Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to resign, citing an International Monetary Fund, IMF, report which, according to him, showed that about N8.83 trillion spent by the Federal Government in 2025 was not reflected in the national budget.

The development was disclosed in a statement posted on Obi’s official page on July 5, 2026.

According to the statement, Obi alleged that the reported expenditure was not captured in the 2025 budget and therefore fell outside legislative oversight and administrative scrutiny.

The former Anambra State governor argued that the amount represents about two per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, and exceeds the combined 2025 budgetary allocations to the education and health sectors.

According to Obi, the funds, if properly utilised, could have improved public education and healthcare, created employment opportunities and supported economic development across the country.

“The IMF now reveals that about N8.83 trillion in expenditure undertaken in 2025 is not reflected in the budget.

“This expenditure is not budgeted and is therefore not under legislative oversight or administrative scrutiny,” he stated.

Obi further alleged that the reported expenditure reflects what he described as a pattern of corruption and disregard for public finance management under the current administration.

He argued that such practices pose risks to national security, deepen poverty and weaken public institutions.

He also described the Tinubu administration as corrupt, incompetent and insensitive, alleging that the government has failed to utilise available resources to address Nigeria’s infrastructure and social welfare challenges.

Obi maintained that the latest IMF report further reinforced his earlier position on the administration, saying, “The only reasonable action is for President Tinubu to resign from office.”

He urged Nigerians to demand greater accountability from the government through lawful means.

Two more Nigerians have been killed in South Africa as the violent attacks and harassment of black foreigners continue.

The Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg announced the deaths in a statement issued on Saturday.

The victims, identified as Emeka Iroegbu and Musa Joe, were both killed last Sunday, 28 June, but under different circumstances.

According to the consulate, Mr Joe was killed by “suspected criminals” in Witbank city, Mpumalanga province, while security operatives murdered Mr Iroegbu in Sunnyside, Pretoria.

Mr Iroegbu was reportedly tortured to death by officers of the Tshwane Metro Police in the suburbs of Pretoria. The Nigerian consulate noted that the victim was subjected to gruesome torture techniques at the hands of the Metro police, which led to his death.

The latest deaths raise the total number of Nigerians murdered in South Africa since the latest wave of xenophobic attacks began this year to four. The pattern of the recent deaths mirrors that of the two Nigerians murdered earlier in the country. These are: Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew.

They were arrested and allegedly beaten to death by personnel of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in Port Elizabeth.

Mr Andrew’s corpse was found days after his arrest on 19 April in the Booysens area of Pretoria.

He was arrested due to an alleged altercation with members of the Tshwane Metro Police, and his body was discovered at the Pretoria Central Mortuary afterwards.

Mr Emmanuel died a day afterwards due to injuries he sustained from an attack by the SANDF.

Following the incident, the Nigerian government summoned the South African High Commissioner and demanded a thorough investigation into the deaths of the two Nigerians.

This investigation is still pending, and no arrests have been made in two months. Nigerian officials have repeatedly condemned the attacks in South Africa but have urged Nigerians to avoid retaliatory attacks on South African interests in Nigeria.

South Africa’s anti-foreigner campaign began in April, with footage of citizens attacking African foreigners circulating online. The arbitrary 30 June deadline announced by anti-immigrant South Africans for African foreigners to leave the country has further intensified tension.

Last Tuesday, many South Africans marched out in droves across cities to protest the presence of African migrants in the country, chanting “Abahambe!” This means “They must go!” in Zulu, the most widely spoken language in the country.

The deaths of at least five Mozambicans and five Ethiopians have also been attributed to xenophobic violence in the country.

The latest announcement by the Nigerian consulate now raises the death toll.

Hundreds of African foreigners in the country have also been displaced.

During the protest last week, shops were looted and properties destroyed, as has become customary in xenophobic attacks in the country.

Several African countries have so far repatriated hundreds of their citizens, including Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.

The Nigerian consulate stated that the continuing pattern of “such terrible incidents raises questions over the safety of Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa.”

“The death is coming at a time when foreigners are being unduly targeted in South Africa, raising questions about what seems to be a deliberate attempt by some elements to generalise wrongfully and tag well-meaning, hard-working and respectable Nigerians in the country as criminals,” it noted.

The consulate also demanded a thorough and immediate investigation into the murders.

“We expect the authorities to d o the needful and achieve the ultimate prosecution of the perpetrators,” the statement read.

Some Nigerians in South Africa who appeared to have rejected the June 30 deadline to leave the country have taken up arms to defend themselves.

Anti-migrant groups have been pushing for the ejection of foreign nationals, a move that has generated global outrage.

Groups such as March and March, who are at the forefront of those mobilising against illegal immigrants, claim they take jobs and services from locals.

“South Africans have been replaced by illegal foreigners, increasing unemployment,” the leader of the March and March group, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, told a crowd in Durban 24 hours to the unofficial deadline for migrants to leave.

“We want mass deportation,” she said. “For the next six months we want the government to get rid of the people who have not left.”

After the deadline, the groups broke into homes and hotels where they said migrants were hiding.

In a footage, which went viral, a man and his family comprising minors were seen being chased out of his house.

“My wife is pregnant,” he kept saying as the protesters marched them on the street.

At least two Mozambicans, an Ethiopian and a Malawian have been killed in the latest outburst of anti-immigrant violence, according to police.

Several African governments — including Nigeria, Malawi, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique — have organised voluntary repatriation flights and buses for their citizens.

More than 25,000 people had been processed for departure in recent weeks, authorities said Monday.

However, some Nigerians who have vowed not to leave South Africa have taken up arms to defend themselves.

In a video seen on Saturday, two groups facing each other across a makeshift line marked with ropes, with police officers positioned between them in an apparent effort to prevent violence.

On one side were Nigerians, while their aggressive hosts stood on the other end.
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‎The commentator in the video claimed that the Nigerians were “waiting for the South Africans to cross the line” while security personnel stood between both sides.
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‎The video also appears to show some individuals on the Nigerian side carrying cutlasses and other light weapons. A gunshot is heard during the recording, prompting chants from the crowd in apparent defiance of the reported deadline.
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‎The commentator claimed, “Can you hear the gunshots?” as the situation became increasingly chaotic.

Daily Trust subjected the video to checks and found out that it is authentic.
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‎As of the time of filing this report, Nigerian or South African authorities had not issued official statements on the incident.
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‎The Nigerian government has repeatedly condemned attacks targeting its citizens in South Africa and has urged the South African authorities to guarantee their safety. Through the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, officials have maintained contact with affected Nigerians while advising them to remain calm, avoid flashpoints and report threats to security agencies.
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‎Relations between Nigeria and South Africa have been strained several times over recurring xenophobic violence, with previous and recent attacks prompting diplomatic protests, evacuation of Nigerians and calls for stronger protection of foreign nationals living in the country.