Author: Mujeedat
Amnesty International has warned that residents of Bille in Rivers State’s Niger Delta face a growing health emergency linked to suspected methane gas leaks. The group said the leaks have contaminated drinking water, disrupted community life and forced some schoolchildren to relocate for safety. According to the rights group, the problem began in October 2025 when fishermen noticed unusual bubbling in a mangrove swamp and nearby river, several kilometres from the town. The bubbling water reportedly gave off a strong sulphurous smell, and similar incidents were later observed in several other locations, including inside the community. Amnesty International…
The Acting Customs Area Controller of the Oyo/Osun Area Command, DC Wale Moses Adewole, has reaffirmed the Command’s dedication to more robust collaboration among security agencies after leading official visits to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigerian Correctional Service in Oyo State. The courtesy interactions were designed to foster stronger institutional relationships and enhance day‑to‑day operational synergy among the agencies as they execute their mandates. During the engagements, Adewole stressed that national security is a collective responsibility and that the battle against smuggling, border‑related crimes, and other illicit activities requires constant cooperation, trust, and the…
Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR has reiterated his commitment to a responsible, innovation‑driven approach to governance, delivering a keynote address at the 4th Biennial International Conference organised by the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences, University of Ilorin, in collaboration with the Faculty of Philology, RUDN University, Russia. The conference, themed “Disruptive Technology: Human and Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Economy,” held on 13 May 2026 at UNILORIN’s Main Auditorium, brought together academics, communication scholars, technology experts, researchers, heads of sister agencies, and policymakers to discuss the role of digital innovation and AI in governance, education, trade,…
Nigeria and Morocco are preparing to sign a landmark intergovernmental agreement to advance the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, with the deal expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. The agreement will be signed by President Bola Tinubu and Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, following the completion of preliminary technical studies for the ambitious project. The development emerged from a telephone discussion last Friday between Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and her Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita. Earlier, Amina Benkhadra, head of Morocco’s hydrocarbons and mining agency (ONHYM), confirmed to Reuters that the pact for…
Emergency teams have successfully extinguished a significant fire erupting from a Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited gas pipeline along Agege Motor Road, ensuring no damage reached surrounding homes, commercial sites, or vital facilities. Following urgent alerts via the state’s emergency hotlines, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) mobilised its rapid-response unit, reaching the Ile Zik location in Agege around 3:13 a.m. where the pipeline was fully ablaze. Responders reported zero casualties or injuries, attributing the clean outcome to their immediate action in clearing the vicinity, establishing safety barriers, and shielding local residents, drivers, and adjacent fuel depots. Fire…
France has announced a €23 billion investment initiative targeting Africa, unveiled by President Emmanuel Macron at the Africa Forward Franco-African Business Forum in Nairobi. The two-day summit brought together African heads of state and business leaders as Paris seeks to revitalise and reframe its economic ties with the continent amid past tensions with former colonies. The package comprises €14 billion from French public and private entities, spanning major corporations, mid-sized firms, and SMEs, alongside €9 billion mobilised from African investors. Funds will channel into priority areas such as energy transition, digital technology and artificial intelligence, the maritime economy, and…
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has foiled a major drug‑smuggling attempt at the Apapa seaport with the interception of a large consignment of cannabis concealed in a shipping container. In a press briefing held at the Command on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, the Director of Seaport Operations, Assistant Comptroller General (ACGN) Ibinabo Achie Abia, fsi, revealed that the seizure came just two weeks after another high‑profile interception at the same port, underscoring the persistent attempts by criminal networks to use Nigeria’s seaports to push illicit substances into the country. Acting on credible, jointly gathered intelligence between the Nigeria Customs…
Justice Maryann Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, has revoked the bail of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, and issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear in court on Monday, 11 May 2026. The judge ruled that the trial for Mamman and seven co‑accused will proceed in his absence under Section 352(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. Mamman is standing trial before Justice Anineh on a nine‑count charge involving conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, and intent to defraud, to the tune of N31,070,541,349.64. This is separate…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Shariah governance, regulatory clarity, and risk management in the non‑interest financial services sector. The Bank said this is essential to sustaining public confidence, financial stability, and the orderly growth of the Islamic and Shariah‑compliant finance sub‑sector. The commitment was restated at the 2nd Annual Interactive Session between the CBN’s Financial Regulation Advisory Council of Experts (FRACE) and the Advisory Committees of Experts (ACEs) of Non‑Interest Financial Institutions (NIFIs), held on Thursday, 7 May 2026 at the CBN Auditorium. Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Mr. Philip Ikeazor (represented…
The Comptroller‑General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, has restated the country’s dedication to the modernisation of customs administration across West and Central Africa, even as the region converges on shared goals of trade facilitation and border security. Speaking at the 32nd Conference of Directors‑General of Customs for the West and Central Africa (WCA) Region in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from 7 to 8 May 2026, Adeniyi placed Nigeria’s role in the broader context of collective advancement, stressing that regional progress is the ultimate measure of success. CGC Adeniyi, who also chairs the World Customs Organisation Council, highlighted the…