General
NSCDC Reiterates Protection of National Assets Amid Elections
By Adedapo Adesanya
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has reiterated its commitment to protecting critical national assets in the country, including oil and gas facilities, power, telecommunications, and other national infrastructure.
The Rivers State Commandant of NSCDC, Michael Besong Ogar, said about 105 operational vehicles, four gunboats and special forces from the Intelligence Squad, Counter Terrorism Unit, Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Explosives Unit, Armed and Antivandal Unit of the Command had been fully briefed and deployed.
Mr Ogar, during a pre-election media briefing in Port Harcourt, said in line with the directive of the NSCDC Commandant General, Mr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, the Rivers State Command has deployed 5,255 officers and men drawn from the various 23 Local Government Areas, departments, and units of the Command.
For the anti-vandal unit, the NSCDC boss in Rivers State listed their job description to include “protection of all critical national assets in Rivers State, including public buildings, oil and gas pipelines, energy and power facility, transportation as well as telecommunication infrastructures; so they are on red alert so that hoodlums will not take any chances during this election.
“We are the lead agency when it comes to the protection of national assets.
“For the past six months, Rivers State Command has the highest number of arrests of vandals as well as the highest number of convictions and forfeiture to the federal government.
“We also arrest those including in Naira racketeering in Rivers State. We had them convicted last week for selling Naira. We collaborated with the CBN, and we were able to convict them.”
NSCDC, who assured of adequate security before, during, and after the 2023 general election, affirmed that the Command was fully prepared for the Saturday 25th and 11th March 2023, noting that the Corps’ preparedness was informed by the determination to remain apolitical, and neutral and highly professional while on election duty.
He further hinted that the training and re-training programs organized internally as well as in conjunction with the INEC and other Sister Security Agencies in the State have been very impactful; hence the NSCDC officers and men are well informed on the election operational guidelines, the provisions of the electoral Act 2022, the NSCDC Standard Operating Procedures amongst others.
“With the level of the training programs we have organized for our personnel coupled with the Election Security Personnel joint training, you can rest assured that there would be effective security coverage in the elections”.
The Command helmsman called on critical stakeholders such as party leaders, their supporters, traditional institutions, religious bodies, and the general public to consciously make concerted efforts in ensuring that the elections are free, fair, and credible in Rivers State.
He urged the voters to remain calm and cast their votes in a peaceful manner shunning all forms of electoral violence as the security agencies would not hesitate to arrest anyone who disrupts the peaceful conduct of the elections.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged its commitment to provide the regulatory leadership, technical coordination, and stakeholder engagement required to successfully develop and implement a robust National Action Plan on maritime decarbonization in Nigeria.
The Director General of the agency, Mr Dayo Mobereola, made this known during the National Stakeholders’ workshop on the development of a National Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan, further describing the workshop as a critical step in actualising the Federal Government’s blue economy and climate objectives.
Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Mr Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, the NIMASA DG underscored the significance of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, a technical cooperation initiative /designed to support developing countries in implementing the IMO GHG Strategy.
According to him, the National Action Plan being developed will reflect national realities, leverage existing capacities, address identified gaps, and align with broader economic and environmental priorities of the federal government.
Mr Mobereola stressed that “this transition is not merely about compliance with international obligations, it is about safeguarding our marine environment, protecting public health, strengthening the blue economy, and ensuring that our maritime industry remains competitive and future-ready”, the DG said.
Also speaking at the event was the Technical Manager of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, Ms Astrid Dispert, who highlighted that the overarching objective of the initiative is to advance a coherent and globally aligned regulatory framework to accelerate maritime decarbonization.
She also emphasised that NIMASA plays a pivotal role in driving the project at the national level.
The IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project provides technical expertise and institutional support to assist countries in developing and implementing National Action Plans that promote sustainable shipping practices, encourage investment in clean technologies, and strengthen capacity for long-term emissions reduction.
Through this collaboration, the federal government is advancing deliberate steps towards maritime decarbonization, reinforcing its commitment to global climate goals and ensuring a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for the sector.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with its digital submission process effective March 1.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Director-General of the Bureau, Mr Adebowale Adedokun, noting that the move was part of the bureau’s commitment to digital transformation and paperless governance.
It explained that the transition followed an earlier circular of Aug. 4, 2025, which introduced electronic submission procedures.
According to the bureau, it has successfully moved from physical filings to a dedicated e-mail service for document submissions and is now advancing to a more robust and integrated system.
The circular announced the inauguration of the BPP Digital Submission Portal, a web-based platform designed to enable MDAs submit procurement-related documents directly to the Bureau.
It stated that the automated platform would streamline the submission process, enhance transparency and ensure accelerated tracking of procurement-related documents and petitions.
“With effect from March 1, all MDAs will be required to use the portal to submit requests for ‘No Objection’ Certificates, approvals for ‘No Objection’ for special procurements, clarifications and status updates on submissions,” the bureau said.
It added that the portal would be hosted on the Bureau’s official website and would become fully operational from the effective date.
The bureau warned that physical submissions or manual hand-deliveries would no longer be prioritised and would eventually be rejected following the full transition to the digital platform.
It urged accounting officers to brief their procurement departments and ICT units on the development to ensure seamless processing of procurement activities from March 1.
It further advised MDAs to contact the Bureau via its official email for information on the onboarding process and integration into the portal.
The bureau emphasised that full compliance by all MDAs was required to ensure a smooth transition and avoid delays in the implementation of the 2026 fiscal year procurement processes.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Senate has asked President Bola Tinubu to remove the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, from office.
The Senate Committee on Finance, while passing a resolution in Abuja on Thursday, accused Mr Magaji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), of failing to honour the Senate’s invitations to account for the finances of his agency.
“He refused on so many occasions to honour our invitation to appear before this committee.
“We have issues with the reconciliation of the revenue of CAC.
“Each time we invite him, he gives us excuses,” the Chairman of the committee, Mr Sani Musa, said as the committee passed the resolution.
CAC was part of a group of agencies that the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recommended zero allocation for the year 2026, for allegedly failing to account for public funds appropriated to them.
The committee, at an investigative hearing held two weeks ago, accused CAC and some other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of shunning invitations to respond to audit queries contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s annual reports for 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The PAC chairman, Mr Bamidele Salam, stated that the National Assembly should not continue to appropriate public funds to institutions that disregard accountability mechanisms, saying this will create fiscal discipline and strengthen transparency across federal institutions and conform with extant financial regulations and the oversight powers of the parliament.
“Public funds are held in trust for the Nigerian people. Any agency that fails to account for previous allocations, refuses to submit audited accounts, or ignores legislative summons cannot, in good conscience, expect fresh budgetary provisions. Accountability is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” he said.
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