President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria’s cashless payment policy, four days after it was introduced.

The policy, launched on the first of March by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, required electronic payments for airport access gates, parking and lounges.

However, its rollout triggered severe traffic congestion at key hubs, including Murtala Muhammed International Airport and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, with long queues reported and some passengers missing flights.

Speaking after the Federal Executive Council meeting, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the President had directed that the policy be halted and reviewed.

He said the ministry and FAAN would temporarily return to a hybrid arrangement allowing cash payments and the use of prepaid FAAN cards already issued.

Mr Keyamo said the President remains committed to a fully electronic revenue collection system but directed that the review should be completed quickly to restore efficiency at airport entry points.

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday swore in Olatunji Disu as the substantive Inspector-General of Police (IGP), marking a key leadership transition in the Nigeria Police Force. The ceremony took place at the State House in Abuja, shortly before the President presided over the first Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of 2026.

Disu, who had been serving in an acting capacity following his appointment and subsequent confirmation by the Nigeria Police Council, took the oath of office at approximately 2:53 p.m. The swearing-in followed his unanimous endorsement as the 23rd IGP.

In his first remarks after the oath, the new IGP disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force is actively monitoring potential security implications from the escalating crisis in the Middle East. He emphasized that intelligence-led policing efforts are underway, with heightened surveillance, patrols, and deployments across the country to prevent any spillover effects or breakdown of law and order.

Disu highlighted awareness of certain groups in Nigeria that maintain allegiances or ideological ties to actors in the Middle East (often referred to in contexts as the “eastern part of the world”). He warned that developments in the region could have local repercussions and stated that the Force is engaging such groups to ensure no one takes the law into their own hands.

On the contentious issue of state policing, Disu reaffirmed that it “has come to stay” and should not be viewed as a threat to the jobs or roles of federal police officers. Instead, he described it as a collaborative partnership to bolster overall national security. To address this, he announced the inauguration of a high-ranking committee (comprising senior officers) to examine the matter from the Nigeria Police Force’s perspective, review global and local policing models, assess community needs, and guide the implementation process.

The events underscore the administration’s focus on security reforms amid regional and domestic challenges, as Tinubu’s government kicks off its 2026 agenda with renewed leadership at the helm of the police force.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 58-year-old fugitive drug lord Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya who has been on the wanted list of NDLEA and British authorities for over 15 years.

Ilomuanya was apprehended at a location in Lagos on Monday, 23rd February 2026, following a high-stakes well-coordinated operation by officers of a Special Operations Unit of the Agency.

Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, commented that his arrest ends a long-standing cat-and-mouse game with the law following his long history of drug related crimes across Nigeria and the United Kingdom, which highlight a persistent involvement in global narcotics trade.

He was first arrested in February 2003 and convicted in the United Kingdom for drug trafficking; sentenced to nine years but was later released after two years in jail upon appeal.

Not done with the crime, he was again arrested in the UK in July 2011 for drug-related offences.

He was granted administrative bail but jumped jurisdiction and fled to Nigeria.

Typical of a recidivist, Ilomuanya was in November 2018 arrested in Nigeria by NDLEA operatives following the discovery of two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in his Obinugwu, Orlu LGA country home in Imo state and at his No. 3 Barrister Declan Uzoma Close Lagos house where officers recovered 77.960 kilograms of methamphetamine and extensive production equipment.

He was subsequently charged before a Federal High Court, Lagos after which he jumped court bail and has been on the run since then.

Reacting to the successful operation leading to Ilomuanya’s arrest, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) described the development as a significant breakthrough in the agency’s relentless war against drug cartels.

According to him, “This arrest serves as a stern warning to those who think they can hide behind borders to escape justice.

Whether you jump bail in London or set up clandestine labs in your village, the long arm of the NDLEA will eventually catch up with those who choose to undermine the health, security, and future of our nation.

“We remain committed to our international collaborations to ensure that Nigeria is not used as a sanctuary for global drug lords.

The NDLEA under our watch will continue to strengthen intelligence-led operations, deepen international cooperation, and ensure that those involved in the illicit drug trade are brought to justice.”

He commended the officers of the Special Operations Unit for their professionalism, resilience, and diligence in tracking down the fugitive, stressing that the Agency remains unwavering in its commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks operating within Nigeria.