• Call for Summons: Pressure is building on the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee probing the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) to summon Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over claims linking him to the disputed council.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• • Ultimatum to Police: Chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, the committee ordered the Inspector-General of Police to produce the alleged promoter of the council, Adeniyi Adeyemi—who has been in police custody for over two weeks—before lawmakers by noon on Wednesday.

  • Controversial Allegations: The probe centers on how the unverified agency secured government backing and office space, fueled by Adeyemi’s claims involving an intermediary, Dolapo Tanimola, who allegedly died in an October 2025 hotel fire.

  • Calls for Accountability: While the Presidency and Gbajabiamila have previously denied any involvement, analysts like Jackson Ojo criticized the panel for not inviting the Chief of Staff to clear his name, and civil society group HEDA urged the committee to also question the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

Investigators analyzing an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration have uncovered a handwritten note detailing a three-point agenda intended for implementation following a successful takeover.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• • The Core Agenda: The document, recovered from the home of the alleged plot leader, Army Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji, outlined plans to establish committees for reviewing the petrol subsidy removal, adjusting wages for the Armed Forces and security agencies, and granting national honors to fallen soldiers.

  • Forensic and Personal Confirmation: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission subjected the recovered jotter to forensic examination before forwarding the report to the Defence Headquarters, while Ma’aji himself admitted in a written statement that he authored the plans and motivational quotes within it.

  • Motivations Behind the Plot: Investigators believe the proposed subsidy reversal was intended to win public favor amid ongoing economic hardships following its removal in May 2023, while the military-focused measures aimed to capitalize on widespread discontent regarding service welfare and conditions.

• Court Ruling and Legal Grounding: The National Industrial Court (NIC) in Lagos, presided over by Justice Sanda Yelwa, ordered the Nigerian Army to immediately reinstate 70 soldiers who were convicted by courts-martial in 2014. The court held that the unconditional presidential pardon granted under section 175 of the 1999 Constitution effectively erased their convictions, sentences, and dismissals, thereby restoring their legal status.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• • Background of the Case: Originally tried and sentenced to death for offences including conspiracy and mutiny in 2014—with sentences later commuted to 10 years’ imprisonment—the soldiers were granted an unconditional presidential pardon via an official gazette dated July 29, 2022. After military authorities failed to act on their subsequent November 2022 request for reinstatement, the claimants filed suit NICN/LA/54/2023 through Falana & Falana Chambers against the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

  • Legal Arguments: Represented by Funmi Falana (SAN) and Chukwuma Onwumene, the claimants argued that the pardon nullified all legal consequences of their convictions, including dismissal. While the federal government opposed the suit by arguing that a pardon does not automatically grant a right to reinstatement, the COAS failed to enter an appearance or file a defence.

  • Judicial Findings: Justice Yelwa ruled that the official gazette proved the 70 claimants benefited from the pardon, and because their dismissals were direct consequences of the now-nullified convictions, the constitutional barriers to their employment were removed, granting them an enforceable right to return to service.

  • Financial and Effective Reinstatement Terms: The court declined to award salary arrears covering the period the soldiers were imprisoned between December 2014 and July 2022, noting they performed no official duties and that the pardon instrument did not provide for retrospective pay. However, the court ordered their reinstatement to take effect from July 18, 2022, directing the payment of all salaries, allowances, and emoluments accruing from that date until their actual reintegration.