Category: PM News

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is on track to achieving its N11 trillion annual target, according to Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Prof. Taiwo Oyedele,

Oyedele attributes the feat to the aggressive automation, intelligence-led reforms, and improved cargo processing strategies under Comptroller-General(C-G) Bashir Adeniyi.

He shared his view during his inaugural board meeting and facility tour at the NCS headquarters in Abuja.

This is contained in a statement issued by the NCS’s Spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada on Sunday in Abuja.

Oyedele commended the NCS for its ongoing trade reforms and revenue generation of N4.03 trillion in the first half of 2026.

The minister said the service generated an additional N1.38 trillion in July and August alone, acknowledging their strong revenue performance, technology-driven reforms and sustained efforts to ease trade.

The minister praised the service’s leadership and officers for their remarkable progress in modernising operations and boosting national revenue.

?Satisfied with the service’s modern intelligence tools and technological infrastructure, Oyedele described customs’ track record as the ideal springboard to propel Nigeria into a leading position in regional and global trade.

?’Results are precisely what should propel us to do more,’ the minister said.

He noted that customs’ strong foundation equipped the service to pioneer world-class standards in port efficiency, end-to-end transparency, faster cargo clearance and revenue integrity, saying, ‘Nigeria must lead through performance, not rhetoric.’

Reaffirming President Bola Tinubu’s support, Oyedele assured the NCS of Federal Government’s commitment to providing cutting-edge technology, modern operational tools and policy support to strengthen its role as Africa’s leading trade facilitator.

Former Cross River State governor and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has sparked debate after claiming that Nigerians were better off under military rule compared with the country’s years of democratic governance.

Duke made the statement while assessing Nigeria’s 27 years of uninterrupted civilian rule, arguing that democracy has failed to deliver meaningful improvements in the lives of citizens despite the huge cost of running government.

‘The people were better off under the military. At least governance was not that expensive,’ Duke said.

The former governor said the true measure of democracy should be based on the welfare of citizens and the benefits they have gained since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999.

He questioned whether Nigerians were genuinely better off today compared with the period before democracy returned, citing challenges in education, healthcare, infrastructure and unemployment.

‘If we focus on the well-being of the people, what we term democracy dividends, how much has been delivered?’ he asked.

Duke argued that many of the problems Nigeria faced before 1999 remain unresolved, saying issues such as poor electricity supply, joblessness and weak public services have continued to worsen.

According to him, Nigeria has the resources and human capacity to solve its challenges but has failed to adopt effective strategies used by other countries.

The PRP presidential candidate also criticised the country’s political system, claiming that a weakened opposition and disputed election outcomes have reduced accountability among elected officials.

He alleged that many Nigerians have become discouraged from participating in elections because they believe their votes do not influence outcomes.

Duke further described Nigeria’s democratic system as a ‘pretence’, arguing that institutions meant to provide checks and balances, including the legislature and judiciary, have failed to effectively hold the executive accountable.

He cited the quick approval of the return to Nigeria’s old national anthem by the National Assembly as an example of what he described as lawmakers failing to properly scrutinise government decisions.

The former governor blamed Nigeria’s political challenges on the failure of the elite to take responsibility for leadership, saying politics had become more of an occupation than a public service.

Duke also warned that the growing gap between the rich and poor could create instability if urgent steps were not taken to improve living conditions.

Residents of Funtua, Katsina State, have expressed concern over recent armed gunmen invasion which led to prolonged gunfire in parts of the town.

The latest incident occurred about 10 p.m. on Thursday, when suspected armed gunmen allegedly invaded parts of Funtua metropolis.

Affected areas reportedly included Kasuwar Mata, Dandaji and the Sokoto Bye-Pass corridor towards the vicinity of ASA Bread Company.

A resident, Malam Muhammad Bello on Sunday said the suspected attackers moved through some areas while firing weapons.

He said the gunfire continued intermittently for almost two hours, with residents hearing repeated shots from different directions.

‘The shooting continued until about 11:30 p.m., forcing many residents to remain indoors for fear of being caught in the crossfire,’ Bello said.

According to him, the incident caused anxiety among families, traders, motorists and other residents over fears of further attacks.

Another Funtua resident, Malam Ja’afar Musa, said security operatives responded to the situation and mobilised to repel the suspected attackers.

Musa said residents also cooperated with security personnel by remaining indoors and providing information to assist efforts to contain the situation.

He commended the security agencies for their response, saying their intervention helped prevent further escalation of the incident.

A trader, Abdulrahman Shehu, expressed concern over what he described as the deteriorating security situation in Funtua and neighbouring communities.

‘The latest incident has renewed concerns over the security situation in parts of Funtua Local Government Area,’ he said.

Shehu urged authorities to intensify security operations and adopt proactive measures to prevent criminal elements from accessing populated areas.

Residents said alleged incidents of kidnapping, armed attacks and other criminal activities had continued to generate concern in communities around Funtua.

They expressed fears that persistent insecurity could affect lives, property, commercial activities, transportation, education and the area’s socio-economic wellbeing.

Funtua, a major commercial centre in Katsina State, serves as an important economic and transportation hub for communities within the state and neighbouring areas.

Malam Sa’idu Garba, another resident, called for increased patrols, improved intelligence gathering, rapid-response mechanisms and stronger collaboration between security agencies and communities.

He said such measures would help prevent armed groups from accessing populated areas and reassure residents.

Katsina Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, confirmed the attack and assured residents that security agencies were on top of the situation.

Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has alerted the Federal and Rivers State governments to another explosion from gas leakage in Bille, an island community in Degema Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, warning that urgent action is required to prevent further explosions and mass casualties.

The blast occurred just two weeks after CAPPA presented its documentary and report, Danger! Bille Is Highly Flammable, which called for urgent government intervention over worsening gas bubbling and seepage across the community. During a visit on July 6, CAPPA documented emissions from wells, boreholes, residential compounds, waterways and school grounds, and warned that continued inaction could lead to a major disaster.

In a statement on Saturday, CAPPA said the latest explosion occurred at about 8 a.m. on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at No. 18, Opu Ibiila Community, Bille. The blast set part of the house ablaze, blew out its windows and severely burned the occupant, Joy Amos.

Video footage obtained by CAPPA shows Ms Amos in serious pain after sustaining extensive burns. CAPPA said she required urgent specialist care and called on the Rivers State Government to ensure that she received immediate treatment, and that all related medical and rehabilitation costs were covered.

Amos, an Ogoni native, said she often heard bubbling sounds from under the floor of her apartment at night. She explained that Thursday’s explosion shattered her windows from inside the room.

‘I was in my room on the bed, using my phone, when I heard ‘poof!’ My windows shattered, and fire surrounded me. I grabbed my phone and power bank-the only things I remembered to take-and ran out of the room naked. I dropped them in front of my bathroom, ran outside and began to call for help,’ Amos said.

The Vice President of the Bille Kingdom Youth Federation, Timothy Agunbiade, who arrived a few minutes later, corroborated her account. He said her phone, power bank and gas cylinder were unaffected and that the force of the explosion appeared to have travelled from inside the room outwards.

‘I asked her what the cause could be. She said she had been hearing bubbling sounds in her room at night whenever she lay down and everywhere else was quiet. She had complained to one or two people but had not informed her landlady,’ Agunbiade said.

‘She rented the house and is not from Bille. She is an Ogoni woman, and we have not been able to reach any of her relatives. From our observation, the blast happened from inside out.’

Agunbiade added that the floor of Amos’s room had been generating heat before the explosion and appeared to be under pressure from beneath.

CAPPA said the incident confirmed that Bille was facing an escalating emergency that could no longer be met with official visits, sample collection and silence.

‘Bille exposes the inhuman bargain at the heart of reckless extraction in the Niger Delta. Wealth is taken from communities and transferred to corporations and the state, while residents are left with polluted water, damaged livelihoods, illness and danger. Companies continue to earn from extraction, yet the people living closest to oil and gas infrastructure are expected to bear its gravest risks,’ said Zikora Ibeh, CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director.

‘No industry should be permitted to transfer the human and environmental costs of its operations onto communities. Whatever the investigation ultimately establishes as the source of these emissions, the failure to protect Bille after months of warnings is indefensible.’

As an immediate precaution, the group demanded the suspension of all oil and gas activities in and around Bille until the cause of the bubbling and seepage is established and independent experts confirm that the community is safe.

It said the explosion showed that the danger could no longer be treated as confined to isolated locations. Emergency measures must cover the entire community, including the deployment of emergency-response teams, the evacuation of residents to safe temporary accommodation, continuous monitoring of air and water quality, and clear public guidance on the risks and necessary precautions.

CAPPA called on the Rivers State Government, NOSDRA, NUPRC, NMDPRA, the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and other relevant authorities, working within their respective mandates and with independent experts, to launch a transparent and coordinated investigation into the crisis. It said the exercise should identify the source of the emissions and assess all active, ageing, idle and abandoned oil and gas infrastructure in and around Bille, including wells, wellheads, pipelines and production facilities.

The organisation urged the authorities to resolve, isolate or decommission any unsafe infrastructure without delay. It also asked them to publish all test results and investigative findings, explain the risks to residents and provide a clear timetable for ending the emissions and making the community safe.

CAPPA further called on the government to treat the situation as a public-health emergency. It demanded multidisciplinary medical teams specialising in respiratory illness, toxic exposure and burn care; round-the-clock emergency clinics; ambulance and hospital referral services; and free diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.

The group also demanded safe water, compensation, and livelihood support for households whose lives, fishing, and other sources of income had been disrupted.

‘The authorities were warned. A woman has now been severely burned, while the people of Bille remain exposed to potentially dangerous gases. Government must move residents out of harm’s way, provide urgent medical care, identify and stop the source of the emissions, and account publicly for its response,’ Ibeh said.

‘The wealth extracted from the Niger Delta cannot continue to enrich corporations and public coffers while host communities are left to breathe contaminated air, drink unsafe water and fear explosions in their homes. The people of Bille have carried this burden long enough. Government cannot wait for deaths before acting.’

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has inspected 23 police residential facilities across the country to assess the living conditions of officers and their families.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday.

The inspection was carried out to give the IGP a first-hand view of the condition of police barracks and other welfare facilities. It was also aimed at identifying areas that require urgent repairs and government intervention.

During the exercise, Disu interacted with police officers and residents of the barracks. He also inspected their accommodation and other facilities to determine the major challenges affecting their living conditions.

The police said the findings from the inspection would help the Force identify and prioritise welfare projects, especially in areas where poor infrastructure could affect the morale and wellbeing of personnel.

Disu said police officers who risk their lives to protect Nigerians deserve decent and comfortable accommodation.

He stressed that the welfare of police personnel remains an important part of efforts to reform and improve the Nigeria Police Force.

The IGP assured officers that the welfare challenges identified during the inspection would receive appropriate attention.

He also stressed the need for practical solutions based on the actual conditions of the facilities.

According to the police, the inspection is part of efforts to improve the management of police infrastructure and ensure continued investment in accommodation and other welfare facilities.

The Force said better living conditions for police officers and their families would boost their morale and help them perform their duties more effectively.

It added that improving police welfare would ultimately contribute to better policing and improved service delivery across the country.

Nigeria has facilitated the safe and dignified return of Sierra Leone’s former President Ernest Koroma to his country, following more than two years of temporary relocation to Nigeria.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made this known in a statement issued by Dr Magnus Eze, her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media.

It said the minister accompanied Koroma to Freetown on the instruction of President Bola Tinubu, adding that Koroma’s return marked the successful conclusion of a regional diplomatic and confidence-building process.

According to the statement, Koroma’s relocation to Nigeria in January 2024 followed engagements by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), aimed at promoting peace, stability and political understanding in Sierra Leone.

She explained that the process which helped to create conditions for greater understanding between Sierra Leone’s current President Julius Bio and the country’s former president, paved the way for Koroma’s temporary stay in Nigeria.

‘His conduct throughout this period reflected restraint, statesmanship, and commitment to a peaceful outcome,’ Odumegwu-Ojukwu was quoted as saying.

The statement reiterated the sustained engagements involving ECOWAS, the Nigerian Government and other stakeholders contributed to resolving issues that had necessitated the relocation, during his stay in Nigeria.

The minister expressed appreciation to President Bio, former President Koroma and the people of Sierra Leone for their cooperation and commitment to peace, saying former President Olusegun Obasanjo joined in escorting Koroma back to Freetown.

This, according to her, Nigeria remained committed to regional harmony, constitutional order and democratic stability, expressing confidence that Koroma’s return would further strengthen national reconciliation and peace in Sierra Leone.

Lagos has ranked fourth among 10 cities with the highest rental costs for luxury two-bedroom apartments, with an average annual rent of $19,379 in 2026.

According to a recent report by Nairametrics, the high cost of property in Lagos is driven by limited land, strong demand in prime areas, rising construction costs, speculation and the depreciation of the naira.

The report noted that luxury properties in areas such as Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Banana Island are often priced in dollars.

It added that some ultra-luxury apartments along Bourdillon, Alexandra and Gerrard roads in Ikoyi can cost as much as $130,000 per year to rent.

Beyond the annual rent, tenants also have to pay several additional charges when securing accommodation.

The report said tenants in Nigeria commonly pay one year or even multiple years’ rent upfront. Agency fees usually range from one to two months’ rent or about 10 per cent of the annual rent.

Legal and agreement fees can also cost between five and 10 per cent of the annual rent.

Other expenses may include caution deposits, stamp duty, utility deposits, internet installation and service charges.

These additional payments can make the total cost of renting a property much higher than the advertised rent.

The report also linked the rising cost of housing in Lagos to increasing development expenses. It noted that land prices have more than doubled in several parts of the city in recent years.

Construction materials have also become more expensive. A bag of cement now costs about N12,500 to N15,000, compared with N5,000 to N6,000 at the end of 2023.

The price of reinforcement steel has also risen to between N1 million and N1.5 million per tonne.

According to the report, construction materials and labour can account for about 50 to 65 per cent of the budget for medium-sized residential projects.

Land can also account for about 20 per cent of expected revenue on some projects.

As a result, some developers are reducing apartment sizes, moving to areas where land is cheaper, using alternative building materials and developing projects in phases.

However, the report said a significant part of the higher development costs is eventually passed on to property buyers and tenants.

Lagos is also facing a major housing shortage. The report estimated that the state’s housing deficit stood at about 3.4 million units in 2025.

It said Lagos needs about 227,576 new homes every year to meet population growth and replace ageing housing stock.

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has warned that rising meat imports could weaken Nigeria’s livestock industry.

The National President of MACBAN, Baba Othman-Ngelzarma, raised the concern in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

Othman-Ngelzarma said the association was concerned about recent reports of increased imports of beef and other meat products into Nigeria.

He stressed that MACBAN was not opposed to international trade or legitimate competition in the nation’s livestock and meat markets.

He, however, said the association opposed unfair competition capable of placing Nigerian livestock producers at a disadvantage and undermining domestic productive capacity.

According to him, Nigeria is already experiencing the consequences of similar policies in the rice sector, where increased imports are weakening local production.

He said domestic rice production had reached nearly 98 per cent self-sufficiency, but competition from imported rice was causing losses to farmers and investors.

Othman-Ngelzarma warned that Nigeria must avoid repeating the same mistake in the livestock sector, where producers already face serious challenges.

He listed rising feed and transportation costs, insecurity, shrinking grazing resources, inadequate infrastructure, limited access to affordable finance and climate change among the challenges.

He said exposing local producers to direct competition from highly developed foreign livestock industries could push many Nigerian livestock producers out of business.

The MACBAN president said the livestock economy supported pastoralists, farmers, feed producers, traders, transporters, butchers, processors and livestock and veterinary professionals.

He therefore urged the Federal Government to urgently assess the impact of increased meat imports on domestic production, employment, investment and national food security.

‘Before further liberalising the market, Nigeria should pursue strategic trade, not import dependency,’ he said.

Othman-Ngelzarma said where imports were necessary to address genuine supply gaps, they should complement domestic production rather than replace it.

He commended the Federal Government’s investments and reforms in the livestock sector, saying the initiatives were aimed at improving productivity and strengthening domestic producers.

He said MACBAN was not asking for a closed market but a level playing field, urging government to protect production rather than merely consumption.

Four people involved in self-kidnap plot were among the over 50 suspects paraded by the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun Corps for various offences on Monday.

Mr Adetunji Adeleye, Commander, Amotekun Corps, said this on Monday in Akure while parading the suspects and 49 others for various offences.

According to him, the four suspects used the social media to orchestrate the fake kidnap plot.

Adeleye explained that one of the suspects also reported the self-kidnap at the Amotekun command in Akure.

‘We know that Akure North has been quiet for some time, but we have four people here today that were involved in self-kidnapping, who raised false alarm using the social media.

‘We moved in and we were able to arrest the first two.

‘Upon detailed investigation, we found out that the man who rushed to our office to report that his siblings were kidnapped, turned out to be an accomplice.

‘After detailed scrutiny, he led us to his home where we found the man they claimed had been kidnapped,’ he said.

Adeleye said the command also arrested seven suspects directly involved in kidnapping activities in the Akoko axis with cooperation of Fulani farmers and herders.

The Amotekun commander said the corps also recovered military uniform from one of the kidnappers, saying it also retrieved two kidnapped victims who were wounded.

He said the wounded victims were receiving medical attention in their facility, while the kidnappers, in their attempt to kill them, macheted their heads and body.

‘We brought them back alive and treated them. They are now stable. The leader of the community who joined us in the operation was able to identify the suspects.

‘We thank the Fulani herders and farmers who refused to join the band wagons of herders terrorising the state,’ he said.

The Rivers State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has responded to a threat by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, saying elections are not won through boasts or claims of victory before voters cast their ballots.

The party was reacting to comments credited to Wike during a civic reception organised in his honour by the City Boy Movement at Omagwa on Saturday, where he reportedly said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, would be defeated by 12 noon on election day.

In a statement issued on Monday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers ADC chairman, Dr Chukwudi Dimkpa, said political declarations and intimidation cannot determine electoral outcomes.

‘Elections are not won by boasts, intimidation or political strongmen announcing results in advance. Rivers people will vote, the votes will be counted, and INEC, not Wike, will declare the winner,’ Dimkpa said.

He also criticised the timing of Wike’s event, alleging that the reception coincided with the movement of mourners attending the burial of Amaechi’s mother in Ubima.

Dimkpa described the action as insensitive, claiming that Wike and the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Charles Wobodo, turned the occasion into a platform for political attacks against Amaechi.

‘On a day when Rotimi Amaechi was burying his mother and people from across Nigeria were travelling to Ubima to commiserate with the family, Wike and the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area chose that same route and occasion for a political reception,’ he said.

The ADC chairman said the party avoided responding immediately because its focus was on giving Amaechi’s mother a befitting burial, but warned that no individual could claim ownership of Rivers voters.

‘Nobody owns the people, nobody owns their votes, and certainly, nobody can declare an election result by 12 noon,’ he said.

Dimkpa urged Rivers residents not to be intimidated ahead of the 2027 elections, saying voters would have the opportunity to choose leaders based on their performance and credibility.

Wike had earlier told his supporters at the reception that candidates backed by the Rainbow Coalition would emerge victorious in the forthcoming elections.