Metro
NIMC Vows to Strengthen Nigerians’ Digital Identity
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has reiterated its commitment to strengthening Nigerians’ digital identity, cybersecurity and privacy safeguards under the 2026 NIMC Act.
The commission also pledged to expand access to essential services across Nigeria through an improved digital identity system.
NIMC Director of Operations, NIMC, Uche Chigbo, said this on Thursday in Abuja on the sidelines of the Digital Nigeria Conference organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Recall that President Bola Tinubu signed the NIMC Act (2026) into law on June 26, 2026.
Chigbo explained that the repealed NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 had become obsolete over the past 19 years before its replacement by the new law.
She said the new legislation would reposition NIMC and strengthen its role in Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.
According to her, the commission had shifted its focus beyond enrolment figures to maximising the value of digital identity.
She said that NIMC was working towards achieving universal identity coverage while ensuring that the National Identification Number (NIN) unlocked economic and social opportunities.
Chigbo said the new Act would expand the commission’s mandate to strengthen its technology architecture, particularly cybersecurity, and position it as the certification authority for public key infrastructure.
She added that the legislation would empower NIMC to play a leading role in developing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure.
She said that the Act introduced stricter sanctions for identity-related violations, particularly through collaboration with the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
The director said that the commission was developing identity-proofing mechanisms for people without conventional identity documents.
According to her, community chiefs or relatives could identify such individuals to facilitate their identity registration.
Chigbo added that the Act would also address challenges faced by Nigerians without permanent residential addresses to prevent their exclusion from identity registration.
Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at the NDPC, Babatunde Bamigboye, said that it was imperative to protect personal information under the new Act.
Bamigboye said NIMC’s expanded mandate did not override individuals’ privacy rights, stressing that the law recognised the need to protect personal data.
He said possession of citizens’ identity and personal data did not give NIMC or any government agency unrestricted access to the database without a lawful basis.
According to him, access to personal information must be supported by lawful grounds, including consent, public interest and other provisions recognised under the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
He added that individuals had the right to access their personal data, correct inaccurate information and object to unauthorised access.
Bamigboye also stressed the need to protect individuals from decisions made solely through automated systems, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into public services.
He urged digital stakeholders to adopt proactive measures to ensure compliance with privacy, accountability and data protection standards.
“We want to see that such an operation is proactive. We don’t have to wait until things happen before we react,” he said. (NAN)
Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Actress Ademoye Rejects Apology over Movie Demonetization
Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Bimbo Ademoye, has rejected an apology from a man who filed a copyright claim against her YouTube movie, My 30th Wedding, insisting that she remains angry over the incident.
The actress had earlier offered a ₦1m reward for information about the individual, identified as Mazi Enemuo, after a copyright claim temporarily affected the monetisation of the movie, which has reportedly garnered about 29 million views.
The film was released on October 1, 2026, on her YouTube channel.
On Monday, Ademoye took to Instagram to express her frustration, alleging that Enemuo had uploaded a song from the movie and used it to claim earnings from the project.
She said the soundtrack, titled “We Can Take It (My 30th Wedding)”, was specially produced for the film by musician Progress and that she owned the rights to it.
Ademoye also urged her followers to report the individual across social media platforms and called on YouTube and YouTube Africa to intervene.
She later announced that monetisation on the movie had been restored, thanking her team for their intervention.
However, she maintained that her ₦1m bounty on Enemuo remained in place.
Enemuo subsequently apologised, saying he had uploaded the song to help promote the movie’s soundtrack and reach a wider audience, rather than infringe on Ademoye’s rights.
In a public apology, he said, “Unfortunately, the distribution platform has laid a YouTube Content ID claim on the content. I take full responsibility for the situation and have since taken down the song from all streaming platforms.”
He added that the song would be removed from all platforms within 24 to 48 hours and that he would contact the distributor to ensure that no residual claim remained.
But responding to the apology on Instagram on Tuesday, Ademoye described it as insincere and questioned his explanation that he had intended to help her reach a wider audience.
“Mr Enemuo, while I see your apology, I call it complete bullshit! I took multiple breaths and I’ve counted 1-10 multiple times to ensure I calm down and not say anything out of pocket but guess what, I’m still very angry!
“You claimed you wanted to help me reach a wider audience, I’m not sure you thought that statement through, you wanted to use your 250 subscribes to help me reach a wider audience with my almost 2 million subscribers?” she asked.
Questioning why Enemuo uploaded the particular soundtrack rather than another song from the movie, she said, “You specifically took the song I didn’t properly copyright of all the songs in the movie. Why didn’t you take hammerboi’s song? If anything, that’s the viral one I’d have loved to go even more viral song.”
She also questioned why he attempted to claim earnings from the movie after allegedly uploading the song to promote it.
“After you ‘helped me reach a wider audience’ why did you try to claim my earnings? Why did you monetise it and have me demonitised?” she asked.
The actress further warned that she would pursue the matter, writing, “But I’d make an example out of you. Don’t ever take my silence for weakness, believe me when I tell you I AM NOT THAT NICE AT ALL! ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO MY WORK.”
In a postscript to her response, Ademoye also dismissed suggestions that she was using the controversy for publicity or had failed to protect her work through copyright registration.
She shared screenshots of messages from people who, according to her, had contacted her after their channels were taken down following copyright enforcement on her projects.
Metro
Army Rescues 21 Kidnap Victims after Gun Battle with Terrorists in Niger
By David Torough, Abuja
Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 18 Brigade have rescued 21 kidnapped victims following a fierce gun battle with terrorists in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
The rescue operation was conducted on November 9, 2026, after troops acted on credible intelligence about the activities of terrorists in Abaha and Sabon Wuri villages.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 18 Brigade, Captain Adebayo Samuel Adewumi, the troops swiftly deployed a fighting patrol to the affected communities to intercept the criminal elements.
The statement said a fierce firefight broke out when the troops made contact with the terrorists, who were eventually overpowered and forced to flee into nearby bushes with suspected gunshot wounds.
All 21 kidnapped victims were rescued unhurt. They were subsequently given first aid treatment and subjected to preliminary profiling before being handed over to the appropriate authorities for reunification with their families.
The Army said troops had intensified operations, including aggressive patrols and ambushes, to track down and apprehend the fleeing terrorists.
It also urged residents of Mariga and neighbouring local government areas to report anyone suspected of having gunshot wounds, as well as suspicious movements of criminal elements, to the nearest security agency.
The Commander of 18 Brigade commended the troops for their gallantry, resilience and professionalism during the operation, urging them to sustain the momentum and maintain an aggressive operational posture.
He reaffirmed the Brigade’s commitment to eliminating criminal activities within its Area of Responsibility and ensuring the safety of law-abiding residents.
The operation comes amid the Nigerian Army’s recent expansion, which the military says has strengthened its operational capacity in the fight against terrorism and kidnapping.
Agriculture
FG Calls for Stronger Agricultural Value Chains to Boost Food Security
The Federal Government has called for a stronger agricultural value chains, increased agro-industrialisation and improved market access to boost food security in Nigeria.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr.
Marcus Ogunbiyi, made the call on Monday in Enugu during the Technical Session of the National Council on Agriculture and Food Security.The theme of the event is “Enhancing Agricultural Value Chains, Agro-Industrialization and Market Access for Economic Growth.”
Ogunbiyi, who doubled as the Chairman of the Technical Session, said that the country must move beyond subsistence farming and embrace a commercially driven agricultural system capable of supporting industries, improving farmers’ incomes and expanding export opportunities.
“Our task goes beyond increasing the volume of food produced.
“We must build an agricultural economy that creates wealth, supports industries, generates decent employment, expands exports, improves rural livelihoods and contributes meaningfully to national economic growth,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary identified inadequate storage and processing facilities, limited access to finance, poor logistics and weak links between farmers and processors as major challenges affecting the competitiveness of agricultural products.
He called for increased investment in agro-processing facilities, rural roads, irrigation, electricity, cold-chain infrastructure and modern technologies to reduce post-harvest losses and promote local value addition.
“Agro-industrialisation is central to the transformation we seek to achieve. It provides the bridge between agriculture and industry.
“It also enables agricultural production to serve as a reliable source of raw materials for manufacturing and other productive sectors of the economy.
“The value of this Council will ultimately be determined by the quality of its resolutions and the extent to which those resolutions are implemented,” Ogunbiyi stated.
He also urged state governments to identify priority commodities, establish clear production and processing targets, attract private-sector investment and strengthen partnerships with research institutions and development partners.
In his remarks, the Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-industrialisation, Patrick Uburu, said that the state government was committed to agro-industrialisation to boost farmers’ income, create jobs and generate wealth.
Uburu, who described the technical sessions as a platform for translating policies into practical solutions, urged delegates to prioritise farmers and agribusiness operators in their deliberations.
He emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among state governments, federal agencies and development partners to address food security challenges, noting that recommendations from the meeting should be measurable and implementable.
The commissioner called for practical policies and investments that would improve farmers’ productivity and expand market access for agricultural produce.
Technical Lead Policy Advisory, GIZ ECOWAS & Nigeria, Dr Abiodun Ihebuzor, advocated for stronger partnerships and increased investment in agricultural value chains to reduce post-harvest losses and improve food security in Nigeria.
Ihebuzor noted that previous engagements at the 46th Council in Calabar and the 47th Council in Kaduna had provided opportunities to advance agricultural development.
He expressed optimism that the current meeting would strengthen collaboration among government institutions, development partners and private-sector operators.
According to him, healthy soils, efficient markets and improved storage systems were essential to sustainable food security.
On her part, Geraldine Onu, Deputy Director, Administration and Supply, Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, disclosed that the State Government had intensified efforts to transform agriculture from subsistence farming to commercial and mechanical farming as part of its economic development agenda.
She noted that investments in irrigation, storage, processing and agricultural infrastructure were aimed at increasing production, attracting private investment, reducing post-harvest losses and improving farmers’ livelihoods.
“In Enugu State, under the visionary leadership of Gov. Peter Mbah, agriculture occupies a strategic position in the state’s economic transformation agenda.
“The initiatives include the 300,000-hectare agricultural land bank, the development of Smart Farm Estates across the 17 Local Government Areas, the 260 Farm Estate Programme and the establishment of a tractor assembly plant,” Onu added.(NAN)


