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Police deploy men in churches, ban fireworks ahead of Christmas celebrations

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9 years ago

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ibrahim-idris1

 

 

 

The Nigeria Police have scaled up security arrangements around churches and public locations across the country to forestall attacks by insurgents and other criminal elements during the Christmas celebration, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

Similarly, the police commands across the country have banned the use of fireworks, especially around churches.

Findings show that police formations across the country are deploying thousands of men in churches, and locations like major markets and motor parks, an arrangement that is expected to continue till the New Year’s Day celebration.

The Nigeria Police’s spokesman, Donald Awunah, said on Friday that the nationwide operation would involve specialised units like the Police Mobile Force, Counter-terrorism Unit, Special Protection Unit, Federal Highway Patrol, Explosive Ordinance Department, the Armament Unit, Marine Police, helicopters and sniffer dogs.

“Motorists, commuters and other road users are enjoined to cooperate with police detachments and personnel deployed in the highways and major roads across the country,” Awunah said.

He said that the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had directed the Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police in all the zones and commands in the country to personally supervise the operation.

In Nigeria’s North-East, which is battling Boko Haram insurgency, the security arrangements are more extensive. It was learnt that churches in the zone were training private security guards to complement the efforts of the police.

The Catholic Church in Yola, Adamawa State, for instance, said it had learnt from past attacks and had taken measures to secure worshippers.

Head, Justice, Peace and Development Commission and Director of Communications for the church in Yola, Maurice Kwairanga, said threats of attacks are usually heightened during festivities.

According to him, youths trained in identifying suspicious faces will be deployed in churches to screen incoming worshippers.

He said the efforts of the military and the police would be complemented by the vigilance of youths and volunteers, who have been trained to detect any suspicious person.

He said, “We are aware of that and have put in place measures of detection and prevention. We have Catholic youth volunteers,  who although not armed,  can easily identify any new face or suspicious persons.”

However, the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria in Adamawa State, Bishop Mike Moses, said there were complaints by some churches that they were not being covered by security agents. He said such churches had been advised to make use of their internal security systems.

To show the scale of police deployment, Niger State for instance, deployed 4,000 personnel in churches, while the Nasarawa State Police Command deployed 5,000 in churches and trouble spots across the state’s 13 local government areas on Friday. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Abubakar Bello, said his men would be at junctions, places of worship, recreation centres and other public places to prevent any attack.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer in Niger State, Mr. Bala Elkana, the men would also cover all the recreational centres and parks in the state, as mobile police and an anti-bomb squad would be actively in place.

The Katsina Police Command has deployed an equally large number of personnel in the state. It was learnt that regular and plain-clothes policemen would be stationed at churches in the state to augment the security put in place by the religious houses.

The command’s spokesman, Salisu Agaisa, said the command had met with religious leaders in the state to ensure peace during the festive period.

A similar arrangement is being made in Ondo State, where the police command said it had “mapped out strategies to re-detail the duties of every policeman working in the state during the Yuletide.”

The Spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Femi Joseph, said undercover police officers were already in place across the state to gather intelligence.

“We have also intensified our visibility patrols, especially along the highways and around banks and financial institutions,” he said.

Hand in hand with the deployment of policemen is the ban on fireworks and firecrackers in the country.

The police headquarters in Abuja said violators of the ban would be arrested and prosecuted, while the CAN said “bangers and other explosives” would not be allowed within church premises in the country.

The Sokoto State Police Command said its men would promptly arrest anybody caught with firecrackers during the festive season.

Also, the Public Relations Officer, Adamawa State Police Command, Othman Abubakar, expressed confidence that the ban on the use of firecrackers would be adhered to in the state.

He said because of the peculiar security situation in the state, many plain-clothes security operatives would be utilised to assist the force fish out suspicious elements, who may have infiltrated the population.

The Ondo, Ogun and Ekiti state police commands also said anyone engaged in the sale and use of firecrackers would be dealt with according to the law, which stipulates a 14-year jail term for such offence upon conviction. The same warning has been issued in Nasarawa State.

However, churches and the CAN are not leaving security around their religious houses to the police alone.

For instance,            in Katsina and some other states, Saturday PUNCH learnt that in the past week, churches have trained private security guards to work on their premises during programmes. The security guards are expected to frisk people entering the churches.

Also, CAN in Katsina State has banned ladies from taking their bags inside churches but are expected to drop them in designated spots outside the church to prevent insurgents disguising as women to smuggle bombs in.

The CAN Secretary in Sokoto State, Adedeji Tade, said even though Boko Haram attacks were alien to the state, security measures like metal detectors were still being put in place around churches.

It was learnt that many churches in the state have also employed private security outfits to mount surveillance and patrol their premises.

In Kwara State, the Chairman of CAN, Prof. Timothy Opoola, said pastors in the state had undergone special security training to prevent security breaches in their churches during the Yuletide and the New Year’s Day celebration.

The Special Assistant to the President of CAN, Bayo Oladeji, told one of our correspondents in Abuja that screening of worshippers before church services would be necessary “to forestall attacks by insurgents.”

“Ordinarily, Christmas is a time of celebrations. But the satanic agents in the garments of extremists and terrorists are making it difficult for the people of God to rejoice. The CAN President, Rev. Olasupo Ayokunle, has advised churches to be vigilant and security conscious before, during and after the Yuletide season,” he said.

 

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Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact [email protected]

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Group Signs Investment Promotion Agreement in Ivory Coast as UNIPGC Deploys Funding for Capital Projects  

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11 hours ago

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May 14, 2026

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Group Signs Investment Promotion Agreement in Ivory Coast as UNIPGC Deploys Funding for Capital Projects

– Ivorycoast, Cot’devouir 

 

Noble & Gold Consulting Ltd has officially signed a partnership agreement with Gicobat Group of Company to facilitate funding for capital projects in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, through the UNIPGC–Global Economic Development Council (GEDC), during a high-level Business and Investment Roundtable held in the country.

 

The meeting, which took place on May 12, 2026, at the World Trade Centre in Abidjan, brought together senior executives and stakeholders from both organizations, including His Excellency, Amb. Jonathan Ojadah GCOP, Global President of UNIPGC; Mr. Noble Eze, CEO of Noble & Gold Consulting Ltd; and the Chairman of Gicobat Group of Company, Côte d’Ivoire.

 

The roundtable focused on opportunities for capital project financing, investment promotion, and business development across strategic sectors of the economy. Following extensive deliberations, the parties finalized terms and signed an agreement aimed at advancing the projects discussed during the engagement.

 

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the UNIPGC-GEDC, His Excellency Amb. Jonathan Ojadah, delivered a presentation titled *“How Reputable Brands Can Secure Funding for Capital Projects.”* He stated that the agreement represents a major milestone in supporting high-profile business initiatives that require structured financing and professional project management.

 

According to him, the partnership aligns with UNIPGC-GEDC’s mandate as a leading investment promotion, advisory, and business development institution operating across Africa and internationally.

 

> “Today, I am delighted to address this important topic on how leaders of established and reputable brands can secure the capital required for major expansion, technological advancement, or infrastructure development. The objective is not merely to find funding, but to attract the right funding at the most competitive cost of capital,” he stated.

 

He emphasized that brand reputation remains a critical asset in attracting investors and financial institutions.

 

> “In business, reputation is everything. In the world of capital-intensive projects, reputation is more than public perception; it is an asset class. A reputable brand represents stability, proven performance, and trustworthiness,” he added.

 

Amb. Ojadah further noted that successful funding processes begin long before formal investment pitches are made. According to him, investors seek organizations that demonstrate value stewardship, operational excellence, and financial discipline.

 

Drawing from his international experience in capital project engagements across Egypt, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and other countries, he highlighted several categories of major funding institutions involved in large-scale development financing. These include multilateral development banks, government agencies, private foundations, and impact investors focused on infrastructure, healthcare, real estate, energy, oil and gas, and sustainable development.

 

Among the institutions he referenced were the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the European Union (EU), the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Mastercard Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the UNIPGC Foundation.

 

He explained that through the UNIPGC Global Economic Development Council (GEDC), the organization facilitates funding opportunities for startups, private sector operators, and government projects through public-private partnerships (PPP), leveraging its network of international funding partners and financial institutions.

 

Amb. Ojadah identified three critical indicators commonly assessed by investors and lenders before financing projects:

 

1. **Transparency and Financial Performance** – Organizations must maintain audited financial records, quality assets, and sustainable growth patterns.

 

2. **Operational Excellence** – Investors prefer businesses with proven operational systems and stable cash flow generation, which reduce investment risks.

 

3. **A Strong Project Narrative** – Businesses must clearly demonstrate how proposed projects align with long-term strategic goals such as digital transformation, automation, infrastructure expansion, or increased market competitiveness.

 

He also outlined key strategies reputable brands can adopt in securing project financing, including bank financing, strategic partnerships, vendor financing arrangements, private equity investments, and asset-based lending structures.

 

> “Securing capital for projects as a reputable brand is ultimately about combining trust with strategic planning. Reputation is your strongest asset, and when paired with sound financial planning and a compelling vision, it becomes a powerful tool for building the future,” he concluded.

 

For Gicobat Group of Company, the partnership is expected to accelerate the execution of ongoing and proposed projects by leveraging UNIPGC-GEDC’s network of investors and financial partners. Officials of the company expressed confidence that the collaboration would significantly improve project implementation timelines and financing accessibility.

 

Organizers noted that the choice of the World Trade Centre, Abidjan, as the venue reflected the international scope and significance of the engagement, particularly for negotiations involving capital-intensive projects in infrastructure, trade, and industrial development.

 

UNIPGC-GEDC describes itself as a leading global investment promotion, advisory, and business development consultancy, working with governments, private enterprises, and institutional investors to structure, finance, and manage large-scale projects from inception to completion.

 

According to the organization, the Abidjan agreement adds to its expanding portfolio of strategic partnerships aimed at unlocking capital for projects with significant economic and social impact. It also confirmed that due diligence and project structuring processes had been completed prior to the signing to ensure project bankability and investor confidence.

 

Officials from both organizations further disclosed that implementation teams would be constituted immediately to oversee the next phase of the agreement. Although specific project details were not disclosed, both parties assured stakeholders that updates would be communicated as implementation milestones are achieved.

 

UNIPGC-GEDC also encouraged businesses, institutions, and investors with high-impact projects requiring financing or management support to engage with its team for collaboration opportunities. Further information on its services is available via UNIPGC-GEDC Official Website www.unipgc.org/gedc

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Dennis Ekamah Isn’t Building Houses—He’s Redefining What Home Means for Africans Through PropTech

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19 hours ago

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May 14, 2026

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Dennis Ekamah Isn’t Building Houses—He’s Redefining What Home Means for Africans Through PropTech.

 

The founder of coHouse.ng is reimagining how millions of Africans access, experience, and share housing through technology.

 

In Africa’s rapidly evolving innovation landscape, the most transformative companies are no longer defined by the industries they enter, but by the systems they redesign.

 

For Dennis Ekamah, the opportunity was never about constructing buildings, it was about confronting a deeper question.

 

why is access to housing still so structurally difficult for millions of Africans in a digital age?

 

Rather than stepping into real estate as a developer. Dennis chose a different path, positioning coHouse.ng as a PropTech platform rethinking how housing is accessed, experienced, and shared. At the heart of this vision which is connecting potential home owners together via resource pooling for the purpose of either Living or Growth. Simply, *Connect. Live. Grow.*

 

*A Platform Not a Property Company*

 

coHouse.ng is not a real estate company. It is a technology-driven ecosystem connecting like-minded individuals into structured communities where they can live intentionally, invest collectively, and grow within a shared system.

 

From Insight to Recognition

 

In 2025, coHouse.ng was recognised among the Top 50 Tech Startups in Africa. Even ahead of its official launch, the platform attracted over 1,000 early waitlist users, individuals eager to be part of a new way of living and investing.

 

Solving for Access, Alignment, and Trust

 

Dennis Ekamah’s diagnosis goes deeper than supply shortfalls. The real barriers he argues are access, coordination, and trust. coHouse.ng tackles all three through identity verification powered by a third party verification system api. coHouse is not flying solo without the help and collaboration with government bodies across Nigeria and other African countries.

 

In his words;

“Imagine what you would achieve as an individual or group if you’re living with the right people or like-minded individuals around you.”

 

I’m not a developer, I’m not a professional realtor, I’m just someone who sees the need for this solution based on the problem we face as youth/young entrepreneurs in today’s housing deficiency across Africa.

— Dennis Ekamah

 

Join our waitlist by visiting www.cohouse.ng

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Landmark Judgment: Federal High Court Dismisses ₦50bn Oil Spill Claim Against ExxonMobil

Published

1 day ago

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May 13, 2026

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Landmark Judgment: Federal High Court Dismisses ₦50bn Oil Spill Claim Against ExxonMobil

 

The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo has dismissed a ₦50 billion lawsuit filed against ExxonMobil, sued as Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, now Seplat Energy Producing, in a ruling analysts say could significantly reshape oil spill litigation and compensation claims in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

Delivering judgment on April 29, 2026, Justice Onyetenu held that the suit instituted by the Ejige Ore Njenyisi Muma & Fishing Co-operative Society Ltd was incompetent and liable to dismissal for lack of jurisdiction.

The plaintiffs had sought ₦50 billion in damages over an alleged hydrocarbon spill said to have occurred on September 12, 2021.

However, counsel to the defendant, Chinonso Ekuma of KENNA LP, successfully argued that the claimants failed to disclose any legally recognisable violation attributable to the oil firm.

In its findings, the court held that the plaintiffs failed to establish any actionable wrongdoing against the defendant.

A key element in the court’s decision was the Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) Report tendered by the plaintiffs themselves, which showed that the alleged spill incident was confined within ExxonMobil’s operational facility and did not impact the members of the cooperative society or their sources of livelihood.

The court further ruled that claims arising from such incidents must be pursued strictly under the statutory compensation framework provided in Section 11(5) of the Oil Pipelines Act, rather than through common-law claims founded on negligence or nuisance.

Justice Onyetenu held that the plaintiffs’ attempt to circumvent the statutory regime by framing the suit as a tort action rendered the matter incompetent before the court, thereby depriving it of jurisdiction.

Legal analysts say the judgment reinforces the supremacy of the Oil Pipelines Act in determining compensation procedures relating to oil pipeline incidents and environmental claims in Nigeria.

The ruling is also seen as strengthening the evidential weight of Joint Investigation Visit Reports, particularly in cases where such reports indicate no direct impact on claimants or host communities.

Industry observers believe the judgment will have far-reaching implications for future oil spill litigation, especially regarding the procedural requirements for compensation claims against oil operators.

The court’s decision further provides clarity for operators within Nigeria’s energy sector by reaffirming that compliance with Section 11(5) of the Oil Pipelines Act is mandatory and cannot be sidestepped through alternative legal formulations.

While K.O. Uzuokwu appeared for the plaintiffs, the defence was led by Chinonso Ekuma of KENNA LP on behalf of ExxonMobil.

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