Federal lawmakers on Thursday engaged in a heated argument at the National Assembly Complex during the 2025 budget defence by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Trouble began when Egbetokun was providing a breakdown of funds allocated for the construction of five zonal police headquarters across the country.

The police chief had barely started his presentation when a member of the House of Representatives, Mark Esset, from Akwa Ibom, stopped him in track, questioning why the details being read by the IG were not contained in the documents circulated among lawmakers.

Events took a new turn when Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, a member of the All Progressives Congress, said as a senator, he ought to have the appropriate copy of the document the IG was presenting.

Nwebonyi, who represents Ebonyi North Senatorial District said,  “We are here to serve Nigerians, and Nigerians should see us as a very serious institution.

“We are not against the presentation of the IG. But I, as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, should have what the IG is reading.”

Efforts to clarify his point were fruitless as the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, Abubakar Yalleman, overruled Nwebonyi’s Point of Order, allowing the IG to continue his presentation.

Angered, Nwebonyi packed his belongings and left the budget defence session. As he exited, he exchanged heated words with several House of Representatives members who jeered at him.

Yusuf Gagdi, a member of the House of Representatives representing Panshin/Kanam/Kanke Federal Constituency of Plateau State, expressed disappointment at the incident.

He explained that the committee’s decision to allow the IG to continue speaking was in line with established parliamentary procedures.

Gagdi added that it was inappropriate for lawmakers to interject when they did not have the floor.

When order was restored,  Egbetokun resumed his presentation, pointing out that the police require adequate funding.

He also called for an end to the envelope budgetary system.

On recruitment, Egbetokun disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has increased the yearly recruitment quota from 10,000 to 30,000, a move he said would significantly enhance the Force’s performance.

He urged the National Assembly to assist the police in delivering on their mandate, stressing that “Otherwise, we are entirely dependent on budgetary allocations.

“We are glad that this committee has recognised the gross underfunding of the police.”

The National President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Festus Osifo, has projected that the cost of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) may rise soon if crude oil continues to increase in price.

Osifo said this at the PENGASSAN’s National Executive Council Meeting on Thursday in Lagos.

He called for better exchange rate management, warning of potential price hikes as crude prices rebound.

“The crude price rose to $80 per barrel today. Without exchange rate improvements, PMS prices will increase in the coming weeks,” Osifo stated.

He also pointed out that the exchange rate collapse was behind high fuel prices nationwide, despite the commencement of the operations of domestic refineries, though not at full capacities.

He dismissed misconceptions about refining processes, emphasising that achieving a quality Premium Motor Spirit requires multiple refining stages.

Osifo, said, “The old Port Harcourt refinery is functional, and there is significant progress at the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries. Refineries globally engage in blending operations; it is a normal part of the process.”

On the high cost of PMS in Nigeria, the PENGASSAN official said it was due to the fluctuations in the exchange rate, stressing its impact on Nigeria’s economy.

“The price of PMS is directly linked to our weak naira. If the exchange rate improves to below N1,000 to a dollar, PMS could sell for N500–N600 per litre,” he noted.

Comparing Nigeria to countries like Venezuela and Zimbabwe, he highlighted the critical role of currency management.

“The oil and gas business is conducted in USD (United States dollar), from equipment to expatriate salaries. Weak currency translates to higher costs, including PMS,” he added.

He also debunked claims that local refining would drastically lower prices, explaining that cost margins are essential.

“Producing locally does not mean selling below cost. Even farmers calculate their production costs before adding margins,” Osifo emphasised.

In another development, Osifo criticised Nigeria’s 2025 budget of ₦49tn (approximately $30bn), labelling it insufficient to address the country’s challenges and inadequate for a nation of over 230 million people.

“The budget of $30bn is abysmally low for a country like Nigeria, especially when you compare it with nations like South Africa, which has a population of about 60 million but operates on a budget of over $120bn,” he stated.

Osifo emphasised the need for Nigeria to harness its abundant natural and mineral resources to expand its revenue base and reduce dependence on loans.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says the surge in terrorist activities in the country’s north-east and north-west is fuelled by an influx of foreign fighters.

Recently, Nigeria experienced attacks on military bases and civilians, sparking worries about the country’s national security architecture.

Speaking at the maiden military press briefing of the year, Edward Buba, director of defence media operations, attributed the development to a “collaboration” between Sahelian fighters and local accomplices.

“The resurgence in terror attacks can be attributable to the influx of foreign fighters who came in as reinforcements for these terrorists,” Buba said.

“These foreign fighters are from the Sahelian region. The other contributing factor is the support from local collaborators who serve as informants, reporting on troops’ movements.”

Buba reassured Nigerians of the military’s dedication to eliminating terrorism by breaking the terrorists’ will to fight.

“In spite of the situation, troops are profoundly conscious of their role and responsibility in ending insurgency and terrorism in the nation. Though we might record occasional tactical setbacks,” he said.

“Our strategic objective remains unhindered and it is to break the terrorist will to fight. In essence, defeating an enemy means destroying or breaking his will to fight.

“And we are achieving this by the cumulative effort of killing their operatives, Commanders and senior leadership.

“We are taking away their most important assets, such as their logistics, administrative and fighting capabilities. And of course, we are applying regional and international pressure, as well as engaging the media. All these combine to destroy the terrorists’ will to fight.”

The defence spokesperson said troops have continued to target the terrorists’ key assets, including their logistics, administrative structures, and combat capabilities.

“And of course, we are applying regional and international pressure, as well as engaging the media. All these combine to destroy the terrorist will to fight,” he added.

“Wars are fought and won all over the world by destroying the enemy’s will to fight. And we are bent on achieving just that.

“We understand that this war is not a quick fix, but a long and enduring military operation at the end of which these terrorists will be destroyed and we will have a better world.

“Overall, we understand that we all want to be in a different situation — a situation whereby all this insecurity is over and the terrorist is completely eradicated,” he added.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced that 7,746 deceased voters were removed from the national voter register in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory as of December 2022.

The Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Etta-Messi, disclosed this to our correspondent on Thursday.

“Seven thousand, seven hundred and forty-six decreased persons across the 36 states and the FCT were removed from the National Register of voters as of December 2022,” she disclosed.

According to INEC, a thorough cleaning of the voter register is usually done before every general election.

In its 2023 post-general election review in December 2024, INEC highlighted challenges with cleaning up the voter register, despite improvements in the voter registration process that added 12,298,944 new registrants.

One major issue is the difficulty in removing deceased persons due to gaps in official death records.

“Problems with official death records continue to make it very difficult for INEC to remove deceased registrants,” the commission noted.

The commission also identified the problem of double or multiple registrations, which was addressed by deploying the Automated Biometric Identification System.

 This process flagged and removed 2,780,756 cases of invalid registrations, representing 22.6 per cent of all new registrants nationwide.

INEC further noted concerns about declining voter turnout. The 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections recorded a turnout of 27.5 percent, down from 35.6 per cent in 2019.

Some stakeholders attributed this decline partly to an inflated voter register and called for more rigorous efforts to clean it.

Stakeholders at the review recommended that INEC should strengthen collaboration with agencies such as the National Population Commission and the National Identity Management Commission to identify deceased voters.

There were also calls to suspend individuals who have not voted in the past three elections and require them to revalidate their registration.

“One suggestion from this review was to strengthen collaboration with other agencies such as NIMC and NPC to identify deceased persons in the register and remove them. In addition, the commission could suspend individuals who have not voted in the past three elections from the register and request them to revalidate their registration,” INEC noted in its review.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that those responsible for the explosion that rocked parts of Ibadan last year are currently in prison.
Makinde, on Thursday, stated that the culprits are facing trial for terrorism and are presently being held in custody.

The governor made these assertions in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, and made available to DAILY POST.

DAILY POST reports that an explosion occurred at Dejo Oyelese Close, Bodija Housing Estate in Ibadan, on January 16 last year.

Some lives were lost as a result of the incident, while several people sustained varying degrees of injuries.

DAILY POST reports that properties worth millions of naira were also destroyed in the incident.

Speaking about the incident one year later, Makinde reiterated his administration’s determination to ensure the safety and security of all parts of the state.

Makinde, while praying for the repose of the souls of those who died, called on citizens to join hands with the government to secure the state.

“The explosion of January 16, 2024, could have been prevented if those who noticed the storage of explosive devices in residential areas had informed our security operatives. That means the people who died did not have to die, the houses that were destroyed didn’t have to be destroyed, and the disruption we experienced didn’t have to happen.

“To prevent a recurrence of such incidents in any part of the state, let us all take security issues seriously and cooperate with security operatives by providing necessary information to help them discharge their duties of securing our lives.

“We pray for the repose of those who lost their lives in the incident and ask that Almighty God continues to strengthen their loved ones.

“As a government, we have taken steps to prosecute those who caused this unfortunate incident. They are facing trial for terrorism and are currently being held in prison,” he said.

The member representing Kiru/Bebeji constituency, Kano, and chairman of the House Committee on Housing and Habitat, Dr. Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa, has emphasized the need for urgent reconciliation between former governors Rabiu Kwankwaso and Umar Ganduje amidst their lingering feud.

Jibrin, who described the situation as unfortunate and a setback for Kano State, made the call on Thursday while featuring a radio program monitored by our reporter.

He charged all well-meaning citizens of Kano to join hands together in reconciling the two political leaders for the betterment of the state.

According to him, the two political leaders and long-time friends have excelled in their political careers.

“While Kwankwaso started in the Kano State Civil Service and later became the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, rising through the ranks to become a two-term governor, Minister of Defence, Senator, Ambassador, presidential aspirant, and candidate who remains a potential future president or vice president, Ganduje was, on the other hand, a civil servant, Director in FCT, Commissioner, Deputy Governor, Executive Secretary, two-term governor, and now the Chairman of the ruling party.

“Not everybody will be chosen by God to hold these offices. They have both been blessed in a special way by God.”

Speaking further, he said, “Whoever is aware of what is happening in Kano knows that the genesis will not be unconnected to the lingering feud between Kwankwaso and Ganduje. Everybody knows we are all NNPP and disciples of Senator Kwankwaso and his movement, Kwankwasiyya. But it is an obligation upon some of us to force a reconciliation between the duo.

“Whether they like it or not, the issue of politics is something different; it is their choice, but as Muslims we have a duty to do the right thing by reconciling them.

“They were friends for a long time, and they started good things together, but what is happening between them is sad and painful. This is not a time to open old wounds but a time to embrace a future of peace, unity, tranquillity, progress, and development.

“We are already working hard towards that, but I am calling on all of us who believe in this reconciliation effort to come together and make it a reality. Let us see Kwankwaso attending the wedding of Ganduje’s daughter and Ganduje attending the wedding of Kwankwaso’s son. They should stand for each other in times of happiness and sadness. Forget about seeing them in the same political party; that’s their choice.

“I don’t have anything personal on this, but it is the right thing, and for those people who don’t want to see a reconciliation between Kwankwaso and Ganduje, May Allah guide them to the right path,” he concluded.

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have arrested a soldier, Lance Corporal Sani Aminu, for allegedly being in possession of a substance suspected to be ‘Canadian Loud’, a highly potent strain of imported cannabis.

Aminu, who serves in the Nigerian Army under service number 13NA/70/11481, was apprehended by a police patrol team on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, in the Surulere area of Lagos.

According to a police signal, the operation was led by ASP Alex Dung, who intercepted the soldier at around 8:15pm.

The signal stated, “SITUATION REPORT X ARREST OF MILITARY PERSONNEL X TODAY BEING 15/01/2025 X AT ABOUT 2015HRS X PATROL TEAM LED ASP ALEX DUNG ATTACHED MINE X INTERCEPTED AND BROUGHT TO THE STATION 13NA/70/11481 L/ CPL SANI AMINU ATTACHED TO ABALTI BARRACKS SURULERE X WITH SUBSTANCE SUSPECTED TO BE CANADIAN LOUD X SUSPECT WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO CP TACTICAL SQUAD 1 FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION PLEASE X SUPOL 74 ORILE-IGANMU.”

The police have since confirmed that Aminu will be handed over to the Commissioner of Police Tactical Squad 1 for further investigation.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is set to arraign three ex-appointees of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, for a fresh N64 million money laundering charges.

This is coming after the ICPC had last week, in a separate charge, arraigned the former chief of staff and commissioner of finance in Kaduna State, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, for a money laundering.

ICPC, in a two-count charge filed before the Federal High Court in Kaduna, accused Sa’idu of accepting a cash payment of N155,000,000 from Ibrahim Muktar, a public officer in the ministry of finance.

The El-Rufai’s ex-appointees are a former senior special adviser/counsellor to El-Rufai, Mr. Lawal Adebisi; the ex-accountant general of Kaduna State, Mr. Umar Waziri, and the former finance commissioner in the state, Mr. Yusuf Inuwa.

Also joined in the suit is Solar Life Nigeria Limited, the company whose bank account is believed to have received the diverted funds.

ICPC spokesperson, Demola Bakare, said in the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Kaduna Judicial Division, ICPC accused Mr. Lawal of conniving with the two other accused persons to divert a total sum of N64,800,562 in three tranches of N10,000,000, N47,840,000, and N7,320,562 to the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, where Mr. Lawal is believed to be the sole signatory.

The four accused persons are expected to appear in court on Friday, January 17, 2025, to take their plea.

A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has convicted and sentenced one Odeyemi Oluwaseun to one year imprisonment for internet fraud.

The convict, a self-styled spiritualist, was prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge that bordered on internet fraud, impersonation and obtaining by false pretences.

Count one of the charges read: “That you, Odeyemi Hammed Oluwaseun, sometime in December, 2023 in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly induced one Bose to send $3200.00 worth of gift cards to you, with the impression that the same would be used to diabolically influence her ex-husband to return and marry her, while you pretended and represented yourself to be one Lord Hill, a female spiritualist with email accounthillor674@gmail.com, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the same Penal Code.”

Count two read: “That you, Odeyemi Hammed Oluwaseun, between August, 2023 to September, 2023 in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly induced one Schneider Alina to send $4500.00 worth of gift cards to you, with the impression that the same would be used to diabolically control her ex-boyfriend to return and marry her, while you represented yourself to be a female spiritualist with Instagram account _Visions_by_Tendo_12 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the same Penal Code.”

He pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to him, after which the prosecution counsel, Sesan Ola, reviewed the facts of the case, tendered the convict’s extra-judicial statements and evidence, including the sum of $1,000 recovered from him and prayed the court to convict and sentence him as charged.

In his judgement, the presiding judge, Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Oluwaseun to six months suspended jail term on each of the counts, and ordered that the sum of $1,000, iPhone 15 and 2008 Toyota Camry car recovered from him be forfeited to the federal government.

Oluwaseun, a 23-year-old man, who hails from Oyo State, defrauded his victims on the internet by posing as an American-based female spiritualist with powers to cause jilted women and estranged wives to regain the affection of their men.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, on Thursday warned that the tax reform bills initiated by the Federal Government would undermine the operations of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, and weaken public university education in the country.

This was disclosed by the Bauchi Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof Timothy Namo, during an interview with journalists in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

DAILY POST recalls that the Federal Government submitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly for consideration in November 2024.

Namo called on the National Assembly to suspend the debate on the bills, noting that their passage would redirect more funds to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFund. He warned that this would deprive TETFund of the necessary resources to function effectively.

“The bills seek to enact a new law and abrogate the Education Tax,” Namo explained.
“These bills, if passed into law, will replace the Development Levy, which has been a major source of funding for TETFund projects. All funds generated from the education tax will instead be ceded to the newly established NELFund.

“The far-reaching implication is that by 2030, all funds generated from the Development Levy will be accessed solely by NELFund. This is dangerous and unpatriotic.

“This poses a serious threat to the survival of TETFund and, consequently, the Nigerian tertiary education system,” he said.

Namo emphasised that TETFund had been instrumental in supporting infrastructural development, postgraduate training, research, and capacity building in public tertiary institutions across Nigeria since 1993. He asserted that ASUU would resist any move detrimental to TETFund’s operations.

The coordinator also revealed that ASUU leadership had engaged the Federal Government on the potential dangers of the bills and urged the National Assembly to set aside the proposals in the interest of Nigerians.