Politics News

The IMF has confirmed that Nigeria omitted approximately 2% of GDP, equivalent to N8.83 trillion, from recent official budgets. The IMF's own Article IV report puts the statistical discrepancy at 2.7% of GDP. The government has quietly begun repeal and re-enactment of budget laws to bring the spending on record. Peter Obi has released a statement calling it the largest act of fiscal impunity in Nigeria's democratic history. Here is what the IMF actually said, what the government has done about it, and what the opposition is saying.

Seven known Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders flew to Mecca for the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage and were arrested at Katsina International Airport on their return. The Minister of Interior called it a major security breakthrough enabled by Nigeria's new integrated NIN database. The question he did not answer: how did seven known terrorist commanders obtain travel documents, cross Nigerian borders, and fly to Saudi Arabia undetected in the first place?

On June 26, 2026, the Federal High Court in Lokoja set aside the December 2025 judgment that had forced INEC to register the NDC. The ruling reversed the party's legal existence because an earlier case was decided without hearing the Peace Movement Party, which claims NDC stole its logo. INEC is ready to delist them. Peter Obi called the ruling "bizarre." His lawmakers called it a "judicial coup against democracy." The NDC is heading to the Court of Appeal. Here is every detail.

At the second-quarter meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative in Abuja, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu advised Nigerians struggling with the economy to consider starting akara, roasted corn, or kuli-kuli businesses, saying "to start an akara business doesn't take a lot of money." A video of the comments went viral within 24 hours. The reactions have been as divided as Nigeria itself. Here is what she said, the context she said it in, and what both supporters and critics are saying.

Omoyele Sowore walked into the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday morning with supporters carrying placards. He walked out in the custody of approximately ten armed DSS operatives who forcibly removed him from the court premises. Justice Mohammed Umar had just remanded him at Kuje Correctional Centre until Wednesday. SERAP demanded his immediate release. This is the full timeline of how Nigeria's most-arrested activist got here.

As of 9 PM on June 20, 2026, INEC had uploaded results from 90% of polling units in Ekiti State and APC's Biodun Oyebanji led with over 78,000 votes against PDP's 10,000. INEC was on the verge of a formal declaration. If confirmed, Oyebanji will be the first governor to win a second term in Ekiti State since the return of democracy in 1999. Here is everything that happened from polling units to collation centre.

Social media activist VeryDarkMan led a protest through Abuja over rising insecurity. Within a day, soldiers and police had formed barricades, tear gas had been fired at a separate Democracy Day demonstration, and rumours of an arrest spread across Nigeria before being denied.

One television interview on June 8 has produced two separate N5 billion defamation demands, a WhatsApp evidence release, and the most damaging public split yet inside the NDC. Kenneth Okonkwo alleged on Channels TV that Peter Obi and South-East NDC leaders demanded N10 million bribes from House of Representatives aspirants. Obi's lawyers fired back. Udenwa's lawyers fired back. Okonkwo then released what he described as WhatsApp chats backing his claims. Here is every development, in order.

The Obidient Movement has suspended its Top to Bottom campaign approach and launched "Operation No Work, No Vote," declaring that no candidate will automatically receive their support simply because they are on Peter Obi's platform. The statement came after NDC National Leader Seriake Dickson told Obidients that the NDC was "doing them a favour" by granting the movement its platform. Here is the full story of how Nigeria's most passionate grassroots movement got to this point.

Bandits conducted a live TikTok giveaway of over N100 million in suspected ransom money on June 8, 2026. Nigerians watching the stream dropped their OPay and MoniePoint account numbers in the comments. Three days later, the Senate ordered a full crackdown. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan said it on the floor of the chamber: "Two days ago on TikTok, bandits conducted a giveaway, distributing over N100 million within 30 minutes." Nobody has been arrested yet.

VDM landed in Abuja on the afternoon of June 11, told supporters to meet him at the Air Force Base by midnight, and led a mass protest against insecurity within hours of touching down. The next morning on Democracy Day, Falana and Falz were in Lagos with hundreds of protesters, Emeka Ike was in Abuja, Sowore was on the streets, and a separate anti-terror movement distanced itself from VDM's political messaging. Here is the complete 48-hour account.

Eight soldiers, including one officer, were killed in an ambush in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Monday, June 9. Sources say the attackers were members of a group previously classified as "repentant" bandits under Kaduna's rehabilitation programme. The Nigerian Army has not issued a statement. The attack happened just one week after the same group allegedly killed one soldier and seriously injured a military commander in a separate incident.

At an APC campaign rally in Benin City on Tuesday, Edo Governor Monday Okpebholo said the opposition was behind Nigeria's rising insecurity and added: "They can even kidnap all of us — yes, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock." The remark, made twenty-five days after armed men abducted children and teachers from Oyo State schools, has drawn significant public reaction. Here is the full context, the full quotes, and the response.

The terrorists holding 39 pupils and seven teachers from Oriire LGA have reportedly issued four demands: N1 billion into a Benin Republic bank account, two Hilux vehicles, the release of imprisoned associates, and the introduction of Sharia law in Oyo State. The Oyo State Muslim community has condemned the Sharia demand as a distortion of Islamic teaching. The House of Assembly has rejected negotiations. Here is the full report.

Twenty-one days since gunmen stormed three schools in Oriire LGA. A Facebook post claiming the victims had been rescued went viral. The police called it false within hours. The Defence Headquarters confirmed the attackers were JAS terrorists displaced from the North. And now Oyo State is simultaneously managing a kidnapping crisis and a heated national debate about whether a Sharia court should operate in the state. Here is the full picture.

Just five days after being declared the AAC governorship candidate for Abia State, Nollywood actress Doris Ogala visited families in Umuahia whose shops were allegedly demolished without notice following a property acquisition by Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu near their homes. She donated N200,000 to each affected person and said the deputy governor must be stopped. Emetu's office has denied any involvement. Here is the full story.

Presidential aide Dada Olusegun accused Nasboi of using his platform to spread fear after the comedian posted a video of armed men attacking a community, which the Presidency said was from Benin Republic, not Nigeria. Nasboi replied: "I can barely sleep. I'm traumatised. Aren't we all?" This is the second time in one week a Tinubu aide has publicly called out a Nigerian entertainer or activist online.

On June 2, protesting teachers marched to the FCT Secretariat in Abuja. Wike told them the government was working on it and warned them not to politicise insecurity. Sowore, standing at the same protest, called him a foolish man. VDM pointed out that Wike's own children study in the UK, far from the insecurity he was asking Nigerians not to politicise. Here is everything that happened, on the record.

In his most recent videos, VeryDarkMan called on all Nigerian public school teachers to go on strike starting June 1, urged parents to keep children home until the Oyo abductees are freed, declared "we say no to Tinubu in 2027," and dared the Presidency to arrest him. Here is everything VDM said, reported straight.

Sixteen days after gunmen stormed three schools in Oriire Local Government Area and abducted dozens of children and teachers, a high-powered Federal Government delegation arrived in Ogbomoso on Sunday. President Tinubu approved 1,000 forest guards, deployed a specialized rescue team, and met with the widow of murdered mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun. The victims are still missing.

Nigeria has not recorded a single confirmed Ebola case. But with over 1,000 suspected infections and 247 deaths recorded across Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the WHO declaring a global health emergency, Nigerian health authorities are not waiting. Twenty-one states and the Federal Capital Territory have been placed on alert. Here is everything Nigerians need to know.

He promised steady electricity or no second term. He promised to end poverty and banditry. He promised free WAEC and affordable housing. Three years in, petrol is above N1,000, the grid has collapsed over 14 times, and 63% of Nigerians now live in poverty. Here is every promise, checked against reality.

On May 15, 2026, bandits stormed three schools in Oyo State in broad daylight. They took children aged two to sixteen. They took teachers. Then they beheaded one of them on camera. Fifteen days later, 88 children are still missing. And the Presidency's biggest concern that week was arresting a blogger.

Atiku swept 22 states. Amaechi walked out and called the results 'concocted.' The party meant to save Nigeria from Tinubu is already fighting itself.

The Presidency threatened VDM with prosecution over a viral AI audio of Tinubu. VDM fired back, called Onanuga stupid, and flipped the whole story back to Nigeria's insecurity crisis.

The Presidency threatened to prosecute VeryDarkMan over a viral AI-generated audio clip attributed to President Tinubu. VDM's response? He called Bayo Onanuga "a very stupid old man," dared the government to arrest him, and flipped the whole thing back to Nigeria's insecurity crisis. This is the full story.

World leaders commit to ambitious new carbon reduction targets by 2040.