Author: Atoyebi Adenike
By Atoyebi Nike President Bola Tinubu has put his planned departure for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in South Africa on hold as he awaits detailed security updates on the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the bandit attack on worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State. His Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said on Wednesday that the President also authorized additional security deployment to Eruku and surrounding communities at the request of the Kwara State government. Presidential aides confirmed that Tinubu intends to receive direct briefings from Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was in Kebbi on a sympathy…
By Atoyebi Nike Operatives of the Nigeria Police on Wednesday sealed the PDP National Secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja, following violent clashes between rival party factions. The confrontation erupted on Tuesday when the Saminu Turaki-led faction clashed with supporters loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. During the chaos, Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State were reportedly teargassed. The Wike-aligned National Executive Committee subsequently ratified the expulsion of Governors Makinde, Mohammed, and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, alongside former PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara; former National Vice Chairman,…
By Atoyebi Nike Nigeria’s public debt is nearing unsustainable levels, capital market experts warned at the CMAN Q4 2025 Virtual Symposium on November 15. Despite official debt-to-GDP figures appearing stable, panellists including Dr. Tope Fasua, Prof. Bright Eregha, and Dr. Musa Baba cautioned that rising debt servicing costs, weak revenues, and structural inefficiencies are straining the nation’s finances. The experts said Nigeria’s true liabilities may be understated, with extra-budgetary commitments and unreported obligations posing long-term risks. Prof. Wilfred Iyiegbunwe likened the situation to the pre-2005 period before Paris Club debt relief, urging evidence-based planning and strict implementation of the Medium-Term…
By Atoyebi Nike The Governor of Taraba State, Agbu Kefas, has indefinitely suspended his planned defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, citing the recent abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State. In a statement on Tuesday, Kefas said proceeding with a political event while families mourned would be “insensitive” and “morally wrong.” He emphasized that the safety of Nigerian children must come before partisan interests and urged security agencies to intensify rescue efforts. The governor’s stance contrasts sharply with political activities in Kogi State, where Vice President Kashim Shettima attended a rally welcoming defectors to…
By Atoyebi Nike Security analyst Yahuza Getso has stated that nearly all bandits operating in Nigeria’s North-West and North-Central regions are Nigerians. He said security agencies know their identities and locations. Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Wednesday, Getso said, “99.9 percent of the bandits operating in North-West and North-Central Nigeria are Nigerians. We know them, we know who they are, and we know where they are. They are not in any hideout or difficult terrain.” His remarks follow the abduction of 25 students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, and the killing of Brigadier…
By Atoyebi Nike President Bola Tinubu has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to Kebbi State to reassure families of 25 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, of the federal government’s commitment to their safe return. The president also mourned Brigadier General Musa Uba and other soldiers killed in Borno State, describing their sacrifice as noble. He urged residents in vulnerable areas to cooperate with security forces by sharing information that can prevent attacks. The abduction occurred around 4 a.m. on Monday, leaving the school’s vice-principal, Hassan Yakubu Makuku, dead and another staff member injured. Tinubu commended Kebbi…
By Atoyebi Nike Gombe State has announced a target of N39 billion in internally generated revenue for the 2026 fiscal year. The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Salihu Baba Alkali, disclosed this during the public presentation of the budget breakdown in Gombe. He said the projection represents significant growth from the previous year and is achievable given the strong performance of the Gombe State Internal Revenue Service, which exceeded its 2025 collection goal by more than one hundred percent. Baba Alkali explained that the state has strengthened its revenue service to meet the new target and support ongoing infrastructure…
By Atoyebi Nike Benue State has moved to ramp up large-scale food production as Governor Hyacinth Alia assessed a new collection of agricultural machines ahead of the state’s 2025 dry-season farming schedule set to commence in December. The Governor made the remarks during a tour of the tractor and equipment assembly site at the Bureau of Agricultural Development and Mechanization, stressing that the ongoing mechanization drive is key to unlocking Benue’s full potential as the nation’s food basket. According to a statement from his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Kula Tersoo, the programme is anchored on a Public-Private Partnership with Mass…
By Atoyebi Nike Nigeria has introduced a new industry body to strengthen its fast-growing carbon market, as the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, on Tuesday unveiled the Carbon Market Association of Nigeria (CMAN) at the Nigeria Pavilion during COP30 in Brazil. The launch follows the recent approval of the Nigeria Carbon Market Framework, a national policy designed to regulate and expand a transparent and credible market capable of attracting global investors and positioning the country as a leading producer of high-quality carbon credits in Africa. Speaking at the unveiling, the minister said CMAN would help organize the sector, build…
By Atoyebi Nike The House of Representatives has intensified its probe into the alleged mismanagement of about N2 trillion in agricultural intervention funds, summoning key financial institutions and federal agencies for another round of hearings. In a fresh invitation signed by the Chairman of the Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Hon. Chike Okafor, the Committee directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), Unity Bank, Ecobank, Keystone Bank, Trust Microfinance Bank, Prospects MFB, the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), and the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) to…