The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has launched a 10-year strategic roadmap to scale up the country`s raw cashew nut production from 300,000 tonnes to one million tonnes, with a mandate to process 50 per cent of the total yield domestically. The initiative was announced during the inauguration of the association’s national and state chapter executives in Abuja. The strategy aims to accelerate industrialisation, increase non-oil export earnings, attract foreign direct investments, and create thousands of jobs across cashew-producing states. Speaking at the event, THENEWSCREDIT gathered NCAN National President, Ademola Adesokan, emphasized that the target is a practical roadmap with measurable milestones rather than a mere aspiration. He stated that while policies originate at the federal level, the core drivers of the value chain—production, aggregation, storage, and quality assurance—rest within the farming communities. Adesokan explained that the newly formed state chapters will serve as the operational backbone of the strategy, ensuring strict quality control and enhanced supply chain traceability. This grassroots coordination is expected to build confidence among processors and exporters, making Nigerian cashew highly competitive on the global stage. THENEWSCREDIT reports that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) pledged its full policy backing for the initiative, describing the inauguration as the official transition from policy formulation to direct execution. Delivering the ministry’s goodwill message on behalf of the Director of the Industrial Development Department, Olumuyiwa Jayi-Ade, Assistant Director Popoola Abimbola commended NCAN’s collaborative role in validating the Nigeria Cashew Roadmap. To ensure seamless execution, Abimbola revealed that the ministry, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, NCAN, and development partners, will establish the Nigerian Cashew Project Office (NCPO). The new office will handle stakeholder collaboration, monitor execution frameworks, and drive reforms across the value chain. FMITI also encouraged NCAN members to ensure the financial sustainability of the association through the prompt payment of dues to strengthen its capacity for policy advocacy. Highlighting the economic importance of the sector, the Director of the Commodities and Export Department, Obasi Edozie, described the expansion of state chapters as a major institutional milestone for industry governance. Edozie reaffirmed that cashew remains one of Nigeria’s most strategic non-oil commodities capable of generating vital foreign exchange, driving rural development, and stimulating industrial growth. He urged all value chain stakeholders to stay united in enforcing global quality standards, improving traceability, and expanding local processing capacities to capture maximum value from the sector.

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has strongly backed the creation of state police but demanded full constitutional powers for governors to appoint and dismiss state Commissioners of Police. The regional leaders warned that any arrangement short of this authority would merely create a "Federal State Police" rather than a genuinely decentralised system rooted in true federalism. The position was part of the resolutions reached at a stakeholders` meeting held at the PANDEF liaison office in Abuja. The high-level political gathering was attended by prominent elder statesmen, including former Akwa Ibom State Governor Obong Victor Attah, former Enugu State Governor Okwesilieze Nwodo, PANDEF National Chairman Dr Godknows Igali, and Middle Belt Forum President Dr Bitrus Pogu. Reading the communiqué, SMBLF Chairman and Afenifere leader, Chief Oladipo Olaitan, argued that governors must hold the same executive authority over their state commissioners as the President holds over the Inspector-General of Police. The forum, which comprises Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, PANDEF, and the Middle Belt Forum, insisted that meaningful state policing can only succeed if backed by genuine constitutional autonomy. Beyond restructuring the security architecture, the forum renewed its demand for a brand-new constitution that would devolve more powers to the federating units and better reflect Nigeria’s federal character. Olaitan stated that the group is prepared to mobilise citizens nationwide to vote exclusively for presidential candidates who are fully committed to delivering a new constitution to the people. Turning their attention to the upcoming 2027 general elections, the regional leaders reaffirmed their earlier stance that the presidency must remain in the Southern region after President Bola Tinubu’s first term. The leaders argued that maintaining this rotational arrangement is absolutely necessary for national cohesion, equity, and political stability across the country. The SMBLF also expressed deep concern over the erosion of internal democracy across major political parties, strongly condemning the alleged dominance of party structures by a few individuals during ongoing primary elections. They criticised the situation where an oligarchy handpicks candidates, noting that excluding independent candidates is antithetical to democracy and sustainable national development. On national security, the forum praised the armed forces for recent successes against criminal elements in parts of the country, specifically highlighting operational gains in Oyo, Zamfara, and Borno states. However, they urged the Federal Government to sustain the momentum and intensify actions in violence-prone states across the Middle Belt, including Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Kwara, and Kogi. This intervention comes amid growing national debate over the operational framework for state police as the National Assembly considers crucial constitutional amendments. While proponents argue that decentralised policing will improve local intelligence gathering, critics continue to warn against potential abuse by state governors, leaving the nation divided on the execution strategy.

The Emir of Bade, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Suleiman, on Sunday led thousands of Muslims in a special prayer for rain (Salat al-Istisqa) to save communities from a devastating, prolonged dry spell threatening livelihoods across Yobe State. The critical prayer session drew a massive crowd to the Gashu`a prayer ground, bringing together prominent Islamic scholars, district heads, community leaders, and desperate local farmers. Together, they offered special supplications, pleading for urgent divine intervention to bring abundant rainfall, secure a bountiful harvest, and shield the region from the looming threat of famine. Addressing the congregation after the prayers, Emir Suleiman admonished the public to look inward. He strongly urged residents to intensify their worship, seek forgiveness through repentance, and foster communal unity and good conduct, emphasizing that true righteousness attracts the mercy and blessings of the Almighty. The spiritual intervention comes at a time of growing panic, as a severe lack of consistent rainfall over recent weeks has halted the growth of essential staple crops across Yobe State. Major food crops like millet, sorghum, and maize are already drying up in the fields, leaving local farming populations terrified of total crop failure. Agricultural experts have issued stark warnings over the unfolding crisis, noting that if the dry spell persists any longer, it will trigger acute food insecurity. This could plunge thousands of rural households, who depend entirely on subsistence farming, into deep economic hardship and inflation. The session concluded with emotional community prayers for peace, national prosperity, and immediate relief, with residents hoping the heavens will open up in the coming days to restore the land and protect their survival.

Professor Wole Alamu, husband of the recently rescued Oyo State school principal, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, has opened up about the harrowing 50 days his wife spent in captivity, revealing why he took the drastic step of blocking the kidnappers` phone numbers during negotiations . Speaking during a thanksgiving testimony following her release, Professor Alamu disclosed that constant threats from the abductors caused his blood pressure to skyrocket, posing an immediate danger to his life . Mrs. Alamu, the principal of Ahoro Esinle School in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, was abducted alongside some pupils and teachers by gunmen on May 15, 2026. For three weeks, her husband handled direct communications with the criminals, an ordeal he described as emotionally draining and physically destabilising. "There was a day I went for a medical check-up. They sent me a text message and I became destabilised," Professor Alamu recounted []. "By the time I got to the clinic, my blood pressure had increased so much that I could not even do the check-up." Realising the conversations were killing him, the academic made a bold resolution []. "That day I decided I would block these people. You cannot kill me here and kill her there. Choose one. If you want to take her, she is going to be with Christ. You cannot kill the two of us at the same time." The decision to cut off contact triggered a swift, psychological backlash from the kidnappers against the principal "They went to her and said, ‘Madam, your husband has blocked us. We are going to kill you,’" the professor revealed. "She replied, ‘You will not kill me in Jesus’ name.’" According to the testimony, the abductors left a cutlass beside Mrs. Alamu, apparently trying to pressure her into taking her own life. However, she remained resilient, boldly telling them she would not harm herself. Despite the trauma, Professor Alamu praised the swift mobilization of security forces immediately after the abduction. He noted that within 45 minutes of his arrival at Osiele, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 2nd Mechanised Division and the State Commissioner of Police were already on the ground, with two helicopters already combing the forest . The incident drew widespread solidarity across religious boundaries and international borders. The professor noted that the first two groups to visit and support him were the Muslim communities of Oyo State and the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH). He also received tactical support proposals and calls from non-governmental organizations and individuals as far as California and Los Angeles in the United States. Reflecting on the crisis, which he described as the greatest challenge his family has faced since he became a Christian in 1990, Professor Alamu urged believers to take their faith seriously before adversity strikes. "We are a very quiet family. If you searched my name on Google before now, what you would mostly see was academics," he said []. "But difficult situations expose your spiritual foundation. If you want to be a Christian, please be a Christian, so that when challenges come, people won`t be praying in vain." Mrs. Alamu and the other victims finally regained their freedom after a coordinated rescue operation announced by the Federal Government, bringing a joyful end to a 50-day nightmare .

The Federal Government has officially prohibited manual lobbying for strategic deployments and "juicy" postings within the federal civil service following the launch of the newly automated Human Resource Modules under the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). The upgraded system introduces a fully digital infrastructure designed to automate staff promotions, transfers, leave applications, and total personnel lifecycles. This comprehensive digital shift aims to completely eliminate human interference, favoritism, and manual manipulation across all government sectors. Speaking at the official IPPIS Go-Live Ceremony in Abuja, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, declared that the transition effectively shuts the door on external influence in civil service postings. "‘Post me here, post me there. I want a juicy posting’—no more. It is now digitalised," Walson-Jack stated, emphasizing that the cloud-based system will institutionalise a transparent, merit-based framework for managing the nation`s public workforce. The digital overhaul, developed entirely by local tech firm SoftAlliance and Resources Limited, marks a significant shift from the foreign Oracle Electronic Business Suite previously in use. By keeping the software development entirely indigenous, the government successfully shields public spending from foreign exchange volatility while keeping sensitive national personnel data under local control. The Head of Service described the development as a practical expression of the "Nigeria First" policy. The newly deployed platform handles biometric enrolment, onboarding, payroll administration, employee mobility, and advanced data analytics. Through the newly introduced employee self-service module, civil servants can now securely access their personal dashboards, update records, and track their career progression online. This automation is projected to drastically reduce paperwork, eliminate administrative bottlenecks, and accelerate approval times for routine requests. Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, disclosed that the IPPIS infrastructure has grown exponentially from serving just seven pilot agencies at its inception in 2007 to managing over 1,008,800 employee records today. He explained that integrating human resource management directly with payroll administration provides a stronger safety net against financial leakages. This linkage will enhance workforce planning and strengthen fiscal discipline in public financial management. Lauding the initiative, the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, described the IPPIS framework as one of Nigeria’s most successful public sector reforms due to its historical success in eliminating ghost workers. He noted that the new HR capabilities will provide data-driven insights for national workforce planning, making it easier for the government to identify staffing gaps and surpluses across different sectors. However, top government officials have warned that the technology will only be as effective as its execution. The Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Mrs. Nkiruka Jones-Nebo, urged permanent secretaries, HR directors, and IT desk officers to act as change champions, stressing that the success of the system relies heavily on institutional commitment across all 508 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) currently onboarded. The Head of Service further cautioned public servants against resisting the change or trying to replicate old bureaucratic loops on the digital platform. She maintained that the ultimate goal of the digital transformation is to make the work of public servants easier while significantly strengthening the capacity of the government to deliver faster, highly accountable services to all Nigerians.

The Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, has issued a stern warning to young Nigerians to abandon sports betting, declaring it a destructive path that ruins futures. Delivering a powerful sermon on Sunday, the prominent cleric emphasized that gambling is not a viable route to financial freedom or enduring success. He stressed that authentic prosperity requires discipline, patience, and diligent labor. "Young people, betting is not the way to financial fortune," Oyedepo admonished the congregation. "Stop wasting your destiny, stop wasting your destiny, stop wasting your destiny! I have never been once deceived. Stop!" The Bishop urged the youth to remain resilient through humble beginnings, noting that wealth built on biblical foundations guarantees longevity. "Things may be slow, but it is sure," he added. Illustrating the power of long-term faithfulness and gratitude, Oyedepo shared that he recently gifted a car in the United States to the woman who led him to Christ when he was 15 years old. "When I turned 60, I got her a car... she wept. You had better wake up," he urged. The cleric`s warning comes amid growing national concern from financial experts and social commentators over the explosive rise of sports betting in Nigeria, which has left millions of youth vulnerable to addiction and financial ruin.

High-profile controversy has hit the Nigerian entertainment industry following the weekend wedding of controversial content creator Gehgeh, known for his aggressive anti-marriage campaigns. The online personality, who built a massive following by teaching that legal unions are a "financial mistake," has drawn fierce backlash from colleagues and followers who claim they were severely misled by his online doctrine. The sudden nuptials, which began circulating in viral videos over the weekend, have sent shockwaves through the celebrity landscape. Many prominent members of the entertainment industry who subscribed to his school of thought are now calling him out for hypocrisy. The content creator had long advised his audience to avoid traditional family structures, urging them to instead opt for casual co-parenting and "baby mama" or "baby daddy" arrangements. Reacting to the footage, Nollywood actress Evan Okoro—wholly attributing the crash of her own union to his teachings—expressed profound heartbreak and disbelief. Speaking in an emotional video address, she directly blamed the influencer for her recent domestic choices. Okoro confirmed that his rigid stance against family life completely ruined her perspective and fractured her home. "Gehgeh destroyed my marriage," Okoro stated, referring to her separation in April 2025. "He convinced us that marriage is a scam and a financial trap. He deceived me, and now he has abandoned his followers to get married himself. He explicitly told us that if he ever wed, we should know a woman used voodoo on him." Popular comedian Cute Abiola also voiced his anger, expressing deep relief for abandoning the influencer`s platform before it ruined his personal life. He questioned the motive behind the sudden change of heart, wondering how many young men had already ruined their futures following the same toxic guidance. Abiola demanded that the content creator return online to explain the sudden shift in principles. "Thank God I dropped out of his school before I ended up a single father," Cute Abiola stated. "This boy nearly ruined my life a year ago, along with countless other young men who listened to him. He now goes ahead to get married himself. I am waiting for him to come online and explain this in full details." The wave of criticism has quickly spread across top digital platforms, drawing commentary from media executives and digital peers alike. Prominent entertainment blogger Tunde Ednut openly questioned the authenticity of the ceremony, while online personalities like Tiktoker Salo, Tunde Perry, Carter Efe, and Izzy Ogbeide expressed similar shock. Media veteran Daddy Freeze has also weighed in on the unfolding drama. Gehgeh has yet to issue an official statement regarding the authenticity of the wedding videos or respond to the allegations of hypocrisy. As public outrage grows, the situation has sparked a broader national conversation regarding the real-world impact of influencer culture on traditional family institutions in Nigeria.

The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has called on the Federal Government to bypass court trials and immediately execute anyone caught in acts of terrorism or kidnapping. In a press statement released on Sunday by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, the cleric asserted that eliminating judicial delays for confirmed terrorists is the only definitive way to drastically crush the country`s worsening insecurity. Primate Ayodele also advocated for the immediate arrest of individuals negotiating with bandits, explicitly including state governors who pay ransoms. "There should be no court for kidnappers and terrorists; once they have been arrested and confirmed as terrorists, they should be killed immediately," Ayodele stated. "There is no need charging them to court because they won’t get the deserved punishment. Such crimes should attract the immediate death penalty, and those talking to them and paying ransom should also be arrested; this is how terrorism can end." The cleric commended the Nigerian military for its recent operational successes. He particularly praised the Minister of Defence for issuing a "shoot-at-sight" order against terrorists, noting that a sustained implementation of this policy would permanently end the insurgency. To boost morale, the prophet urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to bestow national honours on frontline soldiers and the military high command in recognition of their sacrifices. While offering solutions, Ayodele warned the government against the proliferation of underfunded personal security outfits. He cautioned that if these unregulated groups lack adequate funding, they risk morphing into a new wave of terrorist cells. Instead, he recommended absorbing local hunters into the formal security architecture and strategically embedding them within forest bases. “The Nigerian army can do better; there are people who want to destroy the government with insecurity. If there are too many personal security agencies and they are not adequately funded, they can amount to terrorists. Transform local hunters and let them have their bases inside bushes,” he advised. Rounding off his statement, the spiritual leader issued a stern warning regarding the safety of a prominent Plateau State cleric, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo. He called on security agencies to provide maximum protection for the cleric, warning that any harm befalling him would trigger severe national unrest. “Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo must be protected by all means; the government must ensure he is well protected because if anything happens to him, it will be seen as the highest form of Christian genocide,” Ayodele concluded.

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu, declaring him medically unfit to govern Nigeria and urging him to resign immediately to focus on his health. Speaking during an explosive interview on Symfoni TV, Lawal claimed that the President`s frequent medical trips to France have failed to deceive the Nigerian public regarding his true physical condition. The former SGF insisted that the demands of the presidency are too strenuous for the President`s current state of health, suggesting that a four-year tenure is more than enough. "President Tinubu is not a healthy man. Nigerians are not fooled when he goes to France. I’ve said it before. He has done four years. He should face his health," Lawal stated during the broadcast. In a surprising disclosure about the President’s personal lifestyle habits, the former top government official claimed that Tinubu is not driven by material wealth, describing his daily routine in stark terms. "Tinubu is not even someone who is materialistic. He wakes up in the morning and eats banana and groundnut, and that’s his food. What I know he likes most is silk cigarettes. He smokes. He likes that a lot. He can’t do without it. I don’t know if he has stopped," Lawal added. The controversial statement marks another political shift for Lawal, who recently defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC). His exit from the ADC followed severe allegations of widespread rigging during the primary election that produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party`s presidential flagbearer. The Presidency has yet to issue an official response to Lawal`s allegations regarding the President`s health and lifestyle.

Immanuel Baptist Church, Isale Afon, was packed to capacity this morning as a grieving community gathered for the funeral service of Deacon John Olaleye. The beloved Mathematics teacher was brutally murdered by terrorists while in captivity, marking the second casualty among educators seized during a recent mass abduction. The solemn service drew a massive crowd, including devastated family members, church congregants, and residents from the teacher`s neighborhood. Colleagues and students from across the region also arrived in large numbers to pay their final respects to a man described as having spent his entire life in selfless service to God and humanity. According to Mrs. Rachael Alamu, the Principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, Deacon Olaleye was killed by his captors on Sunday, June 7, 2026. The late educator was among seven teachers violently abducted by terrorists on May 15, 2026, alongside several of their students while performing their official academic duties. Wails and visible emotion filled the sanctuary as the deceased’s eldest son, Daniel Olaleye, stepped up to the pulpit to read his father’s biography. The presentation detailed the life of the 46-year-old teacher, who was born on July 12, 1979, and educated at Ogbomoso Grammar School, Kwara State College of Education, and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. THENEWSCREDIT reports that before his tragic deployment to Community High School in the Orire Local Government Area, Deacon Olaleye had previously impacted lives at Anglican Grammar School, Ogbomoso. In testimonies shared by attendees, he was fondly remembered as a peaceful, compassionate man who used local adages extensively to guide his students and peers through difficult life problems. Delivering a highly emotional sermon, the presiding Church Pastor, Rev. Dr. D.A. Adewole, strictly admonished the widow, Mrs. Funke Olaleye, and her children to remain hopeful despite the severe trial. He urged the immediate family not to abandon their spiritual life or lose faith in divine justice, stating that the tragedy does not mean prayers go unanswered. The clergy further noted that a beautiful and blissful future still awaits the grieving family despite the dark vacuum created by the sudden assassination. "Accept what has happened; righteous people often die while the wicked remain, but God never makes a mistake," the pastor stated as he consoled the weeping widow. Among the notable dignitaries present at the memorial service was Honorable Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, representing the Ogbomoso North, South, and Orire Federal Constituency at the National Assembly. He was joined by executives of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), zonal directors of education, and state supervisors who united in prayer for fortitude to bear the monumental loss.