News
We Must Not Allow Criminals Overrun Nigeria, Shema Urges
The former Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shehu Shema, has called on all Nigerians to sink their differences and work together against insurgents who have continued to threaten national peace and unity.
He made the call before inaugurating the reconstructed Chief Ferdinand Alabraba Crescent, and Opobo Crescent in GRA, Phase 2, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, last Wednesday.
Shema, who was Governor Nyesom Wike’s special guest, said that most Nigerians have become preoccupied with their disagreement in the political sphere, and seem to have ignored the danger criminal elements posed to national life, if they were allowed to have a field day.
“Nigeria must come together in this period of insecurity. We must not give the bandits, the kidnappers and the Boko Haram the opportunity to have a field day while Nigerians are fighting and arguing with each other.
“We must come together; join hands together for the purpose of Nigeria and Nigerians. My word of caution here is that we cannot allow criminal elements to overtake our national life.
“So, I am calling on all stakeholders across the nation to join hands together to end this threat to our national well-being.”
The former Katsina State governor noted the huge investment the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has made in ensuring food security in the state.
He said that focusing on agriculture and using it to engage the youths was another milestone of success secured in the development of Rivers State and its people.
“Huge investment has gone into infrastructural development; both soft and hard infrastructure. You are also working hard on food security.
“You’re doing this cassava facility for youths to be trained there. We need to focus heavily on agriculture for our youths to benefit and grow in modern skill of infrastructural development in Rivers State and Nigeria.”
Speaking further, Shema commended the governor for consistently developing critical infrastructure, changing the landscape of the state and making life comfortable for the people.
“Rivers State, since you became governor, is experiencing changes in terms of development. The list goes on because you have touched all sectors.
“But clearly, what is critical in this effort of governance is that you’re applying resources where it matters most.
“You’re, therefore, helping to grow the economy in Rivers State by which you’re ensuring peace and security with economic development.
“I am sure, by the grace of God, that by the time you leave office, your after story will live after you and your children”, he added.
On his part, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike said his administration was making its modest contribution towards restoring the Garden City status of Port Harcourt.
He noted that the support he has continued to enjoy from leaders in the state has enabled his team to have such success record in service to the state.
“Let me say clearly that in the course of our campaigns, we did say that we will bring back Port Harcourt to what it used to be.
“The special guest of honour, who had lived in Port Harcourt before, can attest to it that we are trying our best to bring back Port Harcourt to what it used to be in our own modest way.
“I’m happy with the leaders of the state for their support. Whatever we are doing in this state, we do it as a team. That is why you see the leadership always together.
“I thank them for their support. But for them, it would have been impossible for us to carry out the jobs that we have been doing.
“When they are giving you the support, you’re bound to do more. But if when you’re working, you see division within your family, it will, of course, discourage you. Let me thank my leaders for what they are doing to move the state forward”, Wike said.
The governor also commended Julius Berger Nigeria PLC for delivering the project on schedule, and the communities for not disrupting the construction work.
According to him, in overall, they all benefited from the employments and other economic activities that transpired while the project lasted and the company accomplished their goal.
In his remarks, the Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi said the project was another testimony of a true, purposeful and responsible leadership provided by Wike.
Speaking with journalists, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, said he was delighted to be part of the Wike administration that has, with determination, repositioned the state as the headquarters of the hydrocarbon industry in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Immigration Service has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday while inspecting Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
He said the centralised production system aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for better service delivery.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed N2.225 trillion as federation revenue for the month of August 2025, the highest ever allocation to the three tiers of government and other statutory recipients.
This marks the second consecutive month that FAAC disbursements have crossed the N2 trillion mark.
The revenue, shared at the August 2025 FAAC meeting in Abuja, was buoyed by increases in oil and gas royalty, value-added tax (VAT), and common external tariff (CET) levies, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.
Out of the N2.225 trillion total distributable revenue, FAAC said N1,478.593 trillion came from statutory revenue, N672.903 billion from VAT, N32.338 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and N41.284 billion from Exchange Difference.
The communiqué revealed that gross federation revenue for the month stood at N3.635 trillion. From this amount, N124.839 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N1,285.845 trillion was set aside for transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings.
From the statutory revenue of N1.478 trillion, the Federal Government received N684.462 billion, State Governments received N347.168 billion, and Local Government Councils received N267.652 billion. A further N179.311 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) went to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.
From the distributable VAT revenue of N672.903 billion, the Federal Government received N100.935 billion, the states received N336.452 billion, while the local governments got N235.516 billion.
Of the N32.338 billion shared from EMTL, the Federal Government received N4.851 billion, the States received N16.169 billion, and the Local Governments received N11.318 billion.
From the N41.284 billion exchange difference, the Federal Government received N19.799 billion, the states received N10.042 billion, and the local governments received N7.742 billion, while N3.701 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the oil-producing states as derivation.
The Governing Council of Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, has decried the inadequate power supply and poor state of infrastructural facilities and equipment at the institution.
The Council also appealed to the government, including Non-Governmental Organisations, agencies, as well as well-meaning Rivers people to intervene to restore and sustain the laudable gesture, dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the polytechnic.
The Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Professor Friday B. Sigalo, made this appeal during a tour of facilities at the Polytechnic, recently.
Accompanied by members of the team, Prof Sigalo emphasised the position of technology, technical and vocational education in sustainable development.
He noted that with the prospects on ground, and the programmes and activities undertaken in the polytechnic, there is no doubt that the institution would add values to the educational system in our society and foster the desired development, if the existing challenges are jointly tackled.
This was contained in a statement signed by Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Kenpoly, Innocent Ogbonda-Nwanwu, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.
The chairman who restated the intention of his team of technocrats to ensure that KenPoly enjoys desirable face-lift, said the Council would deliver on its core mandates, accordingly.
Earlier, the Rector, KenPoly Engr. Dr. Ledum S. Gwarah, commended the appointment of Professor Friday B. Sigalo as Chairman of the KenPoly Governing Council.
He described him and his team as seasoned technocrats and expressed confidence in their ability to succeed.
The Rector pledged the management’s support to the Council to ensure that KenPoly resumes its rightful place in the comity of polytechnics in the country.
Facilities visited by the Governing Council include KenPoly workshops, laboratories, skills acquisition centre, library, hostels and medical centre.
Chinedu Wosu
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