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Tinubu Set To Name Envoys – Presidency Sources

Published

2 months ago

November 16, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu is set to appoint ambassadors to the country’s foreign missions in major countries in the coming weeks, top presidency sources have said.

The move comes amid growing public concern that the prolonged absence of substantive envoys has weakened the country’s diplomatic presence abroad, particularly in key strategic countries like the United States amid the alleged Christian genocide row.

Tinubu had in September 2023 recalled all envoys from Nigeria’s missions in 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates across the world to reassess the country’s foreign policy.

However, the process of appointing new ambassadors has suffered multiple delays more than two years into the current administration.

In the absence of substantive envoys, the missions have since been overseen by chargés d’affaires or senior consular officers.

In April 2025, sources close to the President told The PUNCH that the Federal Government had concluded the vetting of persons nominated to fill the ambassadorial roles, including security and background checks by the relevant agencies.

Tinubu had previously blamed the delay on the complex political considerations involved in making such appointments.

“I couldn’t appoint everybody at once and thank you for your patience. I still have some slots for ambassadorial positions that so many people are craving for. But it’s not easy stitching those names,” he said in September while receiving members of The Buhari Organisation at the Presidential Villa.

Last week, multiple presidency officials said the President had ordered a “final cleanup” of the list ahead of its release.

One of the officials explained that since the President sent the list to the Senate, some people on the list had died, while some were no longer eligible for appointment due to retirement.

The official said the need for cleanup prompted the Upper Chamber to return the envoy list to the presidency.

Speaking in separate interviews with The PUNCH, top aides privy to the process confirmed that the cleanup was in its final stage and that only envoys for major countries would be appointed.

“The final process is almost completed. The President is committed to making the appointments, and the announcement will come in the next few weeks. I wouldn’t want to specify two. However, only ambassadors to major countries will be appointed,” a source said.

Another senior presidency source said the list would be released before the end of November.
But he declined to give the specific date of the release.

“The President has said they should clean up the list. I’m sure before the end of the month, it should be ready. There’s no point speculating. When it is ready, it will be officially announced,” the official said.

Allocations without envoys

It was gathered that part of the delay in the appointments was linked to the paucity of funds, estimated at $1bn, needed to pay foreign service officials’ arrears, clear backlog of overheads, replace ageing vehicles and renovate embassy buildings.

Earlier in the year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, also confirmed the funding constraints, warning that posting envoys without adequate operational resources would be counterproductive.

To address the funding gap, the Federal Government earmarked N2.1bn in the 2025 budget for the posting and return entitlements of ambassadors and officers.

According to The PUNCH, another N53bn was proposed for the renovation of 103 foreign missions, covering chanceries, staff quarters, ambassadors’ residences, office furniture and official vehicles.

The proposed allocations included N554m for Abidjan, N812m for Banjul, N555m for Brazzaville, N558m for Port of Spain, N576m for Caracas, N624m for Kingston, N567m for Libreville, N409m for Buenos Aires and N899m for Niamey, among others.

A letter, dated July 3, 2025, from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, also revealed that the Tinubu administration released a total of $54m to support the operations of the country’s 103 embassies and high commissions.

According to the document, $46.14m was allocated for overhead costs, $9.58m for personnel costs, and $282,829 for other expenses.

However, with the year running out and no substantive ambassadors appointed, there are growing public concerns over what will become of the budgeted allocations for the missions still operating without confirmed envoys.

In October, the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs summoned Tuggar, and Heads of Missions to appear before it over the utilisation of funds appropriated to Nigeria’s foreign missions in 2025.

The committee, in a letter dated July 24, 2025, and signed by its Chairman, Oluwole Oke, invoked Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to demand detailed records on how the funds were spent by the various missions.

The Oke-led committee had earlier in the year begun probing a contract scandal involving the alleged mismanagement of $2m earmarked for the renovation of Nigeria’s Permanent Representative’s residence at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

News

Eating Takeout Food Often May Increase Heart Disease Risk — Study

Published

2 days ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

Research suggests that higher takeout food consumption may increase a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, like heart disease.

In a new study, published in Food Science & Nutrition, researchers said eating takeout food too often can influence systemic inflammation that underlies much cardiovascular disease.

The study of over eight thousand people in the 2009 to 2018 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that those who eat greater amounts of takeout food are likely to have various elevated risk factors for heart disease.

They were interviewed in their homes and also visited a mobile examination centre, where they recalled their food intake, received cardiometabolic health assessments, and had blood collected.

Mammograms may predict heart disease risk in women — Study

The researchers found a correlation between the amount of takeout food a person consumes and their likelihood of developing chronic low-level inflammation, a key driver of cardiovascular pathology.

Deaths from cardiovascular disease and the consumption of takeout foods are both on the rise, and while that does not prove a causal relationship, the study explores whether there is a connection between the two.

The study tracked degrees of systemic inflammation according to the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), a scale that quantifies the risk of inflammation related to the intake of specific dietary substances.

The three major takeaways from the analysis included that a higher level of takeout food consumption corresponded to an unfavourable cardiometabolic profile consisting of lower HDL, as well as higher triglycerides, fasting glucose, serum insulin, and insulin resistance.

Jayne Morgan, MD, cardiologist and Vice President of Medical Affairs in a reaction, who was not involved in the study, explained that “Takeout food raises the cardiovascular risk not because of one ingredient, but because of a predictable combination of nutrients, additives, and preparation methods that adversely affect blood pressure, lipids, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and endothelial function.”

“This includes excess sodium that increases blood volume and blood vessel stiffness, and unhealthy fats, usually saturated fats or trans fats, that increase cholesterol level and atherosclerosis, a condition that can lead to heart attack and stroke.”

Michelle Routhenstein, Preventive Cardiology Dietitian at Entirely Nourished, also not involved in this study, declared, “It is also important to recognise that frequent takeout use often reflects broader lifestyle pressures such as demanding schedules, limited access to cooking resources, irregular meals, and disrupted sleep, all of which can quietly compound cardiovascular risk.”

News

How To Identify Fake Kiss Condoms In Circulation

Published

2 days ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has recently warned Nigerians about the circulation of counterfeit Kiss brand condoms in major markets across the country.

Contents
Original DKT Kiss condoms
Fake Kiss condoms

In a public alert published on its website recently and referenced as Public Alert No. 042/2025, the agency said the warning followed information received from DKT International Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation involved in contraceptive social marketing and HIV/AIDS prevention.

NAFDAC stated, “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control is notifying the public about the sale and distribution of fake Kiss condoms in various Nigerian markets.

“The information was received from the MAH-DKT International Nigeria, a leading non-governmental organisation focused on contraceptive social marketing. Its mission is to provide Nigerians with affordable and safe options for family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention.

“The fake Kiss condoms have been reported to be found in Onitsha Market, Idumota Market, Trade Fair Market, and various markets in Kano, Abuja, Uyo, Gombe, Enugu, and others.”

Kiss condom is a brand of male latex condoms designed to offer sexual protection, including the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, gonorrhoea and syphilis.

To help consumers avoid counterfeit products, NAFDAC outlined key differences between original and fake Kiss condoms.

Original DKT Kiss condoms
The original product comes in a light red box pack with clear instructions printed on the lower part of the pack, including single-use warnings and storage and caution information. The box contains detailed medical device information, including MDSS GmbH, Germany, and a complete Nigerian address at Isolo Industrial Layout, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

The condom pack is light red, with the word “Kiss” closely written on six lines. The wallet outer pack is lighter red, carries the Oshodi-Apapa address, manufacturer details, and a clear product description beside the condom image. The hidden flap includes revision dates, medical device details, and caution information, while the wallet inner contains detailed instructions and eight bullet points under important notes.

The original condom is large, oval-shaped, well-lubricated, and has a large teat end for semen collection.

Fake Kiss condoms
In contrast, fake Kiss condoms come in darker-coloured box packs with little or no additional information. Some boxes are plain white inside and lack condom images. The address is wrongly listed as 42, Montgomery Road, Yaba, Lagos, while the manufacturer’s address is incomplete or missing. Storage and caution information is absent.

The condom pack is darker, with “Kiss” loosely written on five lines and wide spacing. The condom strip is longer than the original. The wallet outer pack is also darker red, carries incorrect or missing addresses, lacks colour wave designs, and shows inconsistencies in barcode lines. Medical device and caution information are missing, and the hidden flap contains no details.

Inside the wallet, information is summarised with only six bullet points. The fake condom is thinner, round-shaped, less lubricated, and has a smaller teat end.
(TRIBUNE)

News

Lagos: Police Arrest 14 Suspected Traffic Robbers On Lekki-Epe Expressway

Published

2 days ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

Fourteen persons suspected to be involved in traffic-related robbery have been arrested at various points along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos over the past two weeks.

The arrests were confirmed on Tuesday by the Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, via a post on her official X handle, @AbimbolaShotayo.

According to her, operatives of the Command’s Tactical Squad based in Elemoro carried out the operations that led to the suspects’ apprehension.

She explained that the arrests followed sustained patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at curbing criminal activities associated with traffic congestion and improving the safety of motorists and other road users along the busy corridor.

Adebisi noted that the development reflects the Command’s determination to strengthen security and uphold law and order on the Lekki-Epe axis, adding that the Tactical Squad has continued to proactively identify crime-prone areas and respond swiftly to threats posed by criminal elements.

She called on residents and commuters to support police efforts by providing timely and credible information that could assist in preventing and detecting crime.

“Security is a shared responsibility. Members of the public are encouraged to stay alert and promptly report any suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station,” she said.

The police spokesperson further reassured residents and road users of the Command’s commitment to maintaining aggressive patrols and security operations to protect lives and property in the area.

She reiterated the Command’s community policing message, “See Something, Say Something,” stressing the importance of cooperation between the police and the public in sustaining peace and security.