Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has awarded ?1 million each to five students who represented the state and Nigeria at the 2026 International Schools Debate Championship in Doha Qatar.

The governor also announced full educational sponsorship through the Alex Otti Foundation for the captain of the Abia contingent 15-year-old Esther Christian up to university level. Christian reportedly lost her father when she was four years old.

Otti announced the rewards while hosting the students at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia where they presented their trophies medals and certificates.

The governor also awarded ?1 million to Onyinyechi Okonkwo of Ovom Girls Secondary School winner of a recent National Essay Competition.

He further approved ?750000 each for the officials who accompanied the debate team and ?1.75 million for Abia Model Basic Junior Secondary School Abayi Umuocham Osisioma Ngwa which produced the champions.

Otti congratulated the students reaffirming his administration’s commitment to transforming the state’s education sector through sustained investment improved infrastructure and expanded access to quality education.

He said celebrating outstanding achievements was part of Abia State’s identity.

‘This is in the DNA of Abia State. We celebrate people. When you do well we celebrate you’ the governor said.

Otti also approved the students’ request to participate in the 2027 edition of the competition noting that despite progress in the education sector more work remained.

Earlier the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education Goodluck Ubochi said the achievements so far were only the beginning adding that the positive impact of the government’s investment in education was becoming increasingly evident.

He expressed confidence that the investments would yield positive results.

The Chairman of the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board Lydia Ezinne Onuoha who led the team to the international competition said the students had distinguished themselves beyond mere participation.

She said the team dominated the competition and drew significant attention.

She disclosed that during the final rounds the students were given impromptu topics with only 15 minutes to prepare and deliver their arguments; the team won four trophies and twelve medals defeating six countries.

According to her the team clinched the Best International School Debate Team Overall Best Team in the Junior Category Best Debater and Best Leadership awards.

They also ranked among the top ten speakers in the tournament which featured over 84 teams.

The Coordinator of the President’s Schools Debate Championship Elder Oritu Dare commended Governor Otti for the State’s infrastructural development noting a huge difference between his previous visits during past administrations and the present.

He said the victory has created an opportunity for Nigeria to participate in the next edition of the competition in Singapore.

The Abia State Coordinator of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Mrs. Unyime Umoette appreciated Governor Otti for the positive changes in the state particularly in education noting that public schools are becoming more functional.

She called on public office holders to adopt public schools in their communities and support their development.

Speaking on behalf of the champions’ parents Mr Akamnonu Christopher thanked the Governor for hosting the students and investing in education saying they are proud of their success at an international competition.

In response the Team Captain Miss Esther Christian who narrated their success story thanked the Governor for his commitment to education and the officials for believing in them and promised they would continue to make Abia and Nigeria proud.

She requested the Governor’s approval for their participation in next year’s edition of the competition and the Governor approved it immediately.

Parents of the champion team and senior government appointees attended the event.

Through Kaduna the North’s sold political capital spoke yesterday. The echo will haunt those who spent months marketing the lie that the North has abandoned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Kaduna Township Stadium was full beyond capacity and the mammoth crowd overflowed into the well-adorned streets. It was a confetti of colours flags raised high and proudly: a sea of red caps white babban riga green wrappers pand_Sai Asiwaju_.Placards. It was a cacophony of languages-Hausa Fulfulde Tiv Idoma Gbagyi Yoruba Nupe Kanuri and English. Entire APC governors from the North supported by their southern counterparts sat shoulder to shoulder with former governors legislators imams pastors women leaders and artisans who trekked kilometres to see the man they still call Jagaba the leader.

The gathering was beyond a rented crowd; it was organic massive and emotional. A few photos from the event displayed that spectacularly: the excited trio waving so happily at their president who wound down the window to greet them; the many people who kept vigil at the venue so they could get a good spot to witness history; and the excited young men and women who spent the whole day under the sun waving flags and chanting praises. It was Arewa saying without apology: we still stand with our friend.

As I wrote in February 2023 in the heat of the last campaign when the same suspects tried to whip up ethnic sentiments against him Asiwaju Tinubu and the North have always been friends. This friendship is not transactional. It is historic. Tinubu’s consequential political journey did not begin in Lagos. It began with the North.

In 1991 at the beginning of the aborted Third Republic when General Ibrahim Babangida midwifed two parties a young Tinubu had a choice. His relative the great Chief Lateef Jakande was in the field. Yet he chose to pitch his tent with General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua’s Peoples Front (PF) – the most organised most progressive political machine of that era.

On the SDP platform under that PF Tinubu became Senator for Lagos West in 1992. When MKO Abiola emerged as SDP candidate Tinubu was instrumental in pushing Ambassador Babagana Kingibe a son of Borno as the running mate. He chose North again. That choice in 1992 has defined his politics ever since.

When President Obasanjo wanted to skin Atiku Abubakar alive in 2007 Bola Tinubu saved him. In 2011 he propped up Nuhu Ribadu and in 2015 and 2019 Muhammadu Buhari. In 2011 he supported Aminu Tambuwal for Speaker even though Tambuwal’s own party the PDP opposed him. No other Southern politician has invested that much political capital in the North.

Indeed the North doesn’t forget.

This is why Arewa for Asiwaju a political movement of the crème de la crème of the Northern political establishment is a commendable and timely intervention. At a time when the opposition offers only recycled fuel subsidy – illegal under the PIA – and AI-generated falsehoods which Governor Uba Sani rightly warned about in Kaduna A4A provides what Arewa needs most: honest conversation the voice of truth in Hausa Fulfulde Tiv Nupe Gbagyi Kanuri in every market motor park mosque and church.

A4A is not just a campaign apparatus. It reminds us that friendship is a two-way street and that the North remains faithful to its values of fairness justice peaceful coexistence and national unity. As a political movement its raison d’être is consensus-building and evidence-based campaigning. Its purpose is to counter with evidence the lies that as president Asiwaju Tinubu has abandoned his old friend the North. How? With the Ministry of Livestock Development the North craved for 60 years? With the North Central Development Commission and North West Development Commission? With the new Federal Universities in Mubi Kachia and Kabo? Would the person who abandoned the North rush to complete the Kano-Maradi rail or the Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi road? Would he have established cancer centres and upgraded dozens of hospitals and schools? Well Awolowo is throwing those questions at them with hard facts.

Kaduna provided around to deflate the opposition’s acrimonious noise further. The North came together in one powerful voice. Eighteen out of 19 governors an array of former governors from the class of 1999 to date a horde of Young Turks an armada of party faithful. It was a spectacle.

For months a small but loud echo chamber in Abuja and on social media had worked hard to sell a fiction that the North regrets 2023 that the President and his campaigners can no longer enter Arewa and that 2027 is already decided. Kaduna buried that fiction with one picture.

As the CPC Presidential Campaign’s Campaign Director-General Senator Abdulaziz Yari said from the podium everyone who mattered in the North was at the stadium yesterday. Most were there in person; many more were there in spirit. The few and scattered dissenters are too insignificant to cause any political upheaval.

Vice President Kashim Shettima and Yari did not come to Kaduna to speak grammar. They came with history and with receipts.

VP Shettima was as sharp and straight as always. He used a clincher to remind Northern voters of their options: ‘We won in 2023 not because we were the wisest or richest but because you saw the options before you and knew the alternative was a calamity. We have come to ask you to renew a second term for the APC from top to bottom.’

Senator Yari who was evidently pleased by the turnout across all walks of life assured: ‘By God’s grace Northern Nigeria is 101 per cent behind you Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and we are determined to deliver our promise on 16 January 2027.’ Speaking further in Hausa Senator Yari said the President should as well go to sleep and wait for victory.

Yet President Tinubu did not just go to Kaduna to excite the crowd or display supporters. He went with deliveries. In a first for campaign rallies President Tinubu used the occasion to inaugurate the 81-kilometre section of the Kaduna-Abuja highway with a symbolic ribbon-cutting. It is just one of many dividends Kaduna got from the Tinubu administration as Governor Uba Sani reeled out so many benefits Kaduna reaped from the Tinubu administration in his welcome address. They range from roads to rail universities and health institutions. Governor Sani testified that the North has never had it this good.

President Tinubu is repaying loyalty in concrete steel and care.

From Peoples Front in 1991 to Arewa for Asiwaju in 2026 President Tinubu has always operated as a friend. Kaduna proved it yesterday. On 16 January 2027 the ballot will confirm it louder.

*Abdulaziz Abdulaziz is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media and Director of Media and Communication Arewa for Asiwaju.*

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has confirmed that the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit will hold on October 26 and 27 in Abuja despite the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with organisers introducing additional health precautions to protect participants.

The two-day summit scheduled to take place at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja will adopt a modified hybrid format following consultations with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

The decision comes after health authorities confirmed an imported case of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the FCT on October 20.

According to the NESG the patient has been isolated while health authorities are monitoring contacts. The group said its decision to proceed followed an assessment of the situation against the NCDC’s public health guidelines for mass gatherings.

The NESG said the confirmation of an imported case alone did not require the cancellation of the summit adding that precautionary measures would be implemented to protect delegates workers and other participants.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NESG Dr Tayo Aduloju said the organisation had made the safety of participants its main consideration in deciding to proceed with the event.

‘The safety of every delegate partner and member of staff comes first’ Aduloju said.

He explained that the decision was reached in consultation with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare NCDC Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) FCT health authorities and Transcorp Hilton.

Aduloju said the arrangements would allow the summit to go ahead while participants followed the guidance of health authorities.

He also urged delegates and other participants to comply with the preventive measures put in place for the event.

Under the revised arrangements physical attendance will be restricted to delegates who have already registered. The NESG said registration for physical participation had closed and that no walk-in admission or registration would be allowed at the venue.

All plenary sessions will be streamed live on the summit’s virtual platform allowing registered delegates to participate online if they decide against attending physically.

The organisers have also made daily health declarations and temperature checks compulsory for everyone entering the venue including delegates staff vendors and media personnel.

Participants who have a fever or other symptoms as well as those who have been in contact with a known or suspected Ebola case within the preceding 21 days have been advised not to attend physically. They are expected to participate online instead.

The NESG said delegates would receive a health and safety information pack by email to guide them on the arrangements and precautions for the summit.

It also provided the NCDC’s toll-free number 6232 for people seeking information or assistance on health concerns.

The organisation explained that Ebola does not spread through the air or through people who have no symptoms. According to the statement transmission occurs through direct contact with the body fluids of a person who is ill with the disease.

The NESG said it would continue to review the situation daily with health authorities and promptly communicate any changes through its official channels.

Despite the revised attendance arrangements the summit is expected to attract senior government officials state governors business leaders and speakers from Nigeria and abroad.

Among the speakers listed by the organisers are the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Dr Amina Mohammed; Prof Stefan Derco of Oxford University; and the Chairman of BUA Group Alhaji Samad Rabiu.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate is also expected to attend the opening ceremony.

Zamfara intensifies ebola surveillance

Meanwhile the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Zamfara Chapter said it was collaborating with major stakeholders to intensify surveillance and preventive measures against Ebola Virus Disease in the state.

The State Chairman Dr Muhammad Murtala stated this at a press briefing in Gusau on Friday to mark the 2026 Physicians’ Week.

The theme for this year’s Physicians’ Week is ‘Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria.’

Murtala who is the Incident Manager Polio Emergency Operations Centre in the state said the NMA in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health and partners had developed an incident action plan to create public awareness about Ebola.

He said the Ministry of Health had already met with critical medical stakeholders and public health experts to ensure active surveillance for the disease.

‘Therefore we are fully engaged and prepared to manage the situation in case of any Ebola case to ensure it is carefully managed and to prevent further spread’ he said.

Ondo deploys four ambulances

The Ondo State Government said it had intensified measures to prevent the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in the state by deploying four ambulances for the emergency transportation of any suspected cases and placing health personnel on alert.

The Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Health Prof. Simidele Odimayo disclosed this in an interview in Akure the state capital.

Odimayo said the state had also begun training health workers strengthening disease surveillance and intensifying public awareness campaigns to ensure prompt detection and reporting of suspected cases.

‘The state is doing a lot. We have already set up a committee that is working. We have sent some of our team to Abuja for some training programmes.

‘We have just procured so ambulances in recent times about 15 of them. So all we need to do at this time is to dedicate some about four in line with the national guidelines for movement of cases in case we have cases’ he said.

According to him health facilities and health posts across the state had been alerted to remain vigilant recognise Ebola symptoms and report suspected cases promptly through established channels.

He said the government was also making arrangements for isolation personal protective equipment and other emergency logistics to protect health workers and limit the risk of transmission.

Bayelsa activates emergency preparedness

Similarly the Bayelsa State Government has intensified disease surveillance and activated emergency preparedness measures following the confirmation of an imported case of Ebola Virus Disease in the country.

It assured residents that no case had been reported in the state.

The Commissioner for Health Prof. Seiyefa F. Brisibe disclosed this at the weekend during a press conference in Yenagoa where he outlined measures being taken to strengthen the state’s capacity to detect and respond to any suspected Ebola infection.

Brisibe said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) confirmed the imported case on October 20 2026 adding that the patient was receiving medical care while contact tracing and other containment measures were underway.

He stressed that although no confirmed case had been recorded in Bayelsa as of October 23 the state government was taking proactive steps to minimise the risk of the disease entering and spreading within its territory.

According to him the measures include strengthening the State Emergency Operations Centre intensifying disease surveillance across the eight local government areas and reviewing isolation and case-management arrangements.

Nasarawa hospital activates response team

The Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH) Lafia has also intensified preparedness measures against a potential outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Nasarawa State.

Dr Anazodo Michael of the hospital’s Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine disclosed this to newsmen in Lafia.

He said the department in collaboration with other relevant departments had activated its Rapid Response Team (RRT) to strengthen the hospital’s preparedness and response capacity.

‘For now we are focusing on preventive measures coordinated response strategies and institutional readiness’ he said.

Former female Niger State governorship candidate and founder of Search Inwards Social Ambassadors Community Development Service Group (SISA-CDS) Dr Khadijah Abdullahi-Iya has urged Nigerian youths to reject attempts by politicians and other interests to divide them stressing that national development requires unity and collective responsibility.

Abdullahi-Iya delivered the charge at SISA-CDS’s 15th graduation and 16th national inauguration ceremony in Minna where she said the organisation had graduated more than 1000 Nigerian youths through its leadership development programme.

She said the nine-month programme established in 2017 was designed to promote patriotism volunteerism responsible leadership and active participation in national development.

According to her the organisation began its partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 2018 and has continued to equip young graduates with the knowledge values and practical skills needed to contribute to their communities and the country.

Abdullahi-Iya noted that the programme had produced young leaders making positive contributions across different states and sectors.

The former governorship candidate also highlighted the Rags to Riches initiative under the Beyond Mentors Community Care Initiative established in 2006 to expose children to financial literacy leadership patriotism and practical skills from an early age.

Earlier Dr Maimuna Salim Chief Operating Officer of Search Inwards Group of Companies said the programme provides training in leadership entrepreneurship volunteerism social ethics conflict resolution and community development.

She explained that participants also undertake community outreach projects to address identified social needs.

Salim expressed satisfaction with the commitment shown by the graduating participants saying they understood the lessons taught during the nine-month programme and were prepared to mentor others.

In his welcome address the Niger State Change Catalyst of SISA-CDS Mohammed Danjuma Abubakar described the initiative as a complement to the NYSC’s efforts to equip graduates with leadership skills practical experience and innovative approaches to solving community problems.

He said some programme graduates secured employment using their SISA certifications and project portfolios while others contributed to communities within and outside Nigeria.

Abubakar attributed these achievements to the founder’s vision and commitment describing the initiative as an example of selfless service and proactive leadership.

The Niger State NYSC Coordinator Mrs Martina Shuaibu Ibrahim represented by the SISA Desk Officer Mallam Abdullahi Yahaya commended the initiative and urged corps members to serve as good ambassadors of SISA-CDS.

The Head of Enterprise Development Search Inwards Group of Companies and National Change Catalyst of SISA-CDS Mr Dalhatu Abubakar Iya outlined the award categories for outstanding graduates. They included the SISA Community Service Award Commendation Award Punctuality Gem Social Media Award Special Commendation Award for Facilitators and SISA Person of the Year Award.

The calm that usually follows Juma’at prayers in Binari of Taraba was shattered on Friday.

For residents of the agrarian community in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State located on the bank of the River Benue the day ended in grief after suspected bandits attacked leaving 26 people dead.

However the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) neutralised 15 terrorists in a precision air strike north-west of Pulka in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

Among the dead in Taraba were women children and worshippers who had just stepped out of the mosque as well as members of a local vigilante group whose office was close to the mosque.

At the time of filing this report many residents were still missing while locals intensified search operations for them.

A resident Mallam Abdul Kumbi who spoke to our Taraba correspondent on the phone in Hausa described the attack as ‘planned and unprovoked.’

He said the attackers came from the Bauchi axis through the Kompany Asusar road.

‘The attackers came through Bauchi. They targeted our community at the time Juma’at prayers had finished yesterday.

‘There is a vigilante group office that is very close to the mosque; they attacked the vigilante group personnel’ Kumbi said.

He said the assailants who were on motorcycles fled through the same route after the attack.

Confirming the attack the spokesman of the Taraba State Police Command Victor Msherizar said 10 bodies were recovered.

He said personnel were deployed to the area to neutralise the attackers and that calm had returned to the community with security operatives on standby to forestall further threat.

But for Binari calm has come at a high cost as families count their losses and wait anxiously for news of their missing loved ones.

Troops neutralise 15 terrorists in Borno air strike

Speaking on the Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno incident Capt. Mohammed Goni Acting Military Information Officer Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) according to NAN disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri on Saturday.

Goni said the operation was conducted at about 11:50 p.m. on Oct. 23 following credible intelligence and confirmed sightings of terrorist movements in the area.

He said the precision air strike was subsequently followed by ground operations to exploit the area and consolidate the gains recorded.

According to him the operation underscores the effectiveness of intelligence-driven targeting and coordinated military action in disrupting terrorist movements and degrading their operational capabilities.

He added that the operation formed part of sustained offensive operations aimed at denying terrorists freedom of action and preventing them from threatening communities across the North-East.

Goni said the Theatre Command remained committed to defeating terrorism and insurgency protecting law-abiding citizens and creating conditions for the restoration of normalcy and socio-economic activities in affected communities.

He reassured the public that troops would sustain the momentum of ongoing operations with vigilance determination and professionalism.

The military urged residents to continue cooperating with security agencies by providing timely and credible information on suspicious movements and activities.

It stressed that sustained collaboration between security forces and civilians remained crucial to consolidating operational gains and achieving lasting peace and security in the North-East.

The Delta State Executive Council has approved the reconstruction and rehabilitation of several roads across the state including the first phase of the Warri Ring Road the Ugbolu-Illah Road and major roads in Warri and Effurun.

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori presided over the council meeting at Government House Asaba and granted the approvals.

Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information Mr Charles Aniagwu made the disclosure at a media interaction on Sunday.

He was accompanied by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Sir Festus Ahon during the news conference.

Major approvals include reconstructing the first phase of the Warri Ring Road covering the stretch from First Marine Gates to Port Gate. The council also approved rehabilitating the road from Old Port Gate to the NPA Expressway.

Other approved projects included rapid rehabilitation and asphalt overlay on Airport Road Warri; Jakpa Road Effurun; and Refinery Road Effurun.

Aniagwu said the projects aimed to improve road conditions ease traffic movement and address infrastructure challenges in the Warri-Effurun axis.

He said the rehabilitation of Refinery Road had become urgent because of its deteriorating condition and the difficulties it posed to motorists and residents.

He said Governor Sheriff Oborevwori directed the relevant Ministry of Works to assess the road and submit a proposal to the council for approval.

The council also approved an extension of the ongoing flyover project at Otovwodo Junction in Ughelli as well as additional works on the adjoining road corridor. The council also approved a similar extension for the project towards College Junction in Agbor.

In Oshimili North Local Government Area the council approved the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Ugbolu-Illah Road. It also approved the construction of Dr Sunday Okonji Drive Opone Street and Dr and Mrs Ojogho Street.

The council also approved the completion of Chief Patrick Ukah Way in Okpanam leading towards Okotomi Quarters.

In Udu Local Government Area the council approved the construction of A.I. Mofo Street in Otor-Udu and also listed the construction of Iwezue Street in Boji-Boji among the projects.

The council approved the reconstruction of Emede Internal Road in Isoko South Local Government Area in two phases.

In Obiaruku Ukwuani Local Government Area the council approved the construction of Eziokpor Road Phase II including a spur to Odalonu Street.

Other approved projects in Okpe Local Government Area are Eyimofe Street in Orerokpe Guest House Road in Ugbokodo and Zion Street in Ughoton.

In Asaba the council approved the construction of Paul Enebeli Close Opene Street Waterholic Street and Flourish Garden Apartment Lane including a spur to Princess Ajudua Extension. The council also approved the construction of Oyemike Street with another spur off Ralph Uwhechue Road.

Beyond road infrastructure the council approved building permanent offices for the Delta State Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Rural Development Agency.

Aniagwu said the electricity regulatory commission’s office would support the state’s efforts to develop its electricity market following reforms that have expanded the role of state governments in the power sector.

He said the state was working to leverage the new regulatory framework to strengthen its electricity sector.

The council also approved an ultra-modern MBA lecture theatre at Delta State University Abraka and a clubhouse for civil servants at the State Secretariat in Asaba.

Aniagwu said the government remained focused on implementing its development plans and delivering projects across the state adding that preparations for the 2027 general elections would not distract the administration from its responsibilities.

The Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives Philip Agbese has commended the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Bashir Bayo Ojulari for reforms he said had improved the company’s focus on public welfare and operational efficiency.

Agbese spoke to a select committee of the British Parliament at the House of Lords in Westminster about President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He said Ojulari’s leadership had shifted the NNPCL away from years of opacity elite capture and systemic waste towards reforms aimed at delivering tangible benefits to Nigerians.

The lawmaker described the changes as institutional reform designed to ensure the country’s petroleum resources serve the wider population rather than a privileged few.

‘Ojulari has moved NNPCL from an elites’ conspiracy of corruption to the saving grace of common citizens’ Agbese said.

‘What we are witnessing is not cosmetic reform. It is a deliberate effort to dismantle entrenched interests and rebuild the company as a national asset that serves the Nigerian people.’

He added that oil production had recovered contract reviews had reduced costs and remittances to the Federation Account had become more consistent.

According to him the improvements could provide resources for infrastructure security and social services across the country.

Agbese highlighted the reported increase in output by NNPC Exploration and Production Limited to multi-decade highs the restoration of monthly financial and operational reporting and progress on critical gas infrastructure including the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline.

He also said timely cash-call payments and improved transparency had helped restore confidence among joint-venture partners and international investors.

The lawmaker noted that delayed financial obligations opaque contracting practices and underperforming assets had previously contributed to the loss of public resources.

He said the current management has introduced greater commercial discipline and accountability emphasising long-term value creation in line with the Petroleum Industry Act.

‘When NNPCL operates as a true commercial entity instead of a political patronage structure every Nigerian stands to gain’ Agbese said.

‘Higher crude and gas production generates more foreign exchange and stronger Federation Account inflows supporting the public services ordinary citizens rely on.

‘The difficult decisions on loss-making refineries the insistence on value-for-money in contracts and the public disclosure of audited results show that the old culture of elite entitlement is being confronted. Ojulari has demonstrated that focused and courageous leadership can turn a troubled institution into a source of national strength.’

He added that the reforms had begun attracting significant investment interest citing pipelines worth tens of billions of dollars linked to gas supply agreements and deepwater projects.

Agbese linked these developments to wider efforts to commercialise Nigeria’s gas resources and reduce over-reliance on crude oil.

The Deputy Spokesman urged sustained international partnership with the reformed national oil company arguing that greater transparency and commercial credibility created a more reliable foundation for collaboration between Nigerian institutions and global energy stakeholders.

‘What is happening at NNPCL today shows that meaningful reform is possible when leadership places the collective interest above sectional advantage’ Agbese said.

‘The company is no longer structured primarily to serve a narrow elite. It is being repositioned as an engine that generates revenue creates jobs and advances the aspirations of the wider citizenry.

‘I encourage our international partners to recognise and engage this new reality. A transparent efficient and commercially focused NNPCL strengthens energy security and opens partnership opportunities for all who share an interest in a stable and prosperous Nigeria.’

In his concluding remarks Agbese emphasised that the progress recorded so far must be protected and deepened.

He described Ojulari’s tenure as a critical period in which habits of secrecy and waste were being replaced by measurable performance and public accountability.

The lawmaker expressed confidence that continued reform would further raise upstream output accelerate gas commercialisation and ensure that the benefits of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources reach ordinary households rather than remaining concentrated among privileged networks.

‘The true test of leadership is whether institutions serve the many or the few’ Agbese concluded. ‘Under Bayo Ojulari NNPCL is beginning to pass that test.

‘The shift from elite conspiracy to citizen-centred value creation is underway and must be sustained. Nigeria’s energy future depends on protecting this trajectory.’

The campaign Organisation of Senator Sharafadeen Alli the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State has dismissed allegations by Bimbo Adekanmbi against the senator as falsehoods aimed at undermining his growing popularity.

The organisation in a statement issued on Saturday by its Director of Media and Publicity Mr Bisi Oladele accused Adekanmbi of concocting lies to smear Senator Alli’s image and distorting historical facts to score cheap political points rather than presenting credible plans for the development of the state.

It said the allegations made during a radio interview reflected the desperation of the opposition to discredit Alli ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The statement recalled that Alli while serving as Chairman of Ibadan North Local Government maintained a record of prompt salary payments and workers’ welfare which earned him an award from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Oyo State.

It explained that the financial difficulties experienced by local governments following the January 1993 Federal Military Government policy on staff promotions and salary increases were a nationwide problem caused by inadequate allocations to implement the policy.

According to the organisation the crisis persisted beyond Alli’s tenure and was eventually addressed through institutional measures including the establishment of the National Primary Education Commission in 1997 and the introduction of first-line charges for teachers’ salaries by 1999.

The SSACO challenged Adekanmbi to produce the report supporting his allegation of corruption against Alli or face a defamation suit. The campaign organisation accused Adekanmbi and his political associates of exploiting historical challenges to mislead the electorate insisting that no amount of alleged blackmail would diminish Alli’s political standing.

It further accused the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde of weakening local government administration in the state thereby denying residents at the grassroots the benefits of effective governance.

The statement said Alli if elected governor would revitalise the 33 local government areas strengthen their administrative and financial capacity and ensure that they effectively address the needs of their communities.

It added that his proposed priorities include reconstructing feeder and access roads to improve movement of people and goods and stimulate economic activities across the state.

The organisation expressed confidence that the electorate would reject Adekanmbi and Makinde in the 2027 elections insisting that the campaign would remain focused on restoring effective grassroots governance.

It challenged Adekanmbi to engage in issue-based political discourse rather than what it described as attempts to rewrite history for partisan advantage.

ESDIAC Global Systems Limited has secured a licence to operate in Nigeria’s data market marking a significant milestone in the company’s expansion of telecommunications and digital communication services across the country.

A statement in Lokoja by the company’s Chief Executive Austin Ugbebor confirmed the development.

The statement revealed that the licence enables ESDIAC to provide cross-border data solutions international connectivity data top-ups and global eSIM services to Nigerian consumers and businesses through retail and merchant networks.

Founded by Nigerian-born entrepreneur Austin Ugbebor ESDIAC was established to address the high cost and limited accessibility of international communication for diaspora communities and globally connected consumers.

The statement added: ‘Through its international calling platform Wi-Fi connectivity solutions and global mobile network partnerships the company serves tens of thousands of users worldwide.

‘The new licence strengthens ESDIAC’s ability to participate directly in Nigeria’s domestic data market while supporting its broader purpose: making communication more affordable accessible and inclusive for individuals families and businesses across borders.’

ESDIAC commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government for advancing policies aimed at liberalising Nigeria’s communications and digital economy. The administration’s reforms including the deregulation of the airtime credit and data advance sector are creating new opportunities for indigenous technology companies to compete.

innovate and contribute more meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development.

‘We commend President Tinubu for his vision and determination to create a more open and competitive communications industry.

‘These reforms send a powerful message that Nigerian companies can build world-class technology solutions compete globally and create lasting value at home said Austin Ugbebor Founder and CEO of ESDIAC.

It declared: ‘The company is particularly focused on extending affordable data and communication services to underserved communities Nigerian businesses and the global Nigerian diaspora. ‘Our purpose is to connect people opportunity and markets.

‘This licence allows us to deepen our contribution to Nigeria’s digital transformation while building a more inclusive communications ecosystem for the future’Ugbebor added.

ESDIAC is a Nigerian technology company specialising in telecommunications and data-driven solutions. Founded with a mission to make international communication accessible and affordable the company serves business and consumer customers across more than 150 countries and 400 cities worldwide.

Operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested Shobande Taofeek aged 36 over the alleged vandalism and theft of railway infrastructure along the Arigbajo axis of Ogun State.

The operation recovered 16 railway iron rods and two gas cylinders.

A statement by the Command Spokesman Oluseyi Babaseyi said the Command arrested the suspect following intelligence on the vandalism and theft of railway materials.

He said ‘On 23 October 2026 SWAT operatives intensified surveillance and patrols in the affected area leading to the suspect’s arrest. He later led the operatives to an unfinished building where they recovered the stolen items as exhibits.

‘Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspect allegedly confessed to involvement in similar offences on three previous occasions. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend other suspects connected with the crime and recover any additional stolen property.’

He said the Commissioner of Police in the State Bode Ojajuni has reiterated the Command’s unwavering commitment to protecting public assets safeguarding critical infrastructure and bringing perpetrators of economic sabotage to justice.

He however urged residents to cooperate with the police by providing timely credible information to support crime prevention and ensure safer communities across Ogun State.