Latest News
FEATURES
Without Me, Trump Would Have Lost Election - Elon Musk Fires At US President As Feud Deepens
AFOLABI
The unbelievable war of words between US President, Donald Trump and Elon Musk escalated on Thursday, June 5, as the Tesla and SpaceX CEO fired back at the former president’s criticism regarding his opposition to Trump’s key economic bill.
After Elon Musk's continuous attack on Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill', the tech billionaire launched an all-out attack on the US President, saying without his support Trump would have lost the election.
"Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate," the Tesla CEO said in a post on X.
In comment section, he wrote, "Such ingratitude".
This comes after US President questioned his relationship with the tech billionaire- indicating their close alliance may be no more. Trump said Thursday he doesn't know if he and Elon Musk will still have "a great relationship" after the former DOGE head has spent days blasting the GOP's spending bill.
"Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office before his bilateral sit-down with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “He hasn’t said bad about me personally, but I’m sure that’ll be next. But I’m very disappointed … I’ve helped Elon a lot.”
The tight relationship between Trump and the Tesla CEO has been fracturing on public display. Asked about Musk's ongoing criticism, Trump said he was "very surprised."
The president noted that Musk hasn't said anything "about me that's bad" but added he'd rather the billionaire "criticize me than the bill." Trump argued Musk was upset because "we took the EV mandate," in reference to the electric vehicle tax credit the legislation would kill.
The war of words between Donald Trump and Elon Musk intensified on Thursday, with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO responding bluntly to the US president’s criticism over his opposition to Trump’s signature economic bill.
“Whatever,” Musk posted on X. “Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill.”
Musk’s post followed Trump’s remarks from the Oval Office, where he said he was “very disappointed” in the billionaire.
“I’ve helped him a lot,” Trump said. “He knew the inner workings of the bill better than anybody sitting here. He had no problem with it. All of a sudden he had a problem, and he only developed the problem when he found out we’re going to cut the EV mandate.”
Musk hit back quickly, saying, “False. This bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!”
Aliko Dangote, the President of the Dangote Group, has named the road leading to the Dangote Refinery in honor of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Dangote spoke at the launch of the reconstruction of the Deep Sea Port Access Road in Lagos State on Thursday.
He also said that it was a relief to see the majority of fuel stations that were previously non-functional now operational across the country, vowing that there would never be petrol queues again.
Furthermore, Africa’s richest man stated that fuel is not expensive in Nigeria, adding that a litre of Premium Motor Spirit is sold at higher rates in other African countries.
“The majority of fuel stations that were not working, they are now back to work; there is no more shortage, no more queues, and there will never be,” he said.
“Some people here in Nigeria might think that petrol at less than N900 is expensive, but there is nowhere in West Africa where petrol is not selling above $1, which is N1,600,” Dangote said.
Petrol is sold between N800 and over N1,000 across Nigeria.
Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has broken his silence on the criticism from Elon Musk, who is a former member of his administration.
Recall that Musk, the world’s richest man who played a key role in the emergence of Trump, was appointed head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
But last week, Musk announced that he was quitting Trump’s government.
Citing sources, Reuters reported that Musk did not have a formal conversation with Trump before announcing his exit.
But signs of crack, which had manifested before Musk’s departure, became clearer when the billionaire businessman criticised Trump’s marquee tax bill and asked Congress to “kill the bill.”
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO publicly slammed the GOP proposal for potentially adding trillions to the deficit, and was privately irked by the removal of Biden-era tax credits for electric vehicles, among other grievances.
As if that was not enough, Musk further described Trump legacy legislation, the Big Beautiful Bill, as a bloated mess.
Briefing reporters at the Oval Office before his bilateral sit-down with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump said Musk knew the inner workings of the bill and never had a problem until right after he left.
“Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore. He hasn’t said bad about me personally, but I’m sure that’ll be next. But I’m very disappointed … I’ve helped Elon a lot.”
“He’s not the first. People leave my administration and they love us and then at some point they miss it so badly, and some of them embrace it and some of them actually become hostile. I don’t know what it is, it’s sort of Trump derangement syndrome, I guess they call it. … The glamor is gone, the whole world is different, and they become hostile. I’m very disappointed.”
Media
The Netherlands has announced it will return 119 looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria.
The bronzes will be returned this month, marking one of the most significant repatriations of cultural artefacts to the country.
The Dutch embassy in Nigeria confirmed on Thursday, June 5, that the artefacts will arrive during the week of June 16. A formal handover ceremony is scheduled for June 21 at the National Museum in Lagos.
Following the ceremony, the bronzes will be transferred to the National Museum in Benin City, Edo State—their place of origin. This return is believed to be the single largest consignment of Benin bronzes handed back to Nigeria by any country to date.
The bronzes were among thousands of sacred and ceremonial objects looted by British forces during the 1897 punitive expedition against the Benin Kingdom. Many of the items ended up in European and North American museums and private collections.
In a previous statement made in February, the Dutch embassy acknowledged that the artefacts should never have been taken to the Netherlands. Bengt van Loosdrech, the ambassador-designate to Nigeria, noted that the country had been demanding the return of the bronzes for over five decades.
The return of the bronzes is part of a broader global reckoning with colonial-era looting, as nations and institutions face growing calls to return stolen cultural heritage to their rightful owners.
On Thursday, the Enugu State Government demolished a suspected criminal hideout operating under the guise of a worship center in Onicha-Enugu-Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area.
The facility, reportedly operated by a self-acclaimed prophet, Chinedu Ezedike, was exposed as a base for alleged ritual practices, kidnappings, and other organized crimes.
Authorities, after investigations, revealed that the centre had no genuine religious function and was instead used to carry out and conceal criminal activities contributing to growing insecurity in the region.
The demolition is part of a broader crackdown by the Enugu State government targeting individuals—including fake pastors, native doctors, and spiritualists—who use religious and traditional platforms to perpetrate crime.
Local residents, speaking anonymously, lauded the government’s action, describing it as a bold step toward restoring peace and ensuring the safety of lives and property in the area.
“This sends a strong message that criminality, no matter how cleverly disguised, will not be tolerated in Enugu State,” one resident said
A former chairman of the Labour Party, LP, Jilius Abure has said the party is different from other parties.
This is as he maintained that the party is for those who have no voice and would ordinarily not be recognised in the scheme of things.
Abure, who made this statement on Thursday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Directorate of Physically Challenged Persons.
While citing the instance of a commercial motorcyclist, commonly referred to as ‘okada man’ winning the House of Representatives seat in the 2023 general elections, Abure said the Labour Party looks out for the disabled people and empowers them.
“We have our goals rooted in social democracy, the party is for those who have no voice. The party is for those who ordinary will not be recognized in the scheme of things, and that’s why we have made deliberate efforts to see that those people who are disabled either because of their gender, because of their sex, either because of their physical condition, or they have disability financially or one way or the other, we look out for those people and empower them, and that’s why, that’s why you find that it is only a Labour Party that an Okada rider can become a member of the House of Representatives.
“Those with disabilities are not just those who have physical disabilities. If you want to run for an office, you have the potential to develop your community. You will have what it takes. You have the leadership capacity, the traits, the leadership qualities. You are passionate about the growth and development of your community, but because of the very exploitative character in Nigeria, the exploitative character of the way politics is played, you are disabled, the Labor Party is the destination.
“We want to make sure that those with physical disabilities are taken care of. And if we see the Labour Party is different, believe that charity should begin at home. If we say we are going to change the country, we believe that the change should begin with us as a ward Chairman. We want to change Nigeria, you must change yourself first,” he said
A Nigerian man has finally been released after spending 8 years in prison without trial.
He has been in prison since March 2017 without trial.
The man identified as John Gift Tobia was held in prison on the 6th of March while his case was still awaiting trial.
However, his case was never heard in court and he ended up spending 8 years, 4 months and 10 days without trial.
Luckily for him, a high court in Rivers state set him free unconditionally in June 2025.
He was seen appreciating the lawyer who had intervened on his case, while sharing what he intends to do from now on.
A notable elder from the North and a public commentator, Alhaji Dabo Sambo has revealed why President Bola Tinubu may not win the 2027 presidential election.
According to Sambo, if Tinubu does not promptly address the issues of insecurity and banditry, especially in northern Nigeria, his prospects for winning will be diminished.
In a briefing with journalists on Thursday, Sambo emphasised that insecurity is the most significant threat facing the nation, with lives and property continually at risk.
He remarked that ensuring safety and stability is the fundamental responsibility of any government, and failing to achieve this could jeopardise the President’s chances for re-election.
Sambo pointed out that food scarcity is a pressing issue in Nigeria, leading to widespread hunger, and he attributed the escalating food crisis to the insecurity prevalent in the North-East and North-West regions, which contribute over 60% of the nation’s agricultural production.
According to Daily Trust, Sambo indicated that farmers are abandoning their lands due to banditry, kidnapping, and terrorist activities, resulting in a substantial decline in food production and an increase in prices.
Additionally, he highlighted the economic ramifications of insecurity, which include a weakened naira, elevated transportation costs, and rising inflation that are depleting the savings of average Nigerians.
Sambo made a direct appeal to President Tinubu, urging him to address the insecurity crisis within the next six months and to revitalise local agriculture within a year.
“If President Tinubu refuses to wipe out the security challenges, he will definitely not win the 2027 election,” He warned, drawing parallels with former President Goodluck Jonathan’s defeat in 2015, which he also attributed to unchecked insecurity.
“The era of carton noodles and salt distribution during campaigns is over,” he said. “People want security and food. Without these, they will not vote,” Sambo noted.
Sambo dismissed Tinubu’s political opponents as lacking viable strategies to transform Nigeria.
However, he emphasised that if the president fails to tackle the underlying issues of insecurity and economic distress, even the most sophisticated rigging mechanisms will not secure his re-election.
He further stated that President Tinubu must confront the true adversaries within his inner circle, asserting that the apparent competitors are not the real issue; rather, it is the inability to take decisive action on security and food production that could jeopardise his presidency.
Additionally, he referenced recent disclosures from the U.S. Congress that implicate the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in allegedly financing Boko Haram, a claim also supported by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa. Sambo urged the Nigerian government to cease its pretence and directly address these international influences.
A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday ordered that 11 cattle rearers be remanded at the Correctional Centre, Makurdi, for allegedly terrorising Benue communities.
The cattle rearers were identified as Nanzir Ishaya, Suleiman Umaru, Yakubu Mallam, Dauda Abdulkarim, Manu Buhari, Haruna Abdulkarim, Ibrahim Mallam, Yunusa Waziri, Idi Usman, Adamu Manu and Abdullahi Wakili.
The defendants who live at various addresses in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, were charged with criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of firearms, acts of terrorism, open grazing and being in possession of cattle suspected to be stolen.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Kelvin Mbanongun, did not take their pleas for want of jurisdiction.
Mbanongun adjourned the matter until July 7, 2025, for further mention.
Earlier, prosecutor Insp. Godwin Ato told the court that on June 1, a team of policemen attached to Operation Zenda at Katsina-Ala received credible information that a group of armed bandits who were allies of a dreaded bandit leader, one Amakaa Akwaza, were sighted in their hideout at Nugu village with arms.
The prosecutor said on receiving the information, a combined team of Operation Zenda and Benue State Civil Protection Guards led by Insp. Donald Ahulu were mobilised to the location of the hideout and engaged the hoodlums in a gun battle.
Ato said the security operatives overpowered the suspected bandits in the fierce gun duel, which resulted in some of the fully armed bandits fleeing, while one AK-47 rifle with breech number 6189 with 16 rounds of live ammunition was recovered from the scene.
He said the security operatives then arrested 10 of the suspected bandits while they were loading cattle suspected to be stolen into a Mercedes Benz truck with registration number TTM 405 XA Taraba, and openly grazing some of the cows on a nearby farm.
The prosecutor said further investigation led to the arrest of the chief of the Fulani community in Katsina-Ala, Wakili, who he said has been working closely with Akwaza in supplying arms to the herdsmen terrorising Benue and its environs.
The prosecutor said their offences contravened sections 6(b) and 3(1) of the Robbery and Firearms Act, 2004; 19 of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of Benue, 2017; and 321 of the Penal Code Laws of Benue, 2004.
Twelve Nigerian universities have been selected to design and produce electric shuttle buses.
The Director General of the Nigerian Automotive Design and Development Council, NADDC, Mr. Oluwemimo Osanipin who disclosed this during a stakeholders engagement in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Wednesday, said two universities from the six geopolitical zones made up the team.
“We have started an initiative where we have gathered twelve universities, two from each geopolitical zone, they are designing what we call the university shuttle bus that is going to be electric 100%.
“It is going to be designed in Nigeria; most of the parts are going to be sourced locally. So, they are on it, when they are done, we will come together again with assemblers, auto-vehicle manufacturers and with some companies that can finance the project like the Bank of Industry and other financial institutions. Then we will be able the produce these vehicles,” he said.
Osanipin urged stakeholders in the industry to embrace regulation of the sector to ensure safety and environmental soundness of vehicles in the country.
In his remarks, the National President of Automotive Dealers of Nigeria, Engr Ajibola Adedoyin, listed the gains of the regulatory framework to include security and increased revenue.
Adedoyin tasked the government on finetuning the policy to promote affordability and accessibility.
He said, “The nation stands to gain a lot, we feel it’s wrong for anybody to import a vehicle into the country without going through a registered dealer so that in case of anything, it could be traced.
“Even in the area of security, it matters a lot because most of the atrocities are committed with vehicles. So apart from revenue lost and making work easier for the industry and government, it still gives room for a large percentage of security threats to be curtailed.
“Also, the government has to finetune the policy to make vehicles affordable and accessible.”
More...
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Thursday said political scientists should study how Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, became part of President Bola Tinubu’s government.
Ogunwusi spoke at the 2025 OAU Distinguished Personality Lecture in Ile-Ife, the capital of Osun State, where Wike delivered the keynote lecture.
The monarch reflected on Wike’s involvement in Tinubu’s government, despite being a member of an opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Ooni said, “For your career, I will particularly say that I give a very strong honour to the father of the nation, President Bola Tinubu. You belong to a different political party and yet are able to work together.
“You are part of this government. It’s still a mystery; I don’t even know how it happened. For me, it is something that universities should be studying and I mean it; it’s very important.
“Hate him, like him; what will be, will be. He (Wike) is a politician to be studied. I don’t know how he’s been actively relevant for 20 years.
“Nigeria is for all of us and you are playing your part and making history,” he added.
Wike, a member of the opposition PDP, has vowed to lead Tinubu’s reelection campaign in Rivers State.
The President of Ijaw National Congress, Prof. Okaba Benjamin, on Thursday said there is no wrong if the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sim Fubara, decides to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Benjamin said Nigerians no longer consider defection as a big deal because President Bola Tinubu may decide to join PDP if he sees the party as a veritable platform.
Benjamin’s remark comes amid permutations that Fubara is planning to dump the PDP for APC.
This followed Fubara’s recent visit to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, to seek reconciliation with two APC governors.
Fubara, who was suspended for six months over the political crisis in Rivers State, met with Tinubu for the second time a few days back.
However, Benjamin said Nigeria has no political parties but platforms for transmission.
Featuring on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, Benjamin said: “If a former Vice presidential candidate defects, what’s wrong about Fubara defecting to APC? There is nothing wrong about that.
“We don’t have political parties, we have platforms put together for people to transmit from one position to the other.
“So, if we have state governors, former Vice presidential candidates of parties just moving on, to the extent that one of the governors said if you don’t move with me, I will sack you, so there are no ideological differences and all that.
“I had a conversation with a former state party chairman and I asked him, you have moved from PDP to this, and he said yes, I now asked him what is the first item in schedule this of your party, and he said he doesn’t know.
“What I’m trying to say is this, Fubara said he will do anything for peace in Rivers State, however, Nigerians shout not interpret this as him planning to defect. Even tomorrow, Tinubu may decide to defect to PDP if he finds the party as a veritable platform.”
Finland women’s coach apologizes for accidentally calls up retired 51-year-old instead of 23-year-old
AFOLABI
In an unusual administrative error, the Finland women's national football team mistakenly included 51-year-old retired player Stina Ruuskanen in their squad for a UEFA Nations League match against Serbia. The intended call-up was for 23-year-old defender Nanne Ruuskanen of Djurgårdens IF.
The confusion arose due to both players sharing the same last name, despite no familial relation. Stina, who last represented Finland in the 1990s and remains listed in UEFA's database, was erroneously registered.
The mistake was only identified after the team sheet deadline, rendering Nanne ineligible to participate in the 1-1 draw.
Head coach Outi Saarinen publicly apologized for the oversight, acknowledging Nanne's disappointment and commending her professionalism. Stina Ruuskanen responded with humor, jesting about her unexpected selection and expressing readiness to play if needed.
"I'm definitely ready if the call comes! Just yesterday I was playing in a hobby league match... so my game feel is good," Stina told the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat.
More on Tribuna.com:
https://tribuna.com/en/blogs/nland-coach-accidentally-calls-up-51yearold-for-serbia-game/?utm_source=copy
The Federal Government has deepened its engagement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to advance the implementation of a ¥15 billion (approximately $110 million) emergency loan facility aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s food security.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Finance and Coordinating Ministry of the Economy on Wednesday following a strategic meeting involving the Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, and senior JICA officials.
According to the ministry, “The Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, today met with senior representatives of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to advance the implementation of the Food Security Emergency Loan Support Programme.”
A loan for boosting food production and resilience
The loan, targeted at enhancing food production systems and increasing resilience across Nigeria, comes at a time when global supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures continue to strain the nation’s agricultural sector.
“The JPY 15 billion facility (approximately $110 million) aims to support Nigeria’s food production systems and enhance resilience amid ongoing global supply challenges,” the ministry stated.
With the 2025 rainy season already underway, the ministers stressed the urgency of executing core components of the programme to ensure timely support for farmers and rural communities.
“Both Ministers emphasised the importance of swift, coordinated action to maximise impact for farmers and rural communities,” the statement read.
JICA seeks formal clarification
JICA, in its response, reaffirmed its commitment to the partnership but requested formal clarification on proposed implementation changes.
It was agreed that immediate production activities would continue as planned, while other components, such as aggregation and financing, would be reviewed against the terms of the original agreement.
“JICA welcomed the government’s commitment to delivery and requested formal clarification on proposed implementation adjustments. It was jointly agreed that core production activities would proceed immediately under the existing framework, while additional components, such as aggregation and financing, would be reviewed in line with the original loan agreement,” the ministry added.
The programme forms part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to address food insecurity, improve agricultural productivity, and stabilise the economy through sustainable partnerships.
What you should know
- President Bola Tinubu has written to the Senate seeking approval for a fresh external borrowing plan totalling about $21.5 billion under Nigeria’s 2025–2026 borrowing programme.
- In addition to the multi-billion-dollar request, the President is also seeking the legislature’s approval for a loan of 15 billion Japanese Yen and a €51 million grant to support key development priorities.
- According to the letter submitted to the National Assembly, Tinubu explained that the new facilities are intended to generate employment, promote skill acquisition, foster entrepreneurship, reduce poverty, and enhance food security.
- The president’s loan request comes at a time of rising concerns over Nigeria’s growing debt profile.
- Most recent figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO) show that as of December 2024, Nigeria owes the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) $53.31 million, representing 0.88% of Nigeria’s total bilateral debt and 0.12% of the country’s overall external debt stock.
- If approved, the new food security loan will likely push Nigeria’s debt to Japan to $163.31 million.
[Nairametrics]