A collaboration to fast-track digital transformation and job creation in Nigeria’s North Central region, with the launch, by the governments of Niger and Nasarawa States, of NINATECH – the Smart Skills Development Programme. The initiative aims to train 10,000 beneficiaries in advanced technology skills by 2027, preparing them to thrive in an increasingly digital global economy. According to the organisers, NINATECH will provide intensive training in four strategic areas: Cybersecurity – to protect individuals, organisations, and infrastructure from cyber threats. Digital Forensics – applying investigative tools to analyse and present digital evidence. Digital Entrepreneurship – empowering participants to start and…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has rejected allegations by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that it is being used to intimidate opposition politicians, insisting its operations remain impartial and non-partisan. EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, in a statement on Monday, said the Commission investigates both former and serving governors and ministers, regardless of political affiliation. “If I am not condemned for investigating both former and serving strong ruling party governors and ministers, I should not be condemned for also investigating opposition figures,” Olukoyede said. The EFCC described the ADC’s claims as “self-serving, diversionary and idle,” stressing that every corruption…
Armed bandits have attacked a mosque in Marnona village, Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing one worshipper and abducting several others. The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday during Subh (dawn) prayers, when the assailants stormed the mosque and opened fire on the congregants. Witnesses said the sudden attack caused panic, with worshippers scattering in different directions in a desperate bid to escape. According to local sources, the gunmen shot indiscriminately, killing one person on the spot, injuring others, and whisking away an undisclosed number of worshippers to an unknown location. The spokesperson for the Sokoto…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of acting as a political tool for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, following the arrest of former Sokoto State Governor and serving Senator, Aminu Tambuwal. In a statement on Tuesday, HURIWA alleged that the EFCC’s recent actions form part of a broader intimidation campaign targeting opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general elections. Tambuwal was reportedly detained over allegations of fraudulent cash withdrawals amounting to ₦189 billion during his tenure as governor. HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, claimed the arrest is a…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has explained that his decision to reverse the reappointment of Dr. Muheeba Farida Dankaka as Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) was due to the fact that her tenure was dogged by controversy. On Monday, August 11, the presidency had announced Dankaka’s reappointment for another five-year term. Barely a few hours later, however, another statement was issued withdrawing her appointment and naming former federal lawmaker Ayo Omidiran as the new FCC chair. Tinubu, through the Presidency sources, said the decision was prompted by multiple disputes and public criticisms that trailed Dankaka’s stewardship since her…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reappointed Dr. Muheeba Dankaka as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) for a second five-year term. President Tinubu also appointed Mohammed Musa as the FCC Secretary while retaining Kayode Oladele from Ogun State as a commissioner. Oladele, a former House of Representatives member, was appointed by President Tinubu in 2024. He served as the Commission’s Acting Chairman following the expiration of Dankaka’s first term. The President also renewed the appointments of Lawal Ya’u Roni, Abubakar Atiku Bunu, and Eludayo Eluyemi, representing Jigawa, Kebbi, and Osun States, respectively, for a second term. The…
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for allegedly withholding the discharge certificate of a corps member, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, more than a year after she completed her mandatory national service. In a statement posted on his official X handle, @atiku, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed outrage over the matter, warning against politicising the scheme. “What manner of impunity is this? Everything should not be subjected to politics. I hope that Ushie Rita Uguamaye’s NYSC discharge certificate is not being withheld because she had the courage to complain about the…
BUA Foods Plc, led by billionaire industrialist Abdul Samad Rabiu, has soared to the top of Nigeria’s capital market rankings, becoming the nation’s most valuable publicly listed company and the only firm on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) with a market capitalization exceeding ₦10 trillion. The food giant’s market value jumped from $4.88 billion at the start of 2025 to $6.76 billion, overtaking long-time leaders MTN Nigeria and Dangote Cement. The leap has also boosted Rabiu’s personal fortune to $7.3 billion. Market value surge Since January 2025, BUA Foods’ share price has risen by 38.5%, pushing its valuation from ₦7.46 trillion…
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has condemned the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for unlawfully withholding the discharge certificate of Lagos corps member Ushie Rita Uguamaye, calling the act an unjust retaliation against her criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies . Falana, who stressed that the NYSC’s seizure of the certificate was not supported by any court order and is therefore illegal, likened the action to a historical precedent from 1988 when the NYSC confiscated the discharge certificate of the late Bamidele Aturu—who had declined an award from a military governor—during the Ibrahim Babangida regime. He characterized the…
The Springforth Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, has called for the integration of skill acquisition, including fishing and barbing into Nigeria’s secondary school curriculum. Its founder, Mrs. Blessing Agborume, made the appeal on Sunday in Lagos, saying the move would help tackle the growing challenge of youth unemployment. Agborume stressed that equipping students with practical skills alongside academic knowledge would better prepare them for the job market. “Springforth is at the forefront of advocating for a holistic approach to education by integrating skill acquisition into the secondary school curriculum.We want students to be taught vocational skills such as fashion designing or…