By Sabiu Abdullahi

Nigerians who put their money into an online platform known as PXES have been left counting their losses after the platform stopped paying returns and became inaccessible, The Punch newspaper reports.

The development has sparked anger among participants who invested amounts ranging from tens of thousands of naira to millions of naira. Some frustrated investors reportedly stormed PXES offices in Adamawa and Kogi states, where they removed office furniture and other items.

The platform reportedly stopped paying participants in early September, leaving several investors unable to withdraw their funds or establish contact with its operators.

PXES had attracted participants with claims of substantial returns. Reports indicated that some packages promised returns of between 25 per cent and 50 per cent, while certain packages reportedly offered as much as 120 per cent.

The reported returns could not be independently verified.

Investors Storm Offices In Adamawa, Kogi

In Adamawa and Kogi states, some investors reportedly visited PXES offices after attempts to withdraw their money failed.

Videos shared online showed people removing chairs, tables and other items from a PXES office in Yola. Similar scenes were reported at the company’s office in Kabba.

One video showed a man, who reportedly invested about N209,000, crying over his inability to recover his money.

The Kabba manager had reportedly sent a message to investors after the payment difficulties began, assuring them that the management would compensate them for their patience.

However, the office was allegedly shut three days after the message was sent. Investors were subsequently left without clear information about the operators or the whereabouts of their funds.

‘They Showed Me Evidence’

One of the investors, Bunmi Awodipe, said she entered the scheme after three friends showed her evidence that they were receiving returns.

Awodipe said she invested N200,000 and initially received N7,000 weekly.

“They told me they invested money in PXES and were receiving their payments. They showed me evidence, so I decided to invest N200,000 and was receiving N7,000 every week. They only paid me for three weeks.

“When I went to their office last week, I didn’t see anyone. The place was locked and there was nothing in the office. Everything was removed,” Awodipe said.

Another participant, Deji Mulero, said he was introduced to PXES by one of his customers.

“It’s one of my customers who introduced this thing to me on September 4. I registered with N65,000 and it crashed the same Friday. That was how I lost my money,” he said.

Another investor who identified himself as Wale said he had accumulated almost N600,000 on his account before the platform stopped operating.

“Been there for some months. Registered with 207k, now on first stage supervisor. Got close to 600k already on that account. My friend in Abuja introduced the scheme to me,” Wale said.

For 68-year-old Jumoke Talabi, the money was intended to support her granddaughter’s education and household expenses.

Talabi said she invested N64,800 after seeing other participants receive payments. She said the platform had previously paid her N70,000, which encouraged her to increase her investment.

She expected another payment when the next withdrawal date arrived.

“I was meant to collect N18,000 before school resumes, and I thought that I would finish collecting all my profit. But so far, I have not collected any money.

“When they said we should withdraw on Friday, I was dancing. I told my brother that the money did not enter my account, but I was told it would hit my account in the evening. I was looking forward to it. They didn’t even pay me my N64,000. One of my friends doesn’t know what to do or where to go. She has been crying,” she recalled.

Explaining why she invested despite the risks, Talabi said, “It’s poverty that made me do it. If not poverty, I would not, because the money is meant for school fees. I thought that maybe, I would see some to buy rice and eat.”

Shola Adeshina, whose wife also invested in PXES, said the platform became attractive because of claims that small investments could generate substantial returns.

He said stories about participants who allegedly used their earnings to buy cars and build houses made the scheme more appealing.

“Stories of participants using proceeds from the platform to buy cars and build houses further increased its appeal.

“The situation became alarming when a couple who invested millions of naira visited a branch after payments stopped, only to discover that the office had been abandoned,” he said.

How The Platform Operated

Accounts from participants and promotional materials indicate that PXES used a membership structure with different investment levels.

Participants paid specified amounts to join and received access to an online dashboard where they were expected to complete daily tasks described as orders.

Funmi Deinde, a former participant, said she withdrew her money before the collapse. She identified three membership levels as Star 1, Star 2 and Star 3.

“If you’re on Level Star 1, so to say, it is about N21,600. Then Star 2 is N54,800. Star 3 is N207,000.

“When you join with this money, you have an account, a dashboard that you’ll be taking orders from every day,” she said.

Deinde said the dashboard displayed household products which participants were expected to interact with.

She compared the process to online shopping platforms such as Temu and Jumia, although participants did not receive the displayed products.

“When you click ‘Order’, they will highlight some of the things that you should be clicking. Household properties will be highlighted there.

“The money that you used to register has secured you a place as a member. So, you now have access to take orders every day,” Deinde said.

She said members were initially allowed to withdraw their earnings daily before the withdrawal system was changed to weekly.

“Initially, every day, you can withdraw whatever you want to withdraw. The least withdrawal was N1,500, N5,000, N20,000, N100,000 and so on,” she added.

According to her, withdrawal dates were later assigned according to membership levels.

Another participant, Emmanuel Ajayi, said the N64,000 package generated approximately N2,160 from daily tasks, while the N21,600 package produced about N720.

Promotional materials reviewed by Saturday PUNCH listed packages starting from N21,600, with higher packages including N64,800 and N207,000.

The materials claimed that an investment of N21,600 could produce as much as N259,200 over 360 days, while N64,800 could yield up to N777,600 during the same period.

The figures represented returns several times the initial amounts.

Participants also said members could recruit new participants and develop networks within the platform.

A security guard, whose name was withheld, said he initially resisted joining after his sister introduced PXES to him.

He eventually invested N64,000 after repeated persuasion. He said he withdrew about N20,000 on two occasions before losing the remaining funds after payments stopped.

According to him, his sister had developed a larger network and lost more than N1m.

Investment Platform Or Digital Marketing Company?

Questions have also emerged over how PXES described its operations.

At an event in Kabba, representatives of the organisation reportedly rejected the description of PXES as an investment platform. Instead, they presented it as a digital marketing and advertising company.

Olubowale Ayodele, a company representative, told participants that PXES provided digital marketing opportunities for unemployed people and graduates.

“It’s a job that once you are doing it, we promote others; we promote brands from clients that have been giving to our company,” he said.

Ayodele encouraged graduates and unemployed people with smartphones to participate.

“If you know you are a graduate, if you know that you are unemployed, or if you know that you just have your smartphone, use it to do this digital marketing work because it works,” he stated.

He also claimed that one member of his team was earning N700,000 every week.

“By God’s grace, I have got somebody even out of my team that is receiving 700,000 weekly as salary,” Ayodele said.

Another official, Eniola Oluwatobi, who was identified as the company’s training director, described PXES as an advertising company.

“This is an advertising company. They partner with eBay and Amazon; those people give them, and PXES give us to advertise for them,” he said.

He explained that products were made available to participants through the PXES application.

“So, the PXES distributes those products to us to advertise for them through their app. So, by doing that, people are seeing the products,” Oluwatobi added.

The Obadofin of Oweland, Olusegun Are, who attended the Kabba event, also described PXES as an income opportunity.

“PXES is a very laudable programme that will help all of us in Nigeria to have another stream of income,” he said.

The traditional ruler also claimed that the organisation had distributed food items to more than 300 elderly people in Kabba.

Financial Experts Question Authorisation

The collapse has raised questions about whether PXES was authorised to collect investment funds from members of the public.

Financial analyst George Samuel advised Nigerians to establish the regulatory status of any organisation before committing money to an investment scheme.

He stressed that registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission does not automatically give a company permission to accept deposits or solicit investment funds.

“While a Corporate Affairs Commission number may be necessary, it does not serve as a licence to accept deposits or investment funds,” Samuel said.

“Avoid depositing or investing with any unlicensed firms. They are required to display their licence in their office, so ask or look for that SEC licence and do basic due diligence,” he added.

Samuel said organisations that accept deposits or offer investment services are subject to regulatory requirements. He urged prospective investors to verify the appropriate licence before committing their funds.

A banker, Kemi Junaid, also identified promises of exceptionally high returns and guaranteed profits as warning signs.

“Financial desperation and poor financial literacy often made people vulnerable to schemes promising quick and substantial returns.

“Prospective investors should question how an organisation intends to generate the returns it promises rather than relying on testimonials from other participants,” she said.

EFCC Urges Victims To Report Investment Scams

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it would examine reported cases of financial crimes and investment scams brought before it.

The commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, told Saturday PUNCH that complaints must be formally submitted before the EFCC can act.

“Any issue of financial crime, Ponzi scheme, investment scam that is duly reported to the EFCC, the commission will look into it. But it must be duly reported,” Oyewale said.

He recalled that the commission had issued several warnings about Ponzi schemes and other investment scams.

“As a form of reminder, the commission has issued several advisories against investment scams and Ponzi schemes. And we will continue to advise members of the public on doing due diligence before going into investment,” Oyewale said.

He said the commission would continue its preventive and enforcement efforts against financial crimes.

“But as an anti-corruption agency, we are unrelenting in our operational and preventive modalities to ensure that members of the public are shielded from all of these avoidable losses,” Oyewale said.

Oyewale did not confirm that the EFCC had opened a specific investigation into PXES.

PXES Collapse Follows Other Investment Scams

The PXES controversy is the latest in a series of investment schemes that have left Nigerians with significant financial losses.

In April 2025, the collapse of Crypto Bridge Exchange, popularly known as CBEX, caused widespread panic among investors. About 600,000 Nigerians were reportedly involved, with losses estimated at approximately N1.3tn.

CBEX had promised investors 100 per cent returns within 30 days through alleged artificial intelligence-powered trading.

The Securities and Exchange Commission later said CBEX and its affiliates had not been registered to operate as a digital asset exchange or solicit investments from Nigerians.

The commission said its preliminary investigation found that the platform created a false impression of legitimacy and offered “implausibly high guaranteed returns” over a short period.

The EFCC subsequently investigated the scheme, with the commission announcing arrests and recovery efforts.

Another platform, EMAAR, reportedly collapsed later in 2025 after attracting more than 4,000 investors through claims of returns from real estate investments. Investigations into the platform indicated that much of its recruitment and communication took place online.

EMAAR reportedly stopped allowing withdrawals on October 27, 2025, with suspected losses later estimated at nearly N3bn.

In May 2026, another platform, XM Future Music Group, reportedly collapsed after investors could no longer access their funds.

Victims reportedly stormed its office in Badagry, Lagos State, and removed office equipment including generators, chairs, fans and televisions.

The platform had reportedly offered returns to participants for listening to music and completing online tasks, with entry packages ranging from N21,600 to several million naira.

The recurring pattern has raised renewed concerns about Nigerians placing money in schemes that promise unusually high returns without first establishing how the businesses generate the promised income.

PXES Online Presence Becomes Inaccessible

Attempts to access the platform’s known website, https://www.pxesng.com/, were unsuccessful.

Some investors also said the platform’s WhatsApp channel had been blocked.

Its Facebook page, PXES NG, had not been updated since June 21, according to checks conducted by Saturday PUNCH.

The page contained posts about training sessions, meetings and activities for participants. Some posts also highlighted team-building sessions and claimed expansion across Nigeria and other African countries.

PXES also claimed on the page to have impacted more than one million members through financial stability and welfare support.

With investors now unable to access their funds and the platform’s offices reportedly shut in some locations, affected participants are left seeking answers over the fate of their investments.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Concerns over the potential dangers of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence (AI) have intensified after researchers and technology professionals warned that the development of increasingly autonomous systems could pose a serious threat to humanity.

The latest warning came from 27-year-old British AI researcher Jacob Coxon, who recently resigned from Anthropic, the company behind Claude, after previously working at OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.

Coxon said he spent about three years conducting AI pre-training research at the two companies. He claimed both firms were moving rapidly towards self-improving super-intelligent AI without sufficient safety measures.

Speaking to CNN, Coxon said recent developments in AI showed why the risks should not be dismissed as science fiction.

“It sounds like something that’s not real, but I think it is frighteningly real and it’s easiest to understand it if you think about real things that happened two months ago.

“So, two months ago, OpenAI agents hacked into third-party infrastructure entirely at their own accord. And this was like a concentrated hacking spree that they carried out of their own volition.

“And I think that if you extrapolate into the future the level of capabilities of these AIs with the same independent volition, they could cause extreme havoc.”

Coxon also warned that AI was approaching a point where it could replace humans in several fields, particularly coding, mathematics and research.

“For example, in areas like coding or maths, a couple of years ago, these AIs were just about helping humans a little bit. They could give you suggestions. Now they’re close to replacing them.

“We still need humans at the moment, but quite plausibly, within a year, we’ll no longer need humans for doing research in many areas.

“Only on Tuesday, OpenAI solved a millennium problem, one of the biggest unsolved open problems in mathematics, purely autonomously using an AI. And I think what’s most scary is if AI is used to make itself more intelligent.”

He said AI systems were no longer limited to assisting people with tasks but were increasingly capable of operating independently.

“The AI just gets smarter and smarter with no human involvement necessary, until you have a thing that is vastly smarter than humans,” he added.

Following his resignation and public warnings, Coxon said some people within the AI industry were themselves deeply concerned about the possible consequences.

“The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade,” he wrote on X on Friday.

AI Experts Back Coxon’s Concerns

Coxon’s claims drew responses from several professionals within the AI sector, with some expressing similar fears about the possibility of advanced AI systems becoming difficult to control.

Anthropic’s Alignment Science Lead, Evan Hubinger, said he considered the probability of such an outcome within the next decade to be significant.

“Jacob is correct here—we really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans! I personally think it’s >10% within the next decade. I believe Anthropic is trying its best, but we do not yet have a plan to solve alignment for superintelligence and are not clearly on track to,” Hubinger said.

Anna Wang, Chief US Economist at Anthropic and a former employee of Google DeepMind, said Coxon’s concerns reflected views held by some of her colleagues.

“I worked at Google DeepMind and now at Anthropic. This is a common sentiment amongst my peers. (I write this in personal capacity.) There is not yet a viable scientific plan to solve risks from recursively self-improving AI. Please look up,” she stated.

Ethan Perez, Anthropic’s Alignment Team Lead and a former colleague of Coxon, also endorsed the concerns raised by the researcher.

“Jacob was a senior researcher who joined Anthropic in May. My Anthropic colleagues and I had been trying to recruit him for ~2 years, because we knew he was a strong researcher at OpenAI. Before he left, I pitched him to stay and join my team, and I was sad he decided to leave, as are many of my colleagues. 100% agree with him that AI poses serious risks to society, and I’m glad he’s speaking out!” Perez added.

Expert Outlines Possible Ways AI Could Harm Humans

Sky News technology correspondent Rowland Manthorpe also outlined possible scenarios in which AI could cause catastrophic harm.

He spoke during a ‘This Is Why’ programme with Niall Paterson, where he discussed the potential consequences of giving increasingly capable AI systems instructions to solve complex problems.

Manthorpe said one possible scenario involved AI being used to create a super-virus capable of killing people across the world.

He also raised another possibility in which an AI system could turn against humans.

He said “it doesn’t much like us and starts to go after us.”

“In some variation on what people called the paper-clip problem, which is telling an intelligent, determined and highly capable AI to go make paper clips, it follows your instruction literally and turns the whole world into paper clips,” Manthorpe said.

Although he acknowledged that such scenarios may sound extreme, Manthorpe said the risks could become more serious if humans become excessively dependent on AI.

US, UK Lawmakers Raise Alarm

The debate has also reached political circles in the United States and the United Kingdom, where lawmakers have called for stronger measures to regulate AI.

US Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas described AI as a “catastrophic risk” to humanity, according to The Guardian.

Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont also called for caution over the development of artificial superintelligence.

“A recent poll shows that the American people overwhelmingly want to ban artificial super intelligence and pause the development of AI until we establish clear safety standards.”

Democratic Representative Lori Trahan of Massachusetts also expressed concern about developments within the industry.

“The call is coming from inside the house. Safety researchers are resigning, powerful AI models are breaking out of their labs, and companies are racing ahead anyway.”

In the UK, Chi Onwurah, the Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West, introduced a bill seeking to prevent technology companies from creating digital replicas of people without their consent.

Presenting the ‘There Is Only One Me’ bill in the House of Commons on Thursday, the British-Nigerian lawmaker said:

“Today, I presented a bill to stop ‘digital twinning’ without express consent.”

“Now, Madam Deputy Speaker, we know that tech companies collect data on everything we do, every click we make, every photo we share, every sandwich we buy, every post we like,” she said.

“But now that data is being combined with AI to turn an individual, for example, you, Madam Deputy Speaker, into an algorithm to predict your behaviour, to target advertising at you, to persuade you to watch a particular video or believe a dodgy news report. Think about it.”

Trump Says US Must Maintain AI Lead Over China

Despite the warnings from researchers and lawmakers, US President Donald Trump said his main concern was ensuring that the United States remained ahead of China in AI development.

When journalists asked him in Dallas on Thursday whether he had concerns about AI threatening humanity, Trump responded:

“No, I don’t have any.”

“I have concerns that if we don’t win AI, we’re going to be put in a very bad position,” the president said. “We are leading China right now by a pretty good period. I would say a year, which is, you know, considered a lot.”

A Nigerian AI expert and Chief Executive Officer of Realsearch and Partners Limited, Enakirerhi Ejovwoke, also cautioned against treating the warnings as proof that AI would inevitably destroy humanity.

He described the concerns as “the fear of the unknown” and argued that technological progress had historically generated fears about its consequences.

“That fear is understandable because the future is inherently difficult to predict, and history repeatedly reminds us that even highly informed experts and institutions can substantially misjudge how emerging technologies will develop,” Ejovwoke said.

He nevertheless acknowledged the need for stronger safeguards around AI development.

“The lesson is not that experts are useless. The lesson is that the future often unfolds in ways that even experts cannot completely anticipate. My position, therefore, is not safety versus innovation. We need safe innovation.

“We should build stronger safeguards at the same time that we continue experimenting, researching and creating. Safety should shape the direction and speed of progress, not become an excuse to abandon progress altogether.

“I also don’t believe AI represents the final stage of human innovation. The internet did not end innovation. Instead, it created the foundation for cloud computing, smartphones, social networks, digital commerce and eventually modern AI. AI itself will almost certainly expose another layer of possibilities that we cannot fully see Today.”

Anthropic Says It Has Disrupted Malicious AI Use

Anthropic, meanwhile, said it had already taken action against attempts to misuse its AI systems for potentially dangerous purposes.

According to a BBC News report, the company said its threat intelligence team had identified and disrupted efforts by threat actors to use Claude for malicious activities, including activities related to biological weapons research.

Anthropic said, “Over the past eight months, our threat intelligence team identified and disrupted operations in which threat actors tried to use Claude for malicious activity.

“In each case, we disrupted the activity, used what we learned to strengthen our safeguards, and shared intelligence with authorities and industry partners, where appropriate.”

The warnings have added to a growing international debate over how governments and technology companies should balance the rapid development of AI with measures designed to prevent misuse and reduce potential risks to society.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Former Kogi West senator and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Dino Melaye, has cautioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against inviting the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, for questioning over alleged financial crimes.

Melaye issued the warning on Thursday at the ADC All Support Groups town hall meeting in Abuja, where he opposed renewed calls for investigations into allegations against the former vice-president.

The meeting, themed “Together we can Build the Nigeria We Desire”, focused on grassroots mobilisation, polling-unit coordination, vote protection and greater participation of youths, women and support groups ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Melaye argued that Atiku had undergone several investigations by government institutions over the years without any conviction.

“Atiku was part of the government that created the EFCC. You cannot use the EFCC to torment the creator of the EFCC,” he said.

His remarks followed a petition by former House of Representatives member, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, who urged the EFCC to reopen investigations into allegations involving Atiku.

Agbonayinma, through his lawyer, Hannibal Uwaifo of Sagitarian Law Firm, reportedly gave the commission 14 days to act on the petition. The request referred to an EFCC investigation and report concerning Atiku from 2005 and 2006, when he served as vice-president.

The petition also cited a 2010 report by the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which allegedly contained claims of money laundering and other financial offences involving the former vice-president.

Melaye maintained that the allegations had already received extensive attention from the government during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“I, as Dino Melaye, I am aware that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar have been investigated by Olusegun Obasanjo and the federal government time and time and time and time again,” he said.

“In fact, federal government versus Atiku Abubakar, 13 cases. And Atiku Abubakar won all the 13 cases.”

‘Invite Atiku And See Trouble’

Melaye further warned that any attempt to invite or arrest Atiku over what he described as politically motivated petitions would face resistance from the ADC and its supporters.

“My note of warning is this. And this note of warning is straight to the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That the day EFCC invites Atiku Abubakar before election, then Tinubu will know that government is not owned by those in government,” he said.

“Government is owned by the people. Any day, due to these frivolous petitions, you invite, arrest or interview Atiku Abubakar, and we are not saying it with fear or favour; we mean it. Invite Atiku and see trouble.”

Drawing from the 2011 uprising in Tunisia, Melaye said Nigerians could also challenge the government if they became convinced that state institutions were being deployed against opposition politicians.

“We will tell you that what happened in Tunisia can happen in Nigeria. We will prove to you that those in government are less than one percent of the population of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

“We will prove to you that the people own government. Government is not owned by those in government.”

‘They Have Investigated Atiku Everywhere’

The former senator also dismissed the renewed allegations against Atiku, insisting that authorities had subjected him to investigations in several places.

“They have investigated Atiku everywhere. The only thing they are yet to find out about Atiku is where his placenta was buried. They have done everything,” he said.

The development comes shortly after Atiku rejected calls for the EFCC to reopen the allegations against him. He said the issues had previously been considered by the EFCC, an administrative panel, the National Assembly and the courts.

Atiku also stated that no court had convicted him over the allegations and challenged anyone with credible evidence against him to submit it for legal examination.

The former vice-president accused supporters of the administration of President Bola Tinubu of reviving old allegations in an attempt to divert public attention from Nigeria’s economic and security problems.

The EFCC has not publicly disclosed whether it will act on Agbonayinma’s petition.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has said his proposed fuel subsidy policy will focus on supporting crude supplied to Nigerian refineries rather than subsidising imported petrol if he wins the 2027 presidential election.

Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, said the policy is designed to lower the cost of petrol through cheaper crude feedstock for domestic refineries.

He made the clarification in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Friday.

The statement followed criticism of Atiku’s proposal to restore fuel subsidy, particularly concerns over whether such a policy could compel private refineries to sell petrol below their production costs.

Atiku said recent comments from Dangote Refinery about government-imposed petrol prices had been misrepresented by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

“Dangote raised a legitimate business concern. The presidency turned it into a campaign of fear,” the statement reads.

“A refinery that has invested billions of dollars cannot be commanded to sell indefinitely below cost and absorb the losses.

“That would be reckless, economically destructive and unfair to any private investor. But that is precisely why our proposal is different.”

‘We’ll Subsidise Production, Not Imports’

According to Atiku, his proposed model would redirect fuel subsidy towards crude supplied to local refineries instead of imported petrol.

“We are restoring subsidy through a production subsidy model, not an import subsidy model,” he said.

“The difference is simple enough for every Nigerian to understand. Import subsidy spends public money supporting petrol refined abroad and brought into Nigeria.

“Production subsidy supports crude refined here in Nigeria so that Nigerian refineries can produce fuel more cheaply and Nigerians can pay less.”

The former vice-president compared the proposed approach to government support for farmers, where assistance is provided to reduce the cost of producing food rather than subsidising imported food.

“That is exactly what we are proposing for fuel. We are restoring subsidy but moving it from importation to production. The subsidy follows the barrel refined in Nigeria,” he said.

He said qualifying domestic refineries would receive support through a transparent and capped system subject to independent verification. The arrangement, he added, would reduce the cost of crude used by the refineries.

“If the crude entering a refinery becomes cheaper, the cost of producing petrol should also come down,” he said.

“That reduction should then reach the average Nigerian while preserving legitimate refining costs and a reasonable commercial margin.”

Atiku also rejected the suggestion that his proposal would require private refineries to sell their products at a loss.

“The Tinubu Presidency knows this. If it pretends otherwise, then it is not confused. It is deliberately misleading Nigerians,” Atiku.

‘No Subsidy For Foreign Refineries’

Atiku said his proposed intervention would be restricted to crude refined within Nigeria, with local refineries, workers, businesses and consumers expected to benefit from the policy.

“Under our plan, support will be tied strictly to crude refined in Nigeria. Nigerian refineries will benefit. Nigerian workers will benefit. Nigerian businesses will benefit. Nigerian consumers will benefit,” he said.

“If you do not refine in Nigeria, you do not qualify. This is not a subsidy for foreign refineries. It is not a subsidy for importers. It is not a subsidy for middlemen. It is a subsidy for Nigerian production.”

The ADC candidate further said his administration would not dictate an arbitrary petrol pump price to domestic refineries.

“If government wants to provide additional relief beyond what lower crude-input costs can sustainably deliver, then government must pay for that relief openly,” he said.

“It must be budgeted. It must be capped. It must be audited. Nigerians must know exactly what is being spent and what they are receiving in return.”

Atiku said the government should not set a politically attractive petrol price while leaving private refiners to absorb the resulting losses.

“You cannot announce a politically convenient petrol price and quietly dump the cost on the refinery,” he said.

“That is not policy. That is confiscation by another name.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Four police officers and seven civilians have been killed after suspected bandits attacked Ayilamo community in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.

The Benue State Police Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by its spokesperson, Orchia Aondongu.

According to the command, the attackers, said to be operating in large numbers, stormed the community at about 6:12pm on Thursday.

Police personnel from the Police Mobile Force (PMF), tactical units and conventional police formations were deployed to confront the attackers.

Aondongu said the security personnel engaged the bandits in a gun battle that lasted about seven hours before forcing them to withdraw into the surrounding forest.

“The operatives stood firm in defence of the community and successfully repelled the attack, forcing the criminal elements to retreat into the surrounding forest with heavy casualties in the early hours of 11th September 2026,” the statement reads.

The command, however, confirmed the loss of four officers during the confrontation.

“Regrettably, four police officers paid the supreme price in the course of defending the community. Their bodies were subsequently recovered during search and rescue operations in the surrounding bushes.

“The corpses of seven civilians were also recovered following the attack and deposited at a mortuary for necessary procedures.”

The police said more tactical personnel had been deployed to the area to reinforce the existing security arrangements.

Alia Condemns Attack, Calls It Threat To Benue’s Stability

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has condemned the attack, describing it as a despicable act against the people of Ayilamo.

In a statement issued on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor described the attack on the “peace-loving people of Ayilamo” as a “grave threat to the security and stability of Benue state.”

Alia said the incident highlighted the continuing security challenges faced by vulnerable communities and security personnel in the area.

“The reported killing of four law enforcement officers is particularly painful and underscores the enormous sacrifices being made by security personnel in the line of duty,” the governor said.

“I extend heartfelt condolences to the people of Ayilamo, the families of all the victims, and the entire Logo Local Government community.

‘We mourn with you and assure you that you are not alone in this difficult period”.

The governor also expressed his condolences to the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Cletus Nwadiogbu, over the deaths of the four officers.

Alia also praised the Department of State Services (DSS), especially its personnel in Benue and Nasarawa states, for what he described as a “prompt and professional operation” that resulted in the arrest of three suspects allegedly linked to the attack.

He said the arrests could help security agencies establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those responsible.

“We urge the DSS to intensify its investigation and make the best use of the information obtained from the suspects in its custody,” Alia said.

“Every available lead should be diligently followed to identify and arrest the remaining accomplices, sponsors, collaborators, and other persons connected with the attack. All those found culpable must face the full weight of the law.”

The governor assured residents that his administration would continue to work with security agencies to improve protection in Ayilamo, Logo and other communities considered vulnerable across Benue State.

I write this as a concerned citizen of Kano who genuinely wants your administration and our state to succeed.

First, I must acknowledge the progress your administration has made. The visible investment in road construction, rehabilitation and urban infrastructure across Kano deserves recognition. Your government has also intervened in education, healthcare, agriculture, and other sectors. These efforts should be sustained regardless of political differences.

However, Your Excellency, I believe Kano can do even more.

The recently concluded mass wedding involving 1,500 couples, reportedly gulping the state more than ₦1.5 billion, has made me reflect on our priorities. 

I am a Muslim, and I respect marriage and the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). I therefore do not oppose helping genuinely vulnerable people to marry.

My concern is sustainability and priority.

Marriage does not end at the wedding. After the ceremony come food, rent, healthcare, children’s education and other responsibilities. If someone lacks the economic capacity to establish a household, helping him marry does not necessarily solve the problem that made marriage difficult.

We should not only help people get married; we should help them build families that can stand on their own.

This is why I respectfully urge your administration to place greater emphasis on the following:

Education: Kano’s children are our greatest investment. We need stronger public schools, better teacher development, learning materials, technical education, girls’ education and serious programmes to return out-of-school children to classrooms. Questions have already been raised about the relatively small allocation to some out-of-school-girl programmes compared with the mass-wedding expenditure.

Youth employment and skills: Our young people need sustainable opportunities, not only temporary grants. Vocational training, agriculture, ICT, manufacturing, apprenticeships, and affordable business financing can help young people earn and eventually support their own families.

Healthcare and water: Functional primary healthcare, maternal care, essential medicines, clean water and sanitation must reach ordinary citizens, particularly in rural communities.

Agriculture: Kano has enormous agricultural potential. The government should strengthen irrigation, storage, processing and market access so that farming becomes a profitable industry and a source of employment.

There is also the important issue of monitoring government assistance.

I recently saw a large number of mattresses being distributed under the mass-wedding programme, which raised questions for me about what happens to them after distribution. I cannot confirm whether what I observed involved legitimate transfer, resale or something else, and I do not wish to accuse anyone without evidence.

But it highlights an important question:

What mechanism monitors government assistance after it reaches beneficiaries?

I respectfully suggest post-distribution verification, proper documentation and follow-up assessments. The government should know who received assistance, whether they received the full allocation, and whether the intervention actually improved their lives.

Public money deserves public accountability.

Your Excellency, you have shown that your government can build roads.

Please build people too.

You have shown that government can support marriages.

Please build the economic foundation upon which those marriages can stand.

Let us measure Kano’s progress not only by kilometres of roads constructed, but by how many children are in school, how many young people have sustainable jobs, how many families escape poverty, and how many empowerment beneficiaries remain economically active years later.

I do not want a Kano where people continually wait for government assistance.

I want a prosperous Kano where the government creates the opportunities that allow people to become self-reliant.

That is the Kano many of us want.

Umar Abdullahi Huguma writes from Kano State and can be reached at umarhuguma2023@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam

The Kano State Coordination Office of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Abuja, has concluded a four-day capacity-building programme for stakeholders on conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding and peaceful coexistence.

The training, which ended on Friday, brought together representatives of security agencies, government ministries, farmers and pastoralists, traditional and religious institutions, women and other stakeholders involved in the livestock sector.

The Daily Reality reports that the programme was organised to strengthen the capacity of stakeholders and existing conflict committees at state and local government levels to identify early warning signs, prevent conflicts and respond appropriately to emerging disputes.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of L-PRES in Kano, Sule Saleh, who represented the State Project Coordinator, Dr. Salisu Muhammad Inuwa, said the programme had significantly improved participants’ understanding of conflict prevention and resolution.

Saleh said the participants came from different backgrounds and initially had varying levels of knowledge about conflict mitigation, but had gained practical skills during the four-day engagement.

“To be candid with you, as of today, I believe we are more than learners. We have learned a lot about how to mediate conflict and how to identify what triggers that conflict,” he said.

He explained that the training covered issues including resource control, access to grazing areas and water resources, livestock movement, community-level peacebuilding and the management of conflicts that could arise from development interventions.

According to him, L-PRES had established conflict committees at different levels to ensure that emerging disputes were addressed before they escalated from the community level to local government and state levels.

Saleh cited the construction of solar-powered boreholes and animal drinking points in 36 Ruga communities across Kano State as an example of how conflict-sensitive planning could prevent potential disputes.

He said the project had designed separate water access points for surrounding communities to prevent disagreements between farmers and pastoralists over the use of the facilities.

“The intervention may lead to conflicting interests between farmers and herders. So, to solve that issue, right from design, L-PRES designed a separate tap where the communities can access that particular water,” he explained.

Saleh said the approach was intended to reduce tension and promote peaceful coexistence between livestock farmers and members of the wider communities.

Also speaking, the National Conflict Specialist of L-PRES, Nazifi Ibrahim Wada, said the project was supporting existing conflict committees in Kano State because of their important role in preventing farmer-herder conflicts.

Wada explained that the committees had been working to prevent conflicts and needed continuous capacity building, training and relevant materials to strengthen their day-to-day activities.

He said the training focused on early warning and early response, mediation, dialogue and gender inclusion, among other areas.

“We are building the capacity of the conflict committee members in Kano State, that is, both the state and local conflict committees,” Wada said.

According to him, participants were trained on how to detect potential conflicts before they occurred and how to respond promptly when tensions began to emerge.

Wada expressed confidence in the participants, saying their commitment and interaction with facilitators during the programme demonstrated that they were prepared to apply the knowledge gained.

He said the participants represented a broad range of institutions, including the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ministry of Livestock, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Justice, forestry and land resources.

He added that representatives of farmers, pastoralists, traditional rulers and religious leaders also participated in the programme.

In his remarks, Paul Andrew Gwaza of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Abuja, described the four-day engagement as more than a conventional training, saying it provided an opportunity for critical stakeholders to jointly examine the causes of conflict and possible solutions.

Gwaza said the programme included participatory stakeholder mapping, focus group discussions, multi-stakeholder dialogue and sessions on conflict analysis and peace analysis.

He added that participants were also trained on the Do No Harm framework, gender and social inclusion, mediation, negotiation, traditional peacebuilding methods, grievance redress and referral pathways.

Other areas covered, according to him, included conflict-sensitive investment planning and the legal and policy framework relating to peacebuilding and livestock development in Kano State.

“This four-day engagement is not just training. It is engagement with critical stakeholders in Kano State,” Gwaza said.

He said the institute conducted a pre-engagement assessment to determine the participants’ level of knowledge before the programme and would also conduct a post-engagement evaluation to measure the impact of the training.

Gwaza, however, said the participants had already demonstrated noticeable improvements in their skills, competence and enthusiasm throughout the programme.

He urged the participants to become active peace agents by taking peace messages to their communities, markets, town hall meetings and other public spaces.

“The call that we have been echoing to them is that they are now peace agents. When you are a peace agent, you are expected to propagate peace messages,” he said.

Gwaza stressed the need for inclusion in development processes, warning that ignoring the grievances of individuals or groups could create conditions for wider conflict.

He urged stakeholders to promote social cohesion, unity and peaceful coexistence rather than messages capable of deepening divisions within society.

Also speaking, Hadiza Aminu Kabara, Gender Officer at the Kano State Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Persons with Special Needs, described the programme as informative and impactful.

Kabara said the training focused on conflict prevention and resolution, referral pathways and appropriate actions to be taken when conflicts were identified.

She said participants were sensitised on the importance of identifying and reporting conflicts at their early stages to relevant authorities and institutions before they escalated.

According to her, the programme was particularly important because of the persistent farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria, which affect both farmers and pastoralists.

Kabara commended L-PRES for providing designated routes for pastoralists to move their livestock without passing through farmlands, saying such initiatives could help reduce clashes and promote peaceful coexistence.

She said the training had increased participants’ knowledge and awareness of conflict prevention, adding that the knowledge acquired would be useful in their respective communities and institutions.

The Daily Reality gathered that the conclusion of the programme is expected to strengthen the capacity of Kano State’s conflict committees and other stakeholders to identify early warning signs, facilitate dialogue, mediate disputes and address grievances before they escalate, thereby contributing to peaceful coexistence and improved livestock productivity across the state.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Troops of the Nigerian Army have reportedly arrested a 50-year-old woman in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State for allegedly transporting 300 rounds of live ammunition concealed inside a bag.

According to preliminary military findings, the woman travelled from Zamfara State to Lafia in Nasarawa State, where she allegedly collected the ammunition before heading towards Kaduna State. The Army said the ammunition was allegedly being transported for delivery to suspected bandits operating in the Birnin Gwari forest area of Kaduna State.

The suspect was reportedly arrested during a military operation, while the ammunition was recovered from her possession. She is currently in custody as investigations continue to establish the circumstances surrounding the movement of the ammunition and identify other persons who may be connected to the alleged operation.

The arrest comes amid ongoing military operations against banditry and other security threats in parts of the North-West.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Kaduna State Government has approved the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government of Nigeria–Academic Staff Union of Universities (FGN–ASUU) Salary Agreement for academic staff of Kaduna State University (KASU).

The new salary structure will take effect from the October 2026 salary.

The approval was based on the report and recommendations of a 9-member Government–KASU–ASUU Negotiation Committee established by Governor Uba Sani to review the demands of the union and recommend a sustainable framework for implementation.

The approved package covers provisions contained in the 2025 FGN–ASUU Agreement, including the revised Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS), Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) and other applicable salary adjustments and allowances.

The state government said the decision reflects Governor Sani’s commitment to education and human-capital development.

According to the government, at least 25 percent of Kaduna State’s annual budget has been allocated to education since Sani assumed office. It added that 3,267 classrooms have been constructed or renovated, alongside 1,194 toilets and 90 boreholes.

The government also said 57,777 units of furniture have been supplied to learners and teachers across the state, while other education projects remain ongoing.

It further highlighted the approval of a 50 percent reduction in tertiary education fees and the extension of the retirement age for school teachers from 60 to 65 years.

On the challenge of out-of-school children, the government said more than 300,000 children have returned to education from an estimated population of over 500,000 out-of-school children inherited in 2023.

It said Kaduna’s household-mapping approach for identifying out-of-school children has since been adopted by the Federal Government as a model for addressing the problem nationwide.

The state government also said 4,050 young people have graduated from its structured vocational-training programme. According to the government, the Federal Ministry of Education has requested Kaduna’s technical and vocational training manuals for use as reference materials at the national level.

The government further pointed to reforms at the Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQAA), which it said has been transformed into a more technology-driven and data-based institution.

Following the approval, the state government called on ASUU, SSANU, NASU and NAAT to continue to use dialogue to resolve differences.

It said improved welfare for university staff should lead to better teaching, research, innovation and student outcomes at KASU.

The government also urged the university to pursue measures that would improve its international standing and visibility in global university rankings, including the Times Higher Education (THE) rankings.

The state government commended KASU management, ASUU and other stakeholders for their patience and engagement throughout the negotiation process.

It said the approval represents an investment in the university community and a renewed commitment to making KASU a peaceful, competitive and accountable institution capable of meeting the demands of the 21st century.

The statement was signed on September 11, 2026, by Professor Abubakar Sani Sambo, OON, NPOM, Commissioner for Education and Chairman of the 9-Member Government–KASU–ASUU Negotiation Committee.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Acting Commander of the 1 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Colonel Joseph Umaru, has ordered commanders and troops under the brigade’s area of responsibility in Kebbi State to step up intelligence-led operations against bandits and other criminal groups.

Umaru issued the directive during a familiarisation tour of military units across the state between September 8 and 9, 2026.

The Nigerian Army disclosed this in a post on its official X account on Thursday.

The commander called on the troops to improve intelligence gathering and information sharing while strengthening collaboration with sister security agencies, local authorities and other stakeholders.

He said such cooperation would help restrict the activities of criminals and prevent them from operating freely within the state.

Umaru also directed commanders to maintain coordinated and proactive operations. He reminded the troops to remain professional, comply strictly with the rules of engagement and protect civilians during their operations.

The Acting Brigade Commander further highlighted the need to prioritise the welfare, motivation, training and professional development of personnel.

He urged commanders to embrace the Chief of Army Staff’s “Soldiers First” mantra.

Umaru said properly led, motivated and equipped troops would be in a stronger position to maintain operational pressure and successfully carry out their assigned responsibilities.

As part of the tour, he reviewed the operational readiness of formations under the brigade and examined the challenges affecting their operations.

The units visited included the 223 Light Tank Battalion in Zuru, the COAS Intervention Battalion III in Sakaba and 1 Battalion in Birnin Kebbi.