₦airaland Forum

As the economy bites harder and end-of-year festivities rev up, the routine “tax” on middle-class Nigerians (the few of them that still exist, that is,) the political class and Nigerians in the diaspora predictably intensifies.


December is always expensive in Nigeria, but it now comes with an additional, informal levy: the expectation that anyone perceived as doing “well” must redistribute their resources far beyond family obligation.


For a long time, begging in Nigeria was associated with what Marxists once called the lumpen proletariat, that is, the dirt-poor, socially marginal and largely unorganized underclass. In Nigeria, this image was most vividly represented by the almajirai in the North, children sent to Qur’anic schools who were expected to fend for themselves through street begging.

That picture no longer captures the reality. Begging has morphed into a flourishing, multi-layered industry with widening entrants, diversified platforms and increasingly normalized practices. What was once stigmatized has become routinized, rationalized and, in some cases, even celebrated.

One major accelerant of this shift is online begging, or e-begging. It first gained social legitimacy through “giveaways” staged by social media influencers seeking to grow the numerical strength of their subscriber base and boost engagement metrics. What began as a marketing tactic quickly turned into a cultural script. The logic is that public generosity creates visibility, visibility creates clout and clout converts to income.

But the giveaways did something more corrosive. They normalized public solicitation. Today, hordes of Nigerians drop their names and bank account numbers in comment sections without the slightest embarrassment. Sometimes they do so during announced giveaways. Increasingly, they do so even when there is no giveaway at all. The request itself has become the performance.

This represents a sharp cultural break. Shame and moderation, once important moral regulators in many Nigerian societies, have been eroded. Mendicancy has shed its stigma. Asking publicly for money, repeatedly and without restraint, no longer attracts social penalty. In some online spaces, it attracts admiration for “boldness.”

To be clear, taxing wealthier relatives to feed, clothe and educate poorer kin is not new. Many Nigerians from economically deprived homes benefited from the kindness and generosity of more successful relatives. I am one of them.

We also learn that when we climb the ladder, we have a moral obligation to pay it forward. This ethic of mutual aid is deeply embedded in many Nigerian cultures, and it has helped countless people survive in the absence of a functional welfare state.

What has changed is not the ethic itself but its scale, scope and coercive intensity.

In the last few years, driven by rising inequality and the normalization of begging as an income strategy, the financial and emotional burden placed on comparatively well-off professionals has widened dramatically. The obligation now extends well beyond extended family. Acquaintances, friends of friends, former classmates, distant community members and even strangers now feel entitled to private redistribution.

Worse still, not everyone whose burden is carried by others is poor. For many, begging has become a source of passive income, an alternative revenue stream or even the primary means of livelihood. I have heard multiple accounts of people who built entire houses, from foundation to finishing, purely from proceeds of beggary. This is no longer emergency relief. It is enterprise.

What sustains this culture is a peculiar sense of entitlement. For example, Nigerians who live abroad, especially in countries with stronger currencies, are widely imagined to be awash in vast oceans of money. The brutal realities of rent, taxes, health insurance, childcare and precarious labor markets abroad are erased. They conveniently replace the lived experience of diasporan Nigerians with a crude, ignorant exchange-rate arithmetic.


As a result, even acts of real sacrifice are interpreted not as generosity but as sprouting from effortless abundance.

I once extended a significant financial favor to a relative. Instead of gratitude, I later learned that this person had told another relative that I did not deserve too much praise because the dollar-to-naira exchange rate meant that “a few thousand dollars” from me amounted to millions of naira. The assumption was that thousands of dollars are to Americans what thousands of naira are to Nigerians.

This is fantasy economics, of course, but it is powerful fantasy. It turns helpers into inexhaustible wells. Nothing they give is ever enough because the imagined surplus is infinite.

Politicians and people close to political power experience the same dynamic. Merely being adjacent to authority is enough to generate demands. People assume access to limitless resources, contracts, favors and cash. Every refusal is read as “wickedness.” Every gift is insufficient. Gratitude disappears because entitlement has taken its place.

What makes this phenomenon especially troubling is that it is rarely recognized as structural. It is personalized, moralized and weaponized. If you resist, you are accused of selfishness or betrayal. If you comply, you’re seen as embodying boundless abundance, and the demands escalate. Either way, the individual absorbs the costs of collective failure.

There is no question that the scale and persistence of begging are increasing daily in Nigeria. Previously proud and self-respecting people now engage in what can only be described as executive begging: polished, strategic, emotionally manipulative solicitation performed by people who know exactly how to frame vulnerability for maximum extraction.

Unfortunately, this is not a victimless system. Fairly well-to-do Nigerians, both at home and abroad, are stretched and stressed. They are not simply “helping family.” They are informally tasked with carrying portions of the nation’s social welfare burden. They subsidize state collapse with private sacrifice. But no seems to know or care.

The consequences are profound. Many delay building their own homes. Others postpone retirement savings. Some abandon entrepreneurial ambitions. Intergenerational wealth transfer becomes impossible when today’s surplus is permanently pre-empted by yesterday’s deprivation. What looks like generosity in the short term reproduces fragility in the long term.

This is why the phenomenon deserves systematic study. How much is the begging economy worth annually in Nigeria? What proportion of household income flows through informal redistribution networks? How much investment, savings and productive capital formation is foregone as a result? Until we quantify these questions, we will continue to treat a structural crisis as a series of private moral dilemmas.

Individualizing a structural problem harms everyone. It breeds resentment among givers, dependency among receivers and moral confusion in society at large. We end up with a culture where no one feels responsible for fixing institutions, but everyone feels entitled to someone else’s paycheck.

Nigeria needs a system where the burden of state failure is not casually transferred to individuals lucky enough to escape it. We need social norms that reward productivity and dignity rather than permanent solicitation. We need public [quote]policy that reduces desperation instead of romanticizing survivalism. Most of all, we need to recover the idea that begging should be a last resort, not a business model.

Until then, Nigeria’s growing begging economy will continue to expand, insidiously taxing the few who manage to stay afloat while deepening the very inequalities that made it possible in the first place.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider the recent directive ordering the withdrawal of police personnel attached to VIPs, warning that the decision could expose lawmakers to security risks.

President Tinubu had instructed the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to withdraw police officers from non-essential duties, including escorts assigned to VIPs.

However, speaking at the end of his welcome address during the President’s visit to the National Assembly to present the 2026 budget on Friday, Akpabio raised concerns about the implications of the move for legislators.

He said several members of the National Assembly feared they might be unable to return to their constituencies without adequate security protection.

“As we direct the security agencies to withdraw policemen from critical areas, some members of the National Assembly said I should let you know that they may not be able to go home today,” Akpabio said.

“They could be exposed to danger. On that note, we plead with you, Mr President, to kindly review the decision.”

Earlier in his remarks, the Senate President acknowledged that insecurity continues to test Nigeria’s collective resolve, noting that many communities across the country remain burdened by violence and criminal activities.

He stressed that Nigeria’s strength lies in unity and cooperation among institutions of government.

Akpabio drew lessons from history, arguing that nations make progress when the executive and legislature work together in the national interest, but stagnate when rivalry replaces cooperation.

He said the National Assembly remained committed to partnering with the executive to strengthen security frameworks and ensure the safety of Nigerians.

The appeal came amid renewed debate over the balance between curbing the misuse of police personnel and ensuring adequate protection for public officials in a challenging security environment.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the reconstitution of the Board of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), following the Senate's confirmation of its members on December 16.

A statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, Information & Strategy, states that Members of the reconstituted Board are:

• Mulisiu Olalekan Oseni, PhD. — Chairman

Dr Oseni started his service as a Commissioner in January 2017. He was subsequently appointed Vice Chairman of the Commission.

His appointment as Chairman took effect from 1 December 2025 and shall subsist until the completion of his ten-year tenure at the Commission, in accordance with the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2023.

• Yusuf Ali, PhD. — Vice Chairman

Dr Ali was first appointed as a Commissioner in February 2022. His designation as Vice Chairman took effect on 1 December 2025 and shall remain in effect until the completion of his first term.

• Mr Nathan Rogers Shatti — Commissioner

Mr Shatti is serving a second term as commissioner. He was first appointed in January 2017.

• Mr Dafe Akpeneye — Commissioner

Mr Akpeneye is serving a second term, having been first appointed as a Commissioner in January 2017.

• Aisha Mahmud Kanti Bello — Commissioner

Aisha Bello is serving her second term, having been first appointed as a Commissioner in December 2020.

• Dr Chidi Ike — Commissioner

Dr Ike is serving his first term, having been first appointed as a Commissioner in February 2022.

• Dr Fouad Animashaun — Commissioner

Dr Animashaun is serving his first term, effective December 2025.

He is an energy economist with extensive experience in the Nigerian power sector and most recently served as Executive Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission.

President Tinubu has charged the board members of NERC to deepen and consolidate the ongoing transformation of Nigeria's power sector, in strict alignment with the letter and spirit of the Electricity Act, 2023.

The Federal Government has announced the reopening of the 47 unity schools earlier shut down due to security concerns.

It said that after the strengthening of security architecture within and around the affected schools, academic activities have fully resumed.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Education on Thursday.

It said that the decision to reopen the affected colleges across the country reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to safeguarding students and ensuring the continuity of education.

“After the strengthening of security architecture within and around the affected schools, academic activities have fully resumed. Students have returned safely to their campuses, with many currently concluding their December academic programmes, while others have successfully completed their examinations,” the statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, partly read.

It assured parents, guardians, and the general public that the safety, welfare, and well-being of students remain a top priority.

The ministry explained that the government continues to work closely with relevant security agencies to sustain stability and restore normalcy within school environments nationwide.

“The Federal Government remains resolute in its responsibility to protect every Nigerian child and to uphold their fundamental right to education in a safe and secure environment.

“This administration places strong emphasis on human capital development and recognises education as a critical pillar for national growth and development. Accordingly, it remains determined to prevent any disruption to the academic calendar,” it stated.

It further noted that the safe return of students and the successful conduct of examinations in several unity colleges underscored the government’s resolve to keep learning on track despite prevailing challenges.

Multiple explosions on Wednesday rocked Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area in Edo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent reports that multiple explosions occurred in three different areas of Auchi at about 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

NAN observed that the first blast occurred along Igbei Road, the second at the Igbo Shade area near an AP filling station, while the third explosion occurred along the Auchi–Okene Road, close to Winners Junction.

Properties worth millions of naira were reportedly destroyed, including buildings and shops, across the three affected areas.

As of the time of filing the report, the cause of the explosions was unknown, and the number of deaths or casualties could not be ascertained.

An eyewitness, who spoke to NAN on condition of anonymity, said the explosions occurred almost simultaneously in different parts of Auchi.

The eyewitness added that the blasts appeared to have been coordinated.

The eyewitness described the incident as an allegedly planned attack on the Auchi community and stressed the need for a thorough investigation to prevent future occurrences.

NAN further reports that a fuel tanker fell along the expressway, prompting residents to scramble to scoop fuel.

It took the intervention of the Police Area Commander in Auchi, who mobilised officers to the scene to prevent a possible explosion as the crowd continued to grow.

Meanwhile, a credible source at the Divisional Police Station in Auchi told NAN that the spilt petrol which had flowed into drainage tunnels, later exploded at different locations.


The source, however, added that the areas were cordoned off to prevent loss of lives. (NAN)

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulsammad Dasuki (PDP Sokoto), on Wednesday raised a matter of privilege on the floor of the House, alleging discrepancies between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions subsequently gazetted and made available to the public.

Rising under Order Six, Rule Two of the House Rules on a Point of Privilege, Dasuki told the House that his legislative privilege had been breached, insisting that the content of the tax laws as gazetted did not reflect what lawmakers debated, voted on and passed on the floor of the House.



According to him, after the passage of the tax bills, he took time over the past three days to carefully review the gazetted copies alongside the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives, as well as the harmonised version adopted by both chambers of the National Assembly, but observed discrepancies.

“I was here, I gave my vote and it was counted, and I am seeing something completely different,” Dasuki said, adding that he obtained copies of the gazetted laws from the Ministry of Information and found them to be inconsistent with what was approved by both the House and the Senate.

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The lawmaker stressed that the matter was not about moving a motion, but about drawing the attention of the House to what he described as “a serious breach” of legislative process and the Constitution.

He urged the Speaker to ensure that all relevant documents, including the harmonised versions, the Votes and Proceedings of both chambers, and the gazetted copies currently in circulation, are brought before the Committee of the Whole for scrutiny by all members.

Dasuki warned that allowing laws different from those duly passed by the National Assembly to be presented to Nigerians would undermine the integrity of the legislature and violate constitutional provisions.

“Mr. Speaker, I will be pleading that all the documents should be brought before the Committee of the Whole Thank you. The whole members should see what is in the gazetted copy and see what they passed on the floor so that we can make the relevant amendment. Mister Speaker, this is the breach of the Constitution.

“This is the breach of our laws, and this should not be taken by this honorable House. Thank you Mister Speaker,” he said.

Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, who presided the plenary, said, he had taken note of the Point of Privilege raised by Dasuki and assured that action would be taken on the matter.

A United States lawmaker, Mary Miller, has said that radical Islam is responsible for the killing of thousands of Christians in Nigeria.

"Radical Islam is responsible for the mass slaughter of THOUSANDS of Christians in Nigeria and around the world."

"This dangerous ideology has NO place in America," she wrote on X.

The comments come amid growing pressure from the United States on Nigeria to end what it has described as a genocide against Christians.

Earlier, the United States government vowed to take action over what has been referred to as a "genocide against Christians."

This position was made known by the House Committee on Appropriations via its official X handle on Wednesday while commenting on a post by Congressman Riley Moore, who revealed that he was in Benue State to meet "Christians in the Internally Displaced Persons Camp" who had suffered horrific violence.

Moore wrote: "While in Benue, I met with dozens of Christians who were driven from their homes and subjected to horrific violence and now live in IDP camps. They told harrowing stories that will remain with me for the rest of my life."

"One woman was forced to watch as they killed her husband and five children. She, and her unborn child, barely escaped.Another woman’s family was murdered in front of her and her baby was ripped from her womb."

"One man’s family was hacked to death in front of his eyes and his armed was permanently mangled.There are more than 600,000 Christians in IDP camps in Benue State alone."

"These Christians should be able to live in their ancestral homeland without fear of genocidal Fulani."

Responding to his post, the United States House Committee on Appropriations wrote on its official X handle on Wednesday:

"America will not look away as innocent lives are stolen. Directed by @POTUS, Appropriators led an on-the-ground mission to inform a report on Christian persecution in Nigeria and guide policy recommendations. Religious freedom and atrocity response are central to our NSRP bill."

Previously, SaharaReporters reported that Congressman Moore had voiced fresh concerns over Nigeria’s escalating insecurity, warning that the country still has much work to do to curb terrorism and deadly attacks, especially in the North-East and Middle Belt regions.

Moore, in a statement posted on X, said he met with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, where discussions centred on the worsening wave of terrorism and continued killings.

He described the issue as a specific concern for US President Donald Trump and himself.

According to the congressman, the delegation engaged Nigerian officials on concrete steps and actions which, if fully implemented, could help stabilise the country.

“There were concrete steps and actions discussed at length, that if fully executed, I believe will enhance security across the country for all Nigerians, disrupt and destroy terrorist organisations in the northeast and stop the killing of Christians (a specific concern for @POTUS and me) – particularly in the Middle Belt of the country,” he wrote.

While acknowledging initial progress, Moore maintained that Nigeria’s security challenges remain far from resolved.

"There is much work still to be done, but things are moving in the right direction. I look forward to the next steps with the Nigerian government and the continued open dialogue," he added.

He ended his message with a blessing to Nigerians: “Peace be with you all. God bless the great people of Nigeria.”

Aliyu raised the alarm while speaking on behalf of the forum during an interactive meeting with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) and the former Ministers’ Forum.

Former Governor of Niger State and Chairman of the former Governors’ Forum on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Babangida Aliyu, has warned that Nigeria is “systematically and dangerously sliding into a one-party state” under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Aliyu raised the alarm while speaking on behalf of the forum during an interactive meeting with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) and the former Ministers’ Forum.

He expressed deep concern over what he described as the shrinking political space in the country, the rising wave of induced defections, and the weakening of opposition institutions.

According to him, these developments amount to a calculated attempt to stifle democracy and impose a totalitarian order on Nigerians.

“We observe with alarm the aggressive maneuvers by the ruling APC to obliterate the opposition,” Aliyu said.

“The relentless poaching of opposition figures, the weaponization of state institutions to intimidate dissenting voices, are clear indicators that Nigeria is sliding dangerously into a one-party state.

“This is not just a threat to the Peoples Democratic Party, but a direct assault on the democratic hard-won freedoms of every Nigerian citizen.”

He stressed that a vibrant and functional opposition remains the bedrock of any thriving democracy, serving as a critical check on executive excesses and authoritarian tendencies.

Aliyu also congratulated the newly elected PDP National Working Committee, declaring the full confidence and support of former governors in the revitalised leadership of the party under its National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN).

“The PDP is not dead; it is evolving,” he declared. “We are pleased to note that under the stewardship of Tanimu Turaki, the NWC is effectively repositioning the party.

“His leadership has brought a renewed sense of purpose, discipline, and reconciliation that is critical for our resurgence.”

In his response, Turaki sought to galvanise party leaders and supporters, insisting that the PDP’s 16 years in government remain the benchmark for governance and development in Nigeria.

Turaki argued that prevailing socio-economic challenges in the country have vindicated the PDP’s record in office, describing the period between 1999 and 2015 as a “golden era” marked by economic liberalisation, institutional strengthening and national cohesion.

“We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history where the difference between competence and propaganda has become glaringly obvious to the common man,” Turaki said.

“Nigerians cannot forget the PDP’s 16 glorious years. These were years when Nigeria became the largest economy in Africa, when our foreign debt was cleared, and when the middle class was thriving, not disappearing.”

He listed key achievements of the PDP era to support his claims, including the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector, banking consolidation, the settlement of the Paris Club debt, and the establishment of anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which he said operated within the rule of law.

Also speaking at the meeting, former Governor of Kano State and two-time Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ibrahim Shekarau, who represented the former Ministers’ Forum, urged the new NWC leadership not to relent.

According to Shekarau, the contributions of the current NWC to the rebuilding and stabilisation of the party have exceeded expectations despite the challenges confronting the opposition.

“Don’t relent; you have done more than expected,” Shekarau charged, as the forum formally endorsed the new NWC leadership, expressing confidence that the PDP is moving forward under Turaki’s stewardship.

ABUJA – The Senate has condemned the multiple budget implementations in a fiscal year by the federal government, as experienced in 2025, saying the practice is unacceptable to Nigerians and must be normalised from next year.

It also said the government should endeavour to present realisable proposals to avoid non-implementations which usually dovetailed into multiple implementations in subsequent years.

Chairman of the Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, APC, Niger East, expressed his displeasure yesterday.

Consequently, the Senate urged the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, to increase its projected revenue target for 2026 from N31trillion to N35trillion, as the federal government lamented shortfalls of N30trillion from the N40trillion revenue target for 2025.

The displeasure of senators on multiple budget implementations in a fiscal year came during the interactive session the finance committee, chaired by Senator Musa, had with leading managers of the nation’s economy on the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, and Fiscal Strategy Paper, FSP.

In his explanations on projections for 2026 budget and implementation of the 2024 and 2025 budgets, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, told members of the committee that while revenues for 2024 budget had been met, that of 2025 had not been met.

Edun said: “Funding for the capital components of the 2024 budget have been met through realisation of the total projection of N26trillion revenue but that of 2025 have not been met.

“Out of projected N40trillion revenue for 2025 fiscal year, only N10trillion has been realised, leaving a shortfall of N30trillion and consequently making the federal government roll over 70% of capital projects captured in 2025 fiscal year to 2026.”

Not comfortable with the submission, some members of the committee, including Senators Danjuma Goje, APC, Gombe Central; Olalere Oyewumi, Osun West; Victor Umeh, LP, Anambra Central; Aminu Iya Abbas, Adamawa Central; Ireti Kingibe, FCT, among others, expressed displeasure with multiple budget implementations in a fiscal year

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In his remarks, Senator Goje noted that the practice of implementing multiple budgets in a single year was unacceptable to Nigerians.

He said: “This ugly situation we found ourselves on multiple budget implementations should please end by this year . It is not acceptable. Things must be normalised from next year.”

On his part, Senator Oyelere told the minister that since budgetary proposals were not given to the government by the governed , government should present realisable proposals to avoid non-implementations which usually dovetailed into multiple implementations in subsequent years.

In their remarks, Senators Victor Umeh and Ireti Kingibe, wondered why the federal government did not fill the missing gaps in revenue targets, with borrowings approved for it from time to time by the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly.


Chairman of the committee, Senator Sani Musa, however, came to the rescue of the minister, assuring his colleagues and by extension, Nigerians, that the required normalisation in budget projections and implementation shall be done from 2026.

According to him, a three-man ad hoc committee shall be set up by the committee to liaise with the minister and the accountant-general of the federation on payment of local contractors for projects executed in 2024 before expiration of the budget on 31st of this month.

For FIRS, Senator Musa tasked its chairman, Zacch Adedeji, to work towards realising N35trillion as target revenue for 2026 fiscal year and not the earlier projected N31trillion he mentioned.

The FIRS boss had in making the projection, said the agency under him, realised N20.2trillion revenue in 2024 and N25.2trillion in 2025.

He, however, said the huge revenue being realised by FIRS and other agencies, such as Customs, were being swallowed and made insufficient by multiple budget implementations in a fiscal year.


In their submissions, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu and Minister of State (Petroleum), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, defended the parameters set for the N54. 4trillion 2026 budget.

The parameters are 1.84million oil production per day; $64.85 oil price benchmark; and N1, 512.00 to 1USD as exchange rate, among others.

President Bola Tinubu had last Thursday, transmitted the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper to the Senate for consideration and subsequent approval.

The letter was read by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, APC, Kano North, read: “It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Time Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper, MTEF, and FSP for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.

“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP was approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, as the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared, based on parameters.

Former Jigawa State Governor and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sule Lamido, says the party may be forced into alliances if ongoing efforts to resolve its internal crisis fail.

Lamido gave the warning while receiving Jigawa State PDP stakeholders and party leaders at his Kano office, where he stressed the need for urgent reconciliation to save the party from further decline.

He recalled that he had earlier asked party members to exercise patience until December 9, pending a decision on the fate of the PDP’s acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum.

According to him, the ultimatum was part of wider consultations aimed at restoring stability within the party.

Lamido disclosed that he had held talks with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki, during which strategies were drawn up to engage PDP governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory in reconciliation efforts. He said some of the meetings were hosted at Saraki’s residence.

“We have consulted all of them and asked for cooperation. We are going to sit again. Don’t worry, you are going to vote. There is still no party like the PDP. We should not allow our personal ego to destroy it,” Lamido said.

He warned that failure to achieve reconciliation would leave the party with no option but to explore alliances not coalitions, a move he said could significantly reshape Nigeria’s political landscape.

“If reconciliation fails, alliances not coalition will become inevitable. You know there is a difference between alliance and coalition. If you want to make a name in Nigeria, you should join the PDP,” he added.

The former governor lamented the PDP’s declining fortunes in Kano State, noting that the party secured only about 15,000 votes in the last general elections. He also criticised the defection of the party’s former vice-presidential candidate to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as a setback.

According to him, internal rivalry within the PDP has largely benefited the APC, alleging that political alignments in the South-West have favoured the ruling party due to tribal sentiments.

Earlier, the Jigawa State Chairman of the PDP, Dr Babandi Ibrahim, said the meeting was a follow-up to previous engagements focused on resolving the party’s lingering leadership crisis.

“This meeting is a follow-up to our earlier sittings, especially regarding resolutions submitted by stakeholders on the fate of the party,” Babandi said.

He admitted that the party was in a state of uncertainty, noting that Lamido had earlier appealed for patience while efforts were being made to address the leadership impasse.

“You asked us to come and we are here. As far as we are concerned, the party is in limbo. Up till this moment, Damagum and Anyanwu remain on the INEC platform as the recognised leaders of the party. We are here today before you, Sir,” he said.

FBI arrests Nigerian Damilola Bamigboye for kidnapping immigration officer to avoid deportation

The FBI has charged Damilola Bamigboye, a 24-year-old Nigerian, to court for resisting arrest and abducting an agent of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, based on documents reviewed by Peoples Gazette.

Mr Bamigboye encountered HSI agents surveilling him for overstaying his student visa, and what was supposed to be a routine arrest spiralled into a hostage situation involving a federal officer on December 10. He was charged alongside Rekeya Frazier, an accomplice involved in the abduction.

Last Wednesday, an undisclosed number of agents inside a parked vehicle conducted surveillance on Mr Bamigboye’s apartment in Plymouth, Minnesota. Although the vehicle was unmarked, it had sirens and lights.

They were monitoring the suspect’s Kia Optima vehicle when an SUV Jeep pulled up and parked right next to the Kia. Agents immediately identified Mr Bamigboye as the front-seat passenger and a lady believed to be his girlfriend as the driver.

Mr Bamigboye, according to the FBI, must have noticed the law enforcement’s Ford Xplora because he then wore a mask to obscure his face. He soon began to move items from the front seat to the back. Ms Frazier alighted but stood near the driver’s seat.

The HSI agents simultaneously exited their vehicle and approached the suspect, flashing their badges and identifying themselves as law enforcement. But Mr Bamigboye, who was then in the back seat, appeared uncooperative after learning they wanted to discuss his immigration status.

The FBI said Mr Bamigboye immediately grabbed the driver’s headrest and instructed Ms Frazier to drive.

“He yelled at Frazier, ‘Drive! Drive! Drive! Get in the car and drive now’, or words to that effect,” FBI Special Agent Terry Getsch wrote in a report to David Schultz, U.S. magistrate judge, district of Minnesota.

Ms Frazier obeyed. One agent hopped into the front seat and tried to stop her from starting the ignition. A second agent wrestled to pull Mr Bamigboye from the backseat and drag him out of the vehicle.

Even as the struggle intensified, Ms Frazier managed to start the car, and the second agent “was forced to jump out of the Jeep to avoid being hit”. The Jeep jerked forward, slamming the front door shut with the first agent still inside.

“Agent 1 was now being involuntarily carried in the Jeep as it drove,” the FBI wrote.

The agent demanded that Ms Frazier stop the vehicle and explained her decision to continue driving would further complicate matters. He struggled to park the Jeep, but Ms Frazier pushed his hand away and threatened to “crash the car”. She also said she would drop him off at a police station.

The agent, unfamiliar with that terrain, feared he was being kidnapped.

“Agent 1 is assigned to another HSI office and is not familiar with Minnesota (he is on temporary detail for an operation). He is not familiar with that area and had no idea where they were going. He was in fear that he was being abducted,” the FBI said.

Meanwhile, the Ford Xplora with the initial officers dispatched to surveil and arrest Mr Bamigboye, was in hot pursuit of the Jeep, blaring sirens and lights.

Mr Bamigboye called 911 to report the matter while Agent 1 screamed that he was a federal agent on official duty. He also called the HSI operations for guidance.

He later drew his firearm and ordered Ms Frazier to stop the car, but she refused.

Ms Frazier eventually parked the car in front of the New Hope Police Department, about two miles away from Mr Bamigboye’s residence.

As the Jeep slowed, readying to park, Mr Bamigboye jumped out and dashed into a nearby Hy-vee grocery store. An agent ran after him.

He was later arrested at the back of the store. Ms Frazier, on the other hand, was giving the agents a hard time by refusing to get out of the Jeep. Eventually, uniformed police officers arrived at the scene and took her into custody.

Mr Bamigboye initially declined to speak to the FBI but obliged after rights advisement and waiver. He denied that the officers identified themselves with their badges.

He also admitted wrestling with a federal agent to evade arrest and instructing Ms Frazier to drive away from his apartment. He blamed his actions on post-traumatic stress disorder, which he developed from being kidnapped in Nigeria.

“The 24-year-old claimed he acted the way he had because he had PTSD from having been previously kidnapped while living in his active country of Nigeria,” Mr Getsch wrote to the judge.

Special agent Terry Getsch concluded that the FBI had strong reasons to believe the duo of Mr Bamigboye and Ms Frazier planned to abduct a federal officer.

The FBI said it had “probable cause to believe that the defendants, Oluwadamilola Ogooluwa Bamigboye and Rekeya Lionesha Lee Frazier, violated Title 18 of the U.S. Code, Section 111” and that the act involved contact with the victim and the intent to commit another felony.

Mr Bamigboye has now been charged following an arraignment before federal magistrate judge David Schultz in Hennepin County, Minnesota.

Barring any last-minute change, MRS and other partners of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery are set to begin selling petrol at N739 per litre.

This comes two days after the refinery slashed its petrol gantry price from N828 to N699 per litre. Speaking at a press briefing at the Lekki refinery on Sunday, the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said he was aware that despite lower gantry prices, some filling stations often choose to keep pump prices high, thereby sabotaging his efforts.

According to him, MRS would commence the sale of petrol at N739 per litre from Tuesday, while other partners would follow. Dangote alleged that some officials had met with certain marketers and encouraged them to keep prices high in order to frustrate the price reduction, stressing that he would fight to enforce the new price regime.

“I was told that the marketers have met with (some officials) and were told to make sure that the price is maintained high. But this price we are going to introduce, we are going to start with MRS stations most likely on Tuesday in Lagos; that N970 per litre, you won’t see it again. We have also asked members of IPMAN to come now.

We have asked anybody who can buy 10 trucks to come and buy 10 trucks at N699.

“We are going to use whatever resources that we have to make sure that we crash the price down. We will get these sales; maybe it will take us a week to 10 days. But first of all, within a week to 10 days, we will be able to deliver. For this December and January, we don’t want people to sell petrol for more than N740 nationwide. Those who want to keep the price to sabotage the government, we will fight as much as we can to make sure that these prices are down. That’s not the price. If you have money to come and buy, you can pick up petrol at N699,” he said.

Dangote said transporting petrol from the refinery costs no more than N15 per litre, questioning why pump prices would rise as high as N900 per litre. He also accused the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority of issuing 47 import licences to bring in more than seven billion litres of petrol in the first quarter of 2026, a move he said was killing local investments.


"Freight within Lagos is N10 or N15, maximum. So if it’s N10 to N15, everything is going to cost you N715. Why do you want to sell at N900? People should get the real price. I cannot come now and take the hit. Did we make money? No, we didn’t make money. But as we speak now, even our tanks are full because the NMDPRA has issued reckless licences. And we have to now go and complain to the government.

“They normally issue licences in the middle of the month. So, they are now ready to issue licences for about 7.5 billion litres for the first quarter of 2026, despite the fact that we have guaranteed to supply enough quantity.

“If you are talking about monopoly, did we stop anybody? They issued 47 licences. Let those people come and put up a refinery here, or let them go and buy even NNPC’s and operate them. If it’s profitable, they should go and do that now. NNPC was the only business that was bringing in fuel before.

“Now, we are the only one and one of the few modular refineries that are producing. Those modular refineries, I can tell you for nothing that they are almost on the verge of collapse. None of them is making a dime,” he added.

The billionaire businessman assured Nigerians that the N739 per litre price would be enforced, beginning with MRS stations on Tuesday. “Starting from Tuesday, MRS will start selling petrol at N739/litre. Definitely, we will enforce that low price. We will make sure that it’s implemented. If you have your truck, you can come here and buy it. We are selling at N699. The N699 includes the percentage of NMDPRA. So what actually comes out to us is about N389 or so,” he stated.

Contacted for his reaction, the NMDPRA spokesman, George Ene-Ita, said, “For now, no comment.”

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has again reduced its petrol gantry price, slashing the ex-depot rate from N828 to N699 per litre.

Real-time market data published on Petroleumprice.ng on Friday showed that the refinery implemented another major downward review, cutting the Premium Motor Spirit benchmark price by N129 per litre — a 15.58 per cent reduction.

An official of the refinery, who spoke to PUNCH Online on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, also confirmed the adjustment.

He said, “The refinery has reduced petrol gantry price to N699 per litre.”

The new price took effect on December 11, 2025, marking the 20th petrol price adjustment announced by the refinery this year.

The latest reduction comes barely five days after the refinery’s Chairman, Aliko Dangote, restated his commitment to keeping domestic fuel prices “reasonable and competitive” despite global volatility and persistent smuggling along Nigeria’s borders.

Speaking after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu on December 6, Dangote said prices would continue to fall as the refinery ramps up output and competes directly with imported products.

Dangote said, “Prices are going down. The reason why prices have to go down is that we have to also compete with imports.

"But luckily for us now, the smuggling has reduced, not totally.

“There is still quite a lot of smuggling because the price we have in Nigeria is about 55 per cent lower than the price of our neighbouring countries.”

The billionaire said petroleum products (diesel and petrol) “will continue to be sold in the market at a very reasonable price”.

“We are not here to make our $20 billion back quickly; it’s a long-term investment,” Dangote said.

Market trackers on Petroleumprice.ng also reported fresh reductions across several private depots following the refinery’s latest review.

According to the platform, Sigmund Depot reduced its ex-depot price by N4 to N824 per litre, while Bulk Strategic also posted a marginal drop of N3. TechnoOil implemented one of the sharpest decreases with a N15 cut.

The Federal Government plans to borrow N17.89tn in 2026 to fund a widening budget deficit as revenue projections fall sharply below expenditure needs, according to the 2026 budget framework obtained from the Budget Office of the Federation.

Official figures in the 2026 Abridged Budget Call Circular issued by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning show that total new borrowing will jump from N10.42tn in 2025 to N17.89tn in 2026. This is an increase of N7.46tn (72 per cent) in fresh loans over one year, amid concerns over rising debt costs.

The borrowing requirement is driven by a larger fiscal deficit and a weaker revenue outlook, even though overall expenditure is projected to fall slightly compared with the current year. The framework puts the 2026 fiscal deficit at N20.12tn, up from N14.10tn approved for 2025.

This represents an increase of N6.02tn, or about 43 per cent year-on-year. Despite this jump in the nominal deficit, the deficit to gross domestic product ratio is projected to decline from 4.17 per cent in 2025 to 3.61 per cent in 2026, reflecting a higher projected GDP base. The deficit ratio is expected to ease further to 3.24 per cent in 2027 and 1.92 per cent in 2028.

Revenue figures explain why the government is resorting to much larger borrowing. The amount available for the federal budget, excluding the retained revenue of government-owned enterprises, is projected to fall from N38.02tn in 2025 to N29.35tn in 2026.

This is a drop of N8.67tn or about 23 per cent between the two years. The government expects revenue to recover modestly to N31.53tn in 2027 and N34.90tn in 2028.

That implies growth of about seven per cent between 2026 and 2027 and about 11 per cent between 2027 and 2028, but the recovery is not strong enough to remove the need for heavy borrowing in the medium term.

The PUNCH further observed that the bulk of the 2026 borrowing will come from domestic creditors. The document shows that of the planned N17.89tn new loans for 2026, N14.31tn will be raised from the domestic market, while N3.58tn will be sourced from external creditors. Domestic borrowing, therefore, accounts for 80 per cent of new loans in 2026, while foreign borrowing contributes 20 per cent.

This strong tilt towards the local market is not new. In 2025, domestic borrowing is put at N8.58tn out of total new loans of N10.42tn, which is about 82 per cent of the borrowing requirement. External borrowing of N1.84tn makes up the remaining 18 per cent.

The same pattern is projected to continue after 2026. In 2027, the Federal Government plans to borrow N21.18tn, comprising N16.94tn in domestic debt and N4.24tn in external loans.

Domestic borrowing thus remains at 80 per cent of the total, with foreign loans at 20 per cent. In 2028, planned borrowing drops to N15.84tn, but the structure remains almost unchanged, with N12.67tn expected from domestic creditors and N3.17tn from external lenders, again roughly 80 and 20 per cent respectively.

When the numbers for the three budget years are added together, the scale of reliance on debt becomes clearer. Between 2026 and 2028, the Federal Government plans to borrow N54.91tn in total. Domestic creditors are expected to provide N43.92tn of this amount, while external creditors will supply N10.98tn.

This means domestic borrowing will account for exactly 80 per cent of new loans over the three-year period, with external debts making up the remaining 20 per cent. Year-on-year analysis of borrowing after 2026 shows a continued heavy dependence on debt, even though the trend turns downward towards the end of the period.

From 2026 to 2027, total new borrowing rises from N17.89tn to N21.18tn, an increase of about N3.29tn or roughly 18 per cent. Between 2027 and 2028, planned borrowing falls from N21.18tn to N15.84tn, a decline of about N5.34tn or roughly 25 per cent.

Debt service costs are also rising. According to the framework, debt service is projected at N13.94tn for 2025 and N15.52tn for 2026, an increase of N1.58tn, or about 11 per cent year-on-year.

The burden of these payments relative to revenue is captured in the debt service to revenue ratio. For 2025, the ratio is put at 34 per cent. In 2026, it is forecast to jump to 45 per cent, meaning nearly one naira out of every two naira of revenue available to the Federal Government will be used to pay interest and principal on existing debt.

The ratio is projected to rise further to 53 per cent in 2027 before easing to 47 per cent in 2028. Total federal expenditure is expected to edge down from N54.99tn in 2025 to N54.46tn in 2026, but the composition of spending continues to tilt towards recurrent items and debt service.

Recurrent non-debt expenditure is projected to rise from N13.59tn in 2025 to N15.27tn in 2026. Within this, personnel costs for ministries and departments will take N8.36tn, while pensions, gratuities, and retirees’ benefits will cost N1.38tn. Other service-wide votes, including key national programmes, will rise from N1.06tn in 2025 to N1.85tn in 2026.

Capital expenditure is set to fall from N26.19tn in 2025 to N22.37tn in 2026. The reduction is linked to a policy decision that ministries and agencies will roll over 70 per cent of their 2025 capital allocations into 2026 rather than seek fresh approvals for the same projects.

Capital spending is projected to recover slightly to N23.28tn in 2027 and then ease to N21.26tn in 2028. Even with this sizeable capital envelope, the combination of recurrent spending and debt service still dominates the budget and squeezes the room for new infrastructure.

Other financing items are relatively small when compared with the borrowing figures. Privatisation proceeds are projected at N312.33bn in 2025 and are expected to fall to N189.16bn in 2026. They are then forecast to rise modestly to N197.23bn in 2027 and jump to N486.54bn in 2028.

Even at that peak level, privatisation receipts would still amount to less than three per cent of total financing. Project-tied loans from multilateral and bilateral partners are also expected to decline from N3.36tn in 2025 to N2.05tn in 2026, then to N1.17tn in 2027, and N556.66bn in 2028.

Speaking earlier in separate interviews with The PUNCH, experts said the deficit, which represents more than one-third of the proposed N54.43tn spending envelope, raises fresh questions about debt sustainability, fiscal discipline, and the government’s ability to manage inflationary and exchange rate pressures in 2026.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf, said Nigeria must be cautious not to destroy the fragile stability achieved in recent months.

He warned that high deficits and rising debt levels pose a serious threat. Yusuf said he was worried about what he described as the risk of a debt trap, stating that “we need to worry about debt sustainability” because “high levels of deficits and high levels of debt… can choke the fiscal space and lead to a kind of vicious circle of debt.”

He explained that Nigeria has only recently regained some macroeconomic footing and that any disruption could quickly worsen inflation and exchange rate pressures.

We won’t look away — US Congress reasserts stand against Christian persecution in Nigeria

The United States House Appropriations Committee has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling religious persecution worldwide — with a specific emphasis on Nigeria — declaring that America “will not look away as innocent lives are stolen.”

The committee stated this in a message posted on its official X account on Wednesday, stressing that religious freedom remains a key priority in its National Security and Related Programs (NSRP) bill.

“Directed by @POTUS, Appropriators led an on-the-ground mission to inform a report on Christian persecution in Nigeria and guide policy recommendations,” the committee wrote, adding that “religious freedom and atrocity response are central to our NSRP bill.”

The reaffirmation followed an on-the-ground mission to Nigeria by a delegation of US appropriators acting under President Donald Trump’s directive.

The visit formed part of efforts to assess the state of religious violence and shape future congressional action.

Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, confirmed on Sunday that he hosted the US delegation during what he described as ongoing security consultations between both countries.

According to Ribadu, the discussions built on earlier meetings in Washington and focused on “counter-terrorism cooperation, regional stability,” and strengthening an already “strategic security partnership.”

Rep. Riley Moore, a member of the visiting delegation, described the trip as “a very productive visit to Nigeria” in a post on X.

While in the country, Moore also held meetings with Tiv and Catholic leaders in Benue State, one of the regions most affected by recurrent violence.

The congressional visit comes amid escalating diplomatic tensions following the Trump administration’s recent redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged religious-freedom violations — a move that revived debate over possible consequences, including military intervention.

The Federal Government has repeatedly rejected the allegations, maintaining that insecurity affects Nigerians across all faiths.

On November 20, Ribadu met with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon to discuss coordinated strategies to address Nigeria’s security crisis.

That same day, the US House Subcommittee on Africa held a public hearing on the implications of the redesignation.