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Gani Adams hails Tinubu’s reform initiatives, says president started on right footing

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…charges FG on state police, social security, others

Aareonakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, has applauded the various reform initiatives of the President Bola Tinubu administration, saying the president has started on a right footing.

Aare Adams, in a statement he personally signed and made available to the media by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, said the new move by Tinubu has shown that the president is in charge of the policy-direction of his administration.

The Yoruba generalissimo noted also that the appointment of the Service Chiefs had reflected the desire of a president that is in tune with the importance of federal character and one that is ready to accommodate all the six- geo political zones in the service of the nation.

He stated that the newly signed electricity reform bill and students educational loans were noble initiatives that would guarantee effective power generation, supply and distribution and also engender growth across all sectors in the states.

“I think President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has started on a right footing and Nigerians are watching with great expectations.

“Leadership is all about service to the people and the president has shown determination with the various reform initiatives he had embarked on since May 29 when he assumed the mantle of leadership as the President and Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

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Setting a realistic agenda on the Nigerian economy and education sector, Iba Adams stated also that within the first six months of the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu administration, Nigerians that are unemployed can assess a monthly stipend of fifteen thousand naira (N15,000) each for a recorded 10 million Nigerians that would take care of their upkeep and house rents before they secure employment.

He disclosed that children can also be taken care of through social security initiative as it is done in the developed world.

“The stipend should be on 65/35 ratio.The 65 per cent will go to unemployed Nigerians and 35 per cent for children between the ages of one and 18, and the aged ones specifically the senior citizens who have reached the age of 65 years and above and are not on pension, as well as physically-challenged Nigerians.

“The money can be generated through special tax from Multinational Companies and other investors in Nigeria and a Special Revenue Generation Committee should be established to work on the modalities.This will reduce crime in the country and also reduce the spate of insecurity.

“This committee should also be empowered to stop illegal mining going on in some parts of the country.
“From Zamfara to Oyo, Enugu to Kebbi, Osun to Rivers, illegal miners are on the rampage and government is losing billions of dollars every year.
“It is ridiculous and embarrassing that majority of these perpetrators are foreigners, backed by some unpatriotic and selfish Nigerians.

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“If this menace can be appropriately and effectively tackled with the use of force and legal sanctions, Federal and State Governments will be making tens of billions of dollars yearly. And if this money is judiciously used, majority of the challenges confronting the Nigerian State will become history.
“State government should also support the new education loan for tertiary institutions and ensure that education is free at sub-national levels.

“The recent appointment of the Service Chiefs truly reflected the desire of a president who is ready to run an ‘all- inclusive government’.

Iba Adams added that the oil sector is undergoing a reform that would bring about both immediate and future gains.

“From a reliable source from the NNPC , oil theft costs Nigeria up to $1.9 billion every month and that is about N18 trillion annually in Nigerian currency.

“This is about 85 per cent of the Nigerian budget signed last year by former President Muhammadu Buhari and put to about N21.83 trillion for the 2022 Budget.
“But with effective local security with collaboration with government security agencies, oil theft can be reduced to 20 per cent within six months.

“Mr. President must work out an action plan that will reduce oil theft across the country.

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“The huge amount that had been going down the drain through oil theft should be checked.

“The Federal Government can stop this by creating a special tribunal on oil theft and prosecute people perpetrating economic sabotage”.

He restated the need for a state police to be in concurrent list, while Federal police to be on exclusive list, adding that state police would reduce insecurity in all states.

While urging the new administration under Tinubu to work with the National Assembly and bring about a complete reform in the police, he stated further that efforts should be made to reduce the spate of insecurity and crime across the country.

“Our land border should be opened with effective security in order to stop illegal immigrants and goods from entering our country, and efforts should be made to reduce huge tariffs on imported goods, especially on vehicles coming to the country through our land borders.

“The Federal Government should encourage manufacturers from bringing raw materials that are not produced in the country to aid local production.

“This is possible when the tariff is reasonable for importers.

The Federal Government should stop round tripping in order to strengthen the Nigerian currency and aid forex control in the country.

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EFCC says it froze Osun account over ‘fraudulent handling’ of N11bn ecological, intervention funds

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained that it froze the bank account of the Osun state government over alleged fraudulent handling of N11 billion ecological and intervention funds.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement on Wednesday, said it has been investigating the Osun state government since March regarding the alleged mishandling of the funds.

According to the agency, some officials of the state government, including the accountant-general of the state, had been interviewed by EFCC investigators.

The agency said amid the probe, it observed that huge transfers of funds were being made from the account into different corporate entities since August 2.

“These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026,” the statement reads.

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“The Commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved.

“The EFCC’s preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources.

“The Commission cannot watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged.”

The anti-graft agency said it is aware of the forthcoming Osun governorship election, adding that it is “uncharitable” to overlook the huge transfers of funds over the “excuse of an upcoming election”.

“The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted,” the agency said.

In a letter dated August 5, 2026, and signed by Adenike Babalola, assistant commander of the EFCC on behalf of the director of investigation, the anti-graft agency directed First Bank not to allow withdrawals from the Osun state government’s statutory allocation account as part of an ongoing investigation.

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The agency instructed the bank to place a post-no-debit restriction on the account pending the conclusion of the probe.

Reacting to the development, Ademola Adeleke, Osun governor, said the state government will not accept a situation in which federal government agencies trample upon the rights of subnational governments.

Adeleke said the Osun government has been witnessing numerous sponsored attacks, including the harassment of Accord party members and the move to stall the operations of LGAs in the state.

Adeleke said he has directed the attorney-general of the state to challenge the “illegality”.

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Osun threatens lawsuit as EFCC freezes govt account 10 days to election

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Less than 24 hours after Governor Ademola Adeleke alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was planning to freeze the state government account domiciled with First Bank, the anti-graft agency has reportedly freezed the account, according to Vanguard.

The account, reportedly used for the payment of workers’ salaries, was placed on “Post No Debit” status by the anti-graft agency.

The development came hours after Governor Ademola Adeleke raised the alarm that the EFCC was planning to freeze the state government’s accounts and those of top government officials ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

In a statement issued earlier on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, Adeleke described the alleged move as an attempt to cripple government activities before the poll.

The governor had insisted that there was no legal basis for freezing the accounts of a state government, arguing that the EFCC lacked the statutory powers to take such action.

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However, a source reportedly told Vanguard that the account had already been restricted.

“I can confirm that the state government account has been frozen by the EFCC. It is no longer an allegation. The governor will address the press shortly to update the public on the situation,” the source reportedly told Vanguard.

The reason for the restriction was not immediately known as of the time of filing this report.

The EFCC had yet to issue an official statement on the development.

The development comes as Osun prepares for its August 15 governorship election, with the account restriction expected to generate political reactions ahead of the poll.

Meanwhile, the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, had said he has the mandate of the governor to sue the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for freezing the government accounts.

Jimi-Bada said a ‘Post no debit’ letter from the EFCC was forwarded to the management of the First Bank where Osun government accounts were domiciled on Wednesday.

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The commissioner, who expressed readiness to proceed to court, said the move by the anti-graft agency may hamper government’s business, noted that Governor Ademola Adeleke was not using state funds to run its campaign for reelection.

“I have the mandate of the governor to proceed to the Federal High Court to challenge this move. EFCC can investigate the accounts but it can’t freeze the accounts without order of court.

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WAEC releases 2026 WASSCE results, withholds 167,486 candidate’s results over malpractice 

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The West African Examinations Council says it is withholding the results of 167,486 candidates, representing 8.59 per cent of those who sat the 2026 Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School candidates, over alleged examination malpractice.

This was disclosed by the Head of WAEC Nigeria National Office, Dr Amos Dangut, who announced the release of the results in Lagos on Wednesday.

The number of withheld reults, however, represents a decline from the 9.7 per cent recorded in 2025.

Dangut said the council withheld the affected results due to various infractions, including the increasing use of mobile phones in examination halls despite the existing ban and organised cheating in some schools.

“The increasing use of cell phones in the examination hall, in spite of the existing ban, and organised cheating in some schools, are other nagging issues,” Dangut said.

He added that some supervisors and invigilators found assisting candidates in malpractice had been arrested and would face disciplinary action through the relevant state ministries of education.

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A total of 1,959,668 candidates from 24,207 schools registered for the examination across Nigeria, Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea, while 1,950,726 candidates eventually sat for the examination.

1,200,514 candidates (61.54 per cent) obtained credits and above in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

1,687,378 candidates (86.50 per cent) secured credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, with or without English Language and Mathematics.

The number of candidates who obtained credits in five subjects including English and Mathematics dropped by 1.42 percentage points compared with the 2025 examination.

Of the 1.2 million candidates who achieved credits in English and Mathematics:

558,883 (28.65 per cent) were male.

641,631 (32.89 per cent) were female.

Overall, 997,267 females (51.12 per cent) and 953,459 males (48.88 per cent) participated in the examination.

WAEC said 1,834,695 candidates, representing 94.05 per cent, had their results fully processed and released, while the results of 116,031 candidates (5.95 per cent) were still being processed.

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The council also disclosed that 1,213 candidates with special needs participated in the examination. They included:

137 visually impaired candidates;

491 candidates with hearing impairment;

55 spastic and mentally challenged candidates; and

41 physically challenged candidates.

The 2026 examination marked the second edition of the Computer-Based WASSCE for School Candidates, following the introduction of the format by WAEC.

Dangut said the council introduced several innovations, including the Digital Examiner Mark System to improve the speed of processing results, serialisation of question papers to curb malpractice, and a new portal that allows candidates to generate e-PINs directly for checking their results.

The examination was conducted between April 24 and June 19, 2026, with 102,708 examiners involved in marking across 88 marking venues.

Dangut, who described the briefing as his third and final engagement as WAEC Nigeria National Office head, said candidates sponsored by states indebted to the council would not have their results released until the outstanding payments were cleared.

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