The United Nations has expressed concern over the spate of indiscriminate abductions of civilians by bandits in Nigeria.
The Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Mr Stéphane Dujarric, said during a daily briefing on Monday that the continued attacks on civilians by bandits were unacceptable.
“We are very much concerned at the fact that so many other students, young people, young men and young women continue to be detained by armed groups,” Dujarric said.
“And obviously, we’re continuing to see violence.”
Armed men abducted at least 25 students and killed a teacher in November during an attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State.
This was closely followed by the abduction of more than 300 schoolchildren and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Niger State.
The students of the Government Secondary School in Kebbi were released by their abductors after spending about a week in captivity.
However, dozens of students of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Niger escaped from their abductors, while a total of 100 were released after spending two weeks in captivity.
The remaining more than 130 students were released on Dec. 21, ending their month-long ordeal.
Dujarric said, “We’re obviously pleased that we saw a large group of students released.
“And I can tell you that the United Nations system will continue to work with the Government of Nigeria to try to address these problems.
“Notably, in terms of the safe schools programme that is in place in Nigeria.”
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has dismissed reports suggesting that the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, was arrested over the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council scandal, insisting that he only honoured an invitation from investigators.
The anti-graft agency clarified this in a statement posted on its Facebook page on Tuesday, following reports that Gbajabiamila visited the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday in connection with the ongoing investigation into the purported PFIPC.
In the statement, the ICPC said the Chief of Staff voluntarily appeared before investigators and was not arrested.
“The Commission confirms that the Chief of Staff’s visit was on the invitation of its investigators and consistent with its ongoing efforts to gather all relevant facts in the matter.
“He was not arrested; he simply willingly honoured an invitation,” the statement read.
The commission said President Bola Tinubu had directed it to investigate how the PFIPC allegedly operated from the Federal Secretariat in Abuja for about two years under Adeniyi Adeyemi, who presented himself as the council’s Director-General.
According to the ICPC, Gbajabiamila arrived at its headquarters on Monday afternoon, responded to investigators’ enquiries and left after giving his statement.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) confirms that the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, was at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, 20th July, 2026, to give a statement in connection with the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC),” the statement said.
It added that investigations into the alleged fake agency were ongoing and that further updates would be provided as necessary.
PUNCH Online had earlier reported that Gbajabiamila appeared before the ICPC on Monday after Tinubu directed the commission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the PFIPC, an entity the Presidency has disowned as fraudulent.
The controversy has prompted parallel investigations by the House of Representatives, with several government agencies and officials appearing before lawmakers over how the purported council allegedly secured office space, budgetary allocation and other official documentation.
At a public hearing convened at the National Assembly Complex by the House of Representatives on Monday, the Central Bank of Nigeria admitted that it had opened two foreign-currency domiciliary accounts for the phantom agency.
Speaking before the House’s Ad-hoc Committee investigating the matter, chaired by Yusuf Gagdi and inaugurated by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the Director of CBN Banking Services Department, Hamisu Ibrahim, said the accounts, one in US dollars, the other in British pounds sterling, were opened following a mandate received from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
“On July 30, 2025, we received a mandate dated July 29, 2025 from the Office of the Accountant-General. We received the mandate to authorise two accounts, one a US dollar domiciliary account, the other a pound domiciliary account, for the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council,” Ibrahim told the committee.
He explained the CBN’s verification process, saying, “The process of opening an account requires a mandate from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has approved the construction of judges’ quarters valued at N25bn as part of efforts to improve the welfare of judicial officers in the state.
The governor also approved N1.9bn for the establishment of four computer-based test centres in Orlu Zone and the creation of a smart digital signage system to modernise the state’s infrastructure.
The approvals were announced on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, while briefing journalists after the State Executive Council meeting presided over by the governor in Owerri.
Emelumba said the council approved N25bn for the construction of 40 duplexes for judges, alongside recreational facilities.
He said, “The Council approved N25 billion for the construction of 40 duplexes as judges’ quarters, complete with recreational facilities. The project is designed to provide a conducive living environment for judicial officers.”
The commissioner added that the council also approved the establishment of new computer-based test centres and a smart digital signage initiative.
“Also approved are the new computer-based test (CBT) centres and a smart digital signage initiative aimed at modernising infrastructure across the state,” he said.
According to him, the council approved N1.9bn for the establishment of four CBT centres in Orlu Zone to improve access to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examinations and other computer-based tests.
He said N900m would be released immediately to commence work at two pilot centres located at Bishop Shanahan Okoye Secondary School and Community Secondary School, Omuma.
Emelumba further disclosed that the council approved the establishment of Imo Signage Asset Management Limited to regulate and deploy smart digital billboards through a public-private partnership.
Speaking on the digital initiatives, the Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Chimezie Amadi, said the projects would be financed by private investors without financial commitment from the state government.
According to him, the initiative would be funded “at no cost to the Imo State Government,” adding that Internet of Things-enabled infrastructure would support a modern, digitally managed signage ecosystem.
Isaac Fayose has told his elder brother, Ayo Fayose, to hand off his newly announced Rural Electrification Agency chairmanship to his son. He said the former Ekiti State governor was too politically significant for such a role.
The younger Fayose made the remark in a video on his Instagram page on Monday, reacting to the Presidency’s announcement that his brother had been appointed chairman of the REA board alongside 25 others named into the leadership of 10 federal agencies and commissions.
According to a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Fayose would chair the board alongside Ahmadu Abubakar and Ilyasu Ibrahim Makinta as non-executive directors, with the agency’s incumbent Director-General, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, and three executive directors retained.
Isaac opened his post by contrasting the chairmanship with more senior positions he believed his brother deserved, saying, “They said they gave my brother a DG, DG, not a minister, not ambassador.”
He argued that the appointment fell short of his brother’s stature, adding, “They said they gave him DG, head of parastatal, chairman of a committee. They no see give him minister, they no give him ambassador.”
Drawing a comparison with a government critic-turned-appointee, he said, “Even Reno Omokri sef, they gave him ambassador. They couldn’t give my brother ambassador,” and later pressed the point further, asking, “So why just chairman of a parastatal?”
Isaac linked the timing of the appointment to a weekend visit by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Prince Isaac Fayose. Credit: Facebook
He said, “They gave my brother DG because Obi came on Saturday to visit me. So they said, no, we must enter that family.”
PUNCH Online had reported that Isaac hailed Obi as Nigeria’s “incoming president” when the NDC candidate visited his home on Saturday, days after threatening to withdraw his backing, with Obi responding that many of those criticising Isaac online were not genuine supporters of the movement.
He said his brother had long maintained that he had no interest in government positions after leaving office, quoting him as having vowed that whenever he left government house, he would not become a minister, a director-general or a senator, and would return instead to face his private business.
He said, “But my brother told me, Ayodele Peter Fayose, told me, ‘Isaac, when I’m leaving this government house, whenever I leave this government house, I will not be a minister, I will not be DG, I will not be senator, I will not be anything. I will face my business.’”
Isaac noted that his brother had been financially independent long before holding public office, stating that he had been a billionaire from “when I was a baby, and had continued to do well in private business.”
He described the appointment as a “Greek gift” and questioned the timing directly, asking, “Why didn’t they give you appointment since? Why did they wait till Obi come?”
Addressing his brother, he said, “I know you will not take this. But if you take it, who am I? Who am I? Omo Oba.”
He then offered congratulations while telling him to pass the position on instead.
He said, “Congrats on your appointment. You better give your son. Please, don’t use that kind of appointment. You are too big for that. Afobaje ni e,” loosely translated as “you are a kingmaker.”
Beyond the appointment, Isaac used the post to restate his confidence in the opposition’s chances in the 2027 general election.
He said, “I am ready to see it through. And I know what we have on ground in Nigeria today. Election, we have 62 per cent, total vote cast, free and fair, credible.”
He dismissed suggestions that the vote would be manipulated, adding, “I’m not scared… They are scared of what they don’t know.”
