President Bola Tinubu has sacked the Special Assistant to the President on Digital and Creative Economy in the Office of the Vice President, Fegho Umunubo.

According to a statement issued on Monday by the Director of Information and Public Relations at the State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye, Umunubo’s disengagement takes immediate effect.

The statement further clarified that Umunubo no longer represents the Tinubu administration in any capacity.

“Henceforth, anyone who interfaces with him in the name of President Tinubu’s administration does so at his or her own risk.

“We urge all stakeholders and constituents of the digital and creative economy to be so guided, the statement added.

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The United Nations demanded a swift and transparent investigation on Monday after a rights group accused police in Nepal of firing on people protesting against a social media ban, killing at least 17.

“We are shocked by the killings and injury of protesters in Nepal today and urge a prompt and transparent investigation,” UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement.

Thousands of young Nepalis took to the streets of Kathmandu to register their anger at a ban on social media.

Police used rubber bullets, tear gas, water cannon and batons when the demonstrators pushed through barbed wire and tried to enter a restricted area near parliament.

A police spokesman told AFP that 17 people had died.

Amnesty International and a protester said they were fired on with live ammunition.

Shamdasani said her office had received “several deeply worrying allegations of unnecessary or disproportionate use of force by security forces” during the protests.

“We call on the authorities to respect and ensure the rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression,” she said, insisting that “all security forces must comply with the basic principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials”.

Monday’s demonstration erupted after several social media sites — including Facebook, YouTube and X — became inaccessible last Friday, following a move by the government to block 26 unregistered platforms.

“Nepal enjoys a lively democracy and active civic space, and dialogue is the best means to address young people’s concerns,” Shamdasani said.

“We urge reconsideration of measures to regulate social media to ensure they comply with Nepal’s human rights obligations.”

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Nigeria’s mounting debt crisis has triggered a strong warning from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, who cautioned that the nation’s borrowing has breached its statutory ceiling and now poses a threat to fiscal stability.

The Speaker raised he alarm on Monday at the opening of the 11th Annual Conference and General Assembly of the West Africa Association of Public Accounts Committees, held at the National Assembly in Abuja.

The conference, which drew parliamentarians, development partners, and financial experts from across West Africa, is focusing on the theme “Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight of Public Debt: The Role of Finance and Public Accounts Committees.”

In his speech, Abbas expressed concerns that Nigeria’s debt had reached “a critical point” and called for urgent reforms in borrowing practices and oversight.

“As at the first quarter of 2025, Nigeria’s total public debt stood at N149.39 trillion, equivalent to about US$97 billion. This represents a sharp rise from N121.7 trillion the previous year, underscoring how quickly the burden has grown.

“Even more concerning is the debt-to-GDP ratio, which now stands at roughly 52 per cent, well above the statutory ceiling of 40 per cent set by our own laws.

“This is not just a budgetary concern but a structural crisis that demands urgent parliamentary attention and coordinated reform,” the Speaker warned.

The revelation comes at a time when debt servicing continues to gulp a significant portion of government revenue, leaving little room for critical spending on infrastructure, health, and education.

According to fiscal experts, Nigeria now spends more on repaying loans than on social services, raising fears that the economy may be edging toward unsustainable levels.

Abbas described the breach of the debt limit as “a signal of strain on fiscal sustainability,” stressing the need for “stronger oversight, transparent borrowing practices, and a collective resolve to ensure that tangible economic and social returns match every naira borrowed.”

He drew parallels with the wider African debt landscape, where several countries are trapped in spiralling debt service obligations.

To mitigate fiscal risks, the Speaker announced that Nigeria is ready to champion the establishment of a West African Parliamentary Debt Oversight Framework under WAAPAC.

The framework, he explained, would harmonise debt reporting across the sub-region, set transparency standards, and empower parliaments with timely data to scrutinise borrowing practices.

In addition, he unveiled plans for a regional capacity-building programme for Public Accounts and Finance Committees, designed to equip members with modern tools for debt sustainability analysis and fiscal risk assessment.

While acknowledging that borrowing remains an important tool for development, Abbas warned against reckless debt accumulation.

“Borrowing should support infrastructure, health, education, and industries that create jobs and reduce poverty. Reckless debt that fuels consumption or corruption must be exposed and rejected.

“Oversight is not just about figures but about the lives and futures behind those figures,” he stressed.

The Speaker further reiterated the 10th House’s commitment to transparency and accountability in public finance. He said under its Open Parliament Policy, all major borrowing proposals would be subjected to public hearings, while simplified debt reports would be made available to citizens.

Abbas urged participants to approach deliberations with dedication, noting that the resolutions would play a vital role in strengthening fiscal responsibility and accountability across the continent.

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