We subjected NBS data to both empirical and anecdotal tests, investors, analysts’ view data as mostly genuine
Dike Onwuamaeze Chief Executive Officer of
Financial Derivatives Company Limited (FDC), Mr. Bismarck Rewane, has stated that
Nigeria’s current economic recovery appears to be real and increasingly tangible.
Rewane made the declaration in his October 2025 presentation at the LBS Breakfast Session,
titled, “Reality Check: Is Nigeria’s Economic Recovery Authentic? Yes, It Is.”
He stated that the current
Continued on page 9
www.thisdaylive.com
2027: N’Assembly Proposes November 2026 for Presidential, Governorship Elections Targets end to post-swearing in litigations
In a move that could sig- nificantly reshape Nigeria’s
electoral calendar and reduce post-election disputes, the Na- tional Assembly has proposed that the next presidential and
governorship elections be held in November 2026, six months ahead of the traditional February-March schedule.
The proposal, contained in the draft amendments to the Electoral Act 2022, was unveiled yesterday during a one-day
public hearing organised by the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters of the Senate and House of Representatives.
The amendment sought to ensure that all election litigations were concluded before the
Continued
Religious Leaders Reject US’ Claim of Genocide Against Nigerian Christians
US officials in Nigeria say initial findings show both faiths impacted CAN warns against designating Nigeria ‘Country of Special Concern’ Says it will lead to suffering, leeway for terrorists to operate JNI, MURIC, others insist killers should be treated as criminals
In a rare development in Nigeria’s multifaceted, multireligious and multi-ethnic society, Christians and Muslims yesterday rejected the claim by some prominent United States officials that there is an ongoing genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
Decrying it as a misconcep- tion, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the north as well as the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the umbrella group for the Nigerian Muslim community as well as the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) stated that the killers should be regarded as criminals who
Continued on page 9
OLUREMI TINUBU IN QATAR...
Chairman of the Qatar Foundation, Sheika Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned (L), discussing with First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, while the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs and Policy, Hon. Wahab Alawiye-King, listen on at the Al-Wajba Palace where she was received by Sheika Moza, yesterday
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
L-R: National Youth
Analysts Caution Nigeria Risks FTSE
Setback
Nume Ekeghe
Financial experts have warned that Nigeria could jeopardise its fragile progress towards regaining inclusion in the FTSE Frontier Market Index if it proceeds with implementation of the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on securities transactions.
They stated that while the recent FTSE Russell “Quality of Markets” Review acknowledged notable improvements in transpar- ency and liquidity within Nigeria’s foreign exchange (FX) market, introducing a new tax regime at this stage could reverse those gains and erode investors’ confidence, particularly at a time when the country was seeking to re-establish its credibility with global index providers and portfolio investors.
Head of Financial Institutions Ratings at Agusto & Co., Mr. Ayokunle Olubunmi, explained that although the capital gains tax was not entirely new in Nigeria, its economic impact will depend largely on how the policy was
if Capital Gains Tax Proceeds
executed.
According to him, “The capital gains tax is not that new in Nigeria. However, the impact will depend on how this new tax law is implemented.
“We should also note that the capital gains tax will only apply when the profit from the sale of equity instruments exceeds N150 million.
“Hence, only big-ticket transactions will be impacted, with most retail equity sales excluded. It is also important to note that the tax will be waived if the proceeds are reinvested in another equity instrument.
“Given that only sizable
transactions will be affected by the capital gains tax, we anticipate an uptick in tax planning when large equity positions are sold.”
A senior market analyst, who preferred not to be named, said, “Today is not the day for capital gains tax.
Pushing CGT now risks undo- ing the fragile progress we have made and could easily downgrade one of the few areas we actually passed in the FTSE review taxation. It is not a trophy we can afford to lose.”
The analyst explained that the journey back to the FTSE Frontier Index and eventually the MSCI Emerging Market
Index will depend not just on announcing reforms but also on demonstrating credible, sustained results.
“If we are serious about getting re-included, it is not just about reforms on paper; it’s about showing the world that our market can function efficiently, transparently, and predictably,” he said.
He stated that while Nige- ria’s FX market reforms under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had improved liquidity and restored some level of confidence, governance and investor protection remained critical weak spots.
“Minority shareholders are still treated like distant
relatives – welcome, but rarely respected. Our laws look fine on paper, but enforcement is inconsistent,” he added.
The FTSE review also cited Nigeria’s “restricted” score on shareholder protection and deficiencies in market infrastructure, such as post-trade allocation, securities lending, and derivatives trading - tools analysts said were essential for modern market efficiency.
“Without derivatives and securities lending, our market is like a smartphone without internet – it works, but no serious investor wants to use it,” the analyst added.
He further pointed to operational inefficiencies in
Nigeria’s clearing and settle- ment systems, which remained mostly at T+3, compared to T+2 or T+1 standards globally.
“Clearing and settlement may not be glamorous, but to investors, they are everything. A market that cannot settle efficiently is a market that carries unnecessary risk,” he said.
On governance, the analyst criticised the slow pace of regulatory coordination between Nigerian Exchange (NGX), Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), stating that market development is being held back by bureaucracy.
Presidency Allays Fears Over Edun’s Health, Says He’s Getting Better
The President has reacted formally to reports circu-
lating on the social media since Sunday to the effect that Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, suffered a stroke and was flown abroad saying no iota of truth in the reports.
Abbas: Petroleum Industry Evolution Made Possible Because of PIA
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has said that evolution in the petroleum industry has been made possible by the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (2021).
He described the PIA as comprehensive, sweeping legislation that reformed the
governance, administration and fiscal framework of the Nigeria Petroleum Industry.
Abbas stated this on Monday in Abuja at the first annual downstream petroleum week organised by the House Committee on Petroleum Resources in collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum.
He noted that Nigeria is at a critical point in its drive for
industrialisation, saying the conference could not have come at a better time.
The Speaker emphasised that the oil and gas industry, especially the downstream sector, is witnessing an unprecedented revival under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, whose Renewed Hope Agenda is reforming and revitalising key sectors of the economy.
He pointed out that the effective take-off of the Dangote Refinery marked a turning point in our nation’s quest for energy self-sufficiency.
Abbas said the anticipated emergence of other private in- digenous refineries underlines the need for the National Assembly to continue to cre- ate a functional environment for industries to thrive.
Rather, it said, the Minister is in Abuja and responding well to treatment.
Presidential spokesperson, Chief Sunday Dare, on Mon- day evening reaffirmed that the minister was recovering well after speaking with him personally.
In a post on his verified X handle, @SundayDareSD, the presidential media aide wrote “moments ago I got off the phone with Nigeria’s Finance Minister / CME, Mr. Wale Edun in Abuja. Over a bowl of Amala, we spoke for a few minutes with assurances he was getting better. I wished him the best of health. Sunday Dare Alamala Reporting”. Dare’s light-hearted confirmation comes amid growing online speculation
about Edun’s health, which had prompted a wave of misinformation over the weekend.
Edun, who has been central to President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing economic reforms, is said to be resting at home in Abuja and receiving medical care.
The latest update from Dare further dispelled rumours, reinforcing official reassurances that the nation’s chief economic policy driver remains in recovery and continues to be in touch withPresidencycolleagues.sources had earlier told newsmen that while the minister was “indisposed,” he had not suffered a stroke nor travelled abroad for treatment.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
Leader, APC, Dr Dayo Israel; Senate President, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio (CON); and Barrister Seyi Tinubu, when the APC Youth Leader hosted an interactive session with the Senate President at the Youth House in Abuja... last weekend
NIGERIA’S INAUGURAL PODCAST FESTIVAL...
L-R: CEO, Slickcity Studios, Malik Afegbua; Representative of Obi Asika, Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Ed Emeka Keazor; Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; CEO, AT3 Resources - The Muvmnt Agency, Curator, Podfest Naija, Tosin Adefeko; Tech Content Creator, Tobi Ayeni (Miss Techy), and Founder, Naija AI Film Festival, Obinna Okerekeocha, at the inaugural Podfest Naija 2025 event held in Lagos…Friday
EU Unlocks N320.5bn Credit to Nigerian Commercial Banks to Boost Lending to Agriculture
James
European Union (EU) has allocated N320.5 billion (€190 million) credit line to Nigerian commercial banks and financial institutions to broaden their lending to the agricultural sector.
The facility, provided by European Investment Bank (EIB), was announced at a
meeting of the bank’s senior executives and a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, on the side-lines of the recently concluded Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, Belgium.
EIB’s Director, International Partnerships, Ms Thourayya Tricki, said the credit facility was part of EU’s commitment
to the development of the country’s agricultural value chain, particularly in cocoa andTrickidairy.reaffirmed EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s ambitions and initiatives for digital transformation, given its potential to catalyse growth in other sectors of the economy.
Tricki, who attended the
bilateral meeting alongside the bank’s Head, Sub-Saharan Africa Relations, Mr. Diedrick Zambon, stated that the Nigerian investment package for climate-smart agricultural production and processing was at an advanced stage for approval.
The fund aimed at ensuring sustainability and competitiveness of agri-food products.
FG Tasks Regional Insurers to Combat Losses from Climatic Risks Via Collaboration
The federal government has called on insurance operators across West Africa to save the region from losses, often amounting to billions of Naira, incurred annually from climate related risks through collaborations on regional risk-pooling and reinsurance platforms.
The government urged regional insurers to ride on the platform of West African Insurance Companies Association (WAICA) and embark on data exchange, as well as collaborate with expertise on climate model-
ling and disaster forecasting and build professional capacity for innovative, sustainable insurance products. Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, stated this at the 2025 WAICA conference hosted by the Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA) at Eko Hotel, Uzoka-AniteLagos.stated that Africa lost billions of Naira annually to climate-related disasters.
She said the losses were so huge that traditional budgets could no longer cope with them.
On Nigeria’s efforts to contain the tide of losses, she said the country was advancing frame-
works that combined sovereign risk insurance, regional disasterrisk pools, and public–private climate-finance mechanisms to ensure rapid response and fiscal stability.
According to her, the tools strengthen preparedness and prevent disruptions to essential development programmes.
Uzoka-Anite urged insurers across the sub-region to contribute their own efforts through collaboration.
She stated, “No nation can confront this threat alone. The same storms that affect Nigeria affect Ghana, Sierra Leone,
Falana: Union Rights Protected by Law, Not Subject to Government Whims
Wale Igbintade
Human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has defended the constitutional right of Nigerian workers to unionise and embark on strike actions.
Falana warned that any attempt to vilify labour movements was both “legally baseless and morally indefensible,” stressing that union rights are enshrined in Section 40 of the Constitution and protected under international labour conven-
tions ratified by Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS Channel yesterday, Falana stressed that unionisation and collective bargaining were guaranteed under Nigerian law and international labour standards.
“Unionisation is allowed by law under the Constitution, Section 40 - freedom of association. Nigeria is also bound by ILO Conventions 87 and 98, which allow unionisation as well as collective bargaining,” he said.
He condemned recent efforts to demonise organised labour following strikes by oil workers’ unions, insisting that the workers’ actions are legitimate and legally protected.According to him, the strikes by Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) were entirely avoidable had the government acted with responsibility and urgency.
Liberia, and The Gambia.
“Our solutions, too, must be collective. Through WAICA, we can develop regional risk-pooling and reinsurance platforms, exchange data and expertise on climate modelling and disaster forecasting and build professional capacity for innovative, sustainable insurance products.”
This year’s edition of the conference had the theme, “The West African Insurer in the Face of Climate Change.”
Tricki also explained that the package included credit lines and technical assistance to relevant Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and commercial banks in the country to expand their lending portfolios to the agricultural subsector.
Nigeria already benefits from a €18 million -technical assistance grant to strengthen the regulatory framework and capacity for vaccine manufacturing, as well as a €50 million facility to expand Nigeria’s credit portfolio for the pharmaceutical industry.
The Nigerian delegation, including Special Assistant to the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Bolaji Onalaja, and Focal Officer, EU Unit, Mr. Benjamin Galadima, highlighted ongoing reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
They also discussed the forthcoming National Development Plan (2026–2030) as frameworks for attracting sustainable investments and
strengthening communitylevel development through Ward-Based Development Programme.
The Nigerian team also engaged in a series of high- level sessions and conducted bilateral meetings with key EU institutions, including officials from the Directorate of International Partnerships (INTPA) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), among others. On behalf of Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, who was on another official assignment in Vienna, Austria, the team expressed Nigeria’s gratitude to Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gauthier Mignot, for the excellent facilitation of Nigeria’s participation at the 2025 Global Gateway Forum. Essentially, Global Gateway Forum acts as the main platform for turning the Global Gateway Investment Package into actionable partnerships and viable projects.
UNICEF, Lagos Partner to Deepen Birth Registration Coverage, Target 545,000 Children in 2025
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), yesterday, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Lagos State in ensuring that every child’s birth is registered, with a target to register 545,000 children under the age of one as part of a national drive to protect the rights of all Nigerian children.
Chief of UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, who disclosed this at the birth reg- istration multi-sector dialogue held in Lagos, described birth registration as the first line of protection for every child. She stated that without it,
children remain invisible and unable to access basic services such as healthcare, education, and social Lafoucriereprotection.commended Lagos State for achieving a 94 percent birth registration rate among children under five, placing it at the forefront of Nigeria’s progress in civil registration.
She, however, noted that “ hard-to-reach communities, informal settlements, and low-income families still face barriers to registration, our goal is to leave no child behind.”
The dialogue, she explained, aims to co-create a Lagos State birth registration plan that will drive demand at the commu-
nity level and identify pilot opportunities to integrate birth registration with child health and immunisation services.
“This work belongs to all of us. Let us leave here today with commitments, not just plans. Commitments that will be captured in a communique for everyone to see and follow.”
The UNICEF chief recalled that the National Population Commission (NPC), with its support, began distributing over 16 million birth certificates nationwide in September, with Lagos receiving the largest allocation of over six million certificates, a reflection of the state’s strong systems and commitment.
Funmi Ogundare and Oluchi Chibuzor
Ebere Nwoji
Emejo in Abuja
IntErnAtIonAl DAy for DIsAstEr rIsk rEDuctIon 2025 AnD strAtEgy
lAunch...
L-R: Director General National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar; Deputy Speaker, House of Representative, Benjamin Kalu; Vice President Kashim
Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal; Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu and Chairman Sen. Committee on Special Duties, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan during International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2025 (IDDRR) and Strategy Launch in Abuja..... yesterday
NUPRC: Funds Accruing to N’Delta Host
Oil Communities Hit N373bn in October
Commission oversees 536
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) yesterday disclosed that the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) has risen to N373 billion as of October 13, 2025, with at least 536 community projects ongoing currently.
In a statement by the Head of Media and Strategic Communications of the commission, Eniola Akinkuotu, the commission stressed that the fund comprised N125 billion and $168.9 million.
Section 235 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) of 2021, mandates settlors (oil companies) to incorporate host community develop- ment trusts for the benefit of host communities where they operate.
The HCDT requires oil companies to deposit 3 per cent of their operating expenditures of the preceding financial year into a trust fund which will be housed in a bank with BBB rating,
while the settlor shall for the purpose of setting up the trust, in consultation with the host communities, appoint a board of trustees which shall be registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as a corporate body.
It gives communities a sense of ownership and is expected to reduce incidents of sabotage on oil facilities like pipeline vandalism, ensures the communities receive direct benefits from petroleum operations like social economic, educational development, empowerment of youth and overall reduction of restiveness in the Niger Delta region.
In line with the PIA, the NUPRC said that last month, it facilitated the delivery of over 10 life-changing projects and the flag-off of more than 10 others under the Obagi Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) in Rivers State, operated by TotalEnergies.
These projects, it said, were officially handed over
projects
to the communities hosting OML 58 during a two-day project commissioning and flag-off ceremony held from September 24–25, 2025, at Ogbogu Community in Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, the Commission Chief Ex-
ecutive, Gbenga Komolafe, represented by the Executive Commissioner, Health, Safety, Environment, and Community, Capt. Roland Tonglagha, stated that the projects will address issues related to basic education, healthcare, employment, and more.
He encouraged host communities to take ownership
of the infrastructure and collaborate with upstream operators to grow the oil industry and deliver national prosperity.
The NUPRC boss also appreciated President Bola Tinubu for his strong com- mitment and initiatives, which have created an environment conducive to new investments in the
upstream sector. The Governor of Rivers State, represented by Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, expressed delight over the timely delivery of the projects by the Obagi HCDT. She noted that in previous administrations, “funds were sent to communities but were not fully utilised the way it is now.”
FG Ready to Empower Communities to Manage Safety in Flood, Other Disasters
Shettima: We’re strengthening state, local emergency management agencies through training, technology
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The federal government is con- sidering empowering flood-prone communities to manage their own safety as part of measures to address the growing threat of flood-related disasters nationwide. Vice President Kashim Shettima made this public on Monday. Shettima said no amount of preparedness will produce tangible results if communities
UNODC Partners FG on War against Internet Crimes
Urges Nigeria to domestic convention on cybercrime
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), on Monday declared support for the federal government’s fight against cybercrime and related internet frauds.
Project Coordinator, Cybercrime, UNODC Nigeria Country Office, Ms. Diana Baranaye, made the position of the UNODC known on Monday, during a sensitization and awareness
walk against cybercrime in Nigeria.
The walk which commenced at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Central Business District, was aimed at drawing attention of members of the public to the negative use of internet technology and its impact on the economy, security and reputation of the country.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the sensitiza-
tion walk, Baranaye, who represented the UNODC County Representative, Mr. Cheikh Toure, described the awareness walk as commendable and urged that the efforts “trickles down across the 36 states of the federation”.
She urged Nigeria to sign the UN Convention against Cybercrime by commenc- ing its domestication in the National Legal Framework on Cybercrime.
were not empowered to take charge of their safety.
Speaking in Abuja during the 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), he stated that while resilience could not be guaranteed by government alone, it was reflected in how cities were planned, how businesses protected their workers, and how communities shared information and looked out for each other.
He canvassed strong partner- ship with the private sector, saying the sector “must see itself as a partner in prevention,
embedding risk reduction into corporate planning and invest- ment decisions”.
Shettima said, “Our academia and research institutions also bear the responsibility of helping us generate the data, innovation, and practical research we need to prepare for a safer future.
“We count on them to shape the knowledge that guides our decisions. And we expect our civil society to hold us accountable, to raise awareness, and to mobilise citizens around the shared responsibility of preparedness.
“But none of these efforts will
yield results unless we empower and support our communities to take ownership of their safety. They are the foundation of whatever strategy we adopt and the heartbeat of our national resilience.”
The vice president applauded the theme of the 2025 International Day for IDDRR, “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters,” saying it speaks to an often-overlooked truth that “it is far wiser, far cheaper, and far more humane to prepare for disasters before they strike than to rebuild after they destroy.
To Drive Entrepreneurship, BoI Floats N2bn Single-Digit Financing for Corps Members
James Emejo in Abuja
The Bank of Industry (BoI) yesterday unveiled a N2 billion entrepreneurship programme for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members across the country.
The initiative aimed at providing affordable loans to the corps as part of efforts to tackle unemployment and promote youth-led enterprises.
The programme, tagged “N2 billion BOI–NYSC Entrepreneur- ship Programme,” will enable serving members to access up to N5 million each at a single-digit interest rate of nine per cent per annum, and repayable over three years, with a three-month moratorium on both principal and interest.
Managing Director/Chief Executive, BoI, Dr. Olasupo Olusi, described the initiative as
a practical intervention designed to move young Nigerians from job-seekers to job-creators. He said the partnership between the bank and NYSC builds on previous collabora- tions such as the Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund (GEF), first launched in 2015, which trained over 3,000 graduates, financed 609 businesses, and disbursed more than N1 billion in loans.
Eromosele Abiodun and Nume Ekeghe in Washington DC
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday called on Nigeria and other emerging economies to deepen governance diagnostics and curb illicit financial flows within their respective countries, in order to improve resilience and restore public trust in government institutions.
IMF Managing Director
Kristalina Georgieva who made the call during a Civil Society Town Hall at the ongoing IMF World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, noted that while the global economy has shown remarkable resilience despite a
2027: n ’A SS emblY
swearing-in of newly elected leaders on May 29, 2027.
If adopted, the change would mark a historic shift in Nigeria’s democratic timetable since 1999.
According to Section 4(7) of the proposed amendment, “Elections into the office of the President and Governor of a State shall be held not later than 185 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the office.”
A calculation of the 185day period before May 29, 2027, indicates that both the presidential and gubernatorial elections would be conducted in November 2026.
Similarly, the amendment to Section 4(5) stipulates that, “Elections into the State Houses
have no preference for any religious sect.
They dismissed the United States’ recent classification of attacks by terrorists in the country as “genocide,” describing the claim as exaggerated and capable of deepening divisions in an already fragile nation.
According to CAN, JNI and MURIC, while violent attacks on religious communities are tragic and unacceptable, the situation in Nigeria is far more complex than the US report suggests, explaining that attributing the crisis solely to religion ignores the underlying causes such as poverty, banditry, and political manipulation.
CAN Chairman in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Reverend Joseph Hayab, described the insurgents as ‘divide and rule’ individuals, explaining that apart from the significant attacks on Christians in the early days of insurgency, it is now a war against the entire country and not solely against a particular religious belief.
“What we find strange is the exaggeration of the figure (of casualties). The figure that is being played around is an exaggeration, it is outrageous. We don’t understand that. These terrorists, when they started, eventually moved beyond just killing Christians and started
series of shocks, many develop- ing countries remain vulnerable due to weak governance systems, rising debt, and limited fiscal transparency.
She stressed that effective governance diagnostics and anti–anti-money-laundering frameworks have become indispensable for sustaining growth and attracting invest- ment, especially in countries struggling with high public debt and leakages in public finance.
“Illicit financial flows, what we call dirty money, undermine stability and public trust. Five to ten years ago, this was underestimated; today, it is central to our analysis and
of Assembly and the National Assembly shall be held not later than 185 days before the date on which each of the Houses stands dissolved.”
Explaining the rationale, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Adebayo Balogun, said the adjustment was designed to “allow sufficient time for the resolution of all election petitions before swearing-in ceremonies.”
Balogun disclosed that the proposal would also require amendments to Section 285 of the 1999 Constitution, which prescribes timelines for elec- tion tribunal judgments, and Section 139, which relates to post-election disputes.
“We are proposing to
killing virtually everybody. And they have continued with that.
“Fortunately for us, in the last two years, the development has started changing. Because in Kaduna, I remember that between 2016 to 2023 May, I was practically burying either 20, 30, 50 people per week or per month. But there’s a shift because of the ongoing efforts of going after the terrorists. And I have forgotten the last time, I can say that in the last 12 months or probably 16 months, I have not buried anybody apart from those who died naturally,” Hayab stated.
The CAN’s top official kicked against calls to put Nigeria on the list of ‘countries of particular concern’ by the US, stressing that if the United States wanted to protect the common man, no such decision should be made.
“When you put Nigeria in the country of particular concern, at this time, you’re simply saying terrorists, go and have your way and destroy them. So, the common people you claim you want to protect, you’re no longer thinking about them because you will deny our military from getting arms across the world. And once they don’t have arms, the terrorists will just be free to kill virtually everybody.
“So, there’s nothing that warrants that at this moment.
policy advice.
“We now anti-money-launderingintegrate and governance diagnostics into our annual Article IV reviews and lending programmes, so countries can identify and fix institutional weaknesses before they become crises.”
The IMF chief disclosed that the Fund has developed a new Anti–Money-Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Strategy, which would be applied more broadly across member countries.
The initiative, she explained, was designed to trace illicit flows, strengthen oversight in financial institutions, and reinforce debt
shorten the duration for election litigations. Tribunals will now have 90 days instead of 180 to deliver judgments, while appellate courts will have 60 days,” he said.
The Supreme Court will also have its own window within the 185-day framework. This will ensure that no litigation lingers beyond the handover date.”
However, to accommodate the revised timeline, the joint committee proposed that Sections 76, 116, 132, and 178 of the Constitution, which currently fixed election periods, be amended to delegate the power of determining election timelines to the Electoral Act.
“Section 28, now Section 27
But killings have happened. No one should deny that. And I’ve always told people who care to listen, the reason that we have reached where we are was the denial of yesterday,” the religious leader said.
Hayab disclosed that the terrorists even go after certain
recovery was “rooted in fiscal consolidation, declining infla- tion, and sectoral resilience”.
According to him, after several quarters of negative news, data volatility and conflicting trends, “The Nigerian economy appears to be entering a steady state of recovery and credible expansion.”
He said the current recovery was characterised by improvements in key economic indicators, such as GDP growth, inflation stabilisation, employment rate, as well as increased business and consumer confidence.
He pointed out that data recently released by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed a 4.23 per cent real GDP growth for Q2’25, which was higher than SubSaharan Africa’s average and represented a fifth consecutive decline in headline inflation, to 20.12 per cent.
The NBS data also showed a consistent rise in gross external
transparency.
Georgieva also urged African governments to work more closely with civil society to ensure transparency and ac- countability in public finance management.
“The governance diagnostic tool is not an audit; it is a preventive measure. We encourage governments to collaborate with civil society organisations that often know the system’s weak- nesses best. Working together makes our efforts more credible and effective,” she added.
Furthermore, she noted that while Nigeria and some other low-income countries have seen marginal declines in debt ratios,
(5–7), was introduced to remove the determination of election timelines from the Constitution and vest it in the Electoral Act.”
This structural change, the lawmakers argued, would grant the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) greater flexibility in scheduling elections without constitutional constraints.
The public hearing also wit- nessed overwhelming support from stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), civil society groups, journalists, and election observers, for the adoption of electronic voting and electronic transmission of results.
Representing INEC, Professor
Muslims who refuse to associate with their extremism, emphasising that the killings cut across and are not particularly focused on Christians.
“Two mosques have been attacked in the last two months
Continued on page 35
reserves to $43 billion, and a 3.7 per cent appreciation of the naira from N1,541/$ to N1,484/$ in September 2025.
Rewane stated, “At FDC, we subjected the data to both empirical and anecdotal tests.
The overwhelming views of investors and analysts were that the data was mostly genuine and that the trend was consistent with regional and global patterns.
“Data integrity notwithstanding, the consensus was that the recovery was slow but sustainable.”
He described economic recovery as the phase in the economic cycle when an economy began to grow again after a period of recession or economic downturn, and was characterised by GDP growth, inflation stabilisation, employ- ment rates and increased business and consumer confidence.
He commented that following periods of economic contraction or downturns, Nigeria’s
the reduction was largely due to limited access to finance rather than improved debt sustainability. This, she said, underlines the urgency for stronger institutional frameworks and credible debt-management strategies.According to her, inclusive governance was becoming just as critical as macroeconomic policy in restoring stability.
“We are seeing young people across countries take to the streets because they have lost faith in institutions. Governments must deliver transparent, people- focused policies or risk losing social cohesion,” she added.
According to her, the IMF
Abdullahi Zuru, endorsed the proposals, saying they would “enhance transparency, reduce human interference, and strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.”
Section 60(5) of the draft amendment mandated compulsory electronic transmission of results from polling units, while also preserving manual backup.
“The Presiding Officer shall transmit the results, including the total number of accredited voters, to the next level both electronically and manually,” the section states.
To deter malpractice, the amendment criminalised the distribution of unstamped ballot papers and result sheets, prescribing a one-year jail term or a fine of N1 million, or both, for erring Anotherofficers.significant innova- tion in the proposed legislation was the introduction of early voting, aimed at ensuring that Nigerians on electoral duty could still exercise their franchise.
“There shall be a date set
economy often stabilised slowly at the bottom but in some cases, the recovery was aborted while in others it gradually resumed a path of long-term growth.
He said currently economic recovery was showing promising signs as the “recovery is close to dynamic equilibrium and key economic variables are stablising, both consumer and investors’ confidence are increasing and the GDP growth reaching a four-year high at 4.23 per cent”.
In addition, exchange rate misalignment changed as the gap between the parallel and official window narrowed to N24.
Rewane stated, “Unlike past recoveries, this recovery is different. It is not just about growth; some fundamentals are changing.”
Yet, he said there were potential risks and pitfalls that could threaten the recovery. These pitfalls included sharp drop in oil price to $60 per barrel,
would
to work
and
aside for early voting not later than 14 days to the day of the election,” it stated.
Eligible categories included security personnel, INEC officials, accredited domestic observers, journalists, and ad-hoc staff, groups typically deployed on election duty and often disenfranchised under current arrangements.
The joint committee also recommended several other reforms to enhance electoral inclusiveness and efficiency. These included non-compulsory use of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC), and allowing INEC-approved alternatives where necessary.
It also included tightened penalties for electoral offences, particularly those involving manipulation of results or obstruction of electronic systems and improved regulation of political parties’ primaries to ensure greater internal democracy.
Virtually all presenters at the hearing backed the National Assembly’s vision for earlier
Continued on page 36
foreign portfolio investment reversal, market and price distortions, as well as power sector deficits.
He also pointed out that the rising cost of governance today, which had risen from N27.7 billion in 1998 to N54.99 trillion today “is a major impediment to capital accumulation and investment in critical projects, especially when compared to the leaner government expenditure during military rule”.
He added that total public debt grew from $28.7 billion in Q1’98 to $97.24bn in Q1’25. “For the recovery to be sustainable there is an urgent need to reduce the cost of governance,” Rewane said. He also recommended power sector debt forbearance, incentive for domestic investments, improved tax collection under the new tax law, concessioning of airports and seaports, and selling refineries.government-owned
continue
with the World Bank through the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable
the G20 Common Framework to establish clearer rules for debt restructuring and ensure that both creditors and debtors agree on sustainable pathways to recovery.
President Bola Tinubu
www.thisdaylive.com
ASUUGOVERNMENT
FACE-OFF
The university crisis is a consequence of official indifference, argues MAJORITY OJI
opinion@thisdaylive.com
Will the 2025 PIA amendment fuel progress or reignite old problems? asks HARUNA INUWA
NIGERIA’S OIL LAW OVERHAUL
In Nigeria, oil isn’t just a resource—it’s the lifeblood of the economy, fueling everything from foreign exchange to public services. Yet, for decades, mismanagement and inefficiency have bled this vital sector dry. In 2021, the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) promised a new era of transparency and efficiency, a beacon of hope for a nation weary of opaque deals and erratic production. Four years later, a sweeping amendment bill aims to reshape this landmark law. But as Nigeria stands at this crossroads, the question looms: will the PIA Amendment of 2025 tighten fiscal discipline or unravel the progress so hard-won?
slows oil production, weakening the naira and tightening foreign exchange.
· Budget Shortfalls: Disrupted contracts could shrink revenue to the Federation Account, starving funds for roads, schools, and salaries.
· Eroded Trust: A politicized NNPC risks reviving the opacity that once shrouded oil deals, betraying Nigerians’ hopes for transparency.
From the price of petrol at the pump to the stability of the naira in markets, the stakes of this amendment extend far beyond boardrooms.
KADUNA’S BATTLE AGAINST BLINDNESS
JOSHUA HANISON commends the state government for the elimination of trachoma, major public health challenge
See page 21 See page 21
After nearly two decades of heated debates and stalled drafts, Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act of 2021 was a triumph of persistence. It aimed to untangle the knots of a dysfunctional oil and gas sector by clearly defining roles: the Ministry of Petroleum would set policy, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) would regulate, and a newly incorporated NNPC Limited would operate as a commercial entity, free from the political meddling that had long plagued its predecessor, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
The vision was ambitious: transform NNPC Limited into a global player akin to Saudi Aramco or Petrobras, driven by profit, not politics. The PIA sought to lure investors, boost transparency, and restore Nigeria’s clout in the global energy market. For a fleeting moment, optimism surged. Nigeria seemed poised to harness its vast oil wealth with newfound professionalism.
Fast forward to 2025, and the Federal Government has unveiled a bold PIA Amendment Bill, promising to plug fiscal leakages and boost revenue. On the surface, the changes seem pragmatic, but they strike at the heart of the PIA’s structure, raising eyebrows among industry watchers.
Key proposals include: NUPRC as Concessionaire: The upstream regulator would take over from NNPC Limited as the government’s representative in all oil and gas contracts.
MOFI’s New Role: The Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) would become NNPC Limited’s sole shareholder, sidelining the Petroleum Ministry.
Fiscal Control by MOFI: MOFI would set NNPC Limited’s strategic direction, centralizing oversight of its operations.
Joint Regulation: Integrated upstreammidstream projects would now fall under the dual oversight of NUPRC and NMDPRA.
The government’s rationale? Tighter cost verification, reduced revenue losses,
and greater accountability. But beneath the surface, these changes threaten to blur the lines the PIA so carefully drew, risking a return to the murky governance of the past.
Imagine a football match where the referee suddenly dons a player’s jersey yet insists on keeping the whistle. That’s the conundrum posed by making NUPRC both regulator and commercial counterparty in oil contracts. The 2021 PIA deliberately separated roles to ensure impartiality—a global best practice in energy governance. By merging these functions, the amendment creates a glaring conflict of interest.
How can NUPRC fairly regulate contracts it negotiates? Who ensures transparency when the umpire is also a player? Industry experts warn that this move could erode investor trust. The PIA’s promise of clear boundaries was a magnet for foreign capital; blurring those lines risks painting Nigeria as unpredictable, a label it can ill afford in a competitive global market.
The creation of NNPC Limited in 2021 was a cornerstone of the PIA’s vision: a state-owned company operating under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, led by professionals and insulated from political whims. The amendment, however, threatens to clip its wings.
By placing NNPC Limited under MOFI’s direct control, the Finance Ministry would not only hold shares but also dictate strategic and operational decisions. This shift risks dragging NNPC Limited back to the days of bureaucratic gridlock and political interference, undermining its commercial agility.
For international oil companies and investors, such uncertainty raises red flags. Sudden changes to ownership and contracting rules could inflate risk premiums, deter capital inflows, and stall projects critical to Nigeria’s energy future.
The oil sector may seem like a distant battlefield of policy and power, but its ripples touch every corner of Nigerian life.
A misstep in reform could mean:
· Economic Strain: Reduced investment
No one disputes the need for change. Nigeria loses billions annually to weak oversight, inflated costs, and fiscal mismanagement. But the solution lies in strengthening institutions, not collapsing their boundaries. Instead of centralizing power, Nigeria could:
· Empower NUPRC’s Oversight: Grant the regulator stronger auditing powers but keep it independent from commercial roles.
· Ensure Transparency: Mandate public, annual revenue reconciliation reports and rigorous cost audits of NNPC operations.
· Protect NNPC’s Autonomy: Reinforce corporate governance with an independent board and clear performance metrics.
· Build Investor Confidence: Maintain stable, predictable rules to attract capital without risking long-term trust.
Good governance thrives on checks and balances, not concentrated control. By preserving the PIA’s separation of powers, Nigeria can address fiscal leakages while signalling to the world that it’s open for business.
The PIA Amendment of 2025 is a highstakes gamble. Handled with care, it could streamline revenue collection and bolster accountability. Handled poorly, it risks undoing the 2021 reforms, re-politicizing the oil sector, and alienating investors at a time when Nigeria needs them most. Reform is not the enemy—hasty, illconsidered reform is. Indeed, Nigeria doesn’t need to sacrifice institutional integrity to fix its oil sector. It needs clear rules, robust oversight, and a commitment to letting professionals steer the industry free from political shadows.
As the world watches, so do millions of Nigerians, whose livelihoods hinge on whether this amendment becomes a catalyst for progress or a step backward into the dark days of mismanagement. The choice is Nigeria’s to make—will it light the path forward or dim the hope kindled in 2021?
Inuwa is PhD student at the University of Oxford. He can be reached via inuwaharuna10@gmail.com
The university crisis is a consequence of official indifference, argues MAJORITY OJI
ASUU-GOVERNMENT FACE-OFF
There are times when public officials should learn to speak with restraint and, indeed, with a measure of shame. The recent statement by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, regarding the warning strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) betrays not only a lack of historical awareness but also a profound poverty of reasoning.
For over a decade, ASUU has shown uncommon patience, bending backward time and again to accommodate the federal government’s slow, inconsistent, and often inefficient responses to the issues that have long bedeviled Nigeria’s university system. The union has endured broken promises, endless committees, and countless postponements, yet the government’s reaction to legitimate agitation remains hasty, punitive, and devoid of reflection.
The renewed invocation of the infamous “no work, no pay” policy reveals, once more, the shallow reasoning that too often drives official decisions. Instead of thoughtful dialogue or sincere reassessment of the recurring impasse, the government seems determined to employ coercion as a substitute for conscience. This posture is not a mark of leadership but of failure, a tragic admission that reason has been abandoned for brute expediency.
Since the signing of the 2009 ASUUFGN Agreement, which sought to address critical issues such as university autonomy, improved funding, and fair remuneration for academic staff, the government has consistently failed to honor its commitments. What has followed is a depressing cycle of negotiations, strikes, and half-hearted interventions.
In 2017, the federal government inaugurated the Wale Babalakin Committee to revisit the 2009 Agreement. Babalakin resigned in 2021, frustrated by bureaucratic inertia. That same year, the Munzali Jibrin Committee was inaugurated, and though it produced a comprehensive
JOSHUA HANISON commends the state government for the elimination of trachoma, major public health challenge
KADUNA’S BATTLE AGAINST BLINDNESS
There is something genuinely inspiring about a government that moves beyond slogans and campaign promises into terrain where lives are transformed. In Kaduna State, under Governor Uba Sani, the recent announcement that trachoma has been eliminated is not just a health milestone. It is a testament to leadership, persistence, and respectful partnership with communities.
For those who might not know, trachoma is a tropical bacterial eye infection that causes blindness if left untreated. While it is treatable, neglect has been responsible for thousands of people losing their sights, especially in northern Nigeria. To confront trachoma required more than distribution of drugs or periodic health campaigns: it required a sustained, multifaceted push into the very environment and behaviors that sustain its spread.
the World Health Organisation (WHO) requirements to ensure that trachoma is no longer a threat here.”
draft agreement, the government refused to sign it. In 2022, the Nimi Briggs Renegotiation Committee emerged, painstakingly revising the terms, yet its work also ended in futility — another unsigned document gathering dust on official shelves.
In October 2024, another committee, chaired by Yayale Ahmed, was inaugurated to again renegotiate the same 2009 Agreement. By February 2025, the committee submitted its draft. Then in August 2025, the Ministry of Education, rather than acting on the report, inaugurated yet another internal committee led by the Permanent Secretary to “review” the Yayale Ahmed draft. And by October 7, 2025, the government announced the creation of the Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee (FGTIENC) as ASUU mobilizes for strike, once again under the chairmanship of Yayale Ahmed, perpetuating the same endless merry-go-round.
Throughout this prolonged charade, ASUU has remained at the negotiation table, advocating consistently for the dignity of the Nigerian academic, for sustainable funding of universities, and for the full implementation of the 2009 Agreement, a document born out of mutual consent but orphaned by government neglect.
Yet, rather than honoring its word, the government continues to act as an overlord rather than a partner in progress. This arrogance; this institutionalized disdain for intellectuals, reflects not strength but weakness; not governance, but the collapse of governance. To threaten scholars with “no work, no pay” after years of unfulfilled promises is to choose the path of the street rather than that of the statesman; the conduct, indeed, “only befitting for an area boy,” not for a government that claims to value education.
Nigeria’s university crisis is not a creation of ASUU’s stubbornness but a direct consequence of official indifference. If the government must speak, it should do so with humility, and with the shame that comes from years of broken promises, wasted committees, and abandoned agreements.
Prof Oji
writes from Delta State University, Abraka
Kaduna’s success came because the state government partnered with the federal government and Sightsavers. Methodically, they combed the whole 23 local government areas, with one aimsight restoration. Hence, at the recently held close out ceremony on the disease, Permanent Secretary of the State’s Ministry of Health, Ms. Aisha Abubakar, described how the feat was achieved.
“Trachoma, a preventable bacterial infection and one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, has long been a burden in areas with poor access to clean water and sanitation,” Dr. Sadiq said, while commending Governor Sani, the Federal Ministry of Health, Sightsavers, and community volunteers for their commitment to eliminating trachoma.
"Your constant dedication has brought hope to hundreds of families and moved Kaduna State closer to the goal of eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases. Through the SAFE strategy Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvement we have made trachoma ancient history in Kaduna State. Through this effort, 558,761 residents of Igabi LGA received antibiotics, while 683 individuals across the 11 endemic LGAs benefited from corrective eye surgeries. Ten ophthalmic nurses were trained as trichiasis surgeons, 122 boreholes were constructed, and more than 10,000 community case finders were deployed.”
The Country Coordinator for Trachoma at Sightsavers, Teyil WamyilMshelia, described the day as one of celebration. According to her, Sightsavers worked closely with the state and local communities to end trachoma as a public health problem.
“Kaduna is one of the first states where Sightsavers began its work not only in Nigeria but globally," she said.
"It’s been 73 years of partnership, and we are proud to see the progress that has been made. With the elimination of trachoma in Kaduna State, we have successfully removed one of the major public health challenges in the state. We have met all
It is worth pausing on what elimination really means. The World Health Organization requires that a disease no longer constitutes a public health problem. Kaduna has now met that requirement in relation to trachoma. Of course, to reach that stage is no small feat, and it signals that the Sani administration is not merely chasing headlines or short-term wins. It is laying groundwork for durability.
Critics might ask: was this expensive? Was it politically convenient? Was it worth the investment? The true answer lies in the cost of doing nothing. The pain, the blindness, the lost productivity, the isolation — those are the hidden tolls borne by afflicted communities. Kaduna’s choice to act decisively reflects a moral calculus where leaders understand that governance is responsibility, not spectacle. The investment in surgery, clean water, hygiene education, antibiotics, and environmental infrastructure is a down payment on human dignity. The dividends are lives spared from needless blindness, families kept whole, communities more resilient.
When Ms. Abubakar also disclosed that 558, 761 residents of Igabi LGA received antibiotics, and 683 people across 11 endemic local government areas underwent corrective eye surgeries, one begins to see not just numbers, but faces saved from blindness. That kind of reach— deep into rural areas, into the homes and faces of people who once might have seen no hope—is what separates rhetorical gestures from real governance.
Kaduna’s leadership must be commended not only for achieving elimination, but its coordinated interventions across all 23 local government areas is commendable. Equally important is the manner of partnership. The collaboration with Sightsavers and the buy-in from local communities is not incidental; it is essential. According to Dr. Wamyil-Mshelia, Kaduna’s success came about stakeholder interaction and engagement.
“We began by raising awareness because if people don’t know, they won’t participate,” she explained.
Hanison writes from Kaduna
Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA
THE KILLINGS IN THE SOUTHEAST
The Amnesty International report is another wake-up call to stop the violence
In its latest report, Amnesty International has chronicled widespread killings by state and non-state actors in the Southeast, especially in the last 10 years. Titled, ‘A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in Southeast Nigeria’, the chilling report recommends a thorough investigation by relevant authorities so that the perpetrators could be brought to justice. According to the Nigerian Director of Amnesty International, Isa Sanusi, “persistent failure of government to address the security crisis in the country’s Southeast region has created a free-for-all reign of impunity” which have led to “serious human rights violations and killed at least 1,844 people between January 2021 and June 2023.”
These “unlawful killings, torture, enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests at the hands of rampaging gunmen, state-backed paramilitary outfits, vigilante, criminal gangs and cults groups,” according to the Amnesty International report, “provides the authorities with adequate leads to open an investigation that will end the impunity and provide victims with justice.” But despite the scale of the atrocities against the people, Sanusi concluded that “justice and adequate reparations have eluded victims of the violence.”
The federal government should come out with a winning strategy to deal with the lingering security challenge in the Southeast
T H I S D AY
EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU
DEPUTY EDITOR WALE OLALEYE
MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO
DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU
CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI
EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE
We hope that the authorities will work with the report. First, on law enforcement, no matter the extent of provocation, a person in uniform must not resort to taking the law into their own hands. But while the federal government must deal with the impression that those who carry arms on behalf of the state are licensed to act above the law, the security picture in the Southeast is far more complex. In recent years, hoodlums, masquerading as ‘unknown gunmen’, have killed hundreds of people, including personnel of the army, police, civil defence and civilians. At the height of the madness, dozens of these innocent victims were summarily executed on the street. Facilities belonging to the
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU
DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE
DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, in addition to private property, were also attacked and destroyed. Since August 2021, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has imposed its sit-at-home order in the Southeast region every Monday. On that day, roads are usually deserted in major towns in the five states of Imo, Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi. Although it has eased considerably in recent years, this weekly act of protest has morphed into a recurring cycle of fear, economic paralysis, and tragic violence. During the lockdowns, businesses, offices, markets, and other essential services are compelled to remain closed. Urban streets, interstate highways and sometimes schools are also usually deserted. At a point, the five governors hurriedly met and announced the formation of ‘Ebube Agu’, a regional security outfit. But the chairman, Brigadier General Obi Umahi (rtd) was soon to resign for lack of attention to the organisation.
Initially conceived as a display of civil disobedience to demand the release of IPOB's detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, these Monday shutdowns, as detailed by SBM Intelligence report in May this year, highlight how what began as a symbolic gesture of solidarity quickly descended into a far more complex and coercive reality. The analysis also underscores the sinister role of heavily armed elements—often referred to in hushed tones as ‘unknown gunmen’—in enforcing compliance. The report details numerous incidents where these groups— whose allegiances and motives, according to the SBM report, remain dangerously opaque—have been responsible for brutal enforcement, dishing out violence, and destroying the property of those who dare to defy the Monday lockdown.
Meanwhile, the Amnesty International report should be another wake-up call for all critical stakeholders to work together to stop the killings. But the ultimate responsibility lies with the federal government that should come out with a winning strategy to deal with this lingering security challenge in the Southeast.
PRESIDENTIAL PARDON AND THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME
The recent Presidential Pardon and Clemency granted to about 150 persons, both foreigners and Nigerians continues to elicit mixed reactions across the country. While some see it as an act of compassion and justice, others believe it undermines the ongoing fight against crime and corruption in Nigeria.
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, under Chapter 6, Part 1, Section 175, gives the President the constitutional powers to exercise the Prerogative of Mercy. This provision empowers the President to grant pardons, reprieves, and commutations of sentences to convicted persons. However, the controversy surrounding this particular list stems from the nature of offences committed by some of the beneficiaries.
The list includes individuals convicted of capital offences, such as murder, drug trafficking, bribery, corruption,
and other serious crimes. While the President’s action is legally justified, many Nigerians have expressed concern that the gesture may send the wrong message, one that portrays crime as something negotiable for those with influence or connections.
Granting pardons to such offenders, after taxpayers’ money and time were invested in their investigation, prosecution, and imprisonment, leaves much to be desired. The move may weaken public trust in the justice system and discourage law enforcement agencies from performing their duties diligently.
Moreover, such actions could have grave security implications. Some of those released might bear grudges against security personnel who arrested, investigated, or testified against them in court. This puts the lives of these officers and even judges who presided over their cases at potential
risk, especially those who have retired and no longer enjoy official protection.
There is also the issue of inequality in justice. Thousands of Nigerians remain behind bars for minor offences, with no influential figures to plead their cases or lobby for their release. For them, justice seems to depend not on the law, but on connections. This disparity continues to raise questions about fairness and equal treatment under the law.
In a country battling insecurity, corruption, and a weakened justice system, presidential pardons of such magnitude must be handled with the utmost care and transparency. While mercy is a noble virtue, justice must not be sacrificed on its altar.
Tochukwu Jimo Obi, Abuja jimobi83@gmail.com
Politics Editor DEJI
Email: deji.elumoye@thisdaylive.com
08033025611 sms only
As Tinubu, Top Politicians Add Colour to Ladoja’s Inauguration as 44th Olubadan...
Kemi olaitan writes that the coronation of Oba Rasidi Ladoja as 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland was a gathering of political heavyweights across the country.
The coronation of Oba Rasidi Ladoja, a former governor of Oyo State and ex-Senator who represented Oyo South in the aborted Third Republic as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland though expected to reflect the spiritual depth and cultural richness of the traditional heritage was however to become an avenue for the assemblage of political heavyweights across political divides and all over the country.
President Bola Tinubu, a long time friend of the new Olubadan, was to lead the pack of politicians that include serving and former governors, Senators and Ministers that thronged the historic Mapo Hall in Ibadan, venue for the colourful ceremony.
The political juggernauts in attendance included Governors Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), and Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo).
Also present were former governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Donald Duke (Cross River), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Senator Gbenga Daniel (Ogun) and the wife of a former governor of Oyo State, Mrs. Kemi Alao-Akala.
President Tinubu was also accompanied to the event by the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji.
While the gathering of these politicians to an ordinary man on the street could be unexpected however for political watchers the reverse would have been the case given whom Oba Ladoja was before ascending the throne.
To political watchers, Oba Ladoja who can
be described as a cat with nine lives had indeed paid his dues in politics between the time he won election as a Senator in 1992 and few years back that he did not contest for any political position. Ladoja, indeed made history as the first former governor to ascend the throne of Olubadan of Ibadanland.
President Tinubu alluded to the political significance of Oba Ladoja in his speech by recalling his turbulent years as a governor, noting how his impeachment and political battles showcased his courage and determination. According to him, it was an honour to witness a long-time political ally ascend the throne of his forefathers.
His words, “Let me also salute the renowned
businessman, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adewolu Ladoja, Arusa 1, on the occasion of your coronation.
“All the things that you’ve started, the deliberations, expectations, and history that we share for this country. It is a great honour, a moment of history, that you ascend the throne of your forebearers.
“It is my prayer that you will live long and be celebrated as one of the rare gems of history to ascend the throne of your forefathers. It is my honour, joy, and pleasure to wish you this day and many more days ahead. Many more years of joy, prosperity, and relevance in the institution of democracy and the history of Obaship in Nigeria.”
The President as a politician could also not but acknowledged former governors present - Duke, Oyinlola, Amosun, Mallam Shekarau, and “my friend, Rabiu Kwamkwaso.”
According to him: “This moment is not for long speech, but to give joy and prayers to the man of the moment, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.”
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State while presenting the staff of office and certificate of office to Oba Ladoja, said his emergence as the 44th traditional leader of the ancient city was a source of pride to the people of Ibadan. He said, “This is a momentous occasion in the presence of President Bola Tinubu, in the presence of the people, and in the presence of God.
on www.thisdaylive.com
Anambra Guber: An Open Race for All Candidates
Dan obi writes that the November, 2025 gubernatorial poll in anambra State remains an open race that can go the way of any of the candidates of the five main political parties viz aPGa, aPC, LP, YPP and aDC.
Politics in Anambra is complicated. It’s often always about candidates, their godfathers, moneybags, an increasingly transactional electorate, and endless intrigues. Zoning in Anambra exists, but more as a convenient debate topic. It is respected by most and disregarded by a hard-headed few.
The 2025 governorship election has all the attributes of Anambra macabre politics. The only exception is that there is no front runner, despite Governor Charles Soludo being the incumbent. His candidacy is distressed by insecurity, and his alienation from Anambra traditional and religious leaders.
The general Anambra population is not impressed by his APGA credentials and arrogance of power. The markets, transport, commerce, and business people in Anambra oppose his excessive taxation, as well as the ruthlessness and brutality used to enforce internal revenue generation. His unfulfilled “Dubai/ Taiwan” promises are openly ridiculed.
With recent rains washing out several roads that Soludo constructed, the political opposition now tag his “solution” mantra as “pollution.”
Between Soludo and Ndi Anambra, the word ‘love’ is absent. This may be why Soludo is beatable, despite his alignment with the ruling APC government in Abuja.
Soludo, however, retains the incumbency factor. His party, APGA, has not lost a governorship election in the state since coming to power in 2006. But, insiders say Soludo is vulnerable as his sophistry and mean-spiritedness continue to draw umbrage. Being from the south, he risks the same one-term fate that befell Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju.
But, the opposition in Anambra is also struggling. PDP, the longtime main opposition, has all but imploded. Regrouping seems impossible. Their governorship candidate seems unknown
and faceless. Some suggest he is a stand-in.
The APC team are old political hands. Nevertheless, the tag team of Dr Nicholas Ukachukwu and Dr Uche Ekwunife are already up shit-creek without a paddle. Their albatross is that Anambra hates APC. Both have also engaged Soludo with invectives. Anambra people want leaders, not a maddening crowd. Yet, it must be considered that Abuja APC has their back, so to speak. If Abuja can redo a “Lucky Edo” then Ukachukwu and Ekwunife may have a chance.
The other ‘possibles’ and ‘probables’
are the LP, ADC and YPP candidates. With these three waxing strong without waning, the race is assuredly open.
Dr. George Moghalu of the LP is an old APC hand now wearing LP gloves. He joined LP when it had stopped being a national brand. His candidacy, which derived from the Aburefaction primaries, makes him vulnerable, even if he wins. LP faithful are also struggling to give him full support. Likewise, the churches. It is still unclear if Moghalu is a sporadic Catholic or Pentecostal. He has reportedly run for offices in both capacities. His connection with APC seems not fully severed, as his son works in the Presidency. Moghalu is, however, a veteran of old-style brickbat politics. Experience, good
or bad, tends to count.
APC, it seems, has successfully invested to occupy three outer lanes in the mainly six party Anambra race: APGA-APC, LP-APC and APC-APC.
The other non-aligned contenders, the YPP, ADC and PDP are all underdogs. But they possess the ability to do what underdogs do best: overturn the apple cart and upset the incumbent and front-runners.
The YPP team of Paul Chukwuma and Uzu Okagbue represent youth, gumption, and idealism. But, zoning has always thrown up the monkey wrench into the works. Anambra has accepted the unwritten rotational zoning code. In that vein, it’s the turn of the South, not the North or Central. Yet, the YPP spirit of Ifeanyi Ubah might undergird their energy and fate.
The ADC team of John Nwosu and Ndubisi Nwobu pride themselves as a novelty. They may ride the wave crest of ADC becoming the national coalition party. Nwosu is a new and fresh face. His demeanour is akin to that of Governor Peter Mbah, and they look alike. His deputy, Nwobu is a political veteran, astute, well-known, and before now, the PDP State Chairman. The duo seems committed to running an issues-based campaign and claims to be the “credible alternative.”
On balance, there is no contention on NwosuNwobu religious affinities: an ex-catholic Seminarian and a Knight of the Anglican Communion. They have focused on the twin challenge that dogs Anambra: insecurity and over taxation. They have also consistently characterized Soludo’s governance records, as “failed”, “inconsistent” and “dismal.”
-Obi writes from Abuja.
soludo
olubadan of Ibadanland, oba Adewolu ladoja (left) and President Bola Tinubu
TRIBUTE
Celebrating Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed at 80
Abdullahi Usman
The name, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed (Dangaladiman Gwandu), is one I have long been accustomed to hearing within the family circles as a growing up kid in the then modest town of Birnin Kebbi of the early 1970s. A direct descendant of the renowned Islamic reformist scholar and first Emir of Gwandu, Sheikh Abdullahi Bin Fodio, and scion of the Ubandoman Gwandu and Magajin Rafin Gwandu families of Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, Dr. Bello Mohammed is an accomplished individual by any definition of the term. Back then as children, however, we used to refer to him D’an Baba, which I later got to realise was on account of his being named after his maternal grandfather and respected uncle of mine, the late Magajin Rafin Gwandu, Muhammadu Bello, of blessed memory.
Magajin Rafi Bello was an elder brother of my late father, Alhaji Usman Malami Bunza, who would go on to inherit and hold the same title for 30 years following the passing of the former in 1973. He was also a childhood friend of my maternal grandfather and namesake, Magatakardan Gwandu, Mallam Abdullahi Kakale, dating back to the period they both attended the Birnin Kebbi Elementary School in the early 1900s.
Mallam Abdullahi Kakale would subsequently assume the title of Magatakarda, following the appointment of his bosom friend as the Magajin Rafi on March 26, 1940. Ubandoma Sa’ad Haliru Abdu, Dangaladima Bello Haliru’s paternal grandfather was also a longstanding friend of both Magajin Rafi Bello and Magatakarda Kakale, resulting in several intermarriages amongst the three families.
I have always held Dr. Bello, as he came to be addressed following his graduation with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1973, in reverence and awe anytime I got the chance to set eyes on him as a kid. He has always been a mentor to me from my childhood, even though he may not have been aware of it; so much so that I subconsciously modelled after him, down to adopting his style of dressing. Such that even the way I wear my cap today was copied directly from him, with the only difference being that while he pushes down the top of his own cap on the left side, I push mine down on the right, so it wouldn’t be so obvious that I copied him.
I was also influenced to apply for the same course he studied after my IJMB at the then School of Basic Studies, ABU, Zaria. Although I managed to secure admission at the same University,
my name somehow miraculously disappeared from the faculty list upon resumption, after I had earlier confirmed that I was listed among the newly admitted students. Such was the level of influence he has always had on me, and I am happy to seize the occasion of his 80th birthday on Thursday, October 9th, 2025, to finally make this open confession.
Dr. Bello would later go on to marry my beloved elder sister, Hajiya Aisha, back when I was still in primary school. That further increased our level of interaction when I regularly visited them during my traditional exeat days on Fridays and Sundays, as a boarding student at the then Government College Sokoto in the early 1980s; the same secondary school he attended several years previously.
I have countless childhood memories of my interactions with him during that period and can vividly recall one funny incident he may probably have long forgotten. It happened during one of those exeat visits to their home on Anka Road, Sokoto, as a 12- to 13-year-old junior student in my early years. I was so tired on a particular Sunday afternoon that I fell asleep in one of the rooms immediately after lunch, only to be discovered by the maid around 9pm, long after I should have returned to school at 6pm. On
recognising how late it was, I broke down crying, knowing the fate that awaited me in the hands of my seniors back at school.
Dr. Bello requested that I should proceed to have my dinner as he watched the day’s NTA Network News broadcast, following which he would drop me off at school. When it dawned on him that I wouldn’t stop crying, he promptly cut short his daily NTA News viewing routine and drove me straight to school. Along the way, he sought to understand why I was still crying, and amidst intermittent sobs, I explained how our seniors typically punished us for any such, or even far lesser infractions on our part.
He offered to personally hand me over to our House Captain to explain why I was late, but I pleaded that he dropped off me at a safe distance, instead, from where I would then sneak into the hostel unnoticed. At one point, Dr. Bello then proposed meeting the School Principal to report on how junior students were being maltreated in that manner. That idea elicited even more sobs and pleas from me, knowing full well that it would fetch me even more punishment, as the seniors did not take such reports and the resulting reprimand they elicit lightly. They would likely target you once they noticed that you had people of influence that
could intervene on your behalf. In the end, he reluctantly dropped me off some distance away from the hostel as I had pleaded and left.
Dangalidama has no airs about him and would freely discuss with you despite your obvious age difference. I particularly enjoy my personal interactions with him, which always leave me better informed about the issues, regardless of the nature of the topic we may be discussing. At close quarters, it is also surprising to discover that he likes to joke a lot despite any previous assumptions to the contrary. Just over three and a half years ago, our already sufficiently close interactions became even more frequent when I visited his house daily over an extended period of well over three months, following an unfortunate sad incident that befell my brother at the time. We hurriedly converted his house into an emergency Command and Control Centre of sorts where we gathered daily, and I have nothing but abiding respect and appreciation for the way he expertly handled and calmed that delicate situation.
A onetime Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria Students Union Government President (1970 - 1971); former lecturer at ABU; two-time Commissioner (Agriculture & Education) in the old Sokoto State; Deputy General Manager, National Livestock Production Company, Kaduna; General Manager, Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRBDA); former Director and later Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (1988 - 1993); member, Board of Directors of the now defunct NAL Merchant Bank (1999 - 2001); Federal Commissioner in the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission; Chairman, Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals Company (2005); Federal Government delegate at the 2005 National Political Reform Conference (2005); National Vice - Chairman (North West), of the People’s Democratic Party (2004 - 2008); Deputy National Chairman, PDP (2008 - 2011) and PDP National Chairman (2011); Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Railway Corporation; Minister of Communications and Minister of Defence during the Obasanjo and Jonathan administrations, respectively, amongst many others, Dangaladima, or Sabbene, as we fondly call him, has been there, done that and seen it all. I would like to use the occasion of his 80th birthday on Thursday, October 9, 2025 to express my profound gratitude to the Almighty Allah SWT for the gift of his eventful and impactful life. I beseech Allah to grant him good health and many more years of positive contribution and impact to his immediate and extended family, our state, and the nation at large. Happy birthday and many more happy returns, Sabbene!
Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed
LAWYER
Examining the Police Tinted Glass Policy
Quotable
‘From terrorism to cybercrime, our region faces threats that do not respect borders. Legal systems must adopt, to address these challenges collectively. ECOWAS Court has a role to play, in interpreting regional instruments that support coordinated security responses, while safeguarding fundamental rights.’ - Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Federal Republic of Nigeria
STEPHEN KOLA-BALOGUN
Stephen Kola Balogun, is a vastly experienced Legal Practitioner who obtained his LL.B from University of Ife and LL.M from School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London. He has Post-Graduate Diplomas in Intellectual Property Law, Construction Law, Management and Arbitration. He has served in various capacities since his Call to the Nigerian Bar in 1982, including practicing at Akinjide & Co., and lecturing part-time at Oxbridge Tutorial College. He was the Honourable Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Special Needs, State of Osun, August, 2011 to November, 2014. He is currently the Principal Partner at Kola Balogun & Partners. SKB, as he is fondly called, is accredited with several publications to his name, both International and Domestic.
Page V
Pardon: A Coat of Many Colours
“Justice is a three-way traffic - for the Appellant accused of a heinous crime of murder….for the victim, the murdered man…..and finally, for the society at large” - Godwin Josiah v The State 1985 1 NWLR Part 1 Page 125 per Chukwudifu Akunne Oputa, JSC
Season of Presidential Pardons
The season of Presidential Pardons has come again, as last week, President Bola Tinubu, GCFR exercised the prerogative of mercy in favour of 175 people. I remember addressing this topic when late President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, granted pardons to former Governors, Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame in 2022, barely three years into serving their prison sentences related to corruption. Dariye had been serving a 10 year sentence for money laundering related offences, while Nyame was serving a 12 year sentence for fraud/misappropriation of funds. At the time, I had observed that granting pardons to these two ex-Governors raised issues about Government’s commitment to its fight against corruption and accountability, as it appeared as if Government was showing the world that corruption is regarded as nothing more than a misdemeanour in Nigeria.
However, again, issues of accountability and qualification have been raised about the pardon of some of President Tinubu’s Pardonees, such as Maryam Sanda who was convicted and sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello; Nweke Francis Chibueze serving a life sentence for cocaine related offences and one Kelvin Oniarah Ezigbe, who is said to be a kidnap kingpin sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in 2013 and had his sentence reduced, because he apparently showed remorse and attended Open University. I will address this further below.
Constitution and Pardon
Sections 175 and 212 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)(the Constitution) give the President and the Governors respectively, the power to grant pardons. A pardon is simply an official act of forgiveness or leniency, granted to a person connected with or convicted of an offence. In Falae v Obasanjo & Ors (No. 2) (1999) LPELR-6585(CA), the Court of Appeal held that Section 161 of the 1979 Constitution appeared to recognise two types of pardon, namely a free pardon and a pardon with conditions. Indeed, there are at least three types of pardon - 1) a full pardon that comes without conditions; 2) a pardon that comes with conditions; and 3) a commutation of sentence - see Sections 175(1)(a) -(d) and 212(1)(a) - (d) of the Constitution. Several factors are taken into consideration in exercising this prerogative of mercy such as, type of offence; convict’s remorsefulness, conduct in prison and rehabilitation; time served in prison; humanitarian grounds and public interest. In this exercise undertaken by President Tinubu, it hasn’t been revealed whether the pardon that he granted to those who, for example, had served sentences for corruption related offences, for instance, whether any properties or money they may have forfeited upon their convictions remained forfeited, or were returned to them. If they were given a full pardon, all the penalties attached to being convicted wouldn’t be applicable - see Falae v Obasanjo & Ors (No. 2) (Supra).
So, for instance, if Pardonee, Honourable Farouk Lawan was pardoned pursuant to Section 175(1)(d) of the Constitution, Section 66(1)(d) thereof which would prevent someone such as himself from running for any elective office for a period of at least 10 years, having been convicted for an offence involving dishonesty (and also contravening the Code of Conduct) would be inapplicable to him, and he would be free to run for office immediately. While Lawan has paid his debt to society, having completed serving his prison sentence, some argue that to pay it in full, accountability demands that in the public’s interest, the 10 year ban on running for elective office must run its course, and that lifting this ban by means of a pardon shows a lack of commitment on Government’s part to reinforce the fight against corruption, and ensure that only upstanding citizens occupy elective positions.
In any event, Section 175(2) of the Constitution gives the President almost absolute powers on the grant of pardons, as he only has to consult with the Council of State on it, that is, to seek their advice which he is under no compulsion to accept (also see Section 212(2) of the Constitution). To complete the process of this Presidential exercise and make it official, it must be published in the Federal Gazette.
Be that as it may, Nigeria must begin to take the issue of accountability seriously. We also need to imbibe the concept of equality, equity and fairness as laid out in the preamble of the Constitution and provisions such as Section 42 thereof more seriously too, particularly vis-à-vis the administration of criminal justice, in order to have a just and better society that is evident to all.
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
II cannot deny that one size doesn’t always fit all, as the facts of each case may be different, and must be well considered before making a decision; but, there must be some kind of consistency in the administration of criminal justice. Many believe that, different yardsticks are used for the privileged and the less privileged. If this assertion is proven to be true, then it is not only wrong, but it is unconstitutional, as we are all equal, whether under the law or otherwise. However, it is because of the inconsistency in the Nigerian system of administration of criminal justice, that the narrative of inequality and inequity is thriving.
onikepo braithwaite
onIkePo BRAIThwAITe
onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive. com onikepob@yahoo.com
“What message is Government sending….issues of accountability and qualification have been raised about the pardon of some of President Tinubu’s Pardonees, such as Maryam Sanda….Nweke Francis Chibueze…and one Kelvin Oniarah Ezigbe,….when the cause is unreasonable like that of Boko Haram, laced with unfounded religious extremist views….or IPOB, a cause which may have started as an agitation for self-determination, but both are now steeped in outright criminality and terrorism, should the thought of pardon or amnesty arise? What qualifies them, as deserving? Whose interest would be served?”
Sanda Since Sanda’s Pardon, I have seen comments where her being pardoned has been criticised as being unfair to late Bilyaminu Bello whom she killed; his family, and others who may not come from privileged families like Sanda, that have voices loud enough to be heard; or those who have committed lesser offences, languishing in prison awaiting trial, and have more difficult family circumstances than Sanda does. Some even complained that Sanda was pardoned, because she’s a woman from the North. Apart from the fact that Sanda hadn’t served much time at all (less than 7 years), from the comments so far, her pardon appears to serve only her personal interest, and not that of the public who appear to oppose it. The family of the victim, must also be taken into consideration. In USA for example, for parole hearings, the families of victims are allowed to make their own submissions as to whether the convict should be released. Pardon and Parole are two different processes, but, in either process, the feelings of the victims’ loved ones are important. One wonders if the family of late Bilyaminu Bello, support Sanda’s pardon. As for the kidnap kingpin, considering the fact that Nigeria has been facing a scourge of kidnapping, many believe that remorseful or not, he should have been made complete his 20 year sentence. See Godwin Josiah v The State (Supra). What about all the man power and resources that were wasted, from law enforcement to the judicial process?
Three Occurrences, Accountability and Repentance
Apart from the Presidential Pardons, three occurrences last week, also brought this issue of accountability to the fore.
1) As a result of the robbery incident involving late Somtochukwu Maduagwu, she and Barnabas Danlami, the security guard, died. The robbers who are said to be responsible for this ugly incident, were allegedly apprehended by the Police last week. By virtue of Section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act 1984 (RFA), the punishment prescribed for anyone found guilty
same Politics Today programme, attempt to prove that the allegations of presenting forged certificates levelled against Nnaji were false, a campaign of calumny against him by the political opposition. It is because no high profile Government official who has been involved in this kind of criminal behaviour has ever been properly held accountable and made to go to prison, that the interviewee who came out to support Nnaji could do so with such gusto and aplomb, defending the indefensible. If Nnaji is prosecuted, let alone convicted and sentenced to any term of imprisonment, the outcry will be that it’s because he’s Igbo that he’s being persecuted, since other politicians have been able to get away with this kind of offence. I heard some people say that Nnaji has already suffered enough, because he had to resign from his Ministerial position! To date, starting from Buharigate in 1999, when Honourable Salisu Buhari resigned from the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives having been found to have presented a forged certificate from University of Toronto, Politicians have got away with fake certificate issue, so, some are asking why it should be different for Nnaji?
What Message is Government Sending to Nigerians and the World?
What message is Government sending, with the way many criminal issues are handled? If corruption is treated as a misdemeanour, and all decisions are perceived to based on things like political considerations, status and position in society, ethnicity and everything else except the gravity of the crimes that are committed, meting out justice and ensuring the prevention of their reoccurrence, how do we build a better society?
of armed robbery is death by hanging or firing squad (see Section 1(3) of the RFA). For terrorists and insurgents, the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 (TPPA) prescribes various punishments ranging from the death penalty to up to life imprisonment, depending on the circumstances of the case. In short, murder/culpable homicide punishable with death, terrorism/insurgency, and kidnapping where the victim dies, are all grave offences. Also see for example, Section 2(2) & (3) of the Lagos State Kidnapping Prohibition Law 2017.
2) Aside from the submissions of Governor Alex Otti during the Presidential visit to Abia State on freeing Nnamdi Kanu, I watched an interview of Senator Orji Kalu on Channels TV making a similar submission for the release of Nnamdi Kanu. Most Nigerians are not in support of granting amnesty/pardon to people who are guilty of heinous crimes, particularly those that involve the murder of innocent people for whatever cause, be it so-called repentant terrorists and bandits or whatever. That would be akin to saying that the killers of Somtochukwu and Mr Barnabas should be set free and go unpunished, because they are sorry for what they did. No! We want them all punished, to the fullest extent of the law.
3) The third occurrence, is the issue of the former Minister whose University Degree and NYSC Certificate were said to be a forgery, thereby resulting in his resignation. This issue of presenting fake academic credentials, has been a recurring decimal in Nigeria’s political space. Again, as I watched the interview of the Editor of Premium Times on Channels TV’s Politics Today, the Editor stated that the person that purportedly signed Mr Nnaji’s NYSC certificate, became the DG of NYSC a year or so after the date his alleged signature was appended on the fake document; yet, DSS accepted the document as true? See Chapter XX of the Penal Code Act 1960 (PCA) on Forgery, particularly Section 368 which upon conviction provides for up to 14 years imprisonment and a fine. It was therefore, bizarre to see someone on the
What message is Government sending to the communities and people, who have been victims of the violent, brutal, and murderous crimes committed by Boko Haram, Bandits, Insurgents, Herders, IPOB, ESN etc? Simon Ekpa, in Finland, a country that is totally unrelated to Nigeria, was brought to justice ‘sharply’, found guilty and sentenced to six years imprisonment for incitement to terrorism, participation in the activities of a terrorist group and other related offences that took place in Nigeria. So, many are asking, why then would Nigeria, wherein all their dastardly terrorist activities took place, way beyond the agitation for any reasonable cause or self determination, fail and neglect to do justice? Where numerous people were killed and maimed; where people suffered great losses of revenue due to the unlawful Monday sit-at-home order that went on for years; where the Governments and the people of the South East were intimidated; where Government installations were destroyed? Do those who have suffered or died, not deserve justice? If Finland can take the step it did, it shows that this is the proper step to take, and as we say in Nigerian parlance, it would be “one kind” if Nigeria, the main actor, treats the matter with kid gloves. What is the difference between convicted murderers in prison, the armed robbers who killed Somtochukwu and Mr Barnabas on the one hand, and the murderers in the guise of Boko Haram insurgents, IPOB etc? Because the latter commit heinous offences, under the guise of some sort of cause or agitation? Why should some killers be treated differently from others? Why should there be different standards of justice, for different sets of people? Do the victims not matter?
Conclusion
While Pardons are largely granted at the discretion of the President or Governor, this discretion must be exercised properly and judiciously, not recklessly, taking all the necessary considerations and parties related thereto, not just the convict, into reckoning.
I read a news story the other day that discussed some alleged reconciliation talks with one Bello Turji, a notorious Bandit group leader in the North, citing Islam which preaches reconciliation, as the basis of the negotiation. This is why some of us are of the firm view that, Section 10 of the Constitution must be upheld; religion and State are separate, and must remain so. Islam certainly doesn’t support stealing, banditry, murder, rape and other violent crimes, let alone using it to escape from criminal liability. All those advocating for the release or pardon of such violent criminals, may want to have a rethink. Amnesty may work when there are identifiable, reasonable causes which can be addressed, as in the case of President Yar’Adua’s 2009 Amnesty Programme in the Niger Delta, in which thousands of Niger Delta militants were granted amnesty by his administration leading to their disarmament, reintegration into society and a significant reduction in their activities to almost nothing, But, when the cause is unreasonable like that of Boko Haram, laced with unfounded religious extremist views that Western education is prohibited, or IPOB, a cause which may have started as an agitation for self-determination, but both are now steeped in outright criminality and terrorism, should the thought of pardon or amnesty arise? What qualifies them, as deserving? Whose interest would be served?
What message is Government sending….issues of accountability and qualification have been raised about the pardon of some of President Tinubu’s Pardonees, such as Maryam Sanda….Nweke Francis Chibueze… and one Kelvin Oniarah Ezigbe,….when the cause is unreasonable like that of Boko Haram, laced with unfounded religious extremist views….or IPOB, a cause which may have started as an agitation for self-determination, but both are now steeped in outright criminality and terrorism, should the thought of pardon or amnesty arise? What qualifies them, as deserving? Whose interest would be served?
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR
Pardonee, Maryam Sanda
Freedom of Information Act: Applicability to Public Records of States
Facts On 4th February, 2014, the Appellants filed an Originating Summons against the Respondent at the High Court of Edo State, seeking the determination of whether the information sought by the Appellants from the Respondent ought to be granted under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011. The Appellants sought amongst other reliefs, a declaration that compulsory disclosure of information by an agency of government is governed by the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011; and several other declaratory orders compelling the Respondent to release to the Appellants certain information on its revenue expenditure between the periods of 20112011; subventions of the Edo State Government to the Respondent; details of the grant-aid from corporate and private donors to the Respondent; documents containing the criteria used to select and deselect an organisation in the selection list for grant; the number of civil society groups in Edo State on the selection list and; details of the Respondent’s local and international donors from the year 2011 till date. The Appellant also sought general and exemplary damages against the Respondent for unlawful denial of information.
After considering the affidavit evidence and addresses filed by the parties, the trial court delivered its judgement in which it granted all the reliefs sought by the Appellants save the prayer for damages and cost. Dissatisfied, the Respondent appealed to the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal by a majority of 2:1, on the ground that the Edo State has not enacted a law similar to the Freedom of Information Act 2011 (FIA, 2011), and so the Respondent was not bound to comply with the provisions of the Act. The Court of Appeal held that the FIA, 2011 is only applicable to public records and archives of the Federation and not of the States. Displeased, the Appellants appealed to the Supreme Court. The parties filed and exchanged the briefs of argument. The Respondent raised a preliminary objection in its brief, which the Apex Court considered before proceeding to determine the issues for determination in the main appeal.
Issue for Determination of Respondent’s Preliminary Objection
Whether the trial court had the requisite jurisdiction to entertain the Appellant’s suit in the first instance.
Arguments
According to the Respondent’s counsel, the Respondent was not established by any law of Edo State or an Act of the National Assembly or incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, and so the Appellant is not a juristic entity capable of being sued. Counsel urged the Supreme Court to hold that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit as constituted in the first place because the Respondent is not a juristic entity.
In response, counsel for the Appellant submitted that the Respondent was established by the Edo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (Establishment Etc) Law, 2009, as a body corporate with juristic capacity to sue or be sued in its corporate name, under Section 1(1).
Court’s Resolution of Preliminary Objection
The Apex Court held that by the provision of Section 1(1) of the Edo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (Establishment) Law No. 3, 2009, it was explicitly stated that the Respondent was established as a body corporate with perpetual succession and common seal, and may sue and be sued in its corporate name. The Apex Court held that the simple and concise words of the provision have put the juristic personality/legal personality of the Respondent to sue or be sued in a legal action before a court of law, in its corporate name, beyond argument. On this basis, the Court dismissed the objection raised by the Respondent’s counsel.
Issues for Determination in Main Appeal
In determining the appeal, the Supreme Court considered the following issue formulated by the Appellant:
Whether the Court of Appeal was right in law when it held that despite the provisions of item 4 in Part 2 of the 2nd Schedule to the Constitution of the
Honourable Mohammed Lawal Garba, JSC
In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at abuja On Friday, the 11th day of april, 2025
Before their lordships
Mohammed Lawal Garba adamu Jauro
Jummai Hannatu Sankey Obande Festus Ogbuinya abubakar Sadiq umar Justices, Supreme Court SC/614/2018
Between
COMRade auSTIN OSaKWe & 7 ORS aPPeLLaNTS (For and on behalf of Civil Society Groupss in Edo State)
And
edO STaTe aGeNCy FOR THe CONTROL OF aIdS ReSPONdeNT (Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable Mohammed Lawal Garba, JSC)
Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Freedom of Information Act enacted by the National Assembly as it relates to public records and archives is not applicable to the public records and archives of Edo State.
Arguments
Counsel for the Appellant submitted that the provisions of FIA, 2011 apply to all public records and archives of Government in all states of the Federation and not only to those of the Government of the Federation in line with item 4, Part II of the 2nd Schedule to the Constitution to which items 5 in Part II are subjected.
Conversely, counsel for the Respondent argued that the doctrine of covering the field is not applicable to the case of the Appellants and that the provisions of FIA, 2011 are not applicable to public records of Edo State Government. Counsel cited Section 29 of FIA 2011, in support of his argument that if the provisions of the Act are to be binding on the states, the offices of the Attorney General of
“…the FIA 2011 remains the extant law applicable to all public records in Edo State and also to all public records of/in other States”
of the Second Schedule to the Constitution, the National Assembly is conferred with the legislative power and authority to enact or make laws on public records for the whole of the Federation or Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Apex Court held further that by the provisions in Section 2(2) of the Constitution, the Federation of Nigeria consists of the States and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (FCT) and so logically, the laws enacted by the National Assembly on public records of the Federation or the Federal Republic of Nigeria are for, applicable and apply to all public records in the states and the FCT, as constituents of the Federation or Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Court also pointed out that the provisions in Sections 4(1),(4),(a) of the Constitution and Part II of the Second Schedule thereto, deliberately chose to use the phrase “Federation” and not “the Federal Government” or “Government of the Federation”. The Court held that the public records provided for in the provisions therefore are not limited, restricted or confined to public records of the Government of the Federation. The Apex Court held further that since the Constitution itself has defined the particular and specific phrase “Federation” used and employed in its provisions, the law requires that in the application of the relevant provisions of the Constitution, the said definition, and no other shall be adopted. The Court placed reliance on ANYAH v IYAYI (1993) 9SCNJ, 53 (19930 7 NWLR (PT. 365) 390.
The Court held that there is no dispute that the FIA, 2011 was enacted by the National Assembly in exercise of its legislative power under Section 4(1) and (4)(a) of the Constitution to legislate on public records of the Federation or Federal Republic of Nigeria, as an item on the concurrent legislative list as set out in Part II of the Second Schedule to the Constitution. The Court held that since the discretion provided for the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly is concurrent on the items specified on the concurrent legislative list, both Houses of Assembly enjoy the competence to enact laws on the items at the same time, concurrently or at different times, as the case may be. The Court held further that the likelihood that any concurrent laws enacted on any of these items may be divergent or inconsistent with each other or even conflicting, was envisaged by the Constitution itself, hence why Section 4(5) was enacted to resolve any inconsistency that may arise between such concurrent laws, such that in the event of any inconsistency, it has provided that the laws enacted by the National Assembly shall prevail over and supersede the conflicting law made by the State House of Assembly on the same item, and the State law shall be void to the extent of its inconsistency, based on the doctrine of covering the field.
States would be by-passed contrary to the principle of Federalism.
Court’s Judgement and Rationale
The Supreme Court held that the Constitution, for the purpose of its provisions has precisely defined the phrase “Federation” used therein, in Section 318 to mean the Federal Republic of Nigeria; while Section 2(1) of the same Constitution provided that Nigeria shall be one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state to be known by the name of the “Federal Republic of Nigeria”. The Supreme Court held that by these provisions and the definition in Section 318, the National Assembly is vested with the authority, by dint of the provisions in Section 4(1), to legislate or enact laws for “the Federation” or “the Federal Republic of Nigeria”. The Apex Court referred to its definition of “Federation” in A. G., RIVERS STATE v A.G., FEDERATION (2019) 12 NWLR (PT. 1652) 53 AT 71 AND 85.
The Court held that going by these definitions, it follows therefore that the National Assembly is clothed with the requisite legislative power to enact laws to apply to the whole of the Federation or Federal Republic of Nigeria, in respect of all the items listed under the concurrent legislative list set out in Part II of the Second Schedule to the Constitution.
The Court held that Paragraph 4 specifically provides that the National Assembly may make laws for the Federation or any part thereof with respect to the archives and public records of the Federation. The Court held that by the combined provisions in Sections 4(1),(4),(a) of the Constitution and Paragraph 4 of Part II
The Apex Court held that in the instant case, insofar as the Edo State House of Assembly did not exercise its concurrent legislative authority to legislate on public records in Edo State in which event the doctrine of covering the field did not arise, the law enacted by the National Assembly on the public record for the Federation or Federal Republic of Nigeria i.e. the FIA, 2011 applies to public records of Edo State, as a constituent of the Federation or Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Supreme Court held that the Court of Appeal was thus wrong to have held that the FIA, 2011 is it applicable to Edo State because the Edo State House of Assembly has not enacted any law on the subject matter. The Court held that even if such a law was enacted by the Edo State House of Assembly, it is still subject to the concurrent legislative power of the National Assembly to enact laws on the same public records in Edo State as a constituent of the Federation or Federal Republic of Nigeria based on the provisions of items 4 and 5 of Part II of the Second Schedule to the Constitution. The Apex Court held that the FIA 2011 remains the extant law applicable to all public records in Edo State and also to all public records of/ or in, being the law enacted by the National Assembly of the Federation or Federal Republic of Nigeria of which all the states are constituents. Appeal Allowed. Judgement of the Court of Appeal Set Aside; Decision of the trial court Restored.
Representation
President Aigbokan for the Appellants.. N. Iyamu for the Respondent.
Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited, Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR)(An affiliate of Babalakin & Co.)
Court Sets Aside EFCC Forfeiture Order on Isa Funtua’s Properties
Stories by Steve Aya
The Federal High Court in Abuja has set aside an interim forfeiture order earlier granted against properties linked to businessman, Alhaji Abubakar Ismaila Isa Funtua, ruling that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) acted beyond its powers. Justice Emeka Nwite, in a judgement in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/ CS/1197/2024, faulted the EFCC for concealing material facts and failing to prove that the properties were proceeds of crime.
The interim order, issued on August 27, 2024, had followed an exparte application by the EFCC, seeking forfeiture of three Abuja properties in Durumi and Maitama districts. Funtua, through his Counsel, Femi Atteh, SAN, filed an affidavit showing cause and an application to vacate the order. Justice Nwite agreed that, the anti-graft agency failed to establish
any unlawful source of funds.
The Judge ruled that the properties were not acquired from proceeds of crime, refusing the EFCC’s request for a final forfeiture. He described the Commission’s attempt to treat a commercial loan dispute as a criminal matter, as “a desperate attempt at making an act a crime
where none exists”.
According to the court, “It is not the duty of the EFCC to enforce a loan transaction that went sour, or to act as a commercial midwife rescuing a bank from its negligence”. Justice Nwite held that, money loaned by a bank belongs to the bank, not depositors, and that the EFCC was not a party
to the loan agreements it sought to enforce.
He further faulted the EFCC for failing to disclose the existence of related suits already before the courts, describing the omission as a concealment of material facts.
This ruling comes months after another court, presided by Justice Aminu Abdullahi,
awarded ₦2 million damages against the EFCC, for violating Funtua’s fundamental rights during a previous arrest and interrogation.
During the interrogation, he demanded to know the petition or allegation against him, but the officers refused to inform him, only telling him they were acting on
“orders from above”. In another judgement by Justice M.O. Olajuwon, the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 3, 2024, discharged an ex-parte order made on May 7, 2024 empowering the EFCC to instruct the Managing Directors of banks to stop all outward payment, operation or transactions on accounts linked to Isa.
Lawyer Sues FG, Interior Minister, Immigration Service Over Passport Fee Hike
The Minister of Interior, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and the Attorney-General of the Federation have been dragged before the Federal High Court, Lagos Division, over what a Human Rights Lawyer, Francis Chigozie Moneke, described as an extortionate increase in the fees for obtaining Nigerian international passports. The suit, filed
on October 6, 2025, is marked FHC/L/ CS/2023/2025.
In the fundamental rights enforcement action, Moneke contends that the sharp increase in passport fees, violates citizens’ rights to freedom of movement and freedom from discrimination, as guaranteed under Sections 41 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Articles
12 and 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Relying on the Supreme Court’s decision in Director, SSS v Olisa Agbakoba, the Applicant argued that the right to a passport is an essential facility for exercising the right to freedom of movement. He said making the document unaffordable for millions of Nigerians, effectively
denies them the ability to freely exit or re-enter the country.
Moneke maintained that, as the Supreme Court held in Agbakoba’s case, “it is not conceivable that a right can be given without the facility for its actualisation”.
He therefore, argued that the Government is duty-bound to make passports easily accessible and affordable
Court Holds Off on Ajudua's Bail Application
The Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, again, heard a fresh bail application from Fred Ajudua, the controversial businessman standing trial for alleged fraud. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) strenuously opposed the bid, telling the court it should await the resolution of a pending Supreme Court matter before entertaining any bail motion.
Ajudua, who is accused of defrauding a Palestinian national,
Zad Abu Zalaf, of approximately $1,043,000, appeared in court dressed in white native attire and walking with a cane. Through his Counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, he informed the court that he had filed a notice of withdrawal of his Supreme Court motion, to allow the trial court to decide on the bail application. Ojo also drew attention to his client’s failing health, stating that Ajudua suffers from chronic kidney disease and severe
hypertension, and urged the court to prioritise his bail application. The defence further tendered documents, including the withdrawal notice and affidavit in support of the bail application.
But, the EFCC, through prosecuting Counsel, Seidu Atteh, urged the court to defer ruling. He contended that the motion remains on the Supreme Court’s cause list, and insisted the trial court must be satisfied that the withdrawal is properly filed and considered by
the Apex Court before proceeding.
Justice Mojisola Dada agreed with the prosecution’s position. She held that as a court of record, the trial court must be certain that the notice of withdrawal is before the Supreme Court and consider any pronouncement, before ruling on bail. Following this, the court resumed the trial, continuing the cross-examination of Afanda Bashir Emmanuel, an EFCC investigator, who testified that
statements by Ajudua to the Police were part of the case file, but that no fresh statement had been obtained by the EFCC itself.
The court adjourned for further cross-examination, scheduling the next hearing for October 31, 2025. The matter has run through years of litigation: earlier, Ajudua’s case was handled at the Lagos High Court before being transferred, with multiple interlocutory motions and appeals contributing to the protracted delay.
to all citizens.
The Lawyer faulted the new fees of ₦100,000 and ₦200,000 for standard passports, describing them as unreasonable and oppressive. He said the price hike places a “deliberate hurdle”, in the full enjoyment of Nigerians’ freedom of movement.
Moneke further argued that the new rates are discriminatory against millions of Nigerians earning the minimum wage of ₦70,000 or less, or those unemployed, thereby, reserving passports for the wealthy few. He is asking the court to declare the fee increase unconstitutional, and to order the Federal Government to revert to the previous rates, or impose “nominal fees” in the interest of fairness and social justice.
Federal High Court
Francis Chigozie Moneke
Fred Ajudua
Examining the Police Tinted Glass Policy
The furore that has trailed the purported re-introduction of Permit for the use of tinted window glass in vehicles, recently took a worrisome turn when the Police started apprehending vehicles with tinted glass, seizing those who have no Police Permit to use same. across 22 States of Nigeria, several citizens have suffered such indignity. The Nigerian Bar association (NBa) through its Section of Public Interest and development Law (NBa-SPIdeL) has taken legal action on behalf of affected Nigerians, to seek the intervention of the Judiciary on this vexed issue. Ebun-olu Adegboruwa, SAN; Kunle Edun, SAN and Emeka obegolu, SAN weigh in on the propriety or otherwise of this purported policy on the use of tinted car windows, its potential to breach the constitutional rights of citizens, and the opaque privatisation of payment process involved in obtaining the Permit
Nigeria Police and the Tinted Glass Law
Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN
Introduction
The Nigeria Police Force is in the news again, for the enforcement of the ban against tinted or shaded glasses in motor cars. On April 25, 2025, the Police announced its intention to compel the procurement of a written permit, on all cars with tinted glasses. Although, no cogent reason has been proffered
for the implementation of this tinted glass policy inherited as part of the military invasion of our political space, it would seem from all indications that, the goal is that of revenue
“Although, no cogent reason has been proffered for the implementation of this tinted glass policy…..it would seem from all indications that, the goal is that of revenue generation. The challenge with this is that, Nigerians have been taxed and overtaxed…..there has to be a rethink of this policy by the Police”
generation. The challenge with this is that Nigerians have been taxed and overtaxed, and if the rationale behind the current tax reform laws is to harmonise all taxes, then there has to be a rethink of this policy by the Police.
The Law Against Tinted or Shaded Motor Glasses
On 8th February, 1991, the Military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida (Rtd) enacted the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Decree 1991, in the following terms:
“The Federal Military Government hereby decrees as follows:
1. (1) Except with the permission of the appropriate authority designated for the purposes of this Decree and for such good cause as may be determined from time to time by the appropriate authority, no person shall cause any glass fitted on a motor vehicle to be-
(a) tinted; or (b) shaded; or (c) coloured lightly or thickly (d) darkened; or (e) treated in any other way, so that the persons or objects in the motor vehicle are rendered
obscure or invisible.
(2) In this section, "good cause" means health or security reasons.
2. (l) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any law, rule of law, enactment or the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1979, as amended, any person who without the permission of the appropriate authority-
(a) causes any glass fitted on a motor vehicle to be treated in any manner specified in Section 1(1) of this Decree
(b) does or omits to do any act for the purpose of enabling or aiding another person to tint, shade, colour, darken, or treat in any other way any glass fitted on a motor vehicle in any manner specified in Section 1(1) of this Decree
(c) aids another person in tinting, shading, colouring, darkening or treating in any other way any glass fitted on a motor vehicle in any manner specified in Section 1(1) of this Decree ; or
(d) counsels or procures any other person to tint, shade, colour, darken or treat in any other way, any glass
Inspector General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun
President, Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam osigwe, SAN
examining the Police Tinted Glass Policy
fitted on a motor vehicle, commits an offence under this Decree and shall be punished in the manner set out in this Decree.
(2) Any person who commits an offence under paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of this section may himself be charged with tinting, shading, colouring, darkening or treating in any other way the glass fitted on the motor vehicle or with counselling or procuring the tinting, shading, colouring, darkening or treating in any other way the glass fitted on the motor vehicle.
(3) In this Decree(a) reference to the "appropriate authority" means reference to the Inspector-General of Police or any person or authority authorised by him to give such permission as is contemplated in subsection (1) of Section 1 of this Decree
(b) reference to "permission" includes registration.
3. It shall be the duty of the buyer, donee or importer of a motor vehicle with tinted, shaded, coloured, darkened or treated glass to change all the glass within a period of 14 days from the date of arrival in Nigeria or date of purchase (whichever is applicable in each circumstance).
4. (1) Any person who commits an offence under this Decree shall on conviction be liable to a fine of N2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(2) Where an offence under this Decree has been committed by a body corporate, every person who at the time of the commission of the offence was a proprietor, director, general manager, secretary or other similar officer servant or agent of the body corporate (or a person purporting to act in any such capacity) as well as the body corporate shall be guilty of the offence and may be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
5. The Federal High Court shall have jurisdiction to try offenders under this Decree.”
Why the Policy is Wrong Understandably so, Nigerians have kicked against the enforcement of this law on so many grounds. Firstly, it is not reasonably justifiable. The cars in issue were not manufactured in Nigeria, and the owners have no control over the specification or mode of the car. To enforce such a blanket ban, the Government must have a ready alternative which it can offer to its citizens. Secondly, these cars are driven freely in other parts of the world, without the need for a permit. Thirdly, if the ban on tinted or shaded motor glasses is that of security, all that the Police need to do is to ask the motorist to wind down his glasses for random security check.
The Court Cases
The Nigerian Bar Association has challenged the enforcement of this policy in court in Abuja and the Police was duly served with the originating processes in the suit, but it claimed that since there is no positive order from the court, the enforcement will proceed, notwithstanding the court case. Subsequently, on October 2, 2025, the Federal High Court in Warri issued an order, directing the Police to show cause why an order of injunction should not be made to stop the enforcement of the policy. There has been some controversy, on the purport and effect of the order of court for the Police to show cause. Let me dwell on this, a little more.
Under and by virtue of Order 26 Rule 8 of Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019:
“2. Where a motion is made ex-parte, the Court may make or refuse to make the order sought, or may direct the motion to be made on notice to the parties to be affected thereby, or may grant an order to show cause why the order sought should not be made.
C— Order To Show Cause
13. An order to show cause shall specify a day when cause is to be
“A proper analysis of the Motor Vehicle (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act (which was initially a Decree passed by a military government), would reveal that it should not be an existing law in a democratic setting”
shown, be called the return day to the order, which shall ordinarily be not less than three days after service.
14. A person served with an order to show cause may, before the return day, produce evidence to contradict the evidence used in obtaining the order, or setting forth other facts on which he relies to satisfy the Court to discharge or vary such order.
15. On the return day, if the person served does not appear and it appears to the Court that the service on all proper parties has not been duly effected, the Court may enlarge the time and direct further service or make such further order as seems just.
(b) if any other relief is sought, the Judge may at any time grant in the proceedings such interim relief as could be granted in an action begun by writ;
(c) the Judge may impose such terms as to costs and as to giving security as he deems fit.”
Why the Policy Must be Halted Forthwith
In law, an order for a party to show cause why an injunction should not be made, is a preliminary court order that puts the Respondent on notice to demonstrate why they should not be restrained by an injunction. The effect is that it requires the Respondent to argue against the grant of the injunction, and if they fail, the court may issue the injunction based on the Applicant’s argument. The party to whom the order is directed has the duty to show cause, or present reasons why the injunction should not be granted, and this may involve demonstrating that they have a sufficient legal remedy or that the balance of convenience does not
favour the Applicant. The legal effect of the order is that, the Respondent is obligated to appear before the court and argue their case against the injunction being granted. The burden of proof rests heavily on the Applicant for the injunction to show that a serious issue to be tried exists, and that damages will be inadequate compensation. However, if the Respondent fails to show cause, this failure will strengthen the Applicant’s case for the injunction. The court's order serves as a formal notice to the Respondent about the potential injunction, and allows them to be heard on the matter. The order aims to maintain the current state of affairs (status quo), while the court considers the application for injunction. If the Respondent fails to show cause or provides insufficient reasons against the injunction, the court can proceed to grant the injunction. And, even when no positive order of injunction has been made, the Respondent is required to keep matters in status quo, because the court will not aid a party who is guilty of taking steps to jeopardise the subject-matter of the application for injunction.
In the case of John AikpkokpoMartins however, the court specifically directed the Police to maintain the status quo, effectively halting the implementation or further implementation of the policy, pending the hearing and determination of the application for injunction. As the Police are established to maintain law and order and to enforce decisions of the court, the policy on tinted motor glass permits should be suspended for now.
Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, Human Rights Advocate, Lagos
Stopping Motorists for Tinted Glass Permit
Examining the Police Tinted Glass Policy
Illegality of Motor Vehicle Tinted Glass Permit Policy
Kunle Edun, SAN
According to Section 4 of the Police Act,2020, the Nigeria Police Force has several key functions which include: crime prevention and detection, protection of lives and property, maintenance of law and order, community policing, crises response and management, arrest and detention, search and seizure. The Motor Vehicle (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, 1991 is the law that the Nigeria Police seems to rely on to purport to forbid the use of tinted glass by motorists on our roads, and setting modalities for the issuance of the permit.
Analysis of the Law
A proper analysis of the Motor Vehicle (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act (which was initially a Decree passed by a military government), would reveal that it should not be an existing law in a democratic setting.
Section 1 (1) of the Motor Vehicle (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, 1991(The Act) provides that “except with permission of the appropriate authority designated for the purpose of this Decree and for such good cause as may be determined from time to time by the appropriate authority , no person shall cause any glass fitted on a motor vehicle to be- a) tinted, or shaded or, coloured or treated in any way so that the person or object in the motor vehicle are rendered obscure or invisible.”
The Police seems to derive its power under Section 3 (a) of the Act which provides that- “Reference to the “appropriate authority” means reference to the Inspector General of Police or any person or authority authorised by him to give such permission as is contemplated in subsection (1) of 1 of this Decree.”
There is nowhere in the Act where the Police was authorised to impose any charge, levy or fee for the issuance of the Permit. It is a settled principle of law that there cannot be taxation without law. This position has been judicially determined by the Courts in the case of S.A. Authority v Regional Tax Board (1970) LPELR-2967 (SC) and AG Ogun State v Aberuagba (1985) 1 NWLR (PT3) 395, where the courts decided that there cannot
be taxation without an enabling law. Therefore, imposing a fee for the performance of a purely function is illegal and morallyreprehensible. Concerns have also been raised on the constitutionality of the purported Act, and that the National Assembly did not exceed its legislative powers in enacting the Act. The Federal legislature can only enact laws, on subjects within the Exclusive and Concurrent List. Matters relating to Motor Vehicles and usage, are now within the legislative competence of the National Assembly of Nigeria.
The argument of the Nigeria Police Section 26 (e) and (f) of the Police Establishment Act 2025, enables it to render specialised services for a fee, and therefore, justifies the payment of levy or tax for motor vehicle tinted permit. This, in my view, is a very wrong premise and a gross mis-application of settled principles of law regarding taxation (which this fee is actually) and the provisions of the Interpretation Act on statutory pre-conditions, that must be satisfied before fees or levies can be charged when the law is silent on it. The Police Act spells out certain specialised services it can perform for fees, which includes issuing Police extract and SPY Police. As a matter of fact, there are transparency issues, regarding the receipts and utilisation of the funds accruing from these specialised services. But, this will be a discussion for another day.
“It is also concerning that the advertised account into which the payment of N14,000…is to be made, is Parkway Project, apparently a ‘private account’, and this is contrary to the Treasury Single Account Policy of the Federal Government of of Nigeria, for a policy of this nature that has the prospect of generating at least N3 billion in a month….”
More so, the Act does not provide anywhere in the law, that the permit must be issued annually. The Police decided to import into the law, what it never intended. Before now, permits were issued, but never renewable every year, and no official fee charged. It makes no sense to renew a tinted glass permit every year because it is attached to the vehicle, and the ownership of the vehicle does not change every year and the tint is not replaced. Moreover, payment for tinted glass amounts to creating another layer of registration/ taxation, whereas, there can be a one bust-stop for all registrations relating to vehicles; the best time and place being at the time of purchase and the port of arrival. It is also concerning that the advertised account into which the payment of N14,000 (some alleged that they paid more than N50, 000) is to be made is Parkway Project, apparently a ‘private account’, and this is contrary to the Treasury Single Account Policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria, for a policy of this nature that has the prospect of generating at least N3 billion in a month, considering the number of vehicles in Nigeria. Most of the vehicles imported into Nigeria have tinted glasses, and were all cleared at the Ports by the Government.
Concerns
Concerns have been raised also, about a possible abuse of the registration process. All owners of tinted vehicles, will go to the Police State Command headquarters for capturing and uploading. Imagine thousands of Nigerians trooping to the State Commands’ offices everyday, just to capture their details. What happened to the word ‘decentralisation for efficiency’?
More worrisome is the fact that even if all tinted vehicles have permits, it would not reduce crime rate, as othere is no verifiable statistics provided by the Police, to
know the percentage of tinted vehicles that were used in committing crimes. It is an open secret that the manner in which the online platform for tinted permit registration was configured any criminal can apply for it, as the Police have no crime data. So, procuring the tinted permit does not in any way reduce the crime rate, or aid in the detection and prevention of crimes. Government officials are most guilty of heavily tinting their motor glasses, and it is the same armed Policemen that move with them. They are unstoppable on the road because they are above the law, apparently. In civilised climes, policing functions have gone digital. Nigeria Police should stop paper policing. As at today, there is no functional crime data in Nigeria, not even in any State or Area Command in Nigeria. Therefore, all criminals would easily apply for the tint and pay for it, and still go on with their criminal business. Is the Police now saying that every vehicle that has a tinted glass permit, will no longer be subjected to stop and search again? If they would be stopped, why apply for permit? Most of the vehicles that have tinted glasses are factory-fitted and there are good reasons for the tint, which includes health and privacy concerns. Therefore, the provisions of the Act violate the provisions of Section 34, 37 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, relating to citizens’ right to dignity of human person, privacy and movement, which are inalienable rights enforceable in a democratic setting. More so, there are different levels of internationally-permissible tint, requiring no form of official approval. Sadly, the Act did not make any provision for standardisation, and the Police actually has no measurable standards for layers of tint to determine if the inside of a tinted vehicle can been seen from outside, thus, subjecting the enforcement to subjective application by any Police officer.
The Nigeria Police Force announcing that it will embark on the enforcement of the policy and impound vehicles that
Seized Tinted Glass Vehicles
Examining the Police Tinted Glass Policy
do not have the permit, amounts to usurpation of powers of the Judiciary; because the Police will then be the complainant, arrester, prosecutor and enforcer of the judgement which is in contravention of the provisions of Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). The Motor Vehicle (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act 1991, did not give the Police any power to arrest any person or impound any vehicle. The judicial powers rest with the Courts in Nigeria and in this case, the Federal High Court of Nigeria is the only Court that has jurisdiction to try any offender under the Act. See PDP v LAWAL (2023) 12 NWLR (PT 1898) 205. The Court of Appeal admonished Government agencies in NWAEKPE v FRSC (2022) LPELR -56959 (CA): “As to whether Section 10 (4) and 28(2) of the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, (2007) confers judicial powers on Federal Road Safety Commission or its officers contrary to the provisions of the Constitution, this Court had in the case of FRSC v ALABI & ORS (2020) LPELR – 51060 held per Ebiowei Tobi JCA ( delivering the lead judgement) thus: “To this end, I seem to agree with the Appellant’s submission that the said Section 10(4) of the FRSC Act does not confer judicial powers on the Appellant. In fact, I make bold to say that whichever rule of interpretation is used to interpret the above Section of the Act, there is no way Section 10(4) and 28(2) and indeed any provision of the Act confer judicial powers on the Appellant. The Act recognises the power of court to try and convict a traffic offender” - per Senchi, JCA.
The Act provides that punishment for any offence committed under the Act attracts a fine of N2000 only or six months imprisonment; there is no reasonable court that will sentence any offender for refusing to procure a permit for his tinted vehicle. So, for a fine of N2000, the Nigeria Police will want all its men to be on the roads to apprehend owners of vehicles with tinted glasses and thereby, leave other more serious issues of security that daily confront Nigerians. Kidnappers hardly use tinted vehicles. Armed robbers also. Bandits do not. If this is what it is all about, then Nigerians are right to say that the whole essence of the sudden enforcement of a 1991 law is simply for revenue generation. The fact that the permit is renewable with the payment of annual fee, further strengthens this apprehension.
Security is not only the business of the Police, but that of everybody. However, in the enforcement of measures to protect lives and property of the citizens of the Federal Republic of
“This
Nigeria, the Nigeria Police, being a law-enforcing institution, cannot be above the law; it must be subject to and obey the same laws of the land, in a manner that will take cognisance of the fundamental rights of the people of Nigeria to be treated with respect and dignity.
Kunle Edun, SAN, former National Publicity Secretary, NBA
Police Tinted Glass Permit Policy: Use of Private Account to Collect Public Revenue
Emeka Obegolu, SAN
Background
In April 2025, the InspectorGeneral of Police introduced a policy which mandated members of the Nigerian motoring public, to apply for and obtain annual motor tinted glass permits from the Nigeria Police Force upon the payment of a prescribed fee.
Grave Concerns
This policy, as conceptualised,
policy, as conceptualised, raises grave concerns…. constitutional issues…. whether it meets the constitutional threshold of a law reasonably justifiable in a democratic society….the erosion of financial transparency and accountability. Government revenues should flow into the Federation account, as constitutionally mandated. There is no oversight on public funds, by private firms”
raises grave concerns regarding potential threats to, and violation of, citizens’ fundamental rights, particularly the right to dignity of the human person, right to privacy, right to freedom of movement and the right to own movable property guaranteed as by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.
It also raises some constitutional issues, particularly the validity of the Motor Tinted Glass (Prohibition) Act (Decree 1991), a military-era law, and whether it meets the constitutional threshold of a law reasonably justifiable in a democratic society as contemplated under Section 45 of the 1999 Constitution, sufficient enough to warrant any derogation from citizens’ rights to privacy and freedom of movement.
In all these issues, including the designation of a security policy as a revenue generation project and the use of consultants and private bank accounts to collect public sector revenue, the Police has not sufficiently addressed the mischief which the proposed policy was meant to address.
I understand that the policy aims to enhance security by preventing crimes like kidnapping and robbery, where in some cases, tinted vehicles aid evasion. I will therefore, call on the Inspector General of Police to be more intentional with citizens engagement and work harder to get the buy in of stakeholders and citizens, for such policies that are projected to derogate from constitutionally guaranteed rights and also take money from the pocket of Nigerians.
Since some of legal these issues have been submitted to court for determination, I will refrain from making detailed comments on the substance of the suit.
Proposed Payment Model
Having said that, I wish to address the proposed payment model and why, in my view, it is not helpful in addressing our security concerns.
Firstly, is the erosion of financial
transparency and accountability. Government revenues should flow into the Federation account, as constitutionally mandated. There is no oversight on public funds, by private firms. There is risk of diversion, weakening Police resources for actual security operations, etc.
Secondly, there will be heightened risks of fraud and fake permits. This is because private handling of payments and applications bypass Government control, making it easier for insiders or scammers to issue counterfeit permits. Fraudulent permits could proliferate, allowing criminals to operate tinted vehicles undetected, directly countering the policy’s security intent.
Thirdly, there are issues of Data privacy and breach vulnerabilities. The application process as designed, collects sensitive data (for example, NIN, Biometrics, Vehicle details) via a privately managed portal. A private consultant lacks the stringent cybersecurity protocols of Federal agencies, increasing the chance of data leaks or hacks.
Fourthly, the perception as a “revenue racket” rather than a security measure will lead to widespread defiance, erode trust in enforcement fidelity and make it harder to regulate tinted vehicles. Ultimately, it will lead to extortion on the roads.
Finally, there will be inevitable operational inefficiencies for security enforcement. This is because, with payment siloed in private accounts, there is no seamless integration with national databases for real time verification. Police at checkpoints will rely on manual QR scans hindering quick identification, and therefore, hampers rapid response to threats.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the tinted glass permit aims to curb crime by creating a registry of tinted vehicle owners, it is my view that privatising the payments process introduces layers of risks that could compromise data integrity, enable fraud and foster corruption, ultimately weakening Nigeria’s security framework.
Chief
Emeka Obegolu, SAN, former General Secretary of the NBA
Stopping Motorists for Tinted Glass Permit
My Brief by SKB
stephen kola-balogun
Demystifying Herbert Macaulay for Populism and an Unconstitutional Pardon?
Background
Herbert Olayinka Samuel Macaulay is the undisputed national icon, and father of Nigerian nationalism. He is perhaps, more celebrated and venerated today in death, than he ever was in his lifetime.
Several monuments, roads and other landmarks, are today named in his honour in different parts of the country, and his face has adorned the one Naira note and now coin since the 1970s.
Born on the 14th of November 1864, Herbert Macaulay apart from being a nationalist and political activist, was also a professional Surveyor, Engineer, Architect, Journalist, and Musician. He was the son of Thomas Babington Macaulay who was the founder and pioneer Principal of the first secondary school in Nigeria, the CMS Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos. He is also the grandson of Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first African Bishop of the Anglican Church in the whole of West Africa. Macaulay was thus, born into history and tradition, and raised to become one of the earliest educated Africans, but significantly not the patronising or detached type despised by many Nigerians of his era. He was instead, a bridge between two different worlds, using his exposure and western education to create a link between English and African traditional cultures. He was also a great and recognisable socialite in Victorian Lagos, who was easily identifiable by his trademark moustache.
Convictions, Imprisonments and Political Party Activities
First Imprisonment (1913)
In July 1913, Macaulay was convicted of misappropriation and intent to defraud. In a controversial case involving the estate of his deceased client, he had used his position as executor to borrow funds from the estate to settle his debts, but was later prosecuted by a former tenant who was a barrister, with whom he had a disagreement and grudge. Unfortunately, he ended up receiving a rather severe sentence of two years imprisonment, as a consequence which had the effect of barring him from ever holding public office. This event marked a low point in his career, as Macaulay who had before then resigned from the colonial civil service in 1898 and was struggling financially with his private surveying practice.
Second Imprisonment (1928)
By the 1920s, Macaulay had become a fierce critic of colonial policies through his newspaper, the Lagos Daily News, which he founded in 1925. In 1928, amid tensions over the deposition of Oba Eshugbayi Eleko of Lagos, the paper published a rumour (known as the "Gunpowder Plot"), alleging that British authorities planned to assassinate the Oba by blowing up his vehicle upon his return from exile. The colonial government charged Macaulay with sedition, for inciting unrest. He was convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment with hard labour in Broad Street Prison, without the option of a fine. However, unlike his previous conviction this politically charged case only served to enhance his reputation as a nationalist hero.
Political Party Activities
Before his second conviction and imprisonment, Macaulay had founded the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), the first political party in Nigeria. The party won all the seats in the elections
of the Lagos Legislative Council during the 1923, 1928 and 1933 elections. Though the party's major function was to put candidates into the Legislative Council, it had a broader objective of promoting democracy in the whole of Nigeria, as well as to increase higher Nigerian participation in the social, economic and educational development of the country. Towards this broader aim, he co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) with Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1944. Unfortunately, he passed away on the 7th of May, 1946 at the age of 82 years, and 14 years before Nigeria eventually gained independence.
Prerogative of Mercy Provisions Under Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution
Last week, President Bola Tinubu granted presidential pardons and clemency to 175 Nigerians, some posthumously pursuant to his presidential powers as the sovereign authority of this Nation. Arguably, the most prominent of these pardons was that handed to Herbert Macaulay, who I earlier mentioned was banned from public office for misappropriation of funds and sentenced in 1913 by the British Colonial Authorities.
Now, as Lawyers, the year 1913 ought to instantly raise a red flag with us when it comes to the granting of a pardon. This is because we ought to naturally question whether the President has the powers to pardon a person convicted under an old colonial legislation of the early 1900s in 2025, and more than a century ago.
Under Section 175 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended
1) The President may –
(a ) grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offence created by an Act of the National Assembly a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions;
(b) grant to any person a respite, either for
“The Attorney-General should have advised the President and Council of State to amend Section 175(1) of the Constitution, by adding another subsection giving the President in exceptional cases, the power to pardon Nigerians after due consultation with the Council of State for offences committed which are not necessarily created by an Act of the National Assembly….Instead, the Federal Government has by their own sloppy and unconstitutional approach to granting this pardon, unwittingly demystified and laid bare to a previously unsuspecting public, the past convictions of an iconic hero of Nigerian nationalism. How unfortunate, indeed”
an indefinite or for a specified period, of the execution of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence;
(c ) substitute a less severe form of punishment for any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence; or
(d) remit the whole or any part of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence or of any penalty or forfeiture otherwise due to the State on account of such an offence.
Now, the Nigerian Criminal Code is the main codified law in Southern Nigeria for criminal investigation, trial and punishment of criminals. It is derived from the Nigeria Criminal Code Act 1916, the Nigeria Penal Code Act 1960 and other criminal laws enacted by successive Nigerian Parliaments (equivalent of the National Assembly) from time to time. The latest consolidated version of the Code is contained in the Nigerian Criminal Code 1990.
Herbert Macaulay was convicted of his first offence of misappropriation of funds in 1913, under an Overseas Colonial Criminal law legislation made applicable to Lagos as an Overseas British Colony at the time. Perhaps, it’s worth reminding ourselves that Nigeria as an entity, did not even exist at the time, as it only came into being on 1st January 1914 after the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates together with the Colony of Lagos. The Criminal Code itself, first came into existence in 1916. As such, nothing earlier can be deemed an existing law It therefore, stands to reason that, the National Assembly had no power whatsoever to make laws under this legislation, as we can easily see from the wording of the provisions of the Constitution outlined above. Furthermore, neither is it an existing law under Section 315 of the Constitution. In short, the President has no power whatsoever to exercise the Prerogative of Mercy to pardon Herbert Macaulay, for any offence committed under that piece of Colonial legislation.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, must take full responsibility for this error. It is his responsibility to advice the President accordingly, who in turn acts in consultation with the Council of State whenever exercising his powers to grant pardons under Section 175(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and outlined above.
If the truth be told, there are far too many constitutional infractions of the Constitution. Yes, the Constitution needs to be streamlined and many things taken out to enable the Government operate more efficiently and effectively, but, it’s no excuse for sloppiness, particularly with regard to a National icon and hero of the
status of Herbert Macaulay. He has been unfairly demystified, and the actions of the Government has done the Macaulay family more harm than any good intended.
Ideally, if the President wants to pardon anyone that should be the end of the matter; but, when the pardon is tied to laws that can only be made by the National Assembly and other existing laws, then complications can clearly arise as in Herbert Macaulay’s case.
Conclusion and Way Forward
Herbert Macaulay’s convictions, meant he could not hold any elective public office. Previous attempts at obtaining a pardon were reportedly first made to Lord Lugard, and subsequently, to Donald Cameron, a former Colonial Governor General who was known for enabling elective politics in Nigeria. They both didn’t see any political motivation in Macaulay’s convictions and as such, they were allowed to stand. This didn’t deter Macaulay who carved his own niche, and went on to lay the foundations for the careers of many of our early legislators in entering the Legislative Council in Lagos. It was on the NCNC platform that Nnamdi Azikiwe (his co- Founder), later rose to become Nigeria’a first President.
It was not necessary to pardon Herbert Macaulay, because it served no particular useful purpose. Other past governments in the 1st and 2nd Republics, didn’t see the need to do so either. He was already revered and regarded as an icon and father of Nigerian nationalism, so pardoning him was, in truth, no more than a botched attempt to ride on the crest of populism.
If the Federal Government was that determined to pardon Herbert Macaulay for reasons best known to them, then they ought to have done so properly. What’s worth doing is worth doing well. The Attorney-General should have advised the President and Council of State to amend Section 175(1) of the Constitution, by adding another subsection giving the President in exceptional cases, the power to pardon Nigerians after due consultation with the Council of State for offences committed which are not necessarily created by an Act of the National Assembly. If the Federal Government is sincere, then this is the right approach to take, after all, the Macaulays as a family have lived with these convictions for over a century, and, in actual fact, many Nigerians of our generation were oblivious to Herbert Macaulay’s past convictions and brush with the law. Taking a bit more time to amend the Constitution wouldn’t have done any harm. Instead, the Federal Government has by their own sloppy and unconstitutional approach to granting this pardon, unwittingly demystified and laid bare to a previously unsuspecting public the past convictions of an iconic hero of Nigerian nationalism. How unfortunate, indeed.
president bola tinubu, gCFR
herbert Macaulay
Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com,
Culture of Care, Compassion and Impact at Core of Glo Foundation’s Giving Back Together Initiative
In Warri, Delta State, hope came alive as hundreds of women gathered at Urhobo College to benefit from Glo Foundation’s “Giving Back Together” Food Drive, a humanitarian outreach rooted in the culture of care and impact that defines Globacom’s corporate philosophy. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that the event, which saw widows, elderly women, and disadvantaged groups receive essential food items, marked the latest stop in the foundation’s nationwide effort to cushion the effects of economic hardship on vulnerable families
From classrooms to hospitals, markets to communities, every initiative carries the same heartbeat: a culture of care, compassion, and impact. This ethos was once again on display on Saturday in Warri, Delta State, as thousands of women converged on Urhobo College to benefit from the Glo Foundation’s “Giving Back Together” initiative, a nationwide Food Drive aimed at alleviating hunger and supporting struggling families across Nigeria.
The programme, which targets the most vulnerable groups, saw widows, elderly women, and disadvantaged individuals receive food packs containing rice, garri, semovita, spaghetti, vegetable oil, tomato paste, sardines, seasoning cubes, noodles, and other essential items. Beneficiaries described the outreach as a timely lifeline amid the country’s economic hardship.
The event marked the continuation of the special intervention programme by Globacom, through its philanthropic arm, Glo Foundation, designed to cushion the effects of rising food costs and inflation on low-income households. Women from communities such as Warri North, Warri South, Aladja, Ughelli South, Udu, and Uvwie gathered shortly after the monthly environmental sanitation exercise to receive their packages.
Speaking at the event, Globacom’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Mrs. Jumobi Mofe-Damijo, explained that the initiative was deliberately structured to reach the most disadvantaged groups in society, especially women and children.
“Our Food Drive is not just for anyone. It is targeted at the most vulnerable segment of the Nigerian society, that is women and children. When we help them, we are helping the society at large,” she enthused.
She further noted that after successful activations in Lagos and other states, it was Delta’s turn to benefit. “The food drive had become a quick, go-to route for the company to reach out to largely
the female population, who constitute the bulk of the disadvantaged in every society,” she added.
Present at the event were several dignitaries, including Barr. (Mrs.)
Jereoma Sam-Oligida, wife of the Delta State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, who represented the Delta First Lady; Mrs. Ofoni Maureen, wife of the Chairman, Uvwie Local Government; Mrs. Abies Oyibode, wife of the Chairman, Udu Local Government; and Olorogun Vivian Egbo, wife of the Chairman, Ughelli North Local Government.
Gratitude and Relief
The atmosphere in Warri was filled with excitement, singing, and dancing as grateful women celebrated the unexpected support.
Princess Omo-Udoyo, a widow from Ughelli North, could hardly contain her joy. “I have not seen this before. I thank God and Glo Foundation for this gift,” she said with a beaming smile.
For Mrs. Esther Okoro, from Otu Jeremi in Ughelli South, the gesture was a divine blessing. Her response was simply prayers: “God will lift the company and people who have done
this. He will lift them higher and higher. They will never lack anything. For doing this for us today, I say may God protect them. You will always go higher.”
From Lagos to Delta and Beyond
The Glo Food Drive had earlier made impactful stops in Lagos, including Bariga, Ajah, and for staff of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), as well as during the iconic Ojude Oba festival. With Warri now added to the list, the foundation’s train is expected to berth in more key cities across Nigeria in the months ahead.
The initiative has been widely recognised as a model of sustainable corporate giving. By engaging local communities and partnering with established food aid networks, the Foundation ensures that relief materials reach those who need them most.
Following successful rollouts in Lagos communities like Bariga and Ikota, and now in Delta, the Food Drive is becoming a symbol of hope for thousands of families who are daily confronted with the harsh realities of inflation and unemployment.
A Nationwide Humanitarian Drive Food insecurity remains a pressing
challenge in Nigeria. Millions of households are struggling to afford basic necessities, as inflation and economic downturns continue to erode purchasing power. Against this backdrop, Globacom’s intervention has brought a sense of relief and renewed faith to many.
Volunteers from Globacom also played a central role in the distribution exercise, embodying the foundation’s message of collective responsibility and shared compassion. Their participation, beyond the corporate obligation, reflects the company’s internal culture of empathy and service.
According to observers, the Giving Back Together initiative goes beyond food distribution to a movement to restore dignity, build community trust, and encourage other corporate entities to adopt a people-centered approach to social responsibility.
A Model for Corporate-Led Change
From Ilaje to Bariga, Ikota, Effurun, and now Warri, Glo Foundation’s Food Drive continues to demonstrate how sustained corporate involvement can address social challenges at the grassroots. The Foundation’s steady expansion underscores a long-term vision to build partnerships, deepen community engagement, and create measurable impact.
As Mrs. Mofe-Damijo emphasised, the goal is not only to give food but to inspire hope and change. The initiative, she said, is about making a meaningful difference across Nigeria’s communities and the Foundation intends to continue expanding its reach.
Essentially, Glo Foundation’s Food Drive is more than just a corporate social responsibility project. It has become a lifechanging intervention for families navigating economic hardship.
By placing care, compassion, and impact at the centre of its operations, the Foundation is setting a new standard for corporate-led humanitarian efforts in Nigeria, proving that when businesses give back together, entire communities rise together.
Globacom’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Mrs. Jumobi Mofe-Damijo (sixth left) flanked by beneficiaries and dignitaries, including Barr. (Mrs.) Jereoma SamOligida, wife of the Delta State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, who represented the Delta First Lady; Mrs. Ofoni Maureen, wife of the Chairman, Uvwie Local Government; Mrs. Abies Oyibode, wife of the Chairman, Udu Local Government; and Olorogun Vivian Egbo, wife of the Chairman, Ughelli North Local Government
Some of the elated beneficiaries of the food drive
ProPerty & environment
Urging Govt Support to Housing Providers, AceRoyal Estates Set to Deliver 105 Housing Units in 12 Months
Bennett Oghifo
AceRoyal Estates Homes Ltd., a prime real estate company, has called on the government to boost the nation’s housing stock by providing support to developers by subsidising land allocation and developing infrastructure, among others.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of AceRoyal Estates Homes, Dr. Endurance Cletus Agonor, made the suggestion while presenting the progress his company has made so far in its determination to increase the country’s housing stock by building 105 luxury housing units in just 12 months.
The development is known as Eko Paragon, a 5-star hotel-style residential estate located in the serene Abijo G.R.A., Lagos.
Eko Paragon represents a new benchmark for innovation, comfort, and affordability in real estate investment, Agonor said,
and commended the Lagos State Government for its ongoing partnership and urged for more collaborative efforts to expand access to decent and affordable housing across the State.
“This milestone is not just for AceRoyal Estates Homes, but for Lagos and Nigeria at large,” he noted. “We appreciate the government’s support so far and call for continued support and collaboration to make projects like this even more impactful.”
He further suggest some government policies that could improve affordability and reduce housing deficit. These include: More public private partnership; enforcement of Affordable Housing Quotas and infrastructure support for developers; Affordable Housing Finance Schemes via institutions like the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN); strengthening Housing Cooperatives; development and innovation of local building materials;
and Tax Incentives and Duty Waivers for Developers.
On Eko Paragon’s progress, he said its construction began in February 2025, and that it’s nearing completion.
“Just eight months in, 41 housing units are already fully fitted and ready. Eko Paragon embodies our commitment to delivering affordable, yet luxurious housing solutions in collaboration with the Lagos State Property Development Corporation,” he stated.
He said Eko Paragon is strategically located within the secure and serene Abijo Government Reserved Area (G.R.A.), just a 10-minute drive from the Lekki-Epe Expressway. Notably, Abijo stands as the only G.R.A. on Lagos Island, offering both exclusivity and accessibility.
Designed to promote a balanced and healthy lifestyle, the estate features modern wellness and fitness facilities, including a
gym, tennis courts, and spacious recreational areas. With only 32% of its land area built up, residents enjoy ample greenery, private parking for two vehicles per unit, and additional spaces for visitors.
Inside, each residence showcases exceptional attention to detail — from expansive living
areas and kitchens elegantly designed for ease, to bathrooms bigger than typical BQs in Lekki. The estate is also powered by a 24-hour electricity supply, ensuring uninterrupted comfort for all homeowners.
The Eko Paragon comprises: Three-bedroom terrace duplexes with BQ; Two-bedroom signa-
ture
and
said, “We have mastered the art of blending comfort, class, elegance, and luxury — all at an unbeatable price. “Our goal is simple: to redefine modern living while keeping it affordable and accessible.”
Commemorating World Habitat Day, NIQS Charges Built Environment Professionals on Creating Sustainable Cities
Bennett Oghifo
Professionals in Nigeria’s building and construction industry have been charged to collaborate
and create sustainable, resilient, and liveable cities.
The President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), QS Kene C. Nzekwe,
FNIQS, stated this during the commemoration of World Habitat Day 2025 at the Ahmadu Bello University, Main Campus, Samaru, in Zaria, Kaduna State,
L-R: Vice President National, Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Surv. Bashir Mahmood, FNIS; Vice Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Prof. Adamu Ahmed and NIQS President, QS Kene C. Nzekwe, FNIQS, at the commemoration of the World Habitat Day 2025, at ABU, Zaria... recently
recently.
The built environment professionals, he said, are critical to these efforts and to effectively respond to urban crises, adding, “Inadequate infrastructure including roads, drainage channels, water supply, and sanitation, is at the forefront of the challenges that escalates urban crises. The increased rural-urban migration further contributes to the already existing housing shortage, particularly to affordable housing options. This results in overcrowding and the proliferation of informal settlements and slums. In addition, these forms of urban crises create social inequalities often disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, including the poor and marginalised.
“Another critical challenge is the effect of urbanisation on environmental degradation, especially the loss of green spaces, ecological imbalance, urban pollutions and floods.
“It can be surmised that rapid urbanisation has brought about unprecedented challenges in our cities.” “Therefore, addressing the theme of this year’s World Habitat Day, “Urban Crisis Response,” highlights the need for collective action to tackle these issues and create sustainable, resilient, and liveable cities. The built environment professionals are critical to these efforts and to effectively respond to urban crises, we must focus our energies collaborating to address the following key areas: Sustainable Urban Planning: Professionals need to develop comprehensive
plans that integrate environmental, social, and economic considerations to create resilient and liveable cities.
Urban Renewal and Regeneration: Expertise in urban renewal and regeneration is necessary to revitalise deteriorated areas and promote sustainable urban development. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Our built environments must be designed and constructed to mitigate the impacts of climate change, reducing carbon emissions and promoting energy efficiency. Therefore, built environment professionals should know how to design and implement climate-resilient infrastructure, such as flood control channels, retention ponds, and green spaces.
Adron Homes’ Sole Ownership Claim of Treasure Park and Garden Phase 2, City of David Estate False, Allege Homeowners
Bennett Oghifo
The landowners of Treasure Park and Garden Phase 2, City of David Estate, Shimawa, Ogun State, have faulted the management of ADRON Homes and Properties Limited for claiming that they are the sole owners of the estate.
This followed a signpost put at the entrance of the estate, declaring it a private property owned and developed by Adron Homes.
The landowners reacted to this development in a statement, saying, “The management, on Saturday, October 4, 2025, erected a signpost at the entrance of the estate, declaring it a private development owned and developed by the company.
“We, the landowners of Treasure Park and Garden
Phase 2, City of David Estate, Shimawa, Ogun State, who lawfully purchased plots, paid
all required development fees and have constructed properties within the estate, wish to state that the notice was made in bad faith.” The landowners reminded the company that there is currently a suit before High Court, Sagamu on the issue of ownership of the Treasure Park and Garden Phase 2, City of David Estate, Shimawa, Ogun State.
They also notified members of the public that there is a subsisting legal action, praying the court to declare that the estate is jointly owned by all the property owners in the estate.
“ADRON Homes and Properties Limited cannot claim it is the sole owner of the Estate. Moreover, the matter is currently undergoing adjudication before the High Court No. 5, Sagamu, Ogun State in Suit No. HCS/482/2024,” the landowners said.
Continuing, they said, “until
the court delivers a judaement in the suit, prospective purchasers, occupiers, and other interested parties are urged to take note that ownership of the estate is disputed and should verify title and other relevant facts independently.”
They explained that this notice is issued for information purposes by the landowners of Treasure Park and Garden Phase 2, City of David Estate, Shimawa, Ogun State.
However, a staff in Adron Homes’ Corporate Affairs Department, Aminat, told THISDAY the estate is owned and managed by the company. “Let me clear up the misunderstanding people have about this estate. The estate is actually being developed and managed by Adron Homes. Yes, people bought their own plots of land here and built their houses — that part is true. But what many don’t seem to
understand is that buying a plot doesn’t mean you now own or control the entire estate. You only own the portion you paid for.
“Adron is the one that
developed this place, and we’re still managing it. In fact, there are still some parts of the estate that haven’t been sold yet. So, it’s not correct for anyone to say the whole estate
now belongs to the landlords. They’re landowners, yes, and they have their title documents, but those documents only cover their individual plots — not the whole estate.
suites;
one-bedroom executive business suites. Agonor
Eko Paragon
L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai; a member of the Governor’s Advisory Council and Apex Leader in Mushin and Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon; Special Adviser on Central Internal Audit to the Lagos State Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Oyeyemi Ayoola FCA; former Mushin Local Government Chairman, Hon. Emmanuel Bamigboye; during an empowerment programme for widows and the elderly in Mushin and Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye, organised by Dr. Ayoola in Mushin, Lagos... recently
BUSINESS WORLD
RATES AS AT Oc TO b ER 13, 2025
NERC: 38 Nigerians Killed, 19 Injured in 60 Electricity-related Incidents in Q2 2025
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
Nigeria recorded a sharp rise in power-sector accidents in the second quarter of 2025, reporting 60 separate incidents, which resulted in 38 fatalities and 19 injuries, according to the latest data released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The industry statistics released for the three months covering April, May and June, is far higher than the total of 31 accidents, 12 deaths and 14
injuries announced in Q1 2025 by the power sector regulator.
The jump represents a net increase of 29 accidents, 26 deaths and five injuries between the two quarters, prompting the regulator to open investigations and intensify oversight of distribution companies.
NERC’s quarterly account, which aggregates health and safety returns filed by licence-holders across the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), showed that the casualties in Q2 2025 were
overwhelmingly concentrated among electricity Distribution Companies (Discos).
The report stated that none of the Generation Companies (GenCos) or the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), recorded human casualties in the quarter as the incidents were almost entirely tied to distribution networks and activities at local level.
In the same vein, the commission’s breakdown of causes pointed to a familiar pattern, with unsafe acts and conditions accounting
for the largest share of fatalities, followed by wire snaps, vandalism and illegal or unauthorised access.
NERC revealed that 10 fatalities and eight injuries were attributable to unsafe acts/conditions, five fatalities and seven injuries from wire snaps, three fatalities and two injuries from vandalism, and three fatalities with no injuries linked to illegal access.
The data underlined the recurring hazards of exposed conductors, tampering, illegal connections and the physical
dangers of poorly maintained infrastructure which continue to drive fatalities in the power sector.
Besides, NERC’s statistics identified the Discos with the heaviest human toll in Q2. Ibadan and Kano Discos reported 11 and 10 casualties respectively, while Benin, Eko and Jos Discos each recorded five casualties.
Those five licence areas together accounted for a significant share of the quarter’s total and underscored the regional
concentration of risk in pockets where distribution networks are ageing, vandalism and illegal tapping are common, and where safety enforcement is uneven.
Beyond human casualties, the regulator noted infrastructure damage over the quarter, with the TCN logging 11 cases of property or infrastructure damage resulting from explosions, fire outbreaks or vandalism.
Operators of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) refilling plants in Nigeria have called for more investors to establish new processing plants in order to boost supply of the product, reduce importation, and help address frequent shortages and attendant hike in prices.
Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Association of
Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Bassey Essien, made the call in an exclusive chat with THISDAY, amid the country’s LPG consumption volume of about 1.8 million metric tons per annum (mtpa), which according to him, is still far short of the five million metric tons targeted by past governments.
Essien spoke against the
backdrop of the current scarcity of cooking gas and the skyrocketing prices caused by the supply disruptions resulting from the strike action embarked by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
Some parts of the country, especially Lagos and Southwest states suffered acute LPG shortage as most
suppliers halted loading of the product.
Moreover, an ongoing routine maintenance at the Dangote facility at the time also contributed to the shortage as the company could not load for off-takers, a situation that led to some marketers hiking their prices.
For off-takers, the price for purchasing 20 metric tons of LPG rose geometrically to
between N18 million and N20 million, while for end-users, the retail price rose to between N15,000 and N18,000 to refill a 12.5-kilogramme cylinder.
The supply of LPG in the country comes from few sources including Dangote Refinery, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and imports.
Nigeria currently consumes about 1.8 million tons per
annum (mtpa) of LPG, still far short of the five million tons which successive governments had been trying to achieve. Essien told THISDAY that Dangote supplies about 50 per cent of the national consumption volume, but did not give the exact figure from the Lekki Free Trade zone-based plant.
Peter Uzoho
Dike Onwuamaeze
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has urged manufacturers to embrace Standards Organisation of Nigeria Export Certification Programme (SONEXCAP) as their tool for export
competitiveness and growth across Africa and overseas markets.
SON also assured that the SONEXCAP has solutions to challenges Nigerian exporters are facing because it was designed to enable locally manufactured goods to
Oil Prices Struggle after Crashing to Lowest Since May
Stories by Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
Nigeria’s oil benchmark, Brent Crude, added just over $1 yesterday, after it settled at $62.73 a barrel, down $2.49, or 3.82 per cent at the weekend, the lowest since May 7 this year.
Also, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude finished at $58.90 a barrel down $2.61, or 4.24 per cent, the lowest since early May.
In the 2025 budget,
Nigeria set a target crude production (including condensates) of roughly 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd) and a benchmark price of $75 per barrel.
The development came as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect in Gaza, as an end to the war could remove worries about disruptions to oil supplies, which had kept crude’s price higher than it otherwise would have been.
Suspects in Attempted Vandalism of Power Assets in Jos Arrested
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has disclosed that some persons attempted to vandalise its assets in Mando, Jos, Plateau State, compromising the structural
Group Business Editor
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Deputy Business Editor
chinedu Eze
Comms/e-Business Editor
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Asst. Editor, Energy
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integrity of the 330kV double circuit transmission line.
TCN however said the suspects have been arrested.
The company, in a statement in Abuja by its General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, stated that security operatives, in collaboration with community vigilantes, successfully foiled the attempt by the vandals.
“This is to inform the public that security operatives, in collaboration with community vigilantes, have successfully foiled an attempt by vandals to dismember towers T297, T298, and T299 along the Mando–Jos 330kV Double Circuit transmission line. The suspects and potential buyers were arrested.
“The vandals had removed tower members, compromising the structural integrity of the towers. Fortunately, the line remained intact and did not collapse,” it stated.
meet international quality requirements.
The Director General of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, made these known in
Lagos on Saturday during the 2025 World Standards Day celebration with the theme “Shared Vision for a Better World: Spotlight on
Sustainable Development Goal 17.”
Okeke said: “When Nigerian products carry the SON mark of quality, it
tells the world we are ready. SONEXCAP is our statement of confidence in the excellence and potential of Nigerian industry.”
Industry Leaders Map Path for Nigeria’s Energy Hub Dominance
Sunday Ehigiator
Industry leaders and key stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector have called for a coordinated strategy to position Nigeria as the dominant energy hub of the Gulf of Guinea, as the 17th PSRG-RICHARDSON HSSE Forum 2025 concluded with a call for renewed
investment, innovation, and collaboration across the energy value chain.
The two-day hybrid forum, held in Lagos, was themed “Nigeria: The Gulf of Guinea’s Energy Hub – Mapping the Pathway.”
Delivering the lead address, the Managing Director/CEO of Aradel Holdings, Mr. Adegbite
Falade, urged the Nigerian government and private sector players to take deliberate steps toward repositioning Nigeria as the Gulf of Guinea’s energy hub.
He emphasised the need to ramp up production from 1.8 million barrels per day to at least 4 million barrels through focused
incentives that would unlock exploration and encourage foreign and local investments. Speaking on the sidelines, Managing Director/CEO of Richardson Oil & Gas, Mr. Akin Osuntoki, underscored the importance of human capital development as a catalyst for achieving safer and more efficient energy operations.
OSGOF Mulls Creation of Geospatial Infrastructure to Support Water Management
The Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF) has pledged to support the Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRC) with the creation of the National Geospatial Infrastructure (NGDI).
This was part of the issues discussed when the Surveyor
General of the Federation, Abdulganiyu Adebomehin, hosted the Executive Director of NIWRC, Abdulmumin Zaria, in Abuja, a statement by the Head of Information and Public Relations, OSGOF, Henry David, said.
In his opening remarks, Adebomehin underscored the importance of data in water
management, stressing that OSGOF has the information in abundance.
“We have a lot of data. We have a department called hydrography and the department has a lot of information; we have a lot of equipment too. We even have equipment that can tell the precise time if
it will rain.
“However, it is not our mandate, it is the job of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) to do that. Our staff have the technical know–how and also there is training going on within OSGOF in data and some of your people can join the training,“ he said.
New Hampshire Invests N2bn to Address Metering Challenge
Stories by Peter Uzoho
New Hampshire Capital, a specialist in energy infrastructure and electricity market development, has announced a N2 billion investment commitment in the Akwa Ibom State electricity market.
The investment will cover the expansion of metering infrastructure and the development of electricity cooperatives to enhance access, reliability, and sustainability of power across the state.
The announcement followed the company’s participation at the Akwa Ibom State
A coalition of civil society and technology organisations has confirmed participation in the 2025 Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF), taking place during the World Bank Group-IMF Annual Meetings. Semaform Foundation, Youths Enterprise Development & Innovation Society (YEIDIS), ConcordeApp, and The Collaborative will host an
in-person session titled “Engineering Redemptive Impact: AI-Driven Solutions for Civil Society’s Grand Challenges.” The session aims to present actionable frameworks for deploying AI in support of global development goals.
The CSPF serves as a key forum where Civil Society Organisations engage directly with World Bank Group
Electricity Summit 2025, held recently in Uyo, the state capital, themed: ‘Attaining Energy Security and Universal Access for Akwa Ibom State’.
Delivering a paper on the topic: ‘The Ideal Role for the Akwa Ibom State Government in the State Electricity Market’, the Managing Director of
officials, IMF representatives, and government delegations.
This year’s session will shift from abstract debate to concrete demonstrations of scalable technology solutions already deployed in the field.
Head of Failure & Social Experiments at Semaform Foundation, Chaste Inegbedion, will moderate the discussion.
“The greatest barrier to
New Hampshire Capital, Mr. Odion Omonfoman, highlighted the company’s commitment to partnering with the Akwa Ibom State Government to strengthen the newly established electricity market through strategic investments and technical collaboration.
achieving the Sustainable Development Goals isn’t just funding, it’s friction in the policy-to-impact pipeline,” Inegbedion said.
“We are bringing together a multi-sector panel to show how AI Agents and advanced data tools can eliminate that friction, converting high-level commitments into measurable community outcomes.”
Ngele: HR App Should Support Employees with Loans, Expenses and
Manage Payroll
Udo Ngele is one of the tech leaders putting Nigeria on the global map. Sitting at the helm of HumanManager Limited, a flagship of Africa’s foremost software powerhouse, SystemSpecs Holdings Limited, Ngele has quietly shaped some of the nation’s biggest digital milestones beyond electronic human resource management. A pioneer in HR automation, his career reflects a rare blend of innovation and versatility, with his fingerprints spread across landmark initiatives like the Treasury Single Account, Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, and the celebrated “ghost workercatching” solution that saved the country a fortune while driving accountability in governance. In this interview, Omolabake Fasogbon chronicles the inspiring trajectory of the Lagos Business School alumni who rose from a junior developer at SystemSpecs to now calling the shots at the top, his Midas touch in transforming digital HR from a basic payroll tool into a fully cloud-enabled and enterprise-grade solution built for the realities of modern work, as well as his candid views on how technology is redefining HR’s role and the future of work…
How did your interest in technology begin, and what was the learning environment like in your early years?
My technology journey began with a love for mathematics. As a child, I imagined a future in that field, but as computer science started gaining prominence, I saw a natural bridge between the two. A good mathematician, after all, often makes a good programmer. That realisation sparked my interest in computing and software development. Technology then was not what it is today. The programming languages we used to write programs were FORTRAN and Pascal. Fortunately, my school, Federal University of Technology, Minna, had one of the best IT laboratories of its time. The resources were few relative to the number of students, but the exposure was a good enough foundation. With all the improvements we have today, the basics remain the same. Programming is still all about logic: being able to write good algorithms, structure applications in tiers, and ensure the end product actually meets requirements.
How have the lessons from your early training continued to influence how you learn, lead, and innovate in today’s techdriven world?
Growth is about moving from what was relevant yesterday to what matters today. Over time, I’ve pursued continuous training, many of which were supported by our parent company, SystemSpecs, to stay ahead of evolving trends. The same applies to organisations. I remember when we first transitioned from client–server applications to web-based platforms. Initially, I questioned the move, asking, “Why put such critical systems on the web?” But as the world changed, it became clear that what once seemed unnecessary quickly became indispensable. It’s a reminder that both individuals and organisations must keep learning and adapting, because what appears less valuable today may turn out to be vital tomorrow.
Is that to say that HumanManager emerged as a response to evolving workplace dynamics?
Back then, there was no internet, and most organisations operated on closed networks. Many questioned why HR applications should even be online. But we recognised the gap and became one of Africa’s earliest HR automation pioneers. As the workplace evolved with globalisation, migration, and new work realities, we kept adapting. HumanManager 3.0 handled payroll, tax computation, and basic HR. In versions 4.0 through 4.3, we introduced biometrics and powered the Federal Government’s IPPIS nationwide payroll system. In 2007, version 5.0 marked our first bold step into the cloud, setting the stage for today’s HumanManager 7.0, a fully cloud-enabled, enterprise-grade platform. This latest version reflects lifestyle
changes and modern work, with tools for learning, performance tracking, résumé management, and remote work management.
Your application automates HR processes from employee entry to exit, what roles remain for HR personnel within organisations?
Automation doesn’t eliminate HR roles; it simply redefines them. Just as with AI, machines can take on repetitive and even cognitive tasks more efficiently, but they cannot replace human judgment, strategy, empathy, or culture-building. Yes, some roles may shrink, but the human element remains central in areas like strategy, leadership, and people management. Businesses today cannot afford to resist digitisation; the environment is too fast-moving and resources too scarce. The challenge is to prepare our workforce to adapt so that disruption becomes opportunity, especially in a growing and dynamic economy like ours.
Technology is redefining HR roles. What new responsibilities has this shift placed on HR professionals?
Evolving technology is shifting HR’s focus from monitoring staff’s presence to measuring performance. In the past, being physically in the office was the metric; today, it’s about KPIs and deliverables. Remote work has added another layer, with digital tools now used to track productivity. However, this is also raising questions about how to define “productive.” HR leaders must adapt by blending technology with human judgment, building smarter processes, and guiding organisations through new workplace dynamics.
Innovation, they say, is continuous, driven by necessity. What often inspires the company’s next move?
Three drivers are shaping our approach. The first is technology itself. It’s no longer just about functionality; people now demand systems that are intuitive and visually engaging. The second is the shift in workplace dynamics, with branch networks, centralised IT, and remote approvals becoming the norm. Basically, we are driven by our day-to-day challenges. For instance, enabling managers to approve leave or documents remotely came from a real situation within our company. If we were facing those challenges, we knew others were too.
The third is client and societal expectations. Concerns about online security have given way to trust in robust controls, while cost pressures and the need for agility have pushed organisations to the cloud. COVID-19 further accelerated remote and hybrid work models. For us, this means building platforms that are scalable, secure, and simple to use, with features that extend beyond payroll into the wider HR ecosystem. That includes recruitment, onboarding, performance management, expense claims, and even alumni networks to keep former employees connected. We also love to stay ahead by tracking global trends, which is why we are regular attendees of top industry events like the GITEX conference to leverage the latest tech and insights.
Which sectors of the economy have mostly benefited from your solutions?
Over the years, we’ve served clients across sectors, including manufacturing, banking, oil and gas, non-profits, and
government. Today, however, our focus is on SMEs. We’ve made our solutions affordable and easy to onboard, so even a five-person business can access payroll and HR tools without heavy infrastructure costs. While we still serve large organisations, SMEs are the biggest beneficiaries, and we believe they represent the future.
AI is the in-thing. How is this being integrated into human resource management?
For us, we’ve already embedded AI across several of our offerings. Our customer support chatbots now resolve customer queries instantly, while our recruitment assistant can generate job descriptions from simple prompts. So, instead of manually drafting job descriptions, users can provide basic inputs, and the system generates a complete requirement. We’re also exploring AI-driven workforce monitoring and analytics to give HR leaders deeper insights into employee performance, behaviour, and future trends. Overall, the goal is smarter, predictive, fully digital HR processes that are accessible anytime, anywhere.
The future of work is remote, with technology, especially AI, taking over tasks. My advice to young people is to move beyond routine work and build skills that leverage creativity, strategy, and innovation.
Also, the AI ecosystem is evolving at an incredible pace, shifting from knowledge-based use cases to more agentic and autonomous applications. Organisations are increasingly adopting these technologies to streamline operations, optimise costs, and enhance productivity, fundamentally redefining how people and systems work together.
AI has come to stay; it is not a passing trend but the future of work itself. As it continues to mature, we are not just observing this shift; we are actively shaping it. By embedding AI and digital innovation into our solutions.
What do you consider the most pressing HR challenge in Nigeria, and what opportunities does it present?
I would say the biggest challenge is the quality of human resources. We have the numbers but not always the skills, from basic communication to technical competence and critical thinking. Employers often interview dozens of candidates to find one or two suitable ones. The “Japa” wave has also worsened the problem, draining experienced talent not just in healthcare but in technology too. Thankfully, regulatory bodies are helping to bridge this skills gap by enforcing standards like ISO, BCMS and NDPR certifications to help enforce better processes in industries. Otherwise, the outcome would have been disastrous. The opportunity here highlights the need for stronger succession planning. HR must deliberately build systems that prioritise continuous learning and knowledge transfer, so organisations are not left vulnerable when people leave.
Ngele
At IMF/World Bank Meetings, Jimoh Ibrahim Says Tinubu Will Not Compromise on Nigeria’s Sovereignty
Following a recent economic report by the World Bank, which estimated that 139 million Nigerians now live in poverty, the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, has warned that, “President Bola Tinubu will not compromise Nigeria’s sovereignty in the face of economic outlook!”
Ibrahim, who spoke at the Parliamentary Engagement on the sidelines of the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank meetings in Washington D.C, yesterday, stressed the need for the multilateral institutions to acknowledge that the Nigerian economy has turned the corner, due to the several reforms introduced by the Tinubu-led administration. He advised the institutions to stop
downplaying reforms in one of Africa’s biggest economies. President Tinubu, had through his Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, faulted the World Bank report, saying that the poverty figures must be “properly contextualised” within the limits of global poverty measurement models.
He had said: “While Nigeria values its partnership with the World Bank and appreciates its contributions to policy analysis, the figure quoted must be properly contextualised. It is unrealistic.”
The Presidency had explained that the 139 million figure was derived from the global poverty line of $2.15 per person per day, set in 2017 using Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) and
should not be mistaken for an actual headcount of poor Nigerians. It had noted that when converted to nominal terms, the $2.15 benchmark equals about N100,000 per month at current exchange rates, which is well above Nigeria’s new minimum wage of N70,000.
For his part, Senator Ibrahim, who is representing the Nigerian Senate at meetings, argued that the World Bank failed to take into consideration interventions by the Tinubu’s administration in poverty alleviation, especially with the N330 billion the government had disbursed to 8.5 million poor households, some of which received at least a tranche of N25,000 as conditional cash transfer through the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO).
Olusoga Reaffirms i-invest’s Commitment to Secure Inclusive Wealth Creation
Nume Ekeghe
Chief Operating Officer of i-invest, Mrs. Tobi Olusoga, has reaffirmed the company’s commitment to building a secure, transparent, and inclusive investment ecosystem for Nigerians, as the digital investment platform partnered with Mrs. Tara Fela-Durotoye, Founder of House of Tara International, to host a high-impact masterclass on, “Building Beyond You” a forum dedicated to generational wealth creation and legacy
building.
Speaking at the event in Lagos, Olusoga stressed that i-invest remains steadfast in promoting financial empowerment through strong governance and investor protection.
“At i-invest, we operate under very strong governance rules,” she stated. We are PCI-DSS compliant and ISO 27001 certified, the world’s best-known standard for information security management systems. This ensures that our users’ data and investments are fully protected.”
The post-conference masterclass, held in partnership with Mrs. Fela-Durotoye, focused on succession planning, financial separation, and legacy building— key elements required for long-term wealth sustainability.
In her keynote address, Fela-Durotoye addressed the emotional and psychological hurdles that often accompany leadership transitions, noting that fear and identity attachment remain major obstacles to succession planning.
Stanbic IBTC Charts Economic Outlook, Equips Clients with Insights
Nume Ekeghe
In a bid to strengthen corporate decision-making and support business resilience amid Nigeria’s evolving economic landscape, Stanbic IBTC Bank has hosted a highlevel strategic client forum themed, ‘Beyond the Numbers: Unpacking Nigeria’s Economic Trajectory – 2025 and Beyond.’
The engagement, held in Lagos, brought together chief executives, industry leaders, and institutional investors to dissect Nigeria’s macroeconomic outlook and explore strategies for navigating 2026 and the years ahead.
The bank in a statement noted that the global market forum featured expert presentations that highlighted the significance of macroeconomic analysis and market intelligence in navigating Nigeria’s economic landscape.
Executive Director, Corporate and Transaction Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Eric Fajemisin, expressed the bank’s commitment to enabling clients and partners to make informed choices.
“Our goal with this forum is to empower our clients and partners to navigate these times when economic conditions are continually evolving,” he remarked.
Head, Global Market Nigeria, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Dare Otitoju, reiterated the bank’s focus on evolving beyond traditional financing solutions.
(Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic
Basrah Medium (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).
Transcorp Power Reports N91.1bn Profit in Nine Months
Kayode Tokede
Transcorp Power Plc, yesterday published its unaudited nine months ended September 30, 2025 with profit before tax of N91.1billion, about 12.4 per cent increase over N81.12 billion reported in nine months of 2024.
The power subsidiaries of Nigeria’s leading listed conglomerate, Transnational Corporation Plc posted a profit after tax of N68.42 billion in nine months of 2025, a growth of 17 per cent from N58.4billion in nine months of 2024
The nine months of 2025 performance was driven by an increase in average
power generation, reflecting Transcorp Power’s continued investment in improving generation capacity and operational excellence.
The report filed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) revealed that revenue from contracts with customers rose 16.59per cent in nine months of 2025 to N102.7 billion, bringing total
revenue for the nine-month period to N308.5 billion, a notable 38.01per cent increase from N223.5 billion declared in nine months of 2024.
Of this, energy delivery accounted for the revenue bulk at N225.6 billion for the nine-month period, followed by capacity charge at N82.9 billion, while ancillary services contributed N13.5
million.
However, the cost of sales climbed to N60.6 billion in Q3, up from N54.6 billion, largely driven by higher natural gas and fuel costs.
Despite this, gross profit surged to N42 billion, compared to N33.4 billion in the corresponding quarter of 2024.
The company also
reported other operating income of N107.1 million, while impairment on financial assets rose sharply to N3.8 billion, up 199per cent.
Administrative expenses increased modestly by 13.57per cent to N3.1 billion, yet operating profit still grew to N35.08 billion, up from N29.3 billion.
PRICES FOR SECURITIES TRADED ASOF OCTOBER /13/25
BUILDING BEYOND YOU MASTERCLASS...
L-R: Investment Broker, Parthian Securities Limited, Chinazom Izuora; Managing Director, Parthian Capital Limited, Ibilola Ashcroft; Group Head, Brand, Marketing & Communications, Parthian Partners, Nonso Nduanya; Founder, House of Tara, Tara Fela-Durotoye; Chief Operating Officer, i-invest, Tobi Olusoga, and Product Management Lead, i-invest, Jennifer Omame, at the ‘Building Beyond You’ post-conference masterclass in Lagos… recently
How ASUU Ignored FG’s Plea
to Shelve Nationwide Strike
NLC threatens to join industrial action ASUU UNIBEN, AAU, withdraw service
Fresh information emerged yester- day as to how the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) completely ignored pleas to shelve its 14-day warning strike, despite having reportedly met a significant portion of their demands.
A document seen by THISDAY showed that the federal govern-
ment had pleaded for patience that its chief negotiator, Yayale Ahmed, who had gone for Hajj should be allowed to return from Saudi Arabia.
Signed by the Permanent Secretary, Abel Enitan, the Dr Tunji Alausa-led ministry assured the lecturers that the government’s determination to redouble its efforts towards concluding the negotiations within the shortest possible time.
“I am directed to acknowledge
receipt of your letter dated 29th September, 2025 on the above stated subject, and to note the issues raised therein. The Ministry greatly appreciates your patience and understanding with respect to the renegotiation process, which has inadvertently lingered over time.
“Kindly be assured of the government’s firm commitment to bringing the exercise to an accelerated and SUCCeSSfUl conclusion under the leadership
of Dr. Yayale Ahmed, whose Committee has been duly mandated to steer this process to completion.
“It is important to note that Dr. Yayale Ahmed’s Committee has recorded commendable progress, culminating in the transmission of the draft report of the 2009 rene- gotiated Nimi Briggs Agreement to the Ministry. The document has already received appropriate government attention and will be formally transmitted to the
ASUU team upon the return of the Committee Chairman, who is currently on Lesser Hajj and is expected back in the country on Tuesday, 7th October, 2025,” the letter added.
The government said it was determined to redouble its efforts towards concluding the negotiations within the shortest possible time.
“In this regard, we earnestly appeal to the leadership of ASUU to exercise further restraint,
First Lady: FG to Remodel Almajiri Education Schools System
Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has disclosed that the federal government is planning to remodel Almajiri school education system in the country.Oluremi said the Nigerian government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, was ready to embark on a transformative model of Almajiri Education Schools’ System, one that will integrate both Islamic and formal education.
Speaking at a meeting with the founder of Quatar Foundation, Sheika Moza Bint Nasser Al-Misssned, in Doha, the first lady stated that the purpose of her visit was to get the foundation’s support and interventions for the over 15 million out of school children in Nigeria, the largest number globally.
Mrs Tinubu, according to a release issued on Monday by her Media Assistant, Busola Kukoyi, also stated, “These schools will host and care for the children in a safe learning environment, which
will include a mosque for worship, incorporate skills acquisition, and offer boarding facilities for students, as well as residence for Imams and care givers.
“This holistic approach will allow children to acquire both Formal and Islamic education free from exploitation, while equipping them with life skills that empowers them to build their lives and contribute meaningfully to society.”
She added, “However, given the magnitude of this challenge and the competing demands on
Over 700 Residents Benefit from Free Medicare at AIPROW Outreach in Delta State
Sunday Ehigiator
More than 700 residents of Ibusa (Igbuzo) in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State and neighbouring communities have benefited from a free medical outreach organised recently by the Association of Ibusa Professional Women (AIPROW).
The two-day health mission, held in collaboration with the Ibusa Association USA, Inc. and the Foundation Educational Support Programme, Enugu, provided free consultations, diagnoses, and medications, as well as a range of health screenings to hundreds of men, women, and children, many of whom have limited
access to affordable medical services.
Delta State Head of Service, Dr. Minimim Oseji, led members of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) to the outreach and personally attended to some patients, reinforcing the state’s commitment to community healthcare.
our national resources, Nigeria cannot achieve this alone, we need strategic partners, and Your Highness represents precisely the kind of visionary partners who can help us make this dream a reality.”
She commended Sheika Moza for her various interventions, especially in the education sector through the foundation that
built the Quatar Education City with over 40 schools, including universities and the Quatar National Library.
She stated, “I am proud to learn of your achievements in surpassing the target of enrolling 10 million marginalized children into school, and all that you continue to do for humanity around the world.
graciously withdraw 14-day ultimatum issued to the federal government to conclude the renegotiation of the FGN/ASUU 2009 agreement, and continue to embrace dialogue as the most constructive pathway to resolving all outstanding issues and preventing disruptions to academic activities in our public universities.
“While anticipating your continued cooperation and understanding, please accept the assurances of the Honourable Minister’s esteemed regards”, the letter stated.
But yesterday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said that it will not hesitate to call out its members to join in solidarity action with the striking university lecturers if the federal government fails to address their demands within two weeks.
A statement signed by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said that the ongoing warning strike by ASUU is a direct consequence of the government’s refusal to honour collectively bargained agreements reached with the university workers.
Transactions
James Emejo in Abuja
Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), yesterday, said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) draft guidelines requiring all banks to refund customers for failed Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transactions within 48 hours was commendable.
The commission stated that
the exposure of CBN’s draft guidelines followed FCCPC’s Consumer Complaints Data Report published in September 2025.
The report, which covered the period from March to August 2025, showed that the banking and fintech sectors accounted for the highest number of complaints nationwide, with over 3,000 cases in banking alone, and
about N10 billion recovered for customers across 30 sectors.
The findings highlighted recurring issues, such as failed transactions, unauthorised deductions, and delayed refunds, all of which the CBN draft guidelines sought to address, FCCPC said in a statement issued by Director, Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
Emmanuel Addeh, Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
L-R: Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Bolanle Olawale Babalakin, SAN; Guest Speaker/ CEO, Digital Transformation & Policy, Dr. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji; President-General Worldwide (PGWW), Government College Ughelli Old Boys Association (GCUOBA), Olorogun Albert Akpomudje and Chairman, GCUOBA National Annual Dinner Organising Committee, Mr. Spencer Onosode at the GCUOBA 11th National Annual Dinner, tagged “Alumni As Catalyst of An AI-Driven Future” held at the Orchid Hotel, Asaba Delta State...recently
Sanwo-Olu, Uzodimma Canvass Constitutional Roles for Monarchs
Urge NASS to restore pre-1979 constitutional status of royal fathers Pitch: ‘We need your wisdom for national stability’ As traditional rulers meet in Lagos, recommit to peaceful coexistence
Sunday Ehigiator
Traditional rulers from across the country gathered in Lagos on Monday to align their efforts towards engendering peace and keeping the country united.
President Bola Tinubu declared open the two-day national executive committee meeting of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), the umbrella body of all traditional institutions in the country created to work with all tiers of government to promote national stability.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu hosted the two-day meeting held at Lagos Continental Hotel in Victoria Island, with the theme, “The Traditional Institution: The Imperative of its Inclusion in Ef- fective and Efficient Governance in Nigeria.”
AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, and chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who stood in for Tinubu.
The meeting was convened at the instance of the NCTRN co-chairmen, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
Sanwo-Olu, in his opening address, described traditional institutions as “the vital link” between the government and the people, stating that traditional rulers are the bridge connecting institutions of the state with community realities.
despite their strong influence.
Sanwo-Olu observed that the relevance of traditional institutions diminished during the military incursion in societal politics, dealing a blow to the traditional institutions.
He said military rule significantly eroded the laudable role traditional rulers had played
in shaping the country and its cherished traditions.
Sanwo-Olu said, “With the restoration of democracy in the country since 1999, our traditional rulers are gradually asserting themselves back into national consciousness. But we are not yet there. I advise that our traditional rulers continue to push
for more relevance.constitutionally-backed
“This is the right thing to do, and we promise to support this push because we believe we need to tap from the experience and wisdom of our traditional rulers to make more progress.”
He explained, “This meeting presents a unique chance to push
for clarity; not for the sake of prestige, but for practical reasons. When traditional leaders are clearly woven into our governance framework, their authority can become a valuable asset for fostering peace, resolving conflicts and driving community development.
Continues online
Court Adjourns Trial of Lawyers, Developer in Forgery Case Pending Police Reinvestigation
Wale Igbintade
The trial of two legal practitio- ners, Ademola Owolabi and Adebayo Akeju, alongside a property developer, Alex Ochonogor, before the Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, was yesterday stalled following a directive from the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to the GCUOBA’S 11th NAtIONAl
police to reinvestigate the matter.
Sanwo-Olu was joined by nine other governors, including Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Governor Abdulrahman
According to the Lagos State governor, the meeting pushed forward the need to address the role of traditional institutions in governance. He pointed out that traditional structures were respected segments of the country’s leadership system, but they were not officially empowered,
Online Business: Knowledge, Personal Stories now New Gold, Business Coach Tells Women
As iRise women conference debuts maiden edition
Celebrity Business Growth
Coach Stephanie Obi has in the wave of women and youth empowerment, particularly in the area of self-actualization revealed that skills, knowledge, personal stories and experiences are now the new gold in online businesses.
She said diversifying income streams can include, but not limited to coaching
and consulting, membership of communities, affiliate marketing, referral partnerships, strategic collaboration, licensing of course framework, certifications and merch/ apparels.
Speaking yesterday at the maiden edition of the 2025 iRise Women Conference in Abuja with the theme, “Crowned with wisdom, empowered for wealth”, Obi urged women who must live purposeful lives
to turn the knowledge they have acquired in everyday life into online courses that can be sold daily. In her lecture titled, “Building wealth and influence in the online space”, Obi also encouraged women not to belittle their gifts and talents, but to see them as capacities that can transform lives, build a global audience and position one as an authority.
The defendants are facing a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit forgery, forgery, and willful destruction of property.
The charges were filed by the Lagos State Government under suit number LD/23611C/2024.
According to the prosecution, the case involves the alleged forgery of land documents and the demolition of a property located in the Lekki area of Lagos.
When the matter came up before Justice Sherifat Sonaike,
the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins, requested an adjournment, informing the court that the Attorney General and Commis- sioner for Justice had directed the police to conduct further investigation.
“The matter is not going on as the AG has directed the police to reinvestigate it. I would like to ask for an adjournment for a couple of months to enable the police to carry out the investiga- tion,” Martins told the court.
Counsel to the first defendant, Dr. A. I. Layonu, SAN, and
counsel to the second defendant, M. A. Bashua, SAN, did not oppose the application for adjournment.
However, counsel to the third defendant, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, described the move as oppressive and an abuse of court process.
“We see this as oppression. It’s an abuse of court process. You cannot file a matter and then turn around to ask the police to reinvestigate it. The case shouldn’t have come to court in the first place if it had not been properly investigated,” Oyetibo argued.
Tinubu Mourns Rights Activist, Comrade Abiodun Aremu
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has sympathised with the labour movement and the civil society on the passing of renowned unionist and rights activist, Comrade Abiodun Aremu, who died on Sunday in Ota, Ogun State.
The President, in a statement issued on Monday evening by his Adviser on Information
and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, also condoled the family, friends and associates of the departed labour activist.
President Tinubu described Comrade Aremu as a committed fighter who devoted his time, energy, and resources to empowering workers and enhancing their rights in Nigeria.
The President particularly commiserated with the leader-
ship of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and the broader civil society community on the loss of one of their most consistent partners in the quest for a better life for all workers.
“He was a courageous comrade who remained steadfast in his beliefs and never wavered in his defence of the oppressed.
Kuni tyessi in Abuja
Reception in honouR of the chaiRman of futuRe union...
L-R: Aviation Sector & Airport Development Consultant, Future Union, Eng. Nabil Lakhel; CEO/Partner, Future Union, Qatar, Dr. Abdelgalil Sharaf; and Chairman, Elan Vert Nigeria Limited, Princess Adebowale Odutola, during an informal welcome reception in honour of the Chairman of Future Union and a member of the ruling family in Qatar, HE SHK Abdulrahman AL-Thani and his Team, in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday
Makinde: Nigerians Should Be Worried When Hunger Defects from Markets to APC
Says PDP now moving train, stopping it is suicidal Declares party will reinvent itself through credible, transparent national convention Okoye resigns from embattled opposition
chuks okocha in
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Ma- kinde, yesterday, said Nigerians were not bothered by some governors defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), but should concerned when such defections could not lead to reduction of prices of food stuff in the markets.
He also said that November 16 and 17 national convention of the party in Ibadan would reinvent the PDP because it would be credible and transparent. According to him, the national convention would be the game changer in the history of political parties’ convention in Nigeria. The Oyo State governor further said anyone trying to stop the national convention of
the party would be attempting to commit suicide because the convention was a moving train. Speaking in Abuja after the inauguration of the convention sub-committees, of which he was the chairman, Makinde said, ‘’We’re not concerned about defections by the governors, and we’re not bothered because the ultimate decider here would be the Nigerian people.
“And the only time I’ll be concerned, the only time that we will be concerned as a party is when we see hunger, defect from the ordinary people on the streets and join APC,’’ he said. He explained that the 2027 general election would be about the people and their welfare, adding: “How has the people fared? Propaganda will have very little role to play. The ultimate
Global Tech, Policy Leaders to Grace UNILAG’s 2025 International Week on AI, Equitable Partnerships
funmi ogundare
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) is set to host a constellation of global technology and policy leaders including OpenAI’s Africa Lead, Emmanuel Lubanzadio; Bank of America’s Managing Director and Head of SubSaharan Africa, Yvonne Ike; Nigeria’s Minister of Com- munications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani; and Founder of Future Africa, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, at its 2025 International Week. With the theme, ‘Equitable
Partnerships and the Future of AI in Africa’, the five-day programme will run from October 13 to 17, 2025, at UNILAG’s Akoka campus, Lagos.
It aims to deepen dialogue on Artificial Intelligence (AI), innovation, and sustainable global collaboration in Africa’s digital transformation. The event is expected to be a convergence of senior government officials, global development partners, academics, financiers, and technology innovators from across Africa and beyond.
Keynote speeches will be delivered by Dr. Tijani, Mr. Lubanzadio, and Ms. Ike, setting the tone for discus- sions on how Africa can build equitable and future-ready AI ecosystems.
Other notable speakers in- clude Professor Diana Mitlin of the University of Manchester and Chief Executive Officer of the African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC); Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Massimo De Luca; Prof. Matthew Waritay Guah of South Carolina State University, USA;
Tinubu, Akpabio Mourn Evangelist Ukpai
Deji elumoye in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu and the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, have paid glowing tribute to founder of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Evangelist Umar Ukpai.
In a ten-paragraph tribute issued on Monday, the president described the international Evangelist as a builder of men, humanitarian, firebrand and
anointed crusader of faith.
“With a heavy heart, I mourn the passing of one of God’s generals, Dr. Uma Ukpai. Reverend Ukpai was not just another preacher; he was an anointed crusader of the faith, filled with fire and ice for the gospel and restoring humanity to discipline, love, and good neighbourliness.
“Dr Ukpai, who died at age 80, was an international evangelist, leader of the Uma
Ukpai Evangelistic Asso- ciation, and founder of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).
“Born in the small town of Asaga, Ohafia, in Abia State, Evangelist Ukpai went through his paces, enduring challenges while passing through school. But God had his purpose well defined. He obeyed the divine call and impacted generations with his ministry.
and Acting Director of NITDA IT Hub (NIT-Hub), Dr. Victor Odumuyiwa.
A special session on public procurement and digital governance will feature the Director-General of Nigeria’s Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adedokun, who will discuss the nation’s transition to digital procurement and its potential to drive transparency, local inclusion, and innovationled growth.
decider would be the markets and the prices of food stuff. Nigerians are watching.’’
On the state of the party, he said, ‘’We’ve gone through a full cycle. We’ve gone through a full cycle. We’ve gone through those challenges of governing this‘’Wecountry. have people with experi- ence that have led or occupied positions of leadership in this country. And we’ve gone to the bottom of it, when we lost power in 2015. And we’ve been in opposition since then. So challenges will come and go.
“But for us as leaders, no matter what situation we find ourselves, organising the party, it’s not the end in itself. The end is for Nigerians to have democracy and for Nigerians to have, you know, a party that they can relate with.
‘’So if you’re saying somebody is defecting, our house is not in order, democracy is about conflict and conflict resolution.
‘’And also the resilience. In fact, we must be happy that we have a party. We have a party that has refused to be destroyed,
that has stayed focused on what the Nigerian people would like to see,’’ Makinde said. On whether Nigeria was heading to one-party state, the Oyo State governor said, ‘’Do we want a one-party state in Nigeria? From the last time I checked, the answer is no.
“Nigerian people, they want, you know, multi-party democracy. No, Nigeria is a multi-party country and no one can make Nigeria to become a one party Makindestate.’’explained that Nigerians were looking up to the PDP pledging that the Ibadan November National convention would reinvent trust of Nigerians by ensuring a credible and transparent lead- ers, stating that, “This is from where the state of true leaders willSpeakingemerge.”on the approach, Makinde added that, ‘’We have a totally different approach, because the people of Nigeria are not blind. They know. You may think, oh, I’m a propagandist who, you know, paper over this. continues online
The Edo Geographic Informa- tion Systems (Edo GIS) has debunked reports circulating on social media alleging that a 17-year-old boy purchased 14 hectares of land in Edo State and was subsequently denied a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The state governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo was quoted on some social media platforms to have said that
a 17-year-old boy purchased 14,000 hectares of land, adding this informed his decision to stop signing Certificates of Occupancy.
But in a statement released by the Edo GIS Director of Press, Tunde Egbiremonlen on Monday clarified that no such transaction exists in its records.
According to the statement, a 17-year-old is legally considered a minor and, as such, is not eligible to register land owner- ship under Edo State law.
“The Edo GIS system will
automatically reject such appli- cations due to age restrictions,” the statement read.
“In the first place, a 17-year-old cannot apply for registration of land in Edo State because that age bracket is assumed to be a minor; the Edo GIS system will automatically reject the application.
“To compound the objective of the rumour-mongers, the peddlers of the story did not explain where Edo state, issued 14,000 hectares purchased by the minor.
adibe emenyonu in Benin City
Abuja
L-R: Founder/Director of SCGN, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN; Head of Corporate Governance at NCC, Pankan Eze; President of SCGN, Mr. Muhammad K. Ahmad; Commission Secretary/Legal Adviser at Pencom, Mr. Muhammed Sani Muhammed; Coordinating Director of the Directorate of Corporate Governance and Directorate of Inspections & Monitoring at the Council, Mr. Titus Osawe; and former Director of SCGN, Mr. Tijjani Borodo, LLM, during the 20th anniversary of the Corporate Governance Conference organised by the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria (SCGN) held in Lagos over the weekend
Wike: Judges Residences Are Retirement Gift from Tinubu
Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has said the residences earmarked for heads of courts were retirement gifts from President Bola Tinubu for the President Court of Appeal, Federal High Court Chief Judge, Chief Judge of the FCT and the President Industrial Court.
Wike emphasised this yesterday at the flag-off of the design and construction of residences for the Heads of Courts of the FCT.
He said the president was concerned about improving the welfare and performance of judicial officials in ad- dition to ensuring that no judge lived in a rented house upon retirement.
He stated that when he and the FCT Minister of State were appointed, the president sought their views on ways of improving the welfare and enhancing
the performance of judicial officers, which had been a recurring problem, he told the President that his administration could differentiate itself by discontinuing with the trend where judges live in rented houses.
“Sometimes you don’t know the landlords of these houses. Sometimes you don’t know their neighbours. These judges preside over criminal matters or other serious matters indeed. And of course, you never can tell what will happen.
“I want to make it clear that what we are doing today is not just for the heads of courts, that when they retire, they just go, No. As they retire, the property becomes their own. This is the approval of Mr. Presi- dent, and that is why we issued the C-of-Os in their names.
“So all of you who are here now, don’t think that when they are leaving
tomorrow, the buildings will be taken away from them. Please, the policy of Mr. President in this sense of course is that, as they are retiring, they must go home with their houses.
That is the true position,” Wike said.
He assured the judges that they deserved the best and there was a provision for
the scheme in the 2024 and 2025 budget on the FCT, which was approved by the National Assembly and assented to by Mr. President while promising the judicial officials that the 10 duplexes for the Court of Appeal, 10 for the Federal High Court and 20 for the FCT High Court in Katampe District, would be handed over by
the President by the end of theInyear. his address, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said the provision of accommodation for heads of court was a tangible expression of the president’s vision that a robust judiciary was essential to national development
and the consolidation of democratic governance.
“The provision of secure and befitting accommoda- tion for heads of courts will enhance operational independence, personal security, and institutional dignity, thereby enabling judicial officers to discharge their duties with great focus and authority.
Madagascar’s President Flees Country after Gen Z Protests
Demonstrations had erupted over water, power shortages
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Madagascar’s President, Andry Rajoelina, has fled the African nation, the head of the opposition and other officials said on Monday, the second time that young protesters have toppled a government in weeks of worldwide Gen Z unrest.
Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko,
NOA Urges Nigerians to Shun Fake News, Support Security
Says security agencies recorded improved results last month
Michael Olugbode and
The National Orientation Agency has cautioned Nigerians against spreading unverified informa- tion, especially on social media, warning that such actions fuel panic and undermine public confidence in security operations.
Addressing the media at the NOA’s monthly joint security press briefing in Abuja, the Director General, National Orientation Agency, Mallam
Lanre Issa-Onilu said the country’s security agencies recorded more positives in the fight against insecurity in the month of September, He claimed the security agencies were more proactive in the month of September 2025 when compared to the previous month.
The briefing which is organised by NOA and other security stakeholders is part of the efforts to present to the world a cohesive data driven narrative
on the efforts being made by Nigeria security agencies to combat insecurity in the country.
According to him, the security agencies moved from reaction to prevention and thereby were able to scuttle many of the security threats.
Highlighting recent security gains, he disclosed that the Nige- rian Army conducted 196 opera- tions nationwide, neutralising terrorists, rescuing kidnapped victims, and dismantling illegal arms networks.
leader of the opposition in parliament, told Reuters Rajoelina left Madagascar on Sunday after units of the army defected and joined the“Weprotesters. called the staff of the presidency and they confirmed that he left the country”, he said, adding that Rajoelina’s current whereabouts were unknown.
The president’s office, which had earlier said Rajoelina would address the nation at 7:00 pm (1600 GMT) on Monday, did not
reply Reuters’ requests for comment.
A military source told Reuters that Rajoelina flew out of the country on a French military aircraft on Sunday. French radio RFI said he had struck a deal with President Emmanuel Macron.
The source said that a French Army Casa aircraft landed in Madagascar’s Sainte Marie airport on Sunday. “Five minutes later, a helicopter arrived and transferred its passenger into the Casa,” the source
said, adding that Rajoelina was the passenger.
Demonstrations had erupted in the former French colony on September 25 over water and power shortages but quickly escalated into an uprising over broader grievances, including corruption, bad governance and lack of basic services.
The anger mirrors recent protests against ruling elites in countries including Nepal, where the prime minister was forced to resign last month, and Morocco.
FG Reaffirms Commitment to Nollywood, Says It Reflects Nigeria’s Cultural Heritage
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s creative economy, describing Nollywood as a national asset that reflects the country’s rich cultural heritage and global creative influence.
The Minister of Arts,
Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja to announce the upcoming Zuma International Film Festival (ZIFF). She said the film industry continues to play a vital role in promoting Nigeria’s identity, youth empowerment, and economic growth.
Musawa noted that the Bola Tinubu administration remains unwavering in its support for the creative and film industries, adding that under the current government, film production and audio-visual sector has maintained a steady leap as a critical co-driver of Nigeria’s creative economic growth.
folalumi Alaran in Abuja
FLAG-OFF OF THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF RESIDENCES FOR HEADS OF COURTS IN ABUJA...
R-L: President, National Industrial Court, Hon. Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip; representative of the President of the Court of Appeal and Presiding
Hon. Justice Hamma Akawu Barka; Minister of State, FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud; Minister of Justice and Attorney General of
Wike; Chief Judge, FCT High Court, Hon. Justice Husseini Baba Yusuf; Chief Judge, Federal High Court, Hon. Justice John
Architect Akor Adapoyi; and Acting Head of FCTA Civil Service,
of the
Presidential Pardon: Family of Bilyaminu, Man Murdered By Wife in 2017, Kicks
Describes decision as injustice Says Maryam denied same children used to elicit sympathy
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The family of Bilyaminu, who was murdered by his wife, Maryam Sanda in 2017, and was recently granted presidential pardon by President Bola Tinubu, has kicked against the decision, stressing that it only reopened healing wounds. In a statement signed by Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, (Dangaladiman Gwandu), on behalf of the late Bilyaminu Ahmed’s family, titled: “When
Prerogative of Mercy Inflicts Inexorable Pain”, the family stated that to have Sanda walk the face of the earth again, free from any blemish for her heinous crime, is the worst possible injustice any family could face.
Maryam Sanda, the Nigerian woman convicted of killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, was recently granted a presidential pardon by President Bola Tinubu after nearly seven years in custody. The incident that led to her
conviction occurred on November 19, 2017, in Abuja when Sanda was said to have stabbed her husband, during a domestic dispute. Accounts from the trial indicated that an argument between the couple escalated violently.
The prosecution told the court that she attacked Bilyaminu with a broken bottle, causing fatal injuries. Sanda, however, claimed that her husband’s death was accidental, alleging that he fell on a broken
Rel I g I ou S l e AD e RS Rejec T u S’ c l AI m of g enoc
in Katsina. So, we have an issue, a serious problem with terrorists that started with Christians, now they are going everywhere. Why don’t we join hands to push them where they belong?, heAsqueried.someone from Kaduna, he highlighted the success recorded so far, stressing that the Abuja-Kaduna road was a death trap as recently as 2023, but that the situation was changing.
Also speaking at the meeting which was convened by public commentator, Reno Omokri, Islamic thought leaders in Nigeria led by Jama‘atu Nasril Islam (JNI) Secretary General, Prof. Aliyu Abubakar, thanked the US delegation for attempting to hear all the sides to the Nigerian story.
“Without hearing from the other side, it really was a baffling thing, and we’re really very surprised. The US, the leader of democracy and freedom of speech, without hearing from both sides, a decision was taken,” he lamented.
He dismissed the insinuation that the terrorists were killing on behalf of Islam, stressing that there was no plan to exterminate or obliterate Christianity.
shisha pot during the altercation.
After a prolonged trial, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja found her guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced her to death by hanging in Janu- ary 2020. The Court of Appeal later upheld that judgment, rejecting her plea of innocence and ruling that the evidence before the lower court sufficiently established intent to kill.
But Bilyaminu’s family said it was deeply hurt by this latest
development, which they said is interpreted as primarily driven by the sole motivation for appeasing Maryam’s family members by way of extending mercy to a certified convicted murderer.
“On October 11, 2025, President Tinubu included Sanda among 175 inmates granted clemency under the federal prerogative of mercy. The Presidency said her release was based on recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the
Prerogative of Mercy, citing her reformation, remorse, and the need to allow her to reunite with her children.
“Sanda’s release has drawn mixed reactions. While some have viewed the pardon as an act of compassion, particularly toward her children, others have criticised it as undermining justice in a case that had once been seen as a test of the judicial system’s resolve on domestic violence and gender-based killings in Nigeria.
Also speaking, a cyber security expert and former Minister of Communication, Prof Isa Pantami, stressed that people claiming to be Muslims, perpetrating the insecurity in the North, like Boko Haram, have in the past issued death threats to many Islamic scholars, including himself.
“They had a list of scholars to eliminate when they started fighting. My name was number one. And this is as early as 2009. Why? Because I debated their late leader Muhammad Yusuf on their ideology, and with the support of the Almighty God, I defeated him.
‘’If you watch the debate for almost six hours. Before then, Sheikh Jafar, a respected Islamic scholar, graduate of the University of Madinah, Saudi Arabia, was eliminated. Sheikh Muhammad Awal Albani, a respected scholar, was also eliminated, in addition to so many scholars. These are people claiming to be doing it for Islam. In February 2022, their late leader was on air, including BBC, commanding
“It’s an act of criminality. And we can never get it right until we stop linking it to any religious group. Crime is a crime. Criminality is criminality. It has no bound, it has no colour, it has no religion,” he argued.
his followers to eliminate me.
“If they are doing it for Islam, why would they go to BBC to say that I must be eliminated, because I am a threat to their ideology, because we challenge their ideology, that this ideol- ogy is un-Islamic and is not representing the position of Islam.
“So this is to show you that the criminality is not about religion. It is criminal in general. And this criminality is affecting Muslims, Christians and others. All these religion’s adherents are being killed under this criminality. So there is no justification whatsoever for anyone to claim that it is an ideology,” Pantami maintained.
He stated that rather than point fingers, Nigerians must come together to fight the menacing insecurity, highlighting how Muslims who were praying in Katsina were killed recently.
In his remarks, MURIC’s Prof. Ishaq Akintola described the US’ position as “misrepre- sentation, misinformation and disinformation, adding that there is nothing like deliberate religion-related killing of Christians or Muslims.
“Muslims are not killing Christians. What is happening is, it’s basically economic
warfare. People are hungry. People are jobless. People are desperate. And the idle hand, they say, is the devil’s workshop,” he pointed out.
For instance, he said the problem in the North Central, especially in Benue and Plateau, were largely ethnic clashes between herdsmen and farmers, maintaining that it’s been there for decades.
Earlier, the US officials, including the the erstwhile Mayor of Blanco, Mike Arnold, a campaigner for religious freedom and an associate of US Senator, Ted Cruz, who has been pushing the agenda that Christians were being specifically targeted in Nigeria, noted that his preliminary findings showed that both religions were significantly impacted by the Arnoldattacks.told THISDAY that his fact-finding mission revealed that Christians were mostly affected in Christian populated areas, while Muslim were impacted in majority of areas, where believers of Islam were frequently attacked by the terrorists and bandits.
“I still have multiple meetings with very important people. My main passion and calling is to serve…The tales of trauma and escape and
survival are chilling. And for 10 years, they’ve been in this camp. That’s all they have. That’s where they were told to stay, but no assistance, no aid, they are called criminals and beggars. These are people that were productive, school principals and people like that had everything taken away.
“And now they have nothing, and there’s no way out. And they get bulldozed. I mean, it’s inconceivable. I’m intentionally keeping an open mind on some things because I’m here to find facts,” he stated, but noted that from the camps he visited, but Muslims and Christians were affected.
Also speaking, author, Omokri, stated that Nigerians were upset about the insinuations that the killings were motivated by religion, stressing that many people feel it’s a plan to undermine Nigeria, especially after the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, recently spoke at the United Nations General Assembly about Nigeria’s position on the Gaza problem.
“And Senator Ted Cruz is not an evil man. Senator Ted Cruz is a person that means well for Nigeria. He’s a person that means well for the Christian community. Governor Greg
Abbott is also a Christian and he means well for the Christian community. However, they do not understand the issues.
“And because they don’t understand the issues, I decided to invite someone that is a personal friend of Senator Ted Cruz. He briefed Senator Ted Cruz before he came and someone that is personally known to Governor Abbott and us as well as a filmmaker to come here and visit IDP camps”, Reno Omokri stated.
He stated that after visiting some IDP camps, there was a consensus that both Christians and Muslims were equally being attacked.
“One of the things that might surprise the American public is that in the IDP camps, they found Muslims and they found Christians and in some cases, more Muslims than Christians,” Omokri said.
In the same vein, an American film maker, Jeff Gibbs, decried the sufferings that IDPs were subjected to, but noted that he has observed that all religions were represented in the camps.
“One camp is almost fully Christian. When we go to Durumi, it’s a different environment. Almost fully Muslim,” he stated.
Judge
Court of Appeal, Abuja,
the Federation, Chief Lateef Fagbemi; FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom
Tsoho; Managing Director, Details–2–Dot Development Nigeria Limited,
Mrs. Nancy Nathan, at the flag-off of the design and construction of residences for Heads of Courts in Abuja, yesterday
COURTESY VISIT OF NB MANAGEMENT TEAM TO SANWO-OLU...
FG Explains Surging Cooking Gas Prices, Warns Against Hoarding
Says Dangote Refinery has now resumed loading Projects domestic market to stabilise by next week
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The federal government yesterday intervened in the skyrocketing Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices, warning middlemen against taking advantage of the stay, including hoarding products.
Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, in a statement in Abuja, expressed concern over the recent increase in the price of LPG, popularly known as cooking gas, which he said has risen from between N1,000–N1,100 per kilogramme to as high as N1,500–N1,700 per kilogramme in some parts of the country.
The minister, according to a statement in Abuja by his spokesman, Louis Ibah, appealed for calm and un- derstanding from Nigerians, assuring that the situation is temporary and will normalise very soon.
“The recent price surge was primarily caused by two factors: The industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) at the Dangote Refinery, which temporarily halted LPG“Theloading.ongoing maintenance activities at the Nigeria LNG Train 4 facility, which reduced the volume of LPG available in the domestic market. These disruptions led to a shortfall in supply and a consequent increase in prices due to demand–supply imbalance,” Ekpo said.
The minister, however, noted that operations at the Dangote Refinery have now resumed, with loading of LPG to the domestic market alreadySimilarly,underway. he stated that the Bonny River Terminal operated by Seplat Energy has commenced loading, while the Nigeria LNG is
gradually restoring normal operations as maintenance nears“Withcompletion. these developments, supply to the domestic market is expected to stabilise by next week, leading to a gradual reduction in prices,” the minister said.
Ekpo reiterated that the LPG market is deregulated and appealed to marketers, distributors, and all stakeholders along the LPG value chain to be patriotic in their deal- ings, desist from hoarding, and refrain from exploiting consumers for profit.
To ensure compliance, the minister has mandated the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to intensify monitoring of LPG depots across the country to prevent product hoarding and other sharp practices capable of worsening the current situation.
He reassures Nigerians that the federal government remains committed to ensuring sufficient and affordable gas supply to all households across the country.
CJN Hails Admission of Nigerian Judges into International Association of Judges
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has commended the admission of Nigerian judges into the International Association of Judges (IAJ).
According to the CJN, the development demonstrates global recognition and confidence in the Nigerian judiciary.
Nigerian judges, under the platform of National Association
At NAEE Conference, Stakeholders Urge FG to Protect Vulnerable Nigerians
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Nigerian Association for Energy Economics (NAEE) yesterday urged President Bola Tinubu to protect Nigeria’s vulnerable as his economic reforms begin to take shape. However, it lauded the President’s macro-economic policies, describing them as robust and forward-looking and highlighting the long-term potential of the current changes in the economy.
In a keynote address at the 18th NAEE/International As-
sociation for Energy Economics (IAEE) Annual International Conference, a former NAEE President, Prof. Adeola Adenikinju, said the administration’s reforms were laying a strong foundation for stability.
He said: “In terms of macro policies and macro stability, the government is doing fantastically well. But in this kind of reform, you must also find a way of ensuring that you identify the vulnerable groups and see how you can protect them. The market will not do that for you.”
In his recommendation, Adenikinju underscored the need to strengthen Nigeria’s infrastructural base, and called on the government to ensure that all Nigerians have access to affordable electricity through the deployment of solar energy. Besides, he called for the removal of barriers to domestic gas access to enhance the distribution and use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), stressing that while the current reforms are necessary, their impact on the weak must be considered.
of Judges in Nigeria (NAJN), were admitted as members of IAJ at the 67th annual meeting of the group, holding in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The admission made Nigeria the 93rd member of the association.
According to a statement by media aide to the CJN, Mr. Tobi Soniyi, the IAJ, before admitting NAJN, considered some of the challenges the Nigerian judiciary faced, but also acknowledged the reforms being implemented by Kekere-Ekun.
Responding to Nigeria’s admission into the esteemed
global body, Kekere-Ekun said it was truly a moment of pride and privilege for Nigeria to join the global community of judges dedicated to the rule of law, judicial independence, and the protection of human rights.
She said, “Nigeria embraces this membership with humility, commitment, and a deep sense of responsibility.
“We recognise the values that this Association upholds, and we are determined to contribute actively to its mission.
“We are committed to further strengthening the independence of our judiciary, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring
will not only improve planning and litigation timelines but also reduce the risk of rushed inaugurations and post-swearing-in reversals,” Zuru said.
the continued protection and promotion of human rights in ourIAJcountry.” was founded in Salzburg (Austria) in 1953. It is a professional, non-political, international organization, bringing together national associations of judges, not individual judges, approved by the Central Council for admission to the association. The main aim of the association is to safeguard the independence of the judiciary, which is an essential requirement of the judicial function, guaranteeing human rights and freedom.
2027: N’A SS emblY Pro P o S e S November 2026 for Pre SID e NTIA l, Gover N or SHIP e lec TI o NS elections and stronger techno- logicalManysafeguards. civil society representa- tives argued that the changes would reduce electoral tension, curb judicial manipulation, and promote smoother transitions of power.
INEC’s representative also commended the legislature for recognising the logistical realities of election management in Nigeria’s vast and diverse landscape.“Conducting elections earlier
With the 2027 general election now barely two years away, the National Assembly’s proposed timeline marked one of the most ambitious electoral reforms since the return to civilian rule.
If adopted and harmonised with constitutional amendments, Nigeria’s next presidential and gubernatorial elections could
hold in November 2026, with the hope that all petitions were resolved before May 29, 2027, ushering in a new era where no leader takes office under legalTheuncertainty.proposed reforms, expected to go through fur- ther scrutiny and debate in both chambers, had already sparked optimism that Nigeria’s democracy might be inching closer to a cleaner, faster, and more transparent electoral system.
Alex Enumah in Abuja
Plc, Grace Omo-Lamai; Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Thibaut Boidin; Governor, Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Corporate Affairs Director, NB Plc, Uzodinma Odenigbo, and Supply Chain Director, NB Plc, Federico Agressi during the courtesy visit of Nigerian Breweries Plc ‘s management team to Sanwo-Olu at Lagos House, Alausa on Friday
National Assembly Accused of Violating Supreme Court Judgment with Central Gaming Bill
Nseobong Okon-Ekong
The Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria (FSGRN) has accused the National Assembly of desecrating the supremacy of the Constitution and the finality of the Supreme Court through its ongoing consideration of the proposed Central Gaming Bill 2025.
In an open letter addressed to the Body of Benchers, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and a host of eminent Senior
Advocates of Nigeria(SAN), including Professor Auwalu Yadudu; Chief Wole Olanipekun; Femi Falana; Mike Ozekhome; Kemi Pinheiro; Chief Robert Clarke; Professor Itse Sagay; and Dr. Olisa Agbakoba,—the FSGRN warned that the proposed bill represents “an open affront on the supremacy of the Constitution and the authority of the Supreme Court.”
FSGRN, which represents state gaming and lottery regulators across the federation, noted that the
Anambra Guber:
National Assembly’s attempt to reintroduce federal control over gaming and lottery matters directly contravenes a binding judgment of the Supreme Court delivered on November 22, 2024, in
Attorney General of Lagos State & 21 Ors v. Attorney General of the Federation & National Assembly (Suit No. SC.1/2008).
In that landmark judgment, the apex court
ruled unequivocally that the power to legislate and regulate lotteries and gaming resides exclusively with state governments, not the federal government. The court consequently nullified the National Lottery Act (CAP N145) and issued orders restraining the federal government and its agencies from enforcing any of its provisions within the states.
Free Kanu Protest: Igbo Women, Youth Leaders Back Sowore
Rights activist, Omoleye Sowore, has continued to garner support for his planned nationwide protest to put pressure on the Nigerian authorities
ADC Candidate Explains Commitment to One Term
The candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the November 8, Anambra State gubernatorial election, Mr. John Nwosu, has given reasons why he approached the Anambra State High Court to depose to an affidavit in support of his offer to serve one term of four years if elected governor.
The governorship hopeful said he decided to depose his promise on record in a court
of law following the concerns raised by Anambra voters that his election might jeopardise the zoning arrangement in the state.
He stressed that after discovering the overwhelming support of the people for his candidacy, he decided to concretise the undertaking that he would serve only one term in office when elected.
“So, I went to depose to
the affidavit for a number of reasons, because, first, we take our mission and vision to rescue Anambra seriously. Second, asking for public trust is serious business and thirdly, as a person, campaign organisation and political party, we are not frivolous; fourthly, we believe in transparency and accountability, and, lastly, because our word is our bond,” the ADC flagbearer declared.
Pathway Advisors’ Facilitated N6.135bn CP for Veritasi Homes Oversubscribed
Kayode Tokede
Pathway Advisors Limited, a leading Nigeria’s issuing house and financial advisory firm, has recorded another stellar performance in its role as Financial Adviser, Transaction Sponsor, and Lead Arranger to Veritasi Homes & Properties Plc on another oversubscribed issuance of N6.135 billion
Series 1 Commercial Paper(CP) issuance under its newly registered N20.00 billion programme.
Initially set at N5.00 billion, the offer was oversubscribed due to strong investor confidence in Veritasi.
This new Series 1 CP followed the previous N20 billion programme registered in 2022, which has expired. Under the
expired programme, Veritasi Homes successfully raised N15 billion, with all matured obligations fully redeemed on their respective due dates.
The 270-day tenor Series 1 CP attracted a broad range of institutional investors, reflecting strong confidence in Veritasi Homes’ financial performance, market reputation, and creditworthiness.
STL Trustees Wins Company of the Year Award
STL Trustees Limited has affirmed its leadership in Nigeria’s trusteeship industry, emerging as the Trustee Company of the Year at the 2025 Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, held in Lagos. The recognition, presented by BusinessDay Media Limited, organisers of the annual awards, celebrates
STL Trustees’ continued excellence, innovation, and professionalism in trust administration, structured finance, and wealth management.
This latest achievement adds to the company’s impressive track record, following its double win at last year’s edition, where it was honoured as ‘Trustee Company of the Decade’ and ‘Most Innovative Trustee Company in Nigeria.’
Speaking after receiving the award on behalf of the company, Executive Director, STL Trustees, Akin Oni, expressed profound gratitude to the organisers and dedicated the honour to the firm’s clients, partners, and employees who, he said, remain central to the company’s success story.
“It is my pleasure to receive this Award on behalf of STL Trustees as the Trustee Company of the Year.
Consulate Celebrates 35th Anniversary of German Unification
The German Consulate General under the leadership of its new Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Lagos, Daniel Krull, has hosted a commemorative event to mark the 35th anniversary of the unification of Germany, celebrated annually as
the Day of German Unity.
The Day of German Unity (Tag der Deutschen Einheit), celebrated every year on October 3rd, marks the official unification of East and West Germany in 1990 following the fall of the Berlin Wall. It stands as a national holiday and a symbol of freedom, democracy, and unity. This year’s event themed
“Celebrating What Unites Us held on Thursday 9th October 2025, brought together diplomatic representatives, government officials, business leaders, cultural figures, members of the German-Nigerian community and friends of Germany to reflect on the significance of unity, peace and international cooperation.
to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Therefore, several groups and individuals have signified their commitment to identify with the cause. The latest being the Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) and the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders(COSEYL).
In separate statements declaring their support for Sowore, both groups said that they would mobilise their members and non-members to join in the protest slated
to hold on October 20, 2025.
In a statement issued by its National President, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, IWA said that Sowore has taken “a step in the right direction” by mobilising Nigerians to fight for justice and the rule of law.
The pan-Igbo women’s group, which has been at the forefront of the advocacy for the freedom of Kanu, pointed out that the leader of the Biafra self-determination agitation has been a victim of “protracted injustice.”
She said: “We want Nigerians to unite against injustice and intimidation; against assault on freedom of speech and rule of law,” adding that: “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu stood against those ills and that’s why they came after him.
“Ordinary Nigerians must unite and resist disrespect to court orders. We must not allow politicians to use the fault lines of party, religion, and tribe to continue to divide us while they are in bed with one another.
NDDC Staff Urged to Imbibe Ethics, Accountability for Effectiveness
sunday Okobi
Staff members of the Corporate Service/ Governance and Due Process Department of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have been charged to embrace accountability, innovation, integrity, and regulatory compliance to enable the commission to effectively carry out its mandate in the Niger Delta region.
The call was made at a three-day capacitybuilding retreat and
masterclass for the Office of the Executive Director, Corporate Services, and the Corporate Governance and Due Process department of the Commission. The retreat was facilitated by Peace and Development Projects (PEDEP) and MARG Education International.
At the event, held in Lagos with the theme: ‘Regulatory and Compliance Trends, Ethics and Risk in Public Service: Innovating Corporate Services for Impact’, the Executive Director,
Corporate Services, NDDC, Hon. Ifedayo Sunday Abegunde, stated that the theme reflected a necessary shift in thinking.
“Our goal is not just to respond to change, but to lead it, and that the commitment of dedicated professionals to public service will continue to drive the NDDC forward,” he said.
Abegunde further explained that the retreat was curated to sustain human capital development within the Commission.
Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in umuahia
Oluchi Chibuzor
Funke Olaode
Amup ITA n: n ew Broom AT I ne C He must contend with and manage other disadvantages. Non-Yorubas already assume that he has been given the job to defend Tinubu’s interest. They will not stop discrediting him. The entrenched forces at INEC headquarters would see him as an outsider. He will need to win their confidence otherwise they will sabotage him. If he has any doubt about what such forces within a public institution are capable of doing, he should try and find out what Engr. Bayo Ojulari’s eyes are seeing as Yorubas would say as GMD/CEO at the NNPCL. NNPP’s Aniebonam may have welcomed his appointment but he can be sure that other leaders of the opposition would not be so kind to him. They think he is Tinubu’s agent and for as long as the INEC Chairman is appointed by an incumbent President, every INEC Chairman would be seen as a stooge of the man in power. For this to change, it will require an amendment of Section 154 of the 1999 Constitution, which currently vests the power to appoint the INEC Chairman, as well as National and Resident Electoral Commissioners in the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Other stakeholders including citizens feel left out. Professor Amupitan will need to build trust. He must back up performance with deft skills of public communication and diplomacy. His state Governor, Ahmed Ododo says he is “a man of integrity”. Nigerians do not know that. He will need to prove it. He will also do well to study the experi- ences of his predecessors and what he can learn from their strengths and weaknesses: Justice Ephraim Akpata conducted the
NEWS
1998/1999 elections. He died in office. Dr. Abel Guobadia oversaw the 2003 elections. Nobody praised him. Professor Maurice Iwu presided over the 2007 elections. He was removed in April 2010. Professor Attahiru Jega conducted the 2011 and 2015 general elections. It was under his watch that biometric voter registration smart card readers were introduced. He managed to complete a tenure of five years. Since 1998, it is only Professor Mahmoud Yakubu that has spent 10 years as INEC Chairman. He conducted the 2019 and 2023 general elections, but he too had issues with the
credibility and integrity of the electoral process. None of the chief electoral umpires before 1999 ended up as a hero either. They include Ronald Edward Wraith (Electoral Commission of Nigeria, ECN, 1958), Eyo Ita Esua (ECN, 1964-1966), Michael Ani (FEDECO, 1976 – 1979) Victor Ovie-Whiskey (FEDECO, 1980 – 1983); Eme Awa (NEC, 1987 – 1989); Humphrey Nwosu (NEC, 1989 – 1993); Okon Edet Uya (NEC, 1993 – 1993); and Sumner Dagogo-Jack (INEC, 1994 -1998).
The new broom (no pun intended) is assuming office at a time INEC suffers from
grave reputational deficits and there are anxieties about the forthcoming 2027 general elections which from all indications would be conducted under him. This comment is not an appraisal of Professor Mahmoud Yakubu’s tenure, as we have seen from the trajectory of the institution, there is no magician that can lead INEC without drowning in a sea of criticisms. Two things in which Nigerians claim expertise more than the man who has the main job: every Nigerian is a football coach; we all seem to know better than the coach. Every Nigerian is a chief electoral umpire. Each one of us has an idea about how elections must be conducted. Professor Amupitan is already being inundated with suggestions and directives from virtually every stakeholder. His primary task is to re-build the reputation of INEC. His first major field tests would probably be the Anambra Governorship election on November 8, Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on February 21, 2026, the Ekiti State Governorship election on June 20, 2026, and the Osun State Governorship election on August 8, 2026, all already contained in the schedule of elections that he would be inheriting from the Yakubu INEC. It would also be his duty to continue with the Continuous Voter Registration exercise and to get INEC ready ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He has his work already cut out for him. But there are bigger issues: the urgent need to restore credibility and reform the electoral process, respect for court orders by INEC, calls for the prosecution of electoral offenders, and a review of INEC’s operational capabilities.
Enugu Gov Mbah Set to Join APC Today
VP Shettima, Akpabio, Abbas, Yilwatda, govs, others storm Enugu for Mbah Ohanaeze Ndigbo, traditional rulers’ council, LG chairmen, others back decision Blame PDP for the mass exodus, says ex-party chairman
Gideon Arinze in Enugu Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah is set to formally defect from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progres- sives Congress, APC, today. This is even as various critical segments of the state as well as Ohanaeze Ndigbo have
thrown their weight behind Mbah’s decision to move into the APC.Meanwhile, a former chairman of the party in the state, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, maintained that PDP has itself to blame for precipitating the mass exodus from the party in Enugu State.
To receive Mbah into the party
are the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima; President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas; the APC National Working Committee (NUC) led by the National Chairman of the party, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; over a dozen governors as well
as ministers, federal lawmakers and appointees, among others.
On its part, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Enugu State Chap- ter, has applauded Mbah, “for taking the bold step of joining the ruling APC,” adding that “this decision is both thoughtful and timely, considering the compelling need to attract more
Int’l Day of the Girl Child: Ondo Trains Girls in Digital Skills, Distributes
In a bold move to empower young girls and prepare them for the challenges of the 21st century, the Ondo State Government has launched a comprehensive initiative to boost digital literacy and promote menstrual hygiene among schoolgirls across the state.
The initiative, tagged “Tech a Girl; Pad a Girl Child,” was unveiled on Monday by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in Akure, during an event marking the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child, celebrated annually on October 11 to highlight the rights, resilience, and potential of girls around the world.
Speaking through the
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Seun Osamaye, Governor Aiyedatiwa said the programme was designed to bridge the gender gap in technology while also addressing a long-standing challenge to girls’ education - menstrual hygiene
“Thismanagement. year’s theme, ‘The Girl That I Am, The Change I Need – Girls at the Frontlines of Crisis,’ gives us the opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary strength and impact of our girls, even in the face of challenges.
“Girls are not just beneficiaries of development; they are powerful drivers of change, creating a better and safer world for all”, the governorGovernorsaid.Aiyedatiwa who
Sanitary Pads
noted that the Tech a Girl component of the initiative aims to equip girls with basic digital skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving global
economy, said “through this digital literacy programme, we are preparing our girls to seize opportunities in technology and innovation,” he said.
for Africa’s emerging markets.
In a bid to empower the next generation of African innova- tors and entrepreneurs, Ideation Hub Africa has launched the African Masterclass Series (AMS) 5.0, a premier capacity- building initiative designed to equip social innovators, social entrepreneurs, and impact-driven individuals with the tools and thinking needed to build bold, scalable, and context-relevant solutions
The AMS 5.0, themed “From Concept to Creation: Building Innovative Solutions for Africa’s Emerging Markets,” is a free, immersive online bootcamp that will connect thousands of visionaries across the continent to experiential knowledge in social innovation and entrepreneurship.
Speaking at the launch of AMS 5.0, the Executive Director of Ideation Hub Africa, Mrs. Debola Deji-Kurunmi, said,
federal government projects to Enugu State.”
In a statement signed by Ohanaeze’s Vice President General representing Enugu State, Prof. Fred Eze and the National Treasurer, Dr. Peter Aneke, the apex Igbo socio- cultural body, reiterated its commitment for the zoning arrangement in the state.
“We remain committed to upholding the long-standing zoning tradition for the office of the governor, in the spirit of equity, fairness, and justice in Enugu State,” the statement read.
Also, the chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Samuel Asadu, said Mbah had earned national acclaim and
“At a time when Africa is hungry for transformation, AMS 5.0 comes as a platform to empower those who dare to imagine and build. We are thrilled to walk this journey with visionaries turning ideas into real-world solutions for our evolving markets.”
The CEO of Aspire Coronation Trust Foundation (ACT Foundation), Mrs. Osayi Alile, added: “We believe Africa’s future will be shaped by bold, innovative minds
the trust of the people by his “trailblazing performance and grassroots-oriented development in the last 26 months “, hence their support for him “is blind to party.”
“Therefore, the traditional rulers and people of Enugu State have absolute trust in his judgement. We wish him the best as he charts this new political course because it is rooted in the good of Enugu State. It is all about the people,” he stated.
Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Enugu State Chapter, Hon. Okechukwu Edeh, expressed the readiness of the people to move in the direction of the governor.
solving the continent’s most pressing challenges.
“Our partnership with Ideation Hub Africa for AMS 5.0 reflects our commitment to equipping changemakers with the skills, networks, and resources they need to create sustainable impact for generations to come.”
The AMS 5.0 program is designed to equip participants with the mindset, tools, and strategies to drive sustainable impact across the continent.
Amupitan
Fidelis David in Akure
Mary Nnah
Nigeria, Benin Republic in WinnerTakes-All Final Battle in Uyo
Win for South Africa at home against Rwanda may ruin the party for Eagles
Duro Ikhazuagbe
The die is cast! Nigeria’s final moment is here to know if the Super Eagles will be amongst the nine teams that will gain direct qualifications from Africa to the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by USA, Mexico and Canada.
And next door neighbors, Benin Republic Cheetahs, are standing between Nigeria and the ticket same way rivals Ghana did and eventually denied Super Eagles the trip to Qatar for the 2022 edition, the first in the Middle East!
However, win alone in Uyo is not enough as Coach Eric Chelle and his technical crew will have their ears to the ground, listening to proceedings from Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, where second placed South Africa will be battling Rwanda for the same ticket. A win for Bafana Bafana will make meaningless any slim victory of Eagles over Benin Republic. Only win above 3-0 may put Nigeria amongst the four best runner ups of all the nine groups. The withdrawal of Eritrea from the qualifiers and CAF’s decision to give all the second placed teams a fair deal by subtracting matches played against last teams in all the groups reopened Super Eagles route through this window. It is yet a 50-50 chance.
Above is the scenario confronting the Super Eagles as Nigeria battle Benin Republic in the final Match-day 10 games of the African qualification series for the 2026 World Cup.
Already, Coach Chelle has insisted that the Super Eagles will give everything they have to secure a decent win over Benin Republic and hope for divine favour from Nelspruit. Group C leaders Benin Re-
WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
public, on 17 points, have their fate in their hands as a win over Nigeria at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium will earn them their first-ever FIFA World Cup ticket.
Nigeria have not missed two consecutive FIFA World Cup finals since first reaching the finals in 1994, and will throw everything into Tuesday’s battle.
Regardless of their surprising third place in the group going into the final matchday, Super
Eagles are the only one among the three contenders for the lone ticket from the group that have lost only one match. Both Benin Republic and second-placed South Africa, who have 15 points and host Rwanda’s Amavubi, have each lost two matches.
No doubt, the Cheetahs, now coached by former Nigeria gaffer Gernot Rohr, have conducted a campaign to be proud of, as they hunt for their first-ever ticket to
the global finals. Their 17 points and two-point cushion at the top means they will live their dream if they secure a point in Uyo this evening and South Africa fail to trounce Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium.
In contrast, Nigeria is seeking a seventh FIFA World Cup appearance, having made the Round of 16 in three of their previous three, and the spine of the Class of 2025 know this could be their only chance of sitting at world football’s highest podium.
Captain William Ekong and midfielder Alex Iwobi featured at the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals but that was a competition the Super Eagles left at the group stage, and both will surely prefer to experience another tournament with all the glitz and glamour that North America promises next summer.
Ekong, voted Man of the
Cape Verde Beat Cameroon to Group D Ticket to World Cup
Cape Verde have become the second-smallest nation to reach the World Cup after the islanders beat Eswatini 3-0 at home.
Victory meant the Blue Sharks secured top spot in their qualifying Group D and a place at the 2026 finals ahead of continental heavyweights Cameroon.
Dailon Livramento opened the scoring for the hosts in Praia, turning home a loose ball inside the six-yard box early in the second half, and Willy Semedo volleyed in a
second soon afterwards.
Veteran defender Stopira added the third in stoppage time before the full-time whistle sparked joyous scenes of celebration at the 15,000-capacity National Stadium.
An archipelago of 10 islands in the Atlantic Ocean, with a population of just under 525,000 according to the latest figures from the World Bank, Cape Verde gained independence from Portugal in 1975 and first attempted to reach the 2002 World Cup hosted in Japan and South Korea.
The team have punched above their weight in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in recent years, reaching the quarter-finals on debut in 2013 and again in 2023, and currently sit 70th in the world rankings.
Iceland, who featured at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, is the only country with a smaller population to qualify for the global showpiece.
Last month’s 1-0 home win over Cameroonin the capital city put the islanders in pole position in Group D, knowing one victory from their remaining
two games would book their place in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The Blue Sharks missed their first chance to qualify last Wednesday against Libyawhen they drew 3-3, fighting back from two goals down in Tripoli before being denied an almost certain stoppage-time winner by a controversial offside call.
But the Cape Verdeans made sure of their second opportunity in Praia against winless Eswatini, becoming the sixth African side to book a ticket to next year’s finals.
Competition at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations final, is set to win his 83rd cap on Tuesday while Iwobi will earn his 89th.
Top scorer and 2023 Africa Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, defender Calvin Bassey, midfielders Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Simon Moses, Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman, among oth-
ers, have not been to the FIFA World Cup finals.
The Cheetahs have been to only four Africa Cup of Nations finals, as against the Super Eagles’ 20 participations, and their alltime high was a quarter-final berth in Egypt six years ago, compared to Nigeria’s three titles, five runner-up positions and eight third-place finishes.
NPFL: Kano Pillars Deducted Three Points, Fined N9.5m,
For the umpteenth time, the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano has been shut against Kano Pillars and their fans following the pitch invasion occasioning chaotic scenes and attack on match officials and players of Shooting Stars last weekend.
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), found Kano Pillars guilty of several breaches of the NPFL Rules, including failure to provide adequate security, loss of crowd control, and conduct capable of bringing the game into disrepute.
In total, Pillars have been slammed with a N9.5million fines and banished to play their next 10 home games in Katsina.
According to the NPFL, unauthorized persons invaded restricted areas, assaulted match officials and Shooting Stars players, and threw dangerous objects onto the pitch; acts the football body described as “totally unacceptable and damaging to the league’s image.”
The league cited breach of Rules B13.52, B13.18, C1.1, C9, and C11, leading to the following sanctions:
•N1,000,000 fine for failure to provide adequate and effective security at the match venue.
•N1,000,000 fine for throwing dangerous objects onto the pitch.
•N1,000,000 fine for poor crowd control.
•N1,000,000 fine for conduct capable of bringing the game into disrepute.
•N2,000,000 fine for assaulting Shooting Stars players and officials.
•N2,000,000 compensation for medical treatment of affected individuals.
•N1,500,000 compensation to match officials (N250,000 each).
•Three (3) points and three (3) goals deducted from Kano Pillars’ accrued total.
• Indefinite closure of the Sani Abacha Stadium, with the club ordered to play its home games in Katsina until further notice.
FANS HOOLIGANISM
Super Eagles will go for broke against Benin Republic in the last game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Uyo.
mEETinG of ThE nATionAL CoUnCiL of TRADiTionAL RULERS of niGERiA...
L-R: Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi; Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma; Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III; Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II during the Lagos national executive committee meeting of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island in Lagos, ... yesterday
TUESDAY WITH REUBEN ABATI
abati1990@gmail.com
Amupitan: New Broom At INEC
Last week, October 7, the announcement was made of the exit of Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, Chair of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 2015 – 2025, and his replacement in acting capacity by Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, Chairperson of Legal Services, Clearance, and Complaints Committee (LSC &CC) – she is now likely to hold the record of being a placeholder for a short period of time. The only other Acting Chairman in the history of INEC was Ms. Amina Bala Zakari (acting chair, June – November 2015). She spent about five months. Mrs Mbu may not be that lucky. For, by October 9, the National Council of State unanimously approved the nomination of a new INEC chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan whose name had been in circulation, for weeks, as President Tinubu’s preferred choice, and whose nomination will now go before the Senate for confirmation. That should be considered a done deal. It is not this Senate that will reject such a high-profile appointment by the President.
While we congratulate Professor Amupitan, we should also pity him because he has just accepted the most challenging assignment that anyone can ever wish for. The job of Nigeria’s chief electoral umpire is a thankless one. There is no one that has done this job in recent memory that has not been vilified, abused, called names. Nigeria’s political environment is toxic, the politicians are desperate, the institutions are weak, election matters often end up in tribunals and courts, and the judiciary gets dragged into an ecosystem of distrust. Electoral reforms, consistently argued for and pursued by civil society stakeholders have not necessarily changed the core defects in Nigeria’s political culture. Professor Amupitan got his first baptism of fire the moment his name was announced.
President Tinubu reportedly described Amupitan as “a man of integrity and a non-partisan professional” , the first person from Kogi State, North Central Nigeria, to be nominated for the position. The nominee indeed has strong credentials. Amupitan, 58, is a Professor of Law, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the current
Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Jos, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Ayo Babalola University, author of wieldy referenced law books on Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Trust, and a law teacher for about three decades. But even with this impressive profile, critics including the opposition, his own colleagues, that is lawyers, ethnic gladiators, and civil society activists have rushed to every available platform to discredit him. This is typical Nigerian behaviour, not necessarily a request for information and accountability; more so as most of the allegations raised do not stand the test of close scrutiny. In a curious indication of the depth of cynicism that has overtaken the land, the first target is Amupitan’s school certificates!
One Ph.D holder claims to have discovered holes in Amupitan’s qualifications noting that nobody knows the names of the primary and secondary schools that he attended, and that he purportedly attended Kwara State Polytechnic at the age of 15, he got a law degree within three years instead of five, he became a Head of Department in 2006 without a Ph.D, and a Dean of the Faculty in 2008, a year after his Ph.D. The gentleman claims to have “a fair understanding of the academic system”. He apparently does not. In response to his
posers, Kenway Davidson, FCA who was Amupitan’s school mate and a childhood friend has disclosed that they both attended LEA primary School in Ayetoro-Gbede, Kogi State. He left the school from Primary 5 (which is not an offence) and proceeded to St. Barnabas Secondary School Kabba. From there, he gained admission to the School of Basic Studies at the Kwara State College of Technology for his A Levels. Law studies in Nigeria used to be for a period of four years only. An A level qualification meant that you would only spend three years instead of four. For the benefit of the man who claims to be familiar with the academic system, he needs to be told that a Ph.D, even Professorship, is not a qualification for appointment to the Headship of a Department, or the Deanship of a Faculty. It depends on the circumstances of the Department and Faculty. Law teachers in many of our universities are also assessed differently: on the basis of both scholarship and legal practice under the A&P process, which is why it is possible to become a law Professor without necessarily having a Ph.D, which is compulsory for any advancement beyond a certain grade in most other disciplines. Amupitan was also attacked by a group of lawyers, over 1, 000 of them under the aegis of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), who wrote to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters to ask that Amupitan’s nomination should be rejected on the grounds of conflict of interest he, having been lead counsel to the All Progressives Counsel (APC) during the 2023 Presidential Election Petition at the Supreme Court. ALDRAP’s gamble provides good justification for the claim that lawyers are part of the problem with Nigeria. A simple check would have revealed the truth, now provided by non-lawyers, and Babatunde Ogala, SAN, coordinator of the legal team, that indeed Amupitan was never part of the APC legal team. ALDRAP quoted this and that and sent its petition to anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies. That body owes Amupitan a public apology. Whoever signed that petition should be queried
for exposing lawyers to public ridicule and seeking to incite the public. It is now established that Amupitan has no conflict of interest, and that this is not a Lauretta Onochie situation as ALDRAP claimed. What else? The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has questioned President Tinubu’s motive, arguing that by appointing Amupitan he merely wants to consolidate his control over the nation’s electoral process, and he has prioritised loyalty over competence. HURIWA has not provided any evidence to back up its allegation but it seems to echo the sub-text of some of the objections which is the ethnic view that Amupitan being a Yoruba from Kogi State, he would naturally protect the interest of his kinsman who is seeking a second term as President of Nigeria. Professor Farooq Kperogi in an essay writes about the “New INEC Boss and Tinubu’s Visibilization of Northern Yorubas.” Professor Amupitan is not just the first person from the North Central state of Kogi to be Chair of the country’s electoral body, he is also the first Yoruba man to be appointed to that position. Playing the ethnic card is too cheap. Nigerians are quick to play politics with the divisive and contentious issues at the heart of the national question. It certainly won’t be long before a group of noise makers also protest that Amupitan is a Christian. The fact however is that out of the 14 Chairpersons of Nigeria’s electoral body since 1959, the South South has produced seven, the South East, three; the North West two; the North East, one; the North Central and the South West; none. In the midst of it all, however, his nomination has been praised by the ruling APC, the founder of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) – Dr. Boniface Aneibonam, Secretary General, NNPP, Comrade Sunday Oginni, the Lagos State Chapter of the APC, the Ade Olamife Campaign Vanguard, Okun Youths, and the Yoruba Council of Elders. Thus, in less than a week, Amupitan’s nomination has already divided the public, a sign of what is to come. His season of innocence is over.
