The Senate on Thursday approved another extension of the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act, pushing its implementation deadline from June 30 to September 30, 2026, in what critics may see as a continuation of the government’s growing reliance on budget carryovers. The decision followed a closed-door executive session during which lawmakers confronted a familiar problem: billions of naira appropriated and released for projects under the 2025 budget remain unspent, while numerous projects are still awaiting completion. Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno, who sponsored the motion, told lawmakers that procurement delays, administrative bottlenecks, and implementation challenges had slowed the…
Author: National Update
By: Adamu Muhd Usman “Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same. Fairness means everyone gets what they need to succeed.” Recently, the media space has been flooded with commentaries, appraisals, and criticisms following a short video clip in which Governor Malam Umar Namadi (FCA), popularly known as Dan Modi, reacted to the actions and attitudes of Hon. Usman Ibrahim Kamfani Auyo, the member representing Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin-Hausa Federal Constituency of Jigawa State in the National Assembly. Though I am neither Governor Dan Modi’s spokesman nor a member of his cabinet, and not even a card-carrying member of the APC, as I…
By Douglas Baye-Osagie “If the stadiums are empty, the training pitches are poor, and even the airports feel like obstacles, then what are we really celebrating?” Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa’s frustration still echoes. Everyone is complaining about poor facilities, organization, and logistics replacing the discussion about the superstars and football teams participating The fears of football fans for about a year have come alive. America’s visa measures have made it difficult for lovers of the game to enter, follow their teams, and enjoy the World Cup atmosphere. We just hope that when the football actually starts, the same won’t be…
The Niger State Government has debunked reports of alleged bandit kidnappings in parts of the state, describing the viral claims as false, misleading, and the handiwork of mischief makers seeking to create panic and discredit ongoing security efforts. The clarification followed widespread fear on Wednesday that led to the abrupt shutdown of schools in Minna and other parts of the state capital. In a statement on Thursday, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Obed Nana, said there was “no cause for alarm,” assuring residents that Niger State remains safe, secure, and conducive for learning and business activities. He explained…
Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, has condemned the deadly attack on Iluke-Bunu community in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, where a vice principal and two others were killed and students abducted during Wednesday’s assault on a WAEC examination centre. The senator described the incident as “unfortunate and unacceptable,” amid growing concern over renewed insecurity targeting rural communities and schools in Kogi State. The attack, which disrupted the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), has continued to spark outrage across the state, with residents and stakeholders calling for stronger security presence around vulnerable communities. Karimi, in a…
The Senate on Tuesday took a more forceful step in its ongoing investigation into the financial operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), ordering the issuance of a warrant of arrest against former Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, over his repeated failure to appear before its Public Accounts Committee. The resolution came as lawmakers intensified scrutiny of audit reports covering 2017 to 2023, which contain disputed entries and unexplained figures running into over N210 trillion, according to documents submitted by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation. The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, said…
Tragedy struck on Wednesday in Kogi State as armed bandits invaded Government Secondary School, Iluke Bunu, in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, killing three persons, including a vice principal, and abducting an unspecified number of students during the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). The attack, which occurred at about 9:45 a.m., threw the community into panic as the gunmen reportedly targeted students writing their WAEC examinations at a designated centre within the area. Eyewitnesses said the attackers stormed the school in large numbers, riding on motorcycles and shooting sporadically as they advanced into the examination venue, forcing students,…
Fresh details emerged on Wednesday in the ongoing trial of former Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Hadi Sirika, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja that the aircraft unveiled as Nigeria Air in May 2023 was actually a short-term chartered plane from Ethiopian Airlines used for a ceremonial display. The EFCC made the disclosure through its 12th prosecution witness, Christopher Odofin, who testified before Justice S.C. Oriji in the case involving Sirika and three others over alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds estimated at over N2…
By Lamara Garba in Makkah The Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has assured pilgrims from the state currently performing Hajj in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that adequate arrangements are being made to ensure a smooth, safe and hitch-free return to Nigeria. Governor Yusuf gave the assurance while addressing Kano pilgrims in Makkah, where he commended them for their patience, discipline and exemplary conduct throughout the pilgrimage period. The governor also urged the pilgrims to continue offering prayers for lasting peace, unity, tranquility and prosperity in Kano State and Nigeria as a whole, stressing that the…
Panic swept across Niger State on Wednesday after rumours of an impending bandit attack on schools triggered a mass withdrawal of students from classrooms, forcing several schools and churches to suspend activities amid fears of possible abductions. The scare, which spread rapidly across Minna, the state capital, and several local government areas, caused anxious parents to abandon workplaces and businesses to pick up their children following reports that armed bandits riding motorcycles had been sighted moving towards the state capital. By mid-morning, the rumour had sparked widespread confusion, with many public and private schools shutting down academic activities as teachers…