News
Tinubu Replaces Wike’s Loyalists, Announces Fresh Appointments
President Bola Ahmed has replaced Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike-backed Dakorinama Alabo George with former House of Representatives member Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas as the director general of the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA).
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
George’s replacement comes after he resigned his position to vie for the Rivers State governorship election in 2027. He, however, lost the gubernatorial ticket in the All Progressives Congress to Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, former minority leader at the 10th National Assembly.
DAILY POST recalls that Namdas, a member of the 9th House of Representatives lawmaker, stepped down from his speakership ambition then for Femi Gbajabiamila, Tinubu’s current chief of staff.
As part of the latest appointments, Patrick Obahiagbon, a former lawmaker from Edo State, popular for his high-profile vocabulary, was appointed as executive director, strategy & commercial, of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), replacing Ogbeide-Ihama.
Onanuga also said President Tinubu reappointed Mr. Chukwuma Umeoji as Executive Director, Corporate Services of the NDPHC.
News
SERAP Gives N’Assembly Seven Days To Investigate Alleged Diversion Of N6.3bn Constituency Funds
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given the leadership of the National Assembly a seven-day ultimatum to initiate investigations into the alleged diversion and non-accounting of more than N6.3 billion in constituency project funds.
The organisation warned that it would seek legal redress if no action is taken.
The civil society organisation specifically urged the Senate President,t Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to immediately refer the allegations contained in the 2022 Annual Report of the Auditor-General of the Federation to relevant anti-corruption agencies for investigation and possible prosecution.
SERAP also called on the National Assembly to ensure that any individual found culpable is prosecuted where sufficient evidence exists and that all misappropriated or unaccounted public funds are recovered and returned to the national treasury.
The demands were contained in a letter dated June 27, 2026, and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare. Details of the letter were made public in a statement issued yesterday.
According to the organisation, the allegations are based on findings contained in the Auditor-General’s 2022 Annual Report, which was published on September 9, 2025.
It further urged the National Assembly leadership to disclose the identities of contractors and companies allegedly awarded constituency projects that were either abandoned or never executed, including information on their shareholders and beneficial owners.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter.”
“If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you and the National Assembly to comply with our request in the public interest,” the letter read.
The organisation said the Auditor-General’s report uncovered widespread financial irregularities involving several federal ministries, department,s and agencies that handled constituency projects.
Among the agencies named were the Environmental Health Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON); the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom, Plateau State; the Federal Polytechnic, Uka;a, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP); and the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
According to SERAP, the report highlighted multiple cases of payments into private bank accounts, procurement violations, inflated contracts, undocumented expenditures, payments for contracts that were either not executed or for services not rendered, as well as failures to properly account for public funds.
The organisation said the Auditor-General recommended that all affected sums be recovered and remitted to the federal government’s treasury.
Citing specific findings, SERAP said the report alleged that EHORECON paid N22.94 million from its constituency projects account into private bank accounts belonging to some staff members without evidence showing how the money was utilised or the purpose of the payments.
The council was also accused of awarding consultancy contracts worth more than N12 million in 2021 for the design and supervision of modern abattoir projects in Kebbi and Jigawa States. However, the report allegedly found that the expected project deliverables, including architectural and engineering designs, could not be located.
SERAP said the cumulative questionable constituency project transactions linked to EHORECON exceeded N1.8 billion.
The organisation also pointed to findings involving the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom, where over N279.7 million was reportedly paid to three contractors for youth and women empowerment programmes in Niger and Plateau States without supporting documentation.
It added that another N279.7 million was allegedly released as mobilisation fees without proper records, while more than N629.4 million was paid to contractors despite the absence of evidence of competitive bidding, contract advertisements, or proof that the contractors met procurement requirements.
SERAP further alleged that the Auditor-General identified several irregularities at the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, Akwa Ibom State, including over N407 million paid as mobilisation without supporting documents, more than N399 million allegedly awarded to unqualified contractors, contract inflation exceeding N192 million, payments of over N279 million for partially executed projects, N50 million paid for an unexecuted borehole project, and over ₦83 million disbursed without the required approvals or documentation.
According to the organisation, the report also accused NAPTIP of irregularly awarding contracts worth over N21.8 million, spending more than ₦176.8 million on logistics and consultancy services without supporting records, and paying over N94 million for projects that were allegedly never executed.
It added that NILDS was cited for failing to submit audited financial statements covering the period from 2012 to 2022, failing to remit over ₦15 million in stamp duties, and spending N1.6 million without the approval of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
The organisation maintained that corruption involving constituency projects deprives citizens, particularly poor and vulnerable Nigerians, of essential infrastructure and public services intended to improve their living conditions.
It argued that, as the institution constitutionally empowered to oversee public expenditure, the National Assembly has a responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of constituency project funds.
SERAP also contended that if the allegations are established, they would amount to violations of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, and the Public Procurement Act, 2007, all of which require prudent management, transparency and accountability in the use of public resources.
News
JUST IN: FG Resumes Evacuation Of Nigerians From South Africa
The Federal Government is set to evacuate 271 Nigerians stranded in South Africa on Monday amid growing concerns over threats against undocumented foreign nationals in the country.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, disclosed that an Air Peace aircraft will depart Nigeria on Monday, June 29, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. to carry out the evacuation exercise.
According to Ebienfa, the aircraft is expected to arrive in South Africa at about 9:00 p.m. local time before departing at midnight for Nigeria. The return flight is scheduled to land at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday morning with 271 evacuees on board.
“Nigeria will resume the evacuation of our nationals from South Africa today.
“An Air Peace aircraft will depart Nigeria today, Monday, June 29, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., and is expected to arrive in South Africa at approximately 9:00 p.m. local time.
“The return flight is scheduled to depart South Africa at 12:00 midnight and is expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday morning. The expected number is 271,” Ebienfa said.
The evacuation comes ahead of a June 30, 2026 deadline issued by anti-immigration vigilante groups, which have demanded that undocumented foreign nationals, particularly black migrants, leave South Africa.
The threats have sparked fears of xenophobic attacks, prompting several African countries to begin evacuating their citizens. However, South African authorities have strongly condemned the vigilante groups’ actions and deployed police and military personnel to strengthen security across the country.
News
UPDATED: Police Comb Forest After Terrorists Abduct NECO Students In Borno
The Borno State Police Command has deployed security operatives to Lassa community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area following the abduction of an unspecified number of students writing the National Examinations Council examinations by suspected terrorists.
PUNCH Online had earlier reported that the attackers stormed the school at about 9 a.m. on Monday, shooting sporadically before abducting students and women selling food items within the school premises.
Confirming the deployment to PUNCH Online, the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, Nahum Daso, said security operatives confronted the attackers, preventing a larger-scale abduction.
“Around 9 a.m. in the morning, ISWAP attacked Lassa Day Secondary School. They shot sporadically. An unspecified number of students have been abducted.
The Borno State Police Command has deployed security operatives to Lassa community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area following the abduction of an unspecified number of students writing the National Examinations Council examinations by suspected terrorists.
PUNCH Online had earlier reported that the attackers stormed the school at about 9 a.m. on Monday, shooting sporadically before abducting students and women selling food items within the school premises.
Confirming the deployment to PUNCH Online, the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, Nahum Daso, said security operatives confronted the attackers, preventing a larger-scale abduction.
“Around 9 a.m. in the morning, ISWAP attacked Lassa Day Secondary School. They shot sporadically. An unspecified number of students have been abducted.
“Today is Lassa market day. I was informed that they came through the market on motorcycles and went to Government Day Secondary School, Lassa. They shot and killed one teacher and took away all the students who were in their classrooms,” he said.
Kwamagar added, “Lassa in Borno State is predominantly inhabited by my people, the Margi. We are in both Adamawa and Borno states. I am from Lassa, but I chose to reside in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.”
He further said, “I’m still making contacts to ascertain the total number of students and teachers who were kidnapped from the school.”
Earlier, the President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, told PUNCH Online that the attackers wore military and forest guard uniforms.
“Yes. There was an attack on students writing NECO exams. The terrorists came around past nine. They passed the military checkpoint. They wore military and forest guard attire. They shot sporadically,” he said.
Kaigama said one teacher was killed while another sustained gunshot injuries.
“They killed one teacher from Chibok. They shot another, but not dead yet. They also kidnapped some students and women selling on the school premises. The numbers are not yet out,” he said
When contacted, the Chairman of Askira/Uba Local Government Area, Mada Saidu, declined to comment.
“I am very busy now. We are in a situation,” he said.
Efforts to obtain comments from the state Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, were unsuccessful as he neither answered calls nor responded to messages.
However, residents who spoke to PUNCH Online claimed that two teachers and one student were killed during the attack.
“They killed two teachers and one female student. The student was shot in her mouth,” a resident who requested anonymity said.
On May 16, PUNCH Online reported that 42 students and pupils were abducted after suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area.
The senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, had said the abductees comprised four students of Government Day Secondary School, 28 primary school pupils and 10 children abducted from their homes.
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