Telcos to block sites streaming school shootings, violent content

Telecommunications companies PLDT Inc., Smart Communications Inc. and Globe Telecom said they will block websites hosting or streaming footage of school shootings and other acts of extreme violence, following the recent fatal shooting at a school in Zamboanga City.

Manuel “Manny” V. Pangilinan-led PLDT said Friday, August 21, that it will block more than 100 websites found to be streaming or hosting footage of school shootings and other acts of extreme violence.

The blocking will also cover the network of its wireless arm, Smart, meaning PLDT and Smart subscribers will no longer be able to access websites identified by the company.

‘This is something we do not tolerate,’ PLDT Chief Operating Officer Butch Jimenez said.

‘We have decided to ban these kinds of sites preemptively, as soon as they are discovered. Our networks will not be used as a channel for content that glorifies violence and puts our communities, especially our children, at risk,’ he added.

Jimenez said the company will continue identifying and blocking similar websites through its own monitoring efforts and in coordination with government agencies, child protection organizations and parenting communities.

‘There is no debate to be had here, Content that turns real-world violence into entertainment has no place on our networks and in our society, and we will keep acting decisively every time we find it,’ he said.

Globe General Counsel Froilan Castelo, meanwhile, said the telecommunications industry has a responsibility to help make the online environment safer, particularly for children and young people.

‘We have a responsibility to help make the online environment safer, especially for children and young people. As new risks emerge, we need to keep looking at what more we can do,’ Castelo said.

‘The recent school shooting incident is one opportunity where the industry can work together by removing sites that induce violence in our networks. At Globe, we are ready to do our part and protect children online,’ he added.

Following Zamboanga shooting

The move comes three days after a shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City, where a 14-year-old student shot and killed another junior high school student before also fatally shooting himself. Two others were wounded.

The incident was livestreamed through the shooter’s Facebook account and another website, according to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

It was the second fatal school shooting in the country in less than two months.

In June, three students were killed and at least 20 others were wounded in a shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, Leyte.

The government has also been looking into whether online games played a role in the two incidents.

In the Zamboanga shooting, Remulla said the shooter may have been influenced by Roblox, although the Department of Information and Communications Technology has yet to establish whether the game played a role. The company behind the gaming platform has been cooperating with authorities.

Following the Tacloban shooting, the government suspended the game GoreBox.

Child protection

PLDT said its latest move is part of its broader child protection and online safety programs, which include blocking websites that host child sexual abuse material.

Globe, for its part, said it blocked 438,446 domains and URLs containing child sexual abuse and exploitation materials in 2025, backed by more than $2.7 million in investments in content filtering and blocking systems.

The telcos said they will continue coordinating with government agencies and local and international organizations as online threats evolve.

PLDT and Smart had also previously said they were prepared to block Roblox on their networks should the government order them to do so.

Nationwide school safety drill

Meanwhile, the Department of Education is set to conduct a nationwide school safety drill on August 25, with teachers, students and personnel simulating how to respond to an ‘active attack’ on campus.

DepEd ordered schools to hold the drill simultaneously at 9 a.m. on Tuesday based on their respective contingency plans for active attack incidents.

The directive was issued on August 12, before the Zamboanga shooting, in response to the increasing occurrence of active shooting and other attack incidents affecting schools and communities worldwide.

Each DepEd regional office was ordered to designate one school as the ceremonial venue for the drill. Education Secretary Sonny Angara is set to join the activity at Carlos F. Gonzales High School in Maguinao, San Rafael, Bulacan.

Other schools are strongly encouraged to conduct their own drills on August 25 or on an adjusted schedule. Schools unable to conduct the drill on the prescribed date must notify their division Disaster Risk Reduction and Management coordinator

Communities urged to listen to struggling youth after Zamboanga school shooting

Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula called for greater care and attention to the struggles of young people following the shooting incident at Ateneo de Zamboanga University.

In a message of solidarity posted by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila – Office of Communications on Facebook, Advincula offered prayers for the victims, their families, those injured and traumatized and the entire university community. ‘An act of violence within a school community wounds more than those who are physically injured,’ Advincula said.

He said such violence also damages the sense of safety and trust that allows young people to learn, grow and pursue their dreams.

The Manila archbishop urged the public to listen more closely to young people, particularly those who may be silently struggling.

‘Some silently struggle with loneliness, anxiety, despair, family difficulties, bullying, academic pressures, and other crises that may not always be visible to those around them,’ he said.

Advincula said young people should have spaces where they can speak without fear of judgment, seek help without shame and feel that they are valued and loved.

He also called for united action beyond prayer, urging communities to strengthen a culture of care, compassion, dialogue and accompaniment.

‘Together, let us strengthen a culture of care, compassion, dialogue, and accompaniment so that violence and hatred may never have the final word,’ Advincula said.

The archbishop ended his message by asking for healing and consolation for all those affected by the incident.

‘May the Lord, Prince of Peace, bring healing and consolation to all who suffer,’ he said, while invoking Mary to accompany the Ateneo de Zamboanga community during the difficult time.

Second fatal school shooting in 2 months

The Zamboanga shooting was the country’s second fatal school shooting in less than two months.

Three days earlier, a 14-year-old student shot and killed another junior high school student at Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City before fatally shooting himself. Two others were wounded.

The incident was livestreamed through the shooter’s Facebook account and another website, according to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

In June, three students were killed and at least 20 others were wounded in a shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, Leyte.

PSA: PH poverty hit lowest, single-digit level in 2025

The Philippines recorded its lowest poverty incidence on record at 9.7 percent in 2025, bringing the share of Filipinos living below the official poverty threshold into single-digit territory for the first time in history, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The historic rate, however, may not tell the whole story, with an economist saying it does not reflect current economic conditions and that the poverty threshold used by the PSA remains too low to reflect the actual cost of meeting basic needs.

Latest data from the PSA showed that the poverty incidence rate fell to 9.7 percent in 2025, equivalent to 11.08 million Filipinos living below the poverty threshold, down from 15.5 percent, or 17.5 million in 2023.

This meant that 6.5 million Filipinos were lifted out of poverty during the period. It also puts the government three years ahead of its target under the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), which aims to bring poverty incidence down to between 8.8 percent and 9 percent by the end of the Marcos administration.

‘For the first time, fewer than one in ten Filipinos is living below the poverty line,’ Secretary Arsenio Balisacan of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said in a statement on Friday.

‘Reaching this milestone ahead of schedule demonstrates that expanding economic opportunities, complemented by effective social protection, can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives,’ he added.

The latest government figure matches Social Weather Stations’ second quarter 2026 survey that also showed a decline in the number of Filipino families who consider themselves poor. (See Opinion, Page A5)

At the family level, the PSA recorded the poverty incidence at 6.4 percent, equivalent to 1.9 million poor Filipino families.

State statisticians attributed the decline in poverty incidence to changes in the poverty threshold and income from 2023 to 2025.

The annual per capita poverty threshold was set at P35,121, up by 5.5 percent from P33,296 in 2023.

Mean annual per capita income, meanwhile, grew at a faster rate of 22 percent to P104,072 from P85,291. This growth was well above the cumulative inflation rate of 5 percent over the same period.

Other economic conditions

Other economic indicators also supported the decline in poverty, with economic growth averaging 5.1 percent in 2024 and 2025, while inflation averaged 2.5 percent and unemployment 4 percent.

But Leonardo Lanzona, an economist at the Ateneo de Manila University, said the 5.5-percent increase in the threshold was small and barely kept pace with price increases.

‘The issue [is] that PSA’s own chief statistician already admitted, back in 2024, that the food budget behind this threshold was too low to meet basic nutrition. PSA promised to fix it-but as of late 2025, that fix was still awaiting approval and hadn’t been applied yet,’ he said.

‘The 5.5-percent increase we’re seeing is consistent with the old, admittedly-too-low threshold, not the corrected one,’ Lanzona added.

Should the threshold be updated, he said the measured poverty rate could ‘look meaningfully worse overnight.’

Lanzona also noted that the 2025 poverty figures do not yet reflect conditions, such as the persistently high inflation and slower economic growth.

Challenges

‘In other words, the poverty rate looks good right now for two reasons that have nothing to do with today’s economy: it reflects last year’s conditions, and it’s measured against a bar that was already considered too low even before this year’s price shocks even started,’ he said.

The Philippines has been grappling with an energy shock in 2026 amid the Middle East conflict, pushing inflation persistently above the central bank’s 3-percent target since March. Economic growth, meanwhile, slowed to 2.3 percent in the second quarter.

In an April report, the Philippine Institute of Development Studies said up to 3.1 million Filipinos could be at risk of slipping below the poverty line under more severe energy shock scenarios.

The World Bank earlier said 2 million Filipinos could fall into poverty assuming no government interventions. The multilateral lender also projected a 12.3-percent poverty rate by 2028, noting that 28 percent of Filipinos remain vulnerable to falling back into poverty.

Balisacan acknowledged this challenge, saying the pace of poverty reduction is likely to moderate in the years ahead.

‘Current developments may slow the pace of poverty reduction, but early indications do not point to a reversal of the gains we have achieved,’ he said.

‘As we enter the final years of the administration, our priority is to ensure that families who have moved out of poverty do not fall back into it. Sustaining these gains will require a swift recovery in economic growth; continued efforts to increase investment, productivity, and job creation; upskilling and reskilling for emerging sectors; and timely support for businesses and workers affected by economic and climate-related disruptions,’ Balisacan added.

Ninoy Day a call to protect freedom, deepen unity – Marcos

President Marcos on Friday commemorated Ninoy Aquino Day by calling on Filipinos to continue drawing inspiration from the late senator in safeguarding the country’s freedom and charting its progress.

It marked the fifth time for the Marcos administration to observe the nonworking holiday honoring the charismatic opposition leader who was assassinated in 1983 upon returning from exile in the United States during the dictatorship of the President’s father and namesake.

In a post on social media, Marcos said Aquino’s legacy continues to be a reminder of the Filipinos’ courage to uphold their convictions and contribute to the country’s democratic process.

He also underscored the holiday’s importance in reaffirming the citizenry’s duty to live with honor and dignity

Democracy’s challenges

‘Ninoy Aquino Day, therefore, invites us to acknowledge the past and draw from it the resolve needed to safeguard freedom, strengthen our institutions, and deepen national unity,’ Marcos said.

The killing of former Sen. Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr. under military escort and upon landing at the Manila airport sparked public outrage that galvanized the anti-Marcos movement.

In the three years that followed, the sustained unrest thrust Aquino’s widow, Cory, into the front of the political opposition, culminating in the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution that drove the elder Marcos and his family out of Malacañang after a 20-year rule.

Ninoy Aquino Day was instituted in 1987.

In his message, Marcos spoke of the evolving challenges faced by democracy.

Among them, he said, are disinformation, distrust, and civic indifference.

‘Ninoy’s legacy encourages us to meet these challenges with vigilance and faith in the Filipino people as we work together to deliver meaningful progress for all,’ Marcos added.

The President said his administration will continue to protect the country’s sovereignty and ensure that Filipinos are provided with equal opportunities.

Together, let us carry forward the lessons of our history as we continue to nurture a more peaceful and prosperous Bagong Pilipinas,’ he said.

Why we love these house chores

My favourite house chore is washing plates. My uncle taught me step by step how to wash and rinse plates properly. I wash plates in my home every day. I like washing plates because it is fun, and my parents usually tell me, ‘Thank you,’ after doing it. I wash the plates of every member of my family after each meal. I believe children shouldn’t be lazy. We should all learn to assist our parents in carrying out house chores in the home.

Antonia Bolarinwa, 11 years

My favourite house chore is fetching water. I like fetching water because I consider it an easy task.

I started fetching water when I was 9 years old. I fetch water for about 30 minutes every day after school hours as part of my duties at home. No one specifically taught me how to fetch water. I learnt to do it on my own, and now I can fetch water without any help.

Okanlawon Oluwafisayomi, 10 years

My favourite house chore is mopping the house, and I like doing it because it makes the house look clean and neat. I started mopping the floor at home as early as age 7 and I find it easier to do than other chores. I always watch my mummy doing it and I now do it very well. I mop only on Saturdays and Sundays.

Folami Precious Oluwajomiloju, 10 years

My favourite house chore is washing plates because I like helping my family. I also feel happy when all the plates are clean after I finish washing them.

I wash everyone’s plates twice a week. My mom usually calls us to come and wash the plates, and I always do my part.

I started washing plates when I was 9 years old. At first, I did not know how to do it well, but I kept learning.

My mother taught me how to wash plates, and now I can wash them properly by myself.

Oyekanmi Obaloluwa, 9 years

My favourite house chore is cleaning. I usually clean my room and the kitchen, and I like cleaning because I find it interesting.

My mother and I both do the cleaning of the house together. She actually taught me how to clean. She showed me what to do, and I learned by helping her.

I usually clean during holidays and on weekends.

I think children should help with household chores so that they will not be lazy. When I clean the house well, my family says, ‘Thank you,’ and that makes me happy.

Olajide Obaloluwa, 10 years

My favourite house chore is sweeping. I like sweeping because it makes the house look clean and tidy, and I enjoy seeing everywhere neat after I finish.

Whenever I am sweeping, I like to listen to music because it makes the work more enjoyable and helps me finish without getting bored.

My mission is to make AI something people can trust, control -Teslim Bello, product designer, AI specialist

I am a product designer specialising in artificial intelligence, specifically human-AI interaction: designing how people interact with, inspect, and stay in control of AI systems. I currently lead product design at ContextQA, an agentic AI software-testing company based in the US.

My path into AI was a bit unusual. I studied Computer Science, worked as a product designer for the Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology, and later designed products across real estate, hospitality, and fintech. I then spent several years at Anchor Group building healthcare operations systems for care agencies in New York before moving fully into AI design in 2024. Later on, I moved to the UK for a master’s degree in User Experience and Interaction Design, where my research explored how humans and AI work together. Everything I do sits at that intersection between people and intelligent systems.

Companies are rushing to add AI to everything. What is the biggest mistake they are making?

They start with the technology instead of the task. They add a chatbox, count how many responses it generates and call that adoption. But volume is a weak metric. It tells you the system produced something, not that a person accomplished anything. The better questions are: Did users complete the workflow? Did they come back? Could they inspect the evidence, correct mistakes and recover from failure? Did the feature actually improve a real decision? The interface also has to communicate uncertainty honestly. The goal is not to make AI appear smarter. It is to make the product more dependable.

What do you mean when you say AI should ‘show its work’?

I do not mean exposing the model’s private reasoning or overwhelming people with technical detail. I mean providing the practical evidence people need to judge an output: which records were analysed, what time period was used, where the source can be inspected, and whether important information was missing. Fluency is not the same as reliability. An answer can sound certain while still being incomplete. In a professional product, users should be able to move from the summary to the underlying evidence and clearly distinguish retrieved facts from the system’s interpretation. Confidence without inspectability is not trust. It is presentation.

Is AI making product designers less important?

It is doing the opposite, although it is changing the job. AI dramatically reduces the time needed to produce screens and prototypes. What it does not replace is judgment: deciding what should be automated, where uncertainty must remain visible, when a human should intervene and how people recover when the system is wrong. If anything, AI raises the cost of poor product decisions because AI features can act, not simply display information. That is also why the boundary between design and engineering is becoming less rigid. I prototype directly in code now so teams can experience AI behaviour before building it. The designers who matter most will be the ones who understand technology well enough to design for failure, not just for demonstrations.

What opportunity does AI create for Nigerian and African designers?

A significant one, and probably bigger than many people realise. Our environment trains us to design for unreliable connectivity, cost sensitivity, multiple languages and different levels of digital familiarity. Those constraints force exactly the questions AI products increasingly need to answer. Can someone understand what happened? Can they continue after an interruption? Does the system remain useful when conditions are not ideal?

Those are not local problems anymore. They are global design challenges. The field itself is still young. Almost nobody has a decade of experience designing AI interfaces, which means the opportunity is genuinely open. My advice is simple: choose difficult problems rather than template work. Publish your thinking because talent that stays silent often stays local. And contribute publicly through open source, communities and mentoring.

What principles guide you when designing AI that people should be able to challenge?

Four principles: provenance, boundaries, correction and recovery.

Provenance means users can see where an output came from. Boundaries mean the product is honest about what the system did and did not examine. Correction means people can fix an interpretation or add context without restarting the task. Recovery means failure leads to a useful next step rather than a dead end. I have also published an early open-source checklist and audit tool that turns those ideas into practical review questions.

One thing I feel strongly about is that ‘human in the loop’ cannot simply mean adding an approval button after the system has hidden its assumptions. Control only becomes meaningful when people have enough context to make an informed judgment.

AI is now appearing as a chatbot. Is chat enough?

Chat is a good starting point because people can express intentions in ordinary language. But most professional work does not end with receiving a paragraph of text. People need to compare information, inspect records, edit details, share conclusions and take action. When every complex task is squeezed into a conversation, important structure disappears. A user can receive an impressive answer without knowing what information was examined, what was excluded or how to correct the result. The stronger model combines conversation with structured reports, editable workspaces, visible sources and meaningful controls. Chat can open the door, but it shouldn’t become the whole building.

How has your work in AI-assisted software testing shaped that perspective?

Software testing is an excellent training ground because every claim can be checked against concrete evidence: test runs, requirements, failures and historical records. If a system says a release carries risk, you should be able to trace that claim back to the underlying data. At ContextQA, I design AI-assisted workflows across a platform teams use to create, run and understand software tests. The biggest lesson has been that generating an answer is only the first layer. The product also has to help people understand what happened, judge whether the output is useful and decide what to do next.

You recently worked on natural-language reporting. What problem were you trying to solve?

Traditional dashboards work well when you already know which metric you’re looking for. But many real questions don’t start that way. Someone simply wants to know why a test run failed, which tests are unstable or how performance changed over the month. I worked on a dynamic reporting system where users begin with a question, and the product pulls live data into a structured answer. The important design decision was that the report could not just be polished prose. It had to make its scope visible, separate data from interpretation and provide a path back to the underlying records. An AI report should not be a decorative summary floating above the product. It should be an inspectable layer connected to the work itself.

You have conducted extensive user research. What has it taught you about trust?

People rarely talk about trust in abstract terms. You see it in behaviour. They hesitate because they do not know what an action will change. They search for information the interface has hidden. Sometimes they accept an AI response while holding a completely inaccurate mental model of what the system actually did.

In research sessions, I am less interested in whether someone likes a screen than in whether their understanding matches the system’s behaviour. Those insights have shaped navigation, onboarding and how I have organised complex information. The value of research isn’t the transcript. It is the product decision that follows.

What is next for you?

I will continue leading design on AI products, expanding the open framework and publishing more of my thinking. I am also interested in having more conversations with international product and technology communities about this work. Long-term, I want to build a company of my own in this space.

I have spent years studying how humans and AI should work together, and I still have ideas I want to build. Whatever form that takes, the mission stays the same: making artificial intelligence something people can genuinely trust and control.

Kangimi Dam not at risk of imminent collapse, Kaduna govt clarifies

The Kaduna State Government has dismissed reports circulating on social media alleging an imminent collapse of Kangimi Dam in Igabi Local Government Area of the state, describing the reports as misleading and capable of creating unnecessary panic among residents.

The government, in a clarification signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Works and Infrastructure, Alhaji Ashiru Abdu Na Abdu, said the images being circulated were linked to structural concerns observed at the dam in 2015/2016 and did not reflect its current condition.

The statement acknowledged public concern following the recent flood advisory issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which included Kaduna among others, but urged residents to rely on verified information rather than old images and unconfirmed claims.

According to the government, the structural concerns identified at Kangimi Dam several years ago were promptly addressed through emergency remedial works carried out by the Ministry of Public Works and Infrastructure to stabilise the structure and ensure its safety.

It said Kangimi Dam had, over the years, remained under routine monitoring and minimal maintenance by the ministry, stressing that there was currently no evidence of active structural failure and that the dam remained intact and was performing its intended function.

The government, however, said it was taking precautionary measures to further strengthen the dam’s safety systems, noting that the state was currently procuring and planning the installation of modern safety equipment, including automated water-level gauges, early-warning sirens and telemetry systems for 24-hour monitoring.

It also disclosed that a joint technical inspection involving the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the Kaduna State Government had been scheduled for August 2026, while the budgetary process for the full rehabilitation of the dam and installation of additional safety equipment was ongoing.

The statement added that community sensitisation was ongoing in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) to ensure that residents, particularly those living downstream, were adequately informed about necessary safety measures.

The government urged residents downstream of the dam to remain calm but vigilant and to promptly report any unusual observations to the nearest authorities, stressing that precautionary measures were being taken to prevent any possible emergency.

It also appealed to media organisations and advocacy groups to verify information with the state ministries of Public Works and Infrastructure and Environment and Natural Resources before publication, insisting that describing Kangimi Dam as being on the verge of collapse based on 2015/2016 information was misleading and did not reflect its present condition.

All North Central for Asiwaju inaugurates state coordinators

All North Central For Asiwaju 2027, a fast growing support group for the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has vowed to work assiduously to actualize the President’s victory in next year’s general election.

The group disclosed this during the inauguration of its state coordinators by the convener, Chief Ewie Aimienwauu.

The state coordinators inaugurated include Johnson Onoja (Benue) Isaiah Yusuf Mohammed (Kogi) Ibrahim Olayode (Kwara) Jibrin Yaheye Oka (Nassarawa) Panchin Jatau (Plateau) Istifanus Shekwonumwaza Philip (FCT) and Bala Ahmed (Niger).

Addressing the members, Chief Aimienwauu said the ‘All North Central For Asiwaju 2027 is an association of indigenes and non-indigenes citizens of Nigeria resident in the North Central States of (Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja), from all works of life committed to the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for a well -deserved second term at the 2027 general elections.

‘We recognize the pivotal role of our Father and Leader of North Central, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume to the successful re-election of the President and a resounding victory at the 2027 polls in the North Central region.’

Continuing, he said ‘we cannot overlook the persistent advent of insecurity in the region. Against this complex background our father and Leader has been able to maintain peace and stability in the region scoring high as the representative and eyes and ears of Mr. President. The region has enjoyed much more strategic appointments under this administration than any one before it. The region has started enjoying relative peace and defeat of insurgency and insecurity with the recent rescue of kidnap victims as a testament. The region has enjoyed more federal government infrastructure and policy dividends not to mention the availing of the Governors and Minister of FCT more allocation for the much-needed dividend of democracy.’

The convener said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had done extremely well for the North Central region so far and ‘is ready to do more when we return him for a second term in 2027. It is against this backdrop of visible tangible progress in the North Central region that we have come together to support our father and Leader of North Central region, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume to ensure that he delivers President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in all the North Central States and the Federal Capital Territory.

‘At the national level, the achievements and projects and policy advantages of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu dots the landscape of Nigeria and has started showing up on the dinner plates of our great people. The President has the political will to transform Nigeria into the Eldorado we all have dreamed of and support for him is now. On your mandate we shall stand.’

Also speaking, the Plateau State Coordinator

Pancin Jatau Vrengle, said the inauguration was a significant and inspiring moment, marking a renewed commitment to supporting the vision and leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

‘The inauguration has further strengthened our resolve to work assiduously, strategically and collectively for the re-election of Mr. President in 2027. We are committed to mobilising Nigerians in the North Central Zone, communicating the achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda, engaging stakeholders and promoting peaceful, issue-based political participation.

‘We assure Mr. President and the leadership of our movement of our unwavering dedication, loyalty and readiness to contribute our time, resources and networks towards securing victory for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.Together, with unity, commitment and strategic mobilisation, we shall deliver a stronger mandate for Asiwaju.’

Speaking in the same vein, his Kogi State counterpart, Yusuf Isaiah, said: ‘We sincerely thank God Almighty and our Global/ National leaders particularly His Excellency Sen. George Akume (SGF), High Chief Ewie Aimenwauu, Hon. Marcellanous Njoku and AK Jasper. For giving us the opportunity to be part of this August assignment on ensuring that PBAT is re-elected as the President of Nigeria come 2027.

‘We assure the Global/National body of our full commitment to this target.

The message is clear and it will be communicated to all the nook and cranny in Kogi State and North Central in general. By the virtue of our successful inauguration yesterday its our prayer that as we have kick-start this must deliver assignment the leaders should make available all the necessary resource to enable us to be efficient and effective on ground.’

Tinubu suspends 3 perm secs as ICPC uncovers another fake agency

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has uncovered another fake agency with office space in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.

This is as President Bola Ahmed ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries allegedly linked to the operation of the fake agency.

The latest development followed the discovery of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) which was being operated by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.

Following the discovery, President Tinubu had ordered the ICPC to conduct an investigation into the formation and operation of the fake agency.

About two weeks ago, the ICPC submitted an interim report to President Tinubu with a revelation that two other agencies were been operated by Adeyemi Matthew.

On Wednesday, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) also ordered a forensic audit of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies aimed at plugging the loopholes and prevent a recurrence.

The chairman of the ICPC, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, disclosed the existence of the new fake agency while briefing State House correspondents after a meeting with President Tinubu on Friday.

Adamu said the new fake agency was discovered as part of the ongoing investigation into the fake Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which was been operated by Adeyemi Matthew.

He gave the name of the fake agency as ‘National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office,’ which had been illegally allocated office space within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The ICPC boss said President Tinubu has directed the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze, the promoter of the new fake agency.

He said the President has also ordered the immediate suspension of the three Permanent Secretaries allegedly linked to the saga.

He gave the names of the permanent secretaries as, M.S Danjuma, Engineer Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah

The ICPC boss said, ‘the promoter, Geroge Buchi Nwabueze was discovered to also operate under four other variations of his name: George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Hon. George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.

‘The ICPC has interacted with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation with a view to ascertaining vital information with regard to the fake agency/office under investigation,’ he said.

Nigeria needs stronger checks, accountability – Modibbo

Speaking to Weekend Trust on Friday night, Muktar Modibbo, Secretary General, Follow the Money International, said the discovery of another alleged fake agency within the Federal Secretariat in recent months showed that the problem went beyond the existence of fictitious government bodies.

He said the development pointed to weaknesses in Nigeria’s governance systems, particularly the absence of effective checks and balances.

‘Considering that in the last two months or so, there was another fake agency that was uncovered existing within the Federal Secretariat. So I think pretty much what we need to really look at is not about uncovering whether fake agency or not fake agency, but instead of lack of check and balance in our systems,’ Modibbo said.

He said the incidents demonstrated the need for stronger accountability and institutional safeguards to prevent such developments rather than waiting for them to occur before investigations were launched.

‘But, you know, uncovering fake agency did not just start in Nigerian system of government. I mean, even in the American system of government has had this kind of thing,’ he said.

According to him, the issue should prompt a broader review of Nigeria’s governance structures and mechanisms for ensuring institutional legitimacy.

‘It shows that our system needs a lot of check and balances, not when issue happen and then we have to now investigate and then uncover,’ Modibbo said.

He added that Nigeria needed to strengthen accountability and oversight across government institutions.

‘I think we need a lot of issues of legitimacy, a lot of issues of accountability and a lot of issues of systems, check and balances in the system that we operate as a country,’ he said.

Also speeaking on the same issue, Dr Umar Yakubu, Executive Director, Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity, said the discovery of alleged fictitious agencies was a welcome development but raised questions about the effectiveness of existing accountability mechanisms.

He said the development showed that stronger oversight was needed to prevent unauthorised or fictitious agencies from being established within the government system.

‘Well, I have to say it’s a welcome development that this thing has happened, but this does not absorb the accountability mechanisms that have not been active to ensure that such things do not take place in the first instance,’ Yakubu said.

He said the National Assembly, which appropriates funds for federal agencies, should have mechanisms to determine the actual number of agencies operating within the government.

‘Now, if we had a very active National Assembly, they would have known the actual number of agencies in the country because they are the ones that appropriate funds for every agency at the federal level. So it means they are failing in their duty and responsibility to do that,’ he said.

Yakubu said it was concerning that the executive had to initiate an investigation into an issue involving the executive, rather than the legislature taking the lead through its oversight functions.

‘That is why it had to take the executive initiating an investigation when it’s supposed to be the National Assembly initiating these investigations,’ he said.

According to him, the discovery of three alleged fictitious agencies raised the possibility that more could exist undetected.

‘But it means now these three agencies that were discovered could have been 100 agencies. It could have been more than that,’ he said.

He therefore urged the National Assembly to strengthen its oversight responsibilities and ensure that public funds were appropriated only to legally recognised government agencies.

‘So the National Assembly, from my own view, should be held responsible to live up to its expectations to ensure that every revenue is properly appropriated to the legal agencies,’ Yakubu said.

Rev Can Stephen Mukirania called to the heavens

The Church of Uganda Diocese of South Rwenzori was carved out from Rwenzori Diocese in 1984. Three priests were identified as candidates to lead the new diocese. They were the Rev Stephen Mukirania, the Rev Yona Kuule and the Rev Zebedee Kahangwa Masereka.

Rev Masereka became the first bishop, Rev Mukirania became the diocesan secretary, and Rev Kuule became the dean of the cathedral.

Rev Can Mukirania had been part of what was viewed as the revival of evangelism in the immediate post-Idi Amin era. He visited and preached at schools. He helped set up Scripture Union clubs in schools.

The early 1980s were a transition period in which there was a deliberate attempt to indigenise the Anglican liturgy. At the time, the Rev Can Mukirania was one of the very few Bakonzo church leaders in Rwenzori Diocese in Kabarole. Indeed, when Kasese Archdeaconry was carved from Rubona Archdeaconry, Rev Can Mukirania was chosen as the first archdeacon of Kasese Archdeaconry (now the entire South Rwenzori Diocese).

And needless to say, Mukirania was the first Mukonzo to be made a canon of the Church of Uganda. He was made canon in 1975 by Rwenzori Diocese at St John’s Cathedral in Fort Portal. Because Mukirania was a canon of the Rwenzori Diocese (in Fort Portal), Bishop Reuben Kisembo attended his burial in Kisinga.

In the indigenisation of the Anglican liturgy, new songs were created by Mukirania and a group of other church leaders. The songs had typical Lhukonzo melodies and were always accompanied by traditional African drums and locally made shakers.

Yet I should not write about Rev Can Mukirania with dispassion. We are family. It was not uncommon to find me at the residence of the Diocesan Secretary of South Rwenzori. Because his son Philip Musana (bless him) was my very close friend. Plus, Musaana’s mother once told me that Mama Zubeda (one of our mothers) was her sister (they shared a grandfather).

Mukirania was born in 1933, the son of Bahwere Isebayibwara and Kihirabandi Mbambu. He was baptised in the Anglican Church on March 26, 1944, by the Rev JC Pallen.

He was confirmed by Bishop Aberi Balya in 1948 and married Veronica Kabatwale (of blessed memory) on December 20, 1956.

After attending Busyangwa (pre-primary), Buzira Sub Grade, Mukirania went to Bwera Primary School (now Kitalikibi Primary School). Thereafter, he went to Kabarole Junior Secondary School.

Between 1952 and 1954, he was at Nyakasura Teachers College (now Canon Apolo Primary Teachers College). Thereafter, he taught at Kitholhu and Bwera primary schools.

In 1960, he was called to serve the church and proceeded for training at Bishop Tucker Theological College in Mukono (now Uganda Christian University). In 1963, he became the principal tutor at Bukuku College (now Bishop Balya College).

He became Vicar of Bukuku Parish (Kabarole) and later Vicar of Kyarumba Parish (Kasese).

In 1969, he was appointed Rural Dean of Busongora Deanery. Between 1973 and 1982, he served as the first archdeacon of Kasese Archdeaconry (now South Rwenzori Diocese). Between 1984 and 1990, he served as the diocesan secretary of South Rwenzori Diocese.

He retired from active service on December 31, 1996. For lack of space, I can’t write all the achievements of the Rev Can Stephen Mukirania.

He died at 4pm on July 15, 2026, at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital and was buried at his home in Kisinga on July 18.

Fare-thee-well, Kasese’s Anglican Church grandee.