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CAC begins enforcement of company letter rules August 1

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has announced that it will begin enforcing statutory requirements on the contents of company business letters from August 1, 2026, warning that defaulting companies will face sanctions.

The commission disclosed this in a public notice signed by its management and posted on its X handle on Wednesday.

Under the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020, company business letters are required to clearly display key details, including the company’s registered name, registration number, directors’ present forenames or initials and surnames, any former forenames and surnames, and the nationality of every non-Nigerian director.

The requirement applies to all company business letters, including invoices, quotations, official correspondence and other business documents.

According to the CAC, the enforcement will cover the full application of Sections 304(1), 304(2) and 304(1)(c) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020.

The commission said, “Commencing the 1st day of August 2026, the Commission shall enforce the full application of the requirements of sections 304(1) & (2) and (1)(c) of the Act with respect to company business letters with attendant sanctions for non-compliance.”

It reminded companies registered under the Act “to state in legible characters on its business letters, the present forename or initials and surname; any former forename and surname; and nationality of every non-Nigerian director as well as the company’s name and registration number.”

The commission urged affected companies to comply with the provisions before the enforcement date to avoid sanctions.

admin by — July 9, 2026 in News 0
NCC moves to end repeated road excavation for broadband

The Nigerian Communications Commission and relevant stakeholders have commenced moves to end the repeated excavation of roads for fibre-optic deployment by developing a cost-based pricing framework for sharing underground telecom ducts under the Federal Government’s Dig Once policy.

The initiative, unveiled at the Second Stakeholders’ Forum on the Consultancy Study for the Development of a Pricing Mechanism and Cost-Based Structure for Sharing Ducts under the Dig Once Policy in Abuja on Wednesday, is expected to lower broadband deployment costs, promote infrastructure sharing and accelerate fibre rollout nationwide.

The Dig Once policy seeks to ensure that telecommunications ducts are installed whenever roads are constructed or rehabilitated, allowing multiple operators to deploy fibre through existing underground infrastructure instead of repeatedly excavating roads.

Speaking at the forum, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nadungu Gagare, said the initiative formed part of the Federal Government’s efforts to deepen digital infrastructure and improve broadband access.

He said, “The Dig Once Policy remains one of the Federal Government’s strategic interventions for accelerating fibre infrastructure development, reducing the cost of broadband expansion, preventing unnecessary road excavation and promoting efficient use of national resources.

“However, its full potential can only be realised when supported by a pricing framework that is transparent, commercially viable, equitable and encourages infrastructure sharing.”

Gagare said the proposed framework would strengthen investor confidence while safeguarding the public interest. “Our collective objective should be to establish a framework that promotes collaboration rather than duplication, efficiency rather than waste, and sustainable growth rather than short-term gains,” he said.

Earlier, the Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis at the NCC, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the commission engaged consultants in 2023 to address the absence of a pricing mechanism for shared ducts, which he described as a major gap in the draft Dig Once policy.

According to him, “The Dig Once initiative is fundamentally aimed at reducing the cost and complexity of network deployment by promoting coordinated civil works and the shared use of underground duct infrastructure.”

He added that without a well-defined pricing mechanism, “the objectives of efficiency, fairness and investment protection may not be fully realised.” Shuaibu explained that the study would provide “a structured and cost-based framework that ensures equitable access while supporting sustainable infrastructure development across the sector.”

He added that the commission had reached a critical stage where stakeholders would review the consultant’s findings and proposed pricing methodology before the framework is finalised.

“The commission remains committed to a transparent, inclusive and consultative process. Our objective is to arrive at a pricing structure that balances the interests of infrastructure providers, access seekers and, ultimately, consumers, while also encouraging continued investment in broadband infrastructure,” he said.

Delivering the keynote address, the Managing Director of Dimension Data Nigeria, Olugbenga Olabiyi, who was represented by the company’s Lead Solutions Architect and Head of IT Systems and Infrastructure, Akpevwe Egbelughe, said repeated civil engineering works remained one of the biggest obstacles to broadband expansion in Nigeria.

He said, “The principle behind the Dig Once Policy is simple, yet transformational. Whenever roads are constructed, rehabilitated or opened for maintenance, provisions should simultaneously be made for telecommunications ducts and conduit systems.”

He added, “By embedding appropriately sized conduit infrastructure during road construction, multiple operators can subsequently deploy fibre through existing ducts without repeatedly excavating the same roads.”

According to him, the policy would reduce capital expenditure for operators, shorten deployment timelines, minimise traffic disruption and environmental impact, protect public infrastructure from repeated damage and accelerate broadband penetration.

Olabiyi said infrastructure sharing would only succeed where access was governed by fairness, transparency and effective market oversight.

“The framework should allow infrastructure owners to recover investments and earn reasonable returns while ensuring that access seekers can deploy services at costs that encourage network expansion, competition and innovation,” he said.

He also proposed the establishment of a National Passive Infrastructure Registry to provide visibility into available ducts, spare capacity and ownership, as well as a digital marketplace through which operators could request, lease and manage duct capacity.

The technology expert further stressed the need for stronger collaboration between the Federal Government and state governments, noting that harmonised Right of Way administration would be critical to the success of the policy.

Also speaking, the Cross River State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Justin Beshel, said the state had pioneered a shared duct arrangement with the NCC in 2012 and welcomed the proposed national pricing framework.

admin by — July 9, 2026 in Business 0
N100 notes still legal tender, says CBN

Olayemi CardosoThe Central Bank of Nigeria has ordered members of the public, businesses, and commercial banks to immediately cease the rejection of the standard N100 banknote, declaring that the currency remains a valid medium of exchange across the country.

The directive follows growing reports that sections of the public, informal traders, and various economic stakeholders were refusing to accept the standard N100 note. The apex bank attributed the trend to widespread, unfounded rumours that the older design had expired or been phased out.

Clarifying the situation in an official statement released in Abuja, the CBN Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Mrs Hakama Sidi-Ali, addressed the root of the public’s confusion.

She said, “The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria has been drawn to reports of the rejection of the standard N100 banknote by some members of the public, businesses, and other stakeholders, apparently due to doubts about its continued legal tender status.”

Sidi-Ali explained that much of the anxiety stemmed from the introduction of the commemorative N100 note, which was launched over a decade ago to celebrate Nigeria’s centennial. According to the apex bank, the commemorative design was never intended to push the original note out of circulation.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the CBN hereby reiterates that both the commemorative N100 banknote and the standard N100 banknote remain legal tender in Nigeria and must be accepted for all transactions nationwide.

The commemorative N100 banknote, which was introduced to mark Nigeria’s centenary, did not replace the existing standard N100 banknote,” she added.

Moving beyond mere clarification, the financial regulator issued a stern warning to anyone found breaking currency laws. The bank noted that rejecting any duly issued national currency constitutes a clear violation of federal legislation.

Sidi-Ali warned, “The CBN strongly cautions individuals, businesses, financial institutions, and other economic agents against rejecting the standard N100 banknote. Such rejection constitutes a violation of the provisions of the CBN Act and undermines confidence in the national currency.”

The apex bank further emphasised that it would actively police compliance and penalise any defaulting market agents, shops, or banks.

“The Bank will not hesitate to apply appropriate enforcement measures against any person or entity found to be in breach,” the statement read.

Concluding the briefing, the CBN reassured the public of its commitment to ensure a steady supply of cash, urging citizens to confidently use all legally issued notes in their daily commerce.

The statement further read, “The Bank remains committed to safeguarding the integrity of the Naira, ensuring confidence in all duly issued banknotes, and promoting smooth currency circulation across the country. Accordingly, members of the public are urged to accept and transact with all banknotes legally issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

admin by — July 9, 2026 in Business 0
NNPC ends crude-backed loans to fund PH, Warri refineries

NNPCThe Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has said it is ending the practice of financing the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries with loans backed by crude oil production, opting instead for a performance-driven funding model aimed at making the facilities commercially sustainable.

The NNPC said both refineries must become financially self-sustaining, as the national oil company moves to a new commercial model that requires the plants to raise financing for their operations rather than rely on loans.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bayo Ojulari, disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking at the Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja.

According to him, the company’s long-term strategy is to ensure the refineries operate as commercially viable businesses capable of attracting financing on their own.

He said future financing for the refineries would be tied to their productivity and operational performance rather than crude oil volumes.

“You heard me talking about our refineries. We’re moving away from situations where the refineries are taking loans based on barrels and not linked to the productivity and performance of the refineries. We are changing that.

“Our solution has to be that those refineries are able to work, raise their own, and deliver, not more contractors coming to take value. That’s the strategy. That’s sustainability. And that’s what will live beyond us,” Ojulari said.

The declaration marks a significant shift in NNPC’s approach to refinery financing, amid ongoing efforts to reposition the state-owned refineries under commercially sustainable business models.

The NNPC boss explained that the company had already begun restructuring its investment portfolio by eliminating projects that lacked clear financing and profitability prospects.

“We recognise that our portfolio has put NNPC into a lot of problems in the past years, where a lot of infrastructure development projects do not have a clear line of sight to finance. They do not have a clear line of sight to profitability. We eliminated all of that from our portfolio last year,” he said.

He added that the company had introduced a new financing model for major infrastructure projects, citing the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline as an example.

“For the first time, we put in a new financing for infrastructure that has never been done in Nigeria, ‘Project Nexus’, where we are able to put financing against the AKK pipeline based on its own throughput, not from another barrel from anywhere. That is the way we are going,” Ojulari stated.

He said the same commercial principles would underpin NNPC’s refinery ambitions, which he noted would rely on integrated partnerships across engineering, logistics, technology and marketing.

“Our refinery ambition depends on integrated partnership. You can see that across engineering, logistics, technology, and marketing. Our energy transition journey requires collaboration with innovators and researchers, development institutions and new technology,” he added.

Ojulari’s latest remarks come weeks after NNPC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited and Xinganchen (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Company Ltd to explore a technical equity partnership for the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

The proposed arrangement, which might be modelled after the NLNG ownership structure, could see the Chinese investors acquire about a 51 per cent stake in the facilities as part of efforts to rehabilitate, expand and commercially reposition them.

Under the proposed partnership, the Chinese firms are expected to participate in completing outstanding engineering works, operations and maintenance, capacity expansion, petrochemical integration and gas-based industrial projects around the refinery complexes.

The arrangement is also designed to replace the traditional contractor model with long-term equity participation and joint governance, subject to technical, commercial, financial and legal due diligence before any binding agreement is signed.

During a recent visit to the Warri refinery, Ojulari described the initiative as a strategic move to transform the refineries into profitable and sustainable businesses rather than simply complete rehabilitation projects. He said NNPC was seeking the right technical and financial partners to ensure the facilities operate efficiently and create long-term value.

His remarks reinforced the fact the national oil company intends to move away from financing refinery operations through loans and instead position the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna plants as commercially viable assets capable of attracting investment and generating their own funding.

There are many who are of the belief that the refineries may never work again, but Ojulari is optimistic, assuring Nigerians that the plants will become commercially viable again.

admin by — July 9, 2026 in Business 0
Dangote’s N45 dividend to inject billions into NGX

DangoteInvestors in the Nigerian equities market are gearing up for a significant liquidity boost this week as the landmark N45.00 per share dividend payout from Dangote Cement Plc hits investors’ bank accounts, injecting billions of naira in raw cash into the financial ecosystem.

Market analysts expect the massive capital injection to trigger a wave of reinvestments, potentially arresting a three-week bearish run on the Nigerian Exchange that has pushed major blue-chip equities down to multi-month technical support baselines.

The influx of dividend cash comes at a critical juncture for the local bourse. Over the last 21 days, a heavy institutional shakeout has dominated trading, culminating in a third consecutive weekly loss that dragged the NGX All-Share Index down to 229,240.34 points, while market capitalisation closed at N147.11tn.

Despite the downward pressure on prices, activity velocity has spiked remarkably. Trading volume in the preceding week surged by over 1.5 billion shares to hit 3.821 billion shares traded, up from 2.324 billion shares the week prior

Market observers note that savvy buyers have actively been absorbing panic selling, viewing the current prices as an attractive wholesale entry point.

The market’s recent pullback was heavily driven by corrections across major sectors. The Industrial Goods index led the decline, dropping 4.93 per cent, closely followed by the Consumer Goods index which shed 4.56 per cent. The Oil & Gas and Banking sectors also dipped  4.34 per cent and 3.72 per cent, respectively.

However, with valuations currently sitting at fresh three-week lows, investment desks are reporting that bargain hunting is intensifying.

Traders are adjusting their portfolios to position in strength, keeping a close eye on volume trends within the financial and consumer goods spaces.

Adding to the week’s momentum is the official countdown to the early Q2 and half-year (H1) corporate earnings season. The combination of newly available dividend liquidity and anticipation of robust corporate performance is expected to drive tactical positioning.

Wealth managers are currently advising investors to treat the three-week market pullback as an open wholesale window, recommending a disciplined tranche strategy to gradually deploy capital into heavily discounted, high-value banking and industrial stocks as the third quarter takes off.

Shareholders of Dangote Cement Plc earlier approved a final dividend of N45 per ordinary share for the financial year ended 31 December 2025, bringing the total payout to an unprecedented N753.8bn.

The approval came as the company reaffirmed its long-term strategy of expanding across Africa through aggressive investments in production capacity, cleaner energy, and operational efficiency.

The dividend was approved at the company’s 17th Annual General Meeting in Lagos, where the Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc, Emmanuel Ikazoboh, said the firm was positioning Africa for self-sustaining industrial growth by leveraging local resources and strategic investments.

The National President of the Association for the Advancement of the Rights of Nigerian Shareholders, Dr Faruk Umar, lauded the group’s overarching focus on continental independence.

Umar said, “The key thing for this year’s AGM is transforming Africa. You will notice that our founder is trying to ensure he positions Africa to be the source of our own wealth, using our own wealth to take care of our own business and activities, rather than depending on investors from other parts of the world coming to help us build our continent.

“This 50 per cent dividend increase may look like a rumble, but there is a lot of strategy that has gone behind it. Some of the most important strategies have focused on exports. We have grown in areas where we previously weren’t able to reach out because of past challenges. More things are in the pipeline, which are progressively getting implemented. We expect that we can continue the momentum that we have built over the last year into the forthcoming years as well.”

A shareholder and financial analyst, Mr Nornah Awoh, commended the board for its financial discipline, citing the deployment of 3,000 CNG trucks and a 50 per cent reduction in bank borrowings as key drivers of profitability.

Awoh said, “First of all, you have to commend the company because we now have 3,000 CNG trucks being used rather than hiring them, which is improving our revenue. Secondly, the company has drastically reduced its loans; only half of the loan is left to be collected and paid to banks, reducing borrowings by 50 per cent. Another thing is that the first quarter is 101 per cent higher than last year, so you can see what we are expecting.

“They have paid us a N45 dividend. If this trend continues to the fourth quarter, we expect nothing less than an N60-to-N70 dividend. Additionally, you can see the synergy. With the new refinery, we are going to be getting diesel and gas directly from the Dangote Refinery. This is going to boost us and help significantly with profitability.

admin by — July 9, 2026 in Business 0
Osun Guber: NOA urges vigilance, seeks traditional rulers support

Osun State Directorate of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, has urged residents to remain security conscious in view of the prevailing security challenges across the country.

The agency also called for greater collaboration with traditional institutions to promote peaceful civic engagement ahead of the 2026 Osun State governorship election.

The State Director of the agency, Adebiyi Adefarasin Stephen, made the appeal on Tuesday during an advocacy visit to the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude Makama, where he led the agency’s management team on a sensitisation programme.

Adefarasin said the visit formed part of efforts to mobilise traditional institutions in support of voter education and to encourage peaceful participation in the electoral process before the 2026 governorship poll in Osun State.

He also stressed the importance of traditional rulers in promoting civic responsibility, peaceful participation and national values at the grassroots, describing them as critical partners in community mobilisation.

The delegation comprised Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers, COMOs, from Iwo, Ayedire and Olaoluwa Local Government Areas, alongside the second-in-command of the WAI Brigade, Osun State Command.

According to the NOA director, the advocacy visit also provided an opportunity to sensitise the palace on the agency’s flagship National Values Charter, aimed at strengthening patriotism and responsible citizenship.

“The people of Osun State should remain security conscious in view of the current security realities in the country. We urge residents to embrace peaceful coexistence and active civic participation,” he said.

Responding, Oba Adekunle Oyelude Makama commended the National Orientation Agency under the leadership of Director-General, Lanre Issa-Onilu, for initiating the advocacy programme.

The monarch pledged the support of the Kuta Kingdom towards ensuring a peaceful, credible and values-driven governorship election in Osun State.

He also called on the Federal Government to prioritise funding for the agency as a first-line charge to enable it to discharge its mandate effectively and efficiently.

The advocacy visit forms part of the NOA’s ongoing engagement with key stakeholders across Osun State to strengthen voter education, promote national values and encourage peaceful participation in the 2026 governorship election.

admin by — July 8, 2026 in News 0
Peter Obi: Ali Modu Sheriff operating with outdated political thinking – Umeh

The Senator representing Anambra Central, Victor Umeh, has taken a swipe at the former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, that he still operating with outdated political thinking, adding that Nigeria had moved beyond such divisive politics.

Umeh said this on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

The lawmaker was reacting to comments made by Sheriff during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, where the former governor said Northerners would not vote for the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, because he is “divisive.”

He accused Sheriff of attempting to whip up sentiment, adding that Nigeria had moved beyond such divisive politics.

Umeh maintained that Obi remains one of the finest politicians Nigeria has produced and is continuing to promote a message of peace and national renewal.

“Sheriff is still operating with outdated political thinking, adding that Nigeria had moved beyond such divisive politics.

“Anybody who gets up to say the North will not vote for Peter Obi, they are inciting their people against Peter Obi to use that and weaponise a war that ended 56 years ago, that the North should not vote for Peter Obi. Let them remain in the stone age.

“Nobody is in the stone age anymore. Nigeria is moving. And if you don’t do reconciliation and healing, you cannot move forward.

“So, what he (Ali Modu Sheriff) is trying to do is to whip up sentiment against Peter Obi ahead of the election. Peter Obi is one of the finest souls Nigeria has had.

“Somebody who is non-violent, somebody who preaches peace, somebody even if you slap him he will smile and he continues with his message of change. Let this country be turned around,” he said.

admin by — July 8, 2026 in News 0
Notorious terrorist commander killed as troops intensify offensive in Katsina, Zamfara​

Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have neutralised a notorious terrorist commander, foiled coordinated attacks and recovered weapons during separate military operations in Zamfara and Katsina states.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, on July 7, 2026.

According to the statement, troops of Sector 2, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted terrorists planning attacks on communities in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Working alongside local security volunteers, the troops engaged the attackers in a gun battle and forced them to retreat with casualties.

The statement added that troops later responded to an attack on farmers around Dogon Kade, where they neutralised a notorious terrorist commander identified as Alhaji Tukur, described as the younger brother of terrorist kingpin Alhaji Shehu Bagiwaye.

In another operation, the military said Sabon Gari in Kaura Namoda led to the neutralisation of one suspected terrorist after the attacker abandoned their mission on sighting advancing troops.

Troops also recovered a motorcycle believed to have been used by the fleeing suspects.

In Katsina State, the statement said troops on a fighting patrol engaged suspected terrorists along the Danmusa–Yantumaki axis in Danmusa Local Government Area, forcing them to flee while recovering two AK-47 rifles, two magazines loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition and a motorcycle.

The statement added that the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA also intercepted about 300 terrorists travelling on motorcycles between the Sunke-Kumbo axis and the Bayazaki riverine area in Gummi, Zamfara State. It said the group was targeted with precision airstrikes after attempting to take cover, preventing what the military described as a planned attack on civilians.

“The Joint Task Force North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA remains resolute in sustaining offensive operations against terrorist and criminal elements across the theatre, and reassures residents of its unwavering commitment to denying terrorists freedom of action, protecting lives and livelihoods, and restoring lasting peace and security across the North West,” the statement said.

admin by — July 8, 2026 in News 0
Does our family deserve this after campaigning for you – El-Rufai’s wife asks Tinubu

Hajiya Asiya El-Rufai, wife of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure her husband receives what she described as his constitutional rights while facing prosecution.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday alongside El-Rufai’s second wife, Aichatou, Asiya said the family was not asking the president to stop the legal case against the former governor but to ensure he is treated fairly.

Her remarks followed the arrest of El-Rufai’s personal physician, Prof. Bello Abubakar, an action the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) confirmed on Tuesday.

Asiya alleged that her husband, who she said is being treated for High Blood Pressure and high blood sugar, has been denied proper medical attention while in custody.

“We are not asking you to stop the prosecution. We are only asking that he be allowed to enjoy the basic human rights guaranteed by the Constitution, including access to medical care, his family, lawyers and bail on reasonable terms,” she said.

She reminded Tinubu of the support she and her husband gave him during the 2023 presidential election campaign.

“Mr. President, I campaigned for you across Kaduna State. My husband stood by your side. Is this what our family deserves?” she asked.

Asiya also urged the president to intervene to ensure El-Rufai is granted bail if he qualifies under the law.

“If he is guilty, let the court decide. If he is innocent, let the court also decide. Please let him have the rights every Nigerian is entitled to.”

The former governor’s wife claimed that the family’s inability to regularly see him has caused emotional distress.

“We, the family, are traumatised. We live in constant fear that we will wake up and hear some bad news,” she said.

She further alleged that El-Rufai’s personal doctor had been denied access to him and questioned who gave the directive preventing the physician from seeing his patient.

Asiya also raised concerns over a medical report reportedly issued by the National Hospital, Abuja, saying its authenticity and the circumstances surrounding its release should be investigated.

According to her, the restrictions placed on El-Rufai have made it difficult for him to prepare his legal defence.

“We want a fair trial. Malam cannot adequately prepare for his defence while he remains in custody and has limited access to his lawyers,” she said.

admin by — July 8, 2026 in News 0
Banditry: Gov Adeleke unveils mining intelligence network

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has announced new measures to address growing security concerns in Osun State’s mining sector.

This is includes the establishment of a mining community intelligence architecture aimed at preventing the infiltration of suspected bandits into mining communities.

The governor made the announcement during a stakeholders’ conference in Osogbo on Tuesday, where security chiefs, traditional rulers, mining firms, environmental activists and community representatives gathered to discuss security challenges in the mining sector.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Security, Samuel Ojo, Adeleke said the conference was convened because peace and security in Osun State, particularly within the Ife-Ijesa axis, faced emerging threats that required urgent intervention.

According to the governor, “the state government had become increasingly concerned about what it described as a sudden and unregulated influx of individuals from several northern states into mining communities across Osun.

“The government is concerned about the sudden and unregulated influx of persons from states like Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi into our mining communities. While we do not discriminate against Nigerians seeking legitimate work, intelligence shows that this movement is not just about mining.”

He added that intelligence reports suggested that some of the newcomers were introducing criminal activities that had previously affected communities in parts of north-western Nigeria.

“Some of these elements are bringing with them the same criminal templates that have destroyed communities in the North West: armed camps, illegal taxation, recruitment of youths, and creation of parallel authority. If we do not act now, the peace Osun is known for will be sacrificed on the altar of gold,” the governor stated.

Adeleke commended security agencies and community-based actors for their efforts in monitoring activities within the mining sector, noting that his administration was now placing greater emphasis on emerging threats linked to mining operations.

He disclosed that authorities had received credible intelligence regarding the presence of suspected bandit elements around the Ibodi forests and reports of suspicious armed individuals moving within the Ilesa corridor.

The governor also expressed concern over the alleged infiltration of some communities by foreign nationals and non-Nigerians operating under false identities.

“We have also observed that some foreign nationals and non-Nigerians are infiltrating our communities. They speak local languages, carry fake IDs, and pretend to be from other Nigerian states. Their mission is not mining. Their mission is to establish a base. Community leaders, you must help us profile everyone,” he said.

As part of the new security framework, Adeleke announced the creation of a mining community intelligence architecture for the Ife-Ijesa area, linking mining sites, community security committees, traditional rulers, divisional police officers and the State Security Council under the governor’s supervision.

He directed that every major mining community should establish a seven-member Community Security Committee within 14 days.

The governor urged stakeholders to cooperate fully with the military, police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and Amotekun Corps.

“Osun State will not be a hiding place for bandits. Our gold will not be used to fund terrorism. Let us build this intelligence architecture together. Let us secure our land together,” he said.

admin by — July 8, 2026 in News 0