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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Friday announced the release of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results, with results of 39,834 candidates being withheld.
The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed this on Friday during the official release of the 2025 UTME results at JAMB headquarters, Bwari.
Oloyede revealed that the seizure of results was due to suspected examination malpractices, and about 80 individuals are being probed for exam-related offences with Anambra State having the highest number of suspects.
Details later….
[Punch]
Wale Edun, the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, has promised to provide further updates on the naira-for-crude deal in due course.
In a statement on Friday, Mohammed Manga, the ministry’s director of information and public relations, said a meeting of the technical subcommittee on the crude and refined product sales in naira initiative convened on Thursday.
Speaking at the meeting, Edun commended the “continued collaboration across agencies and partners, promising to provide further updates in due course”.
According to the statement, the session reviewed implementation milestones and recorded progress since the last engagement.
Manga said the meeting, chaired by Edun, was attended by Zacch Adedeji, executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and chairman of the technical subcommittee, and Olu Verheijen, special adviser to the president on energy.
Also present at the meeting were senior representatives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, local refining operators, and regulatory institutions, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Stakeholders were said to have reaffirmed their shared commitment to the effective and seamless execution of the policy, “which remains a critical component of President Bola Tinubu’s broader strategy” to strengthen the naira, enhance energy security, and promote local value addition within the sector.
Nigeria commenced the sale of crude oil and refined petroleum products in naira to local refineries on October 1, 2024, to improve supply, save the country millions of dollars in petroleum products imports, and ultimately reduce pump prices.
On March 10, TheCable reported that the NNPC had halted the naira-for-crude deal until 2030, as the government-owned company has forward-sold all its crude oil.
Days later, the Dangote refinery said it had temporarily halted the sale of petroleum products in naira.
However, on April 9, the federal government said the naira-for-crude oil deal will continue after the first phase, which ended on March 31.
[TheCable]
Muhammad Ali Pate, minister of health and social welfare, and Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, director of nutrition at the federal ministry of health, have been named among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in Global Health.
The list, released on Thursday, celebrates trailblazers who are shaping policy, driving innovation, and making significant strides in the global health space.
Pate and Bako-Aiyegbusi are the only Nigerians to make the magazine’s 2025 list.
TIME described Pate as a reformer shaped by both personal experiences and global exposure, while Bako-Aiyegbusi was recognised for her innovative, homegrown approaches to addressing Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis.
Reacting to the recognition in a post shared on X, Pate expressed gratitude for being recognised alongside Bako-Aiyegbusi.
He said the honour reflects Nigeria’s ongoing health reform efforts under the health sector renewal investment initiative (NHSRII), which is backed by President Bola Tinubu.
“I am deeply honored to share that Nigeria’s ongoing health sector reform, under the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (#NHSRII), has received global recognition, as I have been named to @TIME’s list of the 100 Most #Time100 Influential People in Global Health, released today,” he wrote.
“Proud to also have been named along with the Director of Nutrition in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare @Fmohnigeria, Dr. (Mrs) Ladidi K. Bako-Aiyegbusi.”
President Bola Tinubu has appointed governing boards and managing directors for the recently established north-central, south-west and south-south development commissions.
In a letter read on the floor of the red chamber on Thursday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu sought the red chamber’s confirmation of the appointees.
NORTH CENTRAL
The president nominated Cosmas Akyhir as chairman of the board. Akyhir hails from Benue state.
Tsenyil Yiltsen, who is from Plateau, was appointed managing director of the commission.
Other members of the board are James Uloko (Benue), Atika Ajanah (Kogi), Bilgis Jumoke Sanni (Kwara), Aishatu Ibrahim (Nasarawa), and Muhammad Bashar (Niger).
They also include Dauda Kigbu (Nasarawa), Zakari Jikantoro (Niger), Sulaiman Ali (Kogi), Bunmi Olusona (Kwara), Umar Mantu, (Plateau), Atotse Abraham (Benue), Solomon Adodo (FCT), Abdulkadir Usman (north-west), Habu Maman (north-east), Atinuke Owolabi (south-west), Rachael Nse (south-south), and Boniface Izziogu (south-east).
SOUTH WEST
For the South West Development Commission (SWDC), Tinubu nominated Olubunmi Adetunmbi as chairman; and Charles Akinola as managing director.
Other nominees include Bolaji Ariyo, Joseph Olugbenga, Scholastica Omoworare, Olumuyiwa Olabimtan, Adewinle Martins, Ibrahim Olaifa, Kabiru Lakwaya, Abdul Adamu, Arinola Fagbemi, Ukoha Onyekwere, Howell Ihenacho, Olugbenga Olufehinti, Tele Ogunjobi, Funmilayo Tejuosho, Fatai Ibikunle, and Lateef Ajijola.
SOUTH SOUTH
The president nominated Chibudom Nwuche as chairman of the South South Development Commission, and Usoro Akpabio, who is from Akwa Ibom, as the managing director.
Also appointed to the board are Marcus Eji (Rivers), Aganaba Steven (Bayelsa), Timi Ayibatonye (Delta), Joseph Ugheoke (Edo), and Sony Abang (Cross River).
Other members include Larry Odey (Cross River), Charles Zuofa (Bayelsa), Nkereuwem Ebong(Akwa Ibom), Chika Chinedu (Rivers), Femi Oise (Edo), Charles Enukhowhate (Delta), Tijani Kaura(north-west), Tabitha Sallah (north-east), Yusuf Amao (north-central), Joseph Mmamal (south-east), and Bukonola Braimoh (south-west).
After reading the president’s request, Akpabio referred the letter to the relevant committees for screening and confirmation.
Desmond Elliot, the actor-turned-politician, has revealed how he narrowly escaped an attack by unknown assailants during the 2020 EndSARS protests.
In an interview on Nollywood On Radio, the Lagos lawmaker recounted being trapped in his Surulere constituency office due to the curfew, only to face a life-threatening ambush.
Elliot explained that after being unable to return home to Lekki because of the curfew, he decided to spend the night in his office.
The 51-year-old politician said while relaxing and watching TV, chaos erupted when he heard his landlady’s daughter screaming and attempting to shield him by shouting, “he doesn’t stay here!”
Elliot disclosed that the situation escalated when a bottle filled with fuel and fire was hurled into his office, causing a fire. He added that “I have never been so scared in my life”.
“When there was curfew during the EndSARS period, a lot of bad boys came into Surulere and because of the curfew I could not go home,” he said.
“I was stucked in Lekki so I could not go home and has to go back to my office in Surulere.
“I was inside my office and never knew there was going to be anything so I was watching the TV in my office because I had intention the intention to spend the night at the office.
“Next thing, I heard my landlady’s daughter screaming, saying I don’t stay there.
“When I knew there was a problem was when a bottle with fuel and fire was thrown into my office and it caught fire.
“I had to call the chief of staff for help. I have never been so scared in my life, it was horrible.”
During the EndSARS protests, Elliot faced backlash for his words and actions, which ultimately led to him being labeled “Nigeria Twitter’s number one scapegoat”, as memes and banter from users targeted him for days.
A viral post claims, based on International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections, that Nigeria ranks fourth among the world’s fastest-growing economies in 2025.
The post — “Fastest Growing Economies in 2025” — ranks countries by projected GDP growth and places Nigeria in joint third (alongside Saudi Arabia) at 3.0 percent. India tops the list with 6.2 percent, followed by China with 4.0 percent.
The post attributes the data to the IMF and features images of world leaders, reinforcing the impression of a definitive global ranking.
The post has been widely shared across social media platforms. It can be seen here, here, and here.
VERIFICATION
The IMF’s World Economic Outlook (April 2025) projects that Nigeria’s GDP will grow 3.0 percent in 2025.
However, a review of the full IMF dataset shows that Nigeria is not the world’s fourth fastest-growing economy, as the post suggests.
Several countries, including Libya (17.3%), Senegal (8.4%), Rwanda (7.1%), Tajikistan (6.7%), and Niger (6.6%), are projected to grow at significantly higher rates.
The countries listed in the IMF data are absent from the infographic.
Furthermore, the IMF does not rank countries globally by growth in its official publications. Instead, it classifies economies into three broad groups: advanced economies, emerging markets, developing economies, and low-income developing countries.
This grouping is based on structural economic differences. In economics, comparing the growth rate of developed countries (like the US, UK, Japan) with that of developing countries (like Nigeria) is inappropriate.
Developed countries are typically in a steady-state growth phase, operating near their production possibility frontier.
Their growth rates are naturally lower, usually between 1 and 2 percent. Developing economies have more room to grow and often post higher rates due to ongoing structural transformation and catch-up growth.
The viral infographic presents a misleading view of Nigeria’s growth position by ignoring these distinctions and merging countries from different development levels into one global league table.
VERDICT
While the IMF projects that Nigeria’s economy will grow by 3.0 percent in 2025, the claim that it is the fourth fastest-growing economy in the world is misleading.
The claim is based on a selective reading of IMF data and omits several countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, that are projected to grow faster.
The claim also disregards standard economic classifications, discouraging direct comparisons between advanced and developing economies
The Lagos State Government has issued a demolition notice to owners of 39 buildings in various estates in the Lekki area for encroaching on the Ikota River setback, as part of efforts to restore the natural drainage path and tackle persistent flooding in the area.
The affected buildings are spread across Oral Estate (18 units), Lekki County (13 units), and Westend Estate (8 units).
The demolition notice follows the expiration of all previously served contravention notices.
Speaking with journalists after an inspection tour on Thursday, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, said the state government has decided to extend the evacuation deadline, allowing residents more time to relocate their families and valuables before enforcement begins.
“We have said to our officials, let us allow them to move their things out; family men and women with children reside here. So whilst that is ongoing, we poked the walls as a signal of our readiness to restore the right of way,” Wahab said.
He warned, however, that the government will not tolerate further defiance, especially as some developers continue to illegally reclaim land and push back the river despite ongoing consultations.
“At Lekki County here, what some developers are doing is reclamation and the government needs to put them in check; if you are doing a reclamation, the first thing you have to obtain is an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Drainage Clearance documents and most of them do not have it,” he added.
Wahab stressed that the government had a digital map of the Ikota River and had recorded significant encroachment.
He ordered a halt to all ongoing reclamation activities in Lekki County, declaring them illegal and damaging to the environment.
The Commissioner noted that while some homeowners are cooperating and have admitted to the irregularities, the state is taking a measured approach to avoid undue hardship.
“What we also seek to do is engage homeowners properly because developers are selling and giving titles to innocent buyers of value. That’s why I say let those people who are innocent, who have their children in schools, not get their lives disrupted because you want to enforce,” he stated.
“Homeowners affected are not disputing the fact that something is wrong; they have all admitted it, but they are appealing to the government to give them time to find a way to reset themselves.”
The Kaduna State Polytechnic has expelled 63 students and suspended 36 others for various academic offences, including fraudulent admissions and examination malpractice.
The disciplinary actions were approved during the institution’s 114th Academic Board Meeting held on April 30, 2025.
In a circular dated May 5, 2025, and signed by Deputy Registrar (Academic Affairs), Abdullahi Muhammad, sighted on Thursday, the polytechnic’s Registrar, Dr. Muhammed Tanimu, communicated the board’s decision to all staff and students.
“The Academic Board, at its 114th Regular Meeting held on 30th April, 2025, considered reports of the Fraudulent Admission and Related Matters Investigation Committee (FARMIC) and the Examination Misconduct Cases and Malpractice Committee (EMCMC) and approved the following measures against the students listed below,” the circular stated.
The FARMIC panel found that five, including Essien, Margret Lawrence and Maryam Nasir, gained admission fraudulently, resulting in the withdrawal of their admissions or expulsion.
The EMCMC committee indicted over 70 students from the Mass Communication, Building Technology, Civil Engineering, Public Administration, and Architecture departments.
Some of the students expelled include Lawrence Samuel Anto (Building Technology), Fauziya Abdulrahman Buba (Mass Communication), and Ibrahim Muhammed Nazeer (Civil Engineering). Others, like Joseline Beauty Jonah and Muazu Umar, received varying degrees of suspension.
However, three students, including Abubakar Ibrahim Ashir of the Computer Science Department, were exonerated after investigations found no evidence of wrongdoing.
The polytechnic warned that it would continue to impose stiff penalties on students found guilty of academic misconduct to maintain integrity and discipline on campus.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State to provide him with a plot of land in the state to build a retirement home.
Tinubu made the request on Thursday during a reception organized in his honour following his visit to Anambra, where he commissioned a series of infrastructural projects described as “legacy” efforts.
Addressing the crowd, the president expressed his long-standing ties with the state.
“Many of my friends are from Anambra State, and I have seen many of them today,” he said, shortly after receiving a chieftaincy title from the state’s traditional rulers.
“Going forward, we are not just friends. I am now a bona-fide son of the soil – one of you, your own son,” Tinubu added, drawing loud cheers from the audience.
He went on to say, “Maybe my friend and your governor, Charles Soludo, should find me a plot of land for my retirement home after service,” before jokingly adding, “You don’t have to move me from the Villa for only one week. Give me a permanent abode.”
The president was earlier conferred with the traditional title “Dike si Mba” by the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, which was presented to him at Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka.
According to the council’s chairperson and traditional ruler of Obosi, Chidubem Iweka, the title – which translates to “Warrior from the Diaspora” – was awarded in recognition of Tinubu’s contributions to national development.
“This is a title from all the royal fathers in the 179 communities of Anambra State,” Iweka noted.
In his acceptance speech, Tinubu recalled being given a chieftaincy title by a traditional ruler in the state back in 2005 and said he was deeply honoured by this new recognition.
“To have all the traditional rulers of Anambra confer another title on me is not only historic but one which I will greatly treasure for the rest of my life,” he said.
Chairman and CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has appealed to Nigerians living abroad to actively align themselves with the country’s ongoing reform agenda by supporting the recently introduced ‘Nigeria First Policy’.
The appeal was made in a statement issued on May 8, 2025, and signed by the Commission’s Director of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.
In a video message, Dabiri-Erewa spotlighted the executive directive unveiled by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which she said is aimed at putting Nigeria’s interests at the heart of all government procurement, supporting local innovations, and uplifting made-in-Nigeria products.
According to her, the policy marks a crucial turning point and requires the collective participation of Nigerians both at home and abroad to advance national development and create lasting impact.
“My brothers and sisters in the diaspora, this is an opportunity to key into this Initiative. This is an opportunity to bring your expertise, knowledge, and talents, back home to Nigeria,” she said.
She further assured the diaspora community of NiDCOM’s commitment to collaborate with them across various sectors, particularly in areas that align with the goals of the Nigeria First Policy.
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The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has blamed foreigners for the recent waves of attacks and killings which ravaged communities in Plateau and Benue States.
The DHQ said most of the attacks have been discovered to have been carried out by foreign herders who came into Nigeria through the country’s porous borders.
This was made known during a press briefing on Thursday in Abuja by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye.
He explained that the way the captured suspects speak is different from the way locals speak, adding that even their physical attributes give them off as foreigners.
“When you hear them speak, you can often tell they are not from here. For example, the Hausa spoken in Nigeria differs from that spoken in Mali, the Central African Republic, or Ghana.
“When we arrest these herders and terrorists, their speech and even their hair distinguish them from Nigerians. Perhaps only the Shuwa Arabs in Borno State have similar features, but not quite the same,” Kangye said.
The DHQ spokesperson acknowledged that some criminal elements who are Nigerians are also involved in the attacks, but held that most of the dangerous attacks are carried out by foreigners.
“Some of those involved are Nigerians who encroach on farmlands during cattle grazing, leading to conflict. However, the most dangerous and frequent attacks come from infiltrators who enter through our porous borders,” he noted.
He called for stronger collaboration between security and border agencies to monitor and manage Nigeria’s extensive frontiers effectively.
The Abia State Government says it will convert the proposed new Government House at Ogurube Layout, Umuahia, into a five-star hotel.
The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, said this during a media tour of the site on Thursday.
Kanu also revealed that a new governor’s office and lodge will be built at the current Government House Complex.
He addressed claims that the current Government House is rented, saying, “And let me debunk another lie. Before now, they said that the current Government House was a rented apartment. But it is not a rented apartment.
“That property was acquired, duly acquired by the state government, but those people who were in office before now were busy paying themselves rent from government coffers, deceiving the public that they were paying rent for a Government House.”
The commissioner said the building project, which was claimed to be completed and commissioned by the last administration, is not livable and was never meant to be a residential building.
He stated, “This place appears inhabitable. There are no wardrobes anywhere. Most of what we saw were just halls, empty halls.
“Did anybody see any wardrobe on any of the floors? There were no wardrobes. So this place was never meant to be a residential house.
“And one begins to wonder, the person or persons who designed this so-called Government House. One wonders what they had in mind when they designed this kind of Government House and expected a governor to come and live in this kind of place.”
Kanu stressed that only one floor appears finished, while the rest are still incomplete.
He added, “And there is only the first floor that appears to have been finished. The rest of the floors were not finished.”
He also accused a former commissioner, John Okiyi Kalu, of spreading false information.
“Of course, when Dr. Alex Otti spoke about this Government House a few days ago, John Okiyi went to Arise, to, as usual, spew falsehood. Almost everything he said was a lie. Now I brought you people (pressmen) here to see for yourselves and to confirm what Dr. Alex Otti said.”
He described the building as unsafe.
He said, “You can see a lot of the places were not plastered, and the elevator was not installed. The whole place looks dangerous. If anybody missteps there, you can fall through the place to your death.”
Kanu said the previous government rushed the construction just to impress the public.
“Granted, you will see a few furniture here. But that is as much as you can see. Nothing on the next floor. They misused the resources of the state to put up this gigantic edifice that is meant to achieve nothing, so to speak. This place is not habitable.”
He also noted that the location of the building poses security risks because it is surrounded by other buildings.
He called on Abians to ignore the opposition and keep supporting Otti.
“Otti, being a responsible governor, would not allow waste and would never misuse the resources of Abians,” he said.
At least N20.03bn was spent on the maintenance and operations of the Presidential Air Fleet from July 2023 to December 2024, The PUNCH reports.
This was as the new presidential jet purchased last year has been flown to South Africa for refurbishment and upgrades.
Findings by our correspondents from GovSpend, a civic tech platform that tracks and analyses the Federal Government’s spending, revealed that for 2024, the payouts amounted to N14.15bn, representing 71 per cent of the allocations for the fleet in the 2024 fiscal year.
Most disbursements were labelled ‘Forex Transit Funds,’ usually funds allocated for foreign exchange requirements to facilitate international transactions and engagements.
For the Presidential Air Fleet, such funds cover expenses related to operations abroad, including fuel purchases, maintenance or services in foreign currencies.
“When aircraft on the fleet are abroad, payments are often made in U.S. dollars or another foreign currency to ensure we have uninterrupted operations,” a government official explained.
In July 2023, N1.52bn was disbursed in two tranches of N846m and N675m for ‘Presidential air fleet forex transit funds.’
The following month, N3.1bn was disbursed in three tranches of N388m, N2bn, and N713m for the same item. In November of that year, N1.26bn was released to the Presidential Air Fleet naira transit account.
The first overhead for 2024 was in March, when N1.27bn was disbursed twice, amounting to N2.54bn. The transit account received N6.35bn in April, N4.97bn in May and N210m in July.
In August, N5.60bn was released in six separate disbursements, the highest frequency that year. The monies were paid into the Presidential Air Fleet naira transit account, including a N168m transfer made on September 11 and 19. From December 7 to 24, 2025, N469.72m was released in eight tranches.
In April, the transit account received N5.08bn; this came around the same time the President was on a two-nation tour to the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.
Although Tinubu arrived in the Netherlands in a state-owned Gulfstream AeroSpace 550 Jet, the aircraft could not proceed to Saudi Arabia due to unspecified technical problems. He reportedly continued his journey on a chartered private plane.
At the time, the President’s Boeing 737 business jet was undergoing maintenance. It was later replaced with an Airbus A330 purchased for $100m in August through the service-wide votes.
The nearly 15-year-old plane, an ACJ330-200, VP-CAC (MSN 1053), is “spacious and furnished with state-of-the-art avionics, customised interior and communications system,” Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said, adding “it will save Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly.”
However, The PUNCH observes that since February 2025, the President has been using a San Marino-registered BBJ (REG: T7-NAS).
Sources who spoke to one of our correspondents confirmed that the primary aircraft had been flown to South Africa to change its livery to reflect the office of the President.
“The last I heard is that they took it abroad, I think to South Africa, to change the body design. You know it doesn’t have the green white green,” one source said, asking to remain anonymous.
“It’s not only the body paint. I learned they are doing some refurbishment on it,” a second official stated.
The new Airbus A330 is just one of several aircraft currently on the Presidential Air Fleet, arguably one of Africa’s largest, with around 11 aircraft of various makes and models.
Until August, it comprised the 19-year-old B737-700 (BBJ) and a 13-year-old Gulfstream Aerospace G550. The BBJ was acquired during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo at $43m, but became a money guzzler as it aged.
The presidential fixed-wing fleet includes a Gulfstream G500, two Falcon 7Xs, a Hawker 4000, and a Challenger 605. Three of the seven fixed wings are reportedly unserviceable.
The rotor-wing fleet includes two Agusta 139s and two Agusta 101s, all operated by the Nigerian Air Force but supervised by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Since 2017, budgetary allocations for the PAF have shown a growing trend, with one exception in 2020. The allocation for the fleet increased from N4.37bn in 2017 to N20.52bn in 2024, showing a 370 per cent rise in running costs. In 2022, maintenance expenses for each aircraft ranged from $1.5m to $4.5m annually.
In 2018, the fleet’s budget rose significantly by 66.13 per cent to N7.26bn, driven by a substantial increase in capital project allocations while maintaining similar levels for recurrent costs. This upward trajectory continued into 2019, slightly increasing the total allocation to N7.30bn.
The exception came in 2020, when the budget dropped by nearly 7 per cent to N6.79bn, primarily due to decreased overhead costs, a reflection of the global economic impacts of lockdowns and disruptions in operations.
By 2021, however, the budget surged dramatically to N12.55bn—a record increase of 84.83 per cent from the previous year. The 2022, 2023 and 2024 appropriation acts earmarked N12.48bn, N13.07bn and N20.52bn respectively.
On his way to the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in Samoa, a foreign object damaged the cockpit windscreen of Vice President Kashim Shettima’s Gulf Stream aircraft during a stopover at JFK Airport in New York.
According to Lee Aerospace, manufacturers of Gulfstream jet windshields, these thick, multilayered structures comprise varying layers of glass and transparent acrylic, built to withstand collisions with a 2 kg object.
However, damage to the windshield must have affected its inner layers. While specific prices for replacement can vary based on supplier, labour rates and regional costs, estimates suggest that a single windshield replacement for a G550 can range from $50,000 to $70,000 for part and labour costs.
In an interview with our correspondent, the General Secretary of the Aviation Round Table, Olumide Ohunayo, blamed the meteoric rise in the allocations for the PAF on the age of some of the fleet’s aircraft, the declining value of the naira, and the Nigerian Air Force’s “commercial use” of aircraft.
Ohunayo explained, “The cost will definitely increase over the years because, for one, this issue of the naira against the dollar. As the naira keeps falling to the dollar, we will see a rise in cost because most of the costs of training crew and engineers and replacing aircraft parts are all in dollars.
“Also, some of these aircraft are not new. The older the aircraft, the higher the cost of maintenance and operation. Lastly, during these past years, terrorism and insecurity have increased in Nigeria, which has also affected the cost of insuring the aircraft.”
The Executive Chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, argued that the administration’s spending habits were contrary to Nigerians’ expectations of frugality.
“What we are getting from this administration is the opposite of our expectations. We thought we would have an administration that would be frugal in spending and very meticulous at implementing its budget. But what we are getting is an administration that has fallen in love with profligacy, that doesn’t see anything wrong in living big in a poverty-stricken nation.
Adeniran further said, “It is a reenactment of the Shagari administration, whereby they bought the biggest Mercedes Benz and made themselves as comfortable as possible without considering how much the masses are suffering.
“So when you look at a Vice President saying he’s not travelling [to Samoa] again because there was a splinter on the windscreen of his private aircraft. Why should that be the case?
“First and foremost, we need to be represented at such an international meeting, where we should be well represented by the first two citizens of this country. He abandoned that, which means we would have lost certain representation that we deserve at that forum. Two, money will have been spent on advance parties that went ahead of the Vice President. But he abandoned the journey altogether.”
The CEO of Centurion Security Limited, John Ojikutu, justified the figure considering all related expenses.
“That’s not a big deal. If they are going to go and repair, particularly for C-checks, it’s always around that range. They will fly it abroad, but fuel, catering, and hotel bills are also involved; pilots will fly it back, and the figure likely includes far more than the direct cost of repairing the aircraft,” Ojikutu explained.
Meanwhile, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, argued that the new Airbus 330 aircraft and the costs of maintaining the air fleet are not for the President’s comfort but in the interest of Nigerians.
“It’s not President Tinubu’s plane; it belongs to the people of Nigeria, it is our property…the President did not buy a new jet; what he has is a refurbished jet – it has been used by somebody else before he got it, but it is a much newer model than the one President Buhari used.
“The one President Buhari used was bought by President Obasanjo some 20 years ago. There was a time when the President went to Saudi Arabia, and the plane developed some problems. The President had to leave the Netherlands with a chartered jet.
“Nigerians should try to prioritise the safety of the President. I’m not sure anybody wishes our President to go and crash in the air. We want his safety so that he can hand it over to whoever wants to take over from him,” Onanuga said.
The presidential aide said he discussed with the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, on the faulty plane (Boeing 737 jet), and he said the maintenance costs were excessive because of the age of the aircraft, hence the need for another plane.
Felicitations from world leaders greeted the emergence of Cardinal Robert Prevost (Pope Leo XIV) as the 267th Bishop of Rome.
Pope Leo XIV was elected on Thursday after the fourth ballot cast by Cardinals in the conclave, which began on Wednesday.
The 69-year-old Prevost is the first American Pope in the history of the Catholic Church.
He succeeds Pope Francis, who died on April 21, 2025 (Easter Monday).
Pope, who is of the religious order of St Augustine, was ordained a priest on June 19, 1982, by Archbishop Jean Jadot, at the Autustinian College of Saint Monica.
The new Pope, born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, spent many years as a missionary in Peru before being elected head of the Augustinians for two consecutive terms.
On September 26, 2015, he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo by Pope Francis.
In 2019, Pope Francis appointed him a member of the Congregation for the Clergy and in 2020, a member of the Congregation for Bishops.
On January 30, 2023, the Pope called him to Rome as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, promoting him to the rank of Archbishop.
Pope Francis created him Cardinal in the Consistory of September 30 that year and assigned him the Diaconate of Saint Monica.
Minutes after white smoke billowed from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti announced to the waiting crowds, “I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope.”
Emerging from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the first words of Pope Leo XIV to the waiting crowds at the Vatican were, “Peace be with all of you.”
After invoking peace, he pledged to work for a united Church faithful to Jesus and to the Gospel.
He said, “Peace be with you! Dearest brothers and sisters, this was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God.
“I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you.”
His historic election immediately drew reactions from global leaders, who expressed hope for a papacy focused on unity, peace, and human dignity.
United States President Donald Trump called the appointment a “great honour” for the country and said he looked forward to meeting Pope Francis, describing it as a “very meaningful moment.”
President Bola said the election of Pope Leo XIV opens a new chapter in the history of the Catholic Church and the values of love, humanity and charity, particularly to the underprivileged, that it has consistently projected.
The President, therefore, prayed that the Almighty God will continuously shed his light of glory over the new leader of the Catholic Church and grant him good health and wisdom so that he can reach the world with the message of peace and love.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced hope that the new pope would become a strong advocate for migrants, particularly Latin American communities facing adversity in the United States.
Petro noted, “I hope he becomes a great leader for migrant peoples around the world, and I hope he encourages our Latin American migrant brothers and sisters, humiliated today in the United States. It’s time for them to organise.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed the opportunity to deepen relations between Israel and the Vatican, expressing a desire for strengthened interfaith ties.
Herzog said, “We look forward to enhancing the relationship between Israel and the Holy See, and strengthening the friendship between Jews and Christians in the Holy Land and around the world.
“May your papacy be one of building bridges and understanding between all faiths and peoples.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin noted the shared Christian values between Russia and the Vatican, affirming continued dialogue and cooperation.
“I am confident that the constructive dialogue and cooperation established between Russia and the Vatican will continue to develop based on the Christian values that unite us,” said Putin.
“Through your role, you provide hope and guidance to millions of believers around the world in these challenging times,” said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed hopes that the pontificate would strengthen dialogue and human rights.
Polish President Andrzej Duda reaffirmed Poland’s readiness to build on its historic ties with the Vatican, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wished Pope Leo XIV a tenure marked by peace and wisdom.
“We wish that his pontificate be guided by wisdom and strength, as he leads the Catholic community and inspires the world through his commitment to peace and dialogue,” said Leyen.