Category Nigeria News

A 753-unit housing estate that was once owned by the troubled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has now been officially delivered by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) handed the property over on Tuesday at the Ministry’s Mabushi, Abuja, according to a statement released on Tuesday.

Salisu Haiba, the ministry’s spokesman, said Ahmed Dangiwa, the minister of housing and urban development, praised the EFCC for its ongoing commitment to anti-corruption and asset recovery.

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission recovered the 753 housing units in Abuja from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, according to a statement from the ministry of housing and urban development.

“This represents a significant milestone in our collective determination to make sure the Nigerian people’s reclaimed assets are used effectively.” A prime example of this is the housing estate that the former Central Bank Governor recovered.

He announced that the Ministry would conduct a joint familiarization tour to assess the estate’s current state in collaboration with the EFCC.

To verify whether a building’s safety and suitability for habitation are confirmed by thorough integrity and structural integrity checks on all associated infrastructure, he said.

The Ministry will sell the units for both public and private purposes. We will use a fair and open process for the public sale component. The Renewed Hope Portal, where interested Nigerians can submit their Expressions of Interest, will be used as part of this, Dangiwa added, along with nationwide advertising.

Olanipekun Olukoyede, the EFCC Chairman, emphasized the symbolic and practical significance of the handover as evidence of the government’s commitment to combating corruption.

Kemi Nandap, the country’s Comptroller-general, has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to improving maritime border security.

She emphasized the importance of re-evaluating strategies in response to changing challenges during her address at a workshop that the United Nations counter-terrorism team and the Nigerian immigration service jointly organized on Tuesday.

“We understand that deploying cutting-edge surveillance systems and advanced communication tools is a necessity for detecting and responding to threats quickly. The NIS’s unwavering commitment to preventing foreign terrorist fighters and criminal elements from attempting to cross our maritime borders is a pillar of national security.

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Our counter-terrorism strategy’s “effective control of passenger movement and travel documentation” continues to be at a critical position, she continued.

She said, “This forum today further strengthens our collective resolve to combat a wide range of transnational threats,” referring to the workshop’s theme, “Maritime Border Security,” which included piracy, terrorism, arms smuggling, human trafficking, illegal immigration, and stowaway incidents.

These problems “unpredict the stability of the vessels and their crews, threaten national and regional stability, and undermine economic progress.” Our approach must be multidimensional, encompassing strong community engagement, strategic capacity-building, robust policy formulation, and long-term regional cooperation.

She emphasized the significance of the Gulf of Guinea, which extends along West Africa’s Atlantic coast and includes nations like Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, So Tomé and Prénécipe, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Benin.

She claimed that this is of significant strategic and economic significance.

The world’s energy supply is significantly impacted by offshore oil and gas reserves. However, persistent maritime insecurity, which ranges from illegal oil bunkering and fishing to piracy and other violent maritime crimes, is stifling its promise.

The African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, the 2050 Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS), and the Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa all align with important continental frameworks, such as the Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa. We must first secure our waters, she continued, in order to realize these ambitions.

She notes that the organization is top-notch about its commitment to technology innovation, adding that operations now incorporate air-border security.

The NIS is actively enhancing its technological prowess, including the use of Passenger Name Record (PNR) and Advanced Passenger Information (API) systems for better intelligence sharing. Through the expansion of our Border Management Information System (BMIS), these tools, which are already essential for air-border security, are now being integrated into our maritime operations. We can better monitor and protect our territorial waters thanks to this strategic deployment.

Our presence in this country today shows how committed we are to the principles set forth in the ECOWAS’s Gulf of Guinea strategy and AIMS 2050. We are dedicated to creating a secure, prosperous maritime environment that promotes our shared social, economic, and environmental objectives.

The Comptroller-General emphasized the need for constant innovation, strategic thinking, and collaboration in order to address the Gulf of Guinea’s evolving security issues. She urged all parties involved to make use of the learnings from the workshop to create a more stable, secure, and prosperous maritime environment.

Senator Abba Moro, the Minority Leader, is the leader of the Senate’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus, which has dismissed rumors of internal conflict within the PDP.

Despite recent difficulties, it affirmed that the party remained united and strong.

In a press release on Tuesday in Abuja, Moro stated that the party was becoming more powerful than it had been and was on the verge of collapse.

He acknowledged there were internal disagreements, but he insisted that they were being resolved.

Moro urged members to continue to be steadfast and obedient to the party while acknowledging that every party has its fair share of conflict.

The minority leader also criticized the early emergence of a one-party state, citing the threat it poses to Nigeria’s democracy.

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The PDP, which is the largest opposition party, can support any coalition-forming party. We are a fresh and vibrant party that is present in every region of the nation. We don’t shy away from collaborating with others to advance democratic principles. If and when necessary, “Moro said, the PDP should lead the coalition.”

The reconciliation committee, led by a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, was praised for its efforts, saying they could resolve lingering internal disputes.

The senator said, “We are addressing the few contradictions that exist at the national level.

The Senate has approved the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Bill 2025 for second reading.

The current Proceeds of Crime Act 2022 is amended to improve accountability, transparency, and efficiency in the management of national assets recovered from unlawful activities.

The central agency would be established to take over the management and disposal of recovered assets, a task that currently falls under the purview of 18 government agencies, according to the bill sponsored by Senator Idiat Adebule, representing Lagos West.

Senator Adebule, who was in charge of the debate, claimed that the current arrangement had led to overlaps in responsibilities and inefficiencies, allowing for corruption and mismanagement. The bill attempts to establish an independent body to streamline the process and prevent leakages.

Asset recovery is opaque and unaccountable due to the lack of coordination and standardized procedures among the organizations, according to Adebule.

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The lawmakers’ initial views on the bill were polarized.

Senator Emmanuel Udende opposed the bill, despite Senator Sani Musa’s partial support for it, calling for stricter oversight and putting a stop to the creation of a new agency.

Udende warned against the proliferation of government bodies by claiming that an data-preserver-spaces=”true”>existingan> organizations like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have the authority to manage recovered assets.

Legislators like Senator Isah Jibrin, who argued that “there are leakages by agencies that recover these assets, and we need to block them through an independent agency,” have opposite views.

Former Nigerian Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has been appointed as an advisor to the Club de Madrid, the world’s largest forum of democratic former presidents and prime ministers.

Club de Madrid, in a post on X, said, “On behalf of all of us, thank you @obyezeks for joining @ClubdeMadrid. Your leadership, vision, and commitment to democratic values are deeply appreciated. We are honoured to count on your voice as we work to advance inclusive democracy worldwide”.

Confirming the appointment of the Spanish group via her official X account, the Ezekwesili stated, “I accepted the invitation to become an advisor to @ClubdeMadrid – Club de Madrid, ‘ the world’s largest forum of democratic former Presidents and Prime Ministers, who leverage their individual and collective leadership experience and global reach to strengthen inclusive democratic practice and improve the well-being of people around the world'”.

The public policy expert and democracy advocate expressed her appreciation for the platform’s continued commitment to solving global challenges.

“As our global context becomes even more complex, the leadership vacuum delays solutions to ‘ global public Bads. ‘ I therefore deeply appreciate how these former leaders of democracies around the world continue to dedicate themselves to helping solve our global challenges and amplify opportunities for cooperation. Delighted to support”, she said.

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On behalf of all of us, thank you @obyezeks for joining @ClubdeMadrid.

Your leadership, vision and commitment to democratic values are deeply appreciated. We are honoured to count on your voice as we work to advance inclusive democracy worldwide. https://t.co/cRhYhMWD2V

Established in 2001 and headquartered in Madrid, Spain, the Club de Madrid comprises over 100 members from more than 70 countries.

All members are former heads of state or government, offering their expertise pro bono to support current leaders, civil society, and institutions across the globe.

The organisation focuses on strengthening democratic institutions, reClub de Madridsolving political conflicts, and promoting good governance.

It also convenes Annual Policy Dialogues and Policy Labs, creating platforms for high-level exchanges on pressing global issues.

In April 2025, its Policy Dialogue addressed the reform of global financial governance to better align with shared democratic values.