Category: Daily Trust

Crown Takaful Insurance Limited Board has approved the distribution of N100.9 million in surplus to participants, setting a new benchmark in the country’s Takaful insurance industry.

The surplus distribution followed approval from the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), marking a significant achievement for the company within its first year of operations.

The development reinforces the core principle of the Takaful insurance model, which is built on mutual cooperation, shared responsibility and equitable benefit among participants.

Under the Takaful model, participants contribute to a common fund used to support claims and operational expenses.

Any remaining surplus after payment of claims, Re-Takaful expenses and required reserves is distributed back to eligible participants.

Speaking on the development, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Crown Takaful Insurance Limited, Nasir Abubakar Song, described the approval as a fulfilment of the company’s commitment to fairness, transparency and mutual benefit.

He said the achievement reflects the confidence participants have placed in the company’s leadership and operations, adding that the surplus distribution demonstrates the practical value of the Takaful model in providing both protection and shared financial benefits.

‘Receiving regulatory approval to distribute surplus is our most direct and tangible way of honouring the trust placed in us by our participants. We are proud to be among the pioneers delivering the true promise of Takaful to Nigerians,’ Song said.

The company noted that the FY2024 surplus distribution represents more than a financial reward, describing it as evidence that ethical insurance can serve as a platform for shared prosperity and inclusive financial protection.

Since receiving its licence from NAICOM and commencing operations in 2024, Crown Takaful Insurance has recorded strong growth, achieving approximately N1.935 billion in gross contributions during its first year.

The company has continued to focus on providing ethical insurance solutions for individuals, families an businesses, guided by principles of transparency, responsible finance and mutual support.

Denge Josef Onoh, Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly and former Southeast Spokesman for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has tackled the African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Dino Melay.

In a strongly worded press release, Onoh accused Melaye of attempting to ‘play God’ and weaponize mortality against a sitting president for cheap political mileage.

Onoh said that the viral social media post by the former Senator for Kogi West maliciously invoked death of the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, as a prophecy against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Melaye claims that ‘God picked His phone and called Abacha,’ implying that a similar fate awaits President Tinubu.

Onoh said that if the Almighty were as swift to wrath as Dino’s bitter imagination suggests, Melaye himself would long ago have been answering queries before the divine throne.

Onoh said for the records of the public, he feels compelled to remind Nigerians of the ‘very actions Dino Melaye perpetrated against the State-actions that the same merciful God chose to overlook, giving him time to repent, an opportunity he has clearly weaponized into arrogance’.

Onoh said that as a member of the House of Representatives, Melaye led a free-for-all physical brawl that disrupted legislative proceedings, resulting in torn clothes, broken bones, and his eventual suspension.

Onoh said that Melaye theoretically undermined the institutions of state security by physically jumping out of a moving police vehicle to evade arrest, followed by a dramatic ‘collapse’ onto the asphalt, and later hiding in a hospital and up a tree.

Onoh said that during the 2023 presidential election collation at the National Center in Abuja, Melaye acted as a chief agent of destabilization, trying to aggressively halt a constitutional process because the results did not favor his principal.

Onoh said that Melaye openly brought the hallowed chambers of the Senate into disrepute by physically threatening and using deeply misogynistic language against Senator Oluremi Tinubu (now the First Lady).

Onoh said, If Dino Melaye truly understands the ‘God factor,’ he would realize that God is a God of long-suffering and patience. It is that divine patience that kept Melaye alive when he was jumping out of police trucks, jumping from political party to political party, and flaunting unexplained luxury while his constituents wallowed in poverty’.

Onoh said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is focused on the difficult, systemic economic reforms needed to undo the decades of rot that politicians contributed to.

Onoh went further to state that the 2027 election will be decided by the democratic will of the Nigerian people at the ballot box, ‘not by malicious, superstitious curses masked as spiritual insights’.

He advised Melaye to drop his ‘self-appointed role as a divine prophet of doom’, look into the mirror, and ask God for forgiveness.

Forty six victims rescued after spending months in captivity following the February abduction in Woro, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, are still receiving treatment in hospitals, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has disclosed.

The governor made the disclosure on Friday while receiving the rescued abductees in Ilorin, where the victims, mostly women and children, were handed over by the Commander of 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Nicholas Rume.

Daily Trust reports that the attack on February 3 left scores of residents dead, while 176 people were initially reported to have been abducted and taken into the forest.

However, 163 victims were eventually accounted for when the captives were brought out of the forest, leaving 13 people unaccounted for.

The development has raised fresh concerns over the fate of those still missing, even as the rescued victims were moved to Ilorin for medical assessment and further support.

AbdulRazaq said the government had directed that all the rescued victims receive appropriate medical attention as part of measures to help them recover from the ordeal.

‘As you can see, children and women are here today. We have about 46 of them in the hospital. Government will continueto do its best to safeguard lives and property in the state,’ he said.

The governor described the February attack on Woro as regrettable and said the government was yet to fully come to terms with the scale of the incident.

‘It is regrettable that the Woro incident happened at all. We are grateful to God that our collective effort has paid off. Everyone has been rescued alive,’ he said.

He said the return of the victims was only an interim stage in the government’s response, noting that authorities were still assessing the situation and did not yet have all the facts surrounding the incident.

‘This is an interim process because we don’t have all the facts yet. We pray this kind of thing will not happen again,’ AbdulRazaq said.

The governor also expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his ‘swift response to the security challenges confronting the state’.

According to him, the President had approved the establishment of five Army battalions in strategic locations across Kwara State.

He listed the locations as Kaiama, Patigi, Kosubosu, Omu-Aran and Ilemona.

AbdulRazaq said the measures were part of a broader effort to strengthen security across the state, adding that the 9 Division of the Nigerian Army had also been established in Kwara.

He further disclosed that the 22 Armoured Brigade currently based at Sobi was being moved to Bode-Saadu.

The governor said the Federal Government had also approved 1,000 Forest Guards for the state, while another 1,600 personnel were undergoing training.

‘From the president’s action you will see that there is a lot of seriousness to protect Kwara and Nigeria. This will be a security shield on Kwara,’ he said.

AbdulRazaq said he had repeatedly approached the President over the security situation in Kwara, particularly at critical moments, and that the Federal Government had responded with additional security interventions.

‘I kept on mounting pressure on the president to make sure that the state was safe.

‘We truly appreciate his effort in ensuring that this will not happen again. This is indeed a very sad situation. We have not come to terms with this,’ he said.

The Emir of Kaiama, Muazu Umar, described the prolonged captivity of the victims as a period of severe hardship for the community.

‘Throughout the six months and four days, we have been in turmoil. We thank God we are able to get here. Though, we lost some people in the process,’ the emir said.

He thanked President Tinubu for his support and prayed for the eventual rescue of any victims who may still remain in captivity.

‘The people that are still with them, we pray one day they be rescued,’ Umar added.

He said the rescue was achieved through the combined efforts of the various security agencies involved in the operation.

‘It was a sad event, but today I am happy to introduce to you the people through the combined effort of the security agencies we have been able to rescue,’ he said.

The brigade commander commended the agencies involved and described the operation as an example of the synergy among Nigeria’s security forces.

He also praised the state government for its support, particularly in providing logistics and other assistance to security personnel operating in the area.

He said security agencies would sustain their operations against banditry and insurgency in the state.

‘You will agree with me that this year there has been a reduction in the incidents we have been recording in the state. I pray that we will win the battle against our enemies,’ he said.

The Chairman of Kaiama Local Government Area, Abubakar Danladi, described the return of the victims as a moment of relief for the community.

‘We are highly delighted to gather here to witness the handing over of our people kidnapped in Woro. We are happy to be here to receive them wholeheartedly,’ Danladi said.

He prayed that the communities, Kwara State and Nigeria would not experience another incident of such magnitude.

The President of the Kaiama Development Association (KDA), Yakubu Salihu, has disclosed that only 163 of the 176 people earlier confirmed abducted by terrorists from communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have regained their freedom.

Salihu, who spoke in an interview with Daily Trust on Thursday, said the association was yet to ascertain whether the missing 13 victims died in captivity or were not among those released.

He urged security agencies to establish their whereabouts.

His disclosure comes after the Federal Government secured the release of 308 captives from terrorist camps in the Kainji forest axis spanning parts of Kwara, Niger and Kebbi states.

According to him, the freed victims have been moved to the military cantonment in Wawa for preliminary screening and are expected to be transferred to Ilorin for comprehensive medical evaluation before reuniting with their families.

‘We hope that between tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday, they will be reunited with their families,’ Salihu said.

Speaking on the controversy surrounding the number of abductees, the KDA president maintained that both the terrorists and the victims had confirmed that 176 people were taken away during the attacks.

‘What they told us, and what the abductees themselves confirmed at the time they were kidnapped, was that they abducted 176 people. But when they were returned yesterday, only 163 were confirmed.

‘So, we have a shortfall of 13 people. We are still at a loss as to whether those people died in captivity or whether the original figure was incorrect. We want the security agencies to help us determine exactly what happened to the 13.’

Salihu stressed that the association’s position had never been about disputing statistics but ensuring that everyone held by the terrorists was rescued.

The KDA president said preliminary information from those who had visited the victims indicated that many of them were in poor physical and emotional condition after months in captivity.

‘They are not in the best of health because of the trauma they went through. One of the women gave birth while in captivity, while some others are maybe still pregnant.

‘We are hopeful that when they arrive in Ilorin, the state government will ensure they receive proper medical attention and that all their health needs are taken care of,’ he noted.

Salihu also dismissed reports that ransom was paid by the community to secure the captives’ freedom.

According to him, although residents made efforts to raise funds, the amount realised was insignificant and was never handed over to anyone.

He described the release as a huge relief to the affected communities after months of anguish.

While commending the Federal Government and security agencies for securing the release, Salihu warned that the success would be short-lived unless the root causes of insecurity in the area were addressed.

An agricultural firm, Al-Qaryah Agro Allied Ltd has tabled a landmark $1.295 billion Public-Private Partnership (PPP) proposal to the Hadejia-Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA) to convert the Challawa Gorge Dam into Nigeria’s flagship agro-industrial hub.

The company’s management team, led by Chief Executive Officer Abubakar M. Nagwamatse, presented the plan at HJRBDA headquarters in Kano to Managing Director Engr. Rabiu Suleiman Bichi and his technical team.

Nagwamatse explained that the initiative seeks to deploy modern aquaculture and floating agriculture methods already in use across Asia to maximise the dam’s underutilised water body.

‘We plan to introduce crop production on water surfaces, alongside aquaculture and irrigation farming. This project will create at least 10,000 jobs and significantly boost food supply, which in turn will lower prices and open export opportunities,’ he said.

He lamented that the arrangement will help maximise the dam, which he said is presently not being put to its maximum capacity, leaving it only to subsistence small-scale farming.

He said the project is multi-dimensional and will integrate deep-water cage aquaculture, aquaponics, hydroponics, rice-fish farming, duck farming, aquatic plant cultivation, floodplain irrigation, and land-based infrastructure, including a 150,000 metric tonne per year feed mill and a 50-million-fry hatchery.

Al-Qaryah stressed that the investment aligns with national food security goals, the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme, and the Komadugu-Yobe Basin SAP.

Responding, Engr. Bichi welcomed the proposal, noting that the Authority had long awaited private sector participation in PPP ventures.

He described the plan as a major step toward unlocking the socioeconomic potential of Northern Nigeria’s water infrastructure.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery delivered over 400,000 tonnes of jet fuel to Europe in July.

Disclosing this in its latest data, a global commodities intelligence firm Kpler, said shipment accounted for about 20% of the continent’s total jet fuel imports for the month.

The development comes on the heels of a record 466,000 tonnes exported to Europe in June – the month Nigeria first overtook the United States as Europe’s leading supplier of imported aviation fuel.

According to the firm, the back-to-back performance signals a major milestone for the refinery, proving it can consistently meet the stringent quality standards of one of the world’s most demanding fuel markets.

Europe imported approximately 2.06 million tonnes of jet fuel in July, with Dangote accounting for the single largest share of those imports, ahead of traditional suppliers from the United States and the Middle East.

Industry observers say the refinery is rapidly reshaping established Atlantic Basin fuel trade flows by offering a competitive alternative to long standing suppliers. While European buyers have traditionally relied on refiners in the United States, the Middle East and Asia, Dangote’s strategic location on Nigeria’s Atlantic coast, combined with its scale, modern technology and export capability, has enabled it to become an increasingly important source of aviation fuel for European markets.

The refinery’s export momentum has been supported by steadily rising production. Jet fuel loadings at Dangote’s Lekki export terminal reached a record 550,000 tonnes in June, while crude deliveries to the refinery climbed to an all time high of 660,000 barrels per day, providing the throughput required to sustain growing exports of refined petroleum products to international markets.

The company said the latest figures come at a time of shifting global energy flows.

Although Europe received limited volumes of jet fuel from Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Oman in July, market disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and evolving geopolitical dynamics have encouraged buyers to diversify supply sources. Against this backdrop,

Dangote Refinery has emerged as a reliable and competitive supplier, reinforcing Nigeria’s growing importance in global refined products trade against this backdrop.

David Bird, MD/CEO, Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, noted that: ‘Beyond aviation fuel, the refinery has continued to expand exports of diesel, gasoline and other refined petroleum products to destinations across Europe, Africa and other international markets, further strengthening Nigeria’s position as a net exporter of high value petroleum products.’

The Kano State Government has suspended its Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention, SMC, programme activities and constituted a committee to investigate its implementation.

Public Relations Officer of the state’s Ministry of Health, Nabulisi Abubakar Kofar Na’isa, said this in a statement.

According to him, the suspension is to allow for a comprehensive review of the planning, distribution and implementation processes of the SMC programme in the state.

The statement further directed that all ongoing field operations, distributions and community engagement activities under the programme be suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.

The ministry said the investigative committee will examine programme operations, documentation, personnel records and all related implementation activities.

According to the statement, the committee is chaired by Director General of the State AIDS Control Agency, SACA, Usman Bashir, with Salisu Ahmad Ibrahim: Director General, State Primary Healthcare Management Board, (SPHCMB); Ghali Sule, Director General, Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency, (DMCSA); Mansur Mudi Nagoda, Executive Secretary, Hospitals Management Board, (HMB); Muhammad A. Abbas, Director General, Kano Centre for Disease Control, (KNCDC); Fatima Usman Zahradden, Executive Secretary, Kano Health Trust Fund, (KHETFUND); Rahila A. Mukhtar, Executive Secretary, Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency, (KSCHMA) and Khadijah Hussein Said, Acting Director General, Private Health Institutions Management Agency, (PHIMA) as members while Nazeer Tanko Kyaure, Director Administration and General Services, Ministry of Health will serve as Secretary.

The ministry also directed the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, implementing partners and other stakeholders to report to the ministry headquarters with approved work plans, distribution records and candidate lists for verification.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability in health programmes, and assured development partners and the public that the review was aimed at strengthening programme delivery.

Former Benue State Governor, Chief Samuel Ortom, has dismissed as false reports alleging that he and other leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are plotting to replace the party’s 2027 governorship candidate in the state, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN), with the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr. Pius Akutah.

Ortom, in a statement issued on Friday by his Media Assistant, Zege Paul Terhide, described the social media report as mischievous, misleading and a deliberate distortion of facts.

He explained that the meeting in question involved himself, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Patrick Abba Moro, and the PDP governorship candidate, Chief Aondoakaa, alongside prominent Benue stakeholders, including Chief Simon Shango, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, Dr. Pius Akutah, Engr. Emmanuel Ameh and Dr. Matthias Byuan.

Ortom said the gathering formed part of ongoing consultations aimed at building a broad strategic alliance of Benue stakeholders in the overall interest of the state and not to discuss any change in the party’s governorship ticket.

He stressed that at no point during the meeting was the issue of replacing Aondoakaa raised, considered or included on the agenda, describing claims to the contrary as political mischief intended to mislead the public.

The former governor reaffirmed that Aondoakaa remains the duly nominated PDP governorship candidate for the 2027 election, adding that the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice enjoys the confidence and full support of the party’s leadership.

He expressed confidence in Aondoakaa’s experience, competence and capacity to tackle Benue’s security and economic challenges and provide purposeful leadership if elected.

Ortom warned those spreading what he described as fabricated reports to desist from disseminating false information capable of creating confusion among party members and the public.

He urged PDP members, supporters and the people of Benue State to disregard the report, insisting that no amount of misinformation would derail the party’s efforts to build a formidable coalition ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Crown Takaful Insurance Limited Board has approved the distribution of N100.9 million in surplus to participants, setting a new benchmark in the country’s Takaful insurance industry.

The surplus distribution followed approval from the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), marking a significant achievement for the company within its first year of operations.

The development reinforces the core principle of the Takaful insurance model, which is built on mutual cooperation, shared responsibility and equitable benefit among participants.

Under the Takaful model, participants contribute to a common fund used to support claims and operational expenses.

Any remaining surplus after payment of claims, Re-Takaful expenses and required reserves is distributed back to eligible participants.

Speaking on the development, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Crown Takaful Insurance Limited, Nasir Abubakar Song, described the approval as a fulfilment of the company’s commitment to fairness, transparency and mutual benefit.

He said the achievement reflects the confidence participants have placed in the company’s leadership and operations, adding that the surplus distribution demonstrates the practical value of the Takaful model in providing both protection and shared financial benefits.

‘Receiving regulatory approval to distribute surplus is our most direct and tangible way of honouring the trust placed in us by our participants. We are proud to be among the pioneers delivering the true promise of Takaful to Nigerians,’ Song said.

The company noted that the FY2024 surplus distribution represents more than a financial reward, describing it as evidence that ethical insurance can serve as a platform for shared prosperity and inclusive financial protection.

Since receiving its licence from NAICOM and commencing operations in 2024, Crown Takaful Insurance has recorded strong growth, achieving approximately N1.935 billion in gross contributions during its first year.

The company has continued to focus on providing ethical insurance solutions for individuals, families an businesses, guided by principles of transparency, responsible finance and mutual support.

Muslim women have been encouraged to play more active roles in leadership and governance as part of their Islamic responsibility to promote justice, accountability and the welfare of society.

The Iya Sunnah of Egbaland and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deputy governorship candidate in Ogun State, Dr. Lateefah Sowunmi-Kolapo, made the call during the inaugural summit of the Egba Muslim Women Forum (EMWOF) held in Abeokuta.

Addressing participants, Sowunmi-Kolapo stressed that although the forum must remain non-partisan, Islam encourages believers to be actively engaged in promoting the common good and supporting righteous leadership.

‘Leadership is an amanah (sacred trust), and Muslim women should be prepared to serve with integrity in education, healthcare, public institutions and other sectors where they can positively impact society and contribute to the growth of Islam,’ she said.

She noted that responsible civic engagement, advocacy for justice and support for accountable leadership are consistent with Islamic teachings, adding that Muslim women should understand public policies and contribute to shaping a society founded on moral values.

Sowunmi-Kolapo described the inauguration of the Egba Muslim Women Forum as the beginning of a movement to empower Muslim women to become agents of positive change within their homes, communities and the wider society.

She urged Muslim women to embrace unity above personal, organisational or political differences.

The PDP deputy governorship candidate also identified growing social challenges-including drug abuse, cybercrime, cultism, declining family values, the negative influence of social media and economic hardship-as issues requiring greater attention from Muslim mothers.

She urged Muslim women to nurture children with sound Islamic morals, integrity and discipline, emphasising that strong families are the foundation of a righteous and prosperous society.

Also speaking, Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, described the inauguration of the forum as a significant step toward strengthening the collective voice and influence of Muslim women across Egbaland.

She said bringing together women from different Muslim organisations under one umbrella would foster unity without erasing their individual identities.

Delivering the keynote lecture, Deputy Director at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Mrs. Rasheedah Ibrahim, also called on Muslim women to rise above organisational differences and work together in the interest of the Ummah.

‘We want to rise above organisational differences and embrace collective responsibility. Let us speak with one voice on matters affecting our community,’ she said.