By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja

Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives yesterday set Jan. 31, to lay the harmonized report of the 2025 budget estimates before the hallowed Green Chamber of the National Assembly.The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi (APC, Kano) disclosed this in an interview with journalists after the inaugural meeting of the panel yesterday.

He said that the 2025 budget defence sessions by committees with various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) would commence on Tuesday. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had presented the N49.74 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill before a joint session of the National Assembly on Dec. 18, 2024.The House passed the budget through second reading on Dec. 19, 2024 and referred same to the Appropriations Committee with all Standing Committees as sub-committees for further legislative actions.Bichi told journalists that the budget defence would last till January 17 and reports from the exercise may be harmonised on January 22 while the Appropriations Committee’s report would be laid at plenary on January 31st.The committee’s chairman assured that the panel and standing committees will be thorough with the budget defence in the interest of Nigerians.”We just had the inauguration meeting today for the 2025 Appropriation Bill which you have been aware that the President has presented the budget us and by tomorrow we will start the budget defence with all the MDAs. From tomorrow to 17th we are going to do our budget defence and we will likely harmonise on the 22nd and God’s willing by 31st we are going to lay our reports.”We are going to study the budget; all our committees will study the budget. I believe the budget is for Nigerians, for our development – infrastructure and other important things and I am sure Nigerians will be happy with it,” Bichi said.Bichi said the parliament will scrutinize the proposed budgetary expenditure, revenues and other issues contained in the 2025 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.He said, “We just had an integration meeting today for the 2025 appropriation bills which you have been aware that the president has presented the budget to us and by tomorrow we’ll start the budget defense by all the MDAs from tomorrow to the 17th we are going to do our budget defense and we will likely harmonize by 22nd.“But what we do first, we complete our reports. Now we are going to study the budget, all our committees will study the budget and I believe the budget is for Nigerians, it’s for development infrastructures and other important things and I’m sure Nigeria will be happy with it”.

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

A device went off yesterday in a school in an Abuja suburb, killing one student and injuring four others.The incident reignited concerns about security in schools.According to sources, the incident occurred at about noon in Islamiyyah school in Kuchibiyu Community, Bwari Area Council.

Emergency and security personnel were immediately deployed as the dead and injured were evacuated. A source said, “The dead student, whose identity is yet to be ascertained, bore the substance suspected to be IED while it exploded and injured the other students, thereby causing pandemonium in the centre”. School authorities could not be reached for reaction.A source added that the students involved were recently admitted into the school and that they resumed on Jan. 3.”A senior official of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) confirmed the incident.The official who did not want his name mentioned said the head of the school (Malam), told him that the student who brought the device that exploded in the school was one of the learners from Katsina State.”One person was already dead by the time I got there. I asked the DPO to immediately take the Malam that brought those students from Katsina so that he could interrogate him.”The three other persons were rushed to the hospital. There were four, according to what the Malam said. There’s this other girl that was selling ‘awara’. She was also affected,” the official explained.

By David Torough, Abuja

Two of the suspects arrested alongside Simon Ekpa have been released by the Finnish government.

Ekpa, arrested on Nov. 21, 2024 with four others was accused of terror, incitement to violence and financing of terrorism in Nigeria.

They have been in detention since then.

He was remanded in prison by the Päijät-Häme district court for allegedly “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media.

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However, sources confirmed that two of Ekpa’s alleged accomplices have since been freed by Finnish authorities.

The names of the released individuals or the specific reasons for their release remain undisclosed.

Government sources, who declined to offer further details, confirmed Ekpa remains in custody.

This development follows an announcement by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, confirming that the country had requested Ekpa’s extradition.

Gen. Musa said the requirements for the extradition of the separatist have been forwarded to Finland Government.

The Defence Chief said, “The Federal Government has actually forwarded most of the requirements to the Finnish Government. So, I’m sure the right thing will be done.”

Finnish government is working with the Nigerian government on ending the violence activities of IPOB in the Southern Nigeria.