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BREAKING NEWS: Nigerian Govt Under Tinubu Watch Pays Republican Lobbyist $9million To Appease Trump Amid Threats Of Further US Strikes On Nigeria

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The contract is aimed at persuading the Trump administration and key U.S. lawmakers that Nigeria is taking concrete steps to address insecurity, particularly the killings of Christians in the country’s northern region.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

The administration of President Bola Tinubu has approved a controversial $9million lobbying contract with a Republican-linked firm in Washington as it seeks to placate United States President, Donald Trump, and stave off further military actions and diplomatic measures that could undermine Nigeria’s international standing and the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to an investigative report published on Tuesday by The Africa Report, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, facilitated the engagement of the U.S. lobbying firm, DCI Group, through a Kaduna-based law firm, Aster Legal.

The contract is aimed at persuading the Trump administration and key U.S. lawmakers that Nigeria is taking concrete steps to address insecurity, particularly the killings of Christians in the country’s northern region.

U.S. Department of Justice filings cited in the report show that the Tinubu administration has already paid DCI Group an initial $4.5 million tranche on December 12, 2025.

The payment serves as a six-month retainer, with a second $4.5 million instalment due by July 2026, bringing the total value of the deal to $9 million, or $750,000 per month—one of the most expensive lobbying contracts ever signed by an African government.

The filings state that DCI Group was hired to assist the Nigerian government in communicating its actions to protect Nigeria’s Christian communities and maintaining U.S. support in countering West African jihadist groups and other destabilising elements.

The agreement bears the signatures of Aster Legal’s Managing Director, Oyetunji Olalekan Teslim, and DCI Group’s Managing Partner, Justin Peterson, a prominent Republican strategist and close ally of President Trump who previously served on Puerto Rico’s fiscal management board during Trump’s first term in office.

The contract was finalised just weeks after President Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over what he described as the Nigerian government’s failure to stop widespread and unchecked killings of Christians.

Four days after the lobbying deal was sealed, the U.S. imposed a partial travel ban on Nigerians, affecting tourist, business and student visa applicants.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration cited high visa overstay rates and the absence of what it called a reliable Nigerian security framework for vetting travellers.

Tensions escalated further on December 25, 2025, when President Trump announced that U.S. forces had carried out a military airstrike in northern Nigeria, specifically in Sokoto State, targeting suspected insurgent hideouts.

Trump later warned that additional strikes would follow if the Nigerian government failed to halt the violence against Christian communities.

Beyond DCI Group, Nigeria has also deployed other lobbying channels in Washington. Justice Department records reveal that U.S. attorney and former congressional foreign policy official Johanna Blanc declared receiving a $5,000 payment to draft a letter addressed to Congressman Chris Smith, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, ahead of a congressional hearing on Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

While the filings listed Ms Blanc as working under Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance, she clarified that the letter was written on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

In the correspondence, Akpabio extended an invitation to members of the U.S. House subcommittee to visit Nigeria.

“Nigeria would be honoured to host you in Abuja at a mutually convenient date, to continue these discussions and engage stakeholders from across the government, civil society organisations and religious communities,” the letter read.

“Such a visit would further strengthen diplomatic cooperation and provide firsthand insight into ongoing security and interfaith initiatives.”

The multimillion-dollar lobbying arrangement has drawn sharp reactions from analysts and former U.S. officials.

Chidi Blyden, a former Pentagon official who served under President Joe Biden and was reportedly involved in aspects of the engagement, said the scale of the contract reflects the Tinubu administration’s urgency in repairing strained relations with the Trump White House.

“Given the ongoing strikes in northern Nigeria to root out terrorist havens, having open lines of communication across multiple sectors between the two governments is key,” Blyden said.

“It’s a sign that President Bola Tinubu’s administration wants a relationship with the Trump administration, and it is taking steps to do this through the private sector.”

SOURCE: Sahara Reporters. Opera

 

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Oyo police intercepts truck conveuing explosives in Saki

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The Oyo State Police Command has announced an operational success recorded following an intelligence-led operation.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Command intercepted a truck conveying materials suspected to be explosive devices during a stop-and-search operation in Saki, Oyo State. The truck and the suspected materials were promptly secured and are currently in police custody.

Upon receiving a briefing on the development, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Femi Haruna, immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation into the matter.

Consequently, specialised personnel of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit and the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Unit were deployed to safely secure the items for safekeeping and forensic examination. Detailed forensic analysis has since commenced, alongside a thorough and robust investigation to determine the exact nature of the items and their intended use.

The truck driver has been taken into custody and is cooperating fully with investigators as efforts continue to unravel all the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Commissioner of Police commended the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, for his unwavering support, strategic leadership, and continued provision of operational guidance that enhance proactive, intelligence-driven policing across the country.

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Benue: Armed bandits kill motorcyclist, injure woman in Apa LGA

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One person has died and another sustained injuries following an assault by suspected armed bandits in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

According to sources, the attack took place on January 24 around 4:00 p.m. along the Amoke–Odugbo road in Ukpogo Village, Edikwu Ward.

The victims, identified as Mr Joseph Okoh and Miss Aneh Sunday, both from Ogodumo, Adoka in Otukpo LGA, were reportedly riding a motorcycle when the assailants struck.

“They were rushed to the Comprehensive Health Centre, Ugbokpo, where Mr Okoh was confirmed dead while receiving treatment. Miss Sunday is currently admitted and responding to treatment,” the source stated.

Nigerian troops were quickly deployed to the area, and a search operation in the surrounding bushes is ongoing to apprehend the attackers.

“The Criminal Investigation Department has commenced an investigation into the incident,” the source added.

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2026 UTME: JAMB scraps special privileges for albino candidates over malpractices

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has scrapped special concessions and registration procedures previously granted to candidates with albinism for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, citing abuse of the privilege to perpetrate examination malpractice.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

The Board also warned faith-based tertiary institutions to clearly declare their religious status at the point of admission, saying it is deceptive to present as secular and later impose religious rules on students.

As reported by Vanguard, these decisions were taken on Saturday at a meeting between JAMB management, led by its Registrar, Prof. Isaq Oloyede, and Commissioners for Education from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, held in Ikeja, Lagos.

Oloyede said the meeting was convened to review and assess previous admission exercises.

He noted that despite safeguards introduced by the Board, some individuals remained determined to circumvent the system.

“We have stopped some concessions we gave albino candidates. This is because some are using artificial intelligence to manipulate the registration process to look like they are albinos because of the consideration we gave them.

“Last year alone, over 7,000 claimed to be albinos. We have stopped special registration procedures for albinos,” he said.

Addressing complaints from candidates admitted into some private institutions over compulsory religious instruction, Oloyede urged faith-based schools to be transparent.

“Faith-based institutions should declare from the onset what they are, so that whoever applies there will know what he is going to meet there. But some don’t do that. They will pretend to be secular, but once students are admitted, trouble will begin over religious instruction and injunctions.

“If you are a faith-based institution, say so. The law allows you to set up faith-based schools,” he said.

On last year’s UTME, where the highest-scoring candidate was later found to be a 300-level university student, the JAMB registrar said investigations showed that some undergraduates sit for the examination to change courses or assist others to secure admission.

“Students who are already in school but want to change courses and are applying again must declare and disclose their status.

“We have found that some candidates already in school are writing the examination for other candidates. Last year, the candidate who scored the highest was found to be a 300-level student in the university.

“Henceforth, any candidate found engaging in such an act, and who fails to disclose that he is already in school but wants to change course, will be disqualified and will also lose his current admission,” he said.

On admission criteria, Oloyede explained that federal government-owned institutions allocate 45 per cent on merit, 20 per cent on catchment area, 20 per cent to educationally disadvantaged states, while the remaining slots are allocated to other considerations.

“Each owner or state has the right to decide what its admission criteria will be. But for states, we encourage them to allocate at least 10 per cent to merit, regardless of where the candidates come from.

“This is to diversify the student population and admit eggheads from different communities,” he said.

He criticised some states for establishing new universities despite not fully utilising their admission quotas in existing federal institutions.

On underage candidates, Oloyede said 16 years remained the minimum admission age, noting that an attestation process was in place for exceptional cases.

“Last year, about 42,000 claimed to be underage. After evaluation, only 78 met the criteria and were admitted. We are not saying there are no talented candidates, but the figure looks outlandish,” he said.

The issue of how to engage underage candidates during a gap year divided opinions at the meeting, but a majority voted for JAMB to continue its special assessment process.

The meeting also observed that parental pressure on children to complete their education too quickly was a major contributor to the problem.

On efforts to curb examination malpractice, Oloyede said JAMB had stopped the movement of computers between Computer-Based Test centres.

“A computer registered in a particular centre will remain there and is not transferable to another centre. Some people borrow computers to get accredited and later move them around,” he said.

He dismissed claims that candidates were posted to towns they did not choose, saying personal data used for registration were drawn directly from the National Identification Number submitted by candidates.

Providing an update on the 2025 UTME, Oloyede said 974,855 candidates had so far been admitted out of about 1.95 million who sat for the examination.

He added that over N2.4 billion had been disbursed to institutions that consistently complied with JAMB’s rules over the past 10 years, and that the meeting agreed that schools producing the best candidates should be compensated.

On accreditation of CBT centres, Oloyede said the process involved teams comprising university vice-chancellors, rectors and provosts in each state.

He warned state governments against agreements with private promoters who might use centres to facilitate malpractice.

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