By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, has denied issuing any statement in response to allegations raised against him by the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

Ahmed, in a short statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday, said he did not authorise the statement circulating on social media on the matter.

At a press briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, on Sunday, Dangote called for a full investigation into the source of funds used by Ahmed, urging him to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal to offer a public explanation.

“I’ve actually had people making complaints about a regulator who has actually put his children in secondary school. And that secondary school education, which is six years, four of them cost Nigeria $5m. I mean, you cannot imagine somebody paying $5m for educating four children,” Dangote said.

This newspaper had reported that Dangote has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to probe Ahmed’s financial activities, alleging that the regulator’s actions amounted to economic sabotage that could undermine public trust and investor confidence, especially as he granted licences for fuel importation.

In the evening of Tuesday, a statement purportedly signed by Ahmed went viral, but the NMDPRA team debunked the statement, saying that it was false. Engr. Farouk Ahmed said the viral statement did not emanate from him.

He said he had chosen not to engage in public brickbats despite being aware of the allegations against him and his family.

“My attention has been drawn to a purported response I was said to have made on the recent allegations against my person. I hereby state categorically that the so-called statement did not emanate from me.

“While I am aware of the wild and spurious allegations made against me and my family and the frenzy it has generated, as a regulator of a sensitive industry, I have opted not to engage in public brickbats,” he said.

The regulator expressed satisfaction that Dangote had taken the matter before the ICPC, believing this would allow him to clear his name.

“Thankfully, the person behind the allegations has taken it to a formal investigative institution. I believe that would provide an opportunity to dispassionately distil the issues and to clear my name,” he concluded.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The United States has imposed new travel restrictions on Nigeria and a host of other nations, citing national security concerns and deficiencies in immigration vetting. President Donald Trump formalized the policy in a proclamation signed Tuesday, marking a significant expansion of his administration’s controversial travel ban.

In an official statement, the White House justified the move as necessary to “protect America’s national security and public safety,” targeting countries with what it described as “persistent and severe deficiencies” in passenger screening and information-sharing protocols.

Nigeria features prominently in the rationale. U.S. authorities pointed to the operational presence of groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State affiliates in parts of the country, asserting that these security challenges “create substantial screening and vetting difficulties.” Beyond security, the administration highlighted compliance issues, noting a 5.56% overstay rate for Nigerian business and tourism visas and an 11.90% rate for student and exchange visitor visas.

This latest action revives and expands a hardline immigration policy emblematic of Trump’s presidency, which has previously faced widespread international condemnation and legal battles.

The updated restrictions now apply to fifteen countries, including Angola, Tanzania, Sudan, and several other African nations.

The immediate impact will be felt by Nigerian families, students, and business travelers seeking entry to the U.S. As of Wednesday morning, the Nigerian government had not issued an official reaction to the announcement, which is poised to further strain diplomatic relations and disrupt cross-border exchange.

Kano State Government says it has renewed its commitment to a citizen-led security approach as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen community policing and improve public safety across the state.

Mrs Maimuna Sherif, Special Adviser on Community Policing to Gov. Abba Yusuf, stated this at the stakeholders meeting on improving police community relations organised by the Voluntary Aid Initiative (VAI) on Friday in Kano.

Sherif said the administration was deepening its engagement with community structures to boost intelligence gathering and enhance collaboration between residents and security agencies.

She said Kano’s large population and social diversity require a policing model that empowers citizens as active partners in the state’s security architecture.

“Our communities know the environment, they know the people, and their support provides critical information that helps security agencies identify criminal hideouts,” Sherif said.

The special adviser also disclosed that the government was finalising arrangements to establish a Security Trust Fund to mobilise resources from the public and private sectors to support security operations.

Speaking earlier, the Executive Director of VAI, Mr Musa Aboki, said the Police Reform Project builds on earlier phases implemented in Bauchi and Zamfara, with similar interventions underway in two South-East states.

Aboki explained that Phase III features community scorecard assessments, intra-dialogue sessions and follow-up engagements aimed at addressing gaps in trust between the police and the public.

He said previous assessments revealed concerns such as bribery, slow police response, confidentiality issues, traffic indiscipline among some officers and reluctance by residents to volunteer intelligence.

According to him, many of the challenges undermining community policing are shared responsibilities between citizens and the police.

He added that gaps in early warning and early response systems remained key concerns, stressing the need for timely reporting of threats of violence or criminal activity.

Speaking also, the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Kano State Police Command, CSP Abdullahi Kiyawa, said that the Police would partner with the Voluntary Aid Initiative (VAI) to strengthen police-community relations and promote mutual accountability across the state.

He said the collaboration was part of the Police Reform Initiative Project aimed at enhancing trust and cooperation between security agencies and the public.

Represented by ASP , Muhammad Jawad, explained that the initiative involved a series of meetings and engagements with communities in Rano and Gwale Local Government Areas, focusing on improving understanding and collaboration between the police and residents.

The Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Dorayi Babba community of Gwale Local Government Area, Alhaji Auwal Garba, stated that fewer than 500,000 police officers were responsible for securing more than 220 million Nigerians.

He said the disparity highlighted the importance of community involvement in maintaining law and order.

“Community policing enables citizens to participate in the security structure. Through vigilantes and early reporting of suspicious activities, the community becomes a partner in sustaining peace,” he said.

Garba reaffirmed commitment of the PCRC to work with the government, security agencies and civil society groups to strengthen community policing initiatives across the state