Former US president Donald Trump is facing an uphill climb in his quest to return to the White House, following his indictment on Friday on federal criminal charges.

Trump, who is seeking to secure the GOP presidential nomination once again, faces 31 counts over his handling of classified documents after he left office. His indictment, which marks the first time a former president will face federal criminal charges, puts his presidential ambition in jeopardy as he squares up to others, including his former vice president Mike Pence.

Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, Florida home was raided by the FBI in August last year, with tens of classified documents recovered. Following a special counsel inquiry, the former president and his aides were found wanting for mishandling classified documents.

“Today, an indictment was unsealed charging Donald J. Trump with felony violations of our national security laws as well as participating in a conspiracy to obstruct justice,” special counsel Jack Smith said in brief remarks Friday. “I invite everyone to read it in full to understand the scope and the gravity of the crimes charged.”

Trump’s aide, Walt Nauta, was charged as a co-conspirator with six felony counts.

The former president had lied to the FBI and his lawyer that he had no more classified documents in his possession, only for about 100 more to be discovered in his home’s restroom.

According to the charges, Trump faces 37 counts of willful retention of national defense information under the Espionage Act. He is also accused of conspiring to obstruct justice; corruptly concealing a document or record; concealing a document in a federal investigation; and making false statements.

Though he denied any wrongdoing, describing the charges as a hoax, the former president may be spending a long time in prison if found guilty of just one count.

GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who voted for Trump’s impeachment in 2021, over his involvement in the Jan 6 Capitol riot, described the charges as ‘quite serious.’

“Mishandling classified documents is a federal crime because it can expose national secrets, as well as the sources and methods they were obtained through,” she said in a statement.

“Anyone found guilty – whether an analyst, a former president, or another elected or appointed official – should face the same set of consequences.”

While Trump has attempted to downplay the weight of the charges, legal experts have described them as ‘overwhelming’ and ‘serious’, indicating a potential severe consequence that may cost him his presidential ambition.

“It is an extremely damning indictment,” said Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor who testified in Trump’s defense during the first impeachment effort against him in 2019, on Fox News.

“It’s overwhelming in details. And the Trump team should not fool itself; these are hits below the water line. This is not an indictment that you can dismiss.”

The 37-count indictment against former President Donald Trump reveals that each willful retention charge is associated with a classified document discovered at Mar-A-Lago. These documents were labeled as “SECRET” or “TOP SECRET” and covered various topics such as U.S. nuclear weapons, the nuclear capabilities of a foreign nation, and the military activities and capabilities of other countries.

According to the indictment, Donald Trump disclosed a classified military map and discussed a “plan of attack” developed by the Pentagon. This information was shared with a member of his political action committee who did not possess the necessary security clearance.

“In July 2021, at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey (‘The Bedminster Club’), during an audio-recorded meeting with a writer, a publisher, and two members of his staff, none of whom possessed a security clearance, TRUMP showed and described a ‘plan of attack’ that TRUMP said was prepared for him by the Department of Defense and a senior military official,” the indictment said.

Trump’s two indictments, including several other criminal charges, are the biggest hurdle in his quest to return to the Oval Office.

Norm Eisen, senior fellow of the Brookings Institution, said in his assessment of the indictment that “Trump will very likely be convicted.”

While the US Constitution does not impose any limitations on individuals indicted or convicted of a crime, or even those currently serving prison time, from running for or winning the presidency, Trump’s conviction will probably result in lengthy imprisonment.

The most severe charges he faces could entail individual prison terms of up to 20 years. This means, even though the judges could give Trump consideration as a former president by reducing his sentence, his jail term will likely overlap the 2024 presidential campaign and tenure.

President Bola Tinubu on Monday, signed the Student Loan Bill into law; setting up access to loans for students who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

The official announcement was made on Monday by the spokesperson for the Federal Government, Mr. Dele Alake. According to Alake, the funds allocated for the students’ loans will be held within the Ministry of Education and will exclusively be available to financially disadvantaged students attending tertiary institutions.

The Student Loan Bill dubbed; “A Bill For An Act To Provide For Easy Access To Higher Education For Nigerians Through Interest-free Loans From The Nigerian Education Bank,” was sponsored by the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, in 2016, successfully passed the third reading in the House two weeks ago. 

The bill outlines provisions for interest-free loans to support economically challenged Nigerian students. It said that beneficiaries are those whose parents and guardians earn below N500,000 per annum. 

The newly enacted law aims to facilitate accessible higher education for financially disadvantaged Nigerians through interest-free loans sourced from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, but it carries two years imprisonment for defaulters, N500,000 fine or both.

However, Nigerians don’t seem to be excited about the signing of the bill for several reasons.

In December last year, when the bill was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) criticized it, alleging that it was an attempt by the Nigerian government to ‘systematically’ halt the funding of public universities. 

“We find it troubling that the proponents of the policy are so eager to foist it down the throat of Nigerians when they have done more to push the working people of this country into poverty through sheer incompetence in handling the economic fortunes of our nation,” the statement issued by the union reads in part.

Nigerians on social media have expressed concerns about factors that could derail the implementation of the Students Loan Act. 

“The Government could have solved the massive unemployment crisis the country is facing before signing the Student Loan Bill.

“Taking a loan just to graduate and join the long list of unemployed graduates? I’m sorry but this is an excellent bill signed at the wrong timing “IMHO”,” Asiwaju Lerry tweeted.

The Government could have solved the massive unemployment crisis the country is facing before signing the Student Loan Bill.

Taking a loan just to graduate and join the long list of unemployed graduates? I’m sorry but this is an excellent bill signed at the wrong timing “IMHO”.

— LERRY (@_AsiwajuLerry) June 12, 2023

“This student loan scheme Tinubu just signed simply means subsidy for Tertiary education will be removed. Anyone that wants to go to school should prepare their 100k (minimum) per session/semester or queue up to obtain a Tinubu student loan. Those in charge will make money. NIRSAL 2.0”

Someone seems to agree with ASUU that the Student Loan Bill is a ploy by the government to stop funding tertiary education.

Taraba state uni for instance already pays school fees per semester (not per session) and I believe others will also adopt this approach to to generate more revenue through school fees alone.

Tunubu is not letting the poor breath. He wants to snatch our breath, our lungs ??

— Kelvin Odanz (@MrOdanz) June 12, 2023

So what if students that took the loan aren’t able to get a job after completion of NYSC?

A Twitter user attempts to answer the question by referencing Tinubu’s campaign promise to recruit 50 million youths into the Nigerian military to fight insecurity.

The "Operation Join the Army" Bill will then be signed. That means, if you remain unemployed for two years after school… you will be mandated to join the Army. Don't do it, just borrow money from palmpay to pay the loan, then borrow money from egbon adugbo to pay palm pay. https://t.co/W61FEsgAja

— Chicken Catcher ? (@EtuboDragon) June 12, 2023

The Student Loan scheme was part of Tinubu’s campaign promises, but the assent of the bill has not been welcomed with excitement due to the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria. Although currently the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria has 33.3% unemployment rate.

In an attempt to prove that the Student Loan Act will fail, some of its critics have referenced the United States, which although has less than a 4% unemployment rate, still struggles to manage the crisis emanating from students loan.