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Abducted Edo Traditional Ruler Regains Freedom

By
Ayodele Oni
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Abducted Edo Traditional Ruler

By Ayodele Oni

A Traditional Ruler in Edo state, who was abducted early this month has regained his freedom.

The Edo State Police Command announced that the Onogie (traditional ruler) of Udo-Eguare, Edo Central, who was kidnapped on February, 2025 was rescued through a joint security operation by the police and local hunters.

The Command spokesman, CSP Moses Yamu, in a statement on Saturday, disclosed that the rescue operation was carried out at about 6 pm on Friday.

According to the spokesperson, the rescue was due to the sustained efforts by police operatives, and the support of the Edo Government, vigilantes, hunters, and other well-meaning residents of the State.

The State Commissioner of Police, Betty Otimenyin, had vowed to rescue the kidnapped traditional ruler, and her team worked tirelessly to keep the promise.

The Command further attributed the success to the logistic support rendered by Governor Monday Okpebholo.

“The Command equally appreciates the vigilantes, hunters and other well-meaning residents of the State for their support so far.

“The general public is assured that the Command’s commitment to the fight against crime remains unshaken.”

Police Dismiss Three Officers Over Kidnapping In Abia State

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Police Dismiss Three Officers Over Kidnapping In Abia State

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Abia State Police Command on Friday, February 7, 2025, announced the dismissal of three of its personnel for their involvement in acts  bordering on  abductions, conspiracy and extortion of innocent persons.

A statement from the Command’s spokesperson Chilaka Maureen DSP, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Danladi Isa has okayed the  dismissal, after the  outcome of an in-house trial found the officers guilty of gross  professional misconducts.

According to Chilaka, the officers were found guilty of indulgence in abduction and extortion of unsuspecting members of the public.

The affected personnel are: Sergeant Jonas Nnamdi, Force number 501356, Corporal James Daniel, Force no.511844, and Corporal Ifeanyi Emeka, Force no.511853.

Until their dismissal, they were Police Operatives attached to Aba Area Commmand, Department of Operations Umuahia, and Eziama Division Aba respectively .

Consequently, the officers have been handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department SCID for prosecution, together with their identified civilian accomplices.

The statement noted that the officers. were apprehended on January 29, 2025, following their connivance with two civilians to kidnap some innocent persons along the Enugu/Port Harcourt Expressway.

They were said to have hired a minibus with which they  abducted and extorted their victims .

At the time of their arrest, they were found with many incriminating  items including assault riffles, electric baton, and a Beretta pistol which they used to intimidate and extort their victims.

They were, also, found guilty of demanding and obtaining additional huge ransoms from the families and relations of their innocent victims, before releasing them.

The Police informed that their arrest by operatives led by the DPO of Abayi formation Aba, were followed by an Orderly Room trial which subsequently established their culpability.

“Their dismissal follows the administrative disciplinary measures taken by the Abia State Police Command and their Service Accouterments have been retrieved.

CP Danladi Isa reaffirmed the Command’s zero tolerance for corruption and unprofessional conducts, and emphasized that discipline and professionalism remain the foundation of the Nigeria Police Force.

“He assured the public that the Command, under his leadership would not tolerate any forms of misconduct. The dismissed officers and their civilian accomplices will face  prosecution as part of the Command’s efforts towards maintaining law and order in Abia State”, the police statement read in part.

Kano Constitutes Consumer Protection Council

By
Ayodele Oni
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Abba Yusuf - Governor of Kano State
Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State

By Ayodele Oni

Kano State Governor, Abba  Yusuf, has approved the composition of the State Consumer Protection Council, (KSCPC) a move aimed at safeguarding the rights and interests of consumers in the state.

This was contained in a statement issued by governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature on Saturday.

The newly constituted council comprises seasoned professionals, government officials, and business representatives to ensure fair trade practices and protect consumers from exploitation.

Members of the 19-member council include Umar Garba Haruna, as chairman, while Zangina Jafaru will serve as the Executive Secretary.

The Governor emphasized that the council’s primary mandate is to protect consumer rights and ensure that businesses operate under fair, transparent, and lawful conditions.

According to the statement, the initiative aligns with the administration’s commitment to promoting good governance, market confidence, and safeguarding the public from substandard products and unethical business practices.

The council members are expected to commence operations immediately, by addressing consumer complaints, regulating trade practices, and fostering a healthy business environment across Kano State.

Pirates Hijack Passenger Boat In Bonny, Rivers State

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Pirates

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

A passenger boat ,with no fewer than 20 persons on board has been  hijacked by some suspected pirates in Rivers State.

Nine persons have been rescued by Security Operatives. But  13 persons are said to be still missing according to the authorities of the Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

In a statement issued on Friday February, 7, 2025, Anengi Claude-Wilcox , Chairman of the Council, informed that the boat was hijacked along the Bonny-Okirika Waterways on Thursday, with over 20 persons on board.

He noted that while nine persons have been rescued ,the authorities are presently working in concert with security agencies and other relevant stakeholders  to  ensure that about 13 passengers  still missing are found.

“It should be noted that nine persons have been found and returned to Port Harcourt through the timely intervention of security operatives who are currently on top of efforts to rescue the remaining passengers.

“It should be noted that preliminary findings  have revealed that the Boat driver disobeyed the rules and passed through kilometer 10, a prohibited channel for commercial boat drivers”,Wilcox noted.

He, however, appealed for calm, while also assuring that the remaining passengers will be freed.

One Killed, Many Worshipers Abducted, As Terrorists Invade Sokoto, Kebbi Communities

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Gunmen

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Sokoto State Police Command on  Friday, February, 2025  confirmed the abduction of several Muslim  early morning worshipers at a Mosque in Bushe area of Sabon Birni Local Council of the State ,on Thursday.

Over 10 persons, including the presiding Imam of the Mosque were  kidnapped in the attack believed to have been  carried out by  suspected insurgents.

This is even as its Kebbi State  counterpart, announced the death of one person in a  similar terrorist attack on

Gulma town in Argungu Local Government of the State.

Eye witness account informed that the gunmen, in their numbers, invaded the Mosque,while residents were observing the early morning Muslim prayers.

They decried the incessant abductions, and harassment by banditry elements despite the presence of troops of the Operation Fasan Yamma domiciled at the 8 Division of the Nigeria Army.

Spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, Ahmed Rufai, DSP, while confirming the incident to the Media on Friday, assured that efforts are underway by the Joint Security Task Force to rescue the victims unhurt.

“I just confirmed the incident from the DPO in the community after speaking with him on phone.

“I want to assure you that the Nigerian Police, in conjunction with other security agencies, are working tirelessly to ensure the immediate release of the abductees”, the Police Spokesman stated.

However, the  Lawmaker representing Sabon Birnin at the State House of Assembly, Hon Saidu Ibrahim, while confirming the death of ten persons, lauded the timely intervention of security agencies during the unfortunate incident.

The Executive Chairman of Argungu Council of Kebbi State, Hon Aliyu Sani Gulma stated

that the attackers invaded the town at about 8 pm, on Thursday operating with seven motorcycles, and armed with sophisticated  weapons.

“The attackers arrived on seven motorcycles, each carrying two people including armed women .

“They headed straight to a major wholesale shop owned by one Alhaji Fatawu and demanded money.

“They told the shopkeepers that they were looking for CFA franc (Francophone  countries currency) instead of Naira .

However, since there was little CFA Franc available, they resorted to beating the shop attendants before looting all the money in the shop. Thereafter, they fled.

They killed one person in the process and others injured during the attack”, Hon Gulma noted.

N423bn Alleged Fraud: Northern Christians Give EFCC 72 hrs Ultimatum To Arrest El-Rufai

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Nasir El-Rufai
Nasir El-Rufai

By Akinwale Kasali

The National Christians Accord, NCA, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to up its ante by arresting former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai over alleged N423 Billion misappropriation of funds during his eight-year reign as Governor of the State.

The Group, at a Press Briefing said that it was long overdue for the Ola Olukayode-led EFCC to arrest and probe El-Rufai who was, also a Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

In a statement signed by Barr. Gideon Jato and Bro. Sunday Adoka, President and Secretary, respectively, of the NCA, it wondered why it would take the EFCC such a long time without taking action, even when series of petitions have been submitted at the National Headquarters, after the Kaduna State House of Assembly indicted El-Rufai and some key officials of his Government of, allegedly, embezzling the sum of N423bn.

The Kaduna State Assembly ad-hoc Committee which probed the financial dealings of the eight-year administration of former Governor El-Rufai had, in June, 2024, indicted him and some key members of his cabinet for alleged corruption in the award of contracts and management of both domestic and foreign loans obtained by his Government.

In the report submitted to the House by the Chairman of the ad-hoc Committee, Henry Danjuma, it said that there was evidence of several cases of corruption in the running of the affairs of the Government, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in Kaduna State from 29th May 2015 to 29th May 2023.

After adopting the report, the House recommended, amongst other things, that the Kaduna Internal Revenue Service withdraw the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Account domiciled at Zenith Bank as Security for #20,000,000,000.00 guaranteed in 2023 forthwith and request the bank to refund all monies deducted on account of the purported illegal guarantee together with the accrued interest thereof.

The House, also, recommended that all the Commissioners of Finance and the Accountants General of the State from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 be referred to the appropriate Law Enforcement Agencies for thorough investigation.

Subsequently, a group under the auspices of Kaduna Citizens Watch for Good Governance, KCWGG, in July, 2024, took petitioned  the EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, against El-Rufai and his men.

Seven months after the indictment by the Parliament and the attendant petitions to the anti graft agencies, no action has been taken.

“We perceive this as an affront and total disregard to the rule of law and a great insult to the sensibility of the people of Kaduna State, especially the institution of the State House of Assembly.

“For the EFCC and ICPC to have closed their eyes and shut their ears against the indictments, petitions and cries of Kaduna people, only means they are in support of corruption in Nigeria and as such, shielding El-Rufai.

“It is very glaring that the law in Nigeria is centrifugally positioned to favour some people and witch-hunt others. We remember how the EFCC was battling day and night few months ago, looking for former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, over a petition from a group in the state.

“But the same EFCC has brazenly become blind, deaf and dumb over El-Rufai issue, despite the indictment by the House of Assembly, and having received series of petitions from various groups. Whereas, in the case of Kogi State, the Assembly did not indict the former Governor, but EFCC went for him, arrested and arraigned him. But Kaduna is a special case that cannot be handled, because El-Rufai is untouchable?

“The man who was alleged to have stolen N80bn is already standing trial. Why is it taking EFCC and others years to prosecute a man who was indicted of stealing almost N500bn?

“The Northern Christians Accord is giving the EFCC and other agencies responsible for the arrest, prosecution and recovery of the N423bn confirmed by the Assembly to have been embezzled by El-Rufai, to do the needful and save themselves and the nation of this monumental embarrassment.

“Failure to do so, we shall not hesitate to create awareness about the complacency of the agencies, both within Nigeria and to the international community. We shall also mobilise our members across the 19 northern states, to match to the headquarters of EFCC and National Assembly”, the group added.

Hon. Justice Azuka: The Fight We Fought, The Loss We Bear

By
The Source
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Honourable Justice Azuka

By Franklin Osankwa

Silence Broken…

From December 2024 until now, there was one question I never stopped asking my boss, the Rt. Hon. Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, and the few House members leading the desperate search for Hon. Justice Azuka: “Any good news?”

It was a question I asked with heavy heart, knowing that each passing day without an answer deepened my worst fears. Hon. Justice’s disappearance was not just another headline. It was personal. It shook me. It burdened Mr. Speaker. It unsettled everyone at the State Assembly. 

 

I remember the night he was abducted—yes, night, not during the day as some have falsely claimed. The call came in like a thunderbolt, shattering whatever sense of normalcy we had left. Mr. Speaker had been preparing for the next day’s engagements, but the moment he received the news, he froze. He never came out of his room. We missed every single appointment of the next day. His compound turned into a graveyard of silence. The weight of uncertainty pressed down on us, and for the first time, I saw a man known for his resilience, broken. 

 

Hon. Justice wasn’t just a House member. He was family. He was my friend. My partner. My trusted ally in business. I rarely visited lawmakers’ offices, but his? That was different. We talked, strategized, and shared ideas because I marketed most of the properties he was selling. Even the day before his abduction, we were making plans to hang out and as always, he tipped me generously without me even asking. That was who he was—kind, thoughtful, selfless. 

 

One may call him the “last born” of the 8th Assembly, having joined six months later than others due to a long legal battle, yet he was one of the most active. He didn’t need years to prove himself.  He made every second count. The crowd that accompanied him to the Assembly on his first appearance was massive. It showed he was a man of the people. He later proved that to everyone of us in the State Assembly.

 

During Mr. Speaker’s thanksgiving service, which was 2-days before his abduction, he moved around, serving people like a steward, unbothered by status or ego.  It was also true that his account was used to collate money from committee of friends for another house member who was burying a family member. But there was no withdrawal of N100M fom his account —Mr. Speaker and member’s swift and calculated action ensured that whatever evil plans they had, at least that one failed. 

Hon Justice was killed the same night he was kidnapped. This was according to the confession by his killers who are facing the wrath of the law. His killers may have taken him, but one thing they could never take away was the truth.

 

A heartbreaking comment I stumbled upon suggested that the 8th Assembly remained silent during this crisis, that they did nothing. One thing I have reminded folks is that governance is not content creation where updates roll in like entertainment. I felt like screaming.

 

Leadership, real leadership, is not a social media show. You don’t fight criminals with cameras flashing. You don’t go on air giving step-by-step updates when lives are at stake and you are working with intelligence. Information management is key during this period. Any small information that is not guided well, you might lose every detail or lead.

What the members of the 8th Assembly did was something deeper—something more tactical. Led by Rt. Hon. Speaker, Rt Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Nkem Udeze, they fought, with everything—intelligence, strategy, finances—until every single person involved in Hon. Justice’s murder was captured. Not one of them escaped!

Yes, we lost him. The pain still sits like a dagger in our chests. But let it be known—his death was not in vain.  The fight against these evil and blood-sucking brood of vipers have been taken to another level with the capture of the assailants and the government is not matching any brake.

 

Onitsha North lost a true democrat. The Assembly lost one of its brightest stars. I lost a friend. 

 

And that void left by Hon. Justice? It will never be filled.

 

However, there will never be peace for the wicked! May Anambra succeed!!

 

*Osankwa is Special Assistant/ New Media And Communications

Office of the Rt. Hon. Speaker,  ANHA*

Twelve Years Basic Education System Remains Proposal – Minister

By
Ayodele Oni
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Dr Tunji Alausa

By Ayodele Oni

The Ministry of Education has clarified that the present 6-3-3-4 education Formular is still intact.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said on Friday that he merely proposed the introduction of a 12-year basic education system.

The Minister explained that reports of an immediate policy change on the matter were untrue.

Media reports had on Thursday quoted the minister of announcing that a new policy aimed at scrapping the Junior and Senior Secondary School system was already in effect.

In a statement by the Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo, the ministry emphasised that the National Council on Education would review the proposal before any final decision is made.

“At the Extraordinary National Council on Education Meeting held on 6 February 2025 in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, presented a proposal for discussion — not an immediate policy change.

“The proposal seeks to transition to 12 years of compulsory education while retaining the current 6-3-3 structure.

“A key aspect of this proposal is to eliminate the examination barrier between JSS and SSS, allowing students to progress seamlessly without external assessments at that stage. However, this remains subject to further consultation and deliberation.

“To ensure a well-informed decision, the ministry will undertake extensive stakeholder engagements over the next eight months, consulting education policymakers, state governments, teachers, parents, and other key players.

“The final decision on whether to adopt this reform will be made at the National Council on Education meeting in October 2025.

“The ministry urges the public to disregard false claims that JSS and SSS have been scrapped. The Federal Government remains committed to policies that enhance access to quality education while aligning with global best practices.”

“They Did Not Only Kill My Children, They Killed Brilliant Minds” – Father Of Murdered Anambra Three Siblings

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Udochukwu Ejezie and Murdered Children

By Adesina Soyooye

It goes down as the most cruel atrocity in 2025. The most callous. The most unthinkable. The most unforgivable. Even the murder and the discovery of the decomposing body of Honourable Justice Azuka, the Anambra State House of Assembly Member pale before  it.

This atrocity which stink to high heavens, also, happened in Anambra State, an otherwise blessed State, which has suddenly become the epicentre of kidnappings and killings in the South-east.

Three children of the same parents were, inexplicably, killed in a most gruesome manner, and their bodies dumped in a freezer in their house.

The children, Ejezie Chikaima Daviana, Ejezie Chimziterem Dominica and Ejezie Chimdirim David, were aged nine, eight and five years respectively. They were three out of the four children of Udochukwu Ejezie and his wife. The fourth and eldest child escaped being killed because on that February 1, when the blood hounds came calling, he was  at a Seminary in Ukpor, Anambra State, where he is a student.

The children’s mother, a Nurse/Lecturer was, according to reports, away to invigilate an examination. Their father, was in Edo State where he works. So, the children were alone, eating, when the devils struck. One by one, they murdered the children and stuffed them in a deep freezer in the house.

What could have given rise to such brutal and beastly behaviour. Security operatives have no clue. No answer. Not even their devastated father has a clue. “We  have not done nothing to deserve such wickedness.” He also added that they have a good relationship with their neighbours. Indeed, that is the mystery.

The Ejezies do not live alone. They are tenants. So there were other tenants too. And the landlord, reportedly, lives there as well. The question has been: How come nobody heard anything?

Said Mr Ejezie: “This tragedy has left my family in deep despair. They did not just kill my children, they killed brilliant minds.”

Looking up to a possible arrest of the criminals so they can explain why, he said: “We urge the authorities to ensure the truth is uncovered and the culprits are brought to justice. We have always had a good relationship with our neighbours and have no reason to suspect anyone.”

As a first reaction,

the Anambra State Police Command has sealed the building where the siblings were murdered in their

Nnewichi, Nnewi North Local Government Area house on that doomed Saturday of February 1, 2025.

SP Tochukwu Ikenga, Spokesperson for the Anambra Police Command has confirmed that the entire building, not just the the mourning family’s apartment, has been completely sealed. He told a news medium that it was sealed to avoid any interference with Police investigation.

He said: “Yes, the vicinity has been temporarily sealed because it is a crime scene. The Commissioner of Police ordered the sealing pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.

“No arrests have been made yet, but inquiries and findings on the likely cause of the incident are ongoing. Information that could aid the investigation is still being gathered from residents.

“The police have launched an investigation, and we assure the grieving family that we are committed to uncovering the truth behind this tragedy”

On a visit to the crime scene, the Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obinabo, pledged justice for the murdered children by the Anambra State Government.

She was quoted to have said: “The perpetrators will be dealt with according to the full extent of the law. The State Government is committed to bringing hope and support to the bereaved parents.

“The Chukwuma Soludo-led administration in Anambra State will not rest until those responsible are brought to justice.”

Millions of Nigerians say a loud Amen to that.

Police Tried To Kill Me While In Custody

By
James Orji
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Olamide-Thomas

“I don’t know what the FPRO wanted to do with my blood”

By Olamide Thomas

“While I was at the custodial centre, I had crisis twice which was managed by my professional colleagues at the clinic and I felt more safer there unlike the police custody where my health and life was threatened.

“The FPRO made attempts to eliminate me through his friend, Mr Omaka (the Asst. Director of NPF NCCC) and his team. On entering into the office of Mr Omaka, they started burning incense without putting into consideration my health status and tolerance for flames.

“It was at the FCID cell I was sprayed chemicals that gave peppery sensation while I was asleep at midnight which caused me to have epistaxis in the morning.

“Also, when I passed out my lawyer requested that I should be taken to National Hospital which is a government-owned hospital in Abuja but they refused and took me to police hospital where drugs were administered on me by a suspected quack portrayed as a nurse just to fulfill their evil acts.

“Laboratory results were manipulated and I do not know the content of what was infused into my IV fluid and drugs. I was not carried along in my own care.

“I also heard one of the police officers instructing them at the lab to keep my blood in the sample bottle for them even after I requested for it to be disposed by myself.

“I don’t know what the FPRO wanted to do with my blood in the sample bottle and why he might have requested for it through the officer. I’ve heard ugly stories of him being fetish since his days as PPRO in Ogun and Lagos states.

Kayode Egbetokun - IGP
IGP Kayode Egbetokun

“I have been in and out of the hospital lately and I know the huge sum I have spent on my health. The FPRO is known for terrorizing Nigerians, imbibing fear in people, obsessed with display of gross abuse and misuse of power, engaging in acts of human rights violation and so on. People should know that he is obsessed with dealing with me for personal reasons.

“I heard of the abduction of Comrade Seaking recently and all I can say is that all advocacy groups in Nigeria and the diaspora should be on the lookout for him and ensure that nothing happens to him because I know they have an evil mission to fulfill.

“They are out to weaken immune system of people and their target population is Comrades who are fighting for liberation of Nigerians. We are now in the era of civilian dictatorship where the government is using the police to usurp people’s rights, silence people and allegedly killing people who might have been abducted without anyone being in the know.”

“It’s time for Nigerians to arise before these beasts and terrorists on uniform succeed in stylishly reducing population of Nigerians drastically in the guise of prosecution.”

Thomas,  a women  activist was arrested last year by the Police after allegedly threatening Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son. 

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