Today’s Headlines: US Firm Moves To Halt Fresh Loans To Nigeria, ‘If you steal from Americans, you will be jailed’ — Trump warns fraudsters

A United States-based advocacy firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has called on international financial institutions to suspend new loans to Nigeria ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The firm made the call in a statement shared on its X handle while reacting to reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is seeking billions of dollars in financing from international lenders.

According to the firm, Nigeria’s request for loans from the World Bank, European Investment Bank (EIB) and France’s Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is coming only months before the 2027 general election.

It stated: “The Nigerian presidential election is a few months away, and, on cue, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu (@officialABAT) is seeking billions of dollars from the @WorldBank and, not surprisingly, from the European Investment Bank (@EIB) and France’s Agence Française de Développement (@AFD_France).

US President Donald Trump has called on Congress to introduce mandatory prison sentences for people convicted of defrauding Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, while proposing personal financial liability for state and local politicians who knowingly fail to stop fraud.

Trump made the call in a video posted on Truth Social on Sunday, saying the proposed legislation would eliminate probation as an option for people convicted of stealing from federal benefit programmes.

“Today, I’m calling on Congress to pass legislation to address fraud in Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security programs,” Trump said.

The Northern Senators Forum has demanded an immediate military offensive to dislodge insurgents from the Kopre-Sambisa corridor in Adamawa State following attacks on two military battalions that left soldiers, a forest guard and civilians dead.

The senators also called on the Federal Government and Defence Headquarters to reinforce troops in the area to prevent further attacks and displacement of residents.

The forum Chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (Katsina Central), made the demand in a personally signed statement on Sunday.

The attacks on the 226 Battalion in Garkida and 232 Battalion in Garaha occurred on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the statement.

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council has demanded an explanation from Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum over a viral video in which he allegedly ordered the arrest and detention of anyone found expressing the slogan “Tinubu Must Go”.

The council said the reported directive was particularly troubling because Zulum had recently denied ordering the arrest of people wearing “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts in the state.

In a statement signed by its Director of Strategic Communications, Phrank Shaibu, on Sunday, the campaign council said the governor should explain the contents of the video and reconcile them with his earlier denial.

The council said Nigerians deserved clarity over whether peaceful critics of President Bola Tinubu faced arrest simply for expressing their political views.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, for blaming the President Bola Tinubu administration for the death of his mother, Madam Mary Amaechi.

Wike accused Amaechi of politicising his mother’s death after the former governor alleged that he was unable to afford her medication because of the economic policies of the Tinubu administration.

Amaechi, who is the vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress in the 2027 general elections, made the claim on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday.

He also said that the only thing that could make his late mother rest well was for the ADC to win the 2027 elections.

Teachers in Ekiti State are to observe Monday, October 5, as a work-free day to participate in activities marking the 2026 World Teachers’ Day, according to the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Adebimpe Aderiye.

She equally commended the teachers for their contributions to the development of education and the future of the children in the state, as contained in a statement on Saturday.

World Teachers’ Day is celebrated yearly on October 5 to celebrate the work of teachers.

Aderiye said, “The Ekiti State Government wishes to inform all teachers and members of the public that Monday, 5th October 2026, has been declared a work-free day for teachers in the state to enable them to participate fully in activities marking the 2026 World Teachers’ Day

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