By Douglas Baye-Osagie

At a time when the Africa is preparing for the commencement of the biggest football event in the continent, the 35th edition of the biennial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Nigeria Football Federation has awaken the hopes and raised the consciousness of soccer fans with a different kind of distraction.

They’ve whispered loudly to the Nigerian football lovers globally that there is a backdoor entrance available to the biggest football event in the World next year in America, Canada and Mexico. Like a petulant kid, Nigeria’s Football Federation is protesting at football world governing body, FIFA’s doorstep again. Remember during the qualifying rounds, a protest against South Africa for fielding a player, Mokhoena with accumulated yellow cards led to point deductions and helped push Nigeria to the playoffs NFF General Secretary, Dr. Sanusi Mohammed on Tuesday 15th December 2025 alleged players’ ineligibility as a reason Nigeria’s hope of making the World Cup next year is real.

“FIFA was deceived into clearing those players because it is not FIFA’s responsibility to interpret or enforce domestic citizenship laws. “DR Congo law does not permit dual citizenship, yet some of the players involved reportedly hold dual nationality. “It is not FIFA’s duty to know the domestic laws of every country; that is why we formally drew FIFA’s attention to the issue, and we are now awaiting their verdict”

We have a group of Administrators who have failed to grow our football in the last 10 years . From Amaju Pinnick to Ibrahim Gusau, the federation has focused on attending competitions rather than building the right structure for the game in Nigeria. From failure to qualify for consecutive Olympic soccer events to back to back World Cups and also missing out on our once birthrights 3 straight U17 World Cups, it is very obvious the politicians in them will want to grab at any window to jump into the 2026 World Cup. Right now they have awakened the hopes of millions of Nigerian football fans who are meant to have switched off from the World Cup to the Nations Cup tournament. But do we have a chance.

YES! Does the rule work in our favour? It will boil down to how FIFA interprets her own laws. There is total panic in the streets of Kinshaha because they know the registration of foreign players was a bit hurriedly done. “FIFA does not reason in terms of legal nationality but rather in terms of sporting nationality. If that is the case, I advise you dear Nigeria brothers to focus on the AFCON – Herita Ilunga former West Ham player and Head of Football, DR Congo ???? Federation.

Even though the Congolese are defiant and brash about the whole episode, there is a sense of fear that they milot of prayers to scale past these allegations. They claim once FIFA approves a player, they don’t have to bother and sports rules are different from Countries’ laws. Just this week FIFA penalised Malaysia with three 3-0 defeats for fielding ineligible players, the country’s football authorities said Wednesday, the latest punishment in a simmering scandal. Friendly wins over Palestine and Singapore, and a draw against Cape Verde, all at home this year, have been overturned, the Football Association of Malaysia said.

FIFA has already suspended seven foreign-born national team players over forged documents that claimed they had Malaysian ancestry. This will further send a chilled fear all over DR Congo as they await judgment day when FIFA gives a ruling on Nigeria’s protest. Under DR Congo’s own Constitution, nationality is not something that can be rushed or improvised. Foreigners can only become Congolese through clearly defined processes – naturalization, marriage, option, or adoption – and even then, only when the state determines that the decision is in its national interest. Final approval is not automatic; it must pass through the National Assembly, the Council of Ministers, and the President. In simple terms, a passport alone is not enough. Naturalization, for example, requires:

•Proven good character •No serious criminal convictions

• At least seven years of residence (or five years of permanent residency)

• Evidence that the applicant’s citizenship serves a real national interest. Some Nigerians have come out to say this is a shameful and disgraceful path to the World Cup and we should be worried about fixing our football. But in this scenario two truths can coexist. Nigeria football administrators have been below average despite the avalanche of talents and secondly DR Congo seems to have breached their own laws in the registration of players for the National team. So Nigeria can pull every form of evidence to nail the Congolese.

The Nsue case is a prime example of FIFA’s strict eligibility rules. Emilio Nsue, the former captain of Equatorial Guinea’s national team, was ruled ineligible to play for the country due to not meeting the necessary requirements. Nsue was born in Spain to an Equatoguinean father and played for Spain’s youth teams before switching to Equatorial Guinea in 2013. However, FIFA determined that Nsue didn’t follow the proper procedure for changing his nationality, making him ineligible to play for Equatorial Guinea. As a result, FIFA:

•Suspended Nsue for six months from international football

•Fined Equatorial Guinea $164,000

•Revoked Equatorial Guinea’s wins against Namibia and Liberia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, awarding 3-0 victories to their opponents Nsue had played for Equatorial Guinea for over 11 years, scoring 23 goals in 40+ games, including five goals at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. The decision was a major blow to Equatorial Guinea’s World Cup hopes However, in March 2025, FIFA lifted Nsue’s suspension, making him eligible to play for Equatorial Guinea again.

If FIFA confirms that any DR Congo player in the CAF playoffs final:

•Did not meet the country’s legal nationality requirements

•Illegally held dual nationality

•Or relied on falsified or misleading documents

Then FIFA will have no choice but to act. That would mean annulling the result of the match and applying forfeiture rules – a decision that would strip DR Congo of its place in the 2026 Intercontinental Playoffs and keep Nigeria’s hope alive. From the South African protest to the African playoffs to the ineligibility of DR Congo players, if we somehow manage to advance, it’ll be the most convoluted route to a World Cup in the tournament’s history..

The post Nigeria’s bizarre chase for 2026 World Cup ticket appeared first on Vanguard News.

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HELLO Energy Ltd. has reaffirmed its commitment to the Anambra community by turning the Fegge Roundabout in Onitsha into a vibrant focal point for the festive season. Adorned with sparkling Christmas lights, the roundabout now glows with colour and warmth, enhancing the city’s holiday ambience. The Fegge Roundabout was constructed in 2023 by Hello Energy under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme and in support of Governor Charles Soludo’s vision for the state.

Speaking, its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Okide Ezigbo, a lawyer, said the “initiative is aimed at bringing joy, hope and excitement of the holiday season to children in the neighborhood, many of whom rarely experience such magical, fairytale moments.”

Ezigbo also said that Hello Energy’s guiding philosophy is rooted in Inclusive Capitalism. According to him, inclusive Capitalism is about making investments that are both economically viable and socially impactful. “It is about touching lives, promoting positive values, and creating opportunities, even as capital is deployed for profit,” he said.

Ezigbo has an extensive professional background, having held senior management positions at Bombardier Inc., Irving Oil, and Ontario Power in Canada. He earned his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and currently serves as the Managing Director and CEO of Hello Energy.

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The US Department of Justice on Friday released a long-anticipated batch of documents related to its investigations into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking a new phase in a case that has become one of the most significant political challenges faced by President Donald Trump since his re-election in 2024.

Although large sections of the files were redacted, according to The Guardian, some of the released materials included photographs showing Epstein socializing with well-known figures such as Michael Jackson, Chris Tucker, Diana Ross, and entrepreneur Richard Branson. 

Bill Clinton appeared in several images, including one showing him in a swimming pool with Epstein’s convicted accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. Former British royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was also seen in some of the photos.

Another set of documents showed images of seized evidence, including drives and computers, without revealing their contents. One image appeared to show a dog in a garbage bag placed inside a box.

In a letter to Congress, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the documents, dating back to 2006 when Epstein was investigated on child prostitution charges, were only the first in a series of releases. “The volume of materials to be reviewed … means that the department must publicly produce responsive documents on a rolling basis,” Blanche wrote in the letter obtained by Fox News. 

He noted that the files contained extensive redactions, including identifying details of more than 1,200 victims and their family members.

Congressional Democrats accused the Trump administration of failing to fully comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the Justice Department to release all “unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” related to Epstein by 19 December. 

Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges of sex trafficking minors.

The law also mandates the release of unclassified materials related to Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of aiding Epstein’s sex trafficking of teenage girls and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

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“Technically they’re not in compliance,” said Democratic congressman Ro Khanna. “The law calls for all the documents that are unclassified to be released. They have not done that. The law also calls for them to explain redactions. I haven’t seen yet whether they’ve done that or not. My initial read is that they have a lot of redactions without explanation,” he added.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer echoed those concerns, saying in a statement: “We will pursue every option to make sure the truth comes out.” Republican congressman Thomas Massie also criticized the release, writing on social media that it “grossly fails to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law that [Donald Trump] signed just 30 days ago”.

White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson defended the administration, saying the release shows that “the Trump administration is the most transparent in history” and that it “has done more for the victims than Democrats ever have” by making the files public and cooperating with a separate congressional investigation.

Epstein’s case has drawn sustained public attention for years, fueled by his ties to wealthy and influential figures in the US and abroad, including Trump. Although Trump has the authority to release the documents, he previously opposed doing so and described scrutiny of his relationship with Epstein as a “Democrat hoax”. 

He later reversed course as Congress moved toward passing the transparency bill, which was unanimously approved by the Senate and signed into law on 19 November, triggering a 30-day deadline for disclosure.

Despite the law’s requirements, The Guardian report says it includes exemptions for materials “that would jeopardize an active federal investigation.” 

It also requires the Justice Department, within 15 days of release, to provide Congress with a breakdown of records released and withheld, summaries of redactions, and a list of “all government officials and politically exposed individuals named or referenced in the published materials.”

Experts have cautioned that the document releases may still leave many questions about Epstein’s crimes and network unanswered.

During last year’s campaign, Trump pledged to release Epstein-related files, but his administration faced backlash this summer after the Justice Department said it would not release any such documents and claimed it found “no incriminating client list”, despite earlier remarks by Attorney General Pam Bondi that such a document existed.

The announcement prompted bipartisan criticism and renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s past ties to Trump, who has denied any knowledge of or involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities.

In mid-November, House Democrats released emails from Epstein’s estate dating from 2011, 2015, and 2019, including one in which Epstein claimed Trump “knew about the girls”. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the emails, accusing Democrats of “selectively” leaking them “to create a fake narrative to smear President Trump”.

Republicans later released more than 20,000 documents from Epstein’s estate, including emails with prominent figures. In early December, House Democrats released dozens of photographs highlighting Epstein’s links to figures such as Trump, Clinton, and Mountbatten-Windsor.

Responding to the images, Angel Ureña, a spokesperson for Bill Clinton, said the investigation was not about the former president. “There are two types of people here,” he said. “The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships after that. We’re in the first. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that.”

The released images represent a small portion of nearly 100,000 images provided to the House committee and were made public without captions or context.

This week, Democrats released another set of images from Epstein’s estate ahead of the Justice Department’s deadline. Among them were photos showing lines from Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita written on a woman’s body, as well as images of travel documents and well-known individuals, including Bill Gates, Woody Allen, Noam Chomsky, and Steve Bannon, Trump’s former adviser.

The images were undated and released without context. The appearance of individuals in the photos, lawmakers stressed, is not evidence of wrongdoing.

(The Guardian)

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Here is the New Telegraph’s weekly business news roundup of the top 15 latest Nigerian news stories making headlines from Monday, December 15, to Saturday, December 20, 2025.

Senate Confirms Eyesan, Aliyu As New Heads Of Petroleum Regulators

The Senate on Friday confirmed Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The confirmation followed the adoption of a report by the Joint Senate…Read more

PenCom Unveils Pencare Pilot For Low-income Retirees March 2026

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) will commence the pilot phase of the Pension Industry Healthcare Initiative (PenCare) in March 2026, targeting no fewer than 30,000 low-income retirees across the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the initiative covers retirees…Read more

Dangote Refinery’s PMS Supply’ll Reduce Petrol Price, Says IPMAN

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has called on all its members nationwide to patronise the Dangote Refinery in their purchase of PMS products, noting that the refinery already offers the best affordable price for all marketers, even as free delivery commences in January 2026.

The association also expressed delight over a recent agreement by the…Read more

Oyetola Presents Bakassi Deep Seaport Certificate Of Compliance To Otu

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has presented the Certificate of Compliance for the Bakassi Deep Seaport to the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, during a courtesy visit by the governor to the minister’s office in Abuja.

Presenting the certificate, Oyetola described the Bakassi Deep Seaport as…Read more

Customs To Slam 3% Interest Penalty On Delayed Remittance By Banks

Henceforth, Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) who fail in remitting collected revenue on behalf of Nigeria Customs within the prescribed period will pay interest penalty interest of 3% above the prevailing Nigerian Interbank Offered Rate (NIBOR) to cover delay duration .

The step is being taken to tackle instances of banks collecting revenue on…Read more

SMEDAN Secures N12bn Loan At 9% Interest For SMEs Expansion

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has secured a N12 billion loan to be disbursed at nine per cent interest rate to aid the expansion of small and mediumsized enterprises and other nano businesses typically run by individuals across the country.

Some state governments, which include Enugu, Katsina, Kaduna, and…Read more

FG To Disburse $50m Women Exporters’ Fund In Q1’26

The first tranche of Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) fund totalling $50 million will be disbursed in the first quarter of 2026, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs. Nonye Ayeni confirmed.

Her assurance on Wednesday preceded completion of capacitybuilding and…Read more

NUPRC CCE, Komolafe Resigns

The  Commission Chief Executive (CCE) of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engineer Olugbenga Komolafe, has resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.

This was contained in a press statement issued by President Tinubu’s…Read more

NMDPRA Boss, Farouk Ahmed Resigns

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed, has tendered his resignation following the allegation of corruption.

New Telegraph gathered that the NMDPRA boss tendered his resignation in a…Read more

Obi Raises Transparency Concerns Over Nigeria–France Tax Cooperation MoU

Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed concerns over recent reports of a tax cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria and France, calling for greater transparency, public disclosure, and accountability in agreements that affect national revenue systems.

In a statement shared on X, Obi said while international collaboration is…Read more

Oyedele: Reform To Address Multiplicity Of Taxes On Businesses

The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has clarified that the new tax system expected to commence next year is projected to address the issues of multiplicity of taxes and prodding taxing agencies in the country.

Specifically, Oyedele explained that Nigeria had one of the highest…Read more

FG Loses N1.2trn To Delay In Cargo Tracking Note Implementation

Delay in the implementation of International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) is making the Federal Government lose N1.2 trillion annually from nonstandardised cargo declarations and transshipment concealment in the seaports.

The platform is a critical tool for enhancing transparency, security and…Read more

FG Records N30.1trn Revenue Shortfall In 2025 Budget

The Federal Government has recorded a revenue shortfall of about ₦30.1 trillion in the 2025 fiscal year, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, disclosed on Tuesday.

Edun revealed this while appearing before the House of Representatives…Read more

Dangote Submits Petition Against NMDPRA MD, Farouk Ahmed, To ICPC Over Alleged Corruption

Chairman of Dangote Group, Dr. Aliko Dangote, has formally submitted a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Ahmed Farouk, over alleged corruption and financial impropriety.

The petition, dated December 16, 2025, was submitted through Dangote’s…Read more

FG Suspends Enforcement Of NAFDAC Sachet Alcohol Ban Pending Review

The Federal Government has directed an immediate suspension of all enforcement measures related to the proposed ban on sachet alcohol products by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), pending the conclusion of consultations and a final directive.

The directive, issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of…Read more

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday to visit Borno, Bauchi and Lagos States.

While in Borno State, President Tinubu will commission some projects undertaken by Governor Babagana Zulum and the Federal Government.

He will also attend the wedding ceremony of Sadeeq Sheriff, son of the former Governor of the State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, and his heartthrob, Hadiza Kam Salem.

From Maiduguri, the President will move to Bauchi to condole with the Government of Bauchi State and the family of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, the late renowned Muslim cleric and leader of the Tijjaniyya Muslim Brotherhood.

The Sheikh died on November 27.

After the condolence visit, President Bola Tinubu will leave for Lagos, where he will spend the upcoming end-of-year holidays.

He is expected to be the guest of honour at the Eyo Festival scheduled for December 27, among his numerous engagements while in the city.

The festival at Tafawa Balewa Square will honour prominent figures, including President Tinubu’s mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, and former governors Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Chief Michael Otedola.

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Troops of the Nigerian Army have intercepted two pickup vans conveying items suspected to be logistics supplies for the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, in Borno State.

The development was disclosed on Friday by security analyst, Zagazola Makama, in a post via his X handle.

According to Makama, the interception followed credible human intelligence indicating the movement of the items from Dapchi through the Magumeri general area of the state.

He said troops of Sector 2, working in collaboration with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, stopped the vehicles during an operation and arrested the drivers for further interrogation.

Items recovered from the vehicles include 31 spare tyres, 23 spare rims, two bicycles, 12 key starters, three alternators, two bags of flour and one mattress.

Other items reportedly seized are five bags of charcoal, 34 tubers of yam, two blankets, nylon bags containing garri, adult and children’s clothing, one power bank, six mobile phones and N92,600 in cash.

Makama added that the vehicles and recovered items are currently in military custody, while investigations are ongoing to establish the suspects’ level of involvement and possible links to ISWAP’s logistics network.

He noted that the troops reaffirmed their commitment to disrupting supply routes to terrorist groups and sustaining pressure on criminal elements within their area of responsibility.

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Gunmen wielding high-calibre weapons reportedly struck in the early hours of Friday, December 19, abducting no fewer than nine residents in Inele-Ugoh ward, Igah Ikeje, located in the Olomaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Naija News learnt that among the victims were a woman and her three children who were travelling to a nearby community to attend a burial ceremony.

Other victims were said to be local farmers, seized from their individual farmlands as they went about their daily activities.

According to The Nation, residents told journalists that a series of distress calls were placed to troops stationed at a military checkpoint manned by the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army. However, the abductors had reportedly vanished into the dense forest before help could arrive.

“These groups of bandits are going about in large numbers. They could be up to 200, and they split into two groups,” a community source said.

“They don’t stay in one location; they keep moving their captives from one location to another.”

The source added that the assailants’ ability to move freely within the forest terrain has made it difficult for ground troops to confront them without aerial support.

“Troops can only succeed when there is support from the airspace. So, a drone or a police helicopter is required to root out these criminals from our community. We will not enjoy Christmas if these criminals remain in our forests,” the resident lamented.

Another source described the attackers as “desperate and audacious”, operating brazenly both day and night.

“These are bandits. We need more deployment and air surveillance by the state and Federal Government to curtail the menace of these criminals,” the source said.

However, the Kogi State Police Command has not issued any official statement on the development as of the time of filing this report.

Naija News reports that the incident adds to the growing list of abductions in rural parts of Kogi, with locals now fearing increased insecurity ahead of the Yuletide season.

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Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has stated why he visited the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, who is serving a hail term in Sokoto.

Speaking when the leadership of the Abia Diaspora Commission and the medical team of the state Global Medical Mission 2025 visited him at the Government House, Umuahia, on Friday, Otti said his visit was not driven by political ambition.

The governor’s clarification is coming against the backdrop of a video circulating on social media, where a certain man was criticising his visit to Kanu.

However, Otti defended his visit to the IPOB leader, saying that the trip was driven by the need for dialogue and peace.

According to him, the video represented differing opinions, which formed part of the democratic system, arguing that disagreement did not automatically make one position right.

Otti also said that he had no intention of contesting any election after completing his tenure as governor.

“One of the issues he raised in the video was my ambition after serving as governor.

“I have said this before, sometime in October, when we received representatives of the President, and I will say it again today. By the time I complete my tenure as governor, I will retire from public office,” he said.

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Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have intercepted two pick‑up vans suspected of conveying logistics supplies to fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Borno State, the military has announced.

In a statement on Friday, the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Lt. Colonel Sani Uba, disclosed details of the successful interception.

According to Lt. Col. Uba, the operation was conducted after credible human intelligence alerted the task force’s headquarters to the movement of suspected logistics supplies from Dapchi in Yobe State towards the Magumeri general area of Borno State.

“Acting promptly on the intelligence, troops deployed tactically and intercepted the vehicles along the identified route,” he said.

The statement listed a wide range of items recovered during the operation, including:

Two civilian vehicles

31 spare tyres and 23 spare rims

Two bicycles

12 ignition key starters and three alternators

Two bags of flour and five bags of charcoal

34 tubers of yam

Two blankets and two nylons of garri

Assorted adult and children’s clothing

One power bank and six mobile phones

Some cash of different denominations

Uba added that the drivers conveying the items, along with the recovered materials, are currently in military custody for further interrogation to determine the extent of their involvement and to support ongoing counter‑terrorism investigations.

“This successful interception underscores the effectiveness of intelligence‑driven operations and the sustained collaboration between troops and local security partners in disrupting terrorist logistics networks,” he stated.

He assured that the troops remain resolute in their commitment to denying terrorists freedom of movement, cutting off their supply chains, and ensuring the safety and security of law‑abiding citizens across the North‑East.

In a related development, troops of the 1 Brigade of the Joint Task Force, Operation Fasan Yamma, in collaboration with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), intercepted a large cache of arms in Zamfara State in January.

The operation was carried out in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area following intelligence on the activities of suspected arms dealers linked to the Niger Republic.

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A biography has detailed how close associates of former President Muhammadu Buhari manipulated governance processes by issuing instructions to government officials, including security chiefs and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), without his approval.

The book, “From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari,” was authored by Charles Omole and launched in Abuja on Monday.

Written at the prompting of Mr Buhari’s wife, Aisha Buhari, it featured contributions and interviews from Mr Buhari’s family, –Mrs Buhari and his children, Hadiza, Safina, Zahra, Halima, Hanan, and Amina– and some senior officials in his administration.

Their testimonies lent credence to the long-held notion that certain individuals control access to Mr Buhari, shielding him from some of his appointees and creating a bureaucratic gridlock while he was president.

The Buhari years and Cabal whispers

The insinuations that a cabal controlled Mr Buhari’s government characterised his years in office. His wife, Aisha Buhari, repeatedly made the same claims public. 

Those routinely fingered as members of the cabal include the president’s relative, Mamman Daura; his associate, Isa Funtua; and his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari. While Messrs Daura and Funtua held no official appointments in Mr Buhari’s government, they wielded enormous influence on the president. Mr Kyari, on the other hand, served as Mr Buhari’s chief of staff until his death in April 2020.

But the presidency under Mr Buhari would always dismiss the claims of a cabal as fictitious. One time, the presidency replied that the 200 million Nigerians are the cabal controlling the president.

‘Forged signatures’

In this book, Mr Buhari’s daughter, Fatima, said she found her father’s forged signature on official documents during his presidency, but she did not identify who she believed was forging the president’s signature.

“She warns that such a crime of forgery was not unique to this presidency; previous administrations experienced it too. However, the combination of a trusted gate, a culture of deference, and high stakes created the ideal environment for abuse during Buhari’s tenure,” the author wrote.

The cabal was so powerful, they routinely changed his speeches, for him to realise only when it’s time to deliver the speech, Fatima said.

She narrated an episode where Mr Buhari gave a speech in the United States in a room where she was. After the speech, she told him, ‘you were stopping,’ to which he responded that the text in his hand was not the one he approved. “Someone had altered it. It was not a rare occurrence,” he was quoted as saying.

Drawing from the interviews and contributions, the author explained that in a few cases where Mr Buhari was aware of the misconduct, he failed to take decisive actions that would send a clear signal and deter others.

This, the author wrote, undermined the daily integrity of governance and the president’s reputation by portraying him as either complicit in dubious directives or too weak to notice what was happening in his name.

Unapproved instructions

The book quoted an unnamed former police chief as confirming the pattern of instructions said to be from the president, but which are actually not. “Over time, he and his colleagues learned to verify,” he wrote.

“What started as a mere deference to kin and longstanding associates gradually passed ‘in his name’ to security chiefs; promises made regarding appointments and projects; and, in one particularly irritating case, manoeuvres around foreign exchange involving the central bank that were incorrectly linked back to presidential approval.”

The book described the late former president as one who trusts the words of old friends and relatives, assumes good faith and one “to look away from humiliation when discipline was required.”

“Gratitude for past loyalties, an aversion to public humiliation, and a lifetime habit of patience combined to dull the edge of discipline,” the author wrote.

During interviews with senior government officials and Mr Buhari’s family, the author said Messrs Daura and Funtua’s names regularly came up as those who exploited Mr Buhari’s trusting nature.

According to the author, Mr Buhari’s children became the line of defence, often presenting the facts to their father in some cases where he has been misled.

“They would cross-check claims, carry facts from outside the bubble, and gently but firmly present the truth to their father,” the author added.

When NSA angered ‘the cabal’

As National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno said he drew the ire of Mr Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Mr Kyari and Mr Daura, one of Mr Buhari’s close associates who wields immense influence in his government. Mr Daura heldno official position.

Mr Monguno told the author that both officials temporarily blocked the release of funds for the NSA even when the president had approved them.

He explained how it happened.

The Commander of the Presidential Air Fleet, who reports directly to the NSA, had brought to him a ‘procedural worry’ that the company supplying fuel for the fleet posed risks if indicted by a previous inquiry Mr Monguno had been a part of. The former NSA said he wrote to the president, attached the fleet commander’s memo and recommended changing the supplier. The president approved, and two days later, the Chief of Staff, Mr Kyari, became furious. ‘Why did you do this?’ he recalled Mr Kyari asking.

Soon after, he added, Mr Daura visited his residence, telling him the move was an ‘injustice’ to the fuel supplier and speculating about hidden motives. Although Mr Monguno explained the rationale for the decision, it did not end the rift, he said.

“From that point onwards, the NSA became persona non grata to Mamman Daura,” the author wrote.

The Minister of Finance, who owed loyalty to Mamman Daura, was co-opted to withhold funds from the NSA office even after Mr Buhari’s approval.

“Buhari and Nigerians were both victims of the cabal that enriched itself beyond measure,” the author added.

“If the president’s first line in matters of security is the NSA, then starving the office is a way to blind the state. That, in Monguno’s telling, is what happened.”

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