Category Nigeria News

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has raised the alarm over alleged mismanagement in the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), accusing the Federal Government of diverting 40 per cent of workers’ contributions to the national coffers as “revenue,” in flagrant violation of the statutes establishing the agency.

The NLC said the NSITF must account for and return all diverted funds within seven working days from Thursday, August 14, 2025, failure of which the union would no longer guarantee industrial peace in the sector.

The government had yet to react to the allegation as of the time of filing the report.

In a communiqué at the end of a meeting by its Central Working Committee (CWC), the labour union described the situation as an ongoing assault on workers’ social protection rights.

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It affirmed that the NSITF belonged to the Nigerian working class, adding that it would mobilise all legitimate means to ensure workers’ interests were protected.

“The NSITF must account for and return all diverted funds within seven (7) working days from today.

“If at the end of these seven working days, nothing is done, NLC will no longer guarantee Industrial peace in the sector.

“The CWC expressed outrage at the ongoing assault on workers’ social protection rights through the Federal Government’s diversion of 40 per cent of workers’ contributions to the national coffers as ‘revenue,’ in flagrant violation of the statutes establishing the NSITF.

“Equally condemnable is the new administration’s false claim of ownership of the NLC National Headquarters, a property owned by Nigerian workers, resort to cyber and media-bullying of the trade unions and leadership, coupled with covert moves to amend the NSITF Act in a manner that would disenfranchise workers and give the government full control over the funds,” the communiqué signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, read in part.

“The NSITF must account for and return all diverted funds within seven (7) working days from today. b)

“It also called for the constitution of the Pension Commission (PENCOM) board within seven days in full compliance with the law, and the submission to the NLC of the full status report of the funds within the same period.

“The CWC noted with grave concern the non-constitution of the governing board of the National Pension Commission, in contravention of the PENCOM Act and other statutes. This unlawful vacuum has allowed the government to solely superintend over the pension funds contributed by workers and employers, stripping away the statutory tripartite oversight and increasing the risk of mismanagement and political interference.

“The CWC reiterates that pension funds are deferred wages, not state revenue, and demands the immediate constitution of the board in full compliance with the law,” the union stated in the communiqué.

The NLC also ratified the dissolution of its state administrative council in Edo State and the setting up of a caretaker committee.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has moved four Continous Voter Registration (CVR) centres in four local government areas of Borno State to the Maiduguri metropolis over security and safety concerns.

The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abubakar Ahmad, who disclosed this on Thursday while officially announcing the commencement of the 2025-2026 CVR in a press briefing in Maiduguri, listed the local governments to include Abadam, Guzamala, Kala Balge and Marte

According to him, the CVR centres in Abadam had been moved to Baga Road, Guzamala, to the Fire Service Department, 1,000 Housing Estate, Kala-Balge, to Goni Kachalari Primary School, and Marte to Kachamai, all of which are in the Maiduguri metropolis.

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He said, “For security and factors relating to safety, four INEC LGAs offices will conduct the physical (in-person) registration at locations in the Maiduguri Metropolis. The LGAs affected are Abadam Guzamala, Kala-Balge, and Marte LGAs.”

He, however, noted that the entire exercise would be conducted in three phases, starting from August 18, 2025, to August 30, 2026.

“Phase one (I) shall commence on August 18, 2025, with online pre-registration, and subsequently, it will run concurrently on August 25, 2025, with physical (in-person) registration. These two (online pre-registration and physical registration) shall thereafter continue simultaneously,” he said

“The websites for the online pre-registration are: www.cvr.inec.gov.ng and www.cvr.inecnigeria.org,” he stated

According to him, the online pre-registration will enable prospective registrants to commence their registration online and to book an appointment for a date and time to complete the registration in person at an INEC state or local government office across the state.

Speaking on the physical registration, Ahmad said the “in-person registration commencing on August 25, 2025, shall be done at the state INEC office or local government offices across the state.

“In-person registration shall be conducted in all INEC state and LGA offices nationwide from 9 am to 3 pm on weekdays except public holidays,” he stated.

Ahmad, who assured that INEC had special provisions on how to handle persons with disabilities, encouraged them to take part in the activity.

He further added that the services to be covered during the 12 months of activities would include registration of Nigerians who are 18 years and above who have not previously registered, replacement of lost, defaced, or damaged Permanent Voters Card, and Transfer of registration details to another polling unit for voters who have relocated.

The traditional ruler of Babanla town in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Oba Aliyu Yusuf Arojojoye II, has appealed to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to urgently provide assistance to victims of the recent attack by bandits.

An unspecified number of bandits had on August 8, 2025, attacked the agrarian community last Friday, killing villagers, who were mainly farmers, while many residents lost valuable properties.

In a statement, Oba Aliyu said that the burden of fending for the farm settlers who were sacked from their farms was becoming too much for the community alone to bear.

“We, therefore, require the assistance of the government in this regard too,” the traditional ruler said.

He also appealed to all indigenes of the town to return home, saying that the government has done everything to ensure that there is maximum protection of lives and properties.

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He commended the federal, state, and the Ifelodun local governments for their efforts to ensure peace and security in the community, while he assured governments of the people’s unalloyed support at all times.

“On behalf of the entire people of Babanla, I wish to express my profound appreciation to Abdulrahman AbdulRazak, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the National Security Adviser and heads of all security agencies in Kwara State for the timely response to the aftermath of the bandits attack on Babanla on August 8, 2025.

“We specially thank both federal and state governments for all the measures being put in place to reinforce the safety and security in this community and its environs.

“This is already helping to mitigate the shock, anxiety, worries, and fears that followed the sad event. Consequently, normalcy is gradually returning to Babanla.”

The Oba also commended the local vigilance group for demonstrating courage against the bandits.

The monarch, in the statement, said, “Even with the limited firepower, you demonstrated the bravery that this community has always been noted for. Posterity will always celebrate your role in the protection of our community.

“Let me equally appreciate my fellow traditional rulers and all lovers of this community for the sympathy messages. And to the entire people of Babanla, I say a very big thank you for still remaining calm in the face of the attack.

“I thank you for your resilience, support, and patriotism throughout this trying period. Babanla, as the home of the valiants, has in history always given refuge to people who were being persecuted.

The President of the Creative Industry Group, Felix Duke, has alleged that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided his hotel in Lagos over a civil dispute with a retired United States military officer.

Duke was a guest on Thursday’s edition of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, programme.

He narrated how operatives of the anti-graft agency allegedly invaded the premises of the Duke and Duchess Hotel in the Abule Egba area of Lagos on Friday, August 1, 2025, without a warrant.

“On the 1st of August, we were not expecting the EFCC. They came to my hotel uninvited, breaking from one door to the other, saying they were looking for me. When they couldn’t find me, they made an attempt to abduct my wife,” he said.

The musician alleged that the raid stemmed from a land transaction dispute with the retired officer. According to him, the buyer had paid part of the agreed sum but still owed ₦8 million.

“When I refused to map out the land without full payment, he, his lawyer, and some men, about four of them, invited me to the site. I believe their intention was to kill me to take my land. They pushed me into a swamp and walked away. My surveyor pulled me out, and I went straight to Ajah Police Station,” Duke recounted.

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He added that the police investigated, visited the scene, and invited all parties involved, including the buyer’s lawyer. The musician alleged that the petitioner later sought another law enforcement agency “to do his dirty job”.

Asked if the EFCC raid had anything to do with alleged cybercrime by hotel guests, Duke replied, “Exactly. They never came to my hotel for any fraudulent or internet fraud reason. They came because of a civil case. The same EFCC investigated this matter last year and never found me guilty.”

David Ogebe, a passenger aboard an Ibom Air flight in the centre of a viral incident has given a first-hand account, detailing what happened before the confrontation between a passenger, Comfort Emmanson, and a flight attendant escalated at the Lagos airport last Sunday.

Ogebe, who a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast programme The Morning Brief on Thursday, said one of the airline’s air hostesses threatened to deal with the female passenger during the flight.

The eyewitness said he sat directly beside Emmanson and saw “everything that transpired” on the aircraft.

According to him, the first air hostess was professional and polite, briefing passengers on emergency exit procedures before asking Emmanson to switch off her phone.

Ogebe recounted that tension began when a second air hostess approached “with a posture that showed she came for trouble,” repeating the instruction to Emmanson to switch off her phone.

The eyewitness said Emmanson explained that the buttons on her phone were not working and asked for help, which the crew member declined.

Ogebe said that the back-and-forth between the two attracted another passenger who eventually helped Emmanson switch off the device.

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Ogebe stressed that Emmanson never refused to comply, saying, “She was trying to switch off her phone (but) she had issues switching it off.”

He said the exchange escalated when the second air hostess allegedly warned, “If you say another word, I will deal with you,” prompting an angry reaction laced with expletives.

Throughout the flight, Ogebe said Emmanson appeared visibly upset, muttering that she was being singled out despite paying for her ticket. He claimed the second air hostess “kept peeping” to check on her, while the first remained “very polite, amiable and professional.”

“If this whole issue had been handled by the first air hostess, it would not have come up at all, but Emmanson’s reaction was completely not commensurate with the situation,” he said, describing her behaviour during the arrest as “extremely violent.”