Nigeria

By Muhammad Sulaiman

The Bank of Ghana has appointed prominent Nigerian Islamic scholar Professor Bashir Aliyu Umar of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), to chair the council overseeing interest-free banking operations in the country.

The Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Johnson Pandit Asiama, formally inaugurated the new members of the council at a brief ceremony held in Accra.

Professor Bashir Aliyu Umar’s appointment highlights the growing role of Islamic scholars and experts in the development of interest-free banking and Islamic finance.

Professor Umar is a lecturer at Bayero University, Kano, and a prominent scholar of Islamic studies. The council is expected to help ensure that interest-free banking operations in Ghana comply with the principles and requirements of Islamic law.

The appointment comes at a time when Islamic banking and finance are gaining increasing acceptance in different parts of the world.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Edo State Police Command has announced the arrest of four suspects, including a private home lesson teacher and a father, over separate allegations of child defilement across the state.

The arrests were disclosed during a press briefing by Commissioner of Police, CP Patrick Daaor, who also unveiled a major shift in the command’s operational strategy aimed at curbing crime and protecting vulnerable citizens.

“Let me state clearly from the outset that the security and safety of Edo people remain the central priority of this Command,” CP Daaor said. “We are also strengthening our operational posture by turning Edo State into a highly Mobile Command. The objective is simple: to ensure that criminals do not find Edo State a comfortable operating environment.”

In one of the cases, 52-year-old Daniel Erumudonmoh Okhuilegbe, a home lesson teacher, was apprehended on August 5, 2026, for allegedly assaulting a 13-year-old pupil entrusted to his care.

“The complainant alleged that the suspect was engaged as a home lesson teacher but allegedly abused the trust placed in him and sexually assaulted the child,” Daaor stated.

Following the conclusion of investigation, the suspect was charged before the Benin High Court on August 14, 2026, and subsequently remanded at Oko Correctional Centre, Benin.

In a separate incident reported on August 6, 2026, a 42-year-old father was apprehended in Iyahmo over the alleged defilement of his 15-year-old daughter. Following a discrete investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the suspect was charged to court on August 14, 2026, and remanded at the Benin Correctional Centre.

The command also arrested 29-year-old Samson Amachie following an August 10 report transferred from the Okhoro Police Station to the Gender and Family Support Unit. Amachie allegedly lured an 11-year-old girl into an uncompleted building behind his shop. He has since been arraigned before the Benin High Court and remanded at the Oko Correctional Centre.

In another case reported on August 12 in Okpella, police arrested 26-year-old Otaru Jonathan for allegedly taking a 14-year-old girl on a motorcycle to an uncompleted building in Afokpella, where he assaulted her and gave her ₦2,000.

“The survivor was taken to the hospital for medical evaluation and attention,” CP Daaor noted, adding that the suspect remains in custody pending arraignment.

Alongside the gender-based violence arrests, police operatives recorded success in tracking down stolen property following a late-night home invasion.

According to the commissioner, on August 14, 2026, at approximately 1:15 a.m., six armed hoodlums invaded a residential compound on Jesus Christ Street, Iduowinna Community, dispossessing residents of mobile phones, laptops, wristwatches, perfumes, human hair, and a Lexus 350 saloon car bearing registration number BWR 988 DH.

“The scene was immediately visited, all divisions were alerted for possible recovery of the vehicle, and patrols were intensified within the community,” Daaor explained. “In a major breakthrough, at about 0900hrs the same day, the stolen Lexus 350 was recovered at Oba Market.”

The police chief assured residents that investigations remain active to track down the fleeing members of the robbery gang and recover the remaining stolen items.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to deploy about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel for the 2027 general elections.

The commission disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja when it hosted a delegation from the International Republican Institute (IRI), led by its president, Dan Twining.

The IRI team is in Nigeria from August 11 to 21 as part of a pre-election assessment aimed at reviewing INEC’s preparations and identifying areas where international technical assistance could support the electoral process.

INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, said the planned personnel would be deployed across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.

He said the commission was also improving its logistics arrangements, expanding early deployment of personnel and materials, and strengthening cooperation with transport unions to facilitate the movement of election officials and election materials.

Amupitan described the IRI visit as timely, particularly after the recent Osun governorship election and ahead of the 2027 campaign season.

He said recent off-cycle governorship elections and legislative by-elections had provided opportunities for INEC to test its technology, logistics and security arrangements.

According to him, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal have continued to perform reliably, with more than 98 per cent of results uploaded in recent elections.

The INEC chairman also disclosed that the commission was introducing measures to improve voter registration. The measures include online registration, continuous updating of the voters’ register and efforts to ensure that voter information remains accurate.

He said additional measures would be introduced to make the electoral process more accessible to persons with disabilities, pregnant women, nursing mothers and elderly voters.

Amupitan identified misinformation, disinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence as some of the emerging challenges that could threaten the credibility of the 2027 elections.

He said INEC had established a unit focused on artificial intelligence to develop guidelines for responsible technology use and tackle false information capable of undermining confidence in the electoral process.

The chairman reaffirmed the commission’s neutrality, stating that INEC would not favour any political party or candidate.

He said the commission’s primary duty was to conduct elections that represent the wishes of Nigerians, with the recent Osun governorship election cited as part of efforts to promote credible and peaceful elections.

Amupitan also acknowledged the need for the commission to take further steps to increase voter participation in future elections.

Speaking on the purpose of the IRI mission, Twining said the organisation wanted to support a competitive, peaceful and credible electoral process in Nigeria.

He said the delegation would examine INEC’s preparations, identify possible challenges and consider ways the international community could assist Nigeria’s democratic development.

“We know how committed Nigerians are to exercising their democratic rights,” Twining said.

“Our interest is a competitive, peaceful and credible election in Nigeria, and we look forward to learning how we can support that objective.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has started demolishing houses and other structures erected on designated waterways across Abuja.

The enforcement exercise began in Maitama on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, following a directive from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Officials of the FCTA deployed heavy-duty equipment to remove some of the structures identified as obstructing water channels.

Wike gave the directive after inspecting areas affected by flash floods that swept through parts of the Federal Capital Territory after heavy rainfall on Saturday.

The minister blamed the severity of the flooding partly on buildings constructed on waterways and warned that the status of property owners would not prevent the removal of illegal structures.

“We will demolish all those houses found on the water channel. Some of them are senators. Some of them are big men,” Wike said.

He said the demolition exercise would continue from Tuesday to Saturday.

The minister also ordered the immediate desilting of drainage channels identified across the FCT as part of measures to reduce the risk of further flooding.

The recent flooding affected several parts of Abuja, including Maitama, Wuse 2, Gudu and Lokogoma, where residents were stranded and vehicles were submerged.

According to Wike, the flooding resulted from both natural and human factors. He identified construction on waterways, blocked drainage systems and indiscriminate disposal of waste as some of the factors that worsened the situation.

The FCT Administration said it would strengthen enforcement of development regulations to prevent structures from blocking the natural flow of stormwater.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The United Kingdom has praised the conduct of the Osun State governorship election and congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election.

The British High Commission disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday after the poll, noting that it had engaged various stakeholders before election day and deployed accredited observers to monitor the exercise.

The commission said its observers recorded several positive developments that were also identified by credible independent observer groups that monitored the election across the state.

“Based on their observations, and consistent with the findings of credible independent observer groups with wider deployments across the state, we welcome several encouraging signs of a positive democratic process,” the statement reads.

“This includes the opening of polls as scheduled in many locations, the commitment of security personnel to maintaining order, and the effective implementation of electoral procedures by INEC officials.

“Most of all, we were encouraged by the patience, resilience and participation demonstrated by voters throughout the day.”

Despite the positive assessment, the British High Commission said it observed reports of isolated incidents that caused tension before and during the election.

It listed some of the concerns as voter interference, vote-buying involving different political parties, inadequate access for persons with disabilities and elderly voters, as well as congestion linked to the rapid deployment and limited availability of BVAS devices for accreditation.

The commission called on relevant Nigerian institutions to examine the challenges and use the findings to improve public confidence in the electoral system.

It also urged authorities to consider recommendations from civil society organisations, including the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, as part of efforts to promote transparency and accountability.

The UK mission cautioned that some of the advantages available during an off-cycle election may be difficult to reproduce during a nationwide election.

“As Nigeria looks ahead to the 2027 general elections, we note that off-cycle elections benefit from the availability of additional personnel and resources that may be more difficult to replicate at nationwide scale,” the statement reads.

“We nevertheless hope that the experience of the Osun election will help inform further improvements that strengthen the integrity, inclusiveness and credibility of future electoral processes.”

The British High Commission reaffirmed the UK’s readiness to work with Nigeria’s electoral bodies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to promote peaceful, transparent, inclusive and credible elections.

It said such cooperation would also support efforts to strengthen the democratic institutions that underpin Nigeria’s electoral system.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced an investigation into Haruna Yusuf over the alleged possession of undeclared foreign currencies intercepted at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.

The currencies, which include $73,000, £15,957 and 827,800 Saudi Riyals, were recovered by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) during routine checks on passengers between August 8 and 12.

The EFCC disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

U. U. Adamu, acting customs area comptroller of the Kano/Jigawa Command, said officers first intercepted an unaccompanied Saudi Air luggage on August 8.

According to him, the bag contained 827,800 Saudi Riyals and $53,300, which were concealed inside footwear.

Adamu said another interception occurred four days later when customs officers examined a luggage belonging to Yusuf, who arrived in Kano aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET941.

He said a secondary examination with non-intrusive inspection technology uncovered $20,000 and £15,957 hidden inside sports shoes.

Adamu later transferred Yusuf and the recovered currencies to the EFCC on behalf of the NCS.

However, the EFCC statement did not establish whether Yusuf was the owner of the unaccompanied luggage that contained the Saudi Riyals.

Adamu said the seizures reflected the vigilance of customs officers in monitoring the movement of undeclared foreign currencies across Nigeria’s borders.

He added that the NCS would maintain cooperation with the EFCC and other relevant agencies in the fight against financial crimes.

Receiving the suspect and the recovered currencies on behalf of EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, Friday S. Ebelo, acting zonal director of the EFCC Kano Directorate, said failure to declare substantial amounts of foreign currency contravened the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Ebelo advised travellers to observe the requirements for declaring foreign currencies at points of entry and exit.

He explained that declaring funds does not attract a penalty, while the source of undeclared money could raise legal concerns.

The EFCC official said the commission would conduct a comprehensive investigation and take further action in accordance with the law.

By Yusuf Yakubu Muhammad

Youth unemployment is one of the greatest challenges facing Nigeria today. Every year, thousands of young Nigerians graduate from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and vocational institutions with high hopes of securing decent jobs.

Unfortunately, the number of available jobs is far less than the number of graduates entering the labour market.

This reality has left many young people unemployed, underemployed, or forced into jobs that do not match their qualifications.

According to the World Bank (2024), Nigeria has one of the fastest-growing youth populations in the world, and creating enough productive jobs for this population is essential for reducing poverty and promoting economic growth. The report notes that sustainable employment is critical to unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential.

Speaking on the importance of youth employment, Dr. Ndiame Diop, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, stated that “creating more productive jobs is essential for reducing poverty and helping Nigeria achieve inclusive economic growth.”

His statement highlights the need for policies that go beyond creating temporary employment and instead build an economy capable of generating lasting opportunities for young people.

I had an opportunity to interview a phone accessories seller in Beirut market Kano.

Musa Abubakar is a graduate of geography education from Kano State University of Science and technology said his journey into entrepreneurship began after spending a long time searching for employment without success.

He said he applied for jobs in different places and hoped to secure a stable job, but despite his efforts, he was unable to find one.

He communicated that he noticed the increasing demand for mobile phones and their accessories, including chargers, earpieces, phone cases, screen protectors, power banks and USB cables.

He said this encouraged him to start selling phone accessories on a small scale.

The seller narrated that one of the important things he learned was the need to understand customers and provide them with quality products.

He added that some customers are more concerned about price, while others prefer durable and original accessories, so he tries to provide different options according to their needs.

He said his business has helped him become financially independent and has given him the opportunity to create a source of income for himself rather than depending entirely on formal employment.

One of the major reasons behind youth unemployment is the gap between education and the labour market.

Many graduates possess academic qualifications but lack the practical, technical, and digital skills required by employers.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), strengthening technical education, vocational training, and entrepreneurship programmes can improve young people’s chances of securing meaningful employment.

However, solving unemployment is not only about helping graduates find jobs. It is also about preparing them to create businesses that can employ others.

Entrepreneurship has become one of the most effective ways of addressing unemployment in many developing countries.

Successful Nigerian entrepreneurs have shown that with innovation, determination, and the right support, young people can transform small business ideas into companies that create jobs for many others.

Abba Abdurrazak, a graduate of computer science from ABU said after graduating the situation was initially frustrating because he had expected to get a job after completing his studies.

However, he added that he later realised that waiting for employment was not the only option available to him.

He narrated that he had an interest in graphic design and printing and noticed that there was a growing demand for printing services in his community.

He said this motivated him to turn his skills and interest into a business.

I did not have enough capital when he started the business, so he began on a small scale with the resources available to him.

According to him, he gradually reinvested the money he made into the business and acquired better equipment as the business grew. He said.
He said one of the major challenges he faced was attracting customers because the business was new and there were already established printing shops.

He added that the high cost of printing machines and materials also made the business challenging at the beginning.

He said his experience had taught him that failure to secure a formal job does not means failure in life.

He added that young people should learn practical skills, start businesses on a small scale and gradually build them rather than depending entirely on government or private-sector employment.


The Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Tony O. Elumelu, has consistently argued that entrepreneurship is the key to Africa’s economic transformation.

According to him, “Africa’s future lies in the hands of entrepreneurs who create jobs and solve problems within their communities.”

Through the foundation’s entrepreneurship programme, thousands of young Nigerians have received funding, training, and mentorship to establish their own businesses.

Similarly, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s former Vice President, has repeatedly emphasized that innovation and entrepreneurship are essential for reducing unemployment.

He has argued that investing in young entrepreneurs will strengthen the country’s economy because small businesses are major employers of labour.

Despite these opportunities, many young entrepreneurs continue to face significant obstacles. Poor electricity supply, inadequate infrastructure, limited access to finance, high interest rates, multiple taxation, and policy inconsistency discourage many business owners.

The World Bank has repeatedly identified these challenges as major barriers to private sector growth and job creation in Nigeria.
Experts believe that government must create an enabling environment where businesses can thrive.

This includes improving electricity, expanding internet access, investing in transport infrastructure, providing affordable loans for young entrepreneurs, reducing unnecessary regulations, and strengthening support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Young Nigerians themselves must embrace lifelong learning. Today’s economy rewards people who continuously improve their skills in technology, communication, agriculture, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, digital marketing, and other emerging industries. Waiting only for government jobs is no longer a sustainable strategy.

Youth unemployment is not a challenge that government alone can solve. It requires collaboration among government agencies, educational institutions, businesses, development partners, communities, and young people themselves.

By investing in skills development, supporting entrepreneurship, and creating an environment where businesses can grow, Nigeria can transform millions of unemployed youths into innovators, employers, and drivers of economic growth.

As Tony Elumelu rightly observed, “The future of Africa depends on the entrepreneurs we empower today.”

If Nigeria successfully shifts its focus from producing job seekers to producing job creators, the country will not only reduce unemployment but also build a stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive economy for generations to come.

Yusuf Yakubu Muhammad wrote in from Kano State.

By Ali Tijjani Hassan

There is a difference between a public health system that performs well on paper and one that performs well in people’s lives, and Yobe State is currently teaching us these differences in real time. For over ten days, reports of viral conjunctivitis (Apollo), as it is popularly called, have been spreading across parts of the state. Yet the silence from official quarters has been almost as consistent as the outbreak itself. No public advisory. No visible coordination. No reassurance that anyone in authority is even watching. And silence, in public health, is never neutral. It either means nothing is happening, or it means something is happening and no one has thought to tell the people living through it. Neither of these answers is acceptable. Considering the communicable nature of this outbreak, it is essentially as contagious as yawning. The system should work, and the response should be in place.

I say this, not out of pessimism, because pessimism is cheap and the outbreak deserves better than cheap reactions. Yobe is not a state without human resource capacity. We have a significant number of epidemiologists and precision medicine experts. We have disease surveillance officers, laboratory scientists, environmental health officers, and public health professionals—a full formation of expertise that many states would envy. So, the question is not whether we have the people. The question is whether the system built around those people is actually working, or has quietly become one optimised for reporting rather than responding. Because here is an uncomfortable truth: a health system can hit every donor indicator, produce every glossy report, receive every award, and still fail the basic test of protecting the community it exists to serve. KPIs are not the same as outcomes. A dashboard is not the same as a warned public. You can be commended internationally and still be invisible locally, and that gap between what is reported upward and what is felt on the ground is where public trust quietly erodes.

What sharpens this concern is that we are not operating in isolation. This outbreak is not affecting only Yobe State; it’s spread across northeastern states. Take Adamawa State as an example: it’s currently responding to a similar outbreak of viral conjunctivitis. They already declared a pandemic and activated warning and response systems since the 7th of August, 2026. Coincidentally, Bauchi State is experiencing a cholera outbreak; the state government has been activating its cholera response system since the 1st of August, 2026. These are not distant or hypothetical benchmarks; they are neighbours, operating under comparable constraints, demonstrating that a coordinated response is possible when the will and the system align. So if they can move, what exactly is holding us back?

Is it a failure of surveillance itself, or a failure to verify what surveillance already picked up? Is it risk assessment sitting somewhere in a queue? Is it plain bureaucratic inertia, the kind where information exists but no one owns the decision to act on it? Or is it something more troubling: a culture where we wait for numbers to become undeniable before we treat them as urgent?

I raise these questions not to indict anyone by name, but because public health, by its very design, is supposed to be anticipatory. Its entire justification is that it acts before catastrophe forces it to. A surveillance system that produces reports without triggering timely action has collected data successfully but has failed in its actual purpose. And there is something quietly troubling about a community that learns of a potential outbreak through word of mouth before it hears a single word from the institutions constitutionally responsible for its well-being. That is not just a communication gap. It is a trust gap, and trust, once eroded in public health, is far harder to rebuild than any epidemic curve.

The remedy is not complicated. If there is no outbreak, say so clearly and to everyone, not just to donors. If there is one, say so. If an investigation is currently in progress, please communicate that clearly. If interventions have begun, say so. None of this requires perfect information. It requires the basic respect of keeping people informed while the work is being done. Because silence is not surveillance, and a response no one can see is barely a response at all. The people of Yobe do not need another award ceremony. They need a system that notices early, speaks plainly, and moves before the numbers force its hand. In the end, the truest measure of a public health system was never going to be what it reports about itself. It is what the people living inside it actually experience.

Ali Tijjani Hassan is a public health professional who writes from his personal quarantine after being infected with the Apollo.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Borno State Police Command has recovered an unexploded ordnance, identified as a hand grenade, from a drainage slab in Moduganari, Maiduguri.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Nahum Daso, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday.

Daso said the recovery followed a report received by the police at about 12:40pm on August 15, 2026, about a suspected explosive device found in the area.

According to the statement, operatives of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal-Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Base 13, Maiduguri, were deployed to the location after the report.

The statement, titled, “Borno Police Command Recovers One UXO (Hand Grenade) in Maiduguri,” said the operatives safely removed the device from the drainage slab.

“Acting on the directives of the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, psc, following a report received at about 1240hrs on 15 August 2026 regarding a suspected UXO found on a drainage slab in Moduganari area, operatives of the EOD-CBRN Base 13, Maiduguri, promptly mobilised to the scene and safely recovered the item,” it said.

The command said the recovered device had been secured for further examination. It added that an investigation had commenced to determine its origin and the circumstances that led to its discovery.

Daso said the Commissioner of Police appreciated residents who alerted the authorities after noticing the suspected explosive.

“The Commissioner of Police commends the vigilance of the members of the public who promptly alerted the Police and reiterates the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the State,” he added.

The police spokesperson also warned residents against touching, moving or tampering with objects suspected to be explosive devices.

“The Borno State Police Command remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and urges continued cooperation and timely reporting of suspicious objects or activities,” the statement said.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party has emerged victorious in Saturday’s governorship election, winning 19 of the 30 Local Government Areas in Osun State, while his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), secured 11 LGs.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is expected to officially declare the results following the completion of collation and announcement of results on Sunday.

Adeleke’s victory was anchored on strong performances in key LGAs including Ede South (26,188 votes), Ede North (35,427 votes), and Osogbo (36,480 votes), where he secured significant margins over his APC opponent.

The APC, however, recorded notable victories in Irewole LGA (29,972 votes), Boripe LGA (19,963 votes), and Obokun LGA (16,120 votes), among others.

The election, which was largely peaceful, recorded significant voter turnout across the state, with over 1.2 million accredited voters participating in the exercise.

Political analysts view Adeleke’s victory as a reaffirmation of his administration’s performance over the past four years, despite the APC’s vigorous campaign to unseat him.

In his acceptance speech, Adeleke thanked the people of Osun State for their continued trust in his leadership, promising to deliver more democratic dividends in his second term.

The APC has yet to officially respond to the election outcome, though party supporters have expressed mixed reactions to the results.

The governorship election was keenly contested, with both parties deploying their top political heavyweights to campaign across the state in the weeks leading up to the poll.