The bills will now be subject to legislative consideration and the relevant processes of the National Assembly.

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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has expressed confidence that his administration’s infrastructure projects and engagement with indigenous communities will strengthen support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Tuesday, Wike said his administration had brought governance closer to residents through road construction, consultations with traditional rulers and engagement with stakeholders across the territory.

He maintained that political support should be earned through visible achievements rather than campaign promises, arguing that the government’s performance in the FCT would speak for itself.

The minister disclosed that former senators, ex-members of the National Assembly and former area council chairmen had recently united in support of the administration despite their different political affiliations.

According to him, their decision reflected growing recognition of the government’s approach to governance and its engagement with various communities.

“It’s not about the candidates; it’s about the style of governance and administration as it regards the FCT,” Wike said.

He highlighted consultations with traditional rulers and other community leaders, noting that sustained engagement was essential to addressing residents’ concerns and had received insufficient attention under previous administrations.

Wike also said his administration had responded to security challenges by constructing at least two police stations in each of the FCT’s six area councils.

He stressed that the government’s development programme was not limited to central Abuja but extended to communities on the outskirts of the capital.

The minister further announced plans to commission at least 10 projects before the end of December, including road projects linking Karshi, Kubwa and other communities.

He said the projects demonstrated the administration’s determination to spread infrastructure development across the territory.

Wike dismissed suggestions that his political mobilisation efforts in the FCT were aimed at securing only the minimum electoral threshold required for a presidential candidate.

“How do you look at me? Coordinator of FCT, and I am looking for 25 per cent? That must be a joke,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the administration had taken its message directly to residents through its projects and engagement efforts, while acknowledging that the final electoral outcome would be determined by voters.

The minister also defended his handling of issues concerning indigenous communities, including traditional institutions and appointments.

He challenged critics to identify another civilian administration that had done more to accommodate indigenous interests through appointments and other initiatives.

On the elevation of traditional rulers and the presentation of staff of office, Wike said arrangements were underway to present certificates to the relevant beneficiaries.

Addressing concerns over water supply in Karu, where residents reportedly remained without water despite the commissioning of a water project, the minister said the government had provided the main infrastructure and access points.

He explained that residents would need to arrange connections to their individual properties to receive the supply, rejecting calls for the government to extend direct connections to every household.

Wike maintained that the administration’s record in infrastructure, security and community engagement would play a significant role in shaping public support for Tinubu.

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