Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is shifting its focus from extensive physical inspection of consignments at the ports to Post Clearance Audits (PCA) as part of efforts to improve trade facilitation, strengthen compliance and boost revenue assurance.

This was disclosed on Thursday by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, at a Post Clearance Audit (PCA) sensitisation programme for stakeholders in Lagos, stressing that the Service could not continue to rely on the physical examination of every consignment if it must simultaneously facilitate trade and meet its growing revenue obligations.

According to the Customs CG, the NCS collected N7.281 trillion in 2025 against a target of N6.584 trillion, exceeding the target by N697 billion and representing a 19 per cent increase from the N6.1 trillion collected in 2024.

He said the revenue target for 2026 had risen to N11.074 trillion, with N4.30 trillion already collected as of the end of June.

Adeniyi said the figures underscored the need for Customs to adopt smarter methods of revenue assurance rather than increasing physical intervention at the ports.

‘These figures make a point when the methods that must be applied are not celebrated alone. Numbers of that order cannot be delivered by opening more containers. They can only be delivered by knowing which of those containers that we must open,’ he said.

The Comptroller-General said post-clearance audits would enable Customs to verify traders’ compliance records after goods had been released, thereby reducing unnecessary delays and allowing officers to concentrate resources on high-risk and non-compliant traders.

He said the approach had become even more important following the findings of a time-release study conducted at Tin Can Island Port.

The study, which tracked 601 import declarations from arrival to physical exit, found that containers spent about five days in the port before leaving, while the physical examination itself took only a matter of hours.

Adeniyi said that for 98.7 per cent of the consignments studied, the period between booking for examination and physical exit averaged close to four days.

He attributed the delays to manual processes, fragmented coordination among agencies and waiting time within the clearance architecture.

‘The delay is in the architecture. It’s not in the inspection itself,’ he said.

According to him, the findings demonstrated that the solution to port delays was not simply to deploy more examination officers but to reduce the number of consignments that require physical intervention in the first place.

‘The answer is to reduce the number of consignments that need to be stopped at all by verifying afterwards those that do not require stopping now. That is post-clearance audits,’ Adeniyi said.

He noted that PCA was not a Nigerian innovation but an internationally recognised customs control mechanism provided for under the Revised Kyoto Convention and the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement.

Adeniyi also linked PCA to the Service’s Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, saying credible audits were necessary to identify businesses with proven compliance records that could be given greater facilitation.

He disclosed that 247 companies had so far been admitted into the AEO programme, with 15 of them making voluntary disclosures involving more than N1 billion in revenue.

He said the average clearance time for AEO companies had dropped from about 156 hours to 43 hours, while Huawei had consistently recorded an average clearance time of about eight hours across the ports because of the quality of its documentation and compliance.

The 247 AEO companies collectively generated more than N3 trillion in Customs revenue in 2025, accounting for about 43 per cent of the Service’s total revenue, Adeniyi said.

He urged more businesses to work towards attaining AEO status, describing compliance as an advantage rather than a cost of doing business.

‘If, for example, we are able to generate 80 per cent of our revenue from AEO companies, the rest 20 per cent… it means our resources will be concentrated on those few ones,’ he said.

Adeniyi further assured stakeholders that the Service would continue to review its processes, including the procedure for appeals, while encouraging businesses to make voluntary disclosures and promptly correct errors.

He said Customs was moving from a culture of intervention to one where compliance would be driven by understanding, trust and cooperation.

‘Compliance should not be driven by fear of enforcement. It should be driven by confidence in a system that is fair, that is predictable, and consistently applied,’ he said.

The Comptroller-General said the success of PCA would not be measured only by the revenue recovered from audits, but also by the number of businesses that voluntarily comply with their obligations, the reduction in unnecessary interventions and the level of confidence traders have in the customs system.

Earlier, the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Post-Clearance Audit, Babatunde Olomu, disclosed that PCA operations recovered N27.2 billion between August 2025 and August 2026, compared with N21.3 billion during the corresponding period.

He said the figure represented a 27.7 per cent year-on-year increase, attributing the growth to improved risk-based targeting, stronger auditing processes, enhanced case management and improved stakeholder compliance.

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has sworn in 19 newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, in what is the largest single appointment of Permanent Secretaries in the history of the state.

While performing the swearing-in ceremony at the International Conference Centre, Gombe, the Governor said the latest appointments brought to 55 the number of Permanent Secretaries appointed by his administration over the past seven and a half years, alongside more than 100 directors elevated to the senior administrative cadre of the state civil service.

He said the appointments were part of a broader effort to strengthen the institutional capacity of government, address manpower gaps and build a professional civil service capable of sustaining development beyond his tenure.

A major highlight of the Governor’s address was his disclosure that his administration was preparing for a massive recruitment exercise into the state civil service, following the establishment of an accurate manpower database through the biometric verification system.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya said he had already directed the Head of Civil Service to work with the State Civil Service Commission to conduct a comprehensive manpower needs assessment across ministries, departments and agencies to determine existing gaps and the number of personnel required.

He said the exercise would pave the way for fresh recruitment before the expiration of his tenure on May 29, 2027.

According to him, the biometric attendance and verification system, which attracted criticism when introduced, had since demonstrated its value by providing the government with reliable data on the actual workforce, while helping to tackle ghost workers and absenteeism and saving the state billions of naira.

The Governor said the reforms had also created the necessary foundation for a more rational and needs-based approach to recruitment.

He explained that since assuming office, his administration had made civil service reform and institutional strengthening a priority, citing the establishment of the Bureau for Public Service Reforms as another key intervention aimed at improving efficiency, accountability and service delivery.

Beyond manpower and institutional reforms, Governor Inuwa Yahaya pointed to workers’ welfare as a central component of his administration’s civil service policy.

He cited the prompt payment of salaries, implementation of the minimum wage at the state and local government levels, regular promotions, and payment of pension and gratuity liabilities as evidence of the government’s commitment to the welfare of workers and retirees.

On gratuity obligations, the Governor disclosed that his administration had paid more than N33 billion in gratuities over the past seven and a half years, with about 70 per cent of the liabilities inherited from the previous administration.

He announced that another tranche of gratuity payments would be made before the end of September 2026, expressing confidence that the government would clear the outstanding gratuity backlog by the first quarter of 2027.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya said the government was determined to leave behind a civil service that was more professional, digitally accountable, adequately staffed and capable of responding effectively to the needs of citizens.

On the selection of the new Permanent Secretaries, the Governor said the process was designed to ensure competence, merit and equitable representation.

He explained that senior directors from the state’s Local Government Areas were considered, with their qualifications, experience and service records subjected to scrutiny. Written examinations were also conducted to test candidates’ general knowledge and Information and Communication Technology competencies.

He added that two of the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries were drawn from outside the conventional state civil service structure, with one from the Federal Civil Service and another from academia, to bring additional administrative experience, institutional linkages and research-oriented perspectives into the state bureaucracy.

The Governor charged the new Permanent Secretaries to see their appointments as a solemn responsibility rather than a personal achievement.

‘You are the ambassadors of the civil service and of your respective communities. Your appointment is not a personal achievement alone; it is a trust reposed in you by the people of Gombe State.’

He urged them to discharge their responsibilities with integrity, accountability, discipline and diligence, warning that his administration would not tolerate corruption, indiscipline, dishonesty or abuse of office.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya said that with his administration entering its final phase, the focus would be on consolidating ongoing reforms, strengthening institutions and ensuring that the gains recorded over the years endure beyond the life of the present administration.

Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya for his purposeful leadership, which had consistently prioritised professionalism, competence, accountability and institutional development.

Professor Njodi assured the Governor of the continued commitment of the public service to supporting his administration’s reform agenda and development programmes.

He congratulated the new Permanent Secretaries and urged them to be accessible, responsive and innovative in the discharge of their responsibilities.

Speaking on behalf of the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, Musa Mohammed Babaji expressed appreciation to the Governor for the confidence reposed in them and pledged that the appointees would justify the trust through diligence, loyalty, professionalism and commitment to effective public service.

The Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, has dismissed claims that domestic airlines failed to remit the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), saying operators complied with an agreed repayment plan before the recent labour dispute.

Okonkwo, who is also spokesperson for the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), said this on Thursday at the 30th annual conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) in Lagos.

The conference has as its theme, ‘Towards a Sustainable Aviation Industry: Balancing Government Revenue Demands with Sector Growth.’

According to him, airlines had met their financial obligations to the government until the aviation sector came under severe pressure from rising operational costs, particularly aviation fuel.

He said the AON had raised concerns over the burden of regulatory charges and appealed to the Federal Government for temporary relief during the crisis.

‘Before February this year, there were no payment problems. All airlines were paying. The AON issue only became a problem because of the Gulf crisis.

‘We wrote to the President, explaining that we could no longer pay these charges. We requested either a complete suspension of charges or temporary relief during the aviation crisis, and the request was granted. The President agreed and waived 30 per cent,’ he said.

Okonkwo said the presidential waiver was followed by meetings between airline operators, the NCAA and the Ministry of Aviation to establish a repayment arrangement for outstanding obligations.

He explained that the NCAA directed airlines to pay 10 per cent of their legacy debts within a specified period, after which the balance would be settled through instalments.

According to him, individual airlines subsequently met with the NCAA’s Director of Finance to agree on repayment schedules.

‘The airlines complied with this directive. The director met with operators in Lagos and Abuja, and we developed a payment plan.

‘This plan was in place. When you have a payment plan in place, it does not mean you will default. We were making regular payments according to the agreement we had with the NCAA until we heard about the labour union problem,’ he said.

To demonstrate its commitment to the arrangement, Okonkwo said United Nigeria Airlines established joint accounts with the NCAA in Nigerian banks, allowing the regulatory agency to access funds directly.

‘At United Nigeria, to ensure no issues, we opened joint accounts with NCAA at Nigerian banks. The account was structured so NCAA could withdraw funds directly without asking us,’ he said.

The airline chief also faulted the continued imposition of the five per cent TSC, arguing that operators were not receiving commensurate value for the charges paid.

He said airlines already bore significant operational and regulatory costs, including expenses incurred when NCAA officials travelled abroad to inspect aircraft.

‘Beyond what we pay, we do not receive adequate value,’ he said, insisting that the demand for the removal of the five per cent charge should continue.

On the recent labour dispute involving aviation unions, Okonkwo acknowledged the right of unions to advocate for workers’ welfare but said the manner in which the dispute was handled at the airport was unacceptable.

He also noted that airlines remained among the better-paying sectors in the country.

Okonkwo commended the President of the Aviation Roundtable and aviation journalists for speaking out against the incident, saying their reactions helped to draw attention to the concerns within the sector.

Nigeria’s equities market staged a modest rebound on Thursday, halting its recent slide as gains in Seplat Energy, Access Holdings, Transnational Corporation and Guaranty Trust Holding Company pushed the NGX All-Share Index up 0.1 per cent to close at 242,378.13 points.

The marginal recovery, however, failed to erase the market’s losses for September, leaving the Month-to-Date return at -0.8 per cent, while the Year-to-Date gain settled at 55.8 per cent.

The session was driven largely by strong performances among some heavyweight stocks, with Seplat Energy leading the gainers after its share price surged 10 per cent. Transnational Corporation gained 4.5 per cent, Access Holdings advanced 5.7 per cent, while Guaranty Trust Holding Company rose 1.5 per cent.

Despite the positive movement in the benchmark index, overall market sentiment remained weak, reflecting continued pressure across a broad section of listed equities.

Market breadth was negative, with 29 stocks declining against 23 gainers, translating to a breadth ratio of 0.8x.

Japaul Gold and Ventures joined Seplat Energy among the strongest performers, gaining 9.8 per cent, while Royal Exchange and Academy Press were among the decliners. RT Briscoe and Aradel Holdings recorded the steepest losses, shedding 10 per cent each.

Trading activity, however, surged sharply as investors exchanged 1.40 billion shares in 46,218 deals, representing a 161.8 per cent increase in volume compared with the previous session.

The value of transactions stood at ?27.14 billion, underscoring a significant increase in market activity despite the relatively weak breadth.

FTG Insurance dominated trading by volume, accounting for 1.03 billion shares, while Aradel Holdings led by value with transactions worth ?5.34 billion.

The surge in volume was therefore heavily concentrated in a few counters, suggesting that the jump in market activity did not necessarily translate into broad-based buying pressure.

Performance across sectors was also mixed.

The Oil and Gas index emerged as the best-performing sector, rising 0.8 per cent, supported by the strong advance in Seplat Energy. The Banking index followed with a 0.7 per cent gain, reflecting buying interest in major banking stocks including Access Holdings and Guaranty Trust Holding Company.

In contrast, the Consumer Goods index declined 1.0 per cent, while the Insurance index fell 0.4 per cent. The Industrial Goods index closed unchanged.

The session came against the backdrop of the market’s recent correction, which has tempered what had been a powerful rally in Nigerian equities this year.

With the All-Share Index still up 55.8 per cent year-to-date, investors remain significantly in positive territory, although the recent pullback has raised questions about the sustainability of the rally and the direction of funds in the final months of the year.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released the updated 2027 editions of key industry manuals for cargo and ground operations, which incorporate major changes and revisions to align with evolving global standards. IATA’s Senior Vice President of Products and Services, Frederic Leger said the revisions reflect advancements in technology, regulation, and customer needs.

‘Our 2027 manual revisions reflect advancements in technology, regulation, and customer needs. As our manuals are used in a more digitally connected environment, we are focusing on creating tools that integrate them into the critical processes and activities that underpin cargo and ground operations.

This is a major step toward advancing safer, more efficient airline operations, and is soon to be super-charged by the power of AI,’ Leger said.

Highlights of the revisions include: Dangerous Good Regulations (DGR) which guide instructions to improve clarity on DGR packaging requirements; restrictions and requirements for spare batteries and power banks, requirements for lithium battery-powered mobility aids including new operator obligations for devices exceeding 300Wh and updates to state and operator variations, include: new variations from 17 states.

On Battery Shipping Regulations (BSR), the review includes introduction of provisions for hybrid batteries containing both lithium-ion and sodium-ion cells; revisions to packing instructions, particularly related to sodium-ion and prototype batteries and also clarification on exclusions from the 4-cell/2-battery limit for certain battery shipments.

In addition is new requirement for battery marks to be displayed on the same package surface as other applicable hazard labels.

On Live Animals Regulations (LAR), there are additions of specific pathogen-free laboratory animals to species listing; standardised terminology and metric measurement across container requirements, updated aircraft cargo compartment cleaning and disinfection procedures, availability of a Portuguese version following Brazil’s adoption of LAR.

On the new Airport Handling Manual (AHM), there is new guidance for biometric handling in contactless travel, covering touchpoint processes and privacy/ethical considerations, just as there is now advanced provisions for autonomous ground service equipment activities near aircraft

As part of new digital tools, IATA looked at enhanced digital tools, which will increasingly leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI), thereby linking IATA’s manuals more efficiently to the industry processes that they support, an important advancement as aviation continues its transition to more connected, automated and data-driven operations.

This also helps embed IATA standards into decision making and live operational environments.

The Federal Government has restated its commitment to dismantling harmful gender norms and strengthening adolescent health systems, calling for policies and funding that translate into tangible results for young Nigerians.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, stated this at the 2026 Gender and Inclusion Summit and National Dialogue on Transforming Gender Norms for Adolescent Health and Wellbeing, which was held on Wednesday in Abuja.

Salako said cultural expectations that promote inequality continue to limit adolescents’ choices and expose them to violence, early pregnancy and poor health outcomes.

According to the minister, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare was already strengthening adolescent health through policy and partnerships which include the institutionalisation of adolescent and school health programmes and the establishment of a dedicated budget line for adolescent health in the national budget.

Salako added that the National Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy 2025-2030 will expand access to information and services such as family planning, STI/HIV prevention and counselling, as he also cited the national HPV vaccination campaign, which has reached over 14 million girls aged 9 to 14, and the Nigerian Survey on Gender Norms, Attitudes, Health and Wellbeing, aimed at generating data for policy and programming.

He urged stakeholders to adopt gender-transformative approaches, strengthen multi-sector partnerships, convert evidence into policies and budgets and build accountability structures that amplify youth voices.

‘Transforming gender norms therefore matters because it breaks down rigid rules that limit access to healthcare, safety, education and the ability to earn a decent living. Let this dialogue be more than a conversation. Let it be a catalyst for change,’ Salako said.

Also speaking, Deputy Director, Policy, Advocacy and Communications at the Gates Foundation Nigeria Country Office, Ekenem Isichei, said innovation must be measured by its impact at the last mile.

She said the last mile refers to individuals affected by gaps between policy, funding and service delivery, and called for increased investment in primary healthcare, grassroots ownership by communities and local governments and stronger referral systems.

Isichei added that strengthening level two facilities and moving innovations from pilot stage to government-funded programmes will help reduce maternal mortality and ensure adolescents get the services they need.

She also stated that the real measure of development should be its impact on people, especially women, young people, persons with disabilities and underserved communities, arguing that the last mile should no longer be seen only as a remote location but as the individual who cannot benefit from a policy despite its existence.

‘A woman who arrives at a primary healthcare centre only to find an absent health worker, an essential commodity out of stock or a dysfunctional referral system does not experience an ‘implementation bottleneck.’ She experiences the absence of a service. The true test of innovation is not that it exists. It is that people can use it, trust it and benefit from it,’ Isichei said.

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has committed N6 billion to the establishment of ICT Experience Centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones as part of efforts to strengthen digital skills and human capital development in the country’s tertiary institutions.

First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday formally commissioned the South-East Zonal ICT Experience Centre located at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State.

The centre, which is part of the Renewed Hope Initiative, is designed to provide students, lecturers and other beneficiaries with practical skills in digital literacy, software development, data science, multimedia, online learning, entrepreneurship and emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Commissioning the facility, Mrs Tinubu expressed appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the project, praying for its continued impact on the institution and generations of beneficiaries.

‘I’m really honoured to do this and I pray that God continues to bless this community and generations ongoing. Amen,’ she said.

The First Lady described the facility as an important investment in the future of Nigerian youths.

The commissioning was held alongside the launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme for the South-East Zone.

Earlier, the Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, said the Oko facility was part of a nationwide strategic intervention approved by the board to establish an ICT Experience Centre in each of the six geopolitical zones.

Masari said TETFund had approved N1 billion for each zone, bringing the total investment to N6 billion, with selected universities, polytechnics and colleges of education serving as beneficiaries.

He said the centres were designed to equip students and lecturers with critical digital skills in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and software development.

‘The Board of Trustees recognised the need to align Nigeria’s education system with emerging global technological and industry standards,’ Masari said.

He said the ultimate objective was to enhance graduate employability, foster innovation and position Nigeria to participate more effectively in the global technology-driven economy.

Masari urged the management of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, to ensure proper maintenance and security of the facility and regularly upgrade its equipment in line with technological advancements.

Speaking at the ceremony, Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, described the facility as more than physical infrastructure, saying it represented an investment in people, possibilities and the future of Nigeria.

‘For us, the Centre represents much more than a physical facility. It is an investment in people; an investment in possibilities; and, ultimately, an investment in the future of Nigeria,’ he said.

According to him, expanding access to digital learning, innovation and technology would enable young Nigerians to transform ideas into solutions, skills into livelihoods and aspirations into opportunities.

Echono said the intervention aligned with TETFund’s commitment to human capital development and the emergence of a knowledge-driven economy.

‘We are therefore honoured to partner with the Renewed Hope Initiative in advancing an agenda that recognises our youth as not merely beneficiaries of development, but as principal actors in shaping Nigeria’s future,’ he said.

He added that TETFund remained committed to ensuring that the ICT Experience Centres achieved their intended purpose of expanding digital inclusion, nurturing talent and opening new frontiers of opportunity for Nigerian youths.

Echono said both initiatives reflected the central objective of the Renewed Hope Agenda of putting people at the centre of development.

He described the food bank programme as a timely response to the needs of vulnerable Nigerians facing economic pressures, while the ICT centre addressed the growing need to equip young people with the knowledge and digital skills required to compete in an increasingly technology-driven world.

The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Dr Chioma Irene Awuzie, described the commissioning as a landmark achievement for the institution and an affirmation of the First Lady’s commitment to empowering Nigerian youths through education, technology and innovation.

Awuzie said the ICT Experience Centre, alongside the Chemical Engineering Building and Students’ Examination Centre, demonstrated the impact of TETFund’s interventions in the polytechnic.

She said the centre would provide students with access to digital skills, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, educational resources, technology, innovation and networking.

According to her, the facility would also help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and hands-on technological experience, equipping students with the competencies required to thrive in the 21st-century economy.

‘The world is increasingly driven by technology, artificial intelligence, digital skills, innovation and knowledge. Our youths must therefore be equipped not merely to participate, but to excel and lead,’ she said.

Farmers in the Oluwa Forest Reserve, Ondo State, have petitioned Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa over the alleged assault of their members by forest guards and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, which they claimed resulted in the death of a 55-year-old farmer, Nwafor Romanus.

The farmers, who reside in Temidire Camp 1, Odigbo Local Government Area, are demanding an independent investigation into the September 2 incident, alleging that Romanus died from injuries sustained during the confrontation.

The petition, filed through their lawyer, Tope Temokun Chambers, also alleged that several farmers were beaten and injured during the operation, which involved ministry officials, forest guards and other security personnel.

Chairman of the farmers, Rotimi Isileye Abayomi, said the government team arrived in about 11 Toyota Hilux vans and a Land Rover SUV and seized motorcycles belonging to some farmers.

He alleged that the ensuing confrontation led to forest guards beating some of the farmers, including Romanus, who reportedly fell during the assault but did not die at the scene.

Abayomi said he contacted the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Agriculture and Agribusiness, Rotimi Eemimo, who reportedly intervened over the seized motorcycles, but the officials allegedly left the forest with them.

He exonerated the soldiers and mobile policemen who were part of the team from the alleged assault.

The following morning, Abayomi said the camp leaders received a distress call from around Omi Ifon that Romanus had died.

The deceased’s daughters, Favour and Lilian Nwafor, alleged that their father suffered severe pain and could not sleep throughout the night after the incident. They said he was taken to the General Hospital, Ore, around 5am, where he was confirmed dead.

However, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry had earlier denied that Romanus died as a result of the confrontation, reportedly attributing his death to an accident.

Rejecting the position, the petitioners urged Governor Aiyedatiwa to constitute an independent inquiry into the operation and suspend the forest guards and other personnel allegedly involved pending the investigation.

They also demanded the release of operational orders and deployment records, an independent medical examination to establish the cause of death, and an investigation into an affidavit reportedly describing Romanus’ death as an accident.

The petitioners further sought interim assistance for the deceased’s family and injured farmers and asked that any official found culpable be prosecuted.

They maintained that the inquiry should examine not only the cause of Romanus’ death but also the legality of the operation, the conduct of the officials and the administrative oversight of the ministry.

More casualties have been recorded in Odigbo communities in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, bringing the reported death toll to 30, while about 50 others are receiving treatment in various hospitals after allegedly consuming suspected locally produced alcoholic drinks or herbal concoctions.

The development has prompted an emergency response from the Ondo State Government, with health authorities investigating the incident to determine the cause of the deaths and whether a toxic substance was involved.

Deaths were initially reported in Odigbo town, Newtown, and Orita before similar reports emerged from Araromi-Obu, throwing the affected communities into mourning.

Speaking during an assessment visit and mobilization of a multidisciplinary medical team to the affected communities, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, said the government had yet to establish the exact cause of the deaths.

Ajaka said preliminary investigations had ruled out viral and bacterial infections, while information gathered from residents indicated that some of the victims might have consumed alcohol mixed with an unidentified substance or concoction before they fell ill.

He, however, stressed that the suspected substance had not been scientifically established as the cause of the deaths, adding that investigations were ongoing.

‘We have not confirmed the source of death,’ he said.

According to him, samples of the suspected substance had been collected for laboratory analysis, while blood and urine samples were being obtained from surviving patients to determine the presence of toxic substances or other indicators that could explain the deaths.

He added that post-mortem examinations would be conducted on some of the deceased as part of efforts to establish the medical cause of death.

Ajaka said the government was still collating information from the affected communities and health facilities, noting that the exact number of casualties had yet to be conclusively established.

When asked about the number of deaths, Ajaka said, ‘I can’t say precisely,’ stressing that a final figure would only be released after the verification and collation exercise.

The commissioner warned residents against consuming unregulated alcoholic mixtures, herbal preparations, and unidentified concoctions, noting that some could be potentially fatal.

He urged residents to avoid products whose contents and safety could not be established pending the outcome of the investigation.

Ajaka also appealed to the public to desist from drawing conclusions or spreading unverified claims about the cause of the deaths, saying laboratory analysis, medical examinations, and autopsies would provide the evidence needed to establish what happened.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Odigbo Local Government Council, Mr Taiwo Adegoroye, said the alarm was raised after an unusual pattern of deaths was observed in some communities.

Adegoroye said he contacted the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Saturday following reports of the deaths, after which a medical team was deployed to the affected areas on Sunday.

He said the team immediately commenced investigations and engaged residents as part of efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

As an immediate preventive measure, Adegoroye said the council ordered a halt to the sale of locally produced alcohol in the affected areas pending the outcome of the investigation.

He added that security agencies had been directed to enforce the order, while some suspected sellers had been arrested as investigators traced the source of the suspected drink.

According to him, hotels and other establishments where the product was reportedly sold had also been directed to suspend its sale.

Adegoroye disclosed that three bodies had been taken to the General Hospital for autopsy, while families of the deceased had been advised not to bury the bodies until the necessary examinations were completed.

He added that the council had approached the court for a coroner’s inquest into the deaths.

The chairman said the council had released N2 million to support the emergency medical response, while additional financial assistance had been requested because the incident was not anticipated in the council’s budget.

He appealed to residents to avoid the suspected alcoholic product while the investigation continued.

Receiving the medical team, the Ajobu of Araromi-Obu, HRM Oba Aderemi Adelola, commended the state government for its quick response to the development.

The monarch said measures had already been taken to prevent further consumption of suspected harmful substances in the community.

‘we have stopped the sale of concoctions and alcoholic drinks in the community,’ he said.

Oba Adelola appealed to the state government to upgrade the General Hospital, Araromi-Obu, through the provision of an ambulance, morgue, additional personnel, and a blood bank.

He assured the government of the community’s support for the hospital, disclosing that the community was renovating the staff quarters to improve service delivery.

The medical team visited the General Hospital, Araromi-Obu, and the Comprehensive Health Centre, where affected residents were receiving treatment.

Meanwhile, following reports of more deaths, the state government warned residents against consuming unapproved herbal drinks, concoctions, and other substances not certified safe for human consumption.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Idowu Ajanaku, in a statement on Thursday, urged residents to obtain medicines and consumables only from authorized outlets and seek professional medical advice.

The government also warned producers, sellers, and distributors of unapproved substances to desist or face sanctions, while cautioning youths against drug abuse.

It said the investigation was ongoing to determine the cause of the deaths and urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information.

The government also commended the Odigbo council chairman, Hon. Taiwo Adegboye, for his prompt intervention.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State Police Command has commenced an investigation into the reported deaths.

The command, in a statement issued by the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO Abayomi Jimoh, said it was collaborating with the state government and relevant health authorities to determine the actual cause of the deaths.

The statement said police personnel, including officers from the Police Medical Services, were working with officials of the state Ministry of Health and Odigbo Local Government health authorities to collect relevant information and evidence.

It added that medical and toxicological examinations were being conducted to determine whether any substance was responsible for the fatalities.

The command cautioned residents against spreading unverified information or attributing the deaths to any particular substance before the conclusion of the investigation.

It said the actual number of casualties and precise cause of the deaths would be established through the ongoing investigation.

The police urged residents of the affected communities to remain calm and cooperate with investigators by providing useful information.

The command also advised residents to refrain from consuming unregulated or suspicious alcoholic and herbal preparations pending the outcome of the investigation.

The command assured residents that it would unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths and take appropriate action against anyone found culpable.

The Managing Director of Parts Central Limited, Henry Olaoluwa Onifade, has said Nigeria can turn the growing volume of plastic waste, water hyacinth and other marine litter clogging its waterways into economic wealth through recycling, biofuels and other value-added processes.

Onifade spoke in Lagos during activities marking his birthday. When he provided updates on Parts Central’s recently launched waterways clean-up initiative in partnership with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).

Declaring that ‘we don’t have waste anymore; waste is now wealth.’ Onifade said the initiative was designed not merely to remove waste from Nigeria’s waterways but to develop sustainable systems for converting recovered materials into useful products.

He explained that biodegradable materials collected during the clean-up would not simply be discarded, as they could be processed for various applications, including biofuels and other products.

He said the company is also examining technologies for sorting and processing plastic waste for recycling, stressing that the objective is to create an economically viable circular economy around Nigeria’s waterways.

Onifade said the rising interest from government agencies, ministries, associations and other stakeholders in cleaner waterways was an indication that the initiative was addressing a critical national challenge.

He noted that the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) was engaging stakeholders on reducing plastic pollution in waterways.

‘We are happy that we can even think of a possible pollution-free waterways and roll it out. Since we rolled it out, we’ve heard of different people, associations, organisations and states that are now talking about it, which is very good for us,’ he said.

‘Our goal is for us to have pollution-free waterways. By God’s grace, we will integrate everybody who has a very good and genuine mindset that pollution-free waterways is possible in Nigeria.’

Onifade disclosed that Parts Central was developing a technology-driven database covering ports, jetties, landing sites, riverbanks, dockyards and other locations connected to Nigeria’s inland waterways.

He said the database would enable the company and relevant government stakeholders to determine the volume of waste generated across different locations and deploy resources more effectively.

According to him, every jetty and landing port would be assessed to determine whether appropriate waste-management facilities were available, while boats and other watercraft would also be incorporated into the data-gathering process.

‘It’s not for us to have the data, because if you don’t have data of the people you want to cater for, you don’t know how to cater for them,’ he said.

Onifade explained that the company had spent considerable time testing different technologies and devices capable of tackling waterway pollution, adding that the exercise would eventually incorporate manufacturers and other stakeholders within the plastics and waste-management value chain.