November 2025 has been viewed as the month full of events and incidents in Nigeria.
However, while some of these events are viewed as normal and routine happenings in the country, great many of them are seen as challenging, weird and tragic especially as far as security situation is concerned in the country.
President Trump’s war threat
On November 1, 2025, the US President Donald Trump said he has ordered the Defense Department to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria as he continues to accuse the nation of not doing enough to stem the tide of increasing violence against Christians.
Though the Nigerian government has repeatedly denied the allegation, US president said military action was the best approach towards such security threat to the Christians in the most populous country in Africa.
In a social media post criticizing what he called the “mass slaughter” of Christians in the country, Trump made it clear that the United States would “immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria” and warned the government there to “move fast.”
In his lengthy message, Trump went further to state that the US “may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action,” Trump wrote. “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!”
According to US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on his social media with a screenshot of Trump’s comments.
“The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
Trump’s announcement comes after he redesignated Nigeria as “a country with special concern.”.
In any case, in a social media post after the designation, but before Trump’s mention of the military, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu wrote “The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians.”
Anambra gubernatorial election
On November 8, 2025, the people of Anambra state went to the polls to elect their next governor Governor.
However, after the November 8 polls, Governor Chukwuma Soludo secured a second term in office until 2030 after he was declared the winner in the polls.
According to the results announced by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in the early hours of Sunday, November 9, Soludo won by a landslide in the 21 local government areas of the South-East state.
The State Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, Omoregie Edoba, declared Soludo as the winner of the exercise after the collation of results from the local government areas of the state where the election was held.
“I hereby declare that Soludo Charles Chukwuma of the APGA, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Edoba, a professor, told a gathering at the state headquarters of INEC in Awka, the state capital, where the election results were collated.
Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), secured 422,664 votes to trounce his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 99,445 votes.
According to the results announced by INEC in the early hours of Sunday, Soludowon by a landslide in the 21 local government areas of the South-East state.
Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) came third with 37,753 votes, while John Nwosu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) scored 8,208 votes.
George Moghalu of the Labour Party (LP) and Jude Ezenwafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 10,576 votes and 1,401 votes, respectively.
According to the electoral umpire out of total number of 2,788,864 registered voters, 598,229 were accredited for the election.
It also said that of the total number of 595,298 votes cast in the election, 584,054 were valid while 11,244 were rejected.
Kebbi school attack
On November 17, 2025 it was reported that armed bandits in large numbers, wielding sophisticated weapons, stormed Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, on Sunday night, abducting no fewer than 25 schoolgirls.
An eye witness Sulaiman Abdulllahi, said that the bandits killed the school’s vice principal, and that unidentified bodies were seen in the school premises.
“They came in mass numbers at night, began shooting sporadically before they got access to the school,” the source said.ds by
Abdulllahi added that Air Force fighter jets were seen hovering over the sky on Monday by 8 a.m., after the attack.
He said the area was cordoned off by heavily-armed security personnel.
CSP Nafiu Abubakar, Kebbi Police Command image maker, who confirmed the attack, said that tactical team has been raised to begin rescue operations of the abducted students.
He added that efforts are being intensified to ensure no student in captivity gets hurt by the bandits, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Bello Sani, is poised to bring an end to the menace.
However, the Kebbi attack was said to have opened wide doors for repeated attacks by the bandits especially in the Northern part of the country.
Kwara state bandits’ attack
On November 16, 2025 bandits attacked a branch of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) at Oke Isegun in the Eruku community, a boundary town with Kogi in the Ekiti LGA of Kwara state
In a viral video of the attack, captured during a live stream and seen by many media houses shows the worshippers conducting a service when sporadic gunshots were heard from around the church premises.
Like a horror movie, the congregation, led by a young pastor, ran helter skelter for safety as the gunshots intensified, after which some bandits were seen entering the church.
It was gathered that the attack happened at about 6pm.
More than five armed bandits stormed the building, searched the place of worship, carting away belongings of the worshippers.
According to an eyewitness, “the gunmen came into the church while people were gathered. They started shooting, and three people died immediately. They later rounded up some worshippers, including the pastor, and marched them into the bush,” the newspaper quoted a witness as saying.
The report also quoted a community leader, Benjamin Ayeoribe, as saying that Eruku has been under banditry attacks in the last three weeks, noting that distress calls to authorities have yielded no results.
“We have begged the local and state governments for help, but nothing concrete has come. We are living in fear every day,” he said.
Meanwhile, the police command in Kwara said three persons, including a vigilante were injured in the attack without confirming the number of those abducted or killed.
In a statement, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, police spokesperson in Kwara, said operatives in collaboration with vigilantes, responded to what he called “an attempted bandit attack in Eruku”.
She said the bandits fled into the bush following the intervention of the police team and the vigilantes.
Ejire-Adeyemi said “one male victim Mr Aderemi was discovered fatally shot inside the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun; while one Mr Tunde Asaba Ajayi another victim of fatal gunshot was found in the bush, a vigilante, Segun Alaja sustained gunshot injuries and was immediately rushed to ECWA Hospital, Eruku, for medical treatment”.
She quoted Adekimi Ojo, commissioner of police in Kwara, as commending the “siwift response of the police and vigilantes”, adding that “he also assures the public that security agencies will not relent until these hoodlums are totally decimated”.
St. Mary’s school attack
As the security situation continues to worsen, on November 21, 2025, gunmen stormed St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State abducting several students and staff members from the school.
The incident reportedly occurred between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. on Friday.
In a statement, the Niger State Government said it “has received with deep sadness the disturbing news of the kidnapping of pupils from St. Mary’s School in Agwara Local Government Area.
“The exact number of abducted pupils is yet to be confirmed as security agencies continue to assess the situation.”
The statement, signed by Abubakar Usman, Secretary to the Niger State Government, noted that the state had received prior intelligence reports indicating an increased threat level in parts of the northern senatorial district.
“In response to these credible security alerts, the State Government had earlier issued a clear directive suspending all construction activities and ordering the temporary closure of all boarding schools within the affected zone as a precautionary measure,” the statement reads.
Usman added that St. Mary’s School “proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the state.”
“Security agencies have since commenced a full-scale investigation and search-and-rescue operations to ensure the safe return of the pupils,” the statement continued.
“The Niger State Government is in close communication with all relevant security formations and will provide continuous updates as more information becomes available.
The state Government, however, urged school proprietors, community leaders, and all stakeholders to adhere strictly to security advisories issued in the interest of public safety. The protection of lives, especially those of our children, remains the utmost priority of this administration.”
Killing of Brigadier-General Uba Musa
The worsening security situation in the country took a frightening dimension as the Nigerian Army top officer and commander, Brigadier General M Uba, was on November 14 killed by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists who reportedly intercepted and tracked his location along the Damboa–Biu axis in Borno State.
It was gathered that the tragic incident occurred shortly after the Brigade Commander had participated in a successful joint air–ground offensive against insurgents, bandits and other criminal elements in the area.
In any case, the General had earlier spoken with his superiors, confirming that he was safe following the operation and was regrouping with his team.
However, the officer’s communication may have unexpectedly exposed his coordinates.
He was captured alive by the ISWAP and after his interrogation, the terrorists executed him.
Earlier reports detailed a joint military operation in which the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft swiftly intervened to rescue ground troops who had come under heavy ambush by ISWAP terrorists.
The operation began when ground forces, led by the Brigadier General, advanced into the area, unaware that the route had been booby-trapped.
Following an intense exchange of gunfire, the sudden surge in terrorist numbers forced the commander to order a tactical withdrawal and issue a distress call for air support.
Brigadier-General was the commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF). His death has brought to number six, top military commanders killed by the terrorists in the area.
Conviction, Sentencing of Nnamdi Kanu
On November 20, after much legal tussle, the Federal High Court in Abuja on sentenced Biafra agitator Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment for acts of terrorism.
In any case, the trial judge James Omotosho, who convicted Mr Kanu on all seven charges, said he ought to sentence the convict to death given the gravity of his offences and lack of remorse but for scriptural persuasion to be merciful.
According to Mr Omotosho he drew on chapter 22, verse 23 of the book of Matthew in the Bible to commute Mr Kanu’s punishment to life imprisonment instead of death penalty. He therefore sentenced the convict to life imprisonment for counts 1, 4, 5 and 6, “instead of death sentence”.
In his words, “With respect to count 3, he is sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment without fine. He is sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for count 7.”
He ordered that the sentences should run concurrently.
The judge also ruled that Mr Kanu should not be allowed to use digital devices and be kept in protective custody.
He ordered the forfeiture of the radio transmitter, which the prosecution said he smuggled into the country in 2015 to further his violent secessionist campaigns, to the federal government.
Mr Omotosho stressed throughout his five-hour-long judgement that the convict left the evidence presented by the prosecution uncontroverted by failing to enter defence in the case.
He noted during the conviction on Thursday that Mr Kanu described himself as a freedom fighter, but that through the enforcement of his illegal stay-at-home order, arrogating the power of Nigeria’s president to himself, and his inciting online broadcasts, he brought deaths and destructions to the people of South-east for whom claimed to be fighting.
“He turned himself into a tyrant who can kill at will. The defendant cannot be allowed to remain in a sane human society,” the judge said.
He said the right to self-determination, to agitate for independence, is not a licence to cause anarchy.
Commenting on Mr Kanu’s conduct during trial, which dated back to 2015, Mr Omotosho said he noted Mr Kanu’s unruly behaviour since the start of the case to date, including during Thursday’s proceedings when he aggressively maintained that the court could not proceed to deliver the scheduled its judgement. The judge had to order the operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) to eject him from the courtroom for the rest of the hours -long proceedings.
He said from his review of the case file from inception in 2015, “there is no doubt, the convict has not acted well throughout this period. He caused a delay and then cried that he was being held unlawfully.”
The judge said the convict was full of arrogance, cocky, aggressive, unremorseful and unmindful of the consequences of his actions.
Mr Omotosho said despite the convict’s conduct, the court would not consider that in his sentencing.
“This court is only being merciful to him; the court has been reminded to sentence the convict to death,” the judge said, adding, “I must temper justice with mercy.”
“It is in this note that I would follow the admonishment of Jesus Christ,” adding that “death penalty globally is frowned upon.”
“I hereby sentence the convict to life imprisonment for Counts 1, 4, 5 and 6 instead of the death sentence. Life is sacred to God.
“With respect to count 3, he is thereby sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment.
“For count 7, he is sentenced to five years’ imprisonment with no option of fine.”
He said the sentence would run concurrently.
He added that the convict “has a tendency towards violence; it is based on this that he must be kept in a facility that is suitable for his custody.”
He said that the convict “deserves protective custody. I order that the convict be kept in protective custody in any custodial centre in the country.”
Explaining further he said that “The raido transmitter is forfeited to the Federal Government,” Mr Omotosho added.
Death of Senator Okey Ezea
Still on tragic note, on November, 19, the Senate lost one of its members following the death of Senator Okey Ezea, representing Enugu North senatorial District in Enugu State.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that Ezea was elected under the Labour Party, and he is the only remaining member in the National Assembly from Enugu State.
Our findings indicate that Ezea passed on Tuesday in Lagos State while receiving treatment, bothering on his diabetic illness.
A reliable source told our reporter that Ezea’s leg was amputated before his sudden demise.
According to the source, “the doctors were doing skin graft to cover the amputated leg when he gave up the ghost.”
Nigeria crashed out of 2026 world cup finals
On November 16, 2025, Nigeria crashed out of the 2026 world finals following her defeat by the Democratic Republic of Congo in a playoff match.
The Super Eagles lost 4–3 on penalties to DR Congo in a tense and dramatic playoff at the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay El Hassan in Rabat.
It was reported that the match had finished 1–1 after 120 minutes, but the Leopards held their nerve in the shootout to advance, leaving Nigeria devastated after a draining contest defined by missed chances, gritty defending, and high emotion.
Earlier in the match, Frank Onyeka gave Nigeria the perfect start in the third minute, firing home from the edge of the box after a deflection wrong-footed goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau.
DR Congo responded strongly and equalised in the 32nd minute through Meschack Elia, who finished neatly after a clever pass from Cedric Bakambu.
Both teams battled fiercely through the second half and extra time with the Congolese having more control of the game and creating better chances. Stanley Nwabali made several vital interventions, while Nigeria struggled for fluency after Victor Osimhen went off injured at the start of the second half.
Chances came and went at both ends, including opportunities for Chidera Ejuke and Toluwalase Arokodare, but neither side found a winner.
In the end, DR Congo have now secured their place in the Inter-confederation Playoffs, earning the right to fight for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after their nerve-shredding penalty victory over Nigeria in Rabat.
This is the second consecutive time the Super Eagles of Nigeria will be missing in the World Cup after the 2022 tournament.
Discussion about this post