International
Ibadan Airport To Begin Direct International Flights By End Of The Year 2026: Official
Ibadan Airport To Begin Direct International Flights By End Of The Year 2026: Official
Ibadan airport to begin direct international flights by end of the year 2026: Official. He said that the airport had undergone major upgrades.
Bimbo Adekanmbi, the chairman of the 11-man committee on the upgrade of the Ibadan airport, has said that direct international flights would commence before the end of 2026.
Ms Adekanmbi told journalists in Ibadan on Saturday that although some airlines had begun offering Ibadan–London flight options, such services were not direct international operations from the airport.
According to him, the current arrangements involve stopovers in Abuja before proceeding to the United Kingdom.
“Those are not the direct flights we promised. They take off from Ibadan, transit through Abuja and then continue to the UK.
“It is a good start, but our plan is to have direct international flights once the new terminal is completed,” he said.
Ms Adekanmbi disclosed that the international terminal to handle direct overseas flights was just between 40 per cent and 50 per cent completion.
The project chairman added that construction work was still ongoing on the terminal, but expressed optimism that the it would be ready for operation before the end of the year.
He said that the airport had undergone major upgrades, including expansion and extension of the runway.
“We have lengthened the runway from 2,400 metres to 3,000 metres and expanded it from 45 metres to 60 metres.
“The runway is now ready to receive big, wide-bodied aircraft.
“We have also restored the runway lights, which means aircraft can land at night. In addition, the Instrument Landing System (ILS) has been installed to enable aircraft land safely even in poor weather conditions,” he said.
Ms Adekanmbi said local flight operations had fully resumed, with aircraft flying daily to Abuja and other parts of the country.
According to him, the apron has also been expanded to accommodate larger aircraft and improve turnaround time.
“Also, new operational vehicles have been provided for aviation agencies, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the airport fire service and the airport police command,” he said.
On the 2026 Hajj operations, he said the state would be among the first to airlift pilgrims, with flights scheduled to depart from Ibadan in May.
Ms Adekanmbi explained that pilgrims would be processed at the existing Hajj Camp in Olodo before being transported to the airport for departure.
Speaking on the economic impact of the upgraded airport, the project chairman said the facility would boost trade, investment and job creation in Oyo State.
He said that plans were underway to develop a cargo terminal and bonded warehouses to support agricultural exports and imports.
“With a cargo terminal, farmers and manufacturers can export their goods directly. Importers can also use bonded terminals to bring in equipment and other products.
Ibadan Airport
“This will generate revenue, create jobs and stimulate economic activities along the airport corridor and adjoining roads,” he said.
Mr Adekanmbi added that improved connectivity through the airport and ongoing road projects by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde would transform the state from a largely consumer-driven economy to a production-oriented one.
On sustainability, he said the project was backed by an outline business case to ensure long-term viability.
According to him, measures such as improved turnaround time for aircraft, expanded apron space and enhanced passenger processing systems are being introduced to make the airport attractive to airlines and travellers.
He expressed confidence that once fully operational, the upgraded airport would position Ibadan as a major aviation hub and further stimulate economic growth in the state.
NPF Extradites Fugitive To UK For Murder, Drug Trafficking
The Nigeria Police Force, through the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja, has successfully facilitated the extradition of one Matthew Chukwuemeka Adebiyi to the United Kingdom to face charges bordering on murder and drug trafficking.
The extradition followed a formal request by United Kingdom authorities in September 2024 to locate, arrest, and extradite the fugitive over his alleged involvement in the murder of one Joshua Boadu on 18th June 2018, after which he fled to Nigeria to evade arrest. He was also alleged to have been involved in the supply of crack cocaine, a Class-A controlled drug, between October 2017 and March 2018 in the United Kingdom.
The suspect was arrested on 23rd January 2025 by operatives of the INTERPOL NCB Abuja, following which extradition proceedings were initiated at the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/416/2025. On 16th February 2026, Honourable Justice A.O. Faji granted the application for his extradition in accordance with the Extradition Act, Cap E25, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
NPF Extradites Fugitive To UK For Murder
Pursuant to the court order and the execution of a surrender warrant by the relevant Nigerian authorities, the fugitive was formally handed over to United Kingdom law enforcement officials on 14th April 2026 at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, for diligent prosecution.
IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), NPM, reiterates the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to strengthening international police cooperation and ensuring that Nigeria does not serve as a safe haven for fugitives.
DCP ANTHONY OKON PLACID psc(+) mni
Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Abuja
16th April, 2026
Economy
U.S. Lawmaker Urges President Tinubu To Remove Matawalle Over Rising Attacks On Christians in Nigeria, Cites Relationship With Bandits
U.S. Lawmaker Urges President Tinubu To Remove Matawalle Over Rising Attacks On Christians in Nigeria, Cites Relationship With Bandits
Relationship with bandits. She urged the U.S. to apply more diplomatic pressure to hold those accused of aiding terrorism accountable.
Kimberly Daniels, a Florida state representative and chairwoman of the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD), has charged President Bola Tinubu to sack or redeploy the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, over rising attacks in the country.
Ms Daniels posted a statement containing her recommendations on tackling insecurity in Nigeria on her Facebook page on Wednesday.
“To The Government of Nigeria: The Results of the Assessment urge President Tinubu to ‘look inward’ and remove elements that compromise national security,” Ms Daniels said.
Ms Daniels’ recommendations specifically included: “Immediate Leadership Review: The removal or redeployment of Minister Bello Matawalle to restore the integrity of the defense ministry.”
She added: “Conducting a transparent investigation into allegations of high-level complicity with banditry to regain the trust of the Nigerian people and implementing more robust security measures for vulnerable communities in the North-Central and Northwestern belts of the country.”
Matawalle
To the U.S. government, Ms Daniels recommended increased “diplomatic pressure to ensure that those accused of aiding terrorism are held accountable.”
“Based on the referenced report, the attacks against believers in Northern Nigeria are allegedly protected by leadership from the inside,” she said.
She added, “The greatest form of terrorism a person can experience is terror that comes from ‘homegrown familiar enemies.’ When the people you trust to protect you work undercover with others who want to harm you, it must be devastating! My brothers and sisters in Nigeria are martyred because they gather to worship Jesus, while most Americans do not understand how precious our religious liberty is and the protections that come with it.”
Bayo Onanuga and Daniel Bwala, spokespersons for Mr Tinubu, have not responded to requests for comment.
Nigeria, UAE Set To Advance Energy Cooperation: NNPC Ltd
Nigeria and UAE set to advance energy cooperation. Earlier today in Abuja, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, paid a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Salem Saeed Al Shamsi, at the UAE Embassy.
The meeting highlighted the existing strong bilateral energy ties between Nigeria and the UAE, with discussions spanning upstream oil and gas investment opportunities, gas development and monetisation, crude oil trading, and infrastructure financing.
Both parties reaffirmed the sustained relations between the two nations, rooted in mutual respect and a shared commitment to long-term energy cooperation.
In his remarks, Engr. Ojulari said as a commercially driven entity, NNPC Ltd. offers a strong portfolio of bankable projects across the entire energy value chain, adding that the company remains open to value-based partnerships with UAE institutions, such as Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), and National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC).
UAE Set To Advance Energy Cooperation
The visit builds on earlier cooperation commitments made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Mohammed Bin Zayed, as both countries work to translate that intent into concrete, mutually beneficial project outcomes.
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