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Ibom Air has announced full enforcement of a safety directive by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), banning passengers from placing power banks in overhead bins and reinforcing limits on battery capacity allowed on board. In a statement signed by its Group Manager, Marketing and Communications, Mrs. Aniekan Essienette, the airline said power banks must be carried in the cabin and kept under the seat, in the seat pocket, or in an accessible carry-on bag. The existing ban on placing them in checked baggage remains. The directive permits power banks up to 100 watt-hours (Wh) without restriction, while devices between 100Wh and 160Wh require prior airline approval. Any power bank above 160Wh is strictly prohibited on board. Ibom Air said the measure is aimed at enabling swift response to potential lithium-ion battery overheating or fire incidents, as deliberate measure to ensure passenger and crew safety.

Renowned economist and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Akpan Ekpo, has declared that Nigeria’s path to sustainable growth lies in deliberately positioning youths as drivers of development rather than passive beneficiaries. Ekpo, who made the assertion in his keynote address at the 7th Youth Opportunity Summit, Uyo 2026, themed “Leveraging Opportunities: Building a Future-Ready Youth,” held at the Ibom-Led Centre in Uyo on Monday, emphasised that the nation’s demographic advantage must be transformed into productive capacity through policies that prioritise skills, innovation and enterprise. “For any nation to achieve sustainable growth and development, the youth must be seen not as passive recipients of aid but as strategic partners and change agents,” he said. He called for stronger collaboration among government, civil society, academia, the private sector and international agencies to build systems that enable young people to thrive in a rapidly evolving global economy. Speaking on behalf of the Federal Government, the convener and Technical Adviser to the Vice President on Women, Youth Engagement and Impact, Hauwa Liman, urged Nigerian youths to stop waiting for elusive white-collar jobs and instead leverage social media and digital platforms to build skills, create opportunities and secure their future. Liman said that in an era of digital transformation, young people no longer need political connections or “long leg” to succeed, stressing that commitment to personal development remains the most powerful tool for advancement. “It is possible for you to accomplish whatever you set out to achieve. There are many opportunities locally and globally, but government can only act as an enabler,” she said. She urged youths to deploy social media beyond entertainment, noting that such platforms provide direct access to global opportunities, applications and professional networks without intermediaries. “We are in the age of social media; use it to develop yourselves. You don’t need a godfather. When you invest in yourself and commit to growth, other opportunities will open,” Liman added. Setting the broader tone of the summit, the convener described the initiative as a movement aimed at equipping young Nigerians with exposure, funding and policy relevance. She disclosed that since its launch in 2024, the summit has engaged over 12,000 youths across seven cities, supported more than 80 entrepreneurs with over N13 million in grants and mobilised more than 255 volunteers. According to her, the platform has become a launch pad for transformation, with participants leveraging opportunities to gain recognition, expand businesses and gain direction in their careers. She added that insights from over 100 youth-led ventures indicate that most innovations are concentrated in agriculture, technology and the creative sector, reflecting a growing shift towards capacity-building over dependency. Also speaking, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Youth Development and co-convener, Ekerete Ekanem, urged participants to take advantage of existing government programmes. Chairman of the occasion and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Comfort Ekpo, in her opening remarks, cautioned Nigerian youths against procrastination, stressing that the nation’s future depends on a proactive, empowered and opportunity-driven youth population.

Governor Umo Eno has declared that Akwa Ibom does not share a maritime boundary with Cross River and warned that any attempt to alter the state’s territorial limits would violate an ICJ ruling and escalate into an international matter. Speaking at the second anniversary of the Golden Initiative For All (GIFA), the pet project of his late wife, Pastor Patience Umo Eno, the governor said the 76 contested oil wells belong to Akwa Ibom and cannot be challenged by any committee or government agency. In his words “We have two Supreme Court judgments and there is no reason whatsoever… No committee can overturn a Supreme Court judgment. No agency of government can overturn a Supreme Court judgment”. Governor Eno encouraged the people of the state to remain calm, expressing confidence that President Bola Tinubu will uphold the rule of law. He assured that, as a member of the ruling party, Akwa Ibom and its resources will continue to be defended. “We will go where they go. We will meet who they meet. We will talk where they talk. We will sit where they sit, and we will defend what belongs to us,” he added. While celebrating GIFA, Governor Eno commended the initiative’s progress, noting that it has stayed true to its founding vision and delivered measurable impact across its key focus areas. He particularly applauded his daughter and Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, Helen Obareki, for keeping her late mother’s vision alive. Earlier, Lady Helen Obareki highlighted how GIFA has transformed the lives of over 53,000 women, children, and vulnerable families in Akwa Ibom State. “In those crucial moments, her care became hope, and that hope became life for those women and children. Those moments of modest caregiving back in our home became the seed that gave birth to the Golden Initiative For All,” she said. She detailed the initiative’s achievements across eight thematic areas: maternal and child healthcare, literacy and learning, environmental health, women empowerment, disease prevention, elderly care, disability support, and Gender-Based Violence prevention. “To put it briefly, 9,776 mothers and children have benefited from maternal and child healthcare; 19,587 adults and pupils from literacy programs; 13 Water of Life boreholes across 13 LGAs; 5,064 women empowered; 4,900 rural women and children reached through medical outreach; 10,800 senior citizens supported; 160 persons with disabilities assisted; and 1,020 survivors of Gender-Based Violence rehabilitated,” she said. Looking forward, Lady Helen announced new programs to expand GIFA’s reach, including a year-round Tech-Empowerment Accelerator to equip 500 women annually with market-ready digital skills. She also assured that the Water of Life project will cover all 31 Local Government Areas, while literacy and “Back to School” initiatives will continue to support children and adults in public schools.

Akwa Ibom State Government is facing renewed scrutiny over the utilisation of over ₦2.53 trillion in the past 36 months, following a statement by civil society group PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice (PAPA-J). The group in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr Tom FredFish, made available to newsmen in Uyo Friday said the government’s response to a Premium Times investigative report was evasive and failed to provide clear evidence of completed projects. PAPA-J questioned the state’s list of projects, saying many remain at preliminary stages or only exist as announcements. “Groundbreaking is not completion. Announcement is not delivery. Animation is not infrastructure,” the group said. It added that citizens need verifiable evidence of roads, hospitals, industrial and tourism investments cited by the government. The group also challenged the claim that over 1,200 kilometres of roads have been completed or are ongoing, demanding details on locations, quality, and cost. “No serious observer can point to any transformational or legacy project that reflects the magnitude of such colossal revenue,” PAPA-J said. Recall that the Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Information, Aniekan

The Akwa Ibom State Government has condemned the vandalism of a classroom block at a primary school in Ikot Mbonde, Itu Local Government Area, describing the act as a direct attack on public investment in education and calling for urgent community vigilance to safeguard school infrastructure. The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ubong Umoh, who spoke during an on-the-spot assessment of the affected school, said the government views the incident as deliberate sabotage capable of undermining ongoing reforms in the education sector. Umoh, accompanied by the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Rt. Hon. (Dr) Anietie Etuk, visited the school following a viral video showing damaged ceilings and broken desks within the facility. According to the Commissioner, preliminary findings revealed that the destruction was not accidental but carried out by individuals within the community. “Our findings clearly indicate that this is a case of vandalism by unscrupulous elements. School property meant for the benefit of our children has been deliberately destroyed,” Umoh said. He further disclosed that desks and wooden windows were broken and in some cases converted to firewood, while metal doors and burglary proofs were removed and allegedly sold to scrap dealers. The Commissioner added that some of the damage to ceiling boards resulted from the misuse of classrooms as recreational spaces, particularly football fields, after school hours. Umoh described the development as troubling, noting that similar incidents of vandalism have been recorded in other public primary schools across the state, with Government Primary School, Aka 1 in Obio Imo also affected. “This trend is unacceptable. We cannot continue to invest heavily in infrastructure only for such investments to be destroyed by the same communities meant to benefit from them,” he said. He stressed the need for stronger community participation in protecting public assets, urging residents, parents and local leaders to take ownership of schools within their areas. “Education is a collective responsibility. Protecting our schools is protecting our future,” the Commissioner stated. Reaffirming government’s commitment to improving learning conditions, Umoh disclosed that 275 school blocks were rehabilitated across the state in the past year. He added that over 1,000 schools have already been earmarked for comprehensive rehabilitation in the current fiscal year as part of efforts to upgrade education infrastructure. The Commissioner also highlighted ongoing projects including the construction of model primary schools across the 31 local government areas, as well as special intervention projects under the Free and Compulsory Education Programme, all aimed at ensuring access to quality and conducive learning environments.