Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for securing over 7,000 convictions and recovering assets worth more than ₦500 billion within the past two years under his administration. Speaking on Monday at the opening of the seventh edition of a three-day capacity-building workshop for judges and justices, organised by the EFCC in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja, President Tinubu, represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, said the figures reflect his administration’s firm commitment to transparency, accountability, and an independent judiciary. “The EFCC has recorded over seven thousand convictions in the first two years of my administration and recovered assets in excess of five hundred billion naira,” the president said, noting that recovered proceeds are being channelled into social investment programmes such as the students’ loan and consumer credit schemes. Read Also: Barau Jibrin Reaffirms Tinubu’s Commitment to Quality Healthcare, Inspects Seven Projects at AKTH He stressed that his administration has maintained a hands-off approach in the operations of anti-graft agencies and the judiciary, allowing both to function independently and in accordance with the Constitution. “There is no person or group who can accuse this administration of shielding political actors on account of their affiliation to this government or the political party,” he said. “We have allowed both the judiciary and the anti-graft agencies to exercise their constitutional and statutory powers.” Addressing judicial officers, the president acknowledged public frustration over delays in high-profile corruption cases, urging judges to uphold the integrity and credibility of the judicial process. “The theme of this year’s workshop, ‘Enhancing Justice in the Fight Against Economic and Financial Crimes,’ comes at a time when there is public concern over delayed adjudication of major corruption cases while cybercrime matters are decided swiftly,” Tinubu said. He called on judges to uphold the judiciary as “the last sanctuary of our collective conscience,” emphasising that justice remains central to the moral and social fabric of the nation. “We draw our moral distinction as a people from the judiciary, and we owe it the reverence and autonomy to remain the last sanctuary of our collective conscience,” he added. On the evolving nature of financial crimes, Tinubu underscored the need for continuous learning among judicial officers to keep pace with modern financial technologies and complex fraud schemes. “How does one do justice in a cryptocurrency fraud case except one is grounded in such matters? Learning and relearning is no longer a buzz phrase but an essential undertaking for continued relevance in this digital age,” he said. He urged members of the judiciary and all Nigerians to remain steadfast in the collective fight against corruption, reminding them that “there are no special roads, hospitals, or communities for judges.” “A Nigeria free of corruption is possible if we all commit to doing what is right in our respective spheres of influence,” the president concluded.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after participating in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government-level Meeting held in Rome, Italy. The Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, is a global counter-terrorism initiative co-chaired by Jordan and Italy. The Rome session focused on strengthening international and regional cooperation to combat terrorism and violent extremism, with special attention to the security situation in West Africa. According to a statement issued on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the high-level meeting took place on Wednesday, October 15, at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome. Read Also: Trump’s Adviser Dismisses Allegations of Christian Genocide in Nigeria World leaders present included King Abdullah II of Jordan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the Presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Also in attendance were Azouz Nasri, President of Algeria’s Upper House, and delegations from Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, and Uzbekistan, as well as special envoys and security experts. The meeting was held behind closed doors. On the sidelines of the event, President Tinubu held bilateral meetings with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab and African Affairs. He also met with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, where discussions centered on promoting religious harmony in Nigeria and addressing misinformation portraying the country as intolerant of religious diversity. Since its inception in 2015, the Aqaba Process has held 33 sessions across various levels — from Heads of State summits to technical expert meetings — focusing on prevention, coordination, and closing operational gaps in global counter-terrorism efforts.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is scheduled to depart Abuja today, Sunday, October 12, for Rome, Italy, to participate in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Level Meeting. According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the high-level gathering, which commences on October 14, will focus on the worsening security situation across West Africa. The forum will bring together Heads of State, senior intelligence and defence officials from African nations, as well as representatives of intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, to deliberate on regional security concerns. Read Also: Even Out of Office, Ganduje Remains the Soul of APC — Party Loyalist Launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan and co-chaired by the Jordanian and Italian governments, the Aqaba Process serves as a counter-terrorism platform addressing complex security challenges facing the West African region. “The meeting recognises the complex security challenges confronting West Africa, including the expansion of terrorist networks, the growing crime-terror nexus, and the increasing overlap between land-based terrorism in the Sahel and maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea,” the statement noted. It added that participants would exchange assessments of the current security landscape in West Africa, foster collaboration among regional and international partners, and develop strategies to combat terrorism both on land and at sea. The meeting will also explore ways to coordinate global efforts to counter online radicalisation and disrupt digital networks that promote terrorist propaganda and recruitment. Onanuga further disclosed that President Tinubu will hold bilateral meetings with other world leaders on the sidelines of the summit to explore new avenues for enhancing regional security cooperation. “In addition to attending the plenary sessions of the Aqaba meeting, President Tinubu will hold bilateral talks with other leaders to explore ways of addressing the rising security challenges across the subregion,” Onanuga stated. The President will be accompanied by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed; and other senior government officials.

The National Council of State has approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from Kogi State, North-Central Nigeria, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan’s name during the Council meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 until October 2025. President Tinubu described Professor Amupitan as “a man of integrity and professionalism,” noting that he is the first individual from Kogi State — within the North-Central geopolitical zone — to be nominated for the position. The President further emphasized that Amupitan is non-partisan and possesses the competence and credibility required to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process. Read Also: Tinubu Presides Over Council of State Meeting at Presidential Villa Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination, with Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, commending the choice, saying, “Professor Amupitan is a man of integrity whose credentials speak for themselves.” In line with constitutional requirements, President Tinubu will now forward Amupitan’s nomination to the Senate for screening and confirmation. Born on April 25, 1967, Professor Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau State, where he also serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration). A renowned scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria since 2014, Amupitan specializes in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He earned his LLB and LLM from the University of Jos in 1987 and 1993, respectively, and obtained his PhD in Law from the same institution in 2007. He began his academic career in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation. Over the years, he has served as Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Head of Public Law (2006–2008), and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014). Outside academia, Amupitan has contributed significantly to both public and private sectors. He is the current Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State, and serves on the boards of Integrated Dairies Limited, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, and the Council of Legal Education. He has authored several notable legal texts, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), and Principles of Company Law (2013). Professor Amupitan is married and blessed with four children. Signed: Bayo Onanuga Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy)

Nigeria’s Senate is set to reconvene on Tuesday after an extended recess, with a crowded agenda dominated by long-delayed debates on national security and electoral reforms that citizens have been anxiously awaiting. The upper chamber postponed its initial resumption date from September 23 to October 7, 2025, prolonging its annual break by two weeks and delaying deliberations on several key national issues. Among the pending items are the proposed National Security Summit, amendments to the Electoral Act, the 2025 Constitution Alteration Bill, and the long-stalled National Assembly Budget and Research Office Bill — a two-decade-old proposal intended to strengthen fiscal oversight through independent budget analysis. Read Also: Presidency Moves to Cut Hajj Costs for 2026 Pilgrims In an internal memo signed by Chinedu Akubueze, Chief of Staff to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, lawmakers were informed of the shift, which he described as regrettable. “This is to respectfully inform Distinguished Senators that the resumption of plenary sitting of the Senate, earlier scheduled for Tuesday, September 23, 2025, has been shifted to Tuesday, October 7, 2025. Any inconvenience this short notice may cause is deeply regretted,” the memo read. Although the Senate leadership did not offer an official explanation, legislative sources told The PUNCH that the extension was meant to allow lawmakers to fully participate in Nigeria’s October 1 Independence Day activities. The delay has stirred public frustration, as the Senate faces mounting pressure to address worsening insecurity and push forward electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 polls. The proposed Security Summit, led by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and a 20-member ad hoc committee, is expected to outline new strategies to counter rising violence across the country. “No amount of investment in infrastructure will yield meaningful results without peace and stability,” Bamidele said at the committee’s inaugural meeting in June. Also awaiting debate is the Constitution Alteration Bill (SB. 855), sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West), which seeks to amend sections of the 1999 Constitution widely criticised as outdated and unfit for Nigeria’s evolving democracy. Senate President Akpabio has frequently defended the chamber’s record, noting in June that the 10th Senate had already considered 844 pieces of legislation, including 26 executive bills, with another 499 awaiting second reading. “It is a record that has not been held by any Nigerian Senate in two years,” Akpabio said during a Democracy Day joint session attended by President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. Critics, however, argue that the Senate’s frequent adjournments and prolonged recesses have slowed momentum on key reforms, casting doubt on lawmakers’ commitment to tackling the country’s deepening security, electoral, and economic crises.