Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Henzodaily roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 6th February, 2025
The federal government has disclosed that the 2025 budget was increased from ₦49.7 trillion to ₦54.2 trillion because there is a consensus that revenue-generating institutions concerned can raise more funds.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, made the disclosure on Wednesday shortly after seeing off President Bola Tinubu at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, en route to France.
He explained that after crucial examination by the executive and legislative arms during the screening of the initial budget presented by Tinubu, it was discovered that government-owned enterprises, including the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), can contribute more revenue if they are tasked with the responsibility.
He said the report was presented to President Tinubu, who adopted it, hence the additional ₦4.5 trillion, which was added to the 2025 Appropriation Bill, which is pending at the National Assembly for consideration and passage.
The Minister explained that the additional revenue would be used to further strengthen the Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry, and support the diversification program by putting more money in the solid minerals sector as well as infrastructure projects.
The Nigerian Senate has approved the request from President Bola Tinubu to sack three Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The approval was given on Wednesday during plenary following a letter to the lawmakers by President Tinubu.
Henzodaily recalls President Tinubu had written to the Senate requesting the immediate termination of appointments of suspended Residents Electoral Commissioners (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for Sokoto, Adamawa and Abia States.
This was contained in a letter to the Senate read on Wednesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary.
The suspended RECs are Ike Uzochukwu, (Abia), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, (Adamawa), and Nura Ali (Sokoto).
Following the request, the lawmakers in the red chamber approved the termination of the employment of the three RECs.
Sponsor of the motion and Leader of the Senate, Michael Bamidele Opeyemi, sought the invocation of Section 157 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, saying that the law empowers the Chamber to approve the request.
The Senate thereafter activated the relevant provisions of the Constitution and approved the termination of the appointment of the affected Commissioners.
The President is expected to ask the red chambers to confirm nominees to fill the vacant offices in the coming days.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the immediate retirement of senior officers within the Nigeria Police Force who have either surpassed the age of 60 or have served for over 35 years.
Among those affected by the directive are Simon Lough (SAN), the Head of the NPF Legal Section, and Benneth Igweh, a former Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory.
These officers have been linked to allegations of document forgery, record falsification, and breaches of service regulations.
The directive was detailed in a letter dated February 1, 2025, signed by CP Bode Akinbamilowo, Deputy Force Secretary, on behalf of the Inspector General of Police. The letter was addressed to senior officials, including Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, Commandants of Police Staff Colleges in Jos and Kano, Commissioners of Police, and Commandants of Police Colleges nationwide.
The letter, titled “Re: Police Service Commission Decision At Its 1st Extraordinary Meeting Of The 6th Management Board On The Regularisation Of Date Of First Appointment Of Cadet ASPs/Inspectors Force Entrants,” outlined the implementation process for the decision.
Embattled Senator Samuel Anyanwu has rejected the declaration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) of Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s authentic National Secretary.
Anyanwu said the decision of the BoT is, at best an advice and can’t be taken seriously. He also questioned his non-invitation to the meeting.
According to him, the matter is already in court, and the tenure of 80% of the BoT members who attended the meeting at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja has already expired.
Henzodaily recalls the PDP BoT, at the end of their meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, declared Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s national secretary.
In a ten-point communique read by its chairman, Adolphus Wabara, the BoT called on the National Working Committee to inaugurate Ude-Okoye in line with Enugu court judgement.
However, Anyanwu, who is also laying claim to the position, dismissed the submission of the BoT.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the change in the retirement age of medical doctors and other healthcare professionals in the country from 60 to 65 years.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Mannir Bature, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday.
He added that President Tinubu has also approved the allocation and disbursement of funds necessary to settle their outstanding arrears.
Bature noted that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has been tasked with officially submitting the approval to the Council on Establishment via the Office of the Head of Service for final confirmation.
He mentioned that the change in policy was communicated by Pate during an important meeting with the NMA President, Prof. Bala Audu, alongside crucial stakeholders in the health sector.
He stated that the coordinating minister has verified that the outstanding payments stemming from the adjustments to the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) are scheduled for disbursement.
Mr. Bature cited the minister’s statement indicating that President Tinubu has given his approval for the necessary adjustments to be made for both the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), which are a result of the implementation of the new minimum wage.
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has backed prominent activist and politician, Najaatu Mohammed, stating that her statement about National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu’s remark against President Bola Tinubu is accurate.
Henzodaily reports that Mohammed had alleged that Ribadu previously described Tinubu as corrupt but has now aligned himself with Tinubu’s administration as NSA.
In response, Ribadu, through his lawyer Ahmed Raji, issued a letter dated February 4 demanding a public apology and retraction, stating that the claims had caused him “unquantifiable damage.”
The letter refuted the allegations, stating that Ribadu had never made such remarks about Tinubu, Senator George Akume, or Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. It also accused Mohammed of inciting public sentiment against him and attempting to damage his reputation.
The letter further warned that failure to retract the statement within seven days and publish an apology in five national newspapers would result in legal action seeking exemplary damages.
In a post via X on Wednesday, El-Rufai stated that Ribadu has severe amnesia, stressing that the record of proceedings in the Senate will confirm that Nuhu made those statements sometime in 2006.
According to him, the statement was subsequently published in a newspaper, which confirms its essence.
Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed agony over the death of 17 schoolchildren who lost their lives in a fire incident which occurred in Zamfara State.
Obi, who described the death as devastating and tragic, called for the installation of safety measures in schools.
He also demanded a thorough investigation from the Zamfara State government into the cause of the fire incident at an Almajiri school in Kaura Namoda to prevent a future occurrence of such a disaster.
As a nation, the former Anambra State Governor said Nigeria could not continue to lose its future to such preventable tragedies and, therefore, appealed to the federal and state governments to strengthen school infrastructure, enforce safety regulations, and invest in emergency response systems so children can learn in a good and secure environment.
The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), Adolphus Wabara, has blamed the chaos which broke out during its January 29 meeting at the party’s national secretariat on inadequate security.
Wabara, who made the submission on Wednesday, added that the PDP BoT has, therefore, resolved not to hold meetings at the party’s headquarters until security improves at the venue.
Henzodaily reports Wabara spoke on Wednesday at the BoT meeting held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
He described the January incident as unfortunate and urged the PDP leadership to take urgent steps to ensure the safety of the secretariat for party affairs.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has left Nigeria for Paris, France, on a private visit, ahead of his scheduled attendance at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu will use the opportunity of his stay in France to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Although details of the private visit remain undisclosed, there is speculation that discussions between Tinubu and Macron may center on economic partnerships, trade relations, and diplomatic cooperation between Nigeria and France.
After his visit to Paris, President Tinubu will proceed to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to participate in the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU Heads of State, scheduled to hold from February 12 to 16, 2025.
Armed bandits launched a deadly attack on Tsohuwan Gayan village in Kaduna State’s Chikun Local Government Area on Tuesday night, killing four residents.
Two others sustained injuries and were rushed to an undisclosed hospital in Kaduna town for treatment.
A local source who assisted in the burial of the victims described the assailants as heavily armed and executing a well-coordinated assault.
According to the source, the victims’ bodies were riddled with bullets, and two survivors, initially presumed dead, were later found to be alive after the attackers had left.
Residents of the village remain in fear of a potential return by the assailants, who accused them of collaborating with security forces.