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FG declares Leah Sharibu, other Chibok girls have not been forgotten
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The federal government of Nigeria has declared that it is still actively working towards securing the release of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls and Leah Sharibu.
The assurance was given on Tuesday in Abuja by the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka, while speaking at the multi-agency meeting on anti-kidnapping, organised in collaboration with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency.
Leah Sharibu was among the 110 schoolgirls kidnapped by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, on February 19, 2018.
Also, 276 girls were abducted by Boko Haram from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, on April 14, 2014.
While some of the victims have regained their freedom, Sharibu, the only Christian among the Dapchi girls, remains in captivity because she refused to denounce her faith.
Also, 87 of the Chibok girls are still believed to be in captivity.
Speaking on Tuesday, Major General Laka said the government has not given up on ensuring the safe return of the girls, stating that negotiations and operations are ongoing to this effect.
He acknowledged that some of the kidnapped girls have been married off to the insurgents, but the government is still working on getting them home.
He said, “Since when they were kidnapped, those who were rescued were not just rescued one time; It was a gradual process. Negotiations were done, trying to get them out. Operations were conducted.
“Luckily, at the beginning of that, towards the year after they were kidnapped, I was in the theatre, and I know what the military and intelligence agencies put into rescue the initial set of the Chibok girls.
“We haven’t given up hope on them; some of them were married to some of the insurgents. Some have come out. But let our focus not only be on the Chibok girls. There are others that have been kidnapped aid workers, Nigerian aid workers who were kidnapped. We’ve rescued some that are working for UNICEF.”
Laka pointed out that the silence in the media does not equate to inaction or indifference on the part of the government.
He said, “We’ve rescued some that are working for UNHCR and IOM and so on. Do you understand? So, we haven’t relented on our efforts.
“There is the issue of this lady, Leah Shaibu. So, not because it’s not always in the press.
“We are not always talking about it. It doesn’t mean we don’t care. It doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about them. We are still on it. Our prayer is that the whole 87 or 80 plus that are left will be rescued by God’s grace. ”
President Tinubu Will Commission Roads To Renewed Hope Cities, Estates in Karsana West Today
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The Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, has received the Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Mrs. Tolulope Odunaiya, on a briefing over the successful settlement of more than ₦39.6 billion in longstanding pension liabilities under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).
The briefing highlighted another milestone in the implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, following the Federal Government’s clearance of inherited pension obligations that had remained outstanding for years.
Mrs. Odunaiya informed the Minister that the payments comprise ₦25.05 billion representing the outstanding 35-month pension liability owed to 9,675 eligible pensioners of the defunct NITEL/MTEL; ₦9.48 billion representing the initial 50 per cent payment of the Back End Computation (BEC) arrears to 3,959 eligible PHCN pensioners; and ₦5.09 billion representing the balance 50 per cent payment of the 10.66 per cent and 12.95 per cent pension increment arrears due to 11,180 eligible pensioners of the defunct Assurance Bank, NICON, NITEL and People’s Bank of Nigeria.
She explained that the settlement followed Presidential approval granted in August 2025, with the required funding subsequently provided under the 2026 Appropriation Act.
According to her, the exercise has now brought to a close all inherited pension liabilities under the Defined Benefit Scheme, providing long-awaited relief to thousands of pensioners.
Commending PTAD for the successful execution of the exercise, the Honourable Minister said the settlement demonstrates the Federal Government’s resolve to address longstanding obligations through prudent fiscal management and responsible governance.
“For many pensioners, this is more than the settlement of outstanding arrears; it is the restoration of confidence and dignity. The Ministry of Finance will continue to support measures that strengthen public financial management while ensuring that government obligations are met in a sustainable and timely manner,” Mr. Oyedele said.
The development marks another milestone in the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda, reflecting the Federal Government’s focus on meeting longstanding obligations, strengthening public confidence and improving the welfare of pensioners.
The Federal Government says 271 Nigerians will return from South Africa today, Friday, July 3, due to recent xenophobic protests.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the evacuees will arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 5:30 a.m.
Its spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said the exercise shows the government’s commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad and ensuring their safe return during crises.
The first batch of 258 returnees arrived in Lagos on June 11 aboard a special Air Peace flight. They were received by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, and handed over to government agencies for documentation and profiling.
The Ministry explained that logistic challenges delayed the second evacuation flight, prompting the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria to temporarily accommodate and care for affected citizens awaiting their return.
It added that a Nigerian philanthropist voluntarily sponsored the air tickets of 66 stranded nationals, who returned to Lagos aboard a South African Airways flight on June 24.
According to the statement, a second government-arranged evacuation flight landed in Lagos on June 30 with 269 returnees, bringing the total number of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa so far to 593.
The Ministry further announced that three additional evacuation flights have been scheduled to bring home all Nigerians who voluntarily registered for evacuation and have completed the required screening and clearance process.
It also dismissed allegations that officials of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa demanded money from citizens before including them on the evacuation list.
It emphasised that all special evacuation flights are fully funded by the Federal Government and that no returnee is required to pay any fee.
According to the statement, claims that mission staff requested payment for evacuation are false and should be disregarded.
It commended the cooperation of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) involved in the operation, noting that their collaboration has contributed significantly to the success of the evacuation exercise.
It reaffirmed that the protection of Nigerians abroad remains a central pillar of Nigeria’s foreign policy, adding that the government will continue to provide support, dignity and care to citizens affected by crises overseas.
DAY 18 of Projects Commissioning in the FCT
FG Clears Inherited N39.6bn Pension Arrears Under Renewed Hope Agenda Drive
Xenophobia: 271 Nigerians to return from South Africa today
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