Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Borno State Government has disclosed that more than 1,400 schools have been destroyed across the North-East, while 2,295 teachers have been killed and 19,000 displaced amid years of insurgency and conflict in the region.

The government also said about three million children remain in urgent need of emergency education support.

The Deputy Governor of Borno State, Umar Usman Kadafur, who represented Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, disclosed this at the two-day National Dialogue on the Psychosocial Impact of Conflict on Children in Nigeria, held in Maiduguri.

The dialogue was convened by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Health in collaboration with the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and the Borno State Government.

Kadafur said the figures represented more than statistics, noting that behind the destruction of schools, displacement of teachers and disruption of education were children whose psychological wellbeing and future had been affected by years of violence.

He said Borno’s experience of insurgency showed that the consequences of conflict continued after the guns had fallen silent, with trauma affecting children’s cognition, behaviour, ability to trust and relationships with their communities.

‘I stand before you today with a heart that is both heavy and hopeful. Heavy because the subject of this dialogue, psychosocial impact of conflict on our children, is not an abstract policy debate for us in Borno State. It is the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of our sons and daughters,’ Kadafur said.

He said the insurgency had targeted children through abduction, indoctrination and the use of children as human bombs, creating fear and mistrust that continued to affect communities.

‘Trauma does not end when the guns fall silent. It embeds itself in their developing brains. It alters their cognition, behaviour, and their capacity to trust,’ he said.

The deputy governor warned that untreated trauma could create a cycle of bitterness, alienation and vulnerability to recruitment into violent groups.

‘If left untreated, it creates a pipeline of bitterness, alienation, and vulnerability to recruitment, perpetuating the very cycle of violence we are fighting to end,’ he said.

Kadafur said the state government had learnt that military intervention alone could not resolve the consequences of insurgency, insisting that security without healing remained incomplete.

He proposed a national mental health framework for children affected by conflict, the training and deployment of child mental health professionals across conflict-affected areas, the integration of psychosocial support into counter-terrorism and anti-radicalisation programmes, protection of education as a psychosocial intervention and greater investment in data-driven, community-owned interventions.

‘We need psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers, and counsellors-not just in our cities, but in our rural communities, in our IDP camps, and in our schools,’ he said.

He also called for schools to be protected as safe spaces where children could regain a sense of normalcy and hope.

‘Schools are not merely a place for learning arithmetic and grammar. For a conflict-affected child, the classroom represents normalcy, safety, and hope,’ Kadafur said.

The deputy governor commended the Federal Government, security agencies and other stakeholders for their efforts to restore peace to Borno, but urged development partners to increase investment in children’s mental health, education, skills development and job creation.

Delivering the keynote address titled ‘Mental Health Issues Among Conflict-Affected Children in Nigeria and What the Data Tells Us,’ Professor Andrew Zamani said the psychological consequences of conflict had become a national emergency.

Zamani recalled his first involvement in psychosocial interventions for children in Borno about seven years ago through civil society activist Dr Fatima Akilu.

He recounted the experience of a boy who had lost his parents and siblings to insurgency and told researchers that all he wanted was a gun to take revenge before killing himself.

‘He said, ‘All that I need now is a gun. That’s what will make me happy,” Zamani recalled.

The professor said the boy’s experience illustrated how untreated trauma could turn grief and anger into a desire for revenge.

He also recounted the story of an elderly woman caring for more than 200 girls who complained of harassment and abuse affecting displaced children under her care.

Zamani said the accounts showed why mental health interventions must be integrated into broader humanitarian and security responses.

He identified violent extremism, expanding insecurity, internal displacement, disrupted education and the intergenerational transmission of trauma as reasons for urgent action.

According to him, many children who experienced conflict two decades ago were now adults and parents, but some had grown up without stable parental care.

‘You can’t give what you don’t have,’ he said, warning that parents who had suffered severe trauma could struggle to raise children effectively.

Zamani said children in conflict-affected areas suffered chronic anxiety, psychological trauma, depression and disruption of social relationships, adding that the consequences extended beyond individuals to families and communities.

Representing the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Director of Medical Intelligence, Dr Patience Omokri, said unaddressed child trauma should be regarded as a national security issue rather than only a humanitarian concern.

Reading Ribadu’s message, Omoikri said children exposed to insurgency, terrorism and communal violence had lost parents, homes and the innocence of childhood, while some had experienced abduction, recruitment into armed groups, displacement and exploitation.

‘A traumatized child is not only a victim. If left unsupported, they can become a vector of instability,’ Ribadu said in the speech.

He warned that emotional scars could manifest as aggression, mistrust, impaired judgment and alienation, creating vulnerabilities that extremist recruiters, traffickers and criminal networks could exploit.

‘The resilience of Nigeria depends on the resilience of its children,’ he said.

Ribadu called for mental health and psychosocial support to be incorporated into security and recovery frameworks and urged security agencies, teachers and health workers to receive training in identifying and responding to trauma.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, called for disability-inclusive psychosocial interventions, noting that children with disabilities often suffer disproportionately during conflict through displacement, trauma, disruption of education and healthcare, abuse and exploitation.

The official said children with disabilities should be treated as rights holders and active participants in policies and programmes affecting them.

Also speaking for civil society, Dr Fatima Akilu said mental health for children should no longer be treated as an afterthought in humanitarian planning.

‘Civil society have been the ones that have been holding up the infrastructure of mental health,’ Akilu said, recalling that civil society organisations were among the first groups to respond in Borno at the height of the insurgency.

She said civil society actors had also been at the forefront of highlighting the importance of trauma and called for a holistic national response.

The UNICEF representative, Francis Otuochi, said 270,864 children in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe require mental health and psychosocial support under the 2026 humanitarian needs and response plan.

He said mental health and psychosocial support should be embedded in government-led child protection, healthcare, education and social welfare systems.

‘Conflict continues to cause profound harm on children, including fear, anxiety, family separation, disrupted learning, and exposure to violence and trauma,’ Otuochi said.

Representing the NEDC Managing Director, Mohammed Goni Alkali, the Borno State Coordinator, Engineer Muhammadu Umar Maska, said sustainable peace in the North-East required development interventions alongside security measures.

He said reconstruction, youth empowerment, livelihood restoration, support for internally displaced persons and social cohesion were crucial to preventing a return to violence.

‘Development should be regarded not as a mere economic activity, but as a powerful instrument of conflict prevention and peacebuilding,’ Maska said.

Former Minister of State for Education and former student of the University of Maiduguri, Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu, said more than three million people had been displaced nationwide by conflict, banditry, flooding and other crises, with children constituting a significant proportion.

Sununu, who served as Minister of State for Education and Humanitarian Affairs, said displaced children faced disrupted education, poor access to healthcare, lack of parental guidance and trauma.

He called for a dedicated budget line for children growing up in conflict zones, saying the existing Child Rights Act needed stronger provisions and implementation mechanisms to address their circumstances.

‘We must have a fund, a budget line that will address the issue and concern of children growing in conflict zones. They are special,’ Sununu said.

He also urged universities to dedicate resources to research into psychosocial interventions for children affected by conflict.

The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has established preliminary evidence of financial and criminal activities allegedly linked to its detained Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, while uncovering a network of additional organisations and bank accounts.

Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, disclosed this while presenting the panel’s preliminary findings on the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the inclusion of the purported organisation in the Federal Budget Framework to Parliamentary Correspondents in Abuja.

Hon. Gagdi said the Committee’s findings indicated that the PFIPC was never lawfully established, as it found no Act of the National Assembly, gazetted enactment, Presidential Executive Order or other lawful instrument creating the Council.

While noting that the documentary materials used to project its existence and authority contain substantial evidence of fabrication, forgery, mutilation, impersonation and unauthorised representation of institutions and public officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Ad-hoc Committee urged relevant government agencies to ensure that ‘no appropriation, administrative code, warrant, cash backing, financial release or governmental facility should be processed in favour of the purported organisation.’

The Ad-hoc Committee also tasked all relevant financial institutions and investigative agencies to preserve all account records, transaction histories, mandates and beneficial ownership information relating to the persons and entities under investigation.

The Committee therefore considers the allegations sufficiently serious to require the prompt conclusion of criminal and financial investigations. Where sufficient admissible evidence is established, the appropriate agencies should institute criminal proceedings before courts of competent jurisdiction and pursue all lawful measures for the tracing, preservation, freezing and recovery of proceeds or assets derived from established unlawful conduct.

However, the Ad-hoc Committee stressed that its findings were preliminary and did not amount to a final determination of criminal guilt, which remains the constitutional responsibility of courts of competent jurisdiction.

According to the panel, preliminary financial and investigative evidence has linked Adeyemi to a network of approximately 58 bank accounts and more than 30 accounts apparently operated in the names of about nine agencies, companies, foundations or related entities.

According to him, information received from financial and investigative institutions indicates that the Bank Verification Number and other identifying details associated with Prince Adeyemi were linked to a substantial network of personal, corporate, organisational and foundation accounts.

The 12 agencies linked to him are Confederation of United Nations Youths; FCT Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership; FCT Investment Promotion Council and Public-Private Partnership; Foreign Investment Promotion Agency; United Nations Youth Global Agency; United Nations Youth Global Foundation; World United Nations Youth Global Foundation; World Entrepreneurship University Limited; World Enterprise University Limited; FCT Investment Promotion Act; FCT Promotion Agency; and Olubadan of Ibadan Foundation.

While noting that the Committee has not concluded that every identified account, entity or transaction was unlawful, the lawmaker explained that the Ad-hoc Committee is reconciling registration records, account mandates, beneficial ownership information, signatories and transaction histories to determine the true nature and control of the identified entities and accounts.

Hon. Gagdi said the similarities in the nomenclature, objectives, management structures, signatories and banking relationships of the entities raised concerns over a possible pattern of establishing or deploying organisations to create artificial credibility, solicit funds, obtain official recognition or induce members of the public to part with money.

Of particular concern to the Committee is an alleged N400 million transaction involving a company which claimed that Adeyemi induced it to make payments in four instalments after representing that it would secure a contract for the renovation, furnishing or improvement of a purported official residence allocated to him in his claimed capacity as PFIPC Director-General.

The Ad-hoc Committee said it was tracing the destinations of the funds, identifying account holders and beneficial owners and determining whether any public officer or other individual participated in, facilitated or benefited from the alleged transaction.

Hon. Gagdi said that if established through competent investigative and judicial processes, the allegations could disclose offences including fraudulent misrepresentation, obtaining money by false pretence, impersonation, conspiracy, forgery and offences relating to the concealment or movement of proceeds of crime.

The Ad-hoc Committee also found evidence of alleged fabrication of official documents, including a purported presidential appointment letter for Adeyemi, a purported Executive Order and a document presented as an Act of the National Assembly establishing the organisation.

Evidence from the State House, according to Hon. Gagdi, established that the purported appointment letter was neither issued nor signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, while the letterhead and reference number were also inconsistent with official State House correspondence.

The Ad-hoc Committee consequently exonerated Hon. Gbajabiamila from allegations of authorising, establishing or participating in the activities of the purported Council(s), commending him for what it described as timely interventions after alerts concerning the organisation were brought to his attention.

‘The documentary evidence presently before the Committee does not establish that the Chief of Staff authorised, approved, established or participated in the activities of the purported organisation,’ Hon. Gagdi said.

Rather, he said, evidence showed that Gbajabiamila had promptly communicated with relevant security and investigative agencies, including Nigeria Police Force, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Department of State Services (DSS) as well as Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), following alerts concerning the activities of the purported organisation.

The Ad-hoc Committee also exonerated the National Assembly Committees responsible for budget scrutiny from culpability, with its findings indicating that the focus of the investigation should instead be on how an unestablished entity was able to secure apparent recognition and budgetary treatment within the Federal Government’s administrative machinery.

Hon. Gagdi said the investigation had exposed serious institutional weaknesses in the verification of the legal existence of government agencies, creation of administrative and budget codes, authentication of official correspondence, allocation of government accommodation and processing of official-looking vehicle number plates.

He argued that the purported Council was able to reinforce its claim to governmental legitimacy by occupying office accommodation within the Federal Secretariat Complex, operating a website that portrayed it as a federal institution and allegedly using the names, offices and photographs of President Bola Tinubu and other senior government officials without their authorisation.

The Committee further found that approximately 39 persons were represented as employees of the purported organisation and is investigating their recruitment, appointment letters, identity cards, remuneration and allegations that some persons were required to make payments as a condition for employment.

It also commended the Nigeria Police Force, DSS, EFCC, ICPC and ONSA for their contributions to tracing the fabricated documents, associated entities, financial accounts and transactions, urging the agencies to conclude their investigations and prosecute anyone against whom sufficient admissible evidence is established.

Among the Ad-hoc Committee’s preliminary recommendations is that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies should immediately refrain from recognising, transacting with or extending government privileges to the PFIPC or any related manifestation whose legal status has not been independently verified.

The Ad-hoc Committee also recommended that no appropriation, administrative code, warrant, cash backing, financial release or government facility should be processed in favour of the purported organisation, while all relevant financial, documentary and electronic evidence should be preserved.

The lawmakers further recommended enhanced authentication procedures for new institutions, administrative and budget codes, as well as correspondence purportedly emanating from the Presidency and other high offices of government.

The Ad-hoc Committee proposed the establishment or strengthening of a secure, centralised digital verification platform through which the lawful existence, establishing instrument and status of every Federal Government institution could be independently authenticated.

The Ad-hoc Committee also recommended that the alleged N400 million transaction be subjected to a separate and comprehensive investigation and that lawful measures be taken to trace, preserve, freeze and recover proceeds of any established unlawful activity, subject to judicial authorisation where required.

Hon. Gagdi said the Committee would continue to investigate the ownership and control of the identified accounts, the alleged N400 million transaction, the purported official residence, special number plates, unauthorised occupation of government accommodation and the roles of public officers and private individuals connected with the matter.

He said outstanding evidence would also be obtained from institutions and public officers who had yet to fully comply with the Committee’s requests, adding that affected officers would be given a fair hearing before definitive findings were made.

The Ad-hoc Committee Chairman assured that the final report would be submitted to the House of Representatives upon the lawmakers’ resumption from their two-month annual recess, when the House would have the constitutional prerogative to consider, debate, adopt, amend or reject the findings and recommendations.

He maintained that the investigation was not merely about exposing a purported agency or identifying an alleged mastermind, but about protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s institutions and preventing private individuals from manufacturing governmental authority.

While stressing that the ‘Presidency cannot be impersonated with impunity,’ Hon. Gagdi posited that the identity, authority and instruments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria could not be appropriated by private individuals or organisations for personal advantage.

He therefore assured that the final report would contain definitive findings, identified institutional and individual responsibilities and recommendations for appropriate legislative, administrative, disciplinary, civil, financial and prosecutorial action, subject to the decision of the House and due process of law.

This development was revealed following a solidarity visit by members of the group to Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and his deputy, Murtala Sule Garo.

The visit was announced in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesman, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

The delegation was led by Muhammad Badaru Umar, a close associate of Gawuna, and included key figures such as Ali Datti Yako, the NDC Vice Chairman in Kano State; Mansur Isa Gawuna; and Uba Tanko Mijinyawa, commonly known as Uba Danzainab.

Other members of the delegation were Aminu Umar Faruk, Sani Jibrin, Salisu Muhammad, Musa Sani Indabo, Muhammad Kabir Bala, Hassan Abba Abdullahi, and Abdurrahman Muhammad.

During the visit, Badaru stated that their decision to engage with the governor was driven by their commitment to the development and progress of Kano State.

He emphasized the significance of consulting with Governor Yusuf and his deputy as part of their ongoing efforts to contribute positively to the state.

Ali Datti Yako also commented, highlighting that the people of Kano are aware of the strides being made by Governor Yusuf to transform the state. ‘Everyone knows that Governor Yusuf is working tirelessly to improve Kano State,’ Yako remarked.

The delegation expressed solidarity with Governor Yusuf and Deputy Governor Garo, reaffirming their interest in the continued development and progress of Kano State.

This visit occurs amidst ongoing political realignments in Kano ahead of the 2027 general elections, as political actors across the state reassess their affiliations.

The impending defection of members from Gawuna’s political team to the APC is expected to strengthen the party’s structure in Kano as preparations for the upcoming elections intensify.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, and the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, are among prominent Nigerians expected at the 2026 Annual Public Lecture and Award Ceremony of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Correspondents’ Chapel, Ekiti State Council.

Also expected at the event are the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande; the Oore of Otun-Ekiti, Oba Adeagbo; and the Managing Director of the Federal Housing Authority, Oyetunde Ojo.

According to a statement by the Chairman of the Correspondent Chapel Day Committee, Ayodele Adegbuyi, and the Secretary, Razaq Ibrahim, the Ooni will serve as the Royal Father of the Day at the event scheduled for Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the Abacha Hall, Old Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti.

The guest lecturer is a former senator, Senator Ayo Arise, while the lecture will focus on the theme, ‘Internal Democracy, Good Governance, the Media and Future of Nigerian Democracy.’

The annual lecture is expected to bring together political leaders, policymakers, traditional rulers, media practitioners, academics and other stakeholders to examine the challenges confronting Nigeria’s democracy and the role of the media in strengthening democratic institutions and promoting good governance.

Adegbuyi explained that the lecture remained one of its flagship programmes and was designed to contribute to the growth and development of Ekiti State and Nigeria.

According to him, the event will also feature an award ceremony to recognise distinguished Nigerians for their contributions to society, as well as a fundraising session for the procurement of digital journalism tools for members of the chapel.

He added that the event would provide an opportunity for stakeholders to engage in meaningful conversations on internal democracy, good governance, media freedom, and the future of democratic governance in Nigeria.

Gloria and Bolanle Michael are the owners of foremost event planning outfit, RegalBlissEvents, a company that has become the toast of Abuja, Kaduna and other states. In this interview with ROTIMI IGE, the creative director, Gloria Michael spoke on what makes them tick and the critical elements that makes a successful event and satisfied client. Excerpts.

How do you seamlessly blend the creative demands of custom event styling and decoration with rigorous structural management to consistently deliver on your promise of ‘We Style, You Smile’?

At RegalBlissEvents, we believe beautiful events don’t happen by accident; they are the result of creativity supported by strong structure. Every event begins with a clear planning framework, from concept development and budgeting to vendor coordination, timelines, logistics and execution.

Our creative team focuses on the visual story and guest experience, while our planning and coordination team ensures that every creative decision is practical, properly scheduled and executed to specification. We use detailed checklists, timelines, vendor deliverables and event-day coordination systems to ensure nothing is left to chance.

That balance is what allows us to genuinely say, ‘We Style, You Smile.’ Our clients should be able to enjoy their celebration knowing that the details are being professionally managed behind the scenes.

Operating across major hubs like Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, and Zaria introduces unique cultural and logistical dynamics. How does RegalBlissEvents adapt its signature elegance to suit different regional sensibilities?

We don’t believe elegance has to look the same everywhere. Our signature is not a particular colour palette, décor style or trend; it is the quality, intentionality and attention to detail that go into every event.

Before planning an event in any location, we take time to understand the culture, traditions, venue, guest demographics and expectations of the community. We then incorporate those elements into the design while maintaining the client’s desired level of sophistication.

Whether we’re working in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna or Zaria, the goal is to create an experience that feels appropriate to its environment while still being unmistakably RegalBlissEvents.

In a vibrant Nigerian event industry, what core philosophy or operational edge separates your outfit when clients choose between boutique planners and large-scale agencies?

Our greatest advantage is the combination of personal attention and professional structure. As a boutique event company, we are able to get close to our clients, understand their personalities and remain involved in the details. At the same time, we operate with the systems, vendor networks and execution discipline expected of a much larger agency.

We don’t want our clients to feel like a number in a portfolio. We want them to feel heard, understood and confident that someone is genuinely taking ownership of their event.

Nigerian weddings and traditional ceremonies often involve balancing complex family dynamics and diverse expectations. How do you keep the couple’s vision central while managing these external pressures?

This is one of the most important parts of our role as planners. We understand that Nigerian celebrations often involve not just the couple, but parents, siblings, extended family, friends and sometimes community or cultural expectations.

Our approach is to establish the couple’s priorities from the beginning and use those priorities as our guiding framework. We listen respectfully to family input, identify what is culturally important and find practical ways to accommodate those expectations without losing the couple’s identity.

Our role is not to create conflict; it is to create structure around different expectations so the couple can remain focused on celebrating their union.

When handling end-to-end planning for clients hosting events outside their home cities, what is your framework for ensuring zero compromise on quality and vendor delivery?

We treat destination events with the same level of detail as events within our immediate operating environment. Our process involves advance venue assessments, vendor verification, detailed deliverables, clear timelines and continuous communication.

Where possible, we conduct site visits and establish trusted local vendor relationships. We also build contingency plans for transportation, accommodation, weather, power, equipment and other logistical variables.

Most importantly, we don’t wait until event day to discover whether something will work. We test, confirm and track critical deliverables before execution.

How do your design and styling teams extract a client’s personal journey or love story and translate it into a cohesive physical aesthetic for their big day?

We start with conversation. Before talking about flowers, colours or centre pieces, we want to understand the people behind the event.

We ask about how they met, their personalities, their favourite things, their family backgrounds, memorable moments and what they want their guests to feel when they walk into the room.

From there, we translate those elements into a design language through colour, textures, lighting, florals, stationery, installations, table styling and sometimes subtle personalised details. The objective is not simply to create a beautiful venue. It is to create a space that feels like the couple.

For product launches and brand activations, how do you translate a corporate brand’s digital or commercial identity into an immersive, physical environment that captivates target audiences?

We begin by understanding the brand beyond its logo. We study its positioning, target audience, personality, campaign objectives and desired consumer response.

We then translate those elements into physical touch points: entrance experiences, stage design, branding, lighting, product displays, interactive installations, photo opportunities, guest flow and content-creation points.

The event should feel like the brand has come to life physically. Every element should have a purpose, whether that is communicating the brand message, encouraging engagement, generating content or driving product interaction.

What distinct operational challenges do you encounter when managing high-stakes corporate functions compared to private social gatherings, and how do you safeguard against last-minute disruptions?

Corporate events typically have a much tighter relationship between the event and the organisation’s reputation, brand image and business objectives. There are also often multiple decision-makers, strict timelines and more complex technical requirements.

We therefore place significant emphasis on documentation, approvals, production schedules, technical rehearsals, vendor confirmations and contingency planning.

For high-stakes events, we work with the mindset that every critical element needs a Plan B. We identify potential failure points before the event and establish alternative solutions so that a disruption can be handled internally rather than becoming the client’s problem.

When corporate brands invest in an event, what metrics or experiential outcomes do you focus on to ensure the event drives real value for their business objectives?

We believe an event should deliver more than beautiful photographs. Depending on the objective, we look at metrics such as attendance and guest quality, engagement, product interaction, social media reach, content generated, media exposure, lead generation, stakeholder satisfaction and overall audience response.

For us, success means that guests remember the experience and understand the message the brand wanted to communicate.

With input and material costs constantly fluctuating in the current economy, how do you protect your clients’ budgets while maintaining your high standards for decor and styling?

Budget management is an important part of our planning process. We don’t simply present a list of expenses; we help clients understand where their money creates the greatest visual and experiential impact.

We prioritise essential elements, negotiate with vendors, source strategically and provide alternatives when certain materials or concepts become disproportionately expensive.

Where costs change, we communicate early rather than allowing surprises to appear at the end. Our philosophy is value optimisation, not simply cost cutting. We want the client to receive the best possible experience within the budget available.

Looking at emerging trends in experiential design, guest technology, and sustainable event practices, how is RegalBlissEvents evolving its service offerings for the future?

The future of events is becoming increasingly experiential and personalised, and RegalBlissEvents intends to evolve with it.

We are exploring greater use of technology in guest management, digital invitations and RSVPs, interactive guest experiences, event content creation and data-driven planning.

We are also paying more attention to sustainable event practices, including smarter sourcing, reusable décor elements and reducing unnecessary waste.

At the same time, we don’t want to adopt trends simply because they are fashionable. Technology and innovation must serve the guest experience.

Our long-term vision is for RegalBlissEvents to be recognised not only for beautiful events, but for thoughtful experiences, strong execution and memorable moments that genuinely connect people with the occasion or brand.

NIGERIANS have endured harrowing experiences on the tortuous road of political violence, voter intimidation and electoral manipulation. It is unacceptable for anyone holding public office to be adding fuel to an already combustible political atmosphere. As the country gradually approaches the 2027 general election, politicians ought to be reducing the heat of adverse political discourse. The recent inflammatory statement attributed to the chairman of Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Danjuma Shekwolo, is deeply disturbing and deserves unequivocal condemnation.

Speaking while hosting the leadership and candidates of the FCT Youth Network, Mr. Shekwolo reportedly told residents of his council that they must support the All Progressives Congress (APC) or leave the area. ‘I have said in my area council, it is either you’re doing APC or leave the area council,’ he declared. He was apparently justifying his position by pointing to the developmental efforts of the President Bola Tinubu and those of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. That is an alarming utterance to make, for in Nigeria’s constitutional democracy, citizenship is not a tenancy agreement issued at the pleasure of a political party. Neither is residency in any part of the country conditional upon voting for the party in power. The Nigerian constitution guarantees citizens’ fundamental rights, including freedom of association and freedom of movement. A local government chairman simply cannot transform his political preference into a compulsory creed for the people he is meant to serve.

The strong reaction from Amnesty International is understandable. The organisation warned that tying residency in Kuje to membership of or support for a political party amounts to an attack on fundamental freedoms and a potential call to violence. Local authorities must also take such warnings seriously. There is an old African proverb that says, ‘When an elder threatens a child with violence, the child does not know whether the threat is a joke.’ Political leaders must understand that words spoken from positions of authority have consequences. A chairman may imagine that he is merely making a political statement, but there are always political thugs, desperate loyalists, and other impressionable persons who may interpret such declarations as permission to act according to the force or violence presupposed in the unguarded statement. This is precisely why the language of political leadership matters. As George Orwell warned in his celebrated essay Politics and the English Language, political language has the potency to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable. The danger begins when words are stripped of their consequences and when intimidation is dressed up as ordinary politicking. The chairman of a local government is, in a way of speaking, the father of all within his jurisdiction. He may canvass, persuade, plead, and campaign for his political party. He may point to roads constructed, schools renovated, healthcare facilities improved, or other achievements realised in his administration and ask the electorate to reward the party at the ballot box. That is healthy politics. That is fair democracy. But threatening citizens with eviction because they refuse to vote for one’s party is arrogant cruelty and misuse of power.

How did the country get to this point where Nigerians could be made to feel that their right to live and work in a particular place depends on how they vote? Why have Nigerian politicians become so intolerant of political disagreement that cordial persuasion is increasingly being replaced by brutal intimidation? These questions must trouble every patriotic Nigerian. Democracy is fundamentally about choice. John Stuart Mill, in On Liberty, argued that ‘He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that.’ A politician who cannot tolerate a dissenting voice is not demonstrating strength; he is exposing the poverty of his political argument and political clout. Public office should make Nigerian politicians more conscious of restraint, not less. Consequently, the ballot box must remain a sanctuary of free choice. A voter should be able to support any lawful political platform without fearing the loss of his home, employment, business, or physical safety. Anything that seeks to compel a voter through threats, intimidation or coercion is an assault on the spirit of free elections. The great Nigerian writer, Chinua Achebe, captured the essence of political responsibility when he observed that ‘one of the truest tests of integrity is the blunt refusal to be compromised.’ Nigerian political actors must demonstrate that integrity by refusing to compromise the democratic rights of citizens for temporary electoral advantage.

Threats of this nature belong to the same disturbing fold as voter intimidation and, in a broader sense, pre-election vote buying. While vote buying attempts to purchase consent with money or material inducements, intimidation seeks to obtain it through fear. Both undermine the authenticity of electoral choice and the freeness of the electoral process. And fear is a particularly dangerous political instrument. As Edmund Burke clearly put it, ‘The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse.’ When the person making the threat occupies public office, the ordinary citizen cannot simply dismiss the words as empty rhetoric. The imbalance of power gives the statement an altogether heavy weight.

Nigerian politicians across parties must therefore resist the temptation to weaponise their offices. This is not in respect of the ruling party alone. Similar tendencies have manifested across the nation’s political spectrum, with politicians at different levels deploying threats, inducements, ethnic rhetoric, and other coercive methods to secure electoral advantage. What is wrong remains wrong regardless of the political party involved. There is a lesson in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar: ‘The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power.’ Those entrusted with public authority must remember that power is a responsibility, not a licence to intimidate. Security agencies must also address these negative tendencies before they metastasize into violence. The police should invite the Kuje council chairman to explain his statement and establish whether any offence has been committed already. Public office does not confer immunity from accountability. If threats were made, the appropriate authorities must investigate them according to law.

Also, citizens who feel threatened should seek redress through the courts and other lawful institutions. The constitution and the courts exist precisely because no public official should be allowed to become judge, jury, and enforcer of his own political will. Nigerian politicians must understand that the preservation of peace is not merely the responsibility of security agencies. Political leaders themselves have a duty to ensure that their words do not become sparks in a country already carrying the dry tinder of political, ethnic, and economic grievances. Nigeria does not need political fatwas ahead of the 2027 general elections. It needs competition without coercion, persuasion without intimidation, and campaigns based on ideas, performance, and credible programmes. Politicians should tell Nigerians what they have done, what they intend to do, and why they deserve another mandate.

The road to 2027 must not become a passage of fear. It should be a democratic contest in which parties contest for the confidence of citizens rather than demand their submission. The political class should remember the words of Abraham Lincoln: ‘A house divided against itself cannot stand.’ Nigeria is already too bruised and too burdened to tolerate political actors who deliberately deepen the atmosphere of fear. Nigerian politicians should woo the voters, persuade them, convince them, and earn their votes through performance and impeccable character. The electorate should not be threatened. Nigeria has had more than enough of fear. What it desperately needs now is freedom for eligible voters to choose freely. That is the essence of constitutional democracy.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Niger/Kogi Area Command, has handed over 189,000 rounds of live ammunition seized from suspected illicit arms dealers to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) for necessary action.

The ammunition was intercepted by Customs personnel during a routine patrol at Wawa village in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, the Comptroller of the Niger/Kogi Area Command, Sani Mohammed Umar, said the seized ammunition had remained in the custody of the service since 2018 due to litigation arising from the seizure.

Umar warned that the circulation of such a large quantity of illegal ammunition could have devastating consequences, particularly at a time when the country is facing serious security challenges.

He said, ‘the consignment comprised 7,560 packages, with each package containing 25 rounds, bringing the total to 189,000 rounds of live ammunition.’

According to him, the interception underscored the importance of sustained surveillance and effective border control in preventing the movement of illicit arms and ammunition into the country.

In his response, the North-Central Zonal Director of the NCCSALW, Abdul Adamu Eneche, commended the Customs Service for handing over the seized ammunition and described the development as a demonstration of effective synergy among security agencies.

Eneche, who represented the Director-General of the Centre, DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo (rtd), said the illegal ammunition would undergo the required procedures before being destroyed.

He explained that the destruction was necessary to prevent the seized ammunition from finding its way back into the hands of criminals.

‘I am optimistic that stronger cooperation, information sharing, effective border control and public awareness would reduce the availability of illegal arms in the hands of criminal groups,’ he said.

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has disclosed that national tax revenue has so far risen to N21.6 trillion since President Bola Tinubu introduced tax reforms in 2026.

The Governor made this known at the 160th edition of the Joint Revenue Board meeting, which was held in Kaduna on Wednesday, with the theme, ”One Year of Tax Reform: Assessing Progress and Addressing Challenges.”

According to him, the nation’s revenue was approximately N10.1 trillion in 2023, N21.6 trillion in 2024 and about N36.8 trillion in 2025.

”In the first half of 2026 alone, revenue reached approximately N21.6 trillion, representing a 49 percent increase over the corresponding period of the previous year,” he pointed out.

The Governor commended President Tinubu for taking what he described as ”the bold and politically demanding decision to fundamentally reform Nigeria’s tax architecture through landmark legislation, including the Act that transformed the former Joint Tax Board into the Joint Revenue Board.”

”That decision reflected a profound understanding: that a modern economy cannot be sustained by an outdated, fragmented or overly complex revenue system.

”Nigeria requires a tax architecture that is coherent, predictable, efficient and capable of supporting national development without unnecessarily constraining enterprise and investment,” he argued.

The Governor paid tribute to the Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Mr Zach Adedeji, for his exceptional leadership and statesmanship in advancing Nigeria’s tax reform agenda.

”His contribution has been distinguished not merely by technical competence, but by a clear appreciation of the larger purpose of tax reform: to strengthen revenue mobilisation while making the system simpler, fairer, more predictable and more responsive to taxpayers.

”Reforms of this magnitude inevitably require courage. They demand the patience to build consensus, the discipline to stay the course and the institutional imagination to turn legislation into effective administrative practice. Mr Adedeji has demonstrated these qualities with distinction,” he said.

Governor Uba Sani also commended the immediate past Executive Chairman of the Kaduna Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Mr Jerry Adams, and his team for increasing the state’s internally generated revenue from barely N4 billion to N10 billion monthly.

He argued that the revenue figures are more than fiscal statistics, as they point to ”an emerging capacity to finance national development increasingly from domestic resources.”

According to him, the tax reforms aim at ”simplifying a complex tax environment, reducing multiple and overlapping taxation, deploying technology and e-invoicing to minimise leakages.”

He further noted that the new tax reforms seek to consolidate revenue administration ”and, perhaps most importantly, rebuilding the relationship between government and the taxpayer.”

The Governor also argued that sustainable taxation cannot rest on coercion alone but must be founded on fairness, transparency, predictability and trust.

”Citizens and businesses are more likely to comply when they understand their obligations, encounter a system that is straightforward to navigate, and have confidence that the resources they contribute are being responsibly applied to the public good.

”The objective, therefore, should not simply be to collect more revenue. It should be to build a tax system in which compliance becomes easier, enforcement becomes more intelligent and voluntary participation becomes the norm rather than the exception,” he said.

According to him, Kaduna State has embraced this philosophy and, through KADIRS, ”we have continued to invest in technology-driven revenue collection, professionalise our revenue workforce and strengthen taxpayer education and engagement.

”Our objective is not simply to increase collections, but to build a revenue system that is broader, fairer, more efficient and more sustainable,” the Governor argued.

”We seek to expand the tax base rather than continually place a heavier burden on the same compliant taxpayers. We seek to make compliance easier and enforcement more intelligent, targeted and transparent.

”Above all, we seek to establish a relationship with taxpayers based not on fear, but on clarity, fairness and mutual responsibility. This is also why the institutional architecture created by the new reform matters so greatly,” he added.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr Nyesom Wike, has accused some governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of working against him ahead of the 2027 general elections, even as he reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu.

Wike made the allegations on Wednesday during his routine monthly media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, monitored in Abuja.

He specifically named the governors of Kwara and Imo states, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Hope Uzodimma, respectively.

Speaking on his relationship with APC governors, Wike said some of them were more interested in being seen as the President’s key supporters than in actual political work.

‘You see, the problem with people is that they want to be seen as the ones working for the President. I don’t do that,’ he said.

When asked if he was referring to the Kwara governor, Wike replied: ‘Yes.’

He accused AbdulRazaq of leading a campaign against him over allegations that he was sponsoring political candidates in Kwara State.

Wike said the removal of three senators and a member of the House of Representatives from the APC had created a political dilemma for the governor, adding that the affected lawmakers could defect to other parties ahead of 2027.

‘Now, these senators you removed, you have no place for them. Therefore, do you prefer them to go to ADC or to go to PDP?’ he asked.

He argued that politicians who defect to opposition parties like the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or National Democratic Congress (NDC) could work against President Tinubu, while those who align with him would support the President.

‘If they come to me, obviously, they will vote for Mr President,’ Wike said.

Wike also spoke on his reported disagreement with Uzodimma, insisting that the Imo governor was aware of the support he received from him in the past.

‘The governor of Imo State knows the support I gave to him very well,’ he said.

The FCT Minister also dismissed claims that he was planting PDP candidates across states.

He said some APC governors had approached him to prevent the PDP from fielding candidates in their states ahead of 2027.

‘I said, ‘Ah, in any case, did I reach any agreement that, look, now that we are supporting Mr President, PDP will not have any candidate anywhere?” he asked.

Despite the disagreements, Wike said his priority remained the re-election of President Tinubu in 2027. He warned that failing to support the President could make him a target of political retaliation.

‘But you see, in politics, I’m not a threat. My concern is, I will support Mr President. If you watch what’s happening today, peradventure anything happens and Mr President fails, I will be the first politician that Atiku, Obi will hunt for his head.

‘I will be the first politician. I challenge anybody. So, I won’t make that mistake, to be sleeping to see the President lose his election. No,’ he said.

A board member representing students on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Comrade Umar Farouk Lawal, has faulted former vice president and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, over his comments on the student loan scheme and alleged increases in tuition fees.

Lawal, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said there was no evidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered an increase in tuition fees in federal or state-owned tertiary institutions.

He challenged Atiku and heads of tertiary institutions across the country to produce any presidential directive, circular, memo, or official document showing that President Tinubu ordered an increase in tuition fees.

His reaction followed reports quoting Atiku as saying that he would review NELFUND if elected, while alleging that the Tinubu administration ordered an increase in tuition fees in tertiary institutions.

Lawal described the allegation as misleading, saying political discussions about the education and future of Nigerian students should be based on facts and verifiable evidence.

He said it would be wrong to discredit an initiative that had provided assistance to millions of Nigerian students without credible evidence to support such allegations.

According to him, NELFUND was established to ensure that financial difficulties do not prevent Nigerian students from accessing higher education.

He said the Fund provides tuition support and upkeep allowances to students across the country, adding that as of April 2026, more than 1.38 million students had benefited from the scheme, with over N242 billion disbursed for tuition and upkeep support.

He rejected the description of NELFUND as merely a response to alleged increases in school fees, saying such a characterisation misrepresented the purpose and impact of the Fund.

‘Therefore, describing NELFUND merely as a response to alleged increases in school fees is, respectfully, a misrepresentation of the purpose and impact of the Fund,’ he said.

Lawal explained that NELFUND was designed as an intervention to expand access to tertiary education and provide financial relief to students from families that might otherwise struggle to meet the cost of education.

He also challenged Atiku to explain what aspects of NELFUND he intended to review and how his proposed alternative would improve on the existing system.

‘If Alhaji Atiku Abubakar believes that NELFUND requires a review, Nigerians deserve to know what exactly he intends to review, what aspect of the existing framework he considers inadequate, and how his proposed alternative will improve upon the support currently being provided to students,’ he said.

On reports that Atiku’s proposal could include debt forgiveness for qualifying beneficiaries, the NELFUND board member said Nigerians should be told how such a policy would be funded and implemented without undermining the sustainability of the student loan system.

Lawal further clarified that decisions by individual tertiary institutions to review or adjust their charges should not automatically be attributed to the President.

He noted that federal and state tertiary institutions have governing structures and authorities responsible for determining institutional charges within the applicable regulatory framework.

He added that NELFUND itself had expressed concern over reports of arbitrary increases in tuition and other institutional charges and had committed to protecting the interests of students.

The board member urged Atiku to produce evidence to substantiate his allegation that President Tinubu ordered increases in tuition fees.

‘Rather than making a blanket allegation that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered increases in tuition fees, I respectfully call on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to provide the specific presidential directive, circular, memo, letter or official document upon which such an allegation is based,’ he said.

Lawal said, as the board member representing students on NELFUND, he would continue to defend the interests and welfare of Nigerian students irrespective of political affiliation.

He said students should not become victims of political narratives or misinformation, adding that the Tinubu administration had demonstrated commitment to expanding access to higher education through NELFUND.

He also cited figures from the Presidency indicating that NELFUND had enabled more than 1.64 million students to access tuition and upkeep support, with over N303 billion disbursed through 300 higher institutions.

Lawal urged political leaders, particularly those seeking the presidency, to make constructive, evidence-based, and student-centered contributions to discussions on the future of education in Nigeria.