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The Federal Government has strongly rejected claims alleging missing federation revenue and hidden spending, insisting that deductions from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) are lawful fiscal processes and not evidence of diversion or leakage of public funds.

The position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr Taiwo Oyedele, who responded to recent media reports (Not THE WHISTLER) and commentaries interpreting the latest Nigeria Development Update of the World Bank as suggesting that a significant portion of federation earnings was being “diverted” or “hidden.”

According to the minister, such interpretations are misleading and reflect a misunderstanding of Nigeria’s fiscal structure and how federation revenues are managed and distributed.

“The misreporting in question incorrectly characterises Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) deductions as ‘waste’ or missing funds. This is incorrect,” Oyedele stated.

He explained that FAAC deductions, as clearly outlined in the World Bank report, include statutory transfers, savings and investments, security-related expenditures, cost-of-collection charges, refunds to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and transfers and interventions to subnational governments.

The minister stressed that these deductions are not irregularities but constitutionally backed and legally approved fiscal flows within Nigeria’s public finance system.

“It is important to emphasise that refunds and transfers to states and other tiers of government are not leakages. They represent legitimate fiscal flows, including repayments of obligations and statutorily backed allocations,” he said.

Oyedele also cautioned against what he described as selective interpretation of data by some commentators, noting that reliance on outdated figures while ignoring ongoing reforms presents a distorted view of Nigeria’s fiscal position.

He pointed out that the World Bank report itself acknowledged recent reforms undertaken by the Federal Government in early 2026, including the signing of an Executive Order designed to strengthen transparency and ensure full remittance of petroleum revenues into the federation account.

“These reforms are already addressing concerns around deductions and are expected to improve transparency while increasing revenues available to all tiers of government by about 0.4 per cent of GDP annually,” he added.

The minister further noted that contrary to claims of fiscal instability, the broader assessment by the World Bank presented a more positive outlook for Nigeria’s economy.

He said the report highlighted that economic growth was becoming more diversified across sectors, inflation was gradually declining due to deliberate policy interventions, and Nigeria’s external position had improved with stronger foreign reserves and a current account surplus.

According to him, there have also been notable improvements in debt sustainability indicators, including a decline in the debt-to-GDP ratio for the first time in over a decade.

“These developments reflect the outcomes of ongoing macroeconomic reforms and public financial management improvements under the current administration,” Oyedele stated.

He emphasised that the World Bank did not conclude that Nigeria’s fiscal system was broken or that reforms had failed, but rather that the reforms underway are beginning to yield results and must be sustained and deepened.

“The World Bank’s message is clear: reforms are working, but they must be sustained to translate macroeconomic gains into inclusive growth that benefits Nigerians more broadly,” he said.

The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening fiscal transparency, improving revenue mobilisation, ensuring efficient and accountable public spending, and deepening reforms aimed at economic stability and inclusive development.

He urged media organisations, analysts, and the public to exercise caution and responsibility in interpreting fiscal data, warning that misrepresentation of official reports could undermine public confidence in ongoing economic reforms.

“An accurate understanding and responsible reporting of fiscal information are critical to maintaining confidence in Nigeria’s reform trajectory and economic outlook,” he said.

The statement concluded with a call for constructive engagement with government reforms, noting that transparency and accountability remain central pillars of the administration’s fiscal strategy going forward.

FG Rejects Claims Of Missing Federation Revenue, Defends FAAC Deductions is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Customs and Excise, Hon. Leke Abejide, on Sunday, urged Nigerians not to

The Sokoto State Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Col. Ahmed Abdul Usman (retd) has urged the Federal Government to complement ongoing efforts to strengthen military capacity with improved welfare for security personnel.

Commending the FG plan to train 200 Nigerian Special Forces in the Republic of Turkey, he described the training initiative, facilitated by the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, as a timely and strategic step in addressing insurgency, banditry, and other asymmetric security threats facing the country.

Usman noted that modern security challenges, particularly those driven by non-state actors require specialised skills, advanced tactical training, and adaptive operational strategies.

“The decision to invest in elite Special Forces training is commendable and will significantly enhance the operational effectiveness of our armed forces”

He, however, stressed that training alone would not be sufficient without corresponding improvements in the welfare of troops.

“A well-trained force must also be well motivated. Adequate remuneration, modern equipment, psychological support, insurance coverage, and proper living conditions are essential to maintaining morale and ensuring optimal performance in high-risk environments”

The security adviser further called for the reactivation and strengthening of the Nigerian Army Special Forces Brigade in Makurdi, noting that revitalising the unit would provide a structured framework for training, deployment, and coordination of elite forces for counter-insurgency operations nationwide.

According to him, the evolving nature of insurgency and banditry requires precision, intelligence-driven operations, and unconventional strategies beyond traditional military approaches.

“Without such capabilities, the nation risks continued loss of personnel and limited success on the battlefield,” he added.

Usman also urged the Federal Government to sustain the momentum by institutionalising continuous specialised training programmes, strengthening inter-agency collaboration, and investing in modern intelligence and surveillance technologies.

He reaffirmed the Sokoto State Government’s commitment to supporting initiatives aimed at restoring peace and security across the country.

“With the right combination of training, strategy, and personnel welfare, Nigeria can decisively overcome its current security challenges”

Sokoto Govt Urges FG To Train Troops, Improve Welfare is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

As the conflict between the people of Ekid nation and Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State continues; Proprietor, Heritage Polytechnic, Eket, Dr Emmanuel John Ekott has urged students to become ambassadors of a new narrative and ignore reckless publications and directives from some stakeholders.

The two oil rich neighboring council areas have been enmeshed in communal crisis for over two decades.

The Proprietor who spoke during the 17th Matriculation and 15th convocation of the Heritage polytechnic over the weekend thanked the students for not extending the crisis to the Institution saying, “Heritage Polytechnic is not a ground for ethnic division. When you walk through our gates, you leave behind tribal labels.

“Here, you are not foremost Ekid or Ibeno. You are a scholar. Heritage Polytechnic is a place to discover your potential, to collaborate, and to grow intellectually.

“Knowledge knows no ethnic boundaries. The laws of physics, the principles of mathematics, and the truths of commerce do not distinguish between Ekid and Ibeno.

He made a passionate appeal to the traditional rulers, political leaders, and elders of both Ekid and Ibeno to convene a genuine peace dialogue for lasting reconciliation.

“Let us invest in our children’s future rather than in our ancestors’ quarrels. Unity is not the absence of differences; it is the courage to rise above them.

“I believe that the young people of Ekid and Ibeno are ready for peace. Let us not disappoint them”.

Addressing the audience, the Proprietor noted that the conflicts between Ekid and Ibeno, have yielded nothing but sorrow, stagnation, and a poor image of the people to the outside world stressing “it is time to end them all.”

He, therefore, appealed to the traditional rulers, political leaders, and elders of both Ekid and Ibeno to convene a genuine peace dialogue for lasting reconciliation.

“Let us invest in our children’s future rather than in our ancestors’ quarrels. Unity is not the absence of differences; it is the courage to rise above them. I believe that the young people of Ekid and Ibeno are ready for peace. Let us not disappoint them,” he said.

Ekid, Ibeno Crisis: Proprietor urges students to shun ethic rivalry

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately direct

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, says the scheme is deepening entrepreneurship through targeted reforms and funding partnerships.

Nafiu said this on Sunday in Abuja while outlining efforts to reposition the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.

He said although unemployment was not a major concern at the scheme’s inception in 1973, its founders anticipated future challenges and embedded skills acquisition in its framework.

According to him, SAED has now become central to NYSC operations as the country grapples with rising youth unemployment and economic pressures.

“Today, we are more deliberate; we encourage corps members to leave service not just with certificates, but with practical skills for self-reliance,” he told NAN.

Nafiu said that the programme was witnessing increased participation, with more corps members embracing vocational and entrepreneurial training during service.

He, however, identified access to finance as the major gap between training and actual enterprise development among corps members.

“The issue is not training; funding is what we are now trying to address so that they can translate these skills into businesses,” he said.

Nafiu said NYSC had partnered with the Bank of Industry to provide financial support, including grants and concessional loans to corps members.

He said the bank gave the scheme a grant of N2 billion annually with eligible corps members able to access up to N5 million in loans at about nine per cent interest rate, which was a better deal than the 20 per cent of commercial banks.

“We are even engaging to see if that interest rate can be reduced further.

“Financial literacy has also been integrated into the orientation course to equip corps members with basic business and money management skills,”he said.

Nafiu linked the sustainability of the programme to the proposed NYSC Trust Fund, which was expected to provide dedicated funding for operations and youth empowerment and serve as an additional source of financing for the scheme.

“With the Trust Fund, we will be able to invest more in SAED and even provide direct grants to corps members from our own resources at zero to three per cent interest rates,” he said.

He added that the fund would also help address infrastructure gaps, including orientation camps and state secretariats across the country.

Nafiu said the scheme was also strengthening its enterprise base through NYSC Ventures to support training and generate supplementary income.

He said the ventures included farms, bakeries and water production facilities used to train corps members, particularly in agro-allied value chains.

“These ventures are part of our strategy to support skill acquisition practically while also generating some revenue, even though we are not a profit-making agency,” he said.

According to him, all proceeds from the ventures are remitted to the Treasury Single Account in line with government regulations.

He expressed optimism that improved funding would enable the scheme to scale up its ventures and expand opportunities for corps members.

“We are aiming for the skies; with more resources, we can do much more in terms of job creation and youth empowerment,” he said.

Nafiu reaffirmed that NYSC would continue to evolve its programmes to align with economic realities and equip Nigerian youths for productive engagement.

He said the scheme remained committed to reducing unemployment and supporting national development through entrepreneurship, innovation and strategic partnerships.

NYSC Expands Skills Acquisition Scheme, Eyes Trust Fund is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

The University of Benin (UNIBEN) says it has achieved full accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC) for all its academic programmes for the first time in many years.

Public Relations Officer of UNIBEN, Dr Benedicta Ehanire, announced this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Benin.

She noted that the development, which marked a significant milestone for the institution, followed a comprehensive accreditation exercise by the NUC in October 2025 and November. 2025.

She said the exercise cut across the university’s faculties, schools and centres, with the results conveyed in a letter dated April 7, to the Vice-Chancellor (VC)

Reacting to the outcome, the VC, Mr Edoba Omoregie, described the achievement as a product of sustained hard work and institutional commitment to academic excellence.

“This feat reflects the dedication of our management and staff to upholding high educational standards and promoting academic distinction,” he said.

Omoregie commended the university’s Senate, faculties, departments and relevant committees for their diligence in ensuring compliance with accreditation requirements.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, in line with his five-point agenda.

The full accreditation status, which is valid for five years until 2030, positions UNIBEN among institutions with strong compliance with national academic standards.

UNIBEN Gets Full NUC Accreditation is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Operatives of the Kwara State Police Command have arrested two suspected members of a criminal syndicate involved in kidnapping and armed robbery after intercepting a vehicle with a large cache of firearms cleverly hidden inside bags of garri.

The suspects, identified as Emmanuel Jerry and Umar Abdulmumeen, were nabbed on April 10, 2026, along the Ajase-Ipo Road while attempting to enter Kwara State from Kogi State in a multicoloured Toyota Previa (described as grape, ash, and yellow). A third suspect, simply named Abdullahi, is still at large and being hunted by security forces.

According to the State Commissioner of Police, CP Ojo Adekimi, who addressed journalists in Ilorin on Friday, the operation was part of “Operation Harmony.” Intelligence led officers to trail the vehicle, resulting in the arrest of the occupants.

Weapons Recovered

A thorough search of the vehicle revealed 98 firearms concealed inside garri bags in an apparent bid to deceive security checkpoints:

•  20 pieces of large assault rifles (including magazines and ammunition)

•  78 pieces of AK-47 rifles.

The sophisticated concealment method involved hiding the weapons among everyday food items (garri) to evade detection on the highway.

Investigation Details

Preliminary investigations indicate that suspect Umar Abdulmumeen received the sum of ₦1,300,000 from the fleeing suspect, Abdullahi, specifically to procure the arms. The gang is believed to be part of a larger network involved in kidnapping, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.

CP Adekimi praised the unity and professionalism of the security operatives, stating that efforts are ongoing to track down the remaining members of the syndicate and fully dismantle the group.

“The success of this operation demonstrates our commitment to securing Kwara State and the region. We will not rest until all criminal elements threatening the peace of our people are brought to justice,” the Commissioner said.

The arrested suspects are currently in police custody and will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

This latest breakthrough adds to ongoing efforts by the Kwara Police Command to tackle banditry, kidnapping, and arms trafficking in the North-Central state.

 

Former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has raised alarm over what he described as a fresh plot to implicate him in criminal activities, alleging a coordinated effort to damage his reputation and keep him in prolonged detention.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Media Adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai warned of “malicious orchestrations” against him, pointing to recent developments which he said indicate a troubling pattern.

The former governor recalled an incident on February 12, 2026, when he was allegedly targeted for arrest upon arrival at the Abuja Airport from Cairo, describing it as an early sign of the challenges ahead.

He further disclosed that he honoured an invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 16, after which he was detained and later transferred to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on February 18.

The latest concern, however, stems from a report published on April 18 by The Nation, titled “El-Rufai’s trial: Gunmen invade principal witness home.”

The report detailed claims by one Mohammed Umar Karage, a witness in an ongoing case at the Kaduna State High Court, that armed men had invaded his residence.

While acknowledging the civic duty of citizens to report crimes, El-Rufai’s camp accused the newspaper of going further to publish what it described as “false imputations” and insinuations linking the incident to the former governor.

The report quoted the witness as suggesting the attack might be connected to his role in the trial and could be an attempt to silence him, drawing comparisons with the controversial disappearance of Kaduna-based activist, Abubakar Idris Dadiyata.

El-Rufai’s camp rejected the claims, arguing that the publication was deliberately crafted to smear his image, undermine his pending bail application, and implicate him in serious offences.

“Any objective reader would recognise the clear intent behind these statements: to tarnish his reputation and justify his continued detention,” the statement said.

Maintaining his innocence, El-Rufai described himself as a law-abiding citizen with no connection to the alleged incident and revealed that his legal team has been instructed to initiate defamation proceedings against the newspaper.

The statement also alleged that since 2023, the former governor has been subjected to a sustained campaign of “innuendos and vilification,” despite what it described as his record of public service and contributions to national development.

It warned against the misuse of legal processes, stressing that the rule of law must not be turned into a tool of oppression.

“El-Rufai should be accorded full due process guaranteed by law to every citizen, and the persistent disregard for his rights must cease immediately,” the statement added.

Ogun State Waste Management Authority, OGWAMA has announced a partnership agreement with the Nigeria Police, Ogun State Command on proper waste management in the Gateway State.

Special Adviser to the Governor and Managing Director of OGWAMA, Farouk Akintunde made the announcement after he led his management team to a strategic meeting with the Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni in his office at Eleweran, Abeokuta.

Akintunde said the partnership is in the area of enforcement of environmental and waste management laws which forbids residents from dumping refuse indiscriminately in public places such as roadsides and medians.

While thanking the Commissioner and his team for their previous cooperation, he said the new partnership will go a long way in solidifying the long standing relationship between OGWAMA and the Nigeria Police.

Akintunde maintained that the new friendship will assist the authority at enforcing proper waste management practices which will lead to a cleaner, safer and healthier environment in the Gateway State.

Responding, the Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, affirmed the command’s partnership with OGWAMA on its enforcement activities throughout the state, saying his men will enforce the Ogun State Environmental and Waste Management Laws and warned residents who are in the habit of preventing OGWAMA officials from performing their lawful duties to have a rethink as his men will not tolerate their unlawful behavior.

Ojajuni, however, counselled the management of OGWAMA to embark on massive advocacy, sensitisation and partners with non-governmental organization, schools, clubs and establish special waste marshals to educate the residents on proper waste management.

OGWAMA partners police on waste management