Author: user user

Cops seize P2.2-M meth in CDO drug sting

Police seized an estimated P2.24 million worth of suspected crystal meth, locally known as shabu, from a ‘high-value’ suspect during an afternoon buy-bust operation in Barangay Indahag here on Wednesday.

Joint operatives from the City Drug Enforcement Unit and the City Mobile Force Company arrested the 34-year-old suspect, identified by police only as alias ‘JR,’ a resident of Barangay Canitoan.

Authorities seized 11 sachets containing roughly 330 grams of the illicit drug stashed inside a cigarette box and a black pouch. Operatives also confiscated the suspect’s smartphone, a motorcycle, and the P1,000 bill used as marked money during the 3:00 p.m. entrapment.

The suspect is currently detained at the city police headquarters and faces charges for the sale and possession of illegal drugs under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (RA 9165).

Brig. Gen. Nestor C. Babagay Jr., Police Regional Office -10 director, lauded the arresting units, emphasizing the necessity of continuous, intelligence-driven crackdowns to dismantle drug networks in Northern Mindanao.

‘We will sustain our operations and ensure that those involved in the illegal drug trade are held accountable under the law,’ Babagay said.

He also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious neighborhood activities, noting that community cooperation is vital in keeping the region safe and drug-free.

State Police sealed as 30 Assemblies grant approval

State Police has virtually become a reality.

The only steps remaining are the collation of state endorsements and the transmission of the Bill by the National Assembly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent.

As at last count yesterday, 30 Houses of Assembly have concurred with the amendment of the Constitution to pave the way for State Police.

The threshold for Constitution amendment is concurrence of two-thirds of 36 states – which is 24.

Also yesterday, the Presidency requested the Organised Private Sector (OPS) to develop a financing and implementation blueprint for the proposed State Police system.

It said businesses had compelling reasons to support the reform because insecurity imposes costs beyond private security expenditure, including abandoned investments, delayed expansion and disrupted commercial activities.

‘A company can reinforce its perimeter. Its workers still have to travel home, and its suppliers still have to move through the surrounding communities.

‘Your long-term security depends on the strength of public institutions beyond your gates,’ said Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Four more states yesterday endorsed the constitutional amendment as the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, defended the initiative.

Lagos, Niger, Kogi and Ebonyi Houses of Assembly approved the proposed constitutional amendment, bringing the tally to 30 states that have endorsed the Bill.

The endorsements underscore growing legislative support for decentralised policing, although concerns remain about the capacity of state governments to finance the system, protect its independence and prevent governors from using it against political opponents.

During a plenary session on ‘Security, stability and economic resilience’ at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, Gbajabiamila said insecurity was driving away investments, disrupting supply chains, delaying factory expansions and undermining employment opportunities.

He urged the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), chambers of commerce and business associations to develop practical proposals for financing, institutional management and accountable partnerships.

He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to establishing state police offered businesses an opportunity to contribute to security institutions capable of protecting investments and strengthening economic resilience.

‘I therefore ask the NESG to carry this engagement beyond our meeting. Bring forward a considered private sector contribution on financing and implementing state police, with practical proposals for accountable partnerships.

‘Take that work into the legislative process and into your engagement with state governments,’ he said.

Gbajabiamila urged business leaders to engage governors and legislators, contribute expertise in institutional management, expenditure control and risk assessment, and identify security failures preventing viable investments.

He warned that private sector participation must not compromise police independence, insisting that contributions towards communications infrastructure, equipment maintenance and financial planning must be transparent.

‘Where businesses provide resources, those contributions need published accounts and independent scrutiny.

‘Public funding must remain dependable, and a donation must never purchase influence over an investigation or preferential treatment,’ he cautioned.

The Chief of Staff said states seeking to establish police services must demonstrate sustainable financial capacity beyond the initial provision of vehicles, uniforms and equipment.

They must be able to meet recurring obligations, including salaries, professional training and operational maintenance, he said.

Failure to meet these obligations, Gbajabiamila warned, could expose police institutions to private influence and unlawful demands on citizens.

He assured that federal policing would remain available in states that were not financially or institutionally prepared to establish their own services.

30 Assemblies endorse amendment

Providing an update on the reform, Gbajabiamila said 24 State Houses of Assembly had approved the constitutional amendment as of October 23, meeting the required two-thirds threshold at that stage.

That was before six more states joined them.

He said the Presidential Working Group had submitted the draft National Policing Bill and 29 consequential amendment bills to the Federal Ministry of Justice on October 19 for legislative review.

Following the review and final consideration, the proposals would be presented to Tinubu for approval before transmission to the National Assembly.

Addressing fears of political abuse, Gbajabiamila said the proposed legislation would establish enforceable safeguards, national professional standards, independent oversight and remedies against misconduct.

‘A citizen’s entitlement to protection cannot depend on whom he supports or where she comes from,’ he said.

Lagos seeks greater state autonomy

The Lagos State House of Assembly unanimously endorsed the amendment after cutting short its recess.

Speaker Mudashiru Obasa welcomed the initiative but argued that the proposed framework did not adequately address the states’ concerns over control of their police services.

He said successive assemblies, from the fifth to the 10th, had debated the need for state police, but the present amendment still left significant powers at the federal level.

‘It is unfortunate that what we believe in, our art and intention as well as our aspirations over the years, has not been fully captured in this alteration, even though we are pleased that at the end of the day, we have State Police in view,’ he said.

Obasa expressed concern that some powers assigned to state legislatures were subject to joint control with the National Assembly, while the federal position would prevail in the event of a conflict.

‘I don’t know if it is State Police or an offshoot of the National Police. But whatever it is, I want to state that at least, it is a step forward.

‘I want to believe there is hope in the future that further amendments that will give total control to the states will happen,’ he said.

Obasa also advocated the establishment of parliamentary police to protect legislative institutions and preserve their independence, citing past incidents in which state legislative buildings were allegedly demolished or locked at the instance of governors.

Ebonyi, Kogi endorse bill

In Ebonyi, all 24 members of the House of Assembly voted in favour of the bill during plenary at the Assembly Complex, Nkaliki Road, Abakaliki.

Speaker Moses Ije Odunwa said the unanimous endorsement reflected the lawmakers’ commitment to constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening security and protecting lives and property.

He said the demand for state police had been longstanding in Ebonyi, adding that the state had expressed support for the proposal during a National Assembly public hearing on constitutional review.

The Kogi State House of Assembly also unanimously approved the amendment after Speaker Aliyu Umar Yusuf urged members to support the proposal.

Yusuf said terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder conflicts, political thuggery and other crimes had intensified the need for more responsive policing.

In Niger, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago announced the passage of the bill while speaking in Minna at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential and Governorship Campaign Council.

He commended the Speaker, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, and other lawmakers for their deliberations leading to the passage.

Akpabio defends proposal

Akpabio defended the proposed state police system as a means of strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture, saying it would complement rather than replace the federal police.

He spoke through Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin at the 10th convocation of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies and the University of Benin in Abuja.

Criminologist Prof. Etannibi Alemika delivered a lecture titled: ‘State police in Nigeria: Issues, challenges and prospects.’

Akpabio disagreed with Alemika’s position that public hearings on the proposal had been inadequate, saying hearings were held in Abuja and across the six geopolitical zones to enable Nigerians to contribute.

‘The federal police will remain intact. The objective is to complement the work of the existing police force,’ he said.

He added that state police would operate under regulatory safeguards and federal oversight, with clearly defined limits on their weapons and powers.

Alemika, however, warned that decentralising policing without effective safeguards could worsen insecurity, particularly in states where governors wield considerable influence over public institutions.

He argued that state police alone would not address the underlying causes of insecurity, including unemployment, poverty, inequality, inadequate healthcare, poor education and environmental degradation.

‘The solution to Nigeria’s insecurity lies not simply in state police or federal police, but in good governance,’ he said.

The professor questioned whether constitutional provisions would adequately prevent political interference, given governors’ influence over state legislatures, judiciaries and electoral commissions.

Nigeria’s portfolio investment inflows rise 17.6% to $7.09bn in Q2

Nigeria’s portfolio investment inflows rose by 17.6 per cent to $7.09 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up from $6.03 billion in the preceding quarter, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The increase of $1.06 billion was driven by higher inflows into long-term general government debt securities, the CBN said in its Q2 2026 Economic Report published on Monday.

The report showed that portfolio investment remained the largest component of new financial liabilities recorded during the quarter, significantly exceeding direct investment liabilities.

Portfolio investment inflows increased by 17.6 per cent between January and March and April and June, while direct investment liabilities rose by 11.7 per cent to $1.15 billion from $1.03 billion.

The CBN attributed the increase in direct investment liabilities to higher reinvested earnings.

Other investment liabilities also increased, rising to $2.75 billion in the second quarter from $1.36 billion in the first quarter.

The growth reflected higher loan drawdowns by the government and other sectors, as well as increased currency and deposit liabilities of deposit-taking corporations.

Consequently, the net incurrence of financial liabilities rose to $10.84 billion from $8.36 billion in the preceding quarter.

Portfolio investment inflows were about six times direct investment liabilities in the second quarter. They accounted for about 65 per cent of total net financial liabilities incurred during the period, compared with roughly 72 per cent in the first quarter, as other investment liabilities recorded stronger growth.

However, the portfolio investment rose amid a decline in Nigeria’s aggregate foreign exchange inflows.

GWL Accra West Appreciates Top Customers

The Ghana Water Limited (GWL), Accra West Region, has paid a visit to some of its top-performing customers in recognition of their prompt and consistent payment for water supplied, as part of activities marking Customer Service Month.

The GWL team from the Accra West Region first visited the GIHOC Distilleries Company Limited in Accra and KANE-EM Industries Limited, where the company’s management interacted with management and some staff, and presented them with bottled water produced by GWL and souvenirs in appreciation of their continued partnership.

At GIHOC Distilleries, the Regional Chief Manager of GWL’s Accra West Region, Francis Lamptey, said the visit was intended to acknowledge the critical role customers played in sustaining the operations of the water company.

He explained that regular payments by customers provided the company with the financial resources needed to meet its operational obligations, including paying staff salaries, purchasing chemicals, paying electricity bills and undertaking maintenance and repairs.

Mr. Lamptey noted that without adequate cash flow, the company would struggle to sustain its operations and provide reliable services to its customers, adding that GIHOC Distilleries was among the customers whose consistent payments had helped the company meet its financial commitments and maintain its operations.

He added that the recognition formed part of the company’s efforts to appreciate customers whose continued support contributed to its survival and operational efficiency.

The Managing Director of GIHOC Distilleries Company Limited, Mr. Jones Borteye Applerh, thanked GWL, especially staff from the Accra West Region, for the visit and the gesture, stressing that water remained an essential component of the company’s production.

He said the recognition underscored the mutual dependence between the two state-owned enterprises, noting that GIHOC relied on a consistent water supply to sustain production, while GWL depended on timely payments from customers to finance its operations.

At KANE-EM Industries Limited, the Regional Chief Manager of GWL’s Accra West Region commended the company for its prompt and consistent payments for water supplied over the years.

The Chief Finance Officer of KANE-EM Industries Limited, Sanjiv Sah, also expressed appreciation to GWL Accra West Region team for its continued supply of water, which he said enabled the company to maintain its production without difficulties.

The team from the GWL Accra West Region included the Regional Public Relations Manager, Harriet Boadiwaa; Regional Distribution Manager, Kingsley Dzebu; and Regional Human Resource Manager, Madam Doris Ankrah.

The rest are Madam Irene Tagoe; and Materials Manager, Mr. Justice Aidoo, alongside representatives from the Low-Income Support Department, Health and Safety Unit and the Kaneshie District Team.

Regional Public Relations Manager, Harriet Boadiwaa, said the customer appreciation visits which will continue during the week formed part of activities organised by the Accra West Region to mark Customer Service Month.

The Region began the celebration by sending bulk short message service (SMS) messages to domestic and commercial customers, as well as staff to recognise their contributions to the company’s operations.

The messages acknowledged customers for their continued engagement, timely payments and feedback, including fault reports that helped the Region identify service challenges and improve its operation.

The celebration also featured a staff durbar, which provided an opportunity for employees to interact with regional management, receive recognition for their efforts, and discuss the importance of teamwork in achieving operational targets.

2027: Fubara charges Rivers traditional rulers to maintain peace, shun crisis

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has charged traditional rulers in the state to maintain peace, promote unity, and guard against actions that could trigger crises as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Fubara gave the charge while addressing members of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers at its 126th, 127th and 128th combined quarterly meeting.

The governor urged the monarchs to put the state’s interests above personal sentiments and political considerations, stressing that their conduct and influence at the grassroots would be critical to sustaining peace during the electioneering period.

He warned that actions that could divide communities could create crises the government would find difficult to manage.

The governor said, ‘Let me, therefore, request that everyone should ensure that, as we are entering into this political season actively, your conduct maintains peace in your place.

‘Your actions should not lead to division and multiple crises that we cannot manage as a government.’

He urged traditional rulers to administer justice fairly in their domains and abide by the constitution that guides their offices, noting that fairness and impartiality are necessary for the state to progress.

‘Let’s keep aside the issues of individual sentiments and ensure that the interest of our state supersedes whatever thing that we have in our mind,’ he said.

Fubara said traditional institutions remain vital to maintaining stability in Rivers State because of the monarchs’ close relationship with their communities and their role as custodians of cultural values.

He urged them to use their positions to promote harmony among their people, especially as political activities gain momentum ahead of the 2027 polls.

The governor said traditional rulers’ ability to manage affairs in their respective domains would contribute significantly to the state’s overall strength and development.

‘Your ability to navigate your local domain produces the strength that is called Rivers State,’ he said.

Fubara also reaffirmed his administration’s respect for the traditional institution, commending the monarchs for their contributions to peace and development in the state.

He said he had consistently honoured the institution since assuming office and appreciated the traditional rulers for their prayers and support for the state.

The governor also addressed concerns about the monarchs’ welfare, assuring them that the government would work to resolve outstanding issues affecting their mobility.

He promised that traditional rulers would receive their official vehicles before his tenure ends.

‘I want to assure you again that you will get your vehicles one way or the other before I leave office,’ he said.

Fubara explained that he had previously directed that rulers who prioritised mobility should receive vehicles, while others could monetise the benefit, but disagreements over implementation delayed the process.

He also pledged to investigate other welfare concerns raised at the meeting, including the statutory five per cent allocation traditional rulers receive from their respective local government areas.

On the council’s leadership, the governor expressed concern about the chairman’s health and said he would decide after the meeting, promising to communicate his position in the coming days.

FG disburses N249.6bn to basic healthcare fund in three years

The Federal Government has disbursed ?249.6 billion to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in the last three years under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, representing 77.1 per cent of the total disbursements made under the scheme since its inception in 2019, according to the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako.

Salako disclosed this on Wednesday during a ministerial press briefing in Abuja on the implementation and achievements of the fund between 2023 and 2026.

Salako said the administration had increased funding for basic healthcare delivery, expanded health insurance coverage and strengthened primary healthcare services through the fund.

He explained that since the first disbursement under the BHCPF in September 2019, a total of ?432.3 billion had been released, while ?323.6 billion had been disbursed as of the latest review.

According to him, an additional ?40.758 billion approved at the October 2026 meeting of the Ministerial Oversight Committee would raise total disbursements to ?364 billion, with ?290.2 billion accounted for under the Tinubu administration.

The minister said the figures reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to increasing domestic financing for essential healthcare services and ensuring that public resources translated into improved access to medical care.

‘The test is not whether a release appears in the ledger, but whether the intended facility receives the funds and appreciates or delivers the service,’ Salako said.

He explained that the BHCPF was established under the National Health Act 2014 to ensure that Nigerians, particularly poor and vulnerable populations, could access essential healthcare services.

‘The Basic Health Care Provision Fund was designed to give practical effect to the basic obligation of government that Nigerians, especially those who are poor or vulnerable, have access to essential healthcare,’ he said.

Salako said the fund had become a central component of the administration’s broader health sector reform programme, which seeks to improve primary healthcare delivery, expand health insurance coverage and strengthen accountability in the use of public resources.

He recalled that President Tinubu launched the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative in December 2023 and signed the Health Sector Renewal Compact to align the Federal Government, state governments, the Federal Capital Territory and development partners behind a common reform agenda.

According to him, the compact was updated in November 2025 to include local governments, the private sector, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and religious leaders.

The minister said the introduction of the BHCPF Guideline 2.0 was aimed at improving transparency and accountability through performance-linked disbursements, direct financing of healthcare facilities and stricter monitoring mechanisms.

He added that the framework incorporated the use of the National Identification Number to improve beneficiary identification and make healthcare spending more traceable.

‘The goal is to expand access to quality healthcare, make every naira that is spent traceable and deliver primary healthcare services equitably, efficiently and transparently,’ Salako said.

On the latest funding, he said the Ministerial Oversight Committee approved ?40.758 billion for the third quarter of 2026, compared with approximately ?32.88 billion in the preceding quarter.

He said ?19.87 billion was allocated to the National Health Insurance Authority Gateway, while ?18.3 billion went to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency Gateway.

The Emergency Medical Treatment Gateway received ?2.04 billion, while ?409.48 million was allocated to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Gateway.

Salako said the allocations were intended to improve financial protection for vulnerable Nigerians, strengthen primary healthcare facilities, support emergency medical services and enhance disease surveillance and outbreak response.

He also disclosed that the statutory Consolidated Revenue Fund allocation to the BHCPF had increased from approximately ?8.95 billion monthly in January 2023 to ?20.43 billion monthly.

The minister added that the fund was projected to receive ?245.1 billion by the end of 2026, subject to the full implementation of the year’s appropriation.

He said the Federal Government was working with the National Assembly to increase the statutory allocation to the fund from one per cent to two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

On health insurance, Salako said national enrolment had risen from approximately 16.2 million people in 2023 to 23.06 million by the third quarter of 2026.

He disclosed that 3,182,943 vulnerable Nigerians with National Identification Numbers had been identified as beneficiaries of health insurance coverage supported by the BHCPF.

According to him, the fund had also supported free vesicovaginal fistula surgeries and rehabilitation, emergency caesarean sections and other interventions benefiting 96,068 women and babies.

He said the programme was also being extended to key populations, including people living with HIV and tuberculosis, while health insurance coverage had been approved for approximately 90,000 inmates in correctional facilities nationwide.

Salako said the interventions were part of efforts to protect vulnerable Nigerians from the financial burden of accessing medical treatment.

‘Our guiding principle is that the family should not be driven into poverty because of costly treatment,’ he said.

At the primary healthcare level, the minister disclosed that 8,309 facilities across the 36 states and the FCT were receiving direct financing under the fund.

He said plans were underway to extend coverage to another 5,212 facilities, bringing the projected total to 13,512 primary healthcare centres.

Salako further reported an increase in primary healthcare attendance from a baseline of 34.55 million in 2023 to 43.06 million by the second quarter of 2026.

He added that the programme recorded an approximately 20 per cent improvement in the number of eligible children under one year receiving the third dose of the pentavalent vaccine, alongside a 63.6 per cent increase in deliveries attended by skilled birth attendants.

According to the minister, predictable financing would enable healthcare facilities to meet their operational needs, obtain essential medical supplies and provide more reliable maternal, newborn and child healthcare services.

‘With predictable financing, we expect our covered primary healthcare centres to meet basic operational needs, obtain essential supplies and provide more reliable maternal, newborn, child and preventive healthcare, particularly in communities that historically have limited access,’ he said.

The minister said the government was also strengthening emergency medical services, disclosing that 116,571 emergency ambulance service interventions had been recorded since 2023.

He said the services covered labour and obstetric emergencies, neonatal and under-five emergencies, road traffic injuries, snake bites, wounds and other urgent medical conditions.

Salako added that emergency medical services management and operational structures had been established in all 36 states and the FCT.

He said the government was also working to expand emergency transport services to communities with difficult terrain and waterways, while ensuring that patients could access functioning receiving facilities.

On disease surveillance, the minister said the BHCPF-supported Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Gateway had contributed to preparedness and response activities involving outbreaks of Lassa fever, cholera, diphtheria and mpox.

He explained that the programme was intended to strengthen surveillance, improve preparedness and ensure that states could mobilise resources promptly when disease outbreaks threatened communities.

‘The purpose of the gateway is to help ensure that surveillance, preparedness and response can be mobilised promptly, with states equipped to meet their own responsibilities,’ he said.

On healthcare personnel, Salako said 78,054 frontline health workers had been trained as of June 2026 under the administration’s programme to retrain 120,000 workers.

He added that the Ministerial Oversight Committee had approved a phased salary-support arrangement for 13,800 community-based health workers and skilled birth attendants.

Under the arrangement, the Federal Government would cover 100 per cent of eligible salary costs in the first year, 67 per cent in the second year and 33 per cent in the third year.

Salako said the arrangement was designed to encourage state governments to progressively absorb the workers into their employment structures and ensure that communities did not lose essential healthcare personnel when federal support ended.

He stressed that state governments must fulfil their responsibilities under the BHCPF by providing counterpart funding, strengthening oversight and ensuring that healthcare facilities had the personnel and resources required to deliver essential services.

‘The Federal Government cannot achieve a functioning primary healthcare system on behalf of states without their sustained participation,’ he said.

The minister urged state governments to meet their financial obligations under the programme, citing Katsina State as an example of a government that had recently released ?240.79 million to its state health insurance agency to expand coverage.

He said the Federal Government would continue strengthening financial monitoring in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to ensure that public funds were used for their intended purposes.

Salako added that the Ministerial Oversight Committee had approved the operationalisation of Medipool as a procurement mechanism for essential medicines and health commodities under the fund, subject to price benchmarks, quality requirements and value-for-money safeguards.

He said the initiative was expected to improve the availability of medicines and other essential supplies at healthcare facilities as funding continued to increase.

Looking ahead, the minister said the government would continue working with the National Assembly and state governments to increase funding, expand facility coverage and strengthen accountability.

He said the administration was targeting direct financing for at least 17,600 healthcare facilities as part of efforts to improve access to essential services.

Salako maintained that the success of the fund would ultimately depend on whether increased financing translated into better healthcare outcomes for Nigerians.

‘A pregnant woman should not be denied skilled care because the community lacks functional facilities. And Nigerians should have confidence that the public resources appropriated for their health are reaching the places where care is delivered,’ he said.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that the BHCPF delivers essential healthcare services and financial protection to Nigerians, regardless of their location or economic circumstances.

Four Myanmar workers hunted over Lat Krabang attack

Police are looking for four Myanmar workers, two married couples, who allegedly beat and stabbed two Chinese employers at a construction workers’ camp in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district, killing one and seriously injuring the other, before fleeing with about 50,000 baht in wages.

The attack was believed to have stemmed from an argument after the workers asked to resign but were refused payment, reportedly because they had failed to give advance notice as agreed.

The incident occurred at a construction site at Soi Phatthana Chonnabot 3 in Khlong Song Ton Nun area, said Pol Capt Jaennarong Aree, deputy investigation chief at Lat Krabang police station, who was told about the incident at 8pm on Tuesday.

Police, forensic officers, medical personnel, forensic officers and rescue workers were dispatched to the scene.

Upon arrival, officers found a man, identified later as Yang Zhongxu, 39, a Chinese national, lying critically injured with head and facial injuries believed to have been inflicted with a hard object. Rescuers performed CPR, but failed to resuscitate him.

Another Chinese man, 49, suffered head injuries and a stab wound to the back. He was taken to Sirindhorn Hospital.

Polce found a 60-centimetre bloodstained steel reinforcing bar and a bloodstained cash envelope used for wage payments at the scene. Both were collected as evidence.

According to preliminary witness statements, Yang and the injured Chinese man arrived at the camp at 6.30pm on Tuesday to distribute monthly wages to more than 60 Myanmar workers.

During the payment process, Yang reportedly scolded the two married couples over the quality of their work. The four then abruptly asked to resign, but Yang refused to pay their wages, citing an agreement requiring advance notice before resignation.

Enraged by the refusal, the four allegedly attacked the two employers, striking them with the steel bar and stabbing them with a knife. They then fled with about 40,000-50,000 baht in cash.

Lat Krabang investigators were examining CCTV footage along escape routes. One of the four suspects has been identified as Soe Htike Aung, 25.

We’ll use tourism to drive Tinubu’s diversification agenda – NTDA DG

The Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Dr. Ola Awakan, has said tourism will play a key role in achieving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda.

Awakan stated this on Tuesday at the State House, Abuja, during a meeting with President Tinubu, where he decorated the President as Brand Patron and Ambassador of Tourism.

He said the meeting was significant as the administration continued efforts to diversify the economy away from oil.

‘The meeting with Mr. President is significant at this time because Mr. President has been hammering on diversification for the development of the economy of this country. And at the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, we believe so much that the tourism sector is that sector that can achieve the diversification agenda of Mr. President.

‘There are many nations that have used tourism to change the trajectory of their countries for better. And we have people in Africa that are trooping to those countries for them to enjoy the fortune that tourism has given to them,’ he told State House correspondents.

Awakan said the authority had urged Tinubu to replicate in Nigeria the tourism legacy he established in Lagos State.

‘The legacy you have created in Lagos, and we want the same legacy created for Nigeria. We are decorating you as a brand patron of tourism and ambassador of tourism, for us to be able to achieve the diversification agenda through tourism, for Nigeria’s sake.’

He said Nigeria had sufficient tourism resources to make the sector a major driver of economic growth.

‘So what we have in Nigeria is enough for us to use tourism to drive the economy of this country. And that’s the conversation I’ve had with His Excellency, and he’s committed to achieving what he achieved with tourism in Lagos State. He’s committed to achieving that in Nigeria, because when you mention tourism, the first state you mention is Lagos, and now he is the President of Nigeria; we can achieve same with this country.’

According to the NTDA director-general, the President has also reaffirmed his commitment to developing tourist destinations and improving Nigeria’s image internationally.

‘He’s committed to ensuring that we develop all our tourist destinations. He’s committed to ensuring that we have the visibility that we need in telling the right story about Nigeria, to erase the negative stories that are out there about this country. Because I say it everywhere, that Nigeria is a microcosm of stories. And how do we tell these stories if not through tourism?’

Awakan said Nigeria would demonstrate its commitment to developing the tourism, hospitality and travel sectors through its official participation in the World Travel Market (WTM) London next month.

‘It is worthy of note to state that Nigeria will be officially participating at the World Travel Market in London, which is the biggest travel market in the world, with over one hundred and eighty countries that will be there. So this will show the seriousness of Nigeria as far as tourism, hospitality and travel is concerned.

‘What we want to do is to ensure that we show to the international community that Nigeria is now intentional about using tourism to drive the economy of this country. We believe that in not too distant a future, the achievement that Mr. President was able to make in Lagos, we can do the same in Nigeria. And Nigeria will be respected as far as tourism is concerned, not just within the continent of Africa, but in the global society.’

He added that the authority planned to promote Nigeria’s tourist destinations as locations for film productions to attract international visitors, following the example of countries that use movies to showcase their attractions.

‘Some of the countries that we have visited, we see those countries from movies that feature tourist destinations. Who says we cannot do the same thing with Nigeria?’

FG working on draft executive bill to tackle emerging cyber threats

The Federal Government has said it is committed to overhauling Nigeria’s cybercrime legislation to address emerging threats from artificial intelligence, including sophisticated online fraud, digital surveillance and attacks on critical national infrastructure.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, made this known at the second International Cybersecurity Conference held in Abuja on Tuesday

The ????????conference 2026, is with theme: ‘Cyber Resilience in the Age of AI: Defending Minds, Networks and Nations’.

In a message delivered on his behalf by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, Fagbemi said the federal government is working on a draft executive bill to strengthen Nigeria’s legal framework for tackling emerging cyber threats.

‘The Federal Ministry of Justice has advanced work on a draft executive bill to strengthen our legal framework,’ he said.

Fagbemi said technological advances had transformed cybercrime into a threat to financial systems, national security, personal dignity and public trust.

‘Our objective is clear, we support laws that respond to emerging technologies, facilitate the preservation and exchange of electronic evidence, support effective investigation and prosecution, and uphold human rights and the rule of law.

‘Security must protect liberty, not become an excuse to undermine it. The office of the Attorney General of the Federation remains committed to a whole-of-government and a whole- of-society approach,’ he said.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Malam Kashifu Inuwa, said cybersecurity focuses on preventing attacks while cyber resilience involved the ability to recover after an attack.

‘In the age of AI today, it is very difficult defending or attacking with AI itself because you need to think of attacking and defending using AI because AI has many sophisticated tools for the attackers as well as for the people.

‘Organisations need to defend themselves as well and it all depends on how we use it.

‘This year’s conference is going to look at it beyond just defending infrastructure because today, cyber security is beyond infrastructure.

‘We need to look at how we can defend our minds because hackers focus more on hacking people than systems and it is easier to hack people to get what you want than hacking the system itself,’ Inuwa said.

He added that NITDA was working with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the National Assembly to review the Cybercrimes Act and strengthen the policy framework for cybersecurity.

Speaking, Sen. Shuiabu Salisu, Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, called for greater collaboration among government institutions and stakeholders to address challenges affecting Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

Salisu proposed a retreat involving relevant ministries, regulatory agencies, security institutions and other stakeholders to identify shared priorities and develop coordinated strategies.

He also advocated the development of a national cyber resilience index to assess organisations’ security capabilities and provide a framework for measuring and improving their preparedness against cyber threats.

Dr Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), emphasised the importance of building trust through data protection and privacy in the age of AI.

In his presentation, titled ‘Trust by Design: Data Protection and Privacy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence’, Olatunji said that AI-enabled data breaches cost an average of six million dollars, about one million dollars above the global average.

According to him, one in four malicious data breaches was AI-enabled, representing a 56 per cent year-on-year increase, while 43 per cent of breaches involved unapproved or unsecured AI tools.

‘Building trust requires regulators to establish clear rules, developers to integrate privacy and security into AI systems, and organisations to assess risks and demonstrate compliance.

‘Citizens also need to understand and exercise their data protection rights, make informed choices and report suspected misuse of personal information,’ he said.

He said trust should be embedded in the design and deployment of AI systems rather than treated as an afterthought.

The conference was attended by over 700 participants, about 200 organisations, academia, industry, policy makers, among others

Rex Forestry hosts delegates from 15 countries for field learning in Ondo

Rex Forestry Limited hosted 74 delegates from 15 countries on 27 August 2026 for a field visit to its operations in Ondo State, connecting forestry students with practical experience in seedling production and plantation management.

The visit formed part of the International Forestry Students’ Symposium (IFSS) programme in Nigeria. According to the company’s visit records, participation exceeded 84 when Rex representatives, Nigerian university students, lecturers and other forestry stakeholders were included.

The seven-hour programme took delegates through an operational briefing, nursery activities and plantation sites in the Oluwa Forest Reserve landscape. It offered an opportunity to connect university learning with the practical decisions involved in establishing and managing timber plantations.

At the nursery, participants explored seedling production and nursery management, following the early stages of a process that leads to plantation establishment. The field component extended that learning into plantation operations and discussions with forestry practitioners.

The visit followed a presentation on 26 August at the T.I. Francis Auditorium of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). Representatives of Rex’s Planning and Research and Development teams introduced the company’s operations and forestry practices, providing context for the following day’s field programme.

Together, the university session and field visit created a link between academic discussion and operational experience. Delegates were able to engage with practitioners and relate the subjects discussed at FUTA to the activities observed on site.

The delegation brought together participants from Nigeria and other countries across Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas. Alongside the technical programme, the visit provided opportunities for informal discussion, professional networking and exchange among students, lecturers and industry representatives.

For Rex Forestry, hosting the delegation formed part of its support for forestry education and practical learning. The engagement gave visiting students access to an operating forestry business while creating space for dialogue between the company and the next generation of forestry professionals.

The visit also placed Ondo State’s forestry landscape within an international learning exchange, with students encountering Nigerian plantation operations directly. Such engagement can help build the understanding and professional relationships needed for continued cooperation between universities and industry.

Rex Forestry acknowledged the symposium organisers, participating universities, lecturers and students for their contribution to the visit, and reiterated its interest in supporting opportunities that connect forestry knowledge with practice.

Delegates at Rex Forestry’s head office and during the plantation field visit. Photographs supplied by Rex Forestry.