The Federal Government has commenced the disbursement of ₦50,000 cash assistance to vulnerable Nigerians under a new intervention aimed at helping low-income households cope with rising food prices and the increasing cost of living.

The initiative, known as the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction as part of efforts to provide financial support to households facing economic hardship.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the commencement of the programme on Friday, October 30, 2026, explaining that the intervention was designed to provide immediate relief to eligible Nigerians.

According to the minister, the ₦50,000 cash support is intended to help beneficiaries meet essential household expenses amid persistent increases in the prices of food and other basic commodities.

He said the programme was introduced in response to the pressure of global food inflation and the rising cost of living, which have continued to affect the purchasing power of many households.

The government said the intervention would be reviewed periodically in response to changes in economic conditions, with beneficiaries expected to receive direct communication about any adjustments.

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Under the payment arrangement, the ministry is working with approved digital financial service providers to ensure that the funds reach selected beneficiaries through secure channels.

The programme’s official website lists ALAT by Wema Bank, MoMo PSB and NairaGram as approved payment providers. Beneficiaries are expected to receive text messages from the providers and give their consent before the funds are transferred to their accounts or mobile wallets.

The government said beneficiaries would not need to pay any fee, register through an agent or submit an application to access the intervention.

Selection is expected to be based on verified national identity records and information in the National Social Register, which is used to identify poor and vulnerable households.

The ministry also warned Nigerians to be cautious of fraudsters seeking to exploit the cash transfer programme by demanding payments or requesting confidential banking details.

Doro urged beneficiaries not to disclose their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) or One-Time Passwords (OTPs) to anyone claiming to facilitate their payments.

He advised Nigerians who receive suspicious messages or are asked to pay money before accessing the support to contact the programme’s official helpline on 0700-022-2222 for clarification.

The intervention is expected to complement existing social protection programmes and other government efforts to cushion the impact of economic hardship on low-income households.

However, there is an important discrepancy over how frequently the ₦50,000 will be paid. Although the minister’s announcement describes the support as a monthly payment, the programme’s official website currently identifies it as a one-off grant.

The ministry should therefore clarify whether beneficiaries will receive the money every month or only once under the current intervention.

For now, Nigerians are advised to rely on official government announcements and verified messages from approved payment providers for information about eligibility and disbursement.

Zamfara Kidnap: Three Imams Regain Freedom After Weeks in Captivity, Three Others Still Held

A 49-year-old transporter, Saburi Lateef, has allegedly confessed to strangling and repeatedly macheting a retired civil servant, Mrs Adedotun Oluwaseun, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, over a disputed N3.45 million transaction.

Lateef, popularly known as Alhaji Oki Osan, was arrested by operatives of the Ogun State Police Command following investigations into the murder, which occurred at the deceased’s residence in the Bode-Olude area of Abeokuta.

The suspect was reportedly arrested on October 19, 2026, about eight months after the woman was found dead in her apartment.

The deceased, a retired confidential secretary with the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), was reportedly killed after returning home from a retirement celebration organised by her colleagues.

Her body was discovered in the toilet of her residence on February 28, 2026, with multiple machete wounds.

According to accounts obtained during the investigation, the suspect allegedly gained access to the woman’s apartment through a window after removing part of the burglary-proof protection.

He was said to have been searching the apartment when the deceased returned home unexpectedly.

In his alleged confession, Lateef admitted that an argument broke out between them before he strangled her and subsequently inflicted multiple machete cuts on different parts of her body.

He claimed that the disagreement arose from N3.45 million he had allegedly entrusted to the deceased after selling his broken-down truck.

The transporter said he had known the woman for about 10 years and became closer to her after she moved into her house.

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He explained that his financial difficulties began when his truck developed a fault and he could not afford the money required to repair it.

According to him, he eventually sold the vehicle for N3.5 million and gave about N50,000 to people who had worked around the area where it was parked.

He alleged that before selling the truck, he had discussed his financial situation with the deceased, who promised to lend him money to purchase another vehicle.

Lateef claimed that he subsequently handed over the remaining N3.45 million to her, expecting that she would provide additional funds as promised.

However, he alleged that the woman repeatedly postponed the proposed loan and failed to return the money despite his demands.

He said the disagreement eventually became serious when he visited her residence to recover the money.

The suspect reportedly admitted that he had consumed alcohol before the incident but insisted that his frustration over the alleged financial dispute prompted his actions.

He also claimed that he entered the apartment through a window after removing its burglary-proof protection.

Police sources said the suspect allegedly strangled the woman when she returned and caught him inside the apartment. He subsequently used a machete to inflict several wounds on her body.

Investigators also alleged that he moved her body to the toilet after the attack.

However, the deceased’s family has disputed the suspect’s account, insisting that they were unaware of any financial dealings between him and their mother.

Her eldest daughter, Taiwo Atanda, said the family was shocked by the suspect’s alleged involvement, adding that they had never known him to be close to the deceased.

Atanda recalled that her mother visited her residence after attending a friend’s retirement celebration around the Rounder area of Abeokuta.

She said the deceased spent time with her and her children before returning home in the evening.

According to her, the family became concerned the following morning when the retired civil servant failed to make her usual calls.

She said attempts to reach her mother’s telephone were unsuccessful because it remained switched off.

Atanda subsequently contacted a woman living around the deceased’s residence and asked her to check on her mother.

The woman reportedly visited the apartment and later discovered the deceased’s body in the toilet with multiple machete wounds, with the assistance of another resident.

The daughter said the emergence of Lateef as the principal suspect was particularly shocking because neither she nor her children had seen him around their mother during family visits and celebrations.

She further disclosed that the suspect was among the people who visited the deceased’s residence to mourn after her death.

The family has called on the police and the Ogun State Government to ensure that justice is served.

The Ogun State Police Command said the breakthrough followed sustained investigations by detectives attached to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said preliminary investigations indicated that the deceased was allegedly strangled and attacked with a machete during an altercation with the suspect.

According to the police, Lateef reportedly confessed to the killing and linked the incident to financial dealings with the deceased.

The command said the suspect claimed he had entrusted N3.45 million to the woman for safekeeping, with an understanding that she would lend him N1.5 million towards purchasing another vehicle.

However, detectives were still working to corroborate his account and establish the full circumstances surrounding the murder.

The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Bode Ojajuni, commended the investigating officers for their persistence, professionalism and commitment, which led to the arrest.

The command reiterated its determination to investigate serious crimes, ensure accountability and bring anyone found culpable to justice through lawful prosecution.

Police said the suspect would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.