Voice of Nigeria Broadcasting Service

NSITF Boss Commends NLC for Championing Workers Social Protection

Nigeria

Hauwa Abubakar Anaja

-

December 9, 2025

NSITF Boss Commends NLC for Championing Workers Social Protection

The Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, has been described as a veritable partner in advocating the social protection of workers in the country.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, Mr Oluwaseun Falaye, stated this in Lagos, South-west Nigeria while addressing the National Executive Council, NEC, of the NLC which took place in Lagos.

Mr Falaye said that “the NSITF is a major stakeholder in the advancement of the welfare of the workers in Nigeria.

“As a stakeholder in the welfare and advancement of the welfare of the members of the Nigerian Labour Congress across the nation, I use this opportunity to bring the goodwill of the Board and Management of NSITF to Nigerian Labour Congress.

“The Fund is your veritable partner in the social protection and security of all of Nigerian workers whose welfare you represent.”

He commended NLC’s leadership for ceaselessly canvassing for improved and enhanced welfare for the Nigerian workers.

Mr Falaye said; “On this occasion, I want to place on record the steadfastness of NLC and its leadership in advocating for enhanced welfare for all Nigerian workers, and use this opportunity to salute all of the personal sacrifices that you’ve demonstrated towards the collective advancement of workers’ rights and benefits.

“This steadfastness is evident in the work that we do together as stakeholders in progress.

“Of course, in the work that your representatives do on the Board of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund, every time advancing the cause of workers’ benefits and workers’ protection through the mandate of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund. And it is for this reason that I find it very, very instructive that I’ve been invited today to speak to you about the role of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund in supporting your objective,and which is the welfare of Nigerian workers.”

Mr Falaye stated the statutory mandate of the Fund is to provide benefits, to pay claims and compensation in case of any work related injury saying that the organisation carry out the function in many ways.

“First, by prevention; Like you all know, we say that prevention is better than cure. And in that preventive mechanism is our responsibility under the Health and Safety Initiative, where we seek to encourage workers and employers, most importantly, ensuring that workers all over the country, both in the private and public sector, are working and operating from a safe working place.

“Beyond that, where this prevention fails, as is sometimes inevitable, our primary responsibility is to ensure that any injury, any death or any disability in the course of work, we come to the aid of the employee.

“And we do this all over the country, either in the private sector or in the public sector. And it is for that reason that I feel it is very, very instructive that I come here to address you, given that you are at the forefront of advancing the cause of employees”, he said.

Mr Falaye emphasised the importance of understanding the need to continue to hold employers responsible for compliance with the Employee Compensation Scheme.

“This is because it is through that scheme that we can build the necessary resilience that we need in our workforce,” he said.

NSCDC Intensifies Crackdown on Criminal Activities

Nigeria

Lateefat Ibrahim

-

December 9, 2025

0

NSCDC Intensifies Crackdown on Criminal Activities

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Professor Ahmed Audi has expressed the Corp’s determination and commitment to curb the criminal activities bedeviling the country.

Professor Audi stated this at the last quarterly meeting of the Commandants of the corps in Abuja.

He explained that he has reviewed the activities of the criminals and come up with serious security strategic action plans on how to overcome the evil operations of the criminals and urged them to desist from their evil act against innocent citizens of the country.

“The criminals keeps on devising their means of succeeding in their criminal activities but we have also come up with new strategic action plans to beat them to it, apart from that, you know, we are involved in all the major joint security operations in the country and have also obtained special operational training, we have vowed to keep.”

Nigerians and their property should be safe, including national critical assets and other facilities.

Audi said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given the Corps the marching order to ensure that it leaves up to its responsibilities of protecting schools, farmers from any attack, mining sites, oil, electricity and communication facilities including the VIP guard, assuring that they are capable to meet up with the responsibilities saddled on them.

He said; “We have established a special platform to ensure adequate protection of our schools through our Female Squad Unit, alongside other necessary sectors and formations. Our officers have been trained to secure these facilities effectively.

“As I speak to you, our personnel from various units have undergone intensive operational and tactical training in all required areas. Very soon, Nigerians will see the difference. We are fully committed to our duties, and we understand the mandate we have been given.”

Audi said the meeting would provide an opportunity to review the year’s operations and strategise for greater achievements in 2026.

He urged the commandants to be thorough in carrying out their duties, warning that any defaulter would be sanctioned.

“I have put mechanisms in place to assess the performance of all state commandants to ensure effective service delivery. There will be no room for excuses; you must ensure your states and areas are safe,” he said.

Audi commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for their support, assuring that the Corps would continue to deliver on its mandate and align with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He called on the public to provide the Corps with useful information on criminal activities and commended the existing cooperation between the Corps and other security agencies.

The Commandant also presented cash awards to families of officers who died in the line of duty, as well as to officers injured while on active service.

Lateefah Ibrahim

Lawmakers Decry Breach of PIA Decommissioning Standards

Dominica Ijeoma Nwabufo

-

December 9, 2025

0

The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Decommissioning and Abandonment in the Oil sector has accused the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of failing to comply with key provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and other relevant laws.

According to the committee, this lack of compliance is a major obstacle to effective decommissioning and abandonment operations in the Oil industry.

The House stated this following submissions by the officials of NUPRC and the NMDPRA at the resumed investigative objective of the committee held at the National Assembly.

The representatives of the two Agencies Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) presented letters authorising them to stand in for their bosses.

The Chief Executive, NUPRC, Farouk Ahmed was represented by the Executive Commissioner, Development and Production Engineering, Enorense Amadasu.

Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer, NMDPRA, Mr Gbenga Komolafe was represented by the Executive Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Communities, Dr. Mustapha Lamorde

The House had inaugurated the committee to investigate operators’ and regulators adherence to the PIA in decommissioning and abandonment (D&A).

The probe stems from concerns over a significant funding gap of about $20 billion and as well as environmental and fiscal risks from aging assets, scrutinises companies’ D&A plans, financial provisions like escrow accounts and regulatory enforcement by agencies like NUPRC and NMDPRA and to protect communities and the environment from liabilities of abandoned infrastructure.

In their separate submissions, the NUPRC represented by Enorense Amadasu and the NMDPRA represented by Dr Mustapha Lamorde informed the committee that “many factors have caused delays in the implementation of the regulations in the D&A in the oil sector despite the provisions in the PIA.”

They also cited some legal technicalities in the Ministry of Justice, issues with responsibility of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Escrow accounts as well as other challenges.

“So, our response was clear that the NUPRC has strongly enforced the provisions of section 232 and 233 of the petroleum acts by the PIA 2021, which together with the subsidiary legislative market classes cease and cease to serve any decommissioning and abandonment plan for their assets and for which extensive engagements in the industry have been held to test ways of engagement in the industry to the extent that every field health plan approved by every field health plan that is submitted to the NUPRC now because they have approved, we also have to engage them for them to provide the plan.

“So it’s also important for us to understand that the D&A is actually, the D&A plan that we review then is actually for them to tell us what will happen at the end of the life cycle of the plan, just like you observed, such that at the end the environment will be restored back close to its original state,” NUPRC stated.

In his remark, Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Bassey Akiba lamented the delays in implementing the PIA provisions and other extant laws.

He said; “The regulation is a regulation that was approved in 2003. And I want to believe that as soon as you did that, you submitted it to the Minister of Justice.

ICC Sentences Janjaweed Militia Leader to 20 Years Imprisonment

Africa

-

December 9, 2025

0

ICC Sentences Janjaweed Militia Leader to 20 Years Imprisonment

Judges at the International Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced a Janjaweed militia leader to 20 years in prison for atrocities committed in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, was convicted in October on 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and orchestrating rape and other atrocities carried out by Janjaweed militias more than 20 years ago.

In their sentencing judgment, judges rejected defence arguments that Abd-Al-Rahman had limited authority and expressed empathy for the victims.

“Abd-Al-Rahman not only gave orders that led directly to the crimes (…) but also personally perpetrated them,” presiding judge Joanna Korner said.

The trial chamber imposed a joint sentence of 20 years, a term that likely means the 76-year-old will die in prison.

Prosecutors had sought a life sentence, describing Abd-Al-Rahman, who once used an axe to kill two people, as literally an axe murderer.

His defence argued he was a victim of mistaken identity and claimed that any sentence beyond seven years would amount to a de facto life term, given his age.

The ruling closes the ICC’s first-ever trial addressing the Darfur conflict, which erupted in 2003 when mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms against Sudan’s government, accusing it of marginalising the remote western region.

In response, Sudan’s then-government mobilised Arab militias known as the Janjaweed to crush the revolt, unleashing violence that the U.S. and human rights groups said amounted to genocide.

The United Nations Security Council referred the case to the ICC in 2005.

The Hague-based court was established to prosecute the gravest crimes when local courts fail.

Fresh clashes broke out in Darfur and across Sudan in 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, widely seen as successors to the Janjaweed.

Fighting in Darfur, particularly in its city of al-Fashir, has unleashed waves of ethnically driven killings and caused mass displacement.

Africanews/Hauwa M.

President Tinubu Hails General T.Y. Danjuma At 88

Hauwa Abubakar Anaja

-

December 9, 2025

0

President Tinubu Hails General T.Y. Danjuma At 88

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd.) on his 88th birthday, extolling the former Chief of Army Staff as a distinguished statesman whose life and career have profoundly impacted Nigeria’s unity, stability, and national development.

In a congratulatory message personally written by the president to the elder statesman, President Tinubu said General Danjuma has served Nigeria with “undivided loyalty”, both in uniform and in retirement, noting that his contributions remain a reference point for courage, discipline, and honour.

The President stated that General Danjuma’s life is inseparable from Nigeria’s own historical evolution, recalling his pivotal role during some of the country’s most challenging periods when national unity was fragile and the future uncertain.

According to him, the retired general “stood firm” and helped steady the nation at critical moments.

“At eighty-eight, he stands as an elder whose life has helped shape the direction of our nation. He has lived with purpose and served with courage – essential qualities that define the finest citizens of our republic.

“As General Danjuma celebrates this birthday, I thank Almighty God for the grace that has carried him through the years. I pray that He continues to bless him with health, strength and peace. May the years ahead bring greater fulfilment and the quiet satisfaction of knowing that his life has touched many across Nigeria,” the President added.

Beyond his military career, President Tinubu lauded General Danjuma for continuing to shape national discourse through his wise counsel and unwavering faith in Nigeria.

The President mentioned that many leaders have drawn strength from Danjuma’s clarity of thought and readiness to offer guidance whenever the country required a steady and experienced voice.

The Nigerian leader further highlighted the far-reaching humanitarian work of the T.Y. Danjuma Foundation, describing it as one of the most respected philanthropic institutions on the continent.

He noted that the foundation has opened doors of opportunity and dignity for countless families across Nigeria, ensuring that the General’s influence extends well beyond public service.

“General Danjuma’s story is tied to our country’s story. He served Nigeria at a time when our young nation faced severe trials. He stood firm when unity was fragile, and the path ahead was uncertain. His sense of duty helped steady the country, and his record of service remains a reference point for discipline and honour.

“Beyond his years in uniform, he has continued to shape the national conversation through wise counsel and personal example. Any time he speaks on national issues, he does so with unmistakable clarity and an unwavering belief in Nigeria. Many leaders, including me, have drawn strength from General Danjuma’s willingness to offer guidance whenever the moment required a steady voice.

“His commitment to humanity has also left a lasting mark. Through the T. Y. Danjuma Foundation, he opened doors for countless families in need of support and dignity. The work he started through the foundation has grown into one of the most respected philanthropic institutions on the continent. Its impact will remain long after all of us have left the stage.

President Tinubu thanked God for sustaining the elder statesman and prayed for continued health, strength, and peace as he celebrates another year.

Rwanda Violates Peace Deal- Congo President

Africa

Hauwa Mustapha

-

December 9, 2025

0

Rwanda Violates Peace Deal- Congo President

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi accused Rwanda of violating its commitments to a U.S.-brokered peace deal aimed at ending years of conflicts in the country’s mineral-rich east, just days after attending a signing ceremony in Washington.

Tshisekedi made the accusations in a speech to lawmakers; there was no immediate response from Rwanda. The U.S. State Department urged Rwanda to prevent escalation.

Deadly clashes have marred efforts to begin implementing the terms of U.S. and Qatar-brokered agreements brokered in recent months between Congo, Rwanda, and the rebel group M23.

Over the weekend, Rwanda-backed M23 rebels advanced in an area close to the border with Burundi, seizing the village of Luvungi, according to two residents who shared a video of the rebels holding a meeting there. Rwanda denies backing the rebels.

Some Congolese soldiers fled the town and clashed with Wazalendo defence forces on Sunday in the nearby town of Sange, officials said.

Sange was bombed or struck with grenades, and as many as 36 people were killed, an official and other sources said on Monday.

It was not immediately clear which party to the conflict had fired or which type of weapon had caused the explosion.

A civil society source shared photos of bodies of those killed, who appeared to be civilians wearing colourful, non-military clothing, covered in blood and lying at odd angles. Two bodies were small and appeared to be young children.

The Congolese army did not immediately respond to a request for comment. M23 also did not respond to a request for comment.

Last week, Rwanda and Congo reaffirmed their commitment to a U.S.-brokered deal signed in June and signed new agreements in Washington.

“The United States is deeply concerned by the ongoing violence in eastern DRC, driving displacement and inflicting suffering on countless families,” said a U.S. State Department spokesperson. “Rwanda, which continues to provide support to M23, must prevent further escalation.”

A senior Trump administration official said they were monitoring the situation, “including areas where actions on the ground do not yet align with the commitments made.”

The official said the administration is working with both Congo and Rwanda, and that “the president has made clear to both sides that implementation is what he will judge, and as he stated, he is expecting immediate results.”

Reuters/Hauwa M.

NGF Lauds President Tinubu’s Swift Intervention In Benin Coup

Iyabode Jane Aluko

-

December 9, 2025

0

NGF Lauds President Tinubu’s Swift Intervention In Benin Coup

Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has lauded President Bola Tinubu for his rapid deployment of Military Forces to contain and reverse the recent coup attempt in Benin Republic, describing the action as being firmly in Nigeria’s national interest.

In a statement, NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq warned that a successful coup in Benin would have far-reaching consequences for Nigeria, as militants and hostile non-state actors in the Sahel region could exploit the situation to further destabilise the country.

“Apart from admirably acting in support of democracy in the subregion, the President acted in the best interest of our country and West Africa with the intervention. With the Sahel in disarray and dire security conditions, and a significant portion of Benin, especially the W-forest, already infested by the militants, a successful coup would have had devastating effects on our own country due to our proximity to Benin Republic, which shares a border with many of our states,” the statement said.

Also Read: Nigeria Condemns Benin Coup Attempt

The Forum commended the President and the Nigerian Armed Forces for their timely intervention, which helped restore stability and constitutional order in Benin.

“It is our position that democracy, whatever its challenges, remains the best form of government for regional peace, stability, and development.

“Subduing the coup on the invitation of Benin Republic is a big plus for the collective security efforts by ECOWAS in the region and for Nigeria in particular. For instance, security threats in Porto Novo, Cotonou, or Parakou constitute a grave security risk to Nigeria, and the President’s firm action is an effective check to this,” the Forum added.

Reps Committee Flags Non-Compliance In Oil Sector

Nigeria

Iyabode Jane Aluko

-

December 9, 2025

0

Reps Committee Flags Non-Compliance In Oil Sector

The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Decommissioning and Abandonment in the oil sector has alleged that non-compliance with provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and other extant laws by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is a major impediment.

The statement followed submissions by officials of NUPRC and NMDPRA at the resumed investigative hearing of the committee held at the National Assembly.

Representatives of the two agencies, authorised by letters from their Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), appeared on behalf of their bosses.

The Chief Executive of NUPRC, Farouk Ahmed was represented by the Executive Commissioner, Development and Production Engineering, Enorense Amadasu.

Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPRA, Gbenga Komolafe, was represented by the Executive Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Communities, Dr Mustapha Lamorde.

It could be recalled that the House had inaugurated the committee to investigate operators’ and regulators’ adherence to the PIA in decommissioning and abandonment (D&A).

The probe, arising from concerns over a significant funding gap of about $20 billion and environmental and fiscal risks from aging assets, scrutinises companies’ D&A plans, financial provisions such as escrow accounts, and regulatory enforcement by agencies like NUPRC and NMDPRA, with a view to protecting communities and the environment from liabilities associated with abandoned infrastructure.

In their separate submissions, NUPRC, represented by Enorense Amadasu, and NMDPRA, represented by Dr Mustapha Lamorde, informed the committee that multiple factors have caused delays in implementing D&A regulations in the oil sector despite the provisions in the PIA.

They also cited legal technicalities within the Ministry of Justice, issues relating to the responsibilities of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), escrow accounts, and other challenges.

The NUPRC stated:“So, our response was clear that the NUPRC has strongly enforced the provisions of sections 232 and 233 of the Petroleum Acts by the PIA 2021, which, together with the subsidiary legislative market classes, cease to serve any decommissioning and abandonment plan for their assets, and for which extensive engagements in the industry have been held to test ways of engagement in the industry, to the extent that every field health plan submitted to the NUPRC is now approved, and we also have to engage them for them to provide the plan.

“So it’s also important for us to understand that the D&A plan we review is actually for them to tell us what will happen at the end of the life cycle of the plan, just like you observed, such that, at the end, the environment will be restored close to its original state.”

In his remarks, Chairman of the Committee, Mr Bassey Akiba, lamented the delays in implementing the PIA provisions and other extant laws.

“The regulation is a regulation that was approved in 2003. And I want to believe that as soon as you did that, you submitted it to the Minister of Justice,” he said.

VON DG Urges Media to Drive Voluntary Blood Donation

Health

Ejiofor Ezeifeoma

-

December 9, 2025

0

VON DG Urges Media to Drive Voluntary Blood Donation

The Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), MalamJibril Baba Ndace, has called on journalists across the country to use the power of the media to promote voluntary blood donation and save lives.

Ndace stated this in Abuja as a guest lecturer at the National Blood Donor Day 2025 commemoration.

He said; “Journalism remains a calling and a critical pillar in shaping public consciousness and every headline carries the power to preserve or destroy lives.”

The VON DG praised the National Blood Service Commission (NBSC) for recognising the media as partners in planning, advocacy, and mobilising citizens for life-saving actions such as blood donation.

He said; “The media must go beyond routine reporting and become active contributors to national development, particularly in tackling the persistent shortage of safe blood.”

According to him, journalists are uniquely placed to influence behaviour through compelling storytelling, survivor testimonies, and impactful public education.

Ndace urged reporters to deepen their knowledge of their beats, defend their stories in the newsroom, and remain persistent in ensuring that important public health issues receive the attention they deserve.

He also encouraged journalists to champion empathy, noting that “blood donation is central to saving lives in emergencies, maternal health,and accident response.”

The VON DG maintained that journalism remains unmatched in its access to the public and called on practitioners to use this influence to transform passive audiences into active voluntary blood donors.

The Director of Hospital Services at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Salaudeen Jimoh, represented by Dr Gloria Uzoigwe, urged the media to strengthen advocacy for voluntary blood donation.

Dr Jimoh described their role as critical in addressing Nigeria’s persistent blood shortage.

He said the Ministry remains committed to advancing the national blood agenda in partnership with the media and development agencies.

Dr. Jimoh also said that “Nigeria continues to face a significant gap in involuntary blood supply, putting mothers, children, and emergency patients at serious risk.”

He emphasised that behavioural change largely depends on public awareness, which the media is uniquely positioned to promote through accurate information, human-centred storytelling, and evidence-based communication.

Dr. Jimoh welcomed initiatives such as the Media Blood Donation Challenge and the NBSA Digital Media Toolkit, saying they will boost national mobilisation efforts.

“We called for sustained media engagement across radio, TV, digital platforms, and community networks to build a culture of voluntary,non-remunerated blood donation and save more lives,” he said.

The Director-General of the National Blood Service Agency, (NBSA) Prof. Saleh Yuguda raised concern over Nigeria’s low blood supply, noting that the country collects only about 500,000 units of blood annually, far below the 1.8 to 2 million units required.

He said the shortage continues to affect trauma care, maternal health, surgeries, cancer treatment, and the management of chronic conditions such as sickle cell disease.

HJRBDA Commends President’s Bold Intervention in Student Rescue

Nigeria

Iyabode Jane Aluko

-

December 9, 2025

0

HJRBDA Commends President’s Bold Intervention in Student Rescue

The Managing Director of the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA), Alhaji Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as a bold and highly personal intervention in the rescue of abducted students from Kebbi and Niger States.

In a statement released from his office in Kano, Alhaji Bichi applauded the president for demonstrating “exceptional leadership and deep-seated concern” for the safety and well-being of Nigerians during the coordinated rescue operations.

“We must acknowledge and sincerely appreciate President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his great concern and the bold moves taken in rescuing our precious children,” Bichi said.

“History shows that while past administrations often limited their response to strong condemnations, President Tinubu went a decisive step further by personally aborting an important international trip to Johannesburg to commandeer the rescue mission.

This hands-on approach underscores a new, proactive standard in leadership at the highest level.”

Also Read: President Buhari Tasks Security Agencies On Rescue Of Kidnapped Students

The HJRBDA chief also expressed concern over what he described as a growing public tendency to focus solely on criticism of government during crises, while failing to extend recognition when leadership demonstrates courage and competence.

“It has become a pattern when such heartbreaking tragedies strike, the focus is predominantly on blaming the government and the President for allowing it to happen or for perceived delays in response,” he observed.

“However, there is a palpable reluctance to extend credit to where it is due when the same president and our security forces, especially the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, demonstrated courage, dedication, and ultimately averted greater catastrophe, rescuing the students and ensuring their safe return,” he added.

HEALTH

ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM

WORLD

NEWS COMMENTARY

NEWS FEATURE