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Tinubu lands in France ‘for medical reasons’, presidency keeps mute

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Tinubu lands in France ‘for medical reasons’, presidency keeps mute

Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu has gone to France, SaharaReporters has gathered.

The President’s trip to France came a few days after his trip to Saudi Arabia officially ended following the conclusion of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh on Monday. Investigation by SaharaReporters showed that the President first went to London, England from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, and then left the UK for France on Thursday.

While the Presidency has been silent on the trip to the UK from Saudi Arabia and later to France, SaharaReporters was told that the President’s unreported trip to France was for medical reasons.

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“The President is in France to see his doctors,” a source said.

An investigation by SaharaReporters revealed that a Nigerian presidential aircraft, a Gulfstream Aerospace GV-SP (G550) with registration number 5N-FGW and serial number 5310 (Mode-S 0640F2) with Tinubu onboard arrived at Paris Airport-Le Bourget, France around 04:00pm on Thursday from an airport in London.

The President on Tuesday morning left Saudi Arabia – where he attended the World Economic Forum – for London.

A statement issued last week by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale said the special WEF meeting in Riyadh would end on Monday, April 29.

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“After his engagements in the Netherlands, President Tinubu will proceed to attend a special World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting scheduled for April 28-29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,” the statement had read.

Meanwhile, in the statement, the Presidency carefully left out information about when Tinubu was expected back in Nigeria after the international forum or that he would visit the UK and France after leaving Saudi Arabia.

Also, the Presidency has been silent on President Tinubu’s whereabouts since the international summit ended on Monday, April 29.

Efforts to reach Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, for comments and clarification failed as he did not answer calls from our correspondent. He also did not reply to messages sent to his mobile phone.

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However, SaharaReporters learnt that the 5N-FGW (Gulfstream Aerospace) which was operated as Nigerian Air Force 1 – meaning the President was on board – left Riyadh International Airport on Tuesday, April 30 at 12:05 am (02:05 am Saudi Arabian time) and arrived at Stansted Airport, London at 06:35 am, UK time.

The jet was used to replace the Boeing Business Jet (Boeing 737-700) 5N-FGT that is still in Germany for repairs.

“Nigerian Air Force 1 isn’t technically the plane, it’s simply the radio call name for any Nigerian Air Force jet carrying the President of Nigeria.

“As soon as the president steps aboard an Air Force jet, either the Boeing Business Jet (Boeing 737-700) 5N-FGT or Gulfstream Aerospace GV-SP (G550) with registration number 5N-FGW or the Falcon 7X jet (5N-FGV), that aircraft is referred to as Nigeria Air Force 1 by the crew and all air traffic controllers, in order to avoid confusion with any other planes in the area and give him special treatment.

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“No plane can operate as Nigerian Air Force 1 without the President onboard, it’s an illegal and treasonable offence. So for it to be operated as NAF 01 to London as you stated clearly showed President Tinubu was onboard.

“If you check the flight history of the current plane in London, you would realise it was operated recently as Nigerian Air Force 2, meaning that Vice President Shettima was the one onboard,” a senior Nigerian Air Force officer had told SaharaReporters.

Before the 2023 general elections, Tinubu’s health was a source of concern for many Nigerians.

SaharaReporters had reported how the former Lagos governor spent over four months patronising hospitals in France, the United States and the United Kingdom where he underwent several surgeries between 2020 and 2022.

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He was flown out of the country some days before Christmas in 2020 to Paris, France. The President returned to Nigeria on January 24, 2021, after a month’s absence from Nigeria.

He also went for a medical check-up in France in June 2021 and was conspicuously absent from a one-day working visit of then-President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos State. Tinubu, amidst death rumours, was forced to return to the country on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.

SaharaReporters also reported that Tinubu was hospitalised in Maryland, the United States in July 2021. On August 9, the APC leader had another knee surgery at the Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, U.S.

The APC chieftain, it was learnt, left the U.S. for the United Kingdom on crutches, a few days after the surgery.

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Sources close to Tinubu had told SaharaReporters that he wanted the surgery in Paris, France but changed his plan over rumours of his death.

In August, his predecessor, President Buhari paid a visit to Tinubu in London and the latter was seen with a walking stick during Buhari’s visit, confirming SaharaReporters’ story that he had undergone surgery in the US.

Upon his return in October 2022, Tinubu confirmed that he underwent surgery on his right knee as well as post-surgery physiotherapy on the said knee during his medical trip abroad.

SaharaReporters also reported how the President, after the May 29, 2023 swearing-in became exhausted and went on a bed rest.

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SaharaReporters also exclusively reported that Tinubu returned to France to see his doctors, weeks before his inauguration on May 29.

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FG announces April deadline for completion of East-West Road

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The Federal Government has directed the contractor handling the Eleme section of the East-West Road to expedite drainage work to meet the April deadline for completion.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, issued the directive during an inspection of the ongoing 15km road upgrade from Eleme Junction to Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

While commending Reynolds Construction Company Nigeria Limited for the quality of work done, Umahi insisted that the drainage must be prioritised to ensure timely completion.

“RCC has done very well. The work completed in the past two months is more than what was done since the project started. However, the project slowed down significantly when the site manager went on leave. I’m happy to see him back and satisfied with the quality of work RCC is delivering,” Umahi stated.

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He emphasised the need to test existing road shoulders before excavation, warning against unnecessary digging for financial gains.

“The existing shoulder has to be tested throughout. I don’t want them digging up areas filled with sharp sand and stone base just to increase costs. If they don’t test it and request approval for any section they dig, they won’t get paid,” he warned.

Umahi also observed that drainage construction had either stopped or slowed significantly, urging the contractor to redesign and precast drainage systems for quicker installation, even during the rainy season.

“I’m happy with the project’s progress, and I believe they will complete the carriageway by the end of April. However, if drainage work is not completed, the project remains unfinished. They must accelerate drainage work to ensure we clear this carriageway by April,” he stated.

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The minister further directed that any section of the road that has remained untouched for 21 days after concrete casting should be opened to commuters to ease traffic congestion.

“Anywhere that has stayed 21 days since concrete was cast should be opened to road users, starting today. This concrete technology will ensure the road lasts between 50 and 100 years without maintenance or reconstruction. It is a signature project of President Bola Tinubu,” he added.

Umahi also inspected the rehabilitation of the Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriageway, Section IV (Aba–Port Harcourt), which is being handled by the Chinese Construction Engineering Company.

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Reasons behind extreme heat conditions in FCT, Niger, Kogi – NiMet

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The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has given reasons for the high temperatures residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Niger, Kogi and few other states are currently experiencing.

The current maximum temperature in the listed states is 40°C and the minimum is 23°C.

The Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) released last month by the agency shows that most of the northern and central states would record day-time temperatures ranging between 37°C and 40°C, while parts of Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, and Plateau states in the North as well as Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Edo, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia, part of Cross River and Delta states in the South are expected to record temperatures ranging between 34°C and 37°C this month.

The agency attributed the high temperatures to climate change and advised Nigerians to embrace a lifestyle switch.

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Residents of the states experiencing high temperatures are advised to avoid exposure to direct sunlight between noon and 3 p.m.

There are also indications that this year may be hotter than last year, which was described as the hottest year.

NiMet’s Director of Weather Services, Prof. Vincent Weli, announced this while speaking on phone with The Nation yesterday. He said: “Everything is embedded in the climate change theory. Every experience we are having now is a result of climate change. The hotness, in general, is because of climate change.

“Abuja, Lokoja, and Minna are located within the same ecological zone and these towns share the same weather pattern. Whatever happens to Lokoja will affect Minna and Abuja because they are in the same route of the flow of wind and also lie within the same climatic zone. Also, these towns have the same vegetation pattern.

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“So, since they are within the same climatic belt, everything that affects Minna and the FCT will affect Lokoja accordingly. The heat is affecting everywhere, not just these towns mentioned. We said last year was the hottest in the history of the earth but this year already is trying to beat it to become the hottest.

“So, as the year increases, it’s obvious that we are going to have higher temperatures. I don’t know where we are headed with this trend, but something needs to be done to reverse the trend.”

To make the best of the situation, Prof. Weli said: “What can reverse the trend is for us to encourage every activity of man that will reduce the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, such as the use of electric cars, solar power and planting of trees.

“These will be other sources of energy other than the use of diesel and petrol and other hydrocarbon compounds that we use as sources of power. Also, we should plant more trees to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The more we plant trees, the more we reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the more we increase the oxygen.”

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The NiMet director urged residents of the affected states with high temperatures to take necessary action to overcome the hot weather.

He said: “In order not to experience what we call heat stroke, people should drink more water often, keep themselves off the direct impact of sunlight between 12 p.m (noon) and 3 p.m. If people do not expose their bodies to the direct impact of sunlight, it will reduce water loss from the system.

“So, people should drink more water than necessary. Otherwise, their systems will be dehydrated, and that will cause secondary health issues.”

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JAMB begins sales of  2025 direct entry forms March 12

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Registration for this year’s Direct Entry (DE) form will begin tomorrow, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said.

The board said the registration process is crucial for those who possess degrees, diplomas, or A-Level certificates and wish to advance their education at their preferred universities.

JAMB’s Public Communications Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, announced this in a statement yesterday in Abuja.

The statement said the announcement for the commencement of the DE sales followed the successful conclusion of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) application sales, which ended on Saturday, March 8.

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“During this period, JAMB recorded a total of 2,030,627 registrations for the 2025 UTME, along with 200,115 for the Mock-UTME and 630 applications for the trial mock,” the statement said.

It added: “JAMB has emphasised the importance of adhering to all entry requirements, warning that serious penalties will be imposed on applications containing false declarations. A special committee will verify all submitted Advanced A-Level Qualifications, and any fraudulent results will lead to prosecution. Additionally, institutions are encouraged to directly verify certificates before considering admissions.

“Registration can only be done at JAMB Professional Registration Centres (PRC).”

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