NEWS
Ex-PSC Chairman, Simon Okeke Congratulated Bag IGP, Bemoans Untimely Retirement of Experienced DIGs, AIGs
…Seeks Tenure Security for Police Officers
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
A Former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Chief (Dr.) Simon N. Okeke has expressed worry over the dearth of very fine experienced senior police officers (SPOs) due to the appointment of succeeding Inspectors General of Police.
Dr.
Okeke stated this against the backdrop of the recent retirement of Mr. Kayode Egbetokun as the Inspector General of Police and his replacement by AIG Tunji Disu.While congratulating the Acting Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu on his appointment, he noted that the nation loses each time senior to new IGP are forced to go into early retirement.
In a statement issued by his Media Consultant, Chief Oliver Okpala, the former PSC Boss said: “I want to warmly congratulate Mr Tunji Disu in his new exalted position as the IGP and pray that God will give him the wisdom of Solomon to lead the Nigeria Police to optimum performance of their security duties.
Dr. Okeke said the loss of quality manpower which are critical to the security of the country, due to the practice that no senior should serve under his junior is humongous and counter productive.
“Let me however state that “it has become the convention that wherever a new IGP is appointed from the serving police officers, all officers’ senior to whoever is chosen as the new Inspector General of Police are requested or expected to retire forthwith.
“For whatever good reasons that may have necessitated this, it is far outweighed by the loss arising from the resignation of the officers senior to the new IGP.
He described the practice as a collosal loss of manpower.
“Both the nation and the retiring officers are the losers. To retire an officer with still many service years to go is a colossal waste of manpower.
“Highly trained senior police officers such as AlGs and DiGs are scarce.
“To force them to resign quite often against their wish is a colossal loss to both the officers and the country.
The former chairman of the police service commission advocated security of tenure to police officers irrespective of whoever is appointed as IGP.
“Officers of whatever rank should be given security of tenure until due retirement. They should be saved from sudden unexpected and undue retirement from their chosen career
“Sudden and unprepared exit from a chosen career quite often lead to stroke and sometimes untimely death caused by the shock of sudden retirement.
He argued that those willing to continue to seve the nation should be allowed to do so while those willing to retire should also be given the free hand.
“It is advisable to allow those willing to continue to serve under their hitherto junior but now elevated a step or two above them.
“Anyone unwilling to serve will of course be eased off voluntarily. I made this point more strongly in my book Policing the Nigeria Police which captures reasonably well, the five years of my service to the Nation as Chairman Police Service Commission” Dr. Simon Okeke concluded.
Nasarawa State University, Keffi and Prince Interior Vocational Institute have taken a significant step toward strengthening entrepreneurship and practical skills development among its students aimed at training professional furniture artisans.
The collaboration, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), is expected to produce over 500 furniture artisans within two years.
In her remarks during the signing of the MoU, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof.
Sa’adatu Liman said that the collaboration was one of the criteria for TETFUND guidelines in entrepreneurial development output.Liman commended the company for finding the institution a worthy and reliable partner for the entrepreneurial and vocational project.
According to her, the partnership will be beneficial to the entire university community.
Earlier, the Director of the university Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC), Prof. Rashidah Olanrewaju, said the university students will benefit from about 50 different skills in the EDC.
She appreciated the company for the partnership and wished the partners a successful and fruitful collaboration.
The Chief Executive Officer, Prince Interior Vocational Institute, Emeka Owgueke explained that the programme targets the establishment of a medium-scale furniture workshop on campus.
He said that the workshop will be equipped with the basic machines to sustain production and reduce the university’s overhead costs on furniture procurement.
According to Owgueke, the partnership represents a shared vision to create opportunities for young Nigerians to acquire marketable skills and build sustainable businesses within the furniture and interior design industry.
He explained that participants in the programme will be exposed to the entire furniture production value chain, including raw material sourcing, product manufacturing, finishing, branding, marketing, and distribution.
He said under the agreement, students of the university will receive hands-on training in furniture making, interior product design, and business development.
” Under the agreement, university students will be enrolled at Prince Interior Vocational Institute to acquire hands-on, certified training in furniture making, interior product design, and business development.
He commended the leadership of the University for recognising the importance of vocational education and enterprise development in addressing youth unemployment and building a resilient local economy.
“We are deeply grateful to Prof. Sa’adatu Liman and the leadership of the Nasarawa State University for recognising our uniqueness and extending this incredible opportunity to us.
” This partnership is more than an academic arrangement — it is a shared commitment to opening doors for more young Nigerians to boldly step into their career journey, whether from scratch, brushing up existing skills, or upgrading to the next level in the interior and design space.”
Students gain profitability-focused mentorship covering production, pricing, branding, and distribution of furniture goods.
Pope Leo calls for a ceasefire and denounces “horrific violence” in the Middle East
Pope Leo XIV has called for a ceasefire in the Middle East conflict as Israel and Iran continue to trade blows and the death toll across the region mounts.
“On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East and all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict: cease fire,” Leo said today after the Sunday Angelus prayer in Vatican City.
The first American pontiff said people in the region have been “suffering the horrific violence of war” for the past two weeks since the conflict broke out.
“Thousands of innocent people have been killed and many more forced to flee their homes. I once again offer my prayers to all those who have lost loved ones in the attacks that have struck schools, hospitals and residential areas,” he said.
Leo added that “violence can never lead to the justice, stability and peace that the people are waiting for.”
FAAC Shares N1.894trn Feb Revenue to FG, States, LGCs
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
A total sum of N1.894 trillion, being February 2026 Federation Account Revenue, has been shared to the Federal Government, States and the Local Government Councils.
The revenue was shared at the March 2026 Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting held in Abuja, according to a statement by Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the weekend.
The N1.894 trillion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N1.274 trillion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N619.119 billion.
A communiqué issued by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) indicated that total gross revenue of N2.230 trillion was available in the month of February 2026. Total deduction for cost of collection was N77.302 billion while total transfers, refunds and savings was N259.078 billion.
According to the communiqué, gross statutory revenue of N1.561 trillion was received for the month of February 2026. This was lower than the sum of N1.957 trillion received in the preceding month by N395.138 billion.
Gross revenue of N668.450 billion was available from the Value Added Tax (VAT) in February 2026. This was lower than the N1.083 trillion available in the month of January 2026 by N414.710 billion.
The communiqué stated that from the N1.894 trillion total distributable revenue, the Federal Government received a total sum of N675.088 billion and the State Governments received a total sum of N651,525 billion.
The Local government Council received N456.467 billion, while the sum of N110.949 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting State as derivation revenue.
On the N1.274 trillion distributable statutory revenue, the communiqué stated that the Federal Government received N613.174 billion and the State Governments received N311,010 billion.
The Local Government Councils received N239.776 billion and the sum of N110.949 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue.
From the N619.119 billion distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue, the Federal Government received N61.912 billion, the State Governments received N340.515 billion and the Local Government Councils received N216.692 billion.
In February 2026, Oil and Gas Royalty and Excise Duty increased significantly while Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Hydrocarbon Tax (HT), Companies Income Tax (CIT), CGT and SDT and Value Added Tax (VAT) decreased substantially.
Import Duty and CET increased marginally
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