News

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Bola Tinubu’s claim that Nigeria is moving towards widespread prosperity, saying the economic reality faced by many Nigerians remains difficult.

Atiku made the criticism in his Independence Day address on Thursday, October 1, 2026, after Tinubu told Nigerians that the country’s economic outlook had improved after three and a half years of his administration.

Tinubu said Nigeria’s economy had grown by more than four per cent in 2026, with both the oil and non-oil sectors contributing to what he described as a period of stable growth. He also declared that the government’s focus had shifted from economic stabilisation to “shared and widespread prosperity.”

Responding to the President’s position, Atiku questioned how Nigerians could experience prosperity while many households continue to struggle with the cost of food, healthcare, transportation and other basic necessities.

He also criticised the administration’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and its approach to taxation, arguing that the measures had increased pressure on households and businesses.

Atiku stated, “And beyond the market, our nation is bleeding. Armed groups have killed thousands and driven families from their communities. Farmers fear their fields. Parents fear for children in their classrooms. Families dread the call demanding ransom for someone they love.

“A government that cannot make life affordable and cannot protect life has failed the two tests that matter most to its people.

“This is not the Nigeria our founders struggled to set free. But I will not ask you to surrender to despair. Despair is not a strategy. We have a path to recovery, and we must take it.

“Bola, where is this prosperity? Bola says inflation has fallen. A slower rise in prices does not restore what families have lost. He cites growth and rising exports. Nigerian businesses deserve credit for what they have achieved. But growth must improve lives. It cannot be a certificate of success that government awards itself while citizens struggle to survive.

“Bola, you call Nigeria a patient with cancer. After three years of your treatment, why is it harder for Nigerians to buy food, pay for medicine or even get to work? Why does your government have more money while the people can afford less?”

The former Vice-President also questioned the benefits Nigerians have received from the removal of fuel subsidy. He said citizens were more concerned about when the savings from the policy would translate into lower living costs.

Atiku proposed a production subsidy tied to fuel refined within Nigeria as part of his alternative economic plan.

He said, “My fellow Nigerians, I will not ask you to accept another promise without asking how it would work. Working with my running mate and our partners in the African Democratic Congress, I will pursue a clear purpose: make life affordable again.

“We will introduce a capped, budgeted production subsidy tied to verified fuel refined in Nigeria, including fuel from modular refineries. Imported petrol will not qualify. The benefit must reach consumers through lower pump prices. We will publish the costs, independently audit the payments and cut government waste to help fund the programme.

“The principle is simple: produce here, refine here, create jobs here and pay less here. If Bola disagrees, he should answer the proposal on its merits. Calling relief an addiction will not lower the price of petrol.

“Bola, your speech is full of ‘we will.’ We will make farming cheaper. We will power factories. We will create jobs. We will bring down prices. You have been President for more than three years. Nigerians are entitled to ask what you have done with the time already given to you.”

Atiku also raised concerns about government loan schemes, saying young Nigerians needed decent-paying jobs rather than loans to cope with rising living and education costs. He asked the government to explain the results of such programmes, their beneficiaries and the repayment obligations attached to them.

On the management of the national budget, he said:

“The confusion extends to your budgets. You have just signed an extension keeping the 2025 budget in operation until the last day of 2026.

“The 2026 budget exists alongside it. Soon, your government will ask Nigerians to examine a 2027 budget. How many budgets must be open at once before you can tell the country what was funded, what was completed and what remains unpaid? A budget should be a timetable for delivery, not a ball passed from one year to the next.

“Bola says his government reforms have a human face. Nigerians have spent three years looking for that face in the market, at the hospital and on the road to work. What they have found is deepening poverty, healthcare they cannot afford, school fees they struggle to pay, food beyond their reach and electricity bills that consume what little they earn.

“In communities under attack, people fear for their lives. A government cannot claim a human face while making it harder for Nigerians to eat, learn, seek treatment and stay alive.”

Atiku further criticised the government’s claim that lower production costs would eventually reduce prices. He said farmers and manufacturers continued to face insecurity, high electricity costs and other challenges that raise the cost of production.

He also challenged the government’s claims about cheaper transportation and called for details of the routes and fares covered by the initiative.

Atiku said, “Bola, you have put the weight of Nigeria’s economic well-being on a skateboard. Families are struggling to keep their balance, businesses are falling, and you stand in Aso Rock declaring that the journey to prosperity is going smoothly.

“In your Independence Day speech, you found time to attack my plan to make life affordable. But you did not tell commuters which additional routes became cheaper today, what the fares were before, what they cost now, or how many people can use them. Lower fares on a few routes are welcome, but they do not solve the transport crisis facing the rest of the country.

“Bola, was this a Yahoo Yahoo promise or a hurried reply to my production subsidy proposal? You advertised cheaper transport from October 1. Today is October 1, and commuters are still asking where they can find the lower fares. Show them the routes and the prices. Nigerians cannot board an announcement.

“Bola, publish the routes, the fares and the number of people benefiting. Show Nigerians the cheaper journey you promised.”

The ADC candidate also addressed political rights and the rule of law. He called for due process in the cases of Sheikh Sani Khalifa Zaria, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and Nnamdi Kanu.

He also renewed his call for the release of five young Nigerians arrested in Borno State over their alleged use of “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts.

Atiku concluded his address with an appeal for Nigerians to demand accountability through democratic means.

He stated, “We have looked back. We have counted what fuel costs, what food costs and what a wage can still buy. We have seen families waiting for relief while government asks for more patience. We have heard promises of prosperity from a President who cannot show millions of Nigerians where to find it.

“Our founders did not win sovereignty so that a few could prosper while millions merely survive.

“Their promise lives in ordinary hopes: a meal a family can afford, a safe road home, a child free to learn, and work that offers a path to a better life. Those hopes are neither extravagant nor beyond Nigeria’s reach.

“Bola, the Promised Land is not in sight merely because you can see it from the villa. Nigerians must be able to reach it. We have chosen a different course, peacefully and together, through the power of our votes; the message is clear: Tinubu must go.”

Tinubu, in his Independence Day address, defended his administration’s economic policies and said the reforms had improved Nigeria’s economic outlook. He cited economic growth, lower inflation from its peak, improved foreign reserves and increased non-oil export revenue as indicators of progress.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Public service workers under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council have commenced a three-day warning strike over what the council described as worsening economic and mental hardship affecting workers and their dependants.

The industrial action began at midnight on Friday, October 2, and is scheduled to end on Sunday, October 4, 2026.

The council directed its national and state leadership to mobilise workers across the country for the strike through a circular dated October 1 and signed by its National Secretary, Olowoyo Gbenga.

The decision, according to the council, followed the Federal Government’s alleged failure to respond to demands contained in a letter submitted to President Bola Tinubu on September 21, 2026.

The council stated, “Consequent upon the above, the strike shall start with effect from midnight on Friday, 2nd October, 2026 to Sunday October 4th, 2026.”

It directed public servants across the federal, state and local government services to participate in the action.

The council stated, “In the same vein, all public servants in the services of federal, state and local governments are to join the warning strike because an injury to one is an injury to all, most especially, all workers, their dependants, vulnerable and hapless Nigerians are groaning terribly under the present economic hardship.”

The labour body said the difficulties facing workers had reached an increasingly critical level.

It added, “The economic and mental hardships are becoming unbearable and frustrating.”

The council also instructed its leaders to commence mobilisation for the industrial action immediately.

“The time to act and mobilise workers for the three-day warning strike is now!!!” it declared.

The strike follows earlier demands by the JNPSNC for measures to reduce the impact of rising living costs on workers. Among the demands were a reduction in petrol prices, an immediate wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage ahead of 2027.

The council had called for the pump price of petrol to be reduced to N500 per litre and urged the Federal Government to approve a wage award for workers. It also demanded the establishment of a tripartite committee to negotiate a new national minimum wage.

The demands come amid concerns over the rising prices of food, transportation and other essential goods, which have affected the purchasing power of workers and their families.

The council urged its members to ensure that the strike notice reached workers across the country and expressed confidence in the outcome of the industrial action.

“Please, disseminate the information!!! Surely, there is victory for us!!!” the circular added.

As of the time of the notice, the council maintained that the strike would proceed as scheduled, with workers in the three tiers of government expected to participate.

Efforts to obtain a response from the Ministry of Labour were unsuccessful as of the time of filing the report.

By Salmanu Isah Darazo

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has launched an 18-month intervention aimed at equipping 25,000 women and girls in Bauchi and Kano states with digital and entrepreneurship skills.

The project, tagged “Addressing the Gender Digital Divide and Expanding Business Opportunities for Women and Girls in Northern Nigeria (Agenda-WINNIG),” seeks to improve women’s access to digital opportunities through training in digital literacy, online safety, digital hygiene and entrepreneurship.

Speaking at a stakeholder engagement in Bauchi on Tuesday, CITAD Programme Manager, Fatima Babakura, said the intervention began in February 2026 and is expected to run until July or August 2027.

She said the project has three major components: basic digital literacy and online safety, computer-based testing (CBT) coaching for secondary school students and digital entrepreneurship for women and girls.

Babakura said 15,000 women and girls would receive training in basic digital literacy, online safety and digital hygiene.

She added that another 5,000 final-year secondary school girls, particularly those preparing for JAMB examinations, would receive CBT training to improve their ability to take computer-based examinations.

According to her, the entrepreneurship component would target an additional 5,000 women and girls, with training focused on using digital platforms to promote their products, reach more customers and expand their businesses online.

She said beneficiaries would be selected from Bauchi and Kano states, with particular attention to women and girls in rural and underserved communities.

Babakura explained that the stakeholder engagement was organised to identify challenges affecting women’s participation in the digital space and gather recommendations that could improve the implementation of the intervention.

She said recommendations from stakeholder engagements at the state and federal levels would also contribute to a policy brief aimed at addressing the gender digital divide and expanding access to digital opportunities for women and girls.

Also speaking, CITAD Programme Officer and Head of the Bauchi Team, Mujahid Ibrahim, said the organisation was working with community-based organisations and other local networks to identify and mobilise beneficiaries, particularly those in hard-to-reach areas.

“We use the network of community-based organisations and partners in the communities to mobilise beneficiaries, after which we go to the communities to conduct the training,” Ibrahim said.

He said the project covers all 20 local government areas of Bauchi State, with community mobilisers supporting the identification and mobilisation of beneficiaries for the various training programmes.

According to Ibrahim, the project has already reached its targeted number of beneficiaries in Bauchi, while training under the different components continues.

He described the stakeholder engagement as productive, saying participants offered recommendations on how to strengthen the implementation of the project.

Ibrahim said stakeholders had been consulted before the commencement of the intervention, while the latest meeting was held at the end of the second quarter to review progress and obtain further input.

“We captured their advice on how to go about the project before we started, and now, at the end of the second quarter, we have called them again and they have responded and are contributing.

“Their contributions are very important because we are receiving their insights on how to improve the implementation of the project,” he said.

The engagement brought together representatives of government institutions, community leaders, information technology organisations, civil society groups, community-based organisations, traditional and religious leaders, lecturers, financial institutions, private-sector organisations and development partners.

Ibrahim said their involvement was important because of their roles in education, capacity building, financing, knowledge acquisition and community development.

He added that the project seeks to strengthen women’s digital inclusion and entrepreneurship by equipping beneficiaries with practical skills and improving their access to opportunities in the digital economy.

The stakeholder engagement is part of CITAD’s wider activities under Agenda-WINNIG, which focuses on digital inclusion, online safety, CBT preparedness and entrepreneurship among women and girls in Bauchi and Kano states.

By Kasim Isa Muhammad

The Presidential Media Team on Tuesday inspected the ongoing construction of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks Phase II in Abuja, a major Nigerian Army accommodation project approved and funded by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The inspection was led by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Chief Sunday Dare, PhD, CON, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, Mr. Otega Ogra.

The project is designed to provide accommodation for more than 1,000 soldiers and their families, with the completed facilities expected to serve a population of over 6,000 people.

The development includes 30 family quarters, six blocks of senior officers’ accommodation, an Army club, MAMI market, bridges, drainage systems and other supporting infrastructure.

Speaking during the inspection, Chief Sunday Dare said the project was one of the visible outcomes of the Federal Government’s decision to redirect resources towards infrastructure and development following the removal of fuel subsidy.

According to him, projects of this scale were difficult to undertake when substantial public resources were committed to subsidy payments.

Dare said the barracks project reflects the administration’s effort to improve the welfare of military personnel while also investing in infrastructure that supports national security.

He urged Nigerians to pay attention to the projects being implemented under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that some of the policies of the administration are beginning to produce visible physical projects.

Mr. Otega Ogra also described the project as part of the government’s broader investment in security infrastructure. He noted that the construction was providing employment and business opportunities for Nigerians involved directly and indirectly in the project.

The economic impact was also reflected in the experience of workers at the site.

One of the labourers, Usman, said his work on the project had enabled him to establish a family. He explained that before securing the job, he had not been able to get married. He is now married and has a child.

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks Phase II is part of wider infrastructure and welfare developments within the Nigerian Army.

Similar projects are nearing completion in Ekiti State, while expansion work is ongoing at the Nigerian Army Depot in Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State, as well as other military infrastructure projects, including the Osogbo project in Osun State.

The projects are being implemented alongside other measures aimed at strengthening the Nigerian Army, including improvements in personnel welfare, recruitment, training, equipment and operational capacity.

Four additional military divisions have been created, while the government has announced plans for additional recruitment. Military salaries have also been increased, alongside the procurement of combat-enabling equipment, including drones.

The military has also continued operations against terrorist groups, with the Federal Government reporting that more than 10,000 terrorists have been neutralised, over 8,000 apprehended and approximately 7,700 hostages rescued. Support has also been provided for more than 12,000 children of fallen military personnel.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, is responsible for the military implementation and supervision of projects and initiatives within the Nigerian Army.

The progress of the Abuja barracks project is therefore one part of the broader effort to improve the Army’s infrastructure and welfare system.

For the soldiers and their families who will eventually occupy the facilities, the project represents more than a construction programme. The residential quarters and supporting infrastructure are expected to provide a more structured living environment for personnel serving in the nation’s capital.

The project also illustrates how government investment in infrastructure can generate economic activity during construction, while creating long-term public assets after completion.

The Presidential Media Team’s inspection provided an opportunity to assess the progress of the project and its wider relevance to military welfare and national security.

As construction continues, the focus will ultimately be on completing the facilities to the required standard and putting them into use for the soldiers and families they were designed to serve.

By Uzair Adam

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, says more than 380 suspects have been arrested, while over 230 convictions have been secured within the first two months of the state government’s intensified campaign against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

Yusuf disclosed this on Thursday while delivering an address at the 66th Independence Anniversary celebration held at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium, Kano.

According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor said the state government established the Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in July 2026.

He said the administration also issued an Executive Order aimed at strengthening the fight against illicit substances, thuggery and other related criminal activities across the state.

Yusuf added that the task force had dismantled several drug joints and criminal hideouts in different parts of Kano since its establishment.

The governor described the fight against drug abuse and criminality as a collective responsibility requiring the involvement of government institutions, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, communities, parents and citizens.

He urged young people to shun drugs, violence and criminal activities, encouraging them instead to pursue education, agriculture, technology, entrepreneurship, vocational training and creative industries.

Yusuf said his administration would continue to support security agencies, strengthen community-based intelligence gathering and address social challenges contributing to crime and insecurity.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating a safer environment where young people can pursue lawful businesses and contribute meaningfully to the development of Kano State.

By Uzair Adam

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has outlined what he described as key economic achievements recorded since the beginning of his administration, saying Nigeria has reached a new phase of economic recovery and growth.

Speaking during his Independence Day broadcast on Thursday, the President said recent indicators showed signs of improvement in the nation’s economy, citing growth of over four per cent in 2026 driven by both oil and non-oil sectors.

Tinubu also highlighted reductions in oil theft, a decline in inflation from previous highs, improved foreign reserves and stability in the foreign exchange market.

According to him, Nigeria generated more than six billion dollars in non-oil export earnings in 2025, which he described as the highest figure ever recorded by the country.

“These are not idle claims,” the President said, adding that international organisations, development partners, journalists and civil society groups had acknowledged Nigeria’s improving economic resilience.

Tinubu declared that the period of emergency economic reforms had ended, noting that the government had laid a solid foundation for future growth.

“The emergency treatment is over. The foundation has been repaired,” he said.

He explained that the administration’s next priority would be ensuring that economic growth translates into better living conditions for Nigerians through affordable food, reliable electricity, improved transportation, easier access to credit and more employment opportunities.

The President said government policies would focus on lowering production and transport costs, expanding agricultural activities through mechanisation and improving critical infrastructure such as roads, rail lines, ports and storage facilities.

He also pledged support for industrial development through increased gas supply to industries, revival of factories, expansion of digital infrastructure and improved financing for businesses.

Tinubu acknowledged the economic challenges facing many Nigerians, including rising costs of food, education, healthcare and transportation, but assured citizens that social intervention programmes would continue alongside long-term development efforts.

“Our objective is not to manage poverty more efficiently. We will defeat it,” he said.

The President added that Nigeria had moved into what he described as a new era of prosperity and called on citizens to remain hopeful and work collectively towards national progress.

By Uzair Adam

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has outlined what he described as key economic achievements recorded since the beginning of his administration, saying Nigeria has reached a new phase of economic recovery and growth.

Speaking during his Independence Day broadcast on Thursday, the President said recent indicators showed signs of improvement in the nation’s economy, citing growth of over four per cent in 2026 driven by both oil and non-oil sectors.

Tinubu also highlighted reductions in oil theft, a decline in inflation from previous highs, improved foreign reserves and stability in the foreign exchange market.

According to him, Nigeria generated more than six billion dollars in non-oil export earnings in 2025, which he described as the highest figure ever recorded by the country.

“These are not idle claims,” the President said, adding that international organisations, development partners, journalists and civil society groups had acknowledged Nigeria’s improving economic resilience.

Tinubu declared that the period of emergency economic reforms had ended, noting that the government had laid a solid foundation for future growth.

“The emergency treatment is over. The foundation has been repaired,” he said.

He explained that the administration’s next priority would be ensuring that economic growth translates into better living conditions for Nigerians through affordable food, reliable electricity, improved transportation, easier access to credit and more employment opportunities.

The President said government policies would focus on lowering production and transport costs, expanding agricultural activities through mechanisation and improving critical infrastructure such as roads, rail lines, ports and storage facilities.

He also pledged support for industrial development through increased gas supply to industries, revival of factories, expansion of digital infrastructure and improved financing for businesses.

Tinubu acknowledged the economic challenges facing many Nigerians, including rising costs of food, education, healthcare and transportation, but assured citizens that social intervention programmes would continue alongside long-term development efforts.

“Our objective is not to manage poverty more efficiently. We will defeat it,” he said.

The President added that Nigeria had moved into what he described as a new era of prosperity and called on citizens to remain hopeful and work collectively towards national progress.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will address Nigerians at 7am on Thursday, October 1, as part of activities marking the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

The announcement was contained in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

Onanuga advised television and radio stations, as well as other electronic media organisations, to link up with the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) for the broadcast.

The address will be Tinubu’s fourth Independence Day broadcast since he assumed office as President on May 29, 2023.

The annual presidential broadcast has become a major part of Nigeria’s Independence Day celebrations, which commemorate the country’s attainment of independence from British colonial rule on October 1, 1960.

During the nationwide address, Tinubu is expected to speak on the state of the nation and outline key policies and programmes of his administration.

The 2026 Independence Day celebration is expected to be low-key, with the government placing emphasis on reflection rather than elaborate festivities.

The Federal Government has also announced the theme of this year’s anniversary as “From Reforms to Stability: Consolidating Nigeria’s Renewed Hope for Shared Prosperity.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Three vigilantes from Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State have reportedly been killed by suspected bandits while returning from Agwara in neighbouring Niger State.

The incident was reported on Wednesday by North-West crisis reporter Bakatsine in a post on his X account.

The victims were identified as Abubakar Mai Nera, the vigilante commander in Saminaka, Tanko Sarki and Amadu Saminaka. They were said to be from Saminaka and Bakinturu communities.

According to local sources cited by Bakatsine, the vigilantes came under attack around Kasabo, Binuwa and Mago, locations along the River Kwara near the Niger-Kebbi border.

The attackers reportedly set the victims ablaze after the assault.

The incident was said to have occurred on Friday, but the bodies of the three vigilantes had not been recovered as of Wednesday.

Local authorities and residents were reportedly conducting search operations to locate the victims and establish further details about the incident.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

At least three people have died while several others sustained injuries after a stampede at the Niger State Government House in Minna.

The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday night after a large crowd gathered at the Government House. The injured victims were taken to the General Hospital in Minna for treatment.

Reports indicated that the gathering was initially linked to efforts by government officials to engage youths who were planning a protest over the recent deaths of 37 artisanal miners in the state.

Two of the victims were identified as Dije and her daughter, Hurairat, who were internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area.

Hurairat’s husband, Abubakar, was reportedly killed by bandits in 2023 along the Allawa–Pandogari Road. Following repeated attacks that forced residents to abandon the community, Hurairat relocated to Minna as an IDP.

Sources said Dije, who was living with her husband in Gurmana, had travelled to visit her daughter when they heard reports that money would be distributed at the Government House. They subsequently joined the crowd.

Mallam Musa Allawa, an IDP, told journalists that the mother and daughter were scheduled to be buried on Wednesday morning.

Earlier, some government appointees had posted on social media that youths gathered at the Government House to express solidarity with Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago.

However, a government source said the crowd later increased after reports spread that the governor would distribute N10,000 to people who gathered at the venue.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Bologi Ibrahim, said the state government would issue an official statement on the incident.

The spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, also said he would verify the incident and provide further details.