Newsclickng, Lagos (2025)

22/09/2025

The Federal Government has revoked 1,263 mineral licences for failure to meet annual service fee obligations.

According to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, the revoked licences include:

584 exploration licences

65 mining leases

144 quarry licences

470 small-scale mining leases

The decision, approved by Minister Dele Alake, followed a recommendation from the Mining Cadastral Office (MCO). The revoked licences will be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal.

Alake stressed that the revocation aims to discourage speculators and open up space for genuine investors

He added that the outstanding service debts are still owed and directed that the list of defaulters be forwarded to the EFCC for recovery.

MCO DG Simon Nkom disclosed that out of 1,957 initial defaulters listed in a gazette on June 19, 2025, only those who failed to reconcile payments or comply were finally revoked.

This move brings total mineral titles revoked under the Tinubu administration to 3,794, including 619 revoked for fee default and 912 for dormancy last year.

The ministry said the revocations are part of ongoing reforms to sanitise Nigeria’s mining sector and boost investor confidence.

22/09/2025

The Enugu State Police Command has dismissed reports claiming that the residence of Frank Mba, deputy inspector-general of police (IGP), in Ezimo, Udenu LGA, was attacked.

On Sunday, reports surfaced alleging that gunmen suspected to be kidnappers stormed Mba’s home in Enugu and killed a police officer on duty.

In a statement, Daniel Ndukwe, spokesperson of the command, described the reports as false.

He clarified that there was no attempt to kidnap the IGP’s parents or relatives, contrary to a viral social media post.

22/09/2025

The Federal Government has set out plans to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy among Nigerians by 2030, aiming to train and empower at least 30 million citizens by 2027.

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, represented by the Director of Stakeholder Management, Aristotle Onumo, disclosed this in Abuja at the Grand Finale of the Tech4Dev Digital for All Challenge 2.0.

Abdullahi explained that NITDA is driving the initiative through strategic partnerships, particularly with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and educational institutions nationwide.

He said, “The DFA 2.0 competition aligns with NITDA’s vision. Our goal is to ensure 95 per cent of Nigerians become digitally literate by 2030. By 2027, we want to see 30 million Nigerians trained and empowered. We cannot achieve this alone, which is why we are working with partners.”

Highlighting NYSC’s role, Abdullahi stated that the agency trains corps members as Digital Literacy Champions deployed across the country. “Currently, every local government area has Champions training citizens. Our portal also provides real-time data on the number of Nigerians trained,” he added.

He revealed that NITDA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, has integrated digital literacy into the national curriculum at all educational levels. “Digital literacy is now part of the curriculum for primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. For example, Nasarawa State University has embedded it into its General Studies programme. By the end of their first year, students earn Cisco certification, preparing them for the digital economy,” he said.

22/09/2025

The police have launched a manhunt for the gunmen who murdered Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya, a Catholic priest in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Giwa, directed the Udenu Area Commander, together with heads of tactical and operational squads, to track down the fleeing assailants immediately after the incident was reported.

According to Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, operatives under the Udenu Area Command have arrested thirty-eight suspects following bush combing and raids on criminal hideouts in the area. He said incriminating items were recovered, and the suspects are currently undergoing screening.

20/09/2025

Across Lagos, the presence of agbo—a traditional herbal concoction prepared from leaves, roots, and bark—is unmistakable. Bottles line makeshift stalls in markets, hawkers carry steaming jerrycans through traffic, and customers wait with nylon sachets in hand.

More than a cultural marker, agbo represents livelihood, health practices, and an ongoing debate about safety and regulation.

Our latest Special Report examines in detail the myth, facts and safety concerns around alternative medicine and how the government can bridge the gap.

19/09/2025

The commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Cross River state, Morrison Ogbonna, was discovered dead in a Calabar hotel.

According to reports, his colleagues went to pick him up for an assignment on Thursday morning but found his lifeless body inside the hotel room.

“They knocked repeatedly on his door without any response, then alerted the hotel management, who opened the room and found him dead,” NAN quoted a source as saying.

19/09/2025

The Federal Government has disbursed ₦330 billion in cash to poor and vulnerable Nigerians through the National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO).

This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, at a meeting of the Special Presidential Panel on the Social Investment Programme in Abuja on Wednesday.

In a statement shared by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, on his official X handle on Thursday, Edun said the social protection programme was back on track to cushion the effects of rising price levels.

“We are pleased to report that the social protection programme put in place as a safety net to help people cope with the rising price level is now firmly back on track,” he said.

Edun explained that about 19.7 million poor and vulnerable households, representing more than 70 million individuals, have been captured in the National Social Register.

He added that the initiative was being funded from the $800 World Bank facility, with cash already transferred to 15 million households.

19/09/2025

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has once again re-arraigned Olu Agunloye, former minister of power and steel, over alleged irregularities in the award of the Mambila Hydroelectric Power Station contract.

Agunloye appeared on Thursday before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Apo, where he faced an amended seven-count charge bordering on disobeying presidential directives, gratification, and forgery.

At the hearing, M. K. Hussain, who stood in for Abba Muhammed, EFCC’s counsel, told the court he was prepared to proceed with the cross-examination of the third prosecution witness. He also disclosed that the prosecution had filed a second amended charge and requested that the defendant take a plea.

Adeola Adedipe, counsel for the defendant, did not oppose the move. The amended charge was read to Agunloye, who entered a “not guilty” plea.

In the amended charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/617/2023, the EFCC alleged that on May 22, 2003, Agunloye knowingly disobeyed a directive of the president issued at the federal executive council (FEC) meeting of May 21, 2003, by approving a contract with Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL) for the construction of the 3,960 MW Mambila Hydroelectric Power Station — an act said to contravene section 123 of the penal code.

19/09/2025

The Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils and Ancillary Matters has urged members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), FCT chapter, to suspend their ongoing strike immediately.

At an emergency meeting on Thursday, the committee—led by Chairman Senator David Jimkuta (Taraba South)—met with the leadership of the striking doctors and pledged to engage urgently with the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to resolve their demands.

The senators assured the doctors that their grievances were receiving attention and promised to escalate the matter directly to the Minister.

Senator Jimkuta acknowledged the devastating effect of the strike on healthcare delivery in the capital and appealed to doctors to resume duties while negotiations continue.

18/09/2025

Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu has cut short his trip to the United States ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York to mourn staff of the Bank and her sister companies who died in the Afriland Towers fire incident on Tuesday.

Elumelu confirmed the deaths in an emotional statement on Wednesday, describing the incident as devastating.

“We and others lost colleagues in the fire at Afriland Towers. As a community, we are grieving for all and doing what we can to support their families and loved ones.”

Elumelu also addressed an initial statement issued by UBA Group’s communications team, saying it was “put out in haste, without understanding the full gravity of what happened.”

He added that the statement “does not reflect how deeply saddened we are. The loss of a life is painful, all the more so when it is family and friends. We are praying for all the lives lost.”

He further shared that the group had paused operations to honour those who perished, emphasising the personal and organisational impact of the tragedy.

“Our Group paused today to reflect and remember all who passed. They are irreplaceable and will remain in our memories always. May their souls rest in perfect peace and may God comfort their loved ones and us all.

18/09/2025

The Plateau State Government has received a fact-finding report that lays bare the scale of violence across the state over the past 24 years.

Presenting the two-volume report in Jos, committee chairman Major General Rogers Nicholas (rtd.) disclosed that more than 420 communities were attacked between 2001 and 2025, resulting in nearly 12,000 deaths and the displacement of thousands.

The committee consulted security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders, civil society groups, and visited affected communities across all 17 local government areas.

Its findings linked the violence to ethnic mistrust, land disputes, kidnappings, cattle rustling, and illegal mining. Porous borders were also identified as routes used by attackers. Testimonies consistently pointed to armed Fulani militias as the main perpetrators, though other criminal groups were implicated.

18/09/2025

Kano State has emerged as the best-performing state in the 2025 National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for internal candidates, marking a historic milestone for the state and its education system.

NECO Registrar, Professor Ibrahim Wushishi, announced the results on Wednesday at a press conference in Minna, Niger State.

Kano State led the country with 68,159 candidates—5.02% of the national total—earning five credits or more, including English and Mathematics. This outstanding achievement placed Kano at the top of the 2025 NECO SSCE performance index.

This success followed sweeping education reforms and major investments introduced by Governor Abba Yusuf’s administration.

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