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FCTA 800 Litigations: Why I Engaged SANs to Defend FCT Cases – Wike

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By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

Worried by over 800 litigations against the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike has explained his decision to engage Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) to help handle cases involving the Administration.

The Minister said lack of diligent prosecution of cases in the past by FCT officials led to the loss of numerous cases.

Wike stated this on Wednesday when he appeared before the House of Representatives and Senate Committees on the FCT to defend the Administration’s N61 billion supplementary budget.

He revealed there are currently over 800 litigations involving the FCT, Wike alleged complicity on the part of certain officials who connived with plaintiffs to get judgments against the FCT Administration.

“I have never seen a territory with over 800 lawsuits. Some of these litigations were in connivance with staff of the FCT. So, I said I will engage SANs because I don’t want a situation whereby someone will go to court and then agree with the plaintiffs and judgment is entered against the FCT,”  Wike said when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on the FCT to defend the Administration’s N61 billion Supplementary Budget.

The minister who said the budget components are project-specific, added that President Bola Tinubu would commission most of them including the Abuja Metroline by May as part of activities marking the president’s one year in office.

He said; “Mr President will commission the metroline by May. If you look at the national budget, there is a provision for the rail project.”

On security, the minister said the Administration would revive the city’s mass transit system to eliminate cases of “one chance”, adding that private operators would undergo security vetting before being allowed into the system.

He said he was working with the Office of the National Security Adviser ONSA and the State Security Services SSS with regards to providing Closed Circuit Television CCTV cameras in strategic parts of the city.

Responding to a question on the fate of victims of the Administration’s demolition exercises, the minister said Nigerians cannot desire a world-class federal capital territory and then make excuses for unplanned and illegal developments.

Noting that demolitions could not be stopped as long as people continue to build on green areas, water and sewage lines and other unapproved places, he said the Administration would however pay compensation in areas designated for resettlement.

He said; “We can’t stop demolitions. You cannot go and build in a green area and then when we demolish, you want us to compensate you. Illegality is illegality. But if we want to acquire your property for development, we will pay you”.

Wike also vowed to cancel some Public Private Partnerships PPPs entered into by the Administration with some private developers, saying those arrangements had been used to fleece the administration of billions in the past.

“I will cancel several PPPs. All the PPPs in Abuja are about land and are against the FCT”, he said.

He cited a case in Wassa where the Administration gave the developer land for mass housing, gave him another N85 billion for infrastructure, lamenting that the developer would go and build houses, sell to people at market value without anything coming to the Administration. “We will cancel it”, he declared.

The minister also restated his position on the recertification of all Certificates of Occupancy.

“All C of Os will be recertified and you will put your NIN. In FCT, there are a lot of fake C of Os but with this new development, we will end that and security wise, we can know people who own each structure. If you have C of Os and you have enjoy recertification, it will no longer be valid”, he stated.

On National Library, he lamented that Nigeria over 10 years after the National Library construction, they are yet to complete it.

According to him, “National Library. I sympathise with this country. I was the minister of Education and there was nothing we did not say, no grammar. How can you tell me a country like this cannot have a standard national library? The library that has been approved for how many days cannot be completed? It is an embarrassment. It is an important project and I don’t see why it cannot be completed. You cannot say it is under culture. Culture is very important so I don’t see why we cannot complete that project. It is not under FCT so I don’t want to talk about it or encroach on other territory”.

The N61 billion FCT Supplementary Budget was drawn from its Paris Club refund, PAYE, the N5 billion special presidential intervention for states, the presidential infrastructure support funds and the territory’s Internally Generated Revenue IGR.

Chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Hon. Muktar Betara who lauded the minister for his passion to develop the territory, however urged him to reconsider the uniform fees for obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy, saying highbrow areas like Asokoro, Maitama, Wuse and others cannot have the same fees with the satellite towns.

NEWS

Unique Secondary School Expands Outreach, Honors Ogbodo, Launches Scholarships

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By David Torough, Abuja

Unique Secondary School Makurdi (USSM), a leading private educational institution in Benue State, continues to make significant strides in academic excellence and community impact.

In a bold move to increase accessibility and reward excellence, the school has unveiled a new examination centre in Oju Local Government Area, launched a scholarship scheme for families with multiple children in the school, and honoured a distinguished alumnus, Dr.

Mark Ogbodo, by naming a recreational facility after him.

The newly inaugurated Dr. Mark Ogbodo Park was officially commissioned on July 24, during a colourful ceremony held at the school’s New GRA campus in Makurdi.

The event drew an impressive turnout of students, staff, parents, alumni, and dignitaries.

Chairman of Unique Schools and co-founder of USSM, Engr. Felix Atume led the commissioning, describing it as a tribute to dedication and impact.

Dr. Ogbodo, an author and founder of Lydia Memorial Hospital, Ugbokolo, was visibly moved by the honour.

In a social media post after the event, he wrote: “Who am I to deserve this great honour? What impact have I made on USSM? These thoughts flooded my mind as I stood speechless in awe.”

He praised the school leadership, particularly Principal Mr. Samuel Ortsega, and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) for the recognition.

Also unveiled at the event was a scholarship programme aimed at easing the financial burden on families with more than one child enrolled at USSM.

The initiative was met with excitement and gratitude from parents in attendance. Furthermore, the newly established Oju exam centre was widely applauded for eliminating the long travel often required for external examinations, especially for students living in remote areas.

Founded on September 1, 1998, by Engr. Atume and Mrs. Juliana Atume, a noted philanthropist, USSM has built a strong reputation for nurturing students through academic rigor and character development.

Originally a day school, it added a boarding facility in 2007 to cater to growing demand. Situated in a serene environment, the school provides a secure and conducive atmosphere for learning.

USSM is part of the larger Unique Schools family, which began with Unique Nursery and Primary School in 1995.

The secondary arm offers a comprehensive curriculum infused with entrepreneurial and vocational training in areas such as catering, fashion, cosmetology, and design—preparing students with practical skills for life beyond the classroom.

The school boasts modern infrastructure, including science laboratories, an ICT centre, a digital library, spacious classrooms, quality boarding facilities, a healthcare unit, and the expansive Engr. Felix Atume Hall. Recreational amenities include courts for basketball, volleyball, tennis, a football pitch, and indoor games like chess and scrabble.

In keeping with global trends, USSM has embraced digital innovations such as an online result-checking system and is planning an enhanced presence on social media.

The school runs a three-term calendar and prepares students for key national examinations including BECE, WAEC, and NECO.

Ambitious plans are underway to launch Unique Technical College, which will focus on technical and vocational education.

As the evening of July 24 transitioned into a celebratory dinner in honour of the 2025 graduating class, guests—including PTA members, parents, alumni, and staff—shared heartfelt goodwill messages. The PTA Chairman described the event as “unparalleled in the school’s history.”

Through initiatives like the Oju centre, new scholarships, and the celebration of alumni impact, Unique Secondary School Makurdi continues to set the benchmark for holistic and community-rooted education in Benue State.

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Foreign News

Zelensky Announces New Draft Law on Anti-corruption Bodies after Protests

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has approved the text of a draft law guaranteeing the freedom of two anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine – days after nationwide protests broke out over changes curbing their independence.

Kyiv’s Western partners had also expressed serious concerns over the legislation.

On Thursday, Zelensky seemed to backtrack, saying the new bill was intended to safeguard the independence of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sap), and to protect them from Russian influence.

He said the text of the bill was “balanced”, but did not provide any details.

The law passed earlier this week brought Nabu and Sap under the control of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president.

At the time Zelensky justified his decision to curtail the bodies’ powers by citing Russian influence. The day before, Ukraine’s security services had carried out searches and arrests targeting alleged Russian spies at the agency.

The passing of the legislation instantly sparked the largest protests since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 in several cities across Ukraine, with many worrying the law would severely undermine the Nabu and Sap’s authority and effectiveness.

Thousands of people gathered in streets and squares across Ukraine, holding placards calling for the legislation to be vetoed.

Several commentators accused Zelensky of democratic backsliding. Their concerns were further exacerbated when Ukraine’s Western partners signalled their displeasure with the bill.

Ukraine has official EU candidate status and a spokesman for European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen previously warned Kyiv that the rule of law and the fight against corruption were “core elements” of membership to the bloc.

On Thursday, the Commission said it “welcomed” the Ukrainian government’s decision to take action against the bill.

“We are working [with the Ukrainian government] to make sure that our concerns… are indeed taken into account,” the spokesman said.

Nabu and Sap were created in 2014-15 as one of the requirements set by the European Commission and International Monetary Fund to move towards a relaxation of visa restrictions between Ukraine and the EU.

Writing on Facebook, opposition MP Oleksiy Goncharenko noted Zelensky said that “the independence of anti-corruption institutions must be guaranteed.”

“First we take it away, and then we say that it must be guaranteed. So why was all this necessary?”

In his message on social media on Thursday, Zelensky did not acknowledge the protests or the backlash but said it was “important that we respect the position of all Ukrainians and are grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine.”

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NEWS

Why I Quit Banking for Music – CDQ

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Nigerian rapper CDQ has revealed that he left a stable banking job to pursue his true passion, music.

In an interview, the hip-hop star shared that becoming a banker was a move to honor his late father’s wishes, but it wasn’t where his heart truly belonged.

“I quit my bank job.

I couldn’t tell my mother or any family member then.
I left the house and went to stay with Masterkraft in the studio,” he said.

CDQ admitted that while at the bank, he often found himself scribbling lyrics during work hours instead of focusing on his official duties.

The internal conflict eventually led him to a bold decision, quitting his job to chase a career in music.

According to him, even his close friend and producer, Masterkraft, was shocked when he learned about the decision. Interestingly, Masterkraft used to lend CDQ suits to wear to the bank.

“I told him banking isn’t my passion. I will probably just do it to make ends meet. But music is something that, whether it gives me a return or not, I’m still happy doing it,” CDQ added.

CDQ’s gamble paid off. He shot to fame in 2016 with his hit single “Indomie” featuring Masterkraft and Olamide.

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