President Bola Tinubu has said that his government in 2025 will spend N164million on tyres for the State House bullet proof vehicles and the sum of N29.5million on buying and maintaining sports and gymnastic equipment for the State House Sports Club and State House Central Gymnasium.

This was contained in the 2025 fiscal appropriation bill (proposed budget) President Tinubu presented before the joint National Assembly – the Senate and the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

A review of the 2025 Executive Proposal of the proposed budget by SaharaReporters showed that Tinubu proposed that his administration will spend the sum of N12,815,481 for the purchase of sporting equipment for State House Sports Club.

Another N16,733,357 will be spent on the procurement 6/maintenance of equipment for the State House Central Gymnasium.

Further review of the proposed budget showed that the President proposed to spend the sum of N164.9 million on buying tyres for State House bullet proof vehicles, plain cars and Jeeps.

According to the official document of the proposed 2025 budget, Tinubu’s government will spend the sum of N164,990,169 on the purchase of tyres for bullet proof vehicles, plain cars, CCU vehicles, platform trucks, Jeeps, Ambulances and other utility and operational vehicles for State House.

Meanwhile, the N164.9million for the purchase of the vehicles including operational vehicles as indicated on page seven (7) of the 2025 proposed budget Executive Proposal official document, is different from N3,661,566,123 proposed for the purchase of State House operational vehicles on page eight (8) of the same document.

It is also different from the sum of N1,098,469,837 proposed to be spent on replacement of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) vehicles for the State House.

Meanwhile, Tinubu in his address on Wednesday while present the proposed budget before the National Assembly said, “This budget christened, “Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity,” strikes at the very core of our Renewed Hope Agenda and demonstrates our commitment to stabilising the economy, improving lives, and repositioning our country for greater performance.”

The President added, “The 2025 budget that I present today is one of restoration. It seeks to consolidate the key policies we have instituted to restructure our economy, boost human capital development, increase the volume of trade and investments, bolster oil and gas production, get our manufacturing sector humming again and ultimately increase the competitiveness of our economy.

“We do not intend to depart from this critical path to strengthen the Nigerian economy. Just as I believe in the resilience of our economy to withstand the current challenges, l also strongly believe in the resilience of the Nigerian people.”

Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the permanent forfeiture of a warehouse built on a 1.925-hectare property along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Magboro, Obafemi Owode local government area of Ogun State.

The court also ordered the final forfeiture of 54 general-purpose steel containers, which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claimed are linked to a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN,) Godwin Emefiele.

The Judge ordered that the assets be forfeited to the federal government after no individual or organisation came forward to claim them.

On November 28, 2024, the judge had granted an interim forfeiture of the assets, directing the anti-graft agency to publish the order in a national newspaper to allow any interested party to appear before the court and show cause why the assets should not be finally forfeited.

However, at the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday, EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, informed the court that the commission had complied with the court’s directives.

Oyedepo also informed the court that the application for final forfeiture was made pursuant to Section 44(2)(B) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006, as well as the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

The lawyer urged the court to issue a final forfeiture order to the Federal Government of Nigeria for the properties listed in Schedule A, which includes the warehouse located at Km 8 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Magboro, and the 54 general-purpose steel containers, suspected to have been acquired through unlawful activities.

After reviewing the submissions of the anti-graft agency’s lawyer and the documents filed before the court, Justice Dipeolu granted the requested relief and ordered the final forfeiture of all the assets.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has declared the suspension of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the 18 Local Government Areas, LGAS, in Edo State as illegal and unconstitutional.

The AGF, who spoke to journalists in Abuja yesterday, stressed that removing from office or suspending any elected LG official in the country is the prerogative of Councilors in the said LGA.

The Justice Minister said his position was based on the July 11 judgment of the Supreme Court that granted autonomy to the 774 LGAs in the country.

“One thing that I know and can say without fear is that under the present dispensation, no Governor has the right to remove any local government chairman.

“That much I know. If I did not know before, since July 11, 2024, I became aware that removal of any local government chairman or official would be the prerogative of that local government, through their legislative house,” the AGF stated.

However, he said his initial reluctance to react to the development was because he wanted to know the basis upon which the LGA officials in Edo state were reportedly suspended.

It will be recalled that the Edo State House of Assembly suspended the chairmen and vice chairmen of the LGAs for two months over their alleged gross misconduct and insubordination.

The Assembly directed the council leaders to hand over to the legislative leaders of their respective local governments.

The action followed a letter from Governor Monday Okpebholo, who accused the council officials of insubordination, alleging that they failed to submit their financial reports from September 23, 2022, to date, as directed.

The LGA officials had since rejected their purported suspension, even as they vowed to remain in office till the expiration of their tenure in 2026. Meanwhile, speaking about ongoing reforms in the justice sector, the AGF said the development and adoption of the 2024-2028 National Policy on Justice would help to address the challenges militating against the effective administration of justice in Nigeria.

He said the federal government would in line with its determination to decongest the prisons, continue to train judges on the need to embrace the award of non-custodial sentences like community service, as provided for in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015 and Nigerian Correctional Service Act, NCSA, 2019.

“The ACJA, 2015, seeks to reform the administration of criminal justice through the speedy dispensation of justice, protection of human rights, accountability, and oversight between and amongst criminal justice institutions.

“Since its enactment, the Ministry has been leading efforts to ensure its effective implementation to ensure citizens access justice and the protection of their rights.

“The Ministry, through various platforms, supported states to replicate the Act, through the adoption of their ACJL.

“Today, I am happy to report that the 36 states of the federation now have their states ACJLs, which, to a very large extent, replicates and further strengthen the provisions of the ACJA for effective implementation a the state level.

“The Justice Ministry is currently collaborating with the Ministry of Interior and Nigerian Correctional Service to conduct an audit of the Correctional Centres to ascertain the number of inmates, the condition of the correctional centres, the number and different categories of inmates in the correctional centres.

“The first phase of this audit conducted in 9 states and the FCT, took place between 21st – 25th November, 2024, and it is hoped that when concluded, the outcome will assist the federal government in initiating and implementing appropriate policies and programmes that will enhance effective management of the correctional service.

“While these achievements are commendable, we must remain focused on addressing existing challenges,” the AGF stated.