News
Tinubu Reduces Entourage On Foreign Trips To 20 Officials

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday approved “cost-cutting” measures that involve slashing, by 60%, official entourage on local and international travels.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed this while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
Ngelale said the directive applied to the Offices of the President, Vice President, First Lady, Wife of the Vice President and all Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
He said, “President Bola Tinubu has approved that anywhere he travels within this country he will no longer accept or allow huge security delegations to be following him from Abuja, which attracts massive bills with respect to estacode and duty allowances from now on.
“He has approved a massive cost-cutting exercise that will cut across the entire Federal Government of Nigeria and the Offices of the President himself, the Vice President and the Office of the First Lady. It will be conducted in the following fashion.
“On international trips, the President has directed that no more than 20 individuals be allowed to travel with him. That number will be cut down to five in the case of the First Lady. Additionally, the number in the entourage on official international trips for the Vice President will be cut to five. The number that will be placed as a limit on the wife of the Vice President is also five.”
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This decision came five weeks after Nigerians criticised the Tinubu administration for participating in the United Nation’s annual climate summit, COP28, in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates with 1,114 delegates.
Although the Presidency said it sponsored only 422 delegates, reports say it spent N2.78bn on airfares and estacodes.
In their first seven months in office, Tinubu and Shettima visited 16 countries, collectively spending 91 days in foreign engagements, The PUNCH observed.
Checks revealed that Tinubu has so far visited Paris, France (twice); London, the United Kingdom; Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Berlin, German, spending 55 days.
Meanwhile, VP Shettima represented him in Italy, Russia, South Africa, Cuba, China and the US, logging 36 days abroad in 2023.
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While the Presidency defended these trips as vital for attracting foreign direct investment into Nigeria, critics question the economic impact, particularly the size of the entourage.
But the President’s spokesperson told journalists that Tinubu is “determined to bring total sanity and prudence to the management of the commonwealth of our people.
“Henceforth, the President is insistent that the notion of government wastage and the notion that government officials will be allowed to conduct their affairs in a way that is different from what we are asking of Nigerian citizens with respect to prudence and cost management, those days are over.
“The President is insistent that the prudence of government officials must reflect the prudence of the Nigerian citizens.”
Revealing more details about the directive, Ngelale said, “The President has approved a new limit of 25 staff members to accompany him on domestic trips.
“The Office of the First Lady is now limited to 10 staff members to accompany her on official trips within the country.
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“The Vice President will be limited to 15 members of staff on official trips within the country, while his wife will be limited to 10 members of staff on officials within the country.”
On the issue of the President travelling with an army of security personnel across states, Ngelale said henceforth, “the security outfits within states, be it police, the DSS or branches of the military, will frontline his protective detail when he travels to those states.” This also applies to the Office of the VP, the First Lady, and the VP’s wife.
He explained that the number of persons allowed to accompany each officer on international trips is less than those allowed on domestic trips because “international trips are far more expensive across the board.”
For the MDAs, Ngelale said ministers are now limited to four persons for foreign trips, while agency heads can only travel with two persons.
“By this directive, every minister will be limited to having not more than four staff members going with them to any event anywhere in the world. In the case of CEOs of agencies, they will be limited to two staff going with them to anywhere in the world,” he explained.
Asked what sanctions await those who defy this directive, the presidential aide replied, “I believe we do not need to convince the officers of the Federal Government of Nigeria of the seriousness of the President with respect to how he will implement his directives.
“If there is anybody who feels that the directive of the President is not binding on them, who feels that the President will not uphold this directive in implementation and seeks to test it, they will do so at their peril.”
News
BREAKING: PDP Dismisses Anyanwu’s Forgery Claim, Says He Signed Convention Letters

The Peoples Democratic Party National Working Committee has dismissed allegations of signature forgery raised by its National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
The party insisted that he personally signed the letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission announcing the party’s forthcoming November national convention in the presence of state governors, NWC members and others.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, while addressing a press conference on behalf of the NWC in Abuja, on Monday, revealed that Anyanwu personally signed several official letters, including the one notifying INEC of the party’s convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
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According to Ologunagba, the letters were signed just hours before the 102nd National Executive Committee meeting held on August 25.
He added that the signing took place in the presence of key party figures such as Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke; Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal; former Minister of Special Duties Tanimu Turaki, and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, among others.
Ologunagba further noted that during the NEC meeting, Governor Bala Mohammed, who chairs the PDP Governors’ Forum, confirmed that all relevant letters, including the one to INEC, had been duly signed.
Details shortly…
News
NDLEA Intercepts Drugs Concealed In Frozen Snails, Electrical Bulbs

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted consignments of illicit drugs concealed in frozen snails, electrical bulbs, and female clothes bound for the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to a statement released on Sunday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the interceptions were made at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and a courier company in Lagos.
Babafemi said two suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizures.
“One of them, a cargo agent Boladale Riliwan, was arrested on October 7, 2025, following the discovery of 15 parcels of skunk, a strain of cannabis, concealed in 10 pieces of giant rechargeable electrical bulbs he presented in a carton for airfreight to the Democratic Republic of Congo at the export shed of the Lagos airport,” Babafemi added.
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Babafemi said another suspect, a 48-year-old UK-based public health assistant, Olawale Hakeemot, was arrested on October 12 at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of the MMIA, Ikeja.
He said she was found with 2,300 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in frozen snails while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Manchester, United Kingdom.
“Attempt by another syndicate to export 810 pills of bromazepam hidden in female clothes going to the United States was also thwarted by NDLEA officers at a courier company in Lagos on Thursday, 16th October,” he added.
In Adamawa State, Babafemi said operatives intercepted a suspect, Bello Buba, at an NDLEA checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South Local Government Area, with 38,270 pills of tramadol concealed in the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of his Honda Civic.
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He said the suspect allegedly drove from the Benin Republic to smuggle the drugs into Nigeria.
“A suspect, Bello Buba, was intercepted at an NDLEA checkpoint in Namtari, Yola South LGA with 38,270 pills of tramadol concealed in the spare tyre, boot, and door compartments of his Honda Civic car he drove all the way from Benin Republic to smuggle the consignment into Nigeria on Sunday, October 12,” he said.
In Ekiti State, he said operatives destroyed 53,250 kilograms of cannabis on 21.3 hectares of farmland in Ilawe-Ekiti and recovered an additional 1,140 kilograms packed in 70 bags. Three suspects—Matthew Emmanuel, 26; James Moses, 27; and Israel Samuel, 20—were arrested during the operation, which lasted between October 12 and 13.
Similarly, Babafemi added that 17,400 kilograms of cannabis were destroyed on 6.96 hectares of farmland in the Aponmu forest reserve, Akure, Ondo State, on October 12.
”In Oyo state, Aliyu Muhammed, 50; Babarinde Segun,32; Ogunbiyi Sanjo, 30; and Ajani Oluro,30, were nabbed with 596kg skunk at Apata-Ako, Igboora, while Jacob Afolabi, 30, and Salako Oluwatobi, 25, were arrested with 273kg of the same substance at Odo-Oyan, Igangan, on Thursday, October 16, ” he added.
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In Ogun State, Babafemi said Joseph Andrew was arrested with 88 kilograms of cannabis at Ona-Imeko on October 15, while in Imo State, 42-year-old Festus Udoh was caught with 13,000 pills of opioids along the Onitsha-Owerri Road.
Also in Enugu, he said operatives recovered 74.5 kilograms of cannabis from the store of one Joseph Chukwujamaa at Umuogbo-Agu village on October 18. In Lagos, 11 bags of cannabis weighing 117 kilograms were recovered from the base of a suspect, Ramoni Olukowi, in Mushin on the same day.
“A total of 80,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted in a container earlier watch-listed by NDLEA coming from India during a joint examination of the shipment with men of Customs service and other security agencies at the Apapa port on Tuesday, October 14,” the statement added.
The PUNCH had reported that 52-year-old businessman, Ejiofor Godwin Emeka, had excreted 69 wraps of cocaine after his arrest by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
Ejiofor, who runs boutiques in Lagos and Onitsha, Anambra State, was intercepted upon arrival from Bangkok, Thailand, on an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 941 on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, following credible intelligence.
News
PSC Reviews Disciplinary Cases, Reinstates Dismissed Police Officers

The Police Service Commission has reinstated some police officers who had been punished after reviewing a series of disciplinary cases.
The commission said no fewer than 24 appeals and one pending disciplinary matter were deliberated on during its plenary.
A statement on Sunday by the PSC spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, said the decisions were aimed at ensuring fairness and justice in police disciplinary administration.
Among the officers reinstated was ACP Ejiofor Grace Obiageli, who had been compulsorily retired following an incident on September 8, 2023, at Old Netim Division, Akamkpa, Cross River State.
“The Commission approved her reinstatement from the date of her compulsory retirement and to be properly placed so as to be at par with her mates,” Ani added.
Ani also said the commission freed ACP Muhammad Yunusa from a punishment of severe reprimand, restored the rank of CSP Ihekandu Okwuonu, and reinstated him, subject to his date of retirement.
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“The Commission also freed ACP Muhammad Awwal Yunusa from a punishment of severe Reprimand, restored the rank of CSP Ihekandu Allwell Okwuonu and reinstated him, but subject to his date of retirement.
“SP Clement Awoyemi got the Commission’s approval for adjustment of his date of reinstatement while ASP Bamiselu Oluwaseun, ASP Ahmed Monday and ASP Imoohi Doora were all reinstated,” he said.
Ani equally said the commission dismissed petitions against DIG Bzigu Dali, describing allegations of falsified records as frivolous.
“The Commission also noted that, as the exclusive body on Police Discipline, the warning letter issued to the officer, and which did not emanate from the Commission, was null and void. It also quashed the reversal of his date of birth from 10th of April 1967 to 10th of April 1966 through a signal”, he said.
Ani said the PSC Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu (retd), promised that the commission would continue to ensure that justice is served promptly in all disciplinary cases.
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He noted that officers who are cleared of wrongdoing should not have their careers hindered by administrative delays or errors.
“The Commission will henceforth ensure that pending disciplinary matters are treated with despatch so that those found culpable are made to face the consequences while those exonerated are freed to continue with their career progression.
“The Commission will not at any time impede the career progression of any Officer who is not found guilty of any misdemeanour,” Argungu was quoted as saying.
Ani also said at the commencement of its second plenary meeting on Thursday, the Commission approved the promotion of several deserving officers, including the appointment of a new Deputy Inspector-General of Police and the promotion of one Commissioner of Police to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General.
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Among those promoted were SP Omenihu Obinna, Commander, Anti-Cult Unit, Abia State Command; DSP Bankole Olajide Joseph, Commander, Bank Guard, Lagos State Command; and several others confirmed as Assistant Superintendents of Police, including Ede Stella Ukamaka of the Police Hospital, Awka, Anambra State; Omeife Bethrand Emeka of 45 PMF, Force Headquarters, Abuja; and Nnamdi Nwoba, O/C Surveillance, Ubakala Division, Abia State Command.
ASP Adeyemi Adeola, Chief of Staff to the Chairman of a Lagos State Task Force, was also promoted to the rank of DSP.
The reinstatements come amid the Police Service Commission’s ongoing efforts to restore confidence in its disciplinary processes and correct administrative injustices within the Nigeria Police Force.
The PUNCH reports that over the years, several officers have petitioned the commission over what they described as wrongful sanctions, arbitrary punishments, or flawed disciplinary proceedings.
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