In a decisive step toward strengthening social protection and institutional accountability, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, on Thursday paid a strategic courtesy visit to the Governor of Taraba State, Agbu Kefas, at the Government House in Jalingo.

The engagement, held on February 26, 2026, was far from ceremonial. It formed part of a deliberate institutional strategy to build structured partnerships with progressive state governments committed to advancing workers’ welfare and strengthening governance systems.

At the centre of the dialogue was the effective implementation and expansion of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS). Addressing the Governor and senior state officials, Faleye underscored that the Scheme is not merely a statutory obligation but a vital social protection instrument that safeguards dignity for workers and stability for employers.

“When a worker is injured, disabled, or loses his life in the course of duty, the response of the government defines public trust and reinforces confidence in leadership,” he stated.

The NSITF helmsman commended Governor Kefas for his administration’s welfare-driven posture, noting that expanding ECS coverage aligns directly with the state’s commitment to protecting its workforce. However, he emphasized that beyond policy conversations, the focus must now shift to measurable and time-bound outcomes.

To achieve this, Faleye proposed practical steps aimed at expanding ECS compliance across state Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), intensifying sensitization of major employers and contractors operating within Taraba, and strengthening awareness of workplace safety and compensation obligations across the state.

For structured coordination and accountability, he recommended the designation of a focal ministry or official to interface with the Fund. He further proposed the immediate establishment of a joint technical interface between the state’s designated team and the NSITF to develop a short implementation roadmap within weeks. According to him, the Fund has already instituted an internal Strategic Inter-Agency Coordination (SIAC) framework to track timelines and deliverables arising from such high-level engagements.

Highlighting the broader institutional benefits of strengthened ECS compliance, Faleye explained that robust implementation would protect workers, reduce employers’ litigation exposure, promote industrial harmony, and reinforce the administration’s commitment to structured social protection.

In a forward-looking recommendation, he advocated the integration of the ECS Compliance Certificate into Taraba State’s public procurement and contracting processes. Under this framework, companies bidding for state contracts, seeking pre-qualification for projects, registering or renewing contractor status, or engaging in public-private partnerships would be required to provide evidence of NSITF compliance. He clarified that this would not create new obligations but would reinforce existing statutory requirements, ensuring that companies benefiting from public funds are also compliant in protecting their workers.

As the engagement drew to a close, Faleye sought clarity on the state’s preferred coordination structure and formally conferred on Governor Kefas the title of Ambassador and Advocate of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme in Taraba State and across the Northeast.

Responding, Governor Kefas warmly welcomed the delegation and affirmed Taraba State’s readiness to key into the Scheme for the betterment of its workforce. He assured that the state would work through the Office of the Head of Service, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Local Government to ensure effective implementation.

The Governor expressed appreciation for the recognition of his administration’s efforts and highlighted recent strides in meeting pension obligations, revealing that the state had paid ₦5 billion to pensioners. He expressed optimism that outstanding entitlements would be cleared before the end of the year.

Reaffirming his commitment to the ECS mandate, Governor Kefas pledged that Taraba State would fulfill all obligations under the Scheme in furtherance of its dedication to workers’ welfare. Demonstrating immediate resolve, he approved the constitution of a high-powered committee to interface with the NSITF and drive the state toward full compliance.

The meeting concluded on a note of strategic alignment and shared responsibility, marking a significant milestone in deepening institutional collaboration and embedding structured social protection across Taraba State and the wider Northeast region.

Members of the Rebirth Nigeria Movement on Thursday staged a protest demanding the immediate removal of the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, over the enforcement of a ban on sachet and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic beverages.

The protest, led by the National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Okwute Hilary Akor, took place in Abuja, where demonstrators accused the NAFDAC boss of gross incompetence and abuse of public office in relation to the agency’s implementation of the alcohol policy.

Addressing journalists, Akor said the group was “startled” by what it described as the “illegal enforcement of an arbitrary ban” on sachet alcohol and small PET bottle products.

He argued that the action contradicts existing provisions of the National Alcohol Policy signed by the Federal Ministry of Health and allegedly disregards a presidential directive halting further disruption of affected businesses pending the outcome of a joint committee review.

According to him, the enforcement also runs contrary to resolutions of the House of Representatives referenced in a 2024 communication, which he claimed restrained the agency from proceeding with the ban after a public hearing with stakeholders.

The group warned that the decision could negatively impact businesses and jobs across the alcohol production value chain, especially at a time when the Federal Government is promoting economic reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Akor maintained that sachet and small-bottle alcoholic products were introduced to cater to low-income adult consumers and argued that banning them would restrict consumer choice and threaten the survival of local manufacturers.

He further contended that industry operators had invested heavily in campaigns promoting responsible drinking and discouraging underage consumption.

While acknowledging the need for regulatory oversight to eliminate unsafe products, the movement insisted that policy decisions should be guided by empirical evidence and broad stakeholder consultations.

The protesters said they had formally presented their concerns to the Senate and expressed confidence that lawmakers would revisit the issue.

They urged President Tinubu to relieve the NAFDAC Director-General of her duties, arguing that her continued stay in office was no longer in the public interest.

As of press time, NAFDAC had not issued an official response to the protest.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the apex Muslim authority in Nigeria, has expressed confidence in the ability of the Director General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, to be just and fair in investigating an allegation that a DSS operative abducted a minor from Jigawa State, forcefully converted her to Christianity in Abuja, and thereafter impregnated her.

The NSCIA said Ajayi’s antecedents cemented his reputation as a thoroughbred professional who has zero tolerance for religious bigotry, stressing that Ajayi’s penchant for fairness had never been in doubt.

NSCIA’s position was conveyed in an interview with its Secretary General, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Wednesday in Abuja.

“The antecedents of the DSS Director-General are clear for all to see, and do not portray him as a religious bigot. He is a thoroughbred professional who can be trusted to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the facts of the matter,” he stated.

“In fact, from our investigations, and from the testimonies of those who have worked with the DSS DG, it is clear that the man operates purely on the basis of professionalism. We even hear that his closest sides are Muslims, so fears that he won’t be just and fair in the investigations are clearly unfounded” stated the scribe.

The NSCIA scribe further stated that the Council was also mindful of the sensitivity of the matter, in view of how the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) conducted what he called an unfair trial of a Muslim man from Kano, who, in 2015, was accused of abducting a minor girl from Bayelsa State.

“We do not want to be seen as behaving like the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). In 2015, they instigated what many considered an unfair trial of a Muslim Kano man, Yunusa Dahiru, accused of abducting a Christian girl from Bayelsa State, Ese Oruru.

“Without proper verification, CAN jumped into the matter resulting in the jailing of the Kano man. Till date, the man continues to insist that he iis innocent of the accusations,” said the NSCIA scribe.

He promised that the Council was working with the DSS to resolve the matter and urged restraint on the part of those who might be tempted to exploit the matter to inflame religious passions.

The controversy revolves around Walida Abdulhadi, a young Muslim woman from Jigawa State, who has been romantically involved with a young DSS officer, Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi. The relationship has led to Walida birthing a baby girl.

That aside, Walida’s relatives have accused Ifeanyi of forcefully converting her into Christianity, and changing her name to Chinasa.

The controversy deepened after Weekend Trust published an exclusive interview with Walida. In the interview, Walida, who claimed she is 22, absolved Ifeanyi of any culpability in her ordeal.
She claimed that a certain woman had lured her away from her hometown, Hadejia, in Jigawa State, and brought her to Abuja, and she abandoned her to the elements.

It was in the bid to escape from the hardship her abductor subjected her to, said Walida in the interview, that she met Ifeanyi, who assisted her. In the course of time, she stated, the relationship blossomed leading to her getting pregnant and birthing a child for Ifeanyi.