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Gov Sule inaugurates APC campaign council in Nasarawa

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nasarawa State All Progressives Congress (APC) 2027 Presidential/Gubernatorial Campaign Council urging party members to work for the success of only APC candidates in 2027.

The Governor serves chairman of the council, while former governors Abdullahi Adamu and Tanko Al-Makura were appointed as Deputy Chairmen 1 and 2 respectively. Former spokesperson of the Nigeria Customs Service, Joseph Oboshi Attah, is to lead the campaign as Director General.

In his inaugural speech, Governor Sule said the inauguration was in line with the template of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) earlier inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja.

The Governor apologized for the omission of some names from the released list, noting that those who compiled it are human and bound to make mistakes.

He however assured that more members will be accommodated at the zonal and local government levels, adding that members were selected because of their influence at their various localities.

‘Politics is local. The most important list is the list that you are going to come out with from every local government, from every senatorial zone,’ he said.

Governor Sule disclosed a shift in campaign strategy, saying the 2027 campaign will focus more on local government and ward-level campaigns rather than moving all council members to one location.

‘President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done everything that he is supposed to do for us as a state. He has done everything he’s supposed to do also as a zone. The only thank you we can say to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is to re-elect him,’ he said.

He stressed that re-electing the President without electing APC senators, House of Representatives members, governor and House of Assembly members would be half work done.

‘Therefore, if you truly love President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, then you should vote for him and vote for the people in the same party who will also support him. And that is the reason why when you vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you vote also for the senators and the House of Reps, and more importantly, a governor representing your state should also be APC,’ he said.

In his remarks, The APC gubernatorial candidate in the State, Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, says his ambition to govern the state is beyond personal interest and about the prosperity of the people of Nasarawa State.

He assured party faithful that he is not coming to downplay the legacies of previous administrations but to sustain and expand them.

‘You may not at all times like or enjoy my utterances, but deep inside me, I am humble, I am respectful, and I am loyal. So nobody should be scared. We are not coming to downplay anything or anybody. We are coming to sustain, retain, deepen, and broaden the scope of legacies that have been put before us. And we shall be fair and just to all,’ he assured.

Wadada also appealed to those who may have doubts about his candidacy on grounds of dialect, zone, local government or faith to have a rethink, saying he has no boundaries.

‘My late father, whom of course I am always proud to be his son, had no boundaries. He was everywhere, and everywhere was for him. And that was what he taught me. And so, I am for you, you are for me.

Axxela receives ‘great place to work’ recertification

Axxela Limited, a leading gas and power portfolio company in Sub-Saharan Africa, has been recertified as a Great Place to Work by the globally recognised Great Place to Work Institute.

The recertification reaffirms Axxela’s commitment to building a positive, inclusive and supportive workplace culture where employees can thrive.

The recognition follows an assessment of employees’ workplace experience, which recorded strong levels of trust, belonging, safety, and professional development across the organisation. It also reinforces the company’s belief that its people remain integral to delivering sustainable value and advancing its commitment to providing innovative energy solutions across West Africa.

According to the survey, 94 per cent of employees feel physically safe at work; 92 per cent said the company celebrates special events, 91 per cent felt welcomed from their first day, 91 per cent feel good about Axxela’s contribution to the community, while 90 per cent affirmed that they are offered training and development opportunities to support their professional growth.

Commenting on the recognition, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Axxela Limited, Moshood Olajide, noted that the recertification reflects the company’s continued commitment to creating a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to grow.

He stated that the employee feedback reinforces Axxela’s belief that a strong organisational culture is critical to sustaining performance, innovation and long-term growth.

‘We are proud to be recertified by the Great Place to Work Institute, as it reflects the voices and continued trust of our people. For us, creating a great workplace goes beyond policies and benefits; it means fostering an environment where our people feel safe, welcomed, supported, and empowered to grow professionally. This recognition affirms the progress we are making while reinforcing our responsibility to continually enhance the employee experience,’ he said.

The Great Place to Work recognition strengthens Axxela’s position as an employer of choice and supports its efforts to attract, develop, and retain talented professionals passionate about the future of energy in Africa.

Europe faces winter gas risks as Hormuz disruptions threaten energy supplies

European countries could face difficulties with energy supplies during the coming winter, as forecasters warn of a sharp drop in temperatures across the continent from the second half of November due to cold air masses moving in from the north.

According to the International Energy Agency, Europe’s gas storage facilities were around 75% full at the beginning of October. However, disruptions to fuel shipments following reported missile attacks on several oil and gas tankers in the Strait of Hormuz have increased reliance on eisting reserves.

Eperts say that if gas consumption is carefully managed, current reserves could be sufficient to meet household demand until March 2027.

Meanwhile, natural gas prices continue to rise. Prices on global markets vary depending on regional echanges and delivery hubs.

At the Henry Hub in the United States, natural gas futures are currently trading at approimately $2.90 per million British thermal units (MMBtu).

Prices are significantly higher in the European market, particularly at the Netherlands’ TTF hub, where they fluctuate regularly. Natural gas is currently trading at around $1,100 per 1,000 cubic metres, or approimately pound 94 per megawatt-hour.

Taraba mayhem: Another wake-up call

On Friday, October 23, 2026, as villagers in Binnari community, Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, gathered at the market to buy and sell goods shortly after Friday prayers, armed men suddenly opened fire on the crowd. Unknown to the villagers, the attackers had taken strategic positions around the market, blocking escape routes and shooting at people who attempted to flee.

In the ensuing pandemonium, many people ran into nearby bushes and forests in a desperate bid to escape. However, eyewitnesses said they encountered more gunfire from other armed men concealed in the surrounding vegetation.

In all, as many as 60 people were reportedly killed, while several others remained missing and were presumed dead. In the days following the attack, local authorities discovered additional bodies of people who had either died from gunshot wounds or succumbed to exhaustion and other circumstances while fleeing the violence.

Karim Lamido is one of the most remote and inaccessible areas of Taraba State, particularly during the rainy season. This made it difficult to deploy security personnel promptly to contain the situation and conduct search-and-rescue operations for those who had fled into the bushes.

News of the killings generated horror and outrage within and outside the state. Karim Lamido has long been a flashpoint of communal violence in Taraba. This year, there have been several incidents of violent clashes between ethnic groups over chieftaincy and land disputes, resulting in the loss of lives and destruction of property. Similarly, during the last by-elections in the local government, there were reported clashes between supporters of rival politicians.

Against this background, it is particularly disturbing that the Taraba State Government appeared unprepared for violence on such a scale. Given the history of recurring conflicts in the area, the government ought to have put proactive security measures in place to prevent, or at least mitigate, an attack of this magnitude. It is equally disturbing that the attackers reportedly operated unchallenged for several hours without any intervention by security forces. This failure undoubtedly contributed to the heavy casualties.

Reports indicate that the armed attackers came from neighbouring Plateau State, which shares a border with Karim Lamido. The local government also shares boundaries with Bauchi, Gombe and Adamawa states. Its strategic location at the intersection of four states, coupled with difficult terrain and poor accessibility, makes it vulnerable to infiltration by criminal elements who can exploit jurisdictional boundaries to evade security operations.

We note that the Taraba State Government has since taken steps to mitigate the effects of the attack, including the distribution of relief materials, the establishment of a security cordon and the commencement of search-and-rescue operations. However, there are important questions that must be addressed. The government reportedly declared Karim Lamido an area of ‘particular security concern’. Yet, residents and others within the state have continued to question why Governor Agbu Kefas has not visited Binari to commiserate with the affected community.

While declaring Karim Lamido an area of particular security concern is a step in the right direction, especially given its remoteness and vulnerability, such a designation must translate into concrete and sustained action. It should be backed by robust intelligence gathering, effective surveillance, adequate security deployment and proactive measures to detect and deter criminal elements from establishing bases in the area and using it for their nefarious activities.

This is an issue that requires the involvement of neighbouring states as well as the Federal Government. Although Taraba is not entirely free from security challenges, it has been relatively outside the areas most frequently associated with mass killings of this nature. The Binari massacre therefore represents a dangerous escalation of insecurity in the state. Karim Lamido, given its remoteness, difficult terrain and location along the borders of several states, may have become an attractive operational base for criminal elements.

We therefore call on the Federal Government, in collaboration with the Taraba and neighbouring state governments, to treat the Binari killings as a defining moment in the country’s efforts to end the cycle of violence. Nigerians have grown weary of recurring acts of wanton violence and unabating killings across the country. It has become almost routine for such tragedies to occur, followed by official statements of condemnation, emergency relief interventions and the deployment of security personnel to affected communities. With time, public attention fades, only for another massacre to occur elsewhere.

This cycle must end. The Taraba State Government must work closely with the Federal Government and security agencies to thoroughly investigate the Binari massacre, identify and arrest those responsible, and ensure that they are brought to justice. Beyond this, the authorities must establish a lasting security arrangement that prevents a recurrence of such attacks, not only in Karim Lamido but also in other vulnerable communities across the country.

We at Daily Trust extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed, the people of Binari and the entire Taraba State over this tragic and unfortunate incident.

Plateau govt, PDP disagree over removal of opposition campaign billboards

The Plateau State Government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have disagreed over allegations that the state government had removed campaign billboards belonging to the opposition PDP.

Our correspondent who went round the city reports that campaign billboards belonging to the PDP governorship candidate earlier mounted around Jos Business School and British American Junction were removed.

Governorship candidate of the PDP in the state, Chief Kefas Ropshik, in a statement, accused the state government of removing the campaign billboards in Jos.

Ropshik described the alleged removal of campaign billboards as intimidation of billboard investors and suppression of the creative expression of political opponents.

He said, ‘Plateau cannot preach investment while intimidating billboard investors. It cannot celebrate creativity while suppressing the creative expressions of political opponents.

‘It cannot claim to champion democracy while attempting to determine which political voices deserve visibility. It is yet another troubling indictment of a system seemingly willing to sacrifice Plateau talent on the altar of political expediency, ‘ he added.

But the General Manager of Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB), Hart Bankat, denied the allegation, described it as unfounded, adding that the billboards were mounted without getting permission.

According to General Manager, the billboard in question did not have the required approval for installation, insisting that the action was not politically motivated.

Bankat said, ‘With all due respect, you are bigger than this, and working to occupy the exalted office of Governor deserves integrity.’

He asked Ropshik to produce evidence of any application made for approval to erect billboards in the state that had been denied by the relevant authorities.

‘Can you show us any application that was presented to place billboards or mount any in any location and it was denied?’ he asked.

According to him, all political parties had been issued letters concerning advertisement placements, adding that the issue should therefore be viewed within the framework of existing regulations.

Bankat also referred to an earlier incident involving the removal of posters of the Governor and President from under a bridge, saying the posters were removed and the party involved was fined.

The JMDB boss urged the PDP candidate to approach the board for clarification on the matter rather than interpreting the removal as an attempt to suppress political voices.

Ogun APC dismisses claims Abuja’s behind Adebutu’s legal troubles

The Chairman of the Planning Committee of the Ogun APC Presidential and Gubernatorial Campaign Council, Kayode Oladele, has rejected suggestions that the party’s leaders in Abuja were behind the legal troubles of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship aspirant, Ladi Adebutu.

Oladele, a former House of Representatives member and lawyer, was reacting to a publication titled ‘Ogun 2027: The Power Play Behind Yayi’s Guber Ambition and the Forces Closing In on Adebutu’. He called its claims ‘cheap propaganda’.

He said the individuals named, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila and Hon. James Faleke, are APC leaders. ‘Their political support for Yayi [the APC candidate, Solomon Adeola] is perfectly legitimate and requires no conspiracy theory to explain,’ he said.

Oladele said the real issue was whether the PDP complied with the Electoral Act on the nomination and sponsorship of candidates. He cited the Supreme Court’s decision in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, saying a party legally disabled from sponsoring candidates cannot be rescued by an aspirant’s popularity.

He said anyone alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acted under political pressure must provide credible evidence. He added that the publication itself acknowledged that no evidence linked President Bola Tinubu or the others named to any directive excluding Adebutu.

‘Abuja did not write the Electoral Act,’ he said, advising those dissatisfied with INEC’s decisions to pursue legal remedies, if available.

He said the APC would continue to engage voters on its development agenda.

Separately, two Egba chiefs, Shakiru Abiodun Jimson and Sobowale Mutiu Ayinla, donated a furnished duplex campaign office at Obada, Ewekoro Local Government Area, along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway to Yayi. They also built a solar-powered borehole for the community and promised two branded campaign buses and a cooling van to dispense branded bottled water.

Adeola inaugurated the office and borehole, thanking the donors, whom he was meeting for the first time.

Also, wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun,

Yayi’s wife, Mrs Temitope Adeola, former Speaker of the Ogun Assembly, Alhaja Salimot Makanjuola Badru and others have urged women to vote massively for President Bola Tinubu, Adeola and other APC candidates in the forthcoming election.

They spoke yesterday in Abeokuta at the Ogun State Political Women Stakeholders Forum, themed ‘Stronger Together: Women Unite for Victory, One Woman, Ten Votes’.

Mrs Adeola urged women to move beyond attending political gatherings and take active part in politics. She said Ogun had 1,365,797 registered female voters in 2023, 50.81 per cent of 2,688,305 voters. INEC confirmed in October that the state now has 3,037,981 registered voters, she said, with women at par with men.

Mrs Abiodun urged women to turn their numbers into political power and set three commitments: unity, mobilisation and discipline. ‘One woman, 10 votes. Do not speak to 10 people, win them over, mobilise them, and lead them to the polls for the APC,’ she said.

APC deputy governorship candidate, Alhaja Abiodun Adegunwa, said women’s demands would be met if Yayi is elected.

Lagos Free Zone courts european manufacturers for investments

The Lagos Free Zone has called for stronger investment partnerships among Nigerian, Belgian and Luxembourg businesses to accelerate trade relationships, local manufacturing, agro-processing and industrial development that create jobs and retain more economic value in Nigeria.

The Managing Director, Lagos Free Zone, Adesuwa Ladoja, made the call in her keynote address at the Nigeria-Belgium-Luxembourg Business Forum in Brussels.

Ladoja highlighted the complementary strengths of the three countries, noting that Nigeria’s natural resources, talent and market potential, alongside Belgium’s manufacturing expertise and trade connections and Luxembourg’s industrial and financial capabilities, create significant opportunities for mutually beneficial investment.

She emphasised that stronger cross-border partnerships could help Nigeria expand local production, process more of its agricultural resources, manufacture products for domestic consumption and develop industries capable of competing in international markets.

‘Nigeria, Belgium and Luxembourg bring complementary strengths to this partnership. By combining Nigeria’s resources and market potential with European manufacturing expertise, industrial know-how and financial capabilities, we can build partnerships that deliver lasting economic value for businesses and communities across our countries,’ she added.

She noted that the zone provides a platform for translating these investment opportunities into local manufacturing and industrial development through serviced industrial land, ready-built facilities, utilities and investor support, integrated with the Lekki Deep Sea Port.

She further stated that the zone provides businesses with access to regulatory agencies to facilitate their establishment, operations and expansion in Nigeria.

‘We want to see partnerships translate into manufacturing facilities, products made in Nigeria, skills developed and jobs created. We invite businesses to take the next step by exploring concrete investment opportunities with us at Lagos Free Zone,’ she added.

UNESCO: Female corps members with disabilities to be trained in digital skills

The Read and Earn Federation for UNESCO (UNESCO REF) and the Risqat Societal Development Foundation (RSD Foundation) have partnered to roll out a digital skills empowerment programme for women serving in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who are living with disabilities.

The initiative, known as The VOICE Initiative, is designed to equip women with disabilities with practical digital and artificial intelligence (AI) skills to improve their employability, promote economic inclusion and expand their participation in the digital economy.

Speaking on the partnership, Founder of RSD Foundation, Risqat Oluwatoyin Jimoh, said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that women with disabilities were not excluded from opportunities in the rapidly evolving digital economy.

She said every young Nigerian woman deserved equal opportunities to contribute to national development, regardless of her physical circumstances.

‘By standing with UNESCO REF behind The VOICE Initiative, we are making sure that women corps members living with disabilities are not spectators of the digital age, but its builders,’ she said.

Jimoh added that the partnership represented the foundation’s commitment to building a society where talent, rather than circumstances, determined how far young women could go.

Under the partnership, RSD Foundation will support the identification, enrolment and sustained participation of eligible corps members, while UNESCO REF will provide the curriculum, certification and programme delivery.

The VOICE Initiative, which stands for Visionary, Outcomes-Driven AI for Inclusion, Capacity for Empowerment, is a professional advancement programme for women with disabilities in Nigeria and Africa.

Its first course, AI Innovation and Digital Enterprise (AIDE), is fully funded under the UNESCO REF Educational Financial Facility Scheme (EFFS).

Also speaking, President of UNESCO REF, Prince Abdulsalami Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan, in a statement on Monday, described the partnership as a significant step towards expanding access to digital education and economic opportunities for women with disabilities.

He said the initiative was conceived to ensure that women were adequately equipped to participate in the emerging digital economy, regardless of their circumstances.

ADC finally Unveils Venue for Atiku’s Campaign flag-off

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has unveiled the venue for the flag-off of its presidential campaign.

Senator Ibrahim Lamido, Presidential Campaign Coordinator in Sokoto State, disclosed that the campaign kick-off will hold at the ADC secretariat along Ilorin Road, Sokoto, on Wednesday.

According to Lamido, dignitaries and members of the party were already preparing for the day’s activity.

Following allegations of intimidation and suppression, the leading opposition party had initially refused to disclose the venue of its inaugural Presidential Campaign.

Daily Trust reports that the governorship candidate of the ADC in Sokoto State, Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, reportedly escaped unhurt after gunmen opened fire on his convoy near the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, on Friday night.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had denied the allegation that it was responsible for the attack, but three days after the incident, a campaign office of the ADC was sealed.

There were also allegations that the Sokoto State government denied the ADC a suitable venue for the campaign kick-off.

On Tuesday night, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the party, had alleged that APC and Department of State Services (DSS) were plotting to scuttle the inaugural ADC campaign, an allegation which the Secret Service denied.

In a statement, Lamido said Atiku would arrive at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto, by 9 am.

The statement invited party supporters and members of the public to receive the former Vice President at the airport before proceeding to the campaign venue at No. 1 Ilorin Road, Sokoto.

It also urged party executives across the 23 local government areas and wards, mobilisation coordinators, support groups, women and youth organisations to activate their structures and ensure maximum participation in the event.

Court sentences 2 to death for murder

A Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa has sentenced two men to death by hanging for their involvement in the murder of Odeinyefa Ogbolosingha in 2022.

The victim, who was reportedly an in-law to a prominent politician in the state, was kidnapped and killed by the convicts.

The convicts were also accused of killing the then paramount ruler of Kalaba community, Kolibo Francis Amabelimo, and another resident, Samuel Oburo, in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state.

The convicts, identified as Gideon Atama, 32, and Clever Ovo, 33, were standing trial on charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, murder and attempted murder in suit number BYHC/YHC/CR/32/2025.

The presiding judge, Justice Michael Amadise Ekade, handed down the sentences after considering the evidence presented before the court and finding the defendants guilty of the offences.

Meanwhile, one of the defendants, 50-year-old Bethlehem Nwanlia, reportedly slumped and died within the court premises while awaiting the delivery of the judgement.

Nwanlia was said to have developed health complications, including hypertension and stroke, while in custody at the Okaka Medium Correctional Centre.

The two convicts were reportedly arrested by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), formerly known as Operation Puff Adder, led by CSP Chris Nwaogbo.

Reacting to the judgement, family members of the deceased expressed appreciation to VCRU operatives for the arrests and investigations that led to the prosecution of the suspects.

They also commended the Bayelsa State Government, particularly the Ministry of Justice, for what they described as the diligent prosecution of the case.

The judgement marks a significant development in the prosecution of the 2022 killings, which claimed the lives of three people in Kalaba community.