The Enugu State Government has announced traffic restrictions ahead of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual Conference, billed to hold in the state from 22nd–29th August 2025.

In a notice on Wednesday, the Ministry of Transportation directed motorists, tricycle riders, and commercial buses to avoid certain roads, including Sullivan/Roban Junction, Rangers Avenue, Cubana Junction, IMT by SPAR, and Toscana Junction.

Alternative routes such as Presidential Road, Ogui Road, Zik Avenue, Agbani Road, and New Haven remain open to ease traffic.

Meanwhile, the Enugu State Police Command says it has deployed massive security ahead of the event. Commissioner of Police Kanayo Giwa assured participants and residents of a safe conference, urging vigilance and cooperation with security operatives.

Emergency hotlines have also been released: 08032003702, 08086671202, 112, 09134666668, 09134448093.

The NBA Conference is expected to draw thousands of lawyers, dignitaries, and stakeholders from across Nigeria.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has approved the creation of two (2) Area Commands and the upgrade of five (5) Police Stations to Divisions in Benue State.

Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Edet Udeme, in a Statement discloses that the structural adjustment becomes necessary as a result of challenges that befalls the command in the course of policing troubled Local Government Areas.

The PPRO adds that an appraisal of the current security challenges and operations carried out in recent times reveals that some geographical gaps exist between the police and the people in some Local Government Areas hence, the adjustment.

The two Area Commands created are; Daudu Area Command and Naka Area Command, while the five police stations that have been upgraded to police Divisions are Ayilamo, Yelwata, Jato-Aka, Okpokolo and Agan Police Divisions.

The Statement explains that Daudu Area Command shall supervise Guma, Daudu yelwata and Agan Police Divisions, while Naka Area Command shall supervise Naka, Apa, Agatu and Okpokolo Police Divisions.

This adjustment will assist the command in policing troubled areas with large and difficult terrains. These Divisions will also ensure quick resolution of conflict between farmers and herders and facilitate quick response to distress calls.

The Commissioner of Police , CP. Emenari Ifeanyi, PhD, psc, mnips appreciates the Inspector General of Police for his continuous support to the command and this crucial adjustment that is geared toward bringing permanent solutions to the challenges bedeviling these areas.

The CP also appreciates the Governor of Benue state, Hyacinth Iormen Alia, for his support to the command in the fight to ensure security of lives and property in Benue State.

Follow BONA NAIJA for more

The 2023 Presidential candidate of Labour Mr Peter Obi have reacted to reports of empty Nigerian booths in the ongoing Ninth Tokyo International Conference, TICAD9 in Japan.

The empty Nigerian booths in the ongoing Ninth Tokyo International Conference, TICAD9, in Japan do not just define the empty promises of this government for the past two years, they also reflect the consistent emptiness Nigerians have been fed at home by this government. Even the defence being put forward by the government, that they only wanted to have more “strategic engagements” is the same tired excuse we have heard over and over again.

READ ALSO: 1. Nigeria’s Empty Booth at TICAD9 Sparks Backlash

2. Reflections on the Labour Party’s Challenges: A Call for Peter Obi to Pause and Ponder

This government has mastered the art of throwing around wrong statistics and misleading statements, not to provide real solutions, but to camouflage the emptiness of its performance and the suffering it has inflicted on Nigerians.

The empty booths at TICAD are not just about a diplomatic embarrassment, they are a clear symbol of the hollow promises and empty governance that our citizens have endured.

Just as those booths stood empty in Japan, so too have the lives of millions of Nigerians been left empty, with empty hope, empty relief and empty of the progress they were promised. The truth is unavoidable, the empty booths abroad are a physical reminder of the empty promises at home.
We must do better as a nation.

A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO

NIGERIA’S PARTICIPATION AT TICAD 9: FOCUSING ON STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENTS, NOT TRADE EXPOS

Meanwhile Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser to the President on Information and Strategy has stated that Nigeria’s participation at the TICAD 9 is focusing on strategic engagement not trade expos.

A statement posted on his verified X handle reads;

The trending social media narrative about an empty booth labelled ‘NIGERIA’ at the ongoing 9th Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan, totally misrepresented our country’s mission and activities at the conference.

While we understand the urge by many social media users to seek clicks with many incorrect posts, we also recognise that the author may have acted out of patriotic concern. But it is a concern inspired by ignorance about Nigeria’s mission at the triennial conference.

READ ALSO: PRESIDENT TINUBU PRAISES NIGERIA’S ARMED FORCES AT TICAD 9 AS JAPANESE PM PLEDGES $5.5 BILLION SUPPORT FOR AFRICA

The Nigerian delegation to the summit, led by President Bola Tinubu, is laser-focused on its core objectives of achieving tangible outcomes from the scheduled lineup of bilateral and multilateral engagements targeted at driving optimum performance in key sectors of the economy, especially in power, industry and agriculture.

The Nigerian official delegation working with Corporate Nigeria, represented by some of our leading business leaders, didn’t come to Yokohama and Tokyo to attend any Trade Expo, designed as an open forum for participating nations.

The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) is scheduled to host an investment forum on Thursday, August 21, 2025

The Nigerian ministers are busy with bilateral sideline discussions. At the same time, President Tinubu will lead meetings with the executives of Toyota Corporation, CFAO, UN-Habitat, UNDP, and the International Finance Corporation. The delegation’s schedule does not include participation in an open forum trade exhibition.

Specifically, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, is leading the pre-activation meeting to execute several power projects in Nigeria that are being funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

One of the projects is the Lagos-Ogun Power Transmission System Improvement, which is designed to improve the wheeling capacity and grid stability and enable the connection of industrial customers on the corridor.

There is also the partnership between the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN) and JICA to enhance Vocational Training Delivery for the power sector. The third power project is the Distributed Access Through Renewable Energy Scale-up, for which $190 million has been provided.

The Minister of Power is scheduled to negotiate with notable Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) such as TOSHIBA and HITACHI.

The Bank of Industry, led by its Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dr. Supo Olusi, is also in high-level discussions with the Japan International Cooperation Agency and other participating multilateral institutions for its annual global fund syndication.

Social media posts are often sensational and do not tell complete stories, just as the trending video does not capture Nigeria’s participation at TICAD 9. Our country is fully and well represented and part of the essential conversations and negotiations that are going on at TICAD9.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President,
(Information and Strategy)
August 20, 2025

Follow BONA NAIJA for more

Nigeria came under heavy criticism on Wednesday after its exhibition booth stood unmanned on the opening day of the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan.

Videos shared by social entrepreneur Idris Ayodeji Bello showed Nigeria’s stall deserted while other African nations showcased investment opportunities. Bello, who described the scene as “embarrassing,” stepped in to engage visitors himself, fielding questions on sectors ranging from agriculture to real estate. His intervention went viral on social media, amplifying outrage at what many Nigerians viewed as a symbol of poor planning and institutional inefficiency.

Critics, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, described the incident as a “national disgrace” that undermines President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s push to attract foreign investors. Online commentators echoed the sentiment, lamenting that Nigeria had missed a chance to promote trade and development at one of Africa’s most important diplomatic gatherings.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs moved quickly to calm the uproar, explaining that the booth was scheduled for official inauguration on August 21, the second day of the conference. The Presidency also defended Nigeria’s participation, stressing that the government was prioritizing strategic bilateral and multilateral engagements with partners including Toyota, JICA, UNDP, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), rather than the exhibition component.

Despite these clarifications, the empty booth episode fueled renewed debate about Nigeria’s global image, coordination failures, and the credibility of its investment drive. Observers say the incident highlights the urgent need for greater professionalism in projecting the country’s strengths on the international stage.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday in Yokohama, Japan, lauded the Nigerian armed forces for their successes in the war against insurgency and criminality while emphasising his administration’s commitment to addressing the root causes of insecurity through strengthening the government security apparatus and ongoing economic reforms.

President Tinubu made the remarks during his intervention at the plenary session on Peace and Stability at the 9th meeting of the Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9).

He reaffirmed that inclusivity, diversity, and the rule of law remain Nigeria’s greatest strengths.

He described the current momentum in the Nigerian Armed Forces as a springboard for national development and stability.

He spoke after the opening ceremony, during which the Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba emphasised the importance of mutual understanding, local solutions, and collaborative efforts for Africa’s development. The Prime Minister outlined Japan’s focus on private sector-led sustainable growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration.

Prime Minister Ishiba announced a collaborative economic framework between Japan and the African Development Bank that will see a maximum of $5.5 billion disbursed to Africa, utilising Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) private sector investment finance as a catalyst.

President Tinubu emphasised the ongoing investments in infrastructure, institutional reforms, and collaboration with civil society and international partners to improve the living standards of all Nigerians.

“Nigeria’s brave armed forces can win any number of battles, but we do justice to their heroism only when we, as government, are courageous in tackling not just terror, but also the underlying causes,” the President said.

President Tinubu stressed the essence of peace and stability to meaningful development, lamenting that conflicts are still ongoing in many African countries despite some progress.

However, he highlighted recent peace pacts brokered in the Congo as evidence that a new model of mediation and economic considerations can yield success.

“We should be under no illusions about the scale of our task. But neither should we underestimate the successes we have had. In the past, competition for resources has weakened states and triggered conflict. Now, we see mediators directly linking outcomes to investment in Congo. It is working and underlines the need for fresh thinking in everything we do to deliver peace and stability.

“Nigeria understands this process well. We believe inclusivity and diversity under the rule of law are our strengths. We have argued for this vision, and we have fought for it. We are still fighting for it today. We have learned that our brave armed forces can win many battles. But we can do justice to their heroism and sacrifice only when we, as governments, display the courage to be tough, not only on terror, but on the causes of terror,” he said.

President Tinubu appealed for market-driven cooperation and partnerships across nations rather than the hackneyed appeals for aid and handouts.

President Tinubu seized the opportunity to call on the Japanese government to support the campaign for reforms in the United Nations’ organs, especially the United Nations Security Council, to give African countries a greater voice.

It is the view of Nigeria that Africa’s quest for fair and equitable representation in the UN Security Council is a just and fair demand. Indeed, Africa deserves two seats in the Permanent Category, with all its prerogatives and privileges, including the Right of Veto. Africa also deserves additional seats in the non–permanent seat category of the Security Council, as encapsulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.”

Addressing the role of information and technology, President Tinubu called for international cooperation to ensure technology becomes a tool for peace and trust, not division and alienation.

Prime Minister Ishiba emphasised that locally rooted solutions are essential for Africa’s development.

“Japan is providing various cooperation and support for Africa. But first of all, Japan needs to know more about Africa. So, in creating solutions together, this co-creation at the TICAD 9, we focus on three important areas: private sector-led sustainable growth, Youth and Women, and Regional integration and connectivity within and beyond Africa”.

He appealed to African countries to assist Japan as it grapples with the challenges of a declining population and shrinking agricultural land.

“In 75 years from now, the population of Japan would have been halved. In the local communities, the population continues to decline; this is one big challenge Japan is facing. All agricultural land is being reduced, another major challenge for Japan.

Ishiba underscored the positives of Africa’s youthful population:

“There is another potential in Africa; there is so much growing young population in Africa, but for the power of young people in Africa to flourish, you need to create a manufacturing industry and create employment, and that, I believe, is very important.

“In Africa, there is a primary industry, agriculture, forestry, and industries, and then it jumped over to the tertiary sectors and the services industries.

“There is a jump in economic growth that Japan and other Asian countries have experienced and they have tried to move from the primary, the Agriculture, fisheries, forestry to the secondary, that is a necessary process because the power of the youth could be realised fully in the manufacturing industry to improve the productivity of Africa’s manufacturing sector.”

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
August 20, 2025