The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has proposed the establishment of an Orange Economy Security and Intellectual Property Coordination Desk within an existing structure of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to strengthen security and intellectual property protection in Nigeria’s growing creative sector.
Disu made the proposal on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, while presenting a paper to participants of Senior Executive Course 48, 2026, at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State. His presentation was titled, “The Orange Economy and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: The Role of the Nigeria Police Force.”
The IGP said the proposed desk would provide a specialised platform for policing the creative economy, improve inter-agency cooperation, create dedicated reporting channels and promote regular engagement between the police and stakeholders in the sector.
He noted that Nigeria’s creative industries, including film, music, fashion, publishing, advertising, digital content, gaming, tourism, heritage and the arts, had become increasingly connected to entrepreneurship, technology and intellectual property.
According to him, the sector has enormous potential to generate jobs, attract investment and contribute to national development, but creators and their businesses require effective security and protection of their intellectual assets to fully realise that potential.
Disu advocated an intelligence-led and partnership-driven approach to tackling organised piracy, counterfeiting, cyber-enabled fraud and other crimes capable of undermining legitimate creative businesses. He also called for the use of financial investigation to trace criminal proceeds through payment accounts, digital wallets, advertising revenues, logistics networks and online distribution platforms.
On intellectual property protection, the IGP urged stronger collaboration between the police, Nigerian Copyright Commission and other relevant agencies. He also identified film locations, concerts, festivals, tourism destinations and cultural assets as areas requiring sustained security attention.
Disu further stressed the need to improve the police response to cybercrime, preserve digital evidence and maintain continuous engagement with creative communities.
He said providing young Nigerians with legitimate opportunities to convert their talents into income and employment could contribute to crime prevention, while piracy, fraud and extortion could weaken businesses, discourage investment and undermine innovation.
The IGP, however, emphasised that policing the sector should go beyond enforcement, insisting that public safety must be pursued alongside respect for the rights and freedoms required for creativity and entrepreneurship to thrive.
He said professional, accountable and rights-respecting policing would be critical to building confidence among creators, investors and other participants in Nigeria’s creative economy.
Disu said the Nigeria Police Force remained committed to working with government agencies, industry stakeholders, creative professionals and communities to strengthen intellectual property protection, secure creative enterprises and create an environment conducive to innovation, investment and legitimate economic activity.
The Delta State Police Command has arrested nine suspected cultists in separate operations in Obiaruku and Issele-Ikpitime communities, recovering two locally made firearms, live ammunition, suspected illicit drugs and a battle axe.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Bright Edafe, said seven of the suspects were arrested on September 13, 2026, when operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Unit (SAKU), Ubulu-Uku, acting on credible intelligence, executed a search warrant at a premises along Ghana Quarters Street, Umuebu Road, Obiaruku.
According to Edafe, the operation led to the recovery of a locally fabricated single-barrel gun, one live cartridge, quantities of suspected illicit drugs, a battle axe, mobile phones and a laptop computer. The suspects were identified as Wisdom Enede, 25; Ocheli Solomon, 42; Nnaji Godstime, 23; Izu Thank God, 28; Kester Adishi, 31; Oghonogho Pentecost, 28; and Adishi Prince, 28.
The PPRO said preliminary interrogation indicated that the suspects allegedly confessed to belonging to the Vikings and Black Axe confraternities and had made statements concerning alleged involvement in internet fraud. He added that investigation was ongoing to determine their individual roles, trace the source of the recovered firearms and establish possible links to other criminal activities.
Edafe further disclosed that two other suspects, Emmanuel Believe, 29, and Israel Nwaobi, 27, were arrested on September 12 following a reported cult-related attack on residents of Issele-Ikpitime village. A locally made cut-to-size gun was recovered during the operation.
He said a man who sustained a gunshot injury during the attack was rescued and taken to a hospital for treatment, while efforts were ongoing to identify and arrest other members of the gang.
The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Samuel E. Erale, directed investigators to trace the sources of the recovered firearms and identify other persons allegedly connected with the suspects.
Erale also warned against cult-related violence and illegal possession of firearms, assuring residents that the command would continue to act on credible intelligence to disrupt criminal activities across the state.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Idris Gana Mohammed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, Abuja, over an alleged N6.85 million car scam.
Mohammed was arraigned by the Abuja Zonal Directorate of the EFCC before Justice A.M. Abdullahi on a one-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation and obtaining money by false pretence.
The commission alleged that Mohammed, between June 10 and 13, 2026, in Abuja, dishonestly converted N6.85 million paid to him for the purchase of a black Toyota Camry from Ampatech Nigeria Limited.
The charge read in part: “That you Idris Gana Mohammed sometimes between 10th and 13th June 2026, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, dishonestly converted to your personal use the aggregate sum of N6,850,000, being payment for a black Toyota Camry from Ampatech Nigeria Limited.”
The prosecution, G.G. Gajere, told the court that the alleged offence contravened Section 308 of the Penal Code Law of the FCT and was punishable under Section 309 of the same law.
Mohammed pleaded not guilty to the charge, prompting Gajere to ask the court to allow the prosecution to commence trial.
However, defence counsel, Ibrahim Jibril, informed the court that he had filed and served the prosecution with a bail application. He also made an oral application for the defendant’s bail.
After listening to both parties, Justice Abdullahi adjourned the matter until September 24, 2026, for commencement of trial.
The judge also ordered that Mohammed be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending further proceedings.
The defendant’s arrest followed a petition by Mohammed Ahmed Patigi of Ampatech Nigeria Limited, who alleged that N6.85 million was paid to Mohammed for the purchase of a black Toyota Camry.
The petitioner alleged that Mohammed neither delivered the vehicle nor refunded the money.
The case will come up again on September 24 for trial.
Former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, has asked the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, to quash his conviction and 75-year prison sentence over the alleged N33.8 billion fraud linked to the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric power projects.
Mamman’s appeal came as the Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday struck out a motion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking the permanent forfeiture of properties allegedly traced to him after his conviction and sentencing. Justice James Omotosho struck out the application after EFCC counsel, Abba Mohammed, informed the court that the commission had decided to withdraw it following Mamman’s appeal against the entire judgment. Defence counsel, Femi Atteh, SAN, did not oppose the withdrawal.
The EFCC motion, dated July 29, 2026, had sought a consequential order permanently forfeiting to the Federal Government properties allegedly linked to the former minister. Justice Omotosho subsequently granted the withdrawal and struck out the application.
Mamman was convicted on 12 counts relating to alleged fraud and money laundering involving N33.8 billion and sentenced to consecutive prison terms totalling 75 years. The conviction was delivered in his absence.
Through a notice of appeal dated May 26, 2026, filed by his legal team led by Atteh, Mamman is asking the appellate court to set aside the judgment and discharge and acquit him. The appeal contains 18 grounds, with his lawyers arguing that the trial was affected by several legal and evidentiary irregularities.
A major ground of the appeal is the claim that Mamman’s right to fair hearing was breached when Justice Omotosho delivered judgment on May 7, 2026, despite an earlier date of June 9 having reportedly been fixed for judgment. His lawyers contend that the date was brought forward without notice to him and that he did not waive his right to be present.
The former minister’s legal team also challenged the handling of a subpoenaed defence witness, Abdulkareem Ozi Ibrahim, identified as a Director of Special Projects Accounts in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation. They alleged that the witness was prevented from testifying for the defence, while the prosecution was allowed to reopen its examination-in-chief after it had closed its case.
Mamman’s lawyers further argued that the conviction relied substantially on uncorroborated accomplice evidence and that convictions were entered on counts 7 to 12 to which, they contend, no plea was taken.
They also challenged the finding that funds associated with the Zungeru and Mambilla power projects were diverted for Mamman’s personal benefit. According to the appeal grounds, the funds were domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria and controlled by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, while Mamman was allegedly neither an approving authority nor a signatory to the accounts.
Other grounds include allegations that the trial court relied on hearsay, disregarded documentary evidence and shifted the burden of proof to Mamman by requiring him to explain the source of funds used to purchase a property at Lungi Street, Wuse II, Abuja.
The defence also challenged the admission of Mamman’s extra-judicial statements, arguing that the requirements of Sections 15 and 17 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, were not complied with, including the alleged absence of audio-visual recording of the statements.
His legal team further alleged that the trial judge displayed bias against him, resulting in what they described as a miscarriage of justice.
The Federal High Court had earlier convicted Mamman on all 12 counts filed by the EFCC and sentenced him to a total of 75 years, with the terms ordered to run consecutively. The court had found the prosecution’s case established beyond reasonable doubt.
Mamman has since been taken into custody to begin serving the sentence. His appeal now places the conviction and sentence before the Court of Appeal for determination.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a 38-year-old South African woman, Will Jessica Ann, to 25 years in prison for unlawfully importing 5.75 kilogrammes of heroin into Nigeria.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu handed down the sentence on Thursday following the convict’s guilty plea to the charge brought against her by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The court heard that Ann imported the illicit drug through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on July 6, 2026.
The convict, who appeared in court with her three-year-old son, reportedly wept and pleaded with the court for clemency. However, Justice Egwuatu held that the law must take its course, stressing that Nigerian law does not recognise emotions in determining criminal liability.
The judge said the defendant had admitted committing the offence in her extra-judicial statement before entering her guilty plea in court.
According to him, the law is settled that where a defendant pleads guilty to a criminal charge, the court is required to convict on the plea, subject to the facts supporting the charge.
Justice Egwuatu subsequently convicted Ann and sentenced her to 25 years imprisonment.
The case underscores the stringent penalties imposed under Nigerian law for the unlawful importation and trafficking of dangerous drugs.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Adebiyi Adedapo, has challenged the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi, to provide full disclosure on the alleged disappearance of N30 billion in local government funds.
Adedapo’s demand followed Adekanmbi’s appearance on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Tuesday, where the former Oyo State Commissioner for Finance under the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi denied involvement in the alleged missing funds.
Adekanmbi maintained that the controversy concerned local government finances and had nothing to do with the state government. He also said he never attended any meeting of the Joint Accounts Committee (JAC), insisting that records relating to the funds were available.
He said: “The 30 billion, I didn’t say it got missing. You must separate the Oyo State Government from the local government. The money went missing in local government. I never attended one JAC meeting. The money is there, the records are there, the resignations should focus on local government of which I have absolutely no impact, none at all.”
But Adedapo, in a statement on Thursday, rejected the explanation, saying the people of Oyo State deserved greater transparency over the alleged transactions involving such a substantial amount of public funds.
“You cannot preside over the finances of a state and then wash your hands of what happened under your watch. The people of Oyo State deserve to know where this money went, who handled it, and what role the Finance Ministry played. This cannot be dismissed as simply a local government issue,” Adedapo said.
The NNPP candidate argued that the distinction between state and local government finances should not prevent scrutiny, particularly because Adekanmbi served as Commissioner for Finance during the period under review.
Adedapo urged the former commissioner to clarify what he knew about the alleged transactions and explain whether the Finance Ministry had any role in the management or disbursement of local government funds.
He also called for the relevant financial records to be made public, saying Oyo residents should be allowed to examine the documents and establish what happened to the money.
According to him, the controversy should not be reduced to an argument over whether the funds belonged to the state or local governments, but should focus on accountability and transparency in the management of public resources.
Adedapo further demanded that Adekanmbi explain his role, if any, in the administration of local government finances during his tenure and identify the officials and institutions responsible for handling the funds.
He urged all officials connected with the matter to provide documentary evidence to clarify the controversy rather than engage in a blame game.
The dispute comes as political activities intensify in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with political actors increasingly focusing on issues of governance, accountability and management of public resources.
The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has urged Nigerian youths and young professionals to take active responsibility for the country’s future, saying the challenges confronting the nation provide an opportunity for a new generation to rebuild it.
Adebayo spoke in Abuja when the leadership of the SDP received a delegation of young professionals and youth representatives at the party’s national secretariat for discussions on leadership, governance, economic hardship and national development.
He said rather than becoming overwhelmed by the country’s problems, young Nigerians should see the situation as an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy.
“I congratulate you for inheriting the greatest inheritance any generation can get, which is Nigeria.
“In our own case, we have a country to build virtually from scratch, and to me, that’s a great opportunity,” he said.
Adebayo said while young people in some developed countries inherited societies where many fundamental challenges had already been addressed, Nigerians had the opportunity to become nation-builders by tackling unresolved national problems.
Drawing comparisons with historical figures such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, he urged Nigerian youths to aspire to play consequential roles in building the country.
He also cited the late nationalist, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, whose return from Britain, according to him, demonstrated the importance of contributing directly to national development.
Adebayo disclosed that he joined the SDP in 1991 at the age of 19 while studying law at the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University.
He said his decision followed his study of the manifestoes of the political parties established during the military era, as well as reports of the Constitutional Assembly.
According to him, the SDP manifesto and the provisions of Chapter Two of the Constitution provided a political philosophy with which he could identify.
Recounting his early experience in the party, he said his first assignments included pasting campaign posters, arguing that political parties should serve as training grounds for future leaders.
“Every one of you is old enough to be national chairman of this party. Every one of you is old enough to be presidential candidates, vice-presidential candidates, senator, anything,” he told the young professionals.
Adebayo said Nigeria lacked a structured system for identifying, training and preparing political leaders, unlike professions such as law, medicine and engineering, where practitioners undergo formal training before assuming professional responsibilities.
He therefore advocated political parties functioning as “universities for training leaders”.
The SDP candidate said Nigeria was not short of highly intelligent and qualified citizens, but argued that individual talents had not been sufficiently organised around a common national purpose.
“We have individual brilliance, but we are a collective disaster,” he said.
He said the challenge was to bring individual abilities together through a shared philosophy and common national objectives.
Adebayo said the SDP’s approach to addressing poverty and insecurity involved institutional reform and the implementation of the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in Chapter Two of the Constitution.
He distinguished between what he called the “hard” and “soft” aspects of institutions, explaining that the former included laws, structures, rules and regulations, while the latter concerned the culture and conduct of people operating those institutions.
He urged young professionals to become more involved in politics, saying professional success and intellectual capacity could not by themselves translate into national influence without political participation.
“If you are not interested in politics and you are intelligent, it’s a contradiction there, because you will be intelligent enough to know that without showing interest in politics, your intelligence is irrelevant and useless to your country,” he said.
He also cautioned the youths against ethnic, religious and regional divisions, arguing that national solutions must involve all sections of the country.
“Do not initiate any idea. Do not support any idea. Do not tolerate, concede, condone, acquiesce, assent to any idea that creates division within Nigeria,” Adebayo said.
“The people of Nigeria must come together to solve the problems.”
He further urged Nigerians not to lose hope, saying the challenges facing the country could be overcome.
“You have no option but to love Nigeria, because Nigeria is the only one you have,” he said.
“There is no problem that Nigeria has that cannot be solved. So don’t be hopeless.”
Adebayo said the SDP would continue to engage Nigerians through town-hall meetings across the states and local government areas, with the aim of broadening political participation beyond professional and elite circles.
“We are taking this around the country. We are going to do town hall in every state, in every local government, and we are going to spread the tentacles to all Nigerians,” he said.
The SDP presidential candidate also thanked the visiting young professionals for initiating the engagement, but urged them to focus more on practical contributions to national development than recognition and awards.
“I want us to go and let history, posterity, when we are gone, give us the award. Let us go and do the work,” he said.
Bugaje: Nigeria needs political will, competent leadership
The SDP vice-presidential candidate, Prof. Usman Bugaje, said Nigeria’s development required leaders with both the political will and competence to understand the country’s problems and implement appropriate solutions.
“What we are doing is essentially about you,” Bugaje told the young professionals.
“At our age, some of us, especially myself here, I don’t have much to look forward to, except to go back to my academic and write my books.”
Bugaje identified what he described as the lack of political will and leadership competence as major obstacles to Nigeria’s development.
He said effective leadership required the ability to understand national challenges, make appropriate decisions and implement them efficiently.
The SDP vice-presidential candidate cited Japan, South Korea and Singapore as examples of countries that had confronted severe challenges but subsequently achieved significant development through deliberate policies and leadership.
“We know exactly what they did to get there. We know what we need to do to get there. All we are waiting for is the opportunity, and you are the people who are going to provide the opportunity,” he said.
Bugaje urged the young professionals to organise themselves and participate actively in the political process, saying an organised citizenry could contribute to national transformation.
Gombe: Youth engagement rekindles hope
The National Chairman of the SDP, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, welcomed the delegation, saying the decision of young Nigerians to organise and engage political leaders offered evidence that hope remained for the country.
“My joy is that I believe your coming to this headquarters is to show that there is a lot of hope. And when there is hope, there is always a future,” Gombe said.
He acknowledged concerns over the perception that many young Nigerians had lost hope in the country, but said the engagement demonstrated the importance of young people becoming involved in determining the nation’s future.
Gombe urged the youths to translate their professional knowledge and experience into constructive political participation and sustain engagement on leadership and national development.
Young professionals raise concerns over hardship
Earlier, the interim chairman of the Young Progressive Professionals, Fortunatus Njoku, said rising living costs, unemployment and youth underdevelopment were placing severe pressure on Nigerian families.
Njoku said the economic situation was making it increasingly difficult for young Nigerians to plan their lives, pursue education, establish families and build sustainable livelihoods.
He said the delegation was at the SDP secretariat not only to identify with the party and its presidential and vice-presidential candidates, but also to engage the leadership on the realities confronting Nigerians.
“We have come to sympathise with you and to understand your feelings. Most of us do not have cash, and most of us are feeling the impact of what is happening in the country,” Njoku said.
He expressed concern that severe economic pressure could expose vulnerable citizens to corruption and other social problems, while also warning about the burden placed on families struggling to educate their children.
Njoku called for greater attention to the welfare of young Nigerians and families, saying political discussions should remain connected to the everyday experiences of citizens.
Obodo: Youth population is opportunity
The Youth Professional Publicity Secretary, Obodo Chrisantus, said Nigeria’s growing youth population represented a major opportunity, but expressed concern over unemployment and inadequate investment in developing young people’s potential.
Obodo said the consequences of underinvestment went beyond unemployment, noting that poor nutrition, inadequate education and limited opportunities could affect the productive capacity of future generations.
He said decisions being taken by young Nigerians and political leaders today could have consequences extending across generations.
“We are living at a time where it is like a tipping point, and whatever decision young people make today in Nigeria is going to have generational consequences on what becomes of future Nigeria,” he said.
Obodo said the group had followed Adebayo’s public engagements and was attracted to some of the ideas he had presented on national development.
The engagement, which also featured contributions from other members of the delegation, including Abba Jacob, focused on economic hardship, youth development, human capital, political participation, leadership and institutional reform.
The SDP leadership and the visiting young professionals agreed on the need for sustained engagement between political organisations and the younger generation as discussions on Nigeria’s political and economic future continue.
…Labour seeks naira crude sales to local refineries, bigger fuel reserves
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to urgently approve a reasonable wage award for workers as petrol prices climb to about N1,430 per litre in major cities.
The labour centre also demanded that the government sell sufficient crude oil in naira to local refineries and expand the country’s petroleum storage capacity to cushion Nigerians from the impact of the latest fuel price surge.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, made the demands in a statement issued on Wednesday, warning that the rising cost of petrol would further deepen economic hardship and erode workers’ purchasing power.
Ajaero said the impact of the increase was already being felt through higher transportation costs, which he noted could trigger further increases in the prices of food, school fees, rent, tariffs and other essential goods and services.
“We are seriously concerned by the rising cost of the pump price of petrol across the country. In mega urban cities where petrol is readily available, the cost ranges from N1,430. In less accessible areas, the cost is much worse,” he said.
The NLC president said the latest increase had come despite efforts by the government to pressure marketers to reduce pump prices in line with international crude oil prices.
He attributed the latest wave of higher costs partly to the resurgence of conflict in the Gulf, but argued that Nigeria, as an oil-producing country with domestic refining capacity, should have measures capable of shielding citizens from external energy-market shocks.
“As a nation, and as a people endowed with enormous fossil resources, we are deserving of a certain level of protection or buffer against the gales from the Gulf, and indeed, other gales,” Ajaero said.
To create such a buffer, the NLC urged the Federal Government to immediately introduce wage awards for workers, provide adequate crude oil in naira to domestic refineries and expand national petroleum storage capacity.
According to the labour body, the measures could help create jobs, generate economic value and strengthen energy security.
The NLC also argued that government intervention, including subsidies or other forms of palliative support, should not be ruled out during an emergency.
“There is nothing wrong with government subsidising the needs of citizens, especially in emergency situations like this,” Ajaero said.
He further claimed that the Federal Government was benefiting from higher international crude prices, which he put at between $35 and $40 per barrel above the budget benchmark, describing the additional revenue as a windfall that could be deployed to cushion citizens.
The NLC also questioned the continued importation of crude by some domestic refineries, arguing that the practice undermined the objective of building local refining capacity.
“On a long-term basis, we are equally concerned that local refineries are importing crude. This is unreasonable and unacceptable and defeats the logic and purpose of local capacity,” Ajaero said.
He urged the government to act swiftly to protect workers and households from the wider effects of rising fuel prices.
The NLC’s demands come amid reports of petrol selling at about N1,430 per litre in major cities, with prices reportedly higher in less accessible areas.
…Dele Alake condoles families, calls for heavy equipment to save trapped miners
The Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) has called for the immediate mobilisation of heavy excavation equipment to rescue miners feared trapped following the collapse of an informal gold mine in West Kordofan, Sudan.
The group also urged governments across Africa to strengthen safety regulations and accelerate the formalisation of artisanal and informal mining operations to prevent similar tragedies.
Chairman of the AMSG, Dele Alake, made the call in a statement issued on Thursday following reports of the collapse at the informal Al-Zaraa gold mine near Al-Nuhud town in West Kordofan.
Alake expressed condolences to the families and communities of miners who lost their lives in the disaster, as well as the people and authorities of Sudan.
The AMSG said initial reports indicated that dozens of miners had died, while others were still missing and feared trapped beneath the rubble.
According to the group, the reported collapse of interconnected shafts in loose terrain highlights the dangerous conditions under which millions of artisanal and informal miners operate across Africa.
While acknowledging the importance of artisanal mining as an economic lifeline for communities affected by conflict and economic hardship, the AMSG said economic survival should not come at the expense of workers’ lives.
The group identified the absence of structural engineering standards, adequate protective equipment and effective regulatory oversight at remote mining sites as major safety concerns.
It also expressed concern over difficulties confronting rescue efforts at the Sudanese mine, noting that survivors and local responders were reportedly relying on basic hand tools because heavy excavation machinery was unavailable.
The AMSG therefore called on relevant authorities and stakeholders to urgently pool regional and local resources and deploy heavy lifting and excavation equipment to the mine site.
It said such intervention would help speed up search-and-rescue operations and enable medical teams to provide immediate treatment to survivors.
The group further called for accelerated efforts to bring artisanal miners into regulated frameworks across the continent.
It urged governments, regional organisations and industry stakeholders to provide miners with safety training, basic protective equipment, appropriate standards and institutional oversight.
The AMSG stressed that the protection of human life must take precedence over mineral extraction, particularly for vulnerable workers operating in conflict-affected and politically unstable areas.
The group said the Kordofan tragedy should reinforce the need for African countries to adopt policies that ensure minerals are mined, managed and processed under conditions that respect human dignity, safety and the value of human life.
Alake said the AMSG stood in solidarity with the grieving families and communities in Kordofan and reaffirmed the group’s commitment to promoting safer and more sustainable mineral development across Africa.
…Alausa says government remains committed to Unity Colleges, assures teachers of job security
The Federal Government has ruled out the sale or concession of Federal Unity Colleges across the country, declaring that it will retain ownership and responsibility for the institutions.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, gave the assurance on Wednesday in Abuja while addressing journalists on the controversy surrounding the proposed management arrangement involving King’s College, Lagos and the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA).
Alausa said the government had initially considered concession arrangements as a way of addressing the huge infrastructure deficit confronting the Unity Colleges, but had now abandoned the plan.
He said the infrastructure needs of the colleges were enormous, noting that even N2 trillion would not be sufficient to address all the challenges.
According to the minister, the proposed management arrangement for King’s College is aimed at mobilising additional resources to rehabilitate and modernise the historic institution without transferring its ownership from the Federal Government.
He also dismissed concerns that the arrangement would result in higher school fees or the loss of jobs by teachers.
“No. We’re not extending it. Government still has its responsibility,” Alausa said when asked whether the proposed arrangement would be extended to other Unity Colleges.
The minister was emphatic that the Federal Government had no plan to sell any of the institutions.
“Let me be unequivocal, Federal Government is not selling any Unity College.
“Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, does not have the intention to sell any Unity College, and we will not sell any Unity College.
“That is the government position, and go and write it down and hold on to that, we are not selling the government institutions,” he said.
Alausa explained that the decision to explore an alternative management arrangement for King’s College was prompted by the deteriorating state of infrastructure at the school and the need to restore it to its historical standard.
He said the government remained responsible for the Unity Colleges and would continue to discharge its obligations to them.
The minister’s clarification comes amid concerns over the future of the Unity Colleges and the proposed partnership involving KCOBA, particularly regarding ownership, funding, school fees and the welfare of teaching staff.
Alausa, however, maintained that the proposed arrangement for King’s College was intended to provide additional resources for the school while preserving its status as a Federal Government institution.
ABUJA — Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has ordered the deployment of a high-powered ministerial team to Niger State to investigate the...
