Category: Nigerian Tribune

The location, purchase price, expected rent, maintenance costs, vacancy periods, taxes and financing costs all affect how much an investor eventually earns.

A property that looks attractive because of its high annual rent may deliver a disappointing return once all expenses are deducted. For this reason, investors should look beyond the advertised rent and calculate the property’s actual earning potential before committing their money.

In this article, Tribune Online highlights the important factors to consider when searching for a high-yield rental property in Nigeria.

Start with the rental demand

A profitable rental property begins with people who actually want to rent it. Before buying, investigate who lives, works or studies in the area and what type of accommodation they need.

An area close to universities may have strong demand for student accommodation, while neighbourhoods close to business districts may attract working professionals.

Areas surrounding major employment centres, hospitals, industrial zones and transport corridors can also benefit from consistent rental demand.

However, proximity to a university or business district does not guarantee that a property will remain occupied. Compare the number of available properties with the number of prospective tenants and find out how long similar properties typically remain vacant.

Choose the right type of property

The most profitable property is not necessarily the biggest one. A two-bedroom flat may generate a better return than a large four-bedroom house if it costs considerably less to acquire and has stronger demand among tenants.

Think about the type of tenant you want to attract before choosing the property. Students, young professionals, families and corporate tenants have different requirements and budgets.

For example, a modest, well-located flat may have a wider pool of potential tenants than an expensive luxury property in an area where only a small number of people can afford

Work out the net return

Gross yield can make a property look more profitable than it really is. Suppose a property generates 2.4 million Naira in annual rent but the owner spends 400,000 Naira on maintenance, management, service charges and other recurring costs. The income remaining before other applicable expenses is 2 million Naira.

That gives a much lower return than simply dividing the rent by the purchase price.

Investors should therefore estimate recurring expenses before making an offer. Include likely repairs, security costs, insurance where applicable, property management, service charges and periods when the property may be vacant.

The most realistic calculation is the one that uses the money the investor expects to retain, not simply the rent collected.

Investigate vacancy rates

A property cannot generate rental income while it is empty. An investor should find out how quickly comparable properties in the neighbourhood are rented out. Speak with local agents, landlords and residents and inspect competing properties that are currently available.

If several similar houses have been advertised for months, that may indicate weaker demand or rents that are too high for the area.

It is better to buy a property with realistic and sustainable rental demand than one that promises an impressive rent on paper but spends long periods without a tenant.

Look beyond the property’s current rent

A high rent today does not automatically mean that the property will remain profitable.

Consider what is happening around the neighbourhood. New roads, commercial centres, universities, hospitals and employment hubs can improve demand.

On the other hand, deteriorating infrastructure, insecurity, poor drainage or an oversupply of new apartments can weaken demand. Future developments should also be investigated carefully.

Do not increase your valuation simply because an agent claims that a major project is coming.

Consider accessibility and infrastructure

Tenants usually care about how easily they can move between their homes and the places they regularly visit. A property with good access to major roads, public transport, workplaces, schools and essential services may be more attractive than a cheaper property located far from everyday necessities.

However, accessibility should be assessed at different times of the day. A road that appears convenient during a weekend inspection may become severely congested during weekday rush hours.

Visit the neighbourhood more than once before buying. Also check drainage, water supply, electricity, road conditions, waste disposal and mobile network coverage. These seemingly ordinary factors can influence whether tenants stay or move elsewhere.

Do not ignore the condition of the building

A cheap property can become expensive after purchase if it requires extensive repairs.

Inspect the roof, plumbing, electrical system, walls, flooring, windows and other major components before committing to the transaction. Where necessary, pay a qualified professional to inspect the building and identify defects that may not be obvious during a normal viewing.

A property requiring substantial renovation may still be a good investment, but the renovation cost must be included in the investment calculation.

Be careful with unfinished properties

An uncompleted building can sometimes offer an opportunity to acquire property at a lower entry price, but the apparent savings should be examined carefully.

Before buying a shell property, calculate the complete cost of finishing it to a standard that tenants will accept. Include plumbing, electrical work, roofing, flooring, doors, windows, painting, fittings and external works.

The total cost of acquisition and completion should then be compared with the property’s expected market value and rental income.

Buying cheaply is not the objective. The objective is to acquire an income-producing asset at a price that makes financial sense.

Verify ownership before paying

A potentially high-yield property is worthless as an investment if its ownership is disputed.

Before paying for land or a building, conduct the necessary searches and verify the seller’s ownership documents through the appropriate land registry and professional channels.

Use an independent property lawyer rather than relying entirely on documents or assurances provided by the seller.

The Director of Administration of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Pastor Tope Dada, has celebrated the President of the church, Pastor Samuel Olusegun Oladele, on his birthday, describing him as a devoted servant of God, exemplary leader and friend of over five decades.

In a birthday tribute, Dada expressed gratitude to God for Oladele’s life and leadership, describing the CAC President as his ‘dear friend of over five decades.’

He said their longstanding relationship had given him the opportunity to witness Oladele’s unwavering faith, humility, courage, wisdom and commitment to advancing the Kingdom of God.

According to Dada, Oladele’s impact goes beyond the office he occupies, describing him as ‘a reliable friend, a dependable brother and leader’ whose life continues to inspire people across generations.

He said, ‘Today, with profound gratitude to God, I celebrate a remarkable servant of Christ, an exemplary leader, and my dear friend of over five decades, Pastor Samuel Olusegun Oladele, President of Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria and Overseas, on the occasion of his birthday.’

Reflecting on their relationship, the CAC Director of Administration said he had witnessed Oladele’s dedication to the church and commitment to Christian service over the years.

Dada prayed for renewed strength, divine health, greater wisdom and many more fruitful years for Oladele as he continues to serve God and lead the church.

‘As you mark another year of God’s faithfulness, my prayer is that the Lord will grant you renewed strength, divine health, greater wisdom, and many more fruitful years in His service,’ he said.

Dada concluded the tribute by wishing the CAC President a happy birthday and expressing his continued love, admiration and gratitude for their enduring friendship.

‘Happy Birthday, Baba President,’ he said.

The tribute was signed by Pastor Tope Dada, Director of Administration, Christ Apostolic Church.

Managing Director/CEO of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, has revealed that anytime a rail track vandalisation leads to train accident, the country replaces such rail tracks with about N300 million, aside the operational and human lives that are lost during such incidents.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, Dr Opeifa explained that most of the electric cables along the rail tracks are what attracts vandals to remove the rail tracks, leading to derailment and accidents.

He said the criminal elements keep coming back, having been able to escape from possible arrest and prosecution.

Dr Opeifa lamented the injurious cost of rehabilitation after such theft and a ct of vandalism of rail track.

According to the NRC boss, ‘Stealing or vandalising rail track material has become an addiction for some people. Once they steal the rail assets, and make some money from it without being caught, they will keep coming back for it.

‘But this is coming at a cost to the NRC, and by large, the country. The cost can be cash that is wasted to replace these stolen rail assets. The cost can also be time wasted due to the derailment and the time announced for train operations suspension. The cost can also be human lives that are lost when an accident happens and is fatal.’

‘For example, when we had the Warri-Itakpe accident just after Abraka last year, we had to get new rails, new clips. These two are not too expensive to replace, but when the accident happened, it also damaged the rails, and we had to replace the rails,’ he added.

‘The accident also damaged the concrete slippers, which we don’t produce in Nigeria. But luckily for us, we had concrete slippers in store. Those concrete sippers weigh almost 200 pounds each.

‘The NRC had to provide convenient accommodation for the stranded passengers to sleep over at the station. We had to provide diesel to power the generator overnight.

‘The following day, we had to give each passenger N10,000 each to complete their trips, even though they paid N5,000 each.

‘We also provided breakfast for them before they departed. So, when you look at the cost incurred by the NRC after the Warri-Itakpe train accident, it is very difficult to quantify the losses,’ Dr Opeifa said.

‘So, when you look at the vandalisation of rail clips which cost around N10m each, it would have cost the NRC about N300 million to replace those stolen clips.

‘Don’t forget that the period when the trains are not working due to train accident caused by rail track vandalisation, the NRC is losing revenue. At the end of the day, the NRC could have lost about N300 million revenue due to train suspension and will still have to replace vandalised rail assets with another N300 million.

‘So, when you count the cost, you will realise that the cost the NRC incurs to replace vandalised rail assets is higher than the revenue lost on a monthly basis due to train suspension that follows such accidents.

‘The cost is unquantifiable at times. It can even lead to security implications. It’s better we don’t have rail asset vandalism than allow it to happen.’

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has called on members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to close ranks and work together for the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other candidates of the party.

Aiyedatiwa made the call on Monday while addressing the APC Elders Council meeting at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Akure, where he unveiled a mobilisation plan aimed at strengthening the party across the 18 local government areas of the state.

The governor declared that the APC remained one united political family in Ondo State, warning against any attempt to factionalise the party or create parallel structures.

‘APC is one. There are no two APCs in Ondo State. APC is one, All Progressives Congress,’ Aiyedatiwa said.

He directed the activation of the Elders Council across the 18 local government areas, saying the move would enable elders to contribute more effectively to the party’s mobilisation and electoral strategy without necessarily travelling to Akure for every meeting.

The governor also urged party members to support all APC candidates contesting the Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly elections, stressing that victory in 2027 must not be limited to any particular candidate.

‘The first thing is to bring everybody together under one umbrella; the umbrella of APC. We have only one party, and we have only one chairman,’ he said.

Aiyedatiwa said attempts to create another faction of the Elders Council should be discouraged, urging those involved to return to the mainstream party.

‘We don’t want to leave anybody out. Even those who are trying to create another faction, we are talking to them that APC must remain one,’ he added.

He said the development of the state was a collective responsibility, noting that while he bore the constitutional responsibility of governing Ondo State, he needed the support and counsel of elders, women, youths and other stakeholders.

‘I need the support of everyone: the elders, the women, the youth, everyone,’ the governor said.

Aiyedatiwa equally rallied support for President Tinubu, saying APC members must unite and mobilise voters for the President in the 2027 presidential election.

According to him, the reforms of the Tinubu administration had increased the resources available to state governments for the execution of development projects and programmes.

He described Tinubu as a very courageous and ‘very bold’ leader for taking what he called difficult decisions aimed at repositioning the country.

The governor, however, said the party’s mobilisation should extend beyond the presidential election, stressing the need to secure victory across the 18 local governments, 203 wards and 3,933 polling units in the state.

Highlighting his administration’s achievements, Aiyedatiwa disclosed that over 6,000 workers had been recruited into the state public service since he assumed office, including teachers, health workers, agricultural personnel and primary healthcare workers.

He also disclosed that about 500 additional personnel had been recruited into the Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun.

On infrastructure, the governor said road construction was ongoing across the 18 local government areas, alongside urban renewal projects and the Akure flyover.

He also listed ongoing investments in the health sector, including a 250-bed hospital in Ondo town and 100-bed facilities in Okitipupa, Ikare and Irele, saying contractors had been mobilised to site.

According to him, the state had also procured critical medical equipment, including MRI and CT scan machines for the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo, noting that the state had never procured an MRI machine since its creation.

Speaking, the APC State Chairman, Kolawole Babatunde, said the experience of the elders remained indispensable to the growth and stability of the party.

Babatunde noted that the current State Working Committee was relatively young compared with those who had built the political structures that evolved from the Alliance for Democracy (AD) through the Action Congress (AC) to the APC.

He said the APC constitution recognised the Elders Council as an integral part of the party structure, with responsibilities including offering advice, ensuring stability, initiating policies, regulating proceedings and formulating a code of conduct.

The chairman said the party would make greater progress by drawing on the experience and wisdom of its elders, adding that the achievements of the Aiyedatiwa administration in infrastructure, health, security and water would provide the APC with issues to campaign on ahead of 2027.

Earlier, the Chairman of the APC Elders Council, Senator Nimbe Farukanmi, called for unity among members and urged them to support both Aiyedatiwa and Tinubu.

Farukanmi described the meeting as an important opportunity for party leaders from the three senatorial districts to reconnect and deliberate on the progress of the state.

He described Aiyedatiwa as an open-minded leader who had reached out to him on issues relating to cooperation among party leaders.

Other elders, including Senator Tayo Alasoadura, Hon. Joseph Akinlaja, Pastor Segun Ayerin and Mrs Jumoke Anifowose-Ajasin, commended the governor and the party chairman for convening the meeting.

They identified key areas requiring attention within the party and urged members to rally behind all APC candidates for total victory in the 2027 general elections.

Stanbic IBTC Holdings, a member of Standard Bank Group, successfully hosted the 2026 edition of its Together4ALimb Walk recently.

This year’s event attracted a significant turnout, with employees, beneficiaries, families, partners, and members of the public coming together for a commemorative awareness walk in the heart of Victoria Island, Lagos.

Now in its 12th year, Together4ALimb continues to make impactful changes in the lives of children living with limb loss. This year, the initiative welcomed 50 additional children – each receiving a custom-designed prosthetic limb along with a Stanbic IBTC Education Trust fund each valued at ?1.5 million. In total, Stanbic IBTC has increased the total number of children supported since the programme’s inception to an impressive 250 beneficiaries.

Under the theme ‘Be Un’limb’ited’, the walk celebrated the achievements of beneficiaries while raising awareness. It underscored the message that losing a limb does not equate to losing one’s future – a sentiment echoed by many attendees who participated wholeheartedly.

Speaking during her keynote address, Dr Ibijoke Claudiana Sanwo-Olu, the First Lady of Lagos State, represented by Mrs. Ola Ibitoye, emphasised the importance of this initiative. She stated that every child deserves the opportunity to live, learn, dream, and succeed, regardless of their physical condition.

According to the First Lady of Lagos State, as delivered by Mrs Ibitoye, ‘As a mother and as a woman who cares deeply about the well-being of children, I understand how much support can mean to a child and to the entire family. A prosthetic limb can help a child move more freely, return to school, play with friends, and take part in everyday activities with greater confidence. Educational support also gives these children a chance to build a better future for themselves.

‘This is why initiatives like this are so important. They remind us that inclusion is not simply about giving people support. It is about creating an environment where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential, he said.

I therefore commend Stanbic IBTC for using its Corporate Social Investment programme to address a real need in society.’

Speaking at the event, Chuma Nwokocha, Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, highlighted the importance of investing in youth and children as a crucial driver of economic progress. ‘Supporting the education and development of our younger generations is not just an ethical imperative, but an essential activity for economic growth,’ he stated. ‘Through Together4ALimb, we are removing barriers to mobility and education, demonstrating that collaborative efforts are vital for fostering sustainable growth and securing a brighter future for the next generation.’

Similarly, Wole Adeniyi, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank, emphasised the significance of unity in community efforts. ‘Together4ALimb embodies the power of collaboration in our communities. It is through unwavering engagement and shared efforts that we can create meaningful advancements. As we unite our voices and resources, we uplift one another and foster transformative changes that improve the quality of life for all,’ he remarked.

Since its inception in 2015, Together4ALimb has made significant strides, providing prosthetic limbs and more than ?300 million in scholarship funding to beneficiaries. The total benefits offered through this initiative now exceed ?800 million. The programme has a broad reach across educational levels, as illustrated by its scholars: one child in creche, 23 in nursery, 97 in primary school, 55 in junior secondary school, and 38 in senior secondary. Notably, seven students have successfully completed secondary school education; eight are in universities; and two beneficiaries are receiving specialised support in special schools.

Together4ALimb remains a cornerstone of Stanbic IBTC’s wider commitment to economic development and financial inclusion. Through sustained investments in the health, mobility, and education of vulnerable children, Stanbic IBTC is making strides to create a more equitable society. As the initiative continues to grow, its impact reverberates throughout the community, reaffirming the message that every child deserves a chance to thrive, regardless of their circumstances.

As Stanbic IBTC reflects on this year’s achievements, the organisation looks forward to building on this foundation, creating more opportunities for empowered futures for children affected by limb loss, and enhancing their trajectory towards success.

There is an old Nigerian joke about Noah and the Ark; author unknown. God warned Noah that a flood was coming and gave him six months to build an ark. But this Noah was a Nigerian. Before he could cut the first plank, Nigeria happened to him.

How did it start?

‘And the Lord spoke to Noah and said: ‘I will give you six months to build Me an Ark. At the end of six months, I will send rain to cover the entire earth and destroy all bad people. However, I want to save a few good people, and the animals, two of every kind. So I am ordering you to build an Ark for Me,” said the Lord.

And in a flash of lightning, He delivered the specifications for an Ark.

‘No problem,’ said Noah, trembling in fear and fumbling with the blueprints.

‘Six months, and it starts to rain,’ thundered the Lord. ‘You’d better have my Ark completed, or learn how to swim for a very long time.’

And six months passed. The skies began to cloud over and rain began to fall. The Lord saw that Noah was sitting in his front yard, weeping. And there was no Ark.

‘Noah!’ shouted the Lord. ‘Where is my Ark?’

A lightning bolt crashed into the ground next to Noah.

‘Lord, please forgive me,’ begged Noah. ‘I tried. Oh, I tried! You cannot imagine the trouble I have been through. They told me I needed a certificate of occupancy before I could build the Ark. I went to the Ministry of Lands so many times that I became exhausted. Then I realised that what they really wanted was money, so I gave them all the money I had. After that, the Ministry of Works came in with their own demands. I borrowed money and settled them. Then they mercifully told me to add extra windows for ‘cross ventilation’ and to separate the toilet from the bathroom so that if one person was using the toilet, another person could take a bath.

‘Lord, I tell you, I am exhausted. Just the other day, a tax collector came and said I had not paid my tax and that they were going to arrest me. I told them I had paid my tax last year. They said I had to pay this year’s tax in advance. By then, I had spent all the money I had on settling officials.

‘Anyway, I looked for more money and I paid an engineer to modify the plans for me. After I had finished with that, I went to the forest to get wood. The villagers told me I could not cut any wood without a permit from the Forestry Department. So I went to the forestry officials, and eventually they said I could cut the wood.

‘When I got back to the village, however, the villagers refused to let me cut any wood. They said I had to give them their share because a wealthy man from the city had previously come there, cut down all their trees for export and paid them no compensation. What a country! And I had thought the government did not even allow us to export wood. Finally, when it looked as if they were going to fight me, I quickly settled the village chief, and they agreed to let me take the wood.

‘Before I could transport the wood home, there was trouble at every point on the road. I settled the police, I settled the soldiers, I settled Customs, I settled Immigration, I settled the tax officials and I settled the local government officials. Then, when I finally reached home, the truck driver and his boys said that unless I settled them too, they would not help me unload the wood. I settled them.

‘As soon as I started building the Ark, task-force officials arrived and marked an ‘X’ on it. They said I was not permitted to build the Ark there. They asked whether I did not know that the environmental sanitation law prohibited such a structure within the town.

‘Anyway, I suspect it was my neighbour who reported me. The man is terribly jealous of me. What could I do?

‘While I was building the Ark, NDLEA officials came and arrested me and took me to prison for questioning. They said they had received information that I intended to use the Ark to smuggle cocaine and Indian hemp to America. Later, they discovered that I was not the person they were looking for, so they released me. I had not even reached home when the SSS arrested me for further questioning. They said they had heard that I was a member of the opposition, an enemy of the government and a hater of the president, and that I planned to use the Ark to smuggle guns and bombs into the country to overthrow the Nigerian government. Eventually, I convinced them that I did not even know what opposition was. They released me but ordered me to report to their headquarters every day.

‘When I started gathering the animals, FEPA sent me a letter saying I had not submitted an environmental impact assessment covering the animal waste and the flood You, God, intended to send. I told them that You, the Lord, were the one planning to send a flood to cover the whole world. They were not impressed at all. They told me that nobody, including You, the Almighty, could undertake that kind of project without their permission. Then their chief engineer demanded that I show him exactly where the flood would begin. I gave him a map of the world. He still was not satisfied, so I had to settle him too.

‘Then I began gathering the animals, and I ran into another problem. The people who eat dogs (the 404 people) refused to let me take the dogs because they said dog meat was a delicacy. The bush meat sellers and poultry people would not cooperate either. Even the people who eat Isi Ewu (goat head) pepper soup became angry with me. They asked whether I did not know how expensive meat had become and why I wanted to take away the little meat that was still available. So, Lord, I must tell You now that I could not find dogs, chickens, goats or bush meat. In fact, I only just managed to get some cows. One Aboki, a Fulani herdsman, nearly stabbed me when I tried to take the cows.

‘And the reason I am crying is that the trouble simply never ends. The chairman of the local government where I live accused me of being tribalistic. He said almost all the carpenters and labourers working for me came from my village. He said I had to employ some of the local boys. I told him to send them to me, but he refused. Instead, every day he sent ‘area boys’ to come and cause trouble. They threatened to destroy the little part of the Ark I had managed to build. They would not allow us to work. Every day they came, I had to give them money; otherwise, they threatened to scatter the Ark.

‘Just when I told myself that I should hurry and finish the Ark, the carpenters helping me announced that they would not continue working unless I paid them more money.

‘I was surprised when they told me they had heard that the Ark was a big government contract with plenty of money in it. To cut a long story short, I settled them too. Anyway, there are now plenty of people supposedly building the Ark, and apprentices are everywhere.

‘To tell You the truth, Lord, I don’t think I can finish this Ark even if You give me another five years,’ Noah wailed.

The sky began to clear. The sun began to shine. A rainbow arched across the sky. Noah looked up and smiled.

‘Lord, you mean You are no longer going to send the flood to destroy the earth?’ Noah asked hopefully.

‘Wrong!’ thundered the Lord. ‘But being Lord of the Universe has its advantages. I fully intend to smite the Earth, but with something far worse than a flood. Something man invented himself.’

‘What is that?’ Noah asked God.

There was a long pause, and then the Lord announced what He would now use to destroy the world. And what is that? ‘Government.’

Originally written in pidgin by an unknown author, the above story was found on the Internet by Emeritus Professor J. F. Ade Ajayi and sent to Chief Bola Ige in April/May 1998. The second republic governor of Oyo State found it apt for his era and published it as written (in pidgin) on May 3, 1998 in his Sunday Tribune’s Uncle Bola’s column. Here, I, with some modifications, have retold it in real English, as my teacher taught me.

Now, if the Nigeria of 1998 was choky for Ige and Ajayi, you and I know that, right now, it is agonisingly asphyxiating on an epidemic scale.

Religion says God used flood to destroy the first world. This one, how will it end? I consult Robert Frost and his 1920 poem, ‘Fire and Ice’: ‘Some say the world will end in fire, / Some say in ice / From what I’ve tasted of desire / I hold with those who favour fire.’ My generation was told in the days of our innocence that the next destruction would be by fire. That fire, I now know, is the government. Ill-digested policies, implemented irresponsibly, have proven more devastating than the flood of Noah’s time.

Government is a flood of fire. In Ebonyi State, the wildfire video of a senator is trending. The lawmaker went to ask a community for 2027 votes but could not physically reach the people because a river stood between him and them. Across that river, there is no bridge; the senator, his governor and his minister of works have not graciously granted those stranded people the privilege of one. What did the senator do? He stood on one bank, on dry land, the terra firma, and summoned the voters to stand on the other. Then, from across the water, he flung his campaign message at them. They dared not spurn his offering. They grabbed it.

Government people are magicians. The senator could not cross the river to reach the people, but his magic made their assurance of votes jump the river and land in his pouch. They will vote for him and his party of piety next year.

Between that big man and the people was a bridgeless river. And in that river without a bridge, the failure of government is made graphically visible. Aristotle defined justice partly as the duty of power ‘not to give too much to himself and too little to his neighbour’. On that riverbank, there was too much on one side and much too little on the other. And we think there will be peace between the Villa and the village. Machiavelli warned the Prince against becoming ‘hated and despised’. Nothing builds that hatred quite like the wretched watching power prosper comfortably from the other bank.

Back to the Nigerian Ark. In the biblical story, the flood overwhelmed the people and Noah built an ark. In the Nigerian story, government itself has become the flood; the obstacle citizens must cross to live meaningful lives.

Between President Bola Tinubu and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, there is a renewed war over subsidy, petrol prices and the misery in the land. Atiku, with his nimble political fingers, is cashing out on Nigerians’ mass poverty and mass suffering, and Tinubu is responding to him, panting. Neither side will let us be, and they should let us be. They are òkúta ìsàl?` and òkúta òkè (the lower and upper grinding stones). Ask the kernel between them which one is its friend.

Policies without a human face destroy without a physical deluge. Their casualties are as uncountable as the sea of heads in IDP camps – or, more appropriately, as the grains of sand on the seashore. Check: the business that closes, the worker who loses his job, the child withdrawn from school, the pensioner who cannot afford his BP medicine, the family that cuts three meals to one. That is a deluge. You may not see the water rising; there may be no ark floating and no bodies washing ashore. If you care to look and see beyond your nose, you will see devastation dispersed across millions of homes but buried by the government in statistics.

I hear the government and its explainers. I hear Atiku’s sudden bursts of pro-welfare rhetoric. If I were not a coward, I would tell both sides to stop talking political statistics to a starving mass of skeletons. Economic policy should be judged by its measurable effects on human welfare, not by government claims or opposition rhetoric.

The government is busy pushing back against the poisoned arrows from Atiku, veteran of electoral intrigues. Should we or should we not listen to Abuja and its experts? How do we measure the truth here? Measure inflation against real wages; measure household hunger and business mortality; measure school enrolment and unemployment; measure maternal mortality, food insecurity, poverty and life expectancy. Measure life and death. My political economist says those measurements are the oracle that tells us whether government policy is medicine or poison.

Police Command in Katsina has arrested a 19-year-old man for alleged impersonation and attempted robbery.

The Command spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Katsina.

Sadiq-Aliyu said that the suspect was arrested following a report received by the police on Aug. 22 at about 7:00 pm.

He said that the suspect was allegedly seen chasing a yet-to-be-identified person while pointing a toy pistol at the victim in an attempt to rob him.

‘Consequently, in collaboration with members of the local vigilante group, police operatives swiftly responded and arrested the suspect at about 8:00 p.m. at Kofar Sauri, Katsina,’ he said.

According to the spokesman, a black toy pistol was recovered from the suspect during a search.

He said that the suspect was currently in police custody while investigation continued.

According to him, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ali Umar-Fage, commended members of the community and the local vigilante group for their vigilance and cooperation.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.

The commissioner said that sustained collaboration between security agencies and members of the public was vital to tackling crime and criminality in the state.

I write to appeal to the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to kindly give urgent attention to the completion and rehabilitation of the Adegbayi-Ajia Road in Egbeda Local Government Area.

Since assuming office, Governor Makinde has embarked on several projects that have positively impacted the lives of residents across Oyo State. The construction of the Adegbayi-Ajia Road was particularly welcomed with great excitement by residents, who had endured years of neglect and found the road largely inaccessible.

The intervention initially brought tremendous relief. It improved movement within the communities and enabled commercial motorcyclists and tricycle operators to return to the route. Residents, artisans, traders and workers could travel more easily to their places of business and work, while economic activities in the area received a boost.

The road also provided an alternative route for travellers from neighbouring states, including Osun, Ekiti and Ondo, especially those seeking to avoid traffic congestion around the Iwo Road axis.

Unfortunately, the road is now in a terrible condition and has become difficult for motorists to navigate. Many vehicle owners incur significant expenses repairing damage caused by the bad portions of the road. During heavy rainfall, the situation becomes even worse, as parts of the road become flooded and virtually impassable, forcing motorists to seek alternatives that are also not easily accessible.

Completing the project will restore the relief, economic opportunities and improved mobility that residents initially enjoyed.

Oyetola Oluranti writes from Ibadan.

The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has urged communities in Benue, Ebonyi, Enugu, Cross River and other parts of the country to acknowledge and appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as massive infrastructure intervention across the nation.

Umahi made the appeal at the weekend during an inspection of the ongoing construction of the Federal Government Trans-Saharan Highway, which cuts across Ebonyi, Benue, Cross River, Enugu, Kogi and other states.

The Minister said President Tinubu was ‘a miracle to these communities’ because, without the intervention, many of them would not have been able to move their agricultural produce, vehicles and machinery.

‘When people say, ‘You are constructing roads,’ they should come and see these communities in Benue. Some of these communities have no federal roads leading to them.

‘I think the President is a miracle to these communities because without this intervention, many of them would not have been able to move their agricultural produce, vehicles and machinery,’ Umahi said.

He stated that the President was concerned about the welfare of the masses, which informed his directive to the Ministry of Works to collaborate with state governments to address problems affecting the people through massive infrastructure development.

Umahi commended the President for approving mobilisation for the project despite the country’s financial challenges and the volume of ongoing projects nationwide.

‘President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken the bull by the horns and intervened in many of the issues. We cannot have all the money to do all the projects at once, so we will continue to do as much as we can based on our available resources.

‘By the end of 2031, which will be the end of President Bola Tinubu’s second tenure if he is re-elected, these projects and roads would have been fully completed. I commend the President very highly,’ he said.

The former Ebonyi Governor added, ‘If previous presidents had intervened in this manner, perhaps we would not be in the kind of situation we are facing today.’

He called on Nigerians to re-elect Tinubu in 2027.

The Traditional Ruler of Ndiagu Ishieke Autonomous Community, Ado LGA, HRH Idenyi Agbo, commended the Federal Government for the project, describing it as responsive governance capable of transforming the economic fortunes of communities along the corridor.

He eulogised Umahi for applying his engineering expertise and sensitivity to cultural heritage, noting that the Minister ensured his palace was not demolished during construction.

‘There is no other person we would rather support at this moment than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Hyacinth Alia and the APC candidates because we have seen the impact of their administration in our communities,’ the monarch declared.

A stakeholder, Chief Patrick Agbo of Odoke Ishieke, said the road would stimulate economic activities and improve connectivity, urging the Minister to convey the community’s appreciation to President Tinubu.

The Project Manager, Section Two, Rabih Munayer, said the 173.4 km section traverses Benue, Enugu and Kogi states. He said directives had been given to minimise property damage and avoid unnecessary demolition.

The Consultant and Designer, Engineer Akelakpa Edra, said the design was being reviewed to replace some culverts with bridges and adjust the alignment to avoid properties.

The community pledged its cooperation and urged youths to protect the infrastructure and construction personnel.

Nigeria’s active telecommunications subscriptions increased to 192.23 million in June 2026, up from 189.68 million in May, as broadband penetration and internet usage also recorded growth, according to the latest industry data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The 2.56 million increase in active subscriptions pushed the country’s teledensity to 88.67 percent during the month, reflecting sustained demand for mobile connectivity across communication, business, financial services and other digital activities.

MTN Nigeria maintained its lead in the telecommunications market with 98.64 million active subscribers, giving it a 51.38 percent market share.

Airtel ranked second with 66.12 million subscribers and a 34.44 percent share, while Globacom had 23.68 million subscribers, representing 12.34 percent of the market. T2 accounted for 3.54 million subscribers, or 1.84 percent.

The NCC figures also showed continued growth in broadband connectivity, with broadband subscriptions climbing from 121.64 million in May to 123.11 million in June.

As a result, broadband penetration rose from 56.11 percent to 56.79 percent, pointing to the continued expansion of access to faster internet services as more social and economic activities shift online.

Despite the growth in broadband subscriptions, total internet subscriptions edged down slightly from 157.41 million in May to 156.86 million in June.

Internet consumption, however, moved in the opposite direction, rising sharply during the month. Data usage increased from 1,504,067.36 terabytes in May to 1,532,172.67TB in June.

The 28,105.31TB monthly increase indicates that existing internet users are consuming more data, adding to the pressure on operators to increase network capacity and invest in infrastructure.

The NCC data further showed that 4G remained the leading mobile technology in Nigeria, accounting for 54.31 percent of total connections.

2G followed with 36.22 per cent, while 3G and 5G accounted for 4.86 percent and 4.61 percent, respectively.

The rising demand for connectivity is also being reflected in investment plans by telecommunications operators across Africa.

Group Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Airtel Africa, Sunil Taldar, recently said the company was significantly increasing investment in network expansion and capacity.

Taldar said: ‘Our data growth and volume growth is upwards of 50 percent. To support this, one is coverage expansion.

‘If you look at Africa, we see a huge opportunity. There is still only about 50 percent telecommunications penetration and about 50 percent smartphone penetration,’ he said.