A yet-to-be-identified man has reportedly fallen from one of the top floors of the 26-storey Cocoa House building in Ibadan, Oyo State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the incident, which threw the entire business community into panic, occurred in the early hours of Monday.
One of the eyewitnesses who spoke with our correspondent on Tuesday on the condition of anonymity said, “When the incident happened, I initially thought it was a large bird falling from the sky.
“It was only when the person landed that I realised it was a human being.
“I had my phone with me but I couldn’t even record anything because I was completely shocked.”
Another eyewitness said, “The victim first hit a roof beside the security post of the building before landing on the ground. It was a terrifying sight.”
As of press time, the circumstances behind the unfortunate incident were still sketchy as the investigation continues.
Meanwhile, a statement released by the Odu’a Investment Company Limited, the firm managing Cocoa House, on Tuesday, in Ibadan, the state capital, confirmed the incident.
The Head of Branding and Communication of the company, Victor Ayetoro, who authorised the statement, said, “The individual involved was swiftly attended to by the emergency response team and taken to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for urgent medical attention.
“The company expressed deep concerns over the development and assured the public of its full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the fall,” he added.
Former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Abia State, Chief Awa Kalu, SAN, has denied initiating any police complaint against Victor Giwa, a legal practitioner currently facing criminal charges reportedly related to forgery.
In a formal letter dated May 30 and addressed to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, Kalu clarified that, contrary to widespread reports circulating online, he did not accuse Mr. Giwa of forging his official letterhead paper.
“I wish to inform you that the internet is agog with news that a charge is preferred against the above-named gentleman, indicating that he forged my official headed paper.
“Please note that I have neither filed a complaint nor have I incidented a report at any Police Station in Nigeria indicating that Mr. Victor Giwa forged my official headed paper, “the letter read.
The charge, marked CR/150/25, lists the Inspector General of Police as the complainant in the case against Victor Giwa.
Giwa was alleged to have forged a legal document purportedly issued by the chambers of Kalu to communicate with the Attorney General of the Federation.
However, the matter was stalled due to the absence of the defendants on the date of the proceedings.
Counsel for the defendants, U.J. Udo represented the defendants and told the court that the first defendant, Victor Giwa, was bereaved and had travelled to his village for his sister’s burial. He, therefore, requested an adjournment.
Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the request and adjourned the matter to 15 September 2025 for arraignment.
The Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, has revealed that Nigeria is steadily moving from dependence on foreign military procurement to local production.
In a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday by Mati Ali, the Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity to the minister, Badaru stated that “this aims to facilitate local production, repairs, refurbishment, and supply of military hardware and ordnance.”
According to the minister, the shift to local production marks a significant stride towards self-reliance for enhanced national security.
“The shift to local production is expected to boost efficiency and reduce reliance on imported hardware,” he clarified.
Badaru made this known shortly after concluding his 2-day working tour of military institutions and facilities in Kaduna.
The minister visited key military institutions, including the Nigerian Defence Academy, Nigerian Army Command Engineering Depot, Buffalo Engineering Technical Services Limited, and the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology.
During his visit, Badaru praised the ongoing efforts in training, local production, and refurbishing military assets.
He emphasised that training remains a vital pillar in achieving Nigeria’s defence objectives.
The minister inspected several workshops and was impressed by the potential and progress on repairs and refurbishing of military hardware.
He noted that new combat platforms, bulletproof glasses, spare parts, and surveillance UAVs are being built at the workshops.
“Some of the equipment successfully constructed and repaired are made readily available for redeployment, while others are already deployed back to theatres of operations,” he explained.
Badaru commended the Armed Forces for their initiative and emphasised the critical roles of Training, Research, Development, and Innovation in achieving operational excellence.
He therefore urged continued collaborations between institutions and investment in military RDI.
Also, the minister highlighted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s defense capabilities, noting the recent signing of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Bill into law.
Elon Musk has publicly condemned President Donald Trump’s proposed spending bill, calling it an “outrageous, pork-filled, disgusting abomination” just days after his departure from a White House advisory role, The Independent UK reported.
The billionaire entrepreneur, who recently completed a 130-day stint as a special government employee leading the Department of Government Efficiency, voiced his disapproval in a post on X on Tuesday.
Musk sharply criticised the bill’s projected impact on the federal deficit, warning it would push the budget shortfall to $2.5trn and leave American citizens with an “unsustainable” debt burden.
“I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.
“Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.
“It will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and burden America (sic) citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt,” Musk posted on X Tuesday.
The spending bill, championed by Trump and currently under Senate debate, aims to slash taxes while increasing expenditures on oil drilling, the military, and border security. It also includes significant cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programmes.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the legislation could add $3.8 trillion to the national debt over the next decade.
In response to Musk’s remarks, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt downplayed the criticism, reiterating the administration’s support for the bill.
“The president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill. It doesn’t change the president’s opinion.
“This is one big beautiful bill and he’s sticking to it,” Leavitt said.
During his time at DOGE, Musk had expressed concern that the bill undermined the department’s mission to trim federal spending.
At a weekend event, he reiterated his disapproval, stating, “I was, like, disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, doesn’t decrease it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.
“I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful. But I don’t know if it can be both. My personal opinion,” Musk said.
The legislation proposes $1.5trn in spending cuts as a condition to unlock $4.5bn in tax reductions. Should the necessary savings not be identified, the bill’s tax benefits would be scaled back proportionally.
According to the CBO, the bill would disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans while reducing resources for those in the lowest income brackets.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has warned Federal Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education across the country, declaring that any satellite campus established without prior approval through their respective regulatory agencies, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Colleges of Education will face strict sanctions.
This directive was contained in a memo sighted by PUNCH Online on Wednesday, dated May 30, 2025 and addressed to the Executive Secretaries of these regulatory agencies, in which the minister expressed serious concern over the growing trend of unregulated and unjustified establishment of satellite campuses by Federal Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education. The minister, “Many of these newly created Satellite campuses lack the necessary academic, strategic, and infrastructural backing to justify their existence.”
Alausa emphasised that the unapproved proliferation of satellite campuses undermines the integrity, quality, and sustainability of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
“Rather than focusing on improving existing campuses, some Vice Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts are diverting limited resources to set up inadequately equipped new Satellite campuses, which is counterproductive and detrimental to educational standards,” the minister stated.
Alausa directed the three regulatory agencies, NUC, NBTE and NCCE, to “Formally inform all Federal Tertiary Institutions under their purview that henceforth, no satellite campus is to be established without the express approval of the Minister of Education through these regulatory agencies.”
He further stressed that “Failure to comply with this directive will not be treated lightly and will attract appropriate disciplinary measures.”
The Presidency on Tuesday refuted criticisms by a faction of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, which claimed that the administration’s policies have resulted in economic hardship, democratic decline, and social regression.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, described the group’s assessment as “deceitful,” “prejudiced,” and “not grounded in facts.”
The statement is titled ‘Response To Afenifere Faction’s Deceitful Statement On President Bola Tinubu’s Mid-term’.
Dare maintained that the Tinubu-led administration has made notable progress in stabilising the economy, strengthening democratic institutions, and implementing far-reaching reforms under its Renewed Hope Agenda.
“A balanced assessment based on available data reveals a more objective and progressive picture, with significant achievements amid the challenges expected from a country like Nigeria with decades-old problems,” Dare stated.
The Presidency’s reaction comes days after the factional Afenifere, in a widely circulated statement, accused the Tinubu administration of worsening human development indices, mismanaging the economy, and eroding democratic freedoms.
The group had labelled the President’s key reforms—such as fuel subsidy removal and naira floatation—as “unforced errors” that have deepened poverty and unrest.
But in Tinubu’s defence, Dare argued that these policies were necessary to stop the bleeding of public finances and build a sustainable future.
According to him, the removal of the fuel subsidy saved the government over $10bn in 2023, while exchange rate unification boosted foreign reserves and helped Nigeria record an N18.86tn trade surplus.
He also cited improvements in inflation control, foreign direct investment commitments, and debt service-to-revenue ratios as evidence that the economy is stabilising.
On the social front, the Presidency listed several interventions including the cash transfer programme reaching 5.7 million households, NELFUND student loans, and a raised NYSC allowance from N33,000 to N77,000.
Other highlighted achievements include the disbursement of palliatives to states, the rollout of CNG buses, the revitalisation of over 1,000 primary health centres, and the training of 150,000 youths under the 3 Million Technical Talent programme.
Addressing Afenifere’s claim that corruption is festering under Tinubu, Dare pointed to the suspension of a cabinet minister over mismanagement, the EFCC’s 4,111 convictions in 2024, and the forfeiture of high-value assets, including a 725-unit estate handed over to the Ministry of Housing in May.
On democratic governance, the Presidency dismissed claims of creeping authoritarianism, noting that the judiciary has upheld opposition victories and that recent electoral appointments have not been proven partisan.
“What is excused backstage will not be excused under the spotlight,” said Dare, quoting a widely shared maxim.
The Presidency concluded with a call for collective responsibility in nation-building and an appeal to political actors to work with the administration to fight disinformation, stabilise the economy, and deliver lasting change.
“Nigeria’s comeback story is not yet complete — but it is firmly underway,” the statement concluded.
The Oluwo of Iwoland in Osun, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanni, has said that there is no he does not know any other title in Yorubaland that is superior to the Alaafin.
Oluwo, who described the Alaafin title as supreme to all other traditional titles in Yorubaland, said that the title was originally for oduduwa descendants.
He made this known, on Tuesday, when the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade paid him a courtesy visit.
Oba Akanbi thanked Alaafin for the visit, adding that it would boost the relationship between the two towns.
He said, “I don’t know any other title in Yorubaland that is superior to the Alaafin.
“Alaafin will continue to be Alaafin because that is the title that Oramiyan adopted and I will also adopt the saying.
“Henceforth, I will also want to be called Alafin of Iwo and we will inform the government about it”, he said.
Akanbi also said that with the humility and exposure of the Alaafin, Oyo would witness peace and unprecedented development.
According to him, the existing good relationship between the towns will continue to flourish.
Earlier Owoade,who was accompanied by his wife, Abiwumi, and other chiefs, said that he came to the town to thank the Oluwo for attending his coronation ceremony in April.
The traditional ruler also said that Oluwo called to congratulate him when his name was announced as the Alaafin-elect.
“I came to see Oluwo because he was at my coronation ceremony in April.
“Even when my name was mentioned as Alaafin-elect, Oluwo called to congratulate me.
“It is also good to come around to pay him a courtesy visit”, he said.
The Alaafin, who noted that Oyo and Iwo had been enjoying a good relationship for years, said that he also came to Iwo to ensure that the relationship continued.
Owoade, who spoke in Yoruba, said that his predecessor, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, had a good relationship with Iwo, hence, the relationship should be sustained.
“Iwo and Oyo have been enjoying a good relationship for years, even with my predecessor and I want that relationship to continue”, he said.
Owoade urged other traditional rulers in Iwo to continue to work with Oluwo with an open mind.
He said they should also continue to support and cooperate with the traditional ruler for the development of the town.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Owoade was crowned the 46th Alaafin of Oyo in April 2025 as the successor to the late Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has called for the adoption of renewable energy sources to provide electricity across the six states of Nigeria’s South-West region.
Represented by his deputy, Mr Kola Adewusi, Adeleke made the remarks in Osogbo on Tuesday while officially opening the South-West Post-Conference Stakeholders’ Roundtable on Renewable Energy.
The governor stressed that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a pressing daily reality, and highlighted energy poverty as a fundamental human rights issue requiring urgent attention from all stakeholders.
“In this region, richly endowed with sunlight, wind, and innovation, it is deeply concerning that many communities still remain in darkness.
“The time for waiting has passed; localised action is imperative. We must power the South-West sustainably. In Osun State, we are embracing bold, evidence-based, and people-centred solutions.
“Today, we unveil our Climate-Smart Investment Portfolio, a strategic roadmap designed to attract responsible capital into renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, and the circular economy,” Adeleke stated.
The governor also outlined plans to soon present the Draft Osun State Renewable Energy Policy, aimed at establishing a robust legislative and institutional framework for an inclusive energy transition at the subnational level.
Additionally, he revealed intentions to launch the Draft Osun State Climate Action Plan, developed in consultation with experts, grassroots communities, and development partners.
He added, “We are equally proud to introduce the IMOLE Solar Lantern Project, a practical and symbolic initiative for last-mile energy access. ‘One Child, One Lantern’ is our promise. Every child deserves light to study, dream, and grow, regardless of location or background.”
Earlier, the Lead Technical Consultant on Climate Change and Renewable Energy to the Osun State Governor, Professor Chinwe Obuaku, described the roundtable as a forum for honest dialogue, technical exchange, and legislative clarity.
“We will listen, challenge each other, and leave with a shared understanding of what it takes to enact sub-national renewable energy frameworks that are ambitious, bankable, and just,” Obuaku said.
She stressed that the roundtable marks a critical turning point.
“Following the momentum of the Renewable Energy Conference, we must ask: What next? How do we translate shared vision into state-backed action? How do we ensure national policies, from the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (NREEEP) to the Climate Change Act, become tangible instruments for job creation, clean energy access, and inclusive growth in Osun and the wider South-West?
“As Lead Consultant, I have engaged deeply with diverse actors — from lawmakers to community stakeholders, private sector pioneers to youth advocates. The truth is clear: we are ready. We have the intellect, infrastructure, and institutional awareness that renewable energy is not a luxury but a necessity.”
The National Youth Service Corps has advised members of the 2024 Batch B Stream I, who have just concluded their service year, to focus on wealth creation.
NYSC Coordinator in Rivers State, Mr Moses Oleghe, gave the charge on Tuesday during the passing-out ceremony of corps members held in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
He reminded the corps members of the core values instilled in them throughout their service year and encouraged them to become agents of positive change in society.
Oleghe discouraged the pursuit of white-collar jobs as the sole path to success, urging the corps members to embrace entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
“Creativity, hard work, discipline, focus, determination, and dedication are the ingredients needed to achieve your aspirations.
“Rather than wait for white-collar jobs, outgoing corps members should channel their energy into establishing businesses and creating wealth with their own hands,” he advised.
Presenting service statistics, Oleghe disclosed that a total of 2,302 corps members had successfully completed their service year in Rivers.
He noted that regrettably, two corps members died during active service, while 17, comprising seven males and 10 females, had their service extended.
Additionally, the NYSC coordinator reported that two corps members were granted pardon, while 23 others – 13 males and 10 females – absconded from service.
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry for Works to repair the damaged bridge linking the north and southern parts of the country washed away by recent flood in Mokwa, Niger State.
The Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, disclosed this on Tuesday when he led a delegation from the ministry on a condolence visit to Mokwa to commiserate with the people over the flood disaster.
NAN reports that the flood disaster, which occurred on May 29, claimed the lives of 158 people.
Goronyo told the village head of Mokwa during the visit that the president directed the ministry to provide an access road for vehicular movement and to do everything possible to restore the damaged bridge.
“The President gave a clear directive for me to come and commiserate with the government and people of Niger state over the ugly incident.
“In his directives, he said we should do everything possible to restore the access road for vehicular movement on the damaged bridge washed away by the flood.
“The president directed that we provide an access road for vehicular movement and create an access road due to the high volume of articulated vehicles carrying goods from the north to the south,” he said.
He said that the ministry would continue to do more in areas of infrastructure in the country, particularly in Niger that host alot of Federal road networks due to its strategic location connecting North and South.
Responding, the village head of Mokwa (Ndalila of Mokwa), Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu, disclosed that over 200 houses and four bridges collapsed, with many people still missing.
He said the affected bridges included the rail bridge and the main bridge connecting the North and South.
He appealed to the government to resettle affected persons.
Also speaking, the Deputy Governor of Niger, Yakubu Garba, thanked President Tinubu for the condolence visit and expressed happiness over the show of concern from the Federal government.
