Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, has relieved 30 special advisers of their duties as part of a broader restructuring of his administration.

The decision forms part of efforts to reorganise government operations and improve service delivery across the state.

The development was confirmed on Tuesday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim.

Bologi explained that “the termination of their appointment was to allow the governor to rejig and reposition their portfolios with a view to making them more effective and efficient in line with his New Niger agenda.”

Decision taken at first council session

Governor Bago announced the decision during his first executive council meeting with recently inaugurated commissioners at the Government House in Minna.

The meeting focused on reviewing existing structures and repositioning the administration for better performance.

According to the statement, the disengagement of the advisers was necessary to allow the governor review and realign responsibilities in key areas of governance.

No immediate information was provided on replacements or new appointments.

Acknowledgement of service

The governor expressed appreciation to the affected advisers for their contributions and commitment during their time in office.

He noted that the decision was not punitive but part of an administrative reorganisation.

Governor Bago wished the former advisers well in their future pursuits, reiterating his commitment to building a more effective and responsive government for the people of Niger State.

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Alex Enumah in Abuja 

The Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, on Tuesday dragged the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, before the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

In a petition submitted through his lawyer, Chief Ogwu Onoja (SAN), Dangote specifically called on the ICPC to arrest, investigate and prosecute Farouk for offences bordering on corruption and financial impropriety, in the performance of his duties as CEO of the petroleum regulatory agency.

The petition, which was submitted to the office of the ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu (SAN), alleged that Farouk spent over $7 million on the education of four of his children in Switzerland.

According to the petition, a copy which was seen by THISDAY, Farouk was said to have paid his children’s fees up-front for a six-month period, without any lawful source of income to justify such expenditure.

It is the claim of the petitioner that the NMDPRA boss grossly abused his office contrary to the extant provisions of the code of conduct for public officers and by so doing enmeshed himself in monumental corruption and unlawful spending of public funds running into million of dollars. 

“That Engr Farouk Ahmed spent without evidence of lawful means of income humongous amount of money of over $7 million of public funds for the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland for a period of six years upfront,” the petition read in part.

To buttress his allegations Dangote gave the names of the four children, the Swiss schools they attend, the amount paid for each of them to the ICPC for verification and confirmation.

The business mogul further alleged that Farouk used the instrumentality of the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for personal gain and private interests, actions which he claimed had fuelled public outrage and recent protests by various groups.

Attempting to substantiate the corruption allegations, Dangote pointed out that the NMDPRA boss spent his entire adult working life in the Nigerian public sector and as such could not, based on his legitimate earnings over the years, have accumulated funds close to the alleged $7 million used to finance his children’s education abroad.

“It is without doubt that the above facts in relation to abuse of office, breach of the code of conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement are gross acts of corrupt practices for which your commission is statutorily empowered under Section 19 of the ICPC Act to investigate and prosecute,” Dangote said.

“That Engr Farouk Ahmed has corruptly enriched himself with tax payers money meant for public consumption and diverted them into private uses. 

“Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five(5) years without option of fine.”

Meanwhile, the petitioner expressed confidence in the capacity of the ICPC, working alongside other anti-corruption agencies, to prosecute financial crimes and ensure that offenders are punished once a prima facie case is established.

He therefore urged the commission to act decisively by investigating the allegations against Farouk and prosecuting him if found culpable, stressing that the matter is already in the public domain.

According to the petition, Dangote said decisive action by the ICPC would help uphold justice and protect the image of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He also vowed to provide evidence to substantiate his allegations of corrupt enrichment, abuse of office and impunity against the NMDPRA chief.

The business mogul had during a press briefing on Sunday in Lagos, made similar allegations against Farouk.

He had also at the press briefing alleged regulatory failures and corruption in the downstream petroleum sector.

According to him, the allegations, if left unanswered, would continue to undermine public trust and investors’ confidence.

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By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, has reaffirmed his commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s economic stability amid ongoing global economic uncertainties.

Cardoso made the pledge while engaging senior business leaders and institutional investors in Washington, D.C., during the U.S.–Nigeria Executive Business Roundtable on Monday, according to a statement issued by the CBN on Tuesday.

He underscored the pivotal role of the CBN in Nigeria’s reform agenda, reiterating the Bank’s commitment to macroeconomic stability, transparent markets and predictable policy frameworks.

Against the backdrop of heightened global volatility, the CBN governor stressed Nigeria’s adherence to rules-based economic management, noting that recent reforms in the foreign exchange market, the adoption of orthodox monetary policy, ongoing banking sector reforms, and payments system modernisation are central to stabilising the economy and fostering sustainable, private-sector-led growth.

The roundtable, convened by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.–Africa Business Center, focused on macroeconomic stabilisation, regulatory clarity and opportunities to scale bankable projects across priority sectors of the Nigerian economy. Participants noted that the discussions further reinforced growing commercial ties between Nigeria and the United States.

Commenting on the engagement, Ms. Kendra Gaither, President of the U.S.–Africa Business Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said investors are increasingly drawn to policy credibility and consistency.

“What investors are responding to today is clarity — clear rules, credible reforms and a seriousness of purpose,” she said. “Nigeria’s message is increasingly one of discipline and opportunity, and that matters in a global economy actively seeking stability and predictability.”

The post Cardoso reaffirms commitment to Nigeria’s economic stability appeared first on Vanguard News.

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Following the murder of Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, producer Michele Singer Reiner, their son has been taken into custody in connection to the incident.

Tribune Online reports that Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, producer Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead on Sunday afternoon in their Brentwood home in the United States.

Their son, 32-year-old Nick Reiner, was arrested on suspicion of murdering the couple and charged by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division.

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Authorities have not disclosed a motive, and the case is expected to be presented to prosecutors on Tuesday.

When was Nick Reiner arrested?

Nick Reiner was located and arrested on Sunday night, police said. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department records show he remains in custody.

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said on Monday that Nick Reiner was “booked for murder.” In a statement the same day, police said that following their initial homicide investigation, it was “further revealed” that Nick Reiner “was responsible for their deaths.”

Authorities said the case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday, when prosecutors will decide whether to file formal charges. Sheriff’s records previously listed bail at $4 million, though police later said he remains in custody with no bail.

Speculation and motive

No alleged motive for the killings has been disclosed by investigators.

Speculation surrounding the case has spread on social media, including comments from President Donald Trump, who linked the killing of the outspoken Democratic filmmaker to what he called Trump Derangement Syndrome. The remarks drew bipartisan condemnation. 

However, the Police have not connected the case to any political motive.

Reiner had spoken of his son’s struggles

Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner had spoken publicly about Nick Reiner’s long struggles with substance abuse in the years before their deaths.

Ahead of the release of the 2015 semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie, father and son worked together on a story about a teenager addicted to drugs and his path toward recovery.

The couple said at the time that they felt desperate during Nick Reiner’s struggles and often relied on the advice of professionals when he told them treatment programmes were not working. Nick Reiner was in and out of rehabilitation centres for years and experienced homelessness as a teenager.

“We were so influenced by these people. They would tell us he’s a liar, that he was trying to manipulate us. And we believed them,” Michele Reiner told the Los Angeles Times in 2015.

Rob Reiner added: “We listened to them when we should have been listening to our son.”

The filmmaker later said the project helped repair their relationship, noting that by the time production began, their bond “had gotten so much closer.” 

Nick Reiner also told Variety that their relationship improved during the process, though he said he wanted to pursue his own work independently.

Reiner had four children

Rob Reiner, known for directing This Is Spinal Tap and When Harry Met Sally, had four children. He was previously married to filmmaker Penny Marshall and adopted her daughter, Tracy Reiner, 61.

He later married Michele Singer Reiner after meeting her on the set of When Harry Met Sally. The couple had three children together: Jake, Nick and Romy.

In a 1998 interview with the BBC, shortly before Romy’s birth, Reiner reflected on parenthood and said he was “learning about being a parent” through raising his sons, Jake and Nick.

That same year, he helped pass a California initiative that directed cigarette tax revenue toward prenatal and early childhood support through the California First Five programme.

“Hopefully what I’m doing is I’m trying to improve the fabric of society by making an investment early on with children,” Reiner said, “So that we will have a reduction in crime and teen pregnancy and drug abuse and child abuse.”

(CBS News & BBC)

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The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has suspended its planned inauguration of completed projects in the region in honour of the late Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.

Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, disclosed on Tuesday that the commission had postponed its end-of-year commissioning schedule, including the inauguration of the 700-bed President Bola Tinubu hostel at the Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Amassoma, following Ewhrudjakpo’s death on December 11.

“We have built strong partnerships with Bayelsa State since the inception of this administration. The NDDC was set to commence commissioning of projects starting today, but we are placing all inaugurations on hold in honour of the deputy governor and the mourning state government,” Ogbuku said during a condolence visit to Governor Douye Diri and the Ewhrudjakpo family at Government House, Yenagoa.

Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, who led a federal delegation, conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s condolences to the state government and the family, describing Ewhrudjakpo as a dedicated public servant whose wisdom and proverbs left a lasting impact.

“For those of us from his senatorial district, his death is deeply painful. Bayelsa and Nigeria will miss him for his invaluable contributions to the state and the nation. He died a fulfilled man, showing that it is not how long, but how well one lived,” Lokpobiri said.

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) also paid tribute to the late deputy governor. Its National Chairman, Dr. Boladei Igali, expressed shock and highlighted Ewhrudjakpo’s pivotal role in the state’s progress, noting that his partnership with Governor Diri was exemplary and widely admired.

Responding on behalf of the state government and Ewhrudjakpo’s family, Governor Douye Diri thanked President Tinubu for his concern and commended the NDDC for its thoughtful gesture.

He urged political leaders in Bayelsa State to remain united during this period of mourning.

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The elderly in Oyo State received financial and healthcare support under the third edition of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme (RHIESS) on Tuesday, as the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, unveiled a ₦50 million intervention aimed at enhancing the welfare and wellbeing of senior citizens in the state.

The event, held at the Local Government Training School, Secretariat, Ibadan, is part of the nationwide rollout of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Social Investment Programme, themed “Finding Joy in Old Age.” Senator Tinubu, who is also the National Chairman of the RHI, was represented by the wife of the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Mrs Ajibike Lawal.

Under the scheme, 250 elderly citizens aged 65 and above are benefiting from financial assistance, in line with the national programme implemented across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, including veterans of the Armed Forces and Police.

Speaking through her representative, the First Lady emphasized that the initiative was designed to remind elderly Nigerians that they are valued and appreciated, especially during the festive season.

“Our elderly citizens deserve care, dignity, and appreciation for their years of contribution to nation-building. This programme is one of the ways we are saying that you matter and that you are not forgotten,” she said.

Mrs Tinubu explained that the Oyo State intervention forms part of a ₦1.9 billion nationwide disbursement under the third edition of the scheme. “A total of One Billion, Nine Hundred Million Naira is being disbursed across the country this year. Each state, including Oyo State, receives Fifty Million Naira to support 250 elderly beneficiaries, with each person receiving ₦200,000,” she stated.

She added that the initiative extends beyond financial support, providing beneficiaries with free medical check-ups and essential health services, highlighting the programme’s focus on holistic wellbeing. “This programme is not only about money; it is about promoting a happy, healthy, and prosperous lifestyle for our senior citizens.

We encourage you to prioritise your health and spend quality time with your loved ones,” the First Lady added.

She further reiterated the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to the welfare of Nigerians, noting that the Renewed Hope Initiative complements the Federal Government’s broader social protection policies.

In her welcome address, the Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Toyin Balogun, described the programme as a demonstration of compassionate and people-centred governance.

“Today’s programme reflects our shared belief that our elderly citizens deserve dignity, quality healthcare, and continuous support. We are deeply honoured by the concern shown by Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, through the Renewed Hope Initiative,” Balogun said.

She also commended the First Lady of Oyo State, Engr. Tamunominini Makinde, for strengthening the initiative by funding an expanded healthcare component.

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Members of National Forum of Former Legislators, comprising of former Senators, members of Federal House of Representatives, members of state assembly and councillors, has passed a vote of confidence on the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle for his commitment in assisting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the fight against banditry using non- kinetic measures.

The National Coordinator of the Forum, Rt.Hon. Nnanna Igbokwe said their visit to the office of the state Defence Minister was in solidarity to their colleague, Bello Matawalle who was a former member and principal officer of the Federal House of Representatives before becoming Governor of Zamfara state.

Rt.Hon. Babangida SM Nguroje, former deputy speaker of federal house of representatives and a member of the Forum’s board of trustees noted that Bello Matawalle is been attacked by members of the opposition who sees him as torn on their flesh ahead of 2027.
“Honourable Minister, you are doing well in your area of assignment and Nigerians expect more from you. Don’t relent in defending Nigeria with your knowledge and experience. Remain committed in upholding the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed hope mantra”, Nguroje advised.

Adding his voice, Senator Hussaini Yakubu said: we the former Legislators are happy with you because your are very focused, determined and upright in your dealings. We are proud of you and we urge you to continue doing that which keeps the enemies of Nigeria sleepless. You have our collective support, Senator Yakubu professed.

Dr. Bello Matawalle responding to his colleague Former Legislators, said his office is open for collaboration on any move to keep Nigeria united and save.

“I am not perturbed by the rants of mischief makers. I am more interested in making sure that terrorism and Banditry is trapped at all cost”, Matawalle stated.

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The Kano State Police Command says it has arrested a suspected drug dealer and recovered a large quantity of substances believed to be cannabis sativa.

In a statement issued by CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the command’s on Tuesday, the police said the arrest followed ongoing efforts to fight crime in the state. 

According to the command:

“In line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun PhD, NPM, on sustained intelligence-led, technology-driven and community-based policing, the Kano State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in its efforts to combat drug trafficking and illicit activities in the State.”

The suspect, identified as Ibrahim Mohammed from Rijiyar Zaki Quarters in Kano, was arrested on December 15, 2025, by operatives of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS). 

The police explained that the arrest came during a follow-up investigation linked to an earlier case involving suspected armed robbers.

Giving more details, the command stated: 
“In a follow-up investigation on the arrest of suspected armed robbers, on 15th December 2025, operatives of the Command’s Special Intervention Squad (SIS) arrested a suspected notorious drug dealer, Ibrahim Mohammed, ‘m’, of Rijiyar Zaki Quarters, Kano State.”

Items recovered from the suspect include five bags and 297 parcels of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa. 

The police said investigations are still ongoing to determine the full extent of the suspect’s activities. 

Officers are also working to identify and arrest other people believed to be involved in the alleged drug operation.

The Commissioner of Police in Kano State, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, praised the officers involved in the arrest, describing their actions as professional and courageous. 

He also ordered that the investigation should be completed quickly so that the suspect and anyone linked to the case can be prosecuted according to the law.

The police command urged residents to stay alert and cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious activities. 

Members of the public were advised to contact the nearest police station or call the command’s emergency lines on 08032419754, 08123821575, or 09029292926.

The Kano State Police Command assured residents that it remains committed to maintaining peace and security across the state and will continue to take firm action against criminal activities.

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The Senate has passed the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, and Fiscal Strategy Paper, FSP, paving the way for President Bola Tinubu to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill, estimated at N54.4 trillion, later this week.

The passage followed the consideration and debate of a report presented by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, during plenary on Tuesday.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, announcing the approval, described the MTEF as a statutory requirement that must precede the presentation of the national budget.

Akpabio stressed that it does not represent the final position of the legislature.

“The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework is only a prerequisite before the presentation of the budget. What we are discussing here is not a finality. If circumstances change, it will be brought back to us to rejig, react or act,” Akpabio said.

According to him, the passage of the framework would enable the National Assembly to receive the 2026 budget proposal between now and Thursday.

The President of the Senate further explained that the document remains open to review once the full budget is formally laid before lawmakers.

He said he is optimistic that the projections contained in the MTEF would be realistic enough to support the effective implementation of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

DAILY POST reports that Tinubu had earlier transmitted the 2026–2028 MTEF and Fiscal Strategy Paper to the National Assembly, marking the official commencement of the 2026 budget cycle.

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The Nigerian Senate has passed the 2026 – 2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP), projecting a massive aggregate expenditure for the upcoming fiscal year.

The document, which serves as the statutory blueprint for the 2026 Appropriation Bill, was approved on Tuesday following the consideration of the report presented by the Chairman of the Senate Committees on Finance, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (APC – Niger East).

The passage clears the way for President Bola Tinubu to present the formal 2026 budget proposal to the National Assembly, which is expected to happen between now and Thursday, according to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Also, the Senate approved the sum of US$64.85 per barrel as the oil benchmark, projected aggregate revenue of ₦34.33trillion, Fiscal Deficit of N20.13 trillion, Borrowings at ₦17.88trillion, Debt Service of ₦15.52 trillion, and Pensions, gratuities, retirees’ benefits of N1.376trillion.

Akpabio described the MTEF as a prerequisite for the presentation of the national budget, underpinning that the document does not represent a final position of the legislature.

“The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework is only a prerequisite before the presentation of the budget. What we are discussing here is not a finality. If circumstances change, it will be brought back to us to rejig, react or act,” he said.

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