A Federal High Court sitting in Damaturu has convicted and sentenced a 20-year-old man, Dauda Umaru, to seven years imprisonment for sexual exploitation.

The court, presided over by Justice Aisha Y. Salihu of Court 2, found Umaru guilty of procuring and having sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old girl.

The offence contravened Section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, as amended.

Delivering judgment, Justice Salihu sentenced the convict to seven years in prison.

The court also ordered him to pay the sum of N1 million into the Victims Trust Fund Account and an additional N500,000 as compensation to the victim.

The judge held that failure to pay the fines would attract an extra seven months imprisonment.

Umaru was arraigned on July 13, 2026, while his conviction was secured on October 27, 2026.

The conviction was secured by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP.

The Labour Party, LP, candidate for Calabar South State Constituency II in Cross River State, Comrade Affiong Joseph, has criticised the growing influence of money in Nigerian politics, saying it undermines candidates’ achievements, credibility and good intentions.

Joseph, who spoke in an interview on Tuesday, said the dominance of money in electoral contests often puts candidates without strong financial backing at a disadvantage.

She identified sponsorship as her major challenge in the race for the state House of Assembly seat, insisting that her gender was not a barrier to her acceptability among voters.

The former treasurer of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria said the growing tendency to favour wealthy politicians over candidates with proven records and ideas was affecting her campaign.

“The only challenge I have right now is that of sponsorship and not of acceptability because of my gender,” she said.

“In Nigeria today, money talks in politics more than achievements and good intentions of a candidate, not really because one is a woman.”

Joseph disclosed that two other women were contesting the same legislative seat on the platforms of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, while she is seeking election on the LP platform.

Niger Delta elders, under the aegis of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, have declared that they will not endorse any presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

PANDEF said it will not endorse President Bola Tinubu or any other candidate ahead of the 2027 polls.

The elders stated this on Tuesday in Abuja after a crucial meeting of stakeholders from the South-South.

The National Chairman of the group, Godknows Igali, and the chairman of its Board of Trustees and former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah, while fielding questions from newsmen, said PANDEF remained neutral and non-partisan.

According to Igali, PANDEF is not a support group for any political party and will not align itself with any political party or presidential candidate.

He added PANDEF will not force the people of the region to vote for any particular candidate in next year’s polls.

Igali rather charged residents of the region to vote for any candidate that can deliver dividends of democracy to the South-South.

“We are non-partisan. We, therefore, call on the people of the South-South to exercise their civic responsibilities peacefully and vote according to their conscience, choosing candidates at all levels whose programmes, commitments, and demonstrated capacity align with the aspirations of the Niger Delta,” Igali said.

The National Secretary of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, Comrade Gbenga Olowoyo has reaffirmed organised labour’s demand for a N500,000 minimum wage, saying the amount reflects the financial burden on Nigerian workers amid the rising cost of living.

Olowoyo said labour remained committed to the proposed wage but was open to reasonable negotiations with the Federal Government to reach an agreement that would improve workers’ welfare.

He spoke during an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, following a meeting between organised labour and the Federal Government that lasted more than six hours to discuss workers’ welfare and measures to cushion the impact of rising petrol prices.

The labour leader also welcomed the Federal Government’s agreement to provide workers with N70,000 transport support monthly for six months, beginning in November, describing the intervention as a positive outcome of negotiations.

According to him, the agreement demonstrated the government’s willingness to address workers’ concerns, adding that labour expected the government to honour its commitment and implement the intervention as agreed.

“I think with the recent development that happened today, the negotiation lasted over six hours, and with the outcome of the meeting, I think it is a good omen,” Olowoyo said.

He explained that the transport support was designed to benefit workers at all levels, including those at the grassroots, following concerns over the increasing cost of transportation and the pressure of higher fuel prices on household budgets.

He maintained, however, that the N70,000 intervention should serve as temporary relief while discussions on a new minimum wage continued.

“The template of N500,000 is still subsisting. And at the same time, if government is able to dance around N500,000, we would be alright to support the President. So I want to believe that, like I told you, we are not going to be rigid, but at the same time, we’ll be reasonable,” he said.

The JNPSNC secretary explained that the proposed minimum wage was informed by the responsibilities workers shoulder, including providing for their immediate families, paying school fees and meeting other essential household expenses.

He stressed that although labour was not prepared to abandon its demand, it remained willing to negotiate with the government to arrive at a mutually acceptable figure.

Olowoyo also expressed confidence that the agreement reached with the government would lead to further discussions, particularly on the establishment of a tripartite committee to negotiate a new minimum wage, one of labour’s key demands.

He said the government’s decision to enter into an agreement with organised labour was an indication of its commitment, adding that labour expected the process to progress towards a lasting resolution of the minimum wage issue.

According to him, the agreement would benefit workers beyond the unions directly involved in the negotiations, as the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has more than 40 affiliate unions.

He explained that the negotiations initially involved the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council and eight unions before the NLC joined the process, broadening the scope of representation.

Olowoyo said the outcome should therefore be viewed as a collective achievement for Nigerian workers, irrespective of whether their unions were directly involved in the initial discussions.

He further expressed confidence that the government would implement the N70,000 monthly transport intervention, describing the signed agreement as a commitment that both parties were expected to respect.

The six-month support period is expected to run from November 2026 to April 2027. Olowoyo said organised labour hoped negotiations on a new minimum wage would be concluded before the intervention expires.

“We know government is going to implement it because that is commitment already,” he said.

He added that labour accepted the transport support because it considered the intervention a reasonable step towards addressing workers’ immediate challenges, while maintaining its demand for a higher minimum wage.

Olowoyo said the coming months would provide an opportunity for the government and organised labour to resolve outstanding issues and reach an agreement that would better reflect the economic realities facing Nigerian workers.

The Lagos State Government has set December 31, 2026, as the deadline for residents to obtain health insurance, warning that enforcement of the compulsory coverage policy will begin on January 1, 2027.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced the deadline on Tuesday while launching the enforcement of mandatory health insurance under Executive Order EO/BOS/01 of 2024.

According to a statement issued by the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Sanwo-Olu also introduced the Lagos Private Health Plans to provide insurance coverage for salaried employees and corporate organisations.

The new plans are expected to complement the existing Ilera Eko scheme, which caters to vulnerable residents and people working in the informal sector.

“Governor Sanwo-Olu gave every resident until 31 December 2026 to obtain insurance cover, with enforcement commencing on 1 January 2027,” the statement said.

Speaking at an event in Victoria Island attended by government officials, healthcare professionals and stakeholders from the public and private sectors, the governor said the policy was designed to ensure that all Lagos residents could access quality medical services without facing financial difficulties.

He explained that the executive order was not merely intended to compel enrolment but to guarantee wider access to healthcare through insurance coverage.

“The ultimate objective of the Executive Order went beyond enforcement. It was to ensure that every Lagos resident was covered by health insurance and could access quality healthcare services without suffering financial hardship,” he said.

The statement added that individuals, employers and workers were all required to participate in the social health insurance system, with the executive order outlining specific responsibilities for residents, businesses and the government.

He explained that while Ilera Eko was designed for vulnerable groups and informal-sector workers, the newly introduced private health plans would cater to salaried employees and employers.

The governor also urged employers to treat workers’ healthcare as an essential business expense, just like pension contributions and other statutory employment obligations.

On emergency treatment, Sanwo-Olu stressed that healthcare providers must not deny patients urgent medical attention because they lacked money or insurance coverage. He said patients must first be stabilised before payment or insurance issues were considered.

He disclosed that 21 health maintenance organisations had agreed to participate in the new plans, describing the arrangement as a collaboration between the government and private-sector operators to widen insurance coverage and improve healthcare delivery.

Sanwo-Olu also appealed to medical professionals considering leaving Nigeria to reconsider, arguing that improved healthcare financing could help strengthen the sector and create a more sustainable environment for practitioners.

Speaking at the event, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the rising cost of healthcare had been driven partly by advances in medical technology, including artificial intelligence, robotics and modern diagnostic equipment.

He emphasised the need for an inclusive and sustainable health insurance system to shield residents from escalating medical bills while ensuring access to quality services.

Abayomi described the initiative as a significant change in healthcare financing, noting that the heavy reliance on out-of-pocket payments placed considerable pressure on households and healthcare facilities.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Lagos State Health Management Agency, LASHMA, Dr Adebayo Adedewe, disclosed that the state government had raised its Health Equity Fund from N1bn to N3bn to extend insurance coverage to more than 500,000 vulnerable residents unable to afford the required premiums.

He said the agency would continue to increase enrolment, intensify public awareness and ensure that the policy translated into accessible healthcare services across the state.

Adedewe added that LASHMA had expanded its community engagement efforts through radio campaigns, billboards, digital advocacy and partnerships with traditional rulers, market associations, transport unions and other grassroots organisations.

Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has said the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential campaign in Kaduna State has shamed the president’s critics.

Onanuga said the campaign had exposed what he termed “bad belle” opposition leaders who were against Tinubu.

Posting on X, Onanuga said the campaign showed that critics were wrong in saying Tinubu isn’t accepted anywhere in the North.

He wrote: “Unforgettable moments from the start of the APC presidential campaign in Kaduna.

“The show of support bothers the ‘bad belle’ ADC opposition leaders, who spread the false idea that President Tinubu wouldn’t be welcome in any part of northern Nigeria.

“Kaduna put them to shame. Thanks, Governor Uba Sani, for the colorful show.

The APC campaign in Kaduna over the weekend received mixed reactions from Nigerians.

Some Nigerians claimed the people in the crowd at the campaign event were paid to be there.

Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has launched a fresh attack on the presidential candidates of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Shettima, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Monday, said Atiku and Obi lacked the capacity to manage Nigeria’s economy.

Speaking specifically about fuel subsidy, Shettima said Nigeria had served as “Father Christmas” to other African countries during the petrol subsidy era.

According to him, the disparity between fuel prices in Nigeria and those in other African countries, including Benin Republic, Niger and Cameroon, was significant during the subsidy era.

“The comparison is wide. Nigeria was Father Christmas for other African countries,” he said.

Shettima argued that Atiku’s proposal on fuel subsidy showed that he lacked the skills required to govern Nigeria’s economy.

“So he doesn’t have the skill set to govern a modern economy. That’s a painful truth,” he said.

Speaking about Peter Obi, Shettima said the former Anambra State governor focused on statistics but had little to offer beyond them.

“I respect Peter Obi for having the courage to say he’s not going to restore the petrol subsidy, but beyond spouting some statistics, Mr Peter Obi has absolutely nothing to offer,” he said.

The Kebbi State Head of Service, Malami Shekare, has warned civil servants against habitual lateness, threatening disciplinary action against workers who fail to observe official working hours.

Shekare issued the warning on Monday during a monitoring exercise at the state secretariat in Birnin Kebbi, where he inspected workers’ arrival times alongside some permanent secretaries.

He expressed displeasure over the failure of some workers, including senior officers, to report to work at the stipulated time.

The Head of Service said punctuality was a basic obligation for all public servants, regardless of rank or position.

He warned that the government would not tolerate indiscipline that undermined productivity and effective service delivery.

Shekare urged workers to comply with official working hours and public service regulations, stressing that no officer would be exempt from disciplinary action because of seniority or position.

Victor Osimhen has celebrated Galatasaray’s hard-earned derby victory over Fenerbahçe,

Okan Buruk’s side defeated Fenerbahçe 2-1 in a thrilling intercontinental derby at the RAMS Park on Monday night.

Osimhen was the hero for the defending champions, grabbing a brace in the first half to help them secure an important victory.

Fenerbahçe reduced the deficit through İrfan Kahveci in the second half, but the hosts held firm to win the game.

Osimhen reckoned the win is crucial to Galatasaray’s title ambition.

“Winning derbies is crucial for becoming champions. We managed to win this big derby and get three points. We are happy because of the team, the performance, and the fans,” Osimhen told the club’s official website.

The 27-year-old has so far registered seven goals and three assists in eight appearances across all competitions for the Yellow and Reds this season.