Author: Atoyebi Adenike
By Atoyebi Nike The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of election monitoring, AIG Taiwo Adeleke, has arrived in Yola ahead of Saturday’s by-election in the Ganye State Constituency of Adamawa State. Adeleke cautioned officers and men of the police against engaging in brutality during and after the exercise, directing them to maintain professionalism in the discharge of their duties. In a statement on Thursday, the spokesman for the Adamawa Police Command, SP Suleiman Nguroji, said the directive followed an order by the Inspector-General of Police to ensure a peaceful and credible poll. He disclosed that Adeleke, accompanied by CP…
By Atoyebi Nike The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has introduced 16 technology companies certified to support taxpayers in adopting its e-invoicing platform ahead of the new November 1, 2025 deadline. The companies approved by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) have been confirmed to possess the technical capacity to deliver the required services. They were unveiled by Mike Adoga, Acting Director of Tax Automation at FIRS, during a two-day workshop on the e-invoicing solution in Lagos. The FIRS extended the original onboarding and transmission deadline by three months to encourage voluntary compliance, warning taxpayers against using the extension…
By Atoyebi Nike The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has cautioned Nigerians about counterfeit versions of Cowbell “Our Milk” discovered in circulation. The agency disclosed that the imitation products mimic the original brand’s packaging, trademark, and NAFDAC registration number but are not produced by Promasidor Nigeria, the official manufacturer. According to NAFDAC, the company last produced the milk in September 2023, yet fake versions bearing an April 2025 production date have surfaced in Nasarawa and Kano States. The counterfeit sachets, weighing 12g, reportedly contain substances that do not appear to be milk. The packaging uses outdated…
By Atoyebi Nike The Federal Government has unveiled an ambitious national skills programme designed to connect 20 million young Nigerians to jobs, training, and entrepreneurship opportunities by 2030, with a commitment that at least 60 per cent of the beneficiaries will be women. Vice President Kashim Shettima will chair the reactivated Board of Generation Unlimited (GenU) Nigeria, which will oversee the initiative. Speaking at the board’s inaugural meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, coinciding with International Youth Day 2025, Shettima described Nigeria’s youthful population as its greatest asset in a rapidly aging global landscape. He warned, however, that the country’s skills…
By Atoyebi Nike The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has renewed its call for Nigerians to treat the naira with respect, describing it as one of the most secure currencies in the world against counterfeiting. The message was delivered during the CBN Fair held in Lagos, where stakeholders gathered to explore alternative payment channels and deepen financial inclusion. Paul Onuoha of the CBN’s Currency Operations Department led an interactive session, showing participants how to identify counterfeit notes and understand the security features embedded in the naira. He stressed that Nigeria’s currency ranks among the strongest globally in terms of security…
By Atoyebi Nike President Bola Tinubu has directed a comprehensive review of deductions and revenue retention practices by major federal revenue-generating agencies to improve public savings, enhance spending efficiency, and unlock resources for economic growth. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed the directive while briefing State House correspondents after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja. Agencies targeted for review include the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited. According to…
By Atoyebi Nike The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser, has launched an agribusiness initiative, Seeds for Hope, to empower former combatants and vulnerable communities in terrorism-affected areas. The programme, introduced in Abuja in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), provides farmland, training, mentorship, and market access to beneficiaries, including those from the federal government’s Disarmament, Deradicalization, and Reintegration programme. NCTC Coordinator Adamu Laka said the project reflects a shift towards non-kinetic counter-terrorism, stressing that economic opportunities are vital to preventing extremist relapse. He noted that agriculture offers greater poverty…
By Atoyebi Nike Africa’s major dams, once symbols of progress and vital for irrigation, are facing rapid decline, threatening the food security and livelihoods of millions, experts have warned. According to the International Water Research Institute (IWRI) at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), aging infrastructure, severe siltation, and worsening climate impacts are undermining agricultural productivity. Assistant Professors El Mahdi El Khalki and Nabil El Mocayd said Africa’s fertile lands are being compromised by poor water management and unpredictable weather, including prolonged droughts and extreme floods in countries such as Nigeria and Morocco. “These challenges, caused by spatiotemporal climate variability and…
By Atoyebi Nike The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State is set to officially commence its campaign for the August 30 local government elections. The flag-off event is taking place at the Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, attracting a large turnout of party members, leaders, and supporters. The atmosphere at the venue is charged with political energy, as attendees wave party flags and display APC insignia in anticipation of the rally’s main activities. Chief Tony Okocha, Chairman of the party in Rivers State, arrived early alongside members of the state executive committee, receiving a loud…
By Atoyebi Nike The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has issued a three-day weather outlook warning of widespread thunderstorms, moderate to heavy rains, and a high risk of flooding in parts of the country from Thursday, August 14, to Saturday, August 16, 2025. The forecast, released by NiMet’s Central Forecast Office on Wednesday, highlights states in the northern, central, and southern regions expected to be most affected, with authorities urged to activate emergency response systems in flood-prone areas. On Thursday, August 14, morning thunderstorms with moderate rains are expected over Borno, Kebbi, Gombe, Bauchi, Yobe, Jigawa, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto,…