News
Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi lead in S’East as Govs leave huge debts behind
Out of the 28 states, 11 governors will be seeking re-election in March.
They include Governors Mohammed Yahaya of Gombe; Babagana Zulum (Borno); Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Mai Buni (Yobe); Bello Matawalle (Zamfara); Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos); Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Abdulrahman Abdulrazak of Kwara state.
Those that will not be seeking re-elections are Emannuel Udom (Akwa Ibom); Samuel Ortom (Benue) Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); David Umahi (Ebonyi); Mohammed Abubakar (Gombe) Aminu Masari (Katsina); Bello Bagudu (Kebbi); Abubakar Bello (Niger); Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto); Simon Lalong (Plateau) and Darius Ishaku of Taraba.
Other governors that are not seeking re-election include the Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-rufai; Abdulahi Ganduje (Kano); Victor Ikpeazu (Abia); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Ben Ayade( Cross Rivers) and Nyesome Wike of Rivers.
The sub-national debts are classified into domestic-borrowings from local creditors and external-borrowings from foreign or international creditors like the World Bank.
The domestic and external debts published on the DMO’s website were as of September 30 and June 30, 2022, respectively.
According to the reports, sub-national domestic debts were about N4.38tn while their external debts were about $3.15bn or N1.42tn based on the exchange rate of the Central Bank of Nigeria of N449.53 to a dollar as of Thursday.
The data further shows that Lagos has the highest debt, with N877.04bn domestic debt and $1.27bn foreign debt.
It is followed by Kaduna, with a domestic debt of N86.86bn and external debt of $586.78m.
The third highest debt is Rivers, with a domestic debt of N225.51bn and foreign debt of $140.18m.
In the fourth highest debtor position is Cross Rivers, with N175.2bn domestic debt and $215.75m external debt.
It is followed by Ogun with N241.78bn domestic debt and $122.73m foreign debt.
Others include Bauchi (N144.28bn domestic debt and $172.76m external debt); Enugu (N89.89bn and $123.02m); Kano (N125.19bn and $109.42m); Abia (N104.57bn and $95.63m) and Adamawa (N122.48bn and $77.01m).
Other debtor states are Akwa Ibom (N219.62bn and $46.567m), Benue (N143.37bn and $30.47m), Borno (N96.33bn and $18.7m), Delta (N272.61bn and $60.05m), Ebonyi (N67.06bn and $59.84m), Gombe (N139.1bn and $46.93m), Jigawa (N44.41bn and $27.61m), Katsina (N62.37bn and $55.82m), Kebbi (N60.13bn and $42.40m), Kwara (N109.55bn and $45.94m), and Nasarawa (N72.63bn and $53.73m).
Also on the list are Niger (N98.26bn and $69.27m), Oyo (N160.07bn and $76.97m), Plateau (N151.90bn and $33.74m), Sokoto (N85.58bn and $37.13m), Taraba (N90.81bn and $22.28m), Yobe (N92.86bn and $23.09m) and Zamfara (N109.69bn and $29.33m).
The FCT had a domestic debt of N112.49bn and external debt of $25.38m.
These hese states and the FCT owed up to 81.72 per cent of the N5.36tn sub-national domestic debts and 69.08 per cent of $4.56bn external debts.
Speaking with our correspondent on Thursday over the phone, the Director, Portfolio Management Department of the DMO, Dele Afolabi, noted that each state was expected to send in quarterly information on their domestic debts.
He added that by being transparent with their debt profiles, states would be able to access more funding.
The debt servicing is done by the Federal Government but it is deducted from the federal allocation to the states.
States’ debts
In its December 2022 edition of the Nigeria Development Update, the World Bank noted that states’ debts would rise above 200 per cent of the revenue generated in 2022 and 2023.
The report read, “Debt levels for an average state are estimated to increase from 154.6 per cent of revenues in 2021 to above 200 per cent of revenues in both 2022 and 2023.”
According to the Washington-based bank, the increase in debts will be due to low allocation from the Federation Account, which will likely weaken the fiscal condition of the states.
The report added, “The fiscal condition of sub-national governments is expected to weaken in 2022, as Federation Account transfers for the average state are estimated to decline due to weak net oil revenue collection.
“For an average state, statutory transfers—the main source of state revenue—are estimated to decline by 5.5 per cent and internally generated revenue is estimated to remain at broadly the same levels as in 2021 (declining slightly by 0.8 percent).
‘’Nevertheless, total revenues for an average state are estimated to remain broadly unchanged in nominal terms as gains in VAT revenues are estimated to offset the declines in statutory transfers. However, expenditure is expected to increase by almost 4 per cent for an average state in nominal terms, especially capital expenditure, which is estimated to increase by 17.3 per cent in nominal terms in the run-up to the 2023 general election.
‘’Recurrent expenditure between 2021 and 2022 is estimated to have contracted by almost 5.4 per cent for an average state, raising concerns about accumulation of arrears. These trends are estimated to continue in 2023 with the fiscal position of the states weakening.”
The global lender had earlier said that Nigerian states will likely lose N18.8bn in oil and gas revenues in 2022, as worsening revenue collection at the federation level increases budgetary pressures for the states.
According to the bank, the declining revenue from the federation level has put many states in a precarious fiscal position.
It warned that many states would be unable to meet up with their expenditures, adding that there was an increase in debt servicing expenditures of states.
But the special Adviser Media and Publicity to the Cross River Governor, Christian Ita blamed the state’s debt burden on previous administrations.
He stated, “The debt burden on the state is something that was inherited by this administration. Indeed, as at May 29, 2015 when the current administration came on board, the state had attained the threshold of borrowing, a situation that made it impossible for the current administration to borrow.
“The disconcerting part is that while the administration was prevented from borrowing by the Debt Management Office, the federal government has been deducting between N1.6bn to N2bn monthly from the state’s allocation, thus leaving the state in dire straits.”
Speaking on its huge debt profile, the Lagos State government explained that its domestic and foreign debts were necessary because there was no other way the government could fund the projects executed in the state.
According to the estimate made by The PUNCH, Lagos state has the highest domestic debt of N876bn and a foreign debt of $1.27 bn.
Lagos defends debts
But the state Commissioner of Information, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, insisted that the debts were sustainable and would not hinder any development after May 29, adding that what the debts were used for was what mattered.
He said, “The debts are more than sustainable. Recently, Lagos State got a Fitch AA+ rating and what it means is that we are running our finances very well and we are super creditworthy. I think we are the only state in Nigeria to have had such a rating.
“Apart from that, people say Lagos State debt is high but the problem is not the high domestic or foreign debts but what they are used for. The United States of America has the highest debt profile in the world, yet many are flocking there. To borrow money to pay salaries is bad but to borrow it to fund projects that will generate revenue and provide jobs is good.
“Lagos has a high debt profile because it has embarked on and executed a lot of infrastructural and transport projects, among many that will in turn generate income. We have not expended up to 50 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product so we still have enough room to borrow money and that is why you see that people are turning over to Lagos because they know that the state is creditworthy.
“There is no way you can embark on the big projects that the Lagos State Government has executed without borrowing money. Where will the cash come from? Look at the Blue Rail, can you imagine the number of people it will be conveying daily and the jobs it has created? So there is no way you can fund that kind of project without borrowing money at all.
“This will never affect any development after May 29. In fact, if anything, it will bring more developments. By the time you say you save billions of naira to build a railway, even the people who should ride on it would have died, so one needs to find a way of funding it, and the better way is to borrow money, and local financial institutions are coming to Lagos to lend money to the government because they know the economy has a bright future.”
When contacted about the debts Governor Wike would be leaving for the incoming administration, the Rivers State Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu said he was in a meeting and could not comment.
Kaduna government
Similarly, there was no reaction from the Kaduna State Government when asked about its plans to address the huge debts on Thursday.
The Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the governor, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye could not be reached on the phone and he did not respond to the query sent to him on the Whatsapp platform.
Officials of Ogun State Government kept mum as both the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Waheed Odusile and Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Kunle Somorin did not respond to calls or messages sent to their phones.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress in Delta State has kicked against alleged plan by Governor Okowa to borrow N40b.
The party in a statement on Thursday warned all commercial banks and lending institutions in the country to be wary of the outgoing PDP government in the state.
The party said, ‘’It has come to the notice of the public and to the knowledge of the All Progressive Congress that the government of Delta state is yet again negotiating a loan facility for N40b.’’
In the statement endorsed by the APC governorship candidate in Delta State, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the party noted with concern that “the need for such a facility has not been made public, neither has the purpose for which the credit is being sought.”
“It is also our knowledge that a bill seeking the approval for such a facility has not been presented before the House of Assembly and neither has approval been obtained”, it further stated.
Consequently, the party warned all commercial banks and lending institutions in the country to be wary of such borrowings.
The statement read partly, “Now therefore, be it known to all banks, lending institutions, credit agencies etc that any facility, loan, credit, advancement or borrowing by any other name known made or advanced to the government of Delta state in the course of the remaining tenure of the present administration will not be acceptable to the people of Delta state.
“The next administration and the citizens of Delta state will not be further encumbered by the rascality and profligacy of the present government.
“We state unequivocally that the state is over-borrowed and the citizens will not accept the encumbrance and obligations of further borrowing.’’
News
COAS Charges Commanding Officers to Strengthen Operational Effectiveness Through Enhanced Leadership
By Our Reporter
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has charged Commanding Officers of the Nigerian Army to strengthen operational effectiveness by continuously enhancing their leadership capacity and ensuring prudent management of resources in the discharge of their responsibilities as tactical commanders.
The COAS gave the charge on Monday while declaring open the Second Commanding Officers’ Workshop 2026 at the Headquarters 82 Division Dragon Officers’ Mess in Enugu.
The five-day workshop is themed, “Enhancing Tactical Level Leadership in a Joint and Multi-Agency Environment.”
Represented by the Chief of Training (Army), Major General V. U. Okoro, Lt.-Gen. Shaibu described the workshop as timely, given the nation’s evolving security challenges and the increasing need for effective tactical leadership.
He stressed the importance of strengthening leadership, operational effectiveness and administrative competence, noting that Commanding Officers play a critical role in translating strategic military objectives into successful tactical operations.
According to him, the workshop aligns with his Command Philosophy of transforming the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force capable of operating effectively within joint and multi-agency environments.
The Army Chief urged participants to actively engage in the lectures, discussions and syndicate problem-solving sessions, expressing confidence that the knowledge gained would equip them with innovative approaches to addressing contemporary operational challenges.
Earlier, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Major General Oluremi Fadairo, welcomed participants and described the workshop as an important platform for Commanding Officers to review their leadership approaches, improve professional competence and consolidate operational achievements.
He expressed appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff for approving and supporting the workshop, as well as for his continued support to the operations of the 82 Division.
Maj.-Gen. Fadairo encouraged participants to remain focused throughout the programme and apply the lessons learned to improve the administration and operational effectiveness of their respective units.
The opening ceremony featured the presentation of souvenirs to dignitaries and a group photograph with participants.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has expressed concern over the safety of its Financial Secretary, Loretta Ijeoma Ebere, following reports that she may face deportation or administrative removal from the United Kingdom to Nigeria.
Ebere, who was also said to have served as the organisation’s provost in Croydon, is reportedly seeking to remain in the UK, citing fears for her safety if returned to Nigeria. According to IPOB, its members have allegedly been subjected to arrests and prolonged detention in Nigeria because of the group’s separatist activities.
In a statement issued by the organisation’s spokesperson in the United Kingdom, Comrade Okey Okoye, IPOB appealed to the UK authorities to reconsider any decision that could result in Ebere’s removal.
Okoye alleged that Ebere’s family had suffered intimidation and persecution, claiming that three of her relatives from her hometown had been missing for between three and four years.
“We have been monitoring the situation involving our sister, Loretta Ijeoma Ebere, and her family since the struggle for the independence of the Biafran Republic began,” he said.
“Three of her relatives have been missing for over three to four years, and their whereabouts remain unknown.”
He urged the UK authorities to halt any deportation process, insisting that IPOB could not guarantee Ebere’s safety if she returned to Nigeria.
“We appeal to the United Kingdom authorities to reconsider their position on this matter because we cannot guarantee her safety. It would be unfortunate if she is deported and something unpleasant happens to her,” Okoye stated.
According to the statement, Ebere has been actively involved in campaigns calling for the release of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who remains in the custody of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS). IPOB alleged that her advocacy had resulted in increased scrutiny of her family by Nigerian security agencies.
The claims made by IPOB regarding the alleged disappearance of Ebere’s relatives and the circumstances surrounding her deportation proceedings have not been independently verified. There has also been no official response from the Nigerian government or the UK authorities at the time of filing this report.
News
Court Dismisses Stay of Execution Bid, Reaffirms Judgment Sacking Enugu Neuropsychiatric Hospital MD
The National Industrial Court in Abuja has dismissed an application for a stay of execution filed by Dr. Ngozi Unaogu, Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, reaffirming its earlier judgment that removed her from office and ordered the immediate reinstatement of Prof. Monday Igwe to complete his tenure.
The ruling is contained in a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s decision issued on July 15, 2026, following a ruling delivered by Justice E. D. Subilim. The document was made available to journalists on Thursday.
Counsel to Prof. Igwe, Barr. Michael Okorie, said the dismissal of the stay of execution application means the court’s judgment remains valid, enforceable and binding.
According to Okorie, the implication is that official actions allegedly carried out by Dr. Unaogu since December 11, 2025—the date the court delivered its substantive judgment—including the issuance of appointment letters and award of contracts, are null and void. He also cautioned members of the public against engaging in official dealings with her to avoid being affected by actions that may later be declared invalid.
He further called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare to comply with the court’s judgment, saying this would uphold the rule of law and prevent further disruption at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu.
The court had, on December 11, 2025, ruled that the termination of Prof. Igwe’s appointment as Medical Director was unlawful because it did not follow the prescribed disciplinary procedure. It consequently ordered his reinstatement to complete his tenure.
The court also nullified the appointment of Dr. Unaogu, holding that her appointment was made while the matter was still pending before the court, despite her being a party to the suit.
Despite the judgment, Prof. Igwe’s legal team said the defendants had yet to comply with the court’s orders, prompting the filing of contempt proceedings against Dr. Unaogu and other defendants in April 2026.
News
We dont suspect any foul play in Habila’s death, family reacts, rejects autopsy, Police Investigation
As political activities gradually gather momentum ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Enugu State, various groups, communities, local government areas and political stakeholders have continued to identify with Governor Peter Mbah, citing his administration’s developmental strides across the state.
The latest show of solidarity came from prominent stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, who paid a courtesy and solidarity visit to Governor Peter Mbah, pledging their total support for him and all APC candidates in the local government during the 2027 general elections.
The stakeholders expressed appreciation to the governor for the ongoing construction of the Igogoro–Amachalla–Ikpamodo–Okpo–Amaja Road, describing the project as a major intervention that would improve connectivity, boost economic activities and enhance the standard of living of residents in the affected communities.
They commended Governor Mbah for what they described as his commitment to equitable development across Enugu State and assured him of their readiness to mobilise support for his administration and the APC in the coming elections.
Responding, Governor Mbah thanked the delegation for their solidarity and confidence in his administration.
He assured them that the Igogoro–Amachalla–Ikpamodo–Okpo–Amaja Road project would be completed in record time in line with his administration’s commitment to delivering quality infrastructure.
The governor also announced plans to establish a Government Technical College in Igbo-Eze North to equip young people with practical and vocational skills, as well as an additional Smart Green School to further strengthen access to quality education in the area.
He reiterated his administration’s resolve to ensure that no part of Enugu State is left behind in its development agenda, promising to continue implementing projects that would positively impact the lives of the people.
The APC delegation was led by notable stakeholders, including former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Simon Atigwe; member representing Igbo-Eze North Constituency II in the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Clifford Obe; APC State Financial Secretary, Hon. Ejike Itodo; APC South-East Zonal Woman Leader, Dr. Oby Arji; and the APC Chairman in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, Dr. Solomon Ogili, among others.
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