At least 14 security personnel have been killed following a deadly terrorist attack on a security formation in Niger State, marking another setback in the fight against insecurity in the North-Central region. The attackers, said to have arrived in large numbers, launched a coordinated assault on the security post, engaging personnel in a fierce gun battle that lasted for several hours. Security sources said the victims comprised members of conventional security agencies and local security volunteers who were stationed in the area to protect nearby communities from recurring attacks. The assailants reportedly overpowered the security team before fleeing the scene,…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has revealed that he was falsely accused of being behind the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area, describing the allegation as shocking and politically motivated. The governor said the accusation emerged while efforts were ongoing to secure the release of the victims, adding that some individuals attempted to politicise the tragic incident instead of supporting rescue operations. Makinde noted that despite the allegations, his administration remained focused on collaborating with security agencies to ensure the safe return of the abducted pupils and teachers. According to him, the state government…
Former Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, has urged President Bola Tinubu to resign from office rather than seek re-election in the 2027 general elections. Okonkwo, who spoke during a television interview, said stepping down would be a more honourable option than waiting for Nigerians to vote the President out of office. He argued that the current administration had failed to meet public expectations, citing economic hardship, worsening insecurity and the rising cost of living as major concerns confronting Nigerians. According to him, many citizens are struggling under the present economic conditions, insisting that the government has not…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to publicly display the personal particulars and academic credentials of candidates contesting the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections in Lagos State. The commission said the exercise is in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act, which require the publication of candidates’ details to enable members of the public scrutinise the information submitted by aspirants. According to INEC, the display will take place at its Lagos State office and other designated locations, where the nomination forms, academic qualifications and other personal particulars of candidates will be made available for public…
The Nigeria Police Force has deployed a new Commissioner of Police to Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election as part of efforts to strengthen security and ensure a peaceful electoral process. The deployment, approved by the Inspector-General of Police, is aimed at reinforcing security arrangements in the state as political activities intensify ahead of the off-cycle governorship poll. The new commissioner is expected to oversee the implementation of election security plans, coordinate personnel deployment and work closely with other security agencies to maintain law and order before, during and after the election. The Police High Command said…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that 3,867,997 Nigerians successfully registered during the latest phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, with women accounting for the majority of the new voters. The commission disclosed that female registrants totalled 2,037,589, representing 52.68 per cent of the new voters, while 1,830,408 males, or 47.32 per cent, completed the registration process. INEC also revealed that young Nigerians continued to dominate the registration exercise, with citizens between the ages of 18 and 34 making up more than two-thirds of the new registrants. According to the electoral body, 2,697,863 voters registered through…
The Nigeria Police Force has announced that Amotekun Corps, vigilante groups and other quasi-security outfits will not participate in security operations during the August 15 governorship election in Osun State. The directive was issued by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 11, who said only personnel from constitutionally recognised security agencies would be deployed to provide security before, during and after the election. According to the police, the decision is aimed at ensuring professionalism, neutrality and effective coordination of security operations throughout the electoral process. The command stated that only authorised security personnel, properly identified in their…
More than 400 retired workers of Ebonyi State University (EBSU) have appealed to Governor Francis Nwifuru to intervene in the payment of their outstanding pensions and gratuities, lamenting years of hardship since leaving active service. The retirees, under the aegis of the Association of Retired Staff of Ebonyi State University, said many of their members had continued to endure severe financial difficulties due to the non-payment of their retirement benefits. Speaking on behalf of the group, the association’s leadership urged the governor to direct the relevant authorities to immediately settle the outstanding entitlements, describing the situation as both painful and…
Candidates contesting the August 15 governorship election in Osun State have signed a peace accord, committing themselves to a peaceful, transparent and violence-free electoral process. The agreement was signed at a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the National Peace Committee, with representatives of political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, civil society organisations and other election stakeholders in attendance. Speaking at the event, Chairman of the National Peace Committee and former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), who was represented by former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Martin Agwai (retd.), urged candidates and their supporters to…
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed concern over what it described as increasing political interference in the operations of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Police Force ahead of the 2027 general elections. The opposition party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, warned that the credibility of future elections could be undermined if institutions expected to remain independent are perceived to be taking sides in partisan politics. ADC questioned reports suggesting that a transport union linked to political interests could play a role in election logistics, urging the electoral commission to provide…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Osun State to Friday, July 31, ahead of the August 15 governorship election. The electoral body announced the extension on Tuesday, saying the decision was taken to enable more eligible voters to collect their PVCs and participate in the election. INEC said the extension followed complaints from members of the public over large crowds at collection centres and other challenges encountered during the exercise. According to the commission, 322,822 PVCs, representing 62 per cent of the available cards for newly registered…
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the immediate suspension of the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Tijani, over his alleged appearance at what it described as a partisan political event ahead of the 2027 general elections. The opposition party made the demand in a statement shared on its official social media page on Tuesday, accusing the police commissioner of compromising the neutrality expected of the Nigeria Police Force. The reaction followed the circulation of a video showing the Lagos State Commissioner of Police at an event reportedly organised by the City Boy Movement, Lagos State Chapter,…
The Accord Party has welcomed the Court of Appeal judgment setting aside the Federal High Court ruling that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the party and four others. The party described the appellate court’s decision as a victory for democracy, the rule of law and due process, saying it had restored confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process. In a statement issued by its National Chairman, Barr. Maxwell Mgbudem, Accord said the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court was a calculated attempt to undermine Nigeria’s jurisprudence and participatory democracy. According to the party, the Court of Appeal’s…
President Bola Tinubu has defended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections, dismissing concerns over the electoral body’s neutrality and accusing political opponents of making unfounded allegations. Tinubu made the remarks on Tuesday while receiving the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), led by its President, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, at the State House in Abuja. The President’s comments were contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. The bishops had urged the Tinubu administration to ensure the conduct of free, fair and credible elections…
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has called for an amendment to the Electoral Act to require political parties to conclude their primary elections at least one year before general elections. Amupitan said the proposal would provide political parties with adequate time to resolve disputes arising from candidate nominations, thereby reducing election-related litigation. The INEC chairman made the call while delivering the keynote address at the public presentation of Shadows: Protest Essays on Africa’s Most Consequential Country (1999–2023) in Abuja. His remarks were contained in a statement posted on the commission’s X handle on Tuesday.…
A leadership meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta Central Senatorial District ended in chaos on Saturday at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, following a confrontation among party members. Eyewitnesses said the meeting turned violent after disagreements among attendees reportedly escalated into physical altercations, with chairs and other objects allegedly thrown during the incident. Several persons, mainly party members, were said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries. Among those reportedly affected was a Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Government, who was seen in widely circulated videos leaving the venue during the disturbance.…
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has declared that no one will be able to rig or manipulate the outcome of the August 15 governorship election in the state. Adeleke made the assertion while addressing supporters at a campaign rally in Oke-Ila, Ifedayo Local Government Area, urging residents to come out in large numbers to vote and protect their ballots. According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor expressed confidence that the people of Osun would ensure that every valid vote counts. “I heard some politicians vowing to steal the votes. Where and how? Osun votes are…
The Chairman of the Kano State Inter-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Muhuyi Rimin-Gado, has warned politicians against mounting pressure on him to secure the release of suspected thugs or drug offenders arrested by the committee. Rimin-Gado gave the warning on Tuesday during a meeting with media executives and journalists in Kano, stressing that the task force would carry out its mandate without political interference. He said the committee would enforce the law fairly and would not allow political influence to undermine its operations. “No politician should approach me to release any thug if we arrest him.…
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara had no option but to return to the political family that brought him to power, insisting that the governor merely corrected his mistakes. Wike made the remarks on Tuesday while inspecting ongoing road projects across the Federal Capital Territory. The minister said Fubara committed no offence by reconciling with his political camp, dismissing suggestions that the reconciliation amounted to forgiveness after their prolonged political rift. “He has no option but to return to the political family that made him. I don’t know what…
The National Chairman of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prof. Sodiq Gombe, has attributed Nigeria’s challenges to poor leadership, urging young Nigerians to take advantage of the 2027 general elections to change the country’s political direction. Gombe made the remarks on Tuesday while speaking on the state of the nation ahead of the next general election. According to him, leadership failure remains the country’s greatest problem, adding that character deficiencies among those in key positions have undermined governance. He alleged that many leaders in the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary lack the character required for effective leadership, a…