General
IPOB-Rebranded Demands State of Emergency in South-East
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A group known as IPOB-Rebranded has asked the federal government to declare a state of emergency in the southeast region of Nigeria.
In a statement issued by its Director of Media and Enlightenment, Mr Chigozie Igboanugo, the group said it was making this demand because the state governments from the region have surrendered their powers to non-state actors like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The Igbo organisation, which described IPOB as a terrorist group, said it was now clear that political, religious, traditional and socio-cultural leaders from the south-east cannot guarantee the rights of law-abiding citizens from the territory.
On Monday, activities were grounded in the region after IPOB ordered residents to obey a sit-at-home order. It was not the first time such directive has been given and obeyed.
For IPOB-Rebranded, things cannot continue to continue this way and it said the federal government must quickly act before the situations worsen.
The group accused south-east leaders of complicity in the activities of IPOB, saying, “Since leaders at various levels in the region have failed to uphold the Constitution of Nigeria and protect lives and properties which they swore to protect and defend but rather gave their tactical supports to the illegal activities of the terrorist organisation so as to use them to force political concessions instead of negotiating for power, we have no option than to call on the federal government to declare a state of emergency and suspension of the Constitution in the region until normalcy is returned.”
The organisation said Nigeria is a nation built on sacrifices and still requires the sacrifices and efforts of all citizens to make her great.
“If we may ask, where were IPOB members when south-east leaders held strategic positions like Ministers of Finance, Aviation, Health, Foreign Affairs, Power, Commerce and Industry and others like the post of Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary to the Federal Government, CBN Governor, Chief of Army Staff, Inspector-General of Police among others?” a part of the statement queried.
“We have observed that IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was formed in 2012 with minimal activities against the Nigerian state.
“In fact, in 2012, when Goodluck Jonathan, who was massively supported by south-east leaders was President (of Nigeria), Mr Kanu was championing the cause of one Nigeria and was leading the fight against Boko Haram from his base in London as can be seen in this video link https://youtu.be/z_-e20VWNKU.
“But the moment President Muhammadu Buhari defeated Mr Jonathan in 2015, IPOB and its leader embarked on anti-Buhari rhetoric culminating in terrorist activities as can be seen in this link also https://youtu.be/JDx8ywCU1B0.
“Since the hunters have learnt how to shoot without missing, the birds have also learned how to fly without perching.
“Therefore, we urge the federal government to declare a state of emergency and suspension of the Constitution in the south-east region to avoid further destruction of properties, lives and infliction of pains and agony on law-abiding citizens of the region,” the statement said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to vacate the court ordering the freezing of the bank account of the Osun Srate government.
In a statement today by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President said he’s “deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order” because of its timing, which is just a few days to the governorship election in the state next Saturday.
According to him, actions of an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action.
“Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference. I have therefore deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC or any other investigative or prosecutorial agency because I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, operating within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law.
“As President, I am committed to allowing institutions of State to function and take any action they consider necessary in the interest of proper governance without the need for any prior approval. Indeed, that is why institutions are set up by law with clearly defined powers. While I am yet to be fully apprised of the facts which informed the action of EFCC in approaching the court to obtain the said order freezing the Osun State Government account, I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore I feel compelled to intervene.
“Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election. Therefore, nothing ought to be done to give an impression that the EFCC or indeed any other agency of the federal government is being used to interfere with the election.
“Based on the foregoing premise, I am duty-bound to issue a directive on this issue in consonance with the overriding public interest in preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our democratic process.
“Accordingly, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard,” the statement stated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained why it initiated a move to freeze the bank account of the Osun State government.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Governor of Osun State, Mr Ademola Adeleke, claimed that the anti-money laundering agency asked one of its bankers, First Bank, not to release funds to the state government.
According to the Governor, this was part of the strategies to frustrate his administration ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election in the state.
Reacting to the issue on Wednesday night, the EFCC, in a statement, said it has been investigating the state government since March 2026 over an alleged “fraudulent handling of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) account to the tune of N11.0 billion.
The organisation noted that some officials of the state government, especially the Accountant General of the State, have had interview sessions with investigators of the EFCC.
“These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.
“The commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved,” parts of the statement said.
In the disclosure, the agency noted that its preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources, stressing that it cannot “watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged.”
“While the commission is fully aware of the impending governorship election in Osun State, it has a responsibility to act in defence of the sanctity of the funds of the state. It will be uncharitable for the commission to allow an excuse of an upcoming election to fold its arms to perform its legally-assigned functions,” it pointed out.
The EFCC disclosed that it is “keeping watch over the finances of other states like Osun State. Many of these states are on the investigative radar of the commission to ensure accountability and probity. The commission has always pointed out that it is non-partisan and non-sectarian but always working in the overall interests of Nigerians. The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted.”
The organisation urged the public “to ignore false narratives and deliberate demonisation of the works of the EFCC. The interests of all Nigerians are greater and will always be protected by the commission.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has launched a mobile application designed to monitor fuel consumption patterns in real time across retail outlets nationwide.
The NMDPRA, established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, is responsible for the technical and commercial regulation of Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum operations. The deployment of the mobile application aligns with the authority’s broader efforts to leverage technology to improve regulatory compliance and strengthen accountability.
The pilot phase of the project began on August 1 in Abuja and its six Area Councils, the authority said in a statement published on X.
As part of the rollout, the Executive Director for Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure (DSSRI), Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, led a team alongside officials from the Abuja Regional Office to assess the readiness and operational performance of the digital platform at participating retail outlets.
According to the NMDPRA, the application captures inventory and compliance data in real time, enabling regulators to monitor fuel distribution more effectively while improving operational efficiency across the sector.
The authority said the platform would generate reliable, data-driven insights to support evidence-based decision-making, strengthen national energy security planning and enhance transparency in the downstream petroleum industry.
It added that the initiative is expected to provide significant value to government, investors, operators and other stakeholders by improving access to accurate fuel consumption and compliance data.
Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector has undergone significant changes since the deregulation of the petrol market and the removal of fuel subsidies, with regulators placing greater emphasis on data-driven supervision to ensure product availability, prevent supply disruptions and discourage sharp regional disparities in distribution.
