Author: Nouman Ali

Borno has secured about pound 61 million in new funding from the United Nations (UN) and development partners to strengthen peacebuilding and recovery efforts.

The funding will support interventions across the state over the next two years, Gov. Babagana Zulum disclosed on Thursday in Maiduguri.

Zulum spoke while briefing journalists after the fourth UN Offer Board and Peacebuilding Fund Steering Committee meeting in Maiduguri.

He said the new phase of the UN Offer Programme followed the successful completion of its first phase, which supported peacebuilding activities across Borno.

‘Another new phase of the UN Offer has also been launched, amounting to about 61 million Euros, which should be spent within the next two years,’ he said.

The governor said Germany had already contributed about pound 10 million to the new basket fund supporting the programme.

‘While the United Kingdom, Switzerland and other development partners are expected to make additional contributions,’ he said.

Zulum added that the Borno Government would also contribute to the basket fund to demonstrate ownership and support effective implementation of the programme.

He commended the UN Resident Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, UN Development Programme (UNDP) and development partners.

The governor appreciated their continued support for peacebuilding, recovery and reconstruction efforts in the state.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, described Borno’s multi-partner coordination framework as a model for replication elsewhere.

Bagudu said the framework could be adopted in other parts of Nigeria and countries confronting similar humanitarian and development challenges.

He said it provided a unified funding mechanism and common understanding among government, the UN and development partners.

According to him, the arrangement would help address Borno’s post-insurgency recovery needs in a coordinated and sustainable manner.

Chargé d’Affaires of Germany to Nigeria, Johannes Lehne, revealed that Germany would commit another pound 10 million to the programme.

Lehne expressed optimism that the intervention, under the leadership of the Borno and Federal Governments, would promote peace and prosperity.

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr Mohammed Fall, said coordinated action and strong leadership remained essential to addressing Borno’s challenges.

Fall said such efforts were also necessary to tackle challenges confronting the wider region.

He commended Zulum and Bagudu for demonstrating commitment to the peacebuilding initiative and its objectives. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Darlington Nwauju, has applauded the three-year scorecard of the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

Describing Tunji-Ojo as a dedicated, visionary and committed minister, Nwauju said the minister had transformed a hitherto redundant ministry.

The former Rivers State Publicity Secretary of the APC recalled that Tunji-Ojo was among the 45 ministers Tinubu appointed, and that Tinubu assigned him to an unpopular ministry known only for headlining announcements of national public holidays.

But he said, ‘In the last three years, the Interior Ministry underwent measurable reforms and, in a particular instance, last year received parliamentary commendations for surpassing the revenue generation target set for it by the National Assembly for the 2024/25 fiscal year.

‘For those of us who believe that there is a serious need to deliberately inject fresh blood into every leadership stratum in this country, Dr Tunji-Ojo stands as empirical evidence. Having been tried and having delivered beyond the imaginations of naysayers.’

He said the Interior Minister remained a source of pride to the people of Ondo, the youth demography in the country and a silver lining for visionary and impactful leadership.

He said the minister hit the ground running as soon as he was appointed, mobilising funds through corporate social responsibility to the tune of N585 million to pay court fines and compensation for 4,068 indigent inmates in November 2023, as part of measures to decongest the custodial centres nationwide.

He said that, as part of the prison reforms introduced by Tunji-Ojo, many Master’s, undergraduate and PhD candidates had successfully completed their studies, with numerous others enrolling for NABTEB/NECO examinations.

‘Other empirically verifiable projects/policies like the remodelling/upgrade of the National Fire Academy; launch of ECOWAS national biometric identity card (ENBIC); a new NIMC Act 2026 empowering NIMC as the mother certification authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI),’ he said.

Nwauju said under the minister, the immigration services in the country witnessed a turnaround following the digitising of expatriate quota and resident permit processes, and the inauguration of a Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre, the first of its kind in the 62-year history of the NIS

‘These are all testaments to performance delivery, which speaks volumes of an accountable leadership paradigm,’ he said.

He added, ‘It is my time-tested principle and belief that politics and governance should and must be about the good of the greater majority. In that light, the Interior Ministry under Dr Tunji-Ojo’s watch has promoted over 75,000 paramilitary officers, with elevations across various ranks, thereby ending years of career stagnation.

‘There is also an ongoing recruitment exercise of 60,000 youths into the four paramilitary agencies under that Ministry.’

The campaign organisation of former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, has rejected claims that the former police chief lacks a political platform to contest the 2027 Nasarawa State governorship election.

The organisation was reacting to comments attributed to the Nasarawa State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Aliyu Bello, questioning Adamu’s platform for the election.

In a statement on Friday signed by its Director of Media and Strategic Communications, Otaru Douglas, the campaign described Bello’s position as ‘false, laughable and born out of panic’.

It said Adamu remained in the governorship race and had secured a platform through his membership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

According to the campaign, Adamu left the APC after what it described as a controversial governorship primary and joined the SDP to give voters an alternative political platform.

‘Adamu’s defection from the APC, following the charade called a primary election, was a strategic move to a credible and people-oriented platform – the Social Democratic Party (SDP),’ the statement said.

The campaign expressed confidence that Adamu would win the 2027 election, citing his alleged growing support across the state.

It also criticised Bello’s handling of the APC governorship primary, alleging that the exercise had been condemned by party members and stakeholders across the state’s 13 local government areas.

‘The governorship primary he supervised as State Chairman has been widely condemned by party members and stakeholders across the 13 LGAs as lacking transparency, fairness, and internal democracy,’ it alleged.

The organisation accused the APC chairman of resorting to personal attacks against Adamu and urged him to focus on the party’s fortunes.

‘We are therefore calling on Dr Aliyu Bello to stay in his political lane and face his party’s dwindling fortunes,’ Douglas said.

The campaign said Adamu’s agenda remained focused on transparent governance, improved security and development, adding that criticism from political opponents would not affect his decision to contest under the SDP.

It further said ‘no amount of intimidation and media blackmail’ would alter what it described as the resolve of Nasarawa voters ahead of the election.

The organisation warned that further attempts to ‘disparage, defame, or malign’ Adamu would attract a ‘firm, proportionate, and decisive political response.’

Nigeria’s D’Tigers will face a stern test as the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers enter the second round, with five tickets to the global showpiece in Qatar up for grabs.

The second round brings together 12 of Africa’s leading basketball nations, divided into Group E and Group F, with the fourth qualifying window scheduled for August 24 to September 1, 2026.

Nigeria has been drawn in Group E alongside Cameroon, South Sudan, Guinea, Tunisia and Cabo Verde, with the group’s games taking place in Radès, Tunisia.

D’Tigers will begin their campaign against Cameroon on August 27 before facing South Sudan the following day. Their final game of the window will be against Cabo Verde on August 30.

Other fixtures in the group will see Guinea face South Sudan and Tunisia take on Cabo Verde on August 27. On August 28, Cameroon will battle Tunisia, while Cabo Verde will meet Guinea. The final day of action on August 30 features Guinea against Cameroon and Tunisia versus South Sudan.

Nigeria head into the window ranked fifth of the six teams in Group E, sitting on seven points, one behind Tunisia and two adrift of joint leaders South Sudan, Guinea and Cameroon, who are level on nine.

Nigeria will enter the decisive window with a strengthened 12-man roster featuring several established players, including NBA guard Josh Okogie, Chimezie Metu and Chima Moneke. The roster also includes Caleb Agada, Stan Okoye, Ike Nwamu, Udoka Azubuike, Efe Abogidi, Ebuka Izundu, Manny Obaseki, Jordan Ogundiran and Paul Dibal.

Nigeria will head into the qualifiers with a favourable record against two of their opening opponents. The D’Tigers have faced Cameroon four times, winning three of those encounters, while they boast a perfect record against South Sudan, having emerged victorious in both previous meetings.

Cabo Verde has proved a tougher opponent, however: the sides have met six times, with Nigeria managing just one win, making the final group game a crucial test.

David Fizdale will lead the team as head coach, assisted by Dan Craig, Quinton Crawford, Deji Akindele and Dapo Adegbile.

Group F, staged in Dakar, Senegal, features leaders Senegal alongside Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Angola, Egypt and DR Congo.

The qualification process resumes after the August window for a fifth and final phase in February 2027, after which the top two teams from each group, plus the best third-placed side, will secure places at the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar.

For D’Tigers, the objective is clear but challenging: negotiate the three-game window successfully, build on their favourable record against Cameroon and South Sudan, and finally get the better of a Cabo Verde side that has had their measure for years.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara for completing the 33.5km Elele-Egbeda-Omoku dual carriageway.

Tinubu said the project would boost economic activities and development along the corridor.

The President, represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, made this known during the inauguration of the road which connects three council areas in the state yesterday.

Shettima said: ‘In that spirit, I bring greetings of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to the government and the good people of Rivers State. Mr President shares your satisfaction with the completion of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku dual carriageway and the possibilities it opens along this corridor.

‘On behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I commend His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, for committing public resources to this project and bringing it to completion.’

He said that the project aligns with the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its commitment to improving the security, welfare and economic opportunities available to Nigerians.

The Vice-President said the newly completed road would enable farmers to move their produce faster, give traders access to larger markets, reduce logistics costs for businesses and save travellers valuable time.

He said that the transformation of the road into a modern dual carriageway demonstrated the importance of continuity in governance.

The Vice-President described the roads as ‘the most democratic instruments of development,’ noting that their impact cuts across virtually every sector of society.

Shettima said: ‘They serve the farmer carrying produce to the market; the trader seeking customers; the worker travelling to work; the student going to school; and the patient seeking medical care. When the road works, society works.

‘This achievement reminds us that governance is a continuum. One administration lays the foundation and another strengthens it, and the people remain the final beneficiaries.’

He congratulated the communities along the corridor and urged residents to protect the road from vandalism, reckless use and other activities that could shorten its lifespan.

In his remarks, Fubara described the dual carriageway as a major infrastructure intervention that would improve security, stimulate economic activities and reconnect communities across three local government areas of the state.

The governor said the road would transform a corridor previously associated with insecurity.

According to him, the road, which includes a river-crossing bridge and street lighting along its entire length, would make movement easier while creating an environment where security agencies could operate more effectively.

‘It is not just a project; it is a statement that we have made to show our people in the three local government areas, the benefiting communities close to this project, that we care for you and your concerns are our concern,’ Fubara said.

The governor said the completion of the project was evidence of his administration’s commitment to delivering projects that directly impacted the lives of Rivers people, despite prevailing challenges.

Fubara described the completion of the project as the fulfilment of a promise to the people, saying: ‘A promise made is a promise fulfilled.’

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standard-bearer in the June 20 Ekiti State governorship election, Dr Wole Oluyede, has declared support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 general election.

He made his position known yesterday when he visited Governor Biodun Oyebanji at the Government House in Ado-Ekiti.

Oluyede informed the governor of his decision to work for Tinubu’s victory in the January 2027 presidential election.

He also discussed with Governor Oyebanji issues relating to the development and progress of Ekiti State, as the governor prepares to begin his second term on October 16.

Receiving Oluyede, Governor Oyebanji praised him for an act of statesmanship and his commitment to the progress of Ekiti State and national development.

Oyebanji expressed appreciation for Oluyede’s decision to support President Tinubu, saying his gesture demonstrated a shared commitment to the development of Ekiti and Nigeria.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State has petitioned the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Inspector-General of Police (IGPA) and the Department of State Services (DSS), alleging threats to life, incitement to violence and attempts to destabilise the state ahead of the 2027 elections.

The petition, made available to The Nation and copied to the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, ECOWAS, Amnesty International and the Holy See, accused Governor Francis Nwifuru of a pattern of public threats and anti-democratic conduct. It was signed by state PDP Chairman, Chukwuma Igwe and Secretary, Henry Ngonu.

The party cited remarks attributed to Nwifuru at a political rally in Abakaliki on June 13, in which he reportedly threatened to ‘consume’ those who push him to the wall, describing it as a threat to its governorship candidate, Ifeanyi Odii, his campaign team and other opposition supporters.

It also cited an earlier remark attributed to Nwifuru in May, threatening to demolish the party’s state secretariat on Old Abakaliki-Enugu Road: ‘Any structure being used to plot against the government and the people of Ebonyi will not stand. We will pull it down if it becomes necessary for the peace of this state.’

The PDP said the remarks violated constitutional guarantees on the right to life, freedom of association and freedom of movement, citing Sections 33, 40, 41, 77 and 14(2)(b) of the Constitution, Section 95 of the Electoral Act 2022, and Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The party called on security agencies to assess threats to Odii and his campaign structures, provide sustained protection, issue a formal advisory to Nwifuru on his constitutional obligations, and secure a public retraction and commitment to a peaceful electoral process. It said it was prepared to provide video evidence, affidavits and witness statements to support any investigation.

Contacted, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Nwifuru, Monday Uzor, said he was unaware of the petition, while Commissioner for Information Ikenne Omebe could not immediately respond, saying he was at a rally when contacted.

Strategic think tanks and the intelligentsia must be more deeply integrated into Nigeria’s defence policymaking process to address the country’s increasingly complex security challenges, said strategic studies expert Esther Terwase Ikomi.

Ikomi said Nigeria’s inability to translate strategic research and knowledge into policy decisions has weakened the country’s capacity to respond to emerging security threats and to build sustainable national development.

She spoke at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC), Abuja, while presenting a paper titled ‘The Role of Strategic Think Tanks in Strengthening Defence Policy and National Development: Building Strategic Advantage for Nigeria in an Era of Complex Security Threats’ to participants of the Leadership and Strategic Studies Course 4/25.

The participants comprised one Brigadier General, 32 Colonels and 11 Lieutenant Colonels.

Ikomi identified the widening gap between research and policymaking, as well as weak coordination among relevant institutions, as major impediments to effective defence policy formulation.

According to her, Nigeria needs to move beyond producing strategic research to creating institutional mechanisms that ensure such knowledge directly informs national security and defence decisions.

Ikomi proposed institutionalising a Formalised National Security Research-Policy Liaison Framework as the most feasible mechanism for closing the gap.

She also recommended establishing regional Strategic Intelligence-Policy Hubs and a National Security Foresight Hub to improve intelligence analysis, anticipate emerging threats, and provide policymakers with timely evidence for decision-making.

To further strengthen the process, she introduced the Defence Knowledge-to-Policy Model, which she described as a practical framework for translating strategic knowledge into actionable defence policies.

The model, she said, would promote evidence-based decision-making, improve institutional coordination and enhance Nigeria’s strategic advantage in an increasingly unpredictable security environment.

She urged stronger collaboration between strategic research institutions and government agencies, arguing that a well-connected knowledge ecosystem would enable Nigeria to anticipate security threats rather than merely react to them.

Nigeria champions Edo Queens have arrived in Ouagadougou yesterday ahead of the CAF Women’s Champions League WAFU B qualifying tournament.

The Edo side, fondly known as the Ada Bendel, travelled with a 21-player squad and 12 officials from Lagos through Lomé, Togo, to Burkina Faso, the host country for the competition.

Edo Queens have been drawn in Group A alongside Ampem Darkoa Ladies of Ghana, ASFC Mimosas of Côte d’Ivoire and AS Garde Nationale of Niger.

The WAFU B qualifying tournament will run from August 23 to September 5, 2026, with the eventual winners earning qualification for the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League.

Edo Queens will enter the competition without their substantive coach, Moses Aduku, who is currently on international duty with Nigeria’s Under-20 women’s national team, the Falconets.

In his absence, Bendel Insurance manager Kennedy Boboye will provide the technical leadership for the Nigerian champions.

Among the players expected to feature for Edo Queens are Mose Chioma, Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, Atume Doosuur, Vera Doris, Precious Oscar, Deborah Odiagbe, and Uroko Valentina.

The Nigerian champions will be hoping to negotiate the group stage successfully and progress towards securing a place in the continental championship.

Nigerian musician and professional keyboardist Temitope Adeoye, popularly known as Temi Comic, brought Afro-fusion to the Nigerian Cultural Day celebration in Plymouth, United Kingdom.

The event, organised by Toskel Community Heritage and Culture CIC on August 8, 2026, brought together members of the Nigerian community and other participants to celebrate Nigerian music, heritage and cultural identity in the diaspora.

Temi Comic was among the performers at the event, where he shared the stage with veteran Nigerian musician Jesse King ‘Buga’ in a performance that blended contemporary musical expression with traditional African influences.

His performance showcased the keyboard’s versatility beyond conventional harmonic accompaniment, incorporating melodic phrases, rhythmic accents, and harmonic textures.

Playing alongside Buga, whose style draws from contemporary highlife, Afro-jazz, and traditional African influences, Temi Comic adopted a collaborative approach, responding to the music and complementing the vocalist.

‘Playing alongside Buga was a very special experience for me. There is so much history and culture in his music, so as a keyboardist you have to listen carefully and understand where the music wants to go,’ he said.

He described the performance as an opportunity to learn from an established musician while exploring the connection between different generations of African musicians.

‘What I enjoyed most was the musical communication. Sometimes you don’t need many words between musicians. You listen, you respond, and you allow the music to lead you. Playing with Buga reminded me of that,’ he said.

Temi Comic said his approach was centred on supporting the vocalist and other band members rather than dominating the performance.

‘For me, playing with an experienced artist like Buga is about listening. You cannot just play because you know how to play. You have to understand the artist, understand the rhythm and know when your sound should come forward and when it should step back,’ he said.

He described the collaboration as evidence of music’s ability to bridge generational differences and create opportunities for younger musicians to connect with established practitioners.

‘It was rewarding because you realise that music has no generational gap. When the rhythm is right, and everybody understands the language, experience and youth can meet naturally,’ he said.

Reflecting on the performance, Temi Comic said working with Buga reinforced the importance of continuous learning among musicians.

‘I left the performance feeling inspired. Performing with Buga showed me that there is always more to learn, especially when you are working with someone who has carried African music for so many years,’ he said.

The Nigerian Cultural Day also highlighted the role of cultural events in preserving and promoting Nigerian identity among communities in the diaspora.

For Temi Comic, the performance demonstrated how contemporary musicians can engage with African musical traditions while introducing new sounds and approaches, highlighting the ability of Nigerian music to evolve across generations and borders without losing its cultural roots.