Category: Nigerian Tribune

How do you call for help when you cannot make a call? A team of young school pupils from Aramoko District Commercial Secondary School in Ekiti State came up with an answer. Shake the phone. Their app, SafeGuardian, is designed to recognise that movement as a distress signal and send the user’s location to people they trust.

SafeGuardian took first place among pupils in their second year with Byte Busters, a coding programme for public school children run through the Odu’a Investment Foundation’s Digital Education for Innovation and Economic Development project, DEFINED. I travelled from the UK for its second annual showcase, held on Friday, 30 October, at the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan. Many of the young people whose work we saw are aged 12 to 16. Some had barely used a computer before they joined us.

And please take note of this: Aramoko is not Ado Ekiti, the capital city of Ekiti state. in fact, the average person reading this has probably never heard of Aramoko- until today. It underscores the range and depth of the possible, when talent meets access, and opportunity opportunity reaches the places we have scarcely thought to look. How many more Aramokos are waiting to astonish us?

Many of us went to public schools and took pride in them. Today, the words ‘public school’ can carry a judgement about the child before anyone has seen what the child can do. A school with too few working computers tells us something about the choices adults have made. It tells us very little about the intelligence of the pupils who go there. In Ibadan, those pupils gave us a better basis for judgement: their work.

Think about the problem the Aramoko team chose. When someone is being abducted or threatened, a phone may be within reach while its screen is impossible to use. The pupils designed SafeGuardian so that either a shake or the press of a button could trigger an alert. The app would obtain the user’s location, email it to trusted contacts and initiate calls to designated people. The technical work began with an act of imagination: putting themselves in the position of somebody for whom even dialling a number might be too much to ask.

The second prize went to pupils from Aje Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Yaba, Lagos. Their project, SignBridge, uses AI to help people learn Nigerian Sign Language. They brought together interactive lessons, practice using a camera, English-to-sign translation, video resources and an AI tutor. I found the choice of problem as impressive as the choice of tools. A hearing person who cannot sign may assume that the Deaf person has a communication difficulty. The Yaba pupils saw a difficulty that both people share, and something the hearing person could learn to do about it.

The pupils from Abeokuta Grammar School, who came third, returned to the problem of getting help in an emergency. Their project, SOROSOKE, is designed to recognise cries for help in five languages: English, Nigerian Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa. A person might shout ‘? gbà mí o!’ or ‘I dey danger.’ Using Google’s Teachable Machine, the pupils trained their system to recognise selected distress phrases. They designed alerts to carry a location and a time, with a link through which a trusted contact could acknowledge the message.

These young people understood two things a designer could easily miss. A person in distress will reach for the language that comes most readily to them. And sending a message is only part of getting help; someone has to receive it and act. I would like the teams working on emergency alerts to learn from responders, and the SignBridge pupils to develop their ideas further with Deaf users. A prize should open that door.

In the keynote published by this newspaper last Saturday, I spoke about moving from digital access to digital agency. The pupils made the distinction plain. They had learned enough about computers to ask what a computer could do about a problem they knew. That is a significant step for a teenager who started out learning to use a keyboard. It is also a reminder of what Nigeria stands to lose when the chance to take that step depends on the school a child can afford to attend.

Three years ago, Ambassador Dr Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu, chair of the Odu’a Investment Foundation’s Advisory Council, invited me to lead the work that became DEFINED. At our first showcase, about 100 pupils represented nine centres. We now operate through 20 centres in 18 local government areas across all six South-West states, and the programme has reached more than 4,500 learners. We have learned a great deal as a team about what it takes to get a child from a first session to a project they can explain and defend. We should use that experience to reach more schools, and we should do so quickly.

That progress owes much to the Foundation, Odu’a Investment Company, its chairman, Dr Kola Kasali, immediate past chairman, Otuban Bimbo Ashiru, Group Managing Director Abdulrahman Yinusa, and Executive Secretray Mrs Abiola Ajayi, as well as the six owner states and their education ministries. I thank the principals, ICT teachers, mentors, volunteers and our project team, including assistant project manager Temilorun Okediji. The pupils’ work was judged by a panel chaired by Professor Kunle Idowu, Professor of Pharmaceutical Profiling and Informatics at the University of Ibadan. He was joined by Dr Shakirat Adesola, Dean of Science at the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo; Michael Toyinbo, Director at Chowdeck; Abiodun Whesu, acting Managing Director of SWIT; and Odunayo Adeniji, Group Head of Human Resources at Odu’a Investment Company.

The next step begins with an honest look at what schools need. A donation of computers can get a club started. It takes working equipment, electricity, connectivity and a teacher with time to guide the pupils to keep it going. Our digital literacy training for teachers belongs in that effort. A pupil who has an idea on Tuesday should be able to return on Thursday, try it again and ask somebody for help. That ordinary continuity is how a child’s curiosity becomes a skill they can use.

The six South-West states can move now to identify the public schools that could host the next clubs and drive a multu-stakeholder mobilisation to equip, staff and sustain them. Businesses and old students’ associations can adopt centres and commit to their running costs beyond the opening ceremony. And the teams leaving Ibadan with promising projects should have somewhere to return for advice, testing and another attempt. The work of widening access and the work of developing the best ideas can proceed together.

There is a cost to taking our time. A pupil in the penultimate year of secondary school cannot wait three years for a computer club to reach her school. By then, the chance to learn alongside her classmates, with a teacher who knows her and time to try things out, will have passed. We should judge the pace of expansion by the years a child actually has in school.

I am proud of the pupils who won at the Ibadan showcase. I keep thinking, too, about the child who might have had a good answer to the Aramoko team’s question but has yet to sit at a computer long enough to find it. There are schools full of children we have scarcely given ourselves a chance to know. We have seen what happens when some of them get that chance. By the next showcase, we should be able to name the schools where we have given it to others.

Indigenes and residents of Ondo Kingdom are set to benefit from comprehensive free surgical procedures as part of events commemorating the 20th coronation anniversary of the paramount ruler, the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo.

The healthcare intervention, tagged ‘Festival of Surgeries’, draws directly from the monarch’s professional background as a medical doctor and headlines a two-month calendar of legacy infrastructural projects, cultural showcases, and academic fixtures packaged by the Ondo Development Committee (ODC).

The commemorative activities, running through December 24, 2026, will culminate in the grand finale of the annual Ekimogun Day Festival on December 26, 2026, anchored on the theme: ’20 Years of Unprecedented Peace and Development in Ondo Kingdom’.

In a major cross-cultural feature of the anniversary, the monarch will confer honorary chieftaincy titles on two prominent Americans: veteran hip-hop broadcaster and media icon Sway Calloway, and American music executive and cultural advocate Leila Steinberg, alongside distinguished Nigerian honourees recognized for outstanding community impact.

The Chairman of the anniversary planning committee, former Vice-Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, and High Chief Lisa-elect of Ondo Kingdom, Professor Femi Mimiko, announced the itinerary in an official statement released on behalf of the committee.

Mimiko explained that the ‘Festival of Surgeries’ was deliberately designed to deliver immediate, life-transforming medical relief to vulnerable citizens, ensuring that the milestone celebration transcends ceremonial pageantry to yield measurable social welfare impact.

‘The medical programme is among the practical interventions designed to translate the celebration into tangible benefits for our people, rather than confining it to ceremonial activities,’ the planning committee noted.

Other key programmes scheduled across the kingdom include the commissioning of community legacy projects, an art and craft exhibition, a public symposium on the kingdom’s socioeconomic trajectory, an inter-school debate competition among secondary schools, and a commemorative golf tournament.

The ODC, chaired by Chief Oye Akinsulire, noted that the 20-year milestone offers a strategic platform to reinforce the kingdom’s developmental master plan while celebrating two decades of peace and institutional stability under Oba Kiladejo, who ascended the ancient throne in 2006.

The planning committee also includes the Itagbuyi of Ondo Kingdom, Chief Wole Benson Akinkuolie, and Dr. Nelson Osungbemiro of Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) National Presidential Campaign Council has described President Bola Tinubu’s fresh $7.7 billion external loan request as sufficient reason for Nigerians to vote out the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the January 16, 2027 general election.

The campaign council urged Nigerians to use their votes to reject what it described as the Tinubu administration’s unsustainable borrowing practices and demand accountability, fiscal discipline and prudent management of public resources.

The spokesperson of the NDC National Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Constance Ikokwu, made the call in a statement issued on Thursday.

President Tinubu had requested the National Assembly’s approval for a fresh external borrowing plan of $7.7 billion, approximately N10.79 trillion, to finance the 2026 budget deficit.

Reacting to the development, the NDC described the latest request as another example of the administration’s growing dependence on borrowing, warning that the country’s rising debt burden was placing obligations on future generations.

The party, which is fielding Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as its presidential and vice-presidential candidates, respectively, called on Nigerians to vote massively for the ticket to rescue the country from what it described as a debt trap.

Ikokwu urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from Americans who participated in their November 4, 2026 elections, saying their turnout demonstrated the power of citizens to change their governments through the ballot.

She observed that Americans, like Nigerians, were grappling with high living costs and economic difficulties but had chosen to exercise their democratic rights rather than merely complain about their circumstances.

She said, ‘Truly, it seems that right now, we cannot stop President Tinubu from his One Week! New Loan! One Week! New Loan! borrowing spree, which is already hitting the roof, because, regrettably, he has pocketed the National Assembly.

‘We seem to have a rubber-stamp legislature that, before a loan request formally gets to its desk, has already endorsed it.’

The NDC spokesperson, however, urged Nigerians not to despair, insisting that the ballot remained their most powerful instrument for changing the country’s political and economic direction.

‘But Nigerians should not despair. The ballot remains our most powerful instrument of change. We appeal to citizens to use their votes to rescue the country from this debt trap and entrust its future to a government committed to transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources,’ she said.

The campaign council maintained that Nigeria’s economic future should not be mortgaged through unsustainable borrowing and mismanagement of public resources.

It therefore called on Nigerians to turn out in large numbers on January 16, 2027, to vote for Obi and Kwankwaso, saying the election presented an opportunity to elect a government that would prioritise citizens’ welfare and the responsible management of national resources.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has told opposition parties that the increase in billboard charges in Abuja is intended to generate revenue for development, not to silence them ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Wike spoke on Thursday during his monthly media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following complaints by opposition parties that the rising cost of billboard spaces in the FCT could limit their ability to reach voters.

Billboards remain one of the advertising platforms used by political parties to publicise candidates and campaign messages during election periods.

However, some opposition parties have complained that the cost of securing prominent billboard spaces in the FCT has increased significantly.

Reacting to the concerns, Wike said the increase was not targeted at any political party but was part of the FCT Administration’s efforts to raise funds for infrastructure development.

‘We want money. The FCT wants money, and part of us making money is through the billboards to raise our revenue.

‘If we know that in a given time, people will rush the billboard and the authority feels that we will raise the funds to make more money,’ he said.

The Minister said political campaigns were expensive globally and advised opposition parties to also use social media platforms to reach their supporters.

‘Politics is expensive all over the world,’ he said, adding that political parties could take advantage of their social media platforms to campaign.

He said the review was necessary to reflect current economic realities, given the rising costs of maintenance, regulation and urban management in Abuja.

According to him, the FCT Administration could not continue to subsidise advertisers and billboard owners while struggling to fund critical infrastructure and services in the capital city.

The increase, he said, was not meant to punish operators but to ensure that the FCT gets value for the use of its prime advertising spaces.

‘How can you be using Abuja land to make money and you don’t want to pay what is due to government? Government must also make money to provide services,’ Wike said.

The Minister noted that Abuja remained one of the most sought-after advertising locations in the country and that the new rates were still competitive compared with what operators charged their clients.

He said revenue generated from billboards and other outdoor advertising would be channelled into road maintenance, street lighting, sanitation and other developmental projects across the FCT.

Wike dismissed claims that the increase would drive advertisers out of business, insisting that serious operators would adjust, while those who could not afford the new rates should vacate the spaces for others.

He added that the FCTA would continue to enforce compliance and remove illegal billboards that deface the city and violate master plan regulations.

Wike maintained that the administration would not reverse the decision, saying Abuja must be run as a modern capital city where users pay for services and the government delivers value in return.

The Nigerian Army has released the list of shortlisted candidates for the Short Service Combatant Commission (SSCC) Course 50/2027 Selection Board exercise.

The Army announced the development in a post on its official X account on Thursday, directing applicants to check their names on its recruitment portal.

It said shortlisted candidates are expected to report to the Nigerian Defence Academy, Ribadu Campus (Old Site), Kaduna, from November 23, 2026.

The selection exercise will run until December 11, 2026.

The SSCC programme provides qualified Nigerian civilians and serving military personnel with an opportunity to become commissioned officers in the Combat Arms, comprising Infantry and Armour, as well as Combat Support Arms, including Artillery, Engineers, Signals and Intelligence.

According to the Army, candidates who successfully complete the training are typically commissioned as Second Lieutenants under a 15-year short service commission.

Applicants who submitted their applications between mid-August and October 17, 2026, were advised to visit the recruitment portal to confirm their selection and take note of the reporting requirements.

The Army also urged shortlisted candidates to prepare the original copies of their credentials, including educational certificates, birth certificates or age declarations, state of origin certificates, National Identification Number and Bank Verification Number slips, as well as duly signed photo-slips and guarantor forms.

It warned applicants against patronising unofficial websites, agents or individuals demanding payment for recruitment-related services, stressing that all stages of the recruitment exercise are free.

The Army further advised successful applicants to prepare for the medical, physical and interview assessments.

It urged candidates and members of the public to rely solely on its official recruitment portal, nashortservice.army.mil.ng, for accurate information about the exercise.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi, Hon. Aminu Attah, has urged former Deputy Governor Edward Onoja to support the party’s Kogi East senatorial candidate, Chief Joseph Ameh Erico, ahead of the forthcoming election.

Attah, who made the call on Tuesday, accused Onoja of failing to mobilise support for Erico, warning that the alleged lukewarm attitude could undermine the party’s unity and electoral prospects.

He said the APC’s campaign directive required members to work for all its candidates, stressing that supporting President Bola Tinubu alone while neglecting other party flagbearers amounted to indiscipline.

‘The only way we can be sure of genuine reconciliation between Edward Onoja and Yahaya Bello is for everyone to work for the party’s victory across all candidates. The idea that we are only working for Tinubu is unacceptable and amounts to party indiscipline,’ Attah said.

The former Senior Special Assistant to the Kogi State Governor alleged that Onoja’s support for Tinubu had not translated into public endorsement of other APC candidates.

He maintained that Erico’s endorsement would not undermine Onoja’s political interests, urging party stakeholders to support the senatorial candidate.

Attah described the emergence of a candidate from the Ankpa/Omala/Olamaboro Federal Constituency as an opportunity for the area to produce a senator after years of political efforts.

He also criticised politicians campaigning exclusively for Tinubu, urging them to return to the grassroots and mobilise support for all APC candidates.

On speculations that Onoja might be opposed to Erico’s candidacy because they both hail from Olamaboro Local Government Area, Attah dismissed suggestions that the senatorial contest could affect Onoja’s chances of securing a federal appointment.

‘For those who think Erico’s victory will affect their political appointments, they are getting it wrong. President Tinubu will appoint individuals based on effort, commitment, and competence, not where you come from,’ he stated.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio recently, unveiled Arridex Group’s, an industrial technology group, ADX-Barra 200 autonomous surface vessel at the Africa International Defence Exhibition 2026 in Lagos.

It is one of two platforms in the ADX-Barra Series launched by Arridex at the exhibition, both designed, built and integrated in Nigeria by Arridex engineers.

Speaking on behalf of the President, Senator Akpabio said: ‘This administration has made the growth of our defence industry a priority, because security is strongest when a nation can build, maintain and improve its own capability. What we have seen today is that capability taking shape, designed and built by local engineers in partnership with DICON. It deserves the support of the government and the confidence of our armed forces.’

Arridex Group Chief Executive Officer, Kayode Adeleke, presented the series as Nigeria’s first indigenously developed autonomous surface vessels. He spoke about the importance of the Gulf of Guinea, whose waters carry the region’s trade, support its coastal communities and hold much of its energy wealth.

He invited the services and interested stakeholders to see the platforms at work, through demonstrations arranged at their convenience, and to help shape each generation that follows.

Adeleke said: ‘The waters of the Gulf of Guinea carry the region’s trade, support its coastal communities and hold much of its energy wealth. Protecting them calls for capability we can build, sustain and improve ourselves. The ADX-Barra platforms are Nigeria’s first indigenously developed autonomous surface vessels, and they were built for that task. We invite the services and every interested stakeholder to see them at work, through demonstrations arranged at their convenience, and to help us shape each generation that follows.’

Other dignitaries at the unveiling included the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle; and the Director-General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Major General Babatunde Ibrahim Alaya. The Chief Operating Officer of Helagon, Engr. Precious Omo-Agege, and members of the Arridex Group senior management were also in attendance.

Autonomous vessels extend the reach of defence and security forces on the water while keeping personnel out of harm’s way. A vessel designed and built at home can be supported, adapted and improved by the team that made it for as long as it remains in service.

With the ADX-Barra 200 series, Arridex Group and Helagon have delivered a game-changing autonomous maritime capability – designed, built, and sustained domestically.

Under Acting Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, the Nigeria Customs Service’s Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ has intensified its crackdown on smugglers across the South-Western parts of Nigeria, intercepting N511.4million worth of illicit drugs and pharmaceutical products and rescuing eight endangered pangolins, writes TOLA ADENUBI.

The fight against smuggling across Nigeria’s South-West has gained fresh momentum under the Acting Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, with intelligence-driven interceptions targeting illicit drugs, unapproved pharmaceutical products, endangered wildlife, smuggled foreign parboiled rice, frozen chicken and other prohibited items.

Within weeks of assuming the leadership of the unit from Idiroko commmad, Afeni has placed renewed emphasis on intelligence gathering, strategic patrols and collaboration with sister security agencies to disrupt smuggling networks operating along major highways, border corridors and waterways in the region.

Recent operations have resulted in the interception of illicit drugs and pharmaceutical products with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N511.4 million, as well as the rescue of eight live pangolins in two separate operations in Ogun State, underscoring the unit’s expanding enforcement drive against economic sabotage and transnational organised crime.

Beyond the monetary value of the seizures, the operations highlight the broader implications of smuggling for public health, national security, environmental protection and government revenue for Afeni, who oversees FOU Zone ‘A’, one of the Customs Service’s key enforcement formations, the challenge is not merely to intercept prohibited goods but also to make the region increasingly difficult for criminal networks to exploit.

N511.4m drugs interception

One of the most significant recent operations under Afeni’s leadership was the interception of assorted illicit drugs and pharmaceutical products subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and legal action. The seized items, valued at N511.4 million, included 121 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 65.9 kilogrammes, 100 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, 400 grammes of cocaine, 900 grammes of ground synthetic cannabis, 4.3 kilogrammes of hybrid cannabis and 57 cartons of codeine syrup.

The Customs Service also handed over 86 packs of polythene bags used to conceal the illicit drugs, two vehicles, a Toyota Hiace bus and a Toyota Sienna, and two male suspects linked to separate interceptions. According to the unit, one interception occurred at about 1pm on October 10, 2026, when an intelligence-led patrol team stopped a Toyota Hiace bus conveying suspected illicit drugs concealed in polythene bags along the Lagos- Benin Expressway around Ore, Ondo State. Subsequent examination and analysis by NDLEA officials confirmed the nature of the substances. In another operation on October 7, Customs officers intercepted a vehicle along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. A search revealed 57 cartons of assorted brands of codeine syrup. The seizures illustrate the variety of smuggling activities confronting enforcement officers, from trafficking in narcotics to the movement of controlled pharmaceutical products capable of entering the market outside established regulatory channels.

Representing Afeni during the handover, the Deputy Comptroller in charge of Enforcement, Oluwaseun Oguntuase, attributed the interceptions to sustained intelligence-driven operations across the unit’s area of responsibility.

The collaboration with the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) also ensures that suspected narcotics and regulated pharmaceutical products are handled by agencies with the appropriate statutory responsibilities for investigation, regulatory enforcement and prosecution.

Pangolin seizures

Afeni’s enforcement campaign has extended beyond conventional smuggling activities to the illegal trade in endangered wildlife, with two separate operations resulting in the rescue of eight live pangolins in Ogun State within approximately 11 days.

On October 12, 2026, Customs officers intercepted three live pangolins during an anti-smuggling operation along Oyo Dam at Igbo-Ora in Ogun State. Acting on credible intelligence, the patrol team discovered the animals inside a sack and concealed in a wire-mesh cage. The suspected traffickers abandoned the consignment and fled into a surrounding swamp upon sighting the officers. The interception was followed by another operation in the early hours of October 23 along the Igbo-Ora/Imeko-Afon axis of Ogun State, where officers intercepted five additional live pangolins confined in wire-mesh cages.

The animals were allegedly concealed in a manner intended to evade detection. The suspects again escaped, abandoning the consignment as Customs officers moved in. Both operations point to the persistent threat posed by illegal wildlife trafficking and the possibility that organised networks are using less conspicuous routes to move protected species. Pangolins are among the most trafficked mammals in the world, prized by illegal traders for their scales and meat. Their international commercial trade is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), with pangolins listed under Appendix I.

Nigeria’s laws also provide protection against the illegal hunting, capture and trade of endangered species. The eight rescued animals were handed over to the Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative Centre for safekeeping, rehabilitation and appropriate management, with the aim of eventual release into a protected habitat where feasible. The repeated interceptions have raised questions about the networks behind the attempted movement of the animals and the routes used to transport them.

During the second handover, Oguntuase, speaking on Afeni’s behalf, said the interception of separate wildlife consignments within a short period called for extensive investigations to identify and dismantle the syndicates responsible. He also reaffirmed the unit’s commitment to intelligence-led operations, collaboration with conservation agencies and the enforcement of applicable laws against wildlife trafficking.

The challenge for the Customs Service will be to move beyond intercepting individual consignments to identifying the financiers, transporters, middlemen and intended recipients who sustain the illegal trade.

Security collaboration

Recognising that smugglers and other criminal networks can exploit gaps between security agencies, Afeni has also moved to strengthen institutional cooperation across the South-West. On October 14, 2026, he commenced a familiarisation tour of sister security and law enforcement agencies in Lagos, meeting their leadership to explore practical areas of cooperation in intelligence sharing, information exchange, joint operations and law enforcement. The agencies visited included the Lagos State Police Command, Department of State Services (DSS), Headquarters of the Nigerian Army’s 81 Division, the NDLEA Lagos State Strategic Command, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Army’s 9 Brigade in Ikeja.

Such collaboration is particularly important in the fight against smuggling because criminal networks often operate across different jurisdictions, using highways, waterways, border communities and distribution centres to move prohibited goods. Timely intelligence exchange and coordinated enforcement can help security agencies identify suspicious movements earlier, respond more quickly to emerging threats and prevent offenders from exploiting institutional gaps.

Protecting revenue,public health, legitimate trade

The enforcement drive also carries significant economic implications. Smuggling undermines legitimate businesses by exposing compliant importers and traders to unfair competition from operators who evade applicable duties, restrictions and regulatory requirements. The circulation of illicit drugs and unapproved pharmaceutical products poses additional risks to public health, while the illegal wildlife trade threatens biodiversity and Nigeria’s compliance with international conservation commitments. For Customs, therefore, effective enforcement must balance the suppression of prohibited trade with the facilitation of legitimate commercial activities.

The seizures under Afeni’s leadership illustrate the range of interests at stake. While the N511.4 million valuation of the seized drugs and pharmaceutical products provides an indication of their declared enforcement value, the broader economic impact includes the potential harm avoided by preventing illicit substances from entering circulation.

Similarly, the rescue of eight pangolins represents more than the recovery of wildlife from traffickers. It demonstrates the intersection between Customs enforcement, environmental protection and the fight against transnational organised crime. However, the long-term effectiveness of the campaign will depend on whether the interceptions lead to successful investigations, prosecutions and the dismantling of the networks responsible for moving prohibited goods.

The escape of suspects during both pangolin operations highlights a continuing operational challenge: although intelligence and patrols can disrupt consignments, identifying and apprehending the individuals behind them remains critical to achieving lasting results.

Sustaining the Momentum

Afeni has warned smugglers and their collaborators that FOU Zone ‘A’ will sustain its patrols, intelligence-driven operations and cooperation with relevant agencies across its area of responsibility.

The Acting Comptroller’s approach reflects a strategy built around three principal enforcement priorities: improving intelligence gathering, strengthening inter-agency coordination and maintaining operational pressure on routes used for illicit trade.

The repeated pangolin interceptions, coupled with the drug and pharmaceutical seizures, suggest that enforcement efforts are being applied across different categories of prohibited goods rather than being confined to a single smuggling activity.

Yet, sustaining the momentum will require adequate operational resources, reliable intelligence, effective case preparation and closer engagement with communities along vulnerable corridors. These measures can help officers identify suspicious movements, protect informants and improve the chances of apprehending suspects before consignments are abandoned.

There is also a need for continued cooperation with regulatory agencies, conservation organisations and other stakeholders to ensure that seized products are properly investigated, illicit pharmaceutical supplies are traced and rescued wildlife receives appropriate care.

As the Customs Service continues to pursue its mandate, the results of Afeni’s operations will ultimately be measured not only by the quantity and value of goods intercepted but also by the extent to which smuggling networks are dismantled, public health is protected, biodiversity is preserved and legitimate trade is allowed to thrive.

Researchers have been challenged to translate scientific discoveries into practical innovations, productive enterprises and national prosperity, with a call for stronger alignment of research activities with Nigeria’s developmental priorities.

Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Kashifu Abdullahi, gave the charge in his the keynote address at the third international biennial conference of the College of Physical Sciences (COLPHYS), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).

The conference was themed: ‘nnovation at the Intersection of Science, Environment, Agriculture, Climate, Health, and Artificial Intelligence.’

Represented by Dr Aristotle Onumo, Abdullahi commended FUNAAB for its remarkable growth and the conference organisers for adopting a theme that reflects the increasing convergence of science and technology in addressing contemporary societal challenges.

He highlighted the transformative potential of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) in education, agriculture, healthcare and climate action, stressing the need for deliberate investments in digital talent development, shared innovation infrastructure and stronger partnerships between universities and technology stakeholders.

The NITDA DG outlined five priorities for translating research into national prosperity: aligning research with national challenges, developing shared scientific and digital infrastructure, linking research funding to practical outcomes, nurturing entrepreneurial researchers and measuring success by societal impact rather than academic outputs alone.

He urged students to embrace innovation and see their academic qualifications as a springboard for solving real-world problems, declaring, ‘Your certificate is just your beginning and not your destination.’

In his welcome address, Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Professor Babatunde Kehinde, represented by the Dean, College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM), Professor Olusegun Oguntoke, described the conference theme as timely, given the rapid pace of technological advancement and intensifying climate challenges.

Kehinde highlighted the college’s contributions to the university’s mandates of teaching, research and community engagement, expressing optimism that the conference’s workshops, training sessions and research engagements would generate meaningful outcomes for the university and society.

He also emphasised FUNAAB’s international collaborations and global standing, describing the gathering as an opportunity to strengthen research exchange, professional networking and interdisciplinary partnerships.

The Vice-Chancellor challenged participants to explore emerging frontiers of knowledge, leverage open-source resources, build cross-disciplinary collaborations and inspire the next generation of researchers. He commended the Local Organising Committee and formally declared the conference open.

Earlier, the dean of the College of Physical Sciences (COLPHYS), Professor Victor Makinde, welcomed participants and dignitaries, appreciating the Vice-Chancellor and university management for their support in hosting the international conference.

He explained that the event was designed to bring together academics, researchers, industry professionals, policymakers and students to exchange knowledge and showcase innovative research across computer science and artificial intelligence, mathematics and statistics, chemistry, environmental sciences, physics, medical and life sciences, data science, education, agriculture and food security.

At the first plenary session, the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Dr. Titilola Ibiyemi, examined the relationship between science, healthcare and artificial intelligence, explaining how scientific discoveries drive medical advancement while AI enhances efficiency and accelerates research and healthcare processes.

She highlighted the contributions of physics to sensors and medical imaging, chemistry to drug development, and mathematics to predictive analysis, emphasising that AI should complement, rather than replace, healthcare professionals and scientists.

The second plenary session featured the Director of the NITDA IT Hub, University of Lagos, Professor Victor Odumuyiwa, who presented a paper titled, ‘Artificial Intelligence as a Catalyst for Scientific Innovation: Transforming Research Across Science, Environment, Agriculture, Climate and Health.’

His presentation examined the capacity of AI to advance scientific research and stimulate innovation across critical sectors.

The conference reinforced FUNAAB’s commitment to interdisciplinary research, technological innovation and knowledge-driven development, highlighting the importance of translating scientific discoveries into practical solutions for sustainable national growth.

National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) has partnered with the Ogun State Government to integrate basic cancer prevention and screening services into routine family planning activities at Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), as part of efforts to reduce the growing burden of cancer among Nigerian women.

The initiative, which seeks to make cancer screening more accessible to women, is being implemented through a capacity-building programme titled Integration of Basic Cancer Screening Services into Family Planning in Primary Healthcare Centres (Phase II), which commenced on November 5, 2026, at the PHC, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, on Thursday.

Speaking at the training on behalf of the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NICRAT, Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, the Acting Head of the Health Promotion, Behavioural Change and Communication Unit, Mrs. Olabisi Folorunso-Lanlehin, said integrating cancer screening into family planning services would provide an effective platform for reaching more women with preventive healthcare.

She explained that family planning clinics offer an important opportunity to educate women about cancer, identify those who require screening and ensure early referral and treatment, stressing that frontline health workers remain central to the fight against the disease.

The NICRAT boss said cervical cancer claims the lives of nearly 20 Nigerian women daily, while breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the country.

Aliyu, who described the situation as a major public health concern, noted that cervical cancer was largely preventable through vaccination, regular screening and early treatment, while early detection of breast cancer significantly improves the chances of successful treatment.

He said the programme was designed to bridge the gap between available cancer prevention interventions and their accessibility to women, particularly those in underserved communities.

The NICRAT chief recalled that the first phase of the initiative was piloted in December 2025 across Kwara, Ebonyi, Cross River, Kebbi and Adamawa states under the NICE-SCAN initiative, adding that the second phase would strengthen the capacity of primary healthcare workers to provide basic screening services.

The training focused on provider and self-sampling techniques, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing using the Truenat platform, proper transportation of specimens and accurate documentation of clients through the National Cancer Screening Register.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, represented by Hajia Sanni Salimot, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to improving maternal and child healthcare, describing cancer prevention as an essential component of women’s health.

She advocated the inclusion of cancer awareness and prevention education in school curricula to equip young people with the knowledge needed to make informed health decisions.

Salimot also disclosed that the state was targeting the screening of at least 200 women within two weeks, urging healthcare workers to intensify community mobilisation and encourage women to take advantage of available screening opportunities.

The lead facilitator and Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Dr. Nathaniel Gbenga, explained that persistent infection with high-risk strains of Human Papillomavirus was responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer.

He identified HPV genotypes 16, 18 and 45 among the high-risk types associated with the development of the disease, noting that early detection and appropriate treatment of precancerous changes could prevent progression to invasive cervical cancer.

Gbenga said the disease could take between 10 and 20 years to develop following persistent infection, providing an important window for screening, early intervention and treatment.

He further identified self-sampling as an innovation capable of addressing some of the barriers preventing women from accessing cervical cancer screening, particularly cultural stigma, privacy concerns and distance from healthcare facilities.