The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has sued the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, over its alleged failure to account for $6.23 million in election-related funds and more than N1.63 trillion in other public funds flagged in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2023 annual report.
The funds include $6.23 million in payments linked to an allegedly fraudulent election-funding request purportedly made by former President Muhammadu Buhari; N1.25 trillion in unrecovered intervention loans to state governments; N116.18 billion in loans to distressed and liquidated banks; and N262.86 billion disbursed under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.
In the suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/2450/2026, filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking an order of mandamus compelling the CBN to account for the funds and disclose details of their disbursement, beneficiaries, repayment status and recovery efforts.
The organisation is also asking the court to compel the apex bank to disclose the findings of its internal investigation into the alleged election-funding fraud and identify the officials and other persons responsible for approving and disbursing the affected funds. It further wants the bank to reveal any disciplinary or administrative action taken against those found responsible.
The lawsuit follows findings contained in Volume II of the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2023 annual report, published on August 7, 2026. The report examined various transactions and activities covering the period between January and December 2023.
According to the audit report, the CBN failed to investigate an alleged fraud involving $6.23 million at its Abuja branch. The money was reportedly spent following a request for election funding purportedly made by Buhari.
The Auditor-General stated that the CBN’s internal audit had disclosed the transaction but that the bank failed to provide its investigation report for examination and confirmation by the audit team. Consequently, the Auditor-General expressed concern that the funds might have been lost through fraudulent payments and recommended that the money be recovered and remitted to the treasury.
SERAP is also asking the court to compel the CBN to account for more than N1.25 trillion in intervention loans granted to state governments. The Auditor-General reportedly expressed concern that the funds might have been diverted to private purposes and recommended their recovery.
The audit report further identified N116.18 billion in loans granted to distressed and liquidated banks that the CBN allegedly failed to recover. It also stated that the bank did not present its 2023 audited or draft financial statements, alongside schedules showing recoveries and outstanding balances on the loans, for scrutiny by the audit team.
Another area of concern is the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, under which the CBN reportedly disbursed N262.86 billion to support farmers and boost food production.
However, the Auditor-General found that the funds remained with some programme anchors, raising concerns about whether the initiative had achieved its intended food-security objectives. The CBN also allegedly failed to provide the audit team with a list and number of beneficiaries or information on the programme’s impact.
The Auditor-General expressed concern that the funds might have been diverted to private purposes and recommended their recovery, noting that the amount involved was substantial.
Beyond the disputed financial transactions, SERAP is seeking an order compelling the CBN to account for seven boxes of currency notes awaiting examination at its facilities. The organisation is also asking the court to direct the bank to disclose records concerning unserviceable vehicles abandoned at its Lagos branch and an unserviceable bullion van at its Abeokuta branch.
The Auditor-General reportedly warned that the failure to account for the currency notes could lead to their accumulation and the mismanagement of public funds. The report also raised concerns that the abandoned vehicles could hamper branch operations and delay critical currency-related activities.
In its legal arguments, SERAP maintained that accountability by public institutions, including the CBN, is essential to Nigeria’s constitutional democracy. It argued that the allegations contained in the Auditor-General’s report raise serious questions about compliance with the 1999 Constitution, the CBN Act, anti-corruption laws and Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
“The magnitude and nature of these findings raise fundamental questions about the custody, expenditure, accounting, safeguarding and recovery of public resources,” the organisation said.
SERAP further argued that the CBN’s institutional independence should not exempt it from constitutional audits, statutory accounting requirements, public financial oversight or investigations into credible allegations of fraud and financial misconduct.
The organisation cited provisions of the 1999 Constitution requiring the state to abolish corrupt practices and abuse of power. It also referred to the CBN Act 2007, particularly provisions governing the bank’s accounts, assets, financial reporting and management.
According to SERAP, Section 7(2) of the CBN Act places responsibility on the Governor and Deputy Governors to ensure that true accounts are kept of the bank’s transactions, assets, liabilities and valuables entrusted to it. The organisation also cited provisions of the Act relating to the audit of the bank’s accounts and the preparation of its annual accounts and reports.
SERAP maintained that Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention against Corruption require effective measures to promote accountability and ensure the proper management of public funds.
It argued that identifying those responsible for any wrongdoing, bringing alleged perpetrators to justice where appropriate and recovering public funds found to have been unlawfully lost would serve the public interest.
The lawsuit was filed on SERAP’s behalf by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, Andrew Nwankwo and Kelechi Anwu.
SERAP Sues CBN Over $6.23m Election Funds, N1.63trn Public Money
World Sight Day: 400,000 Beneficiaries, One Priceless Gift
A child can’t read, a trader struggles to recognise a customer, and an older person needs help finding their way home. When it becomes hard to see, it also becomes difficult to learn, earn, and live independently.
Sometimes an eye test, glasses, or prompt treatment can help. But what happens when that care isn’t available?
That is the need First City Monument Bank, FCMB, and the Tulsi Chanrai Foundation, TCF, set out to address when they launched Priceless Gift of Sight in 2009. By July 2024, the programme had provided free eye care to over 400,000 Nigerians, including eye tests, optical services, surgeries, and disease management.
Last week’s World Sight Day commemoration brought the next challenge into focus: how to make care accessible to more people—and keep it available.
FCMB held a roundtable meeting with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, through the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Health Programme, and TCF to discuss partnerships and sustainable funding.
The task is practical. Eye tests need to lead to treatment. Clinics need skilled people and functioning equipment. Patients need support to complete their care.
After more than 15 years of partnership, the goal remains close to everyday life: helping more people see a lesson, serve a customer or find their way home.
Rainbow Coalition: APC Chair Backs Governors Against Wike
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has declared that it will not support candidates from other political parties in the 2027 general election.
APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda made the declaration in an interview with Channels Television Sunday Politics, saying the position resonates with that of the party’s state governors.
Prof. Yilwada made the assertion amid the clash between APC governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike over the establishment of a group, Rainbow Coalition by the minister to rally support for the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in next year’s election.
Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, serving in the APC administration has insisted that the coalition will only support President Tinubu’s return bid to office, and not candidates of the party at other levels of the contest.
The coalition is made up of the PDP and other political parties who have thrown their support behind the president’s reelection bid.
His assertion has angered the APC governors who said the ruling party and President Tinubu chances cold be endangered through such an arrangement.
On his part, the minister stated that he did not promise the president that he will support other APC candiates during the election, saying his major preoccupation is to ensure that Tinubu returns to office next year.
According to Prof, Yilwatda, the minister is free to support his choice of candidates during the election because he’s not a member of his party, insisting however that he stands with the APC governors’ position to support the party’s candidates at all level during the 2027 election.
“As a party, we will not support any candidate outside our party,” Yilwatda said.
He added: “The governors’ position is that they are promoting their own party in their respective states. They will support only APC candidates.’’
Meanwhile, President Tinubu, the man at the center of the controversy has seemingly remained silent over the issue, despite the belief by political analysts that he’s in the right position to settle the feud between the governors and Wike, in order not to jeopardise his and APC chances if the disagreement is allowed to persist.
Zenith Bank Launches Maiden Girl-Child Empowerment Programme Today
Zenith Bank Plc is set to launch the maiden edition of its Girl-Child Empowerment Programme, an initiative aimed at inspiring young girls to dream boldly, develop the skills and confidence to pursue their aspirations, and prepare for meaningful opportunities in the future.
The event, themed “Banking On Her Tomorrow,” is the brainchild of the Bank’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, the first female GMD/CEO in Zenith Bank’s history and a strong advocate for girl-child education and empowerment. The event will be held virtually on Monday, October 12, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., a day after the International Day of the Girl Child, observed globally on October 11.
The programme, which will feature an impressive lineup of distinguished experts in various fields, seeks to provide girls with the inspiration, knowledge and practical perspectives needed to navigate their education and careers, while exposing them to opportunities in skills development, mentorship and leadership. As an annual platform, it will encourage girls to recognise their potential, broaden their aspirations and equip themselves to make informed choices about their future.
The initiative builds on Zenith Bank’s longstanding commitment to women and girls, demonstrated through programmes and platforms including the Bank’s annual International Women’s Day Seminar, its sole sponsorship of the Zenith Women’s Basketball League, the Women of Honour Awards in partnership with the Ford Foundation, and the Pad-a-Queen Initiative. These complement the Bank’s women-focused financial solutions, including the Z-Woman initiative, an empowerment programme that supports women-owned and women-led businesses through specialised funding, capacity building and networking. Together, these initiatives reflect the Bank’s broader commitment to supporting women and girls at different stages of their lives, and to contributing meaningfully to national development.
This maiden edition is open to all, with girls, parents, educators and other members of the public invited to participate. Interested participants can register via the link below. Those unable to join via Zoom can follow the live stream on Zenith Bank’s social media platforms.
111 Nigerians Evacuated From South Africa By FG, As RCCG Funds Evacuation
By Akinwale Kasali
The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, has funded, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the evacuation of 111 Nigerians from South Africa.
The evacuated Nigerians are running away from Xenophobic attacks in South Africa which has claimed a number of Nigerian lives.
The Ministry of Foreign Affair in a statement on Sunday, said the returnees arrived Lagos aboard South African Airways (SAA) Flight SA060 on Thursday, October 8, 2026. They comprised 44 men, 23 women and 44 children.
The returnees were received by officials of the Ministry, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and other relevant Federal Government agencies.
According to the statement, the evacuation was fully funded by the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, through its $265,854 donation to support the evacuation of 500 distressed Nigerians from South Africa.
The Ministry said the latest exercise brought the total number of consular evacuations from South Africa to 15 since the ongoing operation began on June 10, 2026.
It added that the cumulative number of Nigerians evacuated from the country had risen to 2,037. The evacuation of 1,388 was fully funded by the Federal Government.
The statement further disclosed that 318 Nigerians had so far benefited from one-way tickets funded by the RCCG, leaving 182 more tickets to be funded under the church’s commitment to support the evacuation of 500 Nigerians.
The statement reads in part: “With the successful evacuation of this RCCG-funded batch, a total of 318 Nigerian nationals have had their one-way tickets funded by the Church. Therefore, 182 more nationals are expected to be repatriated under RCCG’s commitment to fund 500 one-way tickets.
“The Federal Government, once again, expresses its profound appreciation to the RCCG, under the leadership of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, for its generous financial support towards the evacuation of distressed Nigerians from South Africa.”
The government, according to the statement, remains committed to engaging relevant stakeholders, including South African authorities, to address xenophobia and Afrophobia and promote the welfare, safety and dignity of Nigerians residing in the country.
The ministry advised Nigerians in South Africa to comply with local laws, remain vigilant and prioritise their safety.
It also urged them to stay in contact with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate General in Johannesburg for consular assistance when needed.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to providing timely consular support to Nigerians in the diaspora and safeguarding their welfare and well-being.
Ogun 2027: APC Slams PDP Over Omission Of Adebutu’s Name From INEC Governorship List, Alleges Blame Game
By Akinwale Kasali
The All Progressives Congress has slammed the Peoples Democratic Party for blaming it over the omission of the name of its Governorship Candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu from the final list of Ogun State Governorship contestants.
The APC alleged that the PDP is mounting unnecessary pressure on INEC to influence its decision over Adebutu’s Candidature at the forthcoming election.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee of the Ogun State APC Campaign Council, Kayode Odunaro, urged the PDP to accept responsibility for its alleged failure to comply with the applicable electoral requirements rather than blame the APC and its governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola.
He made this assertion while reacting to allegations reportedly made by the PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, who attributed the omission to alleged pressure exerted on INEC by the APC.
He called on the PDP to allow the electoral commission to discharge its responsibilities in accordance with the rule of law and the provisions of the Electoral Act.
According to him, the APC and its candidates are participating in the electoral process under the supervision of INEC, which is responsible for regulating elections and determining compliance with applicable electoral requirements.
“APC and its candidates are contestants alongside candidates of other political parties under INEC, the umpire and regulatory body for the electoral process. How, then, can anyone attribute the PDP’s alleged failure to comply with administrative procedures and established rules to pressure from the APC on INEC?”, Odunaro queried.
He, however, argued that the omission should not automatically be attributed to political interference, adding that candidates in other states had reportedly experienced similar situations over alleged non-compliance with electoral requirements.
“The PDP should stop the blame game against the APC and its flagbearer, Senator Solomon Adeola, over what amounts to a failure to follow laid-down rules,” he said.
Odunaro further described the PDP as a party grappling with internal crises, insisting that it should concentrate on resolving its challenges and addressing the circumstances surrounding the omission of its candidate from INEC’s list.
He maintained that his party and Adeola were prepared to contest against any candidate duly recognised by INEC, but argued that campaigning against a party whose candidate had not been listed would amount to a diversion of political resources.
“Our position is clear: the APC and its candidate are campaigning to win on the strength of proven and verifiable performance, capacity, equity and justice, as encapsulated in our nine-point ITESIWAJU manifesto,” he stated.
He added that the APC would not sympathise with any political party or candidate found to have breached the rules governing the electoral process.
Drawing an analogy with football, Odunaro said a political party that failed to meet the requirements for fielding a candidate could suffer consequences similar to those faced by a team that fields an ineligible player.
“We all know what happens when a team fields an ineligible player in a football match. It is akin to scoring an own goal, regardless of whatever other scores appear on the scoreboard,” he said.
The APC in Ogun State also expressed confidence in the electoral prospects of Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, declaring that the party was ready to test his popularity at the February governorship poll.
The party argued that Ogun State deserved a governor with a broader statewide outlook, rather than what it described as an administration narrowly identified with a particular locality.
Imo Residents Agog As APC Rallies For Tinubu, Uzodimma, Others Ahead 2027 Poll
Excitement best captured the mood of Imo residents, Saturday, as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and other supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Hope Uzodimma, and all candidates of the APC in the 2027 general elections, took to the streets of Owerri, the Imo State capital, in demonstration of their readiness to deliver all the candidates.
It was a one million-man march in support of Tinubu, Uzodimma, and other candidates of the APC across Imo State and a way the Party faithful reminded the opposition that the State is unarguably APC and will only support candidates of the Party come 2027 polls in the spirit of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The rally which attracted youths, women and other supporters kicked off from the Dan Anyiam Stadium on Wethderal Road at 8 am, saw the supporters marched through the Bank Roads, and converged at the Government House Roundabout on Okigwe road.
Imo State Deputy Governor, Lady Chinyere Ekomaru, who represented Governor Uzodimma at the event, commended Tinubu for his administration’s support for the State’s development.
She described Uzodimma as a visionary leader committed to youth empowerment, healthcare delivery and workers’ welfare, attributing the developmental achievements recorded in Imo to the strategic partnership between the state and Federal Government.
“The State has benefited in numerous ways from the presidency, including through the socio-economic empowerment of vulnerable youths and women,” Ekomaru said.
She expressed confidence that Imo residents would reciprocate the Federal Government’s support by voting massively for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
She also urged residents to support all APC candidates in the forthcoming elections to sustain the State’s development.
In his remarks, the Imo State APC Chairman, Chief Austin Onyedelu, called on residents to support President Tinubu, Uzodimma and other Party candidates, insisting that the APC remained firmly rooted in the State.
Onyedelu highlighted the achievements of both leaders in healthcare, education, youth employment and security, urging Party members to communicate the administration’s programmes and policies to residents in their respective communities.
He also defended Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, describing the policy as a necessary measure to address Nigeria’s economic challenges.
“Gradually, we are coming out of the woods,” Onyedelu said, expressing optimism that the country would eventually experience economic recovery, job creation and increased exports.
The APC Chairman urged supporters to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
He also reminded them to identify and vote for APC candidates by looking out for the Party’s broom symbol on the ballot.
The Convener of the one million man march, Hon. Chinasa Nwaneri, said the rally was organised to demonstrate support for Tinubu, Uzodimma and other APC candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Nwaneri said the mobilisation reflected the Party’s determination to consolidate its presence across Imo State and prepare its supporters for the forthcoming electoral contest.
Speaking about the event, the APC National Ex-Officio member, Hon. Ikechukwu Ume, expressed confidence in the Party’s prospects in the 2027 elections, citing the large turnout at the rally as evidence of grassroots support.
Ume commended Governor Uzodimma, the State Party Chairman and the organisers for their roles in mobilising supporters. He said the gathering demonstrated the Governor’s support base and commitment to the Party.
He further assured the people of Imo State that the Party’s national leadership was prepared to defend the State’s interests at the federal level. Ume also praised the participation of youths and women, describing their presence as significant to the Party’s mobilisation efforts.
Other speakers, including Hon. Kanayo Onyemechi, representing Owerri Zone; Hon. Emeka Ndukwe, representing Okigwe Zone; Rt. Hon. Amara Iwuanyanwu, representing Orlu Zone; and Nnamdi Anyaehie, Esq., highlighted what they described as the infrastructural and economic achievements of Tinubu’s administration.
They urged Imo residents to support the APC at all levels in the 2027 elections, stressing the need for continued Party mobilisation and participation across the State.
Nnaji, Forced To Resign As Minister Over Alleged Forged University Certificate, Makes INEC List, Tenders WAEC Result Only
By Adesina Soyooye
Geoffrey Nnaji, a former Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, who was forced to resign from office over allegations of certificate forgery, has been cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to contest in the 2027 governorship election in Enugu State.
He will run under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Recall that Nnaji allegedly submitted forged academic and NYSC certificates to President Bola Tinubu and the Senate during his ministerial nomination screening in 2023.
The University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN, where he claimed to have graduated from, disowned the degree certificate submitted by him. It affirmed that he was admitted in 1981 but did not complete his studies, and so, was awarded no degree.
But all that notwithstanding, Nnaji’s name appeared on the list cleared by INEC. He is number 13 on the list released by the Commission Saturday.
In the list signed by INEC’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Nnaji avoided the controversial degree and NYSC certificate, and tendered only his West African Examination Certificate, WAEC.
The former Minister was arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practises and other offences related Commission (ICPC) on July 1, 2026.
Arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for certificate forgery, abuse of office and money laundering, Nnaji pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The Court granted him bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety.
83-Year Old Drug Ex-Convict, Re-arrested By NDLEA
By Akinwale Kasali
83-year old Uloma Uchechi Sunday, has been re-arrested by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, one year after she was convicted for same office.
She was arrested with methamphetamine and synthetic cannabis strapped around her waist on October 7.
“At 83, most grandmothers are asking for rest. Not Mrs Uloma Uchechi Sunday, who was arrested again… barely a year after she was nabbed, prosecuted and convicted for the same offence,” NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said in a statement.
Sunday was arrested at a village in Abia State with two grammes of cannabis and seven grammes of meth following a tip-off.
Nigeria has been considered a trafficking and production hub for drugs bound for other countries, but researchers and healthcare workers say the contraband spills into local markets.
A 2024 UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report showed that heroin and meth from Asia also pass through West Africa, en route from east and southern Africa towards Europe.
She was first arrested and convicted last year alongside her 32-year-old daughter for possessing various quantities of meth, tramadol, fresh cannabis leaves and synthetic cannabis.
She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to either a year in jail or the option of a 200,000 naira ($150) fine. She paid the fine and was released.
“Undeterred, the notorious old woman promptly returned to the criminal trade and escalated the scale by setting up a drug joint where she harbours dangerous characters,” said Babafemi.
Kenya’s Presidential Aspirant, Osoi, Warns Dangote Against Proposed $16bn Refinery In His Country, Says Kenyans Capable
By Ayodele Oni
Opposition has continued to mount against the proposed plan by Nigeria’s business mogul, Aliko Dangote, to establish a refinery in East African country, Kenya.
Dangote is planning to establish a $16 billion oil refinery in Lamu, Kenya, with a proposed processing capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
The project is expected to serve Kenya and other countries in the East African region, with the aim of strengthening local refining capacity and reducing dependence on imported petroleum products.
Dangote and Kenyan President William Ruto performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the project on 30 September 2026.
The refinery is expected to take about 40 months to complete, according to reports surrounding the launch.
Aside opposition from some local residents over land ownership, compensation and environmental concerns, Kenyan presidential candidate, Patrick Osoi is opposed to the project.
He has urged Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote not to rush the proposed refinery project in Kenya, declaring that he would rely on local investors to undertake the project if elected president next year.
Osoi made the remarks in a video that started trending on Sunday, while addressing supporters at a Lions Movement event, where he argued that Kenya has business people capable of establishing a refinery without depending on the Nigerian industrialist.
“I want to tell Aliko Dangote, please don’t rush to start the refinery because, when I’m sworn in as President of Kenya next year, you will be heading back to Nigeria.
“We Kenyans have business people who can start the refinery. We also have business people in this country who can do that job. This is what we stand for. This is the home of all movements,” Osoi added.
A Kenyan court has also ordered the maintenance of the status quo in a land dispute involving the project.
Dangote’s proposed investment is among the major industrial projects expected to expand Africa’s refining capacity and strengthen regional energy security.