Some members of the National Association of Oduduwa Students, the Coalition of Yoruba Students, and the Yoruba Movement are currently staging a peaceful protest in solidarity with the Dangote Refinery, amid its ongoing faceoff with oil unions, PENGASSAN, NUPENG, and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria.
The protesters, who converged on Tuesday at Iwo Road Roundabout, end of Ibadan/Lagos expressway, Ibadan in Oyo State, were chanting different songs to show their solidarity.
They are marching through major routes, waving placards with inscriptions such as, “Don’t Kill Dangote Refinery,” “#StopsabotagingfuelinNigwria“#EndPENGASSAN,” #EndDAPPMAN,” “#DangoteRefineryIsANationalAsset,” “#StopSabotage, among others.”
Wearing matching shirts emblazoned with, “Don’t Kill Dangote Refinery,” the students said the protest is aimed at drawing government attention to what they describe as a “coordinated attempt by vested interests” to frustrate the operations of the refinery, Nigeria’s biggest industrial investment and Africa’s largest single-train refinery.
The NAOS President, Olalere Adetunji, called on President Bola Tinubu and relevant government agencies to intervene urgently.
“We want to use this period to appeal to the Federal Government to protect the refinery and ensure that labour and marketers’ actions do not derail Nigeria’s move toward fuel self-sufficiency.”
Security operatives, including the police and Federal Road Safety Corps, are on ground to maintain order as the protest continues.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has urged young Nigerians to explore broader career opportunities in the aviation sector beyond the popular choice of becoming cabin crew members.
The NCAA, through a post on X on Monday by its spokesman, Michael Achimugu, said this while speaking on the growing interest among Nigerian youths in cabin crew training with a vision of being a flight attendant.
The cabin crew encompasses all flight attendants, while the air hostess specifically refers to female attendants. Both genders are vital to the smooth operation of flights, safety and comfort of passengers.
Achimugu acknowledged the appeal and glamour associated with the role, adding that, “It’s a beautiful line of work. You wear smart uniforms, travel the world, and interact with people from all walks of life. It builds patience and character.”
He, however, emphasised that other critical areas within aviation are in high demand and offer even greater opportunities for growth and employment, both locally and internationally.
“Many young Nigerians are investing in cabin crew training. They love the glamour of that career. It is a beautiful line of work. You get to serve people from all walks of life. Your patience gets tested as much as your character. You learn to smile whether you are happy or not. You wear cute uniforms and travel freely, ” he advised.
Achimugu also urged aspiring aviation professionals to conduct thorough research into the areas with greater demand and potential for career advancement.
“There is more to aviation than the visible front-line roles. Find the gaps, where there is scarcity and fill that space. That’s how you truly add value,” he added.
With a global aviation workforce shortage looming, the NCAA believes that redirecting attention toward technical and operational roles could help Nigeria’s youth tap into a wider range of job opportunities and contribute meaningfully to the aviation industry.
Listing other focuses which are in high demand, Achimugu said, “ There are other careers in aviation that add value and probably have more work openings. I would strongly recommend/encourage more young people to train to become any of the following: Aircraft maintenance technician, Aerospace engineer, Flight instructor, Flight dispatcher, Marshaller, Air traffic controller, among others.”
He further appealed to Nigerians to engage in proper research before choosing a career in aviation.
He stressed, “If you want to go into aviation, research, beyond just your passion, the areas where there are more needs for operators and other service providers. Where is the scarcity? Fill that space and add value.
“All of the above-mentioned also get job opportunities outside Nigeria. Give it a thought. Aviation is a satisfying industry where all of the parts working together make an excellent whole. Start that training today.”
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, on Monday, stated that the All Progressives Congress, the people of Kano and the northern region will reciprocate the good gestures of President Bola Tinubu, come 2027.
Barau spoke during his annual undergraduate scholarship programme at the newly renamed Yusuf Maitama Sule Federal University of Education, Kano.
The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Ata, the state APC Chairman, Prince Abdullahi Abbas, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abdullahi Kadage and the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Ado Abdullahi, all showered encomium on Tinubu.
Senator Barau said, “I would like to thank Mr President, the president of our country, the president that we are all proud of, the president who loves Kano, who loves Northern Nigeria, and who loves Nigeria.
“He graciously approved our long-standing request to upgrade this institution to a university, and for that, we remain deeply grateful.”
He noted that the struggle to actualise the upgrade had lasted nearly ten years, adding that President Tinubu’s swift approval demonstrated his administration’s commitment to human capital development.
“The rain that beats you is the real rain,” Barau said metaphorically. “We have never asked or canvassed for anything from Mr President, and he said no. Why shouldn’t we love Mr President? We have to reciprocate, and we are waiting for the time to do that, come 2027.”
He continued, “Whatever we ask him to do, he says, ‘I’ll do it for you.’ When he approved the upgrade of this university, we expressed our sincere gratitude. Human capital, not natural resources, is the number one factor of production in the world today. If you get it right in education, you have succeeded. That’s why we place great value on the educational development of our people.”
Senator Barau also commended President Tinubu for approving the renaming of the institution after the late Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, a former minister, diplomat, and one of Kano’s most revered elder statesmen.
Barau, who described the President as the grandfather of the institution and himself the “father of the university,” pledged continued support for the institution’s growth and development.
“It was painful when the present administration in Kano annulled the decision by the former administration of Dr Ganduje to name a state-owned institution after Alhaji Maitama Sule.
“When I presented a request to President Tinubu to name this institution after our elder statesman, he immediately approved it. This is how he continues to demonstrate love and respect for Kano and our heroes,” he said.
He further reaffirmed his commitment to educational advancement by announcing scholarships for 1,000 students from Kano North Senatorial District, with a promise to extend the gesture to other parts of the state.
“I urge all students to remain focused on their studies. Education is the bedrock of every society. If I, as a grandfather and a PhD student, can continue to pursue learning, then there is no reason for any young person to relent,” he said.
He stressed that investing in education remained the most sustainable path to community empowerment and long-term progress.
The Chairman of the APC in Kano State, Prince Abdullahi Abbas, commended President Tinubu for the conversion and renaming of the institution.
On his part, Ata hailed the President for his numerous interventions in Kano and the North.
Speaking, Professor Abdullahi Tukur Kadage, the Vice Chancellor of Yusuf Maitama Sule Federal University of Education, praised Senator Barau for his “visionary leadership and unwavering support” for the institution.
He recalled that the university’s establishment stemmed from a bill sponsored by Senator Barau at the National Assembly.
Veteran highlife musician, Bright Chimezie, has called on Africans to prioritise developing their own countries instead of constantly seeking opportunities abroad.
Speaking on the recent episode of The Honest Bunch Podcast, Chimezie reflected on Africa’s misplaced dependence on the West, lamenting that many young people still believe success lies outside the continent.
“We Africans must find a way. Our problem is here. We are helping those people over there,” he said.
The music icon, known for his fusion of traditional rhythms and social commentary, criticised the mindset that portrays foreign countries as lands of greater opportunity.
“We always feel that the grass is greener outside. The grass is not greener there. I don’t travel small — in fact, you walk. No more opportunities there.
“This is one Africa where you can come, develop this, develop there. If you go there, it is salary, they will pay you salary. And you have to start from washing toilets,” Chimezie said.
The veteran performer also blamed colonial influence for shaping Africa’s economic and psychological dependence on the West.
“I blame the white man for it, I’m sorry to say it. Because of the pattern they used to package Africa. When the white people came, the kind of asset affected our psyche, seriously,” he noted.
Chimezie said colonial conditioning still influences how Africans perceive success and education, adding that if Africans studied science and innovation with the same passion they devote to religion, the continent would progress faster.
“The way we read Bible here, if we read biology books and mathematics like that, Africa for don move,” he added.
Bright Chimezie, fondly called Ziggima Sound King, remains one of Nigeria’s most influential highlife musicians, known for using his music to advocate cultural pride, discipline, and self-reliance.
Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has dismissed reports that the Ministry demanded payments from property owners to stop the demolition of houses at Oral Estate, Ikota.
The commissioner was reacting to a viral video wherein a woman was heard saying Wahab and other officials from the ministry had agreed to stop the demolition after requesting ₦1 billion and later settled for N700 million.
She said, “Thank God for today. We have peace of mind. We’re not hearing an excavator tearing people’s houses down, people crying. The Commissioner, Ministry of Environment came and we had an agreement that my estate is going to pay N1 billion for shit piling, It ended in N700 million for shit piling. My estate is trying to gather the money and give them this month.”
However, in a statement posted to his official social media accounts on Sunday, the commissioner said neither he nor any official from the ministry requested or received money, “whether ₦1 billion, ₦700 million, or a single kobo.”
He described the video as a deliberate attempt to blackmail the government and a dangerous distraction from efforts to prevent flooding and protect Lagos residents.
He said, “My attention has been drawn to a circulating video containing false and malicious allegations that the Ministry demanded money from property owners to pause the ongoing removal of structures on drainage setbacks at Oral Estate, Ikota.
“I must state categorically that these claims are entirely false and a deliberate attempt to blackmail the government.
“Neither I nor any official from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has ever requested nor received any payment, whether ₦1 billion, ₦700 million, or a single kobo, from any property owner.”
Wahab explained that “the operation to clear the Right of Way and Setbacks to different channels, and canals of illegal obstructions is a public safety imperative, and it has not been paused for any form of negotiation or payment. Our work continues.
“This propaganda is a dangerous distraction from our critical mission to prevent flooding and protect the majority of Lagosians.”
He added that the ministry takes the defamatory allegations “with the utmost seriousness” and will pursue the matter through the courts.
“We shall be pursuing this matter legally, and the individual behind these claims will be required to provide proof to the appropriate authorities,” the commissioner said.
The denial comes amid visible enforcement action in parts of Ikota and neighbouring estates, where government teams have removed structures found within river setbacks and drainage corridors, actions Wahab said are necessary to prevent recurrent seasonal flooding.
The state ministry of environment has warned residents against entertaining intermediaries or paying money to forestall statutory enforcement.
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has announced a new partnership with Chinese investors aimed at strengthening the state’s energy infrastructure and industrial capacity.
In a statement shared on X on Saturday, according to the governor, discussions with the Jiangsu-based company Cteec focused on funding availability, technical capacity, and the company’s readiness to deliver key energy projects for the state.
“Our conversations highlighted three important areas of collaboration: strengthening transmission and distribution within the state; establishing an Industrial Park that will attract Chinese manufacturers while integrating power projects; and their commitment to install a free 3MW power plant at the Gateway International Cargo Airport, which will immediately jumpstart activities at that vital location,” Abiodun said.
The governor added that the delegation would inspect ongoing distribution infrastructure and power projects executed by Sahara and Powergen, as part of efforts to secure a reliable energy supply across Ogun State.
“The company, Cteec, based in Jiangsu, China, already has an investment footprint of 100MW in Nigeria and is now seeking to expand its operations further. Their interest covers power generation and distribution, investment in a dedicated state transmission network, and the establishment of an Industrial Park that will bring more Chinese manufacturers into Ogun State.
“This engagement is another testament to our commitment to building the energy backbone that will sustain Ogun State’s industrial growth and overall economic development,” Abiodun also said.
In related developments, reports indicate that maiden commercial flights from the Gateway International Airport, Iperu-Ilishan, to Abuja have sold out, with tickets for the following day also fully booked. The development underscores the airport’s readiness to serve as a hub for modern aviation and connectivity in Nigeria.
“From roads that connect our communities and ease the movement of people and goods, to housing projects that provide our citizens with affordable and decent homes, we have remained committed to building structures that improve the quality of life of our people.
“Our vision has always been clear: to bequeath a legacy of sustainable development and inclusive growth. With every stride in infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for a stronger, more prosperous Ogun State,” Abiodun said, emphasising his administration’s commitment to infrastructure as the backbone of development.
Gateway International Airport was officially granted an Aerodrome Operational Permit by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority in August 2025.
Passenger flight operations are set to commence on October 7, 2025, with Value Jet Airline starting passenger flights twice weekly.
Legal practitioners and Civil Society Organisations have called for greater collaboration and systemic reforms to strengthen Public Interest Litigation in Nigeria.
The call was made during a special session hosted by Spaces for Change (S4C) at the PILNet Africa Regional Convening on Public Interest Litigation.
The Executive Director, S4C, Mrs Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, in a statement on Thursday in Lagos, highlighted S4C’s research-driven approach.
She noted that several pro bono legal interventions stemmed from extensive fieldwork and community-driven investigations.
The event was organised by PILNet, with S4C focusing on integrating human rights into social and economic governance through its rights-based research and advocacy.
Ibezim-Ohaeri cited her doctoral research on SARS operations in Anambra, explaining how many victims later secured compensation through the EndSARS judicial panels.
She added that S4C frequently partners with other research-focused organisations to uncover and document human rights violations across the country.
In a panel discussion, Prof. Adebisi Arewa of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, described access to justice as the most essential human right.
He lamented the inadequate access to justice for ordinary Nigerians, stressing that its absence undermines national development and erodes human dignity.
“About 99.99 per cent of Nigerians lack access to justice,” Arewa declared, emphasising that strategic litigation both exposes systemic flaws and offers lifelines for marginalised citizens.
Former Nigerian Bar Association Chairman, Alex Morka, stressed the importance of institutionalising pro bono legal services nationwide.
He urged the NBA to consider making pro bono representation mandatory, while commending judges who assign senior lawyers to represent indigent defendants in capital cases.
On behalf of the National Human Rights Commission, Dr Lucas Koyejo, raised concerns about alleged human rights violations in Lagos.
Koyejo revealed that the NHRC’s Lagos office, which serves over 20 million residents, is staffed by only 12 lawyers, including himself.
“We receive countless complaints daily, some from individual citizens and others through partners like S4C. But our capacity remains overstretched,” he said.
The event also featured testimonies from victims of forced evictions, police brutality, and other abuses, many of whom had benefited from S4C’s legal interventions.
Their stories underscored the tangible impact of public interest litigation and the urgent need for sustained reforms in Nigeria’s justice system.
Achudume stated, “You find Nigerians excelling abroad in fields like medicine, tech, and education – showcasing their capabilities. But back home, we grapple with leadership gaps and infrastructural deficits holding us back.”
He commended the Federal Government’s Student Loan Scheme as a positive stride towards boosting educational access.
“The Federal Government’s student loan initiative is a right step that will go a long way in supporting education,” he said, adding that such programmes should not be politicised or hijacked by politicians.
“Often, when governments send money or empowerment support meant for market women and other beneficiaries, it doesn’t get to them because of politicization,” Achudume cautioned.
He also criticised the prevalent practice of vote-buying during elections, involving handouts like indomie and petty gifts.
“Nigerians deserve better than peanuts from politicians during elections – we need leaders who genuinely understand the common man’s hardships,” Apostle Achudume emphasised.
According to him, Nigeria requires environments nurturing business growth, innovation, and intellectual pursuits.
“For Nigeria to realize her giant potential, we need leadership attuned to citizens’ needs and ecosystems that empower talent,” he noted.
He called for transformative leadership focusing on grassroots realities.
“Leadership feeling the pulse of ordinary Nigerians is crucial if we’re to match Nigeria’s global footprint with domestic progress,” Achudume said.
Adron Homes Hails Nigeria at 65, Reaffirms Commitment to Nation-Building
Adron Homes and Properties Limited, Africa’s leading Pan–African real estate company, joins millions of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora in celebrating the nation’s 65th Independence Anniversary.
In a goodwill message to mark the occasion, the company’s Group Managing Director, Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing, lauded the resilience, unity, and indomitable spirit of Nigerians, which have continued to sustain the country through six and a half decades of challenges and triumphs.
“As Nigeria marks 65 years of independence, we salute the courage of our founding fathers and the collective will of Nigerians who have kept the dream of a united, prosperous, and progressive nation alive. Today is not just a reminder of our past struggles, but also a call to greater responsibility in shaping the future we all desire,” Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing said.
He further encouraged the government at all levels to continue prioritizing policies that foster sustainable economic growth, affordable housing, and infrastructure development, noting that real estate is a major driver of national development.
“At Adron Homes, we believe housing is not just a basic need but a catalyst for economic empowerment and national stability. We remain committed to complementing government efforts in bridging Nigeria’s housing deficit by making affordable, accessible, and quality homes available for all,” he added.
Over the years, Adron Homes has consistently contributed to nation-building through its massive investments in housing estates across Nigeria, job creation, empowerment programs, and community development initiatives. The company reaffirmed its readiness to do even more as the country journeys toward greater prosperity.
Adron Homes extended warm wishes to all Nigerians, urging them to remain united, hopeful, and steadfast in the pursuit of the Nigeria of our dreams.
Why NUPENG and PENGASSAN Must Stop Terrorising Nigerians By Kunle Ayo
Recent actions by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in the oil and gas sector reveal a desperate attempt by certain actors to exploit Nigerians’ sensibilities, perpetuating lawlessness, economic sabotage, and threats to national security for the benefit of a few at the expense of the broader population.
It is an affront to Nigerians’ intelligence that NUPENG and PENGASSAN, historically complicit in the deliberate and egregious degeneration of the oil and gas sector, have long acted as enablers of self-interest. These unions have been directly implicated in decades of inflicting untold hardship on ordinary Nigerians through their neglect, complicity, and collaboration with enemies of the state. Their sudden posturing as defenders of workers’ rights—when their actions have contributed to the suffering of millions—is both hypocritical and insulting.
The recent decision by NUPENG and PENGASSAN to embark on strike action aligns with their persistent assault on the foundation of Nigeria’s economy, which President Tinubu’s administration is working tirelessly to revive. This calculated move seeks to drag the nation back to the dark days of fuel scarcity, economic instability, and national embarrassment, orchestrated by a handful of Nigerians and their foreign collaborators, with NUPENG and PENGASSAN as willing participants.
To call their actions detrimental to Nigeria’s social and economic progress is an understatement. The negative impact on social services is immense, as their strikes have led to the shutdown of thermal power plants, threatening to plunge the nation into physical and economic darkness. This cripples economic and social activities, placing millions of households and small businesses at a severe disadvantage.
NUPENG and PENGASSAN have made no secret of their self-serving intentions, prioritizing a culture of impunity, primitive wealth accumulation, monopoly, and destructive behavior over patriotism.
Their actions consistently place personal gain above the needs of the nation and its citizens, undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence, independence, and economic growth.
Under the guise of unionism and workers’ rights, NUPENG and PENGASSAN have chosen to inflict undue hardship on Nigerians, rejecting platforms for constructive dialogue. Their concerns are not genuine but rather mischievous, selfish, and treasonable, opting for self-help tactics that bring untold suffering to citizens and residents instead of pursuing collaborative solutions.
The federal government’s efforts to facilitate peaceful resolutions to these disputes have been rebuffed by NUPENG and PENGASSAN, who instead escalate their campaign to promote economic instability. Blinded by self-interest, they have failed to grasp the broader implications of their actions and refused to work toward solutions that benefit Nigerians.
Nigerians are neither fools nor gullible enough to fall for their deceptive tactics. The unions’ attempt to sell a false narrative about mass layoffs at Dangote Refinery is a fraud, mirroring their own duplicity. Their efforts to mislead Nigerians for selfish ends have failed. These misguided actors, driven by corrupt motives, remain insensitive to the decades of suffering caused by oil subsidy profiteers.
For years, NUPENG and PENGASSAN remained silent during fuel scarcity crises, ignoring the plight of Nigerians who were reduced to economic servitude in one of the world’s richest oil-producing nations. Yet, they now claim to champion workers’ rights at a time when fuel prices are stabilizing, the forex market is steady, the naira is strengthening against the dollar, and inflation is declining. They suddenly find fault when fuel is widely available, governors can pay salaries and pensions, and viable competition thrives in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector, attracting foreign investment due to economic stability.
How can any sincere labour union, concerned with the welfare of its members and the nation’s economic viability, remain silent when massive fraud is perpetrated by a few citizens in collaboration with foreign actors? Billions of dollars in Nigerian funds have been laundered under fictitious pretexts by union officials, and the fraudulent fuel subsidy scheme, orchestrated through a corrupt Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has caused immense harm.
Yet, NUPENG and PENGASSAN now claim to fight for workers’ rights with a fabricated narrative.
NUPENG and PENGASSAN should be well aware of labor laws and their applications. They cannot claim ignorance that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) does not compel staff of private universities to unionize, nor does the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) force workers at private transport companies like GUO or God is Good Motors to join its union.
Similarly, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) does not mandate teachers in private schools to become members. Union membership is an individual’s private and exclusive right, not a mandatory or national obligation. How many times have NUPENG and PENGASSAN gone on strike to address the failures of Nigeria’s refineries despite billions spent, or to end the fuel subsidy scam?
NUPENG and PENGASSAN have no right to interfere in the internal administration of Dangote Refinery or any other private corporate entity. Their consistent role as saboteurs, aimed at derailing national progress, reveals them as stooges of sedition and terrorism. In a foolish attempt to serve their paymasters, they have declared war on the common man, making a mockery of themselves.
How does halting crude oil and gas supplies serve justice if workers are laid off?
Can self-help and blackmail assist affected staff or benefit ordinary Nigerians? Dialogue and legal avenues, not reckless actions, are the appropriate means to resolve disputes. Ironically, the processes NUPENG and PENGASSAN oppose are the very ones that have brought relief, alleviated suffering, and restored hope. These processes have stabilized fuel costs, promoted deregulation, reduced foreign interference in the oil and gas sector, and delivered numerous benefits.
We must echo the voice of Hon. Dr. Philip Agbese, Deputy Spokesperson of the Federal House of Representatives, who rightly declared this affront against Dangote Refinery as an attack on national security, the economy, and the common man. NUPENG and PENGASSAN must cease acting as tools of saboteurs to derail Nigeria’s progress. They must stop making a caricature of themselves, as times have changed, and a new era of accountability has begun.
The Dangote Refinery has come to stay, driving Nigeria’s economic independence and progress through its transformative impact on the oil and gas sector. Nigerians stand united in resolute support of this vital enterprise, rejecting the sabotage of self-serving actors posing as trade unionists. With the people’s backing, Dangote Refinery will prevail against these economic adversaries, securing a future of stability and prosperity.
