Both Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Igboho, who was calling for the self-determination of Yoruba people, are in detention.


The controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has blamed two secessionist leaders– Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho –for the crisis in southern Nigeria.

Both Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Igboho, who was calling for the self-determination of Yoruba people, are in detention.


Sheikh Ahmad Gumi
While Kanu is being detained in Nigeria by the Department of State Services (DSS) after his rendition from Kenya, Igboho is in a Benin Republic prison, following his arrest in the West African country while attempting to travel to Germany.

Meanwhile, Gumi has on several occasions defended killer bandits, saying they should not be declared as terrorists.

He has held meetings with many bandits in their strongholds in the North-West.

According to Gumi, abductions and killings that have been linked to some Fulani herdsmen in Southern Nigeria are not enough reason for the agitators to seek self-determination.

Gumi noted this during an online forum titled “Islam and the Special Role of Religious Leaders in Peacemaking in the Banditry Crisis in Northwest Nigeria”.

The cleric said, “And another thing I noticed in the South is that there is a disparity between the level of education and know-how. And when you have such disparity, conflict can never end because people can hardly understand each other.

“So the Fulani debacle in the Southern Nigeria, it is capitalised by the secessionist movements of Kanu and Igboho as one of the causes of the agitation for separation. Evidentially, the crisis is another fallout of this same crisis. It’s just a smokescreen: how many Fulani people have kidnapped people that will warrant secession? How many Fulani were massacred and killed in these states that will warrant secession?”

The gubernatorial election in Anambra State came to pass last weekend with little or no serious violent incident recorded anywhere. The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo predictably won the poll by a landslide. Winning 19 out of the 21 local governments that make up the state is a great electoral feat indeed. Fears of gun battles and criminal activities never materialized during the poll. The Independent National Electoral Commission and the security services did a good job by ensuring a free, fair and credible poll.


The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate in the election was about the best man for the job. Though Ozigbo was not bad Soludo has what it takes to take Anambra to the next level post-Obiano. We had hoped and prayed that the best should win and in the end the very best trounced the opposition.


The Hope Uzodinma scenario in Imo State (where a defeated candidate who came a distant fourth was eventually declared Governor by the Supreme 'Cult', sorry Court) cannot happen in our state. The PDP's Valentine Ozigbo is a gentleman who would not want to use 'justice' to achieve what he lost at the polls. The APC's Andy Uba might try his luck emulating Uzodinma but he would fail. Anambra State is not Imo state where politicians of fortune with questionable credentials and characters hold sway.


Prior to the election the news from the south-eastern region of the country was terrifying. Daily, news of violence, arson, killings and destruction of public and private properties circulated online. The Igbos were terrified and horrified by war-like crimes being perpetrated with impunity by both the invading federal forces and the 'unknown gunmen'.


President Muhammadu Buhari and his handlers probably thought that deploying a disproportionate force into the volatile region would tame the explosive situation. But the reverse was the case; rather than abating the tension rose to feverish pitch.


Before our very eyes Biafraland was being destroyed by the protagonists, none of whom was ready for ceasefire or dialogue. For the President the boys must be taught a lesson in aggression in the language they understood better. And for the IPOB/ESN Mazi Nnamdi Kanu must be released from the DSS facility in Abuja for peace to reign. It was a deadlock!


And not too long ago a new dangerous dimension seemed to have been added into the protracted struggle for the soul of Biafra. Whenever or wherever a bloody clash erupted taking the life of a soldier or policeman the military summarily proceeded to ransack and sack entire neighbourhoods nay, villages looting, torching homes and killing innocent folks in reprisal attacks.


Though we recognise that it is wholly wrong and criminal for some undesirable elements wielding sophisticated weapons to murder police, military or paramilitary personnel on national assignments we frown at the unprofessional and irresponsible attitude of the state security forces visiting force and violence on innocent civilians.


The 'unknown gunmen', on the other hand, were busy wreaking havoc everywhere. They invaded police posts and prisons killing, maiming and committing arson, releasing prisoners and stealing weapons! Private properties were not spared of their rage. Traditional rulers, politicians and Biafrans (tagged wrongly or rightly as saboteurs) had been assaulted or killed gruesomely.


The sit-at-home edict (though officially suspended) continued to have serious adverse effect on the economy. Billions of Dollars had been lost following any lockdown in the region. Biafra could be said to be a great idea but must war be the last option towards its realisation?


Now, President Buhari and his Fulani gang appear hell-bent on meeting force with force. With Mazi Kanu still held hostage awaiting the conclusion of his celebrated trial (adjourned yet again till January next year) there is still room for dialogue and/or negotiation.


When the Biafra/Nigeria civil war ended in 1971 the then Yakubu Gowon-led federal government had declared an official policy of 'no victor, no vanquished' on paper. The Gowonic regime then had decreed a triple R state policy to wit: Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation. But with the advent of Kanu and his IPOB/ESN mob there seems to be a resurgence of Biafra and the quest for its actualization -- this time through terrorism and unmitigated violence.


When the late great Dim Ojukwu heroically led Biafrans to war decades ago there were no Internet and Android phones with social media platforms. Then, mass communication was practically at the hands of the mighty federal government unlike now when modern folks have taken over the information technology.


Besides, arms and ammunitions were in short supply compared to now when almost everyone is armed. So things have changed for better or for worse depending on the side of the great divide one belongs.


Against this backdrop whoever is advicing Buhari that recourse to state terrorism would conquer the minds and hearts of Biafrans are not telling him the gospel truth. Rather than vanquishing their spirit the terror tactics of the state would embolden them more reinforcing their determination to achieve Biafra by hook or by crook.


Yet, we hold that the Nigerian state and her diffident leadership have failed their responsibility towards Biafra! And that singular failure is what has led to the current situation of neither war nor peace. How do we explain to our children and the next generation that close to half a century after the civil war (or call it organized pogrom if you like) reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction remain criminally a pipe dream?


How can one understand that Biafrans are still on their own developing themselves individually and their lands infrastructurally with little or no federal intervention?


With Buharism at the helm of our national affairs division, mistrust and social cleavages had escalated over time. A President doing everything willfully to undermine national cohesion and ethnic harmony in a fragile convoluted federation cannot be said to be a success story presidentially.


Since the war that claimed millions of lives of Igbos ended Nigeria has achieved none of the promised three R's. Nowhere had been reconstructed except by individual initiatives. No one had been reconciled with another anywhere. And reintegration into the corrupt nepotic system had happened by the sheer force of the indomitable spirit of Biafrans. Therefore, the three advertised R's has happened only in our collective amnesia or imagination.


What Nigeria owes Biafra and Biafrans are legion. She owes Biafrans recognition for their economic efforts toward the greatness of the nation. Nigeria owes Biafra justice and equity. And fairness to Biafrans. They (Biafrans) have been discriminated against, marginalized, extorted and intimidated!


Nigeria owes Biafra certain freedom to exist and pursue happiness in a restructured just federation. Nigeria must devolve more powers to the states for them to be able to cater for the needs of their peoples. Every state must have its police force and control her natural resources.


The pervading atmosphere of terror and horror does not favour anyone -- including Buhari and Kanu themselves. That is why the tension must be de-escalated. It takes sound leadership to overcome intricate situations.


If a referendum were to be held in Igboland today Buhari and the Fulani cabal saying no to self-determination of Oduduwa or Biafra would be shell-shocked or jolted to discover the outcome. More than 75 percent of Biafrans, we dare say, would definitely vote for Biafra as a separate sovereign entity under God. Perhaps the minority nay-sayers would comprise the 'efulefus' -- Joe Igbokwes, Dave Umahis, Hope Uzodinmas, Fredrick Nwabufos etc.

Let the 'debt' Nigeria owes Biafra and Biafrans (reparations) be paid one way or the other for genuine peace to prevail. Anything less could lead to a more sinister conflict the outcome of which not even President Buhari could be capable of predicting.

PrinceOfLagos:

I'm a Yoruba christian and not Yoruba muslim

I will treat her well be rest assured

PrinceOfLagos:

I'm a Yoruba christian and not Yoruba muslim

I will treat her well be rest assured

PrinceOfLagos:

Don't worry, Soludo won't regret having me as his son inlaw

Many developing economies, including Nigeria, that rely majorly on fossil fuels may be prone to financial challenges in the coming days.

No doubt, oil drives Nigeria’s growth as it accounts for about 65 per cent of government revenue and more than 90 per cent of foreign exchange earnings.

In 2010, when the oil price reached a record high of $110 per barrel, Nigeria’s economic growth was 11.3 per cent.

In 2020, the country experienced its deepest recession in two decades, but growth resumed in 2021 as pandemic restrictions were eased and oil prices recovered, and the authorities implemented policies to counter the economic shock.

Though the battle for comprehensive economic revival has been a major focus of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, the nation received a big shocker on Thursday when 25 countries and public finance institutions announced their commitment to ending finance for overseas fossil fuel energy projects by 2022.

They pledged to shift their attention to clean energy.

The announcement came at the occasion of the COP26 energy day at the ongoing United Nations Climate Conference in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

A statement jointly released by these parties, including the U.S., the EU, UK, and Canada, noted that the action was informed by the mission to align their international public support towards the clean energy transition and out of unabated fossil fuels.

The signatories to the commitment also include Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. (FMO), The Gambia, Italy, Mali, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Moldova, Portugal, Slovenia, South Sudan, Switzerland and Zambia.

The statement was also backed by five public banks, including the East African Development Bank and the European Investment Bank with a plan to mobilise $17.8 billion a year for the clean energy transition and keep 1.5°C alive.

The statement reads in part: “Our joint action is necessary to ensure the world is on an ambitious, clearly defined pathway towards net-zero emissions, that is consistent with the 1.5°C warming limit and goals of the Paris Agreement, as well as the best available science and technology.”

The statement said the countries will prioritise their support fully towards the clean energy transition, using their resources to enhance what can be delivered by the private sector.

“We will end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022, except in limited and clearly defined circumstances that are consistent with a 1.5°C warming limit and the goals of the Paris Agreement,” the statement added.



They further commit to encouraging more governments, their official export credit agencies, and public finance institutions to implement similar commitments into COP27 and beyond.

This includes driving multilateral negotiations in international bodies, in particular in the OECD, to review, update and strengthen their governance frameworks to align with the Paris Agreement goals. For government signatories, this will also guide their approach on the boards of multilateral development banks.

Implications for Nigeria
With this announcement, a lot of countries in developing economies that rely majorly on fossil fuels may be prone to financial challenges in the coming days.

Though the Nigerian president had made a net-zero emission target by 2060 with his country statement during the world leaders summit on Tuesday, current realities in the country do not favour that ambition.


The World Bank reported that Nigeria was highly vulnerable to the global economic disruption caused by COVID-19, particularly due to the decline in oil prices. Oil accounts for over 80 per cent of exports, a third of banking sector credit, and half of government revenues.

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In 2018, 40 per cent of Nigerians (83 million people) lived below the poverty line, while another 25 per cent (53 million) were vulnerable.

The number of Nigerians living below the international poverty line is expected to rise by 12 million between 2019 and 2023.

Experts have earlier raised questions on how realistic Nigeria’s commitment is.

In a previous article by PREMIUM TIMES, Chuks Okereke of the Climate Change and Development Centre at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State, had said it is good news that the president pledged a plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060 but questioned where the numbers came from.

Days before the president made his speech, he had written an opinion article on October 30, on Newsweek daily magazine, calling world leaders that the energy solutions proposed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by developed countries “must not be done rashly.”

According to Mr Buhari: “For today’s 1.3 billion Africans, access to low-cost and reliable energy is the highest of all possible concerns. Estimated to rise to 2.5 billion by 2050—by 2100 Nigeria alone is projected to have the second-largest population on the planet—this “great doubling” (for Nigeria, quadrupling) has the right to more dependable electricity than their forebears.”

Nigeria’s president warned that without extra and stable power, Africa cannot build the factories that will transform it from a low-job, extractives-led economy to a high employment middle-income continent.

“Children cannot learn for longer and better by battery light any more than by candlelight. No more than the Africa of today, the Africa of tomorrow cannot advance using energy production that intermittently delivers,” he wrote.

Speaking further, Mr Buhari said the most alternative of energy sources that the developed nations are introducing are often the most unreliable.

Apart from President Buhari, Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has said in the same tone and sentiments that the decision of developed economies to defund the oil and gas sector is an unfair decision considering how much profits they have made from the sector before now.

Mr Osinbajo said after decades of profiting from oil and gas, a growing number of wealthy nations have banned or restricted public investment in fossil fuels, including natural gas.


He said such policies “often do not distinguish between different kinds of fuels, nor do they consider the vital role some fuels play in powering the growth of developing economies, especially in sub-Saharan Africa”.

He argued that although all countries must play their part in the fight against climate change, a global transition away from carbon-based fuels must account for the economic differences between countries and allow for multiple pathways to net-zero emissions.

“For countries such as my own, Nigeria, which is rich in natural resources but still energy poor, the transition must not come at the expense of affordable and reliable energy for people, cities, and industry. On the contrary, it must be inclusive, equitable, and just—which means preserving the right to sustainable development and poverty eradication, as enshrined in global treaties such as the 2015 Paris climate accord,” he said.

With Thursday’s statement by these countries to stop fossil fuel investment by the end of 2022 and the obvious financial crisis rocking the Nigerian economy, all eyes will be on Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan that the president said was based on data and evidence and will be released to the public soon.

The Senate on Wednesday considered two critical Bills seeking to facilitate the swift prosecution of money laundering actors.

The bills, when passed, would also provide the needed framework for the prosecution of public servants with unexplained sources of wealth.

Both bills, which scaled second reading during plenary, were sponsored by Sen. Sadiq Umar (APC-Kwara North) and Sen. Suleiman Kwari (APC-Kaduna North).

The bills are: Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2021, and Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) (Repeal & Re-enactment) Bill, 2021.

Leading debate on the general principles of the first bill, Umar explained that the legislation seeks to repeal the extant Act and enact the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2021.

This, he said, was to provide for a more comprehensive legal and institutional framework for the prevention and prohibition of money laundering in Nigeria.

According to the lawmaker, the bill takes into consideration the changing patterns and manifestation of money laundering as an offence

“This includes: Investment or funds transfer made or obtained fraudulently into legitimate businesses to make the illicit funds difficult to trace.

“The United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention describes money laundering as the concealment or disguising of the true nature, source, location, movement rights.

“This is with respect to, or, ownership of property, knowing that such property is derived from an offence.”

He, therefore, added that the bill when enacted would provide the framework for the prosecution of public servants with unexplained sources of wealth.

On the second bill, Sen. Kwari said it was a piece of legislation which when passed, would help in the fight against corruption, money laundering and terrorism.

“It is an open secret that the extant Money Laundering Act could not meet the required international standard.

“There is still a high level of corruption and financial crimes in the country due to identifiable lacunas in the Act,” he added.

Contributing to the debate, Sen. Smart Adeyemi (APC-Kogi West) said the legislation when enacted, would allow the government to probe those who had held public offices.

That is if they were found to be with unexplained sources of monies and property within and outside the country.

He added that the present administration had tackled the issue of corruption headlong more than previous governments in the history of Nigeria.

“There is no doubt that billions of dollars and pounds abroad have been siphoned from our system to foreign nations, especially by those who have held political offices in the past.

“I want to say we must equally look at how we can enlarge the net of exposing and arresting those who have siphoned money out of this country.

“There is need to do an x-ray of all who have held public office in Nigeria, to look at how they acquired their property and their children and immediate families.

“That is when we can be seen to be fighting corruption,” Adeyemi said.

Also, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu (PDP-Enugu West) said, “the initial bill itself was not detailed in terms of what reforms it intended to bring to bear on issue of money laundering, but the second bill was more specific.

“So, I believe there is an absolute need to combine the two. We need to be sure that we are not over designating.

“This is because some of the issues raised are the things that are within the powers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“The Special Unit that was mentioned in the second bill is already being implemented by EFCC.

“So, if we go further to provide, probably, a chief executive for that special unit, then we are going to have problems between the executive chairman of EFCC and the unit under him.

“So, we need to be a little careful in creating some of these units.

“We need to ensure that if we give powers to government institutions they should be allowed to do their things, instead of sabotaging them further by creating some new agencies.”

In his remarks, the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan, referred the two bills to the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes to report back to the Senate in four weeks

The House, therefore, urged the Ecological Fund Office to “carry out an immediate Environmental Impact Assessment of Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State with the aim of mitigating against climate change and natural hazards like ocean surge, flooding and storms that may occur in the nearest future.”

Also, the House mandated its Committees on Ecological Fund and Legislative Compliance to ensure implementation of the resolution.

The resolution was passed following the unanimous adoption of a motion moved by the lawmaker representing Eti Osa Federal Constituency in Lagos State, Ibrahim Obanikoro, which was titled, ‘Need to stop the lagoon encroachment on properties in Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.’

“The House is disturbed that there are already threats to lives and properties in areas like Banana Island, Park View Estate, Osborne Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki, Ajah, amongst others, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State due to storm water, ocean encroachment and heavy rainfalls, as several properties running into billions have been destroyed by floods causing displacement of families and even loss of lives,” Obanikoro said.

He noted that Eti Osa LGA lies on the narrow coastal lowland of the south-eastern part of Lagos and situated on about 129.5 square kilometres of landmass, with sandy beaches, swamps, mangroves and creeks.

The lawmaker also noted that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Third Assessments Report (2001) asserted that climate change is most likely to have impacts on settlements in coastal or riverine locations, especially where rapid urbanisation is occurring alongside economies that are dependent on climate-sensitive resources.


According to him, the development of official and residential estates along the coastal area of the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos State is a major problem that circumvents basic environmental principles, which should be adopted in planning coastal towns and cities

Obanikoro said, “The House is worried that polar ice caps are already melting at an alarming rate with significant shifts being observed in the isoclines and ecosystems levels, thus leading to rapid changes in the coastal areas of Nigeria.

“The House is also worried that the projected sea-level rise in the coastal areas of Lagos State could be more than one meter by 2100, which will result in ample loss of land to the sea, considering that Lafiaji community ocean surge which was about 420 feet is now about 100 feet; in Okun Ajah, the distance to sea was about 500 meters but it is now less than 40 meters, while Okun Alfa is down from 850 feet to 82 feet.”

The lawmaker further noted that the 2021 Annual Flood Outlook has predicted more flooding in Eti Osa.

Over 1,000 police officials will be deployed for the supplementary election in Anambra State scheduled to hold in Ihiala Local Government Area on Tuesday, the State Commissioner of Police, Echeng Echeng, has said.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had suspended the collation of results for the Anambra State governorship election after elections did not hold in Ihiala on Saturday.

Speaking on the police’s preparedness for Tuesday’s election on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Echeng said all hands are on deck.


“We are deploying more than a thousand to the polling booths. This makes an average of 3, 4, they are going to be complemented by other security agencies,” the commissioner said.

“All the tactical teams, Police Mobile Force (PMF) teams, we have pushed enough into Ihiala because we want to make sure that at every point that we anticipate a problem, we dominate the area. For whoever wants to come out tomorrow will have his own story to tell.”

As part of measures to avoid glitches in the election, the police boss said the Force would impose curfew across Ihiala Local Government Area to avoid mayhem.

According to him, the restriction of movement would commence by 11:55 pm on Monday and end at 11:55 pm on Tuesday.

He stated, “The firm standard applies to Ihiala, we are going to shut down from 11:55 pm today and open up at 11:55 pm tomorrow.

“There were reasons why that shut down had to be. It had to take care of entry and exit points, people not being allowed to come in and cause any problem. So we are going to do what exactly we did with the whole state, this time around restricted to Ihiala alone.”

The police commissioner also reacted to the claim by INEC that inadequate security prevented electoral officials from conducting polls in Ihiala.

While insisting that there was enough presence of security officials in the local council, Echeng noted that additional operatives have already been deployed to the affected local government.

When asked what makes Ihiala so much of a hotbed that is scary to people, he didn’t directly reply question.

“INEC should answer that question, not the police. I still say emphatically that we are on the ground with other security agencies and as far as we are concerned, elections were supposed to be (held) there. So if INEC said there was a threat, they should answer that question,” he said.

Cleric condemns kidnappings, urges Fed Govt to tackle insecurity

Six days after the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, dismantled all checkpoints in Ondo State, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has assured the residents of the state that there is no cause for alarm.

Akeredolu said that contrary to fears from some quarters that the action of the army would jeopardise the security architecture of the state, security of life and property could only get better.

He spoke at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office while playing host to the participants of Course 30 of the National Defence College (NDC), Abuja, led by the Commandant, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji.


Also, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security Matters, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo, spoke with The Guardian on the dismantling of army checkpoints and state of security across the state.

Dojumo noted that other security personnel, including the State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun Corps, had been deployed to the various checkpoints to beef up security of life and property.

He listed the other security agencies to include the police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other conventional security outfits.

According to him, they are saddled with the statutory responsibilities of providing internal security for the people.

Dojumo, who dispelled the allegation that the state government refused to pay allowances to the soldiers, said all the security agencies in the state, including the army, had been receiving financial and moral support from the governor.

Akeredolu declared that the Amotekun Corps were effectively filling the vacuum created by the over-stretched conventional security agencies, particularly the police. He noted that Amotekun was a product of circumstance created to fill the obvious security gap in the state for the security of all. He stressed that the corps’ efforts with the help of other security agencies have brought relative peace to the state.

RELATEDLY, Bishop of Remo, Methodist Church Nigeria and Chairman, Governing Council, Methodist Theological Institute, Rt. Rev. Jacob Ibikunle, has condemned the kidnappings and other crimes bedeviling the nation.

He urged the government to do more on security of life and property in the country with a view to giving Nigerians rest of mind.

Ibikunle gave the charge during a media parley in Sagamu on the 70th anniversary of the institute with the grand finale coming up tomorrow, November 10, 2021.

The cleric, who described himself as a victim of kidnapping, said the experience was very unpalatable.

He, therefore, urged every Nigerian to shun tribalism, nepotism and fight insecurity.

ABoeing Business Jet (Boeing 737-700) marked 5N-FGT owned by the Nigerian government has incurred parking charges of at least N95 million since it was taken to Germany for repairs.

The amount accounts for the aircraft’s parking charges for 40 days, at the rate of €5,000 (N2.4 million) at the official rate of N473.75 to €1).


SaharaReporters had reported how the presidential jet developed a fault while the President and his entourage were returning to Abuja from the UN General Assembly in the US on Saturday, September 25.

Sources said the aircraft was subsequently moved to Euro Airport in Germany on September 29 and arrived at 4.15 pm after leaving the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 9.48 am, with the Nigerian government paying €5,000 (Euros) per night as parking fee.

To avoid any backlash, the Reporters gathered that the registration of the 5N-FGT aircraft was done using AMACGND.

“The Presidential Boeing Business Jet registration number 5N-FGT developed a fault during his trip from New York. He travelled to Saudi Arabia with a smaller jet. A Falcon 7X jet with registration number 5N-FGV. No picture of his departure to Saudi Arabia was released to avoid the public knowing about the jet he travelled with,” a presidential source had told Reporters.

“The one that developed (a) fault has been moved to EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, Germany for repairs since September. It is registered and operated under another name AMACGND. They intentionally hid it and parked it under another name because it costs €5,000 for parking per night.”

This means by Monday, November 08, the Muhammadu Buhari-led government has paid €195,000 (N92 million) as parking fee for the aircraft, which has spent 39 days there.

This excludes the millions of naira being spent on the repair of the jet.

Despite promising to cut waste, the Buhari-led government has spent at least N41 billion on the presidential fleet.

After taking office on May 29, 2015, the 2016 Appropriation Act signed by the President allocated N3.652 billion for the upkeep of the presidential fleet.

In 2017, the cost of maintenance of the presidential aircraft rose to N4.37 billion (19.6 per cent). The figure then skyrocketed to N7.260 billion (98.7 per cent) in 2018.

In 2019, the cost of maintaining the PAF again rose to N7.297 billion (99.6 per cent). The allocation, however, fell to N6.793 billion (86 per cent) in 2020. But in 2021, the budget for the presidential fleet saw its sharpest Buhari-era jump to N12.550 billion (243.6 per cent).

By comparison, the 2015 budget, which was in effect upon Buhari’s inauguration, earmarked N5.190 billion for the presidential fleet. The appropriation for the Presidential Air Fleet in 2021 indicates a 243.6 per cent increase from the allocation six years prior.