Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has approved the appointment of Prince Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo following the recommendation of the Oyomesi, the kingmakers of Oyo Kingdom.

Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, made the announcement on Friday.

He explained that Owoade was chosen after extensive consultations and traditional divinations.

“Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade, after thorough consultations and divinations, has been recommended by the Oyomesi and approved by Governor Seyi Makinde as the new Alaafin of Oyo,” the statement read.

Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ademola Ojo, noted that the appointment resolves the legal and social disputes that followed the former Alaafin Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III’s death on April 22, 2022.

“This decision has put to rest all the socio-legal controversies that have arisen since the transition of the late Oba Adeyemi. We urge the people of Oyo State to support the new Alaafin and join the government in celebrating this historic moment,” Ojo said.

The government expressed hope that the reign of Prince Abimbola Owoade would bring peace, unity and prosperity to Oyo Kingdom.

The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, yesterday said that illegal and hidden activities like prostitution and drugs peddling will now be included in the calculation of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

Meanwhile, NBS has proposed 2019 as a new GDP base year and 2024 as new base year for inflation computation.

NBS disclosed this at a sensitization workshop on GDP and Consumer Price Index, CPI Rebasing organised in collaboration with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

According to the bureau, 2019 was proposed as the new GDP base year because economic activities were relatively stable during the year, compared to subsequent years disrupted by the impact of COVID and policy shifts..

The bureau added that the rebased GDP is expected to capture new segments such as the digital economy, activities of pension fund administrators, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSTIF), activities of modular refineries, domestic households as employers of labour and coverage of illegal and hidden activities.

Elaborating on the inclusion of illegal and hidden activities in the classification of economic activities for computation of the GDP, Head of National Accounts, NBS, Dr. Baba Madu, said: “Illegal activities will be in line with the national best practices, that is System of National Accounts, SNA 2008.

“If you are into, for instance, drugs, there are some countries, it is this drug that is driving their economy. It is illegal here because there is no legal backing. Also prostitution, they also earn income. Some even live bigger than those in the formal sector. The SNA does not say no to these, it is we. But the challenge is the legal backing and how do we get the data.

“And then, of course, the hidden economy. If I ask you, how much do you earn in a month, you will lower your income. Or if somebody is selling provision in a store, and before you know it he started selling India hemp. Those are the things we are seeing. There are challenges all over the world. But the beauty is that they are less than 3.0 to 3.5% of the GDP.”

Highlighting the importance of the GDP and CPI rebasing exercise, Statistician General, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, said: “The rebasing is a vital exercise that ensures our economic indicators are current and accurate reflections of the economic realities on the ground. As economies evolve, new industries emerge, and consumption patterns shift, it becomes imperative to update our statistical measures to capture these changes. Rebasing our GDP and CPI allows us to align with these transformations, providing a more precise and relevant picture of Nigeria’s economic landscape. This process is foundational to informed policymaking, strategic planning, and effective governance; hence, it is one exercise that NBS is conducting with significant importance and professionalism.

Highlighting the benefits of GDP rebasing, Chief Executive Officer, NESG, Dr. Tayo Aduloju, in his welcome address, said: “Accurate data enhances credibility. Our debt-to-GDP ratio, a critical indicator of fiscal health, dropped from 19% to 11% after the 2014 rebasing.

“This improved Nigeria’s creditworthiness, making us a more attractive destination for foreign direct investment. Investors are drawn to transparency and growth potential, and rebasing sends a clear message: we understand our economy, and we are open for business.

“Second, rebasing sharpens policymaking. It provides a detailed map of our economic terrain, enabling governments to identify high-growth sectors for scaling and low-growth sectors that require targeted interventions to drive impactful and balanced development. For example, after Ghana’s 2010 rebasing—which resulted in a 60% GDP increase—its policymakers could better plan for infrastructure and social investments, fueling sustained growth.”

Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, has called on southwest governors to get ready to take serious action against the influx of bandits into their region.

The organisation said this in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

This is coming days after Seyi Makinde, the Oyo State Governor, disclosed that bandits are infiltrating his state.

Makinde said, “During a security briefing this morning, I learned that some bad elements from the North-West are relocating here due to military heat in their zones.”

Sharing his personal experience, the governor said when he observed his quiet birthday ceremony at Fashola near Oyo Alaafin in December 2024, he got a report that bandits camped two kilometres away from the area he was.

“During my birthday retreat in Fashola, bandits had camped less than two kilometres from where I was staying. This underscores the seriousness of the situation,” he said.

Reacting to this, Afenifere said such a revelation from a state governor should not be handled with levity.

The group, therefore, called on the six governors in the region to “as a matter of urgency, hold a meeting to map out strategies to expel the bandits from the region and to ensure that such elements do not infiltrate Yorubaland at any time again.

“For these objectives to be achieved, there is the need to carry certain groups along. These are the security agencies that will implement whatever security decisions are reached, traditional rulers and heads of local vigilantes known as ‘Ode.’”

While calling on traditional leaders in the region not to keep quiet on the matter, Ajayi urged the governors to include functional, up-to-date equipment in their strategies to combat the bandits and map out strategies to expel them from the region.

• President orders probe into killing of soldiers

The Federal Government would not hire mercenaries to fight terrorism and banditry in the North, Foreign Minister Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar said yesterday.

He explained that engaging mercenaries, which are private armies, to tackle insecurity is unsustainable.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Christopher Musa also recently ruled out the use of mercenaries, saying the nation’s military is capable of fighting and winning the battle.

Tuggar made the clarification at the State House, Abuja, during a joint news conference with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

The Chinese foreign minister is in Nigeria on a visit to strengthen bilateral ties.

Noting the limitations of deploying private military companies for security tasks, the minister said fully equipped Nigerian security agencies can meet the challenge.

He called for collaboration with China in domesticating the production of military equipment to eliminate delays associated with foreign procurement.

“Private military companies, no matter where they are coming from, are not the solution to tackling the country’s security challenges,” Tuggar said.

Following the renewed sporadic terrorist attacks in the North, there have been calls for foreign mercenaries, which were once deployed by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

New terror groups, including Lakurawa, have sprang up, wrecking havoc on towns and villages in the Northwest and Northeast.

On January 4, some suspected terrorists attacked the Army Forward Operation Base (FOB) in Damboa, Borno State. The troops in retaliation killed no fewer than 46 terrorists.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday commiserated with the military and families of the slain soldiers.

He ordered an investigation into the attack.

Tuggar said the war against terror can be won if nations collaborate.

He highlighted Nigeria’s leadership role in fostering peace and security within the region and across the continent.

Tuggar said: “Nigeria has consistently proved effective in leading other countries in our region, and I would even say on the continent at large, in addressing challenges to peace and security.”

The minister emphasised the importance of partnerships that involve Nigeria directly in the process, describing China as a reliable ally.

He added: “This is why we work well with countries like China. Where we have a problem is whenever Nigeria is left out of such arrangements.”

Tuggar also stressed the need to prioritise local production of military equipment to ensure efficiency.

He said: “We want to work with countries like China in domesticating the production of military equipment, both kinetic and non-kinetic. This is what we’re looking for, so that we don’t have to go out looking to procure because of the delays and so many rules and regulations. We need to be able to produce locally.”

The minister described Nigeria as a responsible country operating within its constitutional framework, adding that the commitment to law and order has earned the country the confidence of other nations.

Tuggar pointed out that the Chinese minister’s visit  would build on the success of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2024 and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent state visit to China.

He explained that  discussions with the Chinese delegation focused on mutual interests in economic and political spheres, as well as agreements signed in various sectors, including energy, communications, agriculture, finance, transportation, infrastructure, and petrochemicals.

Tuggar added: “We will continue to work with countries such as China in addressing these challenges and rely on them to help ensure that private military companies and external interference remain outside.”

Tinubu orders probe into soldiers’ killing

Yesterday, President Tinubu ordered a probe into the killing of six soldiers during the attack on the Sabon Gida military base in Damboa, Borno State.

Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga said in a statement that the president had also directed security agencies to intensify military operations by taking the war to the terrorists.

He said the President extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers, describing their sacrifice as a cornerstone of the fight for security.

“Their sacrifice in defending our nation will forever be honoured and remembered,” he said.

Praising the Armed Forces for their swift response, President Tinubu also lauded the military’s air component for its decisive retaliatory strikes, which neutralised many terrorists and destroyed their assets as they attempted to escape.

He said: “This resolute action by the Army demonstrates the capability and readiness of our military to confront and defeat threats to our nation’s security. Their actions testify to our resolve to eradicate terrorism and banditry, paving the way for a future where peace and security prevail for all Nigerians.

 “Your sacrifices and dedication do not go unnoticed, and we stand firmly behind you in this ongoing fight to eliminate these threats.”

President Tinubu also appealed to Nigerians and the media to support the military in its efforts to restore peace across the country.

He said: “Together, we can support our security forces in achieving the peace and security our nation deserves.”

Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, former Chief of Staff to Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has implicated his former principal in a confessional statement related to an ongoing money laundering case against him.

It will be recalled that the Chief Magistrate Court in Rigasa remanded Sa’idu at the Kaduna Correctional Centre following his arrest and arraignment by security agencies on 31 December 2024.

The charges against the former Chief of Staff allege that he sold $45 million in hard currency belonging to the Kaduna State Government—equivalent to ₦18,450,000,000—at the significantly undervalued rate of ₦410 per dollar.

This was instead of the parallel market rate of ₦498 per dollar, with criminal intent, resulting in a ₦3,960,000,000 loss to the government.

According to the prosecution, the offence allegedly took place in 2022, when Sa’idu served as Commissioner of Finance in the El-Rufai administration.

The prosecution further alleged that the ₦3,960,000,000 discrepancy was laundered by Sa’idu, in violation of Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

A security source, speaking anonymously to select journalists in Kaduna, disclosed that Sa’idu implicated El-Rufai in his confessional statement to the police.

The accused reportedly stated, “The procedure for currency conversion was not the decision of the Commissioner of Finance but that of His Excellency, the then Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai. Whenever the need arose to convert funds to naira, the Governor would direct how much to convert. Bids from various buyers were obtained, and in most cases, the bids I forwarded to His Excellency for approval were higher than those available in the parallel market.”

Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, stipulates that anyone who violates subsection (2) is liable, upon conviction, to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years and not more than 14 years, a fine of no less than five times the value of the proceeds of the crime, or both.

...urge criminals to cease their evil acts.

The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has expressed concern over Nigeria’s escalating crime rate, particularly kidnappings.

Reacting to recent killings and abductions, including the kidnapping of two Catholic reverend sisters, Obi described the situation as “worrisome” on his X page.

Obi, the former Anambra governor, condemned the killing of the College of Nursing Sciences manager in Ihiala, stating, “no one is currently spared from the dangerous wind of many kidnappings and killings blowing through many parts of the nation”.

He noted that insecurity affects every Nigerian, impacting agriculture, health, and education, where workers are often kidnapped or killed.

Obi cited examples of kidnapped farmers, teachers, and lecturers, including the recent killing of the College of Nursing Sciences manager and the abduction of two reverend sisters.

He emphasized that these individuals contribute significantly to national development, and their kidnappings and killings are unjustifiable.

Obi urged leaders to address the situation, wondering how many cases go unreported.

He asked the federal government to deploy security measures to rescue captives and end terror, while urging criminals to stop their evil acts.

The South East region of the country witnessed a surge in violence perpetrated by separatist groups enforcing sit-at-home orders, which essentially attacked Nigeria’s sovereignty with effrontery and arrant disregard for constituted authority.

The alarming situation escalated on November 18, 2024, when unknown gunmen launched simultaneous attacks on Abatete and Ukpo communities in Anambra state, leaving a trail of destruction and death, including three vigilante members and an innocent citizen. These senseless attacks were recurring nightmares which instilled fear and uncertainty among the populace.

In the year under review, another devastating attack in Aba, Abia state resulted in the loss of 11 lives, including five military personnel and six civilians, with the Army blaming the outlawed separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, for the incident.

Many civilians among whom were youths were alleged to have been killed, harassed and assaulted by security personnel in a bid to end the reign of the separatist group in the region.

In fact, a report by SMB Morgen, an Africa-focused market/security intelligence gathering firm, revealed that a staggering N419.2 million ransom was paid between July 2023 and June 2024 in the South-East .
This alarming figure accounted for 40% of the total N1.048 billion paid across the six geo-political zones during the same period, with Anambra State being the hardest hit, as families shelled out N350.2 million in ransom payments, a whopping 88% of the N400 million demanded by kidnappers.

A breakdown of the ransom payments across the South-East states as revealed by the report, showed that Imo State paid N39 million as ransom, Abia State paid N25 million, while Enugu State and Ebonyi State paid significantly lower amounts, with N4 million and N1 million, respectively, as ransom in one year.
But in the regional breakdown of the N2.2 trillion ransom payments made in the same period.

According to another data from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its 2024 Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey, the South-East paid N85.4 billion, an amount lower when compared to N1.2 trillion paid in the North West, which accounted for the highest share.

The interception of 59 minors from Kano en route to Nasarawa State has taken a new dimension as the senator representing Kano South Senatorial District, Sumaila Kawu, has stopped the trafficking probe.

Kawu asked the police to hand over the 59 minors intercepted in a J5 vehicle in Abuja on its way to Nasarawa State, promising to reunite them with their parents.

The lawmaker showed up at the FCT police command yesterday to say that the movement was an almajiri form whereby students migrate to other parts of the country to study.

Earlier on Tuesday, the FCT commissioner of police, CP Olatunji Disu,had paraded the vehicle driver, Idris Usman, and the children, promising to ensure they were returned to their base in Kano to reunite with their families.

Disu had said, “This incident has been classified as a case of suspected child abuse and trafficking given the circumstances and the absence of proper documentation or parental consent for the movement of the minors.

“The suspects’ vehicle and all the children are with us while a thorough investigation is underway.”

After the briefing, Senator Kawu, who kicked against the mode of transportation of the children, told the police to hand over the children to him.

Kawu observed that there was nothing wrong with transporting the children to Nasarawa for training, a position that introduced a surprising dimension to the case at the police command.

When asked about the condition of the children’s transportation, Kawu said, “We will resolve it. We have secured another bus that will carry them back home. I am advising our people to stick to the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammed (SAW) and the Qur’an in searching for knowledge. We have a procedure, a process provided by Islam. We must stick to that process. We must avoid traditional ways of doing things.”

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force had intercepted a white Peugeot 15 bus with Reg. No. KMC 283 ZJ along the Abuja-Kano route with 59 children suspected to have been trafficked from Kano. They were packed into  15-seater bus.

On Wednesday, the police operatives, led by deputy superintendent of police Sarki Umar, intercepted them on January 6, 2025, at about 3:30 p.m., along the Abuja-Kano route, heading to Nasarawa State.

The police said the kids, aged between four and 12, came from different families and were being transported by one Idris Usman to a male resident of Nasarawa State.

The commissioner of police, FCT, CP Olatunji Disu, said some arrests had been made, and the police would ensure that the children were returned and reunited with their families.

He also said the driver, Usman, who claims to be a teacher with over 40 years of experience, travelled to Kano State to convey the children en route to Nasarawa State under the pretext of training them.

The vehicle driver operates with his motor boy, Al Hassan Ibrahim, who is also from Kano State.

The FCT police commissioner said, “This incident has been classified as a case of suspected child abuse and trafficking, given the circumstances and the absence of proper documentation or parental consent for the movement of the minors.

“The suspects, the vehicle, and all the children are in custody while a thorough investigation is underway. The Police Command is working closely with the FCT Social Development Secretariat (SDS) to ensure that the children are safely reunited with their families and to bring all those involved in this act to justice.

“I want to reiterate our commitment to protecting vulnerable groups, particularly children, from exploitation and abuse in line with the Child’s Rights Act 2003. We appeal to parents and guardians to remain vigilant and ensure the safety of their children,” the commissioner had said.

Yesterday’s intervention by the senator seems to have changed the mind of the police towards further investigation and prosecution of the suspects.