Category: PM News

As Nigerians continue to excel in education abroad , the story of 2023 Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge AS Examination overall best Oluwabukolami Adeyemi surface against with another outstanding performance as she graduated with first-class in Law from the university in Newcastle, United Kingdom.

Oluwabukolami in 2023 after her performance in the Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge AS examination with over 100 participants from over 100 countries of the world gained recognitions and commendation for her academic excellence performance from prominent Nigerians including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and host of other personalities across the country and beyond.

Oluwabukolami who hails from Yagba West local government area of Kogi State was received by the then governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello in government house in August 2023. Rewarding her academic excellence performance , Yahaya Bello offered scholarship to Oluwabukolami which covered her expenses, school fees, accommodation and up keeps throughout her studies in the United Kingdom.

Justifying the kind gesture of former governor Bello, Oluwabukolami graduated with First-class in law degree from university in UK.

Yahaya Bello who elated by Oluwabukolami academic exploits has offered another Scholarship to the academic prodigy for her masters degree in the United Kingdom.

In her emotional video of appreciation to former governor Yahaya Bello, Oluwabukolami thanked Yahaya Bello while describing him as a ‘God sent to humanity’.

Olumide Adeyemi, the father of Oluwabukolami expressed profound appreciation to the former governor stating that he did not allow the star of his daughter to dim stressing that it would have been difficult for him to guarantee actualisation of his daughter’s dreams of foreign education despite her sterling academic ingenuity.

Engr. Adeyemi also stated that Yahaya Bello’s kind gensture has been extended to many others before and even after his daughter’s, Oluwabukolami and prayed Almighty God to continue to grant the former governor his heart desires,long life with good health.

In September 2023, Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, fulfilled his promise of a private scholarship to Oluwabukolami Adeyemi to support her law studies in the United Kingdom. Oluwabukolami received the Cambridge award after earning the highest scores in the 2022 Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge AS Level Examinations among students in 146 countries.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), NPM, has called for stronger global police cooperation to advance global peace, security, and sustainable development.

IGP Disu made the call and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening international policing cooperation while participating in the Fifth United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit (UNCOPS 2026) held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 7th to 8th July 2026.

The summit brought together Ministers, Inspectors-General of Police, Chiefs of Police, and senior representatives of regional and professional policing organisations from across the world to discuss strategies for strengthening international peace, security, and development through enhanced collaboration between national police services and United Nations policing.

Addressing the summit, IGP Disu noted that modern criminal networks increasingly exploit artificial intelligence, encrypted communications, and cyber-enabled platforms to operate across borders with growing sophistication, thereby challenging traditional policing models.

He emphasized that while technology presents significant opportunities for law enforcement through artificial intelligence, digital forensics, and geospatial intelligence, public trust remains the foundation of effective policing. According to the IGP, innovation must reinforce transparency, accountability, respect for human rights, and adherence to the rule of law.

The IGP further advocated greater international cooperation, capacity building, and equitable access to digital policing capabilities for all member states, stressing that the benefits of technological advancement should not be limited to a few technologically advanced nations.

Nigeria’s participation at UNCOPS 2026 underscores the country’s continued commitment to supporting global peacekeeping efforts, strengthening international law enforcement partnerships, and contributing to collective efforts aimed at combating transnational crime, terrorism, cybercrime, and other emerging security challenges.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed that the government revoked the allocation of Jabi Lake Park because the developer failed to develop the site for about 20 years.

Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Wike said the action is part of the FCT Administration’s efforts to recover abandoned public assets and stop the misuse of parks, gardens, and other public spaces.

According to him, the government can no longer allow individuals or companies to hold valuable public land for years without carrying out any development.

Wike said he personally visited Jabi Lake Park and was shocked by its condition. He noted that the area had become filled with shanties and informal businesses, while the lakefront remained poorly maintained.

He explained that the land had originally been allocated to a company known as Suburban about two decades ago but remained largely undeveloped throughout that period.

The minister said he immediately directed officials to revoke the allocation after seeing the level of neglect.

According to Wike, shortly after the revocation was announced, representatives of the company began reaching out to government officials, claiming they had finally secured funding for the project.

He said he asked the company to provide evidence of the funding and demonstrate its readiness to begin work. He added that any future development would be closely monitored by the Development Control Department to ensure compliance with approved plans.

Wike also announced that the FCT Administration would begin enforcing stricter conditions on land allocations. Under the new approach, developers will be required to complete projects within specified timelines or risk losing the land.

The minister further disclosed that the administration has started reclaiming parks and gardens across Abuja after discovering widespread irregularities in their allocation and management.

He alleged that many operators were using documents that lacked proper approval and had converted recreational spaces into residential buildings, hotels, restaurants, and other commercial businesses.

According to him, several areas originally designated for public recreation have been turned into profit-making ventures, contrary to the purpose for which they were allocated.

Wike revealed that the FCT Administration is currently handling more than 2,000 land-related disputes, with around 1,500 involving parks and gardens.

He blamed the situation on collaboration between some government officials and private individuals, saying the administration would no longer tolerate informal or unauthorized land allocations.

The minister defended the revocation of undeveloped plots across Abuja, insisting that the government was acting in the public interest.

He dismissed allegations of land grabbing, stating that the affected landowners had failed to meet the conditions attached to their allocations.

Wike stressed that any land allocated for development must be put to use within the agreed period.

Otherwise, he said, the property would be returned to the government so it can be used for projects that benefit residents and support Abuja’s development.

Nigeria and Tunisia are working to strengthen their relationship in important sectors such as trade, defence, education and agriculture.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this after meeting with Tunisia’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohsen Antit, in Abuja on Thursday.

According to the minister, both countries discussed ways to improve cooperation and revive the Nigeria-Tunisia Joint Commission, which serves as a platform for bilateral engagement.

In a post on her official X account, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the meeting focused on building stronger strategic ties and promoting mutual economic and development interests.

She explained that discussions also covered opportunities for businesses in both countries, educational scholarships, capacity-building programmes, technology transfer, industrial growth, tourism and hospitality.

The minister added that both sides explored measures to improve air travel connections between Nigeria and Tunisia through proposed flight routes.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu further revealed that talks included pending agreements on visa waivers and defence cooperation.

She expressed confidence that continued engagement between Abuja and Tunis would deepen relations and create more opportunities for collaboration in areas that benefit both nations.

The minister said the renewed partnership would help strengthen economic ties and encourage greater people-to-people exchanges between citizens of the two countries.

The Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mrs Abisoye Coker-Odusote, says the newly enacted NIMC Act 2026 has significantly strengthened Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.

Odusote-Coker said this the Act had done by enhancing data security and empowering the commission to combat identity-related crimes.

She said this during a courtesy visit to the Federal Ministry of Information, and the National Orientation Orientation Agency (NOA), as part of government’s efforts to sensitise public institutions on the provisions and benefits of the new Act.

She explained that the repealed NIMC Act lacked data protection powers, leading to the 2023 Data Protection Act and the creation of the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC).

‘It may interest you to know that the new Data Protection Act that Mr President assented to, is sorted through support with NIMC in 2021, leading to the establishment of the Data Protection Commission,’ she said.

According to her, the new NIMC Act empowers the commission, in collaboration with security agencies, to arrest and prosecute identity thieves.

‘In line with this new mandate, we have recently revamped our internal enforcement structure through the Inspectorate, Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) Unit to ensure effective implementation of the Act.’

Odusote-Coker also disclosed that the commission had activated a ward enrolment programme aimed at expanding NIN registration to all wards across the country.

‘It may interest you to know that the president has given us marching orders last year to go and kickstart the ward enrolment exercise, which we embarked upon on Feb. 16,’ she said.

She explained that the initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and was designed to ensure inclusive identity coverage for all Nigerians.

‘We are rotating round all the 8009 wards, and this is why our partnership with NOA who is also represented at the ward level is very crucial in helping us disseminate information,’ she said.

Responding, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, commended the NIMC director-general for her leadership and the successful passage of the new legislation.

‘We’ve all seen your enthusiasm to transform identity management in this country since you came on-board as the DG of NIMC, and we have also seen that on the part of the NIMC team,’ he said.

Idris stressed the need for sustained public enlightenment on the provisions of the Act, particularly at the grassroots, and called for stronger inter-agency collaboration to maximise its benefits.

The minister also urged the commission to take advantage of the agencies under his ministry as they offer the wide reach to Nigerians and would aid NIMC’s sensitisation objectives.

‘We have all the public information platforms in this country under this ministry, including the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), and I want to assure you that these platforms will be available to support your sensitisation objectives,’ he said.

The minister noted that transparency in public service delivery depended largely on effective dissemination of information through credible communication channels.

Present as part of the minister’s team was the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who revealed existing partnerships between the commission and his agency in the past.

Lanre urged the commission not to hesitate to come to the agency for assistance towards fulfilling NIMC’s mandate by the Nigerian president of enroling every Nigerian.

‘I hope you can come forward to see how we can achieve that as we are present in those areas you want to go and do your sensitisation and enlightenment,’ he said.

Issa-Onilu noted that there were still numerous people in the rural areas who barely have an idea as to what the new NIMC Act meant for their livelihood.

The Federal Government has said ongoing road and energy projects across the states in the northern part of the country are indication of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to balanced national development.

Malam Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Public Enlightenment, stated this on Thursday while dismissing claims that Northern Nigeria has been neglected in infrastructure development by the Tinubu’s administration.

Abdulaziz spoke during an inspection of the Kaduna Western Bypass and other ongoing federal projects in Kaduna.

The inspection formed part of a regional tour of Federal Government projects in northern states aimed at assessing progress on key infrastructure.

Abdulaziz said the exercise was intended to provide first-hand information on ongoing projects and counter what he described as misinformation suggesting that the current administration had concentrated development in other parts of the country.

‘We embarked on this tour because seeing is believing. What we have witnessed over the past four days clearly shows that claims that the North has been abandoned are not supported by facts.

‘Virtually all the major Federal Government projects we have visited are active construction sites, and work is progressing steadily,’ he said.

He explained that the 21.5-kilometre Kaduna Western Bypass, initially awarded under the Federal Government’s tax credit scheme in 2021, witnessed limited progress until the Tinubu administration reviewed tax credit projects and directed contractors to accelerate work.

According to him, the project, when completed, will ease movement for commuters travelling between Abuja and the North-West states, including Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.

He expressed optimism that the project would be completed by December 2026.

Abdulaziz said the bypass would reduce travel time, improve road safety, lower vehicle maintenance costs and stimulate economic activities across the region.

He added that other major projects, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, Kano Northern Bypass and the Zaria-Funtua-Gusau-Sokoto Road, were progressing steadily.

According to him, the AKK Gas Pipeline will boost industrialisation, improve energy supply and create employment opportunities across Northern Nigeria.

‘The AKK project is a game changer because it will revive industries, provide cleaner energy and support economic growth across the region,’ he said.

Also speaking, the Project Manager of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company, Engr. Cumhur Kesan, said work on the Kaduna Western Bypass was progressing despite challenges posed by the rainy season and traffic management.

He said the contractor remained committed to delivering the project by December.

Representing Dangote Industries Ltd., Engr. Jonathan Obrusu said funding was no longer a challenge, adding that technical issues had been addressed to ensure timely completion of the project.

Chief Resident Engineer of the Federal Ministry of Works for the Western Bypass, Engr. Jibril Zubairu, said the project had attained about 50 per cent physical completion and 35 per cent financial completion.

He expressed confidence that the dual carriageway project, covering about 21.5 kilometres, would be completed before the end of the year.

Zubairu said the project would improve traffic flow around Kaduna metropolis and strengthen connectivity along the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano transport corridor.

A motorist, Ayuba Ibrahim expressed relief over the road project which he said has eased the traffic usually experienced on the road.

The SSA also inspected the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) outlet along the Kaduna-Abuja Road where tricycle riders expressed delight over the availability and affordability of the gas as compared to Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned the Federal Government that it will be held responsible if anything happens to its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, following concerns raised over his safety.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abdulmumin Abdulsalam, said the NDC was deeply disturbed by Obi’s recent claim that he might not even be alive to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Abdulsalam accused the Federal Government of failing to provide adequate security protection for the former Anambra State governor, describing the situation as unacceptable for a politician of Obi’s stature.

According to him, Obi, who has contested the presidency twice and secured millions of votes, deserves stronger protection from the state.

‘It is even looking like the establishment is actually not interested in his security. They have systematically ensured that he does not get adequate security protection,’ Abdulsalam said.

The NDC spokesman warned that the party would not hesitate to hold the government accountable if Obi suffered any harm.

‘We, as a party, will hold the Federal Government responsible if anything happens to him,’ he said.

Abdulsalam argued that threats against opposition figures should not be ignored, noting that political actors can become targets of both state and non-state actors.

He recalled the 2015 attack on former President Muhammadu Buhari during his presidential campaign in Kaduna, saying the then administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan provided Buhari with adequate protection despite being an opposition candidate.

The NDC spokesman questioned why Obi, who is preparing for another presidential contest, was allegedly not receiving similar security attention.

He also referenced an alleged attack on Obi’s convoy during a visit to Edo State, claiming that the incident showed the need for stronger protection around the opposition leader.

The party called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to provide adequate security for Obi, his running mate and other presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 election.

The NDC maintained that protecting political candidates was necessary to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic process.

The Federal Government has yet to respond to the allegations.

The National President of Miyetti Allah Kauta Kore, Bello Bodejo, was on Thursday docked for alleged money laundering offence involving 2.63 million dollars and terrorism financing.

He was docked by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before a Federal High Court in Abuja

In the suit, EFCC Counsel, Wahab Shittu, SAN, named Bodejo as sole defendant in the charge dated June 24 and filed June 25.

Bodejo was arraigned before Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of $2.33 million.

At Thursday proceedings, prosecution counsel Wahab Shittu, SAN drew the attention of the court to a 12-count charge application dated June 24, 2026 and filed June 25, 2026, urging the court to allow the defendant take his plea to which the judge granted his request.

In one of the charges, EFCC alleged that Bodejo at about the 11th day of January 2022 accepted a cash payment of USD $100,000.00 in physical currency from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State who is currently in the lawful custody of the Nigeria Police Force.

The anti-graft agency said the money the statutory cash transaction threshold of five million Naira prescribed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law.

EFCC said this was an offence contrary to Section 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

In another count, Badejo, EFCC alleged, on 7th day of February 2024, at Abuja without lawful authority or excuse, accepted cash payment of USD $980,000.00 in physical currency from the former Accountant-General of Bauchi State without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law.

The anti-graft agency said this was an offence contrary to Section 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act’

Badejo pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges following which the prosecution counsel, Wahab Shittu, SAN, asked the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service.

But the defence counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN, prayed the court to admit his client to bail in respect of his bail application, filed on June 30, 2026.

The bail application was, however, strongly opposed by prosecution counsel, who drew the attention of the court to his counter-affidavit of 28 paragraphs, dated July 6, 2026.

He pointed out that the defendant is a public risk as the Department of State Security Services, DSS is on the watch out for him, and that being an influential person, he may manipulate the witnesses and progress of the case.

Justice Ekwo ordered for the remand of the defendant in EFCC’s holding facility and adjourned the matter till July 20, 2026 for ruling on the bail application.

The Anambra State Children, Sexual and Gender-based Violence Offences Court in Awka has remanded a businessman and three others alleged to have raped and impregnated a mentally challenged girl.

The defendants, Christopher Nnamah, 54, Ndubuisi Ikechelu, 40, Chinecherem Emmanuel, 20, and Kennedy Udogu, 34, at their arraignment on Thursday, had each pleaded not guilty to the charge of rape.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. U.E. Onochie, ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Awka Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until Aug. 5 for hearing.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Chinyere Okechukwu, told the court that the defendants at different times committed the offence at Umuriam village, Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area.

‘The defendants at different times allegedly lured and took advantage of the 18-year-old girl’s mental state to have canal knowledge of her. Her guardian found out when they discovered she was pregnant and reported the matter. During questioning the teenager identified the defendants as being responsible for her condition,’ the prosecutor said.

The committed offence, Okechukwu said, was punishable under Section 3(2) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition and Protection Law of Anambra State of Nigeria, 2017.

She prayed the court to remand the suspects in the Correctional facility as stipulated under Section 130 (2) (a) (b) of the Administration Criminal Justice Law 2022.

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has warned the Federal Government against any action that could threaten the safety of opposition leader Peter Obi, declaring that nothing must happen to the former Anambra State governor.

Atiku, in a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the protection of Obi and other opposition figures remains a constitutional responsibility of the Nigerian state.

The former vice president’s warning comes amid rising political tensions following Obi’s recent comments alleging concerns over his safety and accusing the government of targeting his business interests.

‘Nothing must happen to Peter Obi. An injury to one is an injury to all. When one opposition leader is intimidated, every opposition voice is diminished. When one citizen begins to fear because of his political beliefs, democracy itself becomes the casualty,’ Atiku said.

Atiku also demanded the immediate release of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, insisting that every Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, deserves fair treatment, due process and equal protection under the law.

He warned that democracy cannot survive where opposition figures are unable to express their views freely without fear of intimidation.

According to him, a strong democracy should not be measured by the power of those in government, but by how it protects those outside power.

Atiku criticised what he described as the government’s response to Obi’s comments, urging the presidency to address criticism with facts and statesmanship rather than attacks.

‘When a citizen, particularly an opposition figure, voices concerns about the state of the nation or his personal safety, the first duty of government is to reassure through statesmanship, facts and responsible conduct, not through insults,’ he said.

The ADC candidate accused the government of devoting too much attention to political disputes while the country continues to battle insecurity, poverty, hunger, corruption and kidnapping.

He argued that opposition figures should not be treated as enemies of the state, stressing that the real threats facing Nigeria are the daily challenges affecting ordinary citizens.

‘The opposition is not the enemy of Nigeria. Poverty is the enemy. Hunger is the enemy. Insecurity is the enemy. Corruption is the enemy. Kidnapping is the enemy,’ Atiku said.

He further urged the Federal Government to focus on rescuing Nigerians still held captive by criminal groups, including abducted schoolchildren, teachers and other victims waiting to reunite with their families.

On the continued detention of El-Rufai, Atiku said justice must not appear selective, insisting that every accused person is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court.

The former vice president said history would judge governments not by how aggressively they fought critics, but by how well they protected citizens, upheld justice and defended democratic values.