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The Federal Government has announced plans to commence the disbursement of N50000 monthly to vulnerable households in the country.

The plan under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) is a Presidential initiative to provide immediate financial relief to the most vulnerable Nigerians.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Dr. Bernard Doro in a statement explained that the initiative was in response to global food inflation and the high cost of essential goods which has placed pressure on households across the country.

He stated: ‘In response NERSI introduces a shock-responsive cash transfer programme that will provide basic relief to millions of vulnerable households and help them stabilise in the short term.

‘Under this intervention eligible beneficiaries will receive N50000 monthly providing direct assistance to help meet essential needs and ease the burden of living costs.

‘The initiative will be reviewed regularly in light of changes in the cost of living and beneficiaries will be notified directly before any change’.

On how the money would be disbursed the Minister stated: ‘To ensure funds are delivered securely quickly and transparently the Ministry is working with licensed digital financial service providers.

‘Beneficiaries will receive an SMS from one of these providers asking for their consent. This message is genuine. Once consent is given payment is made directly to the beneficiary’s account/mobile wallet’.

The Minister while stating that NERSI complements the Federal Government’s existing social protection and economic support programmes added: ‘It reflects commitment to providing immediate relief while building household resilience and economic stability in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’.

Doro while noting that the ministry recognises the challenges many Nigerians are facing added that the Ministry was committed to delivering the intervention with dignity transparency and accountability.

On what targeted beneficiaries are expected to do he said: ‘Beneficiaries are not required to apply pay any fee or register through any agent to receive support. Never share your PIN or BVN with anyone. If you are unsure about any message or anyone asks you for money call the official NERSI helpline on 0700-022-2222

Further information and official programme updates are available on the Ministry’s website: www.fmhapr.gov.ng/nersi/

Three truck drivers allegedly assaulted by employees of Karma Agric Feeds and Foods Limited along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have demanded N2bn in compensation over the incident.

The drivers Abiodun Gbolahan Ridwan Olajide 34 and Taiwo Yinusa 37 made the demand through a pre-action notice issued by their lawyer Mr Babatunde Jinadu of Justice and Peace Attorneys.

The alleged assault involving an Indian national and two other employees of the company was captured in a video that went viral on social media.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer DSP Ayanlade Olayinka the Commissioner of Police Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga directed detectives to identify and arrest those involved.

The suspects were identified as Olowu Oluwadamilare and Sodeke Olamide security operatives attached to the company and Harjit Singh a 46-year-old Indian national associated with the company.

They were subsequently arrested by operatives of the Oyo State Police Command and detained at the Special Enquiry Bureau Eleyele Ibadan for further investigation.

In the pre-action notice dated October 19 the drivers alleged that the incidents occurred on October 9 and 10 2026.

The notice stated that Gbolahan was assaulted on October 9 while Olajide and his truck assistant Yinusa were allegedly attacked the following day by Singh and other persons associated with the company including Oluwadamilare and Olamide.

It added that the second incident was recorded by Kehinde Nurudeen the driver of another truck at the company’s premises and that the footage subsequently circulated on social media.

The lawyer said the victims had access to the full recording which they intended to rely on as evidence in appropriate proceedings.

The notice also alleged that Olajide was handcuffed and restrained when the assault continued raising questions about whether the conduct amounted to attempted murder grievous bodily harm or other serious offences.

The drivers are seeking compensation for alleged assault attempted murder physical violence the unlawful retention of two trucks and loss of business revenue.

The notice stated: ‘In view of the seriousness of the incidents the physical injuries suffered by our clients the surrounding handcuffing and continued beating of Mr Ridwan Olajide the assault on Taiwo Yunusa the continued retention of the two trucks and the consequential business losses we have our clients’ instructions to demand the sum of (Two Billion Naira) from your company as damages arising from the incidents.’

Concerned members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara North Senatorial District have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the party’s national leadership to suspend the proposed November 2 2026 rerun senatorial primary citing concerns over the ongoing legal dispute involving Senator Sahabi Ya’u Kaura and Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi.

The party members in a statement signed by Abubakar Matawalle expressed concern over the party’s handling of the controversy warning that proceeding with another primary without adequate clarification of the legal issues could create further complications for the APC.

The dispute which centres on the party’s senatorial ticket for Zamfara North ahead of the 2027 general elections has generated considerable political and legal interest following court decisions that nullified the disputed primary election and ordered a fresh exercise.

The Federal High Court in Gusau had earlier ruled in favour of Shinkafi while the Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto subsequently dismissed an appeal filed by Senator Ya’u Kaura and upheld the order for a fresh primary.

However the concerned APC members maintain that the party must exercise caution in view of further legal proceedings reportedly being pursued in connection with the dispute.

They questioned the rationale behind scheduling another primary while according to their position the legal issues surrounding the party’s nomination process have yet to be conclusively resolved.

‘What is the urgency behind conducting another primary election when critical legal questions surrounding the dispute are still being pursued?’ the group queried.

The stakeholders argued that the APC leadership should prioritise due process internal democracy and respect for judicial decisions rather than take actions that could expose the party to further litigation.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the Managing Director of Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) Akin Odeyemi for his role in resolving longstanding financial obligations in Nigeria’s electricity industry particularly the successful issuance of N728.979 billion in bonds to settle debts owed to participating power generation and gas companies.

The President said the intervention undertaken under the Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Programme was helping to restore investor confidence strengthen stakeholder relationships and lay the foundation for a more stable and sustainable electricity market.

Tinubu gave the commendation in a goodwill message to Odeyemi on his birthday contained in a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga.

He specifically applauded the NBET chief’s commitment to implementing the debt reduction initiative which recorded a major milestone with the issuance and signing of the N728.979 billion Series 2 Bonds under the Federal Government’s N4 trillion Power Sector Multi-Instrument Issuance Programme.

According to the President the intervention has facilitated the settlement of participating Generation Companies (GenCos) and their associated gas companies addressing longstanding financial disputes that have undermined confidence among critical operators in the electricity value chain.

‘I commend your commitment to the meticulous implementation of the Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Programme following the successful issuance and signing of the N728.979 billion Series 2 Bonds under the N4 trillion Power Sector Multi-Instrument Issuance Programme.

‘This has resulted in the settlement of participating Generation Companies and their associated Gas Companies’ Tinubu stated.

The President noted that Odeyemi’s leadership had helped address one of the electricity industry’s most persistent challenges particularly the accumulation of disputed financial obligations that had strained relationships among operators and weakened confidence in the sector.

He attributed the progress to constructive engagement financial discipline and effective collaboration among stakeholders.

‘Within a short time and through constructive engagement financial discipline and purposeful stakeholder collaboration you have helped restore confidence and strengthened the basis for a more stable and sustainable power sector’ the President said.

Tinubu described Odeyemi as an accomplished technocrat whose extensive experience in energy infrastructure development and financial services had contributed to his proactive and purposeful leadership at NBET.

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Kemi Nanna Nandap has urged personnel of the Service to remain vigilant against cybersecurity threats in the course of their operations.

She also called for collaboration among key stakeholders particularly security agencies to protect Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and sensitive information stressing that cybersecurity is a collective responsibility.

Nandap spoke at the 2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Seminar organised by the NIS Directorate of ICT and Cybersecurity at the Service’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to the NIS Public Relations Officer Deputy Comptroller of Immigration Akinsola Akinlabi the seminar was organised to strengthen cybersecurity awareness promote responsible digital practices and enhance the protection of the Service’s digital infrastructure and sensitive information.

The Comptroller-General who was represented by the Deputy Comptroller-General Finance and Accounts DCG SB Daura emphasised the importance of cybersecurity to national security and the protection of sensitive information.

She urged officers and men of the Service to observe established security protocols promptly report suspected threats and remain alert to potential vulnerabilities.

Nandap also called for continuous capacity building institutional collaboration and proactive measures to address emerging cyber threats.

Akinlabi said the seminar featured technical presentations by resource persons from the Department of State Services (DSS) United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

He said discussions focused on inter-agency collaboration for cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection combating cybercrime through law enforcement and international cooperation data protection and privacy as well as cybersecurity awareness and human risk management in the digital workplace.

A plenary session facilitated by Galaxy Backbone Limited further examined strategies for securing critical systems through inter-agency collaboration providing participants with an opportunity to exchange experiences and explore practical approaches to strengthening the Service’s cybersecurity framework.

A United States federal court has rejected an attempt to obtain discovery from President Bola Tinubu and DCI Group in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The United States District Court for the District of Columbia in a ruling delivered on Friday knocked out a motion filed by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan seeking limited discovery from the Nigerian President and DCI Group over alleged cyber attacks on his website.

A ‘Discovery Request’ is a legal procedure where organizations are required to identify and disclose relevant data in response to a judicial order or legal.

The court ruled that the discovery was not sufficiently relevant to the substantive issues in the FOIA litigation which centres on the disclosure of American law enforcement records relating to investigations conducted in the early 1990s.

The development was disclosed in a statement posted by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga on his verified X handle @aonanuga1956.

According to Onanuga the court declared that Greenspan’s allegations on cyber attacks fell outside the scope of the records disclosure dispute involving the FBI and DEA.

The court also turned down Greenspan’s motion for summary judgment and denied a separate application by Karl Von Batten a nonparty to the proceedings seeking permission to submit an amicus curiae or friend-of-the-court brief.

Greenspan’s related request for judicial notice was similarly denied.

Reacting to the ruling attorney Christopher W. Carmichael described the decision as a reaffirmation of the legal boundaries governing FOIA proceedings.

‘The Court’s decision makes clear that this Freedom of Information Act proceeding cannot be used to pursue discovery unrelated to the legal questions before it.

‘By denying the request for discovery against President Tinubu and DCI Group the Court reinforced the importance of keeping this litigation focused on the issues properly before it’ Carmichael said.

Another attorney Oluwole Afolabi said the decisions had established important procedural limits on the scope of the litigation.

‘The Court also denied the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and rejected a separate request to introduce an amicus brief’ he said.

He added: ‘While the underlying FOIA issues remain before the Court these rulings establish important procedural boundaries and clarify which matters are appropriate for consideration in this litigation.’

The latest ruling represents another development in a legal dispute that began in June 2023 when Greenspan instituted proceedings against several United States government agencies after seeking access to records concerning Tinubu and other individuals linked to investigations conducted more than three decades ago.

Greenspan had submitted 12 FOIA requests between 2022 and 2023 to federal agencies including the FBI DEA Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Department of State and Executive Office for United States Attorneys.

The controversy also has its roots in a 1993 civil forfeiture case involving approximately $460000 connected with bank accounts associated with Tinubu.

The forfeiture proceedings which have featured prominently in arguments before the Washington court do not constitute a criminal conviction of the Nigerian President who has consistently denied criminal wrongdoing.

The FOIA litigation subsequently assumed greater significance on April 8 2025 when United States District Judge Beryl A. Howell ruled that the FBI and DEA could no longer rely on their earlier refusal to confirm or deny the existence of records relating to Tinubu.

The position known in American information disclosure law as a Glomar response allows government agencies in specified circumstances to neither acknowledge nor deny the existence of requested records.

However Judge Howell held that previously disclosed official records undermined the agencies’ justification for maintaining that position.

She consequently directed the FBI and DEA to search for and process responsive records releasing those not protected by applicable statutory exemptions.

The court however upheld the CIA’s refusal to confirm or deny the existence of records responsive to Greenspan’s request while other agencies were subsequently removed from the outstanding dispute.

Following the April 2025 decision the FBI and DEA commenced processing records although disagreements subsequently emerged over the extent of permissible redactions and the withholding of sensitive information.

Court records indicate that the FBI processed 399 pages releasing some in full or in part while the DEA processed another 240 pages with substantial portions withheld under various FOIA exemptions.

The dispute intensified in August and September 2026 when Greenspan challenged the redactions and sought further disclosure of documents relating to the historical investigations.

Tinubu who had been admitted into the proceedings as an intervenor to protect his legal interests opposed the unrestricted release of certain records.

His legal team comprising Carmichael Victor P. Henderson and Afolabi argued that disclosure of protected investigative materials could infringe privacy rights and compromise information covered by exemptions under American law.

The FBI and DEA similarly maintained that some documents contained privileged communications sensitive investigative techniques information concerning confidential sources and material protected by law.

The Presidency had also previously clarified that the proceedings were strictly a civil records disclosure dispute and not a criminal prosecution of Tinubu.

It maintained that the release or withholding of documents under FOIA did not by itself establish criminal liability.

In Friday’s latest judgment Judge Howell granted the FBI summary judgment on the adequacy of its records search and its withholding of certain materials under FOIA Exemption 5 but rejected the remaining aspects of the federal agencies’ cross-motion for summary judgment.

The court directed the agencies to provide additional declarations supporting any continued withholding of disputed records and to propose an expedited briefing schedule after consulting Greenspan.

The court therefore left unresolved important questions surrounding the justification for withholding or redacting some of the requested information.

The decision did not order the immediate release of additional records nor did it bring the underlying FOIA litigation to a close.

Consequently while Greenspan’s separate attempt to obtain discovery from Tinubu and DCI Group has been rejected the substantive dispute over the disclosure of FBI and DEA records remains before the American court.

The Nigerian Navy Marines at Naval Base Lake Chad area in conjunction with the Army 403 Amphibious Brigade under Operation HADIN KAI have neutralised 34 terrorists in the area.

The Director of Naval Information Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho in an operational report on Saturday explained that revised battle damage assessment provided that 28 terrorists were killed in action.

‘On Oct. 28 the navy marines conducted offensive operations against terrorist elements with initial reports indicating that eight terrorists were killed in action.

‘A subsequent battle damage assessment revised the casualty figure to 28 terrorists killed in action’ he said.

Folorunsho reports the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also said that the marines in a separate operation on Friday conducted an offensive strike against identified Boko Haram terrorist enclave at Dumba.

‘The operation followed intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance missions that facilitated the identification and monitoring of terrorist elements before a precision strike was executed.

‘Preliminary battle damage assessment indicates that approximately six terrorists were neutralised while several others reportedly sustained injuries.

‘The casualty figures remain subject to further verification as operational assessments continue’ he said.

According to him the recently established navy marines have served as a force multiplier under Operation HADIN KAI since their deployment strengthening the conduct of offensive operations against terrorist elements.

He also said that their operational contributions have enhanced the capacity to target terrorist enclaves disrupt hostile activities and deny boko haram terrorists freedom of action within the Lake Chad area.

‘These efforts continue to support the degradation of terrorist capabilities and advance ongoing operations to restore peace and stability in the North East.

‘The navy remains committed to supporting joint operations through sustained offensive action and intelligence-driven engagements to strengthen national security and protect vulnerable communities’ he added.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo has launched a television campaign series titled ‘Tinubu Aviation Revolution Series’ to showcase the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the aviation sector ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

According to a statement by Keyamo the initiative is one of his first campaign communication interventions since his appointment as Director of the Directorate of Air Transport Mobilisation under the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC).

The directorate is responsible for coordinating and facilitating air transportation for authorised campaign activities in support of Tinubu’s re-election bid.

The minister said he had mobilised his team to produce a 30-second television campaign material highlighting the administration’s record in the aviation sector.

The campaign material which he said had been fully paid for is scheduled to begin airing on November 1 2026 across major television stations and will run until a few days before the presidential election.

Keyamo said the series was designed to provide a concise and accessible account of what the administration considers its achievements in the aviation sector.

He said the campaign would bring the government’s record directly to voters highlighting developments in the sector and its contribution to national development.

According to him the series is also intended to draw attention to aviation’s role in economic growth tourism trade investment and international connectivity as well as its contribution to the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The launch marks the beginning of the APC-PCC’s campaign communication efforts focused on the aviation sector ahead of the 2027 general election.

Former Minister of Power and Chairman of Geometric Power Group Professor Bart Nnaji has said Nigeria needs at least 100000 megawatts of electricity to achieve significant economic growth and compete with emerging economies such as Brazil and Indonesia.

Nnaji who expressed concern over the country’s persistent power crisis attributed the sector’s poor performance to irregularities in the 2013 privatisation exercise mounting government debts inadequate gas supply and the absence of investment guarantees.

He spoke on Friday while delivering the keynote address at the Lagos Country Club Business Forum 3.0 in Ikeja Lagos. The forum had the theme ‘Energy Costs and Business Survival: Driving Profitability amid Nigeria’s Power Crisis.’

According to him Nigeria has the capacity to generate about 13000MW of electricity but only between 4000MW and 5000MW is available on the national grid partly due to the deteriorating transmission infrastructure.

He said the country’s ambition to become a major economic power would remain unattainable without massive investment in electricity generation transmission and distribution.

‘Nigeria needs at least 100000MW to become a higher-medium economy. This is my figure by looking at countries that we like to compare notes with such as Brazil and Indonesia’ he said.

Nnaji maintained that the required investment could only be mobilised through private sector participation supported by an enabling government environment.

He criticised the circumstances surrounding the privatisation of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) arguing that the exercise was driven largely by investors seeking immediate and excessive returns rather than a commitment to developing the electricity industry.

According to him some prospective investors had wrongly assumed that acquiring electricity assets would yield returns comparable to those recorded during the telecommunications boom.

‘The strong desire for immediate and humongous profits from the sector led to the enormous abuses the nation witnessed during the privatisation of Power Holding Company of Nigeria assets in 2013’ he said.

In his welcome address the President of Lagos Country Club Seyi Adewunmi outlined five strategic priorities for building a sustainable electricity market.

He said the country must strengthen electricity generation through reliable gas supply adequate infrastructure proper maintenance of existing power plants and investment in a mix of gas-fired hydroelectric and renewable energy sources.

Adewunmi also called for accelerated investment in transmission and distribution infrastructure including power lines substations transformers and modern grid management to address bottlenecks and reduce technical and commercial losses.

On decentralised electricity solutions he said the Electricity Act 2023 provided a framework for greater participation by state governments and private investors in electricity markets subject to applicable regulatory requirements.

He cited the Aba Integrated Power Project associated with Nnaji as an example of how integrated power solutions could serve specific economic communities.

‘Our objective must be simple: electricity that is reliable affordable and sustainable whatever its source’ he said.

Adewunmi further called for commercial discipline transparency and accountability across the electricity value chain noting that electricity companies needed adequate revenue to maintain infrastructure while investors required predictable returns and consumers deserved fair bills and reliable supply.

He advocated transparent tariffs and service obligations improved metering an end to estimated billing and measures to tackle electricity theft and avoidable losses. He added that subsidies for vulnerable Nigerians should be properly targeted and transparently funded.

The club president also urged businesses to make energy management a strategic priority by adopting energy-efficient technologies smarter building designs and renewable solutions such as solar power and battery storage to reduce operating costs.

He said resolving the power crisis required a collective national commitment with government providing consistent policies regulators protecting consumers financial institutions funding long-term infrastructure and energy companies improving operational performance.

‘For the true measure of power sector reform is not the megawatts announced in speeches but the reliable electricity delivered to our factories our offices and our homes’ he said.

Three people lost their lives in the early hours of Saturday in Owode-Ede Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State after a two-storey building collapsed.

The Nation learnt that the building which had shops and stores was located at Zone 8 Oke Alaafia Community and went down around 11:30 PM on Friday.

It was gathered that a resident notified a security operative and men of the Federal Fire Service for rescue.

A resident named Juliet disclosed that eight people were trapped inside the building when it collapsed but were later rescued by men of the Federal Fire Service.

When contacted the Public Relations Officer of the Federal Fire Service Olamide Ojo confirmed the incident noting that ‘the incident involved a two-storey shopping complex used for commercial purposes. The building had six shops on the upper floor six shops on the middle floor and two stores on the ground floor covering an area of about 50m by 100m.’

She further explained that preliminary investigation revealed that the collapse was caused by structural defects and the use of substandard materials.

During the rescue operation five trapped victims were successfully rescued alive and evacuated to Idera Specialist Hospital Ede for urgent medical attention. Three victims were recovered suspected dead and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force A Division Ede.’

Ojo added that the operation was conducted in collaboration with Osun State Fire Service Ede Station.

‘The search and rescue operation was completed and the appliance with men returned to station at about 09:26 AM on 31st October 2026. Estimated property loss was put at ?100 million while property worth approximately ?150 million was saved.’

She commiserated with the affected families and urged the public to ensure compliance with building standards and to promptly report emergencies.