Donald Trump says he is firing the first female director of the National Portrait Gallery, which contained a caption that referenced the attack on the US Capitol that his supporters carried out in early 2021.

The president announced the termination on Friday in a post on his social media platform that accused Sajet – born in Nigeria, raised in Australia and a citizen of the Netherlands – of being “a strong supporter” of diversity initiatives that his administration opposes as well as “highly partisan”. He cited no evidence for either claim.

Legal experts, including Eric Columbus, a former litigator for the January 6 select committee, suggested Trump does not have the power to fire Sajet, since the gallery is part of the Smithsonian, which is not run by the executive branch.

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Osun State filed an originating summons at the Supreme Court following the Federal Government’s confiscation of the monthly allocations accruing to its local governments for the months of February, March and April 2025.

It has not been ascertained whether that of May will also be withheld.

The suit dated 23 April 2025 marked SC/CV/379/2025 filed by Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, counsel for the Attorney General of Osun State (plaintiff), has the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as the sole defendant.

The state government approached the Supreme Court for an order directing the federal government to release the seized funds and for further orders restraining it from further withholding, suspending and for seizing fund allocations to the local government councils in the state.

In an originating summons filed on 24 April, 2025, the state government is asking the Supreme Court to determine the following questions:

Whether upon a proper construction of the provisions of Section 162 (3), (5), (6) and (8) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) via-a-vis the decisions of this Honourable Court in A.G. Lagos State V. A.G. Federation (2004) 18 NWLR (PART 904) 1 and A.G. Federation V. A.G. Abia State (2024) 17 NWLR (PART 1966) 1; the defendant can withhold, seize and/or suspend payment of the monthly allocations, revenues and other funds due to the constituent local government councils of the plaintiff state without any justification whatsoever, notwithstanding the fact that the plaintiff state has in place, at all-time material to this suit, democratically elected local government councils?

Upon a proper construction of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which guarantees the existence and subsistence of democratically elected local government councils in all the states of the federation, including the plaintiff state, whether the act of the defendant in withholding, suspending and/or seizing the statutory allocations due to the constituent local government councils of the plaintiff state without any justification whatsoever, does not pose a threat to the existence, governance and/or subsistence of the democratically elected local government councils in place in the plaintiff state and, by extension, the state generally, and thereby contravening the clear provisions of the constitution?

Whether the defendant, without any lawful justification and/or any valid or subsisting judgment/order of court whatsoever, can single out the plaintiff state herein and decide to withhold, suspend, seize and/or refuse to pay the monthly allocations and revenues standing to the credit of the constituent local government councils of the plaintiff state, notwithstanding the fact that the plaintiff state has in place democratically elected local government councils in the state at all-time material to this suit?

The state government is praying the apex court to make the following declarations:

A declaration that the defendant has no right to withhold, suspend and/or seize the monthly allocations, revenues and/or other funds standing to the credit of the constituent local government councils of the plaintiff state without any justification whatsoever, particularly in view of the fact that the plaintiff state has democratically elected local government councils in place at all-time material to this suit.

A declaration that the acts of the defendant withholding the monthly allocation and revenues due to the constituent local government councils of the plaintiff state for the months of March 2025, without any justification whatsoever, despite the fact that the plaintiff has in place democratically elected local government councils at all-time material to this suit, as unconstitutional, unlawful and ultra vires the powers of the defendant.

A declaration that the seizure, suspension, withholding and/or refusal to pay the allocations and revenues due to the plaintiff state by the defendant is a threat to the existence and subsistence of the democratically elected local government councils which is in place in the plaintiff state at all-time material to this suit.

A declaration that insofar as the defendant is yet to commence implementation of the Judgment of this Honourable Court in Suit No.: SC/CV/343/2024 between A.G. Federation V. A.G. Abia State & Ors. by putting in place necessary logistics to ensure direct payment of the allocations and revenues due to each local government council of the states, the plaintiff cannot be singled out by the defendant for non-payment of its local government allocation while other states in the federation continue to receive payment of the local government allocation for and on behalf of their local government councils.

An order directing the defendant to release forthwith to the plaintiff, the monthly allocations and revenues due to its constituent local government councils for the months of March 2025 which have been unlawfully and unjustifiably withheld by the defendant into its state joint local government accounts.

An order directing the defendant to continue paying the allocation, revenues and other funds due to the local government councils of the plaintiff state through the plaintiff’s state joint local government accounts opened for that purpose pending the necessary logistics.

In an affidavit of extreme urgency deposed to by the Commissioner for Finance, Ogungbile Adeola Olusola, the state government, through the state Attorney General, said the suit was filed against the backdrop of the unjustifiable and unlawful withholding and seizure of the funds, allowances and revenues due to the local government councils from the federation account.

The plaintiff told the apex court that “the continuous seizure of this fund by the federation would paralyse the education and health sectors of the plaintiff state if not urgently restrained by this honourable court, hence the plaintiff had contemporaneously filed an application for both interim and interlocutory injunctions alongside the originating summons in this suit”.

The Finance Commissioner said in the affidavit of urgency, sworn to on April 24, 2025 that the various local government councils in the plaintiff state need the allocations and revenue to function.

He said: “I know that if the defendant is not urgently restrained from further withholding, suspending and seizing this fund, the local government councils would not be able to function and perform their constitutional obligations.

“I equally know as fact that the continuous seizure of this fund by the defendant would cripple the governance and subsistence of the local government councils in Osun State and, by extension, cripple the governance of the state itself.”

He said, “The defendant, having withheld the allocation and revenue of the local government councils of Osun State of March, 2025 has caused hardship on the people of the state, and if the defendant is not urgently restrained, the monthly allocation for April, 2025 would also be withheld, suspended and seized and this will cause more and serious hardship on the people of the state.”

The deponent averred: “It will satisfy the interest of justice and fairness if the motion ex parte for Interim Injunction is urgently heard and determined by the apex court so as to mitigate the hardship already being faced by the people of Osun State, due to the withholding, seizure and suspension of their local government councils’ allocation and revenue.

“I depose to this affidavit in good faith, conscientiously believing same to be true, correct and in accordance with the Oaths Act.”

No date has been fixed for hearing of the case.

It will be recalled that the APC had, in February called on the Federal Government to withhold allocations to local government councils in the state, alleging illegal constitution of council heads by Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration.

According to the APC, Governor Adeleke conducted a “purported” local government election on February 22, 2025, “in disregard of a valid and subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal.”

READ ALSO: Court asks FG to withhold Osun LGs’ allocations

The party’s spokesman, Felix Morka, said, “In keeping with the rule of law, it is our expectation that the Federal Government will make federal allocation for local governments available only to democratically elected and judicially certified local government officials in Osun state.”

The state government and the PDP, however, countered the APC argument, pointing at a case the APC lost at the same Federal High Court, the appeal on which was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 13 January 2025 for lack of diligent prosecution.

The Court of Appeal recently heard an application filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) praying the court to relist the appeal against the Federal High Court judgement which sacked its chairmen and councilors on 30 November, 2022.

Ruling on the application and on a preliminary objection filed by the respondents, Action Peoples Party and OSSIEC, has been adjourned till a date yet to be announced by the court.

Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) appealed to the Federal Government not to withhold allocations to the state’s local governments over the controversy surrounding the council elections.

By Yilik Mukwan

Borno State is in mourning over the tragic death of eight Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members killed in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast on Tuesday along the Dikwa-Marte road.

CJTF is a security volunteer outfit supporting the Nigerian Army in the fight against insurgency in the North-east region.

The brave volunteers were trying to retrieve the body of a colleague killed in an encounter between insurgents and the Nigerian Army in Marte Local Government Area when the device exploded on them.

Borno residents have always commended the vigilante groups for their role and sacrifices in the fight against the insurgency.

Many have paid tributes to the fallen volunteers.

“I grew up together with Abba. Even though we went our separate ways after he became very stubborn, he later grew into a courageous and reliable man. Just yesterday we met and chatted. May the soul of Baba rest in peace,” Abubakar Dodo said about one of the victims.

Mr Dodo was among hundreds of Borno residents who paid their last respects at the burial rites of the victims.

“Alhamdulillah, the gathering is enough to confirm they died as heroes. We pray that God will see their sacrifices and forgive them,” Musa Inuwa, another resident, said.

Many others have shared their condolences on social media.

According to a Daily Trust report, between 2012 and 2025, over 1,773 members of the CJTF were killed fighting Boko Haram and Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists in the entire Northeast.

The Insurgents, believed to have been degraded, recently renewed attacks on Borno communities.

PREMIUM TIMES reported recently how 12 communities were attacked within three weeks.

Governor offers support

Governor Babagana Zulum has described the deceases as heroes whose memories will remain in the hearts of Borno forever.

He also offered support to their bereaved families.

Mr Zulum, on Thursday, paid a condolence visit to the families of the fallen heroes in the Fezzan ward of the Maiduguri metropolis.

The governor pledged a scholarship for the children of the deceased CJTF members or their family members.

“I want to announce an initial assistance of N5 million to be given to each of the families to take care of their immediate needs,” Governor Zulum stated during his visit.

He described the fallen CJTF members as “martyrs who made ultimate sacrifices in defence of their communities.”

Governor Zulum was accompanied on his sympathy visit by a delegation of government officials, including the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Abdullahi Askira; APC state chairman, Bello Ayuba; and the Permanent Secretary of Government House, Mustapha Busuguma.

The governor’s swift response underscores the state government’s recognition of the invaluable role played by the CJTF in securing Borno.

Premium Times

President Bola Tinubu has issued a new Executive Order geared towards lowering project costs, attracting investment, and enhancing revenues from oil and gas operations.

A statement issued by Senan Murray, media contact in the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, disclosed that the Upstream Petroleum Operations Cost Efficiency Incentives Order (2025) introduced performance-based tax incentives for upstream operators who deliver verifiable cost savings that meet defined industry benchmarks.

The statement said the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) will publish these benchmarks annually according to terrain—onshore, shallow water, and deep offshore.

It also said detailed implementation guidelines for the new Order will be issued in due course.

Among other provisions, it explained that the Order returns to investors 50 per cent of incremental government gain resulting from cost savings, and also caps available tax credits at 20 per cent of a company’s annual tax liability—protecting government revenues while still offering strong fiscal terms to incentivise efficient operators.

“Nigeria must attract investment inflows, not out of charity, but because investors are convinced of real and enduring value. This Order is a signal to the world: we are building an oil and gas sector that is efficient, competitive, and works for all Nigerians. It is about securing our future, creating jobs, and making every barrel count,” Tinubu was quoted as saying.

To ensure effective implementation of the new Order, the statement said the President has tasked the Special Adviser on Energy to lead inter-agency coordination, ensuring alignment across key government institutions and translating policy intent into measurable outcomes.

According to Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser to the President on Energy: “This is not a pursuit of cost reduction for its own sake. It is a deliberate strategy to position Nigeria’s upstream sector as globally competitive and fiscally resilient. With this reform, we are rewarding efficiency, strengthening investor confidence, and ultimately delivering greater value to the Nigerian people.”

The statement noted that the new order builds on the administration’s 2024 presidential reform directives, which delivered improved fiscal terms, shortened project timelines, and aligned local content policies with global best practice.

A former General-Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA ), Olumuyiwa Akinboro, has challenged the feasibility of Nigeria’s federalism as it is presently constituted, pointing out that only a constitutional amendment could guarantee fiscal autonomy for true federalism to be realised in the country.

Akinboro, SAN, who delivered a delivered a keynote address at the 2025 Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Osogbo branch on Thursday spoke on the topic “State and Local Governments’ Independence under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended): A Myth or Reality.”

According to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, such amendments must guarantee decentralised judicial and security structures, while state and local governments must also be empowered to function effectively and independently.

He also said that federalism practised today was greatly shaped by colonial and military antecedents, which were both characterised by their unitary and dictatorial leanings.

“For true federalism to be realised in Nigeria, constitutional amendments must be pursued to guarantee fiscal autonomy, decentralise judicial and security structures, and empower state and local governments to function effectively and independently.

“Federalism is not a constitutional provision alone; it is a culture, a practice, and a commitment.

“If Nigeria is to truly reap the benefits of its diversity and democratic potential, it must recommit to the tenets of true federalism.

“The independence of state and local governments is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Until then, the federalism we claim remains largely a constitutional myth, not a governing reality.

“Until such structural reforms are actualised, the supposed federal character of Nigeria will remain largely ceremonial, and the promise of genuine democratic governance at the sub-national level will remain elusive,” he said

In his remarks, Mr Olayemi Abiona, the NBA Chairman in the state, said that the discourse was timely and pivotal.

“As legal practitioners and stakeholders in the country’s governance framework, we are confronted with enduring questions about the autonomy of sub-national governments under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“The tension between federal dominance and the quest for true federalism, the fiscal constraints on states and local governments, and the practical realities of governance in Nigeria demand our rigorous examination.

“Is the constitutional promise of independence for states and local governments a tangible reality, or does it remain an elusive myth?

“This lecture challenges us to dissect these issues with clarity, courage, and a commitment to advancing Nigeria’s democratic ideals,” he said.

Also, Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun commended NBA for organising the programme and the chosen topic of discourse.

Adeleke, represented by the state Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Kolapo Alimi, said that local governments in the country could not be truly or totally independent of the state

“There is no true or total independence due to the financial commitment of both tiers of government in paying salaries and pensions for local government workers and teachers,” he said.

• Congratulates Justice Binta Nyako on her successful tenure as President of the International Women Judges

The President of the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), Caroline Ibharuneafe, on Friday eulogised women judges in Nigeria under the auspices of the National Association of Women Judges of Nigeria (NAWJIN), describing them as “not only arbiters of justice but also beacons of inspiration to countless young female lawyers who look to the judiciary as both a calling and a compass.”

Ibharuneafe, while delivering AWLA’s goodwill message at the opening ceremony of NAWJIN’s 25th Biennial Conference, which was held at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja with the theme: “Mentorship and Legacy Building: Fostering a Culture of Mentorship, Inclusivity, and Empowerment of the Next Generation of Women Leaders in Law,” said: “We are here today to join not just professionals, but custodians of a legacy; a legacy built by trailblazing women who dared to sit at the bench when it was neither easy nor common. Many of you in this room are such women.”

In the speech delivered on behalf of the AWLA President by Rukaiya Cynthia Emmanuel, Chair of AWLA Abuja branch, Mrs. Ibharuneafe further stated that: “The African Women Lawyers Association believes deeply in the power of mentorship, not as a formality, but as a lifeline.”

According to her, “For many young women in the legal profession, the difference between stagnation and success is often the presence of a mentor who says: ‘I see you. I’ve walked this path. Let me show you how.’

“Mentorship is how we protect the gains we’ve made. It is how we ensure that the bench remains not only accessible but also representative. And in a society where barriers persist, both visible and invisible, mentorship provides more than just guidance; it provides courage.

“Legacy, on the other hand, is not built at the end of a career. It is built moment by moment, decision by decision, case by case, and in every hand, we extend to the next woman coming up.

“We must also ensure that our mentorship is inclusive. We must reach beyond familiar spaces and institutions, into underserved communities, rural areas, and informal networks, to find the hidden brilliance that only needs a hand to thrive.

 “AWLA Nigeria is proud to align itself with the visions of NAWJN. We see you not only as leaders in jurisprudence but as partners in the mission to raise a generation of women who are not afraid to lead, to speak, and to transform.

“We will, at this point, extend our heartfelt congratulations to our dear Justice Binta Nyako for a successful tenure as the President of the International Women Judges.

“In conclusion, I encourage us all to ask not only, “What legacy will I leave?” but also, “Whose journey will I make lighter?” Let us continue to build together, not just careers, but a culture of upliftment and excellence.

“May our collective efforts ignite the next generation of women judges, lawyers, and leaders who will go even further than we dared to dream.

“Thank you, and may this event leave a lasting imprint on the future of our profession.”

The suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his intervention in the political crisis in the state by introducing emergency rules.

Fubara described it as a timely and stabilising effort that allowed him and his deputy to continue in office as governor and deputy governor.

The governor stated this while speaking during the May 29 event hosted by his supporters under the banner of the Simplified Movement at their secretariat in Port Harcourt.

He called on his followers to show gratitude to the President, noting that without Tinubu’s mediation, the situation could have worsened.

“I want to assure you that the problem will be resolved. By the Special grace of God, we will come back to our various offices, not just in the executive arm but in the legislative arm. I believe that that relationship where we all work together, eating together, crack jokes together, will still come back. 

“Mr President is the one that we should give every thank you to because without him, what else would have solved the problem? We protest, we protest at the end…but he came in at the right time and he salvaged a very worse situation…so let me thank him here for that intervention.”

Fubara thanked his supporters and all Nigerians who stood by him during the period of political turbulence, acknowledging their loyalty and prayers.

He, however, urged them to understand that protests alone cannot resolve complex political disputes.

The suspended governor pleaded for forgiveness from anyone who may have felt disappointed in his handling of the crisis, emphasizing that his actions were guided by a desire to protect the peace and progress of the state.

He assured his supporters of a lasting peace, saying, “There is no reason why there will not be peace between me and my oga,” the governor said about the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

Watch a video of him speaking below.

An 8-month-pregnant woman was killed on Tuesday by a crocodile while cooking lunch at her flooded home in Indonesia. 

The 28-year-old Munirah was standing in her swamped kitchen when the animal sank its fangs into her leg in North Kalimantan on 27 May and pulled her away. 

The mother-to-be, who was only identified by her first name, screamed as the beast then tried to thrash her in a death roll.

Hearing her cries, Munirah’s sister Ana Maria rushed over and found her sibling holding onto a tree branch. 

She rushed out of the room to find a weapon with which to beat the reptile, but it had already dragged Munirah into the water by the time she returned. 

Villagers searched along the Mambulu River. 
 

Footage shows several men firing a shotgun at the predator, but it retreated into the muddy waters. 

Around half an hour later, they found a lifeless Munirah’s body floating in the flood. 

Local police chief AKP Supriadi said, “The victim died after being attacked by a crocodile. She was dragged away from her kitchen and drowned to death. 

“She couldn’t be saved. She was eight months pregnant and did not have the strength to fight off the crocodile. 

“The crocodile released her, but she was already dead when her body surfaced.” 

The local disaster response agency (BPBD) confirmed the incident. 

Munirah’s residence was a stilt home flooded after the nearby Mambulu River burst its banks following heavy rain.