Category: Daily Trust

Bandits invaded Hayin Kwanta village in Sukuntuni Ward of Kankia Local Government Area of Katsina State on Sunday night, shooting two persons and rustling livestock.

Daily Trust gathered that the attackers, who arrived on motorcycles, stormed the village at about sunset, firing sporadically and causing panic among residents.

Many of the residents were said to have fled into nearby bushes to escape being killed or abducted.

The two victims injured during the attack were identified as Abashe and his son, who sustained gunshot wounds, while trying to flee from the assailants.

Sources in the community said the victims were later evacuated to a hospital in the Katsina metropolis, where they are currently receiving treatment.

Eyewitnesses told Daily Trust that the gunmen operated freely in the village for some hours without any immediate confrontation from security personnel despite repeated distress calls made by residents to relevant authorities.

A resident of the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, for fear of reprisal, said the villagers were left helpless as the attackers moved from one part of the community to another, shooting into the air and gathering livestock before escaping.

‘We kept calling for help, but nobody came on time. People ran into the bush with their children while the bandits continued operating. They took away many animals and left the entire village terrified,’ the resident said.

The exact number of rustled animals could not be independently confirmed as of the time of filing this report, but locals said several households lost cattle, goats, and sheep during the raid.

Although the Katsina State Government had earlier introduced the Community Security Watch Corps and strengthened collaboration with local vigilante groups to support conventional security agencies, residents of Southern Kankia said attacks by bandits have continued unabated in recent months.

Hayin Kwanta and neighbouring communities in Sukuntuni Ward have reportedly remained vulnerable to attacks for more than two years, with villagers repeatedly raising concerns over inadequate security presence in the area.

Residents said the recurring attacks have negatively affected farming activities, livestock rearing, and normal social life, as many people now live in constant fear of possible bandit invasions.

Community leaders are now appealing to both the federal and state governments to deploy additional security personnel and establish permanent security outposts in vulnerable communities across Kankia Local Government Area.

They also called for intensified surveillance and rapid response mechanisms to enable security agencies to respond swiftly to distress calls from rural communities under attack.

However, the Katsina State Police Command’s public relations officer, DSP Sadiq Aliyu, assured that police operatives, in collaboration with other security agencies, are trailing the perpetrators with a view to apprehending and prosecuting them.

This video investigates the NNPCL’s new partnership with Chinese firms to revive Nigeria’s dormant Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, following over ?11 trillion in repairs between 2010 and 2023. Despite recent $2.39 billion investments and a brief 2024 restart, the report analyzes, through expert commentary, whether this move represents a genuine turnaround or a continuation of historical, costly, and failed rehabilitation efforts.

For decades, Nigeria’s anti-corruption war was largely perceived as a slow, paper-driven struggle-one fought through petitions, physical files, prolonged investigations, and courtroom delays. While anti-graft agencies possessed legal mandates, many citizens doubted whether they truly had the technological capacity to outsmart increasingly sophisticated corruption networks.

Today, however, a different narrative appears to be emerging. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is gradually signaling a strategic transformation-one in which artificial intelligence, geospatial intelligence, digital monitoring, and data analytics are becoming frontline weapons in the fight against corruption.

That transformation was placed on international display during the 16th Regional Conference and Annual General Meeting of Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa held in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The conference, organised by the National Anti-Corruption Commission in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat, focused on a theme both timely and strategic: ‘Deploying Artificial Intelligence in the Fight Against Corruption in Commonwealth Africa.’

Representing Nigeria, ICPC Chairman Musa Adamu Aliyu showcased the Commission’s technology-driven Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI)-a system designed to promote transparency, accountability, and value for money in public project execution.

Presenting Nigeria’s country paper on behalf of the Chairman, the Commission’s Head of External Cooperation, Ahmed Abdul, explained how CEPTI deploys geospatial mapping technology for real-time monitoring, validation, and analysis of constituency and executive projects nationwide. The figures presented were striking.

According to the ICPC, projects worth over ?22.9 trillion have been tracked through the initiative since inception. Recoveries linked to improperly executed projects reportedly exceeded ?4.9 billion, while government savings from aborted, inflated, or re-scoped contracts surpassed ?91.4 billion.

These are not merely statistics. They are indicators of what becomes possible when oversight evolves from manual bureaucracy into intelligent, data-driven accountability. Corruption traditionally thrives in darkness-through ghost projects, inflated contracts, abandoned sites, manipulated procurement records, and weak monitoring mechanisms. In such an environment, opacity becomes an enabler of theft.

Digital systems change that equation. Through geospatial mapping, real-time project verification, analytics, and technology-assisted oversight, CEPTI reportedly tracks whether projects actually exist, whether work is progressing, and whether public funds are translating into visible outcomes. In practical terms, corruption is now confronted with what it fears most: traceability.

When contractors know projects can be digitally verified, when officials understand that expenditure patterns can be analysed in real time, and when abandoned projects can be remotely flagged, the risks associated with corruption increase significantly. This shift deserves recognition.

Nigeria’s anti-corruption strategy cannot continue relying solely on arrests, media raids, and courtroom drama. Those tools remain important, but the future of accountability lies equally in prevention, predictive oversight, digital transparency, and early detection systems.

This is where the ICPC model becomes instructive. Rather than waiting for funds to disappear before reacting, CEPTI introduces a more proactive logic: detect anomalies early, monitor execution continuously, compare budgets against delivery, expose inflated costs through data, and force contractors back to abandoned sites before projects collapse entirely.

This is not merely anti-corruption enforcement. It is anti-corruption engineering. Other institutions across Nigeria-from procurement agencies to ministries, audit offices, and even local governments-have much to learn from this approach. After all, the best public money recovered is often the money never stolen in the first place.

Equally important is the international dimension of the Yaoundé conference. Modern corruption is no longer confined within national borders. Stolen assets move across jurisdictions. Shell companies conceal illicit funds internationally. Procurement fraud increasingly involves foreign intermediaries and digital financial systems.

No country can confront such realities in isolation. The significance of Commonwealth collaboration, therefore, lies in the creation of shared intelligence, common standards, and digital cooperation frameworks. Countries can exchange suspicious transaction patterns, contractor histories, asset trails, and investigative techniques.

Nations with advanced forensic capabilities can support others in artificial intelligence investigations, digital evidence gathering, and financial analytics. This cooperative approach is essential because corruption itself has evolved technologically. Anti-corruption institutions must evolve faster.

The summit’s emphasis on digital literacy and youth participation was equally strategic. The future of accountability will depend heavily on a new generation equipped not only with ethical consciousness but with skills in coding, analytics, forensic technology, and governance systems.

If sustained, the implications for Nigeria could be transformative. Stronger digital oversight could reduce contract inflation, improve infrastructure delivery, strengthen investor confidence, enhance service delivery, and restore public trust in institutions. More importantly, it could help shift Nigeria from a culture of reactive scandal management to one of proactive integrity management.

For too long, Nigeria’s global image has been shaped largely by corruption narratives. Yet initiatives such as CEPTI present an alternative story-one of reform, innovation, and institutional adaptation.

Of course, technology alone will not eliminate corruption. Systems are only as effective as the political will, institutional discipline, and ethical leadership behind them. Artificial intelligence can identify anomalies, but it cannot replace integrity. Digital tools can expose fraud, but they cannot substitute courage in prosecution and accountability.

Still, the direction matters. The war against corruption is no longer fought only in interrogation rooms and courtrooms. It is increasingly being fought through algorithms, data systems, mapping technologies, predictive analytics, and international digital cooperation.

If the ICPC sustains this momentum-expanding technological oversight, strengthening partnerships, and institutionalising digital accountability-it may help redefine what anti-corruption success looks like in the 21st century. And perhaps, for the first time in a long while, the future may begin to favour transparency over impunity.

The Delta State Police Command has arrested three suspected female drug traffickers during a covert operation in Ogbomoro and Ugolo communities in Warri metropolis, recovering substances suspected to be Canadian Loud, codeine and other illicit drugs.

The suspects were identified as Favor Isaac, 25; Favour Felix, 24; and Samson Precious, 19.

The Command’s Spokesperson, Bright Edafe, said the suspects were arrested following intelligence regarding the activities of suspected drug peddlers operating within Ogbomoro and Ugolo communities in Warri metropolis.

He said the operatives of Effuru Area Command carried out a covert operation in the area on May 7, 2026, leading to the arrest of the three suspects.

He disclosed that during a search warrant executed at the suspects’ hideout located along River Road, Ogbomoro community, 640 grams of substances suspected to be Canadian Loud concealed in different bags and containers were recovered.

He added that 21 bottles of CSC Codeine, two canisters containing Nitrous Oxide popularly known as ‘laughing gas’, two packs of suspected psychoactive chewing gum branded as ‘Highness Gum’ were also recovered.

According to him, preliminary investigation revealed that one Rukewe Tega Isaac, currently at large, was allegedly the major supplier behind the drug network.

Edafe said efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect and other members of the syndicate.

In line with the vision of Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to drive strategic infrastructural transformation and urban renewal across the state, the Adamawa State Government has commenced plans for the construction of an ultra-modern builders market along Numan Road in Yola.

The Commissioner for Works, Mohammed Suleiman, alongside the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mohammed Awal Ibrahim, the Director of Civil Engineering, Engr. Geoffrey P. Dariya, and other senior technical officials, visited the proposed site for the Fresh Air Ultra-Modern Builders Market to assess the project location and inspect the development plan.

The proposed market project is expected to enhance urban development, improve commercial activities, and ensure clear and uninterrupted access to critical public facilities, including the Adamawa State Specialist Hospital.

During the inspection tour, the commissioner examined the proposed master plan with emphasis on access roads, traffic circulation, and drainage control systems aimed at promoting smooth vehicular movement and effective flood management within the area.

Speaking during the visit, Hon. Engr. Suleiman said the initiative forms part of the ongoing commitment of the administration of Governor Fintiri to modernize infrastructure and create a more organized, accessible, and business-friendly environment for residents, investors, and traders across Adamawa State.

He noted that the project would not only improve the aesthetics of the area but also stimulate economic growth and provide a conducive environment for businesses connected to the building and construction sector.

The Fresh Air Ultra-Modern Builders Market is expected to become one of the key commercial infrastructure projects under the current administration’s urban renewal agend

At least three staff members of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority in Kwara State were hospitalised on Monday following a violent disruption of activities at the agency’s headquarters in Ilorin.

The incident allegedly involved members of the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Employees (NUAAE).

The protest, which reportedly paralysed activities within the authority, was said to have been staged over allegations of high-handedness and poor workers’ welfare under the current management.

Sources within the authority said some protesting union members allegedly attacked workers during the disturbance, inflicting varying degrees of injuries on staff members.

The situation, it was gathered, forced the management to alert the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) over the deteriorating security situation.

Speaking with journalists after the incident, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the authority, Engr. Olushola George Olumoroti, described the development as a violent attack rather than a peaceful protest.

‘Three staff members of the authority were hospitalised after allegedly being severely beaten by the protesting workers,’ Olumoroti said, presenting a video recording of the incident.

According to him, the unrest was linked to disciplinary proceedings involving NUAAE state chairman, Mr. Mudi Olayinka Raji.

He alleged that Raji, who is a former Ilorin Area Manager, instigated workers to barricade the entrance of the agency and disrupt official activities.

The managing director explained that upon assuming office in April 2025, the management reviewed disciplinary reports and financial records inherited from previous administrations in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He alleged that earlier disciplinary panels investigated claims bordering on diversion of government revenue, unretired IOUs and unauthorised financial transactions allegedly involving the union leader and his wife, who is not a staff member of the authority.

Olumoroti said the disciplinary committees found the officer and four others culpable and recommended sanctions ranging from refund of unaccounted funds and warning letters to dismissal over alleged gross misconduct and corrupt practices.

According to him, the recommendations were subsequently reviewed and upheld by another committee as well as the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee, which included representatives of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

He stated that the affected officers were denied promotion in line with public service regulations pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings.

The managing director, however, disclosed that he personally appealed to the Minister of Water Resources, Joseph Utsev, to temper justice with mercy by reducing the recommended dismissal to lesser sanctions.

He said the minister approved the appeal and directed the NUAAE chairman to refund unaccounted funds, accept a warning letter and submit an undertaking of good conduct.

Olumoroti added, ‘While other affected officers reportedly complied with the directive and returned to duty, the union leader allegedly rejected the clemency and petitioned the minister, claiming that documentary evidence used against him had been forged.

The allegation, according to him, prompted the minister to order a fresh investigation through a special disciplinary committee.

Olumoroti alleged that Monday’s disruption was aimed at frustrating the work of the investigative panel and undermining ongoing reforms within the authority.

‘This is a case of corruption fighting back. We are introducing reforms, accountability and discipline into the system and some people are resisting change,’ he said.

He further alleged that some workers invaded the premises with weapons, assaulted staff members and breached security within the agency, adding that another union resisted the disruption and insisted its members were at work and not part of the protest.

The managing director maintained that the authority would not tolerate violence, intimidation or acts capable of undermining public service rules and due process within the establishment.

But the Kwara State Chairman of the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Employees (NUAAE), Mudi Olayinka Raji, denied the allegations levelled against him by the management of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, insisting that he and other affected staff were victims of victimisation and intimidation.

Speaking with Daily Trust on Monday, Raji alleged that the management, in collaboration with former officials of the authority, deliberately frustrated the promotion of some staff members because of their insistence on accountability within the agency.

He also dismissed allegations of financial misconduct and denied claims linking his wife to unauthorised financial transactions within the authority.

‘They were the ones that forged my signature to rope me and my wife. My wife is not a staff; how will any officer pay her any money and for what?’ he queried.

Raji further claimed that the protest action was carried out under the directive of the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), adding that the workers were peacefully demonstrating before violence broke out.

‘The NLC led the move to picket the place following a directive from the national body and while we were outside singing and dancing with other unions, the MD sent some of his supporters to attack us,’ he alleged.

According to him, the confrontation escalated after some individuals allegedly attacked the protesters with dangerous weapons.

‘They started by breaking one of the keys with a cutlass before another one came to attack us and we had to respond. Nobody went inside to meet them,’ he said.

Raji denied responsibility for the injuries reportedly sustained by staff members during the incident, insisting that those affected were not attacked by union members.

‘The three affected staff got themselves injured and one of them even ran away. We are not behind any of their injuries. What happened was as a result of victimisation, intimidation and oppression,’ he added.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) says it has approved a $61 million financing package for the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) to expand credit access for women-owned businesses across the country.

The approval, granted on April 29 by the board of directors, is targeted at supporting women entrepreneurs, particularly those operating in the agricultural sector.

The AfDB, in a statement over the weekend said the financing package comprises a $50 million gender-focused line of credit, an $8 million concessional facility under the agri-food SME catalytic financing mechanism (ACFM), and a $3 million grant under the bank’s affirmative finance action for women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative funded by the

Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi).

The AfDB said the funds would be channelled through DBN’s participating financial institutions to strengthen lending to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and support inclusive economic growth.

‘A defining feature of this operation is its strong gender focus, with more than 95 percent of the total financing earmarked for women-owned and women-led SMEs,’ the statement reads.

The bank said the initiative aligns with its broader commitment to closing the gender financing gap across Africa while supporting entrepreneurship and agricultural development in Nigeria.

Commenting on the approval, Abdul Kamara, director-general of the AfDB Nigeria country office, described women entrepreneurs as some of Nigeria’s most underutilised economic assets.

‘Women entrepreneurs are one of Nigeria’s greatest economic assets and one of its most underleveraged,’ Kamara said.

‘This operation reflects the African Development Bank’s commitment to unlocking economic opportunities for women.

‘By working through DBN to reach women-owned businesses in agriculture, clean energy, healthcare, and beyond, we are not just expanding access to credit; the Bank is investing in the engine of Nigeria’s inclusive economic transformation.’

The AfDB said the operation would combine long-term financing, concessional resources, partial credit guarantees, and capacity-building support to improve MSME financing in Nigeria.

According to the bank, performance-based incentives under the AFAWA programme are expected to increase the number of eligible women-owned enterprises and expand women-focused lending within DBN’s MSME portfolio.

‘The approval also deepens AfDB’s existing partnership with DBN, which dates back to the establishment of the development finance institution through equity investment, long-term financing and governance support,’ the statement said.

The bank noted that the intervention aligns with its 10-year strategy (2024-2033), Nigeria’s country strategy paper (2025-2030), and broader goals around inclusive growth, private sector development and gender equality.

The race for the Kwara State House of Assembly gathered momentum on Monday as the All Progressives Congress (APC) commenced the screening of aspirants seeking to contest the party’s 24 legislative tickets across the state.

A total of 158 aspirants are vying for the party’s tickets, setting the stage for intense political competition ahead of the next electoral cycle.

Chairman of the screening committee, Prof. Success Jubril Musa, disclosed the figure during the exercise held at the APC secretariat in Ilorin.

He assured contestants that the process would be transparent and devoid of bias.

He said the committee members were selected on the basis of credibility and integrity.

Musa stressed that fairness would remain the guiding principle throughout the exercise.

‘We are here to ensure equity and justice. Everybody will be treated fairly, including serving lawmakers. Nobody should entertain fears of manipulation,’ he said.

He described the large number of aspirants as a healthy sign for democratic growth in Kwara State, noting that the level of participation reflected confidence in the APC and the electoral process.

‘For 158 people to obtain forms for only 24 seats shows democracy is alive and thriving in Kwara,’ he added.

The committee chairman, however, warned aspirants against presenting questionable credentials, saying the party could not afford avoidable legal complications after elections.

He recalled the political setback suffered by the APC in Bayelsa State following issues surrounding candidate documentation.

The official cautioned aspirants to ensure all submitted papers were authentic and accurate.

‘We do not want a repeat of situations where victories are lost because of documentation problems. Aspirants must be careful with the credentials they submit,’ he warned.

Musa also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC leadership for what he described as sustained efforts at deepening democratic participation in the country.

In the same vein, the state APC chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, urged contestants to avoid discrepancies in their academic and personal records.

He insisted that the screening committee would not compromise standards.

According to him, the party leadership had directed that all aspirants be subjected to equal treatment during the exercise.

‘No one will be favoured. Every aspirant must present genuine and verifiable documents,’ Fagbemi stated.

The current House Leader who is also seeking re-election, Hon Oba Abdulkadir Magaji, praised the seamless process so far and urged those who didn’t scale through to demonstrate sportsmanship.

Another aspirant, Hon. Rukayat Shittu, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the screening, describing the atmosphere as peaceful and orderly.

‘The process has been smooth and calm. Some aspirants have been screened while others are waiting for their turn, but there has been no issue or obstacle so far. We are satisfied with the way the party is handling the exercise,’ she said.

An Upper Shari’a Court sitting at Kofar Kudu in Kano has sentenced a cleric, Abdulmalik Rabiu, to one month imprisonment for engaging in indecent communication with a married woman.

The case followed a complaint lodged with the police by the woman’s husband, after which the suspect, a resident of Maraba in Nasarawa State, was arrested and arraigned before the court presided over by Judge Ibrahim Sarki Yola.

During the hearing, the prosecution, led by Nafi’u Kabir, informed the court that the defendant sent explicit messages, nude images and videos to the married woman.

Rabiu pleaded guilty to the offence and admitted that the woman had informed him she was married.

Defence counsel pleaded for leniency, noting that the defendant is an Islamic cleric in Abuja who teaches over 1,000 students.

Delivering judgment, the court held that the conviction was based on the defendant’s voluntary confession.

Although the offence attracts up to one year imprisonment, 40 lashes and a fine, the court reduced the sentence to one month imprisonment without an option of fine after considering the plea for mitigation.

The Ogun State Police Command yesterday disclosed that its operatives had arrested two suspects, Adeola Mathew and Rasheed Omoniyi, for alleged conspiracy and unlawful possession of firearms.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the arrest was made last Friday following a credible intelligence-led operation at a criminal hideout in Ifo area of Ogun State.

He said detectives attached to Ifo Division acted on credible intelligence and stormed a criminal hideout along Ibogun Road, NITEL Area, Ifo, to make the arrest.

‘During the operation, Adeola Mathew was apprehended at the scene, while a search conducted at the hideout led to the recovery of one locally made pistol concealed within the premises,’ Babaseyi said.

According to him, preliminary investigation revealed that the recovered firearm was allegedly handed over to the suspect by Rasheed Omoniyi, who was subsequently tracked and arrested by the operatives.

‘The recovered locally made pistol has been secured as an exhibit, while investigation is ongoing to ascertain the source of the firearm and the suspects’ possible involvement in other criminal activities,’ he said.