Category: Top News

FG Moves To Decriminalise Attempted Suicide, Says Care Should Replace Punishment

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Federal Government has taken a major step toward decriminalising attempted suicide in Nigeria, following approval by the Federal Executive Council of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s position on the matter. The Minister of State for Health, Iziaq Salako, disclosed this during the commemoration of the 2026 World Suicide Prevention Day in Abuja, held under the theme Changing The Narrative On Suicide. Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, the Minister said the matter would now proceed to the National Assembly for the necessary legislative process, expressing optimism that it would be concluded without delay. He described the decriminalisation as both a legal and public health imperative, stressing that a person experiencing a mental health crisis should receive care and support rather than punishment, arguing that removing the fear of criminal sanctions can help reduce stigma and encourage help seeking. The Minister emphasised that legislation alone would not prevent suicide, noting that the government would continue strengthening mental health services, promoting early intervention and fostering open conversations around mental health. Officials highlighted the National Mental Health Act 2021, the National Mental Health Policy 2023 and the National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework as key instruments guiding the national response, alongside extensive stakeholder consultations led by a national task force on the reform. Partners and stakeholders at the event welcomed the government’s decision, reaffirming their continued support for Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen mental health services and advance the legislative process toward decriminalisation.

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NNPC Retail Unveils Its First Fully Self Service Smart Station In Abuja

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed NNPC Retail has commissioned its first technology powered self service smart station along Bill Clinton Drive, Airport Road, Abuja, marking a key milestone in the evolution of the company’s retail operations. Executive Vice President, Downstream, NNPC Ltd, Dr Mumuni Dagazau, described the facility as a reflection of NNPC Retail’s commitment to innovation, convenience and improved customer experience, commending the Nigeria Immigration Service for providing the land that made the project possible. Managing Director, NNPC Retail, Huub Stokman, said the facility demonstrates the changes taking place in Nigeria’s downstream industry and the company’s commitment to meeting consumer expectations for quality and reliable service. The 24 hour facility offers self service fuel dispensing, enabling customers to independently complete transactions and dispense the exact quantity of fuel required without staff assistance. It also features electric vehicle charging points, an automated car wash, a lubricant service bay and LPG dispensing, with plans to expand its energy solutions to include CNG in the near future. The commissioning marks a new chapter in NNPC Retail’s drive to transform conventional filling stations into smart energy, mobility and lifestyle destinations across Nigeria.

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Power Minister Leads Delegation To Beijing To Turn Nigeria China Ties Into Real Power Projects

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, led a Nigerian delegation to Beijing for strategic engagements with leading Chinese engineering, financing and industrial institutions, advancing efforts to translate Nigeria China cooperation into bankable projects and completed power infrastructure. Engagements with CMEC, Sinomach Group, SINOSURE, Standard Chartered Bank and CNEEC focused on expanding transmission capacity, strengthening grid reliability, developing generation and hydropower projects, and unlocking financing for critical electricity infrastructure. The delegation also witnessed the factory acceptance test of transmission cables at Hengfei Cable’s Changsha Industrial Park, reinforcing the focus on quality, delivery and execution across priority power projects. Beyond electricity, the Minister invited Chinese investors to explore opportunit ies in steel, automotive manufacturing, digital infrastructure and data centres, cold chain logistics and sugar processing, as Nigeria builds a structured industrial cooperation platform. Officials say the engagement reflects Nigeria’s broader push to align its industrialisation priorities with strategic international partnerships capable of delivering measurable economic impact. The message from the visit is clear, Nigeria is seeking partnerships that deliver investment, infrastructure, industrial capacity and jobs, moving from agreements to execution.

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Kifayat Global Energy Takes Free Healthcare To Ahor, 102 Residents Screened In Two Day Outreach

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Ahor community in the Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State came alive this week as no fewer than 102 residents benefited from a two day free medical outreach organised by Kifayat Global Energy Limited, with a nearby police division and members of the host community among the direct beneficiaries of the initiative. Held on Wednesday and Thursday, the outreach provided medical screening and health education to residents, with the beneficiary list cutting across business owners, commercial motorcyclists, drivers, officers from the local police division and other members of the Ahor community. According to the company’s auditor, Busuyi Olowoniyi, who represented the Director of Kifayat Global Energy, Ismael Kola, the programme was designed to encourage residents to pay closer attention to their health, with the pilot edition originally targeting 100 residents before ultimately reaching 102. For Olowoniyi, the inclusion of the nearby police division and community members reflected the company’s intention to serve everyone within its immediate operating environment, not just those who do business with it directly, describing the outreach as a way of giving back to a community that has hosted the company for seven years. Looking ahead, he said the plan is to make the medical outreach an annual programme, allowing residents to benefit continuously while reinforcing that the company’s presence in Ahor goes beyond business interests to genuine investment in the wellbeing of its host community. Seven medical personnel, comprising doctors, nurses and medical laboratory scientists, attended to residents throughout the two day exercise, according to the medical team’s leader, Nafisat Allinson. On the first day, participants received health education on high blood pressure, while the second day focused on high blood sugar, with medical tests conducted across both sessions to check for malaria parasites, blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Allinson added that drugs were administered to residents based on the outcome of their tests, while those found with more serious health concerns were referred to nearby medical facilities for further attention and follow up care. By the close of the exercise, the organisers expressed satisfaction with the turnout, particularly the strong participation from the police division and other community stakeholders, and disclosed that eye tests would be added to the programme in its next edition as the initiative continues to expand.

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FCT Police Nab 10 Suspected Vandals Targeting Cables And Solar Streetlights In Abuja

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested 10 suspected vandals in separate operations across Kubwa, Wuye and the National Mosque area of Abuja, in a coordinated crackdown on infrastructure vandalism. According to a statement by SP Josephine Adeh, Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT Command, a patrol team from Kubwa Division sighted five persons allegedly vandalising armoured cables around Bazango Kubwa on September 2, leading to their arrest and identification. In a separate operation, a patrol team from Wuye Division arrested one suspect while allegedly digging out armoured cables along the road between Magic Land and the National Stadium in Abuja. A surveillance team from Wuse Division also arrested four other suspects around the National Mosque area after they allegedly cut down a solar powered street light in an attempt to vandalise it and remove its components. The command said investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend other members of the suspected vandalism syndicates, including those allegedly involved in receiving stolen public infrastructure. All suspects remain in police custody and will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations, the command said in its statement. Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, commended the police teams for their vigilance and timely intervention in protecting public infrastructure across the territory.

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Twenty Five Family Members Of Terrorists Flee Enclaves As Pressure Mounts In Borno

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Twenty five family members of terrorists, made up of seven women and 18 children, have reportedly surrendered after fleeing terrorist enclaves in Borno State, as the Nigerian military continues to intensify operations against terrorist groups across the North East. Some of the individuals are said to have escaped amid clashes between rival terrorist factions, adding a new dimension to the growing pressure being felt within these groups. Security analysts say the development goes beyond fighters simply leaving the battlefield, noting that when families connected to terrorist groups begin fleeing enclave territories, it reflects just how difficult life inside those areas is becoming under sustained military pressure. The terrorist groups are said to be facing pressure from security forces on the outside, while internal divisions and clashes create additional strain within their own ranks, disrupting their movements and restricting their freedom of action. Authorities say the 25 individuals are currently in military custody for profiling, investigation and other necessary procedures before further steps are determined. The development is being viewed as a small but notable sign of the cumulative effect of sustained counter terrorism operations in the region. Security officials say the trend of families fleeing enclaves will continue to be monitored closely as operations against terrorist groups in the North East continue.

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Fintiri Suspends Adamawa Schools Board Boss Over Alleged Irregularities

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has approved the immediate suspension of the Executive Secretary of the state’s Post Primary Schools Management Board, Mr Birsan Penuel, over alleged irregularities in the discharge of his official responsibilities. The suspension is intended to allow for a thorough investigation into the matter, with the most senior Director in the Board directed to take over its affairs in the interim and ensure the uninterrupted continuation of its activities. The Governor said his administration remains committed to sanitising and repositioning the education sector for improved service delivery, citing measures over the past seven years including the recruitment of qualified teachers and rehabilitation of classrooms. Fintiri said these steps had helped reverse negative trends that once plagued the sector, reiterating his determination to build a functional, effective and credible post primary education system in the state. He said he would not hesitate to take necessary steps, no matter how tough, to protect the integrity of the system and ensure children receive the quality education they deserve. The government warned all political appointees and public officers to uphold due process, transparency and accountability in the discharge of their responsibilities, stressing that any act undermining progress made in the education sector would be dealt with decisively. The suspension signals a firm stance from the administration as it continues efforts to strengthen accountability within the state’s education management structures.

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Benue Approves $250 Million National Food City Complex In Historic First For The State

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Benue State Executive Council, chaired by Governor Rev Fr Dr Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has approved the National Food City Complex project, spanning 30,000 hectares of land across Otukpo, Obi and Ado local government areas, as the state’s equity contribution to a more than $250 million agro industrial partnership. The project is a large scale public private partnership between the Benue State Government and Rexzodeneh Group Limited, backed by a technical partnership with M.K International Inc of South Korea, designed to transform the Otukpo area into an integrated agro industrial hub and Nigeria’s flagship response to the national emergency on food security. It marks the first formal public private partnership agreement in Benue State’s 50 year history, a landmark shift from subsistence farming toward mechanised, value added agricultural production, following a Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2025 and a formal agreement signed the following month after a due diligence process led by the Benue Investment Promotion Agency. The project runs on a 25 year Design Build Operate Transfer concession, under which the state provides land and critical infrastructure while Rexzodeneh Group finances, builds and operates the complex, with full ownership transferring to the state at the end of the concession period free of encumbrances. At full scale, the project is expected to create more than 20,000 direct and permanent jobs, integrate over 40,000 smallholder farmers, generate 20 to 25 megawatts of hybrid power and establish five processing lines covering rice, maize, cassava, soybean and poultry feed production. Officials say the state holds a protected 10 percent equity stake at zero cash outlay, covered entirely by land and infrastructure contribution, with a 70 percent local hiring rule designed to maximise employment benefits for Benue residents. The Alia led administration says the project reflects its broader commitment to restoring Benue’s status as the food basket of the nation, with ambitions of positioning the state as a leading agricultural hub across Africa.

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Nigeria’s Data Protection Chief Meets EUROJUST And EUROPOL Over Cross Border Cooperation

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The National Commissioner and Chief Executive of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Dr Vincent Olatunji, received a delegation from the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, led by its Vice President José de la Mata Amaya, alongside representatives of EUROPOL. Amaya commended the Commission for the remarkable progress it has made within its few years of existence, while outlining EUROJUST’s role in supporting judicial cooperation and coordination in criminal matters across Europe. He gave insights into an ongoing project being implemented in partnership with EUROPOL to strengthen information exchange, evidence sharing and coordinated operations in criminal investigations, noting that the project involves the sharing of personal data between security agencies and service providers. The delegation expressed interest in Nigeria’s Data Protection Act 2023, describing it as a robust framework and indicating a desire to learn more about the Commission’s work and explore areas of collaboration. In his response, Dr Olatunji welcomed the delegation and noted that the processing of personal data by security and law enforcement agencies is sensitive and requires appropriate safeguards to protect citizens’ rights. He explained that the Commission works closely with several security and law enforcement agencies in Nigeria, providing guidance on lawful data processing and supporting investigations and capacity building initiatives involving data protection. Dr Olatunji expressed the Commission’s readiness to collaborate with EUROJUST and EUROPOL, with the meeting concluding in a technical session involving officials from all three institutions.

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Convicted Cocaine Trafficker Caught Posing As Herbal Tea Seller As NDLEA Sweeps Nine States

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a convicted cocaine trafficker who had disguised himself as a herbal tea businessman, in a sweeping series of operations that spanned nine states across the country. The suspect, 34 year old Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu, was arrested at Article Market in Ojo, Lagos, following an intelligence led operation that traced him after the interception of 1.2 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in phone chargers destined for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said Ebubechukwu had previously been arrested in 2011 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport after ingesting cocaine and heroin under a different name, and was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison before changing his identity and returning to trafficking. Alongside the arrest, NDLEA operatives intercepted a 20,000 litre fuel tanker fitted with a concealed compartment for drugs in Ondo State, recovering 165 bags of cannabis weighing over 2,145 kilogrammes after the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled into the bush. At the Lagos airport, the agency recovered 966,200 tablets of Tramadol valued at more than ₦1.1 billion hidden among second hand trousers, while at Tincan Port, 598.08 kilogrammes of cannabis infused cookies and gummies were seized in a 40 foot container. Further operations across Adamawa, Kogi, Taraba, Kaduna, Bauchi, Ekiti and Enugu states led to the recovery of large quantities of tramadol, methamphetamine, cannabis and other controlled substances, along with the destruction of a four hectare cannabis farm in Ekiti State. The coordinated sweep underscores the scale of ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities to disrupt drug trafficking networks operating across the country’s land, sea and air routes.

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