Author: Naija Daily News

The Federal Government has dismissed claims that it spent more than N8 trillion outside the approved budget, describing the allegation as false and based on a misrepresentation of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) 2026 Article IV Consultation Report. In a statement issued on Sunday, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, said reports alleging that about two per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was spent outside the budgetary framework were misleading and created a false impression of the country’s public financial management system. Oyedele insisted that the Federal Government does not operate…

By Deborah Nnamdi The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 45-year-old Nigerian PhD student and a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman in separate operations over alleged attempts to traffic large quantities of cocaine. In a statement on Sunday, the agency disclosed that Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, a PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, was arrested during a sting operation in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State on June 29. According to the NDLEA, the arrest followed the interception of 36 parcels of cocaine weighing 5.8 kilograms, allegedly concealed within the walls of nine cartons of Orijin Bitters…

A member of the United States House of Representatives, Riley Moore, has said the administration of President Donald Trump will closely monitor Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, stressing that Washington will be paying close attention to how the polls are conducted. Moore, a Republican representing West Virginia, made the remarks during an interview with NoireTV, which was published on the platform’s social media pages on Sunday. Responding to a question on whether the United States could do more to support credible elections in Nigeria, the congressman said the conduct and outcome of the polls would be closely watched by both himself…

By Deborah Nnamdi The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered 43,980 capsules of Tramadol concealed inside two large vehicle fuel tanks in what it described as a sophisticated attempt to traffic illicit drugs across the country. The agency disclosed the seizure in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, and shared on its official X account. According to Babafemi, the suspect allegedly travelled to Onitsha, Anambra State, to purchase the fuel tanks specifically for concealing and transporting the drugs rather than for use in a vehicle or commercial resale. He said…

By Deborah Nnamdi The worshippers abducted during an attack on a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) crusade in Eda-Oniyo, Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, have regained their freedom after spending nearly two months in captivity. The victims, who were kidnapped on April 28, 2026, were taken to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) in Ado-Ekiti upon their release for medical examination and treatment. Confirming the development in a statement issued on Saturday, the spokesperson for the Ekiti State Police Command, Superintendent of Police Sunday Abutu, said the victims’ rescue was the result of sustained intelligence-led operations and collaboration…

Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Burna Boy has taken delivery of a one-of-a-kind custom Venuum Widebody Bugatti Chiron, reportedly worth more than N9 billion, adding another luxury automobile to his impressive collection. The bespoke hypercar was unveiled on Saturday by Dubai-based luxury vehicle modification company Venuum, which shared photos of the car on Instagram alongside a birthday message to the Afrobeats star. “Happy birthday, Burna Boy! Today we’ve made your dream a reality — a one-of-a-kind Bugatti Chiron VXX Special Edition just for you. It’s a masterpiece that is sure to make waves around the world. Sending you a big hug from…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Presidency has ignited fresh reactions on social media after the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Centre shared an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated image depicting Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, frying and selling akara at a roadside stand. The image, posted on the Presidency’s official social media platforms on Friday, showed the First Lady wearing an apron branded with the inscription, “Iya Alakara, fueling the nation with love,” a reference to the recent controversy surrounding her remarks on small-scale businesses. The AI-generated post comes days after Oluremi Tinubu said businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn, nd…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Presidency has directed the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to identify and prosecute officials allegedly involved in aiding the operations of a fictitious presidential agency linked to Prince Matthew Adeniyi. The directive was disclosed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, who accused Adeniyi of orchestrating a sophisticated fraud with the assistance of insiders within government institutions. In a post shared on his X account, Ajayi described Adeniyi as an “irredeemable con artist” who was allegedly exploiting…

By Deborah Nnamdi Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, has called for an independent investigation into the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) disclosure that Nigeria omitted public expenditure equivalent to two per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from recent budgets, describing the revelation as evidence of entrenched institutional corruption under the administration of President Bola Tinubu. In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the IMF’s findings, coupled with the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council…

By Deborah Nnamdi The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said Nigeria’s education crisis is rooted in decades of inadequate funding and poor implementation of policies rather than the separation of Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS). Obi made the remarks on Friday in a post on his X account while reacting to the Federal Government’s recent acknowledgement that the JSS/SSS structure had failed to significantly improve learning outcomes. According to him, while the government’s admission was welcome, the real challenge confronting the education sector is the lack of sustained investment and…