Day: August 30, 2026

Beyond Revenue: How Customs Cares Put Nigeria Customs on the Global CSR Map By Lukman Laleye Babalola

Lukman Laleye Babalola

With over 10 million Nigerians reached, Customs Cares earns Commonwealth Gold for community development and sustainability   For an agency whose traditional responsibilities are closely associated with borders, revenue collection, anti-smuggling operations and trade facilitation, the Nigeria Customs Service is increasingly demonstrating that its impact can extend far beyond the customs post.   That expanding role has now earned the Service international recognition.   The Nigeria Customs Service’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, Customs Cares, has won the Commonwealth Environment and CSR Gold Award in Glasgow, Scotland, placing Nigeria’s Customs…

Mining Marshals Defend Stone Rockers Shutdown, Say Quarry Remains Crime Scene

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The NSCDC Mining Marshals have defended the continued closure of the Stone Rockers Nigeria Limited quarry site in Abuja, insisting that the facility remains a crime scene in an ongoing criminal case before the Federal High Court.   The clarification followed recent media reports on a petition by Stone Rockers Nigeria Limited to President Bola Tinubu and other senior government officials over the 13-month closure of its operations. The company had alleged that the shutdown was unlawful and not backed by any court order.   But the Commander of the…

Customs Strengthens Leadership Capacity as 50 Officers Graduate from NCCSC Gwagwalada

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Fifty officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have graduated from the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, Abuja, after successfully completing the three-month Junior Course 25. The graduation ceremony, held on Friday, 28 August 2026, marked another milestone in the professional development and leadership advancement of the participating officers. Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, charged the graduates to uphold integrity, sound judgment and the national interest in the discharge of their responsibilities. Adeniyi stressed that contemporary Customs administration requires…

POWA FCT Chapter Empowers 110 Police Wives, Widows in Abuja

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), FCT Chapter, has empowered 110 police wives and widows in Abuja as part of efforts to strengthen the welfare and economic wellbeing of families of serving and fallen police officers.   The empowerment programme was held on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at the FCT POWA Secretariat, Utako, Abuja, under the theme, “Empowered Women, Stronger Families, Stronger Society.” It was organised by the Chairperson of POWA FCT Chapter, Hajiya Maimuna Muhammed Sanusi.   The initiative was designed to provide beneficiaries with support and opportunities to…

BEFORE THE LEOPARD’S TAIL METAMORPHOSES INTO THE LEOPARD Igboho, Iru Èkùn and Tani Olohun: Why Nigerians Must Speak Before Parallel Authority Takes Root By Mallam Ibrahim Agunbiade

Emporium Reporters

Nigeria must be careful not to make the mistake of waiting until a danger becomes uncontrollable before confronting its warning signs. The reported confrontation involving Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Igboho, members of Iru Èkùn, and the attempted arrest of Tani Olohun raises a question that goes beyond the individuals involved: Can a private group prevent the police from executing a lawful court order simply because its members disagree with the arrest? If established, such conduct should concern every Nigerian, regardless of ethnicity, religion or political affiliation. This is not…

2027: Group Demands Clarity on Dele Oshinowo’s WAEC Credentials

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Civic Accountability & Electoral Transparency Initiative (CAETI) has called on former Chairman of Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State, Mr. Dele Oshinowo, to publish clear and legible copies of the WAEC credentials he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 elections. In a statement signed by its Director-General, Adewale Oladimeji, the organisation said it had reviewed copies of educational credentials attributed to Oshinowo and raised concerns over the quality and legibility of the documents currently available for public scrutiny. CAETI, however, stressed that…

CAS Engages Senior NAF Leaders on Operational Effectiveness, Personnel Welfare

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has held an open and candid engagement with senior Nigerian Air Force (NAF) leaders, comprising Group Captains and Air Commodores, as part of efforts to enhance operational effectiveness and strengthen the Service’s capacity to respond to evolving security challenges.   The informal engagement provided a relaxed but purposeful platform for senior officers to exchange views on critical issues affecting the NAF, including ongoing operations, training, professional development, personnel welfare, leadership and logistics. During the interaction, the senior leaders…

Fatima Bago Brings Potable Water to 10 Wards in Niger’s Edati LGA

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Residents of 10 wards in Edati Local Government Area of Niger State have gained improved access to potable water following the rehabilitation and commissioning of 10 solar-powered boreholes facilitated through the intervention of the Niger State First Lady, Hajiya Fatima Mohammed Bago.   The intervention covers Enagi, Etsu Tasha, Fazhi, Gazhe I, Gazhe II, Gbangban, Gonagi, Guzan, Rokota and Sakpe wards, and is aimed at addressing water challenges confronting rural communities while improving public health, household welfare and grassroots development.   The boreholes were commissioned in Etsu Tasha Ward during…

Union Bank, AIICO Multishield, Checkers Custard, Others Back 5th Cycling Lagos

Emporium Reporters

Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, AIICO Multishield, Checkers Custard and other corporate organisations have thrown their weight behind the 5th Cycling Lagos, an initiative designed to promote cycling, environmental sustainability and public awareness of responsible waste management. The organisations’ support is expected to strengthen the 2026 edition of Cycling Lagos, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. Speaking on the bank’s sponsorship for the event in Lagos, Union Bank in a statement said its decision was in recognition of the…

SERAP, Editors Threaten Court Action Over Foreign Aid Bill, Warn of Threat to Civic Space

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have warned that they may resort to legal action if the National Assembly proceeds with the controversial Foreign Aids (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, 2026 (SB.1034). The organisations urged the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to immediately reject and withdraw the proposed legislation, describing it as “unnecessary, unlawful, unconstitutional” and a threat to civic space, media freedom and democratic participation. In a joint open letter dated…