The Coalition of Federal Pensioners of Nigeria has vowed to stage nationwide naked protests on October 6 over what they described as government neglect of their demands.

At a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, the coalition’s national chairman, Mukaila Ogunbote, confirmed the planned demonstrations.

Ogunbote explained that pensioners had given the federal government until the end of September to clear arrears, approve increments, and release palliatives. He stressed that the planned protest would serve as a symbolic act to expose the government’s failure and draw attention to their plight.

He lamented that while workers received the N35,000 palliative within one month of President Bola Tinubu’s approval in October 2023, pensioners were yet to get their N25,000 package.

According to him, employees have since been paid additional palliatives for 10 months, but retirees’ demand for six months’ worth has been ignored.

Ogunbote also recalled that Tinubu had directed a N13,000 pension increase, which is yet to be implemented by either the ministry of finance or the office of the accountant-general.

“When we enquired, we were told our N32,000 increment was omitted from both the 2024 and 2025 budgets. This is injustice,” he said.

Fashola Oluwo, a retired worker from the federal ministry of information, decried the worsening cost of living, noting that many pensioners cannot afford basic needs. He added that some retirees have even died while waiting for their benefits.

Another pensioner, Dupe Ogunniyi, appealed to First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to intervene with the president on their behalf.

Ogunniyi said retirees are burdened not only by meagre pensions but also by the responsibility of supporting unemployed children.

Afriland Properties Plc has traced the cause of the fire outbreak at its head office on Broad Street, Lagos Island, Lagos State.

The company’s Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Chukwunonso Okafor, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The clarification came only hours after the incident, which affected the building that also accommodates a branch of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc.

Due to several videos from the scene circulating online, many initially mistook the structure for UBA’s corporate headquarters.

In his statement, Okafor said:
“Afriland Properties Plc regrets to inform that a fire incident occurred today at Afriland Towers, our headquarters, located on Broad Street, Lagos Island, Lagos.

“From the moment the incident was reported, the Federal Fire Service, Lagos State Fire Service, and other emergency agencies were promptly alerted and immediately mobilised to contain the fire and coordinate rescue operations.

“Their swift intervention played a crucial role in preventing further damage and stabilising the situation.

“We are deeply saddened by this incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected, and we extend our heartfelt sympathies to their families and loved ones.

“While an immediate investigation has begun, preliminary findings suggest the fire started in the inverter room. Unfortunately, smoke spread rapidly throughout the building, including the emergency exits, even though standard evacuation procedures were being followed.

“Afriland Properties Plc is working hand in hand with the relevant authorities as the investigation continues. We are grateful to the emergency responders, first aid workers, and members of the public who showed courage and assisted during the incident.

“The company will continue to provide timely updates as verified information becomes available.”

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has introduced an automated clearance system for overtime cargoes and extended the clearance window to 120 days in a bid to enhance trade facilitation across the country.

Bashir Adeniyi, comptroller-general of customs, announced the development on Monday at a sensitisation programme held in Lagos for stakeholders on the new system. The stakeholders included consignees, brokers, terminal operators, and customs officials from Zone ‘A’.

According to Adeniyi, the initiative is designed to tackle delays associated with abandoned consignments and reduce the number of extension requests, which currently make up nearly half of daily correspondence to his office.

“We have created a help desk at the headquarters to prioritise clearance of project cargoes belonging to government agencies,” he said. “Importation is critical to Nigeria’s economic development, and our goal is not just to generate revenue but to ensure goods reach their owners quickly and efficiently.”

‘Automation ready for deployment’

The customs chief disclosed that less than one percent of cargoes arriving at Nigerian ports in 2024 were classified as overtime. He expressed confidence that the new system would cut that figure to zero.

He also pledged continued sensitisation to ensure a seamless transition, while urging shipping companies, clearing agents, and terminal operators to provide feedback to further improve the system.

Adeniyi explained that while some consignments were deliberately abandoned, others faced delays due to network challenges. “The overtime cargo automation programme is fully developed and ready for deployment,” he said.

Assistant comptroller-general of customs, Isah Umar, said the e-clearance platform would simplify procedures, improve transparency, minimise human interference, and strengthen data integrity for both imports and exports.

He added that the system would automatically document cargo disposals and harmonise records through the Single Goods Declaration (SGD) platform.

Aliyu Abdulkadir, chief superintendent of customs, pointed out that under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, overtime cargoes can be disposed of after 120 days. Perishable and inflammable goods, however, may be auctioned immediately through e-auctions or other approved means to avoid accidents.

Also speaking, Ibrahim Muhammed, assistant comptroller of customs, clarified that cargoes are classified as overtime after 30 days. If unresolved, clearance requests are escalated from the area controller to the zonal level and, ultimately, to customs headquarters. He described the new framework as transparent, efficient, and accountable.

Similarly, Muhammed Babadede, zonal coordinator of Zone ‘A,’ hailed the NCS as the most digitalised customs administration in West and Central Africa. He commended Adeniyi for pushing reforms through automation and said the innovation would further modernise port operations.