Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has busted a child trafficking network operating across several states, rescuing 15 minors and arresting three suspected buyers.

The operation was carried out by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) as part of efforts to tackle crime, corruption and the destruction of critical national assets.

The NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commandant of Corps Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday made available to newsmen in Abuja.

According to him, the investigation followed a petition over missing children in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State and led operatives to a suspected trafficking syndicate allegedly headed by one Anderson Archibong.

Afolabi said Archibong allegedly posed as an official of a non-governmental organisation operating a ‘Back to School Project’ under the name ‘National Council of Child Rights Advocate’ to gain the trust of low-income parents.

He said the suspect allegedly took 16 children in January 2026 and sold them to buyers in different parts of the country for ?2 million each.

‘Through intelligence-led operations across transit routes, 15 of the 16 children were successfully rescued in Anambra, Imo, Enugu and other eastern transit corridors,’ the statement said.

The NSCDC spokesman added that three suspected buyers identified as Joy Julius, Ngozi and Eze Lazarus were arrested and allegedly confessed to their involvement in the trafficking operation.

He said efforts were ongoing to locate the remaining child and apprehend other members of the syndicate.

In a separate operation, the CG’s SIS also uncovered the diversion and illegal sale of NSCDC firearms, leading to the arrest of serving personnel and other suspects.

Afolabi said an investigation into a missing AK-47 rifle at the NSCDC National Headquarters led to the arrest of CAII Igah Ameh James, a serving officer attached to the CG’s Crack Squad.

According to him, investigations revealed that James allegedly stole the assigned rifle, identified as Bridge No. 02028, deserted his post and transported the weapon to Otukpo, Benue State, where he allegedly sold it to Abakpa Simon Anthony for ?700,000.

Anthony allegedly resold the rifle to another suspect, Sunday Akor, also known as IBB, for ?800,000. The rifle and two empty magazines were subsequently recovered by the operatives.

Similarly, an armoury audit at the Adamawa State Command led to the arrest of ASCI Peter Ardo, a former Head of Armoury, and CCA Boniface B. Lawyer over the alleged illegal diversion of two unserviceable G3 service rifles.

The rifles, with breach numbers 10S838 and 69112944, were allegedly removed from the armoury between 2018 and 2024 and sold by Ardo to Lawyer for ?210,000 and ?220,000 respectively.

The NSCDC said Lawyer allegedly resold the weapons to a civilian, while Ardo was also accused of altering physical inventory registers to conceal the diversion during routine checks.

The Corps said both suspects were in custody after allegedly making full confessions.

In another operation, the CG’s SIS dismantled a syndicate allegedly involved in the vandalism and theft of telecommunications infrastructure in Delta and Kano states.

Afolabi said operatives arrested Henry Dennis while allegedly in possession of 12 vandalised telecommunications panels from an IHS tower site in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.

Further investigation, he said, exposed a wider network allegedly involving a scrap market owner and financier, Yusuf Musa, who reportedly funded the theft operations and resold stolen telecommunications components.

He said financial tracing also uncovered suspicious transactions allegedly routed through digital payment platforms, while efforts were ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the syndicate.

The NSCDC Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, commended the CG’s SIS for what he described as tactical coordination and operational efficiency.

The Corps said internal administrative and disciplinary proceedings against implicated personnel had been concluded, while its Directorate of Legal Services had been directed to commence prosecution of the arrested suspects before courts of competent jurisdiction.

The NSCDC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting vulnerable citizens, securing critical national infrastructure and ensuring integrity within its ranks.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has offered to support the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) with biometric verification technology to help secure the integrity of the Board’s examinations.

The offer was made on Friday, when the JAMB Registrar, Prof Segun Aina, and his management team paid a courtesy visit to INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Prof Aina said JAMB approached INEC because of its proven expertise in biometric verification.

He noted that the Board was looking to enhance its examination processes and was aware that INEC has biometric verification machines that may no longer be in active use.

He therefore appealed to the Commission to make the equipment available to JAMB.

Welcoming the delegation, INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN, commended JAMB’s role in national development, describing it as critical to the education and advancement of Nigerian youths.

Prof Amupitan was joined by the National Commissioner in charge of Outreach and Partnerships, Prof Abdullahi Abdu-Zuru, and directors of ICT, Human Resources Management, and Voter Education and Publicity, as well as his Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola.

The INEC Chairman cited the Commission’s recent conduct of the Anambra, FCT Area Council, Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, and bye-elections across the country.

He said the polls were widely commended by observers, including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the UK High Commission, for their credibility and peaceful conduct.

He directed the Director of ICT to carry out a proof-of-concept assessment to determine the availability and suitability of INEC’s biometric verification equipment for possible use by JAMB.

‘Both agencies must work together to advance national development,’ Prof Amupitan said, adding that INEC was willing to explore further areas of cooperation with JAMB.

Prof Aina thanked the INEC Chairman and management for the reception accorded his team.

Sokoto State government has commenced its 2026 tree-planting campaign, targeting 500,000 seedlings across the state’s 23 local government areas.

Governor Ahmed Aliyu flagged off the campaign on Tuesday at Gidan Man Ada Housing Estate, urging residents to support efforts to tackle desertification, deforestation and climate change.

Aliyu said the exercise was not just about planting trees but about ‘planting hope, protecting our future and securing life for generations yet unborn.’

He said trees provide clean air, shade, food and wood while protecting the soil, supporting rainfall and providing habitats for wildlife.

The governor expressed concern over the indiscriminate felling of trees and destruction of forests, particularly in the name of road construction and other development projects.

He said such practices were worsening desertification and other environmental challenges affecting communities and livelihoods.

‘By planting trees, we are fighting against these problems and safeguarding our environment,’ Aliyu said.

He disclosed that the Ministry of Environment has procured economic and environmental seedlings for distribution to the 23 local government areas.

The governor directed council chairmen to collect their allocations and commence planting immediately.

He stressed that the campaign must go beyond planting, urging residents to nurture and protect the trees until maturity.

Aliyu also directed local councils to intensify public enlightenment, especially in rural communities, on the dangers of indiscriminate tree felling.

‘Sokoto, as we all know, is located in the Sahelian region and is therefore prone to desert encroachment, which is advancing at an alarming rate. We must rise to the challenge,’ he said.

Sokoto State government has commenced its 2026 tree-planting campaign, targeting 500,000 seedlings across the state’s 23 local government areas.

Governor Ahmed Aliyu flagged off the campaign on Tuesday at Gidan Man Ada Housing Estate, urging residents to support efforts to tackle desertification, deforestation and climate change.

Aliyu said the exercise was not just about planting trees but about ‘planting hope, protecting our future and securing life for generations yet unborn.’

He said trees provide clean air, shade, food and wood while protecting the soil, supporting rainfall and providing habitats for wildlife.

The governor expressed concern over the indiscriminate felling of trees and destruction of forests, particularly in the name of road construction and other development projects.

He said such practices were worsening desertification and other environmental challenges affecting communities and livelihoods.

‘By planting trees, we are fighting against these problems and safeguarding our environment,’ Aliyu said.

He disclosed that the Ministry of Environment has procured economic and environmental seedlings for distribution to the 23 local government areas.

The governor directed council chairmen to collect their allocations and commence planting immediately.

He stressed that the campaign must go beyond planting, urging residents to nurture and protect the trees until maturity.

Aliyu also directed local councils to intensify public enlightenment, especially in rural communities, on the dangers of indiscriminate tree felling.

‘Sokoto, as we all know, is located in the Sahelian region and is therefore prone to desert encroachment, which is advancing at an alarming rate. We must rise to the challenge,’ he said.

Hajj Mabrur Ventures Limited (HMVL) has strengthened its drive to create new opportunities for Nigerians with its online marketplace, The Souke, following a partnership with the international Islamic publishing outfit, Dawah Corner.

Established in 2024 under Hajj Mabrur’s subsidiary, HMV Travels and Logistics, The Souke provides Nigerians with convenient access to a wide range of Islamic materials and products without having to travel to Saudi Arabia to purchase them.

The latest partnership with Dawah Corner is expected to further expand the range of products available through the platform, particularly Islamic books published by scholars and reputable publishers in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world.

Speaking on the initiative, the Head of Business Development and Marketing of Hajj Mabrur Ventures Limited, Imam Adebayo Monsur, said the Souke was established to make products associated with the Muslim world more accessible to Nigerians while strengthening the connection between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

He said the platform was designed as a convenient marketplace where Nigerians could obtain Islamic materials and other products from the comfort of their homes.

‘The purpose is to bring Nigeria closer to Saudi Arabia through books and other products. Nigerians do not necessarily need to travel to Saudi Arabia to get these items; they can conveniently order them through The Souke,’ Adebayo said.

He explained that the partnership with Dawah Corner would add more Islamic publications to The Souke’s catalogue, including books published by scholars and other reputable publishers.

According to him, the relationship also gives The Souke access to an established international network for Islamic books and products, thereby creating greater opportunities for Nigerian Muslims to obtain materials that may otherwise be difficult to source locally.

Dawah Corner is an international Islamic publishing and bookstore network with a major presence in Saudi Arabia and an international distribution network. It publishes and distributes Islamic literature covering areas including Qur’anic studies, Hadith, Islamic spirituality and other fields of Islamic knowledge.

The partnership therefore represents an expansion of The Souke’s original product offering, with books and other Islamic essentials now forming an important part of the growing marketplace.

The Chief Executive Officer of Hajj Mabrur Ventures Limited, Alhaji Ahmed Solate, said the development was part of the company’s broader vision of opening new opportunities for Nigerians beyond its traditional Hajj and Umrah operations.

Solate said Hajj Mabrur’s 25 years of experience in pilgrimage operations had provided the company with relationships and networks that could be used to develop other services beneficial to Nigerians.

He said The Souke was created to provide convenience for customers who want to obtain Islamic and related products without travelling abroad.

‘We are not just looking at Hajj and Umrah. We want to create opportunities that will benefit Nigerians in different areas. The Souke is one of those initiatives, and this partnership with Dawah Corner is an important addition to what we are building,’ Solate said.

He added that the company would continue to explore opportunities that could connect Nigerians to businesses, products and services from Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has called for the speedy passage of the proposed Agricultural Extension Services Revitalisation Bill, saying the legislation is critical to boosting farmers’ productivity and building a resilient agri-food system in Nigeria.

Kyari made the call while speaking with journalists on the sideline of the ongoing Africa Food Systems Forum (AFS) 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda.

The Minister said the outcomes and key discussions at the continental forum were closely aligned with Nigeria’s agricultural policy priorities, particularly efforts to move the sector from subsistence farming to a competitive and commercially driven agribusiness sector.

He said the theme of the forum, ‘Investing in Africa’s Agri-Food Systems: Nourishing Nations, Growing Jobs, Building Resilience,’ captured the direction Nigeria must pursue to achieve food security, create employment and strengthen climate resilience.

According to him, agricultural extension services remain a critical driver of food sufficiency, increased productivity and sustainable agricultural development.

Kyari disclosed that the Agricultural Extension Services Revitalisation Bill had already passed first reading in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, urging the National Assembly to give the proposed legislation urgent attention.

He said its passage would provide the legal and institutional framework needed to modernise extension services and improve farmers’ access to knowledge, technology, finance and markets.

‘It is important to invest in agri-food systems, include women, youth and persons with disabilities, build climate resilience, and provide opportunities for finance and markets through a professional extension service,’ Kyari said.

The Minister noted that strengthening agricultural extension had remained one of his priorities since assuming office, adding that the discussions at AFS 2026 reinforced the need for a stronger extension system.

He said issues discussed in Kigali, including technology adoption, improved seed systems, climate-smart agriculture, digital transformation, data management and inclusive agricultural development, were also central to the proposed legislation.

Kyari further stressed the importance of stronger linkages among farmers, researchers, development partners, financial institutions and the private sector.

He recalled his call at the 9th Africa Agriculture Science Week in Abuja in July 2025 for increased collaboration among governments, researchers, development partners, private-sector actors and farmers, describing such partnerships as a key pillar of the proposed bill.

Also speaking with journalists in Kigali, Founder and Global Advocate of the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) and Head of the WOFAN-ICON2 Project, Hajia Salamatu Garba, expressed support for the proposed legislation.

Garba said WOFAN was among the co-sponsors of the Agricultural Extension Services Bill and was working with stakeholders, private-sector partners and farmers’ clusters to strengthen Nigeria’s extension system.

She said major sub-themes of the 20th Africa Food Systems Forum, including investment in agri-food systems, youth empowerment and entrepreneurship, women’s inclusion, climate resilience and sustainable agriculture, aligned with the priorities the bill seeks to institutionalise.

Garba confirmed that the bill had passed its initial legislative stages in both chambers of the National Assembly, with the public hearing and other legislative processes still outstanding.

She appealed to Kyari to support efforts to fast-track the legislation, expressing confidence that its enactment would strengthen agricultural extension services and help address some of the major challenges confronting Nigerian farmers.

The ceremony, held on Saturday, August 29, at Zontal Hall, Ibadan, attracted prominent personalities from the sports, professional and religious communities.

The Chairman of the occasion was the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Idi-Ishin, Ibadan, Prof. Muhammed Lawal Attanda, while Otunba Wale Oladiti served as the Special Guest of Honour.

The Guest Speaker, Prof. Adenike Osifisan, spoke on the theme, ‘Professional Women as a Catalyst for Economic Recovery, Ethical Leadership and Sustainable Development in Nigeria.’

She was joined at the event by Pastor Goke Kuti and Pastor Mrs Goke Kuti, Regional Pastor, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Region 21, as well as Pastor and Pastor Mrs Elegbeleye.

Also in attendance was Dr Tony Marinho, Chairman of Educare Trust Nigeria.

Other dignitaries included Elder Adetuji Adepeju, FCA; Mr Bisi Fayombo, FCA; the National Chairperson of SWAN, Mrs Blessing Osakwe-Ogo, JP, FCA; and the First Vice Chairperson, Dncs. Tyna Babatope.

The event also attracted present and past chairmen of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Ibadan and District, as well as past chairpersons of the SWAN Ibadan Chapter.

Engr Akin Falodun from Akure was also among the dignitaries at the investiture while the Fiwasaye Old Girls’ Association, Ibadan Branch, was equally represented.

The investiture marked the commencement of a new leadership phase for the Ibadan Chapter of SWAN, with the executive committee formally inaugurated to steer the affairs of the chapter.

Lere Olayinka, spokesperson to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Friday clashed with ARISE Television anchor, Rufai Oseni, during a live programme.

Lere Olayinka, who appeared on The Morning Show, declined to answer questions from Rufai, saying he preferred to engage in a discussion with ‘reasonable human beings.’

The disagreement appeared to stem from Olayinka’s objection to Oseni’s alleged description of some people as ’emudani.’

Oseni had earlier asked Olayinka to explain the inclusion of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, in the presidential campaign council despite allegations of corruption against her.

However, Olayinka declined to respond to questions from Oseni.

‘Well, I’m very sorry to say this, Oseni Rufai, I don’t want to answer any question from you. I want to concentrate.

‘I want this conversation to be among reasonable human beings, people who will not come and tell, who will not come and describe other people as ’emudani’,’ Olayinka said.

The interview was subsequently cut short amid the disagreement between Olayinka and the television anchor.

African women innovators are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and smart technologies to address critical challenges in healthcare and agriculture, with new tools helping to accelerate disease diagnosis and improve potato production.

The innovations were showcased by researchers from Uganda and Rwanda during a webinar hosted through the Africa Science Dialogue, highlighting how locally developed technologies are being adapted to tackle health and food-system challenges across the continent.

In Uganda, Dr Rose Nakasi, a researcher at the Makerere AI Health Lab and lecturer at Makerere University, is leading the development of an AI-powered diagnostic system designed to make the detection of diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and cervical cancer faster and more accurate.

Nakasi said the technology was developed in response to gaps in access to simple, rapid and reliable diagnostic services, particularly in health facilities with limited laboratory expertise.

‘One of the key contributors to some of the increased severity of this burden is that we lack simple, rapid, accessible and accurate diagnostics,’ Nakasi said.

The system, known as an ocular system, combines microscopes, smartphones and AI to automate the analysis of patient samples. A 3D-printable adapter connects a smartphone to a microscope, enabling images of samples to be captured and analysed using AI models trained to identify disease-causing pathogens.

‘If a disease is not accurately diagnosed, you are not going to get the right treatment, you are not going to get the right care,’ she said.

The researchers reported that the malaria model has achieved 92 per cent specificity, while the cervical cancer model has recorded more than 94 per cent accuracy.

The innovation is also moving beyond research into practical healthcare delivery, with more than 150 laboratory technicians and 10 pathologists trained to use the system across more than 35 health facilities in Uganda.

In Rwanda, agroforester and innovator Clémence Uwamutarambirwa is applying smart technology to improve potato production through her Smart Potato Greenhouse Technology.

The system combines sensors, cloud-based analytics and a mobile application to enable farmers and greenhouse managers to remotely monitor growing conditions and respond to changes affecting their crops.

Sensors installed in greenhouse beds continuously measure temperature, humidity and soil moisture, with the data transmitted to a cloud platform for analysis. Farmers receive alerts on their mobile phones and can remotely control irrigation.

The technology also incorporates hydroponic production, allowing potatoes to be grown using water-based nutrient solutions rather than conventional soil.

Uwamutarambirwa said the soil-less method increases potato seed output, conserves water and protects crops from soil-borne pathogens.

She added that feedback from greenhouse managers indicated that the technology had improved remote monitoring of production, management of temperature and humidity, and the security of produce.

The two projects demonstrate the potential for African researchers to develop technology tailored to local conditions rather than relying solely on solutions imported from elsewhere.

Dr Margaret Karembu, Director of ISAAA AfriCenter and Chair of Africa Women for Biosciences, said greater participation of women in science and emerging technologies would require support from the wider society.

‘Increasing women’s participation in science and technology cannot be viewed as a responsibility for women alone. The support of men – as colleagues, supervisors, mentors, partners, institutional leaders and policymakers – is critical,’ Karembu said.

She also called for stronger networks and more opportunities for women seeking to participate in science and innovation, stressing that membership of Africa Women for Biosciences should not be restricted to those with formal bioscience training.

‘I want to emphasize something very important: you do not have to be a bio-scientist to belong in AWfB,’ she said.

More than 50 participants, including early-career scientists, agricultural researchers, policymakers, farmers, journalists, academics and industry representatives, took part in the webinar.

A report coming out of the University of Lagos has examined the environmental effects of British colonial rule in Africa and has asked that this value be included in all reparation conversation.

The report, titled CO2lonianism, Ecocide, Reparations, argues that the long-lasting ecological harm caused by British colonial rule on its former African colonies constitutes a separate and vast category of damage, distinct from the humanitarian harm of the slave trade, with a valuation that could exceed hundreds of trillions of dollars.

The report’s lead author, Professor J. G. Nkem Onyekpe, PhD, Head of the Department of History and Strategic Studies at the University of Lagos stated that: ‘The report documents that valuation exercises of comparable ambition and scale have already been attempted successfully.’

He cited a peer-reviewed 2022 estimate that valued resources appropriated from the global South through unequal exchange at over $10 trillion per year in 2015 alone.

‘If the same order of logic, that large-scale, structurally unequal appropriation of resources is capable of rigorous monetary valuation, were extended backward across the full duration of colonial rule and across the full set of affected African states, the resulting figure would run into the hundreds of trillions of dollars, and quite possibly beyond,’ he added.

The report was presented to a distinguished audience of academics, legal experts, and public activists at the press conference in Lagos University on August 28, 2026.

The report has now been formally submitted to the African Union’s newly established sub-commissions – the Committee of Experts on Reparations (AUCER) and the Legal Reference Group on Reparations (AULER). These bodies, now operational under the AU’s Decade of Justice and Reparations (2026-2035), are tasked with developing a harmonized methodology for evaluating and advancing a common African position on reparations claims.

Another case separately mentioned in the report argues that land degradation in Kanungu District, Uganda found a statistically significant relationship between land degradation and farmer livelihoods resulting ‘hunger, famine related resource constraints, and insufficient food.

The legal and institutional environment for such claims has shifted markedly since 2021, creating a unique window for advancing an African-led claim. Key developments include the adoption of a working legal definition of ecocide by the Independent Expert Panel, followed by binding or soon-to-be-binding instruments at the Council of Europe (2025) and the European Union (2024), and a proposal before the International Criminal Court.

Most critically, the African Union’s own decision in July 2025 to establish an ad hoc committee to examine the classification of ‘massive destruction of environmental ecosystems’ as a crime provides direct institutional support for the report’s premise.

Speaking about the report, Ogunlade Olamide M., an Associate Director at CAPPA NGO, said, ‘Colonial reparations cannot stop at counting the lives taken, the people enslaved, the resources extracted and indigenous survival altered. The ecological destruction that made those systems possible and whose consequences continue to shape Africa’s climate vulnerability today, must be recognized as part of the debt owed to African peoples.’

The report also documents a directly on-point international legal precedent: the 1990s Certain Phosphate Lands in Nauru case before the International Court of Justice. In that case, a formerly colonized state successfully brought a claim against its former colonial administrator (Australia) specifically for environmental devastation caused by colonial-era phosphate mining. This landmark ruling provides a template, however imperfect, for what an African claim of this kind might look like in practice.

‘The Nauru case proves that such claims are not merely theoretical but are grounded in established international law,’ remarked Dr Karibi-Whyte, a legal expert familiar with the report. ‘Africa is now building on that precedent to address a harm that is orders of magnitude larger.’

The submission comes at a time of an increased interest for the reparations movement, with the African Union having declared 2025 as the Year of Reparations and formally established the AUCER and AULER mechanisms to guide the continent’s strategy. Authors hope this report to become an important document framing environmental repair as an essential element of restorative justice for the continent.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that the renewed reference to past allegations against him is a distraction from the economic challenges Nigerians are currently facing.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the return to issues from the Obasanjo era reflects a lack of answers to pressing concerns such as the rising cost of living, food prices, transportation, electricity, education, healthcare and insecurity.

‘When those defending the government can no longer explain the difficulties ordinary families face, they turn to old political arguments. This does not address the concerns of Nigerians today,’ the statement said.

Atiku noted that the matters being referenced were previously examined by relevant institutions during his time in office.

‘These issues went through the EFCC, an administrative panel, the National Assembly and the courts. No court convicted me on these allegations. That is the record,’ he said.

He added that anyone with credible evidence should present it through lawful channels.

‘Anyone with credible evidence should bring it forward and test it before the law. I have made this point before and I repeat it today,’ he stated.

On calls for openness, Atiku said public officials should be open to scrutiny and that institutions must be allowed to operate without interference.

‘The EFCC belongs to Nigeria. It should investigate genuine wrongdoing wherever it finds it. State institutions must not be used for political purposes,’ he said.

He urged that public discourse be centred on governance and the welfare of citizens.

‘You cannot address hunger with old allegations. You cannot restore purchasing power or make life more affordable by revisiting past political disputes. Nigerians deserve answers on the economy and on policies that affect their daily lives,’ he said.

Atiku said the 2027 elections would provide an opportunity for Nigerians to assess leaders based on their records and plans for the future.

‘In 2027, Nigerians will judge us by our records, the lives they are living and the future we offer them. We remain focused on engaging with the Nigerian people,’ the statement added.