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ADC Presidential Candidate Faults FG Over ₦1.08tn Allocation to Cooperative College

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Atiku

ADC Presidential Candidate Faults FG Over ₦1.08tn Allocation to Cooperative College

Former vice president and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has faulted the Federal Government over the allocation of ₦1.08tn to the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, Enugu State, in the 2026 Appropriation Act, describing it as evidence of “a blueprint to defraud Nigerians.”
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Atiku’s reaction followed an analysis of the 2026 budget by civic technology organisation, Tracka, which reportedly revealed that the Federal Cooperative College was designated to execute 2,791 capital projects spread across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Tracka, a public accountability initiative of BudgIT, monitors government budgets and tracks the implementation of public projects across Nigeria.

Its budget analyses have, over the years, highlighted irregular project allocations, questionable implementing agencies and concerns over transparency in public expenditure.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku commended Tracka for uncovering what he described as one of the most troubling examples of budget distortion under the present administration.

According to Atiku, the revelation contradicts the Federal Government’s repeated claims of fiscal discipline at a time Nigerians are bearing the burden of subsidy removal, multiple tax increases and rising public debt.

“Nothing exposes the hollowness of that claim more than a budget that turns a federal cooperative college into one of Nigeria’s largest project-implementing agencies,” he said.

He questioned the rationale behind assigning thousands of projects worth over one trillion naira to an institution established primarily for cooperative education.

He noted that the projects reportedly include roads, drainage systems, solar streetlights, markets, football pitches, dialysis centres, ambulances, water schemes, recycling plants and empowerment programmes across the country.

He demanded answers from the Federal Government on the legal basis for the arrangement.

“Who decided that a cooperative college should become one of Nigeria’s biggest ministries by stealth? Under what law was it transformed into the implementing agency for 2,791 projects? Who nominated these projects, who approved them, who will supervise them, and who will be held accountable?” he asked.

Atiku argued that the disclosure casts doubt on the credibility of the 2026 budget and undermines the administration’s narrative of responsible economic management.

“This government operates a medieval financial system in which the national treasury is treated as the personal purse of the ruler—available to be spent, diverted or dispensed at will, with little regard for transparency, accountability or the public interest,” he noted.

He further added that a government asking citizens to endure economic hardship while claiming there is no money cannot justify channeling such a massive allocation through an institution that, in his view, lacks both the statutory mandate and institutional capacity to execute projects of that scale.

“A government that plans to spend ₦1.08tn through a cooperative college cannot claim to be fighting waste or promoting fiscal discipline. It looks less like governance and more like a blueprint to defraud Nigerians,” he stated.

Atiku

Atiku

The former vice president maintained that the revelations warrant serious public scrutiny and renewed calls for greater transparency and accountability in the implementation of the federal budget.

The controversy comes amid sustained criticism of constituency and special intervention projects contained in recent federal budgets, with transparency advocates repeatedly raising concerns about the use of agencies with limited mandates to implement projects outside their statutory responsibilities.
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Economy

US President Trump Lists 25 Achievements of First 20 Months in Office

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Trump

US President Trump Lists 25 Achievements of First 20 Months in Office

President Donald Trump has listed 25 achievements he said his administration had recorded since returning to office in January 2025.
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Trump made the claims in a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, where he highlighted his administration’s policies on immigration, taxes, trade, crime, defence, energy, education and foreign affairs.

Among the achievements listed by the US president were what he described as the “most secure border in history”, the signing of the Laken Riley Act and what he called the largest drop in the US murder rate in history.

Below is the full list:

Achieved the most secure border in history – ZERO illegal aliens admitted to the United States in the past 16 months.
Signed the Laken Riley Act to get dangerous criminal aliens off our streets.
Achieved the largest drop in the murder rate EVER recorded, to the lowest level in 125 years-since 1900.
Signed the largest tax cuts in American History – the Great Big Beautiful Bill-including No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and No Tax on Social Security for our great seniors.

Secured commitments for $19.2 trillion dollars of new investment in the United States.
Imposed historic tariffs to bring back American Manufacturing – including 50% tariffs on foreign copper, aluminum, and steel, and 25% tariffs on foreign automobiles.
The stock market has set 80 all-time record highs since the election.

More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country.
Made the largest-ever investment in the United States Armed Forces- $1 trillion dollars this year, and hopefully $1.5 trillion next year.
Captured and brought to justice the outlaw dictator of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, through Operation Absolute Resolve.

Obliterated Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity with Operation Midnight Hammer and Operation Epic Fury to ensure Iran will NEVER have a nuclear weapon.
Conducted numerous successful military strikes to smash the drug cartels operating in our hemisphere-brought the flow of deadly fentanyl across our border down by a record 60%.

Secured Most Favoured Nation agreements to reduce the cost of many prescription drugs by price differences of 300, 400, 500, and 600 percent.
Terminated the Green New Scam, declared a National Energy Emergency, and began to Drill, Baby, Drill.
Ended the insane Electric Vehicle Mandate and other crippling regulations on American Automobiles.

American Exports have soared to the highest level in American history-we are on track to export an unprecedented $2.5 TRILLION dollars in goods this year alone.
17 Abolished all discriminatory “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion” (DEI) policies throughout the federal government and private sector.
Banned MEN from playing in women’s sports.
Banned transgender ideology and critical race theory in our schools.

Trump

Trump

Launched Trump Accounts – tax free investment accounts for every American child, starting with $1,000 for every newborn child.
Settled 8 raging wars with historic peace deals in our first 12 months- including the War in Gaza.

Got all living hostages returned to their families, both living and dead.
Halted all refugee admissions to the United States, including from Somalia and other dangerous places.
Deployed National Guard to restore Law and Order to Washington, D.C., Memphis, and New Orleans.
Made English the Official Language of the United States.

The list comes as the Trump administration continues to promote its record ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections.
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Akwa Ibom

Governor Umo Eno Reveals Economic Gains of Convention Centre, Ibom Hotel, Shopping City Projects

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Ibom Hotel

Governor Umo Eno Reveals Economic Gains of Convention Centre, Ibom Hotel, Shopping City Projects

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has expressed delight over the economic impact and employment opportunities created by the ongoing International Convention Centre, Ibom International Hotel and ARISE Shopping City projects in Uyo.
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Governor Eno said the projects, beyond their infrastructural significance, have engaged more than 2,000 people daily over the past year, thereby contributing to economic activities and enhancing peace and security in the State.

The Governor spoke on Thursday, September 17, 2026, while addressing members of the Government House Press Corps shortly after inspecting the ongoing construction works at the three project sites in Uyo.

He expressed satisfaction with the pace of work, describing the projects as a manifestation of visions conceived by previous administrations.

“I am happy that there is visible progress and we thank God for what we see on ground. The International Hotel and the International Conference Centre were envisaged 16 years ago and I am happy that we are realizing that vision,” he said.

Governor Eno said the projects would also support the State’s tourism development and youth empowerment objectives under his administration’s ARISE Agenda.

According to him, the facilities, when completed, would boost tourism, attract visitors and investors, create employment opportunities for youths and showcase Akwa Ibom’s tourism potential to the international community.

“The International Convention Centre can take 5,000 people, and there are partitions that would help you segment your meetings. There are twelve breakout rooms, restaurant and other facilities” he said.

The Governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to providing modern tourism facilities that would complement Akwa Ibom’s growing profile as a tourism destination.

“What we are seeing here is part of development. If this is a state capital, and we want tourists to visit, we must have the facilities to accommodate them by developing those facilities to international standards,” he added.

Governor Eno commended the contractors handling the projects for maintaining the pace of work and expressed hope that the facilities would be completed and commissioned on schedule for the benefit of the people.

Ibom Hotel

Umo Eno

The Governor was accompanied on the inspection tour by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah; Executive Assistant/Chief Delivery Advisor, Mr Aniefiok Johnson; Commissioner for Works, Prof. Eno Ibanga; Commissioner for Information, Hon. Aniekan Umanah; other members of the State Executive Council and government officials.
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NPF Repatriates Chinese Fugitive Wanted Over Smuggling of Endangered African Rosewood

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Chinese

NPF Repatriates Chinese Fugitive Wanted Over Smuggling of Endangered African Rosewood

The Nigeria Police Force, through INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, has repatriated a Chinese fugitive, Zhang Shijie, to Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China, following his arrest in Nigeria in connection with alleged large-scale smuggling of endangered African Rosewood.
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Zhang, who was wanted by the Yangpu Sub-Bureau of the Anti-Smuggling Bureau of Haikou Customs District, was the subject of an arrest warrant issued on 7th January, 2021 over his alleged involvement in the smuggling of approximately 1,400 tonnes of Pterocarpus erinaceus, commonly known as African Rosewood, an endangered tree species indigenous to West Africa. The consignment was valued at about 15.7 million Chinese Yuan.

The alleged offences were committed between November 2020 and January 2021, after which Zhang remained outside China. Intelligence subsequently established his presence in Nigeria, where he was residing in Ogun State with a Chinese passport which expired since 11th November, 2023.

Following sustained intelligence gathering, surveillance and coordinated investigative efforts, operatives of INTERPOL NCB Abuja arrested the fugitive on 10 September 2026 in the Ogere area of Ogun State, after which he was repatriated to Guangzhou, China, on 16th September 2026 in furtherance of bilateral police cooperation.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), NPM, reiterates the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to strengthening international police cooperation and maximising INTERPOL tools and capabilities in tracking fugitives, combating transnational organised crime and preventing Nigeria from being used as a safe haven by persons wanted for criminal offences in other jurisdictions.

Chinese

Chinese

The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to working with INTERPOL and international law-enforcement partners to strengthen cross-border security, disrupt transnational criminal networks and ensure that fugitives are brought within the reach of justice.

CSP Ani Iniedu, Anipr
Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Abuja
17th September, 2026
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