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As criticism mounts over the declining quality of legal practice in the country, senior lawyers clashed on Monday over a recommendation to abolish the Nigerian Law School.

Speaking at the 2026 Legal Education Summit organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Vice Chancellor of Imo State University, Prof. Uchefula Chukwumaeze, SAN, cited prevailing realities to argue that the Law School has outlived its usefulness.

According to him, the Council of Legal Education (CLE), the statutory body responsible for overseeing the Law School where graduates are trained prior to Bar admission, should be stripped of that responsibility.

He recommended that the Council’s functions be limited solely to establishing the standards and requirements for Call to Bar, while law faculties at accredited universities be permitted to undertake the training of prospective lawyers.

“If we are to talk about legal education, we must examine its foundation.

“Take the United States of America, for instance — the difference between them and us is that there is no Law School. There is also no Law School in the UK.

“Universities teach while the relevant law bodies accredit and examine. In which of the professional courses does the council set up an institution?

“The Council of Medical Associations in Nigeria conducts external examinations. Likewise the Council of Nursing and Midwifery, COREN for engineering, and the rest.

“The Council of Legal Education should abandon the idea of teaching. The Law School has served its useful purpose.

“Let us return to reality — and that reality is that the Council should abandon the idea of teaching and concentrate on setting the standards and requirements for Call to Bar.

“In view of this, I make the following recommendations: The minimum requirement to study law in Nigeria should be reviewed. The mandatory requirement of Literature in English should be abolished.

“Subject combinations in JAMB should be abolished. To read law, credits should be required in English and any other three subjects in JAMB.

“The Council of Legal Education, in conjunction with the National Universities Commission (NUC), should perform the role of stipulating the minimum requirements for legal education in Nigeria.

“Third, the Nigerian Law School should be abolished as an institution, and the responsibility for legal education should be taken over by faculties of law in universities.

“In other words, this responsibility should mirror that of other regulatory bodies, such as the Council for the Regulation of Engineering, the Medical and Dental Council, and so on.

“Legal education, which should be taken over by universities, should span a minimum of seven years.

“The first five years for Bar Part 1, the sixth year for Bar Part 2, and the seventh year strictly for internship.

“The Bar Part 2 examinations should be supervised and conducted by the Council of Legal Education.

“It should be noted that WAEC conducts exams — it does not teach. NECO conducts exams — it does not teach. The Medical and Dental Council, COREN, ICAN, and others conduct exams; they do not teach.”

However, Prof. Chukwumaeze’s position did not go down well with the Director of the Nigerian Law School, Dr. Olugbemisola Odusote, who dismissed it as misplaced.

“It would have been good if everybody attending this summit were able to say that the call was made objectively and in the interest of the nation and the profession.

“You will find out that some universities accredited by the NUC are not given the go-ahead to start by the Council of Legal Education.

“If such universities start law and train students for seven years, or whatever is being proposed, and then call them to the Bar, it does the profession more disservice, and that is not in the national interest.

“I believe that the call, with due respect, is out of place. The Council is regulating and doing what it should do,” the Law School DG added.

Likewise, the Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN, insisted that the coordination of legal education “should not be an all-comers affair.”

He flayed the Imo State University VC for comparing the Council, which is statutorily recognised, with WAEC and JAMB.

“WAEC qualifies you to take further examinations to become what you want to be. What we are doing here is to reform our legal education and not to destroy it,” Ngige, SAN, added.

He further urged the NBA to lend more support to various law schools in the country, decrying that recommendations from past summits ended up on the shelves.

On his part, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, whose speech was read by Mr. Alhassan Umar, SAN, described the Summit as both timely and significant.

“It demonstrates the commitment of the Nigerian Bar Association and other stakeholders to critically examine the current state of legal education in Nigeria and develop practical, forward-looking reforms capable of strengthening the quality, relevance, and global competitiveness of legal training in our country,” the INEC Chairman stated.

Also, the President of the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers (NALT), Mr. John Akintayo, said the NBA must see its members in academia as critical stakeholders and active participants in the quest to build a legal profession that can rise to the challenges of contemporary society.

In his address, the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, while supporting the call for reforms, canvassed a reduction in the number of years required for the study of law.

“It is generally said that a lawyer can only be as good as the system of legal education that produced him.

“The imperativeness of a system of legal education that can produce lawyers with the necessary skills and capacity to meet the evolving needs of society has always been emphasised.

“The practical and focused content of university education will achieve better results even if it lasts for three years.

“The increasing number of law graduates, coupled with the inability of the Law School to admit them, may force a review of the system,” the NBA President added.

Lagos State Government has again warned residents and traders against the sale or display of rams and other livestock on highways, road medians and unauthorised public spaces ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, issued the warning on Monday during a media briefing at his office, stating that the government would strictly enforce environmental laws throughout the festive period.

Wahab stressed that the state would not condone street trading or activities capable of obstructing traffic, endangering public safety or defacing the environment during the Sallah celebrations.

According to him, the restriction applies to the sale and display of rams and other livestock on major highways, road medians, lay-bys, parks, gardens and other public spaces across Lagos State.

He noted that while livestock trading usually increases during the festive season, operators must conduct their businesses in approved locations and in compliance with environmental regulations.

The commissioner warned that enforcement operations would be intensified against individuals involved in illegal street trading, erection of unauthorised stalls and conversion of open spaces into illegal markets or refuse dumping sites.

“Let me restate the government’s resolve to firmly apply regulatory and enforcement measures against contraventions of environmental laws and regulations. I enjoin residents to voluntarily comply with the extant State environmental laws,” Wahab said.

He also urged residents to maintain proper environmental hygiene during the Eid-el-Kabir festivities by ensuring that waste generated from the slaughtering and processing of animals is properly managed.

Wahab advised Lagosians to bag their waste appropriately and dispose of them at designated collection points for evacuation by the Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA.

The commissioner assured residents that the state government remained committed to sustaining efforts aimed at eliminating indiscriminate refuse disposal and maintaining cleaner communities across Lagos.

According to him, environmental sustainability remains essential to public health, social wellbeing and economic growth within the state.

Wahab further cautioned residents against environmental violations such as indiscriminate dumping of refuse and maintaining dirty surroundings, warning that offenders would be sanctioned in line with existing laws.

He added that the government would continue to strengthen public enlightenment campaigns and enforcement activities geared toward promoting a cleaner and healthier environment.

The commissioner also congratulated Muslim faithful ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration and encouraged residents to make use of designated parks, gardens and recreational centres across the state for relaxation and family activities during the festive season.

Eid-el-Kabir: Lagos govt bans sale of rams on highways

Cases of ritual killing and other forms of gruesome murder have spiked in Nigeria.

While some of the incidents are linked to ritual, some are attributed to intake of hard drugs.

On May 15, 2026, the police arrested a 40-year-old man, Onyebuchi Anikwe in the Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State for allegedly attacking and killing his 60-year-old mother with a cutlass in a suspected case of ritual murder.

In April 2026, police in Kwara State arrested an individual, who had exhumed a relative’s skull in connection to the illegal trade of human body parts for ritual purposes.

Addressing journalists in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, the Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, said the successes were a result of intelligence-led policing and collaboration with other security agencies.
​
He said: “These achievements clearly show that criminal elements will

find no safe haven in Kwara State, while law-abiding citizens can go

about their daily activities without fear.”

In January this year, an Osun State court remanded three suspects to

the Ilesa Correctional Centre, following the targeted, gruesome ritual

murder of a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officer and her daughter.

Also in January this year, the Anambra State Police Command arrested a

28-year-old suspect, Friday Akonobi, in connection with the abduction

and ritual murder of a six-year-old girl, an operation allegedly

linked to a wider network and a native doctor based in Enugu.

The command’s spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, who disclosed to

reporters in Awka, the Anambra State capital said that operatives

attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, acting on credible

information, arrested Mr Akonobi, 28, in the early hours of January 17

in Awka.

According to him, the arrest was linked to the abduction and murder of

Ozioma Nwankwo, who was abducted on May 10, 2025, in Ikwo Local

Government Area of Ebonyi.

He said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect was

allegedly involved in the crime, which was also connected to an

Enugu-based alleged native doctor.

The native doctor’s full name is Levi Onyeka Obieze Obu, popularly

known as Ozo Ezeani as well as “E dey play E dey show.”

Mr Ikenga noted that during interrogation, the suspect confessed to

committing the crime in collaboration with four other accomplices. He

said the suspect told the police that the victim was taken to Enugu

and handed over to the alleged native doctor.

The police spokesperson said the suspect also confessed that he and

his accomplices acted as agents for Mr Ezeani and were allegedly paid

N1 million for each virgin brought to him.

Religious angle

For the Deputy Iman of Ibuku Oluwa Ratibi Mosque in Mile 2, Lagos,

Ustaz Jamiu Aro, Islam frowns at killing in whatever form. “God

Almighty Allah does not condone ritual killing or any killing for that

matter. The Islamic injunction is that whosoever kills a fellow human

being should also be killed,” he said.

He believes that ritual killing thrives in the polity because the

system permits it.

He said: “But, I blame our constitution for the trend. When a person is suspected to have killed a fellow human being for ritual purposes, the law demands that proper investigation be conducted to establish the authenticity of the allegation and in the process, justice is always miscarried because justice delayed is justice denied.

“The constitution states that except where the courts have been convinced beyond every reasonable doubt, a suspected killer should not be found guilty. This makes it possible for ritual killers to go scot-free most of the time because there may not be enough convincing facts before the judge to convict such a suspect, even when in truth, he is actually guilty.

“This is because the western legal system which we copied will argue that truth alone is not enough to secure conviction of a criminal as such truth must be backed up by facts. That is the irony of our legal system and that is why ritual killing will continue.”

Speaking about the ritual killers, he also said: “Ritual killers are

people who do not believe that prayers could solve their problems.

Both Christians and Muslims believe that prayer is the master key to

their problems but ritual killers are people who don’t believe in the

efficacy of prayers. They want to be rich at all cost or to have

powers and they believe that prayers cannot do that. But they have

forgotten that with prayer and hard work, one could achieve greatness

in terms of wealth.

“The herbalist would convince them that with one part of the human

body or the other, they could wield enormous power or become rich

instantly. There are cases of people who were caught in the past with

human parts and they confessed that they wanted to get rich quickly

and that was why they engaged in the act as directed by their

herbalist.”

He lamented that ritual killing is like a whirlwind because it has

infiltrated both Christianity and Islam. “The practice has even spread

to churches and mosques.

“Some pastors and imams are taking part in these ritual killings. They patronize herbalists who convince them that once they perform one ritual or the other using human body parts, their churches or mosques would grow.

“This, they are made to believe, will ultimately translate to a larger congregation and eventually more money in their pockets,” he said.

Most of the ritual killers had confessed to being more wretched than

they were before they committed the atrocity.

This was corroborated by Ustaz Aro, when he said: “All in all, ritual killing is all about craze for stupendous wealth and enormous power, which most of the time do not come to reality even after the atrocity must have been committed. So, this period of politics is an auspicious time for the perpetrators because politicians would want to win elections at all cost. Others would want to be rich at all costs. So, I am not surprised that crime is on the increase now.”

Also lending his voice to the trend, the Director of Centre for Justice, Mercy and Reconciliation; a Christian, nongovernmental organisation based in Ibadan, Pastor Hezekiah Olujobi, agrees that ritual killing seems to be on the increase because people are looking for power at all cost through demonic means.

“When elections are coming, people believe that they need the life of another person to be able to achieve their political aim. They always go through kidnapping and ritual killing. The politicians who need money for his campaign would readily engage in ritual killing to raise enough money for that purpose,” he said.

He also maintained that the trend is thriving because those who are

involved in it seem to forget that the blood of Jesus Christ shed on

the Cross of Calvary is enough ransom for whatever they need in life.

He also said he was not surprised at the development because the bible

foretold that when the world would be coming to an end, things like

that would definitely be happening.

“So, I want to advise those involved in these heinous crimes against humanity to seek the face of God rather than the things of this world,” he warned.

Also speaking about the ugly development, a security expert and

President of the Association of Licensed Private Security

Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN), Dr Davidson Akhimien advised that

both the government and individuals have serious roles to play in

making sure that Nigeria becomes a security-conscious country. He

suggested that security should be part of educational learning of the

Nigerian child and youth from primary one up to part four in the

university, “so that we will all be security conscious. Travellers

should always use recognized cab services as well as reputable hotels

where there are security monitoring gadgets like the CCTV camera.”

Psychological effect

Also looking at the scourge, the Consultant Psychologist, Lagos State

University Teaching Hospital, (LASUTH), Ikeja, Dr Leonard Okonkwo

attributed the increase in the menace to the fact that in Nigerian

society, people tend to celebrate people who have financial power,

without attaching any importance to the means of acquiring such

wealth. “They don’t care how you came about your wealth; they

celebrate wealth without considering how the wealth was gotten,” he

said.

Although he agreed that oftentimes people are lured into the act, adding that the psychological effect of their action is living in denial.

“They live in denial as a way of justifying their action because most times, they are not told from the beginning that they would kill somebody. So, by

the time they get to a point where they have to kill somebody so as to

become rich, they live in denial thereafter.

“You begin to hear excuses like, ‘well, it is not my fault; I didn’t know it was going to be like this and now they have told me that if I don’t do it, I am going to die, I just have to do it.’ That is denial,” he said.

He stressed that apart from living in denial, they would still come up

with some other psychological problems because they are human. Such

other psychological problems, according to him, include self-guilt as

well as becoming callous and conscienceless. “They suffer self-guilt

because even if people don’t know how they acquired their wealth, they

very well know how they got it. The knowledge of how they made their

money leads them to becoming callous and conscienceless. What other

people will ordinarily be sensitive to, they are no longer sensitive

to such issues; they become more callous,” he submitted.

Ritual killings, other forms of gruesome murder worsen in Nigeria

US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has said that the Strait of Hormuz will be opened one way or the other as soon as an agreement with Iran is reached.

Rubio said this on Monday during a gaggle with reporters at his multi-nation diplomatic tour, stating that there is not a country in the world that favours Iran’s self-imposed tolling system.

“Strait of Hormuz is going to be opened one way or the other. What’s happening there is unlawful. It’s illegal. It’s unsustainable for the world. It’s unacceptable. The Russians are not in favour of a tolling system.

“The Chinese are not in favour of a tolling system. I mean, there’s no country in the world that’s in favour of a tolling system, except the regime in Iran,” he said.

Speaking on the emerging potential deal between the US and Iran, Rubio said that while there is support for a preliminary draft from a number of regional leaders, it will take a couple of days, to come to an agreement.

“The president had a very important, I think, historic call just a couple days ago with a number of leaders from the region. I think there’s strong alignment and agreement on what a preliminary draft should look like,” Rubio added.

Strait of Hormuz will be opened one way or the other – US

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has settled for the former Anambra State governor, Mr Peter Obi as its presidential candidate, with the former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate in the 2027 election. Collins Nnabuife, in this report, looks at the intrigues and permutations that would be involved in their bid […]

The post 2027: How far can Obi, Kwankwaso go? appeared first on Tribune Online.

 

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command Special Squad1 have killed four suspected kidnappers during an operation to foil the alleged abduction of a businessman in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State.

The operation, which occurred at the Jakande Estate Gate on Sunday night, also led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, another firearm, live ammunition and vehicles allegedly linked to the suspects.

It was gathered that the gunfire lasted until about 11:00p.m., forcing traders and residents in the area to flee for safety.

According to police sources, the operation followed intelligence reports that a notorious kidnapping syndicate planned to abduct a businessman around 9:30 p.m. at the estate gate.

A senior police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the intelligence was received by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, prompting operatives to move to the area and monitor the suspects’ activities.

The source identified the suspected gang leader simply as Ifeanyi, popularly known as “Ifeko,” alleging that he had been linked to previous kidnapping operations in Lagos.

He further claimed that the suspect was connected to the leader of a gang of suspected billionaire kidnappers killed during a police operation at Ladipo International Spare Parts Market in 2024.

According to the officer, the suspects opened fire on the operatives upon sighting them, leading to an exchange of gunfire.

“The gang sighted the police and immediately opened fire, but the operatives responded with superior firepower. At the end of the gun duel, four suspected kidnappers were neutralised, while another escaped with gunshot wounds,” the source said.

During the operation, a police inspector attached to the squad sustained a gunshot wound on his left leg and was rushed to the Police College Hospital in Ikeja, where he is reportedly responding to treatment.

Items recovered from the scene included a Toyota Sienna vehicle, one AK-47 rifle with two magazines loaded with 25 rounds of live ammunition, a submachine gun with a magazine containing 12 rounds of ammunition, as well as Toyota Corolla and Lexus vehicle keys.

Police authorities said efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspect and other members of the alleged gang

The Yobe State Police Command said its operatives attached to A Division, Damaturu, rescued a newborn baby girl, estimated to be one day old, after she was discovered abandoned in Kallalawa Village.

The command, through its Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

According to the command, the infant was promptly taken to the Special Baby Care Unit, General Hospital, Damaturu, where medical examination confirmed her to be in stable condition.

“The child was thereafter handed over to the Social Welfare Department for proper care and protection, while investigations have commenced to trace the mother and circumstances surrounding the abandonment,” it said.

Meanwhile, the Police Command said its operatives have arrested two suspected motorcycle thieves in Gulani and Jakusko Local Government Areas of the state.

It said one of the motorcycles was reported stolen on May 25, 2026, by Alhaji Mamman, 27, of Kaliyari Fulani Settlement, Bursari LGA, after it was taken near a shop along Gwiokura Road at about 4:30 p.m.

“Operatives arrested the suspect riding the motorcycle along Jakusko Road.

“The suspect confessed during interrogation,” the command said.

The police also arrested Mohammed Garba, of Bursali Village, Gulani LGA, for allegedly snatching a red Boxer motorcycle worth ₦400,000.

The incident occurred on May 23, 2026, when the suspect, posing as a passenger, deceitfully took the motorcycle from the rider during a trip from Maiduwa Village to Ngalda Town, Fika LGA.

Following a distress call on May 24 and collaboration with local vigilantes, Garba was arrested.

The complainant identified him, and he confessed.

Investigations are ongoing, and the suspects will be charged in court.

Police rescue abandoned day-old baby, arrest motorcycle thieves in Yobe 

… Tinubu’s N47.8tn FAAC Allocation Worth Less Than Buhari’s N22.9tn In Dollar Terms

… Rising Costs, FX Depreciation Distort True Value Of FAAC Growth — Experts

An analysis of data sourced from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) by THE WHISTLER has revealed that despite a sharp increase in Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements under President Bola Tinubu, the real value of revenues shared among the three tiers of government has weakened significantly following the steep depreciation of the naira.

The findings showed that the federal, state and local governments collectively received N47.8tn from FAAC between May 2023 and March 2026 under Tinubu, compared to N23tn distributed during the last 36 months of former late President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration between May 2020 and April 2023.

The figures indicate an increase of N24.8tn in nominal naira terms under Tinubu’s administration. However, when adjusted for exchange-rate movements, the value of these allocations dropped sharply.

Analysis by THE WHISTLER showed that the naira averaged about N409.36/$ during the reviewed Buhari period but weakened significantly to an average of approximately N1,310.61/$ under Tinubu.

Using the Central Bank of Nigeria’s average monthly exchange rate during the Buhari administration and under Tinubu, the allocations translated to approximately $55.9bn under Buhari compared to about $37.9bn under Tinubu.

This represents a decline of roughly 32.4 per cent in dollar terms despite the substantial rise in naira allocations.

The analysis underscores the growing disconnect between nominal fiscal expansion and real value preservation amid Nigeria’s worsening inflationary pressures and currency volatility following major economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration.

Shortly after assuming office on May 29, 2023, Tinubu implemented sweeping reforms aimed at restructuring the Nigerian economy, including the removal of petrol subsidy and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market.

During his inaugural speech, Tinubu famously declared that “subsidy is gone,” insisting that resources previously spent on fuel subsidies would be redirected into productive sectors and distributed more efficiently across the federation.

The administration also moved to unify the foreign exchange market, ending years of multiple exchange-rate windows that economists and investors had criticized for encouraging arbitrage, distortions and rent-seeking.

While the reforms triggered a sharp rise in federally collected revenues and monthly FAAC disbursements, they also accelerated the depreciation of the naira, weakened household purchasing power and pushed inflation to multi-year highs.

The depreciation substantially increased the cost of imported goods, infrastructure materials, foreign debt servicing and other FX-dependent government obligations across all tiers of government.

A detailed breakdown of the allocations revealed that the federal government received N9.6tn from FAAC during Buhari’s final 36 months in office, equivalent to approximately $23.6bn at the prevailing average exchange rate during the period.

Under Tinubu, allocations to the federal government rose sharply to N17.8tn between May 2023 and March 2026, representing an increase of approximately 85 per cent in naira terms.

However, when converted using the average exchange rate of N1,310.61/$ recorded during Tinubu’s administration, the allocation amounted to approximately $14.2bn.

This means that despite receiving significantly higher allocations in naira terms, the federal government experienced a 65 per cent decline in the real dollar value of FAAC revenues compared to the Buhari administration.

State governments also recorded a similar pattern.
Collectively, the 36 states received N7.6tn from FAAC between May 2020 and April 2023 under Buhari, equivalent to approximately $18.5bn.

Under Tinubu, allocations to state governments surged to N17.3tn, reflecting a 127 per cent increase in nominal naira terms.

Yet, after adjusting for exchange-rate depreciation, the allocations translated to approximately $13.7bn, representing $4.6bn decline in dollar value compared to the Buhari era.

Allocations to the 774 local government councils equally expanded sharply in naira terms but declined significantly in real value.

Local governments received N5.6tn during Buhari’s administration, equivalent to approximately $13.8bn.

Under Tinubu, allocations to local governments rose to N12.6tn, representing a 121.8 per cent increase in naira terms.

However, in dollar terms, the allocation amounted to approximately $10bn, reflecting a $3.8bn decline from the Buhari period.

The broader revenue profile of the federation account followed the same trajectory.

Further analysis showed that total FAAC revenue generated between May 2020 and April 2023 under Buhari stood at N30tn, equivalent to approximately $73.1bn using the average exchange rate during the period.

Under Tinubu, total FAAC revenue generated between May 2023 and March 2026 rose significantly to N86.1tn, representing an increase of about 187 per cent in nominal naira terms.

However, when converted using the prevailing exchange rate during the Tinubu administration, the revenue translated to approximately $67bn — about 8.34 per cent lower than the Buhari-era value.

THE WHISTLER findings suggest that while the Tinubu administration succeeded in expanding nominal government revenues through fiscal reforms, the accompanying collapse of the naira substantially weakened the purchasing power and real economic value of those revenues.

The trend has intensified concerns among economists and policy analysts over the sustainability of Nigeria’s public finance structure amid persistent inflation and exchange-rate instability.

The inflationary consequences of the reforms have been particularly severe for subnational governments whose infrastructure programmes rely heavily on imported inputs such as machinery, steel, petroleum products and construction materials.
With the naira losing more than two-thirds of its value against the dollar since the reforms began, the cost of executing public projects has risen sharply across the federation.

Several state governments have consequently reviewed contract values upward, delayed infrastructure projects or sought alternative financing arrangements to cope with escalating costs.

At the same time, governments have faced mounting pressure to increase workers’ wages and social spending as inflation eroded household incomes.

Despite these pressures, supporters of the reforms argue that the policy changes corrected longstanding structural distortions within the economy and placed government finances on a more sustainable path.

But speaking with THE WHISTLER, the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Muda Yusuf, said the sharp increase in FAAC allocations reflected the combined effects of fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange liberalisation.

According to Yusuf, exchange-rate depreciation contributed directly to the increase in distributable revenues because a large portion of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings is converted into naira before being shared among the three tiers of government.

He said, “Well, the impact is of course positive and negative. It’s positive in the sense that the exchange-rate reform, which also came with the depreciation, was part of the factors that led to the increase in the nominal amount of allocation that the states are getting. So, the exchange-rate depreciation has also boosted the FAAC allocation.”

He explained that subsidy removal and FX reforms jointly expanded revenues available for distribution.

“Two factors are responsible for the sharp increase in FAAC allocation. The first was the fuel subsidy removal. The second was the exchange-rate reform, which is also like removing the exchange-rate subsidy as well,” he said.

Yusuf, however, acknowledged that the same reforms also raised the cost structure of the economy significantly, especially for governments executing capital-intensive projects.

“The negative side is that it has increased the cost of projects, especially projects that have imported content,” he said.

“Many of the capital projects have import content. If, for instance, you are embarking on a project that should normally cost the government maybe $10,000, the naira value of that project would rise significantly after depreciation.

“So, in terms of the cost of projects, costs have increased significantly. To that extent, it’s also negative.”
He nevertheless argued that subnational governments were still financially stronger than they were before the reforms despite the inflationary pressures.

“But on the whole, even if we discount the depreciation and discount for inflation, the states are still much better off in terms of revenue than they used to have before the reforms of this administration,” Yusuf said.

According to him, the broader objective of the reforms extended beyond revenue generation to correcting structural distortions that had weakened investment and economic productivity for years.

“The way reforms are analysed goes beyond monetary value. It’s about correcting distortions in the economy. That is a major objective,” he said.

“It’s not so much about revenue because the exchange-rate structure or the foreign exchange policy before now had a lot of distortions, which were not only affecting government revenue, but the totality of the economy.”
Yusuf described the pre-reform foreign exchange regime as one that encouraged arbitrage and rewarded rent-seeking activities rather than productive investment.

“It was affecting investment because it created what you call a rent economy that enabled people to reap where they did not sow, suddenly become billionaires,” he said.

He also argued that fuel subsidy removal had improved fuel availability and reduced the chronic shortages that previously disrupted economic activity.

“Investors now have much better access to funds, and citizens also have much better access to petroleum products,” he said.

“Although the products have become expensive, the distortions and corruption they created have reduced. Citizens no longer have to experience anxiety about getting fuel or waiting in queues at fuel stations.

“Yes, the price of fuel has gone up, but you can plan your cash flow.”

Yusuf, however, cautioned against relying solely on dollar conversion to evaluate the real value of government revenues, arguing that such an approach may oversimplify the actual structure of costs within the Nigerian economy.

“Inflationary effect depends on the kind of project. Total dependence on dollar conversion may distort the picture,” he said.

“In this naira depreciation, not all costs went up in the same proportion. Some capital expenditure did not rise in the same proportion.”

He explained that projects with strong local content were less exposed to exchange-rate volatility compared to projects heavily dependent on imported materials.
“There are some costs that didn’t rise as much, especially costs related to local content in projects. Those costs did not rise as much as costs tied to foreign content,” he said.

“If you have road construction now, for instance, and you are using concrete roads, you are not importing too much bitumen, and most of your labour is local.”

Still, Yusuf acknowledged that inflation and exchange-rate depreciation had significantly reduced the real value of the higher FAAC allocations.
“That is why when people say governments are getting more revenue, we need to discount those revenues to accommodate inflation and the loss of value we are referencing, to arrive at the real increase,” he said.

“If you only look at nominal figures, it can give you a distorted picture of the increase in the real value of those allocations.”

Despite the economic pressures, Yusuf maintained that the reforms had produced a net positive fiscal outcome for state governments.

“The reforms that generated that additional income have also impacted costs. In nominal terms, the money has gone up, but costs have also gone up. However, the nominal value is still far ahead of the growth in costs. So, the net impact is still very positive,” he said.

Also speaking, a developmental economist, Afeez Balogun pointed to increased infrastructure spending and improved salary payments across many states as evidence that governments were financially stronger than before the reforms.

Afeez said, “That is why you will notice that many states are doing more projects than they used to do. If the net effect was not positive, they would not be embarking on so many projects.

“Many are not owing salaries, and they are not borrowing as heavily as the federal government. So definitely, the reforms have had a very positive impact on them.”

ENDS

Despite FAAC Boom, Naira Crash Wipes Out Revenue Gains Under Tinubu is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Delta State chapter of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has concluded its primary elections with Chief Great Ogboru, emerging as the party’s governorship flag bearer for the 2027 general elections.

The primaries, which covered the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and governorship positions, were conducted across the state and concluded at the party’s secretariat in Asaba.

Chairman of the ADC Primary Election Committee, Prof. Patrick Sambo Williams, announced the results and commended party members, delegates and aspirants for what he described as a peaceful and orderly exercise.

Williams said the party ensured a level playing field for all aspirants in line with the ADC constitution and electoral guidelines.

According to him, two aspirants contested the governorship ticket — Chief Great Ogboru and Dr. Emmanuel Unuafe.

Declaring the result, he disclosed that Ogboru secured 38,151 votes to defeat Unuafe, who polled 1,182 votes.

“Having scored the highest number of valid votes cast in the primary election, Chief Great Ogboru is hereby declared the winner of the ADC governorship primary election,” Williams stated.

He noted that the successful conduct of the exercise reflected the party’s commitment to internal democracy, transparency and fairness.

Williams added that the peaceful completion of the primaries demonstrated the unity of the party and its readiness for the 2027 governorship election in Delta state.

He urged all aspirants and party supporters to work together for the growth of the party ahead of the election, stressing that political contests should not divide members.

The committee chairman also appreciated members of the election committee, security agencies, delegates and party faithful for contributing to the smooth conduct of the exercise.

Following the announcement of the result, supporters of Ogboru celebrated at the party secretariat, expressing confidence that the ADC would become a strong force in the 2027 governorship race in Delta State.

2027: Ogboru emerges ADC governorship candidate in Delta

Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, May 22, 2026, ordered the final forfeiture of properties recovered from Chinese and Nigerians involved in illegal mining activities in Ogun State to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The forfeited assets include a mining site located behind the Baale’s Palace on Ileposo Street, adjacent to 59 Street, Ode-Remo, Ogun State; a Toyota 4Runner SUV with registration number AWE 261 AE; two trucks laden with substantial quantities of mica and lithium stones; and a 40-foot container containing substantial quantities of mica and lithium stones.

The judge made the order, following a motion filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ikoyi, through its counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, seeking an order for the custody and disposal of the properties pursuant to Section 330 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and other relevant laws.

The Commission also sought an order empowering the EFCC, in collaboration with the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and court officials, to dispose of the forfeited assets and deposit the proceeds into an interest-bearing account pending the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.

According to an affidavit deposed to by an EFCC operative, intelligence reports revealed that several individuals, including Chinese and Nigerians, were involved in the illegal mining and trade of mineral resources, particularly mica and lithium stones.

The affidavit further revealed that the syndicate mined and transported the mineral resources from various locations across Nigeria to a site in Ode-Remo Local Government Area of Ogun State, where the minerals were sorted, processed and prepared for export through Apapa Wharf and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

It was also revealed that operatives of the Commission carried out a sting operation in the early hours of Friday, May 9, 2025, leading to the arrest of two Chinese  alleged to be kingpins and six Nigerians at the mining site.

Items recovered during the operation included the Toyota SUV, three trucks loaded with substantial quantities of mica and lithium stones, as well as a 40-foot container containing 3,210 bags of the mineral resources.

According to the affidavit, the properties listed in the schedule were at risk of rapid deterioration due to the rainy season and were already losing economic value.

It was also stated in the affidavit that the principal actors involved in the illegal activities had already been arraigned before the court on charges relating to the unauthorised dealing in mineral resources.

After reviewing the affidavit evidence and submissions by the Commission, Justice Osiagor granted the application and ordered the final forfeiture and disposal of the assets.

The judge also directed that the proceeds be paid into an interest-bearing account pending the criminal trial of the defendants.