President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has deployed ambassadors to three countries.
The deployment came one month after the cleared 67 nominees forwarded to it by the President.
Those deployed yesterday are Ambassador Amin Dalhatu as High Commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom; Ambassador Ayodele Oke as ambassador- designate to France; and Mr. Kayode Are as ambassador-designate to the United States.
The postings are contained in a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The statement in which Onanuga also announced that the President would next week travel to Turkey, added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been directed to notify the three countries about the postings in accordance with diplomatic procedures.
Oke, a former director- general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), is a career diplomat with over three decades of service in Nigeria’s foreign affairs and intelligence sectors.
Are is a one- time acting national security adviser, who also served as director -general, State Security Service(now Department of State Services).
Following their deployment, they will move to the country of posting and await the delivery of their Letters of Credence to the host countries.
The remaining 64 eminent Nigerians cleared to be ambassadors are awaiting their postings.
Oil giant Shell Plc plans to invest about $20 billion more in Nigeria over the next couple of years, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Bayo Ojulari hinted yesterday.
Ojulari described the fresh investment plan as a renewed confidence in the country’s oil and gas sector, following policy reforms.
The NNPCL boss dropped the hint after a meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Shell’s global leadership, led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Wael Sawan, at the State House, Abuja.
Ojulari, who described the visit Wael’s first meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, explained that the purpose was to formally appreciate the President for the executive orders issued early last year to improve Nigeria’s investment climate.
He noted that although the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) laid an important foundation for sector reforms, additional incentives were required to keep Nigeria competitive in the race for global capital.
Ojulari said: “The competition for investment is global,” Ojulari said, pointing out that other African countries, Guyana and parts of the Far East were continually adjusting policies to attract investors.
“One of the great things that Mr. President did was to announce those executive orders to put additional incentives in place to attract investments.”
According to him, the policy shift enabled Shell to complete three major milestones in the last 18 months, beginning with the divestment of its onshore joint venture assets to Renaissance.
He said the successful conclusion of that transaction demonstrated the administration’s commitment to allowing investors both to enter and exit the market when necessary.
“That brought confidence to the international community, including Shell”, Ojulari said.
He added that following the divestment, Shell took a final investment decision (FID) of $5 billion on the Bonga North deep-water project, and later approved another $2 billion investment for a shallow-water gas development project.
“Overall, since Mr. President announced those incentives, just one company—Shell alone—has already invested over $7 billion,” he said, describing this as evidence of growing investor confidence in Nigeria’s economy.
Ojulari disclosed that during the meeting, Shell formally committed to pursuing additional investment opportunities worth about $20 billion in the coming years, citing confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership, transparency and demonstrated commitment to reform.
He said that talks centred on Shell’s next major project, the Bonga Southwest development, on which the company is working toward a final investment decision.
The project, he noted, would require capital expenditure of close to $10 billion, in addition to substantial operating costs.
Explaining the broader impact, Ojulari said such projects translate into large-scale job creation, revival of dormant fabrication yards, and long-term employment opportunities over the 20 to 30-year lifespan of oil and gas projects.
“For many years, fabrication yards have been idle because there were no projects. Those yards will come back to life,” he said, adding that Nigerians would benefit from construction, maintenance, manpower and supply contracts over decades.
Ojulari said the NNPCL, as concession holder under Nigeria’s production sharing contracts with international oil companies such as Shell, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Total, would continue to work with investors and relevant government agencies to develop credible proposals for approval.
“Our responsibility is to be the conscience of the government and the conscience of Nigerians, ensuring that the assumptions and promises being made are correct and authentic,” he said, expressing optimism that with continued presidential support, final investment decisions would be reached in due course.
The Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Association (SKCLA) has gone spiritual following the abduction of 177 persons in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The Association has declared a two-day fasting and prayer.
It expressed anguish and condemned the incident, describing it as heart-rending, alarming and unacceptable, particularly as it reportedly occurred during church services.
In a statement yesterday , SKCLA Chairman, Dr Emmanuel Nuhu Kure, said the Kajuru incident marked the first time in the history of the area that worshippers from three different Christian denominations were abducted on the same day.
He lamented that the attack had added to the growing list of unresolved kidnappings across Southern Kaduna, especially in Kauru, Kachia and other vulnerable communities, where families continue to live in uncertainty over the fate of their loved ones.
The Christian leaders called on the Kaduna State Government, security agencies and other relevant authorities to intensify efforts towards the immediate and unconditional release of the abducted victims.
They also urged decisive and sustained action to halt what they described as the recurring cycle of kidnappings and insecurity in the region.
As a spiritual response to the crisis, Apostle Kure said the Association had proclaimed a two-day fasting and prayer programme anchored on Psalm 57:2–3, seeking divine intervention for the safe return of all abducted persons across Southern Kaduna.
According to the statement, the fasting will begin on Friday (today) and culminate in special prayer sessions in all churches across Southern Kaduna on Sunday.
“This call to fasting and prayer is a united cry to God for mercy, protection and the safe return of our brothers and sisters from captivity,” Apostle Kure said.
He added that the programme also reflects rare unity among Christians across denominations at a critical moment in the region’s history.
The Association called on Christians within and outside Southern Kaduna to participate fully in the fast, while appealing to the wider Nigerian society to stand in solidarity with affected communities, particularly families of victims in Kajuru, Kauru, Kachia and other flashpoints.
“We will not be silent in the face of evil, neither will we lose hope. We trust God for divine intervention, and we continue to demand accountability and concrete action from those entrusted with the security of lives and property,” the statement added.
The Federal Government has repositioned food security as a core economic and national security strategy.
Vice President Kashim Shettima said a new Back to Farm Initiative will help curb inflation, reduce pressure on foreign exchange and stabilise conflict-affected food-producing regions.
He spoke at a high-level panel: “When Food Becomes Security,” at the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Shettima said Nigeria is no longer treating food security as a sectoral agricultural concern but as a macroeconomic and governance imperative.
According to his spokesman Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said: “In Nigeria, we don’t look at food security purely as an agricultural issue.
“It is a macroeconomic, security and governance issue. Our focus is to use food security as a pillar for national security, regional cohesion and stability.”
He said the government’s strategy is anchored on three pillars: boosting food production, ensuring environmental sustainability and strengthening regional integration within West Africa.
Shettima noted that global supply-chain disruptions and climate shocks have forced Nigeria to rebuild resilient food systems tailored to its ecological diversity.
“Nigeria is a very large country, and there is an incestuous relationship between economy and ecology.
“In the Sahelian North, we are dealing with desertification, deforestation and drought. In the riverine South and parts of the North Central, flooding is our major challenge,” he said.
To address these challenges, he said the government is promoting drought-resistant, flood-tolerant and early-maturing varieties of staple crops such as rice, sorghum and millet, while redesigning food systems in flood-prone southern regions.
Security remains a major constraint, he added, noting that many of Nigeria’s food baskets are located in conflict-affected areas.
“Most of the food baskets of our nation are security-challenged. That is why we are creating food security corridors and strengthening community-based security engagements so that farmers can return safely to their land,” Shettima said.
He explained that the Back to Farm Initiative focuses on resettling displaced farmers and providing them with input, insurance and access to capital.
On inflation, Shettima said Nigeria’s dependence on imported wheat, sugar and dairy products exposes the economy to foreign-exchange volatility.
“Our strategy is to accelerate local production and promote substitutes such as sorghum, millet and cassava flour to correct these structural imbalances,” he said.
The Vice President said the Tinubu Administration is positioning agriculture as a frontline response to economic and security threats.
He was optimistic that within 12 months, smallholder farmers and fishers would become investable at scale.
He urged African leaders to deepen cooperation under the African Continental Free Trade Area to expand intra-African trade beyond the current 10.7 per cent.
The Federal Government said yesterday that its security collaboration with the United States(US) has strengthened counter-terrorism operations, especially in the Northeast, Northwest and Northcentral.
The government reiterated its commitment to strengthening cooperation to better protect lives and property across the country.
National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu and Information and National Orientation Minister Mohammed Idris stated that Nigeria was delighted that the security tie respects ‘’our country’s’’ sovereignty and prioritises accountability and civilian protection.
Ribadu and Idris spoke at the plenary session of the Nigeria – U.S. Joint Working Group to address the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation of the country at the NSA Office in Abuja. The U.S. team was led by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker.
Ribadu said the engagement marked the third high-level interaction with senior U.S. officials since November last year, and reflected a relationship “grounded in trust, candour and shared responsibility.”
He reaffirmed the security partnership between the two countries, pledging closer ties to curb terrorism, protect civilians and strengthen accountability across conflict-affected areas.
Ribadu said Nigeria approached the talks “as a partner, committed to practical outcomes,” describing the platform as one focused on problem-solving rather than compliance.
“These engagements have moved decisively beyond dialogue to action,” the NSA stated.
According to him, enhanced intelligence sharing and closer coordination between the U.S. military and Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters resulted in the successes so far recorded by troops of Operation HADIN KAI in the Northeast and Northwest as well as Operation FASAN YAMMA in the Northcentral.
Ribadu added that recent operations had led to the killing of hundreds of terrorists, the destruction of their logistics hubs and the interception of key collaborators.
The NSA hailed U.S. commitments to the timely delivery of military equipment, including drones and helicopters, noting that the cooperation respected Nigeria’s sovereignty and prioritised accountability.
He said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had declared security emergencies in vulnerable areas, authorised intensified joint operations and directed sustained deployments to communities facing repeated attacks.
Ribadu added that Nigeria was expanding early-warning and rapid-response mechanisms and developing a national database to provide verified data on deaths and casualties arising from violence.
“Nigeria is a deeply plural society, and the protection of all citizens—Christians, Muslims and those of other beliefs—is non-negotiable,” Ribadu said.
“Violence framed along religious lines is treated as an attack on the Nigerian state itself.”
Information Minister Idris said in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Malam Rabiu, that the engagement was part of sustained efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security partnerships and deliver tangible results for citizens.
The minister said: “ It(engagement) shows that our partnership is active, serious, and focused on outcomes that matter to Nigerians.
“This bilateral partnership reflects not only our shared commitment to religious freedom and civilian protection, but also a mature strategic relationship grounded in trust, candour, and shared responsibility.
“Cooperation between Nigeria and the U.S. has led to real operational gains.
“Our military and security agencies are working closely with U.S. partners through intelligence sharing and operational coordination.”
Idris added that the U.S. had committed to the timely delivery of outstanding military equipment, including spare parts and support systems procured over the past five years.
“We want Nigerians to know that this partnership is working. These efforts are not abstract. They are yielding results, and they will continue to do so,” he said.
On domestic security measures, the minister recalled that President Tinubu had formally declared national security emergencies in vulnerable and high-risk areas.
According to him, the President also authorised intensified joint operations and directed the sustained deployment of security forces to priority locations.
He added: “Nigeria is acting decisively. Security agencies have clear instructions to protect communities and respond swiftly to threats.
“The Federal Government is strengthening early-warning systems and developing a national database to provide accurate and verifiable figures on deaths and casualties linked to violence.
“This will give us a single, trusted source of data to guide decisions, improve accountability, and sharpen our security response. Justice remains a key pillar of the government’s security strategy.
“The Ministry of Justice, the DSS(Department of State Services), and the Nigeria Police Force are actively investigating and prosecuting terrorism cases. Violence will not only be met with force, but with justice and accountability,” the minister added.
The minister urged Nigerians to remain patient and supportive as the security reforms continue.
“Our responsibility is to keep Nigerians informed and reassured. The work being done today is to ensure a safer country tomorrow,” Idris said
U.S Under Secretary of State Hooker said Washington remained committed to broadening cooperation with Nigeria to protect vulnerable communities and counter terrorism.
She said since President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a CPC last October, both countries had made progress, including the recruitment of additional police officers, arrests and prosecutions linked to mass killings, and the rescue of abducted persons.
“We appreciate Nigeria’s close cooperation with us on degrading terrorist capabilities,” Hooker said, adding that recent airstrikes were closely coordinated with Nigerian authorities.
However, she expressed concern over fresh reports of abductions in parts of Kaduna State and urged continued efforts to protect religious communities and hold perpetrators accountable.
She said advancing religious freedom and security would strengthen broader cooperation in trade, health and regional stability, while helping to disrupt terrorist financing and arms flows.
Both sides said the Working Group would focus on outcomes, sustained cooperation and measures to reduce killings, abductions and displacement, as Nigeria and the US work to “turn the tide on insecurity and terrorism.”
*How U.S. intelligence is helping us to weaken terrorists, by Theatre commander
Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj. Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar said the military is leveraging on Nigeria’s partnership with the US to strengthen operations against Boko Haram and its splinter groups.
Gen. Abubakar told Defence reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State, that ‘’shared significant intelligence’’ by the US was helping troops to neutralise more terrorists.
He said: ‘’We are leveraging our current partnership with the US. It is based on credible and invaluable intelligence that we are working to bring this battle to a favourable conclusion in the shortest possible time.
“We get high-level intelligence, which has actually added impetus to the conduct of our operations. I am sure in the media space, you read that 40 terrorists have been taken out. This is because a lot of airstrikes and ground operations are going on in the hinterland, in the Sambisa Forest and the entire Timbuktu Triangle.”
Gen. Abubakar added that marching orders given to troops to launch intensive kinetic operations led to the killing of 54 key Boko Haram leaders, including Abu Fatima, who had a N100 million bounty on his head.
The Theatre Commander added: “We are seriously involved in what we call terrorist leaders’ decapitation operations
“What this means is that we try to attack the command and control system of the adversary. We try to take out the key leaders. This will further weaken the decision-making circle of the terrorists over time because once the leadership is affected, the whole structure is almost gone. That is why intelligence is very important.”
Gen. Abubakar said last year alone, 16,000 Boko Haram suspects, along with their families, surrendered as a result of the sustained pressure mounted by the troops.
The theatre commander said the major challenge faced by troops is the presence of collaborators, who facilitate the terrorists’ supply of logistics.
There was a twist yesterday to the impeachment process initiated by the Rivers State House of Assembly against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu.
The Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, declined to set up a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct against them as requested by the House of Assembly.
He explained that he had been restrained by interim injunctions by a High Court against the proceedings until the determination of the substantive suits.
Justice Amadi gave two conditions that would enable him to proceed with setting up the panel.
These are: the panel can only be set up if the interim orders are vacated in an appeal brought by the lawmakers, or the appeal filed by lawmakers against the orders is finally determined.
The House, in a letter by Speaker Martins Amaewhule on January 16 and accompanied by other documents, directed the Chief Judge to set up the panel, pursuant to Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution.
The investigative panel is one of the conditions stipulated in Section 188 for removing the governor and his deputy.
But, in a letter to the Speaker dated January 22, 2026, Justice Amadi explained that he could not go ahead with the constitutional duty following court orders obtained by the governor and his deputy.
He said: “My office is also in receipt of two separate court orders of interim injunction issued on 16th January, 2026 in two suits by Fubara and Prof. Odu.”
Highlighting the parts of the orders that restrained his functions, Justice Amadi said his office was duly served with the documents on January 22.
The Chief Judge, who also attached certified true copies of the orders, said his action was based on legal and democratic principles.
Justice Amadi said: “Constitutionalism and the rule of law are the bedrock of democracy, and all persons and authorities are expected to obey subsisting orders of a court of competent jurisdiction, irrespective of perception of its regularity or otherwise.
“Given the above scenario, our legal jurisprudence enjoins the parties to obey the order of interim injunction until it is set aside or the suit is finally determined.”
Quoting a judicial precedent to justify his position, Justice Amadi recalled that in the case of Hon. Dele Abiodun vs Hon Chief Judge of Kwara State and three others, the Chief Judge of Kwara State, who proceeded to set up five-man panel to investigate the allegations levelled against the appellant despite a subsisting restraining order of court and pending suit was roundly condemned in strong language.
Quoting the Court of Appeal judgment, he said: “I liken the scenario created by the Chief Judge to the position of a chief priest and custodian of an oracle turning round to desecrate the oracle. The Chief Judge of the state, who is the custodian and head of the judicial arm of the state, ought to abide by the laws of the state, nay the land…”
Justice Amadi acknowledged that the Speaker had lodged an appeal against the interim orders at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, adding that he had been served with the notices of the appeal.
He added: “By the doctrine of ‘lis pendens’, parties and the court have to await the outcome of the appeal.
“In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and appeal against the said orders. I am therefore legally disabled at this point from exercising my duties under Section 188(5) of the Constitution in the instant.
“It is hoped that the Rt. Hon. Speaker and the honourable members of the Rivers State House of Assembly will be magnanimous enough to appreciate the legal position of the matter.”
There was jubilation in Port-Harcourt among Fubara’s supporters after the letter was made public.
Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) has launched a new AI-powered tool, MyAIFactChecker Whatsapp chatbot to combat misinformation across Africa.
BBYDI’s Communications Director, Sanni Alausa Issa at the press conference held recently with media and stakeholders emphasised the role of civic technology in strengthening democratic resilience.
Issa said: “Misinformation exploits our best instincts. It takes our desire to protect and inform each other and turns it into a weapon.
“Across Nigeria, across Africa, millions of people share false information every day. They trust the friend who sent it. They trust the group where it appeared. They trust that someone, somewhere, verified it before it reached them. But nobody did.
“The result is a crisis hiding in plain sight. False information floods WhatsApp groups and community networks, inciting tension, promoting bias, and misleading voters. It poisons public discourse. It undermines elections. It erodes the very foundation of informed citizenship.
“Today, Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative launches an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot that puts the power to verify information directly into your hands. It meets you where you already are. It works on the phone you already own. It requires no special skills, no expensive data, no complicated processes. Just you, your curiosity, and your commitment to truth.
“Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative has long been committed to building media literacy and strengthening civic participation across Nigeria. We watched as misinformation grew more sophisticated, more pervasive, more dangerous. We saw how it distorted public conversations, especially during elections. And we decided to act.
“Our first response was the MyAIFactChecker web platform. It was a solid tool. Users could visit the website, submit claims, and receive verification results. We were proud of it. But pride does not equal impact. And impact requires honesty about what is working and what is not.
So we conducted research. We gathered user feedback. And what we heard changed everything.
“The communities most vulnerable to misinformation were the least able to access our solution. Internet connectivity was unreliable. Data costs were prohibitive. Many people did not own devices capable of browsing websites smoothly. We had built a tool for the problem, but we had not built it for the people.
“We asked ourselves a simple question. Where do the people we want to serve actually spend their time? The answer was obvious. WhatsApp. Over 500 million people across Africa use WhatsApp daily. It is where families coordinate. It is where communities organize. It is where news travels, whether that news is true or false.
“If misinformation spreads through WhatsApp, then verification must live there too. This insight drove our pivot. It is not a replacement for our web platform, but an evolution. A tool designed for accessibility from the ground up. A tool that requires minimal data. A tool that works on basic smartphones. A tool that meets people exactly where they are.
“Building an AI tool is easy. Building one that people can trust with something as important as truth is hard. We began with internal testing in September 2025. Thirty testers submitted over fifty queries in English, Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo. We achieved 85% accuracy with six-second response times. We also identified ten instances where the AI generated unsupported responses. We documented every error, studied it, and fixed it.
“Then we took the tool to the people. In October 2025, fifty participants in Ilorin tested the chatbot across different ages, genders, and literacy levels. Accuracy rose to 90%. Response time improved to four to six seconds. And 95% of users rated the chatbot four or five out of five. Based on the feedback, we enhanced voice recognition for local accents. We simplified translations to feel more conversational and we made source links clickable.
“Finally, we piloted during the 2025 Anambra gubernatorial elections and in the Cameroon election. The chatbot performed when stakes were high and misinformation was circulating actively.
“We built MyAIFactChecker with the conviction that access to truth should not depend on your literacy level, your language, your abilities, or your location. With our voice-to-text functionality, it means you do not need to type to use the tool. Speak your question, and the chatbot understands. This feature proved especially valuable during testing for users with lower literacy levels and persons with disabilities. Your voice is enough.
“We also built this tool with women and marginalized communities in mind. Gendered disinformation is real. Harmful narratives targeting women in politics and civic spaces circulate daily. Women deserve access to safe, verified information. So do young people, rural communities, and anyone who has ever felt excluded from the digital conversation.
“Misinformation is not a Nigerian problem. It is not an African problem. It is a global challenge that threatens democratic participation everywhere. But the solutions do not have to come from elsewhere. Africa can lead. Nigeria can lead. You can lead
“Our vision is to expand MyAIFactChecker across Nigeria and throughout the African continent. Wherever WhatsApp is used, wherever misinformation spreads, we want this tool to be available. We want verification to become as natural as forwarding. We want citizens everywhere to pause, check, and share responsibly.
“The role of civic technology in strengthening democratic resilience has never been more critical. We are proud to be part of that movement. And we invite you to join us. No innovation happens in isolation. This tool exists because of the contributions, trust, and collaboration of many.
“We thank CIVICUS and the Digital Democracy Initiative for their support through the Digital Action Lab. Your belief in the potential of civic technology to strengthen democracy made this work possible.
“We thank the communities in Anambra and Ilorin who opened their doors to us. The participants who tested the tool, shared their feedback, and trusted us with their questions. And the many others whose experiences shaped every improvement we made. You are not just users. You are co-creators.”
The Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) has started the implementation of a two-week medical health programme designed to uplift the health conditions of the people and change health delivery narratives in the region.
Findings by our correspondent showed that the NEDC started the Ophthalmology Equipment Set-Up and Training Programme at the Maiduguri Eye Hospital, Borno State, with the deployment of advanced eye-care equipment valued at over N3 billion.
The NEDC programme, which began on Monday, represented a major step in the Commission’s drive to strengthen specialist healthcare delivery services to the people and reduce preventable blindness in the Northeast region.
Our correspondent gathered that activities on the deployed facility started with installation, calibration, and coupling of the cutting-edge equipment, while the hospital authorities also commenced hands-on technical and clinical training for workers to ensure optimal use of the equipment.
Prof. Abdull Mohammed Mahdi, who is the Chief Consultant in Ophthalmology is leading the team of other specialists with support from Dr. Abuh Sunday and other multi-disciplinary team of ophthalmology and biomedical engineering experts.
Hospital authorities confirmed that participants drawn from the Maiduguri Eye Hospital and University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) included consultant ophthalmologists, resident doctors, ophthalmic nurses, optometrists, and biomedical engineers. They are undergoing intensive practicals on equipment operation, maintenance, and efficient clinical application.
The authorities of the NEDC said the intervention would boost the hospital’s diagnostic and surgical capacity, particularly in the treatment of cataract and glaucoma, while supporting its long-term goal of transforming the Maiduguri Eye Hospital into a regional centre of excellence.
In addition to the equipment deployment, the Commission is carrying out extensive renovations and infrastructure upgrades at the hospital to enhance modern clinical operations and patient experience.
It was learnt that similar ophthalmic interventions are also underway across the Northeast, including the construction of an ultra-modern Eye Institute at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi, which began last year and slated for accelerated implementation this year.
The Commission, through its Media Department, described the initiative as a strategic investment that combines advanced medical infrastructure with targeted human capacity development.
The NEDC emphasised the intervention programme would have a lasting impact on access to quality eye-care services in the region, in addition to various ongoing infrastructures projects in the six states of the region.
The Benue House of Assembly has passed a bill to establish the Benue State Widows Commission, aimed at prohibiting harmful cultural practices against widows.
The bill is also aimed at protecting widows from exploitative acts, as well as prescribing punishment for offenders.
The bill, titled “A Law to Establish the Benue State Widows Commission and for Related Purposes, 2025,” was passed during plenary yesterday in Makurdi.
Leading the debate, the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Beckie Orpin (APC/Gboko), described the bill as highly significant.
She noted that it addressed the challenges faced by one of the most vulnerable groups in society.
According to her, passage of the bill would place the house on a pedestal of fulfilling its constitutional responsibility of protecting the weak.
The Majority Leader, Mr Thomas Dugeri (APC/Kwande West), moved that the findings, recommendations, and clauses of the bill be adopted.
Subsequently, Speaker of the House, Mr Alfred Emberga, invited the Clerk, Dr Bem Mela, to read the bill for the third time, after which it was passed.
In another development, the House considered the report of the House Standing Committee on Women Affairs and Social Welfare, following its visit to the Benue State Rehabilitation Board.
The committee chairman, Mrs Beckie Orpin (APC/Gboko East), said the law establishing the board had become obsolete and should be repealed.
She noted that the monthly contribution of N100,000 by councils, was grossly inadequate to meet the board’s needs.
Orpin further revealed that the board lacked basic infrastructure such as a sick bay, instructional materials for effective teaching, and operational vehicles.
Contributing to the debate, Majority Leader, Mr Thomas Dugeri (APC/Kwande West) described the condition of the board as pitiable, citing massive infrastructural decay and poor feeding of students due to inadequate funding, and urged redress.
Also contributing, Mr McClinton Manger (APC/Tarka) said even the N100,000 monthly contribution was hardly released, and urged the government to do what was reasonable to secure the future and livelihood of the children.
Ruling on the matter, Speaker Alfred Emberga, directed the Committees on Women Affairs, Business, and Rules, to draft a proposed bill to repeal the 1996 edict which established the board.
He said the House had approved an upward review of the board’s monthly allocation from N100,000 to N1.5million.
The Speaker also charged the Commissioner for Finance, to ensure timely release of funds to the board, and directed the state government to procure a Toyota bus for students and a Hilux vehicle for official use.
He urged the provision of instructional materials, to enhance effective teaching and learning at the facility.
The contractor handling the Kaduna Eastern Bypass, Eksiogullari Construction Company Nigeria Limited, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, to release funds for the completion of the long-delayed project, describing it as critical to unlocking Kaduna and the entire North-West corridor.
The appeal was made on Monday during a Federal Ministry of Works inspection and tour of emergency and special intervention road projects across Kaduna State.
Project Manager of Eksiogullari, Yunus Salihu, made the call while briefing reporters at the Chikaji Bridge Section of the Eastern Bypass, which he identified as the major bottleneck preventing the road from functioning optimally.
Salihu said the Eastern Bypass, awarded in 2002, is a virgin road project that has suffered persistent funding and security challenges for over two decades, slowing down its completion despite significant progress.
He explained that the Chikaji Bridge, which spans about 324 metres, is a critical structure on the corridor, adding that all pillars for the bridge have already been cast.
According to him, completing the bridge would unlock the functionality of the Eastern Bypass, which already has about 34 kilometres executed and partially opened to traffic.
“The major challenge here is funding. Once this bridge is completed, the Eastern Bypass will function fully and Kaduna will have a permanent gateway,” Salihu said.
He noted that the complexity of the project, which involves cutting through hills, waterways and difficult terrain, requires sustained funding to connect bridges seamlessly to the main carriageway.
Salihu appealed to President Tinubu and the Minister of Works to intervene, stressing that timely release of funds would finally bring the 22-year-old project to completion.
The inspection team had earlier assessed ongoing works on the Abuja–Kaduna Highway, where contractors were found mobilised, before moving through the Eastern Bypass via the Kachia Interchange and stopping at the Chikaji Bridge.
Aside from the Eastern Bypass, the Ministry commissioned several emergency and special intervention projects, including the rehabilitated 4.3-kilometre Taban Sani Road in Makarfi Local Government Area, the Mahuta NNPC Pipeline Road to the Nigerian Army Post Service Housing in Chikun LGA, and the Sabo Rail Bridge Road to Command Junction.
At the Mahuta NNPC Pipeline Road, Chief Resident Engineer, Sadiq Maccido, explained that safety restrictions around the pipeline limited asphalt work in some sections, though 1.2 kilometres had been completed inward.
The Sabo Rail Bridge Road to Command Junction was also inaugurated. Officials described it as a major relief to residents following years of traffic congestion and road failure.
The delegation also inspected the Kaduna Western Bypass, where about 19.57 kilometres of carriageway have been completed, with other sections still under construction.
Jonathan Obrusu, representing Dangote Group, said the company remained committed to delivering the project in line with federal standards, noting that the bypass would decongest Kaduna metropolis and improve regional traffic flow.
The team further inspected the 77-kilometre Pambeguwa Road, completed with guardrails and safety installations, and scheduled for inauguration within one month.
In Zaria, attention shifted to the Wusasa-Turunku-Maraban Jos Road, Phase One, which has reached about 68 per cent completion, while Phase Two, valued at about N30 billion, has been awarded to extend the road from Pambeguwa to Jos.
Federal Controller of Works in Kaduna State, Ulagu Loveday, said the inspections covered critical corridors, including the Zaria-Funtua-Sokoto Road, where significant progress has been recorded on bridges, drainages and binder courses.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, Northwest Zone, Abdullahi Yakasai, said the exercise was in line with President Tinubu’s directive to ensure value for money and quality delivery of federal infrastructure projects.
Yakasai stressed that the Eastern and Western Bypass roads would permanently ease traffic congestion in Kaduna and boost economic activities across the Northwest.
He assured that the Federal Government would continue to monitor contractors closely, but urged that funding challenges, particularly on the Eastern Bypass, be addressed urgently to end its 22-year delay.
