News
‘Day I was mistakenly identified as shoplifter’
“Within less than a minute, I’m approached by a store worker who comes up to me and says, ‘You’re a thief, you need to leave the store’.”
Sara – who wants to remain anonymous – was wrongly accused after being flagged by a facial-recognition system called Facewatch.
She says after her bag was searched she was led out of the shop, and told she was banned from all stores using the technology.
“I was just crying and crying the entire journey home… I thought, ‘Oh, will my life be the same? I’m going to be looked at as a shoplifter when I’ve never stolen’.”
Facewatch later wrote to Sara and acknowledged it had made an error.
Facewatch is used in numerous stores in the UK – including Budgens, Sports Direct and Costcutter – to identify shoplifters.
The company declined to comment on Sara’s case to the BBC, but did say its technology helped to prevent crime and protect frontline workers. Home Bargains, too, declined to comment.
It’s not just retailers who are turning to the technology.
On a humid day in Bethnal Green, in east London, we joined the police as they positioned a modified white van on the high street.
Cameras attached to its roof captured thousands of images of people’s faces.
If they matched people on a police watchlist, officers would speak to them and potentially arrest them.
Unflattering references to the technology liken the process to a supermarket checkout – where your face becomes a bar code.
On the day we were filming, the Metropolitan Police said they made six arrests with the assistance of the tech.
That included two people who breached the terms of their sexual-harm prevention orders, a man wanted for grievous bodily harm and a person wanted for the assault of a police officer.
Lindsey Chiswick, director of intelligence for the Met, told the BBC the tech’s speed was extremely helpful.
“It takes less than a second for the technology to create a biometric image of a person’s face, assess it against the bespoke watchlist and automatically delete it when there is no match.”
The BBC spoke to several people approached by the police who confirmed that they had been correctly identified by the system – 192 arrests have been made so far this year as a result of it.
But civil liberty groups are worried that its accuracy is yet to be fully established, and point to cases such as Shaun Thompson’s.
Mr Thompson, who works for youth-advocacy group Streetfathers, didn’t think much of it when he walked by a white van near London Bridge in February.
Within a few seconds, though, he was approached by police and told he was a wanted man.
“That’s when I got a nudge on the shoulder, saying at that time I’m wanted”.
He was asked to give fingerprints and held for 20 minutes. He says he was let go only after handing over a copy of his passport.
But it was a case of mistaken identity.
“It felt intrusive… I was treated guilty until proven innocent,” he says.
The BBC understands the mistake might have been due to a family resemblance. The Metropolitan Police declined to comment.
‘Digital line-up’
Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, has filmed the police on numerous facial-recognition deployments. She was there the night Shaun Thompson was picked up by police.
“My experience, observing live facial recognition for many years, [is that] most members of the public don’t really know what live facial recognition is,” she says.
She says that anyone’s face who is scanned is effectively part of a digital police line-up.
“If they trigger a match alert, then the police will come in, possibly detain them and question them and ask them to prove their innocence.”
The use of facial recognition by the police is ramping up.
Between 2020 and 2022 the Metropolitan Police used live facial recognition nine times. The following year the figure was 23.
Already in 2024 it has been used 67 times, so the direction of travel is clear.
Champions say that misidentifications are rare.
The Metropolitan Police say that around one in every 33,000 people who walk by its cameras is misidentified.
But the error count is much higher once an someone is actually flagged. One in 40 alerts so far this year has been a false positive.
Michael Birtwhistle, head of research at the Ada Lovelace Institute research group, believes the technology is so new that the laws have not yet caught up.
“I think it absolutely is a Wild West at the moment. That’s what creates this legal uncertainty as to whether current uses are unlawful or not,” he says.
In Bethnal Green, although some people the BBC spoke to were worried about the use of the tech, a majority were supportive – if it helped to tackle crime.
That leads to another question about the technology: will it help in the long run?
As people get more used to seeing white vans parked on busy high streets, will people who know they are wanted by police simply get wise to the cameras and avoid them? Will shoplifters hide their faces?
Ms Carlo says society needs to guard against facial recognition becoming normalised.
“Once the police can say this is OK, this is something that we can do routinely, why not put it into the fixed-camera networks?”
This is the dystopian future that civil-liberty campaigners are most afraid of – a China-style mass-surveillance state.
Advocates dismiss such dire predictions as overblown.
And it is also clear there are plenty among the public who are willing to put up with having their faces scanned – if it means safer streets.
News
The Great Recalibration: How President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Is Restructuring Nigeria for a Stronger Tomorrow
By RT HON
CHINEDUM ENYINNAYA ORJI
“You cannot build a house for tomorrow on the weak foundation of yesterday. We must lay new blocks, even when the rain is falling.”— Adapted from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Three years into his presidency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has embarked on what may be the most deliberate economic and governance recalibration Nigeria has seen in a generation.
He came into office on May 29, 2023 with a clear declaration: “Fuel subsidy is gone.” In that single sentence, he signaled that the era of deferring hard choices had ended.
Restructuring, at its core, is about rearranging the house so it can stand longer and serve more people. For Nigeria, that meant confronting distortions that had weakened public finances, scared investors, and made planning impossible.
The first pillar of this restructuring is fiscal discipline. By removing the costly petrol subsidy and cutting electricity subsidies, the administration stopped the bleeding of trillions of naira that once vanished into opaque payments.
The results are already visible in the numbers. The fiscal deficit narrowed from 5.4 percent of GDP in 2023 to approximately 3 percent in 2024, while federation revenue rose from ₦16.8 trillion to ₦31.9 trillion.
That new revenue is not sitting idle. It is being channeled into roads, rails, power, and social programs that touch ordinary citizens directly. More than 2,700 kilometers of roads are under construction or rehabilitation nationwide.
The second pillar is monetary credibility. The unification of exchange rates and clearing of a $4 billion FX backlog restored confidence in the naira and in Nigeria’s commitment to market-based policies.
That credibility has produced tangible dividends. The stock market surged nearly fivefold to a record 250,000 points, market capitalization grew, and international rating agency Fitch upgraded Nigeria from B- to B in April 2025.
Foreign investors, who had stayed on the sidelines, are returning. New oil and gas investments are being announced, domestic refining capacity is rising, and fuel imports are falling, easing pressure on our foreign exchange.
The third pillar is sectoral transformation. Recognizing that oil alone cannot carry Nigeria’s future, President Tinubu approved a Presidential Petroleum Reform and Value Optimisation Taskforce to design the next phase of structural reforms in that sector.
The Taskforce is not another talking shop. It is a time-bound technical body charged with delivering execution-ready blueprints to unlock capital, improve transparency, and position Nigeria as a leading global energy investment destination.
Beyond oil, the February 2026 launch of the Nigeria Industrial Policy marks a decisive shift toward manufacturing, value addition, and job creation. The goal is a $1 trillion economy in five years, driven by inclusive and decentralized growth.
This is restructuring with a human face. Through NELFUND, millions of Nigerian students now have access to loans to stay in school. The CNG program is reducing transport costs and easing the burden of subsidy removal on households.
Governance itself is being rewired. The Renewed Hope Ward Development Plan is mapping economic potential across all 8,809 wards, ensuring that planning starts from the grassroots and moves upward to the state and federal levels.
Such decentralization matters. When wards have data, they have a voice. When local governments have more resources, service delivery improves. That is how accountability becomes real, not theoretical.
On security, the administration has intensified operations against banditry, insurgency, and criminal gangs. The link is clear: no investor builds factories where there is no peace, and no farmer feeds the nation where there is no safety.
A good example is the renewed engagement with Ogoni communities. By addressing historical grievances, the government is creating the conditions to restart oil exploration in a way that benefits both the people and the treasury.
Critics are right to point out the hardship. The cost-of-living squeeze has been severe, and inflation remains a challenge. But restructuring is not magic. It is medicine, and medicine often tastes bitter before it heals.
What distinguishes this moment is political will. Previous administrations discussed these reforms for decades. President Tinubu chose to act in the first week, knowing the political cost, because the economic cost of delay was higher.
The international community has noticed. The World Bank’s April 2026 Nigeria Development Update and the IMF’s 2025 Article IV Consultation both acknowledge significant progress in restoring macroeconomic stability.
More importantly, Nigerians are beginning to see the logic. A stable currency means businesses can plan. More revenue to states means more projects in communities. More transparency means fewer excuses.
The central test ahead is jobs. With 3.5 million Nigerians entering the labor force each year, the restructuring must now translate into employment-intensive growth. The industrial policy and infrastructure push are designed for exactly that.
This is not about one man or one party. It is about laying a foundation that no future government can afford to ignore. Institutions, rules, and incentives are being reset.
History will judge this period not by the pain of the transition, but by whether we used the pain to build something durable. The early signs suggest we are.
President Tinubu’s restructuring is far from complete, but it has already changed the trajectory. Nigeria is no longer drifting. It is recalibrating, with purpose, toward a future where our resources work for our people, and where governance finally matches our potential.
RT HON
Chinedum Enyinnaya orji
APC House of Representatives Candidate for Ikwuano Umuahia Fed. Constituency writes from Amaokwe Ugba Ibeku, Abia State.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced the demise of its Enugu State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Franklin O Agbakoba.
This is contained in a statement issued by FRSC Deputy Corps Commander in-charge of Enugu State Operations, DCC Kyrian C Okolo, on Friday in Enugu.
“FRSC Enugu State Sector Command received the sad news of the demise of CC Franklin Agbakoba on Thursday, July 30,2026.
“The late Sector Commander died at Niger Foundation Hospital, Enugu where he was receiving treatment.
“His corpse have been deposited at the Eastern Medical Center, Enugu,” he said.
Until his death,CC Franklin Agbakoba made inter-agency collaboration and partnership his legacy and promoted safer roads within Enugu State.
The family’s head, Imo Aguiyi-Ironsi, made the demand during an interview with Arise News on Thursday.
“I think the family needs apology. The family needs to be compensated. We need sincere apology. We need sincere reconciliation,” he said.
He described his uncle as a visionary leader who was wrongly punished for a coup he had no role in.
“He was a man of vision. He was a detribalized Nigerian. He was a good leader,” he said.
Imo Aguiyi-Ironsi noted that his uncle’s tenure as Head of State was brief and ended violently.
“He occupied the seat of head of state for only six months, and he was taken away from us.
“Not because of a sin he committed, because he wasn’t part of the January 1966 coup.”
According to him, Aguiyi-Ironsi’s death resulted from his position rather than any wrongdoing on his part.
“Only because of his position as the most senior military officer, he was told to take charge. And then that cost him his life,” he said.
He expressed hope that his appeal would reach those with the power to act on it.
“Well, I hope there are people who are in positions to make this happen that are listening to you tonight,” he said.
Aguiyi-Ironsi served as Nigeria’s Head of State from January 16 to July 29, 1966, taking charge in the aftermath of the January 15, 1966 coup that had claimed the lives of the country’s political leadership.
He survived that coup and helped crush the mutiny, but his later decision to centralise power under Decree 34, along with his failure to prosecute the plotters, fuelled resentment among northern officers.
He was killed on July 29, 1966, alongside his host, Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, in a mutiny by northern soldiers that became known as the July counter-coup
The directive was contained in a memorandum dated July 13, 2026, and signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Kabir Akanbi.
Addressed to litigation staff, legal practitioners, court registrars and lawyers, the circular said the order took immediate effect and formed part of efforts to uphold professional standards within the apex court.
The memorandum read, “I am directed by the Honourable the Chief Justice of Nigeria to notify all Litigation Staff, Legal Practitioners, Court Registrars, and Lawyers that the use of the title ‘Barrister’ as a prefix to names is inappropriate and inconsistent with the standards of professionalism expected within the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”
It further directed all affected officers to immediately stop using the title in official correspondence and other official materials.
The memo stated, “Consequently, all officers concerned are hereby directed to discontinue the use of the title ‘Barrister’ before their names in all official correspondence, records, documents, identity materials, and any other official engagements with immediate effect.”
The memorandum added, “Heads of Departments and Unit Heads are requested to ensure strict compliance with this directive by all officers under their supervision. Please be guided accordingly.”
The directive comes weeks after the Council of Legal Education cautioned prospective lawyers against wearing wigs and gowns or presenting themselves as qualified legal practitioners before they are formally called to the Nigerian Bar.
The council said such conduct undermined the dignity of the legal profession and warned that violators could face disciplinary measures.
It also reminded candidates that the use of legal regalia is governed by the Rules of Professional Conduct and is reserved for duly qualified legal practitioners
The Enugu State Government says it has intensified fight against quackery across all health professions, particularly in the laboratory practice within the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, revealed this on Friday while receiving the National President of Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Dr. Casimir Ifeanyi, on a courtesy visit to his office in Enugu.
Ugwu decried the growing trend of unprofessional practices and establishments where laboratory services are combined with pharmacies, patient treatment areas, provision stores, and other unauthorised activities.
According to him, such practices are unacceptable and dangerous to public health.
He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to eliminate quackery especially in laboratory practices and operations through sustained monitoring, regulation and enforcement.
The commissioner also commended the association for its dedication to promoting excellence in medical laboratory science and public health advocacy.
He assured the team of the ministry’s willingness to collaborate with professional bodies whose activities align with the government’s vision of delivering accessible, quality, and people-centred healthcare services across the state.
Ugwu stressed the remarkable strides recorded under the administration of Gov. Peter Mbah in transforming the health sector, including investments in healthcare infrastructure, workforce development, primary healthcare revitalisation and improved service delivery.
He urged the association to remain steadfast in upholding professionalism and ethical standards, emphasising that stronger partnerships between government and healthcare professionals remained essential in building a healthier Enugu State.
Earlier, Ifeanyi, who made the visit with some members of his national executive and Enugu State Chapter of AMLSN, briefed the commissioner on the association’s forthcoming AMLSN Annual Public Health Lecture.
He solicited the state government’s goodwill, support and participation in the event, which would be held in Enugu.
“The annual lecture is aimed at advancing quality healthcare delivery, promoting public health awareness, and fostering stronger collaboration among healthcare professionals and government institutions,” he said.
He noted that the association remained committed to improving professional standards and supporting initiatives that would enhance healthcare outcomes for residents of Enugu State and Nigeria at large.
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