The National President, National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria (NASWDEN), Alhaji Fatai Ogunwale, has expressed the support of the association for the Federal Government’s Proposed licencing and regulations of Scrap business.

A statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by its National President, Alhaji Fatai Ogunwale, on Tuesday, stated that the move was also to curb theft and vandalism in the country.Read Daily News

In a Two-Day stakeholders meeting in Lagos, the Federal Government under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Steel Development, had moved to regulate Scrap industry business and operation in Nigeria.

The theme of the event is “Validation of the proposed Scrap metal Collection, Trading, Recycling and Regulations 2026”.

According to the President of the association, the move was targeted at those who engaged themselves in illegally stealing of metals and vandalism of critical infrastructure including electricity cables, railways components and manhole covers amongst others.

He expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the initiative and warned against double taxation scrap metal dealers carrying scraps to end users or rolling mills across the country.

Ogunwale also called on the Federal Government to eradicate touts on our expressways who harrass NASWDEN members ,extort them while going about thier legitimate scrap business.

The President also informed stakeholders that NASWDEN had earlier launched anti Vandalism and currently working with security agencies to protect critical national infrastructure and the nation’s assets.

According to him, the move also involved the issuing of loading inspection confirmation clearance papers to members to check theft and vandalism by criminals parading themselves as scrap dealers.

In his remarks, the Minister of Steel Development, Shuiabu Audu, stated that the framework would establish an organised transparent scrap metal value chain in the country.

The Minister was represented by the Director of Metallurgical Raw Metal Development and Investment Promotion in the ministry, Mr Ime Eprikpo.

“The proposed Scrap metal collection, trading, recycling and regulations 2026, are also expected to improve the supply of the locally sourced raw materials to steal manufacturing companies.

As well as to formalise the activities of scrap dealers and strengthen environment and occupational safety standards, ”he added

I’m his remarks, the Deputy National President of NASWDEN, Comrade Aminu Hassan Soja called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, tackle the issue of alleged attacks on its members by one Uche Ogbu Luke.

According to Soja, Luke is an impostor who allegedly uses armed thugs to intimidate and extort scrap dealers along highways across the South-East and South-South regions of the country.

” We call on the federal government tomurgently intervene and put an end to the activities of one Uche Ogbu Luke, whom he describes as an impostor allegedly using armed thugs to intimidate and extort scrap dealers along highways across the South-East and South-South regions of the country,” he alleged.

He urged the relevant security agencies to “investigate the allegations, apprehend those involved and protect innocent scrap dealers from harassment, intimidation and unlawful extortion”.

The Tinubu Movement for Sustainable Governance Foundation (TMS), popularly known as Tinubu Must Stay, has described the large turnout that greeted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign visit to Jigawa State as an indication of growing grassroots support for his administration and re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at the rally in Dutse, TMS Director of Special Duties, Dr. Usman Baita Elleman, said the enthusiasm displayed by residents demonstrated what the movement considers increasing acceptance of the President’s economic policies despite the hardship and criticism that accompanied their introduction.

“The rally was very beautiful. People came out in their numbers to show solidarity with the President and the governor. From what we saw today, there is no doubt that President Tinubu enjoys enormous support in Jigawa State and across Northern Nigeria,” Elleman said.

He said members of TMS, led nationally by Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, who hails from Jigawa State, participated prominently in the mobilisation, with the movement displaying banners, billboards and other campaign materials across the state.

Elleman said TMS would intensify its campaign to explain the rationale behind some of the administration’s most consequential policies, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy.

According to him, although the reforms have imposed short-term hardship, they were introduced to address structural economic problems and place public finances on a more sustainable footing.

“We are telling Nigerians the facts about these policies. Some of the decisions may be painful, but they are aimed at putting the country on a sustainable path,” he said.

He also cited the student loan programme and other interventions targeted at young Nigerians as initiatives the movement would highlight during its grassroots engagements.

Beyond conventional political mobilisation, Elleman said TMS had been organising sensitisation and empowerment programmes for small-scale entrepreneurs, combining political advocacy with community-level interventions.

He said the movement would sustain its public enlightenment and grassroots mobilisation as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.

Tinubu Says Reforms Beginning to Gain Acceptance

Addressing supporters at the Dutse Township Stadium, President Tinubu defended his administration’s economic reforms, arguing that the policies were beginning to produce results and gain wider public acceptance.

The President maintained that petrol subsidy removal was irreversible and rejected suggestions by political opponents that the subsidy regime could be restored sustainably.

“To those who say subsidy is coming back, it’s a lie. Don’t let them lie to you again. It is not going to come back,” Tinubu told supporters.

He argued that the subsidy had consumed substantial public resources that could instead be directed towards infrastructure, agriculture, education and social development.

“We have to think about the future of our children. The money must be invested in areas that will create prosperity and opportunities for all Nigerians,” he said.

President Promises Mechanised Farming Centres, Interest-Free Loans

Turning to agriculture, Tinubu announced plans to expand government support for farmers through interest-free financing and mechanised farming service centres across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

“We have to invest in agriculture. There will be interest-free loans for farmers. Prosperity is coming. Food security will happen,” he said.

The President also pledged further investments in electricity, skills acquisition, youth empowerment, job creation and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.

On security, he said the Federal Government was strengthening the operational capacity and welfare of security agencies to improve their ability to tackle criminality.

Tinubu also described the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as an important instrument for expanding access to higher education and tackling poverty, pledging to broaden opportunities for young Nigerians.

Shettima Highlights Northern Infrastructure

Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who also addressed the rally, said ongoing investments in infrastructure and agriculture demonstrated the administration’s commitment to Northern Nigeria.

He cited projects including the Kano-Maiduguri Road, Kano-Maradi railway and Kwanar Danja-Hadejia Road, urging residents to assess the administration on its development record.

APC campaign officials similarly described the turnout as evidence of the party’s continued political strength in the North.

TMS members were visibly involved in mobilisation at the rally, which attracted supporters from Jigawa and beyond.

For the movement, the Dutse gathering forms part of a wider strategy combining support for Tinubu’s re-election with policy sensitisation, community engagement and economic empowerment as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Senator representing Abia North, Orji Kalu, has disclosed that he previously traded in heavy weapons internationally, saying he sold arms to buyers who could afford them before abandoning the business at his parents’ insistence.

Kalu made the disclosure during an interview on Arise Television on Monday, while discussing his longstanding relationships with former and current South African leaders.

The former Abia State governor said his business interests previously extended beyond Nigeria, adding that he dealt in heavy weapons sold from one country to another.

When asked by the interviewer whether he was an arms dealer, Kalu responded, “Yes, so I stopped because my…”

Explaining why he abandoned the business, he said his parents asked him to quit.

“But my parents, my mother, my father came and said I must stop, and I stopped,” he said.

Asked whether he sold weapons to people who intended to use them to kill others, Kalu dismissed the suggestion, insisting that his interest was making money.

“No, no, no, no, no, no. I was selling guns to make money, whether they blow up it’s not my business,” he said.

The interviewer subsequently asked whether he supplied weapons to the African National Congress during the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.

Kalu denied selling exclusively to the ANC, saying his customers included anyone willing to pay for the weapons.

“No, I was selling to anybody who wants to buy. If you have the money, you want to buy in D.R.C, I sell to you, you want to buy in Namibia, you want to buy…” he said.