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At least 17,000 people remain missing in Nigeria as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) continues to trace persons separated from their families by armed conflict and violence.

The ICRC Communications Officer, Abuja Delegation, Usman Kundili, made this known during a two-day training for 50 journalists on humanitarian reporting in Lagos.

Kundili said the ICRC had recorded about 24,000 cases whose relatives were reported missing, particularly as a result of conflict and displacement in the Northeast. However, a review of the organisation’s caseload showed that contact had been lost with about 7,000 families who had registered missing relatives.

According to him, the cases remain on the ICRC’s records, but the organisation is unable to actively pursue them because contact with the families has been lost. He said the ICRC had used radio jingles, house to house visits and engagement with community representatives to try to reconnect with affected families.

‘Unfortunately, because of the continued violence and multiple displacement patterns, even those who have registered with us become unreachable,’ he said.

The training examined humanitarian reporting, international humanitarian law (IHL), the Geneva Conventions, humanitarian principles and role of the media in reporting the needs of communities affected by conflict. It also examined conflicts and humanitarian situations across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, ethical considerations in reporting vulnerable people and the challenges journalists face in accessing conflict affected communities.

Kundili said the media had an important role in keeping the plight of people affected by conflict in public view, particularly as humanitarian stories could easily be overshadowed by other major news events.

‘Only media, for example, has the power to keep the voice of the voiceless, particularly people affected by conflict, to be at the forefront of discussions,’ he added.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has implored the indigenes and friends of Ibadan to use the twin occasions of his birthday and

coronation anniversary to give thanks and offer prayers to God, rather than embarking on an elaborate merriment.

The first-class monarch and elder statesman will turn 82 on Friday and celebrate one year on the throne on Saturday.

Oba Ladoja, who said while he had chosen to use the occasions of his birthday and coronation anniversary to give thanks to God and pray for himself, Ibadan traditional institution, Ibadanland, Oyo State and Nigeria, he would not expect less from the people.

In a statement by his media aide, Adeola Oloko, yesterday, the royal father noted that those ”who love us and Ibadan should please join us in giving thanks to God, and in committing the years ahead into His hands.’

He appreciated the people for their co-operation and support over the past year, noting that the future would be better and more glorious than the present, ”as the joy of the living is in the hope for better things.”

Oba Ladoja urged friends and well-wishers of Olubadan Palace to extend their hands of generosity during the twin occasions and beyond, to people in difficult circumstances, especially those at the motherless babies homes of their choice for them to have a taste of the occasions.

Former Southeast spokesman for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Denge Josef Onoh, has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership to clarify the political status and activities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, Onoh said the emergence of the Rainbow Coalition and its political activities required clear direction from the President and the APC leadership.

He said the coalition should clearly define its relationship with the ruling party, particularly as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify.

According to Onoh, the coalition’s reported plans to support candidates for governorship, Senate and House of Representatives seats could have implications for the political configuration of the APC and the wider opposition.

He said the development was significant because of Wike’s political experience and his current position as a member of the Federal Executive Council.

Onoh also drew parallels between Wike’s current political activities and the political strategies President Tinubu employed between 2010 and 2015, when political structures outside the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) contributed to the realignment that eventually produced the APC.

He said Nigerian politics was driven largely by interests and long-term calculations, arguing that political developments ahead of 2027 could also shape alliances beyond the election.

Onoh said the possibility of further political realignments ahead of 2031 made it necessary for the APC to clearly define the roles of political groups and individuals associated with the party and the Federal Government.

He also expressed support for the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, on maintaining the cohesion of the APC and its structures.

Onoh said the APC had sufficient structures and political machinery to pursue its electoral objectives without relying on parallel arrangements.

He urged President Tinubu and the APC National Working Committee to engage Wike on his political alignment and clarify the relationship between his political structures and the ruling party.

According to him, such clarification would help strengthen party cohesion and provide greater certainty as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections gather momentum.

More than 60 per cent of those listed to speak at the ongoing 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) are being represented by either their vice presidents or foreign ministers, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, has said.

The envoy also assured that Nigeria would retain its designated position at the UNGA, including its front-row seat, as Vice President Kashim Shettima stands in for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Ibrahim, who chairs the UN Committee on Budget and Administration, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and other top government officials would also join the Vice President at the high-level session.

In a statement by the Nigerian Mission to the United Nations in New York, Ibrahim noted that it is not unusual for countries to delegate representation to senior government officials when their presidents are unable to attend.

‘The Vice President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs are adequately positioned to represent Nigeria at the General Assembly and participate fully in the diplomatic engagements surrounding the session,’ he said. The envoy explained that President Tinubu would not personally attend the session as he is currently in France on annual leave.

‘The absence of the President should not be interpreted as Nigeria being inadequately represented. Our delegation will continue to participate fully in the proceedings,’ he said.

Ibrahim urged Nigerians to view the country’s participation within the broader context of diplomatic representation, stressing that Nigeria would continue to play its role fully at the General Assembly.

Also, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has mandated Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States, where he will present the country’s position on major global issues.

Shettima, who will represent the President at the annual gathering of world leaders, will deliver Nigeria’s national statement during the General Debate scheduled to hold from September 22 to 28.

The General Debate, with the theme: ‘Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All,’ is expected to focus attention on pressing global challenges and efforts to strengthen multilateral cooperation.

A statement yesterday in Abuja by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, said Shettima will articulate Nigeria’s priorities on issues affecting national development, peace and security, economic growth and international cooperation.

The Vice President will lead a high-level Nigerian delegation comprising Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara; his Zamfara State counterpart, Dauda Lawal; ministers and other senior government officials to the global event.

Besides delivering Nigeria’s national statement, Shettima is also scheduled to participate in a number of high-level meetings during the UNGA week, including engagements on the Right to Development, climate action and other issues considered strategically important to Nigeria and Africa.

He is also expected to join other world leaders at the traditional reception for Heads of Delegation and hold a series of bilateral meetings with leaders of other countries, international organisations and development partners on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

The Presidency said the engagements would provide another platform for Nigeria to advance President Tinubu’s economic diplomacy and deepen strategic partnerships with other countries and international institutions.

Nigeria is also expected to use the meetings to strengthen its advocacy for reform of the global financial architecture, sustainable development, increased access to climate finance and stronger multilateral cooperation.

The country has consistently pushed for reforms of international institutions to give developing countries, particularly African nations, a stronger voice in global decision-making.

At international forums, the Tinubu administration has also canvassed greater access to development financing for African countries and changes to the global financial system to address what it considers structural constraints confronting developing economies.

Shettima is expected to return to Nigeria at the conclusion of his engagements in New York.

Reckitt, a global leader in health and hygiene, has announced the appointment of Ujunwa Chukwumah as General Manager, West Africa, effective September 15, 2026.

Ujunwa brings more than 19 years of commercial and leadership experience across Africa, spanning commercial strategy, business transformation, market development and team leadership. Her appointment also marks a leadership milestone, as she is the first Nigerian to assume the position, as well as the first female to do so in the region.

She joins Reckitt following senior leadership roles at global organisations, including Diageo and Procter and Gamble. Most recently, she served as Commercial Director for West and Central Africa at Diageo, where she gained extensive experience leading businesses across diverse African markets.

Ujunwa has built a strong track record in driving commercial performance, developing teams and building relationships with customers and partners. Her experience across Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa has also given her a strong understanding of the region’s markets, consumers and evolving business landscape

Ujunwa will lead Reckitt’s West Africa business, with responsibility for driving commercial performance and sustainable growth across the region. She will also focus on building organisational capabilities, developing talent, and creating opportunities for Reckitt’s brands to meet consumers’ evolving needs.

Commenting on her appointment, Ujunwa said: ‘I am delighted to join Reckitt and lead its West Africa business. Having spent much of my career working across the region, I am excited about the opportunity to bring my experience to a business whose brands play an important role in the lives of consumers. I look forward to working with our teams, customers and partners to grow our brands, develop our people and deliver sustainable growth, while continuing to ensure we provide better health in more hands everyday across West Africa.’

Ujunwa’s appointment reinforces Reckitt’s commitment to strong leadership and its long-term ambitions in Nigeria, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire and other West African markets. Her combination of commercial expertise, transformational leadership, and extensive regional experience will support the company’s ambition to deepen its market presence, drive sustainable growth, and create greater value for consumers, and communities across the region.

S and P Global Ratings has assigned ‘B’ long-term and ‘B’ short-term issuer credit ratings, with a stable outlook, to LECON Finance Company Limited, a subsidiary of the Bank of Industry (BOI).

In its September 15, 2026 rating action, SandP Global Ratings identified LECON Finance as a core subsidiary of BOI, noting that its ratings are aligned with those of its parent. SandP expects LECON Finance’s ratings to move in tandem with those of BOI.

Managing Director, LECON Finance, Mrs. Ebehiriere Ehi-Omoike, said the rating was a recognition of the company’s strategic importance within the BOI Group.

She said the recognition reinforced the strength of the company’s business direction and the confidence in its growth prospects.

‘With the support of our parent, our recapitalisation programme and the continued expansion of our finance leasing business, we remain focused on deepening access to productive assets for Nigerian businesses while building a stronger and more sustainable leasing business,’ Ehi-Omoike said.

LECON Finance provides operating lease solutions to BOI and finance leasing solutions to Nigerian clients.

‘For us at LECON, this rating is particularly meaningful because it comes at a time when we are scaling our capacity to provide flexible, asset-backed financing to businesses across Nigeria. We will continue to leverage our partnership with BOI and other stakeholders to expand access to productive assets, particularly for MSMEs, while maintaining strong asset quality, disciplined risk management and sustainable growth,’ Ehi-Omoike said.

SandP noted that operating leases accounted for 57 per cent of LECON Finance’s total leases at year-end 2025, while the company has expanded its finance lease portfolio to Nigerian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to acquire productive assets.

SandP also highlighted LECON Finance’s close alignment with BOI’s development mandate. Although the company represented approximately 0.5 per cent of the group’s total assets at year-end 2025, the rating agency expects its business to continue expanding.

The rating agency further noted that BOI deposited N20 billion with LECON Finance in 2025, with plans to convert the funds into equity subject to regulatory approval. This forms part of a broader N50 billion recapitalisation programme aimed at strengthening LECON Finance’s capacity to expand its business. SandP also noted BOI’s plans to leverage relationships with other development finance institutions to help LECON Finance mobilise cheaper funding.

SandP expected continued growth in LECON Finance’s finance lease portfolio to further strengthen profitability, with finance leases projected to grow faster than operating leases. The agency also expects asset quality indicators to remain in check and projects continued improvement in profitability.

The Stable Outlook reflects SandP’s expectation that LECON Finance will remain a core subsidiary of BOI and receive support when needed.

Five persons have been killed in a vegetable market in Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State, sparking panic that has spilt over into neighbouring Barkin Ladi, where women and children are being evacuated amid sustained gunfire.

The Mangu attack unfolded about 8:45 p.m. last Friday as merchants were locking up their stalls for the night.

Gunmen invaded the market and opened fire indiscriminately, targeting traders and vehicles attempting to leave the premises. The assault lasted 20 minutes, leaving five people dead and multiple bystanders wounded.

An eyewitness, who survived the assault described scenes of total pandemonium, said: ‘People could not even come out of hiding long after the gunmen had left. Five persons were killed, and stray bullets hit many others in the confusion.’

President, Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA), Bulus Dabit, said the gunmen fired into departing vehicles.

‘The identities of the victims have not yet been established. Several injured passers-by were rushed to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for emergency treatment,’Dabit stated.

The bloodshed has triggered fresh instability across the border in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area. By Sunday afternoon, heavy gunfire echoing from the Kantoma axis triggered mass panic in the Dorowa Bubuje community, prompting emergency evacuations of vulnerable residents.

‘About 12:15 p.m. yesterday, we were still hearing the sound of gunshots. Women and children are being moved out of vulnerable spots to safer locations as people retreat from the line of fire,’said a resident, Lawrence Shong.

Spokesperson for the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Rwang Tengwong, confirmed the exodus from Dorowa Bubuje, noting that families are prioritising the safety of women and children amid rising tensions in the area.

‘Military personnel have been deployed to the community, and their past interventions in surrounding villages helped prevent worse escalations. What we need now is sustained, permanent security deployment to protect lives, deter further incursions, and allow displaced families to return home without fear,’Tengwong added.

The Federal Government has clarified President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s absence from the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, saying Vice President Kashim Shettima will lead Nigeria’s delegation.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

According to Idris, Tinubu mandated Shettima to represent him at the General Assembly, where the Vice President will deliver Nigeria’s national statement and participate in high-level meetings and bilateral engagements with world leaders, international organisations and development partners.

He said Nigeria would therefore be fully represented throughout the high-level session, adding that Shettima would act with the full mandate of the President and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The minister said the Vice President’s engagements in New York would advance Nigeria’s priorities on peace and security, economic development, climate action, reform of the global financial architecture, sustainable development and international cooperation.

Idris said Tinubu was currently on annual leave, adding that the President’s decision to mandate the Vice President to lead the delegation was neither unusual nor a diminution of Nigeria’s diplomatic standing.

The minister also acknowledged recent public commentary by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a United States-based lobbying organisation concerning Tinubu’s absence from the General Assembly.

He said political opposition and public debate were legitimate features of democracy, but urged political actors to distinguish between verified information, political opinion and speculation when discussing matters concerning Nigeria’s international relations.

Idris reaffirmed Nigeria’s longstanding relationship with the United States, covering trade and investment, security cooperation, energy, democratic institutions, regional stability and people-to-people ties.

He said the relationship would continue through established diplomatic and governmental channels.

The minister urged Nigerians and the media to rely on verified information when discussing Nigeria’s international engagements.

He said Nigeria’s interests would continue to be advanced at the General Assembly and that efforts to strengthen the country’s relationships with international partners would continue.

The Federal Government has threatened to shut down the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway within two weeks if persistent vandalism, indiscriminate parking, overspeeding and other illegal activities on the road are not brought under control.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Olufemi Dare, who issued the warning during an inspection of the highway, said the decision followed worsening security and safety challenges on the road.

He said the Minister of Works had directed that the road be shut down if there was no significant improvement within two weeks, noting that the Lekki-Epe Expressway remained an alternative route.

He said, ‘In another two weeks, if there is no improvement, His Excellency has directed that it is coming back to shut down the road.’

According to him, lives are being lost regularly on the road as motorists ignore the 30km per hour speed limit imposed because construction is still ongoing.

‘People come to the coastal road and get to a speed of 120km per hour on the coastal road, and where construction is going on. Bridge construction is going on.

‘We have said your speed on the coastal road must not be more than 30km per hour,’ he said.

The controller also warned truck and articulated vehicle operators against parking along the highway, saying enforcement would be intensified.

Dare said the Federal Government was also cracking down on illegal U-turns, commercial motorcycles, tricycles, animal grazing, street trading and illegal settlements along the highway.

He said more than 100 commercial motorcycles were arrested on the road in the previous week alone.

‘Okada is completely banned. Keke Maruwa is completely banned. All manner of tricycles are banned on the coastal highway,’ he said.

He added that illegal occupants and shanties along the road would also be removed, while hawking and sleeping on the median would no longer be tolerated.

The controller expressed concern over extensive vandalism of infrastructure installed along the highway, including clear-view fencing, directional signs and manhole covers.

He said about five kilometres of clear-view fencing had been removed, while manhole covers covering an estimated 18 kilometres had also been vandalised and taken away.

According to him, the vandals operate mainly at night, despite police patrols along the route.

‘They come in the night; they remove the clear-view fence that was used to barricade the communities from the coastal highway. They remove it; they cut it,’ he said.

Dare disclosed that the government was considering replacing the clear-view fence with concrete block walls due to repeated vandalism.

He said that although the clear-view fencing was easier and faster to install, vandals often removed it within days.

‘In areas where we have block walls, to this day, we do not have any problem with them. But you see, it is easier and faster to install this fence. And it’s beautiful. You saw it. It’s beautiful to behold. But if you install it today, in less than one week, it’s gone,’ he said.

He also disclosed that some members of the coastal guard initiative had been attacked while trying to protect the infrastructure, adding that two guards had been stabbed.

Dare said the coastal guard scheme was being reorganised and would operate under the direct supervision of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.

He said members would be recruited from communities along the highway to monitor and protect sections within their communities.

‘We want to make it community-based. So each community will volunteer members of this Coastal Guard to guard their location where their community is located,’ he said.

He added that traditional rulers, including baales and obas in communities along the route, had been informed and were being involved in the security arrangement.

The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), in collaboration with the Ford Foundation, has convened regulators, Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs), oil and gas companies and civil society organisations to agree on steps for sustaining reforms in host-community governance and advancing implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

PIND’s Bridges Project HCDT Impact summit, in Port Harcourt under the theme: ‘From Evidence to Sustainability: Consolidating HCDT Gains and Advancing Effective PIA Implementation,’ reviewed evidence from the project, identified persistent institutional challenges and defined responsibilities for carrying practices forward after the project closes.

Participants examined findings from outcome harvesting, the HCDT Impact Evidence Report, case studies and other project knowledge products before working through a Sustainability Clinic on governance, performance tracking, peer learning, stakeholder coordination and capacity strengthening.

PIND’s Programmes Director, Dr Effiong Essien, said the true measure of the Bridges Project would be whether its gains endure beyond the project cycle.

‘The progress made by HCDTs must translate into stronger institutions, better community participation and more accountable development. Sustainability now depends on stakeholders taking ownership of the tools, relationships and practices that have been built, and committing the resources and leadership required to keep them working,’ Essien said.

Through awareness-raising, capacity strengthening and Multi-Stakeholder Platforms, the Bridges Project has supported HCDT operationalization, participatory planning, improved governance practices and stronger collaboration among communities, regulators, settlors and civil society actors. At the Summit, selected HCDTs presented evidence-based accounts of changes achieved at community level and the challenges that remain.

Reflecting on the community-level experience, Mr. Smart Okpara, Chairman of Emuoha HCDT, said the project had strengthened the Trust’s ability to plan, engage stakeholders and account for results. ‘Bridges has given us practical tools to improve our governance, involve our communities in decision-making and track the results of our development investments. Our responsibility now is to keep using these systems and ensure that the progress continues beyond the project,’ he said.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), settlors and civil society organizations also shared lessons and priorities for improving PIA implementation.

On the regulatory implications, Mr. Kingsley Ehiaguina, Deputy Director, representing NUPRC, said the Summit’s evidence and lessons could strengthen HCDT performance and compliance. ‘Effective implementation of the PIA requires HCDTs that are transparent, accountable and responsive to their host communities. The lessons emerging from The Bridges project provide a useful basis for improving practice, strengthening stakeholder coordination and sustaining compliance,’ the representative said.

The engagement produced a Sustainability Framework assigning proposed responsibilities for continued governance strengthening, monitoring and evaluation, peer learning, knowledge management, capacity development and stakeholder coordination. Participants also validated a communiqué capturing priority recommendations, commitments, responsible actors and next steps.

PIND will consolidate the commitments into an action tracker, circulate the final communiqué and Summit report, and share the project’s evidence and knowledge products with participating institutions. The validated lessons will also inform the Bridges Project’s final impact narrative and future support for HCDTs.