• 2025 budget passes second reading
• Tinubu orders probe on death of Ooni’s ex-wife as death toll rises
• Yahaya Bello was given ₦500m bail and banned from foreign travels
• Fuel price estimated to sell at ₦950/litre as Dangote Refinery gives Yuletide discount
• US-based Nigerian imprisoned for 40 years for drug abuse 

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.

2025 budget passes second reading 

The President submitted the 2025 Appropriation Bill, which has passed the second reading in the House of Representatives.

The appropriation bill and the bill to extend the 2024 capital component to June 30, 2025, have both passed the second reading after due consideration and observation by the Senate.

“A Bill for an Act to authorise the issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, the total sum of ₦49,740,165,355,396 of which ₦4,435,761,358,925 for Statutory Transfers, ₦16,327,142,689,549 for Debt Service, ₦14,123,544,196,406 for Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure while the sum of ₦14,853,717,110,517 for contribution to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure for the year ending 31 December 2025 (HB. 2021)”.

Tinubu orders probe on death of Ooni’s ex-wife as death toll rises

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the investigation of the Ibadan funfair stampede as the death toll has risen to 35. 

The Oyo State Police Command has detained the Ooni of Ife’s ex-wife, Prophetess Naomi Silekunola and six others as they investigate the Ibadan funfair stampede which has now claimed the lives of 35 children with six others on treatment.

Information gathered revealed that the Prophetess had provisions to host and feed about 5,000 children. Still, the numbers present had exceeded her plans, increasing to 7,500 people, and the situation got out of hand, leading to the 32 children who were stampeded to death.

Yahaya Bello was given ₦500m bail and banned from foreign travels

On Thursday, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, granted bail of ₦500 million to Yahaya Bello, the ex-Governor of Kogi State. Bello is on trial for alleged involvement in a fraud case amounting to ₦10.4 billion.

The judge ordered that the former governor must deposit his passport and is prohibited from travelling outside the country unless he receives permission from the court.

Bello, Shuaibu Oricha, and Abdulsalam Hudu face 16 counts, including conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the defendants on November 27, and they all pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

Fuel price estimated to sell at ₦950/litre as Dangote Refinery gives Yuletide discount

Fuel prices in Nigeria are likely to be reduced to ₦950/litre in Lagos State and ₦990/litre in FCT, as the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) revealed a decrease in the retail cost of petrol.

The IPMAN National Publicity Officer, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, announced in an interview, saying that Nigerians would be glad to hear that fuel now sells below ₦1,000 per litre.

“Once there is a price reduction, it will trickle down. There will be a change to the pump price. It will be less than ₦1,000. But the difference will be determined by location. It may be ₦950 in Lagos and possibly ₦990 in Abuja. Logistics will play a key role. Remember that the diesel price hasn’t been reduced, which is what we put in our tankers.”

US-based Nigerian imprisoned for 40 years for drug abuse 

An American-based Nigerian identified as Oluwole Adegboruwa and his teammate, Enrique Isong have both been sentenced to a combined 40 years imprisonment for selling and distributing a banned drug through the dark web on the internet across the US.

A public statement published by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Utah, revealed that Oluwole Adegboruwa was also ordered to pay $20 million.

Adegboruwa had orchestrated a group of drug dealers, instructing them on how to package and distribute drugs purchased by customers from a dark web marketplace he controlled.