Category: PM News

Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, has urged 1,500 newly married couples who benefited from the state government’s mass wedding programme to build their homes on patience, justice, mutual respect and understanding.

Yusuf gave the advice while addressing the couples after they were married under the state government’s mass wedding programme.

According to a statement by his spokesperson, Sunusi Dawakin Tofa, the governor reminded the couples that marriage was an act of worship and should be guided by the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad.

He urged the newlyweds to respect each other, treat one another fairly and promote peace in their homes.

‘Marriage is an act of ibadah and should be conducted in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW),’ Yusuf said.

The governor also advised the couples to apply the lessons they learnt during their pre-marital counselling sessions.

He said patience, understanding and mutual respect were important for maintaining peaceful and successful marriages.

‘Make sure you put into practice the lessons you received during the pre-marital counselling sessions, because patience, understanding and mutual respect are essential to sustaining a peaceful home,’ he said.

Yusuf prayed for Allah’s blessings on the marriages and asked that the couples be blessed with righteous children who would make positive contributions to their families, society and humanity.

The mass wedding was organised by the Kano State Government as part of its social intervention programme aimed at supporting vulnerable residents and reducing the financial burden associated with marriage.

The programme was coordinated by the Kano State Hisbah Board and involved 1,500 couples.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it uncovered 399 fully assembled Jojef firearms and assorted rifle parts following the detailed examination of a seized shipment at the Tin Can Island Port Command.

The service made this known in a statement by its National Spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, on Sunday in Abuja.

Maiwada said the seizure was confirmed on Sunday after Customs completed the coupling and examination of the arms shipment, which was initially discovered as crates of knocked-down components concealed in a container.

He said NCS’s Comptroller-General(CG), Bashir Adeniyi, had disclosed the interception of the container containing the concealed firearm components, which were preliminarily identified as Jojef pump-action rifles.

Adeniyi said the additional rifle parts recovered include 89 frames, 16 heat shields, 10 trigger pins, three pistons, 25 locking lugs and 80 charging handles.

Others are 39 pistol-grip screws, 34 springs, 57 trigger groups, 66 foregrip latches, 45 foregrips or handguards, four pistol grips and five barrels.

The C-G said that criminal networks could exploit Nigeria’s borders, ports and airports to move prohibited items into the country ahead of the next general elections.

‘We are about entering a major election cycle and we know that by this period, men of the underworld will want to use our borders, our ports, our airports to bring in items like this,’ he said.

He said that the service would intensify surveillance and enforcement operations to prevent the movement of illicit arms and other prohibited items through the country’s entry points.

He reaffirmed the NCS commitment to intelligence-led enforcement, stronger border surveillance and collaboration with sister security agencies to dismantle arms-trafficking networks.

Adeniyi specifically cited collaboration with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), in efforts to safeguard national security.

He said the seized firearms would be handed over to the NCCSALW following the completion of the inventory and assessment.

The C-G said that the development reflected the commitment of security agencies to removing dangerous weapons from circulation and ensuring that those behind the trafficking network were identified and brought to justice.

Politics has always received an all-time low in terms of reckoning in recent times, especially since the advent of politics in 1999.

The perception of many a people is that politics has been thrown to the dogs, becoming the personal fiefdom of charlatans, and other undesirable elements.

Consequently, the popular refrain in the polity is that ‘the worst of us are ruling the best of us’, in a society with the highest population among the black race.

Even the signs stare all in the face as some of those who occupy exalted offices fall short of the minimum standards in most societies.

Compared with post-independence politics, today’s politics is devoid of gravitas, wits and credibility, compared to the politics of old.

That was the era when men were men, with notable figures as Sir Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ladoke Akintola, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Anthony Enahoro and other notables as leading lights.

It was an era of razzmatazz, oratory skills, glitz and glamour at its best on the political turf, with many aspiring to become like these heroes.

Those were unforgettable days when political figures dominated the air waves with informed commentary in various spheres of national life, selling themselves and their manifestos.

No wonder, the various regions competed among themselves in a manner that prospered the people like never before. Posterity would never forget the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, for changing the fortunes of many homes which grabbed the opportunity offered by free education across Western Region.

Compare that era with what is happening in Nigerian politics today and you would almost weep for a country regarded as giant of Africa.

In terms of human and material resources, Nigeria leads the pack, but in terms of quality politics, it is at its lowest ebb.

That is why the situation in Ogun State today calls for caution as the 2027 elections stare us in the face. The state has always been peaceful, though politicians sometimes create unnecessary tension through their actions and utterances.

Meanwhile, words are very powerful and therefore need to be carefully used in conveying messages to woo the electorate.

These are a combination of people cutting across different sectors, most of whom are able to decipher.

It therefore behooves politicians to look at issues affecting the state dispassionately and tell the people how they hope to tackle them for their benefit.

Unfortunately, what we have seen thus far is throwing of needles tantrums, especially from the camp of the opposition.

The Gateway State, as Ogun is fondly called, is a state brimming with potentials that need to be harnessed for the good of the people.

Its proximity to Lagos makes it an asset and advantage as many investors see Ogun as the next investment destination.

Luckily, Governor Dapo Abiodun has been able to lay the foundation for future administrations to tap into to take the state to greater heights.

His completion of the Gateway Airport is a welcome development and its dividends is bound to improve business within and around the state.

Aside this, Ogun State has a pact with Lagos, the nation’s economic capital, courtesy of the Abiodun administration.

It is therefore incumbent on political gladiators in the coming polls to tell the people how they hope to further develop the state instead of engaging in mudslinging.

Unbridled allegations only distract the people, inflame tension and create fear among the people.

The focus should therefore be on job creation, investment opportunities, affordable healthcare, education, agriculture, transportation, sports and more.

It is for this reason that credit must go to APC Governorship hopeful, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, also known as Yayi, for crafting a robust message that meets the hopes and aspirations of the people.

Close watchers of his politics would see a focused, visionary and deliberate attempt to touch the lives of the people spread across different strata.

From his days as a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Yayi has been deliberate about touching the lives of his constituents, positively.

The experience he garnered over the years is what has made him among the most impactful politicians of his generation.

Going by his political trajectory, the Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Yayi has spread his tentacles across the length and breadth of Ogun State with uncommon vigour.

This he has done with tact and humility, such that his impact has drawn so many into the APC across the length and breadth of Ogun State.

It is therefore not uncommon to tackle a man with his kind of credentials by opposition elements who are wowed by his intimidating credentials.

Instead of taking him up on issues, they resorted to cheap blackmail, mudslinging and name calling, all in a bid to stop this moving train.

Rather than take on them, the APC Governorship hopeful is replying them through mega initiatives.

targeted at raising the standard of the people across the state.

Therefore, whether you go to Ijebu, Egba, Yewa or Remo, the impact is too glaring to be ignored.

In Ijebu Water Side alone, he is currently working on the electrification of over 50 communities to the tune of 500 million naira, same for about 1 billion naira grant to traders across the state.

This is aside scholarships to students all over the states, grants to artisans, sponsored vocational training and upgrade of Federal Poly to a University and setting up of a Police Academy in the state.

Undoubtedly, Yayi remains the first senator in Ogun State history to have impacted the state’s three senatorial districts simultaneously in less than four years!

Meanwhile, all these are not without resistance. For those who think Senator Adeola would engage in tantrums with the opposition, they would need to ask those who engaged him using gun-toting elements in the race for Lagos West Senatorial District. Not only were they defeated by the mass of the people, they got to learn that politics is not about bravado but deployment of superior intellectual prowess.

Yayi’s school of politics revolves around politics without bitterness with the people as the focal point of politics, a trait he has demonstrated and would continue to demonstrate even after landing at the Governor’s office, Oke-Mosan in 2027.

Adefulu, a Journalist writes from Lagos

A 30-year-old Italy-based businessman, Joseph Cyril, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu, for ingesting 98 wraps of cocaine.

Cyril was arrested on Sunday, August 2, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers boarding Ethiopian Airlines flight ET930, en route to Italy through Addis Ababa and France.

The arrest was among the arrests and drug seizures recorded by the NDLEA during the first week of August.

Following his arrest at the airport’s departure hall, Cyril was placed under excretion observation. He subsequently expelled 98 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.510 kilogrammes.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Cyril had arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13, 2026.

He ingested the drug at a hotel in Awka, Anambra State, before travelling to Enugu to board his flight back to Europe.

In his statement, the suspect said he had been doing business in Italy for several years before agreeing to traffic the consignment for pound 3,500. He added that he intended to use the money to finance his relocation to Germany, where his family is based.

In a separate operation, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Akure-Ilesha Expressway intercepted a truck conveying 1,633 kilogrammes of skunk concealed in bags of rice shafts.

The truck was intercepted on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, while two suspects identified as 40-year-old Buba Jamilu and 30-year-old Sanusi Ibrahim, who were transporting the consignment, were arrested.

Similarly, NDLEA operatives recovered 147 kilogrammes of skunk from the Ita Ogbolu forest during a raid conducted on Monday, August 3.

The agency said the arrests and seizures formed part of its ongoing efforts to disrupt the trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs across the country.

The Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking has arrested 28 suspects and recovered assorted illicit substances in Rimin Gado and Doka communities of the State.

This is contained in a statement by the Chairman of the Task Force, Mr. Muhuyi Malawi and issued by the Secretary, Mr. Ibrahim Garba-Muhammad on Sunday in Kano.

Magaji, who led the operation, said it was aimed to tackle drug-related criminality and protect communities from the effects of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

‘On Aug. 7, the task force raided five drug joints in Rimin Gado and Doka in Tofa Local Government Area of the state.

The targeted operation was aimed to demonstrate the task force’s impartial enforcement mandate and to send a clear message that no one is above the law.

‘We are treating every community equally and enforcing the law without bias. Our guiding principle is Kano First and we are determined to ensure a peaceful, prosperous and drug-free state inline with the vision of Gov. Abba Kabir-Yusuf,’ he said.

Magaji said the task force recovered various assorted illicit substances during the raids. He said that he commenced the operations from his hometown Rimin Gado saying it was deliberate and symbolic.

‘Sanitising my own community is the first step to a wider campaign,’ he added.

He said that the campaign would be extended beyond Kano Metropolis to all 44 Local Government Areas of the state.

The chairman noted that the operation combined kinetic interventions to disrupt criminal activities with coordinated follow-up. He said the task force would also adopt a balanced approach that would combine enforcement with prevention and recovery.

‘While kinetic measures continue to dismantle illicit drug networks, non-kinetic efforts are being intensified through engagement with community leaders, regulatory bodies, health services and educational partners to raises awareness. We’ll also strengthen supply-chain controls and expand rehabilitative support to those affected by substance use’ Magaji said.

He stressed that lawful and legitimate businesses were not the target of the operations.

‘Our aim is to protect honest traders and create an environment in which businesses and communities can thrive free from the effects of drug trafficking and abuse’ he said.

Magaji said investigations were ongoing and suspects found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law. He urged members of the public to support the ongoing operations by reporting suspicious activities and provide relevant information on drug trafficking and abuse.

The Chairman reaffirmed the task force’s commitment to sustain its operations, uphold professional standards and safeguard the health and security of residents across the state.

Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has announced that enrollment under the Katsina State Health Insurance Scheme has increased from 355,000 beneficiaries in 2023 to 583,460 in 2026, representing a 64 percent growth within three years.

Governor Radda made the announcement on Friday while flagging off the enrollment of 184,105 beneficiaries into the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) across Katsina State’s 361 political wards at the General Hospital, Katsina.

He said the achievement reflects his administration’s sustained investment in expanding access to quality healthcare and ensuring that poor and vulnerable citizens are not left behind.

‘Today, we are not merely launching another programme. We are taking another bold step towards ensuring that healthcare becomes a right and not a privilege for every citizen of Katsina State,’ the Governor declared.

Governor Radda stated that Katsina has emerged as one of Nigeria’s leading states in healthcare financing and service delivery, with the Katsina State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KTSCHMA) winning the National Health Insurance Excellence Award in both 2024 and 2025.

He disclosed that the agency has also hosted peer-review visits from seven states seeking to understudy Katsina’s innovative healthcare financing model.

The Governor further revealed that his administration has revitalised Primary Healthcare Centres across the state, established modern facilities including the Imaging and Cancer Treatment Centreand Dialysis Centre, and upgraded several Comprehensive Health Centres into fully-fledged General Hospitals.

He disclosed that about 98 percent of state and local government employees have been enrolled into the health insurance scheme, while retirees, members of the Hisbah Corps, the Katsina State Community Watch Corps and persons with disabilities continue to benefit from free health insurance provided by the state government.

Governor Radda also announced that enrollment into the Katsina State Health Insurance Scheme has become a mandatory requirement for all government employment programmes.

According to him, the policy is designed to protect beneficiaries from catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenses while accelerating Katsina’s drive towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

‘An Executive Memorandum will be issued immediately to ensure full compliance across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Health insurance is now mandatory in Katsina State because we are determined to protect our people from avoidable financial hardship arising from medical expenses,’ the Governor stated.

He explained that the policy aligns with the Federal Government’s Universal Health Coverage agenda and his administration’s Building Your Future development blueprint.

Governor Radda said the government has strengthened the Katsina State Drugs and Medical Supplies Management Agency through an innovative financing model that channels 50 percent of capitation funds directly to healthcare facilities, significantly reducing drug stock-outs while improving accountability and service delivery.

He noted that Katsina’s healthcare financing model has continued to attract national and international recognition, revealing that countries such as Kenya have adopted aspects of the state’s healthcare financing framework.

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has linked the lack of electricity in rural communities to early nights and increased population growth.

Fayose made the statement on Friday in Abuja after he was inaugurated as Chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency board.

In a video shared by ARISE News on Saturday, Fayose said many people in rural communities had few recreational activities at night because of the lack of electricity.

According to him, most residents go to bed early because their communities become dark after 7pm.

He said, ‘Why don’t you address this issue of electricity? The people at that level have no alternative attraction. Nothing else matters to them. After 7 o’clock, it gets dark there.

‘Everybody is engaging their wives. And the population simply becomes double. The simple problem is because there is lack of electricity.’

Fayose said providing electricity in rural areas would give residents more options for entertainment and recreation outside their homes.

He added that improved electricity supply would encourage nightlife and allow people to spend more time outside their homes.

‘People go to bed early. Their mind is simply prepared that, well, if this is the only available recreation, let me remain here.

‘But when we address this electricity, there will be nightlife. There will be recreation outside your wife,’ he said.

Fayose spoke as he assumed leadership of the REA board, which is responsible for improving electricity access in communities that are not adequately served by the national power grid.

He was sworn in alongside other members of the REA governing board by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe.

Ahmadu Abubakar and Ilyasu Makinta were also inaugurated as board members, alongside three other non-executive directors.

Abba Aliyu was formally installed as the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of worsening Nigerians’ purchasing power, saying many households are increasingly struggling to afford homes, vehicles and basic assets.

Atiku, in a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the latest Central Bank of Nigeria Household Expectations Survey showed that families were facing difficulties acquiring major household assets.

The former vice president described the survey as a reflection of the economic pressure faced by Nigerians, arguing that it contradicted claims of improved economic wellbeing.

According to the CBN survey cited by Atiku, buying conditions stood at 28.7 points for motor vehicles, 28.9 points for consumer durables and 30.0 points for buildings and landed property.

He said the figures showed that the economic challenges facing Nigerians had gone beyond food prices and were now affecting their ability to save, invest and acquire assets.

‘These are not figures manufactured by the opposition. They are the verdict of Nigerian households captured by the Central Bank under President Tinubu’s own government,’ Atiku said.

Atiku further linked the survey findings to rising food costs, citing the SBM Jollof Index, which estimated that preparing a pot of jollof rice for a family of five costs an average of ?29,578.

He argued that the cost represented a significant portion of the ?70,000 minimum wage, leaving many workers with limited resources for other essential needs.

‘What the figures tell us is simple: Nigerians are being priced out of decent living. A home is becoming a fantasy. A car is becoming a luxury. Household appliances are increasingly beyond reach,’ Atiku said.

The ADC presidential candidate also criticised the government’s focus on economic indicators such as GDP growth and foreign reserves, arguing that such figures must translate into improved living conditions for citizens.

However, the Federal Government has continued to defend its economic reforms, including petrol subsidy removal and foreign exchange market reforms, saying the measures are necessary to stabilise the economy, attract investment and create sustainable growth.

The administration has acknowledged the challenges caused by the transition period but maintained that the reforms are aimed at achieving long-term economic stability and improving opportunities for Nigerians.

Atiku maintained that the success of any economic policy should ultimately be measured by its impact on ordinary citizens and their ability to afford basic needs and improve their standard of living.

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga has said that President Bola Tinubu deserves praise for expanding infrastructure across the country.

Onanuga stated this during an inspection tour of the Makurdi-Otukpo-Obolo-Affor-Enugu dual carriageway by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors Presidential Media Team.

The team led by Onanuga is being conducted round completed and ongoing federal and state infrastructure projects across Benue State.

Speaking to newsmen along the corridor, Onanuga described the expressway as a landmark project that would strengthen connectivity, boost commerce and foster national integration.

‘From what we have seen so far, even though we have not even completed this road, it has shortened the travel time between Makurdi and Otukpo.

‘From what I gathered, the road was so bad that from Makurdi to Otukpo it used to take about three hours. But now, just about one and a half hours or so, we are in Otukpo.

‘So, this is a commendable project and I think President Bola Tinubu deserves a lot of applause for touching almost every part of Nigeria, giving them one road or bridge or one infrastructure or the other,’ he said.

Onanuga added: ‘This road is linking the North Central and the South East for you.

‘If you are able to link all parts of Nigeria, it shows you that we are improving the connectivity across our states.

‘This will no doubt boost, not just passenger traffic, also business as people will be able to move goods across all the borders, all the state borders’.

Speaking on the project, the Federal Controller of Works, Benue State, Mukaila Danladi, said the 258-kilometre dual carriageway had been divided into five sections to facilitate construction.

He explained that the project traverses Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi and Enugu states, forming a strategic transport corridor linking major economic and commercial centres across the regions.

According to the controller, about 178 kilometres of the highway fall within Benue, while the section under

inspection covers 50 kilometres on each carriageway, totalling 100 kilometres.

Danladi said construction had progressed to about 86 kilometres of binder course on both carriageways, describing the achievement as significant in spite of prevailing weather-related challenges.

He attributed the slower pace of work to the rainy season, noting that some earthworks could not be undertaken under unfavourable weather conditions common during construction.

The controller, however, said work had not stopped, with contractors concentrating on hydraulic structures and drainage installations along the alignment pending improved weather conditions.

He reiterated the Federal Government’s assurance that the project would be delivered within the 48-month contract period, with completion expected by December 2027.

Danladi recalled that the highway is the second phase of the Abuja-Akwanga-Nasarawa-Makurdi corridor, extending the dualisation from Makurdi through Otukpo and Obollo-Afor to Enugu.

He said the project is funded through a combination of the China EXIM Bank loan and Federal Government counterpart funding, while China Harbour Engineering Company is executing the works.

The highway is expected to improve road safety, reduce travel time, ease movement of agricultural produce and strengthen trade and economic integration across the affected states.(NAN)

A 25-year-old Kano woman, Maimuna Idris, has been remanded in a correctional centre after she pleaded guilty to cutting off her boyfriend’s manhood.

The the victim is identified as Ashiru Sani.

Idris, who resides in Maigatari Local Government Area of Jigawa was arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court sitting in Kano on Friday on a two-count charge of attempted culpable homicide and causing grievous harm.

The Prosecution Counsel, H.A. Sani-Buhari, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on July 27 at Badawa Quarters, Kano.

Sani-Buhari said that on the same date at about 12:50 p.m., the Badawa Police Division received a report from the management of Durbar Hotel, Badawa, Kano, that the defendant allegedly attacked her boyfriend with a sharp knife.

She said earlier, at about 11:00 a.m., the defendant allegedly severed her boyfriend’s manhood after discovering his intention to marry another woman.

‘The victim was immediately rushed to Abubakar Imam Urology Hospital, Kano, for medical treatment,’ she said.

The defendant, however, pleaded guilty to the charges.

According to the prosecutor, the offence contravenes the provisions of sections 229 and 248 of the Penal Code.

The Judge, Magistrate Sadiya Usman, ordered the remand of the defendant in a correctional centre and adjourned the matter until September 9, for further mention. (NAN)