₦airaland Forum

by Jerrywright Ukwu


Former President Goodluck Jonathan says late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua did sign a letter empowering him to act in his absence during his prolonged illness, but the document was never submitted to the national assembly.

At the time, Yar’Adua’s protracted absence from office, without formally transferring power, plunged Nigeria into a political vacuum.

Speaking in an interview with the Rainbow Book Club about his memoir My Transition Hours, Jonathan described the period as one of the most turbulent in Nigeria’s democratic history, marked by ethnic and religious tensions and a constitutional crisis.

He said the power struggle intensified after Yar’Adua, a northern Muslim, took over from Olusegun Obasanjo, a southern Christian, and there was a silent agreement for the north to retain power for eight years before it rotated again.

“But the health issue came up, and that was the problem. And that is why even to allow me to act was an issue,” he said.

Jonathan, who was vice-president, found himself caught in a constitutional dilemma — unable to act fully as president or exercise the powers of commander-in-chief.

“That letter was written. But the person who the letter was handed over to — I will not mention the name — refused to submit it to the national assembly. Yar’Adua became so ill that he had no control of issues,” Jonathan said.


‘DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY SAVED NIGERIA’

Jonathan said although he could carry out certain executive duties as vice-president, he could not assume the role of commander-in-chief without a formal transfer of power.

“The president of Nigeria has two main responsibilities. First, you are the chief executive, like a prime minister — that the vice president can assume,” he said.

“But there was no commander-in-chief, and there’s nothing like acting commander-in-chief. You are either a commander-in-chief or not.”

Jonathan said the lack of a clear transfer of authority left Nigeria in a constitutional limbo, prompting the national assembly to invoke the doctrine of necessity to make him acting president.

According to him, the country was on edge, and coup rumours became a daily concern.

“The country was tense. Under this north-south divide, Christian-Muslim divide, it was really tense. Every day I was hearing about coup,” he said.


‘BETTER TO DIE IN STATE HOUSE’

He said during that time, some friends urged him to vacate the presidential villa for his safety.

“I remember one day, I was still vice president — they had not even moved the doctrine of necessity — and some of my friends came and said, ‘No, you don’t have to sleep here. You have to come and sleep in my guest house,’” he said.

“I said, ‘No.’ I will stay in the state house. If anybody wants to kill me, it’s better you kill me in the state house so Nigerians will know that they assassinated me in the state house. They know I have not committed any offence.

“If I go and stay in your guest house and people kill me there, they will now say Indian girls brought apple to kill me. And I wouldn’t want that kind of story.”

Despite the pressure, Jonathan said he remained calm and unshaken.

“To me, I was not bothered. Really, I was not bothered. And I was very calm. But that was the scenario,” he said.

Babcock Varsity Final-Year Student Commits Suicide In Lagos After Suspension For Exam Malpractice

A final-year student of Babcock University, Joshua Lawson, has tragically ended his life after being suspended for a year over alleged examination malpractice.

Lawson, a 20-year-old 400-level Computer Science student, reportedly took his life on Wednesday at his family home in Lagos, days after learning of his suspension by the university’s disciplinary committee.

He was due to graduate on July 27.

The incident has sent shockwaves across the Babcock community and beyond, with students and sympathisers flooding social media with tributes and criticisms of the institution’s disciplinary measures.

Confirming the incident in a phone interview with PUNCH on Friday, the university’s Director of Communication and Marketing, Dr. Joshua Suleiman, said Lawson had been found guilty of examination misconduct by the disciplinary committee and given a one-year academic suspension.

“The school is aware of the tragic incident,” Suleiman said. “He was a 400-level Computer Science student.

“He faced the university disciplinary committee for examination malpractice; he was found guilty and handed a one-year academic suspension.

“He has not even come for his suspension letter, maybe he got to know about the suspension. But we don’t know whatever happened thereafter. We only heard that the student took his life.”

The university's confirmation has further fuelled an emotional outpouring online, with many students mourning the loss and calling for more humane policies within the institution.

One student wrote on social media, “How can someone be so close to the finish line just a month to their convocation, and suddenly, everything gets ripped away because of an ‘exam misconduct’ case? Two years’ suspension? Cancelling an entire semester?

That’s not just punishment… that’s destruction. This isn’t just about rules anymore. This is a life. A dream.
“A family’s pride. And now that life is gone to suicide. Even if the person made a mistake, where is the compassion? Where is the support? Where is the humanity?”

Another added, “If this school does not stop some of their stupid policies or actions, it will continue getting worse!!! Like whyyyy…??”

Reacting to the backlash, Dr. Suleiman stressed that while the university deeply regrets the tragedy, its policies are in line with institutional standards.

“The university is never happy that anyone dies, in fact, we wish this never happened and we commiserate with the family,” he said.

“However, like every institution and organisation, the university has its rules that the staff and the students are well aware of, and these rules also come with their penalties which are usually applied once an infraction is established.”

He maintained, “Like I said earlier, we are not happy that anybody dies, certainly not.”

The late Joshua Lawson’s death comes amid growing national conversations about mental health, academic pressure, and the role of disciplinary actions in Nigerian higher education institutions.

Defence Minister Israel Katz told media that Israel would have killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the war between the two countries if the opportunity had presented itself.

“If he had been in our sights, we would have taken him out,” Katz told Israel’s public radio station Kan Thursday evening, adding that the military had “searched a lot”.

“Khamenei understood this, went very deep underground, broke off contact with the commanders… so in the end it wasn’t realistic,” Katz told Kan.

He told Israeli television Channel 13 Thursday that Israel would cease its assassination attempts because “there is a difference between before the ceasefire and after the ceasefire”.

Katz had said during the war that Khamenei “can no longer be allowed to exist”, just days after reports that Washington vetoed Israeli plans to assassinate him.

But on Kan, Katz advised Khamenei to remain inside a bunker.

“He should learn from the late Nasrallah, who sat for a long time deep in the bunker”, he said, referring to Lebanese militant group Hezbollah’s former leader Hassan Nasrallah, who Israel killed in a Beirut air strike in September 2024.

The movements of the supreme leader, who has not left Iran since he took power, are subject to the tightest security and secrecy.

Katz said Thursday that Israel maintained its aerial superiority over Iran and that it was ready to strike again.

“We won’t let Iran develop nuclear weapons and threaten (Israel) with long-range missiles”, he said.

In his Channel 12 interview, Katz admitted that Israel does not know the location of all of Iran’s enriched uranium, but that its air strikes had destroyed the Islamic republic’s uranium enrichment capabilities.

“The material itself was not something that was supposed to be neutralised,” he said of the enriched uranium.

The impact of Israeli and US strikes on Iran’s nuclear programme has been a subject to debate.

A leaked US intelligence assessment estimated the programme to have set Iran back a few months, while Katz and other Israeli and US public figures said the damage would take years to rebuild.

Israel and Iran each claimed victory in a 12-day war that ended with a ceasefire on June 24.

The war erupted on June 13 when Israel launched a bombing campaign that it said aimed to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon — an ambition Iran has consistently denied.

By Jide Ajia


Nigerians earning less than N250,000 monthly will be exempt from income tax under new laws, according to Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms.

Oyedele made the disclosure on Channels Television’s Politics Today shortly after President Bola Tinubu approved four new tax bills on Thursday.

He stated that households earning N250,000 or less per month are now classified as poor.

Appointed by the President in July 2023, Oyedele described his two-year tenure leading the tax reform committee as both eventful and challenging.

He said that the objectives of the new laws, which would take effect from January 2026, were not intended to increase taxes but to stimulate economic activity in the country and track tax evaders.

Oyedele stated that the new laws would also protect businesses and ensure that the government doesn’t tax poverty, adding that the new laws are efficiency-driven, growth-focused, and people-centric.

He said, “This tax law will not give you cash in your pocket, but at least it won’t take your cash away if you are poor.”

He said nobody earning below the amount would have to pay taxes because they don’t even have enough.

“We have eliminated the tax component for people at the bottom, we have reduced for people at the middle, and we have increased slightly for people at the top.

“That middle, we estimated it at about N1.8 to N2m a month. If you are earning that amount and below, your tax will not be zero but it will reduce from what you are paying today,” he stated, noting that those who earn this amount are about 5% of the total Nigerian population.

The tax boss said to arrive at a decision, his committee debated the poverty line of an average Nigerian.

Oyedele said, “We debated this question; we said: ‘Who is a poor person in Nigeria? First, we started with data like the World Bank and the UN will tell you two dollars, fifteen cents a day per person means you are at the poverty line but there are people who do not earn two dollars a day but they are not poor because they produce the food that they eat and they do not pay for transportation. I lived and grew up in the village.

“So, we had to factor that in. We drew our own (poverty) line for Nigeria on the basis of an average of five people per family: two people working if they are lucky, taking care of the five. When we did the maths, it gave us an amount, and that was what we used in determining the income below which nobody should pay taxes.

“We came up with a N120,000 or N130,000 per two people working in a household of five. If the earnings are about N250,000, they can take care of themselves. Of course, they are not going to have luxury, but at least they can take care of themselves. They are poor, and they shouldn’t pay taxes. When we did the maths, it gave us an amount, and that was what we used in determining the income below which nobody should pay taxes.

“We came up with a N120,000 or N130,000 per two people working in a household of five. If the earnings are about N250,000, they can take care of themselves. Of course, they are not going to have luxury, but at least they can take care of themselves. They are poor, and they shouldn’t pay taxes.”

Oyedele stated that Nigeria currently collects only about 30 per cent of what the country should be receiving in taxes, noting that the objective of the new tax laws is to close the 70 per cent gap

By Dare Olawin


The shutdown of the Port Harcourt Refining Company for maintenance has entered its second month, as the plant has yet to resume operations.

The PUNCH reports that the immediate past Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Olufemi Soneye, told our correspondent on May 23 that the refinery would be shut down for maintenance.

On May 24, Soneye issued an official statement, announcing the shutdown of the refinery for maintenance. However, more than one month later, the refinery has yet to start producing fuel.

Local petroleum marketers, who had once expressed their concerns over the shutdown of the facility, told our correspondent that the repair work was still ongoing. Our correspondent reports that the NNPC did not have a spokesperson as of the time of filing this report.

Efforts were made to contact the state-owned firm through the phone number and email address displayed on its website, but to no avail. The Port Harcourt refinery’s cost of turnaround maintenance is currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

It was widely reported that operatives of the EFCC on Monday arrested a former Chief Financial Officer of the NNPC, Umar Isa, in connection with an alleged $7.2bn fraud linked to the rehabilitation of the Kaduna, Warri, and Port Harcourt refineries.

It was earlier reported that the EFCC was probing the disbursement of $1.5bn allocated to the Port Harcourt refinery, $740m released for the Kaduna refinery, and $657m approved for the Warri refinery.

A top official in the agency had told The PUNCH on Monday that Isa was being investigated for alleged abuse of office, corruption, and other offences.

“As CFO, Ajiya oversaw the release of funds for the turnaround maintenance of the three refineries. All key officials involved in the maintenance and other major NNPCL projects are also under investigation for alleged abuse of office, corruption, diversion of public funds, and kickbacks from contractors.

“Other officials involved are Tunde Bakare, MD, Warri Refinery; Ahmed Adamu Dikko, former MD, Port Harcourt Refinery; and Ibrahim Monday Onoja, former MD, Port Harcourt Refinery,” the source was quoted.

It was also learnt that the former Managing Director of the Warri refinery was detained by the anti-graft agency.

Recall that the Port Harcourt refinery was declared operational by the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, in November 2024, after years of inactivity.

Then, the NNPC said the 60,000-capacity refinery had resumed operations after years of inactivity. It said the newly rehabilitated complex of the old Port Harcourt refinery, which had been revamped and upgraded with modern equipment, was operating at a refining capacity of 70 per cent of its installed capacity.

The company added that diesel and Pour Fuel Oil would be the highest output from the refinery, with a daily capacity of 1.5 million litres and 2.1 million litres, respectively.

This was expected to be followed by a daily output of Straight-Run Gasoline (Naphtha) blended into 1.4 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 900,000 litres of kerosene, and low-pour fuel oil of 2.1 million litres. It was stated then that about 200 trucks of petrol would be released into the Nigerian market daily.

However, six months after the much-publicised rehabilitation completion and resumption of production, the facility was locked again for another round of maintenance expected to last one month. It has now exceeded that timeframe without any update from the NNPC.

Similarly, the Warri refinery, which was declared open by Kyari in December, was shut down a month after and has yet to resume operations since then. In its April 2025 monthly performance report, the new NNPC board said the status of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries “are currently under review.”

Our correspondent recalls that the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria once argued that the facility would be of no value without the Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) blending unit, adding that 30 days were not enough to complete the repair exercise.

In its demand, PETROAN requested the inclusion of a PMS blending unit in the maintenance activity. “PETROAN emphasises that the repair process must include the Premium Motor Spirit blending unit, as the crude oil cracking process is of no value without it,” he said.

Meanwhile, following the seemingly botched repairs of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, after both plants gulped about $2.4bn and returned to dormancy within six months of operation, the Organised Private Sector and oil marketers called for the immediate privatisation of the facilities.

It was reported that calls for the privatisation of the government-owned refineries, under the management of NNPC, intensified following the shutdown of the 60,000 barrels-per-day old Port Harcourt Refining Company, six months after it was declared operational.

The Port Harcourt refinery, situated in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region, has been in operation since 1965, but later became moribund for several years.

The NNPC failed to commence operations at the refinery after seven postponements between December 2023 and September 2024, but Kyari declared it open in November 2024 without prior notice.

The former GCEO promised to reopen the Kaduna refinery and the new Port Harcourt refinery but this could not be achieved until he was asked to go by President Bola Tinubu.

Meanwhile, in another development, fuel marketers on Tuesday protested the rising price of diesel at the Port Harcourt refinery. The marketers said to be members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of NIgeria, kicked against what they described as incessant hikes in the price of diesel.

According to them, the refinery increased the price of diesel from N930 to N980 and later N1,130 per litre in one week, asking them to too their earlier payments to meet the new price. The refinery has old stocks of diesel in its tanks.

However, the retailers demanded that the NNPCL should either load their trucks based on the oil payment or refund their money. “NNPCL/Oando, under one week, you raised diesel from N980 to N1,130 per litre. This is not acceptable,” one of the marketers said.

Another protester stated, “You must honour the N980/litre rate. We cannot keep absorbing the cost of arbitrary changes.” Leaders of IPMAN in Port Harcourt and senior officials of the refinery urged the protesting marketers to remain calm, saying the matter had been escalated to the NNPC headquarters in Abuja.

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja


Iran yesterday said its nuclear installations were “badly damaged” by US airstrikes, the first such comments by Tehran as debate grows over how much the bombardment managed to dent the Islamic Republic’s atomic programme.

“Our nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that’s for sure,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told Al Jazeera TV in an interview, quoted by Bloomberg.

Baghaei did not give further details and said authorities were still assessing the situation on the ground. He added that the US attacks were a “detrimental blow” to international law and the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to which Iran is a signatory.

The comments are the first time an Iranian official has addressed the scope of damage caused by the June 22 strikes which involved US attacks on three nuclear facilities in Iran using more than a dozen 30,000-pound bombs.

The comments came hours after US President Donald Trump disputed a US intelligence report that said the attacks had limited impact on Iran’s nuclear programme below ground.

An assessment from the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency said the bombing likely didn’t cripple the core components stored underground including centrifuges, according to people familiar with its contents.

Commenting on the intelligence leak, Trump said the report was “very inconclusive” but that he still believed the sites were demolished, the Bloomberg report added.

“The intelligence says we don’t know,” he told reporters at a NATO summit in the Hague. “It could have been very severe. That’s what the intelligence says. So I guess that’s correct, but I think we can take that we don’t know. It was very severe. It was obliteration,” he added.

But International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said “very significant damage is expected to have occurred” at Fordow, Iran’s main uranium enrichment site which is built under a mountain. The IAEA has not had access to Iran since Israel started attacking Iran on June 13.

Satellite images showed that US military planners were careful not to hit reactors at the Isfahan research facility which appeared to have been intentionally left untouched, according to four senior officials in Vienna.

The Israel Atomic Energy Commission said the US strikes on Iran’s Fordow nuclear site rendered the enrichment facility inoperable. It said both Israeli and US attacks set back the country’s ability to develop its nuclear weapons by “many years.”

Trump brokered a ceasefire to end the 12-day war between Israel and Iran that appeared to be holding on Wednesday. The president had lashed out at both countries a day earlier, and particularly Israel, over what he said were early violations of the truce. Both nations have said they’ll honour the ceasefire provided their enemy does the same.

As Nigeria attracts a groundbreaking $400 million Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to establish Africa’s largest rare earth and critical minerals plant in Nasarawa State, attention is once again turning to the country’s vast and largely untapped mineral wealth.

From the plateaus of Jos to the hills of Ekiti, Nigeria is home to a remarkable variety of rare and precious gemstones—many of which are gaining global recognition for their quality and uniqueness.

Here are 10 rare gemstones and the regions in Nigeria where they are discovered.


1. Benitoite – Bauchi State

Nicknamed the “Blue Diamond,” benitoite is a brilliant blue gemstone known for its rarity and intense colour. Although famously associated with California, small deposits have been discovered in Bauchi State, making Nigeria one of the few places on Earth where this gem occurs.


2. Niobium – Plateau State

Often overlooked as a gemstone, niobium is a rare metal with lustrous appeal, used extensively in aerospace and electronics. Nigeria is among the leading global sources of niobium, with Plateau State being a major mining area.


3. Tourmaline – Ijero Ekiti, Ekiti State

Ijero Ekiti is famed for its stunning tourmaline deposits, which come in vibrant green and pink shades. Highly valued in the global gemstone market, Nigerian tourmalines are prized for their clarity and brilliance.


4. Sapphire – Kaduna State

Nigerian sapphires are known for their rich blue and greenish-blue tones. Found primarily in Kaduna State, these precious stones are used in high-end jewellery and are gaining international recognition for their depth of colour.


5. Barite – Cross River State

Though not a traditional gemstone, barite plays a crucial role in the oil and gas industry. Found in large deposits in Cross River, it is valued for its high density and use in drilling fluids.


6. Morganite – Oyo State

This pink-to-peach beryl gemstone is cherished for its romantic hues and brilliance. Nigerian morganite, found in Oyo State, is of exceptional quality and is increasingly being used in engagement rings and luxury jewellery.


7. Sphalerite – Zamfara State

Sphalerite is a zinc-rich mineral with striking reflections that sometimes show fiery orange, red, or green flashes. Beyond its industrial use, its gem-quality crystals make it a rare collector’s item.


8. Aquamarine – Oyo State

With its serene sea-blue to blue-green colours, aquamarine is a beloved gemstone found abundantly in Oyo State. Nigerian aquamarines are renowned for their transparency and natural beauty.


9. Emerald – Jos, Plateau State

Nigeria’s emeralds, particularly from Jos, stand out for their rich green hue and clarity. As one of the most valuable gemstones globally, Nigerian emeralds are becoming a force in the global market.


10. Goshenite – Nasarawa State

Goshenite is a colourless variety of beryl and is often cut as a diamond alternative due to its clarity and brilliance. It is found in Nasarawa State and adds a unique option to Nigeria’s gemstone offerings.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has advised President Bola Tinubu not to seek for a second term in office in 2027 elections.

This is as he applauded former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as well as others, for forming a new political platform, the All Democratic Alliance (ADA).

Eze, in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt, stated that the Tinubu-led administration has performed abysmally in the past two years.

He said: “Finally, President Tinubu can now start packing his luggages for his much anticipated movement back to his Bourdillon Home after all the collosal damages he has committed against our democracy and economy due to his abysmal performance within 2 years of stolen mandate as a President.

“Never again can we as a nation be made to pass through such a horrible path of maladministration, corruption, crass incompetence, and nepotism, which have become the hallmark of the Tinubu presidency

The APC chieftain thanked those behind ADA for their patriotic resolve to salvage Nigeria’s failing democracy and rescue the country from nose-diving into the murky waters of anti-democratic governance.

Eze said: “I commend all of you for your foresight, proactiveness, optimism, commitment and patriotism in a bid to wrestle power from the hands of despots, nepotistic selfish and anti democratic forces, who have plunged our dear nation into a land of bloodletting, kidnapping, misery, abject poverty, devastating hunger and made Nigeria a laughing stock before the international community.

“Once again, as prominent Nigerians, and a group of cerebral, enigmatic, influential, visionary and grassroots politicians, you have proven that you all are not only born tactical politicians, but a group of caring patriotic, eminent and grassroots oriented leaders who are touched with the present sordid state of our nation.

“God will surely answer our collective prayers in our drive to salvage and liberate this country from the hands of misguided leaders, misfits, autocrats, most clueless, insensitive and demented undemocratic forces, who are riding rough-shod over the common patrimony of Nigerians.”

by Claire Mom


United States President Donald Trump has hinted at the possibility of a regime change in Iran as the tension between the Middle East country and Israel escalates.

Trump bared his mind in a post on his social media page after the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities – an action that has drawn the country into the ongoing crisis between Iran and Israel.

“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change MIGA!!!” he posted on his Truth Social platform.

His remarks also came after other top US officials stressed that toppling Iran’s leaders was not the aim of the US military action.

The US had carried out attacks in Iran after a week of hostilities between Israel and Iran.

The actions echoed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s sentiments of wiping out Iran’s nuclear research programme.

US allies, including the United Kingdom (UK), said the strikes eliminated the threat of nuclear attacks.

But Iran has repeatedly denied plans of building a nuclear arsenal.

Trump said the strikes caused “monumental damage”, but Iran downplayed the intensity.

Iran vowed that the US strikes would have “everlasting consequences”.

On Monday, Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes at a US air base in Qatar.

Trump has repeatedly asked Iran to surrender.

As Operation “Midnight Hammer” got underway on Saturday, a group of B-2 bombers took off from their base in Missouri and were noticed heading out toward the Pacific island of Guam, in what experts saw as possible pre-positioning for any U.S. decision to strike Iran.

But they were a decoy. The real group of seven bat-winged, B-2 stealth bombers flew east undetected for 18 hours, keeping communications to a minimum, refueling in mid-air, the U.S. military revealed on

As the bombers neared Iranian airspace, a U.S. submarine launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles. U.S. fighter jets flew as decoys in front of the bombers to sweep for any Iranian fighter jets and missiles.

The attack on Iran’s three main nuclear sites was the largest operational strike ever by B-2 stealth bombers, and the second-longest B-2 operation ever flown, surpassed only by those following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States by al Qaeda.

The B-2 bombers dropped 14 bunker-busting GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators, each weighing 30,000 pounds. The operation involved over 125 U.S. military aircraft, according to the Pentagon.

From the U.S. military’s perspective, the operation was a resounding tactical success. The Iranians were unable to get off a single round at the American aircraft and were caught completely flat-footed, General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the Pentagon on Sunday.

“Iran’s fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran’s surface to air missile systems did not see us throughout the mission,” Caine said. “We retained the element of surprise.”

Caine said initial battle damage assessments indicated that all three sites targeted sustained extremely severe damage and destruction, but he declined to speculate whether any Iranian nuclear capabilities might still be intact.

U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was more confident.

“It was clear we devastated the Iranian nuclear program,” he said, standing alongside Caine in the Pentagon briefing room.

‘A lot of talk earlier last week about, you know, Iran, potentially threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, which you know is interesting to see. The oil markets didn’t necessarily place that much of a premium on it.

Gulf states, home to multiple U.S. military bases, were on high alert on Sunday as they weighed the risks of a widening conflict in the region.

Guarding against blowback, the U.S. military also dispersed U.S. military assets in the Middle East and heightened force protection for U.S. troops.

Hegseth said the U.S. military was positioned to defend itself in the Middle East, but also to respond against Iran if it goes through with longstanding threats to retaliate.

By Adebayo Waheed


The crisis rocking the family of the late former governor of Oyo State, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, has taken a new dimension, as his first daughter, Mrs Oluwatoyin Alao-Aderinto, has sought for Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) test on seven individuals claiming to be biological children of Alao-Akala.

Mrs Alao-Aderinto has also filed an application at the Oyo State High Court for the exhumation of the late former governor’s body in order to carry out the DNA test.

In a suit filed before Justice Taiwo of Court 12 at the State High Court, Ibadan, with Motion Number 1/443/2024, Oluwatoyin Alao-Aderinto, through her counsel, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Oladipo Olasope, prayed the court to direct that DNA test be carried out on herself, and six others, namely Olamide, Adebukola, Olamipo, Olamiju, a serving member of the House of Representatives, Tabitha, and Olamikunle.Green job opportunities

The names were listed in the Motion on Notice filed before the court and that the test be conducted at a court-approved, accredited laboratory to determine their true biological relationship with the late Alao-Akala.

As part of the application, Oluwatoyin was also seeking an order of court, directing the exhumation of Otunba Alao-Akala’s remains from the mausoleum built in his Ogbomoso country home for the purpose of carrying out the paternity test.

The results of the tests, she pleaded, should be filed under a sealed envelope and delivered directly to the presiding judge for pronouncement in open court.

The fresh application brought before the court has added a new twist in what has become a messy and prolonged family feud over the vast estate of the late Ogbomoso-born politician, who died on January 12, 2022.Family vacation packages

The crisis, which had been brewing silently since his burial, became public in October 2022 when one Kemi Alao-Akala and Olamide Alabi, believed to be among the deceased’s daughters, obtained a Letter of Administration from the Oyo State Probate Registry without the knowledge or consent of Oluwatoyin, the first child.

This singular act, she contended, was a deliberate and unlawful exclusion that contravenes applicable laws guiding intestate succession in Nigeria.Green job opportunities

In her affidavit and accompanying exhibit filed in support of her motion, she accused the duo of manipulating facts to claim sole control over Alao-Akala estate, despite the presence of other biological children and heirs.

The estate in question is said to be massive properties spread across Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, United Kingdom and the United States of America, including a five-star hotel in Ghana, vehicles and multiple bank accounts containing hundreds of millions in naira, dollars and pounds sterling.

Oluwatoyin’s position on her deceased father’s estate stemmed from her strong resolve at ensuring that every individual, including nuclear and extended family members, aides of the former governor, who served him meritoriously without blemish and yet-to-be identified children, among many others, were catered for, as against the winner-takes-it-all approach adopted by the duo of the defendants.Family vacation packages

The said administrators listed only seven individuals as legal heirs, but Oluwatoyin’s position, as articulated by her counsel, was that there is no consensus on the paternity of these persons and that the inclusion of some and exclusion of others in the administration of the deceased’s estate raised troubling questions of authenticity and equity. It is on this basis she sought judicial intervention through scientific means.

It will be recalled that in an August 2023 letter, which was made public, counsel to Oluwatoyin, Oladipo Olasope, SAN, warned that the exclusion of the claimant, who is the first daughter of the late Alao-Akala, violated both moral norms and legal rights, stressing that unless resolved, the dispute could further polarise the family and damage the late former governor Alao-Akala’s political legacy.

There are calls for US President Donald Trump to be impeached over his “unconstitutional” move to bomb top nuclear facilities in Iran.

Democrats have responded with uproar to the US attacks, but Mr Trump also faces criticism from within his own party, including prominent Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has spoken against the strikes.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, was among the US politicians to respond to Mr Trump’s announcement of “successful” attacks on Iran.

“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorisation is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” Ms Ocasio-Cortez said.

“He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Trump announced that he had ordered strikes to target Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear sites.

Mr Trump said American planes successfully departed Iranian airspace and were “safely on their way home”.

Mr Trump endured bipartisan backlash over the strikes, but so far, only Democrats have clamoured for impeachment despite some of them acknowledging that they lack the votes.

Republican Thomas Massie, who hasn’t been shy about splitting with Mr Trump in the past, simply declared: “This is not Constitutional.”

Ismaeel Uthman, STEPHEN ANGBULU, Dirisu Yakubu, and Abdulrahman Zakariyau




Vice President Kashim Shettima’s political future may be hanging in the balance as signs from within the All Progressives Congress point to his exclusion from the 2027 presidential ticket.

Credible sources in the Presidency and the APC told Sunday PUNCH that there are ongoing political permutations that could compel President Bola Tinubu to drop him for another running mate.

This comes as four northern governors, two each from the North-East and North-West, and two principal officers in the 10th National Assembly are reported to be eyeing the VP’s seat.


The odds against Shettima

According to credible sources, the plot against Shettima stems from open criticism of the Tinubu administration by Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, and the Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume.

Zulum is a staunch loyalist of Shettima, his predecessor.

The governor was a vocal voice against the tax reform bills when they were first introduced by Tinubu. He said it favoured Lagos more than the North.

He has also consistently criticised the Federal Government’s handling of insecurity in his state, slamming information minister Mohammed Idris.

The Borno governor openly protested the omission of Shettima’s name during the adoption of Tinubu for a second term at the North-East APC stakeholders’ meeting on June 15 in Gombe State.

The meeting descended into chaos when the VP’s supporters attempted to attack the party’s Zonal Vice Chairman, Mustapha Salihu, for endorsing Tinubu without mentioning Shettima as his running mate.

Salihu had said, “We want to reaffirm and also adopt the endorsement earlier done by the National Working Committee, that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is endorsed to be a sole candidate for the 2027 election.”

Following his failure to acknowledge the vice president, angry delegates began chanting, “Shettima! Shettima!! Shettima!!!” in protest, with one aggrieved supporter confronting Salihu on stage.

Zulum also insisted that Shettima must be adopted as the APC’s vice-presidential candidate for 2027.

Although Ndume’s current level of loyalty to Shettima remains unclear, the lawmaker has consistently criticised the Tinubu administration.

On July 17, 2024, the National Working Committee of the APC wrote to Senate President Godswill Akpabio requesting Ndume’s removal as Senate Majority Whip.

The APC cited Ndume’s “unguarded outbursts” against the government and described his remarks as “unbecoming” of a senior party member.

A source said, “The main problem for Shettima is the conduct of politicians from his state, including the governor, Ndume, and others close to him, who have been openly critical. The perception is that he can’t rein them in.

“If a sitting governor and senator from your state, especially one you handed over to, keep criticising the government, it becomes a problem.”

Following the chaotic APC North-East stakeholders’ meeting, Sunday PUNCH gathered that some governors and lawmakers had begun positioning themselves as potential vice-presidential picks.

One insider said, “It is very much within the realm of possibility because the VP is not particularly close to the President. It’s not like the President has said categorically that he will change his running mate in 2027, but it is not certain that he won’t.

“Still, that hasn’t stopped people from positioning themselves just in case the President decides to.”

Another source added, “Two principal officers from the National Assembly and about four governors are involved, two each from the North-East and North-West. I know of a few, including one within the VP’s circle.”


Northern govs eyeing VP’s seat

Sunday PUNCH gathered that the governors of Yobe, Gombe, Kaduna, and Katsina, Mai Mala Buni, Muhammadu Yahaya, Senator Uba Sani, and Dikko Radda, respectively, are being considered as potential replacements for Shettima.

Sources also listed the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass, and Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, as possible contenders.

“It’s usually governors who want that position. There’s the governor of Yobe, Gombe, Kaduna, and Katsina. The Katsina governor’s interest is no secret.

“There are also signs that the Speaker and Deputy Senate President are eyeing it. They represent different political blocs,” a source said.

Another claimed that a “confidence vacuum” may be working against Shettima.

“He has unfettered access to the President. That’s true. He meets with the President often.

“But somehow, he hasn’t earned the President’s confidence. He hasn’t demonstrated leadership or taken initiative. He mostly operates under instructions and has not shown independent capacity,” the top party official said.


Govs, Jibrin deny interest

However, the Director-General of Press Affairs, Gombe Government House, Ismaila Misilli, dismissed claims that Governor Yahaya is eyeing the VP slot.

Speaking to Sunday PUNCH, he said, “The governor is 100 per cent with Tinubu and is not pursuing the vice-presidential slot. The position of Vice President isn’t one you campaign for.

“The governor’s priority is to deliver for Tinubu in 2027 and complete his own second term successfully. If some people believe he is capable of being vice president, that’s another matter.”

Similarly, the Chief Press Secretary to the Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Mohammed, denied that his principal was angling for the VP’s position, calling it “mere political permutations.”

He said, “My principal has just completed two years in office and has two more to go. He has an agenda for Katsina State and is implementing it effectively. I believe all these are just political permutations.”

Similarly, a close associate of Jibrin also dismissed the report that the Deputy Senate President was being positioned to replace Shettima in 2027.

The associate, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the claims were a distraction from the lawmaker’s legislative duties.

“There’s no truth in any of it. Senator Barau is focused on his job as Deputy Senate President and on representing the people of Kano North Central. He’s not chasing rumours or backroom politics. He’s committed to the mandate he was elected for.”


APC NWC, NEC members divided

Insiders in the APC told Sunday PUNCH that discussions about Shettima’s return had divided members of the National Working Committee and the National Executive Committee of the party.

However, the national leadership of the APC is said to be trying to manage the matter to avoid creating a crisis for the party in the North-East.

A principal officer of the party, who was contacted to speak on the matter, said, “It is a sensitive matter, I cannot comment on that; I am sorry.”

But another senior party official told one of our correspondents that the speculation about dropping Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate had “elements of some truths.”

The insider also confirmed that some governors were actively lobbying for the position, with backing from some party members.

He stated, “The move to replace Shettima with another running mate for President Tinubu in the 2027 election is real. Some party leaders are working tirelessly to persuade the President to drop the vice president and choose either a governor from the North-East or another from the North-West.

“This has sparked a cold war among party leaders. It is ‘cold’ because only the President has the constitutional right to select his running mate.

“So, it’s not exactly a crisis, but rather high-level political manoeuvring. At the moment, various key stakeholders in the party, particularly members of the NEC and NWC, are discreetly supporting different candidates. While they may not admit it publicly, that’s the reality, and in my opinion, it’s a normal part of party politics.”

Another source described the situation as a routine political development, emphasising that it was all about differing interests.

“Some party leaders are insisting that Shettima should remain President Tinubu’s running mate in 2027, while a few others prefer someone else. That is very normal and expected.

“Ultimately, it is the President, as the party’s 2027 candidate, who will make that decision. So, they are merely trying their luck by attempting to influence his choice,” he added.

Attempts to get a response from the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, were unsuccessful.

However, the party’s Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Duru, maintained that there was no confusion in the party regarding the 2027 presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

In an interview with our correspondent, he said, “APC is calm and cool. The party is focused at this time primarily on two things: governance and providing the dividends of democracy to Nigerians, and addressing what matters to the people of the country.

“Our candidates have the first right of refusal as our candidates in upcoming elections. It is the President who will decide his running mate. He made that choice previously in a very well-informed and deliberate manner, and it was on the strength of that, among other factors, that we won the 2023 election. That’s how democracy functions.”


We will retain the VP slot – North-East APC

However, the Zonal Chairman of the APC in the North-East, Salihu, said the zone would retain the VP slot as it was not ready to relinquish it to another zone.

Some stakeholders in the North-Central have, for almost a year, been asking Tinubu to pick his deputy from the zone in 2027 if he wants their support.

But Salihu said the North-East was ready to do everything to retain the vice-presidential slot.

In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Salihu said, “Emphatically and categorically, we will not relinquish the VP slot to another zone. This is a federation. Every region has the right to aspire, to look for what they think is theirs. But we believe we are right and should be the rightful beneficiary of that (VP) slot.

“We are going to hold on to it and do everything to retain this seat through political consensus. Even with the North-Central, we are going to sit with them and show them the reason they should allow and support us in keeping the VP.”

Salihu explained that there was no ill intention in not mentioning Shettima’s name when he declared the adoption of Tinubu for a second term at the meeting.

He said he was merely carrying out the resolution of the NWC.

“Nobody comes into a primary election with a running mate. They come individually. After securing the ticket, the candidate then picks his running mate. So, in line with that, the National Working Committee at the summit in Abuja passed the resolution to adopt Tinubu as our sole candidate.

“As North-East Zone Chairman, and also a member of the NWC, I only reaffirmed and adopted the endorsement earlier made by the NWC. So, there’s no harm intended.”


‘Tinubu must not drop Shettima’

Meanwhile, a member of the House of Representatives has cautioned President Tinubu to think carefully before making up his mind on whether to stick or part ways with Shettima.

The federal lawmaker declared that without the political reach of the VP, the President couldn’t have won the 2023 election after securing the flag of the APC at an elective convention in Abuja.

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH in confidence, the lawmaker, who hails from the northern part of the country, credited Shettima for the support Tinubu got in that part of the country two years ago.

He said, “If he (Tinubu) retains Shettima, he will reduce internal rancour and sabotage in the north. If he drops him, he will widen the scope of his challenges.

“Without Shettima, the President couldn’t have won the election in 2023. We know the key roles played by Shettima and other northern stakeholders. He built bridges across parties and leveraged them to get the required percentages for the APC presidential ticket.

“Shettima used members of the opposition in so many instances and places to secretly work against their parties’ interests in their states.”

Regardless of who the President runs with, the lawmaker warned that he would not find it easier “this time around.”

By Mikal Attah


Farmers in Augie Local Government Area of Kebbi State have reportedly received threats from terrorists believed to be members of the Lakurawa group, warning them against replacing traditional cattle-driven farming methods with mechanised equipment.

According to reports by security analyst Zagazola Makama, the terrorists warned that anyone found using mechanised tools in place of cattle for farming would be executed. The warning has triggered fear and panic among residents of affected communities, many of whom had begun shifting to modern farming techniques in response to ongoing cattle rustling in the region.

“Now, the terrorists are dictating how we should farm,” a local source was quoted as saying. “They forbid us from using machines. When we use cattle, they seize them. We’re farming both for sustenance and commercial purposes.”

An intelligence source also reportedly confirmed that the threats were genuine and circulated among several villages in Augie LGA. Community members are now calling for urgent intervention from the Nigerian military and government.

The area has suffered repeated attacks and widespread cattle rustling, allegedly by the same group. In April, at least 13 vigilantes were killed in Morai village, also in Augie LGA, after suspected Lakurawa gunmen ambushed them during a failed attempt to recover stolen livestock.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Kebbi State, Nafiu Abubakar, said he would investigate the development.

The Nigerian Correctional Service has started investigation into the circumstances surrounding the movement of a robbery convict, Haruna Ayo, to a passport office in Lagos for processing of travel documents.

Saturday PUNCH exclusively gathered that the incident happened on Wednesday, May 19, 2025, when warders from the Kirikiri Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Apapa, moved the inmate to the Nigeria Immigration Service passport office at FESTAC Town under suspicious circumstances.

According to a credible source, Ayo was convicted for armed robbery and sentenced to life imprisonment, which was later reduced to 21 years on appeal and further reviewed downward after some consideration. He was due for release on October 11, 2025.

Our correspondent learnt that the inmate was among five convicts selected to do a menial job at the residence of the officer in charge of the custodial centre on the day of the incident.

During the outing, an orderly, who claimed to be acting on the instruction of another superior officer, told the supervising officer to release Ayo to him.

Our source disclosed that the inmate was subsequently transported to the passport office.

“However, while waiting to be attended to, the warder escorting him became impatient and said, ‘I need to take him back to the cell’.

“This raised suspicion among immigration officers, who then detained both the inmate and the warder and alerted their superiors,” the source added.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the NIS escalated the matter to the Lagos headquarters of the NCS, Alagbon.

Two officers were reportedly suspended over the incident.

The source identified one of the affected officers as one Femi.

“I think the real culprits are not being punished. It’s a system and many people are involved,” the source said.

Another source explained that the convict had been using medical pretences to process the passport and visa.

She said, “What happened was that this particular inmate, a convict, claimed he had a health problem, which necessitated his visit to a hospital in that neighbourhood. However, during the process, he started processing his passport and visa documents by proxy.

“The whole thing started last year and he seemed to be progressing with the passport and visa applications until the correctional service started probing the Bobrisky case (Idris Okuneye). The convict’s case was not known that time. Apparently, he was among those enjoying special treatments in the maximum prison.

“After the suspension of top officers, things changed as new officers took over. Security was tightened and people who enjoyed certain privileges had those things withdrawn.

“This particular convict then started protesting and threatening blackmail. His conduct led to investigations. A search was conducted and it was discovered he had been processing the travel documents. It is suspected that the hospital where he claimed to be receiving treatment was also involved in the compromise. The prison authorities discovered that three medical evaluations had already cleared him that he was medically fit. Whereas he was using that to do all manner of things.”

Another source said the matter was causing a serious storm at the custodial centre.

“The question remains, how will a convict be processing passport and visa? Was he planning to escape? It’s a big mess,” the source said.

This latest revelation adds to the long list of corrupt practices in the country’s correctional service.

In the past, some warders were accused of extorting money from inmates, selling donated items and giving VIP treatments in exchange for bribes.

In 2024, the correctional service was embroiled in a mess after the Baale of Kirikiri, Babalola Shabi, accused prison officials of collecting N35m to give Bobrisky special treatment during his sentence.

A leaked voice note also purported the cross-dresser paid huge sums of money to get special apartment at the prison, which led to the suspension of some senior officers.

Similarly in 2024, officers at the Afikpo Custodial Centre, Ebonyi State, allegedly smuggled an inmate, Ibuchi Eze, out of prison for a private visit to his girlfriend.

The NSC confirmed the latest incident, adding that investigation was ongoing.

The Service National Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Umar, also confirmed the suspension of an officer.

“The staff member suspected to have committed the act has been suspended, and investigation is ongoing. The suspension is necessary to ensure a smooth process,” Umar stated.

“The Comptroller-General does not take issues of indiscipline or sabotage lightly. This administration, under President Bola Tinubu, places high priority on the welfare of correctional officers, and the CG has made it clear that outstanding performance will be rewarded. However, any officer found engaging in illegal activities will be shown the way out; they are not worthy of wearing the uniform,” he added.

Umar noted that further updates would be made public at the conclusion of the investigation.


Experts decry sleaze

Speaking on the matter, legal experts wondered how a serving inmate could reach the passport application stage without detection or red flags.

They also raised concerns on why inmates were still being used for domestic work in private residences of top officials.

Reacting to the incident, a legal practitioner, Tolu Babaleye, described the development as a disgrace to the correctional service system.

“When somebody is in a correctional centre, they are not supposed to go outside the four walls of the facility. The whole idea is for the inmate to reflect, show remorse, and reform. But when that process is undermined and inmates are taken out for pleasure or personal errands, justice is subverted and the essence of the sentence is defeated.

“In some cases, convicted robbers are taken out to commit more crimes, then return to prison to share the proceeds with warders. It’s disgusting. This speaks volumes about the level of decay in the system,” he added.

Similarly, a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, said, “The essence of incarceration is the restriction of liberty. An inmate cannot be taken out of custody unless by a court order, for judicial proceedings, or if sentenced to community service. Anything outside this is illegal.”

Effiong warned that allowing inmates to leave the facility for personal activities, including sexual engagements, was a direct violation of the law.

“The Correctional Service must hold all officers involved accountable and put mechanisms in place to prevent a recurrence,” he urged.

A former Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr Monday Ubani (SAN), also expressed dismay at the incident.

“It reflects a dangerous level of laxity within the correctional service. Inmates should not leave custody unless there is a valid court order or legitimate assignment. Anything contrary is a subversion of the justice system,” he said.

Ubani stressed the need for strict discipline within the Correctional Service.

“If a convicted criminal escapes while being moved illegally, it undermines the entire justice system. The leadership of the correctional service must enforce internal discipline and restore the integrity of the institution. Allowing convicted persons to roam freely reflects poorly on the Ministry of Interior and should not be tolerated,” he said.

Barely two and a half months after Rivers State Sole Administrator, Admiral Ibas Ibok-Ete (Rtd), appointed local government administrators, one of them has resigned.

The administrator of Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, Goodluck Ihemnacho, tendered his resignation letter, citing the need to return to the private sector.

The resignation was contained in a letter dated June 20, 2025, addressed to the state sole administrator.

"I humbly write to your noble office to convey to you my resignation as the administrator, Ahoada East LGA.

“My sincere gratitude goes to the government of Rivers State and the good people of Ahoada East for finding me worthy to serve as Ahaoda East LGA from 11th day of April 2025 to 20th day of July 2025.”

In April, SaharaReporters reported that the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), approved the appointment of administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state — less than 24 hours after a Federal High Court reportedly restrained him from doing so.

The appointments, along with the reconstitution of previously suspended boards of agencies, commissions, and parastatals, were announced in a Special Government Announcement issued Wednesday morning by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Ibibia Worika.

“His Excellency The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, has approved the appointments of administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State,” the statement had read.

“He has also approved the reconstitution of some boards of agencies, commissions, and parastatals, earlier suspended. All appointments take effect from Monday, the 7th of April 2025.”

by Beloved John


The war between Israel and Iran entered the eighth day on Friday, amidst planned talks between Iran’s foreign minister and the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the UK over Iran’s nuclear programme and the possibility of ending the war.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has already arrived in Geneva for the talks, which is considered the first real diplomatic push to end the week-long war.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he believes “a window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution” after meeting senior US officials on Thursday, Al Jazeera reports.

This is also the first substantial European involvement in the conflict since Israel launched its surprise attacks last week.

Europe has been divided in its stance on Israel’s attack on Iran.

While Germany welcomed the development and declared support for Israel, France has warned against an escalation that could destabilise the entire region.

Europe has played a major role in the Iranian nuclear challenges and in producing the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, which limited Iran’s nuclear activities, reducing its stockpile of enriched uranium in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.

But President Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement in 2018, and Iran resumed uranium enrichment activities.


Israel accuses Iran of war crimes

As the war escalates, Iran shot a barrage of missiles into Israel on Thursday and hit a hospital in Beersheba, a town in the southern part of the country.

Israel decried the attack and accused Iran of “war crimes.”

While Iran claimed it targeted a military site near Soroka Hospital and not the hospital itself, Israel’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister insisted that the strike was deliberate and criminal.

In a post on X, Sharren Haskel stated that the hospital serves as the main medical centre for the entire Negev region.

She also wrote that, “Iran is targeting Israeli children. Missiles rain down on towns and cities where kids should be playing, learning and sleeping safely in their beds.

“This is terror aimed at the most innocent from the genocidal maniacs in Tehran. The world must not stay silent.”

The country also disclosed that about 24 people have been killed and 271 people were injured in the strikes reported across the country.

Iranian state media last updated the death toll on June 15, reporting that 224 people had been killed.

However, the Human Rights Activists News Agency(HRANA), a Washington-based organisation that has been monitoring Iran for years, has reported that about 639 people have been killed in the country since Friday.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the conflict began on 13 June, when Israel carried out strikes on Iran, resulting in the deaths of several high-ranking generals and atomic scientists.

Iran, in response, fired dozens of retaliatory missiles and drones into Israel hours later.

Both parties have repeatedly vowed to intensify attacks on each other over the past week. Last Friday, Israel stated that the conflict is likely to last for weeks and not days.


US to decide involvement in two weeks

Meanwhile, the White House has disclosed that Mr Trump is expected to decide within the next two weeks whether the US will become involved in the Israel-Iran conflict.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that President Trump believes there is a strong possibility for negotiations, though it remains uncertain whether talks with Iran will happen any time soon.

“I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks. That’s a quote directly from President Trump,” she said.

She also added that, “The president is always interested in a diplomatic solution … he is a peacemaker in chief. He is the peace through strength president. And so if there’s a chance for diplomacy, the president’s always going to grab it. But he’s not afraid to use strength as well.”

The US had earlier tried to distance itself from the attack against Iran.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had declared that the US was not involved in the strikes shortly after Israel’s strikes hit Iran last Thursday.

He described the strikes as a “unilateral action” against Iran, and warned against an attack on “American forces and interests.”

Iran has not attacked US facilities or personnel since the war with Israel started.

by Press Release


The High Court has ruled that Shell plc and its former Nigerian subsidiary can be held legally responsible for legacy, or historic, oil pollution which has devastated the environments of two communities in Nigeria. The judgement means that Shell, and its former Nigerian subsidiary, can be held liable for oil spills and leaks going back many years.

Years of chronic oil spills have left the Bille and Ogale communities, which have a combined population of 50,000, without clean water, unable to farm and fish and with serious ongoing risk to public health. Shell tried to prevent these claims from getting to trial with a range of technical, legal arguments that have now been firmly rejected by the Court.

After a four-week High Court preliminary issues trial from 13 February to Friday 7 March 2025, Mrs Justice May ruled on Friday 20 June 2025 that Shell’s attempts to restrict the scope of the upcoming full trial, to be held in 2027, had failed. She made several findings that are important for environmental claims generally.


Claims for legacy pollution

Shell had argued that there was a strict five-year limitation period and that the communities were barred from claiming in relation to any oil spills that took place more than five years ago, even if they had not cleaned up the pollution. The judge rejected this and left it open to the communities to claim for oil spills which occurred more than five years ago, including if Shell has failed to clean them up properly.

The judge found that a failure to clean up could be an ongoing breach of Shell’s legal obligation to clean up and could create a fresh right to make a legal claim for every day that the pollution remained. The judge also considered that an oil spill could be a trespass and, where that was the case, “a new cause of action will arise each day that oil remains on a claimant’s land”.

This is a very significant development in these claims and more broadly for legacy environmental pollution caused by multinational corporations around the world. The legal position following the UK Supreme Court case of Jalla v Shell International Trading and Shipping Vo Ltd [2024] AC 595 appeared to be that corporations could not be held liable for legacy pollution if the claimants failed to file their claim within the relevant limitation period. However, the Judge distinguished this claim from Jalla and made it clear that the claimants are not prevented from bringing claims if a polluter has left contamination on their land, even if a spill happened many years ago.


Illegal bunkering and refining

During the preliminary issues trial Shell sought to blame much of the pollution in the Niger Delta on illegal activities such as oil theft (known as ‘bunkering’) or local artisanal refining of oil. The communities’ lawyers, Leigh Day, argued that Shell had repeatedly failed to take basic steps to stop the bunkering and resulting illegal refining and oil pollution, from taking place.

Shell argued that it could never be liable for pollution arising from bunkering or illegal refining. The judge rejected Shell’s arguments and found that Shell could be liable for damage from bunkering or illegal refining if it failed to protect its infrastructure, and particularly if there is evidence that its own staff have been complicit in the illegal activities.

The two communities allege that there is clear evidence that Shell’s employees and contractors are themselves complicit in illegal bunkering which causes devastating pollution in the Niger Delta and this will be a central issue in the trial which is due to take place in 2027. The communities are currently preparing to cite substantial evidence to support their allegations of complicity.


Liability of Shell plc

· Shell argued at the preliminary issues trial that the Nigerian legal framework prevented claims against its parent company, Shell plc, for oil spills from pipelines. The judge rejected this argument and concluded that Shell plc can still be liable for these spills.

This means that the claims against Shell plc will proceed to trial and there will be scrutiny of Shell plc’s involvement in its Nigerian operation over many years, which resulted in chronic pollution to the Bille and Ogale communities. The decision, together with the Supreme Court’s decision in Okpabi v Shell plc, also opens the door for Nigerian communities to pursue claims against Shell plc in the Nigerian courts, should they choose to do so.


Nigerian Constitution

· The communities also argued that Shell’s pollution breached their constitutional rights under the Nigerian constitution and African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The Judge found that oil pollution can engage the right to life under the Nigerian Constitution, finding that “knowledge about the impact of environmental harm has moved on such that there is now a greater readiness to see polluting activities as capable of engaging the right to life” (para 326).

The Judge noted that the “direction of travel” of the Nigerian Supreme Court was to recognise the relevance of fundamental human rights in cases of pollution. However, she did not allow the constitutional claims to proceed against Shell since as an English judge she felt that such a legal development about the interpretation of the Nigerian Constitution should be left to the Nigerian courts.

· The onus is now therefore on the Nigerian courts to clarify this point about whether an oil company such as Shell can be liable for breaches of fundamental constitutional rights arising from serious pollution.


Next steps

The trial is a significant moment in the legal claim by the Bille and Ogale communities, who have been fighting UK-based Shell plc and oil company Renaissance, formerly Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd, for a clean-up and compensation since 2015. Neither community has had a proper clean up despite the ongoing serious risk to public health documented by the United National Environment Programme in 2011.

The Bille and Ogale communities were represented in the trial by Leigh Day international team partners Daniel Leader and Matthew Renshaw who instructed Fountain Court’s Anneliese Day KC, Matrix’s Phillippa Kaufmann KC, Anirudh Mathur and Catherine Arnold, 2 Temple Gardens’ Alistair McKenzie and Blackstone Chambers George Molyneaux.

Reacting to the High Court judgement, the leader of the Ogale community, King Bebe Okpabi said:

“It has been 10 years now since we started this case, we hope that now Shell will stop these shenanigans and sit down with us to sort this out. People in Ogale are dying; Shell need to bring a remedy. We thank the judicial system of the UK for this judgment.”

Leigh Day international department partner, Matthew Renshaw said:

“Shell’s attempts to knock out or restrict these claims through a preliminary trial of Nigerian law issues have been comprehensively rebuffed. This outcome opens the door to Shell being held responsible for their legacy pollution as well as their negligence in failing to take reasonable steps to prevent pollution from oil theft or local refining. This sets an important new legal precedent in environmental claims against multinational corporations.

The trial against Shell and its former Nigerian subsidiary, including in relation to the complicity of their staff in illegal activities that caused pollution, will now take place in early 2027. Our clients reiterate, as they have repeatedly for 10 years, that they simply want Shell to clean up their pollution and compensate them for their loss of livelihood. It is high time that Shell stop their legal filibuster and do the right thing.”

Nigeria to begin export of locally made military equipment - Minister

Africa’s top military powers for 2025 have been unveiled, with Egypt maintaining its dominance, while Nigeria climbs to the third position in the latest Global Firepower Index.

The annual ranking, released by Global Firepower and cited by Business Insider Africa, assesses military strength using over 60 indicators including troop size, defence budget, equipment capabilities, and geographical positioning.

Egypt retains its title as Africa’s strongest military force, despite dropping slightly on the global scale from 15th to 19th.

Algeria follows closely as second in Africa and 26th globally. Nigeria, now ranked third in Africa and 31st globally, has made one of the most notable jumps—up from 4th place on the continent and 39th worldwide last year.

The updated list reflects shifting regional dynamics, with Nigeria’s improved ranking attributed to increased investment in defence, counter-terrorism efforts, and expanding military partnerships.

Africa’s Top 10 Military Powers in 2025:

1. Egypt– Global Rank: 19th | PowerIndex Score: 0.34

2. Algeria –Global Rank: 26th | PowerIndex Score: 0.35

3. Nigeria – Global Rank: 31st | PowerIndex Score: 0.57

4. South Africa – Global Rank: 40th | PowerIndex Score: 0.68

5. Ethiopia – Global Rank: 52nd | PowerIndex Score: 0.93

6. Angola– Global Rank: 56th | PowerIndex Score: 1.09

7. Morocco – Global Rank: 59th | PowerIndex Score:* 1.12

8. Democratic Republic of Congo – Global Rank: 66th | PowerIndex Score: 1.30

9. Libya -Global Rank: 76th | PowerIndex Score: 1.44

10. Sudan – Global Rank: 73rd | PowerIndex Score: 1.47

Experts say the rankings show both strategic advancement and regional instability. Countries like Nigeria and Algeria have focused heavily on modernising equipment and enhancing internal security amid growing threats from insurgent groups. Meanwhile, South Africa, previously ranked 3rd in Africa, has slipped to 4th, reflecting ongoing budgetary and logistical constraints.

Ethiopia, Angola, and Morocco round out the top five, each maintaining robust ground forces, although they trail behind in aerial and naval capabilities compared to North African giants.

The index also sheds light on the continent’s widening military gap with major global powers, despite signs of progress. Africa’s top militaries remain significantly behind global leaders in terms of advanced technology, power projection, and defence industry output.

Nonetheless, the rankings indicate a steady build-up of conventional military capabilities in Africa, with several countries now playing prominent roles in regional peacekeeping and anti-terror operations.

The Global Firepower Index remains one of the most comprehensive annual assessments of military strength worldwide, tracking over 145 countries.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration is set to build a new headquarters for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The new facility is to be situated in the Maitama district of the nation’s capital.

Lere Olayinka, senior special assistant on public communications to Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), told TheCable on Saturday that President Bola Tinubu will flag off the construction of the new INEC headquarters next week.

In May, Wike said Tinubu would inaugurate completed projects and flag off the construction of new ones in the FCT to mark his second anniversary in office.

The projects being executed by the FCTA include the newly renovated Abuja International Conference Centre (AICC), bus terminals in Kugbo and Mabushi, and the Apo-Wassa Road.

Other projects are the N16 interchange and roads connecting Maitama through Katampe to Jahi; the inner northern expressway from Ring Road 3 (Idu to Kubwa road), CN8 from N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) to the court of appeal, the N20 flyover on onnex Kubwa road; and the Life Camp junction to Ring Road III.

They also include the Kabusa-Takushara Access road, Kabusa-Ketti Access Road, an access road in Giri District, a 15km road from A2 Junction Abuja-Lokoja Road to Pai in Kwali Area Council, and roads in Ushafa, War College, and the army checkpoint in Bwari area council.

by Kabir Yusuf


Abigail Katung, the wife of Nigerian senator Sunday Katung, said she has appealed a High Court judgement granting forfeiture of her house to the UK National Crime Agency (NCA).

PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported how the NCA, the UK’s law enforcement agency responsible for tackling organised crime and drug trafficking, won a High Court battle with Mrs Katung over the rights to the house located at Sandmoor Drive in Alwoodley, Leeds.

The NCA accepted title to the house in 2020, as part of a £10 million civil recovery agreement with a businessman suspected of money laundering offences.

Mrs Katung filed an interest claim in the house because she had entered into an agreement with the previous owner to purchase the house in 2015. She paid him £400,000 of the contracted £1,000,000 purchase price.

Court documents revealed that the majority of funds used for Mrs Katung’s deposit were transferred from Nigeria to the UK via the Bureau De Change operation she described as a “parallel” or “black” market.

In his ruling, Justice Jay of the UK High Court noted there were “telling omissions” from her evidence, and the court was “not satisfied that she was a particularly reliable witness”.

Mrs Katung did not provide an “adequate, documented explanation” of the transaction. Therefore, the judge ruled that she was “conducting a business in foreign exchange transactions to circumvent Nigerian foreign exchange regulations and/or to avoid a punitive exchange rate.”

The High Court also ruled that Mrs Katung had no legitimate interest or right to the property, which will be vested in and transferred to the NCA.

The judge said, “No credit falls to be given for the value of the deposit payments made by Mrs Katung.”

The NCA will be entitled to damages for Mrs Katung’s use and occupation of the house since 2020, as well as to its costs.

Reacting to the judgement, the Punch newspaper reported Mrs Katung as saying, “The house has not been seized yet as there’s now an appeal lodged in the court. There is no point in disguising my upset at the terms of the judgment. I need to make two things clear.

“First, I intend to appeal on both the facts and the law. Particularly, the judgment reflects neither my consistent account nor the documentation I provided. Because it is plainly not appropriate for me to comment on the details of the appeal, which will be considered by a higher court in due course, that is all I can sensibly say for now.”

Mrs Katung added that she had made “full disclosure” of the ruling to the Leeds City Council prior to it becoming public knowledge, adding: “Whilst this is dreadfully upsetting to me and my family, I have not sought to hide away,” Mrs Katung said.

Meanwhile, Head of Asset Denial at the NCA, Rob Burgess, said the NCA uses both civil and criminal powers to investigate the provenance of assets in the UK believed to have been acquired using the proceeds of crime.

“The court’s finding here will allow us to fully recover a property we accepted title to in 2020, ensuring that a substantial sum can be returned to the public purse.”

Mrs Katung became Leeds’ first lord mayor of African descent when she took over the ceremonial role for a 12-month term in May 2024.

She has lived in the city since she came to the UK to study at the University of Leeds in 2000 and has represented the Little London and Woodhouse ward since being elected in 2019.

A spokesperson for the Labour Party told BBC that an internal investigation into Mrs Katung was taking place.

We are currently examining the High Court judgement and are unable to comment further at this time,” a Leeds City Council spokesperson told the BBC.

On Wednesday, Mr Katung defended his family against any wrongdoing.

A statement signed by the senator’s spokesperson, Midat Joseph, said, “For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Sunday Marshall Katung and his Wife, Abigail Katung have always conducted their affairs lawfully and transparently, and will pursue all necessary legal action to correct this defamatory narrative.”

By : Joke Falaju,


https://cdn.guardian.ng/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/WhatsApp-Image-2025-06-14-at-13.22.04_676e4fd9-256x400.jpg

11 year old Kuku Hamidah Anjolaoluwa earned recognition as the youngest female horse rider as she rode her way into the hearts of thousands at the Ojude Oba 2025 grand cultural parade.

Representing the prestigious Kuku Royal Family, Hamidah made a stunning return for her second official appearance at the annual celebration, and this year, she delivered a performance that wowed the crowd and drew admiration from all corners of the festival ground.

Hamidah began horse riding at the tender age of 6, trained diligently by her father, a seasoned horseman and cultural custodian who saw not just potential in his daughter but purpose. She had appeared alongside him for years, quietly learning the ropes and earning respect behind the scenes. But it was in 2024 that everything changed.

That year, Hamidah stepped into the spotlight solo, commanding attention with a rare blend of poise, confidence, and elegance that stunned even the elders. Her performance instantly made her a standout — and the youngest female rider to ever shine in the historic parade.

“Ojude Oba is more than a festival to me. “It’s a celebration of our heritage and unity,” Hamidah shared. “Riding symbolises strength and courage. It reminds me that being a young woman doesn’t limit me — I ride to represent tradition and progress.”

In a heartwarming twist, her 2025 appearance came with extra meaning: Hamidah was joined by her 6-year-old younger brother, marking his debut ride and adding another layer of legacy and family pride to the moment.

“Before the festival, I remind myself who I am, who I represent, and why I ride,” she said.

Her father, proud and emotional, added, “This isn’t just about riding horses. It’s about raising children who understand the richness of where they come from and are proud to represent it.”

The crowd’s reaction said it all – cheers, applause, and phones lifted in the air capturing the moment a young girl, trained by her father, rode with the spirit of royalty and inspired a new generation.

Kuku Hamidah’s story is more than just a festival highlight. It’s a powerful reminder that the future of tradition is already in motion — galloping forward with pride, purpose, and possibility.

by Samuel Akpan


On Thursday, President Bola Tinubu conferred national honours on 66 Nigerians in recognition of their service to the nation.

Among the recipients announced by the president, as he addressed a joint session of the senate and house of representatives, was Labaran Maku, a former minister of information.

Maku was conferred with the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) — 11 years after he received a higher award of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).

In 2014, under former President Goodluck Jonathan, Maku was conferred with CON, which ranks above OON in the national honours pecking order.

The CON is typically reserved for senior public servants, ministers, governors, and other high-ranking figures, while the OON is a tier below.

The CON ranks above the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), which itself precedes the OON.

Over 48 hours later, the presidency is yet to comment on the apparent downgrade in Maku’s national honour.

The presidency also wrongly included Reuben Fasoranti and Edwin Madunagu among the posthumous awardees of national honours — but later apologised for the error.

In the past, speakers of the house of representatives were typically honoured with the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), which ranks just below the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).

However, in October 2024, the house of representatives rejected the CFR honour proposed for Tajudeen Abbas, its speaker, after the federal government announced plans that Tinubu would confer it on him.

On Thursday, bowing to pressure from the house, Tinubu upgraded the recognition and decorated Abbas and Senate President Godswill Akpabio with the GCON — the second-highest national honour.


WHO IS MAKU?

Maku served as minister of information between 2010 and 2014, first under ex-President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and later under Goodluck Jonathan.

In 2015, Maku defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) after losing the PDP ticket for the Nasarawa governorship poll.

He ran for governor on the APGA platform in 2015 and 2019 but lost both elections.

by Samuel Akpan


Since May 29, 2023, when President Bola Tinubu stepped into office, his name has been etched onto at least seven public facilities.

From a bustling highway to a humming airport and barracks, Tinubu’s name is being woven into the fabric of the nation’s public space.

This wave of renamings has sparked debate over the symbolism and intent behind the decisions.

In January, the Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD), a public procurement advocacy group, faulted the naming of public institutions after a sitting president.

NEFGAD described the act as “extreme sycophancy, unethical, and questionable practice”.

Here are seven notable places that have been plastered with the president’s name two years after he came into office.


BOLA AHMED TINUBU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,  MINNA

On March 10, 2024, Umar Bago, governor of Niger, renamed the Abubakar Imam International Airport in Minna, the state capital, after Tinubu.

The state government attributed the change to the president’s support for Niger state.

The federal government had, in 2023, directed the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to rename 15 federal airports after notable Nigerians, including former president Muhammadu Buhari.

In 2023, Minna airport was named after Abubakar Imam, a Nigerian writer and journalist from Niger state, who pioneered the first Hausa-language newspaper in northern Nigeria. Less than a year after, the airport was renamed after Tinubu.


BOLA AHMED TINUBU WAY, ABUJA

On May 28, 2024, Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), named the Abuja Southern Parkway after Tinubu, following its completion.

The road stretches from the Christian Centre to Ring Road One and is considered one of the city’s major spines, complementing the northern parkway, the major arterial known as Sani Abacha road that runs across Mabushi and terminates at Life Camp.


BOLA TINUBU BUILDING, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

On May 29, 2024, the national assembly management named its library after Tinubu.

The construction of the library started during the 9th assembly under the chairmanship of Ahmed Lawan, then-senate president and Femi Gbajabiamila, former speaker of the house of representatives.

The library was almost at the completion stage before the 9th assembly ended its tenure in June 2023.

It was completed by the 10th assembly and inaugurated by Tinubu after it was renamed after him.


BOLA AHMED TINUBU TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION COMPLEX (BATTIC)

On December 10, 2024, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) christened its command and control centre as Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Complex (BATTIC).

“BATTIC is more than just a building. It is a leap forward, a bold step in modernising our immigration infrastructure, and a powerful tool in our ongoing efforts to safeguard the nation’s borders, manage migration effectively, and enhance national security,” Kemi Nanna Nandap, NIS comptroller-general, said while renaming the facility.


BOLA AHMED TINUBU POLYTECHNIC, GWARINPA

On January 16, 2025, the federal government approved the establishment of Bola Ahmed Tinubu Polytechnic, Gwarinpa, Abuja.

The federal government said the polytechnic will promote technological, vocational and entrepreneurial training in line with the national policy on education.


BOLA AHMED TINUBU BARRACKS, ASOKORO

On January 23, 2025, a newly built army barracks in Asokoro, Abuja, was named after Tinubu.

The barracks comprises 16 major-general quarters, 34 brigadier-general quarters, 60 major-colonel flats and 60 lieutenant-captain flats.

It also includes 180 senior non-commissioned officer flats, 264 flats for personnel on the rank of corporal and below, worship centres, sports facilities and a powerhouse.

Olufemi Oluyede, chief of army staff (COAS), said the barracks was named after Tinubu to “give honour to whom honour is due”.


TINUBU INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, ABUJA

On June 10, 2025, Wike renamed the renovated Abuja International Conference Centre (AICC) after Tinubu.

Constructed in 1991 during the Ibrahim Babangida regime, the AICC has been a key venue for official government events, global conferences, trade exhibitions, and corporate gatherings.

The minister also named halls within the AICC after Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, and Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN).

The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed that it has launched an investigation into the assault of a female student at the Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa, following a viral video showing a group of female students physically attacking their colleague over allegations of boyfriend snatching.

In the footage widely circulated on social media on Wednesday, the victim was seen being flogged with long, thick canes by a group of girls, while others recorded the assault.

The attackers ignored pleas from bystanders and continued the beating, leaving the victim with visible injuries on her back and head. One of the assailants, identified only as Lolade, dismissed calls to stop, stating the assault was deliberate and intended as a warning.

In the video, the students also claimed their actions were sanctioned by their mothers and that they were not concerned about the consequences or any report made to school authorities or law enforcement.

Following public outrage, the Ogun State Police Command confirmed via its official X (formerly Twitter) account that the matter is under active investigation. The command stated that the Divisional Police Officer of Igbesa has taken charge of the case.

“The Ogun State Police Command is on top of the situation, and the DPO Igbesa has taken charge of the case,” the statement read.

The police have not yet confirmed the identities of all those involved in the assault or whether any arrests have been made. Efforts are ongoing to locate and question the individuals seen in the video, as well as to gather statements from witnesses and the victim.

Authorities assured the public that justice would be served and warned that acts of jungle justice and public assault would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

By Leadership News


Key petroleum products marketers in Nigeria have reportedly struck a deal with notable global gasoline suppliers to bring in products that are far more cheaper than what is presently available at retail outlets.

LEADERSHIP reports that the deal will lead to selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also called petrol at about N700 per litre.

An impeccable source close to the deal confirmed to our correspondent that the landing cost would be at about N650 per liter. Petrol retailer associations are jolted with the deal and are positioning their businesses to thrive with alternative sourcing of products.

National president of Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gillis-Harry, while speaking on alternative products sourcing said, marketers are keen to make procurement of products from the international market. He said, this has become a surviving situation for them as Dangote refinery price fluctuations have crumbled their business.

“We want predictive market information that allows marketers to plan and project investment. We are currently indebted to banks because we buy products and before it gets to our retail outlets the price has changed and we incur losses.

“So we want refineries to work and give us supply, then we import when their products are high and then depot owners will keep their depot open and marketers will have open market operations,” he said.

He warned that, if the situation is not well managed, queues will return. This, he said, is because most marketers cannot buy products after incurring losses.

“I have an allocation as of today but I cannot buy it because I don’t have the money. The ones procured from Dangote refinery is becoming bad business because we buy at a particular rate and suddenly before we exhaust the products the refinery would crash the price.

“We are gradually being forced out of the market, so we are engaging our foreign partners to bring products that are more affordable,” he said.

Gillis-Harry expressed fears of possible scarcity of diesel on the information that Aradel refinery is not producing at the moment. Aradel Holdings Plc operates an 11,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery at its Ogbele asset.

This refinery produces a variety of refined products including Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), Marine Diesel Oil (MDO), and Naphtha. Aradel also plans to expand into Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Premium Motor Spirit production.

The refinery’s capacity has been a key factor in Aradel’s growth, with increased refined volumes and a rise in revenue. In 2022, the refinery business accounted for 77 per cent of Aradel’s revenues, with a significant increase in refined volumes sold.

However, a source in Aradel denied the information saying, the refinery is producing within its nameplate of about 11,000 barrels a day.

Meanwhile, President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has reiterated his longstanding position that Africa’s continued dependence on imported goods is unsustainable and hinders economic sovereignty.

“As long as we continue importing what we can produce, we will remain underdeveloped,” Dangote said. “This refinery is proof that we can build for ourselves at scale, to global standards.”

Dangote, said this during a high-level visit to the state-of-the-art 650,000 barrels-per-day facility, by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray. He said the Refinery is fully equipped to meet the petroleum needs of Nigeria and the entire West African region, countering claims that the facility would not produce enough for local and regional demand.

“There have been many claims suggesting that we don’t even produce enough to meet Nigeria’s needs, so how could we possibly supply other West African countries? But now, they are here to see the reality for themselves and, more importantly, to encourage other nations to embark on similarly large-scale industrial projects,” he said.

Noting that Africa will benefit greatly by encouraging trade among its countries, especially, through value addition to the continent’s abundant resources, Dangote stressed how the refinery has helped Nigeria to bring down the cost of refined products and production costs across many sectors of the economy.

“Last year, when we began diesel production, we were able to reduce the price from N1,700 to N1,100 at a go, and as of today, the price has crashed further. This reduction has made a significant impact across various sectors. It has supported industries, benefited those of us in mining, and provided vital relief to the agricultural sector. The effect has been far-reaching,” he said.

He also noted that Nigerians are benefiting from local refining as the price of petrol has dropped significantly compared to neighbouring countries.

“In neighbouring countries, the average price of petrol is around $1 per litre, which is N1,600. But here at our refinery, we’re selling at between N815 and N820. Many Nigerians don’t realise that they are currently paying just 55 per cent of what others in the region are paying for petrol. We also have a much larger initiative in the pipeline, something we’ve not yet announced but Nigerians should know that this refinery is built for them, and they will enjoy the maximum benefit from it,” he said.

He emphasised that, this price reduction is a direct result of local refining, which continues to improve fuel affordability while enhancing energy security and reducing dependence on imports.

Touray declared the refinery a beacon of hope for Africa’s future, and a clear demonstration of what the private sector can achieve in the drive for regional industrialisation.

Off-grid and self-generated electricity in Lagos State has surpassed Nigeria’s entire grid-connected capacity, a new report by the Africa Finance Corporation has revealed, raising concerns over the growing energy access crisis in the country.

It also stated that if current trends persist, the number of Africans without electricity access could stay unchanged between now and 2030.

The report, titled ‘State of Africa’s Infrastructure Report 2025’, and obtained by our correspondent on Monday, noted that the continent is trapped in an energy bottleneck, with more Africans at risk of remaining without electricity by the end of the decade unless urgent action is taken.

The latest development, however, contradicts plans by the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and other partners to connect 300 million people to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. Both institutions have committed to spending $40bn to accelerate development and reduce poverty on the continent.

The programme aims to combine grid expansion, off-grid solutions, and policy reforms to bridge Africa’s growing energy divide.

But the AFC in its report said the goal may not be achieved, as a significant portion of power generation in Africa’s biggest economies, Nigeria and South Africa, now happens outside the national grids, through off-grid, embedded, and captive systems.

The report read, “A growing share of generation is now occurring outside the grid, through off-grid, embedded and captive power systems, particularly in Africa’s largest economies, Nigeria and South Africa.

“These developments reflect not only market innovation but also the continued inability of centralised systems to meet rising urban and industrial demand. In Nigeria, unreliable public supply has pushed millions of households and firms to rely on petrol and diesel generators.”

It asserted that in Lagos alone, off-grid capacity is estimated at more than 19 gigawatts, higher than the total national grid output, which struggles to deliver 4 to 5 gigawatts consistently.

“Recent spatial data studies by SEforALL suggest that off-grid generation capacity in Lagos State alone could exceed 19GW, surpassing Nigeria’s entire grid-connected generation capacity.

“Captive generation is especially widespread among industrial and commercial users, with large enterprises investing in dedicated diesel and gas-fired power plants. This reflects not only market innovation but also the continued inability of centralised systems to meet rising urban and industrial demand,” the report added.

Across Nigeria, erratic public supply has forced millions of homes and businesses to rely on small petrol and diesel generators. Among large industrial and commercial users, captive generation, where companies build their own diesel or gas power plants, has become widespread.

The AFC said the trend is not limited to Nigeria. In South Africa, a 2022 policy shift that removed licensing requirements for embedded power generation triggered a boom. By the end of 2023, registered capacity jumped from just 23 megawatts in 2019 to 4.5GW, driven mainly by private sector investment. In 2024 alone, over 1GW of private solar capacity was added.

Despite the scale of these developments, official statistics fail to capture the full extent. While solar rooftops attract global attention, thermal generation, which accounts for a large chunk of industrial self-generation, is often ignored.

Captive plants serving mines, cement factories, or industrial estates can range between 20MW and 200MW per site. The report warns that while the proliferation of off-grid power may appear like progress, it is a symptom of deeper systemic failure.

“Estimates from local industry groups suggest that more than 1GW of private solar capacity was added in 2024 alone. Despite their scale and significance, these trends remain poorly captured in official statistics. Global data often focuses on off-grid renewables, largely solar rooftops, while thermal generation, a large component of industrial self-generation, is rarely tracked.

“Yet thermal installations matter: captive plants serving mines, cement factories, or industrial parks can range from 20MW to 200MW or more per site, representing substantial capacity additions. Importantly, the rise of off-grid and captive power underscores a deeper systemic failure. Going off-grid is not always the low-cost solution, it is a last resort.

“A 2019 study by the Energy for Growth Hub found that, once reliability is factored in, self-generated power costs roughly twice as much as grid electricity in Nigeria and South Africa, and up to four times more in Ethiopia. These high costs erode industrial competitiveness and highlight the economic penalty of inadequate grid investment,” it stated.

It noted that rather than an ideal outcome, the boom in self-generation should be viewed as a market signal, a clear indication of suppressed demand, investment potential, and the urgency of expanding reliable grid access.

“Going off-grid is not always a low-cost solution, it is often a last resort,” the report noted. These high costs erode industrial competitiveness and underscore the economic penalty of underinvesting in grid infrastructure.

“To correct course, Africa can tap into the world’s most underutilized energy resource base. The continent is home to the largest untapped hydropower potential, the largest conventional geothermal reserves, and receives some of the highest solar irradiation globally.

“The pipeline of planned generation projects reflect this potential and is evolving towards a greater mix of renewables and gas. But these resources remain largely stranded due to weak infrastructure and limited investment, turning abundance into constraint.”

The report also warned that Africa’s sluggish energy growth is fast becoming a threat to the continent’s development ambitions.

Between 2013 and 2023, electricity generation across the continent grew by less than 2 per cent annually, far below population growth (2.42 per cent) and economic growth (3 per cent).

For the first time in two decades, per capita electricity consumption is declining, a signal of crisis, not just in access but in the capacity to scale. Comparatively, other regions have made significant progress: the Middle East and Asia-Pacific posted annual electricity generation growth of 3.8 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, during the same period.

In 2024, Africa added just 6.5GW of utility-scale power, a third of India’s 18GW renewable additions, and far behind the 48.6GW added by the United States.

“Africa’s electricity generation is expanding, but not at the pace required to meet the continent’s rising demand. The energy shortfall is the single biggest constraint on economic transformation and the continent’s most underappreciated investment opportunity,” the report stated.

Despite being home to the world’s most abundant untapped energy resources, from hydropower and geothermal to solar, these assets remain largely stranded due to weak infrastructure and underinvestment.

Without a dramatic scale-up, experts warn, the region risks becoming trapped in a “low-energy equilibrium”, a state where electricity access figures appear to improve, but the volume and reliability of supply remain too poor to support meaningful growth.

Yet, the Africa Finance Corporation report warns that without decisive investment in large-scale, affordable and reliable grid infrastructure, such efforts may only provide temporary relief.

“Taken together, these trends suggest that Africa is not merely experiencing a stagnation in electricity access but a deterioration in meaningful energy consumption. While connection figures have improved in some markets, the volume and reliability of supply remain insufficient to support a sustained structural transformation.

“Without a significant increase in investment, both in generation and in supporting infrastructure, the region risks entrenching a low-energy equilibrium

that could undermine future growth and development. If current trends persist, the number of Africans without electricity access could stay unchanged between now and 2030,” it stated.

As power demand continues to rise alongside urbanisation and industrialisation, the choice before African leaders is now stark: either scale up or fall behind.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria has said the Dangote Petroleum Refinery should sell Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) below the current N825 per litre price being sold by the Lekki-based plant.

IPMAN Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Udadike, in an interview with our correspondent, stated that the refinery had the necessary enabling factors to sell petrol below its current ex-depot price.

Ukadike was reacting to a comment by the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, that the refinery contributed to the consistent drop in fuel prices to a level that Nigerians pay about 55 per cent of what other West African citizens pay for petrol.

Also recently, Dangote told ECOWAS officials and President Bola Tinubu that the naira-for-crude policy of the Federal Government had positively impacted the pricing of refined petroleum products.

Though Ukadike agreed that the current petrol price was cheaper than what other West African states paid, he said the product should be far cheaper in Nigeria, selling for about N750.

According to him, many of these West African countries do not produce crude oil, nor do they have refineries that process crude in local currencies.

“I agree that petrol is cheaper in Nigeria than in other West African countries. Notwithstanding, those African countries Dangote was comparing us with are not crude oil-producing countries.

“We’re a crude oil-producing state. PMS should be far lower as the President has also decided to give him crude in naira. So, most of the foreign exchange brouhaha and the exchange costs (are no more there), we should also enjoy it as Nigerians,” he said.

Ukadike said what Dangote had conquered for Nigerians was the issue of fuel scarcity, which used to cause queues at filling stations. He called on the Federal Government to strengthen the naira to make fuel more affordable.

“What I believe he (Dangote) has conquered for Nigerians is availability. On price, we’ll still get there. Once the government works very hard to ensure that the rate of naira to the dollar is reduced and the strength of our naira is stable, you’ll find out that the price will go down. This is another factor that determines the price of petroleum products,” he noted.

Asked if he meant that Dangote’s petrol was not cheap enough, he replied, “Well, I’m not saying it’s cheap enough in line with the facilities, amenities and the enabling environment that have been given to him.

“For me, I don’t feel it’s cheap. I think the petrol will go as low as around N770. That’s my own permutation. I’m not an expert in oil refining. But with what I have gathered — the refinery production costs and the landing at the depot cost — petrol should not be more than N780, N750, in line with the dollar rate.

“So, if the Federal Government can ensure that we continue to strengthen the naira, I believe that the price of petroleum products will go down further. What is keeping it up now is the exchange rate,” he posited.

The independent marketer predicted that if the naira appreciated to N1,100 against the dollar, petrol should be sold below N750 per litre.

“I don’t know how much the dollar will go down, so I cannot forecast. The dollar is around N1,600 now. So, if the dollar can come down to N1,200, I want to tell you that the price of PMS at the pumps will go below N750,” he added.

Speaking to ECOWAS leaders last week, Dangote said most Nigerians were unaware that they were paying 55 per cent of what other West African countries pay for petrol.

Dangote said his refinery had aided the reduction of fuel prices by selling petrol between N815 and N820 per litre.

The billionaire businessman stated this during a visit to the 650,000 barrels-per-day facility by the President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission, Dr Omar Touray, and his team.

Noting that Africa would benefit greatly by encouraging trade among its countries, Dangote explained how the refinery has helped Nigeria to bring down the cost of refined products and production costs across many sectors of the economy.

“Last year, when we began diesel production, we were able to reduce the price from N1,700 to N1,100 at a go, and as of today, the price has crashed further. This reduction has made a significant impact across various sectors. It has supported industries, benefited those of us in mining, and provided vital relief to the agricultural sector. The effect has been far-reaching,” he said.

He also emphasised that Nigerians were benefiting from local refining as the price of petrol had dropped significantly compared to neighbouring countries.

“In neighbouring countries, the average price of petrol is around $1 per litre, which is N1,600. But here at our refinery, we’re selling at between N815 and N820. Many Nigerians don’t realise that they are currently paying just 55 per cent of what others in the region are paying for petrol,” he noted.

During Tinubu’s visit to the refinery on Thursday, Dangote reiterated that the naira-for-crude deal assisted him in cutting petrol prices consistently. However, a recent report by S&P Global stated that the refinery’s fuel prices were high compared to the drop in crude prices.

The spokesperson of the refinery, Tony Chiejina, had yet to react to the remarks of IPMAN as of the time this report was filed.

Thirty-four embassies in Abuja risk being closed down by the Federal Capital Territory Administration over unpaid ground rents spanning 11 years, The PUNCH reports.

The PUNCH, however, learnt that the opposition Peoples Democratic, Federal Inland Revenue Service and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, who were also listed as defaulters, had settled their ground rent with the FCTA.

A publication by the FCTA revealed that many foreign missions had not paid their ground rents since 2014, with the affected diplomatic missions collectively owing N3,662,196.

On May 26, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, ordered officials to commence enforcement on 4,794 properties that were revoked due to non-payment of ground rent, spanning between 10 and 43 years.

But President Bola Tinubu intervened, granting a 14-day grace period, which ends on Monday (today), to affected property holders to settle their outstanding obligations.

The Director of Land, FCTA, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, disclosed that the defaulters would pay penalty fees of N2m and N3m respectively, depending on their locations.

The defaulting embassies include the Ghana High Commission Defence Section (N5,950); Embassy of Thailand (N5,350), Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire (N5,500); Embassy of the Russian Federation (N1,100); Embassy of the Philippines (N5,950); Royal Netherlands Embassy (N5,950); Embassy of Turkey (N3,350), and the Embassy of the Republic of Guinea (N5,950).

Also included are the embassies of Ireland (N500), Uganda (N5,950), Iraq (N550), and the Zambia High Commission, which owes (N1,189,990).

Other missions on the list include the Tanzania High Commission (N6,000), German Embassy (N1,000), Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo (N5,950), Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (N459,055), Embassy of the Republic of Korea (N5,950), and the High Commission of Trinidad and Tobago (N500).

The Embassy of Egypt (N5,950), Embassy of Chad (N5,950), Sierra Leone Commission (N5,900), High Commission of India (N150), Embassy of Sudan (N5,950), Embassy of Niger Republic (N500), and Kenya High Commission (N5,950) are also listed among the defaulters.

Others are the embassies of Zimbabwe (N500), Ethiopia (N5,950), and Indonesia (Defence Attaché), which has an outstanding balance of (N1,718,211).

The Delegation of the European Union (N1,500), Embassy of Switzerland (N5,950), Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia (N5,950), China’s Economic and Commercial Counselor’s Office (N12,000), South African High Commission (N4,950), and the Government of Equatorial Guinea (N1,137,240) also featured on the list.

Reacting, the Embassy of the Russian Federation firmly denied any outstanding debts.

“The Embassy pays all bills for the rent of the territory on which the Embassy complex is located in good faith and on time. The Embassy also has all necessary documents confirming payment,” it stated.

Similarly, the Embassy of Turkiye questioned its inclusion on the FCTA’s list, citing a possible administrative error.

A Turkish official told our correspondent, “We have not received a formal notification about the debt. We regularly make our payments on time, and we will check if we are on the list because of a bureaucratic mistake or a misunderstanding, and will fix the issue as soon as possible.”

The German Embassy, in a chat with The PUNCH, clarified that no formal claim or demand regarding unpaid rent had been brought to its attention by the FCTA.

“We understand that you are referring to reports suggesting that the German Embassy in Abuja has outstanding rent obligations. We would like to clarify that no such claim or demand has been formally brought to our attention by the Federal Capital Territory Administration,” the embassy stated.

It further insisted that all official financial obligations relating to the embassy’s premises had been settled as of the end of 2024, adding that there are no known outstanding payments.

The embassy emphasised its commitment to maintaining a respectful and cooperative relationship with the Nigerian government and the FCTA, reaffirming its dedication to transparency and mutual trust.

“Moreover, we can confirm that all official financial obligations relating to the Embassy’s premises have been fully settled as of the end of 2024. There are no known outstanding payments.

“The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany highly values its respectful and cooperative relationship with the government of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory Administration and remains fully committed to transparency and mutual trust,” the statement added.

The Embassy of Ghana also told The PUNCH that even though it had not been notified officially of the development, it would reach out to the Foreign Affairs on ways to resolve the issue.

The embassy stated, “The High Commission has noted the publication but has not been officially communicated to. We will liaise with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this matter.”

An official at the Sierra Leone Embassy said they were unaware of the issue and would verify the claim.

He noted, “I am not aware and I am not in the office now. On my return, I will inform my authorities to cross-check.”

Concerning the claims by some embassies that they were not indebted to the FCTA, spokesman for the FCT minister, Lere Olayinka, stated, “This claim will be promptly investigated and appropriate action will be taken.”

Commenting on the development, a former Nigerian ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, referenced the 1961 Vienna Convention and urged caution.

“For the diplomatic premises, if we are to go by the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations, the premises of a diplomatic mission are inviolable,” he submitted.

“But that is not to say that they are not supposed to obey local municipal rules and regulations or the rules and regulations governing such things as relate to property ownership. However, there may be a caveat,” Amedu-Ode said.

He suggested that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should handle the matter diplomatically.

“It is a question of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs looking at each one on a bilateral basis and implementing it on a reciprocal basis,” the ex-envoy stated.

A foreign affairs analyst, Charles Onunaiju, also questioned the legality of applying ground rent rules to diplomatic missions, arguing that it was not applicable under international laws.

“By the Vienna Convention establishing diplomatic missions, diplomatic premises are sovereign territory of their respective countries,” Onunaiju pointed out.

He warned that any enforcement action against embassies could trigger diplomatic fallout.

“If you get into their premises to lock it down, you are obviously violating a very advanced diplomatic protocol. It will be a breach of diplomatic protocol,” the analyst warned.

Meanwhile, a reliable source close to the Peoples Democratic Party leadership, who spoke on condition of requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, told The PUNCH that the PDP had settled all matters related to ground rent with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

He stated, “The PDP has resolved all issues with Wike regarding the ground rent. Action was taken on Friday to make the payment, so there is no longer any problem.”

When asked about the development, the FCT minister’s spokesman, Lere Olayinka, said, “Some of these things, there is no way we can know. Some are paying through Remita, people are paying online. So, it’s until they bring their receipts that we can know.”

It was also learnt that the Federal Inland Revenue Service had mended fences with the FCTA after their offices were sealed off following non-compliance.

On May 26, the FCTA sealed off the FIRS premises for non-payment of its ground rent, but the action sparked a row between both bodies, with the latter denying owing ground rent on its properties in Abuja. The revenue generating firm thus demanded a public apology from the FCTA for sealing off one of its offices.

However, the FCTA insisted that the shutdown was due to the non-payment of ground rent, a statutory land charge.

Refuting the allegation that FIRS owed 25-year ground on two of its office at No 12 and 14, Sokode Crescent, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, Director, Facility Management Department, FIRS, Tyofa Abeghe, said nothing could be further from the truth on the claim as FIRS had paid the said money.

He said a demand notice from Abuja Geographic Information System dated September 2023, asking for ground rent on the properties was honoured with a payment of N2, 364, 003 three months after the notice was issued.

It was learnt that the payment issue had been resolved.

In a similar vein, NAPTIP, which also had its office sealed, had settled their outstanding ground net, a source at the federal agency told The PUNCH.

“It’s been resolved,” the source said.

President Bola Tinubu has named some prominent Nigerian entrepreneurs as four “wise men”.

Tinubu spoke while inaugurating the Lekki deep sea port access road on June 5.

On the list are Jim Ovia, Femi Otedola, Abdul Samad Rabiu, and Aliko Dangote.

“I landed here with four wise men: Jim Ovia of Zenith Bank, who has been acknowledged worldwide; Femi Otedola, my baby brother; Samad Rabiu of BUA,” the president said.

“And I believe, the wisest of them all, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who is so daring in thinking and doing and believing in his own country.”

While Tinubu’s list of “wise men” may come across as another example of his wit and deep connection with the private sector, it recognises individuals who are critical to the country’s economy.

Each of the four persons is also central to the president’s dream of a $1 trillion gross domestic product (GDP).


DANGOTE

Aliko Dangote is Africa’s richest person and the founder and chairman of Dangote Group, the continent’s largest industrial conglomerate. His business empire spans across cement (Dangote Cement), food processing (salt, sugar, flour), and oil refining. The recently launched Dangote Refinery is one of the largest in the world, expected to revolutionise Nigeria’s oil and gas sector by meeting domestic demand and enabling petroleum products exports. Dangote is pivotal to Nigeria’s industrial ambitions. His investments, especially the refinery, are reshaping the nation’s energy landscape by reducing dependence on imported petroleum products. His cement and food manufacturing operations also contribute to infrastructure development and food security, making him central to Nigeria’s self-sufficiency efforts and job creation.


OTEDOLA

Otedola acquires additional N16bn shares in FBN Holdings

Known as the “strong man” of Nigeria’s money and capital markets for his strategic investments, Otedola is a businessman and investor who made his fortune in the oil sector through his company, Forte Oil, which he later sold. He has since diversified into power generation through his investment in Geregu Power Plc and holds a controlling stake in First HoldCo, the parent company of First Bank of Nigeria. Otedola’s influence is also felt in Nigeria’s corporate boardrooms, playing a key role in Nigeria’s economy as a strategic investor across critical sectors, including infrastructure. He contributes to efforts to address Nigeria’s chronic electricity shortages, vital for industrial growth, through Geregu, which now contributes 10 percent to Nigeria’s overall power generation. As the chairman of First Bank, Nigeria’s oldest bank, Otedola has helped in stabilising and injecting confidence into the financial system, and supporting diverse sectors of the economy. The bank recently launched the construction of what is expected to be the tallest building in the country.


RABIU

Abdul Samad Rabiu is the founder and executive chairman of BUA Group, a conglomerate with interests in cement production, sugar refining, real estate, and ports. Rabiu has positioned BUA — one of Nigeria’s largest producers of cement and sugar — as a key player in Nigeria’s drive toward industrial self-sufficiency. His cement plants expand local capacity and support national infrastructure projects, while his recent investments in port operations and agribusiness enhance logistics and reduce reliance on imports. His philanthropic initiatives, through the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa), also complement the government’s development efforts in healthcare and education.


OVIA

Jim Ovia is a Nigerian banker, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of Zenith Bank, one of the largest commercial banks in Nigeria and a systemically important financial institution. Ovia is a key figure in Nigeria’s financial services sector, having played a foundational role in modernising banking through technology and innovation. As the founder of Zenith Bank, he has helped shape a new era of banking marked by digital transformation. Zenith Bank supports businesses across virtually all sectors of the economy, from oil and gas to agriculture and SMEs, making it a vital enabler of economic activity. Apart from owning real estate across Nigeria, Ovia founded Visafone, a mobile telecom operator that MTN Nigeria later acquired. In April 2024, Ovia was appointed chairman of the Nigerian education loan fund by Tinubu. In the same year, Zenith Bank expanded into France to boost cross-border trade.

To recover import duties from some private jet owners in the country, the Federal Government, through the Nigeria Customs Service, has grounded about 60 private jets across major airports in Nigeria, The PUNCH reports.

It was also gathered that private jet hangars in Lagos and Abuja airports were reportedly sealed up. However, owners of the aircraft, including bank chiefs and multinational oil companies among other individuals, have begun to lobby the Presidency to secure the release of their jets.

Some of the grounded luxury aircraft include Bombardier BD-700 Global 6000, BD-700 Global 6500, BD-700 Global 7500, among others. Officials of the NCS and those in the aviation sector confirmed this in separate interviews on Wednesday.

There are reports that duties are not being paid on the majority of private jets currently in the country, with the Nigeria Customs Service seeking to recover unpaid import duties running into several billions of naira.

The Customs had asked private jet owners to proceed on a verification exercise with the government. The exercise was to determine defaulters in the payment of import duty.

Recall that on October 14, 2024, The PUNCH reported that the Federal Government, through the Nigeria Customs Service, had planned to ground over 60 private jets owned by very important persons in the country over unpaid import duty beginning from that day.

This was not implemented as the NCS later that same day announced the extension of the verification exercise for private jet owners by one month, from October 14, 2024, to November 14, 2024.

At the expiration of the deadline on November 14, nothing was said about the development. The PUNCH questioned the agency’s silence on the matter, but the spokesperson of the service, Abdullahi Maiwada, hinted that varying court cases hindered the Customs from executing its vow at that time.

However, on Wednesday, it was gathered that the NCS had quietly commenced the grounding of both private and corporately-owned jets. The exercise started on Monday without any fresh notice, according to those affected.

The officials of the agency of the NCS sealed some aircraft at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The drastic enforcement came barely seven months after The PUNCH reported Customs warnings against defaulters.

When contacted on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the service, Maiwada, confirmed the development, stressing that the service won’t rest until all that is due to the government is collected from the airlines.

He said, “Yes, enforcement has started. The aircraft are grounded for the non-payment of customs duty, and as soon as they come over to regularise their payment and give what is due to Nigerians, they will get it back.

“We issued a statement when we started the verification, and we extended the period and even ‘over extended the period’, now that we are acting, everyone already knows our reason. We just have to enforce, we have to collect revenue for Nigerians so that it will be used for Nigerians.”

Maiwada recalled a long period of appeals extended to the defaulters to validate their jets or pay the duty, but noted that this fell on deaf ears.

“Now that we have grounded them, they will have to comply. We are hopeful and we know that they will comply,” he stated.

Meanwhile, impeccable sources in customs familiar with the development told our correspondent that some of the aircraft owners had started to make contacts even with the presidency for the release of their jets.

One of the top banks in Nigeria has already promised to pay next Tuesday, while another is negotiating with Customs in proxy. An energy company with three jets has also promised to pay in the coming week.

However, The PUNCH gathered that there were rumours that the Customs service was making moves to unseal the grounded aircraft while inviting the jet owners to a meeting in Abuja to discuss how the issue would be permanently resolved.

A document, dated June 4, 2025, said to have been signed by Deputy-Comptroller General, one C.K. Niagwan, on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, noted that the “temporary unsealing” of the grounded aircraft received the approval of the Comptroller.

According to the document, the temporary unsealing of the aircraft was to allow the operators the chance to present all relevant documents regarding the affected aircraft and engage the service to discuss and agree on appropriate modalities for the settlement of outstanding duties and taxes.

The circular expressed that the unsealing was solely to facilitate compliance, adding that this did not constitute a waiver of any statutory obligations. Meanwhile, our correspondent learnt the unsealing was only for a few of the grounded jets.


Experts react

A former deputy director of engineering of the defunct national carrier, Nigerian Airways, Frank Oruye, called on both operators of private jets and the Nigeria Customs Service to adopt global best practices in their activities.

He appealed to customers to pay what was due to the government, and also called on Customs to be professional in their dealings.

He said, “For a conducive aviation sector to be created, it’s essential for stakeholders to fully understand what it takes. Everything should not end in ‘gra-gra and rofo-rofo’. Investors and importers should be ready to foot all local taxes and customs duties.”

While recalling the disagreement that ensued between the defunct Nigeria Airways and Customs during the airline’s lifetime, Oruye stated that “NCS should endeavour to follow global best practices in fixing duties.”

He added, “I recall that we had difficulties with Customs when I was at Nigeria Airways in the 70s through the 90s. There’s a class of aircraft components known as Rotables. They are high-cost items ranging from electrical and hydraulic Pumps and motors to avionics components. In the course of their operating lives, they need to be removed from the aircraft for scheduled maintenance or repairs at approved foreign bases. Let’s imagine a generator whose price is $50,000.

“After operating in Nigeria for two years, it was sent abroad for repairs, which cost $1,500. Upon its return to Nigeria, NCS would be targeting duties based on $50,000, ignoring that it had been duty-paid at its first entry to Nigeria. Advanced nations don’t burden their airlines with such debilitating levies.”

Also, retired Group Captain John Ojikutu stated that most of the grounded aircraft were foreign-based, a development he described as a security threat to the country.

Ojikutu blamed both Customs and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority for allowing an “unclear number of aircraft” to fly in the country.

While recalling how he grounded aircraft belonging to the late Kashimawo Abiola, for running afoul of regulatory laws, he appealed to the NCAA to live up to expectations.

“All these things happening now didn’t happen before. In the first place, why are foreign-registered aircraft flying in the country? Who permitted them? When I was at the airport, I seized Abiola’s aircraft twice! Why are people behaving this way nowadays? In Demuren’s days, such wouldn’t have happened. I had the authority to monitor foreign airlines. They can’t fly without security clearance, and aside from the customs airport, which is the point of entry, they can’t fly to more than one airport.

“All these things happening are risky, not even now that we don’t know the people in charge of the insurgency. To now fly foreign aircraft without clearance is a threat to national security. Both customs and the NCAA should be blamed for allowing them to fly such aircraft in the country. Let the NCAA check its regulations. There should be a regulation for such an act.”

The Nigerian Communications Commission has directed Deposit Money Banks to start deducting charges for unstructured supplementary service data transactions directly from users’ mobile airtime.

According to an email from the United Bank for Africa to customers on Tuesday, the charges will no longer be deducted from customers’ accounts.

The UBA said the directive takes effect from Tuesday, June 3.

The statement reads, “In line with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), please be informed that effective June 3, 2025, charges for USSD banking services will no longer be deducted from your bank account.

“Going forward, these charges will be deducted directly from your mobile airtime balance in accordance with the NCC’s End-User Billing model.

“Under this new billing structure, each USSD session will attract a charge of ₦6.98 per 120 seconds, which will be billed by your mobile network operator.

“You will receive a consent prompt at the start of each session, and airtime will only be deducted upon your confirmation and availability of the bank to fulfil this service.

“If you do not wish to continue using USSD banking under this new model, you may choose to discontinue use of the USSD channel.”

UBA said customers can continue using other digital banking options and internet banking platform for convenience.

The latest directive may be another move by the commission to address the historical USSD payment conflict between Mobile Network Operators and commercial banks.

In December 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the NCC directed mobile network operators and DMBs to resolve the long-standing N250 billion USSD debt.

Following threats by telcos to withdraw services over the debt accumulated by banks, the NCC, in January, threatened to suspend the USSD service and publish a list of banks still owing telcos.

On January 15, the regulator directed telcos to disconnect the USSD codes assigned to nine banks by January 27 due to unpaid debts.

On February 28, MTN Nigeria said it received N32 billion — out of N72 billion — from banks as part of payment for the USSD debt.