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Nigeria gets right to host 3rd African Defence, War Colleges Forum next year

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Nigeria has been elected to host the 3rd Edition of the Forum of African Defence and War Colleges’ Commandants (FADWCC) next year.

Spokesman of the National Defence College Nigeria (NDC) Navy Captain Mohammed Tukur Mohammed, who dropped the hint yesterday, said the hosting right was announced by the Director of the Royal College of Higher Military Studies (CREMS), Col.-Maj. Lahcen El-Hajjami, at the recently concluded 2nd Edition of the forum in Kenitra, Morocco.

The NDC spokesman said the announcement was sequel to a unanimous vote by member-countries in attendance.

According to him, with the hosting right, Nigeria becomes the second host and first Anglophone country to play host to the Forum.

He said: “The FADWCC was conceptualized in 2024 to forge partnerships among the defence and war colleges aimed at proffering solutions to common problems facing African nations in addition to enhancing collaborations in higher professional military education.

“The leader of Nigeria’s delegation and Commandant of NDC Nigeria, Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Morakinyo Olotu, accepted the hosting right on behalf of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and received the symbolic hosting flag from his Moroccan counterpart.”

Navy Captain Tukur said the 2025 FADWCC with the theme, “Artificial Intelligence and Defence”, was attended by commandants of defence and war colleges from 14 African nations.

The countries, according to him, include Angola, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire and Ethiopia. Others are Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, and Zambia.

He said: “The attendance this year is a remarkable increase from 8 in the maiden edition in 2024.

“It is expected that the 3rd Edition in Abuja in 2026 would witness attendance by more commandants of defence and war colleges across Africa.

“The Nigerian delegation also had the commandants of the Army, Navy and Air Force War Colleges and their spouses as well as some academic staff members from the four colleges,” he added.

Rea Admiral Olotu expressed Nigeria’s readiness to host a befitting Forum in Abuja come 2026.

He said the Commandant thanked his colleagues for the confidence reposed in Nigeria to host the next edition of the Forum with a promise to surpass the high standard set by Morocco.

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‘I entrusted over $9billion (N13.9 trillion) to Dauda Lawal Dare, the current governor of Zamfara State’: Ex-Petroleum Minister Diezani

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ByIbrahim Bamidele
Sep 17, 2025, 7:20 PM WAT

Former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, who served under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and later fled to the United Kingdom over fears of investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has alleged that she entrusted $9 billion (approximately ₦13.9 trillion) to Dauda Lawal Dare, the current Governor of Zamfara State.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed that former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is reportedly battling stage two cancer, is pleading with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to permit her return to Nigeria to confess her alleged financial misconduct while in office.

Speaking to journalists in London after a medical appointment, Mrs. Diezani admitted she is now prepared to disclose details about the billions of dollars she is accused of misappropriating during her tenure as Minister of Petroleum.

‘’I am a born again Christian and currently suffering from second stage cancer, which my United Kingdom’s physician adviseded me to continue taking medication for the rest of my life. Yes, no human is perfect, but some time, God Almighty allows some of such to happen

I have been accused of misappropriation when I was the petroleum minister, which is true! but I would like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians to forgive me to come back home and offer my contribution because life is temporal”, a statement from EFCC says Diezani said in tears

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The statement from EFCC further reads;

“My husband and my entire family members including My Nigeria lawyer based in the United Kingdom knew my relationship with Dauda Lawal Dare, the current Zamfara State governor whow I entrusted over 9 billion dollars for safe keeping while he was the Executive Director of the First Bank Nigeria PLC .

“Sadly, it has reached a point where Mr. Dauda Lawal no longer answers my calls and has even collaborated with the UK police to place me under surveillance, perhaps with the intention of claiming the money I entrusted to him after my death,” she said.

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Court restrains NUPENG from going on strike, disrupting Dangote refinery’s operations

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The National Industrial Court has granted an interim injunction restraining the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) from blocking Nigerian roads, or frustrating and shutting down the operations of Dangote refinery, MRS Oil Nigeria Limited, and MRS Oil and Gas Company Limited.

The court also restrained NUPENG and other drivers’ associations from embarking on an industrial action or compelling other truck drivers to join in its industrial action.

Emmanuel Subilim, the presiding judge, delivered the ruling on Wednesday following an ex parte motion filed by George Ibrahim, the refinery’s lawyer.

Granting the ex parte, the judge said ‘irreparable damage” may be caused to Dangote refinery if the necessary orders were not granted.

Ibrahim approached the court with an ex parte motion filed alongside the originating processes and a motion on notice, dated and filed September 15.

The lawyer prayed the court to direct NUPENG and its members to continue petroleum trucking services to the refinery, MRS, and the Nigerian public pending the determination of the motion on notice.

In an affidavit deposed by Ahmed Hashem, the group’s general manager, government and strategic relations of the refinery, the applicants provided an undertaking of damages to the organisation if the court ultimately rules against the restraining request.

After hearing Ibrahim, the judge held that “this court, having satisfied itself that there is a serious issue to be tried, that the balance of convenience tilts in favour of the Applicants (Dangote Refinery), that irreparable damage may be occasioned if the necessary orders are not granted, and that the Applicants have given an undertaking as to damages”.

He ruled that NUPENG ought to be restrained, granting interim injunction on the refinery’s request.

‘RESTRAINING ORDER TO LAST FOR SEVEN DAYS’

The judge noted that the restraining orders would remain in effect for seven days.

He further directed the applicants to serve the respondents with the motion on notice and all accompanying processes in the suit within seven days from the date of the order.

The judge also noted that the court’s authority to sit during the ongoing vacation would expire on September 23.

Consequently, he ordered that the case file be forwarded to the president of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for reassignment to another judge, who will hear and determine the motion on notice as well as the substantive case on its merits. 

On September 11, NUPENG placed its members on red alert for the resumption of its nationwide industrial action — two days after it suspended its strike action, in protest against Dangote refinery’s “anti-union practices”.

The union said it made the decision after Sayyu Dantata, the owner of Mrs Oil, allegedly instructed his truck drivers, who had been NUPENG-Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) members for several years, to remove union stickers from their trucks.

NUPENG said the action led to an altercation between the truck drivers and its officials.

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Edo Govt rescues citizen poisoned in Burkina Faso

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The Edo State Government has successfully repatriated an indigene, Godstime Uwoghiren, who has been battling life-threatening health complications after allegedly being poisoned in Burkina Faso.

Uwoghiren, who was said to have been poisoned out of jealousy for purchasing a motorcycle, had been struggling with paralysis and deteriorating health for over three years before Governor Monday Okpebholo intervened to secure his return.

According to the Director-General of the Edo State Migration Agency, Lucky Agazumah, the matter was first brought to the agency’s attention four months ago, prompting the governor to act swiftly in collaboration with the Nigerian Embassy.

Uwoghiren arrived at Benin Airport around 1 pm on Wednesday aboard a flight from Burkina Faso. He was received by Agazumah and officials of the agency before being rushed by ambulance to the Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin City, for emergency medical attention.

Agazumah revealed that the rescue mission faced initial resistance from some family members but emphasised that the state government remained committed to saving his life.

“If not for Governor Okpebholo’s quick intervention, this young man would have died quietly in a foreign land. He was poisoned out of sheer envy because he bought a motorcycle. We caution Edo youths not to be deceived by the illusion of greener pastures abroad, as many Nigerians are being lured into hardship and modern slavery,” Agazumah said.

Uwoghiren’s mother, Mrs Susan Uwoghiren, expressed gratitude to the state government for stepping in to save her son. She disclosed that before travelling to Burkina Faso, Godstime had trained as an automobile mechanic in Nigeria.

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