Sule Lamido, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, has shed light on the behind-the-scenes developments that led to the eventual construction of the ministry’s permanent office complex during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration (1999–2007).

Lamido’s account of an incident involving the award, suspension and lifting of the suspension on the building contract is contained on pages 197- 202 of his autobiography, “Being True To Myself,” unveiled to the public on May 13.

He recalled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had at a meeting presided over by President Obasanjo, approved the contract for the building.

According to him, a firm – C. Cappa came highly recommended for the job by members of the council, including the then Minister of Defence, Lt. General TY Danjuma, and his Finance counterpart, Adamu Ciroma.

Both based their recommendations on the company’s solid reputation and the fact that it built the Federal Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs in Lagos. In fact, the defence building was rated the best edifice at the time.

However, when he left the country for a foreign assignment two days later, Obasanjo suspended the contract.

The then minister said he learnt of the President’s decision when he returned and was upset with what Obasanjo wrote on the council memo.

Lamido said, “Before I left the office to the Villa, I had gone home at the Ministers’ Hill in Maitama, where some of the ministers had their official houses. It was during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

“The sun had set, yet I could not eat very well, because I was in pain. After the Isha prayer, as I was about to leave for the Villa, I performed two raka ‘at prayer and made a sincere plea to Allah, the Almighty God, saying:

‘Well, I am going out now to meet Obasanjo, the Nigerian President. I am leaving this house as a Minister in government, but do not know if I will come back still as a Minister after meeting the President.

‘Oh Allah, give me the strength and courage to stand up to whatever he says. Don’t allow me to fear losing my position and abandon my principles. Please, Ya Allah, strengthen my faith.

‘I’m leaving this house as a Minister; I may not come back as a Minister. I have no problem with that, but God guide me, save my faith. ‘ That was how I left home for the meeting with the President.’”

After registering his displeasure, Lamido told the President, “’…Something wrong must have happened. Sir, the Chairman of the company that awarded the contract is your friend, Shonekan. He is your townsman and also former Head of the Interim National Government. There is no way I could have accepted money from him.

‘So, sir, if you feel I am beginning to fail you, as a Minister, that you have lost faith and all confidence in me, please don’t disgrace me in public like that. Call me and tell me directly; and I will instantly leave your government.

‘But so long as I remain your Minister, I must in character and action be seen to be one, exercising the full functions of that office. I should have the full authority, because I cannot be just a shadow. I will not, sir. I must be able to serve as your Minister with full conviction and commitment, while commanding your trust and total respect. Otherwise, I shall not be there anymore, sir.

‘Whatever you might have heard about the contract, you should have called me to explain. Instead, you went to the same Council and announced that the contract had been suspended. How would you expect my other colleagues in council to see me now?'”

In response, President Obasanjo said, “’Okay, Sule, tomorrow at the Council meeting, I will lift the suspension on the contract. And it will go ahead. Are you happy now?’ I said, ‘I am happy.’

“Obasanjo, in his characteristic manner, replied, ‘Stupid boy, get out of my sight.’ I ran out laughing but full of gratitude to Allah for answering my supplication.”

The contract subsequently went ahead and was completed.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the National Assembly to turn down the Bola Tinubu administration’s $24 billion loan request, warning that approving it would further deepen Nigeria’s already critical debt burden.

In a statement posted on its official X account, the advocacy group said the new borrowing plan would raise Nigeria’s total debt stock to an estimated N183 trillion — a level it described as “clearly not sustainable and not in the public interest.”

“The National Assembly must immediately refuse to approve the Tinubu administration’s request to borrow $24bn,” SERAP said. “The growing national debt is not sustainable and not in the public interest.”

The organisation expressed concern that the burden of debt servicing was already consuming a substantial portion of government revenue and not sustainable.

Vanguard earlier reported that Nigeria’s total public debt is projected to exceed N180 trillion, following President Bola Tinubu’s fresh request to the National Assembly for approval to secure additional external and domestic loans amounting to N34.15 trillion.

In separate letters addressed to both chambers of the National Assembly, President Tinubu is seeking approval for an external borrowing plan of over $21.5 billion, equivalent to N33.39 trillion at the official exchange rate of N1,590 per dollar. He also requested the approval of a domestic bond issuance of N757.9 billion to offset outstanding pension liabilities.

The president said the 2025–2026 borrowing plan covers critical sectors such as infrastructure, health, agriculture, education, water supply, security, and employment generation, and is intended to cushion the economic impact of the fuel subsidy removal.

According to Tinubu, the loan package includes $21.5 billion, €2.19 billion, and 15 billion Japanese Yen, along with a €65 million grant. He assured lawmakers that the funds will be deployed toward nationwide development projects across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with a focus on rail, healthcare, and poverty alleviation.

On pensions, the president said the proposed bond issuance aims to settle backlogs under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), citing years of non-compliance due to revenue constraints. The plan, he explained, has received Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval and is expected to boost retirees’ welfare, restore confidence in the pension system, and inject liquidity into the economy.

Nigeria’s public debt has grown significantly in recent years, rising by 48.6% in 2024 to N144.66 trillion, up from N97.34 trillion in 2023, with the Federal Government responsible for 95% of the total.

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, has stated that his greatest challenge are those who do not want to pay taxes in the nation’s capital.

He disclosed this on Wednesday while inspecting projects in Abuja.

Wike frowned at Nigerians who want to enjoy infrastructural development without paying taxes.

According to him, the Federal Capital Territory Administration plans to increase ground rent in the coming days.

“The challenges of people refusing to pay their taxes. People want facilities and infrastructure, but nobody wants to pay taxes.

“We have not increased the ground rent, but we are working toward that. We will do that. The president has given a window of two weeks.”

Recall that FCTA sealed the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party and other offices over non-payment of ground rent for years.

On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, the Kano Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the conviction and sentencing of social media influencer Murja Ibrahim Kunya before Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court in Kano.

Kunya was arrested for allegedly spraying Naira notes for fun during her stay in a hotel room at Tahir Guest Palace in Kano. 

She was initially arrested in January 2025 for violating the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, Act which prohibits the abuse and mutilation of the Naira. 

She was granted an administrative bail by the Commission pending her arraignment before the Federal High Court in Kano. However, when it was time for her court appearance, she absconded in her bid to evade the legal processes.

However, after weeks of intensive investigation and surveillance, EFCC operatives successfully re-arrested the TikTok Influencer on Sunday March 16, 2025.  She was subsequently arraigned on 20 May 2025 where she pleaded guilty to the one count amended charge.

The charge against Kunya reads: “You Murja Ibrahim Kunya on the 28th of December, 2023 at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court whilst dancing in one of the rooms at Tahir Guest Palace tampered with Naira notes issued by Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying and matching on same in the said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 (1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007”. 

Following her guilty plea, counsel for the prosecution,  Musa Isah reviewed the facts of the case and prayed the court to convict her accordingly.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday,  Justice Amobeda convicted Kunya and sentenced her to six months imprisonment with an option of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira only)  fine.

In a significant and rehabilitative dimension to the sentencing, Justice Amobeda also issued a consequential order appointing her as an Ambassador of EFCC and CBN in online advocacy campaigns against Naira Abuse due to her substantial following across various social media platforms.

This order mandates Kunya to utilize her social media reach to educate her followers on the importance of respecting the Nigerian currency and the legal consequences of its abuse or mutilation.

Nigerian influencer and brand ambassador, Priscilla Ojo, and her Tanzanian singer husband, Juma Jux, are officially sealing their union with a lavish grand finale in Tanzania.

The couple, who kicked off their wedding festivities in February, are currently hosting the final leg of their celebration.

Priscilla took to Instagram to share a dazzling video of their coordinating outfits, captioning the post with a heartfelt declaration, “Forever with my boo.”

From their intimate wedding introduction in Tanzania with close family and friends, to their star-studded civil wedding on the eve of Valentine’s Day, which featured the likes of Toyin Abraham, Chioma Good Hair, and Enioluwa, their love story has unfolded like a glamorous dream. 

In April, the couple tied the knot traditionally in Nigeria, with the event drawing in a galaxy of stars and dignitaries.

The guest list included Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, music legend, Chief Ebenezer Obey, and Nollywood icons such as Mercy Aigbe, Toyin Abraham, Sola Sobowale, Ruth Kadiri, and Femi Adebayo.

Just two days later, the couple held a white wedding ceremony on a picturesque beach in Lagos, opting for a more intimate affair.

Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has declared his decision to boycott all meetings of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) until Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and others he described as impostors are expelled from the party.

Lamido, a founding member of the PDP, was noticeably absent at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held Tuesday, May 27, in Abuja. The NEC, the party’s highest decision-making body, includes current and former presidents, governors, party officials, and other prominent stakeholders.

Speaking to journalists, Lamido accused Wike of undermining the PDP, despite being a major beneficiary of the party's platform. “Wike is a disaster. He is a product of the PDP, made relevant by the party, nurtured and celebrated by the party. But today, he turns around to destroy it,” Lamido said.

The former governor expressed discontent over the continued inclusion of Wike in PDP affairs. “I cannot sit in the same meeting with impostors. Until the party removes these people, I will not attend PDP meetings. I am still a loyal member, but I won’t dignify this rot,” he stated.

Lamido also condemned the recent sealing of the PDP national secretariat in Abuja by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), attributing the action to Wike’s influence. “To seal the PDP secretariat, an institution that gave you life, is un-African, un-Nigerian, and a total abuse of power,” he said.

He criticised the party’s national working committee (NWC) for what he described as a failure to act decisively against members who had allegedly breached party rules. “What exactly is the NWC afraid of? Why hasn’t Wike been expelled? Why is Samuel Ortom still on the board of trustees after publicly endorsing Tinubu? These are fundamental breaches. If this party is to survive, it must cleanse itself,” he said.

Lamido praised President Bola Tinubu for issuing a 14-day ultimatum to FCT ground rent defaulters, while alleging that Wike ordered the closure of the PDP headquarters in an attempt to gain favour from the president. “Ironically, the man Wike is trying to impress was the one who called him to order. That tells you everything. Even Tinubu is beginning to see that Wike is unreliable, without tradition and pedigree. And I assure you, he will soon abandon him too,” Lamido said.

He also warned against the threat of a one-party system in Nigeria, calling it “state-sponsored sabotage,” and blamed internal sabotage for the deepening crisis in the PDP, which has lingered since 2022.

An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alleged that former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, received $17.1 million in cash through a proxy over a period of three years.

Testifying before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja on Tuesday, EFCC investigator Alvan Gurumnaan stated that the funds were delivered between 2020 and 2023 and handed over to Henry Omoile, an associate of Emefiele, at the ex-governor’s Ikoyi residence.

Gurumnaan, led in evidence by EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, said the financial trail was discovered through the statement of a dispatch rider, Monday Osazuwa, who previously testified for the prosecution.

“The personal errands Osazuwa ran for Emefiele, according to him, was when he received a call from Emefiele, who then sent him a phone number and asked him to call Mohit who was in London. After he called Mohit, Mohit gave him the contact of an individual,” Gurumnaan told the court.

“Osazuwa met the individual from September 2020 to 2023, and received monies in dollars on behalf of Emefiele — a total of $17,100,000. Upon receiving the sums, Osazuwa went to Emefiele’s house at Ikoyi and handed over the money to the second defendant, Henry Omoile, as instructed by the first defendant.”

He said the transactions typically occurred on Fridays and were coordinated through WhatsApp messages, which were retrieved and printed after the EFCC secured permission to access the phone.

“We obtained proper authorization before accessing the phone, and the relevant WhatsApp messages were sent to the email of my colleague, Musa Idi,” he said.

Gurumnaan, who has served in the EFCC’s Special Investigation Department since 2008, added that the commission had received several petitions against Emefiele, alleging abuse of office and financial impropriety.

“We wrote to the Central Bank of Nigeria, Corporate Affairs Commission, Department of Legal Services, and Financial Market Dealers Quotations to request supporting documents,” he said. “After collating the documents, we invited officials from those institutions. Some were delayed while others were released on bail.”Nigerian home decor ideas

He said individuals close to Emefiele, including John Adetola and John Ogah, were interviewed during the investigation. One name, Eric Udoh, featured prominently, but efforts to reach him have been unsuccessful.

“There is a report tracing him to the Dominican Republic, Canada, and the United Kingdom. As an effort to bring him to answer questions, we contacted Interpol and have placed him on red. He is now wanted all over the world,” Gurumnaan said.

Emefiele and Omoile are facing a 19-count charge bordering on corrupt demands and gratification amounting to $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion. The court adjourned the case to October 7 and 8, 2025, for the continuation of the trial.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has issued a stark warning to U.S. President Donald Trump, invoking the threat of World War III following Trump’s criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The warning came after Trump stated he would "absolutely" consider new sanctions against Moscow, amid continued missile and drone attacks in Ukraine that have left many dead.

In a post on X, Medvedev wrote:

“Regarding Trump’s words about Putin ‘playing with fire’ and ‘really bad things’ happening to Russia — I only know of one REALLY BAD thing: WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!”

Medvedev served as Russia’s president from 2008 to 2012 and as prime minister from 2012 to 2020.

Trump’s frustration over his inability to end the war, which he once claimed he could resolve within 24 hours, intensified over the weekend following a Russian drone strike that killed at least 13 people in Ukraine.

Diplomatic efforts to end the war have ramped up in recent weeks, but Putin has been accused of stalling peace negotiations.

Speaking on Tuesday, Trump warned of “serious consequences,” saying: “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realise is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia — and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!”

While Trump did not elaborate on the nature of the consequences, The Wall Street Journal and CNN reported that new U.S. sanctions on Russia could be announced as early as this week. On Sunday, Trump told reporters he was “absolutely” considering the move.

Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, has yet to respond directly to Trump’s latest comments. However, earlier statements from Moscow blamed Ukraine for escalating tensions and claimed it was responding to increased attacks on Russian civilians.

Russian authorities reported intercepting nearly 150 Ukrainian drones in recent days, including 33 that were heading toward Moscow.

The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, on Tuesday, convicted and sentenced two oil marketers, Mamman Nasir Ali and Christian Taylor, to 14 years imprisonment each, having found them guilty of conspiracy and fraudulent collection of N2.2bn under the Petroleum Support Fund scheme.

Delivering judgment in the matter, Justice Mojisola Dada held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt and found the convicts guilty on multiple counts of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences, forgery, and tendering false documents.

The court further held that their conduct not only defrauded the Federal Government but also eroded public trust in the fuel subsidy programme.

Ali and Taylor were arraigned alongside their company, Nasaman Oil Services Limited, on an amended 57 counts brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, following fresh findings in the course of an investigation.

They had earlier been arraigned on a 49-count charge before the matter was reassigned to Justice Dada, following the withdrawal of Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.

The EFCC said that the convicts, on or about November 9, 2011, fraudulently obtained N749,991,273.36 by falsely claiming the amount represented subsidy payment for the importation of 10,031,986 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, allegedly purchased from SEATAC Petroleum Ltd of the British Virgin Islands and delivered through MT Liquid Fortune Ex MT Overseas Lima, a representation they knew to be false.

The EFCC also told the court that on or about April 11, 2011, the defendants fraudulently obtained N1,480,074,125.61 by making similar false claims concerning the importation of 20,492,982.50 litres of PMS, purportedly brought into Nigeria via MT Liquid Fortune Ex MT Hellenic Blue and Ex MT Milleura. 

They pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges preferred against them.

The prosecution, led by Mr. Seiduh Atteh, called several witnesses and tendered numerous documentary exhibits, which were admitted in evidence by the court.

In sentencing the convicts, the court imposed 14 years’ imprisonment on each of them to run concurrently.

Additionally, Justice Dada ordered the forfeiture of identified assets and bank accounts linked to the fraudulent scheme.

The court further issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Olabisi Abdul-Afeez, who are still at large.