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Nigeria President Bola Tinubu is set to hold a crucial meeting with governors from all 36 states of country at the Aso Rock Villa Thursday morning before departing for the African Union meeting in Ethiopia. 

This gathering, only the second since his inauguration on May 29, takes place against the backdrop of escalating economic and security challenges in the nation.

Opposition governors, from the Peoples Democratic Party, recently drew parallels between Nigeria’s economic state and that of Venezuela, citing hyperinflation, increased starvation, crime, and elevated mortality rates. 

The Presidency responded by critiquing the governors’ performance, emphasizing their failure to meet salary obligations in their respective states.

Protests have erupted in some states due to the surging cost of living, with citizens demanding solutions to the economic crisis. 

In response, President Tinubu has directed the immediate release of over 100,000 metric tons of assorted food items from both the strategic reserve and the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria.

Details later…

Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) demolished illegal buildings and shanties in Gwarimpa, Abuja,

The Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, who led the operation in Gwarinpa, told newsmen that no fewer than 15,000 occupants were affected during the operation.

According to Galadima, the illegal buildings obstructed the construction of Arterial Road N16.

He explained that the road ran from the Federal Secretariat, through Maitama, Katampe, Jahi to Gwarinpa.

He added that the engineering department of the FCTA was ready to begin construction on the road as soon as the demolition exercise was completed.

“These are structures that were illegally built on the road corridor and that is why we are removing them for the Engineering Department to begin the construction of the road.

“We have between 10,000 to 15,000 people who are staying here illegally.

“As we are clearing now, engineers are already on standby,” he said.

Dr Peter Olumuji, Secretary, Command and Control Center, Department of Security Service, FCTA, said that the affected areas also harbour criminals.

Olumuji added that demolishing the illegal settlements would improve security in Gwarinpa and its environment.

“The shanties we have here harbour a lot of criminal elements that have been terrorising Gwarinpa and its environments.

“We have reported cases of illicit drug, rape and suspected armed robbers that were arrested in this area.

“There is a place even called the Abacha Estate, where the Police have recovered arms and ammunition in times past,” he said.

A group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has alleged that all the stolen public funds recovered by the immediate past government of Muhammadu Buhari are missing from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In a tweet via its X handle on Wednesday, SERAP noted that the missing looted funds were discovered when the management of the apex bank could not account for them.

“BREAKING: Recovered stolen public funds between 2016 and 2019 are reportedly missing from the Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN]. The Auditor-General of the Federation wants the CBN to account for the money,” the group wrote on X.

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) had earlier disagreed with the Nigerian government on the amount of looted funds the latter said it recovered from 2015 to 2022.

The Buhari Government, however, disclosed that over one billion dollars were recovered as looted funds by the administration within the period of seven and half years.

The former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who made this known while briefing journalists claimed that $1 billion in looted funds had so far been recovered by the Buhari-led administration.

Speaking on the issue of looted funds, Malami stated that the money had been deployed to various sectors of the economy, including poverty alleviation.

A group of northern youths burned the Nigerian flag to protest the increasing cost of living and economic hardship that continued to define the first year of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

In the video shared on X recently, the youths were seen setting the flag ablaze while bemoaning the precarious economic conditions, contrasting the crisis with enormous government spending on nonessential issues that continue to surface amid the economic crisis.

“We voted you (referring to President Bola Tinubu) into power. But see the situation we are in: people are feeding on leaves while you are living in an affluent manner,” the youths said.

They added, “A packet of Spaghetti is now N700 and beyond the reach of the poor.”

The youths also mentioned that Nigeria’s 1-2 loss to Cote d’Ivoire at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday was necessary to redirect the focus of citizens to the current untold hardship.

“We thank the almighty God for Nigeria losing the football competition. We pray Nigeria does not win anything if this is how the country is being governed,” said the northern youths. “We are tired of everything.”

Mr Tinubu has, however, continued to urge Nigerians to persevere, admitting that his radical economic reforms might plunge the majority of Nigerians into hardship, but it was necessary for the economic prosperity that would follow.

“The time may be rough and tough. However, our spirit must remain unbowed because tough times never last. We are made for this period, never to flinch, never to falter.

“The socio-economic challenges of today should energize and rekindle our love and faith in the promise of Nigeria,” Mr Tinubu said in his New Year address.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has put a N20 million bounty on two wanted notorious kidnappers terrorizing Nigeria’s capital city.

The former Rivers State Governor stated this on Wednesday when he met the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh.

The suspected kidnappers, Dahiru Adamu and Abu Ibrahim have allegedly been terrorising the nation’s capital.

“I will put money on them. I have placed a N20 million bounty on the two of them. Anyone who finds them would get the N20 million.

“Fish them out, dead or alive. We will not give them breathing space just as they’ve not been giving us breathing space,” the Minister told the FCT police boss.

President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to leave Abuja on Thursday, February 15, to participate in the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The summit’s theme, “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century,” will focus on developing resilient education systems to enhance access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning across Africa.

During the summit, President Tinubu will engage with other African leaders in high-level discussions covering institutional reforms of the African Union, peace and security, climate change, and AU participation in the G20.

Additionally, he will attend an extraordinary summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS in his capacity as the regional body’s Chairman.

Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said in a statement that the President will be accompanied by key ministers and government officials.

”Upon the conclusion of the summit, President Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja,” he added.