₦airaland Forum

The Nigerian Army disclosed this development via its official X handle on Wednesday, confirming the Army chief’s presence in the theatre of operations.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General O.O. Oluyede, has relocated to the North-East to directly oversee military operations under Operation HADIN KAI amid intensified efforts to eliminate terrorist threats in the region.

The Nigerian Army disclosed this development via its official X handle on Wednesday, confirming the Army chief’s presence in the theatre of operations.

The move comes as Nigerian forces ramp up offensive operations targeting remaining pockets of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters entrenched in the Lake Chad Basin and Sambisa Forest axis.

“Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General OO Oluyede currently in the North East overseeing Army operations in Operation HADIN KAI,” the army said in the post.

However, StatiSense, a data company which also confirmed on its X handle yesterday that Nigeria was no longer listed on the list of countries indebted to IMF, revealed that as at July 28, 2023, Nigeria was owing the Fund $1.61 billion, this was reduced to $1.37 billion as at January 5, 2024; $933.03 million as at July 10, 2024; $472.06 million as at January 8, 2025, before it was finally settled this month.

President Bola Tinubu has presented a ₦1.78 trillion budget proposal for the Federal Capital Territory to the National Assembly.

Tinubu, in a letter read on the floor of the Green Chamber on Tuesday by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, urged the lawmakers to fast-track its passage to facilitate critical development projects in the nation’s capital.

Tinubu stated that the budget presentation was in compliance with Section 299 of the Nigerian Constitution, which empowers the president to lay the FCT’s budget before the legislature.

In his letter, the president emphasised that the proposed budget would boost key sectors, including health, social welfare, agriculture, and employment.

“The passage of the budget would facilitate investment in health and social welfare, increase agricultural production, and improve the creation of jobs,” the letter read in part.

Giving a breakdown of the estimates, Tinubu noted that 85% of the total allocation would be directed toward completing ongoing infrastructure and development projects, while the remaining 15% would fund new initiatives.

He appealed to the parliament to accelerate the passage of the budget proposal, saying, “I urge the National Assembly to give this budget the urgent attention it deserves, in the interest of accelerating development within the FCT.”

Claim: A viral video circulating online claims that Boko Haram insurgents are mobilizing and regrouping in North-Eastern Nigeria.

The video is accompanied by a caption stating, “This is what Zulum was talking about. The mobilization and regrouping by Boko Haram in the Northeast.”

The claim further suggests that the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Umara Zulum, has warned about this resurgence.

In recent weeks, Governor Zulum has indeed expressed concerns that Boko Haram is staging a comeback after a series of attacks, allegedly reclaiming control of some areas in northeastern Nigeria. He also called for increased military support for troops battling the insurgency.

Borno State has been at the centre of Boko Haram’s 15-year insurgency, which has displaced over two million people and claimed thousands of lives, affecting both Christians and Muslims. At the peak of its influence in 2015, Boko Haram controlled large territories in the state before being pushed back by military efforts.

Verification: PRNigeria conducted fact-check using reverse image search and frame-by-frame analysis of the video. The footage shows armed men, some with their heads covered, riding motorcycles and military-style Hilux vehicles in a desert-like setting.

Crucially, PRNigeria discovered that the language spoken in the video is neither Hausa nor Arabic not even Kanuri, the dominant languages used by Boko Haram leaders like Muhammad Yusuf and Abubakar Shekau in their past propaganda videos. This raised initial doubts about the video’s origin.

Further analysis determined that the terrain seen in the footage, arid and desert-like, is inconsistent with the Sambisa Forest, the known stronghold of Boko Haram.

Sambisa, located in Borno State, is a lush forested area with rivers like Ngadda and Yedseram, covering about 518 km². Once a popular safari destination, it has become infamous as a hideout for insurgents but lacks the desert features seen in the video.

PRNigeria’s reverse image search traced the footage to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a terrorist group based in the Sahel region, specifically in Burkina Faso.

The clarification was confirmed by security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama via a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

The video has no connection to Borno State or Boko Haram and warned that linking it to Governor Zulum’s recent statements is misleading and potentially dangerous.

JNIM is a Salafi-Jihadist group formed in 2017 through the merger of four Mali-based extremist groups: Ansar al-Din, al-Murabitun, the Macina Liberation Front (MLF), and the Sahara Emirate subgroup of al-Qa‘ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Led by Iyad ag Ghali, JNIM has pledged allegiance to both al-Qa‘ida and the Taliban. The group operates across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, exploiting local grievances to advance its extremist agenda.

Conclusion: The viral video does not show Boko Haram insurgents regrouping in Nigeria. Instead, it depicts fighters from JNIM in Burkina Faso and therefore has no association to Governor Zulum’s recent statement.

Verdict: PRNigeria concludes that the claim that Boko Haram insurgents are regrouping in the North-East, as depicted in the viral video, is FALSE.

The wave of defections from opposition political parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, may have extended to the camp of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the last election, Peter Obi.

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy, Daniel Bwala, stated in a television interview that some of Obi’s appointees are on their way to joining the ruling party.

Bwala specifically claimed that one of Obi’s handlers is already in APC, while “the second handler is in talks” with party leaders. He further revealed that one of Obi’s media aides has expressed interest in joining the party. He said,

“Governors are on their own coming into our party. What about the key managers of specific presidential candidates of the last election? “Take, for example, Peter Obi, one of his handlers, is with us. The second handler is in talks with us. One of his media spokesmen is in talks with us.

“Why are they joining us? Nobody is giving anybody kobo, but because they realise, we are not perfect as a government, but our hearts are right, our head is correct, and we are creating a national consensus.”

Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri , has advised ex-presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to beam the spotlight on his son, instead of President Bola Tinubu's son, Seyi Tinubu.

This was after Obi condemned the alleged abduction of a self-acclaimed NANS President who fingered Seyi Tinubu as the mastermind.

In a statement, Omokri described Seyi Tinubu as a responsible person, adding that the same could not be said of Obi's son.

He wrote on Facebook, "Dear Peter Obi,
"Instead of spreading debunked lies about President Tinubu's son, Seyi Tinubu , being spread by the factional NANS President, why not put the spotlight on your own son, Oseloka? Honestly, I would have preferred not to say anything about your son, but you crossed the line by attacking Seyi Tinubu.

"Seyi Tinubu is in the same age bracket as your son, Oseloka Obi. Yet, Seyi Tinubu is married, has a known business that employs Nigerians and adds value to our country's Gross Domestic Product, and was in Nigeria throughout the campaigns, where he played the role of a dutiful son to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

"His wife, children, businesses and lifestyle are known to the Nigerian public.

"However, Peter, if you feel that you can post about Seyi Tinubu , and he is fair game for your political quips, which are meant to divert attention from your inability to respond to Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu's post exposing you, then Peter, where is your own son?

"Why was Oseloka not by your side during the campaigns? Is there something you are trying to hide? Are you ashamed of him?

"You should be answering those questions, not releasing a statement attacking a young man in the same age bracket as your son"

Kremlins:
Can we consider this as tribalism?

SmartPolician:
If you check well, this is fake news. That's what agbadorians are know for - spreading fake news

Brendaniel:
Yes, that's how Tinubu has left the Nigeria borders porous in the north while blocking the southern borders to only IBD Dende for smuggling while he gallivants between Aso rock, Paris rock and London rock vacations...

The Olukosi of Ilukosi-Ijesha, Oba Omotoyosi Akinyele, has alleged that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye, kicked out a former Lagos State governorship aspirant, Chinedu Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour , out of his place.

A few days after he announced that the Badagry kingdom had appointed him as the Obalefun, the kingdom issued a statement saying the title was illegal and void because it was handed to him by suspended chiefs.

However, Rhodes-Vivour continues to refer to himself as Obalefun, as seen in the caption of the video of his visit to the Ooni.

Reacting, Oba Akinyele stated that Rhodes-Vivour's visit to the Ooni was to chase clout, a thing the Ooni figured out, hence his decision to kick him out of his palace.

He shared on X,

"Breaking ; His Imperial Majesty Ooni of Ife, kick out Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour after Baba find out he came to chase clout with Obalefun, the roadside Chieftain title he took along Badagry express way.

"Gbadebo was used against Yorubas in 2023 & beyond, which we will never forget."

PressMyButton:
Trump is a bad luck to them, Lol. Na God save that Argentina President, he also ride on Trump wave to win his election. He did it before Trump was sworn in and people's eyes never open that time. I swear if Argentina had their election today with this Trump bad luck everywhere, he will lose 100%.

The bad state of the Kabba-Isanlu-Egbe-Osi-Ilorin road is receiving attention again as one of the major contractors engaged by the Federal Government has returned to the site.

The construction company, China Geo-engineering Corporation (CGC), which had abandoned its portion since flagged of for construction in 2014 due to poor funding and discrepancies in contractual agreement, has returned to the site fully, and work started immediately, The Guardian has confirmed.

As widely reported a fortnight ago, Senator representing Kogi West Sunday Karimi⁩ had promised that the contractor for the Osi—Mopa section of the road would return within two weeks to site, expressing hope for the abandoned federal road and improved security in the area.

This followed months of lobbying and pressure on the federal government agencies and officials, including the Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi. Consequently, Karimi disclosed that over N9bn was facilitated for the rehabilitation of the remaining portions that are in bad state, while negotiations for a total reconstruction to bring relief to his constituents and motorists plying the road, continued.

Senator Karimi, on the floor of the Senate, had raised the need for alternative funding for all federal roads in the country, considering the slim purse of the federal government and the enormous roads that needed attention in the country.

He particularly called on the federal government to partner with Mangal Cement Company whose cement plant, located in Iluagba, Kogi West Senatorial District, has a production capacity of 3 million metric tonnes per annum, for the total reconstruction of the stretch of Kabba-Mopamuro-Isanlu-Egbe-Ilorin road under the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme (RITC).

This, the lawmaker noted, was in consideration of the lives, security and economic activities of residents of the host communities, which are of great concern to him.

The rehabilitation of the Phase II of the project was flagged off at Kabba in April 2014 by the then Minister of Works, Mike Onolemem. The 80km stretch, which contract estimated in 2014 at N8.22bn was awarded to Messrs CGC Nigeria Limited, and expected to be completed in three years from the date of the flag-off.

As expected, work commenced from the starting point at Kabba covering a distance of 10 kilometre between Kabba and Ayetoro-Gbedde. However, a few days to the February 2015 presidential and National Assembly polls, (about one year after the job was flagged off and six months after commencement of construction work) the Chinese contracting firm moved its equipment away from site and did not return.

A visit to the site by our reporter yesterday showed that CGC has commenced work at Nursing School, Isanlu, Yagba East Local Council to proceed to Oyi River, near Ejiba, Yagba West Local Council.

The return of CGC to site on the Kabba–Egbe–Ilorin Road is widely seen as a big win for residents of the affected communities in Kwara and Kogi States and trelavelers along the route.

According to Senator Karimi, a total of N9bn was secured for the project. While he earmarked N3bn in his own capital funds for constituency projects in the 2025 Apprroproation Act, he facilitated additional N6bn through lobbying of federal agencies and the Works Minister, Dave Umahi.

mamaafrik:
Dont be ignorant,The price of gold escalated from $2,062.98 per ounce in 2023 to $2,624.39 per ounce in 2024, despite the CBN maintaining its gold holdings at 687,402 troy ounces.


Unano dey reason?

mamaafrik:
Dont be ignorant,The price of gold escalated from $2,062.98 per ounce in 2023 to $2,624.39 per ounce in 2024, despite the CBN maintaining its gold holdings at 687,402 troy ounces.


Unano dey reason?