Author: Nouman Ali

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of a suspected promoter of a fictitious Federal Government agency and the suspension of three permanent secretaries following fresh findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The directive followed the discovery by the anti-graft agency of another alleged fake government establishment, the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, which reportedly secured office accommodation within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) without presidential authorisation.

ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, disclosed the development on Friday after briefing President Tinubu on the commission’s widening investigation into fictitious government agencies and apparent vulnerabilities in public sector administrative processes.

Aliyu identified the alleged promoter of the purported agency as Prince George Buchi Nwabueze, who, according to the commission, operated under different variations of his name.

He said the names included George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Buchi Nwabueze.

According to the ICPC chairman, President Tinubu, after receiving a comprehensive briefing on the findings, directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze and the suspension of three permanent secretaries pending further investigation.

Aliyu named the affected permanent secretaries as M. S. Danjuma, Engr. Nadungu Gagare and Richard Pheelangwah.

The ICPC is expected to establish the roles, if any, played by the suspended officials and other individuals in the creation, accommodation and operation of the purported government agency.

The commission is also engaging relevant officials in the OSGF to determine how an unauthorised organisation obtained accommodation within government premises and operated in an environment capable of lending it an appearance of official legitimacy.

‘I have briefed Mr President comprehensively on these new developments. ICPC will continue with its investigation’, Aliyu said.

The fresh discovery emerged from the ICPC’s investigation into the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), which had earlier prompted Tinubu to order a wider probe into how unauthorised bodies could present themselves as agencies of the Federal Government.

The PFIPC controversy broke in July after the Presidency disowned the organisation, warning Nigerians and the international community that it had no connection whatsoever with the Federal Government.

The Presidency had said the body, which presented itself as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and claimed to operate under the Nigerian Presidency, was fictitious and had not been created or authorised by President Tinubu.

The organisation had reportedly paraded individuals as officials of the purported council, using titles and structures designed to create an impression of presidential authority.

Following the discovery, Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the emergence of the PFIPC, identify those behind it and establish whether serving or former public officials facilitated its operations.

The President also ordered a broader examination of the administrative processes through which entities are established within government, as concerns mounted that loopholes in the system could be exploited to create fictitious agencies or confer an appearance of official recognition on unauthorised organisations.

The PFIPC investigation subsequently expanded beyond identifying its promoters to examining institutional and administrative weaknesses that might have enabled the organisation to operate and portray itself as a government body.

It was in the course of that wider investigation that the ICPC uncovered the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, deepening concerns over the possible proliferation of unauthorised entities exploiting government structures and nomenclature.

The significance of the latest discovery, it was gathered, is that the purported office was allegedly able to secure physical accommodation within the OSGF premises despite having no authorisation from the President.

The ICPC is consequently probing the processes through which the office gained access to the government facility, those who approved or facilitated the arrangement and whether other officials were involved.

Aliyu said the development had reinforced the need for tighter administrative controls and closer scrutiny of government institutions and internal processes.

He also commended Tinubu for directing a policy audit of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and internal government procedures, saying the exercise would help expose weaknesses capable of being exploited by individuals seeking to operate outside established government structures.

‘President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, must be commended for the proactive step of directing the policy audit of MDAs and internal government processes towards strengthening government governance system’, the ICPC chairman said.

The latest discovery has significantly broadened the anti-graft commission’s investigation from the activities of one fictitious organisation to the processes within the Federal Government that could allow unauthorised entities to acquire the trappings of official agencies.

Investigators are expected to determine not only those behind the two purported bodies but also whether lapses, complicity or abuse of administrative procedures by public officials enabled their operations.

The suspension of the three permanent secretaries is expected to allow the ICPC to investigate their possible roles without interference while the search for Nwabueze and the examination of other individuals linked to the alleged scheme continue.

The commission said its investigation would continue as it seeks to unravel the circumstances surrounding the establishment and operation of the purported agencies and identify any further weaknesses within the public service that may have facilitated them.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ending persistent power outages, by setting a target of increasing electricity supply to about 3.5 gigawatts (GW).

He spoke at the Lagos State High-Level Strategic Power town hall meeting held to examine the state’s electricity challenges and develop practical solutions to improve generation, transmission and distribution.

The engagement brought together key stakeholders across the electricity value chain, including regulators, distribution companies, transmission operators, investors, asset managers and representatives of the Federal Government.

Speaking at the event, Special Adviser to the President on Power and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power Sector Reset and Restoration, Dr Rilwan Babalola, said the challenge facing Lagos and Nigeria was no longer simply about generating more electricity, but building a functional and sustainable electricity market.

Babalola said the country must move away from a system in which government continuously acted as buyer, guarantor and absorber of losses across the electricity value chain.

He said the proposed Clean Lagos Electricity Market (CLEM) could provide a model for converting Lagos’ huge electricity demand into a structured and investible market through demand aggregation, bilateral contracting, open access, payment assurance and transparent settlement.

He said the proposed initial 500MW CLEM project must first demonstrate that electricity could be reliably delivered, properly metered and paid for before the model was expanded.

Babalola said stakeholders must establish the location of demand and customers, sources of electricity and gas, the capacity of the network to deliver the power, appropriate tariffs and a transparent payment system for generators, network operators and gas suppliers.

He highlighted the opportunities created by the decentralisation of the electricity sector following constitutional amendments and the Electricity Act, which allow states to establish and regulate their electricity markets.

He, however, cautioned against fragmentation, stressing the need for coordination between state electricity markets, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), interstate electricity trading and national transmission network.

Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, said the town hall was convened to end what he described as the ‘culture of blackout’ in Lagos.

Ogunleye said the state had conducted studies and assembled critical stakeholders to identify the challenges affecting electricity supply and agree on practical solutions.

He disclosed that Lagos currently receives less than one gigawatt from the national grid, despite the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) having the capacity to transmit about 3.5GW.

The commissioner said the state was working to secure an additional 2GW, with the ultimate objective of moving towards 3.5GW of electricity supply.

He said achieving the target would enable more electricity feeders to operate and improve power supply to homes, businesses and industries across the state.

Ogunleye added that newly-inaugurated substations would strengthen the state’s electricity infrastructure, while the government would work with distribution companies to monitor selected feeders and measure improvements in supply.

On electricity tariffs, he said consumers should not be made to ‘pay for darkness’, stressing that improved metering and infrastructure must accompany any tariff increase.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC), Temitope George, identified inadequate generation and transmission capacity, energy theft, vandalism and non-payment of electricity bills as some of the major challenges confronting the sector.

George said electricity demand in Lagos, which had previously exceeded 1,500MW, had recently fallen below 1,000MW.

She urged consumers to pay for electricity consumed, warning that non-payment distorted the electricity market and ultimately affected the ability of other consumers to enjoy reliable supply.

The regulator also disclosed that the state was restructuring its existing Independent Power Projects to make them bankable without placing excessive pressure on government finances.

George said Lagos was also exploring embedded power generation to complement electricity from the national grid and reduce dependence on the national system.

She said the ongoing decentralisation of the electricity sector should lead to a more efficient electricity market in Lagos.

The Coalition for Tinubu-Okpebholo-Nigeria has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over the opposition’s emerging position on petrol subsidy ahead of the 2027 presidential election, describing it as a contradiction that requires a clear explanation.

The coalition said Nigerians deserved to know what had changed between Atiku’s position during the 2023 presidential campaign and the African Democratic Congress (ADC)’s current proposal to restore some form of petrol subsidy if it takes power in 2027.

Atiku, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), repeatedly advocated the removal of petrol subsidy during the campaign.

In July 2022, the former Vice President described subsidy removal as ‘inevitable’, although he argued that it should be implemented through negotiations with organised labour and other stakeholders. Later that year, he said his administration would move on the subsidy question within its first 100 days.

At another economic forum in Lagos, Atiku said he would complete the phased removal of subsidy and redirect the resources to other sectors of the economy, describing the subsidy arrangement as a ‘fraud’.

But the ADC, the opposition platform with which Atiku is now associated ahead of 2027, has indicated that it would restore targeted petrol subsidy for low-income and commercial transport operators if it wins the next presidential election.

Reacting on Thursday, spokesman of the Coalition for Tinubu-Okpebholo-Nigeria, Mr. John Mayaki, said the apparent contradiction had created what he described as an ‘Atiku versus Atiku’ contest.

He said: ‘In 2022, candidate Atiku was emphatic. Petrol subsidy had to go. He described the arrangement as fraudulent and presented its removal as part of the economic surgery Nigeria required.

‘Today, the political platform with which he is associated is talking about bringing subsidy back. Nigerians are entitled to ask a very simple question: what changed?

‘Did subsidy suddenly become economically sensible, or did it become unacceptable only because President Bola Tinubu was the one who eventually summoned the courage to remove it?’

Mayaki said the coalition was not suggesting that politicians could never revise their positions, adding that changing economic circumstances could legitimately produce changes in policy.

He, however, maintained that such a major reversal must be accompanied by convincing explanations rather than campaign rhetoric.

‘If Atiku or his political platform now believes subsidy should return, Nigerians deserve the arithmetic,’ he said.

‘How much will it cost? Who qualifies? Where will the money come from? How will another subsidy regime avoid the leakages and abuses Atiku himself previously condemned?

‘And if the old subsidy arrangement was fraudulent when Atiku wanted to become President in 2022, Nigerians deserve to know what economic miracle has transformed its restoration into good policy four years later.’

The coalition said Atiku was within his rights to criticise the manner in which the Tinubu administration removed subsidy, including its timing, cushioning measures and the subsequent cost-of-living pressures.

It, however, argued that criticism of implementation was different from reversing the fundamental economic position Atiku had previously championed.

‘President Tinubu must be judged by the consequences and results of the reforms he implemented. Nobody disputes that,’ Mayaki said.

‘But Atiku cannot demand accountability from Tinubu while asking Nigerians to forget Atiku.

‘The newspapers remember. The television interviews remain. The internet remembers. Nigerians remember.

‘In 2022, the message was: remove subsidy. Ahead of 2027, the opposition conversation is increasingly about restoring subsidy.

‘The question is no longer merely Atiku versus Tinubu. On this issue, it is becoming Atiku versus Atiku.’

The coalition urged the former Vice President to state clearly whether he still stands by his 2022 position that petrol subsidy should be eliminated or has embraced the ADC’s proposed targeted restoration.

It added: ‘Nigeria is too important for economic policy to change according to the election calendar.

‘By 2027, Nigerians must know which proposition they are being asked to vote for – subsidy removal, subsidy restoration, or restoration today followed by removal tomorrow.

‘Until that explanation comes, what the opposition appears to be offering Nigerians is a subsidy on consistency.’

Actor and former WWE superstar Dave Bautista has been cast as Kratos in the upcoming God of War television series, replacing Ryan Hurst, who left the production after sustaining an injury.

Bautista confirmed the long-rumoured casting on Instagram, sharing an image of the iconic video game character, ending weeks of speculation over who would lead the adaptation of Sony’s popular PlayStation franchise.

According to Deadline, which first reported the development, production on the series will restart from scratch when filming begins later this year.

The God of War franchise has been one of Sony’s most successful gaming series since its debut on the PlayStation 2 in 2005. Initially inspired by Greek mythology, the action-adventure game gained a massive following for its cinematic storytelling, intense combat and the journey of its central character, Kratos, a Spartan warrior who rises to become a god.

The franchise underwent a major reboot in 2018 on PlayStation 4, shifting its storyline from Greek mythology to Norse mythology while introducing Kratos’ son, Atreus, as a central character.

Earlier this year, the first official images from the television adaptation featured Hurst as Kratos alongside Atreus before the actor’s departure from the project.

Prime Video said the series will closely follow the storyline of the 2018 game, with Kratos and Atreus embarking on a journey to fulfil the final wish of Kratos’ late wife by spreading her ashes.

‘Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human,’ the streaming platform said.

Bautista, 57, has established himself as a successful Hollywood actor since retiring from professional wrestling in 2019. He is widely recognised for portraying Drax in six Marvel Cinematic Universe films and has also appeared in Dune, Dune: Part Two, Spectre, Army of the Dead and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

Before transitioning to acting, Bautista spent two decades in professional wrestling, becoming one of WWE’s biggest stars and a multiple-time world champion.

The campaign organisation of former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, has rejected claims that the former police chief lacks a political platform to contest the 2027 Nasarawa State governorship election.

The organisation was reacting to comments attributed to the Nasarawa State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Aliyu Bello, questioning Adamu’s platform for the election.

In a statement on Friday signed by its Director of Media and Strategic Communications, Otaru Douglas, the campaign described Bello’s position as ‘false, laughable and born out of panic’.

It said Adamu remained in the governorship race and had secured a platform through his membership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

According to the campaign, Adamu left the APC after what it described as a controversial governorship primary and joined the SDP to give voters an alternative political platform.

‘Adamu’s defection from the APC, following the charade called a primary election, was a strategic move to a credible and people-oriented platform – the Social Democratic Party (SDP),’ the statement said.

The campaign expressed confidence that Adamu would win the 2027 election, citing his alleged growing support across the state.

It also criticised Bello’s handling of the APC governorship primary, alleging that the exercise had been condemned by party members and stakeholders across the state’s 13 local government areas.

‘The governorship primary he supervised as State Chairman has been widely condemned by party members and stakeholders across the 13 LGAs as lacking transparency, fairness, and internal democracy,’ it alleged.

The organisation accused the APC chairman of resorting to personal attacks against Adamu and urged him to focus on the party’s fortunes.

‘We are therefore calling on Dr Aliyu Bello to stay in his political lane and face his party’s dwindling fortunes,’ Douglas said.

The campaign said Adamu’s agenda remained focused on transparent governance, improved security and development, adding that criticism from political opponents would not affect his decision to contest under the SDP.

It further said ‘no amount of intimidation and media blackmail’ would alter what it described as the resolve of Nasarawa voters ahead of the election.

The organisation warned that further attempts to ‘disparage, defame, or malign’ Adamu would attract a ‘firm, proportionate, and decisive political response.’

Former Kano State Governor and Vice Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has urged Nigerians to back the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket in the 2027 general elections, saying the country was at a critical crossroads.

In a message on his X handle, Kwankwaso said rising food prices and living costs had pressured families, while millions of young Nigerians were without jobs and businesses struggled with high operating costs amid insecurity.

‘Too many families have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods to terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violence,’ he said, stressing the need to secure farmlands, schools and communities.

He called for urgent investment in education and healthcare, improved infrastructure, stronger institutions and greater transparency in managing public resources, adding that the country is endowed with the people and resources to build a prosperous, secure nation.

‘What we need is leadership with the competence, courage and commitment to put the interests of Nigerians first,’ Kwankwaso said.

Explaining his alliance with former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, Kwankwaso said the partnership was driven by national interest rather than region, religion or personal ambition. He said their partnership was built on a vision where government serves the people and every citizen has a fair chance to prosper.

He urged young people, women, workers, farmers, entrepreneurs and professionals to join the movement, calling on Nigerians to reject divisive politics and demand accountability and results from public office holders.

Kwankwaso described the 2027 election as an opportunity for Nigerians to choose a new direction, urging support for the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket and other NDC candidates while appealing for peaceful, issue-based campaigns.

‘Together, we can build a stronger nation and Nigeria will be OK,’ he said.

A youth-led non-governmental organisation, Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), launched the SheBuilds AI Fellowship on Thursday, a six-month intensive programme funded by the Government of Canada through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) to train young women in Kaduna State in artificial intelligence, data science, and digital entrepreneurship.

The launch, held at a press conference in Kaduna, also featured the public presentation of the organisation’s new issue brief, titled ‘Bridging the Gender Digital Divide: Artificial Intelligence as a Safe Driver of Economic Growth in Nigeria,’ which warns that the country’s fast-growing digital economy is leaving women behind.

Speaking at the event, the Global Director of BBYDI, Mr Olasupo Abideen Opeyemi, said the fellowship attracted 473 applications, of which 52 candidates were shortlisted for interviews and 20 young women were finally selected as the pioneer cohort. A second cohort of 20 will follow, bringing the total number of direct beneficiaries to 40.

‘This number alone is evidence that demolishes a dangerous myth – the myth that young women in northern Nigeria are not interested in technology. They are interested. What they lack is not ambition; it is access,’ Abideen said.

Citing figures from the organisation’s issue brief, Abideen noted that although the information and communications technology sector contributed 11.31 per cent of Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product in the first quarter of 2026, Nigerian women remain 26 per cent less likely than men to use mobile internet – one of the widest gaps in the world – while women hold fewer than one in five technology jobs in the country.

‘Analysts have warned that if this exclusion continues, Nigeria risks a gendered recession – a future in which the sectors driving growth draw on only half the nation’s talent. Nigeria does not face a choice between growth and inclusion. It faces a choice between inclusive growth and diminished growth,’ he said.

The BBYDI boss also raised the alarm over the safety of women online, referencing projections that as many as 70 million Nigerian women and girls could be exposed to AI-facilitated online abuse annually by 2030 if current trends continue. He stressed that ‘digital inclusion that is not safe is not sustainable.’

According to him, the fellows will learn Python programming, data analysis, machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI over six months, before building and pitching working AI solutions to real Nigerian problems in areas such as health, agriculture, education, and governance. He added that the curriculum was rigorously validated by AI practitioners and industry experts.

Beyond technical training, Abideen said the programme includes leadership development, communication skills, personal branding, CV writing, mental health support, excursions to technology hubs, and a rotating ‘Class Governor’ system designed to give every fellow hands-on leadership experience.

He further disclosed that after graduation, the organisation and its partners would connect the fellows to internships, jobs, and remote work opportunities within and outside Nigeria, sponsor their attendance at technology conferences and hackathons, and link them to national and international programmes for which their new skills qualify them.

In the issue brief, the organisation called on the Federal Government and the Kaduna State Government to embed clear gender targets, budgets, and sex-disaggregated reporting in the implementation of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme; urged the National Assembly to strengthen laws against technology-facilitated gender-based violence; and challenged technology companies to audit their algorithms for gender bias and set measurable targets for hiring women.

The organisation also appealed to parents, community leaders, and religious leaders to support the digital participation of their daughters, declaring that ‘every girl kept offline is a national asset kept idle.’

Abideen expressed gratitude to the Government of Canada and the High Commission of Canada in Nigeria for funding the project, and gave special appreciation to the Yandytech Community and other technology stakeholders for their support to the initiative and to the technology ecosystem in northern Nigeria.

Highlights of the event included the unveiling of the 20 selected fellows, goodwill messages from government representatives and stakeholders, remarks by the fellows, and a question-and-answer session with journalists. The fellows had earlier participated in an orientation programme on Monday, where they met their facilitators and mentors ahead of the commencement of classes.

The full issue brief, the organisation said, has been published on its website.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has approved the promotion of 7,472 personnel, comprising 2,134 officers and 5,338 marshals.

According to a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer, Osondu Ohaeri, on Friday, the promotion aims to strengthen professionalism, leadership and operational effectiveness in road safety management.

He said the promotion was also part of the Corps’ human capital development programme and was intended to reward merit, competence, discipline and commitment to service, while injecting fresh capacity into its leadership and operational structure.

Osondu said the affected personnel would begin wearing their new ranks following decoration ceremonies to be conducted by heads of departments, corps officers, heads of special units and commanding officers from Wednesday, August 26, to Friday, August 28, 2026.

‘The decoration is to be carried out in line with the Administrative Instruction on the Decoration of Newly Promoted Officers and Marshals,’ he said.

Osondu said the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, had described the promotion as both a reward for service and a call to greater responsibility.

‘He charged the newly promoted personnel to justify their elevation through higher standards of professionalism, accountability, leadership and service delivery to the Nigerian motoring public,’ he said.

Mohammed said the strength of the FRSC was not determined solely by its patrol vehicles, technology or enforcement architecture, but fundamentally by the quality, character and commitment of its personnel.

He congratulated the promoted officers and marshals, urging them to regard their new ranks as a mandate to do more and lead better.

‘Every additional stripe, pip or insignia represents increased expectations from the Corps, the Federal Government and the Nigerian people,’ he said.

The Corps Marshal also stressed the need for the promotion system to remain an instrument for building a professional, responsive and performance-driven institution capable of responding to the changing demands of road safety management.

He urged the newly promoted personnel to demonstrate discipline both on and off the road, treat members of the public with dignity, uphold the integrity of the Corps and remain committed to reducing road traffic crashes.

The Authentic Nigeria Football and Allied Sports Supporters Club (ANFASSC) has written to President Bola Tinubu, appealing for a structured dialogue involving the Presidency, the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to address what it describes as a sustained decline in Nigerian football.

In the letter, copied to Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila and NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko, ANFASSC – recognised by the Confederation of African Football and endorsed by FIFA – stressed it was not seeking government interference in the NFF’s statutory independence under FIFA and CAF rules, but a partnership-based engagement to chart ‘a new, progressive course’ for the sport.

The club’s request is threefold: a transparent dialogue between the Presidency, the NSC, the NFF and recognised stakeholders; a shared push to build a ‘modern, well-governed and competitive football ecosystem’; and a timeframe from the President’s office for when such engagement could begin.

ANFASSC’s appeal traces Nigerian football’s slide from the peak of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and FIFA U-17 World Cup double under the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF, which took office in October 2014, through to the current administration of Ibrahim Musa Gusau, in office since October 2022.

The Super Eagles missed the 2015 and 2017 AFCON tournaments, and the decline has deepened since. Nigeria’s U-23 side missed both the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, while the CHAN Eagles missed the 2022 edition of their tournament. The Flying Eagles were eliminated from 2027 U-20 AFCON qualification after a 4-1 defeat to Burkina Faso in August, and Nigeria’s U-17 side failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations and, in turn, the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Most significantly, the Super Eagles were eliminated by DR Congo on penalties in the November 2025 African play-off final, missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the Super Falcons failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup after losing their play-off to South Africa.

ANFASSC noted this marks the first time both the Super Eagles and Super Falcons will be absent from their respective World Cups in the same cycle.

‘ANFASSC does not raise these concerns to assign blame but to responsibly highlight a pattern that calls for thoughtful, forward-looking intervention,’ the letter states.

The club said it envisions the requested engagement leading to renewed investment in grassroots and age-grade development, stronger coaching structures, improved player and official welfare, and a more transparent governance framework, and offered itself as a ‘constructive partner’ in the process.

Arsenal’s new signing Bruno Guimaraes is doubtful for today’s Premier League opener against promoted Coventry City, manager Mikel Arteta said as he acknowledged that they must try to keep ?players fit as they face the task of defending the title.

Brazil midfielder Guimaraes joined Newcastle United this month for a fee put at £75 million ($102 million) by British media. The 28-year-old applied ice to his leg after he came off in Sunday’s Community Shield win over Manchester City.

‘It’s evolving well, but?let’s see,’ Arteta told reporters on Thursday about Guimaraes’ fitness problem.

Injuries threatened Arsenal’s title ?charge last term as they missed key players at crucial times, with Kai ?Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and others absent for long periods.

‘The more dominant we are, the ?bigger the margins, the better… we need to improve the availability of the squad in certain ?areas in order for those margins to become much bigger,’ Arteta said.

Arsenal, third on the all-time list with 14 English top-flight titles, have never retained the Premier League trophy, although they won three championships in a row ?back in the 1930s, but Arteta said this season feels different.

‘I feel good. Different. Hopefully better. ?More excited than ever, hungrier than ever … I have no question that our players have the desire. Now it’s ?we have to do daily,’ he said.

Arteta said Arsenal were trying to reinforce their defensive options amid media reports saying they have agreed a £51 million deal with Aston Villa to sign England centre-back Ezri Konsa.

‘When we’re ready to announce something, we’ll let you ?know,’ the Spaniard added.

Arteta ?also put to bed ?reports linking the versatile Myles Lewis-Skelly with a move away from Arsenal, saying he was ‘100% sure’ that the 19-year-old would remain at the club.

But ?the manager acknowledged that some players might have to leave, amid speculation ?that Gabriel Martinelli, ?Gabriel Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri could depart.

‘It’s a really, really tough moment … but you have to face it with a real honesty and transparency,’ he said.

‘We all know everything has a start and an ?end. ?When it ends, our job and duty is to do ?it in the best possible way, with respect and admiration for the player and the relationship. But at the end, ?we need to make difficult decisions.’