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NYSC To Corps Members: Keeping Your Uniforms Safe, An Act Of Patriotism

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The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has called on all corps members across the country to always keep their uniform safe as it is an act of patriotism.

Mr Stephen Gabriel, Deputy Director, Research, Statistics and Library, NYSC headquarters, stated this in Bauchi on Thursday, during the collection of National certificates by the 2022 Batch B stream 1 corps members.

According to him, it would be unpatriotic to mutilate, or give it out to members of the society who have no connections and reverence with the uniform, thereby throwing its dignity in the mud.

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“I’m quite sure that in your communities or localities where you served, you might have found one or two people to hand over your uniform after your service.

READ ALSO: Treat Corps Members As Permanent Staff – NYSC Urges Employers

“Please, I want you to note that this uniform you are wearing is the only uniform in the whole world that if you are not a graduate, you can never wear it.

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“I’m not belittling others that have uniforms, but this uniform is very special and unfortunately, some of you look at it as just a mere uniform.

“We have seen cases where a madman came to a main road trafficking and confidently, he has the crested vest of NYSC or even a tricycle rider put on the uniform,” he said.

Gabriel, who is also the Curator, NYSC Museum, headquarters, recounted how a man who had served since 1983 kept his crested vest till his daughter was in 2021 going for service and handed it over to her.

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READ ALSO: NYSC Fighting Against Gender Based Violence, Says DG

He said the story went viral online and when the then DG of NYSC, Shuaibu Ibrahim saw it and asked him to go and get it.

“NYSC recognized that the man’s gesture is one of the lovely acts of patriotism for him to have kept 1983 NYSC crested vest till 2021.

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“That is what we expect you to do with your uniforms. If you are not going to keep it please, don’t hand it over to any other person,” he said.

Also speaking, the Bauchi State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs Rifkatu Yakubu, said a total number of 458 corps members comprising 295 males and 163 females had just passed out.

Yakubu, who stated that the corps members had contributed their quota to nation building and national development, called on them to shun crime or criminal activities.

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She urged them to focus on the skills acquisition by learning hand works that would make them become employers of labour.

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JUST IN: PENGASSAN Strike May Trigger Nationwide Blackout, Thermal Plants Shut Down

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Nigerians may face a nationwide blackout from Monday as power generation companies have raised the alarm over an imminent shutdown of thermal plants following directives from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary of the Association of Power Generating Companies, Joy Ogaji, raised the alarm over the imminent blackout in a WhatsApp message on Sunday.

She revealed that gas suppliers had issued notices to halt supply to thermal power stations in line with PENGASSAN’s strike resolution.

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READ ALSO:Why We Rejected Govt’s Plan To Sell Assets – PENGASSAN President

Good day, all. Thermal GenCos have received notification from our gas suppliers to shut down our thermal power plants following directives from PENGASSAN. The Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company has specifically requested GenCos to comply,” Ogaji said in the post.

She warned that the development could plunge the country into darkness, as hydroelectric dams alone cannot sustain the national grid.

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Please all be notified of the imminent darkness, as hydros alone cannot sustain the system,” she added.

READ ALSO:PENGASSAN Shuts OML-18 Over Labour Dispute With NNPC Subsidiary

The warning comes hours after PENGASSAN announced that it would commence a nationwide strike on Monday to protest the dismissal of over 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

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The oil workers’ union, after an emergency National Executive Council meeting on Saturday, directed its members in all oil and gas installations to down tools until the sackings were reversed.

The action could cripple crude production, fuel supply, gas distribution and now electricity generation, worsening the hardship faced by Nigerians.

With thermal stations accounting for more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s electricity supply, industry experts say the shutdown will trigger widespread outages, stretch hydro plants beyond capacity and heighten the risk of a nationwide system collapse.

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Customs Launches One-stop-shop To Cut Cargo Clearance To 48 Hours

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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has officially introduced its ‘One-Stop-Shop (OSS)’ initiative aimed at reducing cargo clearance time to 48 hours.

NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Maiwada said the initiative was unveiled recently during a meeting between NCS management and Customs Area Controllers, chaired by the Comptroller-General (C-G), Adewale Adeniyi, in Abuja.

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He said the meeting deliberated on the service’s modernisation agenda and the role of leadership in driving reforms across commands.

READ ALSO:10 Things Candidates Should Know About Customs Recruitment CBT Exams

Maiwada quoted the C-G as describing the OSS as a “transformative shift” which aligned with global best practices and the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy.

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Adeniyi said the reform was designed to sanitise operations, reduce duplication of efforts and ensure predictability in customs procedures.

The OSS initiative will not only shorten clearance time from 21 days to 48 hours, but it will also strengthen trader confidence, restore transparency and make our operations more business-friendly,” Adeniyi said.

The C-G acknowledged the role of technology in customs operations but also emphasised the importance of physical engagement with officers.

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READ ALSO:Customs Seize N905m Rolls Royce, Other Contrabands In Ogun

As much as technology has helped us, it has its limits. There are moments when physical presence, coming together under one roof, adds weight and value to our deliberations,” he said.

The NCS boss said the reform would be piloted at Apapa, Tin Can Island and Onne Ports before being rolled out nationwide.

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He added that the initiative was constitutionally supported by the NCS Act 2023 and aligned with the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

This is not just a policy. It is a statement of intent that reflects our determination to build a modern, transparent and trader-friendly Customs Service,” he said.

READ ALSO:Customs Intercepts N5.1b Illicit Drugs From India, Canada At Lagos Airport

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The spokesperson said that under the OSS framework, all customs units would work jointly on flagged declarations, eliminating multiple checks and reducing delays.

According to him, consignments cleared under the OSS will not be subject to re-interception, thereby reducing costs and enhancing trade facilitation.

He said the meeting also provided a platform to review the NCS accountability framework, including a new central dashboard that tracks clearance times, interventions and stakeholder satisfaction.

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SEC Warns Nigerians Over AI-generated Investment Scams

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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned Nigerians to be cautious of a rising wave of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven scams that are targeting unsuspecting investors with promises of guaranteed profits and fake celebrity endorsements.

The Commission, in a statement, recalled that platforms such as CBEX, Silverkuun, and TOFRO were operating illegally by advertising AI-powered trading systems that promised unrealistic returns.

These platforms are not registered or regulated by the SEC, yet they continue to mislead the public with false claims of AI-driven investments. They pose serious risks to investors; hence, the Commission issued a series of disclaimers against their activities,” the Commission stated.

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READ ALSO:20-year-old TikToker Peller Buys N350m Lekki Mansion, Promises To Reveal Secret Benefactors

The SEC explained that fraudsters are increasingly turning to deepfake videos and AI-generated content to lure victims, noting that manipulated videos featuring politicians, celebrities, and television hosts are being shared through Facebook adverts, Instagram reels, and Telegram groups to give fraudulent platforms an air of credibility.

According to the Commission, “Scammers are exploiting AI to fabricate endorsements and testimonials that appear genuine. This has made traditional fraud detection methods less effective, hence the need for tech-enabled regulation and greater public awareness.”

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To counter the growing threat, the SEC explained that it is adopting advanced surveillance systems capable of detecting fraudulent activity in real time, adding that partnerships with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) are being strengthened to enable data sharing and joint enforcement actions.

READ ALSO:FG Security Agency, Nigerian Army Move To Tackle Illicit Small Arms, Light Weapons

We are moving from reactive to predictive oversight. This is essential in combating fraud and systemic risks in our market,” the Commission emphasised.

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The regulator said it has also engaged social media companies to clamp down on misleading adverts and cautioned influencers against promoting unlicensed investment schemes.

Any influencer or blogger found to be complicit in promoting illegal platforms will face regulatory sanctions or even prosecution,” the SEC warned.

READ ALSO:US Commits $32.5m To Support Food Security In Nigeria

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The Commission urged Nigerians to take extra precautions before investing, stressing that any scheme promising daily profits, zero risk, or celebrity-backed endorsements should be treated with suspicion.

It stated: “Any investment that guarantees unrealistic returns or uses manipulated videos of public figures should immediately raise a red flag.”

The Commission further encouraged Nigerians to verify the registration status of any investment platform on its website, where a list of licensed Capital Market Operators is available.

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It added that investors should confirm that registration numbers displayed on company websites match the details on the SEC portal and avoid platforms that only operate through Telegram or WhatsApp without a verifiable office address.

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