The Nigeria Police Force has said it is not responsible for controlling roaming cattle in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, stating that its intervention would only become necessary when the animals are linked to an offence.

The police spokesperson, CSP Ani Iniedu, made this known on Tuesday during a joint security spokespersons’ briefing while responding to concerns over the increasing presence of cows on Abuja roads and other public spaces.

According to Iniedu, the responsibility for controlling animals, including cattle, lies with the relevant environmental authorities.

“The responsibility for the control of animals is the Ministry or Department of the Environment. Where we come in is if the cow has committed an offence or the cow is involved in the destruction of your property or trespassing your property.

“If that is the case, it is reported to the nearest police station,” he said.

He added that the police would investigate any formal complaint involving offences allegedly committed by roaming cattle.

“We will commence investigation immediately. That is if a complaint was made. If it is going out to look for cows, it is not one of our responsibilities,” Iniedu stated.

The clarification followed growing concerns over cattle roaming freely on major roads and in other parts of Abuja, with residents raising fears about traffic disruptions, public safety and possible damage to property.

Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had earlier declined to comment extensively on the issue, saying it was connected to national security.

Wike said, “I have the capacity to deal with cow grazing in Abuja, but I won’t talk about it because it’s national security. Go to the NSA and the DSS DG. You know why I can’t touch it.”

The management of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) has issued a clarification stating that its newly appointed Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, played no role in the institution’s recent staff recruitment exercise.

In a statement signed by the Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Anyaso Anyaso, the university explained that the recruitment process, including the capture of successful applicants for payroll, had already been concluded before March 1, 2026, when Prof. Akanwa assumed office as the university’s 7th Vice-Chancellor.

According to the statement, the Federal Government approved a waiver for the recruitment of 426 staff, a figure also endorsed by the University’s Governing Council. However, appointment letters were reportedly issued to 618 persons, while 553 names were captured on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS). The statement added that the system ultimately uploaded only the 426 positions approved by the Federal Government and the Governing Council.

The university further stressed that the Vice-Chancellor has no access to the GIFMIS platform and therefore cannot add, remove, or alter any names on the payroll.

MOUAU urged members of the public and stakeholders to disregard what it described as misleading insinuations regarding the Vice-Chancellor’s involvement in the recruitment, advising the public to rely only on official university communication channels for verified information.

The statement reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to transparency and called on the public to refrain from circulating unverified reports.

Prince Adeyemi Matthew Adeniyi, Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, has alleged that he personally lobbied officials at the Budget Office to secure the inclusion of the agency in the 2026 Federal Government budget.

Adeniyi made the claims during a recent interview with popular social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan. The interview was released on Sunday via Instagram following Adeniyi’s arrest.

The alleged fake agency was allocated approximately ₦1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act, despite ongoing investigations into its legitimacy.

In the interview, Adeniyi absolved the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of any involvement, insisting he never met him physically. He claimed his late associate, Dolapo Tanimola, handled all related matters.

According to Adeniyi, he first approached the Budget Office in December 2024 for inclusion in the 2025 budget but was told the process had closed.

“I went to that Budget Office for the 2025 budget. I submitted the letter and everything that I wanted, but I was told it was already late,” he said.

He alleged that officials advised him to target the 2026 budget instead. “When the 2025 budget came out and I didn’t see this budget, those people that I went to then said it would now be for the 2026 budget. We kept in touch because they said it would be considered later,” Adeniyi added.

He further claimed that a female official helped him gain access to the Director-General of the Budget Office, who then referred him to another senior official. “She helped me to see the oga. Oga now said, ‘Where is my shini?’ I said I don’t have any shini. He later asked me to meet one director,” he alleged.

Adeniyi denied paying any bribes to facilitate the process. “Honestly, I did not pay any money. I didn’t pay anybody. The only thing I promised was that if I started employing people, I could help them with employment opportunities. That was the favour I promised them,” he stated.

He expressed surprise that the agency eventually appeared in the 2026 budget after his arrest. “Immediately, there was a problem; everything stopped… I didn’t even know until they said it was inside the budget. I had already left the office,” he said.

When asked about allegations that he paid ₦400 million to secure his appointment, Adeniyi confirmed the amount was paid in United States dollars through his late associate, Dolapo Tanimola, but maintained he never met Gbajabiamila.

In the caption accompanying the video, VeryDarkMan called for a thorough investigation into the Budget Office and other government institutions, arguing that Adeniyi should not be the only person held accountable if the claims are substantiated.