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Suspected Cultists Kill Two Edo Security Operatives

By
Ayodele Oni
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Gunmen

By Ayodele Oni 

 

Suspected cultists invaded Ewatto Community in Esan South-East Local Government Area of Edo State, killed two security operatives and wounded several others.

 

Report revealed that the rampaging cultists also attacked an Edo State Security Network, (ESSN) base and security personnel in the community, leaving a trail of violence and destruction.

 

The Edo State Police Command explained that the incident began at about 12:20pm when the Command received a distress call over an attack on an ESSN operative, Martins Enahoro, by suspected members of the Aro Bager Confraternity.

 

The attackers were said to include persons popularly known as Gbozia and Gezo, whose surnames were not immediately known.

 

It was gathered that trouble started after two neighbours in the community allegedly disagreed over road construction on a piece of land.

 

One of the neighbours allegedly invited members of his cult group, who subsequently attacked the other party, leading to the violent confrontation.

 

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, who disclosed this in a statement, said preliminary investigation showed that Enahoro, while attempting to defend himself during the confrontation, stabbed one of the attackers, identified as Gbozia.

 

“Martins Enahoro subsequently sustained multiple cut injuries, and both men were rushed to God’s Will Hospital, Ewohimi, where they were confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.

 

“Their remains were deposited at the mortuary pending further investigation.

 

 “Preliminary investigation revealed that during the confrontation, the ESSN personnel Martins Enahoro, while attempting to defend himself, stabbed one of the attackers identified as Gbozia. 

 

“Enahoro subsequently sustained multiple cut injuries and was later confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.

 

“Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the incidents, two of which have confessed to belong to Vikings and Aiye confraternity cults”, ASP Ikoedem said.

 

She said the suspects had been transferred to the Area Command Headquarters for further investigation, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing suspects.

 

Following the incident, the police deployed Police Mobile Force, Squadron 82, as reinforcement to the area.

 

The Command warned that attacks on security personnel were criminal offences and would not be tolerated.

 

CP Daaor reiterated the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and ensuring that anyone found culpable was made to face the law.

Mary Habila’s Family Says She Died Of Cardiac Arrest, Has Been Living With Hole In The Heart

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Mary Habila Burial

By Akinwale Kasali

 

The cause of the death of 26-year old Nurse Mary Habila, who died at the staff quarters at the  country home of  Minister for Works, Dave Umahi, has finally disclosed. Her family has revealed that she died of cardiac arrest which stemmed from a heart issue she had been battling with foe years. The family said she had a hole in the heart.

 

Mary, the family confirmed had been nursing thheart condition caused by a hole in her heart long before her death in June 2026.

 

The late Habila was buried Friday last week in her hometown of Nok, Jaba Local Government Area of Kaduna State after weeks of controversy surrounding the circumstances of her death.

 

The family exonerated the former Ebonyi State Governor of any wrongdoing with regards to the death of its  should daughter.

 

Releasing her biography, the family highlighted the life of the young woman they knew, including her childhood, education, career and the health challenges she faced before her death.

 

According to the brief biography, Habila’s condition became critical despite medical care and the support of her loved ones, before she eventually died.

 

“Mary Habila lived with a heart condition, having been diagnosed with a hole in her heart,” the family stated.

 

“Despite medical care and the prayers and support of her family and loved ones, her condition became critical. She sadly passed away following a cardiac arrest, leaving behind a deep void in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.”

 

According to the family, Habila was born on September 18, 2000, and was from Nok in Jaba Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

 

They described her as a “very sincere, respectful, obedient, loving and jovial person,” saying she was deeply loved by her parents, members of her Church and those around her.

 

She was trained and raised in the Deeper Life Bible Church, where her father is a pastor.

 

As  a child, the family said, she was actively involved in the Church’s children’s choir and later participated in the youth Church.

 

The late Habila professionally worked as a Community Health Extension Worker at Favoured Ground Clinic in Buka Sidi, Lafia, Nasarawa State, before moving to Cherry Hills Pharmacy and Stores in Gwarinpa, Abuja.

 

The family said she later worked as a personal nurse to Minister of Works, David Umahi, after meeting him through her work in Abuja.

2027: APC Denies Withdrawal Of Campaign Council List

By
Ayodele Oni
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APC

By Ayodele Oni

 

The All Progressives Congress,(APC), has affirmed that it stands by the list of its 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, dismissing reports claiming it withdrew the list of describing the reports as “rumours.”

 

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, made the clarification in an interview on Tuesday.

 

“There has been no withdrawal of the campaign council list. Any changes, if and when they occur, will be formally announced by the party through the appropriate channels.”

 

The clarification comes amid speculation on social media that the APC had recalled or cancelled the list ahead of the 2027 general elections.

 

Morka urged party members and the public to disregard the reports and await official communication from the party’s National Secretariat.

 

The Grassroots Mobilization Network (GMN), a pressure group within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), hasmocked APC on the purported withdrawal of the list and called on Nigerians to reject the party in the 2027 general elections.

 

It added that the ruling party’s inability to successfully compile its campaign council list as a reflection of its capacity to govern the country.

 

In a statement, the GMN mocked the President and the APC over what it described as the party’s failure to handle what should ordinarily be a straightforward organisational responsibility.

 

“We are not surprised that the APC failed at a simple task of bringing together those who would be responsible for its campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections,” the group said.

 

 The GMN also alleged that the dissolved list contained individuals facing serious corruption allegations and cases before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), arguing that their inclusion raised questions about the administration’s commitment to fighting corruption.

 

According to the group, “A party that muddles its membership and cannot even successfully put together its campaign council can certainly not deliver on the task of governance.

 

“This is a clear reflection of the failure of the APC in virtually every facet of governance, particularly since 2023.

 

“The inclusion of individuals facing serious corruption allegations and EFCC cases further demonstrates that the President is not genuinely committed to fighting corruption.

 

“Nigerians should therefore look beyond the promises and propaganda of the APC and reject the party at the polls. A party that cannot organise itself cannot be trusted to effectively organise and govern a nation.”

Zenith Bank Calls For Value Addition To Nigeria’s Non-Oil Export @10th Seminar

By
James Orji
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0
Adaora Umeoji - Zenith Bank Female GMD

Zenith Bank Plc hosted the 10th edition of its International Trade Seminar on Non-Oil Export on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, marking a decade of sustained advocacy for the diversification of Nigeria’s economy. The virtual event brought together policymakers, regulators, exporters, manufacturers, investors and development partners from across Africa and beyond, all focused on one question: how Nigeria can earn more from what it sells to the world.

Held under the theme “Unlocking Value and Harnessing Growth”, the seminar examined how Nigeria can move beyond exporting raw commodities to building competitive value chains, strengthening trade infrastructure and financing, and deepening the sector’s contribution to sustainable economic growth.

In her welcome address, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, paid tribute to the Bank’s Founder, Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, whose vision gave birth to the seminar in 2015, and urged participants to turn Nigeria’s improving export numbers into lasting economic value.

In her words: “Our theme, ‘Unlocking Value and Harnessing Growth’, is not just a slogan. It speaks to the opportunities before us and the need to translate our collective efforts into sustainable economic value. According to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Nigeria’s non-oil exports reached a record $6.1 billion in 2025, up 11.5 per cent from the $5.46 billion recorded in 2024, and a remarkable leap from the $612 million recorded a decade earlier. Through our partnership with the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, we have commenced the development of the SMARTAfCFTA portal, and our integration with the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System is making cross-border business easier for our customers. Wherever our exporters need to reach, Zenith Bank will reach with them.”

She commended His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the structural reforms creating a more enabling environment for businesses, and the Central Bank of Nigeria, under Governor Olayemi Cardoso, for reforms that have improved foreign exchange stability and market confidence. “As we build on the progress recorded so far,” she added, “it is important that, as a nation, we accelerate growth by creating more value locally and exporting finished products, rather than just raw materials.”

Delivering the keynote address, the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, MFR, called for deeper trade and investment reforms, a better export environment and wider market access within Africa and beyond. “The question before us now is not simply how to export more, but how to retain more value in Nigeria from everything we export,” she said. “Our focus at the Ministry is straightforward: produce more competitively in Nigeria, process more in Nigeria, connect Nigerian businesses to bigger markets, and ensure that the financing, infrastructure and trade systems exist to help them scale. In July, I assumed the chair of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers, and I see at first hand that the opportunity before us goes beyond the size of the African market of over 1.4 billion people and approximately $3.4 trillion in GDP. It is about enabling Nigerian firms to sell more products, reach more markets and deepen regional value chains. Nigeria’s role as an AfCFTA digital trade co-champion further positions us to help shape how this market evolves, particularly as digital trade creates new pathways for Nigerian businesses to reach customers across the continent.” She urged financial institutions to go beyond financing export transactions to financing export capability, and encouraged Nigerian businesses to prepare for intra-African trade by investing in productivity, quality and skills.

In his presentation, the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA) and immediate past President/Chairman of Afreximbank, Professor Benedict Oramah, GCON, argued that the moment demands new thinking. “The theme chosen for this 10th edition is both apt and timely,” he said. “The global economy is experiencing unprecedented levels of entropy. I do not raise this to alarm us. I raise it because a unique opportunity lies ahead of us that may well pave the way to Africa’s ascendance. The question is no longer whether Africa can attract enough external capital and external demand to power its growth. The question is whether Africa, and Nigeria within it, can build her own internal demand, participate effectively in global supply chains, build the capacity to finance her own trade and industries, and create her own markets.” He commended Zenith Bank and its leadership for advancing Nigeria’s non-oil export agenda over the past decade.

The Founder and Executive Chair of Plot Enterprise Ghana Limited, Mrs Patricia Poku-Diaby, made the case for transformation plainly. “Let us make no mistake: the future of our economy will not be determined simply by what we grow or what we mine, but by what we transform,” she said. “We need to move from being suppliers of raw materials to becoming producers, processors, manufacturers, exporters and owners of strong African brands. Our focus should be on creating more value before our products leave our shores.”

Speaking on the Nigeria-United Kingdom trade relationship, the UK Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Rt. Hon. Florence Eshalomi, MP, represented by Ms Mujina Kaindama, Head of Trade Policy for UK Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, commended the Bank for the platform. “The trade relationship between the United Kingdom and Nigeria is one of immense importance and even greater potential,” she said. “Nigeria is home to extraordinary entrepreneurial talent, innovation and creativity. One of the most promising opportunities lies not simply in increasing exports, but in increasing the value of those exports: moving further up the value chain, processing raw materials, developing branded products and creating higher-value manufactured and agricultural goods. In doing so, Nigerian businesses can unlock greater returns, create jobs and build sustainable economic growth.”

The Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, His Excellency Wamkele Mene, placed the private sector at the centre of the continent’s economic restructuring. “The private sector is at the heart of the fundamental restructuring of Africa’s economy that all of us want to see,” he said, “and the seminar Zenith Bank has convened strikes at the heart of that objective: reducing the reliance of exports on unprocessed commodities and accelerating industrialisation and value addition in Africa. The success of the AfCFTA will ultimately be measured not by how many protocols and legal instruments have been signed, but by the extent to which our private sector can leverage the AfCFTA to access new markets, scale their investment and scale their productive capacity to create jobs across the continent.”

The seminar featured two panel sessions. The public sector panel brought together Mr Abubakar Bello, Managing Director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), represented by Mr Hope Nyongo, Technical Adviser; Mr Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service; Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director/CEO of the Nigerian Ports Authority, represented by Mr Adebowale Lawal, Ports Manager, Lagos Ports Complex; Ms Aderinola Shonekan, Director, Trade and Exchange Department, Central Bank of Nigeria; Mrs Nonye Ayeni, Executive Director/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council; and Mr Adekunle Ajai, General Manager, Neroli Technologies. The panellists committed to improving trade facilitation, customs efficiency, logistics reform, trade advocacy and exporters’ access to funding.

The private sector panel featured Alhaji Adeniji Adeyemi, MD/CEO of Starlink Global & Ideal Limited; Alhaji Sada Ladan-Baki, Group Executive Director, International Trade and Export, Dangote Group; Mr Bamidele Ayemibo, Senior Consultant, 3T Impex Trade Centre; Mr Mobolaji Salako, Managing Director, Terra Aqua Environmental Consultancy Nigeria Limited; Mr Ramzi Taher, Managing Director, RMM Global Company Limited; Mrs Oluyemisi Iranloye, Founder/Managing Director, Psaltry International; and Chief (Mrs) Chinwe Ezenwa, MD/CEO, Lelook Nigeria Limited. Their discussions centred on trade barriers, value creation and addition, competitiveness, product certification, market intelligence and the structured financing needed to scale non-oil exports.

The Zenith Bank International Trade Seminar on Non-Oil Export was launched in 2015 to drive dialogue and action around Nigeria’s non-oil export potential. Ten years on, the Bank continues to champion the sector’s growth by opening up market opportunities and backing exporters with financing, incentives and practical support.

The 2026 edition streamed live on Zoom, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok, drawing thousands of participants from 97 countries. The tenth edition closed the way the first began a decade ago: with a commitment to give Nigerian businesses the tools, partnerships and capital they need to compete in regional and global markets.

Legendary Musician, Dolly Parton Dies At 80

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Dolly Parton

By Akinwale Kasali

 

Dolly Parton, Legendary Country Singer has died at the age of 80.

 

Her team announced her demise via a statement this Tuesday evening, August 25, 2026, which reads; “Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience”.

 

The late country musician sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and wrote over 3,000 songs in a career that spanned six decades.

 

She died just a year after her husband, Carl Dean passed on.

 

The singer was famously private about her personal life, but last year she announced that her husband Carl Dean, who was rarely seen with her in public, had died aged 82.

 

Describing her long marriage, she said they spent “many wonderful years” they spent together, adding: “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years.”

 

The 9-5 singer met Dean outside a laundromat on the first day she arrived in Nashville as an 18-year-old aspiring singer, and two years later they were married, in 1966.

 

They did not have children, but shared a large and close-knit extended family.

 

Parton’s most famous songs include “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” and “9 to 5”.

Atiku’s Fuel Subsidy Promise Could Discourage Investors, Lead To Fuel Scarcity- Think Tank

By
James Orji
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0
Atiku Abubakar
Atiku Abubakar

The promise by former Vice President and presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar to restore fuel subsidy has triggered a fresh warning from the Independent Media and Policy Initiative, IMPI, which says the proposal could send a chilling message to international investors and undermine confidence in Nigeria’s economic direction.

In a strongly worded policy statement released in Abuja on August 25, 2026, IMPI said Atiku’s subsidy proposal could reinforce perceptions of Nigeria as a difficult and unpredictable investment destination.

The statement, issued by the think tank’s chairman, Dr. Omoniyi Akinsiju, was titled “Atiku’s Fuel Subsidy Restoration Campaign Promise Fails Litmus Test of Practicability and Sustainability.”

Atiku’s proposed Economic Recovery Plan (AERP), according to Akinsiju, seeks to move government support away from fuel importation and towards domestic refining.

Under the proposed model, eligible public and private refineries would receive crude oil from Nigeria at discounted prices. The refineries, in turn, would be required to pass the savings on to consumers through lower petrol prices.

On the surface, the arrangement appears designed to achieve two objectives simultaneously: strengthen domestic refining and provide relief to consumers struggling with high fuel prices.

But IMPI believes the model could create a new set of economic complications.

Akinsiju described it as a convoluted arrangement that could compel NNPC Limited and private refineries to operate under politically determined pricing formulas, potentially conflicting with the market-oriented framework established by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

For IMPI, the bigger concern goes beyond the price of petrol.

Akinsiju argued that frequent changes in government policy could make international investors question the reliability of Nigeria’s regulatory environment.

“Atiku’s proposal also sends signals to global markets that Nigeria lacks regulatory predictability.”

He warned that a return to price regulation could discourage international capital, stall public-private partnerships and complicate efforts to finance major infrastructure projects.

In his view, the issue is not simply whether Nigerians should pay less for petrol, but whether the country can provide investors with a stable and predictable policy environment.

 

IMPI also challenged the argument that subsidy necessarily makes fuel cheaper for the Nigerian economy.

Akinsiju described subsidy as a “fiscal illusion”, arguing that it does not eliminate the cost of petrol but merely transfers the burden from consumers at the pump to government finances.

He also described subsidies as regressive because higher-income households with several vehicles generally consume more petrol than poorer Nigerians, many of whom depend on public transportation.

Thus, according to the think tank, government resources devoted to keeping petrol prices artificially low could end up benefiting wealthier consumers disproportionately.

 

Akinsiju recalled Nigeria’s history of deducting subsidy costs directly from oil revenues before funds reached the Federation Account.

He argued that the practice deprived states and local governments of resources needed for development and contributed to the country’s infrastructure deficit.

He believes Atiku’s proposed system could recreate the same problem in a different form.

Rather than paying a conventional cash subsidy, the government would provide crude to refineries at discounted prices. IMPI sees this as a hidden revenue deduction because the government would effectively surrender part of the value of its crude before the proceeds enter the Federation Account.

The consequences, Akinsiju warned, could be felt in communities across the country through reduced funding for rural roads, primary healthcare, water projects and other essential infrastructure.

 

IMPI further warned that regulated petrol prices could produce unintended consequences, particularly in rural areas.

According to the think tank, price caps could reduce the incentive for marketers to transport petrol to remote locations where distribution costs are higher.

The result, it argued, could be a familiar pattern: petrol flowing to major cities while filling stations in smaller communities struggle to maintain supplies.

Akinsiju warned that such shortages could revive black-market fuel trading, forcing motorists and agricultural transporters in remote areas to pay significantly higher prices for petrol.

He projected that transport fares could rise by as much as 40 per cent above current deregulated market rates, with the additional costs eventually feeding into food prices and squeezing farmers’ profits.

2027 Presidency: Atiku Won’t Attend Debate Without Tinubu

By
James Orji
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0
Atiku Abubakar and Bola Tinubu

Presidential hopeful Atiku Abubakar has declared that he will not participate in any presidential debate unless President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also attends.

He said he had discovered that recent debates were designed to pit opposition parties against one another, describing the development as fundamentally wrong. According to him, the incumbent President should also be invited to participate in such debates.

The ADC candidate has, therefore, challenged Tinubu to an open debate, “which will provide an opportunity for both the ruling party and the opposition parties to address Nigerians on their policies,” ahead of next year’s election.

Abubakar, who is also the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the remark in a statement issued by his media aide, Kenneth Okonkwo, on Tuesday, amid the ongoing debates organised for political parties ahead of the 2027 general election.

One such debate was organised on Monday by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during its annual conference, where presidential candidates of some political parties clashed over what they would do for Nigerians if elected into office next year.

Tinubu and Abubakar were not among those who attended the debate, even as the magazine has yet to confirm whether they were invited or not.

According to Okonkwo, the situation in which Tinubu refused to attend presidential debates while opposition candidates are set against one another is unacceptable. If the development persists, he said, Abubakar will not attend future debates.

“The situation in Nigeria today, in which presidential debates are organised among the opposition parties only, is therefore untenable. This has become a strategy that the failed, incompetent and corrupt APC government under Tinubu has been using to further instigate the opposition to attack each other while shielding itself from scrutiny by the Nigerian people,” Okonkwo said.

He added that Abubakar, as the leader of the opposition in the country, had now decided to make his attendance conditional on Tinubu’s participation in such debates.

He stressed that Abubakar would rather engage Nigerians through press conferences, town-hall meetings, interviews and other platforms to explain what he would do if elected into office.
“HE Atiku Abubakar, as the leader of the coalition of opposition parties and leaders, is left with no other choice than to make his appearance in any presidential debates conditional on the participation of President Bola Tinubu and the APC.

“There is no hiding place for APC in 2027.
“HE Atiku Abubakar is willing to engage the Nigerian people through interviews, town-hall meetings, press conferences, and any other forum of interaction with the people, but will not participate in any arrangement that will pit the opposition against itself and give undue advantage to APC,” the statement read.

FG Orders Emergency Repairs On Deplorable Highways: Benin-Asaba; Ekiti-Kogi To Benefit

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Oghara–Sapele Road

By Ayodele Oni

 

Relief is underway for road users as President Bola Tinubu ordered the immediate restoration of movement for motorists and commuters facing severe hardship on highways.

 

To this end, the Federal Government has launched an emergency intervention on some of Nigeria’s most troubled road corridors.

 

Some lawyers traveling to Rivers state for NBA conference and other travelers had got stucked in a traffic for two days along Oghara–Sapele Road in Delta State, due to an obstruction caused by two trucks.

 

Also in Ekiti, there has been a long traffic gridlock along Ifaki- Ikole highway since Friday following deplorable condition of the road.

 

The directive has prompted the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, to mobilise emergency teams to the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road and the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti corridor, where worsening road conditions have reportedly left motorists stranded for hours and, in some cases, days.

 

Francis Nwaze, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister, (Media) said in a statement on Tuesday that Umahi confirmed that President Tinubu had directed the Ministry of Works to take urgent corrective action to restore movement as quickly as possible.

 

“President Tinubu, has directed the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently intervene and ensure that necessary corrective actions are taken to restore movement on the affected roads as quickly as possible,” Umahi said.

 

“In response to the presidential directive, the Minister has activated an emergency response plan, directing the Minister of State for Works to lead ministry officials to the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti axis to assess the situation and commence immediate remedial works.

 

“As of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, ministry officials were already on the ground in Ekiti and Kogi States to begin the intervention. But the Benin-Agbor-Asaba corridor has also received urgent attention.

 

“Umahi personally travelled to Benin, Edo State, alongside members of the National Assembly Works Committee to begin a coordinated response to the crisis on the strategic road linking Edo and Delta States.

 

“The meeting is expected to involve representatives of the Edo and Delta State Governments, as well as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), in a bid to find immediate solutions to the worsening situation.”

 

The Works Minister also accepted responsibility for the situation and apologised to commuters who have suffered prolonged delays and been stranded on the affected routes.

 

He assured Nigerians that the government’s intervention would not stop at temporary relief.

 

According to him, emergency measures are being pursued alongside permanent solutions aimed at restoring the roads and improving their long-term reliability.

Niger Mass Abduction: Tinubu Orders Immediate Rescue Operation 

By
James Orji
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0
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, and all relevant security and intelligence agencies to launch a coordinated rescue operation immediately for the victims of the recent mass abduction in Niger State.
Tinubu issued the order in a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy saying the abductors will not go scot-free, assuring the victims that they are not alone, as the government will do everything to rescue and reunite them with their families.
The president also expressed outrage over the abduction and killing of innocent citizens by criminal elements in the state, saying his administration will do all in its powers to defend Nigerians from terrorists, adding that “terror” will not be allowed to win.
“Those who carried out this cowardly attack on defenceless Nigerians are enemies of peace and enemies of humanity, who will not go scot-free.
“ I extend my deepest condolences to the families of those who were killed in this barbaric assault and pray that Almighty God grant them eternal rest, and grant their loved ones the fortitude to bear this painful loss.
“You are not alone. The entire nation shares your anguish. We will not rest until your sons, daughters, mothers and fathers are brought back safely to you.
The President directed the Service Chiefs to give him regular briefings on the progress of the rescue operation until all those abducted are accounted for.
“Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities, and uphold the sanctity of human life.
“My prayers are with the people of Niger State at this difficult time. The Federal Government stands firmly with the State Government and will provide all necessary support to aid recovery, relief, and security reinforcement.”
The magazine had reported gunmen seized  numerous worshippers during Friday prayers at a mosque in Dekera village (Borgu Local Government Area, the  violent raids also resulted in dozens of deaths, including 42 villagers killed during an assault on the Kasuwan Daji community/market area.
The terrorists later released the video of the abductees, which has now gone viral, drawing serious outrage from not a few Nigerians.

Former Vice President Denies Involvement In Drug Trafficking, Says Accusations Troubling

By
Adesina Soyooye
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0
Jewel Howard-Taylor

By Adesina Soyooye

 

Mrs Jewel Howard-Taylor, a former Vice President of Liberia, has strongly denied accusations of drug trafficking and other sundry issues leveled against her by her Government.

 

The very serious allegations were reeled out by the Liberian Attorney General.

 

The suspect, who was also Liberia’s former First Lady, was intercepted at the Airport on her way to Accra, Ghana, where she was billed to deliver a key note address to an international audience.

She was, thereafter, taken to Police Headquarters where she was detained.

 

But in a statement issued issued by her office, Mrs Howard-Taylor described what happened to her as “deeply troubling and raises serious questions about how state power is being used in Liberia today”. She, also, dismissed the allegations as baseless, unfounded and with no merit.

 

The former Vice President  under former President George Weah, said she would defend herself with every breath, and will never accept even one word contained in the allegations leveled against her. Not only are the allegations beneath content, she implied, she said the show how low the Liberian Government could go to misuse state powers.

 

The full text  of the statement reads:

 

“The Office of former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor categorically rejects and denies, in the strongest possible terms, all charges read against Her Excellency by the Minister of Justice in which she was accused of drug trafficking and other related offences. These allegations are baseless, unfounded, and without merit, and Her Excellency will not accept a single word of them.

 

“What happened to Her Excellency on August 19 is deeply troubling and raises serious questions about how state power is being used in Liberia today.

 

“She was stopped from leaving Roberts International Airport en route to deliver a keynote address in Accra, Ghana — with no prior notice that she was under investigation and no summons for questioning.

 

“The Office subsequently learned that authorities were attempting to connect her to individuals allegedly under investigation for transnational criminal activity, based solely on official engagements carried out during her tenure as Vice President.

 

“Let us be absolutely clear that contacts and engagemements carried out in the course of executing her official duties are not evidence of participation in anyone’s alleged crimes.

 

“Former Vice President Howard-Taylor did not participate in, facilitate, finance, conceal, or knowingly associate herself with any drug-trafficking operation or criminal network, and she categorically rejects any suggestion to the contrary.

 

“Equally disturbing is how this matter has unfolded.

Her Excellency made clear at the airport that she was prepared to voluntarily report to Police Headquarters with her lawyers. Yet while traveling to meet her legal team, her vehicle was intercepted on the Congo Town Back-road and she was escorted to police headquarters, where she was charged in the presence of her lawyers. This is not how a former Vice President who has expressed her full willingness to cooperate should have been treated.

 

“The Office has also been made aware of plans by elements within the government to doctor and create audio and visual recordings, using artificial intelligence, to generate fabricated evidence against Her Excellency.

 

“This is an extremely serious and alarming development. It speaks to the lengths to which state actors may be prepared to go to construct a false narrative, and any such manufactured material will be met with independent forensic scrutiny.

 

“Her Excellency will not be intimidated, bullied into accepting guilt by association, or used to let legitimate law-enforcement concerns be turned into a political weapon. The timing, manner, and circumstances of this case raise serious questions about whether this is an honest pursuit of justice or a political campaign to discredit and silence a former Vice President.

 

“She considers it a politically motivated witch-hunt and an abuse of state power — and the Liberian people deserve to know whether state institutions are being used impartially.

 

“Let there be no mistake about her response: she will fight this through the law, confront every allegation, and defend her name, record, and integrity. She remains confident the truth will prevail, and welcomes a fair, transparent investigation based on evidence — not insinuation, political pressure, or manufactured narratives.

 

“We call on the Government to respect the rule of law and due process, and to let the courts — not political interests — determine the facts. We call on the Liberian people to remain calm: calm does not mean silence, and respect for the law does not mean surrendering the right to demand justice. Let the Government present its evidence. Let the courts do their work. Let the truth be tested in the open.

 

“Her Excellency Jewel Howard-Taylor has served Liberia at the highest levels of government. She has nothing to hide and will not run from the law – but neither will she allow her name to be dragged through the mud for political purposes.

 

“She will stand. She will fight. And she will defend the truth.

Further verified information will be released as appropriate.”

 

The former Vice President was married to a former Liberian President, the brutal Charles Taylor from whom is divorced. Taylor is serving a long jail sentence in a United Kingdom prison imposed on him by the International Criminal Court for the atrocities he committed when he was a warlord, and later, President. He was once granted asylum by the Nigerian Government.

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