Business

Plateau Govt Procures 500 Truckloads of Fertilizer, Subsidises 50kg Bags at ₦20,000

Published

3 weeks ago

July 7, 2026

Preport

The Plateau State Government has procured about 500 truckloads of fertiliser for distribution to farmers across the state’s 17 local government areas ahead of the 2026 farming season.

Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang approved the intervention as part of efforts to support agricultural production, reduce the cost of farming inputs and improve food security across the state.

Under the subsidy programme, a 50kg bag of fertiliser will be sold to farmers at ₦20,000, significantly lower than the current market price of between ₦50,000 and ₦53,000.

The governor said the subsidy would take immediate effect to enable farmers to access the inputs without delay as the planting season progresses.

According to him, the fertiliser procurement is aimed at reducing production costs, improving crop yields and increasing profit margins for farmers across Plateau State.

Mutfwang described agriculture as a major pillar of his administration’s development agenda, noting that the sector remains critical to economic growth, job creation and rural development.

He said the intervention was a direct response to concerns raised by farmers over the rising cost of agricultural inputs, adding that the government was determined to make farming more productive, profitable and sustainable.

The governor also said the programme aligns with the agricultural development objectives of the Federal Government under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

While the official flag-off of the 2026 Fertiliser Subsidy Programme is scheduled for Friday, July 10, 2026, Governor Mutfwang has directed that sales of the subsidised fertiliser should commence immediately.

He urged farmers across the state to take advantage of the programme, assuring them of his administration’s continued commitment to policies and interventions that would strengthen agricultural productivity, improve rural livelihoods and position Plateau State as a leading hub for agriculture and agribusiness in Nigeria.

The development was contained in a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor, Dr Gyang Bere, on July 6, 2026.

Related Topics:Plateau Govt Procures 500 Truckloads of Fertilizer

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Business

Fugitive Drug Lord and Ex-Footballer Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Cocaine Trafficking

Published

3 hours ago

July 27, 2026

Preport

A fugitive drug kingpin, Ntoruka Emmanuel Chinedu, and an ex-international football player, Hunkarin Segun George have been convicted and sentenced to a combined total of 24 years imprisonment by Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, for unlawful importation of 7.050 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria.

Chinedu was first arraigned in September 2015 on a one-count charge marked FHC/L/227c/2015 for unlawfully importing 6.250 kilograms of cocaine.

He pleaded not guilty and was admitted to bail, but jumped bail midway into trial and remained at large for nearly 10 years.

He was eventually re-arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Tuesday 24th June 2025, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, while attempting to smuggle 800 grams of cocaine on an inbound Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa.

He was a frequent flyer known for conveying clothes from Turkey to Nigeria and foodstuffs from Nigeria to Turkey.

Investigation showed that the convict was coming from Turkey on Ethiopian Airlines flight but transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he collected the luggage from another person before heading to Nigeria. Further checks revealed that an accomplice who turned out to be a former professional footballer, Segun George Hunkarin, was waiting for Chinedu at the airport carpark to collect the consignment from him. Hunkarin who had stayed years in Brazil playing for football clubs was promptly tracked and arrested at the carpark.

In his statement, Hunkarin claimed that while playing professional football in the South American country, he had only trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia.

Both Chinedu and Hunkarin were subsequently arraigned on a three-count charge marked FHC/L/669C/2025 for unlawful importation of 800grams of cocaine. Delivering judgment on Friday 24th July 2026, Justice Kakaki sentenced Chinedu to 20 years imprisonment without an option of fine for the unlawful importation of 6.250 kilograms of cocaine, and a further two years, also without an option of fine, for conspiring with Hunkarin to unlawfully import 800 grams of cocaine, bringing his total sentence to 22 years. Hunkarin was sentenced to two years imprisonment on the conspiracy charge, bringing the combined jail terms to 24 years imprisonment.
Reviewing the facts of the case, prosecuting counsel, Barrister Adekunle Adebajo, reminded the court that Chinedu had earlier been arraigned before Justice Salihu Saudi (now retired) in 2015 on the same importation charge but vanished after being granted bail. Citing a plethora of legal authorities, the NDLEA prosecutor urged the court to sentence the convicts in line with the relevant provisions of the NDLEA Act.
Defence counsel, Chief Benson Ndakara for Chinedu and Chief Emefo Etudo for Hunkarin, had pleaded with the court for leniency and urged that fine options be considered in lieu of custodial sentences. The court, however, after a careful review of the submissions, cited authorities and tendered exhibits, sentenced both convicts to prison terms without any option of fine.
Reacting to the conviction, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the judiciary for the judgment, describing it as a reaffirmation of the courts’ commitment to ridding the country of drug trafficking and those who perpetrate it, no matter how long they evade justice.
Marwa also commended the officers, men and women of the Agency involved in the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the case, noting that the eventual re-arrest of Chinedu after nearly ten years on the run demonstrated the doggedness, patience and thoroughness of NDLEA operatives in tracking down fugitives and ensuring that no drug trafficker escapes the long arm of the law.
He restated the Agency’s resolve to continue working closely with the judiciary and other stakeholders to ensure that persons involved in drug trafficking, regardless of their status or how long they attempt to evade justice, are brought to book.

The post Fugitive Drug Lord and Ex-Footballer Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Cocaine Trafficking appeared first on Business Today NG.

Business

United Capital, Aradel, Custodian Investment top stock pick this week

Published

11 hours ago

July 27, 2026

Preport

Floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.png

Trading in Nigerian stocks last week hit a buoyancy last seen in the market more than six weeks ago, with transaction size accelerating 57.3 per cent to 4.4 billion shares as the earnings season kicked in in earnest.

A few inspiring half-year results, notably that of BUA Cement, were made public, but many more are expected as earnings release reaches fever pitch this week and companies hurry to beat the cut-off date for filing unaudited reports.

Investors will be pricing in companies’ chances of announcing interim dividends as they take position.

PREMIUM TIMES has assembled some stocks with sound fundamentals, adopting rigorous approaches to save you the risk of picking equities at random for investment.

The pick, a product of an analytical market watch, offers a guide to entering the market and taking strategic positions, with the expectation that selected stocks will record reasonable price appreciation with the passage of time.

This is not a buy, sell or hold recommendation but a stock investment guide. You may need to involve your financial advisor before taking investment decisions.

United Capital

United Capital tops this week’s pick on the basis of its strong fundamentals. The investment bank’s net profit ratio (NPR) is 51.2 per cent, while the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio is 10.4x. Its 14-day relative strength index (RSI) is 56.2.

Aradel Holdings

Aradel Holdings makes the selection for its strong fundamentals. The NPR of the energy company is 68.7 per cent, while the PE ratio is 8.8x. Its 14-day RSI is 43.2.

Custodian Investment

Custodian Investment appears on the pick on the basis of its robust fundamentals and for trading below its intrinsic value. The NPR of the company is 27.6 per cent, while the PE ratio is 6.3x. The 14-day RSI is 67.4.

Linkage Assurance

Linkage Assurance makes the cut by virtue of its strong fundamentals and for trading below its underlying value. The PE ratio of the insurer is 3.7x, while the 14-day RSI is 36.3.

Fidelity Bank

Fidelity Bank makes the selection on the basis of its strong fundamentals. The NPR of the lender is 16 per cent, while the PE ratio is 3.9x. Its 14-day RSI is 56.

Wema Bank

Wema Bank features on the list for its strong fundamentals and for trading below its underlying value. The NPR of the lender is 30.5 per cent, while the PE ratio is 1.2. Its 14-day RSI is 59.2.