News
Court Grants Sowore Fresh N200m Bail
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday admitted activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, to fresh bail in the sum of N200 million, weeks after revoking his earlier bail over his failure to appear for trial.
Justice Muhammad Umar, in a ruling, directed Sowore to provide two sureties before the bail could take effect.
One of the sureties must be a traditional ruler from his community, while the second must own landed property within the Federal Capital Territory.
The judge also ordered the defendant to deposit his international passport with the court registrar pending the determination of the case.
After granting the application, Justice Umar handed Sowore over to his lawyers and adjourned further proceedings until Monday, July 6, when the defendant is expected to open his defence.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services on allegations bordering on cybercrime, following social media posts in which he allegedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal.”
He has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
The court revoked Sowore’s bail on June 16 and issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to attend proceedings.
Sowore had explained that he was unable to appear because of a prior engagement in Lagos and sought an adjournment, but the prosecution, led by Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), opposed the request, urging the court to proceed with the trial.
Following the revocation of his bail, Sowore challenged the bench warrant and sought the trial judge’s recusal.
The application was dismissed, after which he was remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his fresh bail application.
Delivering Tuesday’s ruling, Justice Umar restored the defendant’s bail on fresh terms, requiring him to meet the N200 million bail bond and fulfil the conditions attached before regaining his freedom.
Reacting shortly after the ruling, Sowore described the bail conditions as part of the authorities’ continued efforts against him but insisted they would not deter his movement.
He said, “There is no bus on earth that can stop this revolution. We warned them, but they would not listen. But now, it appears a little bit of common sense is returning to them, and as a result, I was granted bail, requiring a traditional ruler, somebody with property in Abuja, and N200m and my international passport.
“They have always been after the passport. So nobody can come after our movement. Nobody can stop the movement. Nobody can stop the idea whose time has come.
“What I want to tell Nigerians is that it is not about my freedom; it is about the liberation of the Nigerian people.”
News
FG Approves New Road Projects Worth Over N3.94 Trillion Across 11 States [FULL LIST]
The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved major road projects spanning 11 states, with a total value of N3.94 trillion.
The approvals were granted at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
Briefing State House Correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, stated that the Council ratified earlier approvals and took fresh decisions on various road projects involving construction, rehabilitation, dualization, and concession arrangements.
Umahi also drew attention to the deteriorating condition of the completed Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, particularly the Julius Berger-executed section on the Ibadan axis.
“The Ibadan axis is failing very badly. If you go there, it is rotting and folding. It is very dangerous for vehicular movement,” Umahi said.
He added that President Tinubu directed the ministry to follow due process to concession the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway for operation and maintenance, with the failed Ibadan approach to be reconstructed using reinforced concrete technology.
The projects are expected to significantly improve connectivity, boost economic activities, and address critical infrastructure deficits across the benefiting states.
Below is a list of road road projects approved by FEC on Monday:
– 23 road projects across Adamawa, Taraba, Ebonyi, Kwara, Cross River, Kogi, Lagos, Niger, Oyo, and Plateau states – N2.078 trillion.
– 409 km dual carriageway project in Niger State (Dangote Group, reinforced concrete, tax credit scheme) — N1.8325 trillion.
– 32.2 km road project in Gashua, Yobe State (augmentation) — N15 billion.
– Second phase of Yola-Fufore-Gurin Road (additional 20 km), Adamawa State — N15.246 billion.
– Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (operation & maintenance concession + reconstruction of failed Ibadan approach with reinforced concrete).
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.
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