Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Kano State Chapter, has committed to supporting the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), Kano State Command, with equipment, with a view to strengthening the command’s security operations across the state.
Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Kano State Chapter, Dr Faruk Umar, said the support was part of ACF’s commitment to supporting community-based security initiatives.
Speaking while receiving members of the CJTF on a courtesy visit to the forum’s secretariat, Umar said the group was committed to sustainable partnership on the state security.
He said while the initial donation of N1 million would be used for basic equipment, the ACF would mobilise additional support for the group from friends and well-wishers.
He urged the CJTF leadership to organise quarterly briefing sessions to keep ACF informed about its routine operations and developments.
He cautioned members of the public against indiscriminate sharing of unverified security information on social media, noting that such actions often create panic without offering solutions.
Secretary of the CJTF, Kano State Command, Shamsuddeen Idris Mu’azu, said the visit was aimed at seeking partnership with ACF on security and peace-building efforts.
He pointed out that the Kano State Command was formed as a proactive measure and had engaged with the Department of State Services (DSS), State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) and the Directorate of Special Services ahead of its formal take-off.
The Lagos state police command has advised the public, especially those with abandoned vehicles around the city to report at Apapa Railway Police station for identification and claims within 14 days.
The vehicles are: one unregistered green and white Mack Truck head and one Navy blue Villager Space bus with registered number plate:GP 645EKY, pursuant to a magistrate’s court order.
Fishes and periwinkles from Ogoni waters in Rivers state have heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons and therefore unsafe for human consumption as they spread cancer disease, according to an independent research.
The research, facilitated by the Pulitzer Centre Crisis Reporting, equally noted that consumers of such seafood, particularly children, stand the risk of coming down with cancer disease and other cardiovascular disorders if nothing is done to halt the development.
The report was made public at a one-day multiple stakeholders engagement by the Centre, tagged, “Restoring Rivers, reviving livelihood, renewing life”, held in Akpor community, Gokana Council area of Rivers state, at the weekend.
The representative of the Pulitzer Centre, Anuoluwapo Adelakun, who spoke at the event, said the investigation was inspired by the plights of the locals who reside in the community.
According to her, “People were constantly going to the river to fish, pick periwinkles, swim and even fetch water for their daily chores while the environment is being cleaned up and most often, some of the catch they made were found to be laced with sludge suspected to be crude oil spill, which they would rinse in the river before taking them home for consumption, or even taken to the markets for sale.”
Expatiating, said, “It was out of curiosity of the possible health implication of consuming sea food from contaminated water that made us take samples from Bodo, K-Dere, Mogho and Gbee rivers.
“We discovered that while the cleanup is being carried out, people are still engaging with the water, fishing and eating the fish and periwinkle from the river, bathing and fetching the water for use despite the contamination.
“When we discovered this, we took samples of the water and the sediments of the fish and the periwinkle, and it was discovered that there is still high levels of heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons in the fish through viral accumulations, in other words, most of the people who are eating the fish, periwinkles and whatever they are catching from the polluted waters are likely to fall very ill in the long run, especially children,”Adelakun told journalists.
The event was attended by HYPREP, Nigeria Oil Spill Regulating Agency (NOSRA), Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), civil society group, government representative, the academia, media, women and youths, among others.
Pressed further, Adelakun said, “The dialogue was meant to address the issues raised when we went to the communities.”
She was however quick to admit that HYPREP has clarified that some of the areas the samples were reportedly taken from as the cleanup is ongoing.
Part of the issues she noted was the complaints by the Ogoni indigenes over lack of access, communication gap between the (locals) and HYPREP.
In their different presentations, some of the affected persons including: Chief Nadabel John, Chief Emmanuel Pii and Mrs Grace Namon, expressed worry over the health implications of dwelling, eating and using water, food from the polluted environments.
Fielding questions from newsmen at the event, Mrs. Namon said, “Most of the things that are happening to us in life we didn’t know it’s as a result of the pollution both in the air, water and the creeks.
Speaking on behalf of the HYPREP, the Technical Assistant to the HYPREP Project Coordinator on Shoreline Cleanup, Peter Lenu disagreed with the claims by the research report that fishes and periwinkles were picked by fisher forks were covered in crude, insisting that it is scientifically impossible.
“Talking about fishes, especially periwinkle, fishermen go to pick periwinkles laden in hydrocarbon, fresh crude oil and then they literally have to wash it and then they take it home for eating. Scientifically you can’t find periwinkles in fresh hydrocarbons still alive. And that is an area that we need to set the record straight.”
Citing a UNEP report, Lenu revealed that “it will take several years, 25-30 years and the intervention is ongoing, the water quality is improving,” adding that “one of their findings said that the TPH levels in one of the locations that their study locations is about 277.5 milligram per kilogram.
“Scientifically when you have been able to get that kind of result of 277.5 milligram per kilogram for an area that was so contaminated that the baseline values for the average was over a 20,000 milligram per kilogram, that’s about 98% success that has been recorded in that area. And that is why I said significantly something has been done. But it’s a process,” he said.
Kinsmen of the former Governor Godwin Obaseki have described as remarkable the development strides of Governor Monday Okpebholo for fulfilling his promise to construct the 14 kilometres Eguaholor-Iguomon-Uvbenisi-Oza Road.
They said the road which linked Uhunmwode and Orhionmwon local government areas was neglected by their son.
The former Edo governor’s kinsmen spoke when Governor Okpebholo inspected the road project which connected several agrarian communities.
Mrs. Oyenmwen Igbinedion said they were happy that they could now take their farm produce to the market.
She said, “Okpebholo has rescued us from darkness and it shows that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a party to be trusted and this has shown that Governor Okpebholo’s administration is delivering practical governance to Edo people.”
The counsellor representing Isi North in Uhunmwode local government area, Hon. Friday Agbonze, said the people suffered a lot due to the abandoned road.
He said the construction has helped to boost economic resources of the people of the area.
“Before now, we made several attempts to reach the former governor, Obaseki, who is from this community and he did nothing to help us. Thank God in just one year, governor Okpebholo has brought roads to us and opened up our community. We are so very happy.”
Speaking to journalists, Governor Okpebholo said, “This is Obaseki’s community, you can see the excitement on the faces of the people, how they have all come out to welcome us. Obaseki was governor of Edo State for eight years and never remembered his people.
“When I came during my campaigns, I promised them that when I win the elections I will come and do this road. The road then was completely bad and inaccessible. This is my second time coming here. The first time was when I came to flag off this road and the second time now is to inspect the progress of the job done so far.”
Okpebholo stated that construction of the road attested to the support of President Bola Tinubu in Edo’s Infrastructure and agricultural revolution drive.
He expressed optimism that the benefitting residents would appreciate President Tinubu with maximum votes in 2027.
“The people are happy as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is demonstrating practical governance in Edo state, delivering the dividends of democracy to Edo people.
“When we are talking about 2.5 million votes in Edo, people think we are joking. Edo people will not vote for another person because they have experienced growth and development in the state. 2027 is settled because it’s the judgment day and no matter the party they shall all be defeated in Edo state.
“Our work is speaking for us as long as the President keeps giving us money, we will continue to use it to work for Edo people and develop the State and ensure the people keep smiling.”
The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a teenager, Nsikak Okon, aged 19, who rammed an SUV into a police checkpoint and injured three policemen.
It said the policemen were currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
Spokesman for the Edo Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, in a statement, said the incident happened on December 24th at Iyekogba Estate Gate, Oredo local government area.
Ikoedem said investigations showed the suspect was an unlicensed driver, adding that the black Mercedes-Benz GLK SUV, valued at ₦28m, was not registered despite being in use since May 2024.
She listed items recovered from the suspect to include a substance suspected to be Canadian Loud and a Sprite bottle containing sky-blue liquid suspected to be diluted refnol.
According to her, “The Command wishes to reiterate this directive and strongly warns that there is absolutely no justifiable reason for any motorist to speed through a police checkpoint except with the intention to evade lawful checks or endanger the lives of officers on duty.
“A reckless driver drove against traffic, breached a police checkpoint barricade, made a turn and drove back at officers on duty, knocking down three police personnel, who were on lawful duty. The reckless driver eventually crashed into multiple vehicles before being restrained and arrested. The injured officers are currently receiving medical attention.
“The Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, CP Monday Agbonika, emphasises that any person who deliberately attacks or attempts to harm police officers on lawful duty will not be spared,” stressing that enough is enough. “The Command assures the public that it remains committed to maintaining law and order and ensuring public safety.”
The two organisations noted that negligence, poor awareness, and a weak safety culture would continue to expose Nigerian workers to preventable injuries and deaths at the workplace.
The heads of both organisations made these points on Friday in Abuja at a press conference ahead of the NSITF-NECA Safe Workplace Intervention Project 2025 interactive enlightenment forums and award ceremonies stated for January.
Speaking at the event, NECA Director-General Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde said that workplace safety is a life-and-death issue often treated with dangerous nonchalance by both employers and employees.
Oyerinde noted that occupational safety and health has recently been elevated by the International Labour Organisation to a core convention binding on all member states.
The NECA boss said: “Health and safety is no longer optional. It is now a human rights issue. Labour is not a commodity; there are human beings behind every job.
“The disposition of the private sector towards health and safety is changing. Our commitment, alongside NSITF, led to the commencement of the Safe Workplace Intervention Project many years ago.”
Oyerinde stressed that workplace accidents are often irreversible, even when victims survive, and highlighted emerging challenges such as remote work, artificial intelligence, and home-based accidents that require a rethinking of what constitutes a workplace.
He added: “We often carry the same mindset from home to the office. Carelessness in the workplace can have lasting consequences.
“From employers who see safety investment as a cost to employees who ask, ‘Why must I wear PPE?’—this is a serious issue. When an accident happens, recovery may be partial, but the scars remain. Safety is not just compliance; it is a life issue.”
According to Oyerinde, the biggest compliance gaps are knowledge, awareness, and basic infrastructure, noting that many hazards are ignored because they appear harmless.
“Even something as simple as a chair can be hazardous over time. Awareness is key,” he said.
He emphasised that while NECA members are held to higher standards, recklessness persists in companies that avoid regulation.
He also warned that employees who remain silent in unsafe environments are complicit.
“Safety is a personal responsibility. Unsafe practices must be named and addressed,” he stated.
The audit process, Oyerinde explained, was evidence-based and evaluated policies, behaviour, leadership, emergency preparedness, and implementation.
According to him, compliance levels were average for a developing country.
“Some organisations have policies without implementation; others have plans but no emergency response. This year, 200 companies across the six zones were audited. Organisations performing exceptionally will be rewarded, including with safety-related incentives such as ambulances,” he added.
Also speaking, Managing Director/CEO of NSITF, Oluwaseun Faleye described SWIP as a key tool for driving private-sector compliance with workplace safety and employee compensation laws.
“The Employees’ Compensation Act is robust, but the law alone is not enough without stakeholder engagement. Collaboration with NECA has been very effective,” Faleye said.
He added that the 2025 SWIP activities, delayed into early 2026 due to operational exigencies, would officially kick off in Lagos on January 20, followed by Enugu, and a grand finale in Abuja on January 27.
Faleye stressed that recognition and awards encourage compliance and that media engagement is critical for deepening awareness of the Employee Compensation Scheme.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Salihu Usman, commended NECA and NSITF for sustaining SWIP, describing it as a model of effective collaboration.
He noted that the ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health Department actively participated as a technical partner to ensure alignment with national standards and global best practices.
Former Petroleum Minister and Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Atuekong Don Etiebet, has described the working relationship between the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Governor Umo Eno, as legendary since the governor joined the party in June last year.
Etiebet stated this in a statement, personally signed by him on the birthday celebration of Senator Akpabio, who recently marked his 63rd birthday anniversary.
According to Etiebet, “Your zeal and dedication towards a just, equitable and prosperous Nigeria as well as joining hands with our excellent Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, to bring about a stable, united and peaceful Akwa Ibom State on the platform of the APC are profound which synergy has never been seen in the state before.
“It therefore, gives me immense pleasure to join several of your well-wishers, family and friends to rejoice with you on the auspicious occasion of your birthday. You are an enigma and great man indeed and in truth.
“We celebrate your steadfastness, uncommon leadership and selfless service to humanity. You have brought remarkable initiatives, robust and effective legislative performance as the President of the Nigeria Senate, which has significantly advanced the way Nigeria works, towards a great and enduring democracy in the African continent.
“May God continue to bless you with good health, strength and wisdom to continue in your uncommon services to the development of our dear country, Nigeria. Your footprints will be hard to erase forever and as you attain this new age, may the Almighty God continue to uplift, uphold and strengthen you for the task ahead and abundance of good health,” he prayed.
Preparations for the 15th Biennial Police Games (BIPOGA 2026) have gathered momentum as the Local Organising Committee (LOC) held a high-level, two-day strategic conference and facility inspection in Asaba, Delta State, ahead of the nationwide sporting event scheduled for between February 7 and 14, 2026.
The inspection tour held at the weekend was led by the Chairman of the Force Sports Planning Committee, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Fom Pam Joseph.
It focused on tightening operations, logistics, and coordination ahead of the games.
Senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), including AIG Suleiman Abdul, CP Dantawaye Miller, CP Hassan Gwani, CP Osifo Emefiele, and Delta State CP Aina Adesola, were in attendance alongside members of the LOC.
Spokesman for Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, revealed in a statement on Saturday that key issues such as venue readiness, security architecture, accommodation, transportation, medical support, and logistics took centre stage, with emphasis on delivering a seamless and professionally run national sporting event.
Sequel to the strategy session, SP Edafe said the committee inspected designated sporting venues across Asaba, evaluating infrastructure, safety standards, and overall preparedness for athletes and officials expected from police commands nationwide.
“The LOC reaffirmed its readiness to deliver a secure, orderly, and memorable BIPOGA 2026, assuring participants and the public that all arrangements are firmly on course,” the spokesman indicated.
In a market filled with payment apps, wallets, and delayed rewards, Numoni has launched something fundamentally different: a spending wallet that gives users value before they even decide to spend.
Speaking on the philosophy behind the platform, Francis Ekeng, Founder of Numoni, said, “Most loyalty systems reward people after they’ve already spent. We flipped that logic. Numoni gives value before spending — before checkout, before the decision, before the moment that matters.”
According to him, “Numoni is not an e-money wallet and it is not a cashback platform. Instead, it introduces upfront rewards — value that appears in a user’s wallet the moment it is funded, before checkout, before purchase, and before any transaction occurs. This distinction is deliberate.
“With Numoni, users top up their spending wallet and instantly receive additional reward value. That value is not interest, not credit, and not withdrawable as cash. It is pre-spend value, designed to increase purchasing power before spending begins, and redeemable only within participating merchant ecosystems.”
Expatiating, Ekeng explained that Numoni was built as a spending-first wallet, not a storage or transfer wallet, “This is not e-money. We are not helping people move money around. We are helping people get more value out of money before they use it.”
In practice, the experience is simple. A user funds their Numoni wallet and immediately sees additional reward value available for use. When they later decide to spend at any participating merchant, that value is already there — visible, usable, and trusted.
For consumers navigating rising costs and shrinking purchasing power, the timing of value is critical. Numoni’s approach ensures users start every spending decision with more value than they put in, rather than waiting for rewards that may arrive later or never.
Early users of the platform have described the experience as “different from anything else” and “surprisingly practical,” noting that seeing value upfront changes how and where they choose to spend.
Behind the scenes, Numoni works by converting merchant marketing budgets into immediate consumer value, allowing businesses to reward intention rather than just completed transactions. This creates a closed-loop system where rewards are transparent, measurable, and directly linked to consumer behaviour.
With its focus on upfront rewards, pre-spend value, and spending enablement, Numoni is positioning itself not as another wallet, but as a new layer in the consumer economy — one that reshapes when value shows up in everyday life.
Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor), in this report examines the long term benefits and prospects that could accrue to Nigeria as a result of the global financial redemption from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) “Grey List,” and the European Union’s decision to delist the country from its high-risk third countries list.
The global financial landscape is notoriously unforgiving toward jurisdictions perceived as weak links in the fight against illicit money flows. For over two years, Nigeria navigated the restrictive waters of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) “Grey List,” a designation that served as a persistent signal of “strategic deficiencies” in the nation’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing systems.
However, a series of aggressive, top-down reforms have culminated in a dual victory: the country’s removal from the FATF Grey List in late 2025, followed by the European Union’s recent decision to delist Nigeria from its high-risk third countries list.
The journey to this milestone began in February 2023. At that time, Nigeria was flagged for specific vulnerabilities, including supervisory gaps in financial institutions, a lack of transparency regarding the beneficial ownership of legal entities, and inadequate enforcement measures.
The international community noted that while laws existed, the investigation and prosecution of money laundering cases remained limited, and the implementation of financial sanctions was only partial.
These deficiencies created significant friction for Nigerian businesses, leading to higher borrowing costs and a “de-risking” trend where foreign banks became hesitant to facilitate transactions for their Nigerian counterparts.
A Presidential mandate for reform
Faced with the threat of potential blacklisting—a status that would have crippled the economy—President Bola Ahmed Tinubu placed the exit from the Grey List at the summit of his economic governance agenda. The administration’s response was characterised by a surge in legislative activity and inter-agency synergy. The enactment of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 provided the legal teeth necessary to bite purveyors of financial crimes.
Apparently gladdened by the turn of events, an elated Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun described the recent delisting by the European Commission as a significant endorsement of this vision; a development he credited the achievement to the President’s “extraordinary leadership, unwavering political will and clear reform vision.”
According to Mr. Edun, the administration ensured that anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) reforms became core elements of the national stability agenda.
“The European Commission, in its assessment, concluded that Nigeria had strengthened the effectiveness of its AML/CFT regime and addressed identified technical and strategic gaps,” Mr. Edun noted.
Besides, he observed that the development would “ease enhanced due diligence requirements for Nigerian individuals, businesses and financial institutions dealing with European counterparts, improve correspondent banking relationships, boost investor confidence and further integrate Nigeria into the global financial system.”
Transparency as a shield
In the view of analysts, central to the reforms’ success was the operationalisation of a public Beneficial Ownership Register under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA). For years, shell companies had been used as veils for illicit actors to move funds undetected. By pulling back this curtain, the federal government provided law enforcement and global regulators with unprecedented visibility into who truly owns and controls corporate entities in Nigeria.
Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, the Minister of State for Finance, played a pivotal role in coordinating these aspects with regulatory agencies. She noted that the reforms transformed the financial system from one of reactive measures to proactive transparency. “We didn’t just pass laws on paper. We ensured they were implemented in practice. We increased prosecutions of financial crimes and applied sanctions to institutions that failed to comply,” she said assuredly.
The Minister of State further elaborated on the impact of the Beneficial Ownership Register, calling it transformative for the nation’s integrity. “We now have unprecedented visibility into corporate ownership structures, making it significantly harder for illicit actors to hide behind shell companies and enhancing our ability to track suspicious financial flows,” Dr. Uzoka-Anite said.
She added that this moment serves as proof that “Nigeria can reform, that we can meet international standards, and that we can deliver on our commitments.”
The economic impact of delisting
The practical implications of the European Union’s decision, contained in the Commission Delegated Regulation, are profound for the Nigerian private sector. When a country is on the high-risk list, every transaction originating from that jurisdiction is subjected to “enhanced due diligence.” This means longer waiting time, higher compliance fees, and often, the outright rejection of legitimate business deals by European banks and entities that may choose to err on the side of caution.
However, with the delisting taking effect in early 2026, these barriers are set to fall. The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) released a statement explaining that transactions involving Nigerian businesses will no longer be subjected to these typical high-risk measures. This shift is expected to “ease compliance burdens, support smoother cross-border financial flows, and enhance Nigeria’s attractiveness for trade, investment and financial partnerships with EU member States.”
Expectedly, Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, the Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, described the decision as a strong endorsement of the country’s collective reforms’ efforts. “Beyond the immediate economic benefits, this outcome strengthens international confidence in Nigeria’s financial system and underscores our standing as a cooperative and responsible participant in the global financial architecture,” she said matter-of-factly.
Expatiating, Ms. Bakari noted that the NFIU has served as the central nervous system for these reforms, improving the quality of financial intelligence provided to investigative and prosecutorial authorities. She warned, however, that the victory must not lead to a relaxation of standards.
“While we welcome this progress, it also places a clear responsibility on all stakeholders to sustain momentum, guard against complacency and continue strengthening our systems in response to evolving financial crime risks,” she added.
A unified front for financial integrity
Interestingly, a synergy of cooperation amongst interagency saddled with the responsibility of crime prevention and prosecution made this laudable feat achievable. Thus, it can be asserted that it was the collaboration among officials that made it work. As to be expected, the federal government lauded the roles played by the National Assembly, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the judiciary, and private sector operators. This united front allowed Nigeria to complete its FATF Action Plan in record time, moving from an August 2025 on-site visit to an official delisting in October of the same year.
The European Commission’s assessment acknowledged that Nigeria had not only closed technical gaps but also fulfilled the operational commitments required to ensure a resilient financial system. For the global community, the message is clear: Nigeria is no longer a jurisdiction to be approached with suspicion, but a reliable partner in the global trade and investment arena.
The renewed trust on the country by the comity of nations within the global financial ecosystem, it has been stressed, was well worth it.
One of those who shares this sentiment is the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga, who noted that the removal from both the FATF and EU lists sends a “strong positive signal” that underscores the ongoing efforts to improve financial governance. By aligning with international standards, Nigeria has positioned its economy to attract the foreign direct investment necessary for sustainable growth.
As the nation looks toward 2026, the focus shifts from exiting lists to maintaining the high standards that earned the delisting. The government has pledged to deepen reforms and strengthen its engagement with international partners like the FATF and the EU to ensure the financial system remains a force for legitimate economic expansion.
The “Grey List” era may be over, but the work of protecting Nigeria’s financial borders continues, as Dr. Uzoka-Anite has clearly noted, “We have shown the world that when we work together—government, private sector, civil society, and citizens—we can achieve extraordinary things.”
