Amnesty International has called for a transparent and impartial investigation into the killing of at least nine women protesters in Lamorde Local Government Area of Adamawa State, blaming the deaths on what it described as the military’s unlawful and excessive use of force.

In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, the rights group said the military opened fire on women who were demonstrating, using live ammunition without any warning.

“The Nigerian military’s response to a demonstration by firing live ammunition without warning is unlawful,” Amnesty said.

The organisation explained that several other women were injured after being hit by bullets in different parts of their bodies. 

It described the incident as horrific and accused security forces of handling civilian protests in a dangerous and unacceptable manner.

Amnesty also criticised the government’s handling of the growing ethnic conflict between the Bachama and Chobo communities, which reportedly started from disputes over land and the theft of a motorcycle.

“The Nigerian authorities’ response to the communal violence between Bachama and Chobo tribes is totally inadequate, too slow and ineffective,” the statement said.

According to Amnesty, even in cases where security agencies responded to violence, their approach often resulted in more casualties and destruction instead of restoring peace.

“In cases where the Nigerian security agencies did respond to communal violence, as it happened in Lamorde LGA on Monday 8 December 2025, they use excessive or unlawful force resulting in even more deaths and destruction.     

“The continuous failure to investigate such gross human rights violations is fueling a dangerous disdain for the sanctity of human life in Nigeria,” the group added.

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The Secretary to the Abia State Government (SSG), Professor Kenneth Kalu, has received approval from Governor Alex Otti to embark on a leave of absence to address “some serious domestic matters” that require his physical presence in Canada.

Governor Otti announced the development in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, during the State Executive Council (EXCO) Meeting on Monday.

Governor Otti noted the enormous responsibility of the SSG’s office, explaining that he could not allow Professor Kalu to work remotely.

He thanked the Professor for the “excellent services” he rendered to the state during his tenure and wished him well as he commenced his leave.

Addressing the State EXCO, Professor Kalu expressed his profound gratitude to Governor Otti for the opportunity to serve in a government that he believes has “wiped the tears of Abia people and made them proud.”

He assured his colleagues that he would continue to contribute to the development of the state from afar.

“Above all, having the opportunity to serve in a government that has wiped the tears of Abia people and made them proud, was a dream come through, hence my gratitude to Governor Otti for his support,” Professor Kalu said.

Professor Kalu, an accomplished Chartered Accountant who hails from Abam in Arochukwu Local Government Area, was a Senior University Don in Canada before his appointment.

He had taken a leave of absence from his academic role to join Governor Otti’s campaign and was subsequently appointed the SSG following Otti’s victory at the polls.

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Talks to take over Beta Glass, Nigeria’s second best-performing stock this year, by a new majority owner, Helios Investment Partners, has been completed with a deal reached to consummate the transaction at $100 million.

Frigoglass Group, the majority shareholder, closed the deal with the London-based private equity firm, with the understanding that cash settlement will follow latest by next March, Beta Glass announced Tuesday.

It will sell “the entirety of its shareholding in Frigoinvest Nigeria Holdings B.V, the holding company of its Nigeria glass business and Frigoglass Industries Nigeria Limited,” the company said in a regulatory filing.

Frigoglass Industries and Frigoinvest Nigeria hold 61.9 per cent and 8.2 per cent interests respectively in the glass container maker, putting the potential stake to be snapped up by Helios at 70.1 per cent.

Africa-focused Helios Investment is buying Frigoglass’ stake on behalf of the funds to which it provides advisory services.

Its investment interest included fintechs, digital infrastructure and tech-driven businesses, the information on its website shows.

The acquisition needs a nod from regulators to fly, and plans are in place for Beta Glass to help the acquirer through the regulatory approval process to ease transition.

Market performance

Traders have been piling into Beta Glass’ shares since April, when the release of its first quarter accounts showed that after-tax profit soared nearly seven times to N10 billion, compared a year earlier.

That helped bring the stock, which until then had been in obscurity, to increased investors’ attention.

With year-to-date yield at 531 per cent, it is so far this year Nigeria’s best-performing stock after NCR Nigeria.

Return on equity January through September stood at 30 per cent, compared to 12.8 per cent in the same period of last year.

Bloomberg, citing an interview with Frigoglass’ chair, Gagik Akparian in September, reported that the company wanted to divest from Beta Glass so it can use the proceeds to repay maturing senior secured bonds.

The strong profit performance of the company, which is West and Central Africa’s biggest glass container producer, makes it a strong attraction to buyers, according to the chairman, the news outlet said.

Francophone Africa’s expansion push

In February, Beta Glass unveiled plans to extend its footprints in French-speaking African countries.

As of then, its reach, apart from its base Nigeria, where it runs two glass manufacturing plants, spanned at least twelve export markets on the continent.

It is committing €17.5 million to scale-up plans in the West and Central Africa region, hoping to ride on the back of Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement to access promising markets.

READ ALSO: FCMB named Nigeria’s Best SME-Focused Bank

“What we’ve done also is looking first to our closest neighbours, a little bit further away, the whole continent, and then anywhere in the world. But first is Nigeria. First. Second is ECOWAS. Third is the whole continent,” CEO Alexander Gandis said.

It produces 650 million glass containers every year. Annual crate production capacity is at 5.5 million units while that of crown is at 3.2 billion units, based on its website data.

The company said it invested N15.3 billion on expanding output capacity in the last five years.

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December 10, 2025December 10, 2025

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By Augustine Aminu

The quest by emerging talents and creative entrepreneurs to access funding received a major boost at the just-concluded Beeta Arts Festival 2025, where over 30 creative companies successfully pitched their projects to investors through the Creative Catalyst Fund by Chapel Hill Denham.

From Filmmakers and fashion brands to theatre producers and digital content studios, young businesses seeking growth presented investment-ready concepts in hopes of securing equity financing.

Our correspondent reports that the Beeta Arts Festival had partnered with Chapel Hill Denham’s Creative Catalyst Fund to provide emerging talents in Nigeria’s creative industry with access to investment and business financing.

The partnership, now in its second year, is fast becoming one of the most impactful avenues for financing in Nigeria’s creative economy, a sector that continues to generate global influence but struggles with access to credible funding.

By connecting founders directly with investors, the initiative is bridging the mistrust and structural barriers that have long made creative ventures appear too risky for business investment.

Beeta Arts Festival organisers described the initiative as a major step toward addressing one of the most persistent challenges in Nigeria’s creative economy which is access to credible financing.

Founder of the Beeta Arts Festival, Bikiya Graham-Douglas, said the partnership is helping to build confidence between investors and creative businesses, especially in a market where mistrust has long hindered financial support for arts ventures.

She said, “There’s been a lot of distrust and misunderstanding. But we are hoping that the bridge groomed by this partnership will build trust and yield more opportunities both for creative businesses seeking funding and for investment organisations to feel comfortable that they will get their return on investment.”

Graham-Douglas added that improved investor confidence will not only unlock financing but stimulate competition, professionalism and innovation across Nigeria’s growing creative industry.

Managing Director of Chapel Hill SME Limited, Ms. Tosin Dabiri, who was present at the pitch session noted that the Creative Catalyst Fund was established to support businesses with strong potential but limited financing opportunities, adding that the festival provides a credible platform to meet such enterprises.

Industry insiders meanwhile praised the partnership between Beeta Arts Festival and Capital Hill, describing it as a practical step toward improving access to capital for creative entrepreneurs.

They also expressed confidence that continued engagement with platforms like the Beeta Arts Festival will deepen trust and open more funding channels for young creators with bankable business ideas.

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Basheer Lado Mohammed, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Senate matters, on Tuesday, received former presidential aide, Reno Omokri following his nomination as a non-career ambassador.

The move is part of the lobbying process to get the Senate’s nod after Omokri’s nomination caused uproar in the polity.

Lado said Omokri’s nomination reflects the president’s commitment to building a more dynamic and impactful diplomatic corps.

“With his strong communication skills and passion for national unity, I am confident that Ambassador-designate Omokri will excel in this new role,” Lado wrote on Facebook.

Lado said his office remains committed to supporting the president’s vision and strengthening engagements that advance Nigeria’s interests.

He said Omokri presented him with a traditional walking stick made from sapele timber from Delta state, which he described as beautifully crafted.

On his part, Omokri described Lado as a gentleman and praised his nobility, efficiency and service to the president.

“I thank him for receiving me today and enriching my knowledge with his deep insights,” Omokri wrote on his social media pages.

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The Secretary to the Abia State Government, Professor Kenneth Kalu, has formally begun a leave of absence after securing the approval of Governor Alex Otti.

The development was disclosed during Monday’s State Executive Council meeting, where the governor confirmed that the SSG would be travelling to Canada to attend to “some serious domestic matters” that need his presence.

Governor Otti, while explaining the decision to council members, noted that the duties of the SSG are too central to the administration to be handled remotely.

He stressed that the office demands physical coordination, frequent communication with ministries, and close oversight of government activities.

According to him, allowing the SSG to function from abroad would affect the pace and cohesion of governance.

The governor also used the moment to appreciate Professor Kalu for what he described as outstanding stewardship since the administration came on board.

He commended him for the “excellent services” he has rendered, adding that the government remains grateful for his commitment and sacrifice.

Responding during the session, Professor Kalu expressed deep appreciation to Governor Otti and members of the council.

He said serving in the administration was an honour, noting that he was privileged to be part of a government that, in his words, has “wiped the tears of Abia people and made them proud.”

He assured the EXCO that he would still offer support to the government even while abroad. “Above all, having the opportunity to serve in a government that has wiped the tears of Abia people and made them proud, was a dream come through, hence my gratitude to Governor Otti for his support,” he said.

Before his appointment as SSG, Professor Kalu was a respected academic in Canada, where he served as a Senior University Don. He is also a Chartered Accountant and hails from Abam in Arochukwu Local Government Area.

His move into Abia politics began when he took a leave from his academic work to join Governor Otti’s campaign, eventually becoming a key member of the administration after the 2023 election victory.

However, his temporary departure creates a notable gap in the state’s administrative hierarchy, given the strategic role of the SSG in coordinating government operations.

The government is expected to announce interim arrangements in the coming days to ensure continuity.

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A young Nigerian graduate has shared his emotional experience on social media after his family refused to attend his convocation ceremony.

The absence, he revealed, was because he graduated with a second class upper degree rather than the first class honours they had hoped for.

Celebration Without Loved Ones

The young man, identified as @nemipromise5 on TikTok, explained how his special day, meant for celebration, turned into a bittersweet moment.

He revealed that none of his family members showed up to witness him receive his degree.

Graduation With a 2:1 Degree

According to the graduate, the disappointment stemmed from his academic result.

His relatives reportedly chose to stay away because he graduated with a second class upper division, rather than the top first class grade.

Staying Positive Despite Hurt

Despite feeling hurt by the snub, the graduate shared that he tried to enjoy the occasion in his own way.

In a TikTok video, he was seen smiling and dressed in his graduation gown, determined to celebrate his achievement regardless of his family’s absence.

In his words: “Keeping myself happy because life didn’t end when my family members decided not to attend my convocation simply because I graduated with a 2:1 instead of a first class honours. We move.”

Netizens React

The video quickly gained attention on TikTok, sparking mixed reactions from users

See below;

@nemipromise5

We move #graduated #graduate #classof2024 #riversstateuniversity #goviral #viraltiktok #fyp

♬ daylight – overlays ⸆⸉

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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said the global aircraft supply chain is unlikely to return to normal before 2031 to 2034, following years of delivery shortfalls and a record-high order backlog that continues to constrain airlines worldwide.

According to IATA’s latest global outlook, aircraft deliveries began to recover in late 2025, and production is expected to accelerate in 2026, but supply will still fall short of demand for much of the decade.

The association noted that the industry is grappling with a deep structural mismatch between airline requirements and production capacity, driven by irreversible delivery losses over the past five years.

“The International Air Transport Association (IATA) updated its analysis of aerospace supply chain bottlenecks, noting that aircraft availability remains one of the most significant constraints on industry growth in its just-released global outlook. 

“While deliveries of new aircraft began to pick up in late 2025 and production is expected to accelerate in 2026, demand is forecast to outstrip the availability of aircraft and engines. 

“The normalization of the structural mismatch between airline requirements and production capacity is unlikely before 2031-2034 due to irreversible losses on deliveries over the past five years and a record-high order backlog,” the report read in part.

The order backlog has now surpassed 17,000 aircraft, equivalent to almost 12 years of current production and well above the long-standing historical norm of about 30 to 40 percent of the active fleet.

The report noted that delivery shortfalls have grown to at least 5,300 aircraft, forcing airlines to keep older airplanes in service for longer. The average fleet age has climbed to 15.1 years, including 12.8 years for passenger aircraft and nearly 20 years for cargo fleets. Despite this ageing fleet, more than 5,000 aircraft remain in storage, highlighting persistent supply chain inefficiencies.

More insights 

IATA said airlines are feeling the impact across their operations, with higher leasing and maintenance costs, reduced scheduling flexibility, and slower progress on sustainability targets.

Travellers are also being affected, as the tighter balance between demand and available aircraft continues to push fares higher in many markets.

• The association explained that several factors are intensifying delays, including persistent engine shortages, longer aircraft certification timelines that now extend up to five years, and supply pressures linked to US-China trade tensions. A shortage of skilled labour in engine and component manufacturing has further slowed the pace of production recovery.

To ease these challenges, IATA recommended a series of measures such as opening up the aftermarket to enable more competition in Maintenance, Repair and Operations, improving visibility across the supplier network, expanding repair and parts capacity, and adopting more predictive maintenance tools to reduce downtime and enhance fleet availability.

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Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has criticised what he described as the excessive deployment of security operatives around the family of President Bola Tinubu, warning that such overreach undermines Nigeria’s security priorities.

Speaking at the 20th Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) Awards in Lagos on Tuesday, the literary icon recounted his recent encounter with what he termed a “battalion-level” security detail attached to the president’s son at a hotel in Ikoyi.

Soyinka said he had initially assumed a film was being shot on the hotel premises due to the sheer number of heavily armed personnel he saw.

“I was coming out of my hotel, and I saw what looked like a film set,” he said. “A young man detached himself from the actors, came over and greeted me politely. When I asked if they were shooting a film, he said no. I looked around and there was nearly a whole battalion occupying the hotel grounds.”

According to him, about 15 heavily armed officers formed the president’s son’s security cordon—an arrangement he found alarming.

“When I got back in my car and asked the driver who the young man was, he told me. And I saw this SWAT team, heavily armed to the teeth. They looked sufficient to take over a neighbouring small country or city like Benin,” he said.

The playwright added that he was so disturbed that he attempted reaching the National Security Adviser (NSA) to verify whether the deployment was official.

“I began looking for the NSA immediately. I said, track him down for me. They got him somewhere in Paris, but he was in a meeting with the president. I described the scene and asked: ‘Do you mean a child of the head of state goes around with an army for his protection?’ I couldn’t believe it.”

Soyinka, in a tone laced with sarcasm, suggested that the federal government need not deploy the military or air force to quell threats in neighbouring countries when such a formidable force already escorts the president’s son.

“Tinubu didn’t have to send the air force or military to deal with any insurrection. There is an easier way,” he said.

“Next time there’s an uprising, the president should call that young man and say, ‘Seyi, go and put down those stupid people there. You have troops under your command.’”

He stressed that while heads of state often have families, such privilege must never be abused or allowed to distort national security structures.

“Children should know their place. They are not potentates; they are not heads of state,” he said. “The security architecture of a nation suffers when we see such heavy devotion of security to one young individual.”

Soyinka’s remarks added to ongoing public debate about the scale and visibility of state-provided security for politically connected individuals, particularly in a period of heightened security challenges across the country.

The post Security guarding Tinubu’s son enough to crush Benin Republic uprising – Soyinka appeared first on Vanguard News.

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has identified the procurement process as one of the areas where corrupt practices are mostly perpetuated.

The antigraft agency noted that issues such as inflated contracts, substandard project delivery, ghost projects, and abandoned contracts as some of the issues associated with procurement.

Speaking at a one-day procurement engagement workshop in Abuja for directors and heads of procurement across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), chairman of the ICPC, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu empathised the strategic importance of procurement officers in safeguarding public funds and ensuring that government projects translate into tangible benefits for citizens.

“Public procurement is the single largest channel of public expenditure and, unfortunately, the highest point of corruption risk,” he said, highlighting recurring issues such as contract inflation, splitting of contracts to evade thresholds, substandard project delivery, repeated budget entries, and abandoned projects.

Represented by the secretary to the commission, Mr. Clifford Oparaodu, the ICPC boss noted the commission’s Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI), which has, since 2019, uncovered ghost projects, duplicated budget items, and cases where contractors collected funds but delivered work far below specification.

According to him, “We have tracked projects from inception to completion across the six geopolitical zones and the FCT. These findings confirm that transparency directly improves citizens’ lives.”
While speaking on preventive measures to tackle procurement process, the ICPC chairman said all MDAs must adopt, including the publication of procurement plans, clear evaluation criteria, full contract award details, implementation updates with photographic evidence, and proper handover documentation.

He further stressed the importance of deploying technology-driven procurement systems to create audit trails, enable early detection of anomalies, and minimise discretionary human decisions.

He also called for legislative reforms, including stronger sanctions for procurement violations, establishment of special courts for corruption cases, and standardisation of public projects to reduce waste.

Also, the chairman of the House Committee on Anti-Corruption, Hon. Kayode Akiolu commended the ICPC for its preventive approach, explaining that many practices Nigerians consider normal are in fact corruption.

The director-general of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun ssid the ICPC has improved compliance with procurement rules, highlighting the recent approval of the National Infrastructure Development Policy, which provides a stronger legal framework for prosecuting contractors delivering substandard projects.

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