News
We have adopted strategies to create 20m jobs – FG


BY: Oliseama Okwuchukwu
The Federal Government of Nigeria has adopted strategies to generate 20 million jobs in the Agriculture, Construction, Transport and the services sectors of the economy in its second term, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, has said.
Enelamah made the statement in Abuja, on Monday, during a meeting with stakeholders on strategies for job creation by the Federal Government.
The minister was represented by Mr. Sunday Akpan, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry.
According to him, the ministry has charged the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to come up with revolutionary multi-faceted job/wealth-creation strategies that will lead to a lasting solution to the hydra-headed problem.
Enelamah said, “ITF has been able to propose pragmatic strategies that within tenure of the next level will generate about 20 million jobs from four key sectors of the Nigerian economy.”
He urged stakeholders to proffer innovative and pragmatic solutions that would pave the way for job creation leading to growth and development of the economy through entrepreneurship and increased Growth Domestic Product.
The Director-General of ITF, Mr. Joseph Ari, said the number of Nigerians without jobs had been a source of worry to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the number of unemployed Nigerians increased from 17.6 million in fourth quarter of 2017 to 20.9 million in the third quarter of 2018.
“This is despite the fact that the number of people in employment increased from 68.4 million in the third quarter of 2015.
“It also increased to 68.72 million in the third quarter of 2016 to 69.09 million in the third quarter of (2017) and 69.53 million in the third quarter of 2018,’’ Ari quoted the NBS report.
He said that what the report indicated was that although government efforts to create jobs might be having an impact, the number of unemployed persons was still rising.
Ari said that Buhari’s administration had made tremendous efforts to create jobs as could be seen in the increases in the number of people employed as cited by NBS.
“Today, across the length and breadth of country are visible evidences of the Federal Government’s efforts to get Nigerians engaged, from social Investment programmes like N-Power initiative and ‘TraderMoni’.
“Others like Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme and Home Grown School Feeding Programme to the numerous skills acquisition programmes being implemented by ITF, the Federal Government has done enough to be applauded,” he said.
Ari said ITF had equipped more than 450,000 Nigerians with life skills and empowered beneficiaries with start-up packs within the last two years.
He said that more than 80 per cent of the number was earning sustainable livelihoods either in paid employment or as successful entrepreneurs who were employing others.
“Governments alone, as seen in societies that have reduced unemployment to single digit figures, cannot do it alone.
“Indeed, in all societies that unemployment is single digits, they relied on sectors other than Government,” Ari said.
He said the meeting would appraise the report and contribute ideas on its improvements and in areas where the stakeholders would assist the government either through funding or by technical assistance. (NAN)


… GFD Executive Director emerges chapter Vice Chairperson*
The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has elected a new executive council at the close of its flagship Lagos PR Fest 2025, reinforcing its commitment to professionalism, innovation, and societal impact.
In elections supervised by NIPR Registrar, Chief Uzoma Onyegbadue, Samuel Ayetutu emerged as Chairman, while Eniola Mayowa was elected Vice Chairman in a closely contested race.
Other members of the executive include Secretary Samuel Adeyemi, Assistant Secretary Rita Ali-Nock, Public Relations Officer Ogochukwu Okeke, Financial Secretary Bassey Nta, Treasurer Olabamiji Adeleye, Welfare Officer Funmilola Akintola, and Ex-Officio Provost Marshal Quadri Adeleke.
In his acceptance remarks, Ayetutu pledged to drive professional standards, promote inclusiveness, and foster collaboration among members to enhance the chapter’s influence locally and nationally.
This year’s PR Fest, themed “Urban Farming for Food Security: The Role of Communication”, convened communication professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders to explore innovative strategies for tackling food security through effective public engagement.
Over the years, the Lagos PR Fest has evolved into a leading platform for advancing the role of public relations in societal development, with the 2025 edition underscoring the Institute’s mission to position communication as a driver of sustainable development in Nigeria.
News
Nigeria dismantles terror groups, Ansaru and Mahmuda, with the capture of their leaders
BY Sandra Ani


Nigeria has recorded a significant breakthrough in the war against terrorism with the capture of the leaders of Ansaru and Mahmuda.
At a press briefing on Saturday evening, the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, said the two terrorists on the wanted list of Nigeria, the US, UK and UN were captured in an operation which was conducted between May and July 2025.
He said the men were captured in a high-risk, intelligence-led, counter-terrorism operation which led to their capture. They are leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate.
Ribadu said the two men have been responsible for masterminding many terrorist attacks against Nigeria over the past years.
According to Ribadu:
“The first is Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar), the self-styled Emir of ANSARU. He is the coordinator of various terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria. He is also the mastermind of several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to finance terrorism over the years.
“The second is Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda), Abu Bara’s proclaimed Chief of Staff and Deputy.
He is the leader of the so-called “Mahmudawa” cell hiding out in and around the Kainji National Park, straddling Niger and Kwara States up to Benin Republic. Mamuda trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specialising in weapons handling and IED fabrication.
“These two men have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years. They jointly spearheaded multiple attacks on civilians, security forces, and critical infrastructure. Their operations include the 2022 Kuje prison break, the attack on the Niger uranium facility, the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina, and the May 1, 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba (Magajin Garin Daura). They were also behind the abduction of the Emir of Wawa and they maintain active links with terrorist groups across the Maghreb, particularly in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
“The two men, who are wanted internationally, are currently in custody.
“The capture of Abu Bara and Mallam Mamuda, the group’s leader and deputy commander, respectively, marks one of the most significant achievements to date in our ongoing effort to rid Nigeria of the threat of terrorism. The successful decapitation of the leadership of this dangerous franchise marks the most decisive blow against ANSARU since its inception. This strike has effectively dismantled its central command while paving the path for the complete annihilation of the group”, Ribadu said.
The Ansaru group was first formed in January 2012 with a public declaration in Kano. It emerged as a splinter faction from Boko Haram, positioning itself as a “humane alternative.” However, its stated aim quickly turned to attacking Nigerian security operatives, civilian communities and government infrastructure. The group publicly displayed the setting sun logo of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), signalling its ideological and operational alignment with global jihadist movements.
“Over the years, Ansaru entrenched itself in both urban sleeper cells and forest enclaves across several cities in northern Nigeria and in forest-based enclaves, particularly around Kainji National Park, straddling Niger and Kwara States, as well as the Benin Republic”, Ribadu explained.
News
France Urged to Address Colonial Legacy as Senegalese Activists Call for Reparations in Dakar Roundtable
Reporter: Sandra Ani


France’s colonial legacy came under renewed scrutiny as journalists, historians, and pan-African activists gathered at African Memorial Square in Dakar for a powerful roundtable advocating reparations and economic justice.
The event highlighted growing demands for France to take full responsibility for its historical role in Senegal and across West Africa.


Organized by advocacy groups including the Association of Descendants of Senegalese Soldiers, the Front for the Withdrawal of French Military Bases (GASSI), and JIF’AFRIK, the roundtable brought together influential voices pushing for reparatory justice and structural transformation.
Among the key speakers were Babacar Dioh of the Thiaroye 44 Movement—a coalition of descendants of Senegalese tirailleurs—and Souleymane Jules Diallo, leader of JIF’AFRIK. Discussions centered on two central demands: official reparations for colonial-era injustices and the urgent renegotiation of trade and military agreements that activists say perpetuate economic dependence.
“The time for symbolic gestures is over,” said Dioh. “We are now filing an official reparations claim and taking concrete steps to hold France accountable.”
Speakers called for the dismantling of existing neocolonial frameworks, stressing the ecological, financial, and social harm that has endured beyond the colonial period. The roundtable marks a turning point in Dakar’s positioning as a hub for coordinated African-led advocacy aimed at restoring historical justice.
This event adds momentum to a growing continental movement seeking tangible reparative action from former colonial powers and reinforces the call for equity, autonomy, and acknowledgment of historical truths.
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