There is no respite yet for Nigeria-a country severely challenged on several fronts. What is more disturbing and disheartening is that for over 65 years, the country’s past and present leaders or the political elite seem to be more engrossed in sectional, ethno-religious interests rather than chart a pathway for genuine progress and prosperity as it obtains in sane climes.
In spite of its huge economic potential, being blessed with abundant natural and human resources, the story continues to be that of moving from bad to worse, what with escalating insecurity exacerbated by all manner of jargons of violence- terrorism, killings, kidnappings or abductions, armed-robbery, ritual killings, banditry, herders and farmers clashes-most dressed in what some have described as ‘Islamization agenda.’
Over time, it has been argued that certain people in government and some powerful politicians have a hand in the insecurity that has raged and ravaged the country for over two decades, which is why Mike Arnold, an American, now argues that despite United States President, Donald Trump’s warning, it will be an herculean task for the Nigerian authorities to completely defeat violent extremism in Nigeria because the government itself appears complicit.
This, he reasons, is because powerful interests, especially those who have been around the corridors of power for decades have their hands soiled. This forms our focus in this edition and one can only hope that those managing the affairs of this country will not be carried away by the politics and politicking for 2027 and continue to allow terrorists to kill innocent and hapless Nigerians.
Already, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has requested a whopping N837 billion (more than the 2026 budget of two states put together) to conduct the 2027 general elections, which is why some Nigerians keep lamenting and insisting that manipulation of the nation’s electoral process will continue for a long time to come, a development known to have fueled military coups in some West African countries.
With all the hue and cry around electoral reforms, amendment of the Electoral Act, electronic transmission of results, electronic voting and voting by Nigerians in the Diaspora, it now behooves the incumbent INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to prove to Nigerians that credible, free and fair elections can be achieved.
Besides, this edition features other interesting stories from across all sectors including the National Single Window (NSW) project, which the Federal Government has assured will commence on March 27, 2026, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) sustained engagement with stakeholders and what we dubbed its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Galore in several Lagos commands and the many strides of the Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho-led management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), among others.
You will also savour the sections on business and economy, public health, crime and illicit drugs and how the Police and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) are triumphing over crime and criminality in Rivers, Imo and other parts of the country. Don’t miss this rich edition. Grab a copy and enjoy!
