National News
Insecurity: Nigeria’s security agencies need to modernize, insists Aregbesola

Insecurity: Nigeria’s security agencies need to modernize, insists Aregbesola
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has lamented that criminals operating in the country are modernized whereas the state nation’s security agencies are archaic in their operations.
Speaking at the opening of a 3-day anti-money laundering and combating terrorism capacity building for the Ministry of Interior and its agencies in Abuja, Aregbesola said: “We must upgrade our strategies,” noting that the criminals are in the 22nd century in evolvement of crimes while the nation’s security agencies are in the 18th century of crime fighting.
He said time has come for the government to build the capacities of the law enforcement agencies in the country to be able to continually combat the threats of criminal elements and secure the nation.
The Minister lamented that the insecurity as a result of rise in terrorism and banditry in the country can be traced to the availability of illicit fund gotten from money laundering, which mean that to put a nail to these, battle should be wage and won against money laundering,
He said: “It is in the light of this, that the Ministry and its Agencies, in conjunction with the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, is conducting this workshop, as part of a series of measures to build capacity and effective communication networks among policy, regulatory and law enforcement agencies, in order to strengthen the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism regime in the country.”
He added that: “In this regard, the Ministry, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and indeed the Nigerian Correctional Service all have key roles to play in efforts to combat money laundering and terrorism financing and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Our target is to ensure that relevant Services in the Ministry develop a cadre of professionals in AML/CFT.”
He said: “Experience has shown that these funds are also used to undermine economic, social and political stability through funding of terrorism and terrorist related activities.
“As terrorism, banditry and other serious cross border crimes continue to proliferate, law enforcement agencies and regulators must work together to prevent, identify, punish and deter financial crimes.”
Aregbesola lamented that: “Over the past decade, Nigeria has increasingly been confronted with the violent and disruptive activities of terrorists. As a result, our laws and policies have been targeted not only to decimate the terrorists, but to target their sources of funding. We are all too aware that risks posed by money laundering on the financial system are constantly evolving.
“It is therefore necessary to continue to take appropriate measures to enhance the capacities of our law enforcement agencies for high profile investigation and diligent prosecution, in order to meet global standards for protecting the integrity of our financial system and prevent it from being used as a safe haven for the movement of illicit funds,” he said.
The Minister said: “Furthermore, as a responsible member of the comity of Nations, Nigeria is committed to meeting the global standards for the integrity of the financial system and prevent it from being used as a safe haven for the movement of illicit funds. Nigeria is also under obligation to comply with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and Inter Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa, (GIABA) on strengthening her AML/CFT regime.
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Nigeria recently went through a 2nd round Mutual Evaluation of its AML/CFT framework, and its effectiveness, which was carried out by GIABA. While noting that we have made significant progress, Nigeria’s AML/CFT regime was observed to be deficient in many areas in the final Report.”
He said: “This workshop has become imperative as one of the measures of developing and enhancing our collective capacities to more effectively tackle money laundering and terrorist financing in Nigeria. As you may all be aware, criminals use various techniques and mechanism to obscure the ownership of illicitly acquired assets and; introducing illegally obtained funds into the stream of legitimate commerce allows criminals to profit from their illegal activities, taints the financial system and erodes public trust in the integrity of the system.”
Also speaking, the Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Audi said the crime of money Laundering and terrorism financing is an organised one which may be nurtured by the proceeds of illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism.
He said the Corps has expanded its scope of investigative activities to include tracking the movements of proceeds of illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism by thoroughly profiling the suspects and their accounts in order to establish whether funds realised from vandalism is laundered or used in financing terrorism.
He revealed that: “This improvement in our Intelligence and Investigation activities is further enhanced by the introduction of Crime Report Investigation Management System (CRIMS) by Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). More cases are now being seamlessly thrashed with the aid of the innovation.”
On his part the Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa said a strong economy is a source of national strength hence, any activity which directly or indirectly plunders the national resources of a nation, puts such a nation on a horrific path, leading to humanitarian crises.
The Controller General, who was represented by Controller of Corrections, Meg Okpala said: “It is quite unfortunate that our dear nation has suffered monumental losses that have even threatened the very essence of our collective existence. More disturbing is the fact that a larger percentage of these losses are attributable to the unpatriotic activities of money launderers and terrorism financiers.”
Insecurity: Nigeria’s security agencies need to modernize, insists Aregbesola
National News
UNILORIN Alumni Commences Tinubu on Appointment of Nandap, Omotowa, Aribisala

UNILORIN Alumni Commences Tinubu on Appointment of Nandap, Omotowa, Aribisala
By: Michael Mike
The National Headquarters of University of Ilorin Alumni Association has lauded President Bola Tinubu for appointing three of its members into various leadership positions in the country.
Those appointed were Comptroller General of Immigration, Mrs Kemi Nandap,, whose tenure was elongated till December 2026, Non Executive Director of NNPC, representing North Central, Mr Babs Omotowa- and the Pioneer Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin-Ekiti, Prof. James A. Aribisala.
In a congratulatory message to the trio, the National President, Prof. AbdulRasaq Kilani, and the National Secretary, Dr Barakat Raji, said the Association received the news of the appointments with excitement.
The Alumni, who commended President Tinubu for selecting the best for their various positions, assured him that the three alumni would not disappoint him in attaining the goals set for them to achieve.
While felicitating with the appointed members on their well-deserved appointment, the Association charged them to always show the excellence in them in surpassing the targets set for them by Mr President.
The Association who extolled the pedigrees of the appointed members in their various fields, implored them to live up to the expectations of the slogan of the institutions “better by far” in all ramifications.
The Alumni then prayed for their successful tenure and tasked them not to hesitate to reach out to them whenever their services are needed in any capacity towards national development.
UNILORIN Alumni Commences Tinubu on Appointment of Nandap, Omotowa, Aribisala
National News
President Tinubu reconstitute NNPC Board, remove Kyari Mele

President Tinubu reconstitute NNPC Board, remove Kyari Mele
By: Our Reporter
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a sweeping reconstitution of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited board, removing the chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure and the group chief executive officer, Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari.
In a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga,
Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), President Tinubu removed all other board members appointed with Akinyelure and Kyari in November 2023.
The new 11-man board has Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the Group CEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as non-executive chairman.
Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umaru Isa Ajiya as the chief financial officer last November, has been appointed to the new board by President Tinubu.
Six board members, non-executive directors, represent the country’s geopolitical zones. They are Bello Rabiu, North West, Yusuf Usman, North East, and Babs Omotowa, a former managing director of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas( NLNG), who represents North Central.
President Tinubu appointed Austin Avuru as a non-executive director from the South-South, David Ige as a Non-executive director from the South West, and Henry Obih as a non-executive director from the South East.
Mrs Lydia Shehu Jafiya, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, will represent the ministry on the new board, while Aminu Said Ahmed will represent the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
All the appointments are effective today, April 2.
President Tinubu, invoking the powers granted under Section 59, subsection 2 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, emphasised that the board’s restructuring is crucial for enhancing operational efficiency, restoring investor confidence, boosting local content, driving economic growth, and advancing gas commercialisation and diversification.
President Tinubu also handed out an immediate action plan to the new board: to conduct a strategic portfolio review of NNPC-operated and Joint Venture Assets to ensure alignment with value maximisation objectives.
Since 2023, the Tinubu administration has implemented oil sector reforms to attract investment. Last year, NNPC reported $17 billion in new investments within the sector. The administration now envisions increasing the investment to $30 billion by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030.
The Tinubu administration targets raising oil production to two million barrels daily by 2027 and three million daily by 2030. Concurrently, the government wants gas production jacked to 8 billion cubic feet daily by 2027 and 10 billion cubic feet by 2030.
Furthermore, President Tinubu expects the new board to elevate NNPC’s share of crude oil refining output to 200,000 barrels by 2027 and reach 500,000 by 2030.
The new board chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, is from Borno State. He is an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he received a degree in civil engineering in 1984. He also obtained a postgraduate diploma in petroleum engineering from the Institut Francaise du Petrol (IFP) in Paris
He started his career in the oil industry at Elf Petroleum Nigeria and later joined Total Exploration and Production as a trainee engineer in 1985.
Musa became Total Nigeria’s Deputy Managing Director of Deep Water Services in 2015. Last year, he became an Independent Non-Executive Director at Pan Ocean-Newcross Group.
Apart from his oil industry career, Ahmadu Musa Kida is a former basketballer and the president of the Nigerian Basketball Federation(NBBF) board.
Ojulari, the new NNPC Limited Group CEO, hails from Kwara State. Until his new appointment, He was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company. His Renaissance recently led a consortium of indigenous energy firms in the landmark acquisition of the entire equity holding in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), worth $2.4 billion.
Like Kida, Ojulari is also an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked for Elf Aquitaine as the first Nigerian process engineer to begin a stellar career in the oil sector. From Elf, he joined Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd in 1991 as an associate production technologist.
Apart from working in Nigeria, he worked in Europe and the Middle East in different capacities as a petroleum process and production engineer, strategic planner, field developer, and asset manager. In 2015, he became the managing director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO).
During his career, he was chairman and member of the board of trustees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE Nigerian Council) and a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
President Tinubu thanked the old board members for their dedicated service to NNPC Limited, particularly their efforts in rehabilitating the old Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, which enabled them to resume petroleum product production after prolonged shutdowns. He wished them well in their future endeavours.
President Tinubu reconstitute NNPC Board, remove Kyari Mele
National News
Uromi Killing: NHRC Demands Protection for All Nigerians

Uromi Killing: NHRC Demands Protection for All Nigerians
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned the recent gruesome killing of 16 traveling hunters in Edo State, who were mistook for kidnappers.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission Dr. Tony Ojukwu expressed deep concern over the horrific incident, which highlights the dangers of mob justice and the urgent need for effective law enforcement and respect for human rights.
He said: “We commend Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, for his swift and decisive action in suspending the Commander of the Edo State Security Corps, CP Friday Ibadin (Rtd.), and banning all illegal vigilante groups operating in the state, but more need to be done.”
Ojukwu said the Commission wishes to use this opportunity to remind the government and the people of Nigeria that every individual has the right to life, as enshrined in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution as amended as well as Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
He equally said the Commission emphasized that the freedom of movement, as guaranteed by the Constitution and Article 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, has been grossly violated in this dastardly incident.
Ojukwu said: “We at the Commission demand that all the perpetrators be fished out and brought to justice. We call on the government to take concrete steps to prevent such incidents in the future, there is no justification for jungle justice anywhere in the world.”
He emphasized that every Nigerian has the right to life, dignity, and freedom from violence, regardless of their ethnicity, religion, or occupation, assuring that the Commission will continue to advocate for the protection of human rights and the rule of law in Nigeria.
Ojukwu said: “We urge the Edo State Government to continue its investigation into the killings and ensure that all perpetrators face the full wrath of the law. On our part, we will continue to monitor the process of investigation to ensure that justice is served. This will serve as a deterrent to others.
“Promotion and protection of human rights is paramount to national development, let’s all imbibe the culture of respect for human rights and fundamental freedom to make Nigeria a better place.”
Uromi Killing: NHRC Demands Protection for All Nigerians
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