Civil Society Groups Slam Tinubu, National Assembly Over Budget Re-enactment, Demand Fiscal Transparency

By: Michael Mike

A coalition of Nigerian civil society organisations has accused President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly of breaching constitutional and fiscal laws through the repeal and re-enactment of the 2024 and 2025 Appropriation Acts, warning that the actions undermine transparency and democratic accountability.

In a statement issued in Abuja, under the platform Nigerian Economy Civil Society Action, the groups described the development as a dangerous abuse of fiscal process, alleging that billions of naira were spent without prior legislative approval.

The organisations expressed outrage that eighteen days after the presentation of the federal executive budget, neither the Budget Office of the Federation nor the National Assembly had made the budget documents publicly available. They said the absence of published budget details prevented citizens from scrutinising government spending and participating meaningfully in the budgeting process.

According to the groups, the situation was worsened by the repeal and re-enactment of the 2024 and 2025 Appropriation Acts without public hearings or access to the revised documents. They argued that the move violated constitutional provisions which require legislative approval before any public funds are expended.

The coalition noted that the 2024 Appropriation Act, which originally expired at the end of December 2024, was controversially extended by the National Assembly to mid-2025 and later to December 2025. They alleged that despite the extensions, the executive failed to implement the budget as approved before seeking to repeal and re-enact it with an increased expenditure figure, raising the total budget size from ₦35.05 trillion to ₦43.56 trillion.

Describing the process as unprecedented, the groups argued that increasing a budget after its lifespan had ended had no basis in Nigerian law. They maintained that the spending of additional public funds without prior authorisation amounted to a constitutional violation, noting that Nigeria was not operating under a declared fiscal emergency at the time.

On the 2025 budget, the organisations faulted the decision to revise expenditure figures at the end of the fiscal year rather than through a mid-year review, which they said is the globally accepted practice. They rejected claims by the National Assembly that the repeal and re-enactment were intended to align Nigeria’s budgeting process with international best practices.

The groups cited provisions of the Constitution and the Fiscal Responsibility Act which mandate transparency, legislative oversight, and public disclosure of government financial decisions. They said the continued refusal to publish budget documents violated these laws and eroded public trust.

As part of their demands, the civil society organisations called on the National Assembly to halt all unappropriated spending, warning that such actions could constitute grounds for impeachment. They also demanded a firm commitment from the President to comply strictly with constitutional spending limits.

The coalition further urged the immediate publication of the 2026 budget estimates and the re-enacted 2024 and 2025 Appropriation Acts on official government platforms, alongside renewed guarantees of citizen participation in fiscal decision-making.

The statement was jointly signed by the Centre for Social Justice, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, BudgIT, PRIMORG, PLSI and other advocacy groups.

Civil Society Groups Slam Tinubu, National Assembly Over Budget Re-enactment, Demand Fiscal Transparency

UN Urges Nigerian Authorities to Protect Civilians, Schools After Fresh Niger State Attacks

By: Michael Mike

The United Nations has called on Nigerian authorities to urgently strengthen the protection of civilians and educational institutions following a wave of violent attacks in Niger State and neighbouring areas that left dozens of people dead and many others abducted.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, issued the appeal after assailants attacked a crowded market in Kasuwan Daji, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State on January 3.

Reports indicate that more than 30 people were killed in the attack, while an undetermined number of victims were taken away by the attackers. Market stalls and residential buildings were also torched during the raid.

Security incidents were also reported in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, as well as in parts of Kwara and Ondo states, with casualties including deaths and kidnappings. The renewed violence has heightened fears among residents already grappling with prolonged insecurity across the region.

Agwara local government area has remained a flashpoint for attacks on civilian targets. In November 2025, armed groups abducted more than 300 people during an assault on Saint Mary’s Catholic School in the area. Although the victims were later released, the incident drew national and international condemnation and renewed attention to the vulnerability of schools in conflict-affected communities.

Describing the recent attacks as serious violations of human rights, the UN official stressed that assaults on civilians, particularly women and children, erode the right to life and disrupt access to education. He warned that continued attacks on schools threaten children’s safety and undermine efforts to keep them in classrooms.

The United Nations extended condolences to families who lost relatives in the attacks and wished those injured a speedy recovery. It also called for the immediate release of all abducted persons and urged Nigerian authorities to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice in line with national and international legal standards.

Reaffirming its stance on education in emergencies, the UN reminded Nigeria of its commitment to the Safe Schools Declaration, which aims to protect schools from military use and violent attacks. The organisation noted that recent incidents highlight the urgent need to translate these commitments into concrete action.

The UN said it remains ready to work with federal and state authorities to improve civilian protection and promote safer learning environments amid Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges.

UN Urges Nigerian Authorities to Protect Civilians, Schools After Fresh Niger State Attacks

Nigeria Faces Rising Cocaine and Heroin Trafficking from Brazil and Europe

By: Zagazola Makama

Nigeria is increasingly facing a severe public security challenge as Brazilian hard drugs, particularly cocaine and heroin, continue to inundate the country’s ports, airports, and border corridors. The recent case of the Brazilian vessel MV San Antonio, intercepted at Apapa Port in Lagos carrying 25.5 kilograms of cocaine, is emblematic of a broader trend of transnational drug trafficking that links Latin American production hubs to West African transit zones and ultimately to European consumer markets.

This phenomenon is neither isolated nor new, but rather a symptom of systemic weaknesses in global and regional law enforcement, as well as Nigeria’s strategic vulnerabilities. The movement of Brazilian cocaine into Nigeria is facilitated by highly sophisticated criminal networks, often led by organized syndicates such as the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC). This group, historically rooted in Brazil, has expanded its reach globally, leveraging logistical expertise, clandestine shipping routes, and advanced concealment methods to circumvent law enforcement.

In the MV San Antonio case, cocaine was hidden within a bulk sugar consignment, a method indicative of meticulous planning and an understanding of Nigeria’s import screening vulnerabilities. Such concealment illustrates the deliberate targeting of legitimate trade routes, which are difficult to monitor comprehensively due to high volumes of maritime traffic, understaffed customs units, and limited technological infrastructure.

It was revealed that these criminal networks operate through a complex value chain. The networks rely on intermediaries, “couriers,” and complicit port operators to facilitate the movement of narcotics from production centers in Brazil to consumer markets in Europe. Nigeria’s status as a populous West African nation with busy ports and an extensive informal economy makes it a particularly attractive node for transshipment.

Cocaine trafficking between Brazil and West Africa stretches back to at least three decade, Initially, West Africa played a minor role in the global cocaine trade, serving as a peripheral transit point. However, as cocaine cultivation in South America surged and European consumption increased, West African ports became strategic nodes.

Data show that by 2019, Nigeria, Ghana, and Sierra Leone had become prominent transit points for cocaine seized in Brazil. In 2021 alone, cultivation in Latin America reached record levels, and West Africa witnessed unprecedented seizures amounting to 24 tonnes, reflecting both the scale of trafficking and the intensification of smuggling efforts through the region. Intelligence indicates that traffickers exploit weak regulatory oversight, porous borders, and high demand in Europe to ensure a continuous flow of narcotics into the region.

The inflow of Brazilian hard drugs into Nigeria has profound security, economic, and social ramifications: The illicit trade fuels organized crime, armed gangs, and violent conflicts across Nigeria. Groups involved in smuggling often engage in kidnapping, terrorism, armed robbery, and inter-gang rivalries, contributing to the insecurity in the country. Drug proceeds are also frequently laundered through Nigeria’s informal economy and eventually funneled into formal financial institutions, undermining financial integrity and facilitating other criminal enterprises.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and ECOWAS have highlighted the nexus between drug trafficking and money laundering as a critical risk to economic stability. Increasing availability of cocaine and heroin exposes young people to addiction and associated social pathologies. Nigeria’s youth, particularly in coastal and urban areas, are highly vulnerable due to unemployment, weak social safety nets, and peer influence. The involvement of foreign vessels and nationals complicates enforcement and prosecution, potentially creating diplomatic tensions if due process is not meticulously followed. The reliance on multi-agency collaboration, including customs, NDLEA, and police, is essential but often hindered by bureaucratic inefficiencies.

Despite notable seizures like that of the MV San Antonio and airport arrests of Brazil-returnees concealing heroin and cocaine, systemic weaknesses persist: Apapa Port and Murtala Muhammed International Airport remain high-risk entry points due to inadequate scanning technology, insufficient manpower, and procedural bottlenecks. Smugglers exploit these gaps with increasingly sophisticated concealment methods. While intelligence-led operations have improved, Nigerian agencies still face challenges in real-time monitoring, cross-border data sharing, and predictive threat analysis.

Prosecuting transnational cases involves navigating complex legal frameworks, multiple jurisdictions, and ensuring adherence to human rights standards, especially for foreign nationals. The need for continued detention, as granted in the MV San Antonio case, illustrates both the procedural complexities and the necessity for investigative thoroughness.

The influx of Brazilian cocaine and heroin into Nigeria is a multidimensional threat, combining criminal sophistication, systemic vulnerabilities, and socio-economic consequences. The MV San Antonio seizure and similar interdictions draws attention to the gains of intelligence-led enforcement but also the urgent need for sustained investment in technology, regional collaboration, and strategic policy interventions.

Failure to act decisively risks entrenching Nigeria as a permanent hub for international drug trafficking, exacerbating violence, undermining economic stability, and threatening public health. Conversely, coordinated, evidence-based, and proactive measures can transform Nigeria from a vulnerable transit point into a resilient bulwark against the global narcotics trade.

Nigeria’s fight against transnational drug trafficking is not just a law enforcement challenge, it is a test of national governance, regional cooperation, and the country’s commitment to protecting its citizens and youth from the destructive consequences of illicit drugs.

Nigeria Faces Rising Cocaine and Heroin Trafficking from Brazil and Europe