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Nigerian Army Reinforces Operational Capacity, Personnel Welfare Measures

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Nigerian Army Reinforces Operational Capacity, Personnel Welfare Measures

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has commissioned refurbished operational vehicles and a renovated Soldiers’ Club at the Nigerian Army Women’s Command, Giri, Abuja, reaffirming the Nigerian Army’s focus on operational readiness and personnel welfare.

Represented by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the COAS commended the leadership and personnel of the Command for the initiative, noting that serviceable vehicles were essential to the timely movement of troops, equipment and logistics.

Shaibu urged personnel entrusted with the vehicles to ensure proper maintenance, responsible handling and strict adherence to regulations, while directing commanders to ensure that maintenance schedules were observed and the vehicles used only for authorised military purposes.

The Army Chief also described the Soldiers’ Club as important to the welfare, morale and cohesion of personnel and their families.

He explained that the facility would provide an avenue for relaxation, recreation and social interaction while strengthening esprit de corps.

The COAS charged personnel to maintain discipline and professionalism in the use of the facility, stressing that the vehicles and Soldiers’ Club should serve as practical tools for improving operational effectiveness and personnel welfare.

He subsequently commissioned the refurbished vehicles and Soldiers’ Club for service and use in accordance with extant regulations.

Read Also: NDC Reveals Reason for Delay in Forming 2027 Presidential Campaign Council

The Commander, Nigerian Army Women’s Command, Brigadier General Mohammed Sani Adamu, said the commissioning built on the Command’s earlier efforts to improve operational mobility.

He recalled that 12 vehicles, including two coaster buses and 10 key operational vehicles, were re-operationalised on 25 June 2026.

He said the Command’s readiness was demonstrated during the April 14 security challenge in Jos, Plateau State, when the COAS directed the deployment of a company from the formation to the state before 9 a.m. the following day.

According to him, the Command’s operational mobility enabled the troops to mobilise promptly and support efforts to suppress the situation and restore peace.

Brigadier General Adamu said four refurbished coaster buses were commissioned during the latest ceremony after being restored from deplorable conditions, adding that the Command considered all its vehicles critical to maintaining readiness for deployment at short notice.

On personnel welfare, he said the Soldiers’ Club had previously lacked adequate lighting, proper sanitation and a conducive environment but had now undergone a complete overhaul to provide soldiers with a suitable place to relax, interact and receive guests.

The commander said the improvements were consistent with the First Soldier concept, stressing that soldiers’ welfare must remain a priority under the leadership of the COAS.

In a post-event interview, Brigadier General Adamu said the Command had also recorded expanded operational roles under the current COAS, including the deployment of a female contingent for a peace-support operation in the Republic of Benin, deployment to restore peace in Plateau State under Operation ENDURING PEACE, and election security duties in Osun State.

He attributed the achievements to the approval, direction and enabling environment provided by the Chief of Army Staff.

The outgoing commander disclosed that he would proceed to serve as the pioneer commander of the 8 Brigade in Ado-Ekiti.

NDC Reveals Reason for Delay in Forming 2027 Presidential Campaign Council

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NDC Reveals Reason for Delay in Forming 2027 Presidential Campaign Council

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has said it is putting finishing touches to the formation of its Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections.Nigeria Travel Guides

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It was reported that the party made this known in a statement on Tuesday.

According to the NDC, its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, have held several meetings with the party’s National Leader and other members of the leadership as part of efforts to finalize the campaign council.

The party said Obi and Kwankwaso had been given the authority to nominate key officials into the campaign council in consultation with the NDC leadership.

The positions to be filled by the candidates include Director-General of the campaign, Deputy Director-General for the North, campaign spokesperson, deputy spokesperson, Head of New Media, Finance Director and Deputy Finance Director, among other positions.

The NDC said the arrangement was designed to give the presidential candidates room to select people they considered suitable for the various roles while also ensuring that the party remained involved in the process.

The party further disclosed that the Finance Director and Deputy Finance Director would work with the National Treasurer to handle funds raised for the presidential campaign.

It said the arrangement was necessary to ensure proper management of campaign finances and enable the party to meet its financial reporting obligations to the Independent National Electoral Commission in accordance with the Electoral Act.

The NDC also revealed that a detailed structure for the campaign council had been prepared since August and submitted to Obi and Kwankwaso for their contributions.

Read Also: Tinubu Calls on Africa to End Export of Unprocessed Minerals

The party said it had also received nominations and suggestions from stakeholders across the country as part of the process of putting the campaign team together.

According to the NDC, the final campaign council would be announced and inaugurated after the presidential candidate and his running mate submit their inputs.

The party also said a campaign timetable had been prepared since August, but arrangements concerning campaign funding and fundraising were still being concluded.

It stated that fundraising would be led by the presidential candidate and his running mate, with money raised expected to be paid into the designated presidential campaign account.

The account, according to the party, would be managed by officials nominated by Obi and Kwankwaso alongside the National Treasurer of the NDC.

The party explained that the inauguration of the Presidential Campaign Council was initially planned for the first week of September but was postponed because of the travel schedule of the presidential candidate.

“The inauguration of the PCC was earlier scheduled for the first week of September but had to be put off due to the travel schedule of the presidential candidate.

“We also appeal to all our candidates at all levels to restrain their supporters and support groups to focus on the need to win elections. There are no battles to fight within the NDC. The common opponent to defeat is the ruling APC. We are committed as a party. The party has done its own and is ready to do more. The candidates and their supporters are encouraged to do the same”, the statement read in part.

Tinubu Calls on Africa to End Export of Unprocessed Minerals

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Tinubu Calls on Africa to End Export of Unprocessed Minerals

President Bola Tinubu has called for a fresh continental push to end the historical exploitation of Africa’s critical mineral resources, urging African nations to unite and halt the export of raw materials.

He called for an aggressive alliance among African countries to ensure that the continent transitions from a mere supplier of raw minerals to a hub for local processing, manufacturing, and value addition.

The Nigerian leader made the call in New York, United States, during the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) High-Level Roundtable on Critical Minerals Development in Africa, held on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The President was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, alongside AMSG Chairman and Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake.

The dialogue, themed, “From Resources to Wealth: Continental Cooperation for Mineral Value Addition, Data Sovereignty, Innovative Financing and Critical Minerals Security,” focused on transforming Africa’s mineral wealth into sustainable economic growth.

President Tinubu told African leaders and other stakeholders that “the continent could not claim to be wealthy while its children wallowed in poverty amid mines that enrich the world.”

“For generations, Africa has furnished the materials of prosperity elsewhere. Our duty is to ensure that the future being fashioned from African minerals has room for African ambition,” he stated.

Read Also: 81st UNGA: Shettima Reviews Nigeria’s Key Priorities

President Tinubu regretted that mineral-rich communities lacked infrastructure, jobs and a stake in their own wealth, despite growing global demand for clean energy, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.

Read Also: VP Shettima Gets Update on Nigeria’s Agenda for 81st UNGA

He noted that critical minerals such as cobalt, copper, lithium and rare earth elements had become indispensable to global supply chains and economic security.

According to him, the answer to the deprivation “must be processing, refining, batteries, components, African technologies and competitive skills”.

“The worth of a mine must be counted in the lives it improves,” he said, adding that jobs, industries, infrastructure, technology transfer, African enterprise participation and prosperity retained across generations must measure the continent’s progress from resources to wealth.

The President warned that no African country could achieve the transformation alone, saying competition through lower royalties, weaker local content requirements and excessive concessions would weaken the continent’s negotiating power.

He said Nigeria must require local value addition for new mining licences, strengthen geological data and investor access, organise artisanal miners into cooperatives, combat illegal mining and improve regulatory accountability.

He called for “reliable partnerships grounded in mutual benefit, shared responsibility, sovereign equality and respect for our priorities”, with fair market access, industrial investment and technology partnerships that build African capabilities.

On the Continental Integration and Economic Assurance Declaration (CIEAD), adopted and signed at the Roundtable, President Tinubu said “it must establish a predictable, investment-ready environment for Africa’s Strategic Mineral Corridors, harmonised policies, responsible investment and shared infrastructure.”

He urged African nations to specify national and regional contributions and called on development finance institutions and sovereign investors to propose financing platforms.

Alake said the CIEAD was a landmark continental framework designed to establish a unified architecture for Africa’s critical and solid minerals value chains.

He urged countries yet to join the AMSG to do so to promote synergy in efforts, ideas and resources needed to harness Africa’s natural resources.

Kenya’s Minister of Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, Hassan Ali Joho, stressed the importance of domestic resource mobilisation and greater alignment of licensing procedures, while respecting the sovereignty of member states.

Representatives of Liberia, Chad and Tanzania also contributed to the discussions.

81st UNGA: Shettima Reviews Nigeria’s Key Priorities

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81st UNGA: Shettima Reviews Nigeria’s Key Priorities

Vice President Kashim Shettima has received a comprehensive briefing on Nigeria’s participation in the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amb. Jimoh Ibrahim, formally briefed the Vice President on the country’s key priorities and expectations from stakeholders and citizens ahead of the global gathering.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the briefing, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Mr Stanley Nkwocha, said; “Nigeria would build on its position at the last gathering of global leaders, where it strongly advocated comprehensive reforms of the global body to enhance its contributions to the development of developing countries.”

Read Also: Anyim Advocates Northern Presidency After Tinubu, South-East to Follow

Nkwocha said that when the 81st session formally opens, the Vice President would, at various forums, present President Tinubu’s message on several issues, including Nigeria’s push for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

He stressed that Nigeria remained committed to engaging strategically with critical stakeholders at the global event.

Also speaking, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Amb. Jimoh Ibrahim, said; “the country’s participation in the 81st UN General Assembly would focus on deepening reforms at the global body to ensure greater impact on member states, among other objectives.”

On their expectations from the high-level gathering, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, and his Kebbi State counterpart, Nasir Idris, said they would seek opportunities to open their states to global investments, particularly in solid minerals and other areas of mutual economic interest.

The Governors said; “the abundant solid mineral resources in Nasarawa and Kebbi states placed them in a strong position to attract international investors and promote economic development.”

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara also said he would attend the summit to explore global partnerships capable of attracting more investments to the state.

Govenror Fubara expressed optimism that Rivers State’s vast oil and gas resources would provide opportunities for meaningful engagements with potential investors during the summit.

The Governors said their participation was aimed at leveraging the international platform to promote their states, attract investments and create new economic opportunities for their people.

Anyim Advocates Northern Presidency After Tinubu, South-East to Follow

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Anyim Advocates Northern Presidency After Tinubu, South-East to Follow

Former Senate President and ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, has said the presidency should move to the North after President Bola Tinubu’s second term and subsequently return to the South-East.

Anyim made the remarks during an interview with Arise News, where he spoke about rotational presidency and the political strategy he believes the South-East should adopt ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, President Tinubu, who is from the South-West, should be allowed to complete a second term before the presidency moves to the North.
“Certainly, the President has taken it from the Southwest and is entitled to a second term. After his second term, I believe in rotation, and it will go to the North. After the North, it will come down to the East after eight years,” Anyim said.

He argued that such an arrangement would be consistent with the principle of rotational presidency, while stressing that the South-East would need to build alliances with other regions to pursue its presidential ambition.

“You need to support others so that they can support you,” he said.
nyim said political parties should also operate as platforms built around common interests and objectives.

“Political parties should be like a family with a common understanding and objective,” he added.

On the political future of the South-East, the former Senate President said leaders in the region should think beyond immediate political benefits and focus on long-term goals.

He said political alliances were necessary because the region could not achieve its objectives by acting alone.
“I have given you one reason from the beginning: you need to align with another region in order to get your ultimate goal. This is political arithmetic, not about what he has done for that region or for Nigeria,” Anyim said.

He argued that democracy and nation-building should be anchored on principles such as justice, inclusivity, citizens’ rights, institutional development and the rule of law.

Read Also: Abia Government: Suspects Accused of Raping Minors Will Face Prosecution

“When you talk about democracy and nation-building, you should be talking about principles, institutions, fundamental objectives, liberty of the individual, rights of citizens, justice, inclusivity, and the rule of law,” he said.

Anyim also said his political concern was to ensure that future generations in the South-East had a stronger sense of belonging and access to opportunities.

“My concern is not what I become—God has been so kind—but in my lifetime, I should be able to be sure that one day my children, my children’s children, and the younger generation in the Southeast will have that sense of inclusion and belonging,” he said.

On Peter Obi, Anyim said he respected the former Anambra governor but did not endorse his 2023 presidential campaign because they belonged to different political camps.

“Peter is my friend and my brother, and I respect him,” he said.

“But I belong to a separate party from where he is, so I did not endorse him. Peter is my friend, but we are not in the same political family. We are in different political camps.”

Anyim further said the APC had the potential to make a significant impact in the South-East despite Obi’s political influence in the region.

“As far as I’m concerned, APC as a party has every reason and ground to make its own impact in the Southeast, and I can assure you that APC will greatly impact the Southeast,” he said.

Abia Government: Suspects Accused of Raping Minors Will Face Prosecution

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Abia Government: Suspects Accused of Raping Minors Will Face Prosecution

Abia State government has vowed to prosecute the perpetrators who defiled and raped five minors and one adult in the state.

It said that a 10-year-old girl who survived the rape has undergone surgery at the state’s Nchedo Sexual Assault Referral Centre.

The state government also promised that the suspect who physically assaulted a pregnant woman in the state recently would not escape the wrath of the law.

Abia State Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, made this known at Government House, Umuahia, on Monday while addressing journalists on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
He disclosed that seven GBV and SGBV cases, comprising six cases of sexual violence and one case of domestic violence, were recently recorded in the state.

Read Also: Tinubu’s UNGA Absence Fuels New Debate Over Nigeria’s Representation

According to him, the cases involved five minors aged between 10 and 14 years and two adult women aged between 25 and 40 years.

He said the reported cases involved alleged defilement, rape and domestic violence against a pregnant woman.

Kanu added that the Nchedo Sexual Assault Referral Centre provided medical and other support services to survivors, including medical intervention and surgery for a 10-year-old survivor who sustained severe vaginal bleeding.

The commissioner said the cases had been documented for appropriate protection, investigation, referral and legal processes, assuring that the state government remained committed to ensuring that perpetrators of gender-based violence were brought to justice.

“This administration is committed to ensuring that perpetrators of gender-based violence are brought to justice, no matter what it takes,” Kanu said.

Kanu further said this year’s World Igbo Day, which will be hosted by Abia State, would be used to unite Ndigbo and lay wreaths for fallen Igbo legends.

Tinubu’s UNGA Absence Fuels New Debate Over Nigeria’s Representation

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Tinubu’s UNGA Absence Fuels New Debate Over Nigeria’s Representation

The announcement that President Bola Tinubu would no longer attend the ongoing United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, in New York, as earlier announced, has sparked fresh debate among Nigerians.

Recall that Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, had earlier in July, through a statement, said Tinubu would attend this year’s UNGA.

He even said that a seat had been secured for Tinubu not too far from where United States President Donald Trump would be seated.

However, a statement yesterday by Stanley Nkwocha, spokesman for Vice President Kashim Shettima, announced that Tinubu had directed Shettima to lead the Nigerian delegation to the event.
Part of the statement read: “President Bola Tinubu has mandated Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent him and lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, in New York, United States.

“VP Shettima will lead a high-level delegation comprising Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, ministers and other senior government officials.

“The 81st UNGA General Debate will be held from September 22 to 28, under the theme, ‘Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.’

“At the General Debate, Senator Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement, outlining the country’s position and priorities on major global issues with implications for national development, peace and security, economic growth and international cooperation.

“The Vice President will also participate in high-level meetings during the UNGA week, including engagements on the Right to Development, climate action and other issues of strategic importance to Nigeria and the African continent.

“Senator Shettima is also expected to join other world leaders at the traditional reception for Heads of Delegation and participate in a series of bilateral meetings with leaders of other countries, international organisations and development partners on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

“The engagements will provide Nigeria an opportunity to advance President Tinubu’s economic diplomacy, deepen strategic partnerships and strengthen the country’s voice on reform of the global financial architecture, sustainable development, climate finance and multilateral cooperation.”

The cancellation of the earlier announcement has not gone down well with some Nigerians, particularly considering the fact that this is the third consecutive UNGA that Tinubu would be absent from since he assumed office in 2023.

In fact, since he became President, he has never attended the global event, a development that has been interpreted in various ways.

There is claim in certain quarters that the President is afraid of being arrested over allegations relating to a heroin-trafficking court case in the US.

Others have claimed that Tinubu’s decision not to attend the UNGA followed President Trump’s signing of an executive order. A few days ago, US President Trump signed an executive order designating foreign drug cartels as foreign terrorist organisations and authorising massive arrests, as well as the use of lethal military force against them.

Some have linked this development to Tinubu’s decision not to attend the UNGA, arguing that he would not want to be disgraced in the US. However, the presidency has continued to dismiss such claims.

The latest development has sparked reactions on Facebook, Instagram, X and other social media platforms.

A Facebook user wrote: “Nnaa, if this man does not attend that meeting, that means his conscience is not clear. Make Nigerians no vote him come January 16, 2027.”

Another person wrote: “If he is sure of himself, let him travel. Na that time we go know say e get mind.”

An Instagram user also said: “If he does not attend, it means something is fishy. The FBI should do the needful.”

Also, an X user posted: “Thought they said he will be sitting next to Trump? Now, he is afraid to travel because Trump signed that Executive Order?”

Another viral comment read: “Let him go and explain his drug case to the world. Nigeria deserves better than a President who is afraid of New York.

“This is not about APC or PDP; this is about Nigeria’s image. The President must attend the UNGA or forget 2027.”

Meanwhile, there are those who claim that the President is focusing on domestic issues and preparations for the 2027 election.

However, other Nigerians insist that President Tinubu must appear in person at the UNGA to defend Nigeria’s interests and address renewed calls for the FBI to release unredacted records related to his 1993 civil forfeiture case in Chicago.

The former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has also added his voice to those calling for an explanation from Tinubu over his decision not to attend the 81st UNGA in New York.

He questioned whether the President’s past controversies in the United States had become a burden on Nigeria’s foreign relations.

A statement by Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said Tinubu had also been absent from the 79th UNGA in 2024 and the 80th UNGA in 2025, with Shettima representing him on both occasions.

According to the former Vice President, the repeated absences require an explanation. He said: “The United Nations General Assembly is one of the world’s most important diplomatic gatherings. It brings together representatives of the UN’s 193 member states and provides a unique platform for presidents and prime ministers to defend their countries’ interests, negotiate partnerships and shape global decisions on trade, security and development.

“Vice President Shettima may represent Nigeria capably, but representation by delegation cannot permanently substitute for the personal authority, visibility and responsibility of the President.

“Tinubu cannot continue to treat Nigeria’s seat at the world’s biggest diplomatic table as though it were an inconvenient appointment that can be endlessly outsourced,” he said.

He also questioned the economic implications of the President’s absence, saying the sidelines of the UNGA provide opportunities for leaders to engage investors, development partners and other governments.

“When a President makes himself absent from that stage for three consecutive years, his country loses opportunities.

“Investment does not follow silence. International capital does not pursue a country whose leader repeatedly abandons the room in which consequential economic relationships are being built,” he added.

He further linked Tinubu’s absence to Nigeria’s reported $9 million engagement of a US lobbying firm.

He said documents filed under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act showed that the Federal Government, through Kaduna-based Aster Legal, retained Washington-based DCI Group in a deal valued at $9 million to help communicate Nigeria’s security efforts and maintain US support for counterterrorism efforts.

According to him, reports also said the initial $4.5 million retainer was paid, with the arrangement structured at $750,000 per month.

He said the spending raised questions about why the administration would invest heavily in improving Nigeria’s standing in Washington while the President repeatedly stayed away from the UNGA in New York.

“Why hire lobbyists to speak for Nigeria in America when the Nigerian President cannot summon the courage to appear at the world’s biggest diplomatic gathering on American soil?” he queried.

Atiku also questioned an earlier statement by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN that a seat had been secured for Tinubu “not too far from where the US President, Donald Trump, will be seated.”

“The seat was secured, but the President disappeared. If proximity to President Trump was considered such a diplomatic achievement, why did Tinubu abandon the opportunity and send his deputy?” he asked.

Read Also: INEC, Journalists Raise Concern Over AI Deepfakes Ahead of 2027 Polls

He raised questions about Tinubu’s history in the United States, referring to a 1993 forfeiture case in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

“The complaint stated that the funds represented proceeds of narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

“A supporting sworn affidavit by an Internal Revenue Service criminal investigation agent similarly stated that funds in accounts controlled by Bola Tinubu were connected to drug-trafficking proceeds. The proceedings eventually resulted in the forfeiture of approximately $460,000 to the United States government,” Atiku said.

He acknowledged that there was no announced legal restriction preventing Tinubu from travelling to the United States but questioned whether his past legal controversies had influenced his decision.

“We are not asserting that Tinubu is legally prohibited from entering the United States. The Presidency has announced no such restriction.

“But if no legal, diplomatic, medical or personal impediment exists, why has Tinubu repeatedly avoided the UNGA since 2024? How can one man’s personal history become a burden on Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement?” he asked.

However, Ambassador Ibrahim, who earlier announced in July that the President would attend the UNGA, has now said there is no cause for concern over Tinubu’s absence from the event.

He argued that more than 60 per cent of those listed to speak at the ongoing 81st session of the UNGA were being represented by either their vice presidents or foreign ministers.

In a statement by the Nigerian Mission to the United Nations in New York, he said it was not unusual for countries to delegate representation to senior government officials when their presidents were unable to attend.

“The Vice President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs are adequately positioned to represent Nigeria at the General Assembly and participate fully in the diplomatic engagements surrounding the session,” he said.

He explained that President Tinubu would not personally attend the session as he is currently in France on annual leave.

“The absence of the President should not be interpreted as Nigeria being inadequately represented. Our delegation will continue to participate fully in the proceedings,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to view the country’s participation within the broader context of diplomatic representation, stressing that Nigeria would continue to play its role fully at the General Assembly.

INEC, Journalists Raise Concern Over AI Deepfakes Ahead of 2027 Polls

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INEC, Journalists Raise Concern Over AI Deepfakes Ahead of 2027 Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and media stakeholders have raised the alarm over the growing threat of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated misinformation to the credibility of the 2027 general elections, warning that fake election results, deepfake videos and manipulated audio could mislead voters and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

INEC said advances in generative AI had made fabricated audio, video and images cheaper to produce and considerably harder to detect, while journalists warned that false election information could spread through social media faster than professional journalists and fact-checkers could verify or debunk it.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, raised the concern in Abuja at a Capacity Building Workshop for Public Affairs Officers (PAOs), declaring that the danger posed by AI-generated misinformation was “no longer a distant, theoretical risk” to the commission.

The media stakeholders, separately, sounded a similar warning at the 8th Bagauda Kaltho Media Lecture Series organised by the Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF), where they identified fabricated election results, deepfake videos and manipulated audio as emerging threats ahead of the polls.

Represented by National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Amupitan said AI was changing the information environment in which elections were conducted.
“Generative AI has made it cheaper and considerably harder to detect manipulated audio, video and images. Its misuse extends beyond fabricated content to targeted messaging capable of dividing voters along conflicting narratives,” he said.

The INEC chairman warned that election credibility could no longer be protected solely by securing ballot papers, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and result sheets.

“Election credibility today no longer depends only on ballot papers, BVAS machines and result sheets, but equally on the information environment in which voters form their judgments.

“Electoral technology and electoral communication should be treated not as separate concerns but as a single discipline,” he said.

Amupitan said the workshop, themed, “Strengthening PAOs Capacity for Credible, Verified and Responsible Election Communication Towards 2027,” was designed to prepare the commission’s frontline communicators for the challenge.

Read Also: Flood Alert: Lagos Directs Residents of 13 High-Risk Areas to Move

He said the volume and speed of information about INEC and the electoral process would increase considerably as the elections approached, making verification, escalation and consistent messaging critical.

The journalists and media stakeholders, in a communiqué issued after the Bagauda Kaltho lecture, expressed similar concerns about the increasing deployment of AI to create deceptive election content.

They warned that misinformation and disinformation could spread on social media faster than journalists and fact-checkers could respond, making verification increasingly important for newsrooms.

The stakeholders called on media organisations to invest in continuous training in fact-checking, digital verification and artificial intelligence and strengthen newsroom systems for detecting and responding to false information before and during the elections.

They also urged technology companies and digital platforms to work with journalists, civil society and government institutions to develop mechanisms for identifying manipulated, synthetic and AI-generated content.

INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the commission operated under constant public scrutiny and was regularly confronted with attempts to misrepresent its activities and undermine public confidence.

“It is through you that Nigerians form much of their impression of who we are, what we stand for, and how reliable our information is,” she told the PAOs.

Eta-Messi said further capacity-building programmes were already at advanced stages of planning, describing the workshop as the beginning of sustained efforts to prepare INEC’s communication personnel for the responsibilities ahead.

Flood Alert: Lagos Directs Residents of 13 High-Risk Areas to Move

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Flood Alert: Lagos Directs Residents of 13 High-Risk Areas to Move

Lagos State Government has ordered residents of 13 flood-prone and low-lying areas to immediately relocate to safer locations following a fresh seven-day flood warning by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA).

The warning, which runs from September 19 to 25, covers Lagos and 14 other states, with rising river levels threatening vulnerable communities and critical facilities.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, gave the directive on Monday, warning residents not to wait for floodwaters to rise before leaving vulnerable locations.
The areas identified include Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Oke-Ira Nla in Ajah, Kirikiri, Ilaje Waterfront Jetty, Jetty Terminal B, Isheri North, Kara, Itowolo, Ajegunle, Majidun, Ogolonto and parts of Agboyi.

Other settlements downstream of Isheri Olofin, particularly communities along the Ogun River and other major waterways, were also placed on heightened alert.

The latest warning followed NiHSA’s decision to place Lagos and 14 other states on high flood risk between September 19 and 25 over rising river levels and the threat of riverine flooding. The other states are Imo, Cross River, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Edo, Kogi, Taraba, Delta, Bayelsa, Enugu and Abia.
NiHSA warned that vulnerable communities could be inundated and that schools, healthcare facilities, markets, farms and places of worship could also be affected.

In Lagos, concern is particularly high in communities along the Ogun River and other waterways, where heavy rainfall and rising water levels upstream could worsen conditions downstream.

The warning also comes during what the state describes as the second phase of the rainy season, when increased rainfall, rising water levels and tidal influences can combine to aggravate flooding in low-lying, riverine and coastal communities.

“We are urging Lagosians, particularly those living in flood-prone and low-lying areas, not to take this warning lightly. When the signs point to danger, the safest decision is to move early. No property is worth risking a life.”

Wahab said the government was treating the NiHSA warning seriously and had intensified monitoring of the identified locations and other riverine, coastal, low-lying and flood-prone communities.

Wahab specifically warned communities along the Ogun River and other major waterways to exercise heightened caution, noting that heavy rainfall upstream and rising water levels in interconnected river systems could have serious downstream effects in Lagos.

He directed affected local governments, emergency management agencies and community leaders to activate their early-warning and response mechanisms, while residents were advised to move people, livestock and valuables to safer locations where necessary.

The commissioner said the government would continue to monitor rainfall patterns, river levels and other hydrological developments in collaboration with relevant federal agencies.

He also urged residents to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains, canals and waterways, warning that blocked drainage channels could worsen flooding and delay the recession of floodwaters.

Wahab cautioned motorists and pedestrians against attempting to cross flooded roads, bridges or fast-moving water and urged residents in vulnerable locations to make arrangements for temporary relocation whenever official warnings indicate imminent danger.

He assured residents that the government would continue to deploy measures to mitigate the impact of flooding and provide updates as the situation develops.

“Who Is in Charge?” – Dino Melaye Questions Tinubu, Shettima’s Absence

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“Who Is in Charge?” – Dino Melaye Questions Tinubu, Shettima’s Absence

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dino Melaye, has questioned why President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima are both absent from Nigeria at the same time.

It was reported that Melaye raised the issue in a post on his verified 𝕏 handle on Monday, asking who was currently exercising presidential authority in the country.News Aggregation Platform

Tinubu is currently on an annual vacation scheduled to last three weeks. The President travelled first to London, United Kingdom, before proceeding to Paris, France. Shettima, meanwhile, travelled to New York, United States, on Sunday to represent the President at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

According to a statement by the Vice-President’s spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said Nigeria’s participation at the global gathering would be guided by the country’s national interest, commitment to multilateralism, and Tinubu’s advocacy for reforms of international institutions.

Reacting to the simultaneous trips, Melaye questioned the constitutional arrangement for exercising presidential powers while both the President and Vice-President are outside the country.

“The President and Vice President are out of the country. Power is not transmitted. “Who is in charge of Nigeria as we speak? Tinubu travels out of Nigeria every month. Never for once has power been transmitted,” Melaye said.

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