President Bola Tinubu has appointed Abel Enitan as the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, effective August 27, 2026.   Enitan, currently the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, will succeed Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who is retiring after reaching the statutory retirement age of 60. According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Enitan is the most senior Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service. He has served as a Permanent Secretary for seven years and seven months, with postings to the Ministry of Police Affairs, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Office of the Vice President. Tinubu said Enitan brings extensive institutional experience and an understanding of the workings of the Federal Civil Service to his new role. The President also commended Walson-Jack for her service and contributions to reforms and innovations within the Civil Service. Tinubu charged Enitan to consolidate ongoing reforms, strengthen professionalism and efficiency, and build a more responsive Civil Service capable of supporting his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Enitan was born on December 12, 1966. He attended Ajibode Grammar School, Ibadan, and the College of Arts and Science, Ile-Ife, before obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Banking from the University of Lagos in 1988. He later earned a Master of Science degree in Public Policy Analysis from Nasarawa State University, Lafia, in 2015. Enitan, an indigene of Osun State, will formally assume office on August 27 following Walson-Jack’s retirement.

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s convoy came under attack by suspected hoodlums in Osogbo on Wednesday, shortly after the governor visited the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji.   According to a report by PUNCH, the incident triggered an exchange of gunfire between the suspected attackers and the governor’s security personnel. The shooting reportedly lasted between 12 and 15 minutes and occurred shortly after Adeleke left the palace hall, where he had met with the traditional ruler. Adeleke had arrived at the palace at about 3:15pm in a convoy of about 20 vehicles after visiting the Osun State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Osogbo to receive his Certificate of Return following his re-election. An eyewitness told PUNCH that the governor had already entered a vehicle with some close aides when heavy gunfire began. The attackers were reportedly travelling in an unregistered Sienna bus and allegedly approached the palace through the Ita Olokan area of Osogbo. A trader near the palace, identified as Munirat, said the attackers appeared to have known about the governor’s visit and may have been waiting for his arrival. She said the assailants damaged the palace’s main gate and fired towards the entrance before security personnel repelled them. The trader also said gunfire was heard near the Osogbo Central Mosque as the attackers engaged the governor’s security team before fleeing towards Ita Olokan along the Osogbo-Ilesa Road. The incident reportedly caused panic in the area, with traders and residents abandoning their businesses and seeking safety. Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, confirmed the attack. He said the governor’s security personnel successfully repelled the assailants and that no casualty was recorded. “They are hoodlums, and the governor’s security repelled them. They attacked the governor’s convoy at Ataoja’s palace. No casualty,” Alimi said. PUNCH reported that sporadic gunshots were still being heard around the area as of 4:45pm, while several business owners had closed their shops amid fears of further violence. The latest incident comes against the backdrop of previous political violence and security concerns in Osun. In June, the Ataoja alleged that gunmen had attacked his palace, while the police later disputed aspects of the account, saying a suspect arrested in connection with the incident was unarmed. The reported attack on Adeleke’s convoy follows his successful re-election and comes at a time of heightened political tension in the state.

The removal of Nigeria’s petrol subsidy saved the country ₦15.8 trillion between June 2023 and December 2025, according to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele.   Oyedele disclosed the figure on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, during a press conference where he outlined the financial impact of the Federal Government’s economic reforms under President Bola Tinubu. According to the minister, the savings did not appear as a separate credit to the Federation Account labelled “subsidy savings”. Instead, they were reflected in resources available to the Federation. He said the Federal Government received ₦5.4 trillion, while ₦10.4 trillion was distributed to state and local governments through the Federation Account. Oyedele also disclosed that the Federal Government generated ₦3.1 trillion in additional independent revenue during the period, largely through remittances from government-owned entities and increased surpluses from government agencies. The government, he added, borrowed an additional ₦11.9 trillion between June 2023 and December 2025. Combined, the additional independent revenue and borrowing provided the Federal Government with ₦20.4 trillion in incremental resources during the period. However, Oyedele said total incremental expenditure stood at ₦30.64 trillion. The minister identified petrol subsidy removal and the unification of the foreign exchange market as key reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration to address longstanding economic challenges and reduce pressure on government finances. President Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy during his inauguration on May 29, 2023, declaring that “subsidy is gone”. The policy led to a sharp rise in petrol prices and increased transportation, logistics and production costs across the country. The Federal Government has defended the decision as necessary to reduce fiscal pressure and redirect public resources to other priorities. It has also introduced measures including wage adjustments, agricultural support and expanded Compressed Natural Gas initiatives to cushion the impact of the reforms.

The indigenes of Ebenesi Community in Nnobi, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, have protested against the planned demolition of ancestral homes to make way for a power line project.   The residents staged the protest on Tuesday at the Obi Ezenabo Traditional Centre, appealing to President Bola Tinubu and Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo to intervene in the dispute involving the community and the Transmission Company of Nigeria. The protesters alleged that more than six elders had collapsed and died after their houses were marked for demolition. They also claimed that affected landlords were given 14 days to demolish their buildings or risk having them pulled down by the government, with the owners allegedly expected to bear the cost. Chairman of Ebenesi Community, Chief Okechukwu Oraka, said the residents were not opposed to infrastructure development but objected to the demolition because no relocation arrangement had been provided for affected families. Oraka also alleged that the power line route was diverted to Nnobi after the project had initially been planned to pass through other areas. He said the community had occupied the area for more than 200 years and urged the authorities to consider an alternative route or construct the power lines underground. The protesters, including youths and elderly residents, carried placards and chanted songs while calling for the project to be relocated or redesigned to prevent the destruction of residential buildings. Representatives of affected villages, including Staley Izuegbu of Ifite Village, Bartholomew Ojukwu of Umuafor Village and the Secretary of Umuona Village, also appealed for an alternative arrangement. An 81-year-old retired civil servant, Mrs Comfort Ngwudo, who spoke on behalf of residents above 80, urged the government to consider the impact of the planned demolition on elderly residents and families who have lived on the land for generations. The protesters later took their demonstration to Awuda and Ngo quarters in Nnobi, as well as the palace of the traditional ruler, Igwe Nick Obi, and the residence of the President-General of Nnobi, Chief Sir Aloy Olubialu. The traditional ruler, through his Palace Secretary, Ichie Obianumba Ajayiaku, and Olubialu commended the protesters for maintaining peace and assured them that their concerns would be communicated to the relevant authorities. However, a top official of the Anambra State Physical Planning Board, Cletus Ohame, said on Wednesday that demolition notices had been duly served on the affected landlords. Ohame said the area had been earmarked for the power line project for many years and described the project as part of infrastructural development. The dispute therefore centres on the proposed power line route, with residents seeking relocation or an alternative route while authorities maintain that the affected area was previously designated for the project.