Home Blog Page 6

2027: Gombe Gov Targets One Million Votes For Tinubu

By
James Orji
-
0
Governor Muhammad Yahaya Inuwa of Gombe State

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has called on the aggrieved members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the state to close ranks, saying this will enable the party deliver the state for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2027 election.

The state helmsman said the party’s targeting 0ne million votes for Tinubu, and this will only be possible if the members of the party are able to forge a united front ahead next year’s general election in the country.

According to the governor, who spoke while inaugurating the APC Reconciliation Committee in the state,  saddled with the responsibility to resolve grievances arising from the party’s congresses and primary elections, the aggrieved members should leave the past behind them, forge a united front with other stakeholders, in the overall interest of the party head the election.

If this is done, the governor said, the party will emerge victory in the state, by wining all the seats in the state House of Assembly, National Assembly, including the presidency for Tinubu, saying the party’s target is to secure “one million” to  return Tinubu to Aso Rock.

“I am confident that if we remain united, the APC will deliver one million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Gombe State. We will also retain all 24 seats in the State House of Assembly and win the state’s three Senate seats as well as all six seats in the House of Representatives,” Governor Yahaya said.

ADC: Court Strikes Out Suit Challenging Atiku As Presidential Candidate

By
James Orji
-
0

The Federal High Court in Abuja has  struck out a pre-election dispute suit filed by the former governor of Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi, against former vice president Atiku Abubakar, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports.

According to the agency report, the court took the decision after the former governor withdrew the suit earlier filed by his lawyers on his behalf.

Recall that Amaechi had file the suit challenging Abubakar’s emergence as the presidential flag-bearer of the African Democratic Congress, ADC for the 2027 election.

The former Minister of Transport in the suit, also prayed the court for an order setting aside the presidential primary election of May 25 that produced Abubakar as ADC candidate.

He told the court that the election was conducted in breach of Section 77(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2026; the ADC’s Constitution, 2026; and Sections 2, 2.1 and 2.2 of ADC’s Guidelines for the conduct of primary elections for the nomination of candidates for the 2027 general elections.

In his ruling, Jutsice Joyce Abdulmalik, said he decided to strike out the suit after Amaechi’s lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, moved a motion for the case to be withdrawn.

The magazine reports that the ADC presidential candidate has since picked the former governor as his ruing mate for next year’s election, a move analyst insist may have prompted Amaechi to withdraw the suit.

Uzodimma Lauds Tinubu’s Reforms, Urges Media Support

By
The Source
-
0
Governor Hope Uzodimma
Senator Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo State

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has commended President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, inviting the media to be part of efforts towards national development, by sustaining objective reportage of government programmes.

 

He spoke weekend while hosting members of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors Media Team, who were on a tour of the State, to a dinner at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Owerri.

 

The Governor likened Nigeria’s current transition to the biblical journey of the Israelites from Egypt, noting that meaningful reforms often require patience, perseverance and gratitude.

 

Uzodimma said President Tinubu assumed office in 2023 with a clear vision anchored on the All Progressives Congress (APC)  manifesto, stressing that the media remains indispensable to the success of democracy. “Nothing works effectively if the media are against it,” he said.

 

He likened President Tinubu’s ongoing reforms that are helping to transform different sectors of the Nigerian socioeconomic and political sectors to what happened in Singapore years back, under their leader, Lee Kuan Yew.

 

Highlighting achievements of his administration, the Governor said Imo State’s internally generated revenue has grown significantly while public debt has continued to decline.

 

He noted that the current situation was brought about, partly by the strategic and intentional reforms and collaboration between Imo State and the Federal government, and by the increase in the federal allocation to the State.

 

Uzodimma also cited major improvements in road and other infrastructure, reduction in travel time across the State, and ongoing investments in electricity generation and distribution.

 

The Governor was unequivocal that Imo  under his watch is an APC State, noting, “What we have here in Imo is one Party State.”

 

Uzodimma expressed appreciation to the media team for their support, and urged Nigerians to remain hopeful and committed to the Country’s progress, assuring that the dividends of ongoing reforms would become increasingly evident.

 

Leader of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors Media Team, Sunday Dare, commended Governor Uzodimma for what he described as “remarkable infrastructural development and visionary leadership.”

 

Dare said the team’s inspection of projects across the State revealed significant progress in road infrastructure, healthcare, energy, urban renewal and the digital economy.

 

“What I’ve seen in Imo is amazing. We have seen happiness boldly written on the faces of the people,” he said, noting that “the State’s investment in roads, healthcare and gas utilisation reflected a deliberate effort to improve residents’ welfare.”

 

Dare described the Imo Digital City as “the icing on the cake” of the Governor’s infrastructure drive, saying it demonstrates foresight in preparing young people for the digital economy.

 

He added that the projects the team saw in Imo “align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” and praised Uzodimma for providing leadership that has transformed the State and inspired confidence in governance.

 

Editor of Vanguard Newspaper (Northern Region), Soni Daniel who spoke on behalf of the journalists expressed delight at what he termed “the sagacity of Governor Uzodimma” and  commended the Imo State Government for what he described as “remarkable infrastructure and development initiatives after touring projects across the State.”

 

He said road development had received priority attention, while also praising investments in education, healthcare, digital innovation and gas utilisation.

 

“What we have seen in Imo is amazing,” Daniel said, adding that “the administration came with a vision to arrest stagnation and take the development of Imo to the highest level.”

Kidnap Of OriirePupils, Teachers: FG Charges Three To Court

By
Adesina Soyooye
-
0
Oyo Kidnappers

By Adesina Soyooye 

 

Three of the alleged Kidnappers of the Oriire school children and teachers, have been charged to Court by the Federal Government.

 

Both the Presidency and Security Agencies, in their separate briefings and updates had said that eight of the kidnappers were arrested while an undisclosed number were neutrallsed during the operations.

 

Later, however, it was reported that five out of the arrested eight had died due to severe injuries  while three remain alive. Apparently, it is the three that have now been charged.

 

Those charged are Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a. Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (a.k.a. Yunusa bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (a.k.a. Abu Itisar). The three are all from Suleja,  Niger State, Nigeria.

 

The 10-count charge preferred against them by the Federal Government before an Abuja Federal High Court are wrapped around terrorism, kidnapping, concealment, incitement and illegal mining.

 

According to the Court filings, the three, between January and May 2026,  allegedly, conspired with one Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab, to kidnap school children and teachers in Oyo State. This offence is  contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

 

They are also charged with allegedly aiding the kidnap of the school children and teachers, and concealed information of the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds despite knowledge of the plot, offences said to contravene Sections 26(2) and 16(1) of the Act respectively.

 

In the charge sheet, the three were also alleged to have on, or about 2nd June 2026, professed  membership of Darul Salam, an affiliate of Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria. This, the charge said, is contrary to Section 25(1) of the Act.

 

The first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, in seperate counts, is pointedly accused of providing training and instructions to terrorists and inciting members to commit acts of terrorism through a *WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace.”* These offences  contravene Sections 15 and 2(2)(g) of the Terrorism Act as well as Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

 

The tenth count alleged that Umar engaged in unlawful gold mining at streams within Chaza area of Suleja LGA between 2024 and 2026, contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

 

The charges read as follows:

 

“COUNT 1

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), YUNUSA MUSA (A.K.A YUNUSA BIN MUSA) and SHAMSU ADAMU SANI (A.K.A ABU ITISAR), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January- May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed an offence when you conspired with Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab to kidnap school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

 

COUNT 2

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID).

YUNUSA MUSA (A.K.A YUNUSA BIN MUSA) and_SHAMSU ADAMU SANI (A.K.A ABU ITISAR), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed an offence when you aided Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab in the kidnap of school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 26(3) of the Act.

 

 

COUNT 3

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID).

YUNUSA MUSA (A.K.A YUNUSA BIN MUSA) and_SHAMSU ADAMU SANI (A.K.A ABU ITISAR), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed an offence when you aided Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab in the kidnap of school children and teachers in Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 26(3) of the Act.

 

COUNT 4

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ ABU KHALID).

YUNUSA MUSA (A.K.A YUNUSA BIN MUSA) and_SHAMSU ADAMU SANI (A.K.A ABU ITISAR), adults, all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence to wit: concealment in that you had information about Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab as terrorists who are masterminds of the kidnap of school children and teachers of Oriire LGA of Oyo State but failed to report same to the relevant security operatives. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

 

COUNT 5

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), YUNUSA MUSA (A.K.A YUNUSA BIN MUSA) and_SHAMSU ADAMU SANT (A.K.A ABU ITISAR), adults, all of Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between January-May, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence to wit: concealment in that you had information about the kidnap of school children and teachers of Orire LGA of Oyo State by Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab but failed to report same to the relevant security operatives to facilitate their apprehension. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

 

COUNT 6

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), YUNUSA MUSA (A.K.A YUNUSA BIN MUSA) and SHAMSU ADAMU SANI (A.K.A ABU ITISAR), adults all of Suleja LGA, Niger State_on or about the 2nd June, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence to wit: membership when you professed to be members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of Jamaatu Asarul Muslima Fi Bilandis Sudan (Ansaru) a proscribed terrorist group in Nigeria. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

 

COUNT 7

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State_on or about July, 2026 at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence in that you provided training and instructions to terrorists via your whatsapp group tited “The oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace”. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

 

COUNT 8

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State on or about July at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence in that you provided training and instructions to terrorists via your whatsapp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace”. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2(2)(g) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

 

COUNT 9

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State_on or about July at Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence when you incited your members on your whatsapp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace” through your preachings to commit acts of terrorism. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

 

COUNT 10

That you ABDULRAZAK UMAR (A.K.A ABU KHALIFA/ABU KHALID), Male, adult of Sandako, Suleja LGA, Niger State sometime between 2024-2026 at Chaza Area, Suleja LGA, Niger State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence in that you engaged in mining of Gold at streams in Chaza area, Suleja LGA, Niger State without lawful authority. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, LN 2004 and punishable under the same Section of the Act”.

 

It is not known, however, if the three being charged were arrested on July 10 when the victims regained  freedom, or arrested before then – in the process of trailing the kidnappers.

 

The Oyo school children and their teachers were abducted from their schools on May 15, 2026. Three of the teachers lost their lives – one within the  school premises on the day of abduction, and two, gruesomely murdered while in captivity.

League Of Kano Veteran Journalists To Promote Professionalism, Members’ Welfare – Mahmud

By
The Source
-
0
League of Kano Journalists

By Lamara Garba Azare

 

NUJ pledges support, partnership

 

The League of Kano Veteran Journalists (LKVJ) has been established to promote professionalism, safeguard the integrity of journalism, enhance the welfare of veteran media practitioners and provide mentorship for the next generation of journalists.

 

Registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in June 2026, the League brings together seasoned journalists with between 25 and 30 years of professional experience who are committed to contributing their knowledge, experience and expertise to the advancement of journalism in Kano State and Nigeria.

 

As part of efforts to foster collaboration with key stakeholders in the media industry, the leadership of the League on Friday, 17th July, 2026, paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kano State Council, to formally intimate the Union about its establishment and seek its partnership in advancing the ideals of the profession.

 

Speaking during the visit, the Interim Chairman of the League, Alhaji Aminu Mahmoud, said the organisation was founded by accomplished journalists determined to preserve the noble values of the profession while promoting the welfare, dignity and relevance of veteran journalists in society.

 

He disclosed that the League of Kano Veteran Journalists was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in June 2026, making it a legally recognised organisation with a clear constitutional framework and well defined objectives.

 

According to him, the League’s Board of Trustees is Co-chaired by former National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Malam Sani Zorro and one time Deputy National President of the NUJ, Malam Nasir Zahraddeen, while a former National Vice President of the NUJ, Zone A, Abdulkadir Ahmed Ibrahim Kwakwatawa, is the Board’s Secretary.

 

Mahmoud added that the Interim Management Committee would soon be inaugurated to oversee the affairs of the League. Besides himself as Interim Chairman, the interim leadership comprises Lamara Garba Azare as Vice Chairman I, Amina Mohammed Usman as Vice Chairperson II, Abdullahi Datti Abdullahi as Secretary, Nasir Yusuf Gwadabe as Communications Officer, while Adamu Abubakar Gammo,   Abdullahi Yusuf Malam, Halima Ben Umar are other executives of the League.

 

He noted that similar associations already exist in several states, particularly in the South West, adding that Kano now joins Kwara and Plateau as one of the few northern states with such a body of veteran journalists.

 

Describing the NUJ as the League’s most important partner, Mahmoud said the founders maintained close consultations with the National Secretariat of the NUJ throughout the process leading to the establishment of the organisation.

 

He explained that the League has a well defined constitution and objectives centred on improving members’ welfare and healthcare, restoring the dignity and relevance of veteran journalists, promoting cooperation among members and creating opportunities to mentor and guide younger journalists.

 

The Interim Chairman further stated that the League would be studying emerging issues affecting journalism and make meaningful contributions to economic, political and social discourse as a body of experienced professionals. He added that the organisation also intends to intervene, whenever necessary, in disputes involving the media and government, the media and the public, as well as between the media and regulatory bodies.

 

Mahmoud appealed to the NUJ Kano State Council to work closely with the League in promoting ethical journalism, defending press freedom and collectively sanitising the journalism profession in Kano State.

 

Responding, the Chairman of the NUJ Kano State Council, Comrade Sulaiman Abdullahi Dederi, congratulated the veteran journalists on the successful establishment of the League and described the initiative as a welcome development for the journalism profession.

 

He said the wealth of experience and institutional memory possessed by veteran journalists would be invaluable in mentoring younger practitioners, promoting ethical standards and strengthening professionalism within the media industry.

 

The NUJ Chairman who was represented by Vice Chairman of the Council Comrade Mustapha Muhammad assured the League of the Council’s readiness to collaborate in pursuing shared objectives, particularly in the areas of capacity building, professional development, members’ welfare and the promotion of responsible journalism.

 

Dederi expressed confidence that the cordial relationship between the two organisations would contribute significantly to preserving the integrity of the profession and advancing the collective interests of journalists in Kano State.

 

The visit ended with both organisations reaffirming their commitment to fostering closer cooperation in promoting ethical journalism, protecting the image of the profession and ensuring that the experience and wisdom of veteran journalists continue to serve the public good.

The NUJ National Trustee Comrade Abbas Ibrahim and Salisu Ibrahim Fagge are among the founding members of the League.

NBA Election Flops As Voting Portal Collapses

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
NBA

By Ayodele Oni

 

Lawyers are angry, disappointed over the botched election into offices of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), following he early hours of Saturday morning collapse of the online voting portal. This led to abrupt end of voting.

 

The presidential election collapsed — hours after voting began — sparking outrage and fresh calls for NBA President Afam Osigwe, SAN, to resign.

 

Three lawyers were in the race: Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, and Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsanya. None got to cast a vote.

 

A group within the NBA, Advocate for Rule of Law & Credibility, did not mince words. “At 12:35am, the Nigerian Bar Association’s election did not just fail. It collapsed in full public disgrace,” the group said.

 

“After weeks of preparation, millions spent, and endless assurances, what we got was chaos. Members kept vigil all night only to be met with a broken portal and deafening silence.”

 

The group listed what it called a catalogue of failure:

 

*Server boot failure:

 

At 12:35am the portal was still loading. The system was not ready, Navigation errors: those who logged in were blocked by error messages. the code refused to populate.

 

“Missing candidates:

 

Photos of two presidential aspirants were missing from the ballot, Misspelled names: candidate names were misspelled — “a direct assault on dignity.” and Abrupt shutdown: without notice, the server went off. No extension. No update. No reason.

 

“This is not a ‘technical glitch.’ This is leadership failure,” the group declared.

 

It accused the Electoral Committee of the NBA, ECNBA, of hypocrisy.

 

It queried: “How can you preach transparency to INEC and the world, then run an election where servers crash, pictures vanish, names are misspelled, and the process dies at midnight with zero accountability?

 

“What message does this send? That the Bar, the conscience of the nation, cannot manage its own affairs? Lawyers stayed awake and were humiliated. That is disrespect to the entire profession.”

 

“You Must Resign Immediately”—

The group demanded Osigwe’s immediate resignation.

 

“Mr. President, leadership means taking responsibility. Under your watch, the NBA election failed on every metric: technology, logistics, accuracy, and communication. For the sake of the integrity of the Bar, you must resign immediately.

 

“Nigerian lawyers deserve a credible, verifiable election. We will not accept a flawed process. We will not accept silence.”

 

An Akure-based lawyer, Dr. Olusegun  Akeredolu, stated that “The unfortunate events have exposed serious technological glitches, procedural irregularities, and glaring inequities that have eroded confidence in the process,” he said.

 

He called for immediate postponement of the election, disbandment of the current ECNBA and appointment of a “fresh, credible, independent and competent committee” as well as an unreserved apology from the NBA President “for the avoidable embarrassment and loss of confidence”

 

“The Nigerian Bar must always exemplify the rule of law, accountability, and institutional integrity,” Akeredolu added.

Allow My Husband’s Case Take Due Legal Process, El Rufai’ s Wife, Asia

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Nasir El-Rufai in Court

By Ayodele Oni

 

As former Kaduna state Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai spends 150 days in detention over alleged corruption charges, his wife, Asia Ahmad El-Rufai, a lawyer, has opined that his predicament is political.

 

According to Asia, her husband’s disagreement with President Bola Tinubu’s administration and his departure from the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) should not justify what she described as prolonged persecution.

 

“My husband’s case has become a test of that distinction. His political rupture with President Bola Tinubu’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and his refusal to surrender his independent voice should not make him a target for indefinite punishment or detention disguised as prosecution.”

 

She appealed to the international community to intervene over what she described as her husband’s prolonged detention.

 

She argued that his continued incarceration represents “punishment before trial” and poses a threat to Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

 

In a public statement issued to mark what she described as the 150th day of El-Rufai’s detention and published on the African Report, Asia said she was speaking “not as a politician, lawyer or diplomat, but as a wife, a mother and a Nigerian woman asking that the country my husband served for so many years remember its own conscience.”

 

Reflecting on the length of her husband’s detention, she wrote: “On the 150th day of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s detention, I ask readers outside Nigeria to pause over what that number means.

 

One hundred and fifty days is not a legal phrase. It is five months of missed meals, missed prayers, missed proper mourning of his deceased mother, missed family conversations, interrupted medical care and moments we can never recover.”

 

She acknowledged that her husband had long been a controversial political figure, having served as head of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Governor of Kaduna State.

 

She also criticised what she described as the complexity of the legal proceedings against El-Rufai.

 

“The legal architecture surrounding him is bewildering even to trained observers: multiple charges in different courts, overlapping allegations, shifting statutory theories and duplicated claims arising from the same alleged events.

 

“If one application for bail is made and the conditions are met, another accusation can be filed the next day. If one judge must consider freedom, another process can be used to delay it.

 

“This is how judicial procedure becomes premeditated punishment. This is how we have arrived at 150 days of unjust detention.”

 

Asia argued that the treatment was not limited to her husband, citing the cases of Joel Adoga, Jimi Lawal and Professor Abubakar Bello.

 

She said Joel Adoga, whom she described as a former public servant and family breadwinner, had endured prolonged detention, including a month in solitary confinement, while Jimi Lawal had reportedly suffered severe health deterioration during custody.

 

She also referred to “the 7 July arrest and detention of Professor Abubakar Bello, Mallam’s personal physician, with similar impossible bail conditions.”

 

“These men are beloved family members and Nigerian citizens. These men are not case files. Their families are not collateral damage to be ignored in the pursuit of a political vendetta,” she said.

 

Appealing to Nigeria’s diplomatic and development partners, Asia urged foreign governments, multilateral organisations and international human rights groups not to ignore the situation.

 

“This is why I am appealing to Nigeria’s diplomatic and development partners: do not look away.

 

‘Those who invest in Nigeria’s democracy, security cooperation, anti-corruption institutions, health systems and development programmes have a legitimate interest in whether those institutions respect due process and human dignity.”

 

She added: “A country cannot receive international support while using ostensibly democratic institutions to annihilate opposition political voices.”

 

She called on foreign missions, multilateral organisations, human rights groups and democracy advocates to “monitor this case closely; insist on transparent proceedings before competent and impartial courts; demand humane detention conditions and timely medical access; and make it clear that anti-corruption enforcement must never become a cover for political payback.”

 

Addressing President Tinubu directly, Asia urged him to allow the judicial process to proceed fairly.

 

“To President Tinubu, I say this with respect and sorrow: history is rarely kind to leaders who allow power to wound the innocent in order to silence the inconvenient. A strong government does not fear a strong critic.”

 

She added: “If my husband is credibly accused, let him face the accusations with access to his legal team, his doctors and his family. Let the evidence speak in court, not through orchestrated leaks of falsehood.”

 

Concluding her appeal, Asia argued that the case extends beyond her husband’s personal circumstances.

 

“Nigeria’s friends must understand that this case is larger than Nasir El-Rufai. It is about whether a citizen can fall out with power and still be protected by law. It is about whether courts will be places of justice or theatres of intimidation.”

 

She concluded by saying: “I do not ask the world to decide my husband’s innocence. I ask only that it stand for the principles Nigeria and its constitution have promised to uphold.

 

“Fairness, due process, humane treatment, judicial independence and equal protection before the law are not partisan demands. They are the bare conditions of any democratic society.”

OPINION: Oyo Kidnapping: Believe Tinubu’s Administration At Your Peril

By
The Source
-
0
Steve Osuji
Steve Osuji

 

By Steve Osuji 

 

Rescue Or Release: It has been a well-established fact that the Tinubu administration is fuelled by propaganda and lies. Bayo Onanuga, our erstwhile friend and professional colleague, as Igbo say, has practically learned to use the left hand in old age. He has redefined the art of fobbing and  elevated half-truths to Sanskrit.

 

But Brother Onanuga, chief spokesman of the Tinubu administration is to be pitied. He’s not the cause of the zero-credibility environment that exists today. He is only selling a very bad product. Both the president and his governance systems have turned out odious. Hardly anyone believes them anymore.

 

On many occasions, this government rebuts itself, reverses its pronouncements or entirely revokes everything it does.

This is the situation in the current resolution of the kidnapping victims of schools in Oyo State. The horde of students and teachers supposedly snatched by ISWAP bandits and spirited into the heart of the Oyo forest reserve are back home, thank goodness, after about two months (56 days) in captivity.

 

However, controversy continues to rage as to the circumstances surrounding their eventual freedom from their captors.

 

Was it a rescue or a ransomed release? The federal government and military tell Nigerians that it was the result of weeks of intelligence gathering and encirclement  which culminated in the final invasion and rescue of the pupils and their teachers.

 

Onanuga in his press release on the matter, detailed how Nigeria’s gallant military carried out the rescue operation and released all the 44 captives intact with no loss of life or injury to nary a single one.

There was also no quid pro quo. Meaning that no ransom was paid and no detained terrorists were exchanged.

 

But the military has a slightly different version of the tale: pressure from the joint military, intelligence and security task force had caused the terrorists to see reason to “release all the victims unconditionally.”

 

But in another twist, the same army statement says the military suffered casualties while some terrorists were neutralised, about eight were arrested.

 

WE WERE RELEASED, VICTIM

Speaking in a live interview on a Lagos radio station, 99.3 Nigeria Info, (July 16, 2026) a supposed victim of the Oyo kidnap, named Olutoye Zaccheus, narrated how they were freed.

He said they were never starved of food, even though they were blindfolded most of the time so they couldn’t tell their location.

 

They never had a bath or change of clothes for 56 days.

Asked whether they were rescued or released, he said that the terrorists happily released them because it seemed the authorities settled with them.

 

They were not only released, they were directed on how to get out of the forest. According to Olutoye, they trekked for about one hour to a stream, crossed it and found coaster buses with tinted glasses waiting for them.

The occupants of the buses claimed they were from the DSS. The victims were sceptical but upon being reassured, they boarded the buses which took them to the Army Base in Ibadan.

 

WHO’S FOOLING WHOM?

From the foregoing, it’s apparent that someone is lying here. Like Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State who’s in the eye of the storm said, there’s obviously a need for an independent probe of the heist called Oyo kidnapping.

 

There are too many questions begging for answers here. One is tempted to draw the  conclusion that someone is playing politics with the lives of these hapless school children and their teachers.

 

The Tinubu administration has lost every grain of its credibility if it ever had one.

The Nigerian military is also being sucked into what looks like a sick political propaganda going on currently.

What manner of terrorists would release “kidnappers” only to allow itself to be gunned down or arrested?

 

To cut a long, silly story short, the popular opinion out there is either that the federal government paid ransom to the children of perdition or it was a FAKE kidnap ab initio.

 

This column submits that this administration must get serious; begin to do the right things if it wants Nigerians to begin to take it seriously again.

We need to get to the root of this Oyo heist, for that’s what it seems to be.

 

LAST LINE: APC LOOTING FESTIVAL, FEATURING MALAMI

 

The world woke up yesterday to the list of properties allegedly acquired illegally by Malam Abubakar Malami, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

The court had ordered the forfeiture of 48 of 57 real estate properties suspected to be owned by Malami and considered as proceeds of crime.

The list which is totaled at N212 billion is simply troubling to the soul.

 

The very idea of stealing and accumulating so much from the commonwealth is mind-bending. How do people like Malami sleep? What do they tell their children? Perhaps they have taught the hapless kids that roguery is life?

 

The coming of the ruling APC to power in Nigeria since 2015 has ushered in this industrial scaling stealing in government. 

However, the optics out there today is that the Tinubu gang is currently outpilferring the Buhari people of yore.

 

The handwriting is on the wall. What with the biggest projects like the Lagos-Calaber Coastal Highway kicked off without a public bid. That’s the epitome of corruption.

ADC: “There Are Evidences Which Suggest President Tinubu Has Lost Control Of Governance”

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0

By Ayodele Oni

 

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared that reported leadership crisis at the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) and Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal are evidence that President Bola Tinubu has “lost control” of his administration.

 

The party noted that the Presidency where official appointments can allegedly be ignored without consequence raises serious questions about who is really in control of the administration.

 

In a statement issued by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, the party stated that a pattern of policy reversals, suggests that unelected individuals may have hijacked the President’s constitutional powers to appoint and remove public officers.

 

The ADC called on the National Assembly to activate the relevant constitutional provisions to ascertain the President’s fitness to continue in office, arguing that if he can no longer assert control over his government, he should resign.

 

“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is deeply alarmed by yet another bizarre episode in the affairs of the Federal Government, where a man publicly removed from office by presidential directive reportedly continues to occupy that same office and still hold meetings with senior officials of the same government .

 

“If the reports concerning the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) are true, then this is no longer about one disputed appointment. It is about something far more disturbing: who is actually in charge of the Nigerian Presidency?

 

“When a President announces the appointment of one person and another simply ignores that directive and carries on in office, Nigeria is no longer witnessing administrative confusion.

 

“We are witnessing a struggle for control of the Presidency itself.

The BCDA episode cannot be dismissed as an isolated incident because it follows a growing and disturbing pattern.

 

“Nigerians are still watching in bewilderment, the embarrassing spectacle of the so-called phantom Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), a government agency that officially did not exist, yet somehow operated at the highest level of government.

 

“It conducted itself with the confidence of a legitimate institution until issues arose relating to his alleged collaboration with the President’s Chief of Staff.

 

“Taken together, these episodes reveal a Presidency steadily losing its monopoly over one of the most fundamental powers of government: the constitutional authority to appoint and remove public officers.

 

“Today, Nigerians no longer know whether an appointment announced by the Presidency is final, whether a dismissal actually takes effect, or whether someone somewhere possesses a superior authority capable of overruling presidential decisions without explanation.

 

“Effectively, Tinubu administration has become a place where official announcements compete with unofficial power, where competing interests fight over appointments and patronage.

 

“Under President Tinubu, the Nigerian Presidency, like the Nigerian economy and Nigeria’s security situation has started to resemble a system governed by the principle of the survival of the fittest.

 

“This is made even worse by a disturbing pattern of public reversals that has become the defining feature of this administration.

 

“From the hurried suspension of the Cybersecurity Levy after nationwide outrage, to the withdrawal of the Expatriate Employment Levy following resistance from investors, to repeated policy summersaults and contradictory government announcements across several sectors, Nigerians have become accustomed to a government that announces first, retreats later, and explains afterwards.

 

“A government that cannot consistently stand by its own decisions gradually loses not only credibility, but authority. Investors become uncertain.

 

“The bureaucracy become confused. Public institutions begin to test the limits of because they no longer know whether today’s directive will still exist tomorrow.

 

At this point, Nigerians deserve answers that go beyond carefully managed press statements. Who is exercising the constitutional powers of the President?

 

“Who authorises appointments? Who countermanded the President’s directive at the BCDA, if indeed it has been countermanded? Who permitted a fictitious agency to masquerade as an arm of the Presidency?

 

“These are not opposition questions. They are constitutional questions. They go directly to the integrity of executive authority and the stability of our nation.

 

“A country where citizens, investors, diplomats and even public servants doubt whether the signature of the President is the final authority of the executive arm of the federal government as it has happened under this Tinubu administration, is a country in deep trouble.”

 

It called on the national assembly to invoke the relevant constitutional provisions to satisfy itself that the President remains fully capable in body and sound mind to discharge the duties of his office and that the powers vested in him by the Constitution.

 

“If President Tinubu is unable to assert control over his own Presidency, then the honourable course is to acknowledge that reality and resign. Nigeria cannot afford a Presidency where nobody knows who is truly in charge.”

Ekiti Court Jails Two Men For Public Nudity

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Law and Court

By Ayodele Oni 

 

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced two men, Adebiyi Olusola and Oguntola John, to 30 days’ imprisonment for public nudity

 

The prosecutor, ASP Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on July 13 at about 4:00 a.m. in the Palace area of Ado-Ekiti.

 

The defendants were arraigned on a one-count charge of conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace, contrary to Section 181(1)(d)(h) of the Ekiti State Laws, 2021.

 

The police prosecutor, Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the offence was committed at about 4 a.m. on July 13 in the Palace Area of Ado-Ekiti.

 

Oriyomi said the convicts were seen walking naked around the palace vicinity and along a public highway within the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District.

 

He argued that their conduct was capable of causing a breach of public peace, prompting their arrest and subsequent prosecution

 

They pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to them, while their counsel, Ogunleye Abiola, appeared on their behalf during the proceedings.

 

In his judgment, Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adosun held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, noting that the defendants’ guilty plea further strengthened the case against them.

 

The magistrate subsequently sentenced both men to 30 days in prison without the option of a fine.

1...567...3,004Page 6 of 3,004