Signal No. 2 still up over Batanes, parts of Babuyan Islands as ‘Rosal’ keeps strength

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 remains in effect over Batanes and the northeastern portion of the Babuyan Islands as Typhoon Rosal (international name: Champi) maintained its strength while moving northwestward over the sea east-northeast of Batanes, the state weather bureau PAGASA said Friday.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin on Friday, October 23, PAGASA said Rosal was packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 190 kph.

The typhoon was last spotted 275 kilometers east-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, moving northwestward at 15 kph.

Strong to typhoon-force winds extend up to 900 kilometers from the center.

Warning signals

PAGASA raised the following tropical cyclone wind signals:

Signal No. 2

Luzon

Batanes

Northeastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan, Panuitan, Calayan and Camiguin islands)

Residents in these areas may experience gale-force winds ranging from 62 to 88 kph within the next 24 hours, posing minor to moderate threats to life and property.

Signal No. 1

Luzon

Rest of the Babuyan Islands

Mainland Cagayan

Northeastern portion of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Santa Maria, Cabagan, San Pablo and Palanan)

Ilocos Norte

Apayao

Residents in these areas may experience strong winds ranging from 39 to 61 kph within the next 36 hours, posing minimal to minor threats to life and property.

The northeast monsoon and Rosal’s outer circulation will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over the following areas:

Friday, October 23: Most of Luzon and the Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Davao Occidental and Davao Oriental.

Saturday, October 24: Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Polillo Islands, Bicol Region, Romblon, Capiz, Iloilo and Negros Occidental.

Sunday, October 25: Batanes and Babuyan Islands.

Sea conditions

A gale warning is in effect over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.

Very rough to very high seas, with waves reaching up to 12 meters, are expected along the northern and eastern seaboards of Batanes.

Waves may reach up to 9 meters along the remaining seaboards of Batanes and up to 8 meters along the northern and eastern seaboards of the Babuyan Islands and the northeastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan.

Seas may reach up to 6 meters along the remaining seaboards of the Babuyan Islands and mainland Cagayan, the seaboard of northern Isabela and the northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte. Waves may reach up to 5.5 meters along the remaining seaboard of Isabela and up to 5 meters along the remaining seaboard of Ilocos Norte.

Waves may reach up to 4.5 meters along the seaboards of northern Ilocos Sur and northern Aurora, the northern seaboards of Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte, and the northern and eastern seaboards of the Polillo Islands and Catanduanes.

PAGASA warned that sea travel is risky for all types of vessels in areas where very rough to very high seas are expected. Mariners were advised to remain in port or seek shelter in a safe harbor until winds and waves subside.

Operators of small vessels, including motorbancas, were also advised against venturing out to sea under rough conditions, especially if their vessels are ill-equipped or they lack experience.

Track, intensity

Rosal is expected to continue moving generally northwestward until Saturday, October 24, before moving northward and then north-northeastward between Saturday and Sunday, October 25.

On its forecast track, the typhoon is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by early Saturday.

PAGASA said Rosal is forecast to weaken gradually within the next 24 hours before weakening rapidly. It may be downgraded into a severe tropical storm by Saturday morning and further weaken into a tropical storm by Saturday evening.

Duterte ICC trial: Prosecutors seek to admit three witness accounts

International Criminal Court prosecutors have asked judges to admit the recorded statements of three witnesses who they say can describe the policy to “neutralize” alleged drug suspects under former president Rodrigo Duterte.

One witness speaks about 13 of the killings charged against Duterte, including one during a police “One Time Big Time” operation, according to the redacted version of the court filing dated October 21 and signed by Acting Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang.

The three witnesses, all women, were already on the prosecution’s witness list. The defense has known since August 31 that prosecutors planned to present them under this procedure.

Prosecutors are asking the court to allow transcripts of their earlier interviews with investigators to be admitted as evidence in place of most of their direct examination, saying this would save court time.

Under Rule 68(3) of the court’s rules, each witness must still appear in court, confirm her statement is accurate and consent to its use. Duterte’s lawyers can cross-examine them, and the judges and lawyers for victims can still question them.

All three accounts relate to Count 3, which covers killings in barangay “clearance” operations against alleged small-time drug users and pushers from about July 2016 to September 2018.

When the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I confirmed the charges against Duterte on April 23, Count 3 covered 45 victims, 43 of whom were killed. Count 1 covers 19 killings in Davao City from 2013 to 2016, when Duterte was mayor, and Count 2 covers 14 killings of alleged “high-value targets” in 2016 and 2017.

Pattern of killings

The identities of the three witnesses were withheld in the public document.

The statement of one witness, who is labelled in the filing as “P-0008,” comes from two interviews with prosecution investigators.

In several of the 13 killings she discusses, she allegedly described events before the victims died. Names, dates and places are redacted in the public filing.

The filing does not say where or when the “One Time Big Time” operation took place. Police in the Philippines are known to have used the term for simultaneous, large-scale anti-drug sweeps, where deadly shootouts also occur.

Prosecutors said P-0008’s evidence shows the “modus operandi and pattern of violence” police used against alleged criminals.

Another witness, labelled “P-1164,” spoke about three charged killings by police.

Meanwhile, “P-1303” gives evidence about an individual who was shot dead by police, but her relationship to him is redacted in the filing. Prosecutors said her account relates to one charged killing.

Prosecutors said the three accounts are internally consistent and match evidence expected from other witnesses, including “P-0003,” who is due to testify in person.

They said the evidence also helps prove that the killings were part of a widespread or systematic attack on civilians, a requirement for crimes against humanity.

The prosecutors said the three witnesses will show there was a policy to “neutralise” alleged criminals through violence, including murder.

All three women were told their interviews were voluntary and were informed of their rights, and each confirmed she answered of her own free will, the filing said.

Tinubu receives fellowship of WACP, seeks solutions to brain drain of medical experts

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lamented that exit of skilled medical professionals from the West African to advanced countries is limiting access to essential medical services, thereby increasing the workload on available personnel.

President Tinubu said this on Thursday while urging medical professionals to find solutions to the challenge of medical brain drain which he noted has continued to put considerable pressure on healthcare systems in the subregion.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy said Tinubu raised the challenge on Thursday, shortly after taking the oath as a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians (WACP), at the State House, Abuja.

The President urged the College leadership to use their forthcoming conference to develop practical, sustainable solutions to the persistent challenge of medical brain drain across West Africa.

‘We are more challenged in Africa than anywhere else; you know, and with the outbreak of Ebola now we’re looking for a preventive action that will eliminate all these problems and infections. So, I wish you the best. As I pledge to behave myself, I will continue to do whatever I can do for this honourable profession,’ the President said.

President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to championing comprehensive health sector reforms to make healthcare delivery more accessible, affordable, and efficient for all Nigerians.

He commended the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mohammad Ali Pate, for driving the country’s health sector reforms.

‘We as a government are doing everything possible. Please help me congratulate the reform-oriented physician, Ali Pate, who has been doing a very good job.

President Tinubu acknowledged medical professionals’ commitment and outstanding contributions to humanity through medical research, disease prevention, life-saving interventions, and building resilient healthcare systems capable of responding to emerging and existing health challenges.

He thanked the college leadership for considering him worthy of the honour.

The President was conferred with a Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians by the Council of the West African College of Physicians (WACP), in recognition of his contributions and commitment to strengthening health sector reforms and medical development in Nigeria.

According to the College President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr Mamadou Mourtala Ka, the College selects and awards the fellowship to the best-performing President in healthcare delivery across the sub-region.

‘This award is given only to presidents who have made a mark in health care delivery and affected the health of the West African people,’ he said.

West African College of Physicians (WACP),.

Dankyau said the college has awarded the fellowship only eight times in its fifty-year history, first to former President Dawda Jawara of The Gambia, and that only General Ibrahim Babangida received it as former Head of State of Nigeria in 1991.

‘So, this is the second time we are coming back to Nigeria to present to you, Mr President. The Council has noted your significant contributions to health infrastructure, improved access to care and emergency care, and massive investments in primary health care and universal health coverage.

‘At the last count, over $2.2 billion had been invested in that area for the health of the Nigerian people. We’ve also seen significant strides in disease prevention, immunisation and public health preparedness. Just a couple of days back, the health minister had also announced that we are ready and prepared to face Ebola. And so, we were able to reassure our colleagues,’ Dankyau said.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and Special Adviser to the President on Health Matters, Dr Salma Ibrahim Anas.

DA urged to catch pork price manipulators

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel ‘Migz’ Zubiri challenged Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to crack down on pork price manipulators, smugglers and excessive meat imports.

He urged Tiu Laurel to demonstrate his strong leadership as thousands of backyard hog raisers struggle with falling farmgate prices while consumers continue paying considerably more for pork in public markets.

‘Show your anger against predatory pricing, including smugglers. Fight them, don’t be afraid,’ Zubiri told Tiu Laurel during the Senate hearing on the proposed 2027 budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA). Zubiri welcomed Tiu Laurel’s disclosure that the DA was preparing to temporarily suspend certain pork imports.

I can suspend importation of [pork products] for 60 days or stop issuance of new SPSIC (Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearances,’ Tiu Laurel said.

SPSICs are required for importing agricultural products to ensure compliance with animal health and food safety requirements

’Judicial overreach’: OSG sets challenge vs SC ruling

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) will challenge the Supreme Court’s ruling invalidating specific provisions of the 2024 and 2025 national budgets and restricting the release of unprogrammed funds under the 2026 budget, questioning whether the high court committed ‘judicial overreach’ by imposing safeguards that encroach on the budgetary powers of Congress and the executive branch.

Solicitor General Darlene Berberabe said on Thursday the OSG would seek clarification and partial reconsideration of the 121-page decision, arguing that elected branches of government should be allowed to correct budgetary issues within their constitutional powers.

The OSG has until Nov. 4 to file its motion, which will question the boundaries of judicial oversight over the national budget even as the executive seeks to minimize disruptions to government spending in the remaining months of 2026.

The OSG’s planned challenge seeks to clarify the boundaries between judicial oversight and the budgetary authority of the political branches, even as the executive branch prepares to comply with the restrictions imposed by the court while awaiting its final action.

The move comes as the government prepares to implement the remaining 2026 budget, with the high court prohibiting the release of certain unprogrammed appropriations while its ruling stands.

Berberabe said she would advise the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and other executive agencies to proceed cautiously and prepare for the possibility that the court would not immediately reconsider its decision.

‘As for us, what we would advise the DBM and the executive is that we should prepare ourselves as if we were not expecting a decision to be made immediately,’ she said at a Palace briefing.

‘Our Supreme Court will definitely give this priority because the Supreme Court also does not want the execution of the budget to be affected in our remaining 2026,’ she added.

‘Judicial overreach’

Berberabe said the government would question whether the high court went beyond its constitutional authority in prescribing guardrails for the exercise of budgetary powers.

The Constitution assigns Congress the power of the purse, while the executive branch prepares, proposes and implements the national budget. The judiciary, she said, must respect the division of responsibilities among the three branches.

‘So, our Constitution has a structure. It has a rationale. We have three branches of government, each with its own responsibilities,’ Berberabe said.

‘What we would like to emphasize and request that they review is that there may be guardrails that should be left to the two branches, which are the political branches-meaning the Congress and the President, who were elected by the people,’ she added.

In a statement, the OSG said it agreed that safeguards were necessary to ensure transparency, accountability and fiscal discipline in the use of public funds. However, it argued that the court must distinguish between protections required by the Constitution and those whose formulation belongs to the political branches.

‘The complex challenge, however, lies in distinguishing the safeguards that are required by the Constitution from those whose formulation falls within the constitutionally provided powers of Congress and the executive,’ the statement read.

‘The OSG will respectfully seek clarification and partial reconsideration to ensure that the guardrails prescribed in the decision remain consistent with this constitutional allocation of powers,’ it added.

Spending restrictions

While the OSG has yet to file its motion, Berberabe said the DBM and the executive branch should determine which programs could continue without violating the ruling.

‘Unless it is clearly stated that you should stop this, that will be stopped. But as for the others, that is why I said, our team should be studying which ones can be implemented that are not covered by the decision,’ she said.

The OSG and DBM have yet to discuss the specific programs that could be affected if the Supreme Court rejects the government’s plea.

Berberabe said the executive branch was seeking to minimize the ruling’s impact on the implementation of the 2026 budget.

‘So, in other words, let’s think that the executive is doing everything so that the impact on the 2026 budget is minimal, not that significant, given what the Supreme Court found with the prohibition on the executive,’ she said.

The Supreme Court’s decision, penned by Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, declared unconstitutional Congress’ P449.5-billion increase in unprogrammed appropriations under Republic Act No. 11975, or the 2024 General Appropriations Act.

It also struck down a P17.992-billion increase in the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Special Road Fund under the 2025 GAA, or Republic Act No. 12116, and a P12.75-billion increase in the Special Accounts in the General Fund of certain agencies under the 2026 GAA.

The court also prohibited the implementation of Special Provisions 1(a) and (b) under Chapter XLIII of the 2026 budget, which govern the release of unprogrammed appropriations.

Unprogrammed appropriations serve as standby funding for projects that may be financed when additional revenues or other specified funding sources become available. Programmed appropriations, meanwhile, cover planned government expenditures supported by identified funding sources.

Lower standby funds

Berberabe said the proposed 2027 national budget contained significantly lower unprogrammed appropriations than the 2026 budget.

The ruling has also prompted senators to seek DBM recommendations on how to adjust the proposed P7.2-trillion 2027 budget to ensure compliance with the court’s decision.

Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon told senators that the proposed 2027 budget no longer included the Strengthening Assistance for Government Infrastructure and Social Programs, which the court had declared unconstitutional, and contained fewer items under unprogrammed appropriations.

In the House of Representatives, Makabayan bloc lawmakers have called for the recall of the approved 2027 budget bill, arguing that it contains provisions similar to those invalidated by the court. Senate finance committee chair Joseph Victor ‘JV’ Ejercito, however, has appealed to the House to retain its version and resolve potential issues during bicameral conference deliberations to avoid delays in passing the national budget.

Marcos not liable

Malacañang maintained that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was not held liable in the SC decision.

Palace press officer Claire Castro said the president wanted to ensure adequate funding for government programs while putting safeguards in place to prevent corruption.

‘What President Marcos Jr. wants is to have enough budget for government programs for the interest of the people. There is also enough protection against corruption, so there are enough guardrails so that it cannot be abused,’ Castro said in her regular briefing at the Palace.

She said the ruling did not discuss the president’s liability and that any accountability issues, if warranted, should be raised before the appropriate forum.

The concept of Riyah in Islam: Guiding against insincerity and pretentiousness in worship

In Islam, every act of worship begins with niyyah (intention). And few things threaten the sincerity of that intention more quietly, Riyah, the spiritual disease of showing off.

Riyah in Islam means performing good deeds or acts of worship to be seen, praised, or admired by people rather than seeking the pleasure of Allah, the Most High, alone.

Allah, the Most High, says, ‘So woe to those who pray – who are heedless of their prayer – those who make a show of their deeds.’ – (Surah Al-Ma’un, Qur’an 107:4-6).

In another verse, Allah, the Most High, says, ‘Whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.’ – (Surah Al-Kahf, Qur’an 18:110)

Whoever knows Allah, the Most High, truly, will make all his deeds sincere to Him, the Most High. For riyah occurs when someone lacks knowledge of His Creator, when he does not glorify Allah, the Most High, as should be, when the inner self seeks people’s compliments and praise.

People vary in this disease:

a. Some seek praise from others only,

b. Some seek [the pleasure of] Allah, the Most High, in their deeds as well as people’s praise,

c. Some do not seek people’s praise at all, however when people see them doing good deeds, they improve their work to be praised,

In the latter case it becomes a lesion that has affected a good deed.

The Prophet (pbuh) described the gravity of this directly. When the companions asked ‘What is the minor shirk, O Messenger of Allah?’ he said: ‘Showing off (riyah). Allah will say to those who showed off on the Day of Resurrection: Go to those for whom you were showing off in the world and see if you find your reward with them.’ (Musnad Ahmad, 23119)

The general cure for this disease is to know Allah truly. For whoever knows Him would make all his actions sincerely for Him and would not see anyone besides Him. He would locate himself in the position of the worshipper, who is humble to his Worshipped Lord, not in the position of the praised worshipped Lord. He would know that reward is given only for sincere deeds, therefore he should be aware of the wasted exhaustion (of performing acts for other than the sake of Allah).

Moreover he should know that punishment for riyah is severe. Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said, ‘Deeds are considered by their intention, and a person will be rewarded according to his intention.’ [Bukhari and Muslim]

Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Tell me if a man fights in the battlefield out of valor, out of zeal, and out of hypocrisy, which of these is considered fighting in the cause of Allah?’ The Messenger said, ‘He who fights in order that the word of Allah reigns supreme, is considered as fighting in the cause of Allah.’ [Bukhari and Muslim]

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Natil Ashami said, ‘O Shaykh! Relate to us a hadith that you have heard from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).’ Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say, ‘The first to be judged on the Day of Judgement will be a man who died as a martyr. He shall be brought forth. Allah will make him recount His blessings (i.e. the blessings which He had bestowed upon him) and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his life). (Then) Allah will say: What did you do (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I fought for you until I died as a martyr. Allah will say: You have told a lie. You fought that you might be called ‘a brave warrior’. And you were called so. (Then) orders will be passed against him and he will be dragged with his face downward and cast into Hell. Then will be brought forward a man who acquired knowledge, who imparted it (to others) and recited the Quran. He will be brought, Allah will make him recount His blessings, he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Then Allah will ask: What did you do (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I acquired knowledge and disseminated it and recited the Quran seeking your pleasure. Allah will say: You have told a lie. You acquired knowledge so that you might be called ‘a scholar’ and you recited the Quran so that it might be said: ‘He is a reciter’ and such has been said. Then orders will be passed against him, he shall be dragged with his face downward and cast into the Fire. Then will be brought a man whom Allah had made abundantly rich and had granted every kind of wealth. He will be brought, Allah will make him recount His blessings, he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Allah will (then) ask: What have you done (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I spent money in every cause in which you wished that it should be spent. Allah will say: You are lying. You did (so) that it might be said about (You): ‘He is generous’ and so it was said. Then Allah will pass orders, he will be dragged with his face downward and thrown into Hell.’ [Muslim]

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) narrated from his Lord that He said, ‘I am the best of partners, so whoever does an act of worship, committing shirk in it, I am free from him, and he is left to the partner he associated Me with.’ [Muslim, Ahmad, Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Majah]

Mahmud ibn Lubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, ‘What I fear for you the most is minor Shirk!’ They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! What is that?’ He said, ‘riya’. Allah, Exalted is He, says on the Day of Judgement, after he recompenses people for their deeds: Go to those who you used to show your deeds off to and see if they have a recompense.’ [Ahmad]

Abu Hazim said, ‘No servant (of Allah) betters what is between him and other servants, and he does not spoil what is between him and Allah, except that Allah spoils what is between him and the servants of Allah. Working for the sake of one face is easier than working for the sake of all faces. For if you work for the sake of that face (the face of Allah), all faces will turn to you but if you spoil it, all faces will detest you.’ [Abu Nuaym, Al-Hilyah]

Ibn Tawbah Abu Jafar Abdullah said, ‘I saw Abu Bakr al-Adami, the reciter, in a dream after his death, begging. I told him, ‘What did Allah do with you?’ He said, ‘I have stood in front of Him and I have suffered many tribulations.’ So I told him, ‘What about the nights, the good deeds, and the Quran?!’ He said, ‘There was nothing that was worse for me than them because I did them all for [the sake of] dunya!’ I said, ‘So what happened to you?’ He said, ‘Allah, May He be exalted, told me, ‘I took it upon myself not to torture anyone who reached eighty years of age.

How to Protect The Heart from the disease of Riyah:

1. Cultivate Sincerity (Ikhlas): Check your intention before, during, and after every good deed.

2. Do Secret Deeds: Perform small acts of worship like quiet charity or night prayers that nobody else knows about.

3. Make Supplication: Ask Allah for protection using the du’a: Allahumma inni audhu bika an ushrika bika wa ana alam (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating anything with You knowingly).

From counterfeit drugs to counterfeit drinks

THERE is widespread concern about cases of counterfeit and substandard drugs in Nigeria. In most instances, the victims of counterfeiting are persons who either cannot identify fake medical products or those who seek cheaper alternatives to pricey genuine products. Recently, the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) uncovered a large-scale counterfeit alcoholic beverage operation at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex. Its officials seized products valued at more than ?2 billion.

After the surreptitious raid, the agency said its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate embarked on the operation following credible intelligence which revealed more than 20 illegal shops allegedly used for counterfeiting and other unlawful activities. According to NAFDAC, its operatives found suspects engaged in blending and counterfeiting popular alcoholic beverage brands. They were also revalidating already expired and unsafe beverages for resale, as well as stockpiling banned imported products. ‘Two suspects were apprehended, and products seized and evacuated are valued at over ?2 billion,’ said NAFDAC. It added that its operatives uncovered illegal shops allegedly used for counterfeiting alcoholic beverages at the Trade Fair Complex. Warning members of the public to be vigilant and report suspicious manufacturing, revalidation, or sales of regulated products to the agency, its officers promptly took the arrested culprits to face the wrath of the law.

The scourge of drug counterfeiting has reached an unbearable level in Nigeria today. Fake drugs or substandard medical products refer to counterfeit medications produced below standard quality or those sold as substitutes for genuine and effective pharmaceutical products. In the words of the World Health Organisation (WHO), fake drugs and medical products are generally packaged by persons who are unskilled and unauthorised. They do this in unregulated facilities with the intention of supplying these fake products to low-income countries troubled by weak drug regulatory systems. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime recently revealed damning statistics about the menace. According to it, 500,000 consumers of counterfeit drugs in sub-Saharan Africa die annually from their consumption. It also revealed that 267,000 deaths result each year from substandard malaria drugs, while about 169,000 children die yearly from fake antibiotics administered to treat pneumonia. The same statistics show that between $12 million and $44.7 million is spent yearly on the treatment of persons who fall victim to counterfeit and substandard malaria drugs.

Nigeria has suffered tremendously from this scourge. Medical experts and analysts have expressed concern about its effect on the health of Nigerians. According to them, counterfeit medications have led to an increase in deaths from malaria, hypertension, stroke, asthma, cholera, and other illnesses prevalent in the country. Most troubling is the report from medical workers who revealed that after consuming counterfeit antibiotics and supplements, patients struggle to respond to genuine drugs administered as a remedy. More importantly, counterfeit drinks are reported to be catalysts for the prevalence of liver and kidney diseases that dot the Nigerian landscape today. That is why NAFDAC and other authorities entrusted with apprehending these criminals must continue to undertake a brutal crackdown on the perpetrators. Counterfeiters of drugs and other medical products are callous killers who must be treated as such. In the example of the raid conducted by NAFDAC which yielded the arrests highlighted above, the culprits were reported to be cloning popular brands, thereby putting people’s lives on the line. The situation in Nigeria is so pathetic that nothing seems genuine nowadays, as there is hardly anything counterfeiters cannot duplicate. Even food items like ground pepper, egusi, and yam are said to have fallen under the menacing scalpel of these evil people.

But what is responsible for this orgy of counterfeiting? Is it greed or hunger? It is hard to put a particular tag on the trade in counterfeit materials, especially medical products. The trade has existed for a long time. For instance, people are reported to mix cassava peel with elubo (yam flour) to save costs and maximise profit, but this did not start today. There is no doubt that those in the counterfeiting trade are heartless criminals who must not be allowed to live among responsible, decent Nigerians. This is where the authorities must demonstrate fidelity to the Nigerian people. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and others must redouble their efforts to ensure that culprits have their day in court. Overall, the quality control of drugs and other commodities consumed by Nigerians must be guaranteed. It is so bad today that there is a joke that finding a genuine product is like passing through the eye of a needle.

Not too long ago, two pharmaceutical giants, determined to end the menace of fake drugs, made legitimate medical products even more scarce and expensive. The plan was to take them out of the reach of counterfeiters. Also, producers of medical products like inhalers quadrupled their prices, all with the same goal of outsmarting the counterfeiters. Unfortunately, this is happening in a Nigeria where medical statistics say about 10 million Nigerians are victims of the disease. Ultimately, bringing the criminals who fake drugs, medical products, and other items to justice is the responsibility of every Nigerian. However hard they try, NAFDAC and ancillary agencies cannot curtail or eradicate the menace alone. It must be a collective exercise.

INEC to deploy AI checks on results

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) plans to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen result management in the 2027 general election, using automated systems to prevent incorrect documents from appearing on its result-viewing portal and flag inconsistencies in accreditation figures, it emerged on Thursday.

The commission is also developing a framework for responsible AI use, while technology company Meta says it will work with INEC to promote reliable election information and combat misinformation, including AI-generated deepfakes.

The plans emerged at the unveiling of the AI for Elections Hackathon and Election Development Hub, organised by Rise Networks in Abuja to develop practical technology solutions to Nigeria’s electoral challenges.

INEC’s ICT Director, Dr Lawrence Bayode, said the commission had established an Artificial Intelligence Division within its ICT Department and was developing guidelines for responsible deployment.

He said INEC was exploring AI applications in voter information, electoral data management, operational efficiency, and the detection of misinformation and disinformation.

‘The question before us is no longer whether AI has a role to play in an election, but how we can harness its potential without compromising the integrity, transparency and credibility of the electoral process,’ Bayode said.

He cited the commission’s policy on election technology acquisition and deployment, adopted in September 2025, as part of efforts to guide the use of electoral technology.

At a roundtable moderated by broadcast journalist Seun Okinbaloye, an INEC election technology expert explained that the commission was using AI to address weaknesses identified in result management after the 2023 election.

He said photographs of presiding officers and buildings, rather than polling unit result sheets, had been uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

To prevent a recurrence, INEC trained its AI system on Form EC8A polling unit result sheets so it could identify and reject incorrect documents.

The system also checks whether accreditation figures entered electronically match those recorded by the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and shown on scanned result sheets.

‘If there are 200 accreditations on the physical result sheet that has been scanned, and you are entering 250, that is inconsistency,’ he said, explaining that the system would flag the discrepancy and block the upload until it was corrected.

He said the technology had been piloted in the Federal Capital Territory, Ekiti and Osun states and was expected to be deployed for the 2027 election.

On extending AI to election security and other sensitive areas, he said INEC would proceed gradually, starting with lower-risk applications before considering more complex uses.

Bayode challenged innovators to develop tools that solve practical electoral problems rather than merely demonstrate technical sophistication.

‘Can we develop AI solutions that do not merely demonstrate technological sophistication, but genuinely solve problems confronting our electoral process?

‘Democracy should never become subservient to technology.’

Okinbaloye also called attention to the need to align electoral laws with technological developments, noting that the declaration of winners remained subject to statutory procedures even as AI could improve result collation and analysis.

He urged lawmakers to understand emerging technologies and consider how electoral legislation could accommodate their appropriate use.

Explaining the scope of the initiative, Rise Networks Chief Executive Officer, Dr Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, said the hackathon and development hub would bring together technology developers, election experts, journalists, public policy specialists and other stakeholders to create locally relevant solutions.

The programme has three components: a nationwide hackathon, a physical hub for developing and testing solutions, and a monthly Community of Practice to sustain collaboration among innovators, electoral institutions and other stakeholders.

The hackathon runs until November 12 and is open to Nigerians aged 18 and above who live in the country.

Participants will use synthetic datasets and technical resources to build solutions with tools including Python, R, MySQL and PHP.

The hub will provide graphics processing units, microcontrollers, Arduinos, potentiometers and ultrasonic sensors for hardware and software development, usability testing and penetration testing without interfering with INEC’s existing infrastructure.

The hackathon’s focus areas include trustworthy electoral information, electoral data analysis, inclusive and multilingual civic technology, cybersecurity and resilience, and election observation and citizen accountability.

Climate resilience and environmental innovation will cut across the themes.

Akerele-Ogunsiji said the initiative was intended to strengthen cooperation between Nigeria’s technology ecosystem and electoral institutions while encouraging solutions that could be safely tested and applied to real electoral needs.

The winner will receive N4 million, while the first and second runners-up will get N2.5 million and N1.5 million, respectively, with other participants receiving various consolation prizes.

Meta’s Head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa, Sade Dada, said the company would work with INEC to circulate authoritative election information, including official links to voter information and updates.

She said Meta would use its election operations teams, local partnerships and technology to counter misinformation ahead of the 2027 elections.

Its approach, she explained, was to ‘Remove, Reduce and Inform’: remove content that violates its rules, reduce the spread of harmful falsehoods and direct users to reliable information.

Dada said Meta had invested more than $30 billion in safety and security over the past decade and operated a global election integrity operation involving about 40,000 people. She added that its fact-checking partnerships and digital literacy initiatives would also support efforts to identify misleading information.

Warning that generative AI had made fake audio and manipulated videos easier to produce, she said detection tools could examine watermarks and video metadata.

She urged Nigerians to report suspicious posts rather than share them without verification.

Dada also cited GovGuide Nigeria, a chatbot powered by Meta’s Llama AI model, which provides government information through text and voice in English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.

She said AI-based election tools must remain non-partisan, subject to human oversight and protected by strong privacy and security safeguards.

Developers, she added, should use public, synthetic or properly authorised data when building and testing electoral solutions.

Other participants, including Lagos Business School Dean, Prof. Olayinka David-West, and legal practitioner Tsema Ede, highlighted AI’s potential to improve result management and access to reliable information, while stressing the need for transparency, legal safeguards and public trust ahead of the 2027 general election.

PRP alleges plot to destabilise its structures

The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has raised the alarm over what it described as an alleged plot by unnamed political interests to destabilise its structures and frustrate efforts to build a strong opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement yesterday, the party’s National Chairman, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the PRP had been following attempts to ‘subvert’ it and damage its electoral prospects and its role in the push for a credible opposition alliance.

He alleged that some persons were seeking to create divisions within the party by recruiting disgruntled former members and positioning serving officials to work against its interests.

He did not identify those involved or provide evidence supporting the claims.

‘The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has been following attempts to subvert it and cause irreparable damage to its electoral fortunes and its place in the popular attempt to build a credible opposition coalition,’ he said.

The chairman cautioned members, candidates and supporters against inducements or activities that could compromise the party’s independence and electoral integrity.

He also warned against unauthorised recruitment of polling agents in the name of the PRP, saying such moves formed part of the alleged effort to infiltrate the party’s electoral machinery.

Baba-Ahmed expressed concern that money could be used through party officials to influence members to back candidates outside the party’s legitimate arrangements.

‘Huge amounts of money may be available to buy members’ support for opposition candidates by party officials. These efforts should be resisted and exposed,’ he said.

He said individuals allegedly linked to the operation had been cautioned against interfering in the PRP’s internal affairs or funding unauthorised political activities.

Baba-Ahmed also warned that serving party officials found, through the PRP’s internal processes, to be collaborating with external interests to undermine the party could face disciplinary action in line with its regulations.

He assured candidates and supporters that the leadership would not sacrifice their loyalty or political interests for financial inducements.

‘The leadership of the PRP wishes to assure its candidates and party supporters that it will not sacrifice their commitments and loyalty at any price,’ he said.

Baba-Ahmed reaffirmed the party’s commitment to contributing to a strong opposition alliance and to offering a credible challenge in the 2027 elections.

‘The party is committed to providing a befitting challenge to the continuation of this administration beyond 2027, as well as its role in building a potential winning coalition,’ he stated.

The claims remain unverified, as the PRP did not provide names, evidence or details of the alleged scheme.

Carloha Nigeria to join Chery global mobility summit

Carloha Nigeria will participate in the 2026 China International User Summit (CIUS), scheduled for October 18-24 at Chery Auto’s headquarters in Wuhu, China, where the automaker will showcase developments in intelligent mobility, electric vehicles and automotive safety.

The summit, themed ‘Together. For Family,’ will bring together vehicle owners, international media representatives and industry partners to explore emerging technologies, sustainable mobility and customer-focused innovations.

Carloha Nigeria Managing Director, Sola Adigun, said the company’s participation would strengthen its connection with Chery’s global technological developments and support efforts to deliver practical mobility solutions to Nigerian customers.

He said the summit would provide opportunities to examine how emerging automotive technologies and customer experience initiatives could address the changing needs of Nigerian motorists.

One of the major attractions will be Chery’s Super Intelligent Valet Parking (SIVP) technology, which combines intelligent parking and vehicle-summoning functions to simplify everyday driving.

The SIVP Smart Parking Carnival, scheduled for October 23, will simulate urban situations, including school pick-ups, shopping trips and parking in confined spaces.

The programme will also feature multi-model test drives across different road conditions and a full-vehicle crash test under the CHERY Brand Safety Challenge, demonstrating vehicle structural integrity and occupant protection.

Electric mobility, AI take centre stage

The summit will feature CHERY Q, the automaker’s all-electric model, as part of its efforts to expand its electric vehicle portfolio and explore new possibilities in intelligent mobility.

Chery will also showcase developments in artificial intelligence, connected mobility and robotics, highlighting applications across manufacturing, commercial services and everyday life.

Carloha said its participation would help strengthen the Nigerian market’s connection with Chery’s evolving product range and technological innovations.

The company’s General Manager, Marketing, Felix Mahan, said the summit’s theme reflected the importance of developing automotive technologies that deliver practical benefits to customers.

He said innovations in intelligent parking, vehicle safety and electric mobility could make journeys safer, smarter and more convenient.

Carloha said it would continue to focus on affordability, reliability, safety and after-sales support as Nigerian motorists assess vehicle ownership costs.

Its CarlohaCare 6-6-7 package offers a six-year vehicle warranty, six years of complimentary scheduled servicing, including labour and genuine parts, and a seven-day repair promise, under which customers receive a courtesy vehicle if repairs exceed seven days.

The company also offers CarlohaCare 6-6-7 Rescue, a 24-hour emergency roadside assistance service available nationwide for Chery owners, with limited support for other motorists.

Beyond technology demonstrations, the summit will feature customer engagement and sustainability programmes, including Chery’s Ride Green Life initiative, which promotes low-carbon living.