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Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri has said he wants Nigeria to ‘keep happening’ to him.

This is in response to online conversations around the phrase ‘Nigeria happened,’ which resurfaced after late ARISE News correspondent Somtochukwu Maduagwu used it in a post before her death in a robbery attack at her Abuja home.

In a post made on X on Tuesday, Omokri said the phrase is often used to describe the country negatively.

‘May Nigeria happen to me and keep happening to me as long as I live! When bad things happen, enemies of this country are quick to say that ‘Nigeria has happened’ to them. But they take the good that occurs to them in Nigeria personally, without attributing it to our great nation,’ he wrote.

Omokri noted that unpleasant events occur everywhere in the world but argued that Nigeria’s progress is often ignored.

He added, ‘Good and bad are as universal as day and night and are part of the ying yang of human existence. This is Earth. This is not heaven! Earth is an imperfect place, which is why unpleasant things can sometimes happen.’

‘Please fact-check me: Every year in America, 20,000 people are murdered. That is more than twice the murder rate in Nigeria. Have you ever heard Americans badmouthing their country as a result of this?’

He cited the rollout of federal government student loans, improvements in electricity generation, a drop in inflation, and the country’s emergence as a net exporter of petrol as examples of positive changes.

He also listed recent government actions adding, ‘600,000 Nigerians have gotten student loans from the Federal Government to attend universities under Tinubu. Is that not also Nigeria happening to Nigerians positively?’

‘Food prices have dropped nationwide. In 1975, inflation was above 40%. Today, it is 20.12%, a 1.76% drop from July’s 21.88%. How many countries on Earth today are moving inflation behind? Look at Argentina, which Peter Obi praised. Today, their economy is ‘in shambles,’ to borrow from Davido!’

‘The electricity situation has vastly improved, and Nigeria broke its power generation record with a peak generation of 5,801.84MW and maximum daily energy output of 128,370.75 megawatt-hours (MWh), the highest ever attained in the history of the electricity industry in Nigeria. Is that not Nigeria happening?’

‘Nigeria is now a net exporter of petrol. Please fact-check me: When President Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, Nigeria was Africa’s largest petrol importer.

‘Today, South Africa is Africa’s largest fuel importer. Nigeria’s fuel imports have drastically reduced. Not only that, according to the International Energy Agency, Nigeria has now emerged as the largest exporter of refined petroleum products in West Africa. This has seen fuel prices drop.

‘Only three civilian governments have achieved that. Yar’adua, Jonathan and now Tinubu. That is also Nigeria happening to us!’

‘Nigeria is a great country, but it is not perfect because perfection is divine. There is no ideal country on Earth. We can choose to look at the negatives, but there are many positive things happening in Nigeria that we refuse to project because we love bad news!’ he concluded.

THE Federal Government’s rebuttal of reports of genocide against Christians in the country received a boost on Monday as former British diplomat Mr David Roberts dismissed the report as false.

Roberts, who served as a director of the British Council in Abuja for several years, stated that the country’s security challenges had been exaggerated by Western interest groups and the media, warning against escalating the situation with inaccurate reports.

‘Yes, there are security challenges in Nigeria but those issues have affected the country from the pre-colonial, colonial, and now the post-colonial periods,’ he stated, adding:, ‘Ample evidence exists to show that the Nigerian government is de-escalating the violence.’

Based on a viral video in which a man with a Nigerian accent claimed that over 500,000 Christians were killed in the country last year, Mr Bill Maher, a comedian who hosts the longest-running talk show in the US, Real Time with Bill Maher, asserted that a systematic genocide was happening in Nigeria.

The video was circulated by international X influencers, including Radio Genoa, an anti-Islamic personality, who stokes negative sentiments against the Muslim faith.

However, minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris, and a former presidential aide, Mr Reno Omokri, on Sunday refuted the claims as false.

Roberts upheld Idris’ and Omokri’s rebuttals and contended that the genocide reports were skewed, explaining that both the Christian and Muslim faiths are victims of the age-long violence.

He stated: ‘I lived in Nigeria as a British diplomat and toured the entire country. It is ridiculous for anyone even to suggest that half a million people were killed as part of genocide against Christians in Nigeria by Muslims last year alone.

‘And this is not just some Christian genocide. In fact, more Muslims are killed in these attacks in Nigeria than Christians, a fact highlighted by the Institute for Economics and Peace in their annual Global Terrorism Index.’, he said.

He urged Western nations and their media to be mindful of the reportage in order not to ignite a crisis that will result in a greater flood of refugees from West Africa turning up in Europe through the Mediterranean.

The member representing Ibadan North-West/Ibadan South-West federal constituency of Oyo state in the House of Representatives, Hon. Adedeji Dhikrullahi Stanley Olajide, has declared that the ongoing congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) across the country signify a fresh beginning that will reposition the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking with journalists in Ibadan at the Oyo State PDP congress, held at the basketball court of Lekan Salami stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, Olajide described the exercise as ‘the birth of a new PDP,’ stressing that the reforms being witnessed across the 33 state chapters of the PDP across Nigeria are signs of laying a solid foundation for a stronger and more united political family.

He noted that despite the turbulence of recent years, the PDP had weathered the storm and was poised to reclaim its pride of place in Nigeria’s national politics.

According to him, the party remains the most experienced political organisation in Nigeria, having mastered the democratic process over the years.

He emphasised that PDP had learned from its past and was now embracing a new era of stability and inclusiveness.

‘PDP is not a rookie party. We have been in this process longer than any other political party. Politics is our business, we have learnt it, we have mastered it. Gone are the days when violence was the order of the day. This is a new dawn for Nigeria,’ he said.

Olajide likened the rebuilding process of the PDP to the birth of a new baby, insisting that by November, after the party’s national convention, Nigerians would witness a fully repositioned PDP ready to drive fresh ideas and initiatives for the nation. ‘PDP is the right movement, the right platform and the right form of energy for anyone who truly wants to move this nation forward. With leaders like Governor Seyi Makinde and others providing direction, the best is yet to come,’ he declared.

Speaking on reconciliation efforts within the party, the federal lawmaker dismissed fears that the congresses might alienate some leaders, describing such concerns as exaggerated. He maintained that politics is a game of alignment and re-alignment, stressing that dissenting voices would eventually key into the new momentum sweeping across the PDP. ‘Politics is like a moving train, when it is slow, you can hop on easily, but when it gains speed, you risk being left behind. Some of those you describe as aggrieved will eventually come on board.’

‘There was a time it was very frustrating, when we could not even see light at the end of the tunnel. But gradually, things began to turn around. Now momentum is gathering, not only in Oyo, but also in Lagos, Ondo, the North and across Nigeria. The positive energy we are witnessing shows that good things are about to happen,’

He called on party faithful nationwide to remain steadfast, united and hopeful as the PDP marches towards its national convention and assured that the outcome of the exercise will herald a new dawn for Nigeria’s political landscape, adding that the party was ready to provide the kind of leadership Nigerians desire as the country prepares for another electoral cycle.

The Owa Obokun Adimula and paramount ruler of Ijesaland, Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, Ajimoko III, has announced the removal of Chief Busuyi Gbadamosi, as the Oba-Odo of Ilesa.

The Owa, in a statement signed by Chief Shola Oshunkeye, for the palace, explained that the decision to remove Chief Gbadamosi was informed by his alleged ‘unlawful removal of two electric transformers, 300KVA and 500KVA respectively, from the post office in Atakumosa market, IKEA, sometimes in 2023.’

The statement further recalled that the previous Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Dr. Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, had rebuked Chief Busuyi Gbadamosi for carting away the two transformers without his permission and that of the affected communities, namely: Araromi, Adeti, palace and Odo Osunmu, which the two electrical equipment served.

It explained that all efforts, made by the previous Owa, to ensure that Chief Gbadamosi returned the transformers were thwarted.

‘Consequent upon the installation and coronation of the current Owa Obokun, a Committee on Resolution of Chieftaincy Disputes, Land and Sundry Matters was set up.

‘Among the petitions received by the committee was one written and submitted by members of the above-mentioned communities against Chief Gbadamosi, accusing him of illegally and unlawfully removing the said transformers. Consequently, Chief Gbadamosi was invited to appear before the committee to state his side of the story and explain the whereabouts of the two transformers,’ the palace stated.

During the committee’s sitting, the Iyaloja of Atakumosa market, Chief (Mrs.) Awe and the youth leader of Araromi community was said to have given evidence against him, narrating to the committee how Chief Gbadamosi had sent two emissaries to her, asking her to append her signature to a document confirming the sale of the two transformers and that, in return, he would give her #750,000.00 (Seven hundred and fifty thousand naira only) from the proceeds of the sale. But Mrs. Awe was said to have rejected the offer and declined to sign the documents.

When questioned, Chief Gbadamosi was said to have confessed selling one of the two transformers, specifically the one of 300KVA, for N120,000, adding that he used the proceed to transport the second transformer (500KVA ) to Ibadan, Oyo State, for repairs.

Chief Gbadamosi was said to have been given 30 days within which to retrieve the two transformers and return them to where they were previously installed at the post office, but failed to retrieve and return the transformers.

New research has found that one inhaler containing two drugs can cut the risk of asthma attacks by almost half, giving hope to an estimated millions of families worldwide.

This new study, termed the CARE (Children’s Anti-inflammatory REliever) trial, the first randomised controlled investigation to directly compare the effectiveness of a budesonide-formoterol 2-in-1 inhaler against traditional salbutamol, revealed that this 2-in-1 inhaler is not only safe but also works for five-year-olds and younger.

The results show that using a single 2-in-1 anti-inflammatory reliever inhaler, which combines the inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) budesonide and the fast-acting bronchodilator formoterol, reduced children’s asthma attacks by an average of 45%, compared to the widely used salbutamol inhaler.

Asthma is the most prevalent long-term childhood illness, with around 113 million young people worldwide thought to be affected. The attacks can be fatal, so preventing them is as vital as alleviating them.

For decades, salbutamol inhalers have been the cornerstone of asthma symptom relief for children aged five to fifteen, despite increasingly compelling evidence supporting alternative treatments in adults. It rapidly expands the airways but doesn’t do much to stop swelling.

The CARE study was undertaken by the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand in collaboration with Imperial College London, University of Otago, Wellington, Starship Children’s Hospital, and the University of Auckland.

Researchers followed 360 New Zealand children aged between 5 and 15 years for a year. Half of them were told to take the combined budesonide-formoterol inhaler every time they experienced symptoms. The control group utilised the standard salbutamol inhaler.

Children on the combined inhaler, on average, experienced 0.23 attacks per year, while children on salbutamol experienced 0.41 attacks. Simply put, if 100 children made the change from salbutamol to the new alternative, 18 attacks would be prevented per year.

Equally as important, no other safety problems were found in the study. Side effect rates were effectively identical in both groups, and there were no differences in lung function, growth, or overall asthma control.

Researchers say the findings, published today in The Lancet, provide the evidence needed to bring children’s global asthma guidelines into line with adults’, which could benefit millions of children around the world with mild-to-moderate asthma.

Dr. Lee Hatter, first author of the study and Senior Clinical Research Fellow at Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, called the results a breakthrough.

Hatter declared: ‘For the first time, we have demonstrated that the budesonide-formoterol 2-in-1 inhaler, used as needed for relief of symptoms, can markedly prevent asthma attacks in children with mild asthma. This evidence-based treatment has the potential to lead to improved asthma outcomes in children globally.’

In a remark, Dr Andrew Bush, a senior respiratory paediatrics consultant at Imperial College London and one of the researchers behind the study, said: ‘I am thrilled that we have been able to show that an inhaler that significantly halves attacks-a breakthrough in itself for adults-is safe for children with mild asthma too. We believe this will transform the management of asthma worldwide.’

The CARE study has the potential to alter the way asthma in children is treated across the world. By proving that a single inhaler can both treat symptoms and prevent attacks, the study supports combining pediatric with adult recommendations.

After over nine hours of intense negotiations, the high-level conciliation meeting between the Federal Government, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), and the Dangote Group ended in a deadlock late last night, leaving the fate of over 800 sacked workers hanging in the balance and the ongoing nationwide industrial action unresolved.

The meeting, convened by the Federal Government to avert further disruption to Nigeria’s energy sector, was attended by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; the Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi; PENGASSAN delegates led by its President, Comrade Festus Osifo; and top representatives of the Dangote Group.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Comrade Osifo expressed deep disappointment over the failure to reach an agreement, stressing that the union’s position remained firm on the immediate reinstatement of the 800 workers dismissed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

‘We have been here for nine hours trying to find a solution. We’ve had numerous deliberations, even breaking into smaller teams to explore all possible resolutions, but unfortunately, there is no solution tonight,’ Osifo lamented.

According to him, the mass sack has placed the affected workers and their families in a dire situation.

‘All we want is justice for the over 800 people who were sacked. These people are fathers and mothers, and their careers are now at stake. When you terminate people the way they have been terminated, it becomes extremely difficult for them to find jobs anywhere,’ he explained.

Osifo added that some of those dismissed were trainees who had been accused of sabotage, a stigma he said could permanently ruin their careers in the oil and gas industry.

‘If they go home like this, there is no other company in Nigeria that will employ them because they have been labeled saboteurs. These are careers that would be destroyed if a proper remedy is not put in place,’ he stated.

Reiterating the union’s stance, the PENGASSAN leader declared that the strike continues until the workers are reinstated.

‘Our position has been very clear: if you reinstate these people tonight, we will call off our action tonight. But, unfortunately, that reinstatement did not happen, and we were not able to reach a conclusion. So they have asked us to come back again by 2 p.m. today. We pray that God touches the heart of the capitalists, the hearts of the oppressors, to call our people back to work. Until then, the strike continues,’ Osifo vowed.

Confirming the union’s claims, Osifo stressed that Dangote Group had admitted to dismissing the workers, pointing to official termination letters already circulating in the media.

‘Dangote Group agreed that they dismissed 800 people, and the reason was stated in the letters. It cannot be falsehood because the letters are already in the media. What they stated is already public, and it was signed in a communication they released last Thursday,’ he said.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, who presided over the reconciliation session, acknowledged that the meeting had made progress but emphasized that the reinstatement of the sacked workers remained the primary stumbling block.

‘We have agreed to reconvene today in the afternoon to continue the meeting,’ Dingyadi announced.

‘The reinstatement of the sacked workers is the only issue we are on. Apart from that, nothing else is lingering. We have made a lot of progress, the two main issues arebunionization and the reinstatement of the workers,’ he added.

On his part, Mr. Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, expressed concern over the economic implications of the strike and the deadlock. He stressed that resolving the dispute was crucial to sustaining Nigeria’s fragile economic momentum.

‘What is utmost in the minds of everybody: the public, the government, investors, and economic actors generally, is that we need to limit the danger of this action to the economy,’ Edun said.

‘We need to wrap it up, resolve it, and get workers back to work. We need gas flowing, we need crude flowing as input into production, which is critical to where the economy is right now. We don’t want that momentum to be broken, and that is why we were here for nine hours trying to resolve this issue. We are optimistic that later today we will be able to break the deadlock, resolve it, and put this behind us so the Nigerian economy can move forward,’ he added.

The nationwide strike, which has disrupted operations in critical sectors, was declared by PENGASSAN following the mass dismissal of workers by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. The union has insisted that until the sacked workers are reinstated, industrial action will continue, raising concerns about potential shortages of refined products and disruptions in gas supply.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Arise News anchor, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, describing the incident as tragic and painful.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike commiserated with the management and staff of Arise News, as well as the family and friends of the deceased.

He assured that security agencies will conduct a thorough investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding Somtochukwu’s death and ensure justice is served.

‘I feel pained that such a wonderful soul could be cut down in its prime. It is sad,’ the minister said.

According to the Mandate Secretary on Health, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Dr Dolapo Fasawe, Somtochukwu was brought dead to Maitama General Hospital at about 4:30 a.m. on Monday. A preliminary medical report, she added, would be submitted to the police to aid investigations.

Wike noted that the late journalist’s passing was not just a loss to Arise News but also to the Nigerian media and the nation at large.

‘At this period, we will continue to pray for God’s comfort for the management and staff of Arise News, especially the Chairman, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, and the family and friends left behind. May God, in His infinite mercies, accept her soul and grant her loved ones the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,’ he added.

The National Security and Development Group (NSDG), has backed the advocacy movements to end open grazing nationwide.

The Secretary of the group, Mr Chuks Oyema, made the declaration while briefing newsmen on the national security challenges, in Abuja.

Recall that Gen. Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff recently called for the ban of open grazing in the country.

Oyema said the defence chief had shown sincerity and courage by highlighting the dangers open grazing poses to lives, property, and national stability.

According to him, history will remember Gen. Musa for his sincerity on this issue.

‘He has spoken truth to power and offered a clear solution to one of Nigeria’s deadliest conflicts.

‘Open grazing has fuelled violent clashes between herders and farmers, leaving thousands dead and worsening food insecurity,’ he said.

Citing data from Nextier’s Violent Conflict Database, Oyema said that 2,349 people were killed in 359 incidents linked to open grazing between 2020 and 2024.

He added that the statistics showed that 61 incidents left 467 people dead in 2024 alone with no fewer than 2,800 lives lost in the last five years to related violence.

Oyema also pointed to the International Crisis Group’s findings, which described herder-farmer clashes as escalating into ‘premeditated scorched-earth campaigns’ against rural communities.

He added that the CDS’ call aligned with earlier positions by Sen. Mohammed Sani, Northern Governors, civil society groups like ASCAB, and security analysts who have all urged Nigeria to adopt ranching.

The group’s scribe noted that both the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, and Gov. Umaru Bago of Niger, have called for legislation and sensitisation to drive ranching as a viable alternative.

He urged the National Assembly to urgently enact laws banning open grazing nationwide and to strengthen enforcement of existing state-level legislation.

‘Food security is being undermined when herders destroy farmlands. Farmers are abandoning their livelihood in Nigeria.

‘The result is hunger, job losses, and insecurity.

‘We must do the right thing now. Ranching is the way forward – for peace, for security, and for food sustainability,’ he said.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday explained that his absence from the coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, was due to protocol arrangements.

Atiku, accompanied by former Senate President Iyorcha Ayu, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke, and other chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), gave the explanation while speaking with journalists after leading a delegation to pay homage to the new monarch at his private residence in Ibadan.

Ladoja ascended the throne as the 44th Olubadan following the death of his predecessor, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who passed away on July 7, 2025, at the age of 90.

Atiku said his absence at the coronation was not deliberate, noting that Oba Ladoja had played a vital role in Nigeria’s political history.

He said, ‘We are here to say congratulations to the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Ladoja. We regretted that we didn’t attend the coronation. It was not intentional. Protocol arrangements did not allow us to come during the coronation, not that we don’t want to come.

‘We know your roles and relationship with some of us. We are here to congratulate you. Kindly accept our apologies for not making it to the coronation. We regret not attending the programme.’

In his response, Oba Ladoja declared that he had left politics behind with his new position as the Olubadan, pledging to focus his reign on fairness and justice.

‘I’m not one of you again. I am the Olubadan of Ibadanland. So, I am for everybody now. I am no more one of you. I am not a politician anymore. Welcome to my house.

‘Now that I am the Olubadan, I am no more interested in any other than the Olubadan. You are welcome to my house.

‘We started from the Social Democratic Party, we were in exile together, we were in the Peoples Democratic Party together. When I wanted to create an identity, I went to the Accord Party, which became a household name here. I know you politicians have a way of coming back.

‘All the religious leaders said that the only thing the leaders can do is to promote justice and fairness. I will serve my people. Ibadan people, the state, Africa and the world at large. I will depend on your support and advice,’ the monarch stressed.

The Cross River State Government has expressed confidence that its 2025 fiscal year will close with a 90 per cent budget performance, building on the 85 per cent achieved in 2024, following renewed efforts to strengthen public financial management systems.

This declaration was made on Monday during a presentation of the Cross River Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (2026-2028) and Development of the Medium-Term Sector Strategy at Danic Hotel, Calabar, sponsored by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The Special Adviser to the State Governor on Budget, Mr Otu Otu Ita, disclosed that the state’s 2024 budget achieved an 85 per cent performance rate, while the 2025 budget had reached 35 per cent implementation by the end of the second quarter. With a supplementary provision of N104 billion signed into law in August to reflect new revenue inflows, he expressed optimism that the 2025 budget could achieve up to 90 per cent performance.

He explained that the state is committed to plan-based budgeting and prudent resource allocation.

‘We want a system where revenue projections match expenditure, based on proper economic analysis. From 2021, we have improved our processes, but there is always room for growth. That is why we are grateful to UNICEF for this technical support, and we are hoping that budget officers will learn best practices in the course of this workshop,’ he stated.

On leakages, the adviser noted that the state’s finance management system had been tightened, with due diligence processes and legislative oversight helping to curb wastage.

In her remarks, the Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Enugu, Juliet Chiluwe, who was represented by UNICEF’s Social Policy Officer for Enugu Field Office, Victor Chima, said the engagement was part of a broader initiative to build the capacity of budget officers across ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

‘We are supporting Cross River state in terms of strengthening the public financial management system through capacity building for the medium-term expenditure framework and the medium-term sector strategies for WASH, education, social protection, and health’.

According to Chima, UNICEF’s support is tailored to ensure better alignment of budget implementation with the state’s development plan.

‘This effort is to enhance public financial management in sectors critical to women and children. While Cross River has recorded progress in budget implementation, there is still room for improvement, particularly in increasing allocations and ensuring timely releases for social services,’ he said.

He stressed that UNICEF does not set targets for states but works to strengthen their systems and provide technical assistance to help them achieve their own development priorities.

A Public Finance Management expert, Oluwasola Omoju, in his presentation ‘Overview of the Budget and Appropriation Process’, stressed that Nigeria’s budgeting process still suffers structural weaknesses that undermine its impact on citizens. He cited delays and arbitrariness in budget presentation, lack of a predictable budget calendar, and weak oversight functions as major challenges.

‘Government spends a lot of money, but the impact on people’s lives remains limited. A predictable budget calendar and reforms to strengthen legislative independence are critical. Oversight is compromised when lawmakers rely on the executive or external organisations for funding, rather than having dedicated resources to carry out their constitutional roles,’ he said.

He added that while national assemblies have some financial autonomy, most state assemblies still depend on governors for funding, a situation he described as unhealthy for accountability.

The expert also called attention to the need for strict adherence to the constitutional provision that places the Public Accounts Committee under the leadership of the opposition, warning that the dominance of single parties in most state assemblies undermines effective checks and balances.