Author: CSNews

Edo Turns 35: Youth Group Salutes Heritage, Demands Bigger Stake for Young People

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Benin City — The Youth Structure for Asiwaju, a recognised APC support group known as Asiwaju Boys and Girls, has congratulated the government and people of Edo State on its 35th anniversary, celebrating the state’s heritage and resilience while pressing for greater investment in young people. The goodwill message was delivered by High Chief Godfrey Omoarebu Ogbeide, Secretariat Director of YS4A, on behalf of Dr Michael Nwoko, Convener and National Coordinator of YS4A and Zonal Coordinator for Contact and Mobilisation, South South, Cityboy Movement, alongside the group’s leadership and membership. YS4A felicitated with Governor Monday Okpebholo, the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare II, traditional institutions and the people of Edo State, with Ogbeide describing Edo at 35 as an occasion to celebrate the state’s achievements while renewing commitment to education, youth empowerment and economic opportunity. He said the state’s youth remain the bridge between its heritage and its future, and must be given room to participate, contribute and prosper. Ogbeide commended Dr Nwoko’s leadership in advancing YS4A’s grassroots mobilisation efforts across Nigeria, including his role with the Cityboy Movement in building, consolidating and validating grassroots structures ahead of the 2027 general elections, work he tied to the group’s declared support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other APC candidates across the South South. YS4A urged stakeholders to work together toward an inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Edo State where young people can meaningfully shape its future, closing with a message of unity for the state’s anniversary. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Beyond Crude and Rice: Shettima Pushes Nigeria Thailand Ties Into Strategic Territory

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Nigeria and Thailand have committed to deepen relations across technology, agriculture, commerce and renewable energy, with Vice President Kashim Shettima pressing for a review of the bilateral partnership at a strategic level, moving beyond decades of trade limited largely to crude oil and rice. The commitment emerged from a meeting between Shettima and a Thai delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where Nigeria pushed to leverage Thailand’s strength in deploying intermediate technology for agriculture and related sectors. Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Shettima said Nigeria’s large market, young workforce and abundant natural resources present enormous opportunities for partnership and investment in agriculture, ICT, renewable energy and solid minerals, urging Thailand to continue doing business with Nigeria given its strategic position on the continent. Phuangketkeow, on his first trip to Africa, praised Nigeria’s ongoing transformation under the Tin ubu administration, describing the country as a strategic partner and a strong voice in the Global South. He unveiled Thailand’s proposed Thailand Africa Initiative, aimed at strengthening people to people ties and economic cooperation, with agriculture, universal health coverage and tourism among its key focus areas. The Deputy Prime Minister described Nigeria as an important gateway for deepening Thailand’s ties with West Africa, framing the bilateral relationship as central to the broader continental strategy. The meeting also drew Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, and Thailand’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Thirapath Mongkolnavin, alongside senior officials from both countries’ foreign ministries. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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FAAN Ends Bolt Standoff, Apologises to Stranded Airport Passengers

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The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has resolved its operational dispute with ride hailing service Bolt, clearing the company to resume operations immediately at FAAN managed airports following weeks of disruption for travellers. In a statement dated August 27, 2026, FAAN said the standoff stemmed from nearly a decade of efforts to address challenges around commercial and e hailing vehicles at airports, including passenger solicitation, unregulated pickups and accountability concerns, which led to the introduction of the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System, a queue management tool the Authority insists was never designed to compete with Uber, Bolt or any other mobility platform. The Authority clarified that fares highlighted in recent public discussions were not new rates imposed by FAAN or ACHRAMS, but existing airport taxi fares that the system simply made more visible, a transparency measure that inadvertently drew unfavourable comparison with the lower fares passengers had grown used to on e hailing platforms. FAAN acknowledged the significant impact the temporary interruption had on passengers and issued a direct apology for the difficulties caused, while stressing that its actions were driven by regulatory, safety and security considerations rather than economic interest. Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, said the resolution proves that airport security and integrity can be protected while preserving the convenience e hailing services offer passengers, adding that FAAN remains engaged with other e hailing operators and expects outstanding discussions to conclude soon. The Authority reaffirmed that passengers remain free to choose whichever authorised transportation option best suits their needs, with FAAN’s responsibility limited to ensuring that whichever service they choose operates within a safe, secure and accountable airport environment. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Tinubu Orders Coordinated Rescue Operation After Niger State Mass Abduction

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services and all relevant security and intelligence agencies to launch an immediate coordinated rescue operation for victims of a recent mass abduction in Niger State. In a statement issued on August 25, 2026, the President said he was outraged by the abduction and killing of innocent citizens by criminal elements in the state, describing those behind the attack as enemies of peace and enemies of humanity who will not go unpunished. Tinubu extended condolences to the families of those killed in the assault, praying for eternal rest for the deceased and fortitude for their loved ones, and assured the people of Niger State that the entire nation shares in their anguish and will not rest until the abducted are brought home safely. The President said he has directed Service Chiefs to provide him with regular briefings on the progress of the rescue operation until every victim is accounted for, vowing that terror will not cow Nigeria and that government will defend its people and protect their communities. He affirmed that the Federal Government stands firmly with the Niger State Government and will provide all necessary support toward recovery, relief and reinforced security in the affected areas. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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CDS to Veterans: Your Sacrifice Still Shapes Our Priorities

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Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede has reaffirmed the Defence Headquarters’ commitment to the welfare, dignity and continued relevance of Nigeria’s military veterans, speaking when the National President of the Retired Army, Navy and Air Force Officers Association, Major General Hussaini Abayomi Salihu, paid a courtesy visit to him in Abuja. Salihu said the delegation’s visit was meant to familiarise the association’s new executives with the CDS and strengthen engagement with Defence Headquarters, commending Oluyede for his sustained outreach to veterans across all six geopolitical zones and thanking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for recent salary improvements benefiting both serving and retired personnel. Among the association’s requests was the creation of a comprehensive database of its members, which Salihu said would help connect qualified retired officers with companies and organisations seeking their expertise. Oluyede thanked the veterans for their service and sacrifice, assuring them the ongoing salary review is comprehensive and that adjustments to serving personnel’s pay carry consequential benefits for veterans’ pensions under existing policy. He highlighted an ongoing collaboration with the Bank of Industry to give serving and retired personnel access to low interest business loans, describing it as part of broader efforts to promote economic empowerment and self-reliance among the veteran community. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Solar Panels Without Maintenance Plans: FG Launches RAMCO to Save Stranded Campus Power Projects

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The Federal Government has launched the Renewable Asset Management Company through the Rural Electrification Agency to take over maintenance of solar hybrid power installations at universities and teaching hospitals nationwide. The installations, delivered under the Energizing Education Programme, were meant to provide 24/7 electricity to selected institutions, but only three of seven solar hybrid systems from the programme’s first phase remain functional due to a lack of maintenance, even as subsequent phases have continued rolling out under the current administration. REA Managing Director Abba Aliyu raised the maintenance gap directly with the Ministry of Finance, asking who would be responsible for servicing the assets once installed, prompting the establishment of RAMCO as the custodian tasked with managing EEP installations and teaching hospital power systems going forward. Officials said the government has already spent significant funds, including borrowed capital, to install the solar hybrid systems, and that RAMCO’s mandate will include creating jobs for qualified technicians to handle battery replacement and routine maintenance across affected campuses. The move follows site visits to several university projects where equipment sat without upkeep, exposing students, lecturers and medical staff to the risk of losing power access the programme was designed to guarantee. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Tinubu to NLNG: Stop Burning Money, Bring the Gas Home

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the management of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas to maximise the benefits Nigeria derives from its gas reserves rather than allowing them to be flared, speaking when he received the NLNG Board led by Managing Director Adeleye Falade at the State House. Tinubu pressed the team to focus on domestic utilisation, converting the environmental liability of gas flaring into strategic and economic benefit for Nigerian consumers, while commending the company for growing its capacity and delivering strong returns on investment. Falade told the President that NLNG has generated over $150 billion since inception, with shareholders including Nigeria, which holds a 49 per cent stake, receiving about $47 billion in dividends. He said the company had been operating at roughly 60 per cent capacity due to constraints in domestic crude production, using only four of six trains, but improved oil output has pushed capacity to five trains, with all LPG production now concentrated on the domestic market. Falade said NLNG is keen to inaugurate Train Seven, which would boost capacity by 35 per cent, and noted that shareholders have praised the stability of Nigeria’s fiscal environment for attracting fresh investment. He also informed the President that construction of the Bonny Bodo Road and Bridge project, financed by NLNG, has been completed and awaits official commissioning. Tinubu assured the team he would do whatever is within his power to incentivise the company to expand its potential for the benefit of Nigerians, stressing that oil and gas assets mean nothing unless they are brought up to service the economy and the ordinary citizen. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Riyadh Envoy Visits Defence HQ as Nigeria, Saudi Arabia Widen Military Ties

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The Defence Headquarters has received the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Nigeria, Yousef bin Mohammed Al Balawi, on a courtesy visit aimed at deepening bilateral defence cooperation between the two countries. Chief of Defence Staff General OO Oluyede welcomed the Ambassador, stressing the importance Nigeria attaches to its relationship with Saudi Arabia and the need to expand existing channels of cooperation that would strengthen the professional capacity of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Al Balawi described Nigeria as an important partner in Africa and reiterated the Kingdom’s readiness to support closer engagement, particularly in defence and security, with both sides agreeing that stronger institutional links between their armed forces would help address shared security challenges. Oluyede thanked the Ambassador for the Kingdom’s continued goodwill toward Nigeria and expressed optimism that the discussions would translate into concrete areas of cooperation going forward. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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From Handouts to Hope: FG Unveils $1 Billion Plan to Break the Cycle of Poverty

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The Federal Ministry of has unveiled the $1 billion Household Prosperity and Economic Social Protection Project, themed From Palliatives to Pathways, alongside reforms aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s social protection and humanitarian response systems. First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, unveiling the initiative at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja, commended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Dr Bernard M Doro for shifting humanitarian interventions from temporary assistance toward sustainable pathways to recovery, empowerment and self-reliance, noting the initiative aims to improve targeting of vulnerable households and strengthen coordination across programmes. Dr Doro said the launch marks a strategic pivot from palliatives to pathways, placing vulnerable households rather than individual programmes at the centre of government intervention, addressing years of fragmentation and duplicate registries through a unified national architecture linking identification, needs assessment, protection and poverty graduation. Central to the reform is the One Humanitarian, One Poverty Response System, which will bring humanitarian response, social protection and poverty reduction under a single coordinated framework supported by unified registries, digital delivery and real time intelligence. Other initiatives unveiled include an Emergency Shock Responsive Cash Transfer scheme and a Humanitarian First Magazine documenting the impact of interventions on beneficiaries. Permanent Secretary Olubunmi Olusanya said the true measure of success would be the tangible difference made in the lives of vulnerable Nigerians, with goodwill messages delivered by Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on behalf of other governors, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Abubakar Bagudu, and representatives of the European Union and World Bank. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Ahor’s Health Rescue: Kifayat Global Energy Opens Its Doors With Free Screening for Benin City Community

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For two days in September, the quiet streets of Ahor KARA are set to buzz with something rarer than fuel deliveries or oilfield trucks, free access to the kind of medical care many residents have long postponed. Kifayat Global Energy Limited is hosting a two day free medical outreach in Benin City, offering health education and screening to the community that has hosted its operations, a gesture the company frames as proof that caring for people goes beyond business. The outreach runs from 9am to 10am prompt on September 9 and 10, 2026, at Ahor KARA, along Lagos Road Bypass, by Ahor Police Station, Benin City, Edo State. For Ahor, a community whose name rarely makes headlines beyond local directions and road signs, the outreach offers a tangible stake in a company operating in its backyard. Residents stand to gain free routine checks that many would otherwise skip due to cost or distance, from blood sugar screening to broader health assessments, alongside practical guidance on healthier daily habits. For a community wedged along a busy commercial corridor, where energy operations and everyday life sit side by side, the initiative signals that its wellbeing is being factored into the equation, not left behind by it. Kifayat Global Energy described the gesture as a commitment to healthier families and stronger communities, going beyond a one off outreach to plant the idea that good health starts with a simple decision, showing up. The company said its presence in Ahor comes with a responsibility to the people living around it, not just the infrastructure it operates. Beyond the immediate health checks, the outreach carries a quieter message for Ahor and its neighbours, that a name once known mainly for a road bypass and a police station could increasingly be associated with access, care and a company willing to show up for its host community.

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