COVER
Troops Neutralize 26 Terrorists in Kala Balge
By Gom Mirian, Abuja
The Nigerian Army has during the weekend reported that its troops had killed no fewer than 26 Boko-Haram (BHTs) terrorists and those of the Islamic states of West Africa Province(ISWAP), who infiltrated Kala Balge town mounted on gun trucks and motorcycles.
This was disclosed in a statement made available to newsmen by the Army spokesperson, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu in Abuja
According to Nwachukwu, the feat was achieved by troops of sector 1 joint Task Force (JTF) North – East of Operation Hardin Kai (OPHK) on December 3.
He explained that the insurgents attacked troops deployed at the Forward Operational Base (FOB) Rann, a border town between Nigeria and Cameroon, adding that troops gallantly engaged the marauding terrorists with superior firepower, forcing them to abandon their mission and withdrew in disarray.
“The fierce battle for Kala Balge, troops defended the town and neutralized 26 Boko-Haram and Islamic State of West Africa province terrorists.
“The gallant troops also captured terrorists’ combat vehicles, 18 AK 47 rifles and one M-21 rifle with large quantity of ammunition. Several other equipment were also destroyed by troops.
“Regrettably, two officers and five soldiers paid the supreme price, while three personnel who sustained gunshot wounds are currently receiving medical attention.
“The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has paid tribute to the departed heroes, who paid the supreme price in defending their fatherland. He has also commended troops for their gallantry in the North East, especially with the recent successes recorded in Gajiram and the Tumbus,” Nwachukwu said.
Lagos Police Confirm Death of Eight Children Inside Car
The Police in Lagos yesterday confirmed the death of eight children who mistakenly locked themselves in an abandoned car while playing at Adelayo Street, Agunlayo, Jah Micheal, near Magbon area of Badagry.
Spokesman for the Lagos Police Command, Mr Adekunle Ajisebutu, in a statement, said the incident occurred on Saturday.
Ajisebutu said that their bodies had been recovered and deposited at the Badagry General Hospital’s morgue for autopsy so as to determine the actual cause of death.
“Notwithstanding the report made to the Police, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered a thorough and speedy investigation into the circumstances surrounding their death.
“The CP also commiserates with the families of the victims,” he said.
The eight children were found dead in vehicle parked in front of the owner’s house.
Mr Suru Avoseh, Commissioner, Lagos State Civil Service Commission, told NAN that the abandoned car belonged to a retired LASU staff who is now late.
According to him, the car was was forced opened by one of the children who was the grand child of the owner while the other seven are Nigerians residing in the area.
“The other seven kids are children of Bureau De Change Operators living in the community.
“The children forced the door of vehicle opened, entered and closed the door.
“No ventilation and nobody knew something was wrong and they suffocated and died.
“It wasn’t a kidnapping incident or any foul play by anyone. It is unfortunate,” he said.
In another development, the Medical Director, Badagry General Hospital, Dr Tunde Bakare, said that the children were brought dead to hospital.
“While we told them to leave them so that we could carry out autopsy one Moslem cleric that followed them disagreed with our staff and said burial should not exceed Saturday.
“Unfortunately, the Police that brought the corpse supported the cleric so we had to release the corpses to them. (NAN)
Fire Burns Six Shops, Destroys Properties Worth Millions of Naira in Ilorin
From Alfred Babs Ilorin
Properties worth millions of naira were destroyed as fire disaster gutted six shops, opposite the Kwara State Art and Culture Centre at Geri-Alimi area in Ilorin, Kwara state capital yesterday morning.
It was gathered that the incident which happened at midnight had destroyed all goods in the shops before the operatives of the State Fire Service could get to the scene on a rescue mission.
Speaking with our reporter, one of the victims, Mrs Anifat Adetoro, who sells unisex ready-made clothes, fashion accessories and claimed to have restocked goods two days ago to enable her to sell the December market met her shop totally destroyed.
“I just bought new goods a few days ago to enable me to meet up with December demands, I received a call from one of my neighbours around 5:23 am when I woke up to perform early morning prayer, and I was told that fire was burning our shops and we met operatives of Fire Service on ground trying to quench the inferno as at the time we got here, if not for them, almost all shops in this building would have destroyed,” Mrs Adetoro said.
She added that “goods in my shop alone worth three million-plus; because I also sell jewelries and I just got a jewelries order to deliver to a client in Saki, Oyo state by Monday and all these were destroyed. I want government and well to do people in the society to please come to my assistant because this is all my life, our kindhearted governor should please come to our rescue” she appealed.
Another victim, Mr Owolabi Akeem, who sells animals drugs, feed and poultry equipment said “I got a call around 5:30 am and I was devastated with what I met. I don’t even know what’s next in my life, we will be grateful if the government can come to our support in terms of financial aid to pick up ourselves again. Added that my goods in the shop valued N4 million above, and on the cause of the inferno, we cannot say precisely, it’s only God that knows the cause”
Confirming the incident, HOD, Media and Publicity, Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle said “today, 5th December, 2021 Kwara State Fire Service saved Shopping complex located at Gari-Alimi Opposite Art and Culture Ilorin”
“It was DPO ‘B’ Division of the Nigeria police Force Kwara State Command Ilorin, who quickly summoned the Brigade to the scene of occurrence at about 05:35hrs this Morning”
“However, firemen were able to eliminate the ravaging fire on time. And out of 41 shops, only 6 shops in the shopping complex were affected,” Adekunle said.
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Development Bank of Nigeria Plc (DBN) has launched DAWN: DBN Action for Women in Nigeria, unveiled its Impact Report and presented MSME Data Assets at the seventh edition of Annual Lecture held in Abuja.
DBN, in a statement on Thursday, said while delivering a welcome address, its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tony Okpanachi, said the central challenge was no longer reforms themselves but ensuring benefits reach businesses at end of the chain.
He asked how to make sure benefits reach traders in Onitsha, fabricator in Aba, farmer in Kebbi and young founder in Yaba, noting that MSMEs accounted for about half of Nigeria’s GDP and more than eight in every ten jobs, adding that when reform works for MSMEs it works for most Nigerians.
He explained that reform becomes prosperity only when entrepreneurs can act on it whether through long tenor loans to buy equipment, banks willing to take risk or skills and records needed to grow.
He said working through Participating Financial Institutions DBN provides longer term funding, partial credit guarantees through subsidiary Impact Credit Guarantee Limited and capacity building including Entrepreneurship Training Programme.
He disclosed that as at December 2025 DBN had disbursed a cumulative N1.4 trillion to MSMEs through 84 Participating Financial Institutions creating about 1.6 million jobs nationwide.
Under the new five year strategy, the Bank aims to reach more than two million MSMEs with deliberate targets for women led businesses, youth led businesses and underserved states.
On DAWN, Okpanachi said finance alone had not enabled enough women-led businesses to scale.
He said initiative brings together financing, guarantees and credit support, technical assistance, outcome linked grants and market linkages delivered through banks, microfinance institutions, fintechs, aggregators, cooperatives and direct channels.
Its priority sectors are agriculture and exports, healthcare, arts and creatives, technology and green business.
He said DAWN is about moving gender focused lending beyond intention and turning access into opportunity.
On the sidelines of the lecture DBN and African Development Bank held a signing ceremony of AfDB DBN 61 million United States dollars Gender Line of Credit development that reinforces Bank commitment to women led enterprises.
Okpanachi urged Participating Financial Institutions to extend lending into sectors and states where access to finance has been limited, policymakers and regulators to measure reform by what changes for business at end of chain and MSMEs to formalise, keep good records and use support now available.
The Vice President as Special Guest of Honour was represented by Dr Fred Iklaga Senior Technical Adviser in the Office of Special Adviser to the President on Economy.
Keynote speakers were Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Dr Karl Toriola, and Chairman of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Dr Segun Ogunsanya.
Fireside chat featured Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank Abubakar Suleiman, manufacturing and trade entrepreneur Mrs Omoyemi Chukwurah and by video Kola Masha of Babban Gona.
The Secretary to the Government of Federation, represented by Augusta Warren Bekaredebo, said 2026 tax reforms would bring relief to many small businesses expressing optimism that a lot of businesses will be smiling by next year because they will be exempted from tax.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened possible nationwide industrial action following the failure of talks with the Federal Government over workers’ welfare, petrol prices and other outstanding labour demands.
The warning came after a meeting between the government and organised labour at the Ministry of Labour in Abuja on Thursday, October 22, ended without an agreement.
The congress has given the Federal Government until Tuesday, October 27, to make meaningful progress on the issues, warning that its relevant organs would decide the next line of action if the next meeting fails to produce concrete commitments.
The NLC has also directed its affiliates, state councils and civil society allies to begin mobilising members for possible nationwide action.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the NLC Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, expressed disappointment over what he described as the government delegation’s lack of preparedness for the negotiations.
According to the congress, organised labour presented its demands in good faith but left the meeting without any concrete commitments from the government.
The demands include a reduction in petrol prices to 2024 levels, renegotiation of the national minimum wage, implementation of agreed tax relief measures and resolution of the terms of settlement involving the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).
The congress also called for the resolution of issues raised by the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) over peculiar allowances, wage awards and hazard allowances.
The NLC said the government delegation lacked the necessary authority to engage meaningfully on the issues presented by labour representatives.
“The meeting between the Federal Government and organised labour, convened at the Ministry of Labour in Abuja on 22nd October 2026, has ended without resolution,” the statement said.
It added that the Minister of Labour requested that the meeting be adjourned until October 27 to allow the government to prepare adequately for further discussions.
The preparations, according to the statement, would include bringing relevant ministers and heads of departments and agencies to the negotiating table.
The congress said it remained open to dialogue but would not accept continued delays in addressing workers’ concerns.
“We will report back to our organs, and if no meaningful progress is made on Tuesday, the relevant organs of the NLC will decide the next line of action,” it said.
The labour body urged workers and members of the public to remain calm while the negotiations continue, even as it directed its affiliates and allies to prepare for possible industrial action.
“However, we urge all affiliates of NLC and TUC; all state councils and our civil society allies to be alert and start mobilising for a possible action across the nation while we hope that the tenets of our demands are met by the government,” the statement added.
The October 27 meeting is expected to provide another opportunity for both sides to address the outstanding issues and prevent a possible escalation of the dispute.
However, the NLC’s decision to begin mobilisation suggests that tensions could rise if the next round of talks fails to produce meaningful progress.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has barred its personnel from escorting politicians during campaigns for the 2027 general elections.
Zonal Commanding Officer, RS6, ACM Abimbola Owolabi, gave the directive during her maiden visit to the Cross River Command in Calabar on Wednesday.
Owolabi said patrol vehicles and sirens must not be used for political activities or private engagements, including weddings and funeral processions.
She directed officers deployed to campaign venues to focus exclusively on traffic management to prevent congestion and road crashes.
The zonal head warned personnel against leading political convoys or providing escorts for politicians, stressing that official vehicles must not be used for unauthorised purposes.
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