Category: Nigerian Tribune

RECENTLY, Nigerians heaved a huge sigh of relief as 308 victims abducted during multiple attacks in Niger and Kwara states were released. One hundred and sixty-three of these rescued persons were abducted from Woro community in Kaiama, Kwara State, and 145 from Niger State. According to security reports, the victims were rescued from the Kainji Lake National Park forest in New Bussa Local Government Area of Niger State. The Federal Government said this was the outcome of a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation conducted by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC). According to it, this was done in concert with personnel of the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force. Security agencies further said that this operation was the largest rescue operation ever carried out on the same day by the joint security team.

Characteristically, President Bola Tinubu warmly welcomed the rescue, expressing deep appreciation to the combined leadership and personnel of the security agencies for their bravery, seamless inter-agency collaboration, and dedication. He said: ‘The successful execution of this intelligence-led operation demonstrates the growing efficiency and collaboration among our security services. I commend our gallant men and women in uniform for their bravery and unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigerian lives.’ The President also emphasised the urgency and imperative of bolstering national security infrastructure to prevent future occurrences. He urged security agencies and relevant stakeholders to immediately strengthen early warning mechanisms, enhance community-level intelligence gathering, and improve rapid response capabilities. The President also canvassed the need for vigilance and security alertness across the country. He said that his administration remained steadfast in its resolve to contain security threats, protect vulnerable communities, and restore lasting peace across all nooks and crannies of the country.

The rescue of the abductees, who had experienced horror in the den of kidnappers for months, is a welcome development. It is indeed gladsome that even though the rescue took a long time, a great percentage of the abducted victims eventually regained their freedom. In this regard, we give kudos to the President and the security agencies. Their efforts led to the abductees reuniting with their families. We also commiserate with the families of victims who died in the abductors’ dens.

That said, however, we urge that more efforts be made to achieve the President’s clearly outlined goals. One of the things that must be done is to ensure an overall national security measure that would make abduction of Nigerians impossible in the first instance. Good as it is that Nigerians, the government and the families of the recently freed abductees are rejoicing at their release, there is nothing to cheer about the cycle of abductions and releases of hapless Nigerians. The joy of Nigerians would be fuller if the incubus of abduction is totally banished from the land. For how long will the authorities celebrate releases that should not have happened in the first place?

The government must expedite action on the state police bill that is currently going through the mill of legislation. A state police architecture, where each state is master of its territory and its challenges, would make it easier to address crime cases. State policing would allow each state to articulate its own indigenous and ingenuous methods of combating insecurity, and they would be taken to account on this. To be sure, abduction cases deserve close examination. This is also why the country must not treat the abduction and rescue/release of the abducted victims in Oriire, Oyo State, as a bygone issue. It should be an eye-opener to both states and the Federal Governments. They should not allow outlaws to prey on law-abiding citizens and make them go through hell in thick forests. Shedding light on what transpired in that grueling abduction episode will help the country to handle security cases better and equip it with the tools to prevent or address future incidents.

Nigeria must drill deeper into the roots of the menace of abductions. Already, they are mired in controversy, and there is the troubling argument that selective handling of kidnapping cases by the Federal Government allows them to fester. The government must counter this narrative through prompt and decisive action on all cases. It should learn from previous cases, and carry out a holistic postmortem. The point is that Nigeria must move away from celebrating rescues. Nigerians need to be better protected. Prevention, as they say, is better than cure. The government’s responsibility to protect the people is sacrosanct.

The Leader of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly South-West Caucus, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election as Governor of Osun State, saying the outcome of the election has reaffirmed the supremacy of the people in a democracy.

Bamidele stated this in a statement personally signed by him on Monday, following the conclusion of the Osun State governorship election.

Adeleke, the Accord Party candidate, polled 511,067 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salam, came third with 17,180 votes.

According to Bamidele, the election, which recorded a 51.57 per cent voter turnout based on the number of Permanent Voter Cards collected, demonstrated that the people remained the ultimate arbiters in a democracy.

He said the outcome of the poll should remind all political actors that ‘the final decision lies with the people, the true and ultimate arbiter of every democracy.’

Bamidele urged all the contestants to accept and respect the decision of the majority, stressing that the conclusion of the election should pave the way for reconciliation and inclusive governance in the state.

He congratulated Adeleke but said the victory came with the responsibility of reuniting the people of Osun State across political divides and ensuring that governance was directed towards the interests of all residents.

‘While politics is often based on the principle of partisanship to a specific political party, governance entails a collective approach that must not exclude any section of the state,’ he said.

The Senate Leader also urged Adeleke to extend a hand of fellowship to other candidates and political parties, saying such an approach would promote peace, stability and effective service delivery. He called on other candidates, particularly the APC candidate, Oyebamiji, to sheathe their swords and support the elected governor in the interest of Osun State.

‘I strongly encourage the candidate of our great party, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, to contact Governor Adeleke, congratulate him on his re-election and constructively share with him innovative policy ideas that can help him serve the interests of our people much better,’ Bamidele said.

He argued that the APC should not regard the outcome as an outright defeat, noting that Adeleke was formerly a member of the APC and had expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

Bamidele said the election also offered important lessons for the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly on the need to strengthen its campaign strategy and deepen engagement with voters and stakeholders across the South-West.

He said the party must meaningfully engage artisans, market women, farmers, entrepreneurs, youths, women, labour unions, civil society organisations, community leaders, traditional rulers, business leaders and other stakeholders.

‘Our engagement approach, more than any time in our recent history, must be all-encompassing, and it must not leave any person or interest behind,’ he said.

Bamidele also congratulated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on what he described as the successful conduct of the Osun election, saying the outcome was clear.

‘To Governor Adeleke, your re-election reaffirms the supremacy of the people in democracy, and this comes with a huge responsibility that demands a collective approach,’ he said.

He added that the APC and its candidate had competed with courage, ideas and vigour, but the people had decided otherwise.

‘The outcome of this election does not make us a loser, but indeed a true stakeholder in the progress and posterity of Osun State,’ the leader added.

He expressed hope that the outcome of the election would usher in greater economic, social and technological development for Osun State.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University (KASU) Chapter, has raised the alarm over the exodus of over 200 lecturers, including professors and other academic staff.

The union noted that the lecturers left the university due to poor conditions of service and the non-implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement, promotional areas, etc.

To this end, the Union issued a two-week ultimatum to the university authorities and other relevant stakeholders to commence the full implementation and domestication of the agreement, warning that failure to do so could lead to a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike.

Chairman of ASUU-KASU, Comrade Abubakar Abdullahi, gave the warning on Monday at a press conference held at the union’s secretariat at Kaduna State University, Kaduna, on Monday.

He said the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, which provides for improved conditions of service for academic staff in Nigerian universities, took effect in January 2026, but its implementation had yet to commence at KASU.

According to him, the union has written several letters to the university management, the Governing Council, and the visitor to the university, the Governor of Kaduna State, urging them to domesticate and implement the agreement in accordance with the law establishing the institution.

He said the union had also engaged stakeholders within and outside the state to intervene in the matter in an effort to maintain peace, stability, and industrial harmony at the university.

Comrade Abdullahi expressed concern that more than eight months after the agreement was signed, KASU was yet to commence its implementation, while almost all federal universities and several state universities had either implemented the agreement or announced timelines for its implementation, including the payment of accrued arrears.

The ASUU-KASU chairman said the delay had resulted in academic staff at the university becoming among the least-paid university workers in the country, despite KASU’s previous reputation for prioritizing staff welfare, saying over 200 lecturers, including professors, have left the university to polytechnics, colleges of education

He warned that continued delay in implementing the agreement would lead to the accumulation of salary arrears dating back to January 2026.

The union also attributed the departure of experienced academic staff, including professors and other lecturers, to poor conditions of service, warning that the loss of such personnel could take years for the university to recover from.

The chairman said the union’s Congress, at a meeting held on August 12, 2026, resolved to declare an industrial dispute and embark on a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike, in line with the resolution of the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU, which met at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9, 2026.

He said the two-week ultimatum was issued in accordance with established procedures governing industrial disputes, giving the university authorities time to take concrete steps towards the full implementation and domestication of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement.

ASUU-KASU also listed several outstanding local issues affecting its members, including university autonomy, excessive workload, promotion arrears, death benefits, group life insurance coverage, the 25 and 35 per cent wage awards, and pension remittances.

The union urged the university management and other relevant authorities to treat the issues with urgency and provide satisfactory responses to avert industrial disharmony and preserve peace and stability at the institution.

The Bank of Agriculture (BOA) has stepped up efforts to improve access to finance, agricultural inputs and other productive resources for women farmers as part of measures to boost food production and strengthen livelihoods across Nigeria.

The bank said the initiative was informed by persistent challenges limiting women’s participation and productivity in the agricultural value chain, despite their significant contribution to the sector.

According to estimates cited from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), women account for up to 70 per cent of Nigeria’s agricultural workforce, with women farmers contributing substantially to the country’s food supply.

However, the bank noted that limited access to productive resources continues to constrain their potential, particularly access to finance, inputs, technology, mechanisation and markets.

Recent World Bank data cited by the bank indicates that only three per cent of female farmers in Nigeria are formally enrolled in financial systems, compared with 10 per cent of male farmers.

BOA said closing the gap would help women farmers increase their yields, improve household livelihoods and contribute more significantly to national food security.

As part of its intervention, the bank recently engaged women farmers in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory and provided agricultural inputs to support their ongoing farming activities.

The bank said the engagement was designed not only to provide immediate support but also to better understand the challenges confronting women farmers and develop interventions that address the full production cycle.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of BOA, Ayodeji Oludare Sotinrin, said agricultural financing should extend beyond the disbursement of loans to addressing the practical constraints farmers face.

‘Women are already contributing significantly to agriculture and to Nigeria’s food system. Our responsibility is to ensure that the systems around them give them a better opportunity to produce, grow and participate in the value chain,’ he said.

Sotinrin added that farmers require access to inputs, mechanisation, markets and other support to translate financing into increased production.

‘Agricultural financing cannot end with disbursement. Farmers need access to inputs, mechanisation, markets and other support required to turn financing into output. That is the ecosystem we are building at the Bank of Agriculture,’ he said.

The bank said its approach is reflected in the Renewed Hope Smallholder Support and Value Chain Fund, through which it is working with farmer aggregation companies to bring more than two million smallholder farmers into a structured Federal Government-backed on-lending framework.

According to BOA, the model combines financing with agricultural inputs, agronomic support and offtake arrangements to increase production and improve farmers’ participation in the value chain.

The bank is also deploying a N250 billion facility to provide single-digit financing to smallholder farmers, while its N1.5 trillion recapitalisation is expected to expand its capacity to reach more farmers and deepen agricultural lending.

BOA said women farmers would particularly benefit from the integrated approach because the constraints they face are interconnected, with limited access to finance often compounded by difficulties obtaining inputs, technology, mechanisation and reliable markets.

The bank is also using its Guaranteed Minimum Price (GMP) Aggregation Programme to connect farmers producing selected commodities with structured aggregation, accredited warehouses and guaranteed offtake.

It said the arrangement is expected to provide farmers with greater certainty around markets while strengthening the link between financing, production and market access.

BOA said the overall objective is to make agricultural finance more responsive to the actual needs of farmers and enable them to convert access to capital and inputs into increased production.

The bank added that as Nigeria intensifies efforts to improve domestic food production and strengthen food security, expanding access to productive resources for underserved smallholder farmers, particularly women, would remain central to building resilient agricultural value chains.

The Bank of Industry (BOI) has expressed its willingness to partner with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to ensure the success of the National Summit and Exhibition on Orange Economy, slated for Oct. 6-8, 2026, at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts (National Theatre) in Lagos.

The Managing Director of BOI, Dr Olasupo Olusi, gave the assurance when he received members of the summit’s organising committee, led by the NIPSS Director-General, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, at the bank’s corporate headquarters in Lagos on Monday.

‘We don’t just want to be a sponsor but partners. We want to play a key role in forming the whole event and all the activities around it,’ he said, adding that the bank is very big on the Creative Sector because of its objective of job creation.

‘We are experts. I have a whole creative division that finances the creative sector…I don’t think there is any development institution in Nigeria that finances the creative sector more than BOI. Count in BOI support because of our big influence in the creative sector’ he said.

Dr. Olusi advised the organizers of the summit to also seek support from other like-minded institutions that can also help in making the whole event a success because, he said, ultimately it is about national development, about the economy and job creation.

Earlier, the NIPSS Director-General, Prof. Omotayo, said the summit is being organized as part of the institute’s efforts to contribute to Mr. President’s target of growing Nigeria’s economy to US$1 trillion by 2030.

‘Mr. President is so much interested in Nigeria reaching the US$1 trillion economy. In the past four years, we have been having themes that will show the pathway to us having the US$1 trillion economy.

‘Mr. President deliberately approved this topic (Orange Economy) because he likes the fact that before now, we have done three others that have direct relationship with the US$1 trillion economy and he said let us see what the theme can bring,’ he said.

Prof. Omotayo explained that every year, Mr. President charges the institute with a theme of study that concerns him the most, adding: ‘Basically, he is looking for evidence-based research and recommendations on what can be done to reach the US$1 trillion economy.’

‘So, we have started on the Orange Economy. We have conducted four studies. Our participants who are divided into seven groups of 15 each have visited seven institutions in Abuja. They have completed visits to seven states in Nigeria. We have completed visits to 14 countries, seven in Africa and seven outside Africa. We have gathered data and we are looking at this. Our experts are putting their reports together,’ he said, noting that the report will be delivered to Mr. President in November.

‘Because Mr. President has asked us to start working immediately, that is why we are having the National Summit and Exhibition on Orange Economy. We are not asking BOI to sponsor this programme. We are asking that we work together as partners to ensure that the summit is well delivered’, the NIPSS Director-General said.

In his remarks, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, former Minister of Information and Culture and Managing Partner of Bruit Costaud, the consulting firm for the summit, said the National Theatre was chosen as venue for the summit because it is the natural baseline for discussing Nigeria’s creative future, being the historic epicentre of African Arts and Culture since FESTAC ’77.

‘The choice of National Theatre provides an appropriate, iconic and revitalised setting for the summit while underscoring its central message, that Nigeria’s creative and cultural assets constitute a powerful engine for economic growth, employment, investment and international influence,’ he said.

Alhaji Mohammed also said Lagos was chosen for the event because it is the undisputed creative capital and one of Africa’s leading centres for music, film, fashion, entertainment, advertising and digital creativity.

He said the Orange Economy, with 48 subsectors, is probably the most complex and most relevant economy today, adding: ‘When the informal numbers are included, we are talking of scores of millions of jobs being created.’

Other members of the committee who attended the meeting are Prof. Sola Adeyanju (mni), Mr. Gabriel Idahosa, Mr. Nosakhare Uwadiae, Mr. Steve Babaeko, Mrs. Olayemi Alaka and Mr. Segun Adeyemi.

Nigerian singer, Omah Stanley Didia, popularly known as Omah Lay, has revealed why he no longer puts pressure on himself to quit smoking after several unsuccessful attempts.

The Afrobeats star made this known during a podcast conversation with DJ Dan, where he spoke about his experience with smoking and the difficulty he has faced trying to quit.

Omah Lay said he had made several attempts to stop smoking but struggled to maintain the decision.

According to him, he has now chosen to accept smoking as part of his current lifestyle instead of continuing to force himself to quit.

‘I love smoking a lot. I tried to stop, I forced myself but I can’t. Honestly bro, life is just one. I am going to just die one day. We are all going to die one day. So what’s the essence of forcing myself to stop smoking?

‘I want to be at peace and smoke my weed. And the fact that it is illegal in Nigeria, it gives me artificial happiness and a sense of rebellion. This is it. This is my life. I will just live it. I will enjoy every single thing that I have.’

Businesses and individuals in Nigeria are required to deduct Withholding Tax (WHT) from certain payments and remit the amount to the relevant tax authority, with failure to comply potentially attracting penalties and other sanctions.

Withholding Tax is not a separate tax but an advance payment of income tax deducted at source by the payer. The amount withheld is generally treated as a tax credit against the recipient’s final tax liability.

Under the relevant tax laws, five major categories of transactions commonly attract WHT.

Dividends paid by companies to shareholders are subject to WHT. Although dividend income forms part of the recipient’s income, it is subsequently treated as Franked Investment Income, helping to prevent the same income from being taxed twice.

Rent paid for the use of residential or commercial property is another transaction covered by WHT. Landlords and other property owners may therefore have tax deducted from rental payments made by tenants, agents or other payers.

Professional and consultancy fees also attract WHT. Payments to lawyers, accountants, consultants and other professionals are subject to deduction at source, requiring businesses that engage such service providers to withhold the applicable amount before making payment.

Construction contracts fall within the WHT regime as well. Payments made under building, construction and related contracts require the appropriate deduction, making compliance important for both contractors and their clients.

The fifth category is interest and royalties. Interest payments on loans and royalties paid for the use of intellectual property rights are generally subject to WHT, meaning lenders and intellectual property owners may receive payments net of the applicable tax deduction.

Tax experts advise businesses and individuals making these payments to maintain proper records, deduct the correct amounts and remit them within the prescribed timelines. Recipients, meanwhile, are encouraged to keep evidence of WHT deductions to ensure the amounts are properly credited against their eventual tax liabilities.

Understanding the transactions covered by WHT can help taxpayers avoid compliance failures, penalties and disputes with tax authorities while ensuring that taxes deducted at source are properly accounted for.

Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has resigned from office, ending his leadership of the state legislature amid mounting political tension.

Agbebaku tendered his resignation on Monday as reports emerged that some members of the Assembly were making moves to remove him through impeachment proceedings.

His media aide, Ivy Adodo-Ebojele, announced the development in a Facebook post, stating that more information about the circumstances surrounding the resignation would be disclosed later.

The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, on Monday resigned his position amid an impeachment plot by some aggrieved lawmakers in the Assembly.

Also removed from office was the Majority Leader, Jonathan Ibhamawu, representing Esan West Constituency, while the former Deputy Majority Leader, Addeh Emankhu Isibor, representing Esan North-East I Constituency, was equally removed.

The developments occurred during a brief plenary session that lasted less than 30 minutes, with the Assembly witnessing major changes in its leadership.

Sources close to the Assembly said Agbebaku’s resignation followed mounting pressure from lawmakers and moves to impeach him, amid growing disagreements within the legislative chamber.

The Speaker was said to have opted for what was described as a soft landing by resigning his position rather than allowing the situation to degenerate into a full-blown legislative crisis.

Following his resignation, the Deputy Speaker, Yekini Idaiyi, representing Akoko-Edo II Constituency, presided over the sitting and was subsequently sworn in as the new Speaker of the Assembly.

In another leadership change, Ojiezele Osezua Sunday, representing Esan South-East Constituency, emerged as the new Majority Leader, replacing Ibhamawu, while Inegbeboh Ojie Eugene was elected Deputy Majority Leader in place of Isibor.

The Assembly also effected a change in the minority leadership, with Natasha Osawaru Irobosa, representing Egor Constituency on the platform of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), emerging as the new Minority Leader, replacing Charity Iguodala of Ovia North-East I Constituency.

The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo, Segun Agboola, has called for a fundamental shift in Nigeria’s approach to governance, saying the country needs leaders who can build enduring systems rather than focus on short-term projects.

Agboola made the call in Ibadan at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the SDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The meeting brought together party leaders and stakeholders from across the state, including local government executives, state executive members and party candidates.

The SDP candidate said his decision to contest the Oyo governorship election was driven by what he described as a ‘divine call’ to contribute to the development of the society that raised and supported him.

‘Traditionally, I’m not a politician. I’ve supported politicians, assisted politicians and promoted politicians. But the state we are in and the country right now calls for a fresh idea, calls for a fresh look at things and calls for well-intentioned people who believe that they have a social contract,’ he said.

According to him, the social contract requires responsible citizens to serve as ‘the anchor between the past and the future,’ warning that continued complaints about Nigeria’s challenges would not solve them.

He said the country needed to rethink its political leadership, particularly at a time when technology and artificial intelligence were rapidly changing the global economy and labour market.

‘We all know that this is the age of artificial intelligence, where people are afraid of jobs being lost because the whole world is rethinking how they are doing business,’ Agboola said.

He argued that governments at all levels must begin to prepare young Nigerians for jobs and opportunities that would emerge from the changing global economy.

‘The children of today have been educated for a future that doesn’t exist, or rather, a future that is constantly changing and evolving at an alarming speed,’ he said.

Agboola said education reform would therefore be a major priority of his administration if elected, stressing that Nigeria could no longer afford an education system that prepared young people mainly for traditional employment.

He also criticised what he described as short-term approaches to governance, saying the emphasis should shift from isolated projects to institutions and systems capable of surviving successive administrations.

‘Pedestrian thinking is just tarring roads. Pedestrian thinking is just painting primary healthcare centres. Pedestrian thinking is launching a bridge.

‘We should move into system thinking. How do we create a system that outlasts us? How do we create a system that our children’s children will be proud of when they get there?’ he asked.

The SDP candidate said Nigeria could learn from countries that had built institutions which remained functional for decades and centuries after the individuals who established them had left office.

He also criticised the politics of patronage and the imposition of candidates, arguing that political leadership should be based on competence, capacity and accountability.

‘Are we still going to be doing the politics of stomach infrastructure? Or are we going to be putting real structures in place?’ he asked.

‘Are we going to be researching and headhunting people who have been around the world, who have had all the great education that they possibly can, to be our leaders that we can hold accountable?’

Agboola further called for a political culture in which citizens with genuine interest and competence could offer themselves for public service without being subjected to political patronage.

On the preparedness of the SDP for the 2027 elections, he said the party was already mobilising its structures across Oyo State.

‘That’s how prepared and ready SDP is. SDP is here to stay. It’s the oldest party. It’s not the kind of party that has changed names like most of the other parties. The name remains the same,’ he said.

He said the presence of local government chairmen, women leaders, youth leaders and other party stakeholders at the meeting demonstrated the party’s grassroots strength.

Earlier, the Oyo State Chairman of the SDP, Okunlade Michael, said the meeting was organised to introduce Agboola to party members and stakeholders and formally commence preparations for the 2027 governorship election.

Michael said the party was determined to provide an alternative political platform in the state.

‘Very soon, we are going to work together with all the local governments to ensure that we wrest power from the ruling APM,’ he said.

He described the SDP as an established political party with structures and recognition across the country, unlike what he described as newly formed political platforms.

‘SDP is the credible alternative that is on ground now. SDP is not like a new party. It is a logo that is known to even our grandmothers, our mothers and our fathers across the local governments,’ Michael said.

The stakeholders’ meeting is expected to mark the beginning of wider grassroots mobilisation by the SDP as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 elections.