SR SahelReporters

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja  The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has been thrown into mourning following the death of its General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Okechukwu Ugboaja, who passed away in the early hours of Saturday, August 22, 2026, after a protracted illness. Ugboaja’s death was formally announced by the NLC leadership following a meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) in Enugu, where labour leaders expressed deep sorrow over the loss of a man they described as a formidable voice for Nigerian workers and the oppressed. In a communique signed by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and titled “A Dark Cloud Over the Labour Movement: We Announce the Tragic Passing Unto Glory of Our General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja,” the Congress said the news of his death came from his family and left the NEC devastated. “It is therefore with the deepest sorrow and a heavy sense of loss that we, the leaders of Nigerian workers, officially inform the nation and the gl...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja The Cross River State Police Command has arrested four additional suspects in connection with the ongoing investigation into the alleged vandalism and theft of facilities belonging to Akamkpa Quarry Limited (Sterling Global). The latest arrests followed the arrest of other suspects and the recovery of exhibits announced by the Command on August 27, 2026. In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Cross River State Command, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, the Command said the latest arrests were made on August 28, 2026, at Obung Community in Akamkpa Local Government Area. According to the statement, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Sector 2, Akamkpa/Ugep, responded to a distress call from the Village Head of Obung Community, HRH Ntufam Elijah Clement Effiong, who reported that another group of suspected members of the syndicate was being pursued by youths in the community. Th...

CGC Adeniyi  By Aviashima Toom, Abuja At Nigeria’s borders, a quiet but consequential transformation has been taking place. For years, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) was largely perceived through the narrow prism of revenue collection, cargo inspection and anti-smuggling operations. But under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Service is increasingly being repositioned as a strategic instrument for facilitating legitimate trade, supporting domestic production, strengthening compliance and creating greater value for the Nigerian economy. The numbers tell part of the story. Since Adeniyi assumed leadership of the Service in June 2023, Customs revenue has risen significantly. Between June 2023 and May 2024, the Service reported ₦4.49 trillion, representing a 74 per cent increase over the ₦2.58 trillion collected during the corresponding period of the previous year. The momentum continued in 2024, when the NCS generated ₦6.1...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja —  The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) says its troops rescued at least 37 abducted persons, neutralised 22 terrorists and arrested several suspected terrorists, kidnappers and arms traffickers across the country between August 20 and 27, 2026. The military also dismantled illegal oil refining operations, intercepted stolen crude oil and illegally refined petroleum products, and recovered several weapons and other items during sustained operations across the country. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, August 28, detailing the activities of the armed forces in the various theatres of operation. 21 terrorists neutralised in Adamawa In the North-East, troops of Operation HADIN KAI sustained offensive operations against terrorists in Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi and Yobe states. The military said troops intercepted eight abductees, comprising three women and five children, around Ngo...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja  The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Fire Service (FFS) and Unilever Nigeria PLC have signed separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen collaboration on trade facilitation, safety, intelligence sharing, counterfeiting prevention and economic development. The agreements were signed on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja. Speaking during the signing ceremony with the Federal Fire Service, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the agreement as a strategic step towards strengthening inter-agency cooperation and advancing the shared responsibility of both agencies to protect lives, property and critical national assets. Adeniyi said the MoU would enhance fire safety standards across Customs facilities, facilitate rapid response to emergencies, promote joint training and capacity building, and improve information sharing on fire prevention and emergency preparedness. “I am very conf...

By Aviashima Toom, ABUJA The Nigerian Navy is seeking to deepen defence-industrial cooperation with Türkiye, with a focus on naval shipbuilding, technology transfer, local production and fleet modernisation. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, made this known on Thursday when he received the Deputy Secretary of Defence Industries of Türkiye, Mr Gökhan Uçar, at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja. The meeting explored practical areas of cooperation aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s indigenous shipbuilding capabilities and enhancing the operational capacity of the Nigerian Navy. Key areas discussed included naval shipbuilding, defence technology, technology transfer, local production, maintenance and technical capacity development. Vice Admiral Abbas stressed the need for mutually beneficial partnerships backed by sustained engagement and firm contractual commitments to ensure long-term and credible defence-industrial cooperation between both countries. He also e...