₦airaland Forum

Congratulations, Adelu Idris Adebola!

We celebrate your outstanding achievement as the highest JAMB scorer in Ifo Local Government!

Your hard work, focus, and brilliance has set you apart, and we are incredibly proud of you.

Keep shining and aiming higher, this is just

*****Highest scorer amongst the Indigenes of Ifo Local Government

For Context, Ifo Local Government purchased Jamb forms for hundreds of students who residents, regardless of their ethnic affiliation or tribe, the onus is on us to appreciate the ones who have excelled!

God bless IFO, God bless Nigeria

Are you saying, after giving out free jamb forms , we should keep quiet about the one who excelled the most , because he isn’t Yoruba? What does that say about our leadership? IFo is highly heterogeneous, our oath stands to protect all law abiding residents.

372 in JAMB: Ifo LG Boss Celebrates Samuel Chukwuemeka’s Academic Feat.

So now my tribe is crying under this post? All because another tribe in his local government actually scored the highest and got recognized. What do they expect—he should ignore performance and praise based on ethnicity now? even if they didn’t deliver? Make it make sense.”

Any society that panders to ethnic bigotry in place of excellence and building an effective reward system will keep failing woefully.
Just take a look at the mess in the comments and quotes 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️
That boy literally brought glory to the LGA but dammit he’s Igbo. 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

The fact that the Hon Chairman of IFO LGA did something commendable and some online miscreants who claim to RONU are on this app gaslighting him, shows how tribalism and bigotry have eaten deep into a lot of person's in this country.
May God deliver such person's
#UTme #jamb

Yoruba people never cry this much until Tinubu rigged himself into Aso Rock.

God bless you mr chairman for recognizing excellence.

Congratulations Chukwuemeka and thanks to Ifo local government for celebrating a genius.

Over 300 people, including more than 100 military personnel and 200 civilians, were killed by Boko Haram insurgents within five weeks, according to a new report by research experts at Nextier SPD.

The findings, published in the latest Nextier SPD Policy Weekly and titled “Re-thinking Nigeria’s Counterinsurgency Strategy: The Aftermath of the Boko Haram Resurgence,” raise urgent concerns about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s current military-led strategy in the face of renewed extremist violence.

Authored by Dr. Ndu Nwokolo, Managing Partner at Nextier, and Dr. Chibuike Njoku, an Associate Consultant, the report highlights the increasing frequency and deadliness of attacks between November 2024 and April 2025, with January 2025 alone accounting for 92 deaths despite an average number of recorded incidents.

In total, 252 terrorist attacks were documented during the six-month period, with Boko Haram factions — Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) — employing more sophisticated tactics, including the use of improvised explosive devices, ambushes on military convoys, and raids on internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.

The report also revealed that the insurgents seized three local government areas in Borno State, undermining state authority and disrupting humanitarian aid.

It warned of an “escalation in the lethality of attacks” and noted growing military fatigue, worsening civil-military relations, and an alarming increase in kidnappings, especially in April 2025.

Despite ongoing military offensives, the resurgence underscores the limitations of kinetic operations in addressing the root causes of the insurgency.

“Military victories do not necessarily translate to improved community security and stabilisation,” the report noted, pointing to poverty, youth unemployment, and poor access to education as drivers of radicalisation.

The researchers called for a comprehensive, people-centred counterinsurgency framework that combines military efforts with socioeconomic reforms, inclusive dialogue, and community-based interventions.

“The current strategy is reactive rather than preventative,” the report concluded, warning that without urgent reforms, Nigeria’s fight against terrorism may continue to flounder, leaving millions vulnerable to extremist violence.

It's literally the Nigeria 2014-2015 information war all over again. The difference is that Burkina Faso is populated by people who are much less stupid and overfed than Nigerians were a decade ago, and who understand what is happening.

Sowore Reporters, Premium Times et al will definitely try to reprise their 2015 antics of course, with Yesufu, Omojuwa, TheCable, etc. playing their 4-3-3 diamond formation.

But it's a waste of your sponsors' money because all of you are just not that guy anymore. The world has changed, but you're stuck in 2015. You and your sponsors are about to see crazy.

At least nine farmers were killed on Friday afternoon in coordinated attacks by suspected herdsmen on two communities in Benue State, despite the presence of security forces in the region.

The deadly incidents occurred in Ayilamo, Tombo ward of Logo Local Government Area, and in Jato-Acka, Kwande Local Government Area.

Eyewitnesses reported that more than 20 armed men stormed Jato-Acka around 4pm, firing indiscriminately at residents and setting homes ablaze. Six people were killed on the spot.

Meanwhile, shortly after the Jato-Acka attack, the assailants advanced to Ayilamo through the Ikyungwa axis, where they reportedly killed three more individuals, including an officer of the Benue State Livestock Guard.

Daily Post reports that a community leader in Ayilamo, Tyovenda Igyutu, credited the timely intervention of security operatives —comprising soldiers and police — for preventing further bloodshed.

“Ayilamo could have been completely overrun if not for the swift response of the troops,” he said.

Confirming the incident, a youth leader in Jato-Acka, Lawrence Akerigba, described the attack as a brutal invasion that left many in the community traumatised.

“The invaders came around 4pm, shot several people, and set houses ablaze,” he said.

The latest violence adds to the toll of lives lost in recurring clashes between herdsmen and farming communities in Benue, a state at the centre of Nigeria’s farmer-herder conflict.

SaharaReporters on Friday reported that an All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leader from Apa Local Government Area, Comrade Jerry Jeremiah, and the District Head of Odugbeho in Agatu LGA, Chief Adejo Anthony Denison, both of Benue State, were killed by gunmen while working on their farms.

The incident happened on Wednesday along the Otukpo-Otobi-Akpa Road in Otukpo Local Government Area. The victims were said to be carrying out farming activities when they were attacked by the assailants.

Eyewitnesses disclosed that the farmland, although located in Otukpo LGA, is widely leased by people from surrounding areas, including Agatu, for agricultural use.

The killing took place just a day after another APC chieftain and six other individuals were murdered in separate attacks across Gwer East and Makurdi LGAs.

Chairman of Agatu LGA, Mavis James Ejeh, confirmed the death of the traditional ruler during a phone interview with journalists.

“Chief Tony Adejo was killed while working on his farm in Otobi by armed men. Despite this tragic incident, Odugbeho remains calm. We urge our people not to take the law into their own hands,” Ejeh said.

Wode Maya is a Ghanaian YouTube personality, vlogger, digital media influencer, and aeronautical engineer

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wode_Maya

The Republic of Benin has continued its aggressive border security operations, extending its activities to the Sèmè and Owode borders in Lagos State, Nigeria, SaharaReporters has learnt.

“Bénin Republic continues its operations on borders; today was Sèmè and Owode border in Lagos State,” a source privy to the issue told SaharaReporters on Thursday.

Several videos obtained by SaharaReporters showed uniformed Beninese customs officers physically blocking road access at the border areas, further escalating tensions between the two West African neighbours.

This latest development comes just days after the Beninese government shut down a key border route between Taberu village in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State and the neighbouring Tanu village in Benin Republic.

The closure, ordered on Tuesday, May 7, 2025, was reportedly triggered by intelligence linking the area to illegal arms smuggling and the emergence of a militant group known as “Mahmuda.”

A local security source confirmed the initial shutdown, telling SaharaReporters, “The President of Benin Republic yesterday on the 7th of May 2025, closed the borders between certain villages, Taberu in Nigeria's Baruten Local Government Area (in Kwara State) and Tanu in Benin Republic, restricting the movement of goods and services.”

In a viral video circulated online, an anonymous narrator claimed that arms and ammunition are frequently brought into Nigeria from Parakou, the capital of Borgou Department in Benin, adding, “Parakou is the capital of Borgu state in Benin Republic. That is our state in Benin. We have a whole state. It is a business era.”

Security experts suggest that Benin’s drastic measures may be aimed at curbing the suspected operations of the Mahmuda group, which is believed to be behind a recent surge in cross-border violence and the illegal arms trade in the region.

When contacted for comments, the Nigerian Customs Service Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, had told SaharaReporters, “I will make my findings and get across. I don't think it is an issue I will jump into conclusion without adequate findings. Thank you and best regards.”

The Government of the Republic of Benin has shut its borders with some communities in Nigeria’s Kwara State over alleged arms smuggling and the emergence of a new terror group known as “Mahmuda.”

SaharaReporters gathered that on Tuesday, May 7, 2025, the President of Benin Republic ordered a total closure of the border route between Taberu, a village in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, and Tanu, a neighbouring village in Benin Republic.

A local security personnel confirmed the development, stating, “The President of Benin Republic yesterday on the 7th of May 2025, closed the borders between certain villages, Taberu in Nigeria's Baruten Local Government Area (in Kwara State) and Tanlu in Benin Republic, restricting the movement of goods and services.”

A viral video recorded by an unidentified source alleged that the closure followed intelligence on frequent illegal importation of arms and ammunition from Benin into Nigeria, especially via the air route from Parakou, the capital of Borgou Department in Benin.

“Most at times, some people normally bring in arms and ammunition from Parakou. Parakou is the capital of Borgu state in Benin Republic. That is our state in Benin. We have a whole state. It is a business era,” the narrator said in the video.

The source added that while helicopters deliver the weapons into Nigerian territory, the exact destinations of the shipments remain unknown.

“They always bring in bullets, arms and ammunition via helicopters from Parakou. But we don’t use to know where these arms go after shipping into Nigeria.”

The narrator further stated that some individuals had taken steps to block the border route between Taberu and Tanu, a key path linking Nigeria and Benin Republic.

“We added that the border between Taberu and Benin Republic, the nearest town that you can use to go there is Tanu. Tanu is like a village in Benin Republic. Some people came to block the route. And that is the only road you can use to enter Tanu in Benin Republic from Nigeria. And whoever is coming from Benin Republic can’t also pass too. But he did not say the reason why the path was blocked in the video.”

The closure is believed to be linked to growing fears about the activities of a new militant group known as Mahmuda, which is suspected to be behind a recent rise in cross-border attacks and illegal arms trade in the region.

Reacting to the development, the Nigerian Customs Service Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, told SaharaReporters, "I will make my findings and get across. I don't think it is an issue I will jump into conclusion without adequate findings. Thank you and best regards.”

TopBanter:
Precisely. No doubt Seun has a 'hit list' of posters to target and muzzle that was handed to him by mods from a certain region.

Upbraid rabid and uncouth Natasha fan, na ban.
Tell off those openly denigrating Yorubas, ban. Take on openly bigoted and malicious posters, you chop ban they remain.

Mention the labour Party Presidential candidate in the last election you'll be banned while some run around calling our President Druggie, drug baron etc.

In fact when they do that and you tell them they are more famous for what they accuse Tinubu of, na ban. They remain.

Some folks here are now sacred and can say what they wish and use whatever slur against Yorubas but you can never rise against them in return.

Very obvious what is going on. Good luck to Seun in his attempt to please and appease those who nothing Yorubas do, since the fifties, has ever pleased them.

Tinubu Presidency Claims IMF Debt Cleared, But Data Shows N274Billion Still Owed In Charges

The most recent data published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) shows that Nigeria owes a total of SDR125.99 million, representing charges and interest on loans it has drawn.

"SDR" means "Special Drawing Rights" and refers to a form of currency used to value funds borrowed by different beneficiary countries by the IMF.

According to the currency exchange platform XE, each SDR unit was worth N2,180 at the time of this report.

According to the latest update from the IMF, published on April 30, 2025, Nigeria is expected to pay SDR22.35 million in charges and interest in 2025.

For 2026 and 2027, the figure is projected to remain steady at SDR25.91 million. In 2028, the amount rises slightly to SDR25.92 million, before dipping marginally to SDR25.90 million in 2029.

In total, Nigeria's outstanding charges and interest to the IMF amount to SDR125.99 million. At an exchange rate of N2,180 per Special Drawing Right (SDR), based on XE currency conversion, this translates to approximately N274.66 billion.

Nigeria’s debt to the IMF originates from April 2020, when the country secured a loan approval of SDR2.454 billion.

IMF debt repayments are made up of two components: the principal and associated charges or interest.

Further breakdown shows that Nigeria was not scheduled to begin repaying the principal until 2023, when SDR613.63 million became due. This was followed by a larger repayment of SDR1.227 billion in 2024, and another SDR613.63 million scheduled for 2025.

Before principal repayments commenced, Nigeria paid only charges and interests totalling SDR13.22 million in 2020, SDR25.88 million in 2021, and SDR25.89 million in 2022.

With principal repayments starting in 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—who assumed office that year—has overseen the ongoing debt servicing.

As of April 30, 2025, IMF data confirms that Nigeria has met its scheduled principal repayments, but still owes SDR125.99 million in charges and interest.

Citing data from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) 2024 financial year report, SaharaReporters revealed that the country’s debt burden to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) increased by N2.5 trillion by the end of December 2024, primarily due to foreign exchange losses.

In practical terms, Nigeria’s liability to the IMF stood at N2.5 trillion in 2023. However, the sharp depreciation of the Naira over the course of 2024 caused that figure to double, reaching N5 trillion by year-end.

According to the CBN’s financial statement, this effectively meant that the country had to pay twice as much in local currency to meet its external obligations.

SaharaReporters also pointed out a contradiction between this data and recent claims by government officials, including presidential aides that Nigeria had "cleared" its debts to the IMF. While presidential aides Bayo Onanuga and Dada Olusegun publicly challenged the report—asserting that the IMF debt had been fully repaid—the data tells a more nuanced story.

Although Nigeria may have met its scheduled principal repayments, the IMF still lists charges and interest under "overdue obligations and projected payment funds," indicating that the country remains indebted in that regard.

SaharaReporters stood by its reporting, emphasising that even if the principal was repaid, the weakened value of the Naira significantly increased the financial burden on Nigeria in local currency terms. As a result, the government had to allocate more public funds than it would have if the Naira had retained its value.

In Nigeria, debt servicing has frequently been blamed for consuming much of the nation's revenue.

For instance, a SaharaReporters review of Nigeria’s economic report for January 2025 revealed that the country spent N696 billion on debt servicing during that month alone. Between December 2024 and January 2025, the total amount spent on debt servicing reached N1.3 trillion — N696 billion in each of the two months.

This exceeds the budgeted monthly figure of N689 billion for debt servicing.

The review also showed that zero naira was allocated for capital expenditure in January 2025, as stated in the economic report published by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

When I see Nigerians saying stuff like "There's an atmosphere of fear in Burkina Faso," I always wonder to myself, "what planet are these people living on?"

This guy is a factional president of the Nigerian Association of Nigerian Students who recently had his face broken by the Nigerian president's son, who is also trying to run for governor of Nigeria's richest state while his father is president.

Thugs working for the president's son brutalised this guy, detained him, seized his phone, and forced him to post this statement on his Facebook account before releasing him. Remember this is at the behest of the president's *son* not even the president himself.

Is there no culture of fear in Nigeria? Is it not 50 times worse in your country? Why are you rubbernecking into a country 1,000+ km away that you don't even share a border with when you have this kind of problem to deal with? I haven't seen thugs working for Ibrahim Traore going around beating up Burkinabe students and forcing them to post pro-regime messages on their social media - it's your "democratically elected" president's SON that is doing that.

You people should be for fucking real.

The United Nations Children’s Fund on Monday said Nigeria has beaten the war-torn Sudan to emerge as the capital of malnourished children on the African continent and the second highest in the world.

The UNICEF chief nutrition section, Nemat Hajeebhoy, who disclosed this during a media briefing on the 2025 lean season multisectoral response organised by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said 600,000 children in the country suffer from acute malnutrition.

“Nigeria has the highest number of malnourished children in Africa and the second in the world,” Ms Hajeebhoy said.

She noted that half of these children are on the brink of developing severe acute malnutrition, making them vulnerable to death.

Serigne Loum, a World Food Programme official, also mentioned that Nigeria had the most food-insecure people in Africa.

This damning revelation came amid OCHA’s appeal for funding to tackle the recurrent food and nutrition crisis in the North-East states.

Trond Jensen, OCHA head of office, said the UN agency required a combined $300 million to adequately address the crisis, noting that $160 million of the fund is necessary to tackle crises related to food insecurity, nutrition, water, and sanitation.

Mr Jensen said, “This is the absolute bare minimum that we are needing. Of course it’s a paradox and a dilemma that we are facing that whereas the need when it comes to severe acute malnutrition has doubled in the year, our ability to address those needs in some instances has halved.”

Mr Jensen, while appealing to state governments and international organisations to contribute to the response, said the agency was targeting two million people as far as the crises were concerned.

Last year, the Global Hunger Index listed Sudan as the country most hit by poverty, followed by Burundi, Somalia and Yemen.

Meanwhile, the World Bank’s Africa’s Pulse report of April 2025 showed that Nigeria accounts for 19 per cent of extremely poor people in Sub-Saharan Africa, while the Democratic Republic of Congo has 14 per cent, Ethiopia nine per cent, and Sudan six per cent.

The World Bank also predicted a grim future for Nigeria, stating that more Nigerians will be plunged into poverty by 2027.

No fewer than 25 people have been confirmed dead following a deadly confrontation between suspected bandits and local vigilantes in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The clash occurred in the early hours of Sunday, May 4, 2025, when a patrol team of professional hunters from Duguri and Gwana districts came under heavy attack in the Dajin Madam forest, which borders Bauchi and Plateau states.

Police spokesperson CSP Ahmed Wakil, in a statement, said the hunters were ambushed around 5:40am during a routine security operation along Duguri, Mansur, and Dajin Madam axis.

The assault, he noted, resulted in the deaths of nine vigilante members, five of the attackers, and 11 abducted civilians from Sabuwar Sara village who were caught in the crossfire.

“Upon receiving the distress report at about 9:40am, a tactical team was immediately dispatched to the scene, where the corpses of the victims were recovered,” Wakil said.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that some of the civilians were killed while attempting to flee from the armed assailants.”

He added that the police command has launched a manhunt for the perpetrators and will ensure all those connected to the killings face justice.

Reacting to the incident, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed expressed profound grief, describing the ambush as a “heinous and senseless act of violence.”

In a statement signed by his media adviser, Mukhtar Gidado, the governor extended condolences to the bereaved families and communities affected by the attack.

He paid tribute to the slain hunters for their bravery and reiterated his administration's determination to combat criminality in all forms.

“This tragic incident is a painful reminder of the persistent threats facing our rural communities,” the statement read.

“We urge residents to support security agencies with credible intelligence as we intensify efforts to bring the culprits to justice.”

The Bauchi State government pledged continued collaboration with federal security forces to maintain law and order across the region.

AFRICA'S MOST HAPPY COUNTRIES

2015 | 2025
1 🇱🇾Libya | 🇲🇺Mauritius
2 🇩🇿Algeria | 🇱🇾Libya
3 🇲🇺Mauritius | 🇩🇿Algeria
4 🇳🇬Nigeria | 🇿🇦South Africa
5 🇿🇲Zambia | 🇲🇿Mozambique
6 🇲🇦Morocco | 🇬🇦Gabon
7 🇲🇿Mozambique | 🇨🇮Cote d'ivoire
8 🇱🇸Lesotho | 🇨🇬Congo
9 🇸🇿Eswatini | 🇬🇳Guinea
10 🇹🇳Tunisia | 🇳🇦Namibia
11 🇿🇦South Africa | 🇨🇲Cameroon
12 🇬🇭Ghana | 🇳🇬Nigeria
13 🇿🇼Zimbabwe | 🇸🇳Senegal
14 🇱🇷Liberia | 🇳🇪Niger
15 🇸🇩Sudan | 🇲🇦Morocco

#Statisense
(WHR)

Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK Conservative Party, has warned that sacking her or changing the party leader will not fix the Tories after their poor outing in the local elections held on May 1.

Ms Badenoch made this statement after her party lost 674 council seats and control of 16 authorities, while the Nigel Farage-led Reform UK won 10 councils, gaining 677 councillors.

“Reform had a good night. We had a bad night. And what this shows for a lot of people who hoped that just changing leader again would fix everything is that that’s not going to be enough,” Ms Badenoch told the BBC on Sunday.

Ms Badenoch, who succeeded Rishi Sunak in November 2024 — about six months ago — said, “We tried that previously. And that brought us to a historic defeat.”

The Tory leader said her party will come up with a plan to return to power but will not rush to sweet-talk the public just to win elections.

“We are going to come out with the policies that people want to see, but what we are not going to do is rush out and tell the public things that are not true just so we can win votes,” Ms Badenoch said.

She added, “This is not about winning elections; this is about fixing our country. Yes, of course, you need to win elections to do that, but you also need a credible plan.”

Seyi Tinubu Denies Ever Meeting NANS President Atiku Isah, Denounces Assault Allegations As ‘Fictional’

Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has denied ever discussing with Atiku Abubakar Isah, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

He also dismissed claims that he led thugs to attack Atiku’s faction during a recent NANS event.

In a statement on his Instagram page on Friday, Seyi Tinubu said he had "never knowingly met" Comrade Atiku Isah and strongly refuted all allegations linking him to any act of violence or political interference in student affairs.

“I have never held a meeting to discuss any subject matter with Comrade Isah in Lagos or anywhere else in the world. I have never knowingly met him before. Neither did I visit any location with thugs,” Seyi wrote.

“These allegations by Atiku Isah are completely fictional,” he added.

The statement was issued in response to a report by SaharaReporters, which cited claims made by Atiku Isah alleging that Seyi Tinubu was involved in orchestrating an attack against him during a disputed NANS inauguration.

According to the report, Atiku Isah accused Seyi of collaborating with a factional group within the student body to undermine his leadership and allegedly assault him.

However, Seyi Tinubu denied any involvement in the incident and emphasised that the claims were entirely false.

Previously, SaharaReporters reported that Atiku Isah accused Seyi Tinubu of attempting to bribe him with N100 million to influence his ambitions.

Atiku made the startling claim during a press conference on Wednesday, recounting the events leading up to an attack on his inauguration ceremony in Abuja.

According to Atiku Isah, Seyi Tinubu approached him with the offer, seeking to sway his position.

However, the NANS president rejected the bribe, which he described as an attempt to manipulate student leadership.

Atiku's refusal was met with what he termed "a violent response" when thugs linked to Seyi Tinubu disrupted the inauguration event held on Tuesday.

Atiku shared these details during the association's inauguration

He explained that he was invited to Lagos to meet with Seyi Tinubu and the Minister of Youth Development (Ayodele Olawande). Upon meeting, Atiku said, "The Minister for Youth, when he saw me, hugged me in Lagos. We talked, and I was to be offered N100 million. But the thing is, it's not all about money. There are things which I stand for.

Yusuf Buhari's father was President for 8 years, dude was under the radar. I can't recall him granting any interview. He only made waves when he got into a bike accident and was medivac'd abroad for emergency care.

Seyi Tinubu's dad has been President barely 2 years but he is now the defacto VP, flying Presidential jets and using full State Presidential paraphernalia.

As terrible as Buhari was, he appears a far more decent and prudent President than Tinubu.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Council (JCC), Osun Axis, has condemned the abduction and assault of its National President, Comrade Atiku Isah.

The Osun students’ leadership accuses loyalists of Seyi Tinubu, son of Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of orchestrating a violent crackdown on student voices critical of federal policies.

According to the statement jointly signed by Comrade Afolabi Faruq O. (Chairman), Comrade Joseph Oluwagbohunmi O. (General Secretary), and Sen. Comrade Olawale Abdulhamiid O. (PRO), Comrade Atiku was abducted on April 15 by a rival NANS faction led by "Ladoja"—described as an alleged proxy of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Seyi Tinubu.

The statement claims he was brutally assaulted and threatened with death unless he renounced his position as the legitimate President of NANS, calling the attack an "egregious affront to the rule of law and democracy."

The Osun student leaders warn that the situation signals a disturbing trend toward repression and authoritarianism under the Tinubu-led administration.

The Osun NANS called on Nigerians, civil society groups, the media, and international organisations to stand for justice. It emphasised that Comrade Atiku Isah was targeted for defending the interests of students.

They also denounced what they described as a creeping dictatorship within the students’ movement, vowing to resist any attempt to impose leadership through violence.

The statement partly read, "The leadership of NANS JCC Osun Axis strongly condemns the audacious attack on the NANS President, Comrade Atiku Isah, by some elements who are doing the bidding of Seyi Tinubu, the President's son. We, as students, are profoundly saddened by what Seyi Tinubu wants to metamorphose this country into by using every means possible to eliminate all discerning voices against his father's draconian policies.

"We are greatly concerned about the attempt to assassinate a fellow Comrade who courageously spoke against the reprehensible policies of President Tinubu.

"On the 15th of last month, Comrade Isah Atiku was kidnapped by Ladoja, a factional NANS President who is ostensibly loyal to Seyi Tinubu and APC. They brutally beat him and issued ominous threats to kill him if he doesn't make a statement renouncing his position as NANS President.

"This is an egregious affront to the rule of law in a country that purportedly values democracy. If an attempt can be made to kill a fellow human simply for being part of a students' movement, then the rest of us aren't safe anymore. Hence, we need to speak out against these anachronistic characters who want to turn our country into a jungle governed by brute force.

"We urge all Nigerians to stand against this brazen daylight thuggery against someone who is merely protecting the interests of students who gave him the mandate. We also warn Ladoja not to rule with an iron fist over people who don't want him to rule them.

"Leadership is not by force, and one doesn't need killing or harassing fellow students before one's government can be widely recognised. We understand that Ladoja is an APC agent, and it's Seyi Tinubu who plotted him to cripple the students' movement. Since they are unable to achieve this, they want to govern by all means possible.

"However, Ladoja should know that if the gods of earth don't see him, the one in heaven is watching him clearly. Seyi Tinubu needs to understand that being the President's son doesn't equate to being omnipotent. He should tread softly and never allow power to intoxicate him. We have had many Presidents, and regardless of the years his father might use, he will leave power one day. It's essential for him to learn from history and respect the rights of others.

"We stand in solidarity with Comrade Atiku Isah, NANS President, at this time and urge all Nigerians to demand Justice for him, we equally urge the media, civil societies, international organisations, and all persons to support Atiku Isah.

"If they succeed in killing him, no one will be safe and if justice is not done, what these evil elements will do in the future will be worse. By this, we are in solidarity with Isah Atiku against Seyi Tinubu and his cohorts, who seem to behave like they are above the law. On behalf of all the students in Osun, we wish Comrade Isah well and assure students that we shall continue to protect their interests.”

"Let this serve as a warning to all those who think they can use brute force to silence the voices of reason and justice. We will not be intimidated, and we will continue to speak out against any form of oppression," the statement added.

Gunmen on Wednesday night invaded Ilara town in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, killing two people and abducting a prominent businessman, identified as Ade Bendel.

The attackers reportedly stormed the community around 11 p.m., shooting sporadically to instil fear among residents before seizing their target.

Confirming the incident on Thursday, the traditional ruler of Ilara, Oba Mutiu Adedimeji, said the assailants killed two individuals during the operation and fled with the victim across the border into the Republic of Benin.

According to The PUNCH, the monarch stated, “Yes, the incident happened. They abducted Ade Bendel yesterday (Wednesday) night and killed two people in the attack.

“Some people were able to locate his vehicle at Sabe in Benin Republic, which means that was the route they took to escape.”

A community youth leader, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the incident, said that gunmen had trailed a businessman, identified as Ade Bendel, to his hotel before opening fire indiscriminately.

According to the youth leader, two people were allegedly killed by stray bullets during the attack, including a female hotel employee.

He said, “Some gunmen kidnapped Ade Bendel around 11 p.m. last night. They followed him to his hotel and began shooting indiscriminately. Two people were reportedly hit by stray bullets and died on the spot. One of them was a female staff member at the hotel.”

Another resident, identified simply as Ade, said several people were injured while trying to flee upon hearing the gunshots. He added that the community has remained on edge since the incident.

“The whole place was in chaos. People were running, and two ladies fell into a ditch while trying to escape. They sustained injuries,” he said.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, said she was working on obtaining details of the incident.

What is going on here? Is there a denial by the named culpirits or any response from law enforcement agencies or inquiries by the human rights organizations? We nust ask questions, and demand answers and action!! #JusticeforNANSPresident
-@elrufai
@AmnestyNigeria @hrw @NhrcNigeria
@PoliceNG @NGRPresident
@cnni @BBCAfrica

TWO DECADES OF NIGERIA & ARGENTINA GDP

2006 — 🇦🇷$232.9bn | 🇳🇬$$222.8bn

2007 — 🇦🇷$287.9bn | 🇳🇬$266.3bn
2008 — 🇦🇷$363.5bn | 🇳🇬$335.4bn
2009 — 🇦🇷$334.6bn | 🇳🇬$302.5bn

2010 — 🇦🇷$424.7bn | 🇳🇬$374.1bn
2011 — 🇦🇷$527.6bn | 🇳🇬$419.9bn
2012 — 🇦🇷$579.7bn | 🇳🇬$467.2bn
2013 — 🇦🇷$611.5bn | 🇳🇬$521.9bn
2014 — 🇦🇷$563.6bn | 🇳🇬$576.0bn

2015 — 🇦🇷$642.5bn | 🇳🇬$494.3bn
2016 — 🇦🇷$556.8bn | 🇳🇬$405.0bn
2017 — 🇦🇷$643.9bn | 🇳🇬$375.8bn
2018 — 🇦🇷$524.4bn | 🇳🇬$421.7bn
2019 — 🇦🇷$446.8bn | 🇳🇬$474.5bn
2020 — 🇦🇷$385.2bn | 🇳🇬$432.3bn
2021 — 🇦🇷$486.0bn | 🇳🇬$441.1bn
2022 — 🇦🇷$632.3bn | 🇳🇬$476.5bn

2023 — 🇦🇷$645.5bn | 🇳🇬$363.8bn
2024 — 🇦🇷$632.1bn | 🇳🇬$187.6bn
2025 — 🇦🇷$683.5bn | 🇳🇬$188.3bn

#Statisense
(IMF WEO Apr 2025)

The Presidency has wrongly claimed that under President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria is the fourth fastest-growing economy in the world, trailing only Saudi Arabia, China, and India.

According to the Presidency, this development is based on economic projections released by the International Monetary Fund in its World Economic Outlook.

Findings by SaharaReporters, however, contradict the claims made by the Tinubu Presidency.

As defined by the International Monetary Fund: "GDP is important because it gives information about the size of the economy and how an economy is performing. The growth rate of real GDP is often used as an indicator of the general health of the economy. In broad terms, an increase in real GDP is interpreted as a sign that the economy is doing well."

By this definition, the actual measure of an economy’s performance is its real GDP.

According to the real gross domestic product (GDP) projections for countries published by the IMF in its April 2025 issue, Nigeria ranks 37th on the list of countries with economic growth projections—not 4th, as claimed by the Presidency.

Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications to the President shared the claim.

He wrote: "Nigeria takes the lead in Africa with Economic Growth as President Tinubu’s Reform Policies abate the Headwinds that confronted Nigeria’s Economy two years ago.

"Nigeria’s economy is ranked among the 5 top growing economies in the world. Nigeria, with its 230 million population, Vast Resources and a President with Clear Vision can punch above its weight again."

The social media aide to President Tinubu, Dada Olusegun, also shared an image claiming that Nigeria is the fourth-highest in terms of growth projection.

Findings show that the countries listed below have higher growth projections than Nigeria, based on real GDP figures in the IMF World Economic Outlook for April 2025.

According to the latest IMF data, Nigeria's growth projection (real GDP) stands at 3%. This aligns with the data cited by the Nigerian government, validating that the Presidency is indeed referencing real GDP. However, Nigeria is not the fourth fastest-growing economy in the world. Based on the IMF data the Presidency claims to reference, Nigeria ranks 37th among countries by growth projections.

Countries with higher growth projections include: China 4.0%, India 6.2%, Indonesia 4.7%, Vietnam 5.2%, Malaysia 4.1%, Philippines 5.5%, Argentina 5.5%, Paraguay 3.8%, Malta 3.9%, Croatia 3.1%, Serbia 3.5%, Macao SAR 3.6%, UAE 4.0%, Kazakhstan 4.9%, Algeria 3.5%, and Azerbaijan 3.5%.

Other countries with higher projections include: Egypt 3.8%, Morocco 3.9%, Uzbekistan 5.9%, Georgia 6.0%, Armenia 4.5%, Tajikistan 6.7%, Mauritania 6.8%, West Bank and Gaza 4.4%, Kenya 4.8%, Ghana 4.0%, Côte d'Ivoire 6.3%, Cameroon 3.6%, Senegal 8.4%, Zambia 6.2%, Ethiopia 6.6%, Tanzania 6.0%, Democratic Republic of Congo 4.7%, Uganda 6.1%, Mali 4.9%, and Burkina Faso 4.3%.

In Africa alone, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania, Kenya, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Senegal, Zambia, Ethiopia, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Mali, and Burkina Faso have higher growth projections than Nigeria.

It is unclear why the Presidency chose to mislead Nigerians with data not officially confirmed by the International Monetary Fund.

https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2025/04/22/world-economic-outlook-april-2025

Nigeria takes the lead in Africa with Economic Growth as President Tinubu’s Reform Policies abate the Headwinds that confronted Nigeria’s Economy two years ago.

Nigeria’s economy is ranked among the 5 top growing economies in the world. Nigeria, with its 230 million… https:///U2Bz6wI6Gv pic.twitter.com/71gKf46jDO

— Sunday Dare,CON (@SundayDareSD) April 30, 2025