The Department of State Services (DSS) has intercepted a large consignment of weapons and ammunition allegedly being smuggled from Niger Republic to armed bandits in north-west Nigeria.

What was seized

According to security sources quoted in reports on Thursday, 12 November 2026, the interception took place on Tuesday, 10 November, at Dawakawa in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State. Operatives reportedly recovered 21 AK-47 rifles, four PKT machine guns and 825 magazines. The suspected smugglers were said to have been using camels to move the weapons along remote routes to avoid detection.

Why it matters

Security analysts described the seizure as a significant blow to an alleged cross-border arms supply network that is suspected of arming bandit groups in the North-West. The use of camels shows how criminal networks are using unconventional methods to move weapons across the long, porous border with Niger. Some reports described the operation as foiling a major terror plot.

Arrests

It is not clear whether any suspects were arrested.

A court in Abuja has ordered that investigative journalist Daniel Ojukwu be held in prison pending a hearing on his bail application.

The charges

Ojukwu, who works for the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, was arraigned on a 12-count charge of allegedly breaching Nigeria's Cybercrimes Act, and the court ordered his remand on Tuesday, 10 November 2026. The charges relate to reports he published about Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, who was senior special assistant on the Sustainable Development Goals under former President Muhammadu Buhari and now holds the same role under President Bola Tinubu. The charges have not been tested at trial.

Press freedom concerns

The decision drew widespread criticism from media freedom advocates, who have long argued that the cybercrimes law is used to silence journalists. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 29 journalists have been prosecuted under the law since it was enacted in 2015. Nigeria is ranked 112th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.

Background

Ojukwu was previously detained by police for several days in 2024 over a report on the same official, a case that also drew national and international criticism.

Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, has drawn wide reactions online after a video showed him criticising fake pastors in Nigeria.

What he said

In the clip, which spread on social media on Thursday, 12 November 2026, the cleric was addressing a gathering that included several dignitaries. He said the number of fraudulent ministers in the country was alarming and that genuine Christians want to be counted as people of faith. He also reflected on his own ministry, which he said spans nearly 50 years. The occasion appeared to be a formal church celebration, but his comments on fake pastors became the main talking point.

How people reacted

The comments drew mixed reactions on social media.

Background

Oyedepo is one of Nigeria's most influential church leaders, and his comments regularly spark debate. Last week he warned politicians that the evil they fail to stop will eventually stop them, and told anyone with plans to Islamise Nigeria to drop them.

The federal government has reopened its programme offering free registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to small business owners.

The programme

The scheme, run through the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), targets 250,000 nano, micro and small enterprises across the country, according to reports on Thursday, 12 November 2026. It covers the cost of business name registration, which is one of the barriers that keeps many small businesses informal.

Who can apply

The programme is aimed at owners of small businesses not yet registered with the CAC, including traders, artisans, retailers and service providers. Business owners already registered with SMEDAN but not with the CAC may also qualify, subject to the agency's requirements.

Why it reopened

The portal was reopened after applicants earlier reported difficulties accessing it, which disrupted the application process.

Background

The reopening comes as the government also rolls out a ₦50,000 cash grant to vulnerable households.