₦airaland Forum

Barring any last-minute change, Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas appears set to become the latest Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) after Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah on Tuesday made a similar switch.

The move, which has been the subject of intense speculation in recent weeks, gained momentum after Kefas’ close aides reportedly began consultations across the state and a youth group staged a rally in Jalingo on Tuesday, urging him to join the APC.

Sources told Daily Trust that the governor has constituted a committee co-chaired by former Senator Dahiru Bako to engage stakeholders and gauge public opinion ahead of the possible defections.

Senator Bako confirmed during one of the consultations that Kefas would not take such a step without first seeking inputs from the people.

“The governor will not make any political move without hearing from the people and carrying them along. That is why we are meeting with them,” he said.

The APC in the state has already declared readiness to receive the governor, even as some youth groups have continued to stage rallies urging him to join. However, the planned defection is said to have created tension among some APC stakeholders, particularly those with political ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.

Sources said many party loyalists fear that if the governor moves to the APC with PDP lawmakers and appointees, it could narrow their chances of securing tickets in the next election.

Efforts to reach Kefas’ aides — Emmanuel Bello (Special Adviser on Media and Digital Communications) and Josiah Kente (Special Adviser on Political Matters) — were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. But PDP state chairman Alhaji Abubakar Bawa dismissed the speculation, describing the rally as an APC affair. He declined, however, to comment on the committee’s activities.

Kefas’ reported move comes as Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah formally defected to the APC on Tuesday, taking along most PDP political office holders and structures in the state, a development that strengthens APC’s foothold in the South East and weakens the PDP in its otherwise stronghold. Akwa Ibom State governor, Umo Eno and Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori made similar switch earlier in the year.

Like Delta State, Enugu, before this defection had been a stronghold of the PDP with the party producing all its governors since the return to democratic governance in 1999.

Speculation is also rife that Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri and Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal may follow suit. Although Lawal has publicly denied such plans, sources close to him say the option remains on the table and has not been completely ruled out.

Diri, the only second-term PDP governor among those reportedly eyeing the APC, has been battling for control of the party’s structure in Bayelsa. A faction loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike is said to be laying claim to the structure, a situation that, analysts note, may have made the APC more attractive to him. With virtually all his South South colleagues now in the APC, except the recently reinstated Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who is also rumoured to be considering the ruling party, Diri’s options within the PDP appear increasingly narrow.

Before now, Osun State Governor Senator Ademola Adeleke, who faces re-election next year, reportedly made an unsuccessful attempt to defect to the APC. Party insiders in the state said his move was resisted by some stakeholders who feared he planned to dominate the party’s structure if admitted.

Observers believe the wave of defections, particularly from the South South and South East, signals President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s strategy to consolidate his influence across southern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections. This comes amid discontent over his administration’s policies in parts of the country. Currently, the APC controls three of the five South East states — Imo, Ebonyi and now Enugu — while Anambra, governed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has already endorsed Tinubu for re-election in 2027. Abia State, under the Labour Party’s Governor Alex Otti, is also seen as friendly to the Tinubu administration.

In the South South, the APC controls four of six states — Edo, Delta, Cross River and Akwa Ibom — while Bayelsa and Rivers are the only remaining PDP strongholds. In Rivers, Wike, regarded as the state’s political leader, has publicly pledged to deliver the state for Tinubu in 2027, just as he did in 2023.

Across the South West, Tinubu’s home region, the APC governs four of six states — Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti and Ondo. The PDP-led Osun government has already endorsed the president, while Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who backed Tinubu’s 2023 victory, remains in the PDP and is expected to pursue the party’s presidential ticket.

If Governor Kefas ultimately joins the APC, he would become the first opposition governor from the North to do so under Tinubu’s administration. The development could pave the way for similar moves in other northern states, including Kano, where Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) is reportedly weighing his options. Political sources say Yusuf’s decision may depend on whether negotiations to return his mentor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to the APC eventually succeed.


APC plotting one-party state, govs defecting out of fear, greed – Wabara, ADC

While the PDP has yet to issue an official statement on the latest defection, former Senate President and Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adolphus Wabara, said the movement of PDP governors to the APC vindicates his earlier warning that the ruling party is pursuing an agenda to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, an allegation the party and the presidency have denied on several occasions.

He accused the APC of masterminding a calculated campaign to weaken opposition parties.

Reiterating his warning that “a one-party state is a prelude to autocracy and retrogression,” the former Senate President accused the ruling party of “stifling democracy” and eroding the democratic gains achieved under past PDP administrations.

“I saw this coming. I raised the alarm, but was ignored. This is not the democracy we jealously nurtured and guarded — this is a corrupted version,” Wabara said.

He said the defections were not driven by the APC’s ideology but by intimidation and manipulation. “The ruling APC believes in intimidating the opposition into submission. No democracy survives without opposition. APC is killing Nigeria’s democracy by muzzling dissent,” he said.

Wabara also accused the ruling party of refusing to reform the electoral system to ensure credible elections, arguing that some opposition members are defecting out of fear. “This is more of coerced defection than conviction,” he added.

According to him, APC’s record in governance has failed to justify the defections. “Nigerians know there is nothing attractive in the APC. Since grabbing power in 2015, it has presided over Nigeria’s retrogression. Poverty and hardship remain its legacies,” he said.

He noted that PDP governors who had defected were among the better-performing ones but left to protect their political interests. “That a few individuals have left does not mean the people have left us. The PDP remains popular because Nigerians know we built and preserved this democracy,” Wabara stated.

Similarly, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) accused the APC of luring opposition governors to realise its one-party state agenda.

Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, told Daily Trust that the ruling party has always harboured such ambitions. “The governors joining them are not doing so out of conviction, but out of fear and greed,” he said.

Abdullahi added that the ADC-led opposition coalition would soon meet to take a common position on the development. “We knew from day one that APC had been working towards turning Nigeria into a one-party state,” he said. “Those joining them are doing so out of desperation and are becoming part of a conspiracy against the Nigerian people.”

Meanwhile, the Obidient Movement has dismissed concerns that the defections threaten its growing influence. Its National Coordinator, Dr Yunusa Tanko, said the development only reinforces Nigerians’ belief that “credibility and empathy have been thrown to the wind.”

“People have been coerced and manipulated, especially those in power. But this only strengthens Nigerians’ resolve to liberate themselves from leaders who do not care about them,” Tanko said.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Abure-led Labour Party faction, Obiora Ifoh, however, said the party was focused on reconciling internal divisions and strengthening its structures ahead of future elections.

In his reaction, a member of the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC), Timothy Osadolor, described Mbah’s defection as “a betrayal of trust,” urging others with similar intentions to leave early so the party can reorganise for 2027.

“Enugu people voted for Mbah because of the PDP platform. They will repay that betrayal in 2027 if he runs on another ticket,” Osadolor said.

He added that Mbah’s 2023 victory was possible only because of the PDP’s strong structure and warned that “there are consequences for every act of betrayal.”

“If he can brazenly violate the trust of the electorate and the Constitution, he should be ready for the people’s verdict. Even if the courts don’t catch up with him, the voters will in 2027,” Osadolor said.


Defections expose cracks in opposition – Shettima, APC

However, Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the wave of defections from opposition parties to the ruling party has exposed the cracks within the opposition camp.

He said while divisions were widening in the ranks of opposition parties, the APC continued to grow stronger through bridges of unity and inclusion.

Representing President Tinubu on Tuesday in Enugu during the grand reception of Governor Mbah, his cabinet, and supporters into the APC, Shettima described their defection as “an extraordinary endorsement of APC’s collective vision.”

“Much has been said about the ongoing wave of defections to our great party,” he said. “What the opposition has failed to do is look into the mirror to ask why the APC remains the preferred destination of Nigeria’s most visionary political actors.

“Their departures are not accidents; they reveal the cracks in the walls they built and the strength of the bridges we have constructed. The APC has, over the years, become a political home where ideas find expression, ambitions find direction, and patriotism finds partnership,” he stated.

The vice president, however, noted that as President Tinubu had repeatedly emphasised, it was not the duty of the ruling party to “fix the house of the opposition.”

“Our task is to offer Nigerians a level playing field and a clear alternative built on integrity, competence, and performance. That we are chosen again and again as the political party of the moment and of the future is because we represent order over chaos, progress over paralysis, and hope over despair,” he added.

Addressing the crowd at Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, Shettima said the APC had nurtured relationships built on trust and inclusiveness, providing a platform for all Nigerians with noble intentions.

APC National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, also welcomed Mbah and his team into the ruling party, saying they had joined “the soul and family of the Progressives.”

He commended the governor for his achievements in office and for choosing to align with the APC’s vision.

“Governor Mbah has revamped the education sector, built roads, and delivered for his people. That is why we welcome him home,” Yilwatda said. “He has a progressive heart, and we are glad to have him in our fold.”

Analysts: Defections reflect weak ideology, threaten opposition survival

Political analysts have said the ongoing wave of defections from opposition parties, particularly the PDP to the ruling APC reflects the absence of ideology and the fragility of Nigeria’s democracy.

The National President of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), Prof Hassan Saliu, said the development was unsurprising given the nature of the country’s politics.

“Nigerian politics is about stomach infrastructure. When politicians do their calculations and realise there is a bigger cake elsewhere to share, and knowing they lack ideology, they move there,” he said.

Saliu argued that there is no real difference between the PDP and APC, saying political parties in Nigeria have become mere vehicles for gaining power.

“Some governors that have defected to the APC — what is the change in their ideology? There’s no bond between the parties and their members, if they have any at all,” he said.

He noted that many politicians defect to secure their future, avoid investigation, or preserve influence as the PDP struggles with internal crises.

“Some are calculating and want to avoid being tried after office, so joining the ruling party seems the safest thing to do,” he said. “The PDP is facing the implications of its loss of power and doesn’t appear ready to give the APC a run for its money, though anything can happen.”

He added that the PDP’s previous dominance in the South-South and South-East was based on incumbency, not ideology.

“In the Third World, parties are only strong when they are in power. The PDP has been out of power for over ten years now, and politics here is cash and carry,” he said.

Similarly, Prof Gbade Ojo, a political scientist and former Chief of Staff to the Oyo State governor, warned that the ongoing defections could lead to an “unofficial one-party state,” which he said would not bode well for democracy.

“The gale of defections from the PDP and Labour Party to the APC points to the possibility of a one-party state, which is no good for our democracy. The beauty of democracy is to allow a hundred flowers to blossom,” he said.

Ojo added that the defections were not a reflection of APC’s performance but of PDP’s indiscipline and weak leadership.

“If a staunch PDP member like Nyesom Wike is serving as a minister in an APC government, then where is the discipline in PDP?” he asked. “The party appears rudderless.”

He said the PDP’s crisis was self-inflicted, with internal betrayals weakening it ahead of 2027.

“With this gale of defections, PDP is undergoing political extinction and may eventually die if care is not taken,” Ojo said.

On his part, Dr Mohammed Alada, a political scientist at the University of Ilorin, said the trend reflected the self-serving nature of Nigerian politics.

“The nature of Nigerian parties is informed by interest. People join parties to fulfil personal ambitions. Once those interests are threatened, they move elsewhere,” he said.

He argued that the absence of ideology and internal party democracy had weakened Nigeria’s political development.

“We’ve practised democracy for 25 years, but what we’re seeing shows that democracy is not advancing. You can’t have democracy without strong parties, and weak parties mean weak democracy,” he said.

Alada said the opposition’s inability to form a united front ahead of 2027 stemmed from conflicting ambitions.

APC clinches two-thirds majority in Senate, moves four closer in Reps

Meanwhile, the ruling APC has secured a two-thirds majority in the Senate for the first time since 2015 when it assumed power, after Senator Samaila Dahuwa Kaila (Bauchi North) defected from the PDP on Tuesday.

His defection, announced in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, raises the APC’s membership in the upper chamber to 73 out of 109 senators. The PDP now has 27 members, Labour Party (LP) 4, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) 2, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) 2, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) 1.

Senator Kaila cited persistent internal crises within the PDP as the main reason for leaving the opposition. His defection came barely a week after Kelvin Chukwu (Enugu East) also joined the APC from the LP.

Kaila said the PDP’s internal challenges had hindered his ability to serve his constituents effectively.

With a two-thirds majority, analysts say the APC now holds significant influence over key legislative decisions, including the passage of bills and approvals of presidential requests.

However, political analyst Jackson Lekan Ojo warned that the development could weaken democratic checks and balances. “Constitutionally, there’s nothing wrong with it, but democratically it portends danger. The opposition is technically dead in the Senate, and this is not good for our democracy,” he said.

Meanwhile, the APC also gained ground in the House of Representatives after three PDP lawmakers from Kaduna State — Abdulkarim Hussaini Ahmed (Kaduna South), Aliyu Mustapha Abdullahi (Ikara/Kubau), and Sadiq Ango Abdullahi (Sabon Gari) — defected to the ruling party.

Their defection letters, read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen during plenary, increased the APC’s strength in the Green Chamber to 236 members, just four short of the two-thirds mark of 240. The PDP now has 80 members, LP 22, NNPP 15, APGA 5, ADC 1, SDP 2, and YPP 1.

Speaker Abbas Tajudeen welcomed the defectors, describing their move as “a wise choice” and called the APC “the largest political family in Africa.”

But Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda opposed the development, urging the Speaker to declare the seats vacant in line with Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates the loss of a seat if a lawmaker defects without evidence of division in his party.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, has travelled to the United Kingdom to seek medical attention, multiple sources close to the development confirmed on Tuesday morning.

The report, first published by Western Post, was confirmed by a source who had earlier told The PUNCH that the minister might seek medical attention abroad if the need arises.

The source confirmed on Tuesday that the decision had now been made, saying, “It’s true, he has left already.”

Edun left Abuja for Lagos on Monday night via a commercial flight.

He later departed for London aboard a British Airways flight on the same night.

Until his departure, Presidency officials who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday had maintained that Edun was recuperating at his Abuja residence under the care of Nigerian doctors.

The sources said the minister had taken ill in recent days but dismissed earlier rumours that he had suffered a stroke or was incapacitated.

One senior government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity for lack of authorisation to speak to the press on the matter, told The PUNCH that Edun’s condition was being monitored closely.

“Yes, he’s indisposed. He’s sick, which is a bit serious, but it’s not a stroke. As I’m talking to you, he’s in his house. He’s not been flown anywhere,” the source had said on Sunday evening.

The official, however, added that doctors might recommend foreign medical care if necessary, a decision that has now been made.

Another aide familiar with the matter confirmed that Edun’s medical situation had prompted closer attention from the President but stressed that “there are no plans to replace him.”

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, also confirmed that the minister had fallen ill but was initially receiving treatment in Nigeria.

“Yes, he’s indisposed. Wale Edun is about 69 years old. He suddenly fell ill. As we are talking, he is in Nigeria. He is recuperating. He’s around,” Onanuga said on Sunday.

The Presidency had earlier debunked speculation that President Bola Tinubu was considering a replacement for the finance minister.

However, it confirmed that the minister would miss this year’s World Bank and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C.

According to a statement by Onanuga, the Central Bank Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, would instead lead Nigeria’s delegation to the global finance meetings, which begin today, Tuesday, October 14.

Appointed on August 28, 2023, Edun has been a key figure in the Tinubu administration’s economic reform drive, overseeing the removal of petrol subsidies, unification of foreign exchange rates, and fiscal measures aimed at stabilising the naira and curbing inflation.

He served as Lagos State Commissioner for Finance under Tinubu’s administration between 1999 and 2004 and later co-founded investment banking firm Denham Management Limited.

At the time of this report, the Ministry of Finance had yet to issue an official statement on the minister’s whereabouts.

The Presidency has given an update on the health status of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, assuring Nigerians that he was recovering well.

This was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communications, Sunday Dare, on his official X handle on Sunday, saying he had a phone conversation with the minister during which Edun appeared to be in good spirits.

“Moments ago, I got off the phone with Nigeria’s Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, in Abuja. Over a bowl of amala, we spoke for a few minutes with assurances he was getting better. I wished him the best of health,” Dare wrote.

The post comes amid growing public concern about the minister’s health condition in recent days.

Edun, who has been a key figure in President Bola Tinubu’s economic management team, has been instrumental in the administration’s fiscal reforms, including the coordination of monetary and economic policy measures aimed at stabilising the naira and stimulating growth.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Limited (NNPCL) has increased petrol price to N992 per litre from N865 per litre.

No official reason has been given for the increment as of the time of filing this report.

Across NNPC retail outlets visited by The Nation, attendants were seen adjusting their pumps to reflect the new price.

At NNPC filling station on Ogunusi road, Ojodu Berger, petrol attendants at the station said they were instructed to change the price to reflect the new rate N992 per litre.

However, checks at Ibafo along the Lagos /Ibadan expressway showed that NNPC outlets still displayed the old price of N875 per litre, although they were not selling to commuters.

Most of the NNPC stations were not dispensing fuel.

by Samuel Akpan


John Nwosu, governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Anambra, has sworn an affidavit to serve only one term of four years if elected.

Nwosu deposed the affidavit at the high court in Awka, the capital of Anambra, on Thursday.

The ADC governorship candidate is from Nnewi, Anambra south senatorial district — the same zone as Chukwuma Soludo, the incumbent governor who is seeking re-election.

Anambra operates an informal zoning arrangement that rotates the governorship among its three senatorial districts.

Nwosu promised to serve only one term to complete the tenure of the southern zone.

“I am aware that there is a rotation of the office of the Governor of Anambra State among the three senatorial zones, namely Anambra North, Anambra Central and Anambra South based on equity, natural justice and good governance,” the affidavit reads.

“That the South senatorial zone currently occupying the seat of governor of Anambra State has only one term of four years remaining of the term of office due to the South senatorial zone and thereafter, it shall be the turn of Anambra Central zone to nominate a candidate for the office of governor of Anambra State for eight years, before the office rotates to the North senatorial zone.”

Speaking after he deposed the affidavit, Nwosu said four years is sufficient to “transform” the state.

“I came into the race to serve, not to rule. I have publicly made the commitment before and has now legally sealed it before the court. Four years is enough to transform Anambra if there is sincerity of purpose,” he added.

The governorship election in the state is scheduled for November 8.

by Faith Yahaya, Abuja


Two sisters caused a scene at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Sunday after missing their NG Eagle flight, leading to a heated argument and physical altercation.

According to the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, the sisters, in their rage, also scattered luggage and other items around the terminal.

Airport security personnel reportedly intervened and took the women to the interrogation office, but the situation escalated further as they continued exchanging blows until one of them fainted.

Achimugu, who shared the incident on his official X handle, @mikeachimugu01, described it as “the strangest thing” he had witnessed at the airport.

He added that despite one sister collapsing, the other refused medical assistance, insisting that their ordeal was “spiritual.”

“Perhaps one of them blamed her sibling for their missing flight (not sure), but these two siblings began to fight each other. They scattered luggage and other items before being dragged to the interrogation office by airport security.

“Inside, they began to fight again until one of them fainted. Calls were made for an ambulance to take her to the hospital, but her sister said that the problem is more spiritual than medical and, therefore, did not need a hospital.

“She is presently receiving attention at the FAAN clinic. Hopefully, she makes a recovery. This is not how things should be”.

The strangest thing just happened at the Abuja airport.

Two sisters, both adults, booked to travel via a NG EAGLE flight. They missed the flight because they were late.

Perhaps one of them blamed her sibling for their missing flight (not sure), but these two siblings began to fight each other. They scattered luggage and other items before being dragged to the interrogation office by airport security.

Inside, they began to fight again until one of them fainted. Calls were made for an ambulance to take her to the hospital, but her sister said that the problem is more spiritual than medical and, therefore, did not need a hospital.

She is presently receiving attention at the FAAN clinic. Hopefully, she makes a recovery. This is not how things should be.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed Deposit Money Banks and other financial institutions to refund customers for failed Automated Teller Machine transactions within 48 hours, in a sweeping reform aimed at protecting consumers and restoring confidence in the banking system.

The directive is contained in a draft guideline released yesterday by the apex bank, titled “Exposure of the Draft Guidelines on the Operations of Automated Teller Machines in Nigeria.”

The document, signed by the Director of Payments System Policy Department, Musa I. Jimoh, was circulated to banks, payment service providers, card schemes, and independent ATM deployers, with a call for stakeholder feedback by October 31, 2025.

Under the draft, failed “on-us” transactions, where customers use their own bank’s ATM, must be reversed instantly. If technical glitches prevent immediate reversal, the bank is required to manually refund the customer within 24 hours.

For “not-on-us” transactions, involving other banks’ ATMs, refunds must be processed within 48 hours.

“Customers must not be made to suffer for failed transactions caused by system errors or network failures,” the circular stressed.

In a significant shift, the CBN mandated banks and ATM acquirers to deploy technology that automatically reverses failed or partial transactions, removing the need for customers to lodge complaints.

Institutions holding customer funds due to failed disbursements must reconcile and return balances immediately.

According to the apex bank, these measures respond to widespread frustration over delayed refunds and poor customer service and form part of a broader effort to enhance consumer protection, improve reliability, and modernise Nigeria’s payment infrastructure in line with global standards.

The guidelines will also overhaul ATM operations nationwide. Banks and card issuers are now required to deploy at least one ATM for every 5,000 active cards, with phased targets of 30per cent compliance in 2026, 60per cent in 2027, and full compliance by 2028. Any future deployment, relocation, or decommissioning of ATMs must receive prior approval from the CBN.

To ensure safety, ATMs must be fitted with anti-skimming devices, CCTV cameras, and placed in enclosed or well-lit areas.

Machines are expected to comply with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards, maintain audit logs, and display functional helpdesk contacts. At least 2% of all ATMs must feature tactile symbols for visually impaired customers.

ATMs are also required to dispense cash before returning cards, allow free PIN changes, issue receipts for all transactions except balance inquiries, display clear transaction fees, dispense only clean banknotes, and provide backup power to reduce downtime.

Downtime must not exceed 72 consecutive hours, after which operators must inform the public of the cause and expected restoration time.

The CBN will enforce compliance through regular audits, on-site inspections, and monthly reports from ATM operators detailing deployments and locations. Defaulting institutions risk sanctions, though fines were not specified.

The apex bank explained that the overhaul was necessary due to rising complaints about failed transactions, cyber fraud, and declining service quality, noting that “the goal is to build a payments system that works seamlessly for everyone, urban and rural users alike.”

Nigeria’s electronic payments landscape has grown rapidly in recent years, with 200 million cardholders and rising reliance on digital banking, but network failures, poor infrastructure, and delayed reversals have continued to undermine confidence.

The fresh guidelines, coming eight months after a revision of ATM fees, are expected to streamline service delivery, enhance transaction security, and hold banks accountable. Stakeholders are invited to submit feedback ahead of the final policy adoption, which could take effect before the end of the year.

A soldier committed suicide on Saturday after killing his wife at the infamous Wawa military Cantonment, New Bussa, Kainji, Niger State.

The military facility, over the decade, has been known for detaining hundreds of Boko Haram suspects arrested during the ongoing insurgency in the Northern part of the country.

SaharaReporters learnt that the soldier, Femi Akinleye, a Lance Corporal, was posted to the 22 Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army, located within the Wawa Cantonment but was on barracks duty.

A signal exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters revealed that Akinleye also shot dead his wife identified as Blessing around 11:30am.

It read, “SPECIAL SITREP. SITREP AS AT 111605A OCT 25. SUICIDE AND MURDER INCIDENT.* AT ABOUT 111130A OCT 25, 18NA/77/1173

LCPL AKENLEYE FEMI, A PERSONNEL OF 221BN WAWA CANTONMENT WHO WAS ON BARRACKS DUTY WERE REPORTED COMMINTING SUICIDE BY KILLING HIS WIFE BLESSING, AND FIRED HIMSELF AT 221BN CBQ BLOCK 15 ROOM 24, THEREAFTER THE BOTH REMAINS ARE DEPOSITED AT 221BN MRS MEANWHILE THE FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS CURRENTLY ONGOING TO ASCERTAIN THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT.”

The cause of his action is not known yet but recurring nature of such incidences has raised concerns about whether soldiers fighting terrorists are receiving adequate mental and psychological treatment.

Some of the soldiers have in the past complained about poor welfare, overstayed in a particular region and treatment by the military hierarchy.

They said they were battling with depression and post-traumatic disorder because the authorities refused to carry out a rotation.

Recently, there have been allegations of corruption in the Nigerian Army which some of the soldiers have blamed for their loss of interest.

According to some soldiers, the army is the epitome of deep-seated corruption.

They noted that corruption is affecting the prosecution of the anti-terrorism war in the Northeast and other operations.

So many Nigerian military personnel like Akinleye had in the past 5-year committed suicide.

In November 2023, a Nigerian Army captain, Alphonsus Alexander Kalthy Bazza, killed himselfin Akwa Ibom State.

The deceased who left behind some notes said he had a frustrating relationship with his commander at the army base.

He had stated in one of the handwritten notes that when funds for the last general elections was given by the commander, the boss held to “my own and insisted he was going to send mine to my wife. Who does that?”

In June 2023, a female officer of the Nigerian Air Force, simply identified as George also committed suicide in her place of residence at Ikeja, Lagos State.

It was reported that George, a Master Warrant Officer working at 651 Base Services Group Resident at Block T5 Flat 8 in Sam Ethnan Air Force Base Ikeja, was found dead at her home.

In March 2021, a soldier, Bello Useni, with the Nigerian Army School of Armour in Bauchi also killed himself.

In September 2020, a lance corporal attached to the Army’s 27 Task Force Brigade in Buni Gari, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe state, committed suicide at his duty post.

In July 2020, a soldier in the Army’s 202 battalion in Bama, Borno state, killed a lieutenant who did not give him pass to visit his family.

In 2019, a soldier hanged himself in Abuja. Earlier in 2017, another soldier committed suicide after killing his superior officer.

Consumers of Liquefied Petroleum. Gas (LPG), also called cooking gas, will soon have respite as key offtakers with a gas purchase agreement with the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) have intensified product loading to help prevent stockouts, which have led to recent price hikes.

Our correspondent gathered that NIPCO gas and 11Plc gas last Friday commenced offtaking of LPG from NLNG. Loading is also expected to heighten on Monday night (yesterday) to establish distribution connections across the market.

However, key industry operators in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) industry expressed uncertainty about how long the price fluctuations of LPG or cooking gas will take.

A major LPG marketing association official who gave our correspondent an insight into the situation said the market is about to witness uncertainty due to several factors.

The official, like other stakeholders who spoke, said they do not want to be named.

In his explanation, he said, depot operators who had been involved in the product importation had lost huge amounts of resources when Dangote Refinery began LPG production that helped to crash the price.

He said the few days of protest by the oil sector union forced the refinery to halt further LPG production.

The situation became more worrisome because Dangote do not have storage capacity for LPG. After all, it is focused on refining petrol and aviation fuel.

However, a source within the major marketers said that stabilising supply may take until the coming weekend.

“LPG loading is not like petrol. We cannot load more than 25 trucks tonight because of safety issues and documentation. Still, now that the process is being intensified, most parts of Lagos and other South West states will see the price of the products significantly cheaper,” our source said.

Meanwhile, consumers, who spoke to our reporter, shared their experiences. One said: ‘My husband bought cooking gas for me at N2,000 per kilogramme.

Another person, who moved from a far distance to get at the gas at a cheaper rate, said, “I came all the way from Agege to this gas station in Ikeja because of the price difference. In most shops around Agege, 1 kilogramme of gas is sold for N2,500. But here, close to Oba-Akran, it’s N1,500. Before, we used to buy at N1,100. Now look at how much it costs.”

A senior official at a gas station in the Anifowoshe area of Oba-Akran, Ikeja,

Ajayi Abayomi, confirmed that their current selling price is N1,500 per kilogramme.

He attributed the sudden hike to supply challenges when asked about the reason behind it. “There’s no special reason other than limited supply,” he explained. “People couldn’t lift the product. The gas we’re selling now was diverted from our operations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. We had to bring the truck down here to make sure our customers have something to use. We can’t afford to turn people away without gas,” he noted.

He further noted that, the station typically sourced gas from Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals or Apapa, but recent disruptions had complicated supply chains.

“Part of the price hike is linked to the issue between Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), and Dangote Refinery. The crisis affected operations in Apapa, where gas was supposed to be discharged. Because of the suspension, there was a disruption, and that contributed to the scarcity and price increase,” he pointed out.

The official added that, once Dangote Refinery was unable to sell gas, other suppliers quickly raised their prices. “We buy from these people, and we sell what we buy. That’s the reality. Before now, gas was less than N1,000 per kilogramme. Today, we’re selling at N1,500,” he emphasised.

LEADERSHIP recalls that, in January 2022, the NLNG committed to dedicating 100 per cent of its Butane (cooking gas) and Propane production to the Nigerian domestic market to boost availability, accessibility, and affordability of LPG, within the country.

This initiative, which began as a steady increase in volumes under the Domestic LPG (DLPG) scheme, aims to increase national LPG consumption, support the government’s “Decade of Gas” initiative, and reduce reliance on imported gas.

The NLNG now supplies all its Butane production to the Nigerian market, making it the highest single supplier of LPG domestically. The commitment was later expanded to include 100 per cent of its Propane production for use in cooking gas blending and other industrial applications.

The NLNG’s commitment to collaborating with stakeholders aims to maintain pricing stability and long-term market viability.

by Achor Abimaje


Plateau State Governor Barr. Caleb Mutfwang has hailed the Mother of the Nation, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her continuous support and love for the state’s people.

Mutfwang stated this in his remarks during the funeral service of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, at COCIN headquarters in Jos at the weekend.

According to him, the state has enjoyed the tremendous love and care of the First Family.

“The Mother of the Nation, Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has twice extended her motherly wings of love over us both to console and to encourage us as leaders striving to restore peace on the Plateau, in alignment with our identity as the Home of Peace and Tourism”

Mutfwang further stressed, “Before my younger brother, the APC National Chairman Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, publicly offered himself as the First Son of President Tinubu, I had already applied to have her as my mother.

“And so, let me repeat it with all humility and pride: She is my mother. Our mother’s visits to Plateau State have endeared her to our people.

The Governor also maintained that the state should express its gratitude appropriately.

“While we are grateful for your presence at this solemn occasion, let me, on behalf of the good people of Plateau State, also thank you for your continued support for our developmental efforts.

Mutfwang also disclosed that the state would certainly ask the President to visit them again soon so that he can personally see how they align with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has dissolved the branch executive councils of the Nigeria Gas Infrastructure Company Ltd (NGIC) and the NNPC Gas Marketing Limited (NGML).

The dissolution followed the “inability” of the executives to completely shut down gas supply to Dangote refinery during the association’s strike.

The development, detailed in a report seen by TheCable on Monday, is the latest on the internal crisis of PENGASSAN.

On September 28, PENGASSAN commenced a nationwide strike, asking its members to reduce gas production and supply to Dangote refinery.

In the report, the NGIC/NGML congress members appealed to the national leadership of the association to “reconsider its decision to dissolve the leadership of NGIC/NGML Branch”.

They also asked the national leadership to “kindly drop the allegations of collusion and acceptance of monetary gifts from NGIC/NGML Management to prevent the shutdown”.

“These allegations are serious and if continued to be spread may taint the image of the executives and calls into question their integrity,” the group said.

“If there is evidence of sabotage beyond our line of sight as a congress, to suggest that dissolution of the branch be instituted, then we appeal that fair hearing be granted to the comrades to either clear their names or be found guilty with evidence.”

The congress argued that the reward for an unsuccessful struggle should not “be dissolution, but correction and re-strategize for future success”.


‘WHY WE COULDN’T TOTALLY SHUT DOWN GAS SUPPLY TO DANGOTE REFINERY’

The group explained that while they attempted to completely shut down the gas supply to the refinery, they were only able to close a few valves.

“It is also important to state that, at no point did the branch executives tell anyone that Dangote has been shut down 100%, they only said they have shut down some valves along the line and the inlet from OB3 to the line through Oben, and they hope the pressure will drop after few hours and Dangote will come down, all of which didn’t work out as they had expected,” the report reads.

“We note that whoever informed the national president that gas supply to Dangote refinery was cut-off had done so in haste to give good news, and impatient to wait for the outcome of the actions our comrades from NGIC took.”

The congress members said their branch leadership had done more than enough to carry out the directives of the national body, even at the risk of their own safety.

They said the leadership went as far as undertaking actions that management described as “unprecedented in the history of NGIC/NGML,” including the shutdown of facilities and damage to assets.


‘WE’VE NEVER SHUT DOWN CUSTOMER OPERATIONS IN A STRIKE ACTION’

The group noted that the NGIC/NGML PENGASSAN had never previously shut down any customer operations during a strike action.

According to the members, the branch recorded some successes despite being constrained by the continued injection of gas “from producers to the ELPS and the heavy presence of military personnel which usually outnumber them”.

They said the actions taken by their leaders left no room for suspicion of any collusion with the NGIC management to undermine the national struggle against Dangote.

The congress members insisted that allegations of receiving incentives, conniving with management, or engaging in sabotage were baseless, unsupported by evidence, and failed to reflect the leadership’s substantial contributions to the struggle.

They warned that if such allegations and decisions persisted, it could discourage many members who had stood firmly in solidarity during the industrial action.

Dare Olawin and Damilola Aina


The Dangote Group is ready to redeploy refinery engineers, who were sacked for joining the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, to the company’s sugar and cement plants, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.

The company will also recruit new engineers to replace the redeployed ones.

Sources in the refinery, who did not want to be mentioned because of the sensitivity of the matter, said the redeployment was a huge loss to the company.

It was gathered that some of the 800 could also be deployed to units within the group’s operations outside the country.

PENGASSAN shut down oil and gas facilities between Sunday and Tuesday over allegations that 800 refinery workers were fired for volunteering to be members of the union.

But the Dangote refinery said it only sacked a few workers who were sabotaging the facility.

Oil and gas workers went on strike in defence of their colleagues, causing the nation losses in oil and gas production as well as a drop in power generation.

The intervention of the Federal Government restored peace as the Dangote Group was asked to redeploy the sacked workers.

Speaking with one of our correspondents, an official said Dangote had no issue with the workers’ decision to join a union, but the act of sabotage could not be tolerated.

The workers were accused of releasing sensitive information to those perceived as the enemies of the refinery.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that some of the affected engineers were among those trained outside the country to build the refinery.

“The workers will be redeployed to sugar, cement and other business units. Some of us are pained because of some of those affected. They are prospects, and the company had good plans for them.

“Has anyone looked at the loss to the company? The majority of these guys were fresh graduates employed by the company, sent abroad for training and then absorbed into the system. These are probably the first set of Nigerian engineers who had been part of the commissioning of a refinery. How many engineers from this part can boast of being part of the commissioning of a big project like this? They were part of it from the beginning. You can’t buy that in the market. You can’t compare the experience of someone who was part of commissioning with someone who was employed after the project.

“How many generations of engineers in Nigeria have that opportunity? Employing new hands requires training them because most Nigerian graduates lack work experience. Can you quantify that investment? It’s a lot, but you can’t risk saboteurs in the system. Then the time before they become grounded? And a refinery gives room for minimal error; otherwise, your investment is gone,” a source stated.

It was disclosed that some of the engineers had earlier been poached by a foreign company because of their prowess.

On claims that expatriates were paid higher than Nigerian engineers, a consultant explained that Nigerians who were expatriates in other countries also enjoyed some benefits.

“It is normal that in the formative stage of every business you get the best hands to run it, but as you train your people, they take charge. While a refinery sounds fancy, it is not in the upstream, so you can’t compare the salaries. IOCs and other upstream players will pay higher than a refinery,” the consultant said as he reacted to allegations of low wages.

Another source said some of the workers would be sent outside the country, stating that the redeployment process was underway and would be concluded on a case-by-case basis.

“The reinstated workers would be deployed to different units. As you know, the Dangote Group operates multiple facilities both in Nigeria and outside the country. So, some of the employees will be redeployed to those locations. It will go through a process, but once concluded, they will resume their new roles. Hopefully, it should not take too long,” the source said.

The Dangote Refinery, a 650,000-barrel-per-day integrated facility located in the Lekki Free Zone, Lagos, is Africa’s largest oil refining project.

The plant is expected to significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products while creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs.

The official added that the refinery remained committed to implementing agreements reached with union leaders during a meeting with the Federal Government.

The Dangote refinery has in recent weeks come under fierce attacks. It began with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, which accused the plant of monopolistic practices and unfair pricing that threatened the survival of independent marketers.

The marketers alleged that Dangote’s terms placed them at a disadvantage and demanded government intervention.

NUPENG clashed with the refinery over workers’ rights, saying Dangote prevented tanker drivers from unionisation.

The association shut down the refinery and fuel depots despite a government-brokered agreement.

The standoff escalated when PENGASSAN entered the fray, condemning the mass dismissal of hundreds of workers.

The union responded by directing a halt to crude and gas supplies, sparking nationwide disruptions and fuel queues.

Government mediation eased tension, but stakeholders are waiting for the implementation of agreements reached by all parties during the conciliation meeting organised by the government.

by Aderonke Oni


Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the presidential fiscal policy and tax reforms committee, says every Nigerian who earns an income has a responsibility to declare it.

On June 26, President Bola Tinubu signed the four tax reform bills into law, and they are expected to take effect on January 1, 2026.

Answering questions during an interactive session with journalists, influencers, and public analysts on the new tax laws on Friday, Oyedele said the obligation to “self-declare” income has always existed in law and is not a fresh imposition.

“Sex workers, agberos, you know what I said is, everybody has the responsibility to self-declare. That is the first obligation in the law,” he said.

“The other thing I said is, these new tax laws are not imposing taxes on anyone who was not taxable before. So, the existing laws we have already require that if you earn income, you pay tax on it.

“If I am an agbero, which is I am calling people to enter the vehicle and I get paid, how is that different from the waiter in this hotel? How is it different from an accountant? How is it different from a factory worker? So, we cannot now say that agberos are exempted from tax. I know the sex workers thing is being sensationalised.”

The chairman said tax authorities globally do not make exemptions on the basis of morality or legality.

“There are court judgments all over the world to say that when it comes to tax matters, there are no questions about morality or legality,” Oyedele said.

“Otherwise, if the tax law exempts immoral activities and illegal activities, I will just make my work become illegal so I don’t pay tax.

“Around the world, the tax authorities and the tax laws tax you on your income, whether it is legal or not, whether it is moral or not. In fact, the IRS in the U.S., they had a notice that says, if you steal, you must declare it for tax purposes.”


‘UNDECLARED INCOME CAN BE TRACED’

The fiscal policy chairman said the system also has ways to validate income even when taxpayers fail to self-declare.

“If the Agbero does not declare and the journalist does not declare, how do we find out? It is the system validation because when you earn money, if you don’t tell us, you do three things with the money you earn. You either spend or you save or you invest. All of that you do with third parties, and it can be validated,” he said.

Oyedele had said income earned by commercial sex workers will be taxed under the new system.

The tax expert said the new laws do not distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate sources of income — but focus on whether money was earned from goods or services.

Tucked away around the serene Rebisi Garden, better known as GRA Phase 4, in the heart of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, lies the quiet, grieving home of the parents of the late Arise Television newscaster, Somtochukwu Maduagwu. Outside, wailing and anguished screams pierce the stillness as small groups of neighbors, senior colleagues, friends, and community members gather. Some have swollen eyes from hours of weeping, while others stand in stunned silence, struggling to process the cruel twist of fate that has shattered a once-promising future.

The modest one-story building, located just behind the Nigeria Police Mobile Force 19, has become a solemn gathering point since Monday, September 30, 2025, drawing a steady stream of mourners following the painful and untimely demise of Somtochukwu, fondly known within the family and beyond as ‘Sommie’. It all started and ended on a quiet night in Abuja, where hope met heartbreak in an instant. While trying to escape a robbery attack, Somtochukwu met a cruel and untimely death. This tragedy has left her family shattered and a nation once again confronting a painful question: Should young, talented Nigerians continue risking it all for a country that offers them so little in return?

For her loving parents, who only recently marked their wedding anniversary, the loss has torn open a wound so deep it may never heal, leaving them wretched with grief and robbed of the joy their daughter once brought home. Aged 29, the deceased sustained fatal injuries after jumping from a three-story building in the Katampe area of Abuja. Before returning to Nigeria against her father’s wishes, she lived and worked in the United Kingdom alongside her two younger siblings.

LEADERSHIP Weekend visited the residence of Somtochukwu’s parents, both of whom are still young and working, but they were unable to speak about their first daughter due to uncontrollable tears. Instead, they entrusted her uncle, her father’s elder brother, Engr. Obi Maduagwu, to speak on their behalf.

Engr. Maduagwu explained that he was the first family member to be contacted after Somtochukwu’s death, as her father works offshore on an oil rig.

He said, “It was really a shock. They called me about my niece. I have other nieces, children of my immediate younger sister, and they are in Abuja too. They called me and said this is what they heard. They said someone used Sommie’s phone to call them and said this is what happened to your sister. I said, ‘Okay, rush to that place. You know normally, some scammers can call you and say this person is sick or that.’ I told her to go to Sommie’s place and confirm. She got there, saw what was happening, asked them, and they confirmed it.”

“I then said, ‘Okay, since they said it is true, go to the hospital to confirm whether it is her or not.’ She went to the National Hospital, Abuja, saw her, and sent me the evidence immediately. The pictures were there, which made me confirm—one of her on the stretcher and one of the building she fell from. It was when I got those pictures that I started thinking about what to do.”

“Her father, who is my junior brother, works on the rig, and her mother also works. That was the problem. If I decided to hide it from them, it might leak onto the internet at any moment. So, I started making arrangements to get her (Sommie’s mother) back from her office through her elder sister’s husband, who is in Abuja.”

“When I called her, I didn’t tell her anything but requested the phone number of her brother-in-law. I called him, explained what had happened, and asked him to find out exactly what had happened. He dropped everything he was doing and rushed to the hospital in Abuja, where he confirmed it. We were then able to bring her back and inform her. But before that, she had a feeling something was wrong, though she couldn’t figure it out.”

Obi Maduagwu stated that Somtochukwu was someone who always did things her own way whenever she wanted to.

“She was the first daughter and had two younger siblings, a boy and a girl. Somtochukwu was always determined; when she set her mind on something, nothing could stop her. If she said, ‘This is what I want to do and where I want to go,’ there was no convincing her otherwise.”

“She completed her studies in the United Kingdom and worked there for two years. Then, she announced her decision to return to Nigeria. Her father protested, asking what she hoped to achieve back home. But she was steadfast, insisting that she must come back. She told her father that she was coming home to make Nigeria work. That was her conviction. While many were fleeing the country, those already abroad with foreign passports and citizenship, Somtochukwu chose to return and serve her fatherland. It was a bold, selfless stand that defined her spirit.”


Her Dreams

Her uncle, Mr. Obi Maduagwu, further revealed that Somtochukwu dreamed of playing a prominent role in Nigeria’s political system, particularly championing women’s emancipation and equality. He said, “She had aspirations of making a significant impact in politics. In an interview with Kachi on Arise TV last year, she openly shared her desire to enter politics and fight for women’s rights and equality.”

“Just the Monday before she died, she anchored a special program on Arise TV advocating for the reservation of seats for women in the National Assembly. That shows the kind of passionate person she was. For her to tell her father she was leaving the UK, where she earned more than she did in Nigeria, to come back and work for her country speaks volumes about her dedication and character.”


Marriage Plans

According to her uncle, Somtochukwu had plans to finalize her marriage arrangements before the Easter festivities of 2026. Maduagwu said, “Yes, it was in the pipeline. The wedding was expected to take place on or before Easter next year.”

Speaking about the expectations her parents had for her, Obi Maduagwu explained that they did not demand much from Somtochukwu at this stage, as both were still young and working. “What more could they expect from her? They invested in her upbringing and education with the hope that she would grow and succeed in her own time. Her father is still strong, her mother is still strong, and both are working hard. They weren’t expecting her to be bringing returns just yet. They only wanted the best for their little girl. If you knew the kind of schools she attended, you would understand how much they desired the best for her, and they made sure she had it.”


Why She Abandoned Law for Journalism

Obi Maduagwu believes Somtochukwu may have chosen journalism because it gave her a platform where her voice could truly be heard. He said, “Maybe she wanted a place to express herself freely, like she did just days before her death when she anchored a program advocating for more seats for women in the National Assembly.”

The uncle also shared that the family was initially reluctant to support her involvement in beauty pageants but eventually came around. “I told you, she was someone who always had her own mind about whatever she decided to do. At first, when she entered the beauty pageant, we opposed it. But over time, we had no choice but to support her, and luckily, she won.”


A Haunting Premonition

Obi Maduagwu revealed a chilling detail from the days before Somtochukwu’s tragic death, a social media post that now reads like a haunting premonition. “I can’t say for sure,” he reflected, “but about a week or two before she died, she posted something that caught my attention. She wrote, ‘Let Nigeria not happen to you,’ words that tragically came true for her. When you look at it that way, it almost feels like she sensed what was coming. Maybe it was a premonition.”


Police Silence When It Mattered Most

The uncle also voiced his deep frustration over the police’s delayed response to distress calls made by residents during the attack. He lamented that a swift intervention could have changed the course of events. He explained that “residents of the building called the police immediately. It’s like when there’s a police station nearby and people are under attack, you expect help to come fast. But the police took too long to respond. If they had arrived within 10, 15, or even 20 minutes, this tragedy might have been prevented. That delay exposed a glaring failure in our emergency response system.”

by Leadership News


The purchase of a £15 million mansion by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Access Bank Plc, Roosevelt Ogbonna, in London’s upscale Hampstead area, known as Billionaires’ Row, has sparked strong reactions from civil society organisations and shareholders alike.

The property, reportedly acquired in August, features luxury amenities including a spa and entertainment suite, and was listed for £15 million by 2021.

Bloomberg reported that Ogbonna, who has been the boss of Nigeria’s largest bank by assets for over three years, purchased the sprawling mansion in August, according to a UK filing.

Transparency International Nigeria and other civil society groups have expressed serious concerns, suggesting that such high-value acquisitions by bank executives may be linked to money laundering by public officials using bankers and legal professionals as fronts.

The head of Transparency International Nigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said, “The issue is that he should declare his assets and taxes to the government and explain how he got the money. We have tried to encourage the UK to extend this new law on unexplained wealth. If he is a public officer, he must indicate how he got the money. Politicians now understand that under UK law, they cannot loot money, buy houses, and avoid declaring how the money was made. So, they are using lawyers and bankers to do this.

“Unfortunately, some lawyers and bankers are now serving as gateways for looted funds, helping public officers hide money in properties under the guise of private ownership.

“There is a need for the Federal Inland Revenue to investigate why he has not declared taxes amounting to the kind of money he has sent abroad.

“He must explain how he made that money. The unexplained wealth law should not apply only to public officials. It should also apply to those holding or transferring public officials’ money under false pretence, claiming it as their own when it is not.

“CISLAC strongly calls on the FIRS authorities to expand their oversight on some of these so-called financial institutions. In any case, financial institutions consistently refuse to declare their assets. We cannot fight corruption if we fail to address corruption within the financial system itself.”

Rafsanjani emphasised the absence of asset declarations and tax transparency within Nigerian banks and financial institutions, which he says facilitates corrupt practices.

“He must declare how he made the money because, as CEO, he does not solely control the bank’s resources. There is a board overseeing operations. The failure of banks to declare assets and pay appropriate taxes creates loopholes exploited by corrupt actors.”

Rafsanjani also called on the Federal Inland Revenue Service to investigate why such massive wealth transfers abroad have occurred without commensurate tax declarations in Nigeria.

He suggested expanding the unexplained wealth law, which currently targets public officials, to include professionals who might act as conduits for illicit funds.

“This kind of acquisition at a time Nigerians are struggling to afford basic needs is a grave concern,” Rafsanjani stated, warning that lawyers and bankers may be serving as gateways for looted national funds disguised as private wealth.

Reactions among shareholders have been mixed, but they underscore the need for transparency. Boniface Okezie, national coordinator of the Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), recognised the legitimacy of an individual’s right to invest personal income as they please but expressed concern about the broader trend of Nigerians channelling wealth into foreign rather than domestic investments.

“If the purchase was made with legal earnings, it is his right. However, this raises questions about why many Nigerians prefer to invest abroad, potentially undermining local economic growth. Our focus should be on encouraging investments that create jobs and bolster Nigerian industries.”

Similarly, Patrick Ajudua, national chairman of the New Dimension Shareholders Association, said shareholders are primarily concerned about returns and the protection of their investments.

“If the transaction is lawful and transparent, it may not affect shareholder interests. But appropriate agencies should investigate to ensure the transaction complies with regulations.”

In contrast, Isaac Botti, programme officer at Social Action Nigeria, defended Ogbonna, highlighting that as a private-sector executive, his personal wealth and spending require limited public scrutiny.

“He is not a public official; therefore, his private investments are not subject to public accountability. Unless there is evidence of fraud or mismanagement affecting the bank, his personal financial decisions are his prerogative.”

Botti added that attention should focus more on systemic corruption within banks than individual executives’ private purchases.

Ogbonna has led Access Bank, Nigeria’s largest by assets, for over three years and resigned as a non-executive director of its parent company, Access Holdings Plc, in August, while remaining CEO.

The bank is pursuing an ambitious growth strategy to double its assets outside Nigeria by 2027. It operates in about 24 countries spanning Africa, the Middle East, and Europe and serves over 63 million customers.

by Leadership News


The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested a cleric and General Overseer of Champion the Truth Cathedral, Bishop Ndibueze Onyagoziri Okorie, for allegedly having a marathon sex with a 22-year-old female sickle cell patient in the State.

Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Joshua Ukandu, said the suspect was their custody while investigation was ongoing on the matter.

“Yes, the Bishop is with us here at the police headquarters, Abakaliki. I don’t have any other information, it is under investigation.

“On Wednesday 1st October, he was arrested by our men and brought to the state police command over the act,” the Police spokesman said.

However, in a viral video on social media, the victim said that she started living with the cleric following her health condition after the decision of the cleric and the her family that she should be living in the church to enable her to be healed from her illness through divine treatment.

She noted that the spiritual healing failed to solve the her problem as her case worsened. She alleged that the Bishop had assured her that a seven-day sex with him was all she needed for her genotype to change from SS to AA.

She further stated that because of her desperation to survive the sickness that has already taken the lives of her three other siblings, she gave in to the option.

She lamented that after the seven-day sexual intercourse with the general overseer, her health issues became compounded and she raised the alarm and informed her sister about it.

Her elder sister, according to her, stepped into the matter and insisted she must return home since the so-called divine treatment was no longer working.

The victim said that the Bishop repeatedly threatened to upload pictures of their sexual activities if she leaves him. According to her, she later left the cleric and went back to her village only to see her nude pictures with the cleric on social media, eliciting reactions.

Meanwhile, Bishop Onyeagoziri has denied having any sexual intercourse with the victim, adding that his phone was stolen and those who stole the phone used Artificial Intelligence to post his nudity with that of the girl.

By Emmanuel Uti


After two days of conciliation meetings, the Federal Government has brokered peace between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

In a statement released on Wednesday, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, the Minister of Labour and Employment, disclosed that the matter was resolved following lengthy discussions.

“The Honourable Minister of Labour informed the meeting that unionisation is a right of workers in accordance with the laws of Nigeria, and this right should be respected,” the statement reads in part.

“After examining the procedure used in the disengagement of workers, the meeting agreed that the management of Dangote Group shall immediately begin the process of redeploying the disengaged staff to other companies within the Dangote Group, with no loss of pay.

“No worker will be victimised arising from their role in the impasse between Dangote and PENGASSAN. PENGASSAN agreed to start the process of calling off the strike. Both parties agreed to this understanding in good faith.”


BEHIND THE DISPUTE

While the official resolution may cause the sacked workers to heave a sigh of relief, they believe that what had happened in the past few days was necessary.

A process engineer who has worked at the Dangote Refinery told FIJ that staff joined PENGASSAN after years of frustration over poor conditions, stagnant pay and lack of safety measures.

He also claimed that the company did not care about its workers and their health, adding that many had nothing like an HMO plan.

“All the while, no promotion. The 25 per cent salary increase only came in January after BUA raised its staff salaries by 50 per cent for the third time, even though inflation has gone up by almost 300 per cent since I joined,” the staff told FIJ.

The engineer claimed that expatriate workers, some with little experience, were treated better than Nigerian staff. “We are the ones who train them when they arrive, but after a while they are made our bosses,” he said.

“They say we have HMO, but in reality, we don’t. The clinic drugs are poor quality, imported and ineffective, so most of us still buy medicines with our small salaries. They tell the world they provide good healthcare, but it’s not true.

“We also don’t get real allowances. There’s a section in our salary slip called ‘others’. Before, it was just N1,000. After the increment, it became N54,000. But everything we need — like PPE or allowances — comes from ‘others’. That’s not sustainable.”

He said that workers in the refinery work long hours with inadequate compensation. He told FIJ that while workers work for 12 hours daily, they are supposed to be paid an overtime of four hours, but the refinery paid them for three hours instead.

“We work 12 to 13 hours with no breaks, but they deduct one hour from our overtime pay as if we took a break. Out of four hours’ overtime, we are only paid for three,” he explained.

According to this Dangote staff member, engineers earn about N400,000 monthly, including overtime. After taxes and deductions, take-home pay can fall below N200,000.

“We are even taxed on allowances like birthdays or overtime. Out of N500,000, you could be taxed as much as N164,000,” he said.

Another issue raised by the staff was the safety conditions at work. This Dangote employee said there were no personal protective equipment and proper health facilities. He added that some of his colleagues bought medications with their own money.

“For years, hazard allowance was just N1,000. Later they added N54,000 to our salary and called it ‘others’. When we asked, they said every allowance we feel entitled to is inside that N54,000,” he said.


WHY WORKERS JOINED PENGASSAN

The Dangote employee FIJ spoke to said that many senior staff avoided union activity because they had signed agreements not to join any union before they got employed. But following an MoU that lifted such restrictions, PENGASSAN approached them again.

During PENGASSAN’s first visit, some staff members in the refinery explained that they did not have much to remit to a union from time to time but PENGASSAN told them that they were not working in line with international standards.

“They told us oil and gas workers have international standards of pay and that by joining, we could push for similar benefits,” the engineer explained. “The first day they asked us to join, about 900 signed. Within two hours, 1,000 people had signed. The management was shocked.”

The situation, according to the engineer, escalated after the circulation of reports that while Nigerian workers received modest increases, Indian expatriates’ salaries were doubled from $13,000 to $26,000 per month.

“That was the genesis of the matter. Shortly after, workers were taken home at the end of a shift and informed the next day that they had all been sacked,” the engineer told FIJ.

by Rahmotullah Lawal


Yemi Kale, former statistician-general of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), says approximately 89 million people, or 40 percent of Nigeria’s population, live below the poverty line.

Kale, currently the group chief economist and managing director of research and trade intelligence at Afreximbank, spoke at The Platform Nigeria’s Independence Day event, themed ‘Rebuilding Our Nation’.

The economist said Nigeria is the country with the second-highest number of poor people globally after India.

“To grasp the magnitude of this number, we can consider that fewer than 20 of the world’s 195 recognised countries even have a population larger than just Nigeria’s estimated number of poor,” he said.

“And these dynamics are compounding. Together, these trends threaten the very promise of independence that every Nigerian should have the opportunity to thrive at home.

“So what went wrong? Well, there are many reasons, but a large part of it lies in policy missteps and costly delays in implementing needed reforms.

“Key adjustments, some finally underway, should have begun over a decade ago, when warning signs were already evident.

“Acting sooner would have significantly softened the impact on households and businesses, sparing the economy years of compounding fiscal and inflationary pressures.

“Instead, distortive monetary and exchange rate policies lingered, eroding investor confidence and choking off investment.”


‘RECENT REFORMS PAINFUL BUT NO CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE’

Kale said the series of reforms recently introduced are challenging and painful, but are absolutely necessary, noting that, “there is really no credible alternative”.

The former NBS boss said consistent and integrity-driven execution of the reforms will turn Nigeria’s potential into real, broadly shared prosperity, impacting daily lives beyond statistics and speeches.

“The challenge, however, is to ensure that the path of reform is as painless, humane, and well-sequenced as possible,” he said.

”But too often in Nigeria this has been overlooked or maybe poorly implemented, resulting in what I think are avoidable hardships.”

Kale added that the government’s role isn’t to avoid these reforms, which he said are inevitable.

Rather, the Afreximbank managing director said the government’s role is to sustain the policies while urgently strengthening social protections, ensuring the transformation journey is both economically sound and socially just.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has asked Nigerians to stand against the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the industrial action against the company.

In a statement on Monday, the refinery described the TUC as “zombie-like” for declaring full solidarity with PENGASSAN and threatening a nationwide strike “without making any effort to verify the claims on which the action was based”.

“We are told that he who hears only from one side and passes judgment without hearing the other side is a fool. Unfortunately, the Trade Union Congress has placed itself in that position,” the statement reads.

“Without hearing from Dangote Refinery, the congress has passed a guilty verdict on the refinery’s management and now parrots the PENGASSAN line, zombie-like, calling ‘for a national industrial action if Dangote management fails to comply with’ its demands.”

Dangote refinery alleged that both unions are motivated by the desire to secure check-off dues.

The company cited remarks by Festus Osifo, PENGASSAN president, who said during a recent interview that the union wrote to Dangote refinery to remit dues barely a day after workers allegedly unionised.


‘TUC, PENGASSAN CARE MORE ABOUT UNIONS’ DUES’

Dangote refinery dismissed PENGASSAN and TUC as “twins from the same womb,” insisting that their real agenda is not the protection of workers but the preservation of their financial interests.

“The monthly check-off dues and other subscriptions and scams that feed their lifestyles are the primary concern and interests of these oligarchs. At least, one of them, Festus Osifo, President of PENGASSAN admitted that much on national television very recently,” the company said.

“On account of these monthly check-off dues, PENGASSAN and its collaborators and co-conspirators – one of whom revealed itself as Trade Union Congress – are ready to plunge Nigeria and Nigerians into utter darkness and anarchy.”

The refinery accused PENGASSAN, TUC and their allies — including the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) — of failing to account for workers’ contributions while allegedly funding “lavish and opulent lifestyles”.

“We only see the proof of these check-off dues’ payments in their lavish and opulent lifestyles. It is time Nigerians stood up against these enemies of progress,” the statement added.

Dangote refinery urged the federal government to resist what it called attempts by labour leaders to return the country to “the dark ages” of energy insecurity and industrial sabotage.

“Dangote Refinery is a national asset that requires our collective protection and prayers. To paraphrase the TUC Press Release, TUC and its cohorts, ‘regardless of size or wealth’ must not ‘be allowed to trample on the dignity and rights of’ 230 million Nigerians,” the company said.

The refiner also challenged the unions to publish their financial records, saying that the workers on whose behalf they claim to act have a right to know how their monthly check-off dues are being managed.

On September 29, TUC called on the management of Dangote refinery to reverse the employment termination of “over 800 Nigerian employees”.

The directive comes amid a dispute between the refinery and PENGASSAN over mass dismissal of employees.

PENGASSAN, on September 26, instructed its members to embark on a nationwide strike over the dismissal.

by Malik Abdulganiy


https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mahmood-yakubu-768x511.jpg Yakubu receiving a gift during a send-forth dinner in June 2025

An unpublicised send-forth dinner was held in honour of Mahmood Yakubu, professor of history and chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), at the Continental Hotel in Abuja on June 15, TheCable can report.

This was in preparation for his disengagement as the country’s top electoral chief after serving an unprecedented two terms in office.

Yakubu had also cleared his desk and was preparing to hand over to one of the senior national commissioners so that he could proceed on a three-month terminal leave in July.

However, in his search for a successor, President Bola Tinubu directed Yakubu to serve out his full term, presidential sources told TheCable.

Yakubu was appointed in October 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari and he assumed office on November 9.

He was re-appointed for another term of five years in 2020.

The tenure of an INEC chairman is a maximum of two terms.


https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mahmood-yakubu-prog.jpg Programme of the send-forth party held in June


Ahead of his disengagement, Yakubu prepared his handover notes and informed his friends and associates of his imminent exit.

A small group of his close aides and allies thereafter hosted him to a send-forth dinner held at the Continental Hotel in Abuja on June 15.

His decision to leave early, according to an associate who spoke to TheCable, was to pave the way for Tinubu to appoint a successor in good time before the activities for 2027 election heat up.

The Anambra governorship election will hold on November 8 and Yakubu’s tenure ends the following day when some of the results from the polling units will still be awaited.

“For weeks around May-June, his staff piled out heaps of suitcases containing his personal effect, including books and newspapers. He literally emptied the office,” said an INEC official who said he witnessed the movements.

But while Yakubu was prepared to leave, Tinubu urged him to “hang on” as he was still searching for a suitable replacement, sources told TheCable.

A senior INEC official told TheCable that while the president was contemplating the succession, the chairman made repeated attempts to leave without waiting for a substantive replacement.

TheCable learnt that about a month ago, Yakubu wanted to hand over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, one of the most senior national commissioners.

He was, however, advised to remain afoot to avoid complications.

A similar scenario played out in July 2015 when the tenure of Attahiru Jega, a professor of political science and Yakubu’s successor, ended.

Jega handed over to Amina Zakari, one of the senior commissioners, but Buhari nominated Yakubu as the substantive chairman months later.

Zakari would have been the first female chair of the commission but she still made history as a pioneer in an acting position.

Had Yakubu handed over to Agbamuche-Mbu, she too would have made some history.

The bid to replace the INEC chairman has been a subject of rumours and intense lobbying in the power corridors for months.

By Leadership News


Social media influencer, Ayomiposi Oluwadahunsi, popularly known as Mandy Kiss, has released a dramatic video pleading for forgiveness after the Eselu of Iselu Kingdom in Ogun State, Oba Ebenezer Akinyemi, called on Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to order her arrest following her GWR attempt to sleep with 100 men in 24 hours.

The monarch’s demand came after Mandy Kiss publicly declared her plan to engage in a “marathon sex act” with 100 men in a single day, a claim that sparked outrage nationwide and drew a swift rejection from Guinness World Records (GWR), which distanced itself from the stunt.

However, in a dramatic video shared on social media, Mandy Kiss insisted that her comments were never meant to be taken seriously as she was only ‘catching cruise’.

“I was just joking, arrest as how? What happened? How much is in my account? I don’t have money to hire a lawyer, I can’t even write a statement,” she said in Yoruba language.

The controversial influencer explained that her post was an attempt to boost engagement online and attract advertising deals

“I am just catching cruise. I only did that to get engagement on my page. I need adverts. I am just in pursuit of my survival,” she said in a mix of pidgin and Yoruba languages.

Mandy Kiss also pleaded to Nigerians not to take her claims literally, stressing that she could not physically endure such an act.

“I can’t have sex with 100 men. Please have mercy on me, Nigerians, don’t take me to prison. I was just kidding, I was just playing. I can never do that, I will just die. I can’t even have sex with three men; I will end up dying. Please don’t take me to prison,” she said, adding that her family lacked the financial means to withstand a legal battle.

LEADERSHIP reports that the viral saga began when Mandy Kiss announced her intention to attempt the 100-men sex marathon, presenting it as a Guinness World Record attempt. GWR, however, swiftly clarified that it had no record category for such acts, dismissing the claim outright.

Oba Akinyemi on Friday condemned the statement as a dangerous display of moral decadence and urged the Lagos State Government to arrest Mandy Kiss, warning that failure to act could encourage further reckless behaviour among young Nigerians.

By Damilola Aina


The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced the suspension of petrol sales in naira, a move that has unsettled marketers and raised fresh concerns about fuel pricing and foreign exchange pressure.

In an email sent to its customers at exactly 6:42 pm on Friday, the refinery disclosed that the decision would take effect from Sunday, September 28, 2025, citing the exhaustion of its crude-for-naira allocation as the reason.

The notice, signed by the Group Commercial Operations of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, was titled “Suspension of DPRP PMS Naira Sales – Effective 28th September 2025”.

The company also asked customers with ongoing naira-based transactions to formally request refunds.

It read in part, “We write to inform you that Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has been selling petroleum products in excess of our Naira-Crude allocations and, consequently, we are unable to sustain PMS sales in Naira going forward.

“Kindly note that this suspension of Naira sales for PMS will be effective from Sunday, 28th of September, 2025. We will provide further updates regarding the resumption of supply once the situation has been resolved.

“All customers with PMS transactions in Naira who would like a refund of their current payments should formally request the processing of their refund.”

The announcement comes at a time the refinery is embroiled in a bitter dispute with labour unions over the alleged mass sack of more than 800 Nigerian workers, a development that has triggered outrage and calls for government intervention.

This is not the first time the refinery has suspended local currency transactions. In March 2025, Dangote had briefly halted sales of refined products in naira, insisting that its allocations under the crude-for-naira programme were inadequate to meet growing domestic demand.

The decision then sparked concerns over the dollarisation of fuel sales in Nigeria, escalating prices at the pump to almost N1,000 per litre.

Analysts warn that the latest move could again trigger volatility in the downstream sector, with fears of a potential hike in petrol prices if transactions are shifted predominantly to dollars.

The Chief Executive Officer of Petroleumprice.ng, Jeremiah Olatide, warned that petrol prices could soar above N900 per litre, noting that the Dangote Refinery had been instrumental in keeping pump prices lower in recent months

The suspension also coincides with heightened industrial tension at the refinery. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria on Friday accused the company of anti-labour practices, following the termination of hundreds of Nigerian workers.

Union leaders have vowed to resist what they described as “an unjust and insensitive corporate decision,” threatening nationwide solidarity actions if the matter is not addressed.

With the refinery seen as critical to Nigeria’s energy security, stakeholders say the dual crises, naira sales suspension, and labour unrest could undermine government efforts to stabilise the fuel market under the current reform agenda.

by Claire Mom


Isaac Anderson, a Ghanaian pastor based in the United Kingdom (UK), saw his online prayer session take an unexpected turn on Monday when a masked thief snatched his phone mid-livestream, cutting the broadcast and stunning his virtual congregation.

Anderson was conducting the morning prayers on Hoe Street, Walthamstow, London, when the incident happened.

“Today, the 23rd of September, I declare you blessed. I declare favour upon your life, upon your business, upon your family,” Anderson prayed before he was cut off by two cyclists wearing ski masks.

The cyclists had spotted him and started trailing him before they made off with his phone, a portion of the broadcast shared on X showed.

A bus driving towards the pastor honked multiple times in what may have been a warning, but Anderson appeared engrossed in the prayers.

Only the sound of wind is later heard blowing into the device as the cyclists run off, followed by a sudden blackout and an abrupt end to the livestream.

Anderson addressed the incident in a subsequent video message filmed from a device he identified as his tablet.

“This morning, I was walking and doing a live session to declare blessings upon people’s lives. Suddenly, someone on a bike came from behind and snatched my phone, an iPhone 16 Pro Max, right out of my hand,” he said.

The pastor lamented the loss of his files and said he would trust God for a new phone.

In another video he shared, the pastor said he fell heavily and sustained injuries as he attempted to chase the phone snatcher.

In the video shot in a hospital where he is receiving treatment, he asked his congregants to pray for his quick recovery.

by Busola Aro


Nigeria’s foreign exchange (FX) reserves grew by $1.03 billion in one month.

According to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the FX reserve grew from $41 billion on August 19 to $42.03 billion on September 19.

The current figure represents the highest level since September 26, 2019.

TheCable Index analysis showed that the foreign reserves climbed by 2.51 percent in one month.

Further analysis revealed that the country’s reserve grew consistently from the beginning of the month.

On September 1, the reserves recorded $41.42 billion, with the upward trajectory continuing to $41.57 billion on September 8, $41.84 billion on September 15, and $42.03 billion on September 19.

Between September 1 and September 19, the nation’s reserve surged by $610.7 million.

The reserves increase signals CBN’s efforts in growing its firepower against shocks in the FX market.

On September 10, Olayemi Cardoso, CBN governor, said the bank is targeting a diaspora reserve of $1 billion by 2026.

Cardoso said the diaspora reserve currently stands at $600 million.

He said the CBN has prepared the framework and done everything required to enable them to meet the target by 2026.

On May 13, the apex bank in collaboration with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), launched the non-resident bank verification number (NRBVN) platform to ease access to financial services for Nigerians abroad.

by Folashade Ogunrinde


https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2025/09/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-22-at-15.27.44.jpeg?fit=514%2C340&ssl=1

Lagos State has been thrown into mourning following the deaths of four female elected officials, barely two months after they were sworn into office.

The most recent losses are Basirat Mayabikan, who died on 21 September, just 56 days after inauguration, and Oluremi Ajose, who died on 20 September, 55 days into her tenure.

Their deaths came a month after the passing of Zainab Shotayo on 18 August, 22 days after taking office, and Oluwakemi Rufai, who died on 13 August, barely 17 days after inauguration.

While the causes of death of the four lawmakers remain unclear, the frequency of the losses has left colleagues and constituents devastated. Many Lagos residents have raised concerns and called for more clarity from the authorities.


How they died, what the records say

The losses began on 13 August, when Ms Rufai, a councillor representing Ward C1 in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, died after a brief illness. Ms Rufai was the only female voice in the legislative council of her community.

Just five days later, tragedy struck again in Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA), where Ms Shotayo, councillor for Ward C3, died on 18 August. At just 30, Ms Shotayo was one of the youngest councillors in Lagos and the only woman in her council. Reports confirmed she also passed away after a brief illness.

Tragedy struck again on 20 September when Ms Ajose, Vice Chairman of Badagry West LCDA, died suddenly, though no official cause of death has been publicly disclosed.

Barely 24 hours later, on 21 September, Ms Mayabikan, councillor for Ward F in Shomolu Local Government, also died, with the circumstances not publicly confirmed.


Circumstantial or political?

Questions have continued to surface following the deaths of four female elected officials in Lagos State, all of whom died within weeks of assuming office.

The sudden losses, two of which were officially linked to brief illnesses, have unsettled many residents, who say the circumstances appear unusual.

On discussion forums such as Nairaland, several users expressed doubt over the explanation of “brief illness,” especially in the case of Ms Shotayo, the 30-year-old councillor from Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA.

Some described the sequence of events as suspicious and pressed for clearer information about what happened.

However, Lagos APC spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, dismissed suggestions that the deaths of female elected officials in the state reflect political hostility toward women.

He urged the public to resist speculation and misinformation, describing the losses as shocking and painful for the party and the state, the Punch reported.

“It was read in the news that they were indisposed. It has nothing to do with any kind of politics. This is a surprise. Wherever that is coming from demeans humanity if it is being looked at properly,” he stated.

The spokesperson said APC’s track record speaks for itself in promoting women’s participation in governance, adding that the party remains committed to gender inclusion.

“Our women folks are everywhere holding certain positions across the board in our government. There is a deliberate policy that a sizable number of seats should be allotted to women at all levels. How can anybody now insinuate that such a party will be against women?

“Our government encourages women to come on board; we are gender-friendly and sensitive. It is unfortunate if anybody is thinking in that line. It is really sad. If this is coming from certain quarters, it is inhumane.” He said.


Tributes pour in

Council chairmen directly affected by the deaths have also spoken publicly. In Ibeju-Lekki, Sesan Olowa, alongside Lekki LCDA Chairman, Rasaki Kasali, described Ms Rufai’s death as a rude shock that robbed the community of a rare voice for women in local government, the Vanguard Newspaper reported.

Somolu Local Government Chairman, Lateef Ashimi, paid tribute to Ms Mayabikan, describing her as humble, cheerful, friendly, and easy-going. He said her passing had left the entire Ward F in grief, with her family and constituents struggling to come to terms with the sudden loss.

The broader body of local government leadership has also weighed in. Mr Usman Hamzat, Chairman of Ifako-Ijaiye LG and Secretary of Conference 57 Chairmen, conveyed heartfelt condolences to the people of Badagry-West and Somolu over the deaths of Ms Ajose and Ms Mayabikan.

He described the twin tragedies as shocking, not only to the immediate communities but also to the local government administration in Lagos State.

The deaths represent a major setback for efforts at increasing women representation in government in Nigeria.

by Ayomikunle Daramola


https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/UCAP-staff--e1758569328882.jpegUCAP staff


At least six employees of United Capital lost their lives in the fire that engulfed Afriland Towers, a six-storey building housing several major institutions in Lagos, on September 16.

The blaze, which started in the inverter room located in the basement, also claimed four lives from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

On Monday, United Capital, a pan-African financial services institution, confirmed the deaths of its staff and announced plans to hold a memorial service to honour the victims with dignity and solemnity.

“Our departed colleagues were an integral part of our company and family. Their painful loss leaves an immeasurable void,” the company said in a previous statement.

“We extend our deepest and heartfelt condolences to their families, friends, and loved ones, and we continue to hold them in our thoughts and prayers, as well as providing all the support we can to them during this most difficult time.”

Below are the names of the deceased United Capital staff.


Jesutoni Shodipo

Sodipo, 21, was a graduate intern in United Capital’s compliance department.


Kehinde Adeoye

Adeoye worked in United Capital’s compliance department and died at the age of 36.


Ndidi Osaemedike-Okeke

Osaemedike-Okeke worked with United Capital’s trustees and died at the age of 41.


Olumide Oyefodunrin

Oyefodunrin was a 27-year-old trust officer at United Capital.


Opeyemi Oloyede

Oloyede worked as a compliance intern at United Capital and died at the age of 26.


Rebecca Adenuga

She was a 26-year-old executive associate with United Capital’s wealth management department.

By Seun Adeuyi


The United States has warned that corrupt Nigerian politicians and government officials risk visa restrictions as part of its broader drive to promote accountability and good governance.

In a statement posted on its official X handle on Monday, the US Mission in Nigeria said corruption will not go unpunished, regardless of rank or status.

“Fighting corruption knows no borders or limits on accountability. Even when high-profile individuals engage in corruption, they can be barred from receiving US visas,” the Mission stated.

The US has previously imposed visa bans on Nigerians accused of undermining elections and democratic processes.

Officials said such restrictions remain a key tool in advancing transparency and strengthening democratic institutions.

The Embassy also referenced recent concerns over poor fiscal priorities, noting that alleged misuse of public funds erodes trust and widens inequality.

by Jerrywright Ukwu


Kachalla Ummaru, a “notorious bandit kingpin”, has warned law enforcement against a kinetic approach to tackling insecurity.

Ummaru spoke on Saturday, during peace talks between bandit groups and community leaders, in Matazu LGA of Katsina.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, shared a clip of Ummaru saying killing bandits only makes matters worse.

“If today you kill 10 bandits, tomorrow you’ll see 20… you kill 20, another 30 will rise both in our bushes and villages,” he said.

“Truth be told, the government doesn’t care about anyone, all it’s after is how to generate money. If the government cared about the people, all these things won’t be happening.

“If our boys mistakenly abduct anyone or if security operatives apprehend one of ours, stakeholders should be involved and see that the person taken is released.

“Let’s tell ourselves the truth — if we know these talks won’t foster any peace between us, then it would be best if things remain the way they are.

“You people (residents of Matazu LGA) are also part of the problem because you are fond of complaining to security operatives and giving them information, and even when they come to where we are, they don’t kill even a bird, but you’ll hear in the news that 10 bandits have been killed and they’ll be paid.

“If these security operatives won’t be told to leave us alone then I don’t think these peace talks have any importance.”

Speaking to the divisional police officer (DPO) of Danmusa LGA, Ummaru harped on respecting terms of agreement.

“To you the DPO of Danmusa LGA, if you want these our peace talks to yield anything tangible, then every favour we seek should be considered and done for us and from your end,” he added.

“Anything you request from us (bandits) we see to it that it is done. This is just the truth of the matter.

“It would be shameful if you come to us for something and we don’t do it for you and the same thing goes for you… it would be shameful if we come to you for something and you don’t do it for us.

“Let us help one another and live in peace and I pray all that we have discussed is something that will be of benefit to us all.”

The meeting was convened to foster peace and reconciliation in the state.

It follows renewed efforts by stakeholders to end banditry in Katsina and neighbouring states.

Community elders at the dialogue urged the bandits and security agencies to commit to genuine peace for the safety of residents.

On Wednesday, the bandits released 28 abductees in Faskari LGA of Katsina following a peace deal.

The action was part of reconciliation efforts spearheaded by local authorities to reduce violent attacks in the area.

By Daniel Ojukwu


Dayo Olusegun, a Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, has shared an infographic claiming some testifiers received N25,000 as part of the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer Programme.

On Friday, Olusegun’s X post showed at least 11 Facebook users who claimed they had received or knew people who had received at least one payment, with others receiving as many as three.

This claim follows the report that the federal government had paid N330 billion to 8.1 million households.


https://fij.ng/article/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-12.35.22-768x1024.jpeg
Post shared by Dayo Olusegun


FIJ checked the Facebook pages of those who claimed they received the money.

One of these pages belonged to Sandra Jonah, a graduate of public administration from Benue State University, Makurdi.

Sandra’s comment read: “You have to register oo. I registered since last month and my name came out. 75k. Some 25k but they will receive 3 times.”

Her claim suggests that one can register and receive payments from the government under the scheme, but the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), responsible for keeping the National Social Register (NSR) and keeping the data of the poorest Nigerians for the scheme, says this is not the procedure.

According to NASSCO, “Each state begins by identifying its poorest Local Government Areas (LGAs), based on poverty data and local consensus. This ensures the NSR begins where the need is greatest.

“Within these LGAs, communities are engaged directly to identify the most deprived areas and households. The process is participatory, inclusive, and locally led. Specially trained Community-Based Targeting Teams (CBTTs), working with community leaders and members, guide the selection of poor and vulnerable households using agreed criteria.

“A scientific algorithm uses collected household data to rank households based on poverty indicators. Those within the bottom six deciles are eligible for inclusion in the National Beneficiary Register (NBR), used for programs like cash transfers.”

Going by this, it would have been impossible to individually register for the NSR or NBR. It also would have been impossible for her name to “come out” as NASSCO does not publish the list but gives access if an official request is made to it through the Data Access Request Form.

FIJ texted Jonah on Facebook, but she had not responded at press time.

Ikemefuna Nwamaka, another testifier who claimed she received N25,000, told FIJ she went to her LGA to register but “forgot about it until my friend said she received it, so I checked and got paid, too”.

Nwamaka did not disclose the state or LGA she registered in, but she insists she got paid.

Both Nwamaka’s and Jonah’s descriptions of their registration processes run contrary to NASSCO’s claims of a community-led documentation and verification approach. But, while they insist it happened, at least one person claimed they lied.

When FIJ called Uzoma Solar, one Facebook user who said he got paid four times, he said, “It was just cruise. Someone said the government was paying, so I just said I received it, too. It was cruise, I did not receive a penny.”

FIJ was unable to contact other beneficiaries, but checks on the pages of Gift Chika Ogbonna and Emeka Abbas, two of those who said they directly benefited, revealed they might not fall within the poorest 30% of their LGAs to meet the geographic targeting approach of the NSR.

FIJ sent them messages but received no response.

Nigerians have, however, began to demanded that the government disclose those it gave the conditional cash.

By : Seyifunmi Abdulazeez


Independent fuel marketers in Nigeria have begun receiving free fuel deliveries from Dangote Refinery, following the deployment of compressed natural gas-powered trucks aimed at easing distribution costs and stabilising pump prices.

The president of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Abubakar Shettima, confirmed on Friday that marketers in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and other South-Western states had started taking delivery of petroleum products from the refinery without transport charges.

“Dangote has started the free delivery. Already, the trucks have begun moving and discharging products in most parts of the Western Zone. My members are very pleased with the development,” Shettima said.

Earlier in the week, the refinery rolled out over 1,000 trucks, part of a larger fleet of 4,000 CNG-powered vehicles ordered from China. The scheme, originally scheduled to commence on August 15, had been delayed by shipping bottlenecks. The remaining trucks are expected to arrive in Nigeria before October.

Shettima stressed that only registered marketers would benefit from the logistics-free supply, though registration remains open through an online portal. “If you don’t register, your name will not appear on the system. But registration is straightforward and can be done anytime,” he explained.

The initiative is already having an impact on fuel prices. According to the IPMAN president, pump prices are expected to fall from 865 naira per litre to around 841 naira once supplies spread across different regions. “Prices have started coming down already. Wherever the refinery discharges, independent marketers reduce their pump prices accordingly,” he said.

Some filling stations, including those operated by MRS, have reportedly lowered their prices in line with the deliveries.

The refinery’s direct distribution approach is designed to bypass middlemen, cut logistics costs for marketers, and bring relief to motorists facing high fuel prices since subsidy removal in 2023.

By Seun Adeuyi


Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says President Bola Tinubu deliberately chose to lift the six-month emergency rule imposed on Rivers state in the overall interest of the state.

President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State at the peak of the rift between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and loyalists of his estranged political godfather, Wike, the immediate past governor of the state.

Tinubu had suspended Fubara, Ngozi Odu, the Deputy Governor and members of the Rivers House of Assembly for six months.

He had appointed former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ibot Ekwe Ibas as Sole Administrator of the State, a move which was heavily criticised

On Wednesday, the President announced an end to the emergency rule, saying feelers from the state showed that there was no need for it to last a day longer.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday night, Wike explained that there were steps the government could have taken to prolong the emergency rule.

“I was watching on television today, there are people who are natural crisis builders, who think they can only benefit when there is a crisis,” he said.

“If we didn’t want the state of emergency to be lifted, we would have done one or two things to make sure it continued. But we did it for the interest of the state.”