The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has demanded the immediate removal of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, following allegations linking him to banditry, describing the claims as “shocking and deeply troubling.”

In a statement signed by the President of the NANS Headquarters Senate, Usman Adamu Nagwaza, on Monday, the student body said Nigerians deserved transparency and accountability in the handling of the matter.

The association said it was committed to fighting corruption and ensuring government officials were held responsible for their actions, stressing that the public must be protected from abuse of power.

NANS expressed concern over Matawalle’s alleged relationship with bandits, calling it a “serious breach of trust” that questioned his integrity and suitability to remain in office.

The statement highlighted that the allegations were particularly disturbing given the minister’s role in defending the nation against security threats.

“His alleged relationship with bandits is a betrayal of the trust reposed in him by the Nigerian people and undermines the government’s efforts to combat insecurity,” the association said.

NANS demanded Matawalle’s removal pending a full investigation, insisting such action was necessary to ensure a fair and unhindered inquiry, prevent further damage to national security, and restore public confidence.

The student body warned that the minister’s alleged ties to criminals could embolden banditry and worsen the displacement of innocent Nigerians.

It also issued a one-week ultimatum for his removal, threatening to mobilise students nationwide to block major highways if the government failed to act.

The association further urged President Bola Tinubu to act decisively, warning that Nigerians would not tolerate corruption or complicity with terrorists.

“It is essential that the government takes decisive action to address these allegations. The rule of law must be upheld, and all wrongdoing punished,” NANS stated.

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has ordered an immediate investigation and emergency relief measures following a fire outbreak that destroyed parts of the popular Gombe timber market, known as Kasuwar Katako, along the Railway Station area of the state capital.

The inferno, which occurred on Monday night after traders had closed for the day, razed several shops and goods, leaving many traders counting heavy losses.

In a statement issued by the Director-General, Press Affairs, Gombe Government House, Ismaila Misilli, the governor described the incident as painful and distressing, noting that it had disrupted the livelihoods of many hardworking residents who depend on the market for survival.

Yahaya expressed sympathy with affected traders and business owners, assuring them of the state government’s support at what he described as a difficult moment

“We assure them that the government stands firmly with them at this difficult moment,” the governor said.

He directed the Gombe State Emergency Management Agency and other relevant agencies to immediately assess the extent of the damage, investigate the cause of the fire and provide urgent relief to victims to cushion the impact of their losses.

The governor commended the Gombe State Fire Service, personnel from Gombe State University, the Federal Fire Service, private tanker operators, security agencies and the Nigerian Red Cross Society for their swift intervention, which he said helped to prevent the fire from spreading further.

While urging victims to remain calm, Yahaya reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening fire prevention and response mechanisms across the state, including plans to establish a fully equipped, state-of-the-art fire service office.

The statement also noted that the governor was briefed on an accident involving one of the firefighting trucks during the operation, expressing concern for those affected and praying for their quick recovery.

A governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State, Funso Doherty, has criticised the N4.237 trillion 2026 budget proposal presented by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, alleging inaccuracies in the figures, weak fiscal transparency, and questionable spending priorities.

In an open letter dated Thursday, December 11, 2025, and addressed to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Doherty described the budget estimates submitted to lawmakers on November 25, 2025, as flawed and in need of urgent clarification before legislative approval.

The Lagos State House of Assembly has since passed the appropriation bill through second reading and referred it to the House Committee on Economic Planning and Budget for detailed scrutiny, with a mandate to report back within five weeks.

In his letter, Doherty argued that the headline figures in the budget were incorrectly presented.

He noted that the proposal outlined a total expenditure of N4.237 trillion, made up of N2.052 trillion in recurrent spending and N2.185 trillion in capital expenditure.

However, he pointed out that the recurrent component reportedly includes about N383 billion earmarked for debt servicing, which he argued should be classified as capital expenditure.

According to him, this misclassification distorts the true size of both the recurrent and capital budgets, potentially rendering the overall figures inaccurate.

Doherty also questioned the internal coherence of the proposal, stating that when sectoral allocations were added together, they amounted to roughly N3.4 trillion, significantly below the total budget figure presented.

“One or both sets of figures cannot be correct,” he said.

Beyond numerical discrepancies, the PDP aspirant criticised what he described as the Lagos State Government’s lack of transparency in the budgeting process.

He argued that the public is routinely denied access to detailed budget proposals until after the Appropriation Act has been passed, limiting opportunities for independent review and public input.

He raised concerns over the scale of spending on consultancy and professional services, noting that such costs allegedly account for nearly 15 per cent of the state’s total recurrent expenditure.

“At that scale, it is unclear what services justify these recurring costs and why such a large proportion of public funds is being devoted to them,” he said.

Doherty also accused the state government of backsliding on transparency despite increased revenues following the removal of fuel subsidies and currency devaluation.

He claimed that information on contract awards was no longer being routinely published by the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, as required by law.

On spending priorities, Doherty argued that Lagos State has consistently underfunded key social sectors essential for human development.

He said that over a five-year period, combined spending on education, health, housing, and water supply accounted for only 17 per cent of total government expenditure.

According to him, in a state with a youthful population such as Lagos, education and health should each receive allocations of close to 15 per cent.

He described it as disturbing that the 2025 capital allocation to the Lagos State House of Assembly alone reportedly exceeded the combined allocations for health and education.

Doherty said the consequences of what he termed prolonged underinvestment were visible in poor public school outcomes, persistent housing shortages, and under-five mortality rates.

He also criticised what he called a pattern of overly optimistic revenue forecasts in Lagos budgets.

He noted that while the 2026 budget projects total revenue of N4.237 trillion, actual revenues as of September 2025 stood at N2.07 trillion, against a full-year projection of N3.37 trillion.

“Persistent overestimation of revenue undermines effective planning, prioritisation, and execution of government programmes,” he said.

While acknowledging some marginal improvements in budget preparation, Doherty urged the House of Assembly to demand greater openness from the executive.

He called on lawmakers to ensure that detailed budget proposals for 2026 and subsequent fiscal years are made publicly available during the legislative process, before passage into law.

Efforts to obtain a response from the Lagos State Government were unsuccessful, as the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report.

Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Governor Ademola Adeleke have exchanged words following the emergence of Bola Oyebamiji as the APC governorship candidate for the 2026 election.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the APC accused Governor Adeleke of being jittery and restless over Oyebamiji’s emergence through a seamless consensus primary held in Osogbo on Saturday, December 13, 2025.

The party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, said the governor’s reaction, conveyed through his spokesman, to comments credited to the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, reflected unease within the governor’s camp.

Professor Yilwatda had reportedly said the APC could not afford to lose additional states after the recent governorship election in Anambra State, a remark that drew criticism from the Osun State Government.

The APC also alleged that Governor Adeleke’s administration had performed poorly in governance, citing the dismissal of teachers and health workers employed by the previous administration of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, now Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.

“The people of Osun State are tired of mere edifices without adequate manpower in schools and hospitals. The APC’s candidate is prepared to contest and win the August 8, 2026 election,” he said

The party while challenging Governor Adeleke to a televised debate with Oyebamiji, who is tested and experienced, advised the governor to prepare for a transition of power.

Reacting, Governor Adeleke dismissed the APC’s claims and reaffirmed his determination to seek re-election, declaring that he would defeat Oyebamiji by the might of God and the people.

In a statement signed by his spokesman, Olawale Rasheed, the governor described comments attributed to Oyetola at the APC primary as wishful thinking and illusory grandstanding.

Governor Adeleke characterised the previous APC administration as an anti-people era and alleged that Osun State faced economic and social challenges when he assumed office in 2022.

He said his government enjoyed the backing of the people through people-oriented policies in workers’ welfare, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and inclusive development.

“The people of the State are fully satisfied with the responsive governance being delivered by the present administration,” he stated.

Governor Adeleke also accused the APC of resorting to anti-democratic practices, questioning the party’s confidence in its popularity ahead of the 2026 polls.

He maintained that his administration was reversing past challenges and restoring dignity to governance.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has scored significant breakthroughs in its nationwide fight against illicit drugs, arresting a notorious supplier to bandits in Niger and Zamfara states and intercepting large consignments of cannabis, opioids, and other controlled substances across Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Sunday, NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said 33-year-old Mohammed Sani, known as Gamboli, was arrested three weeks after narrowly escaping a previous raid on his residence in Anguwan Makera, Kuta, Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State.

NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence had raided Gamboli’s house on November 20, recovering 471.8 kilograms of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis. Gamboli escaped at the time and went into hiding.

“Intelligence reports revealed that Gamboli was a major supplier of illicit drugs to bandits terrorising Shiroro Local Government Area,” Babafemi said.

He was eventually arrested on December 11 at one of his drug joints in Anguwan Fadama, Kuta.

In another operation, NDLEA intercepted 907 pills of tramadol, tapentadol, cocodamol, amitriptyline, and bromazepam concealed in containers of black soap and designer clothing.

The consignments, bound for the United States, Canada, and Sweden, were seized at two courier companies in Lagos between December 9 and 10.

At the Apapa seaport, Lagos, NDLEA officers, working with the Nigeria Customs Service, intercepted 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 23,579 kilograms on December 13.

In Abia State, operatives uncovered a clandestine codeine syrup factory at Amapu Igbengwo village, Umuakpara, Osisioma Local Government Area, recovering 9,015 bottles weighing 1,152.2 kilograms.

In Enugu State, Ossai Emeka, 45, was arrested along the Onitsha–Enugu Ezike Road with 7.2 kilograms of skunk, while Enoje Agada, 40, was apprehended along the Enugu Ezike–Ette Road with 94.6 kilograms of the same substance.

Other seizures included:

Oyo State: 3.4 kg of skunk, 1.6 kg of Colorado (synthetic cannabis), and 400 g of methamphetamine at a joint known as Beere the California; Ajibade Faruk arrested, owner escaped.

Ibadan, Oyo: Olusanya Abosede, 35, arrested with 238.4 kg of skunk.

Badagry, Lagos: Bashiru Babalola, 43, and Ugunwale Ranti, 50, arrested with 50,000 tramadol pills.

Ogun State: Akinwale Makanjuola and Joseph Owolabi arrested with 73 kg of skunk; Wasiu Lateef nabbed with 25 kg.

Ondo State: Veronica Obi, 55, and her son Bright Obi, 29, arrested with 1,187 kg of skunk and cannabis seeds.

Edo State: Ohiomah Igbafe, 44, arrested with 461 kg of skunk and seeds.

Gombe State: Muhammed Sani, alias Sha-Mu-Sha, 50, arrested with 40,000 tramadol capsules; Muhammad Abdullahi, 52, and Muhammed Hamza, 32, arrested with 56 kg of skunk.

Meanwhile, NDLEA commands nationwide intensified War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation campaigns in schools, workplaces, worship centres, and communities, including Katsina, Kano, Benue, and Enugu states.

Chairman and CEO of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), commended the officers involved, urging them to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control nationwide.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service on Sunday defended  its recently signed Memorandum of Understanding with France’s Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, amid concerns by the Northern Elders Forum that the agreement could compromise Nigeria’s tax data sovereignty.

FIRS, in a statement, stated that the MoU is a standard, globally recognised framework focused solely on technical assistance and capacity building.

The agency dismissed claims that it would result in handing over Nigerian taxpayer data or digital tax infrastructure to France.

“The MoU does not grant France access to Nigerian taxpayer data, digital systems, or any element of our operational infrastructure,” a statement from FIRS said

“All existing Nigerian laws on data protection, cybersecurity, and sovereignty remain fully applicable and strictly enforced. The NRS, like its predecessor FIRS, prioritises national security and maintains rigorous standards for the protection of all taxpayer information.”

The agency further noted that the agreement does not displace local technology providers. “FIRS and the emerging Nigeria Revenue Service continue to work closely with Nigerian innovators such as NIBSS, Interswitch, PayStack, and Flutterwave,” the statement added.

The Northern Elders Forum  had called for the immediate termination of the MoU, warning that it poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s economic sovereignty and national security.

In an open letter to the Federal Government, Senate, and House of Representatives, NEF described the MoU as a “dangerous tax data agreement” that could expose Nigeria’s most sensitive economic information to foreign control.

According to the letter, signed by NEF spokesperson Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, the MoU goes beyond technical cooperation, representing what the group termed “an unprotected gateway into the heart of Nigeria’s tax infrastructure.”

“The Northern Elders Forum writes today with grave concern and an overwhelming sense of patriotic duty,” the letter read. “Nigeria stands at a crossroads, one that threatens the very pillars of our economic sovereignty, national security, and collective dignity as an independent African nation. Yesterday’s signing of a MoU with France is not a harmless technical collaboration. It places our most sensitive economic data into the hands of a foreign power whose engagements across Africa have historically led to economic manipulation, political pressure, and strategic domination.”

The NEF argued that surrendering control of tax data could expose Nigeria to economic espionage, mass surveillance, and geopolitical blackmail, giving foreign actors insight into strategic sectors, revenue flows, and investment patterns. Jiddere cited historical examples of African nations that had resisted or reversed foreign interference in fiscal matters, warning Nigeria not to repeat past mistakes. “With insecurity ravaging our communities, the naira under pressure, unemployment high, and foreign interests circling our digital infrastructure, this is not the time to mortgage our national pride or hand over our economic soul,” he said.

The forum also criticised perceived legislative lapses, noting that proposed data-sovereignty amendments could have prevented the MoU without parliamentary scrutiny. NEF issued a final warning, demanding that the Federal Government and National Assembly terminate the FIRS–France MoU immediately, keep Nigeria’s tax data fully under national control, contract only Nigerian-owned technology companies to build and manage tax infrastructure, reintroduce and pass all data-sovereignty amendments before the Nigeria Revenue Service begins operations in January 2026, and prohibit any foreign entity from processing or storing Nigeria’s tax data.

“The Northern Elders Forum will oppose this deal with every moral, civic, and constitutional tool available,” the statement said. “This is no longer a policy issue. It is a matter of national survival.”

The MoU, signed on December 10, 2025, allows Nigeria to access advanced tools such as AI-powered audits, automated compliance systems, and real-time economic analytics while ensuring that only aggregated and anonymised data is shared.

FIRS maintains that the partnership is strictly a technical assistance and capacity-building framework and does not compromise Nigeria’s operational control or data sovereignty.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project  has urged the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to immediately enforce a court judgment directing him and President Bola Tinubu to publish the names of individuals indicted in the alleged misappropriation of N6tn linked to abandoned projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

The funds were reportedly meant for the execution of 13,777 projects undertaken by the NDDC between 2000 and 2019.

The judgment, delivered on November 10, 2025, by Justice Gladys Olotu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, followed a Freedom of Information suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1360/2021  filed by SERAP.

Justice Olotu also ordered the Attorney General and the President to publish and make available to the public the NDDC forensic audit report submitted to the Federal Government on September 2, 2021.

In a letter dated December 13, 2025, and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said the continued failure to acknowledge and enforce the judgment undermines the rule of law and Nigeria’s judicial system.

“The continuing failure and/or refusal to publicly acknowledge the judgment and immediately enforce it make a mockery of the country’s legal and judicial processes and the rule of law,” SERAP stated.

The organisation cited Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandates that decisions of Nigerian courts “shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and persons,” stressing that the provision admits no exception.

SERAP warned that failure to comply exposes responsible officials to contempt proceedings, including personal liability.

“Justice Olotu’s judgment is not advisory; it is final, binding, and immediately enforceable against you and President Tinubu,” the letter said.

SERAP argued that non-compliance contributes to ongoing corruption and impunity in ministries, departments and agencies, and violates Nigeria’s international human rights obligations relating to transparency and accountability.

“The Attorney General is the Chief Law Officer of the Federation and has the responsibility to uphold the Constitution, ensure compliance with judicial decisions, obey the rule of law and act in the public interest,” the organisation added.

SERAP maintained that immediate compliance would help restore public confidence in the Tinubu administration’s commitment to the rule of law and its pledge to address long-standing challenges in the Niger Delta.

The group referenced the Supreme Court’s decision in Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu (1986), which held that “the rule of law presupposes that the state is subject to the law” and warned that a government that disobeys court orders “invites anarchy.”

SERAP gave the Attorney General seven days to comply with the judgment or risk contempt proceedings.

In her ruling, Justice Olotu held that the NDDC forensic audit report and the names of persons indicted qualify as public records under Section 31 of the Freedom of Information Act and are not exempt from disclosure, as they relate to the use and management of public funds.

She further ruled that the refusal of the President and the Attorney General to publish the report or act on its findings constituted a breach of their statutory duties under the FOI Act, Section 15(5) of the Constitution, and Nigeria’s international obligations to promote transparency and accountability.

SERAP noted President Tinubu’s recent public commitment to improving the welfare of the Niger Delta, stressing that enforcing the judgment would help fulfil that pledge.

Edo State Governor and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Primary Election Committee, Monday Okpebholo, has urged party members in Osun State to close ranks and work collectively toward winning back the state in the 2026 governorship election.

Okpebholo made the call on Friday night during a stakeholders’ meeting at the APC secretariat in Osogbo, where he said the gathering emphasised the party’s commitment to internal democracy ahead of Saturday’s primary election.

He announced that the party would adopt the affirmation method for the primary, noting that all 1,660 delegates would undergo proper accreditation before being allowed into the venue.

Appealing for calm and cohesion, Okpebholo warned against post-primary divisions, stressing that unity would be critical to the party’s success in the general election.

“I appeal to everyone to remain united after the primary. Do not allow internal grievances to weaken our chances.

“Our collective goal is to return Osun State to the progressive family in 2026, and that can only be achieved if we work together,” he said.

The governor also assured party members that the primary election would be conducted transparently and fairly, in strict compliance with the directive of the APC National Working Committee, NWC.