General
Why I’m Very Popular With Kwara People—Governor
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
**To Receive Another N200m Recovered Looted Funds
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State has disclosed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked his administration to receive another N200 million recovered looted funds.
The Governor, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, on Friday, said the state government under him will do the right thing so as not to be a regular visitor to the office of the anti-graft agency after his tenure like his predecessors.
“We have to do the right thing and be cautious. We have seen what has happened to those that have been in (this) position before us. Nobody wants to live office and be going to EFCC’s office daily.
“So, we will do the right thing in Kwara State state. We appreciate the EFCC, they had earlier given us over N100 million. They have invited us (again) to collect another N200 million (recovered looted funds); they have made a lot of progress,” Mr AbdulRazaq was quoted as saying when he took part in a marathon anti-corruption walk in Ilorin, the state capital, today.
In the over two-hour walk themed Nigerian Youths Walk Against Corruption and organised by the EFCC in partnership with the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), the Governor was joined by Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr Yakubu Danladi; zonal head of EFCC, Mr Isyaku Sharu; State Coordinator of the NYSC, Ms Esther Ikupolati; members of the House of Assembly; hundreds of members of the NYSC; artisans; and civil society organisations.
The walk was one of the EFCC’s public awareness programmes to draw attention to the danger of corruption.
Mr AbdulRazaq, who arrived the EFCC office at 7am and joined the walk from the beginning to the end, repeated President Muhammadu Buhari’s refrain that corruption would kill the country if the country fails to kill the cancer that the Governor said was responsible for the slow pace of development.
“We have been walking the talk, now we are walking in support of the war (against corruption). The message is very clear: kill corruption or it will kill us all,” he said.
Asked what he thought was the reason for Kwarans always wanting to catch a glimpse of him at every opportunity he moves around, Mr AbdulRazaq said the excitement apparently flows from his investment in projects that have direct impact on the masses such as water, health, education, and roads, as well as his constant identification with the people.
“We remain popular with the people because we have invested and are still investing in projects that really make the difference in their lives. We have restored water after many years. We have invested in basic health care, education, and road and people can tell the difference,” he said when the walk terminated at the EFCC office.
Mr Danladi said the corruption crusade requires the support of all Nigerians to succeed, asserting that graft is deadlier to the society than HIV/AIDS and must be stamped out, especially in Kwara where he lamented how billions of naira have been diverted to private pockets at the expense of the masses.
He also lamented the negative impacts of internet fraud on the country and called on the youths to shun it.
Mr Sharu, who lauded Mr AbdulRazaq for being an anti-graft crusader, said the agency has recorded 48 convictions and recovered at least N8.5 billion in cash and properties in Kwara since it began operation last year.
Mr Sharu said the agency is also probing the alleged diversion of over N3bn from the controversial Light Up Kwara project.
“We are also on top of the case of Light Up Kwara where over three billion naira was allegedly diverted. Part of the diverted fund was used to buy a property in Guzape Abuja. Some recoveries were also made,” he said.
Mr Sharu called on the youths to stop celebrating corrupt elements and support anti-corruption crusade through the government’s whistle blower policy because they are the worst hit by the effects of diversion of public funds.
“What we saw last Monday at the Federal High Court Ilorin was a show of shame and national embarrassment by some group of youth who came out en masse to show solidarity to an accused person charged for money laundering by the EFCC. The media houses have all carried the picture of the said accused person waiving hands to those shameless youths. This is indeed sad,” according to the local anti-corruption chief.
Ms Ikupolati also urged youths to support the crusade against corruption as their future depends on how much Nigeria is able to grow, warning graft makes development a mirage.
She commended Governor AbdulRazaq for the phenomenal transformation of the NYSC camp at Yikpata since he assumed office in May, recalling how the Governor’s visit and his experience led him to totally improve the facilities at the camp.
“Today, Kwara now has a camp that is like a five-star hotel. It has never been so good. We now have water running and our story has changed completely,” Ms Ikupolati said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu on Saturday confirmed the killing of a senior ISIS leader, Mr Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, in an overnight operation carried out by the United States and Nigeria.
President Donald Trump had earlier announced the elimination of the notorious terrorist via a post on his Truth Social.
Later, in a statement today, Mr Tinubu praised the action, describing it as “a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.”
“Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State,” he said in the statement.
According to him, early assessments confirm the elimination of the wanted IS senior leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
He commended the partnership between Nigeria and America in waging war against terrorists, thanking his US counterpart “for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort.”
“I commend the personnel involved on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation,” the Nigerian leader added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria is set to strengthen its defence architecture by deploying artificial intelligence-powered surveillance systems and advanced anti-drone technology as part of efforts to modernise the country’s military capabilities, according to the Minister of Defence, Mr Christopher Musa.
He disclosed this during a high-level visit to Monaco, where he led a Nigerian delegation to conclude discussions on the multi-domain Hybrid Intelligence Shield (HIS) project.
According to Mr Musa, the initiative is designed to enhance border security, protect urban centres and improve the country’s response to emerging security threats.
The project is expected to introduce AI-driven surveillance systems capable of identifying threats rapidly through smart algorithms, while anti-drone technology will be deployed to intercept and neutralise unmanned aerial threats.
The government also plans to establish national and regional command-and-control centres to improve real-time coordination and response to security incidents across the country.
Mr Musa said the initiative would place strong emphasis on technology transfer and local capacity development through the establishment of a military Centre of Excellence in Nigeria.
He added that the federal government would leverage partnerships with international firms, including Marss UK Ltd, while simultaneously building indigenous capabilities to address insurgency, illegal mining, piracy and other security threats.
Nigeria has continued to battle multiple security challenges in recent years, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in the North-West, farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central region, crude oil theft in the Niger Delta and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria is stepping up its defence as the border region of Nigeria, Benin and Niger on the southern edge of the Sahel region is becoming a new stronghold for jihadists, as militants turn forests and pastoral networks in West Africa into bases for recruitment and international attacks.
Attacks in Nigeria have also risen, with data from the website of the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a conflict-monitoring group, affirming that the number of suicide bombings in Nigeria by March already matched the annual average over the past six years.
The Nigerian military has also been dealt a blow to its military bases and senior figures targeted. In April, Brigadier-General Oseni Omoh Braimah was killed when Islamist fighters attacked a base in Borno State.
To also meet the defence goal, Nigeria is stepping up efforts to build domestic arms-manufacturing capacity.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria and Morocco are set to sign a major intergovernmental agreement later this year to push forward the long-delayed Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, a multi-billion-dollar energy corridor expected to reshape gas trade across West Africa and Europe.
The agreement, expected to be signed in the fourth quarter of 2026 by President Bola Tinubu and King Mohammed VI of Morocco, follows the completion of preliminary technical studies for the ambitious project, according to officials from both countries.
The pipeline, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, is projected to stretch about 6,900 kilometres along offshore and onshore routes across West Africa, making it one of the largest gas infrastructure projects on the continent.
With an estimated cost of $25 billion, the pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually once completed.
Discussions on the project gained fresh momentum during a telephone conversation between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and her Moroccan counterpart, Mr Nasser Bourita.
The project would not only strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries but also improve regional economic integration and expand Africa’s access to European energy markets.
According to Morocco’s hydrocarbons and mining agency, ONHYM, part of the gas supply will support Morocco’s domestic energy demand, while large export volumes will be directed to Europe.
The project, first proposed about a decade ago, is seen as a strategic alternative gas supply route amid rising global energy security concerns and Europe’s search for more diversified energy sources.
Beyond the pipeline, Nigeria and Morocco are also exploring broader economic partnerships, particularly in fertiliser production and distribution to support food security across Africa.
Both countries also agreed on the need to revive the Nigeria-Morocco Business Council to strengthen trade and investment relations under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
Analysts noted that the project could significantly boost gas monetisation opportunities for Nigeria, expand regional infrastructure development, and deepen economic ties between West African nations and Europe if successfully executed.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn