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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has denied allegations that it issued a fresh international passport to Rebecca Godwin-Isaac while she was facing trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

It stated that the document was issued about four months before her arraignment.

The Service said the passport, number B51450551, was issued to Godwin-Isaac on February 15, 2025, following her application for renewal, while she was arraigned before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on June 18, 2025.

The NIS, in a statement signed by Akinsola Akinlabi, its Public Relations Officer, described reports suggesting that the passport was issued during her trial as ‘false and misleading.’

According to the Service, Godwin-Isaac had previously been issued Nigerian Passport No. B00485650 on August 13, 2021. The passport was valid until August 12, 2026.

The NIS explained that the issuance of the new passport in February 2025 followed her application for renewal and was consistent with regulations governing the issuance of another passport before the expiration of an existing one under certain circumstances.

‘In line with extant laws and regulations which empower the Service to issue a person with another passport before the expiration of a valid passport on account of loss, damage, destruction and exhaustion of passport pages among other reasons, and sequel to her application for renewal, the Service issued passport number B51450551 to Mrs. Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac on February 15, 2025,’ the statement said.

The Service further clarified that the issuance of the new passport automatically rendered the previous passport invalid.

‘It is important for the public to know, that the issuance of Passport No. B51450551 to Mrs. Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac on February 15, 2025, automatically voided and invalidated Passport No. B00485650,’ it said.

The NIS said that, at the time the new passport was issued, it had not received any court order restricting Godwin-Isaac from obtaining a passport or travelling outside Nigeria.

It said the development was significant because Godwin-Isaac was not arraigned before the Federal High Court until June 18, 2025, approximately four months after the issuance of the new passport.

According to the Service, Godwin-Isaac was arraigned before Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Charge Nos. FHC/ABJ/CR/76/2025 and FHC/ABJ/CR/77/2025.

The NIS said the court subsequently made an order requiring her to deposit her passport, but that the order was made about four months after the issuance of Passport No. B51450551.

Former Manchester City midfielder Rodri is confident the club will clear its name after reports that it was found guilty of 114 Premier League financial charges.

The ruling has not yet been published, and no sanctions have been determined, but the reported findings have raised questions over the potential consequences for Man City, including a points deduction or the stripping of previous titles.

Rodri, who now plays for Barcelona, said he remained confident in City’s legal position, citing the club’s successful appeal against a previous UEFA financial fair play case.

‘We went through an identical process in 2020,’ Rodri said at a press conference ahead of Spain’s Nations League clash with England.

‘The club always reassured us that we would be cleared of wrongdoing, that we would face no penalties, because nothing improper had been done. We trusted the club, and ultimately, the club was acquitted.’

City have been accused of failing to provide accurate financial information and details of payments to players and coaches, alongside alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial sustainability rules.

The club has consistently denied the allegations.

Rodri said he expected City to receive a favourable outcome again.

‘I have faith that the club, which I know very well, will be cleared, given the reassurance they gave us back then that they had done everything by the book,’ he said.

City were found guilty by UEFA in 2020 of breaching financial fair play rules and initially received a two-year ban from European competitions. The Court of Arbitration for Sport later overturned the ban on appeal and reduced the accompanying fine.

In a crowded landscape, memorable marketing is more essential than perhaps ever before. Whether you’re a not-for-profit organisation or selling retail products, creative marketing can help you grow brand recognition and recall. Fresh and innovative messaging can help you stand out and connect in meaningful ways, and benefit your organisation in a broader sense too.

What is creativity in marketing?

If you can surprise, delight or relate to your target audience in a unique way, they’ll be all the more likely to notice and remember you. Creative marketing can take a multitude of shapes, whether it’s evocative multi-channel storytelling or reaching your audience through unexpected channels. Rather than dazzling people with gimmicks or trends, the best creative advertising comes from a genuine and meaningful place. As the advertising icon David Ogilvy so succinctly put: Tell the truth, but make the truth fascinating.’

Why marketing teams need creativity

Breaking the mould with your marketing doesn’t just benefit your bottom line: it can have far-reaching benefits right across your business. Here are some of the reasons to imbue extra creativity and innovation in marketing for your organisation.

Creative marketing compels action

Whether you’re speaking to customers, clients or other stakeholders, chances are your marketing strategies intend to drive some sort of action. A creative approach can help to inspire interest and interaction, and as such can improve all-important conversion rates.

Creativity can differentiate you and your offering

Every organisation offers something unique – but how do you get your point of difference across when everyone’s clamouring for attention? A blend of strategic marketing and creativity can help you cut through the noise and showcase your Unique Value Proposition (UVP).

Creativity can strengthen key relationships

Engaging, relatable messaging can help to create emotional connections with your customers or clients, who are in turn more likely to trust and recommend your brand. This can also benefit the employee-employer relationship, as a renewed sense of pride can empower your employees.

Creativity can unite

Developing and meeting a creative brief takes thought, which means an organisation’s marketing strategies can be more closely aligned with its overarching goals. Creativity can help to crystallise and clarify what it is you offer, both for customers and team members. Sales teams, marketing teams and after-sales support can therefore all gain a greater understanding of the customer and their expectations leading into an enquiry.

Creativity can help you adapt in a dynamic marketing landscape

When you have fresh thinking coursing through your organisation, it becomes second nature to adapt to external challenges and changes. You could do more with less and reach more people, even on a modest marketing budget. You can adapt to any competitor challenges with strengths and surprises of your own.

How to adopt more creative marketing strategies

It’s easy to see the value of creativity and innovation in marketing, but how do you put this into practice? Here are some of the steps organisations can take to boost originality in their marketing strategies and beyond.

Nurture creative thinking and innovation

Everybody benefits when creativity is infused throughout workplace culture. Foster a collaborative culture with support from C-suite executives and managers, and provide the tools, resources and time needed for innovation to flourish. Share creativity in marketing examples, from classic ad campaigns through to the latest search and social techniques. Focus on building a diverse team, as different perspectives and experiences can bring a lot to the table. Recognise those at every level who come up with great ideas, and support the development of relevant skills through creative marketing credentials.

Use a customer-centric approach

Organisations will commonly focus on their product or offering, but turning the primary focus to the customer can help you unlock new creative insights. What does your audience need and want, and what stands in their way as they’re purchasing a product or choosing a service? What do they find funny – endearing – meaningful? What information are they searching for? This knowledge can be used to drive more relevant and intriguing marketing to connect with your audience in a genuine way.

Focus on your point of difference

Your point of difference could be to do with service, support, expertise, design or something else entirely. How can you focus in and showcase your point of difference in a n surprising way that stands out from the crowd? An expert team could offer genuinely useful advice and information that no one else in their industry offers through high-quality content marketing. Or perhaps the durability of your quality product could be demonstrated in a novel way. Let your strengths guide the way and inspire your strategies for marketing.

Drive ideas through data

At first glance data and creativity might seem somewhat at odds, but data-driven marketing can be ultra-effective when combined with creative thinking. Just consider how Spotify and Netflix employ user data to create highly personalised customer experiences. The average organisation will have many data points that could be used to drive creative strategies, from CRM data and email databases to social media analytics. Powerful ideas could be sparked simply by exploring behavioural, demographic, psychographic and contextual data.

Embrace experimentation

The digital era makes it easy to experiment and adapt quickly, testing out new messaging strategies and digital marketing skills. Fear of failure can quickly stifle creativity, so it’s important to have the right approach. Aim to learn from any ‘mistakes’ with enthusiasm, and use these to refine and strengthen marketing strategies. Remaining open to new ideas as an organisation will help creativity and imagination thrive.

Last line

Amongst the human skills that are essential in any company, creativity is one that is so often undervalued and underestimated. But encourage fresh and creative thinking for your marketing strategies, and you could see the benefits flow right across your organisation.

Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and Johannes Lehne, Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy, have led renewed efforts by Nigeria and Germany to deepen industrial cooperation, as German machinery manufacturers and Nigerian industrialists converged in Abuja to unlock new investments in cement, mining, steel and building materials.

The high-level engagement, which brought together what organisers described as the largest German industry-focused delegation to Nigeria, was held in Abuja, under the German-Nigeria Cement, Building Materials and Mining Technology Conference.

Chux Onaa, convener and head of the German delegation, said the partnership must move beyond conventional trade to long-term industrial cooperation anchored on technology, investment and trust.

‘The strongest commercial relationships are built not only on technology and investment, but also on trust and a shared vision,’ Onaa said.

Bagudu highlighted Nigeria’s recent pound 364 million export credit guarantee agreement with Germany, saying it would strengthen the financial framework for industrial ventures and support private-sector-led growth under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

In his remarks, Lehne said Germany was seeking a durable partnership with Nigeria rather than short-term commercial opportunities.

‘We are not looking for one-off solutions. We want long-term partnerships; we want to develop the future together,’ he said. He disclosed that Germany’s portfolio in Nigeria had exceeded pound 600 million, while bilateral trade had risen from about $2.5 billion to more than $3.5 billion.

The German delegation also met Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, Minister of Steel Development, to explore cooperation in steel production, mineral processing, technology transfer and equipment manufacturing.

The conference featured German technology presentations, a panel on export and trade finance involving DEG, Access Bank and German Desk, and a business-to-business session linking Nigerian industrialists directly with German original equipment manufacturers.

The organisers said the initiative could accelerate technology-driven industrialisation as Nigeria pursues its $1 trillion economy ambition.

Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign has begun strengthening its policy structure and broadening its membership base as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) intensifies preparations for the 2027 election.

Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, saying the campaign was bringing together party members, experienced political leaders, professionals, young Nigerians and other citizens to deepen its national structure.

Atiku’s presidential campaign council was announced on Thursday, with Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, former Borno State governor, named Chairman; Nasir El-Rufai,

former Kaduna State governor, as Deputy Chairman and Senator Austin Akobundu as Director-General and Campaign Manager.

Shaibu said additional appointments would be announced as consultations continued and the campaign expanded its operations across the country.

‘The campaign is still evolving. Consultations are continuing, and further responsibilities will be assigned as the structure expands across the country,’ he said.

He said the campaign was also developing a policy architecture designed to mobilise Nigerians with expertise and experience around the major challenges confronting the country.

According to him, the policy team will focus on the cost of living, food security and agriculture, security, energy and power, job creation, industrialisation, manufacturing and SMEs, education, healthcare, infrastructure, housing, public finance, governance, technology and innovation.

Other areas, he said, include social protection, natural resources, the environment and human capital development.

‘Nigeria’s challenges are interconnected and cannot be addressed in isolation. The objective is to ensure that every major national problem is matched with a serious, practical and implementable policy response capable of improving the everyday lives of Nigerians,’ Shaibu said.

Shaibu said the campaign structure would extend beyond the national level to the zones, states, wards and polling units. He also reassured supporters who were not included in the first batch of appointments that further engagements were underway.

‘To those who may feel disappointed that their names have not appeared yet, we ask for patience and understanding. No one should believe that years of commitment and sacrifice have been forgotten,’ he said.

‘Our strength has always been our people and the relationships built over many years. We must preserve that bond,’ he added.

He added that the campaign was intended to be a broad-based national movement capable of attracting Nigerians who shared its objective of making life more affordable, creating opportunities for young people and improving the operating environment for businesses.

Tom Otuaga, the Chief Executive Officer of KTS Oil and Gas, has been conferred with the Fellowship of the CIPM in recognition of his contributions to professional leadership, human capital development and organisational excellence.

Otuaga received the prestigious fellowship at the institute’s 58th International Conference and Exhibition (ICE) held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja on Thursday, September 24, 2026.

He received the Fellowship award alongside notable and high-profile human capital administrators, including the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, Ajibola Basiru, and the Director of Administration and Human Resources at the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Mrs. Olufunke Alaba Longe, amongst others.

The CIPM concluded its 58th annual conference themed: ‘Repositioning for Value and Impact,’ with a gala night, where it recognised distinguished professionals for their contributions to the development of the human resources and management profession.

The Fellowship places Otuaga among professionals who have demonstrated consistency in practice, leadership, and commitment to human capital development.

Speaking on the recognition, Otuaga expressed appreciation to the CIPM for the honour, describing it as both a recognition of past efforts and a call to greater responsibility.

He said the award would further strengthen his commitment to promoting effective leadership, professionalism and people-centred management within the workplace.

‘The CIPM is the only accredited body charged with the responsibility of regulating HR practice in Nigeria; it is the dream of every HR practitioner to become a Fellow of the Institute someday,’ Otuaga said.

‘It takes years of hardwork, dedication and unflinching commitment to the profession,’ he added.

He noted that becoming a Fellow of the CIPM is a well-deserved recognition for ‘breathing, eating and living people management.’

‘It is mark of credibility for me as an HR practitioner that I have done the very right things for the practice over the years,’ he said.

With KTS’ core service being the deployment and management of technical manpower for the operation and maintenance of oil and gas installations, Dr. Otuaga said receiving this recognition was a certification for the leadership of the company.

‘It tells the world that KTS is led by someone who understands and upholds the principles of good people mananagement,’ he noted.

The CIPM Fellowship is the Institute’s highest professional recognition and is conferred on individuals who meet its prescribed professional and leadership requirements.

Otuaga’s recognition is expected to further underscore his standing in the Nigerian business landscape, especially in the oil and gas sector and professional community.

Tom Otuaga is the Chief Executive Officer of KTS Oil and Gas Services Limited, an indigenous Nigerian oilfield servicing firm that provides customised operations support services specifically tailored for upstream onshore and offshore oil and gas operators.

A people leader with experience across FMCG and the oil and gas sectors, he is a former Chief Human Resources Officer at Century Group and former Managing Director, CCM Vessels Management.

He has led manpower operations for multiple FPSOs/oil and gas assets owing to his strong leadership, people engagement and consultancy skils. A Harvard University and London Business School trained, he has PhD in Organizational Behaviour from the University of Lagos and a member of the American Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).

Otuaga’s company, KTS, specializes in the provision and management of competent manpower that guarantee the productive operation and maintenance of oil and gas installations such as FPSO, MOPU, FSO, Rig, Flow Stations, or FDPSO. The company caters to these operations by providing a wide range of services such as manpower supply and management, industrial relations intervention, crew logistics support, provision of technical mooring support, and community relation management.

With over half a decade’s track record of excellent service delivery in the upstream sector, KTS remains committed to its mission of prioritizing excellent customer service, quality standards and sustainable compliance.