₦airaland Forum

As many public and private schools across Nigeria resume the 2025/2026 academic session today, parents are expressing deep concerns over skyrocketing fees, textbooks, bus fees and other charges imposed by proprietors.

This is coming at a time of the rising cost of living crisis across the country whereby inflation has eaten deep into citizens’ income.

Some parents who enrolled their children in private schools said the burden of increment in charges was getting out of hand; while some poor parents said they left their children at the mercy of poor facilities in public schools.

Many of the parents, who spoke to Daily Trust, alleged that private schools have turned education into a business venture, leaving families struggling to cope. Those whose children are in public schools decried hidden charges by headmasters and teachers amid poor learning environment.

Our correspondents report that many public primary and secondary schools in some states are suffering from poor infrastructure with frustrated teachers being in charge.

In most of such public schools, only children of the poor are enrolled, as most of the elite working at the local, state and national levels prefer to take their children to private schools in urban and semi-urban communities.

In the midst of these challenges, middle income earners in both private and government sectors strive to enroll their children in private schools where they believe they will get desired results.

Some parents in this category said to meet up with “exorbitant” fees and charges imposed by proprietors in private schools, they resorted to borrowing.

But proprietors defended the increase in school fees and other charges, citing “huge” taxes imposed on them by government. They also alleged extortion by supervisors posted by local authorities.

This is even as education experts called on government to revive public schools to address the menace in the sector.

Just last week, the Kaduna and Plateau State governments introduced measures to stop private school proprietors from exploiting parents.

In a public notice dated September 2, 2025, the Director-General of the Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority, Professor Usman Abubakar Zaria, cautioned proprietors against arbitrary hikes, saying any increment requires Parents-Teachers Association’s agreement with a quorum, a formal application, enrolment data and minutes of PTA meetings.

He also directed publishers to stop producing textbooks with built-in worksheets that cannot be reused, effective September 1, 2026. “This practice imposes unnecessary financial hardship on parents and leads to avoidable waste. All publishers are hereby directed to provide separate optional workbooks, while the main textbooks shall remain reusable,” he said.

The Plateau State House of Assembly on Thursday resolved to halt the compulsory yearly purchase of textbooks imposed on parents by schools across the state, insisting that books be re-circulated among pupils, including siblings, as part of measures to reduce the financial burden on families.

The House said parents should have the freedom to reuse textbooks or buy them from sources outside the schools. The lawmakers recommended a four-year textbook cycle where approved materials remain in use for at least four academic sessions.

‘It’s about the future of our children’

Malam Abdullahi, who works with a private company, said the whole of his August salary was dedicated to the payment of the school fees of one of his children in Bauchi.

“I want the best for my children and therefore, I don’t want to take them to public schools. This is why I have to find a way to pay the school fees in private schools.

“For instance, I paid N100,000 as school fees for one of my children; I paid N120,000 for the school bus, while other things like uniforms and school bags guzzled around N100,000. This gives a total of around N330,000.

“And I have four children to cater for…Of course, I have some savings during the holidays but it is not enough to take care of the remaining children. I am going to approach my bank within the week,” he said.

He said it was dangerous to entrust his children in public schools.

“It is painful that those in position of authority have allowed the public schools to collapse and it is at your own peril if you take your children there,” he said.

Kaduna

Mrs. Halima Mu’azu, a resident of Hayin Malam Bello in Kaduna, said she enrolled her children in a modest private school because the best are beyond her status. The school is the cheapest in our neighbourhood but it is better than the public schools around.

“This term, my children’s school has increased the fees significantly. My eldest daughter is moving from JSS 1 to JSS 2, and the fees have gone up from N27,000 to almost N32,000. This increase came at a time when the cost of living is already very high. For less privileged parents, this often leads to borrowing or cutting back on family needs. It is really a heavy burden.”

Badamasi Isah and Hajiya Halima Sani, from Kaduna, criticized the system that forces students to write directly in textbooks, thereby preventing reuse.

A parent in Rigasa, Salisu Garba, said: “Truly, we are not happy enrolling our children in government schools because teaching is not effective. A child can finish primary school and even move to secondary school without being able to write his own name, and yet the teachers keep promoting them. But since we don’t have money, we are left with no choice but to send them to such schools.”

A community leader and traditional title holder of the blind in Sabon Garin Tudun Wada, Kaduna, Malam Bello Abubakar Talatar Mafara, said: “We are in trouble because private schools are not for people like us. We don’t have money, and the little support we get in the community is not enough.

“That is why we are forced to send our children to government schools, since we have no other option. Even though the teaching there is not up to standard, we will continue to send our children there because we cannot afford private schools due to the high cost.

“Most of us do not have any occupation other than begging, and we really want our children to be educated, but we cannot put them in private schools.

“That is why we are appealing to the government to improve public schools, so that the quality of teaching can be better, and the children of the poor can also acquire education.”

Plateau

Ibrahim Isa, a resident of Anguwan Rogo community in Jos, said, “Private schools, especially quality ones, are very expensive and unaffordable for us. We have other pressing responsibilities that take priority over paying huge amounts for school fees. We have to feed the children, pay rent and also take care of their health and therefore, some of us have no option but to leave them in public schools.”

Musa Audu, another resident of Jos, pointed out that private schools vary in quality and affordability.

“I wish I can send my children to a top-tier private school but the current economic situation makes it impossible.”

Pam Bulus, a parent in Jos, said, “It is not easy for parents to get the money needed to buy school materials and other essential items especially in private schools. As a civil servant, if you collect your salary and have three children, you have to buy books, uniforms, and other items. You also have to pay for the school fees. With these responsibilities, it would not be easy for us.”

Yakubu Wakili, another parent, said: “It is not easy at all. Whether as a businessman or civil servant, you don’t find it easy. If you are a worker, how much is your salary? How much will you spend on school materials and pay school fees?”

Benue

In Benue State, a parent, Attah Ede, said “Many schools have increased their school fees by 50 to 100 per cent. Like in my children’s school, last session, we paid between N55, 000 and N60, 000 for both school fees and books, but this year’s session, we were asked to pay between N87, 000 to N120, 000 depending on the class your child is going to.”

For Mrs. Angela Tyongun, a mother of three, it had not been easy with the financial burden that comes with back-to-school preparations. Tyongun noted that in the past week, she had been to the market three times just for school items and yet was not done buying.

Mrs. Felicia Prosper and Mr. Julius Abu, from Edo State, also decried hike in school fees.

Lagos

The situation is not different in Lagos State where some parents said they have refused to buy new uniforms demanded by schools.

One of them, Mrs. Funke Adeyemi, said: “There is no need to buy new uniforms. The ones they used last session are still good.”

Another parent who gave his name as Ismail said the poor state of public schools was responsible for the desperation of parents to find alternatives for their children.

“I spend over N1, 200,000 on my three children every term and the estimate has now jumped to nearly N2,000,000. It is very unfortunate.

“Governments, especially at the state level must do something. They must revive the excellent status of public schools. They should also enrol their children in those schools to lead the way.

“This is necessary to stop corruption in the country. Many parents go the extra mile and compromise the trust vested in them in order to get money to fund the education of their children,” he said.

Kano

Parents in Kano State who spoke to Daily Trust said though most of the schools have not increased fees, what they are being paid for textbooks and school bus is too high.

One of the parents, Malam Habu Adam, said, “The school had released a list of textbooks for my child, and the books cost N62,000.

Another parent, Abdulhamid Yusuf, said he paid for school bus, uniforms and books.

“Cumulatively, I spent around N500,000 for two of my children and I had to borrow part of the money from my bank. They would deduct it from my salary within certain period,” he said.

In Katsina State, parents said despite the fact that private and community schools had not resolved the termination of their licences by the state government, many of them had notified parents about fee increment.

The state government had, in August, announced the revocation of the licences for all private and community schools operating across the state. This was contained in a circular issued by the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Zainab Musa-Musawa.

“On June 2, 2025, the ministry conducted sensitisation for key stakeholders regarding the new state policy for private and community schools.

“This policy aligns with the state’s educational reform agenda, aimed at ensuring quality assurance, standardisation, and effective regulation of teaching and learning across Katsina.

“The public is hereby informed that the state government has revised the licence application, registration, annual renewal, and school upgrade fees,” the commissioner said.

“All affected schools should submit payment receipts for application and registration fees for new licences to the ministry via the Department of Private and Community Schools, based on school categorisation.

“And also, all payments must be made exclusively to the Katsina state’s single treasury account, on or before September 30, 2025,” the commissioner had said.

Abuja

Our correspondents in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), quoted some parents as saying the situation was becoming like a racket.

One of them, who does not want his name mentioned, said even though school fees during the first term tend to be higher, some proprietors are not considerate at all.

According to him, “I paid N550,000 for one of my children last term but this time around, they asked me to pay N725,000.”

He also condemned the claim by some proprietors that they hiked their school fees and other charges because of increased taxes by authorities.

“The so-called addition in taxes by the government has not taken effect. I believe that proprietors are just taking advantage of the weak system to exploit parents,” he said.

Another parent said he paid N2.6 million for his child in one of the boarding secondary schools in Abuja.

“There are other schools that collect as much as N6 million for a term,” he said.

Michael John, who lives in Kubwa, said he was contemplating taking his children back to his village in Kogi State because his salary is too small to sustain the life style in the FCT.

“It doesn’t make sense for me to be paying over N400, 000 as school fees per term for each of my children. I am on grade level 14 in the civil service and even though I receive support from my younger brother who lives in Canada, it is not sustainable. For how long will he continue to support me?

“I have completed plans to take my children back to Okene but my wife is not amenable to taking the children back home. She is concerned about closely monitoring them here but what can I do? Should I still in order to fund the education of my children?” he asked.

How parents can resist exploitation – PTA

The National Chairman of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Danjuma Muhammad, said parents need to unite to resist exploitation by schools.

“Private schools now operate like businesses. Some are not even registered, yet they charge higher fees than well-established schools. Some don’t even have licenses but still demand outrageous fees. If the government reduces the tax burden on them, things would be easier.

“Parents have power if they unite. Private schools act like businesses, but if PTAs are strong, they can resist exploitation. Schools may set fees as they wish, but if parents refuse through PTA action, the government will be forced to intervene.”

Proprietors blame heavy taxes

Abdulganiyu Abdurrahman Giwa, proprietor of Igra Model Standard School, Tudun Wada, Kaduna, said they were not solely to blame as “government imposes huge taxes on schools.

According to him, “When taxes rise, schools pass the burden to parents,” he said.

Another private school proprietor, Ustaz Hussein Onitira, urged the government to revisit the issue of tax, which, according to him, is forcing some private schools to shut down.

On the rising cost of stationery, Hussein said although the school used to print its exercise books, the cost of printing had gone up alongside that of textbooks, which are passed on to parents. “Just from the last holiday to now, the cost has increased, but the school fees have remained the same,” he added.

Hussein also called for price control measures to check arbitrary increases in the cost of education and stationery. “While public schools can afford to give free books to students, we do not have that opportunity. We have to pass the cost to parents, which may discourage them if prices remain on the high side,” he said.

Experts seek revival of public schools

Dr Adekola Lasisi, an educationist at Al-Hikmah University, Ilọrin, in an interview with Daily Trust, asked government to revamp public schools.

“Given the current economic situation, many parents are finding it difficult to keep their children in private secondary schools and rely on the government to provide quality education. This is not even negotiable,” he said.

Inside INEC’s Secret Plot To Manipulate 2027 Elections For Tinubu, APC; Abdulrazak Yusuf Tipped To Replace Yakubu - SaharaReporters

The manipulation of IReV, according to the insider, is already in motion. It was reportedly deployed in recent by-elections and is set to be tested again in the upcoming governorship elections in Anambra, Osun, and Ekiti states.

SaharaReporters can exclusively reveal to Nigerians and the international community the alleged rigging strategy being perfected within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to credible insider information, the scheme is being coordinated by INEC’s ICT and Operations departments under the outgoing Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and is designed to be handed over to his successor to execute in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

An insider at INEC headquarters disclosed that the Commission has been refining its rigging tactics since the public outcry that trailed the irregularities of the 2023 general elections. The new template, the source explained, is engineered to undermine the IReV portal by uploading pre-written results from targeted polling units.

Test-Runs Since 2023

According to the insider, this strategy has already been test-run. The off-season governorship election in Kogi State reportedly saw pre-prepared results appear on the IReV as early as 8 a.m. on election day.

SaharaReporters learnt that similar tactics were deployed in Ondo and Edo governorship polls—producing outcomes the source described as heavily manipulated—as well as in several recent by-elections that tilted in APC’s favour.

Voter Registration Compromised

The source further disclosed that the first phase of the 2027 rigging plot began with the ongoing voter registration exercise. INEC’s Operations Department is accused of secretly providing the APC with sensitive information about newly created polling units, particularly those with low voter registration, ahead of the 2023 elections.

By directing its supporters to re-register in these underpopulated units, the APC is said to be ensuring that only its loyalists dominate those polling stations. This would pave the way for unchallenged manipulation on election day.

“The strategy involves populating under-populated polling units with new registrants by re-registering previous voters, ensuring that only APC loyalists are present in those polling units. This would enable unchallenged manipulation on election day,” one of the sources said.

“That is why INEC notably did not release the usual public guidelines specifying which categories of citizens are eligible to register in the ongoing exercise, such as those who turned 18 after the last registration exercise in 2022 or have not registered before.”

“Instead, individuals who have lost their PVCs or need to transfer voting locations are being encouraged to register again, against INEC’s own policy,” the source added.

The alleged plan, the insider noted, is being executed in collusion with electoral officers and local government chairpersons across the country.

IReV Manipulation Strategy

The manipulation of IReV, according to the insider, is already in motion. It was reportedly deployed in recent by-elections and is set to be tested again in the upcoming governorship elections in Anambra, Osun, and Ekiti states.

According to the source, under the supervision of Abdulrazak Tukur Yusuf, INEC’s Director of Operations since 2023, the Commission is producing two “original” versions of polling unit result sheets (Form EC8A), each bearing the same serial numbers and codes. One copy is given to presiding officers for use at polling units, while the second is allegedly handed to the APC in advance for pre-written results.

While presiding officers may upload genuine results to IReV, the source explained, those results are later deleted or hidden from public view. In their place, the pre-written versions are uploaded from INEC’s situation room with the assistance of ICT staff.

Beyond the polling unit stage, the dual-original strategy is said to continue through all levels of collation—from ward (Form EC8B) to local government (Form EC8C). INEC has allegedly provided APC operatives trained in ICT with access to configured BVAS machines to facilitate the uploading of fabricated results across different states.

INEC Legal Manoeuvres to Favour APC

According to insider accounts, INEC’s legal department is expected to certify only the duplicate “originals” supplied in advance to APC agents for use at election tribunals.

As INEC remains the official custodian of election results, these pre-arranged documents would be accepted as authentic during legal proceedings, while the actual results used at polling units would be rejected as uncertified.

The decision to phase out Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) is also seen as part of the wider 2027 manipulation strategy. Without PVCs, it becomes nearly impossible to reconcile the number of cards collected with the total number of registered voters. This gap would allow inflated figures from strategically populated polling units—currently being manipulated through the voter registration exercise—to go unchallenged against the accreditation data recorded by BVAS on election day.

“This plan represents a complete reversal of the electoral reforms achieved in recent years, designed solely to guarantee a second term for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has no viable path to re-election through a free and fair contest,” the source said.

Compromised Recruitment of Ad-hoc and Collation Officers

Investigations further reveal how INEC intends to recruit politically compromised staff as ad-hoc workers and collation officers for the 2027 elections.

Apart from NYSC corps members at polling units, most officers from the ward level upwards will reportedly be drawn from federal government agencies and universities with proven loyalty to the ruling party.

This aligns with a recently floated policy idea to allow civil servants to engage in politics openly, ensuring their availability for election manipulation.

Sources disclosed that INEC has compiled a list of compromised collation and returning officers, including university professors, who facilitated rigging in past elections. This list is allegedly being shared with APC leaders ahead of 2027. Vice-Chancellors, often selected to oversee governorship collation, are now expected to coordinate closely with INEC leadership.

The appointment of Professor Edoba Omoregie as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin was cited as an example. Despite ranking 21st out of 25 candidates in the selection process, he was elevated due to his political loyalty. Omoregie had previously served as legal counsel for Senate President Godswill Akpabio, a senior APC figure.

The Rise of Abdulrazak Tukur Yusuf

Investigation revealed that central to the alleged rigging plot is Abdulrazak Tukur Yusuf, formerly INEC’s Director of Electoral Operations. He is accused of masterminding the production of duplicate “original” result sheets and leaking serial numbers of sensitive election materials to APC politicians during the 2023 elections.

As a reward, Yusuf was elevated to National Commissioner, formally placed in charge of Human Resources but effectively controlling INEC’s operations.

His appointment was made under controversial circumstances.

Another commissioner from Katsina, Professor Muhammad Sani Kallah, was reportedly pressured by security operatives and INEC’s Chairman to resign. When he refused, he sought intervention from former President Muhammadu Buhari, but no help came. He was eventually removed without due constitutional process.

A legal expert told SaharaReporters that under Nigeria’s Constitution, an INEC Commissioner can only be removed through a presidential address endorsed by a two-thirds majority in the Senate. “That requirement was brazenly bypassed,” the lawyer said.

Investigation revealed that Yusuf’s record of misconduct dates back to his time as INEC Administrative Secretary in Kano during the 2015 elections, when the APC recorded a controversial landslide. That same year, Kano’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Abdullahi Minkaila, and his family died in a mysterious house fire that remains unsolved.

Multiple sources confirmed that Professor Mahmood Yakubu is grooming Yusuf as his preferred successor, projecting him to President Tinubu as the safest choice to sustain the 2023 rigging system into 2027.

Tinubu’s Search for Loyal INEC Successors

A source at the Presidential Villa revealed that President Tinubu has been presented with several names of compromised INEC officials. These include Sam Olugbadebo Olumekun, a former Lagos REC for whom Tinubu allegedly purchased property in Lekki; Moses Ogbe, another controversial former REC linked to ex-convict James Ibori; and Kenneth Ukeagu, a billionaire INEC procurement director recently elevated to National Commissioner.

While all have proven useful to APC in past elections, concerns about ethnic balance and public exposure of their corruption records have raised doubts about their suitability. As a result, Tinubu is said to be leaning towards a “dark horse” candidate, Abdulrazak Tukur Yusuf.

The Permanent Secretary of the Office of Urban Development, Gbolahan Owodunni, has dismissed outrage over the demolition of homes in Oworonshoki, Lagos State, suggesting that displaced residents would eventually “run to NGOs” for help but gain nothing.

In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, Owodunni argued that residents had “over three years” to secure government approval, yet failed to act.

"We gave you all enough time, over three years. We even announced the need to visit the government for one year on Wazobia FM. We made the announcement in English and Yoruba but none of you went,” he said.

"Only one of you went and got approval.

He said, "Now that the demolition has happened, you are shouting ‘Government, Government.’ Some officials of the government came recently, and you bullied them.

"Some of you are still parading survey plans, but anybody, any nonentity can prepare a survey plan.

"We want development, but things should be done the right away. I know you will run to those NGOs, but they have nothing to offer you. Is this how their own country is? Is this how America, London is? But they come here and start giving you false hope. If that's how their country is, why do you all want to travel there?”

"They will only use you to collect money and promise to help you," he said.

On Saturday, SaharaReporters reported that the Oworo Youths Forum (OYF) strongly condemned the ongoing demolition of houses in Oworonshoki, describing the exercise as a “crime against humanity.”

In a statement issued on Saturday, the group said the demolition began in the early hours of September 6, 2025.

OYF Secretary, Opeyemi Ogunlami, and Public Relations Officer, Towolawi Jamiu signed the statement.

The group alleged that the exercise was part of a larger attack that had been ongoing for more than two years.

"The demolition exercise is a continuation of the attack on Oworoshoki that started in July 2023, where over 1,000 homes have been destroyed and over 30,000 people rendered homeless, including women and children. We condemn this barbaric act outright!” it said.

According to OYF, the demolition was carried out in the middle of the night, with residents subjected to teargas.

"We know that the ruling APC government in Lagos is wicked and heartless, but never knew they could be inhumane to the point of destroying working people's homes in the middle of the night while they are sleeping, including firing teargas cannisters at those who are trying to take pictures and videos," it said.

The forum accused the state government of attempting to displace poor residents for the benefit of the wealthy.

It added that plans were underway to convert Oworoshoki into an elite residential estate.

"There is an ongoing plan to turn Oworoshoki to Elite Villa Estate, and this is being advertised on billboards around Oworoshoki, Victoria Island, and Lekki with a minimum price of N120,000 per square metre or approximately N60M per plot," it said.

The full list of subjects in the newly introduced school curriculum has surfaced online after the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, shared it on Wednesday.

Olusegun, in a post on his X handle, displayed an unsigned and unmarked image said to contain the subjects for Junior Secondary School and Senior Secondary School.

“The new curriculum for Nigerian Schools which will commence from the next session in September 2025 has been released,” he said.

The curriculum, which was unveiled by the Federal Government on Sunday, introduces compulsory digital literacy and basic entrepreneurship at the JSS level, while programming, artificial intelligence, and new languages feature prominently at the SSS level.

Below is the full list of subjects for JSS and SSS as shared:

JUNIOR SECONDARY (JSS 1–3)

Mathematics & Measurement: Numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, proportions, rates, geometry (angles, area, volume), algebra, statistics, graphs, measurement (km, m, cm, g, kg, ml, °C, time zones).

English Language: Essay writing (narrative, descriptive), advanced grammar (clauses, idioms), comprehension, vocabulary, oral (debates, speeches, drama).

Integrated Science: Physics (motion, forces, energy), chemistry (matter, mixtures, reactions), biology (cells, reproduction, ecology), earth science (climate, resources), technology, lab safety.
Digital Literacy & Coding: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, internet research, coding (Python basics, Scratch advanced), robotics (basic kits).

Social Studies: Nigerian and African history, geography, civics, economy (trade, money, entrepreneurship basics), global issues.

Languages: Advanced mother tongue, conversational fluency in foreign language (French/Arabic).

Creative Arts: Drawing, painting, crafts, drama, theatre, film basics, music.

Physical & Health Education: Sports, fitness, nutrition, reproductive health, first aid, drug abuse awareness.

SENIOR SECONDARY (SS 1–3)

Mathematics & Advanced Applications: Algebra, trigonometry, calculus basics, probability, statistics, financial maths, applied maths.

English & Communication: Advanced essays, academic writing, literary analysis, world literature, research skills, public speaking, journalism, fact-checking.

Sciences: Physics (mechanics, waves, electricity, nuclear physics), chemistry (organic, inorganic, industrial, analytical), biology (genetics, ecology, biotechnology), environmental science.
Technology & Innovation: Programming (Python, JavaScript, HTML/CSS), data science basics, AI & robotics, digital entrepreneurship, cybersecurity.
Social Sciences: Government & law, economics (micro, macro, trade), history (Africa, world revolutions), philosophy & ethics, entrepreneurship.

Languages: Advanced mother tongue literature, fluency in international language (French/Arabic/Chinese optional).
Creative Arts & Innovation: Fine arts, music, drama, film/media production.

Physical & Health Education: Advanced sports, mental health, first aid & CPR, leadership.
Research & Project Work: Final-year project, data collection, analysis, presentation & defense.

Bandits Kill Prominent Businessman, Alhaji Sani In Lafia As Nasarawa Residents Lynch One Attacker

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed a prominent businessman, Alhaji Sani Sabo, in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

A source familiar with the incident told SaharaReporters on Monday morning that the assailants stormed the area around 9:20 p.m. on Sunday, shooting the businessman dead before attempting to escape.

However, residents quickly mobilised to confront the attackers, killing one of them while the rest managed to flee the scene.

Alhaji Sani was described as a well-known philanthropist who regularly supported the less privileged in his community.

“Yesterday in Lafia, at about 9:20 p.m., gunmen arrived and shot the biggest businessman in Lafia. He was like a brother to me.

“The people in the area, angered by the killing, fought back and killed one of the gunmen. This man’s death has touched many people in Nasarawa State. He helped a lot, especially the poor. As we speak, his house is filled with mourners. He will be buried this afternoon at 2:00 p.m.,” the source said.

As of the time of filing this report, the state government and security operatives have yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

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University lecturers in the country are once again poised for a showdown with the government over a number of welfare issues, chief among which is their salary structure that they want enhanced.

While there are three registered academic staff unions in the university system in the country, namely the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the Congress of University Academics, CONUA, and the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, they are all of the view that their take home pay is grossly inadequate.

Last week, a new minimum wage was announced by the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, which guarantees a monthly salary of N104, 000 to the least paid government employee.

Lecturers in the state-owned universities are also beneficiaries.

With the new salaries announced by Uzodimma, lecturers in Imo State owned university appear to be the highest paid in the country.

Whereas professors in federal universities earn N633, 333 per month, their Imo University counterparts take home pay is now N812, 000, thanks to the Uzodimma gesture.

But by contrast, Nigeria’s elected public office holders, especially lawmakers, earn by far more than university professors who educate and train the next generation, a situation which many have described as absurd.

Whereas the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Committee (RMAFC) puts senators pay at around N1 million per month, there is a claim that each of them, for instance, earns up to N21 million.

Meanwhile, the N21 million claim could not be confirmed by Sunday Vanguard at press time as lawmakers take home pay, when you add all the emoluments, is a closely guarded secret.

But, in a 2024 interview, Senator Shehu Sani, who served in the eighth Senate, said that as a member of the Upper Chamber, he earned N13 million monthly, adding that the take home pay for members of the current 10th Senate had since gone up to N21 million.

Sani said that the RMAFC was being economical with the truth by saying senators earn just a little over N1 million per month.

He said on a Channels TV programme, “I was a senator and I believe I had correct knowledge about what actually happened at that time and I believe is what is happening now.

“Well, RMAFC was just playing with figures, they were specific in saying this is the salary of senators and then they went on to give a breakdown of N20 million which they said was what every senator earn in four years.

“But I think they are being economical with the truth and I think I understand their fears in terms of telling the truth when they know what is actually happening.

“Before I came to this interview, I was going through the papers and I saw a statement credited to one of the senators from Kano, Distinguished Senator Kawu Ismaila, who confirmed what I said about senators particularly of this set receiving up to N21 million monthly.

“During my time, I was in the Senate and I was pricked by my conscience as an activist who went to the Senate to unveil what has been made secret for over two decades.

“I believe that taxpayers and Nigerians in general have the right to know how much their legislators are earning and how much they are actually being given.

“I went on as a serving senator then to disclose what I received monthly, what is credited into my account at that time and it was 13.5 million.”

The former lawmaker said he did not believe there was any need to deceive Nigerians or cover up anything.

He said that since legislators receive public money, it is necessary for those involved to come out and say it as it is like he did.

And there is an effort ongoing to raise the salaries of public office holders in Nigeria, including that of senators.

Governor Francis Nwifiru has also just raised the minimum wage in Ebonyi State to N90,000 from the national rate of N70,000.

Nigerians react
Apart from lecturers themselves, Nigerians, from all walks of life, have been reacting to the salary structure university lecturers are subjected to.

Many wonder what the salaries of non-academic staff would be if academic ones are earning peanuts.

The Founder of Concerned Parents and Educators Network, CPE, Mrs Yinka Ogunde, on one of the social media handles of the group, wrote, “I owe all lecturers an apology. I never knew a Prof earns less than 600k, less than a local govt councillor. We need an Education rethink.”

The post elicited various responses with some comparing what lecturers and public servants earn with what political office holders earn.

A commentator wrote, “Nigerian professors in Nigerian public universities earn about N600, 000 per month at the peak of their careers. They earn some bogus monies too when they head departments or champion some research funded by foreign organisations. They have money; don’t be deceived. But here is a surprise.

The Federal Government said that Nigerian senators earn just N1, 000, 000, with some allowances which was less than N10 million.

“But senators themselves said they earn N14, 000, 000 (N14 million) per month.

“Here is the first kicker.

“It will take a person about 10 years from 100 Level to become a PhD holder. In fact, holding a PhD does not make a person a professor. It makes them a doctorate degree holder.

“The person must have written several peer-reviewed journals, headed some research works at their own expense, and gained years of teaching experience. Yet, they earn. N633, 333 per month.
“What does it take to become a Nigerian senator?

“The second kicker. WAEC results!

“SS.3 WAEC, either F9 parallel or whatever is enough. Just complete SS3, and a person has fulfilled the academic requirement to become a senator.

“Some group of elders expect someone who want to reach the pinnacle of academics in Nigeria to complete three academic milestones after senior secondary school, yet people who will rule a whole country including over 11, 000 professors are expected to have just WAEC/NECO results. “And they are paid higher! Is it that this is a Nigerian problem, that we really do not value education like that?

“The third kicker…

“Who is called upon by these WAEC result holders to rig elections? No be me talk am o.
We can do better.

“People who will lead a country need to be educated.”

In his opinion, Ayobami Adeyinka noted that what students pay as fees are related to what their teachers earn.

“How much were you expecting a Prof to earn when school fee is N75, 000 per session? These things are connected and interwoven.

The UK scenario
“In the UK where the average take home for a Prof is £80, 000 per annum, the average student fee is around £9,500
“In the UK, it costs an average of £125,000 to train one Medical Doctor.

“Please note that fees are financed in the UK through education loans.

“The point here is to point out the interrelatedness of students’ fees and earnings by Academics.
“In Nigeria, to bring about some semblance of progress, we need to tweak the current funding structure to provide a semblance of cost recovery.

“We live in the illusion of being a rich country by our dependence on crude oil, but the facts don’t support the assumption.

“It is simply about logics and economics.”

Salary relatively stagnant since 2009 — CONUA
Commenting on the development, the National President of CONUA, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, said salaries of university lecturers and other workers in the university system have been relatively stagnant since 2009.

“Salary has remained stagnant since 2009 and there have been some attempts to raise it, but what they have been doing is mere tokenism”, he said.

No fewer than 13 people drowned, with 22 still missing in Zamfara State when a boat overcrowded with residents fleeing from gunmen sank.

Reuters reported that the assailants stormed two communities in Birnin Magaji ward on Friday afternoon, sending locals fleeing toward a nearby riverbank that had a single boat.

“My eldest son and two other nieces were among the 13 people who died when the boat was heavily overloaded with people,” Shehu Mohammed, a health worker in Birnin Magaji, told Reuters.


Maidamma Dankilo, the district head of Birnin Magaji, said 13 people from the boat had been confirmed dead, 22 had been rescued and 22 others were still missing.

Gunmen killed at least two people and abducted more than 100 last weekend in an attack some 150 km (95 miles) west of Birnin Magaji.

Rescue
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, handed over 128 rescued kidnap victims from Zamfara State to their families in Abuja.

The victims, comprising males, females and children, were rescued by security forces in two different operations in Kaura Namoda in Zamfara State.

Ribadu said the victims would be treated for trauma and helped to settle down in their communities.

The NSA, while commending security forces, assured that the perpetrators would be hunted and brought to justice.

“Let us take politics out of security challenges,” he warned.

Earlier, the National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka, said one of the rescued children died due to illness while a premature baby delivered during the rescue operation was being incubated in a medical facility.

Amid rising energy costs, Nigerians spent about N1.3tn on buying Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to power their vehicles and electricity generators in June, as consumption across the country reached 1.44 billion litres, according to the latest data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

Nigerians consume more petrol than any other fuel, and as a nation battling an unreliable power supply, a larger percentage of the population depends on petrol for self-generation. Following the removal of petrol subsidies two years ago, the amount Nigerians burn on fuel rose to an unimaginable high.

Based on NMDPRA data, Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, were the major petrol consumers in June. The NMDPRA PMS truckout report for June indicated that a total of 1.44 billion litres of petrol were sent to states in the month. At a conservative average pump price of N900 per litre, this translates to about N1.3tn.

Out of the 1.44 billion litres trucked to states, Lagos consumed 205.7 million litres, valued at N185.1bn. Ogun followed with 88.7 million litres at a cost of N79.8bn, while the FCT received 77.5 million litres, valued at N69.8bn. Oyo, another state close to Lagos, got 72.8 million litres worth N65.5bn.


At the lower end, Jigawa State recorded the least allocation with 9.4 million litres (N8.5bn). It was followed by Ebonyi with 10.5 million litres (N9.5bn), Yobe with 11.7 million litres (N10.5bn), and Bayelsa with 11.9 million litres (N10.7bn).

At the regional level, the South-West emerged as the top consumer with 452.9 million litres valued at N407.7bn. Aside from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo, Osun received 35.5 million litres (N31.9bn), Ondo got 35.1 million litres (N31.5bn), and Ekiti consumed 15.3 million litres (N13.7bn).

The North-Central zone ranked second with 247.4 million litres worth N222.4bn. The FCT led with 77.5 million litres (N69.8bn), followed by Niger with 40.7 million litres (N36.6bn), Kwara with 34.8 million litres (N31.3bn), Benue with 25.7 million litres (N23.1bn), Nasarawa with 25.1 million litres (N22.6bn), Kogi with 24.1 million litres (N21.7bn), and Plateau with 19.4 million litres (N17.5bn).


The North-West consumed 230 million litres valued at N207.0bn. Kano led the zone with N61.4bn, followed by Kaduna with N38.8bn and Sokoto with N33.3bn. Kebbi spent N27.3bn, Katsina’s spending stood at N22.3bn, and Zamfara, N15.3bn. Jigawa was the lowest at N8.5bn.

In the South-South, total spending stood at N202.9bn on 224.9 million litres. Delta topped with N61.6bn; Rivers, N40.1bn; Edo, N38.8bn; Akwa Ibom, N30.4bn; and Cross River, N20.7bn, while Bayelsa was among the lowest with N10.7bn.


NMDPRA data showed that the North-East accounted for 152.8 million litres valued at N137.5bn. Adamawa topped the zone with N51.2bn, Bauchi followed with N27.9bn, Gombe and Borno recorded N17.3bn and N17.0bn, respectively, Taraba N13.6bn, and Yobe N10.5bn.

The South-East recorded the lowest spending nationwide with 132.7 million litres, valued at N119.6bn. Anambra topped the zone with 40.5 million litres (N36.5bn), followed by Imo, 30.6 million litres (N27.6bn); Enugu, 27.4 million litres (N24.7bn); Abia, 23.7 million litres (N21.3bn); and Ebonyi, 10.5 million litres (N9.5bn).

The figures highlight Nigeria’s uneven petrol consumption pattern, largely driven by population size, vehicle density and economic activity. It was observed that urban and industrial centres such as Lagos, Ogun, Abuja, Oyo and Kano dominated demand, while sparsely populated states such as Jigawa, Ebonyi, Bayelsa and Yobe consumed far less.

In June, the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, revealed that most Nigerians were unaware that they currently pay 55 per cent of what other West African countries pay for PMS. Dangote also said his refinery had aided the reduction of fuel prices by selling petrol between N815 and N820 per litre.

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


Recall that petrol prices jumped from an average of N200 per litre to their current levels, following President Bola Tinubu’s subsidy removal on May 29, 2023. Before the Dangote refinery began petrol production last year, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited used to be the sole-determiner of fuel prices.

The NNPC, which was the sole petrol importer at the time due to fuel subsidies, seems to have ceded that role to the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote refinery, the only functional petrol-producing refinery as of the time of filing this report. Petrol prices surged to about N1,200 per litre last year when the NNPC completely removed subsidies, but the Dangote refinery implemented repeated price cuts to bring prices below N900/litre.

While many Nigerians welcomed the reductions, fuel marketers lamented the losses. Meanwhile, some Nigerians insisted that petrol prices should return to a range of N200 and N500 per litre, saying that is the only way to fight rising inflation.

“The prices should drop to between N200 and N500, and you’ll see the impact on virtually all sectors of the economy. Selling petrol above N850 per litre is still high and causing inflation to spike,” a Lagos resident, Favour Samson, stated.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Industry, Francis Fadahunsi, has urged Nigerians to return to farming and produce food in large quantities, thereby reducing the current hunger ravaging the country.

The lawmaker, who represents Osun East Senatorial District in Osun State in the Senate, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Ilase-Ijesa, Osun State, on Tuesday.

The lawmaker, who commended President Bola Tinubu for taking advice he was offered regarding ways to reduce poverty, predicted that before the end of the current year, Nigerians will heave a sigh of relief.

“I am farming. Everybody should farm. If there is no hunger, automatically, we will be thinking right. The development is coming. What I have seen in the National Assemblies is real, and so on.

“Automatically, before the end of this year, things will go down. Just recently, when we went for the NEC meeting, President Tinubu advised the governors to go deep into the local areas and invest more.

“That’s an executive order, and I am very sure any Governor that does not do that will lose his credibility because of the quantum of money being allocated to them,” Fadahunsi said.

He called on people of voting age who do not have a Permanent Voters Card to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration, adding that he has personally been involved in mobilising people for the exercise.

He said, “I have personally gone around to ensure that stakeholders who will facilitate the process are actively on board. Particularly, reaching the Kings, custodians of cultural heritage, and community leaders.

“We are urging people in the community to register. Including the longtime settlers in our environment, the Hausa farmers, Fulani herdsmen, and the Igedes. They all must register and get a PVC.”

Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has described President Bola Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidy as a good reform implemented wrongly, saying the policy has worsened poverty and inflation in Nigeria.

Speaking on Monday during a panel session at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association conference in Enugu, Ezekwesili said defending the current administration was a “Herculean task” given its “wrong-headed policies.”

“You can have the right policies, but if you implement them the wrong way, there will be problems,” she said. “The subsidy removal was not prepared for. It was a good reform done the wrong way. Inflation is punishing the populace, and the poor have nowhere to run.”

She faulted President Tinubu’s abrupt declaration of “Subsidy is gone,” arguing that it plunged millions into penury. “Inflation hits the poor so hard. This was a reform done wrongly,” she insisted.

Ezekwesili also urged lawyers and the judiciary to resist prebendal politics and avoid endorsing practices that enrich the political elite at the expense of the masses.

“The idea that politics is the pathway to wealth is an anomaly,” she said. “Any profession that rewards such behaviour cannot claim to care about tomorrow. We have 133 million Nigerians living in poverty, yet the political class continues to fail them.

The legal profession must not reward prebendalism.”


In his keynote address, Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, emphasised the need for Nigeria to prioritise research and development to drive sustainable economic growth.

“Four of the five biggest economies in the world are also the highest spenders on R&,” he said. “A firm that fails to invest in research cannot grow beyond its research. In 2022, Nigeria spent 96.3 per cent of its revenue on debt servicing, leaving little for capital projects. We promoted consumption over investment and production, but we are working to correct that.”

Ojo urged lawyers to review outdated laws governing the fire service and correctional services, while stressing the importance of channeling resources into both infrastructure and research.

Another panelist, George Etomi, expressed concern about the judiciary’s independence.

“Our judiciary was more independent under the military,” he lamented. “Democracy is being abused today. We must protect the judiciary.”

Participants at the session also expressed dissatisfaction with President Tinubu’s economic policies. When asked whether the country was on the right track, the majority responded “no.” Similarly, when asked if their hope had been renewed under the “Renewed Hope Agenda,” the answer was again a resounding “no.”

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar insists he will run for president in 2027, dismissing reports hinting at possible withdrawal.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Sunday, vowed that despite efforts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to ridicule and play down the current momentum in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the coalition will shock the world in the 2027 presidential election.

Atiku also laid to rest insinuation that he might not contest the presidential poll two years from now, stressing that he will run for the nation’s top job in the next election cycle.

One of the politician’s spokespersons during the 2023 presidential election, Tunde Olusunle, disclosed this to THISDAY Sunday night, quoting his ex-principal as maintaining that Nigeria needs to be decisively rescued from the ‘intensive care’ unit it has been consigned to under the Bola Tinubu government.


Atiku, until recently a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has often sought broad coalitions to strengthen his presidential bids. In that light, the ADC, a hitherto relatively smaller party has brought together some heavyweight politicians, positioning itself as a third-force alternative outside the dominance of the APC and PDP.

Besides, the former Nigeria’s number two man decried what he described as the unprecedented ‘thievery’ in the current administration, highlighting the need to ‘rescue’ the country from its current leaders.


He pointed out that the ADC will mobilise Nigerians to upstage the status quo in 2027, emphasising that he will be offering himself for election.

“The accompanying deceit, the loss of values, the mega-scale, unimpeded thievery and the absolute lack of accountability must disturb every concerned patriot. I will be offering myself to lead the reclamation and reconstruction of our traumatised homeland,” Olusunle quoted Atiku as having said, after conferring with him.


Atiku explained that the coalition which he is leading under the ADC is to galvanise popular support for the liberation of Nigeria, but said that a platform which was adopted just a few months ago cannot be expected to engender upsets in by-elections that just held.

“ADC is leading a potent mass movement which will shock the world. We will upstage the status quo in a way which will leave doubters dumbstruck,” he maintained.


In the same vein, contrary to recent reports to the effect that he may opt out of the 2027 presidential contest, the former Vice President Atiku restated that he will run for the nation’s top job.

However, apart from Atiku, ex-Anambra Governor, Peter Obi, and former Rivers Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, have made public their intentions to jostle for the ADC’s presidential ticket as part of a coalition of opposition figures seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu at the polls in 2027.


While the former vice president has positioned himself as the most experienced hand, Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has insisted he will not play a secondary role to anyone. Also, Amaechi, a former Minister Of Transportation, has hinted on plans to throw his hat into the ring.

But Atiku was quoted to have said at the weekend that his commitment to the evolution of a better Nigeria far outweighed his quest to be President. Prof Ola Olateju of the Achievers University, Owo, Ondo state, who represented him at the defection of several top political figures to ADC in Lagos, suggested that Atiku was not enamoured about occupying Aso Rock at all costs.


“Atiku Abubakar’s plan is to build a better Nigeria, it’s not about being President. It’s about establishing a government that works for Nigerians. That’s why some of us are with him, not because Atiku must be President at all costs,” Olateju was widely reported to have said at the event he stood in for Atiku.

But Olusunle stated that after reading the report from his holiday home in the United Arab Emirates, (UAE), Atiku disowned the statement, insisting that the message conveyed during the event was not sanctioned by him.


“I did not issue that statement,” he said. “When people stand in for me at events, we preview my thoughts on the instant subject and what my contribution or intervention will be, so we are on the same page. In this particular instance, there was no engagement with me to distill my thoughts. Prof Olateju was not speaking for me,” he stated.

The elder statesman added, “I will run in 2027. Nigeria needs to be decisively rescued from the intensive care unit it has been consigned. The degeneration in our country, the level of poverty and pain, the anguish, is unacceptable.”

Atiku’s statement is also coming as the presidency has often seized every opportunity to ridicule the ADC, claiming that the coalition only exists on paper and portraying it as inconsequential as well as lacking real electoral weight.