By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Magistrate Courts in Kuje and Karu have remanded the eight suspected burglars of the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) national secretariat in prison.

Recall that on Monday, July 28, the SDP national secretariat was invaded and burgled by some persons suspected to be working for some politicians, carting away administrative papers, payment vouchers, official stamps, bank books and office equipment.

A statement by the SDP National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, said the eight suspects, comprising seven men and one woman, had been arrested by the police and arraigned before the two Magistrate’s courts on Tuesday, July 29 and Thursday, July 31.

The courts later remanded them in Keffi, Kuje and Suleja Prisons, respectively.

According to the statement, the suspects were arrested by the FCT Police Command and initially kept in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) custody before they were charged to courts.

The suspects, according to the statement, include Ambo Ekpenyong, Humphrey Onwukaeze, Eluwa Ifeanyi Henry, Chief Solsuema Osaro and Nurudeen Bissallah.

The other three are Dogara Abubakar, Adamu Abubakar Modibbo and Judith Isreal Shuaibu.

Part of the statement reads: “All the eight invaders were detained in police custody and charged to court on Tuesday and Thursday, July 29 and 31, respectively.
“The materials recovered from them were tendered in court by the police prosecution team.”

Aiyenigba alleged that the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru Elrufai made frantic efforts to bail the eight accused persons but failed.

“They are currently in the three prisons awaiting their days in court for hearing of the cases against them,” he said.

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

In a major move to reposition the stations of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) across the country, the Director General of the Cooperation, Dr. Mohammed Bulama has approved the appointment of Comrade Victorson Agbenson, a seasoned broadcaster and administrator as General Manager of Bronze FM Benin City, Edo State.

A letter signed by the Head, Secretary and Legal Services of the corporation, Olubukola Shonibare on behalf of the DG says the appointment which takes effect from First August , 2025 is aimed at ensuring ensuring excellence and editorial integrity in the station’s content and services.

It is also to drive audience growth and revenue generation through innovative programming and effective marketing strategies with highest standards of professionalism and discipline in the station’s management.

Until this appointment, Victorson Agbenson, an Assistant Director (News) was head of Planning and Radio Nigeria’s Political Editor.

The versatile journalist led the FRCN headquarters Cooperative Society Ltd through one of its most challenging period where he launched the most ambitious housing scheme for members at Idu, the heart of FCT, the first of its kind project in the Corporation.

As the Cooperative President he paid the highest severance package in the history of the society till date and acquired a building planned approval for a 27 hectare housing project to the body.

He was chairman of the FRCN in-house unions between 2010 and 2016 and has covered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since 2016 during which he was elected Chairman of the PDP Press Corps.

As a prolific writer , Victorson Agbenson is the author of several books including Moment of Truth: The Compelling Story of Pastor Tunde Bakare published by Safari Books Ltd. in 2014.

Agbenson, who had a stint with the Nigerian Observer Newspaper Benin between 2002 and 2003,
has covered several beats including House of Representatives, Works and Energy, amongst others.

From 2006 to 2010, Agbenson was Personal Assistant to the Director General of FRCN, creditably working with three CEOs of the cooperation, Kevin Ejiofor, Ben Egbuna and Mariah Odeh.

Victorson Agbenson was Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Operation 500 Roads Monitoring Committee from 2005 to 2007; Member, National Operation 500 Roads Monitoring Committee – 2005 to 2007; Member, Special Editing Team of the Federal Executive Council Minutes/Documents under the leadership of late Minister of Information, Professor Dora Akunyili, 2010-2012; Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, FRCN HQ – 2010 to 2016 and Chairman, FRCN in-House Unions from 2012 to April 2017.

He has been part of several courses and coverage within and outside the country, including the International Visitors Leadership Programme in the United States, Radio And Television Seminar for Senior Journalists and Editors of African Developing Countries in Beijing, China – June 2012, Special Embed Team for Coverage of The Anti-Terrorism Efforts of The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) – May 2016; Special Coverage of Anti-Boko Haram Operations in the North East, 2015; Speech Writing Workshop at Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo Badagry-September 2006; several labour courses at the Michael Imoudu Institute for Labor Studies, Ilorin, amongst others.

He visits many mass communication departments in tertiary institutions across the country, delivering lectures ‘connecting the classrooms to newsrooms.

He is expected to bring his rich experience to bear in his new assignment.

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Oyo State Government will be joined by the African Development Bank (ADB) for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Oyo State Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ).

Headlining the ceremony, to be held 2 August 2025 in Ijaiye, Akinyele Local Government Area, will be Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, African Development Bank Group head, Dr.

The SAPZ Programme is a flagship of the Bank’s Feed Africa strategy and aims to transform Nigeria’s rural economy by facilitating agro-industrialisation, expanding market access, and attracting private sector investment.

This marks the third groundbreaking under Phase I of the Nigeria SAPZ Programme, and the first in the country’s southwest, following successful launches in Kaduna and Cross River States, in April 2025. It underscores the Bank’s commitment to fostering regionally balanced agro-industrial development across Nigeria.

Nigeria’s SAPZ Phase I spans seven states in addition to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT): Kaduna, Cross River, Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, Kano, and Imo, with a total financing envelope of $538 million. The programme is co-funded by the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, alongside federal and state contributions.

Oyo State, with a population approaching 8 million and the largest landmass in the southern part of the country, is one of Nigeria’s most agriculturally endowed states. Over 90% of its 28,454 square kilometers is arable, positioning it as a key contributor to Nigeria’s agricultural output. Its proximity to Lagos – the most populous city and largest subnational economy in Africa – makes it a natural hub for agro-industrial investment, trade, and market access.

The 300-hectare SAPZ site in Ijaiye lies just 29 kilometres from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and is connected to key infrastructure, including the Chief Obafemi Awolowo Railway Station (16 km) and a newly upgraded road network that links to the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport – which is being modernized into an international cargo facility. These assets position Oyo State as a natural hub for domestic and export-oriented agro-processing.

The SAPZ will capitalize on Oyo’s comparative advantage in cassava, maize, poultry, soybeans, and horticulture.

In addition to the Ijaiye hub, the state is also developing a 2,800-hectare agribusiness hub with an Agricultural Transformation Centre (ATC) in Eruwa, designed to serve smallholder farmers and youth agripreneurs through shared infrastructure and service platforms. Both facilities are supported by a $37 million financing package from the African Development Bank.

As the African Development Bank and the Government of Nigeria advance the program, the Oyo SAPZ launch signals the continued scale-up of integrated, inclusive agro-industrial growth across the country.

Under phase 2 of the SAPZ program, another 24 states will come on board. Phase 2 generated $2.2 billion in global investment interest at the Africa Investment Forum held in December 2024.