Gunmen invade Ondo, abduct Pastor’s son after midnight rampage

Panic swept through Idogun community in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State in the early hours of Friday after heavily armed kidnappers stormed the area, destroyed buildings and abducted a nine-year-old boy during a terrifying midnight attack.

The attackers, suspected to be bandits, reportedly invaded Ugbosi Quarters in Idogun at about 1:30 a.m., firing repeatedly into the air and sending terrified residents fleeing into nearby bushes and neighbouring communities for safety.

In the chaos that followed, the gunmen allegedly targeted the residence of a pastor, Mr. Isaac Olaosebikan, and abducted his nine-year-old son, Victor Olaosebikan, after the cleric narrowly escaped death by fleeing into the surrounding forest.

Witnesses said the community was thrown into confusion as the attackers moved from house to house, shooting sporadically and smashing properties in what residents described as one of the most frightening incidents to hit the area in recent times.

The assailants also reportedly damaged at least two residential buildings during the raid while attempting to gain access to occupants.

A resident said many villagers abandoned their homes and spent the night in neighbouring communities amid fears that the attackers could return.

Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Command said it had launched a massive manhunt for the kidnappers and commenced a coordinated search-and-rescue operation to secure the release of the abducted child.

Police spokesman, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the attack was reported to authorities by the victim’s father and another resident, Mr. Joel Owalekan, whose house was also targeted by the gunmen.

According to him, the attackers forced their way into the pastor’s residence, but the cleric escaped into the bush, leaving behind his son who was subsequently whisked away by the armed men.

“The Ondo State Police Command has commenced an intensive manhunt for suspected kidnappers who abducted a nine-year-old boy during a violent attack on residents of Ugbosi Quarters, Idogun,” the police spokesman said.

He disclosed that police operatives, in collaboration with personnel of the Amotekun Corps, immediately swung into action, combing forests and suspected escape routes in a desperate bid to rescue the child and apprehend the kidnappers.

The Command said relevant exhibits had been recovered from the scene while investigations were ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu, has directed tactical teams, intelligence units and other security assets to intensify efforts toward the immediate rescue of the victim and the arrest of those responsible.

Police nab 3 suspects with large quantities of drugs in Delta

By Ayorinde Oluokun

Police operatives have arrested three suspected drug traffickers with recovery of large quantities of hard drugs in two separate operations in Delta State.

SP Bright Edafe, the spokesperson for the Command who revealed this in a statement on Friday said one of the suspects, Obinna Nwosu was arrested on 3 June 2026 by operatives of the Special Enquiry Unit deployed on stop-and-search duty at the First Niger Bridge Head, inward Asaba, the state capita.

According to the statement, the police operatives intercepted a Mercedes truck with registration number KRV 837 ZN driven by Nwosu who claimed he was transporting plumbing materials.

But a search of the vehicle by the police operatives led to the recovery of 13,000 sachets of 100mg Tramadol, 100 sachets of 225mg Tramadol, 100 sachets of Swinol, 300 sachets of Rohypnol, 60 sachets of Codeine Phosphate tablets, and one hundred 100 tablets of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), popularly known as “Molly”.

Edafe said the suspect has been taken into custody and investigations aimed at identifying other persons connected to the illicit consignment is ongoing.

The spokesperson added that on the same date, operatives of the Command Anti-Vice Squad (CAVS), acting on credible intelligence, raided a suspected drug distribution point at Alegbo Community, Owa-Alero, in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State during which two suspects identified as Henry Edward and Okwudili Kingsley were arrested.

The Delta Police Command spokesperson said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were allegedly operating a drug distribution network within the area.

He listed hard drugs recovered from them to include five gallons of fermented cannabis mixture popularly known as “Monkey Tail”, as well as large quantities of substances suspected to be Indian hemp and other illicit drugs.

The suspects and exhibits are in police custody while further investigations are ongoing.

Edafe quoted Delta Commissioner of Police CP Yemi Oyeniyi as commending the operatives for their diligence and professionalism.

“He reiterated the command’s resolve to sustain aggressive operations against drug trafficking and other organised crimes, noting that illicit drugs remain a major enabler of cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping, and other violent offences.

“He further urged members of the public to remain vigilant and support the Police with timely and credible information capable of aiding crime prevention and detection.”

Senate row ends: Gatchalian takes helm, Cayetano yields

The monthlong leadership crisis in the Senate ended on Wednesday after Sen. Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian secured the votes needed to be formally elected Senate President during a special session of Congress.

This development significantly undercuts a pending Supreme Court challenge questioning the legitimacy of the chamber’s reorganization and raises the likelihood that the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will proceed without institutional uncertainty.

Gatchalian’s election became possible after Sen. Joel Villanueva left the minority bloc and joined senators backing a leadership change, providing the crucial 13th vote required under the Constitution to elect a Senate President.

The vote gave the Gatchalian bloc the majority it had lacked since the Senate’s controversial June 3 reorganization, which triggered a constitutional dispute and prompted allies of then Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano to seek Supreme Court intervention.

Cayetano captured the Senate presidency on May 11 after his faction, composed mostly of Duterte allies, ousted Sen. Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III after it attained a slim majority when Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa suddenly reappeared to support him after six months of hiding.

On June 3, the third day the Cayetano bloc boycotted plenary sessions in retaliation to the Sotto group’s walkout during the May 27 session, the surprise appearance of Sen. Francis Escudero enabled the 11-member Sotto bloc to establish a quorum and subsequently installed Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore and, as such, designated him as acting Senate President.

Cayetano concedes

A few hours before Wednesday’s special session, Cayetano acknowledged that the numbers had shifted against him.

‘The arithmetic has changed. The Constitution has not,’ Cayetano said in a statement posted on social media, adding he would not stand in the way of the election of a new Senate President once the majority secured the required votes.

His concession came shortly before senators formally elected Gatchalian, effectively ending questions over who legitimately headed the chamber and whether actions taken by rival blocs could withstand constitutional scrutiny.

Cayetano allies-Senators Pia Cayetano, Loren Legarda, Imee Marcos, Rodante Marcoleta, Camille Villar, Mark Villar, Robin Padilla, and Christopher ‘Bong’ Go-were absent during the opening of the special session and the election of Senate officers.

Dela Rosa, who went back into hiding on May 14, remains out of public view amid efforts to enforce an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, while Sen. Jinggoy Estrada is detained at the Quezon City Jail and suspended for 90 days by the Sandiganbayan.

Some opposition senators, including Marcoleta, Marcos, Legarda and Go, later attended the Commission on Appointments session. Pia Cayetano, Legarda, Marcos, Go and Camille Villar joined the afternoon plenary.

Implications for SC case

The leadership vote has immediate implications for the petition filed on Tuesday by Cayetano and eight other senators seeking to nullify the June 3 Senate reorganization.

The petition argued that the restructuring of Senate leadership and committee assignments violated constitutional requirements and Senate rules. It warned that unresolved questions over Senate leadership could cast doubt on major institutional actions, including the impeachment proceedings against Duterte.

Wednesday’s developments substantially altered that landscape.

With 13 senators physically present and voting for Gatchalian, the majority bloc was able to demonstrate compliance with the constitutional requirement that a Senate President be elected by a majority of all 24 members.

The election was quickly recognized by senators from both camps, including several who had sided with Cayetano.

Legarda, one of the petition’s signatories, publicly acknowledged the legitimacy of the new leadership.

‘They have 13 votes so we respect, appreciate and recognize the 13 votes to elect the officers of the Senate. It’s correct now, it’s legal now,’ she told reporters.

She nevertheless maintained that the Supreme Court case remains pending, formally manifesting during plenary that Cayetano would serve as minority leader ‘without prejudice’ to the final resolution of the petition.

Pia Cayetano likewise recognized the constitutional basis of the leadership change.

‘When you have 13, you lead. When you don’t follow the rules, that’s when we have a problem. But when you adhere to the Constitution and the rules, no problem,’ she said.

Go also accepted the outcome.

‘Majority rules. This is a collegial body. Let’s move on with the new leadership,’ he said.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo called for reconciliation, saying senators should ‘set aside all the differences and work again.’

The broad acceptance of Gatchalian’s election by senators from both camps may complicate efforts to convince the Supreme Court that the Senate remains under a constitutional cloud.

While the petition challenges the validity of the June 3 proceedings, Wednesday’s vote appears to have cured the central issue raised by critics of the reorganization-the absence of the constitutionally required majority to elect a Senate President.

VP impeachment trial

The matter carries particular significance because the Senate is constitutionally mandated to convene as an impeachment court once articles of impeachment are transmitted by the House of Representatives.

Questions over Senate leadership had fueled concerns that proceedings involving the Vice President could face procedural challenges from either supporters or opponents of the impeachment complaint.

By securing a clear majority, Gatchalian’s bloc strengthened its claim that the Senate is operating under constitutionally recognized leadership, potentially insulating future actions of the chamber-including impeachment proceedings-from challenges to its institutional authority.

Majority consolidation

Wednesday’s reorganization also consolidated control of key leadership posts and committees among senators aligned with the new majority.

Former Senate President Sotto was elected Senate President pro tempore, while Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri formally assumed the post of majority leader and chair of the committee on rules. Senators JV Ejercito and Villanueva were named deputy majority leaders.

The majority also approved a broad committee reorganization.

Sen. Erwin Tulfo was named chair of the blue ribbon committee, with Senators Francis Pangilinan and Panfilo Lacson as vice chairs. All senators were designated members except Senator Escudero, whose alleged links to the multibillion-peso flood control controversy are under investigation.

Ejercito took over the powerful finance committee, which scrutinizes the national budget, while Sotto assumed the chairmanships of the ethics committee and the national defense and security panel.

The bloc likewise secured key positions in the Commission on Appointments, the Senate Electoral Tribunal and the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), further reinforcing majority control of the institution. Pangilinan was appointed as representative to the JBC, which reviews nominations for vacancies in the Supreme Court, other judicial bodies and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Stability after infighting

In his acceptance speech, Gatchalian sought to project stability after weeks of political infighting, describing the Senate presidency as a responsibility anchored on ‘institutional stewardship and public accountability.’

He also extended an olive branch to senators who remained in the minority.

‘This is not just the majority. This is a Senate composed of 24 senators,’ Gatchalian said, pledging to reach out to all members of the chamber.

Malacañang welcomed the development, with Palace press officer Claire Castro congratulating Gatchalian and expressing hope that Congress could now focus on priority legislation during the special session called by President Marcos.

The Palace also thanked the House of Representatives under Speaker Faustino Dy III for attending the special session, which was convened to tackle administration-backed measures but ultimately became the venue where the Senate’s leadership dispute was finally resolved.

Solons hope Senate leadership row resolution brings back work mode

Ranking members of the House of Representatives have expressed hope that the resolution of the Senate’s leadership squabble will allow Congress to return to work and also focus on the task of holding Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.

In a statement on Wednesday, Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V said he hopes the Senate can now devote its attention to the impeachment proceedings and on discussion of important measures, now that Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has been elected Senate President.

Gatchalian was elected, along with other officers of the Senate, during the special session called by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which was held earlier.

‘It’s high time we focus on work. I hope that includes the work for the upcoming impeachment trial,’ Ortega said.

‘Maybe things will simmer down and at the end of the day, as I said, we can get back to our work,’ he added.

Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos also congratulated Gatchalian after his election, saying that the House looks forward to working with the new Senate President.

‘On behalf of the House, we would like to congratulate Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian. We look forward to working with him,’ Marcos said in an ambush interview.

‘I have worked with him, and I know how level-headed he can be. So I think that’s exactly what this current political climate needs, especially there in the Senate, level-headedness and just the need for all of us to really get back to work,’ he added.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña said he is looking forward to seeing how Gatchalian will steer the Senate after a ‘month-long political circus.’

‘I would like to congratulate the newly elected Senate President, Win Gatchalian. Now that the month-long political circus and partisan chaos wrought by the former Senate leadership has ended, we hope to see SP Win steer the upper chamber in its work,’ Cendaña said.

‘A lot of work was pending, like important bills and things left unaddressed, but we trust the new leadership’s ability. Let’s get back to work!’ he added.

Gatchalian was elected Senate President after Senator Joel Villanueva joined the 12 current members of the new Majority bloc.

The new majority consists of Gatchalian, Villanueva, Majority Leader Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III, Senators Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson, Risa Hontiveros, Francis Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, JV Ejercito, Francis Escudero, Raffy Tulfo, Erwin Tulfo, and Lito Lapid.

READ: Gatchalian is new Senate president https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2247753/fwd-gatchalian-now-senate-president

The Senate faced several tumultuous and tense moments since former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano assumed office. Last May 11, Duterte was impeached for a second time by the House, but the Senate became the center of storylines after Senator Ronald dela Rosa’s suddenly returned to the plenary hall, after six months of absence.

Dela Rosa was also seen running down the Senate’s staircase to evade arrest by pursuing National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) personnel serving an arrest order from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Senator’s attendance proved to be significant as it gave Cayetano 13 votes-the minimum number of votes needed to have him installed as Senate President, replacing Sotto.

Then, on March 13, violence erupted in the Senate after gunshots were heard inside the facility. This was the same day that the Articles of Impeachment were transmitted by the House to the Senate.

Cayetano’s camp defended the actions of acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca, as the latter was supposedly just trying to defend the Senate from NBI personnel.

However, it was later revealed that Aplasca was the one who opened fire at NBI personnel who were asked by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to secure their building – which sits adjacent to the Senate. Both the Senate and the GSIS building are inside the GSIS complex in Pasay City.

Initial reports from police also deemed that Aplasca’s actions were an overkill.

Then on May 26, the Minority bloc walked out of the session after the former Majority-led by Cayetano and Senator Rodante Marcoleta, pushed for the discussion of a proposed amendment of the Senate rules.

Marcoleta’s amendment seeks to allow senators not physically present to participate and vote remotely during plenary deliberations. The Minority, before walking out, questioned the rush to amend the rules, and as to why the amendment was contained in a motion instead of a formal resolution.

As a retaliation, the Majority bloc did not attend the session on June 1 and 2. On June 3, House lawmakers like Deputy Speaker Albee Benitez said that the Senate was on the verge of violating the 1987 Constitution, as there is a provision stating that the Senate cannot adjourn its session for more than three days without informing the House.

This scenario was avoided after Escudero, who is part of Cayetano’s bloc, showed up, giving the Senate a quorum to hold session. Positions were also declared vacant, paving the way for Gatchalian’s election as Senate President Pro Tempore and Zubiri being picked as the Majority Leader.

Gatchalian justified that 12 senators are already a majority under the condition that only 22 out of 24 senators are available-since Senator Jinggoy Estrada was detained on plunder raps, while Dela Rosa is considered a fugitive.

The inability of the Senate to hold session on June 1 and 2, however, proved costly as several legislative matters were left pending. This forced the President to call for a special session, so that Congress could address pressing bills.

MKO and the relentless ghost of June 12

Last Friday, June 12, I attended the world premiere of MKO at Sheffield DocFest, held in the city of Sheffield. Ose Oyamendan’s documentary revisits the life and fate of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, and his tragic death five years later in controversial circumstances. I had been invited by Pastor Tunde Bakare, whom Oyamendan recognised as the project’s most important supporter: always calling, always encouraging, always insisting that the work must be brought to completion against the odds.

Also in attendance was Kola Abiola, the first son of the late business mogul, who spoke with evident emotion about his father’s enduring legacy. Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who flew into the United Kingdom that day specifically for the event, was also present, again at the invitation of Pastor Bakare. It was, in every sense, a room heavy with history.

As one might imagine, it was a poignant and deeply emotional experience on several levels. The documentary brought into view important actors and silences around June 12, including General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Head of State under whom MKO’s infamous meeting with American diplomats took place. Susan Rice, the American diplomat associated in the public memory with that final encounter, declined to speak to the documentary crew.

This piece is not a formal review of the documentary, and I will not rehash its main storylines. Instead, I want to offer a few reflections on the things that struck me most as I watched it. None of these is, by itself, a groundbreaking revelation. Some may even sound familiar. The real insight, as I see it, lies not in the novelty of the individual parts, but in the story they tell when placed together.

General Ibrahim Babangida emerges in the documentary, as he does in most established narratives, as the archvillain of the June 12 tragedy. As much as viewers could tell, he appeared to have made some kind of peace with his villain status among Nigerians. There is no serious question that he bore the primary responsibility for the annulment. He supervised the destruction of the biggest democratic hope Nigeria had ever known.

Thirty-three years later, the Nigerian state is still reeling from that original violence against the popular will, haunted by the relentless ghost of June 12 and by the traumatic enactment of what could have been but may never be.

Part of what made June 12 so powerful was not simply that MKO won, but the manner and meaning of the mandate. It cut across region, religion and ethnicity in a country perpetually held hostage by those very fractures. It suggested, however briefly, that Nigerians could imagine themselves as citizens before they were conscripted back into ethnic groupings, faith and fear. That is why the annulment was not only an assault on one man. It was an assault on a rare national possibility.

Yet the documentary also sharpened something else. Babangida was not acting in a vacuum. He was battling, or at least negotiating with, a coalition of desperate and powerful forces he either could not resist or would not resist. The documentary suggested that his own life may have been on the line if he refused the demands of the military and political cabal pressing for annulment.

Even if one accepts that account, it does not mitigate his responsibility, let alone absolve him. The logic is simple. It is absurd to imagine that a man whose professional identity was built around bravery, sacrifice and putting one’s life on the line in defence of the nation would, at the country’s most decisive democratic moment, retreat into naked self-preservation. Either Babangida did not believe enough in a democratic Nigeria to sacrifice for it, or he was actively complicit in the historic move to kill the country’s brightest democratic possibility.

The foreign actors also come into sharper view, with considerable taint and blemish. For all the lip service to liberal democracy, Western powers did little of consequence to help Nigerians reclaim the mandate freely given on June 12. The documentary’s own framing is apt: the question of who killed Abiola cannot be separated from the question of who abandoned Nigerian democracy.

Of course, there were sanctions, statements and diplomatic gestures. But the overall response to the Abacha regime and its brutality was muted. It was too cautious, too self-interested, too unwilling to match democratic rhetoric with democratic courage.

It appears Western governments, led by the Clinton administration, were unsettled by MKO’s vocal advocacy of reparations for slavery and colonial exploitation. Surprise, surprise. American political leaders, Democrats or Republicans, were never going to be enthusiastic about that proposition. They also seemed uncomfortable with MKO’s nationalist posture, including his repeated insistence that Nigerians must take primary responsibility for solving Nigeria’s problems.

He was not opposed to foreign assistance, mind. But he believed Nigerian experts should lead Nigeria’s renewal. That confident and defiant stance, a deliberate break from the paternal West-Africa relationship, did not endear him to the powers that preferred African leaders who understood their place in the old hierarchy.

In the end, the dream of June 12, and all the hope it represented, was killed by a coalition of forces within and outside Nigeria. Many of them were covert. Some never had the courage to put their names and faces to arguably the most consequential annulment in Nigeria’s post-independence history. But hidden hands are not innocent hands. Silence, in moments of historic crime, can also be complicity.

The ghost of June 12 has refused to yield. It pursues the Nigerian state with relentless force, condemning citizens to a Sisyphian contemplation of what could have been, leaving us grasping in desperation at a democratic dream that once seemed imminent, but now feels painfully distant, perhaps even lost.

But I must return to Pastor Tunde Bakare. Whether or not one agrees with all his views, you would be hard-pressed to find many Nigerians with his unwavering belief that the Nigerian state can still be made to work. He is, of course, a preacher and public intellectual who speaks regularly and forcefully about the Nigerian project. But what I find especially refreshing is that he does more than speak.

The MKO documentary is one example in a long list of projects and interventionsPastor Bakare has been involved with, but it is different in two respects. First, it is a project he supported rather than led. Second, his support was quiet, sustained and relentless over many years until the work came to fruition. In a country where many people only want to be seen at the front of every noble enterprise, there is something instructive about that kind of steady, background commitment. But perhaps even more remarkable is his exceptional ability to bring people together, across a whole spectrum of interests and backgrounds.

That is the kind of positive energy, resilient focus and practical patriotism Nigeria needs to turn the page and exorcise the ghost of June 12 once and for all. But sentiment will not be enough. The new page must begin with the restructuring of Nigeria into a true federation of constituent nations, where power is genuinely devolved, citizenship is meaningful, and the centre no longer sits over the federation like a predatory inheritance.

Otherwise, we will return, like Sisyphus, to the same mountain, rolling the proverbial rock upward in a mad, exhausting and unending repeat.

June 12 was not merely an annulled election. It was a broken covenant between the Nigerian state and its citizens. Until that covenant is renewed on the foundations of justice, federalism and democratic courage, MKO will remain more than a memory. He will remain, in that moment, an accusation. That question still burns.

Anambra’s HIV prevention drug rollout

THE recent deployment of lenacapavir, an HIV prevention drug, in Anambra State signifies a major step in prevention strategy. Lenacapavir, a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) alternative for HIV, is available as an injection administered twice yearly and is the first of its kind globally. It is also recommended as an effective option to daily pills. The rollout in Anambra followed the unveiling of the product in March by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare with support from the World Health Organisation, the Global Fund, the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and other partners.

In his remarks at the launch in Anambra, the Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Afam Obidike, said the decision was in line with efforts geared toward eventual elimination of HIV through prevention. He warned against the sale, commercialisation, or deliberate limitation of access to the medicine to the detriment of the underprivileged. As noted by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), lenacapavir is ‘the next best thing’: a long-acting antiretroviral shown in trials to prevent almost all HIV infections among those at risk. Anambra’s position as the first subnational entity to officially declare a rollout of the medication represents a focal stance in the fight against HIV/AIDS and potentially highlights Nigeria’s seriousness in promoting HIV prevention programmes.

According to the National Data Repository (NDR), as of May 2026, Nigeria had a population of around 1.6 million patients on treatment for HIV. Of this figure, Anambra ranks 15th among the top 20 states, with over 46,000 patients. Thus, the state’s decision to provide lenacapavir is a necessary and commendable step toward improved accessibility to HIV prevention medicine. This should also serve as a cue for states such as Benue, Akwa Ibom, and Lagos, which collectively have over 489,000 patients on treatment. In a country where access to medical care at the subnational level is already dangerously limited, urgent action is needed. Lenacapavir offers an essential alternative for HIV prevention. This opportunities should be maximised.

It is, however, very essential for the public to be properly educated on what lenacapavir does, as it is not a preventive vaccine. According to Onyema Ogbuagu, Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology and Director of the Antivirals and Vaccines Research Program at the Yale AIDS Program, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, lenacapavir ‘inhibits what we call the HIV capsid,’ a conical structure that houses both the genetic material of HIV and the proteins the virus uses to make copies of itself. By interfering with the capsid, the drug prevents HIV from replicating in host cells. Thus, the Anambra government, and by extension the Nigerian government, needs to ensure that messaging on what lenacapavir achieves is not misinterpreted as an excuse for carelessness in sexual activities. The necessary preventive mechanisms-practising safe sex, getting tested, and avoiding exposure-need to be restated, including in local languages, to reach Nigeria’s diverse population.

Significantly, the rollout of lenacapavir speaks to the place of Africa in knowledge production. As the continent with the highest HIV prevalence rate in the world, the launch of lenacapavir, originally developed by Gilead Sciences in the United States, restates the need for African institutions to engage in more deliberate efforts toward research output on HIV prevention and treatment. African countries do not need to remain perpetually dependent on foreign solutions.

Wheat dream stalls as finance ministry withholds million-dollar AfDB funds

Nigeria’s ambition to slash its wheat import bill and achieve self-sufficiency has run aground due to a bureaucratic logjam at the highest level of economic governance. For 18 months, critical funding secured from the African Development Bank (AfDB) has sat in limbo, withheld by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

This protracted funding freeze has effectively paralysed the National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP) initiative, stalling seed development projects in key agricultural states and leaving the country’s food security strategy in jeopardy.

Over the last year and a half, zero wheat cultivation activities were recorded under the NAGS-AP project. Without the timely provision of high-quality inputs and foundational seeds, actual planted acreage is now projected to plummet 35 percent short of the 2026 national target.

The situation threatens to keep Nigeria reliant on Russia, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Ukraine, Canada, and the U.S. for wheat at a time when the demand for wheat derivatives is rising.

‘There was no activity on wheat under the NAGS-AP project last year because the finance ministry did not release the funds,’ said Oluwasina Olabanji, former executive director, Lake Chad Research Institute.

‘We are going to be seeing high imports of wheat because the lag in activities under the development initiative has led to a decline in our production,’ Olabanji said.

While there are no current production data, the National Bureau of Statistics trade report shows that the country’s wheat imports surged by 23.4 percent last year from N1.45 trillion in 2024 to N1.79 trillion in 2025. This might be due to the lack of funds for 18 months to support local wheat production.

He stressed that the country lacks the political will to drive full implementation, while calling on the government to ensure that the wheat development project is not abandoned but supported to achieve its targeted objectives.

In September 2023, the federal government secured a $163 million credit facility from AfDB for wheat development and production.

The government also secured another $134 million in funding from the African Development Bank for the first phase of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), which focuses on several crops, including wheat.

The country has recently secured another $200 million for the second phase of the NAGS-AP. Despite all these credit facilities, farmers have yet to receive subsidised inputs for wheat production for 18 months.

Wheat farmers across major producing states recorded steep losses last year after promised subsidised inputs failed to arrive, undoing gains in the country’s push for self-sufficiency.

‘Lots of wheat farmers recorded huge losses last year as several of us did everything as regards land preparation only to be left disappointed because the inputs never came,’ Musa Shehu Sheka, national president of the Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria, said in an interview.

Sheka said the association queried the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and was told the credit facility secured for the program had not been released by the Finance Ministry.

The funding delay has slowed momentum in the wheat sector and prompted many farmers to switch to more profitable crops, he said.

Nigeria produced 43,926 metric tonnes of wheat in 2024, according to the most recent data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). While exact figures are difficult to track, estimates suggest that the country needs 6.8 million metric tonnes annually to meet demand.

Aside from the finance ministry’s failure to disburse funds last year, insecurity has also hampered the country’s wheat production.

‘Insecurity has been a major issue affecting Nigeria’s wheat production in Borno and other key growing regions, which usually suffer from attacks that halt production,’ Sheka said.

However, he noted that under the NAGS-AP programme, states like Cross River have come on board in wheat cultivation, and Jigawa has surpassed Borno as the top producer of the commodity.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has predicted that Nigeria’s wheat production will rise by seven percent this year. USDA based its projections on a decreased rate of insecurity in wheat-growing regions and government support.

‘Wheat farmers are expected to receive increased input subsidies as the 2027 election season nears and candidates seek support from farming communities,’ said the report.

‘Wheat production is expected to increase in MY 2026/27 due to government subsidies reaching farmers in time for the upcoming planting season. This increase will primarily recover from the decline experienced in MY 2025/26,’ it added.

Nigeria is a major market for a species of wheat known as ‘hard red winter.’ There is also a growing demand for soft red winter wheat for biscuits and cookies; hard white wheat for bread and noodles; and durum wheat for pasta.

As at the time of writing, a metric tonne of local wheat sells for N660,000 ($507), while the U.S. hard red winter (HRW) sells for $288 per tonne and the soft red winter (SRW) for $247 per tonne.

Baltazar, Mike Phillips make Gilas roster for FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers

Big men Justine Baltazar and Mike Phillips have been included in the final roster of Gilas Pilipinas in the upcoming third window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) announced.

The 6-foot-8 Baltazar and the 6-foot-9 Phillips are expected to play a huge part for the national team’s frontline, with Kai Sotto and Quentin Millora-Brown out for the third window.

In a Facebook post, the SBP said that guards Chris Newsome, Scottie Thompson, RJ Abarrientos and Dwight Ramos will steady the ship for the Philippines.

Wings Justin Brownlee, Kevin Quiambao and Carl Tamayo are also part of the window, while big men AJ Edu, June Mar Fajardo and Troy Rosario complete the 12-man roster.

Calvin Oftana, Millora-Brown, Juan Gomez de-Liano and CJ Perez, who played for the Philippines in the last window, will not see action for the Nationals in the upcoming games.

Gilas will face New Zealand in Auckland on July 3, before taking on Australia on July 6 in Perth.

The Philippines is already assured of a second round berth. The squad currently holds a 2-2 slate in Group A play.

Filipino food companies proudly showcase what’s good, healthy and sustainable at THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2026

From artisanal ice creams in heritage Filipino flavors to crispy snacks crafted from real fruits and vegetables, homegrown food brands made a strong case at the recently concluded THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2026. Their collective message on the global stage was loud and clear: when it comes to good, healthy and sustainable food, the Philippines refuses to be left behind.

This year, 28 Philippine companies occupied the Philippine Pavilion at THAIFEX 2026. Organized by the Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organization Inc., the pavilion showcased a diverse range of export-ready products including tropical fruit products, processed seafood, snacks, beverages, ingredients, condiments and innovative food solutions.

Among the Philippine Pavilion exhibitors is Marcelo’s Microcreamery. Launched only last 2025, the artisanal ice cream brand is already making waves locally and globally, especially with its debut at THAIFEX – Anuga Asia.

Meanwhile, the lone, independent Filipino exhibitor at the Asia’s largest FandB trade show was OSH! Oh So Healthy Corporation, maker of ‘better-for-you snacks,’ which has been a finalist at THAIFEX’s tasteInnovation Awards in 2024. It’s also the company’s third-consecutive outing at THAIFEX.

Philstar.com sat down with both companies, which are leading the way and putting Filipino innovations and flavors on the global map.

Oh So Healthy snacks that are delicious

For Founder and CEO Almay Gaw See, creating OSH! seven years ago started as a deeply personal yet simple mission: to provide healthy snacks for his then two young boys.

‘I’m a believer of real food. I don’t like process things. I don’t like processed things,’ she said, hence, she would pack real fruits as snacks for her kids.

Only to realize that they would not consume it at school, and find the fruits in the trash. ‘Siguro, natatakot sila mapagalitan kaya itinapon.’

At the same time, the busy mom-who already runs a packaging manufacturing company-had time constrains fixing her kids’ baon.

“So I thought, ‘If I can provide something to my kids that they actually like to eat, that’s safe for them to eat, that’s healthy, then we have a winning product’,’ she recounted, thus came OSH!. She used her first business as leverage to create OSH!, but also made sure that she champion Filipino products. Same with the manufacturing, which her company handles, her supply chain is also all-Filipino, sourcing from Filipino farmers only. Her ingredients list include mango, guava, coconut, jackfruit, and ube among many others.

But what then makes OSH! innovative and healthy? Think of an OSH! snack as a nutrient-dense fruit smoothie transformed into a crispy chip, the CEO described.

Interestingly, she recounted that their signature multi-fruit blend was born out of an agricultural crisis. During a mango scarcity in 2016, high prices of ingredients threatened to delay their launch. Looking for solutions, the team experimented by blending mango with sweet potato and banana. The result was not only more sustainable but significantly tastier and crunchier than standard dried fruit.

‘When we started this, we were the first to create a healthy snack product, and we were creating a category in the market. There’s no ‘better-for-you products’ in the supermarkets yet,’ she shared.

Today, See observed that choosing and eating healthy has become the trend-even the norm-among the younger Gen Zs, creating more options in the market.

This year’s top food trends presented at THAIFEX, included alternative proteins and food that are functional and free-form, organic and sustainable among others. This proves prove that See was on the right track all along when she created OSH!.

Asked about the advantages of joining THAIFEX consecutively for the past three years, she explained that the initial curiosity has matured into steady market familiarity.

“There’s a loyalist following for the brand now,” See expressed, which is important as they continue to introduce new products to the global market.

To further capture the wellness-focused Gen Z demographic, they launched bold flavor profiles like Kimchi Crisps alongside innovative new lines like Osh Pops, which is popcorn but healthier, and Blumies, which are chewy, fruity gummies for prebiotic gut-health.

Looking ahead, See hopes to scale OSH!’s global presence, while continuously championing Filipino ingredients, and expanding its innovative product portfolio, proving to the world that healthy snacking can be a truly delicious experience.

Ice cream with a taste of home, heritageLaunched only in May of 2025, Marcelo’s Microcreamery is already reaping accolades for its artisanal ice cream products. Before heading to THAIFEX 2026, they won this year’s KATHA Awards for Food for the category Specialty and Gourmet.

The KATHA Awards, organized by the Department of Trade and Industry’s Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, is considered one of the of biggest recognitions in the country that celebrates Filipino design excellence, innovation and craftsmanship.

This shows that Marcelo’s have created not just a frozen treat, but something unique and unforgettable. In fact, the brand was created with the intent to evoke nostalgia and memories of home.

“When we conceptualized this, the president himself, Mr. John Marcelo, really wanted to have something new,’ Emilie Dela Vega, chief commercial officer of Sterling Pacific Ventures Corporation (SPVC), producer and exporter of Marcelo’s Microcreamery, told Philstar.com.

According to Dela Vega, Marcelo loves ice cream but he kept seeing the same flavors from supermarkets.

‘No one ever dared to do the heritage flavors of the Philippines,’ she said noting that you could see some Filipino ingredients on gelatos but not on retail packs. Marcelo’s ice creams don’t merely add latik latik or bilo-bilo, but fully incorporates them into their creations.

THAIFEX 2026 visitors and buyers were able to experience these as Marcelo’s brought their three best-sellers: Latik Latik, Bilo Bilo and Mangga’t Suman.

‘What you ate in your Filipino desserts, it’s also the same in Marcelo’s ice creams,’ Dela Vega said explaining that they have a dedicated commissary that whips up the authentic latik latik made from 100% coconut milk, bilo bilo ingredients like banana, sweet potato, jackfruit among others, and mangga’t suman, our very own mango and sticky rice.

These are combined with coconut milk for a creamy yet non-dairy experience bursting with vibrant flavors.

Undoubtedly, these hit home for Filipinos living and working overseas as the brand already exports to markets in the US, Canada and Arab nations. But what surprised Marcelo’s are the foreign customers who also enjoyed the taste of authentic Filipino desserts.

It’s no wonder then that Marcelo’s also received the same overwhelming response at THAIFEX 2026-from Australian distributors requesting to carry the brand to a buyer representing a South Korean retail giant.

As the brand continues its growth and popularity locally and abroad, they promise to continue supporting the local farmers and small businesses that they source their ingredients from. It also nurtures culinary collaborations.

Soon, it will launch new flavors Ube Baklava and Strawberry Fields, created with Chef Nouel Catis who is known to be the creator of the viral Dubai Kunafa chocolate.

The future is bright for Filipino food companies, equipped with our heritage flavors, rich agricultural resources, and innovation and ingenuity. THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2026 was the perfect showcase.

PMI, Cannes Lions partner on creative sector

Project Management Institute (PMI) and Cannes Lions have partnered to launch a global initiative to connect academia with creative industries and better prepare learners for the evolving world of work.

The organization said that the Forum responds to a growing need for closer alignment between what is taught in classrooms and the skills required in today’s rapidly changing, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled economy.

‘As creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and adaptability become increasingly critical across every profession, educators and industry leaders have an opportunity to work together to ensure students are equipped to thrive,’ the statement added.

Tagged LIONS Educators Forum, the areas it will focus on, according to the Chief Marketing Officer at PMI, Menaka Gopinath, said will focus on two core areas: developing future-ready curricula and strengthening pathways between education and employment.

‘Through curated discussions, shared insights, and ongoing collaboration, the Forum aims to equip educators with the tools, knowledge, and industry access needed to better prepare students for creative careers. Educators from around the world are invited to join a growing global network built on collaboration, where best practice is shared openly, ideas are challenged, and the collective goal is to better prepare the next generation for success,’ she said.

The Forum will be chaired by Vann Graves, Executive Director of VCU Brandcenter, and guided by a leadership team from Cannes Lions.

The programme will consist of three core components: Global Roundtables: Two virtual roundtables each year, one in Spring and one in Autumn, bringing together educators and industry leaders to explore key challenges and opportunities.

Cannes Lions In-Person Forum is a dedicated programme during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity from 22 to 26 June 2026, hosted at the PMI Cabana and offering educators direct access to industry insights and global best practice.

Year-Round Network is an ongoing global community where educators and industry professionals can connect, share resources, and collaborate throughout the year.

Commenting, Global Head of Strategic Learning Initiatives at Cannes Lions, Steve Latham, said: ‘Creativity is now one of the most important skills in the global economy, yet the connection between education and industry has never been more critical. The LIONS Educators Forum is designed to close that gap by creating a space where educators and industry leaders can collaborate, share insights, and shape the future together.’

As Founding Partner, PMI will help shape the Forum’s agenda by bringing a critical perspective on the skills students will need to succeed in an AI-enabled workplace. As technology accelerates change across every profession, project management has become an essential capability for turning ideas into outcomes, helping people navigate uncertainty, build resilience, collaborate across disciplines, and lead complex systems of work.

Menaka said: ‘The future of work will reward people who can do more than generate ideas. We need to equip students and the educators who guide them with the skills to bring people together, make sense of complexity, and turn creative ambition into real-world impact. Through the LIONS Educators Forum, PMI is proud to help prepare the next generation with the capabilities to not only imagine what is possible, but to make it happen.’

PMI works with thousands of academic institutions worldwide, equipping educators and students with industry-aligned tools that help turn ideas into outcomes, an essential capability in today’s creative economy.

The LIONS Educators Forum is part of Cannes Lions’ broader commitment to supporting lifelong learning and creative excellence across the global marketing and communications industry.