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CAN reacts to conviction of christian woman in Borno

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed concern over the reported conviction and imprisonment of a Christian woman, Lami Samuel Dawa, in Borno State.

In a statement signed by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, CAN said it was concerned by reports that the case was linked to the woman’s decision to convert from Islam to Christianity.

However, the association said the exact details of the case and the legal reasons for her conviction were still being verified.

CAN disclosed that an appeal had been filed and said it would allow the legal process to continue.

The association said the case raises important questions about religious freedom and the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution.

It stressed that every person has the right to choose, change or practise their religion without force, intimidation or unlawful punishment.

CAN called on the relevant authorities to protect the rights of everyone involved and ensure that justice is served in line with the Constitution and the law.

The Christian body also said it would continue to monitor the case and engage with the relevant authorities through legal and other appropriate channels.

CAN reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful coexistence among Nigerians of different religious backgrounds and the protection of every citizen’s fundamental rights and freedoms.

Ododo reaffirms commitment to N31bn Lokoja international market

The Kogi State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to completing the ?31 billion Lokoja International Ultra-Modern Market in Zone 8, describing the project as a strategic investment aimed at easing traffic congestion around Nataco Junction and boosting commercial activities in the state.

Governor Ahmed Ododo gave the assurance during an inspection of the ongoing project over the weekend, expressing satisfaction with the level of work and pledging his administration’s continued support for its timely completion.

Located along Hassan Katsina Road, the 25-hectare market is designed to accommodate traders from seven existing markets across Lokoja.

The facility will feature modern shops, warehouses, market halls, banking facilities, a clinic, a fire station, a food court, an abattoir, security infrastructure, as well as designated parking and loading areas.

The project, being handled by SABC Construction Limited, is expected to provide a lasting solution to persistent traffic congestion and safety challenges around the existing International Market at Nataco Junction.

By relocating trading activities to a more organised environment, the new market is expected to improve traffic flow, enhance road safety and create a better business atmosphere for traders, customers and transport operators.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, alongside other relevant government agencies, is providing supervisory oversight to ensure quality construction and compliance with approved standards.

With an estimated investment of ?31 billion and financing support through Sukuk, the project is expected to generate employment, stimulate local businesses, improve the movement of goods and services, and strengthen Lokoja’s position as a major commercial gateway connecting Northern and Southern Nigeria.

The market, which has a 2027 completion target, represents one of the significant investments in the state’s commercial infrastructure under the Ododo administration.

Its successful delivery is expected to transform the commercial landscape of Lokoja, particularly by addressing the longstanding congestion around Nataco Junction while providing traders with modern facilities and a more conducive business environment.

The government is also expected to establish an effective management and maintenance framework to guarantee the sustainability of the facility after completion.

Lagos warns residents against dumping refuse in canals as flood risks rise

The Lagos State Government has warned residents against dumping refuse into canals and drainage channels, cautioning that the practice worsens flooding and undermines efforts to maintain a clean and healthy environment.

The warning was issued on Saturday during the October edition of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, which was monitored by the wife of the governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, in the Ajina area of Ikorodu Local Government Area, and the Head of Service, Mr Bode Agoro, in Ikeja.

Mrs Sanwo-Olu urged residents of Ikorodu to sustain the sanitation exercise beyond the last Saturday of every month, expressing hope that the local government would emerge as the cleanest in the state.

She stressed the importance of continuous public sensitisation in promoting environmental cleanliness, noting that changing people’s attitudes towards sanitation requires sustained efforts.

The governor’s wife encouraged residents to adopt proper sanitation practices in their homes, schools, markets and communities, emphasising that keeping Lagos clean was a collective responsibility.

She also commended residents, particularly children, youths, market traders and environmental sanitation workers, for their active participation in the exercise and their early turnout to clean their surroundings.

Speaking with journalists after the monitoring exercise in Ikeja, Agoro said Saturday’s exercise was the seventh since March. He urged local government chairmen and their executives to mobilise residents and intensify efforts to improve environmental cleanliness.

He described sanitation as a continuous responsibility and expressed concern that government officials observed some residents dumping refuse into canals during the exercise.

According to him, the Ministry of the Environment had been notified to clear the affected canals, while arrangements were being made to reconstruct a canal in the area in consultation with the relevant drainage authorities.

Agoro, however, warned that clearing the canals would have little impact if residents continued to dispose of waste indiscriminately.

The Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Mr Akeem Dauda, said the council had been sensitising communities on the need to stop dumping refuse into canals and other unauthorised locations.

Dauda commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for sustaining the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, describing it as an important platform for mobilising residents and promoting environmental responsibility.

The sanitation exercise in Ikeja covered Onilekere Street, Saidu Street, Olumo Street, Ijesha Close and Olúkòyí Street.

Meanwhile, the state government has introduced an environmental sanitation competition among all local government areas to encourage cleanliness and promote healthier environmental practices.

Under the initiative, the local governments will compete for recognition as the cleanest in Lagos State, with the winner expected to be announced soon.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr Tunbosun Ogunbanwo; and members of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) also participated in the exercise.

Suspected NPA leader slain in South Cotabato encounter

A suspected leader of the Regional Instructors Bureau of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in an encounter with the military and police in Polomolok, South Cotabato Friday evening.

Brig. Gen. Edgar Catu, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, identified the fatality as Noel Pamaong, also known by the aliases ‘Lauro’ and ‘Santi.’

He had an outstanding warrant of arrest for multiple attempted homicide issued on July 6, 2023, by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 26 in Surallah, South Cotabato.

Pamatong reportedly resisted arrest and traded shots with lawmen, forcing soldiers to return fire.

Catu said the operation was carried out by personnel of the Army’s 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade, led by Brig. Gen. Omar V. Orozco, and the 603rd Infantry Brigade, under Col. Manuel Leo Q. Gador and operatives of the South Cotabato Police Provincial Office (PPO).

During the operation, authorities recovered a .45-caliber pistol and a hand grenade.

Catu, also commander of Joint Task Force Central, underscored the importance of close coordination among security forces in conducting law enforcement operations.

Catu commended the personnel of the 1st Mechanized Brigade and 603rd Infantry Brigade, as well as the South Cotabato Police Provincial Office and the local residents who continue to support efforts to maintain peace and security in their respective areas of responsibility.

Catu said the follow-up operation is ongoing to locate Pamatong’s companions still in the mountains of South Cotabato.

Why Power ?sector privatisation failed – Nnaji

A former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, has said one of the major challenges facing Distribution Companies (DisCos) was the failure of government to allow them to operate on cost-reflective tariffs as promised during the 2012/2013 privatisation exercise.

Nnaji, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Geometric Power, said this while speaking at the third edition of the Lagos Country Club Business Forum on Friday evening in Lagos.

The was held under the theme, ‘Energy Costs and Business Survival’.

He identified tariff challenges, irregularities in the privatisation process and investors’ quest for quick returns as major factors responsible for the failure of Nigeria’s power sector privatisation.

Nnaji said that investors had committed funds to the DisCos based on the understanding that tariffs would reflect the actual cost of electricity supply.

‘In preparation for privatisation, I had gone to former President Goodluck Jonathan to tell him that no investor would come to Nigeria unless we had cost-reflective tariffs.

‘People may not remember that the tariff before June 2012 was N6 per kilowatt-hour.

‘ My team and I raised it in one go to N22 per kilowatt-hour,’ he said.

He explained that his team engaged traditional rulers, government officials and other stakeholders to prepare the public for the tariff adjustment.

According to him, the government also adopted a strategy to protect low-income earners and rural dwellers, who consumed a relatively small proportion of electricity.

He said that a strong desire for immediate and huge profits contributed to the abuses recorded during the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) assets in 2013.

Nnaji described the abuse of the process as a major reason for the poor state of the electricity sector 13 years after privatisation.

He added that the manner in which the exercise was conducted also posed risks to the Nigerian banking system.

‘If not for the Federal Government’s intervention through subsidies, the power sector loans, which now amount to more than N7 trillion, according to the Association of Power Generation Companies of

Nigeria, the major banks that participated in the privatisation might have gone under,’ he said.

Nnaji noted that electricity business required huge capital investment, patience and a long gestation period.

He said that some investments in the sector could take between seven and 10 years to break even and become profitable.

He added that commitment to addressing the country’s electricity deficit should be as important as the profit motive.

At Geometric Power, he said, the priority was to provide reliable electricity to support manufacturing firms, hospitals, laboratories, schools, markets and other businesses.

He said that the company’s investment philosophy aligned with the World Economic Forum’s advocacy for businesses to embrace a stakeholder-oriented approach that considered the interests of society beyond shareholders.

Earlier, Mrs Ifeoma Ukabiala, Senior Energy Executive and Managing Partner of JDR Energy Ltd., said that manufacturers spent about N1.35 trillion on alternative power sources in 2025.

She said that businesses were forced to switch to diesel whenever the national grid failed.

Ukabiala expressed concern that despite Nigeria’s proven gas reserves of about 215 trillion cubic feet as of January 2026, many Nigerians still depended on firewood for cooking.

Also speaking, the immediate past President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr Seyi Adewunmi, described the forum’s theme as timely, saying it addressed a major challenge confronting businesses across the country.

In his welcome address, the President of Lagos Country Club, Adewunmi, said the club, established in 1949, had remained committed to providing a platform for discussions on issues affecting businesses, communities and national development.

He said that the Business Forum was part of the club’s commitment to promoting meaningful conversations beyond recreation and social interaction.

Adewunmi noted that grid failures, rising fuel prices and increasing operational costs had brought the Nigerian economy to a critical crossroads.

CCPI inflation rises to 8.3% in Oct.

Sri Lanka’s Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI)-based headline inflation accelerated to 8.3% year-on-year (YoY) in October from 8% in September, rising above the three-year high recorded in the previous two months and staying above the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s (CBSL) 5% ±2% target band for a fourth consecutive month.

Headline inflation has risen from 7.3% in July, when it first breached the upper limit of the band, and from 2.1% in October 2025.

In a statement yesterday, the CBSL said food inflation rose marginally to 8.8% in October from 8.7% in September, while non-food inflation increased to 8% from 7.7%.

On a month-on-month basis, the CCPI rose 0.35% in October, up from 0.19% in September. The non-food category contributed 0.33 percentage points, largely owing to higher prices in the restaurants and hotels category, while food contributed a marginal 0.02 percentage points.

Among subcategories, transport inflation rose to 17.6% from 16.3% and restaurants and hotels to 13.4% from 11.5%. Health inflation eased to 2.6% from 4%.

Core inflation, which strips out volatile items such as food and energy, accelerated to 5.6% YoY in October from 5.4% in September and 5.1% in August. Annual average headline inflation rose to 5% from 4.5%.

According to projections made at the September monetary policy round, headline inflation is expected to remain in high single digits through the first quarter of 2027 before easing towards the 5% target, and to remain around the target over the medium term. The CBSL said the projections are conditional on, among other assumptions, the effects of tensions in the Middle East and their spillovers gradually dissipating.

The 5% target, first agreed under the Monetary Policy Framework Agreement (MPFA) between the CBSL and the Minister of Finance in October 2023, was retained under a new MPFA signed this month.

EDITORIAL – Hard, soft, shadow pork

With inflation accelerating, the peso weakening, economic growth slowing and the government’s debt rising to a new record high of P19.66 trillion as of end-September, there should be greater pressure for the judicious use of public funds.

As of end-June, sluggish gross domestic product growth and increased borrowings had already pushed up the debt-to-GDP ratio to a 21-year high of 66 percent.

Fiscal prudence starts with the proper allocation of public funds. It takes many months for executive agencies, working with development planners, to put together the annual national expenditure program. Budgeting for the NEP is supposed to be guided by strategic and cohesive planning.

And yet the nation has seen, over and over again, myopic, self-serving interests of individual lawmakers dominating the budget process, and wreaking havoc on any attempt to inject strategic objectives in the utilization of limited public funds.

Despite the scandal over massive corruption arising from the looting that had apparently been institutionalized in the crafting of the annual national budget, the 2027 General Appropriations Bill crafted by the House of Representatives indicates that congressmen are unmoved by public outrage.

Budget watchdogs have flagged over P1 trillion in questionable items inserted or realigned from the NEP by House members in their version of the GAB.

The People’s Budget Coalition described the flagged items as hard, soft and shadow pork barrel.

‘Hard’ pork refers to P695 billion mostly in lump sums for infrastructure projects including multipurpose buildings and farm-to-market roads that lack clear documentation, cost justifications and science-based planning.

‘Soft’ pork refers to P210 billion in social assistance or ayuda used for patronage and distributed through discretionary referrals of politicians.

‘Shadow’ pork refers to P112 billion in unprogrammed or standby appropriations that can be released with wide discretion.

The red flags have prompted even the business community to issue a statement of concern over the mangling of the proposed outlay for 2027.

Last Thursday, over 30 business groups issued a joint statement, urging Congress to remove the flagged insertions and correct the questionable realignments. The groups also called for the restoration of P130 billion in funding for foreign-assisted projects. The delayed implementation of FAPs due to the withdrawal of counterpart funding is costing the country billions in commitment fees and other penalties.

The Senate can still respond to public concerns and put an end to unconscionable business as usual in the budget process.

Kings bamboozle Beermen to move within win semis sweep

With the manner of how they won Game 2, Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone is quite surprised with the way his Gin Kings have taken a 2-0 lead over San Miguel Beer in their best-of-five PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinal series.

Not that he doesn’t want it.

‘We didn’t even dream that we would be able to get out even 1-1, much less 2-0, so we’re definitely on a roll,’ Cone said after a 126-99 rout of the Beermen at Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Friday. ‘Our offense is clicking and guys are locked in defensively.’

‘We’re just trying to keep pressure on San Miguel, keep attacking and keep going at them.’

A near triple-double from import Jordan Murphy, the outside shooting of RJ Abarrientos and Stephen Holt, the all-around work of Scottie Thompson, plus defensive effort from Isaac Go enabled Ginebra to move a win shy of advancing to the semifinals despite a rough start to the conference.

‘So far, it’s working, and I really don’t have any complaints at this point,’ Cone said.

Ginebra can go for the sweep on Tuesday down south, when the PBA makes a rare return to Dasmariñas, Cavite. And Cone wants to make sure his Kings won’t give the Beermen a lifeline.

‘Two games don’t make a series, as we all know, we’ve heard this many times before,’ he added.

Murphy had 33 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as the Gin Kings continued their turnaround since he arrived as a replacement for Riley Grigsby. The import known for muscling his way inside has led Ginebra to five wins in six appearances.

San Miguel couldn’t solve just Murphy’s play, but Ginebra as a collective unit. The Beermen would eventually fall to a big margin in the second half that they could not get over.

And now the Beermen will look to at least extend the series to a fourth game, even after a defeat that seemed like a stinger, psychologically.

Meanwhile, NLEx and TNT seek a sweep of their respective series on Sunday at the same venue.

NLEx will take a crack at becoming the first team to qualify for the semis in their 5:15 p.m. meeting with Phoenix in Game 3 before TNT tries to bring out the broom against Magnolia at 7:30 p.m.

The Road Warriors gained a 2-0 lead last Wednesday with a 124-117 win in Antipolo, but they remain wary given their experience of squandering previous quarterfinal advantages in the past.

‘Excited to be this close, but we can’t think too much about it because anything can happen. It’s a best-of-five series,’ said NLEx gunner Robert Bolick.

Conflicted

Members of the Senate sit as judges in the impeachment case involving the Vice President. It is not a good look if any of those sitting as judges remain silent about the possibility that they are named to replace Vice President Sara Duterte in the event of conviction.

There is clearly a conflict of interest situation when the judge is potentially a beneficiary of his decision. Any judgment by a chamber composed of potential beneficiaries of the outcome cannot be credible.

The impeachment trial is curious to begin with. This is the first time a vice president – normally a powerless post – is being tried. And by a chamber of elected politicians, some of whom with unremarkable records for probity. She was impeached by an even rowdier chamber: the Lower House, which is now on trial in the court of public opinion for mangling the national budget.

Public interest in the trial is tepid at best. Our citizens have not bothered to closely observe trial proceedings. Only a minority, according to the surveys, believe the judgment will be fair. A plurality thinks the defense has done a better job – even as their formal presentation has yet to begin.

I think this is a useless exercise perpetrated by those who had the power but not the credibility to properly lead. Whatever the final outcome will be, everybody loses. The nation is distracted while the economy sinks. This whole circus will likely backfire, producing deep polarization in a country that needs to unite to solve a rapidly worsening crisis.

To address the taint of a possibly conflicted chamber, Sen. Francis Escudero declared he was unavailable to replace Sara Duterte in the event she is convicted. Sen. Alan Cayetano seconded the trial presiding officer, challenging all the senator-judges to declare they would refuse appointment to Sara’s post. This should discourage perception that the Senate arrived at a judgment from a conflicted position.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Claire Castro, silent about Escudero’s disavowal of interest, joined in chorus to denounce Cayetano’s seconding of the motion. A collective disavowal of interest in succession, the duo argued, restricts the President’s power to name the successor.

Which was not the issue. The President can name his own son if he wants to. The issue is the taint of conflict of interest that hangs like a dark cloud over the trial. This has to be addressed somehow.

We have seen enough hypocrisy in this contrived impeachment. Most understand this is nothing more than a cynical ploy to prevent a popular Vice President from becoming elected successor.

It is a ploy contrived by those guilty of worse crimes against our people.

Chief Justice

A fateful decision is coming up. The Judicial and Bar Council has submitted to the President its shortlist for Chief Justice. The incumbent retires just over a week from today.

The Supreme Court has become a more vital institution than usual. Both the presidency and Congress have lost legitimacy in our people’s eyes the past few years. Public opinion polls show net negative ratings for these two branches of government. This is understandable, considering the volume of scandal, mediocrity and brazenness that infected them.

The Supreme Court, on the other hand, repeatedly championed rights and due process the past few years when it seemed governance has run awry. The Court declared the first impeachment of Sara Duterte unconstitutional. The Court reversed the arbitrary decision to take money away from PhilHealth to use for purposes other than public health. Most recently, the Court declared unconstitutional the congressional practice of using ‘unprogrammed allocations’ to inflate the budget and move funds to pork barrel projects.

There are many layers of consideration in choosing the Chief Justice. Judicial philosophy is a consideration. Seniority is another. Legal scholarship needs to be assessed. Professional reputation is indispensable.

We had trouble in the past when seniority was brashly ignored. There was even bigger trouble when appointment to the highest judicial post was seen as animated by narrow political considerations.

Many see the Supreme Court as the last fully functioning branch of our tripartite government. The other two appear to have been overrun by corruption and incompetence such that we are intently waiting for 2028 for change to happen.

The Supreme Court these days is more than merely the court of last resort. It is seen as the reliable guardian of a genuinely constitutional political order. Without its guiding wisdom, we could be wandering in some dark space between tyranny and kleptocracy.

Needless to say, the choice of the next Chief Justice must be as solid as possible. The next leader of the judiciary must steer a fraught path, retaining its institutional credibility instead of being sunk by the waves of politicking. The choice the the next Chief Justice could be the last opportunity for Marcos Jr. to pay our democracy a lasting tribute.

The rumor is that the frontrunner for the highest judicial post is Rodil Zalameda. He is seventh in seniority and is said to be in contention because he penned two decisions favorable to the President’s family: the 2023 ruling that threw out the P41-billion ill-gotten wealth case against the Marcoses and Lucio Tan and this year’s decision that reversed Imelda Marcos’ 2018 graft conviction.

He may have other sterling credentials. But these two cases will invite public interpretation that the choice was political.