The Chairman of the Board of the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Prof. Princewill Chike has described the progress recorded by the state health insurance scheme as enormous and heartwarming.

Prof. Chike made the remark through a board member, Dr Nnesochi Offor, on Friday, December 12, 2025, in Port Harcourt during activities marking the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day in Rivers State.

He expressed optimism that the inclusion of beneficiaries from both the formal and informal sectors would significantly expand access to quality healthcare and ensure that more residents benefit from the scheme.

Earlier, in her welcome address, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of RIVCHPP, Dr Vetty Agala, described Universal Health Coverage Day as a global moment for reflection and renewed commitment to the principle that healthcare is a fundamental human right.

She called on stakeholders and residents of the state to support the ongoing enrolment exercise, stressing that the success of the scheme depends on collective participation.

Dr Agala noted that the strides recorded in the state’s healthcare sector were anchored on “people-centred leadership,” commending Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara for his vision of a resilient and inclusive health system that has created an enabling environment for UHC to move from aspiration to implementation.

The RIVCHPP boss also acknowledged the support of the Deputy Governor, Dr Ngozi Ordu; the wife of the governor, Mrs Valerie Fubara; the Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh; and members of the RIVCHPP board.

She urged residents to take advantage of the scheme, describing RIVCHPP as a state-wide framework for risk pooling, financial protection, and equitable access to healthcare services.

The UHC Day celebration, which commenced with a health and fitness walk, also featured a seminar, health outreach programmes, and goodwill messages from partners and stakeholders.

The Federal Government has begun developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven platform to tackle corruption by instantly verifying assets declared by public officers and flagging unexplained wealth.

The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Dr Abubakar Bello, disclosed that the bureau is at an advanced stage of creating a fully digital asset declaration system, expected to go live in the first quarter of 2026.

Bello, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday, said the new platform would allow public servants to declare their assets online from anywhere in the world, replacing the current manual process which, he noted, only addressed accessibility without effective verification.

According to him, the AI-powered system will be integrated with key national databases, including the Corporate Affairs Commission, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Bank Verification Number platform, land registries and other relevant government records for instant cross-checking.

He described the initiative as a “game changer,” noting that Artificial Intelligence would be deployed to analyse asset declarations by comparing the net worth of public officers at the beginning and end of their tenure.

“The system will automatically flag cases of unexplained wealth or possible breaches of the Code of Conduct for further action,” Bello said.

As part of reforms underway, the CCB chairman confirmed that ministers, permanent secretaries and other senior public officials have begun appearing before the bureau for physical asset verification, stressing that “verification is not investigation.”

He revealed that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, had personally appeared for asset verification, describing the move as a strong demonstration of leadership by example.

Bello added that the verification exercise had already resulted in interim forfeiture orders in cases where public officers failed to declare assets or could not explain their sources, including properties located within and outside Nigeria.

He disclosed that some of the recovered funds had been paid into the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The CCB chairman warned that any public servant who fails to declare assets or ignores verification invitations risks investigation and prosecution before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

He urged public officers to comply strictly with the bureau’s guiding principle, declaring, “Declare or forfeit.”

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has announced the recovery of ₦37.44 billion and $2.353 million in 2025 through asset seizures and forfeitures.
Its Spokesperson Okor Odey said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Odey explained that the ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, disclosed the figures in Abuja at the ICPC’s End-of-Year Engagement, Send-off for retiring staff, and Annual Merit Awards.

The chairman described the feat as one of the commission’s most significant annual recovery figures to date.
Aliyu described 2025 as “a pivotal year marked by substantial progress across enforcement, prevention, and public enlightenment.”
Reviewing operational achievements, Aliyu revealed that ICPC investigated 263 cases, exceeding its target of 250, and filed 61 cases in court, achieving a 55.74 per cent conviction rate.

”Among the year’s notable successes was the conviction of Prof. Cyril Ndifon of the University of Calabar, who received a five-year prison sentence for offences relating to sexual harassment and cyberbullying.”

Aliyu noted that this judgment sent a strong signal of the Commission’s resolve to confront all forms of abuse of office.

The chairman highlighted extensive preventive work undertaken across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

”A total of 344 MDAs were assessed using the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard, while 66 corruption-monitoring activities and 1,490 project-tracking exercises were carried out nationwide.

”Systems Study and Corruption Risk Assessments were also completed in 12 MDAs, designed to reduce structural vulnerabilities to corruption.
”On public enlightenment, ICPC reached more than 235,000 Nigerians through 644 sensitisation activities, generated 3.5 million digital engagements, established 86 Anti-Corruption Clubs and Vanguards, and trained 2,707 participants at the ICPC Academy,” he said.
According to him, the commission also broadened its partnerships, initiating 15 collaborative activities, while civil society organisations executed 57 complementary engagements.

No fewer than 20,000 applicants nationwide are participating in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Zonal General Aptitude Test for the 2025 Basic Military Training Course (BMTC) 46 recruitment exercise.

The Director, Public Relations and Information of NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, in a statement on Sunday, said the aptitude test began on Saturday across the country.

Ejodame, who described the test as a key stage of the recruitment process, said, it was being conducted simultaneously at 15 zonal centres located in Sokoto, Minna, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Maiduguri, Yola, Makurdi, Jos, Ilorin, Ipetu-Ijesa, Enugu, Benin, Port Harcourt and Ikeja.

He said the nationwide spread of the centres reflected NAF’s commitment to inclusiveness, equal opportunity and a transparent, merit-based recruitment system that allows qualified Nigerians from all parts of the country to compete fairly.

According to him, the large turnout underscores the sustained confidence of Nigerian youths in the Air Force as a disciplined, professional and patriotic institution, as well as its resolve to attract capable, motivated and resilient personnel to strengthen national defence and internal security operations.

Speaking on the exercise, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, said the recruitment process was guided by fairness, integrity and strict adherence to established standards.

According to CAS, the NAF remains firmly committed to recruiting the best candidates by merit, “as the quality of our personnel is fundamental to operational effectiveness and the successful execution of our constitutional mandate.”

He added that the aptitude test was a critical step toward building a motivated and mission-ready force, assuring Nigerians of the NAF’s continued support to internal security operations and the protection of lives and property.

President Bola Tinubu has approved a massive increase in the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB)’ budget from about N3 billion to nearly N20 billion.
The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Dr Abdullahi Bello disclosed this in an interview on Sunday in Abuja.
Bello said the increase was to overhaul the nation’s outdated asset declaration system, strengthen verification and enforcement to make the bureau more virile.
He added that the budget increase was necessary to fund technological upgrades, improve the bureau’s working environment and strengthen verification processes and enhance enforcement capacity.
The CCB chairman recalled that when he assumed office, he discovered that asset declaration was still largely manual, relying on paper forms that were scarce, expensive to print and difficult to store, analyse and verify.
He noted that public servants across ministries and agencies constantly requested tens of thousands of forms that the bureau could not provide.
According to him, the situation was worsened by the fact that the 2025 budget made provision of only about N70 million for printing forms.

He said the amount could only produce just about 50,000 to 60,000 forms for over 4.5 million public servants nationwide.
To address the challenge, he said the bureau adopted a temporary model inspired by Kenya, uploading asset declaration forms on its website for public servants to download.
However, he said the method only solved the problem of availability, not the deeper issue of a manual system.
Bello revealed that the bureau is now at an advanced stage of developing a fully online asset declaration platform, following extensive consultations with stakeholders.
He said the system, expected to be ready by the first quarter of 2026, will allow public servants to declare assets from anywhere in the world.
The CCB chairman said the digital platform will be a “game changer” because it will link directly with key databases.

According to him, the platform will link, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Bank Verification Number (BVN) system, land registries and other government records to enable instant verification.
He added that artificial intelligence will also be deployed to analyse asset declarations, compare net worth at the beginning and end of a public servant’s tenure.

The AI platform, according to him, would flag unexplained wealth or possible breaches of the Code of Conduct for further review.

As part of reforms, Bello said the bureau has begun inviting ministers, permanent secretaries and other senior officials for asset verification, stressing that “verification is not investigation.”

He disclosed that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi personally appeared to verify his assets, sending a strong signal of leadership by example.

The CCB chairman said verification had already led to interim forfeiture orders in cases where public servants failed to declare assets or could not explain their sources, including properties within and outside Nigeria.

According to him, some recovered funds were already transferred to the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He warned public servants that failure to declare assets or refusal to honour verification invitations could trigger investigations and possible prosecution before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Bello urged compliance with the bureau’s guiding principle: “Declare or Forfeit.”

President Bola Tinubu and leaders of ECOWAS countries are currently meeting in Abuja.

The 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government is taking place at the State House Conference Centre, in Abuja.

Leaders of West African countries at the meeting include President Julius Bio (Sierra Leone, ECOWAS Chair), President Patrice Talon (Benin), José Maria Neves (Cabo Verde) and Alassane Ouattara (Côte d’Ivoire).

Others are Adama Barrow (The Gambia), John Mahama (Ghana), Umaro Embaló (Guinea-Bissau), Joseph Boakai (Liberia), Bassirou Faye (Senegal) and Faure Gnassingbé (Togo).

The meeting is coming against the backdrop of five turbulent years for West Africa, which saw coups in Mali (2020, 2021), Burkina Faso (twice in 2022), and Niger (2023).

The latest incidents include an attempted coup in Benin on December 7, 2025, and renewed instability in Guinea-Bissau.

At the time of filing this report, details of the meeting are yet to be disclosed.

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has directed that an autopsy be carried out to determine the cause of death of the state’s Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.

Diri made this known on Saturday while hosting former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Government House in Yenagoa.

Ewhrudjakpo died on Thursday after collapsing in his office. He was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The governor condemned what he described as “a lot of nonsense going on on social media” over the deputy governor’s death, warning that the tragedy must not be politicised.

“I want to make an appeal. I have seen people politicise his death. In Ijaw land, there is no enmity in death. Let nobody politicise the death of our dearly beloved deputy governor,” Diri said.

“If anybody loves him, this is the time to show it. I have directed that an autopsy be done to reveal the cause of his death. There is a lot of nonsense going on on social media.”

Diri urged the public to restrict themselves to eulogies and mourning, noting that the state government had declared three working days of mourning in honour of the late deputy governor.

“If anybody is issuing any statement to eulogise him, please end at that and mourn him because the state is in a mourning mood,” he said.

“Let us love one another to the point of death because all of us will answer this call one day.”

Speaking during the visit, former President Goodluck Jonathan described Ewhrudjakpo as a committed public servant he would never forget.

Jonathan said the late deputy governor worked exceptionally hard, even more than he did when he served as deputy governor of the state.

“For me, he was somebody my foundation and I will never forget. He represented the governor in all our programmes,” Jonathan said.

He recalled Ewhrudjakpo’s active involvement in events organised by the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Foundation in Ghana and Abuja, describing his death as a painful loss to the state.

“I was also a deputy governor, but he worked harder than me. He appeared not to rest. This is even a lesson for us all to find time to rest,” Jonathan added.

The former president prayed for God to console Bayelsa State and the immediate family of the late deputy governor, expressing hope that the state would not experience such a tragedy again.

The founder of Achievers University in Owo, Prof. Bode Ayorinde, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to exempt education sector from taxes for national development.

Ayorinde suggested a subsidised and supported education sector to ensure that national development was not impeded.

The founder, also the Pro-Chancellor, and Chairman, Governing Council of the university, stated this at the 15th convocation and 18th foundation anniversary of the institution on Saturday in Owo.

He described education as a critical sector for national transformation and development, stating that private universities in Nigeria were established not for profit making, but to complement government’s efforts.

“We shoulder responsibilities that government itself cannot meet. To tax education, therefore, is to stop scholarship and free tuition in some of our programmes and to increase the tuition of fast selling programmes.

“This may, thereby, stop many aspiring students yearning for knowledge from accessing quality education.

“Any surplus realised by private universities is ploughed back to infrastructure and other developmental projects.

“ Mr President and the National Assembly should please be informed and guided that an attempt to impose taxes in educational institutions is to tax knowledge, enlightenment, opportunities and tax the future of young Nigerians.

“This will be counter-productive and contrary to global best practices,” he stated.

Ayorinde cited the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom and South Africa where universities were being exempted from the financial burden of taxation.

“Also, taxing education will contradict national development goals. No nation can industrialise without investing heavily in education.

“Taxation undermines research, innovation and knowledge production. This is an appeal to the Federal Government for a policy reform.

“Government should, as a matter of urgency, direct the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and various state boards in charge of internal revenue to grant full tax exemption to especially universities,” he said.

“Government should treat private universities as partners in national development and not taxable businesses.

“Nigeria must see education, not as a source of revenue, but a foundation of national greatness,” he said.

According to him, the educational institutions should be exempted from various taxes because their economic values exceed any revenue government could collect from taxing them.

Earlier, the Acting Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the institution, Prof. Oyesoji Aremu, said no fewer than 705 students across first and higher degree programmes graduated during the convocation.

Aremu added that 72 students had first class, 318 were in Second Class (Upper Division), while 223 students earned Second Class (Lower Division)

He also said that 40 students were in Third Class category and 52 graduands in the higher degrees.

According to him, students of the university will, henceforth, be awarded with additional certificate or diploma in Institute of Diploma Practice, Culture and Language Development along with their main field of study.

The VC said that such move was to give the students competitive knowledge edge in the labour market.

Aremu applauded the institution’s management for allowing 12 academic tuition-free programmes.

He said the university prioritised well-being and welfare of its staff in ensuring that their promotion was not delayed, adding that hard work was also recongnised.

In his remarks, the Chancellor of the university, Dr Yakubu Dogara, urged the graduands to uphold the noble name of the institution and be unwavering ambassadors of integrity.

Dogara, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, further asked the graduands to innovate in a rapidly evolving world and to provide solutions to the pressing challenges facing the country and the world.

The chancellor reiterated his steadfast commitment to supporting the university in its mission to produce graduates ready to shape the future.

Similarly, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, Deji of Akure, was conferred with honorary Doctor of Science in Public Administration, while Prince Roland Olawumi Omowa was conferred with Doctor of Science in Business Administration.

Operation HADIN KAI troops have repelled ISWAP terrorists’ coordinated attack on Forward Operating Base Mairari in Borno, delivering a decisive blow to the group’s operational capability in the area.

This is contained in a statement by the Media Information Officer, OPHK, Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, on Saturday.

Uba said the assault, which began late Friday and continued into the early hours of Friday, was thwarted through coordinated ground and air operations.

He said the terrorists attempted to breach the base using two Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs).
According to him, both devices were promptly detected and neutralised by the troops, preventing any penetration of the base.

“CCTV footage and field observations confirmed that several terrorists were killed, while others sustained serious injuries as surviving elements evacuated their dead and wounded.

“Following the failed assault, OPHK troops of Sector 3, supported by the Theatre Command Quick Reaction Group, Nigeria Police Crack Team, and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), conducted a thorough exploitation of the area.

“The operation led to the discovery of multiple terrorist casualties and the seizure of weapons, ammunition, and logistics abandoned during their retreat.

“Recovered items included AK-47 rifles, magazines and ammunition, PKT rounds, hand grenades, motorcycles, communication devices, combat gear, medical supplies, and other materials indicative of sustained terrorist operations,” he said.
Uba said the successful recovery of the terrorists’ equipment and logistics had further degraded their operational capacity and deny them freedom of action in the area.
He said the two neutralised VBIEDs were destroyed by OPHK defensive fire, causing damage to two points along the road.

According to him, there was no breach of the FOB, highlighting the preparedness, vigilance, and resilience of the troops.
Uba said the troops were currently conducting aggressive patrols in the area to prevent further terrorist activity and reassure local communities of the continued security presence.

“Troops remain resolute in their commitment to decisively defeat all terrorist elements and restore lasting peace and stability across the North East.

“The failed attack at Mairari underscores the operational readiness and professionalism of our men and women in uniform.
“Troops of OPHK have continued to prioritise the protection of civilians, the disruption of terrorist networks, and the restoration of peace across the region,” he added.