Category Nigeria News

Thirty-one years after the execution of environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others, the people of Ogoniland gathered to honour their memories and renew their demand for justice.

But beyond remembering the Ogoni Nine, this year’s commemoration also focused on the Ogoni Four — Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage, Samuel Orage, and Albert Badey — whose murder in Gokana Local Government Area preceded the arrest and eventual execution of the nine activists in 1995.

Different groups across Ogoni held memorial events to mark the day. In Gokana, the Gokana Unity Forum, the Council of Chiefs, and families of the victims renewed their call for the retrieval of the remains of the four who were allegedly killed by a mob outside the palace of the then Gbemene of Gokana.

They insist that retrieving their remains and giving them a dignified burial will bring closure and true reconciliation to the land.

The Gokana Unity Forum expressed disappointment over what it described as MOSOP’s continued disregard for genuine reconciliation.

It accused the group of planning to lay wreaths on symbolic graves of the Ogoni Four instead of working with key stakeholders to recover their real remains as recommended by the Oputa Panel of 2001.

The forum said the failure to act on those recommendations has delayed true peace and reconciliation in Ogoniland for decades.

Chris Barigbon, speaking on behalf of the forum, said the people of Gokana have resolved to press forward to ensure that the remains of the Ogoni Four are recovered and given proper burial. He described it as the only path to lasting peace and justice in the area.

“We are saying today that the time has come for the remains of Chief Edward Kobani, Chief T.B. Orage, Chief S.N. Orage, and Chief A.T. Badey to be recovered and returned to their families for dignified burial. That is the true foundation of peace. Without truth and justice, reconciliation will remain a mirage,” he said.

The President of the Gokhana Unity Forum, Goodluck Gbara-Age, added that the younger generation would continue to seek justice until the truth of what happened is fully addressed.

The demand for justice was also echoed by a former Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Kenneth Kobani, a son of one of the Ogoni Four, who spoke with deep emotion about forgiveness, closure, and the need for honesty in the reconciliation process.

“It’s been 31 years since my father and others were brutally murdered here in Gokana. We had every reason to seek revenge, but we chose forgiveness,” Kobani said, stressing that true reconciliation must begin with truth.

He condemned what he described as “a continued denial of the obvious”, saying some groups were trying to rewrite history and downplay the suffering of the victims’ families.

“You cannot deny what happened. These men were killed in broad daylight, and the culprits were known. We have shown enough humility and faith in the Ogoni cause; it is time for those who know where their remains are to bring them out so that we can have closure.”

Kobani thanked President Bola Tinubu for renewed efforts at reconciliation but urged all stakeholders to stop using the Ogoni struggle for political and financial gain.

“Ogoni wants peace, unity, and progress. We’ve seen enough pain; we don’t hate anyone, but we must not be forced to bury our fathers with empty caskets again,” he said.

Clad in black attire and carrying placards, the crowd also paid courtesy visits to the King of Bodo and to the homes of the Badey and Kobani families to register their grief and renew prayers for unity and peace.

Elsewhere, the National Youth Council of Ogoni People held a separate memorial for Ken Saro-Wiwa and his colleagues, describing them as symbols of courage and sacrifice.

While thanking President Tinubu for the pardon granted earlier this year, the youth called for the case to be reopened for a formal court exoneration and for the full implementation of the Ogoni Bill of Rights.

They also demanded an end to what they described as political marginalisation, noting that despite having four local government areas, no Ogoni has ever served as Governor or deputy governor of Rivers State since its creation.

Governor Monday Okpebholo’s claim that the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) project was executed without transparency is false, former governor Godwin Obaseki’s aide, Cruose Osagie, has said.

Osagie explained that “everything” concerning MOWAA and its relationship with the state government was clearly spelt out.

READ ALSO: Okpebholo Decries ‘Lack Of Transparency’ In MOWAA Project

“We read with total disbelief and disappointment the comments credited to the governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, in various news publications, where he made several statements that are completely false.

“On Governor Okpebholo’s claim that the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) project was handled with a ‘gross lack of transparency,’ this assertion is entirely false,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Everything concerning MOWAA and its relationship with the Edo State Government was clearly spelt out, just like every other initiative of the Godwin Obaseki-led administration, in the over 800-page Transition Committee Report prepared at the end of the Obaseki administration and handed to Okpebholo and his team in both soft and hard copies,” he added.

Osagie said the transition committee report contained all the details of the Edo State Government’s engagement with the MOWAA project.

“Okpebholo and his transition team were invited to a Joint Transition Committee conference, but they withdrew after the inaugural sitting, insisting that they must first be paid sitting allowances before continuing with the meetings.

“The Transition Committee Report, if Okpebholo ever bothered to read it, contains all the details of the Edo State Government’s engagement with the MOWAA project,” he said.

The former governor also dismissed the claim that MOWAA was used to replace “a functioning hospital”.

“We find this claim both misleading and amusing. All Edo citizens are aware of the derelict condition of that hospital, which prompted the preceding administration of Adams Oshiomhole to build a new facility on the same grounds.

“This hospital was completed, fully equipped, and opened to the public by the Obaseki-led administration.

“Under the new Benin City master plan which was legislated into law by the Edo State House of Assembly, with the new hospital operational and the Stella Obasanjo Hospital reconstructed into a sprawling, modern medical hub, the defunct portions of the old Central Hospital were decommissioned, and the land was planned as a cultural district to accommodate spaces for more befitting public use, such as culture and entertainment,” he stated.

“It was Obaseki’s well-considered belief that a facility such as MOWAA, the National Museum, the Royal Museum, the 1897 memorial arcade, the Rain Forest Gallery, etc, should be situated in Benin city centre to promote tourism and attract visitors to the state.

The Vice President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria’s quickest path to catching up with developed economies lies in digital innovation and the creation of a vibrant national tech ecosystem.

Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ forum on technology and innovation on Tuesday, Shettima said Nigeria is “endowed with one of the world’s most vibrant pools of talent,” stressing that the success of the nation, and indeed the continent depends on how effectively it harnesses this human capital for innovation-driven growth.

“If there is any standout route through which we can catch up with developed economies, it lies in digital innovation,” he said. “We are endowed with vibrant minds, and our success as a people can only be guaranteed by us.”

The Vice President urged a shift from surface-level digital adoption to deep-tech innovation capable of addressing national challenges in sectors such as agriculture, health, logistics, and governance.

He said Nigeria must focus on developing a digital ecosystem that functions seamlessly across the country — from Lagos and Abuja to Kano, Enugu, Port Harcourt, and Bauchi.

“We must move beyond mere applications to building foundational, deep-tech solutions that respond to the real needs of our people,” he added.

Outlining the nation’s long-term strategy, the VP said the government’s digital transformation agenda rests on three core pillars: People, Infrastructure, and Policy.

Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has said that Nigeria has the potential to power the African continent into a new era of prosperity — but only if it invests strategically in digital innovation, inclusivity, and youth empowerment.

Speaking at a conference themed “Prosperity Through Innovation,” Inuwa highlighted the need to reform the economy to deliver sustained, inclusive growth while accelerating diversification through digitalisation and technological advancement.

“We are not just going to power Nigeria, but the entire Africa into new eras of prosperity,” Inuwa said. “But if we fail to equip our youth with the right skills, we are squandering the most precious asset we have as a nation.”

He emphasized that the answer to Nigeria’s economic and developmental challenges lies in bringing young people together, nurturing their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, and providing them with platforms to showcase their talents and drive national transformation.

“Our collective ambition must be to empower the youth by engaging them meaningfully — giving them the tools, platforms, and opportunities to solve the challenges we face as a nation,” he added.

Inuwa called for policy frameworks that promote inclusivity and innovation, urging both government and the private sector to support start-ups and digital enterprises capable of driving sustainable economic growth through technology.

Nigeria’s push to build a globally competitive digital economy entered a decisive phase on Tuesday, as the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, declared the National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill 2025 a “critical enabler” of the country’s technological future.

Speaking at a one-day public hearing at the Senate New Building, National Assembly Complex in Abuja, Inuwa warned that the world is moving at digital speed — and Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind.

According to him, the proposed legislation will provide the legal and institutional backbone required to accelerate innovation, enhance transparency, and unlock inclusive growth across all sectors of the economy.

“Digital technology is reshaping economies and societies. If Nigeria is to harness its full benefits, we must build a strong, forward-looking framework,” he told stakeholders, stressing that robust digital governance strengthens public trust and ensures seamless online service delivery.

The session was chaired by Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, with Honourable Adedeji Stanley Olajide, his counterpart in the House Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, co-presiding.

Inuwa commended both chambers of the National Assembly for what he described as “strategic foresight” in championing a bill that has the potential to serve as the backbone of Nigeria’s digital transformation.

See photos from the event below:

The Federal Government has inaugurated the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Ban of Single-Use Plastics (SUPs), marking a significant step toward environmental sustainability and waste management reform in the country.

In his inaugural speech, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said the ban was an initiative that aligned with Nigeria’s commitment to global environmental standards and the resolve to reduce plastic pollution that posed serious threats to public health, ecosystems, and marine life.

READ ALSO: Lagos Enforces Single-Use Plastic Ban

‘‘The Federal Government arrived at this decision following a Federal Executive Council Memorandum EC (2024), presented by the Honourable Minister of Environment, which was held on Tuesday, 25 June 2024,” Akume, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary Overseeing General Services Office, Mohammed Danjuma, said.

“The FEC decision was in line with the Federal Government’s efforts to tackle various health and environmental challenges, especially those caused by single-use plastic products, and therefore, approved the ban in the country of polyethene terephthalate (PET) bottles, styrofoam, plastic bags, sachet water, and straw, which has become an environmental sanitation challenge.

“The inappropriate disposal of plastic materials is a major cause of marine pollution as well as land degradation. Plastic wastes take a longer time to decompose both on land and water; therefore, they pose a serious threat to wildlife and public health due to the toxic chemicals,” he said.

Phase-Out Plan

The committee, which comprises key representatives from various ministries, departments, and agencies, and stakeholder organisations, is charged with the mandate to coordinate and oversee the implementation of policies and strategies aimed at phasing out single-use plastics nationwide.

The terms of reference of the committee are to investigate the issue of single-use plastics, evaluate the benefits and broader implications of the ban on the use of SUPs, and design the ways and means to promote best environmental practices within the plastic value chain, among others.

“The ban on single-use plastics is an initiative that underscores Nigeria’s leadership in environmental stewardship and commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” a statement by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Segun Imohiosen, read.

Single-Use Plastics

Concerns over the use of single-use plastics inceasing due to their impact on the environment.

In July, the Lagos State Government commenced the enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics after it issued a six-month notice to all stakeholders.

It warned that any company that failed to adhere to the ban on single-use plastics would be prosecuted and sealed off.

It said that the ban was expected to move the state towards realisation of reduction of the quantum of waste generated in the state and at different landfill sites.

“There will be no going back from July 1, 2025, on the enforcement of the ban of single-use plastics (less than 40 microns) in Lagos state.