The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has challenged the Minister of Information, Dele Alake, to provide evidence to substantiate his allegations against the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

News reports that Alake had accused Atiku and the ADC of engaging in what he described as “fake news operations”, allegedly involving artificial intelligence-generated content, deepfake videos and forged documents aimed at discrediting President Bola Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Reacting in a statement on Saturday, the ADC Presidential Campaign Council’s Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, argued that political propaganda would not shield Tinubu’s administration from public dissatisfaction over the rising cost of living.

The council maintained that Nigerians were more concerned about the increasing prices of food, petrol and transportation than allegations involving artificial intelligence and deepfake content.

It therefore challenged Alake to present evidence linking Atiku or the ADC to the alleged fabricated letter and video.

Shaibu described the minister’s intervention as an attempt to divert public attention from the administration’s performance, insisting that the economic difficulties facing Nigerians were real and could not be dismissed as misinformation.

“Until then, his ‘fake news alert’ is an empty political stunt,” Shaibu said, urging the minister to provide names, dates and forensic findings to support his claims.

Citing petrol prices of about ₦1,400 per litre, diesel prices exceeding ₦2,000 and food inflation hovering around 20 per cent, Shaibu argued that the financial pressures confronting households could not be written off as fabricated information.

Turning to Tinubu’s campaign rally in Kaduna, the ADC campaign spokesman questioned reports that a vehicle seen near an APC billboard was on routine patrol, asking why a campaign billboard required such protection.

He also expressed concern over reports that supporters had travelled from distant states to attend the rally but were left sleeping on the streets of Kaduna.

The statement further referenced reports of accidents involving APC supporters travelling from Sokoto and Abuja to the event, although the details had not been confirmed.

Shaibu called on the APC to take responsibility for the safety of supporters travelling to its campaign activities. He condemned what he described as the use of supporters to create favourable political impressions at the expense of their welfare.

“Making citizens endure long, hazardous journeys and sleep outdoors simply to create rally optics is political exploitation, not leadership,” he said.

The ADC campaign council maintained that the APC’s economic record, rather than its criticism of opposition figures, would influence its electoral prospects.

Shaibu argued that Nigerians struggling with high prices and declining purchasing power would ultimately assess the administration based on their experiences at the polls.

“Alake’s attack on Atiku will not reduce the cost of a meal by one naira,” he added.

The Federal Government has secured the conviction of 653 individuals facing terrorism-related charges in the ongoing mass trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, disclosed this on Friday while addressing journalists after attending some of the court proceedings, Naija News reports.

Fagbemi revealed that approximately 880 cases had been determined since the latest phase of the mass trial commenced. Of those tried, seven defendants were acquitted, while 27 others were discharged.

However, he explained that the exercise was still in progress and that the final figures would be announced after the proceedings had been concluded.

“We are not through with the trial, but as at 12:15pm today, we had about 880 tried. Of the 880, 653 have been convicted, seven acquitted and 27 discharged,” the minister said.

The AGF added that the comprehensive figures would be released after the exercise ended the following day.

Fagbemi described the ongoing proceedings as one of the largest mass trials conducted since the process began. He attributed the progress recorded to the cooperation and guidance provided by the judges presiding over the cases.

“And if you also observe, this appears to be the largest since we started; and this is due to the cooperation and guidance we received from my lord and the judges who sat,” he stated.

The minister commended the judiciary, prosecution lawyers and defence counsel for their roles in ensuring the proceedings proceeded smoothly.

He also recognised the contributions of relevant government agencies and other stakeholders involved in the trial.

Meanwhile, Fagbemi dismissed claims that journalists had been prevented from covering the court proceedings.

Canada granted refugee protection to 7,643 Nigerians between January 2024 and June 2026, according to data from the country’s Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), Naija News understands.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

However, Canadian authorities rejected 3,080 asylum applications submitted by Nigerians during the same period.

Data from the IRB showed that Nigerians recorded the highest number of successful refugee protection claims among African nationals over the 30-month period.

The figures also placed Nigeria among the leading countries worldwide in terms of successful asylum applications in Canada, according to a report by The Punch.

The data revealed that Canada approved 2,230 Nigerian asylum applications in 2024. The figure increased by 55 per cent to 3,463 in 2025, while another 1,950 Nigerians secured refugee protection in the first six months of 2026.

Meanwhile, 3,080 applications from Nigerians were rejected, while another 1,530 cases were either withdrawn or abandoned.

This brought the total number of Nigerian asylum cases concluded between January 2024 and June 2026 to 12,253.

Nigeria Leads African Countries In Successful Asylum Claims

The breakdown showed that Nigeria recorded more successful asylum applications than any other African country in 2025.

Uganda followed with 2,089 approved applications, while Kenya recorded 1,532 and Ethiopia had 1,522. Ghana ranked next with 1,084 successful claims.

Other African countries included the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 732 approvals; Cameroon, with 742; and Rwanda, with 710.

The trend continued in the first half of 2026, when 1,950 Nigerians received refugee protection. Kenya recorded 703 approvals, Ghana had 603, while Uganda recorded 521.

Ethiopia secured 378 successful claims, compared with 412 for the Democratic Republic of Congo, 389 for Rwanda and 300 for Cameroon.

Across the full 30-month period, Uganda recorded 3,943 successful claims, followed by Kenya with 3,888, Ethiopia with 2,982 and Ghana with 2,000.

The Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 1,867 approvals, while Rwanda had 1,699 and Cameroon recorded 1,643.

Thousands Of Nigerian Asylum Claims Rejected

Despite the high number of successful applications, thousands of Nigerians were denied refugee protection in Canada during the period.

The IRB data showed that 3,080 Nigerian claims were rejected, the highest number among the African countries listed.

The Democratic Republic of Congo followed with 1,230 rejected applications, while Ghana recorded 885 and Kenya had 639.

Senegal recorded 595 rejections, Angola had 442, while Chad and Cameroon each recorded 343.

In 2024, the board concluded 3,249 Nigerian cases, approving 2,230 applications and rejecting 811. The remaining cases were withdrawn or abandoned.

The number of concluded cases involving Nigerians rose to 5,039 in 2025. Of these, 3,463 applications, representing 68.7 per cent, were approved, while 1,377 were rejected.

During the first six months of 2026, Canada concluded 3,965 Nigerian cases, granting refugee protection to 1,950 applicants and rejecting 892.

Canada Faces Growing Asylum Backlog

The figures also point to mounting pressure on Canada’s refugee determination system, with thousands of Nigerians awaiting decisions on their applications.

As of December 31, 2024, the IRB had 19,889 Nigerian cases awaiting decisions. The backlog was almost six times the number of Nigerian cases concluded during that year.

The pressure continued in 2025, when Canada received 107,802 new refugee claim referrals to its Refugee Protection Division.

By December 31, 2025, a total of 299,614 refugee claims involving applicants from different countries remained pending.

Globally, Canada concluded 79,462 refugee claims in 2025, granting protection to 50,067 applicants and rejecting 14,619.

The 3,463 successful Nigerian applications accounted for 6.9 per cent of all refugee claims approved worldwide that year.

In the first half of 2026, the board approved 22,109 of the 49,960 refugee claims concluded globally. The 1,950 successful Nigerian applications represented 8.8 per cent of all refugee protection grants during that period.

Across the entire 30-month period, Canada concluded 202,878 refugee claims involving applicants from various countries. Of these, 118,656 were approved, while 34,546 were rejected.

The 7,643 successful Nigerian applications accounted for 6.4 per cent of all refugee protection grants worldwide during the period.

African countries collectively received an estimated 35,000 grants, representing approximately 29.5 per cent of the global total. Nigerians accounted for roughly one in every five successful refugee protection claims involving African nationals.

How Canada Processes Asylum Applications

Canada’s refugee determination system is administered by the Immigration and Refugee Board, an independent federal body established under the country’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

The board’s Refugee Protection Division is responsible for hearing and deciding asylum claims made within Canada or at its ports of entry.

Under the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention, applicants may qualify for protection if they face persecution in their home countries because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group.

Canada also considers claims from individuals who could face torture, death or cruel and unusual punishment if returned to their countries of origin.

Applicants are required to provide evidence supporting their claims. They can request protection through the Canada Border Services Agency at a port of entry or approach an immigration officer after entering the country.

According to guidance from the Refugee Protection Division, eligible applications are referred for a decision.

Applicants whose claims are rejected may appeal to the Refugee Appeal Division if they qualify. Those who are unsuccessful may seek a judicial review at the Federal Court or apply for a pre-removal risk assessment, which provides another opportunity to demonstrate the risks they could face if returned to their home countries.