The Anambra State command of the Nigeria Police Force is ‘celebrating’ a remarkable milestone with a month free of gunfire across the state.
In a recent press briefing at his office, the State Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, praised the efforts of security personnel for this significant accomplishment, which reflects a period devoid of gunshots from both law enforcement and suspected offenders.
He emphasized that this achievement signifies a growing commitment among the residents of Anambra State towards fostering peace and a crime-free atmosphere.
Prior to Orutugu’s appointment in February 2025, the state faced considerable security challenges, leading the government to impose restrictions on certain types of traditional healers and fraudulent religious leaders believed to be contributing to criminal activities.
Orutugu remarked that Anambra, known for its abundant human capital and illustrious figures such as Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is deserving of enduring tranquility.
He underscored the necessity of maintaining peace, especially in Onitsha, which is home to Nigeria’s largest market and attracts traders from various regions.
The Commissioner noted that the enhanced security conditions over the past month are gradually encouraging an influx of visitors and businesses back into the state.
Additionally, Orutugu expressed his concerns regarding the previous trend of sit-at-home protests on weekdays, which he deemed unjustifiable.
However, he acknowledged the positive changes taking place. He forecasted a continuation of lasting peace in the state but cautioned that law enforcement would remain vigilant against any individuals or groups harboring criminal intentions.
The Commissioner reiterated the significance of proactive policing and innovative problem-solving approaches, rather than relying solely on conventional security measures, to ensure ongoing peace and stability in Anambra State.
The sex-for-favour tango between the Senate President, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, and another senator, Mrs. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, is the latest scandal in town. Nigeria is a country of one scandal, one moment. So, expect the wind to blow over this scandal quickly. The heat generated may soon get too much for the members of the ruling class to bear and they – all of them, both the victim and the villain, since they both share the same class interest – may conclude that it is in their class interest to sheathe the sword, reach some accommodation and find an excuse to sweep the scandal under Nigeria’s bourgeoning carpet of iniquity.
Another thing that can happen is that another scandal will break before we say “Jack Robinson” and the media will move on to the new scandal and Nigerians will tag along. We are sprinters here and not long-distance runners. We quickly lose steam and our follow-up is miserable. Yet, the wisdom of our people is that the hunter who neglects to trace the game he shoots in the forest often fails to cart it home.
When members of the ruling class fight, it makes no sense to take sides because none of the fights, most times, concern the poor. It is usually intra-class squabbles over privileges and the sharing or allocation of resources amongst themselves that have little or no bearing on the welfare and well-being of the suffering masses. When things are okay among them, when they are all busy “eating”, we hardly hear grumblings. You would think they all belong to the same political party, the same ethnicity, the same religion, and the same sex! It is only when disagreements arise over sharing formulas that allegations begin to fly all over the place!
In the spat between Akpabio and Natasha, both fighters have their past, which has further compounded issues. In “Cockcrow at dawn”, popular artiste, Bongos Ikwue, described how futile it is to look for a virgin in a maternity ward. Searching for a saint in Nigeria’s National Assembly is no less elusive. It is a place notorious for turning fire-eating radicals into despicable rascals.
To make sense out of the senseless in-fighting in the Senate, I will act upon four sources; the first being the statement made by the Senate Leader, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, on why the senate suspended Natasha for six months, in which he “clarified” that the senator was suspended for gross misconduct and not because of the sexual harassment allegation she made against Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Opeyemi stressed that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent acts of misconduct, blatant disregard for the provisions of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 and gross indiscipline. He listed the “persistent acts of misconduct”, “blatant disregard for the provisions of the Senate Standing Orders 2023” and “gross misconduct” as refusal to sit in her assigned seat during plenary on 25th February, 2025; speaking without being recognised by the presiding officer; engaging in unruly and disruptive behavior, obstructing the orderly conduct of Senate proceedings; making abusive and disrespectful remarks against the leadership of the Senate; and defying and refusing to comply with the summons of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges mandated to investigate cases of misconduct.
My second source is the intervention by a doyen of the media, Mr. Tony Iredia. Titled “Senate shouldn’t have suspended Natasha Uduaghan”, Iredia argued thus: “… The senate relied heavily on the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act of 2018 which, among other things, regulates the conduct of members and other persons connected with the proceedings of the Legislative House. Of particular importance is Section 21(2) of the Act which provides that ‘where any member is guilty of contempt of a Legislative House, the House may, by resolution, reprimand such member or suspend him from the service of the House for such period as it may determine’…
“A body such as the senate which does not have the power to make a senator, cannot give itself the power to unmake any senator. There are only two authorities that our constitution empowers to remove a legislator from office. These are: an election tribunal and the people that elected the legislator to represent them in the legislature. If an authority has no legal powers to remove a person from office, such an authority cannot validly exercise the illegal power by making the removal a short-term matter. Removal by one day in the name of suspension is a removal, it is irrelevant that the length of time of the removal is long or short because, as the saying goes, no person, group or authority can give what it does not have.
“The senate or any group or organization is no doubt entitled to making its own rules for the smooth running of the body. It is, therefore, in order for the senate to make rules to penalize its members for any infraction, but such punishment must be within its powers. If the senate is satisfied that Senator Natasha Uduaghan breached any of its rules, it can remove her from a chairmanship position of a committee or any other privileges hitherto bestowed on her by the senate. It can, however, not extend the punishment beyond its own power. This point has been repeatedly made and one wonders why our Legislative Houses have continued with the illegality of purporting to have the power to suspend one of its own.
“If they really don’t know, the courts have since severally said so. First, Femi Okurounmu, (Ogun Central) was suspended in 1999. This was followed by Joseph Waku, a senator from Benue State who was suspended in 2000. Senator Arthur Nzeribe from Imo state was suspended in 2002. Senator Ali Ndume, a former Senate leader, was suspended in 2017. Next was Senator Ovie Omo-Agege from Delta state who was suspended in 2018… Senator Abdul Ningi from Bauchi state was suspended in 2024. Interestingly, the Judiciary quashed all the suspensions, declaring them as illegal and unconstitutional…
“The House of Representatives has also had its own string of illegal suspensions that have similarly been quashed by the Judiciary. One would have thought that the National Assembly should have by now realized that it has no powers to suspend its legislators. But that has not been so. Instead, there have been reports of how some State Houses of Assembly have also followed the same line as their federal colleagues… (One such) celebrated case involved Rifkatu Samson Dannas who was suspended in 2012 by the Bauchi State House of Assembly.
“The offence of Dannas, the then only female and Christian member of the House, was her objection to the proposed relocation of Tafawa Balewa Local Government headquarters from Tafawa Balewa to Bununu – a location heavily populated by Muslims… She went to court to challenge her suspension, which the court declared as illegal and unconstitutional… Aptly put, therefore, the state of the law in Nigeria today is that it is illegal for a legislative House to suspend any member…
“Again, the posture that the legislature cannot be stopped from doing its job appears misconstrued because legislative functions are, in the words of our constitution, subject to judicial review (according to) the relevant provisions of Section 4(8) of our constitution… For this reason, the courts have continued to insist that “access to court is a fundamental right in the Constitution, which cannot be taken away by force or intimidation from any organ… it is unimaginable, as one lawyer suggested the other day, that although Order 67(4) of its own rules limits the suspension of a member of the upper chamber to a maximum of 14 days, the senate went ahead to violate such rules by suspending Uduaghan not for 14 days but for 6 months!”
My third source said “the real reason” Natasha was suspended was her insistence to have the moribund Ajaokuta steel complex investigated. Ajaokuta and the refineries are projects that have gulped, and are still gulping, billions of dollars without any respite or solution in sight. Natasha is said to have a motion crying for investigations. When will the motion see the light of day?
My fourth and final source is a social media post which showed Akpabio as a senator committing the same offence that Natasha is being punished for, against Bukola Saraki as senate president, and he was not given the Natasha treatment! Social media, they say, never forgets! What goes around comes around! He who comes to equity must come with clean hands! And if you live in a glass house, don’t throw stones!
To conclude: Was it the importance of this dog-fight that made the Senate Leader, and not the senate spokesperson, to address the media on the matter while the Senate President himself acted as the accuser and judge in his own case? Why was the latter’s incongruity lost on a senate brimming with lawyers?
I believe, with the above, you are able to form your own reasonable opinion on the Akpabio-Natasha face-off!
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, adjourned ruling on the suit filed by Courses 18, 19, and 20 (Force Entrants) of the Police Academy challenging their forceful retirement from the Nigeria Police Force by the Police Service Commission (PSC), Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Force Secretary.
The court had earlier slated Tuesday to deliver the ruling, but when the matter was called, the trial judge, Justice R. B. Haastrup
announced that the ruling was not ready.
The judge consequently adjourned the ruling till March 17 and ordered that hearing notices be served on the 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matter.
However, Chief Goddy Uche, SAN, who represented the claimants in the matter, informed the court that the 2nd and 3rd defendants, who were not in court, allegedly reduced the rank of some of the claimants and retired them from service while the case was still pending in court.
Although the 2nd and 3rd defendants were not in court, nor were they represented in court, the judge noted that, at the last proceedings in the matter, the defendants told the court that they would not be in court on Tuesday for the ruling as they have other matters outside jurisdiction, which the court permitted.
The officers, ACP Chinedu Emengaha, ACP Victor Chilaka, ACP Egwu Otu, CSP Sylvester Ebosele, CSP Sunday Okuguni, CSP Asuquo Inyang, CSP Kalu Chikozie, and CSP Adetu Omoteso, had sued the PSC, IGP, and the Force Secretary, Nigeria Police, as 1st to 3rd defendants, challenging their unlawful retirement from the Nigeria Police Force without attaining the mandatory years required before retirement and non-implementation of court judgment.
The plaintiffs, who sued for themselves and as representing all members of Course 18, 19, and 20 (Force Entrants) of the Police Academy, in their motion on notice marked, NICN/ABJ/28/2025, seek an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from retiring or suspending any of the officers of the Course who are yet to serve 35 years of pensionable service or reach the mandatory retirement age of 60 years from service of the Nigeria Police Force pending the hearing and determination of their substantive suit.
They also want an order restraining the defendants from suspending the salary or posting of any of the officers of Courses 18, 19, and 20 (Force Entrants) of the Police Academy.
The aggrieved officers had, in their suit, filed on their behalf by their counsel, Edwin Okoro Esq, prayed the court to quash the injustice done against them and to determine, “Whether taking into consideration, the judgments of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, delivered by Justice O. Oyewunmi in suit Nos. NICN/ABJ./345/2019-ACP Chinedu Emengaha & Ors Vs PSC & 2 Ors, and NICN/ABJ./353/2019 – CSP Sunday Okuguni & Ors Vs PSC & 2 Ors, resolving the issue of date of appointment of Cadet Officers (Force entrants) as the dates of their first appointment, and the said judgments having been implemented by the defendants since July 29, 2021, the defendants are not estopped from reopening the issue of date of first appointment?
Upon the determination of the above-stated question, the claimants are praying to the court for “a declaration that the date of first appointment into service of the claimants as contained in their respective appointment letters are not subject to a review by the defendants.
In a decisive move to combat the escalating scourge of drug abuse and its far-reaching implications on road safety, the Assistant Commander General of Narcotics, Archie-Abia Ibinabo, who oversees the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, Lagos, at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), today paid an official visit to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Headquarters in Oshodi, Lagos.During the high-level engagement, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, was conferred with the prestigious ‘WADA ADVOCACY’ recognition by the NDLEA in acknowledgment of the Agency’s unwavering commitment to drug abuse prevention and public safety.Reaffirming LASTMA’s readiness to forge a formidable partnership with the NDLEA, Mr. Bakare-Oki decried the alarming prevalence of illicit drug consumption, particularly among the youth, and underscored its direct correlation to the rising incidence of road traffic crashes.
He emphasized that reckless driving, often fueled by excessive drug intake, has become a major threat to road safety and public well-being.Furthermore, the LASTMA General Manager exposed the sophisticated methods employed by drug cartels to facilitate the clandestine transportation of narcotics. He revealed that illicit substances are frequently trafficked through unconventional channels such as dispatch motorcycles, ambulances, and other seemingly innocuous vehicles.Stressing the urgency of a synergized response, Mr. Bakare-Oki posited that an intensified crackdown on drug abuse would serve as a linchpin in addressing a myriad of societal challenges affecting the youth, thereby fostering a more secure and orderly environment.In her remarks, Assistant Commander General of Narcotics Archie-Abia Ibinabo reaffirmed that the NDLEA’s visit was a pivotal component of its ongoing sensitization and enlightenment campaign.
She highlighted the indispensability of multi-agency collaboration in the war against drug abuse, particularly with LASTMA, whose jurisdiction over traffic control positions it as a crucial stakeholder in intercepting illicit drug movements.She further articulated that narcotics are predominantly transported via road networks, thereby necessitating proactive intelligence-sharing between LASTMA operatives and the NDLEA. She urged LASTMA officers to remain vigilant and promptly relay pertinent information whenever they encounter suspicious activities linked to drug trafficking during their enforcement duties.According to her, “Many of our youths are currently in rehabilitation centers across the country due to drug addiction. The only way to curb this menace is through a concerted, all-hands-on-deck approach.”This strategic engagement reaffirmed the commitment of both Agencies to a fortified partnership aimed at dismantling drug networks, mitigating the ramifications of substance abuse, and enhancing overall public safety through robust enforcement mechanisms and intelligence-driven interventions.
The Police Service Commission has approved the appointment of CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, PhD, as the new Commissioner of Police for Kano State. CP Bakori from Katsina State replaces former CP Salman Garba Dogo who has since been promoted to the next rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police. CP Bakori was until his appointment, the Commissioner of Police Homicide, Force Investigation Department, Abuja.
He was a former Commander, Bayelsa State Joint Task Force, Operation Doo Akpo, Yenagoa, Assistant Commissioner SPU, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Assistant Commissioner CID, Bayelsa State; Assistant Commissioner, CID Rivers State; Principal Staff Officer to the Inspector General of Police and Commanding Officer 17PMF, Akure.Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd mni, has charged the new CP to ensure that peace prevails in the state. He said he should quickly settle down to the challenging task before him and also ensure that crime and criminality are brought to an end in the state while promoting freedom of movement and security of enterprise.
According to the Commission’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani,DIG Argungu said there was need for him to crime map the state so as to be focused in giving Kano a new lease of life. He promised that the Commission will always monitor his progress and offer support for his success.The Commission’s approval has been sent to the Inspector General of Police for implementation in a letter signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani
Can Nigeria become a competitive producer and supplier of petroleum products for both domestic and international markets? This question has become increasingly urgent as the country grapples with persistent pricing uncertainties and structural flaws in its energy sector. For Nigeria to harness its full potential in the global hydrocarbon industry, policymakers and energy experts must address the misalignment that continues to undermine growth and stability.
A major challenge lies in Nigeria’s upstream hydrocarbon exploration and production sector, where investment has been inconsistent and poorly managed. The limited funds that have flowed into the sector have often been mismanaged by the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s longstanding upstream joint venture (JV) agreements have become outdated and unattractive to international oil companies, many of which have chosen to exit these arrangements. This structural misalignment has hampered crude oil and natural gas production, affecting both domestic supply and export volumes.
Compounding this challenge is the delay in reforming Nigeria’s petroleum laws. The Nigerian Petroleum Act (1969) remained largely unchanged for decades, and while the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) of 2021 sought to address this, its implementation has been mired in political interference. Key issues such as the abolition of the petroleum equalisation fund and the long-standing subsidy regime remain unresolved. These uncertainties persist partly because there are no reliable records of petroleum product volumes from NNPC and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). As a result, policymakers have struggled to develop a transparent, data-driven approach to managing supply and pricing.
Unresolved subsidy claims and equalisation fund entitlements continue to weigh heavily on the national treasury. While these issues are largely domestic and political, they have significantly impaired Nigeria’s investment environment. President Bola Tinubu’s decision to end the fuel subsidy was a bold and necessary move, but years of delay in implementing reforms have left Nigeria trailing behind global industry advancements.
Today, Nigeria faces a critical challenge: balancing domestic energy demands with export commitments. Crude oil production has fallen to an average of 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd), barely meeting the country’s OPEC allocation. This shortfall has made it difficult to supply local refineries with sufficient crude oil and natural gas, further stalling production at facilities such as the Nigeria LNG plant.
Transparency deficits in hydrocarbon accounting, environmental assessments, and community engagement frameworks have also contributed to Nigeria’s energy woes. NNPC’s neglected assets — including oil blocks, refineries, pipelines, and storage depots — have deteriorated, compounding the country’s reliance on imported petroleum products for over two decades. This dependence has distorted Nigeria’s competitive advantage in petroleum pricing.
Despite these challenges, local investors have recognised opportunities within Nigeria’s upstream and midstream sectors. The Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in Lagos stands out as a major development, alongside notable players such as Seplat, Aradel, Conoil, Aiteo, Waltersmith, Heritage Oil, First E&P, Sahara Energy, and Green Energy. However, these investors have faced significant losses due to bureaucratic bottlenecks and weak regulatory oversight.
The launch of the 650,000 bpd Dangote Refinery has disrupted Nigeria’s long-standing reliance on PMS imports. Yet smaller refineries in Rivers, Imo, and Delta states have struggled to produce enough petroleum products to meet national demand. Meanwhile, the government-owned refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna have remained largely inactive despite costly rehabilitation efforts. While the recently reopened 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt refinery was celebrated with much fanfare, concerns persist over whether it will ever achieve optimal productivity. The status of rehabilitation efforts at the 150,000 bpd Port Harcourt Refinery, 125,000 bpd Warri Refinery, and 110,000 bpd Kaduna Refinery remains unclear.
Nigeria’s declining crude oil output poses a significant threat to energy security. With an average production of 1.6 million bpd, there is barely enough crude to meet both local refinery needs and international supply agreements. The Federal Government’s recent approval of the “naira-for-crude” scheme, which aims to allocate 450,000 bpd to local refineries, is a step in the right direction. However, compliance with this directive remains fragile. Without sufficient domestic crude supply, the Dangote Refinery may be forced to source crude internationally and pay in US dollars. This would ultimately lead to PMS being priced in dollars, undermining the potential benefits of the naira-for-crude scheme.
Such an outcome could worsen Nigeria’s economic challenges, with potential consequences for the naira’s stability — a situation reminiscent of Kenya’s recent currency crisis. To avoid this, the Federal Government must engage with the Dangote Group and other local refiners to establish a clear supply transition timetable. Critical incentives must be provided to ensure sustained production, and both parties must uphold their commitments.
Nigeria’s energy security depends on aligning domestic production with consumer demand while maintaining favourable export conditions. Ongoing tensions between the Dangote Refinery, NNPC, and petroleum importers reflect a fragile cooperation that, if left unresolved, could deter future investment. Price competition is healthy in a robust supply environment, but allowing low-quality PMS imports to undermine local refiners risks damaging the sector’s growth.
The Dangote Refinery, operating at full capacity, has the potential to meet Nigeria’s entire petroleum product demand with surplus for export. However, unless crude oil supply to local refineries is stabilised, Nigerians may fail to benefit from the competitive pricing Dangote’s scale promises.
Resolving these structural issues requires urgency. Nigeria’s energy sector cannot thrive without clear policies, accountable institutions, and a coordinated effort to support local refiners. Only then can Nigeria secure competitive pricing for petroleum products and protect consumers from prolonged economic hardship.
The EDGE Green Building certification program, supported by the Japan Government in Nigeria and globally funded by the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), with initial funding from Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, SECO, recognises Access Bank’s commitment to sustainable building practices and its efforts to reduce energy consumption, water usage, and embodied carbon in building materials.
Access Bank’s Head Office has achieved a 20per cent reduction in energy use, a 33per cent reduction in water use, and a 99 per cent reduction in embodied carbon in materials.
The building features sustainability measures such as insulated roof, high-performance glass, fresh air pre-conditioning system, smart meters for energy, water-efficient faucets in bathrooms and kitchen, efficient water closets and low embodied carbon materials reflecting Access Bank’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
The building implemented retrofits to meet the EDGE water standard by installing flow regulators in all their water closets, faucets and showers.
These reductions in energy, water, and embodied carbon are expected to result in significant cost savings and a reduced environmental footprint for the Head Office.
Commenting on this feat, Gregory Jobome, Executive Director, Risk Management at Access Bank, said:
“At Access Bank, we have always understood that our purpose goes far beyond banking.
We are architects of change, custodians of the future, and now, we stand proudly at the intersection of finance and environmental leadership.
This building and this certification embody our vision to set a new standard for building, operating, and growing responsibly.
“Our collaboration with the EEN team was transformational, and together, we have shown that environmental performance and business performance are not rivals, but partners.
We believe that in that partnership lies the future of banking, the future of corporate Africa, and ultimately, the future of our planet.”
The EDGE certification is a globally recognised standard for green buildings, designed to make buildings more resource efficient.
The certification process involves a rigorous assessment of a building’s design and construction, including independent third-party audits, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of sustainability.
IFC’s EDGE program aims to promote green building practices globally by providing a standardised approach to designing and certifying resource-efficient buildings.
The program has been utilised in nearly 200 countries, with over 100 million square metres in certified floor space, enabling developers worldwide to create buildings that reduce energy use, water consumption, and embodied carbon.
Globally, IFC collaborates with financiers, governments, developers, and building owners to accelerate green building development in emerging markets.
In Nigeria, cumulatively, over 800,000 square meters of offices, homes, hospitals, retail stores, student accommodation, hotels, and mixed-use projects are EDGE-certified.
About IFC
IFC — a member of the World Bank— is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets.
We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries.
In fiscal year 2024, IFC committed a record $56 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging private sector solutions, and mobilising private capital to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet.
For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
Stay Connected with IFC on social media
About EDGE
An innovation of IFC, EDGE helps property developers to build and brand green in a fast, easy and affordable way.
EDGE is supported by free software that offers up solutions to reduce energy, water, and the energy embodied in building materials by at least 20 percent.
EDGE certification is recognised by the major green finance standards and streamlines green debt reporting requirements.
The simplicity and low cost of EDGE, plus its focus on quantifying emission reductions makes it invaluable to map and track a path to zero carbon.
The program has been generously supported by the following donors: The United Kingdom, Austria, Canada, Denmark, ESMAP, EU, Finland, GEF, Hungary, Japan, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. For more information, visit www.edgebuildings.com.
About Access Bank
Access Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Access Holdings Plc, is a leading full-service commercial bank operating through a network of more than 700 branches and service outlets spanning 3 continents, 24 countries and over 60 million customers.
The Bank employs over 28,000 people in its operations in Africa and Europe, with representative offices in China, Lebanon, India, and the UAE.
Access Bank’s parent company, Access Holdings Plc, has been listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange since 1998.
The Bank is a diversified financial institution which combines a strong retail customer franchise and digital platform with deep corporate banking expertise, proven risk management and capital management capabilities.
The Bank services its various markets through three key business segments: Corporate and Investment Banking, Commercial Banking, and Retail Banking.
The Bank has enjoyed what is arguably Africa’s most successful banking growth trajectory in the last 20 years, becoming one of the continent’s largest retail banks.
As part of its continued growth strategy, Access Bank is focused on mainstreaming sustainable business practices into its operations.
The Bank strives to deliver sustainable economic growth that is profitable, environmentally responsible, and socially relevant, helping customers to access more and achieve their dreams.
The Bank is dedicated to empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through its profound understanding of customer needs and its unwavering commitment to supporting business growth.
With over 170,000 SMEs supported to date, Access Bank embodies its mantra, ‘We Love SMEs’, by continuously enhancing services and fostering business development.
The Abia state government has issued a stern warning to building developers, stating that it will no longer approve the construction of three-storey buildings without elevators. This move aims to ensure that buildings in the state are safe, habitable, and meet standard practices.According to Architect Uche Ukeje, General Manager of the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA), the strict implementation of building control measures will eliminate building collapse, protect lives and properties, and promote environmental friendly buildings.
The government has emphasized that all storey buildings with three floors must be fitted with elevators. Developers must also obtain necessary approvals before commencing construction and ensure stage-by-stage monitoring and supervision of building projects.New Building Regulations:- _Elevator Requirement_: All three-storey buildings must have elevators.- _Drainage and Waste Disposal_: Developers must submit plans for drainage and waste disposal, which must be approved before construction begins.- _Environmental Protection_: GADA is working with environmental health officials to arrest and prosecute individuals who destroy the environment.
The Abia government has digitalized its operations, allowing developers to track the status of their projects online. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in arrest, prosecution, and project shutdown.¹
Representatives of the 197 police officers recently retired by the Police Service Commission, PSC, over “attainment of 60 years of age and 35 years of service” have debunked some misleading media reports alleging that they were sacked over corruption, forgery, overstayed and falsification of age. Rising from a meeting held at the nation’s capital, Abuja, last weekend, some of the affected police officers retired compulsorily last month by PSC said the issue the authority claimed to have retired them for is strictly on regularisation of first date of entry which various courts has settled. One of the aggrieved retirees who pleaded anonymity, said: “The truth about our case ( Courses 18,19 and 20) is all about when we ought to be due for retirement from the Force as Force Entrants. It has nothing to do with corruption, forgery, overstayed or age falsification. What actually happened to our compulsory retirement is a policy somersault” Speaking further, he disclosed that their grievances are all about the somersault by the same PSC that in 2017 ordered the then Inspector-General of Police, IGP, to implement an Appeal Court ruling on the case of date of appointment. “To our dismay, some reporters, in their unverified reports have tarnished our image by alleging that we were sacked over corruption and other vices”,said the retiree. One of the affected officer, a retired Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), who also pleaded anonymity, enjoined reporters to cross-check facts before rushing to publish their stories. According to him, such unverified reports have done a lot of damage to several families. He stressed: “The issue we had with PSC has been clarified by the Appeal Court in 2017. We believe that PSC is not the Supreme Court of Nigeria”. When asked to throw some light on the policy somersault, one of the officers explained that in 1989 during the administration of Alhaji Mohammadu Jimeta Gambo as the Inspector-general of Police, IGP, there was a policy that Non- Commissioned Officers, NCOs who got university degrees and were desirious of becoming senior police officers of Assistant Superitendent of Police, ASP, would be deem by the police authority to have resigned and to start afresh from the date they were appointed as officers. This, by implication, means that such officers date of entry into the force will start from when they were appointed as officers not when they enlisted as constables. The officer revealed that an attempt was made some years later by another police authority to reverse it. This , he said led to some of the beneficiaries of force entrants (included) are those of courses 18,19 and 20 to challenge this at The Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja Judicial Division in suit nos NICN/ABJ/345/2019 and NICN/353/2019.The judgement delivered on the 13th January 2021 in the suits, according to him, was in their favour . He disclosed that the decision by the PSC to order the IGP to retire them without recourse to due process has led to series of embarrassment to them and their families. They averred that they are being punished for a policy they never initiated.
Four drug kingpins: Ogbuji Christian Ifeanyi; Iloduba Augustine Chinonye; Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don) and Zidon Zurga have been convicted and sentenced to a total of 95 years in prison by the Federal High Court in Lagos and Yola, Adamawa state over trafficking of cocaine and skunk worth over N4.6 billion. Ogbuji was intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos on Wednesday 18th September 2024 during an inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight passengers from Addis Ababa to Lagos for importing 817 wraps of cocaine weighing 19.40 kilograms with an estimated street value of Four Billion Six Hundred and Fifty-Six Million Naira (N4,656,000,000.00).
That was barely 16 months after the 48-year-old businessman was arrested and convicted for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine. He was first arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, on Wednesday 10th May 2023 upon arrival from Uganda via Addis Ababa, onboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 951 for ingesting 93 pellets of cocaine with a gross weight of 1.986kg. He was subsequently arraigned before Federal High Court 12 Abuja presided over by Hon. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon in charge no: FHC/ABJ/CR/192/2023 and convicted on 13th July 2023. Ogbuji was sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of paying a fine of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000.00), which he paid and was set free.
Not done with crime, Ogbuji was again arrested at the Lagos airport with the large consignment of cocaine on 18th September 2024, after which he was arraigned before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court Lagos in charge number: FHC/L/845C on 16th January 2025. He was eventually sentenced on 28th February to five years imprisonment on count one with an option of seven million naira fine and 10 years imprisonment on count two without an option of fine. In the event that he failed to pay the N7million fine, the judge ruled that the convict will serve a total of 15 years in jail consecutively. The court ordered the forfeiture of monetary exhibits and other items found on him at the time of his arrest. In his own case, 51-year-old Iludoba was arrested by NDLEA operatives on new year eve, 31st December 2021 at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, for cocaine trafficking. He was found to have ingested 58 wraps of the illicit drug, 48 of which he excreted on transit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia while he expelled the balance of 10 in NDLEA custody after his arrest on 1st January 2022. He was thereafter arraigned on two counts in charge number FHC/EN/CR/18/2022 before Justice Folashade Giwa Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Enugu. After three years of diligent prosecution, Iludoba was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment on each count, bringing his total years in jail to 10 years, which will run concurrently from the date of his conviction, Wednesday 5th March 2025.
In the case of Shuaibu Nuhu Isa (a.k.a Don), 55, and Zidon Zurga, 50, they were arrested by NDLEA operatives on 25th November 2024 along Numan- Yola road with 500.800kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, concealed in a pilot Toyota Hilux vehicle marked Lagos NT 829 AAA and a Prado SUV with a fake presidency number plate 01B-266 FG. They were later arraigned before Justice Bala Usman in charge number: FHC/YL/150 /2024 and convicted on 7th February 2025 to 35 years imprisonment each on two counts, bringing the combined years in jail for both of them to 70 years or pay a fine of N25 million each. The court also ordered the interim forfeiture of the two jeeps used in trafficking the illicit drug consignment. Reacting to the conviction of the trio, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the trial courts, the teams of officers who investigated and prosecuted the three cases at the MMIA Strategic Command in Lagos, Akanu Ibiam International Airport Special Area Command, Enugu and the Adamawa State Command for their diligence and professionalism. He said “the conviction and the forfeiture of the convicts’ instruments of crime will further strengthen the deterrent effect of our ongoing effort to totally dismantle every drug network in the country.”
