Politics

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Tinubu administration over the alleged allocation of ₦8.05 billion for mosque- and church-related projects in the proposed 2026 budget, describing the expenditure as inappropriate at a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling with poverty. In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said public funds should be managed transparently and questioned the rationale behind the allocations. Citing an analysis by public accountability organisation Tracka, he said about ₦6.14 billion was earmarked for mosque-related projects, while ₦1.91 billion was allocated to church-related projects. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election said that although religion occupies an important place in society, it should not be used to shield public spending from scrutiny. According to him, many of the budget provisions do not clearly identify the beneficiary churches, mosques or project locations, making independent verification difficult. “Under Nigerian law, religious bodies generally operate as Incorporated Trustees with distinct legal identities. If public funds are appropriated for projects involving such bodies, Nigerians have a right to know exactly which churches, which mosques and in which communities those projects will be executed,” he said. Atiku challenged the Federal Government to publish the names of all beneficiary institutions, project locations, implementing agencies and the legal basis for the allocations if the projects are legitimate. He warned that failure to provide such details could strengthen public perceptions that religion was being used to conceal questionable public spending. “The Tinubu administration has no moral or legal licence to hide behind the altar, the minbar or the sacred robes of our priests and imams to mask questionable appropriations. If these projects are genuine, publish the names of every beneficiary institution, disclose every project location and execute every project in full public view,” he said. Reacting to the controversy, David Etim, Project Lead of Calabar and Gulf of Guinea Municipal and Trade Centre Ltd/Gte, described the allocations as a misplaced priority. He argued that limited public resources should be directed toward critical sectors such as education and healthcare rather than religious projects, saying investments in schools and hospitals would have a greater impact on the lives of Nigerians. “With millions of Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty, government resources should be used to improve education, healthcare and other essential services. Funding schools and hospitals would benefit far more people than financing churches or mosques,” he said. Also commenting, the Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics (AERE) Ltd/Gte urged Nigerians to focus on broader fiscal challenges rather than the religious allocations alone. In a statement, the group acknowledged reports that ₦6.14 billion had been allocated for 52 mosque projects and ₦1.91 billion for seven church projects but noted that the total represented just 0.0118 per cent of the proposed ₦68.32 trillion 2026 budget. According to the organisation, Nigeria’s growing fiscal deficit and rising debt burden pose a far greater threat to the economy. AERE said the Federal Government plans to finance about 46.1 per cent of the proposed budget through borrowing because projected revenues are insufficient to meet expenditure. The group also expressed concern over the ₦15.8 trillion earmarked for debt servicing, noting that it accounts for about 23 per cent of total spending and roughly 43 per cent of projected government revenue. It further questioned why religious projects were included in the budgets of ministries whose mandates are unrelated to such activities, including the Ministries of Agriculture, Labour, and Marine and Blue Economy. The organisation called for stronger fiscal discipline, improved revenue generation and greater transparency in public spending, stressing that long-term economic stability depends on addressing structural weaknesses in Nigeria’s public finances rather than focusing solely on relatively small budget allocations.

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has placed 17 states on medium flood alert, warning of possible localised flooding between July 21 and July 27. The agency urged residents living in flood-prone communities to relocate immediately to safer locations. In its National Flood Advisory (Alert No. NFA-2026-200) released on Tuesday, NIHSA said water levels at key river monitoring stations had risen above warning thresholds, increasing the risk of flooding along major rivers and floodplains. Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIHSA, Umar Ibrahim Mohammed, said data from the agency’s hydrological monitoring network showed that river levels at Saminara on the Karam River, Waya Dam Site on the Waya River and Amber on the Amber River had exceeded watch and warning levels. He added that 16 gauging stations across the country were also recording elevated water levels. Mohammed warned that communities located along the affected river channels face a high risk of localised flooding and called on state governments, emergency agencies and residents to take urgent preventive measures. “Our hydrological monitoring network indicates that river stages at critical monitoring stations have exceeded watch and warning thresholds. With 16 gauging stations showing elevated stages, communities along the primary channels face imminent localised flooding. We strongly advise state governments, local authorities and residents on floodplains to act immediately,” he said. The agency identified Bauchi, Edo, Imo, Kaduna, Plateau and Benue among the states at risk, alongside 11 others. According to the advisory, Bauchi has the highest projected exposure, with 1,841 communities at risk, including 145 schools, 101 health facilities and eight markets. In Edo State, 148 communities, 131 schools, 123 health facilities, four markets, seven religious centres and seven hectares of farmland could be affected. Imo State has 415 vulnerable communities, as well as 423 schools, 198 health facilities, 49 markets, 111 religious centres and 75 hectares of farmland under threat. Plateau State has 205 at-risk communities, 137 schools, 44 health facilities, 16 markets, 81 religious centres and 64 hectares of farmland that could be impacted by flooding. In Kaduna, 168 communities have been identified as vulnerable, while Benue has five communities, eight schools and two health facilities exposed to possible flooding. NIHSA directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), local government authorities and community leaders to begin the immediate evacuation of residents, livestock and valuables from flood-prone areas to designated safe shelters. The agency also advised emergency responders to pre-position relief materials, including food, clean water, medical supplies and first-aid equipment, while urging communities to activate local early-warning systems and maintain regular communication to minimise the impact of potential flooding.

A United States-based lobbying firm hired by African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has announced that it has begun distributing historical United States Department of Justice (DOJ) records relating to President Bola Tinubu to officials in the administration of President Donald Trump, members of Congress and senior congressional staff. The Washington-based firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., disclosed the development in a statement posted on its X (formerly Twitter) account, stating that the documents relate to historical allegations investigated by U.S. authorities involving Tinubu in the late 1980s and early 1990s. According to the firm, it was engaged by Atiku in March 2026 under a 12-month lobbying contract worth $1.2 million to enhance his profile in Washington, facilitate engagement with U.S. policymakers and counter what it described as the Nigerian government’s lobbying efforts. The firm said many U.S. government officials were previously unfamiliar with the historical court records and had now been provided with more than 60 pages of DOJ documents, court filings, affidavits and related federal court decisions. It added that the documents would also be shared with relevant congressional committees for informational and oversight purposes. Among the materials circulated is a document titled, Background and Chronology of the 1993 U.S. Department of Justice Heroin-Proceeds Forfeiture Case and the 2023 FOIA Litigation Concerning Alleged Heroin Trafficking from Nigeria to the United States Involving Bola Ahmed Tinubu. According to the chronology, the DOJ alleged that a Nigeria-based heroin trafficking organisation imported heroin into the United States and distributed it through associates operating in Chicago. The document references United States v. Funds in Account No. 263226700 et al., No. 93 C 4483, identifying Bola Tinubu, Adegboyega Mueez Akande and Abiodun Agbele among individuals named in the government’s civil forfeiture proceedings. It states that federal investigators examined the activities of the alleged trafficking organisation between 1988 and 1991 and alleged that proceeds from the operation were deposited into U.S. bank accounts owned or controlled by Tinubu. The chronology also identifies Akande as the alleged leader of the organisation and describes Agbele as an associate who later cooperated with U.S. investigators after his arrest. According to the document, the Department of Justice filed civil forfeiture proceedings in 1993, seeking the forfeiture of funds it alleged were linked to narcotics trafficking or money laundering. The matter was later resolved through a negotiated civil settlement, under which part of the funds was forfeited to the U.S. government. The lobbying firm also highlighted the ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation filed in 2023 by journalist Aaron Greenspan, who sought the release of records relating to the historical investigation. It noted that a U.S. District Court ruled in 2025 that agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), must process certain requested records after finding they could not rely on blanket refusals to confirm or deny their existence. The firm said the FOIA case remains before the courts. Von Batten-Montague-York said the records are being shared with members of both the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government as Nigeria remains a strategic U.S. partner and amid reports that President Tinubu is seeking a bilateral meeting with President Trump during the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly. The issues surrounding Tinubu’s 1993 U.S. civil forfeiture case were extensively litigated after Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election. Former presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi had argued before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) that Tinubu should have been disqualified because of the civil forfeiture proceedings. However, the PEPC dismissed the claims, ruling that the petitioners failed to prove Tinubu had been convicted of any criminal offence in the United States. The court also held that the forfeiture proceedings were civil, not criminal, and found that the evidence presented did not establish that Tinubu submitted false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding the matter.

No fewer than 40 women and children are feared dead after a canoe capsized in Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State. The Jigawa State Police Command confirmed the incident on Tuesday, stating that one body had been recovered while search and rescue operations were ongoing for the remaining passengers. In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the command said emergency responders were continuing efforts to locate those still missing. “One of the bodies was recovered. Efforts to recover the remaining 39 are underway,” the police said. The Director of Planning at the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Muhammad Sanusi, also confirmed the accident, saying the passengers were predominantly female farmers and agricultural labourers travelling by canoe when the incident occurred. Sanusi said the cause of the capsizing had not yet been determined, adding that emergency personnel, local divers and community volunteers had intensified search and rescue operations. “Hands are on deck as combined efforts continue to determine the exact number of those rescued or missing,” he said. He added that authorities were still verifying the number of casualties and survivors as the operation continued. Boat accidents remain a recurring occurrence in several parts of northern Nigeria, where many rural communities rely on rivers and waterways for transportation and farming activities. Experts have attributed such incidents to factors including overloading, poor boat maintenance, adverse weather conditions and the failure of passengers to wear life jackets. Authorities have repeatedly urged boat operators and passengers to comply with water transportation safety regulations to help reduce the frequency of such accidents.