Category: The Nation – Nigeria

The Adegboyega Efunkoya Sports Foundation has announced the commencement of the 7th edition of the National U-15 Table Tennis Championships, beginning with a two-day clinic at the indoor hall of the National Stadium from August 11 to 12. The main tournament will follow from August 13 to 15, where new champions are expected to emerge.

Hundreds of young athletes will participate in the clinic, designed to sharpen their strokes, footwork, and tactical approaches while instilling discipline and innovation. The program includes physical conditioning and modern training techniques, preparing players for the rigors of competition and offering them a platform to impress national selectors.

Chairman of the Foundation and former national team coach, Babatunde Obisanya, emphasized the importance of the clinic: ‘We are overwhelmed by the support we’ve received from stakeholders worldwide-former players in the diaspora, administrators, and enthusiasts who believe in our vision. Our mission is to continue the legacy of Dr. Adegboyega Efunkoya, ensuring that players combine sports with education. Each year we introduce new innovations, and this year will be no different. Beyond competition, we remain committed to supporting the education of players who excel.’

Since its inception, the championship has produced outstanding talents for Nigeria’s national teams. Notably, Matthew Kuti, discovered at the maiden edition, is now a key member of the senior squad and Africa’s reigning U-19 champion. Other alumni include Khadijat Musa and the Ayoola siblings-Umar, Usman, and Kabirat-who currently represent Nigeria at junior level.

The Adegboyega Efunkoya Sports Foundation remains dedicated to immortalizing Dr. Adegboyega Efunkoya, former chairman of the Nigerian Table Tennis Federation, whose vision transformed the sport in Nigeria.

The Foundation continues to promote table tennis among junior players in primary and secondary schools, with the long-term goal of positioning Nigeria among the world’s top ten table tennis nations.

The deal is an initial loan for the 27-year-old, who signed a new contract with Barca until 2031 last year, and also includes an option to buy for around £47.14m (pound 55m).

?Liverpool are not paying Barcelona a loan fee and will cover the entirety of Araujo’s salary for the duration of the season-long loan. It is understood Araujo has taken a pay cut to facilitate the move.

Araujo, who will wear the No 33 shirt, told Liverpoolfc.com: ‘I can’t wait to get started. I’m very, very happy.

‘I’m excited to be here at this massive club with lots of history. I’m excited to meet my team-mates, excited to get started playing, and I’m very motivated and really up for getting going.

‘I think it was the ideal move for me at this stage in my career. I think it was a move that was necessary for me to take. As soon as I heard that interest from Liverpool, everything went into action really, really quickly.

‘As I say, I’m super-happy to be here and excited to get started. I’m glad about the interest and it was the right move at the right time.’

The Uruguay international, who did not play at the World Cup due to injury, is expected to train with his new team-mates this week.

Araujo will add to Andoni Iraola’s options at the heart of his defence following the departure of Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid and fitness concerns over inexperienced 21-year-old Jeremy Jacquet.

Nigeria’s young Scrabble players finished as the second-best country at the World Youth Scrabble Championship in Nairobi, Kenya, picking up multiple individual honours in a campaign the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) says was made possible by sustained backing from the Kwara State Government under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

NSF spokesperson Maxwell Kumoye said Team Nigeria competed against 134 young players from around the world across 24 rounds over three days to claim the Second Best Country prize.

According to Kumoye, Sophia Ekeruche defended the Best Female Player title she won in Malaysia last year, while Yusuf Abdulsalam won the U-8 category and was also named Best Kid of the Tournament. Salvation Onazi finished second runner-up in the U-10 category, and Saviour Onazi placed third in the U-12 category. In the U-16 category, Olamide Hassan finished second runner-up and placed 10th overall.

Kumoye said Kwara, which has backed Nigerian Scrabble for about six years, funded the travel of four players and two officials to Nairobi, helping the country avoid missing another major international youth competition. The Bayelsa and Niger State Governments also supported the team, which was guided by coach Hassan Olojoku Abdulrafiu.

The result offered rare good news for Nigerian sport this week. The senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, lost twice to China – 70-67 on Friday and 69-65 on Sunday – in warm-up games in Haikou ahead of next month’s FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, while the Junior D’Tigers finished winless from three games, including a 77-68 defeat to hosts Côte d’Ivoire, at the FIBA U-18 AfroBasket in Abidjan.

The Super Falcons were also eliminated from the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after a 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Cameroon in Casablanca on Sunday, while the Flying Eagles lost 4-1 to Burkina Faso in the WAFU Zone B U-20 Championship final, a result that ruled Nigeria out of both the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations and the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Members of the Nigerian entertainment industry gathered on Tuesday for a candle light and Artists’ night to pay their last respects to late actress Tope Osoba, whose death continues to generate controversy and raise unanswered questions.

The event, tagged ‘An Evening of Love, Music and Memories’, brought together actors, producers, directors, and fans to celebrate Osoba’s life through songs, prayers, candlelight, and heartfelt tributes.

The atmosphere was emotional as colleagues had earlier described her as a humble, talented, and vibrant screen presence who was taken too soon.

Osoba was a familiar face in both Yoruba and English-language films.

Her sudden passing has sparked conversations online, with fans and colleagues demanding more information about her death.

In recent times, Olufemi Abdulhakeem Gbajabiamila’s name has emerged as one of the most commonly cited across Nigeria’s print and electronic media-social media included-not merely because he is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, but also because he was caught in a web of an unfortunate controversy that latest findings and disclosures have since exonerated him, as we shall examine shortly.

Before diving into the matter, it is important to recap the public life of Femi Gbajabiamila.

Gbaja, a nickname affectionately used by his former colleagues, constituents in Surulere, Lagos, and many who know him well, did not simply become a household name in Nigeria by chance. He represented Surulere Federal Constituency of Lagos State in the House of Representatives for an uninterrupted 20 years, from 2003 to 2023. During that time, he set the record as the only lawmaker in Nigeria’s history to serve as Minority Whip before transitioning to Minority Leader-a role he maintained for eight consecutive years-before later becoming Majority Leader for four years.

He crowned his achievements by becoming the Speaker in the 9th Assembly, a position he held for four years. To date, he remains the only person, living or deceased, to have been elected to the Green Chamber six times from Lagos State-in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023. He took the oath of office in 2023 before relinquishing the position to become the Chief of Staff to the President in June 2023.

During his tenure as a lawmaker, Gbajabiamila exhibited remarkable patriotism and dedication, to the extent that his peers regarded him as a role model. For 20 years, his name was never linked to any scandal or wrongdoing in the House.

In 2011, he declined the national honour of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) offered by the Goodluck Jonathan administration, a decision rooted in his integrity.

In a letter dated November 1, 2011, Gbajabiamila informed Jonathan that, ‘Whilst I believe with all modesty that I have done my best as a legislator and diligently carried out my responsibilities as the leader of the opposition in the legislative arm of government, I do not believe my best for now is sufficient or enough to have earned or otherwise made me deserving of a national honour as required under the enabling law or international best practices. Perhaps God willing, I may be so deserving in the near future.’ Gbaja gave other reasons, including the fact that some individuals of questionable character formed part of the award list.

As an opposition leader, Gbaja spoke truth to power with conviction. He stood for the masses; he was a voice for the voiceless, challenging the status quo and striving to improve Nigeria through good governance.

Even after securing a seat with the majority party, he held firm to his position. As Speaker of the House, he introduced numerous reforms that transformed the legislative landscape.

It is then surprising-indeed, shocking-that a man who served his fatherland with such merit and integrity, earning the admiration of many citizens, would face what can only be described as an unrestrained campaign of calumny in both the media and court of public opinion since taking office as the CoS to the President. It really makes you wonder what’s going on beneath the surface!

From the very beginning of his tenure as CoS, his detractors launched a barrage of rumours against him. He was accused of all manner of things, including allegedly trading appointments within the government circle.

The attacks on his person became so pronounced that his principal, President Tinubu, had to publicly declare absolute confidence in him on October 30, 2023, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

The President said, ‘First of all, let me reiterate to all of you the fact that a lot of stories are going around about what is happening. I’ve told everyone in this country that I can make mistakes; they’re bound to air them out and correct them. Perfection is that of God almighty. I have absolute confidence in the integrity of my Chief of Staff. All campaigns of calumny and insinuations should stop; the buck stops here. If I make mistake, I’m ready to own up to it, and we’re all joining hands to fight corruption, and we want to enforce the law along with you.’

In the wake of the President’s public declaration, the fifth columnists embarked on a sabbatical. But they soon returned, and the rumour mill became even more ferocious. The mongers went into full overdrive. All along, it seems those fanning these rumours and allegations against Gbajabiamila are within the ruling party. Apparently, they want the man out of the job. The question is: what exactly is he blocking for them?

Understandably, Gbajabiamila is the first highly politically-inclined person to hold the position of CoS to the President since our return to democratic rule in 1999. From Abdullahi Mohammed (May 29, 1999 – June 2, 2008) to Gbolade Osinowo (June 2, 2008 – September 18, 2008), then Mike Oghiadomhe (May 17, 2010 – February 10, 2014), followed by Jones Arogbofa (February 18, 2014 – May 29, 2015), Abba Kyari (August 27, 2015 – April 17, 2020), and Ibrahim Gambari (May 13, 2020 – May 29, 2023), no one held high political offices as extensively as Gbajabiamila. Perhaps the closest to him on the list is Oghiadomhe, who was deputy governor in Edo State from 1999 to 2007.

The latest scandal involving the so-called Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), whose self-styled Director-General, Mr. Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, repeatedly invoked Gbajabiamila’s name-until quite recently-all for misguided reasons and in a renewed effort to blackmail the Chief of Staff, is, to put it mildly, one of the most bizarre incidents to have occurred within government circles in our recent history.

For some, the involvement of Gbaja makes it automatically true. So, they went to town with the news that Adeyemi must be right. They wouldn’t budge even after the Presidency clarified through a detailed press release containing a vivid account of how the CoS raised a red flag as far back as October 17, 2025, about the existence of the illegal organization and requested ‘the Department of Staff Security (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force to probe the activities of ‘fraudsters and imposters’ forging appointment letters purportedly from his office.’

The Presidency then cautioned, ‘Politicians and members of the public who are weaponsing Adeyemi’s claim against the Chief of Staff should refrain from swallowing his narrative hook, line and sinker. They are advised to await the trial of Adeyemi and his accomplices, as well as the court’s judgement, as comments made today are sub judice.’

Despite the Presidency’s admonition, the fifth columnists continued with their trade, with some calling on Gbajabiamila to resign or be sacked by the President. In all these circumstances, President Tinubu continued to place his trust in his Chief of Staff, staying true to the confidence he voiced in the man around three years ago.

On July 7, the President directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of PFIPC and all related matters and submit its report within 30 days. The investigation was to cover, among other issues, the forged appointment letters and other official government documents; the use of a false claim of presidential appointment to seek or obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation; and the opening of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged documents, etc.

By the close of work on Thursday, August 6,2026, the ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu, SAN, submitted an interim report to the President, which made some startling discoveries, including the fact, ‘the appointment letter presented by the suspect (Adeyemi), along with other supporting documents, was completely forged and did not originate from the Presidency.’

Shockingly, the ICPC also uncovered two more fictitious agencies that Adeyemi allegedly created using forged legislative documents. The two agencies are the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency/Public-Private Partnership. Adeyemi, the ICPC Chairman added, unlawfully occupied the office of the defunct Presidential Economic Advisory Council. He used the office to lend legitimacy to his fake agency, deceiving unsuspecting individuals.

Even before the ICPC’s interim report was made public, an ad hoc panel constituted by the House of Reps to investigate the matter following a resolution had unraveled what could best be described as monumental fraud. Though the committee’s assignment is yet to be over, among some stupefying discoveries made so far is that all the top government officials who appeared before it testified that Adeyemi’s agency is fake and that he used forged documents to beat the system.

In fact, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, openly acknowledged lapses in conducting due diligence prior to processing documents and granting a recruitment waiver for Adeyemi’s fraudulent agency. After admitting the failure, she took responsibility and committed to reviewing the civil service processes to enhance their resistance to fraud.

Arguably, the most unsettling disclosure during the Reps panel session came from Collins Oyekunle, Managing Director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, who revealed to the panel that he paid Adeyemi a staggering N400 million to secure a N2 billion contract for renovating Adeyemi’s official residence.

All things considered, based on both the findings in ICPC’s interim report submitted to the President and the disclosures before the House of Reps ad hoc panel, one fact stands out: Gbajabiamila had no involvement whatsoever in establishing Adeyemi’s fake agency or appointing the self-styled DG to that position.

Therefore, it is safe to say that Gbajabiamila’s integrity remains intact. Far from wavering, the President’s confidence in his Chief of Staff has blossomed in spite of the controversy. This is evident from the key assignments the President recently entrusted to Gbajabiamila. First, he assigned him to lead the high-level Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill. A few days ago, it was under the President’s imprimatur that Gbajabiamila met with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to negotiate a truce, leading them to suspend their planned strike. Again, the President appointed Gbajabiamila to head a Federal Government delegation to represent Nigeria at the maiden Nigeria Diaspora Investment Economic Conference (NIDEC) in Toronto, Canada. The delegation comprises the governors of Borno, Anambra, Kaduna, Plateau, and Zamfara, among other top government officials.

Actress Foluke Daramola-Salako has expressed grief following the death of Temitope Osoba, revealing that she has been unable to stop crying since learning of the tragedy.

On her Instagram page, she wrote, ‘Temitope goes home. I don’t know why I can’t stop crying; it’s just dawning on me my baby is gone’.

The actress’ death has left colleagues, friends and fans mourning, with many paying tribute to her and recalling her contributions to the Yoruba film industry.

Tope Osoba had previously battled breast cancer and received support from colleagues and members of the public during her treatment.

She had undergone several surgeries during her treatment.

In November 2024, she appealed for financial assistance after her first surgery, with Daramola among colleagues who rallied support for her.

Her sudden death has left colleagues and fans mourning, particularly those who had followed her journey through her health challenges.

Young women in Ogun State have been empowered with practical skills in artificial intelligence (AI), digital technology, leadership, entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills to prepare them for the future of work.

Held at the Tech Talent Hub, Ijebu-Ode, the two-day programme attracted 130 registered participants, with 90 attending intensive training sessions aimed at bridging the digital skills gap and preparing young women for careers in an AI-driven economy.

Tagged Sisi in Tech, the digital empowerment initiative founded by politician and technology advocate, Mrs Adeola Azeez, was designed to bridge the gender gap in technology.

Speaking on the occasion, Mrs Azeez said the initiative was birthed after she observed that many graduates, including those from professional institutions, complete their education without the digital competencies increasingly required to succeed in today’s workplace.

She said Sisi in Tech was established to equip young women with practical technology skills that would improve their employability, encourage entrepreneurship and enable them to compete confidently in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

‘We want to transform the lives of young women who have faced barriers to employment by providing them with the tools they need to thrive in the digital age,’ she said.

The programme opened with a keynote by Chief Growth and AI Officer, Middle East and Africa Growth Markets, Microsoft, Ola Williams, who underscored the transformative potential of artificial intelligence and encouraged participants to embrace emerging technologies as tools for innovation, creativity and economic growth.

Day one, had: ‘Understanding AI and Putting It to Work,’ as theme and featured sessions on AI Foundations and Prompt Engineering, AI for Productivity and Work, and AI in Data and Analytics, facilitated by Data Science Nigeria. Participants also received financial literacy training from Wema Bank, while Mrs Toyin Taiwo, Founder of the Feminine Health and Fibroid Network (FHFN), spoke on women’s health and wellbeing.

Day two focused on: ‘Building a Career in the AI Economy,’ focused on Career Pathways in Data and AI, Freelancing and Income with AI, both facilitated by Data Science Nigeria, as well as a goal-setting session led by Mrs Moremi Onabolu Adeleye, Co-Founder and Registrar of TWIM Institute.

Speakers encouraged participants to view AI not as a threat but as a powerful tool for innovation, productivity and problem-solving.

One of the key messages was that AI itself will not replace people; rather, those who know how to use AI effectively will have an advantage over those who do not. Participants were urged to continue learning, adapt to emerging technologies and apply AI responsibly in their studies, careers and businesses.

Participants who spoke with The Nation described the programme as enlightening and transformative. A Master’s student, Pelumi Olabimpe Janet, said the training broadened her understanding of AI and its practical applications in learning, research and career development.

Students from Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) and the Ogun State Polytechnic of Health also said the programme changed their perception of AI. They admitted arriving with misconceptions about the technology but left with a better understanding of how it could be applied to education, entrepreneurship and solving real-world problems.

A major highlight of the programme was the Union Bank-sponsored Capstone Challenge, during which participants worked in teams to develop practical solutions using the knowledge and skills acquired over the two days.The projects were assessed by a panel comprising Mr Segun Aderinto of Learnflo, Mrs Comfort Moses of Wema Bank, Mrs Adejoke Adedapo of Union Bank, and Mrs Moremi Onabolu Adeleye, Co-Founder and Registrar of TWIM Institute.

Explaining the basis for selecting the winning team, the judges said the project stood out because of the team’s extensive and effective use of artificial intelligence in planning, coordinating and executing different aspects of its work. According to them, the team’s innovative deployment of AI demonstrated a practical understanding of how emerging technologies can improve collaboration, efficiency and problem-solving.

The top three teams received cash prizes sponsored by Union Bank, with the winners taking home ?250,000, the first runners-up receiving ?150,000, and the second runners-up earning ?100,000. The cash prizes drew loud cheers from participants as members of the winning teams went home smiling with their prizes.

Quiz winners and members of the winning Capstone Challenge team expressed appreciation to the organisers, describing the recognition as motivation to continue learning, innovating and applying the skills they had acquired.

In her closing remarks, Mrs Azeez urged participants not to allow the knowledge gained during the two-day programme to end with the event but to apply it in their studies, careers, businesses and everyday lives.

She said her greatest hope is that five years from now, participants will be able to look back and say that Sisi in Tech transformed their lives. A major highlight of the programme was the Union Bank-sponsored Capstone Challenge, during which participants worked in teams to develop practical solutions using the knowledge and skills acquired over the two days.

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Chief of Staff to the Imo State Governor, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, has called on the federal and sub-national governments to take strict legal action against individuals whose public utterances threaten national security and peaceful coexistence.

This call came on the heels of the recent incendiary comments attributed to a Plateau-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir.

Nwosu, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, condemned the cleric for reportedly referring to Christians as ‘infidels.’

The Imo State-born politician warned that allowing unchecked hate speech by influential figures poses a direct threat to public order and national stability.

He urged authorities at all levels to intervene decisively and enforce existing laws against individuals using public platforms to stoke religious division.

‘Freedom of religion and expression should not be used to promote hatred or undermine the peaceful coexistence of Nigerians,’ Nwosu stated.

He then called on the government to take appropriate action against anyone whose remarks threaten the nation’s harmony, in accordance with the law.

Expressing deep concern over the timing of the remarks, the former gubernatorial candidate noted that such rhetoric deepens religious mistrust at a critical moment when the nation requires stability and cohesion. He stressed that religious authority must not serve as a shield for denigrating whole faith communities.

‘At a time when Nigerians are looking forward to greater unity and peaceful coexistence, it is unfortunate for anyone, particularly a religious leader, to make statements capable of setting one group against another,’ he said. ‘No individual should use religion as a platform to denigrate or label an entire faith community.’

Nwosu urged religious leaders across all denominations to recognise the weight of their influence and deploy their platforms to foster mutual respect, tolerance, and understanding rather than friction.

Reiterating the need for collective restraint, he appealed to both Christians and Muslims not to let provocative comments destroy long-standing interfaith relationships, emphasising that Nigeria urgently needs ‘responsible voices that will unite the country rather than deepen existing divisions.’

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike yesterday restated his commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election.

He dismissed claims that he was among those lobbying to be the Director-General (DG) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) as untrue.

Wike declared that he needs no formal position in the campaign structure to contribute towards Tinubu’s victory, promising to work to ensure a convincing victory for the President in Rivers State and the FCT in the 2027 presidential election.

A national paper (not The Nation) had listed the FCT minister as one of those jostling for the APC PCC coordinator.

But, in a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike said the report did not reflect his position or current priorities.

Wike said he was currently outside the country, taking a break after an intensive period of activities in the FCT during which he spent more than 30 days inaugurating completed projects, flagging off new ones and inspecting ongoing ones.

He said his immediate priority on returning to the country would be the continued implementation of the administration’s programmes in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said: ‘I am outside Nigeria, resting and relaxing after spending over 30 days, commissioning projects, flagging off new ones and inspecting ongoing ones, especially those scheduled for commissioning in December and January, next year.

‘When I return, our focus will be the continuous delivery of our mandate in line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and to further enhance his electoral fortune in Rivers State and the FCT.

‘Therefore, I do not need to be the DG or even member of the Presidential Campaign Council of Mr President’s political party to contribute my quota by ensuring that he wins handsomely in Rivers State and the FCT’.

Although Wike remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he has repeatedly declared support for Tinubu’s re-election, a position that has put him at odds with sections of his party and has continued to fuel speculation over his political alignment ahead of the next presidential contest.

The FCT minister was one of the prominent PDP figures, who backed Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election despite his party’s nomination of Atiku Abubakar.

His continued support for Tinubu has also featured prominently in political discussions surrounding the 2027 election, particularly because of his influence in Rivers State and his role in the administration as FCT Minister.

Wike’s latest clarification appears designed to draw a line between his political support for Tinubu and speculation over the internal structure of the President’s campaign machinery.

Rather than seeking a formal campaign position, the minister said he would concentrate on using his political influence and administrative responsibilities to strengthen Tinubu’s electoral prospects.

The Arewa Think Tank (ATT) has dismissed online allegations against the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, over the Frontier Exploration Fund.

The group described the allegations as a calculated attempt by fifth columnists to tarnish the President’s reputation, undermine the revenue agency and discredit the current administration.

ATT’s Convener, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, said the allegations should be treated with caution, particularly following the categorical denial by Adedeji, who described the reports as sponsored fake news intended to damage his reputation and that of the institution he heads.

Yakubu said the controversy was another indication of what he called a deliberate campaign by individuals opposed to the reforms and achievements of the Tinubu administration.

He said: ‘We are concerned about the growing pattern of sponsored allegations and sensational reports targeted at officials who are playing critical roles in the ongoing reforms of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration. The latest allegations against the NRS Chairman are unfortunate and should not be allowed to distract the government from its reform agenda.’

The Arewa Think Tank Convener said Adedeji had sufficiently explained his position on the matter and urged Nigerians to distinguish between legitimate scrutiny of public officials and what he called politically motivated attempts to destroy reputations.

The controversy followed an online report alleging that $279 million had been transferred from the Frontier Exploration Fund’s account to unnamed accounts, with the report claiming that Adedeji and the NRS were aware of the alleged movement of funds.

The report further alleged that the development had put the NRS Chairman under pressure, with some stakeholders purportedly calling for a forensic audit of the fund.

But in his response, Adedeji reportedly dismissed the allegations as false, describing them as an attempt by some people to tarnish his reputation and the NRS’s image.

‘That report is not true in any way. It is pure fake news sponsored by some jobless persons whose pastime is to throw mud at high performers in the President Tinubu government,’ Adedeji had said

He also questioned the credibility and professionalism of the reports, alleging that similar language and narratives were used across different online platforms.

‘I consider it to be a brand of cheap journalism lacking in ethics and professionalism but heavy with malicious intentions,’ he said.

Adedeji also alleged that the similarity in the language and storyline of reports published on different platforms suggested that they originated from the same source.

‘To prove to you that it was sponsored, take a critical look at the storyline and language. They are the same language and style in all the reports, meaning that one person wrote it and distributed across gullible online platforms,’ he said.

Reacting to the controversy, Yakubu said the explanation offered by the NRS Chairman over the purpose and operation of the Frontier Exploration Fund further demonstrated the need for Nigerians to seek facts before drawing conclusions from unverified online reports.

‘The issue of the Frontier Exploration Fund is technical and requires proper understanding. We should not allow sensational headlines or social media narratives to substitute for facts, particularly when dealing with public funds and government institutions,’ Yakubu stated.

The ATT convener explained that the Frontier Exploration Fund was established under Section 9 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, to finance petroleum exploration activities in frontier basins where commercially viable hydrocarbon reserves have not been fully established.

The relevant frontier basins, he said, include the Bida, Benue Trough, Anambra, Chad, Sokoto, and Dahomey Basins.

According to the explanation attributed to the NRS chairman, the fund is intended to support exploration activities, including geological mapping, seismic surveys, exploratory drilling, appraisal wells, basin studies and other exploration-related activities.

Yakubu said the technical nature of the fund made it even more important for stakeholders and members of the public to rely on verifiable information rather than allegations circulated through online platforms.

‘We must be careful not to turn every allegation on social media into a conviction. If there are genuine questions about public funds, the appropriate institutions should investigate them. But deliberately publishing allegations without establishing the facts is not in the interest of Nigeria,’ he said.

The Arewa Think Tank convener described Adedeji as one of the officials at the centre of the Tinubu administration’s economic and revenue reforms.

He noted that attempts to distract such officials could undermine the government’s broader reform objectives.

‘President Tinubu has embarked on difficult reforms, and the people driving these reforms will naturally come under intense scrutiny. That scrutiny is healthy when it is based on facts, but politically motivated attacks and fabricated stories are completely different,’ Yakubu said.

He urged the media and online publishers to uphold professional standards and give accused individuals and institutions an opportunity to respond to serious allegations before publication.

‘Freedom of expression and press freedom are fundamental, but they must go together with responsibility. Journalists and publishers should verify their information, especially when allegations concern integrity, public funds and the reputation of public officials,’ he said.

Yakubu warned what he called fifth columnists against exploiting social media to create confusion and undermine public confidence in government institutions.

‘Those working from within or outside the system to deliberately discredit the Tinubu administration through false narratives should know that Nigerians are watching. You cannot build a country by constantly destroying the reputation of its institutions and officials through unverified allegations,’ he said.

The ATT convener urged Nigerians to remain vigilant against what he called misinformation designed to create distrust between the government and citizens.

‘We are not saying that government officials should be above scrutiny. Far from it. What we are saying is that scrutiny must be factual, fair and evidence-based. Where there are allegations, let the appropriate authorities examine them. But nobody should be condemned based on a story whose claims have not been substantiated,’ Yakubu added.

The Arewa Think Tank urged the NRS leadership to remain focused on its mandate and continue supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen revenue mobilisation, transparency and economic development.

‘Our message to Zacch Adedeji is simple: remain focused and continue with the job. Those who are uncomfortable with reforms will continue to throw stones, but the best response is to remain committed to transparency, professionalism and service to Nigerians,’ Yakubu said.

He also urged the public to verify contentious claims through credible official channels rather than relying solely on social media reports.

‘Nigeria needs constructive criticism, not character assassination. We will continue to support accountability, but we will equally oppose attempts to use misinformation and malicious allegations to undermine competent public officials and derail national reforms,’ the Arewa Think Tank Convener added.