A total of 1,921 bags of fertilizer have been distributed to rural farmers in Adamawa Southern Senatorial District.
Alkaf Global Investment Resources Limited, in collaboration with Federal Government’s Border Communities’ Development Agency (BCDA) with sponsorship by Senator Binos Yaroe, made the donation of the NPK and UREA fertilizer to enable the rural farmers do finishing touches on their respective farmlands and to prepare for the approaching dry season farming.
The fertilizer distribution was flagged off at the Binos Skills Acquisition Centre in Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area, lightening the hearts of the farmers who needed the commodity to nourish their plants.
Addressing the representatives of the nine LGAs that constitute Adamawa Southern Senatorial District during the flag-off ceremony, Senator Binos who has frequently implemented medical outreach to each of the LGAs of his constituents, said he felt the need to ensure that farmers have a sense of belonging in his programmes.
Represented by Mr Boniface Katawan, Senator Binos thanked the Federal Government, Alkaf Global Investment Resources Limited and Border Communities’ Development Agency (BCDA) for the fertiliser distribution.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alkaf Global Investment Resources Limited, Madam Bilkisu Ibrahim, said she was impressed by the transparent manner of the distribution exercise.
In his remark, representative of Border Communities’ Development Agency, Mr Stephen Daniel, hailed Senator Binos for his selfless service.
Senator Binos had only recently distributed bags of rice and maize to his constituents, after previous series of empowerment programmes and provision of free medical services to each of the nine LGAs of his people.
A group has called for a dedicated humanitarian fund to provide timely and comprehensive support to those affected by violent conflicts, natural disasters, and other crises.
The proposed fund, Humanitarian Relief, Recovery, and Reintegration Fund (HRRRF), is expected to support Internally Displaced Persons and refugees across the country.
The group, Civil Society Budget Implementation Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (CBIAMEC), also urged the National Assembly to begin the legislative process to establish the fund immediately.
The Chairman of the group, Amb. Splendour Agbonkpolor, who made the call in Abuja on Thursday at a press briefing, said the funds would assist the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in their operations.
On the importance of the fund, he said, “The number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees, asylum seekers, and refugees continues to rise at an alarming rate. These populations require immediate relief in the form of food, shelter, clothing, and medical care.
“Beyond relief, they also need education, psychosocial support, economic empowerment, and pathways to rebuild and reintegrate into society. It is because of these that CBIAMEC is calling for urgent and sustainable action.
“The scale of the humanitarian crisis clearly outweighs the resources currently available to the NCFRMI and NEMA, which are the agencies mandated to coordinate protection, care, emergency response, and reintegration for these vulnerable groups.
“We therefore strongly call for the creation of a Humanitarian Relief, Recovery, and Reintegration Fund (HRRRF), a dedicated national pool of resources that will enable timely response, ensure proper coordination, and sustain long-term rehabilitation and reintegration efforts for displaced persons across Nigeria”.
He added that with the fund, relief items would be deployed immediately to affected communities without bureaucratic delays and also provide a platform for coordination among stakeholders to avoid duplication and ensure maximum impact.
Agbonkpolor said: “With climate change and insecurity driving displacement, the fund will also be used for preventive measures, building stronger communities that are better prepared for future shocks.
“We hereby call on the National Assembly to immediately begin the legislative process to establish this Fund. This should not be a temporary or ad-hoc initiative but a permanent national mechanism, enshrined in law, and backed by clear provisions for transparency, accountability, independent audits, and periodic public reporting”.
He noted that the responsibility for funding must not rest on the federal government alone.
“State governments, as the first line of response and the direct custodians of their citizens, must also contribute systematically to this fund. By doing so, each state will have both ownership and responsibility in addressing the crises within its jurisdiction while benefiting from national coordination through the commission and the agency.
“We therefore call on all stakeholders, the National Assembly, the Executive, State Governments, development partners, and the private sector to act with urgency and responsibility. This is not just a budgetary issue; it is a moral obligation. To fail to act is to abandon millions of vulnerable Nigerians and refugees who look to us for survival and for a future.”
Kwara State Education Trust Fund (Kwara-ETF) has awarded its first scholarships to 12 outstanding pupils from public schools who would have their secondary school studies fully bankrolled under the Fund.
The development brought immeasurable joy to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who saw it as a dream come true for him and the people — barely two years after the Fund took off.
Established via a 2021 legislation to run under a trustee drawn majorly from the private sector and community concerns, the Education Trust Fund has attracted considerable support from philanthropists and other bodies.
Speaking at a brief orientation programme for the inaugural beneficiaries who met the thresholds, Governor AbdulRazaq said the task of developing the education system in Nigeria is expensive and should be a collective business.
He called on well-to-do individuals and foundations to support public school funding in the area of infrastructure or fund students who meet certain criteria of exceptional brilliance and commitment to academic excellence.
The lucky 12 were picked based on excellent performance at various screening stages conducted by the Kwara ETF. The scholarship will cover their school expenses for their secondary school education.
“We urge members of the public to also donate and adopt students. Don’t just leave the responsibility to the government and the PTAs (Parents Teachers Associations). Educating our children is our collective responsibility,” the Governor said.
“Education belongs to all of us. It is our business. But we have seen over the years that governments alone can’t fully fund education. We need to engage through other means.
“We have, therefore, gone through the education trust fund to fill in the gaps. What you have seen here today is a module where some students were selected through a very rigorous and transparent process to benefit from scholarship.”
AbdulRazaq hailed the selection process and congratulated the winners.
“I am truly excited that these pupils are from humble backgrounds. They did not cut corners to make the list. They were chosen through a transparent process. This is just the beginning. We will keep tracking them to the university level,” he added.
“Our government will also donate more funds into this Trust Fund.”
Executive Secretary for Kwara ETF, Oluwadamilola Amolegbe, said the 12 pupils emerged from the initial shortlist of 640 pupils based on merit.
“We started the selection process by setting exams for all the primary six pupils who were beneficiaries of the digital literacy programme of KwaraLEARN. And we got 640 top performing ones, out of whom we first selected 180 pupils,” she explained.
“After sponsoring them for the NCEE exams (National Common Entrance Examination), we selected twenty per cent of them (36 pupils) who performed well. Then, we picked the top performers among them, cutting from across the local government areas, and who also got admission into unity school.“
Zainab Abdulsalam, the programme manager for the office, said they are committed to the vision of Kwara ETF to build the future of the state through sustainable investments in quality education.
“These are our pupils, who, we believe, represent the face of an average Kwaran. They are here having this opportunity to get amazing exposure that leads to unlimited opportunities for them,” she said.
“We intend to track them, monitor their performances, and make sure that at the end of the day all the investments that Kwara has made in education through KwaraLEARN, Kwara ETF and Ministry of Education are paying up in tangible ways that we can see, not just in numbers but by the success of the students.”
Maxwell Kolawole, one of the parents of the lucky pupils from Ekiti Local Government, said the pick means that the government has taken off his burden of paying the school fees and other expenses, commending Governor AbdulRazaq for the gesture.
He lauded the selection process that he described as transparent and impressive.
“This is truly a pro-masses initiative, and we are grateful to the Governor and his administration.”
Hon. Philip Agbese, the Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, has hailed Speaker Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas as one of Africa’s most respected presiding officers.
Agbese, speaking on Thursday, emphasised Abbas’ transformative leadership in steering the 10th House towards unprecedented productivity and global influence.
Under Abbas’s guidance, he said, the Nigerian parliament has evolved into a dynamic institution where legislative innovation meets the needs of the people, earning admiration across the continent.
Agbese described Abbas as a visionary leader whose intellectual depth and inclusive approach have elevated Nigeria’s legislative standing.
“Rt. Hon. Abbas, Ph.D., GCON has turned the House into a powerhouse of progress,” Agbese said ahead of the resumption of plenary on Tuesday.
“His commitment to transparency, bill sponsorship, and stakeholder engagement has made our parliament not just functional, but exemplary. The Speaker embodies the kind of leadership Africa desperately needs.”
The Deputy Spokesperson highlighted how Abbas’ stewardship has amplified Nigerian voices on the international stage, positioning the country as a key player in global lawmaking.
“Our voices now count in the global lawmaking arena, thanks to his strategic diplomacy,” Agbese noted. “Unlike previous assemblies, where Nigeria’s participation was often peripheral, the 10th House under Abbas has actively shaped agendas in major parliamentary forums, fostering collaborations that address shared African challenges like debt sustainability, gender equity, and democratic governance.”
Supported by Abbas, members of the 10th House have attended key sessions and made meaningful contributions at international bodies such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Commonwealth Parliamentary Union (CPU), Pan-African Parliament (PAP), and ECOWAS Parliament.
According to Agbese, the 11th Annual Conference and General Assembly of the West Africa Association of Public Accounts Committees (WAAPAC), hosted at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, is another proof of Abbas’ leadership.
“I’ve seen firsthand how the Speaker has changed the game for us in the House,” Agbese said. “He’s not just a presiding officer; he’s a mentor who listens to every member, big or small.
“When we resume plenary on Tuesday, you’ll see the energy he brings—it’s infectious, and it makes our work feel meaningful, like we’re truly serving the people who sent us here.
“He’s the kind of leader who remembers your name and your constituency’s challenges. It’s heartwarming to see how he unites us across parties, making the House feel like home while pushing us to excel on the world stage.
“He’s made Nigeria’s voice echo in halls where it was once a whisper, and that fills me with pride as a lawmaker. It’s emotional, really, seeing how far we’ve come.
“Speaker Abbas has turned challenges into opportunities, like hosting WAAPAC right here in Abuja. Unlike the past, we’re now the hosts setting the agenda on debt and accountability. His support for our committees has empowered us to contribute meaningfully to ECOWAS and PAP, proving that under his watch, Nigeria leads Africa.”
Agbese emphasised the human side of Abbas’ achievements. “He’s a family man, a scholar, and a patriot who inspires us daily. When he speaks on transnational issues like migration or coups, it’s with such passion that you know he cares deeply.
“Resuming plenary under him means more wins for Nigerians—more jobs, more equity, more hope.”
Looking ahead, Agbese noted that Abbas’ leadership will drive the upcoming plenary’s agenda. He urged Nigerians to continue to support the Speaker and the 10th House.
When world leaders gather in Belém, Brazil this November for COP30, history will be made. For the first time, the UN climate summit will take place in the Amazon, the lungs of our planet and home to one in ten known species.
Belém is not a backdrop but a statement. The Amazon is where the fight for climate stability may be won or lost.
For Nigeria, Belém is a mirror. The Amazon is to Brazil what mangroves, savannas, and deltas are to Nigeria: ecosystems of immense value but under relentless threat from short term economics and weak governance. The parallels are striking.
In Brazil, deforestation advances despite global concern. In Nigeria, climate disasters are already here.
Maiduguri’s flooding, triggered by the Alau Dam overspill and worsened by ignored warnings, buried homes and livelihoods. Alongside the nationwide floods of 2022 that displaced more than a million people, these events show how fragile ecosystems and fragile governance combine to devastating effect.
The Climate Change Act of 2021 was meant to close this gap. Hailed as Nigeria’s climate constitution, it created the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) to coordinate ministries, set carbon budgets, and guide Nigeria’s 2060 net zero pledge.
Yet four years later, the Council is remembered less for leadership than for absence. Absence of continuity, absence of budgetary stability, and absence of integration across sectors. The gap between ambition and action mirrors the gap between bold declarations and submerged communities in Borno State.
Into this vacuum steps Temi Majekodunmi, the newly appointed Director General of the NCCC. An expert in climate finance, she inherits a fractured institution. Her task is formidable: restore credibility to Nigeria’s climate governance and present a coherent agenda at COP30.
The urgency is not abstract. It is written in the floods of Maiduguri, the dunes of the north, the collapsing coastlines of the south, and the fragile infrastructure tested by every storm.
The Act was ambitious, mandating carbon budgets, a Climate Change Fund, and alignment with the Energy Transition Plan. But instability derailed it. Three leadership changes created confusion, and the statutory Council meeting has never been convened.
Ministries pushed conflicting agendas: one advancing gas monetization, another renewable energy targets, another struggling with adaptation. The crisis deepened in December 2023 when the Budget Office misclassified the Council and cut its federal allocation.
Climate governance was sacrificed to short term priorities, influenced by political settlement theory, just as the United States once exited the Paris Agreement, yielding to the consensus of the elite. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, unveiled in 2022 with global acclaim and requiring ten billion dollars annually, remains without financing.
These shortcomings carry immense stakes because Nigeria is not marginal in the climate story. It is both vulnerable and strategically central. Advancing desertification in the north drives migration and insecurity, testing the absorptive capacities of forced host communities.
Erratic rainfall in the central belt undermines food production. Rising seas threaten southern cities and oil infrastructure. In the Niger Delta, saltwater intrusion and floods displace entire communities. Climate change in Nigeria is not a distant prospect but a daily crisis.
This is why Majekodunmi’s appointment carries such weight. Her role is less about technical detail and more about influence, securing presidential attention, negotiating budgets, and pushing climate action across government.
Nigeria’s problem is not ambition but execution: the ability to turn pledges into bankable projects, attract finance, and deliver resources where needed. She must restore credibility by convening overdue meetings, reconciling overlapping legal frameworks, and building financial pathways that unlock domestic and global funds. Without these shifts, Nigeria will keep producing polished but hollow climate plans while droughts, floods, and displacement intensify.
Belém itself offers both caution and opportunity. Brazil’s proposed Tropical Forest Forever Facility, a 125 billion dollar plan to reward forest conservation, could reshape climate finance. Nigeria should pay attention. Its mangroves, savannas, and forests are also vital carbon sinks yet remain undervalued.
If Brazil can mobilize billions for the Amazon, Nigeria must design similar mechanisms for its ecosystems. But contradictions persist.
Brazil promotes climate leadership while expanding oil drilling. Nigeria mirrors this paradox, promoting gas as a transitional fuel while pledging net zero. The answer is not concealment but transparency, channeling hydrocarbon revenues into renewables, adaptation, and resilience while aligning strategies with global sustainability.
What Nigeria needs is not piecemeal fixes but a Governance for Sustainability Reform Framework. This must embed climate considerations into development planning, compel ministries to align under the Council’s authority, tie federal allocations to climate responsive budgeting, strengthen accountability across all levels, and ensure civil society, private sector, women, and youth have a voice. Such reforms would make Nigeria a credible partner capable of attracting finance, building resilience, and restoring trust.
COP30 will test Nigeria’s credibility. For too long, the country has been present at summits but absent in delivery. The world now expects evidence: restored funding for the NCCC, progress on the Energy Transition Plan, and clear mechanisms for adaptation finance.
Belém could be a turning point, but only if Nigeria arrives not as a petitioner but as a leader of the Global South, demanding financiers honor their pledges while proving that its own institutions can absorb and deploy funds effectively.
If COP30 is remembered as the Amazon COP, Nigeria must ensure it is also remembered as the summit where Africa’s largest economy reclaimed its climate credibility. The Amazon may provide the lungs of the Earth, but Nigeria must show it has the political will and institutional muscle to protect its people. The floods of Maiduguri and the overspill of the Alau Dam remind us that climate change is not theory but a lived national emergency.
As the world counts down to Belém, Nigeria counts down too, not just to a summit but to a test of whether its new climate captain can steady the ship and chart a course from vulnerability to resilience.
Dr. Adeyanju Binuyo, (adeyanju@teranpico.com), a techpreneur, strategist, and expert in climate and sustainable development, writes in from Abuja.
In the bustling city of Abuja, commuters often brace themselves for more than just traffic. They steel themselves for the lurking menace of touts, popularly called agberos, who operate around bus stops, junctions and major roads across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). What was once thought to be an Abuja problem has now found fertile ground in the country’s seat of power, with alarming consequences for safety, security, and the image of the capital city. The recent tragedy at Mabushi under bridge, where a couple lost their lives after suspected touts forced their way into their vehicle, underscores how deadly this menace has become. It is no longer just about harassment, extortion and intimidation of motorists; the activities of these men now directly threaten lives. NICHOLAS KALU reports
From harassment to deadly violence
According to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, the fatal crash occurred on September 3, 2025, when three unidentified men allegedly accosted a Toyota Highlander along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway near Berger Junction, Utako.
In their attempt to seize control of the steering, the vehicle somersaulted into a bridge pillar. The driver, his wife and two of the assailants died instantly. The incident provoked mob anger, leading to the lynching of suspected touts at the scene.
Though the police have since launched an investigation, residents say this was an accident long waiting to happen. The steady rise of activities of agberos in the city, often unchecked and sometimes linked to local council revenue schemes, has created an atmosphere of lawlessness along Abuja’s transport corridors.
Where the menace persists
A tour of the city by our correspondent revealed several hotspots where motorists and commuters encounter tout harassment daily.
Mabushi and Berger Junction (Utako) are notorious flashpoints. Touts, often pretending to be passengers, rush toward vehicles, force open the doors, or demand money from drivers who slow down to pick up legitimate commuters.
Nyanya and Mararaba axis at the city’s gateway from Nasarawa State, drivers complain of men who impose illegal levies and attack those who refuse to comply.
Area 1, Garki, around the flyover and motor parks, where commuters often report about touts who extort bus drivers or harass pedestrians.
Zuba and Dei-Dei Motor Parks are busy intersections serving as gateways to Northern Nigeria, and have become strongholds of loosely organised tout groups.
Wuse Market and Berger Roundabout, where drivers say they encounter men who flag down vehicles under the guise of “park monitoring” but end up extorting or attacking motorists.
For many commuters, the sight of touts swarming vehicles has become as predictable as the morning traffic.
“We don’t feel safe anymore”
Residents interviewed expressed deep frustration at the government’s inability to address what they consider an obvious and growing danger.
A civil servant, who commutes from Nyanya daily, Mrs Amina Abdullahi described her fear thus: “Once you approach Nyanya Bridge, you just pray your car doesn’t break down. These boys will surround you, some pretending to help, but if you don’t give them money, they become violent. We live with this threat every day.”
A taxi driver, Mr Chukwudi Okafor, who plies the Area 1–Wuse route, lamented the intimidation when he said: “They call themselves revenue agents for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) or the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), but what they do is pure robbery. If you refuse to pay, they can damage your car, smash your windscreen or beat you up. We are tired.”
For younger commuters such as Suleiman, a student of the University of Abuja, the issue is more than financial harassment.
“Sometimes these agberos enter cars pretending to be passengers, only to rob both driver and passengers. The Mabushi accident shows the extreme risk. We don’t feel safe anymore.”
A parallel authority in the city?
What makes the issue more complicated is the tacit recognition some of these touts enjoy from local government structures. In Abuja, revenue collection has often been outsourced to informal groups who disguise extortion under the cloak of ticketing. Some residents allege that touts linked to the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) or various transport unions exploit this loophole, creating a “shadow authority” that thrives on intimidation.
Security experts warn that allowing these groups to fester could institutionalise a culture of lawlessness. An Abuja-based criminologist, Dr Kingsley Eze explained: “When informal groups control public spaces and extract illegal tolls, it erodes state authority. Abuja is supposed to represent order, governance and security. The activities of these agberos undermine all of that and, if unchecked, could create organised gangs with deeper criminal networks.”
The consequences extend beyond immediate harassment. Many commuters now avoid certain bus stops, preferring longer and more expensive transport routes to stay safe. Some residents opt for ride-hailing services, pushing up their daily transportation costs.
For others, the fear of encountering touts late at night has curtailed their freedom of movement.
Businesses also suffer. Drivers who face constant extortion transfer the costs to passengers, raising transport fares. Traders around bus stops complain that the violence and disorder discourage customers.
“When fights break out, people run away and sales drop,” said Musa Ibrahim, who sells phone accessories around Wuse Market.
The government’s promises and police response
The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has, on several occasions, vowed to restore sanity to Abuja’s transport corridors. Yet, residents argue that enforcement remains inconsistent. Police crackdowns tend to follow major incidents, only to fizzle out weeks later.
The spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, Superintendent of Police (SP) Josephine Adeh, recently assured residents that investigations into the Mabushi crash were ongoing and that the Command was committed to tackling touting. But commuters such as Mrs Abdullahi remain sceptical. She said: “We hear these promises all the time. Until we stop seeing them on the roads, it’s just all talk.”
While the menace is undeniable, analysts caution against viewing the touts purely as villains. Many of them are unemployed youths drawn into the informal economy of the city. Without jobs, skills or social support, they find in touting a means of daily survival.
A youth activist, Mr Anthony Ogbonna has argued that: “If we want to end agbero culture, we must provide alternatives. Mass arrests will not solve the problem. We need job creation, vocational training and reintegration programmes. Otherwise, these boys will keep coming back.”
This dual reality, the urgent need for enforcement and the underlying socio-economic drivers, complicates the path forward.
Lessons from other cities
Other Nigerian cities have grappled with similar challenges. In Lagos, attempts to reform the transport sector by banning touts from bus stops have met limited success due to the entrenched interests of transport unions. Abuja could be in the same cycle if reforms are not decisive and comprehensive.
Experts recommend a multi-pronged strategy, such as strict policing of public spaces, a ban on unauthorised revenue collection, transparent regulation of motor parks and targeted social programmes for at-risk youths.
A city at the crossroads
The Mabushi tragedy was a grim reminder of what is at stake. For Abuja, designed to symbolise Nigeria’s unity and order, the rise of roadside touts represents not just a nuisance but a threat to its very identity as a planned and secure capital.
Unless urgent action is taken, residents fear that the menace could spiral further, endangering more lives and tarnishing the city’s reputation.
As a taxi driver, Mr Okafor bluntly puts it: “If Abuja cannot control agberos, then what message are we sending to the rest of the country?”
The agbero menace in Abuja is more than an inconvenience. It is a test of governance, security and urban management in the FCT. From Mabushi to Nyanya, from Zuba to Wuse, residents are united in one demand: that the government must reclaim the roads and bus stops from touts and restore safety.
Citizens are not only calling for arrests after tragic incidents but also for a sustained policy that eliminates touting from the capital city. Until then, every slowing car at a bus stop carries with it the anxiety of danger, and every commuter knows that what happened in Mabushi could happen anywhere else in the future.
Leaders of thought and political stakeholders from Kwara South Senatorial District have rejected calls for zoning of the governorship seat, insisting that the office is open to all qualified Kwarans.
Speaking at the Kwara South Leaders’ Roundtable Meeting held on Saturday at Gbenab Hotels, Oro in Irepodun Local Government, the stakeholders declared that there is no provision for zoning in either the party or Nigeria’s constitution, stressing that competence and capacity should remain the only yardstick for the 2027 governorship contest.
The stakeholders meeting, which was convened by Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, the Director General of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), had in attendance major political and community stakeholders from Kwara South Senatorial District including the Senator representing the district, Arch. Lola Ashiru; the Kwara South APC Senatorial District Chairman, Olayemi Olabanji; Hon. Owolabi Rasaq, member of the Kwara State House of Assembly representing Share/Oke-Ode, and a former APC state chairman, Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, among others.
While speaking at the event, the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, said that since the creation of Kwara till date, the governorship seat has never been zoned to any particular district. He decried attempts by some political leaders to blackmail the rest of the state on the zoning issue.
“I said it last year, and I repeat it today: there is no zoning arrangement anywhere. We reject it in its entirety. We have competent people everywhere who can govern this state in 2027,” Ashiru declared.
Also speaking, a former APC state chairman, Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, said the large turnout of leaders was a clear statement of intent.
“Our various speakers have spoken unanimously. There is no zoning arrangement in our party’s constitution, not to talk of the state. We are forging ahead. We have qualified candidates who can govern this state. We are not timid,” Bolarinwa stated.
The Kwara South APC Senatorial District Chairman, Olayemi Olabanji, emphasized the importance of unity and warned against undermining the district in future political permutations.
“Our unity in Kwara South is a must. You cannot win the Kwara governorship race while underrating Kwara South. I have not seen where Kwara Central or Kwara North LG chairmen and Assembly members endorse a Kwara North candidate. Unfortunately, Kwara South LG chairmen and Assembly members are staging a comedic show for a Kwara North candidate. I am a Kwara Southerner by all standards; anyone who wants our support must negotiate with us,” he stated.
In his own comments, Hon. Owolabi Rasaq, member of the Kwara State House of Assembly representing Share/Oke-Ode, said while insecurity remains a pressing concern in the senatorial district, Kwara South has capable hands to lead the state.
“My main concern is Kwara South, the district I represent. Our people are being kidnapped daily, so I appeal to government to intensify efforts in securing our communities. However, we have capable hands in Kwara South who can become the governor of Kwara in 2027. We are not timid. When it’s time, we shall pass a strong message,” he said.
Barrister Abiodun Dada appreciated President Bola Tinubu for appointments given to indigenes of Kwara South but stressed that the governorship cannot be tied to any senatorial district.
“It is a must we make it clear at this stage that the governorship of Kwara State does not belong to any senatorial district. It is the birthright of every Kwaran. On this note, no emotion or blackmail can work on some of us. There is no zoning arrangement in the constitution or in the guidance of Nigeria’s political system, especially that of Kwara,” he said.
Beyond zoning, the leaders commended President Bola Tinubu for recognising the contributions of Kwara South by appointing sons and daughters of the zone into key positions at the federal level. They described the appointments as a demonstration of fairness and inclusion, noting that such gestures would further strengthen the bond between the region and the APC-led government.
The Roundtable, themed “Unity for Progress: Charting a Sustainable Future for Kwara South”, brought together politicians, community leaders, and other stakeholders who pledged to consolidate unity and assert the senatorial district’s relevance in Kwara’s political equation ahead of 2027.
Their position underscored growing tension over succession politics in the state. While voices from Kwara North have continued to press for a zoning arrangement in 2027, Saturday’s declaration signals that Kwara South intends to compete fully for the seat and resist any attempt to sideline its interests.
Kaduna Women for Accountability (KW4A) has praised Governor Uba Sani for what it described as a historic wave of road projects transforming both rural and urban communities across the state.
Speaking at a press briefing in Kaduna on Monday, KW4A Chairperson, Maryam Ibrahim, said the governor has broken the cycle of rural neglect by launching unprecedented infrastructure projects that are “supercharging Kaduna’s progress and silencing cynics.”
She revealed that a total of 78 new road projects covering 775 kilometres have been rolled out across all 23 LGAs, while several strategic roads have already been completed and opened for use. Among them are the revived Kaduna Bridge linking Kabala Costain to Aliyu Makama Road, which is easing traffic on Ahmadu Bello Way, and the 14.8 km dual carriageway in Millennium City, a key part of the state’s urban renewal drive.
According to her, the first phase of the road programme delivered 85 roads spanning 785 km, with 44 already completed, while the second phase added more than 50 new roads and bridges covering 550 km.
Highlighting the wider impact, Ibrahim noted that the projects have boosted inclusion in rural communities, strengthened the APC’s political capital, reduced transport costs, improved market access, and restored government credibility.
The International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC) through its program, Soil Values, a DGIS-funded Programme, has organised a two-day training for extension agents and lead farmers on soil restoration, conservation techniques, and integrated soil fertility management.
Fifty extension workers have benefitted from the training which aims to improve soil fertility and restore degraded lands in Bauchi State.
The development follows on the heels of a similar exercise held in Kano and Jigawa states.
The Soil Values program operates in a context marked by climatic and socio-economic challenges facing Sahelian countries, such as recurrent droughts, socio-political conflicts. desertification and the effects of climate change.
The program’s initiative is built around three intervention pathways (Agroecology, Inclusive Markets and Enabling Environment) as well as five intervention areas (Bundling, integration, Brokering, Convening and Scoping & Learning)
Medinah Ayuba-Fagbemi, Country Coordinator, Soil Values Programme Nigeria, said this on the sidelines of a two-day training exercise on Thursday in Bauchi: “The Soil Values program aims to improve soil fertility and productivity of Two million hectares of agricultural land in the Sahel, while strengthening the resilience to climate shocks and well-being of 1.5 million farmers, with a particular focus on women and youth. In North Nigeria, we hope to restore 800,000 hectares, directly benefiting 600,000 smallholder farmers.”
This training is part of a €100 million initiative over a period of 10 years funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands through its Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS). She stated that a total of 50 extension workers would be trained, including 30 in the first phase and 20 in the second phase of the exercise.
Medinah, said participants would be exposed to integrated soil fertility management, soil and water conservation, and soil health management techniques, to improve soil fertility for increased crop productivity and enhance food security.
The coordinator said the participants were expected to cascade down the training and technologies to about 20,000 small holder farmers in Jama’are, Shira, Itas Gadau, Toro, Zaki and Ningi Local Government Areas, spanning across 21 communities within the state
According to Medinah, the Soil Values consortium is also collaborating with the Bauchi State Agricultural Development Program (BSADP) and the World Bank-funded projects in the state through ACReSAL and L-PRES in building the capacity of extension workers on Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) and Soil Health Management (SHM) technologies. The training exercise reflects its collective commitment towards restoring soil health, improving productivity, and building resilient farming systems of producers and agropastoralists.
The training exercise, she said, would not only strengthen extension agents’ technical capacity but also inspire new approaches to working hand-in-hand with farmers for more sustainable and inclusive agricultural transformation.
Also, Joshua Arogunyo, MELS Coordinator, Soil Values Programme, said the programme initiated viable programmes to improve soil fertility management and restore degraded lands in Bauchi, Kano and Jigawa, adding the scope of the programme would cover 10 states in northern Nigeria.
“The thrust of the programme is to reduce the yield gap, improve soil fertility, and make farmers more deliberate about giving back to the soil to ensure long-term productivity and food security,” he said. “We are implementing it across the Sahelian zone of Nigeria because that is where land degradation is most severe,” he said.
“It is our hope that at the end of this programme, Nigeria would have made significant progress in restoring degraded lands, increasing farmer incomes, and raising consciousness about the importance of investing in soil health in a sustainable manner,” he said.
Some of the participants, Aliyu Safiyanu and Helen Ciroma, lauded the gesture, adding it would encourage Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in the state.
Safiyanu said that he learnt new skills that would enable him to teach rural farmers on how to utilise farm by-products using Bokashi to nourish their farmlands.
On her part, Ciroma said the new techniques, such as composting and Bokashi, would enable women farmers to improve their soil fertility and increase productivity.
About IFDC, soil values:
The Soil Values programme operates in a context marked by climatic and socio-economic challenges facing Sahelian countries, such as recurrent droughts, socio-political conflicts. desertification and the effects of climate change.
Accentuated by insufficient investments and inadequate financing mechanisms, these conditions exacerbate the degradation of soil fertility and health and food security in Sahelian countries.
Soil Values aims to improve soil fertility and productivity of 2 million hectares of agricultural land in the Sahel, while strengthening the resilience and well-being of 1.5 million farmers, with a particular focus on women and youth.
The program’s approach is based on integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) and participatory landscape management to promote the adoption of agricultural practices favourable to soil fertility by farmers.
The Soil Values program initiative is built around three intervention pathways (Agroecology, Inclusive Markets and Enabling Environment) and five intervention areas (Bundling, integrate, Brokering, Convening and Scoping &Learning)
Soil Values is implemented by a consortium led by IFDC, in collaboration with core partners SNV and Wageningen University and Research (WUR), as well as knowledge partners, such as AGRA, the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (ITA), ISRIC – World Soil Information, and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
The IFDC is a public international organization, present in 27 countries, that combines scientific research and interventions to enable smallholder farmers in developing countries to increase their agricultural productivity and generate economic growth while promoting sustainability.
A coalition of civil society unions, the Campaign Against Injustice (CAI), has praised the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, for his commitment to the welfare of Nigerian troops.
In a statement on Monday by its convener, Abbey Jolaosho, CAI said the initiative has further strengthened the Army Chief’s resolve to confront Nigeria’s security challenges head-on.
“The announcement by Gen. Oluyede will boost the morale of the troops and provide the impetus for them to give their best. We are glad with this development as it confirms our belief that the Army Chief has what it takes to win the war on terrorism,” the group stated.
CAI further appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to support the military whenever necessary, noting that the fight against insurgency requires a collective effort.
“We are using this medium to urge all Nigerians to ‘own’ the Army and assist in whatever ways at this defining moment in our country. We have to bear it in mind that defeating this hydra called terrorism would require the support of the civilians.
“It’s expedient at this moment to also play our own part, which is incumbent on us by the Constitution as good citizens,” the group noted.
It would be recalled that Gen Oluyede last Tuesday paid an operational visit to Godwin Ally Barracks, Ogoja, Cross River State, where he commended the resilience and dedication of officers and soldiers of 130 Battalion and 341 Artillery Regiment.
He praised their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation and assured them that the Nigerian Army, under his leadership, would continue to prioritise their welfare alongside operational effectiveness.
The visit formed part of his assessment tour of formations and units under the 82 Division Area of Responsibility.
On arrival, the COAS inspected key facilities, interacted directly with the troops, and expressed appreciation for the sacrifices they continue to make in the face of difficult security challenges.
Oluyede, who has consistently underlined his belief in supporting soldiers’ families, disclosed that substantial resources were being invested in revamping schools within the barracks to ensure children and wards of personnel have access to first-class education.
He also directed the immediate renovation of dilapidated accommodation blocks to provide better living standards for soldiers and their dependants.
Reaffirming his “Soldiers First” mantra, the Army Chief stressed that his administration was committed to improving the living and working conditions of Nigerian Army personnel, while equipping them with the tools needed to tackle evolving security threats.
He cited the recent increase in the Ration Cash Allowance, which has allowed commanders to provide better meals for their troops, as a measure that must be matched by renewed commitment and professionalism on the part of the soldiers.
The COAS further announced ongoing efforts to provide every soldier with new uniforms and essential military kits to ensure seamless operational performance.
These measures, he said, were part of deliberate steps to standardise readiness, reinforce esprit de corps, and raise morale across the ranks.
Charging the troops to maintain the highest standards of discipline and professionalism, General Oluyede urged them to strengthen synergy with sister security agencies and engage positively with host communities.
He said that such collaboration was vital to consolidating peace and stability in Cross River and the wider region.
The Ogoja visit, like others undertaken in recent weeks, highlighted the dual focus of the Army Chief’s leadership — driving operational efficiency on the frontlines while also investing heavily in welfare initiatives for the rank and file.
