The coalition said it would return to the media when its demands had been addressed and peace restored to the affected estates.

Adron Homes yet to respond to allegations

When contacted on Monday, the Executive Director, Public Affairs and International Relations of Adron Homes and Properties Limited, Oluwakemi Osude-Laniyan, asked PUNCH Metro to send its enquiries through WhatsApp.

However, she did not respond to the message.

When contacted again on Tuesday morning, Osude-Laniyan said she was awaiting a detailed response from the appropriate department.

The company had yet to provide its response as of Tuesday night when the report was filed.

Four African universities have joined forces to establish a consortium aimed at expanding access to education for nomadic pastoralists and other marginalised communities across the continent.

The initiative seeks to improve school enrolment, retention and completion rates among children in underserved communities through inclusive and flexible learning opportunities.

The partnership brings together Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN), Kano; the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenya; Capital University, Somalia; and the University of Namibia.

The announcement was made on Tuesday at a three-day international conference in Kano themed, “Strengthening Inclusive and Flexible Education Pathways for Nomadic Pastoralists and Marginalised Learners in Africa.”

In his welcome address, MAAUN President, Prof. Mohammad Israr, described education as a fundamental human right and a vital instrument for societal transformation.

He, however, noted that nomadic pastoralists and marginalised communities across Africa continued to face significant barriers to accessing quality education.

“Our responsibility as universities and educational institutions is to develop inclusive, flexible and innovative educational approaches that ensure no learner is left behind,” he said.

Israr explained that the conference provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, share experiences and develop practical strategies for improving educational access among underserved populations.

In her keynote address, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id-Ahmad, said the conference addressed both a national responsibility and a shared continental aspiration to guarantee quality education for every child.

The minister, who was represented by the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Education, Zaria, Prof. Yahaya Bunkure, said the challenges facing nomadic children extended beyond securing admission into schools.

“For many of these children, the challenge is not only gaining admission into schools, but remaining in education, completing the learning cycle and acquiring competencies relevant to their lives,” she said.

She described access to education for nomadic and underserved children as an issue of equity, social justice, human dignity and national development.

According to her, Nigeria and other African countries must develop education systems that recognise the diverse circumstances of their populations and provide learning opportunities for children regardless of their location.

“Our responsibility is to build an education system that responds to the diversity of our people, reaches children wherever they are and provides learning opportunities that enable them to participate productively in society,” she said.

The minister urged universities across Nigeria and other African countries to intensify research into the factors affecting access, participation, retention and learning outcomes among nomadic and underserved children.

Also speaking, the founder of MAAUN Group of Universities, Prof. Adamu Abubakar-Gwarzo, called for the development of curricula tailored to the educational needs and lifestyles of nomadic and pastoralist communities.

He said such an approach would equip children in the communities with relevant knowledge and skills to contribute meaningfully to the development of their countries.

The Vice-Chancellors of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa and Capital University also participated virtually.

Prof. Elias Opngo of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa and Dr Ahmed Ga’al of Capital University, in separate remarks, emphasised the need to guarantee equal educational opportunities for children irrespective of their geographical locations, family occupations or personal circumstances.

They also advocated stronger cooperation among African countries, noting that the challenges associated with nomadic education required collective continental action.

The consortium is expected to strengthen collaboration among the participating institutions in developing inclusive educational approaches that address the barriers preventing nomadic and marginalised children from accessing and completing formal education.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has raised concerns that 57 Nigerian professionals working in four Nigerian-owned banks in The Gambia risk losing their jobs following a directive by the country’s central bank ordering the replacement of certain foreign employees with Gambian nationals.

NiDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the directive as “deeply worrisome” in a statement shared on her X handle on Tuesday.

The concerns followed a circular issued by the Central Bank of The Gambia on September 16, 2026, directing commercial banks operating in the country to replace non-Gambian employees who are not covered by approved expatriate quotas with qualified Gambian nationals on or before December 31, 2026.

The directive affects all commercial banks operating in the country, including Nigerian-origin financial institutions such as Access Bank, FirstBank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Zenith Bank.

Dabiri-Erewa said the affected Nigerian professionals reportedly possess valid residency and work permits and have made significant contributions to the Gambian banking industry.

While acknowledging The Gambia’s right to promote local employment and strengthen its workforce, she stressed that such policies should be implemented fairly, with due consideration for existing employment arrangements and legitimate work authorisations.

She also called for the protection of African solidarity and regional integration, warning against measures that could undermine cooperation between African countries.

Highlighting the economic contributions of the affected banks, the NiDCOM chairman said the four institutions collectively account for approximately 37.2 per cent of total deposits in The Gambia’s banking industry, valued at 35.3 billion Gambian dalasis.

According to her, they also account for 32.6 per cent of the sector’s loans, worth 7.67 billion dalasis, and 37 per cent of total banking assets, valued at 44.78 billion dalasis.

She added that the banks account for approximately 34.5 per cent of investments in Central Bank bonds and reportedly provide 90 per cent of the funding supporting the operations of the National Water and Electricity Company.

Dabiri-Erewa argued that the directive could undermine efforts to promote African investment, regional economic cooperation and the free movement of people across the continent.

“It is contradictory to encourage African investment, regional economic cooperation and the free movement of people while adopting employment measures that could lead to the indiscriminate displacement of qualified African professionals,” she said.

She consequently called on the Central Bank of The Gambia to immediately reconsider and reverse what she described as a blanket replacement directive.

The NiDCOM chairman also urged the Gambian regulator to engage the Nigerian High Commission in Banjul, the affected financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders to find an equitable resolution.

She further appealed to the Gambian authorities to uphold the principles of ECOWAS integration and the longstanding cordial relationship between Nigeria and The Gambia, urging constructive diplomatic engagement to resolve the dispute.

The Central Bank of The Gambia had earlier said the directive followed an industry-wide review which identified a relatively high number of foreign employees working in commercial banks outside the formally recognised expatriate quota.

The regulator cited the country’s Labour Act 2023 and Guideline 9, which governs expatriate employment in the banking industry, as the legal basis for its decision.

The December 31 deadline gives affected commercial banks until the end of 2026 to comply with the directive.