NIGERIA NEWS
NGOs Sponsor Free Clinic For 400 Sickle Cell Carriers
The CrimsonBow Sickle Cell Initiative and the Rabiu Olowo Foundation on Wednesday in Lagos provided free medical care for about 400 carriers as part of activities marking the end of the year 2025.
Speaking at the event, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CrimsonBow, Ms Timi Edwin, said that the initiative provided general health talks, medical consultations, medication, vaccination, routine tests, genotype testing and counselling for persons living with sickle cell.
“Our outreach clinics are monthly, and about 400 warriors are here to see a medical doctor, get their routine tests, medications and therapy where necessary.”
“We have done 10 clinic outreaches this year now and more than 5,000 people living with sickle cell have benefited from our free monthly clinics and got their medications this year alone.”
“We all know how much medications cost right now, seeing a therapist and running laboratory services, because sickle cell is a burden,” Edwin said.
The founder, who noted that she had been running the foundation for almost 11 years, said that the challenges facing SCD carriers were numerous.
Calling for support from well-meaning Nigerians, Edwin said, “We are also asking the President and State Governments to please help us increase the budget for healthcare across the country.”
Also speaking, Mr George Oche, General Manager, Rabiu Olowo Foundation, said that the foundation’s intervention in sickle cell care was driven by the lived experience of its founder, also the current Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria.
Oche, representing the founder, said that the foundation—built on three key pillars: Health(sickle cell), Education and Community services- is committed to supporting patients and families affected by Sickle Cell Disease.
“As someone living with Sickle Cell Disease himself, our founder has the inspiration and motivation to support this population. We are very keen on collaboration and partnership. For today, this is our first free clinic with the CrimsonBow Sickle Cell Initiative. We are very proud and very excited to support this population.
“We are very keen on reducing, as much as we want to support warriors, the prevalence of people living with sickle cell disease in Nigeria. We all know that Nigeria holds the global burden. That is why we have rolled out an initiative called 10k GenoTest.
“We are reaching out to 10,000 young people to do free genotype testing and free genotype compatibility awareness.”
“Our main goal is to make sure that we can continue to reduce the prevalence of this disease as well as support people living with sickle cell disease,” Oche said.
The General Manager described living with sickle cell disease as challenging but purposeful, noting that his condition strengthens his resolve to make an impact through advocacy, care and community support.
He said that the foundation runs initiatives, including free genotype testing, free health insurance plan support for warriors and awareness outreach programmes, aimed at advocacy and improving the quality of life of patients.
According to him, the foundation’s 10K GenoTest initiative targeting youths with free testing and awareness will help reduce Nigeria’s high sickle cell birth prevalence.
Counselling patients not to give up on life, Dr Pamela Ajayi, Chairman, Bridge Clinic and host of “Doctors on Air,” said that the bone marrow transplant “is no longer something to be avoided and can now be done in Nigeria.”
Ajayi also emphasised the importance of pre-marital and pre-implantation genetic testing, saying that some important new treatments and initiatives are now available in Nigeria.
According to her, since these initiatives are expensive, there is a need for the government to establish special clinics and dedicated funds for SCD carriers.
Dr Ayodele Renner, a consultant paediatrician and child health advocate, described people living with sickle cell as “warriors,” praising their courage and resilience despite daily pain, lifelong medication and emotional challenges.
He urged Nigerians to prioritise genotype testing, warning that many adults marry without knowing their status, thereby increasing the risk of sickle cell disease among children.
Renner called for routine genotype and blood group testing for all children at age one, noting that late diagnosis often leads to severe complications, including anaemia and kidney failure.
He advised diagnosed patients to keep clinic appointments, take prescribed drugs regularly and avoid self-medication, stressing that early hospital care improves survival and quality of life.
Renner said that governments should expand health insurance, subsidise drugs such as Hydroxyurea, support blood services and strengthen sickle cell clinics to reduce financial burdens on affected families.
Beneficiaries, including a 31-year-old Miss Bashirat Oyelakin and an 11-year-old Hassanat Adewale, commended the commitment of the CrimsonBow initiative and Rabiu Olowo Foundation to easing the suffering of patients with SCD.
“This kind of gesture is much appreciated by all of us living with sickle cell, and we are grateful to Rabiu Olowo Foundation and CrimsonBow Initiative for being so caring about us.
“It is not easy living with sickle cell at all. We have seen doctors here and collected our routine drugs; we are very grateful,” they said.
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NIGERIA NEWS
Aiyedatiwa Orders Amotekun To Man Border Communities
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has reaffirmed that his administration has prioritised security at the top of its agenda, assuring residents of Ose, Owo, and Akure North Local Government Areas that banditry and criminal activities along the boundaries will not be tolerated.
Speaking during the third day of his statewide ‘Thank-You’ tour of local government areas, Aiyedatiwa revealed that the establishment of an Amotekun Rangers camp, alongside the deployment of operatives, had significantly reduced criminal activities, allowing farmers and traders to operate without fear.
He said that security agencies remain on high alert to protect the communities.
According to him, the government would not leave its citizens alone and allow something bad to happen to them, emphasising that improved security has restored public confidence and strengthened relations between the government and its citizens.
Apart from security, the Governor explained that the seven-day tour of all 18 local government areas was designed to take governance to the grassroots, thank citizens for their support, and highlight projects already executed or in progress.
He noted that while quarterly stakeholders’ meetings in Akure typically involve about 60 leaders from each local government, many grassroots residents are unable to participate or interact with the government directly.
He said the ‘Thank-You’ tour was therefore a platform not only for bonding but also for informing residents about ongoing government projects in their areas.
With Christmas less than nine days away, Governor Aiyedatiwa said the tour also provided an opportunity to extend goodwill to residents through the distribution of palliatives.
The Governor assured residents of Ose Local Government that their bad roads would be fixed.
Speaking on the prolonged Olufon of Ifon stool dispute, he described the traditional stool as significant and expressed concern over delays in resolving the matter.
He recalled that the issue was first brought to his office by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs during his tenure as deputy governor, adding that several stakeholders’ meetings had since taken place.
The Governor insisted that the government would not impose a king on the people, stressing that the town must adhere to due process in line with the official chieftaincy declaration of 1969. Once a candidate is properly selected, he assured, he would present the staff of office.
He highlighted that amenities such as improved electricity supply, school shuttle buses, and other social interventions were outcomes of the reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which had strengthened the state’s capacity to execute projects.
At Owo, Governor Aiyedatiwa reaffirmed his connection with the town, recalling how the late former Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, had chosen him as deputy governor.
He said Owo recorded the highest number of votes during the last election, describing the support as a responsibility his administration would continue to honour through responsive and people-oriented governance.
At Iju/Ita-Ogbolu, the headquarters of Akure North Local Government Area, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa expressed delight at the large turnout of party members who came out to welcome him.
The Governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Olayide Adelami, thanked the people of Akure North for their steadfast support for the APC at both the state and national levels. He urged them to sustain the support to ensure the party’s continued success, including the re-election of President Bola Tinubu beyond 2027.
He also congratulated party members on the occasion of the yuletide season, announcing that his administration had made provisions for Christmas gifts for all APC members, with clear instructions that every party member must benefit from the gesture.
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NIGERIA NEWS
President Tinubu Names New Chief Executives for Petroleum Regulatory Agencies — Akelicious
President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, asked the Senate to approve new chief executives for Nigeria’s petroleum regulators following the resignation of their substantive heads.
The affected agencies are the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, both created under the Petroleum Industry Act.
The resignations involve Farouk Ahmed, former chief executive of the NMDPRA, and Gbenga Komolafe, former chief executive of the NUPRC.
Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari to lead the newly established regulatory institutions.
In separate letters to the Senate, Mr Tinubu nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as NUPRC chief executive and Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as NMDPRA chief executive.
The president urged senators to treat the nominations with urgency, saying confirmation would “ensure continuity and stability within the petroleum regulatory framework”.
Ms Eyesan is a seasoned petroleum economist with nearly 33 years’ experience at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. and its subsidiaries.
She is a graduate of Economics from the University of Benin and retired as executive vice president, Upstream, at NNPC Ltd., serving between 2023 and 2024.
She earlier served as group general manager, corporate planning and strategy, from 2019 to 2023, contributing to strategic reforms in the upstream sector.
Mr Mohammed, born in 1957 in Gombe State, is a Chemical Engineering graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he earned his degree in 1981.
He recently served as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy and has decades of leadership experience across Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
His previous roles include managing director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company.
Mr Mohammed also chaired boards of the West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries and NNPC Retail.
He served as group executive director and chief operating officer, gas and power directorate, providing leadership on major gas projects and policy frameworks.
These included the Gas Masterplan, the Gas Network Code and contributions to shaping the Petroleum Industry Act.
He played key roles in delivering projects such as the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline and Nigeria LNG train expansions.
The nominations were conveyed in a statement issued by the president’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
(NAN)
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NIGERIA NEWS
Kwara court remands three Indian nationals for criminal breach of trust
Justice Sulaiman Akanbi of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, on Wednesday, remanded three Indian nationals over alleged criminal breach of trust.
They are Lalit Sarwat, Ravi Raghavendra, and Gagan Sarswat, alongside an Ilorin-based dispatch manager, Oniyide Samuel.
They were remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
The defendants were arraigned on Wednesday by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and criminal breach of trust, contrary to and punishable under Sections 97 and 314 of the Penal Code.
The commission alleged that the defendants, while being employees of KAM Steel Integrated Company Limited, Ilorin, conspired among themselves between November 2024 and September 2025 to commit criminal breach of trust.
Count one of the charge sheet reads: “That you, Lalit Sarwat, Kumar Saroj (at large), Oniyide Samuel (trading under the name and style of Incognito Steel), Ravi Raghavendra, and Gagan Sarswat, between November 2024 and September 2025, whilst being servants in the employment of KAM Steel Integrated Company Limited, agreed among yourselves to do an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.”
Particulars of count two state: “That you, Lalit Sarwat, Kumar Saroj (at large), Oniyide Samuel (trading under the name and style of Incognito Steel), Ravi Raghavendra, and Gagan Sarswat, between November 2024 and September 2025, whilst being servants in the employment of KAM Steel Integrated Company Limited and in that capacity entrusted with the company’s property, to wit: steel rebars, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said properties and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 314 of the Penal Code.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them in court.
Following their pleas, Cosmas Ugwu, who appeared for the EFCC, applied for the remand of the defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending trial.
Counsel to the defendants, Ademuyiwa Abe, S. J. Ochai, and D. M. Ayuba, however, filed applications for bail on behalf of their clients, arguing that the offences charged are bailable.
Opposing the bail applications, Ugwu urged the court to refuse them on the grounds that three of the defendants are foreign nationals and pose a flight risk. He further urged the court to grant an accelerated hearing of the matter.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Akanbi adjourned the matter to Friday, December 19, 2025, for ruling on the bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
NIGERIA NEWS
Dangote-NMDPRA saga becoming embarrassing – NBA President, Osigwe
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Afam Osigwe, says the rift between Aliko Dangote and the recently resigned Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, was becoming embarrassing for public officers and the government.
Osigwe made this statement on Wednesday during an interview on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television monitored by DAILY POST.
DAILY POST reports that Ahmed tendered his resignation on Wednesday evening, barely 24 hours after allegations of corruption were leveled against him by Dangote.
“I don’t know the facts, and I just saw the breaking news on your screen. It would be unfair for me to take sides with any of the parties, but sometimes the perception of corruption may be weightier than the actual proof of corruption.
“And it would be unfair to condemn him, but I can say that the matter is becoming publicly embarrassing for public officers and for the government, and I think the government is being decisive in accepting their resignation.
“I mean the breaking news has always said that they resigned. So I would like to say that, look, you’re heating up the system. Your continuous actions are making things difficult and attracting negative attention.
“I’m not privy to the meeting, but I also think you know so. And then with the ICPC indicating that they would investigate the allegation, I think the President was being decisive. Whether they were encouraged to resign or willingly resigned remains to be seen.
“But let it also not be that these allegations were used to get rid of a person and then nothing more happens. Let there be a proper investigation so that the man either clears his name or it is proven that he was actually corrupt or guilty of the allegation,” he said.
NIGERIA NEWS
Tinubu Seeks Senate Confirmation For New Appointees As NUPRC, NMDPRA Bosses Resign
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked the Senate to confirm new chief executives for two of Nigeria’s key petroleum regulators following the resignation of their current heads, a development that comes amid a deepening controversy in the downstream sector.
The request, conveyed in separate letters to the Senate on Wednesday, seeks approval for fresh leadership at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
Engr. Farouk Ahmed has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, while Gbenga Komolafe resigned as Chief Executive Officer of the NUPRC. Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari after the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday, December 17.
In the statement, the Presidency said: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the nominations of two new chief executives for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC.”
The statement added: “The requests followed the resignation of Engineer Farouk Ahmed of the NMDPRA and Gbenga Komolafe of the NUPRC.”
Announcing the proposed replacements, the statement said: “To fill these positions, President Tinubu has written to the Senate, requesting expedited confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Chief Executive Officer of the NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA.”
The Presidency described the nominees as “seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry.”
On Eyesan, the release noted: “Eyesan, a graduate of Economics from the University of Benin, spent nearly 33 years with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and its subsidiaries.” It added that “she retired as Executive Vice President, Upstream, from 2023 to 2024, and previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy at the NNPC between 2019 and 2023.”
Providing details on Mohammed, the statement said: “Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, born in 1957 in Gombe, graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981 with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering.” It further disclosed that “he was announced today as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy.
“His prior roles include Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and Nigerian Gas Company, as well as Chair of the boards of West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries and NNPC Retail.”
The statement added: “He also served as Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power Directorate, where he provided strategic leadership for major gas projects and policy frameworks, including the Gas Masterplan, Gas Network Code and contributions to the Petroleum Industry Act.”
The statement highlighted that “Engineer Mohammed played a pivotal role in delivering key projects such as the Escravos, Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano, AKK, Gas Pipeline and Nigeria LNG Train.”
NIGERIA NEWS
EFCC operatives raid Malami’s homes, offices
Former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, on Wednesday, raised the alarm over the raids on his homes and offices by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He said the anti-graft agency, which has detained him since 8 December over investigations into corruption allegations against him, carried out the raids on his premises in Abuja and Kebbi in Kebbi State, his home state, on Wednesday.
EFCC confirmed the raids to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday but called the actions a search necessary for its ongoing investigation of the former minister.
Mr Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), disclosed the raids in a statement by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, which was shared on the former minister’s Facebook page.
The statement suggested that the raids were triggered by an earlier press release on Wednesday. The said earlier statement referenced the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry’s report, which Mr Malami claimed indicted the EFCC chair, Ola Olukoyede, for his activities as the secretary to the EFCC from 2018 to 2020.
Mr Malami specifically alluded to Chapter 9 of the report which he said focused on Mr Olukoyede.
The later statement on Wednesday said, following the disclosure in the earlier press release, EFCC operatives “carried out coordinated raids on our offices and on the private residences of Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, in Abuja and Kebbi State.”
“These actions (were carried out without prior notice and were expressly directed at searching for documents allegedly connected to Chapter 9 of the Salami Report,” the statement added.
The former AGF did not provide proof that the raids were triggered by his earlier statement referencing the Justice Ayo Salami report.
The panel of inquiry led by Mr Salami, a former President of the Court of Appeal, submitted its report to the then-President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2020.
But both Mr Buhari and Mr Malami, who as the AGF facilitated the establishment of the panel to probe the activities of the EFCC under the leadership of the then-acting chairperson of the anti-graft agency, Ibrahim Magu, failed to make the report of the panel public.
They also failed to act on the recommendations of the panel before their administration wound up two and a half years later, in May 2023.
Meanwhile, preparatory to the hearing of the panel, Mr Buhari had suspended Mr Magu and Mr Olukoyede alongside some other top officials of the EFCC from office in July 2020. The panel controversially went on to conduct its hearing in camera. The EFCC officials were never recalled by the Buhari administration while the public was kept in the dark regarding the outcome of the panel’s inquiry.
Malami blames Olukoyede
Citing his role in the establishment of the Salami panel, Mr Malami, on Monday, called on Mr Olukoyede to step aside from his probe by the EFCC. He claimed his probe, arrest and detention by the EFCC were “driven by deep-seated historical animosity and a malicious personal vendetta orchestrated by the EFCC Chairman”.
Earlier on Wednesday, he issued another statement referencing Chapter 9 of the Salami panel’s report and intensifying his call for Mr Olukoyede to recuse himself from his probe.
“Viewed against this background, the present actions of the EFCC cannot reasonably be interpreted as neutral law enforcement. They amount to retaliatory persecution driven by historical animosity and personal vendetta,” the statement by his media aide read.
In a later statement on Wednesday announcing the raids on his premises in Abuja and Kebbi, Mr Malami described the actions as “deeply alarming”.
He said the raids were acts of intimidation and retaliation following his public call for the EFCC chairman to recuse himself from matters relating to investigations involving him.
“These raids raise grave concerns about intimidation, retaliation and the safety of our staff and of Abubakar Malami, SAN,” the statement said.
The statement warned that it would hold the authorities responsible should any harm come to him or members of his staff, describing the situation as a threat to the rule of law and constitutional governance.
He also urged Nigerians and the media to question the timing and legality of the searches, asking why the raids occurred immediately after public reference to Chapter 9 of the Salami report and what legal authority justified searches focused on that section of the report.
Mr Malami further called on civil society organisations, professional bodies and human rights groups to pressure the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation to release the Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry report, particularly Chapter 9, in the interest of transparency and accountability.
Despite the allegations, the former attorney general said he remained willing to submit himself to a lawful and impartial judicial process.
“Intimidation, raids and media trials cannot substitute for due process,” the statement added.
EFCC confirms raid
The EFCC, however, said the operation was part of its ongoing investigation and not a raid.
“It is in furtherance of our ongoing investigation. It was not a raid; it was a search. When a suspect is being investigated, we normally conduct searches in line with our investigation,” the commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said during a phone interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday.
The raid allegation comes amid an ongoing dispute between Mr Malami and the leadership of the anti-graft agency over the handling of investigations involving the former minister.
Olukoyede, EFCC deny wrongdoing
Mr Olukoyede has previously denied allegations levelled against him by the Salami panel.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos in July during a meeting with media representatives, the EFCC chairman said he was unjustly suspended as the commission’s secretary over what he described as false corruption allegations.
He said he was later vindicated and reinstated after a review by the administration of President Bola Tinubu found no wrongdoing on his part.
“I did not steal anything,” Mr Olukoyede said.
The EFCC has also denied allegations of bias and unlawful conduct raised by Mr Malami in the wake of his probe by the commission.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the commission’s spokesperson, Mr Oyewale, dismissed claims that Mr Malami’s bail was revoked because he attended a political gathering in Kebbi State, describing the allegation as “patently false.”
Mr Oyewale said Mr Malami was granted administrative bail on 28 November after interrogation, pending the conclusion of investigations and possible arraignment.
“Administrative bail is a discretionary temporary reprieve that allows a suspect to be released on stated conditions pending the conclusion of investigation and arraignment in court,” he said.
According to the EFCC, the former minister failed to meet the conditions attached to the bail and did not return on the agreed date of 1 December.
The commission said it later granted his request for a deferment on health grounds but that he neither submitted a medical report nor provided credible evidence to support the claim.
Mr Oyewale said Mr Malami was re-invited on 8 December for further questioning and detained after failing to meet the outstanding bail requirements, adding that it was wrong to suggest that the EFCC restricted him from granting media interviews or participating in political activities.
Background
Mr Malami served as Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he recently defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and has declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Kebbi State.
The EFCC is investigating Mr Malami over allegations including the alleged fraudulent duplication of expenses related to the recovery of assets linked to the late former military ruler, Sani Abacha.
Reports have also indicated that the commission is probing several bank accounts allegedly linked to the former minister, as well as his multi-billion-naira investments in Kebbi State.
Following his detention, Mr Malami’s lawyers challenged his continued custody, describing it as unlawful and a violation of his fundamental rights, a development that has drawn political reactions from opposition figures accusing the EFCC of politicising its actions.
NIGERIA NEWS
Concerned Northern Elders Reject NEF Position on FIRS, Back Tinubu’s Reforms
The Concerned Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has disowned and sharply criticised recent statements credited to the Northern Elders Forum over the activities of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), describing the position as a misrepresentation of the true aspirations of the North.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Dr Nasir Manguno, the group said it was compelled to address Nigerians in the interest of truth, responsibility and historical accountability, warning that silence in the face of what it described as calculated distortion would amount to complicity.
The elders stated that the so-called position of the NEF against the FIRS, its Executive Chairman and the economic reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu neither reflects the collective conscience of Northern elders nor aligns with the progressive expectations of the region.
According to the group, the NEF has lost its moral authority and has gradually transformed from a forum of wisdom into what it described as a platform for political grievances and sponsored opposition narratives. The elders insisted that leadership and elder statesmanship must be rooted in integrity, foresight and national interest, not nostalgia for failed systems or entitlement to privilege.
The statement praised the performance of the current Executive Chairman of the FIRS, noting that under his leadership, the agency has recorded consistent over-performance of revenue targets, strengthened non-oil revenue mobilisation and deployed technology and data-driven strategies to block historic leakages. It added that the renewed emphasis on fairness and accountability has ensured that influence no longer guarantees exemption from taxation.
The Concerned Northern Elders stressed that these achievements are verifiable and represent what Nigeria can accomplish when competence replaces complacency, arguing that opposition to such reforms is driven by those unsettled by efficiency and transparency.
On the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu, the group said the administration inherited an economy weakened by subsidy dependency, secrecy and selective compliance. It commended the President for choosing courage over convenience by pursuing reforms it described as difficult but necessary for national recovery.
The elders maintained that revenue reform is not punitive but central to nation-building, insisting that no country develops by shielding elites from responsibility or placing the burden of governance solely on the poor.
The group also expressed full support for the Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the FIRS leadership to strengthen inter-agency collaboration, harmonise data systems and eliminate duplication. It argued that any policy framework that promotes transparency, strengthens institutions and enhances revenue efficiency is in the best interest of the North and Nigeria at large.
Addressing what it termed the politics of sabotage, the elders said the renewed criticism of FIRS coincided with political recalibration by opposition interests seeking to weaponise the North against reform. They warned that the region would not allow itself to be used for partisan objectives.
The statement emphasised that the true priorities of the North include job creation, infrastructure development, education and accountability, rather than recycled rhetoric and inherited excuses. According to the elders, these aspirations require strong institutions, fair taxation and fearless leadership.
The group concluded by reaffirming its support for the Executive Chairman of the FIRS, President Tinubu’s economic reform agenda and public servants committed to national interest over elite comfort, stressing that history favours reformers and not obstructionists.
“The North is not against reform. The North is against failure, and it will not be dragged backward by voices sponsored to fear progress,” the statement said.
NIGERIA NEWS
Man Shares What He Noticed About Shiloh 2025, Wonders if Abioye’s Exit Affected Event, Post Trends
- A man shared what he noticed about Shiloh 2025, which made it different from previous years of the annual Winners chapel programme
- He wondered if his observation was linked with the exit of Bishop Abioye from the church who retired from the ministry last year
- The man’s post went viral and sparked mixed reactions.
A Nigerian has shared his observation about Shiloh 2025 and wondered if Bishop David Abioye’s exit affected the program.
Shiloh is an annual programme hosted by the church at its headquarters called Canaanland in Ota, Ogun State, with Bishop David Oyedepo as the general overseer.
Man Shares What He Noticed About Shiloh 2025, Wonders if Abioye’s Exit Affected Event, Post Trends
Source: Facebook
Shiloh 2025: Man speaks about Abioye’s absence
This year’s Shiloh was the second after the retirement of Bishop David Abioye as the vice president of the Winners Chapel, after serving with Oyedepo for 44 years.
Known on Facebook as Uncle Oles, a man highlighted the observations he noticed about Shiloh 2025.

Read also
“Seeing Bishop Aremu at Shiloh 2025 brought different vibe”: Man shares how preacher was welcomed
According to him, this year’s Shiloh witnessed a decline in media trends.
His Facebook post read:
“I think this year’s SHILOH witnessed a decline in media trends. Or am I the only one who has noticed it?“Compared to previous years, this year’s SHILOH has had fewer trends, and even their road shows were less crowded than in the past.“Are Winners’ members losing interest in the program, or has the exit of Bishop David Abioye from Winners’ Chapel affected the usual planning, execution, and publicity of the event?“Or has the new policy, which prevents other top pastors who left the church to start their own ministries from attending the program, also contributed to the decline in its usual trends?”
Reactions trail man’s observation about Abioye
Najim Samuel
Lol, how can they know when they are not a member, if you’re worries to know attend next week meeting, u will knw not all from social media noise. Alot is going on and millions are getting bless 
Read also
Odion Ighalo picks next Super Eagles captain after Ekong’s retirement
Synod Jokpa Ozore
E reach to ask oooo…. Meanwhile, I received a flyer for Shiloh, and the venue is not the ARK. This seems inconsistent with what the man of God had been saying. Or is the info on the flyer incorrect?
Dave Dave
Go to Shiloh and see for yourself na
Oloruntoba Morakinyo
Mind your business
Akalugwu G Ikedichukwu
People are running away from the scam they call Christianity.
Greta Lorr
Shut up your mouth you fool
Mhiz Mercy
u lie ooo,U for go check urself
In related stories, a man mentioned the role Abioye played at Shiloh while another shared what the bishop’s absence signified.
Man analyses Abioye’s absence at Shiloh
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a man analysed Bishop David Abioye’s absence at Shiloh 2025, which was held at the Winners Chapel headquarters in Ota, Ogun state.
He also shared his observations about Bishop Thomas Aremu’s presence, despite retiring alongside Abioye in October 2024.

Read also
Man analyses Bishop Abioye’s absence at Shiloh 2025 amid Bishop Aremu’s presence, post trends
The man’s post sparked fresh debate about the viral discussion concerning the absence of Bishop Abioye at the Shiloh.
Source: Legit.ng
NIGERIA NEWS
Edo govt using “deodorant” performance to clean PDP mess – Afegbua
The Edo State Government has said it is using “deodorant” and governmental performance to sanitise the pollution created by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP-led government over the last eight years in the state.
DAILY POST reports that Prince Kassim Afegbua, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, stated this while responding to a press statement by the main opposition party, the PDP, in Benin City on Wednesday.
The PDP press statement was titled, “Edo State under Okpebholo: A year of drift, democratic rupture, and systematic destruction of institutional legacy.”
The party accused the Governor Okpebholo-led APC government of squandering state and local government funds from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), as well as poor governance in the past one year in office, despite huge financial resources running into tens of billions of naira that had accrued to the state.
Responding, Kassim Afegbua opined that the state government had moved ahead and left the crossroads of PDP emanations.
He noted that responding to the PDP was a huge mental waste of time, as the government was busy trying to clean up the opposition party’s mess and halitosis littered across the state by using deodorant and governmental performance to sanitise their pollution.
“Like I said before, this category of PDP vuvuzelas are simply crying because the state feeding bottle has been removed from their well-salivated mouths, and they are now coming to the reality that Edo State is beyond their grip.
“We are too busy cleaning up their mess to have the time to make such ripostes. Reasonable Edo people appreciate our efforts thus far, but the PDP’s gang of sinuous fawns will always behave true to type,” he said.
Speaking on allegations that the state government is compiling alleged offences of former Governor Godwin Obaseki for anti-graft agencies, the commissioner opined that the guilty will always be on the run, becoming fugitives in their own country.
He stated that if the former governor did not have a skeleton in his cupboard, he would gladly return home, alleging that due to his involvement in several financial malfeasances, he continues to look for excuses to remain overseas.
“His legacy of rot and decay in Edo State will forever haunt him. His legacy of corruption and profligacy will always torment him. If he does not want to come home to face queries, we will petition the relevant security agencies to compel him to return.
“There is no hiding place for anybody in the global arena. The world has become a global village. If he thinks that the little island he lives on in the UK will hide him from our grip, he would be joking.
“We are neither forcing nor intimidating him to come home; we are only asking him to come and account for his eight years in office when he presided over Edo State’s collective patrimony. It is not too much to ask,” he added.
NIGERIA NEWS
Senator Ireti Kingibe officially joins ADC ahead of 2027 polls
Senator Ireti Kingibe representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has officialy joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The registration of the senator will take place on Thursday at the ADC national headquarters in Wuse, Abuja.
A statement issued by her media aide, Kennedy Mbele, on Wednesday, confirmed the development.
Mbele said the move formally confirmed Kingibe’s exit from the Labour Party (LP), adding that the registration ushered the lawmaker into the ADC.
According to the statement, senior officials of the party, candidates for the February 21 FCT area council elections, party supporters and members of the press will attend the event.
“Kingibe’s bold step of joining ADC makes her the only serving senator in the new but vibrant opposition party, ADC,” Mbele said.
