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Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo brought humour to the 60th birthday celebration of the Olota of Ota, Oba Professor Abdulkabir Obalanlege, as he jokingly promised to attend the monarch’s 70th birthday while asking to be excused from the 80th.

Obasanjo, who is 89, made the remark while speaking in Yoruba at the anniversary celebration held in honour of the traditional ruler.

The former president recalled calling Obalanlege earlier in the morning to pray for him before turning his attention to the monarch’s future milestone birthdays.

“Kabiyesi, I called you this morning and prayed for you,” Obasanjo said.

He then calculated his own age in relation to the monarch’s next major birthday celebrations, telling the gathering that he would be 99 when Obalanlege clocks 70 in 10 years.

“I’m here celebrating your 60th birthday. I’ll join you for your 70th birthday in 10 years,” he said.

However, Obasanjo joked that attending the monarch’s 80th birthday celebration 20 years from now might be beyond his reach.

“But for your 80th birthday, which is 20 years from now, ẹ yonda mi (you’ll excuse me); you’ll celebrate that one the way it pleases you,” he added.

The comment drew laughter from dignitaries, traditional rulers and other guests who gathered to celebrate the Olota’s diamond jubilee.

The celebration also featured a notable display of Yoruba cultural respect when Fuji musician, King Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate, prostrated fully before Obasanjo after coming on stage.

The gesture further added to the cultural significance of the event held to mark Oba Obalanlege’s 60th birthday.

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President Bola Tinubu has filed a challenge in a US court to prevent the U.S. Department of Justice, FBI and DEA from releasing records linked to allegations of drug trafficking.

The records are being sought by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan, who filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against several US government agencies seeking documents relating to investigations involving Tinubu.
Greenspan’s requests include the FBI’s entire file on Tinubu and FBI Form 302 interview records concerning the period between 1992 and 1993.
The case also involves an alleged record connected to a 1993 civil forfeiture proceeding in the United States involving about $460,000 linked to Tinubu.
Tinubu has denied wrongdoing.

According to the 16-page court documents shared with Channels Television by his lawyer and legal team, Christopher W. Carmichael, Victor P. Henderson, and Oluwole O. Afolabi, on Saturday, Tinubu argued that the release of the records could infringe on his privacy.

“Submitted in that proceeding, did not reveal the details of a possible criminal investigation (or its results) involving Intervenor. Other than by speculation or labels, Plaintiff does not point to an existing public record that contains details of a governmental criminal investigation or findings about Intervenor. (DE 85-3, No. 16.)

“The purpose of Plaintiff’s motion is to obtain such information because it is not public. Moreover, Plaintiff’s argument that the limited disclosures in connection with the forfeiture negates all privacy interests is not consistent with precedent. The Supreme Court explained that an individual retains a privacy interest in an entire file or document being produced, even where there are “scattered” disclosures of information from that same file. See Reporters Committee, 489 U.S. at 764-67 (“our cases have recognized the privacy interests inherent in the non-disclosure of certain information even where the information may have been public at one time.”).
“While some information may appear in portions of public records, an individual still retains a privacy interest in the details that remain undisclosed.

Applying Reporter’s Committee, this Court explained that an individual retains a privacy interest even if they were previously publicly associated with criminal activity. Judicial Watch, Inc. v. United States Dept. of Justice, 898 F.Supp.2d 93, 104-05 (D.D.C. 2012).

“Other decisions have likewise described the fact someone was under investigation as “distinct” from the contents of the investigative files. See Electronic Privacy Info. Center v. United States Dept. of Justice, 18 F.4d 712, 719 (D.C. Cir. 2021) (“Although the names of – 6 – Case 1:23-cv-01816-BAH Document 98 Filed 08/28/26 Page 7 of 16 Trump campaign officials appear in public portions of the Report, they retain a privacy interest in ‘avoiding disclosure of the details of the investigation.’”)
“Regardless of the prior disclosure in the forfeiture proceeding, Intervenor retains a privacy interest in potential disclosure of the investigative files sought by Plaintiff”, the document read in part.

“Plaintiff’s motion critiques the FBI’s search efforts, the DEA’s Vaughn Index, segregability, document specific withholdings, and the applicability of exemptions to deceased individuals and confidential sources. All of Plaintiff’s other critiques should be viewed in the context of Plaintiff’s overarching goal.

“Plaintiff’s filings, overwhelmingly, demonstrate that his singular focus is obtaining documents with Intervenor’s “name on them.” (See supra pgs. 1-3, 10, and 11.) Any other issues should – 14 – Case 1:23-cv-01816-BAH Document 98 Filed 08/28/26 Page 15 of 16 not allow Plaintiff to access documents that should otherwise be withheld or redacted under Exemption 7(C) or the Privacy Act.
“If this Court finds that Plaintiff cannot use FOIA to mine information in government files about a private individual, he should not be able to access documents with Intervenor’s “name on them.”
“Conclusion For all the foregoing reasons, Intervenor requests that the Court deny Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and allow the redactions or withholdings made by the FBI and DEA to stand”, Tinubu’s legal team further argued.

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Panic as gunshots and explosions were heard in parts of Niamey, Niger’s capital, early Saturday, with reports of heavy shooting around a military base near the city’s international airport.

The source of the attack remained unclear as of Saturday morning, while Nigerien authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

A resident told AFP that heavy gunfire and explosions were heard around Air Force Base 101, located within the airport complex.

Several other witnesses reportedly confirmed hearing the sounds, with the first shots beginning at about 1am local time (0000 GMT) and continuing until daybreak.

Video footage shared by a local journalist showed activity around the airport area during the early morning hours.

Another resident in western Niamey said sporadic small-arms fire was heard at about 5am.

Reports on social media also pointed to gunfire and explosions in other parts of the capital, including the administrative district where the presidential palace and national television station are located.

Videos circulating online showed armoured vehicles being deployed around neighbourhoods close to the airport.

The incident comes after Niamey’s airport was targeted twice by jihadist groups earlier this year.

The Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) claimed responsibility for an attack in January, while the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), the Sahel branch of al-Qaeda, carried out another assault in June.

The two groups are rivals and have been competing for influence across the Sahel, particularly in Niger, while also carrying out attacks against civilians and government forces.

During the January attack, Nigerien authorities said 20 attackers were killed and four soldiers wounded.

In June, the country’s defence ministry said at least 11 soldiers and two civilians were killed, alongside 22 attackers, during another assault on the airport.

The military said both attacks were repelled.

Strategic military base
Air Force Base 101 is considered a highly sensitive military facility because it sits within the international airport complex.

The base also houses the headquarters of Russian Africa Corps personnel in Niger, as well as the command of the joint force established by the Alliance of Sahel States, comprising Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali.

Niger has been ruled by a military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tiani since the July 2023 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

The junta has struggled to contain jihadist violence that has plagued the country for years.

Following the January airport attack, Tiani acknowledged security weaknesses that had allowed the assault to take place, saying the attackers had sought to destroy the army’s air capabilities.

Jihadist violence persists despite shift to Russia
Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali have all experienced military coups and subsequently moved away from their traditional Western security partners, particularly France.

The three countries also withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and formed closer security and political ties with Russia.

However, the shift has yet to end the jihadist insurgency, with Islamic State and al-Qaeda-linked groups continuing to operate across the region.

The latest gunfire in Niamey has raised fresh concerns over security in the capital, particularly around strategic military and government installations.

Authorities had not publicly confirmed who was responsible for Saturday’s shooting or whether there were casualties as of the latest reports.