The Northern Christian Youth Professionals (NCYP) has called on the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund (NNSTF) to become the financial backbone of the proposed Forest Guard Initiative and State Police, warning that the security of Northern Nigeria would remain vulnerable if any state is left with weak security capacity. The organisation made the call on Thursday while congratulating the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) on the inauguration of the Board of Trustees of the NNSTF, describing the initiative as a landmark development capable of transforming the region’s response to insecurity. In a statement signed by its Chairman, Isaac Abrak, NCYP…
Author: Abimbola Ogunaike
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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) have entered into a strategic partnership to jointly target criminal networks operating across the drug trade, copyright piracy and other forms of organised crime. The two agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja on Friday, in what officials described as a significant step towards breaking down the traditional barriers between law enforcement institutions with different mandates. The agreement is expected to facilitate intelligence sharing, coordinated operations, joint capacity building and technical cooperation between the two agencies. Speaking at the signing ceremony,…
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is at a critical crossroads, with regional leaders demanding renewed unity, institutional reforms and concrete action to restore citizens’ confidence in the integration project. The call was made at the opening of the 96th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where the regional bloc confronted the political, security and economic challenges threatening to weaken West African integration. The two-day ministerial meeting, which opened on Thursday, precedes the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. The Chairperson of the ECOWAS Council…
The United Nations has challenged young Nigerians to move beyond demands for inclusion and take concrete action to prevent conflict, build social cohesion and shape the peace they want to see in their communities. The call came as the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office in Nigeria convened a high-level youth dialogue in Abuja, bringing together young peacebuilders, civil society actors and experienced practitioners to confront one of the most urgent questions facing Nigeria: how to harness the energy, creativity and influence of young people to build a more peaceful society. The dialogue, organised by the Peace and Development Unit of…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has uncovered an alleged multi-billion-naira visa overstay racketeering network within the Nigerian Immigration Service, with at least five serving officers, including a Deputy Comptroller, grilled by investigators. The investigation, which cuts across the administrations of several former Comptrollers-General of Immigration, has reportedly uncovered about N700 million in the bank accounts of one of the suspects and several multi-billion-naira estates allegedly acquired by another suspect through proxies. The alleged racket centres on the extortion of foreigners who overstayed their visas, with investigators probing how immigration officials allegedly diverted or illegally collected huge sums from affected…
China has announced plans to offer developing countries 5,000 opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI) training and seminars over the next five years, as President Xi Jinping called for a new global system to ensure that the rapidly advancing technology does not deepen inequality between rich and poor nations. Xi made the announcement on Friday at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, where he unveiled a broad international cooperation agenda targeting AI development, capacity building and governance. The Chinese leader also announced plans to establish international AI application cooperation…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared a suspected drug kingpin, Nnamuka Uchenna, alias Odogwu, and three associates wanted over their alleged involvement in the operation of a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory, production of the illicit drug and laundering of proceeds from drug trafficking. The three other suspects are Emmanuella Iroka, Kingsley and Ekechi Chijioke, also known as Ekene Okwunaga. The declaration followed an order issued by Justice Iniekenimi Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Owerri, Imo State, after the NDLEA filed an application in Suit No. FHC/OW/CS/22/2026 on July 3, 2026. The development came after NDLEA operatives discovered…
Egypt has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its partnership with Nigeria to develop African-led solutions to the continent’s challenges and promote a fairer global order that reflects Africa’s aspirations. The Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mohammed Fouad,, made the commitment on Thursday in Abuja at a ceremony organised by the Egyptian Embassy to commemorate the 74th anniversary of Egypt’s July 23, 1952 Revolution. Fouad described the revolution as a defining moment in Egypt’s modern history, saying it restored the country’s dignity, independence and hope, while continuing to inspire its commitment to sovereignty, social justice and national development. He…
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has unveiled an ambitious clean-energy and environmental restoration initiative involving the distribution of 23,700 free cooking gas cylinders to teachers and environmental vanguards across the state’s 27 local government areas. The initiative, which includes refill vouchers for beneficiaries, is designed to reduce dependence on firewood, curb deforestation, improve household health and strengthen Borno’s environmental resilience as the state continues its post-conflict reconstruction and recovery efforts. Zulum announced the programme on Thursday in Maiduguri at the 2026 National Tree Planting Campaign and the distribution of clean cooking stoves and gas cylinders, where the first phase…
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has intensified collaboration with key government institutions as part of efforts to implement the newly enacted NIMC Act 2026 and accelerate Nigeria’s transition towards a secure, interoperable and citizen-centred digital identity ecosystem. The renewed engagements, led by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, have seen the Commission hold high-level working sessions with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Ministry of Youth Development and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. The consultations are aimed at aligning national priorities, strengthening institutional…