The Nation Newspaper

Category: City Beats

  • Rotary to train 200 TBAs tomorrow

    Rotary to train 200 TBAs tomorrow

    To address maternal and child health challenges, Rotary Club of Ewutuntun, District 9111, in partnership with Lagos State Ministry of Health, is training traditional birth attendants (TBAs) tomorrow.

    The training with the theme “Updating skills among traditional birth attendants for safe pregnancy and delivery.” will hold at 10 am at All Saints Anglican Church, Oshodi, Lagos.

    Read Also: Rotary club of Port Harcourt Gateway gets new president

    The club’s President, Stephen Ogundipe, also the lawmaker representing Oshodi- Isolo Constituency 1 Lagos State House of Assembly, said the initiative is part of Rotary’s commitment to improving maternal and child health.

  • Edo e-hailing drivers protest alleged exploitation by apps owners

    Edo e-hailing drivers protest alleged exploitation by apps owners

    Members of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria, on Tuesday, staged a peaceful protest in Benin City, over what they termed unfair treatment by the app-based transport companies in the state.

    The protesters particularly named Bolt, Uber, and In-Drive as being responsible for the exploitative practices.

    They carried placards with inscriptions such as “E-hailing drivers in Benin are humans, have families and responsibilities and cannot survive with your unreasonable prices and exploitative commission, Bolt, Uber, and In-Drive”, “Bolt, Uber, and In-Drive, Edo drivers are not your slaves” and “Bolt, Uber, and In-Drive reduce your commission and increase the pricing.”

    Read Also: By-election: APC will win landslide in Edo, says Okpebholo

    Edo chairman of the union, Comrade Russell Eghaghe, said they were being treated unfairly by the companies.

    “We have been having problems with the app companies. You know that where two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. The drivers are not happy with the current state of pricing with these app companies, coupled with the fact that the local task force is also harassing us. So one of the major reasons we are here is to plead with the government to consider us in decision-making,” Eghaghe said.

    “Many of us cannot even go to the central park to pick or drop passengers. The local government task force will arrest our drivers, saying we must come and buy tickets. We want you to help us air our pains.

    “How can a driver carry a passenger from BIU to Ugbor Road for N3,200, and from that amount, the app company will collect about 25%? When they are increasing their percentage, they don’t notify the drivers. When they are reducing their price, they don’t inform the drivers. We are just there. But look at the tools we are using, data and fuel everything has increased. Yet, all these expenses fall on the drivers. Then they complain that we are working with rickety cars. How can we repair our cars with that kind of situation?

    “We are here to use this medium to tell them that they should call us for a roundtable discussion.”

    Vice chairman of the union, Comrade Victor Shuah, said the app-organisations were not concern about threat to lives by drivers.

    “Once you report anything that threatens your life to Bolt, they will delete your profile. The same Bolt has told us that if you have any problem with a rider that threatens your life, you should not report to the police. But they cannot protect you.”

  • 10th National Assembly not a rubber stamp, says NILDS DG

    10th National Assembly not a rubber stamp, says NILDS DG

    Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, has refuted claims that the 10th National Assembly is a rubber-stamp legislature, asserting that lawmakers are effectively carrying out their constitutional roles while maintaining a cooperative relationship with the executive.

    Speaking during a television interview, Prof. Suleiman described the rubber-stamp label as “unfair and simplistic,” arguing that a lack of open confrontation with the presidency does not equate to subservience.

    “When this National Assembly came on board in June 2023, they made it clear they would work with the executive without chaos or friction,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean they’ve blindly endorsed everything from the presidency. There have been instances of disagreement.”

    He emphasised that the performance of lawmakers should be judged by their execution of core legislative functions—lawmaking, oversight, and representation—not by how frequently they oppose the executive.

    “To me, what is fundamental is not whether the executive tries to determine what the legislature does,” he said. “What is important is to see the extent to which the legislature supports the executive in making sure that the dividends of democracy reach the Nigerian people. Whether they have been able to make laws that matter, whether they have carried out oversight, and whether they have represented their constituents well. Those should be our priorities as citizens.”

    He said it is unrealistic to expect a completely detached legislature in a developing democracy like Nigeria.

    Read Also: Ushbebe storms Abuja with “National Assembly Edition” of comedy concert

    “We are a developing country. We cannot have a completely detached National Assembly from the executive,” he said. “We know the power of the President. We know the power of the governors. What we observe is a kind of interwoven and overlapping mandate between the arms of government. That is not necessarily a weakness. It is the reality of our political system.”

    Prof. Suleiman urged Nigerians to focus on evaluating the impact of the Assembly’s work on issues like insecurity, food security and economic reforms rather than labelling it a rubber stamp.

    “Our assessment should be based on whether they are delivering good governance,” he said. “How do we address insecurity? How do we deal with starvation, joblessness, taxation, health care and education? Those are the questions that matter, not rubber-stamp labels.”

  • POWA raises team to engage 12 million women in agribusiness to drive food security

    POWA raises team to engage 12 million women in agribusiness to drive food security

    The Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) has inaugurated the National Soil to Security Campaign Team (SSC), a nationally coordinated mobilisation mechanism to engage 12 million young Nigerian women in transformative agribusiness education.

    The initiative, with active support from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s Read and Earn Federation (UNESCO REF) Young Women in Agriculture (YWA), aims to support the current administration of President Bola Tinubu’s efforts at ensuring food security in the country.

    National President of POWA and wife of the Inspector General of Police, Dr.  Elizabeth Egbetokun, inaugurated the national campaign team during the association’s 61st anniversary celebration in Lagos.

    Mrs. Egbetokun, who doubles as the National Advocate for UNESCO REF Young Women in Agriculture (YWA) Initiative, disclosed that through the campaign, young women would break free from poverty by engaging in resilient, scalable agriculture that creates income, dignity, and national impact.

    She explained that the SSC Team operates as the official outreach and mobilisation engine under the UNESCO REF Strategic Intervention Programme – ALPHA (SIP-ALPHA) Framework, designed to advance food security, promote climate-smart agriculture, and deliver inclusive socioeconomic empowerment across all regions of Nigeria.

    Read Also: Sultan urges farmers to embrace agriculture for food security

    She said, “The initiative also serves as a strategic response to the Federal Government’s emergency declaration on food security made on July 13, 2023.

    “Through this campaign, we are enabling young women to break free from poverty by engaging in resilient, scalable agriculture that creates income, dignity, and national impact.

    Highlighting the strategic support and national alignment of the programme, the POWA President noted that the YWA Initiative and SSC Campaign would directly contribute to President Tinubu’s cardinal directive on food security and agribusiness transformation.

    She said this also aligns with the Renewed Hope Initiative led by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, prioritising women’s empowerment and inclusive development, adding that it would also help in Nigeria’s advancement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

    Speaking further on the programme framework, Egbetokun noted that the Young Women in Agriculture Initiative, Launched through the SIP-ALPHA Category II Strategic Framework, offers alternative crop-production models that overcome the limitations of conventional agriculture such as hydroponics farming or soilless cultivation using nutrient-rich solutions.

    She explained that the Soil to Security Campaign Team would serve as the official national mobilisation mechanism of the YWA Initiative.

    “The programme aims to achieve training and certification of 12 million YWA Champions by 2030; creation of sustainable agribusiness ecosystems led by women and youth, and expansion of domestic industrial inputs for packaging, textiles, and construction.

    “It is also focused on the advancement of poverty eradication and hunger reduction goals, positioning Nigeria as a continental leader in gender-inclusive, climate-resilient agriculture,” she added.

    On his part, the UNESCO REF President and National Coordinator, Young Women in Agriculture Nigeria, Prince Abdulsalami Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan, said: “The future of food is no longer buried beneath the soil; it is engineered through knowledge, equity, and innovation.”

    He added that with the launch of the SSC Team, Nigeria demonstrates not only commitment to sustainable agriculture, but also to harnessing the transformative power of young women as architects of a resilient economy and peaceful society. 

  • Oluwo lauds Customs CG for tackling porous border

    Oluwo lauds Customs CG for tackling porous border

    The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has lauded the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, for tackling the porous border in the country.

    Oluwo, in a statement on Tuesday, noted that effective monitoring of the Nigerian border under Adeniyi has improved the security of the country.

    He said, “In recent times, since the appointment of Adeniyi as CG Customs, Nigeria’s insecurity challenge has been decimated, one of the results of the prevention of the porous border.

    “Adebiyi’s management of borders has contributed immensely to the infrastructural development of Nigeria, accruing huge revenue unprecedented in the history of Nigeria, which forms an elephant share of the physical projects executed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

    Read Also: Royal families defend Oluwo, deny allegation of exhuming remains of past kings

    “His achievements on the home front were rewarded with an international assignment as the Chairman of the World Customs Organisation. He has been celebrated in the world; he should be honoured at home.”

    He added, “As a disciplined, exposed and experienced officer, Adeniyi has the practical architecture of Nigeria’s borders, and embraced digital monitoring, which has placed him above many.

    “He has prevented border leakages and aborted economic sabotage. His wealth of experience earned him the recently accomplished feat as the first Nigerian CGC to head the World Customs Organisation.”

  • Dantsoho: Africa risks missing AfCFTA gains without port reform

    Dantsoho: Africa risks missing AfCFTA gains without port reform

    …urges urgent investment in digital infrastructure and economic synergy across maritime nations

    The President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has said that the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) hinges on urgent port modernisation, full automation, and deeper collaboration among maritime nations in the region.

    Dantsoho, who is also the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), emphasised that the development of efficient, data-driven, and interconnected seaport systems is essential to Africa’s ability to unlock the economic benefits of the AfCFTA while speaking at the PMAWCA Board of Directors and Ports Statisticians Network Meetings in Luanda, Angola.

    He said, “The specific objectives of AfCFTA, including the progressive elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers, liberalisation of trade in services, and increased cooperation among African states, are pregnant with a lot of opportunities for wealth creation and prosperity.

    “I am convinced that our partnership and holding of hands under the umbrella of PMAWCA will equip us to safely midwife these opportunities for the benefit of our respective national economies, with a domino effect on the sub-region.”

    Dantsoho called for the immediate adoption of full automation processes across African ports through the Port Community System (PCS) and the National Single Window (NSW), which are critical to improving efficiency, reducing cargo dwell times, and enhancing revenue generation.

    Read Also: Rising cross-border charges threatens AfCFTA goals

    “The modernisation of our ports and full automation of our processes through the Port Community System (PCS) and its corollary, the National Single Window (NSW), which is gaining momentum, must be accompanied by strengthened economic cohesion among PMAWCA members.”

    “I would like to register Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to achieving this as soon as possible,” he declared.

    He noted that modern, tech-enabled ports are essential to meeting the demands of a liberalised intra-African trade system, and warned that countries risk being left behind if they do not align port reforms with the broader goals of AfCFTA.

    In addition, he identified data as a key enabler of effective decision-making in port operations, applauding the role of the Ports Statisticians Network in fostering regional synergy.

    “This meeting presents a smart model for regional partnership, which this administration intends to champion, especially given that data remains the major driver of effective decision making in port management,” he said.

    The NPA boss also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, describing it as a turning point for maritime development.

    “The visionary creation of the new Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has re-energised our resolve to invest more in sector-specific talent development, to harness more ideas from operational think tanks such as PMAWCA,” he stated.

    Dantsoho added that the Statisticians Network under PMAWCA provides a solid foundation for shared training and capacity-building across member ports, which is vital to sustaining reform momentum.

    The PMAWCA board meeting in Angola is focused on evaluating the outcomes of the association’s 2024 programmes, aligning its strategic direction with continental trade priorities, and driving institutional support for full digitalisation and economic integration in the sub-region.

  • CDS calls for smarter strategy, stronger synergy to combat security threats

    CDS calls for smarter strategy, stronger synergy to combat security threats

    The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has emphasised the need for smarter strategic thinking and stronger synergy among Nigeria’s military forces to effectively address evolving security threats.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Armed Forces Unified Strategic National Security Exercise (STRANEX 2025) in Abuja on Tuesday, Gen. Musa—represented by Chief of Defence Training, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shettima—described the high-level simulation as a critical blueprint for operational excellence in the face of 21st-century challenges.

    Organised by the National Defence College (NDC) in collaboration with the Services War Colleges, STRANEX 2025 brings together senior military officials, international participants, and key stakeholders from various ministries and agencies to rehearse coordinated responses to complex national security scenarios.

    He said the exercise underscores the importance of joint planning, enhanced service coordination, and strategic unity of purpose in boosting the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

    He said, “Our success as a military and as a nation depends on the quality of strategic thinking, resilience of our institutions, and unity of our operational communities, whether national or international alike.

    “This is not just an academic milestone. It is a rehearsal for real-world crisis management where strategy meets pressure, and cooperation becomes survival.

    “The exercise sparked conversations on the intersection between national development and security in an increasingly volatile region.”

    Musa hailed the presence of international observers and United Nations partners, noting that their participation reflects a shared global interest in peace, stability, and strategic learning.

    The commandant of NDC, Rear Adm. James Okosun, said that the contemporary operating environment had remained volatile, uncertain, hopeless, and ambiguous, characterised by the effects of asymmetric threats that transcend national borders.

    Read Also: As CDS stands poised to lead decisive military action

    He said the exercise aimed to enhance a collaboration and interoperability mindset in advancing future strategic leaders’ understanding of how institutions are handling complex national decision-making processes.

    According to him, to effectively combat this challenge, integrated and comprehensive action is needed.

    “Accordingly, the conservative education at this level attempts to practice decision-making during a national security crisis through role play.

    “It is my humble belief that this immersive environment will equip participants with the required training needed to perform at the appropriate level during a national security crisis and in the field.

    Director, Higher Military Organisation and Operations, NDC, Brig-Gen Olumide Ojo, described STRANEX as a defence and security-related, problem-solving exercise.

    Ojo said the exercise was designed to expose participants to top-level defence decision-making, including efforts in strategy management, development, strategic estimates and reports, policy analysis and formulation, crisis management, negotiation and mediation, as well as the national security decision-making process.

    According to him, the exercise is designed at both ground, strategic, military strategy, and operational levels to aid proper understanding of the situation.

    “The overall aim is to synchronise efforts at both levels of command and staff roles in a joint environment, which is aligned with the Chief of Defence’s leadership concept, which is to nurture a professional armed forces that is people-centred, collaborating, and capable of meeting the constitutional responsibilities in a joint environment,” he said.

  • Media Rights Agenda calls for urgent reform of FOI Act

    Media Rights Agenda calls for urgent reform of FOI Act

    The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has called for the urgent reform of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to enhance compliance and enforcement by public institutions.

    Executive Director of MRA, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, made the call while presenting a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s FOI Act. He identified key gaps in the current legislation and proposed critical areas for amendment.

    Ojo noted that the FOI Act, which was conceived in the analog era of the 1990s, no longer aligns with the digital information landscape and needs to be updated to meet current demands.

     “The Act does not sufficiently accommodate the ways information is processed, stored, and consumed today,” he noted. 

    Although the Attorney General of the Federation has issued implementation guidelines, including directives to establish email systems for FOI requests, many public institutions—ironically including the Federal Ministry of Justice—have failed to implement them.

    He argued that the FOI Act should be amended to include digital request mechanisms as substantive provisions of the law, rather than leaving them to discretionary guidelines that are often ignored.

    Ojo identified weak enforcement mechanisms as a major deficiency in the current Act. “Although there are provisions such as Section 1(3), which empowers citizens to seek judicial enforcement, the absence of clear processes and institutional responsibility for oversight renders these tools largely ineffective,” he said.

    He also pointed out the legislative inconsistencies in the Act. 

    Section 3(1) refers to application procedures supposedly found in Section 1, but those procedures were removed during the legislative process—leaving the section referencing non-existent provisions. He recommended amending the law either to correct the reference or to clearly outline FOI request procedures in the appropriate section.

    Ojo further called for expanding the legal mandate of the Attorney General. 

    He explained that Section 29(5) currently limits the Attorney General’s powers to reporting guidelines alone, whereas existing implementation guidelines already cover broader issues such as fees and request methods. He advocated for a statutory amendment that would authorize the Attorney General to issue comprehensive FOI regulations.

    Addressing the abuse of fees by public institutions, Mr. Ojo revealed that some agencies have demanded exorbitant sums—up to ₦1 million—for access to information, in clear violation of the guidelines, which peg fees at ₦10 per page. “These practices amount to deliberate attempts to frustrate the FOI process and deny access,” he stated.

    He also expressed concerns about the applicability of the FOI Act at the subnational level, citing the Supreme Court judgment in the Edo State case. 

    Read Also: Nigerian journalists must promote human rights in advancing unity, says Amnesty International

    He therefore called for clarity on whether the Attorney General of the Federation can effectively oversee FOI compliance across state-level institutions and suggested that this issue be addressed in the proposed amendments.

    To enhance oversight and promote impartial enforcement, he proposed the establishment of an independent FOI ombudsman with statutory powers to monitor compliance, issue sanctions, and guide implementation—rather than relying solely on political appointees.

    Ojo also urged both public institutions and the National Assembly to allocate dedicated funding for FOI implementation in their annual budgets. 

    “Without financial backing, compliance will continue to be poor,” he warned. He called on stakeholders, especially the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), to leverage their access to the legislature to ensure the inclusion of FOI funding in national appropriations.

  • Suspects killed, weapons recovered as Army sustains counter terrorism operations 

    Suspects killed, weapons recovered as Army sustains counter terrorism operations 

    Two suspected terror kingpins have been killed, 11 others arrested and gun running syndicates dismantled by troops of the Nigerian Army in several precision-led operations this month.

    This was revealed by the spokeswoman for the Nigerian Army, Lt.-Col. Apollonia Anele, during a conversation with reporters yesterday.

    According to Anele, the successes were recorded by troops across theatres of operations, adding that they marked decisive gains in the army’s campaign against terrorism and other emerging security threats. 

    “The operations resulted in the neutralization of two terrorists, arrest of 11 suspects, voluntary surrender of two terrorist family members, and the recovery of arms, logistics, and rustled livestock,” she said.

    Giving a breakdown, Anele said troops of 8 Division Garrison in Sokoto State deployed at Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in Tsamaye and Mai Lalle, Sabon Birni LGA, engaged armed elements in a fierce firefight, which led to the death of two terror suspects.

    She said others were compelled to flee, adding that the troops recovered three AK-47 rifles and a motorcycle at the scene.

    In the North-East, sustained operations led to the voluntary surrender of two relatives of terrorists- an adult female and a child- to troops of 202 Battalion in Bama, Borno State, who escaped from the CHURCHUR axis.

    Similarly, troops of 120 Task Force Battalion deployed in Katarko, Gujba LGA, Yobe State, apprehended a suspected terrorist attempting to breach a secured perimeter, she said. 

    Upon arrest, the suspect who claimed to be a Nigerian, could not communicate in any recognized local language, a development that confirms suspicions of foreign mercenaries’ involvement in terror attacks.

    . The individual, who claimed Nigerien origin, failed to communicate in any recognized Nigerian language, raising suspicions of transnational involvement and necessitating further investigation.

    “In the Northwest, troops of 1 Battalion Rear responded to actionable intelligence and intercepted a cattle rustling attempt in Sauna Village, Argungu LGA, Kebbi State. Upon contact, the perpetrators fled, abandoning 251 rustled cows. The livestock were subsequently recovered and returned to their rightful owners, reinforcing public confidence in military protection.

    “In Ondo State, troops of 323 Artillery Regiment operating in Igbara-Oke, Ifedore LGA, intercepted two suspected gunrunners attempting to acquire firearms from a local supplier. Preliminary findings revealed a disturbing link to an inmate in Kirikiri Correctional Facility in Lagos, who allegedly orchestrated the deal to support criminal activities in Zamfara State,” she said.

    Read Also: Army, DSS-backed Hybrid Forces, kill 45 bandits in Niger

    In Delta State, Anele said further operations led to the discovery of a tricycle concealed with approximately 200 litres of suspected illegally refined diesel along the Jeddo-Omadino axis in Warri South LGA, adding that troops of 63 Brigade Garrison arrested seven suspected IPOB/ESN members, recovered a motorcycle, four mobile phones and other exhibits at their hideout in Okpanam, Oshimili North LGA.

    “These successful engagements reflect the Nigerian Army’s resolute commitment to safeguarding national security and preserving public peace. 

    “The tempo of operations will remain relentless as the troops continue to confront all forms of insecurity with professionalism and strategic precision,” Anele said. 

  • DSS-led hybrid squad kills 45 terrorists

    DSS-led hybrid squad kills 45 terrorists

    • Four operatives die in fierce gun battle 
    • Bandits kill 38 hostages after collecting N50m ransom in Zamfara
    • From Nicholas Kalu, Abuja

    Troops of the Nigerian Army and hybrid forces, supported by intelligence from the Department of State Services (DSS), killed no fewer than 45 terrorists last weekend in Iburu village, Shiroro Local Government Area.

    Security sources said the DSS intercepted credible intelligence suggesting that a large number of bandits on motorcycles were advancing towards Iburu and neighbouring communities to launch deadly attacks.

    The DSS relayed this information to troops stationed nearby, prompting military response.

    A fierce gun battle followed the encounter, culminating in heavy casualties among the terrorist ranks.

    “Villagers said they counted at least 40 dead bodies believed to be those of the bandits,” a source said.

    The same source added that several of the terrorists’ motorcycles were destroyed during the confrontation.

    Despite the success, the operation was not without loss.

    Two members of the hybrid forces, comprising local fighters collaborating with the military, died.

    Four others sustained serious gunshot wounds and are receiving treatment at a hospital in the state capital.

    Read Also: Atiku, Peter Obi should step down for Tinubu’s reelection-Aiyedatiwa

    The offensive comes against the backdrop of increased intelligence-led operations by the DSS, whose recent string of tactical successes has been widely acknowledged in security circles.

    Residents of Banga village in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been thrown into mourning following the brutal killing of 38 kidnapped villagers by bandits, despite the payment of over N50 million as ransom.

    Chairman of Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area, Mannir Haidara Kaura, said 56 persons were reportedly abducted from the village, and 18 were later released.

    He added that the freed 18 victims have been admitted to hospital for medical treatment.

    “From the information I got as the chairman of the local government, 56 were abducted by the bandits and only 18 returned.

    “We took the remaining 18 people to hospital. They are on medication. We are also preparing to go with the state government to go and see the families of those that lost their lives,” he said.

    A resident of the village, Ibrahim Banga, had earlier said the bandits invaded the community months ago and abducted 53 people.

    He explained that the kidnappers demanded N1 million per hostage, and after several weeks of efforts, the community managed to raise and deliver the sum.

    Banga, however, confirmed that only 18 of the captives were eventually released.

    “Upon their return, the freed victims recounted how the bandits had slaughtered the remaining 35 abductees, killing them one after the other during their captivity,” he said.

    He appealed to both the Federal and state governments to urgently extend military operations to the area, which he said would help restore peace, facilitate the return of displaced persons, and rescue those still held by the criminals.