Former senator Dino Melaye has ridiculed President Bola Tinubu’s administration, suggesting it may soon turn to local fintech companies like Opay and Moniepoint for loans.
Melaye, who spoke yesterday on ARISE Television, faulted the government’s borrowing spree, accusing it of worsening hunger in the country despite securing billions of dollars in external credit.
“There is massive hunger in the land. Why is the president borrowing $1.7 billion from the World Bank? Why has the Senate already approved $21 billion, with more requests still pending? This government is one of the most reckless in our history,” he said.
Melaye condemned the purchase of a luxury yacht by the presidency, alleging it was being used outside Nigeria. “That yacht has never sailed within our territorial waters; it has been between Monaco and Paris. At a time of austerity and hunger, what do we need a yacht for?”
He argued that Tinubu had borrowed more than any past president despite increased revenue, concluding: “We won’t be surprised if the president starts borrowing from Opay and Moniepoint soon.”
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) had earlier warned that the federal government’s borrowing trend could push Nigeria’s debt stock beyond ₦200 trillion before the year ends. The party’s spokesperson, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, accused Tinubu of mortgaging the nation’s future under the guise of reforms.
Doctors’ Strike Cripples FCT Hospitals, Patients Turn to Private Facilities
Healthcare services in Abuja were thrown into disarray yesterday as resident doctors across the six area councils commenced a seven-day warning strike, leaving patients stranded.
Checks by our reporters showed deserted wards at Maitama District Hospital, with nurses and consultants struggling to keep up with patient needs. At the radiography unit, only skeleton staff were present, while emergency units had just one doctor on duty.
Many patients expressed frustration. Mary Adegbenro, who had gone for antenatal care at Kubwa General Hospital, said she was forced to seek treatment at a private hospital. Her husband, Tunde, lamented: “My wife is pregnant. She was scheduled for antenatal today, but now we must go elsewhere.”
An elderly patient, Yusuf Muhammed, due for a post-surgery follow-up, worried about delays: “I was told to come back next week, but what if something happens before then? This strike puts lives at risk.”
Others, like Mr. Benson Badmus and Mrs. Hadiza Suleiman, said the absence of doctors left them no choice but to pay steep bills at private clinics. Paul Jackson, who sought lab tests, said he spent over ₦30,000 at a private facility after waiting in vain at Maitama District Hospital.
Hospitals in Abaji, Kwali, Kuje, and Gwagwalada showed similar scenes, with only nurses and pharmacists on duty.
Why the Strike?
In a communiqué signed by its president, Dr. George Ebong, the Association of Resident Doctors, FCT chapter (ARD-FCT), decried systemic rot in the territory’s health sector, citing manpower shortages, unpaid allowances, poor equipment, delayed promotions, and unpaid salaries.
Ebong warned that if demands were not met, the action could escalate to an indefinite strike. “Everywhere we have doctors—outpatient departments, theatres, paediatrics, gynaecology—will be affected,” he said.
The timeline of disputes shows recurring grievances since December 2024, with multiple strikes suspended after government promises. The doctors insist this time reforms must be urgent and genuine.
Minister of State for Health, Iziaq Salako, however, expressed optimism that dialogue with the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) could avert further action.
US Arrests Nigerian Convict in Immigration Sweep
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has rearrested a Nigerian, Rotimi Oladimeji, during a nationwide crackdown on illegal immigrants.
Oladimeji, who was earlier sentenced to three years in prison for wire and mail fraud, had been ordered to pay over $1.1 million in restitution but remained in the US after completing his jail term.
According to the US Department of Justice, Oladimeji and accomplices scammed a woman out of nearly $1.17 million by posing as an American veterinarian in an online romance scheme. He reportedly kept 20 percent of the proceeds.
ICE confirmed on its X handle that the arrest forms part of ongoing efforts to target migrants with criminal records.
Police Probe Corpse Found in National Assembly Car Park
Police in Abuja have launched an investigation after the discovery of a lifeless man inside a Peugeot 406 at the National Assembly Complex.
FCT Police spokesperson Josephine Adeh said officers responded to a distress call on Sunday morning and found the body, suspected to be that of a labourer, already in decomposition.
The remains were evacuated to Asokoro General Hospital. Commissioner of Police Benneth Igweh has ordered a discreet probe to establish the man’s identity and cause of death.
Senate Bars Natasha Uduaghan from Resuming
The Senate has told Kogi Central lawmaker Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan that she cannot resume office despite completing her six-month suspension.
In a letter signed by Acting Clerk of the National Assembly, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, the Senate said her case remains subjudice as she has a pending appeal against her suspension.
“The matter remains before the Court of Appeal, and until judgment is delivered, no administrative action can be taken,” the letter stated.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended in March for alleged insubordination after resisting a change of her seat during plenary. She insists the sanction was politically motivated, linked to her petition accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
Her attempts to return in July were blocked by security operatives.
Korean Women Sue US Military for Forced Prostitution
More than 100 South Korean women who say they were forced to work in state-run brothels for US soldiers have filed a lawsuit seeking damages and an official apology from Washington.
Historians say tens of thousands of women served US troops in “camptowns” from the 1950s to the 1980s. South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled in 2022 that Seoul illegally operated such brothels and ordered compensation.
This new suit, filed by 117 women, seeks 10 million won ($7,200) per victim and places responsibility on both the South Korean government and the US military.
One plaintiff recalled being lured at age 17 into what she thought was a bartending job, only to be forced into sex work and beaten by soldiers. Victims also described weekly compulsory disease tests and brutal penicillin injections that left them unable to walk.
US Forces Korea said it was aware of the lawsuit but would not comment during legal proceedings.
NCAA Summons Airlines Over Flight Delays, Cancellations
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has summoned 13 domestic airlines over persistent delays and cancellations.
The emergency meeting, set for Tuesday in Abuja, will address compliance with passenger rights, refund and compensation claims, enforcement of safety rules, and new measures like RFID baggage tagging.
Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, said the agency was ready to “name and shame” defaulting airlines and apply the full weight of sanctions.
Recent weeks have seen passengers stranded at airports, with some lashing out at staff in frustration. NCAA said the era of leniency is over: “We will not abandon the letters of our regulations,” Achimugu stressed.
Trump Orders Immigration Raids in Chicago
US President Donald Trump has launched “Operation Midway Blitz,” a crackdown targeting undocumented migrants in Chicago.
The Department of Homeland Security said the operation would focus on violent offenders, but Illinois Governor JB Pritzker dismissed it as a political stunt. “This isn’t about fighting crime. It’s about scaring residents,” he wrote on X.
The move has deepened Trump’s clash with Chicago officials. Over the weekend, he posted an AI-generated image of himself as a war commander with the caption: “I love the smell of deportations in the morning.”
Democrats in Illinois condemned the raids as fearmongering. Senator Dick Durbin called them “a waste of money” that would end up targeting hardworking immigrants without convictions.
NUPENG Strike Shuts Depots, Fuel Scarcity Looms
The strike by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) against Dangote Refinery has halted fuel loading at depots nationwide, sparking fears of scarcity.
Motorists in Lagos and other cities rushed to filling stations as queues lengthened on Monday. A depot source warned: “If the dispute isn’t resolved within 72 hours, prices will skyrocket as stations adjust their pumps.”
The union accuses Dangote Refinery of poor welfare practices and union suppression. The refinery, however, insists it pays drivers up to ₦300,000 and provides accommodation.
Stakeholders urged quick dialogue to avert a fuel crisis that could worsen inflationary pressures.
