Home Blog Page 148

Kaiama Residents Protest 171 Days In Captivity Of Woro, Kwara State Abductees; Urge Govt To Give Same Attention As Oyo Victims

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
-
0
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State

By Suleiman Anyalewechi 

 

Residents of Kaigama Local Council of Kwara State have expressed serious disappointment over the alleged  neglect of over 176 people abducted by suspected terrorist elements in Woro community.

 

The people urged President BolaTinubu to fulfill his promise to establish an Army base in the Local Government Area for enhanced security.

 

The Source reports that some suspected terrorists had, in early February  of 2026, invaded Woro community in  Kaiama Local Council, killing some residents and whisking away about 176 others who unfortunately have since been held captive by their abductors.

 

Incensed by the prolonged stay of the victims in captivity, hundreds of residents of Kaiama, mainly the youth, at the weekend, engaged in a peaceful protest match to draw attention to the plight of the victims.

 

Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the protesters, who lamented that the victims have been in the kidnappers’ den for 171 days , called on the authorities , especially the Federal Government and Security Agencies, to apply the same seriousness and commitment that preceded the release of the Oriire ,Oyo School children ,to secure freedom for the Woro abduction victims.

 

The protesters who matched from the Emir of Kaiama’s Palace through the Divisional Police Headquarters to the Kaiama Local Council Secretariat said it is disturbing that the authorities seem to have abandoned the Woro victims to their fate.

 

The leader of the protesters ,Abdulhameed Abubakar, informed that the peaceful match is intended as a reminder to Security Agencies and Government at all levels of the plight of the victims.

 

He noted that the victims have spent so much time in captivity without any efforts at securing their release.

 

Abubakar also reminded President Tinubu of his pledge on February 5, 2026, a few days after the kidnap of the victims,to the effect that he would station an Army battalion in the Local Government.

 

He equally urged the  authorities to take urgent steps to de-gazete the Kainji Lake National Park considered as a haven for terrorist elements.

 

“We are protesting because our people have remained in captivity for 171 days . We want the Government to act decisively and ensure their safe return.

 

“We, also, want a stronger security presence in Kaiama and the fulfilment of the President’s promise to deploy an Army battalion”, Abubakar demanded.

 

On his part ,the National President of Kaiama Development Association, KDA, Yakubu Salihu, said the continued stay of the victims in captivity has inflicted so much pain on the community, urging the authorities to prioritize efforts at securing their freedom.

 

He expressed concern that the people have not received the kind of response they had expected from the Government ,and security agencies concerning the plight of the victims.

 

“It has been 171 days, and we have not seen the kind of response we expected. We are appealing to the Government to rescue the victims without.further delay”, Salihu stated.

 

Abubakar demanded for the same level of attention given to the plights of the Papiri and Oyo abductees for the Woro victims.

“I Came Like John The Baptist” – Gov. Eno Defends Defection From PDP To APC

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Governor Umo Eno

By Ayodele Oni

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has said that his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2025 paved the way for other Governors.

 

While defending his decision to leave the PDP for the APC, Eno likened himself to John the Biblical Baptist, whom he described as a forerunner who moved ahead of others.

 

Speaking during an interview on TVC on Friday, Eno said he defected before many of his colleagues, who have since followed the same path, insisting that his decision was deliberate and taken in the best interest of Akwa Ibom State.

 

“I came like John the Baptist,” the governor said, suggesting that he paved the way for others who later left the PDP for the APC.

 

Responding to criticism over his defection, Eno maintained that governance required pragmatism rather than sentiment, arguing that aligning with the ruling party at the federal level had brought greater opportunities for development.

 

“You can’t be hungry all the time. Why don’t you reject it? The man has done well. Funds are coming. Allocations are coming.

 

“And we’re able to have funds to get to work for our people. And so I had to. It was a decision well thought out,” he said, referring to President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

 

The governor also disclosed that the presence of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, an indigene of Akwa Ibom State and a leading figure in the APC, influenced his decision.

 

According to Eno, remaining in a different political party from Akpabio could have created unnecessary political rivalry capable of affecting the state’s development, stressing that cooperation between the state and the Federal Government was in the interest of the people of Akwa Ibom.

 

Eno officially defected from the PDP to the APC in June 2025 after months of consultations with political stakeholders across the state, describing the move as one guided by conviction, constitutional rights, and the desire to attract greater benefits for Akwa Ibom people.

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has said that his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2025 paved the way for other governors.

 

While defended his decision to leave the PDP for the APC, Eno likened himself to John the Baptist, whom he described as a forerunner who moved ahead of others.

 

Speaking during an interview on TVC on Friday, Eno said he defected before many of his colleagues, who have since followed the same path, insisting that his decision was deliberate and taken in the best interest of Akwa Ibom State.

 

“I came like John the Baptist,” the governor said, suggesting that he paved the way for others who later left the PDP for the APC.

 

Responding to criticism over his defection, Eno maintained that governance required pragmatism rather than sentiment, arguing that aligning with the ruling party at the federal level had brought greater opportunities for development.

 

“You can’t be hungry all the time. Why don’t you reject it? The man has done well. Funds are coming. Allocations are coming.

 

“And we’re able to have funds to get to work for our people. And so I had to. It was a decision well thought out,” he said, referring to President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

 

The governor also disclosed that the presence of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, an indigene of Akwa Ibom State and a leading figure in the APC, influenced his decision.

 

According to Eno, remaining in a different political party from Akpabio could have created unnecessary political rivalry capable of affecting the state’s development, stressing that cooperation between the state and the Federal Government was in the interest of the people of Akwa Ibom.

 

Eno officially defected from the PDP to the APC in June 2025 after months of consultations with political stakeholders across the state, describing the move as one guided by conviction, constitutional rights, and the desire to attract greater benefits for Akwa Ibom people.

NBA President-Elect, Vows To Resign If Post Election Audit Pinpoint She Gained From Irregularities

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanyo - NBA President

By Ayodele Oni

 

Following allegations of rigging during the Nigeria Bar Association, (NBA), election, the president elect, Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN has promised to subject the poll to audit.

 

Badejo-Okusanya stated this during an interview on TVC News, while responding to allegations by some contestants and lawyers that the 2026 NBA presidential election was manipulated in her favour.

 

“I will subject this electoral process to a post-election audit and, in the very unlikely event, because I know there was no rigging, that it is discovered that I would not have won but for some manipulation, I will resign immediately.

 

“Not only will I resign immediately, but I will also join in ensuring the electoral reforms that I plan to embark upon as president.”

 

Despite defending the integrity of the election, the president-elect said she would subject the process to an audit to strengthen confidence in the association’s electoral system.

 

She said: “I had no desire to be a president whose electoral process is being questioned.

 

“I told my co-contestants publicly that if there was any indication or allegation that the process that brought me to office was flawed, I wouldn’t even discuss it with anyone before I resign. That remains my position.

 

The senior advocate acknowledged that the election witnessed technical difficulties following a cyberattack that disrupted the initial voting platform.

 

According to her, the ECNBA had initially conceded to demands by contestants to strengthen the voting system by incorporating telephone numbers for one-time passwords (OTPs) before the platform came under attack.

 

She spoke on efforts at reconciliation after the election ssying “I visited one of them in his office but was politely asked to leave, while another did not return her call.

 

“I have every intention of being gracious and magnanimous. I have no reason to gloat. God has been good to me. Many people didn’t give me a chance. I worked very, very hard and God crowned my efforts.

 

On claims that she enjoyed the backing of the outgoing NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, she said he never informed her that she was his preferred candidate.

 

“As a matter of fact, he never told me that.

 

“If he said it to anyone else, he never said it to me. I don’t know whether the cordiality and civility that he showed to me, whether I don’t have any impression that he wasn’t showing it to anyone else,” she said.

 

Mrs Badejo-Okusanya, who made history as the first woman elected to lead the NBA through universal suffrage, vowed that her loyalty would be to NBA members, rather than the Federal Government, dismissing suggestions that her family ties to the Tinubu administration would influence her leadership.

 

“How can I be the candidate of the Tinubu administration when the Tinubu administration is not a member of the NBA?

 

“The constitution of the NBA is very clear. I read it very closely before I offered myself to serve. I’m well aware of the responsibilities of the president of the NBA, and I have the mandate of members of the NBA to lead them. My obligation is to them.”

 

Badejo-Okusanya said she wanted her tenure to be remembered for making the NBA more professionally relevant to its members and for defending the rule of law.

 

“For the members, I want them to remember my presidency as one that made the NBA more relevant to them professionally.

 

“For Nigerians, I want them to remember the NBA as one that took its responsibility to protect and promote the rule of law, to be the watchdog of society and to defend those who are less able to speak for themselves very, very seriously,” she said

2027: “I Did Not Step Forward In Order To Step Down” – Gov Makinde On Presidential Ambition

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Seyi Makinde
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State

By Ayodele Oni

 

Following speculation of his possible stepping down from 2027 presidential race Oyo state governor, Seyi Makinde, has vowed that there was no cause for that.

 

Makinde declared that “Since I formally entered the presidential race, I have heard the speculation. Some say I am merely positioning myself for negotiations. Others say that when the time comes, I will step down for another candidate.

 

“Let me be clear, I did not step forward in order to step down. I am going forward. I am going forward because Nigerians deserve better.

 

“Nigerians deserve institutions that serve the law rather than political interests. They deserve an economy that rewards hard work, communities in which they can live without fear of abduction and leaders who will defend the public interest even when doing so is inconvenient.”

 

The governor, who said this in his bi-monthly newsletter, added that he will not step down for any presidential candidate in the 2027 election because “Nigerians deserve better.”

 

Continuing, he said, “I understand the scale of the political forces gathered on the other side. Some will look at the machinery of the ruling party and conclude that the outcome has already been decided.

 

“But I have been counted out before. Oyo state has shown that practical, people-centred governance is possible. We do not claim to have solved every problem, but we have demonstrated that there is another way to govern.”

 

Makinde used the newsletter to speak directly to the recent judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Ibadan, which involved the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and his administration.

 

 He explained that the state government went to court after the EFCC requested records covering all government contracts and contractor payments from 2021, without pointing to any specific transaction or naming a particular allegation under investigation.

 

Faced with what the governor described as a broad and undefined demand, the administration sought judicial guidance on how to respond lawfully.

 

 According to Makinde, the court confirmed that the EFCC holds the constitutional authority to investigate financial crimes, but ruled that this authority must be exercised within the limits set by law.

 

 “This was not a victory against the EFCC but a victory for the rule of law and due process,” Makinde said, adding that his government had never resisted legitimate investigations.

 

He stressed, however, that accountability must be grounded in evidence and carried out in line with constitutional provisions.

Southern Kaduna Group Drags Umahi To Court Over Habila’s Death, Seeks N20 Billion Damages

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Mary Habila and Dave Umahi

By Ayodele Oni

 

Dissatisfied with the circumstance surrounding her death, the Southern Kaduna Peoples’ United Associations (SOKAPU), has dragged the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to court over the death of Mary Habila, a nurse who was attached to his medical team.

 

The suit, filed before the Federal High Court in Kaduna, is seeking ₦20 billion in damages over what the group described as the loss of life resulting from an alleged breach of duty of care while Habila was under the minister’s custody.

 

Habila died on June 27 at the minister’s residence, a development that has generated public concern and calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

 

In the legal action, Habila’s father, Habila Tanko Wisdom, the Attorney-General of Ebonyi State and the state Commissioner of Police were listed as respondents.

 

SOKAPU is asking the court to declare that the nurse’s death occurred under what it described as “unexplained, controversial and unnatural circumstances,” while demanding a transparent investigation into the matter.

 

The group argued that the alleged removal of Habila’s remains to a mortuary without first filing an official report with the Nigeria Police Force violated her fundamental right to life as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

 

The association also called on the court to recognise what it described as a continued violation of fundamental rights due to the alleged delay in conducting an independent and transparent autopsy and police investigation.

 

SOKAPU further requested that the court order relevant authorities, including the Ebonyi State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Police, to facilitate an independent autopsy involving medical experts from selected institutions.

 

The proposed team of experts includes pathologists from the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria; University College Hospital, Ibadan; and the National Hospital, Abuja.

 

The group also wants the police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the cause and circumstances of Habila’s death before her remains are released to the family for burial.

 

Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Police Command had earlier stated that an autopsy would be conducted as part of efforts to determine the cause of death, despite reported objections from members of the deceased’s family.

 

Umahi had also written to the state Commissioner of Police requesting that the medical examination be carried out.

WAFCON 2026: Super Falcons Players Robbed At Their Hotel In Casablanca

By
Akinwale Kasali
-
0
Super Falcons

By Akinwale Kasali

 

Players of the Nigerian Female National Team, the Super Falcons, have been  robbed at their Marriot Hotel in Casablanca, Morocco as they prepare to  defend their Women’s African Cup of Nations, WAFCON, title.

 

In a viral video, some of the players, including Captain of the Team, Rasheedat Ajibade, Esther Okoronkwo, Osinachi Ohale, Joy Omewa, and Halimatu Ayinde, registered complaints of funds missing from their purses.

 

The lost money ranges from $100 to $700, with no hope in sight towards recovering it.

 

“Several players have alleged that money was stolen from their wallets while they were away from their rooms at the Marriott Hotel in Casablanca, Morocco”, one of the Team Officials said.

 

The Players have reported the incidents to the hotel authorities, with sources from the Nigerian Camp saying that the Hotel Management didn’t appear shocked with this development, indicating that it is a normal activity in the hotel. 

 

The Players added that the Management of the Hotel had gotten angry because they are making complaints about the incident. 

 

“We started talking to them, but they don’t even have answers. They started getting disrespectful”, One of the Players  lamented bitterly.

 

The players called on everyone to boycott the Hotel because, according to them, it’s not a good place.

 

The Super Falcons players are in the country for the WAFCON Tournament and will have their first match on Tuesday against Malawi.

 

The Super Falcons had won the WAFCON Championship in 2024 after coming from Two Goals down to defeat Morocco 3-2, in an tension soaked encounter.

 

Football analysts stated that the development could be described as a strategy to destabilize the Nigerian Team, and further put pressure on them as they prepare to secure the 2027 World Cup Ticket and also defend their title.

 

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, is yet to issue an official statement on this development.

Otti, Hope, Mbah: Good Job, Poor Paradigm

By
The Source
-
0
Steve Osuji
Steve Osuji

By Steve Osuji

 

Hope Uzodinma Was Here: One was in Owerri, Imo State recently and was pleasantly surprised that my favourite hotel now has adequate power supply. I have lodged intermittently in this serene, capacious facility since 2007.

 

That’s nearly 20 years.

But up until my last sojourn, the hotel was plagued with consistent electricity failure. Initially, it was power outages of the remorseless kind. It was as if a deranged kid in the power station was toying with the public power switch; flicking it off and on every ten minutes.

 

For instance, immediately there’s power failure and the hotel generator is switched on, public power is switched on again in a space of 5-10 minutes. This is like a vicious, cynical roulette. And this would go on for a whole day.

 

Indeed, it went on for over a decade. It was a most pernicious and  unforgiving public work routine one ever experienced.

At a point, the hotel stopped putting on the air conditioning system in the daytime. They would only do so at night using the generators.

 

At my last visit early in the month, the receptionist was beside himself, announcing to me that they are now on Governor Hope Uzodinma’s Urashi Power grid. Now “our AC is on round the clock,” the young man enthused.

 

I was also elated, understanding the prospect of a prosperous time that would soon return to my old redoubt.

 

One can also see the fresh burgeoning of the New Owerri axis of the Imo State capital as the organic hospitality hub of the southeast. That part of Owerri already had a dense cluster of fine hotels, night clubs, eateries, lounges, up scale restaurants and supermarkets.

 

This area grew into what it is in spite of almost zero, and indeed, disruptive public power supply. With Uzodinma’s Urashi Electricity Company, this area will blossom into the economic power house of Imo State.

 

But the pricing of the energy  must be deliberate  with the motive of boosting the state’s economy and helping that natural hub to grow to its full potential. This way,  Owerri will no sooner, become the hospitality capital of Nigeria with all the attendant economic benefits.

 

But beyond breaking the power jinx in Imo State to some extent, Governor Uzodinma has also accomplished some important infrastructure feats especially in the last three years.

 

He has indeed outperformed some of his predecessors, apart from only Chief Sam Mbakwe. With this power feat, we can easily say that Uzodinma Was Here!

Ironically, the last time any governor conceived off-grid power was during the era of Dee Sam Mbakwe in the early 80s.

 

STAR BOY ALEX OTTI: There’s no doubt that the incumbent Abia State governor, Dr Alex Otti has proved to Nigerians that state governance can deliver far more than they have been getting in this dispensation.

 

Yours truly traveled to Uzuakoli, Abia State, some distance after Umuahia for a burial ceremony.

The trip starting from Isiala-Mbano was a bit rough until we crossed the boundary between Imo and Abia.

 

The transformation is transcendental. And that’s not hyperbolic. Well paved and dualized roads ushered us into Abia down to Abia Tower and all the way down to Uzuakoli.

 

Apart from this first hand experience, Governor Otti’s infrastructure upgrade all over Abia in the past three years has no comparison. He readily trumps all other governors across the country.

And it’s not only the urban roads. We have seen modern bus terminals and the one trending currently is  the smart school. One was awed watching the documentary showing what a modern school looks like.

 

MBAH THE SPHINX RISING FROM THE ASHES OF A FLAWED MANDATE

 

A senior professional colleague operating from Enugu said over a year ago that Enugu people have been doing serial thanksgiving to God for giving them Peter Mbah. “We almost made a grievous mistake,” he said, lowering his tone.

 

Governor Mbah of Enugu has put up a decent performance in three years. He has proved that a serious governor can easily deliver and impact a state in just three years.

 

His urban renewal projects, roads infrastructure, schools,  hospitals and transportation amenities mark him out as a serious and inspirational leader.

 

Indeed, it has been conjectured that both Otti and Mbah may have pushed Uzodinma into a difficult position, forcing him to brace up to work. It was the talk of the town that these two men delivered more in three years than Hope presented in six years.

 

But it’s most salutary that Uzodinma has bounced back to life and is bent on finishing strong. History may well remember him for good.

 

NONDESCRIPT SOLUDO AND NWIFURU

 

Since we seem to be x-raying SE governors, one really cannot report authoritatively on the performances of Governors Chukwuma Soludo (Anambra) and Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi).

 

Soludo’s first four years was rather calamitous. He was like a fish out of water, thrashing about breathlessly. He didn’t quite seem to understand the job. Or shall we say it is beyond his ken.

 

He’s still thrashing (trashing if you prefer) about even in his second term not sure of the legacies he wishes to leave behind. Of course his Taiwan and Dubai campaign promises have long fizzled, showing him up as the vacuous bombast he truly is.

 

Governor Nwifuru on his part, seems like a pathetic case. The permanent scowl on his visage speaks of a young man eternally confused.

 

Said to be former Governor Dave Umahi’s mason who rose rapidly from bricklaying to Speaker of Ebonyi State House in a short span. Not satisfied, his godfather ensconced the rustic young man on the apex of state power –  Government House. But he may have discovered to his utter pain that setting blocks is a bit different from setting up a state administration.

 

We may also make an exception that Umahi’s dark aura may be rubbing off badly on Governor Nwifuru.The optics out of Ebonyi are unsightly. Nwifuru may well be doing a bit but what we see mostly are clips of Umahi’s mammoth airport abandoned or used for church services and as a soccer pitch. These are heart-rending pictures.

 

A  POOR DEVELOPMENT MODEL ALBEIT

 

In spite of the best efforts of Otti, Uzodinma, MBAH and indeed all the governors in Nigeria, their development model is poor and therefore, have left Nigerians stranded in perpetual poverty.

 

Have you wondered why in spite of the good deeds of governors like Otti, Babagana Zulum (Borno) Mbah and the rest, more Nigerians remain extremely poor and besieged by such vicissitudes of life like insecurity and poor standards of living.

 

OUTPUT OF LGAs IS BEST MEASURE OF PERFORMANCE

 

Unless the local government areas are pressed to operate the way they are structured to operate, Nigeria will never develop.

 

While the best governors may deploy state allocations and internally generated revenues at their whims and caprices, the real measure of development is the naira and kobo that gets to the grassroots; to the last man in every corner of the country.

 

Most, indeed, all Nigerian governors have failed over the years in the management of the funds accruing to the third tier of government. It is criminal that not one, yes, not one since 1999 has shown class in this respect.

 

Not one governor in the current dispensation (from 1999) has managed to account for LGA funds. Neither has anyone of them tried to organise the 3rd tier to operate according to their statutory requirements. Whether elected or selected is immaterial. Get them structured; fund them, supervise them!

 

LGAs are supposed to have a legislative council, annual budgets and projects outlay.

Their monthly federal allocations and IGR are supposed to be deployed to administer and develop their areas of jurisdiction. But this has not been the case in Nigeria since 1999.

 

Governors across the spectrum have simply allowed the 3rd tier to descend into atrophy. This column can wager that most of the LGAs are currently moribund and cannot deliver service to the people. Governors grab about 90 per cent of funds accruing to States and LGAs and play around with it according to their whims.

 

 GOVERNANCE BY IMPULSE

 

The import of it all is that state governors are merely running their domains on impulse.

 

Dave Umahi, immediate past governor of Ebonyi state built a bogus airport that’s as good as abandoned today. Enugu to Abakaliki is almost a stone throw away. An airport in Abakaliki is therefore grandiose and misplaced.

 

In the same manner, the sprawling bus terminal in popular Oshodi, Lagos has never been put to viable use nearly a decade after it was built. Today it’s an eye sore, already falling apart. White elephant.

 

Otti’s smart school is great but it’s  wrong-headed. What is needed in Abia (as in all states) is a gradual (graduated) education reform. Building a bogus and expensive smart school is like climbing a tree from the leaves.

Can these so-called smart schools be replicated in hundreds of communities across Abia? No. Not even in all the 17 LGAs?

 

So a phased reform ( fixing the basics) culminating into a state of the art smart schools in 5 to 10 years. How could any governor conceive of a smart school when primary and early education in Nigeria is comatose in all states?

 

It’s not only in the education sector. Most rural roads and back streets from Lagos to Kaura Namoda are untouched.

Rural/primary health care is in limbo. Rural electric is gravy for the boys like Ayo Fayose, Ndudi Elumelu…etc.

 

All the governors in the land spend millions of dollars annually sponsoring things as  foolish as religious pilgrimages. These are LGAs funds hijacked by governors and frittered away. No governor can impact an LGA like an LGA chairman!

 

Most Nigerian governors have proved to be haphazard and unstructured in carrying out projects. But even at that, you can only do so much and mainly in the urban areas.

 

However, every piece of space in  a State is on an LGA. This means that it’s easy to cover every inch of space if LGAs are structured and galvanized to work.

 

It may sound so simplistic yet getting the LGAs working is the missing link.

 

In the final analysis, thinking governors like Otti and Mbah will have to set up their LGAs to be effective and devolve more powers to them to deliver deep-reaching development to the people.

 

This is the model that would make sense. This has to be the new Nigerian governance paradigm and we want to see Mbah and Otti lead the way soon.

 

LASTLINE: WHO KILLED BABATUNDE DOLAPO TANIMOLA?

 

Why is the DSS and the police playing the ostrich over the killing of this fellow? Tanimola has been named as the link between the Chief of Staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila and Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, DG of the alleged fictional federal agency, PFIPC.

 

The burning heist, known as Gbaja-Gate, has claimed the life of  Tanimola in a horrid and most brutish manner about eight months ago. Tanimola reportedly died in an Abuja hotel inferno. The remains of the hotel is said to have been pulled down to boot.

 

Tanimola was a well heeled socialite and social climber. The digital space is full of his footprints and images with the who’s who in Nigeria.

 

On account of this alone, the police and DSS should have definitive information on Tanimola right now. Especially as it concerns Gbaja-Gate. It’s a simple and straightforward stuff and Nigerians are  watching this closely.

Enforcement of Shoot On Sight Will Be Monitored – IGP

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Olatunji Disu - IGP
IGP Olatunji Disu

By Ayodele Oni

 

Despite the shoot on sight order for policemen, the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, warned that monitoring teams will be deployed to ensure compliance with Force Order 237 and to investigate any allegations of abuse.

 

“No one is above the law, and no officer will be allowed to act recklessly. But we will no longer fold our arms while our people are slaughtered.”

 

A sweeping shoot-on-sight directive was issued to police officers nationwide, ordering them to neutralise anyone found in possession of illegal firearms as part of a renewed federal push to curb insecurity.

 

The Inspector General of Police, ( IGP), Tunji Disu announced the directive during a high-level stakeholders’ security meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

 

He said the order was in direct response to President Bola Tinubu’s instruction that the wave of killings and armed attacks in Benue “must be brought to an end.”

 

Addressing traditional rulers, community leaders, and security chiefs, the IGP declared that only authorised security personnel are permitted by law to bear firearms.

 

“You cannot move around freely carrying arms as if there is no law and order in this country. It will not be tolerated,” Disu said.

 

He stated: “The era of passive policing is over. We must be proactive to protect lives and property.”

 

He explained that officers have now been fully activated under Force Order 237, the police regulation governing the use of force, which allows them to respond decisively to imminent threats without waiting for approval from superiors.

 

Under the directive, police personnel confronting armed suspects are empowered to use lethal force where there is reasonable belief of danger to officers or civilians.

 

“We have given them instructions. We have a Force Order 237. Police officers have been instructed that they don’t need to wait for any superior order. They know where to deploy their firearms,” Disu explained.

 

“We are tired of losing our men. We are tired of police officers, soldiers, and other members of the security agencies dying anyhow.

They have been instructed to shoot at sight. They have been trained to do what is necessary.”

 

The IGP noted that the new posture is intended to deter armed bandits, kidnappers, and militias who have exploited delays in police response to carry out attacks, particularly in Benue and other Middle Belt states.

 

While announcing tougher enforcement, Disu appealed to citizens to partner security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence.

 

“But we will not succeed without the cooperation of all of you,” he said. “Security is everybody’s business. If you see something, say something. We need information to get ahead of these criminals.”

 

He assured that the police command in Benue would be reinforced with additional personnel, surveillance assets, and rapid response units in the coming days.

 

Benue State has witnessed repeated attacks in 2026 attributed to armed herders and criminal gangs, leaving hundreds dead and communities displaced.

 

President Tinubu last week described the situation as “unacceptable” and directed security agencies to restore order within 30 days.

 

Human rights groups have previously raised concerns over extrajudicial killings, and the IGP’s latest directive is expected to spark debate over rules of engagement and accountability. Disu, however, insisted that all actions would still be within the framework of the law.

Obi Reaffirms One-Term Pledge, Says 4yrs Enough to Transform Nigeria

By
James Orji
-
0
Peter Obi
Mr Peter Obi

The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has reiterated his commitment to serve only one term if elected Nigeria’s president next year.
According to him, four years is enough to transform the country despite its numerous challenges. He argued that Nigeria’s biggest problem is the loss of public confidence in its leadership.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, made the remarks in a recent interview with Vanguard amid reports that he had reached an agreement with his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and the NDC to serve only one four-year term.
The former governor said he has no intention of remaining in office beyond a single term, insisting that four years would be enough to implement the necessary reforms. He pledged to restore security, boost production, stabilize the country, and promote shared prosperity within that period if elected president.
“Yes, you can do a lot in four years. You can change Nigeria in four years. I am committed to serving a single term of four years,” he said.
“Nigeria’s greatest deficit today is the erosion of trust. We must rebuild confidence by showing that a leader’s word matters.”
Obi added: “An agreement to that effect has already been reached, and I stand by it. If necessary, I am prepared to sign further undertakings, including a legally binding affidavit before a competent court affirming my commitment to one term.
“This is bigger than Peter Obi. It is about national healing and unity. It would be a betrayal of trust to seek the support of Nigerians based on such an understanding and later renege on it. Throughout my business career and public life, I have honoured agreements, and I cannot abandon that principle now.
“My objective is not to remain in office indefinitely but to restore security, production, stability, and shared prosperity within the period entrusted to me.”

Kwankwaso Speaks On Obi’s One Term Pledge

“Oh yes, I personally believe him. I don’t think, based on what I now know about him, that he will change his mind when the time comes. We are all gentlemen,

Asked whether the understanding had been documented, Kwankwaso replied that both the party and the two candidates signed separate agreements.

“We have done one for the party, and we have done another one between the two of us,” he said.

Explaining the substance of the agreement, Kwankwaso said it provides for a single four-year tenure for Obi before the presidency returns to the North.

“The agreement is what you said, that for four years, we will work together, team together as a group, party, friends and brothers so that after his term of four years (2027-2031), it comes back to the North. That is the general agreement.”

2027: Tinubu, Atiku Carry ‘Baggages’ Of Corruption

By
James Orji
-
0
Bola Tinubu And Atiku Abubakar

Laolu Akande, a former presidential spokesman says President Bola  Ahmed Tinubu and former vice President Atiku Abubakar are both carrying a baggage of corruption, and that the perception of Nigerians about the two politicians is almost the same.

The former presidential aide said President Tinubu and Abubakar cannot wage a war of attrition on corruption against each other, to gain a political mileage among Nigerians.

Akande, who served as spokesman to former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made the remark on Channels Television programme Sunrise Daily saying the two politicians have long-standing corruption allegations against them, that neither of them can use the issue as a political weapon for the 2027 presidential election in the country.

President Tinubu and Abubakar are contesting the presidency under the banner of the All Progressives Congress, APC and the African Democratic Congress, ADC respectively.

The two presidential candidates have recently engaged in a war of attrition against each other to attract interest from Nigerians ahead next year’s election.

For instance, the camp of the ADC candidate recently filed a petition against President Tinubu at the United States Congress, demanding that it investigates a long-running drug allegation against him.

The Tinubu’s camp, on their part , has cited the $90,000 corruption case involving Abubakar and  former United States Congressman William Jefferson, which led to the conviction of the former US lawmaker as one of the reason why the former Nigeria’s former vice president should not be voted for next year.

 

“When you put Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Atiku up against each other on the questions around corruption, I don’t think it’s going to be helpful to either of them because both of them have sufficient baggages,” Akande said.

1...147148149...3,156Page 148 of 3,156