Nigeria, Russia Celebrate 65th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria and Russia on Tuesday are celebrating 65 years of establishment of diplomatic relations.

The two countries established diplomatic ties on November 25, 1960

Both countries ministers of foreign affairs in celebrating the important milestone exchange congratulations messages.

Russian minister, Sergey Lavrov in his letter stated that: “Please accept my sincere congratulations on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two States.

“We note with satisfaction the high level of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is based on the principles of mutual respect, trust and the closeness of our positions across a broad range of regional and international issues.

“We remain committed to the steady development and maintenance of an active and substantive political dialogue, as well as practical collaboration in the trade, economic and humanitarian spheres, in the interests of the peoples of our countries and in the support of sustainable peace and development on the African continent.

“I wish you good health and every success, and to the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – well-being and prosperity.”

On his part, the Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar wrote: “On behalf of the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I have the honour to convey warm congratulations to you and through you to the government and people of the Russian Federation, on this historic occasion of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries.

“As we celebrate this milestone, Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to strengthening partnership in a manner that advances the prosperity of our peoples and contributes to a more just and equitable international order.

“Since the establishment of ties on 25th November, 1960, Nigeria and Russia have maintained a relationship characterized by mutual respect, constructive dialogue and shared aspirations for global peace, stability and development. Over the decades, our cooperation has expanded across strategic sectors including Defence, Education, Energy, Science and Technology, Space Cooperation, Trade, and Cultural Exchange.

“I look forward to deepening collaboration in economy, security and increased people-to-people exchanges.

“Please accept the assurances of my
highest consideration.”

Nigeria, Russia Celebrate 65th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations

Tony Elumelu Foundation Partners Federal Fire Service to Train 7,400 on Fire Safety Preparedness

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Fire Service has announced a groundbreaking national capacity-building initiative following a strategic collaboration with the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) to train 7,400 Nigerians on fire safety preparedness across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

This partnership was consolidated during a courtesy visit to Mr. Tony Elumelu, Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and Chairman of Heirs Holdings and the United Bank for Africa (UBA), at the Hilton, Abuja.

The Controller General, Federal Fire Service, Samuel Olumode, led a delegation of senior management officers to the high-level engagement.

A statement by the spokesman of FFS, Paul Abraham on Monday said, during the engagement, the Service also formally investitured Mr. Peter Ashade, Group CEO, United Capital Plc, as a National Fire Safety Ambassador, in recognition of the Heirs Group’s significant contributions to enhancing safety consciousness and advancing community-focused fire safety initiatives nationwide.

He noted that this honour further reinforces the expanding partnership between the Federal Fire Service and the Tony Elumelu ecosystem.

He revealed that as part of the collaboration, Federal Fire Service personnel will be deployed across all infrastructures under Mr. Tony Elumelu’s business portfolio nationwide, serving as safety officers to support compliance, strengthen safety monitoring, and enhance fire prevention awareness across all facilities.

Elumelu emphasized the urgent need to deepen community-level fire safety awareness, noting that thousands of households, local markets, and indigenous settlements remain vulnerable due to limited access to structured fire prevention education. He underscored that empowering citizens with practical, life-saving knowledge will significantly improve national resilience and reduce both the frequency and severity of fire outbreaks.

Under the collaboration, the Federal Fire Service will train 200 persons in each state of the federation and the FCT, totaling 7,400 beneficiaries.

The programme will focus on essential fire-prevention skills, early warning practices, and basic emergency response procedures. Participants will also be groomed to serve as fire safety advocates within their communities, creating a multiplier effect that promotes vigilance and responsible safety behaviour nationwide.

The Controller General described the partnership as a milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward a more preventive approach to fire management. He expressed profound appreciation to Mr. Elumelu and the Foundation for championing a community-centric model that aligns with global best practices. He further assured that the Service will deliver the training with professionalism, transparency, and measurable impact across all zones.

The initiative is expected to significantly strengthen grassroots preparedness, improve first-response capacity, and foster a long-term culture of fire safety within communities.

Tony Elumelu Foundation Partners Federal Fire Service to Train 7,400 on Fire Safety Preparedness

Fresh scandal hits borno NSCDC as officer accused of stealing truck spare parts, selling exhibits under command’s watch

By: Zagazola Makama

A new wave of scandal has erupted within the Borno State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), following an explosive investigation by counterinsurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, which uncovered allegations of theft, extortion, and conversion of recovered exhibits by the officer in charge of the Njimtilo outpost.

The incident, now causing an uproar among residents in Maiduguri, centres on Usman Y. Bulama, the Divisional Officer in charge of the Njimtilo NSCDC post, who allegedly stole or knowingly received stolen truck spare parts, sold them, and then attempted to extort money from the rightful owner.

According to findings a Maiduguri-based mechanical engineer repairing heavy-duty trucks at Njimtilo reported that key spare parts worth over N800,000 were stolen from his garage at night. Days later, the owner was shocked to discover the same spare parts inside the NSCDC Njimtilo outpost, under the custody of Officer Bulama.

When confronted, Bulama reportedly told the owner that he had “recovered the parts from a thief” — yet could not produce the alleged thief, provide a report, or explain how the items left his custody.

Rather than release the recovered property, Bulama allegedly demanded N500,000 as “settlement” before the items could be returned. The victim offered N100,000, but the officer refused and insisted on collecting nothing less than the full N500,000.

Investigations revealed that after internal pressure mounted at the command headquarters, the officer suddenly re-produced some of the spare parts, but four key components valued at over N800,000 were missing. He claimed the missing items were “never recovered”.

However, It ater uncovered that Bulama had sold the missing spare parts, and that N150,000 was transferred into his personal account as payment. In a revelation that stunned the investigative panel, the buyer of the stolen spare parts told investigators that he purchased the items as an official auction within the NSCDC outpost.

He said he did not know they were stolen exhibits but believed they were legally auctioned materials released under the authority of the divisional office. The testimony raises deeper questions about the operational culture within the NSCDC command, and whether officers have been routinely converting recovered items for private gain.

After the matter reached the Commandant of the NSCDC in Borno State, Mr. Muhammad Hassan-Agalama, the divisional officer was relieved of his command and directed to face a disciplinary committee.

But despite the findings confirming the sale of the stolen items, transfer of proceeds into his personal account, and failure to produce either the alleged thief or the recovered property, the command neither prosecuted the officer nor imposed any meaningful punishment.

Meanwhile, the victim did not recover his missing property, further fuelling public anger over what many describe as “institution-protected theft”.

This was not the first scandal under the same command, Zagazola’s investigation uncovered a troubling pattern of alleged misconduct within the NSCDC Borno Command, particularly under Commandant Hassan-Agalama.

Sometimes this year, a truck loaded with banned scrap metals materials prohibited for movement by the Borno State Government was reportedly released on the direct orders of the Commandant.

In another incident, a tanker filled with scrap metal was also released under similar circumstances, despite the standing ban. The recurring controversies caused serious embarrassment to security stakeholders in the state. These incidents eventually led to the removal and transfer of Commandant Hassan-Agalama to the Kano Command after spending less than three months in Borno.

The Njimtilo incident “reflects a pattern of internal breakdown that, if unaddressed, will compromise the Corps’ mandate in the state.”
The absence of strict disciplinary action encourages impunity and damages public trust in law enforcement institutions.

We are calling for immediate prosecution of the officer, recovery of the stolen items, and a total overhaul of the NSCDC outposts across the state.

For now, the command is yet to issue a public statement on the latest scandal.

Fresh scandal hits borno NSCDC as officer accused of stealing truck spare parts, selling exhibits under command’s watch