NewStats: 3,265,513 , 8,187,036 topics. Date: Sunday, 15 June 2025 at 12:46 PM 6h6l13

This serious, all the big boys will be without escorts!

According to the top sources, Ojajuni’s wife reportedly personally delivered the ransom to the abductors in Akure before his release.

The release of the Afenifere Youth Council President, Prince Eniola Ojajuni, was secured with at least N17million, a top family source revealed to SaharaReporters on Saturday.




The money was said to have been paid to secure his freedom from kidnappers after about 12 days.



According to the top sources, Ojajuni’s wife reportedly personally delivered the ransom to the abductors in Akure before his release.




They also noted that despite repeated pleas, the Nigerian government did not provide financial assistance, and security agencies were also unable to track the kidnappers’ location until the ransom was paid.

Yoruba Leaders Coalition Confirms Release Of Ojajuni, Says Afenifere Youth President Currently Undergoing Treatment
Mar 01, 2025
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“We did not hear anything from the government despite repeated promises, and the police efforts did not yield results. We had no choice but to raise funds ourselves,” one of the sources told SaharaReporters.



Ojajuni is currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed location for security reasons.



Prior to his release, the Afenifere group had condemned the deteriorating security situation and demanded urgent intervention from the Ondo and Kogi state governments.



The group urged authorities to act swiftly to ensure Ojajuni’s safe rescue, noting that the abduction took place near the Ondo-Kogi state boundary.



Ojajuni was kidnapped on Monday, February 17, 2025, while traveling to Abuja.

BREAKING: Afenifere Youth Leader, Eniola Ojajuni Regains Freedom From Kidnappers After 12 Days
Mar 01, 2025
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The Afenifere Youth Council’s National Secretary, Abiodun Aderonhunmu, disclosed that the kidnappers initially demanded a N100million ransom.



A voice recording obtained by SaharaReporters had revealed a distressing conversation between Ojajuni’s family and the kidnappers.



During the call, Ojajuni, who had been shot in the buttock, pleaded for his life as the abductors threatened to kill him within 48 hours if the ransom was not paid.



The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) had earlier reaffirmed its commitment to securing Ojajuni’s release.



The Police spokesperson A Olumuyiwa Adejobi urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information that could compromise rescue efforts.



In response, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) ordered the deployment of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to prioritise Ojajuni’s rescue.

https://saharareporters.com/2025/03/01/exclusive-how-family-afenifere-youth-leader-ojajuni-raised-least-n17million-secure

Nlfpmod!

The autobiography of former self-styled “President” Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has already been parsed for its self-serving mendacity, moral spinelessness, maddening insensitivity, self-glorification, and cowardly posthumous smears of dead colleagues.


I won’t revisit those points here. As someone who has a scholarly interest in—and is actually working on a book on—the rhetoric of collective identity construction in Nigeria, I was drawn to IBB’s self-definition of his identity in his autobiography.

It was Gimba Kakanda, SA to the Vice President and former newspaper columnist, who first quickened my appetite about this in his February 19 Facebook update.


Kakanda had read an advance copy of IBB’s autobiography and wrote this intriguing summation of it: “It’s a journey that begins with his origins, as the son of a Gbagyi woman, and leads up to the June 12 questions—the answers to which you’ll have to read to discover for yourself.”

In a February 15, 2020, column titled "True Ethnic Origins of Nigeria’s Past Presidents and Heads of State,” I had observed that “IBB’s ethnic identity is surprisingly a magnet for controversy and speculation. He has been called Gbagyi (whom Hausa people call Gwari), Nupe, and even Yoruba from Ogbomoso or Osogbo. But he told journalists and his biographers at different times that his immediate ancestors were Hausas from Kano who migrated to what is now Niger State.”

I was curious if IBB itted that his maternal filiation was Gbagyi (or Gwari). He actually did. But while he is very specific about his maternal line of descent, he was vague about the ethnic identity of his paternal ancestry.

This is how he describes his paternal ancestry, beginning from his grandfather: “Snippets of details I heard suggested that earlier on, he was a bit of a wanderer, migrating from Sokoto to Kano and Kontagora and settling in Wushishi.”

Contrast this with the specificity with which he describes his maternal heritage: “Apparently, [my grandfather] met his future wife, a young Gwari girl called Halima, in Wushishi, and since his future parents-in-law would only allow him to marry daughter if he agreed to make his home in Wushishi, he readily complied with their condition before settling down in Wushishi and marrying his pretty wife, Halima.”

In yet another description of his Gwari maternal descent, he is informatively direct and specific: “But before he left, my father met and married a beautiful light-skinned Gwari girl, Inna Aishatu, who would become my mother.”

His paternal grandmother was a pretty Gwari woman, and his own mother was a “beautiful light-skinned Gwari girl.” Why did he have a need to call attention to their pulchritude and complexion?

Why did he withhold such details about his grandfather and his father? Sokoto, which he says is the apparent root of his paternal ancestry, was populated by both the Fulani and the Hausa in the “later part of the 19th century” when his grandfather left it for Kano and later Wushishi.

Although interethnic marriage between the Hausa and the Fulani began to intensify at this time, people still identified their heritage through their fathers. Ethnic identities or labels weren’t hyphenated. Was his father Hausa or Fulani?

Did he, perhaps, obliquely answer that question by gratuitously calling attention to the light skin of his Gwari mother in order to let it be known that his own light complexion is inherited from his mother since the Fulani are stereotypically light-skinned?

Well, IBB told a biographer that his great grandfather hailed from the village of Kumuria [Kumurya?] in Kano State from where he went to Sokoto. But in his autobiography, he only mentions his grandfather migrating from Sokoto to Kano and later to Wushishi. Is this intentional, strategic paternal ancestral ambiguity?

We see evidence of identitarian anxieties in IBB’s life after he left his Niger cultural cocoon. Up until age 23 when he returned from India as a Second Lieutenant, his name was Ibrahim Badamasi, Badamasi being his father’s first name.

“However,” he writes, “before I settled down to work at the First Brigade, a particular incident led me to add ‘Babangida’ to my name. During official engagements that led to my deployment to Kaduna, officers who confused the Yoruba name, Gbadamosi, with my last name, ‘Badamasi,’ repeatedly asked me whether I was Yoruba. That question had come up a few times during my enlisting interview for the military. Since that question persisted (and since I knew I wasn’t Yoruba!), I decided to take on my father’s other name as my last name.”

Three things jumped out at me after reading this part of the book. First, I find it intriguing that he had no hesitation telling us about his mother’s and paternal grandmother’s ethnic identity and even disclaiming a Yoruba identity that he knew would constrain him but chose to conceal his paternal ethnic identity.

Second, IBB didn’t mention Babangida as his father’s other name when the reader first encounters him in the book. He identifies his father as Muhammad Badamasi, not Babangida Badamasi. Maybe this oversight is attributable to sloppy (ghost) writing.

Third, Gbadamosi is not, strictly speaking, a Yoruba name. It’s the Yoruba domestication of Badamasi, which is understood to be a Muslim name in Nigeria. Many people in northwest Nigeria, where he says his paternal roots sprouted from, bear the name.

When I wrote about unusual Muslim names in Nigeria that don’t seem to have any links with the rest of the Muslim world, among which is “Badamasi,” readers who are familiar with the etymology of Badamasi told me that the name (which was probably originally some variant of Basi) belongs to an Arabic poet whose book advanced students in traditional Arabic schools, called makarantun soro in Hausa land, study.

The book, a Sufi poem, is used as a resource for Arabic vocabulary lessons. Over time, it became popularly known as Badamasi, named after its author.

I haven’t found any scholarly corroboration for the claim that Badamasi is the name of an Arab poet, but there is a late nineteenth-century Ilorin Muslim scholar and poet by the name of Badamasi whose poems are often utilized to enhance Arabic vocabulary and are a staple in the curriculum of traditional Islamic schools. But it’s not clear if he is the original bearer of the name.

Badamasi was Yorubized to Gbadamosi and later anglicized to Bus in Yoruba land.

Curiously, Muslim names, which should transcend, even neutralize, ethnicity, at least on the surface, can become the carriers of the weight of ethnicity in Nigeria. There are notions of “Yoruba Muslim names” not just because of their peculiar Yoruba domestication but because of their higher than usual frequency among Yoruba Muslims.

For example, many northern Muslims and Yoruba Muslims have concluded, without a shred of evidence, that House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas is a Zaria man of Yoruba ancestry because “Tajudeen” occurs more frequently among Yoruba Muslims than it does among Hausa-speaking Muslims.

But Tajudeen Abbas is a Zaria prince. A Yoruba editor friend of mine pushed back when I said the Speaker was at least paternally Fulani by asking which Fulani or Hausa man I knew who bore the name Tajudeen.

I mentioned Tajudeen Dantata. I then asked if he thought the Dantata family was Yoruba because they named one of their progenies Tajudeen. That ended the conversation.

Dr. Raji Bello, a Fulani man from Yola, also talks about how he is often mistaken for a Yoruba man because people assume that Raji is an exclusively Yoruba Muslim name even though it’s a Muslim name commonly born by South Asian and West African Muslims.

Dr. Bello resisted the type of urge that IBB succumbed to. He once said he was advised by an elder in Zaria to change his name to Rabiu. But he was named after one of his ancestors, a prominent nineteenth-century Muslim scholar in what is now Adamawa by the name of Modibbo Raji.

Finally, IBB described his father as a “messenger/interpreter” in the colonial district office but didn’t say what he interpreted. Since he had no Western education and didn’t speak English, did he translate Gbagyi, his mother’s language, to Hausa or vice versa?

Well, I am not done reading the book.



https://www.farooqkperogi.com/2025/03/identity-questions-in-ibbs-autobiography.html

Ekaette Akpabio, wife of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed allegations of sexual harassment leveled against her husband by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Senator representing Kogi Central, had in an interview with Arise Television on Friday accused the Senate President of sexual harassment.

The Kogi lawmaker also alleged that Akpabio blocked her motions from being heard on the floor of the Senate because she rejected his sexual advances.

Akpoti-Uduaghan added that by rejecting Apkabio’s advances, she was subjected to persistent harassment and malignment.


However, speaking to newsmen on Friday at her Abuja residence, Mrs. Akpabio dismissed Natasha’s allegations as a figment of wild imagination.


She also recounted the cordial relationship that existed between her family and Natasha’s family, as she

She said, “The allegations are unfounded, as she was present at her family residence on the alleged date 8th December, 2023.


“Both families enjoy a long-standing cordial relationship that predates Senator Natasha’s marriage to her husband.”

Mrs. Akpabio praised her husband’s discipline as a man who loves and respects his family, citing his track record of ing women’s inclusion in government even before his emergence as Senate President.

She, therefore, urged women to desist from peddling such false allegations, as she vowed to seek legal redress on the matter.

https://punchng.com/hes-disciplined-akpabios-wife-defends-husband-dismisses-natashas-harassment-claim/

THE Federal Government’s conversion of the Yaba College of Technology into a university has generated widespread criticism. In February, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had turned the institution into a university.

Alausa noted that the institution had over 200 doctorate staff. According to the minister, this is part of why the institution is deemed fit for the huge transition.

Immediately, the National Association of Polytechnic Students kicked against the announcement.

NAPS, in a statement, criticised the decision, emphasising that converting polytechnics into universities would erode their core mission of providing hands-on, industrial-based training.


So This Happened (EP 258) Reviews NNPC’s Plans To Secure A $2 Billion Oil-backed Loan, Others
NAPS said that rather than eliminate polytechnics, the government should fully implement the Higher National Diploma to Bachelor of Technology transition.

According to NAPS, this would grant polytechnic graduates internationally recognised degrees, enhancing their competitiveness in the global job market. Good point.

NAPS pointed to global best practices, noting that developed countries like , China, Canada, and the United Kingdom have thriving technical education sectors that drive industrial growth. Nigeria also needs this.

As an alternative, NAPS proposed the elevation of the National Board for Technical Education into a Polytechnic Education Commission. The statement said this would strengthen polytechnic education by ensuring better funding, policy implementation and clear career progression pathways for graduates.

The association urged the Federal Government to engage stakeholders in a comprehensive reform plan to enhance technical education. It appealed to Tinubu to reconsider the YABATECH conversion, advocating for modernisation instead of elimination.

YABATECH, founded in 1947, is Nigeria’s first higher educational institution. It attained an autonomous status in 1969 by virtue of Decree 23, which granted it the mandate to provide full-time and part-time courses of instruction and training in technology, applied science, commerce and management, agricultural production and distribution and research.

Nigeria has 179 polytechnics – 41 federal, 54 state and 84 private.


Polytechnics are tertiary institutions that offer technical and vocational training as part of the country’s education system. They are designed to provide middle and high-level manpower in technology, commerce, management, and applied sciences.

They train technologists and students in management skills to the development of the country’s economy and industries. They offer certificates, national diplomas, higher national diplomas and advanced professional diploma courses.

Already, Nigeria is currently suffering from a shortage of manpower. Polytechnic education is noted for the promotion of technical and vocational education and training, technology transfer as well as skills development to enhance the socio-economic advancement of society.


They are created to perform vital roles in the human resource development of a country by creating skilled manpower, enhancing industrial productivity, and improving the quality of life.

Polytechnic education is meant to provide technical learning that could assist society in meeting its industrial aspirations and growth.

Societies that embrace technological education are known the world over to prosper and have a sound industrial base and growth.

It is, however, sad that the sector is currently ing through a difficult phase and is being decimated by poor funding and conversion to universities.

It should be added that polytechnics are essential for any society that aspires to industrial growth, and surprisingly, despite the poor industrial base and growth of Nigeria, the existing polytechnics that should be strengthened, improved, and expanded are being converted to universities.

The import of this development is that the country is not ready for industrial growth, development, and self-sufficiency in the production of goods and services.

It may not be out of place for governments to convert or upgrade polytechnics and colleges of education to universities where there are compelling, cogent and unassailable reasons to do so.

However, the current quest by the Federal Government to make them political projects to please some segments of society makes the current conversion to universities unacceptable and must be stopped.

https://punchng.com/reverse-conversion-of-yabatech-to-varsity/

Wasting $8bn!

The Lagos State Police Command has clarified that the withdrawal of the security details of Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, was an istrative decision and not politically motivated.

The withdrawal, according to the Command, was due to the lack of valid approval for the policemen assigned to VIPs in the state.

Police sources hinted that several VIPs who did not get valid approval for police protection also had their security details withdrawn.

Sources explained that “As part of efforts to instill professionalism and due process, the new Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command , Olohundare Moshood, sent a directive that all policemen of the command on VIP protection duties without due approval should be withdrawn immediately.

“The Police have maintained neutrality throughout the process. The directive was not about the Speaker. There are some traditional rulers in the state who have had police personnel guarding them for almost 20 years without approval.

“The normal procedure is, when police protection is needed by VIPs, they are expected to officially write to the police and upon approval, personnel will be assigned to them.

“The Speaker of the House of Assembly is entitled to police protection under the law and she does not need to write as a person. But the normal procedure is that the outgoing istration will write to the police formally to notify of a change in leadership, stating the names of the new office holders deserving of Police protection.

“In this instance, no such communication has been sent to the police and so, that is probably why the policemen withdrew because they knew there was no letter posting them to that duty,” sources said..

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/02/why-security-details-were-withdrawn-from-speaker-meranda-lagos-police/

Two attacks by “armed bandits” in southwestern Niger have killed 16 people, according to state radio.

While the perpetrators have not been identified, the attacks were similar to jihadist raids that have plagued the central Sahel region in recent months.


State radio said Wednesday that the bandits gathered people from a village in Dioundiou on the night of February 22-23 and “opened fire, killing 14 people”.


Two nights later, attackers killed two people in a neighbouring town.

The area around Dioundiou, which borders Nigeria and Benin, is a haven for jihadist groups, according to Niger authorities.

It is crossed by a 2,000-kilometre (around 1,200-mile) pipeline that transports Niger oil to Benin.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/02/bandits-kill-16-in-niger-attacks-state-radio/

Johnbosco Agbakwuru


ABUJA – The Director-General of the National Agency for Food, Drugs istration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has raised the alarm over threats to her life and the safety of agency staff, calling on authorities to protect them as they navigate hazardous conditions in their duties.

She also advocated for the death penalty for those involved in the production and sale of fake and counterfeit drugs in Nigeria.

Speaking at a State House briefing at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, Prof. Adeyeye disclosed that NAFDAC had recently seized illicit drugs worth over N1 trillion in an ongoing crackdown against substandard and fake pharmaceutical products.

The NAFDAC boss revealed that the agency’s intensified enforcement efforts had resulted in the seizure of 87 truckloads of banned, expired, and substandard medical products. Among the confiscated items were USAID- and UNFPA-donated antiretroviral drugs, male and female condoms, and other compromised medical supplies.


She described the large-scale operation, which targeted Nigeria’s three major open drug markets, as the biggest in NAFDAC’s history. The operation was executed in:

Ariaria and Eziukwu Markets (Aba, Abia State)

Bridge Head Market (Onitsha, Anambra State)

Idumota Drug Market (Lagos State)

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Prof. Adeyeye estimated that the value of the seized items was at least N1 trillion, but noted that further assessment could reveal a higher figure.


The NAFDAC DG recounted how staff had faced kidnapping attempts and physical threats due to their work.

“I told you about the attempted murder about six months ago. One of our staff in Kano had his child kidnapped because he was doing his job. Fortunately, the child escaped,” she revealed.

“For me, I have two policemen living in my house 24/7 in Abuja and Lagos. I don’t have a life. I can’t go anywhere without police escorts. That’s not my way of living, but I don’t have a choice because we must save our country. Nonetheless, I also use common sense.”

Akunyili’s Legacy and the Battle Against Fake Drugs

The threats facing Prof. Adeyeye mirror those encountered by Prof. Dora Akunyili, who led NAFDAC from 2001 to 2009 and became a target of drug cartels due to her relentless fight against counterfeit drugs.

Akunyili’s motivation stemmed from the death of her sister, who died after receiving fake insulin. Her campaigns led to the closure of open-air drug markets and the confiscation of fake drugs, drawing numerous threats and even an assassination attempt in 2003.

Like Akunyili, Prof. Adeyeye remains determined to eradicate the fake drug menace despite the dangers involved.

Prof. Adeyeye emphasized the need for stricter punishments, including the death penalty, for those endangering lives through fake drugs.

She urged the Nigerian government to implement stronger laws to curb the life-threatening trade of counterfeit pharmaceuticals.

NAFDAC continues to intensify its enforcement actions nationwide, with the goal of protecting public health and restoring confidence in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry.



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/02/my-life-is-in-danger-nafdac-dg-cries-out/

God forbid evil things. Thunder will not strike twice!

Gunmen Reportedly Abduct Several Motorists, engers Near Military Barracks In Abuja

The wave of abductions in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has taken a new turn as gunmen struck again, kidnapping an unspecified number of motorists and engers near Abacha Barracks by in Guzape, late on Tuesday night.

The latest incident, which occurred at about 11:31pm on February 25, has heightened fears among residents as insecurity continues to escalate in the nation's capital.

This comes just weeks after multiple abductions in Bwari, Kuje, and Gwagwalada areas, where armed gangs kidnapped scores of individuals, including schoolchildren and commuters.

Police Intelligence sources who confirmed the attack to a source, Zagazola Makama, revealed that upon responding to the distress call, officers discovered two abandoned vehicles: a black Toyota Prado Land Cruiser with registration number Abuja RBC 900 SF, reportedly belonging to Hon. Shagala Samuel, and a Honda Civic with registration number RSH 181 TH.

https://saharareporters.com/2025/02/26/gunmen-reportedly-abduct-several-motorists-engers-near-military-barracks-abuja

Tottenham vs Manchester City 26-02-2025 20:30pm

Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State, has criticised the appointments made by President Bola Tinubu since assuming office.

Speaking on Monday during an interview on Arise TV, El-Rufai said Tinubu is only appointing his “boys” from Lagos into political offices.

He cautioned against blaming the entire South-West for the sin of the president when, in fact, the lopsided appointment is being committed by the president.


He said: “President Tinubu’s appointment are quite imbalance. Don’t blame the South-West for what one individual is doing.

“The president’s appointments are not being made because the appointees are Yoruba, but because they are his own boys, and most of the appointments do not even reasonably cover the South-West.


“So, people should stop confusing the truth. The appointments are not balanced. Yes, definitely, definitely, right? You cannot argue that, but it’s not a Yoruba thing. Please don’t punish the Yorubas as you have been punishing northerners for the sins of the military.

“Let’s focus on individuals and hold them able.

“President Tinubu needs to do something about that. It’s still not too late. He can correct it, but there is palpable anger in the north.”

https://dailytrust.com/breaking-tinubu-appointing-his-boys-el-rufai/

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Princess Mojisola Meranda, may step down, paving the way for either Mr. David Setonji or Mr. Wale Rauf to assume the position.

This development follows intervention efforts by prominent political figures, including former APC National Chairman and ex-Osun State Governor Chief Bisi Akande, former Ogun State Governor Aremo Olusegun Osoba, and Chief Pius Akinyelure, Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

Meranda made history as the first female Speaker of the House on January 13 after the removal of Mudashiru Obasa, who faced allegations of corruption, abuse of office, and high-handedness. However, Obasa has since challenged his removal in court, arguing that due process was not followed.

Sources reveal that key political figures held an initial meeting with principal officers and House over the weekend, with another meeting expected soon.

It is speculated that Meranda may be asked to return to her former position as Deputy Speaker, while one of the two lawmakers from Lagos West—David Setonji (Badagry 2) or Wale Rauf (Amuwo Odofin 2)—could become the next Speaker.

David Setonji is currently the Chief Whip of the House and has served as a lawmaker since 2015.

Wale Rauf has been in the House since 2019.

This arrangement is reportedly influenced by regional representation in state leadership. Presently, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Speaker Mojisola Meranda are both from Lagos Central, leaving Lagos West without a top leadership position. Given that Obasa hails from Lagos West, stakeholders have recommended that the next Speaker be chosen from the district.

Despite these developments, 36 out of 40 lawmakers ed a vote of confidence in Meranda on Monday, February 17, affirming their for her continued leadership. However, the House adjourned sitting indefinitely, leaving room for further negotiations.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/02/lagos-assembly-meranda-may-step-down-as-speaker-setonji-or-rauf-poised-to-take-over/

has headed to the polls this Sunday for snap federal elections in a vote that will shape the course of the EU's largest member state and its biggest economy for the next four years.

The incoming government will inherit an economy that has shrunk for two years in a row for the first time in decades, burdened by bureaucracy, rising energy costs and a once-crucial car industry struggling to keep up with demand for electric vehicles.

's conservative parties and far-right AfD lead in the polls, with the centre-right CDU’s Friedrich Merz likely to become chancellor, replacing Olaf Scholz from the centre-left SPD.

Merz's party is pushing for tax cuts, reform of the country's ailing military and a radical overhaul of its immigration and asylum rules.

Meanwhile, AfD leader Alice Weidel has made headlines for her unexpected bond with South African-born tech billionaire Elon Musk. The AfD has long been critical of the European Union and has said should exit the bloc.

Euronews' TV show is live from 5:30 pm, in which a number of notable guests analyse the political meaning of the results and the impact on Europe. We will also follow the first reactions from the German leaders. Tune in and watch our live coverage in the player above.

https://www.msn.com/en-xl/politics/government/german-federal-election-2025-live-updates-cdu-s-merz-declares-victory-scholz-its-defeat/ar-AA1zBhjp?ocid=BingNewsSerp

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has ordered the restriction of vehicular movement from 5 am to 5 pm on Saturday as the state holds the local government election.

A statement by the spokesperson to the governor, Olawale Rasheed, obtained in Osogbo on Friday, subsequently directed the security agencies to enforce the restriction.

The governor also said they should allow only voters and accredited media and civil society organisations to move around for the continued peace and security of the state.

The statement read, “Governor Ademola Adeleke has ordered restriction of vehicular movement from 5 am to 5 pm on Saturday 22nd February 2022 across Osun state.

“The directive of the State Governor was sequel to the statewide local government elections that are scheduled to be held tomorrow across the state.

“Governor Adeleke who reiterated his commitment to peace and security said the movement restriction is necessary to prevent importation of hoodlums into the state amidst local elections.


“He therefore directed security agencies to enforce the restriction and only allow voters and accredited media and civil society organisations for the continued peace and security of Osun State.”

A dispute between the APC and PDP in the state erupted following the Court of Appeal’s judgment on the dismissal of APC local government chairmen and councillors.

While the PDP argued that the February 10 ruling by the Court of Appeal in Akure did not reinstate the sacked APC officials elected in 2022, the APC maintained that they had the right to resume office.

Tensions escalated on Monday as both parties attempted to take control of local government secretariats across Osun State.

The police confirmed that six people were killed and several others injured in the ensuing violence.

https://punchng.com/osun-lg-poll-adeleke-restricts-vehicular-movement/

Attacks by suspected herdsmen in Benue State have led to the killing of at least 5000 persons in recent times.

Ayet-to-be confirmed number of persons have been killed in a fresh attack on Ayin community in Benue State.

The attack which happened on Thursday night was carried out by suspected herdsmen, SaharaReporters gathered.






“Suspected armed Herdsmen came to Ayin Benue State yesterday night to attack our people again. This attack claimed the lives of multiple villagers and we are still recovering corpses in the bush till now,” a top source told SaharaReporters.




“However, the traditional rulers are trying to hide the situation from escalating.”



Attacks by suspected herdsmen in Benue State have led to the killing of at least 5000 persons in recent times.



The latest attack is coming three days after 16 farmers were ambushed and killed on Kashimbila Road in the state while returning to their community in Mbandwa ward.





The farmers were returning home on Monday when they were ambushed.

Their bodies were dumped in the river by the gunmen.





SaharaReporters had also reported that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) had withdrawn all corps from Mbaa community in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State due to escalating violent attacks.



Confirming the development on Thursday, the Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations of NYSC in Benue, Yahuza Adamu, said the withdrawal was prompted by incessant security threats in the area.





“Since the beginning of incessant attacks on Mbaa Community which shares boundary with the Republic of Cameroon, NYSC withdrew all Corps from the area, and has not posted any there till date,” the statement had read.

The situation in Mbaa has worsened, with suspected armed herders reportedly killing over 20 people, including 16 farmers whose bodies were discovered in River Katsina Ala.



Adamu assured parents and guardians that NYSC remains vigilant and committed to the welfare of corps .



He stated that the NYSC Kwande Local Government Inspector had conducted a headcount, confirming that all corps were safe and ed for.



“Hence, all Corps serving in Jato Acka Turan, which is far away from the affected community, are not exposed to any security threat,” he added.



The NYSC official stressed that the organisation takes proactive measures to safeguard corps .


https://saharareporters.com/2025/02/21/breaking-armed-herdsmen-return-benue-community-kill-many-villagers-days-after

The group announced the abduction in a statement, noting that Ojajuni was taken on Monday, February 17, 2025.

The National President of the Afenifere National Youths Council, Prince Eniola Joseph Ojajuni, has been kidnapped.

The group announced the abduction in a statement, noting that Ojajuni was taken on Monday, February 17, 2025.


According to Abiodun Aderohunmu, the National Secretary of the Afenifere National Youths Council, the kidnappers have demanded a ransom of N100 million.

He said, “The Afenifere National Youths Council is deeply saddened to announce the kidnapping of its National President, Prince Eniola Joseph Ojajuni, in Abuja, Nigeria.

“The unfortunate incident occurred yesterday, and the kidnappers have demanded a ransom of N100,000,000.


“During the kidnapping, Prince Ojajuni sustained a bullet wound on his buttock.

“We are deeply concerned about his safety and well-being, and we urge the kidnappers to release him unharmed.

“Prince Ojajuni is a prominent figure in Nigerian and a strong advocate for youth empowerment and development.

“We call on the Nigerian authorities to take immediate action to ensure Prince Ojajuni's safe release. We also appeal to the general public to provide any information that may lead to his rescue.

“The Afenifere National Youths Council will continue to work tirelessly to ensure Prince Ojajuni's safe return and to advocate for the safety and security of all Nigerians.”

“The kidnap happened on February 17. They shot the President twice. And he has bullet wounds. They are saying N100 million or nothing,” a member of the group told SaharaReporters on Thursday.

The source said they could not confirm whether there were any casualties or injuries during the kidnapping.


https://saharareporters.com/2025/02/20/afenifere-youth-leader-shot-kidnapped-abuja-n100million-ransom-demanded

Manchester City Vs Liverpool 23-02-2025 5:30pm

End of ManchesterCity's Pep!

EndBadGovernance Protest: Committee confirms 10 dead, ₦11bn in property losses in Kano

By Bashir Bello

KANO — The Committee of Inquiry on the End Bad Governance Protest, established by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, has confirmed that 10 people were killed and ₦11 billion worth of properties destroyed during the demonstration.


The findings were presented during the 25th Kano State Executive Council meeting at Government House, where the committee’s chairman, Justice Lawan Wada (rtd.), submitted the official report.


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Receiving the report, Governor Yusuf announced plans to issue a white paper to identify those responsible for sponsoring and executing the violent protest.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, the governor vowed to fully implement the committee’s recommendations regarding the August 1, 2024 protest.

“According to the report, 10 people lost their lives, while seven others sustained critical injuries,” the statement read.

“Additionally, public and private properties worth over ₦11 billion were destroyed during the protest.”

Governor Yusuf emphasized that his istration allowed the committee’s six-month investigation to proceed independently without interference.

“I trust the integrity and professionalism of the committee . They were selected on merit, and I am confident they conducted their work without bias,” he stated.

He assured that appropriate action would be taken on the report’s findings to deter future violence and destruction.


The governor also commended the committee for their thorough work and encouraged them to remain available for future assignments if needed.


While presenting the report, Justice Wada revealed that the committee visited all affected areas and engaged with stakeholders to compile a comprehensive of the protest’s impact.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/02/endbadgovernance-protest-committee-confirms-10-dead-%e2%82%a611bn-in-property-losses-in-kano/

The US government is set to investigate how past aid allocated to Nigeria and other countries has been utilised.

This follows US President Donald Trump’s January 20, 2025, decision to suspend all foreign aid for 90 days, citing concerns about global destabilisation and misalignment with American interests.

The move responds to growing calls for a comprehensive review of US Agency for International Development (USAID) health funds.

US Congressman, Scott Perry, had claimed that USAID funded terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram.

Perry, a Republican representing Pennsylvania, made the claim during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency last Thursday.

Boko Haram, officially known as Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, is a self-proclaimed jihadist terrorist organisation based in northeastern Nigeria and also active in Chad, Niger, northern Cameroon, and Mali.

The group has been causing havoc in Northeast Nigeria for over 15 years, killing tens of thousands of people, in frequent attacks against the police, armed forces and civilians.

“Who gets some of that money? Does that name ring a bell to anybody in the room? Because your money, your money, $697 million annually, plus the shipments of cash funds in Madrasas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, terrorist training camps. That’s what it’s funding,” Perry said.

In a post via X on Tuesday, the US Mission to Nigeria confirmed that monitoring systems are in place to track past assistance provided by the US government

The U.S. Mission also strongly condemned the ongoing violence and loss of life caused by Boko Haram in Nigeria.

“Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation systems are in place to help that U.S. assistance reaches intended recipients. The United States condemns the violence and blatant disregard for human life perpetrated by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in Nigeria and the region.

“The Secretary of State designated Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organization on November 14, 2013 to block the organization’s assets and fundraising efforts, prosecute individual , and restrict their travel to the United States.

“The United States continues to work with Nigeria and regional partners to counter terrorism,” the post read.

https://dailytrust.com/us-probes-donations-to-nigeria-amid-claim-of-boko-haram-sponsorship/

Nigeria’s headline inflation has dropped to 24.48 per cent year on year in January 2025.

This is a sharp decline from the 34.80 per cent headline inflation recorded in December 2024.

This is according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The Statistician-General of the Federation Adeyemi Adeniran announced this on Tuesday.

He said the Consumer Price Index (I) – which measures the rate of change in prices of goods and commodities – has declined to 24.48 per cent year on year in January.

Adeniran who was speaking during a briefing in Abuja, explained that urban inflation stood at 26.09 per cent while rural inflation came to 22.15 per cent.


He said that the general prices of goods and services in the country declined, compared to the 34.80 per cent in December, which used the old template.

I rebasing means updating the reference year used to gauge price levels in the country by essentially changing the basket of goods and services used to measure inflation, to better reflect current consumer spending patterns and ensure the inflation data accurately reflects the economy’s current.

According to the I figures for the period under review, the rebased food inflation stood at 26.08 per cent year-on-year in January, representing a decline in the food index when compared with 39.84 per cent year-on-year recorded in the preceding month.

https://www.channelstv.com/2025/02/18/just-in-nigerias-inflation-rate-drops-to-24-48-per-cent/

A team of police officers attached to the Area F of the Lagos State Police Command have been detained for allegedly extorting a Chinese expatriate along the Sheraton-Opebi link Road area of the state.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident occurred when the officers numbering three were conducting a stop and search at the location on Wednesday.

The police officers were said to have flagged down the foreigner and requested his documents, including a green card.

Although the expatriate presented the documents through his phone gallery, the officers insisted on seeing the original copies.

A rights activist, Lameed Adekunle, who was privy to the development told our correspondent on Sunday that after a series of discussions and pleas from the expatriate, the officers forced him to pay N100,000 into a Point Of Sale .

He said, “The expatriate was on his way for an urgent meeting when the police officers stopped him and demanded his documents including his green card which was shown to the officers through a phone gallery but the officers insisted on seeing the original. Because he was unable to provide it, the officers requested N100,000 and since they did not want to get late to the meeting, they had to make the payment into the provided to them.”

Speaking on how it became public knowledge, Adewale Ojo of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights said the expatriate, who works with a popular construction company, narrated his experience to his Nigerian co-workers who later escalated the matter.


He said, “The man just moved to Nigeria and he felt so disappointed in the way he was treated. He had to tell some of his workers who later informed us. We took it up, informed the police authorities and the officers were identified. This also led to their arrest and detention.”

He further stated that the policemen were summoned to the provost’s office in the Ikeja area of the state, adding that they had since been detained.

Ojo added the police officers were instructed to refund the money to the foreigner.

“The money is expected to be refunded tomorrow, Monday. We are doing this to make sure that the bad eggs in the police are fished out and we also want to follow this particular case to the end like we have always done,” he added.

In a picture sent to our correspondent, one of the officers was seen conversing with the expatriate in his vehicle.

A receipt of the transfer bearing the name of the expatriate and the recipient was also seen by our correspondent.

The command spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached for a reaction as calls made to his telephone line were not answered. A text message sent to him had yet to be replied to as this report was filed.


PUNCH Metro reported in October 2024 that officers from Area C Police Command in Surulere allegedly extorted the sum of N1m from three of the National Youth Service Corps .

It was gathered that the corps were stopped along the Surulere expressway before a group of officers surrounded their vehicle and started searching.

An argument ensued between the corps and the officers before the vehicle was driven to the Area C Police Station where the extortion was said to have taken place.

https://punchng.com/three-policemen-arrested-for-extorting-n100000-from-expatriate-in-lagos/

The Lagos State Government has issued a 24-hour quit notice to illegal traders and occupants under the Idumota, Ebute Ero Police Police overhead, and environs in Lagos Island to vacate due to violations of environmental laws and degradation.

Meanwhile, the state government also ordered the immediate unsealing of the Oke Arin/Gorodom Market, following a mutual agreement reached.


The market was shut down over environmental degradation and encroachment on drainage alignments.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, gave the directives on Sunday during an on-the-spot assessment of the compliance level in the affected markets.

Wahab, therefore, warned that failure of the affected occupants to vacate the area within the stipulated period of grace would attract severe consequences.

The Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Gaji Omobolaji; Permanent Secretary, Office Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite; Managing Director Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, as well as some ministry management staff, were also part of the inspection team.


According to Wahab, “We have come to inspect the level of compliance with respect to the directive given to keep off our drainage alignments and remove every impediment around the alignment.

“We came here about three weeks ago; we could see the high level of encroachment where people were selling on the drainage itself. It was a very unpalatable sight to behold.

“This led to serving the traders notices to vacate, and we had to re-establish that drainage and the right of way. All the connecting tertiary drainages were also opened up.

“We also engaged with the traders upon which they gave their written undertaking and agreed to maintain what we have opened up, which led to the immediate unsealing of the market.

“From there, we inspected the Idumota and environs.We could see the level of environmental degradation and it’s not something we want to keep unaddressed.


“We had to serve them quit notice to remove them and after then we shall do the needful.”

He stressed the need for residents, including traders at all markets, to prioritize environmental cleanliness to prevent the spread of diseases.

“It is necessary for everyone to take care of the environment; the traders caused the closure of the market; the government will not let down its guards. Going forward, we are determined to go around nooks and crannies of Lagos State to re-establish our drainage alignments in order to avoid flooding because whenever there is a flood in the state, you people will accuse the government of being irresponsible,” he said.

Wahab explained the illegal process in which shop owners/ traders had converted the setback of the drainage channels in the markets to stalls had impeded the free flow of stormwater and could lead to serious disease breakouts of Cholera, Diarrhea, typhoid fever, amongst others, saying if each and everyone make good sanitation practices a daily affair in their shops and environs, it would save the citizenry from continuous visit to the hospitals.

“With these illegal stalls and shops, if proper care is not taken, we can have a major disease outbreak, and these outbreaks can have negative impacts on our health care system, such that we would start undertaking various tests which we can avoid by doing the needful in every corner of our stalls” he said.

He recalled that the State Government had banned styrofoam over a year ago due to its adverse effects on human health and drainage channels. He observed that some traders are still using and littering the market environment with the banned item and urged them to stop.

“I would like to appeal to our traders who still engage in selling styrofoams packs that we don’t want to see styrofoams in our markets; it is obvious that some of you are still storing these styrofoams in your stores; It is high time you collaborate with the government as traders to help protect the environment and all the drainage alignments” he stressed.

Wahab emphasized that Global warming and climate change is real as such everyone must become responsible in order to push back the climate challenges and effects as much as possible.

“Let us make our choices now; markets are not meant to be sleeping places. If You people have been collecting money from those sleeping in the markets in the past, such people should stop giving you money. The government is not asking for your money; just fix the little necessary things in your corners; stop connecting your sewage system to the drainage alignment; stop discharging your waste into the drainage alignment. Stop building on the drainage alignment so that the drainages can remain clean always; the rains are coming, and we must be prepared,” he added.

During the tour, the Commissioner also ordered the immediate sealing of Kabaran Global Nigeria—Apogbon Truck Park on Adeniji Adele Road after the expiration of several abatement notices served, stressing that the contractor that would repair the major road is expected to move to the site and that the space had been allocated for the contractor’s use.

The Commissioner sounded a note of warning again to developers and residents who are fond of dumping building materials on the roads and drainage channels, thereby causing serious blockage to the natural flow of water, to desist from such acts while ordering the immediate sealing of a shopping complex under construction along Adeniji Adele Road.

In an appreciation response, Alhaja Basirat Owolewa, who spoke on behalf of the Iyaloja of Gorodom Market, expressed appreciation to the government for opening up all blocked drainage channels in the market.

She promised that traders in the market and around the re-established channel would be compelled to promote good sanitation practices and make it a priority from now on.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/02/lagos-serves-48hr-quit-notice-to-illegal-traders-at-idumota-ebute-ero/

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says no system collapse has been recorded this year, but line tripping.

The company said this in a statement on its X handle in Abuja on Saturday.


‘It said, ”TCN management would like to reiterate that there has been no system collapse this year.


Our electric bike will crash price of goods and fight climate change - Adekunle Ajasin Varsity....0:00 / 0:00

“On Feb. 12, when the Omotosho-Ikeja West 330 Kilo Volt (kV) transmission line tripped, the Benin-Egbin 330 kV line was on a scheduled outage for mechanical line tracing.

”The tripping resulted in a cascaded outage, causing loss of supply within the Abuja, Lagos, and Osogbo axes.”

According to TCN, other parts of the country are fully intact.

Meanwhile, full restoration of bulk power supply to affected areas has since been completed.

The company said that it was pertinent to note that the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) was being regulated by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and governed by industry documents.

”The documents reserve for the National Control Centre System Operator or her designated back-up, the National Supplementary Control Centre (SNCC), the exclusive right to provide information to the public about events and status of the grid,” it said.


The company urged of the public and reporters to shun malicious and unfounded information about the National Grid that does not emanate from the Public Affairs Department of TCN. (NAN)

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/02/no-system-collapse-has-occurred-in-2025-tcn/

Boko Haram Terrorists Attack Nigerian Army Base, Kill Three Soldiers, Steal Gun Trucks In Borno

Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have killed three Nigerian Army personnel following an attack on a military base in Borno State.

SaharaReporters gathered that the terrorists for several hours last Sunday attacked the military facility in Isige town, Gwoza Local Government Area of the state.

A source said that the terror group razed many buildings and took away two gun trucks during the attack.

SaharaReporters is withholding names of the army personnel killed as their families are yet to be informed.

“There was an attack recently in Borno, one Staff Sergeant with two private soldiers were killed. However, the army authorities are silent over the attack which happened at a base in Isige Town, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

“They burnt one military vehicle while they went away with two gun trucks, later reforcement came from nearby unit but then the Boko Haram fighters have left.”

This is coming a few weeks after the terror group launched a brutal attack on the military's Forward Operating Base in the Damboa Local Government Area of same Borno State, killing a yet-to-be confirmed number of soldiers, with many still missing.

“25 Taskforce Bde was attacked during the weekend with so many casualties, so far we have recovered over seven bodies,” a source had told SaharaReporters.

“The terror group invaded the camp FOB Sabon Gari around 4am on Saturday, using various weapons.”

ISWAP subsequently claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement.

Also attached to the statement were pictures of shooting sporadically towards the military facility.

Since the death of JAS leader, Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has been consolidating its grip in locations around Lake Chad.

The sect’s hip has swollen with the defection of hundreds of Boko Haram fighters under Shekau.

The Nigerian Army has repeatedly claimed that insurgency had been largely defeated and frequently underplays any losses.

The terror group has caused over 100,000 deaths and displaced millions of people mainly in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

https://saharareporters.com/2025/02/15/breaking-boko-haram-terrorists-attack-nigerian-army-base-kill-three-soldiers-steal-gun

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, on Friday, said President Bola Tinubu has approved the conversion of the Yaba College of Technology, YABATECH, to a university.

He disclosed the news to the management, staff, and students of the college during a working visit to the institution.

“The rector said some minutes ago that the staff, students, and management of the college have been praying and fasting that it be converted to a university. Somehow, you have kind of ambushed me, but I must let you know that when I discussed the issue with President Bola Tinubu, he did not waste time in approving. I am just waiting for the memo and other necessary protocols from the appropriate quarters.

“This school is a legacy, and with over 200 staff holding doctorate degrees in various fields, it is more than ready and fit to become a university. All the credit about this should go to the president, who loves education and is concerned about giving the best to the youths who are our future leaders,” he stated.

Alausa, who went around the college to inaugurate and inspect some projects, expressed satisfaction with the maintenance culture of the management that has kept most of the facilities in good shape despite their age.


“I commend you for pursuing excellence, and we need innovation and investments in technology for development, and I can assure you that the federal government would back you up,” he added.

He stressed further that one of the reasons the Tinubu istration is focusing on technical and vocational education and adding entrepreneurship to it is to stem the Japa Syndrome.

“We are not taking the issue of artificial intelligence, robotics, coding, and others with levity. We know that if our youths are good at those things, they can be in Nigeria and be working for firms in many parts of the world, and they will be earning foreign exchange. That will help stem this Japa of a thing, where people would travel abroad to do menial jobs,” he stated.

He noted that for over three decades, Nigeria abandoned technical and vocational education and focused on producing graduates who are always after white-collar jobs, but that the focus has now changed.


“In Europe and other places, the focus has been on incorporating TVET to become a core aspect of their education system, and that is what we are doing now. We need education that would aid manufacturing and technological innovations and that would also lead to a robust private sector, which will drive societal growth and development,” he opined.

Earlier, the rector, Dr Ibrahim Abdul, said with over 200 PhD holders in its services, YABATECH was more than qualified to become a university.

“While we are praying that we become a university, we don’t want to become just one of those universities. We want to be a university of technical and vocational education that would bring innovation and also solve societal problems and challenges and contribute greatly to the advancement of our dear country. We have the manpower, and we just need the of the government in this regard,” he stated.

Abdul reeled out the various achievements of his istration and said the management would not relent in raising the stakes higher.

The Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Funso Afolabi, thanked the minister for the visit and solicited his in getting their demands met.


The bill that would state the change in status of the college and the new name it would bear is expected to the sent to the National Assembly for age and presidential assent.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/02/tinubu-approves-conversion-of-yabatech-to-university/