Category Nigeria News

The remains of elder statesman and business icon, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, arrived in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday for burial, accompanied by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, who led the escort from Abu Dhabi.

His son, Sanusi Dantata, confirmed the development on Tuesday in a post on X.

“Aliko Dangote personally went and escorted the remains of his great-uncle, the late Alh. Aminu Dantata, from Abu Dhabi to Madinah, where he will be buried at the Baqiyya cemetery.

“The body has arrived in Madinah this morning, and the Janazah prayer will be held at the Holy Prophet’s Mosque after the Asr prayer (around 1. 30 p. m. Nigeria time).

“May Allah have mercy on his soul and grant safe return to the family, friends, and well-wishers who travelled to attend the Janazah in Saudi,” Sanusi stated.

Dantata passed away on Saturday, 28 June 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, just 43 days after celebrating his 94th birthday. In line with his wishes, he will be laid to rest in the holy city of Madinah.

Aliko Dangote personally went and escorted the remains of his great-uncle, the late Alh. Aminu Dantata, from Abu Dhabi to Madinah, where he will be buried at the Baqiyya cemetery.

The body has arrived in Madinah this morning, and the Janazah prayer will be held at the Holy… pic. twitter. com/D1rWC2xpYQ

FG Delegation Condolence  Visit

Meanwhile, on Monday, a delegation from the Federal Government arrived in Madinah to commiserate with the Dantata family and take part in the funeral rites.

The delegation was led by the Minister of Defence and former Governor of Jigawa State, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, who conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s message of condolence.

He was accompanied by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; and the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata.

READ ALSO: Business Icon Aminu Dantata Dies At 94

The team, which departed Nigeria late Sunday and arrived in Madinah early Monday, was received by Mustapha Junaid and other family members, including the deceased’s wives, children, and grandchildren, who expressed gratitude for the Federal Government’s condolence visit.

Also present were prominent Islamic clerics—Bashir Aliyu Umar, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, and Khalifa Abdullahi Muhammad, Imam of the Dantata Mosque in Abuja—who offered prayers for the repose of the late patriarch.

Born in 1931 into a prominent merchant family, Aminu Dantata later took over the family business, expanding it into multiple sectors, including oil, finance, and manufacturing.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is drafting supplementary regulations to clarify Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022, amid growing concerns over varied interpretations of the law regarding the review of declared election results.

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Tuesday at the Commission’s second quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), held at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Yakubu explained that the new guidelines will help provide clarity on how the Commission can exercise its powers under the Act, especially ahead of upcoming bye-elections, off-cycle governorship polls, and the 2027 general election.

“As we approach the bye-elections, the off-cycle governorship elections and ultimately the 2027 general election, the Commission is concerned with the various interpretations given to the provision of Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022 on the review of election results.

“Pursuant to our powers to issue regulations, guidelines and manuals to give effect to the provisions of the Electoral Act and for its administration, the Commission is working on a supplement to the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022 to provide clarity on the review of declaration and return at elections,” the commission chairman stated.

According to him, once a decision is reached—possibly as early as this week—the supplementary regulations and guidelines will be uploaded to INEC’s website and other public platforms.

Section 65 of the Electoral Act allows INEC to, within seven days, review any result where the returning officer is found to have acted under duress or contrary to the law.

However, the provision has been the subject of differing legal and political interpretations, prompting the Commission to seek clarity through updated operational guidelines.

READ ALSO:  INEC Receives 110 Applications For Political Party Registration (FULL LIST)

During the meeting, Yakubu also charged RECs with taking full ownership of the electoral process within their respective states, reminding them that they are full-time officials whose responsibilities should not depend on directives from Abuja.

“You are full-time commissioners and should already be implementing existing policies,” he said.

He called for greater commitment to staff training, stakeholder engagement, electoral logistics, and coordination with security agencies.

Yakubu also welcomed six newly appointed RECs and expressed satisfaction that all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory now have full representation. He said the performance of future elections would depend heavily on the dedication and initiative shown by the RECs in discharging their responsibilities.

Meanwhile, the INEC Chairman announced that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will resume nationwide from 18th August 2025 for online pre-registration, while in-person registration will begin on 25th August.

However, in Anambra State, the CVR will commence next week and will be held simultaneously in all 326 wards ahead of the state’s governorship election scheduled for 8th November 2025.

He noted that the early start is to ensure the completion of the updated voters’ register within the legal timeframe of 90 days before the election date.

Yakubu also outlined the Commission’s electoral calendar for the next year. According to him, five major elections will be conducted between August 2025 and August 2026.

These include bye-elections in 12 states on 16th August 2025; the Anambra governorship election on 8th November 2025; the FCT Area Council elections on 21st February 2026; the Ekiti governorship election on 20th June 2026; and the Osun governorship election on 8th August 2026.

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised 10 Boko Haram terrorists during a recent offensive on the terrorists’ enclave between Rann and Gamboru Ngala, very close to the Nigerian-Cameroon border.

This was as the military sustained its clearance operations at the Southern Lake Chad region.

Speaking to Channels Television in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, the Theatre Commander North-East Joint Task Force Operations Hadin Kai, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, said several ammunition were recovered from the operations which took place at a border community, Manawaji.

Weapons like anti-aircraft ammunition and ordinance weapons believed to have been stolen in an earlier attack on Cameroon Defense Force were recovered during the clearance operations.

READ ALSO: Volunteer Forces ‘Kill’ Zamfara Bandit Commander Kachalla Yellow

He said, “Our troops are intensifying sustained operations to clear the Southern lakes in the border communities.

“During this recent operation, the troops made contact with terrorists at a Cameroon border community, Manawaji, between Rann and Gamboru Ngala, and immediately engaged the terrorists leading to ten of them being neutralised while several weapons and ammunition including anti-aircraft ammunition were recovered.

“We suspect the anti-aircraft ammunition was stolen in an earlier attack on Cameroon Defense Force positioned in Cameroon. ”

Ngala is 154 kilometers from Maiduguri while Rann, the headquarters of Kalabalge Local Government Area, is 183 kilometers, the two are border communities along the fringes of the Lake Chad.

Beginning with the upcoming academic year, President Bola Tinubu has approved a new scholarship program for Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) students.

President Tinubu stated at a joint press conference in Gros Islet on Monday that the program had already begun and that it would be implemented by a joint committee made up of Nigeria and OECS member states along with Saint Lucian Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre.

“We are very close to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States in Africa,” says the statement. We are working toward expanding opportunities for business and education, building capacities, and looking into agriculture and food security. Tinubu remarked, “We won’t let the ball go.”

He explained that the initiative is a component of a larger plan to promote greater cooperation in development, trade, and education.

He also confirmed that discussions were raging about granting diplomatic and official passport holders from OECS nations waivers.

Read more about Tinubu’s proposal to enact visa waivers as Nigeria and Saint Lucia establish diplomatic ties.

Tinubu responded to questions about difficulties in bilateral cooperation by saying, “I don’t look at difficulties. I focus on resolving issues. We achieve our objective if we move in a straight line, and problems don’t arise.

The scholarship program, which Prime Minister Pierre described as “a timely and practical expression of solidarity,” was welcomed.

He continued, adding that during discussions with President Tinubu, visa facilitation, air connectivity, and tourism were also priorities.

Students should begin their studies in Nigeria in the upcoming academic year, according to us. The people-to-people exchange will be crucial, according to Pierre, who has established a joint committee to address issues relating to education, trade, and travel.

Clement Nwankwo, the organizer of the Civil Society Situation Room, has emphasized the necessity of deliberate action to ensure 2027’s credible elections, warning that any effort wasted.

Nwankwo, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said, “If I say I’m hopeful but don’t, nothing happens.” We don’t act when I say I’ve lost hope. I’ve witnessed unconstitutional rule and dictatorship in action. Nothing can prevent our democracy from surviving.

He emphasized that Nigeria needs to actively pursue electoral reforms rather than just optimism.

Nwankwo also criticised political party internal structures, claiming that there is still a lot of internal democracy and fairness.

Watch his video at , &nbsp .