News
“What Is Tinubu Doing in Paris?” — Atiku’s Aide Challenges Presidency
“What Is Tinubu Doing in Paris?” — Atiku’s Aide Challenges Presidency
By Our Correspondent
The media aide to former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has challenged the Presidency to publish details of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s substantive engagements in Paris and the outcomes of his activities during his prolonged stay in France.
Ibe made the demand on Monday, September 28, 2026, amid renewed questions over Tinubu’s continued absence from Nigeria after the period initially announced for his three-week working vacation.
Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for London to begin what the Presidency described as a three-week annual working vacation. He subsequently travelled to Paris, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and French businessman Vincent Bolloré.
Ibe said Nigerians deserved sufficient information about the official engagements being undertaken by Tinubu in France, arguing that the Presidency should provide details that would enable the public to assess the purpose and outcome of the President’s extended stay abroad.
According to him, the issue was not whether the President was “hale and hearty”, but why his stay abroad had continued beyond the period initially announced by the Presidency.
“The Presidency should publish Tinubu’s substantive engagements and their outcomes. Nigerians can then judge whether this prolonged absence is justified,” Ibe said, according to a report published on Monday.
The Atiku aide also questioned the reference to the proposed $7 billion Ogun deep-seaport project as part of the explanation for Tinubu’s activities in France.
He noted that the agreement was between the Ogun State Government and DP World, with Tinubu witnessing the signing, and questioned its relevance to the justification for the President’s prolonged stay in France.
The Presidency, however, has maintained that Tinubu’s absence from Nigeria does not mean he has stopped performing his presidential duties.
In a September 21 statement, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu had extended his working vacation by a few days and would return to Nigeria at the weekend.
The Presidency said the President had remained in contact with officials at home and continued directing government affairs while abroad. It cited, among other activities, Tinubu’s decision to order an independent panel to investigate the deaths of 37 illegal miners in Minna.
The State House also confirmed that Tinubu met Bolloré in Paris on September 18 over plans to deepen investment in Nigeria’s creative and digital economy.
According to the Presidency, the discussions covered areas including film, entertainment and fibre-optic infrastructure, with the Bolloré Group indicating plans to deepen its operations and investments in Nigeria.
Ibe also questioned Tinubu’s decision to remain in France while the 81st United Nations General Assembly was taking place in New York.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the UN General Assembly, while Tinubu remained in Europe. The Presidency explained that Shettima was representing the President and would deliver Nigeria’s national statement at the global gathering.
Ibe contrasted Tinubu’s continued stay in France with French President Emmanuel Macron’s movements, noting that Macron had hosted Tinubu in Paris before travelling to New York for the UN General Assembly.
“Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron, who hosted Tinubu at the Élysée Palace, travelled to New York for UNGA and returned while Tinubu remained in France on housekeeping duties,” Ibe said.
Tinubu’s prolonged stay has continued to generate political debate, particularly following reports that his expected return to Nigeria had been postponed.
TheCable reported on September 27 that the President’s return plans had been changed at the last minute, with Tuesday being reported as the likely new return date. The reason for the change was not immediately disclosed.
The development has also triggered debate over Section 145 of the Nigerian Constitution, which deals with the President’s absence from office and the transmission of written declarations concerning vacation or inability to discharge presidential functions.
Atiku and his media aide have previously questioned whether the constitutional procedure was followed during Tinubu’s prolonged absence. The Presidency and other government officials have maintained that Tinubu remains in charge of the country’s affairs.
The latest exchange has therefore centred on two positions: the Presidency’s assertion that Tinubu has continued to conduct official business from abroad, and the opposition’s demand for greater disclosure about the President’s activities and the reasons for his extended stay in France.
“What Is Tinubu Doing in Paris?” — Atiku’s Aide Challenges Presidency
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News
Tragedy in Nsukka as Six UNN Graduates Reportedly Found Dead After Final Exams
Tragedy in Nsukka as Six UNN Graduates Reportedly Found Dead After Final Exams
NSUKKA, ENUGU STATE — Tragedy has struck the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), following reports that six fresh graduates of the institution have been found dead inside an apartment in the Hilltop area of Nsukka, Enugu State.
The victims, reportedly comprising five females and one male, were said to have been discovered lifeless on Thursday morning, barely a day after completing their final examinations.
The incident has thrown the university community into mourning, with students and residents struggling to come to terms with the shocking development.
According to reports, the deceased had recently concluded their academic activities and were said to have participated in sign-out celebrations marking the completion of their studies.
The gathering, which was expected to be a moment of excitement and celebration after years of academic pursuit, reportedly ended in tragedy.
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The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain unclear, as there are conflicting reports about the number of victims and what transpired inside the apartment.
Meanwhile, the Acting Public Relations Officer of the university, Inya Agha Egwu, has acknowledged receiving enquiries about the incident and assured journalists that the university management would issue an official statement.
Efforts to obtain an immediate response from the Enugu State Police Command were reportedly unsuccessful as calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, were unanswered.
As of the time of filing this report, the identities of the deceased and the actual cause of their deaths had yet to be officially established.
The tragic development has raised concerns across the university community, with students and residents awaiting further information from the police and university authorities.
Further details will be provided as official statements emerge.
Tragedy in Nsukka as Six UNN Graduates Reportedly Found Dead After Final Exams
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News
BREAKING: Manchester United Sack Michael Carrick After Disastrous Start to Season
BREAKING: Manchester United Sack Michael Carrick After Disastrous Start to Season
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United have sacked head coach Michael Carrick with immediate effect following the club’s disastrous start to the 2026/27 season.
The 45-year-old Englishman was reportedly informed of the decision on Thursday morning after the club’s hierarchy concluded that a managerial change was necessary to address the team’s poor performances.
Carrick’s dismissal follows a disappointing run of results that has left Manchester United languishing in 18th position on the Premier League table, with just one victory from their opening 10 league matches.
The decision was reached following discussions involving chief executive Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Carrick had come under mounting pressure in recent weeks, particularly after Manchester United suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth.
Although he was initially given another opportunity to turn the situation around, Sunday’s dramatic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa reportedly proved decisive.
United fought back from a two-goal deficit to rescue a point through two late stoppage-time goals. However, the result extended the club’s disappointing run and left them trapped in the relegation zone.
Meanwhile, former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is expected to take over as Manchester United’s next head coach.
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The Argentine, who currently manages the United States men’s national team, has reportedly reached a verbal agreement in principle with the Old Trafford club.
Manchester United are expected to activate a release clause believed to be worth approximately £7 million to secure his departure from the US national team, where his contract runs until 2030.
The overall compensation could rise if Pochettino brings members of his preferred coaching staff to Old Trafford.
Pochettino previously managed Southampton, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, and is now being linked with a return to the Premier League.
Carrick’s dismissal represents a dramatic turnaround after his impressive performance during the second half of last season.
Appointed in January following the departure of Ruben Amorim, the former Manchester United midfielder guided the club to a third-place Premier League finish and secured qualification for the UEFA Champions League.
However, his success last season could not shield him from the consequences of United’s poor performances this campaign.
Pochettino’s potential first major assignment could be a high-profile Premier League encounter against Liverpool at Anfield on November 22, as Manchester United seek to revive their struggling season.
BREAKING: Manchester United Sack Michael Carrick After Disastrous Start to Season
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News
Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest
Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest
KATSINA STATE – A notorious bandit leader identified as Kachalla Bello has reportedly been killed during a fierce gun battle between rival armed groups in a forest in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Bello was reportedly among those killed when rival bandit factions engaged in a deadly confrontation on Tuesday evening, November 10, 2026, amid an apparent struggle for territorial control.
According to local sources and counter-insurgency reports, the clash involved heavy exchanges of gunfire, leaving several fighters dead.
The late bandit leader was reportedly notorious for terrorising farming communities across parts of Katsina State through attacks, abductions and other criminal activities.
Beyond kidnapping for ransom, Bello was accused of subjecting some of his victims to forced labour on farmlands allegedly belonging to him.
Local accounts indicated that he frequently abducted farmers while they were working on their farms and compelled them to work on his farmland before considering their release.
His alleged activities reportedly contributed to insecurity, economic hardship and displacement among residents of affected communities, particularly farmers who depended on agriculture for their livelihoods.
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However, the Katsina State Police Command had yet to officially confirm Bello’s reported death as of the time of filing this report.
The Command’s spokesperson, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, reportedly said he was making efforts to verify the incident and establish the exact location of the alleged confrontation.
He explained that security personnel were working to identify the location of the clash and liaise with the relevant Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) for further investigation.
Meanwhile, security observers have repeatedly identified rivalries and internal disputes among armed criminal groups as factors contributing to violent confrontations within bandit networks operating across Nigeria’s North-West region.
The circumstances surrounding Bello’s reported death, including the number of casualties recorded during the encounter, remain unclear.
Further details are expected as security agencies work to establish what happened.
Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest
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