Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and ex-Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, has accused unnamed political rivals of orchestrating a “relentless theatre of persecution” after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared him wanted.

According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Julius Bokoru, Sylva described the EFCC’s action as politically motivated and procedurally flawed, claiming he was not notified before the public declaration.

“His recent challenges resemble the trials of Job, each allegation emerging with precise timing, only to be discredited and replaced by another,” Bokoru said.

“These are not coincidences but deliberate attempts to undermine Sylva’s political relevance and integrity. No formal communication was sent to him; no proper protocol was followed—only a sudden digital announcement aimed at inflaming public sentiment.”

Sylva maintains he has not misappropriated public funds and insists that the Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, the project under investigation, is legitimate and transparent.

“Chief Timipre Sylva has clean hands. He has not diverted any funds nor betrayed public trust,” the statement said.

“The refinery project is verifiable, transparent, and subject to due process. Those orchestrating this campaign of defamation will not succeed.”

The EFCC alleges that Sylva conspired to dishonestly convert $14,859,257, reportedly part of funds invested by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into the Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited.

A warrant for his arrest was issued on November 6, 2025, by Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

The Commission urged the public to provide any information regarding Sylva’s whereabouts to its zonal offices, the police, or other security agencies.

Meanwhile, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the EFCC’s fourth prosecution witness in a separate N80.2 billion fraud case involving former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello confirmed that withdrawals made by the state government did not violate banking regulations.

Under cross-examination, Zenith Bank compliance officer Mshelia Arhyel Bata stated that Sylva was not a beneficiary in any of the accounts presented as evidence.

Defence counsel Joseph Daudu (SAN) highlighted omissions in the prosecution’s focus on certain withdrawals, noting that some transactions by Umar Comfort Olufunke were not included in the case.

The witness also confirmed withdrawals by Alhassan Omakoji between November 2021 and December 2022 were within CBN transaction limits.

The court removed irrelevant documents from the record, and Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned proceedings to November 11 for the continuation of the trial.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Simon Ortuanya, along with other university officials, has challenged a suit filed by former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, alleging certificate forgery.

In a preliminary objection filed before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja, UNN and the other defendants asked the court to strike out the suit, arguing it is statute-barred.

They also contended that the plaintiff’s motion for prerogative writs was incompetently filed.

Other defendants in the case include the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the UNN Registrar, former Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Oguenjiofor Ujam, and the UNN Senate.

The suit, marked ABJ/CS/1909/2025, was filed by Nnaji before leaving office, following allegations of certificate forgery against him.

At Monday’s court mention, Nnaji’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), said he received the preliminary objection notice only minutes before proceedings began.

He requested a definite hearing date, noting that the defendants intended to file a counter-affidavit the following day.

Justice Yilwa adjourned the matter to January 13, 2026, directing that hearing notices be issued to all parties not present in court. The Education Minister and NUC were absent.

In their objection, the third to seventh defendants argued that:

• The suit was improperly filed because the motion ex-parte for leave was not filed within three months of the alleged incident, as required by Order 34 Rule 4(1) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019 and Section 2(a) of the Public Officers Protection Act 2004.
• The motion for prerogative orders should have been filed as an originating motion, not by motion on notice, per Order 34 Rule 5(1).
• The Federal High Court lacks jurisdiction over student academic records, examinations, results, and transcripts under Section 251(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
• Internal university remedies have not been exhausted, and no fundamental rights of the plaintiff were violated.
• No reasonable cause of action exists against the defendants, particularly Prof. Ortuanya, who acted in his official capacity as UNN Vice-Chancellor.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Simon Ortuanya, along with other university officials, has challenged a suit filed by former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, alleging certificate forgery.

In a preliminary objection filed before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja, UNN and the other defendants asked the court to strike out the suit, arguing it is statute-barred.

They also contended that the plaintiff’s motion for prerogative writs was incompetently filed.

Other defendants in the case include the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the UNN Registrar, former Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Oguenjiofor Ujam, and the UNN Senate.

The suit, marked ABJ/CS/1909/2025, was filed by Nnaji before leaving office, following allegations of certificate forgery against him.

At Monday’s court mention, Nnaji’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), said he received the preliminary objection notice only minutes before proceedings began.

He requested a definite hearing date, noting that the defendants intended to file a counter-affidavit the following day.

Justice Yilwa adjourned the matter to January 13, 2026, directing that hearing notices be issued to all parties not present in court. The Education Minister and NUC were absent.

In their objection, the third to seventh defendants argued that:

• The suit was improperly filed because the motion ex-parte for leave was not filed within three months of the alleged incident, as required by Order 34 Rule 4(1) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019 and Section 2(a) of the Public Officers Protection Act 2004.
• The motion for prerogative orders should have been filed as an originating motion, not by motion on notice, per Order 34 Rule 5(1).
• The Federal High Court lacks jurisdiction over student academic records, examinations, results, and transcripts under Section 251(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
• Internal university remedies have not been exhausted, and no fundamental rights of the plaintiff were violated.
• No reasonable cause of action exists against the defendants, particularly Prof. Ortuanya, who acted in his official capacity as UNN Vice-Chancellor.

Governor Muhammadu Yahaya of Gombe State has approved the construction of a new deputy governor’s office at a cost of N1.337 billion, the State Commissioner for Works, Housing, and Transportation, Usman Maijama’a Kallamu, announced during a press briefing on Wednesday following the state executive council meeting.

Kallamu explained that the decision was made because the current deputy governor’s office is located far from the Government House.

The new office will be built at the site of the old Gombe Jewel Hotel, adjacent to Government House, alongside offices for the state’s emirs and chiefs, which are also under construction.

The state government is currently undertaking several major projects, including the reconstruction of the Government House and the construction of a new State House of Assembly, a State High Court complex, and the state secretariat in the three-arm zone.

In addition, the executive council approved the construction of a “befitting state fire service station” at N1.275 billion, as firefighters currently share space with the local government veterinary office.

Other projects include the completion of five mega colleges at N3.5 billion, an increase from the previous contract to upgrade the buildings to two-storey structures to accommodate rising student numbers.

The commissioner assured that these colleges would be completed by January 2026.

The council also approved the construction of a Police Divisional Office at Shehu Abubakar district in Gombe capital at a cost of N461 million.

President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerian journalists to freely critique government policies, but emphasized that such criticism should be grounded in knowledge, fairness, and national responsibility.

The President made the remarks on Wednesday at the All Nigerian Editors Conference in Abuja, highlighting the media’s crucial role in shaping public discourse and strengthening democracy.

“Critique government policy, but do so with knowledge and fairness,” Tinubu said.

“Your aim must never be to tear down, but to help build a better society. Report boldly, but truthfully.”

He stressed that criticism should not be used to undermine the nation’s progress, as the media are partners in building a stronger, more united country.

Tinubu also addressed the impact of social media, noting that while it enhances citizen journalism, it accelerates the spread of misinformation.

He urged journalists to uphold editorial principles of verification, balance, and professional judgment in this fast-paced information environment.

“We live in a time when information travels rapidly and widely. Falsehood can take root before the truth has time to speak. In such a context, the editorial function is more important than ever,” he said.

The Nigerian Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to raise N1.15 trillion from the domestic debt market to fund the unfunded portion of the 2025 budget deficit.

The approval came following the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt during Wednesday’s plenary session.

The committee noted that the 2025 Appropriation Act projects total expenditure of N59.99 trillion, an increase of N5.25 trillion over the N54.74 trillion initially proposed by the Executive.

This revision created a budget deficit of N14.10 trillion, of which N12.95 trillion had already been approved for borrowing, leaving an unfunded gap of approximately N1.15 trillion (N1,147,462,863,321).

In a related move, a motion by Senator Abdul Ningi was adopted, directing the Senate Committee on Appropriations to intensify oversight and ensure that the borrowed funds are strictly used for their intended purposes during the 2025 fiscal year.

President Tinubu had formally requested the fresh N1.15 trillion borrowing on November 4, stating in a letter to the National Assembly that the funds are needed to bridge the funding gap and guarantee full implementation of government programs and projects under the 2025 fiscal plan.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday abruptly adjourned plenary after a lengthy closed-door session, leaving several key bills and motions listed on the order paper unattended.

The sitting, presided over by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, began with the usual National Anthem, prayers, and brief announcements before lawmakers moved into an executive session that lasted nearly two hours.

When the House reconvened, an attempt by Hon. Uzokwe Peter Lovepet Ifeanyi (Dike-Udo), who represents Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, to raise a point of order was not acknowledged by the Speaker.

Instead, Speaker Abbas proceeded to entertain a motion for adjournment, which was promptly moved by the Majority Leader and carried without debate, effectively ending the day’s proceedings.

Plenary was adjourned until Wednesday.

While the outcome of the closed-door meeting was not officially disclosed, sources suggest it may be linked to last week’s tense standoff in the chamber over the non-release of funds for capital projects in the 2024 and 2025 budgets.

During that previous executive session, presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, lawmakers reportedly expressed frustration over the abandonment of project sites nationwide due to unpaid contractor certificates.

Members had lamented that despite the National Assembly’s approval of funds, there had been no visible progress on many constituency projects.

The adjournment meant that several motions and bills scheduled for debate were left pending.

Among the deferred motions were:

• A motion urging the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) to establish a Special Agricultural Processing and Export Zone in Kebbi State, sponsored by Hon. Ibrahim Mohammed.
• A motion on the indiscriminate sale of public land and assets in FHA/ENL Estates, Guzape, moved by Hon. Esosa Iyawe.
• Another motion addressing the collapse of local rice farming and milling industries across Nigeria.

Key bills that were slated for second reading but were not considered include:

• A constitutional amendment bill seeking to create additional Local Government Areas in Plateau State (HB.2590), sponsored by Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase.
• A bill to amend the Electricity Act, 2023, providing a regulatory framework for nuclear energy development in Nigeria (HB.2138), sponsored by Hon. Victor Obuzor.
• The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Institute (EFCCI) Establishment Bill (HB.2396), sponsored by Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, aimed at setting up a training and research centre for combating economic and financial crimes.