By Our Reporter

President Bola Tinubu has directed that all funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) be channelled to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Tunji Alausa, minister of education, spoke on Wednesday during a press briefing at the State House shortly after the federal executive council (FEC) meeting.

Alausa said FEC also approved that all other unclaimed dividends in the Capital Market Trust Fund and Dormant Account Trust Fund be channelled to the student loan scheme in a bid to expand the reach of the fund and strengthen its efficiency.

“The president, in his benevolence, has now directed that all funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission be diverted to NELFUND to continue to support its funding,” Alausa said.

“This was also approved by FEC: that all unclaimed dividends from the Capital Market Trust Fund and the Dormant Account Trust Fund should also be directed to NELFUND, so that NELFUND will be financially buoyant to meet its growing obligations today.

“Note, and the President was very clear, not ceased properties, or recovered looted funds, but liquid funds, from the EFCC will now be transferred to NELFUND.“

NELFUND was established in 2024 after Tinubu signed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act into law to provide interest-free loans to eligible students in tertiary institutions.

As of August 8, the fund said it had paid out over N322 billion for institutional fees and upkeep allowances to over 1.6 million students nationwide.
THECABLE

By Our Reporter

The Federal Government has taken steps to decriminalise attempted suicide in Nigeria, following the approval of an amendment to the National Mental Health Act by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The proposed amendment, approved on Wednesday, will be transmitted to the National Assembly for enactment. It seeks to replace punishment with care, protection and support for people who attempt to take their own lives.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.

Pate said the move was necessary because provisions in the Criminal Code Act and Penal Code, inherited from the colonial era, still criminalise attempted suicide despite the National Mental Health Act 2021 adopting a more supportive approach to people at risk of self-harm.

According to him, the existing law has created a contradiction in Nigeria’s legal and mental health framework and may discourage vulnerable persons from seeking help.

“The idea is that attempted suicide is not a crime. This legal approach discourages help-seeking behaviours and also conflicts with our national mental health policy and the National Mental Health Act 2021,” Pate said.

He described suicide as a major public health concern, citing World Health Organisation estimates of more than 7,000 suicide-related deaths annually and about 300,000 attempts across Nigeria each year.

Pate said the amendment was the outcome of consultations involving the Ministries of Health and Social Welfare and Justice, the Office of the Attorney-General, mental health advocates, a special task force and the National Assembly.

He said the task force was established following a resolution of the House of Representatives, which supported efforts to amend the law and align it with the country’s mental health policy.

FEC approves major health infrastructure projects

Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council also approved a series of major investments aimed at upgrading Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure.

Among the approvals was the National Centre for Oral Health Establishment Bill 2026, which will also be forwarded to the National Assembly.

The proposed centre is expected to serve as a national referral, research and training institution while providing a stronger legal and institutional framework for tackling oral diseases and related conditions.

FEC also approved several projects for the National Hospital, Abuja, including an administrative block valued at N18.74 million, modular clinics and a theatre complex estimated at N64.92 billion, a high-end wing costing N103 billion and a Neuroscience Institute valued at N69 billion.

Pate said the proposed Neuroscience Institute would provide specialised services in neurosurgery, radiology, intervention and rehabilitation for patients with conditions such as stroke, brain tumours and other neurological disorders.

The Council further approved N302.3 billion for the design, construction, furnishing, equipment, supervision and commissioning of a National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) Centre.

The cancer research and treatment centre is expected to be completed within 36 months and will serve as a major institution for cancer treatment, research, innovation and capacity building.

Pate noted that three upgraded cancer centres in Katsina, Benin and Enugu had already been completed and inaugurated.

According to the minister, the investments are part of the Federal Government’s broader plan to modernise the health sector, improve access to specialised care and reduce the need for Nigerians to travel long distances—or abroad—for treatment.

He added that the projects followed due process and competitive procurement procedures, with necessary clearances obtained from the Bureau of Public Procurement.

“Ultimately, quality healthcare is not cheap,” Pate said, stressing that Nigeria must continue to invest in its health system to deliver the level of care required by its growing population.

The minister also expressed optimism that improved healthcare facilities and working conditions would help retain more Nigerian health professionals and reduce the pressure driving medical workers to seek opportunities outside the country.

NAN

By Our Reporter

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate development of a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a rolling five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan to strengthen Nigeria’s response to emerging security challenges.

The directive, according to a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Presidential Spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, is aimed at improving coordination among the country’s defence, intelligence and security agencies and ensuring that national security operations are guided by clear, unified priorities.

Tinubu gave the order during a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja, where he stressed the need for a coherent national framework to identify security threats, set operational objectives and determine the capabilities required to tackle them.

An 11-member committee has been constituted to prepare the strategic plan, with the President’s Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Maj.-Gen. Adeyinka Famadewa, serving as coordinator and providing secretariat support.

Other members of the committee include the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammad Matawalle; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; and Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu.

Also on the committee are the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas; Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Ajayi; and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Muhammed Muhammed.

The President said recent security successes, including the rescue of pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, demonstrated the importance of intelligence sharing and effective inter-agency collaboration.

“The operation demonstrated what can be achieved when our agencies work together with a clear objective and the necessary intelligence. We must build on such successes by strengthening coordination and ensuring that all our security capabilities are directed towards clearly defined national objectives,” Tinubu said.

He noted that security and operational requirements had often been addressed individually without adequate reference to a common national threat assessment or a unified medium-term strategy.

According to him, such an approach could undermine coordination, weaken long-term planning and affect the efficient deployment of resources across the country’s various security theatres.

Tinubu directed that the National Threat Assessment should clearly identify the major threats confronting Nigeria, determine their level of urgency and establish specific operational objectives for addressing them.

He said the five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan would convert the assessment into actionable priorities, outlining the forces and capabilities required in different theatres, existing gaps, equipment and support needs, as well as timelines for implementation.

The committee was also authorised to consult or co-opt representatives of other ministries, departments and agencies where necessary.

Tinubu directed the committee to begin work immediately and submit the completed National Threat Assessment and Strategic Defence Operations Plan within 90 days for his consideration and approval.

“Once approved, the plan will serve as the principal framework for coordinating military and defence operations over the medium term,” the President said.

“It will also provide the basis for a corresponding multi-year defence expenditure and procurement plan, ensuring that resources are directed towards agreed operational priorities and critical national security requirements.”

The President further directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the National Security Adviser to take immediate steps to implement the directives.

(NAN)