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I didn’t come to look for money, I came to work — Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration is focused on delivering tangible results and making a positive difference in the nation’s infrastructure, food and energy security, education and long-term economic stability.
At a meeting with the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, led by former Senate President Ken Nnamani, the President emphasised that he is not in office for personal gain but to serve the country.
”I didn’t come to look for money and exploit the situation; I came to work. I asked for the votes, and Nigerians gave them to me,” the President was quoted to have told the ex-lawmakers in a statement signed by his media aide, Bayo Onanuga.
According to Onanuga, the meeting was attended by 16 former presiding officers, including former senate presidents, former speakers of the House of Representatives, former deputy senate presidents, and former deputy speakers of the House of Representatives.
He said that the President acknowledged the support and encouragement from the Forum members, irrespective of party affiliations, and implored them to continue fostering unity and camaraderie to achieve national development goals.
Reflecting on the complex nature of legislative activities, constitutional reviews, and nation-building processes, the President expressed confidence that Nigeria can progress through collaboration and inclusiveness.
”Regardless of party differences of the past and difficulty of the present, you still believe in me and what we all plan for this country.
”I thank you very much; no one will do it better than us. I have travelled the world and seen how developed countries have done it for themselves through collaboration, inclusiveness and financial structure.
”Yes, there is hardship, but how did we get here? What did we do when we had very high crude production?”
“We neglected our communities; we neglected the goose that lays the golden eggs; we forgot even to give them a good standard of living.
”We forgot to educate our children. Go round and look at the dilapidated schools. The education environment must be decent enough for pupils to want to learn.
”We can complain from now till eternity that the school enrolment is low. But did we do anything to encourage the enrolment process? We must ask ourselves because it is a matter of conscience,” he said.
The President outlined his administration’s focus on addressing these challenges, including improving infrastructure, ensuring compliance with financial regulations, exploring alternative energy sources and providing energy security.
”We have come a long way, and I promise we must do our best,” he said.
He urged the former presiding officers to continue sharing their wealth of experience in nation-building and governance, noting that they were uniquely positioned to provide “clear interpretations of where we are” to Nigerians.
Senator Nnamani, who spoke on behalf of the delegation, expressed full support for President Tinubu’s administration and its efforts to address Nigeria’s pressing challenges.
He noted that the meeting was the president’s first official engagement with the group since his assumption of office. Nnamani congratulated the President.
”Mr President, history has never been the burden of one man alone, but some are called to meet a special share of its challenges.
”Though not of your creation, it has fallen onto you to end the pervasive insecurity across the nation, the economic downturn that has resulted in hunger and anger, infrastructural decay due to years of neglect and myriads of other national challenges.
”As difficult as these problems are, we believe that with your experience, you can face the difficulties and surmount them.
”What gives us more hope is the courage with which you handled the issue of Local government autonomy, which has won you open admiration from friends and foes alike.
”We are convinced that you will dig in deeper again to eradicate these problems and restore Nigerians pride of place among the comity of nations,” the former senate president said.
He added that the group has seen what elite complacency has caused nations and has resolved to unite across all divides to render whatever assistance it may be called upon to contribute to nation-building and ensuring enduring prosperity for our citizens.
”It is in this light and in the national interest that we wish to pledge our support as you work to restore national security, build an economy that works for all and strengthen the bond of unity amongst our disparate peoples, ” he said.
Nnamani also commended the President for his trust in appointing some of their members to critical national positions, recognising their vital role in nation-building, (Channels TV)
The Imo state police command says members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) were among those abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha expressway on Thursday morning.
Okoye Henry, police spokesperson in Imo, said in a statement that 10 of the victims had been rescued.
He said the exact number of persons abducted was still being verified and would be made public once confirmed.
Reports said that there was tension on the road in the early hours of Thursday after gunmen attacked two 18-seater buses carrying passengers and took them into the bush.
According to a viral video circulated on X, the victims were travelling to Akwa Ibom and Abia states in buses branded with the Abia state government logo when the attackers intercepted the vehicles and robbed the passengers.
Okoye said the incident occurred around 6:30am, adding that NYSC members were among those abducted.
“The incident occurred at about 0630hrs on 1st October, 2026, along the Owerri-Onitsha Road, by Umunoha. Two buses conveying NYSC corps members and other passengers from Ibadan to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State, respectively, were attacked by suspected armed men,” the statement reads.
“Following a swift response by the Police and other security agencies, both buses have been recovered and 10 victims were rescued at the scene.
“The rescued victims are in safe hands and are being attended to. The exact number of persons abducted is being verified and will be made public once confirmed.”
The police spokesperson said operatives were still conducting coordinated search and rescue operations, backed by intelligence to track the suspects and rescue the remaining victims.
He said the commissioner of police in Imo, alongside other service commanders, have visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment and to give operational direction.
“He assured the public that the Command will sustain the operation until all victims are safely recovered and the suspects are brought to justice,” Okoye said.
He said the command was working with the NYSC directorate to reach the families of the affected corps members, who would be kept informed as the situation developed.
He added that the affected section of the expressway had been reopened and traffic was flowing, while security personnel remained deployed to protect commuters.
The command appealed for calm and urged the public to remain vigilant, adding that anyone with credible information should report to the nearest police station or contact the command’s emergency lines.
“All information will be treated in confidence,” Okoye added.
An unspecified number of travellers, including National Youth Service Corps members, have reportedly been abducted by armed men along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State on Thursday, October 1.
The incident reportedly occurred around 5:30am when at least two commercial buses were attacked, with passengers allegedly robbed and taken into the bush. The exact number of people affected remains unclear.
According to reports and videos circulating online, some of the passengers were corps members who had departed from Samonda, Ibadan, in buses operated by Uko Akwa Ibom Motors.
The corps members were reportedly travelling to their assigned orientation camps in states across the South-East and South-South, including Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Imo and Abia.
An eyewitness, in a video shared online, said the attackers intercepted buses travelling from Lagos towards Anambra State and took passengers into the bush after dispossessing them of their belongings.
“Good morning, my fellow Nigerians. I am reporting from the Owerri-Onitsha Road. This happened this morning,” the eyewitness said.
He added that security personnel had arrived at the scene, while soldiers reportedly entered the bush in an attempt to locate and rescue the victims.
“The police came this morning, and the army has already entered the bush to see if they can rescue the victims,” he said.
Footage from the scene showed two buses abandoned by the roadside, with one bearing the inscription “Uko Akwa Ibom Motors Nig. Ltd” and the number Uko/133.
The reported attack has heightened concerns among families whose relatives were travelling to NYSC orientation camps in different parts of the South-East and South-South.
In a separate video shared by Agidigbo FM Ibadan, a distressed woman appealed for assistance, saying her daughter was among the corps members whose whereabouts had become unknown.
According to the woman, her daughter left the Samonda park in Ibadan on Wednesday alongside other corps members travelling to the eastern part of the country.
She said the family received a message from her daughter in their WhatsApp group shortly after 6am on Thursday. The message reportedly contained the word “kidnapper”, after which her daughter’s phone became unreachable.
Describing the family’s distress, the woman said: “Since past 6am, I have not been able to hear from my child, and we couldn’t get her exact location anymore. Please, federal government, help us. I only have the two of them.”
She identified the missing corps member as Kehinde and said her twin sister, Taiwo, had already arrived in Enugu for her orientation camp.
Other relatives reportedly visited the park where their loved ones had boarded buses in Ibadan as they sought information about the missing travellers.
However, the identities and number of people allegedly abducted, as well as their current whereabouts, remained unclear at the time of reporting.
The Imo State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement confirming the incident. Its spokesperson, Henry Okoye, had also not responded to requests for comment at the time of the reports.
In commemoration of Nigeria’s 66th independence anniversary, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has approved the pardon, release, and commutation of sentences of 13 inmates of the Nigerian Correctional Centres, Enugu State.
This is in the exercise of his power of Prerogative of Mercy under Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and in consultation with the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, Enugu State.
According to a statement released by the Mbah’s media aide, Uche Anichukwu, on Independence Day, the Governor’s approval was conveyed to the Comptroller, Nigerian Correctional Service, Enugu State Command by the Chief of Staff to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze.
The beneficiary inmates are Kenneth Ozioko, Moses Saliyat, Promise Ndudim Olung, Chijioke Ugwu, Samuel Ani, and Eugene Odo.
Others are Celsus Emeachi, Caleb Jatto, Calistus Eze, Gabriel Onu, Timothy Ani, Ernest Okeke, and Ejike Nwodo.
While some of the inmates were pardoned and released, some had their death sentence commuted to life imprisonment.
Mbah’s decision was predicated on reports of ill health and or proven reform in character, and following recommendation by the Correctional Services to the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.
Membership of the Council equally comprises representatives of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Carmelite Prisoners Interest Organisation (CAPIO), and the Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace (CIDJAP), among other reputable bodies in the justice sector.
Section 212 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides that: “The Governor may (a) Grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offence created by any law of a state a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions; (b) grant to any person a respite, of the execution of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence; (c) substitute a less severe form of punishment for any person for such an offence; or (d) remit the whole or any part of punishment for any punishment imposed on that person for such any offence or of any penalty forfeiture otherwise due to the state on account of such an offence.”
Section 212 (2), however, provides that the powers of the governor under subsection (1) shall be exercised after consultation with an advisory council of the state on the prerogative of mercy as may be established by law of the state.
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