Category: Daily Trust

A Kano Magistrate’s Court has remanded two men in custody over the alleged demolition of a bridge and theft of its materials in Danjirima, Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects, Danlami Sulaiman, aka Layayu, and Abdullahi Ibrahim, aka Maraki, were arraigned before Magistrate Abba Maiwada Abubakar by the Department of State Services (DSS).

They were charged with conspiracy, theft, trespass and unlawful entry.

The prosecution alleged that the suspects went to the bridge on July 22, where they allegedly demolished the structure, removed rods and other materials from it and cut up some plots of land around the area.

The charges were read to the accused by the court registrar, Anas Zage, but they pleaded not guilty.

Following their pleas, Magistrate Abubakar ordered that the suspects be remanded in custody.

He adjourned the case until Sept. 8, 2026, for continuation of hearing.

Bandits have attacked the Unguwar Aminu community in Kandarawa Ward of Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing two people, abducting six others and shooting four residents.

The attack, which occurred on Tuesday night, also resulted in the rustling of an unspecified number of livestock and the burglary of shops, from where the attackers reportedly carted away cash, mobile phones and other valuables.

The victims killed were identified as Ibrahim Sama’ila and Mashakuru Isa.

Daily Trust learnt that their remains were buried according to Islamic rites on Wednesday morning.

Six residents, three men and three women, were abducted during the attack, while the four people who sustained gunshot wounds were taken to hospital for medical treatment, Daily Trust learnt.

Residents said the attackers had earlier been sighted moving eastward from Doma in Faskari Local Government Area but disappeared before unexpectedly emerging in Unguwar Aminu.

Local hunters and other security groups reportedly mobilised to confront the attackers and protect the community, but the bandits managed to escape.

Following the attack, many women and children were seen leaving the community for areas they considered safer, amid fears of further attacks.

When contacted, the spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, DSP Sadik Aliyu, said he would respond after confirming the incident.

However, as of the time of filing this report, he had not responded.

The Majority Leader of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Saleh Hodi Jibri, has resigned to contest the chairmanship of Shira Local Government Council under the Allied Progressive Movement (APM).

Jibri, who represented Disina Constituency, announced his resignation on Wednesday during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Hon. Abubakar Y. Suleiman.

In his farewell remarks, Jibri thanked stakeholders in Shira LGA for selecting him as the party’s candidate, as well as Governor Bala Mohammed for the confidence reposed in him.

He also expressed appreciation to the Speaker and his colleagues for their cooperation, guidance and support throughout his tenure in the House.

Earlier, the Speaker informed lawmakers that Jibri’s resignation followed the decision of the APM to nominate him as its candidate for chairman of Shira Local Government in the forthcoming local government election.

Suleiman described his relationship with Jibri as extending beyond their roles as parliamentary colleagues, noting that they had worked together since the Ninth Assembly and developed a bond comparable to that of biological brothers.

Other lawmakers paid tribute to the outgoing Majority Leader, describing him as a patient, dedicated and selfless leader whose contributions to the House had earned him respect.

Following Jibri’s resignation, the APM nominated Hon. Auwal Hassan Yana of Shira Constituency as the new Majority Leader.

The House subsequently approved Jibri’s resignation and the emergence of Yana as his successor.

In his acceptance speech, Yana thanked God, party stakeholders and Governor Bala Mohammed for the confidence reposed in him.

He pledged to build on the leadership qualities of his predecessor and appealed to his colleagues for guidance, constructive correction and continued support as he assumed his new responsibility.

The newly established Veteran Sport FC, based in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, is strengthening its football structure through strategic player recruitment, partnerships with football academies, and participation in competitive youth football programmes.

Speaking during an interview, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Veteran Sport FC, Mr. Moses Amos Momoh, said the club is positioning itself for a strong future in Nigerian football with an ambitious programme focused on professional football development, youth talent discovery, and the creation of clear pathways for promising young footballers.

Momoh explained that a major component of the club’s development strategy is its participation in the NLO U-19 Youth League, which provides young players with valuable competitive experience, exposure, and an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities in a structured football environment.

‘Our goal is to build a football structure where young talents can be discovered, developed, and given the right platform to progress.

‘We want to create opportunities for players who have the talent and determination but may not have had the right exposure.’

He explained further that Veteran Sport FC is committed to combining football development with discipline, professionalism, education, and player welfare.

According to him, the club recognises that developing a successful footballer requires more than technical ability.

‘Football is not only about talent. Discipline, character, education, commitment, and professionalism are very important.

‘We want to develop complete players who can represent themselves, their families, and the club positively wherever they find themselves,’ he stressed.

The Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria (CIPPON) has urged the federal government to extend import duty relief to the printing industry to reduce the price of books published in the country.

President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria CIPPON, Printer Koko T Clement, made the appeal in a press statement, saying lack of local production of critical materials needed in the industry has made importation the only option for the industry.

He explained that some African countries have extended duty concessions or waivers on printing inputs, leaving Nigerian printers competing at a structural disadvantage.

He added that sustained high input costs have pushed capacity utilisation in many printing establishments below viable operating thresholds, resulting in closures, job losses and a shift toward finished-product importation.

He said the continued trend posed a serious threat to over 50 million Nigerians that depend on the sector for jobs to feed their families.

‘The required raw materials and machinery are not yet produced in Nigeria at the volume or quality the industry needs, making import dependence structural rather than a matter of preference. Each quarter of delay compounds these losses and erodes formal-sector capacity that will be far costlier to rebuild than to preserve,’ he said.

He added that the benefits of activating the concession extend well beyond the printing industry itself to create lower-cost books, packaging and essential printed materials for the health, electoral and public sectors.

Makinde made the announcement at the elective National Convention of the APM held at the Rilwanu Adamu Square, Government House, Bauchi, where he also declared that the task before the opposition ahead of the 2027 general election was bigger than merely winning power.

He said the central challenge was to give Nigerians a genuine choice about the future of the country and demonstrate, with measurable plans and records, how an alternative government would improve their lives.

‘As we approach 2027, therefore, I believe the task before all of us is bigger than winning an election. It is to give Nigerians a real choice about the future of their country,’ Makinde said.

Congratulating the new national officers elected at the convention, the Oyo State governor said the APM had, within a short period, emerged as an opposition party to reckon with.

He urged the new leadership of the party to work with other opposition political parties towards presenting a credible alternative to Nigerians in 2027, stressing that a viable opposition remained indispensable to the survival of democracy.

‘As I said during the Ibadan Declaration in April this year, the presence of credible opposition is what sustains democracy.

‘So, our new leaders must be ready to work with other opposition parties to ensure that we give Nigerians a credible alternative in the 2027 general election,’ he said.

Makinde said the coming campaign season would inevitably feature political slogans, promises and declarations by candidates but argued that Nigerians should demand more from those seeking to lead them.

According to him, the 2027 election should be about measurable outcomes rather than government announcements, policies and promises that do not translate into improvements in the lives of citizens.

‘The 2027 election must be an election about outcomes. For too long, we have measured governance by announcements. We are presented with policy after policy, rather than evidence of whether those policies have made people’s lives better,’ he said.

Using the experiences of ordinary Nigerians to illustrate his point, Makinde said economic policies should ultimately be measured by citizens’ purchasing power rather than official statistics.

‘When our mothers go to the market, they don’t experience economic policy as a statistic. They experience it in what their money can buy. How much rice, beans and gari they can take home,’ he said.

He added that young Nigerians would judge employment policies by their ability to secure productive work and build independent lives, just as farmers would assess agricultural policies by their productivity, access to markets and whether farming had improved their economic condition.

On security, Makinde said the effectiveness of government should not be determined by the number of security meetings held by officials but by whether Nigerians could live and pursue their livelihoods without fear.

‘Families do not judge security by the number of meetings government has held. They judge it by whether they can travel, farm, work and sleep with their two eyes closed,’ he said.

The APM candidate said the defining question of the 2027 election should therefore shift from what government claimed to have done to what had actually changed in the lives of Nigerians.

‘The question before Nigeria in 2027 should not simply be: What has government done? It should be: What has changed for Nigerians?’ he said.

He added that opposition candidates must equally subject themselves to scrutiny by explaining what they would do differently and the measurable improvements Nigerians should expect if they were elected.

Makinde said his administration had applied the same principle in Oyo State by focusing not merely on projects announced by government but on their impact on the people.

He identified poverty reduction, job creation, education, healthcare and security as some of the major issues that should dominate the 2027 political conversation.

Abdullahi, who previously swore on the Qur’an to affirm that Kwankwaso did not send Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to the APC earlier this year, announced his resignation from the NDC in a letter addressed to the party chairman of Kofar Ruwa Ward in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State.

He said his decision was prompted by frustration over what he described as ‘failed promises’ within the NDC, adding that he would now support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid under the APC.

‘I have been with Kwankwaso for 29 years but have only benefited from failed promises. I will go to where I will be respected more,’ Abdullahi said.

In his resignation letter, he thanked the NDC for the opportunity to serve the party but announced his immediate resignation from its membership.

Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have neutralised an armed herder and recovered an AK-47 rifle while foiling an attack on Azege community in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.

The troops, in collaboration with personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, achieved the feat in response to a distress call on Monday reporting an attack on the community in Tombo Council Ward of Logo LGA.

A statement issued on Tuesday by the Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters JTF OPWS, Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, said the troops swiftly mobilised to the area and engaged the attackers in a gun battle.

Zubairu said the troops overpowered the assailants, forcing them to flee in disarray, adding that they pursued the fleeing attackers and discovered one of the suspected armed herders who had been neutralised during the encounter.

He listed the items recovered from the scene to include one AK-47 rifle, one magazine containing 16 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition and one Nokia mobile phone.

He added that the recovered items had been secured, while the remains of the neutralised assailant were evacuated by the police.

‘Efforts are ongoing to track and apprehend other members of the group who fled the scene,’ the statement said.

The JTF, however, commended the troops for their tactical resilience and the police for their cooperation during the operation, while urging residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements and activities in their communities to security agencies.

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Onne youths and other stakeholders have issued a four-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to suspend E-Call Up levies imposed on trucks entering Onne Port and fix the port’s dilapidated internal roads or face a shutdown of operations.

The stakeholders issued the ultimatum at a joint press conference in Onne, Rivers State, on Wednesday, warning that they would suspend business activities from Monday, August 17, if their demands were not addressed.

Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union, Eastern Port, Comrade Uche Ogbu, said the poor condition of the roads and the manner in which trucks are being managed under the E-Call Up system were disrupting port operations and endangering lives.

He also faulted the absence of adequate holding and loading bays for trucks despite repeated appeals from stakeholders.

According to Ogbu, the absence of designated facilities has resulted in indiscriminate parking of trucks along Onne roads, creating serious safety and traffic concerns.

‘We are the people carrying the burden of the E-Call Up levies. We, the maritime workers, in collaboration with other stakeholders and Onne communities, are going to down tools from Monday,’ he said.

He said the unions would also direct their members to stop E-Call Up operations at the port until the government responds to their concerns.

Ogbu argued that the NPA should communicate the infrastructure challenges at the Eastern Port to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the Federal Government, insisting that stakeholders could no longer bear the consequences of the poor facilities.

Also speaking, the Onne Chapter Chairman of ANLCA, Chief Ifeanyi Isikaku, called on the Federal Government to allocate part of the revenue generated from Onne Port to rehabilitate its roads.

He said the Onne Port Command generated approximately N439 billion in customs revenue between January and July 2026, while the Oil and Gas Free Zone Customs generated about N48 billion during the same period, bringing the combined revenue to approximately N487 billion.

Isikaku said it was unacceptable for the port to generate such revenue while its access roads remained in a deplorable condition.

He said the stakeholders had resolved to reject arbitrary payments associated with the E-Call Up system and demanded its suspension until adequate holding bays were provided.

According to him, the suspension would take effect from Monday, August 17, and remain in place until the identified challenges were addressed.

The stakeholders also demanded proper maintenance of all access roads leading to the port to reduce accidents, container falls, injuries and loss of lives.

The NPA management at Onne Port had not officially reacted to the demands as of press time. However, a source within the organisation said efforts were being made to address the issues raised by the stakeholders.

The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, has generated N19.84bn in revenue between January and July 2026, exceeding the N15.94bn collected throughout the whole of 2025.

The command’s Comptroller, Abdullahi Kaila, disclosed this while presenting the command’s recent enforcement activities, noting that the revenue performance represented an increase of N3.89bn, or 24.45 per cent, over its 2025 full-year collection.

Kaila attributed the improved performance to increased compliance by traders, enhanced engagement with stakeholders and strengthened operational efficiency at the land border.

He said the revenue growth demonstrated that trade facilitation and enforcement could be pursued simultaneously, as the command continued to support legitimate cross-border commerce while tightening controls against smuggling.

The Seme Command also intercepted a range of contraband goods with a combined duty-paid value of N365.1m.

Among the seizures were 1,268 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50kg, allegedly smuggled into Nigeria through illegal routes.

The Customs boss said the illegal rice imports not only deprived the government of potential revenue but also undermined efforts to promote domestic rice production and protect the livelihoods of Nigerian farmers.

‘The command also intercepted expired and unregistered pharmaceutical and other regulated products, some of which had reportedly deteriorated and were visibly decomposing’ he said.

According to Kaila, intelligence gathered by the command indicated that some of the expired products were allegedly intended to be repackaged and relabelled for sale to unsuspecting consumers.

He described the interception as a public health intervention, warning that the consumption of the products could expose consumers to food poisoning, gastrointestinal diseases and other health complications.

Kaila said the seized illicit drugs and unregistered pharmaceutical products would be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control for further investigation and appropriate action.

The development highlights the dual economic role of the Seme border, which serves as a major gateway for legitimate trade within the West African sub-region while also remaining a target for smuggling activities.

Kaila said the command would sustain its enforcement operations while facilitating legitimate trade and supporting Nigeria’s participation in regional commerce under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

He warned smugglers that intensified surveillance and enforcement had made the Seme corridor increasingly difficult to exploit for illicit trade.

The Seme Customs boss assured legitimate traders that the command would continue to support the Federal Government’s economic reforms by improving border processes, encouraging compliance and creating an environment conducive to lawful cross-border trade.