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Okonjo-Iweala Reveals How Obasanjo’s Team Secured $30 Billion Debt Relief for Nigeria

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Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has recounted how the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo successfully secured approximately $30 billion in debt relief for Nigeria through negotiations with the Paris Club of creditors.

According to Okonjo-Iweala, the achievement was the result of a carefully coordinated strategy that combined economic reforms, diplomacy and an effective communication campaign.

Okonjo-Iweala explained that Nigeria’s negotiating team worked to convince international creditors that the country deserved debt relief after implementing significant economic and fiscal reforms.

She said the government presented a compelling case that Nigeria’s growing debt burden was hindering economic development and poverty reduction.

The former Nigerian Finance Minister noted that strategic communication played a key role in the negotiations.

She explained that the team actively engaged international stakeholders, policymakers and opinion leaders to build support for Nigeria’s request, ensuring that the country’s reform efforts were well understood by creditors.

According to her, this approach strengthened Nigeria’s position during negotiations with the Paris Club.

Nigeria reached a landmark debt relief agreement with the Paris Club in 2005, leading to the cancellation of a substantial portion of the country’s external debt.

The agreement significantly reduced Nigeria’s debt burden and created more fiscal space for investments in development and public services.

The debt deal is widely regarded as one of the most significant economic milestones of the Obasanjo administration.

The debt relief agreement reshaped Nigeria’s economic outlook by reducing external debt obligations and improving the country’s fiscal position.

Okonjo-Iweala’s account provides insight into the diplomatic and economic strategies that contributed to one of Nigeria’s most notable financial achievements.

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Fada Oluoma Accuses Tinubu’s Media Aides of Resorting to Personal Attacks

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A Catholic priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Rev. Fr. John Chinenye Oluoma, popularly known as Fada Oluoma, has criticised presidential media aides Daniel Bwala and Bayo Onanuga, accusing them of responding to criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration with personal attacks rather than reasoned engagement.

The cleric made the remarks while commenting on public discourse surrounding the current administration, arguing that government spokespersons should address issues raised by critics through facts and constructive dialogue instead of attacking individuals.

According to Fada Oluoma, public officials serving as presidential spokespersons have a responsibility to engage Nigerians with civility and evidence, particularly on matters affecting governance and national development.

He alleged that the communication style adopted by some government media aides has contributed to the increasingly hostile tone of political conversations in the country.

“Onanuga and Bwala are behaving like attack dogs,” the priest said, urging presidential aides to focus on responding to criticisms with logical arguments rather than personal remarks.

His comments come amid sustained public debate over the Tinubu administration’s handling of the economy, insecurity, and governance, with opposition figures, civil society organisations, and religious leaders expressing divergent opinions on government policies.

Both Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, and Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, have frequently defended the administration’s policies and responded publicly to criticism from opposition politicians, activists, and other public commentators.

The Presidency has consistently maintained that its media team is committed to explaining government policies, correcting misinformation, and communicating the administration’s achievements to Nigerians.

Political observers note that exchanges between government spokespersons and critics have become increasingly prominent as political activities begin to gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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Bishop Oyedepo Criticises Tinubu Over Insecurity, Calls for Stronger Action

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Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, has criticised the Federal Government over the country’s worsening insecurity, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to appear helpless in the face of persistent killings and violent attacks.

Speaking during a church service, Oyedepo expressed concern over the continued loss of lives in different parts of the country and called for stronger, more decisive action to protect Nigerians.

According to the cleric, leadership carries the responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, and government must demonstrate the capacity to confront insecurity effectively.

“Stop pretending to be helpless,” Oyedepo said, while urging the authorities to take firmer action against those responsible for killings and violence.

The bishop’s comments come amid renewed concerns over attacks by armed groups, kidnappings, and communal violence across several states.

Security experts and policy analysts have continued to warn that persistent banditry and insurgency are eroding public confidence and weakening state institutions.

President Tinubu’s administration has maintained that it is strengthening military operations, improving intelligence gathering, and reforming the country’s security architecture to address the threats.

The government has also announced measures including the expansion of the Nigerian Army, increased recruitment, and enhanced collaboration among security agencies.

Oyedepo has consistently spoken on issues of national security and humanitarian concerns.

In previous addresses, he condemned attacks on communities and places of worship and called for national prayers alongside decisive security measures to end the violence.

The cleric’s latest remarks add to the growing national conversation on insecurity, with religious leaders, civil society organisations, and political figures continuing to urge the government to intensify efforts to restore peace and protect citizens.

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Gunmen Invade Catholic Church in Enugu, Abduct Seminarian and Worshipper During Sunday Mass

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Gunmen have reportedly attacked St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, in the Affa community of Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, abducting a seminarian and a worshipper during Sunday Mass.

The attack, which occurred during a church service on Sunday morning, threw the congregation into panic as the assailants reportedly stormed the church premises and whisked away the two victims before fleeing the scene.

Church sources identified one of the abductees as a seminarian attached to the parish, while the second victim was said to be a worshipper attending the Mass.

Their identities had not been officially disclosed at the time of filing this report.

The circumstances surrounding the attack were still unclear, and it remained uncertain whether the kidnappers had established contact with the victims’ families or church authorities.

The incident has heightened concerns over the growing insecurity affecting places of worship in parts of Nigeria, where churches, mosques, schools, and rural communities have increasingly become targets of kidnappers and armed criminal groups.

Security agencies have reportedly launched efforts to rescue the abducted victims and apprehend those responsible for the attack.

However, the Enugu State Police Command had not issued a detailed official statement on the incident as of the time of this report.

The Catholic Church has repeatedly appealed to government authorities to strengthen security around worship centres following a series of attacks on clergy and faithful in different parts of the country.

Religious leaders have also called for more proactive intelligence gathering and community policing to curb the activities of criminal gangs.

The latest abduction adds to a growing list of security incidents involving religious institutions, underscoring the persistent challenge of kidnapping for ransom and violent crime in several parts of Nigeria.

Residents of the Affa community have urged security agencies to intensify rescue efforts and restore confidence among worshippers and local communities.

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