Grieving families were due to hold funerals in India on Sunday for their relatives who were among at least 279 killed in one of the world’s worst plane crashes in decades.

Health officials have begun handing over the first passenger bodies identified through DNA testing, delivering them in white coffins in the western city of Ahmedabad.

“My heart is very heavy, how do we give the bodies to the families?” said Tushar Leuva, an NGO worker who has been helping with the recovery efforts.

There was just one survivor out of 242 passengers and crew on board the Air India jet when it crashed Thursday into a residential area of Ahmedabad, killing at least 38 people on the ground.

“How will they react when they open the gate? But we’ll have to do it,” Leuva told AFP at the mortuary on Saturday.

One victim’s relative, who did not want to be named, told AFP they had been instructed not to open the coffin when they received it.

Witnesses reported seeing badly burnt bodies and scattered remains. 

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner erupted into a fireball when it went down moments after takeoff, smashing into buildings used by medical staff.

Mourning relatives have been providing DNA samples to be matched with passengers, with 31 identified as of Sunday morning.

“This is a meticulous and slow process, so it has to be done meticulously only,” Rajnish Patel, a doctor at Ahmedabad’s civil hospital, said late Saturday.

The majority of those injured on the ground have been discharged, he added, with one or two remaining in critical care.

– Girls orphaned by crash –

Indian authorities are yet to detail the cause of the disaster and have ordered inspections of Air India’s Dreamliners.

Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said Saturday he hoped decoding the recovered black box, or flight data recorder, would “give an in-depth insight” into what went wrong.

Just one person miraculously escaped the wreckage, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, whose brother was also on the flight.

Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and a Canadian on board the flight, as well as 12 crew members.

Among the passengers was a father of two young girls, Arjun Patoliya, who had travelled to India to scatter his wife’s ashes following her death weeks earlier.

“I really hope that those girls will be looked after by all of us,” said Anjana Patel, the mayor of London’s Harrow borough where some of the victims lived.

“We don’t have any words to describe how the families and friends must be feeling,” she added.

While communities were in mourning, one woman recounted how she survived only by arriving late at the airport.

“The airline staff had already closed the check-in,” said 28-year-old Bhoomi Chauhan.

“At that moment, I kept thinking that if only we had left a little earlier, we wouldn’t have missed our flight,” she told the Press Trust of India news agency.

The Supreme Court has once again issued a stern warning against the dissemination of falsehoods and mischievous reports targeted at justices on its bench and the judiciary as an institution.

The apex court, on Saturday, reiterated that it will no longer tolerate the deliberate propagation of untruths intended to undermine the integrity of individual justices and the judiciary.

Apparently responding to a narrative circulating on social media, which alleged that one of its justices travelled to Benin City in relation to a political case recently filed before the court, the Supreme Court urged commentators on judicial matters to always exercise responsibility, discretion, and restraint in their remarks. 

A statement issued on Saturday and signed by Dr Festus Akande, Director of Information and Public Relations of the Supreme Court, expressed displeasure over the spread of falsehoods on social media concerning the Justice in question.

The statement read in part: “The attention of the Supreme Court has been drawn to a disturbing and false narrative being circulated on social media and certain online platforms alleging that a justice of the Supreme Court travelled to Benin City on account of a political case recently filed before the court.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Honourable Justice in question travelled to Benin City on Thursday, 12th June, 2025 to attend the funeral rites of the late mother of Mr. Hannibal Uwaifo, a senior member of the Bar and immediate past President of the African Bar Association.

“Prior to the journey, the said justice formally sought and obtained permission from the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria to embark on the trip. This private visit was strictly for the purposes of condolence and bereavement as is customary and humane.

“The Honourable Justice neither attended any political meeting nor solicited for inclusion on any panel as falsely alleged. In fact, apart from the funeral service held at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church and a brief stop at the service of songs, the Honourable Justice retired to his hotel room without attending any further gatherings or receptions.

“The image being circulated purportedly as evidence merely shows the justice returning alone to his hotel, hardly a basis for the sensational claims being peddled.

“The Supreme Court wishes to state unequivocally that this sort of baseless speculation and malicious conjecture, especially when publicly propagated by persons who ought to know better, is not only unhelpful but also deeply harmful to the integrity of the Judiciary.

“We strongly urge members of the public, especially commentators on judicial matters to exercise responsibility and discretion. Where there is any doubt or lack of clarity, the appropriate step is to seek verification from the Supreme Court through its official communication channels rather than resorting to the spread of falsehoods aimed at maligning the image of the justices or bringing the judiciary into disrepute.

“The judiciary remains committed to upholding the rule of law and will not be distracted by deliberate attempts to undermine its credibility.”

A notorious bandit leader, Ado Aleru, has issued a chilling warning, declaring that violent attacks by his group will persist as long as society continues to label them terrorists.

This was revealed in a post by counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, who reported that Aleru made the controversial statement during a peace dialogue session held in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Speaking on behalf of his group, the bandit leader blamed the roots of the ongoing violence on years of neglect, marginalisation, and systemic injustice faced by pastoralist communities in the region.

“If we are still being called terrorists, then do not expect us to stop behaving like terrorists,” Aleru was quoted as saying.
He argued that derogatory labels have further complicated efforts toward reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.

According to him, many young men involved in banditry were not inherently violent but had been pushed into armed conflict by circumstances beyond their control.

“Our parents are not happy with what we are doing, and even we do not truly want this life in our hearts. We would prefer a return to the way things were, where there was mutual respect between farmers and herders, and security personnel stuck to their duties without bias,” he said.

The dialogue in Danmusa is part of ongoing peace-building efforts coordinated by local authorities and security agencies to address the protracted security crisis in the North-West.

Key allies of the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have dismissed recent comments by his former campaign spokesperson and veteran actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, in which he accused Obi of betrayal.

In a viral podcast interview on Saturday, Okonkwo claimed that despite working strenuously for Obi during and after the last presidential election, the former Anambra State governor betrayed him in the end.

He said, “Any politician that knows what he is doing cannot be betrayed by another. If there is anybody that betrayed the other, I can say it emphatically that Peter Obi betrayed me.”

Okonkwo, who officially exited LP in February 2025, argued that he had advised Obi to steer clear of the Julius Abure-led executives of the party, but he went ahead to publicly endorse the faction. 

He said, “The Julius Abure-led LP members lied to Obi that the Independent National Electoral Commission had accepted them, and Obi surreptitiously went back to them. But I told him, ‘Sir, you have made a public statement on integrity, and even if INEC has accepted them, that should not be a reason for you to return to a group that has shown they are not democratic. If you go back to them, they will destroy your political career and everything you’ve stood for.’

“After saying all those things, within 72 hours, Obi went to Abure’s office to publicly endorse them. While he was there speaking to them, one of the leaders in that executive sent me the video to mock me, saying the person I was defending against them had returned to endorse them.

“It was only when INEC later dissociated itself from Abure that Obi began acting neutral. But I told him he could not remain neutral and that something needed to be done.” 

In a swift response, Obi’s key allies rejected Okonkwo’s claims, questioning his loyalty and describing his allegations as a politically motivated misrepresentation of facts.

In a series of posts on Saturday on X (formerly Twitter), a former spokesperson of the Obi-Datti Campaign Team, Nana Sani Kazaure, flayed what she called Okonkwo’s “penchant for distractive drama and inconsistency.”

She said, “Since when did one’s refusal to shed the blood of Nigerians on the streets become betrayal? Did former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan betray Nigerians too when he said the blood of Nigerians worth more than his political ambition?

“Given Mr Okonkwo’s association with PO in the past few years, who can truly be called a traitor in the circumstances?”

 Kazaure said she had no doubt that every day, in public and in private, Okonkwo would be confronted by the “overwhelming feelings of the people over his recent direction, vituperation, and battles daily with his conscience.”

She added, “Anyways, Mr Okonkwo, your opinion is entirely yours, just as your persistent scathing focus on Peter Obi is only representative of your current political refuge. As we say in local parlance, kindly please face your front and Anlay-lay from here.

The National Coordinator of the Obidients Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, criticised Okonkwo’s comment, describing as a misrepresentation of fact.

“Obi is coming. No distractions. No conspiracy. No misrepresentation can stop the moving train. A new Nigeria is possible,” he said.

The National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Peter Ameh, who is a staunched supporter of Obi, also flayed Okonkwo.

“You have addressed the issue thoroughly, as anticipated. These scathing attacks are not merely coincidental. There is more to them than appears on the surface,” he posted.

The number of awaiting trial inmates across custodial facilities in the country has exceeded 53,000,  PUNCH can report.

Findings revealed that as of June 2025, a total of 53,178 individuals remained in custody awaiting trial, a significant jump from 48,900 recorded in January.

The current total number of inmates, according to the Nigeria Correctional Service, is 80,879.

Of the figure, data from the NCoS confirmed that 53,178 individuals were awaiting trial inmates, while 27,701 had been convicted.

This is despite promises by the Controller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, who in January vowed to streamline the justice process and ease the pressure on custodial facilities.

However, rather than declining, the numbers have climbed steadily.

In February, the number of awaiting trial inmates rose to 52,771, followed by 53,254 in March. 

While a marginal drop to 52,937 was recorded in April, the figure surged again in June.

However, NCoS spokesperson, Abubakar Umar, told Sunday PUNCH that the service would tackle the challenges.

According to Umar, the Controller-General will actively engage with key stakeholders across the criminal justice chain to address the matter.

Umar also explained that the service would strategically collaborate with law enforcement, prosecution, and judicial bodies to promote the adoption of non-custodial measures aimed at reducing the number of inmates entering correctional facilities.

“The Service is emphasising the need for collaboration with investigating, prosecutorial and judicial authorities to encourage the use of non-custodial measures, such as parole, probation and community service, to reduce the influx of inmates into custodial centres,” Umar said.

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Chief Gani Adams, who was an active participant in the pro-democracy struggle following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election widely believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola speaks on the significance of June 12, the state of Nigeria’s democracy, and the failures of governance 25 years after the country’s return to civilian rule

As an active participant in the June 12 struggle, what does the day represent to you and the Yoruba people at large?

June 12 is the day Nigerians liberated themselves from military government and establishment. It symbolises Democracy Day. June 12, 1993, was the day Nigerians set aside their ethnicities, tribes, and religions to vote for the right choice, and they voted for the man of the people, Chief MKO Abiola. It was a day that the principle of democracy was enshrined in Nigeria.

June 12 is beyond the Yoruba race. Yoruba people are an integral part of Nigeria. So, when we talk of June 12, it goes beyond the Yoruba people because it was the day different tribes voted for Abiola. He won the election in some states in the North, part of the South-East, and the Middle Belt. It was a national struggle, and it has remained a national issue. It goes beyond the interests of the Yoruba.

Do you think the ideals of June 12, for which MKO Abiola paid the ultimate price, have been achieved in Nigeria’s democracy today?

Unfortunately, we have not achieved the ideals of June 12. The situation we are in now does not reflect the democracy we are still looking for. I am not happy with the way our democracy is being handled. I am not happy with the way the organs of government are being run, especially the legislature. When the military was in power, the credibility the judiciary had then was even far beyond what they have now. Their verdicts on election tribunals, political issues, and even some corporate matters are becoming far more disappointing.

Our legislators, even from the time of former President Muhammadu Buhari, have been a rubber stamp. It did not start with this Godswill Akpabio-led National Assembly. There is no way we could have a system of checks and balances among the three organs of government in such an environment. We are not saying the legislators should be in opposition to the executive, but they must act like a proper parliament. They must act as true representatives of their constituencies. There are some bills that require you to consult your constituencies before passing them. You need to go and ask your constituents what they want regarding the bills before their passage. The Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives even need to consult their constituents before some bills are passed. It is not supposed to be a situation where, every time, you just demonstrate for a few people and pass the bills like that. The way our parliamentarians have been participating in democracy is practically leading to the derailment of our democracy.

The judiciary too—I am not a lawyer, but we have a lot of friends who are lawyers, and we do ask them questions about some rulings and verdicts. We realise that the credibility of our judiciary is draining day by day, ditto the executive. A good leader should be acting on the basis of a government of national unity, but something like that has not happened in the past 15 years. That is giving us serious concern, and we don’t want to act as an opposition. We prefer to play a mature role and should not appear to be opposing what the government is doing. But if we keep quiet and refuse to say the truth, that means we are destroying our future and what we fought for. We were in the trenches for a period of five to six years. I would have been killed in Yaba by armoured tanks when we were protesting on June 12 after Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar took over power following Gen. Sani Abacha’s death. We were always on the streets. I didn’t even have up to three clothes because of the June 12 struggle.

You said ‘we’ don’t want to act as opposition. Who are the ‘we’?

I’m talking about the group I’m leading. I don’t want to act as an opposition based on my position. I want to be moderate. I want my words to be constructive. When I speak in the media, people should reason with me, that this man is speaking as an objective person who wants the very best for Nigeria, and not someone speaking on the basis of partisanship.

How should Nigerians truly honour MKO Abiola’s legacy beyond public holidays and official ceremonies?

The government has done well by making June 12 a public holiday and Democracy Day. We have to give kudos to Buhari for doing that; people did not expect that he could do it. However, President Tinubu, who has June 12 as one of his credentials to demonstrate his contribution to democracy, as a result of being a member of the National Democratic Coalition that fought against the annulment of June 12 will have to do more.

Former Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, recently asked the Federal Government to pay the N45bn debt owed to Abiola by the Nigerian government. I think Tinubu should pay that money because Abiola’s family needs money now. We don’t need to go into the details of what is happening among the sons and daughters of MKO. This man suffered for Nigeria’s democracy, and they killed him at the end of the day. Abiola should not be someone whose money the Federal Government withholds. I am appealing to the government to pay that money to the family. Giving one of them an appointment is not enough. How much are they paying them? By paying that money to the family, they can revive some of Abiola’s businesses.

His house on Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos must be immortalised. It should be a place that tourists can visit. The people who know about tourism should make that house a monument so that people will understand the importance of defending democracy. Also, those with a negative mindset will see the consequences of destroying the essence of democracy. I know that some universities have been named after him, but we should do more to appreciate our fallen heroes. When we immortalise them and make their children happy, their spirits will support our dear nation. Without doing that, they will work against us. 

I am not talking about Abiola alone, something should be done for other fallen heroes who sacrificed for this country, so that their spirits can be with the nation.

We don’t know what is wrong with the nation. Things are going upside down. We are witnessing signs of retrogression in our country every day. We should look beyond political strategy. We should research deeply and find solutions to solve our problems.

Looking back 25 years after Nigeria’s return to democracy, do you think the country has made any meaningful democratic progress?

No, we have not. The level of corruption in our democracy now is about ten times worse than during the military era. Ninety per cent of local government allocations have been taken away from them by the governors, and about 70 per cent of what is supposed to be controlled by the states has been taken away by the Federal Government. That is one of the reasons we are calling for restructuring. You can’t build a house on an unstable foundation. The level of corruption we have now is far higher than what the military did to us. The level of impunity from the president and governors is also very high. The local government chairmen have been turned into puppets. So, a lot of things need to be done to achieve democratic progress. There is a need for electoral reform.

How would you assess the current administration’s commitment to democratic principles and inclusivity?

I think there is less commitment to democratic principles. What progress can we make if we don’t allow the judiciary to be independent? In most countries, the judiciary does not get its allocation from the president. It comes directly from the parliament. The judiciary is an independent arm of government. It is a government on its own, headed by the Chief Judge.

Check other countries, judiciaries are so independent that the appointment of the Chief Judge does not come from the president. It always comes from the judicial council. Who becomes the next president or Chief Judge is determined by the organs of the judiciary. But here, he who pays the piper dictates the tune. Nigeria’s judiciary is not independent.

The judiciary is the last hope of the common man. Look at what is happening in the Western world, if the president wants to harass anybody or make an unfriendly law, they go to court, and the court delivers justice. But where will you run to in Nigeria when the executive is ready to deal with you?

The problem with our politicians is that they do not understand that power is transient. Power is momentary; nobody will be in power forever except God Almighty. Whatever you do today becomes history. So, we have to be very careful. Our politicians need to rethink how to deliver good governance.

[PUNCH]

The economy is also not friendly. The exchange rate is negatively affecting almost everybody, especially those who need medical attention abroad. Hardly will you see anyone eating three square meals daily. Even some people within the system are complaining that things are not right.

The administration of United States President Donald Trump has commenced plans to place a general visa ban on Nigerians.

According to a report by the Washington Post, an internal memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday outlines a proposal that could impose visa restrictions or entry bans on up to 36 additional nations.

These countries are expected to comply with newly established requirements from the US State Department within a 60-day timeframe or face potential travel restrictions.

United States President Donald Trump is considering imposing a travel ban on Nigeria and a host of other countries, mostly from Africa.

The affected countries are expected to meet new requirements laid down by the State Department within 60 days.

“The new list includes Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

“The memo identified varied benchmarks that, in the administration’s estimation, these countries were failing to meet. Some countries had “no competent or cooperative central government authority to produce reliable identity documents or other civil documents,” or they suffered from widespread government fraud.”

Others are Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

The countries on the new list are also expected to submit to the State Department, on Wednesday, an initial plan of action to meet the new requirements.

In March, Trump had considered imposing a travel ban on 43 countries, while Nigeria was not on the list.

The 43 countries were divided into three groups: red, orange, and yellow.
The red group consists of 11 countries whose nationals would be barred from entering the US.

The orange group comprises 10 countries whose visas would be sharply restricted.

The countries under yellow were given 60 days to address concerns.

A Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota, Melissa Hortman, and her husband were shot and killed on Saturday in what authorities are calling a “targeted political attack,” AFP reported.

The incident occurred at the couple’s home and has prompted a sweeping investigation by state and federal agencies.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz confirmed the deaths and described the attack as a deliberate act of political violence.

In a separate but related incident, the governor said Hoffman and his wife were each “shot multiple times”, adding that they are out of surgery and he is cautiously optimistic that they will survive “this assassination attempt”. 

He added that the incident was an “act of targeted political violence”.

Chief of the Brooklyn Park Police Department, Mark Bruley, detailed how officers responded to the Hoffman residence and later checked on Hortman’s home.

There, they encountered an individual dressed in a police-style uniform, complete with a vest, taser, and badge, who opened fire on officers before retreating into the residence.

“No doubt if they were in this room, you would assume they were a police officer,” he said.

The police chief said there is an “extensive manhunt” involving “hundreds and hundreds of officers and SWAT teams”. Authorities have ordered residents in the Brooklyn Park area to shelter in place. Several individuals have been detained for questioning, but no arrests have been made.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, in a statement shared on X by Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, said he has been briefed on the “terrible shooting” in Minnesota, and it appears to be a “targeted attack against state lawmakers”.

He noted that the FBI and Attorney General Pam Bondi are overseeing the investigation.

“Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America,” the statement read. “God bless the great people of Minnesota; it is a truly great place.”

AFP/PUNCH NG

A legal practitioner and former spokesperson for the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo, has delivered a scathing assessment of former presidential candidate Peter Obi’s political trajectory, asserting that Obi is “committing political suicide” rather than being a victim of betrayal.

Okonkwo revealed this during an interview with Symfoni TV on Friday, claiming that Obi’s current political challenges stem from his own actions and an alleged lack of strategic foresight.

Okonkwo also dismissed the notion that external forces are undermining Obi’s political career.

“When he said that somebody betrayed him, it is not true. Obi is the one betraying himself,” Okonkwo stated emphatically.

He elaborated, asserting that “Nobody is murdering Obi’s political career. Obi is committing political suicide,” a strong condemnation of what he perceives as self-inflicted wounds.

Okonkwo further challenged the idea that a seasoned politician could be genuinely betrayed, suggesting that true political acumen guards against such occurrences.

“Any politician that knows what he’s doing cannot be betrayed by anybody,” Okonkwo posited, implying that Obi’s struggles highlight a deficiency in his political management. 

In a surprising twist, he added, “If there is anybody that betrayed the other, I can say it emphatically, that Peter Obi betrayed me.”

Okonkwo pointed to what he described as Obi’s inadequacy as a “team player” and “great manager of political issues.”

He argued that Obi is externalising problems that are fundamentally internal. “You’re looking for your problem outside you,” Okonkwo lamented, indicating a deep-seated critique of Obi’s leadership style within the political landscape.

He contended that Obi’s decision to align with the Labour Party significantly altered his political destiny, placing it beyond his sole control.

“I told him that whatever happens, the Labour Party has happened to his political career,” Okonkwo recalled, highlighting a crucial conversation he had with the former governor.

He stressed that “anytime you’re stepping out into a coalition, the destiny of your political future is no longer in your hands.”

According to Okonkwo, this is because a politician in a coalition “have to subordinate your own interest to the interest of the coalition.” 

He declared that “Labour Party is not viable now as a party to post a good presidential campaign,” suggesting that Obi’s path to 2027 success hinges entirely on a robust coalition, or he risks having “no impact whatsoever.”

Okonkwo cited specific instances where he believes Obi demonstrated a lack of loyalty to the Labour Party’s internal structures and candidates.

He recounted his efforts to promote party discipline, stating, “I went to the national office when I saw their mindset and pleaded with every member of Labour Party that nobody should campaign or endorse any candidate who is not a member of Labour Party.”

He contrasted this with Obi’s alleged actions, claiming that Obi publicly endorsed candidates from other political parties.

“The gubernatorial candidate of another party was who Obi endorsed in Cross River State, rather than the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate. Publicly,” Okonkwo revealed, underscoring what he saw as a clear act of internal inconsistency.

Okonkwo dismissed the idea that Obi is now a victim of government machinations, suggesting it’s a narrative Obi is creating.

He claimed that Obi is “in cahoots” with elements within the Labour Party leadership, especially concerning primary elections.

“In all the primaries that they have organised, none was organised without Obi’s approval,” Okonkwo asserted, citing examples from Edo, Ondo, and Anambra states.

Ahead of the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum issued to ground rent debtors by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, landowners have continued to throng the office of the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) to save their property from takeover.

Among the top government entities owing large sums are the Nigerian Navy, the Department of Petroleum Resources, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Federal High Court, and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, all at risk of having their property repossessed.

State governments and their liaison offices in the capital — including Lagos, Kwara, Jigawa, Benue, Ondo, Adamawa, Osun, and Enugu — are equally listed as defaulters, as well as 34 foreign embassies.

The Department of Land Administration of the FCT in a publication on June 2, 2025, urged defaulters to fulfill their “obligations to the FCTA as stipulated in the covenanted terms and conditions of the Rights of Occupancy/Certificates of Occupancy”.

They added that the defaulters would have their land titles withdrawn and their land revoked if they failed to make the payments.

The publication had carried the names and title numbers of 3,383 defaulters owing ground rents between 10 and 43 years, down from the 4,794 defaulters whose land titles were revoked on March 13, 2025 and over 9,000 names published by the administration between September and October 2024.

When our correspondent visited the AGIS on Friday, security men had secured the entrance,  preventing Sunday PUNCH’s interactions with debtors attempting to make payments, despite identifying himself as a member of the press.

No fewer than 100 defaulters were seen by our correspondent on a scattered queue at the AGIS office.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that there had been a “record-high” compliance following the notice by the administration.

“The compliance has been very high. You remember the task force sealed some offices and the President gave a 14-day ultimatum with penalties. Before that one expired, there was another publication with another 14-days grace period. So, there has been a rush to pay. It is a record-high compliance if you ask me,” a source in the AGIS office who declined to be named told Sunday PUNCH.

“People have started coming now, seriously. Even as of today. Do you see the circular? Some people are not owing much, but they have to come and pay the penalty,” a security officer at the gate told our correspondent.

Spokesperson for the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, said the 14-day ultimatum started on June 2.

He said, “We published the notice on June 2nd that they were given two weeks’ notice. Whatever decision that the government takes thereafter will be made public.”

A check by Sunday PUNCH showed that the notice would expire by the end of Monday, June 16, 2025.

Army, police, NIA risk property seizure

Meanwhile, some of the country’s leading security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, and the National Intelligence Agency, were listed among over 3,000 titleholders owing ground rents to the FCTA.

The total ground rent debt owed by the three major security institutions amounted to N1,088,296,148.

According to a list of defaulters recently released by the FCTA, the Nigerian Army, which has landed property in Asokoro, is listed as debtor number 1,543, with an outstanding rent of approximately N50m.

Another Army-related property — the Special Vehicle Plant under the Nigerian Army Welfare Scheme, also in Asokoro — owes over N1bn and is listed as number 1,542.

The Nigeria Police Force is indebted to the tune of N37,658,484 for a property with title number MISC 129132, appearing at number 1,540 on the list.

The National Intelligence Agency also appears twice on the list. One of its lands in Asokoro owesN95,696, while another is in default of N541,968. The NIA is listed as number 1,925.

With a fresh ultimatum due to expire on Monday, June 16, the FCTA may resume enforcement actions, including sealing property and initiating revocation procedures.

Efforts to get official reactions from the concerned institutions were largely unsuccessful.

Calls and messages to the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Onyema Anele, were not returned.

The police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, read a message sent to him but had not responded as of the time of filing this report.

The NIA, which does not have a known public affairs office, could not be reached.

Responding to the debt allegations, a senior Army official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, insisted that the Nigerian Army had fulfilled its obligations.

The official said, “In response to the ground rent issue, it is very important to state that the NA has paid its ground rent up to December 2024 for Plot 2302 Cadastral Zone A04 Asokoro to the FCDA. The payment receipts are readily available at Nigerian Army Properties Limited. It was after the payment that the Nigerian Army applied to the Honourable Minister FCT for the subdivision of Plot 2302 into the Army Barracks and the Army Command Estate Asokoro. After the minister’s approval, the property was subdivided into Plot 13974 in favour of the Nigerian Army Properties Ltd and Plot 13975 in favour of Nigerian Army (Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Please note that without the payment of the ground rent by the Nigerian Army, the approval wouldn’t have been possible. The NAPL is currently awaiting for the receipt of the Right of Occupancy from the FCDA in respect of each of the plots so that the appropriate bills for each of the properties will be paid to facilitate issuance of the respective C of Os. “

The senior official said since the commencement of the year there was no official communication to the Army, adding that it would be unfair for the FCTA to seal the service’s property.

“In summary, throughout the Year 2025, there was no communication between the FCDA and the NA or NAPL concerning ground rent.

“Therefore, it would be unfair for the FCDA to blacklist the NA concerning payment of ground rent. Please thank you very much for this opportunity, “ the source stated.

With just a day to go on the fresh ultimatum, pressure is mounting on all listed institutions and individuals to settle their debts or risk losing their properties to government sanctions.