Today’s Headlines: ‘You’ve Made Every Nigerian 300% Poorer’ – Obasanjo Slams Tinubu’s Economic Reforms, Trump asks US Supreme Court to allow Big Bend border wall construction

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, blaming the sharp naira depreciation for worsening poverty and eroding Nigerians’ purchasing power.

Obasanjo said the naira’s fall from about N500 to the dollar to N1,500 meant “every Nigerian is made poor by 300 percent.”

He also faulted the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that much of what was described as subsidy was linked to corruption that should have been tackled.

Obasanjo said he sees no improvement in the economy and questioned the argument that Tinubu should be given more time to consolidate policies that, in his view, have impoverished Nigerians.

Oct 21 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s administration asked the US Supreme Court ​on Wednesday to let it proceed with a plan to build a US-Mexico border ‌barrier in a remote region in West Texas that includes Big Bend National Park.

The Justice Department filed an emergency request for the court to lift a federal judge’s order halting wall construction in the region while a lawsuit against ​the project brought by an environmental group and other challengers plays out.

The Republican president has ​long touted building or reinforcing barriers along the US-Mexico border as a signature part ⁠of his anti-immigration policies. But his administration’s push to extend border infrastructure into the national park, ​around 250 miles (400 km) southeast of El Paso, has faced opposition from local officials, conservationists and some ​Texas Republicans.

The lawsuit was brought by the Center for Biological Diversity, a Big Bend-area river guide and a group seeking to preserve a historic church in Ruidosa, Texas, that says its fragile adobe structure is threatened by the ​border construction.

𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗖 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗜 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀

The Independent National Electoral Commission is deploying artificial intelligence to curb errors in election result management ahead of the 2027 general election, as experts warn that the technology could also be exploited to manipulate voters and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to use AI to combat misinformation, expand access to reliable electoral information and strengthen cybersecurity, although experts warn that the technology could also be used to manipulate voters and erode public trust in elections.

This was disclosed on Thursday at the launch of the AI for Elections Programme and Hackathon organised by Rise Networks in Abuja, where INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, said the commission was exploring practical uses of AI while putting safeguards in place to ensure its responsible deployment.

A self-confessed member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) identified as Paul Okechukwu broke down in tears on Thursday after he was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for belonging to the proscribed organisation.

Okechukwu was arraigned before Federal High Court, Abuja by the Federal Government

He pleaded guilty to one count of a two-count charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the second count, which alleged his participation in an attack.

In the first count, the Federal Government alleged that Okechukwu, from Nnewi South in Anambra, committed the offence in Imo in 2021 by belonging to IPOB, contrary to Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013.

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