Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Bishop Emeritus Julius Adelakun of the Catholic Diocese of Oyo has passed away.

A statement released on Saturday by Most Rev. Emmanuel Badejo, the current Bishop of Oyo Catholic Archdiocese, revealed that Adelakun died on Friday at the age of 91.

Adelakun served as the Bishop of Oyo for 36 years, from April 13, 1973, until his retirement on November 4, 2009.

Badejo, in the statement, described the late Adelakun as a man who lived ‘a full, impactful life and whose witness touched multitudes.’

He said funeral arrangements would be announced in due course as he called on Catholics of Oyo diocese to continue to pray for repose of the late Bishop.

‘He shepherded the Diocese of Oyo with dedication for decades, leaving behind a legacy of faithful service to God, the Church, and humanity,’ Badejo added.

Born on November 4, 1934, Bishop Adelakun was ordained a Catholic priest on June 27, 1965, and ordained bishop on February 11, 1973.

The Old Seminarians Association of Nigeria (OSAN) has expressed deep concern over the rising cases of abduction of Catholic priests across the country, describing the clergy as ‘soft targets’ for kidnappers.

President of the Association and Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Chinedu Francis Akubueze, raised the alarm at the opening of the 4th Annual Convention of OSAN, with the theme: ‘Insecurity: Navigating the Complexities of Nation Building,’ held in Abuja on Friday.

Akubueze lamented that many priests have fallen victim to kidnappers in recent times, with the Catholic Church often forced to pay huge ransom sums to secure their release.

According to him, ‘The clergy among us, who are also old seminarians, are increasingly becoming endangered species. Quite a number of them have been kidnapped, and the Church has paid heavy ransoms. They have become attractive targets for kidnappers who wrongly assume that the Church is wealthy.’

Akubueze, who was the immediate past Clerk of the Senate, commended the Nigerian Army for its efforts in apprehending the killers of Rev. Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu and rescuing Rev. Fr. John Ubaechu, but stressed that ‘more needs to be done’ to address the root causes of insecurity and prevent future tragedies.

The OSAN President called on the government to prioritise the safety and security of all citizens, regardless of faith or profession, and urged the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) to take a stronger stand against attacks on clergy and worship centres.

‘We gather today with heavy hearts to deliberate on the worsening insecurity in Nigeria, particularly the incessant kidnappings of Catholic priests,’ Akubueze said. ‘The Church appears helpless in this excruciating situation, while government efforts have yet to yield the desired results.’

He noted that the convention would feature presentations by eminent scholars and security experts to brainstorm and propose proactive solutions to the crisis.

Akubueze reaffirmed the Association’s commitment to promoting unity, moral discipline, and social responsibility values instilled during seminary training and urged members to use their diverse platforms to advocate peace, security, and good governance.

‘Let us join forces to build a society where everyone can live without fear,’ he said. ‘We pray for the safety of all kidnapped priests and citizens, and we demand decisive action from our leaders.’

A member of the panel of discussion and Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, Prof. May Ifeoma Nwoye, said propaganda has escalated insecurity in the country, noting that some people use it as a political tool to spread false information.

She said the situation in the country has deteriorated to the point where Nigerian youths are ridiculed in some African countries that Nigeria helped to achieve independence.

She urged leaders to look inward regarding the economic situation, stressing that concessional loans should be targeted at alleviating poverty.

‘The hunger insecurity is very devastating, and people have died for lack of economic means,’ she said.

On her part, Prof. Sandra Obioha proposed that a school of etiquette should be established for aspiring political office holders, where they would undergo six months of training to be acquainted with the demands of public office.

She said insecurity is the biggest challenge facing the country and pleaded with leaders to build strong, accountable institutions and a just system.

‘A true leader will plan for the next policy, but a politician will think of the next election,’ she said.

Benjamin Omale, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Benue State, has praised President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to providing Nigeria and its citizens with credible election practices in the future.

In a statement issued on Saturday and made available to journalists in Makurdi, Omale also commended state Governor Hyacinth Alia for supporting President Tinubu in the appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan as the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Omale characterized Professor Amupitan’s nomination by President Tinubu as based on competence and merit.

He expressed confidence that the new INEC chairman is equipped to fulfill his responsibilities, citing his strong sense of justice, equity, and fairness, which are essential for effectively managing the office.

Omale praised Professor Amupitan for his impressive performance and display of election management skills during his confirmation screening at the National Assembly. During his screening, Professor Amupitan assured lawmakers of his unwavering commitment to ensuring credible future elections.

Omale noted that Professor Amupitan’s statements instill hope in Nigerians for a better general election in 2027 and pointed to the upcoming off-season Anambra governorship election scheduled for November 8, 2025.

He called on all election stakeholders-including security agencies, political parties, their candidates, and the electorate-to adhere to INEC guidelines in order to support the new National Chairman in delivering on his mandate.

Additionally, Omale reiterated the support of the All Progressives Congress, Benue State chapter, for Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia in aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda, which includes his commitment to establishing credible election practices in Nigeria.

The Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review has unanimously approved the creation of an additional state in the South East geopolitical zone, increasing the region’s total to six States.

The decision was reached during a two-day retreat in Lagos, where the committee reviewed 55 proposals for state creation across the country.

Currently, the South East has five states fewer than the six or seven that make up other geopolitical zones in the country.

The session, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, and co-chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, deliberated extensively on the matter.

The Deputy Speaker among many other lawmakers, who had consistently championed the demand for an additional state for the region, reiterated that the request was anchored on principles of equity, justice, and fairness.

Members of the Committee who unanimously approved the request later took turns to deliberate on the issue, speaking in favour of granting the South East an additional state.

Following the deliberations, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) moved a motion for the creation of the new state, which was seconded by Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka (Ifo/Ewekoro, Ogun State).

The motion received the unanimous support of committee members and was adopted.

It was further gathered that in a related development, the joint committee also established a subcommittee to further consider the creation of additional states and local government areas across all six geopolitical zones, noting that a total of 278 proposals were submitted for review.

In his remarks, Senator Barau Jibrin urged members to rally support among their colleagues at the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to ensure the resolutions sail through during voting.

According to him, ‘We need to strengthen what we have started so that all parts of the country will key into this process,’ Jibrin said. ‘By the time we get to the actual voting, we should already have the buy-in of all stakeholders-from both chambers and the State Houses of Assembly.’

The embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has asked the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to quash the eight-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged property fraud.

Emefiele, alongside one Eric Ocheme, who is said to be at large was arraigned before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court, Maitama, in case number FCT/HC/CR/350/2025. The EFCC accused the duo of having control of properties reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained, contrary to and punishable under Section 319 of the Penal Code Law.

The property in question comprises 753 luxury apartments located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja, covering about 150,462.86 square metres.

The EFCC also alleged that Emefiele and Ocheme unlawfully kept billions of naira in proxy accounts with Zenith Bank.

The former CBN governor, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

In a preliminary objection, Emefiele through his counsel, Matthew Burkaa (SAN), challenged the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the matter, describing the charges as unconstitutional, illegal, malicious, and a gross abuse of judicial process.

Moving the application during Friday’s hearing, Burkaa argued that the proof of evidence filed by the prosecution failed to link Emefiele to any of the counts. He urged the court to dismiss the case with punitive costs, describing it as an abuse of court process.

In response, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) opposed the objection, insisting that evidence presented before the court directly connected the defendant to the properties. He argued that the application could not be determined without considering the facts of the case.

After hearing both parties, Justice Halilu directed them to proceed with the trial, noting that the court would consider the application in due course.

The prosecution then called its first witness (PW1), Mshelia Arhyel B, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank Plc.

Mshelia told the court that, upon EFCC’s request, he prepared and printed the statements of account of three companies, MG Properties Limited, Ifedigo Integrated Services, and Kelvito Integrated Services, and signed the certificates of identification. He said the transactions in the accounts reflected normal business activities with Zenith Bank.

The account statements were tendered by the prosecution and admitted as exhibits.

During cross-examination, Burkaa questioned the witness, who admitted that although he had worked at Zenith Bank for 18 years, he could not link Emefiele to any of the three accounts.

Mshelia said he did not know the owners of the accounts and was not invited by the EFCC to make any statement regarding them. He added that he was only informed that he would testify on the morning of the hearing.

As a Compliance Officer, he confirmed that he did not verify the ownership of the three companies but recognised Emefiele as his former boss.

‘I would definitely recognise his name if it was on the account opening package. I did not see his name either as the person receiving or depositing money,’ the witness told the court.

He further stated that he did not know the purpose of the deposits and transfers reflected in the accounts, adding: ‘I never saw his (Emefiele’s) name either depositing or receiving money. I don’t know the purpose of all those payments, and the names mentioned are not standing trial.’

Justice Halilu adjourned the case to November 26 for continuation of trial.

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu on the appointment of Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff.

General Oluyede, who hails from Ikere-Ekiti, headquarters of Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State was until the new appointment the Chief of Army Staff.

Oyebanji, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, hailed Oluyede’s appointment as a welcome development.

The Governor lauded the President for recognising the exemplary qualities of the Ikere-Ekiti-born General and for entrusting him with such a strategic position.

Governor Oyebanji said, ‘the new CDS epitomises the core values of courage, integrity and loyalty for which Ekitis are known; he possesses a high level of integrity and professionalism required to make a success of the new assignment being given to him by the President.’

Oyebanji expressed confidence in General Oluyede’s ability to excel in his new role, describing him as’ as a gallant officer with a proven track record of accomplishments in his illustrious military career.’

He urged the new CDS to leverage his extensive experience and expertise in charting a new direction for the military, particularly during this critical period.

‘The Government and the people of Ekiti State are grateful to the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for General Oluyede’s appointment. We wish him success in this new assignment and pledge our unalloyed support for him,’ the governor said.

Accountant General for the Federation (AGF), Mr. Shamsudeen Ogunjimi has given vivid account of why Federal Government directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to put on hold issuing of award letters of federal contracts to Contractors as well as delay in the payment of outstanding liabilities.

Mr. Ogunjimi gave the highlight on Thursday evening while responding to questions on the delayed payment of contractors, during a meeting held at the instance of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Procurement chaired by Hon. Unyime Idem.

He said: ‘I’m grateful for that opportunity to come back and represent our position on the observation that has been made. For non-payment of contractors, I also want to thank you for all the support you’ve been giving, because it’s one government.

‘I heard you saying that you’ll be interfacing with the contractors. And so, that is why I said this one government will appreciate that effort that the committee has been putting in for stabilizing the government and helping the government in that aspect.

‘I want to confirm to you that we have actually been paying contractors. Yes, we have been paying contractors. The only issue was the fact that, yes, we had, when I came on board, we observed that a portion or a section of the Procurement Act was not being followed. And so, we actually say that contract letter or award letter should not be issued until there is funds availability.

‘But we discovered that MDAs was awarding an issue of the Procurement Act. And so, we have issued award letters to contractors. Disregarding the other condition that funds might be available before, you can start your procurement processes.

‘But you have to stop at the point of awarding the contract award to, or issuing the contract award to contractors. You must ensure that there’s funds for the contractor to execute their projects. So, that created a lot of gap, which also created a lot of liabilities on the part of government, because we’re not matching expenditure with revenue.

‘But then, when we discovered that, at the point, we were running up to about three trillion liability commitments.’

Speaking earlier, Hon. Unyime Idem who presides over the session, disclosed that that the Committee had received series of petitions on cases of delayed and non-payments for jobs delivered over the past two years.

Hon. Idem said that the House had been interfacing with the protesting contractors to ensure calm while efforts were being made to secure payments.

‘The issue of non-payments of contractors funds for the past two to three years now; on a daily basis, as a Committee in charge of public procurement, we received petitions and then protest.

‘So, we use wisdom to manage them till today, if not, maybe by now, they would have burnt your office but it took the effort of the Committee and the leadership of the House to manage the anger and the protest on the side of the contractors.

‘So the House asked us to also find out why they delay and in some cases, non payments for the past two years,’ he said.

Hon. Idem also requested the Accountant General to, in seven days, provide documents to explain alleged infractions in contract award processes in the agency’s budget between 2023 2025.

Responding to the alleged infractions in the oAGF Appropriation Acts, Mr. Ogunjimi who was appointed in March, 2025, disclosed that all the Directors who were in office during the period under review had been posted out of oAGF.

He however assured that proper and official response to all issues raised in the 2023 to 2025 Appropriation Acts will be transmitted to the Committee within one week.

A 29-year-old automobile technician, Awopetu, (first name witheld) who was arrested for allegedly absconding with a client’s vehicle in the guise of repairing it, has said that, Awopetu was nabbed by the Monitoring Unit of the Oyo State Police Command after he disappeared with an unregistered Toyota Camry handed over to him by the client in Ibadan. The vehicle was recovered in Ilesa, Osun State.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer CSP Adewale Osifeso, who rently addressed journalists during a press briefing on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, disclosed that the client, who came to Ibadan to purchase the vehicle, gave it to the suspect, who posed as an automobile technician at Agodi Gate area, to effect minor repairs in it, unknown to him that he had other motives.

The PPRO said that the victim reported the case to a police team assigned to Operation Restore Peace at Agodi when he could not locate Awopetu to take his car after the expected repairs.

Osifeso stated: ‘The matter was subsequently referred to the Command’s Monitoring Unit for further inquiry.

‘Upon the receipt of the case file, a skilled team of detectives from the Monitoring Unit promptly initiated a covert investigation. Their efforts paid off as they were able to identify and track the suspect to a hideout within Ibadan metropolitan area where he was apprehended.

‘The unregistered Toyota Camry was located and recovered from a separate concealment location in Ilesa, Osun State.’

He said that during interrogation, the suspect confessed to his involvement in the crime, adding that investigation was still ongoing.

During the interrogation, Awopetu, who said he hailed from Ilesa, disclosed: ‘I live at Ojoo area in Ibadan. I started living in the city about two months ago. I’m a mechanic.

‘Before coming to Ibadan, I was working as an automobile technician at Owode Onirin in Lagos. However, I had a ‘brain touch’ (mental illness) and was taken to Ilesa where my father lives.

‘A long time after undergoing treatment, I told my father that I was okay and needed to go back to work to fend for myself. My father got me a shop in Ilesa, so I was left with the arrangement on how to start the work. I told him that I would go to Ibadan to hustle so that I would get money. I opted for Agodi Gate area in the city. However, he said I should not go, promising that he would source for money to assist me in Ilesa. I insisted on coming to Ibadan.

‘He repeatedly warned me not to go, but I did not listen to him. I hopped on my bike and left Ilesa for Ibadan.

‘On getting to Ibadan, I didn’t eat for three days because I had no money. Later, a man called me to help him repair a Toyota Camry (Big Daddy). I did the work and was paid. The owner said he would want me to repair the engine. He didn’t take the car away but parked it where I would do the repair.

‘Some days later, when the car owner came back for the work to be done, I told him to let me take it to the place where I would do it. As I was going, a spirit just told me to run away with the car.

‘I started the car and headed towards Ilesa. On the way, the car engine got knocked. I looked around, got an automobile technician and explained to him that I was also doing same job with him, asking him to assist me in the repair. But he said he could not go with me because armed robbers usually operate at the spot of the car breakdown, except it would be towed to his workshop. I gave him N10,000 for towing.

‘When we got to his workshop, he mentioned the things that needed to be bought and I gave him N25,000. I returned to Gate area in Ibadan and bought what he recommended but when it was fixed, the engine did not work, so the mechanic said we would need to remove it. He also said the crown shaft was damaged.

‘Since I didn’t have money to do anything, I asked him to help sell the damaged engine so that I would get money to get to Ilesa. I said I would sell my motorcycle to buy another engine.

‘The mechanic helped me to get a buyer who negotiated it for N100,000. I also got a towing vehicle who charged me N100,000. I sold the alternator and compressor of the vehicle to have money that would help avoid delays on the way to Ilesa.’

Awopetu continued: ‘Meanwhile, I kept my bike with a friend in Ibadan, with the thought of going back for it when done with the stolen car issue. The friend started calling me to ask for the key of my motorcycle. I hid it because I didn’t want him to be riding it to avoid its being detected, so I told him I was in Benin, Edo State, and would soon come back to pick the bike.

‘ Unknown to me, the friend had been arrested. I went back to Ibadan same day with the towing vehicle and got there at about 11p.m. When I got to the friend’s house, I didn’t see my motorcycle. I called him and he said that he used another key to kickstart it and took it to work. Same night, I returned to Ilesa.

‘The following day, I went to my shop which my father got for me and started clearing it in preparation for use. By then, I had bought the engine and taken the car to Ilesa. Three days after, I went back to Ibadan to pick my bike, but didn’t meet the friend at home. I called him and waited for him to come, only for me to be arrested by operatives from Monitoring Unit.’

The suspect, who said that it was his first time of doing such a thing, admitted that all he wanted was to put the car by his shop and use it to keep his work tools.

He confessed that he was taking an illicit drug known as Loud which he said he believed led to his experience with mental illness. He further stated that he stopped taking the drug when he got better as he was warned to stop taking drugs that would make him high. However, he admitted that he took two sachets of ‘Gbefun’ on the day he wanted to go to Ibadan to pick his bike.

‘I know what I did was terribly wrong but government should help me. I will never do such again,’ he pleaded.

In 2023, President Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidies sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s economy, spiking food prices as transport and production costs soared.

By early 2025, staples like rice and tomatoes hit record highs, with food inflation peaking at 21.87% year-on-year in August. Yet, a remarkable shift has occurred: food inflation dropped to 16.87% in September 2025, and Nigeria recorded its first month-on-month food deflation (-1.57%) since February 2012.

Headline inflation fell to 18.02%, the lowest in three years. Market prices reflect this relief-a 50kg bag of rice now costs ?50,000-?63,000 (down from ?100,000), tomatoes have fallen from ?120,000 to ?35,000 per basket, and garri is down from ?3,500 to ?2,000 for a 4-litre container. Staples like maize, beans, onions, pepper, and sorghum have seen 40-55% price reductions nationwide amid low purchasing power.

This explainer unpacks the key drivers behind this trend, drawing on official reports, market surveys, and economic analyses.

Key Reasons for the Drop

Bumper Harvests and Increased Production: The 2025 wet season delivered strong yields for staples like rice, maize, sorghum, millet, cowpea, yam, and cassava, surpassing 2024 levels.

Expanded cultivated areas, improved farming practices, and farmer resilience despite weather challenges drove this surplus.

Government-backed dry-season farming in states like Sokoto and Kebbi flooded markets with onions, tomatoes, and peppers, outpacing demand and slashing grain prices by over 50%, according to the 2025 Agricultural Performance Survey and Minister Abubakar Kyari.

Government Agricultural Policies: Under Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, Nigeria doubled down on local production, banning rice imports and rolling out subsidies for fertilizers and seeds, mechanization through tractor programs, extension services, and revamped silos for better storage.

The 2025 budget sustained these efforts, with import waivers for farming inputs, boosting output and stabilising supply chains, as noted by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

Naira Appreciation and Lower Input Costs: The naira strengthened from ~?1,600/$ to ~?1,500/$ in late 2025, reducing costs for imported fertilizers and fuel.

Fuel prices dropped from a peak of ?1,350/L to ?820-?870/L, thanks to competition between Dangote Refinery and NNPCL. This cut farming and transport costs by 20-30%, with savings passed to consumers, as economists like Dr. Usman Bello of Ahmadu Bello University have observed.

Seasonal and Market Dynamics: The September-October harvest peak naturally eases prices, but improved logistics and base-year CPI adjustments amplified the effect.

Unlike past seasonal dips, these reductions are bolstered by policy-driven supply gains, with market surveys confirming drops across 36 states and the FCT.

Real-World Examples from Markets

In Lagos’ Mile 12 Market, a 50kg bag of beans fell from ?230,000 to ?105,000, and onions dropped from ?200,000 to ?35,000.

In Abuja, palm oil prices eased from ?77,000 to ?66,000 per 250L drum, and sweet potatoes went from ?50,000 to ?30,000.

In Benue, pepper bags plummeted from ?135,000 to ?30,000-?35,000. Social media reports align, with garri at ?500/kg (down from ?1,600) and spaghetti cartons nearing ?10,000 from ?13,000.

Challenges and Outlook

Despite the progress, imported foods like wheat-based products rose 11.3% due to FX volatility.

Insecurity adds ?5,000-?50,000 in ‘escort fees’ per trip, inflating prices in the South-East and South-South. SBM Intelligence estimates 30.6 million Nigerians still face acute food insecurity, with low-income households feeling only ‘theoretical’ relief.

The IMF projects 23% annual inflation, with risks from energy costs and weak infrastructure.

Sustaining the drop depends on the 2025 budget’s focus on mechanisation, storage, and security. If successful, prices could fall further into 2026, potentially below 2023 levels, boosting exports and supporting the ?70,000+ minimum wage.

Bauchi State government has presented letter of appointment to Adamu Umar Toro as the first Emir of Toro, carved out of the Bauchi Emirate.

Presenting the appointment letter on behalf of Governor Bala Mohammed, Secretary to the state government, Aminu Hammayo, said the essence of creating additional Emirates in the state is for the Bala Mohammed-led administration to open up the state for more economic prosperity and sense of belonging.

He charged the new Emir to be law-abiding in the discharge of his duties and rule the people with fairness, justice and truth irrespective of ethno-religious and social differences.

Responding, the new Emir of Toro thanked Governor Bala Mohammed for the recognition and prayed Allah to reward him abundantly.

He also pledged to always be loyal and supportive of the Government policies and programmes.

Friends, relations and well-wishers had converged at the Palace of the Emir in Toro in order to be part of the history-making and epoch occasion of the formal presentation of the letter of appointment.

Meanwhile, barely few days after the creation of additional Emirates, Chiefdoms and Districts in Bauchi State, People of Toro Emirate, one of the created Thirteen Emirates have requested for elevation of their Emir to Second Class rather than the Third Class status bestowed on the Emir.

The appeal was made on behalf of the people by Comrade Abdulfatah Muazu, President, Toro Uplift, in a letter addressed to the Governor, Sen Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, copies of which were made available to Journalists on Friday.

The letter, titled ‘Formal Appeal for Consideration of District Elevation’, reads: ‘We extend our sincere gratitude to you, Governor Bala Mohamed, for your recent decision to elevate the District Heads of Toro, Jama’a, and Lame to the status of Second Class and Third Class Emirs. This recognition is appreciated by the youth of Toro Local Government Area.’