The Federal Government has reaffirmed its determination to end what it described as long-standing interference by state governments in funds constitutionally allocated to Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, warning that the era of unchecked control over grassroots finances is coming to an end.

Mr. Mohammed Shehu, Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), made the declaration on Thursday in Abuja during the 2025 budget performance review and 2026 budget defence before the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, chaired by Hon. Abiodun James Faleke.

Shehu expressed concern over the persistent erosion of local government autonomy, blaming state interference for the poor functionality of councils nationwide. He announced that the Commission would re-establish a dedicated Local Government Monitoring Committee to track revenues and operations across all councils.

“The Commission will now monitor every single local government in Nigeria,” Shehu declared. “The crisis we are facing today is largely due to the non-functionality of local governments. Even under military rule, councils performed better than what we see today.”

He disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has personally engaged state governors on the matter and is prepared to issue an Executive Order if necessary to enforce compliance. Shehu affirmed that RMAFC is fully aligned with the President’s position to protect local government funds and restore grassroots governance.

Shehu also credited the House Committee on Finance for strengthening the Commission’s institutional standing, noting that RMAFC now commands greater respect among revenue-generating agencies. “Today, agencies like the Nigerian Customs Service, NUPRC and others engage us proactively. Long-standing issues are being resolved because the Commission has been empowered to do its job,” he said.

Highlighting recent achievements, the RMAFC chairman revealed that the Commission conducted an unprecedented audit and physical verification of oil assets across the Niger Delta, describing the exercise as historic and far-reaching.

“For the first time, oil wells across the Niger Delta are being verified physically. Our teams spent three to four months in the field, going deep into creeks to identify Nigeria’s oil assets,” Shehu said. “When Mr. President receives this report, the country will shake.”

He emphasized that the exercise was carried out independently without relying on state governments for logistics, marking a major shift from past practices.

Shehu further informed lawmakers that the review of the revenue allocation formula among the three tiers of government is nearing completion, alongside a review of remuneration for political office holders. “Analysis of the data is almost concluded. The remuneration of political office holders has been completed and submitted to Mr. President through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” he said, adding that the revised revenue sharing formula would be finalized within the year.

In his response, Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Hon. Abiodun James Faleke, commended the RMAFC management for its renewed drive and improved revenue oversight, describing the Commission’s performance as critical to Nigeria’s fiscal stability.

The session ended with lawmakers urging the Commission to sustain its momentum in strengthening transparency, accountability, and equity in the nation’s revenue management system.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday acknowledged the presence of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, as he spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC, highlighting her faith leadership and role in religious life.

The annual event, attended by members of the US Congress, religious leaders and international guests, featured Trump recognising Tinubu in the audience as he addressed attendees on matters of faith and global religious freedom.

“We’re honoured to be joined today by the First Lady of Nigeria, who also happens to serve as a Christian pastor at the largest church in Nigeria. A very respected woman. First Lady, please, where are you? Thank you very much. It’s a great honour. Thank you very much. Very respected person, too. Thank you,” Trump said as he looked into the crowd.

Mrs Tinubu is an ordained pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the ministry founded by Pastor Enoch Adeboye, which is among Nigeria’s largest and most influential Pentecostal denominations.

The remarks came amid continued international attention on Nigeria’s security situation following recent claims by Trump and some US lawmakers that Christians in Nigeria face widespread violence.

In October 2025, Trump designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged attacks on Christians — a move that drew criticism from the Nigerian government, which rejected the claims as inaccurate and harmful to national unity.

The Federal Government maintained that Nigeria’s security challenges are driven by terrorism and criminality affecting citizens of all faiths, and insisted that constitutional guarantees protect religious freedom for Muslims and Christians alike.

The tension led to a hearing of the Nigerian security situation in the US Congress and subsequently security collaboration between the two countries, culminating the formation of the US-Nigeria Working Group.

An Abia State resident, Uchechukwu Uchegbu, is in police custody after he allegedly assaulted his father, Emmanuel Uchegbu, during a long-standing property dispute, an incident the family says preceded the elderly man’s death.

Our correspondent  learnt on Thursday from a family member, Chinedu Uche, that the conflict began when the suspect allegedly tried to convert a family land for personal use, a move his father resisted. The disagreement reportedly escalated into repeated assaults over the years.

Uche alleged, “He started suddenly having money and began forcefully claiming lands that were meant to be shared among my father and his siblings. He even decided to build a house on one of the lands that had not yet been divided, which made my father furious.

“The land he claimed shares a boundary with my father’s property. He tried to encroach on my father’s land, but my father refused. That’s where the dispute started. On several occasions over the years, he allegedly beat up his father, destroyed his properties, and threatened to seize his father’s house, claiming that because he had money, he could take it over.”

According to the family member, the final alleged assault occurred on January 1, 2026, when the suspect reportedly attacked his father with a cutlass, leaving him critically injured. The elderly man was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, where he remained hospitalised until his death on January 31.

Uche said the suspect was briefly arrested after the January 1 incident but was released, only to be re-arrested following his father’s death.

Confirming the incident, the Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, said the suspect is in custody and that an investigation is ongoing.

“Yes, there is a case under investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department. The suspect has been apprehended and remains in our custody while the investigation continues,” she said.

Source: Punch.