News

Reps Query NECO For Spending IGR, Postpones Budget Defence

Published

11 months ago

January 15, 2025

Professor Ibrahim Wushishi

The National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Basic Education Bodies, on Wednesday, queried the National Examinations Council (NECO ) for spending the revenue it generated from selling Senior School Certificate Examination registration forms without permission in 2024.

The poser was raised when NECO Registrar, Prof Ibrahim Wushishi, appeared before the panel to defend the 2024 budget performance and 2025 proposal at the National Assembly Complex.

However, the committee was forced to step down the budget defence session by the examination body due to discrepancies in their presentation.

Wushishi told the committee that it realised over N22 billion from the sales of the registration forms at the rate of N22,250 to over 1.3 million candidates for the examination in 2024.

Out of the revenue raised, he said the Federal Government deducted N9.5 billion and the balance was spent on the overhead cost of the agency.

But the account did not add up as the registrar claimed the government deducted 50 per cent, leading the lawmakers to query how it would amount to N9.5 billion.

He said, “Because of the fiscal policy of the government to deduct 50 per cent directly from the source, the government has taken N9.5 billion from the same account, which makes NECO difficult to operate.

“We are still reconciling and following up with the office of the Accountant General of the Federation to see how we can reconcile and put our house in order and submit.”

Continuing, Wushishi explained that the balance of the IGR was used to conduct five different examinations.

He said because of the direct deduction by the government, they could not put up a proper presentation to the Committee.

Following this, a motion was adopted by the committee to step down the budget defence due to insufficient documents and the inability of the NECO registrar to give a satisfactory explanation of the 2024 budget.

Wushishi was thereafter directed to provide copies of the approved 2024 budget for NECO, details of the various examinations conducted by NECO, the number of candidates registered, the amount paid and bank statements to date at the next session.

Earlier, the NECO Registrar had said for 2024, the sum of N100 million was appropriated for the payment of outstanding land compensation in respect of the ongoing project construction of the NECO zonal and state office at Dawaki, Kano State.

However, he said as of December 31, 2024, the Council had not received any allocation.

On personnel costs for 2024, he said N9.8 billion was approved for last year of which 97.5 per cent has been utilised.

But the Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education Bodies, Oboku Oforji, said the legislature has a public obligation to implement the budget effectively.

He said they were not out to witch-hunt anyone.

“The legislative branch must play an active role in ensuring that these matters are addressed properly.

“The Committee urges all agencies to see us as partners in progress. The agencies should not see the committee as adversaries or conceal any activities. There I urge all to do the needful by implementing projects and programmes of government.

“The Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation should ensure that funds are released promptly to the agencies so they can do their responsibilities,” he said.

News

Trump’s Airstrikes: Halt Military Cooperation With US Immediately – Sheikh Gumi Tells Tinubu Govt

Published

2 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Federal Government to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States following reported US airstrikes.

Gumi warned that American involvement could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine national sovereignty.

Gumi made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday.

He said while Islam permits the fight against terrorism, such actions should only be carried out by what he described as “clean hands,” arguing that the United States lacks the moral authority to lead such efforts because of its global military record.

According to the cleric, Nigeria made a mistake by allowing foreign powers to play a role in its counterterrorism operations, insisting that “terrorists do not truly fight terrorists” and that such interventions often result in civilian casualties and hidden political motives.

Gumi warned that allowing Nigeria to become a theatre of war would attract anti-US forces into the country, further destabilising it.

He also cautioned that US involvement, particularly under claims of protecting Christians, could polarise the country along religious lines.

The cleric further argued that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism, stressing that effective counterterrorism requires strong ground operations, which he said Nigeria has enough personnel to carry out if properly organised.

“This is the mistake Nigeria has made. Terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror’.

“As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. And no nation should allow its neighbors to be their enemies.

“If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively,” part of his statement reads.

News

Shehu Sani Reacts To Trump’s Military Strikes In Nigeria

Published

3 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Former lawmaker, senator Shehu Sani, has reacted to reports of United States military strikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-West, saying foreign powers cannot permanently handle the country’s security challenges.

Sani made the remarks on Friday via his X handle while responding to a post by the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, which indicated that the strikes were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

According to him, if the reported strikes were indeed a joint operation with Nigerian security agencies, then such action was justifiable, given the threat posed by terrorist groups in the region.

He described terrorists operating in parts of northern Nigeria as “cancerous cells,” stressing that they survive through violence and should be confronted decisively.

Sani also dismissed narratives suggesting that terrorist attacks target only one religious group, describing such claims as false and misleading.

He said: “If actually, the military strikes against the terrorists targets in the North Western part of Nigeria were a joint operation with the ‘Nigerian Authorities’ as posted by the US AFRICOM on their verified X handle, then it’s a conscionable action.

“Terrorists have become cancerous cells in our part of the country.They live by the sword.The narrative that the evil terrorists only targets one faith, remains absolutely false and misleading.

“Again, the ultimate security and peace in our country lies with ourselves and not with the US or any foreign power. They can complimentarily or unilaterally strike, but they can’t eternally fight our battles.”