Nelson Ugwuagbo

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated three Nigerian students who emerged world champions at the 2025 TeenEagle Global Finals held in London, United Kingdom.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu lauded the students for their exceptional performance, describing them as “shining examples of Nigeria’s boundless potential.”

The students; Nafisa Abdullahi Aminu (17), Rukayya Muhammad Fema (15), and Hadiza Kashim Kalli represented Nigeria at the global contest, triumphing over thousands of participants from 69 countries.

Nafisa won the Overall Best in English Language Skills, Rukayya was named Overall Best in Debate, while Hadiza clinched the Outstanding Talent Award (Gold Medal).

Tinubu commended their remarkable feat and urged other young Nigerians to emulate their dedication, excellence, and patriotism.

The Accountant General of Kogi State, Habibat Oyiza Tijjani, an appointee of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, has come under fire over allegations of human rights violations following the arrest and prolonged detention of Abdul Hameed, a young man from Ihima, Eika axis in Okehi Local Government Area.

Hameed was reportedly picked up nearly three months ago, with his exact whereabouts still unknown — a development that has triggered a growing wave of public outrage and concern over abuse of power and political repression in the state.

The incident came to light after UK-based activist Ogawahab Aliu released a podcast in the Ebira language titled “Dear Hajia Habibat – Kogi State Accountant-General, please release the young man you arrested.” In the podcast, Aliu demanded either Hameed’s immediate release or his arraignment in a court of law.

Social media users have since amplified the calls for justice. Salami Rufus Ohiani wrote on Facebook that the young man, known online as “Ododo D’Flower Boiz Vanguard,” was allegedly arrested over a Facebook post and detained without charge or trial. “This is a scary society where there’s no justice between the higher and lower classes,” Ohiani stated.

The controversial Facebook post, dated February 13, was critical of Governor Ododo’s ties with activist Austin Okai and accused Accountant-General Tijjani of overstepping her role by exerting undue influence over local government affairs.

While many allege that Hameed is being unlawfully held on the orders of the Accountant-General, some have presented a differing account. Hassan Kisqo, who claims to know Tijjani personally, stated that Hameed was taken to court to prove his claims but failed to do so. “He’s there on a court order, not Hajia’s directive,” Kisqo said, though no verifiable court documents have been produced to support this claim.

The case has reignited long-standing allegations of political intimidation in Kogi State. Facebook user Usman Usman recalled a similar experience:

“Thank God they know who made this arrest. My own brother was abducted during the last political dispensation and has been missing ever since.” Another, Zubair Adeiza Kabir, added, “I know of three boys who were arrested during FGYB’s reign and to this day, we’ve neither seen nor heard from them. This has become a norm in Ebira land.”

Medical professional DS Ømêizá condemned the detention, stating: “For 2-3 months, you’ve locked up someone’s son without trial using government influence. This is beyond forgiveness.”

A separate claim by one Lawal Wahab suggests Hameed was remanded on the orders of a court, with his family reportedly unable to meet bail conditions.

However, legal experts have challenged the process, noting that prolonged detention without timely trial contravenes Nigeria’s Constitution. They cite Sections 35 (right to personal liberty), 36 (right to fair hearing), and 39 (freedom of expression) as being grossly violated.

As of now, the Kogi State government has not issued any official statement regarding Hameed’s detention. Efforts to reach the Office of the Accountant-General for comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

The Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) has raised concerns over the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s plan to distribute refined products directly to end-users, warning that the move could destabilise existing supply structures across the country.

Speaking during the association’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday in Abuja, NOGASA National President, Bennett Korie, urged the refinery to suspend the proposed distribution strategy and engage in broader consultations with industry stakeholders. He cautioned that bypassing established supply channels could lead to long-term product scarcity and the collapse of the current distribution network.

Korie called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, stating that the Dangote Refinery alone lacks the infrastructure to sustainably handle nationwide distribution. He further referenced the failures of previous state-managed refineries as cautionary examples.

In response, an official of the Dangote Group dismissed the suppliers’ position as “anti-Nigeria,” asserting that the refinery’s distribution plan aims to reduce logistics costs and enhance efficiency in petroleum product delivery nationwide.

Echoing NOGASA’s concerns, the National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gillis-Harry, advised Nigerians not to celebrate the refinery’s announcement prematurely. He backed NOGASA’s stance and called for caution as the distribution model could have unintended consequences for the downstream sector.

President Bola Tinubu has approved a one-year extension for the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.

Adeniyi, whose tenure was previously scheduled to end on August 31, 2025, will now remain in office until August 2026.

The extension was announced in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. According to the statement, the decision is intended to allow Adeniyi to consolidate key reforms and complete critical projects under the Tinubu administration.

Among these initiatives are the ongoing modernisation of the Nigeria Customs Service, implementation of the National Single Window Project, and Nigeria’s commitments under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

“President Tinubu recognises Mr. Adeniyi’s steadfast leadership and commitment to service,” the statement noted. “The President is confident that this extension will further strengthen the Nigeria Customs Service in achieving its strategic mandate of trade facilitation, revenue generation, and border security.”