Category: Nigerian Tribune

A wanted Nigerian man identified as Ikechukwu N. has been arrested in Argentina over alleged multiple romance scams involving thousands of women and leading an international cybercrime network.

The arrest, disclosed on Tuesday by INTERPOL via X account, was carried out as part of Operation Jackal, an INTERPOL-coordinated initiative targeting West African organised criminal groups.

According to INTERPOL, Ikechukwu’s arrest marked Argentina’s first arrest of a most wanted #RedNotice fugitive who is also on the list of the international police via its Silver Notice project.

The statement explained that the Silver Notice project, which had its pilot launched in January 2025, aims at helping countries trace and recover criminal assets.

The post read, ‘Argentine ???? authorities have captured Nigerian national Ikechukwu N. ????, marking the country’s first arrest of a #RedNotice fugitive who was also the subject of an INTERPOL Silver Notice.

‘The suspect is accused of orchestrating multiple romance scams involving thousands of women, and leading an international cybercrime network.

‘The arrest was part of Operation Jackal, an INTERPOL-coordinated initiative targeting West African organized criminal groups. It was carried out by @PFAOficial and @seguridadpsa, with support from IFCACC, FIS, and INTERPOL Brazil.

‘The Silver Notice pilot project, launched in January 2025, aims to help countries trace and recover criminal assets.’

For Nigeria to achieve sustainable development and global progress, scholars, researchers and policymakers must make equity, diversity and inclusivity central to research and academic practice.

The member representing Ibadan North-West/Ibadan South-West federal constituency of Oyo state in the House of Representatives and Chairman, House Committee on Digital, Information Communication Technology and Cybersecurity, Hon. Adedeji Dhikrullahi Stanley Olajide made the call on Tuesday, while delivering his goodwill message at the 2nd Multidisciplinary International Conference of the Postgraduate College, Lead City University, Ibadan, themed ‘Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity in Research.’

The lawmaker described the conference as a convergence of ’eminent scholars, researchers, policymakers and practitioners from within and outside Nigeria,’ noting that its focus should reflect the growing global relevance of inclusive research in shaping national and international development.

According to him, ‘conversations on justice, representation and inclusivity have transcended politics and entered the very heart of academic inquiry. For research to remain impactful and credible, it must embrace diversity of thought, equity in access to opportunities and inclusivity in participation. These he said are the bedrock of sustainable scholarly works.’

Hon. Olajide, who emphasized the close link between innovation, fairness and collaboration, remarked that inclusivity in research strengthens creativity and problem-solving. ‘In my role as Chairman of the House Committee on Digital, ICT, and Cybersecurity, I am constantly reminded that innovation thrives best in environments where fairness, openness and collaboration are prioritized. When the voices of women and men, the young and the elderly, persons with disabilities, the marginalized and the mainstream are all reflected in academic discourse, knowledge becomes richer, more dynamic and more relevant to solving real-world problems,’ he stated.

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu says his administration has delivered no fewer than 10 housing units in six years to bridge the accommodation deficit.

The governor disclosed this during the inauguration of Lagos State Housing Estate, Ajara, Badagry, on Wednesday.

Major highlights of the year were the groundbreaking of phase two of the project and the renaming of the estate after the former Head of Service in the state, Sunny Akinsanya Ajose.

The event marked the opening of the 24th housing estate by the administration, an achievement the governor described as ‘ a major milestone on our path to creating a Greater Lagos.’

In the past six years, the governor said his administration has successfully rolled out 23 housing estates, creating over 10,000 homes for people across all income levels-low, middle, and high-throughout the five divisions of Lagos.

‘As we near the end of this administration, our commitment to closing the housing gap remains strong, focusing on smart infrastructure investments that push development beyond just the city center,’ he said.

According to Sanwo-Olu, the housing project being inaugurated has created over 1,300 jobs, both directly and indirectly, during its construction phase.

He added that more jobs will come from managing the facilities and other estate services once everything is fully occupied.

Started by the previous administration, he said his government breathed new life and purpose into it, thereby transforming the gateway to a great city and enhancing the newly expanded Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

‘Today, we are excited to launch Phase I, which includes 420 housing units that are now fully completed and ready for residents.

‘Our dedication to thoughtful city planning, quality living, and sustainable development has also led us to kick off the groundbreaking for Phase II of this project.

‘This new phase will dramatically change Badagry’s skyline with high-rise buildings that will be at least seven stories tall.

‘It is a strategic move to make the most of our land resources, accommodate more families, and highlight the vast investment potential and untapped opportunities that exist in this corridor,’ the governor said.

This new estate in Badagry, he said, was a testament to his dedication to creating livable communities.

‘It comes fully equipped with modern amenities – well-paved roads, a water treatment facility with both overhead and underground storage, an efficient drainage system, secure perimeter fencing, a gatehouse, a sewage treatment plant, ample parking spaces, walkways, and a comprehensive electrification network complete with transformers,’ he said

He pointed out that his administration took pride in aligning efforts with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Housing Agenda, aiming to provide affordable and sustainable homes for the citizens.

He said the government is also in talks with financing organizations eager to partner with Lagos State to deliver mass housing and introduce innovative solutions that make home ownership more attainable and accessible.

‘To enhance affordability, we plan to subsidize the selling prices of the housing units. Twenty percent of the homes will be set aside for members of the Medical Guild, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (Lagos State Chapter), and other public and private sector unions. ‘Additionally, public servants will receive rebates as a token of appreciation for their dedicated service to our state, ‘ he said.

Speaking earlier, Commissioner for Housing in Lagos State, Hon Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, said the project demonstrated that affordable mass housing delivery in the state is not confined to only the metropolis.

‘From Lekki to Igando, from Epe to Badagry, from Ikorodu, Igbogbo to Ikeja, the state government resolve remains the same: to ensure that every resident, regardless of location, has access to decent and dignified accommodation,’ he said

The Ajara housing scheme comprises phases I and II and is situated on a land area of 18.9 hectares. Phase one is fully completed with 35 blocks of 12-in-1 residential buildings. Each building comprises four units of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom semi-furnished apartments with installed complimentary facilities such as a kitchen, kitchen cabinets, light fixtures, and wardrobes.

Infrastructure includes roads, a good drainage system, ample car parks, external electrification, perimeter fence, water treatment plant and reticulation, sewage treatment plant and sewer lines, and landscaping.

The project development covers a total road network length of approximately 2.825 meters, and provision is made for about 1,127 car capacity to ensure adequate and spacious parking capacity for residents and visitors.

Niger State Police Command has arrested 13 additional suspects in connection with the vandalism and theft of navigation lock metals and beams valued at over ?4.8 billion from the Kainji Power Plant.

The development followed a follow-up investigation into the case earlier transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, on August 12, 2025.

Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a crime bulletin made available to journalists on Wednesday in Minna. The Kanji power plant remains vital to the region’s energy supply.

According to the statement, the new arrests were made on September 26, 2025, by SCID operatives. Preliminary findings revealed that two of the suspects, identified as Abubakar Jibril, 51, of Borgu LGA (Store Keeper), and Abdullateef Musa, 53, of Kwara State (Business Risk/Internal Control Officer), are staff members of Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited (MSEL) – the company managing the Kainji plant.

The two officials allegedly conspired to steal 100 new 40-amp batteries from the company’s store, hiding them among items marked for auction before selling them and sharing the proceeds. This theft poses significant challenges to the security of the Kanji power plant operations.

Other suspects arrested include Aliyu Salihu (aka Cixxe), 42; Ishaq Suleiman Adam, 35; Timothy Joseph, 32; and Abdulmalik Jimmy Gudah, 33 – all said to be security personnel on duty who allegedly aided in disposing of the stolen items and profited from the act.

Two cleaners in the company – Joseph Steven, 36, of Otukpo LGA, Benue State, and Babangida Abdullahi, 42, of Borgu LGA – were also implicated for allegedly participating in the theft and sale of some vandalised metals.

Other suspects named in the bulletin are Labaran Haruna, 20; Haruna Usman, 40; Shuaibu Hassan, 48; Musa Salihu, 24; and Sabon Mati, 47, a Nigerien national – all residents of Sabon-Pegi, Mashegu LGA.

SP Abiodun said a large metal shackle used to hold down beams attached to the lock gate was recovered from Labaran, who allegedly bought it from Haruna, described as a vigilante worker in the yard.

‘Shuaibu, Musa, and Sabon were discovered to be scrap metal dealers who received and sold the vandalised metals, sharing the proceeds among themselves,’ Abiodun stated.

He added that all suspects are currently in police custody, undergoing interrogation to aid further investigation and the arrest of their collaborators, with prosecution to follow upon completion of inquiries.

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded on 6th October 2025 to three scientists , Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi, for their groundbreaking discoveries on how the immune system avoids attacking the body it is meant to protect.

These researchers’ work on peripheral immune tolerance has redefined modern immunology and opened new frontiers in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, cancer, and organ transplantation.

The Discovery That Changed Immunology

The journey toward this breakthrough began in 1995 when Japanese immunologist Shimon Sakaguchi questioned long-held scientific assumptions.

At that time, most researchers believed that the body maintained immune tolerance, the ability to tell the difference between its own cells and foreign invaders, only by removing potentially harmful immune cells in the thymus, a mechanism known as central tolerance.

Sakaguchi, who is now a distinguished Professor at Osaka University, demonstrated that the immune system possesses an additional safeguard known as peripheral tolerance.

This process is controlled by a previously unidentified group of immune cells that he named regulatory T cells. These cells act as moderators of the immune response, preventing self-destruction and ensuring that the body’s defense system remains in balance.

A few years later, in 2001, Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell independently uncovered the genetic key behind these cells.

While studying a mouse strain that suffered severe autoimmune symptoms, they discovered a mutation in a gene they named FOXP3. Their research revealed that the human equivalent of this gene, when mutated, causes a rare and life-threatening condition known as IPEX syndrome. This connection demonstrated that FOXP3 was crucial to immune regulation.

Together, their discoveries connected the dots between genetics and immune regulation, establishing the foundation of what is now known as peripheral immune tolerance, a concept that reshaped immunology and medicine alike.

Who Are These Researchers?

Mary E. Brunkow, born in 1961, works at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, Washington. Her scientific curiosity and precision helped decode how genes control immune regulation. Her work on FOXP3 illuminated how the immune system can go from harmony to chaos with a single mutation.

Fred Ramsdell, born on December 4, 1960, in Elmhurst, Illinois, is a molecular immunologist whose research has always bridged science and therapy. Now at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco, Ramsdell’s efforts are focused on transforming discoveries about Tregs into real-world treatments for autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

Shimon Sakaguchi, born on January 19, 1951, in Nagahama, Shiga, Japan, is regarded as a pioneer in the field of immunoregulation. His early skepticism of established dogma led him to identify the body’s ‘immune brakes.’ His decades-long pursuit of understanding immune tolerance has inspired generations of scientists worldwide.

President Bola Tinubu has described the Otakikpo Crude Oil Export Terminal built by the Green Energy International Limited (GEIL) in Ikuru Town, Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers, as a new chapter for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

According to the President, GEIL, the first indigenous onshore terminal in Nigeria, showcased the strength of Nigerian enterprise saying the project aligns directly with the core priorities of the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration.

Represented by the Minister of State Petroleum (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri at the commissioning on Thursday in Ikuru, the President said the terminal will ramp up crude oil production by enabling a secure, transparent and efficient evacuation as well as expanding Nigeria’s oil export critical infrastructure to boost the county’s oil production capacity.

The President said, ‘This project showcases the power of indigenous investment and local content initiative under the PIA and the presidential directive 40 and 41 to compete globally. The Otakikpo terminal will not only serve GEIL’s production but will also open an efficient evacuation outlet for marginal and stranded fields across this region, unlocking billions of barrels of reserves and creating value for our economy.

‘The project is also a shinning example of our expectation of licences. Having provided global competitive fiscals and incentives, our expectation and hope is that you will put fields to work so we can meet both our obligations. The Otakikpo terminal is therefore not just an infrastructure project; it is a signal of renewed confidence in Rivers State and the Niger Delta, that with peace and partnership, investments will flow, jobs will be created and prosperity will be shared.’

He added, ‘Let me commend Green Energy for spending over $400 million in building this facility. Let me also assure Green Energy that the era of perhaps looking elsewhere for finance will soon be over. We have discovered that the bigger challenge we have in Africa is access to finance.

‘And that was why we’ve come up with African Energy Bank, which is ready to go. Nigeria as a host country has met its obligations. We have met all our obligations, legal, financial. We have met all our obligations.

‘We are waiting for the bank to take off, which I think will take off any moment from now. Once that is done, our target is to change the game so that we can mobilize local finances to invest in that bank targeted at creating the best value that we can create for our own people.’

The Commission Chief Executive (CCE), Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engineer Gbenga Komolafe, who described GEIL as a full-fledged upstream company said the terminal is historic on two levels.

According to Komolafe, the terminal expands Nigeria’s crude export infrastructure at a critical time and demonstrates the capacity of Nigerian operators to deliver world-class projects once thought possible only for international major players adding that it is significant to the present national crude oil production that is about 1.8million barrels saying the efficiency of evacuation and export is critical.

The NUPRC boss said that by creating an alternative export hub in Rivers State, the Otakikpo terminal reduces over-reliance on existing terminals, many of which are operating at near capacity and are exposed to security and pipeline challenges.

‘It is indeed a landmark for us to celebrate in Nigeria. It is therefore historic on two levels. First it expands Nigeria’s crude export infrastructure at a critical time and demonstrates the capacity of Nigeria operators to deliver world class projects once thought possible only for international major players.

‘The significance of this terminal is far reaching. First, it enhances Nigeria’s crude evacuation system with national production currently in the range of 1.7 to 1.8 million barrels per day the efficiency of evacuation and export is critical. By creating an alternative export hub in Rivers state, the Otakiko terminal reduces over reliance on existing terminals many of which are operating at a near capacity and are exposed to security and pipeline challenges.

‘Also it is a benefit for indigenous producers. In the past Nigeria independence had to rely heavily on infrastructure owned by international oil companies often at high crude oil handling charges and transportation costs. In this situation we are all aspiring to reduce the unit cost per barrel.’

The chairman/CEO GEIL, Professor Anthony Adegbulugbe, commended President Tinubu for his support saying his (Tinubu) enabling policies and reforms under PIA, his clarity of vision for energy security and commitment to indigenous participation create the fertile ground for the project to flourish.

Adegbulugbe said the commissioning has not only showed indigenous ingenuity and bold innovation but a commitment to unlocking Nigeria’s true energy potential.

He said, ‘This terminal is not just another infrastructural project, it’s the realisation of a vision. A vision that says Nigeria Nigeria can lead. That Nigerian companies can deliver. That our energy future is ours to define. I’m proud that this facility was conceived, designed and delivered 100% by Nigerian talent. From engineering to construction, it reflects the depth of expertise and capacity that resides in our nation. This should give us all confidence.

‘Nigerian innovation can drive Nigerian success; indigenous operators can execute world-class projects with excellence, within budget and ahead of schedule. That we completed this complex facility in less than two years, ahead of schedule, is a testament of intent. Indigenous companies are ready to take charge of the entire oil and gas value chain.’

Why is it difficult for the South-East to produce the president of the country despite several attempts by Igbo politicians?

We have tried our best but this time around, we’ll get it right. We are trying to reach out to other ethnic groups to align with us. If we are to go by numerical strength, I can tell you Igbo people have the numerical strength to rule Nigeria. For instance, in Lagos State, the Igbo are the most populated tribe. This is why I respect President Tinubu. In 2006 during census, the Federal Government downplayed the number because of the issue President Obasanjo had with Tinubu as the governor of Lagos State then, but he organised his own census and came up with 17.8 million total population of Lagos.

Out of this number, Igbo was 9.2 million with 6 million taxable adults. At as then, we were 53 percent of the population of Lagos State. As at 2023, according to INEC records, the total 6.6 million out of which the Igbo has 4.8 million. The record is there. If we want to win over Alausa, we will but we are respecting the law of the land that is why we are putting the indigene at the forefront and we will support him. In every free and fair election, the Igbo people will win. In every state of the federation, after the indigene, the Igbo have the highest number and that was why when they attacked the Igbo in 2023 election, the former DG of NOA visited Eze Ndigbo Lagos to pacify us. The Igbo are the most populated tribe in Nigeria but religion and tribalism is what is killing us as a country. The Igbo intermarried and mingled without any crisis. We contributed to the growth of Lagos State. Our contribution is not less than 75 percent of the economy of Lagos State. They sold their land to us and later come to tell me that we are not land owners. Who owns the land?

To what extent can you say Ohaneze Ndigbo serves as the rallying point and negotiate the interest of the Igbo people?

First of all, Ohaneze Ndigbo was not established as a political group. Prior to its formation, there was the Igbo State Union (ISU) but it was proscribed in 1965. After the civil war, Igbo leaders came together in search of leadership and that gave birth to the formation of Ohaneze Ndigbo in 1975. Then, it was only in Enugu. We only held our meetings in Enugu and returned to our respective destinations. Traditional rulers and eminent Igbo personalities were the handlers of Ohaneze then. But when the NPA and NPP were formed, rather than leave Ohaneze as the umbrella body and the rallying point for the Ndigbo, they decided to introduce politics to the group and crisis erupted. Consequently, it was stepped down. We decided that those that wanted to go into politics should go for politics while Ohaneze continue to exist as the apex socio-cultural group for the Ndigbo.

During the SDP/NRC era, precisely between 1991 and 1992 in Lagos State, an Igbo man won the local government election in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area but they ganged up against him and robbed him of his mandate. The election was nullified on the ground that he didn’t have political spread in Amuwo Odofin therefore a by-election was held and of course, he was rigged out. Out of annoyance, the young man left Lagos for Enugu where he stood for an election and won. This episode in Lagos State rekindled the political consciousness of the Igbo people and later gave birth to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

And has it been able to revive the political consciousness of the Igbo?

Exactly! After what played out in Lagos, I studied the political dynamism of Lagos politics and the way Igbo people were humiliated. So, I went to Ikemba to discuss the need for the Igbo people to have their own party. The North formed the NEPU, NPN, NPP, GNPP and PRP and the Igbo people followed them and became their campaigners. Equally, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo envisioned the Action Group (AG) and later the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and today, the Yoruba people formed the Alliance for Democracy (AD) which was used to negotiate positions in the national politics. It is time we formed a political party that would promote our own ideologies as Igbo people. So, the People’s Democratic Congress (PDC) was birthed. We packaged it and held meetings in Lagos and Enugu in a hotel that was owned by Dr Alex Ekwueme.

At this time, Dr Ekwueme was the chairman of the G34 but when we saw the direction he was heading, Ikemba instructed us to name our party the PDC and Dr Ekwueme turned the G34 to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But being a former Vice President, he was able to get the PDP registered with INEC while we were not registered because of the similarity in the name. Out of annoyance, Ojukwu moved to join the APP while Chekwas Okorie, myself and others tried to join the PDP but then it was too late. So, we decided to join the elite politics of the Ohaneze. While on this, we were advised to change the PDC to UPGA – United Progressives Grand Alliance. You would remember that UPGA was the coalition party that was used to perpetuate Okpara in power when Chief Awolowo was in prison. It had grassroots acceptance and I used Ohaneze offices in the South-West to mobilise and it later became a national party.

On July 28, 2001, we announced UPGA to the world in Enugu and again, INEC couldn’t register us. I met with Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife to tell him about our plight and he gave me a note to the INEC’s National Legal Adviser, Ifeyinwa Obegelu, who later advised that we should change the name of the party. She told us that President Olusegun Obasanjo didn’t want UPGA to be registered because it was proscribed in 1965. It was at this point that we changed the ‘United’ in UPGA to ‘All’ and that was how the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) came into existence.

So, former President Obasanjo’s rejection of UPGA led to its renaming as APGA?

Yes. When we submitted the documents for registration, within two hours, Obasanjo got hint about the change of name. He was alarmed! He insisted on APGA not being registered. So, I went back to Dr Ezeife who directed me to the former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim. Initially, I refused to meet with Senator Anyim because of his hobnobbing with President Obasanjo against the Igbo people but I can tell you that Pius Anyim was the one who facilitated the registration of APGA. He called the INEC chairman, Abel Goubadia, for an update about all the political associations and he told him that only two parties made the requirements. Anyim expressed his interest in one of the political associations and that was how APGA was registered as a political party.

So, since coming on board, at what point did the relevance of APGA start dwindling to just one state and without national appeal?

It’s unfortunate. When APGA was registered, it was to negotiate the interest of the Igbo people but unfortunately, the existing political parties, especially the PDP, made sure that no Igbo elite came into APGA. But when Rochas Okorocha vied for governorship under APGA, we had two states, Imo and Anambra States.

In 2011, when the gang up was so much, I went to Ogbonnaya Onu that there was need for us to form a coalition of parties to chase the PDP out of power. I met with the elites in ACN, LP, APP, APGA and CPC. They saw how lofty the idea of a coalition was. President Muhammadu Buhari was on a lesser hajj then and we were received by the CPC chairman, Tony Momoh. We also met with Chief Bisi Akande who was the chairman of ACN at the time but he asked us to see Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and he welcomed us. I also went to Victor Umeh who pledged to support any move that would advance the cause of the Igbo people.

In 2012, Ogbonnaya, as the chairman of the ANPP, wrote all of them to drop their parties. Instead of coalition which was the original idea, they began to talk about merger and that was how the APC was formed. APGA was part of the merger talk through Rochas Okorocha but he chose to remain in the APC and that was what killed APGA in Imo State. This becomes the ways of our leaders, especially the Igbo elites. They don’t join political parties to build it but APGA continued to hold Anambra State because of the influence and presence of Ikemba. But problem started when they refused to rotate the chairmanship of APGA and allow other states to produce the party chairman, and that adversely affected the party not to grow.

And that led you to the Labour Party?

Yes, I left APGA for the LP a long time ago because of the leadership tussle. I am now in the Labour Party. Many of us are in LP. In Oshodi-Isolo, there is no way you’ll win an election without being in Labour Party. This is like our vineyard. But the ADC is also like our own party because the man, Ralph Nwosu, who founded the party, is my friend. He was in APGA. He was behind structures of APGA in Anambra because he contested for the governorship. He won the primary election but Ikemba told me that in Enugu where he lived, his candidate was Ugo Agbala while he chose Peter Obi as his candidate for Anambra and that was how Nwosu got angry and left APGA to form the ADC. Since then, we have been working together as friends. So, ADC is not a new party. We are looking at adopting the ADC as a coalition party on the ground that we will be accommodated. We join politics not only to make money but to develop the country and ensure that the people enjoy the dividends of democracy and respect the constitution of the party and the country.

Between Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, who would you prefer as the coalition candidate for the ADC?

We are not just going to support any politician that is bent on fulfilling his lifelong ambition of becoming the president. If the idea was just for somebody to be president, we won’t support such. Atiku has been inadvertently making efforts to be president. He is a strong man and a former Vice President of Nigeria but sometimes you’ll have to leave law and follow moral for things to move forward. On Peter Obi, he is not a condition for me to be in any political party. I wasn’t in the Labour Party when he was there but because of the ideas of how the Igbo people were abandoned and rejected, we all rallied round him in 2023.

We were all in the PDP at a time. When leadership came from the West, when Obasanjo was there, all of us rallied round him. Even when his people rejected him and he lost his ward, we voted him into power and he carried the Igbo along. When the leadership went to the North during late President Umar Yar’Adua’s presidency, he carried everybody along but death could not allow him to continue. Then Goodluck Jonathan came in, he did his best to hold the country together until late Buhari, who believed he must rule, came in. He edged Jonathan out and he changed the entire system. Buhari turned it to war.

Our cry of neglect and marginalisation started under late former President Buhari because he did a whole lot of things against the Ndigbo to the extent that we became a dot in the circle. We all rallied round and voted him into power. He begged for only one term but ended up with two tenures. Tinubu would have been the president earlier because he negotiated with six Southwest states but Buhari came with only one state and Ogbonnaya Onu came with three states. Buhari begged and it was concluded that because of his age, he should be allowed to go for one term and at the end of his tenure, he successfully made nonsense of Nigeria.

And has anything changed for the Ndigbo under President Bola Tinubu?

When Tinubu won the election and became the president, we thought he would carry everybody along but he didn’t. In the South East, we have just five ministers as stipulated by the constitution but in the South West, there are nine ministers. Let’s say originally, the South West deserves six and the three portfolios he created himself, at least, he should have spread it. All the choice positions are given to the South West. In Igbo land, there is no federation presence in terms of infrastructure. Almost all South East roads are impassable that travelling becomes difficult. From Enugu to Port Harcourt, the road is nothing to write home about and from Onitsha to Owerri, it’s a pitiable sight. The much talked about Second Niger Bridge has not been completed since Buhari administration. The construction is still ongoing. If we are not marginalised, tell me one federal industry that is located in the East? What we have in Igbo land is the sight of the police and military and checkpoints everywhere.

What’s your assessment of Tinubu’s administration?

I cannot condemn him because it’s just two years and some months in office. He is trying his best to fix the country but he should step up his game. People are crying. He should listen to them. I’ve worked with Tinubu. He is a proponent of democracy. He cannot be president now and abandon it. Our border should be open for prices of food to be reduced. I see no reason the border should be closed and insecurity is on the increase. There is no way we can have it all but let him accommodate others.

The Federal Government has called for foreign technical support to fast-track the implementation of the Mission 300 Targets – a continental initiative aimed at providing electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, made the appeal while receiving a delegation from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) led by its African Director, Labna Bhyani, in Abuja.

Adelabu said Nigeria, as a signatory to the Mission 300 framework signed in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, earlier this year, is taking concrete steps to expand energy access through solar-powered, off-grid solutions that will boost rural electrification and agriculture.

‘We so much need technical support to monitor and track progress across different parts of the country so that we can measure achievements and collect accurate data,’ he said. ‘Although we have made significant progress in implementing this policy, there are still gaps to be filled. We must fully implement it.’

The minister explained that the policy aligns with efforts to transform the agricultural sector through the deployment of solar-powered irrigation systems, pumps, and storage facilities for rural farmers.

‘We want to deploy thousands of solar-powered pumps to help rural farmers boost productivity,’ Adelabu said. ‘We will also introduce solar-powered storage facilities so that when they produce more than can be consumed, they don’t suffer losses.’

He added that small-scale rural enterprises, such as patent medicine stores and agro-processors, would also benefit from solar energy access to improve their operations and productivity.

Adelabu noted that the Federal Government, working with the Ministry of Finance, is implementing several programmes to strengthen the power sector, including the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) and the Siemens project.

‘Through the PPI, we have already generated an additional 700 megawatts. The first phase of the Siemens project will add another 7,000 megawatts and help stabilise the grid. We are also enhancing our metering initiative to ensure consumers get accurate bills instead of estimated charges,’ he said.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to achieving the Mission 300 goals by 2030 but emphasised that technical collaboration with international partners would help accelerate progress.

In her remarks, GEAPP’s African Director, Labna Bhyani, commended Nigeria’s policy reforms and progress in grid and off-grid programmes.

‘Our mission here is to get first-hand information on how you are progressing,’ Bhyani said. ‘We are impressed with what Nigeria has achieved so far, and even though GEAPP does not provide loans like the World Bank, we are ready to offer technical assistance and collaborate in areas where our support can make an impact.’

She praised the minister for his leadership and reaffirmed GEAPP’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to expand clean energy access and meet the Mission 300 targets.

The Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed deep concern over the recent killings in Kwara State and urged security agencies to strengthen border patrols across all states in the Southwest region.

Speaking in Ibadan on Wednesday after the inaugural meeting of the State Executive Council of the party, the State Chairman, Dato Ogungbenro, called on the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to live up to its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians.

Ogungbenro noted that the reported invasion of some communities in Kwara State was particularly worrisome given the state’s proximity to parts of the Southwest.

It will be recalled that suspected armed bandits recently attacked Oke-Ode community in Kwara State, leaving several people dead and others injured.

In response to the incident, Ogungbenro urged relevant security agencies to enhance surveillance and patrol operations along border communities to prevent a spillover of violence.

‘It is very unfortunate. I read the attacks, because some people sent some video clips of what had happened in Kwara State, particularly in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

‘I wouldn’t know, and I don’t want to condemn anybody but I think there is need for proactive action and engagement from the Central government. The government must do the needful, otherwise this country is in serious problem,’ he advised.

On the party’s future plans, the chairman said, ‘The greatest agenda for this newly inaugurated PDP Excos is to deliver PDP 2027. All other things are under that. We must deliver the governor of this state to PDP again come 2027.’

Addressing the issue of zoning, Ogungbenro stated, ‘Even though it is not known in the face of law, based on consensus agreement, it is permissible in politics. However, when we get to that bridge, we will surely cross it. Whatever that will serve the purpose of the teeming populace is our agenda.’

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has emphasised the importance of global integration, stressing that no nation can live in isolation without engaging meaningfully with the rest of the world.

He said this during the first-ever Bauchi State International Business and Investment Summit, which opened on Wednesday, while inaugurating the newly constructed Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre (ICC) in Bauchi.

Obasanjo described the edifice as a ‘symbol of progress under Governor Bala Mohammed’s visionary and performing administration.’

He commended Governor Bala Mohammed for his developmental initiatives, particularly in infrastructure, which he said would enhance Bauchi’s capacity to host international events and attract investors.

The former President further noted that such facilities promote unity and economic growth, adding that Nigeria must continue to position itself as an active participant in global affairs.

Obasanjo said that Nigeria’s tourism sector can be developed to attract foreign investments, saying: ‘We can be developed and be made one of the tourist attractions in Nigeria. And those who will come will be able to stay in a hotel.

‘They will be able to interact and have discussion conferences in this international conference centre and make Bauchi the centre of attraction, the centre of tourism for Nigeria.

‘I congratulate you once again. And not only are we commissioning this, we are starting with a conference to talk about investment and what we need in Nigeria today.

‘We need to mobilise investment from local and international.

‘Governor, let me say this. I will go anywhere with you to get investments for Bauchi State.’

The former President also commended Mohammed on the level of development in the state, saying that, ‘In terms of developing Bauchi State, I was happy with what I saw and what I heard. I didn’t know that it would not be too long before you would invite me here.

‘And this is particularly unique, and an international conference centre named after one of the greatest Nigerians in our history, particularly in our history of achieving independence and of leading our country, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.’

Earlier in his welcome address, Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, expressed appreciation for Obasanjo’s support in all ramifications.

He assured that his administration remains committed to projects that foster education, tourism, and socioeconomic development across the state.

Bala Mohammed further stated that the Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre stands as a testament to his administration’s vision of transforming Bauchi State into a hub for dialogue, innovation, and investment in Northern Nigeria.

The governor also revealed that the Centre would serve as a multipurpose facility for both local and international engagements, including academic conferences, business summits, and cultural exhibitions.

Bala Mohammed assured that any investor who comes to the State will have the full support and complement of the state government.