General News
“Government Should Create the Environment, Not Run the Ranches” — Aondoakaa
_PDP 2027 Benue Gov Candidate Advocates Private Sector-Led Ranching, Backs State Police With Safeguards_
By Felix Umande
The 2027 Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue State, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, has urged the Federal Government to adopt a private sector-driven approach to ranching, saying its role should be to provide an enabling environment rather than directly own and operate ranches.
Speaking on Monday during an interview on _Arise News_, the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice also endorsed the establishment of State Police, while calling for strong legal and institutional safeguards to prevent political abuse.
Aondoakaa argued that treating livestock production as a government-run venture would create confusion and deepen suspicion between farmers and communities.
“Livestock owners are private businessmen engaging in farming activities. There will be a disconnect and there will be confusion because the ranches are established by government and then they are to service private sector holders of cattle,” he said.
He proposed that government should focus on supporting the value chain through improved cattle breeds, affordable financing, fodder production, irrigation, and rural infrastructure, in the same way it stimulated investment in rice and wheat production.
“My understanding is that ranching should be done the way the rice and wheat value chain was created. Government should create the environment and allow private investors to drive the business,” he stated.
The senior lawyer emphasized that genetic improvement of Nigeria’s cattle breeds is critical to making ranching commercially viable. He also called for access to single-digit loans for livestock entrepreneurs.
“First, let us crossbreed the cattle that we have now so that they can give sufficient milk for commercial trading. Then allow them to borrow at interest rates below five percent and approach ranching as a private sector business,” he said.
According to him, private sector-led ranching could foster new economic partnerships, with crop farmers producing specialized grass and feed for ranches, thereby creating additional income streams while ensuring a stable supply of fodder.
He further noted that the model would help address fears around land grabbing linked to government ranching proposals, by encouraging voluntary commercial agreements between livestock owners and host communities.
“If a private individual comes and says, give me 100 hectares of land, I want to put my cows there, and can you help me farm for it? That can be a mutual understanding between farmers and the owner of the cows,” he explained.
“Livestock is only one component of Nigeria’s agricultural economy. If we now decide to take one aspect of farming and make it a public sector issue, then there will be more agitation by farmers across the country,” he cautioned.
On security, Aondoakaa described State Police as a timely and necessary reform to address Nigeria’s policing challenges. He recalled that the concept was first introduced during the 2009 constitutional reforms under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
He commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for moving the initiative forward, calling it “a very good thing.”
However, he stressed that recruitment into State Police must be shielded from political interference.
“The issue of recruitment must be handled in a manner that politicians are not allowed to bring in people who are not worthy to be police officers,” he said.
He also warned against decentralized arms procurement, saying it could create chaos if all 36 states were allowed to import weapons independently.
“There should be a level of control. It will be a lot of confusion if the entire 36 states go to the market and import arms for their state police,” he said, recommending a federal regulatory framework, possibly under the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Despite the potential risks, Aondoakaa described State Police as “a laudable project” that can strengthen security nationwide if properly structured. He further called for stronger judicial oversight at the local level to ensure magistrates can effectively check the operations of State Police formations.
By Nick Ibe, Abuja
To cushion the harsh impact of rising living costs, the Federal Government has approved a N70,000 monthly transport intervention for public service workers across all levels for six months, beginning in November 2026, .
This was one of the outcomes of the conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Abuja on Tuesday, following renewed pressure from organised labour over the rising cost of living, workers’ welfare and outstanding agreements.
The government also approved the payment of peculiar allowance arrears, effective from May 1, 2026, in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November.
The parties did not agree on the effective date for implementing the national minimum wage, but agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meetings immediately.
The resolutions were contained in a memorandum of understanding signed at the end of the meeting by the Director-General of Budget, Timi Yakubu; NLC President, Joe Ajaero; the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Garba Abdul S.U.; and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi.
The document made public after the meeting was tagged: ‘Resolutions Reached at a Conciliation Meeting Held at Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment Between the Federal Government and the Leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress on Tuesday, 27th October, 2026’, outlined agreements on minimum wage negotiations, transport support, outstanding allowances, health workers’ remuneration, tax relief and hazard allowances for agricultural officers.
The meeting followed an earlier conciliation session held on October 22, 2026, convened by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to address disagreements between the government and organised labour.
On the transport intervention, the document stated, “That transport intervention of Seventy Thousand Naira (N70,000) commencing from November 2026 would be paid across all levels for a period of six months.”
The agreement trails high transportation costs and the prices of other essential goods following the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Organised labour has repeatedly demanded measures to ease the economic pressure on workers, including reductions in petrol prices, improved wages and the implementation of outstanding welfare agreements.
The memorandum also noted the NLC leadership’s concerns about the government’s handling of its demands.
Addressing the disagreement, it stated that the NLC leadership “expressed concern over the Federal Government’s attitude towards the above issues.”
It added that the Federal Government, in response, “stated that it fully respects the right of the Congress to advocate for improved working conditions for Nigerian workers, and is genuinely trying to address every aspect of it through a structured intervention.”
On the national minimum wage, the parties agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meetings immediately.
However, the effective date of implementation remained unresolved.
The document stated, “It was agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meeting immediately. It should however be noted that there is a disagreement on the effective date of implementation.”
The disagreement leaves a key issue outstanding despite the commitment to begin negotiations without delay.
The national minimum wage became a major issue in 2024 when the Federal Government and organised labour negotiated an increase in the statutory minimum monthly wage from N30,000 to N70,000. The new rate was subsequently enacted into law through the National Minimum Wage Act.
The latest agreement refers to further discussions and the implementation date of the national minimum wage but does not provide details of the specific proposal under consideration or when the parties expect to conclude the negotiations.
The agreement indicates that while the government has approved some financial interventions, other workers’ demands remain subject to further negotiations, administrative verification or decisions by relevant government bodies.
“Trump… Please bring my son back to me. I am begging you for mercy.” And what Trump did when he heard those words… may bring tears to your eyes.
Her name was Malphine. She was 95 years old. A mother who had spent years waiting. Hoping. Praying. And one day… she finally got the chance to meet Trump. And stood before him. With all the strength she had left. And spoke the only words in her heart. Please. Bring my son home.
And Trump looked at this 95-year-old mother. Held her hands. And gave her a promise. I will bring your son home.
And Malphine held on to that promise. The way only a mother of 95 can hold on to something. When hope is all she has left.
Days went by. Weeks went by. And then one morning… the news finally arrived. Her son Marc was coming home. After years away. After years inside a foreign prison. After years of a mother waking up every single day, wondering whether she would ever get to hold her child again.
He stepped off that plane. And returned home. And when Marc’s feet finally touched American soil… Trump was there. In person. To welcome him. To embrace him. To look him in the eyes and say… welcome home. America has not forgotten you.
And in that single embrace…
Trump showed the world something that no speech and no rally could ever truly express: That America cares about its people. Wholeheartedly. Unconditionally. And never gives up fighting for them.
And today… I sat thinking about that story. And remembered every harsh word I had ever spoken about this man. Every judgment. Every doubt. Every moment I chose to look away. And I felt something I can hardly describe. Deep shame.
Because Malphine trusted Trump at 95 years old. With all the hope she had left. And he helped bring her son home.
Today… this is the side of Trump that so many people may never take the time to see.
Not the Trump in the headlines. Not the Trump on the rally stage. Just a man. Who listened to a 95-year-old mother pleading for her son. Worked to help answer her prayers. And personally showed up to welcome him home.
If this story touched your heart today… let God and every American reading this feel your .
And tell me honestly, in your own words — after reading this… can you still speak badly about President Trump? Because I truly find it difficult to do so. Not anymore. Not after hearing this story.
Sons of Liberty. Maga Movement
–Calls for NSCDC reforms, compensation for victims
By Son Tertsea, Abuja
Dehydration was cause of the death of the detained miners, the panel constituted to investigate the deaths of alleged illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Niger State Command, has stated.
The chairman of the committee, Jonathan Kure, while presenting the report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja on Tuesday, , said the miners suffered acute respiratory failure.
He also corrected the earlier reports that 37 miners died in custódy, saying 33 miners were confirmed dead.
He said the miners collapsed after calling for water and were ignored by the personnel of the NSCDC.
He added that the detention room was overcrowded and poorly ventilated.
He said the miners were illegally arrested and detained, stressing that they were all detained beyond the legally allowed period.
Part of the panel’s report called for a total reform of the NSCDC as well as solicited compensation for the victims.
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