Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Transportation through Nigerian inland waterways has recorded many tragic accidents. From Sokoto to Bayelsa, Lagos to Rivers, the tragedies have been recurrent.

Accidents are often inevitable but governments at local, state and federal levels have the responsibility of making sure measures are taken to prevent or minimise such accidents, especially when the causes are not due to natural occurrences that are beyond man’s control.

The recent loss of more than 50 lives in Gorau area of Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State comes as one accident too many. This tragedy is reportedly the eighth boat accident since 2020, with almost 100 lives lost in what many see as rough official estimates from locals who often lack correct data of victims.

Again many victims are often hurriedly buried according to Islamic rites, thereby giving little room for autopsy or official documentation.

There are known causes of most of the recorded boat mishaps across the country. There have been reported cases of poorly maintained old boats and canoes, overloading, lack of life jackets and poorly supervised operators. These lapses in the operation of water transportation in Nigeria are all human errors. Across the world, water transportation has become a very lucrative business and technology makes it even easier.

We are curious about the effective roles of the ministries of transportation, marine/blue economy, water resources and agriculture. All these ministries ought to play direct complimentary roles that can maximise the use of Nigerian inland waterways.

Many of the recent victims of the Sokoto boat mishap were women and children going to farms. The infrastructure for water transportation are as inadequate as they are archaic.

There is no reason state governments across the country cannot invest in water and road transportation in a 21st century world.

We are surprised that a number of states are investing in local airports and airlines without investing in the inland waterways transportation that inarguably serves more of the informal sector that contributes a huge percentage of the country’s GDP. Some of the airports in most states cost billions, are elite-focused and are often economically unviable.

We wonder the research and economic projections that often informed such elephant projects.

Transportation has become a huge problem in Nigeria because of the huge amounts required for functional road networks. We therefore feel that this latest tragedy in Sokoto should be a wake-up call for all tiers of government, especially states with prospects for viable water transportation, to take that sector more seriously. The constant loss of lives on our waterways is a huge socio-economic loss to the nation.

The number of boat mishaps across the country ought to have had consequences. Even the Sokoto incident seems very disappointing as there are no definite official details about either the victims or the causative factors.

We wonder why in all the past accidents, there have been no reports of investigations that can lead to the arrest and prosecution of those whose actions or inactions might have caused those accidents.

In spite of the efforts of a state like Lagos, we still have incidents of loss of lives due to boats capsizing, especially in the riverine areas whose only means of transportation into the city is through water transportation.

The loss of any life should bother both individuals and governments. There have been cases where individuals who board the boats deliberately disobey safety measures, thereby endangering not just their lives but the lives of others, especially vulnerable children whose survival depends on the carefulness and guidance of adults.

More than six decades after independence, institutions in the country must be made highly functional, given the value of human capital to development. Ministries and agencies at all levels must be held to account for certain acts of negligence. Ironically, many of the leaders of these ministries and agencies travel to other countries, including fellow African countries, and experience functional infrastructure. The fact that the number of the Sokoto victims is merely speculative is a loud statement about data management in the country.

That the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) can’t even account for the victims shows there is poor information/communication management at that level. Nigeria must reconsider its attitude to statistics and numbers. National planning cannot make sense if the population is not known and data are either unavailable or non-existent.

Rescue infrastructure must be made more available to an area such as the water transportation sector to save lives. Every life must be accounted for at all times. Negligence at all levels must be punished as a deterrent to others.

The Presidency on Thursday dismissed reports portraying an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation in the United States as a criminal case against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that the proceeding is strictly a civil dispute over access to government records.

It said the remaining issue before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia is whether redactions made by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to records already released are lawful under American law.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, clarified in a statement against the backdrop of renewed public debate over the litigation instituted by Aaron Greenspan.

‘For clarity, the matter is a civil records-disclosure dispute under the United States Freedom of Information Act. It is not a criminal case against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, nor has the court found him guilty of any criminal wrongdoing,’ the Presidency said.

It recalled that 23 years ago, in a letter dated February 4, 2003, the American Consulate in Lagos informed the then Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun, that an FBI records check found no criminal arrest records, warrants or warrants for Tinubu, who was then governor of Lagos State.

Giving a chronology of the current litigation, the Presidency said Greenspan submitted FOIA requests to several US government agencies in 2022 seeking records relating to Tinubu.

It alleged that Greenspan is known to work with Nigerian opposition figures, including David Hundeyin and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

According to the statement, after some of the US agencies withheld certain records or declined to confirm or deny their existence, Greenspan commenced Civil Action No. 23-1816 before the US District Court for the District of Columbia in 2023.

The court subsequently allowed Tinubu to participate in the proceedings as an intervenor.

The Presidency explained that during the proceedings, some of the defendant agencies invoked what is known as the ‘Glomar defence,’ which allows an agency in certain circumstances to neither confirm nor deny the existence of particular records.

‘It simply means the government agency is not ‘in a position to deny or admit’ the existence of an investigation. It protects government personnel and the techniques and sources law enforcement agencies use to investigate and prosecute crimes,’ the statement said.

It said the court consequently granted summary judgment in favour of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA), Department of State, Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS), removing them from the proceedings.

The claims involving the FBI and DEA, however, remained for further consideration.

According to the Presidency, the FBI and DEA subsequently complied with the court’s orders by producing 399 pages of records, although portions were redacted pursuant to exemptions contained in US law.

Greenspan then challenged the decision to redact portions of the documents, prompting the FBI and DEA, through the United States Department of Justice, to defend the redactions.

The Presidency said the agencies cited several legal grounds for withholding portions of the records, including protections covering grand jury proceedings and information relating to pen registers or trap-and-trace devices under FOIA Exemption 3.

It said the agencies also relied on privileges covering attorney work product and attorney-client communications, including instances in which FBI and DEA agents sought or received legal advice from Justice Department attorneys.

Other grounds cited included protection of law-enforcement materials and information whose disclosure could constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

The Presidency said the agencies further argued that releasing some information could reveal the identities of confidential sources or compromise investigative techniques used by law-enforcement authorities.

It added that Tinubu, acting on the advice of his lawyers, had also asserted privacy rights guaranteed under FOIA Exemption 7(C).

The statement said Greenspan has until September 11, 2026, to file any opposition and reply to processes filed by the defendants and Tinubu as intervenor.

The FBI, DEA and Tinubu, it added, have until September 18 to respond to any processes subsequently filed by the plaintiff.

‘The release or withholding of records under FOIA does not, by itself, establish criminal liability. The case concerns access to government records and the proper application of statutory exemptions,’ the Presidency stressed.

It said the outcome of the litigation rested exclusively with Judge Beryl A. Howell of the US District Court, who would determine the issues on the basis of the evidence, applicable law and arguments presented by the parties.

According to the Presidency, the outcome would not be determined by ‘the wishful preference of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or his agent, Mr Von Batten.’

It also faulted recent public comments by Karl von Batten, saying neither he nor his client was a party to the litigation.

‘Recent public commentary by Mr Karl von Batten has inaccurately portrayed him and his client as central to the proceedings. Neither is a party to the case.

‘The litigation is a civil records-disclosure dispute under FOIA. It does not constitute a criminal charge, trial, or judicial finding against President Tinubu. The FBI and DEA have produced records with redactions, and the remaining question is whether those redactions are lawful.

‘The United States District Court will decide that issue based on the filings and applicable US law, not political commentary,’ the statement said.

The Presidency urged Nigerian media organisations and the public to distinguish between verified developments in the US court proceedings and partisan interpretations of the litigation.

The Olushi Onigbesa Royal Family has asked the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja to declare that it is entitled to produce and continue to produce the Oba of Oshodi.

It seeks to restrain the Lagos State Government, its agencies and the rival Oshodi Tapa and Arota families from recognising or installing another person as the traditional ruler.

The family accused the Lagos State Government of backing rival claimants to the Oshodi traditional stool and attempting to install another Oba, despite a series of court decisions which the family said had left intact a tribunal recommendation in its favour.

The allegation is contained in suit ID/1457GCMW/2026, instituted by Prince Yaya Oseni-Agedegudu and Kabiru Eeyantan on behalf of the royal family through its counsel, Omoniyi Akinmola.

The defendants are the Lagos State Governor; Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development; Chairman, Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area; Chief Maroofdeen Oshodi; Chief Abdulrasak Oshodi; Hakeem Adesope; Chief Biliamin Akinola; and Adekunle Thomas.

The dispute revolves around the recommendation of a Standing Tribunal of Inquiry into Chieftaincy Matters constituted by the state government to determine whether the Baaleship of Oshodi should be upgraded to an Obaship.

The tribunal, chaired by retired Justice A.O. Silva, commenced sitting on June 1, 2005 and completed its proceedings before submitting its findings and recommendations to the Lagos State Government in 2012.

The claimants said the tribunal recommended the Olushi Onigbesa Royal Family as the family entitled to produce the Oba of Oshodi.

They maintained that attempts by rival families to overturn the recommendation had failed before the courts.

According to the claimants, the Oshodi Arota Ologun family first challenged the recommendation at the High Court, which dismissed the case in a judgment delivered on September 24, 2014.

The family appealed, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal on March 25, 2020, with costs, while the Supreme Court subsequently dismissed its appeal on July 13, 2021, also with costs.

The claimants further cited Suit No. ID/4218GCM/2020, which was struck out by the High Court on June 10, 2022.

They also referred to Suit No. ID/3174GCMW/2016, filed by the Oshodi Tapa family, which was struck out by Justice L.A.F. Oluyemi on January 27, 2022.

Similarly, a certiorari application filed by the Oshodi Tapa and Oshodi Ologun families in Suit No. ID/6736GCMW/2023 was struck out by Justice L.A. Oluwayemi on October 17, 2024.

The claimants argued that the successive decisions did not invalidate the tribunal’s recommendation.

They alleged, however, that after the state government had commenced administrative steps to implement the recommendation, it changed its position.

The royal family specifically challenged a letter dated October 20, 2022, written by the Lagos State Attorney-General, which it said recognised the Oshodi and Arota families as entitled to produce the Oba of Oshodi.

The claimants alleged that the Attorney-General’s position was based on a misunderstanding and misinterpretation of earlier judgments concerning a 206-acre parcel of land in Oshodi.

They maintained that the earlier judgments dealt only with ownership of the 206 acres and did not determine the question of traditional rulership of the wider Olushi Onigbesa territory.

According to the claimants, Oba Olushi Onigbesa founded more than 1,000 acres covering Oshodi, Jafo, Abujalo, Dacosta, Ayeni, Ogunoloko, Ago Igbira and other settlements.

They said Oshodi Tapa, whom they identified as the progenitor of the Oshodi family, was brought to assist Olushi Onigbesa in fighting slave raiders.

The claimants alleged that Olushi Onigbesa later granted Oshodi Tapa 206 acres for farming but did not transfer ownership of the wider territory or its traditional rulership to him.

They relied on the 1957 litigation in Suit No. AB/16/1957, saying the case concerned the payment of traditional tribute, known as Isakole, over the 206-acre parcel.

The royal family argued that the judgment established the nature of the land grant but did not make Oshodi Tapa the founder of the wider territory or confer the Obaship on his descendants.

It said the matter eventually reached the Supreme Court, which affirmed the decision concerning the 206 acres.

The claimants also relied on historical documents, including judgments, colonial correspondence, land agreements, chieftaincy records and intelligence reports, which they said would be tendered at trial to establish their claim to the stool.

They said the state government itself had earlier treated the family as entitled to produce the Oba.

According to them, following the tribunal’s recommendation, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs notified the Agedegudu Ruling House in August 2012 that it was its turn to present a candidate.

The ruling house subsequently nominated Prince Y.A. Oseni-Agedegudu in November 2013.

The claimants said the government prepared a draft Chieftaincy Declaration and a profile for the proposed Oba, while the family paid N250,000 to the state government as approval fees on August 8, 2016.

They further stated that the Joint Chieftaincy Committee of Oshodi/Isolo Local Government approved the nomination at its meeting on June 9, 2021, with subsequent correspondence sent to the local government and the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs.

The family contended that the steps showed that the government had accepted the tribunal’s recommendation and commenced the process of installing its nominee before allegedly reversing its position.

But the Oshodi Tapa Chieftaincy Family, in its defence, urged the court to dismiss the suit, describing the claim as frivolous and an attempt to circumvent earlier judgments concerning ownership of Oshodi land.

The position was contained in a written statement on oath and amended statement of defence deposed to by the fifth defendant, Chief Maroofdeen Oshodi, a principal member of the family.

The defendant disputed the claimants’ ancestry, alleging that they were not members of the family of the Olushi Onigbesa of Igbesa, Ado-Odo, Ogun State.

He claimed that the claimants had previously identified themselves as descendants of an Olushi Onigbesa from Ile-Ife, arguing that this was different from the Onigbesa of Igbesa, Ado-Odo, known to the Oshodi Tapa family.

The defence relied heavily on the 1957 litigation, AB/16/57, arguing that the judgment established that the land now known as Oshodi was given to the progenitors of the Oshodi Tapa and sixth defendant families as an absolute gift, rather than being held under customary tenancy.

The defendant said the decision was affirmed by the then Federal Supreme Court in FSC/431/61, Sunmonu Agedegudu v. Sanni Ajenifuja and Others.

He also cited SC/53/1995, Dr Rasaki Oshodi and Others v. Yisa Eyifunmi and Another, reported in (2000) 7 SC (Pt. 11) 145, claiming that the Supreme Court reaffirmed the position concerning the land.

The defence also challenged the legal effect of the 2005 tribunal recommendation.

According to the defendant, the tribunal was constituted after Baale Yesufu Seidu Owoseni sought the elevation of the Baaleship to an Obaship.

He alleged that disagreements between the fifth and sixth defendant families prevented them from effectively presenting their case before the tribunal, which he claimed allowed the claimants to assert that they were descendants of Olushi Onigbesa and entitled to the stool.

The defendant further alleged that neither the fifth nor sixth defendant family was furnished with a copy of the tribunal’s recommendation.

He argued that the recommendation breached their right to fair hearing and exceeded the tribunal’s mandate by determining that the claimants were solely entitled to the stool.

The defence also relied on historical records showing that the fifth and sixth defendant families had produced successive Baales of Oshodi from the 19th century.

It listed Faremi Taraeni Ajagungbade, Ogundeyi, Kupoluyi, Asiaju, Seriki, Oke, Sanni Ajenifuja, Yekini Alimi Ajenifuja and Yesufu Seidu Owoseni among those who occupied the Baaleship between 1850 and 2005.

The defendant argued that the claimants had no record of producing a Baale of Oshodi during the period and could not rely on customary law to claim the traditional stool.

He further accused the first claimant of taking steps capable of causing a breakdown of law and order, alleging that he had attempted to make himself king over Oshodi.

The fifth defendant urged the court to dismiss the suit and award punitive costs against the claimants.

The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has traced about 58 bank accounts to Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.

Preliminary evidence indicates that more than 30 were operated in the names of about nine agencies, companies, foundations and related entities.

The committee also identified more than 12 organisations and entities allegedly linked, directly or indirectly, to Adeyemi, raising concerns over what it described as a possible network of organisations operating under governmental, international, investment, educational, charitable, foundation and United Nations-related identities.

Chairman of the Committee, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja while presenting the panel’s preliminary findings on its investigation into the purported PFIPC and its alleged inclusion in the Federal Budget Framework.

According to Gagdi, information obtained from financial and investigative institutions showed that the Bank Verification Number (BVN) and other identifying details associated with Adeyemi were linked to a substantial network of personal, corporate, organisational and foundation accounts.

He listed entities associated with the records as the Confederation of United Nations Youths; FCT Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership; FCT Investment Promotion Council and Public-Private Partnership; Foreign Investment Promotion Agency; United Nations Youth Global Agency; United Nations Youth Global Foundation; World United Nations Youth Global Foundation; World Entrepreneurship University Limited; World Enterprise University Limited; FCT Investment Promotion Act; FCT Promotion Agency; and Olubadan of Ibadan Foundation.

Gagdi said some of the entities appeared to have multiple accounts, while other accounts were operated in personal or variant names.

He, however, stressed that the Committee had not concluded that every identified account, entity or transaction was unlawful.

‘The Committee is reconciling registration records, account mandates, beneficial ownership information, signatories and transaction histories to determine the true nature and control of the identified entities and accounts,’ he said.

The Committee, he added, was particularly concerned by similarities in the nomenclature, objectives, management structures, signatories and bank-account relationships of the entities.

Gagdi said preliminary evidence suggested that Adeyemi might have been connected, directly or indirectly, with more than 12 such entities.

The Committee is investigating whether the entities were conceived or deployed to create artificial credibility, solicit funds, obtain investments, procure official recognition, secure government facilities or induce members of the public to part with money.

The chairman also disclosed that the Committee had met Adeyemi behind closed doors during the investigation but did not reveal details of the engagement.

He said Adeyemi could not be brought before the Committee because of a court order keeping him in police custody.

The Committee was constituted by the House following the adoption of Resolution No. 68/07/2026 on July 8, 2026.

The House acted pursuant to its constitutional powers of appropriation, oversight and investigation after considering reports concerning the purported establishment, operation and inclusion of the PFIPC in the Federal Budget Framework.

The investigation was considered of grave national importance because it touched on the sanctity of the Federal Budget Process, public finance administration, the security of official government documents, the reputation of the Presidency and other institutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Committee was mandated to establish the legal status of the purported organisation, determine how it appeared in the Federal Budget Framework, ascertain whether any appropriation, warrant, cash backing or financial release was made in its favour, identify persons and institutions connected with its activities and determine whether institutional or administrative breaches occurred.

Gagdi stressed that the findings presented to journalists were preliminary and based on oral testimony, documentary evidence, financial records and submissions received so far.

‘They do not constitute the final report of the Committee or represent the final decision of the House of Representatives,’ he said.

PFIPC not established by law

The Committee said it found no valid Act of the National Assembly, gazetted enactment, Presidential Executive Order, administrative instrument or other lawful authority establishing an institution known as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

According to Gagdi, no competent Federal Government authority produced an authentic record showing that the organisation was created, approved or authorised by the President, Federal Executive Council, National Assembly, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation or any other authority empowered by law.

The organisation, he said, also operated under inconsistent descriptions, including the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and Presidential Economic Advisory Council.

He said the inconsistencies, considered alongside the documentary evidence before the Committee, substantially undermined any claim that the entity possessed lawful governmental status.

‘Appointment letter’ allegedly forged

The Committee also examined a document purporting to appoint Adeyemi as Director-General of the organisation.

The document was presented as an official communication from the Presidency and purportedly bore the authority and signature of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Gagdi said evidence obtained from the State House established that no such appointment was made or approved by the Presidency.

The Chief of Staff, he said, neither issued nor signed the letter, while the letterhead was not an authentic State House letterhead.

The purported reference number was also inconsistent with the State House’s official referencing system, while the format, language and administrative features differed materially from official correspondence.

‘The Committee therefore preliminarily finds that the purported appointment letter was fabricated and falsely attributed to the Presidency,’ Gagdi said.

He said any deliberate creation or deployment of a document purporting to show that the President or Chief of Staff had authorised the appointment of an individual to head a non-existent federal institution would constitute a grave matter if established through the criminal process.

Purported Executive Order

The Committee also examined a document described as Presidential Executive Order No. 5 of February 24, 2026, which was represented as presidential authority for establishing or operating the organisation.

Gagdi said available evidence indicated that the document was not an authentic Executive Order of the President and was neither issued nor approved through lawful presidential processes.

He described the alleged fabrication of an instrument represented to the public as an Executive Order as exceptionally serious.

‘An Executive Order carries the authority of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’ he said.

Any attempt to manufacture such an instrument to procure official recognition, financial advantage or public confidence, he added, struck at the foundation of lawful executive authority.

‘Act of National Assembly’ allegedly mutilated

The Committee examined a document presented as an Act of the National Assembly establishing the purported organisation.

Gagdi said preliminary examination showed that the document was never enacted by the National Assembly, passed by both chambers, assented to by the President or gazetted as an Act of the Federation.

He said the document did not conform with the established structure, numbering, certification and publication characteristics of an authentic Act.

Portions of an instrument relating to another institution, he added, appeared to have been electronically altered, mutilated or substituted to create the impression that Parliament had enacted legislation establishing the purported Presidential Economic Advisory Council or PFIPC.

‘No individual, organisation or group has the lawful authority to manufacture legislative authority by editing, mutilating, substituting or fabricating a document and presenting it as an enactment of Parliament,’ Gagdi said.

He said the matter would be treated with the seriousness it deserved because the integrity of the National Assembly and the credibility of the Laws of the Federation could not be allowed to become instruments of private deception.

Forged request sent to Accountant-General

The Committee also uncovered a letter dated November 7, 2024, purportedly emanating from the State House and addressed to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, requesting the creation or issuance of an administrative code for the PFIPC.

The letter was purportedly signed by one Akambi Adewale, described as ‘Director, Administration and Support Services’, for the Permanent Secretary.

According to Gagdi, evidence from the State House established that the office represented in the document did not exist in the stated form.

No State House officer known as Akambi Adewale, he said, served in the purported capacity, while the letter was neither issued nor authorised by the State House.

The Committee therefore preliminarily found that fictitious names, offices and official designations were deployed in an attempt to mislead an important Federal Government financial institution.

Accountant-General’s office under scrutiny

The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation confirmed that its response to the purported State House request was authentic, although the request prompting it was forged.

The office also acknowledged that its response ought not to have been released to Adeyemi or any other unauthorised person but should have been transmitted through a properly authenticated official channel.

Gagdi said the Committee considered it a serious administrative and security lapse that official correspondence addressed to the State House could allegedly have been collected by a person connected with the forged request.

The Committee is investigating whether the lapse resulted from negligence, failure to observe verification requirements, breach of correspondence procedures, wilful disregard of due process or deliberate facilitation.

He stressed that no officer would be condemned without fair hearing.

Budget Office, SGF officials under investigation

The Budget Office made extensive submissions on its interaction with the purported organisation.

Gagdi said the Committee was reviewing correspondence, electronic records, approvals and other actions to establish whether the alleged recognition of the organisation within the Federal Budget Framework resulted from administrative weakness, negligence, circumvention of procedure, unauthorised facilitation or active complicity.

The Committee also expressed concern over the failure or refusal of some officials of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to honour parliamentary invitations or fully respond to requests for information.

Evidence before the panel, Gagdi said, suggested that a senior official might have directed that invitations issued by the Committee should not be honoured.

‘No public officer is entitled to treat a lawful parliamentary investigation with contempt or deliberate obstruction,’ he said.

The affected officials, he added, would be given a final opportunity to respond before definitive findings and recommendations were made.

Unauthorised occupation of Federal Secretariat

The Committee said evidence from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation showed that accommodation occupied by the purported organisation within the Federal Secretariat Complex was not allocated to it by the Office.

Preliminary evidence indicated that part of office accommodation previously allocated to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation was subsequently made available to the purported organisation by some officers without lawful authority.

Gagdi said the occupation of Federal Secretariat accommodation was significant because it strengthened the organisation’s ability to portray itself as a legitimate government agency.

The Committee is identifying the officers responsible for the transfer or occupation of the facility.

39 persons represented as employees

The Committee said about 39 people were represented or paraded as employees of the purported organisation across junior, intermediate and senior cadres.

It is investigating their recruitment, appointment letters and identity cards, payment of salaries or allowances, alleged collection of money as a condition for employment and the functions they performed.

Gagdi said the Committee would distinguish between persons who may themselves have been deceived and those who knowingly participated in or benefited from the activities under investigation.

Number plates, digital identity

The Committee also found evidence suggesting that misleading or fabricated documents were presented to the Federal Road Safety Corps, resulting in the processing or approval of special number plates for vehicles associated with the organisation.

It is reviewing the applications, supporting documents and approvals to establish responsibility.

The use of official-looking number plates, Gagdi said, could reinforce the impression that the organisation had governmental authority.

The organisation also maintained a public and digital identity presenting itself as a Federal Government agency, complete with a purported vision, mission, governing structure and staff hierarchy.

The Committee said such representations were capable of deceiving government institutions, investors, private organisations, purported employees and members of the public.

President, officials allegedly listed without consent

The purported organisation also presented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as chairman of its Governing Council and published the names, offices and, in some cases, photographs of senior public officials as members.

Those listed allegedly included the SGF, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ministers and other senior officials.

Gagdi said the Committee had received no evidence that the President or the affected officials accepted such appointments, consented to serve on the purported council, authorised the appointments or were even aware of them.

‘The Presidency and public institutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria cannot be reduced to instruments for private misrepresentation or commercial deception,’ he said.

Committee clears Chief of Staff

The Committee commended Gbajabiamila, saying evidence before it did not establish that he authorised, approved, established or participated in the activities of the purported organisation.

According to Gagdi, correspondence showed that concerns about the organisation had previously been brought to the Chief of Staff’s attention.

Following an alert from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission concerning suspected fraudulent activities and misuse of institutional materials, the Chief of Staff allegedly communicated within one day with the police, Office of the National Security Adviser, Department of State Services and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

He also initiated administrative verification through relevant government institutions.

When further concerns emerged over a proposed World Investment Summit, additional communications requesting investigation and appropriate action were issued.

‘The documentary evidence presently before the Committee does not establish that the Chief of Staff authorised, approved, established or participated in the activities of the purported organisation,’ Gagdi said.

‘On the contrary, the evidence demonstrates repeated steps to secure investigation, institutional verification and appropriate administrative action.’

Committee traces alleged N400m payment

One of the financial allegations before the Committee involves a company which claimed that Adeyemi induced it to pay about N400 million in four instalments.

According to the complaint, the payments were made after representations that the company would receive a contract for the renovation, furnishing or improvement of a residence allegedly allocated to Adeyemi in his claimed official capacity as Director-General.

The company allegedly took representatives to a residential property in Abuja and presented it as his purported official residence.

The Committee is tracing the destinations of the payments, identifying account holders and beneficial owners, verifying the ownership and status of the property and determining whether any public officer or other person participated in or benefited from the transaction.

Gagdi said that if established through competent investigative and judicial processes, the allegations could disclose offences including fraudulent misrepresentation, obtaining money by false pretence, impersonation, conspiracy, forgery and offences relating to the movement or concealment of proceeds of crime.

Committee identifies systemic failures

Beyond the activities attributed to Adeyemi and related entities, the Committee identified what it described as serious weaknesses in the machinery of government.

These include deficiencies in verifying the lawful existence of government institutions; creation and administration of budget and administrative codes; authentication and custody of official correspondence; verification of appointments purportedly emanating from the Presidency; allocation of Federal Secretariat accommodation; processing of special vehicle registration numbers; protection of government letterheads, signatures and institutional identities; inter-agency information sharing; and compliance by public officers with parliamentary invitations.

Gagdi said fabricated documents alone might not have achieved the level of apparent legitimacy attained by the organisation without corresponding weaknesses in institutional verification and administrative controls.

The Committee’s responsibility, he said, therefore extended beyond determining individual culpability to identifying systemic failures and recommending reforms.

Preliminary finding: PFIPC not lawfully established

On the evidence presently before it, the Committee preliminarily determined that the PFIPC was not lawfully established.

It said documentary materials used to project the organisation’s existence and authority contained substantial evidence of alleged fabrication, forgery, mutilation, impersonation and unauthorised representation of institutions and public officers.

The emerging picture, according to the Committee, includes purported presidential and State House correspondence; a forged appointment attributed to the Chief of Staff; a fabricated Executive Order; an altered document presented as an Act of the National Assembly; unauthorised use of the names and identities of the President and senior officials; misrepresentation to government financial and administrative institutions; unauthorised occupation of Federal Secretariat accommodation; procurement of official-looking number plates; recruitment of a purported workforce; a misleading digital identity; multiple associated entities and bank accounts; and alleged inducement of individuals and organisations to part with substantial sums.

The preliminary evidence, Gagdi said, identified Adeyemi as the principal person associated with the representation and operation of the purported organisation and its wider network of related entities.

He said the alleged forging or mutilation of instruments purporting to emanate from the Presidency or National Assembly was particularly reprehensible.

‘Such conduct, where proved, constitutes an attack on the integrity of the institutions of the Republic themselves,’ he said.

The Committee consequently considered the allegations serious enough to warrant the prompt conclusion of criminal and financial investigations.

Where sufficient admissible evidence is established, it said the appropriate agencies should institute criminal proceedings and pursue lawful measures for tracing, preservation, freezing and recovery of proceeds or assets derived from established unlawful conduct.

The Committee nevertheless stressed that criminal guilt could only be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction and that all persons affected remained entitled to fair hearing and other protections guaranteed by law.

Further investigations

Before submitting its final report, the Committee will reconcile the legal identities and ownership structures of all associated entities and verify the precise number, ownership and control of the identified bank accounts.

It will analyse financial transactions, establish the aggregate sums received, transferred or withdrawn, identify signatories, operators and beneficial owners and determine the roles of public officers connected with the matter.

The panel will also investigate the unauthorised occupation of Federal Secretariat accommodation, the processes leading to special number plates, the authors and beneficiaries of allegedly fabricated documents, the sources of the purported Executive Order and National Assembly Act, and the full list of alleged victims and financial losses.

It will establish whether any appropriation, warrant, cash backing or financial release was made in favour of the purported organisation.

The Committee will also trace the alleged ?400 million transaction, verify the ownership and status of the property represented as the purported official residence and establish the full extent of Adeyemi’s connection with the identified entities.

It will determine whether any public officer knowingly facilitated the activities under investigation and recommend appropriate criminal, civil, administrative, disciplinary and financial measures where warranted.

Preliminary recommendations

Pending completion of the investigation, the Committee recommended that ministries, departments and agencies should not recognise, transact with or extend governmental privileges to the PFIPC or related entities whose legal status had not been independently verified.

It also recommended that no appropriation, administrative code, warrant, cash backing, financial release or government facility should be processed in favour of the purported organisation.

Financial institutions and investigative agencies should preserve account records, transaction histories, mandates and beneficial ownership information relating to persons and entities under investigation.

Security and anti-corruption agencies were urged to conclude their investigations and coordinate evidence in accordance with the law.

The Committee further recommended the preservation of documentary and electronic evidence, websites, devices, correspondence, properties and institutional records against destruction, alteration or interference.

The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation should conduct a comprehensive audit of office allocations within Federal Secretariat complexes.

The Federal Road Safety Corps should review procedures for issuing official and special number plates to prevent unverified organisations from acquiring an appearance of governmental status.

The Budget Office and Office of the Accountant-General should introduce enhanced authentication procedures for new institutions, administrative codes, budget codes and correspondence purportedly originating from the Presidency or other high offices.

The Federal Government was also urged to establish or strengthen a secure centralised digital platform through which the lawful existence, establishing instrument and status of every federal ministry, department and agency can be independently verified.

Public officers and institutions with outstanding invitations or information requests from the Committee were urged to comply with the lawful exercise of parliamentary investigative powers.

The Committee further recommended intensified investigation of Adeyemi and all persons and entities materially connected with the alleged scheme, with criminal proceedings instituted where sufficient evidence exists.

It specifically recommended a separate and comprehensive investigation of the alleged N400 million transaction and appropriate lawful measures to trace, preserve, freeze and recover proceeds of any established unlawful activity, subject to judicial authorisation where required.

It also recommended formal acknowledgement of the timely interventions undertaken by the Chief of Staff whenever the matter was brought to his attention.

‘This is about integrity of Nigerian state’

Gagdi said the investigation went beyond the activities of a purported organisation.

‘It concerns the integrity of the Federal Budget Process, the sanctity of presidential authority, the authenticity of Acts and instruments of the National Assembly, the security of government correspondence, the responsibility of public institutions and the ability of the Nigerian state to protect its official identity from fraudulent appropriation,’ he said.

‘The National Assembly cannot permit its legislative authority to be counterfeited.

‘The Presidency cannot be impersonated with impunity.’

He said any person who falsified an Act of the National Assembly, manufactured a presidential appointment, fabricated an Executive Order, invented public offices or unlawfully deployed the identity of the President and government institutions must face the consequences where responsibility was established.

At the same time, he said, the Committee would adhere to fair hearing and due process.

‘No person will be condemned merely on allegation, and no person or institution will be shielded where credible evidence establishes responsibility,’ Gagdi said.

The Committee is expected to complete the outstanding aspects of the investigation and submit its final report to the House.

The report will contain definitive findings, identified institutional and individual responsibilities and recommendations for appropriate legislative, administrative, disciplinary, civil, financial and prosecutorial action.

It will then be laid before the House at plenary for consideration, debate and possible adoption, amendment or rejection.

Gagdi said the ultimate objective was to prevent private individuals or organisations from manufacturing governmental authority for personal advantage.

‘It is about protecting the Presidency from impersonation, defending the legislative authority of the National Assembly, securing the Federal Budget Process, safeguarding the identity of the Federal Government and ensuring that no individual is permitted to manufacture governmental authority for private advantage.’

The Committee, he said, would complete the assignment strictly based on evidence, law and the Constitution.

The Headies has officially begun preparations for its 18th edition in Toronto, Canada, launching its ‘Road to Toronto’ campaign during a pre-awards media briefing and reception hosted by the Deputy High Commission of Canada in Lagos.

The event brought together stakeholders from the entertainment, media, business, government and creative sectors to discuss the growing global influence of African creativity and opportunities to strengthen business, investment and international partnerships around the continent’s creative economy.

Speaking at the event, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Headies, Ayo Animashaun, said the awards ceremony is evolving beyond music to promote Africa’s broader creative and economic potential.

‘The Headies has always been about celebrating the people and sounds shaping African music. With our return to Toronto under Africa to the World, we are expanding that conversation to explore the wider economic opportunities around African creativity and create stronger connections between creatives, businesses, investors and international markets,’ Animashaun said.

Discussions at the event also focused on the expanding economic ecosystem surrounding Africa’s creative industries, including music, film, fashion, media and technology, as well as the potential to connect businesses in these sectors with new markets and investment opportunities.

Deputy High Commissioner of Canada in Nigeria, Carlos Rojas-Abulu, said African creativity is increasingly becoming a major driver of business growth.

‘From where I sit, at the Deputy High Commissioner for Canada here, there’s another part of that story that is equally interesting, and that is the economic opportunity growing around that success. Behind the music is an entire ecosystem, and some of you know it very well. There are artists, producers, but also managers, technology companies, media platforms, designers, lawyers, investors, and the list goes on. And they are building businesses around African creativity,’ he said.

Rojas-Abulu added that the opportunities extend beyond music into film, fashion, media, technology and the wider creative economy, stressing the need to strengthen businesses, access new markets and deepen partnerships between Canada and Nigeria.

As part of this year’s programme, The Headies will introduce a Trade and Investment Summit in Toronto aimed at connecting culture with commerce. The summit will bring together investors, business leaders, creatives and government stakeholders to explore cross-border opportunities in sectors such as technology, aviation, infrastructure, smart cities and the creative industries.

Nigeria’s Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, described the decision to host the awards in Canada as a strategic step toward promoting Nigeria’s creative industry on the global stage.

‘The decision to bring the Headies to Canada under the theme Africa to the World is particularly significant. It represents Nigeria to the world, our music, our culture, our stories, our talents and our gifts to have entrepreneurs. But for us in the Federal Government, this is about more than cultural celebration. It has got to be about economic expansion,’ Musawa said.

Organisers said the Toronto programme also reflects the growing relationship between Nigeria and Canada through their creative industries, businesses and diaspora communities. They noted that the African diaspora in Canada continues to play a vital role in strengthening cultural exchange and expanding opportunities for trade and investment.

According to the organisers, the ‘Road to Toronto’ initiative is designed not only to celebrate African music and culture but also to showcase the businesses, investments and partnerships needed to drive the next phase of growth for Africa’s creative economy.

The 18th edition of The Headies will be held in Toronto, Canada, bringing together leading figures from Africa, Canada and the global African diaspora to celebrate African music, culture and its growing impact on the world stage.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has described Nigeria’s admission as an Association Country of the International Energy Agency (IEA) as a validation of the policy choices and economic reforms of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

Shettima said the development also reflected growing international confidence in Nigeria’s commitment to energy sector reforms and constructive cooperation in the global energy space.

The Vice President spoke on Thursday at the signing of a Joint Work Programme between Nigeria and the Paris-based IEA, formally commencing a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening energy policy, investment and security.

Under the agreement, Nigeria and the IEA will collaborate to develop data for energy policy and investment across the value chain, with particular emphasis on economic growth and energy security.

Speaking on behalf of President Tinubu, Shettima said Nigeria’s formal entry into the IEA fold justified the administration’s policy choices and its drive to harness the country’s abundant energy resources for economic development.

‘Nigeria’s admission as an association country with the IEA is a significant milestone for our country, and it reflects Nigeria’s strategic importance in the global energy landscape and the confidence that the IEA has placed in our commitment to constructive international energy cooperation,’ he said.

Shettima commended the IEA for its role in shaping the global energy landscape and helping countries navigate the challenges of energy security, affordability, sustainability and economic development.

According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said Nigeria stands to benefit substantially from the agency’s expertise and institutional resources as the Tinubu administration seeks to reposition the economy by leveraging the country’s conventional and renewable energy resources.

The Vice President said given Nigeria’s enormous potential, ‘the country will benefit from IEA’s institutional knowledge, the intellectual resources, the reach and expertise to support our nation’s ambitions in this sector.’

He noted that Nigeria was endowed with abundant renewable energy resources, adding that the administration’s efforts to harness available resources and reposition the economy were already producing results across different sectors.

Shettima assured the IEA delegation of the Federal Government’s commitment to working with the agency and other stakeholders to contribute meaningfully to the global energy debate, particularly efforts towards achieving a fair and just energy transition.

Earlier, IEA delegation leader Dr Fatih Birol said Nigeria’s admission followed rigorous assessments and consideration by the agency’s governing countries.

Birol explained that the IEA works across the entire energy spectrum, including oil, gas, solar and nuclear power, as well as emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and electric vehicles.

He said the organisation works with about 500 leading energy experts to provide policy advice, data and technical expertise, stressing that admission into the IEA family was subject to stringent requirements.

According to him, following extensive discussions with Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, the IEA board, comprising governments including the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, unanimously approved Nigeria’s admission.

‘The IEA will accompany the Nigerian energy sector for the next few years to come for a much better energy future. We will provide policy advice from clean cooking to gas markets, from gas markets to training Nigerian experts at the IEA on our own,’ Birol said.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekpo, also attributed Nigeria’s admission to the international recognition of the performance of the Tinubu administration and reforms undertaken since it came into office.

He said the Joint Work Programme would enable the IEA’s technical team to work directly with Nigeria in developing reliable data to guide energy policy and investment decisions across the value chain.

According to the minister, the collaboration is ultimately targeted at stimulating economic growth and strengthening the country’s energy security.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, described the partnership as strategically important to Nigeria, noting that the Nigerian Mission in Paris played a critical role in bringing the process to fruition.

He pledged the commitment of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the ministry to ensuring that Nigeria derives maximum benefits from the partnership.

‘Our role is to ensure that whatever government does at home is projected effectively in advancing and promoting the interest of Nigeria.

‘We take this as a critical component of our national interest and we will not fail in ensuring that we assist, as facilitators and coordinators, in ensuring that the maximum benefit of this endeavour is derived for the benefit of the Nigerian people,’ Enikanolaiye said.

Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, said the commission had maintained a relationship with the IEA before Nigeria’s formal admission, including the joint sponsorship of the country’s last National Energy Master Plan.

Abdullahi, however, noted that the previous engagement lacked a formal structure and expressed optimism that Nigeria’s new status and the Joint Work Programme would deepen cooperation between the commission and the global energy agency.

Nigeria’s Rangers International and Rivers United will begin their quest for continental success this weekend as the first preliminary round of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League gets underway across Africa.

The first legs are scheduled for September 4 to 6, with return matches from September 11 to 13. Fifty-eight clubs will contest 29 two-legged ties in the opening round.

NPFL champions Rangers will begin at home against Benin Republic’s SOBEMAP FC before travelling for the second leg.

Should the Flying Antelopes progress, they will meet the winners of the tie between ASN Nigelec of Niger Republic and Algerian giants MC Alger in the second preliminary round.

Rangers return to Africa’s premier club competition hoping to make an impact that reflects the continental history of the Enugu club, whose biggest African triumph remains the 1977 African Cup Winners’ Cup.

In a related development, Tunisian giants CS Sfaxien have arrived in Nigeria ahead of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round first-leg encounter with Shooting Stars Sports Club on Saturday.

The North African side touched down ahead of Saturday’s encounter at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta.

Kick-off is scheduled for 4pm.

Shooting Stars will be seeking a positive home result to strengthen their chances of progressing before travelling for the return leg.

The tie marks the beginning of the Ibadan club’s continental campaign and provides an early test against a side with considerable experience in African club football.

The Oluyole Warriors is returning to the continent for the first time in 27 years and Salisu Yusuf led technical crew will hope to make it count.

Nigeria have four representatives across CAF’s two major club competitions this season, with Shooting Stars and El-Kanemi Warriors competing in the Confederation Cup.

A viral post mocking a graduating student from Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, has sparked an outpouring of support, raising N14 million for him within days.

Madumere Felix Nwachikerendu, who goes by @Felix_the_SUG on X and is popularly known as ‘the Peanut Seller’, became the subject of online jokes on August 31, 2026.

Photos from his final-year project defence were shared by X user @vector_olal with the caption, ‘I just did my final year project defence’, and quickly drew millions of views.

Some commenters criticised his appearance and the fact that he graduated late.

The tone shifted after another X user, Mercy Ninian, said she knew Felix personally and explained what he had gone through at AE-FUNAI.

According to Ninian, the History student battled severe financial challenges throughout his time at school. To stay afloat, she said, he took on menial jobs.

She added that after failing to meet the CGPA requirement and being withdrawn, Felix rewrote JAMB and returned to the university to finish his degree.

Ninian wrote, ‘If you know him, you won’t catch cruise with him. This boy will fetch water, wash other students’ clothes, hawk peanuts, sleep in classrooms… cos he wasn’t able to pay his school fees the first time he got admission and couldn’t meet up with the CGPA… the school withdrew him… still he wrote JAMB and came back. Kudos to Felix fr.’

Others who knew him, including a former roommate, also came forward with similar accounts.

Felix later addressed the post that mocked him.

He said his delayed graduation was not due to a lack of effort.

He wrote, ‘You can laugh at the picture, but you don’t know the story behind it. I didn’t graduate with my set in the History Department in 2023 because I was lazy or unserious, but you chose to mock me. You’re laughing at someone who fell behind but refused to give up.’

The push for support gained momentum when X influencer Wisdom Obi-Dickson, known as Sir Dickson Wizarab, endorsed Ninian’s thread.

He made an initial donation of N100,000 and shared Felix’s account details.

Wizarab wrote, ‘Thank you, Mercy. This is someone we can get behind. I would like us to support him going forward. Today might just be his lucky day. This is his account number, and I’ve sent mine. Raise am.’

Donations came in rapidly. Ninian posted an update that Felix had received over N4 million.

Wizarab urged more people to contribute: ‘He has gotten over N4million. Keep raising it for him.’

By Thursday, the total had crossed N10m and eventually hit N14m.

Wizarab announced, ‘I just want to thank everyone for your kindness and trust. What began as a mockery turned out to be a miracle. Thank you for your continued support. Together we raised the sum of N14m for him. Thank you, thank you, and thank you.’

He said @Skolex5 would help Felix with financial guidance and investment.

Felix thanked donors and promised a formal appreciation video. ‘Thank you so much, sir. I’ll still make a proper video and say a proper thank you,’ he wrote.

He also urged the public to stop spreading false claims about him.

‘This is fake; I wasn’t attacked, and nobody came to my house. I’d appreciate it if you don’t use me or my situation to chase clout. Please, thank you. I wouldn’t want to misinform the public and well-meaning Nigerians. I’m safe, and nobody attacked me,’ he said.

The graduate said he created a sign-out poster as a tribute to his late mother, whom he promised: ‘to never fail, never to do illegal things and never to bring disgrace to.’

He added, ‘Now you reading this post, just be clean and never go against God’s wish. Be good to people. If you don’t see the result now, you will surely see the result later.’

Felix also asked that his story not be used to compete with others online.

‘Stop the comparison. I’m not in any competition with anyone. I don’t know him from anywhere, but looking at how long he’s been here, he’s a great man,’ Felix said.

He added, ‘I’m here cause God wants me to be here and not to compete on who is the highest or whom to choose over another. I’m here cause God wants me to be here and not to compete on who is the highest or whom to choose over another.’

What started as mockery over his appearance has now become a story of perseverance, with public donations giving the AE-FUNAI graduate a new financial footing after years of hawking, laundry work and other odd jobs to complete his education.

SIAT Group, a leading African agro-industrial group and majority shareholder of Presco Plc, has held an event to celebrate its legacy, leadership and the people who have shaped its journey .

The SIAT Forward event, was held under the theme: ‘Legacy, leadership and the future.’

It brought together SIAT’s founding family, retired Directors, Board members,company executives, financial partners and other stakeholders.

The evening was an opportunity to reflect on the group’s history, recognise those who helped build and sustain the business, and celebrate the continuity of a legacy that has evolved across generations, countries and communities.

At the heart of the evening was a celebration of the Vandebeeck family, whose entrepreneurial vision was instrumental in establishing SIAT.

Incorporated under Belgian law in 1991 under the leadership of Pierre Vandebeeck, SIAT’s journey in Africa began with the acquisition of Presco in Nigeria that same year.

The Group subsequently expanded its footprint across the continent, including through the acquisition of Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (GOPDC) in 1995.

Reflecting on the significance of the event, Rasheed Sarumi, Group Chief Executive Officer, Saroafrica International Limited and Chairman, Presco Plc, said ”We are gathered this evening not simply to mark an occasion, but to celebrate a milestone.’

‘For decades, this Group has grown across borders and generations through the vision of the founding family and the dedication of those who came before us and those who have carried that vision forward. Many of you in this room were part of buildingthat story. Today is about saying thank you to those who built it, stayed, served, and to those who continue to carry it forward. We do not stand as something new, but as something continued’.

Speaking on behalf of the founding family, Marie Vandebeeck said: ‘When I think of the legacy of SIAT Group, I don’t first think of hectares and tons of palm oil. I think of people, because ultimately, this business was built over many years. Often, in places where building successful companies requires more than capital and ambition, this is the greatest achievement of SIAT. Above all, you need to believe in the future. This philosophy became the DNA of SIAT, and nowhere is it more visible than in Presco. What Presco became today did not happen overnight. It is the result of decades of persistence, investment and the role of exceptional Nigerian organisations. There was certainly risk and uncertainty; that’s part of the entrepreneurial journey. But there was also a fundamental conviction that it was possible to build a world-class agricultural business in Africa. I am proud of the many talented people who joined this company, stayed, developed and assumed great responsibilities.’

The event also provided an opportunity to look ahead, with Adewale Arikawe, Group Chief Executive Officer, SIAT Group, speaking on the responsibility of the current leadership to build on the foundations established by previous generations. He said: ‘Our responsibility as a team is to take SIAT to the next level – to build something bigger, bolder and more impactful. This is not just a simple vision; it is a call to action. At SIAT, we are fully committed to being an integrated agriculture business, sustainably growing, processing and marketing agricultural resources to create value for our people and shareholders. The Group is growing, and with that growth comes a greater responsibility to our people, our shareholders and all our stakeholders. This is a journey, and our responsibility is to keep building on what has been established, keep growing and make SIAT bigger and stronger.’

The gathering was attended by a cross-section of leaders and stakeholders who have contributed to SIAT’s evolution, including Chief Atedo Peterside, former Board member, Presco Plc; Reji George, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Presco Plc; Felix Nwabuko, former Group Chief Executive Officer, SIAT NV and Institutional Adviser, Presco Plc; among others.

Today, SIAT operates integrated agricultural businesses across Africa, with operations spanning plantation development, cultivation, processing and downstream activities. Through its businesses in Nigeria and Ghana, the Group employs more than 17,000 people and supports thousands of smallholder farmers and rural communities.

National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko has come under fire from a leading football activist for including former Nigeria Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick in the country’s delegation to FIFA headquarters in Zurich on Tuesday, even as officials moved to deny Pinnick is angling to head the proposed Normalisation Committee.

Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform Initiative Chairman Prince Harrison Jalla accused Dikko of undermining President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform mandate by bringing Pinnick into the delegation, arguing that immediate past NFF President Ibrahim Gusau and former presidents Aminu Maigari and Sani Lulu Abdullahi were more deserving of a seat on the trip.

‘Stakeholders and Nigeria football followers were stunned yesterday when they saw a former Nigeria Football Federation president, who destroyed Nigeria football for eight years, remote-controlled and misled the Ibrahim Gusau-led board for another four years, in the Nigerian delegation to Zurich,’ Jalla said in a statement, questioning why Gusau, Maigari and Lulu Abdullahi were left out if a former president had to be included at all.

Jalla pressed further on Dikko’s motives, asking: ‘What does Dikko want to achieve? Is it loyalty to a friend and gang leader, or loyalty to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who appointed him as NSC chairman on a platter of gold, and to Nigerians?’ He urged the NSC chairman to test public opinion before proceeding.

‘Dikko should go and gauge the mood of Nigerians on social media about the man he is trying to launder his image,’ he said.

Jalla argued that the diplomatic route was straightforward, noting that a member federation seeking a fresh start could simply write to FIFA to invoke Article 8.2 of the FIFA Statutes and trigger a normalisation process.

He warned Dikko against letting the transition spiral into fresh controversy: ‘Dikko was part of the history that brought our football to this sorry state, and now that providence and political connection have given him a second chance, he must not abuse it.’

He added that Nigerians expect ‘his best hands’ running the game and do not want old wounds reopened.

But a top official who travelled with the delegation to Zurich, pushed back on separate reports that Pinnick was being lined up to chair the Normalisation Committee FIFA is expected to name before the end of the week.

The official said Pinnick told FIFA directly in Zurich on Tuesday that he wanted to be left to run his private business and continue in his global football roles, and dismissed the speculation as untrue.

The official credited Pinnick with attracting unmatched sponsorship to the NFF during his tenure and pointed to his continuing influence as an adviser to the CAF President and Deputy Chairman of FIFA’s Men’s National Teams’ Competitions Committee as an asset for Nigeria, rather than grounds for exclusion.

Pinnick joined the Zurich delegation on Tuesday alongside Dikko, NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade and NFF Interim General Secretary Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme following Gusau’s resignation as NFF President. The Normalisation Committee is expected to draw up a roadmap for reforming NFF governance, including an overhaul of a Congress structure currently dominated by state FA chairmen and federation loyalists.