Lagosians lament brutality of land grabbers
Human Rights Activists, under the platform of Human Rights Action Watch, have urged governments and security agents to rise in defence of innocent citizens being oppressed by land grabbers across Lagos State.
The activists said that the threats to life and public peace by land grabbers in Ibeju-Lekki, Epe division of Lagos, had become unbearable.
Speaking at a news conference in Lagos, President of the group, Tunji Balogun, alleged that a notorious land grabber, aka Ibile (real name withheld), had continued to wreak havoc in the area brazenly.
Balogun said that not only did the property owners suffer and were still counting losses, but artisans and others working in some sites also had many pathetic stories to tell of the havoc of this land grabber and his violent gangs.
According to him, the land grabber has continued to act unlawfully above the law of the land under protection by some security agencies to the detriment of the voiceless people.
He called on the federal and state governments, and the security agencies to conduct full criminal investigation on the land grabber and all state actors conniving with them.
Balogun said that the notorious activities of these people on Sunday led to the burning down of property belonging to one Esther Otsabomhe, while her workers were also whisked away.
He said recently, a middle-aged bricklayer, Sodiq Kolapo, was shot dead by the land grabbers and that the wife of the deceased artisan was still in sorrow with three children.
The human rights leader said that if not managed swiftly, the atrocities of land grabbers could snowball into acts similar to terrorism in the near future.
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Also speaking, Joke Kolapo, the widow of the slain bricklayer, said things had been difficult for her and her children since her husband was killed.
Kolapo said her husband was allegedly attacked by land grabbers at a construction site in the community, adding that the assailants also took his body away.
She said her husband was just working as a bricklayer, a labourer for that matter at the site, not even a native of the land.
The widow said she was expecting her husband to come home on that particular day and she waited till midnight but didn’t see him.
Kolapo said that she tried his line several times, but it was not reachable. According to her, she later went to his friend who introduced him to the job and asked for his whereabouts.
She said that his friend told her that they were attacked by the land grabbers and her husband had been shot dead and his body taken away.
Kolapo said that she was shocked hearing that from him and she cried like a baby.
“Up until now, I have not seen my husband’s body or his burial ground. I am a nursing mother with three children.
“I want the government to intervene and come to my aid and the community.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the community had recently sent a Save Our Soul message toGov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Inspector General of Police to urgently intervene.
FG to train 18,510 Nigerians under Renewed Hope Vocational and Skills Training Programme — Doro
The Federal Government has launched the Renewed Hope Vocational and Skills Training Programme (VSTP), an initiative that will equip 18,510 Nigerians across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with practical vocational and entrepreneurial skills aimed at boosting employment, promoting self-reliance and reducing poverty.
The programme, a flagship intervention of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, is part of the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to empower vulnerable Nigerians through sustainable economic opportunities rather than short-term relief measures.
Speaking during the official launch of the programme at the Government Technical College, Area 3, Garki, Abuja, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, described the initiative as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s human capital and a critical step toward creating long-term livelihoods.
According to a statement issued by the Minister’s Senior Technical Adviser on Information Systems and Data Analysis, Dr Abimbola Fasanu, the vocational training programme is designed to provide beneficiaries with practical skills that will improve their employability and prepare them to establish successful businesses.
“This programme is more than a training exercise; it is a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we are moving from palliatives to pathways by equipping Nigerians with practical skills that create opportunities, restore dignity and build lasting prosperity,” Doro said.
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The minister explained that the initiative forms part of the ministry’s broader One Humanitarian–One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS), a reform framework created to integrate humanitarian assistance, social protection and poverty reduction interventions into a single coordinated national strategy.
According to him, linking the programme with the National Social Investment Programme ensures that beneficiaries receive support beyond classroom training through entrepreneurship development, cooperative structures, access to business opportunities and pathways that encourage long-term economic independence.
The two-week intensive training programme combines technical vocational education with entrepreneurship and business management, enabling participants to acquire practical skills and the knowledge required to start and sustain profitable enterprises.
To ensure participants can immediately put their new skills into practice, the Federal Government will provide every beneficiary with a starter pack tailored to his or her selected vocational trade upon successful completion of the programme.
Beneficiaries will receive practical training in 14 high-demand vocational trades, including Automobile Technology, Agricultural Technology (Agric-Tech), Baking and Confectionery, Carpentry, Catering and Cookery, Electrical Installation, Housekeeping, Jewellery and Bead Making, Masonry, Plumbing, Welding and Fabrication, Sewing and Fashion Design, Grinding Operations, and Vulcanising.
Doro said the government’s objective extends beyond issuing certificates, stressing that the real success of the programme would be measured by the number of businesses created, jobs generated and families lifted out of poverty.
“Our vision is to see today’s trainee become tomorrow’s entrepreneur, employer and contributor to national development. This is how we will build resilience, reduce poverty and create inclusive economic growth for Nigerians,” he said.
He commended the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), vocational training providers, development partners and private sector organisations supporting the initiative, urging them to ensure quality training, effective monitoring and sustained mentorship for beneficiaries after graduation.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to implementing reforms that empower Nigerians through practical skills development, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihood opportunities in line with President Tinubu’s economic reform agenda.
The launch of the programme comes amid intensified government efforts to address youth unemployment, poverty and economic inequality through expanded social investment initiatives. Recent reforms have focused on strengthening transparency, digital verification, monitoring and accountability across the country’s social intervention programmes.
Development experts have consistently identified technical and vocational education as one of the most effective tools for reducing unemployment and stimulating economic growth, particularly among young people. By combining vocational training with entrepreneurship support, business starter packs and post-training assistance, the programme aims to help beneficiaries establish viable businesses, create jobs and contribute to local economic development.
Government officials said implementation of the programme would be closely monitored to ensure beneficiaries complete their training, receive their starter packs and gain continued support needed to build sustainable enterprises capable of improving household incomes and strengthening Nigeria’s economy.
These Hands Can Build the World: Reframing Nigeria’s Youth Bulge
A four-part series
Omobola Lana, Strategic Advisor Adara Foundation
Part 1: The Paradox of Two Plagues
The global economy is currently wrestling with two seemingly unrelated crises. Across Europe, and North America, factories, energy grids, and construction sites are stalling because there simply aren’t enough young hands to pick up the tools. An aging demographic and a decades-long societal push away from vocational education have left developed nations with a staggering structural deficit. Across Europe, the mathematics of the talent pipeline are broken: for every new apprentice entering the skilled trades, nearly three veteran professionals are retiring. The European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC) estimates a staggering deficit of 2.1 million construction and technical workers across EU member states.
Meanwhile, here in Nigeria, the crisis is perfectly inverted.
Nigeria is home to one of the youngest populations in the world, with nearly 60% of our population under the age of 25. Yet, according to data from the International Labour Organization and local economic metrics, youth unemployment and underemployment remain stubbornly high, leaving millions of energetic, capable minds trapped in low-paying, informal survivalist jobs.
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For decades, domestic policymakers and international observers have viewed Nigeria’s young population with anxiety, routinely branding it a ticking sociological time bomb. But this perspective suffers from economic short-sightedness. What the world treats as an isolated demographic problem could actually be the missing puzzle piece to a global labor crisis. Nigeria’s youth bulge is not a burden; it can be the ultimate supply-side solution to the global trade skills deficit.
The mismatch between global demand and Nigerian labor supply persists because our educational institutions are still preparing youth for a domestic corporate market that cannot absorb them, while ignoring a ravenous global market that needs them. If we shift our perspective—viewing our massive youth population not as a liability to be pacified, but as a high-value human capital asset to be strategically developed—Nigeria can position its youth to build both the world’s infrastructure and, concurrently, its own.
The path forward requires looking beyond standard university degrees and tech bubbles. The world needs builders, technicians, and operators. And Nigeria has the raw human energy to supply them.
This is Part 1 of a four-part series. Stay tuned for the next edition as we continue the conversation on unlocking the potential of African youth.
Adara Foundation empowers women and young people to contribute to Africa’s socio-economic development through education, skills training, funding support for small businesses, and the promotion of African arts and culture. Investing in the economic empowerment of women and youth is at the heart of our work. Since 2017, the Foundation has reached more than 22,700 beneficiaries through education, skills development, SME support, financial literacy, market access, health initiatives, and humanitarian support.
This article is part of the Foundation’s commitment to advancing conversations that inspire action and unlock the potential of the African youth.
Learn more at www.adarafoundation.org and follow Adara Foundation on Facebook (@Adara Foundation), Instagram (@adara_foundation), and LinkedIn (@Adara Foundation).
Presidency, Makinde clash over UN probe into Oriire school abduction
The rescue of 39 pupils and seven teachers abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has sparked a fresh political disagreement between the Presidency and Governor Seyi Makinde, following the governor’s call for an independent international investigation into the circumstances surrounding the kidnapping and the victims’ prolonged captivity.
The victims, who were abducted by suspected Ansaru terrorists on May 15, 2026, regained their freedom on July 10 after spending 56 days in captivity in remote parts of the Oyo National Forest. Their release followed a coordinated intelligence-led rescue operation involving multiple Nigerian security agencies.
Although Nigerians have welcomed the safe return of the victims, Governor Makinde has insisted that the rescue should not mark the end of the matter, arguing that the incident raises serious questions that deserve transparent answers.
In a statewide broadcast after receiving the rescued pupils and teachers, the governor announced plans to seek an independent investigation involving relevant United Nations agencies, international human rights organisations and other accountability bodies.
According to Makinde, the objective is not to undermine Nigeria’s security institutions but to establish the full truth behind the incident and restore public confidence in the country’s security architecture.
“The reunion of these children and teachers with their families does not mark the end of this painful chapter. It marks the beginning of another responsibility—our collective responsibility to establish the truth,” the governor said.
He maintained that because the responsibility for national security rests with the Federal Government under Nigeria’s Constitution, Nigerians deserve a comprehensive explanation of how dozens of schoolchildren and teachers were abducted, held for nearly two months and eventually rescued.
Makinde called for a transparent investigation into whether there were institutional failures, operational lapses, negligence or any form of collusion that may have contributed to the incident or prolonged the victims’ captivity.
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He also announced plans to strengthen security across communities bordering the Old Oyo National Park, including tighter surveillance of access routes, improved intelligence gathering and stronger collaboration between local communities and security agencies.
However, the Presidency strongly rejected the governor’s proposal, describing it as unnecessary and politically motivated.
Reacting to Makinde’s comments, the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed the governor’s position as baseless.
Speaking on the controversy, Onanuga questioned what the Federal Government would gain by allowing innocent schoolchildren and teachers to remain in captivity.
“What will any government or anybody profit from subjecting the children and teachers to such trauma for days?” he asked.
The presidential spokesman said it would take “a very bad mind” to suggest any conspiracy surrounding the rescue operation, adding that the successful mission should instead be celebrated as a major achievement by Nigeria’s security agencies.
“If somebody is reading any conspiracy into that, it is only somebody who has a very dark mind,” Onanuga stated.
The Presidency reiterated that the rescue resulted from weeks of painstaking intelligence gathering and close collaboration among the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Air Force, Amotekun Corps, local hunters and other members of the Joint Interagency Task Force.
Security officials disclosed that investigators gradually dismantled the terrorists’ logistics network, monitored communication channels and cut off supply routes before successfully securing the victims’ release without a large-scale military assault that could have endangered their lives.
The operation, however, came at a heavy cost.
Among those who paid the supreme sacrifice was Lieutenant Felix Ademe Isaac, a Nigerian Army officer who was killed after his convoy struck an improvised explosive device during an earlier phase of the rescue mission.
The rescued victims have since narrated harrowing experiences in captivity, revealing that they survived mainly on cocoyam, noodles and water from a nearby stream, while children were beaten whenever they cried, male teachers were chained and blindfolded, and the group was repeatedly forced to embark on dangerous nighttime treks through thick forests whenever the kidnappers suspected security operatives were closing in.
Security analysts say the disagreement between the Oyo State Government and the Presidency reflects differing perspectives on accountability rather than the success of the rescue operation itself.
While some believe an independent inquiry could help identify security gaps, improve intelligence coordination and strengthen Nigeria’s response to future kidnapping incidents, others argue that existing constitutional institutions are capable of reviewing the operation without external involvement.
Political observers also note that the disagreement comes amid heightened political tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections, although both the Presidency and Governor Makinde have insisted their positions are driven by national interest rather than partisan considerations.
Meanwhile, the rescued pupils and teachers are receiving medical attention, trauma counselling and rehabilitation, while security agencies continue efforts to track down and prosecute all members of the terrorist network responsible for the abduction.
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