Category: Nigerian Tribune

Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, Kogi, has expelled six 100-level students for examination misconduct after they were found to have rewritten an examination at the private residence of a lecturer.

The university’s Senate also approved the withdrawal of nine other students over poor academic performance and failure to register for two consecutive semesters.

The decisions were taken at the 167th Regular Meeting of the University Senate held on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at the University Auditorium.

The examination misconduct case followed information received by the PAAU management on July 1 that a lecturer was allegedly coordinating students to rewrite an examination at his residence.

Following the information, university security operatives arrested Dr Maji Okpanachi of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology and some students at his residence behind the Police Area Command Office along Idah Road, Anyigba.

Some exhibits were also recovered during the operation.

The case was subsequently referred to the Examination Misconduct Committee, whose report was presented to the Senate for consideration.

According to the committee, investigations, including confessional statements made by the lecturer and students, as well as other records, established that some students had rewritten BOT102 (Introduction to Plant Science) several days after the original examination at the lecturer’s residence.

The committee further found that the affected students allegedly paid N10,000 each to the lecturer to participate in the exercise.

Consequently, Senate approved the expulsion of six students: Itodo Ojonugwa Jeremiah (26PL1071), Olloh Kizito Ojoajogwu (26PL1033), Okpanachi Favour (26PL1065), Abdulkadiri Senusi (26PL1031), Umar Imran (26PL1038) and Lawrence Salami (26PL1124).

Senate also referred Dr Okpanachi to the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee for appropriate disciplinary action in line with the university’s rules and regulations.

In a separate decision, Senate approved the withdrawal of six students for failing to register for two consecutive semesters.

They are Suleiman Salamatu (22SC1059), Social Studies Education; Abdullahi Hossana (21BF1003), Banking and Finance; Anaja Victor Anome (21BF1043), Banking and Finance; Emmanuel Arome (21BF1075), Banking and Finance; Odutola Nancy Oluwanifemi (21BF1138), Banking and Finance; and Olarewaju Segun Abayomi (21BF1147), Banking and Finance.

Three students from the Department of Communication and Media Studies were also withdrawn over poor academic performance. They are Adam Safiyat (24MC1065), Musa Favour (24MC1086) and Umolo John Philip (24MC1192).

Meanwhile, the case involving Jude Ojoajogwu Itodo (26PL1068) was referred back to the Examination Misconduct Committee for further investigation.

Speaking on the decisions, the Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of Senate, Prof Salisu Ogbo Usman, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, discipline, integrity and quality assurance.

Usman said the institution would not tolerate any action capable of undermining the credibility of its academic and examination processes.

He commended the committees involved in the investigations for what he described as thorough and painstaking work, saying the outcome demonstrated the university’s determination to strengthen accountability and protect the integrity of its academic system.

The Vice-Chancellor urged students to remain focused on their studies, maintain good character and comply strictly with the university’s academic and examination regulations.

The affected students were also directed to surrender university property in their possession, including identity cards and other official items, to the appropriate authorities before leaving the institution.

Economic experts have lamented that despite fuel subsidy removal in 2023, the Federal government struggled to implement 2024 budget with the 2025 budget recording barely 30 percent implementation.

They said the continued delay in the implementation of rollover and the current budget by the government posed a threat to capital projects.

Speaking at the weekend with the Nigerian Tribune, an economic expert, Eze Onyekpere, explained that under the current expenditure, ‘you have salaries and embodiments of public officers. So the only people you can touch are those people who are working with government, which is very few.

‘Another part of recurrent expenditure is debt, which is taking 53 percent of all our revenue. So, those ones are not impacting on anybody. Now, the part of the budget that touch lives of the people is the capital budget, particularly the developmental capital’ he stated.

Onyekpere said the developmental capital deals with building bridges, hospitals, schools, water facilities, improving electricity and agriculture.

‘So, if you are not implementing capital projects that mean you are only running the bureaucracy, paying salaries, paying debts. You are not doing projects that will impact the life of the original people.’

He explained, ‘Don’t forget that it is from capital budget that you also buy bullets, buy arms, which after paying salaries of the soldiers and the military and the police, they also need equipment to be able to work. So if you are not funding that, there is no way they will be performing optimally.

‘So that is the danger of not implementing the capital budget. We are being told that the resources are improving, that the money is there. So why is the government not implementing the budget if the money is there?’ He questioned.

The Economic Expert further explained that part of the Ease of Doing Business is building the road that transport the goods, or that there are good railways, or that we are having constant 24-hour electricity instead of factories having to run a generator or start producing their own mini grids to power production, causing commodity price increase.

It is reported that only 30 percent of the 2025 capital budget was funded and executed during its initial cycle due to revenue shortfalls. 70 percent of the unexecuted 2025 capital projects were deferred and rolled over into the 2026 capital budget framework.

Also lamenting the non-implementation of the country’s budget, another Economic Expert and the Co-founder of BudgIT, Oluseun Onigbinde, said the current administration has declared more revenue with low capital releases.

‘You don’t need to continue to roll the budget over and over. There are so many items you find in the budget that have no priority; they don’t make any developmental sense to the Nigerian people. For example, you are putting palaces in the budget.

‘The Federal Government trying to build palaces, or investing in churches and mosques, or buying musical instruments for a church is not going to bring any developmental opportunity. So there are multiple layers of these issues, and there is no coordinated fiscal program from the federal government.

‘The federal government is raising revenues, but there are challenges. One is the issue of debt servicing cost. Because of the devaluation of the currency, debt servicing cost has skyrocketed. It’s around 17 trillion naira as of last year.’

He warned that debt servicing cost is not slowing down any time soon. So the federal government needs to reflect on its fiscal choices and ask itself, how do I generate more revenue? That is the first point.

The second point you have to ask is, how do I prioritise capital spending that gives us impact? And that starts from the budgeting process» he stated.

During the Senate engagement with the Ministry of Finance recently, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno raised the alarm.

He questioned why capital projects and critical government programs appear to be lagging if revenue collections are exceeding projection.

The senator also expressed concern over the reported absence of capital releases to security agencies and sought clarification on the retention of about 1.7 trillion naira from recent federation account allocations.

«We have exceeded the target of our revenue collection. It is inherently contradictory for government to woefully fail to implement the budget. Where are these revenues going to? If the budget, for example, 2025 budget, has not been implemented, and we have to roll over 70 percent of 2025 to 2026, and that with the promise that 30 percent will be implemented before March.

«Up to March, even 30 percent was not implemented. National Assembly had to extend the lifespan of the budget up to September to allow government to implement just 30 percent component of 2025 budget» he lamented.

In response, the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele said for external loans, «we always need the approval of the National Assembly.

«So, what happens is, when we get the approval of the National Assembly, the media would rightly report it, and many people take that as money borrowed. When we now borrow the money, they report it again. So, in fact, I think it was last year when the National Assembly approved about $20 billion, which was based on MTEF. So people add up big numbers as the money we have borrowed, and that is misleading in terms of the analysis.

«We are currently finalising this breakdown in the Ministry of Finance. We›ll make it available to the public. It will show how much the National Assembly approved and how much of what we have borrowed and how it has been spent» he stated.

«Analysts believe that the low budgetary implementation, particularly the capital project aspect, has denied many citizens the benefits of the fuel subsidy removal as only a few who has direct business to do with the government that may have gained from the policy.

The Federal High Court sitting in Gusau has cancelled the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election conducted for the Zamfara North Senatorial District.

The court, which sat on Monday, also ordered the APC to conduct a fresh primary election in the Zamfara North Senatorial District within 14 days of the judgment.

The presiding judge, Justice Hassan Dikko, delivered the ruling after about two hours of hearing, during which he considered the written addresses and arguments adopted by the plaintiffs and defendants.

Justice Dikko ruled that a fresh APC primary election should be conducted in the senatorial district within 14 days.

Reacting to the judgment, APC senatorial aspirant, Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, expressed appreciation for the court’s decision, saying it had restored people’s confidence in the judiciary.

It would be recalled that Shinkafi had approached the court to challenge the legality of the APC primary election conducted for the Zamfara North Senatorial District.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.43% (year-on-year) in real terms in the second quarter (Q2) of 2026.

NBS said the GDP is higher than the 4.23% recorded in the second quarter of 2025.

‘During the quarter under review, agriculture grew by 4.39%, an improvement from the 2.82% recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2025.

‘The growth of the industry sector stood at 3.96% from 7.46% recorded in the second quarter of 2025, while the services sector recorded a growth of 4.60% from 3.94% in the same quarter of 2025.

‘In terms of share of the GDP, the services sector contributed more to the aggregate GDP in the second quarter of 2026 at 56.62% compared to the corresponding quarter of 2025 at 56.53%.

According to information posted on the NBS website, ‘in the quarter under review, aggregate GDP at basic price stood at N119,294,681.84 million in nominal terms. This performance is higher when compared to the second quarter of 2025, which recorded an aggregate GDP of N100,730,501.10 million, indicating a year-on-year nominal growth of 18.43%.

‘For better clarity, the Nigerian economy has been classified broadly into the oil and non- oil sectors. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has been conducting Establishment Surveys to provide data for the estimation of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the country.

NBS explained that in 2008, the Bureau started to improve the GDP series by conducting Quarterly Establishment Surveys (QES) for the four quarters of each year to provide timely estimates for decisions and policymaking.

‘In 2018, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) conducted the Quarterly Establishment Surveys for the first three quarters of 2018 (Q1-Q3/ 2018), while the fourth quarter survey for 2018 was conducted in the first quarter of 2019.

‘This compilation procedure is carried out to date, publishing the Q4 GDP report within the first quarter of the new accounting year. It is important to note that the Bureau maintains a publication date of 45 days after the quarter’, NBS stated.

Media mogul and EbonyLife CEO, Mosunmola Mo Abudu, has spoken about her views on respect, business and relationships, revealing why she does not want younger people to address her by her first name.

Abudu made this known during a conversation with Toke Makinwa on Toke Moments, where she described herself as ‘very traditional’ and attributed her views on respect to how she was raised by her grandmother in Ondo.

When Makinwa asked if she expected people to call her ‘Aunty,’ Mo Abudu explained that she was not comfortable with younger people casually using her first name.

‘I am very traditional. I was brought up in Ondo by my grandmother. You can’t be calling me by my first name anyhow. I won’t take it!’ she said.

Tribune Online reports that a trainee at UBA’s graduate management accelerated programme graduation ceremony was stopped mid-greeting by Group Chairman Tony Elumelu after she addressed him simply by his first name, ‘Tony’.

In a video from the event, the trainee was heard saying, ‘Good morning Tony’ while addressing the businessman. Elumelu, however, expressed displeasure over the development and corrected the graduate trainee to either address him as Mr Elumelu or TOE.

THE management of Four Pulley Limited (FPL) Media has said the decision of the out-of-home media company to partner the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) as a platinum member for this year’s edition of the National Advertising Conference (NAC) was informed by the desire to contribute to conversations that would help shape a more innovative and future-ready industry.

The CEO, FPL Media, Lanre Ashaolu, also expressed the company’s delight at supporting a platform that encourages the industry to think beyond its current realities and prepare for what lies ahead.

He argued that the nation’s marketing communications industry is at an important point of transformation, adding that platforms, such as NAC, provide an opportunity for the industry to collectively examine its present situation and how to prepare for the opportunities ahead.

Also speaking on the partnership, Head of the Marketing Committee, Mr Uduak Bassey, welcomed Four Pulley Limited to the conference’s growing network of partners, describing the collaboration as an important demonstration of the value of industry cooperation.

‘We are pleased to welcome Four Pulley Limited as a Platinum Partner of NAC 2026. Their support reinforces the importance of collaboration between industry stakeholders in building a stronger and more future-ready marketing communications ecosystem,’ Bassey said.

Von Batten-Montague-York, a lobbying firm linked to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has threatened to expose allegations against President Bola Tinubu during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

The US firm made the statement in a post on its verified X handle on Monday.

The firm also claimed that a proposed meeting between Tinubu and United States President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UNGA would not take place.

According to the lobbying firm, some members of the Trump administration had allegedly made it clear that Trump would not hold a private meeting with Tinubu, whom it accused of being an alleged heroin trafficker.

The firm, however, acknowledged that Tinubu, as Nigeria’s President, could travel to New York to attend the UNGA under the access and transit protections available to representatives of United Nations member states.

‘We look forward to President Tinubu attending the UNGA next month. Unfortunately for President Tinubu, he is going to be embarrassed at the UN.

‘From reports we have seen, from South Africa to Italy, world leaders attending the UNGA will be fully aware of the heroin-trafficking allegations against President Tinubu.

‘If we are authorised, we will put into operation our plan to ensure every New Yorker within a six-mile radius of UN Headquarters learns about President Tinubu’s alleged role in smuggling poison (heroin) onto American soil,’ the firm said.

The claims by the lobbying firm are allegations and have not been established as fact.

Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has welcomed efforts to promote safe helicopter services across Africa in a proposed Regional Action Plan.

The plan is the highlight of a workshop organised in Lagos by the Aviation subcommittee of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) in partnership with London-based safety advocacy group, HeliOffshore.

The two-day Offshore Helicopter Industry Safety Workshop with the theme: ‘Developing a Regional Action Plan’ followed a similar session last year, which SNEPCo sponsored.

It also provided administrative and logistical support for this year’s conference which was sponsored by ExxonMobil.

SNEPCo, which pioneered Nigeria’s deepwater production at Bonga in 2005, relies on helicopter shuttles for operations and supports the workshop as part of its contributions towards safe services in Nigeria.

In an address at the opening session delivered by General Manager Contracting and Supply Chain, Charles Oranyeli, Managing Director SNEPCo, Ronald Adams, said that by developing a regional action plan, the stakeholders can move beyond dialogue to alignment, ensuring that the safety leadership, industry standards, and collaborative approaches championed last year are embedded in a common roadmap for collective improvement.

‘The most effective solutions will come not from isolated efforts, but from partnership, standardisation, and coordinated action across the region,’ he added.

The workshop was attended by more than 80 representatives from oil and gas companies, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), helicopter operators and original equipment manufacturers.

The event concluded with participants deciding action items for the proposed Regional Action Plan, including Search and Rescue (SAR) initiatives, implementation of IOGP Report 690 standards and establishment of formal industry leadership forums.

The IOGP has been active for over 50 years, supporting its more than 90 members around the world to promote ‘excellence in safe, efficient and sustainable energy’.

All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman of Rantan Ward in Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano, Alhaji Garba Buba, and another resident, identified as Sulaiman Zunduma, have been killed by suspected bandits.

The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday night when suspected kidnappers invaded Rantan community and opened fire on residents.

According to local sources, Buba was shot during the attack and later died in hospital while receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the incident.

A resident, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said the attackers also shot another resident, identified as Alhaji Sa’adu.

‘Last night, Sunday, suspected kidnappers attacked our town, Rantan. During the attack, they shot Alhaji Garba Buba, the APC chairman of Rantan Ward, who later died in hospital from the injuries sustained,’ the resident said.

He added that the gunmen also shot Sa’adu, while another resident, Sulaiman Zunduma, was killed during the attack.

A family member, Hafsat Garba Rantan, confirmed Buba’s death and described the deceased as her paternal uncle.

The latest attack has heightened concerns over the activities of suspected bandits and kidnappers in parts of Kano State, particularly communities located in vulnerable areas.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the security agencies on the incident.

Nollywood actress, Adebimpe Oyebade, popularly known as Mo Bimpe, has opened up about being excluded from social events involving children during a period when she had not yet become a mother.

The actress shared her experience in an Instagram post while addressing women who are currently trying to conceive.

Mo Bimpe revealed that she once stopped receiving invitations to baby showers, naming ceremonies, children’s birthday parties and other events involving children.

She said she later discovered that some people she knew had deliberately left her out because she did not have a child.

According to the actress, the experience was painful because she has always loved children and wanted to celebrate important moments with the people around her.

She wrote: ‘A few months ago, I would never have imagined writing this. Last night, as I returned home from celebrating baby Rakeem, I got emotional. Not because of the party itself, but because it reminded me of a difficult season. There was a time when I wasn’t invited to baby showers, naming ceremonies, children’s birthdays, or anything related to kids. Sometimes, these were people I knew personally.

‘People I laughed with, worked with, and genuinely cared about. I remember wondering what I had done wrong. Later, I found out that some people intentionally left me out because I didn’t have children. At the time, it hurt deeply. Not because I wanted pity, but because I loved children. I wanted to celebrate with people. I wanted to share in their joy. What many people don’t realise is that struggling to conceive is already hard enough. The waiting is hard. The questions are hard. The insults are hard. The silent prayers are hard.

‘Please don’t make it harder by excluding people. A woman without a child is not less deserving of love, friendship, inclusion, or celebration. Invite her. Love her. Celebrate with her. You never truly know what someone is carrying behind their smile.’ She wrote.