Author: user user

Barely 17 days to the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Osun State, a political movement of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has begged the APC leadership to make the ex-Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), as a consensus candidate of the party for 2026 governorship election.

The movement, under the auspices of The Earliest Ileri-Oluwa Caucus, led by Amb. AbdulYekeen Abilagbo (Rtd.), made the plea yesterday at a solidarity rally for Oyebamiji in front of Oluwo’s palace, Iwo town.

He highlighted the achievements of Oyebamiji as the managing director of Osun State Investment Company Limited (OSICOL), who he noted improved the fortune of the company, growing it from N300million to N3billion, stopping half salary as finance commissioner, among other contributions to develop the state.

Abilagbo said: ‘Oyebamiji has something to offer the state. Osun has been unlucky for the past three years. There is no governance, nothing to show for the boost in revenue coming to the state. We must rescue the state from the current government and Oyebamiji is the best man to take Osun State to an enviable future.

‘He is a tested and a thoroughbred technocrat, particular in financial management. He was an accountant and showed capacity to deliver in whatsoever responsibility placed in his hand.’

Secretary of the movement, Dr. Kamal Okunola, affirmed the stance of Oyetola’s group, saying: ‘Oyebamiji should be the consensus candidate of the party because of his competence.

‘He is from Osun West Senatorial District, which has been marginalised for a very long time in the progressives fold. In our party, Baba Akande and Oyetola from Osun Central were in government for eight years and in the East, Aregbesola was in government for eight years. Only the West that is yet to produce governor.

‘ PDP and ADC have concluded to pick their governorship candidate from the West. So, APC’s case should not be different and if they consider our district, they should make Oyebamiji the consensus candidate of the party.’

With a charge to ensure that criminals do not turn Edo to a safe haven, Governor Monday Okpebholo, yesterday met with heads of security services in the state.

The meeting followed a viral video in which a self-acclaimed terrorist threatened to attack Edo Central Senatorial district.

In the video, the individual claimed presence around Ekpoma and adjoining communities, issuing threats.

Confirming the meeting in a statement, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor, Fred Itua, said the security chiefs briefed the governor on the issue.

Itua assured Edo residents that security was top-tier priority for the Governor, adding that emerging threats were being confronted.

He said the security architecture was designed to ensure early detection, swift response, and sustained pressure against criminal networks.

‘Following the Governor’s latest directive, the Department of State Service (DSS), the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), local vigilante formations, and the Edo State Special Security Squad, have commenced intensified operations across forests, boundary communities, and known flashpoints.

‘Search-and-comb missions are ongoing, backed by enhanced intelligence gathering and coordinated patrols to deny criminal elements safe haven anywhere within the State.

‘Already, significant breakthroughs have been recorded. Arrests have been made in connection with recent security breaches, and several leads are currently being pursued.

‘The Government reiterates that these operations are continuous and will not cease until every inch of Edo land, urban centres, rural communities, and transit corridors are fully secured and safe for residents, commuters, and investors,’ he stated.

Itua urged the people to shun misinformation, panic-driven narratives, and unverified videos.

Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has said that the closure of all schools in the state was based on security advice.

He spoke yesterday before chairing the State’s Executive Council (SEC) meeting, explaining that intelligence reports indicated a potential threat of school invasions and student abductions in the state.

Mohammed said the closure of both public and private schools from primary to tertiary levels was to avert such attacks.

‘Yes, we closed our schools because the security agencies advised us to do so. They have more information than us, and even though I am the Chief Security Officer, I don’t have the personnel to act alone. They warned of possible abductions of our students, similar to incidents that have occurred in other states,’ the governor said.

According to Mohammed, the decision was proactive, not to instill fear, adding that measures were being taken to secure schools, particularly those more vulnerable to terrorists’ incursions.

‘We have closed the schools, and we will ensure that such schools are fenced, possibly before the end of this year,’ he said.

Aside from fencing, Mohammed said all schools in the state would be equipped with lights, adding that recruitment of vigilantes would run alongside the Safe School Programme outlined by the Office of the National Security Adviser.

On the killing of five policemen in Darazo Local Government Area, Mohammed clarified that it was not a banditry attack, as reported by some media outlets, but a community-related issue.

‘We had an incident in Darazo. While some reported it as banditry, it is actually a community issue. We are on ground and will handle it with the police and DSS,’ he assured.

Lagos-based firm, Easy Porta Nigeria, has introduced prefabricated containers into the market.

Managing Director, Allen, said the move to high-specification prefabricated container structures is a necessity.

In a statement, Allen, an engineer, also said: ‘The greatest advantage of prefab is not just the speed, but the quality consistency you achieve in a controlled factory environment.”

The engineer, with over three decades’ experience in the metal and steel fabrication and construction business, said Nigeria’s construction sector is undergoing a quiet, yet fundamental, revolution driven by need for speed, cost certainty, and quality control.

At the heart of this shift, he said, is the rise of modular construction-manufacturing of structures off-site for rapid assembly, a methodology industry veterans believe is suited to bridging the country’s infrastructure and housing gaps.

He noted that for decades, traditional brick-and-mortar processes dominated the industry. But as logistics become more complex and material costs fluctuate, the predictability offered by factory-built systems, particularly those relying on robust steel structures, is proving highly attractive.

Zamfara Ministry of Works and Infrastructure says its one-day stakeholders’ engagement will improve energy access and strengthen the power sector in the state.

The programme was organised in collaboration with the Zamfara State Electrification Agency (ZEA) and S2R Consulting.

It brought together key players in the electricity sector such as government officials, individuals, community leaders, legal experts, and technical specialists.

The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Lawal Barau, in his address at the event in Gusau on Tuesday, said that the engagement would help review and validate the state electricity policy and bill.

He said it was also to appreciate stakeholders for their commitment to strengthening the electricity sector in Zamfara.

The commissioner, who was represented by the Director, Mechanical in the ministry, Mr Sanusi Mande, said the engagement marked a significant milestone in the state government’s efforts to develop a unified and progressive electricity framework.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration in addressing gaps within the power value chain.

Barau reaffirmed the ministry’s readiness to work closely with all relevant actors toward achieving sustainable energy solutions.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Zamfara State Electrification Agency, Mr Muzammil Muhammad, noted the importance of developing a strong and forward-looking policy framework that would guide the state toward a sustainable and reliable electricity system.

He said the government remains committed to creating an enabling environment that would attract investment and promote efficient electricity generation, distribution, and management.

He highlighted the new opportunities created by the Electricity Act 2023, the expanded regulatory powers granted to states, and the strategic pathways Zamfara could adopt to strengthen electricity governance, improve market efficiency, and accelerate access to power across communities.

Muhammad said that the new electricity policy and bill were designed to align Zamfara with ongoing national power sector reforms.

Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Dr Zacch Adedeji yesterday revealed that 95 per cent of Nigerians will pay no tax under the new tax regime.

He added that the new tax system would fairly affect the high-heeled in the country.

The FIRS chief spoke in Ilorin, Kwara State shortly after he received an award from the University of Ilorin Alumni Association.

He said the ‘focus will be on those at the top of the pyramid.’

He said from January next year, FIRS would have a name change.

Represented by Prof Abiola Sanni (SAN), the FIRS chairman said: ‘from January 2026 FIRS will have a name change. Is it going to be a new wine on old bottle? No. Looking at our revenue challenges that we face as a nation and our consistent ranking in terms of tax to GDP ratio, we must create new approaches to taxation.

‘I want to assure you that the tax system that is about to debut in January 2026 is a tax player-friendly one. It is one that is business-friendly. I daresay that there has never been a reform of taxation in this country that is this transformative and business-friendly.

‘Let me explain in case there are doubting Thomases among us, the tax system in the past used to focus on the people at the bottom. And what do I mean I that both it affected those at the informal sector and those in paid employment.

‘Under the new emerging tax system, 95 per cent of Nigerians will pay no tax. Whether you like it or not those whom God has blessed and those benefiting from the economy but have not been paying their own fair share of the tax burden will be now be made to do so.

‘Like I said they will be made to do so fairly. In some countries whereas the tax rate may be as high as 50 per cent, but in Nigeria after the deduction of all the deductibles from the ‘big boys and big girls the tax will only be 25 per cent of what they earn.

And we need this to develop infrastructure, provide education, revamp the system. Without a good tax system we are going nowhere as a country.

‘Finally you should be on the lookout for a new tax institute. We are changing the name to also signpost the fact that FIRS is not a federal institution now.’

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-General Waidi Shaibu, has called for a curriculum overhaul of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) that reflects contemporary security challenges.

He said the curriculum should focus on night training, physical fitness, artificial intelligence, and other emerging warfare domains.

The COAS made the call when he received the NDA Commandant, Maj-Gen Oluyemi Olatoye, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.

According to him, these measures would ensure that young officers are ‘fully attuned to the realities of modern battlefields and equipped with the warrior ethos and battle-oriented leadership skills required to confront contemporary security challenges.’

General Shaibu also stressed the need to strengthen research centres, particularly the NDA Department of Military Science, as a strategic step towards boosting the National Defence Industry and enhancing indigenous capacity for military innovation and self-reliance.

He emphasized that a robust research framework would provide the intellectual backbone required for a modern, responsive and technologically advanced fighting force.

The COAS pledged his full support to the Commandant in achieving these objectives, reaffirming his commitment to ensure that the NDA produces officers who are ‘strategically sound, operationally competent and fully prepared’ to meet the evolving security demands of the nation.

The NDA Commandant assured that he would build on the legacies and structures established by his predecessors.

He solicited sustained support from the COAS to effectively realise the vision and mission of producing competent, disciplined and professional officers capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s security interests.

He thanked the Nigerian military leadership for the confidence reposed in him to lead the nation’s premier military training institution, describing the NDA as the ‘training factory’ for future officers of the Armed Forces.

Galatasaray will have to cough pound 50m (about N84 billion) to prise away Nigeria International , Ademola Lookman, from Serie A outfit, Atalanta.

The Turkish giants which presently housed another Nigerian star forward, Victor Osimhen, has not hidden their interest to sign up the 2024 African Footballer of the Year in the upcoming Transfer Window in January.

But according to the famous Italian Pink Newspaper, Gazzetta dello Sport, Atalanta will only sell the Nigerian for pound 50m and won’t reduce the price.

Lookman is reportedly interested in joining his compatriot and international teammate, Osimhen in Turkey.

The 28-year-old has struggled to make much impact at Atalanta this season after pushing to leave the Bergamo club for Inter Milan in the summer.

He scored 20 goals in 41 appearances last season, establishing himself as one of Europe’s best wingers, but has scored just two goals in 12 appearances across all competitions in the on-going campaign.

Lookman has contract with the Serie A club until June 2027 but whether he would move to Turkey in January remains to be seen.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) yesterday welcomed the return of abducted Nigerians from captivity.

The released abductees are 38 worshippers from Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Isegun, Eruku, in Kwara State, 51 missionary school children in Niger State and 24 schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga in Kebbi State.

ADC spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi told reporters in Abuja yesterday that the party rejoiced with the families whose loved ones had regained freedom, but insisted that the incidents should never have occurred if the government was fully alive to its responsibilities.

Abdullahi however alleged that the Federal Government was ‘making deals with insurgents’ in a bid to free abducted victims.

‘Perhaps because there may be different considerations, but perhaps because they want a quick win, they want something to celebrate, then they will not hesitate to make the kind of negotiation or deals that they are doing,’ the ADC spokesman said.

Champions Safety Babes took another step towards the defence of their title by whipping Ekiti Queens 49-22 on Matchday 2 of the ongoing 2025 Ardova Handball Premier League Second Phase tournament in Lagos.

The champions, who had defeated River Queens 40-27 on Tuesday, dominated the Ekiti team and made sure of victory with a commanding display.

The Ekiti girls who had beaten Defender Babes 35-27 on Tuesday could not keep up with the pace of the champions.

In some other games in the female category, Rima Queens defeated Rivers, while Defender Babes lost to

Omo Ogiefo Academy 29-22.

In the men’s category, COAS Shooters defeated Lagos Seasiders 36-28, while De Defenders lost to Rima Strikers 28-19. Also, Niger United walked over Adamawa Warriors to earn three points and 10 goals.

Niger United Coach, Adebayo Yekini, said that the league has become competitive so much that that is little between the top teams and others.

He said: ‘The league has become very competitive and all the team are putting in their best to win games. You can see that even the ones who lose games are putting in their best.’

The Ardova Handball Premier League Phase 2 enters Matchday 3 today at Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos and all matches will be played there till November 30 before matches resume at the NIS Indoor Sports Hall.