The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has voiced concerns over the dwindling enthusiasm for Nigeria’s Independence Day celebrations, once a symbol of national pride and unity. The coalition attributed the lacklustre mood to the harsh economic realities many Nigerians are currently facing. In a statement signed by its national secretary, Peter Ameh, the CUPP noted that this year’s celebration marks another moment overshadowed by the struggles for survival. The coalition highlighted that many citizens are now indifferent to the day, which once inspired patriotic fervour. According to the CUPP, “The 64th anniversary serves as a stark reminder of unfulfilled…
Author: Ifeanyi N.
An Ikeja High Court on Monday discharged and acquitted Ibrahim Yusuf, a 29-year-old man accused of killing a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officer, Mr Olatunde Awotola. Justice Oyindamola Ogala, in her ruling, stated that the prosecution had failed to prove the two charges of involuntary manslaughter and causing grievous bodily harm against Yusuf. The court held that the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to support the charges. The judge noted the absence of key evidence, including a lack of documentary proof from the sole prosecution witness and no record that the incident had been reported to…
The newly sworn-in Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Motomori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, has pledged that obedience to court orders will be non-negotiable under her leadership. Speaking in Abuja on Monday during the commencement of the 2024/2025 legal year and the inauguration of 87 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Justice Kekere-Ekun emphasised that no individual or institution, regardless of their status, will be allowed to undermine the authority of the judiciary. She made it clear that the judiciary remains steadfast in upholding the sanctity of court judgments in accordance with the rule of law, warning that disobedience to court…
As Nigeria approaches its 64th Independence Day celebration, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has called on citizens not to lose hope despite the country’s numerous challenges, including broken promises, exploitation, and pervasive corruption. NLC President Joe Ajaero made the appeal in a statement on Monday, where he commended Nigerian workers for their resilience and sacrifice, despite what he described as betrayal by the nation’s political leaders. “We urge the downtrodden Nigerians who bear the marks or burden of these broken promises, exploitation, and corruption to not give up hope on their country,” Ajaero said. His message comes ahead of Nigeria’s…
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has granted pardons to two inmates in honour of Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day celebration. The pardon was in exercise of the governor’s constitutional powers. In a statement issued on Monday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, it was confirmed that the two beneficiaries were inmates at the Yola Old Medium Security Custodial Centre and the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Jada, respectively. The inmates, Chai Yerima and Mohammed Bapeto, were pardoned based on the recommendation of the Adamawa State Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, in line with Section 212 (1)(d) of…
As Nigeria approaches its Independence Day on Tuesday, October 1, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has expressed support for the planned nationwide protests, emphasising that the demonstration is within the rights of Nigerian citizens. The protests, led by Nigerian youths, are in response to rising hunger and the economic challenges facing the country. In a statement issued by the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, on behalf of its leader, Chief Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, Afenifere affirmed the constitutional right of citizens to protest peacefully. “It is the right of the people to do so,” the statement read. However, Afenifere…
The Oyo State Police Command has urged parents and guardians to prevent their children from being used to instigate unrest during the state’s 64th Independence Anniversary celebrations. The warning was issued in a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso. The statement highlighted the comprehensive security measures that have been put in place to ensure a peaceful celebration, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police (CP) Sonubi Ayodele. It also cautioned against any attempts to disrupt the peace in the state. “As residents of Oyo State join the rest of the nation in celebrating her 64th Independence Anniversary,…
The ongoing leadership crisis within the Labour Party (LP) in Cross River State has taken another hit as Brian Odey, the lawmaker representing Yala State Constituency 1 in the House of Assembly, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). His defection is seen as a significant blow to the already embattled party. Over the weekend, Odey, along with several other defectors, was formally received into the APC at a grand event hosted by the party leadership. The defection ceremony took place in Yahe Ward, Yala Local Government Area (LGA), where Odey officially joined the state’s ruling party. The leadership crisis…
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has secured a sweeping victory in the September 28 local government elections in Anambra State, winning all chairmanship and councillorship positions across the 21 local government areas of the state. The results were announced by the Chairman of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), Genevieve Osakwe, at the commission’s headquarters in Awka. Osakwe declared the election free, fair, and credible, stating that the results had been meticulously collated and analysed to avoid any errors. In her statement, Osakwe noted that no opposition candidates, political parties, or their agents were present at the ANSIEC…
A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the upcoming local government elections scheduled for October 5, 2024. The court also prohibited the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the election. Justice Peter Lifu issued the ruling while delivering judgment on a case brought before the court by the All Progressives Congress (APC). The APC was represented by a team of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), including Joseph Daudu,…
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, has called for the North-Central region to produce the party’s next National Chairman. His stance is rooted in the party’s existing zoning arrangement, which assigns the position to the North-Central zone. Ologbondiyan made this statement over the weekend in Abuja while hosting a group of PDP youths from the North-Central region. He urged party members to respect the agreed zoning formula and resist attempts to deviate from the party’s established framework. Speaking during the event, Ologbondiyan said, “Ignore the antics of certain members of the party who have turned themselves…
The organisers of the October 1 nationwide protest against hardship in Nigeria have reaffirmed their commitment to proceed with the planned demonstration, despite warnings from the Federal Government and the Nigeria Police Force. Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and one of the key figures behind the protest, confirmed this in a viral post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday. Sowore, in his post, declared, “NO GOING BACK! #FearlessInOctober,” indicating that the protest, aimed at addressing the economic hardship and insecurity in the country, will move forward as planned. In an interview…
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested an automobile spare parts dealer, Ejiofor Chiwuzie, for attempting to export consignments of heroin and a strain of cannabis known as “loud” from Lagos. The arrest was confirmed in a statement by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja. According to Babafemi, the drugs were intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos. The contraband was hidden inside LED rechargeable lamps and metal sofa legs, and was discovered at the airport’s export shed. Ejiofor, who operates a spare parts…
Four teenage girls have tragically drowned in a pond at Malkaderi village, Gagarawa Local Government Area, Jigawa State. The incident occurred on Saturday evening, according to local sources, when the girls, all from the same family, went swimming in the pond. A resident who spoke to Newsmen revealed that the victims were discovered after they had already drowned. Good Samaritans recovered their bodies from the pond. Confirming the incident in a statement on Sunday, the spokesman for the Jigawa State Police Command, DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam, provided further details on the tragic event. He said, “In a tragic and devastating…
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the local government elections held on Saturday in Anambra State. The BoT, led by the party’s founder and pioneer National Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie, extended congratulations to all winners in the polls. In a statement released on Monday, Okorie commended the leadership of the party for its efforts in securing the victory, particularly praising the National Chairman, Chief Edozie Njoku, for spearheading a rigorous campaign that resulted in APGA sweeping all chairmanship and councillorship seats. “I doff my hat to the…
The Senator representing Niger East, Sani Musa, has voiced his opposition to the establishment of state police in Nigeria, citing concerns over potential political abuse. Musa made his stance known on Monday in Kano, following the conclusion of deliberations at the Senate Committee’s Retreat on the Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Musa, who also serves as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, argued that the introduction of state police would lead to corruption and bias along ethnic, religious, and political lines. He further stated that existing efforts at community policing have been ineffective.…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended Damilare Ajiboye, also known as ‘Na God,’ a notorious drug kingpin who had been on the run for 12 months. Ajiboye’s arrest followed a raid on his warehouse in the Akala, Mushin area of Lagos. In a statement released on Sunday in Abuja, NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi confirmed that the suspect was arrested on Wednesday. The raid, which took place on 4 September 2023, resulted in the recovery of 1,101 kilograms of Ghana Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, from Ajiboye’s warehouse. Babafemi further disclosed that Ajiboye was apprehended at a…
Operatives of the Katsina State Police Command, in collaboration with soldiers, successfully thwarted two separate kidnap attempts in the state, rescuing six victims. This was disclosed in a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Katsina Police Command, ASP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, on Saturday. According to the statement, the first incident occurred on the Jibia – Kauran Namoda road, when the Jibia Divisional Police Headquarters received a distress call regarding an attempted kidnapping. The PPRO explained that law enforcement responded swiftly, engaging the suspected kidnappers in a gunfight. “Upon receipt of the report, police operatives, in collaboration with the military,…
The Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, has expressed renewed concerns over the persistent issue of corruption in Nigeria, lamenting that the country continues to celebrate individuals who embezzle public funds. Ndume made these remarks during an interactive session with journalists in Kano on Sunday. In his address, Ndume highlighted how societal values have contributed to the normalisation of ill-gotten wealth in Nigeria, a situation he finds deeply troubling. He expressed dismay that public officials who engage in corrupt practices are often unchallenged and, in many cases, even praised for their riches. “It is unfortunate that in Nigeria,…
Nigerian Senators from both the Southern and Northern regions have expressed contrasting opinions on the growing agitation for a return to a regional system of government. This debate unfolded during a two-day retreat on the amendments to the 1999 Constitution, organised by the Senate Committee on Constitution Review in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) in Kano. While Southern senators welcomed the idea, citing potential improvements in the economy, security, and infrastructure, their Northern counterparts strongly opposed it. The debate, however, did not feature in the ongoing constitutional review process, as confirmed by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele.…