Category Nigeria News

Troops of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, under Operation ZAFIN WUTA, have conducted a successful security operation in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State to protect farmers and flush out bandits.

The operation, aimed at ensuring a peaceful harvest season and safe yuletide for residents, follows concerns raised by Chanchanji locals about potential attacks during the harvest period.

The Commander of 6 Brigade, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, had earlier visited Chanchanji, assuring farmers of adequate protection. He emphasized, “The Nigerian Army will not allow criminal elements to disrupt farming activities or threaten the livelihoods of law-abiding citizens, particularly during this critical harvest period.”

On Friday, troops arrived in Chanchanji Town and, in collaboration with local hunters and vigilante groups, provided security for farmers traveling to Demevaa Village, about 19 kilometers away.

READ ALSO: Troops Repel ISWAP Attack, Neutralise VBIEDs, Recover Weapons, Logistics In Borno

Simultaneously, troops conducted clearance operations across several villages, including Sabe, Iyongaem, and Tse-Tseve, successfully clearing the areas of bandits and restoring public confidence.

Acting on credible intelligence, troops also advanced into the Zambana Forest, a suspected bandit hideout. The area was thoroughly combed and cleared, significantly disrupting the bandits’ operations.

Brigadier General Uwa reassured the people of Takum and Taraba State that 6 Brigade remains fully deployed and committed to securing lives, property, and farmlands throughout the harvest season and beyond.

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, as he marks his 58th birthday on December 13.

In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu praised Wike for a life distinguished by purpose, courage, and dedicated public service.

Describing Wike as “an audacious top performer who defies obstacles and delivers results,” the President highlighted the minister’s significant contributions to the ongoing transformation of the Federal Capital Territory, particularly through his aggressive infrastructure renewal agenda.

Tinubu specifically acknowledged Wike’s recent intervention in breaking a 14-year deadlock in the construction of the Apo–Karshi Road.

READ ALSO: No Regret Supporting President Tinubu Since 2022 — Wike

The President commended Wike’s resilience, “can-do attitude,” and commitment to excellence, thanking him for his consistency in delivering impactful projects and reforms.

“Nyesom Wike has been one of the shining stars in the cabinet — an exceptional performer, developing infrastructure in the Federal Capital like never before and proving that his ‘Mr. Project’ moniker extends beyond his home state of Rivers,” Tinubu said.

“I commend him for being one of the champions of our Renewed Hope Agenda, even though he belongs to another party, and wish him continued strength and fulfillment as he marks another year in his life journey.”

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) said it is overhauling its Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) training for corps members through standardisation of the curriculum for deeper impact.

A statement by the body said the Director General (DG) of the Scheme, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this in his address at the 2025 second SAED stakeholders’ summit held in Abuja.

His summit was themed ‘Empowering a Generation: Building Competence for the Future Workplace and Enterprise Through Impactful Partnerships.’

Nafiu, who said the Scheme had embarked on a comprehensive digital transformation of the SAED programme as a pathway to combating youth unemployment, said the new curriculum included skills like artificial intelligence and mobile application development, amongst others.

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He further disclosed that Corps Members were being mainstreamed into the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, as well as global remote work opportunities through initiatives like Outsource to Nigeria, NYSC jobs.ng, and the SAED SME toolkit.

Describing the SAED programme as a pillar of youth empowerment in Nigeria, he said more than 3.18 million Corps Members had completed entrepreneurship and workplace readiness training since 2012, with over 30,000 businesses formally registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

“They are employing others and contributing to the Gross Domestic Product while demonstrating that our youths are capable change agents,” he added.

The DG stressed the need to focus more on competence, mastery of the SAED skills, and digital fluency by Corps Members so as to make them highly competitive in the rapidly changing world.

He described the ₦2 billion MSME loan fund for Corps Entrepreneurs, which was recently launched in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BoI), as a landmark achievement in the entrepreneurship development drive.

Nafiu hailed the founding fathers of the NYSC for their foresight in anticipating and laying the foundation for entrepreneurial training, as captured in one of the objectives of the scheme.

“The unemployment rate as at 1973 was put at 1.9%, but today it is about 6.9%. Nigeria has many young people who lack employability skills.

“We thank our partners and stakeholders in the SAED programme for collaborating with the NYSC to mitigate the scourge of youth unemployment in Nigeria.

“We must be committed to empowering a generation whose innovation and enterprise will shape the country’s future into prosperity.

“Equipping our young people is not just a programme, it is a national assignment, and NYSC is fully committed to it”, he said.

He urged participants at the meeting to renew strategies for equipping Corps Members with the necessary skills, creativity, and confidence to live in the contemporary world.

Earlier in his remarks, the Director of SAED, Kehinde Aremu-Cole, expressed gratitude to the stakeholders at the summit for driving transformation across multiple sectors such as technology and digital skills, creative industries, entrepreneurship development, financial empowerment, and agricultural revitalisation.

Aremu-Cole described as laudable all the training, grants, and mentorship sessions they had delivered previously, noting that they were shaping Nigeria’s future through the Corps Members.

He called on them to create special-purpose funding pathways that would turn desire and skills into productive enterprises.

“Together, we are not just running a programme: we are building a generation.

Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has presented a 2026 Appropriation Bill of more than ₦1.031 trillion to the State House of Assembly, describing it as a “Budget of Consolidation” aimed at sustaining development gains and addressing emerging socio-economic challenges.

Presenting the budget at the Assembly Chamber in Minna, Governor Bago disclosed that the fiscal proposal comprises over ₦270 billion for recurrent expenditure, representing 26.19%, while above ₦761 billion, or 73.81%, is earmarked for capital expenditure.

He said the funding will come from statutory allocations, value-added tax (VAT), internally generated revenue (IGR), FAAC receipts, capital receipts, grants, and loans.

Governor Bago emphasised that the 2026 budget is strategically designed to build on past achievements while meeting the state’s current developmental needs, particularly in a time of global economic shifts.

According to him, the economic sector received the highest allocation of more than ₦510 billion, reflecting the administration’s focus on job creation, agricultural transformation, and sustainable economic expansion.

The transportation sector received the lowest allocation, slightly above ₦1 billion.

Highlighting the key priority areas for the 2026 fiscal year, the governor listed: Wealth and job creation, Agricultural transformation, Strengthening healthcare delivery, and Consolidation of road infrastructure.

Completion of inherited water and electricity projects, Improvement in education, enhanced internal revenue generation, Digital transformation of state-owned media, Peace and security consolidation, and Strategic partnerships for development.

He noted that the budget is anchored on fiscal discipline, strategic investment, and targeted interventions, all aimed at expanding economic opportunities and improving citizens’ quality of life.

He also reviewed the achievements of the 2025 financial year, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

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Governor Bago appreciated the Speaker and members of the 10th State House of Assembly for their cooperation and patriotism, which he said has continued to strengthen governance and boost public confidence in democracy.

He appealed for the timely consideration and passage of the 2026 budget to accelerate development across the state.

The governor further called on Nigerlites to support his efforts to build a secure, green, and prosperous New Niger, assuring that his administration will continue to work tirelessly to overcome challenges and harness opportunities for the benefit of future generations.

In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, AbdulMalik Sarkin-Daji, commended the cordial relationship between the executive and legislative arms.

He praised the governor’s respect for due process, open consultations, and adherence to constitutional principles, noting that these have created an environment where development thrives.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has explained the cause of the recent drop in calls in Abuja.

Tijani spoke on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

He addressed complaints about poor networks and widespread call disruptions across the city.

The minister said a dispute between a major tower management company and its diesel supplier triggered the problem.

READ ALSO: Telecoms Tariff Hike Shouldn’t Be More Than 60% — Minister

Tijani explained that the dispute escalated into a court matter involving both parties.

He said the supplier’s union later shut down several towers in Abuja during the disagreement.

“That’s what has been responsible for the drop in calls you’ve been seeing in Abuja,” the minister added.

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