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Ibas meets Tinubu and EFCC chair in Aso Rock

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The immediate past Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), was on Wednesday in Aso Rock, where he was received by President Bola Tinubu in company with the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede.

Ibas, who bowed out as Rivers administration on September 17 after spending six months in the saddle, arrived at the State House at about 6 p.m. and was ushered into the meeting by  Edun and Olukoyede.

Wednesday’s meeting comes three days after the erstwhile sole administrator rejected calls by the Rivers State House of Assembly to probe spendings during his six-month watch.

Edun had been sighted arriving at the Villa on Wednesday evening.  However, he returned later carrying a file.

Details of the meeting were not made public at the time of filing this report, although one source close to the President confirmed that Ibas’ appearance is connected to his six-month stewardship in the oil-rich state.

When contacted for comments, media aide to the former Rivers State Administrator, Hector Igbikiowubo, said he was not aware of the meeting.

Igbikiowubo, however, promised to find out and respond to our correspondent.

But he had yet to do so as of the time of fling this report on Wednesday night.

Ibas ceased to be the administrator of the oil-rich state on September 17, following the end of the six-month emergency rule, after President Bola Tinubu directed the suspended state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the state House of Assembly members to return to office from the previous Thursday.

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The Rivers State House of Assembly, presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, had during its first plenary after the end of emergency rule, said it would investigate the state expenditure during the six months of emergency rule.

The House had resolved “to explore the process of knowing what transpired during the emergency rule with regard to spending from the consolidated revenue fund for the award of contracts and other expenditure.”

Findings by The PUNCH revealed that Rivers State received at least N254.37bn from the Federation Account Allocation Committee between March and August 2025 under Ibas’ tenure.

This is based on an analysis of FAAC data from the National Bureau of Statistics and other sources.

While the NBS has released official breakdowns up to June, the figures for July and August were collated from documents presented at FAAC meetings obtained and reviewed by The PUNCH.

The NBS data revealed that Rivers received N44.66bn in March, N44.42bn in April, N42.80bn in May and N42.30bn in June. In July, the state received about N38.42bn, while in August it collected N41.76bn, according to the documents analysed. These brought total net allocations in the six months to N254.37bn, averaging N42.40bn per month.

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Veteran Yoruba broadcaster and comic actor, Timothy Agboola, widely known as Ereke Ni Shop, has died

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Veteran Yoruba broadcaster and comic actor, Timothy Agboola, widely known as Ereke Ni Shop, has died after battling an illness.

It was reports that the entertainer passed away on Wednesday at a private hospital in Lagos after reportedly being sick for a long time.

Agboola built a strong reputation in Yoruba broadcasting and comedy.

Over the years, he became popular for programmes that mixed humour with storytelling while also promoting Yoruba culture and traditions.

Many listeners saw him as someone who loved his heritage and proudly represented Ijesa culture through his work.

Following the announcement of his death, many colleagues, friends and fans began sharing messages of condolence on social media.

One of his associates, Idris Shogbola, was among those who first shared the sad news online while mourning the loss of the veteran broadcaster.

“May the soul of our boss rest in peace. Pa Timothy Agboola ‘Ereke ni Shop’. Baba Oloye Repete… A broadcaster, actor, comedian. May God Almighty give you eternal rest in peace. Amen. Ereke ni Shop sun re o,” he wrote.

Agboola gained wide attention through his unique storytelling style and lively comedy.

His radio shows often combined humour with social observations about daily life, which made him popular among many Yoruba listeners.

During his long career in the entertainment industry, he worked with several well-known entertainers, including Baba Alajeju.

Some of his comedy performances date back to the 1970s when he was already becoming known for his lively stage presence.

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I Don’t Leave My House Without Going Through Newspapers – Tinubu

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President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that he is always concerned about the welfare of the masses.

He disclosed that he reads about happenings in the country every morning before leaving home.

Tinubu stated this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He said that he was a little bit stubborn at the beginning of his administration.

The president also stated that his administration has opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.

He said, “There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.

“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.

“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.”

Meanwhile, Tinubu has stated that improving Nigeria is a collective responsibility.

He asserted that the country’s development cannot be the sole responsibility of the federal government and urged the media to hold states and local governments accountable.

The President stated this on Friday when he hosted media executives and proprietors at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Tinubu cited increased financial autonomy for the lower tiers of government and urged the media to extend the same level of scrutiny they apply to his government to the local and state administrations.

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“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money. But how they use it is in your hands,” Tinubu said.

“So don’t bombard me alone; look at the local government too. Yes, we can complain it’s not enough; we can complain we are not where we should be. But we have to manage what we have to sustain today, survive tomorrow, and make progress.

“Today, there is no state that is borrowing to pay the salaries of employees,” he told the gathering.

“Yes, we can complain that it’s not enough. We can complain we are not where we should be, but we have to manage what we have to sustain today, survive tomorrow, and make progress,” he added.

The ex-Lagos State governor reiterated his commitment to doing the job with dedication.

“And I promise you, the job that I continue to do is dedication, patriotic dedication to improve Nigeria. It’s all in our hands; it’s a collective responsibility,” he said.

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US Lawmaker, Moore Alleges American University Shooter Met ISIL In Nigeria

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United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has alleged that a shooter who attacked Old Dominion University in Virginia met with members of the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Nigeria before carrying out the incident.

Moore made the allegation on his 𝕏 account on Saturday, in response to the attack.

It was understands that the attacker, Bailor Jalloh, a former Virginia National Guard member and convicted supporter of ISIS, entered a classroom filled with Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) students and opened fire.

According to the FBI, the gunman shouted “Allahu Akbar”, Arabic for “God is greater”, before shooting at students inside Constant Hall.

The classroom quickly descended into chaos as terrified students scrambled for safety.

However, several ROTC students bravely confronted the gunman and ultimately subdued him, preventing what authorities believe could have been a far deadlier massacre.

Reacting to the development, the lawmaker claimed that the suspect was earlier imprisoned but was released before the attack despite alleged ties to the terrorist group.

“The radical Islamic terrorist who attacked Old Dominion yesterday was let out of prison early despite meeting with ISIL in Nigeria and seeking to aide and abet ISIL in carrying out an attack on our homeland,” Moore said.

The congressman criticised the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s release, describing the development as alarming and unacceptable.

“This is insane, and it MUST END! That’s why I’m introducing a bill to denaturalize and deport any naturalized citizen who seeks to commit a terrorist attack or aids and abets terrorism against the American people,” he said.

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