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The immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, on Tuesday urged the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to dismiss the criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and forgery charges brought against him, arguing that he has no case to answer.

However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), prosecuting the former apex bank chief on behalf of the Federal Government, declared that it had established a prima facie case against Emefiele and that he should be ordered to open his defence.

Emefiele is standing trial before Justice Hamza Muazu, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on an amended 20-count charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/577/2023, bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, conspiracy to obtain by false pretence, and obtaining money to the tune of $6,230,000 by false pretence while serving as CBN governor.

The money was purportedly meant for international election observers during the 2023 general election.

Emefiele was further accused of conferring corrupt advantages on two companies: April 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him by the anti-corruption commission on behalf of the Federal Government.

At the resumed hearing of the case, the former CBN chief, through his counsel, Matthew Burkaa (SAN), urged the court to uphold the no-case submission filed on Emefiele’s behalf.

In adopting Emefiele’s no-case submission, Burkaa argued that the prosecution bore the burden of proving that the defendant had committed the alleged crimes.

The Senior Advocate told the court that the entirety of the prosecution’s case from Counts 1 to 14 alleged that Emefiele conferred an unfair advantage on his close associates, including his wife and brother-in-law.

He asserted that none of the witnesses called by the prosecution testified that Emefiele personally benefited from the award of the contracts or manipulated the CBN Tenders Board Committee to award contracts to the two companies.

According to Burkaa, ‘No such evidence was identified.The only thing the prosecution was able to show was that the man (Emefiele) was the head of the bank who issued approvals.

‘There was nothing to show that he manipulated the committee. There was nothing to show that he told the committee (Tenders Board Committee of the CBN) what to do.

‘The evidence showed that April 1616 and Architekon carried out the work that CBN gave them contract to carry out.

‘So, the corruption would have been, they collected money and they did not do the work.

‘The unfairness would have been that he manipulated the process to get them to have the contract.’

Burkaa further argued that prosecution witnesses clearly stated that there was a justifiable basis for awarding the contracts to the two companies, submitting that the firms submitted the lowest bids compared to competitors.

Emefiele’s counsel added that contrary to the prosecution’s claim that the two companies were guided in their bids, ‘yet they (prosecution) couldn’t show who guided them, in what way they were guided, what documents show that they were guided, no, nobody documented’.

On Counts 15 to 20, which centre on the withdrawal of $6.23 million from the CBN and alleged forgery, Burkaa told the court that the counts were introduced while the trial was already underway.

He reminded the court that former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, testified that both his signature and that of former President Muhammadu Buhari were forged.

Burkaa noted that Emefiele likewise told the EFCC during interrogation that his own signature had been forged, arguing that in light of these allegations, Mustapha and Buhari should have been investigated.

He consequently urged the court to uphold the no-case submission, discharge, and acquit Emefiele.

In response, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), who is also the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), urged the court to dismiss the defendant’s no-case submission, maintaining that Emefiele used his public office to confer an unfair advantage on Architekon, where his wife and brother-in-law were listed as directors.

He argued that the contracts referenced in Counts 1 to 14 did not pass through the CBN Tenders Board Committee, despite exceeding the mandatory N10 million approval threshold.

Oyedepo submitted, ‘The committee was circumvented for reviewing the contracts.’

The prosecutor told the court that April 1616 was guided to quote the in-house estimate, thereby denying other Nigerian contractors an equal opportunity.

According to him, ‘That is not an honest mistake, that is an unfair advantage in the process.’

He further submitted that the withdrawal of $6.23 million from the CBN under the defendant’s watch should concern both the court and the general public, describing the act as a clear breach of trust.

Rejecting the defence’s claim that Emefiele was unaware of the withdrawal and was being singled out for persecution, Oyedepo argued that the evidence presented did not support that position.

Oyedepo pointed out that the release of the funds was predicated on two key documents that former SGF Mustapha testified were forged.

He added that internal mechanisms had triggered an alert to Emefiele while in office, yet he took no remedial steps before his departure-a fact confirmed by PW15-meaning the defendant must be called to explain his actions.

After hearing submissions from both legal teams, Justice Muazu reserved his ruling on the no-case submission.

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) on Tuesday intensified safety inspections of boats operating on Lagos inland waterways, introducing quarterly checks for smaller vessels and threatening to impound boats whose operators fail to comply with registration and safety inspection requirements.

Disclosing this during a sensitisation of passengers and boat operators at the Liverpool Jetty in Lagos, the NIWA Lagos Area Manager, Engineer Sarat Braimah, warned that stricter enforcement was necessary to reduce accidents and improve safety across the waterways.

The NIWA Lagos Area Manager, who was represented by the Head of Marine Department, NIWA Lagos, Elsie Egwuatu, stressed that human error remains a major cause of boat accidents, making continuous sensitisation of boat operators and passengers essential to preventing avoidable incidents.

She explained that NIWA had moved beyond annual inspections to quarterly checks for smaller boats because of their vulnerability to wear and tear from continuous exposure to water.

‘We do quarterly inspection for boats like this kind of their boats because we notice that the wear and tear of the water has more impact on smaller boats,’ she said.

Sarat Braimah added that the authority will impound boats belonging to operators who fail to meet registration and inspection requirements, warning that enforcement would become more aggressive.

She also defended the N95,000 fee for training required to obtain a boat captain’s licence, describing the cost as an investment in the technical knowledge needed to improve safety.

She explained that the initial training fee was a one-off payment, while subsequent licence renewals, valid every three years, cost N16,500.

The NIWA official urged boat operators to comply with the certification requirements, noting that the authority had given them sufficient time to prepare for stricter enforcement.

The NIWA Lagos Area Manager further cautioned operators against sailing at night and boat overloading, and warned boat captains against operating vessels under the influence of alcohol.

She reiterated the importance of life jackets for passengers and operators, urging all waterways users to observe established safety rules and regulations.

On the environment, Braimah condemned indiscriminate waste disposal into waterways and the construction of toilets over them, describing environmental sanitation as an important component of safe and sustainable inland water transportation.

She disclosed that an initiative to provide waste bins at jetties had been launched, with plans to extend the facilities across the network to discourage the dumping of refuse into the water.

The safety awareness campaign, she said, forms part of NIWA’s continuing engagement with waterways users across Lagos, including Liverpool, Ipakodo, Marina, and other jetties.

She further called on stakeholders to report unsafe practices and regulatory violations, emphasising that cooperation between the public and the authority would strengthen enforcement and make inland waterways transportation safer.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of bribing some of its candidates to defect, describing the development as ‘good riddance to bad rubbish’.

The party alleged that the APC was offering money, political appointments and other material incentives to induce some of its candidates to abandon the NDC for the ruling party.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, the NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said the alleged defections were motivated by pecuniary interests rather than genuine political convictions.

The party described the alleged inducements as a desperate attempt by the APC to weaken its ranks, insisting that those who defected lacked the values and ideological commitment associated with the NDC.

‘For those who have fallen for this bait, it is clear that they lack the values, virtues, and ideological commitment associated with our great party. They were never truly of us,’ the statement said.

The NDC added, ‘To them, we say good riddance to bad rubbish, and we wish them luck in their political misadventures.’

The party, however, assured its members and supporters that the defections would not derail its political ambitions, expressing confidence in its ability to challenge the APC.

It said it would immediately conduct fresh congresses to elect new candidates to replace those who had defected in the affected constituencies.

‘In line with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, the party will immediately conduct fresh congresses to elect credible, competent, and trustworthy candidates to replace the defectors in the affected constituencies,’ the statement added.

The NDC urged its members, supporters and Nigerians not to be discouraged by what it described as the ruling party’s alleged attempts to lure some of its members away through financial inducements.

It characterised the defections as signs of the APC’s declining political fortunes, describing them as ‘the last kicks of a dying horse’ and expressing confidence that the ruling party would be defeated.

Reaffirming its commitment to its political agenda, the NDC said it remained determined to rescue the country from what it called the grip of political interests in power and provide Nigerians with good governance, security and prosperity.

‘The NDC remains resolutely committed to its historic mission of rescuing our country from the vice grip of the buccaneers in power and giving Nigerians the good governance, security, and prosperity they so richly desire,’ the statement said.

Selling an old smartphone can be a practical way to raise money, recover some of the cost of an upgrade or give a device to a new owner who can still make good use of it. Many people sell their phones through online marketplaces, social media platforms, phone shops or personal contacts.

However, before handing your device to a buyer, you need to do more than agree on a price. Your smartphone may contain personal photographs, private messages, contact details, banking applications, saved passwords, email accounts and other sensitive information.

If you sell the phone without preparing it properly, you could expose your personal information to another person. You may also lose important files, encounter problems accessing your accounts or discover that the transaction was not as straightforward as expected.

Taking a few precautions before the sale can help protect your privacy, preserve your important files and reduce the chances of a dispute with the buyer.

In this article, Tribune Online highlights five things to do before selling your old smartphone.

Back up your important files and information

The first thing to do before selling your smartphone is to save the information you want to keep.

Over time, a phone may accumulate photographs, videos, documents, contact details, voice recordings, downloaded files and messages that are difficult or impossible to replace. If you reset the device before backing up these items, you may lose access to them permanently.

Start by reviewing the contents of your phone and identifying the files you need. You can back up supported data to a trusted cloud service, transfer files to a computer or copy them to an external storage device.

If you use an Android phone, check the backup options available through your Google Account and the device manufacturer’s services. If you use an iPhone, review the backup options available through iCloud or a computer.

The exact procedure depends on your device, operating system and the types of information you want to preserve. Do not assume that everything has been backed up simply because you enabled automatic backup. Some files, applications and messages may require separate steps. Check that important photographs, documents and contacts are accessible from your backup location before proceeding.

You should also consider applications that store information separately from the phone’s main backup system.

For example, check that your important conversations or files in messaging applications have been backed up using the application’s own options, where necessary.

If you use an authenticator application for two-factor authentication, make sure you can transfer or restore your authentication accounts before resetting the device. Otherwise, you could lose access to accounts that depend on those codes.

Review your notes, downloaded documents and files stored in folders outside your main photo gallery. These may include school documents, work files, receipts and other information you still need.If your phone contains files on a memory card, check whether those files have been included in your backup as well.

Once you have confirmed that your important information is safely stored elsewhere, you can prepare the phone for sale with greater confidence.

Sign out of your accounts and remove personal information

Your smartphone may be connected to several accounts, including your email, social media, cloud storage, banking and shopping accounts.

Before selling it, review the accounts linked to the device and follow the appropriate sign out and removal procedures.

Pay particular attention to your primary Google Account on Android devices and your Apple Account on iPhones. These accounts may be linked to device security features, backups, application purchases and other services.

On an iPhone, follow Apple’s instructions for preparing a device for sale, including signing out of the relevant account and disabling features such as Find My when required.

On Android, follow the instructions for your particular device and remove the accounts as appropriate before the final reset.

This step is important because some phones have anti-theft protections that link the device to its previous owner’s account. If you hand over the phone without preparing it correctly, the buyer may be unable to activate it or complete the setup process.

You should also review your messaging applications, social media accounts and other services to ensure that you have followed their relevant sign-out or transfer procedures.

If your phone contains work-related documents, private photographs or other sensitive files, confirm that they are included in your backup if you need them and will be removed from the device before the sale.

Remove your SIM Card and Memory card

Before handing your phone to a buyer, remove your SIM card and any removable memory card. Your SIM card is connected to your mobile number and may provide access to services associated with your mobile account. Keeping it in a phone you no longer own could create unnecessary privacy and security risks.

If you intend to continue using the same phone number, retain the SIM card and insert it into your new device when appropriate. If you no longer need the SIM, contact your mobile network provider to understand the appropriate steps for deactivation or replacement.

Remember that your phone number may be linked to your bank accounts, email accounts, messaging applications and other services. If you change numbers, update the contact details associated with important accounts and confirm that you can still access them.

You should also remove any microSD card used to store photographs, videos, documents or other files. A factory reset may not erase data stored on a removable memory card, depending on the device and the reset procedure. If you want to sell the memory card as well, back up any information you need and securely erase it using an appropriate method before handing it over.

After removing the cards, check the card slots to ensure that nothing has been left behind.

If you use an eSIM rather than a physical SIM card, follow your phone manufacturer’s and network provider’s instructions for removing or transferring the mobile plan.

Do not assume that erasing the phone automatically handles every mobile subscription in the way you want.

These small steps are easy to overlook when you are eager to complete a sale, but they can help protect your information and prevent avoidable problems.

Erase your data and reset the phone to factory settings

After backing up your information, signing out of your accounts and removing your SIM and memory cards, erase the personal data stored on your smartphone.

The usual method is to perform a factory reset using the device’s settings. This returns the phone to its initial setup state and removes personal data and installed applications from its internal storage.

The exact steps vary by phone model and operating system, so consult the manufacturer’s official instructions rather than following an unfamiliar procedure from an online video or message.

On Android devices, the factory reset option is generally available through the Settings application. On an iPhone, the option to erase all content and settings is available through the device’s settings.

Before starting, make sure that your backup is complete and that you know the passwords or recovery details needed to access your accounts on another device.

A factory reset is an important privacy measure, but do not treat it as a substitute for backing up your files or preparing your accounts correctly. Some removable storage may remain unaffected, and the process must be completed properly.

You should also make sure that the phone is no longer linked to your personal account or protected by an account lock that would prevent the buyer from activating it. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for removing these restrictions legitimately. Once the reset is complete, check that the phone displays its initial setup screen. Do not sign back into your personal account simply to test the phone after resetting it.

If the device requires your previous account during activation, follow the manufacturer’s official process to resolve the issue before the sale. A buyer should not be left with a phone that remains locked to your account.

Avoid using unfamiliar applications that promise to erase your phone more thoroughly unless you have verified their reliability. For most modern smartphones, the manufacturer’s built-in reset process is the appropriate starting point.

Inspect the phone, check its value and agree on clear terms

Preparing your data is important, but you should also ensure that the phone itself is ready for sale. Inspect the device’s screen, buttons, charging port, cameras, speakers, microphone and battery performance. Check whether the phone charges properly, connects to Wi-Fi and mobile networks, and responds to touch as expected.

Be honest about any faults. If the screen is cracked, the battery drains quickly or a particular feature does not work, disclose the problem to the buyer instead of presenting the phone as being in perfect condition. You should also research the likely selling price before accepting an offer. Compare phones of the same model, storage capacity, condition and age on reputable marketplaces and with established phone sellers.

The original purchase price does not necessarily reflect the phone’s current value. A device’s condition, battery health, software support, demand and available accessories can affect how much buyers are willing to pay.

If you still have the original box, charger or purchase receipt, decide whether you intend to include them in the sale. Make sure the receipt does not expose personal information that the buyer does not need. If you are selling through an online marketplace or social media, be cautious of buyers who send suspicious payment screenshots, overpay and ask for a refund, or pressure you to release the phone before confirming payment.

Verify that the money has actually arrived in your account through your bank’s official application or another trusted channel. Do not rely solely on a text message, email or screenshot supplied by the buyer. When meeting a buyer in person, choose a sensible location and take appropriate precautions. Avoid sharing unnecessary personal information, passwords or verification codes during the transaction.

You should also agree on the price, the condition of the phone and any included accessories before handing it over. Keep a record of the transaction where practical.

Finally, confirm that the phone is no longer linked to your personal accounts and that the buyer can proceed with setting it up. This can help prevent later disputes about activation or ownership.

The Presidency has criticised the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over a controversial comment attributed to him urging Nigerians in the diaspora not to send money home to relatives.

Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, described Obi as wicked and desperate in a post on his verified X handle on Tuesday.

Obi had earlier taken to his X handle to reject the interpretation of his remarks, arguing that his message had been twisted. He said remittances from Nigerians in the diaspora, which help families pay school fees, hospital bills, rent and feeding expenses, should not be taken for granted.

However, reacting to Obi’s clarification, Bwala accused the former Anambra State governor of placing his political ambition above the welfare of Nigerians and their families.

‘Have you seen the wickedness of the wicked? Peter Obi said this while speaking to Nigerians in Manchester,’ Bwala wrote.

He added: ‘Even if your parents are dying, do not send them money until this government is voted out. Meaning that your parents should rather die than he (Peter Obi) loses the election (which he will never win though).’

Bwala further urged voters to consider the controversy when assessing Obi’s suitability for the presidency, describing him as desperate and accusing him of implicitly endorsing the conduct of his supporters, popularly known as Obidients.

‘By now this must be clear to the voters to know how desperate and wicked he is; but also that he is very aware of the bullish nature of the Obidients and that he implicitly endorses what they do.

‘His ambition is worth more than the life of our parents? Wow,’ he said.

The exchange has brought renewed attention to the interpretation of Obi’s remarks to Nigerians in Manchester, with the NDC candidate maintaining that his message about diaspora remittances was misrepresented.

The All Progressives Congress Media Diaspora Group has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will secure a decisive victory in Edo State in the 2027 general election, citing Governor Monday Okpebholo’s performance and federal projects across the state.

The group said the governor’s achievements and ongoing federal interventions would boost support for the APC and Tinubu ahead of the election.

Its coordinator and member of the APC New Media Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Eghosa Monday Ohuimumwen, JP, said in a statement that Edo residents would reward Tinubu at the polls for addressing transportation challenges through the recent launch of 50 Compressed Natural Gas buses.

Ohuimumwen added that 5,000 women lifted out of poverty through an empowerment programme funded with N1bn would also show their appreciation through their votes.

He further said more than 500 former cult members who renounced cultism and received empowerment support from Okpebholo were now campaigning for Tinubu’s re-election.

According to him, ‘Edo people are feeling the impact of practical governance under Okpebholo. Businesses are now safe. People can move freely without fear of being killed or kidnapped. They will show appreciation at the polling units.

‘The promised 2.5million votes by Governor Okpebholo will be achieved because there are no viable opposition political parties in Edo State.

‘Okpebholo has delivered on all sectors. He has positioned the APC for overwhelming victory in Edo State. The opposition parties will be shellacked at the polls.’

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The Ogun State Government has issued a stop-work order to the management of a steel company located in Sagamu over an operational accident.

This was contained in a statement signed on Tuesday by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Dr. Kafayat Lawal, following the death of one of the company’s staff members.

She stated that the government took the decision after personnel from the Safety Office of the ministry conducted an on-site assessment and preliminary investigations into the death of the worker, identified as Abdulfatai Nuru, in an operational accident within the facility hours earlier.

The statement reads: ‘Preliminary findings has indicated potential lapses in workplace safety within the facility.However a comprehensive investigation is ongoing to establish the full circumstances that led to the death of the worker.

‘As a precautionary measure,the state government through the Ministry of Environment has therefore directed the facility to stop operation with immediate effect pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation and further directives.’

The Permanent Secretary used the opportunity to extend condolences to the family and colleagues of the deceased, assuring the general public that the unfortunate incident would be thoroughly investigated, with appropriate regulatory action taken based on the findings.

She also reiterated the commitment of the state government to enforcing workplace safety standards across the state, emphasizing that workers’ lives are non-negotiable. She reminded industries of their obligations to implement effective safety measures and ensure strict compliance with applicable regulations in order to prevent avoidable workplace incidents.

The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has said his 2027 presidential ambition is driven by the need to rescue Nigeria from economic and social decline, warning that the country is already showing signs of a failed state.

Duke, who spoke in an interview on Tuesday, said he decided to contest the presidency because he could no longer watch poverty, unemployment, insecurity, and economic contraction worsen without taking action.

‘You get to a point in your life where you say, ‘Either I walk away, or I do something.’

‘There is no guarantee that you will win. But I don’t want to look back and say that all these things happened and I did nothing,’ he said.

The PRP candidate said the ‘urgency of now’ was central to his decision to run, arguing that Nigeria could not afford to continue on its current path for another four years.

‘I talk about the urgency of now because I don’t think we can go on like this for another four years.’

Duke said his campaign would focus on policy solutions rather than political personalities, urging Nigerians to assess candidates based on their plans to address the economy, insecurity, poverty and unemployment.

‘What I want to do is focus on those who aspire to lead this nation on addressing the issues that affect us and how we can resolve them.

‘I talk about the options. I talk about the real issues. I don’t want to talk about personalities,’ he said.

He argued that Nigeria’s security challenges were closely linked to the economy’s inability to create enough opportunities for its growing population.

‘If we don’t address these issues squarely and fundamentally, we’re already a failed state. There’s no question about it.

‘Look at what is happening – banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and all sorts of conflicts. These are symptoms of a state that is unable, not only to properly articulate its challenges, but to deal with them,’ he said.

Duke said the existence of a government and public institutions did not necessarily mean the state was meeting its responsibilities to citizens.

‘What is the definition of a failed state? Fundamentally, it is a state that fails to meet the aspirations of its people.

‘You may still have a government and institutions, but if the state cannot protect the people and provide the environment in which they can live productive lives, then it is failing them,’ he said.

He added that people who had experienced kidnapping would understand the consequences of state failure without needing an academic explanation.

‘Talk to someone who has been kidnapped. That person does not need you to explain the definition of a failed state. His experience has already told him what failure of the state means,’ he said.

The presidential candidate also cited the decline of Nigeria’s middle class as evidence of the country’s economic difficulties.

‘You have perhaps one per cent who are genuinely wealthy and then a huge number of people struggling around or below the poverty line.

‘The so-called middle class does not really exist anymore. Many of those we call middle class are only surviving from day- to- day. Let there be one serious emergency and they crumble.’

Duke said businesses were struggling to expand and create jobs at a rate sufficient to absorb the growing number of graduates and other people entering the labour market.

‘Businesses are contracting. New ones are not springing up the way they should. At the same time, we are turning out graduates every year and adding more people to the working population, but there is no work for them to do.’

He maintained that efforts to tackle kidnapping and banditry would remain ineffective unless the economic conditions contributing to the problems were addressed.

‘When it comes to banditry and kidnapping, poverty and unemployment are at the bottom of much of it.

‘We keep reacting to these crises instead of asking what is producing them. We are too reactive in our governance. Governance is not just about today; it is about laying the foundation for tomorrow.’

Duke said his campaign would also examine whether Nigeria’s economic growth had kept pace with its population.

Comparing the country’s crude oil production in 1980 with current output, he questioned whether the economy had expanded sufficiently to support the population.

‘In 1980, Nigeria was producing about 2.5 million barrels of oil a day. Forty-six years later, we are producing around 1.7 million barrels, while our population has tripled.

‘So you have to ask: has the economy expanded enough to carry the population? Clearly, it has not.’

He said Nigeria’s population should be an economic advantage if the country invested in education, employment and productivity.

‘Our numbers ought to be an asset. But a large population is an asset only when you can educate the people, employ them and make them productive.’

The PRP candidate warned that more Nigerians with the means to emigrate would continue to leave unless the government created conditions for economic growth, while those who remained would face increasing financial pressure.

Duke said his presidential ambition was also influenced by his decision decades ago to return to Nigeria after studying and working in the United States.

‘I had the opportunity in my twenties to remain in America. I went to school there and worked there for a while.

‘But I voluntarily decided that was not where I wanted to be. I believe the Almighty put me in Nigeria for a reason. I believe in this country’s possibilities, and this is where I believe I should contribute.’

He said the same belief motivated him to contest the Cross River governorship election in 1999 and had now brought him into the race for national leadership.

‘I wanted to prove then that we were better than what we were putting forward. From experience, I know Nigeria can be a very successful nation,’ he said.

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has charged members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) deployed to the state to embrace selfless service, discipline, and community development, describing their national service as a debt owed to Nigerians.

Fubara gave the charge on Tuesday at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Batch C Stream I orientation course.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Bureau, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Promise Oguzie, the governor urged the corps members to integrate into their host communities, respect local cultures and traditions, and contribute meaningfully to addressing challenges in their areas of deployment.

He charged them to serve as role models and bring solutions to the problems confronting their host communities rather than create additional challenges.

‘You must be role models and bring solutions to problems rather than creating them,’ he said.

Fubara also urged the corps members to take the post-camp Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme seriously, noting that the initiative would equip them with practical skills to become economically self-reliant and create employment opportunities.

He said the programme offered them an opportunity to develop the capacity to create wealth and become employers of labour rather than depend solely on paid employment after completing their national service.

The governor further urged the corps members to demonstrate commitment, discipline, and a strong sense of responsibility in the discharge of their duties throughout their service year.

In his farewell address, the Rivers State NYSC Coordinator, Mr. Moses Oleghe, commended the corps members for their resilience, discipline, and determination during the three-week orientation exercise.

Oleghe said the programme had instilled in them the values of teamwork, patriotism, and active participation in national development, urging them to sustain the values as they proceeded to their respective Places of Primary Assignment (PPAs).

According to him, the corps members had ‘developed the culture of participation in nation-building and activated team spirit in putting Nigeria first’ in their activities.

He reminded them that their conduct at their places of primary assignment would reflect not only their individual character but also the image of the NYSC scheme.

‘You must be good ambassadors of the NYSC scheme wherever you are posted,’ he charged.

The NYSC coordinator expressed appreciation to the Rivers State Government, security agencies, and other stakeholders for their support and contributions to the successful conduct of the orientation exercise.

He noted that their cooperation helped provide an enabling environment for the corps members throughout the camping period.

A total of 3,280 corps members, comprising 1,380 males and 1,900 females, successfully completed the 2026 Batch C Stream I orientation course in Rivers State.

Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, the revered Yoruba elder statesman and national leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has died at the age of 100.

Announcing the death of the centenarian, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in a statement personally signed on Tuesday, mourned the death of the elder statesman and community leader.

Aiyedatiwa described the late Fasoranti as a symbol of wisdom, integrity and selfless service whose contributions to the development of Ondo State, Yorubaland and Nigeria would remain indelible.

The governor, in a condolence message issued on Tuesday, said the centenarian’s fatherly counsel, guidance and principled positions on justice and good governance would be sorely missed.

He said Fasoranti lived a fulfilled life and left behind an enduring legacy that would continue to inspire generations.

‘Pa Fasoranti was a patriarch, a beacon of wisdom, integrity and selfless service whose century-long life was marked by uncommon commitment to the development of our dear State, Yorubaland and Nigeria at large,’ Aiyedatiwa said.

Aiyedatiwa, who expressed sadness over the elder statesman’s death, said his administration and the people of Ondo State shared in the grief of the deceased’s family and associates.

On behalf of the state government and its people, the governor extended his condolences to the Fasoranti family, the people of Akure Kingdom, and the entire state over the loss.

He prayed for the peaceful repose of the deceased’s soul.