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Two Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have been arrested by the police over the alleged killing of 72-year-old Abba Mustapha over alleged witchcraft, in Ngala LGA of Borno State.

The spokesman of the police, ASP Kenneth Daso Nahun, confirmed that the two people suspected to be involved have been arrested, and the investigation is ongoing.

He said the incident, which happened at the ISS IDP camp on Saturday, has created tension, but the prompt intervention of the police calmed the situation.

‘The suspects, one Modu Mohammed, 25, and Annami Modu, 32, accused the deceased of bewitching the wife of one of them, who fell ill. ‘They went to the victim’s house and beat him with sticks. Our men rescued him and conveyed him to the hospital, where he was confirmed dead,’ he said.

He said that the body of the deceased has been released to his family for burial, while an investigation has been launched to ensure justice.

He urged the community to report incidents to the police instead of resorting to violence.

The Managing Director of Truck Transit Park Limited (TTP), Jamal Onwubuariri, has stated that poor infrastructure, inadequate technology deployment, and long delays at border posts are major factors slowing down trade logistics in Nigeria and the West African subregion.

Onwubuariri stated this while presenting a goodwill message at the 2025 Transport Summit organized by the Transport Correspondents Association of Nigeria (TCAN) in Lagos with the theme, ‘Driving the Transport Logistics Value Chains for Economic Growth.’

He revealed that in July, he undertook a 6,000-kilometre road trip from Nigeria to Liberia to observe firsthand the state of road transport infrastructure, challenges, and opportunities along the corridor.

‘We have infrastructure gaps. The roads we have, both here in Nigeria and across the West African region, are not sufficient for the volume of road traffic,’ Onwubuariri said. ‘The second challenge is that our ports, in terms of their infrastructure and technology deployment, are not sufficient for the volume of cargoes that comes into this region.’ The TTP boss identified long delays at border posts as another hurdle for trade, explaining that Nigerian truck drivers often spend weeks transporting perishable goods to neighbouring countries.

Northern leaders and governors from the region have called for a united front to address the region’s security and economic challenges.

They spoke in Abuja Monday during the Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialisation Summit (NNIIS) 2025 themed ‘Unlocking Northern Nigeria’s Mining, Agricultural and Power Potentials (MAP2035)’. The event was called at the instance of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF).

MAP2035, according to the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), is a 10-year blueprint for transformation, a framework designed to reposition Northern Nigeria as a hub of innovation, industrialisation and inclusive growth.

For over a decade, the region has been beset by banditry, insurgency, farmer-herder clashes, and kidnappings. Speaking during the summit, the governors of Zamfara, Nasarawa and Gombe states said fragmented responses had weakened the region’s bargaining power and delayed progress.

They called for a unified front to tackle the insecurity and drive economic transformation across the region.

They underscored a shared commitment to collaborative action, infrastructure development and policy reform aimed at unlocking the North’s vast potentials in mining, agriculture and power.

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State noted that security is the bedrock of development. He said: ‘Investors, both domestic and international, are not philanthropists; they are realists. They will not commit capital where it is not safe.’

He called for deeper collaboration among the 19 northern states, including integrated security architecture and real-time intelligence sharing, to create a predictable environment for investment.

Lawal also proposed a Northern Nigerian Economic Compact to unify efforts on security and economic matters, co-invest in infrastructure and present a single window for major investors.

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State highlighted the unprecedented revenue available to subnational governments, urging leaders to channel these resources into transformative sectors.

‘Every state now has the resources to secure its people. We should stop blaming anybody for our security. If we are blaming anybody, blame ourselves,’ he said.

Sule also showcased Nasarawa’s strides in formalising the mining sector and expanding agricultural production, reinforcing the importance of leveraging local strengths for regional growth.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, who chairs the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF), stressed that poor infrastructure remains a major barrier to economic progress.

‘We are blessed with mineral wealth, fertile land, and vibrant human capital, but without railways, roads, power, and storage, the full value cannot be realised,’ he said.

Yahaya called for reforms in project financing to ensure Northern entrepreneurs can access credit using local assets, describing current collateral practices as ‘exclusionary.’

Meanwhile, today (Tuesday) marks the second and final day of the summit, during which the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) is expected to consolidate inputs from various speakers and release a formal communiqué.

Map of Northern Nigeria

North catalyst for Nigeria’s progress – Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented at the summit by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, noted that Nigeria’s prosperity is inseparable from the future of the North.

He said his administration was currently embarking on critical industrialisation projects for northern Nigeria.

He also commended the Northern Elders Forum for the determination to change the narrative and position the region in its rightful place as it used to be.

He said, ‘The future of Nigeria’s prosperity is inseparable from the future of northern Nigeria. If we unlock the North’s minerals, we secure a new era of industrial competitiveness. If we unlock the North’s agriculture, we guarantee food security and global export leadership. If we unlock the North’s power, we ignite a wave of industrialisation that will employ millions of Nigerians.’

The president said his economic vision was to build a strong, stable and inclusive economy where the government clears obstacles out of the way, where the private sector provides the engine of growth and where every Nigerian can rise.

He said: ‘The North is not just a part of the country; it is the engine of the country. So, together, let us seize this moment to transform northern Nigeria into the powerhouse of Nigeria’s prosperity.

‘I warmly commend the Northern Elders Forum, the 19 states of Northern Nigeria, for convening this historic summit. The theme, ‘Unlocking Strategic Opportunities in Mining, Agriculture and Power’, MAP for short, could not be more fitting because these sectors do represent the backbone of Nigeria’s economy and indeed the foundation for industrialisation.

‘In the second quarter of 2025, that’s just this last quarter, April to June, the GDP of Nigeria grew by 4.23%, the strongest growth in a decade except for the COVID rebound era. The strongest growth in a decade, and since 2023, year-on-year growth has consistently been above three per cent, outpacing two per cent of the five to eight years previously.

‘More critically, industrial growth, where jobs are created, doubled year-on-year, while agriculture and services also expanded robustly. Inflation has begun to ease, 20.12 per cent in August, and it’s consistently, month after month, the last five months have been coming down.

‘Our trade surplus, $7.4 trillion, reserves risen to $42 billion, and as we know, the Naira has not only stabilized, it has even strengthened but this progress is not by chance it is a result of deliberate, intentional, and strategic policies anchored on the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The Renewed Hope Agenda is anchored on economic transformation, inclusive growth, and national prosperity but it recognizes the interconnected roles of finance, public policy, technology, in unlocking Nigeria’s full potential.

‘The key focus areas have been stabilising the macroeconomic environment, creating jobs, reducing poverty, mobilising private sector investment, whether domestic, and focused on digital and financial innovation.

‘And that’s why the president’s administration’s strategic reforms place mining, agriculture, and power in the North at the heart of our growth agenda. What are those opportunities? As we have just heard, the North holds some of the most valuable mineral deposits in Africa. Gold, lithium, tin, zinc, limestone, coal are all available in the North, and new reforms are formalising artisanal mining, attracting credible investors, as we have heard earlier today in lithium, for example, and ensuring that host communities benefit directly.

‘And that is critical, ensuring that host communities benefit directly, thereby avoiding some of the problems that can come from when host communities feel left out.

‘So we are building value chains so Nigeria no longer just exports raw materials, but also processes those raw materials into batteries, cement, industrial inputs. Let me turn to agriculture.

‘With 70% of Nigeria’s arable land located in the North, agriculture is both the region’s heritage and its future, and key to unlocking that agricultural potential is really the world. It’s things like the infrastructure that was referred to by the Chairman.

‘Key infrastructure, such as the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, that will link so many states and their dams and their ability to provide irrigation, as well as link it all the way down to the South, all the way down to the ports. It’s that kind of transformational infrastructural development that is being undertaken under Mr. President’s Review of Hope agenda.

‘And these are the things that are being done differently that give us tremendous optimism that at last some of the discussions which the Nigerian Economic Summit Group was undertaking in the 90s are now coming to fruition. The goal is to build agro-industrial corridors where crops, they don’t just feed the market, but they supply flour mills, textile factories, and export hubs.’

Meanwhile, speaking on efforts on energy revolution for North’s industrialisation to attract investors, the president maintained that the Ajaokuta Kaduna Kano (AKK) Pipeline project when completed will make the region an industrial hub.

‘Looking at power and industrialisation, energy, of course, is the oxygen of industrialisation. Without power, there can be no factories, no agro-processing, and no jobs at scale, which is what Nigeria needs. Of course, we now have the Ministry of Livestock Development, and that’s an important innovation that retains great value. But in terms of going back to power, we do have the Ajaokuta Kaduna Kano, AKK, Pipeline, and that is a strategic project.

‘And it is almost completed, it will deliver natural gas for power generation and industrial use across the whole of northern Nigeria, and coupled with the Mission 300, which, as I said earlier, is unlocking about $32 billion in energy and industrial investment, we are laying the foundation for a northern Nigeria that is fully powered and industrialised.

‘Imagine a northern Nigeria where textiles in Kaduna, cement in Sokoto, fertilizer in Bauchi, agro-processing in Kano, and mining in Zamfara, are all powered by reliable and affordable energy.’

Poor infrastructure impeding North’s industrialisation – NEF

Chairman, Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, represented by retired Air-Marshal Al’amin Daggash (rtd.), in his welcome address, said the lack of critical infrastructure was impeding industrialisation in the region.

He said the summit was neither political nor ceremonial, but a mission for prosperity, a rallying call to action and a decisive step towards building a sustainable economic future for Northern Nigeria.

He said: ‘We cannot delay any further. The resources are here, the people are ready, and the time is now. Let us be clear: if the North rises, Nigeria rises. If Nigeria rises, Africa rises. This summit marks the beginning of a decade-long journey. The North must walk it with determination, unity and vision.

‘The backbone of Northern Nigeria’s economy, from colonial times through the early years of independence, was agriculture and an extensive network of rail lines. These facilitated the movement of groundnuts, cotton, hides and skins, and solid minerals to the coastal states-predominantly Lagos-for export.

‘That legacy demonstrates two enduring realities: The North has always been the engine room of Nigeria’s productive economy. Our challenge has always been infrastructure to link our vast resources to markets.

‘Today, those realities remain unchanged. Northern Nigeria is blessed with abundant mineral wealth, fertile land, and vibrant human capital. But without modern infrastructure-railways, roads, power, and storage-the full value of these resources cannot be realised. This explains the growing preoccupation of government agencies and stakeholders with exploiting our region’s tremendous mineral resources.

‘Yet, as elders, we must stress: without corresponding infrastructure, these efforts will remain sub-optimal; we, as elders, strongly believe that for government policies to deliver meaningful impact, there must be deliberate commitment to the mining sector and its related services.

‘Imagine the multiplier effect-industrial growth, job creation, poverty reduction, and renewed prosperity for our people-if mining is properly harnessed, linked to value chains, and supported by strong infrastructure.’

Abdullahi called for favourable financial inclusion of northern entrepreneurs in project financing.

‘We must express our continuous concern that unless the government and financial sector review their policies, businesses based in Northern Nigeria will remain disadvantaged. The current practice where entrepreneurs can only access substantial credit if they hold properties in Lagos or Port Harcourt is unjust and exclusionary’, he said.

We must speak with one voice – Zamfara gov

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State stressed the need for the governors in the 19 northern states to speak with one voice on security and economic matters. According to him, a safe North is a bankable North.

‘By convening this gathering under the theme ‘Unlocking Strategic Opportunities,’ you have once again demonstrated a clear-eyed focus on our collective future.

‘The choice of sectors-Mining, Agriculture, and Power-is not accidental. It is a strategic diagnosis of the core pillars upon which the prosperity of Northern Nigeria must be built. In Zamfara, we are aware of the paradox we face: a land blessed with immense mineral wealth and vast arable land, yet our people have not fully reaped the dividends of these endowments.

‘The key question for us as leaders is not what needs to be done, but how we can collectively turn potential into prosperity. To attract necessary investment and industrialise our region for the nation’s benefit, we must move beyond rhetoric and adopt a new approach of collaboration.

‘We must collectively secure people and investments. Security is the fundamental prerequisite for any meaningful development. Investors, both domestic and international, are not philanthropists; they are realists. They will not commit capital where it is not safe. We must integrate our security architectures, share intelligence in real-time, and foster greater community policing to create a secure and predictable environment.

‘In Zamfara, our commitment is clear. We are moving from a past of informality and illegality in the mining sector to a regime of formalisation, regulation, and value addition. We are revitalizing our agricultural sector by promoting mechanization, agro-processing, and access to credit. And we are creating the secure and stable environment that is the bedrock of it all.

‘My call to action today is for a Northern Nigerian Economic Compact-a binding commitment among the 19 states to speak with one voice on security and economic matters. Create a Single Window for major investors looking to do business across the region. Co-invest in critical infrastructure like power, rail, and fibre optics that connect our states,’ Lawal said.

States must channel their revenues into economic growth – Nasarawa gov

Abdullahi Sule, the governor of Nasarawa State, urged northern governors to focus on areas of comparative advantage, take responsibility for security and avoid a culture of blame.

‘Every state now has the resources to secure its people. We should stop blaming anybody for our security. If we are blaming anybody, blame ourselves,’ he said.

‘For the first time in our history, all tiers of government are sharing more revenue than they ever imagined.

‘Over N2.2 trillion was shared this month alone. When I became governor in 2019, we were sharing between N590 billion and N620 billion. Today, it is four times that amount,’ he stated.

The governor said Nasarawa had leveraged reforms to insist that investors in solid minerals set up processing plants, leading to the commissioning of a 3,000-metric-tonne-per-day facility and the completion of another 6,000-tonne plant awaiting inauguration.

He also confirmed oil fields in the state with reserves estimated at five to seven million barrels, and outlined plans to expand rice cultivation from 3,300 hectares to as much as 8,000 hectares before the end of his tenure.

Gombe gov seeks infrastructure, credit reform for region

In his welcome address, Inuwa Yahaya, the governor of Gombe, said the region was historically Nigeria’s economic engine, but was being held back by poor infrastructure.

He said: ‘The backbone of Northern Nigeria’s economy from glorious times through the early years of independence was agriculture, supported by an extensive network of rail lines.

‘Today, the realities remain unchanged. We are blessed with mineral wealth, fertile land, and vibrant human capital, but without railways, roads, power, and storage, the full value cannot be realised.’

Yahaya called for reforms in project financing to give northern entrepreneurs access to credit.

‘The current practice where businesses can only qualify if they provide collateral outside their land and enterprises is exclusionary. Government and financial institutions must change this,’ he said.

We can break poverty cycle with new thinking – Lamis Dikko

In his contribution to the conversation on the existential problems in the region, Lamis Shehu Dikko, who is the Chairman of the Northern Nigeria Development Company (NNDC), said the 19 northern states face deep socioeconomic challenges, with poverty rates exceeding 60%, and reaching over 80% in states like Zamfara and Sokoto, compared to about 30% in the South.

He said traditional development approaches have failed to reverse this trend, making a paradigm shift urgent.

Dikko said that the central argument is that embedding technology, digital infrastructure, and innovation into every sector of development is the only sustainable path to prosperity.

According to him, a critical first step is closing the digital divide as internet penetration in Nigeria stands at about 48%, but rural and northern regions lag far behind, leaving over 60 million Nigerians offline.

He said this risk excluding the North from the $15.7 trillion global AI-driven economy projected by 2030, and call for urgent steps to expand affordable broadband, smartphone access, and reliable electricity as an economic lifeline.

According to Dikko, ‘Agriculture remains the backbone of Northern Nigeria’s economy and livelihood but yields and incomes have long been limited by outdated practices. Embracing digital agriculture can change that. Imagine widely adopting precision farming tools – from drones and sensors that monitor soil and crop health, to AI-driven analysis of weather and satellite data guiding planting decisions. These technologies help farmers optimize fertilizer and water use, predict pests or droughts, and significantly boost crop yields and reduce losses.’

On electricity, he said, ‘Northern Nigeria’s development is crippled by energy poverty – an unreliable grid and low access to electricity in many communities. Technology offers a two-fold solution: modernize the grid and leapfrog with renewables. Investments in smart grid systems can improve efficiency in power distribution, reducing the rampant losses and outages.’

He added that realizing this transformation requires visionary leadership, supportive policies, and robust public-private partnerships. Regional cooperation, regulatory reforms, inclusive digital literacy programmes, and initiatives to empower women and rural communities are essential to prevent deepening inequality.

He added that organizations like the NNDC can catalyze investment and policy advocacy.

NACCIMA tasks northern govs on investor-friendly policies

In his goodwill message, Jani Ibrahim, the deputy president of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), said the summit’s focus was timely.

He urged the northern governors to adopt ‘transparent, investor-friendly policies, streamline regulatory processes, and guarantee security of life and property.’

‘Mining, agriculture and power represent the most solid pillars upon which the economic revitalisation of northern Nigeria must rest,’ Ibrahim said.

‘However, unlocking these opportunities requires more than vision. It demands leadership and commitment at sub-national levels.’

The NACCIMA official also called for industrial clusters around mineral belts, investments in infrastructure, and partnerships to improve education and skills.

A financial technology company, OPay, has extended its N1.2 billion 10-Year Scholarship Programme to the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), making the institution the 19th beneficiary.

The duo signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the university.

The scholarship scheme, launched to support indigent students across 20 tertiary institutions in Nigeria, provides 20 beneficiaries in each institution with N300,000 per academic session for the duration of their studies, up to 10 years.

It also underscores the firm’s commitment to educational empowerment, financial inclusion, and corporate social responsibility. The Vice Chancellor of UNN, Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, expressed appreciation for the initiative and commended OPay’s contribution to educational development in Nigeria.

‘This scholarship project is not only good news for UNN but for Nigeria as a whole. It is a laudable step-one that truly deserves admiration.

‘As a university, we are proud of OPay’s competitiveness in the financial sector and even more proud of its commitment to supporting education. We assure you of our full cooperation to ensure that the goals of this partnership are fully realized. Today marks the beginning of greater things to come between OPay and the University of Nigeria,’ he said.

Speaking on behalf of OPay, Ikponmwosa Odiase, Head of Partnerships, reaffirmed the firm’s belief in education as a powerful tool for national development.

‘At OPay, we believe the youth are the future of Nigeria, and one of the best ways to empower that future is by investing in education. This N1.2 billion scholarship scheme covers 20 institutions across the country, and UNN is the 19th on our list.

‘Here at UNN, 20 beneficiaries will each receive N300,000 per academic session for the duration of their studies, up to 10 years. We are excited about this partnership and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the lives of students and their families,’ he said.

The All Progressives Congress in Lagos State has told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to lure former President Goodluck Jonathan into the 2027 presidential race.

There are speculations that Jonathan may throw his hat into the ring ahead of the next election.

Former Minister, Jerry Gana’s recent declaration that Jonathan would contest for the presidency in 2027, has fuelled the growing speculations in past days.

Lagos APC spokesman, Seye Oladejo, in a statement on Tuesday, asked the PDP to allow Jonathan to enjoy his retirement from public office rather than luring him into the race.

According to Oladejo, rather than luring Jonathan into ‘a final dance whose result is all too predictable’, the cheerleaders should have allowed the former Nigerian leader to relax.

He said ‘Indeed, if he chooses to run, President Jonathan will need more than an overdose of good luck to stand a chance. The landmines before him are numerous – legal, past records, and fundamental questions of capacity.’

Oladejo said that elections remained contests of ideas, competence and delivery – not nostalgia or recycled rhetoric.

He said,’ Prof. Gana’s certainty that a particular individual will be the PDP candidate or that Nigerians are clamouring for a return to the past is premature and political theatre.

‘We acknowledge and appreciate Prof. Gana’s sense of humour, which may be entertaining but is out of place in serious political discourse.

‘It may also be interesting to interrogate his continued relevance, having been around the corridors of power forever without leaving behind any remarkable legacy of transformation or notable accomplishments.’

According to him, Gana arrogating to himself the sole power to determine the presidential candidate of a whole political party has exposed the PDP’s disdain for internal democracy.

He said PDP is unlike the APC, which remained firmly committed to internal democracy and a transparent nomination process.

‘The PDP and other opposition parties appear to be working towards already pre-determined ends as far as their presidential candidates are concerned,’ he said.

Oladejo advised Gana not to unnecessarily heat up the polity by embarking on campaigns before the official ban on electioneering is lifted by the electoral body.

He said,’ Lagos APC stands firmly behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda to fix the economy and build infrastructure that creates jobs and improves lives.

‘We will continue to defend policies that prioritise the future over the past.

‘The APC in Lagos calls on all political actors – including the PDP and its chieftains – to desist from divisive nostalgia and instead present clear, implementable programmes for the challenges Nigerians actually face.

‘If the PDP truly believes Mr Jonathan is the solution, they should lay out specific, detailed policy proposals and submit them for public scrutiny rather than making pronouncements that sound like campaign hype.’

He urged voters to judge parties by records and plans.

‘We will continue to work across Lagos and Nigeria to promote pragmatic governance, development and inclusion – and to hold all parties to account for promises made to Nigerians,’ Oladejo stated.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Kano State Government, has announced the launch of Nigeria’s most ambitious integrated vaccination campaign targeting measles-rubella and polio.

The campaign, which kicks off on October 6, 2025, aims to vaccinate over 11.7 million children in Kano State alone.

Speaking during a media orientation in Kano on Monday, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Kano, Rahama Farah, emphasised the critical role of journalists in mobilising public awareness and ensuring the success of the campaign.

‘This integrated campaign is a collaborative effort involving the Federal Ministry of Health, NPHCDA, WHO, GAVI, the Gates Foundation, civil society, and the Kano State Government. ‘We are targeting 3.9 million children under five for polio and 7.8 million children aged 9 months to 14 years for measles-rubella vaccination,’ Farah said.

He noted that Kano State had already conducted two successful ‘in-between rounds’ of immunisation earlier this year, reaching over 300,000 children across 3,000 settlements.

Farah called on local government chairpersons to personally oversee campaign phases and urged the state to deploy UNICEF-provided Bluetooth speakers for grassroots mobilisation.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board, Dr Ahmed Tijjani Rabiu, Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, described the campaign as the largest of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa.

‘Nigeria is targeting 106 million children nationwide. In Kano alone, over 7 million children will be vaccinated.

‘This campaign integrates measles-rubella, routine immunisation, hepatitis, HPV, polio, and Onkosaka, a neglected tropical disease,’ Rabiu said.

Daily Trust reports that the 10-day campaign will deploy over 3,300 trained health workers and thousands of community mobilisers, religious leaders and influencers to support the effort.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu have condemned the tragic passing of Ms Somtochukwu ‘Sommie’ Maduagwu, a news anchor with ARISE News Television.

Daily Trust reports that she was killed during an attack by robbers at her residence in Katampe, Abuja, on Monday.

President Tinubu in a statement by Bayo Onanuga his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, charged security and law enforcement agencies to ‘conduct a quick and thorough investigation into the incident and ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice’.

The President also assured Nigerians that his administration remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of citizens, and will continue to strengthen measures aimed at combating crime in all its forms.

The President who said he received the news with deep sorrow, also extended his heartfelt condolences to the family of Ms Maduagwu, the management and staff of Arise News Television, and the entire Nigerian media fraternity over this painful loss. Tinubu said, ‘Ms Maduagwu was a promising professional journalist whose life was cut short in a cruel and condemnable manner.

‘Security and law enforcement agencies should conduct a quick and thorough investigation into the incident and ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice without delay.’

In the same vein, the First Lady said she woke up to the sad news of the ‘unfortunate and untimely death of one of our young and brilliant minds in the journalism profession, Somtochukwu Maduagwu’.

Senator Tinubu who described her death as ‘painful and unfortunate’, noted that she has been cut down in her prime.

‘I condole with the chairman arise news media, Chief Nduka Obaigbena, her family, friends colleagues, and loved ones. It is my hope and prayer that the perpetrators will be apprehended as soon as possible and brought to book,’ Senator Oluremi Tinubu said.

A National Industrial Court in Abuja has issued a restraining order against the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over its planned industrial action against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.

Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Subilim, while ruling on an ex-parte application by Dangote Refinery on Monday, specifically restrained the defendants, which included Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd, (NNPCL), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), from cutting crude and gas supply to Dangote Refinery.

The application was filed by George Ibrahim from Ogwu James Onoja law firm in Abuja seeking ‘an interim injunction.

Ibrahim, in the motion, sought an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st Defendant (NNPCL), its members, agents, servants, privies, representatives, assigns or howsoever described, from directing or effecting a halt in the supply of crude oil and gas to the Claimant. He further prayed the Court to restrain them from embarking on any industrial action against the Claimant with the intention of crippling operations, blocking access roads, obstructing vehicular movement, or otherwise disrupting the operations of the Claimant or the licensees of the 2nd to 4th Defendants, as contained in the directives issued by the 1st Defendant on September 26, 2025, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Ibrahim argued that the Applicant is a duly licensed petroleum production and distribution company, engaged in refining and producing petroleum and petrochemical products for general public consumption in Nigeria. He stressed that the company provides essential services critical to the Nigerian economy and the well-being of the public.

He further contended that in recent times, incidents of sabotage by some employees at the Claimant’s plant had raised grave health and safety concerns, necessitating a re-organisation exercise which led to the disengagement of some staff. This, he noted, was communicated to all employees through a memo dated September 25, 2025.

In his brief ruling on the ex parte application, Justice Subilim held that the balance of convenience was in favour of the Applicant, as the continuation of the threatened industrial action would irreparably damage its business and undermine the provision of essential services to the Nigerian public.

The judge ruled that it was in the interest of justice to restrain the Respondents in order to preserve industrial peace and safeguard the continuous provision of essential services pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Justice Subilim accordingly granted the restraining order and directed that same be served on the defendants forthwith, together with the motion on notice.

The Court held that the order shall subsist for seven days only.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to October 13 for the hearing of the motion on notice.

Reconciliatory meeting drags

The fresh peace meeting convened by the Federal Government to resolve the rift between PENGASSAN and the Dangote Refinery was still ongoing as of the time of filing this report last night.

The meeting, which had the leadership of the PENSASSAN led by its President, Festus Osifo and the representatives of Dangote Refinery in attendance, was convened with a view to ending dispute

While the union leaders were led by the General-Secretary of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nuhu Toro, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Maigari Dingyadi, led other government officials.

Daily Trust reports that the federal government had on Sunday summoned the leadership of PENSASSAN and the management of Dangote Refinery to an emergency meeting over the ongoing rift between the duo.

However, the meeting, which was earlier scheduled for 2:00pm, started at about 3:50pm owing to the late arrival of critical stakeholders involved in the matter, before it later went into a close-door session.

Speaking, Dingyadi said, ‘What’s happening today is very dear to our economy and to the security of the country. We have been informed that PENGASSAN is on strike.’

Hours after the meeting started behind closed doors, a shouting match could be heard from the Conference room where the meeting was being held.

A source, who was part of the meeting, confided in our correspondent that representatives of Dangote Refinery stuck to their guns, insisting that it would be hard to bring those who have been eased out back to the company.

The source said the sacked workers were described as saboteurs by the Dangote Refinery representative – the statement, he said, angered the labour leaders at the meeting.

‘The meeting started smoothly after you people went out of the venue. That is when both the ministers of labour and finance had spoken to the two parties, to let them know the implications of their actions.

‘So, the two parties were allowed to make their presentations and laid out their demands, but they all stuck to their guns. Nobody between the two parties was ready to shift ground,’ the source confided in Daily Trust last night.

NLC places other unions on red alert

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress has commenced mobilisation of its affiliate unions, stressing that it would join forces to fight the company for violating labour laws.

The Congress, in an internal memo signed by the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero and obtained by our correspondent, specifically said the company violated Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, vILO Conventions 87 and 98, arguing that it was treating national labour laws with contempt.

It read, ‘This letter serves as a formal and urgent request in response to the protracted and deliberate anti-worker crusade being waged by the Dangote Group against the Nigerian working class.

‘The ongoing battle with PENGASSAN and NUPENG is merely a symptom of a deeper sickness; a capitalist pathology of union-busting, worker enslavement, and gross impunity that defines the Group’s industrial relations strategy.

‘The Dangote Group has operated for too long as a state within a state, flouting Section 40 of our Constitution, violating ILO Conventions 87 and 98, and treating our national labour laws with contempt. Their facilities are not workplaces but plantations of exploitation, where the dignity of the worker is systematically crushed to maximise profit for the few.

‘The time for pleading and endless, fruitless dialogue is over. The moment for decisive, collective action is now.

‘Consequently, we have resolved as follows: 1. Request for total mobilization of all Unions and workers. All aforementioned affiliate unions are hereby placed on IMMEDIATE AND FULL ALERT.

‘You are requested to commence, with immediate effect, preparation for a vigorous and comprehensive unionisation of all workers within every Dangote Group facility falling under your jurisdiction. This is a strategic priority.

‘To start full preparation for an engagement with Dangote across the nation. You are requested to immediately begin mobilising your members and resources for a full-scale, decisive engagement against the Dangote Group’s anti-labour stance. This action aims to compel the conglomerate to:

‘Unconditionally respect the right of every worker to freely join a union of their choice. Cease all forms of intimidation, victimisation, and union-busting activities. Submit to the authority of our nation’s labour laws and institutions.

‘Each union is to set up an Action Mobilisation Committee and liaise directly with the NLC National Secretariat within the next 72 hours to coordinate strategy, logistics, and communication. Unity of purpose and action is non-negotiable.

‘The impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with the resistance of organised labour. No amount of media verbiage and paid hirelings will stop us from fighting for our liberty in the face of apparent Regulatory capture, where the state seems to have abdicated its responsibility to hold this behemoth accountable for its breaches of our laws.

‘The blood and sweat of Nigerian workers built this conglomerate; we will not let it become a monument to their oppression. Together, we stand! Together, we will overcome.’

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, has dismissed political coalitions being championed by some opposition figures, describing their promoters as ‘politically expired, bitter individuals driven by personal vendetta.’

Abdulaziz spoke during an interactive session with journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Kano on Tuesday.

Reacting to questions on whether the presidency was worried about the coalition moves ahead of 2027, he said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained ‘completely unperturbed.’

‘The president, I can tell you, is unperturbed. He is completely not disturbed. He is not in any way jittery about whether it is coalition or any political formation. Because, one, is that the people that are championing these things, most of them are politically expired. There are people with no political weight or relevance that would jitter the government or the president. We have had serial contesters who had, you know, thrown their hearts into the ring on many occasions. And they were fully lost. And nothing much has changed. In fact, their star is dimming,’ he said.

He argued that the so-called coalition leaders were only concerned with their exclusion from power rather than the welfare of Nigerians.

‘Then secondly, you should also know that these are a group of bitter individuals. People driven by personal vendetta and a sense of personal loss. And their concern is not the people, is not the ordinary Nigerians. Their concern is that they are not on the table. And Nigerians have sufficiently understood this. And that is why the coalition is not catching fire as they thought it would,’ he added.

Abdulaziz maintained that Tinubu’s leadership style was focused on tough but necessary reforms rather than political expediency.

‘There is a difference between leadership and politics. Politics is a game of popularity. Leadership is a game of nation building. And that is what President Tinubu is doing. To really take hard-hitting decisions, even if they affect him personally. But those decisions that he feels are for the good of the country,’ he said, citing infrastructure projects, the student loan scheme, and subsidy reforms as examples.

On concerns that the administration was concentrating major projects in the South, Abdulaziz said such claims were ‘largely political,’ stressing that the president has continued with multi-billion naira projects in the North, including the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway, and the Kano-Katsina-Maradi rail line.

‘If this man is wicked or doesn’t like the North, he could leave these projects to be abandoned. He can withhold financing. If there is no financing, these projects will stagnate or will even naturally die. But none of these projects that he inherited, which are massive, are actually stopped,’ he said.

Abdulaziz added that the Tinubu administration was also embarking on new projects such as the Sokoto-Badagry highway, stressing that development under the president was ‘holistic and not fragmented.’

The administration of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has commenced the digitization of Adamawa State Government archives in a move aimed at modernizing records management and boosting administrative efficiency.