Man rescued after jumping off bridge in Plateau

A middle-aged man was rescued on Friday after reportedly jumping into the water from the British American Bridge in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The incident attracted the attention of passers-by, who raised the alarm and mobilised to rescue the man from the water.

An eyewitness, Mr Amos Forte, who was passing through the area at the time, said the man walked towards the bridge at around 1pm on Friday afternoon before jumping into the water.

‘Several persons raised the alarm and he was eventually rescued,’ Forte told journalists.

Forte explained that the rescue operation was carried out quickly by people around the bridge, who worked together to get the man out of the water.

He added that the man appeared to have sustained injuries during the incident and was immediately taken away for medical attention.

Forte added that security operatives later visited the scene following the incident.

NUPRC seeks completion of 10-storey headquarters

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), says the speedy completion of its proposed headquarters, The Barrel, will boost the Commission’s efficiency and Nigeria’s investment appeal.

The Barrel, a 10-storey building with the capacity to accommodate 900 to 1,000 people is being constructed in the likeness of a convex, curved cylinder that bulges outward at its center.

A statement by NUPRC’s Head of Media and Corporate Communications, Eniola Akinkuotu, said the facility, located at the Central Business District, Abuja, was initiated in 2020 but has yet to be completed, forcing the NUPRC to resort to smaller offices in different locations in the FCT.

Speaking during an inspection of the proposed head office, the Chairman, NUPRC Board, Senator Magnus Abe, said the current arrangement whereby major oil and gas companies seeking to discuss multibillion-dollar investments had to move between different NUPRC locations across Abuja to transact business with the regulator, projected an image that is detrimental to the country’s investment drive.

Senator Abe said, ‘It is a thing of great embarrassment to this country when major oil and gas companies come to Nigeria to discuss investments worth billions of dollars, only to meet the regulator in a block of flats and from there proceed to other parts of the city to see different departments to conduct transactions with the NUPRC.

‘This image is not just bad for the country, but bad for business.’

Senator Abe added that the proposed permanent site would provide a central location for the Commission’s operations and engagements with industry players, while also serving as a symbol of national pride and confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

‘The edifice will enable the industry to operate from one central location, bring pride to our nation and serve as a symbol of confidence,’ Senator Abe added.

Senator Abe commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving members of the board the opportunity to serve the country and for providing what he described as strong support, policy clarity and a clear vision for the oil and gas industry.

According to him, the impact of the administration’s policies was already evident in the resurgence of investment in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector.

The Chairman said the investments were already creating employment and business opportunities while driving development in host communities and increasing revenues for the country.

Also speaking, the Commission Chief Executive, NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, asked the contractor to fast-track the construction and deliver the project by the first quarter of 2027.

The Managing Director, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Engineer Peer Lubasch, promised to make efforts to meet the timeline.

FG rallies governors behind new plan to tackle water crisis

The Federal Government is rallying Nigeria’s 36 state governors and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) behind a new national plan to tackle the country’s persistent water and sanitation crisis.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, disclosed this in Abuja at a nationwide stakeholders’ consultation workshop to develop the Nigeria National Water Compact (NWC).

Utsev said he had written to the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to secure the governors’ political commitment, ownership and buy-in for the initiative.

He said the involvement of state governments was crucial to the success of the Compact because of their constitutional and operational responsibilities for water supply, sanitation and hygiene services.

The minister also said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had been briefed on progress in developing the draft Compact.

According to him, the initiative is being developed as a coordinated national response to major challenges facing Nigeria’s water sector, including rapid population growth, urbanisation, climate change, environmental degradation, inadequate infrastructure, financing constraints and fragmented institutional arrangements.

‘Water is at the centre of sustainable development. It underpins public health, food security, economic growth, environmental sustainability, energy production and national security,’ Utsev said.

He said a National Technical Working Committee comprising representatives of federal and state governments, development partners, academia, professional bodies, civil society organisations and the private sector developed the first draft of the Compact.

Utsev explained that the Compact would domesticate the African Union’s Africa Water Vision and Policy 2025-2063 while addressing Nigeria’s specific water security needs and development priorities.

The framework, he said, would be anchored on three pillars: Water for People, Water for Food Security and Water for Planet.

He said it would seek to expand access to safe and climate-resilient water and sanitation services, accelerate irrigation development and productive water use, and strengthen the sustainable management and protection of Nigeria’s water resources.

The minister stressed that the Compact must not become another policy document without broad ownership and effective implementation.

‘The Ministry recognises that a National Water Compact cannot succeed unless it reflects the aspirations, priorities and realities of the Nigerian people,’ he said.

He urged state governments and other stakeholders to critically review the draft, identify gaps and make practical recommendations to strengthen its implementation.

In his welcome address, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Engr. Ali Ibrahim Dalla, said the consultation was necessary to ensure that the Compact became a truly national document.

Dalla said achieving sustainable water security would require stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, states, local governments, development partners, the private sector, civil society and communities.

He identified improved financing, institutional capacity, reliable data, innovation, appropriate technology, and effective implementation mechanisms as critical to the initiative’s success.

The minister commended the World Bank Group and other development partners for supporting the development of the Compact and acknowledged the contributions of members of the National Technical Working Committee.

NDLEA commences nationwide training of counselors on standard rehab guidelines

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has commenced a comprehensive training programme for its counsellors nationwide.

According to the Director, Media and Advocacy of the Agency, Mr Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Friday, the training is aimed at standardising operational protocols and strengthening clinical competencies in line with global best practices for drug demand reduction.

The training, which commenced at the NDLEA Academy, Jos, Plateau State, is being coordinated by the Directorate of Counseling, Treatment and Rehabilitation (DCTR) and brings together over 100 counsellors drawn from the Agency’s formations across the country.

The exercise, Babafemi said, marks the first Agency-driven capacity-building programme of its kind for NDLEA counsellors in several years, a development that has been widely commended by participants as a demonstration of the Agency’s renewed commitment to the professional growth of its counselling workforce.

Speaking at the commencement of the phase 1 of the exercise, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig-Gen Mohamed Marwa (rtd), who was represented by the Director, Counseling, Treatment and Rehabilitation, ACGN Bashir Ibrahim, said the training is critical to revitalising staff morale and equipping officers with modern therapeutic tools to tackle the evolving complexities of substance use disorders.

He described it as a reaffirmation of the rehabilitation pillar of the Agency’s mandate and a guarantee that clients across NDLEA facilities receive evidence-based, quality interventions.

According to him, ‘key objectives of the training include harmonizing practice through uniform protocols across all State Command rehabilitation facilities; enhancing clinical proficiency to address emerging psychoactive substances and co-occurring mental health disorders; aligning the Agency’s rehabilitation practices with national and international standards; strengthening ethics, confidentiality and quality assurance; improving data management for evidence-based policymaking; promoting continuous professional development through peer review and clinical supervision; and optimizing rehabilitation outcomes by reducing inconsistencies in service delivery.’

He said the initiative underscores the Agency’s commitment to building a resilient, well-equipped counselling workforce capable of responding effectively to the nation’s drug demand reduction needs, adding that the training is expected to significantly improve the quality of care across NDLEA rehabilitation facilities and reinforce the integrity of Nigeria’s drug treatment and rehabilitation architecture.

Marwa assured that the Agency will continue to invest in the capacity of its personnel as part of its holistic approach to tackling drug supply and demand reduction in the country.

P&ID case would have crippled Nigeria’s economy – Fagbemi

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said the controversial Process and Industrial Developments (P and ID) arbitration case could have crippled Nigeria’s economy.

Fagbemi stated this on Thursday at the Chief Legal Advisors Forum (CLAF) 2026 in Singapore, according to a statement by Kamarudeen Ogundele, the minister’s spokesperson.

At the forum, the minister called for reforms to Nigeria’s arbitration framework to better protect national sovereignty and taxpayers.

He said Nigeria was advocating reforms that would strengthen domestic courts rather than bypass them in resolving disputes between investors and states.

The minister said Nigeria’s experience in the P and ID case had reinforced its position on the need for greater clarity in the calculation of damages awarded in international arbitration.

‘States consistently express concern about the opacity of arbitral proceedings and the unpredictability of awards,’ he said.

Fagbemi said Nigeria supported greater transparency in proceedings, consistency in arbitral reasoning and predictability of outcomes, describing the measures as important for both investor confidence and state trust.

He recalled that in the P and ID case, damages were calculated using compound interest, which he said could have had a ‘crippling effect’ running into billions of dollars.

Fagbemi said the experience informed Nigeria’s efforts to reform its arbitration framework, including the reform of its Arbitration Act to strengthen transparency.

He also disclosed that, upon assuming office, he constituted a committee of experts to review Nigeria’s bilateral investment treaties and commitments under multilateral treaties and conventions.

The minister said the review was aimed at promoting and protecting investments while addressing existing challenges in the country’s investment framework.

He said reforms to investor-state dispute settlement were necessary to address what he described as structural imbalances in the international investment regime.

‘Many states, Nigeria included, believe that incremental adjustments will not address the structural imbalances embedded in the current system,’ he said.

Fagbemi further called for stronger national judicial institutions, saying they were central to building long-term rule-of-law capacity and reducing excessive reliance on external arbitration.

He also urged that public interest considerations, including environmental protection, human rights, community welfare and sustainable development, should be reflected in investment dispute mechanisms.

‘Nigeria strongly supports reforms that ensure investment protections do not undermine legitimate public-interest regulation,’ he said.

The minister said Nigeria’s 2016 Model Bilateral Investment Treaty, which is currently under review, reflected the country’s position on balancing investor protection with legitimate public-interest regulation.

NSCDC arrests three over illegal sand mining, impounds two tippers in Anambra

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Anambra State Command has arrested three suspects for alleged illegal mining of sharp sand at Obia­ja River NEAR Nnobi-Ideani Junction-Uke Road in Idemili South Local Govern­ment Area.

State Commandant, Maku Olatunde, who made this known in a statement, said the arrest was made by operatives of the command’s Mines and Steel Development Unit, in collaboration with the Federal Mines Officer in the state.

He said the command’s determination to curb unregulated mining and protect mineral resources from exploitation by unlicensed operators led to the raid of Mmiri Obiaja popularly known as Mmiri Mgbo Obiaja Nnobi in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

He listed the suspects as Patrick Anpue, 45, of Umuagu Village Nnobi in Idemili South Local Government Area, Chidubem Ugammadu, 44, of Urumkpu Village, Umuoji in Idemili South Local Government Area and Chukwuma Igwe, 47, of Umuanocha Village, Awka-Etiti in Idemili North Local Government Area.

Maku, who noted that the operation underscored the command’s efforts to clamp down on unregulated mining, listed the exhibits recovered from the suspects to include two tippers with registration numbers XA 653 GBZ and GDD 423 XB, six shovels and one wheelbarrow.

Hesaid the suspects had confessed to the crime.

He warned individuals and groups engaged in illegal sand mining or related activities in violation of environmental laws to desist or fac the law.

Environmental degradation: Lawyers move to defend Nigerians against rights abuses

A coalition of lawyers has launched a national legal offensive against environmental degradation and other rights violations, vowing to defend Nigerians who face intimidation, harassment or reprisals for speaking out against abuses in their communities.

The lawyers, under the Nigerian arm of the Defenders Legal Rapid Response Team, said no citizen should be left helpless when the exercise of legitimate environmental, land, community or fundamental rights attracts threats from government authorities, corporations or powerful individuals.

The initiative, promoted by the Environmental Defenders Network in collaboration with Chima Williams Esq. and Associates Law Firm, with support from CLIDEF, currently has about 35 members drawn from different areas of legal practice and spread across four of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Speaking at the inauguration in Benin City, the Executive Director of CLIDEF, Chima Williams, said the initiative was established to restore public confidence in the legal profession and demonstrate that lawyers could still be counted upon to defend citizens whose rights were threatened because of their legitimate advocacy.

Williams stressed that the team was not an ‘all-comers platform’, but a carefully constituted network of lawyers united by a commitment to deploy their professional expertise, time, intellectual capacity and networks in defence of citizens facing reprisals.

He said the membership comprised lawyers from different generations and professional backgrounds, including senior practitioners, academics, professors, government lawyers, activist lawyers and retired senior law-enforcement professionals who are also legal practitioners.

According to him, the diversity of the team would enable it to draw on extensive professional and practical experience in responding to cases involving environmental abuses, land disputes, community rights, fundamental rights violations and the victimisation of citizens who challenge wrongdoing.

Williams said the ultimate objective was to create a dependable legal mechanism through which Nigerians could quickly identify lawyers willing to stand with them in the face of intimidation, provided their causes were lawful and consistent with the Nigerian Constitution, existing laws and other applicable legal instruments.

He expressed concern over the erosion of public confidence in the legal profession, particularly perceptions that some lawyers compromise cases involving powerful individuals, corporations or institutions.

The CLIDEF Executive Director said the new platform was determined to reverse such perceptions by demonstrating that professional integrity remained central to the legal profession and that the influence or status of an opposing party should not determine a citizen’s access to justice.

‘The truth must be spoken at all times because it is only the truth that will set us free,’ Williams said, stressing the need to restore confidence in lawyers as defenders of justice, human rights and the rule of law.

He disclosed that the network would soon extend its membership to the remaining two geopolitical zones, with the aim of establishing a truly national rapid-response mechanism capable of providing urgent legal intervention to citizens whose rights are under threat.

The inauguration also highlighted the strategic role of the media in supporting public-interest litigation, with Williams stressing that responsible reporting could help expose environmental abuses, human rights violations and actions by powerful institutions.

He said stronger collaboration between lawyers and the media would be critical to ensuring that cases involving public interest receive the visibility required to promote accountability, protect vulnerable communities and strengthen the rule of law across Nigeria.

EFCC arraigns man for alleged N13.6m property fraud in Ibadan

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibadan Zonal Directorate has arraign a man, Yusuf Oyepeju, before Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan.

Oyepeju, alongside his two companies, Alwajeez International Nigeria Limited and AIN Homes and Property Limited, were arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on forgery, uttering of documents, stealing by conversion and obtaining of N13, 697, 900 under false pretence. .

According to the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Wale Oyewale, Oyepeju allegedly defrauded an Islamic cleric, a Dubai-based Nigerian, Fasasi Amidu Bayonle of his cash and properties. He had met him on a Whatsapp group created for Muslims and for spreading Islamic teachings, as both were tutors on the Whatsapp group.

One of the counts reads: ‘That you, Yusuf Ademola Oyepeju, Alwajeez International Nigeria Limited and AIN Homes And Properties Limited between February and August, 2020, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, converted to your own personal use, the sum of N8, 697, 900, property of one Fasasi Amidu Bayonle, thereby committed an offence of stealing by conversion contrary to Section 390(9) Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.’

The defendant pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges when they were read to him.

Following the defendant’s plea, prosecution counsel, Sanusi Galadanchi, asked the court for a date to commence trial and prayed that he be remanded in a Correctional facility.

However, counsel to the defendant, B. Ajibola informed the court that an application for bail has been filed and served on the prosecution, praying the court to admit his client to bail.

Justice Adetujoye adjourned the matter for hearing of bail application and remanded the defendant in Agodi Correctional Centre.

Oyepeju’s journey to the Correctional Centre began sometime in 2018, when he allegedly sought for financial assistance from Bayonle to secure an accommodation for him and his new wife in Ibadan, Oyo State and Bayonle, in turn, promised to raise some money for the accommodation but offered Oyepeju the temporary use of his house he lived in Ibadan before relocating to the United Arab Emirate, at No. 3, road 7, Ikumapayi, Olodo, Ibadan, Oyo State, which was unoccupied, while he started raising the money.

The defendant, who had also presented himself to his victim as a property developer took possession of the property and further convinced Bayonle to send money to him, so he could help him purchase land and build another house for him in Ibadan, Bayonle sent N8, 697, 900 to the defendant to purchase and develop of the land.

Few months later, it was discovered that the defendant allegedly forged a document of ‘Transfer of Agreement’ between him and his victim, sold the house he was occupying temporarily to his fictitious companies and converted the proceeds for his use.

Also, investigations showed that the defendant regened on his promise of purchasing land and developing it on behalf of the victim, having received the money.

Suspend ongoing strike, Kaduna varsity begs lecturers

The management of Kaduna State University (KASU) has appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), KASU branch, to suspend its ongoing warning strike in the interest of students and allow ongoing discussions over the union’s grievances to continue.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Abdullahi Ibrahim Musa, made the appeal in a statement issued on Friday, saying the management understood the concerns of the academic staff as well as the anxiety being experienced by students and their parents.

Musa said prolonged disruption of academic activities would have consequences for students, many of whom had travelled from different parts of Kaduna State and other parts of the country to pursue their education at KASU.

‘We acknowledge the concerns that have been raised by our academic staff, just as we understand the anxiety of our students and parents who naturally want to see a quick resolution and a return to normal academic activities.

‘At the same time, we have a responsibility to our students, many of whom have travelled from different parts of Kaduna State and across Nigeria to pursue their education at KASU. Every interruption to the academic calendar affects their studies, their families and their plans for the future.’

The Vice-Chancellor urged ASUU-KASU to give the ongoing dialogue an opportunity to resolve the outstanding issues and reconsider its decision to continue with the warning strike.

He said the appeal was particularly important in view of steps already being taken by the Kaduna State Government to address the issues raised by the union.

Musa also acknowledged the intervention of the Visitor to the university and Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, saying the governor’s administration had continued to engage with issues affecting the institution.

‘Management wishes to acknowledge the intervention of the Visitor to Kaduna State University and Governor of Kaduna State, His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani, CON. His administration has continued to engage with the concerns affecting the University and has taken practical steps towards finding solutions.’

According to him, the state government had constituted a nine-member committee, chaired by the Commissioner for Education, Professor Abubakar Sani Sambo, to examine the issues raised by the union and make appropriate recommendations within one month.

The Vice-Chancellor said the university management appreciated the intervention and the governor’s willingness to keep the channels of dialogue open.

‘We believe this presents a genuine opportunity for Government, the University and the unions to work through the outstanding matters in a structured and constructive manner.’

He assured that the university management would continue to engage the government and the unions while prioritising the welfare of staff and students.

‘To our students and parents, we understand the uncertainty and concern that disruption to academic activities creates. Management assures you that every reasonable effort is being made to achieve an early resolution and ensure the restoration of normal academic activities.’

Tinubu orders forensic audit of IPPIS, federal agencies

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive forensic audit of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and Federal Government ministries, departments and agencies as part of measures to uncover ghost workers, payroll fraud, ‘fake agencies’ and other weaknesses through which public resources may have been diverted.

The President directed the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, to oversee and coordinate the exercise, which will also scrutinise the administration and internal controls of government institutions.

The directive followed a resolution of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at its August 19, 2026 meeting in response to findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on the existence of ‘fake agencies’, ghost workers and other failures in government control systems.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

According to the statement, the audit is designed to establish the nature and extent of weaknesses in the Federal Government’s control systems and determine how such vulnerabilities have been exploited.

The exercise will be undertaken in two interconnected components, with the first concentrating on a forensic examination of government systems, particularly IPPIS and related payroll, personnel, pension and financial-management platforms.

The audit will investigate reported cases of ghost workers and payroll fraud, reconcile figures identified by the ICPC and establish how fictitious or otherwise ineligible persons were enrolled on government payrolls.

It will also scrutinise access, identity, biometric and bank-account controls to determine weaknesses that may have facilitated fraudulent enrolment or payments.

Beyond IPPIS, the exercise will examine its interfaces with other government financial platforms, including the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), Remita, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Sub-TSA.

According to the statement, investigators are expected to determine whether identified fraud arose from defects in government systems, failures in administrative processes, inadequate segregation of duties or deliberate circumvention of established controls.

The second component will involve a sweeping review of all Federal Government agencies, departments, commissions, councils, parastatals and other government bodies.

Under this phase, the audit will establish a definitive inventory of Federal Government entities and verify the legal basis for their existence.

It will also investigate the processes through which government bodies obtain official recognition, budgetary consideration, correspondence privileges, office facilities and access to government systems.

The Presidency said the review would further assess governance, procurement, internal audit and oversight controls across the Federal Government, with a view to shutting loopholes that could enable irregular entities or unauthorised persons to gain access to public resources.

Tinubu directed that the exercise be conducted to the highest standards of independence, professionalism and forensic integrity.

To facilitate a thorough investigation, the audit team will be granted access to relevant government systems and records.

It will also work with the ICPC to ensure that the forensic review complements ongoing investigations, prosecutions and recovery efforts by the anti-corruption agency.

The President said the exercise must extend beyond merely uncovering individual cases of fraud or administrative lapses and address structural weaknesses that make such abuses possible.

According to the statement, the administration expects the audit to strengthen the architecture of government, close systemic loopholes, improve data verification and reconciliation and reinforce accountability across federal institutions.

It is also expected to ensure that only legally constituted government entities and eligible personnel have access to public funds and other government resources.

The Presidency said the comprehensive exercise underscored Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening transparency, accountability, fiscal governance and institutional integrity across the Federal Government.