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Osinkolu lauds Tinubu for prioritising defence, economy, youth empowerment in 2024 budget
An All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain, Dr. Olusegun Osinkolu, has expressed satisfaction with the budget presented by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly, giving priorities to national defence and internal security, among others.
Reacting to the budget presentation, Osinkolu described it as a budget of renewed hope and a realistic one, looking at its parameters.
“There are various indications that the budget proposal is realistic, looking at the main focus of local job creation, macro-economic stability, investment environment optimisation, human capital development, poverty reduction, and social security, all these are what is needed in the country to place it on a progressive ladder”, he said.
It will be recalled that President Tinubu, while addressing a joint session of the National Assembly on the 2024 Federal budget proposal in Abuja, said that the nation’s internal security architecture will be overhauled to enhance law enforcement capabilities with a view to safeguarding lives, property, and investments across the country.
He said the proposed budget prioritises human capital development, with particular attention given to children, because human capital remains the most critical resource for national development.
Osinkolu, in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen on Thursday, added that, “with the sectoral allocations, I believe it is a budget for the common man.”
He appealed to the National Assembly to play its role by ensuring that all standing committees worked assiduously to realise an implementable budget.
The Ayede-Ekiti born politician, said the budget proposal was realisable, noting that, “from the presentation, every part of the country got something out of the budget.
“Everybody looking for the prospect of the economy got a glimmer of the hope from the budget proposal presented by the President.
“We need to do what we ought to do not to lose time while we re-organise the budget from January to December, by rolling over some of the projects and plans and all these have been captured in the budget presentation.”
He said the budget proposal by the President demonstrated that he was up to the task for the remaining term he had in office.
“The President demonstrated that he is capable of running another campaign and govern this country for another four years. We believe in his vision for this country. We are his foot soldiers.”
He commended the President “for his resilience and the way he spoke for the period of the presentation.
“It is a good development that we are seeing our president well. I am really happy about that and at the same time, happy that it will emancipate Nigerians.”
He reminded Nigerians that the battle President Tinubu is fighting to rid this country of endemic corruption is a battle that can not be left in his hands alone.
“Therefore, all heads of Ministries Departments and Agencies must stand up to let him know the wrath in their various establishments and let the change begin with them.
“Be the change champion to support President Tinubu in this fight against the scourge giving the country a bad image, let us not allow the cabals, who are making moves to take over the administration from President Tinubu to succeed.
“Rather, we must all rise up and stop their evil moves to ensure that the President delivers to Nigerians his visions and missions and make Nigeria a better place than he met it,”he said.
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Alleged KGB Infiltration: Police in Dilemma as Senator Natasha Abandons Petition, Snubs Summons
The Nigeria Police Force appears to be in a quandary over its investigation into the alleged infiltration of the National Assembly by Russia’s KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti), the former Soviet security agency.
Checks revealed that the police had invited the Senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi, for interrogation following a petition filed by his colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central.
In the petition dated March 5, 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently serving a six-month suspension from the Senate, urged the police to investigate Karimi’s claim that the KGB had infiltrated the National Assembly, posing a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
She specifically alleged that Senator Karimi had circulated a report titled “KGB Agent Group Warns Senate: A Call for Vigilance Amidst Threats to Democracy” on the official WhatsApp group of the 10th Senate on February 23, 2025.
Describing the claim as a matter of national security, Akpoti-Uduaghan insisted that the alarm raised by Karimi should not be taken lightly. “No nation can afford to ignore the presence of such a group within its legislative body,” she emphasized in her petition.
Karimi Appears Before Police, Natasha Recoils
Further investigations revealed that Senator Karimi honored the police invitation on Monday, appearing at the Force Headquarters in Abuja to clarify his position.
Sources within the police described his session as “positive and insightful,” revealing that he admitted to sharing the report in question. However, the police were reportedly taken aback when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan distanced herself from the petition and ignored requests to appear for questioning.
“We reached out to her after our session with Senator Karimi, expecting her to provide further clarification, but she has continuously ignored our invitation,” a senior police source disclosed.
“What is disturbing is how she suddenly abandoned such a serious petition against her colleague. First, she claimed to be outside the country, but a viral video has since surfaced showing her in her constituency. It is difficult to reconcile her claims with the information available to us,” the source added.
The police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, further hinted at possible political undertones behind the petition.
“We do not want to meddle in the ongoing power play within the Senate. However, it would be scandalous if she attempted to use the police as a tool in her political battles.”
When asked about the possible next steps, the source stated that his superiors would determine the fate of the petition, which he described as “frivolous.”
Twelve inmates have escaped from the Federal Correctional Centre in Kotonkarfe, Kogi State, following an early morning jailbreak on Monday.
Confirming the incident, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, described it as “unfortunate” and assured the public that the government, in collaboration with security agencies, was taking measures to prevent a recurrence.
According to Fanwo, law enforcement officers have already re-arrested one of the escapees.
“The theory that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns. This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest the fleeing inmates, and identify possible saboteurs within the system,” he stated.
The commissioner further disclosed that Governor Usman Ododo has directed security agencies to ensure that such breaches do not happen again.
“We call on the public to report any suspicious individuals in their communities. Anyone found harbouring an escaped inmate will be held accountable,” Fanwo warned.
Reassuring residents, he added: “There is no cause for panic. We encourage citizens to go about their daily activities as normal, knowing that the security of lives and property remains our top priority.”
Authorities have yet to disclose further details about the escapees or ongoing efforts to apprehend them.
The United States has announced the termination of legal status for over 500,000 immigrants, ordering them to leave the country within weeks, as President Donald Trump pushes forward with what he calls the largest deportation campaign in American history.
The sweeping directive, issued on Friday, affects approximately 532,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans who arrived under a programme launched by Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, in October 2022 and later expanded in January 2023.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the affected immigrants will lose their legal protections 30 days after the order is published in the Federal Register on Tuesday. This means they must leave the United States by 24 April, unless they secure another immigration status permitting them to stay.
Welcome.US, an organisation that supports asylum seekers, has urged those impacted to “immediately” seek legal counsel regarding their options.
A Reversal of Biden’s Immigration Policy
The Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) programme, introduced in January 2023, allowed up to 30,000 migrants per month from these nations to enter the United States for two years. The initiative was designed to offer a “safe and humane” alternative to the dangerous crossings at the US-Mexico border, which had seen a surge in arrivals.
However, the DHS reiterated on Friday that the programme was never meant to provide permanent residency.
“Parole is inherently temporary, and parole alone is not an underlying basis for obtaining any immigration status, nor does it constitute an admission to the United States,” the agency stated.
Mass Deportations Under Trump
Trump, who has made immigration control a cornerstone of his presidency, has vowed to crack down on migrants—particularly those from Latin America.
Last week, he invoked rare wartime legislation to deport more than 200 alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador, a country that has controversially offered to imprison both migrants and U.S. citizens at a discounted rate.
The latest order signals Trump’s intent to follow through on his hardline immigration policies, raising concerns among human rights advocates about the humanitarian impact of such mass deportations.
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