The Nigerian Army has confirmed a minor explosion and fire outbreak in the early hours of Thursday at Ilese Barracks, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun. The Army spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Appolonia Anele, in a statement on Thursday, said no life was lost during the unfortunate incident. Anele stated that a localised explosion occurred within a storage building of the 42 Engineers Brigade Counter Improvised Explosive Device Squadron, causing a limited fire outbreak.

Swift intervention by troops of the 12 Field Engineer Regiment, in collaboration with the Ijebu-Ode Fire Service, ensured the fire was quickly contained. “No lives were lost, and no injuries were recorded. Damage was limited to the affected building and some stored materials, according to Anele,” Anele said. She said a detailed assessment was underway to determine the extent of material loss. Anele urged residents of Ilese and nearby communities to remain calm and continue their normal activities. “The Nigerian Army, working with relevant agencies, has begun a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the incident and prevent a recurrence. “The Army remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of its personnel and members of neighbouring communities,” Anele added. (NAN)

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria’s embassy in Bangui, has evacuated 11 stranded Nigerian miners from the Central African Republic (CAR). The miners were abandoned by their employer in the remote town of Bambari, after a distress video pleading for help went viral on social media.

A Sky Airlines Boeing 747-200 aircraft, registration number ET-AXO, conveying the returnees landed in Abuja at exactly 4:45 p. m. on Thursday. From the international wing, they were moved to the Hajj Terminal for formal reception, immigration clearance, and screening by relevant security agencies. In the viral video, the miners alleged abandonment and maltreatment by a Chinese mining company that recruited them for work in the French-speaking African nation. The footage showed six men appealing to Nigerians to help spread their message and draw the Federal Government’s attention to their plight. Their location was later identified as Senye, a village in the Bambari region of CAR. They were accompanied to Nigeria by the Nigerian Ambassador to CAR, Mr Babagana Ahmed. Welcoming them at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, NEMA Director-General, Mrs Zubaida Umar, commended the swift inter-agency response to the miners’ distress call. Represented by Air Commodore Kenneth Oyong, Director of Search and Rescue, she said security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the National Intelligence Agency, played key roles. She noted the miners, who endured months of hardship without pay, were first relocated to the Nigerian ambassador’s residence in Bangui, where they received care before arrangements for return. On arrival in Nigeria, the miners were given meals, overnight accommodation, and money to assist in reconnecting with their families. She reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s vision for prompt attention to citizens in distress overseas. Ambassador Ahmed confirmed the successful rescue and evacuation of 11 Nigerians stranded for eight months in a remote forest village under the Bambari region, 850 kilometres from Bangui. He recalled a viral video of July 24, 2025, in which the stranded Nigerians pleaded for urgent evacuation from Senye village. They had been recruited to work at mining sites but were later abandoned by their employer in the isolated forest area. Following swift intervention by the Nigerian Embassy, relevant CAR authorities, and the employer, the nationals were rescued and evacuated to Bangui on July 28. Since then, the embassy has provided them with accommodation, food, medical care, and other essential welfare support. The mission thanked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the National Security Adviser, NEMA, embassy staff, and all stakeholders for their commitment to the evacuation process. “This rescue demonstrates the power of timely intervention and collaboration to safeguard Nigerians in distress,” Ahmed said. One of the repatriated miners, Oluremi Peters, recounted being stranded in CAR with colleagues. Peters said they were invited to CAR by a Nigerian associate and a Chinese national, who promised lucrative mining work. He said they arrived in September 2024 but were left idle for four months, with assurances that equipment would arrive soon. During this period, they were arrested by CAR police, suspected of printing money or being bandits, and detained for 16 days. After release, they worked on a road project and later at a mining site, facing payment disputes with the employer. “We were promised 450,000 CFA francs monthly, but received only 300,000 CFA for the first month and partial pay for the second,” he said. Frustrated, they made a video appeal to the Nigerian government, which he believes prompted swift intervention and repatriation. Peters thanked the Nigerian government and the CAR embassy for their support. He advised young Nigerians to research thoroughly and secure concrete offers before accepting overseas work. The miners’ safe repatriation reflects the administration’s resolve to protect its citizens wherever they are. Peters said the government’s swift action was commended as proof of its commitment to citizens’ safety and welfare abroad. (NAN)

By Tony Obiechina Abuja

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has unveiled 16 technology companies certified to assist taxpayers in onboarding onto its electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) platform ahead of the revised November 1, 2025 deadline.The move is part of ongoing efforts to expand the adoption of the platform, which went live on August 1, 2025, and is central to enhancing tax compliance and real-time invoice verification.

According to the FIRS, the companies were vetted and certified by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) after meeting stringent technical and operational requirements, including nationwide service coverage, robust security standards, operational neutrality, and cross-sector performance capacity. The unveiling took place during a two-day workshop on the e-invoicing solution in Lagos, led by the Acting Director of Tax Automation, Mike Adoga.Adoga disclosed that the certified firms include Pasca Technology Limited, Hoptool Technology Limited, Etranzact International Plc, Telepac Africa Nigeria Limited, Cryptware System Limited, Namiri Technology Nigeria Limited, Ace of Spedes Consult Nigeria Limited, Jureb Business Solutions Limited, Qucoon Limited, Courteville Business Solutions, Softrust Technologies Limited, Westmetro Limited, Arca Payments Company Limited, and Remita Payment Limited.He stressed that taxpayers are free to choose any certified service provider and may switch if dissatisfied with service quality, urging businesses to promptly report any breaches or operational challenges to FIRS.While assuring that more companies will be added to the list as they meet certification criteria, Adoga warned that any provider found to have compromised the set standards would be delisted without hesitation.“There will be more coming, and the list will continuously be updated. If we find any service provider in breach of the conditions of service, they will be removed,” he said.In his opening remarks, Chief of Staff to the FIRS Executive Chairman, Mr Tayo Koleosho, represented by the Director of Change Management, Emmanuel Eze, revealed that over 1,000 companies have already been onboarded—representing only 20 per cent of the target 5,000 businesses.He noted that MTN, IHS, and Huawei are among the first to go live on the platform.Koleosho explained that the FIRS recently extended the onboarding and transmission deadline by three months, moving it to November 1, 2025, to allow more companies to meet integration requirements.He emphasised that the extension should not be seen as a reason for delay but rather as an opportunity to achieve smooth and voluntary compliance.The e-invoicing initiative is part of FIRS’ broader tax automation drive, aimed at improving transparency, reducing compliance costs, and curbing revenue leakages across the economy.