Category: Daily Trust

Two men alleged to have assaulted a woman over non-payment of market levy were on Monday arrested and detained by the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPG) in Gwer East Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects, identified as Terwase Aye Abere and Mayange Aondowase, both from Igbor village, allegedly attacked the woman at the local market in Igbor, Gwer East LGA after she told them she had not made sales and could not pay the levy.

Our correspondent gathered that the victim, allegedly beaten and dragged half naked by the suspects, was subsequently hospitalised following the incident.

It was learnt that the suspects were arrested after an eyewitness reported the matter to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, who directed BSCPG operatives to apprehend them.

The two men, who are currently being held at the BSCPG facility in Makurdi, claimed during interrogation that they were volunteers attached to the Gwer East command of the security outfit.

A statement by Comrade Mfa Ogiri, a Media Assistant to Har,

indicated that the suspects told investigators that they were acting on the instructions of their Ward Commander, one Tiletswen, and Ipker, who allegedly directed them to bring the woman to their office over an unresolved issue.

They were said to have explained that after the woman refused to comply with the instruction, they reported back by phone and were allegedly told to arrest her ‘even by force.’

They further claimed that the confrontation that followed resulted in the woman sustaining injuries and being admitted to hospital.

Reacting to the incident, Har condemned the alleged assault and directed the State Commander of the BSCPG to produce the commanders mentioned by the suspects for interrogation.

Har, in a telephone conversation with journalists in Makurdi, explained that, ‘an eyewitness, who is a lawyer, reported that the ‘boys’ always collect market tickets,

of course, they are illegal tickets that they used to collect from people.

‘The woman refused to pay, and that’s why they started dragging her. But according to the story of the boys, they said the woman has a case to answer in the office. They asked her to come. She refused to come. And that’s why they want to force her to go to the office.

‘For whatever reason, they have no such rights. So I have asked them (BSCPG) to prepare a letter to hand them (suspects) over to the police for prosecution. I’m going to hand them over to the police to charge them to court and they will go to prison.

‘When the matter was reported to me, I immediately sent my officers, the commander of BSCPG of Gwer East, Master Warrant Officer Moses Mhoon,

who rushed to the scene, apprehended them and brought them to Makurdi for detention. Meanwhile the woman is receiving treatment in the hospital.’

The security adviser warned individuals posing as security operatives, particularly in rural communities, against harassing or intimidating members of the public.

‘The law will catch up with anyone hiding under the cover of security to harass or intimidate citizens,’ Har said.

Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has revealed how he secured loans worth N2.5 billion from the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and the Bank of Industry (BOI) after assuming office in 2019 to invest in farming and boost economic activities.

Buni said he obtained N2 billion from the Bank of Industry and N500 million through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention programme facilitated by the Bank of Agriculture.

The governor disclosed this while swearing in the newly appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Permanent Secretaries at the Government House in Damaturu.

He urged public servants to uphold integrity, accountability and dedication to duty, warning that his administration would not tolerate negligence in the public service.

Buni also encouraged civil servants to embrace farming and livestock production, noting that the public service rules permit workers to engage in such ventures alongside their official duties.

According to him, agriculture and livestock rearing provide a reliable source of income and can help workers prepare for life after retirement.

‘When I became governor in 2019, one of the first things I did was to obtain a N500 million loan through the Bank of Agriculture under a CBN facility. The Bank of Industry also gave me N2 billion, which I invested in acquiring farmland and agricultural activities.

‘If you want to verify it, you can go outside the town and see the farms. The people working there and earning a living from those farms give me great satisfaction.

‘We have employed many people on those farms, and they are supporting their families through the jobs created,’ he said.

The governor said civil servants should see agriculture as a long-term investment that would cushion the effects of retirement and provide sustainable livelihoods.

‘The solution to the fear of leaving public service is to embrace farming and livestock production. It will help you greatly when you retire,’ he added.

Buni also urged youths and farmers in the state to take advantage of opportunities in dry-season farming, assuring them that the planned distribution of irrigation pumps by the government would further ease farming activities and increase agricultural productivity.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s iron grip on global football appeared unshakeable until the recent disastrous unveiling of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, a scheme to privatize and sell off minority stakes in FIFA’s World Cup commercial rights.

The backlash was instant and brutal: UEFA threatened a complete tournament boycott, senior advisers resigned in protest, and a mounting list of national federations formally withdrew their re-election backing.

Though Infantino rushed to scrap the plan, and lobbying seriously to safeguard his fourth term ambition, the FFE fallout has already exposed fatal fractures in his governing bloc.

The pressure from regional bodies lead by UEFA and supported unanimously by CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is making life unbearable for Infantino who became FIFA President in 2016 following the ouster of Sepp Blatter in 2015.

Therefore, even as his current mandate technically extends to 2027, the ongoing crisis inside FIFA has opened three distinct routes that could force him out far ahead of schedule.

As the noose tightens around his neck, here are the three legally approved pathways to eject Infantino from office before the end of his mandate in 2027, relying strictly on FIFA Statutes and established governance frameworks.

Vote of no confidence via an Extraordinary Congress: According to Article 25.4 of the FIFA Statutes, a minimum of 20% of FIFA’s member associations (43 out of 211 national federations) must submit a formal written request to convene an Extraordinary FIFA Congress.

Once triggered, FIFA must hold the congress within three months. Opposing members can then place a motion to dismiss the president on the agenda.

To successfully unseat Infantino, the motion requires a majority vote from the global membership during the congress, where each national association holds exactly one vote.

In the present case, UEFA’s 55 member associations alone exceed the required threshold for an extraordinary congress but the block must get support from a majority of FIFA’s global membership. Since each national associations hold one vote regardless of its size, it makes difficult for the incumbent to be removed before the expiration of his tenure.

Sanction by ethics committee

The independent FIFA Ethics Committee possesses the statutory authority to investigate formal complaints regarding alleged breaches of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

If an investigation by the investigatory and adjudicatory panels finds evidence of serious ethical or statutory violations, the committee can hand down formal sanctions.

Severe penalties, such as a provisional 90-day suspension or a permanent, long-term ban from all football-related activities, would legally incapacitate Infantino and effectively terminate his presidency mid-term (similar to the mechanism that ended Sepp Blatter’s tenure in 2015).

Defeat at March 2027 congress

Infantino’s current term officially concludes at the 77th FIFA Congress scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco.

While technically the end of his current cycle, a legal removal from future leadership before 2027 requires member associations to field an alternative candidate before the November 18, 2026 nomination deadline.

Opposing factions (led primarily by European football authorities) must convince a majority of the 211 voting member nations to actively reject his re-election bid or revoke their previously signed letters of support in favor of a challenger.

Meanwhile, even as voluntary resignation as a fourth unconditional exit route is being canvassed by some prominent global football stakeholders, it is entirely dependent on Infantino’s individual choice rather than an adversarial legal procedure.

The Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Sheikh Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, has arrived in Abuja ahead of an international conference on security and national unity jointly organised by Jama’atu Izalatil Bidiah wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS Nigeria) and the Muslim World League, Saudi Arabia.

Al-Issa and members of his delegation arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday, where they were received by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate; Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, and other dignitaries.

His arrival came a day before the commencement of the two-day conference, which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to declare open on Tuesday, August 11, at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.

The conference, themed, ‘International Conference on Security for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development,’ is expected to bring together government officials, religious leaders, traditional rulers, scholars, diplomats and other stakeholders to discuss security challenges and their implications for Nigeria’s development.

The organisers said the conference would focus on issues including banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and other threats to national security, as well as ways of promoting peace, unity and sustainable socio-economic development.

Speaking after welcoming the Saudi delegation, Chairman of the conference’s Media and Publicity Committee, Garba Mohammed, described the Muslim World League as the principal international partner for the event.

Mohammed said the participation of Al-Issa was significant because the Muslim World League is jointly convening the conference with JIBWIS Nigeria.

‘We are here to welcome the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa. The Muslim World League is the main partner convening this conference with JIBWIS Nigeria. So, you can say he is a co-host of this conference,’ he said.

He said the conference would go beyond religious matters to address issues relating to socio-economic development, religious inclusivity, tolerance, peace and peaceful coexistence.

According to him, the involvement of an Islamic organisation does not mean that the discussions would be restricted to issues affecting Muslims.

‘The fact that it is an Islamic-based organisation does not mean that it is strictly for Islamic development; it is for the development of mankind, humanity as a whole,’ Mohammed said.

He added that the Muslim World League had organised similar engagements in other parts of the world.

The organisers said the conference would also examine issues surrounding Muslim unity and diversity, as well as peaceful coexistence among Nigerians and people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

The programme is expected to feature plenary sessions and expert panel discussions on countering terrorism and armed banditry, strengthening community resilience and promoting sustainable peace.

There will also be global partnership roundtables focusing on strategies for advancing sustainable socio-economic development.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, is expected to serve as the Royal Father of the Day at the conference.

Governors, ministers, members of the National Assembly, Islamic scholars, traditional rulers, diplomats, captains of industry and other participants from Nigeria and other countries are also expected to attend.

The conference is scheduled to end on Wednesday, August 12, after which a national preaching session will be held at the JIBWIS headquarters in Utako, Abuja.

The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has opened a new mortgage financing window that allows Nigerians living abroad to access up to N100 million in home loans at nine per cent interest.

The new National Housing Fund (NHF) Diaspora Mortgage Loan, officially launched in London over the weekend is designed to enable eligible Nigerians in the diaspora to register under the NHF scheme, complete their Know-Your-Customer (KYC) requirements digitally, make contributions remotely and secure mortgage financing without travelling to Nigeria.

The initiative, according to the FMBN, is aimed at tackling one of the biggest obstacles confronting Nigerians abroad who seek to own property at home-lack of a secure, credible and institutionalised mortgage channel.

Under the scheme, eligible contributors can access up to N100 million, subject to affordability and other applicable requirements, at an interest rate of 9 per cent per annum and a maximum repayment period of 10 years.

The launch, which was attended by senior government officials, mortgage finance operators and representatives of Nigerians in the United Kingdom, marks a significant expansion of FMBN’s mortgage financing mandate beyond Nigeria’s borders.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, represented by the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Yusuf Ata, said the initiative would strengthen the relationship between Nigeria and its citizens abroad while creating a more secure platform for diaspora participation in the country’s housing sector.

The Minister noted that many Nigerians living abroad had long desired to own homes in Nigeria but were discouraged by fraudulent property transactions, abandoned projects, unreliable intermediaries and inadequate financing arrangements.

He said the Diaspora Mortgage Loan was introduced to restore confidence by placing diaspora homeownership within a credible institutional framework.

‘The NHF Diaspora Mortgage Loan represents the federal government’s commitment to restoring confidence through credible institutions, transparent processes, and secure financing,’ the Minister said.

He urged Nigerians abroad to seize the opportunity provided by the scheme, declaring: ‘Register. Contribute. Participate. Invest. Own your home.’

The managing director/chief executive of FMBN, Shehu Usman Osidi, described the launch as a major development in Nigeria’s housing finance landscape, stressing that the initiative was designed to extend affordable homeownership opportunities to Nigerians irrespective of their location.

Osidi said the product was not merely another mortgage facility but an expansion of FMBN’s efforts to deepen mortgage financing and mobilise long-term investment into the housing sector.

‘Today, we are not merely unveiling another mortgage product. We are opening a new chapter in Nigeria’s housing finance landscape, a chapter that extends the opportunity of affordable homeownership beyond our borders and strengthens the enduring bond between Nigeria and her citizens across the world,’ he said.

According to him, the Diaspora Mortgage Initiative will enable Nigerians abroad to participate in the NHF scheme remotely, eliminating the need for frequent trips to Nigeria to complete the mortgage process.

He explained that the digital process would allow eligible Nigerians abroad to register, complete their KYC documentation and make NHF contributions remotely before accessing mortgage financing.

Also speaking, the chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the initiative as a structured opportunity anchored on ‘investment, belonging and trust.

Dabiri-Erewa said the product would provide Nigerians abroad with a safer and more organised channel for investing in Nigeria’s real estate sector.

She urged the diaspora community to respond positively to the initiative, saying the government and its agencies had provided the institutional platform and it was now time for Nigerians abroad to participate.

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has announced the appointment of Dr Nonny Patricia Ugboma as its Executive Director, Policy and Programmes and Chief Summit Officer.

Her appointment took effect on Monday, August 3, 2026, following the approval of the NESG Board of Directors, according to a statement by the Group.

In her dual executive role, Ugboma will provide strategic leadership for the NESG’s policy programming, public-private dialogue, Policy Commissions and Platforms, major programmes, strategic convenings, and the Nigerian Economic Summit.

She will also oversee stakeholder engagement, programme and partnership development, and the monitoring and implementation of summit and policy recommendations to strengthen the Group’s dialogue-to-execution agenda.

This was contained in a statement on Wednesday issued by Dr. Tayo Aduloju, Chief Executive Officer, NESG.

Ugboma is a corporate leader, public-value strategist, board director, and scholar-practitioner with more than 25 years of professional experience spanning finance, telecommunications, corporate social investment, institutional development, energy, innovation policy, and sustainable development.

Before joining the NESG, Ugboma built an accomplished career across finance, strategy, telecommunications, and corporate social investment.

She joined MTN Nigeria in 2003 as a Business Planner and Financial Analyst before serving as Executive Secretary of the MTN Nigeria Foundation from January 2009 to March 2021.

During her tenure, she led large-scale social investments in education, healthcare, youth and economic empowerment, and arts and culture, working with governments, communities, educational institutions, healthcare organisations, private-sector partners, and other stakeholders to deliver impactful programmes across approximately 850 project locations nationwide.

Ugboma’s career has been distinguished by her ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives that deliver measurable social and institutional impact.

Her experience spans programme strategy, partnership development, institutional strengthening, innovation policy, and sustainable development, with a strong focus on translating strategy into implementation and creating long-term public value.

She holds a PhD in Innovation and Public Policy from the University College London Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, where her doctoral research explored the role of public sector dynamic capabilities in implementing reforms, coordinating complex stakeholder ecosystems, and creating sustainable public value.

Academic activities at Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), have been paralysed following an indefinite strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) branch in the institution.

The Chairman of ASUU NSUK, Comrade Zubairu Abdulmuminu II, announced the action in an interview, saying the strike took effect immediately after receiving approval from the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU.

According to him, the strike is ‘total, comprehensive, indefinite, and suffocating’ and will affect all academic activities, including lectures, postgraduate supervision and external defences, until their demands are met.

Comrade Abdulmuminu said the lecturers were being owed huge sums by both the university management and the Nasarawa State Government.

He listed the outstanding payments to include Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), estimated at over ?2 billion; arrears of the 25 per cent and 35 per cent wage awards for 25 months; ?35,000 wage award arrears; and ?70,000 minimum wage arrears for 11 months.

He added that the implementation of the new agreement signed with the Federal Government on December 22, 2025, which was expected to commence on January 1, 2026, had not been effected.

He said the July salary was paid without the new component, leaving an outstanding amount of about ?146 million monthly.

‘The amount will continue to accrue for as long as the implementation is not being put in place,’ he said.

The ASUU chairman said students had been asked to return to their parents’ houses as all academic activities on campus had been shut down.

On dialogue, he said the union had engaged government officials several times without results. These included the Commissioner for Education, whom they met more than five times; the Deputy Governor, whom they met three times on the directive of the Governor; the Speaker of the House of Assembly; the Secretary to the State Government (SSG); and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

‘The last meeting with the Deputy Governor was on July 26, and nothing positive came out of it,’ Abdulmuminu stated.

He said the union had exhausted all avenues for dialogue and resorted to the strike as ‘the only language the government will understand.’

ASUU NEC granted universities permission to embark on the action during its meeting in Abuja between August 8 and 9, 2026.

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command, in Collaboration with Military and Edo State Security Corps (ESSC), have neutralised a suspected kidnapper and rescued a victim in Edo State.

The security team also recovered N1.5 million ransom paid to regain the victim’s freedom during the operation

It was gathered that the suspect was rescued after a gun battle with the kidnappers at a forest in Ubiaja, Esan South East Local Government of the State.

The Command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, said the police received information that one Mr. Lucky Egbeki of Urueun Quarters, Ubiaja, was kidnapped on 5th August, 2026, in his farm and whisked him into the bush.

She said on August 6, 2026, the security team, acting on credible intelligence and technical surveillance, launched a coordinated rescue operation in the Onogolo/Oria Forest aimed at rescuing the victim

According to her, the joint security team positioned itself along the route identified for the ransom collection after painstaking intelligence gathering.

She said the kidnappers emerged from the bush to receive the ransom and immediately opened fire in a desperate attempt to evade arrest after noticing that they had been ambushed.

Ikoedem said the operatives responded, leading the death of one of the suspected kidnappers during a gun battle while two other members of the gang escaped into the forest with gunshot injuries.

She said a manhunt had since been launched to apprehend the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice.

Ikoedem said the operation led to the rescue of the captive unhurt while the ?1.5 million ransom brought to effect the victim’s release was recovered.

She assured residents that every available resource was being deployed to arrest the fleeing suspects.

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has approved the implementation of a new salary structure for academic and non-academic staff of the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology and Northwest University Kano.

The new remuneration package, adopted from the Federal Government’s salary review for workers in federal universities, will take effect from January 2026, while payment is expected to commence in September.

The approval was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the governor’s spokesman, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

According to the statement, the decision followed the report and recommendations of a committee constituted by the State Executive Council to review requests by the two state-owned universities for the domestication of the new federal salary package.

The government said the salary review would cost the state N391.85 million monthly, translating to N4.70 billion annually for the two institutions.

For Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, the monthly cost stands at N228.20 million, comprising N141.08 million for academic staff under the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) agreement and N87.11 million for non-academic staff under the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

Similarly, Northwest University will require N163.65 million monthly, with N112.24 million allocated to academic staff and N51.41 million to non-academic workers.

The government has approved N1.57 billion in the 2026 Supplementary Budget to cover the payment from September to December this year.

It also said arrears amounting to N3.13 billion, covering January to August 2026, would be provided for in the 2027 Budget.

The state government said the salary review was aimed at ensuring industrial harmony and improving the welfare of workers in the two universities, in line with the new remuneration package being implemented in federal universities and other state-owned institutions.

Governor Yusuf also approved the consideration of visitation panels for the two universities and other tertiary institutions in the state in accordance with relevant laws.

The panels, according to the government, are expected to strengthen accountability, administration and effective management of the institutions.

Yusuf reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving workers’ welfare and strengthening the quality of higher education as part of its broader human capital development agenda.

Former member of the Enugu State House of Assembly and former South-East spokesman for President Bola Tinubu, Okey Onoh, has disagreed with the South African Consul-General to Nigeria, Prof. Bobby Moroe, over the description of attacks against foreigners in South Africa as xenophobia.

Moroe had, during an interview, assured Nigerians that South Africa remained safe for tourists, business travellers and other visitors, while rejecting the characterisation of attacks against foreigners as xenophobia.

‘There’s no xenophobia in South Africa,’ Moroe said when asked about the attacks.

However, reacting in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, Onoh said the consul-general’s position did not reflect concerns raised by reports of attacks and discrimination against African migrants in South Africa.

Onoh, who is also chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, said South Africa had continued to face allegations of hostility towards migrants from other African countries.

He cited reports by advocacy groups and other organisations which, according to him, had documented incidents involving attacks on or discrimination against African migrants.

Onoh also referred to the activities of anti-immigrant groups in South Africa, including Operation Dudula, saying their campaigns had contributed to concerns about the safety and welfare of foreign nationals.

He further cited public opinion research which, he said, indicated growing anti-immigrant sentiments among sections of the South African population.

According to him, reports by international human rights organisations have also raised concerns over alleged attempts by vigilante groups to restrict migrants’ access to basic services, including healthcare and education.

Onoh argued that the challenges faced by South Africa, including crime and unemployment, should not be blamed on migrants from other African countries.

He said African migrants should not be made scapegoats for the country’s domestic socioeconomic challenges.

The former lawmaker also criticised what he described as the treatment of African migrants in South Africa, arguing that the country had an obligation to protect foreigners living, working or conducting legitimate business within its territory.

Onoh further called for greater protection of African migrants and urged African countries to reconsider their economic and diplomatic engagement with South Africa if attacks against foreigners continued.

He described the situation as a setback to the spirit of Pan-African solidarity, recalling the support provided by African countries during the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.

According to him, African countries provided resources, diplomatic support and safe havens to people involved in the anti-apartheid struggle.

Onoh said the continent should not remain silent when African nationals faced attacks or discrimination in another African country.

He therefore called for what he described as a coordinated continental boycott of South Africa, arguing that countries had a responsibility to protect their citizens abroad.

Onoh also urged Nigerian citizens to exercise caution when travelling to South Africa and called on the Nigerian government to continue engaging South African authorities on the safety and welfare of Nigerians in the country.

He concluded by telling Moroe: ‘Keep your South Africa, we keep our Nigeria.’