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PAN-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Tuesday, constituted a 33-member committee to coordinate the burial arrangements for its late leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, who died at the age of 100.

The committee, announced on Tuesday at a meeting of Afenifere’s National Executive Committee, at the deceased’s residence in Akure, Ondo State, is chaired by Oba Olu Falae.

According to Falae, who listed the committee to include representatives of Afenifere and other groups that had previously met at Ogbo, Ogun State, added that its membership would be expanded to ensure wider representation.

Members of the burial planning committee include Oba Samuel Falae, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Bashorun Sehinde Arogbofa, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Senator Femi Okurounmu, Senator Kofo Akerele-Bucknor, Chief Supo Shonibare.

Others are: Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu, Chief Tola Mobulurin, Otunba Dr Samuel Ibikunle, Chief Korede Duyile, Chief Femi Aluko, Dr Gbola Adetunji, Honourable Wale Oshun, Otunba Iyiola Omisore, Chief Pekun Awobona and Engineer Bayo Adenekan.

Also in the list are Abagun Kole Omololu, Dr Akin Onigbinde, SAN, Professor Akin Onigbinde, Chief Dare Babarinsa, Dr David Atte, Chief Ayo Abereoran, Honourable Lanre Omisore, Chief Sola Ebiseni, Otunba Deji Wellington, Mrs Nike Olujembola, Mrs Oluwatoyin Falade, Comrade Jare Ajayi, Arc. Goke Omigbodun and Chief Ademola Folarin.

Falae said the committee would work with the family’s burial committee and the government committee to organise a befitting burial for the elder statesman.

He stressed that the immediate priority was to give the late leader a befitting burial, expressing confidence that a credible successor would emerge after the funeral.

The development came as the organisation urged its members to prioritise unity and the preservation of Fasoranti’s legacy, warning that discussions on leadership succession before his burial were premature and contrary to Yoruba cultural values.

Falae said the immediate priority was to honour Fasoranti’s life and contributions, expressing confidence that a credible leader would emerge to lead the organisation after the burial.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Olori Rachael Falae described the deceased as a quiet, disciplined and trustworthy leader whose integrity and commitment to public service earned him the respect of the Akure community.

She recalled that Fasoranti combined his responsibilities as a local government chairman and school principal with dedication.

She noted that the tenure of the late leader of Afenifere witnessed the construction of important roads in Akure, including the road linking the A Division Police Station to the State Hospital and the road from NEPA Roundabout to the St Thomas’s area.

‘Papa was a very quiet person and highly disciplined, and this discipline he carried even into his political life. He was a leader who could be trusted,’ she said.

Olori Falae added that the late elder statesman remained firm in his convictions despite challenges, noting that his home had become a point of reference for resolving difficult matters in Akure.

She recalled that following the announcement of his death, the Deji of Akure had expressed concern about finding another leader of his stature.

Appealing to Afenifere members to preserve his legacy, she urged the organisation to resolve its differences and remain united in the interest of the Yoruba people and future generations.

‘I am appealing to the Afenifere group that they should please let this attitude remain, that they should work together and ensure that Afenifere stands for something that is good, something unique, something that can bring our people together,’ she said.

She added that members must look beyond their differences and consider the expectations of the younger generation.

‘We must think of the future because the next generation is looking up to us. If there is any difference, they should try to settle it so that Papa’s spirit, wherever it is, will be happy,’ she said.

On the burial arrangements, Olori Falae said the family expected participation from Afenifere members, the Akure community, the Anglican Church and state governors.

She disclosed that tributes would begin around the Monday preceding the funeral, with specific days allocated to different groups, while the governors would determine their level of participation.

She also reaffirmed the family’s intention to ensure that the funeral reflected Fasoranti’s strong religious convictions and his contributions to public life.

Fasoranti’s family had earlier announced December 17, for his funeral service and interment.

Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has warned President Tinubu to be cautious of his health rather than his second-term ambition.

Primate Ayodele, in a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, said the president’s health is failing and that, if he doesn’t take care, it will have serious effects.

He explained that the president needs divine prayers and medical intervention because of the health crisis that will eventually befall him, and if it isn’t tackled as soon as possible, it won’t be a pleasant situation.

‘Tinubu needs to watch his health more than politics. His health is important to the nation and his family, and he should not sacrifice that for politics.

‘I see the president in serious health danger; he may not see it, he may not have been told, but I was made to see him in a red zone health-wise, and if an intervention isn’t done immediately, an unpleasant thing will happen to our president’

The cleric further explained that even if Tinubu gets a second term in office, he may be unable to finish it because of his health.

‘With the situation I see, even if he struggles to get a second term in office, he will not be able to finish it because of his health. He needs to take his health very seriously. Politics without health is nothing’

Also, Ayodele made it known that those around the president don’t wish him well and don’t care about his health otherwise, they would have advised him better.

He explained that those around the president are always pursuing those who want to give the president good advice because of their own personal interest.

He maintained that President Tinubu needs serious prayers and medical attention that needs to be taken care of before politics.

‘It’s sad that the president doesn’t have good people around him. They just want to get anything they can get from the president; otherwise, they would have advised him better. Tinubu needs prayers.’

Continuing, Primate Ayodele noted that his warnings to the president aren’t to seek his attention but to deliver a divine warning that has been placed in his heart by God, and nothing more.

The Nigeria Customs Service, Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command, has intercepted unregistered pharmaceutical products with a Duty Paid Value of ?5.8m along the Illela-Sokoto Road.

The seized products, comprising anti-cold drugs, amodiaquine, paracetamol, and quinine, were on Wednesday handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and necessary regulatory action.

The Acting Customs Area Controller, Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Haliru Abdullahi, disclosed this on Wednesday during the handover ceremony at the command headquarters in Sokoto.

Abdullahi said the seizure followed credible intelligence and the efforts of the command’s patrol teams, adding that the operation was part of ongoing efforts to prevent the circulation of unregistered pharmaceutical products.

He said the seized items included 360 packages of anti-cold drugs, 500 packages of amodiaquine, 140 packages of paracetamol, and 100 packages of quinine.

According to him, the importation of the products contravenes Section 55 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and NAFDAC regulations.

He warned smugglers and dealers in unregistered pharmaceutical products to desist from the practice, noting that such activities could endanger public health.

‘Let me use this opportunity to warn smugglers and those who deal in such unwholesome products that the Sokoto/Zamfara Command, under my watch, will not tolerate any form of smuggling,’ Abdullahi said.

He added, ‘We remain vigilant and committed to safeguarding the health of citizens and the nation’s economy.’

The controller commended the officers who carried out the interception and appreciated NAFDAC for its continued collaboration with the Customs Service in combating the illegal trade in pharmaceutical products.

Receiving the seized items, the NAFDAC State Coordinator in Sokoto, AbdulSalam Lawal, praised the Customs Service for its vigilance and sustained partnership with the agency.

Speaking on behalf of NAFDAC’s Director-General and management, Lawal described inter-agency cooperation as essential to preventing unsafe and unregistered products from reaching the public.

‘On behalf of the Director-General of NAFDAC and the entire management of the agency, I want to express our sincere appreciation to the Nigerian Customs Service for the wonderful collaboration we’ve been enjoying,’ he said.

He said the partnership has continued to support efforts to rid the country of unwholesome products, expressing hope for stronger cooperation between the two agencies.

‘This is the only way we can rid the country of some of these unwholesome products from circulation. We sincerely appreciate the efforts of your men,’ Lawal added.

The handover reflects ongoing collaboration between the Customs Service and NAFDAC to curb the circulation of unregistered pharmaceutical products and protect Nigerians from potential health risks.

The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s performance in office will earn him re-election in 2027, citing the administration’s investments in education, skills development and human capital.

Alausa stated this in Abuja on Wednesday during a visit to the City Boy Movement’s office, where he commended Seyi Tinubu and members of the movement for their grassroots mobilisation and engagement with Nigerians from different backgrounds.

The minister maintained that the Federal Government’s reform agenda, particularly in education and vocational training, was creating opportunities for young Nigerians and addressing longstanding challenges to the country’s development.

He said President Tinubu’s policies were guided by a long-term vision that prioritised the welfare and future prospects of younger generations, even when implementing them required difficult decisions.

‘President Tinubu makes promises he intends to fulfil. His decisions are not just about today; they are about the future of our children and grandchildren,’ Alausa said.

Highlighting the administration’s achievements in the education sector, the minister identified the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as a major intervention aimed at expanding access to tertiary education by easing the financial burden on students and their families.

He said the initiative was designed to ensure that financial difficulties did not prevent qualified students from pursuing their academic ambitions.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, Alausa also cited the administration’s renewed emphasis on technical and vocational education and training (TVET), disclosing that more than 250,000 Nigerians were benefiting from skills development programmes across approximately 1,200 training centres nationwide.

He said the programmes were equipping beneficiaries with practical skills in areas such as solar photovoltaic installation, fashion and garment production, carpentry, construction trades and animal husbandry.

According to him, the initiative was intended to bridge the gap between education and employment by preparing young Nigerians for opportunities in industry, entrepreneurship and other productive sectors.

The minister stressed that education must go beyond the acquisition of academic certificates to equip learners with the practical competencies required to thrive in the labour market and contribute to national economic growth.

He also highlighted efforts to address infrastructure and accommodation challenges in tertiary institutions, noting that improved facilities were essential to creating conducive learning environments and enhancing the quality of education.

Alausa further pointed to initiatives to expand nursing education and professional training, saying investments in critical skills and human capital development were necessary to strengthen essential sectors of the economy.

He attributed the administration’s reform agenda to Tinubu’s determination to address structural challenges and create greater fiscal space for investment in public services, including education, healthcare and infrastructure.

The minister argued that the impact of the administration’s policies should be assessed against their long-term objectives, particularly their potential to expand opportunities for citizens and strengthen the economy.

He also identified business process outsourcing and the growth of Nigeria’s service economy as emerging opportunities for job creation, expressing optimism that a better-skilled workforce could attract international businesses and provide employment for young people.

On political mobilisation, Alausa commended the City Boy Movement for its grassroots engagement, describing its activities as evidence of collective effort and volunteerism.

He urged members to sustain their outreach to communities and communicate government policies and programmes effectively, while encouraging informed public discussions about the administration’s development agenda.

The minister also cautioned against misinformation and divisive rhetoric, urging Nigerians to prioritise the national interest and engage responsibly in discussions about the country’s future.

He expressed confidence that the administration’s record in education, vocational training and human capital development would remain central to public assessment ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Alausa reiterated his commendation of Seyi Tinubu and members of the movement, stressing that grassroots engagement and collective responsibility were important to advancing the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, presided over by Justice Musa Kakaki, on Wednesday refused to grant bail to a Lagos-based businessman and social media influencer, Afolabi Michael Kazeem, popularly known as KC Luxury, over the alleged trafficking of 184.5kg of cocaine and money laundering.

The judge delivered the verdict while ruling on the bail application filed by the defendant through his counsel, Chief Emefo Etudo.

In his ruling, Justice Kakaki declared that the defence failed to establish special circumstances to warrant bail on medical grounds, stressing that the application lacked sufficient evidence and a valid medical certificate.

According to the judge, ‘There is no medical certificate to warrant the court to grant him bail.

‘If there is special medical need for the first defendant, where a suspect claims an illness, an expert in the field would have given an explanation.’

Justice Kakaki ordered the Nigerian Correctional Service at the Ikoyi Custodial Centre to grant Kazeem unrestricted access to doctors and medical experts for the treatment of any health condition.

The court also ordered an accelerated hearing and adjourned the matter until November 2, 2026, for the commencement of trial.

It will be recalled that KC Luxury was brought to the court premises in an ambulance while receiving oxygen during the previous proceedings on Friday.

Counsel for the defendant, Etudo, had prayed the court to grant his client bail to enable him to receive specialised treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), arguing that his health had deteriorated following the collapse of his lungs, as disclosed by the Police Hospital, Falomo.

However, counsel for the prosecution, Abu Ibrahim, opposed the application, arguing that the medical evidence did not justify his release.

In his words: ‘Your Lordship looked at the application. The ailment is the same. It is the same asthma. But maybe it has become acute; the character and the ailment are the same.’

Ibrahim insisted that the defence did not present any document from LUTH showing that the hospital could not manage Kazeem’s condition.

Meanwhile, when the case was called, an officer from the Ikoyi Custodial Centre, Adeleye Akin, told Justice Kakaki that Kazeem was still at the Police Hospital in Falomo.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Kakaki maintained that an applicant seeking bail must provide sufficient and cogent evidence.

While reviewing exhibits AK5, AK6, and AK8 tendered by the defence-which contained photographs of an individual on a hospital bed-Justice Kakaki recalled his earlier ruling of October 2, 2026, where a medical officer had recommended that Kazeem be assessed by a consultant respiratory physician or pulmonologist.

The judge held that the recommendation did not establish an untreated illness.

The judge said: ‘Having gone through the records of the court and compared the ruling of October 2, 2026, I hereby discountenance all the exhibits.’

Justice Kakaki questioned the defence’s claim, noting the irony of arguing that Kazeem could not be treated in a Nigerian custodial facility while seeking his release to be treated at LUTH, a Nigerian public teaching hospital.

The judge asked: ‘Is it not ironic that the facility he said he cannot be treated in is the same LUTH he wants him to go for specialised treatment?’

The court equally held that the defence failed to show any material change in circumstances since the court’s October 16, 2026 order remanding Kazeem in custody.

‘There is an inability to show special circumstances to warrant bail. I hereby discountenance it in the present application.

‘Nothing was stopping the Correctional Centre from calling an expert to attend to the first defendant, or using the first defendant’s doctor if he had one,’ he ruled.

In declining the application, Justice Kakaki stated: ‘The application is not granted; bail is refused to the first defendant. The case will proceed to an accelerated hearing.

‘Where there is any health issue, the Correctional Centre shall give unfettered access to a doctor or expert for his treatment.’

Kazeem is standing trial alongside Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch on charges bordering on alleged 184.5kg cocaine trafficking and money laundering.

ON July 29, 1975, General Murtala Mohammed GCFR became head of State by overthrowing General Yakubu Gowon GCFR. On August 7, 1975, General Mohammed set up a committee on the creation of more states in the country. At that time, Nigeria had 12 states. The committee was headed by Justice Gabriel Ayo Irikefe of the Supreme Court. Other members of the committee were Dr. A.D. Yahaya, Mr. S.D. Lar, Brigadier Godwin G. Ally and Mr. C. Audifferen. The Secretary of the committee was Dr. Patrick Dele Cole of THE CABINET OFFICE. At that time, Dr. Dele Cole was an administrative officer in the Political division of THE CABINET OFFICE. He has returned from his studies at the University of Otago, New Zealand, 1962-1965, Free University of Amsterdam, Netherland, 1966, University of Cambridge, England, 1966-1969, and visiting Professor, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA, 1969-1973. Dr. Dele Cole was a fellow, Kings College, Cambridge, England, 1970-1973. The political division in THE CABINET OFFICE was headed by Alhaji Umaru Sanda Ndayako (1937 – 8 September, 2003), who later became the Etsu Nupe in 1975. Alhaji Ndayako had his education at the East School, Bida, 1945-1948, Ilorin Middle School, 1949-1950, Government College, Zaria, 1951-1956, Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria, 1957-59, University College, Ibadan, 1959-1962; Senior Civil Servant, Ministry of Local Government, Kaduna, 1962-1965, Principal Administrative Office, 1965-1967 and deputy Permanent Secretary, later head, Political Division, Cabinet Office.

Top officers in the Political division, CABINET OFFICE, who were also colleagues of Dr. Dele Cole at that time also included Mr. Eniolorunda Ojumu from Kwara state, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar from Kaduna State, Dr. Niyi Adedeji from Ilesha, Osun State, Ambassador Timothy Ayodele Olu Otunla also from Ilesha, Mr. Bisi Ogunniyi from Iree in Osun state and Brigadier Ibrahim Ahmed Bako(N/548) (5 March 1943-31 December,1983). On February 3, 1976, General Murtala Mohammed GCFR, made the following announcements. ‘The Supreme Military Council has decided that seven of the present States remain unchanged except for minor boundary adjustments. These are: Lagos, North-Central, Kano, Rivers, Mid-Western, South-eastern and Kwara States. In the case of Kwara, Igala area is excised and merged with Benue. The capitals will remain unchanged except for Lagos State whose capital is now Ikeja. The minor boundary adjustments are for parts of Opobo division in the South-Eastern State and Ndoni area in the Mid-West now merged with Rivers State. States will no longer be described reference to geographical points such as North and South, West or East. This should help to erase memories of past political ties and emotional attachments. The Mid-Western States is now to be known as Bendel; North-Central becomes Kaduna State and the present South-Eastern is to be known henceforth as Cross River State. As for the other five States, these have been divided in such a way that the total number of States in the Federation is now nineteen.

The present Western State is divided into three States as follows: (i) Ogun State, consisting of Abeokuta and Ijebu Provinces with the capital at Abeokuta (ii) Ondo State is made up of Ondo Province with the capital at Akure (iii) Oyo State consisting of Oyo, Ibarapa, Ibadan, Osun, Ife and Ijesha with the capital at Ibadan. The present East-Central State is divided into two States as follows: (i) Imo State consisting of the following divisions: Afikpo, Oguta, Nkwerre, Mbano,Mbasie, Bende, Orchukwum, Umahia, Okigwi, Orlu,Oru, Mbaitoli/Ikeduru, Etiti, Ohafia, Northern Ngwa, Owerri, Aba and Ukwa with the capital at Owerri. (ii) Anambra State consisting of the following Divisions: Enugu, Isi-Uzo, Uzo-Uwani, Ezeagu, N-kanu, Abakaliki, Ezzikwo, Njikoka,Idmili, Igbo-Eze, Nsukka,Udi, Ishelu, Izzim Aguata, Anambra, Onitsha, Awgu, Ihiala, Nnewi and Ogbaru with the capital at Enugu. The present North-Western State is divided into two States as follows: (i) NIGER STATE consisting of Niger Province less Zuru with the capital at Minna (ii) Sokoto State consisting of Sokoto Province and Zuru with the capital at Sokoto.

The present Benue-Plateau State is divided into two States as follows: (i) Benue State consisting of Gboko, Makurdi, Katsina Ala and Oturkpo with the capital at Makurdi. The State includes Idah, Dekina and Ankpa Divisions in Kwara. (ii) Plateau State consisting of Jos, Pankshin Akwanga, Langtang, Shendam, Nassarawa and Lafia with the capital at Jos. The State also includes Jarawa District in Bauchi Division. The present North-Eastern State is divided into three States as follows: (i) Bauchi State consisting of Bauchi Province less Jarawa District with the capital at Bauchi. (ii) Borno State consisting of Borno Province less Shani District with the capital at Maiduguri. The State include Gwoza Local Authority area and Uba District in Adamawa. (iii) Gongola State consisting of Sardauna and Adamawa provinces with the capital at Yola. The State also includes Wukari Division in the former Benue-Plateau State and Shani District. Boundary adjustment Commissions will be set up immediately to look into the various inter-state boundary disputes identified by the panel on creation of States. The peculiar problem of the Riverine areas is to be dealt with through the establishment of a Delta Basin Authority. The following officers have been posted as Governors of the seven new States. They are Lt. Commander Kanu-Imo, Major I.D. Ikpeme-Ondo, Lt. Colonel A. Shelleng-Benue, Lt. Colonel S.A. Balogun-Ogun, Lt. Colonel M.D. Jega-Gongola, Commander Nyako-Niger and Lt. Colonel B. Kaliel-Bauchi State’.

After the report, Justice Ayo Irikefe GCON later became the Chief Justice of the Federation from 1985 to 1987. Dr. Ali Danlami Yahaya of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria became a member of The Constitution Drafting Committee and Mr. S.D. Lar, was Chairman of African Continental Bank, elected Governor of Plateau state in 1979 and became the founding Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999 and Mr. C. Audifferen was a Map Reproduction Officer for the Federal Ministry of Works.

(See the rest on www.tribuneonlineng.com)

Teniola, a former Director at the Presidency, lives in Lagos.

The decision by the Supreme Military Council was as a result of the reports of the Secretariat of the Committee on the creation of states, then headed by Mr. Dele Cole. From then on, the Chief of Staff, General Headquarters, General Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, bonded a friendship with Dr. Dele Cole. Following an internal crisis, the Federal Government on September 19, 1975 acquired 60% equity shares in THE DAILY TIMES Group of Companies. They therefore appointed a new Board of Directors for the group. They are Alhaji Aliko Mohammed (Chairman), Alhaji Babatunde Jose, Mr. Douglas Briggs, Mr. Paul Belabo, Dr. Ali Alhakim, Dr. Patrick Dele Cole, Lady Alakija and Alhaji J. Gana. Dr. Cole then became the Managing Director of THE DAILY TIMES. He was deployed from THE CABINET OFFICE to THE DAILY TIMES.

While serving as Managing Director of DAILY TIMES, Dr. Dele Cole was very involved in acquisition of ‘WEST AFRICA’ Magazine – owned by South Africa through her intelligence agencies. This helped weaken apartheid support in the Western Press- during Nigeria’s Seizure of Barclays Bank and British Petroleum (BP) in 1979.

A few years later General Ibrahim Babangida appointed Dr. Dele Cole as Nigeria’s ambassador to Argentina and Brazil according to Mr. Peter Aribe, a public affairs analyst with deep military background. Ambassador Cole ‘helped grow tremendously Petrobras involvement in the Nigerian Oil Exploration especially in deep off shore investigations. The partnership between the Nigerian Navy and the Brazilian Navy was also greatly enhanced in this period; with the Brazilian Navy supplying most of the equipment required for the refit and repairs of Navy Boats at Navy Dockyard – Victoria Island, which General Babangida commissioned in 1990’. When his friend, President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR in 1999 became President, he tapped Dr. Dele Cole to be his special adviser, along with Dr. Stanley Macebuh (28 December 1942 – 7 March 2010). During the Obasanjo years, Dr. Tunji Olagunju (82) from Offa, Kwara state, Prince Bola Ajibola (March 1934 – 8 April 2023), Dr. Christopher Kolade (28 December 1932 – 8 October 2025), Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, the Asiwaju of Owo in Ondo state and Dr. Dele Cole, were very close to the President. In the case of Dr. Cole, he participated in numerous talks with Nigeria’s creditors, especially with the Paris Club on the debt relief. With his death, Nigeria has lost an astounding Public Servant.

Italian energy company Eni has completed the sale of its Nigerian subsidiary, Agip Energy and Natural Resources (Nigeria) Limited (AENR), to Apex Global Energy Limited, a subsidiary of Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO), as foreign oil firms continue to transfer onshore assets to Nigerian operators.

Eni announced the completion of the transaction on October 26, 2026, following approval by the relevant authorities. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

AENR holds a five per cent interest in the Renaissance joint venture, which operates onshore oil assets previously managed by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria.

Renaissance Africa Energy Limited, which acquired SPDC’s assets in March 2025, operates the joint venture and holds a 30 per cent stake. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited owns 55 per cent, while TotalEnergies held the remaining 10 per cent before announcing the sale of its interest to Vaaris Energy on October 27 for approximately $800 million.

Eni said the divestment was part of its strategy to streamline its portfolio and dispose of non-core assets. The company retains its deepwater operations in Nigeria and its interest in Nigeria LNG.

Sterling Oil, which is privately owned by the Sandesara family, operates Oil Mining Lease 143 in Anambra State. The company developed the Okwuibome field and has produced Okwuibome Blend crude oil since 2011.

The acquisition adds AENR’s five per cent interest in the Renaissance joint venture to Sterling Oil’s existing Nigerian operations. Renaissance, however, remains responsible for the day-to-day management of the joint venture’s assets.

The transaction is the latest in a series of divestments by international oil companies operating in Nigeria.

In August 2024, Eni sold its Nigerian Agip Oil Company subsidiary to Oando Plc for about $783 million. Seplat Energy completed its acquisition of Mobil Producing Nigeria from ExxonMobil in December 2024 in a deal valued at approximately $800 million.

Shell also completed the sale of SPDC to Renaissance in March 2025, while agreeing in October 2026 to sell Shell Nigeria Gas to Vaaris Energy.

The transactions reflect a continuing shift in ownership of Nigeria’s onshore oil assets towards indigenous operators, as some international companies restructure their portfolios and concentrate on other segments of the energy industry.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has opened its 2026 licensing round, offering 40 oil and gas blocks to prospective investors.

The process requires bidders to disclose their beneficial ownership as part of efforts to strengthen transparency in the sector.

The Federal Government has disbursed ?249.6 billion to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in the last three years under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, representing 77.1 per cent of the total disbursements made under the scheme since its inception in 2019, according to the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako.

Salako disclosed this on Wednesday during a ministerial press briefing in Abuja on the implementation and achievements of the fund between 2023 and 2026.

Salako said the administration had increased funding for basic healthcare delivery, expanded health insurance coverage and strengthened primary healthcare services through the fund.

He explained that since the first disbursement under the BHCPF in September 2019, a total of ?432.3 billion had been released, while ?323.6 billion had been disbursed as of the latest review.

According to him, an additional ?40.758 billion approved at the October 2026 meeting of the Ministerial Oversight Committee would raise total disbursements to ?364 billion, with ?290.2 billion accounted for under the Tinubu administration.

The minister said the figures reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to increasing domestic financing for essential healthcare services and ensuring that public resources translated into improved access to medical care.

‘The test is not whether a release appears in the ledger, but whether the intended facility receives the funds and appreciates or delivers the service,’ Salako said.

He explained that the BHCPF was established under the National Health Act 2014 to ensure that Nigerians, particularly poor and vulnerable populations, could access essential healthcare services.

‘The Basic Health Care Provision Fund was designed to give practical effect to the basic obligation of government that Nigerians, especially those who are poor or vulnerable, have access to essential healthcare,’ he said.

Salako said the fund had become a central component of the administration’s broader health sector reform programme, which seeks to improve primary healthcare delivery, expand health insurance coverage and strengthen accountability in the use of public resources.

He recalled that President Tinubu launched the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative in December 2023 and signed the Health Sector Renewal Compact to align the Federal Government, state governments, the Federal Capital Territory and development partners behind a common reform agenda.

According to him, the compact was updated in November 2025 to include local governments, the private sector, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and religious leaders.

The minister said the introduction of the BHCPF Guideline 2.0 was aimed at improving transparency and accountability through performance-linked disbursements, direct financing of healthcare facilities and stricter monitoring mechanisms.

He added that the framework incorporated the use of the National Identification Number to improve beneficiary identification and make healthcare spending more traceable.

‘The goal is to expand access to quality healthcare, make every naira that is spent traceable and deliver primary healthcare services equitably, efficiently and transparently,’ Salako said.

On the latest funding, he said the Ministerial Oversight Committee approved ?40.758 billion for the third quarter of 2026, compared with approximately ?32.88 billion in the preceding quarter.

He said ?19.87 billion was allocated to the National Health Insurance Authority Gateway, while ?18.3 billion went to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency Gateway.

The Emergency Medical Treatment Gateway received ?2.04 billion, while ?409.48 million was allocated to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Gateway.

Salako said the allocations were intended to improve financial protection for vulnerable Nigerians, strengthen primary healthcare facilities, support emergency medical services and enhance disease surveillance and outbreak response.

He also disclosed that the statutory Consolidated Revenue Fund allocation to the BHCPF had increased from approximately ?8.95 billion monthly in January 2023 to ?20.43 billion monthly.

The minister added that the fund was projected to receive ?245.1 billion by the end of 2026, subject to the full implementation of the year’s appropriation.

He said the Federal Government was working with the National Assembly to increase the statutory allocation to the fund from one per cent to two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

On health insurance, Salako said national enrolment had risen from approximately 16.2 million people in 2023 to 23.06 million by the third quarter of 2026.

He disclosed that 3,182,943 vulnerable Nigerians with National Identification Numbers had been identified as beneficiaries of health insurance coverage supported by the BHCPF.

According to him, the fund had also supported free vesicovaginal fistula surgeries and rehabilitation, emergency caesarean sections and other interventions benefiting 96,068 women and babies.

He said the programme was also being extended to key populations, including people living with HIV and tuberculosis, while health insurance coverage had been approved for approximately 90,000 inmates in correctional facilities nationwide.

Salako said the interventions were part of efforts to protect vulnerable Nigerians from the financial burden of accessing medical treatment.

‘Our guiding principle is that the family should not be driven into poverty because of costly treatment,’ he said.

At the primary healthcare level, the minister disclosed that 8,309 facilities across the 36 states and the FCT were receiving direct financing under the fund.

He said plans were underway to extend coverage to another 5,212 facilities, bringing the projected total to 13,512 primary healthcare centres.

Salako further reported an increase in primary healthcare attendance from a baseline of 34.55 million in 2023 to 43.06 million by the second quarter of 2026.

He added that the programme recorded an approximately 20 per cent improvement in the number of eligible children under one year receiving the third dose of the pentavalent vaccine, alongside a 63.6 per cent increase in deliveries attended by skilled birth attendants.

According to the minister, predictable financing would enable healthcare facilities to meet their operational needs, obtain essential medical supplies and provide more reliable maternal, newborn and child healthcare services.

‘With predictable financing, we expect our covered primary healthcare centres to meet basic operational needs, obtain essential supplies and provide more reliable maternal, newborn, child and preventive healthcare, particularly in communities that historically have limited access,’ he said.

The minister said the government was also strengthening emergency medical services, disclosing that 116,571 emergency ambulance service interventions had been recorded since 2023.

He said the services covered labour and obstetric emergencies, neonatal and under-five emergencies, road traffic injuries, snake bites, wounds and other urgent medical conditions.

Salako added that emergency medical services management and operational structures had been established in all 36 states and the FCT.

He said the government was also working to expand emergency transport services to communities with difficult terrain and waterways, while ensuring that patients could access functioning receiving facilities.

On disease surveillance, the minister said the BHCPF-supported Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Gateway had contributed to preparedness and response activities involving outbreaks of Lassa fever, cholera, diphtheria and mpox.

He explained that the programme was intended to strengthen surveillance, improve preparedness and ensure that states could mobilise resources promptly when disease outbreaks threatened communities.

‘The purpose of the gateway is to help ensure that surveillance, preparedness and response can be mobilised promptly, with states equipped to meet their own responsibilities,’ he said.

On healthcare personnel, Salako said 78,054 frontline health workers had been trained as of June 2026 under the administration’s programme to retrain 120,000 workers.

He added that the Ministerial Oversight Committee had approved a phased salary-support arrangement for 13,800 community-based health workers and skilled birth attendants.

Under the arrangement, the Federal Government would cover 100 per cent of eligible salary costs in the first year, 67 per cent in the second year and 33 per cent in the third year.

Salako said the arrangement was designed to encourage state governments to progressively absorb the workers into their employment structures and ensure that communities did not lose essential healthcare personnel when federal support ended.

He stressed that state governments must fulfil their responsibilities under the BHCPF by providing counterpart funding, strengthening oversight and ensuring that healthcare facilities had the personnel and resources required to deliver essential services.

‘The Federal Government cannot achieve a functioning primary healthcare system on behalf of states without their sustained participation,’ he said.

The minister urged state governments to meet their financial obligations under the programme, citing Katsina State as an example of a government that had recently released ?240.79 million to its state health insurance agency to expand coverage.

He said the Federal Government would continue strengthening financial monitoring in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to ensure that public funds were used for their intended purposes.

Salako added that the Ministerial Oversight Committee had approved the operationalisation of Medipool as a procurement mechanism for essential medicines and health commodities under the fund, subject to price benchmarks, quality requirements and value-for-money safeguards.

He said the initiative was expected to improve the availability of medicines and other essential supplies at healthcare facilities as funding continued to increase.

Looking ahead, the minister said the government would continue working with the National Assembly and state governments to increase funding, expand facility coverage and strengthen accountability.

He said the administration was targeting direct financing for at least 17,600 healthcare facilities as part of efforts to improve access to essential services.

Salako maintained that the success of the fund would ultimately depend on whether increased financing translated into better healthcare outcomes for Nigerians.

‘A pregnant woman should not be denied skilled care because the community lacks functional facilities. And Nigerians should have confidence that the public resources appropriated for their health are reaching the places where care is delivered,’ he said.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that the BHCPF delivers essential healthcare services and financial protection to Nigerians, regardless of their location or economic circumstances.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has postponed its presidential campaign flag-off in Sokoto State, earlier scheduled for Saturday, October 31, to Wednesday, November 4, 2026.

A chieftain of the party, who sought anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, disclosed the development to our correspondent on Wednesday.

The postponement comes amid allegations by the party that hotels in Sokoto metropolis were directed to deny accommodation to delegates expected to attend the campaign flag-off.

The ADC had accused the Sokoto State Government of allegedly directing hotel operators to deny its delegates accommodation, claiming that some supporters who had already checked into hotels were being asked to leave.

The party condemned the alleged action, raising concerns about preparations for the event. However, the allegations had not been independently verified.

In a statement announcing the postponement, the ADC Presidential Campaign Council in Sokoto State attributed the decision to planning and coordination considerations.

‘The decision follows the need to address certain planning and coordination considerations to ensure the successful conduct of the event,’ the statement read.

The council apologised to party leaders, stakeholders, supporters and members of the public for any inconvenience caused by the change.

‘The Campaign Council regrets any inconvenience the change may cause and sincerely appreciates the understanding, patience and continued support of party leaders, stakeholders, supporters and members of the public,’ it added.

The council urged party members and other stakeholders to take note of the new date, expressing readiness to welcome them to the campaign flag-off.

The event is expected to form part of the ADC’s efforts to mobilise supporters and strengthen its political presence in Sokoto ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR) has commended the Kogi State House of Assembly for passing the constitutional alteration bill on the establishment of state police, describing the development as a significant step towards strengthening security across the country.

The organisation said the passage of the bill was encouraging and deserved commendation from well-meaning Nigerians, noting that the establishment of state police would enhance efforts to prevent and combat violent extremism at the state and community levels.

In a press release issued on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, in Lokoja, the Executive Director of CHRCR, Idris Miliki Abdul, emphasised that security was a collective responsibility requiring the active participation of government, security agencies and local communities.

He noted that a secure environment was essential for building a peaceful society, adding that state police would provide an opportunity for communities to participate more effectively in addressing security challenges peculiar to their areas.

According to him, the reported progress in securing the required legislative support from 24 state assemblies for the constitutional amendments represents an encouraging development in the ongoing debate over the creation of state police.

Abdul stressed that decentralising policing could strengthen community-based security efforts and improve the prevention and countering of violent extremism (PCVE) through greater local participation.

He, however, called on the National Assembly to conclude all outstanding legislative processes required for the establishment of state police without further delay.

The CHRCR director also urged the Kogi State Government to set up a review and implementation committee to develop the necessary framework and operational modalities for the effective implementation of the proposed state police system once the constitutional amendment becomes law.

He maintained that adequate planning and a clear implementation strategy would be essential to ensuring that the initiative achieves its objectives of improving public safety and addressing security threats at the grassroots.

The organisation reiterated the importance of collective action and institutional preparedness in building a more effective security system capable of responding to the needs of communities across Kogi State and Nigeria.