Author: user user

From job seekers to public office holders, the issue of fake certificates continues to raise serious concerns about honesty, accountability, and the value of education in Nigeria.

Despite investigations and arrests, the problem persists with new cases emerging almost every year.

So why does fake certification remain a recurring challenge in Nigeria, and what are the legal and moral consequences?

Join us on this episode of Nigeria Daily as we take a closer look at the growing problem of certificate forgery and its implications for our society.

The Turan Development Association (TUDA) has called for the immediate withdrawal of soldiers from the Jato-Aka community in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State following the alleged killing of five people, including two students, during a clash over traditional gun salutes at a burial ceremony.

In a statement issued on Monday and signed by the President General, Chief Festus Iorkyaa, and Secretary, Emmanuel Ijever, TUDA described the incident as a ‘brutal and senseless attack on unarmed citizens’ that occurred after the burial of a revered traditional leader, Chief Hanave Laha.

Our correspondent reports that the incident occurred on Tuesday, last week, with the police confirming one student dead and two injured.

However, the association explained that the confrontation began when soldiers reportedly challenged members of the Moon Community Vigilante over the firing of traditional gun salutes, which had been a long-standing Tiv custom to honour a deceased chief.

The disagreement among other accusations against the troop, TUDA said, led to the alleged killing of two vigilante members, Iorsuur Abuul and Akula Shija, allegedly on the orders of a Captain heading the soldiers.

The group further claimed that protests broke out later in the afternoon as students closed from school, during which soldiers allegedly opened fire, killing two students, Tersoo Msughter and Suur Atee of Turan Community Secondary School, Jato-Aka, and a 14-year-old pupil, Hiinengen Asongo of ATM Divine Nursery and Primary School, while four others were said to have sustained gunshot injuries.

The association therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia to take urgent steps to prevent further violence in the area as they also demanded the withdrawal of the Nigerian Army from Turanland and their replacement with the Mobile Police Force, alongside an independent investigation into the killings by the National Human Rights Commission or a Judicial Commission of Inquiry.

The group further urged the reconstruction of the Turan Traditional Council Hall and the residence of the Mue-Ter, which were reportedly destroyed during the unrest.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army in Benue had yet to respond to the allegations.

But, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Benue Command, DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed that one secondary student died while two others sustained injuries during a military operation against armed bandits.

‘It is not the killing of students,’ Edet clarified.

She added, ‘The military team was returning from patrol when they sighted hoodlums with firearms on a motorcycle. While chasing them, the hoodlums opened fire at the military, and in the process, stray bullets hit three students. Sadly, one was confirmed dead at the hospital, while the others are responding to treatment. Investigation is ongoing.’

A motion sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) and co-sponsored by Senators Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto North), and Ibrahim Bomai (Yobe South), over alleged systemic genocide against Christians in the country, is set for debate by the Senate at resumed plenary on Tuesday.

Our correspondent reports that Senators and members of the House of Representatives will resume plenary Tuesday after their annual recess which started on July 23, 2025.

The motion, titled ‘Urgent need to correct misconceptions regarding the purported ‘Christian genocide’ narrative in Nigeria and international communities’, sighted by our correspondent on Monday, called on the federal government, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant security agencies, to adopt a data-driven approach to public communication.

The senators also asked the foreign affairs ministry and security agencies to ensure the release of verified casualty figures, contextual reports, and investigative findings on victims of insecurity to counter the spread of misinformation locally and abroad.

Senator Ndume and other co-sponsors said the motion seeks to correct a ‘dangerous misrepresentation of the country’s security challenges as a campaign of Christian genocide.’

In the draft motion, Senator Ndume expressed concern over what he described as ‘increasing circulation of misleading narratives’ in both local and international spaces, alleging a systematic genocide against Christians in Nigeria.

While acknowledging the tragic and unacceptable attacks suffered by Christian communities in various parts of the country, Ndume emphasised that violence in Nigeria has affected citizens of all faiths, including Muslims and adherents of other religions.

The lawmaker warned that mischaracterising the ongoing security crisis in purely religious terms ‘risks inflaming sectarian divisions, distorting international understanding, and undermining national unity.’

He noted that the country’s security challenges, including terrorism, insurgency, banditry, communal clashes, and criminal violence, had resulted in the loss of lives and property among both Christian and Muslim communities.

The Senators also expressed worry over recent developments in the United States Congress and Senate, where efforts were reportedly being made to designate Nigeria as Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged religious persecution.

They also suggested that the U.S. Congress, international partners, and Nigerian diaspora groups be engaged through official briefings and fact-based publications to correct prevailing misconceptions about Nigeria’s security realities.

Allegations of genocide against Christians in Nigeria have persisted for years, particularly from international advocacy groups, religious organisations, and some Western media outlets.

These claims focus on violent attacks by terrorist groups such as Boko Haram as well as conflicts involving pastoralists, which they claimed have disproportionately impacted Christian communities in the Middle Belt and northern regions.

The Christian genocide narrative in Nigeria supposedly gained traction after the address of Vice President Kashim Shettima at the United Nations last week.

Shettima had said the situation in Gaza is ‘heart-wrenching’ and demanded an immediate ceasefire that will birth Palestinian independence and a home of their own on territories already recognised by the UN and international law.

An American comedian, Bill Maher, claimed that 100,000 Christians had been killed in an ongoing genocide in Nigeria.

Speaking on the September 26, 2025 edition of HBO talk show, ‘Real Time with Bill Maher’, Maher had said: ‘I’m not a Christian, but they are systematically killing the Christians in Nigeria. They’ve killed over a hundred thousand since 2009. They’ve burned 18,000 churches. These are the Islamists, Boko Haram. This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza. They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country.’

However, some Muslim organisations have countered the claims, saying Muslims are also victims of attacks by terrorist groups. In 2022, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) said that 32,000 Muslims were killed within three years in Nigeria.

He said, ‘Boko Haram in particular has killed, maimed, and displaced more Muslims than Christians; more Muslim clerics and more Muslim traditional rulers have been killed or kidnapped than Christians.

‘Most importantly, more Muslim majority states are under siege by these terrorists than Christian-majority states, while more Nigerian Muslims have been impoverished by insecurity than Christians.’

The federal government had also refuted the allegations that terrorists operating in Nigeria are engaged in a systematic genocide against Christians.

President Bola Tinubu in Owerri, Imo State, insisted that ‘no faith is under siege’ in Nigeria.

‘Here, no faith is under siege, no community is excluded. Our churches, mosques, and traditional shrines stand side by side-not as rivals, but as symbols of the unity that binds us,’ Tinubu said at the unveiling of a book on a decade of APC governance authored by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is a gross misrepresentation of reality.

‘While Nigeria, like many countries, has faced security challenges, including acts of terrorism perpetrated by criminals, couching the situation as a deliberate, systematic attack on Christians is inaccurate and harmful,’ the minister said.

Kwara United have directed their Technical Adviser, Coach Tunde Sanni, to step aside following the team’s 1-0 defeat to Abia Warriors in their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 7 encounter on Sunday at the Kwara State Stadium Complex, Ilorin.

The Harmony Boys started the game on a strong note, dominating possession in the first half but failing to convert their chances. Junior Aimufua and Adeshina Gata created several opportunities, yet the breakthrough never came.

Abia Warriors punished the hosts for a defensive lapse early in the second half when a Kwara United defender handled the ball in the box. Emeka Obioma made no mistake from the spot in the 48th minute, sealing a crucial away victory for the visitors.

Despite late efforts and tactical changes, Kwara United could not find an equaliser. After the game, Coach Sanni expressed disappointment with the result but promised that the team would bounce back stronger.

Confirming the development, Club Chairman Kumbi Titiloye announced that Sanni has been told to step aside, with Assistant Coach Ashifat ‘Brazil’ Sulaiman taking over the team’s technical responsibilities immediately.

Sulaiman, who was reappointed as Chief Coach on August 31, 2024, has been part of the club’s technical setup and will now lead the Harmony Boys as they prepare for their rescheduled Matchday 6 clash against Kano Pillars on Wednesday.

Kwara United currently occupy 10th place on the NPFL table after six matches.

The House of Representatives has taken a step toward regulating cryptocurrency and Point-of-Sale (POS) operations in Nigeria, as Speaker Abbas Tajudeen on Monday inaugurated an ad hoc committee to review the economic, regulatory, and security implications of digital financial transactions.

Speaking during the inauguration in Abuja, the Speaker said the move became necessary amid growing concerns over fraud, cybercrime, terrorism financing, and consumer exploitation associated with cryptocurrency and POS activities. Abbas noted that Nigeria’s economy had shown remarkable resilience over the years, recovering from recessions and recording growth in non-oil sectors-conditions that could enable cryptocurrency trade to thrive. However, he warned that the vulnerabilities in the system could not be ignored.

‘There are real concerns about the susceptibility of cryptocurrency to terrorism financing and money laundering, considering its opaque nature, dubious regulatory framework, and lack of accountability,’ he said.

According to him, the absence of clear rules, coupled with the volatility and complexity of the technology, makes it imperative for the National Assembly to establish appropriate regulations and consumer protection mechanisms.

‘It is because of this absence of clear rules, coupled with the volatility and complexity of the technology, that the House found it imperative to establish regulations and consumer protection measures that will guide the activities of Virtual Assets Service Providers, including cryptocurrencies and crypto assets,’ he said.

Abbas said the ad hoc committee would hold public hearings to gather input from relevant stakeholders to help the House develop legislation for a comprehensive regulatory framework on cryptocurrency and digital financial services.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the 10th House to safeguarding the country and its citizens from practices that could undermine President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing economic reforms.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Olufemi Bamisile (APC-Ekiti), acknowledged that while cryptocurrency and POS systems had enhanced commerce, financial inclusion, and innovation, they also posed significant risks such as cybercrime, fraud, money laundering, and terrorism financing.

Bamisile said the committee’s work would focus on crafting a legislative and regulatory framework that encourages innovation while safeguarding citizens and the financial system’s integrity.

He disclosed that the committee would collaborate closely with key agencies including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police Force.

Bamisile added that the committee would adopt a consultative and evidence-based approach by engaging regulators, financial institutions, fintech operators, civil society groups, and the security community through public hearings to ensure inclusive and informed outcomes.’

The Minister of Communication and digital technology, Bosun Tijjani has stated that the government is mobilising 49 per cent of Nigeria’s $2 billion fibre optics network investments project.

He stated this in Abuja at a plenary session organised by IHS, one of the largest independent owners, operators and developers of shared telecommunications infrastructure in the world.

Speaking at the ongoing Nigeria Economic Summit, Tijjani stated that in less than two years, 11 states declare zero right of way.

He said, ‘The biggest issue in the telecom sector is to invest in infrastructure which the federal government is currently mobilizing because we require huge broadband infrastructure to drive telecoms growth.

‘Therefore, we said for Nigerians to have connectivity we need to invest in fibre optic networks and it will cost $2bn. Since no single company can raise that, the federal government opted to bring in 49 per cent and we want the private sector to bring the other 51 per cent.

‘We realised that if we improve Broadband connectivity by 10 per cent, it will lead to growth by 2.5 per cent which is why we want every state and local government to have a fibre optics network and we believe we can deliver between 3 to 4 years,’ he added.

Tijjani further reiterated the role of AI in national growth adding that Nigeria has become the hub for telecoms investment. Sharing his perspectives, Mohamad Darwish, CEO IHS Nigeria at the Plenary Session on the topic ‘Smart Growth, Digital Leap’ noted that to build a smart economy, Nigeria must reposition digital infrastructure, innovation, and talent not as peripheral sectors but as core inputs and catalysts for growth.

‘Hence the reason we have convened this plenary session at this 31st Economic Summit is to highlight the infrastructure gaps affecting Nigeria’s digital growth and economic competitiveness, and the basis for the gaps and identify regulatory reforms required to strengthen public-private partnerships that drive sustainable investment in infrastructure, innovation, and talent development,’ he said.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP) and CARE Nigeria, has launched a programme to empower 6,389 households in Yobe State.

The initiative, known as the Resilience and Social Cohesion (Peace) Project, aims to restore essential services, rebuild livelihoods, and promote sustainable transformation in the state.

Speaking during the state-level stakeholders’ meeting on the project in Damaturu, CARE Nigeria’s Area Manager, Abatcha Abubakar, said the beneficiaries would receive training, agricultural inputs, crop processing machines, and monthly stipends to enhance their livelihoods.

He explained that the project, funded by BMZ in partnership with WFP, UNICEF, and CARE Nigeria, seeks to increase productivity and revenue among smallholder farmers, targeting a total of 31,945 individuals across Yobe State.

According to him, the intervention focuses on five wards in Jakusko Local Government Area, where households will benefit from improved dietary diversification and access to financial services through the establishment of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs).

‘We implement crop production initiatives where participants are grouped and provided with inputs to build resilience and self-sufficiency. Also, we have an Income Generating Activity (IGA) component that supports agro-processing and income diversification beyond farming,’ Abubakar said.

He noted that beneficiaries would be grouped into VSLAs-community-based savings schemes that empower members, particularly women, to save collectively and access small loans to improve their livelihoods.

‘The project will provide seeds for maize, groundnuts, and rice for wet-season farming, while also promoting backyard vegetable gardening to improve nutrition and food security. Each selected household will also receive a monthly stipend for six months, and warehouses are being constructed to support post-harvest storage,’ he added.

On a recent trip from Kano to a neighbouring state, I witnessed a familiar scene that perfectly captured Nigeria’s moral decay. At a police checkpoint, our driver casually slipped a crumpled banknote into a security officer’s hand. As we drove off, a passenger muttered under his breath, ‘Barayi kawai!’- ‘Thieves.’ That single phrase carried the weight of a nation’s frustration, a resigned acknowledgment that corruption has become an everyday transaction.

We can no longer pretend to be shocked. Corruption in Nigeria has long crossed the line from scandal to culture. From petty bribes on the highways to multimillion-naira scandals in high places, it has seeped into our national DNA. Conversations at motor parks, markets, and dinner tables often revolve around the same themes-rising costs, falling incomes, and a deep sense that the system is rigged against the honest. For many Nigerians, the dream of prosperity has been replaced by the daily struggle to survive.

At the upper echelons of power, the story is even more disheartening. High-profile figures accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of looting public funds continue to move freely, enjoying influence and protection. The irony is glaring: some of the very institutions created to combat corruption appear to have been compromised by it. The notorious ‘brown envelope’ culture-stretching from journalism to government contracts-has become a national malaise that corrodes integrity and silences truth.

This erosion of ethics has not gone unnoticed. On July 4, 2025, the Africa Polling Institute (API), an independent and non-partisan research organization, released its 2025 Nigeria Social Cohesion Survey. The findings were damning. Nigeria’s Social Cohesion Index was pegged at 46.8 per cent, below the neutral benchmark of 50 per cent. Though it may sound like a number, it tells a profound story: Nigeria is a nation struggling to hold itself together.

According to the survey, public trust in government and institutions has sunk to historic lows. Citizens increasingly believe that those in power serve themselves rather than the people. Ironically, what now unites Nigerians is not shared vision or progress, but shared suffering-an equal-opportunity frustration shaped by economic hardship, broken promises, and relentless inflation.

This moral decay cuts across all levels of society. Many public officials chase wealth and influence with no thought for the public good, while ordinary citizens-exhausted by hardship-are tempted to cheat the system just to survive. From vote-buying with noodles and a few thousand naira to elaborate scams and exploitative contracts, deception has become a survival strategy. It is now so normalized that many no longer even recognize it as wrong.

The present administration insists that reforms are underway-billions allocated, progress assured, and ‘renewed hope’ promised. But beyond the televised briefings and photo ops, the grim reality tells a different story: chronic power outages, rampant kidnappings, hunger, unemployment, currency chaos, and palliatives that never reach the poor. The official narrative of reform collapses under the daily evidence of dysfunction.

We are being deceived-not once, not occasionally, but every single day. Yet perhaps the hardest truth to confront is our own complicity. We tolerate mediocrity, normalize corruption, and reward empty rhetoric with applause. Every time we pay a bribe, ignore wrongdoing, or justify abuse of office because the culprit is ‘our own,’ we deepen the rot we claim to despise.

It is time for a civic awakening. Nigeria’s problems cannot be solved by endless press conferences or cosmetic reforms designed to impress foreign donors and deceive local voters. What this nation needs are moral courage-a rebirth of conscience that values honesty over hype, accountability over ambition, and genuine reform over political theatre.

Toothless reforms and selective prosecutions must become relics of the past. We must rebuild public institutions on integrity, not slogans. Until that happens, indices like the Social Cohesion Survey will keep falling-not because of statistical models, but because our lived reality already confirms the decline.

The death of trust is more dangerous than corruption itself. Once people stop believing that the system can be fair, society begins to unravel. To save Nigeria, we must first recover our moral compass. Only then can we hope to rebuild a nation where justice is not for sale, truth is not silenced, and patriotism is not punished.

Residents of Ebaji community in the Abaji Area Council of the FCT said it has been extremely difficult to move their farm produce to the nearest market as a result of abandoned road project in the area

The agrarian community is therefore appealing to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to intervene on the dilapidated road that links Ebaji-Rimba to the neighboring Pandagi village in the council.

Some residents who spoke when Abuja Metro visited the community on Saturday, said the deplorable road continues to cause them significant hardship, especially during the annual rainy season.

They noted that the road is one of the rural routes that was awarded by the FCT Administration through the Satellite Town Development Department (STDD), connecting Pandagi to Ebaji village.

Aliyu Ndatsu, an Ebaji resident, told our reporter that the deplorable state of the road has become a nightmare not only for villagers but also for farmers who find it difficult to transport their crops to the Abaji market.

He explained that farmers often mobalise to fix some bad portions of the road before their harvested produce can be transported to the market.

‘I don’t know if you noticed some of the bad portions of the road that were repaired on your way here. Just on Friday, we mobilized ourselves to fix some dilapidated sections so that vehicles can enter. Abaji market is on Sunday, and we needed to make sure our crops are taken to the market,’ he said.

Another villager, Yunusa Ibrahim, said residents are always cut off from accessing neighboring villages during the rainy season due to the road’s condition.

He said only those with motorcycles manage to ride through, while appealing to the government to intervene and rehabilitate the road.

‘Actually, a section of the road was graded, and some culverts were constructed across streams years ago by the FCT Administration, but the work suddenly stopped then, making the road impassable,’ he said.

Monarch expresses concern

Also speaking to our reporter at his palace, the Ohiodumi of Ebaji community, HRH Alhaji Mohammed Tsado, noted that the Rimba-Ebaji road is an essential access route that links not only to Abaji town but also to neighboring villages in Niger State.

He said the road’s deplorable state has become a source of serious concern to his subjects, especially the farmers who transport their farm produce to Abaji market every five days.

‘Although this is not the first time my subjects have complained about the dilapidated Ebaji-Rimba road-it has been in the media on two occasions-since the present FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, assumed office, and we have been seeing the road projects he has been executing across Abuja city and the FCT area councils, we decided to draw his attention to also come to our aid on this Ebaji-Rimba road, which has been a nightmare for us for over 18 years,’ he said.

He appealed to the authorities of the Abaji Area Council under the leadership of Alhaji Abubakar Umar Abdullahi to liaise with the FCT Administration so that the road will be included among the roads the minister will be awarding.

‘To be fair to the present FCT Administration under Wike, the man is truly working, especially on the construction of roads across the FCT. We feel we should also use this medium to draw his attention to the Ebaji-Rimba road so that he will consider the road in any subsequent road project he awards,’ he added.

The monarch also expressed concern over the lack of a bridge connecting Ebaji to neighboring Egyesha, Gayankpa, Kenigi, Etebetse, and Padawa communities in Niger State.

He said the construction of a bridge across the river in the community would significantly boost socio-economic activities between Ebaji residents and the neighboring villages in Niger State.

‘Residents of these villages I mentioned, which are under Niger State, share a boundary with us, and they ply through the river into Ebaji to transport their farm produce to Abaji market. Whenever it rains heavily, people from those villages cannot cross that river,’ he stated.

The village chief recalled how members of the community contributed money about three years ago to construct a wooden bridge across the river, which was later left uncompleted due to financial constraints.

‘If you go there, you will see for yourself the kind of efforts my subjects made when they tried to contribute money to construct a wooden bridge, but unfortunately, they could not complete it due to financial constraints. So we are also appealing to the government to assist in constructing a main bridge that will connect us with neighboring villages in Niger State,’ he said.

He also lamented the insufficient number of boreholes in the community, saying residents mostly trek to the river to fetch water for domestic use.

‘I think the only functional borehole in this village is one solar-powered borehole, and it’s not enough to serve the entire households. So our women mostly go to the river to fetch water, even though some of the boreholes have been broken down for years,’ he said.

Council confirms intervention request

An official in the works department of the council, who craved anonymity, confided in our correspondent that the council chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Abdullahi, had already presented a proposal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, requesting the rehabilitation of the Ebaji-Rimba road.

‘Actually, when Wike came to commission the Unguwar Hausawa road a few months ago, the Chairman tendered the request to the Minister about that, which I am telling you confidently that the issue of the Ebaji-Rimba road is already before the Minister,’ he said.

The official noted that the Ebaji-Rimba road project was abandoned during the administration of the past FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, revealing that the present FCT Administration would likely revoke the road project and re-award it afresh.

Nigerian-born global investor and Chairman of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), Adebayo Ogunlesi has disclosed his intention to develop a local aviation infrastructure in Nigeria.

He spoke to newsmen after a closed door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at his residence in Lagos, expressing strong confidence in the President’s economic reforms.

He described the reforms as a solid foundation for renewed international investment in the country, commending the administration’s economic direction citing removal of fuel subsidies, ongoing tax reforms, and the revival of the national refinery.

‘We had an excellent meeting where we discussed strategies to put Nigeria front and centre for global investment. The President was very encouraging, and we exchanged valuable ideas on driving economic growth,’ he said in a statement made available to Daily Trust yesterday.

Ogunlesi added that his firm is actively investing in Nigeria and evaluating new opportunities across multiple sectors.

‘Watch this space. Nigeria may not yet be the most exciting investment destination, but that’s what we are working on,’ he noted.

He highlighted energy, gas, aviation, ports, and renewable energy as the areas of focus, stressing that Nigeria’s vast gas reserves remain significantly underdeveloped.

Drawing on his firm’s experience in LNG projects in Texas and Australia, he described Nigeria’s energy sector as ‘ripe for sustainable partnerships.’

Ogunlesi hinted his interest in developing local aviation infrastructure, revealing that one of his companies operates ports in Cotonou and Lomé, but none in Nigeria, a point the President humorously challenged him on.

‘He forgave me but said, ‘You must bring port investment to Nigeria,” Ogunlesi recounted with a smile.

Also present at the meeting, international investor Hakeem Bello-Osagie emphasized the importance of diaspora involvement in Nigeria’s economic transformation.

‘When Nigerians at home and abroad invest in the country, it sends a powerful message to the global community,’ he said.

Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), noted that the administration’s fiscal and structural reforms are laying the groundwork for an export-led economy.

‘We have done the fundamentals, and now it is time to deliver growth,’ he said.