The Federal Government has declared Friday, June 6, and Monday, June 9, 2025, as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-ul-Adha celebration.

This was announced by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in a statement issued on behalf of the Federal Government on Monday.

The minister congratulated all Muslims in Nigeria and the Diaspora on the occasion, urging the Ummah to continue to embody the spirit of sacrifice, obedience, and faith as demonstrated by Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon Him).

Tunji-Ojo also called on Nigerians to use the Eid period to pray for the peace, unity, and prosperity of the country.

“The minister assured Nigerians, that the people-oriented reforms and initiatives carried out, in furtherance of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, is to restore Nigeria on the path of progress.

“While wishing the Muslim Ummah a happy Eid-ul- Adha celebration, the minister urged all Nigerians to join hands with the present administration in its efforts to restore the glory of Nigeria as a great nation,” the statement added.

The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has said that he was instrumental in making the Peoples Democratic Party popular and establishing it as a major political force at both national and state levels.

Wike made the remarks during his monthly live media chat in Abuja on Monday.

Responding to criticisms from Chief Bode George, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, over the sealing of the party’s National Secretariat, Wike advised the elder statesman to “sit down in your house and read your newspapers” if he had no occupation.

He explained that neither he nor the party could pay the ground rent because the property was not registered in their names.

“I cannot pay because, first of all, it is not in my name. They cannot pay because the property is not in their name.

“If an elderly man has no job, he should sit at home and read his newspapers. Bode George said PDP made me by giving me a national profile, and I agree. But the party does not make you; you are the one who makes the party win elections.

“Ask Bode George who PDP has made popular in Lagos since 1999? You are speaking to me, someone who has laboured and campaigned for the party to become the major political force at both state and national levels.

“Meanwhile, in his state, the party has been struggling daily. Even when Jonathan was in power, we knew what we did for PDP to take over power, but it did not succeed,” he stated.

Tanzanian superstar, Diamond Platnumz has married his record label singer and long-time lover, Zuchu in a private traditional Islamic ceremony.

The couple were dressed in white Muslim attire for the low-key ceremony that took place on Sunday, June 1, 2025.  

Saudi authorities have prevented more than 269,000 individuals without official permits from entering Mecca ahead of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, officials announced on Sunday as reported by AlArabiya and AP.

The move came as part of a broader effort to control overcrowding and ensure safety during the annual Islamic ritual.

The Interior Ministry stated that the measure targets both foreign nationals and Saudi residents attempting to perform Hajj without authorisation.

Fines of up to $5,000 and possible deportation have been imposed on violators.

In addition, authorities have penalised over 23,000 residents for breaking Hajj regulations and revoked the licences of 400 Hajj service providers.

At a press conference in Mecca, officials said they had stopped 269,678 people without permits from entering the city.

According to the rules, only those with permits are allowed to perform the pilgrimage, even if they live in the city year-round. 

Lieutenant General Mohammed al-Omari told the media, “The pilgrim is in our sight, and anyone who disobeys is in our hands.”

The strict enforcement came amid growing concerns about the impact of unauthorised pilgrims on public safety.

Last year, many of those who died during extreme summer heat were found to be unregistered participants, according to government sources.

Currently, approximately 1.4 million pilgrims with permits are in Mecca, with more expected to arrive in the coming days.

In a sign of increased surveillance and technological intervention, Saudi Civil Defence has deployed drones for the first time during the Hajj.

These drones will assist in crowd monitoring, surveillance, and even firefighting, officials said.

The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a religious duty for Muslims who are physically and financially able to undertake the journey at least once in their lifetime. 

This year’s pilgrimage is being held under high temperatures, raising further concerns for health and safety.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has called for a more radical approach to tackling digital examination fraud in the country.

JAMB Bulletin reports on Monday that Is-haq Oloyede, the registrar, made this call recently in Abuja. 

He described the new trend as not only worrisome and sophisticated but also one that is capable of jeopardising the future of education. 

Oloyede said malpractice is adversely affecting learning, research work, and national development in Nigeria.

The registrar said there is a need for urgent action on these new and worrisome discoveries and urged the public not to treat the issue with levity.

While noting that some people, rather than addressing the menace, are dissipating their energies on spreading unhelpful conspiracy theories and hatred, while our future is being jeopardised by this new crop of sophisticated digital fraudsters 

“During the 2025 examinations, further high-level malpractices were uncovered, which led to the withdrawal of some results and the arrest of several culprits across the country,” he said.

Oloyede said these include the collusion of certain CBT centres and school proprietors to hack the networks of targeted CBT centres. 

He said these hackers gain control of candidates’ computers and remotely submit their responses to the relevant local servers of the compromised centres.

Other high-tech digital fraud, Oloyede said, included AI-enabled photo blending of candidates with those of their impersonators, many of whom are current undergraduate students.

He said they also include registration with combined fingerprints through the combination of fingerprints from multiple persons for a single candidate’s registration.

He cited the extension of local area networks from some dubious centres to remote “strong rooms” as well as the pairing of candidates with professional mercenaries to gain access to the examination hall.

The JAMB registrar, while lamenting that many undergraduates were found to be involved in this practice, disclosed that over 3000 candidates have been identified as either accomplices or beneficiaries.

On May 27, the federal government ordered a crackdown on examination miracle centres, with a ban of three years for erring candidates.

The Labour Party National Caretaker Committee, led by Senator Nenadi Usman, has accused the Presidency and LP factional chairman, Julius Abure, of orchestrating the ongoing crisis within the party.

The Usman-led committee is backed by former LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.

The committee alleged that both Abure and key figures within the Presidency were working to destabilise the LP and weaken Obi’s 2027 presidential prospects.

The party remains divided as the 2027 election approaches, with internal strife threatening to erode the unity it enjoyed during the 2023 polls.

Despite recent defections of prominent LP members to the All Progressives Congress, the Usman committee insisted that Obi remained the strongest contender and would triumph in the next general election.

The spokesman for the caretaker committee, Tony Akeni, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, refuted a statement from the Presidency dismissing Obi’s chances in 2027.

In a recent television interview, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy, Daniel Bwala, claimed that several of Obi’s close associates had either joined the APC or were in advanced talks. 

“Governors are joining us on their own. Some key handlers of Peter Obi from the last election have also come on board.

“One of his media spokesmen is already in discussions. They see our direction is right, and we’re building a national consensus,” Bwala said.

Akeni, however, dismissed these comments, alleging that the defections were the result of a covert alliance between Abure and the ruling APC.

“We are aware of a well-coordinated espionage mission aimed at crippling the Labour Party from within ahead of the 2027 general elections,” Akeni stated.

“They plan to entice Obi’s high-ranking allies—campaign directors, media aides, and trusted associates—to defect.

“The goal is to demoralise Obi, derail the Obidient movement, and diminish the LP’s 2027 prospects,” he said.

Akeni added that regardless of the defections, Obi’s political destiny remained intact. 

“No matter how many fall for the ruling party’s schemes, Peter Obi will still emerge as Nigeria’s most transparently elected president in 2027.

“Those defecting to the ‘food-is-ready’ camp of the APC will wear the badge of shame when Nigerians rise to reclaim their country through the Labour Party,” he warned.

The caretaker committee also expressed concern that Abure continued to parade himself as LP’s national chairman despite the Supreme Court ruling, which it claimed invalidated his leadership.

In response, the Abure-led faction dismissed the allegations as baseless.

In a phone interview with The PUNCH, factional LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, accused Usman and her allies of plotting to destabilise the party.

“It’s laughable that Nenadi Usman, who once tried to hand over the party to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s Social Democratic Party, is making such claims,” Ifoh said.

“Even Akeni and others are likely on their way to the APC. We see the signs and encourage them to make their move now so we can rebuild our party without distractions,” he added.

Ifoh also alleged that Usman and her group had promised to transfer the LP structure to another party.

“She said it on live TV—everyone saw it. These people are bent on tearing the party apart.

“But they forget that neither Abure nor Ifoh is contesting in 2027. They are. Let’s see how they intend to win while setting fire to their political platform,” he added.

Blame Obi for your woes, APC kicks

Reacting, the APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu, warned Otti’s camp to leave the ruling party out of their leadership mess.

Arodiogbu argued that the blame for the LP crisis should instead be directed to Obi, who he claimed had failed in his responsibility to unite the opposition party.

He said, “It is the comment of a failed father in a family. You know the role of a father is to create harmony and set a direction. But when he fails in his duty, he will blame other families for his woes.

“That is what LP is doing. It is called the blame game. They can blame the APC for all they care.

“The person they should blame instead is Peter Obi. He does not have the capacity to build. Instead, he will allow any platform he uses to scatter so he can find people to blame for his failures.

“Otherwise, after a party has lost an election, the responsibility falls on him to hold the party together and create unity. He failed to do so. Obi couldn’t consolidate his success ahead of the next election.”

Kano State Government has directed all primary and post primary schools in the state to proceed for the Eid-el-Kabir break from 4th to 15th and 16th June, 2025.

A statement signed by the Director Public Enlightenment Ministry of Education, Balarabe Kiru, directed parents and guardians of students in boarding schools to pick up their wards by the early hours of Wednesday, 4th June, 2025 to resume on Sunday June 15th, 2025. 

Kiru also said all other aspects of the 2024/2025 school academic calendar, including the stipulated public holidays remained valid.

While thanking parents and guardians for their support to the ministry, Kiru quoted the Commissioner of Education, Dr. Ali Makoda to have urged them to ensure their children comply with the resumption date.

“I want to use this opportunity to appreciate the usual support and cooperation given to the Ministry by the good people of the state and also wish the students and pupils a successful Sallah break,” the statement read.

Lionel Messi may joins Cristiano Ronaldo following claimed that talks have been opened regarding a move to the Saudi Pro League.

Argentine superstar Messi had the option to move to the Middle East when leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 and told TIME Magazine of ultimately favouring a switch to Inter Miami in MLS: “I was thinking a lot about going to the Saudi league. I know the country and they have created a very powerful competition that can become an important league in the near future.

“As the country’s tourism ambassador, it was a destination that attracted me, especially because I’ve enjoyed everything I have visited, because of how football is growing in the country and because of the effort they are putting into creating a top competition. It was Saudi Arabia or MLS, and both options seemed very interesting to me.”

Messi has claimed more trophies and MVP recognition in the United States, but will see his contract in South Florida expire at the end of the 2025 season. There has been talk of a 12-month extension option being triggered.

No agreement has been reached there as yet – meaning that he could sign for a new club as a free agent from July 1 – and TEAMtalk claims that the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) has “reopened discussions” with Messi and his representatives as potential interest is sounded out.

The Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Mr Bayo Onanuga, says Nigerians will soon experience a reduction in the cost of living as the effects of the administration’s economic reforms start to materialise.

Speaking to newsmen in Lagos on Sunday, Onanuga stated that the positive effects of President Tinubu’s policies would soon be felt across all segments of the nation.

Onanuga highlighted that President Tinubu had not only introduced progressive reforms but had also tackled challenges that previous administrations avoided.

He added that two years is an insufficient yardstick to fully measure the administration’s achievements, noting that policy experts typically assess the impact of policies over a period of 10 years to 12 years.

“The president’s years in office began with clear policy directions and implementation.

“A lot of reforms have taken place across sectors.

The President has laid down many fundamentals that would ensure growth,” he stated.

He acknowledged that while the positives of the president’s actions over the past two years were gradually trickling down, a significant paradigm shift had occurred in the economy, addressing many pre-existing problems.

Onanuga, while referring to the situation before the subsidy removal, said, “There was no fuel. Many stations were saying, No fuel, no fuel.

“What was happening at that time was that the NNPC had reached the bottom point. It had no money to import fuel; it claimed that it was owing suppliers about six billion dollars and the government was owing it about four trillion dollars. So, it could not import any more.” 

Addressing concerns about borrowing, Onanuga clarified that it is a common practice globally, with even countries like the U.S. engaging in it.

“Nigeria has abundant resources that we are harnessing, but not as much readily available money as people might think,” he explained.

He stressed that borrowed funds were not squandered but rather used for their intended purposes, citing large-scale projects like the coastal roads that necessitate external financing due to their immense benefits.

Regarding currency devaluation, Onanuga explained that it is a universal economic principle, citing instances where even the UK and the U.S. have resorted to it.

“Even the UK and the U.S. at some point devalued. These are economic principles that are universal and cannot be changed because it is Nigeria,” he asserted.

He added that the government had made tough decisions and simultaneously created opportunities through infrastructure development, noting that many ongoing road constructions were not initially part of the budget.

Onanuga further stated that Nigeria had seen an increase in production and a rise in disposable income.

He pointed to companies like Nestlé and Nigerian Breweries, which initially faced challenges but were now sourcing materials locally and reporting profits.

“This economy has opened up opportunities in many forms for Nigerians. Those who can really exploit it. And they are making money,” he emphasised, giving examples of individuals making profits from exporting agricultural products like cocoa and even Zobo.

According to him, many companies are now investing and producing in Nigeria, and these positive shifts will soon become evident and tangible for all Nigerians.

Onanuga stressed the importance of public understanding of the economic context, saying, “We don’t do our people any good when we keep on pushing stories of gloom and doom without allowing them to see the truth, without allowing them to see the context, and without allowing them to know that there’s actually light at the end of the tunnel.” (NAN)