Category: The Nation – Nigeria

A private firm, D’Rogers Initiatives, has completed a 12- week assisted community surveillance of Egbe, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, aimed at strengthening security around the community and its farmlands.

The operation was done in collaboration with local security structures like Egbe Mekun Security Committee, Local Government Area’s Departmental Security Office, as well as the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Kogi State Vigilante Services and the Forward Operating Base in Egbe.

Ground patrols were combined with drone surveillance to monitor difficult -to- access areas, including forests around the community.

The patrol team maintained coverage of the major routes throughout the 12 weeks, with no casualties recorded during the operation.

The security initiative also focused on farmland and corridors used by residents and traders, with the organisation reporting improved security within the areas covered. It was funded by its headquarters without contributions from residents or community levies.

Field activities also brought to light health concerns among some residents linked to the psychological effects of previous banditry and kidnapping incidents.

D’Rogers also said arrangements were being made with ECWA Hospital for community- based medical assessments and treatment.

It said plans were also underway for a monthly fitness and environmental programme in Egbe with relevant community and local government stakeholders.

‘One of the swiftest ways of destroying a state is to give preference to one particular group over another or to show favour to one group of people rather than another and draw near those who should be kept away and keep away those who should be drawn near…. Other practices destructive to sovereignty are arrogance and conceit which take away virtues. There are six qualities which cannot be tolerated in a leader: lying, envy, breach of promise, sharpness of temper, miserliness and cowardice. Another is the seclusion of the leader from his people, because when the oppressor is sure that the oppressed person will not have access to the ruler, he becomes more oppressive… A state can endure with unbelief but it cannot endure with injustice.’ [Bayan Wujub al-Hijra]

‘The third category of values is that dealing with the fight against corruption especially in the management of public affairs. Shaykh Abdullahi Ibn Fodio puts the Caliphate’s position in clear and unambiguous terms:

‘A ruler is forbidden to touch property acquired unjustly, such as through bribes obtained for appointing a judge or any other officer. The use of such property is unanimously regarded as illegal. It corrupts the Religion and opens the door wide to abuses and oppression of the poor. For the officials may feel that since money was obtained from them as a reward for appointing them to office, they in turn must recover it from the common people….’ [Diya’al-Hukkam]

It is also the view of the Sokoto Caliphate leaders that those charged with authority must strive to shun corrupt practices and lead by example. In the words of Sultan Muhammad Bello:

‘Leaders are like a spring of water and officials are like water-wheels. If the spring is pure, the filth of the water-wheels cannot harm it. If, on the other hand, the spring is polluted, the purity of the water-wheel will have little effect [on the purity of the water].’ [Usul al-Siyasa]

The fourth category of values relates to the dignity of labor and indeed the responsibility of government to provide the enabling environment that would allow people to make a decent living. In the words of Sultan Muhammad Bello:

‘……Guard yourself against poverty by lawful earning, because every poor man is afflicted by three defects: religious weakness, feeble mindedness and loss of honor. Worse than this is the contempt in which he is held by people….There are two assets which, as long as you safeguard them, you will remain alright: Your earnings for your livelihood and your religion for your hereafter…..The recommendable earning is better than supererogatory worship, the benefit of which is confined to the worshipper alone, whereas the benefit of the recommended earnings extend to others.'[Ahkam al-Makasib]

‘The fifth and final category of values… is the uplifting of the status of women, especially through Education. The Sokoto Caliphate leaders, as erudite scholars, lived by the percepts they preached and ensured that their wives and daughters and all others associated with them were educated to the highest standards the society could offer. Many of these women, including Nana Asma’u, became leaders in their own right and played an active role in the political arena. Equally and importantly, Shaykh Uthman Ibn Fodio’s pronouncements, made in the very early part of the nineteenth century, could not be more categorical:

‘One of the great calamities which have afflicted Hausaland is the practice of many of its scholars in abandoning their wives, daughters and servants in a state of ignorance. They are left like animals without any effort to teach them….. This is a grave mistake and a prohibited innovation. They treat them like utensils which they put to use, but when broken, get thrown into the dustbin. What a strange behavior! How could they leave their wives, daughters and servants in the darkness of ignorance and astray, while educating their students morning and evening. This is just for their selfish interest and for show and ostentation….’

Challenges of insecurity

The Sultan who had earlier delivered similar lectures in Cambridge and Oxford and did not stop there. He went further to trace and analyze the challenges of insecurity as well as causes of violence and terrorism in Nigeria and suggested some solutions to those societal vices.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday arraigned a luxury goods dealer and lifestyle influencer, Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as KC Luxury, and two other suspects before the Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged attempt to export 184.5 kilograms of cocaine to the United Kingdom.

The defendants, Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch, were arraigned alongside Afolabi before Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji on a 22-count charge relating to cocaine trafficking, illegal export of narcotics and money laundering.

According to a statement by the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the defendants allegedly conspired between July 28 and August 1, 2026, to export the cocaine, concealed in five consignments, through a Lagos-based courier logistics firm to London.

They pleaded not guilty to all counts when the charges were read to them.

The charge sheet, marked FHC/LAG/CR/755/2026, alleged in count one that the three defendants conspired with Atandare Oladipupo Oluwarotimi and Latifat Yusuf, who have been arrested in London in connection with the case, to export the 184.5 kg of cocaine in five consignments.

The consignments were said to have been shipped under the name Yemi Ejide and carried Air Waybill Numbers 2079998314, 8224082370, 2079973571, 7181131742 and 2211893902.

The NDLEA alleged that Boniface procured Ikechukwu to facilitate the export, while Afolabi allegedly procured a staff member of BOT Express Logistics on Lagos Island to process the consignments.

Afolabi was also accused of unlawfully possessing the cocaine in preparation for its export.

The charge sheet further alleged that Afolabi paid N13.2 million from a Mallamawa Ventures Zenith Bank account to BOT Express Logistics as consideration for the shipment.

Sixteen other counts relate to alleged money laundering by Afolabi, who was accused of moving several billions of naira through various companies and personal accounts.

The charge lists the following companies and accounts: Mallamawa Ventures, Fateey Man Multi-Purpose Nig. Ltd, Patonifa Ltd, Ade-Lak Resources, Holmestas Global Services Limited and La Capital Enterprises.

The NDLEA alleged that the funds were used, among other things, to acquire motor vehicles and landed properties in an attempt to conceal the alleged proceeds of the illicit trade.

He was also accused of failing to declare his assets to the agency as required by law.

During Friday’s proceedings, NDLEA prosecutor Abu Ibrahim opposed the defendants’ bail applications and urged the court to remand them in custody pending trial, citing the gravity of the alleged offences.

Justice Faji subsequently ordered the defendants remanded in the NDLEA’s facility and adjourned the matter until October 4, 2026, for a ruling on the bail application.

NDLEA operatives arrested Afolabi, also known as KayCee Luxury, KayCee Lux, KC, Mr Luxury, and Yemi Ejide, on the night of August 13, 2026, as he allegedly attempted to leave Nigeria on a business-class flight to Paris from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

His arrest followed the interception of the 184.5 kg cocaine consignment, which the agency estimated to be worth about N39 billion.

A subsequent search of Afolabi and his Banana Island apartment led to the recovery of exotic vehicles, foreign currencies and jewellery, which the agency said were believed to be proceeds of the illicit trade.

The first count of the charge accused the defendants of conspiring with the two suspects arrested in London to export the cocaine, contrary to Section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Telecoms operators are moving their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives towards digital education, healthcare and technology-enabled community projects, experts have said.

Reason: Connectivity is being linked more to essential services delivery.

Experts also said MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria CSRs, for example, cover public school teacher training, healthcare facilities’ upgrade ICT labs building and women entrepreneurship.

Also, they said the new industry-backed programme coordinated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is extending free access to some educational platforms.

The initiative provides users about 100MB of free data daily for approved educational websites and platforms.

The commission said the programme is aimed at reducing the costs to digital learning and improving access to education.

At the launch of the programme, NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, said connectivity is critical to making education programmes effective.

He said: ‘We need to appreciate how critical education is to economic development because of the role of human capital.’

He added that connectivity could help remove barriers to teachers and learning materials.

The programme is expected to cover millions of students.

NCC put the cost of free data provision to five million students at about ?15 billion monthly, or ?180 billion yearly. Maida said the 100MB daily limit was introduced partly to ensure the programme remained sustainable.

The development coincides with an expansion of telecom-backed social programmes.

Alsi, MTN’s SAIL Teachers’ Fellowship trained 5,000 public school teachers in its second cohort, including training in AI-assisted teaching. So far, the programme has trained over 8,700 teachers since its inception, according to MTN Foundation.

The Foundation has also moved into community health and education infrastructure through its What Can We Do Together programme. Its sixth phase attracted 20,983 nominations for public primary healthcare centres and secondary school science labs, with 149 facilities verified.

The Foundation plans to select 40 primary healthcare centres and 15 science labs for intervention under the latest phase.

MTN has also entered the maternal health space deal with the Gates Foundation. The two organisations announced an initial investment of about $25 million in the Nigeria Maternal Health Multiplier, a four-year programme which runs from this year to 2030.

The initiative aims to help 500,000 women access maternal health, equip 5,000 health workers with AI-enabled decision-support tools and improve connectivity at 500 health facilities. It is being implemented alongside Nigeria’s maternal health reforms.

Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate said the partnership was important because it would work with health systems rather than around them.

‘Partnerships that work with our health systems, rather than around them, are exactly what’s needed,’ Pate added.

Airtel Nigeria has similarly focused part of its recent social investment on education infrastructure. Its School Adoption Programme covers 10 schools in nine states, with interventions including classroom rehabilitation, furniture, water and electricity facilities and ICT labs.

The company has also run Empower Her, a financial-inclusion and business-support programme for women, while its partnership with UNICEF has supported zero-rated access to the Nigeria Learning Passport.

Globacom has also participated in technology-focused community interventions, although its recent publicly visible initiatives have taken a different form. Last year, the company partnered the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and Huawei on a project providing digital learning, e-health, public Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity to the Ibwa community in Abuja.

The project connected residents to remote learning and healthcare services, with Globacom providing the microwave backhaul and access to its core network, according to the company.

The interventions suggest that telecom CSR is being built around operators’ core assets – connectivity, digital platforms and network infrastructure – rather than being limited to conventional donations.

But the role of telecom companies in public-interest programmes also puts greater emphasis on scale, sustainability and outcomes, particularly where commercial operators are contributing network resources to initiatives with national policy objectives.

The NCC’s zero-rating programme is one such example. Its framework provides for monitoring of platform usage, data consumption, consumer complaints, network performance and compliance, with the commission saying the findings will inform future adjustments to the initiative.

For the telecom sector, the emerging model, therefore, places corporate social investment closer to the country’s wider digital-development agenda, while leaving regulators, operators and other stakeholders to determine how such programmes can remain sustainable and deliver public value.

The Super Eagles begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a crucial Group L double-header against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

The Super Eagles host Madagascar this evening at 5:00 pm, with Nigeria looking to make a strong start to the qualifying campaign. They then travel to Guinea-Bissau for their second fixture on Tuesday at 5:00 pm.

Nigeria head into the qualifiers after finishing third at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, having reached the final at the previous edition in Côte d’Ivoire. However, their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a difficult start to the qualifiers has added importance to the opening games of this campaign.

Both matches will air live on SuperSport, with Nigeria vs. Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau vs. Nigeria available on SS La Liga (DStv Ch. 204) and SS Pop-up (GOtv Ch. 59) for DStv Access and GOtv Value subscribers.

With Tanzania already guaranteed a place at AFCON 2027 as a co-host, Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau will compete for the remaining qualifying spot in Group L.

After struggling to build momentum early in their previous World Cup qualifying campaign, the Super Eagles will be keen to avoid another slow start and establish themselves early in the race for qualification.

First Green White Resource Centre (FGWRC), organisers of Nigeria’s Pride Awards, has announced Air Peace as the recipient of its Outstanding Corporate Citizen of the Decade Award on Excellence, Patriotism and Best Quality Service.

The airline will receive the award at the fifth edition of the event scheduled for November 10 as part of a Strategic Townhall with the theme, ‘Unlocking Nigeria’s Potentials: Pathways to Sustainable Investment.’

Founder and Facilitator of Nigeria’s Pride Awards, Bonaventure Phillips Melah, announced the award in a statement on Friday.

He said Air Peace was selected in recognition of what the organisers described as its corporate leadership, investment in national development, service delivery, employment creation, empowerment initiatives and contributions to Nigeria’s aviation sector.

Melah said the airline would be honoured alongside the TY Danjuma Foundation, the Nigerian Communications Commission and other recipients.

He said the awards seek to recognise individuals, companies, government agencies, ministries, diplomatic missions, foundations, charities and other organisations whose activities contribute to Nigeria’s development and the wellbeing of its people.

According to him, Air Peace has distinguished itself through its expansion of its fleet, investment in aviation infrastructure, international route development and various interventions during national and international emergencies.

He cited the airline’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility under construction at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, as one of its major investments in the aviation sector.

The project, which covers about 34,000 square metres and includes a 6,200-square-metre hangar, workshops, warehouse and aircraft apron, is expected to increase local aircraft maintenance capacity.

Melah also highlighted Air Peace’s international operations, including its London, Johannesburg, Jeddah and Mumbai routes, as well as its domestic and regional services.

He noted that the airline’s entry into the Lagos-London market in 2024 increased competition on the route and provided Nigerian travellers with another option for international travel.

The organisers also cited Air Peace’s humanitarian interventions, including its evacuation of Nigerians from South Africa during the 2019 xenophobic attacks, its involvement in the evacuation of Nigerians during the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022 and its participation in the evacuation of Nigerians from Sudan in 2023.

Melah further pointed to the airline’s involvement in Nigerian sports, including its transportation of the Super Eagles for an international fixture in 2021 and its subsequent reward to the team after its victory.

He said Air Peace had also demonstrated support for members of Nigeria’s security services, citing an occasion when military and police personnel received priority boarding and public recognition for their service.

Melah said the various initiatives formed the basis of the organisers’ decision to recognise Air Peace as a Nigerian corporate citizen deserving of the award.

Other members of the Nigeria’s Pride Awards Organising Committee are former Executive Director/Acting Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mr Ahaziah Suleiman, who is Chairman; Hajia Medina Dauda Nadabo, Bureau Coordinator/Programmes Officer, Voice of America, Nigeria, who is Secretary; and Victorson Agbenson, General Manager, Bronze FM Benin, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.

The United States government has announced a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign citizens who travel to the country to give birth to secure automatic U.S. citizenship for their children, as well as individuals and entities that facilitate the practice.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the policy, stating that the restrictions are being invoked pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

He added that certain immediate family members of individuals targeted under the policy may also be subject to the visa restrictions.

The policy specifically targets owners, operators, and managers of commercial birth tourism operations, as well as visa ‘fixers’ and facilitators who coach applicants to submit fraudulent documents or misrepresent their travel intentions.

Foreign medical providers who knowingly aid such travel schemes and any other individuals supporting commercial birth tourism networks are also covered under the rules.

The announcement comes after recent operations by U.S. authorities that dismantled international birth tourism networks operating across West Africa, North Africa, and Europe, resulting in the revocation of hundreds of visas.

In one instance, a U.S. embassy in West Africa uncovered a network involving over 100 foreign nationals using fraudulent documents and fixers to obtain U.S. citizenship for their children.

The State Department confirmed that the newly established Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force, working alongside the Department of Homeland Security, will continue to analyse records worldwide to revoke visas and dismantle commercial operations profiting from immigration fraud.

Official statements emphasised that the policy aims to protect the integrity of the U.S. immigration system and prevent the exploitation of American citizenship.

The Acting General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, has charged the Super Eagles to go all out and earn victory for Nigerians in Friday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against the Barea of Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

‘We are back to the familiar surroundings of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State for another qualifying race. It was here in Uyo that the Super Eagles won the tickets to the 2019 and 2025 AFCON finals. The NFF has absolute confidence in the team to run another good race and win the ticket with matches to spare.

‘Surely, the only way we can do that is to start with the maximum three points tomorrow, and then with another three points in Bissau on Tuesday. However, since we are taking it one match at a time, the focus now is on Madagascar on Friday. Nigerians are looking forward to victory tomorrow and I know the Super Eagles will give them joy.’

Ikpeme assured that the NFF, with great support of the National Sports Commission, has concluded arrangements for a hitch-free game, as well as seamless movement of the team to Guinea Bissau and back to Nigeria after the Day 2 encounter with the Wild Dogs on Tuesday, 29th September.

To qualify for the 2019 AFCON finals staged in Egypt, Uyo served as the home ground for the Super Eagles as they shot past South Africa, Libya and Lesotho. Ahead of the 2025 finals staged in Morocco, the three-time winners overcame hurdles mounted by Libya, Rwanda and Benin Republic to qualify with a match to spare.

Today’s encounter will kick off at 5pm.

Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, has congratulated Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye, popularly called King Sunny Ade, on his 80th birthday.

The monarch described him ‘as a trailblazer, a music maestro, a rare breed and a precious gift, who has remained active despite his age on the music scene, thus reinforcing his position as a cultural ambassador, who has done so much to project a positive image for the country over the years.’

In a statement by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, Alaafin lauded Sunny Ade’s contribution to the growth of Nigerian music,

which has become a global brand, crediting him and other musical stars of his generation for charting the path for today’s generation of ”Young Turks” in the industry.

Oba Owoade said: ‘King Sunny Ade is a muse, a prodigious songster, a creative enigma and a conversationalist musician, whose reach in musical world is limitless. He could single up to the age of 80 due to combination of factors, which include his dexterity, originality, hard work and above all the grace of God.

‘The Juju music exponent has made his mark in the music world as one of the most gifted and prolific singers, as well as song writers with an uncommon consistency in the last five decades. He is one of the music icons on the African continent. He is a gift not only to Nigeria, but also the whole music communities of the world.’

The monarch prayed that God would grant the Juju music maestro many more years in good health, so that he would continue to benefit humanity.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has built a pound 162 million investment portfolio in Nigeria across six projects, with pound 65 million already disbursed or issued as guarantees, as the development finance institution accelerates its expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The figures, published in the EBRD’s current Nigeria country profile, show that the Bank has six active portfolio operations in the country, with the private sector accounting for 47 per cent of its portfolio. Nigeria joined the EBRD as a recipient country in 2025, and the Bank said it had invested pound 620 million across its five Sub-Saharan African countries of operation in less than a year.

The regional figure represents a substantial increase from the pound 350 million the EBRD reported earlier in the year, underscoring the rapid build-up of its African operations.

The Bank’s Strategy Implementation Plan 2026-28 had projected a gradual expansion into Sub-Saharan Africa, with the longer-term objective of investing more than pound 1 billion annually in the region from 2027.

One of the largest EBRD-backed projects in Nigeria is the Nigeria Sovereign Fibre Project, under which the Bank is providing a sovereign loan of up to $100 million to support Nigeria’s participation in a special-purpose vehicle for the nationwide rollout of approximately 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic broadband infrastructure.

The project is intended to expand affordable high-speed connectivity, particularly in underserved areas, while supporting digital public services, productivity and economic diversification. The EBRD says the loan is supported by up to pound 22 million in European Union grants for technical assistance, including detailed designs and capacity building.

A General Procurement Notice published by the EBRD on September 23 further confirmed that the $100 million loan to the special-purpose vehicle is being complemented by a pound 22 million EU grant and pound 500,000 from EBRD shareholder funds. The procurement notice relates to consultancy services for the project.

The Bank’s $100 million loan is one component of the financing structure and should not be presented as the total cost of the nationwide project.

Another major transaction with a Nigerian component is the proposed Mota-Engil Africa facility.

The EBRD approved a corporate loan of up to pound 162 million to Mota-Engil Africa, but the financing covers activities in several African countries. Of the facility, pound 63 million is allocated to railway construction equipment in Nigeria, while pound 99 million is linked to mining-services activities in Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.

The EBRD’s project documents identify the Nigerian component specifically as pound 63 million. The financing will support construction works associated with the Kano-Maradi railway and related railway infrastructure in Nigeria.

The Bank is also expanding its technology-financing activities through Ventures Platform Pan-African Fund II.

In May, the EBRD approved an equity investment of up to $8 million in the fund, which invests in early-stage technology companies in Nigeria and other African markets. The investment forms part of the EBRD’s pound 200 million Early-Stage Innovation Facility II.

However, the Ventures Platform investment is classified by the EBRD as a regional investment rather than a direct addition to its pound 162 million Nigeria country portfolio. The fund is designed to invest across Africa, with a focus that includes Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Morocco and Senegal.

Portfolio data as of August 31 showed pound 256 million in telecommunications, media and technology; pound 148 million in food and agribusiness; and pound 96 million in financial institutions. Together, the three sectors accounted for pound 500 million of the pound 615 million sector portfolio, or about 81 per cent.

Energy and municipal infrastructure each accounted for pound 36 million, while natural resources accounted for pound 26 million and equity funds pound 17 million.

The sector figures sum to pound 615 million and provide a snapshot of the EBRD’s regional portfolio at August 31 rather than its cumulative investment since entering Sub-Saharan Africa.

Nigeria’s growing importance to the Bank’s African strategy comes against an economy that the EBRD expects to expand by 4.1 per cent in 2026, following 4.1 per cent growth in 2024 and 4.0 per cent in 2025. Growth is forecast to moderate slightly to 3.9 per cent in 2027.

The EBRD said services, industry and agriculture would continue to support growth, while identifying inflation, higher energy prices, possible investment delays ahead of the 2027 elections and adverse weather conditions affecting agricultural output among the downside risks.

The EBRD’s country profile showed that Nigeria’s membership became effective in February 2025, when the country formally joined the Bank.

Since then, the institution has established a six-project portfolio, with pound 65 million classified as operating assets through disbursements and issued guarantees.

The expansion forms part of the EBRD’s broader strategy to establish a significant investment presence in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its 2026-28 implementation plan said the Bank intends to scale up its activities in the region and aims to reach more than pound 1 billion in annual investment by 2027.