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The House of Representatives Committee on the South South Development Commission (SSDC) has demanded bi-weekly reports from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on remediation efforts following gas seepage in Bille Community, Rivers State, and oil spills in Odidi, Ogulagha, Odimodi and other communities in Delta State.

The Chairman of the House Committee, Hon. Julius Pondi, gave the directive at a resumed investigative hearing on the incidents on Thursday in Abuja.

The committee had requested that the invited agencies provide all relevant documents on their remediation efforts to address the environmental damage caused by the gas seepage and oil spills in the affected communities.

The committee expressed concern that most of the agencies represented at the public hearing did not bring the environmental impact assessments and other relevant documents requested by the panel.

In his opening remarks, Pondi said the investigative hearing demonstrated the committee’s commitment to its oversight responsibilities, particularly the protection of the environment, livelihoods and welfare of people in the South-South region of Nigeria.

According to him, the objective was to establish the facts surrounding the incidents, assess the responses of relevant authorities and review the implementation of resolutions reached at the hearing.

He said the committee expected the company and relevant regulatory authorities to explain the circumstances surrounding the spills, identify the affected areas, present findings of environmental assessments and provide updates on containment, clean-up, remediation and compliance with applicable regulations.

Making a presentation before the panel, a representative of Odidi, one of the communities affected by the oil spills, senior lawyer Mr Odokomaiye, said the spill was still ongoing.

He further stated that all 14 communities in the area had been affected by the spillage.

Among other demands, the community called for the shutdown of Heritage, an oil company operating in the area, alleging that it lacked the technical and managerial capacity to continue its exploration activities.

The community also accused the company of failing to conduct a proper environmental impact assessment of its exploration activities.

The firm was further accused of neglecting its responsibility to provide relief materials to victims of the oil spills across the affected communities.

A member of the panel, Hon. Rodney Ebikake, subsequently moved a motion calling for NOSDRA and NUPRC, as regulators of the oil sector, to be mandated to provide bi-weekly reports on their remediation efforts.

The committee chairman thereafter ruled that the House should demand remediation, containment and environmental impact assessment reports from the agencies every two weeks.

Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has charged certification officers across the Scheme to acquire the requisite digital skills to enhance operational efficiency and service delivery.

He said the Scheme would soon transition to an electronic records management system, stressing the need for certification officers to develop the competencies required to adapt to the evolving technological landscape.

Nafiu gave the charge at the 2026 NYSC Certification Officers’ Workshop held in Abuja, with the theme, ‘Repositioning NYSC Certification: Overcoming Challenges and Driving Seamless Service Delivery’, according to a statement by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, on Thursday in Abuja.

He stated that as the nation expects the NYSC to maintain high standards of accountability and service excellence, the Scheme would continue to strengthen public confidence and protect the integrity of its Certificates of National Service.

‘We must explore and adopt appropriate technological solutions, including biometric identification for the issuance of Certificates of National Service, subject to the necessary technical assessments, approvals and safeguards,’ he said.

The Director-General, who was represented by the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs Grace Ogbuogebe, directed that deliberate steps be taken to migrate paper-based Certificate of National Service production and issuance registers to an Electronic Documents and Records Management System (EDRMS).

He explained that a comprehensive digital archive would facilitate the prompt retrieval and tracking of records, improve accountability, and protect vital documents against physical damage, loss and unauthorised alterations.

Nafiu, who emphasised the importance of collective efforts in safeguarding the integrity, credibility and efficiency of the NYSC certification process, added that the Scheme would continue to review its procedures and strengthen operational safeguards.

‘We must remain vigilant against challenges such as certificate forgery and racketeering, discrepancies in records, delays in certificate issuance, and the growing demand for faster, more transparent and accessible services,’ he said.

In his welcome address, the Director, Corps Certification Department, Alhaji Abdullahi Jikamshi, said deliberations at the workshop would focus on critical areas aimed at improving service delivery.

He noted that although the Scheme had recorded significant milestones over the years, emerging operational challenges and changes in the technological landscape required continuous adaptation, innovation and process re-engineering.

‘The changing technological landscape and emerging operational hurdles require us to adapt, innovate and re-engineer our processes’.

‘A single oversight or avoidable delay can damage the credibility that the NYSC has painstakingly built over five decades,’ Jikamshi said.

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has said the Nigerian Navy is planning to establish a research institute and research and development cells across its commands to develop indigenous technologies, reduce operational costs and strengthen its combat capabilities.

Abbas disclosed this in his keynote address at the Nigerian Navy’s 2026 Research and Development Seminar, held at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

He explained that the initiatives were designed to institutionalise innovation, harness the ingenuity of naval personnel and translate research into practical, affordable solutions to operational challenges.

According to him, the Navy needed to embrace emerging technologies to counter increasingly sophisticated maritime threats, protect critical national infrastructure and improve its contribution to national security.

‘The objective is not to simply acquire more technology, but to achieve greater operational effect with the resources available at our disposal,’ he said.

He noted that criminal networks were increasingly exploiting technology to evade detection and threaten critical national assets, requiring improved intelligence gathering, accurate surveillance and more effective deployment of military resources.

Abbas said technology-enabled maritime surveillance had improved the Navy’s awareness of activities within Nigeria’s maritime domain and helped direct patrols towards identified threats.

According to him, the intelligence-led approach had also enabled the service to deploy its limited assets more efficiently, reduce expenditure on fuel and maintenance, and improve operational response.

He pointed out that surveillance of offshore installations and other critical infrastructure had strengthened efforts to combat crude oil theft and related economic crimes, helping to create a more secure environment for oil production.

He added that emerging technologies offered opportunities to extend surveillance capabilities to creeks and adjoining coastal areas for pipeline monitoring and protection.

The CNS said the Navy’s progress in indigenous shipbuilding and maintenance through its dockyard and shipyard demonstrated the service’s growing capacity to develop and sustain operational capabilities locally.

He added that the increasing deployment of naval personnel, including Marines and Special Forces, in joint counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations had heightened the need for improved intelligence gathering, unmanned surveillance, secure communications and battlefield awareness.

The proposed research institute and command-level research and development cells, he said, would help address these requirements by transforming research into equipment and systems that could be deployed by operational units.

Abbas, however, stressed that developing effective military technology required collaboration with universities, research institutions and indigenous industries.

According to him, ‘It is important to note that meaningful innovation cannot be achieved through isolated efforts. It requires purposeful collaboration with universities, research institutions, and indigenous industries, with emphasis on developing, testing, and deploying solutions that meet operational needs.

‘I therefore expect this seminar to identify specific capability gaps, recommend viable research partnerships, and establish practical pathways for translating promising innovations into equipment and systems that can be employed by our operational units.’

The CNS urged participants at the seminar, themed ‘Deepening the Application of Emerging Technologies for Operational Effectiveness,’ to identify capability gaps, recommend viable research partnerships and establish practical ways to translate promising innovations into operational solutions.

He said the success of the initiative would be measured by the capabilities developed, resources saved and operational results achieved.

Abbas commended President Bola Tinubu for his continued support in strengthening the Navy’s operational capabilities. He also praised the Naval Transformation and Innovation Branch for organising the seminar.

In his remarks, the Chief of Transformation and Innovation, Rear Admiral Chijioke Oyenmobi, said the seminar was designed to harness emerging technologies and intensify research efforts in line with the vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff to enhance operational capabilities and promote indigenous solutions.

He said developing local technological capacity was essential to improving the service’s operational readiness and achieving self-reliance.

He added that emerging technologies, including unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, advanced sensors and additive manufacturing, were reshaping naval operations, fleet maintenance and sustainment.

According to him, the rising cost of imported platforms and spare parts, coupled with long supply lead times, made it imperative for the Navy to strengthen its domestic research and technological capabilities.

‘A navy that depends entirely on others for its technology cannot fully control its own readiness,’ he said.

He described research and development as the link between emerging technologies and the Navy’s operational requirements, as well as a pathway towards reducing external dependence.

The Federal Ministry of Power, through the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), in partnership with the Kano State Government, has commissioned four transmission substations, adding 544MW of wheeling capacity to Kano State and the grid.

These transmission capacities are located in Walalambe, Kumbotso, Dakata and Dan-Agundi communities. While Walalambe contributes a new 80 MW capacity substation with two 40 MVA transformers, Kumbotso receives 300 MVA at 330kV level and 100 MVA transformers; Dakata and Dan-Agundi each gain an additional 100 MVA transformer respectively at 132kV level.

According to the Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Minister of Power, Adeola Labzy, the projects aimed to strengthen bulk electricity supply to Kano’s industrial, commercial and residential areas, relieve overloaded substations and create room to meet previously suppressed demand.

‘At Walalambe, six outgoing feeders support supply to Tokarawa Industrial Area, the Eastern Bypass, Maiduguri Road, Hadejia Road and adjoining communities. Lee Group, a major industrial enterprise, is now reconnected to the grid after more than 30years of operating off-grid, while the fire-damaged Dan-Agundi substation has regained substantial capacity to serve Kano ancient town, the Emir’s Palace and surrounding communities. Together, these investments provide stronger infrastructure for manufacturing, small businesses, employment, and improved household welfare.

‘The projects are a testament to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his determination to reset the power sector as a foundation for national development and turning infrastructure investment into economic opportunity across the entire country,’ Labzy said.

The Federal Government’s meeting with organised labour ended in a deadlock on Thursday, with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) placing their affiliates, state councils and civil society allies on red alert for possible nationwide industrial action.

The development followed the failure of the meeting, convened at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja, to resolve workers’ demands for a reduction in petrol prices, renegotiation of the national minimum wage, implementation of agreed tax relief and outstanding agreements affecting public-sector and health workers.

Organised labour has now given the Federal Government until Tuesday, October 27, when negotiations are scheduled to resume, to demonstrate its readiness to address the outstanding issues or risk a fresh escalation of the dispute.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the labour centres expressed disappointment with the government’s handling of the meeting, alleging that its delegation arrived without the necessary authority to negotiate substantive solutions to the issues presented.

‘Regrettably, the government delegation came unprepared and without the necessary mandates to engage substantively on these issues. No concrete commitments were secured, and the outstanding issues remain unresolved,’ the statement said.

In the statement jointly signed by Comrade Benson Upah, Acting General Secretary of the NLC, and Comrade Nuhu Toro, Secretary General of the TUC, the labour centres, the government requested an adjournment to enable it to assemble the relevant ministers and heads of departments and agencies capable of making decisions on the demands.

‘The Honourable Minister requested for adjournment of the meeting to Tuesday, 27th October 2026, to allow the government to make adequate arrangements for a productive session including assembling all the relevant ministers and Heads of Departments and Agencies,’ the statement added.

The unions, however, warned that the postponement must not become another avenue for prolonging negotiations without concrete results.

‘NLC and TUC remains committed to dialogue, but we will not accept indefinite delay,’ the statement declared.

The labour centres said that labour would report back to its relevant organs for further deliberations, adding that the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting would determine the next line of action.

‘We will report back to our organs, and if no meaningful progress is made on Tuesday, the relevant organs of the NLC will decide the next line of action,’ they stated.

In a further indication of the growing industrial tension, the unions urged their affiliates and state councils to begin preparations for possible action across the country, even as they expressed hope that the government would meet their demands.

‘However, we urge all affiliates of NLC and TUC; all state councils and our civil society allies to be at alert and start mobilizing for a possible action across the nation while we hope that the tenets of our demands are met by the government,’ the statement said.

They also called on Nigerian workers and the general public to remain calm, assuring them that organised labour would continue to pursue their interests through legitimate means.

‘We call on Nigerian workers and the general public to remain calm and resolute. Organised Labour will be attending the next meeting believing that government will deliver on each of the workers’ demands.

‘We assure all that we shall continue to pursue the interests of workers and the masses through every legitimate means available,’ the statement added.

At the centre of the dispute are five major areas of concern to organised labour, reflecting its demands for economic relief, improved wages and the implementation of agreements reached with the government.

The unions are demanding a reduction in petrol prices to the levels prevailing when the current national minimum wage was signed into law in 2024, arguing that the cost of fuel has continued to place pressure on workers and households.

They are also seeking the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage, alongside the implementation of agreed tax relief measures intended to ease the financial burden on workers.

Other outstanding issues include the implementation of the February 5, 2026, Terms of Settlement reached with the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (JOHESU), as well as the demands of the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council (JPSNC) concerning peculiar allowances, wage awards and hazard allowances.

The unions have maintained that the government must honour existing agreements and take concrete measures to address the deteriorating purchasing power of workers.

Thursday’s deadlock comes amid an intensifying dispute between labour and the Federal Government over the rising cost of living, fuel prices and the erosion of workers’ earnings.

Earlier in October, the NLC issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding measures to reduce petrol prices, begin renegotiating the national minimum wage and implement outstanding agreements with workers.

The ultimatum, which commenced on October 9, also covered the implementation of the JOHESU settlement, the JPSNC’s demands, tax relief and wage awards to cushion the effects of rising living costs.

The Congress argued that the existing minimum wage had lost significant purchasing power amid the depreciation of the naira and rising prices of essential goods and services, making it increasingly difficult for workers to meet basic needs.

The dispute has been further complicated by disagreements over the timing of fresh minimum wage negotiations and the government’s response to labour’s demands for immediate economic relief.

With Thursday’s meeting ending without a resolution and the next session scheduled for October 27, the prospect of industrial action now depends largely on whether the government can present concrete proposals acceptable to organised labour.

Although the NLC and TUC have not announced a nationwide strike, their directive for affiliates, state councils and civil society allies to mobilise signals that preparations for possible industrial action are being stepped up.

The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Engr. Seyi Makinde, has criticised the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what he described as inconsistencies in Nigeria’s budget implementation, alleged nepotism and a political culture that prioritises regional interests over national development.

Makinde, who is also the Governor of Oyo State, said Nigeria needed a fundamental reset to address its economic and security challenges, insisting that the country could not achieve meaningful development through a system in which political leaders concentrated projects and opportunities in their own regions.

Speaking in Akure, Ondo State, during the South-West Town Hall meeting, Makinde challenged the Federal Government to account for the budget it was currently implementing, alleging uncertainty over whether the country was operating the 2023, 2024 or 2026 budget.

Drawing a sharp contrast between his administration and the Federal Government, the APM presidential candidate said Oyo state had improved its budget performance from between 28 and 30 per cent before he assumed office to over 70 per cent under his leadership.

He said the state had also maintained a consistent January-to-December budget cycle for more than seven years, with budgets presented and passed before the beginning of each fiscal year, unlike uncertainty surrounding the Tinubu administration’s budget implementation.

Makinde challenged the Federal Government to clarify the budget it was operating, asking whether it was the 2023, 2024 or 2026 budget.

‘Tinubu’s administration right now, we don’t know which budget they are even operating for Nigeria. Is it 2023, 2024 or 2026 budget?’ he asked.

Makinde said his administration had demonstrated that effective budget planning and implementation were possible, adding that the improvement in Oyo State’s budget performance was not a one-year achievement but a practice sustained over several years.

According to him, budgets in the state are usually presented to the House of Assembly around November or December, passed before the end of the year and implemented from January 1 of the following year.

He challenged Nigerians to examine his administration’s record, arguing that his experience in Oyo state provided an alternative to what he described as the shortcomings of the present political order.

The APM candidate also faulted the politics of regional entitlement, saying Nigeria could not make progress if elected leaders treated political power as an opportunity to favour their relatives, allies or geographical constituencies.

‘We say no to a turn-by-turn Nigeria where they say, ‘It is my turn to run a nepotistic administration,” he said.

Makinde argued that national development should not be determined by which region produced the president, insisting that the country’s resources and opportunities must benefit Nigerians across geographical and demographic divides.

He cited the 1999 presidential election, in which former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the late Olu Falae, both from the South-West, contested against each other, as an example of the region’s capacity to offer Nigerians competing political choices.

He said the emergence of a presidential candidate from the South-West should not prevent another candidate from the same region from contesting, adding that the overriding consideration should be the quality of leadership offered to the country.

According to him, the South-West should reject what he described as the politics of deceit and embrace a new political direction capable of addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges.

‘South-West, you must say no to politics of deceit. They have asked me to stop criticising them and tell them what I will do. Well, I do have things that we have done, and we have done successfully in Oyo State,’ he said.

Makinde said his proposed Reset Nigeria agenda would focus on building an economy capable of supporting infrastructure development, creating opportunities for young people and women, and ensuring that no region was left behind.

He explained that Nigeria’s development challenges required a collective response rather than a system in which successive administrations abandoned projects initiated by their predecessors because of regional or political considerations.

‘We don’t want turn-by-turn nepotism. We also don’t want turn-by-turn projects,’ he said, warning that the practice of starting projects for political reasons without completing them would prevent the country from deriving maximum value from its resources.

The governor used the analogy of rising tides to explain his vision of inclusive economic growth, saying improvements in the national economy should translate into better living conditions for Nigerians irrespective of their locations or social backgrounds.

He said his administration would pursue four major pillars under the Reset Nigeria agenda, beginning with education and security.

On education, Makinde argued that natural resources alone could not guarantee economic prosperity, stressing the need to equip Nigerians with the skills and knowledge required to compete in a changing economy.

He also promised to reset the country’s security architecture, although he did not fully outline the proposed reforms in the portion of his address made available.

The APM candidate urged eligible Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the 2027 general election, describing the party as an alternative to the country’s established political order.

‘APM is a reset agent. Get your PVC, and we will reset Nigeria. We want a Nigeria that works for everybody. It is not a Nigeria that works for very few,’ he said.

Makinde also defended his decision to contest the presidency despite the South-West already having a candidate from the ruling political establishment, arguing that democracy should allow voters to choose between candidates based on their records and proposals.

He further declared confidence in the APM’s preparations for the election, saying the party had begun its groundwork ahead of May 29, 2027, when he expects a new administration to take office.

While dismissing age as the defining consideration in the presidential contest, Makinde said physical energy, endurance and the capacity to withstand the demands of the office should form part of the assessment of candidates.

He challenged other presidential contenders to demonstrate their physical fitness, arguing that the presidency required the stamina to deal with the country’s numerous challenges.

Supporting Makinde’s call for a change in governance, the national chairman of the APM, Yusuf Dantelle, said Nigeria needed a reset because of contradictions in its petroleum pricing, worsening insecurity and declining public confidence in democratic institutions.

Dantelle questioned why Nigerians continued to pay high prices for petroleum products despite the country being a major oil producer, arguing that citizens were bearing the consequences of price increases in the international market.

‘Petroleum pricing has become abracadabra. Nobody can understand how we arrive at the prices of petroleum products,’ he said.

Dantelle further criticised political interference in elections and the imposition of candidates, arguing that democracy should allow citizens to choose their representatives through a credible electoral process.

He urged Nigerians to support the APM’s proposed Reset Nigeria agenda, saying the country’s challenges required collective action beyond religious, ethnic and party affiliations.

‘It is not about the religion we practise. It is not about our language. It is not about our political party. Parties will come and go, but Nigeria will remain,’ he said.

Integrated payments and digital commerce giant Interswitch Group is set to expand its youth innovation programme, the Discovery Series, to three more Nigerian universities, starting in late October 2026.

The upcoming phase of the initiative will kick off at Ekiti State University (EKSU) from October 28 to 30. It will then move to Lead City University, Ibadan, from November 18 to 20, before wrapping up at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, from November 26 to 28.

Launched in 2024 under Interswitch’s #SwitchAFuture umbrella, the Discovery Series is designed as a ‘town-meets-gown’ collaborative platform.

It connects corporate tech expertise with the problem-solving potential of African university students, aiming to narrow the gap between classroom learning and the digital economy.

The programme has grown significantly over the last two years. Following its inaugural edition at Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, it has visited several institutions, including Covenant University, Landmark University, Cosmopolitan University, Redeemer’s University and Afe Babalola University.

The initiative has also expanded beyond Nigeria, drawing in students from Epitech University in the Benin Republic and deepening Interswitch’s ties with the Cotonou tech ecosystem.

At each campus, students will participate in an intensive three-day practical itinerary. The schedule includes entrepreneurship workshops, design thinking sessions, human-centred design training and a fast-paced hackathon.

The event will culminate in a grand pitch competition, where students can win prizes and showcase their ideas to industry experts.

‘The future of Africa will be shaped by the ideas, ingenuity, and determination of its young people,’ said Abdul-Hafiz Ibrahim, Chief Technology Officer at Interswitch. ‘The Discovery Series is our way of creating that bridge between what students imagine and what they can build. Our focus remains on helping young innovators discover what is possible.’

In previous editions, standout student innovations progressed beyond the competition stage, with selected teams receiving ongoing support and opportunities within the broader Interswitch innovation ecosystem.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered an illegal herbal products factory in Agege, Lagos, where unregistered products were allegedly manufactured under unhygienic conditions, with one bearing a fake registration number belonging to a registered cough syrup.

The agency sealed the facility and arrested its manager, Abulaziz Sayidu, for questioning, while the alleged owner, Ashietu Adams, reportedly fled.

The Deputy Director in the Pharmaceutical Division of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Pharmacist Edith Joseph, disclosed this on Thursday, October 22, during an inspection of the facility.

Joseph said the agency received intelligence on October 16 about a product identified as Aishetu Adams Bitters, which allegedly carried a falsified NAFDAC registration number. She said officers conducted surveillance and gathered intelligence before locating the facility concealed within a residential building.

‘What we found was shocking. The facility was in a very poor and unhygienic condition. Look at the water they use for production and the environment where the manufacturing takes place. The products are manufactured outdoors, in the open air. I can tell you that this facility is not approved by NAFDAC,’ she said.

According to Joseph, three products were found at the site: Ashietu Adams Herbal Mixture for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), Ashietu Adams Blood Purifier and another product claimed to treat high blood pressure.

She said none was registered with NAFDAC and that the registration number displayed on the blood purifier belonged to an approved cough syrup.

‘They simply copied the number and placed it on their product to deceive Nigerians,’ Joseph said, warning that the products posed potential health risks because their ingredients, manufacturing processes and safety had not been verified by the agency.

NAFDAC evacuated the products and sealed the facility pending further investigation.

Joseph said Sayidu told investigators that Adams, whom he identified as a Ghanaian woman, had travelled to Ghana. Sayidu also said he had worked with her for about a year, helping to manage the business when she was away.

Although the packaging indicated that the products originated from Ghana, Joseph said it contained neither the manufacturer’s name nor a verifiable address. The products also lacked batch numbers, making their origin and traceability difficult to establish.

She urged Nigerians to verify product registration through NAFDAC’s online platforms and the agency’s Greenbook rather than relying solely on numbers printed on packaging.

‘If the name displayed does not match the product being presented, consumers should know that something is wrong,’ she said.

Joseph advised consumers, particularly those in rural communities with limited internet access, to visit the nearest NAFDAC office to verify products before purchasing or consuming them. She also urged Nigerians to avoid products without valid registration details, a manufacturer’s name or a verifiable address.

Also speaking during the inspection, NAFDAC’s Deputy Director of Public Relations, Mrs Christiana Obiazikwor, called for greater public participation in efforts to combat counterfeit and unregistered products.

She said the agency was expanding public awareness campaigns through radio programmes, multilingual jingles and community outreach, including its NAFDAC and Your Health programme. Officials also conduct sensitisation activities in local government areas, churches and schools to educate residents on identifying suspicious products and reporting illegal manufacturing operations.

Obiazikwor warned landlords and property owners against allowing their premises to be used for illegal production, saying those found to have aided criminal activities could face prosecution.

She urged property owners to monitor their tenants’ activities and report suspicious operations, assuring the public that reports of suspected illegal manufacturing would be handled discreetly.

‘We cannot fight this battle alone. Every Nigerian has a role to play in identifying and reporting places where illegal manufacturing activities are taking place,’ she said.

NAFDAC said its investigation into the facility, the products and the whereabouts of the alleged owner was ongoing as of Thursday, October 22.

The Zamfara State Universal Basic Education Board (ZSUBEB) has launched the Greening Schools and Climate Change Education Initiative (GSCCEI) in Maradun Local Government Area of the state.

The ZSUBEB Executive Chairman, Professor Nasiru Garba Anka, said in a statement issued on Thursday evening through the board’s Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Musa Maizare, that the programme was designed to promote environmental awareness, encourage tree planting and strengthen climate change education in schools.

The Executive Chairman, who was represented at the event by the Director of Academic Services, Alhaji Garba Abdullahi, highlighted the importance of the initiative in creating a conducive learning environment in schools.

‘Tree planting would help improve the school environment, protect nature and educate pupils and community members on the need to preserve the environment.

He said the tree-planting campaign would be extended to all 14 local government areas of Zamfara State, with five selected schools in each local government area expected to benefit.

In their separate remarks, the representative of the Emir of Maradun, Alhaji Garba Muhammad Tambari, and the Sarkin Gabas, Alhaji Muhammad Sani, commended ZSUBEB for introducing the initiative.

The traditional rulers urged the benefiting schools and communities to demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility by planting, nurturing and protecting the seedlings.

The initiative reflects ZSUBEB’s commitment to promoting quality basic education through environmental awareness, climate change education and the creation of safe, healthy and conducive learning environments.

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has inaugurated a national committee to develop a framework for establishing international-standard autism centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, in a move aimed at expanding access to specialised care, strengthening research and improving support for individuals with autism and their families.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arch. Sonny Echono, inaugurated the committee in Abuja on Thursday, charging its members to develop practical, evidence-based and sustainable recommendations to guide the proposed establishment of the centres in selected university medical schools.

Echono said the initiative would build on the gains of the Special High Impact Intervention for medical schools, which is upgrading infrastructure and equipment for training professionals in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry and related disciplines.

He explained that the proposed centres would provide early diagnosis, developmental assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, research and professional training, while promoting public awareness and supporting families and caregivers.

According to him, establishing the facilities across the six geopolitical zones would expand access to specialised autism services, strengthen local expertise and reduce the burden on families who travel long distances in search of appropriate care.

Echono disclosed that the centres were being considered for support under the proposed 2027 TETFund Special Intervention, subject to the committee’s findings, the identification of eligible institutions, resource availability and the necessary approvals.

He urged the committee to ensure that its recommendations were backed by comprehensive needs assessments, realistic cost estimates, appropriate technical specifications, measurable deliverables and credible sustainability plans.

The Executive Secretary also emphasised the need for transparent, evidence-based criteria for selecting host institutions, including geographical spread, existing medical and academic facilities, human resource capacity, institutional commitment and the ability to sustain the centres over time.

He further urged the committee to expedite its work, particularly the identification of suitable institutions and the assessment of their needs, to enable the necessary provisions to be considered in the 2027 intervention budget.

Responding, the chairperson of the committee and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Professor Ebunoluwa Aderonke Adejuyigbe, described the assignment as a significant step towards building a coordinated, accessible and sustainable system of autism care, research and community support in Nigeria.

Adejuyigbe, a paediatrician with decades of experience in child health, observed that many Nigerian families raising children with autism continue to face delayed diagnosis due to denial, limited access to specialised services, financial constraints and inadequate professional support.

She said the committee’s work would be guided by five key pillars: clinical services and early intervention; research and innovation; training and capacity building; community engagement and inclusion; and sustainability and quality assurance.

The chairperson stressed that the proposed centres must go beyond providing clinical services to generate locally relevant research, strengthen professional capacity and promote a better understanding of autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions within the Nigerian and African contexts.

She noted that research into the prevalence of autism in Nigeria and the factors that may influence neurodevelopment would be critical to generating evidence that could inform public policy, improve clinical practice and contribute to global scientific knowledge.

Adejuyigbe also called for the development of a competent multidisciplinary workforce, including paediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, special educators and other relevant professionals.

On community engagement, she emphasised the importance of collaboration with primary healthcare facilities, schools, teachers, community health workers, religious and traditional leaders, parents’ associations, autistic individuals and their families to promote early identification, appropriate referrals, caregiver empowerment and the reduction of stigma.

She warned against establishing facilities without clear plans for their long-term operation, insisting that sustainability, governance, financing, equipment maintenance, monitoring and evaluation must be incorporated into the committee’s recommendations from the outset.

‘Our success must not be measured merely by the number of centres established, but by the number of individuals and families whose lives are positively transformed, the communities reached, and the knowledge generated to improve autism care in Nigeria and across Africa,’ she said.

The committee is expected to recommend suitable host universities and medical schools, establish minimum standards for the design and operation of the centres, develop implementation schedules and cost estimates, and propose a monitoring and evaluation framework to guide the relevant authorities.

The proposed initiative is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for specialised autism care while advancing research, professional training, public awareness and more inclusive support systems for individuals on the autism spectrum.