AGF embarks on aggresive revenue drives to improve personnel cost funding

The Accountant General of the Federation Dr. Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein has expressed it’s willingness to tackle the shortfall of revenue confronting the nation ‘s economy by the introduction of Aggressive Revenue drives which has resulted in the improved funding of the personnel Cost , Overhead and Capital in 2024. Madein stated this while playing host with Federal House of Representatives Committee on Public Account in her office Abuja during their oversight visit to the Treasury House on 8th January 2024. She revealed that since her resumption in May 2023, the FGN Consolidated Financial Statement has been prepared and audited up to 31st December 2019, “In collaboration with the Auditor-General of the Federation, we have prepared and Audited 2020/ 2021 CFS while 2022 is ongoing.” “It would have been completed but for problems we have regarding the reconciliation of Bank Statement for the Consolidated Revenue Fund with the Central Bank of Nigeria,” she added. The AGF revealed that OAGF has proposed some enhancements to GIFMIS and IPPIS that will be more robust with the support and cooperation of National Assembly. In his response, the House Committee Chairman on Public Accounts Hon. Bamidele Salam has urged the AGF to submit the 2022 Consolidated Financial Statement of the Federation as provided in the 1999 Constitution. Salam stated that from the submission of Accountant General of the Federation on the low revenue remittance by many Government-Owned Enterprises suggested that there was a need to stricker measures to block revenue leakages through automation of processes and regular audit.

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Gov. Sanwo-Olu signs N3.366trn budget into law

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday signed the 2025 Appropriation Bill tagged “Budget of Sustainability.” Sanwo-Olu signed the budget, which is N3.366 trillion, at the Lagos House, Ikeja, during a ceremony attended by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hazmat; Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG), Barr (Mrs.) Bimbola Salu-Hudeyin; members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, led by the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Appropriation and Finance, Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh; and members of the State Executive Council, among others. Speaking after signing of the 2025 Appropriation Bill, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the budget was structured around five key pillars, which are Infrastructure Sustainability; Economic Diversification; Social Inclusion and Human Capital Development; Environmental Sustainability; and Governance and Institutional Reforms. The Governor urged Lagos residents to join hands with his administration as it deploys resources in line with the provisions of the budget. He said, “It is with a deep sense of responsibility that I perform this task of signing the budget into law. This is the second of four budgets that I will have the honour of assenting to during my second term, and it represents another opportunity to advance our vision of a Greater Lagos for the benefit of all Lagosians and Nigeria at large. “As I noted during my budget presentation speech in November 2025, the Lagos State Budget is structured around five pillars: Infrastructure Sustainability; Economic Diversification; Social Inclusion and Human Capital Development; Environmental Sustainability; and Governance and Institutional Reforms. These five pillars fully capture our determination to build on the gains of the past and scale up impact for the future. “I would like to call for continued collaboration between the Executive, who will implement the budget, and the Legislature, who will provide the much-needed monitoring and oversight and ensure that we achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of our people with the limited resources available to us. “On our part as the Lagos State Government, we will also live up to the responsibility of delivering governance that is respectful of and responsive to the people at all times. I am charging the civil service and all other concerned stakeholders to once again deliver an impressive level of budget implementation in 2025.” Sanwo-Olu commended the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the state lawmakers, unseen heroes, and everybody who participated from the preparation of the budget to the presentation, the passage, and the signing of the Appropriation Bill. Also speaking, the Chairman of the House of Assembly Joint Committee on Appropriation and Finance, Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh, said the budget will focus on the development of Lagos State. He said, “I want to say categorically that the THEMES agenda in the first term of Mr. Governor and the THEMES+ agenda have been meticulously packaged, and Lagosians have been benefitting from the agenda of Mr. Governor. “We can see that Lagos is the first in almost everything that is done in this country. For the first term, our internal revenue service has crossed the N1 trillion mark in terms of IGR. That tells the dedication and purposefulness in your (Governor Sanwo-Olu) leadership, and I want to celebrate you. “I want to also celebrate your excellent relationship with the House of Assembly. The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has always been in the forefront of ensuring that whatever Mr. Governor wants the House to do, it is done, and we will continue to do that to ensure that Lagos moves forward. “This budget was meticulously looked through during the budget defence period. Everything we did, we did it together to ensure that we got to where we are. We have carefully looked into the Electricity Bill. We have looked into the issue of variation, and we have looked into so many things that are dear to the government. We celebrate you and appreciate what you have done in terms of road infrastructure, and we want to pray that you continue in this light.” Speaking earlier, the Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ope George, said the budget is not only the largest in history but also positions Lagos as the first sub-national government in Nigeria to pass a budget of the magnitude. George said the 2025 budget reflects the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration unwavering commitment to economic growth, infrastructural development, and the welfare of all Lagosians. He said: “This historic budget underscores our commitment to prioritising infrastructure with 62 percent allocated to capital expenditure and 38 percent to recurrent spending. This allocation represents our focus on driving long-term investments while maintaining efficient delivery of essential services. “Our revenue framework, which projects N2.342 trillion from total Internally Generated Revenue and N626.137 billion from federal transfers, is anchored on innovation, accountability, and fiscal sustainability. A deficit financing of N398.662 billion has also been carefully structured to ensure financial prudence.” It would be recalled that the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday approved a budget of N3.366 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year, injecting an additional N360.88 billion into Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s initial proposal of N3.005 trillion. The budget allocates N1.3 trillion for recurrent expenditure and N2.07 trillion for capital projects, with the financial year ending on 31st December 2025.

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Police arraign Stella Nwadigbo for indecent child treatment

The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned Stella Nwadigbo, aged 45, for indecent treatment and assault of a child. The suspect, who was arraigned in Magistrate Court 1, Ogba today, January 9, 2025, had been captured in a viral video indecently treating and assaulting a three-year-old pupil of a primary school in Ikorodu area of Lagos State. Following receipt of the video, the Family Support Unit (FSU) of Ikorodu Police Division promptly arrested the suspect on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 and transferred her to the Gender Unit of the Command Headquarters same day after preliminary investigations. The victim was taken to a medical facility for adequate medical attention. The suspect has since been remanded to Kirikiri Correctional facility till February 18, 2025 when the case comes up for continuation of hearing. The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olanrewaju Ishola, psc(+), mnips, while commending Nigerians for promptly alerting the police to the situation, assures them of the ever-readiness of the Command to respond quickly and appropriately to situations towards ensuring the safety and security of resident and visitors to Lagos State.

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Trump asks US court to halt sentencing in criminal case

Donald Trump has asked the US supreme court to pause criminal proceedings in his New York hush-money case, according to a filing released on Wednesday. This follows a New York appeals court denying his bid to halt sentencing on Friday in his hush-money case, Reuters reported, in which he became a felon last spring. The president-elect on Monday lost an attempt to put off his sentencing on Friday for his criminal conviction stemming from money paid to an adult film star to silence her about an alleged affair with Trump years ago. In a filing released on Wednesday, Trump’s lawyers asked the nation’s top court to immediately order a stay in the case, as he sought an appeal to resolve questions of presidential immunity following an earlier supreme court ruling. That appeal effort could reach the supreme court as well, his lawyers noted. They also urged the court to issue a temporary “administrative stay” while it considers the request for a broader pause, the filing said. Trump won another term in the White House and is set to take office on 20 January. He has who denied any wrongdoing but was convicted by a jury last May of a plot to influence the 2016 presidential election. The hush-money case made Trump the first US president, sitting or former, to be charged with a crime and also the first to be convicted. Since the verdict, his lawyers have made two unsuccessful attempts to have the case tossed.

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Cybercrime: Nigeria Police recover N8bn

In the relentless efforts of the Nigeria Police Force to tackle every form of crime in all spheres, the Force has recorded an outstanding achievement for the year 2024 in retrospect, particularly in the area of combatting cybercrime. In the year 2024, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC) successfully recovered a staggering N8,821,001,881.80 (Eight Billion, Eight Hundred and Twenty-One Million, One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-One Naira, Eighty Kobo), 115,237.91 USDT, and $84,000 (Eighty-Four Thousand Dollars). These significant amounts have been restituted to the victims of cybercrime, reaffirming the commitment of the Force to protecting citizens and ensuring justice for those affected by fraudulent activities. Similarly, in the past year, the Cybercrime Unit has actively engaged in strategic operations, resulting in the arrests and prosecutions of over 751 individuals involved in cybercrime. The unit has successfully recovered a total of 685 devices that were used in these nefarious activities, which include 467 mobile phones, 137 laptops and computers, 46 routers, 4 servers, 1 drone, and 4 Starlink devices. Additionally, the operations led to the confiscation of 16 houses, 39 plots of land, 14 land documents, and 26 vehicles, further dismantling the infrastructure supporting cybercriminal activities. In recognition of its outstanding performance and dedication, the NPF-NCCC has been awarded the title of the Best Cybercrime Unit in Africa for 2024 by the INTERPOL Cybercrime Directorate based in Singapore, securing the top position among 54 participating African countries. These achievements reflects the dedication of the Nigeria Police Force to fighting cybercrime and enhancing the safety of citizens in the digital space. In furtherance to efforts towards keeping the cyberspace safe, operatives of the NPF-NCCC have apprehended 4 suspects identified as Douglass Victor ‘m’, Egbo Efe Martins ‘m’, Lucky Adesunloye ‘m’, and Ndifreke Joseph Moody ‘m’, for various cyber-related offences. The Nigeria Police remains committed towards combating cyber threats, staying steps ahead of cybercriminals, thereby enhancing the nation’s overall cybersecurity framework and protecting the welfare of its citizens in the digital era. Citizens are advised to remain vigilant and exercise caution when sharing sensitive data or interacting with unfamiliar online entities, cultivating a culture of cyber awareness and promoting responsible online behavior are essential components in fortifying the defenses against cyber threats.

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Dele Farotimi wins Man of The Year award

Nigerian Lawyer and Human Rights activist, Dele Farotimi has been named Man of the Year. The Editorial Board of Atlantic Digest, an online media publication on Thursday, adjudged the frontline legal luminary as their Man of the Year. “Dear Mr. Farotimi, we cherish you and all you do for public advocacy. “You remain a towering inferno against oppression and the primus inter pares amongst patriots who intend to liberate Nigeria,” the Editorial board Atlantic Digest stated. Farotimi was arrested in Lagos State on December 3, 2024, and extradited to Ekiti State by the Nigerian Police Force in connection with his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System. The arrest followed allegations of defamation brought against him by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Afe Babalola. Farotimi’s detention sparked widespread outrage, with activists, legal practitioners, and civil society organisations condemning the action as an attempt to stifle free speech and dissent.

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Rivers: Fubara signs N1.1trn budget into law

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has appended his signature to the State’s N1.1 trillion appropriation budget into law. Fubara signed the bill into law at the River State House of Assembly on Thursday. Shortly after the exercise, the Governor wrote on his X handle (formerly Twitter), “Today, I signed into law the 2025 Rivers State Appropriation Bill. Tagged; “Budget of Inclusive Growth & Development.” “The bill is estimated at N1.1 trillion. “I deeply appreciate the Rivers State House of Assembly for their diligence and my executives for their unwavering commitment to service. “Together, we are setting the pace for a prosperous year ahead, focusing on education, healthcare, agriculture, and infrastructure. “Let me, on this note, thank everyone and once again wish you a happy and prosperous New Year ahead as we continue the journey of making Rivers State great again.”

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N180m NGO’s money not missing -VDM

Social media critic Vincent Martins Otse, aka Verydarkman, has taunted Online personalities who fell for his claim that N180 million was hacked from his non-governmental organisation account. He said he shared the news to check how dumb the Nigerian media and some Nigerians are. VDM berated those who insulted him and his mother, describing her as a thief. He pretended to be crying and said those who dragged him would learn the hard way. He also tackled media practitioners for not confirming information before sharing. According to VDM, his money is safe with Zenith Bank, and they are doing a good job. The media personality tackled some netizens, including human rights activist Omotayo Williams and investigative journalist David Hundeyin, for their takes on the issue. Omotayo had said that the officer VDM involved in the case, Officer Sam, was a cab driver in Jos, Plateau state. VDM lambasted Omotayo and noted that he never claimed Officer Sam was a police officer but just an officer. VDM also knocked David Hundeyin for asking Nigerians to focus on the claim by Niger Republic’s military ruler, General Abdulrahman Tchiani, that France was setting up a military base in the northeast region of Nigeria. The social critic said that Hundeyin didn’t have proof of what he was saying, and it was one of the reasons he claimed many Nigerians are dumb. VDM stated that if his money was truly missing, he would have contacted the Abuja Police Command. However, he never reported to any police, and those who believed he would take his case from Abuja to Jos were dumb. He also tackled the police in Abuja and Plateau for debunking any missing money when he did not report any case to them. VDM said that the police should start reacting to every news since they have started it with him, without him coming to make any statement to them.

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