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President Bola Tinubu has conferred national honours on seasoned journalists, Lad Bonuola, Louis Odion, Delete Alake and other Nigerians who played important roles in the country’s fight for democracy.

Tinubu announced the honours on Friday as part of the Democracy Day events.

The President said that June 12 remains a key moment in Nigeria’s path to democracy.

“June 12 occupies a sacred place in our national memory. It represents more than an election; it is a defining chapter in our story,” Tinubu said.

He said Nigerians who benefited from the sacrifices of pro-democracy activists had a duty to protect and deepen democratic institutions.

“As beneficiaries of their struggle, we have a duty to strengthen and deepen the democratic institutions for which they fought. The greatest tribute we can pay is to build a Nigeria where freedom is protected, justice is upheld, opportunity is expanded, and government is accountable,” he added.

Tinubu said the June 12, 1993, election revealed the possibility of a truly united Nigerian nation.

According to him, while the heroes of June 12 secured political freedom, the current generation must work to secure economic freedom.

The President said, “June 12, 1993, revealed the possibility of a true Nigerian nation. The heroes of June 12 secured political freedom. Our challenge is to secure economic freedom.

“Democracy must be felt in the quality of people’s lives, in opportunities for youth, in prosperous farmers, successful entrepreneurs, and the dignity of our workers.

“Every generation has a defining responsibility. The generation of our founding fathers secured independence—the generation of June 12 secured democracy. Our generation must secure prosperity.”

Tinubu said the honourees endured hardship and personal sacrifice in the struggle to restore democracy.

The President said the awardees “suffered persecution, endured indignities, exile, incarceration, and, at times, solitary confinement, so that we have democracy today.”

SEE FULL LIST

Barrister Ayoka Lawani

Tunde Fagbenle

Oladele Alake

Olatunji Bello

Louis Odion

Segun Babatope

Sam Omatseye

Sir Ademola Osinubi

Bola Bolawole

Lade Bonuola

Femi Kusa

Debo Adeniran

Chief Ayo Opadokun

Chief Ralph Obiora

Ose Osayande

Barrister Osa Director

Prof. Sylvester Odion-Akhaine

Dr Arthur Nwankwo (Posthumous)

Dr Osagie Obayuwana

Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin

Barrister Titus Mann

Joe Igbokwe

Richard Akinnola

Ben Charles-Obi (Posthumous)

George Mbah

Dr Niran Malaolu

Major-General Ishola Williams (rtd)

Femi Aborisade

Jenkins Alumona

Gbemiga Ogunleye

Muyiwa Adekeye

Babajide Kolade-Otitoju

Ike Okonta

SOLDIER-DEMOCRATS

Major General MA Garba

Brigadier General Lawal Jaafaru Isa

Col Umar Farouk Ahmed

Col Sambo Dasuki

Col Lawan Gwadabe

Brigadier Jonathan Ndam Temlong

Col Musa Shehu

Major General Chris Eze

Major General Harris Dzarma

Col Isa Jibrin

Maj. General Joseph Oshanupin

Col Olusegun Oloruntoba, Olugbede of Gbede Kingdom)

Lieutenant Colonel Happy Kefas Bulus

Col J Okai

Col Emmanuel Ndubueze

Lt Col Yakubu Muazu

Brigadier Yahaya Abubakar, the Current Etsu Nupe, who is already the holder of the CFR title.

The president said the full honours list will be released in the “next few days”.

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A Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba has remanded four suspected members of a gun-running syndicate over alleged unlawful possession of firearms and involvement in cult activities.

The suspects — Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, Clifford Boleyelefa, Amadi Princewill, and Amadi Felix Chibuike — were arraigned on a five-count charge following investigations by the Delta State Police Command.

They were alleged to be linked to the recovery of a Beretta pistol at a transport park in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.

The defendants were charged with offences including unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition under the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act and the Firearms Act. They were also accused of conspiracy to belong to an unlawful society and membership of the proscribed Black Axe Confraternity under Delta State laws.

According to court filings, the offences include possession of a fabricated Beretta pistol, possession of four rounds of 9mm live ammunition, conspiracy to belong to an unlawful society, and membership of a proscribed group.

The suspects were reportedly arrested during separate intelligence-led operations carried out in Bayelsa and Imo States.

After their arraignment, the court ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody pending further hearing of the case.

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Senate on Thursday approved a fresh three-month extension of the implementation period for the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act. It shifted the deadline from June 30, 2026, to September 30, 2026, in a move aimed at salvaging ongoing projects and enabling ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to fully utilise funds already released by the federal government.

The decision, which followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Munguno, marked the third extension granted to the capital component of the 2025 budget.

The National Assembly had initially extended the implementation period from December 31, 2025, to March 31, 2026, and later from March 31 to June 30, 2026, before Thursday’s latest shift to September 30.

With the extension, MDAs will have an additional three months to complete ongoing capital projects, process outstanding payments, and meet contractual obligations tied to projects captured in the 2025 fiscal plan.

Leading debate on the motion, Munguno said the extension became imperative because a substantial portion of funds released for approved projects and programmes had yet to be utilised owing to procurement timelines, project execution challenges, and other administrative bottlenecks.

According to him, several strategic projects across key sectors of the economy are already at advanced stages of implementation and require additional time for completion, certification and payment.

He warned that allowing the implementation window to lapse at the end of June could result in the abandonment of critical projects, waste public resources already committed to them, and disrupt ongoing government interventions.

Munguno also expressed concern that some projects contained in the 2025 budget might not be reintroduced in future appropriation cycles, thereby creating funding gaps and undermining national development objectives.

He stated that extending the validity of the capital component would promote efficient utilisation of public funds, improve budget performance and support economic growth.

“The Senate is convinced that granting a further extension of the implementation period is in the national interest and will ensure value for money in public expenditure,” he said.

Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, who seconded the motion, said although payment for some capital projects had commenced, numerous obligations remained outstanding.

Adeola recalled that President Bola Tinubu had earlier informed the National Assembly that only about 30 per cent of the funds required for the outstanding 2025 capital commitments would be accommodated through the rollover arrangement, while the balance would be reflected in the 2026 budget framework.

“Payment has commenced, but we still have a lot of outstanding obligations to settle,” he said, urging lawmakers to support the extension.

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said the decision was consistent with the constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly to ensure effective implementation of the budget and prudent management of public resources.

Akpabio recalled that when Tinubu presented the budget, it was envisaged that only a portion of the capital expenditure would be fully implemented within the approved timeframe, while the balance would be accommodated through subsequent budgetary provisions.

He stated that implementation challenges had earlier necessitated the extension of the capital component to June 30, 2026, but said outstanding obligations still remained significant.

Akpabio stated, “Although payments have commenced, a considerable number of obligations remain outstanding. It has therefore become necessary, in the interest of effective budget execution and accountability, to further extend the implementation period beyond June 30, 2026, to September 30, 2026.”

The senate president expressed confidence that the additional three-month window would enable the government to settle all outstanding commitments under the affected component of the budget, while ensuring that implementation of projects under the subsequent fiscal cycle proceeded without disruption.

The latest extension underscores the persistent implementation challenges confronting federal capital budgets and highlights the government’s efforts to avoid project abandonment amid ongoing fiscal and administrative constraints.