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Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, says Nigerians deserve an economy that allows every family to live with dignity.

Atiku stated this in a Facebook post on Wednesday after receiving former First Lady Aisha Buhari.

According to him, the visit was warm and appreciated, and also served as a reminder of the responsibility to prioritise the welfare of Nigerians.

Atiku wrote; ‘Today, I was delighted to receive former First Lady, H.E. Aisha Buhari. Her visit was warm and deeply appreciated. Beyond the courtesies of the occasion, it was also a reminder of the urgent responsibility before all who seek a better Nigeria: to put the welfare, dignity and future of our people first’.

Atiku said families across the country are being stretched by the rising cost of food, transport, education, healthcare and other basic necessities.

He said the country needs an economy that rewards hard work and restores opportunity.

‘Across our country, families are being stretched by the rising cost of food, transport, education, healthcare and other basic necessities. Nigerians deserve an economy that rewards hard work, restores opportunity and allows every family to live with dignity and hope. That is the Nigeria we must build together, a country that works for its people again,’ he said.

He added: ‘We must ease the burden, restore hope and Make Nigeria Affordable Again.’

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, has held engagements with major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and aviation stakeholders from across the world at the second edition of the El Alamein International Airshow in Egypt.

The airshow was presided over by the president of the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who was accompanied by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, His Excellency Nikos Christodoulides.

The event provided a significant platform for Nigeria to deepen strategic relationships with leading players in the global aviation industry and explore opportunities to accelerate the development and modernisation of the country’s aviation sector.

According to the Minister, the engagements with major OEMs afforded Nigeria the opportunity to discuss practical areas of collaboration, particularly in upgrading aviation infrastructure across the country.

‘The occasion afforded us the opportunity to meet major OEMs from around the world and engage in discussions regarding upgrading our aviation infrastructure across the country. These engagements are important as we continue to position Nigeria’s aviation industry for greater efficiency, safety, competitiveness and sustainable growth.’

The Minister also met with the Saudi Arabian delegation, where discussions centred on early preparations for next year’s Hajj operations.

The engagement is expected to contribute to improved planning and coordination ahead of the 2027 Hajj season, particularly in areas relating to air transportation and the seamless movement of Nigerian pilgrims.

The minister emphasised the importance of beginning preparations early to ensure that the aviation component of next year’s Hajj is efficiently coordinated and delivers a smoother experience for Nigerian pilgrims.

The death toll from the consumption of suspected toxic herbal drinks in Ondo State has risen to 49, with no fewer than 170 people reportedly affected across three local government areas of the state.

The latest development came barely days after 24 residents of Araromi-Obu and Odigbo communities in Odigbo Local Government Area were reported dead after consuming the suspected herbal substance.

Chairman of Odigbo Local Government, Mr Taiwo Adegoroye, had disclosed that eight people initially died in Araromi-Obu while 16 others lost their lives in Odigbo town.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka, who confirmed the figure rose from 29 to 49 as of Wednesday, said the situation in the council area had subsided following the prompt intervention of the state and local government medical teams.

Ajaka, while speaking on the telephone, told our reporter that the health crisis had spread to Irele Local Government Area, where eight people had reportedly died.

He said, ‘As we are now, Irele is where we have a serious issue. Our people were there and many people have died. About eight people have been confirmed as of last night.

‘So all the people that have been affected altogether now is about 170, those that have been admitted and those that have died.’

Ajaka reiterated that the crisis was linked to the consumption of ethanol by the victims, adding that the state government had intensified efforts to prevent its spread to other parts of the state.

He said medical and health officials, alongside other stakeholders, had been deployed to communities whenever reports of suspected cases were received.

‘We are always fast about it. Wherever and whenever we hear the report of the issue, our teams are already in Irele as I’m talking to you now,’ the commissioner said.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State Police Command has arrested a man, Oloruntoba Babatunde, popularly known as ‘Meko,’ over the production of a herbal liquid substance suspected to have caused the deaths.

The command also arrested 14 other persons for allegedly violating the ban imposed on the sale of herbal products in the affected areas.

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abayomi Jimoh, the police said investigation had commenced into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The command added that the bodies of the deceased were undergoing necessary medical and forensic procedures.

‘The Ondo State Police Command has contained the situation arising from reported cases of sudden and unnatural deaths involving youths in Araromi-Obu, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, following sustained security, medical and investigative interventions,’ the statement said.

It added that the arrest of Babatunde followed allegations that he was involved in the production of substances suspected to contain methanol.

The police said the suspect was assisting investigators in unravelling the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its strike following approval by Governor Senator Uba Sani to implement the 2025 FGN/ASUU agreement as well as the University Governing Council and Management approval to commence the payment of the accrued nine-month arrears, covering the period from January to September 2027.

This was contained in a statement issued by the chairman, Comrade Abubakar Abdullahi and secretary, Comrade Silas Amos Bakut, made available to newsmen in Kaduna Thursday night.

The statement noted that ‘Congress Met on Thursday, 17th of September, 2026, deliberated on the approvals from Government and Council of KASU, and unanimously resolved to accept the offers.

It further maintained that ‘based on the conditions mentioned above, they resolved to suspend the ongoing strike action in the branch, effective 12.01 am, 18th September, 2026.’

The union thanked the governor for approving the implementation of the 2025 FGN/ASUU approval, saying, ‘We wish to express our profound appreciation to His Excellency, the Executive Governor, for granting approval for the implementation of the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement at Kaduna State University (KASU).

‘We believe that this significant gesture, among other initiatives, demonstrates your commitment to ensuring that KASU remains one of the leading universities in Nigeria, particularly in the area of staff welfare.

‘We equally commend the members of the Government Negotiation Team for their dedication, commitment, and prompt attention to the issues under consideration. The Union sincerely appreciates and salutes your efforts.

‘We also wish to express our appreciation to the Management of Kaduna State University for providing the necessary information, documents, and support to both the Government Negotiation Team and the ASUU-KASU Team, which greatly contributed to the resolution of the issues at hand.

‘Most importantly, we wish to acknowledge and commend the Government and the Management of KASU for the patience, restraint, and understanding demonstrated throughout the period of the strike action.

‘It is worthy of note that neither the Union nor its members were subjected to threats or intimidation by the Government or University Management during the dispute.

‘This represents a significant departure from experiences in the past. The Union was allowed to exhaust its established internal procedures in both commencing and suspending the strike action.

‘We consider this approach a positive demonstration of respect for due process, constructive engagement, and industrial relations,’ the statement noted.