Home Blog Page 45

Tinubu signs N68.32tn 2026 budget, approves extension of 2025 implementation

Harrison EDEH
-
0
Tinubu signs N68.32tn 2026 budget, approves extension of 2025 implementation

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has assented to the 2026 appropriation bill, which provides for an aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion.

This was revealed in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, on Friday, April 17.

The president has also signed the bill extending the implementation period for the 2025 budget from March 31, 2026, to June 30, 2026.

The N68.32 trillion budget for this year earmarks N4.799 trillion for statutory transfers and N15.8 trillion for debt service.

It allocates N15.4 trillion to recurrent expenditure and N32.2 trillion to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure.

“With capital expenditure accounting for about 50 per cent, the 2026 budget underscores the administration’s continued commitment to economic stability, national security, infrastructure development, and inclusive growth.

“The allocations reflect a strategic balance between statutory obligations, debt servicing, recurrent expenditure, and capital investments critical to driving productivity and improving the quality of life for Nigerians,” the statement stated.

Additionally, Tinubu assented to the Appropriation (Repeal and Enactment) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which extends the implementation period of the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act from March 31, 2026, to June 30, 2026.

The extension, the statement said, would ensure the full and effective utilisation of appropriated funds, particularly for critical infrastructure and development projects that are at advanced stages of implementation across the country.

It will also enable ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to consolidate ongoing works, enhance project completion rates, and maximise value for public expenditure.

With the 2026 Appropriation Act coming into force on April 1, the Federal Government will commence full implementation in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

President Tinubu directed MDAs to ensure disciplined, transparent, and efficient utilisation of allocated resources, with a strong emphasis on value for money and timely project delivery.

He lauded the leadership and members of the National Assembly for their diligence, cooperation, and patriotism in expeditiously considering and passing the budget.

The president reaffirmed the importance of sustained collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government in advancing national development objectives.

He further assured Nigerians of his administration’s resolve to deepen fiscal reforms, enhance revenue generation, and prioritise investments that will stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and strengthen social protection mechanisms.

The journey before the presidential assent of the budget

Federal lawmakers on Tuesday,31 March, approved a 68.30 trillion-naira ($49.4 billion) budget ​for 2026, after Tinubu asked lawmakers to back ‌adjustments to increase a plan put forward in December.

He earlier presented ⁠a 58.47 trillion naira budget to the National Assembly on December ​19, saying it was aimed at consolidating economic reforms and accelerating growth.

Lawmakers, however, ​passed a higher figure after the president requested adjustments, the chairs of the Senate and House of Representatives Appropriation Committees said in a joint statement.

The higher figure, the president said, ​was meant to accommodate outstanding capital projects carried over ​from previous budget cycles and prevent unresolved obligations from weighing on the 2026 fiscal ‌programme.

Despite an oil windfall on average of $100, lawmakers ⁠also approved a $6 billion loan request sought by Tinubu to bolster the higher budget, covering outstanding capital spending from previous years, infrastructure projects, and debt servicing, with at least 40 per cent earmarked for capital projects in ​the 2025 and ​2026 budgets.

Faultlines on Tinubu’s budget 

The Lead Director, Centre for Social Justice and a public finance expert, Eze Onyekpere, has faulted Tinubu’s borrowing spree and poor revenue management despite the claims that revenue agencies make more money.

“The deficit is rising, which is a real problem. All is not well, and this is a pre-election year. How can the lawmakers be approving all the loans? Where are they going to get the funds for these debt servicing of over N15 trillion with humongous borrowing, which has led to an increase in total public debt to N159.28 trillion,” he added.

 

 

NRS unveils Rev360 to improve tax accountability, ease of business

Harrison EDEH
-
0
NRS unveils Rev360 to improve tax accountability, ease of business

THE Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has announced plans to launch a new digital tax payment platform targeted at improving efficient tax administration and sustaining the ease of doing business.

This was disclosed in an official statement by the revenue body via its official X account on Thursday, April 16.

The new digital payment platform called Rev360 focuses on a next-generation revenue administration platform that aims at enhancing efficiency, transparency, and the taxpayer experience across Nigeria. The platform has been scheduled to go live on Thursday, 30 April 2026.

According to the statement, the rollout of Rev360 will commence with the medium and emerging taxpayers as the first phase of implementation after a successful pilot.

“A structured, phased approach has been adopted to ensure stability and provide adequate support to users throughout the transition. Comprehensive communication, training, and stakeholder engagement initiatives are also being implemented to ensure readiness ahead of go-live,” the statement read.

The revenue service noted that Rev360 represented the next phase in the evolution of tax administration within the Service, adding that,” from the early era of fragmented processes, the NRS transitioned to a more digital and accessible system through platforms such as TaxPro Max, which enabled electronic filing, improved compliance, and reduced physical interactions.”

“Building on these gains, Rev360 introduces a more advanced, integrated, and intelligent ecosystem designed to meet the growing needs of taxpayers and the economy,” the statement added.

With Rev360, the revenue agency said it would also move towards tax administration 3.0, an era defined by end-to-end automation, real-time reporting, and embedded tax processes into taxpayers’ natural systems.

What NRS’s new initiative mean for taxpayers, ease of doing business

According to the revenue body, the introduction of Rev360 would birth a more advanced, integrated, and intelligent ecosystem designed to meet the growing needs of taxpayers and the economy.

This shift would also enable faster processing, improved decision-making, enhanced compliance, and a more seamless user experience. Taxpayers will benefit from more options in their overall interaction with the Service.

In context, there has been a surge in traffic on other eTax platforms due to Nigerians working toward meeting each state’s filing deadlines.

Recently, the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) extended the deadline for filing individual annual income tax returns for the second time, now giving taxpayers until April 21st, 2026, to complete their submissions.

The agency announced the extension, citing a surge in traffic on its eTax platform following the previous extension to April 14th.

The LIRS stated that the high volume of users attempting to file taxes reflected genuine compliance efforts and that the additional time was granted to ensure everyone has a fair opportunity to submit their information accurately.

This is part of the ongoing efforts of the federal government to simplify Nigeria’s tax system and improve compliance with tax payment.

With the new NRS digital platform, tax filing for individuals is expected to be easier and faster while streamlining tax collection and compliance for the government.

 

Lawyer threatens to sue FG for re-integrating 744 ex-terrorists

Esther Tomo
-
0
Lawyer threatens to sue FG for re-integrating 744 ex-terrorists

NIGERIAN lawyer, Maxwell Opara, has vowed to sue the Federal Government over its reintegration of 744 repentant terrorists into society.

Opara stated this on Friday, April 17, while featuring on Arise TV’s programme, “The Morning Show.”

“I shall be approaching the Federal High Court next week to stop this madness, we can’t continue like this, it has to stop,” he warned.

The Federal Government had on Thursday announced that 744 former terrorists and victims of violent extremism would be returned to the society after completing a de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration programme under Operation Safe Corridor.

Addressing the graduands and others at the graduation ceremony in Gombe, the Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, a lieutenant general, said the programme was not to reward terrorism but to discourage people from engaging in it.

Oluyede, who was represented by the Director, Special Operations Forces at Defence Headquarters, Kabiru Tanimu, a rear admiral, said the initiative was to promote lasting peace.

The breakdown of the former terrorists is as follows: 597 from Borno, 15 from Kano, two from Abia State, 10 from Adamawa, one from Akwa Ibom, two from Anambra, 12 from Bauchi, , three from Ebonyi, one from Enugu, three from Katsina, and one from Kebbi.

Others are: five from Kogi, four from Nasarawa, two from Niger, two from Plateau, two from Sokoto, and 58 from Yobe. The list includes foreign nationals, comprising one from Burkina Faso, one from Cameroon, two from Chad, and four from Niger Republic.

Reports indicate that 733 of the beneficiaries are Muslims, while 11 are Christians.

Reacting further to the decision, Opara explained that Nigeria already had clear legal procedures for handling criminal offences and questioned the basis for the reintegration programme.

He noted that existing laws did not support such actions. According to him, most victims of terrorism have been displaced and are living at internally displaced persons’ camps. He wondered if the repentant terrorists would be returning to empty communities where they had killed and displaced residents.

He argued that the government should have rather focused on people affected by the conflict. Besides, he said the international treaties with which the government deradicalises the terrorists were not binding on Nigeria.

“Once a crime is committed, we have the constitution, we have the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, once you are charged to court, the only role the government has is through the attorney general to discontinue the matter.”

He maintained that after conviction, the only lawful relief available is through presidential pardon or amnesty under defined conditions, stressing that the current process does not fit either category.

“Once the person has faced trial and is convicted, the only option is to grant the person amnesty, that is presidential pardon, when the person meets the necessary criteria.”

He also considered the action fraudulent and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to probe the process.

The lawyer described the reintegration process as unrealistic, noting that many affected communities no longer exist due to displacement, while also raising concerns about selective application and lack of transparency across the programme nationwide.

He also rejected alleged coercion of the beneficiaries by insurgents as a justification for absolving suspects, insisting that a crime remains a crime regardless of the circumstances.

 

 

US-Iran war: what Tinubu government can do to support Nigerians – Experts

Harrison EDEH
-
0
US-Iran war: what Tinubu government can do to support Nigerians – Experts

DEBATES over the Nigerian government’s poor support for vulnerable Nigerians are getting heated, with the US-Iran conflict also creating more economic problems for many citizens.

Transport and energy logistics have continued to eat into Nigeria’s household spending, as many workers pay more for goods and transport.

Despite the recent surge in global oil prices, driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East and resulting in a windfall for Nigeria, the Federal Government has ruled out a possible return of petrol subsidy

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed the government’s position during a media briefing at the G-24 on the sidelines of the launch of the April 2026 Global Financial Stability Report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in United States.

The government’s decision has further fueled the debate on what model of economic support Nigerians should expect from their leaders, with some countries, such as Australia, India, Pakistan, and Egypt, already taking some supportive steps for citizens as the US-Iran conflicts compound economic problems and inflation among nation.

More so, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) latest data on inflation at N15.38 per cent in March 2025 is a further confirmation of the worrying resurgence of inflationary pressures in the economy.

The ICIR reports that the implications are far-reaching. Rising energy costs have quickly translated into higher transportation costs, increased food prices, and escalating production and distribution expenses.

The dominance of food and transport in the inflation basket has also adjusted household consumption patterns in response to rising prices.

According to the statistics office, food and transportation -related costs remain the most significant contributors to March inflation

“Food inflation stood at 14.31 per cent year-on-year, while core inflation -which captures broader price pressures-rose to 16.21 per cent. These figures are particularly troubling, given their direct impact on household welfare,” former director general of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Muda Yusuf, told The ICIR.

He added, “Transportation costs, which are heavily influenced by fuel prices and logistics inefficiencies, continue to exert strong upward pressure on prices across sectors. The transmission mechanism is simple: higher transport costs raise the cost of moving food, goods and services nationwide, thereby amplifying inflation.

Yusuf also suggested the need for improved security in farming communities, strengthening rural infrastructure and logistics, enhancing access to inputs and financing, and promoting mechanisation and modern farming techniques.

“Invest significantly in mass transit systems, reduce reliance on fragmented private transport systems, introduce a regulatory framework to curb exploitative pricing and improve urban mobility infrastructure,” he added.

The Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives, Bismarck Rewane, who commented on the development, said,” The government may enjoy oil windfalls, but ordinary people are seeing income shortfalls, especially when fuel costs continue to rise.”

He warned the government not to return to PMS subsidy, but to “ring-fence the extra crude revenue for targeted relief — cash transfers, food, transport — because subsidy benefits the rich more and wrecks the budget.”

“We cannot intervene in the war but must intervene in Nigeria’s economy to absorb the shock. “You win by not losing” — don’t let the war bankrupt the budget or crush households,” he added.

Gunmen abduct 14 JAMB candidates in Benue

Esther Tomo
-
0
Gunmen abduct 14 JAMB candidates in Benue

AT LEAST 14 passengers, most of them candidates of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), have been abducted by suspected gunmen in Benue State.

The incident happened on Wednesday, April 16, 2026, evening along the Makurdi–Otukpo road as the victims were travelling in a commercial bus from Makurdi to Otukpo. Majority of the victims were on their way to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scheduled for Thursday (today)

Reports indicate that the attack occurred between about 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. when armed men intercepted the vehicle and forcefully took most of the passengers into the bush. The bus was said to be carrying between 16 and 18 passengers at the time.

Only the driver and one passenger reportedly escaped from the scene.

The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the development, stating that the victims were students heading to write their JAMB examinations.

“The victims are young people coming to Otukpo to write JAMB. Security agents have been deployed, and efforts are ongoing to rescue them,” he said.

The Benue State Commissioner of Police, CP Ifeanyi Enemari, confirmed the abduction and disclosed that he was leading rescue efforts in the area.

“I’m in Otukpo now. My team and all DPOs are in the bush, and I am heading the operation,” he said.

He explained that the attackers stopped the bus and took away most of the passengers.

“What happened was that a Benue Links bus carrying passengers to Otukpo was stopped and attacked by hoodlums. Fourteen passengers were kidnapped, but one managed to escape,” he added.

He also noted that the vehicle might have been operating outside approved hours, as the transport company does not usually run night trips.

EFCC secures arrest warrant for Buhari’s minister, perm. sec., over alleged $1.3m, N746.6m fraud

Mustapha USMAN
-
0
EFCC secures arrest warrant for Buhari’s minister, perm. sec., over alleged $1.3m, N746.6m fraud

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured a warrant of arrest against the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, and a Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, over an alleged fraud involving $1.3 million and N746.6 million.

Farouq, who served under the late President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2023, supervised key social intervention programmes, including the National Social Investment Programme.

The warrant was issued on Thursday, April 16, by the trial judge Jude Onwuegbuzie, after the two defendants failed to appear in court for their arraignment.

The EFCC is prosecuting them alongside Sani Mohammed, who was present in court.

EFCC files 21-count charge

The anti-graft agency said it filed a 21-count charge against the accused, bordering on criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent award of contracts, and diversion of public funds.

The commission alleged that the defendants were involved in the mismanagement and diversion of $1,300,000 and N746,574,303.

It specifically accused Farouq and Alkali of converting $1.3 million meant to be refunded to the ministry by Visual ICT Limited. The funds were said to be excess payments under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office programme for validating Rapid Response Register beneficiaries.

According to the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, the charges were filed on December 15, 2025, but the commission could not proceed with arraignment because the first and second defendants were not produced.

He said their lawyers had assured the court they would present them but failed to do so.

Jacobs also disclosed that Farouq travelled to Saudi Arabia in 2024 for medical treatment after her passport was released by the commission, but she has yet to return it or provide any medical report.

He added that medical documents later submitted by her legal team were issued after the charges had already been filed.

Defence cites ill health

The statement further noted that the counsel to the former minister, Abdul Ibrahim, attributed her absence to ill health and sought to tender an affidavit of facts.

It noted that the court rejected the application.

The EFCC said the court subsequently granted its request and issued a bench warrant to compel the defendants’ appearance, before adjourning the case for further proceedings.

The development came amid a widening anti-corruption probe targeting former cabinet members under the Buhari administration.

The EFCC had investigated former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over allegations linked to the handling of recovered assets and controversial financial transactions during his tenure.

Similarly, former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has also faced scrutiny over alleged procurement and contract-related issues, although no conviction has been secured in either case.

The ICIR reports that Tinubu’s government hardening posture against Malami mirrors the sustained legal fireworks on former Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, another powerful figure from the Buhari administration who has remained entangled in multiple criminal cases since his sack as CBN governor in June 2023 by Tinubu.

Several courts also ordered the final forfeiture of millions of dollars, shares, and several prime properties linked to Emefiele, including a 753-unit housing estate in Abuja, high-value properties in Ikoyi and Lekki, Lagos, and cash sums exceeding $2 million.

The former CBN is currently facing various charges ranging from abuse of office to procurement fraud and money laundering.

IMF advises Nigeria as debt rises to N159. 28 trillion under Tinubu

Harrison EDEH
-
0
IMF advises Nigeria as debt rises to N159. 28 trillion under Tinubu

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised Nigeria on wholistic review of the country’s debt situation to avoid economic crisis.

The Director of the African Department at the IMF, Abebe Aemro Selassie, disclosed on Thursday at the Press briefing-African Department session at the ongoing IMF spring meeting in Washington DC United States.

“These kinds of issues, whether to borrow externally or domestically, have to be seen in totality for possible optimisation.

“What is really important is to see the level of debt as manageable as possible, whether in terms of servicing or capacity. Second is to do liability management operations that would help you to extend maturities,” Selassie added.

Nigeria’s total public debt increased to N159.28 trillion as of December 31, 2025. The total public debt rose from N153.29 trillion recorded at the end of September 2025 to N159.28 trillion in December 2025, according to the latest data released by the Debt Management Office (DMO) on Tuesday.

The increase indicates a quarter-on-quarter increase of N5.98 trillion or 3.9 per cent.

The DMO noted that the December 2025 figures were provisional and were converted using the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official exchange rate of N1,435.2571/$, while the September 2025 figures used N1,474.85/$.

Marking an increase of N14.61 trillion or 10.1 per cent, on a year-on-year basis, Nigeria’s public debt rose from N144.67 trillion in December 2024 to N159.28 trillion in December 2025.

This represents a rise from $94.23 billion to $110.97 billion, an increase of $16.75 billion.

Domestic debt remained the largest, rising from N81.82 trillion in September 2025 to N84.85 trillion in December 2025.

This represents a quarter-on-quarter increase of N3.03 trillion or 3.7 per cent compared to December 2024, when domestic debt stood at N74.38 trillion – the figure increased by N10.47 trillion or 14.1 per cent year-on-year.

That is, domestic debt rose from $55.47 billion in September 2025 to $59.12 billion in December 2025, and from $48.44 billion in December 2024. This highlights a sustained reliance on the domestic market for financing.

The Federal Government accounted for the bulk of domestic debt at N80.49 trillion, representing 50.53 per cent of total public debt, while states and the Federal Capital Territory accounted for N4.36 trillion.

Nigeria’s external debt stood at N74.43 trillion as of December 2025, representing 46.73 per cent of total public debt.

This reflects a quarter-on-quarter increase of N2.95 trillion from N71.48 trillion in September 2025, and a year-on-year increase of N4.14 trillion from N70.29 trillion recorded in December 2024.

Converted to the United States dollars, external debt rose from $48.46 billion in September 2025 to $51.86 billion in December 2025, and from $45.78 billion in December 2024.

This represents a rise from $94.23 billion to $110.97 billion, an increase of $16.75 billion.

Domestic debt remained the largest, rising from N81.82 trillion in September 2025 to N84.85 trillion in December 2025.

This represents a quarter-on-quarter increase of N3.03 trillion or 3.7 per cent compared to December 2024, when domestic debt stood at N74.38 trillion – the figure increased by N10.47 trillion or 14.1 per cent year-on-year. That is, domestic debt rose from $55.47 billion in September 2025 to $59.12 billion in December 2025, and from $48.44 billion in December 2024. This highlights a sustained reliance on the domestic market for financing.

Notably, the Federal Government accounted for the bulk of domestic debt at N80.49 trillion, representing 50.53 per cent of total public debt, while states and the Federal Capital Territory accounted for N4.36 trillion.

Nigeria’s external debt stood at N74.43 trillion as of December 2025, representing 46.73 per cent of total public debt.

This reflects a quarter-on-quarter increase of N2.95 trillion from N71.48 trillion in September 2025, and a year-on-year increase of N4.14 trillion from N70.29 trillion recorded in December 2024.

The Federal Government continued to dominate external borrowing, accounting for N66.27 trillion of the total external debt, while states and the FCT accounted for N8.16 trillion.

However, the structure of Nigeria’s debt portfolio remained broadly stable despite the increase in overall debt, DMO claimed.

While domestic debt accounted for 53.27 per cent of total debt in December 2025, compared to 53.37 per cent in September 2025 and 51.41 per cent in December 2024, external debt stood at 46.73 per cent in December 2025, compared to 46.63 per cent in September 2025 and 48.59 per cent a year earlier.

An earlier report by The ICIR noted the exclusion of Nigeria by the IMF from the list of Africa’s fastest-growing economies in 2025, which economic watchers say questioned the policies of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

The IMF, in its Regional Economic Outlook report for sub-Saharan Africa, launched on Thursday, October 16, 2025, in Washington, DC. excluded Nigeria from the list of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, and listed Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Uganda as the fastest-growing economies on the continent.

 

Police arrest 6 suspected bombers in Ondo days after denying terrorist activities in state

Nanji Nandang VENLEY
-
0
Police arrest 6 suspected bombers in Ondo days after denying terrorist activities in state

OPERATIVES of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in Ondo State have foiled a suspected bomb plot in Akure and arrested 16 persons linked to various criminal activities in the state.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebowale Lawal, disclosed this on Thursday while addressing journalists, noting that six of the suspects were involved in plans to attack government facilities in the state capital.

“The command recorded a major operational breakthrough with the successful foiling of a planned bomb attack in Akure. The operation led to the arrest of six suspects and the recovery of materials suspected to be components for the fabrication of improvised explosive devices, alongside several other incriminating items on April 15, 2026,” the commissioner said.

Lawal who identified some of the suspects as Adekunle Prosper, 56; Ojo Olumide, 39; Tope Kolawole, 40; Ahmed Salihu, 40; Bolaji Adebowale, 46; and Gbadebo Abidemi, 43, said the arrests followed credible intelligence about a criminal syndicate operating across state lines.

“Acting on the intelligence, operatives were deployed to the identified location, where the suspects were apprehended before they could execute their plan. A search of the scene and subsequent operation at their apartment led to the recovery of several items,” he added.

The Police Commissioner said that during the operation on April 15, officers recovered materials believed to be components for improvised explosive devices, along with other incriminating items which included 217 bottles, a bag of sugar, suspected charms, 17 mobile phones, ₦187,000 in cash, two HP laptops, eight slings, a knife, an external hard drive, identity cards including a National Identity Number card, and two motorcycles.

He added that the suspects had recently rented an apartment in the Oke-Odu area of Akure, which they used as their operational base.

According to him, further findings revealed the recovery of a document outlining potential targets, suggesting the plan was both coordinated and premeditated. The police chief said their timely intervention prevented what could have led to significant loss of lives and widespread destruction.

He said that the remaining 10 suspects were arrested separately for alleged involvement in cult-related activities across the state.

The arrest came the same day The ICIR reported that terrorists were staging increasingly audacious incursions into the South-West, turning Ondo State into another testbed for their pernicious operations.

Documenting the rate of killings and abductions in the state, The ICIR shared a timeline of the rise of terrorist activities in Akure and Owo LGAs in recent years.

Surprisingly, the spokesperson of the Ondo State Police Command, Ayanlade Olushola, had denied the existence of terrorists in the state, while several stakeholders and leaders, including the Commander, Ondo State Security Network Agency, Adetunji Adeleye, and the former secretary to the Government of the Federation and monarch of Ilu-Abo community in Akure North LGA, Olu Falae, accused herders and their local collaborators of perpetrating the crimes.

Abuja on edge as report of planned attacks on airport, Kuje prison emerges days after U.S. security warning

Mustapha USMAN
-
0
Abuja on edge as report of planned attacks on airport, Kuje prison emerges days after U.S. security warning

SECURITY forces have tightened surveillance across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Niger State following intelligence of a planned attack on major public facilities, including the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and the correctional centre in the nation’s capital, according to a report by Associated Press (AP).

The report, published on Wednesday, April 15, said the targets also include a military detention facility in Niger State. According to the AP said the information was contained in a memo dated April 13, which it obtained from the Nigeria Customs Service.

The plot, the report noted mirrors a recent assault in Niger Republic, where militants attacked an Air Force base in Niamey earlier this year.

This development comes barely a week after the United States government ordered non-emergency staff and their families at its U.S. Embassy Abuja to leave Nigeria due to the deteriorating security concerns. The travel advisory also designated more than 20 Nigerian states as no-go areas.

The development also coincided with on the ground, observations by The ICIR which show heavy deployment and heightened military presence around the correctional facility in Kuje Area Council, where security operatives have mounted checkpoints, restricted movement, and conducted searches of uncompleted buildings in recent weeks.

Residents told The ICIR that they began retreating into their homes before 6 p.m. following rumours of a curfew in areas such as Wowo Garage, Chibiri, Shadadi, Shetuko and Kango along the Gwagwalada axis. But the alarm on curfew turned out to be false.

Military trucks and armed personnel have also been stationed around key junctions, particularly along routes leading to the prison, forcing commuters to take longer alternative paths.

Although authorities at the time described the deployment as routine protection of critical infrastructure, residents said the presence of armed troops heightened tension across the area.

The renewed alert came against the backdrop of the 2022 attack on the Kuje correctional facility, which led to the escape of 879 inmates, including dozens of suspected extremists.

The attackers, suspected to be members of Boko Haram, reportedly freed 64 of their members held at the facility.

Since the 2022 attack on the facility in Kuje, alongside several others across the nation under the late President Muhammadu Buhari administration, military has been deployed to protect correctional centres in the country.

Sources confirmed to The ICIR that the correctional centre is the first target of terrorists in the nation’s capital, as the country is currently overwhelmed by insecurity, largely orchestrated by terrorists.

Rising attacks heighten fears

The latest alert comes amid a broader surge in attacks by Boko Haram factions and other extremist groups across northern Nigeria in 2026

In recent months, insurgents have stepped up assaults on military bases, particularly in the North-East, killing soldiers and carting away weapons.

Armed groups have also intensified raids on rural communities in Borno and Yobe states, with residents reporting killings, abductions and arsons.

The repeated attacks have displaced several communities and deepened humanitarian concerns in the region.

CAPPA hails suspended UI students’ victory in court

Mustapha USMAN
-
0
CAPPA hails suspended UI students’ victory in court

THE Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has hailed the Federal High Court ruling ordering the reinstatement of three University of Ibadan (UI) students.

The organisation in a statement by its Media and Communications Officer, Robert Egbe, described the judgment as a landmark victory for students’ rights and civic freedom in Nigeria.

The organisation expressed satisfaction with its role in supporting the affected students—Aduwo Ayodele, Mide Gbadegesin, and Nice Linus, throughout their legal battle.

“We are proud, not only of Ayodele, Gbadegesin and Linus, but also of our role in helping them assert and defend their rights. We are proud to have stood by them since their ordeal began, amplifying their voices through our advocacy and media networks, and facilitating legal services for them.” CAPPA said. 

Backstory

The ICIR reports that the court ruling, delivered by the presiding judge Nkeonye Maha, in Ibadan on Wednesday, April 15, ordered the immediate reinstatement of the students, who were suspended by the university on July 14, 2025, for protesting a hike in tuition fees.

The protest was triggered by a circular issued by the university’s governing council announcing an increase in fees for both new and returning undergraduate students for the 2023/2024 academic session. 

The demonstration followed mounting frustration among students over the rising cost of education.

Dissatisfied with their suspension, the students approached the court, arguing that the disciplinary process violated their fundamental rights, particularly their right to fair hearing.

They told the court that they were denied the opportunity to call witnesses or present video evidence during proceedings before the university’s disciplinary committees.

“AN ORDER OF THE HONOURABLE COURT forthwith reinstating the Applicants’ full studentship rights and privileges within the 1st Respondent with immediate effect to wit, attend lectures, write examinations and participate in student union activities for the advancement of their lawful interest.” the applicants sought.

It also sought “the sum of N20 million damages jointly and severally against the Respondents for the infringement of the Applicants’ constitutionally guaranteed rights to dignity of their human person, personal liberty, fair hearing, freedom of thought, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, freedom of movement, and freedom from discrimination guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.”

In her ruling, Maha held that the university’s actions breached the students’ right to fair hearing, setting aside the disciplinary committee’s decision and ordering their full reinstatement with all rights and privileges restored.

The judgment also reinforced constitutional protections for freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association.

CAPPA reacts

CAPPA said the ruling sent a strong warning to universities across the country against suppressing dissent.

CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director, Zikora Ibeh, described the students’ ordeal as part of a broader pattern of shrinking civic space within Nigerian tertiary institutions.

“When students are punished for peaceful protest, the message is that lawful dissent will not be tolerated. What kind of society punishes its young people for caring enough to speak?” she added.

The organisation criticised what it termed the growing use of intimidation, suspensions, and rustications by university authorities to silence opposing voices.

“Universities should be spaces where ideas are contested, where authority is questioned, and where future leaders are trained not just to comply, but to think critically and act courageously. When administrations resort to suspensions, rustications, and intimidation, they turn campuses into zones of fear rather than forums of debate. This is dangerous and unacceptable,” CAPPA stated.

It demanded that policies such as fee hikes be subjected to transparent and participatory processes that reflect the socio-economic realities of students and their families.

CAPPA further linked the recurring protests in Nigerian universities to chronic underfunding of the education sector, warning that the burden of financing education is increasingly being shifted to students.

“Access to education is gradually being determined by wealth rather than merit. Until this structural issue is resolved, protests will persist, and rightly so,” the organisation added.

Reaffirming its commitment, CAPPA said it would continue to support students nationwide in defending their constitutional rights against what it described as institutional overreach.

1...444546...3,439Page 45 of 3,439