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Bauchi NUJ Council gets new leadership headed by Isa Gadau

Immediate past Secretary of the Bauchi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Isa Garba Gadau of the Bauchi State Television (BATV), has emerged as Chairman of the Council following an election held on Saturday.

In the election supervised by the National Secretariat of the NUJ and represented by the Zonal Vice President, Zare Baba, who was assisted by the Zonal Secretary, as well as the Gombe and Plateau Council chairmen, Isa Garba Gadau polled 87 votes to defeat his rival, Ahmed Mohamed of the Correspondents Chapel, who polled 47 votes.

The Chairperson of the 2026 NUJ Election, Elizabeth Carr, announced the results, declaring former Auditor, Isiyaka Wunti, as the new Council Secretary. He defeated Mu’azu Hassan of the NTA with 97 votes to 37.

Others elected unopposed were the immediate past Treasurer, Danjuma Sarki Saleh, who becomes the Vice Chairman; immediate past Assistant Secretary, Adama Ibrahim, who becomes the new Treasurer; and Aliyu Sambo, who becomes Assistant Secretary. Khalid Idris Doya of LEADERSHIP Newspapers was elected Financial Secretary, while Abubakar Ibrahim emerged as Auditor.

While inaugurating the new Executive Council, the National President of the NUJ, Comrade Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi, charged the newly elected leaders to uphold integrity, trust and professionalism in the discharge of their responsibilities.

The NUJ National President, who was represented by the Zonal Vice President, Mr Zare Baba, said the primary responsibility before the new leadership was to advance journalism practice and improve the quality of journalism in the state.

He also commended the immediate past Chairman, Comrade Umar Sa’idu, for his contributions to the development of the union and urged the new executives to conduct their affairs with honesty, fairness and accountability.

While advising the new council to emulate the good things of the immediate past council, he charged them to eschew bitterness by putting the contest behind them and treating all journalists as one big family.

In his acceptance speech, the elected and sworn-in Chairman, Comrade Isa Garba Gadau, pledged that his administration would prioritise the welfare of journalists, professional training and development, as well as the safety and security of media practitioners in the state.

He said the new Executive Council would work to ensure that journalists were adequately supported, better equipped and able to perform their duties without fear.

‘I accept this mandate with gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility. This victory is not mine alone; it belongs to all members of our great union,’ he said.

Isa Garba Gadau also pledged strict adherence to the NUJ Constitution and Code of Ethics, noting that the credibility of journalism and the respect accorded the profession depended on commitment to professional standards.

He said his administration would consolidate the achievements of previous administrations rather than discard existing initiatives that had yielded positive results.

‘We will not discard what has worked; rather, we will strengthen it, improve it and introduce new initiatives where necessary,’ he said.

The new Chairman further promised to run an administration based on unity, inclusiveness, accountability and mutual respect, adding that he would work with all chapels, members and stakeholders for the progress of the NUJ in Bauchi State.

He congratulated all contestants and appealed to members who supported other candidates to join hands with the new leadership for the advancement of the union.

‘The election is over; we are now one union, with one purpose and one responsibility, to advance the interests of journalists and strengthen our profession,’ he said.

Isa Garba Gadau also commended the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, for the remodelling of the NUJ Secretariat, saying the project had given the premises a new look.

He expressed hope that the project would be completed and commissioned soon.

Meanwhile, the IGG Campaign Council, under the leadership of Mr Ishola Michael Adeyemi, congratulated Isa Garba Gadau, Isiyaka Ismail and all other successful candidates on their emergence.

The council also commended members of the NUJ for their participation in the election and urged the new leadership to remain committed to unity, professionalism, journalists’ welfare and the continued development of the union.

Immediately after the inauguration of the new council, enthusiastic members around the NUJ Press Centre took to dancing, expressing their happiness over the development and looking forward to more impactful and purposeful leadership.

Bariga LCDA distributes school furniture, uniforms learning materials to 3000 pupils

Bariga Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, in continuation of its commitment to improved basic education, distributed school furniture and learning materials to 3000 pupils of 22 public primary schools in the council area.

The event was the third and fourth editions of the local government’s ‘ Back to School ‘ programme under the leadership of the Executive Chairman, Hon Adedeji Bukola Omope.

The intervention, according to the council chairman, is part of her administration’s efforts to support parents in the current economic situation and to ensure that there is no record of out-of-school children in the council area.

Each beneficiary received a school uniform, bag, socks, Mathematical set, exercise books, writing and other learning materials

The ceremony held on Thursday at the Bariga Stadium attracted government officials, teachers, parents, traditional rulers, community leaders and stakeholders in the education sector

Speaking at the event, Hon Adedeji urged the pupils to make judicious use of the items provided to them for enhancement of their performance academically.

She reiterated her commitment to education development, stressing that investments made in our children would go a long way in shaping the future of the country. She added that all 30 public primary schools in the council area have been covered and thereby reached over 5000 pupils.

She admonished the students to take their studies seriously to achieve their future aspirations.

In a goodwill message, the immediate past Council Chairman and the APC Somolu Federal Constituency Candidate, Hon Kolade Alabi, said the initiative is a three-in-one programme that he commended because it provides wider benefits.

According to Alabi, the intervention addresses the educational needs of children, provides succour to parents and creates economic opportunities for local artisans.

He explained that he was delighted that local Artisans were those who produced the uniforms, printed exercise books, furniture and other items, which is a boost to the local economy.

He further advised the pupils to make good use of the opportunities and face their studies

A teacher at Alubarika Nursery and Primary School in Bariga, Mr. Rasi Idowu Rasheed, expressed appreciation to the Executive Chairman of the Council, noting that the intervention would greatly support teaching and learning in all the schools.

On behalf of the beneficiaries, Favour Yalabu, a pupil of Igbeinadun Primary School, thanked the council chairman for the gesture and promised that she and co-students would make good use of the materials given to them

Other dignitaries at the occasion are Hon Babatunde Adesida, Vice Chairman, Council Leader, Hon Wasiu Balogun, councillors, APC House of Assembly Candidate, Somolu Constituency 2, Hon Idowu Alli Balogun, market men and women,

Ugandan-founded AirQo named among 15 Earthshot Prize finalists

A Ugandan-founded clean-air technology initiative has been named among 15 global finalists for the 2026 Earthshot Prize, putting it in contention for one of the world’s most prominent environmental awards.

AirQo, an African-led clean-air technology initiative founded at Makerere University in 2015, was named a finalist for its work to close Africa’s air quality data gap through low-cost monitors, open-data platforms and artificial intelligence designed to track pollution levels across African cities.

AirQo uses locally manufactured, low-cost air quality monitors, AI sensors and mobile applications to collect real-time pollution data across Uganda and several other African cities.

The Earthshot Prize was launched by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in 2020 to identify, spotlight and scale innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

AirQo was nominated in the ‘Clean Our Air’ category, where it is being recognised for tackling one of Africa’s most urgent but often invisible public health threats.

In 2019, air pollution was the second-leading risk factor for death across Africa and contributed to an estimated 1.1 million deaths in a single year, according to the State of Global Air initiative.

Rapid urbanisation has increased emissions from transport, industry and waste, while many cities still lack reliable, locally relevant data showing where pollution is concentrated, when levels spike and whether measures to reduce pollution are working.

As a 2026 finalist, AirQo will work with The Earthshot Prize to accelerate its expansion across African cities, strengthen the investment case for clean-air infrastructure and connect the initiative with governments, funders, technology partners and urban leaders.

The support will also help AirQo expand its open-source data platform, build local technical capacity and make clean air a more visible public and political priority, according to a statement issued by the initiative on Friday evening.

Prince William, President and Founder of The Earthshot Prize, said the finalists offered evidence that progress on environmental challenges was possible.

‘Every year, our Finalists give me renewed optimism. They show us that, even as the environmental challenges remain urgent, extraordinary people around the world are already proving that progress is possible,’ he said.

‘Seeing solutions work gives us all confidence to act. When they succeed, they inspire others and accelerate change. I’m proud to welcome these 15 Finalists to the Earthshot Prize community and look forward to celebrating their stories in Mumbai this November.’

Search for a solution

AirQo was established to answer a basic but increasingly urgent question: how can people in cities be protected from pollution they cannot see?

After moving from rural Uganda to Kampala, AirQo founder Prof Engineer Bainomugisha observed the effects of worsening urban air quality but found that the local data needed to understand the problem was largely unavailable.

Conventional monitoring stations were expensive and difficult to maintain at the density required by African cities, prompting the AirQo team to develop a locally designed alternative.

Its monitors are built for African operating conditions, including dust, power interruptions and limited internet connectivity. Fixed monitors are complemented by mobile devices mounted on motorcycle taxis, commonly known as boda bodas, to map pollution at street level.

Data collected through the network is shared through open-data platforms, dashboards, mobile tools and application programming interfaces (APIs).

AirQo also uses artificial intelligence and machine-learning models to calibrate sensors, verify data quality, forecast pollution, identify hotspots and determine where additional monitors are most needed.

The affordable monitors complement traditional reference-grade monitoring stations used by governments. By bringing the data together, AirQo helps cities identify pollution patterns and determine where interventions are most urgently needed.

The information is also used by researchers and communities to understand local air quality, minimise exposure and support public health measures.

Public tools show citizens when pollution levels are high, while city authorities can use the data to improve traffic management, waste services, public health interventions and urban planning.

Prof Engineer Bainomugisha, founder and lead of AirQo and a professor of computer science at Makerere University, said the initiative was created to make air pollution more visible through locally generated evidence.

‘Air pollution has remained invisible across too many African cities because the data needed to understand it has been scarce.

‘AirQo was built in Africa for the realities of African cities, bringing together locally designed monitors, open data, and artificial intelligence so that evidence can move from the street into public decisions.

‘Being named an Earthshot Prize Finalist will help us scale this infrastructure, equip more African technologists and city leaders, and make reliable air quality data a public good. As a non-profit, the funding and partnerships this recognition unlocks are vital to advancing our vision of clean air for everyone,’ he said.

AirQo now has more than 500 air quality monitors deployed across over 16 cities. Its work spans nine African countries – Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon, Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa – providing real-time air quality information to communities with a combined population of more than 30 million.

The initiative says its work is also contributing to a positive tipping point – a threshold in a system beyond which change becomes self-propelling.

The finalists

The 15 finalists for this year’s Earthshot Prize were selected from a database of nearly 7,000 nominations from 169 countries.

The selection process was supported by a global network of more than 363 nominators and an Expert Advisory Panel comprising more than 150 specialists, alongside assessment and research by The Earthshot Prize’s selection team and partners.

The 15 finalists join a community of 75 finalists supported by the prize since 2020.

According to The Earthshot Prize, the wider finalist community has collectively avoided or cleaned up 18 million tonnes of greenhouse gases (CO2e), while contributing to cleaner air for 600 million people.

The community has also protected or restored 58 million hectares of land and 85 million hectares of ocean and coastlines, kept 465,000 tonnes of waste out of the environment and saved 21 million tonnes of water from being wasted.

The 2026 Earthshot Prize winners will be celebrated in Mumbai in November.

Top 10 sectors attracting global investment in 2026

Global investors announced about $538 billion in cross-border greenfield investment in the first half of 2026, with communications, renewable energy and energy projects taking a large share of the capital.

Data from fDi Intelligence shows that communications attracted the largest amount of pledged investment between January and June, with $139.3 billion committed to new projects.

The figures cover greenfield foreign direct investment, which involves the creation of new projects and facilities. They exclude mergers and acquisitions and intercompany loans.

Data centres accounted for more than 94 percent of the investment in communications, highlighting the growing demand for digital infrastructure as companies expand their use of artificial intelligence.

Here are the 10 sectors that attracted the most greenfield FDI in the first half of 2026.

1. Communications: $139.3 billion

Communications ranked first, attracting $139.3 billion in announced investment.

Data centres were the main driver, receiving more than $131 billion of the capital committed to the sector.

The spending reflects the infrastructure required to support cloud computing, artificial intelligence and other digital services.

The scale of investment also means communications attracted almost twice the capital committed to renewable energy, which ranked second.

2. Renewable energy: $73.3 billion

Renewable energy attracted $73.3 billion in the first six months of 2026.

The sector received about $29 billion more than coal, oil and gas, showing the amount of capital being directed towards new energy projects.

Investment in renewable energy includes projects such as solar and other forms of clean power generation.

3. Coal, oil and gas: $44.7 billion

Coal, oil and gas attracted $44.7 billion during the period.

Despite the growth of renewable energy investment, conventional energy remained among the largest destinations for cross-border capital.

The figure places the sector third on the global list, ahead of semiconductors and transportation.

4. Semiconductors: $38.8 billion

Semiconductor projects attracted $38.8 billion in greenfield investment.

The sector remains linked to the expansion of technologies that require computing capacity, including data centres, artificial intelligence systems and electronic devices.

The investment also points to continued efforts by businesses to build and expand semiconductor production capacity across markets.

5. Transportation and warehousing: $24.9 billion

Transportation and warehousing received $24.9 billion.

Investment in this sector supports the movement and storage of goods, connecting production centres with consumers and international markets.

Its position among the top five sectors shows that physical infrastructure continues to attract capital alongside digital infrastructure.

6. Real estate: $23.9 billion

Real estate attracted $23.9 billion in the first half of 2026.

The sector ranked just behind transportation and warehousing, with investment going into new property developments and related projects.

7. Metals: $23.7 billion

Metals received $23.7 billion in announced greenfield investment.

The sector’s position reflects continued investment in facilities connected to industrial production and the supply of materials needed across manufacturing and infrastructure.

8. Industrial equipment: $14.6 billion

Industrial equipment attracted $14.6 billion.

Investment in the sector supports the production of machinery and equipment used by businesses across manufacturing and other industries.

9. Electronic components: $13.7 billion

Electronic components attracted $13.7 billion, placing the sector ninth.

The investment comes alongside capital flowing into semiconductors, communications and other technology-related sectors.

10. Software and IT services: $13.7 billion

Software and IT services also attracted $13.7 billion.

Although the sector ranked tenth by capital expenditure, its inclusion reflects the continued flow of foreign investment into technology services as businesses increase their dependence on digital systems.

Gov Nwifuru sacks works commissioner

Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has removed the state Commissioner for Works, Engr. Stanley Lebechi Mbam, from office with immediate effect.

The development was contained in a public service announcement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Dr Monday Uzor, on Saturday.

According to the statement, Nwifuru directed Mbam to hand over all government property in his possession, including his official vehicle, to the Secretary to the State Government.

He was also instructed to transfer his responsibilities to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works.

‘The Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, FNIOB, FCAI, GGCEHF, has directed the immediate removal from office of the Honourable Commissioner for Works, Engr. Stanley Lebechi Mbam,’ the statement read.

The governor did not give any reason for the commissioner’s removal.

The development comes amid criticism of the administration over delays in some of its ongoing construction projects across the state.

However, the governor assured residents that his administration remained focused on delivering effective governance and improving public infrastructure.

With Mbam’s removal, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works is expected to oversee the ministry’s affairs pending further directives from the state government.

CRICKET-CWI-Joseph, Dottin absent from West Indies Women’s tour of Zimbabwe

Regulars Deandra Dottin and Qiana Joseph have not been included in a West Indies Women’s 15-member squad to tour Zimbabwe for One Day International and T20I series starting next week.

The team, which will play a three-match ODI and T20I series between September 24 and October 7, was announced by Cricket West Indies on Saturday, with the 35-year-old Dottin and 25-year-old Joseph the most notable omissions.

Dottin, a veteran of 158 ODIs and 154 T20Is, has been granted personal leave, while opening batter Joseph has lost her place in the side following a drop in form.

She has played 40 T20Is and averages 16.28, while in 31 ODIs she has a slightly better average of 19.44. They have been replaced by all-rounder and Under-19 World Cup prospect Eboni Brathwaite and Chinelle Henry, who returns to the squad following an injury that impacted her T20 World Cup campaign.

Captain Hayley Matthews will lead the team in the ODI leg before taking personal leave and departing the squad ahead of the T20I series.

The series forms part of the West Indies Women’s continued preparation across both formats, with the team looking to build on the progress made during the Ireland tour and the T20 World Cup campaign.

Head coach Shane Deitz said the tour was a perfect opportunity for the young squad.

‘We are looking forward to this tour of Zimbabwe. They are a side we haven’t played much, and, in their conditions, there will be some challenges.

‘We have a young squad, so this is a great opportunity for some players to step up and take their opportunity at this level,’ Deitz said.

WEST INDIES WOMEN’S SQUAD: Hayley Matthews (captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Eboni Brathwaite, Shemaine Campbelle, Jahzara Claxton, Afy Fletcher, Jannillea Glasgow, Realeanna Grimmond, Shawnisha Hector, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Mandy Mangru, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor.

Series Schedule

1st ODI – September 24 @Harare Sports Club, Harare

2nd ODI – September 27 @Harare Sports Club, Harare

3rd ODI – September 30 @Harare Sports Club, Harare

1st T20I – September 24 @Takashinga Cricket Club, Highfield

2nd T20I – September 27 @Takashinga Cricket Club, Highfield

3rd T20I – September 30 @Takashinga Cricket Club, Highfield

Habagat to bring rain to some areas in Luzon

The southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, will continue to bring rain over parts of Luzon on Saturday, said the state weather bureau.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in its latest forecast, habagat will continue to pour over Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, as well as Palawan.

‘As for Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, skies will be partly cloudy to cloudy, with a continued chance of localized thunderstorms,’ Pagasa weather specialist Veronica Torres said.

‘Expect a higher chance of thunderstorms in the western part of Luzon, including Metro Manila,’ she noted.

Meanwhile, habagat will likewise bring rain over Western Visayas, while the remaining parts of Visayas and Mindanao will experience relatively better weather, with partly cloudy to cloudy skies.

Thunderstorms are likewise more likely in the western parts of Visayas and Mindanao.

The temperature range in key cities/areas across the country for Saturday will be –

Metro Manila: 25 to 32 degrees Celsius

Baguio City: 17 to 25 degrees Celsius

Laoag City: 25 to 33 degrees Celsius

Tuguegarao: 25 to 33 degrees Celsius

Legazpi City: 25 to 32 degrees Celsius

Puerto Princesa City: 25 to 31 degrees Celsius

Tagaytay: 22 to 30 degrees Celsius

Kalayaan Islands: 26 to 31 degrees Celsius

Iloilo City: 24 to 31 degrees Celsius

Cebu: 25 to 32 degrees Celsius

Tacloban City: 25 to 33 degrees Celsius

Cagayan De Oro City: 26 to 32 degrees Celsius

Zamboanga City: 25 to 32 degrees Celsius

Davao City: 26 to 32 degrees Celsius

DepEd seeks ?976-B budget, plus ?145-B funding for key programs

THE Department of Education (DepEd) has proposed a P975.96-billion budget for 2027, along with a request for P145.19 billion in additional funding for ‘critical programs.’

Education Secretary Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara led the presentation before the House Committee on Appropriations for the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

In a statement, Angara stressed the need to sustain ‘critical reforms’ in the education sector while providing greater support to teachers and learners.

‘Our Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal builds on the reforms we have already started and focuses on key investments needed to further improve the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of basic education for every Filipino learner,’ he said.

Under the proposed NEP, the allocation for Personnel Services increased by 8.64 percent to P766.74 billion, covering salaries and career progression.

Among the department’s ‘core thrusts’ are P12.09 billion for promoting more than 135,000 teachers and school heads under the Expanded Career Progression system, or ECP; P17.31 billion for constructing 4,900 new classrooms; and P7.33 billion for repairing 11,100 classrooms.

About P801.5 million is also proposed to hire 1,800 school counselor associates and 221 Schools Division Office counselors.

Meanwhile, the allocation for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses declined by 15.9 percent to P174.32 billion, while Capital Outlay fell by 67.49 percent to P32.34 billion.

DepEd proposed P6.4 billion for textbooks and instructional materials, P10.81 billion for learning recovery under the Project for Learning Upgrade Support and Decentralization program, and P2.63 billion for Inclusive Education programs.

For the School-Based Feeding Program, the department proposed P11.43 billion to support 3.69 million learners, covering all Kindergarten pupils and wasted or severely wasted learners from Grade 1 and above.

It also proposed P38.12 billion to support 2.32 million private education voucher and subsidy grantees.

The remaining P2.56 billion is divided among six attached agencies: These include P1.56 billion for the National Museum of the Philippines; P360.28 million for the Teacher Education Council; P258.48 million for the National Academy of Sports; P169.96 million for the National Book Development Board; P135.28 million for the Philippine High School for the Arts; and P76.01 million for the National Council for Children’s Television.

Additional funding sought

ANGARA also sought additional funding for ‘critical programs’ that remain unfunded under the 2027 NEP.

‘It’ll slow it down a little bit. But we are hoping for the restoration of some items,’ he said in an interview, referring to the request for a supplemental budget. He added: ‘We have an appeal… With or without an item, we have to find it actually.’

The education secretary was referring to P145.19 billion in additional funding sought for the DepEd and P1.74 billion for its attached agencies.

Among the priority areas is the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program or ARAL, for which the department is seeking P15.98 billion to fund honoraria for teaching overload, training for DepEd tutors, compensation for external tutors, learning resources, the ARAL Summer Program, learning recovery and remediation consultations, and program management.

The department is also seeking P50 million for the Bayang Bumabasa initiative. It is also requesting an additional P49.16 billion to hire 14,274 teachers and around 59,000 non-teaching personnel.

Unfunded measures also include school safety and security, for which it proposes P8.68 billion. They include P5.05 billion for school security guards, P2.31 billion for metal detectors and scanners, and P1.5 billion for perimeter fences.

Other areas covered by the supplementary funding request include classroom construction, repairs and rehabilitation; expansion of the SBFP; learner assistance and subsidies; health and mental health services; guidance programs; sports development; and expanded support for learners with special needs, Madrasah learners, Indigenous Peoples learners, and those in far-flung areas, among others.

CRICKET-CWI-Kamil Pooran, Sampson earn T20I callups for India tour

Following an impressive showing in the ongoing Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Kamil Pooran has earned a maiden callup to the West Indies T20I squad to face India in their upcoming white-ball tour of the subcontinent.

The 30-year-old opening batsman was named in the West Indies’ 15-man squad, which was revealed by Cricket West Indies on Saturday and also sees the recall of exciting lower order batter Quentin Sampson.

The regional side will take on the top ranked India in three One Day Internationals from September 27 to October 3, before playing a five-match T20I series that runs from October 6 to 17.

Pooran is currently the seventh highest run scorer in this year’s CPL, despite his St Lucia Kings failing to make the playoffs.

He scored 273 runs in eight innings at an average of 39 with a strike rate of 159.64.

Meanwhile, Sampson, who was dropped for the T20I series earlier this year against Sri Lanka, makes his return after a decent showing in the CPL for the Guyana Amazon Warriors, where he scored 141 runs in 12 matches at an average of 28.20.

CWI confirmed that veteran all-rounder Jason Holder has been rested for the series.

Head coach Daren Sammy said the team had been selected with a clear focus on long-term objectives.

‘We are looking to build on the momentum from our series win against Sri Lanka, with the long-term goal of developing a strong core of players ahead of the next T20 World Cup.

‘The challenge of playing against the World Champions at home will provide valuable preparation, allowing us to continue improving and developing both individually and as a collective unit,’ Sammy said.

John Campbell makes his return to the ODI team after suffering a hamstring injury in the series against New Zealand, while Ackeem Auguste has been ruled out of the tour as he continues his rehabilitation after undergoing surgery in August.

He has been replaced by Jewel Andrew who will serve as a top and middle order batting option.

Shimron Hetmyer, who featured in the last two matches of the New Zealand series and has been in prolific form in the CPL for the Amazon Warriors, has been permitted an extended recovery period and will miss the ODI series, but will join the squad for the T20I series.

Regardless of the outcome of the ODI series, the West Indies will have to participate in the ICC’s qualification tournament early next year to book their spot in the World Cup.

Despite this, Sammy reiterated the importance of the series of matches.

‘Playing against the top team in the world presents us with a chance to fine tune and improve our performances as an ODI team which has seen quality performances across the cycle.

‘The series also creates a valuable platform to assess players who are stepping into important roles for this series with a long-term target of competing in the World Cup in 2027,’ Sammy said.

The squad departs the Caribbean on Monday and will arrive in Trivandrum on September 23.

WEST INDIES ODI SQUAD: Shai Hope (captain), Jewel Andrew, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Vitel Lawes, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales.

WEST INDIES T20I SQUAD: Shai Hope (captain), Jewel Andrew, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Kamil Pooran, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Quentin Sampson, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer.

We repatriated 50,000 Nigerian refugees home in three years – NCFRMI

The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) said it has returned no fewer than 50,000 refugees into the country in the past three years.

NCFRMI Federal Commissioner, Malam Aliyu Ahmed, revealed this in a speech at an event to celebrate his three years in office on Friday in Abuja

He also restated NCFRMI’s commitment to managing the more than 6.7 million displaced persons in the country.

According to him, some of the IDPs were from neighbouring countries.

‘In the last three years, we were able to return about 50,000 Nigerian refugees back into the country.

‘Within the last three years, we were able to take care of displaced individuals who are living in camps and also those that are living within the host communities.

‘We shall continue to manage about 6.7 million displaced individuals in this country. We are also managing the affairs of the refugees within and outside the country.

‘We have refugees from other nations living in Nigeria. And, of course, we have our own Nigerians who are living in other countries like Cameroon, Republic of Niger, Chad, Liberia and many others.

‘Just recently, we received 1,400 Nigerians from Republic of South Africa; and we have been receiving like that across the 36 states of the federation.

‘These are some of the most peculiar tasks on the shoulders of the NCFRMI.

‘But, with the support we are receiving from President Bola Tinubu, we are able to manage and then move on with our mandate,’ Ahmed said.

The NCFRMI boss further explained that within the last three years, the commission has been taking care of host communities accommodating the displaced persons.

‘This is because you cannot attend to only the displaced individuals; you must equally consider those who are receiving these IDPs in their communities,’ he said.

Ahmed said that the commission is putting efforts towards having an authentic and reliable data of migrants and displaced persons in the country.

He said a consultant had been engaged, adding that soon, NCFRMI would have a robust data management system for migrants and indigenous displaced persons.

He noted that most of the attention had been to the IDPs and the refugees.

‘Recently, Nigerian migrants were repatriated back into the country; we have been providing trainings for refugees, migrants and displaced individuals as a durable solution

‘This is against providing envelopes to Persons of Concern. The Federal Government cannot continue to fend for this 6.7 million displaced Nigerians.

‘We are into pure durable solutions now. And in doing that, we have engaged our IDPs into farming activities so that they can produce and fend for themselves.

‘Also, through the training, they should be able to take care of themselves and fend for themselves.

‘We have also been providing them with education because once we allow those children to live in camps without being educated, we are more or less rearing criminal in our societies.

‘The commission has taken it upon itself to provide education for the displaced children that are living within the Camps,’ Ahmed said.

During the celebration, different heads of departments in the NCFRMI reeled out the achievements recorded within the three years under Ahmed’s leadership.