General
Dangote Feeds 50,000 Poor Families In Kebbi, Gombe
In continuation of its 2025 Annual National Food Intervention Programme, the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), has distributed 50,000 bags of rice to poor and vulnerable families in Kebbi and Gombe States.
Flagging off the distribution of the intervention in Aliero Local Government Area of Kebbi State on Thursday(yesterday), the Kebbi State Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Zayyanu Aliero, said the gesture was in line with the core values of the Foundation’s founder, Aliko Dangote.
“This is commendable gesture, especially as it will improve the living conditions of the poor and most vulnerable people in the state.
“The distribution is in collaboration between the Foundation and the state government to ensure that the food reaches the most vulnerable individuals in each of the 21 LGAs of the state,” he said.
The commissioner lauded the Foundation for the kind gesture, saying it was the second edition of the foundation’s gesture to the vulnerable people in the state.
He disclosed that,”Out of the 25,000 bags of the rice allotted for the 21 LGAs of the state, 20 LGAs would get 1,000 each while Birnin Kebbi LGA, which is the highest in population, will get 3,000 bags and the other vulnerable people will get 1,000 bags of the rice.
“The distribution formula we have adopted for all the LGAs is, 150 bags for persons living with disability, 100 for deaf, 100 for blind, 20 for leper, 10 for albino people; 120 for imams, 100 for traditional rulers, divorcees 100, widows 150, Dan-Agaji group 50, and other vulnerable 100,” he noted.
Zayyanu Aliero explained that the partnership had helped the government to reach vulnerable residents efficiently, through community structures that understood local needs.
The commissioner revealed that Gov. Nasir Idris,” has introduced various initiatives to mitigate the economic challenges facing the people in recent times in the state.”
On their part, the Chairman of Aliero and Gwandu LGAs, Abubakar Jadi, represented by his Vice Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, and Alhaji Atiku Ahmad-Mandiya, lauded the foundation and the efforts of the state government for providing succour to the needies and the less- privileged members of the LGAs in the state.
They urged the beneficiaries to continue praying for the state and the nation, saying Gov. Nasir Idris’ administration remained committed to supporting vulnerable communities.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Alhaji Anas Gwandu, thanked Alhaji Aliko Dangote for providing the food item, while praising him for thinking it wise to intervene in the lives of the beneficiaries.
Anas appealed to other well-to-do individuals to emulate Dangote by supporting those in need.
“As I am talking to you now, we have more than 600,000 people living with disabilities and they need special attention and assistance.
“The gesture as such will alleviate some of the challenges face by the poor, widows, divorcees, and most vulnerable people in the society, hence they need for all our wealthy individuals to emulate the foundation’s gesture,” he urged.
Meanwhile, in Gombe State, the donation was handed over to the state government, through Abubakar Inuwa Kari, the Chief of Staff to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, to oversee its distribution to the targeted beneficiaries, which includes widows, orphans, and other disadvantaged groups.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Governor Inuwa Yahaya, represented by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Abubakar Inuwa Kari, expressed profound appreciation to the Aliko Dangote Foundation and the Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, for his continued generosity in assisting the needy, particularly in Gombe State.
He noted that the foundation’s intervention is in line with his administration’s commitment to supporting the poor and vulnerable, especially during the sacred month of Ramadan.
He further commended the timeliness of the Aliko Dangote Foundation’s donation, emphasising that the distribution would follow the existing framework used in previous exercises to ensure equitable reach.
“When the commodities were handed over to the state government, we already had an established distribution structure with standing committees that had successfully handled previous exercises,” he noted.
Governor Yahaya directed that the rice be distributed using the same formula, which has consistently ensured efficiency and transparency in reaching the intended beneficiaries.
He urged the committee members to ensure that this round of distribution benefits a different set of vulnerable persons from those who received aid in previous exercises.
“Let this palliative go to a different set of beneficiaries so that more people can also benefit from this gesture,” he instructed.
He further charged committee members across the LGAs and wards to uphold transparency and accountability in executing their duties, while calling on the general public to continue praying for the progress and prosperity of Gombe State and the nation.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Abdullahi Haruna, reaffirmed that all donated food items would be distributed directly to the intended beneficiaries.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairmen of the 11 Local Government Areas of the state, Chairman of Gombe Local Government, Sani Ahmad Haruna, expressed appreciation to the Aliko Dangote Foundation for the continued support
Sani Haruna assured that the successes recorded in previous Ramadan distribution exercises would be replicated, guaranteeing that the items reach those in need.
In their separate remarks, representatives of various beneficiary groups, including the Secretary of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in Gombe State, Saleh Damburam; Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Joseph Shinga ; the Acting Chairman of the Association of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Abdullahi A. Bello; and representatives of civil society organisations, lauded the Dangote Foundation for the initiative.
They appreciated the foundation for recognising the targeted groups and coming to their aids, especially at this critical time.
“We are forwarding our appreciation to the Dangote Foundation, who in their wisdom donated these rice to be distributed to the people of Gombe state, particularly those in dire need,” Saleh Danburam, the state JNI secretary stated.
Also, Chairman of the state chapter of CAN, Joseph Shinga said, “I wish to express our deepest gratitude to the Aliko Dangote Foundation for extending this gesture to our people. On behalf of CAN, the youth wing and the ‘Zumuntan Mata we thank you all who sat down and brought out the sharing formula.”
Representative of the Gombe Network of Civil Society (GONET), Ibrahim Yusuf (3000) stated that the donation comes at a crucial time when the targeted beneficiaries are grappling with food and economic hardship.
The event featured the symbolic allocation of palliatives to six organizations, namely: JNI, CAN, FOMWAN, PWDs, CSOs, and Hisbah alongside the formal handing over to state and local government committees for onward distribution across LGAs, wards, and polling units.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigerian refineries will not be allowed to waste away, given the huge investments made over many years, President Bola Tinubu has declared.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja, the President assured that in-depth research, restructuring, and leadership will reposition the moribund oil facilities to deliver value and profit.
Responding to a request by the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), led by its leader, Mr Salimon Akanni Oladiti, to revive the nation’s oil refineries, Mr Tinubu explained that the challenges confronting the refineries would be addressed through a systematic, evidence-based approach rather than short-term interventions.
According to him, the federal government will encourage detailed research and technical assessments to identify the structural, operational, financial and managerial challenges affecting the facilities and develop sustainable solutions.
“The refineries that you mentioned are going to come back to work; we’re just building a very firm, resetting, and structural reworking of the economy of it. Ordinary flame and smoke of a refinery doesn’t mean that it’s working until it’s profitable and yields the value for which it is built.
“I’m not a man who goes looking back on everything because I’ve accepted the assets and liabilities of my predecessor. No matter what has happened in the years past, it’s now my responsibility as president to fix it and make it work for the greatest common good of our population. I take responsibility for that, and we will do it.
“I will just appeal to all of you to let us work diligently and passionately on this democracy. Democracy is about celebration of freedom and opportunity that must be cherished by all of us, just like a painful childbirth, but the joy is everlasting and long. And I promise you, you will enjoy a better Nigeria,” the President was quoted as saying in a statement signed by his spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
Responding to the remark on the implementation of local government autonomy, President Tinubu promised that the constitutional issues involved in its implementation are being reviewed for possible fine-tuning. He appealed for understanding among stakeholders.
He also took the opportunity to acknowledge a former President of the Union, the late Frank Kokori, for his role in deepening democracy in Nigeria.
“You brought good memories of my relationship with Frank Kokori; may his soul rest in peace. We struggled for this democratic dispensation together, and it was very tough for us to have this democracy, and you have been a very good partner of the government in progress,” he said.
Mr Tinubu also promised the NUPENG executives more inclusion in the implementation of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas. He, however, challenged them to make the effects of the CNG drive get down to the commuters.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris, commended NUPENG for acknowledging the positive outcomes of President Tinubu’s reform agenda, stating that this mutual understanding has reduced friction between trade unions and the government.
On his part, Mr Oladiti commended the President for taking the bold decision to end the fuel subsidy regime, describing the policy as a courageous step that has saved the country from decades of financial drain and depletion of national reserves.
According to him, the decision to remove the fuel subsidy has begun to yield enormous benefits for the country by freeing resources for critical infrastructure development and other sectors of the economy.
He particularly commended President Tinubu’s renewed commitment to rehabilitating and constructing major highways across the country, especially the ongoing construction of the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway as major examples of infrastructure projects.
“For our members, a good road is the difference between arriving home safely and never arriving at all. Every stretch of highway rehabilitated or constructed means fewer accidents, fewer spillages, fewer lives lost, and less stress for the men behind the wheels.
“Mr President, that is a reform our members feel in their bones, and for it we say thank you because our tanker drivers and other road users are already seeing the benefits of the rehabilitation and construction of federal highways,” he said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has extended the deadline for the submission of memoranda and position papers on the proposed legislation to Friday, August 21, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. West Africa Time.
In a statement signed by the Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, the group said the extension was intended to ensure that interested individuals, institutions and organisations have adequate opportunity to make substantive contributions to the proposed legislation.
“The Presidential Working Group is committed to ensuring that the process of developing the National Policing Bill benefits from broad consultation and the informed perspectives of Nigerians and relevant stakeholders,” the statement read.
The proposed legislation is intended to provide the operational, administrative, institutional and funding framework necessary for an effective policing architecture that responds to Nigeria’s evolving security needs, while providing appropriate safeguards for accountability, professionalism and the protection of citizens’ rights.
“Given the significance of the proposed reform to the future of policing and internal security in Nigeria, the Working Group considers it important that stakeholders are afforded more opportunity to make substantive and technically sound contributions to the process,” the statement said.
The former lawmaker said legal practitioners, civil society organisations, security sector professionals, state governments, professional bodies, academics, experts and interested members of the public are encouraged to take advantage of the extended window to submit their memoranda and position papers, exclusively through the official National Policing Bill portal, nationalpolicingbill.com, on or before the new deadline.
According to him, developing an effective policing framework required careful consideration of a number of critical issues, including sustainable funding, command and control structures, recruitment and training standards, operational jurisdiction, inter-agency coordination, accountability mechanisms and safeguards against political interference or abuse.
“These considerations underscore the importance of robust stakeholder engagement in developing a framework that is effective, accountable, sustainable and responsive to the peculiar security needs of communities across the federation,” he added.
He noted that at the conclusion of its assignment, the Presidential Working Group will present a final, implementation-ready draft of the National Policing Bill for onward legislative processing.
The Presidential Working Group appreciated stakeholders who had already made submissions and encouraged others intending to participate in the process to take advantage of the extension.
The National Policing Bill portal went live on August 3, 2026, when Gbajabiamila first announced the public consultation window during a press briefing on the reform, at the time indicating that submissions would close after roughly two weeks.
The Working Group is expected to present the completed Executive Bill package to President Bola Tinubu for review on September 3, 2026.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says the prevailing insecurity in parts of the country is negatively affecting its operations and revenue generation.
The Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs and Zonal Coordinator, Zone B, Mrs Nsikak Umoh, disclosed this in Minna while inspecting the Niger/Kogi Area Command Headquarters and engaging with vehicle importers on the operational challenges confronting the command.
Mrs Umoh said insecurity was not peculiar to the Niger/Kogi Area Command, but affected several Customs formations across the North-West, including Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara states.
“The security challenge is not peculiar to only Niger/Kogi Area Command. The whole of North-West comprising Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara States, which are all under my command, are facing the same security challenge,” she said.
According to her, the security situation had exposed customs personnel to increasing threats, with some officers killed or injured in the course of performing their duties, adding that the development had forced some commands to scale down their operations or adopt more cautious approaches, thereby affecting revenue collection.
Mrs Umoh explained that the service was encouraging its officers to adopt intelligence-led operations to minimise risks while ensuring that legitimate Customs duties continued.
“But we are trying our best to encourage them to use an intelligence-based operating system to do their job, and that is why in most of the commands, we have a reduction in revenue collections,” she added.
The ACG also expressed concern over the impact of insecurity on the physical and psychological wellbeing of Customs personnel, noting that some officers had developed health complications, including hypertension, due to fear and stress associated with their duties.
Despite the security challenges, Umoh said the Niger/Kogi Area Command had continued to perform strongly in revenue generation, disclosing that the command had surpassed its monthly revenue target of N17 million, generating more than N200 million as of August 12.
She commended the officers and stakeholders in the command for sustaining revenue collection despite the difficult operating environment.
