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FCTA, FCDA Workers Embark on Indefinite Strike, Close Offices

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) workers have commenced an indefinite strike, leading to the closure of government offices across the FCT.

The industrial action follows a prior warning issued last Friday, when the workers announced their intention to down tools over unresolved labour and welfare-related issues.

The strike was initiated by the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), which directed employees at all levels within the FCT public service to withdraw their services.

JUAC accused the FCTA authorities of ignoring long-standing demands, stating that the strike was triggered after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the administration.

According to the unions, several meetings were held with management during the ultimatum period, but none produced tangible results.

The ultimatum, which began on January 7, 2026, was formally communicated in a statement dated January 8 and jointly signed by the JUAC President, Comrade Rifkatu Iortyer, and Secretary, Comrade Abdullahi Saleh.

The notice was also copied to key officials, including the Minister of State for the FCT, the Chief of Staff, the Head of Service, and the Director of Security Services.

Among the grievances highlighted by the unions are unpaid promotion arrears, delays in staff promotions, and continued service extensions granted to directors and permanent secretaries due for retirement.

JUAC further alleged that the administration has failed to remit statutory deductions, including pension contributions and National Housing Fund payments.

In addition, the unions raised concerns over the handling of the 2024 promotion examinations, describing the process as “poorly managed and unfair to many affected workers.”

 

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Impeachment: Fubara Aide Reveals Rivers Lawmakers Were Given ₦350m Each

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

A fresh allegation has emerged amid the impeachment tension in Rivers State, as an aide to Governor Siminalayi Fubara claimed that lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly received N350 million each for constituency projects.

The allegation was made by Darlington Orji, a Special Adviser to the governor, during a television interview on Friday.

He spoke while addressing issues surrounding budget approvals and the growing rift between the executive arm and the state legislature.

Orji said the claim by some lawmakers that certain payments were not properly appropriated did not align with past actions taken by the Assembly members. He argued that the same lawmakers had earlier collected much larger sums without raising similar concerns.

According to him, lawmakers were each given N350 million for constituency projects. He questioned why no objections were raised at the time, especially regarding appropriation procedures.

The governor’s aide also spoke on a N100,000 payment made in December. He explained that the money was paid to civil servants as an end-of-year appreciation. He added that members of the House of Assembly were also extended the same gesture.

However, Orji revealed that some lawmakers rejected the N100,000 payment. He said the reason given was that the money was not captured in the appropriation process.

He described the rejection as questionable. He argued that it was inconsistent for lawmakers to reject a smaller amount on appropriation grounds after accepting a much larger sum earlier.

While speaking, Orji insisted he would not make false claims. He maintained that his statements were based on facts known to him.

He also addressed issues surrounding the budget process. He explained that several adjustments usually take place before a budget is finalized and passed into law.

Orji stated that a presentation was expected from the lawmakers concerning certain interests. He said this presentation did not happen because the governor did not agree with their position.

He further noted that the exact figures being disputed could not be confirmed at the moment due to the absence of the presentation. Despite this, he maintained that the December payments were clear and straightforward.

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2026 Budget: Ministry of Works Allocates N500m to Hairdressers and Make-Up Artists

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The 2026 budget proposal has placed the Federal Ministry of Works at the centre of a fresh controversy.

This followed the discovery of multiple non-infrastructure empowerment projects running into hundreds of millions of naira under the ministry’s allocations.

Details from the 2026 Appropriation Bill show that the Federal Ministry of Works plans to spend over ₦500 million on programmes linked to skills training, empowerment schemes, and social interventions across several states.

The budget document indicates that these allocations cover activities such as training hairdressers and make-up artists, distributing grinding machines, motorcycles, mini-vans, and funding anti-drug abuse campaigns.

These projects are spread across different geopolitical zones of the country.

One of the allocations shows that ₦35 million has been earmarked for the distribution of grinding machines to women in Ndokwa/Ukwani Federal Constituency in the South-South. The document did not specify the number of beneficiaries or machines to be supplied.

Another ₦35 million is listed for the training and empowerment of women in hairdressing, make-up, and soap production in Mikang, Shandam, and Qua’an Pan Federal Constituency of Plateau State in the North-Central zone.

In the North-East, the ministry plans to spend ₦70 million on skill acquisition and the provision of trade equipment for youths, women, and seven retirees in the Inyamaltu/Deba area of Gombe State.

The budget also provides for ₦70 million to be used in supplying mini pick-up vans, mini shuttle buses, and motorcycles to constituents in Abakaliki Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State in the South-East.

Another line item includes funding for training, sensitisation, advocacy, and youth empowerment programmes targeted at drug abuse in Zamfara State, located in the North-West.

Similar constituency-based projects appear in other parts of the budget under the ministry.

Nevertheless, the presence of these empowerment and social intervention projects under the Ministry of Works has raised concerns about the core mandate of the ministry, which is primarily responsible for road construction, rehabilitation, and other federal infrastructure.

 

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Detained AAU students regain freedom

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, who were arrested and remanded at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre over a recent protest, have been released alongside other detainees.

The release was confirmed in a statement released on Thursday by the Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, Patrick Ebojele.

The students were among 52 persons remanded by a Benin High Court on charges bordering on malicious damage and armed robbery.

They were arrested after a peaceful protest against insecurity in Ekpoma last Saturday turned violent.

Hoodlums reportedly hijacked the protest, attacking traders, setting tyres ablaze and blocking roads, scenes which were captured in viral videos on social media.

Okpebholo met with the released students and other affected persons during a stakeholders’ engagement at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Benin, where he assured them of his administration’s commitment to dialogue, reforms and the development of Ambrose Alli University.

The governor said he was deeply pained by the violence, especially given his resolve to revive the university.

The governor said, “I was highly in pain when I saw what was happening in my place. The day I was sworn in, I said I was going to revive Ambrose Alli University.

“They were paying light bills, water, printing, salaries and everything from ₦41 million, which was not enough for anything at all. But on record, one consultant was receiving ₦59 million under the last administration, while the entire university community was receiving ₦41 million.”

He added that his administration increased the subvention to ₦500m as part of efforts to reposition the institution.

He said, “Since then, it has been about how to revive the school, how to move the school forward and how to reposition it again.”

The governor also disclosed that outstanding salary and wage arrears owed to AAU staff stood at about ₦41bn, noting that plans were underway to gradually offset the debt.

He cautioned students against allowing themselves to be used by criminal elements, urging them to focus on their studies and pursue peaceful engagement.

He said, “Somebody said he is a student, and he protests. What are you protesting for? Don’t allow yourself to be used. Read your books so that you can be like us.”

 

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BREAKING: Budget Office reacts to Alleged NEDC Secret ‘N246 Billion Salary Account’

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Budget Office of the Federation has dismissed claims making the rounds that the North East Development Commission (NEDC) operates a ₦246 billion salary budget, describing the allegation as false, misleading and based on a poor understanding of the Federal Government’s budgeting structure.

In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by the Director General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, the agency said the figure being referenced publicly does not represent a salaries-only allocation, but a statutory lump-sum provision captured under approved budget preparation procedures.

The statement was dated January 15, 2026.

According to the Budget Office, the ₦246.77 billion recorded against the NEDC in the federal budget is a consolidated figure that is sometimes uploaded at aggregate level for statutory and quasi-statutory institutions under the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

It added that the claim suggesting ₦244 billion of that amount is dedicated solely to personnel cost is “factually incorrect.”

The Office explained that in some cases, when agencies have not submitted detailed internal economic breakdowns at the time budget entries are uploaded, the total allocation may temporarily appear under personnel cost as a technical placeholder.

It said this is a recognised convention during budget preparation and does not reflect the final spending structure or intent.

“This technical presentation must not be confused with spending intent,” the Budget Office stated.

Addressing public commentary that only ₦2.70 billion was set aside for capital projects, the Budget Office attributed the figure to legislative adjustments made by the National Assembly, which reportedly restructured capital votes in the 2025 budget and rolled over about 70 per cent into the 2026 fiscal year.

It said the adjustment was a decision tied to appropriation timing and sequencing, and should not be interpreted to mean the absence of development projects.

The agency insisted that project schedules attached to budget documents clearly show multiple ongoing interventions in the North East, including agricultural support programmes, food security efforts, orphanage construction and rehabilitation, reconstruction of internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, borehole projects, security logistics support, and constituency-level initiatives.

The Budget Office criticised what it called selective interpretation of a single budget line while ignoring supporting schedules, warning that such an approach misrepresents the true picture.

It also defended the existence of personnel costs within a development commission, noting that staffing funds are required for the professionals needed to deliver projects effectively, including engineers, procurement officers, project managers, monitoring teams, and financial oversight units.

“No development institution executes its mandate without institutional capacity,” the statement added.

The Budget Office further said the NEDC operates within accountability and oversight structures, including the MTEF, annual Appropriation Acts, National Assembly supervision, quarterly budget performance reporting, and statutory audits.

 

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VP Shettima leads Armed Forces Remembrance Day tribute in Abuja

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday attended the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day (AFCRD) ceremony at the cenotaph of the Unknown Soldier in Eagle Square, Abuja, representing President Bola Tinubu.

President Tinubu is currently in the United Arab Emirates to participate in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW).

The annual AFCRD, organised by the Ministry of Defence, is held to honour fallen Nigerian service personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. The event pays tribute to officers and men who died during the First and Second World Wars, the Nigerian Civil War, various peacekeeping missions, and internal security operations, including the ongoing fight against terrorism.

The ceremony also recognises living veterans and serves as a platform to mobilise financial and moral support for wounded service members, as well as the families of fallen heroes.

The Federal Government reaffirmed its appreciation for the sacrifices of Nigeria’s armed forces and urged individuals, organisations and the private sector to continue supporting service personnel, particularly injured veterans and bereaved families, during the remembrance period and beyond.

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Kano govt suspends doctors who left scissors in patient’s stomach

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Kano State Hospitals Management Board has admitted that the death of Aishatu Umar, a mother of five, was caused by medical negligence at the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre in Kano.

In a statement, its Public Relations Officer, Samira Suleiman, said preliminary investigation ordered by the Executive Secretary, Dr. Mansur Mudi Nagoda, confirmed that surgical scissors were left inside the patient’s body after a procedure.

The Board announced the immediate suspension of three personnel directly involved in the case from clinical duties.

It also referred the matter to the Kano State Medical Ethics Committee for further investigation and disciplinary measures in line with professional standards and the law.

“The Board extends its deepest condolences to the family of the late Aishatu Umar and sympathizes with them over this painful loss. We reassure the public that negligence will not be condoned in any form,” the statement read.

Daily Trust had earlier reported how Aishatu Umar died after doctors allegedly abandoned surgical scissors in her stomach following an operation at the government-owned Urology Centre in Kano.

Her husband, Abubakar Muhammad, narrated that his wife suffered severe complications after the surgery, which eventually led to her death despite repeated complaints to the hospital.

The incident sparked outrage among residents and raised concerns about poor oversight and accountability in public health facilities.

Many Nigerians also took to social media to demand justice for the deceased and reforms in the healthcare system.

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Abuja Court arraigns Popular Senator for ‘Raping’ 13 Year Old Girl

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Gwagwalada has arraigned a former senator representing Adamawa North, Ishaku Elisha Abbo, over allegations of rape involving a 13-year-old schoolgirl.

Abbo and a second defendant were brought before the court on Wednesday in a criminal matter filed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all counts.

The case, Charge No: CR/635/25, titled Inspector General of Police v. Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo & Anor, is being heard before Justice I. Mohammed in Court 50 of the FCT High Court, Gwagwalada.

When proceedings commenced, the court confirmed that the matter was properly constituted and that all parties were present.

Counsel appearances were announced with J. B. Anzaku representing the prosecution, while M. J. Numa (SAN) appeared for Abbo. Sunusi Musa (SAN) represented the second defendant.

Two other lawyers, K. O. Otumala and Dahiru Ibrahim, were present to watch brief for the nominal complainant, but the arrangement immediately drew an objection from Abbo’s legal team.

Abbo’s counsel challenged the propriety of “watching brief” in a superior court of record, urging the judge not to recognise their appearance.

Justice Mohammed, however, cautioned the defence against escalating what he described as a minor issue, directing counsel to provide judicial authorities in support of the objection. The judge added that the appearance could be struck out if the authorities were convincing.

Despite the objection, the court continued with the arraignment as the charges were read to both defendants in open court.

Following their not guilty pleas, counsel for the two defendants informed the court that bail applications had been filed and sought permission to move them.

The court granted the request, after which Abbo’s counsel argued his bail application. The prosecution filed a counter-affidavit in response, though it did not oppose the application. Defence counsel, however, raised concerns over what he termed late service of the counter-affidavit.

The second defendant’s bail application was also moved, with the prosecution similarly responding through a counter-affidavit.

After considering arguments from both sides, Justice Mohammed stood the matter down briefly to prepare rulings. On resumption, the court granted bail to both defendants with conditions.

Abbo was granted bail in the sum of ₦50 million, with two sureties of good repute, and was ordered to surrender his international passport. The second defendant was granted bail in the sum of ₦40 million, also with two sureties of good repute.

The case was adjourned to February 11, 2026, for hearing.

The arraignment follows earlier reports that the Nigeria Police filed multiple charges against the former lawmaker, relating to allegations of rape and sexual assault involving a minor. Investigators reportedly concluded there was sufficient basis for the matter to be tested in court.

Abbo represented Adamawa North Senatorial District until he lost his seat after an appellate court decision in October 2023.

 

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Savings in bank accounts won’t be taxed, only profits — NRS boss

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji, on Tuesday sought to calm public fears over the new tax laws, insisting that neither the old regime nor the new one empowers any authority to tax money sitting in Nigerians’ bank accounts.

“Whether old tax law or new tax law has nothing to do with your personal bank account, whether you’re a company or you are an individual.

“Don’t forget that tax is a percentage of your profits. So if you have an asset, the asset is not to be taxed. We only tax the profits. We only tax the return,” Adedeji said on Journalists’ Hangout, a programme aired on TVC.

His comments come amid widespread rumours and anxiety around the reforms that took effect on January 1, 2026, including claims that transfers, account narrations, or savings balances could trigger automatic deductions by tax authorities.

Adedeji dismissed such claims as miscommunication, adding that there is “no law that allows anybody to go into your bank account and tax you because you transfer money or you keep money.”

According to him, personal transfers, gifts, and intra-account movements do not fall under the tax net by default.

“If you transfer money from your account to my brother, that is a personal transaction between both of you. It has nothing to do with tax authority, whether at the state level or at the federal level,” he said.

He also pushed back against the idea that banks can be instructed to debit accounts for tax simply because of the existence of funds or the description attached to a transfer.

“There’s no such provision in any tax act. Whether you describe it or you don’t put any description, tax law, both the old law or even the new law that we have now has not given anybody any right to come into your personal account and tax you and instruct the bank to debit you,” he said.

Adedeji used the interview to frame the transition from the Federal Inland Revenue Service to the Nigeria Revenue Service as more than a change of name, describing it as an institutional overhaul designed to simplify compliance and modernise collection.

He said the transition provisions were embedded in the law signed in June, with commencement on January 1, 2026, based on the national tax policy principle that major changes should allow adjustment time for businesses and administrators.

Adedeji claimed early market signals supported the direction of the reform, though he did not cite figures.

He argued that beyond “rumours”, Nigeria had begun seeing positive responses reflected in market activity and broader sentiment.

He also urged Nigerians to assess the new laws “based on facts and data, not on rumours, pointing to the absence of any widespread incident since the commencement date.

 

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I have nothing against you” – Governor Okpebholo tells 52 arrested AAU students

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo has debunked claims that he is against those who protested the rising killings and abductions of students in Ekpoma.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the governor who met with the management of the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma in Edo State said he is working with the institution to review the recent security situation in the area and the state as a whole.

Recall that 52 students were arrested and detained by the Edo State government over their involvement in a protest that rocked Ekpoma over growing insecurity within the area.

However meeting with the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administration of AAU, Professor Andrew Eromonsele, the President of the Student Union of Ambrose Alli University, Osadebamen Michael, the governor reaffirmed his commitment to the students, parents and the AAU community.

His words, “I want to reassure students, parents, and the entire AAU community that my administration has nothing against the students. In fact, we have done more for the AAU community than any previous administration in the history of Edo State.”

He further directed that any confirmed student of the institution who has been unlawfully arrested in the process of restoring order will be promptly identified and released.

“The destruction of markets and property in Ekpoma is condemnable, and anyone found sponsoring or using hoodlums to destabilise our communities will be brought to justice, regardless of status or affiliation.

“The relevant security agencies, using technology-driven operations, are combing the bushes, leading to the arrest of suspected kidnappers and the recovery of firearms. We will continue to dismantle these criminal networks across Edo State.

“My government remains fully committed to restoring peace in Ekpoma and ensuring that Edo State is not held hostage by criminal elements,” Okpebholo said.

 

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