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Perishable Cargo Exporters Loss N100m, Seek Probe of Incidents

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Captain John Okakpu, chief executive officer of ABX World
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Exporters of perishable cargo/vegetable have lost a whooping N100 million due to government’s closure of export warehouses of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) and the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The warehouse was shut last week by officials of the Federal Operations Unit of Nigerian Customs Service following a tip off that the bonded facilities housed  stolen and prohibited items meant for exportation.

This is just as they have stated that government’s closure of the export sheds at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos is sending wrong signals to the comity of international agro-allied supply chain, which portends grave danger for the economy’s agro-allied produce, if not curtailed.

Speaking to journalists in Lagos, Captain John Okakpu, chief executive officer of ABX World, said  the agro-allied exporters numbering over one hundred are  worried that  such incident is tantamount to economic loss.

He said international off-takers are developing cold-feet with regard to agricultural produce from Nigeria.

Captain Okakpu, who said the exporters lost over N100million worth of goods within 48-hours the export warehouses were shut.

He called on the Federal Government through the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to urgently commence full-scale investigations into the immediate and remote causes of the warehouses closure to avoid re-occurrence.

He said with government’s focus on agriculture as one of the panaceas to the rising inflation, restrictions in capital flows and depleting forex reserves, agro-allied exporters deserve protection as partners.

The warehouse was re-opened last Wednesday.

He said: “Gentlemen, the truth is, we have made fundamental mistakes in the past as a nation by becoming a mono-economy. But, we cannot continue to lick the wounds. We have to reverse the case and agriculture provides us with a better option to grow. That is why as agro-allied exporters, we are seriously worried over the actions of some government officials, who seem not to underestimate the peculiarities of perishable items for export.

“Shutting down the warehouses was actually an indictment on customs, as they (Customs officials) ought to have carried out surveillance before shutting down all export businesses at the Lagos Airport. If such act is not checkmated in future it will compound issues and create a logjam in the system. Or, do we prefer to ship our cargos to countries like Ghana or Cameroun before we can be shipped to Europe and other markets? Presently, the yam sold in Europe as Ghana yams are actually from Nigeria!

“Go and investigate it! Because we seemingly abandoned our God-given potentials ‘to lick oil’, see how the economy has been battered. We wouldn’t want the issues surrounding brown beans and other agricultural produce from Nigeria, to happen to vegetables and other perishables like ginger, garlic, Nsukka-yellow pepper, among others. That is why we are calling on the Federal Government to urgently investigate the matter and punch who ever are the culprits to serve as deterrent to others. So, as Professor Yemi Osibanjo was inaugurating the new agric road map, those warehouses have been shut. What an irony. Enough is enough!”, he said.

He said any action contradicting Federal Government’s agricultural road map  launched by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo recently should not be treated with levity.

Supporting Captain Okakpu’s claims, the President, Nigeria Vegetable Exporters Association, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Temitope, said that her company alone lost over N1million worth of cargo within 24-hours of the export shed closure.

She lamented the widespread impact on the Association’s members numbering over 20. She said, “It was a devastating day for us. We work at night so that as early as 6:00am our partner airline Arik Air would ship the vegetables. So, when the news got to us that customs have shut down both NAHCO and SAHCOL export shed my blood pressure shoot up.

“I have been on this business for over 30 years; exporting vegetables to South Africa and London almost every week. Unfortunately, the Customs Service and some other government agencies do not have regard for us. They do not any way intimate us before embarking on any clamp down. They know who are engaging in illegal businesses. Ask them, who cleared the items in the first place! In countries like Uganda and Ghana, vegetable/perishable goods exporters are accorded special attention; why is our different?”

Mrs. Temitope said that the Association members merit to be compensated by the government hence they are legitimately contributing their quota to the development of the economy.

“Most of us do take bank facilities, so when occasions like this occur you can imagine how difficult it becomes for us to meet up with the demands. Aside that, there are other markets offering more conducive environment; the principal reason most exporters now prefer Ghana to Nigeria. Customs have arrogated powers to themselves to the extent armored tanks were sent to the airport in hunt of illegal exporters whereas no items goes out of Nigeria without passing through Customs clearance. In fact, it should be investigated properly, maybe some secret or unknown forces sabotaging the county will be uncovered”, she added.

Also, Veronica Ezigbo, managing director of Kiverlin Foods said that the incident should be thoroughly investigated, citing the impact as a negation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s change mantra.

She said, “The impact is very huge, because we deal on perishable goods. We are ordinary citizens of this country and do not deserve this kind of treatment. Customs officials know the people they are searching for, where and how to catch them. They acted ignorantly, because our line of business is very competitive; if you fail to deliver within few hours the vegetables get damaged too.

“Think of it, our dear country is faced forex challenges. Is it not common sense that exporters should be encouraged? It takes a lot of stress to conduct this business, especially when Government no financial facility for us. We demand that this matter should not be swept under the carpet. If Nigeria will move forward, if we are sincere about agriculture, then, special recognition should be given to exporters like us”.


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Teenager Hacks Celebrities Whatsapps, Sells Adult Content  in Delta

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Delta State Police Command has revealed how a 17-year-old boy allegedly hacked into celebrities’ WhatsApp accounts and sold explicit adult content to classmates.

Teenager Hacks Celebrities Whatsapps, Sells Adult Content  in Delta

This was disclosed in a viral video shared by comedian Otaghware Onodjayeke, popularly known as I Go Save, during a security awareness programme where he spoke with Temi Agbede-Zuokumor, divisional police officer (DPO) of Ugborikoko Division, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.

The DPO explained that the case came to light after a routine check of a student’s phone, which first raised suspicion.

Agbede-Zuokumor disclosed that the student’s mother had initially claimed the phone belonged to his sister, but further inspection revealed otherwise.

“The woman looked very modest, so I asked her if she was from Deeper Life. She said no. I then asked why her son took a phone to school, and she claimed it belonged to his sister,” she narrated.

The DPO expressed that the development triggered her suspicion, prompting officers to examine the phone’s contents.

“Something told me to check the phone. When we did, we discovered that everything on the device belonged to the boy,” she said.

She added that the phone contained over 80 foreign numbers, including Australian contacts, alongside numerous explicit materials.

“We saw several foreign numbers, over 80 Australian lines, and the phone was filled with pornographic content,” she said.

The police officer further disclosed that the suspect allegedly sold explicit materials to his classmates, who referred to him as “boss.”

“We also saw chats with his classmates asking if he had explicit content to sell. They were calling him ‘boss’ in school,” she added.

According to her, investigations also revealed that the teenager had hacked into WhatsApp accounts belonging to prominent individuals and used them to solicit money.

“We discovered he had access to WhatsApp accounts of some celebrities, which he used to demand money from unsuspecting victims,” she said.

Speaking during the session, comedian I Go Save recounted a similar experience, describing how he was once contacted by a suspected fraudster impersonating Elon Musk, Forbes world richest man.

“That was how someone impersonating Elon Musk messaged me, saying he was stranded and needed a recharge card,” he said.

“I was surprised and asked which network he used. The person later sent an Opay account,” he added.

The police warned parents and school authorities to be more vigilant, stressing the growing concern of cyber-related crimes among young people.

 


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SERAP Asks Tinubu to Probe Alleged N2.9Bn Fraud In NIGCOMSAT, NNRA

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Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy,  as well as the management of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), to account for and explain the whereabouts of an alleged ₦2.9 billion in missing or diverted public funds.

SERAP Asks Tinubu to Probe Alleged ₦2.9bn Fraud In NIGCOMSAT, NNRA

SERAP also called on Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), attorney general of the federation and minister of justice,  and relevant anti-corruption agencies to investigate the alleged diversion of funds, including those documented in previous Auditor-General reports.

In a letter dated April 11, 2026, and signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director SERAP, said: “These allegations, involving critical public institutions, represent a grave violation of the public trust and a fundamental breach of Nigeria’s anti-corruption laws and international obligations.”

The group further urged the Federal Government to direct NIGCOMSAT to disclose the shareholders and beneficial owners of a company that allegedly received ₦465 million in “unauthorised investment” from the agency.

SERAP said, “Anyone suspected to be responsible should face prosecution as appropriate, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and any missing or diverted public funds should be fully recovered and remitted to the treasury.”

The organisation gave the government seven days to comply, warning that it may initiate legal action if its demands are not met.

It also stated that accountability in both agencies is critical, given their strategic roles, saying: “Accountability in NIGCOMSAT and NNRA is critical given their strategic roles in Nigeria’s digital economy and national safety systems. Mismanagement in these agencies not only wastes scarce public resources but also threatens national development, technological progress, and public safety.”

SERAP added: “Ensuring accountability is therefore essential to protecting both Nigeria’s present and its future.”

It warned that failure to address the allegations would continue to erode public trust, stating: “These allegations, if left unaddressed, will continue to undermine public confidence in government institutions, weaken Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework, and deprive citizens of resources needed for development.”

The allegations were drawn from the Auditor-General’s report published on September 9, 2025, which examined financial activities in NIGCOMSAT and NNRA and raised concerns over possible mismanagement of public funds.

According to the report, NIGCOMSAT failed to account for over ₦465 million used for an “unauthorised investment” in Gicell Wireless Ltd, made without approvals from the Minister of Science and Technology and the Accountant-General of the Federation.

It also noted that “there was also no evidence that a competent Investment Analyst performed investment appraisal,” while the investment agreement raised concerns over valuation and exchange rate assumptions.

The Auditor-General further stated that “NIGCOMSAT made ineligible, irregular and wrong payments of over ₦3 million to staff,” and that “the payment was made without due process and any documents on what the payments were meant for.”

It also flagged an irregular rent payment of over ₦4.3 million, noting that although a refund was requested, “there was no evidence that the consultant refunded the money.”

It added that NIGCOMSAT “failed to remit over ₦507 million of its internally generated revenue to the Consolidated Revenue Fund,” while also failing to account for over ₦6 million for undelivered store items.

The report further stated that “there was also no evidence of how the transferred funds were spent or utilised,” referring to an irregular ₦84.78 million transfer from a Remita account to a special project account.

On NNRA, the report alleged that ₦4.35 million was spent on training without evidence that it took place, while ₦16.7 million was paid for ICT equipment without approval.

It also stated that ₦33.4 million was spent on items that were never supplied, and that “there were no documents to support” several payments for operational activities.

The Auditor-General further noted that NNRA “failed to retire over ₦6.5 million of cash advances granted to staff,” and that ₦2.05 million paid for foreign training had no evidence of participation.

It also stated that ₦1.95 million collected through Remita was not recorded in the agency’s cashbook, leading to concerns of revenue understatement.

SERAP said the findings point to “a systemic pattern of financial mismanagement, opacity, and corruption within an agency entrusted with advancing Nigeria’s digital and communications infrastructure,” adding that NNRA’s lapses also raise serious concerns about compliance with safety and financial regulations.

 


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IHS Nigeria Renovates, Upgrade Facilities at the National Museum Lagos

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L-r Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Services Officer, IHS Nigeria Limited, Dapo Otunla; Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Olugbile Holloway; during the commissioning of the newly renovated National Museum Gallery, sponsored by IHS Nigeria, on Saturday, 11th April 2026, at the National Museum Lagos, Nigeria.
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IHS Nigeria, part of the IHS Holding Limited (“IHS Towers”) group, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has partnered with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments to renovate and upgrade facilities at the National Museum, Lagos.

Commissioned by the Honorable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, the project is a significant step towards restoring and improving critical facilities at the museum complex, while supporting the long-term preservation of Nigeria’s cultural assets and heritage.

The project has improved the overall aesthetic appeal of the museum site and featured extensive restoration of the museum’s main gallery. The restored gallery incorporates the installation of modern display and lighting systems, air‑conditioning units, a solar inverter system to enhance energy efficiency, and surveillance cameras to aid safety, security and operational performance across the facility. These renovations and upgrades follow on from IHS Nigeria’s sponsorship of the museum’s efforts to digitize Nigeria’s cultural heritage and launch Nigeria’s first digital museum of antiquities at www.museum.ng.

Mohamad Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria, commented, Having seen the rich historical and cultural heritage housed in this national museum complex, we believed it was important to go a step further after supporting the development of the digital museum, to also improve the aesthetics, security and structural integrity of the main physical complex. This aligns with our broader commitment to sustainable infrastructure development and the preservation of Nigeria’s history.

“I am proud of these renovations and that visitors, including tourists, researchers and art enthusiasts, can visit the museum to be immersed in Nigeria’s rich history in an environment that is safe, beautiful and welcoming.

“The artifacts can also now be better preserved, protected and presented in a way that celebrates the history they represent. I thank the National Commission for Museums and Monuments for this ongoing partnership which continues to exemplify the power of a collaborative effort in driving innovation, fostering national pride, and enhancing the creative economy.”

Olugbile Holloway, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, commented, “On behalf of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, I wish to express our deepest gratitude to IHS Nigeria for their generous support of the restoration of the National Museum, Lagos. This landmark gesture goes far beyond bricks and mortar — it is a profound commitment to preserving the soul of our nation.

“The National Museum Lagos is home to some of Nigeria’s most treasured antiquities, from the ancient terracotta of the Nok civilization to the magnificent bronzes of the Benin Kingdom and the classical works of Ife.

“To restore this institution is to restore our collective memory. We thank IHS Nigeria for choosing to renew not just infrastructure, but the heritage, identity, and the hope of our people. Their support ensures that generations of Nigerians yet unborn will walk through these halls and encounter the full greatness of who we are and where we come from.”


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