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A suspected serial phone thief and pickpocket, simply identified as Francis, has been arrested by members of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Service for stealing 17 mobile phones at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa, the venue of Governor Douye Diri’s defection ceremony.

Governor Diri and most members of the State House of Assembly had on Monday officially dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in a ceremony attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, state governors, and other key political office holders in the country.

The chairman of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Service, Doubiye Alagba, who led the operation, said the suspect had been handed over to operatives of Operation Puff Adder of the Bayelsa State Police Command for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Alagba stated that the suspect confessed to having travelled into the state from Rivers State specifically to exploit the massive political gathering.

He explained that the suspect was arrested after a special tactical squad of the vigilante outfit discreetly monitored his suspicious movements within the crowd.

He said, ”Upon search, 17 mobile phones, N91,000 cash, and multiple ATM cards were recovered from a bag in his possession.”

He said, according to preliminary confessional statements obtained from the suspect, he was working in tandem with other accomplices who narrowly escaped arrest.

He revealed that the suspect further alleged that they had already stolen over N400,000 worth of cash before operatives closed in, adding that the fugitive accomplice was in possession of even more stolen devices.

Alagba further warned that criminal elements must steer clear of Bayelsa State, stressing that his gallant officers are specially trained in intelligence gathering,

behavioral observation, and event environment surveillance.

The NOG Energy Week Conference and Exhibition, has unveiled plans for the 2026 edition, marking the 25th anniversary of the oil and gas industry event.

Taking place from 5 – 9 July 2026 at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, it will bring together global energy leaders, policymakers, financiers, and innovators.

Marking its 25th anniversary, NOG Energy Week has, for a quarter of a century, been the definitive platform where Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa’s energy future has been debated, shaped, and accelerated.

Since its inception, the event has provided a trusted space for dialogue, partnerships, and dealmaking across the oil, gas, LNG, power, renewables, and emerging technology value chains. Its legacy includes advancing local content, fostering strategic alliances, catalysing multibillion-dollar investments, and accelerating progress toward a secure and sustainable energy future.

Commenting on the milestone, Wemimo Oyelana, Country Director – Nigeria and Portfolio Director – Energy for dmg Nigeria events, said: ‘The 2026 edition of NOG Energy Week is not just a celebration of this remarkable journey but a decisive moment to align leaders and chart the course for the next phase of Africa’s energy progress. NOG Energy Week is a dynamic space where ideas converge, investments are catalysed, and partnerships are born.’

It stated that the 2026 edition will continue to build on this impact by offering a comprehensive programme that includes the Strategic Conference, Technical Seminar, Nigerian Content Seminar, International Exhibition, Energy Awards, Energy Club, and Leadership Roundtables.

Each platform is designed to address immediate challenges and opportunities across the industry, from strengthening energy security and financing to advancing decarbonisation and industrialisation.

The Emir of Kano and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Muhammadu Sanusi II, has warned that Nigeria’s economic growth may not be translating into improved living standards for its citizens.

Sanusi said this yesterday in Lagos while delivering the keynote address at the 7th African International Conference on Islamic Finance (AICIF), themed ‘Africa Emerging: A Prosperous and Inclusive Outlook.’

The conference was organised by Metropolitan Law and Metropolitan Skills Ltd in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Sanusi noted that while headline economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and inflation figures may appear impressive, they often mask worsening living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.

‘Economists tend to take a helicopter view of GDP and inflation numbers. These are beautiful statistics, but too often we lose sight of the small numbers that are absolutely crucial.

‘A GDP growth rate of 5% or 6% may look good, but if it comes from one niche sector, the vast majority of the population could be getting poorer while GDP is growing. Inflation may decline, but the prices of basic food and medicines consumed by the poor may still be rising,’ he said.

The emir called on Islamic financial institutions to drive inclusive growth by targeting the informal and rural sectors.

‘Islamic financial institutions need to go to the bottom of the pyramid. You cannot talk about inclusivity if you are not where the people are. Sitting in Lagos or Abuja and booking loans does not improve the lives of people in rural areas,’ he said.

He urged the sector to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs)-including artisans, tailors, and small business owners-who employ the majority of Nigerians.

Sanusi also challenged Islamic finance operators to be more ambitious in mobilising capital and expanding their reach, saying, ‘That is the only way these instruments can truly reach the grassroots.’

Citing global projections, he said by 2050, 85% of the world’s poor will live in Africa, with Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo accounting for half of that figure, and 70% of Nigeria’s poor residing in the North.

He further urged Islamic finance practitioners to address cultural practices that marginalise women, noting that empowering women is key to achieving shared prosperity in Africa.

A recent commentary describing Nigeria’s violence as a ‘Christian genocide’ demands a broader and more factual reflection. While every act of violence against innocent Nigerians must be condemned, it is inaccurate to frame the nation’s complex insecurity through a single religious lens. The painful truth is that both Christians and Muslims have suffered immense losses in equal measure under the weight of terrorism, banditry, and weak governance.

The Boko Haram insurgency, which began in 2009, has killed and displaced millions across the North-East. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP, 2021) report titled Assessing the Impact of Conflict on Development in North-East Nigeria, the insurgency had led to more than 350,000 deaths, the vast majority being Muslim civilians in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States. Similarly, the International Crisis Group (ICG, 2022) noted that Boko Haram has deliberately targeted mosques, traditional rulers, and Islamic scholars who reject its extremist ideology.

Beyond Boko Haram, widespread banditry in the North-West has inflicted untold suffering on mostly Muslim communities. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED, 2023) recorded over 13,000 fatalities linked to bandit-related violence in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Niger, and Kebbi States since 2011. Thousands of women and children have been abducted, and millions displaced according to UNHCR (2023) data.

The Middle Belt and parts of North-Central Nigeria have indeed witnessed horrendous attacks on Christian farming communities. These crimes are indefensible. However, similar tragedies have also struck Muslim pastoralist and farming communities across the country. To single out one religious group as the sole victim not only distorts the truth but deepens polarization.

What Nigeria faces today is not a religious war it is a national security and governance failure. The Global Terrorism Index (GTI, 2024) ranks Nigeria among the top ten countries most affected by terrorism, reflecting systemic weaknesses in intelligence, justice, and rural security architecture. Until the government demonstrates effective control over all its territory, extremists and criminals will continue to exploit ethnic and religious divides for their own ends.

Our moral duty is to uphold truth and unity. Nigeria’s tragedy is collective Muslim, Christian, and otherwise. The government must fulfil its constitutional obligation to protect every citizen, without bias or excuse. No region or religion holds a monopoly on pain. The only valid narrative is one that recognizes the suffering of all Nigerians and demands justice for every victim.

A brawl erupted after a tenant, identified as Benard Moses, and a caretaker exchanged heavy blows over outstanding house rent in the Lambata community of the Kwali Area Council in the FCT.

According to a neighbour, Benjamin Auta, the altercation ensued on Monday night after the caretaker used an extra padlock to lock the tenant’s room.

Auta said the tenant had been directed to evacuate his property from the house for failing to pay the balance of the rent.

He said upon returning from work, the tenant discovered his room has been locked with an extra padlock.

The neighbour further explained that the tenant then proceeded to meet the caretaker at his residence within the community and challenged him for using the extra lock.

‘I was inside my room when I heard them shouting loudly at each other. And before I realized what was happening, a fight broke out between them,’ Auta said.

According to Auta, the caretaker had previously issued a quit notice to the tenant to evacuate his property for failing to pay the six months’ remaining balance, which prompted the caretaker to lock the room.

He said the fight stopped only after the intervention of some neighbours who alerted the vigilantes.

The vigilantes arrived at the compound to separate the two men, Auta added.

According to Auta, ‘The caretaker later told the vigilantes who came to intervene that the tenant was owing him a six-month balance and had refused to pay, which he said angered him and led him to lock the room.’ A member of the vigilante group, simply identified as Yakubu, said the matter has been reported to the police.

A police source at the Kwali division confirmed the incident, stating that the matter is currently being investigated.

A group of concerned staff within the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has called on the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to stop the ongoing Vice-Chancellorship selection process at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti

The group who called on the Minister to investigate the process and initiate a more credible exercise accused management of the institution of attempting to hasten the ongoing Vice-Chancellorship selection exercise.

A member of the group said all seems set to announce the preferred candidate of the VC and the Council Chairman as the new Vice-Chancellor.

He said that 78 candidates applied for the Vice-Chancellorship position and they claimed to have shortlisted 10 candidates.

‘These guys are working tremendously to seal their plan in appointing their stooge as VC,’ he said.

‘They have selected 10 candidates for the interview and sealed a plan to announce him tomorrow.

‘Can you imagine? how will you interview 10 people in a day and announce one same day?

‘What criteria do they use to shortlist these 10 candidates?

‘What is the transparency criteria they used?’

As of the time of filing this report, the school authorities had not responded to the allegation.

A United Kingdom based Benue scholar, Dr. Peter Atorough, has proposed the establishment of a Benue in Diaspora Investment Trust (BIDI Trust), a public-private partnership aimed at channeling the financial power, global expertise, and entrepreneurial capacity of Benue indigenes abroad into large-scale economic development in the state.

Atorough in an open letter to Governor Hyacinth Alia, on Tuesday made this known while he commended the administration’s rapid transformation efforts and urged the government to consolidate gains through a formal investment structure that engages the estimated 250,000 Benue indigenes living in the diaspora.

He noted that the proposal, the BIDI Trust would serve as a structured investment platform enabling diaspora members to fund commercially viable and high-impact projects in collaboration with the state government.

The initiative, he said, could mobilise up to $250 million annually and, with government match funding, potentially exceed $3.75 billion over a decade.

He disclosed that the Trust designed around two investment models to include the SME Mini-Projects Model, allowing individuals and cooperatives to invest between $10,000 and $100,000, supported by government grants or low-interest loans.

He described the second model as the Large-Scale Projects Model, targeting high-net-worth investors and corporations with stakes from $100,000 to $10 million in major infrastructure, energy, and industrial ventures.

Atorough emphasised that the initiative would accelerate job creation, modernise agribusiness, and promote industrial growth, while operating through a robust governance framework that includes representatives of the government, diaspora organisations, and private sector experts.

He further drew inspiration from international success stories such as Kerala’s Pravasi Welfare Fund in India and Ethiopia’s Diaspora Bond, stressing that the BIDI Trust could position Benue as a model for diaspora-driven investment in Nigeria.

‘The BIDI Trust offers a unique opportunity to integrate our global Benue community into the state’s development story. It will transform remittances into structured, transparent, and sustainable investments that secure a lasting economic legacy,’ Atorough posited.

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has asked Nigeria’s tertiary institutions to seek its approval for all contractual expenditures.

The bureau’s Director-General/CEO, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, said the directive was to curb financial irregularities and strengthen transparency in public spending.

He spoke on Monday during a stakeholder engagement with heads of tertiary institutions, agencies, bursars, and procurement directors in Abuja.

Procurement can make or mar you. It is an enabler, not a stumbling block,’ he said, insisting that the BPP must approve all spending in tertiary institutions and that the outcomes of tenders must be duly communicated to their governing councils.

Dr. Adedokun further warned against the unauthorized replacement of procurement officers, stressing that no institution has the right to make such changes without the Bureau’s approval.

He also condemned the practice of awarding contracts based on preliminary designs or engaging external consultants when qualified in-house officers are available, describing such actions as violations of procurement law. He reiterated the Bureau’s commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, and efficiency in public procurement, adding that compliance with established procedures is non-negotiable. In his address to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the BPP Director-General also directed that the Ministry of Education, like all other ministries, must begin submitting quarterly reports of all contracts awarded to the Bureau for review. This, he said, will enhance oversight, ensure value for money, and strengthen integrity across government-funded projects.

Meanwhile, the federal government has announced that future funding and support for Nigeria’s tertiary institutions will now depend on their transparency and accountability performance.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this in Abuja during the launch of the Federal Tertiary Institutions Governance and Transparency Portal (FTIGTP), describing the initiative as a ‘new dawn of transparency and accountability’ in the education sector.

The FTIGTP, a digital reform tool, aims to transform how universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education report and manage public funds.

Dr. Alausa stated that institutions demonstrating responsible financial management, timely reporting, and efficient resource use will henceforth receive priority in government funding and intervention. ‘We can no longer continue to fund opacity,’ he stressed.

He explained that the platform ends decades of fragmented data management by providing a unified, real-time system covering student enrolment, funding, TETFund allocations, research grants, and performance indicators.

The FTIGTP, he added, is more than a data tool-it’s a reform mechanism for better planning, budgeting, and international credibility.

The minister emphasized that all institutions must comply by submitting accurate data every first quarter of the year, noting that transparency metrics will directly influence access to grants and interventions.

Armed bandits have reportedly opened fire on a commercial bus along the Ijowa-Mopo Road in the Isanlu community of Yagba East Local Government Area (LGA) of Kogi State, injuring many of the occupants.

The incident, our correspondent learnt, occurred on Sunday around 9 pm when the suspected bandits opened fire upon sighting the bus, which was fully loaded with passengers on the highway.

According to initial reports, the passengers all managed to escape the attack, but several of them sustained gunshot injuries.

‘The driver of the bus negotiated out of the barricade of their attackers amidst gunfire. All the passengers fled for safety as the driver managed the vehicle to a halt; however, some of them sustained injuries in the ensuing confusion,’ said a man who wished to be simply identified as Adeyemo in the Isanlu community.

He added, ‘But with the help of the security operatives, they returned to the scene on Monday morning to recover the luggage they left behind.’

The source further hinted that one victim, said to have sustained a life-threatening gunshot wound from the alleged attack, has been admitted to a hospital in Isanlu.

The chairman of Yagba East Local Government, Dare Joshua, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday.

‘The Yagba East LG chairman visited the victim of the bandits’ attack along Ijowa-Mopo Road on November 2, this morning at General Hospital, Isanlu, and has offset the total medical expenses incurred by the victim,’ the statement read.

The statement added that the chairman also approved the use of the local government’s ambulance, including fueling it to and from Lokoja to ensure a smooth transfer for further medical care.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP William Aya, did not respond to calls and a text message sent to him on the incident.

The opposition in Lagos has criticised what it calls a ‘carefully scripted succession’ in Agege Local Government after Abdul-Ganiyu Vinod Obasa, son of Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, assumed office as acting chairman.

Obasa, who served as vice chairman, stepped in after the council chairman, Hon. Tunde Azeez, went on medical leave barely a month after his swearing-in on July 26, 2025. His takeover has stirred controversy among opposition parties, who claim it reflects a pre-arranged political plan.

The immediate past Lagos State Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC), Ayo Oni, said the development confirmed their earlier warnings about political manipulation in the July 12 local government elections.

‘Everyone in Agege knew the Speaker wanted his son as chairman,’ Oni said. ‘When there was opposition within the APC, they replaced him with another candidate and made his son the vice chairman. Now, conveniently, the chairman is sick, and the Speaker’s son has taken over.’

Oni alleged that the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) failed to conduct proper screening before the election. ‘We all knew the man presented as chairman was ill and couldn’t campaign. LASIEC should have verified his health status before clearing him,’ he added.

He further described the local government system as ‘a mockery of democracy,’ accusing the ruling party of treating councils as family estates. ‘What we have at the local level is not governance but political control,’ he said.

However, within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Obasa’s emergence has been defended as a constitutional and necessary step. The Legal Adviser of the APC in Agege, Remi Bello, said Azeez formally notified the council’s legislators of his illness and delegated powers to his deputy in line with the law.

‘The chairman is recuperating, and his deputy is only acting temporarily,’ Bello said. ‘Since taking charge, the acting chairman has been performing well, commissioning projects, employing street cleaners, and engaging with community groups. There’s no cause for alarm.’

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it was monitoring the situation but cautioned against drawing hasty conclusions. Engr. Awwal Tahir-Maude, a two-time chairmanship aspirant under the PDP, said: ‘Anybody can fall ill, and someone must act in their absence. But if we observe anything questionable, we will raise it.’

As Azeez’s medical leave extends, the opposition insists the transition exposes Lagos’ deep-rooted political dynasties. But the ruling party maintains that governance in Agege remains on course, regardless of who holds the gavel at the local level.