SR SahelReporters

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja   National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has warned Nigerians against calls to return to the fuel subsidy regime, saying such a policy could reverse gains recorded under the Federal Government’s ongoing economic reforms. Yilwatda, who spoke in Abuja while receiving a delegation of economic stakeholders, said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to restore fuel subsidy could expose the country to the fiscal pressures that characterised the previous system. He specifically warned that a return to subsidy could lead to fuel shortages, undermine the sustainability of the current minimum wage and constrain government’s ability to fund education and other essential services. According to him, the subsidy debate should go beyond the promise of cheaper petrol and focus on the wider economic implications of diverting government revenue to subsidise fuel consumption. “Subsidy may appear attractive...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja The Mining Marshals have defended the continued closure of the Stone Rockers Nigeria Limited quarry in Abuja, saying the facility remains a crime scene in an ongoing criminal case before the Federal High Court. The agency’s position followed a recent petition by Stone Rockers to President Bola Tinubu and other senior government officials over the 13-month shutdown of its quarry operations. The company had alleged that its operations were unlawfully shut down without a valid court order, prompting renewed public attention to the dispute. However, the Commander of the Mining Marshals dismissed the allegation, explaining that the quarry was not sealed as an administrative sanction but because it constitutes the locus criminis, or scene of the alleged crime, in a criminal prosecution currently before the court. According to the Commander, Stone Rockers Nigeria Limited and its director, Mr Kolawole Olaiya, are standing trial in Charge No. FHC/ABM/CR/338/...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja   The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has strengthened its operational and leadership capacity with the graduation of 50 officers from the three-month Junior Course 25 at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, Abuja. The officers graduated at a ceremony held on Friday, August 28, 2026, marking another milestone in the Service’s efforts to develop competent and accountable leaders for modern Customs administration. Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, charged the graduates to uphold integrity, sound judgment and the national interest in the discharge of their duties. Adeniyi stressed that leadership in contemporary Customs administration goes beyond revenue generation, noting that officers must demonstrate competence, fairness, courage and accountability in responding to increasingly complex operational challenges. “Leadership is not defined solely by th...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja  The Nigerian Army has raised the alarm over an attempted unauthorised access to its official X (formerly Twitter) account, saying it has activated measures to secure the platform and prevent further compromise. The Army said the incident occurred at about 5pm on Saturday, August 29, 2026, and is being treated as a cybersecurity breach. In a statement signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the Army said immediate technical and protective measures had been put in place to secure the account, restore exclusive administrative control and protect the integrity of information shared on the platform. The Army consequently advised members of the public, media organisations and other stakeholders to disregard any suspicious, unauthorised, misleading or unverified content that may be posted on the affected X account. “Such content does not represent the official position of the Nigerian Army,” the statement warned....

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...

Felix Morka, APC National Publicity Secretary.  By Olokor Michael Public Affairs Commentator and Development Advocate In Nigeria’s increasingly competitive political landscape, where public communication has become a critical instrument of political engagement, few personalities have mastered the demands of political advocacy and communication as visibly as Barrister Felix Morka, CON, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC). A lawyer, human rights advocate, urban development specialist and politician, Morka has emerged as one of the most recognisable public faces of Nigeria’s governing party. He understands that defending a political organisation is not simply about speaking loudly or reacting to criticism. It requires facts, preparation, clarity of argument and the ability to explain a party’s policies and positions to a sometimes sceptical public. That combination has defined much of Morka’s public career. The APC describes him as a hum...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja  The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced the reopening of its nationwide Membership Electronic-Registration Exercise ahead of the 2027 General Elections. The exercise is scheduled to commence on Monday, August 31, 2026, across all wards in the country. In a statement issued on Tuesday, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, CON, called on party stakeholders, supporters and members—both old and new—to participate in the exercise. According to the party, existing members are expected to validate their membership records, while new and intending members are encouraged to register and formally join the APC. The party said prospective registrants must be 18 years or older and possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN). The APC explained that the electronic registration exercise is aimed at digitising its membership register, improving the integrity and accessibility of membership records, and providing reliable data for ef...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and UK International Development, has intensified efforts to strengthen its internal anti-corruption framework through a workshop focused on corruption risk analysis, risk mapping and the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Speaking at the closing ceremony of the workshop on Friday, August 21, 2026, at the NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the exercise as an important step towards strengthening institutional growth, integrity and corruption risk management within the Service. Adeniyi stressed that the assessment was not intended to find fault or apportion blame, but to enable the Service to critically examine its processes, identify vulnerabilities and develop sustainable solutions. According to him, the assessment covered critical Customs operations, including regulatory and ...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja The Nigerian Navy has disrupted three illegal refining sites in Rivers State as part of intensified operations against crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in the Niger Delta. The sites were uncovered on Friday, August 21, by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH during an operation conducted under Operation DELTA SENTINEL in the Okolomade and Ogbogolo areas of the state. According to a statement signed by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the operation followed credible intelligence indicating the reactivation of illegal refining activities in the area. The Navy said its personnel discovered two cooking drums, two large ovens, 10 reservoirs and four storage facilities linked to the illegal refining operations. Two makeshift camps, believed to have provided shelter for operators of the illegal refineries, were also discovered. The operation further led to the recovery of approximately 91,000 lit...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) says its troops rescued dozens of kidnapped victims, neutralised terrorists and arrested suspected criminals in various operations across the country between August 14 and 20, 2026. The  Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja disclosed this in its latest operational update, detailing successes recorded across the North-East, North-West, North-Central, South-South and South-East theatres. 47 Terrorist Family Members Surrender in Borno In the North-East, troops of Operation Hadin Kai recorded several successes in operations against terrorists and kidnappers in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Bauchi states. Onoja  said troops and local security groups rescued three kidnapped victims during a clearance operation in Gwamnare Forest, Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, on August 14. Five other victims reportedly escaped their captors and were reunited with their families, although two v...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja Members of the Nigeria Customs Service Management Team gathered at its Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, on 19 August 2026 to honour the retirement of DCG Tijanni Abe, the Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) in charge of Human Resource and Development, marking the close of 35 years of meritorious service to the nation. Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, led the tributes, describing DCG Abe as a man whose career was anchored in faith, calm, and unwavering integrity. He noted that DCG Abe was known throughout the Service for his habit of expressing gratitude. A quality, the CGC said, speaks volumes about the kind of man he is. "You are a man of integrity and integrity pays. May God increase you in wisdom and happiness, and may your years ahead be even more pleasurable. We are all very proud of you, and we wish you well," he said, adding that the bonds forged within the Service do not end at retirement. Senior officers who took...

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja The Commander of the Mining Marshals of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr John Attah Onoja, has vowed to sustain efforts to dismantle illegal mining cartels and disrupt illicit financial flows allegedly linked to banditry, kidnapping and terrorism. Onoja made the commitment on Thursday in Abuja when members of the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN), led by its President, Mr Odita Sunday, paid a courtesy visit to his office. He said the Mining Marshals would remain uncompromising in enforcing mining laws and restoring sanity to the mining sector, which he said had increasingly assumed security dimensions. According to him, illegal mining constitutes not only an economic and environmental threat but also a potential source of funding for criminal and terrorist groups. “It is not necessarily about picking up weapons and fighting bandits or kidnappers. We must ask: How do the people in those forests feed? How do...

Aviashima Toom, Abuja The Chief Executive Officer of Razor Media Group, Mr. Odita Sunday-Udemaguna, has reached the historic Great Wall of China as part of his participation in the Seminar on Fruit Processing and Comprehensive Utilization for Belt and Road Countries, held in Beijing from August 4 to 17, 2026. Mr. Odita was among participants drawn from nine countries—Jordan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Tanzania, Antigua and Barbuda, Costa Rica, Thailand and Bangladesh—who participated in the two-week seminar designed to deepen knowledge and cooperation in fruit processing and comprehensive utilisation. Speaking at the closing ceremony on behalf of the participants, Mr. Odita described the programme as a remarkable experience that brought together people from different countries and transformed them from strangers into colleagues, friends and partners. He expressed appreciation to the China National Research Institute of Food & Fermentation Industries Corporation for ...