Author: Amina Mohammed

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately return to court and vacate the order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government. The President said the directive was necessary to protect public confidence in the democratic process, noting that the state was only days away from its governorship election. Tinubu, in a statement issued by the State House on Thursday, said he was not opposed to the EFCC’s exercise of its statutory powers but expressed concern over the timing of the action. “It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial…

Former Minister of Transportation and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the Presidency of attempting to intimidate Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, over his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Amaechi made the allegation on Tuesday during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television while reacting to the controversy surrounding comments made by the cleric after a recent meeting between President Tinubu and members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). Defending the Cardinal against claims of political bias, Amaechi insisted that Onaiyekan…

President Bola Tinubu has approved salary increases of between 30 and 80 per cent for personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces, in what the Presidency described as a major boost to troop welfare and the country’s security efforts. The new salary structure, which takes effect from September 1, 2026, will benefit about 250,000 military personnel across all ranks, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Under the new arrangement, officers above the rank of colonel, including brigadier-general, major-general, lieutenant-general and general, will receive a 30 per cent salary increase.…

The Presidency on Monday unveiled a seven-week timetable to produce the National Policing Bill that will provide the legal framework for Nigeria’s proposed dual policing system, with the Executive Bill expected on President Bola Tinubu’s desk by September 3 before nationwide consultations and transmission to the National Assembly. Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, while briefing State House Correspondents described the exercise as one of the most consequential reforms of the Tinubu administration, saying the government was determined to ensure that the creation of state police…

FirstHoldCo Chairman, Femi Otedola raised his equity stake in the oldest surviving banking group with N222.3 billion. The deal saw him becoming the single largest shareholder of the company. Regulatory filing at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) showed that Otedola bought additional 1.779 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each of First HoldCo at N124.90 per share, totaling N222.3 billion. Yesterday’s transaction followed recent pattern of acquisition by the businessman. The Lagos billionaire bought the new shares through his company, Calvados Global Services Limited, in a major single deal that referenced a cross deal. Typically, a cross deal implies a pre-arranged…

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for Prime Minister Andy Burnham to bring in emergency legislation in order to stop the early release of hundreds of prisoners. Burnham announced last week that he was pausing the scheme, which would have seen about 700 prisoners freed in the first phase in September, following a backlash from survivors and victims. But the Conservatives say the government’s review will not stop offenders being released. The scheme was part of a bid to stop unprecedented overcrowding, which Labour says was caused by Conservative governments failing to build new prisons. A Labour spokesperson said: “It’s…

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday led mourners at the funeral of former Minister of Finance and Sardaunan Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, describing the late elder statesman as “a behemoth of institutional memory” whose contributions to Nigeria would never be forgotten. Alhaji, who died earlier on Thursday at the age of 88 after a brief illness, was laid to rest in Sokoto following Islamic funeral rites (Janaza). On arrival in the state, Shettima paid a condolence visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, where prayers were offered for the repose of the former minister, according to a…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approved the printing of 5.71 billion banknotes in 2025, a 20.5 per cent increase from the 4.74 billion notes approved in 2024, as it moved to meet rising demand for cash across the country. The figures are contained in the apex bank’s 2025 Annual Report and Statement of Accounts, which also showed that foreign printing firms handled the larger share of the production programme. According to the report, the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc (NSPM) was assigned to produce two billion banknotes, representing 35 per cent of the total order, while foreign High…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has rejected allegations by former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, that he deceived leaders of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) during the political negotiations that preceded the 2003 general elections, insisting that his actions were guided by transparency and national interest. Responding in a letter dated July 23, 2026, titled Reply to your inaccurate posture: “How Obasanjo deceived us in 2003”, the former President described Osoba’s account, published in The Legal Observer on July 20, as inaccurate, incomplete and based on misconceptions. Obasanjo took particular exception to being described as deceptive, maintaining that he…

Nigerian-American actress and model, Adunni Ade, has revealed why she kept the birth of her daughter away from the public eye for more than two years. The actress disclosed in an Instagram post on her birthday that she quietly welcomed her daughter, Baby Sal, two years ago, explaining that she chose privacy in order to protect her peace and enjoy motherhood away from public scrutiny. Sharing details of the journey, Adunni described it as a deeply personal experience marked by challenges and growth. “Today, on my birthday, I’m finally sharing what we’ve protected for over two years,” she wrote. “This…