Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State on Monday swore in Ibrahim Wudil as the new commissioner for housing development.

The attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Haruna Dederi, administered the oath at Government House Kano.

After the swearing-in, Mr Yusuf urged Mr Wudil to utilise his extensive experience to drive the state’s development and congratulated him on his new role.

The governor urged Mr Wudil to ensure the effective utilisation of cities developed during the administration of Rabiu Kwankwaso, including Kwankwassiya, Bandirawo, and Amana cities.

The governor expressed confidence in Mr Wudil’s ability, citing his decades-long experience as an architect and his previous role as the managing director of the Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority.

“I’ve worked closely with him for decades, and I know his capacity. I am sure he will not let us down,” the governor said.

The governor appealed to the new commissioner to use his vast experience in addressing the challenge of the state’s housing deficit.

The secretary to the state government (SSG), Umar Ibrahim, commissioners and other top government functionaries attended the ceremony.

The Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited is set to launch an empowerment programme for youths across seven states in the North-West region. This was announced in a statement.

The programme focused on a Space-Tech Hackathon and Very Small Aperture Terminals training targeting youths from Kaduna, Kano, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, and Jigawa.

It will be held in Dutse, Jigawa, from April 7 to 11. Participants include start-ups, local innovators, and students from across the region.

The statement urged interested students to register via the NIGCOMSAT Ltd website.

It explained that the initiative aims to engage and empower young Nigerians, particularly university students, innovators, and professionals from the North-West.

According to the statement, the goal is to promote innovation and develop creative solutions to real-life challenges through space technology.

Similarly, NIGCOMSAT managing director Jane Egerton-Idehen said, “The hackathon allows participants to identify challenges, create ideas, build prototypes, and receive mentorship using satellite technologies.”

“The winning team will join the NIGCOMSAT Accelerator Programme Cohort 2025 to further refine and implement their project.”

Additionally, 100 youths will be trained in installing VSAT systems, which deliver broadband connectivity in remote areas.

Ms Egerton-Idehen noted that this certification provides participants with technical skills, enhancing job prospects.

She said they could explore lucrative careers or entrepreneurial paths within the ICT sector.

The North-East hackathon and VSAT training took place in Yola from February 24 to 28.

“The aim of SpaceTech Hackathons and VSAT Training is to inspire innovation, solve community challenges, and tackle youth unemployment nationwide.

“The North-West Hackathon and VSAT training will be jointly hosted by Jigawa and NIGCOMSAT Ltd.,” Ms Egerton-Idehen said.

US President Donald Trump has said he plans to speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday about ending the war in Ukraine, adding that discussions are already ongoing about “dividing up certain assets” between the warring parties.

US officials had expressed optimism Sunday that a Ukraine- Russia ceasefire deal could be reached in weeks after Washington proposed a halt in fighting in the three-year war after talks in Saudi Arabia, which Kyiv accepted.

“I think we’ll be talking about land… we’ll be talking about power plants,” Trump said aboard Air Force One.

“I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We’re already talking about that, dividing up certain assets.”

Washington and Kyiv’s European allies are pressing Moscow to accept a halt in the fighting, but Putin has given no clear answer- instead listing a string of conditions and raising “serious questions” over the proposal.

Trump’s envoy for the conflict, Steve Witkoff, who met for several hours with Putin days ago, told CNN that he thinks “the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week.”

Trump, he added, “really expects there to be some sort of deal in the coming weeks, maybe, and I believe that’s the case”.

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday accused the Kremlin of not wanting to end the war. He warned that Moscow wanted to first “improve their situation on the battlefield” before agreeing to any ceasefire

Earlier, Moscow said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had called his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss “concrete aspects of the implementation of understandings” at a US-Russia summit in Saudi Arabia last month.

February’s Riyadh gathering was the first high-level meeting between the United States and Russia since Moscow launched its invasion in February 2022.

“Sergei Lavrov and Marco Rubio agreed to remain in contact,” the Russian foreign ministry said, with no mention of the US-suggested ceasefire.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Saturday that the pair had “discussed the next steps” on Ukraine, and “agreed to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia”.

The Lavrov-Rubio call came hours after the UK hosted a virtual summit on Ukraine, at which Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Putin of “dragging his feet” on the ceasefire.

“The ‘yes, but’ from Russia is not good enough,” Starmer said, calling for a stop to the “barbaric attacks on Ukraine once and for all”.

On Sunday, Kyiv said Moscow had launched 90 Iranian-made Shahed drones onto nine Ukrainian regions.

President Bola Tinubu has said he has no religious bias and will not be a Muslim bigot because issues confronting the country affect everyone regardless of their religions.

Mr Tinubu, a Muslim who contested presidency alongside another Muslim Vice President Kashim Shettima in 2023 and won, spoke when he hosted a delegation of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria at the Villa on Friday.

He said, “This insecurity, everyone is affected, Christians, Muslims alike. I have no religious bias; I won’t be a bigot. My wife is a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.’’

The president said Nigeria must develop beyond divisive religious bigotry, adding that he was open to discussion with people of other faiths.

He stated, “We have to think of our country; this country must develop and must stand beyond religious bigotry. And I’m here open to you, ready to listen.”

A viral video featuring a man, Fatai Odunsi, who claims to be the father of popular artist, Asake, has stirred controversy on social media since the early hours of Friday, March 14. In the video, Odunsi claimed he had not seen Asake since 2022, when his health began to deteriorate, and he now felt the need to speak help publicly. He pleaded with Nigerians for financial assistance, revealing that he has been battling a stroke since 2022. He further alleged that despite Asake’s fame and success, the singer has not been financially supportive of him.

“I am Asake’s father. I gave birth to him. I gave birth to Asake, Ahmed, the singer. Babatunde Ololade Odunsin, Mr. Money. Since I had a stroke, I haven’t seen him. The last time I saw him was March 29, 2022. He doesn’t pick my calls when I call him. Please, I only need your help,” Odunsi said.

Responding in a video, Asake was seen singing in Yoruba, seemingly addressing the controversy. The lyrics of his song conveyed a message about staying true to himself despite external pressures. He sang, “You can’t please the world. Whatever you do, do it for God and always remember the day you’ll die and meet your God. My people, can you see how it’s going? Even my father wants to cajole me, but I stand firm and they can’t off my light. I used to press money for him and I do it with one mind. If you strike, I will move on. No one can quench my fire. God is the one that is taking me ahead in life.”

Meanwhile, a prominent showbiz personality who spoke to Saturday Beats anonymously on Friday, alleged that Asake had not been caring for his father, whom he referred to as “Malo.” The source also claimed that Asake has a child who has been under Malo’s care since birth, and the child recently turned a year older on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. The source further stated that the only things Asake had ever given his father were a Lexus car and an apartment on Lagos Island, with the rent set to expire in December 2025.

Also reacting to the viral post, Asake’s ex-manager, Tunde Phoenix, criticised the singer’s alleged abandonment of his father, writing, “Operation GoFundMe for your favorite’s Papa. Please help us find that old man, his seed won’t listen. He abandons people who have helped him. Even if they left you, should you act like them when God has blessed you beyond your wildest dreams? A heart of a man reveals all you need to know. Please find Papa, let’s get him the help he needs. These children have the audacity.”

In another post, he further condemned Asake’s actions, adding, “One by one, God will show you who they are. Not my words anymore. Go and pick Papi up. We don’t care if he left as a child, in fact, I believe that man over anything you will say. If you don’t, we will handle your responsibilities for you and do a full interview with him to give us all the truths the masses want to know. You are a public figure. Get PR girl, put a statement together or I will. PS: PR girl is a vibe. Love her, I would definitely date her, she has a good heart but keeps bad company.”

The controversy continues to fuel online debates, with many Nigerians sharing their perspectives on the family dispute.

Reacting to Odunsi’s video, Sulaimon Alade recounted his past interactions with Asake and his father, writing, “I was Asake’s teacher when he was in nursery school, right in front of my family house (Ile Atapupa or Ile Oni Gelede at No. 70 Ojuolokun Street, Isale Eko, Lagos). Back then, I worked with my brother, Musbau Teacher, the proprietor of MPS Mussey Private School. His father took good care of him as a single parent, dropping him off at school every morning. I swear with the Quran. After school, he would go to Agboolokun, his mother’s house, and stay there until evening when his dad (Malo) returned from work. I don’t know why he neglected his dad to this extent.”

Echoing Alade’s sentiments, Adetola Adunade Oso also shared his thoughts: “Fact. Malo took care of Ahmed (Asake). He never failed in his responsibilities as a father. We both worked with the Lagos Island Local Government—though in different departments—but maintained a cordial relationship until I retired in 2022. I can’t believe Ahmed could neglect his father in this state. I pray the Almighty Allah restores his health. So sad. Always smiling, Lammedah.”

A crane collapsed at a construction site in Thailand’s capital on Saturday, killing at least four people, police said, as rescuers worked to retrieve a fifth body from the debris.

The accident occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning on Rama II road, a major highway linking Bangkok to the country’s south.

At least four construction workers died at the site, where a tollway was under construction, and dozens were injured, police said.

“We have retrieved four bodies, but one remains trapped in the debris,” senior police official Sayam Boonsom told reporters at the scene, adding the fifth was presumed dead.

Among the four people killed, three were Thai nationals, he said.

An investigation was underway to determine the cause of the collapse, Sayam added.

An eyewitness told local outlet Thairath TV he heard two loud bangs before seeing the crane fall.

“Workers were pouring cement when it happened,” he said.

Construction site accidents are common in Thailand where lax enforcement of safety regulations often leads to deadly accidents.

A crane collapse in Samut Sakhon, west of Bangkok, in November last year, killed three workers and injured 10 others.

In March 2024, seven people died in a similar crane collapse incident at a factory east of the capital.

And in 2023, at least two people died and a dozen were injured when a road bridge under construction in Bangkok collapsed.

The Nigerian Air Force has said airstrikes from operatives in Katsina State have decimated notorious criminal hideouts in Unguwar Goga Hillforest, Ruwan Godiya Ward, the Faskari Local Government Area of the state.

The operation, carried out by the Air Component of Operation Fansan Yamma in the early hours of Thursday, targeted the fortified camps of two notorious bandit kingpins, Gero (Alhaji) and Alhaji Riga.

A statement on Friday night by the Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Group Captain Kabiru Ali, said the airstrikes successfully neutralised over 20 bandits, with additional casualties reported in the surrounding rocky hills.

The statement read, “The Nigerian Air Force has delivered a devastating blow to banditry in Katsina State, as the Air Component of Operation Fansan Yamma executed a precision airstrike in early hours of 13 March 2025, decimating notorious bandit hideouts in Unguwar Goga Hillforest, Ruwan Godiya Ward, Faskari Local Government Area.

“The airstrikes, which preceded careful and actionable intelligence advancing purposeful lethality, destroyed the fortified camps of notorious bandit kingpins, Gero (Alhaji) and Alhaji Riga, neutralising over 20 criminals, with additional casualties reported in the surrounding rocky hills.

“The airstrike had a decisive impact on the criminals, assessment of the full extent of the damage is ongoing.”

Ali said Riga and Gero were key enablers of banditry in the region, providing shelter for terrorist elements responsible for deadly ambushes along the Funtua-Gusau Road, particularly between Yankara and Sheme villages.

He added that their elimination is seen as a major breakthrough in the ongoing military campaign to restore peace in the North-West.

The United States President Donald Trump has stated plans to impose a travel ban on 43 countries.

According to a report on Saturday, Reuters cited an internal memo and officials familiar with the matter.

The memo lists a total of 43 countries divided into three groups: red, orange, and yellow.

Although the list has yet to be approved by the Trump administration, it comprises several African countries, with African economic powerhouses like Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria and Egypt excluded.

The red group consists of 11 countries- Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Cuba, Bhutan, Venezuela, North Korea, Yemen, and Somalia- whose nationals would be barred from entering the US.

The orange group comprises 10 countries whose visas would be sharply restricted. They include Russia, Belarus, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Pakistan, Laos, Turkmenistan, Haiti, and Eritrea.

The countries in the last group were given 60 days to address concerns.

The nations on the 22-country yellow list include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Vanuatu and Zimbabwe.

The New York Times had first reported the list of countries earmarked for the proposed visa ban.

However, a US official told Reuters that there could be changes on the list and that it was yet to be approved by the administration, including Marco Rubio, the secretary of state.

The proposal is part of an immigration crackdown that Trump launched at the start of his second term in January.

Singer Naira Marley has asserted that any Muslim who doesn’t believe in Jesus isn’t a true Muslim.

This, he said, highlighted Jesus’ importance in Islamic theology.

“No Muslim is a Muslim if he does not believe in Jesus (Peace be upon him),” he wrote via his X handle.

While Muslims consider Jesus a prophet of God and a messenger sent to the Children of Israel with the Gospel, Christians believe Jesus is God or the Son of God.

This fundamental difference in perspective has sparked a lively discussion, with some users praising Naira Marley’s willingness to share his thoughts and others criticising his views.

Ruth said: “You’re just here to cause confusion. Leave Jesus for us, we don’t care if you believe in him or not. He remains the son of God, full stop”.

idristaiwo wrote: “I think many Muslims believe in Jesus, he was mentioned severally in the Quran, where the problem is Muslims not accepting him as “God” they’ve vehemently rebuffed it to irks or Christians. Christians however don’t believe in Muhammed. It’s just crazy”.

AbuTwins wrote: “You’re right but let me clear it for you; yes we Muslims respect and venerate Jesus Christ. We consider him as one of the Almighty God’s greatest messengers to humankind not as God or as Son of God. In fact The Qur’an re-affirms his miraculous birth and his miraculous abilities. Furthermore, his mother Mary is regarded as one of the most pure and exalted women of all creation”.

Al bin Rashid Al Falasi wrote: “Muslims believe in Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) and his mother, Mary, so deeply that an entire chapter in the Quran is named after her. Yet, Judaism does not recognize Jesus as a prophet. Yet Christians love sending billions to Israel”

Naira Marley has been actively sharing his religious views since the start of 2025 Ramadan.

Former Kaduna Governor Nasir el-Rufai has created an official account on the social media platform, TikTok.

With over 200,000 followers in just 24 hours, his announcement video has racked up an impressive 1.9 million views with over 21,000 comments.

El-Rufai in the video said his TikTok page aims to share his thoughts on politics and his new party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

“This is my only and official TikTok page. Please join me for videos, comments and conversations on Nigeria politics as well as the activities of our new party Social Democratic Party (SDP). Welcome on board,” he said.

Interestingly, El-Rufai’s TikTok bio describes him as an “accidental public servant, certified ruffler of feathers and deliberate SDP member.”

This comes after his recent resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his decision to join the SDP on Monday.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is visiting Bangladesh to review the situation of more than one million Rohingya refugees, officials said.

During the four-day-tour, Guterres will join tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in an Iftar, the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on Friday.

The Rohingya refugees are now living in camps in Bangladeshi Cox’s Bazar district, some 400 km southeast of capital Dhaka

Bangladeshi Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain welcomed Guterres upon his arrival at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Thursday.

Guterres is scheduled to leave Dhaka on Sunday morning to wrap up his second visit to Bangladesh.

The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) has announced its return for the 11th edition, scheduled to hold on May 10, 2025.

Nominations for the prestigious awards will be announced on March 23.

Organisers revealed that this year’s edition will feature a new category, Best Music Score, which aims to recognise the importance of music in filmmaking.

This addition brings the total number of award categories to 28.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, Busola Tejumola, Executive Head of Content and Channels for West Africa at MultiChoice, emphasised the AMVCA’s commitment to celebrating African storytelling and talent.

The police command in Ogun says it has begun an investigation into the death of a 25-year-old man, Toye Dominic, who allegedly hanged himself in a forest in Alagbodagbo Village, Ijebu Igbo.

Its spokeswoman, Omolola Odutola, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday. She explained that the deceased body was found at the scene of the incident at about 4:30 p.m.

She said the incident was reported at the Ijebu Igbo Divisional Headquarters by a local hunter, Kareem Olawalose, who discovered the deceased body while on a hunting expedition.

Ms Odutola disclosed that after making the discovery, Oluwalose sought help from a nearby village, where he met Joseph Dominic, the deceased’s elder brother.

She stated that the elder brother revealed that his brother had left for the farm earlier that morning but failed to return, prompting a search by family members, which was fruitless.

“Policemen and villagers, on arrival at the scene, observed that the deceased had set aside his farm tools before proceeding further into the forest, where he was found hanging from a tree.

“No suicide note was found, and family members expressed shock and disbelief over the incident.

“The police have documented the scene with photographic evidence, and the body has been transferred to General Hospital, Ijebu Ode, for further examination,” she said.

The police command in Jigawa says its operatives have begun an investigation into the circumstances around the headless corpse of a teenager found on the side of the road in Jikas-Dabaja village of Gwaram LGA.

SP Lawan Shiisu, the command’s spokesperson, said this in a statement.

Mr Shiisu said the teenager’s corpse was found at about 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

“On Wednesday at about 2200hrs, the Divisional Police Headquarters Gwaram informed us about a corpse in Jikas-Dabaja village, Gwaram LGA.

“A team of policemen rushed to the scene and on arrival, they discovered a headless corpse. The corpse also had his private parts removed.

“The corpse was later identified as that of a 14-year-old Almajiri, who went missing two (sic) earlier,” Mr Shiisu said.

He explained that the victim’s relatives were contacted after being certified dead by a medical doctor on call.

”The remains were released to them for burial. Investigations are ongoing with a view to apprehending the perpetrators,” he said.

In another development, Mr Shiisu said the police were also investigating the death of a 22-year-old bride in Hadejia LGA.

Mr Shiisu said the deceased, identified as Zainab Ibrahim, was found dead with her throat slit five weeks after her wedding.

He added that the victim was rushed to the General Hospital in Hadejia, where a doctor pronounced her dead.

The police spokesman said the investigation has since begun, and efforts were being made to apprehend the crime’s perpetrators.

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has again written to the State House of Assembly, informing the lawmakers of his intention to re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the House for consideration and approval.

The governor, in a letter dated March 13 and addressed to the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, said he intends to prevent the budget on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, or any other day within March that the House may deem fit.

Fubara said his decision is in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment and in response to the lawmakers’ request for him to re-present the budget.

He recalled the bitter experience of visiting the Assembly Quarters with his entourage, where the lawmakers were temporarily sitting to present the budget, but he was denied access to the complex.

The letter read, “You may recall my failed visit to the Rivers State House of Assembly on Wednesday, 12th March 2025, for the presentation of the 2025 Rivers State Budget in compliance with the judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“As you know, the planned presentation of the said budget could not take place because my entourage and I were locked out at the gate and denied entry into the premises despite the prior delivery of a soft copy of the notice to you following the failure of the Clerk to accept the hard copy from us.

“Recall further that before this unfortunate incident, the House issued a 48-hour ultimatum to present the 2025 budget even when we were yet to be served with the certified true copy of the judgment and accompanying enrolled orders.

“Therefore, we were simply complying with both the order of the Supreme Court and the request of the Rivers State House of Assembly when we came to present the 2025 budget on the 12th of March, 2025.

“The Supreme Court has directed that all arms of government should exercise their powers and perform their duties within the ambits of the Constitution and ordinary laws of our country, and this we must do to end the lingering stalemate and advance the progress of our state and the well-being of our people.

“No matter the depth of our differences, we believe the interests of the state and our people should take priority over political conflicts.

“Against this background, it is my pleasure to again notify you, Mr. Speaker, of my desire and intention to present the 2025 Budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly on Wednesday, 19th March 2025, by 11.00 a.m. or any other date within March 2025 that you may consider convenient.

“Thank you for the kind consideration of my request by the House, and please accept, Mr. Speaker, the assurance of my highest regards.”

The Senate on Thursday approved for second reading the bill to establish the National Council for Traditional Rulers, aimed at formally giving monarchs and community heads vital roles in the country.

The bill was sponsored by the Senator representing Plateau South Senatorial District, Simon Lalong.

When the bill was first introduced, it sparked extensive debate among lawmakers, with concerns raised about potential conflicts between the responsibilities of traditional rulers and elected officials at the Local Government level.

But Lalong, a former Plateau governor argued that today’s traditional rulers are well-educated and can provide valuable counsel on issues such as insecurity and other national matters, which could assist the government in addressing the needs of the citizens.

The erstwhile director-general of the Tinubu-Shettima Campaign Council also asserted that they would be useful in the areas of security and conflict resolution in local communities.

He said, “When there are crises and killings, the first thing people say is ‘let’s hold the traditional ruler responsible.’ It is true in their communities, they know everybody, including the criminals. But we expect them to be the ones running up and down.

“We need to charge them with responsibilities where they will be committed. But for now, you can’t hold them responsible. As the director-general of the campaign for Asiwaju and Kashim, we went around having some meetings with these traditional rulers.

“Every time we want them to participate, they ask to be given a role. So, it was also part of our (electioneering) campaign. So, I don’t see how we can jettison that when we are struggling for a constitutional amendment with respect to security. If we don’t have security, every other thing we are doing is rubbish.”

Despite his assurance, some senators still expressed concerns about the possibility of overlapping duties and emphasized the need for the bill to clearly delineate the roles of traditional rulers and government officials to avoid confusion.

In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stressed the importance of clearly defining the functions of traditional rulers within the bill.

He also suggested holding a public hearing to gather input before the bill proceeds to a third reading.

Akpabio acknowledged the value traditional rulers could bring in providing counsel on a wide range of issues that could benefit the government.

The bill was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Establishment, with a mandate to report back within four weeks

A Spanish court has ordered a former top UN official wanted on suspicion of fraud which cost the agency millions of dollars to be remanded in custody, according to a ruling made public Thursday.

An internal UN court ruled last year that Vitaly Vanshelboim, a Ukrainian, secretly collected $3.0 million in gifts, including a new Mercedes, from a British businessman while he invested more than $58 million of the body’s money in the man’s companies.

At the time he was the deputy head of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), a little-known agency that acts as a kind of general contractor for other arms of the organisation.

Vanshelboim was put on leave in 2021 while the UN investigated the allegations and was sacked in early 2023. He moved to Spain three years ago.

A New York court in January issued an international arrest warrant for Vanshelboim for alleged bribery, money laundering and electronic fraud.

Spain’s top criminal court on Wednesday ordered he be remanded in custody because he poses a flight risk, according to a ruling made public on Thursday.

While Vanshelboim has family and economic ties in Spain, “such ties cannot be considered sufficiently strong to counter the aforementioned risk, given that he has only been living here for three years,” the court said.

The UN has said it lost the bulk of the more than $58 million in UNOPS funds which Vanshelboim entrusted to the British businessman.

The scandal led to an overhaul of the agency and embarrassed the UN.

Many inmates in custodial centres are reportedly facing death from hunger due to poor feeding and rampant food racketeering.

This was made known on Thursday in Abuja by the Secretary of the Independent Investigative Panel, Dr Uju Agomoh, on alleged corruption and other violations against the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) while briefing the media.

Ms Agomoh spoke to journalists at the ongoing second public hearing to address the alleged corruption, abuse of power and degrading treatment of detainees against NCoS on Thursday in Abuja.

She said, “During our inspection visit as a panel, in February 2024, there was no food up to the approved weekly standards by the service. The stock they are supposed to have for at least seven days, as is the practice, is not being implemented. This is about being open to knowing where the problem is because many inmates are dying due to lack of food. I have personally been going to correctional centres for more than 30 years, but I have never seen what we see these days. There have always been problems, but it has never been the way it is now.’’

Ms Agomoh, who doubled as the Founder of Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Actions (PRAWA), emphasised that transparency was crucial for the investigative panel’s goal of enhancing efficiency within the NCoS.

She, however, warned that starving inmates posed a danger, as hunger could fuel aggression.

She added that the panel’s investigation revealed that officers in-charge of facilities were responsible for supplying food, but prioritised profits over performing their duties.

She noted, “First, the quantity that is provided is small. Second, this drive for profit-making worsens the process. The officers in-charge are one of the checks and balances for the contractors.’’

The panel secretary requested a response from the Nigerian Correctional Service regarding the implementation of Section 14, Subsection 4 of the NCoS Act.

Speaking, the NCoS Acting Comptroller General, Sylvester Nwakuche, disclosed that a ‘Prison Ration Committee’ had been established to monitor the quality and quantity of food served to inmates.

Mr Nwakuche, represented by Assistant Controller General (ACG), Ibrahim Idris, assured that the service regularly conducted routine checks and maintained a constant presence on duty.

A member of the panel, Dr Ikechukwu Ezeugo, observed that only a few of the correctional service’s over 12 farm centres were operational.

Mr Ezeugo further observed that food produced by inmates in the farm centres was not utilised to feed them, but rather sold to food contractors, who then resale or resupply the produce to the farm centres and other custodial facilities.

He said, “The panel also discovered that inmates at the farm centres were unfit for labour, including those with health conditions like sickle cell anaemia, as well as underage detainees.

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had in September 2024 inaugurated the panel to probe allegations of corruption and gross abuse of office levelled against some personnel of the NCoS.

Mr Tunji-Ojo, who is also the Chairman of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board, suspended several officers overseeing the Maximum and Minimum Custodial Centres in Kirikiri, Lagos State.

The United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa Chairman, Chris Smith, has cleared the U.S. President Donald Trump to impose harsh sanctions on Nigeria over the killing of Christians in the West African country.

The House Subcommittee reached the resolution following a Wednesday hearing regarding the prosecution of Christians in the West African nation, noting that the wanton violence against Christians in Nigeria had significantly worsened in recent years.

“One of our distinguished witnesses today—Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the diocese of Makurdi, Nigeria— travelled a long distance to be with us today and will testify, and this is from his testimony. Militant Fulani herdsmen are terrorists,” Mr Smith said during the hearing on Wednesday.

He said, “They steal and vandalise, they kill and boast about it, they kidnap and rape, and they enjoy total impunity from the elected officials. None of them have been arrested and brought to justice.”

The subcommittee noted that Nigerians constituted 90 per cent of Christians killed worldwide annually, citing a 2024 report by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa showing out of the 55,910 people killed between October 2019 and September 2023, 21,000 of them were abducted in the context of terror groups.

“Make no mistake, all of these attacks are based on religion, like I said, and diverting attention from it denies what we have seen with our own eyes. This “religious cleansing” needs to stop, and the perpetrators be brought to justice,” the report noted.

The subcommittee blamed the Nigerian government for not doing enough to protect protest Christians from persecution even though freedom of religion is enshrined in the country’s constitution while decrying instances where Nigerian court system has been weaponised to punish Christian population.

“Yet, the Government of Nigeria has failed to make progress against religiously motivated persecution of Christians despite religious freedom being enshrined as an essential human right in its Constitution,” the subcommittee noted in their report.

It added, “Likewise, Nigerian legal framework supports pluralism at both federal and state levels but glaring contradictions exist, especially with laws that criminalise blasphemy—some even carrying the death penalty.”

Mr Smith blamed the previous Joe Biden administration for removing Nigeria’s Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation, which was placed on the country under first Donald Trump term at the White House despite U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s recommendations for four consecutive years between 2021 and 2024 to redesignate the country.

He recommended that Mr Trump should do more to help Christians in Nigeria, including placing the country on CPC designate on Nigeria and urged him to reach out to his Nigerian counterpart Bola Tinubu on the matter.

Mr Smith also asked the Trump administration and the U.S. Senate to be ready to work together to impose sanctions if the killing of Christians doesn’t stop.

“While I strongly believe that President Trump will again designate Nigeria a CPC—and do much more to assist the persecuted church including outreach to Nigerian President Tinubu —last night I reintroduced the resolution. I hope that we will have a robust discussion and that it will get marked up,” Mr Smith said.

He added, “Let me also say that, and I’ll put the rest of my statement into the record, this hearing we’re hoping will be a catalyst for action by our own government and also by Congress and of course , above all, the Executive Branch. The new president has a lot to do and I think he’ll do this and then, if necessary, impose sanctions. Where that has happened, there has been change. Where it doesn’t happen, the status quo, the killing fields continue.”