The Nation Newspaper

Category: City Beats

  • Water crises threaten Nigeria’s food, energy security, experts warn

    Water crises threaten Nigeria’s food, energy security, experts warn

    Experts at the 12th National Water Conference in Kaduna have raised the alarm over Nigeria’s worsening water crisis, warning that the nation’s food and energy security is at risk without urgent investment in skilled water management professionals.

    Dr. Abduljalal Dan Baba, Director-General of the National Water Resources Institute (NWRI), said erratic rainfall, droughts, floods, and degraded watersheds are already undermining agricultural output and hydropower generation.

    “Without a well-trained workforce to manage our water resources, the impacts on food production and energy supply will be catastrophic,” he said.

    Representing the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Jamilu Abu, Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation at the Federal Ministry, assured that President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is prioritizing access to safe and reliable water nationwide. “The President is doing everything possible to give the best to Nigeria,” he said.

    The Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamali, urged NWRI to reduce dependency on government funding by building strategic partnerships, noting that the institute holds immense potential to drive innovation in Nigeria’s water sector.

    Dr. Dan Baba highlighted the importance of international collaboration, citing recent MOUs with the Hungarian University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, aimed at transferring knowledge and implementing climate-responsive water management strategies across the country.

    The conference, themed “Water for Climate Action, Food and Energy Security,” emphasises the interconnection between water, agriculture, and energy. Experts called for investment in hydrological modeling, climate-smart irrigation, and early warning systems to mitigate the looming crisis.

    Over three days, participants will engage in technical sessions, exhibitions, and workshops to build capacity, exchange ideas, and develop actionable strategies for Nigeria’s water challenges.

    Experts warned that failing to act now could compromise the nation’s ability to feed its population and meet energy demands, stressing that developing skilled professionals in water management is no longer optional but essential.

    NWRI officials concluded that urgent investment in education, workforce training, and innovative water technologies is critical to safeguarding Nigeria’s food, energy, and economic future.

  • Eti-Osa holds one-year remembrance prayer for late legal icon

    Eti-Osa holds one-year remembrance prayer for late legal icon

    The Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation has held a special one-year remembrance prayer for its founding President, late Barrister Sanni Mabokunrinje, whose death occurred in December 2024.

    The prayer session took place at the Igbo-Efon Central Mosque, Eti-Osa, Lagos State, and was officiated by the Eti-Osa Council of Imams and Alfas, led by its Chairman, Sheikh Imam Barri Yusuf. Other senior members of the council, including the Secretary and the Mufassiru, were also in attendance.

    During the special Fidau prayer, clerics offered supplications for the repose of the soul of the late legal practitioner, praying that Allah grant him Aljanah Firdaus and reward his lifetime of service to the Eti-Osa community.

    Speakers at the event described the late Mabokunrinje as a devoted son of Eti-Osa who committed his time, intellect, and legal expertise to the growth and development of the community.

    Speaking on behalf of the organisation, Dr. Waziri Adisa expressed gratitude to members of the Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation, the Council of Imams and Alfas, and community elders for their support following the tragic loss of the organisation’s founding President.

    Adisa also commended the immediate past Chairmen of Eti-Osa Local Government and Eti-Osa East LCDA, Saheed Bankole and John Campus, for naming two major projects after the late legal icon, noting that history would remember them for honouring his legacy.

    He further disclosed that the organisation has registered a foundation in memory of Barr. Mabokunrinje is committed to further immortalising him.

    According to him, the Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation plans to unveil an iconic book in his honour in May 2026.

    Special prayers were also offered in remembrance of other departed members of the community, including late Ibrahim Bakare, late Mr. Semiu Abdul-Azeez (Alfa Semiu), late Eshinokun, and other young intellectuals who were members of the former Eti-Osa Intellectual Group before its transformation into the Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation.

    Prominent personalities who attended the remembrance included the Vice Chairman of Eti-Osa Local Government, Hon. Idowu Badru; Justice Rosul Olukolu; retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Olukolu; Alhaji Chief Tajudeen Olukolu; the Baale of Igbo-Efon; Dr. Waziri Adisa, President of the Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation; Mr. Akinlolu, Education Secretary, Eti-Osa Local Government; Alhaji Mustapha Okunmoyinbo, Baale of Alasia; Barrister Saheed Sanni; Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Alhaja Habibat Kotun; Mr. Lawal Fatai, Public Relations Officer of the Heritage Organisation; Mr. Idris Adelakun; Dr. Kotun; and Dr. Ahmed Kotun, Chairman of the one-year remembrance prayer.

    The event also attracted several Imams from across Eti-Osa, including clerics from Igbo-Efon Central Mosque, Badore Central Mosque, Okera-Nla Central Mosque, Mayeigun Central Mosque, Fowewe Central Mosque, and Okera Kekere, among others.

    Barrister Sanni Mabokunrinje was the pioneer President of the Eti-Osa Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and a former Secretary of the Eti-Osa Local Government Council when its headquarters were located at Glover, Ikoyi.

  • Emergencies and disasters: LASEMA boss tasks LG vice chairmen

    Emergencies and disasters: LASEMA boss tasks LG vice chairmen

    The Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, has asked the vice chairmen of Lagos councils to be up and doing in the area of emergency and disaster management

    He made this known during a stakeholders’ meeting on the revitalisation of Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMS) in Lagos on Monday.

    The objective of the meeting was to reorient the new leadership in the twenty Council areas and thirty-seven Council Development Areas on disaster management.

    Oke-Osanyintolu said under the law, the council vice-chairmen are expected to manage emergencies and disasters in the local government.

    He said the task of disaster management should not be left solely to the LASEMA; local councils should also be up to their responsibilities.

    He warned that leaving an emergency to linger in a community traumatises the residents.

    “We are holding this stakeholders’ meeting to fine-tune our operations and strengthen our collaboration to assure the good people of Lagos State that we are ready to manage emergencies at any time. We are prepared to effectively manage the golden hour between life and death.

    “I must emphasise that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has done a lot in terms of emergency and disaster management in Lagos State. We understand that emergencies and disasters happen at the local and community level, which is why we are repositioning the Local Emergency Management Committee to better serve the people of Lagos State.”

    While pledging LASEMA’s assistance to the local council on disaster and emergencies, he said the state was fully prepared to handle emergencies during and after the Yuletide season.

    Speaking on the Framework for the establishment and integration of the Local Government Emergency Management Committee (LEMC), Engineer Olakunle Akinsanya said Lagos State was prone to disasters because of its peculiar nature; therefore, the need for the LEMC.

    Responding on behalf of the Lagos Vice Chairmen, the Vice Chairman of Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area, Oluwatoyin Awoniyi-Akerele, expressed the readiness of vice chairmen to champion the Local Emergency Management Committee initiative.

    “We are going to work at the local level to manage disasters because we are very close to our people, the communities, market women and men, and everyone within the local government. We know them, and we understand their needs.

    “We are happy to be given this responsibility, and we are committed to carrying it out effectively. We will meet, develop a workable plan, and ensure successful implementation. We will not disappoint,” she said.

  • Flood-prone LGs urged to take ownership of flood prevention

    Flood-prone LGs urged to take ownership of flood prevention

    Flood-prone local government areas have been urged to take a more proactive role in preventing floods and mitigating their impact on communities.

    The Vice Chairman of Girei Local Government Area in Adamawa State, Chief Luri Zephsnia, gave the charge, stressing that local authorities can make a significant difference by taking responsibility for their immediate environment rather than leaving flood management solely to state or federal governments.

    Zephsnia spoke in Yola, the state capital, during a review meeting of a flood anticipatory project organised by the Nigerian Red Cross Society.

    The project, implemented with the support of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), targeted Girei and six other flood-prone local government areas in Adamawa State—Yola North, Yola South, Fufore, Demsa, Numan, and Lamurde.

    As part of the intervention, Red Cross officials and volunteers were deployed to communities across the targeted LGAs to sensitise households on measures to prevent flooding or reduce its effects.

    The Disaster Management Coordinator of the Nigeria Red Cross Society, Mr Timothy Yohanna, told journalists that the organisation recruited 210 sensitisation volunteers who carried out house-to-house visits in the seven local government areas identified as flood-prone.

    Yohanna explained that the review meeting in Yola was aimed at validating lessons learnt and feedback gathered during the implementation of flood management activities in the state.

    “We are looking at the achievements of the anticipatory action as well as the challenges encountered during the implementation of the project in Adamawa State,” he said.

    He expressed optimism that communities covered by the project are now better prepared to handle flooding as the country approaches another rainy season.

  • NIWRMC begins institutional reset, targets transparent water regulation

    NIWRMC begins institutional reset, targets transparent water regulation

    ‎The Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC) has commenced what it described as an institutional reset aimed at strengthening transparency, discipline and efficiency in water regulation.
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    ‎Presenting his first 100-day scorecard in Abuja, the Executive Director of the commission, Dr. Abdulmumini Aminu-Zaria, said the reforms were designed to reposition NIWRMC as a credible, technology-driven regulator aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
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    ‎Aminu-Zaria noted that effective water governance is critical to national development, stressing that water resources underpin food security, industrial growth, environmental sustainability and climate resilience.
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    ‎He said the commission’s renewed focus was on restoring internal order, improving operational efficiency and rebuilding public confidence.
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    ‎According to him, staff engagement formed a major pillar of the reforms, with management and town hall meetings held to address concerns and boost morale. A policy think-tank was also inaugurated to provide strategic input and support the implementation of reforms.
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    ‎The commission has further expanded collaboration with key institutions, including the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project, Global Water Partnership Organisation, National Space Research and Development Agency, the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency. The partnerships, he said, are expected to improve data sharing, build capacity and promote coordinated water resource management.
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    ‎Aminu-Zaria further disclosed that previously dormant catchment and field offices across hydrological zones had been revived as part of efforts to strengthen field operations.
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    ‎He also introduced a new internal reform framework, the PACE Agenda—Professionalism, Adeptness, Consistency and Excellence—to guide service delivery and regulatory oversight.
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    ‎He added that staff welfare had been addressed through an upward review of salaries for security and janitorial personnel, while an MoU signed with the Kano State Water Board was aimed at strengthening sub-national water governance.
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    ‎Aminu-Zaria said the early reforms were already yielding results, with improved internal systems, better staff motivation and increased stakeholder engagement, as the commission works towards becoming a modern, transparent and accountable water regulator.

  • Binash home marks first year with charity visit to Halal children’s home

    Binash home marks first year with charity visit to Halal children’s home

    Binash Home, a fast-growing Abuja-based home and lifestyle brand, has marked its first anniversary with a visit to the Halal Children’s Home Foundation in Life Camp, Abuja, where it spent time with children and donated essential items to support their welfare.

    The visit, which formed part of activities to commemorate the company’s first year in operation, was led by the founder of Binash Home, Nafisa Aliyu, who was accompanied by her mother, Bilkisu Sherif, and three members of staff.

    The Halal Children’s Home Foundation shelters 35 children between the ages of two and 18. The Binash team was received by the matron, Halima, who briefed the visitors on the activities of the foundation and its expansion beyond Life Camp.

    She disclosed that the foundation runs another home in Lugbe, Abuja, and in states across Nigeria. Halima expressed appreciation for the donations, describing the gesture as timely and impactful. “Thank you from all of us at Halal Children’s Home Foundation, and may Allah bless Binash,” she said.

    The Binash team was taken on a tour of the facility, which was commended for being clean, orderly and child-friendly. The team interacted with several of the children, including a 12-year-old boy who spoke about his aspiration to become a writer.

    The boy revealed that he had already submitted some of his work for publication, a moment the visitors described as a reminder of the untapped potential that exists in every child when given care and encouragement.

    Binash Home handed out food items, duvet cores, waterproof mattress protectors and other daily essentials to the home. The donations were presented as part of the brand’s commitment to comfort, care and dignity, especially for vulnerable children.

    Ms Aliyu said the anniversary was an opportunity for the company to give back to society rather than engage in elaborate celebrations, noting that the brand believes in extending comfort beyond private homes to communities and institutions that need support the most.

  • Kayode Okikiolu crowned Nigeria’s newscaster of the year

    Kayode Okikiolu crowned Nigeria’s newscaster of the year

    Television host Kayode Okikiolu has emerged top broadcast personality in Nigeria after he won the Newscaster of the Year award by the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award, (NMMA), an annual event that honours journalistic excellence. 

    Okikiolu, a Senior Anchor and Producer with Channels Television, was crowned the Newscaster of the Year at the NMMA event held at the Lagos Continental Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday. 

    He beat his colleagues from TVC and NTA to clinch the much coveted award.

    NMMA Trustee & Chairman Panel of Assessors, Dele Adetiba, said, “This year alone, we had 800 entries for different categories…What separates this award from others is the quality, the integrity and reputation of those who assessed the entries. We are lucky to have some of the most distinguished media people in the country.”

    On his part, Okikiolu dedicated the award to God, his family and all of his colleagues in the Fourth Estate of the Realm. He also shared his vision for the Nigerian media. 

    Okikiolu said, “I am grateful to the media fathers in Nigeria who laid a solid foundation and continue to guide the younger generation. We are on the cusp of major media disruptions globally and I’m confident that the Nigerian media will champion innovations that will transform our industry for good.”

    Incidentally, Channels TV Chairman and Founder, John Momoh, also won the same award as Okikiolu decades ago. 

    Over the years, Okikiolu has been decorated with some garlands. He recently won the Hostwriter Creator Award, a global recognition for his innovative media content.

    The media personality, broadcaster and television anchor renowned for his voice and creative storytelling has interviewed presidents and global leaders, reported live from the Russia Ukraine War and continues to spotlight issues that affect Africa and her people.

    Affectionately dubbed the “Gentleman of the Press,” Okikiolu is celebrated for his creative approach to journalism, notably through viral videos that distill complex news stories into digestible formats.

    He was recently appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the World Literacy Foundation.

    Before television, Okikiolu built his media foundation in radio, working with The Beat 97.9 FM and Salt 98.1 FM. 

    He holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Ibadan and is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM). He is currently an Executive MBA student at the Lagos Business School. 

  • Adeleke mourns MicCom Cables CEO Tunde Ponnle

    Adeleke mourns MicCom Cables CEO Tunde Ponnle

    • Businessman dies at 85

    The Chief Executive Officer of MicCom Cables & Wires, Prince Tunde Ponle, has died.

    The renowned philanthropist owns a popular golf course in his hometown, Ada, in Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State.

    He reportedly died on Sunday at the age of 85.

    Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke yesterday mourned the passing of a business mogul.

    In a statement by his spokesman, Olawale Rasheed, the governor commiserated with the family, associates, and admirers of the late businessman, describing his demise as “the exit of a giant”.

    The governor said Ponle’s death was painful beyond words could actually convey, noting that the late industrialist made exceptional contributions to the economy of the state and beyond.

    He said the CEO of MicCom Cables and Wires lived an accomplished life and that his legacy of impacting society for the better will not be forgotten easily.

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    “I’m visibly shaken to learn about the passing of Chief (Prince) Tunde Laoye. While alive, Prince Ponle was a model of a good citizen, contributing not just his intellect but his God-given ability to solve some of society’s challenges,” Governor Adeleke stated in a condolences message.

    “Aside from the economic benefits that his multi-million dollar MicCom-golf recreation centre drives for Ada, Prince Ponle’s generosity was felt at the Osun State University (UNIOSUN), where his multi-million dollar building and the MicCom Cancer Centre donations continue to serve the institution. His passing, though at 85 years, is devastating, and this is because Osun has lost one of its best.

    “On behalf of the government and the people of Osun State, I express my heartfelt condolences to Her Excellency, Chief Mrs. Titi Laoye-Ponle, children, family and everyone touched by the passing of Prince Ponle.”

    Governor Adeleke prays to Almighty God to grant the deceased an eternal rest and bestow him the grace of an abode in paradise. He also prays to God to grant the family left behind by Prince Ponle the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.

  • NAF airstrikes kill terrorists in Borno

    NAF airstrikes kill terrorists in Borno

    • Residents allege civilians hit

    Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has said its airstrikes killed several terrorists and destroyed their vehicles at Dabar Masara, a known terrorist enclave in the Southern Tumbuns of Borno State.

    NAF’s spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said in a statement yesterday that the strikes were conducted on December 14, after “credible intelligence” through coordinated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions indicated the presence of a terrorist workshop and sustained movement of armed elements in the areas.

    According to Ejodame, prior ISR missions had also indicated terrorist movements in the area, as well as a significant concentration of vehicles concealed under vegetation, which confirmed the location as an active terrorist logistics hub.

    He said: “On the day of the operation, further surveillance validated the earlier findings, with terrorists observed manoeuvring within the location and around the identified vehicles.

    “Following positive identification and in strict adherence to the Rules of Engagement, the targets were engaged. Post-operation Battle Damage Assessment confirmed that the identified vehicles were destroyed and terrorist elements were neutralised.

    READ ALSO: The death of local government

    “The successful execution of this mission underscores the NAF’s continued commitment to intelligence-driven, precise air operations in support of national efforts to degrade terrorist networks and enhance security across affected regions.”

    However, residents of the Mararaba area in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State have alleged that airstrikes targeting terrorists’ positions in the area killed an unspecified number of civilians.

    The residents reportedly said the airstrikes were carried out between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., killing fishermen and commercial drivers who had gathered at a terminus junction on the road leading to Daban Masara in Kukawa Local Government Area and Badeiri in Marte Local Government Area.

    The commercial drivers had reportedly gathered in the area to convey the fish products and fishermen to their destinations, when the strikes hit the area.

    Residents reportedly said three people were killed and 10 vehicles destroyed, adding that some of the injured were taken to the General Hospital in Mungono for treatment.

    NAF authorities had yet to respond to the development at the time of filing this report.

  • Kidnappers abduct 18 passengers in Edo

    Kidnappers abduct 18 passengers in Edo

    • 11 rescued

    Kidnappers operating on the Benin-Akure highway have abducted 18 passengers near Obarenren village, Ovia North East Local Government Area.

    The kidnappers were said to have fired sporadically before taking their victims into the bush.

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    Spokesman for the Edo Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, who confirmed the abduction, said a joint security operation launched a manhunt for the abductors led to the rescue of 11 victims. She said efforts were on to rescue others.

     “The incident happened last Saturday. The passengers were in an 18-seater Big Joe bus. We have been combing the bush, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army,’’ he said.

    No arrest has been made yet,’’ she added.