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Economy

Prime Minister: Nigerian, Other Refugees Will Have To Earn Right To Stay In UK

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Nigerian Asylum Seekers

Prime Minister: Nigerian, Other Refugees Will Have To Earn Right To Stay In UK

Prime Minister: Nigerian, other refugees will have to earn right to stay in UK. New applications to the existing refugee family reunion route have been suspended since September.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated that there will be no ‘golden ticket’ to settling in the United Kingdom under plans to require refugees to earn their right to stay in the country in the long term.

Mr Starmer said that the government plans to end automatic family union rights for those granted asylum in the UK and change the requirements for long-term settlement.
New applications to the existing refugee family reunion route have been suspended since September.

The prime minister will hold talks on the plans and how European countries can work together to tackle illegal migration at the European Political Community (EPC) summit on Thursday.

Mr Starmer said, “I believe that if you want to come to the UK, you should contribute to our society. That is the tolerant and fair approach to migration that our communities are built on, but the current system is not fit for purpose.

“That is why we’re making fundamental changes to what those granted asylum are afforded in the UK. Settlement must be earned by contributing to our country, not by paying a people smuggler to cross the Channel in a boat.”

He said the UK would continue to welcome genuine refugees fleeing persecution, but must also address the pull factors driving illegal small boat crossings.

“There will be no golden ticket to settling in the UK; people will have to earn it,” he added.

He will also announce a new partnership to tackle the causes of migration upstream in Western Balkan countries in a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
The plan, backed by up to £3 million ($4 million), will include encouraging people to stay in the region and take up jobs there.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will outline reforms in full later this autumn, which will see refugees face a longer route to resettlement.
The reform will require them to contribute to the UK, and they will not have the automatic right to bring their families to join them.
Refugees will still be entitled to core protection and not be returned home under the changes, the government says, but a new, longer route to settlement requiring them to contribute, replacing the current five years, will apply.
The home secretary said earlier this week at the Labour Party conference that tougher conditions would be introduced to secure indefinite leave to remain.

Migrants will need to be in work, not on benefits, have a high standard of English and have no criminal record.

They will also need to reach a certain level of national insurance contributions and contribute, for example, by working in their local community.

The Refugee Council warned that stopping families from reuniting would push more people to come to the UK using smugglers and said family reunion visas overwhelmingly support women and children.

Jon Featonby, chief policy analyst at the Refugee Council, said, “These unworkable policies have been promised before, and we know that they do not have any impact on the number of small boats. The previous government tried and failed to put people off taking risky journeys by reducing the rights of refugees once they were in the UK, restricting both family reunion and settlement.

Nigerian Asylum Seekers

Uk Prime Minister

“This approach didn’t work then, and there is no evidence to suggest it will work now. It will, however, succeed in damaging integration, making refugees feel unsafe and forcing children to grow up without their parents. In reality, restricting family reunion only pushes more desperate people into the arms of smugglers in an effort to reunite with their loved ones.”

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philip called the changes a “gimmick” and said Starmer should repeal the Human Rights Act for immigration matters as the Conservatives have proposed.

He said, “Tweaking family rules is another Starmer gimmick that will make no difference whatsoever, just like his smash the gangs’ gimmick and his 11,000 in, one out gimmick.”

The number of migrant arrivals on small boats has surpassed 34,000 in 2025 so far, marking a record for this point in the year since data on Channel crossings began to be reported in 2018.

Economy

Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition

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Lagos Assembly

Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition

Lagos assembly strongly seeks suspension of Makoko demolition. The Lagos state house of assembly has called for the suspension of demolition activities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro waterfront communities following protests by displaced residents and growing public concern over the exercise.

The call was announced on Tuesday by Noheem Adams, chairman of an ad hoc committee set up by Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the house, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Lateef Jakande auditorium.

Adams called on all state ministries to cease demolition work and promised compensation to the affected residents.
“On behalf of the speaker and all 40 members of the house, we are directing that all demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, and Shogunro communities should stop from today until further notice,” New Telegraph quoted Adams as saying.

He called for transparency by demanding the full list of taskforce members and the criteria used for engagement, insisting that residents must be actively involved in the process.

“That the taskforce that was constituted, we want to see the list of the taskforce because we want the residents to be duly involved and to be carried along. So we want to have the schedule of those task forces and the criteria for those that we are inviting,” Adams added.

Lagos Assembly

Lagos Assembly

“To the residents of Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities, as your representatives, we are giving you all assurances that they will stop demolitions henceforth and there will be compensations for all those whose properties have been demolished.”

Stephen Ogundipe, member of the ad-hoc, said there is need for clear communication, adding that residents targeted for relocation or redevelopment must be informed of the government’s plans in advance.

Babatunde Olajide, special adviser to governor of Lagos on E-GIS and urban renewal, confirmed that $2 million had been earmarked since 2021 to transform Makoko into a modern, internationally compliant water city.

He said enumeration of affected properties is underway and reiterated the administration’s commitment to handling the situation with a human face, prioritizing resident safety and fair compensation.

Yusuf Sagra, baale of Makoko, described the assembly’s decision as a “word of peace,” while Orioye Ogungbure, another leader of the community, praised the “democratic responsiveness” of the government.

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Crime

EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video

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EFCC Probes Man

EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video

EFCC arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for alleged naira mutilation in viral video. The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,   on Tuesday, February 3, 2026  arrested a Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa over alleged Naira mutilation.

Inuwa was arrested following a viral video circulated on social media platforms where she was seen conspicuously cleaning mucus from her nose using Naira notes.

EFCC Probes Man

EFCC

Following the release of the viral video, the Commission swung into action by tracing and subsequently arrested her to answer questions.
She is currently being held at the Commission’s detention facility while investigation is ongoing.

The suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

Dele Oyewale
Head,  Media & Publicity
February 3, 2026

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Economy

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

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National Bank Of Kenya

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

Access Bank gets new board chair Ifeyinwa Osime. Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29.

Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29, according to a statement to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Monday.

Ms Osime, a legal practitioner, joined Access Bank’s board in November 2019 as an independent non-executive director and had chaired its Human Resources and Sustainability Committee and the Governance, Nomination, and Remuneration Committee. This role made her contribute significantly to the bank’s corporate governance, leadership development, and sustainability initiatives.

Additionally, Ms Osime is a director at Ebudo Trust Ltd. and a partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial matters and contributes to strategic leadership.

She is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Women Corporate Directors, Nigeria Chapter, and the Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria, where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group.

National Bank Of Kenya

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Ms Osime is committed to mentoring youths and is actively involved in the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, reflecting her dedication to inclusion and social impact.
Speaking on her appointment, the group chairman, Aigboje Aig-lmoukhuede, said, “Mrs Osime is a principled and experienced leader with a deep understanding of the Bank’s strategy and values.

“She has demonstrated strong commitment to the bank’s vision and mission, and I am confident that, under her leadership, the bank will continue to advance its strategic objectives of delivering sustainable value to shareholders and other stakeholders in the pursuit of its vision to become the world’s most respected African bank.”

Mr Aig-lmoukhuede also congratulated Mr Usoro on the completion of his tenure and on his exemplary leadership, dedication, and significant contributions to the group, saying he remains a valued member of the Access family.

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