Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Stand-Up South South Security Group has called on Federal Government and patriotic Nigerians to resist the perceived plots by external forces to pull down Dangote Refinery, located in Lagos State, Nigeria.

In a statement on Wednesday by its National Secretary, Comrade Endurance Ukutegbere, the group said: ‘ As a Country and Nigerians, we should be very proud that Dangote Refinery is the WORLD’s largest single train Petroleum Refinery’

It stated: ‘This is why the Federal Government, our fellow country men in NUPENG and PENGASSAN must put into consideration the broader benefits of the Dangote Refinery to the country and Nigerians.

‘Nigeria got Independence from the British government 65 years ago, but unfortunately, Nigerians are still slaves to petroleum products importers and crude oil exporters. This country, Nigeria needs liberty and absolute independence from the slaves masters’

According to the group: ‘ These petroleum products importers and crude oil exporters will do everything possible to pull down the Dangote Refinery, and Nigerians, including the leadership of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria PENGASSAN, and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers NUPENG must avoid the temptation of becoming an instruments to achieve this anti-Nigeria agenda’

‘This is very important, the leadership of PENGASSAN should also understand that workers of Dangote Refinery still enjoys the constitutional rights to join the union or not, in tandem to ‘ Freedom of Association. More so, Dangote Refinery workers are expected to comply with the terms and conditions of their employments.’

The statement continued: ‘ In this country, we all are aware that Lecturers of private Universities are not member of ASUU, and they have not been compelled to become members of ASUU. So, it is imperative to advise PENGASSAN to accept and respect the decision of Dangote Refinery that it’s workers will not join or become members of PENGASSAN.

‘Ironically, Nigerians appears to have lost confidence on when the moribund Refineries belonging to the Federal Government will ever come up and start production. A bird at hand, is worth more than millions of birds in the bush. Therefore, as a nation, we must ensure it’s survival and protect the Dangote Refinery.’

The group thanked the National Security Adviser and leadership of other security agencies for their intervention in resolving the industrial dispute between Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN.

‘Regrettably, it is becoming obvious that those behind the deliberate killing of Nigeria Refineries are plotting to pull down Dangote Refinery for whatever reason. The suffering masses were already battling with impact of inflation, high cost of living. Any move to frustrate Dangote Refinery will mean to further punish Nigerians.

‘With over 3,000 Nigerians employed and actively working at the Dangote Refinery, the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerian of good conscience must prevent the pulling down of Dangote Refinery.

‘Nigeria lost a golden opportunity in 2007, when Dangote-led consortium was denied the acquisition of PH and Kaduna Refineries at $750 million. If Dangote was allowed to acquire and run the PH and Kaduna Refineries since 2007 till date, Nigeria would have achieved energy independence nearly two decades ago’

The statement concluded,: ‘ Now that Alhaji Aliko Dangote has built his private Dangote Refinery from the scratch to completion, PENGASSAN and NUPENG must take their fight to the Federal Government to revive the moribund Warri, PH and Kaduna Refineries.’

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a directive banning its members nationwide from taking continuous calls beyond 24 hours, warning that the practice has become a ‘silent killer’ of young doctors.

In a statement on Wednesday and jointly signed by Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, Secretary-General and Dr. Abdulmajeed Yahya Ibrahim, Publicity and Social Secretary, the directive was contained in a communiqué released at the end of the Annual General Meeting (AGM), with the policy taking effect from October 1, 2025.

The directive also mandates a mandatory call-free period after every call.

The association described the decision as ‘not just necessary but vital, in line with the principles of self-preservation enshrined in the Hippocratic Oath.’

NARD said its decision was not oblivious of the grim statistics, pointing to Nigeria’s worsening doctor-to-patient ratio.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends one doctor to 600 patients. But in Nigeria, with a population of over 240 million and only about 11,000 resident doctors, the ratio stands at 1:9,083,’ it said noting that resident doctors in Nigeria work an average of 106.5 hours per week, while surgical residents put in as much as 122.7 hours weekly.

‘This translates to an average of four to five days of 24-hour call duty per week. It inevitably leads to increased medical errors due to burnout, endangers patient safety, and takes a severe toll on the mental, physical, and psychological well-being of doctors,’ the association noted.

The doctors lamented that many colleagues have died under these harsh conditions, leaving behind dependants without support, stressing, ‘While the nation celebrates, we quietly bury our colleagues as the country watches in silence. The bigger question is: how many more lives must we lose before decisive action is taken?’

NARD stressed that those who have chosen to remain in Nigeria despite the ongoing brain drain are ‘nothing short of patriots and heroes’ who deserve protection and equitable remuneration.

To address the crisis, the association called on the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health, to implement a one-to-one replacement policy to reduce the crushing workload on doctors.

It also urged the government to establish clear regulations that curb excessive call hours to safeguard the lives of both doctors and patients.

‘As Nigeria celebrates 65 years of nationhood, it is time to reflect not only on our progress but also on the sacrifices of resident doctors who keep the health system running under unbearable strain.

‘We cannot continue to lose our members to preventable and avoidable deaths – not now, and not in the future.’

Actress Liz DaSilva has shared a harrowing experience where she nearly had an accident during Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan.

In a video posted on Instagram, DaSilva said she had almost forgotten to remove metal pins from her wig before entering the machine, which uses strong magnets that can pull metal objects, causing injury or affecting results.

Liz explained that she was initially scared about undergoing the scan and informed the medical staff about her fears.

She said after removing her earrings, bra, waist beads, and chain, she nearly proceeded with the scan without remembering the pins in her wig.

‘Yes. Some things have to be posted on social media. For people to know where to step on and where not to step on. I had an appointment this morning for 10.40am. And I also have another appointment for 2pm. I had my hair done. On getting to my appointment, it’s an MRI appointment. When I got in, I was scared. And I made it known to the person attending to me that I was scared.

‘I was almost ready to go in. But I remembered that there is pins in my hair. There is pins in my wig. So, I had to quickly remind her that my wig has pins. She said, oh, I was about to ask you,’ Liz said.

Overcome with emotion, Liz broke down in tears, expressing gratitude to God for saving her from a potentially fatal mistake.

She said in Yoruba, ‘Truly, God saved me, I can say it boldly, anywhere. What would have happened? If God had not protected me, who knows, maybe I would have died’.

As we celebrate the enthronement of Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, aged 81, as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland and absorb his call for an Ibadan State, let us appreciate his personal journey through life from being poor to becoming a brilliant mathematics student to becoming senator and Oyo State governor in 2003. His dream as governor was to have 30 students a class; he himself had 26 students in his own class in school. He took his dream, as governor of Oyo State to Abuja.

Sadly he did not serve as governor long enough to carry out his plan and Oyo State is the worse for it, all these years later even today. The then Governor Ladoja had his tenure truncated and he was removed due to the then reigning political evil of the day which placed presidential whims and caprices over and above the will of the people. The public domain is unaware if there was any presidential regret for the removal, but Oba Ladoja is certainly having the last laugh due hopefully to his God-given longevity, the righteousness of his case, and the unjustified quantum of political evil dealt him just for being naturally kind-natured. We wish Kabiyesi Rashidi Ladoja a long, exponentially progressive and peaceful reign. Amen.

One thing government must take up is that we must teach that not everyone who wants to set up a stall or trade or even run a keke or an okada in every market can have that privilege or be accommodated in 2025. There is no longer space for everyone. Nowhere in the world can 50 tri-cycles (keke), 100 commercial motor-cycles (okada) and 500 traders be squeezed into existing spaces. They should be enumerated, given numbers and allocated spaces. Move the excess elsewhere, like in other areas. The encroachment of the unlimited traders with their baskets and wheelbarrows on the road lanes and keke lines strangles Ibadan at various points like the entire Mokola, Bodija, Agodi and Mapo areas making movement a nightmare in daylight and endangering even our children. Perhaps methods of numbering and allocation of spaces need to be revisited and updated to make better use of the amazing new roads in Ibadan to help speed up traffic and stop the unnecessary traffic jams. The inability of the authority to maintain two functioning lanes through the above markets, and the ease with which the police on duty ignore the need to open such roads daily makes things worse.

Happy 65th Birthday Nigeria. It is difficult to be happy when so many Fellow Nigerians have been senselessly killed by terrorists and herders, also terrorists actually, and other individuals and groups who use murder of innocent unarmed citizens and sometimes armed and uniformed service personnel for no just cause. At this time of celebration, we are reminded, if we have forgotten, by our government at the Africa Union, that we still have 10+million children out of school in a country which started free education 60 years ago.

Let us re-ask ourselves why a country like ours has over 10 million out of school children in spite of its God-given wealth. Let every thief in Nigeria, rich or poor, political or contractor or civil servant or ‘uniform’ or Bank and CBN beneficiary, accept responsibility for being the direct cause of those 10m+ out of school children. They must accept full responsibility for the consequence of their collective past and perhaps ongoing nefarious activities of depriving those 10m of schooling. Ten million is a big army of youth to grow to adulthood without education. This is a recipe for state destruction in 10 years or more.

Surely, we can all see the simplest, easiest and cheapest solution is to have a ‘MASSIVE 10 MILLION IN SCHOOL PROGRAMME WITH AFTERNOON CLASSES THE EXISTING CLASSROOMS RUNNING TWICE DAILY WITH EXTRA SETS OF TEACHERS OR EXTRA PAY FOR EXISTING TEACHERS’.

Citizens are disgusted that the accused Ondo Church terrorists’ lawyers put forward a plea for bail. Do our lawyers not know that murder and any accusation which attracts the death penalty do not qualify for bail? Do they not get taught that in Law School? An appeal for bail in this horrendous circumstance appears like a strategy at time-wasting, a popular legal exercise in legal futility and a marked disrespect for the dead. It is also a rude slap in the face of the Fellow Nigerian citizens and relations who survived the deadly vicious attack which was calculated to mutate a simple Sunday church service into a terrorist funeral fire and a national tragedy.

Are we to suffer at the hands of yet another cabal in our long search for fuel self-sufficiency? We all get stopped abruptly and without any road safety concerns every day by union workers taking toll money from all passing commercial vehicles. One would have thought they would move to cashless payments but that would expose their true wealth. The face-off in the petroleum industry is really an eye opening event as it exposes the players for what they stand for and what they stand against. Please examine the case and ask who is really on the side the Fellow Nigerians as we celebrate Nigeria @ 65. The answer will make you think twice or thrice.

Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) is set to hold architecture, and building exposition from November 25 – 28, at NIA Architectural Village, Abuja.

The event will showcase cutting-edge technologies, sustainable design practice, and visionary projects transforming Nigeria’s landscape.

President, Mobolaji Adeniyi, .in a statement, said as Nigeria marks 65 years of Independence today, NIA is honouring the nation’s resilience, creativity, unity and contributions of our heroes, living and dead.

‘The theme, ‘Nigeria at 65: All Hands-on Deck for a Greater Nation’, is a call to compatriots and members to build a future reflecting our shared aspiration and architectural excellence.

‘In the spirit of Independence, NIA is re-echoing our contribution to nation building by presenting Archibuilt 2025, a forum for innovation.

‘Archibuilt is a showcase of products, and services as well as a platform for dialogue, collaboration, as it brings together architects, engineers, surveyors, policymakers, and others to find solutions for housing, infrastructure, climate resilience, and urban development.”

‘This year’s theme speaks to our national reality of building a nation on a good economic and socio-political foundation where professionals are in the forefront of its development.”

‘Also, it highlights the role architecture plays in fostering economic stability, growth and resilience by creating sustainable spaces and prioritising community needs.

‘Archibuilt 2025 will feature the building clinic, Nigerian content challenge, students’ innovative projects, artisans’ challenge and much more.

‘We invite Nigerian professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and citizens to participate in Archibuilt 2025. Whether as exhibitors, speakers, volunteers, or attendees, your voice and vision are vital to the conversation,’ it said.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed the arraignment of a politician and online publisher, Omoyele Sowore, till October 27 for making a false claim against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Sowore, the publisher of Saraha Reporters and serial presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), was to be arraigned yesterday on a five-count charge the Department of State Services (DSS) filed against him and two others.

The two other defendants listed in the charge are: X Incorp (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Incorp.

At the mention of the case yesterday, lawyer to the prosecution, Mohammed Abubakar, averred that the matter was scheduled for arraignment and applied that the defendants’ plea be taken.

But Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, objected, stating one of the defendants – X Incorp – was not represented by either a lawyer or an official.

Abubakar claimed that his client had not been served with the charge and that X was not represented.

The defence lawyer contended that in a criminal case, it is mandatory that all the defendants are present in court for a proper arraignment to take place.

At that point, the judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, looked through the case file and confirmed that X and Meta were served with the charge electronically through their email addresses.

On noting that Sowore was yet to be served personally (as required), the prosecuting lawyer sought the court’s permission to serve Sowore (who was in court) during the proceedings, a request the judge granted.

But Sowore’s lawyer prayed for an adjournment to allow his client adequate time and opportunity to prepare for his defence, as provided for under Section 282(6) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

Justice Umar adjourned till October 27 for Sowore’s arraignment.

The House of Representatives Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations has inspected the 565MW Calabar, Power Plant in Odukpani, Cross River State, where it commended the Nigerian Holding Power Holding Company (NDPHC) for upholding safety standards.

The Committee gave the commendation after an on-the-spot assessment of the 565MW facility, noting significant improvements since its last visit in 2018.

This was contained in the statement, NDPHC Head, Corporate Communications and External Relations, Mr. Emmanuel Ojor issued from Abuja yesterday.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon. David Idris Zacharias, said the inspection was aimed at ensuring that Nigerians work in safe environments and enjoy long, healthy lives.

He praised the staff for maintaining the plant, stressing that the health and safety of workers in the power sector are critical to both government and the economy.

The statement quoted the chairman as saying, ‘We, the Safety Standards and Regulations Committee members, always appreciate when we step into any organisation and see that they have done very well. My impression here is positive, and you also heard the same from my honourable colleagues.’

He, however, noted that the visit was not only to commend but also to highlight areas requiring improvement.

‘When we come to a place like this, we must observe areas that need attention. What we are saying here is to encourage them to deepen their commitment to safety issues. We went round and saw their challenges, which we will take back to the government.

‘We are hopeful that by the time we return, some of the issues we observed would have been addressed,’ he added.

Specifically, the committee called for improvement in the work environment for staff, including better lighting, rest areas for shift workers, and adequate seating in offices.

Other members of the committee were Hon Harrison Anozie Nwadike, Hon Suleiman Abubakar Gumi, Hon. Kalejaiye Paul Adeboye, Hon El-Rasheed Abdullahi and Hon. Emmanuel Effiong Udo.

The lawmakers, who were conducted around the plant by the Chief Operating Officer of the Calabar Power Plant, Engr. Ayoade Olanrewaju Bex, described the facility as one of the best they had visited in terms of safety standards and compliance.

Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Executive Director, Generation, Engr. Abdullahi Kassim, the General Manager, Generation Projects at NDPHC, Engr. Valerie Agberagba, said safety and standards remain top priorities for the company.

She stressed that the company’s workforce is central to its operations, adding that NDPHC would continue to improve the work environment for staff, particularly those at its power plants.

‘The visit of the House Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations was very important to us. It gave us the opportunity to assess where we are in terms of health, safety, and compliance with regulations and standards at our power plants.

‘For me, it was an eye-opener. You could see that when they compared the 2018 report to what they have now, there has been a great improvement in compliance. This shows that NDPHC is not taking issues of safety, regulations, and environmental standards for granted. We are working towards an environment that is safe for both our workers and the operation of the power plant,’ Agberagba said.

She stated that the company has taken note of the areas that need improvements, adding that ‘this management is very concerned about the welfare of the staff, because if they are not in a good position to work, we are not going to get the best out of them.

‘So those little observations have to do with good conditions of work for the staff, we will make sure that these things are taken into consideration in the shortest possible time.’

Also speaking, Ag. Head, Health, Safety and Environment, NDPHC, Austin Ijagem disclosed that the plant has not recorded any work related accident that has led to fatality since it began operations.

‘The safety at the power plant has been top notch. Their consultant mentioned that in 2018, when they visited, there were a lot of pending issues, safety concerns that they raised. And they have also acknowledged that when they came in today, the difference was clear. A lot of the safety concerns raised in 2018 have been closed out. That means we are getting nearer to almost zero pending issues as far as the safety at the power plant is concerned,’ he stated.

The Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, has disclosed that nearly 70 per cent of funds shared at monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meetings now come from taxes collected by the agency.

Adedeji disclosed this in an interview marking his two years in office, where he said the surge in tax revenue has strengthened fiscal stability across the country.

According to him, improved collections have enabled 30 states to repay N1.85 trillion in debts within the past 18 months.

‘Debt servicing costs that once consumed 90 per cent of government revenue have now dropped to about 50 per cent. External reserves have also grown on the back of stronger fiscal stability,’ he said.

The FIRS boss praised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for creating a tax environment that eases compliance. ‘The president has fulfilled his campaign promise to simplify tax compliance and remove hurdles faced by taxpayers,’ Adedeji noted.

Adedeji explained that the government’s tax reforms-the most far-reaching since independence-are designed to reduce the burden on citizens while improving government revenue. He pointed out that food, education, shared transportation, and agriculture have been exempted from value-added tax (VAT).

‘The reforms are already yielding results. Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio has risen from 10 per cent to 13.5 per cent in just two years, with a target of 18 per cent by 2027. In August alone, the federation account disbursed a record N2 trillion,’ he stated.

The FIRS chairman admitted that the transition has not been without difficulties. ‘It is like the pain of a woman in labour,’ he said, while stressing that government interventions are already helping to cushion the effects. These include the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) buses and crude-for-naira support for local refiners, which he said are already reflecting in fuel prices.

Adedeji outlined how the new consolidated tax law strengthens compliance by restructuring FIRS operations. Taxpayers are now segmented into small, medium, and large categories, with one-stop shops created to ease filing and payments.

‘We are service providers to taxpayers rather than just an enforcement agency. When companies are doing well, expanding, and making profits, we will benefit from their growth. Our task is to remove hurdles in their way, and that is what the president has done with these new laws,’ he explained.

He also clarified the decision to rename the FIRS as the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS). ‘The word ‘federal’ gave the wrong impression that we only collect for the Federal Government. In reality, we collect VAT, of which 90 per cent belongs to the states,’ he said.

On the controversial petrol surcharge included in the new law, Adedeji assured that it would not apply automatically. ‘It will only take effect if activated by a ministerial order and published in the official gazette,’ he noted.

Adedeji said the consolidation of multiple tax laws into a single code-set to take effect in January-will simplify Nigeria’s tax system. The new framework reduces the number of tax types to single digits, eliminates tax for businesses with annual turnover below N50 million, and adjusts personal income tax thresholds to shield low-income earners.

On June 26, 2025, President Tinubu signed into law four major bills: the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act. The laws aim to broaden the tax base, improve compliance, and enhance transparency across all tiers of government.

Adedeji further linked Nigeria’s fiscal improvement to Tinubu’s wider economic reforms. ‘The health of the federation account has blossomed greatly, as there are no bogus subsidy claims to deplete the pool,’ he said, referring to the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of exchange rates.

The Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Dr. Bayo Adefuye, has kicked off the distribution of food items under the ‘Ounje Tuntun’ programme, an initiative in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The exercise, he said, was a direct response to the economic realities and a demonstration of government’s responsibility to cushion the effects of these challenges. Through this programme, staple food items are being distributed to households across Yaba LCDA, ensuring that families, particularly the vulnerable and less privileged, have access to essential nutrition.

Adefuye applauded President Tinubu for his visionary leadership and bold reforms aimed at repositioning the economy.

He highlighted the president’s achievements, including the removal of fuel subsidy with palliative measures to support citizens, the unification of the foreign exchange market to stabilize the economy, increased investments in agriculture to enhance food security, and massive infrastructural development projects across the nation. ”Today, we are not only distributing food; we are rekindling hope. This initiative is a testimony that our government listens, cares, and acts in the best interest of its people. President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is already yielding results, and here in Yaba LCDA, we are complementing his efforts by ensuring that the dividends of democracy reach every household,’ he said.

He assured residents that beyond the immediate relief, the council will continue to prioritize programmes and projects that promote sustainable development, empower youths, support women, and improve the quality of life of all residents.

A beneficiary in the community, Tope Adeoye, commended the council, stating that ‘It’s a laudable programme.’

Prestige Assurance Plc has recorded a 51 percent growth in its gross written premium for the 2024 financial year, reflecting resilience in a challenging operating environment.

The underwriting firm generated a gross written premium of N22.47 billion in 2024, compared to N14.87 billion in 2023.

Profit after tax also rose significantly to N3.236 billion, up from N1.310 billion in the previous year.

On the company’s financial position, shareholders’ funds rose by 21 per cent to N19.37 billion in 2024, up from N15.93 billion in 2023.

Total assets also grew by 36 percent, closing the year at N38 billion compared to N27.9 billion a year earlier.

Prestige Chairman, Mrs. Funmi Oyetunji made this known while presenting the 2024 financial report at the 55th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the firm in Lagos.

She attributed the strong performance to improved underwriting discipline, prudent investment management, and the dedication of management and staff. She also said the results reflect the resilience of their people’s unwavering commitment to meeting the evolving needs of policyholders.

Despite the improved topline numbers, she noted that underwriting performance was affected by the difficult operating environment, recording a figure of N128 million from N619 million in 2023.

To address this, Oyetunji explained that the company had introduced several initiatives, including revising policy terms especially on Goods-in-Transit cover to keep risk exposure within manageable limits. Pre-loss survey exercises are also being prioritized for Fire and Engineering risks, where claims are more prevalent. Additionally, marine cargo superintending has been strengthened to ensure safe handling of shipments and minimize losses.

However, Oyetunji announced that the company would not be recommending dividend payments for the 2024 financial year.

She explained that the decision was driven by the need to consolidate funds in preparation for the insurance industry recapitalization exercise.

She said: ‘The Board remains committed to a policy of regular dividend payments to our shareholders in appreciation of their continued faith in the company. We are optimistic that dividends will resume after the recapitalization,’ she assured.

‘Looking ahead, we will focus on sustainable long-term growth by strengthening underwriting operations, enhancing product innovation, and maintaining robust claims-paying capacity’, she added.