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Communications Minister Adebayo Shittu Owns 12 Luxury Homes, N93m Printing Press And 25 Cars-Spokesperson

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Victor Oluwadamilare, Special Assistant Media to Mr. Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications, has accused his boss of greed and wickedness. Mr. Olwuadamilare made the allegations in a letter to the minister. Dated 12 March and exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters, the former spokesperson’s letter said Mr. Adebayo owes him the sum of N13million in emoluments from November 2015 to the end of March 2018.

Despite Mr.  Shittu ’s refusal to pay, said Oluwadamilare, the minister has been living a lush life.

According to the spokesman, Mr. Shittu, within a space of 29 months in office, now owns no fewer than 12 luxury houses in Abuja, Lagos, and Ibadan. He also claimed that a few months ago, the minister bought a brand new N93 million printing press. Also, said Mr. Oluwadamilare, Mr. Shittu has bought over 25 luxury vehicles for himself, his family members, concubines, and cronies, despite having eight official vehicles attached to your office.

The aide equally stated that the minister has spent way beyond his legitimate earnings on his gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State, sponsored no fewer than 22 members of his family and cronies, including under-aged children, on Muslim pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia.

“Of course, everyone in Oyo State knows about your investments that run into hundreds of millions of naira in your less than three years in the office. These are currently scattered all over Oyo State,” said Mr. Oluwadamilare.

He equally stated that since Mr. Shittu’s inauguration as a minister, he has collected over N50 million in salaries, travel expenses running into several millions of naira and estacode more than $800,000.

The aide said he wrote to the minister on behalf of himself and his colleague, Mr. Tajudeen Imam, whom Mr. Shittu appointed Special Assistant (Special Duties) 25 months ago.

The Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu

Mr. Oluwadamilere said he was appointed as Special Assistant (Media) through a letter (HMC/026/Vol. 11/17), dated  November 23, 2015. The appointment letter stated that his “monthly emolument will be decided in line with the existing practice”.

Despite the appointment being properly documented, Mr. Oluwadamilare said the minister has refused to pay him. The refusal to pay, he added, necessitated verbal reminders after which the minister made promises to pay, but which were never kept.

“I was forced to mention the issue of non-payment of my emoluments to a number of your friends and close associates, who promised to talk to you on the imperative of paying the emoluments of your aides.  Indeed, I got several feedbacks on your promise to address the issue, but, after many months nothing happened,” he stated.

Before Mr. Shittu’s appointment as a minister said Mr. Oluwadamilare, he was planning to run for the governorship of Oyo State. In aid of the plan, Mr. Oluwadamilare said he set up a team of journalists under the name of Adebayo Shittu Media Office, using his own personal office at 36 Ososami Street, off Oke-Ado, Ibadan.

“I did not stop at that, I recruited and enlisted the support of seasoned journalists and experienced media managers, to coordinate and chart a media plan for your political ambition, ahead of your other competitors.  I was the Chairman and convener, for which I spent my personal resources.  Some of the members are Dele Ogunsola, Wale Adele, Bola Ogunlayi, Tawfiq Akinwale, Marouf Yusuf, Femi Popoola and Winlade Adisa,” he claimed.

Mr. Oluwadamilare said on account of Mr. Shittu’s unexpected nomination; the minister told him to liaise with members of the Adebayo Shittu Media Office to nominate one of them to be appointed as Special Assistant (Media).

The group held an emergency meeting, which ended with Mr. Oluwadamilare’s nomination.

He, therefore, wondered why, despite working conscientiously for the minister for over 27 months, he has not been paid “in line with the existing practice.”

He noted that the “existing practice” referred to in his letter of appointment and according to a subsisting Federal Government circular from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Ref. NO.SGF.12/5.6/1.1/23) to Ministers, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and all Federal Permanent Secretaries, states that Special Assistants to Ministers should be on Grade Level 16 Step 4.  The letter also states other associated allowances.

“In summary, the total emoluments due to me as a duly appointed Special Assistant amounted to N252, 300. 41 per month.  This is inclusive of two Domestic Servants, who are expected to be on Level 3 step 8, according to a Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), prepared by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission,” he said.

Mr. Shittu’s failure to pay him emoluments for over two years, he said, has not only made life very uncomfortable for him and his family, but has also made me a laughing stock among his professional colleagues.

Mr. Oluwadamilare said his health has deteriorated because he cannot afford to pay his medical bills and he has been a squatter in Abuja since 2016, having lived in a hotel for many months with outstanding debts till date.

“For close to one year now, there has been an unresolved feud with my wife because of my inability to effectively fulfill my marital responsibilities and family upkeep. My first daughter, from all indications, may not be able to enlist in the NYSC Scheme in April 2018 because of my failure to adequately fund her education. My second daughter had lost one calendar year in the university because of my inability to pay her school fees and other incidentals as at when due. My other children of school age, have been traumatized and discouraged in their educational pursuit because of the irregularity in the payment of their school fees, with its attendant backslash,” said Mr. Oluwadamilare.

He added that the non-payment of his emoluments has left him in debt to the tune of N3million.

“The hope of working with you to properly project you and Oyo State at the Federal Executive Council that came with nostalgic feelings has been dashed.  You did not only mess us up by dashing our hopes and aspirations, but you also inflicted on us injuries that are of permanent nature and of odious dimension.  You bruised our psyche, you rubbished our ego, you wasted our time, you exposed us to hardship, you almost destroyed our humanity, you reduced our worth before our wives, children, and acquaintances and above all, if not for God, you almost turned us to beggars in Abuja,” lamented the aide.

Mr. Oluwadamilare recalled that only two payments, linked to the minister, have been made to him. On 6 February 2018, he said, the sum of N500,000 was transferred to his Access Bank account under the name of Ademola Lawal. The same day, he added, another N500,000 was transferred to the same account one Sa’adu A. Sadiq and Sons. He noted that he has only been paid a total of N1million out of my accumulated emoluments, leaving a balance of N13million at the rate of N500,000 per month.

“To all intents and purposes, my demand for N500,000 monthly payments may seem incongruent to the provisions of the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) and the Federal Government Circular, but it subsists when one considers the following: Your body language and subsequent reactions showed that you have a clandestine motive to deny us our entitlements, the letter written to me by your former Special Assistant (Admin), Mr .David A. Awotunde, titled:  Payment of Monthly Emolument to Honourable Minister’s Aides and dated 10th June, 2016 is quite instructive,” said Mr. Oluwadamilare

He said he disregarded the letter because of its inconsistencies. He explained that the letter indicated that he was entitled to N100,000 monthly. Mr. Oluwadamilare said he has kept quiet for long and now, he is ready to do everything to get his emoluments.

“While you have been living in sudden and extremely outrageous opulence as a public servant at the expense of your dutiful and hardworking aides, you seemingly forget your pitiable socio-economic status and experience in Oyo State before you got this job, as you have all of a sudden become insulated to common sense, justice and fairness, the mantra on which many people sheepishly believed in you in your struggling days–including myself.

It is quite bewildering that the fact that you collect your salary every month and regularly does not strike any right cord in you that your aides too deserve a better life by way of their own legitimate emoluments,” said the aide.

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Update : Seyi Tinubu Responds to King Mitchy, VeryDarkMan Saga

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Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, has issued a statement debunking allegations linking him to a feud between social media personalities Martins Vincent Otse, popularly called VeryDarkMan, and Mitchell Mukoro, widely known as King Mitchy.

The controversy stems from claims suggesting an improper relationship or secret arrangements between Seyi Tinubu and King Mitchy, which VeryDarkMan has reportedly used to intensify his online narrative.

Our correspondence reports that philanthropist and content creator King Mitchy recently announced that she renovated a dilapidated school in six days, suggesting that the project was proof that meaningful change could happen swiftly when there was genuine intent.

However, she reportedly made comments widely interpreted as subtle jabs at VeryDarkMan, who, in turn, accused her of being used as a political pawn to launder the image of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Tagging the President’s son. VeryDarkMan was said to have alleged in another video that both Seyi Tinubu and King Mitchy were threatening his life.

Addressing the comments in a statement shared on Instagram on Saturday, Seyi Tinubu categorised the allegations and insinuations as false.

He clarified the nature of his interaction with King Mitchy, framing it strictly within the bounds of his long-standing philanthropic work.

Tinubu wrote, “I met Mitchy once, in a public setting, alongside others. On that occasion, I provided financial support toward her NGO activities, just as I have supported many young Nigerians and organisations working to empower our people.

“A follow-up meeting had been scheduled for me to receive an update on the impact of her NGO’s work following the donation. That meeting did not take place because I have been unwell.”

He categorically denied any private encounters, saying, “There has never been a private encounter, no secret arrangement, and no impropriety of any kind.”

Tinubu took direct aim at VeryDarkMan, accusing the activist of using a feud he had no part in to attack his reputation.

He wrote, “What is deeply concerning is that a feud I did not start, and in which I have played no part, has been used as a vehicle to insert my name into a narrative without basis in truth.

“For reasons best known to him, VDM appears to have been looking for a trigger, an opportunity to attack and attempt to harm my reputation and seized upon this situation to do so. I will not accept that.

“If my name generates attention, let us at least deal in facts. Supporting charitable causes is not a crime. Meeting someone publicly to support their NGO is not a scandal. Repeating falsehoods loudly does not transform them into truth.”

Tinubu asserted that he won’t be intimidated by “fictional” narratives, emphasising that he refuses to be bullied.

“I will not be bullied, and I will not dignify fiction with panic.

“I have experienced bullying before, and I understand the harm it can cause. That is why I take a firm stance against it,” he said.

Tinubu concluded by reaffirming his commitment to serving Nigerian youth through his foundation, insisting that “philanthropy and outreach must never be politicised or weaponised.”

“To those seeking to manufacture controversy: Nigeria needs builders, not bullies. We need responsible discourse, not sensationalism driven by speculation.

“I firmly reject the accusations made against me. I call for de-escalation, for restraint, and for a return to truth and responsibility,” he added.

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Security Reform: Tinubu Calls for Urgent Constitutional Backing for State Police

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…raises fresh alarm over terrorism, banditry at State House Iftar

…Akpabio pledges more support, vows no executive bill will die in Senate

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday night formally urged the Senate to begin the process of amending the 1999 Constitution to provide for the establishment of state police, declaring that Nigeria must urgently restructure its security architecture to confront terrorism, banditry and insurgency.

Speaking at an interfaith breaking of fast with the leadership and members of the Senate at the State House, Abuja, the President said the time had come for lawmakers to “start thinking” about embedding state policing in the Constitution to enable governments at subnational levels better secure their territories.

“Nigeria is extremely challenged, we are facing terrorism, banditry, insurgency, but you never failed to make a right response to these calls. What I will ask for tonight is for you to start thinking how best to amend the Constitution to incorporate the state police for us to secure our country, take over our forests from marauders, free our children from fear”, Tinubu said.

The President’s latest appeal adds momentum to a campaign he has sustained since early in his administration.

In February 2024, during an emergency meeting with the 36 state governors at the State House, Tinubu approved the creation of a joint committee of federal and state representatives to explore modalities for establishing state police, insisting that the country must “move aggressively” to improve security of lives and property.

He renewed the call in November 2025, urging the National Assembly to begin reviewing relevant laws to allow states willing to establish their own policing structures to do so.

At the APC National Caucus meeting in December 2025, he again pressed governors and lawmakers to back constitutional reforms for state police and local government autonomy.

Only days ago, at an interfaith breaking of fast with governors at the Presidential Villa, the President declared that state police “can’t wait” and “will not be postponed,” urging preparations for what he described as a necessary shift in the nation’s security architecture.

At Wednesday’s gathering with senators, Tinubu framed the proposed reform as a constitutional obligation anchored on unity and shared responsibility.

“What you have faced in the challenging period of this country, the terrorism and banditry, is causing us havoc and we should pull together, unite in a way that our forefathers contemplated to bring about a constitutional democracy and pull us together. They didn’t say we should fight,” he said.

Beyond security, the President expressed deep appreciation to lawmakers for supporting what he described as bold and necessary economic reforms.

“I have a lot of credit for bold reforms. Without your collaborations, without your inspirations, those reforms are not possible. We are reformists together,” he said.

Tinubu defended the removal of petrol subsidy and foreign exchange reforms, describing them as steps taken to halt “monumental corruption.”

“What we gave up and what we stopped is a monumental corruption in subsidy. We gave it up. We don’t want to participate in monumental corruption, in arbitrage, foreign exchange,” he stated.

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According to him, the reforms have laid the foundation for economic stability.

“You don’t have to chase me for dollars. In the past, you could see what Nigeria is today. You should be proud… What we are enjoying is stable economy, prosperity beckoning on us. We just need to work hard for it,” he added.

Responding to criticisms from political opponents, the President dismissed claims that he was stifling opposition voices.

“When they accused me of killing oppositions, I didn’t have a gun… I can’t blame anybody from jumping out of a sinking ship if they did,” he said, in apparent reference to recent defections.

He described the coincidence of Ramadan and Lent as symbolic of national unity and called for continued harmony between the executive and legislature.

“We are committed to Nigerian entity succeeding. We are committed to make law for the welfare, prosperity of the country. I think we are committed together to govern together,” he said.

In his response, President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, assured the President of the chamber’s loyalty and continued cooperation.

“We have nothing to give to you than to assure you of our loyalty,” Akpabio said. “I’m sure you have noticed that nothing you have ever sent to us died in first reading, and it will never happen.”

He said the Senate painstakingly reviews executive proposals to ensure they serve national interest, even when they initially attract criticism.

“We sit down to painstakingly go through everything that comes before us, and then at the end, we see that it is in the interest of Nigerians, even when the social media is not seeing it,” he said.

Akpabio commended Tinubu’s tax reforms, foreign exchange unification, fuel subsidy removal and the recent electoral amendment, noting that the President promptly assented to the revised Electoral Act when convinced it served national interest.

He expressed optimism that by 2031, Nigeria would be more prosperous under Tinubu’s leadership and offered prayers for peace amid what he described as “troubles and sponsored insecurity” in parts of the country.

The Senate President also thanked Tinubu for appointing former Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as an ambassador, describing it as recognition of legislative talent.

The interfaith gathering ended with prayers for unity, wisdom and strength for the nation’s leaders as they navigate security and economic challenges.

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BREAKING: Tinubu Names Tunji Disu Acting Inspector General After Egbetokun’s Exit

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President Bola Tinubu has accepted the resignation of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and approved the appointment of Tunji Disu as Acting Inspector-General of Police with immediate effect.

Our correspondent had earlier reported that Egbetokun tendered his resignation letter on Tuesday, citing pressing family considerations.

Appointed in June 2023, Egbetokun was serving a four-year term scheduled to conclude in June 2027, in line with the amended provisions of the Police Act.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President received the letter earlier on Tuesday and expressed appreciation for his service to the nation.

He also commended Egbetokun’s “decades of distinguished service to the Nigeria Police Force and the nation,” acknowledging his “dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to strengthening internal security architecture during his tenure.”

“In view of the current security challenges confronting the nation, and acting in accordance with extant laws and legal guidance, President Tinubu has approved the appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu to serve as Acting Inspector-General of Police with immediate effect.

“The President is confident that AIG Disu’s experience, operational depth, and demonstrated leadership capacity will provide steady and focused direction for the Nigeria Police Force during this critical period,” the statement read.

It added that in compliance with the provisions of the Police Act 2020, the President will soon convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to formally consider Disu’s appointment as substantive Inspector-General of Police, after which his name will be forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.

The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to enhancing national security, strengthening institutional capacity, and ensuring that the Nigeria Police Force remains professional, accountable, and fully equipped to discharge its constitutional responsibilities.

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