NIGERIA NEWS
Obasa presents N14.8b budget – The Nation Newspaper
The Chairman of Agege Local Government, Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa, has proposed N14.88 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year.
He described it as the Budget of Restoration, Innovation and Development.
Obasa stated that the projected revenue would be largely driven by federal allocations amounting to N14.57 billion, comprising N2.08 billion from statutory allocation, N12.14 billion from Value Added Tax, and N355.29 million from other FAAC-related sources, while Internally Generated Revenue is expected to contribute N306.8 million.
He explained that the proposed expenditure was equally balanced at N14.88 billion, with recurrent expenditure standing at N8.23 billion, covering personnel costs of N2.95 billion, pension obligations of N503.46 million, and overhead costs estimated at N4.77 billion, while capital expenditure was put at N6.65 billion.
The chairman said the budget is anchored on three core pillars of restoration of public infrastructure, innovation in governance and service delivery, and sustainable, inclusive development aimed at improving the quality of life of residents across all seven wards of the local government.
He noted that major priorities under the capital programme include road rehabilitation and construction, drainage expansion, street lighting, modernization of public facilities, school infrastructure upgrades, healthcare facility improvement, and environmental sanitation and beautification projects.
Obasa further stressed that education, healthcare, infrastructure, environmental management, youths and women empowerment, and social welfare would remain the strategic sectors driving the implementation of the fiscal plan.
Reflecting on the performance of the outgoing year, the council boss highlighted the construction and rehabilitation of key roads across Agege and Dopemu, extensive drainage works to tackle flooding, renovation of several public primary schools, establishment of a tech hub, e-library, and vocational centres, as well as landscaping projects across major roads.
He also listed wide-ranging environmental and health interventions, including the employment of 300 street sweepers, acquisition of refuse compactors, community sanitation campaigns, provision of vaccine storage equipment, digital health tools, community health outreach, and health insurance for vulnerable pregnant women.
The Secretary to the Abia State Government, Professor Kenneth Kalu, has formally begun a leave of absence after securing the approval of Governor Alex Otti.
The development was disclosed during Monday’s State Executive Council meeting, where the governor confirmed that the SSG would be travelling to Canada to attend to “some serious domestic matters” that need his presence.
Governor Otti, while explaining the decision to council members, noted that the duties of the SSG are too central to the administration to be handled remotely.
He stressed that the office demands physical coordination, frequent communication with ministries, and close oversight of government activities.
According to him, allowing the SSG to function from abroad would affect the pace and cohesion of governance.
The governor also used the moment to appreciate Professor Kalu for what he described as outstanding stewardship since the administration came on board.
He commended him for the “excellent services” he has rendered, adding that the government remains grateful for his commitment and sacrifice.
Responding during the session, Professor Kalu expressed deep appreciation to Governor Otti and members of the council.
He said serving in the administration was an honour, noting that he was privileged to be part of a government that, in his words, has “wiped the tears of Abia people and made them proud.”
He assured the EXCO that he would still offer support to the government even while abroad. “Above all, having the opportunity to serve in a government that has wiped the tears of Abia people and made them proud, was a dream come through, hence my gratitude to Governor Otti for his support,” he said.
Before his appointment as SSG, Professor Kalu was a respected academic in Canada, where he served as a Senior University Don. He is also a Chartered Accountant and hails from Abam in Arochukwu Local Government Area.
His move into Abia politics began when he took a leave from his academic work to join Governor Otti’s campaign, eventually becoming a key member of the administration after the 2023 election victory.
However, his temporary departure creates a notable gap in the state’s administrative hierarchy, given the strategic role of the SSG in coordinating government operations.
The government is expected to announce interim arrangements in the coming days to ensure continuity.
NIGERIA NEWS
“They expected first class” – Man who graduated with 2:1 cries out as family refuses to attend convocation
A young Nigerian graduate has shared his emotional experience on social media after his family refused to attend his convocation ceremony.
The absence, he revealed, was because he graduated with a second class upper degree rather than the first class honours they had hoped for.
Celebration Without Loved Ones
The young man, identified as @nemipromise5 on TikTok, explained how his special day, meant for celebration, turned into a bittersweet moment.
He revealed that none of his family members showed up to witness him receive his degree.
Graduation With a 2:1 Degree
According to the graduate, the disappointment stemmed from his academic result.
His relatives reportedly chose to stay away because he graduated with a second class upper division, rather than the top first class grade.
Staying Positive Despite Hurt
Despite feeling hurt by the snub, the graduate shared that he tried to enjoy the occasion in his own way.
In a TikTok video, he was seen smiling and dressed in his graduation gown, determined to celebrate his achievement regardless of his family’s absence.
In his words: “Keeping myself happy because life didn’t end when my family members decided not to attend my convocation simply because I graduated with a 2:1 instead of a first class honours. We move.”
Netizens React
The video quickly gained attention on TikTok, sparking mixed reactions from users
See below;
@nemipromise5
We move #graduated #graduate #classof2024 #riversstateuniversity #goviral #viraltiktok #fyp
♬ daylight – overlays ⸆⸉
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said the global aircraft supply chain is unlikely to return to normal before 2031 to 2034, following years of delivery shortfalls and a record-high order backlog that continues to constrain airlines worldwide.
According to IATA’s latest global outlook, aircraft deliveries began to recover in late 2025, and production is expected to accelerate in 2026, but supply will still fall short of demand for much of the decade.
The association noted that the industry is grappling with a deep structural mismatch between airline requirements and production capacity, driven by irreversible delivery losses over the past five years.
“The International Air Transport Association (IATA) updated its analysis of aerospace supply chain bottlenecks, noting that aircraft availability remains one of the most significant constraints on industry growth in its just-released global outlook.
“While deliveries of new aircraft began to pick up in late 2025 and production is expected to accelerate in 2026, demand is forecast to outstrip the availability of aircraft and engines.
“The normalization of the structural mismatch between airline requirements and production capacity is unlikely before 2031-2034 due to irreversible losses on deliveries over the past five years and a record-high order backlog,” the report read in part.
The order backlog has now surpassed 17,000 aircraft, equivalent to almost 12 years of current production and well above the long-standing historical norm of about 30 to 40 percent of the active fleet.
The report noted that delivery shortfalls have grown to at least 5,300 aircraft, forcing airlines to keep older airplanes in service for longer. The average fleet age has climbed to 15.1 years, including 12.8 years for passenger aircraft and nearly 20 years for cargo fleets. Despite this ageing fleet, more than 5,000 aircraft remain in storage, highlighting persistent supply chain inefficiencies.
More insights
IATA said airlines are feeling the impact across their operations, with higher leasing and maintenance costs, reduced scheduling flexibility, and slower progress on sustainability targets.
Travellers are also being affected, as the tighter balance between demand and available aircraft continues to push fares higher in many markets.
- The association explained that several factors are intensifying delays, including persistent engine shortages, longer aircraft certification timelines that now extend up to five years, and supply pressures linked to US-China trade tensions. A shortage of skilled labour in engine and component manufacturing has further slowed the pace of production recovery.
To ease these challenges, IATA recommended a series of measures such as opening up the aftermarket to enable more competition in Maintenance, Repair and Operations, improving visibility across the supplier network, expanding repair and parts capacity, and adopting more predictive maintenance tools to reduce downtime and enhance fleet availability.
Follow us for Breaking News and Market Intelligence.
SOURCE PAGE
Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has criticised what he described as the excessive deployment of security operatives around the family of President Bola Tinubu, warning that such overreach undermines Nigeria’s security priorities.
Speaking at the 20th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) Awards in Lagos on Tuesday, the literary icon recounted his recent encounter with what he termed a “battalion-level” security detail attached to the president’s son at a hotel in Ikoyi.
Soyinka said he had initially assumed a film was being shot on the hotel premises due to the sheer number of heavily armed personnel he saw.
“I was coming out of my hotel, and I saw what looked like a film set,” he said. “A young man detached himself from the actors, came over and greeted me politely. When I asked if they were shooting a film, he said no. I looked around and there was nearly a whole battalion occupying the hotel grounds.”
According to him, about 15 heavily armed officers formed the president’s son’s security cordon—an arrangement he found alarming.
“When I got back in my car and asked the driver who the young man was, he told me. And I saw this SWAT team, heavily armed to the teeth. They looked sufficient to take over a neighbouring small country or city like Benin,” he said.
The playwright added that he was so disturbed that he attempted reaching the National Security Adviser (NSA) to verify whether the deployment was official.
“I began looking for the NSA immediately. I said, track him down for me. They got him somewhere in Paris, but he was in a meeting with the president. I described the scene and asked: ‘Do you mean a child of the head of state goes around with an army for his protection?’ I couldn’t believe it.”
Soyinka, in a tone laced with sarcasm, suggested that the federal government need not deploy the military or air force to quell threats in neighbouring countries when such a formidable force already escorts the president’s son.
“Tinubu didn’t have to send the air force or military to deal with any insurrection. There is an easier way,” he said.
“Next time there’s an uprising, the president should call that young man and say, ‘Seyi, go and put down those stupid people there. You have troops under your command.’”
He stressed that while heads of state often have families, such privilege must never be abused or allowed to distort national security structures.
“Children should know their place. They are not potentates; they are not heads of state,” he said. “The security architecture of a nation suffers when we see such heavy devotion of security to one young individual.”
Soyinka’s remarks added to ongoing public debate about the scale and visibility of state-provided security for politically connected individuals, particularly in a period of heightened security challenges across the country.
The post Security guarding Tinubu’s son enough to crush Benin Republic uprising – Soyinka appeared first on Vanguard News.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has identified the procurement process as one of the areas where corrupt practices are mostly perpetuated.
The antigraft agency noted that issues such as inflated contracts, substandard project delivery, ghost projects, and abandoned contracts as some of the issues associated with procurement.
Speaking at a one-day procurement engagement workshop in Abuja for directors and heads of procurement across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), chairman of the ICPC, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu empathised the strategic importance of procurement officers in safeguarding public funds and ensuring that government projects translate into tangible benefits for citizens.
“Public procurement is the single largest channel of public expenditure and, unfortunately, the highest point of corruption risk,” he said, highlighting recurring issues such as contract inflation, splitting of contracts to evade thresholds, substandard project delivery, repeated budget entries, and abandoned projects.
Represented by the secretary to the commission, Mr. Clifford Oparaodu, the ICPC boss noted the commission’s Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI), which has, since 2019, uncovered ghost projects, duplicated budget items, and cases where contractors collected funds but delivered work far below specification.
According to him, “We have tracked projects from inception to completion across the six geopolitical zones and the FCT. These findings confirm that transparency directly improves citizens’ lives.”
While speaking on preventive measures to tackle procurement process, the ICPC chairman said all MDAs must adopt, including the publication of procurement plans, clear evaluation criteria, full contract award details, implementation updates with photographic evidence, and proper handover documentation.
He further stressed the importance of deploying technology-driven procurement systems to create audit trails, enable early detection of anomalies, and minimise discretionary human decisions.
He also called for legislative reforms, including stronger sanctions for procurement violations, establishment of special courts for corruption cases, and standardisation of public projects to reduce waste.
Also, the chairman of the House Committee on Anti-Corruption, Hon. Kayode Akiolu commended the ICPC for its preventive approach, explaining that many practices Nigerians consider normal are in fact corruption.
The director-general of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun ssid the ICPC has improved compliance with procurement rules, highlighting the recent approval of the National Infrastructure Development Policy, which provides a stronger legal framework for prosecuting contractors delivering substandard projects.
NIGERIA NEWS
Lawmaker’s Extortion Scandal How Rep. Oforji Swindling Exam Bodies for Millions in Kickbacks — Akelicious
A deeply troubling corruption scandal has erupted within Nigeria’s House of Representatives, with Hon. Oboku Abonsizibe Oforji, Chairman of Basic Examination Bodies, now exposed for allegedly demanding millions in kickbacks from the country’s major examination agencies and launching a vengeful probe when they refused to pay.
Strong-Arm Tactics and Retaliation
Hon. Oforji is accused of repeatedly pressuring key examination bodies including WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, NBAIS, and JAMB to hand over a significant share of their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), purportedly for “committee use.” When the agencies resisted these unlawful demands, Oforji weaponized his constitutional powers under Sections 88 and 89, initiating a so-called “performance audit” and demanding sensitive financial documents under the guise of legislative oversight.
Rigged Audits and Targeted Harassment
Behind the scenes, Oforji allegedly hired and later fired a consultant for refusing to help implicate uncooperative exam body CEOs. He then brought in a second consultant with clear instructions to find or fabricate evidence against officials who declined to divert public funds into his pockets.
Committee Revolt: “He Used Our Names, Kept the Money
Fellow committee members have broken their silence, accusing Oforji of operating a one-man extortion scheme. They reveal that he:
Secured ₦62.7 million for an official event that never took place, Diverted the full amount into the committee’s Zenith Bank account (No. 1311194060) Refused to release funds to members, preventing their participation and returned only ₦43 million when confronted — leaving ₦19.7 million unaccounted for
In a separate incident, Oforji obtained funds for an official trip to London, claiming it was committee business — then went alone and kept the money.
A Betrayal of Public Trust
This isn’t just corruption — it Nigeria’s educational integrity. By threatening the agencies responsible for safeguarding national exams, Oforji has compromised the credibility of the very institutions millions of students depend on.
Related
No fewer than 11 terrorists causing mayhem in Sokoto and other states in the North West have been neutralized by the troops of Operation Fansan Yamma Strike.
A statement posted on the official Facebook page of the Nigerian Army Headquarters, said the bold and tactical operation was conducted near Kurawa Village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The statement said the operation disrupted a planned attack on Tara Village, “a critical area for cross-movement by terrorist and bandit elements”.
“Acting on precise credible intelligence the strike team executed a well-coordinated ambush engaging the bandits in an intense firefight.
“The operation resulted in the neutralization of 11 bandits, while others fled with gunshot wounds”, the statement added.
The Nigerian Army further revealed that the troops recovered some dangerous weapons including 8 AK-47 rifles, 5 extra magazine and 26 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the terrorists.
Operatives of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested a suspected criminal, identified as Godspower Cletus, while attempting to withdraw a ₦1 million ransom allegedly collected from the husband of a woman he abducted in Akure.
The arrest was made by detectives assigned to the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad after intelligence tracking.
According to police sources who spoke with Vanguard, Cletus reportedly stormed the residence of one Mrs Farimoyo Endurance in the Odudu area of Akure, where he allegedly robbed her at gunpoint, carting away her Android phone and ATM card.
The suspect was said to have coerced the victim into calling her husband, during which he demanded a ransom of ₦5 million under duress.
“The husband later transferred ₦1 million into the victim’s Opay account, which the suspect intended to access,” a source revealed.
Believing his operation had succeeded, the suspect fled the scene.
However, police detectives were able to track him to a POS terminal where he attempted to withdraw the ransom.
Speaking on the arrest, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ayanlade Olayinka, confirmed that the suspect was apprehended while trying to access the funds.
Olayinka said, Ayanlade said, “Upon interrogation, the suspect voluntarily confessed to the crime, and investigations are ongoing to determine if he has accomplices or links to similar criminal activities within the state.”
He commended “the swift and professional response of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad.”
© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]
Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its resolve to clear all buildings and structures erected beneath high-tension power lines across the state, warning that continued encroachment poses grave risks to public safety.
The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Electronic Geographic Information System, eGIS, and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde, issued the warning during an on-site inspection of the Third Mainland Bridge corridor.
Babatunde was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki; the General Manager of the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, LASURA, Oladimeji Animashaun; and senior officials from other relevant agencies.
The assessment tour covered the stretch from Oworonshoki to Adekunle and the Makoko section of Ebute Meta, where officials identified several shanties and unlawful structures encroaching on the legally required 50-metre setback around the bridge and beneath high-tension transmission lines.
Babatunde stressed that the state can no longer permit habitation or commercial activities in restricted corridors, particularly under power lines, describing such actions as dangerous and unacceptable.
He added that enforcement operations would be intensified to ensure compliance with planning laws, protect public infrastructure, and safeguard lives.
Speaking during the tour, Oki revealed that the government had held numerous engagements with residents in Makoko and neighbouring communities, repeatedly warning them of the dangers of erecting structures directly under power lines or too close to the Third Mainland Bridge.
“As far back as February this year, we issued a 14-day notice for them to vacate the area, but they ignored it. Many of them have even extended their structures toward the midpoint of the bridge. We have warned them several times; the next step is decisive enforcement,” Oki said.
He reiterated that authorities made it clear during earlier meetings that after continuous warnings, no further notice would precede enforcement actions.
While the government remains open to dialogue with community leaders, he stressed that public safety remains paramount.
“If any of those cables were to snap and a disaster occurs, the blame would be directed at the government. Protecting lives is our priority. Beyond the power lines, their activities are now creeping dangerously close to the Third Mainland Bridge,” he added.
Members of the the Islamic State – West Africa Province (ISWAP) have reportedly attacked a position of the Nigerian Army in Mairari, Borno State.
Naija News reports that security expert in East and West Africa, Brant Philip, disclosed that the attack was carried out on Tuesday.
According to the security expert, the terrorists burned the base of the Nigerian Army and several vehicles belonging to them.
He, however, noted that no casualty was reported on both sides.
Brant Philip wrote: “ISWAP attacked a position of the Nigerian army in Mairari, Borno State, yesterday, the terrorists burned the position along with three vehicles, and captured a fourth after the troops withdrew from the area, no casualties reported on either side.”
ISWAP later released a video showing the attack on Nigeria’s military base.
Meanwhile, the US Air Force reportedly resumed Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions in Nigeria.
According to Brant Philip, the US Air Force ISR mission is targeting ISWAP and Boko Haram zones of influence in Borno State, northeast Nigeria, on the fringes of Lake Chad.
The security expert disclosed that US aircraft took off from Accra, Ghana “as usual, still not using a Nigerian airport.”
© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]