The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • UPDATED: Tinubu nominates veteran diplomats as non-career ambassadors to US, UK, France

    UPDATED: Tinubu nominates veteran diplomats as non-career ambassadors to US, UK, France

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated three seasoned security and diplomatic figures as non-career ambassadors to represent Nigeria in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, according to a post on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

    The nominations, which are subject to Senate screening and confirmation, include Ambassador Ayodele Oke, retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, and Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu.

    Ambassador Dalhatu, one of the nominees, previously served as Nigeria’s envoy to South Korea during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

    First appointed in 2016, he completed a tenure marked by strengthened bilateral cooperation between Abuja and Seoul.

    Ambassador Oke, a graduate of Emory University in Atlanta, is a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

    He earlier represented Nigeria at the Secretariat of the Commonwealth of Nations in London and is widely regarded for his extensive diplomatic and intelligence background.

    Retired Colonel Are brings decades of national security experience to the diplomatic corps. He served as Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS) from 1999 to 2007, later assumed office as National Security Adviser in 2010, and was an officer in the Directorate of Military Intelligence.

    A distinguished scholar, he graduated with First Class Honours in Psychology from the University of Ibadan in 1980.

    The three nominees are expected to play strategic roles in strengthening Nigeria’s diplomatic presence in key global capitals once their postings are finalised after Senate confirmation.

  • FG seeks collective action on water crisis

    FG seeks collective action on water crisis

    The federal government has warned that Nigeria’s deepening water crisis cannot be resolved by government action alone. 

    Officials say communities, states, and development partners must join forces, with more than 70 million Nigerians still lacking access to clean drinking water.

    They stressed that the challenge is a national concern but also a personal reality for families across the country.

    Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, issued the call in Abuja on Wednesday during the public launch of the Lokoja Dialogue, a forum convened to deliberate on the country’s persisting water crisis.

    According to Edun, the urgency of the situation requires direct community participation. “At the community level, action must be taken. People must be incentivised, mobilized, empowered to make their contribution — including to this water crisis,” he said.

    He added that state governments also bear significant responsibility in finding solutions. “The States have their role to play. Under President Tinubu, they have more funds than they’ve ever had. So they are more empowered to contribute,” he stated.

    Edun noted the nationwide disparities in water availability, pointing to both excess and scarcity. “Water is life, and the reforms of the current government are all about improving lives. Gaps remain, despite the progress made. We’ve heard it earlier: over 70 million Nigerians still lack clean drinking water,” he said.

    Drawing from his past experience in the Niger Delta, he recalled a time when communities battled contaminated water. “In the South, in the Delta — I was on the board of the Trust Fund — and the water there had benzene in it. That was their problem. In the North, as we know, with the drying up, desertification, and scarcity. So there’s an abundance of water in the South. In the North, scarcity of water. But at the same time, these issues affect real families and vulnerable communities,” he added.

    Edun explained that the federal government recognises water as the bedrock of public health, food security, productivity, and national stability. He called on all stakeholders to “work together to find the solutions to the problems” through clear policy direction, partnerships, and innovative financing models.

    “Money solves all things,” he noted. “And a lot of the people convened and gathered here today — a big part is finding financing to implement the solutions we come up with. And that will help us achieve what we’re looking to do: to have resilience, inclusivity as we grow the economy, and give people the dignity of having enough water to take care of themselves, to nourish themselves, and to ensure that no community is left behind.”

    Speaking on behalf of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, said the impact of water scarcity continues to shape the daily lives of households across Nigeria. She observed that communities are experiencing both droughts and floods, each posing threats to livelihoods and food production.

    “Across our country, families seek better access to clean water, food, and energy. In some places, farmlands are dry, while in others, floods wash away fertile soils and harvests. And where the harvest fails, it is women and children who are most at risk,” she said.

    She described the Lokoja Dialogue as an important platform for community-driven solutions. “This initiative exists to connect communities, define our agendas, policy, partnership, and investment, to cultivate and thrive sustainable water solutions, and recycle our discarding and climate-driven poverty,” she added.

    Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, reflected on Africa’s longstanding relationship with water, noting that the history of the continent is deeply tied to water systems.

    “I would like to say that the history of Africa, of our continent, is inextricably tied to the history of water and water systems,” he said. “The history of Africa is about movements… and a lot of it has to do with water — the search for water, the search for better grazing land, for cattle, for farming.”

    Tuggar linked this historical context to present-day priorities under the Tinubu administration, particularly food security. According to him, the government’s drive to strengthen food supply “is of course premised on the water, how we use water, and how we manage it.”

    He noted that Nigeria remains fortunate to be richly endowed with water resources. “We are lucky to be blessed with water, because Nigeria itself was born out of the confluence of two great African rivers,” he said. “Even before the maps were drawn, the people that lived around those two rivers traded with each other, they intermarried, they lived together. That coexistence has always been there.”

    The Lokoja Dialogue is expected to serve as a platform for forging long-term solutions to Nigeria’s water crisis, with attention to climate impacts, financing gaps, and sustainable water management.

  • Osun 2026: I was prevailed upon to contest guber race, shatter incumbent ill-governance —Omisore

    Osun 2026: I was prevailed upon to contest guber race, shatter incumbent ill-governance —Omisore

    The former National Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Iyiola Omisore, has said he was prevailed upon by stakeholders to contest 2026 Osun guber race and shatter the incumbent ill-governance. 

    Omisore, during his continuous consultations held at Osogbo and Olorunda local government areas of Osun State on Wednesday, emphasized the need for the party to present a viable candidate to tackle the incumbent in contest in August 8, 2026. 

    He held that, “If we fail to give a viable aspirant the ticket, we will fail and lose. We must consider an aspirant who had held an elective position to run for 2026 guber race. 

    “We must not leave the party ticket on the free will of an individual to be the governor, it will be impossible, the governorship of a state must be a collective testimony across the board of stakeholders, all interest groups, voting population of the aspirant must be involved.”

    He warned that “Governorship seat should not be given based on friendship, you should not hire your friend for a job he can’t deliver. All of us who are contesting this race, are all brothers.

    “I want to charge all of us that on 13th of December 2025, we should troop out to show love to me by choosing me as the candidate of the party for the 2026 guber race.”

    The Consultation Coordinator, Hon Ajibola Famurewa, said, “Every local government we have visited, they showed us love and acceptance. I am confident that Senator Omisore will emerge as the flag bearer of APC on December 13th 2025.”

  • JUST IN: Tinubu nominates ambassadors for U.S, UK, France

    JUST IN: Tinubu nominates ambassadors for U.S, UK, France

    President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to confirm the appointment of three non-career ambassadors. 

    This is coming nearly two years after Tinubu recalled all Nigerian ambassadors, both career and non‑career, in September 2023.  

    Tinubu made the request in a letter addressed to the Senate and read on Wednesday, November 26 by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

    Tinubu said the nominations were made in accordance with section 171 (1), (2)(c) and (4) of the 1999 constitution (as amended).

    He urged the senate to “consider and confirm the appointments expeditiously”.

    The letter was referred to the senate committee on foreign affairs, which has been directed to report back within one week.

    The nominees are Kayode Are of Ogun state, Aminu Dalhatu of Jigawa state, and Ayodele Oke of Oyo state.

    Tinubu, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, said: “President Tinubu has nominated non-career ambassadors for three countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. 

    “The postings will be finalised following Senate screening. The three nominees are Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, and Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu.

    “Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu previously served as Nigeria’s ambassador to South Korea during President Buhari’s administration, having been first appointed in 2016.

    “Ambassador Ayodele Oke, an alumnus of Emory University in Atlanta, is a former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and previously served as Nigeria’s ambassador to the Secretariat of the Commonwealth of Nations in London.

    “Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are was Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) from 1999 to 2007, served as National Security Adviser in 2010, and was an officer in the Directorate of Military Intelligence. He graduated with First Class Honours in Psychology from the University of Ibadan in 1980.”

  • ODI partners Customs, Immigration, NDLEA in advocacy against illicit drugs in Southwest

    ODI partners Customs, Immigration, NDLEA in advocacy against illicit drugs in Southwest

    Oduduwa Development Initiative (ODI) has partnered Nigeria Customs, Immigration, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the advocacy against illicit drugs and trafficking in the Southwest.

    In his welcome address at a Stakeholders’ Conference on Drug Abuse and Trafficking in the South West, organized in collaboration with the. NDLEA, the President of the group, Comrade Olasimbo Olaposi Akinyele, expressed its determination to eliminate drug abuse, substance abuse, and illicit trafficking in the South West region of the country.

    Akinyele said the war against drug abuse is the responsibility of every Nigerian.

    He said the gathering marks the official commencement of an eight-month regional sensitization campaign with the theme: “Together, Let’s Defeat Drug and Substance Abuse in Nigeria.”

    Akinyele said the theme reflects the country’s collective conviction that the war against drug abuse is not for the government alone, not for families alone, and certainly not for security agencies alone; it is a responsibility that rests on everybody.

    He said, “Nigeria is battling a growing crisis of drug abuse and illicit trafficking, a crisis that threatens public health, national productivity, family stability, and regional peace. Sadly, the South West is one of the regions most affected, with rising cases among students, artisans, transport workers, and even professionals.

    “We are witnessing the consequences daily with crime, addiction, mental health emergencies, insecurity, broken homes, and avoidable deaths. These realities demand urgent, coordinated, community-driven action.

    “It is this urgency that has brought all of us together today. This conference will herald the beginning of a coordinated regional strategy to raise public awareness on the dangers of drug abuse; strengthen prevention systems in schools, motor parks and worship centres; empower youth leaders, teachers and community influencers; promote synergy among government, private sector, traditional institutions and civil society; and build sustainable frameworks for behavioural change across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states.

    “Over the next eight months, we will move from this hall into communities, classrooms, garages, markets, churches, mosques, and social spaces to reclaim our youths from the grip of drugs and the influence of traffickers.

    “Permit me to express deep appreciation to our key collaborator, the NDLEA, under the exemplary leadership of Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd.), for their commitment, technical guidance, and national leadership in the fight against drug abuse.

    “We also appreciate other critical stakeholders such as NAFDAC, NIS, FCMB, for accepting to join us as strategic partners. Your support will strengthen the advocacy component of this project in immeasurable ways.

    “Furthermore, we recognize the support of ministries, state governments, security agencies, traditional rulers, youth organizations, and faith-based institutions who have aligned with this noble cause.

    “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, drug abuse is not merely a health issue; it is a moral, economic, security, and developmental issue. It affects our children, our students, our transport workers, our professionals, and entire communities.

    “If we fail to act, we risk losing a generation. But if we act together, we can save a generation. Let today be a turning point. Let this conference be the birthplace of new partnerships, new commitments, and new energy in the collective quest for a drug-free South West.”

  • Secure Lagos: Gov Sanwo-Olu meets security chiefs

    Secure Lagos: Gov Sanwo-Olu meets security chiefs

    Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, November 26, chaired a crucial meeting of the Lagos State Security Council to review the current security situation across the state.

    Sanwo-Olu emphasised that the peace enjoyed by Lagos residents remains non-negotiable.

    He said the State is taking some proactive measures in enhancing the security of lives and property.

    In a terse statement on his verified X handle, he said: “Today, I met with the State Security Council to take a closer look at our security situation and ensure we are responding with clarity and good judgment.

    “Protecting the peace of Lagos is non-negotiable. I value the honest conversations around the table and the shared commitment to protecting the peace of our state.

    “I remain committed to the peace and security of the lives and property of all Lagosians.”

  • No evidence of sexual abuse among rescued schoolgirls – KBSG

    No evidence of sexual abuse among rescued schoolgirls – KBSG

    The Kebbi State Government on Wednesday said medical reports confirmed that non of the 24 freed Maga schoolgirls suffered any form of sexual abuse while in captivity.

    Dr Halima Bande, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in the state disclosed this during the formal handing over of the freed girls to their parents in Government House, Birnin Kebbi.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that suspected bandits had on Monday, Nov 17, launched an early morning attack on Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga and abducted 24 schoolgirls.

    “Today, we are in a happy mood, we are here to handover these freed girls to their parents. We give all glory to our Creator, who made it possible for our leaders to actualise the rescue of these girls.

    “About eight days ago we were thrown into trauma, because these girls were nowhere to be found.

    “Our leader, the Executive Governor of Kebbi and the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria have joined forces which culminated in the rescue of these girls.

    “Our greatest joy is that medical report has shown that all of the girls were confirmed to be safe and free from any form of sexual abuse,” Bande said.

    She appreciated all other stakeholders including parents, religious leaders, and traditional institutions that contributed to the success of the rescue mission.

    In his remarks, Gov. Nasir Idris expressed gratitude to God for the successful rescue of the girls.

    “I am the happiest person because these girls were safely rescued unharmed.
    “This is a happy day that we have been longing for, especially with what happened to our children at Maga school,” he said.

    The governor recalled that Mr President had directed the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), State Minister of Defense and all security chiefs to coordinate on how to successfully rescue the abducted children.

    “This directive has no doubt yielded a positive result. We are here today celebrating an all encompassing success. We are very grateful to Mr President,” he said.

    The governor advised the freed girls not to be discouraged in the pursuit of education, instead, they should strive hard to excel.

    He urged citizens of the state to do everything possible to ensure that the state live in peace, insisting that no development would be recorded in an atmosphere of rancour, acrimony or breach of peace

    Idris described the harmonious relationship being existing between him and the three former governors of the state when compared to other states as a sign progress and togetherness
    He said security arrangements had been made to escort the rescued schoolgirls with their parents to Maga.

    Responding on behalf of the parents, Malam Ibrahim Haruna-Maga supported by two other parents, Malam Iliyasu Birnin-Tudu and  Malam Umaru Garba, appreciated the federal and state governments, security agencies for making the rescue possible.

    “We pray Almighty Allah will reward all those that contributed to the success of the rescue mission.

    “Governor Nasir Idris has shown that he is a father to all of us, we are happy. To Mr President, we are very grateful for his efforts, only God Almighty will reward all of you,” he said.

    NAN reports that credible sources reveal that the schoolgirls were rescued in Bagega forest in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara.

    (NAN)

  • We must review recruitment process into security services to address insecurity

    We must review recruitment process into security services to address insecurity

    Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, said the issue of sabotage within the security sector must be properly addressed through a comprehensive review of the recruitment of personnel into the various security services.

    Wase also advocates for a review of the recent presidential order withdrawing police men from VIPs across the country, saying there should be a categorization of those who can benefit from police escorts.

    Speaking on behalf of the North Central caucus of the House of Representatives at a debate on the security situation in the country on Wednesday, Wase said there were times when members of the Boko Haram insurgent and armed robbers found their way into the military.

    He said, “There were moments in time when, in the process of recruitment, Boko Haram were found in the list. Other criminals, armed robbers, and gangs were found in the list of the Nigerian army and police.

    “There has to be a thorough way of ensuring that when we are recruiting, those of us who are politicians are recommending people of good character and integrity. That’s the only way we can solve this problem. And I want to also allude to the fact that, maybe, bring one example.

    “The former SGF was in an airport and saw somebody that he knew as an armed robber wearing a Nigerian uniform. He ordered his arrest immediately. This is a part of the problem that we are being faced with.

    “You find a criminal in the system, and before you know it, whatever you do, you cannot have the problem resolved. So we must change the system and the way of our recruitment. Yes, as politicians, it’s good to recommend.

    “This is what we are here for. But when you are recommending, recommend people of integrity, people who will have minimum standards and ensure that we give the best services to our country.

    “The number of policemen is far below the UN-recommended position, and the first example I will give is Egypt, where the number is not up to 100 million; you have recruitment of police officers of more than 5 million.

    “Here in Nigeria, you go to communities, you would traverse more than 30-40 kilometres. You cannot get even a police station to report an issue. This one has to be done immediately”.

    Wase described the North Central as the main area “where 52% of the insecurity and insurgency in this country is taking place, our people are dying, our people have been displaced, both those in the military and those who are in the armed forces and those at home.

    “I want to say that there is every need for us to review what is actually taking place. Today, Nigeria takes 52% of the criminality in terms of insurgency and whatever within the West African region, and like I did mention, more than 50% of it is within the North Central of Nigeria.

    “What is happening has to do a lot with criminality, and that is why I disagree with those who are bringing religious inclination into it. In every one of these enclaves, you find Muslims, you find Christians, you find pagans. I know that people are dying and people are being killed.

    “If you go to Wase, the majority of the people that are being killed are Muslims. How do you define that? Native Muslims? If you go to Bokkos, maybe the most number of people that have been killed are Christians. You define that as genocide. I watched a programme yesterday, and I saw the person on Channels TV insisting that this has to do with the genocide of Christians, and I said no.

    “It just has to do with criminality, and we must brand it as criminality. Otherwise, that division of religion will continue to affect us, and before we know it, we cannot tackle and deal with the problem effectively.

    “As I am speaking to you, within the armed forces, I lost one of the most gallant Nigerian soldiers, my cousin, in the course of this. I lost my younger brother, same mother, in Barma, and today I will say with those missing words that even as we try to solve issues, among the vigilantes and those who volunteered, just two weeks ago, I lost my nephew.

    “So I know what it means, and I speak with pain. Let not the political aspect of what people are trying to do divide the little gain we are having in terms of democratic dividends by those who do not want democracy to thrive because they are doing everything to ensure that we do not have peace.

    “I want to say, and bring the attention of this parliament to one area that we must settle. The issue of indigeneship and citizenship is a key area that is dividing this country. Most of us here, those who are privileged to travel to America, when their wives are pregnant, they will take them to America.

    “Within six months, they will get back there, and they will have citizenship in America or Britain. But here in Nigeria, you have somebody who is born, raised by his grandfather, and at the end of the day, he said, I’m leaving that place. I mean, it’s funny.

    “I think this is one key area that is dividing us and causing problems, and we must solve this problem constitutionally, if we mean well for this country. I also want to plead that the issue of policing and other security equipment needs to be attended to.

    Wase appeal to the President to withdraw the order withdrawing the police escort. VIPs, saying, “This is one other issue that people are saying, withdraw police from VIPs. It’s not about the VIPs. When you give criminals police to guard them, this is where I thought we should focus.

    “I want to appeal that there is a need to review that order. It’s a good order, but the categorisation has to be spelled out because before you know it, this house will again come back, faced with the same problem of the kidnapping, and whatever

    “I don’t think there is anybody who will say, I can travel with my eyes open between here and Jos. Once it is 6 p.m., to get to Kefi, I’m scared, because I know what has happened. Kidnapping happens virtually every day.

    “In one year alone, sir, in one year alone, within the Boko Haram threshold, what we lost is more than 30,000 people that are killed in the process of this banditry and whatever. The issue before us is more than what we are possibly looking. The gravity of it is so endemic that I think and I pray that at the end of this, it will not be one of these rituals that will come, speak, document, and execute.

  • Kogi govt debunks alleged diversion of LG funds

    Kogi govt debunks alleged diversion of LG funds

    The Kogi state government has debunked the alleged diversion of Local Government funds in the state.

    The State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, described the allegations as untrue, politically motivated, and deliberately orchestrated to mislead the public.

    A coalition of civil society organisations recently called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the alleged misappropriation of over N21 billion in federal allocations meant for five local government areas in Kogi State.

    Reacting to the claim at a press conference in Abuja, Fanwo stated that local government autonomy is real, functional, and fully upheld in Kogi State.

    He explained that in line with constitutional provisions, all Local Government councils receive their allocations, adding that the councils determine their expenditure, award contracts, process payroll, and implement development programmes independently.

    Fanwo, while stating that the Governor of Kogi State does not tamper with Local Government funds, added that the administration’s role was limited strictly to coordination and capacity support where required.

    He said, “Ordinarily, such baseless propaganda would not deserve a response. But as we all know, when lies go unchallenged, they begin to look like the truth. Silence can unintentionally empower misinformation. Because we are a government committed to transparency, accountability, and the right of our citizens to accurate information, it is important to set the record straight and expose the intentions behind these allegations.

    “What is unfolding is not activism for accountability; it is a coordinated campaign aimed at dragging the name of the Governor of Kogi State and indeed the Government of Kogi State into fabricated claims. The petitioners are determined to create the false impression that the State Government interferes with Local Government finances. This is entirely untrue and contradicts every documented financial and administrative process in Kogi State.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, all 21 Local Government councils publish their financial statements on the official government website. These records are accessible to journalists, civil society organisations, development partners, the opposition, and the general public. Transparency is not a slogan here; it is a routine practice. We challenge the petitioners to name any state in Nigeria with a more transparent Local Government financial reporting system”.

    He stated that the State government remains committed to various development projects ongoing in the state.

    “This government remains focused on the work that matters: infrastructure, security, prompt payment of salaries and pensions, rural development, education, healthcare, job creation, and improving the quality of life for all. Our President, Bola Tinubu, has given us more resources to serve our people. We will not disappoint him, we will not disappoint the good people of Kogi State.

    “To the great people of Kogi State, your government is working, your Local Governments are functioning independently, and your resources are being used for development, not for politicians or their hired agents. Lies will not stand against the weight of truth.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state, Tosin Olokun, said the state does not tamper with allocations and the revenue generated internally. 

    He said that apart from payment of salaries and pensions to staff and retirees at 100 percent, the LGs have started defraying gratuities that were abandoned for many years.

    On some projects undertaken by the LGAs, Olokun said: “We have been making rural roads accessible as well as renovating, remodelling, as well as building new Primary Healthcare Centres and clinics to attend to the healthcare of our people at the grassroots. We have built quarters for health workers in those Primary Healthcare Centres, provided solar-powered water, and also solar power for running the Centres. The Federal Government and the State Government are building theirs, while we are also building ours. 

    “Recently, each of the Local Government Councils trained 110 youth on CNG Conversion, and we are already on the procurement processes to buy all their working tools to make them independent and become job creators rather than job seekers. 

    The 21 Local Government Councils have recruited thousands of hunters, trained them and equipped them with the right logistics to fight crime in their localities. We have also bought security vehicles and motorcycles to help their mobility”.  

  • Lagos probes VIS officers over viral altercation, vows sanctions for misconduct

    Lagos probes VIS officers over viral altercation, vows sanctions for misconduct

    The Lagos State Ministry of Transportation has launched a formal investigation into the actions of Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) officers involved in a viral confrontation with a truck driver, with officials warning that any officer found to have acted outside approved conduct would face sanctions.

    The incident, which occurred on November 25, involved VIS officers who stopped an articulated truck carrying an unlatched container.

    The ministry said the container posed an immediate danger to other motorists and that a routine inspection later revealed the truck had a faulty braking system that rendered it unfit for the road.

    Trouble began when the driver allegedly refused to comply with the inspection and attempted to flee. In the process, he was said to have driven in a reckless manner, damaged vehicles, and endangered officers and passersby.

    But while confirming the driver’s violations, the ministry insisted that it would not overlook any unprofessional conduct by officers.

    In a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Mrs Bolanle Ogunlola, the ministry said the behaviour displayed in the video did not reflect the standards expected of VIS personnel.

    “The ministry has commenced a full and impartial investigation. Any officer found culpable of unprofessional behaviour or excessive force will be sanctioned in line with service regulations,” she said.

    She added that the driver would also be prosecuted for the dangers created by his attempt to flee.

    The ministry said it would make its findings public at the conclusion of the inquiry. It noted that the case served as a reminder that enforcement agencies must adhere strictly to procedure, even under pressure.

    Officials said the investigation would also review the supervision and command responsibility within the team involved, with a view to strengthening accountability and preventing a repeat of the incident.

    The government reaffirmed the mandate of the Vehicle Inspection Service to ensure roadworthiness and protect lives, but stressed that enforcement must remain disciplined and professional at all times.