The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has defended its N126 billion budget request for 2025, clarifying that N85 billion is earmarked for personnel costs, while the remainder will fund electoral activities and preparations for the 2027 general election.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, provided this explanation while presenting the commission’s budget proposal to the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in the National Assembly.

His remarks followed public scrutiny over the substantial budget request in a non-election year.

Speaking at a consultative meeting with media executives in Abuja on Friday, Yakubu emphasized that INEC’s budget for 2024 was also N40 billion, despite rising operational costs.

He explained that the funding constraints had affected critical activities, such as the continuous voter registration, which had to be suspended.

“Our budget for this year is N40 billion, the same as last year. However, last year, we struggled to cover essential activities. We had to put the resumption of voter registration on hold due to financial limitations,” he stated.

Yakubu further elaborated on the commission’s workforce, noting that INEC employs approximately 15,000 permanent staff but requires nearly one million ad hoc personnel during general elections.

“Polling units across Nigeria total about 177,000, each requiring four officials. Clearly, our 15,000 permanent staff are insufficient to manage elections alone. Additionally, we maintain offices in all 774 local government areas, state offices, an electoral institute, and nationwide storage facilities for election materials,” he explained.

On electoral offences, Yakubu disclosed that 774 individuals from the 2023 general elections are currently facing prosecution.

He cited a recent successful conviction of a Returning Officer in Akwa Ibom State for an offence committed during the 2019 elections, highlighting the commission’s commitment to addressing electoral malpractice.

“Through our collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), electoral offence cases from the 2023 elections are being prosecuted. We have secured convictions in Kebbi and Kogi States, while our partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on vote-buying has yielded results in Lagos, Kwara, and Gombe States,” he said.

However, Yakubu noted that a major challenge in tackling electoral offences is the slow judicial process, as cases are prosecuted in Magistrate and State High Courts without priority consideration.

The Nigerian Red Cross Society has raised alarm over the country’s high rate of road traffic accidents, revealing that Nigeria accounts for nearly 10 percent of the two million global road accident fatalities recorded annually.

This means about 200,000 Nigerians lose their lives each year due to road crashes.

Speaking at the launch of the Safe Steps Road Safety Campaign, the President of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Prince Oluyemisi Adeaga, described the situation as critical, citing the 2023 World Health Organization (WHO) Global Status Report on Road Safety, which ranked road accidents as the ninth leading cause of death globally.

Adeaga emphasized that reported road accidents in Nigeria likely represent only a fraction of the actual cases, as many incidents go unreported.

He warned that estimates suggest the real numbers could be up to five times higher than the recorded figures.

The Safe Steps Road Safety Campaign, launched in December 2023 in Abuja, aims to address the crisis by promoting responsible driving habits and strengthening collaboration among key stakeholders.

The initiative brings together agencies such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Police Force, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to implement more effective safety measures.

According to Afolabi Lawal, a representative of the Zenith Prudence Foundation, Africa has the world’s highest road fatality rate despite having a relatively small share of the global vehicle population.

He noted that despite interventions from the WHO, the Ministry of Transport, and the FRSC, road accidents remain a major challenge, with 1.35 million fatalities recorded annually.

The Red Cross and its partners are urging stronger enforcement of road safety regulations and improved public awareness to curb the alarming rate of traffic-related deaths in Nigeria.

A former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Major General Mahrazu Tsiga (retired), has been kidnapped alongside several residents of Tsiga village in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Eyewitnesses reported that gunmen, suspected to be bandits, stormed Tsiga’s residence on Wednesday, wielding sophisticated weapons.

The attack, which lasted only a few minutes, left two residents injured, while one of the attackers was mistakenly shot and killed by his colleagues.

Local sources confirmed the abduction, though the Katsina State Government and the police are yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

Katsina State, like other states in the North-West and North-Central regions, has been plagued by banditry.

Criminal gangs, operating from vast forested areas spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states, have been responsible for mass kidnappings, killings, and destruction of villages.

In response, Governor Dikko Umar Radda launched the Katsina Community Watch Corps (KCWC) in 2023.

The force, consisting of 2,000 vigilantes, was established to support security agencies in combating banditry.

Governor Radda has reiterated that his administration will not negotiate with bandits unless certain conditions are met.

Speaking on January 22 during a courtesy visit by Major General Ibikunle Ademola Ajose, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division, Radda emphasized that any peace deal must involve community members and be structured to ensure long-term security.

“We will not engage criminals in negotiations,” Radda stated. “However, we are open to supporting genuine repentance and reintegration efforts through structured initiatives.”

The governor highlighted Katsina’s substantial investment in security infrastructure and expressed satisfaction with the collaborative efforts of the Nigerian Army, Air Force, Police, Civil Defence, and KCWC.

He commended the leadership of security agencies for their dedication and noted that recent efforts have led to tangible improvements, allowing farmers to cultivate their lands without fear.

During the meeting, Major General Ajose affirmed that the Nigerian Army does not negotiate with criminals.

He explained that his visit was part of an operational assessment of states under the 8th Division and to discuss the newly launched Operation Safe Northwest.

“This initiative aims to enhance security operations, engage communities, and promote sustainable peace,” Ajose explained.

He acknowledged reports of some bandits expressing willingness to surrender but emphasized that military operations would continue uninterrupted.

The visit also included discussions on funding for a new Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Katsina, which is expected to strengthen security operations in the state.

The meeting was attended by top government officials, including Deputy Governor Faruk Jobe, Chief of Staff AbdulKadir Mamman Nasir, and members of the state executive council.