President Bola  Tinubu has appointed Mr Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan as the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, effective August 27, 2026.

Enitan succeeds Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who will retire soon from the Federal Civil Service upon attaining the statutory retirement age of 60.

Mr Enitan, from Osun State, is the most senior Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service.

He has served as Permanent Secretary for seven years and seven months, working at the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the Vice President. He is currently the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education.

Enitan, according to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, brings considerable institutional experience and a deep understanding of how the Federal Civil Service works to his new responsibility.

Tinubu expressed his profound appreciation to Mrs Walson-Jack for her distinguished service to the nation and for the reforms, impact and innovations witnessed in the Civil Service during her tenure.

“The President wishes her a fulfilling and successful life after service and conveys the nation’s gratitude for her years of dedicated and impactful public service,” the statement added.

Tinubu charged the incoming Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to consolidate on the reforms and innovations already underway, deepen professionalism and efficiency across the service, and build a more effective and responsive Civil Service capable of delivering on the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The President further urged Enitan to lead a Civil Service that is professional, merit-driven, accountable, innovative, and responsive to Nigerians’ needs and aspirations.

Enitan was born on December 12, 1966. He had his secondary education at Ajibode Grammar School, Ibadan and the College of Arts and Science, Ile-Ife. He later attended the University of Lagos and graduated in 1988 with a B.Sc. in Finance and Banking.

In 2015, Enitan obtained an M.Sc. in Public Policy Analysis from Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Maxi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has said the 66th Annual General Conference of the association will inject significant economic value into Rivers State, with more than 23,000 lawyers and other participants expected to converge in Port Harcourt today for the main event.

Osigwe stated this recently while speaking ahead of the conference that started last Friday at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt.

The NBA President pointed out that the gathering would provide an opportunity for lawyers from across the country and beyond to deliberate on issues affecting the legal profession and national development.

According to him, the influx of delegates, service providers, contractors and support personnel would stimulate business activities across the state, particularly in the hospitality, transportation, food and other service sectors.

Osigwe noted that the economic impact of the conference would extend beyond the venue, as delegates would patronise hotels, restaurants, transport operators, shops and other businesses during their stay in Port Harcourt.

He described Port Harcourt as a historic city with a significant place in the history of the legal profession, noting that the NBA rotates its annual conference among different cities to promote cultural exchange, unity and national integration.

He said the return of the conference to Rivers State also presented an opportunity for lawyers to reconnect with the city while contributing to its economic and social development through their presence.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the NBA Annual General Conference Committee, Abdul Mohammed, SAN, said the theme of the conference, “Beyond Limit,” was carefully chosen to reflect the need for Nigeria to unlock its vast potential and accelerate national progress.

Mohammed explained that the theme would provide a platform for critical conversations on how the country could overcome existing limitations and harness its human, economic, institutional and technological resources for sustainable development.

He said the conference would bring together legal practitioners, policymakers, academics, business leaders and other stakeholders to examine contemporary issues affecting the nation and the legal profession.

On his part, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the 66th Annual General Conference, Tonye Krukrubo, SAN, commended the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for the hospitality extended to the association ahead of the annual gathering.

Krukrubo noted that the NBA’s decision to return its annual conference to Rivers State fulfilled a commitment made by the association to host the conference in the State once democratic governance was restored, expressing optimism that participants would have a memorable experience in Port Harcourt.

King Onunwor

The Nigerian Navy, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, has intercepted two vehicles conveying about 8,500 litres of products suspected to be illegally refined petroleum products along the Ejemekuru–Obudi-Agwa axis of Imo State.

The operation, conducted on August 21, 2026, by personnel of Naval Base Oguta and the Nigerian Army, also led to the arrest of three suspects.

Director of Information, Nigerian Navy, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement.

According to him, the personnel intercepted a tipper truck and a Toyota Hiace bus carrying about 150 bags of suspected illegally refined petroleum products.

“Three suspects were arrested during the operation, while some occupants of the second vehicle fled, abandoning the vehicle,” he said.

Folorunsho said the arrested suspects, vehicles and recovered products were subsequently taken into custody for further investigation and necessary action in accordance with established procedures.

He said the interception underscored the effectiveness of sustained inter-service cooperation and intelligence-led security operations in disrupting the illegal movement of petroleum products and denying criminal elements the opportunity to exploit established routes for economic crimes.

The Nigerian Navy, he added, remained committed to deepening collaboration with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to combat crude oil theft, illegal refining and the illicit movement of petroleum products while protecting Nigeria’s critical economic interests.