Nigeria Regulator Says Qatar Airways Flight Return Was Precautionary, Not An Emergency

Nigeria’s aviation regulator said Saturday that a Qatar Airways flight from Lagos to Doha returned to Lagos on Friday as a precaution after the crew detected a technical alert, dismissing reports that described the incident as an emergency.

Qatar Airways flight QR1406 turned back to Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Friday after the cockpit crew identified the issue during the flight. The aircraft landed normally and safely, with all 248 passengers and 12 crew on board, disembarking without incident, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority said.

“An air return due to a technical alert that landed normally and safely without incident is standard aviation practice,” said Michael Achimugu, director of public affairs and consumer protection at the NCAA. “There was no incursion, no excursion and no crash landing.”

The regulator said precautionary air returns are a routine part of global aviation safety protocols designed to prioritise passenger safety and allow technical issues to be addressed on the ground.

In a statement issued Saturday, Qatar Airways said the cockpit crew followed established operational procedures and acted in the interest of safety.

“The cockpit crew followed all established safety procedures, and the aircraft landed safely in Lagos,” the airline said. “The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority.”

Qatar Airways said passengers were assisted on arrival and rebooked on the next suitable flights to reach their destinations, apologising for any inconvenience caused.

Aviation and emergency authorities said the coordinated response to the aircraft’s return demonstrated the effectiveness of Nigeria’s aviation safety oversight and emergency preparedness. The NCAA said the incident underscores the professionalism of international carriers operating in Nigeria and reflects safety systems working as designed.

Seplat Energy Reaffirms Responsible Operations, Backs NGX’s Net-Zero Drive

 Seplat Energy Plc has reiterated that oil and gas will continue to play a critical role in Nigeria’s energy mix, while stressing the need for operators to conduct their activities responsibly, efficiently, and sustainably.

This position was articulated by Mr. Okechukwu Mba, Director, Gas & New Energy, Seplat Energy Plc, who represented the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Roger Brown, at a high-level climate roundtable organised by the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) in partnership with DEG, Germany’s development finance institution, and Africa Foresight Group (AFG) in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Mba noted that the real issue facing Nigeria’s energy sector is not whether oil and gas should exist, but how operators manage their responsibilities to the environment, society, and the economy.

“Oil and gas will remain an important part of Nigeria’s energy mix for some time to come. The right conversation is not whether oil and gas should exist, but how operators conduct themselves responsibly,” he said.

He emphasised that responsible operations must be driven by concrete actions, including improved efficiency, reduced emissions, and credible offsetting strategies.

At Seplat Energy, Mr. Mba explained, this commitment is already being translated into measurable outcomes. He disclosed that the company had launched a comprehensive programme several years ago to end routine gas flaring across all its onshore operations, adding that by the end of last year, all the projects required to achieve this milestone had been delivered and were currently at the commissioning stage.

“Very soon, we will be able to clearly state that routine flaring has ended in our onshore operations. This is an important milestone that speaks to our stewardship of the environment, while remaining focused on delivering energy to the nation,” he said.

He further highlighted Seplat Energy’s deployment of technology to enhance operational efficiency, including real-time monitoring of emissions across pipelines, valves, plants, and other critical infrastructure, supported by a robust asset integrity programme designed to identify and eliminate emissions.

Beyond operational measures, Mr. Mba said the company is also implementing nature-based solutions to offset emissions. In one of its host communities in Edo State, Seplat Energy has launched an afforestation programme committing to plant millions of trees over a five-year period, with the first phase already completed.

He also pointed to the company’s investments in gas and LPG infrastructure as part of efforts to reduce emissions beyond its direct operations. According to him, expanding access to LPG helps reduce reliance on firewood, charcoal, and other biomass fuels, particularly in communities outside major cities.

Following Seplat Energy’s offshore acquisition, he noted that LPG that was previously exported has now been redirected to the domestic market, significantly improving availability, affordability, and overall market quality.

Mr. Mba also underscored the urgent need for financing to support Nigeria’s energy transition, particularly gas and gas-to-power projects, noting that while only about five gigawatts of electricity currently come from the national grid, a much larger share of power is self-generated through petrol and diesel generators that produce significantly higher emissions.

“If we replace these inefficient power sources with gas-powered energy, we can achieve substantial decarbonisation. But without adequate financing, these projects cannot be implemented, and the benefits will not be realised,” he said.

The event marked the launch of the NGX Net-Zero Programme (N-Zero), an initiative designed to support listed companies in defining net-zero pathways, improving climate-related disclosures, and aligning with global investor expectations. The programme is expected to unlock between $2.5 billion and $3.1 billion in climate-linked capital for Nigerian companies.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Umaru Kwairanga, Group Chairman of NGX Group, said Africa’s capital markets must take a leading role in driving climate action and sustainable growth, adding that the NGX Net-Zero Programme would help companies move from climate ambition to measurable action.

Also presenting the investment case, Mr. Temi Popoola, Group Managing Director of NGX Group, noted that climate risk has become a critical factor in valuation and capital allocation globally, while Ms. Monika Beck, a member of the Management Board of DEG, said the partnership aligns with DEG’s strategy of mobilising private capital to accelerate climate action while delivering measurable development impact.

Heirs Insurance Hackathon Opens: Nine University Students Will Be Rewarded With N9million Innovation Prize

 Heirs Insurance Group (HIG), Nigeria’s fastest-growing insurance group, calls for applications for the maiden edition of the Heirs Insurance Hackathon, a technology-driven innovation programme designed to empower young students shape the future of insurance through Artificial Intelligence and digital solutions.
The Hackathon is open only to students in universities, polytechnics, and other tertiary institutions to build solutions for real-world challenges across the insurance value chain, from customer experience and claims processing to underwriting, distribution, data, and operational efficiency.
Registration closes on February 16, 2026, with winning teams to be announced at the Hackathon Grand Finale in April. A total prize pool of ₦9 million will be awarded to the top three teams.
The initiative reflects Heirs Insurance Group’s commitment to youth empowerment, digital skills development, and inclusive innovation, providing a platform for young Nigerians to apply emerging technologies to critical financial services challenges while gaining exposure to industry, mentorship, and real business problems.
The Hackathon is being delivered in partnership with Redtech, the digital payment solutions arm of Heirs Holdings, which will bring its technical expertise to support the programme and review submitted solutions, ensuring that ideas are evaluated not only for creativity but also for technical feasibility, scalability, and real-world impact.
Commenting on the launch, Peace O. Philips, Chief Digital Officer, Heirs Insurance Group, said: “Africa’s future will be built by young people who have the opportunity to apply their ideas, creativity, and technology skills to real economic challenges. Through the Heirs Insurance Hackathon, we are giving the next generation of innovators a platform to engage with the insurance industry, build meaningful solutions, and contribute to shaping a more efficient and inclusive financial system.”
Entries can be submitted on the Heirs Insurance Group website at www.heirsinsurancegroup.com/hackathon/
Heirs Insurance Group is the insurance arm of Heirs Holdings, the leading pan-African investment company, with investments across 24 countries and four continents. With a rapidly expanding retail footprint and an omnichannel digital presence, Heirs Insurance Group, comprising Heirs General Insurance Limited, Heirs Life Assurance Limited, and Heirs Insurance Brokers, serves both corporate and individual customers across Nigeria.
Heirs Insurance Group is championing financial inclusion and leading the digital insurance play in Nigeria, demonstrating its mission to democratise access to insurance.
Fubara’s impeachment: Rivers Assembly confirms chief judge’s receipt of notice

The Rivers State House of Assembly says the Chief Judge of the state has received and acknowledged official correspondence conveying notices of alleged gross misconduct against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma Odu.

The confirmation was contained in a statement issued by the Assembly’s spokesperson and Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Hon. Dr. Enemi Alabo George.

The Assembly disclosed that all relevant documents, including the notices containing the allegations against the governor and his deputy, were attached to the correspondence.

Enemi said the notice has been received and acknowledged.

DAILY POST reports that the development followed the Friday plenary proceedings where the lawmakers vowed to proceed with the impeachment initiated last week

The statement said that the lawmakers considered the need to proceed with the impeachment in line with Section 188(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

According to them, the constitution allows the assembly to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against a sitting governor and deputy governor.

Impeachment: Wike wants to remove Fubara, bring his loyalist – Baba Yusuf

A political strategist, Baba Yusuf, has accused the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, of doing everything to remove Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and enthrone his loyalist.

Yusuf made this allegation on Friday during an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’ monitored by DAILY POST.

He said: “Wike has taken this recalcitrant position despite several interventions by President Bola Tinubu even in his favour.

“It got to the point where Mr President has to take tough decisions of suspending the democratic institution in Rivers for six months. Obviously, it’s a fight to finish.

“If you look at the entire game plan now, some days ago, we saw some of them shifting ground, today, they made a U-turn.

“If you look at the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), we all know that Chapter six, Section 191 provides for the Speaker to take over in the event that the governor and the deputy are impeached.
“Wike wants to upend Fubara and bring his stooge into office by virtue of impeachment.

“If this happens, Martin Amaewhule, who is the speaker of the Rivers State Assembly, will emerge as acting governor as is provided by the 1999 constitution as amended.”

Health fellows will strengthen disease surveillance, outbreak response in Kano – LG chairman Gaya

Mahmud Tajo Sani Gaya, Executive Chairman of Gaya Local Government and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) representative on healthcare matters in Kano State, has said that health fellows being recruited under a federal government initiative will strengthen disease surveillance and improve outbreak response across the state.

Dr Gaya disclosed this on Friday at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) while speaking during the final stage of interviews for the Federal Health Fellowship Programme.

According to him, the programme is designed to ensure that healthcare delivery at the local government level meets national and global standards, particularly in the early detection of and response to disease outbreaks.

“Health fellows will play a key role in disease surveillance at the grassroots. They will be among the first responders when outbreaks occur in our communities,” he said.

Gaya explained that more than 100,000 health professionals and allied cadres applied for the fellowship nationwide, from which candidates were screened by the Federal Ministry of Health.

He said Kano State received 132 shortlisted candidates, representing three candidates from each of the state’s 44 local government areas, who were interviewed over a five-day period that began on Monday.

“At the end of the process, one fellow will be selected per local government. That means Kano will have 44 health fellows who will support healthcare delivery, surveillance and emergency response at the local level,” he said.

He stressed that transparency and fairness guided the selection process, noting that the interview panel included medical doctors from various specialisations, representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), state ministries of health, academia, the emirate council, ALGON, the Primary Health Care Management Board, and the Ministry of Health.

Gaya also said the fellows would undergo a series of training sessions before deployment.
“After the final selection, they will be invited to Abuja for general training. When they return, there will be step-down trainings, on-the-job trainings and continuous capacity building to ensure they are fully prepared,” he added.

He noted that the presence of trained health fellows at the grassroots would help close existing gaps in primary healthcare, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.

Man seeks justice as nine-month-old Lagos twins allegedly die after immunisation

A Lagos father, Samuel Alozie, is seeking justice after his nine-month-old identical twin sons, Testimony and Timothy, allegedly died 24 hours after receiving routine immunisation at a primary health care centre in Lagos.

Alozie, who shared a heartbreaking video on TikTok showing the twins’ remains in body bags, has sparked widespread outrage.

According to Alozie, the twins became weak and lethargic after receiving the injection, and despite adhering to the instructions given by the nurse at the health care centre, they died on Christmas Day, 25 December 2025.

He claimed the twins were healthy and had no prior illnesses before taking them to the centre and therefore suspects foul play.

“They were strong and sound. I took them for immunisation not because they were sick, but because it was the right thing to do.

“They were very weak after the injection. We gave them paracetamol as instructed, but nothing changed. By the next morning, both of them were gone.”

The grieving father denied claims from the primary health care centre alleging that the deaths were caused by food-related bacteria.

Expressing concern about the investigation into the issue, he said he is afraid the outcome may be manipulated, since the health care centre is a government facility.

He appealed for legal and public support, saying, “I cannot afford to pursue justice alone, and I am also scared I may not get justice. I need justice for them.”

The Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Primary Health Care Board have yet to comment on the incident or release the autopsy results.

Why FG is not paying our allocations directly – Abia ALGON

Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON  Abia State chapter, Chinedu Ekeke has explained why financial allocations coming from the Federation accounts have continued to drop in the Joint Account Allocation Committee, JAAC and not directly to the local government areas.

According to him, the Federal government is still thinking about how to handle the judgement of the Supreme Court concerning financial autonomy of local government areas in the country.

Ekeke stated this on  Friday at Government House in Umuahia while reacting to  allegations by a  member of the opposition party that Governor Alex Otti was hijacking funds meant for the development of rural communities.

Ekeke, who spoke on behalf of other council Chairmen in Abia, said that Abia LGAs  were not being starved of funds for projects by the State government.

“On the Supreme Court judgement, the local governments are funded from the JAAC accounts because the funds go to the JAAC accounts. They don’t come to the local governments straight.

“The Federal government is probably trying to look for a way to handle that”, Ekeke said.

Edo deputy governor dismisses plot to divide him, Okpebholo

Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, has alleged that certain individuals are attempting to create disunity between him and Governor Monday Okpebholo, insisting that such efforts will not succeed.

In a statement personally signed by him, Idahosa said he had become aware of what he described as sponsored false narratives circulating online, allegedly aimed at driving a wedge between the governor and his deputy.

According to him, the alleged plotters were uncomfortable with the level of unity within the state’s leadership and were therefore seeking to undermine it through misinformation.

He stated, “It has come to my attention that certain individuals, unsettled by the unity between my boss, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and myself, have resorted to sponsoring false narratives online in a desperate attempt to sow discord.”

The deputy governor dismissed the alleged moves as futile, stressing that his loyalty to the governor and commitment to the administration’s agenda remained firm.

“Let it be clearly stated that their efforts will amount to nothing. As long as my boss, my senior brother, and I remain united, every such plan is bound to fail,” he said.

Idahosa further reaffirmed his support for Governor Okpebholo, describing their partnership as firm and unbreakable.

“I, Dennis Osagbemwenrue Idahosa, stand solidly behind my boss like the Rock of Gibraltar. I stand where he stands, and I sit where he sits,” he declared.

He warned that any attempt to weaken the cohesion of the administration would be unsuccessful, adding, “Any attempt to divide us or weaken our team is dead on arrival. You are simply wasting your time.”

Transport firm seeks stronger collaboration on road safety

Okeyson TransportsA transport company, Okeyson Transports, has reiterated its commitment to passengers’ safety, saying it will continue to operate within the ambit of standard operating procedures that meet the Federal Road Safety Commission’s dictates.

This was made known through a statement from the transport company on Thursday. According to the statement, the visit, which took place earlier this week, was led by the Managing Director of Okeyson Transports, Mr Charles Okey-Udeji, alongside members of the company’s management team.

The engagement, the statement noted, provided a platform for discussions on improving road safety, enhancing driver professionalism, and fostering closer collaboration between transport operators and regulatory authorities.

Last year, the Federal Road Safety Corps attributed the loss of over 3,400 lives in road crashes across Nigeria between January and September 2025 to reckless driver behaviour and human error.

The corps maintained that 3,433 persons were killed and 22,162 injured in 6,858 reported road crashes within the first nine months of the year, fuelled by inadequate training and poor discipline among Nigerian drivers.

The FRSC identified driver fatigue, overloading, use of phones while driving, conveyance of passengers in haulage vehicles, and carrying fuel in plastic containers as major causes of road crashes, stressing that most incidents are preventable if drivers adhere to safety rules.

Speaking during the meeting, Charles Okey-Udeji said passenger safety remained a top priority for the company, stressing that safety goes beyond regulatory compliance to reflect a broader responsibility to customers and society.

Okey-Udeji said, “Okeyson Transports is committed to building a strong safety culture across all levels of our operations. This visit reflects our desire to continue working closely with the FRSC to ensure that our drivers, vehicles, and operational processes meet and exceed national safety standards.”

The company’s delegation commended the FRSC for its sustained efforts in reducing road accidents and promoting safe driving habits across the country, particularly during festive periods when traffic volumes increase.

The company’s MD added that the visit focused on potential areas of collaboration, including driver training programmes, safety awareness campaigns, compliance monitoring, and the adoption of best practices aimed at improving road transport safety.

He further said the engagement also underscored Okeyson Transports’ broader vision of raising professional standards within the Nigerian transport industry through proactive engagement with regulatory bodies.