Following the lifting of embargo on campaign activities by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ahead next year’s general elections, politicians have resumed brickbats, with an allegation coming from Ogun state that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is from Ekiti State.
A former chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Wale Adedayo, made the remarks during an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today programme, alleging that Mr Adeola was originally Sulaimon Ogunleye from Ekiti State, but now falsely claims Ogun State ancestry for political gains.
“Should I call him Sulaimon Ogunleye? He is from Ekiti. It is Solomon Adeola. The man you call Yayi.
“That was his original name,” Mr Adedayo alleged, while challenging the APC candidate “to prove his ancestry, which has not been till tomorrow.
“He doesn’t have any root in Ogun State, and that is one of the things we talk about that as much as possible, we should not encourage fraudulent claims.
“There is nothing wrong with people living in Lagos State coming back home to contest, but people using pecuniary means to claim ancestry is fraudulent.”
He maintained that the APC candidate in the 2027 Ogun State governorship election, Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, cannot win the race.
Commenting on the series of upcoming elections in Ogun State, the journalist predicted that President Bola Tinubu would win the 2027 presidential election.
He stressed, however, that the APC would loose in governorship, senatorial, and House of Representatives elections in what he described as political ‘earthquakes.’
“There is going to be seismic changes in terms of earthquakes because things will move in the direction that a lot of people would not expect.
“The way things are going now, APC is gone in Ogun State and PDP is going to be there in 2027 for a number of reasons, and there is no doubt about that.
“The President will have his way in Ogun State, but when it comes to the governorship, senatorial and house of elections, it is a different ball game in Ogun State.”
Despite maintaining that political shockwaves against the APC would be recorded in every local government area during next year’s election, he assured that there would be no violence in the state.
“There is going to be a seismic change in all the 20 local governments, but it is not going to be a battleground where people will kill themselves,” the one-time chairman added.
Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has insisted that the blockade of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during his visit to the state was a deliberate act.
Ortom insisted that his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia, cannot exonerated himself ftom the incident.
He challenged Alia to swear by the Holy Bible that he had no knowledge of the incident, saying that the obstruction of Obi’s visit to Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area was a deliberate act.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the former governor described the incident as an attack on democracy and accused the Benue government of encouraging lawlessness.
“Can he come out and swear by the Bible that he claims to be a reverend priest and say that he was not aware of what happened yesterday?
“It was a deliberate attempt. He did it,” Ortom alleged.
He maintained that it was wrong for Obi, who visited Benue to sympathise with communities affected by killings, to be prevented from reaching his destination.
“I condemn what happened on Tuesday. It is wrong not to allow Peter Obi to visit Benue and sympathise with those people whose people were killed.”
Ortom alleged that Alia had previously been involved in actions that undermined democratic institutions, claiming the governor had used supporters to carry out political actions in the past.
“Governor Alia himself, the governor of Benue State, is involved in this matter. He cannot deny that.”
The former governor, however, said his position was not based on support for Obi but on the principle of allowing every Nigerian the freedom to move and participate in political activities.
“I am not supporting Peter Obi. But it is wrong,” Ortom stated.
Meanwhile, NDC National Leader, Seriake Dickson, also demanded an investigation into the incident, saying those found responsible should face prosecution.
Dickson warned that allowing such incidents during the election season could create a dangerous precedent where politicians may be prevented from campaigning across the country.
The controversy followed claims by Obi that his convoy was blocked by suspected political thugs and security operatives while attempting to visit Yelwata community.
The Benue State Government has denied involvement and demanded evidence linking any government official to the incident.
The Benue state police command has announced the arrest of some suspects in connection with the incident.
After the team’s 2-0 loss to Spain in their opening match at the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, the Falconets have earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw against China PR in their second Group F match.
The match played on Thursday saw the Falconets giving a good account of themselves as they curtailed the attacking prowess of their Asian opponent at the Arena Sosnowiec in Poland
Coach Moses Aduku’s side started with intent and created the first clear opportunity through Janet Akekoromowei in the 17th minute.
The Falconets grew into the game as the half progressed, with Kafayat Mafisere winning a corner in the 33rd minute and Akekoromowei going close again in the 38th and in added time of the first period, to see Nigeria ending the first half on the front foot.
China also posed a threat before the break. Huang Jiaxin, Zhou Xinyi and Song Lijuan all tested the Nigerian defence with efforts on goal, while Xue Sifan delivered two dangerous corners. Goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma was equal to the task as the Falconets backline held firm to keep the scores level at halftime.
The second half opened with China PR making a tactical change, introducing Chen Ruilin for Xiao Yafei. The substitution added impetus to the Asians, with Chen, Xue and Huang all registering attempts on goal.
The Falconets responded with urgency. Queen Joseph (in the 58th minute), Mafisere (in the 56th and 60th minutes), and Precious Oscar (in the 54th minute) all went close.
Nigeria thought they had a chance to take the lead in the 74th minute when they were awarded a penalty, but the decision was overturned after a VAR review.
Both sides continued to push until the final whistle, but neither could find the breakthrough in a tightly contested encounter.
The result leaves the Falconets with one point from two games in Group F. Coach Aduku’s team will now turn their focus to their final group match against New Caledonia on Sunday, September 13, in Lódź as they fight to secure a place in the knockout rounds and keep Nigeria’s campaign alive at the global tournament.
A victory against New Caledonia with a good and comfortable scoreline may see the Nigeria Side qualify as runners up in Group F or one of the Third best placed team.
Effective from October 1, the Federal Government has revealed that Nigerian students will begin receiving 100 megabytes of free daily data to access approved educational websites and digital learning platforms.
The initiative, being implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) in partnership with telecommunications operators and the Federal Ministry of Education, will initially cover learners in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the commencement date on Thursday at the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria in Abuja.
“Let me let out the secret. This will be made available to Nigerian students from October 1st, 2026,” Alausa said, acknowledging the contribution of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria to the programme.
Under the framework, participating mobile network operators will provide a daily zero-rated data allowance of 100MB, which beneficiaries can use on approved educational websites and platforms.
Alausa explained that the initiative would begin with senior secondary school and tertiary institution students before being extended to other categories of learners.
“Our ambition must be that, ultimately, no Nigerian learner should be denied access to quality educational content simply because he or she cannot afford data,” the minister added.
He noted that the cost of internet data has become a major barrier to digital education, particularly for children from low-income households.
According to him, providing access to educational platforms without data charges could transform mobile phones, tablets and computers into classrooms and libraries for students who might otherwise struggle to access digital resources.
The minister also disclosed that the government was working on measures to regulate internet access for children below the age of 16, with further details expected to be announced.
He emphasized that educational content made available to children must be “appropriate, credible, safe and aligned with our educational objectives and our curriculum.”
Alausa added, “It will be regulating internet access to children below 16 years old,” saying further announcements would follow on the proposed measure.
The minister said the government was also expanding the digitalisation of the education sector through the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System and the Learner Identification Number.
He disclosed that more than 240,000 schools had been geo-mapped and geolocated across the country, while the government was digitising the Annual School Census to obtain information on enrolment, teachers, classrooms, laboratories, libraries, connectivity and school safety.
The NCC Director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Ayuba Shuaibu, said the Federal Ministry of Education and the commission would jointly approve the educational platforms to be whitelisted under the initiative.
He stated that eligible platforms would include learning management systems, digital libraries, educational repositories, teacher development platforms, as well as technical and vocational training platforms.
“The framework also adopts the operator’s consult model for the initial rollout of the initiative. Under this model, a daily zero-rated data allowance of 100 MB will be provided by the participating MNOs for usage on approved websites and platforms,” Shuaibu said.
Ilaje communities in Ondo state have protested move by the Federal Government to exclude riverine area of the state from benefitting from the coastal highway currently under construction.
Addressing a press conference in Lagos on Thursday, a spokesman of the communities, Benson Enikuomehin, pointed out that it is shocking that the concept of the coastal highway has now been bastardized and balkanized by the Ministry of Works under the supervision of Senator David Umahi.
According to him, more than 60 percent of the coastal communities in Ilaje LGA of Ondo State have now been bypassed and sidelined.
“Available records and data reveal that the coastal road has now assumed a new name as ‘inland highway road’ when it comes to the Ondo State communities.
“This is courtesy of the Minister of Works and his Ministry. The road now passes through Oke-Upare in Ondo State to link communities in Ovia North and Ovia West of Edo State so as to accommodate Gelegele community in Edo State which is about 10 – 20km from the coastline.
“It is not in dispute that Edo State does not have a single coastal community that aborts the sea. The Gelegele community which is closer to the sea has a distance of about 10 – 20km from the coastline.
“The dispute between Ogun State and Ondo State as regards Eba Island does not bring any controversy as to the fact that Irokun community falls squarely within Ondo State.
“Not wanting to emerge in the controversy of Eba Island, it can safely be said that from Irokun community, the coastal highway commences in Ondo State.
“It is a known fact that of all the coastal states in Nigeria, Ondo State unarguably has the longest coastline of about 80 – 100km.
“It is therefore reasonable that the coastal highway will pass through the coastline communities of Ondo State before getting to Delta State and on through the other states to Calabar.
“The injustice meted to the Ondo State communities by the Ministry of Works (under the supervision of Senator David Umahi) along the coast is both intentional and deliberate.
“Notable communities such as Ugbonla, Ilowo, Ilepete, Obe-Enikanoselu, Obe-Rewoye, Ikorigho, Jinrinwo, Awoye, Igho etc have completely been taken off the coastal route. These communities fall squarely within the initial coastal route where the coastal highway is meant to pass.
“The injustice, and the orchestrated marginalization against the Ilaje people began when additional 100km was added to the initial 700km (bringing the distance to 800km) to accommodate Edo State at all cost in the Coastal Highway. All the initial drawings and mappings of the road have now been jettisoned.
“It must be noted that highway from Lagos to Calabar is meant for the coast. It is not a Niger Delta Affairs: It is a coastal road! Any State that does not fall within the coast in Nigeria will not be considered. This accounts for why states like Abia and Imo, though oil producing States are not considered in this project.
“The intentional distortion of the coastal highway to accommodate non coastal states makes a mockery of the name of the road:-COASTAL HIGHWAY.
“From the axis of Lagos, Ogun, Delta up to Calabar in Cross River State, the road remains COASTAL HIGHWAY in material particular. It is only in Ondo State the Minister and his Ministry of Works have now doctored/altered the concept of COASTAL HIGHWAY to become INLAND HIGHWAY.
“There is no justifiable reason(s) for perpetuating this monumental heinous crime against the coastal Ilaje communities leaving on the coastline of Ondo State. “
The profile of Imo State under the leadership of Governor Hope Uzodimma keeps rising by the day with the United Nations commending his Government for strides in digital transformation, youth empowerment, economic diversification, and public-sector reforms.
The body described the State’s initiatives as a strong foundation for sustainable development.
The commendation was made by no person than the UN deputy scribe, Amina Mohammed who led a high-powered delegation to Governor Uzodimma at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House in Owerri, Thursday.
Speaking during the visit, the UN leadership noted that Imo State’s strategic investments in education, digital skills, power infrastructure, and administrative reforms are creating competitive enterprises, productive jobs, and resilient communities.
With four years remaining to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the delegation stressed that State-level progress remains critical to translating global goals into accessible healthcare, quality education, and decent livelihoods for citizens.
“What I saw in Imo is inspiring,” the UN Deputy Secretary stated, expressing optimism over the rapid progress recorded in youth development and technological empowerment.
The delegation noted that the young people encountered during the visit demonstrated remarkable determination and readiness to drive the emerging digital economy initiated by the Uzodimma administration.
The UN team also highlighted the need to strengthen energy systems, expand access to climate finance, and build robust supply chains linking local producers directly to broader markets, and promised support where necessary to meet the needs of the populace in critical areas.
They emphasised that investments in human capital must be matched with sustained social protection and quality healthcare to yield maximum impact.
Responding, Governor Uzodimma explained that his administration intentionally prioritised technology as a “catalyst to tackle unemployment, enhance security, and shift the State away from over-reliance on the public sector.”
Under the Imo Digital Economy Agenda (IDEA), the Governor disclosed that thousands of youths have been trained and integrated into the global tech ecosystem as software developers, cybersecurity analysts, and artificial intelligence specialists.
”Our goal goes beyond basic training; we are equipping our young people to build sustainable businesses, innovate solutions, and compete in the global knowledge economy,” Uzodimma stated.
He further outlined State-level energy initiatives—including Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) adoption, electric vehicle deployment, and independent power projects—aimed at delivering clean, reliable, and affordable energy to homes and businesses across Imo.
Some Commissioners in the Uzodimma administration took time to explain to the UN delegation what Imo State is doing uniquely to better the lot of the people and enhance good living standard in the society.
The Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Dr. Chiemezie Amadi, stressed that the current administration has abandoned traditional empowerment schemes, such as distributing motorcycles and tricycles in favour of high-value technical capacity building.
Governor Hope Uzodimma
Dr. Amadi cited the story of Adanna, a young graduate who trained in phone repair technology under the State’s programme and subsequently launched a thriving enterprise in Ohaji/Egbema, demonstrating how tech skills are driving economic growth in rural areas.
”Imo is transitioning from a traditional civil-service State into a net exporter of digital talent,” Amadi noted, calling on the United Nations and international development partners to deepen support in artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and venture capital access.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Petroleum and Gas Development, Barr. Emeka Mgbudem, said Imo State has unveiled an ambitious clean energy strategy to replace expensive Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) with low-pressure Compressed Natural Gas (LCNG/ANG) for household cooking.
The State’s Chief Economic Adviser, Prof. Kenneth Ameshi, urged the UNDP to partner with Imo in scaling community-based cooperative enterprise – OKOBI (One Kindred One Business Initiative) to generate 500,000 jobs by 2030.
Ameshi, who is the Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor revealed that the State’s 20-month collective entrepreneurship model has already established 600 profit-oriented businesses employing over 20,000 residents. He appealed for blended finance, business incubation, and market access support to ensure sustainable economic development.
He highlighted that capturing flared natural gas could slash monthly cooking expenses by 69%, reducing costs from ₦20,500 to ₦6,500 per family. Operating at a safer 20–40 PSI, the initiative pairs smart cylinder-tracking technology with local last-mile delivery to combat deforestation, eliminate indoor air pollution, and boost economic relief across West Africa.
Ameshi, urged stronger UNDP partnership to expand community-based businesses and create jobs. He said the OKOBI initiative has established about 600 cooperative enterprises, employing over 20,000 people. With a target of 500,000 jobs by 2030, he sought financing, technical support, incubation and market access.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Chioma Egu brought the attention of the UN delegation to what the government had done in the area of health, both primary and secondary healthcare, noting that partnership with development partners
was key to sustaining the foundation the Governor had paid in the healthcare sector in Imo State.
Adding her voice, the Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs, Chinenyenwa Owuamalam, highlighted Imo State’s commitment to aligning its 3R Agenda with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), pointing out that key achievements span infrastructure, digital innovation, healthcare, and youth empowerment.
She commended the First Lady, Barr. Chioma Uzodimma’s initiative (GF-USI) for advancing gender equality and supporting vulnerable women, emphasising ongoing SDG school awareness, environmental programmes, and inter-agency partnerships aimed at deepening collaboration with the United Nations so no one is left behind.
The visit concluded with a joint commitment between the Imo State Government and the United Nations to consolidate partnerships in infrastructure, clean energy, and technical assistance to accelerate economic growth across all local government areas.
In the company of the UN Deputy Secretary General are – Elsie Attafuah, Resident Representative UNDP Nigeria, Hadiza Elayo, Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary-General and Deputy Director, Sustainable Development Unit, Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dr. Vanessa Phala, Country Representative for the International Labour Organization.
The Imo State Deputy Governor, Lady Chinyere Ekomaru, Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Amara Iwuanyawu and members of the State Expanded Executive Council led by the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Cosmas Iwu attended the event.
Following confirmation that the reported deaths of at least 24 persons within three days in Odigbo area of Ondo state was as a result of consumption of herbal concoction, the Ondo State Government has warned residents against the consumption of unapproved substances, herbal drinks, concoctions and other products not certified as safe for human consumption.
It urged members of the public to exercise utmost caution and desist from patronising or consuming substances of doubtful origin, stressing that the safety, health and wellbeing of the people remain key priorities of the present administration.
The appeal was made in a statement on Wednesday by Idowu Ajanaku, Commissioner for Information and Orientation.
According to the statement, “Government also strongly cautions sellers, producers and distributors of uncertified substances to immediately desist from such practices, as the production, sale and distribution of unapproved substances pose serious risks to public health and may attract appropriate sanctions in accordance with the law.
“The Government further cautions citizens, particularly youths, against drug abuse and the unauthorised use or consumption of substances capable of causing serious health complications or death.
“Residents are advised to obtain medicines and other consumable products only from authorised and regulated outlets, and to seek professional medical advice rather than resorting to unverified remedies or substances.
“The government is currently investigating the Odigbo incident to establish the actual cause of the deaths.
Government assures the people of Ondo State that relevant agencies are working diligently to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The Government also appeals to residents to remain calm and refrain from spreading unverified information capable of causing unnecessary panic.”
It commended the proactive intervention of the Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegboye, in responding promptly to the situation and supporting efforts aimed at protecting the lives and wellbeing of residents.
The administration assured the people that necessary measures are being taken to safeguard public health and prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
It therefore reiterated its warning to residents, vendors, producers and distributors to shun drug abuse and the unauthorised production, sale, distribution or consumption of illegal and uncertified substances.
“The Government will continue to take appropriate measures, in accordance with existing laws and regulations, to protect the health and safety of citizens.
“Citizens are encouraged to promptly report suspicious activities involving the production, sale or distribution of dangerous, illegal or unapproved substances to the appropriate authorities.”
It emphasized that protecting lives and promoting a safe and healthy society is a collective responsibility that requires the cooperation of all residents.
The piece by columnist and former Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of The Guardian, Martins Oloja, entitled “Why Should We Celebrate Daily Times @ 100, FRCN @ 75?” published on September 5, was an angry one. And Oloja had many good reasons to be angry.
Daily Times, Nigeria’s newspaper of record, was 100 years old on June 1, and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), the legacy successor to the Nigerian Broadcasting Service (NBS), was 75 in April. The anniversaries of these institutional brands evoked mixed feelings, especially regret, because they have not grown into what their founders intended.
What it used to be…
Oloja narrated the decline of Daily Times, from the newspaper that produced some of Nigeria’s most outstanding journalists and was a formidable, professional, commercial, and asset powerhouse in its heyday, to a scrap of memory, struggling for its future.
Among the many golden assets of the newspaper was, for example, a 60 per cent equity interest in Naira Properties Limited, the company that was the majority shareholder in the Nigerian Stock Exchange house.
And that, of course, was apart from having many other valuable landed properties in Nigeria and London, and a content repository that was a treasure trove of Nigeria’s history. Its training arm, the Times Journalism Institute, was also one of its eight subsidiaries.
Yet, today, the brainchild of Richard Barrow, Adeyemo Alakija, and V.R. Osborne could use help from the Salvation Army. It’s more of a cautionary tale than the monument it once was.
Whose radio now?
The odyssey of the FRCN has not been significantly different, and Oloja’s agony and frustration over what might have been poured into his article in a bitter, relentless wave of nostalgia.
The problem, however, is that while nostalgia can sometimes provide relief, it is impotent to face the future. Not many would disagree that the transfer of the Daily Times was fraught with controversy, from disputes over the purchase price relative to the property portfolio to financing, share ownership, the purchaser’s obligations, and post-sale asset management.
But the way forward is not in the past. The suggestion that Daily Times should be retrieved from Folio Communications 22 years after the sale and handed over to what is no doubt an accomplished group of media managers is like chasing the train long after it has left the station. It will only end in grief.
A litany of sales
We’ve seen this before. After President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government sold the Port Harcourt and Kaduna Refineries to Bluestar in 2007, Obasanjo’s successor, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, reversed the sale under pressure from labour and other interest groups, who didn’t want “our national patrimony” disposed of so casually.
Of course, that was a convenient scam that has now cost the country billions of dollars in futile promises to fix the refineries. Ajaokuta Steel and the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) tell similar stories of well-intentioned government repossession that ended in deeper misery for all parties, except the predators.
Repossession is never as easy as it seems. Once a privatised enterprise has passed through mortgages, receivership, asset sales and successive owners, “taking it back” is no longer a simple reversal of the original sale. It can lead to years of litigation without restoring the original productive capacity of the firm.
There are several examples of privatisations that worked, such as Eleme Petrochemicals, Ashaka Cement, and the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, as well as those that have partly succeeded and others that have been catastrophic failures. The reasons could range from technical competence to the availability of new capital post-acquisition, and from the freedom to price and operate commercially to the regulatory environment. No one size fits all.
Regret as medicine
But regret is a waste of time. For me, it’s not very important who bought Daily Times – whether it was sold to a group of journalists or to some fishermen on Ekeremo waterside. We have seen journalists manage media houses successfully and others fail disastrously. We have also seen non-journalists turn around ailing media houses, the most obvious example being PUNCH Chairman Emeritus, Chief Ajibola Ogunshola.
From a business point of view, the question is not whether the enterprise has become what one thinks the founders wanted it to be, but about how it is innovating, adapting and creating value sustainably. We may romanticise the past, but no business is immortal, as we have seen from the examples of Blackberry and Kodak. In a relatively free market, mortality is not necessarily a bad thing; out of the ashes of a badly run business may arise another to take its place, sometimes offering even better value.
And it doesn’t matter whether such businesses are a bequeathed legacy, a contested sale, or a start-up. This applies to the Daily Times as it does to over 314 news platforms – from legacy media to digital natives – in Nigeria’s existentially challenging media landscape today. Nature hates a vacuum.
Apples and oranges
Let me now say a word about FRCN. Oloja’s comparison of FRCN with public broadcasters such as the BBC and the SABC may not be entirely accurate. There are fundamental differences between state-owned/controlled broadcasters, such as the FRCN, and public broadcasters, such as the BBC or the SABC, whose legacies Oloja highlighted.
While all three – FRCN, the BBC, and the SABC – are publicly owned or constituted, there are material differences in appointments, finance, editorial authority, and regulation.
The legal foundation of each one, its corporate character, ownership, and editorial freedom, affect the quality of content and programming as a whole.
It’s inconceivable, for example, that the fragmentation by fiat which the writer referred to in Radio Nigeria will happen in the BBC or SABC. What the piper in the Nigerian government cannot undo with businesses in its control does not exist.
The market as teacher
Yet, in a world where even established services like the BBC are losing captive audiences due to licence-fee evasion, as more and more households access on-demand channels, and with fewer public resources available, the existential challenges might compel broadcasters of all shades to innovate or be left behind. No one needs to count the years for failing businesses. That’s a job the ever-changing consumer market does so well.
Oloja may be right. Daily Times’ influence has attracted vectors, the first of which was the Murtala/Obasanjo government. If the takeover and subsequent privatisation had not happened, perhaps Daily Times might have been all we hoped for and more. But that will remain in the realm of probability. And in that realm, things may also have been worse had the sale not happened.
Or has the New Nigerian, the regional equivalent of Daily Times and relic of the 19 Northern state governments, done significantly better?
The best tribute to Daily Times and Radio Nigeria is not to recover their past. It is to recover the standards they represented and build institutions capable of meeting them in the future.
Ishiekwene is the Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP and author of the book, Writing for Media and Monetising It.
Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano state has charged the state government to investigate the recent kiling of a social media activist,Ibrahim Khalil Dan Shagamu, in other to bring his killers to justice.
The 2027 NDC Vice Presidential candidate made the call saying the circumstance sorrounding his death was very disturbing, urging the state government toensure that those behind the killing were brought to book to answer for their crimes.
Kwankwasosaid in a statement that the state government should immediately constitute an investigative panel to thoroughly probe this incident and bring the perpetrators to justice, saying if the government of Governor Kabir Yusuf fails to do this, the NDC will ensure that justice is served if it win the state governorship election next year.
Dan Shagamu was reportedly found dead in a pool of blood inside his residence in the Gaida area of Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state, the incident has elicited serious condemnations from not a fewNigerians whohave are calling on the authority toensure that those behind the killing did not go unpunished.
“Should the authorities fail to take decisive and transparent action, the incoming NDC Government will, upon assumption of office, launch a full investigation and take all necessary steps to hold those responsible accountable,” Kwankwaso said.
Similarly, global human righst body Amnestry International, AI, has condemned the killing, calling on the federal and state governments to ensure the protection of free speech as guaranteed in the Nigerians Constitution.
Nocitizens should be targettted for holding a divergent view agains the authority,AI said describing Danshagamu’silling to be serioulsy ”concerning” stressing that the government has
not done much to prevent widespread killings, threats, intimidations and other serious human rights violations in the country.
According to the global human rights body, an ideal democracy requires that, outspoken persons nd critics are accommodated, listened to, not killed for expressing their views.
A former Director General of the State Security Service, SSS, now popular as DSS, has passed-on.
Horsefall, a Kalabari, Rivers State Chief and a very accomplished Intelligence and Security Officer, passed-on in Lagos, Wednesday, at a Lagos hospital.
Sources said he had been ill in the past three years, an illness that forced him to withdraw from the public and keep between his home and hospitals.
Born on 22 December, 1941, he was, first, a Police Officer and later, a foundation staff of the National Security Organization, NSO. He was, also, the pioneer Director of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA.
Horsefall was, later, appointed by the President Ibrahim Babangida Regime, to the high profile office of the Director General, State Security Service, SSS, a position he held between 1990 and 1992.
On retirement, he was appointed to head OMPADEC, an interventionist Agency in the South-south. After OMPADEC, Chief Horsefall retired to a quiet life, but continued to contribute to national security when consulted.
He will be sorely missed by the intelligence community within and outside Nigeria.
