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Police launch manhunt for hoodlums who killed police constable, abducted ASP in Imo

Gunmen on Sunday launched a deadly attack on a police patrol team near Finas Gas station, along the Okigwe-Umuahia Road, in Imo State, killing a Police Constable and reportedly abducting an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).

The incident occurred around 9:00 a.m. near the Old Gariki area in Okigwe, which sources described as a “dangerous zone.”

“During the ambush, Police Constable, Oluebube, was shot dead, and his service rifle was taken by the attackers. ASP Casmir, who led the patrol team, has been missing since the attack, and fears are growing that he may have been abducted and killed.

“One PC, Oluebube, was killed in action, and his smoke gunner carted away. ASP Casmir and his AK-47 rifle are missing. Other members of his team have returned to base with their rifles and are currently receiving medical care,” a source disclosed.

The Imo State Police Command confirmed the incident yesterday and said a manhunt has been launched to apprehend those responsible.

Spokesman for the Command, Henry Okoye, said the attackers are believed to be affiliated with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its Eastern Security Network (ESN), based on preliminary findings.

“An intense operation is ongoing to apprehend the miscreants responsible for the attack,” Okoye said. “We are aware that some may question why IPOB is being mentioned, but we cannot ignore confessional statements by suspects, who openly associate their actions with the group. As a law enforcement agency, it is our duty to report facts as uncovered during investigations.”

Kidnapper pleads guilty to abducting 17-year-old University of Ibadan student

One David Abiodun has pleaded guilty before a Federal High Court in Ibadan to kidnapping a 17-year-old student of the University of Ibadan, Divine Ayeni.
Abiodun pleaded guilty yesterday to the two-count charge bordering on kidnapping instituted against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Consequently, Justice Nkeonye Maha adjourned the suit until September 23 for presentation of facts and judgment.
Maha also ordered the defendant to be remanded in Agodi Correctional Centre.
Counsel to DSS, Mr T.A. Nurudeen, had earlier told the court that the defendant committed the crime between May 19 and June 5, 2024, in Ibadan.
Nurudeen added that Abiodun committed an illegal act by abducting the victim, thereby depriving her of liberty.
According to him, the offences contravened the provisions of sections 24A and 30A of the Terrorism and Prohibition and Prevention Act 2022.

Enugu Air’: Gov Mbah launches state-owned airline

Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has unveiled a state-owned airline, Enugu Air, describing it as a giant leap for the state and a gold standard for government-private sector partnership.

The inaugural flight of the state-owned airline took off yesterday, marking what the governor called a historic moment for ‘Ndi Enugu’.

Speaking at the launch, Mbah said the achievement aligned with his administration’s vision of transforming Enugu into a premier destination for investment, living and tourism in Nigeria.

“It is an honour to stand before you today, not only as a governor but as a fellow believer in the power of vision,” he declared.

Although the launch came weeks after his administration’s second anniversary, Mbah described it as “a fitting gift to Ndi Enugu”.

He stressed that Enugu Air represented more than just an airline as it symbolised a bold step in creating the right enablers for enterprise and opening up sectors that once felt out of reach.

“We began this journey with no empty promises. Among the key objectives we outlined upon assuming office was the pledge to make Enugu the premier destination for investments, living, and tourism in Nigeria. Today, we are witnessing a clear pathway to that goal,” the governor said.

The launch of Enugu Air, according to Mbah, also signified the possibilities that could emerge when strategic public-private collaborations were nurtured.

He added, “With our airline, we are opening doors to a sector that once felt out of reach. Enugu Air has given more wings to our dreams, and today we take that first flight together.”

Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, addressed public concerns over the fate of the Enugu airport, clarifying that the facility was not being sold but concessioned to private investors.

“I have seen some comments saying, ‘No, we are selling Enugu airport out.’ We are concessioning it. The process is supported by Mr. President, by FAAN, by the Ministry of Aviation, and by the National Assembly committees.

“We are just in the process of handing Enugu airport to private investors who will come and make this place open, including the cargo terminal,” he said.

According to Keyamo, the cargo terminal will significantly boost economic activities in the region.

“You can now process exports directly from Enugu here—the cargo terminal—for the good and employment of Enugu people. I thought it was necessary to mention it here today.”

He praised Mbah for his proactive efforts in attracting private investments to the airport, noting that the governor refused to wait for bureaucracy to drive progress.

Igbo groups kick against RUGA project in South-East, warn Soludo, others

South-East stakeholders under the aegis of Concerned Igbo Groups have vowed to resist the implementation of any RUGA project in any part of the South-East.

The groups described the RUGA project as “reverse colonisation”, stressing that it offers no commercial value or benefit to the people of the region.

They also asserted that cattle rearing is a private business.

The statement released yesterday was jointly signed on behalf of the groups by Ben Nwankwo and Evans Nwankwo, Executive Directors of Ambassadors for Self-Determination, USA; Sylvester Onyia, President of American Veterans Of Igbo Descent, AVID; Maxwell Dede of Rising Sun Group and Rev Father Augustine Odimegwa.

Opposing plans by the Federal Government to establish RUGA settlements in the South-East, the groups alleged that the project is a hidden plan to take over their ancestral lands and hand them to Fulani settlers, using agriculture as an excuse.

The groups lamented shortage of land in the South-East, which has over 800 people per square kilometre, making the area the most crowded region in Nigeria.

The Concerned Igbo Groups declared that there is no land for the RUGA project in the South-East.

“We the concerned people of Igbo land have said it before and we are saying it again, there is no land for RUGA anywhere in Igbo land — not today, not tomorrow, not ever.

“We are already struggling to find land for farming, housing, and industries. So how can anyone expect us to give out land for cows? If the government is serious about ranching, let them go to Niger State, which has over 76,000 square kilometres of land — far more than the whole of the South-East put together.

“We will resist it with everything in us. RUGA is not about peace or development. It is a private business disguised as a government policy. It is a hidden plan to take over our ancestral lands and hand them to Fulani settlers, using agriculture as an excuse,” the statement said.

The groups further expressed concern over the security implications of the project, particularly with the recent carnage and violence in Benue State which led to the destruction of lives and properties.

Urging the government to exercise caution in how it goes about the project, the groups noted that the Lokpanta cattle market in Abia State has become a hotbed of crime, kidnapping and killings and as such, they would not allow such a problem to spread or continue in the South-East.

The groups in the same vein warned Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to tread with caution and stop any further negotiations that have to do with RUGA, saying such would amount to exercise in futility.

The statement added, “We are using this medium to warn Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State. Stop playing with Igbo lives. Stop negotiating with our blood.

You were not elected to sell our land or our future. We also call on all governors and politicians in the South-East who may have collected N6 billion each as bribe to support this RUGA project — return the blood money now. The people are watching. History will remember. And there will be no hiding place for anyone who betrays Igbo land.

“We are not against any Igbo man or woman who wants to do livestock business. In fact, many of our people are running successful farms in Nsukka, Eke, Obollo Afor, and other places.

But those are private businesses on family land — not federal land grabs under the cover of RUGA.

“What we reject is a plan that will turn us into strangers on our own land, where outsiders come, settle, multiply, and eventually take over our communities. That is reverse colonisation, and we will never allow it.”

Over staffing: ASOPADEC workers won’t lose jobs – Gov Otti

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has said that his administration will not sack workers of Abia State Oil Producing Areas Commission, ASOPADEC, following the discovery of over staffing in the agency by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC.

The governor rather directed the restructuring of the agency, stressing that staff discovered to be in excess could be redeployed to other government establishments, but not sacked.

Otti stated this on Sunday when he received the Federal Commissioner representing Abia State at the RMAFC, Mrs Nkechi Otti who led some officials of the Commission to hand over reports on findings after her recent familiarization visit and stakeholders engagements in Abia State.

He said, “I will also engage further with ASOPADEC to understand what their problem is. The truth is that we do not want to throw people into the job market.

“What I had instructed was some form of restructuring. If there is excess capacity, they could be sent somewhere else rather than putting them in the unemployment queue.

“The Head of Service should also be part of this meeting. It should happen as quickly as tomorrow, so that we can look at the headcount and know how to send some people to other places.”

He assured her that Abia State government would always collaborate with RMAFC.

In her speech, Mrs Oti said she was in Abia for a familiarisation visit to various government agencies and stakeholders and commended the governor for his administration’s achievements.

She listed some of her team’s findings to include issues of over staffing in ASOPADEC and need for community engagement with oil producing areas.

Tinubu should show more compassion to Nigerians — Obi

2023 Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has urged President Bola Tinubu to show more compassion to Nigerians.

This is as he said that the office of the Nigerian president requires sacrifice and compassion, not detachment, luxury, or fear.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Obi said the Tinubu administration is disconnected from the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.

He said, ”If I become president, I will use resources effectively. I cannot say, ‘buy a new jet.

“I don’t need one because I can go anywhere without a jet.

“I will not use N150 billion to buy a jet when 80 per cent of primary healthcare centres are not functioning.”

The former Anambra State governor said his time in office was marked by modest living and responsible governance.

“I was a governor, and for my first four years, I drove 406.

“For the rest of it, I didn’t drive bulletproof cars.

“Nobody will try to kill you if you do the right thing.

“It is when you do the wrong thing that you fear death.

“If your people are dying, you should be ready to die.

“The president should also be ready to die,” Obi said.

The former governor faulted Tinubu’s response to major tragedies in 2024, including the stampede at a Christmas party in Ibadan, Oyo State, which led to the death of several children.

According to him, Tinubu opted to remain in Lagos for the holidays instead of visiting grieving families.

“There is no compassion; people lost their children who will lead this country in the future, and he went on a Christmas holiday,” he said.

He also criticised Tinubu for failing to visit Yelwata in Benue State, where suspected herdsmen attacked and displaced thousands.

Obi said, ”People want to get up and see a president that cares, a president that shows compassion.

“Today we have a country without compassion.

“Leadership without compassion does is a minus.

“It is not good for a country.”

Tinubu vows to tame inflation, strengthen transparency

President Bola Tinubu said his administration is fully committed to reducing inflation and promoting economic stability through fiscal discipline, transparency, and citizen participation.

Tinubu made this known yesterday while declaring open the National Conference on Fiscal Governance, Transparency and Accountability in Abuja.

The three-day event was organised by the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee.

Represented by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, the president said efforts are underway to strengthen financial systems across government agencies.

These include supporting the Office of the Auditor-General, improving procurement transparency, and expanding digital finance tools.

“Public funds must be traceable, and officers accountable. Transparency and accountability are not optional, they are key to Nigeria’s future,” Tinubu said.

He said Nigeria must reduce inflation by fixing structural issues, especially in food production and supply chains.

He also stressed the importance of cutting wasteful spending.

“Oversight is not a political tool. It is a patriotic duty,” he told lawmakers.

Tinubu called on civil society, the media, and everyday Nigerians to hold the government accountable and play an active role in governance.

In his remarks, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, represented by William Robinson, praised Nigeria’s economic reforms, such as the fuel subsidy removal and tax reforms.

He said the UK remained committed to helping Nigeria strengthen financial systems, but noted that real progress depends on “transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement.”

Montgomery also urged Nigeria to adopt digital tools and embrace innovation in public finance management.

Lawyers storm Presidential Villa, NASS, submit petition against NMDPRA boss

About 500 public interest lawyers yesterday stormed the Presidential Villa and National Assembly with a petition against Ahmed Farouk, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The lawyers and members of some civil society organizations have been protesting for days, demanding immediate investigation of corruption allegations against Ahmed. They are equally demanding his sack and prosecution over the alleged offences, which include abuse of office and conflict of interest.

Speaking on behalf of the lawyers, Samuel Ihensekhien alleged that Ahmed had left the country in an attempt to evade possible arrest.

“This flagrant misuse of public resources, at a time when millions of Nigerians suffer from deteriorating public education

infrastructure, is both morally reprehensible and criminally indictable.

“The actions of Mr. Ahmed represent a clear abuse of office, a betrayal of the Nigerian people’s trust, and a severe breach of the fiduciary duty required of all public servants,” he said, citing allegations of diversion of $5 million in public funds to pay the school fees of his children in luxurious foreign universities.

The lawyers demanded that the National Assembly commence an immediate investigation, and recommend Ahmed’s immediate sack and suspension.

They also called for the freezing of local and offshore assets belonging to the NMDPRA boss.The protesters, in the same vein, demanded sweeping reforms in the appointment of regulatory agency heads in the oil and gas sector.

The petition is backed by civil society organizations including the Situation Room for Oil Sector Reforms, the Concerned Young Professionals Network, and the Coalition for Public Accountability (COPA), who have held protests calling for Farouk’s suspension and prosecution.The petitioners emphasised that Farouk’s actions represent a clear abuse of betrayal of the Nigerian people’s trust, and a severe breach of duty. According to the, his continued occupation of the position threatens transparency, accountability and reforms in the petroleum sector.

Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Olakulehin is dead

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, is dead.

It was gathered that Olakulehin died at the age of 90.

According to the reports, the monarch died in the early hours yesterday.

Olakulehin died during the ongoing 90th birthday and first anniversary coronation celebrations.

The late Oba Olakulehin received the staff of office from Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on July 12, 2024, as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

Ex-SGF, Babachir Lawal formally quits APC as fears of implosion hits party

Amid growing fears of implosion in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, a Chieftain of the party and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Dr Babachir David Lawal has formally bowed out of the party.

However, contrary to speculation, the renowned technocrat and politician said he has not aligned with any political party yet.

Babachir Lawal resigned from APC in a letter to the Chairman of Bangshika Ward of Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

Titled “Letter of Resignation from the APC”, the politician did not give any reason for his current action, though he has had a running battle with President Bola Tinubu over the choice of Muslim- Muslim ticket in the pre-2023 presidential election process.

The letter read in part “My Chairman Sir, I write to formally notify you of my resignation from the All Progressives Congress APC.

“In due course, I will make public my current political affiliations where I plan to join other compatriots to work towards making Nigeria, a better living place for all citizens.

“This resignation takes immediate effect. Please, remain blessed and extend my warm regards to other members of your party”.

With Babachir Lawal’s exit, fears of implosion have become high in the ruling APC on the fate that may befall it before the 2027 general elections due to growing ill feelings among the members, especially in the Northern part of the country.

It will be recalled that a coalition headed by a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar had recently adopted the African Democratic Congress, ADC, as a platform for the opposition to wrestle power from the ruling party.

Benue, Edo, Bayelsa mobilise as Lagdo Dam threat looms

Amid growing fears over seasonal flooding and possible water release from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam, state governments in Benue, Edo, and Bayelsa have stepped up preparedness efforts to mitigate disaster risks.

Though the Federal Ministry of Water Resources dismissed reports that the dam had been opened, states are mobilising against the threat.

The Benue State Government said it had intensified flood sensitisation efforts amid growing concerns over seasonal downpours.

The Information Officer of the State Emergency Management Agency, Tema Ager, said the state was awaiting a directive from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

According to Ager, the Minister of Water Resources, Prof Joseph Utsev, had dismissed the report that Cameroon had commenced the release of water from its dam.

Ager said, “The Minister of Water Resources has said that we should dismiss the report stating that Cameroon had released water from Lagdo Dam.

“So, we don’t have any report that Cameroon has released water from its dam, nevertheless, the government is not resting on its oars to be caught unawares.

“We have begun sensitisation through jingles on radio stations in the state to alert the people of possible flooding.”

Ager further said stakeholders would meet to address any issue concerning flooding.

The Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Edo State Flood, Erosion and Watershed Management Agency, Ahmed Momoh, said the state had not been notified about the release of water from the Lagdo Dam.

He, however, said the state remained alert to take care of the effects of the release of water from the dam.He noted that the government, through the agency, had fared well in the management of floods in the state after the Nigeria Meteorological Agency’s warning earlier in the year.He said, “In a renewed effort to tackle the persistent challenge of erosion and flooding in Edo State, we embarked on a strategic inspection tour across critical gully erosion sites in Edo North.

“The visit underscores the agency’s unwavering commitment to identifying and addressing environmental degradation, especially in erosion-prone areas.

“The state has not been informed of the release of water from the dam but we will be ready to deal with it as it affects the riverine areas mainly.”

Bayelsa State also declared readiness for the release of water from Lagdo Dam.

The Head, Bayelsa State Directorate of Flood and Erosion Control, Walson Omusu, told Our correspondent on Sunday that the state was yet to be notified of the release of the flood water from the dam, but said “We are always ready.”

Bayelsa State suffered greatly from the previous floods of 2012 and 2022 which affected public infrastructure and devastated several businesses, especially farms.

Since then, the government set up the Directorate of Flood and Erosion Control to mitigate the effects of flooding in the state.

Omusu, who is the pioneer head of the agency, said: “We are ready. We have not been informed, but we are always ready.”

The agency said it had carried out clearing of natural water channels in Yenagoa, the state capital and other areas in a bid to reduce the impact of this year’s flood.

lood-ravaged Otuasega and Oruma communities in Bayelsa State.

The commission said the gesture, in partnership with an indigenous firm, was in fulfilment of its mandate to respond to the needs of the people of the Niger Delta region.The NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, who stated this during the distribution exercise, noted that the distribution of palliatives demonstrated the commission’s resolve to align its social interventions with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Saturday by the NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama.

Ogbuku, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Education, Health, and Social Services, Mrs Chioma Nwakwe said “Just recently, the NDDC flagged off its 2025 Free Medical Mission in the Niger Delta.

“The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was here to inaugurate the remodelled Otuasega Cottage Hospital and School.

“Items such as chairs, desks, and U-Lesson tabs were donated to Otuasega school. With the support of the First Lady, we are here once again to donate relief materials to the Otuasega people.

“We are committed to alleviating the plight of the people by supporting vulnerable communities.“This donation is done in partnership with an indigenous non-governmental organisation, Ednest Egerue Foundation.”

The founder of the Ednest Egerue Foundation, Susan Ibiama, commended the NDDC for its role in bringing succour and relief to the people of the Niger Delta region.

She stated, “I thank the NDDC for the opportunity to partner with them to assist troubled communities. This flood resulted in significant economic losses for these communities. This intervention is laudable.”

Receiving the materials on behalf of the Otuasega community, the Vice Chairman of the Community Development Committee, Mr Innocent Abbey, said, “We are grateful to the NDDC for remembering our people at this difficult time. These items will go a long way in easing the burden on our people.”

The Secretary of the Ngbiama-Oruma Community, Mr Akaribo Lamanya, lauded the present board of the NDDC, pledging that the relief materials would be distributed equitably among the people.

Concern Motor Mechanic Alaba swears in new executives

…As Ohanagorom promises quality leadership

By Senator Onyekwere

Concern Motor Mechanic And Allied Trade Union Wire Crossing Alaba Naze, Owerri Imo State has sworn in the new executives that will pilot the affairs of the Union for four years.

The Executives are:

Mr Joseph Chukwuemka Ohanagorom —- Chairman.

Comrade Chinaedu Augustine —-Deputy Chairman.

Elder Sabinus Onyemaechi Uzodimma —- Secretary General.

Comrade Samuel Paul __ Taskforce Chairman.

Emmanuel Okafor —Financial Secretary.

Maxwell Ike —-Provost

Obed Nnanna — Treasurer .

Ifeanyi Eletue —PRO.

Speaking during the swearing in ceremony at Mechanic Village Alaba in Owerri, the State secretary of Imo State Artisans Association ( ISARTA) , Pastor Christina Duru urged the New Executives led by Joseph Chukwuemka Ohanagorom to discharge their duties without fear and favour to enable them perform effectively.

Pastor Duru promised to present the new executives of the union to appropriate quarters including state Government House for proper recognition, adding that it will help the union to receive a lot of benefits from the state government.

the ISARTA secretary also promised to organize workshop for the union so that the members will perform effectively in their different professions and assured them the support of isarta.

in his speech, the chairman of the union, Mr Joseph Chukwuemka Ohanagorom expressed his willingness to carry every member of the Union along in all his activities,projects and programmes.

Mr Ohanagorom added to restore back peace and progress in the Union and called on the members to feel free to give him information that will help him succeed.

Ohanagorom also promised to defend the right of the members as well advised them to shun criminal act because his administration will not involve in any deal relating to criminal activities.

He thanked them for finding him worthy to serve as chairman of the union and assured them that he will not disappoint the Union.

Also speaking, the Personal Assistant to Deputy Inspector General Of Police ( DIG) ,Mr Chukwuezugo Victor Okpara expressed optimism that the new executives will perform well and stressed the need for the members to corporate with them.

Okpara described the new executives as the first democratic leadership of the Union and expressed his determination to support them especially on the area of security.

In his speech the secretary general of the union,Elder Sabinus Onyemaechi Uzodimma said that he will deliver his duties effectively.

Also in his speech, the Electoral Committee Chairman, Mr John Ezunuike urged the executives to keep to their campaign promises and pray God to protect them as they pilot the affairs of the union.

Amaechi under fire over remarks against Tinubu, 2027 polls

The former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has come under criticism over remarks against President Bola Tinubu, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Amaechi had suggested that the only way to prevent President Tinubu from returning to power in 2027 was for Nigerians to “take their fate into their own hands.”

The former Rivers State governor also claimed that fewer than 100,000 elites had plundered the country’s wealth while 200 million Nigerians suffer, implying a potential uprising against the ruling class.

But the Grassroots Mobilisation Initiative (GMI) condemned Amaechi, describing his remarks as “reckless, inflammatory, and a veiled call to violence.”

GMI National Coordinator, Samaila Musa, in a statement issued on Friday, urged Nigerians, especially the youths, to resist any calls to violence, stressing that meaningful change can only be achieved through peaceful means and civic engagement.

Musa said: “Amaechi’s rhetoric is alarming and reminiscent of dangerous historical precedents that have led to violence and bloodshed. By suggesting that citizens should engage in direct confrontation with the elite, he is essentially advocating for chaos and disorder.

“The implication that Nigerians should emulate the actions of citizens in other countries, such as Bangladesh, Peru, or Chile, disregards the unique socio-political context of Nigeria.

“Our nation has a history of violence that must not be reignited by the careless words of a frustrated political figure who has held significant positions of power.

“The Grassroots Mobilisation Initiative (GMI) firmly rebukes Amaechi’s statement that revolutions cannot occur without bloodshed. This notion is not only misguided but also a direct invitation to violence.

“We must remind Amaechi of the responsibilities that come with his previous roles in government.

“As a former minister, he had the opportunity to contribute to nation-building and social cohesion, yet he now chooses to incite division and discord. Such behaviour is unbecoming of a leader and is detrimental to the progress of our society.

“It is disheartening to witness a former leader, who has benefited from the very system he now criticises, resort to inflammatory language. His comments reflect a profound misunderstanding of the power dynamics in Nigeria and a dangerous underestimation of the consequences of his words.”

He urged Amaechi to reconsider his stance and engage in constructive dialogue rather than inciting violence among the populace.

“In light of these provocative statements, The Grassroots Mobilisation Initiative (GMI) calls upon the federal government to take immediate action against Amaechi. It is unacceptable for a former leader to incite the populace to violence and chaos.

“His incitement to violence cannot be overlooked, and we believe that his arrest is necessary to prevent potential unrest.

“It is crucial for leaders to promote peace, unity, and constructive discourse, especially in a country that has faced numerous challenges in its quest for stability and progress.

“Our strength lies not in conflict but in our ability to come together as a united front against corruption and misgovernance, both of which Amaechi represents.

“Let us channel our frustrations into peaceful advocacy for change rather than succumbing to the dangerous allure of violence. The future of Nigeria depends on our collective ability to engage in dialogue and pursue justice through peaceful means.

“The Grassroots Mobilisation Initiative (GMI) stands firmly against the incitement of violence and calls for responsible leadership. We demand that Rotimi Amaechi retract his statements and recognise the weight of his influence on the youth of Nigeria. It is time for all leaders to prioritise the well-being of our nation over personal ambitions and to foster an environment of peace and unity,” Musa added.

‘You want to rescue your stomach, not Nigerians,’ Wike tells Coalition leaders

Wike urged Christians to be patient with Tinubu and pray for the administration, rather than bother about “people who have lost their chances to put Nigeria right”.

Peter Obi, Rauf Aregbesola, Atiku Abubakar, Aminu Tambuwal at the coalition meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at leaders of the opposition coalition, saying that they were not interested in rescuing Nigerians as they claimed, but in their self-interest.

Wike, who stated this at the thanksgiving service for the completion of projects by the FCT administration on Sunday, said that Nigerians were angry with those who failed to perform while in office.

“How can Nigerians not be angry with you? In 1999, you were at this party. In 2006. In 2014, you moved to another party. In 2019, you came back to another party. Now, in 2025, you have moved to another party? To rescue whom? You want to rescue your stomach; it’s not Nigerians you want to rescue.

“Some of you have sympathy for somebody you don’t know. You say Peter Obi will be President. President where? For eight years, he was governor; he never conducted local government elections. That is what you describe as democracy. Only you were the governor and chairman of the local governments,” he said.

Speaking further, the minister said, “Ask yourself a question. Just ask yourself. I was a Senate President for eight years, for example, and I cannot provide a road to my local government, Otukpo, and I will fly a helicopter to Otukpo — eight years!. It is now, you say you want to rescue Nigeria. Which Nigeria do you want to rescue?

“Somebody was speaker for eight years, governor, eight years, minister, eight years, he didn’t know that Nigerians were angry. It’s just these two years he left office, you’re telling Nigerians that Nigerians are angry.

“Why won’t they be angry. Why won’t they be angry when, in eight years as Minister of Transportation, you borrowed so much money from China, making us highly indebted? You have borrowed the future of Nigerians. You said Nigerians are angry; they are angry with you.

“Here, you were the Attorney General of the Federation for eight years. Every time we are paying for judgment debt. Nigeria is every time in the news about corruption, corruption, corruption, corruption.

“And these are the same people who want to rescue Nigeria. You were the Minister for Interior, yet to get an international passport, you will spend weeks, months, and years before you get your international passport. But look at a young boy, see what he has done? Within hours, you have get your international passport.

Wike urged Christians to be patient with Tinubu and pray for the administration, rather than bother about “people who have lost their chances to put Nigeria right”.

He said, “All I appeal to the church, just be patient and continue to pray for Mr. President, for the administration. Forget about people who have lost their chances to put Nigeria right. They won’t have the chance again.

“They cannot stay out of power. Unfortunately, they have stayed out; they won’t come back.”

The opposition coalition, which adopted the African Democratic Congress as its political party, ahead of the 2027 general elections, has a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi; a for Osun State governor, rauf Aregbesola; a former Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai; and a former senate president, David Mark.

Uganda’s 80-year-old president in bid to extend 40-year rule

Uganda’s long-serving president, Yoweri Museveni, 80, one of Africa’s longest serving rulers, has been declared the governing party’s candidate in next year’s presidential election, opening the way for him to seek to extend his nearly 40 years in power.

In his acceptance speech, Museveni said that he had responded to the call and, if elected, would press ahead with his mission to turn Uganda into a “high middle income country”.

Museveni’s critics said  he has ruled with an iron hand since he seized power as a rebel leader in 1986.

He has won every election held since then, and the constitution has been amended twice to remove age and term limits to allow him remain in office.

Pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine is expected to be Museveni’s main challenger in the election scheduled for next January.

Wine told the BBC in April that he would run against Museveni if he was nominated by his party, the National Unity Platform, but it was getting “tougher” to be in opposition because of growing state repression.

“Being in the opposition in Uganda means being labelled a terrorist,” he said.

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, lost the last election in 2021 to Museveni by 35percent  to 59percent in a poll marred by allegations of rigging and a crackdown on the opposition.

Another prominent opposition politician, Kizza Besigye, has been in detention since November after being accused of treason. He denies the allegation, saying his arrest is political.

In his acceptance speech at the National Resistance Movement (NRM) conference on Saturday, Museveni said that he had brought about stability and progress in Uganda.

He said it was crucial that Uganda did not “miss the bus of history as happened in the past when Europe transformed and Africa stagnated and was enslaved”.

Museveni added that he wanted Uganda to take a “qualitative leap”, and become a “high upper middle income country”.

“Other countries in Asia with less natural resources, did it. We can do it,” he added.

Black Sunday Tragedy: 21 die in Kano auto crash

Tragedy struck along the Kano–Zaria highway on Sunday morning as 21 passengers were confirmed dead following a fatal auto crash involving a Toyota Hummer Bus and a DAF trailer.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Kano Sector Commander, Mohammed Bature, confirmed the incident, describing it as one of the most devastating crashes in recent times. A total of 24 passengers were involved in the crash, which occurred at Kasuwar Dogo, Dakatsalle, around 8:23 a.m.

According to a statement by FRSC spokesperson, Abdullahi Labaran, preliminary investigations revealed that the Toyota Hummer Bus, with registration number KMC 171 YM, violated traffic rules and collided head-on with the DAF trailer (registration number GWL 422 ZE), triggering a fire that engulfed both vehicles.

“The crash was caused by route violation by the driver of the Toyota Hummer Bus, which led to a head-on collision with the trailer. The impact resulted in a fire outbreak,” the statement noted.

The fire claimed the lives of 21 passengers, while 3 others sustained varying degrees of injuries. The burnt remains of the victims have been deposited at Nassarawa Hospital Mortuary in Kano, and the injured were taken to Garun Malam General Hospital for treatment.

FRSC officials, in collaboration with the Federal and State Fire Services and the Nigeria Police Force, swiftly responded to the scene. The wreckage has since been cleared, and normal traffic flow restored along the affected route.

Sector Commander MB Bature expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, offering condolences to the bereaved families and wishing the injured a speedy recovery. He also issued a stern warning to drivers against route violations, dangerous overtaking, and night travels, noting that such actions often lead to fatal consequences.

“The Corps remains committed to ensuring the safety of all road users and urges the public to remain vigilant and law-abiding on the highways,” the statement concluded.

LASU sacks two senior lecturers over sexual harassment, financial misconduct

The Lagos State University, LASU, has dismissed two senior academic staff members over allegations of sexual misconduct, financial impropriety, and professional misconduct.

The decision, ratified during the institution’s 143rd Statutory Governing Council meeting held on Friday, followed a formal petition submitted by Taofeek Adekunle, a member of the advocacy group Take It Back Movement. The petition accused the affected lecturers of sexually harassing students and engaging in unethical financial practices.

The lecturers include Prof. Olatunji Tajudeen Fasasi Abanikanda, Dean of the Epe Campus and a senior faculty member in the Department of Agricultural Science, and Khadeejat Kareem-Ibraheem, Coordinator of the Department of Animal Sciences, School of Agriculture, were found guilty following a six-week internal investigation.

In a statement issued by LASU Registrar and Secretary to Council, Emmanuel Fanu, on Thursday, both individuals were found culpable of serious breaches of the university’s code of conduct.

According to the statement, Prof. Abanikanda was dismissed for multiple violations, including subjecting final-year students to inhumane conditions during fieldwork at the department’s farm. It was reported that students were forced to remain on the farm from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. without breaks, food, or shelter, even during severe weather conditions.

The professor was found guilty of sexual harassment of female students, verbal abuse of colleagues and students, and the unauthorised collection of money from members of the university community, all in contravention of the institution’s conduct regulations.

He said, “Dean, School of Agriculture, Epe Campus, Prof. Olatunji Tajudeen Fasasi Abanikannada, was dismissed over multiple allegations, including: Subjecting 400 Level students of the School of Agriculture to inhumane treatment by keeping them on the farm from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. without break, food, and water even during torrential rainfall that lasted between 4:45 p.m. to after 6:00 p.m., an action prejudicial to the security of the University.

“Sexual harassment of female students of the same school. Subjecting staff members and students to emotional and physical trauma using threats, curses, derogatory utterances, and profane expletives on them, an act unbecoming of a public officer of the University. Unauthorised collection of money from staff and students of the School of Agriculture, contrary to university regulations.”

On her part, Kareem-Ibraheem was dismissed for dereliction of duty and gross financial misconduct.

She was accused of violating institutional procedures and failing to remit over N10 million in revenue generated from the sale of farm produce, which was instead deposited into her personal bank account.

Both cases, the statement noted, represented a clear breach of LASU’s 2017 Conditions of Service (as amended) and posed a serious threat to the values and standards the institution upholds.

NDLEA intercepts Saudi, UK-bound cocaine in lipsticks

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted cocaine consignments concealed in lipsticks and property title documents going to the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, respectively.

According to the NDLEA, the illicit drug consignments were recovered from cargos being prepared for shipment at a courier company in Lagos yesterday, 3rd July 2025, by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) attached to the logistics firm.

This was made known in a statement on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja.

Babafemi disclosed that a total of 420 grams of cocaine factory-fitted in 84 pieces of female lipsticks heading to the UK were seized, while 280 grams of the same Class A drug were uncovered in a property title document (Certificate of Occupancy, C of O) being sent to Saudi Arabia.

A notorious drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as ‘Warri Kinsman’, was on Saturday, 28th June, arrested in Ikeja, Lagos, after NDLEA operatives dismantled his drug trafficking network in a three-day operation leading to the arrest of three other suspects. Recovered from Emami’s network were 24 jumbo bags containing 681 pouches of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 414.2 kilograms.

 

The bust of Emami’s drug ring followed credible intelligence on his attempt to move the shipment to the Lekki area of Lagos, from where it would be distributed to other parts of the state and across the country.

A businessman, Ajah Johnson Uchenna, and his wife, Rosemary Uchenna, along with their two daughters: Stella Uchenna and Ngozi Uchenna, as well as their family friend, Okoro Elijah, have been taken into custody after investigation revealed they run a major illicit drug distribution network in Lagos. The couple was first arrested on Friday, 13th June, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the Ojo area of the state and transferred to NDLEA along with 277.5 kg of skunk.

While they were still being investigated in custody, credible intelligence revealed that the family business was going on in their house. This led to a raid of their home and a packing store where 231 kg of the same substance was recovered on Tuesday, 1st July. Three persons arrested during the raid include their two daughters: Ngozi Uchenna and Blessing Uchenna, as well as their family friend, Okoro Elijah, who were running the family business in the absence of the couple.

Meanwhile, NDLEA said its operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, intercepted a frequent flyer, Aburemi Hysent, who specialises in conveying goods for customers from Nigeria to Italy and vice versa.

According to the statement, the suspect was found to have hidden 7,660 pills of Tramadol 225mg and 200mg inside food items packed among other goods he was conveying to Italy.

He claimed he was to be paid the sum of 800 euros upon successful delivery of the drug consignment in Italy.

In another interdiction operation at the Lagos airport, a total of 52 pieces of travellers’ cheques concealed in children’s books, worth 17,700,000 Australian dollars, going to Malaysia through Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight, were on Friday, 4th July, intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the airport, while a freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed, has been arrested.

The travellers’ cheques, suspected to be counterfeit, and the suspect will be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

While NDLEA officers at Seme border, Badagry, on Saturday, 5th July, recovered 718 big balls of skunk weighing 359 kg from a store in Baba-Pupa area of the border community, operatives on patrol along the Okene-Lokoja highway intercepted 10,000 pills of Tramadol 225mg and co-codamol as well as 1.050 kg of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, leading to the arrest of the owners of the waybilled drug consignments: Chinedu Odo, Samuel Ogbonna, and Kingsley Ugaji at Jabi Park in Abuja during follow-up operations.

In Osun State, two suspects: Agunbiade Folusho, 40, and Suleiman Dasola, 28, were arrested in the Ajegunle area of Osogbo on Thursday, 3rd July, with 13,901 pills and ampoules of different opioids recovered from them, while another suspect, Adebayo Adewale, 50, was nabbed at a patent medicine shop on Arubidi Street, Ile-Ife, with 48,205 pills of opioids.

A raid of a vulcanizer workshop at Akindeko Junction, Alekuwodo area of Osogbo on Tuesday, 1st July, led to the arrest of three suspects: Wasiu Ajadi, 45; Babatunde Jamiu Ojo, 35; and Yusuf Sarafadeen, 39, with 1,250 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 850 pills of Tramadol, and three bottles of codeine-based syrup.

Not less than 24,175 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on 9.67 hectares of cannabis farmland at Ikaka, Oke-Ila forest, Osun State, when NDLEA operatives raided the area, where seven suspects: Bunmi Adedapo, 41; Adebisi Sodiq, 26; Babatunde Gani, 22; John Sunday, 30; Israel Odabe, 29; Solomon Odabe, 21; and Prosper Odabe, 23, were arrested on Thursday, 3rd July.

In Borno, 167 kg of skunk was recovered at Gamboru-Ngala, while a total of 452 kg of the same psychoactive substance was seized at Gadar Tamburawa along the Zaria-Kano road, with two suspects: Nasuru Saleh and Mustapha Muhammad, arrested in connection with the seizure on Thursday, 3rd July.

While NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway recovered 11,000 pills of Tramadol 225mg from Sule Ibrahim Sadiq, 30, on Thursday, 3rd July, their counterparts in Sokoto arrested 62-year-old Joseph Onungene in connection with the seizure of 4,800 pills of Tramadol 225mg.

In Kebbi State, operatives raided the Bakin Kasuwa Yauri base, where they seized 312 kg of skunk and 10,000 tabs of diazepam. The duo of Chigbo Okolo, 52, and Ishaku Musa, 28, were on Saturday, 5th July, arrested with 49,930 capsules of Tramadol at Mallum, Ardo-Kola Local Council Area of Taraba State.

In Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided the Ewere forest in Owan West LGA, where they arrested a wanted suspect, Alaba Monday, 49, in one of his cannabis farms with 115 kg of processed skunk, while three other suspects: Shamsu Abdullahi, Peter Egboko, and Justin John were nabbed in another farm measuring 2.050201 hectares.

A 78-year-old suspect, Mike Abeng, was arrested with 14.49 kg of skunk and Tramadol during a raid by NDLEA operatives at Ofudua, Obubra LGA, Cross River State. Others nabbed with different quantities of illicit substances during the operation include: Oyom Akam, 50; Sylvester Odem, 40; and Moses Ayo, 50, apprehended at Ovonum, Obubra LGA.

Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and men of DOGI, MMIA, Lagos, Seme, Kogi, Osun, Borno, Kano, Edo, Kaduna, Cross River, Kebbi, and Taraba Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week.

Marwa praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

2027: Nigerians stand with Tinubu – Sanwo-Olu warns ADC-led opposition

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has strongly dismissed the relevance of a proposed political coalition seeking to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election, asserting that the movement lacks substance and direction.
Speaking in Lagos during an interactive session with journalists and political stakeholders, Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed confidence in the President’s ongoing reform agenda and the sustained support of the Nigerian people. He described the coalition, reportedly aligning with the African Democratic Congress, ADC, as a “needless distraction” aimed at derailing the country’s progress.

“Nigerians will never go back to Egypt,” Sanwo-Olu said, suggesting that the country has moved beyond the political ideologies and approaches of the past.

“The goal of this coalition is clear, to distract the Commander-in-Chief and obstruct the tangible social and economic progress being achieved. But President Tinubu understands the game and remains focused,” he said.

The proposed alliance features a number of political heavyweights, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Senate President David Mark, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and former governors Nasir el-Rufai and Rauf Aregbesola. Despite their credentials, Sanwo-Olu maintained that the coalition represents what he termed a convergence of “discontented actors” rather than a serious alternative to the current administration.

He stressed that President Tinubu’s leadership has produced measurable outcomes, citing improved foreign exchange stability, the implementation of a student loan initiative, enhanced revenue for subnational governments following fuel subsidy removal, tax reforms, increased oil production, and advancements in infrastructure and minimum wage policies.

“President Tinubu is not just a leader but a nation-builder. His legacy of empowerment and vision continues to drive meaningful change across Nigeria,” Sanwo-Olu stated.

Responding to questions on whether the President or the All Progressives Congress, APC, feel threatened by the growing opposition, Sanwo-Olu was unequivocal: “There is no need for concern. Nigerians are discerning, they recognize real leadership and results when they see them. The record speaks louder than political noise.”

He also echoed sentiments previously expressed by some presidential aides, who characterized the coalition as a group of “political desperados” and “internally displaced politicians,” who should be ignored.

“They offer no new vision, only grievances. Their alliance is rooted in opposition to the President rather than a unifying ideology. Such efforts are bound to collapse under their own contradictions,” he added.

When asked what guidance he would offer the President amid the political rhetoric, Sanwo-Olu’s message was simple: “Stay the course. Millions of Nigerians, across party lines, recognize the difficulty of governance and the complexity of rebuilding a challenged economy. They trust his leadership and are firmly behind him.”

He urged the public to remain focused and resilient, stressing that distractions should not deter the administration from its commitment to national development.

Vote buying has led to emergence of leaders who have nothing to offer – Dickson

Senator representing Bayelsa West, Henry Seriake Dickson, has observed that vote buying and the manipulation of election results have led to the emergence of leaders who have nothing to offer.

Dickson, a former Bayelsa governor, also noted that vote buying and manipulation of results are threats to democracy in Nigeria.

In a statement, he urged stakeholders to take collective responsibility in confronting electoral malpractice, saying that it is a dangerous trend that undermines election outcomes.

The former governor stated that some wealthy and influential politicians exploit poverty and illiteracy to manipulate voters with cash and material inducements in order to get what they want.The senator added that vote buying and selling disenfranchise the people and undermine the integrity of the democratic process.

According to him, “It’s a dangerous development that leads to the emergence of unqualified leaders who have nothing to offer the country.”

Dickson condemned the “abuse of state institutions” during elections, including the preparation of fake results even before votes are cast.

He stressed that electoral authorities must strengthen safeguards at polling units rather than leaving the burden of justice to the courts, stressing that in many cases, genuine cases of electoral fraud are thrown out on technical grounds.

He added that the practice emboldens perpetrators who know they can manipulate the process and get away with it.

The lawmaker further lamented that some individuals who could not even win elections in their own families or communities now claim victory through fraudulent means, leveraging state machinery and political influence.

Dickson said that as a member of the Senate, he is part of ongoing efforts to introduce stronger legislation to address these electoral anomalies, assuring that they must also recognise that INEC alone cannot control the conduct of security personnel and other government agents involved in elections.

He observed that the desperation to win elections at all costs has led many politicians to defect to ruling parties just to benefit from undue advantages and misuse of state power.

According to him, more of the politicians are defecting, not for ideology or service, but to secure personal advantage in elections.

Enugu: Tension rises in Ekwenu community over Igweship tussle

A community leader in Ekwenu autonomous community, Obolo-Affor in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu state, Chief Emma Ugwu, has warned of a looming crisis in the area over alleged plan to issue a certificate of return to one of the contenders for Igweship stool despite a court order against such action.

Ugwu said if Governor Peter Mbah does not call the Enugu State Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs to order, the officials would plunge the community into avoidable chaos.

The community, who is an Igweship nominee and Plaintiff in suit no: OB/40/2024, raised the alarm in a statement he made available to journalists.

He accused the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs of planning “to commit another contempt of the court, obstruct justice and throw the Enugu community into mayhem over a contentious chieftaincy stool.”

He said it came to the notice of the people of alleged plan by one Chinwe Eze of the same community, in conjunction with the Commissioner for Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Matters, Deacon Okey Ogbodo and the Chairman of Udenu Local Govt Area, Mr. Aka Eze Aka, to ignore a subsisting court order “and issue him (Chinwe Eze) a certificate of recognition as the Igwe (traditional ruler) of the said community”.

He claimed that some traditional rulers had also been drafted to back the alleged illegality.

He further alleged that this would be the third time the respondents would be flouting the court order.

He said apart from purporting that Chinwe was elected, the local government chairman also announced that he was presenting Chinwe Eze as Igwe-elect to the people, adding that “all these were against the subsisting court order”.

Ugwu said the same people were planning to deceive the state government into presenting a certificate of recognition to Chinwe Eze as Igwe of the community, “just to drag the governor into this contemptuous illegality”.

“We want to caution political appointees not to abuse their office by engaging in lawlessness.

“We insist that a matter that is subjudice with a valid court order should be respected.

“Deacon Okey Ogbodo should know that his duty is to uphold the law and order. The office he is occupying is not his personal estate.

“Chinwe Eze is contesting the Igweship stool of the autonomous community but the court has issued a restraining order barring any action regarding the stool pending the determination of the substantive suit.

“Chinwe Eze had earlier filed a motion to set aside the restraining order, but the court threw away the motion.

“Again the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs had also filed a motion to set aside the order but the court rejected the motion.

“Chinwe Eze filed another motion asking the court to stay the order, again the court refused.

“Chinwe Eze further filed an appeal at the Appeal Court over the refusal of the High Court to vacate the order. The Appeal is still pending at the moment.

“The subsisting order of the High Court is that anything pertaining to Igweship stool of Ekwenu Autonomous Community should be put on hold pending the determination of the substantive suit.

“But instead of allowing the court process to run its natural course, Chinwe Eze is resorting to self-help,” he further alleged.

The community leader appealed to Governor Mbah to intervene on the matter.

“The State Governor should please take note of this ugly development and attempt to compromise the rule of law, which has the potential of throwing the community into chaos and violence.

“The governor should intervene through the Attorney General to nip this potential time-bomb in the bud and call the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs to order.

“The Commissioner, Okey Ogbodo, should not be allowed to compromise the due process of the law and in the process disrupt the peace and orderliness in any section of the state.

“Enugu as a leading state in the South East should not be subjected to this kind of lawlessness and abuse of office,” he appealed.

Both the commissioner and the Udenu local government chairman are yet to respond to the claims as of the time of filing this report.

I’ll resume at senate on Tuesday, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to supporters

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, has announced she will resume legislative duties on Tuesday, following a court judgment nullifying her suspension.

Addressing jubilant supporters in a video circulating on social media, the Kogi Central lawmaker expressed gratitude for their steadfast backing. “I thank you for your support. I am glad we are victorious today. We shall resume in the Senate on Tuesday by the grace of God,” she said.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja last Friday ruled that her six-month suspension from the Senate was excessive, unconstitutional, and a violation of the rights of her constituents. The court ordered her immediate reinstatement.

The court, however, imposed a N5 million fine on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for contempt, citing a Facebook post she made that breached an earlier court injunction.

Justice Binta Nyako held that the post — a satirical apology directed at Senate President Godswill Akpabio — contravened a March 4, 2025 interim injunction barring parties from making public statements or social media posts concerning the case.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the Senate in March following a rowdy plenary session where she accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment — a development that triggered the legal battle over her suspension.

David Mark root cause of PDP crisis – Bode George

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bode George, has accused former Senate President, David Mark, who is now the Interim National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, of contributing to the internal crisis currently rocking the PDP.

Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, George alleged that Mark was responsible for organising the controversial national convention, which according to him, laid the foundation for the party’s crisis.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mark, former Jigawa and Sokoto state governors, Sule Lamido and Aminu Tambuwal respectively, among others at a meeting in Abuja last week, urged PDP members to join the ADC to rescue the nation in the next general election.

“The meeting encourages all well-meaning PDP members and other patriotic Nigerians to join the coalition. All coalition partners must be united on the issues of national unity, democracy, national security, national economy and the political will to stamp out corruption embedded in our institutions.

“The PDP, which is organic with the discipline, capacity, and history to lead and save Nigeria, is now a shadow of its old self. The heatwave unleashed by the APC-Federal Government through threats, blackmail and patronage has forced elected officers in government to abandon the PDP,” Mark said in a communique he read at the end of the meeting.

But reacting to Mark’s call, George, a former Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, chided the former senate president for abandoning the party in times of trouble, stressing that the PDP’s crisis was traceable to the retired army general.

He said, “I am deeply ashamed of that statement coming from David Mark, asking PDP members to join the ADC. It is extremely disgraceful. I am heartbroken. What is annoying is that these people have chosen to abandon their father’s house, where they were born. You left a house that produced and nurtured you just because there is one crisis or the other in that house?

“This is not about Mark being arrogant; he is disgraceful and unworthy. We are talking about a retired Army General here, behaving like a rolling stone that gathers no moss. I was there when our party hierarchy decided he was going to be our nominee for the Office of the Senate President. He was the Chairman of the convention that brought about the crisis in the PDP today, because they manipulated the process established by the founding fathers.”

The PDP chieftain described Atiku, Mark and others as ingrates and a disappointment to the memories of the founding fathers of PDP.

He said, “These people are perpetually dancing on the graves of those babas who gave their lives and everything for the party. That comment he made that PDP is now a shadow of its former self is unacceptable to people like me.

“He (Mark) has no right to demonise the party. If a civilian said what he said, we can ignore but we (military personnel) were trained to have respect for processes and tradition. What will these people tell their children? Who created the shadow he is talking about? Who chaired the convention where everything was turned upside down?”

However, a former National Secretary of PDP, Ibrahim Tsauri, has thrown weight behind the call for the PDP members to join the ADC-led coalition against President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Speaking in an interview also, Tsauri, who served in the Uche Secondus-led national executive, said the PDP leaders who today constitute the soul of the ADC must have seen good reason to abandon the once dominant political party.

He said, “Staying in or joining a political party is purely partisan, it is not divine. Nobody is compelled to stay in or join any political group, party, or association. The truth of the matter is that those people who are calling others to join the ADC are the face of the PDP. If they call on others to join them in building another political party, I believe they have their reasons.

“The way the PDP train is moving as of today is worrisome, and we believe that there are foreign interferences that are bent on making the party part of history. Yet, those who are optimistic feel that the party with 10 governors cannot be politically waved off for a party which has a local government councillor.

“Leaders calling on others to join ADC are people with proven political integrity, experience, respect, commitment, name, and value. No politician in Nigeria will question the political values and capacities of Atiku Abubakar, Sule Lamido, David Mark, Aminu Tambuwal, Babangida Aliyu and a host of others who are calling on others to join the ADC.”

He added that the call to join the ADC would not translate to the death of the PDP.

“The question of whether PDP will allow its members to leave does not arise because if we talk of PDP, these people have a percentage ratio of ownership. They are calling on PDP supporters to join the ADC as a platform that can be politically used to salvage and save Nigeria from the present situation, where no system is working. None of them ever said they wanted PDP dead.

“Do not forget that there are people in the PDP who came out openly fighting the party to a standstill and the leadership of the party did nothing to them.

“I see nothing wrong in calling those who have lost confidence in the PDP to join whichever political party they feel may save Nigeria from the grasp of the clueless APC government,” he added.

He noted that there was a chance the Atiku-led government would return to the PDP in the future.

“If the PDP holds a successful convention, it may call on Atiku, Mark and others to rethink and come back to the house they built. I believe their coming together under the PDP will give the APC an uncomfortable sleepless night than under ADC,” he added.

Also speaking in an interview, a member of the PDP National Working Committee, Capt Umar Bature (retd), said there was nothing wrong with the decision taken by Atiku and other PDP chieftains to join the ADC.

Bature, who currently serves as the PDP’s National Organising Secretary, said, “It is a free world.”

He, however, said the PDP was united.

2027: Why Obi should be given ADC presidential ticket – Ebonyi party chieftain

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ebonyi State, Dr Peter Okeh, has said that the former governor of Anambra State and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi is more acceptable and competent to fly the flag of the party in the 2027 general election.

This was as he observed the forthcoming presidential election will be contested by the All Progressives Congress, APC and Nigerians, not just the ADC adopted by the coalition leaders.

He spoke during a meeting with journalists in Abakaliki yesterday, where he declared that Nigerians are facing the worst economy in the history of the country.

He said, “I actually believe that Mr Peter Obi is the best person to head the coalition. He has all it takes to win the election. Politics they say is local and Peter Obi has solid grassroot followers – the Obidient Movement – behind him.

“He has also learnt a lot of lessons from the experience of 2023. In addition, things are very much different now. He has reached out and traveled the nooks and crannies of this country, much more than he did before the 2023 general elections. Furthermore, Nigerians have tasted the bitter pill of the current government and as such people are now more united against the government in power than ever.

“Finally, I think many Nigerians will be uncomfortable to see that the Southern part of the country are not allowed to complete the eight years tenure as has now become the norm in our politics.”

Speaking further, Okeh welcomed the emergence of the opposition coalition.

“I am absolutely thrilled with the birth of this coalition. It’s indeed an amazing development in the political history of our country. It was indeed a relief that in the context of abject poverty, extreme hunger, monumental corruption, insecurity and state capture that APC government have unleashed on Nigerians a group of eminent Nigerians can come together to form a formidable force to stem the tide and to save democracy in our country.

“Absolutely yes. This is because the coalition has all it takes to defeat the current government. Look, the next election will be an election like no other, it will be an election between APC versus all the suffering Nigerians home and abroad. This time, Nigerians will protect their votes and no one will be given a free ride to rig the election like they did in the past.”

2027: ‘His time has passed, Peter Obi can never be president’- FCT Minister, Wike claims

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike has claimed that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party will never emerge Nigerian President again.

Wike, who spoke yesterday during an official Thanksgiving Service for the Successful Completion of Projects Commissioning by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the St. James’ Anglican Church, Asokoro, Abuja said Peter Obi’s time has passed.

According to him, Obi’s supporters are only following emotions, stating that they barely know the former Anambra Governor.

He said, “They say Peter Obi will be President, President where? Out of emotion, most of you are just following someone you don’t know.

“For eight years, Obi was a governor but he never conducted local government election. Now he is saying that democracy is not working but it worked in his time.

“Only Obi was governor and chairman of all the local governments in Anambra State at the same time. The time has passed, he won’t have the opportunity again”.

It would be recalled that Wike had in April this year, revealed that he did not support Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election because the LP candidate “had no chance of winning”.

Constitution review: Senator Umeh decries marginalisation of South-East

A member of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Victor Umeh, has decried the marginalisation of the South-East geopolitical zone, describing Nigeria’s current constitutional framework as unjust, unbalanced and outdated.

Speaking during a constitutional engagement in Ebonyi State, Umeh delivered a passionate critique of Nigeria’s military-imposed constitution, warning that unless deliberate efforts are made to correct the inherited structural injustices, national unity and equity will remain elusive.

Umeh who represents Anambra Central Senatorial zone, stated that the first problem was that the constitution the country operate today was not produced through a democratic, civilian process.

“It was a military constitution, crafted by a government that imposed a structure which continues to disadvantage the South-East. The injustices are not abstract — they are measurable, visible and deeply entrenched,” he further stated.

Citing figures to drive home his point, the senator noted that the South-East remains the only region with just five states and a total of 95 local government areas (LGAs), compared to the North-West’s 186 LGAs, including 44 in Kano and 38 in Jigawa. The South-West and South-South boast 137 and over 100 LGAs, respectively.

“Federal appointments, resource distribution, and even national delegate voting during party primaries are all tied to state and LGA numbers. This imbalance is not just political — it affects our economic development and national relevance.”

Highlighting the skewed nature of ministerial appointments, he lamented that while some zones have up to eight ministers in the current administration, the South-East is limited to five due to its fewer states.

This, he said, is not a reflection of merit or competence, but of constitutional design rooted in inequality.

Umeh pointed to the 2014 National Conference as a turning point, where 492 delegates unanimously agreed that at least one additional state should be created for the South-East to bridge the gap.

“Even if no other new state is created in Nigeria, the Southeast deserves one more at the very least in the name of equity and national cohesion,” he said.

He also stressed how the current structure undermines South-East voices in national political processes.

“In national conventions of political parties, delegates are chosen from LGAs. With the fewest LGAs, we go in with the smallest voice. It’s a systemic suppression, and it cuts across every sphere of governance,” he noted.

Beyond political representation, Umeh advocated for deeper reforms, including decentralising the Nigerian Police Force.

“The current centralised policing structure is ineffective. It has failed to curb rising insecurity. State police is no longer a theoretical debate—it is a practical necessity. Even the Governors’ Forum is gradually embracing the idea,” added.

While acknowledging the uphill task of amending the constitution, Umeh said piecemeal efforts must not be abandoned.

“We have pushed for a new constitution, but if we can’t get that now, we must at least fix what we have. Eventually, the pressure of injustice will force a reckoning,” he said.

Appealing to the nation’s conscience, he said: “This is not a battle of strength. It’s about doing what is right. Injustice is an open wound; only the truth can heal it. Let us be guided by conscience and fairness so that Nigeria can become a truly united nation.”

Killings: Time to crush criminals is now -Tinubu orders military

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the military to confront Boko Haram terrorists, bandits, separatists, and other criminal gangs threatening the peace and sovereignty of the nation, stating that the time to crush the criminals is now.

The president gave this marching order at the grand finale of the 2025 Nigerian Army Day celebration held in Kaduna State.

Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of officers and soldiers of the armed forces.

He also pledged to continue to invest in modern equipment, intelligence, and human capital that would improve the effectiveness of the military.

The president, who was represented by Vice, Kashim Shettima, reminded the officers and men to discharge their duties with a high sense of professionalism, courage, discipline, and honour, guided by the nation’s constitution and international best practices.

“The Nigerian Army has never been just a force of arms. It has been a symbol of unity and duty. It brought the Nigerian Civil War to a close. With those immortal words uttered by the revived General Yakubu Gawane, right now seated in this venue, no big toe, no big toe, no

bank wish, reminding us that we are one people with one destiny, and beyond our borders, our men and women have carried our flag high on peacekeeping missions across the continent and around the globe.

“They have fought not for conquest, but for peace. They have stood not for power, but for principle. Today, we honour the enduring sacrifice of these men and women. We honour those who have paid the supreme price. And we honour those who continue to wear the uniform, who stand at the gates of our democracy, shielding us from those who would tear it down,” he said.

Mbutu Nwenkwo traditional ruler, Eze Ikenna Nwachukwu, buries late mother in grand style

…Hon. Amuchie, Hon. Obinna, Hon. Amadi, Mayor of Mbutu Evang. Leo Nwigwe, others, grace event

By Chris Anucha

The Tradition Ruler of Mbutu Nwenkwo autonomous community, in Aboh Mbaise local government area (LGA), Eze (Prof.) Ikenna Nwachukwu, on Friday, July 4, laid to rest, his dear mother, Lady Hulda Nwachukwu, in his family compound. Lady Hulda Nwachukwu, who was born in 1934 passed on at the ripe age of ninety (90).

The burial ceremony, which began with a funeral service at St Peter’s Anglican church, Mbutu, attracted important personalities from all walks of life. They included: the political class, traditional institution, the Ivory Towers, especially, the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), where the husband of the decease, Sir Theophilus Ama Nwachukwu retired as a Professor, Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental sciences, among others. Among the politicians, who came to identify Eze Nwachukwu and his family were; the Member representing Aboh Mbaise in Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Princewill Amuchie, former member representing Aboh Mbaise in Imo House of Assembly Hon. Eddy Obinna, member representing Owerri Municipality in Imo Assembly, other top politicians in the state and VC, Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Prof. C. Eze.

The Mayor of Mbutu, Evangelist Leo Nwaigwe and his team were also on ground to identify with the royal father and his family. In the Biography of late Lady Hulda Chinyere Nwachukwu, who was a retired school Principal, she was described as a strong, prayerful matriarch, a God-given pillar of support to her family. The family also described her as someone known for her sacrificial service to the church, her community and her family.

“Her life within the University of Nigeria Nsukka campus community and at Christ church chapel, where her family worshipped, was exemplary. She served in various roles at the church, including leading the children and Youth Ministry, and preparing women for induction into Mothers’ Union and Women’s Guild. She was an active member of the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion (EFAC) and the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International.

Hulda also held leadership roles in the Oke-Ovoro community Women’s Wing in Nsukka”, her Biography further revealed. It continued: “Despite the demands of being a wife, mother and a full-time teacher, Hulda remained committed to her personal growth. She continued her education and Ultimately rose through the ranks, retiring as a Secondary School Principal in 1995, under the Enugu State Ministry of Education. Throughout her career, she received numerous awards for excellence”

In his tribute to his lovely and dear wife, Professor Theophilus Ama Nwachukwu recalled how he asked God for a Faithful wife, “a woman in whom the Spirit of Jesus Christ dwells”, and God granted his request.

Professor Nwachukwu also recalled how he met his late wife, who was on transfer to St. Peters Anglican school, Mbutu, and fell in love with her According to him, that was her first day at St Peter’s Anglican school, Mbutu. Hear grieving Professor Nwachukwu: “It was your first day at St peter’s Anglican School, Mbutu. I had come visiting from St Andrew’s school, Obizi, Ezinihitte. That encounter was no accident –It was divinely orchestrated. To confirm what my heart already knew, my parents and sisters, in my absence, chose you among three women who had visited our home. We lived peacefully and joyfully together –with our relatives and all who crossed our path.”

In conclusion, the widower prayed to God to receive his late wife into His glorious rest, adding, “May you behold His glory, just as He promised.”

Former Kwara governor, Cornelius Adebayo, is dead

A former governor of Kwara State and minister of communications, Cornelius Adebayo, is dead.

According to a statement by his eldest son, Oluwasegun, Mr Adebayo died yesterday morning in Abuja at the age of 84.

“With profound sadness but gratitude to God, we announce the passing of our father and grandfather, Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo. Born on 24 February 1941, he died in the early hours of today, June 25,” the statement read.

“He was at various times a lecturer at the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), a Second Republic Senator and later Governor of Kwara State and Minister of Communications and Transportation between 2003 and 2007.

“Throughout his life, he was a dedicated public servant who served with distinction and integrity.

“Further details about funeral arrangements will be announced shortly.”

The deceased was born in Igbaja in the Ifelodun Local Government Area to parents from Oke-Onigbin in Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State.

A former commissioner for education in Kwara between 1975 and 1978, he was elected senator in 1979 under the opposition Unity Party of Nigeria upon Nigeria’s return to civil rule under the Second Republic.

In 1983, he became the second elected governor of the state when he beat incumbent governor Adamu Attah of the National Party of Nigeria in a closely fought election. However, he held the office for only three months before the Muhammadu Buhari-led military coup truncated the Second Republic on the last day of that year.

After General Ibrahim Babangida’s transition to civil rule programme ended in a fiasco in 1993, Mr Adebayo joined the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) to fight for the de-annulment of the 12 June 1993 presidential election won by Moshood Abiola.

He was arrested alongside some other members of the group in 1995 after a bomb blast in Ilorin.

The following year, he fled to Canada and went into exile.

Mr Adebayo was appointed Minister of Communications and Transportation by President Olusegun Obasanjo and served from 2003 to 2006.

Ebonyi Assembly summons quarry companies over illegal operations

The Ebonyi House of Assembly has summoned quarry companies operating at the Ezza-Inyimagu quarry pit in Izzi LGA over alleged illegal operations.

The parliament announced this in a statement on Tuesday.

The chairman of the Committee on Solid Mineral Development, Ifeanyi Nwakpu, called on the companies to appear before the committee today.

Mr Nwakpu, who is the member representing Ikwo-North Constituency, maintained that the companies should explain why they operate without signposts, names and registration.

He also said the companies should explain why they have to enlist school-age children in the neighbouring villages to work with them without safety guards.

The committee, therefore, ordered the immediate closure of the illegal companies until they comply with the state government’s mining and safety laws for quarries.

In another development, Mr Nwakpu also visited the China Geo Engineering Company in the area and commended the company’s management for providing safety equipment to their workers.

He urged all the quarry companies in the state to emulate CGC to improve the safety of their workers.

A member of the committee, Friday Ogbuewu, representing Ezza-South Constituency, stated that the visit was a statutory duty of the committee to protect the interests of the company, the host community, and the government.

The manager of CGC, Titus Dominic, appreciated the committee’s visit and informed them that the company had adhered to the mining laws.

Anyanwu’s reinstatement has restored order in PDP – Abia Chairman, Amah

The Chairman of Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Abraham Amah has said that the reinstatement of Samuel Anyanwu as the the National Secretary has restored order in the party.

In a statement he issued yesterday in Umuahia, Amah said Anyanwu’s reinstatement came at a critical juncture in the life of PDP, noting that it was a necessary anchor for repositioning the collective strength and direction of the party.

“As Chairman of the PDP in Abia State, I salute the wisdom of the party’s leadership in standing by constitutional clarity and procedural fidelity.

“It is not for the fleeting winds of opportunism to dictate our path, but for reason, law and fidelity to structure to shape our future. Today, we witness the restoration of order over orchestrated ambiguity,” Amah said.

He called for the jettisoning of restraint, divisions and personal sentiment, and the embrace of reconciliation and institutional stability in the main opposition party.

Anyanwu’s reinstatement as the National Secretary was announced yesterday by Umar Damagun , the Acting National Chairman of the PDP during a press conference in Abuja.

Mbah moves to eliminate quackery in the Surveying profession

Gov Peter Mbah of Enugu State says his administration is seeking the active support of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors to confront the menace of quackery by fishing out those involved in surveying practice without the appropriate licensing and prosecute them in order to serve as a deterrent for others.

Dr Mbah made this known when he delivered a lecture during the 59th Annual General Meeting, AGM, and Conference, with the theme: “Harnessing Geospatial Intelligence In The New World: Innovations And Opportunities For Sustainable Development”, held at the International Conference Centre, (ICC), Enugu.

The AGM stands as a cornerstone in the Nigerian Institute of Surveyors’ calendar, offering an unparalleled opportunity for professional enrichment, where attendees will cultivate essential insights, foster invaluable connections, and actively shape the trajectory of the industry.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, the governor who was the Special Guest of Honour, while declaring the event open, said the proliferation of unqualified practitioners poses not just a professional concern but also a threat to public order and safety, leading to land disputes, litigations, and most times, violence.

He noted that his administration is putting in place a regulatory framework that would empower the public to identify, report, and help to eliminate the impostors.

Also, the chairman, Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Enugu State Branch, Surv. Emmanuel Nnamani, who commended Dr Mbah for upgrading the city within a short period of time which according to him, was part of the reasons for holding the AGM in Enugu, noted that the governor understood from the inception of his administration, that Surveying is the bedrock of any meaningful development, and has done a lot to give surveying and mapping its rightful place in the state.

At the end of the AGM, the government and people of Nigeria are looking up to professionals to come up with solutions to the myriads problems facing the society.

The event will also feature technical sessions, exhibitions, and social events, culminating in the election of new national officers.

Imo Government to commence 2nd round implementation of 2025 immunization plus day June 28th

By Rozzita Iwunwa

Imo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, (ISPHCDA), in collaboration with National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA)and partners says it would  Kickstart the implementation of June 2025 National Immunization Plus Days ,(NIPDS), for children within the age bracket of 0_59 months from  Saturday June 28th  to Tuesday 1st July 2025.

The Executive Secretary of ISPHCDA, Rev. Sr. Dr. Maria Joannes Uzoma made this known while addressing the State’s Social Mobilization Committee  at ISPHCDA’s board room in Owerri.

Uzoma who was represented by the Director of Logistic in the Agency, Dr. Akakuru Kingsley said that the objective of Campaign is to prevent the spread of Polio among children.

She called on members of the social Mobilization Committee to carry the message of the up coming polio vaccination exercise down to the grassroot  to ensure that no Imo child  who falls under the stipulated age bracket is left behind.

“It is the right of every child to be immunized against polio and other killer diseases, don’t deny them access to polio immunization and other health vaccinations that protects them from disabilities and death”

Uzoma informed that the exercise would be hehld at temporary/fixed posts at health facilities and other designated points, House to House, which includes: Schools, Churches, Mosques, Markets, Village squares, Motor parks, where ever the target age groups are found.

The Executive Secretary maintained that  novel Oral polio vaccine is free, safe and effective and would be given to those in the target age bracket irrespective of their previous immunization status adding that  the agency has trained health workers who would carry out the exercise and urged the mobilization officers  to use their various platforms to sensitise, educate and enlighten parents and caregivers on the need to bring out their wards for the exercise and to also counter any negative rumour that might emerge before or within the time frame of the exercise.

She directed mothers and caregivers to take their children less than two years old to the Immunization Post with their Vaccination Cards according to their previous immunization status for other routine antigens.

In his remarks, the Public Health Officer, World Health Organization, Sir Victor Nnawuba, said the Immunization is free, safe and effective, but has cost the Donor Agencies a lot to procure and present for administration to the children and pregnant women, “so immunize your child now to avoid disability and death.” He advised.

Adding his voice, the UNICEF Social & Behavioural Change Officer, Mr. Bright Okereke, expressed happiness over the performance of the state  during the first round of the NIPDS with 107 percent high records which according to him, is a big plus to the State.

He frowned at those who spread false rumours about health activities, pointing out that the outbreak of diphtheria in most parts of the State should be enough warning to take immunization/vaccination seriously.

Okereke stressed the need for the mobilization Committee to leverage o their structures and influence to ensure that the campaign gets to the grassroot.

The State Health Education Officer of ISPHCDA,  Mrs Chinwe Abanobi said the meeting was to brief the Social Mobilization Committee about the 2nd round of immunization exercise so they can spread the information to their respective Organizations and the general public for adequate participation.

Those in attendance included: Programme Officers, Partner Agencies, representatives of the Ministries of Information, Public Orientation & Strategy, Women Affairs & Social Development, Education, other MDAs, NOA, Religious and Traditional Organizations, Media among others.

Cornelius Adebayo, a true stateman, Tinubu mourns ex-Kwara gov

President Bola Tinubu has mourned a former Kwara State governor, Cornelius Adebayo, describing him as “a true statesman”.
In a tribute to the late governor yesterday, Tinubu said he received the news of the passing of Adebayo with profound sadness.
He stressed that the late Adebayo was an academic whose 84 years of lifetime were marked by an unyielding commitment to public service and progressive politics.
The President wrote, “I received the news of the passing of Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo, a former academic and former Governor of Kwara State, with profound sadness.
“During his extraordinary lifetime of 84 years, which was marked by an unyielding commitment to public service and progressive politics, C.O., as political associates fondly called him, was a strong voice and a leading light in Nigeria’s political firmament.
“As a Senator in the Second Republic, he held aloft the banner of the Unity Party of Nigeria, led by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
“In the 1983 general elections, his pedigree as a progressive politician shone brightly when he caused an electoral upset to win the governorship election in the old Kwara State as the second elected civilian governor.”
Tinubu further described the late Second Republic governor as one of the leaders who stood firmly in the defence of democracy following the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election won by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, stressing that he worked closely with him while he (Adebayo) was in exile.
“He spent several years in exile in Canada, a period that tested his resilience and commitment to his beliefs.
“Later, he returned to the country to join the politics of the Fourth Republic. I worked closely with him during our years in exile.
“He demonstrated rare courage, integrity, and perseverance during these difficult times. Within the Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, he was a voice of reason and a stabilising influence.
“Chief Adebayo, who later served as the Minister of Communications and Transportation between 2003 and 2007, will be remembered for his patriotism and commitment to the progress of Kwara State and the Yoruba race.
“May the immediate family he left behind, his political associates, the government, and the people of Kwara State find consolation in his legacy of impeccable service,” he added.
Adebayo was declared dead on Wednesday morning.
Though the news of his death was scanty, some of his political associates met at his Ilorin GRA house at number 1, Abdulrazak Street, and said that he died in Abuja.
Adebayo, aged 84 years, was born on February 24, 1941, in Igbaja in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

FG, NEPZA, Dangote Refinery partner to slash petrol prices, strengthen naira

The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, (NEPZA) the Federal Government’s One-Stop-Shop Committee on Crude Sales in Naira, and the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Free Zone Enterprise have agreed to fast-track the implementation of a presidential directive aimed at achieving full energy security through the naira-denominated sale of crude to local refineries.

The strategic alliance, forged on Tuesday during a high-level courtesy visit to the Managing Director of NEPZA, Olufemi Ogunyemi, seeks to streamline regulatory bottlenecks and pave the way for a seamless domestic crude oil transaction regime that prioritises the use of local currency over the dollar.

The latest development comes amid soaring international crude oil prices, fuelled by the recent conflict between Israel and Iran, which has since been temporarily suspended. The geopolitical tension sent global oil markets into a frenzy, pushing up landing costs for imported fuel.

As a direct consequence, pump prices of petrol in Nigeria spiked to record highs, rising to N955 per litre in Abuja and N915 in Lagos.

The tripartite agreement comes at a time when Nigerians are grappling with soaring fuel prices and currency devaluation.

Speaking during the meeting held at NEPZA’s headquarters in Abuja, Ogunyemi said the move signals a major shift in Nigeria’s energy and economic policies.

“The trio of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, One-Stop-Shop Committee on the `Sale of Crude in Naira’, and the Dangote Refinery & Petrochemicals Free Zone Enterprises, have agreed to meticulously midwife the presidential directive on crashing domestic prices of petroleum products to enhance national energy security, and promote economic growth.

“The mission for energy security is already half-achieved with the successful establishment of the Dangote Refinery & Petrochemicals FZE. This refinery is not just a national asset, it’s a Free Zone enterprise reaping from federal incentives. Now, the goal is for this national pride to also lead our charge toward affordable and accessible energy,” Ogunyemi declared.

He noted that NEPZA had played a key supervisory role throughout the refinery’s development journey and remains fully committed to supporting its future role in making petroleum products cheaper and more accessible to Nigerians.

“With 480 vessels already delivered, the refinery is gradually producing various fuel types, petrol, diesel, kerosene, aviation jet fuel, and is now positioned to meet both domestic needs and export demands,” he added.

According to him, implementing the naira-for-crude initiative will help insulate Nigeria’s economy from the volatility of foreign exchange markets and reduce pressure on the naira.

“The Free Trade Zone Scheme remains one of the key economic drivers of our country. That’s why we are excited to have the Dangote Refinery as one of our brightest stars leading this economic revolution,” Ogunyemi said.

The Federal Government’s One-Stop-Shop Committee was inaugurated to coordinate and simplify the processes around local crude oil sales to domestic refineries.

The committee comprises representatives from multiple regulatory and security agencies, ensuring a unified approach to implementing the naira-based crude sale directive.

The committee’s coordinator, Maureen Ogbonna, described the initiative as a “landmark intervention” by President Bola Tinubu’s administration aimed at rebuilding the economy from the ground up.

“It is a matter of time before Nigeria completely transitions away from invoicing domestic crude sales in dollars.

“This will boost investor confidence, ease pressure on foreign reserves, and help the naira regain strength,” Ogbonna said.

She praised NEPZA’s openness and willingness to grant the committee full access to the Dangote Refinery, currently Nigeria’s only functional refinery.

“We appreciate Ogunyemi’s commitment and the strategic support NEPZA is offering. This collaboration will definitely empower the Dangote Refinery to champion this presidential initiative,” she added.

Also speaking, Akinsanya Mobolarin, who represented Dangote Refinery at the meeting, reaffirmed the group’s readiness to support the initiative in line with the vision of its founder, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

“Our chairman is deeply committed to Nigeria’s development. We understand the critical role energy security plays in achieving industrialisation and economic growth. We are ready to play our part,” Mobolarin said.

He stressed that the refinery welcomes the government’s efforts and recognises the significant impact the naira-for-crude model could have on economic stability and local industry growth.

The Dangote Refinery, situated in the Lekki Free Zone, is the largest single-train refinery in the world with a refining capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. Its successful integration into the government’s naira-for-crude framework is expected to not only crash fuel prices but also free Nigeria from decades of reliance on imported petroleum products.

South /South APC youths oppose plot to drop Shettima

The South-South Youth Coalition of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), has condemned any subtle or open moves aimed at undermining or replacing Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima at the 2027 general election.

Arising from an emergency consultative meeting held in Port Harcourt, the coalition called on President Bola Tinubu to intensify efforts toward delivering quality and people-focused governance.

In a communiqué signed by Sheik Aliu-Mahmood, zonal youth leader, and Emma Orupe, secretary general, the coalition expressed dissatisfaction over what it described as “unnecessary internal distractions” within the APC-led federal administration.

The group urged party leaders and loyalists to avoid any actions that may fuel instability or trigger disunity at the highest level of governance.

“Our nation is at a defining moment.

The people expect results, reforms, and real progress. This is not the time for political scheming or backdoor maneuvers to destabilise the presidency.

“Vice President Shettima has demonstrated capacity, loyalty, and political maturity, and we, as youths of the South-South, will resist any plot to sideline or replace him,” the communiqué reads in parts.

The coalition reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Tinubu-Shettima mandate, as freely given by the Nigerian people during the 2023 general elections.Green job opportunities

It maintained that the duo must be allowed to complete their constitutional term without distractions stemming from internal political intrigues.

“We urge Mr. President to remain focused on his Renewed Hope Agenda. Nigerians, especially the youth, are waiting for results in employment, education, infrastructure, and security. Any attempt to distract the government from this focus is a betrayal of the people’s trust.

“We will not sit by and watch individuals derail the progress we’ve made. We stand for stability, equity, and competent governance. Let the Tinubu-Shettima team be allowed to work without distraction,” the communiqué added.

Reps probe Benue killings, seek Army Base establishment in Yelwata

The House of Representatives has resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the worsening insecurity in Benue state which resulted into the killing of scores for over a decade.

The Green Chamber also asked the Federal Government to build Forward Operation Base, (FOB), for the Army in Yelwata, Guma local government area to forestall further attack on the border community where about 200 locals were recently killed by suspected armed herders.

It further urged the federal government and security agencies to intensify efforts to restore peace and security in Guma local government area and to protect vulnerable communities from further attacks.

These resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Makurdi/Guma federal constituency of Benue state, Hon. Dickson Tarkighir at plenary on Wednesday.

Moving the motion, Tarkighir noted that over 200 indigenes of Yelwata community in Guma local government were brutally massacred in a violent attack on June 14, 2025 with thousands of residents displaced, leading to a dire humanitarian situation marked by loss of lives, destruction of property, and widespread destitution.

The lawmaker said similar attacks have occurred regularly within and beyond his constituency, exacerbating insecurity and fear among communities in the region, adding that the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA), and other relevant relief agencies had been asked to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to those affected.

He expressed concern that; “The scale of the crisis requires immediate and coordinated intervention to prevent further loss of lives and to provide adequate support for the displaced and affected communities.”

Lawmakers also expressed worry that any delay in response and lack of comprehensive security measures may escalate the violence and deepen the humanitarian crisis in the area.

Adopting the motion, the House called on NEMA, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, and all relevant agencies to urgently provide adequate relief materials and medical assistance to the displaced persons and victims of the attack.

End desperate action against Senator Natasha, coalition tells FG

A coalition of Nigerian youth groups has called on the Federal Government to immediately halt what it described as the targeted persecution of suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The group referenced the attempt by David Kaswe, counsel to the Federal Government, who requested that Justice Chisoba Oji remand Senator Natasha in prison shortly after she entered a not-guilty plea to the charges brought against her. The application was vehemently opposed by her lawyer, Professor Roland Otaru, after which the court granted her bail.

In a statement signed by the National President of the Coalition of Nigeria Youth Groups, Abdul Mohammed Nasir, the Secretary General, Victoria Ademola; and the Publicity Secretary, Ibeh Columbus Ameachi, the coalition expressed dismay over what they called “endless persecution of the female Senator.”

Another legal case against the Senator is reportedly scheduled for arraignment in a different court soon, sparking widespread concern among civil society groups and supporters.

The coalition stated that anyone who doubted before now that Senator Natasha was undergoing persecution may have every doubt cleared “going by the litany of cases lined up against her.”

The coalition said, “One can also see from the fruitless efforts of the government’s lawyer to have her remanded in prison, that there is a desperate plot not just to embarrass her but to keep her out of circulation.

“The Senator willingly submitted herself for trial as soon as the trial notice was served on her, so what influenced the demand for her remand in prison in an ordinarily bailable offence? We feel enraged that this matter has been allowed to linger for so long, with all the accompanying drama.

“At this point, we are saying that enough is enough; this woman has been persecuted enough. We had expected that the civil matter in court would have been allowed to run its course, where she would be expected to prove her allegations. However, what we are seeing are suppressive actions, which are not portraying Nigeria in a good light.”

The coalition then called on the international communities, ECOWAS, women organisations all over the world “to rally support for Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan against her continued humiliation and intimidation.

“The senator has been left vulnerable to insecurity since her security details were withdrawn. The recurring criminal attacks on the senator’s Kogi State home calls for immediate reinstatement of her security.

“We, however, commend the trial judge who granted her bail despite the pressure from the government circles,” the coalition said.

Senate passes Rivers emergency rule N1.48trn budget

The Senate yesterday, passed the 2025 Rivers State budget, authorising the spending of N1.48 trillion under the emergency administration in the state.

The budget was passed during plenary after lawmakers debated its general principles at the Committee of Supply.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the passage after most senators supported it through voice votes.

The senators supported passage of the budget after they reviewed a report presented by Opeyemi Bamidele, chairman of the Senate Ad hoc Committee overseeing the emergency rule in Rivers State.

While presenting the report, Mr Bamidele, the Senate Leader, recommended the allocation of N120 billion for debt servicing, N287 billion for recurrent non-debt expenditure, and N1 trillion for capital projects.

The 2025 budget, proposed by President Bola Tinubu, seeks to address development challenges in Rivers State, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, and security.

President Tinubu had initially forwarded the N1.48 trillion Rivers State Appropriation Bill t to the National Assembly for consideration in May for urgent intervention to restore governance and accelerate development in Rivers State.

The Senate gave the proposal a swift passage through the second reading a week after it was presented, and it was subsequently referred to the ad hoc committee for detailed scrutiny and budget defence.

During the defence session, the state administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, disclosed that the budget estimate had been raised to N1.846 trillion, an increase of about N365 billion.

Mr Ibas, a retired chief of naval staff, attributed the increase to unplanned but essential expenditures incurred in the first quarter of 2025, before the declaration of emergency rule.

He told lawmakers the funds were used to stabilise critical sectors, maintain public services, and initiate emergency infrastructure repairs.

However, none of the lawmakers objected to the new figure during the budget defence session.

13- year-old girl disfigured by guardian in Imo to undergo surgery

Favour Nuhu, the 13-year-old girl, whose right eye was disfigured by her guardian, Mrs Joyce Onyinye Obioma, will undergo a cataract surgery on the affected eye.

According to Chidiebube Okeoma, lead advocate of the group that rescued the minor, in a press statement, disclosed that medical investigations carried out on the girl since she was rescued by the foundation suggested that only a surgical procedure on the affected right eye could restore the minor’s sight in the affected eye.

Okeoma stated that the organization is committed to the well-being of the child and would ensure that the guardian who unleashed such wickedness on her, faces the legal consequences of her hostile action.

He hinted that the legal department of the foundation had been put on notice while waiting for the conclusion of the investigation by the police.

“Yesterday, we at Stand For Humanity Foundation took 13- year- old Favour Nuhu, whose right eye was disfigured by her wicked guardian, Mrs Joyce Onyinye Obioma to Camela Eye clinic, Owerri, Imo state.

Medical examinations by the optometrists showed that the extent of the damage was huge.

“They said that the little girl’s ordeal was beyond them and informed that only surgery could correct the damage to the eye.

They wrote a referral note for a surgery on the minor which would be conducted next week to enable the child to regain her vision in the damaged eye.”

The statement partly read, ”The foundation informed that optometrists handling the case disclosed that the pressure on the affected eye is now 31 percent when ordinarily it shouldn’t exceed 25 percent. There is a big boil on the damaged eye which has formed cataract.

The organization said, experts after further diagnosis advised that only surgery could correct the damage inflicted on the minor’s right eye.

Okeoma in the press statement, reaffirmed the foundation’s continuous commitment to pursuing the matter until the wickedness done to the minor is addressed.

“We thank Imo State Government, especially the Executive Secretary of the State Health Insurance Agency for undertaking to pick the complete bill for the girl’s medical procedure in this circumstance.

“While we work to ensure that this eye defect is corrected, we will ensure that this woman is prosecuted for her wickedness.

Our organization has already put our legal department on notice pending the outcome of the investigation by the police.

”We strongly condemn child battering and dehumanization. Take a child back to his or her parents if your temperament can’t withstand his or her excesses.”‘ he stated.

The minor, DAILY POST reports, was rescued from her guardian following an alarm raised by neighborhoods in the area.

After her rescue, she was taken to the State University medical Centre in Owerri and enrolled into the free Health Insurance Agency scheme of the state government.

The foundation had earlier reported the minor’s predicament to the State Police Command in Owerri and in its immediate response, the command assigned some of its officers to the foundation leading to the girl’s rescue at Ohii in Owerri.

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