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Senate seeks more funds for Niger Delta affairs ministry

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The Nigerian Senate, on Thursday, demanded  better funding for the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry, if the current peace being enjoyed in the region is to be sustained.

Speaking during the 2022 Budget defence by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, before the Senate Committee On Niger Delta Affairs, Senator James Manager, noted that the budget allocated to the Ministry in 2021 and 2022 was too meagre to achieve anything meaningful in the region, advising that anything humanly possible to sustain the current peace being enjoyed in the region must be encouraged.

“The ministry’s  budget  is too small to sustain the current peace we are enjoying in the region. It is the zone that keeps the economy of this country moving. The Niger Delta Region is the most peaceful and to keep that peace, something drastic must be done for the budget of the Ministry.”

Also, another member of the committee, Senator George Sekibo, questioned why roads, with no economic relevance should be given more attention than the East west road which carries  the economic burden of the nation, saying,” let us address the issue of the East west road squarely, as we do to other roads. We are not being fair to the region.

” We know you as a former governor and former Minority Leader of the Senate and we believe you are capable of handling this East west road. We cannot blame you for the present state of that road, but we have to do something about the budget of the Ministry.”

Earlier in his presentation, Minister, Niger Delta Affairs Ministry, Senator Godswill Akpabio, had said that ” the preparation of the Ministry’s budget was conceived in line with the FGN 2022 Budget of Economic Growth and Sustainability, which seeks to reposition the Nigerian economy on the path of growth and resilience.”

He stated that the Ministry also sought to allocate its scares resources in accordance with government priorities…”, adding, the draft budget further complied with the 2022 Budget Call Circular, which directed that MDAs should accord priority to ongoing projects , especially those nearing completion that fit into the government’s current priorities and will have direct impact on the people of the Niger Delta Region.”

According to Akpabio, “A total budgetary proposal of the sum of N28,131,295,396 was allocated to the Ministry comprising Personnel N1,692,591,184, Overhead N877,089,120 and Capital N25,561,615,092.”

The Minister noted that ” the 2022 Budgetary allocation in the sum of N26,592,560,040 is however considered meagre and significantly inadequate in the face of the mandate and goals of the Ministry to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people. The impact of COVID-19 Pandemic has further necessitated the intervention of the Ministry to ameliorate the infrastructure and Human Capital Development of the people of the Region.”

Akpabio further disclosed that the dwindling Budgetary allocation to the Ministry has necessitated the need for budgetary increase, saying,” Mr Chairman, distinguish members, arising from the dwindling Budgetary Allocation and the increasing level of Outstanding Liabilities, we wish to solicit for additional funding and your support to enable the Ministry deliver on Mr President and the Administration’s mandate for the Niger Delta Region.”

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Alleged KGB Infiltration: Police in Dilemma as Senator Natasha Abandons Petition, Snubs Summons

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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.”

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Twelve Inmates Escape in Kotonkarfe Jailbreak

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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.

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Trump Ends Legal Status for Over 500,000 Immigrants, Orders Mass Expulsions

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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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