News

NAF@58: ‘Improved Synergy Has Enhanced Military Operations’

Published

3 years ago

May 23, 2022

The Minister of Defence, Major.-Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd) has said increased level of successes by the Armed Forces was made possible by the level of synergy and cooperation among the services.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Headquarters, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja.
According to Gabkwet, Magashi stated this while declaring open, the NAF Day Anniversary Celebration 2022 Seminar held at the NAF Base, Kano.
The minister said that the theme of the seminar, ‘Enhancing NAF’s Operational Efficiency in Joint Operations for Effective Response to Contemporary National Security Imperatives’ was apt, as it would address operational challenges being experienced in the field.
This, Magashi said, particularly in the areas of air to ground integration and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) optimisation in the theatres of operations.
“This is why I believe that this seminar could not have come at a better time as it will facilitate better use of airpower in the joint employment of our armed forces.”
The minister, however, stated that in spite of its limitations, NAF since its inception had commendably carried out the core functions of protecting Nigeria’s air space and providing support to surface forces.
He added that the service had always displayed the highest level of professionalism and shown great resourcefulness in the areas of manpower management, research and development as well as in air operations execution.
Magashi also reiterated the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari led-administration to revamp the fortunes of NAF and the Armed Forces of Nigeria in general.
‘Today, the fleets of the service have been reinforced with several platforms which has improved its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as well as attack capabilities and extended the reach of the AFN.”
He, therefore, called on NAF and the AFN in general to renew their commitment and determination to play their part in addressing the security challenges threatening the peace and progress of the country.
Magashi, however, added that the seminar stood out among other activities lined up for the celebration as the deliberations were expected to produce tangible strategies going forward in NAF operations.
He expressed confidence that the discourse would spur better ideas for NAF to be more effective in the discharge of its responsibilities.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, said that since assuming office, the president had fully supported the armed forces in general and NAF in particular.
This, he said was to enable them to achieve their set objectives of protecting the territorial integrity of the country against any external threats.
“The Federal Government has committed substantial national resources to enhance the overall capabilities of the armed forces in a bid to addressing the security challenges in various parts of the country.
“This has ameliorated equipment constraints experienced in previous years and the attendant implications of such constraints.
“But it has also spurred NAF personnel to be more committed to the decimation of subversive elements, who seek to undermine the peace, progress, unity and faith of Nigeria.”
Amao also stated that the theme of the seminar was timely as the seminar would enable NAF appraise its current efforts while further repositioning itself to continuously project air power to definitively meet its constitutional mandate.
He, however, recognised and appreciated the unflinching support of the president without which NAF’s achievements would have been unrealisable.
He also expressed deep appreciations to the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, for his continued support to the service in the state as well as the minister of defence for his support to NAF.

News

FG Ends Passport Production At Multiple Centres After 62 Years

Published

11 hours ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

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.

News

FAAC Disburses N2.225trn For August, Highest In Nigeria

Published

12 hours ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

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.

News

KenPoly Governing Council Decries Inadequate Power Supply, Poor Infrastructure On Campus

Published

13 hours ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

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