General News
Tinubu, Obi, Adebayo, Sowore: Sign Peace Pact to Shun Violence Ahead Of 2027 POLL
By Felix Umande
Political parties and presidential and National Assembly candidates on Tuesday signed the first National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 general elections, pledging to shun violence, hate speech, misinformation and personal attacks during campaigns.
The ceremony, organized by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre, was held in Abuja barely 24 hours before the statutory commencement of public campaigns on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
Those who signed included President Bola Tinubu, represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate Peter Obi; Social Democratic Party candidate Adewole Adebayo; and African Action Congress candidate Omoyele Sowore.
Also present were APC National Chairman Prof Nentawe Yilwatda; PRP presidential candidate Donald Duke; Labour Party’s Chibuzor Okereke; Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin; PRP National Chairman Hakeem Baba-Ahmed; INEC Chairman Prof Joash Amupitan; and IGP Olatunji Disu.
Notable absentees were ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and APM candidate, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Chairman of the National Peace Committee, was represented by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Agwai.
Speaking through Akume, President Tinubu urged parties to prioritize national interest and campaign on ideas, not ethnicity or religion.
“Signing this peace accord is a solemn pledge to the Nigerian people that we, as leaders, will put the nation’s interests above personal or partisan ambitions,” he said.
The President said the APC rejects “violence, hate speech, the spread of misinformation, including through artificial intelligence, and all forms of incitement, especially via social media,” and called for peaceful, transparent elections.
INEC Chairman Prof Amupitan described the accord as an effort to define “the ethical boundaries of their contest” before campaigns begin. He warned of an “alarming resurgence” of hate speech, toxic polarization and AI-driven misinformation.
“Electoral contests in a constitutional democracy are not total wars; they are competitive job interviews before the electorate. Nigerians do not want insults; they want solutions,” Amupitan said.
He challenged candidates to focus on the economy, security, infrastructure, healthcare, education and social inclusion. The INEC boss also disclosed that the commission will deploy about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units for the 2027 polls.
“Leadership attained at the expense of public peace, institutional integrity, or human life is a hollow victory,” he warned.
According to INEC’s revised timetable, presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
The National Peace Committee said it has facilitated 30 peace accords since 2015 and established faith-based peace structures in 23 states to support peaceful elections.
General News
Recall Products With Misleading Labels, FCCPC Directs Producers
By Isa Abdul, Abuja
Manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers across Nigeria have been directed to immediately withdraw consumer goods with incomplete, misleading or deceptive labels from the market.
The directive was contained in a public advisory issued by the commission’s management and shared on its official X account on Tuesday.
Market surveillance and routine inspections revealed,
FCCPC noted, an increasing number of products being sold without essential labelling information required by law.
The commission stated that some products were found with misleading claims, while others lacked production dates, expiry or best-before dates, batch numbers, manufacturer details, ingredient lists, allergen information, country of origin and other mandatory details.
“Market surveillance, routine inspections, and quality assurance activities have revealed products bearing misleading or deceptive information, as well as products without production dates, expiry or best-before dates, batch numbers, manufacturer details, ingredient lists, allergen information, country of origin, and other mandatory labelling information,” the FCCPC said.
The commission noted that it is empowered by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, to enforce compliance with product labelling standards in collaboration with regulatory agencies such as NAFDAC and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria.
It warned that deceptive or incomplete product labels violate consumers’ right to accurate information needed to make informed purchasing decisions and could expose them to health, safety and economic risks.
“Accordingly, the Commission directs all manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers to immediately review their inventories and withdraw from sale any consumer goods that do not comply with applicable labelling requirements,” the statement added.
The FCCPC further warned that businesses that continue to distribute or sell non-compliant products risk regulatory sanctions.
The commission also advised consumers to carefully inspect product labels before purchase and avoid goods with missing, altered, illegible or misleading information.
It urged members of the public to report suspected cases of non-compliance through its official complaint channels, adding that it would intensify market surveillance and enforcement efforts nationwide to strengthen consumer protection.
General News
Message of the United Nations Secretary-General on World Humanitarian Day 2026.19 August 2026
On World Humanitarian Day, we honour the dedicated workers who provide life-saving aid to millions in need.
We also confront an appalling truth:
Serving others has become more dangerous than ever.
More than a thousand humanitarians have been killed in the last three years.
Most were local staff supporting their own communities.
Countless others narrowly survived being shot at, shelled, bombed, kidnapped, or raped.
Schools and hospitals are coming under fire.
And new tools of war – including armed drones – are posing fresh risks.
At the same time, disinformation is eroding trust.
Humanitarian funding is being cut.
And humanitarian access is being restricted.
We see aid convoys blocked.
Aid workers threatened, arrested, and detained.
And people in desperate need left without support.
Attacks on humanitarian workers are illegal.
And the consequences are devastating.
For families struggling to survive.
Children waiting for food.
Patients seeking urgent care.
And so many more.
The world has made commitments.
Now it must act:
To respect the rules of war;
Ensure safe access;
Hold perpetrators accountable;
And provide sufficient resources.
Humanitarian workers stand up for people in need.
We must stand up for them.
We must act for humanity – now.
Speech by
Antonio Guterres: UN Secretary-General
General News
EFCC Recovers N4.4bn Worth of AGO from Mamemo Ibru in Lagos
By Seyi Balogun, Lagos
Following investigation into an alleged case of stealing and criminal conversion, the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, August 17, 2026 recovered 2.3 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, valued at N4.485 billion from Mamemo Ibru of Ibafon Oil and Gas.
The recovery followed a petition submitted by Prudent Energy and Services Limited, alleging that petroleum products entrusted to Ibafon Oil and Gas for storage had been unlawfully converted, resulting in a significant shortfall in the company’s stock.
The petitioner also alleged that periodic withdrawals were made from the stored products until the outstanding balance stood at 2,574,031 litres.
However, during a subsequent physical measurement and reconciliation exercise, only 206,761 litres remained in the storage tanks, leaving a deficit of 2,367,270 litres.
Investigation revealed that Ibafon Oil and Gas is involved in the purchase and sale of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and also stores its petroleum products at the same depot alongside products belonging to its customers.
It was further revealed that Ibru allegedly used his position as the owner of Ibafon Oil and Gas to truck out petroleum products in excess of the quantity owned by the company, thereby converting the petitioner’s products for his own use.
Following the Commission’s intervention, the suspect handed over the recovered products to the petitioner, Prudent Energy and Services Limited.
