Category: Top News

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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After 20 Years, Nigeria Finally Unlocks Billions In Financing For Local Shipowners

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed More than two decades after it was established, the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund is finally being unlocked for Nigerian shipowners, marking what officials describe as a major step toward building a stronger, Nigerian owned shipping industry. Under the CVFF, each successful applicant will be able to access up to $25 million in financing to acquire vessels, subject to the applicable assessment and approval process, addressing a financing gap that has long limited the growth of local shipping companies. Officials say access to affordable, long term financing at low interest rates will allow Nigerian shipowners to acquire modern vessels, expand their fleets and compete for coastal and offshore contracts currently dominated by foreign operators. The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency has been directed to work closely with 12 approved Primary Lending Institutions to accelerate disbursement of the fund to qualified applicants, with the number of participating banks expanded from five to 12. So far, NIMASA has received 92 applications, with 20 forwarded to the Primary Lending Institutions and one already reviewed and forwarded for approval, while a new CVFF Application Portal has been launched to make the process more transparent and accessible. Officials say the disbursement could help build a stronger indigenous fleet, stimulating activity in shipyards, marine engineering, vessel maintenance and other supporting industries, while creating more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs. Beyond vessel financing, the government says it is also investing in people, with 222 seafarers receiving free professional training, 333 cadets completing academic training, 135 cadets obtaining Certificates of Competency and 7,059 Nigerian seafarers placed onboard vessels to gain sea time experience.

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Tinubu Signs NPERA Act, Splits Nigeria’s Ports Into Regulator And Operator

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, has announced major reforms to Nigeria’s port sector following President Tinubu’s assent to the NPERA Act 2026, a move set to reshape how the country’s ports are regulated and run. Under the reform, management of Inland Dry Ports has been transferred from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to the Nigerian Ports Authority, while the Shippers’ Council itself will transition into the newly created Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, known as NPERA. A Ministerial Committee has been set up to oversee the transition, with the changes designed to separate regulation from operations for the first time in the sector’s history. NPERA will now serve as the independent economic regulator, focusing on port charges, service standards, competition and dispute resolution, while the Nigerian Ports Authority handles the day to day running and integration of seaports and Inland Dry Ports. Officials say the goal is to remove overlap, avoid conflict of interest and make the system more transparent for investors and port users navigating Nigeria’s maritime space. For ordinary Nigerians, the reform is expected to translate into fairer port charges, faster cargo clearance and lower costs of goods, while also attracting fresh investment and allowing goods to be cleared closer to inland cities such as Ibadan and Kano. In simple terms, the government says it is building a port system that is faster, cheaper and more competitive, as part of a broader push to grow Nigeria’s Blue Economy.

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NELFUND Slams Fake Claim That Loan Defaulters Face Life Imprisonment

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has dismissed as fake news a circulating image claiming that President Bola Tinubu announced life imprisonment for students who fail to repay their education loans after graduation. In a post on its official X account, NELFUND shared the doctored image, which purportedly showed the front page of a newspaper dated Thursday, May 27, 2027, and urged the public to disregard the claim entirely. The fabricated headline read that all students who fail to repay their loan after graduation would go to jail for life, a claim NELFUND stamped with a large red fake overlay to counter its spread. The Fund noted it has previously issued clarifications dismissing similarly fabricated circulars, including false notices about suspended upkeep payments and claims that beneficiaries must begin repayment while still in school. NELFUND was established under the Student Loans Access to Higher Education Act, signed into law by President Tinubu and re enacted in 2024, and administers interest free loans to eligible Nigerian students in public tertiary institutions. Under the law, repayment becomes due two years after a beneficiary completes the National Youth Service Corps programme, and only when the beneficiary is gainfully employed, with monthly deductions capped at 10 percent of gross income and unemployed beneficiaries able to seek extensions through a sworn statement.

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942 Forest Guards Graduate In Plateau, Charged To Defend Nigeria’s Forests With Vigilance

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu, has charged 942 newly trained forest guards from Borno State to combine vigilance with diligence as they assume duty as the first line of defence in protecting the nation’s forests. The charge was delivered at the graduation ceremony held at the shooting range of Maxwell Khobe Cantonment in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, marking the conclusion of six weeks of intensive training. The training covered physical fitness, surveillance and weapons handling, preparing the 942 graduates to commence duties aimed at protecting forests and curbing criminal activities within forested areas. Representing the Chief of Army Staff, the General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Major General Maxwell Dangana, expressed concern over the increasing encroachment of criminal elements into forests, describing them as valuable natural resources requiring protection. He urged the forest guards to discharge their responsibilities with diligence and professionalism, while respecting the fundamental rights of citizens in the course of their duties. The newly trained guards later demonstrated their skills in weapon handling and physical fitness, drawing applause from dignitaries and other guests present at the ceremony.

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Troops Rescue Two Kidnap Victims And Arrest Suspect In Nasarawa And Benue

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke, have rescued two abducted victims and arrested a suspected kidnapper in separate operations carried out across Nasarawa and Benue States. According to a statement signed by the Acting Media Information Officer, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, troops of Sector Two arrested a suspect identified as Adamu Lamu at Agyaragu in Nasarawa State, following information provided by a victim who had earlier escaped his abductors. The victim, Nehemiah Elisha, later sighted one of his suspected abductors at a market in Agyaragu and immediately alerted troops deployed in the area, leading to the suspect’s swift arrest and handover to the police for further investigation. In a separate operation on September 6, troops of COAS Intervention Battalion XI rescued a kidnapped victim, Vincent Nyado, along the Umene Torkula Road in Benue State, after finding him tied and abandoned by the roadside. Preliminary information indicates Nyado had allegedly been abducted by suspected terrorists who fled into surrounding bushes on sighting the approaching troops, abandoning their victim in the process. Operation Whirl Stroke said it remains committed to stemming the rising tide of violence across the North Central region and Taraba State, urging members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies.

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Troops Storm Terrorist Enclaves In Sokoto, Seize Machine Gun And Ammunition

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Troops of the Special Intervention Battalion 7, Sector Two, under Operation Fansan Yamma, have dislodged terrorists and recovered a machine gun and other high calibre weapons during clearance operations in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The operation formed part of ongoing offensive efforts to clear terrorist enclaves and deny criminal elements freedom of action across the North West region. According to a statement by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 8 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, troops advanced through identified threat enclaves including Manu, Alkasim and Kandam villages, as well as the Magarya Forest axis. At the Magarya Forest enclave, troops engaged the terrorists with superior firepower, forcing them to abandon their positions and flee deeper into the forest. Follow up operations and a thorough search of the area led to the recovery of significant arms, ammunition and mobility assets, including a PKT machine gun, AK 47 rifles, a large quantity of belted ammunition and motorcycles. Troops have maintained a strong operational presence in the area to ensure the continued security of surrounding communities following the successful clearance operation.

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IGP Disu Tours 23 Barracks, Promises Better Living Conditions For Officers And Families

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Inspector General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has conducted a comprehensive inspection of 23 police barracks across the country to assess the living conditions of personnel and their families and identify priority areas requiring intervention. The exercise covered residential quarters and other welfare infrastructure, with the IGP engaging directly with personnel and residents while assessing the condition of facilities on the ground. The inspection provided a broad picture of existing welfare challenges, highlighting areas requiring urgent attention, rehabilitation and sustained investment across the barracks visited. IGP Disu reiterated that personnel who dedicate themselves to the protection of lives and property deserve decent and conducive living conditions, describing improved welfare as integral to building a motivated and effective police force. The Nigeria Police Force said it remains committed to improving welfare and living conditions for its personnel and their families through sustained investment in accommodation and other support systems. The exercise is expected to inform ongoing police reform efforts, with the leadership emphasising evidence based assessment and practical interventions in addressing infrastructure gaps across the force.

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